The Bright Side

Here's a fun fact: we learn most when in the midst of trials. Should that come as a surprise? Not all at. The Apostle Paul requested three times that God remove his infirmities but God responded each time, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness". Why did the Apostle petition not once but three times? My guess is that Paul was convinced that he could better serve the Lord without the pesky hindrance of his flesh. The Lord finally got His point across to which the Apostle added, "So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me". (1 Corinthians 12:9). I found myself reluctantly asking for help when I broke my leg. And it was in my need (weakness) that God gave me a fresh look at the hearts of friends, coworkers, and neighbors who gave me rides to and from work, the doctor, the grocery store, you name it. I will forever treasure those who helped me during that time. Linda, for instance, came to pick ...

Having a broken leg has been a new experience for me. I will never look at people with crutches the same. As common as it is, I had never broken a limb before (only ribs), so I had never been in a cast. It happened in Mexico on February 14. I was attempting to body surf in a very powerful wave - timed it wrong - got caught in it ( rather than on top of it), twisting inside-out like a pretzel. My foot went backwards just before I was slammed down to the ocean floor. I came home the next day and was put in a cast. Determined to keep my busy schedule, I went to a friend's concert on a snowy night the following week. The floor was slippery and... you guessed it... my crutch went out from under me on the same side as my broken leg. Even in with the cast, I managed to "displace" (doctor's term) the bone further. Viewing the x-rays, the Orthopedic Surgeon said if it moves any further he will have to "rebreak" it in order to it to heal correctly. The very thought o...

Have you ever been in a situation where you're applying for a loan or credit card and you're turned down because of bad credit? It's humiliating because they are saying in essence, "we can't take the risk with you because you're not trust worthy". It doesn't make good business sense to invest in someone if they have not been able to faithfully repay past debts. I have been embarking on the difficult task of paying off all debt. But it's a slow process that requires much discipline. As my financial advisor put it "you must put yourself in financial prison". What if God's decision to put a deposit of grace into our spiritual bank account was based on our past? Or even based on the present? What if He said "hmmm, I can see from the past you've refused to forgive others, have never helped the poor, have never gone to the church, have cursed, have stolen..." (the list goes on), "and now you come to Me for a grace ...

It was one of the most relaxing moments in my life. Lounging near a pool with my sister in the warm sunshine of Mexico. She brought a stack of magazines. I thumbed through one that was filled with how-to instructions on upping the charm of outdated homes. Some of the ideas were as simple as fresh coats of bright colors of paint that would serve to compliment the personality of the architecture and others involved total remodeling. Being the creative type, my mind began whirling with excitement. It wasn't just the decorative inspiration that spurred my emotions, but the idea of newness - (or the appearance thereof). Having recently begun a new chapter of life, there's a deep desire to experience such an improvement inside (renovation of character) and  out (fresh paint). "Yes", I thought to myself, "this aging house could definitely use a new look". Admittedly, it's much easier to throw on a new color and ignore the broken down emotions. I...