Life Has No Movie Soundtrack

The scenario: Someone is on a stroll through the woods. The scenery is beautiful, in the background you can hear the padding of footsteps in the quiet peacefulness. Slowly the background music creeps into the scene signaling something is about to change. Suddenly the eerie sounds of music grows louder and a stranger runs onto the path. For those of us watching the movie, we anticipated something was coming because the music in the background prepared us for it. If only life was like that. The problem is. . .

Life has no movie soundtrack!

If life was more like a movie, we would know that something was going to happen because of the music or sounds playing in the background. For example, you are sitting in a restaurant having a quiet dinner and some comedic music begins to play nearby. You feel rather lighthearted for some reason and a moment later the waiter drops an entire tray on the floor. Ripples of quiet laughter erupt in the restaurant.

Or let's use that same setting and play the sounds of the dun-Dun-DUN near the handsome couple having dinner together. A sense of dread comes over the restaurant and everyone braces for what happens next: The woman tells her significant other that she wants to break up. She stands up and throws a ring in his lap while he sits with mouth agape. Cue the sad violin music.

You get the picture. Movies or television programs give us hints about what's going to happen by the music and sounds being played. This music actually manipulates us into feeling a certain way to help propel the storyline.

Real life is so much different. You suddenly find out someone wants to have a discussion with no clue about what's going to be discussed. Since the meeting was not planned, you immediately begin to anticipate the worst and pour over anything that could be wrong. It's so easy to imagine the worst rather than the best. If only there was a movie soundtrack to give you a clue!

I don't have any great revelations to share about this. It's really just a thought that occurred to me recently as I have watched life unfold all around me. Surprises--good and bad--come with nary a clue and definitely no soundtrack hints. Sometimes the blessing is in the surprise otherwise knowing the future would not be good.

I guess as believers in Jesus the best thing to do is to be prepared by staying close to God because nothing surprises Him. We have to keep our eyes on Him. He knows what is coming long before I do and the the Bible is full of examples like: Joseph, Sarah, Job, David, Peter, John, and Paul. Hebrews 11 is a list of people who trusted God when they weren't sure what was going on and God honored that faith.

I may not know what's going to happen in the next minute, the next hour, the next month, or the next year. However, I do know the Lord promises to be with me no matter what--even without the background music!

I know the Lord is always with me.    I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. - Psalm 16:8

Guard Your Heart

In Christian circles we've all heard the phrase Guard Your Heart. In fact, I've almost exclusively heard it used in reference to single girls/women. As in, Be careful that you don't get hurt. Well, sistah, that's impossible unless a girl completely shuts herself off from relationships. Even if she did manage to avoid all relationships, there will still be a different kind of "heart problem" because the hurt will come from the lack of relationship. The fact is, we were created to be in relationships (See Genesis 2:18). And any sane married person will tell you that relational hurts still happen after the vows are made.


So what in the world does it mean to Guard Your Heart?

First, let's look at Proverbs 4:23 in a couple of different Bible translations.

Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life. NASB

Guard your heart above all else,
    for it determines the course of your life. NLT 

Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life. NKJV 

Keep vigilant watch over your heart;
    that’s where life starts. The Message 

Watch. Keep. Guard. Preserve.
To keep secret. To be kept close.

The original Hebrew word is used here in the sense of a caretaker who watches over a vineyard. Picture how a caretaker keeps watch and defends. He would be diligent about carefully defending his vineyard from elements or pests that might harm it.

Okay, so based on these definitions, it's very possible that we may need to guard our hearts from someone, but not necessarily to avoid possible hurt. We should guard our hearts from anything or anyone that can mess up our relationship with God. So it's way bigger than just about a boy/girl relationship.

So what are we guarding our hearts from? I won't go into an exhaustive list here, but basically we should be careful about anything we let into our minds (what we see, hear, etc.) and the people we allow to get too close who may influence us to make wrong choices. Perhaps that children's song Be Careful Little Hands What You Do isn't so far off base. 

Why are we guarding our hearts? Proverbs 4:23 continues by saying...For from it flow the springs of life. Come again? Our thoughts and actions can shape the way we speak and live. Wrong choices can lead us down the wrong path. Springs of life sounds pretty nice in comparison to the bottom of the dry pit. One is refreshing and the other...not so much.

How do we guard our hearts? This whole chapter of Proverbs 4 is advice from a father to his son about being wise. If you keep reading beyond verse 23 it sort of all comes together (that's the beauty of reading this in context). It tell us what we should do and what will happen when we do it.

²⁴ Avoid all perverse talk;
    stay away from corrupt speech.

²⁵ Look straight ahead,
    and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
²⁶ Mark out a straight path for your feet;
    stay on the safe path.
²⁷ Don’t get sidetracked;
    keep your feet from following evil.

