40 Days . . The Meaning of Lent

19 Thursday Feb 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Choices, Christianity, Faithfulness, Maturity, Strength

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Here we are in the season of Lent, which for Christians is the forty days prior to Easter meant to remind us of Christ’s forty days of wandering alone in the desert. During that time, Jesus was obedient to God through fasting, sacrifice and prayer; he fought off all manner of temptation from Satan and he endured with obedience battles of will knowing the remainder of his days were not going to be simple. Why is this period of Lent significant to us, the faithful? We endeavor to sacrifice, to fast, to pray and to endure with willful obedience for an equal time some manner of daily temptation. We know Jesus suffered greatly for us; culminating at the Cross, where he died for our sake – though he was truly innocent, sinless and unworthy such a death. Yet he endured it all with obedience, even the horrible death by crucifixion, bearing all the weight and burden of our sin and every human sin ever committed.

When I imagine such a love as to want to take from me the weight and burden of my sin and a God who loves me so much as to want to save me from such condemnation and hell for an eternity, even though I am unable to be perfect in my humanity like Christ, I am overwhelmed! It evokes my ability through discipline and obedience to make such minor sacrifices as giving up meat, wine, coffee, sweets, etc., or fasting for a time each season of Lent as just a small measure of my recognition and gratitude for Christ’s sacrifices for me! It reminds me of God’s many faithful promises to us, His faithfulness in keeping them all; and also how all the prophesies and instruction in God’s Word remind us of our secure place within His embrace of grace regardless the world!

Jesus first told the Apostles while gathering them as such that they should throw down their fishing nets to become instead fishers of men. Then upon rising from the tomb in which he was sealed after his death upon the Cross, Jesus prophesied to them by instruction that they would go out and spread the good news of the Gospel to all the corners of the world, being persecuted and martyred for it; and though they each were persecuted and martyred for it – even put to death or exiled, think of how true this prophesy is today?! That great news of the Gospel is known all around the world still; it lives and breathes hope and light into the lives of billions and billions of people far and wide! Sadly, many are still being persecuted and martyred for their belief in Christ. But think about it . . a handful of men (the Apostles) set out in a time when there were no cell phones, no computers, no cars or jets, no ease or speed of transportation or communication, and plenty of hostile unbelievers all around them. They set about to convey to the entire world the glory of Jesus’ life and his purpose as the Messiah, his meaningful birth, the miraculous things which they had witnessed being at his side, the lessons he had taught them, his rather significant death by crucifixion, and the salvation promised at the foot of that Cross because they had witnessed him as risen. They did just as Jesus instructed them to do in His prophetic instruction, having been endowed with that same will and power of the Holy Spirit within them. And even though persecuted and martyred for conveying such wonderful and glorious news to the world, they managed to keep this message of love not only living, but thriving to this very day!

So when I think of how hard Satan persists each new day by way of those who do his work to silence and destroy the message of the Gospel, how he endeavors to negate the meaning which Christ brings to each of our lives by way of redemption, salvation and love . . or how he attempts to destroy the hope we have in living our lives each day for God’s glory, it doesn’t take me long to quiet my mind in peace again! For in my faithful assurance, I know God will have His triumph through His loving grace, his promises made and kept as well as His faithfulness to us, demonstrated each new day in infinite ways. Jesus Christ will always have the victory over death, things of this fallen, sinful earth and the ways of the enemy. The prophesies foretold centuries and millennia ago throughout God’s Word in the Bible have played out and proven to be true, assuring us as our living, breathing evidence. And they will continue to play out until the end times. God is good, He keeps His promises, though we’re surely not worth it; by His grace and through Jesus Christ we have redemption, salvation and victory over all of that as well!

Lighting Up The World . .

15 Sunday Feb 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Choices, Christianity, Faith, God, Maturity

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Christian Belief, Faithfulness, Spiritual Maturity

Think about how much light we each can shine in this world. If it seems somewhat dimmer and less hopeful now than in years past, perhaps we’re just not doing enough personally and collectively to reflect light back into life, onto everything and through us all. Life makes it easier for us to glow with light because of all the brokenness , cracks and flaws we experience and “wear” like badges of honor just by living through hardship, grief, pain and suffering. So if life seems dimmer to us, perhaps we’re not focused on how we might use what we have, what we are, what we’ve endured and what has happened to us for the sake of the making everything around us brighter. As written in Matthew 5: 13 – 16: 13“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

