Thursday, August 22, 2024

Got Any Greatest Life Achievements?


"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him...And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward. "   --- Colossians 3:17, Matthew 10:42


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So last week a much-respected man announced he considered  ______ one of his life's greatest achievements.

Now, I'll not fill in the blank since it's rather controversial and who needs folks scrambling down rabbit holes, missing your whole point?

But simply stated, the guy said 'no' when everyone else said 'yes'. He followed only his convictions, not the fear-inducing information swirling over the Internet and tv.

And in this case, his convictions proved right, for him, and now he feels relieved, grateful, and considers that choice one of his life's greatest achievements.

Wow. For a week, that hasn't budged from my mind. 

I even asked myself, "What if one of my life's greatest achievements is that I've decluttered over 2300 items these past 5 years? You know, so that--when Tom and I are gone--Naomi won't have to mutter in a pile of old clothes and trash, "Why did they keep all this junk? It's gonna take me months to clear things out!"

I mean, what if a Life's Great Achievement doesn't have to shake or change the world? Or be appreciated by crowds or remembered in History? What if it doesn't alter the course of your familial bloodline or become something for which you're remembered?

Instead, perhaps a greatest life achievement is anything God and you did together. You know, an act of obedience, probably one you didn't even understand at the time or deem important even a tad.


Your encouraging words to someone who'd planned to end their days, but went on to live thousands more in gratitude.

Recipes you created and handed-down to family generations.

The times your words gave folks hope for the future instead of dread.

The way your consistent faithfulness gave people something to count on and a glimpse of Jesus' loyalty.

The gifts you created which made friends feel loved in a time they'd felt  unlovable.

The instances you used social media to encourage, uplift, warn, inform, instruct, all at Jesus' leading and in His timing, perhaps changing others' course of history.

The times you loved your family well.



This past week? Similar thoughts were mine, all because someone did not hide away and avoid us all, but instead, shared words from his heart regarding a choice he made.

Oh the power of our words and actions as directed by almighty God! 

And most likely, not until Heaven will we realize the majority of our greatest life achievements, what they even were and the difference they made. Even those appearing the most insignificant of all.





"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver... A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit... Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person... The power of Life and Death are in the tongue..."

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."

Leo Buscaglia



Are we using social media the way Jesus would if He was sitting at our computer or phone, for peoples' benefit and good?




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Now here's a very unique tiny home!  (But you gotta love artistic and boho style to really appreciate it.)  ツ







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After Tom came down with gout the first time, we had to change his/our diet. 

He's always loved pastries, but now, well, forget those. But never fear! Alternatives exist. We just have to be willing to search for them. To discover what is safe. 

Generally, if we want to feel well, we can't be lazy.

Anyway, here's an alternative pumpkin pie recipe I make a couple times a month, even having it for breakfast (why not?). Tom loves this and has experienced no gout flare-ups with it.


One 15 oz. canned pumpkin
2 eggs
1/2 can evaporated milk 
1/4 c. sugar
3 envelopes Stevia
2 tsp. cinnamon (or to taste. Extra spices make up for the low sugar, we've found)
2 tsp. allspice  (ditto)
1/4 tsp. ginger
pinch of salt
1 graham cracker crust

Add first 9 ingredients to a bowl. Mix well. Pour into graham cracker crust. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. (I bake this in our toaster oven and mine doesn't always finish cooking in the middle, but we like it that way. heh.)


        (Instead of whipped cream, we add plain Greek yogurt.)

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"I woke up this morning and found this in my backyard." 🙂

---@WendellTalks





"Be the kind of person that makes people believe this kind of story could be true about you even if they don't know for sure."
Boris Spider ----------



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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 
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 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

4 comments:

  1. I like that meme with John Candy and that he was willing to help out. So many think they are above menial labor. God says we're to do what we can for others whenever we have the opportunity. Thank you for this post again today. You always give me food for thought. And thank you for the recipe. Dennis also suffers with gout so I'm always trying new things for him also.
    Blessings and hugs,
    Betsy

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  2. Just reading your list of possible life achievements lifted me up. "...perhaps a greatest life achievement is anything God and you did together." Love that! Walking with God can be mysterious, but once we experience it, we realize that nothing else compares to the satisfaction it brings. One thing I know for sure, though, is God uses us far more than we can imagine when we are surrendered and obedient to Him.

    Thank you for the recipe, Debra. We're trying to eat better. And I so enjoy the links. Isn't that green bus something!!

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  3. Sometimes I think you and I have the same brain! I absolutely love and wholeheartedly believe in the power of these small gestures of love. It is very much the “little way” of Therese of Lisieux, too, who knew a thing or two about following after our Lord. Thank you for putting these beautiful thoughts down for others to carry with them on their journey. ❤️

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  4. Betsy--so true! We all should be willing to do what it takes to help others (if we can). Let me know if you try the pumpkin recipe! :)

    Pam--that was my favorite line, also! :) (God often gives me these things out of the blue. I get blessed, too.) I agree we'll be surprised at how many things we did that we thought small, but God thought large and yes! That green bus. Fun, right?

    Bonnie--loved your comment! It's rare that anyone feels they share a brain with me. (Or maybe they don't want to admit to being a bit odd. heh.) And yes! Those small gestures. As I mentioned to Pam, it will most likely shock us that God or anyone else even noticed many of them. Thanks for reading here!

    Thanks so much, Everyone! Blessings, Debra

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Thanks for your comments-- I love to read what you are thinking! If you are unable to comment, please contact me at gladone4@protonmail.com. Oh, and please be kind. Thank-you.