CHOICES

CHOICES! CHOICES! CHOICES!

DECISIONS! DECISIONS! DECISIONS!

Have you ever given any thought to how many choices and decisions you make in one day? A lot! Just think about the choices you have already made just today. It's 8:00 am as I write this and already I had to CHOOSE whether to get up this morning or stay in bed. I had to CHOOSE whether to check my email first or have my quiet time with the Lord. I had to CHOOSE whether I would have coffee or juice. I had to CHOOSE whether to sit down and write this blog or go exercise. On and on it will go throughout my day.

Now we generally don't give too much thought to those "everyday" choices we make. It's almost as if we do them by rote. But, then there are the choices we will make that will affect our day in a greater way. How will we spend our time? Where will we go? How will we spend our money?

Who or what influences the decisions you make? Do you just sort of make them "off the cuff"? Or are you like my husband...do you contemplate, study, contemplate, ask questions, contemplate and contemplate some more? Where does God come into play with the decisions you make or does He? Do you pray over your decisions? Do you go to His Word and seek His wisdom?

Many times our choices are instantaneous. Like how we CHOOSE to respond to someone who is rude to us or who gets in our way. Have you ever encountered a rude sales clerk or one who just didn't have a clue? I confess those are two situations that can make my blood boil. And then I have a CHOICE to make. I can let them have it and be equally as rude or lose my cool OR I can CHOOSE to lavish grace.

Some would say that those people deserve it. Others would argue that they respond by just "doing what comes naturally" or might even say "I couldn't help myself". PLEASE!!!! Those are nothing less than pitiful excuses! We DO have a choice in how we respond.

We can CHOOSE to be rude or we can CHOOSE to lavish grace.

We can CHOOSE to lash out or we can CHOOSE to lavish grace.

We can CHOOSE to lose our temper or we can CHOOSE to keep it in check and lavish grace.

We can CHOOSE to put someone in their place with harsh words or we can CHOOSE to be kind and lavish grace.

We can CHOOSE to see the worst in a situation or we can CHOOSE to look for the good.

We can CHOOSE to see all the beauty God has placed around us or we can CHOOSE to see the one lone weed in the center.

We can CHOOSE to live in the past or we can CHOOSE to rejoice in TODAY...the day we have before us.

We can CHOOSE to hold a grudge, be bitter and not forgive or we can CHOOSE to forgive and move on.

For me, I want my life to count for Jesus Christ. I want to be the very fragrance of Christ to those I come in contact with. I want to be a light in a dark place. I cannot do that in my own strength. But, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I must abide in Him. I must hide his word in my heart so I don't sin against Him. I must be conscious at every turn that Satan is waiting like a hungry lion seeking whom He may devour...to steal, to kill and to destroy. I will not always succeed. I will fail and I will fall. But God will forgive when I ask. He will pick me up and put me back on my feet and encourage me to keep going on this journey.

Today I CHOOSE to live in the light of the Cross with Jesus holding my hand and lighting my way. What about you??????