We who are Christians are to be reflections of God’s light in this world emulating the example of Jesus Christ during his time here on Earth; His love should be so discernible and obvious through us by the way we live that all might know us by it. But many are hiding their light under their egos, many don’t realize how brightly they can shine in spite of what they’ve endured, and many are fatigued in spirit by the fallen nature of this world. As it says in Hebrews 12, ” . . let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross . . ” And as it reminds us in 2 Corinthians 4: 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Surely, the challenge of life is to live according to the will and purpose of God; as Christians, to mature in Christ, becoming the embodiment of His human example so that others will want what we have and to be like us! We’re all at different stages of our maturation in that regard. Only by focusing on the goal of spiritual maturity do we become walking, talking, living, breathing, bright lights of Christian examples for the world! We cannot do that being fearful, disempowered, disobedient, defeated, beaten-down or apathetic. We are losing the world while we let our lights grow dim, whether by choice or by circumstance. Now is not the time to let the light fade; it is now the time to live by example a life of bold faith, courage, conviction, obedience, contentment and peace! We are called to be the faithful, we shouldn’t be so faith-less!

Changing Currents . .

01 Sunday Feb 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Change, Choices, Conquering Fear, Discipline, Joy, Lessons, Peace

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Change, Faith, Self-Control

Looks like Wuthering Heights out there this morning, with this misty, foggy morning we’re having. I’m enjoying the changes Winter brings; one day there’s warmth and sunshine, and the next a wet few days of cloudy chill. Change is good, it keeps us from getting used to the way things are; potentially growing quite restless from the boredom, sameness and constancy of our habits, patterns and thoughts. We are prompted by change to flow with it and to make the necessary alterations within to accommodate it.

Without change, I would suppose even those things we value the most would soon meld into the growing stagnancy of our minds, thoughts and lives; thus making us a bit less appreciative and grateful for them. Change keeps us on our toes in life; it forces us to restructure, rebuild, renew and create. Change is disrupting, as it often moves us from the familiar and beloved, or at least from the all-too-comfortable realms of our world. It represents often times a bit of chaos, and with that our fears, doubts and worries are stoked into flames which threaten to consume our lives entirely at the onset. But change can also be the catalyst for something more; change can be the exact thing we need to shake us from our sleep, to motivate and to entice us into action which then betters our life. Learning to change our perspective in regards to the constant changing circumstances of our lives is key to how enjoyable our lives become and how at peace we are throughout.

Not everyone is accepting of change, as it usually represents a disruption to the patterns, ways and comforting familiarities of life; but change happens nonetheless. The best way we can learn to flow through life is to view life as an unpredictable ride on changing currents, leading us to unknown and uncertain places. Life becomes less a struggle when we accept the very nature of its constantly-changing transformation, alteration and uncertainty. And it’s often just our own fears, doubts and worries which make us doubt our ability to ride the latest changing current. We have to take control of our emotions in regards to the uncertainty and possible fears which changes represent to us. When we learn to control our reactions and emotions about what happens to us in life from within, we gain immeasurable peace, comfort and joy in life! What we need to face the unseen coming with these changes is faith in what we can’t see, know or prove. Faith in God, and His assurances to us, brings us the courage to face the changes and challenges of life head on, rather than to dread them! Have faith in today, through today and in God! For changes will come . .

Because Life Is Hard . .

28 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Contentment, Faithfulness, God, Lessons, Peace, Wisdom

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Faith, Maturity, Peace

Some things just hurt. They go beyond our ability to reason, to comprehend and to accept. Some things we will never be able to fully understand. The death of a child, the sudden loss of a loved one, the onslaught of tragedy or suffering or hardship which we endure just by living full lives, or the seeming unfairness and inequity of how things play out in life are all truly difficult tastes and realities to swallow. I wish I could pass along a trick which makes everything easier; but I can give you a way to make peace with what seems hard to handle, accept or process.

Once we learn to accept that we aren’t here for our purposes, but that we are here by God’s choice, His design, at His timing, with the parameters and specifics of life He has assigned to us personally and exclusively for His purposes, we can be at peace with life! It doesn’t mean that we will be able to tolerate everything which occurs to us, or to process all things which we must; it won’t even mean we’ll always be amenable to God’s will for us. After all, we cannot help but want what we want, when we want it, because we have egos which drive our desires and drives. But in accepting our role in God’s plan, for His purposes and according to His will, we learn how to put God at the center of our lives with each progressive day we live! Each day we draw nearer to Him, growing in our relationship with Him and towards Him, we learn and practice relegating our ego to a secondary position. By putting God first, we are able to accept things which others find intolerable, which we ourselves would have found intolerable once when our egos were a priority! We are able to remain at rest and in peaceful contentment progressively more and more each day we learn to let God be the center of our lives.

