In Malcolm Gladwell’s book “the tipping point,” he discusses how little things make extraordinary differences. Are there parallels to our faith and is there a tipping point where we reach some measure of maturity of faith and totally rely upon God and not ourselves? I often hear someone say that they just don’t see God working in their life or that they have doubts regarding their faith.

If there might be something we can glean from these “tipping point” instances, what might those little things be? Are they environmental? Are they foundational in how we were raised from young children? How do our current friends and existing support structure cause or allow small but monumental things to change our lives? Or, does it take the “bigger” events like death of a loved one and catastrophic events to move us in our thinking and how we deal with day-to-day events which might generate doubt? In reality, it is probably many of these but think about those small things that we can manage or control that can have a lasting impact and cause us to walk closer to God. 

As Malcolm describes the “stickiness” factor and points out specific ways of making a contagious message memorable, there may be relatively simple events or changes in how we manage and structure our lives that are impactful to our faithful walk with God which are long-lasting and faith-strengthening. One simple consideration is to wake up daily and take time to “smell the coffee?” Be AWARE! As you prepare for the day in front of you, take notice of the little things around you that occur. You will begin to see Gods glory in the small things. In the busyness of our packed calendar, we rush from event to event easily checking off the daily “to-do” list and mostly feeling good about how much we accomplished by midday. As we think about rushing home for the day stopping to jot down tomorrow’s action items, we realize we just went through the day without a tremendous amount of consciousness of “today.” Did we miss any opportunities to take notice of things really happening around us? 

In Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Earnestly seeking requires thought and consideration and actual Planning to do something different than not seeking Him.

Start your day with taking some quiet time specifically reflecting on the small stuff, stuff that you barely glance at or even think about but things that could be very important matters affecting your faith. What might they be?

The Hebrew word shalom is to “mean peace.” However, peace is only one small part of the meaning. Shalom is used both to greet people and to say to them, farewell, and it means much more than peace, hello or goodbye.

Numbers 6:24-26, The LORD bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The LORD lift up His face upon you and give you PEACE or SHALOM.

Biblical shalom centers around completeness and wholeness, as in repairing or reconciling a relationship. We need time, focus, rest, reflection, and generally putting first things first.

Aren’t these times we are living in a period of unrest and somewhat treacherous period that causes us to lose focus to the importance of life and the brevity of live? We should greet each new day and those we encounter with Shalom for the day ahead!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

We often talk about the changes in our life and wonder why we have so many changes and especially the difficult changes. we struggle with change and how to handle change. But when you think about our physical wifey on this earth in comparison to her you turn on life with God, everything is, will be, and should be a transition from physical to spiritual and from today into eternity.

Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

We also know that it is only through Jesus, and no other way, to transition from this earth which will be destroyed and will end to the place that God is created – heaven. Jesus also said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know ^b my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8: “For everything there is a season, A time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.” Maybe the writer was thinking of how life changes and a time for different things as in the old has passed away and the new has arrived. Are we ready for life’s changes that must be and turning loose of things that must pass away?

This passage in Ecclesiastes is a particular passage that lists several things of this vs. that a common saying in Hebrew poetry indicating things are done out complete. While each time and season may seem odd, the underlying significance in the poem certainly describes a divinely purpose for everything we go through in our lives.

Our lives contain a mixture of joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, harmony and struggle, and life and death. Each season has its appropriate time in the cycle of life. Nothing stays the same, and we, as God’s children, must learn to accept and adjust to the ebb and flow of God’s design. Some seasons are difficult, and we may not understand what God is doing. In those times, we must humbly submit to the Lord’s plans and trust that he is working out his good purposes, (quoting Mary Fairchild).

Life Changes are often difficult and can be heart-breaking but we must center our lives in Jesus and what our eternal life will be like and yearn for the transition that will be the most significant ever!

The apostle John repeatedly used the “light” description in describing the Messiah. He wrote that Jesus is “the true light that gives light to every person” (John 1:9). In 1 John 1:7 he also said, “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” God’s is light. Jesus is the provider of light to the world.