P.S. Don't stop reading here. The entire book of Proverbs is full of wisdom!


Ultimately, I believe that we should be like a shepherd over our own hearts. A shepherd leads. Likewise, we should lead our hearts and not let our hearts lead us. It's dangerous to allow our hearts to lead us into making decisions. Think about it. I'm positive that you have made at least one heart choice and lived to regret it. 

While I was researching this topic, I came across this great quote from a blog I recently started following. 

"Guarding my heart does mean 

allowing no one access to that 

most central place of my affections 

but God. It means keeping 

the first commandment first—and 

 loving Him with all my heart, soul, 

mind, and strength (Deut. 6:5)." 

~ Paula Hendricks 

You may read the entire blog post here:

 http://www.truewoman.com/?id=792

 What do you think?

Wordy Wednesday

This is my command--be strong and corageous! 

Do not be afraid or discouraged. 

For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

This verse in the book of Joshua has become one of my favorite verses. Maybe it's because the Lord puts this verse in my path every so often--particularly when I really need the reminder.

I heard someone wise say that when God keeps telling you something over and over, it's not because He's forgotten what he's said. It's because He's trying to remind you or teach you something. So, whenever the same Bible verse keeps popping up over and over--I take note.

Is there a Bible verse that has become your favorite this way?

Wordy Wednesday: Freedom

So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 

- John 8:36 (Read in context)

Truth sets us free. Real TRUTH is found in Jesus Christ.

As we prepare to celebrate freedom in the United States through the holiday of Independence Day, let's enjoy the festivities, but never forget the Truth or become independent of Jesus, the Christ. One nation, under God. Let us not forget.

"If we ever forget that we are 

One Nation Under God, 

then we will be a nation gone under."

Ronald Reagan

Wordy Wednesday

I have fought the good fight, 

I have finished the race, 

I have kept the faith. 

Finally, there is laid up for me

the crown of righteousness, 

which the Lord, the righteous Judge, 

will give to me on that Day, 

and not to me only but also to 

all who have loved His appearing.  

~ 2 Timothy 4:7-9

I saw this quote and thought I'd do a little twist to my typical Wordy Wednesday post. While there's nothing religious about this quote, there is a lot of spiritual life application to be gleaned. It did make me think of several Bible verses.

Life does have a tendency to throw us curve balls. Anyone who has played or followed baseball knows that a good hitter will be patient and wait for the right pitch to come. That patience comes from maturity and carefully observing the pitcher as he throws to other batters. A good batter will also foul off the pitches in order to stay in that batter's box as long as he can. So the batter patiently endures, battling to stay in that batter's box as long as he can. When that right pitch does finally come along, an experienced batter will take his swing and be ready to run. 

As believers, we are often placed in that position of waiting patiently all the while battling those knuckle balls, the curve balls, and the 95 mile-per-hour hanging sliders that come our way. We battle away against things the enemy throws at us. We need to be dilligent to study the "pitcher" and to patiently endure until that "perfect pitch" comes along. When it does, we need to be ready to take that swing and run. We need to keep watch for those opportunities that God provides in our lives. If we have our eyes closed, we'll miss the pitch. And in the end we will find that crown of righteousness.

Let's fight that good fight of faith!

Wordy Wednesday

My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:26 


What are you trusting in today? Flesh or God?

Wordy Wednesday

Psalm 43:3-4

Send out your light and your truth;

let them guide me.

Let them lead me to your holy mountain,

to the place where you live.

There I will go to the altar of God,

to God—the source of all my joy.

I will praise you with my harp,

O God, my God!

Wordy Wednesday

I’ve loved you 
the way my Father 
has loved me. 

Make yourselves at home
in my love. 
If you keep my commands, 
you’ll remain intimately 
at home in my love. 

That’s what I’ve done—
kept my Father’s commands
and made myself at home
in his love.

John 15:9-10

These are the words of Jesus. There's no mistaking it. He loves me and you. Abide in Him and His love today.

Wordy Wednesday

In peace I will 

lie down and sleep,

for you alone, 

O Lord, will 

keep me safe. 

Psalm 4:8

We can rest peacefully knowing that the Lord is always awake, watching over us.

Wordy Wednesday: A Prayer

The past couple of weeks I have seen evil in the world. I have witnessed devastating explosions and fires via television and internet. Death and destruction. Sad doesn't begin to describe it. I have also seen a family's world turned upside down in a moment because of a wreck and injuries. It seems like each day there's more bad news in the world. The bad news won't go away. But, we are not without hope. Like David in this Psalm, we can cry out to God and plead for His mercy and trust Him to be there--our place of refuge--no matter what is happening around us. Hold onto Jesus.


