Reassuring Tidbits

** “Learn to smile at every situation. See it as an opportunity to prove your strength and ability.”– Joe Brown
** Take the “Laugh Challenge.”
** Constancy in Prayer – Don’t stop praying. Pray until you get an answer; until you get a release or until something happens.

*** Tidbit 1  Humor Time
A young man took a shortcut home one night. He went through a cemetery. He fell into an open grave. He tried to get out but couldn’t. He yelled and screamed but it was to no avail. There was no one around to hear him. He finally came to the conclusion that he needed to wait until the morning so he settled in for the night. He went to sleep.

Later that evening another person was taking a shortcut through the cemetery. He too fell in the open grave. He started to claw and scratch. He shouted as loud as he could but it was to no avail. Suddenly the first man who had fallen into the grave woke up and in the darkness tapped the man who was scratching and clawing and said, “You can’t get out of here.” You know what? He did! –Author Unknown
Take away: You never know what you are capable of doing until you’re in a crisis.

Out of the mouth of babes.


*** Tidbit 2  The Laugh Challenge
I love to laugh. I love how it makes me feel. God blessed us with the gift of laughter. Laughter makes your heart merry and the Bible tells us in Proverbs 17:22, “A merry heart does good like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” Science also confirms it. I’ve heard that laughter can be compared to internal jogging. Laughter increases blood flow, helps relieve stress, and boosts the immune system. It may help reduce pain and reduce calories. It also increases the feel-good hormones (dopamine, endorphins).

Have you laughed today? Did you laugh yesterday? Laughter is so good for your health and it’s a decision that only you can make. One of my goals for the month of February is to laugh more. Four days a week I will laugh intentionally for a minimum of 5 minutes (of course I will go over 5 minutes once I get started). It’s like eating potato chips, once you get started – it’s hard to stop.

Your body doesn’t know the difference between sincere and fake laughter; You will still reap the wonderful benefits. Don’t wait until you feel like it. Begin to think of something funny. Begin to think of how God has given Christians victory in and through all things. Won’t you join me and take the challenge? I promise, you won’t regret it.


*** Nugget 3  Constancy in Prayer
Psalm 77:1-15
1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that he may hear me. 2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. 3 I think of God, and I moan; I meditate, and my spirit faints. Selah

4 You keep my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. 5 I consider the days of old and remember the years of long ago. 6 I commune with my heart in the night; I meditate and search my spirit: 7 “Will the Lord spurn forever and never again be favorable? 8 Has his steadfast love ceased forever? Are his promises at an end for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah

10 And I say, “It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed.”11 I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord; I will remember your wonders of old. 12 I will meditate on all your work and muse on your mighty deeds. 13 Your way, O God, is holy. What god is so great as our God? 14 You are the God who works wonders; you have displayed your might among the peoples. 15 With your strong arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

Asaph, the author of Psalm 77 was troubled and disheartened. He reached out to God in prayer. He believed that God heard him but God did not respond. Although he felt like God had rejected him, he kept reaching out to Him. He remembered the faithfulness and goodness of God. He remembered how God had brought Israel out of Egypt and the wonders He performed in the past. He still wasn’t comforted, but he did not stop praying. 

When COVID came our way, I bought a ukulele. I practiced that ukulele daily. As restrictions lifted, I stopped showing constancy in practicing. I don’t remember the last time I picked it up. Our purpose this week is to encourage constancy in prayer. Like Asaph, there will be times when we have trouble and allow ourselves to become overwhelmed with sadness, grief or life. What do we do when prayer does not help or when we feel like God is not there? What do we do when we remember God’s faithfulness but it does not seem to help? We keep praying even if we feel faithless. We pray until we get an answer; until we get a release or until something happens. We hold on to what is true about God even if we cannot see or feel it. God is faithful to His children; He always has been and will always be.


The information that I have shared with you is intended for informational purposes only.

Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?  If you wait, it could be too late. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting live (John 3:16).

If you have already accepted Him, He wants you to get to know Him even better.

Bye for now. Thanks for visiting. Don’t forget to click the Follow button.


Sources
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/387168899186511002/
Free Laugh Cliparts, Download Free Laugh Cliparts png images, Free ClipArts on Clipart Library (clipart-library.com)
https://clipart-library.com/clipart/209941.htm

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Positive Tidbits

Need to escape from the stressors of today? You’ve come to the right place! I hope that at least one of these mental, physical and spiritual tidbits will encourage, enlighten, motivate you, and/or simply make you smile.

