i am...

These are just simple words... but I'm wearing them around my neck these days. Words are oh, so very powerful-- for blessing or for cursing, for bringing hope or for bringing despair, for causing joy or for causing sorrow. God warns us continually about our words (our tongue) and the harm or the good they can do to others... and to ourselves.

They can also form our attitudes ... or be a reflection of the same.

I'm wearing these words to remind me every time I look into the mirror...
Or when my hand strays to touch the necklace at my throat...

...to remind me that I AM well and truly blessed...

and that I AM (to be) thankful and grateful...

Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. ~ Proverbs 6:21-22

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. ~ Proverbs 3:1-4

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ~Deut 11:18

precious in His sight...

God gave me this passage this morning for myself, and I thought I would pass it along to you. It brings encouragement to my spirit and my mind, and I hope it does for you as well... just insert your name into the brackets, as I'm sure God already has!

Isaiah 43:1-5
But now, this is what the LORD says—

he who created you, O [your name here!],

he who formed you, O [your name here!]:

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

When you pass through the waters,

I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

you will not be burned;

the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the LORD, your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…
you are precious and honored in my sight,

and I love you…
Do not be afraid, for I am with you...

cell phone vs Bible...

One thing you should all know about me is that I AM that most-dreaded of emailers-- the "chain email breaker"!! Yes, I admit it. If you send me a forwarded email, I WILL delete it without passing it along. (especially if the sender included all of the previous forwarded emails in the body and all of the addresses to whom it had been sent --shame on you!! help protect your friends and their friends --use the BCC, folks!)

No, I'm not terrified--or even nervous, for that matter--about the 'bad luck' I may receive as a result.

And no, I don't believe I will be tremendously blessed or lucky within a certain number of minutes/days/weeks/months/years if I forward it.

Nor do I believe I am "ashamed of Jesus" if I don't pass a God-oriented email along to all of my address book.

The above disclaimer aside, I did receive one that made me pause and consider. Even though I did not forward it, I thought it was worth sharing with my blog readers...

Cell phone vs Bible
Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone? What if....

• we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
• we flipped through it several times a day?
• we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
• we used it to receive messages from the text?
• we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
• we gave it to kids as gifts?
• we used it when we traveled?
• we used it in case of emergency?

This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible? Oh, and one more thing--unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill! [Praise God!!] ...And no dropped calls!

Though these are all simple little comparisons, they did make me pause and consider... and to also pose the question: Which would I miss more? ...something to think about...