Psalm 142

I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord's mercy.
I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles.
For I am overwhelmed, and you alone know the way I should turn.
Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me.
I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought!
No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.
Then I pray to you, O Lord.
I say, "You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life.
Hear my cry, for I am very low.
Rescue me from my persecutors for they are too strong for me.
Bring me out of prison so I can thank you.
The godly will crowd around me, for you treat me kindly."

Wordy Wednesday

The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong,
Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.   
Psalm 37: 23-24 

When Temptation Knocks

I saw this image being shared on Facebook. It was meant to be funny (and it is amusing), but I saw some interesting spiritual application in it.

Bears are beautiful creatures, but never turn your back on one. With one swipe, a bear can change your life. The caption to this photo says that "Some bear attacks begin with a polite knock on your door." That's the way some temptation begins--a polite knock on the door.

A polite knock on the door seems harmless enough when compared to banging and pounding. Our guard is up when someone is pounding on our door. Our sensible side reminds us to take precaution before answering. However, a polite knock on the door may cause us to assume that whatever is behind that door is safe and harmless. Maybe it is, maybe not.

Temptation is a lot like that polite knock on the door. Satan is very subtle in how he approaches us with temptation to sin. He can convince us that sin is not so bad as we think. Remember what he told Eve ? (Genesis 3) Even Jesus was tempted, but His weapon was scripture. (Matthew 4:1-11) Good thing to remember.

So even if a cute and cuddly bear politely knocks on my door, this serves as a good reminder that I should be on guard and not assume he's bringing me an innocent picnic basket full of goodies.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. - Ephesians 6:11

But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but favors the humble.” So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. - James 4:6-8

Good Friday

<sup>Why is it called Good Friday? Jesus was betrayed by someone he loved, beaten, and then hung to die... it doesn't sound so good. Jesus came to this earth on a special mission, sent by God. What was that mission? To take the sin of the world (that's you and me) through death, burial, and finally resurrection. As followers of Jesus, we know the story doesn't end on the cross and that's what makes it good. The wrath of God was satisfied on the cross and we can now live at peace with God if we believe in Him. 

That's an over-simplified version of the story. I encourage you to read it for yourself. I've included some scripture below and links to the Biblegateway.com website so you may study further. The passage from Isaiah gives the Old Testament Prophecy about Jesus and the selection following that tells of John's account of Jesus' death.  

Isaiah 53

3</sup> He was despised and rejected—
    a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
    He was despised, and we did not care.

⁴ Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
    it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
    a punishment for his own sins!
⁵ But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
    He was whipped so we could be healed.
⁶ All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
    the sins of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed and treated harshly,
    yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
    And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
    he did not open his mouth.
⁸ Unjustly condemned,
    he was led away.

Selections from John 19

So they took Jesus away. ¹⁷ Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). ¹⁸ There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. ¹⁹ And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” ²⁰ The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it.

²⁸ Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.”²⁹ A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. ³⁰ When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.

³¹ It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was the Passover). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. ³² So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. ³³ But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. ³⁴ One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. ³⁵ (This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also can believe.) ³⁶ These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, “Not one of his bones will be broken,” ³⁷ and “They will look on the one they pierced.”

Wordy Wednesday

The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed,

a refuge in times of trouble. 

Those who know your name trust in you, 

 for you, O Lord, do not abandon

those who search for you. 

 Sing praises to the Lord who reigns

in Jerusalem. Tell the world about

his unforgettable deeds. Psalm 9:9-11

Wordy Wednesday

You make known to me the path of life; 

you will fill me with joy in your presence, 

with eternal pleasures at your right hand. 

~ Psalm16:11

Wordy Wednesday

Wordy Wednesday

Since FAITH is my focus word for 2013, it would seem that the Lord is continually reminding me of this through scripture. The following scripture was one I leaned on a lot last year. This year has been no exception. It always seems that when I'm feeling discouraged, the Lord gives me "courage" verses. Verse 9 seems to pop up quite often in things I'm reading or listening to. So I will share it with you in this week's Wordy Wednesday (which I almost forgot because I've lost track of what day it is!!)




“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them.  

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 

Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:6-9

Wordy Wednesday

 Amen.

Wordy (Valentine) Wednesday

In honor of Valentine's Day, this week's Wordy Wednesday post will be about love.

Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God

is indeed God. He is the faithful God 

who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations

and lavishes his unfailing love on those 

who love him and obey his commands. 

~ Deuteronomy 7:9

Those who accept my commandments 

and obey them are the ones who love me. 

And because they love me, my Father will love them.

And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.

~ John 14:21 

Happy Valentine's Day.