Oh God, help me to rejoice in the hope that reminds me of the faith for eternal life. Allow my hope of spending eternity with you in heaven to guide my mind in how I handle the worries and tribulations of life. Allow me to be mindful of what’s important in life to be constant in prayer in order that that my prayers are a reminder of the hope that you give me because of your endless grace that is sufficient even when I fail in the expectations you have of me. My prayer, oh God, is that I can focus more on your love for me, your plans for me, and how I can be, in some way, a shining light to someone!

Allow your spirit which dwells within me to help remind me to rejoice in the hope that you provide for eternal life and allow your spirit to remind me to be patient and calm through the daily struggles and worries that can cause me to not be reminded of you and the eternal home. Allow your spirit to guide my mind in prayer to you constantly, as in pray without ceasing, in that my focus is right in what I do and what I say and what I think-please allow me to allow your spirit to intercede in my thoughts and then partition to you, Oh God.

I serve a risen Saviour, He’s in the world today
I know that He is living, whatever men may say. I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer And just the time I need Him He’s always near.

He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and talks with me, Along life’s narrow way. He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart.
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart.

In all the world around me I see His loving care And though my heart grows weary I never will despair. I know that He is leading, through all the stormy blast. The day of His appearing will come at last.

He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and talks with me, Along life’s narrow way.
He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart. You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian Lift up your voice and sing. Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ, the King. The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find. None other is so loving, so good and kind.

He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and talks with me. Along life’s narrow way. He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart. You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Alfred H. Ackley

Romans 7:15-20: According to the Apostle Paul

¹⁵ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ¹⁶ And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

The hymn below describes the all powerful God, the only God, and how awesome our God is.

Oh Lord, my God
When I, in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration
And then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
How great Thou art, how great Thou art

Songwriters: Stuart Hine

On March 7, 1901, the Twenty-seventh Texas Legislature adopted the bluebonnet, flower of the annual legume Lupinus subcarnosus, as the state flower. The flower’s popular name derives from its resemblance to a sunbonnet. It has also been called buffalo clover, wolf flower, and, in Spanish, el conejo (“the rabbit”)

Texas State Flower: The Bluebonnet & The Amazing Story Behind It

January 13, 2022

Bluebonnets typically germinate in the fall and then peak in mid to late April and can often be seen blooming in fields and roadsides throughout central and south Texas. They are not hard to spot as their centers typically have while or yellow spikes and the flower can grow to around 1 foot tall. 

The origins of the Bluebonnet is chalked full of myths, legends, and quirky stories, but the flower remains one of the most beloved and recognizable symbols of the great state of Texas. The plants determination to come back, year after year, despite soil and weather conditions, is symbolic of the resilient people who call Texas their home. 

Why is the Texas State Flower the Bluebonnet?

After a heated flower war in 1901, the National Society of Colonial Dames of America successfully convinced the Texas legislature to choose the bluebonnet, a name that paid homage to the many brave Texas pioneer women.

The first flower nominated was the cotton plant which was chosen because cotton is symbolic of Texas’s economic independence and growth. Shortly after, a legislature dubbed “Cactus Jack,” nominated the pear cactus for its hardiness and strength. Horrified by the ugly flower choices, the National Society of Colonial Dames of America nominated the bluebonnet. Although cotton was likely to pass, the women who made up the National Society of Colonial Dames of America would not go down without a fight. They displayed paintings of bluebonnets on the floor of the legislature and made floral arrangements of bluebonnets to adorn each politician’s desk the day of the voting. Sure enough, the bluebonnets were able to win the vote with its striking beauty.

While the Lupinus subcarnosus species was originally chosen, it also happened to be the least attractive of the Bluebonnet varieties. As a result, in 1971, the legislature decided to settle the debate by combining all varieties of bluebonnets under the official state flower. According to Flo Oxley, a program coordinator at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, “After initially naming the Lupinus subcarnosus as the state flower, further debate emerged when people discovered that another species existed. They solved the problem by basically writing legislation that said those two species plus any other that happened to show up in the future would come under the umbrella of the state flower.” Today, this includes Lupinus subcarnosus, Lupinus texensis, Lupinus havardii, Lupinus concinnus, Lupinus plattensis, and Lupinus perennis. Although Bluebonnets started as a controversial decision for legislation, now according to historian Jack Maguire, “the bluebonnet is to Texas what the shamrock is to Ireland, the cherry blossom to Japan, the lily to France, the rose to England, and the tulip to Holland.”

And now you know…..