Have you smiled today?  Have you laughed today?  Studies show that something as simple as smiling can benefit your health and wellbeing.  Studies have also shown that you can still reap health benefits even if your smile is fake.

social media smiley April 2020

Let’s begin with a little humor.

A Healthy Lifestyle: A woman walked up to a little old man rocking in a chair on his porch.

“I couldn’t help noticing how happy you look,” she said. “What’s your secret for a long happy life?”

“I smoke three packs of cigarettes a day,” he said. “I also drink a case of whiskey a week, eat fatty foods, and never exercise.”

“That’s amazing,” the woman said. “How old are you?’

“Twenty-six,” he said.

A Special Request: A certain pastor conducts an expanded altar call at the end of his sermons. He asks those who wish to make spiritual decisions to come forward, as well as those with prayer requests or some other questions. One Sunday, his three-year-old daughter responded to his invitation. She waited patiently while others ahead of her made their requests. When her turn came, her father leaned down to ask for her request. She whispered, “Can we go to the restaurant after church”?

Busted Smiles: A boy was reprimanded for laughing out loud during school. “Teacher, I didn’t mean to. I was smiling, and the smile busted.”


Take Care of Yourself!
It can be easy to get stressed due to this “new normal” brought to us by coronavirus. It is important to make your physical, spiritual and mental health a priority during this time. God does not want us to be stressed out to the point where it negatively impacts our health.

Here are some potential stress busters.

PHYSICAL
• Physical Activity – Aim for at least 150 minutes a week. You don’t have to get it all in at one time. It can be broken down in 10-minute increments. The main thing is that you find something that you will do and then just – do it.

• Limit processed foods and include a variety of foods like citrus fruits, vegetables, spices, yogurt and other whole foods in your diet on a consistent basis. You build a stronger immune system by maintaining healthy eating habits over time.

• Get that water in – Staying hydrated can boost your immune health. Staying hydrated helps your body naturally eliminate toxins and other bacteria that may cause illness.

• Get enough sleep – God designed us to need sleep. Sleep gives your body time to rest and repair. When or if you have trouble sleeping, here are 2 Bible verses that can help you.

“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”(King James Version, Psalm 4:8)

“When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.” (KJV, Proverbs 3:24)

SPIRITUAL
• Just like you eat food every day, you should do the same with your prayer life. You move closer to God and get to know Him better when you develop and maintain a consistent prayer life.

• Praise God when you feel like it and when you don’t. “Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.” (KJV, Psalm 150:6)

social media 2 April 2020The more you praise Him, the better you’ll feel. There’s no way you can be sad and praise God at the same time.

• Meditate on Scripture. Meditate on the awesome works of God. Meditate on God himself. Psalm 145 is an excellent place to start.

MENTAL
• Write down something you are grateful for.
I’m grateful that when I get out of bed every morning, I need the help of nobody but God.

• Take a break: step away from the news, radio, social media, etc.
Turn on the radio and dance like you’ve lost your mind.

• Speak positive things to yourself. For example: Read aloud:
Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Throughout the day speak it and make it personal:
This is the day that the Lord has made. 
I
will–     I choose to–     I have a right to–     I get to
REJOICE and BE GLAD in it!


Click on the video to hear a shortened oral presentation of this blog and to hear my rendition of the song: This is the Day.


Did I make you smile?  Were you able to escape from what’s going on in the world for just a few minutes?  I hope so.

Try to find something to smile about every day and it’s okay if your smile breaks out into a laugh.


If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, now is the time to get to know Him even better. If you don’t know Him, accepting Him as your Savior will be one of the wisest decisions you will ever make because – in times like these we need a Savior.


Bye for now.  Feel free to share any tips or positive thoughts.

Thanks for visiting!

The information that I have shared with you is intended for informational purposes only. It doesn’t replace the advice of your doctor.

Resources:
https://clipartart.com/categories/free-clipart-smiley-face-thumbs-up.html
https://www.arcamax.com/entertainment/humor/jokes/s-1219284
Finding Faith During Times of Chaos
Hodgin,  M.(1994). 1001 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking.  Zondervan Publishing House.