By making this choice to focus on God at the helm in every aspect of our lives – our will, our desires, our wishes and our emotional reactions to life as it happens – all becomes secondary to our trust and faith in Him! This is maturing in our relationship with God; our process of learning to put Him first for our own sake, honoring Him through our faithfulness, obedience and trust. And the rewards for our increasing maturity in our relationship with God are more peace of mind, better emotional control and more contentment for life!

Living Takes A Will . .

23 Friday Jan 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Choices, Commitment, Conquering Fear, Courage, Dreams, Faith, Growing, Success, Trials

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Hope, Perseverance, Persistence

Living takes a will . . one courageous, trusting and hopeful enough to overlook fear, the “what-ifs” and the scrapes of falling in failure. We cannot dare live, with our eyes closed, behind our protective walls and within our safest confines. Living means we face our fears with courage, we endeavor to meet our challenges head on and we keep climbing no matter how many times we slip or fall from this rung or the next. Living isn’t easy, without obstacle; and it surely isn’t done in the safety of our mind’s making. It takes faith, hope, trust, perseverance as well as a surrender to our inability to control every detail and every outcome. But living is worth every scraped knee we endure, each failure, all of our attempts, each broken heart or broken dream. For in getting those, we lived!

No one ever experiences anything worthwhile when merely existing. Push yourself to go beyond today and every day you get by purposefully living rather than merely existing through them. How do we do that and what is the difference? Living means we are already outside of whatever comfort zone we may have set up for ourselves; it means we dare to realize our dreams, to attempt to make our desires reality and it means we don’t give up on ourselves! Living, as opposed to just existing, means that when faced with challenges, we don’t hide, run or flee. We aren’t going to outrun all of our challenges, so the sooner we learn to step up to the plate each one represents, the better. It is life-affirming, confidence-building and esteem-igniting each and every time we take life’s challenges on for the sake of passing the tests and trials each represents to us. If we run, hide, seek to escape or let others do the heavy-lifting in life, we never learn to trust in ourselves, to believe in ourselves or to have faith and hope in our future!

Just like with our first steps, our first developmental stages through infancy, life never ceases to present to us challenges and learning experiences which we must overcome and pass in order that we may grow and develop into new stages! And each of those new stages brings more of the same by way of tests and trials which we must learn to pass successfully in order that we grow and develop for what lies ahead. Imagine if we had chosen in our toddler years to remain helpless and infantile? No one does that because adulthood represents an promising period which prompts our desire for more. All children seem to want to leapfrog through their development, eager to grow up before their time. Why then do we suddenly find our scraped knees, fears and failures so overwhelming at some advancing age, that we wish to halt our own progress? Keep pushing through challenges, obstacles and all the mess life brings! The only person you really hurt when you let fear, doubt, insecurity or apathy win is you! Make it your goal to live today, with a will, courage, faith and hope. Don’t let life beat you back, down or out.

Keep Reaching, Keep Striving!

22 Thursday Jan 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Character, Commitment, Integrity, Lessons, Patience, Self-Control

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Discipline, goals, Self-Control

Sometimes we’re so close to things, we can almost reach out and touch them, taste them, experience the glorious rewards of our efforts! But we’re still not quite there yet. We know that our proximity to achievement and accomplishment, as well as all the time we’ve spent, calls out to us like a siren’s call; but in our eagerness for success and our anticipation to be finished, we shouldn’t give up on our efforts or relax in our pursuits just yet. The finish line awaits! Who wants to run almost the entire race but fail to cross the finish line?

The reason that success is so rewarding is the uplift and positivity that it brings to our souls. It feels good to accomplish and to achieve, to reach our goals and to finish our pursuits. And it feels even better to have that success after putting in more time and more effort, before we just give up or throw in the towel part way there. We gain a lot more when we hold ourselves to the test at hand with patience and fortitude, by our own will, for our own sake through discipline! We gain a far greater measure of success for the greater expenditure of effort, time and perseverance with which we invest ourselves into our own goals and dreams. But even more so, we gain an intangible boost to our integrity for having kept the promises we make to ourselves! And that is the reward which does the most in feeding our sense of self and our confidence in self!

Reaching for the stars may seem more difficult and costly than reaching for less. Holding ourselves to account for the state of our lives gives us pause, when we realize that by our own fear, apathy, or lack of commitment, we accepted much less in life than what we were capable of achieving and accomplishing. If you are on your way towards something, having set a goal based on a desire or dream, don’t quit when those sirens call out to you! Stay the course and see your dreams through! Nothing worth having is going to be easy, or we wouldn’t then give it such infinite value in our lives! Ease isn’t a good enough reason to not reach higher, take extra steps or to go the distance. And your integrity should remind you that discipline, effort and time invested in yourself is a prize worth holding onto regardless!

Beauty Is In The Soul of The Beholder . .

21 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Beauty, Choices, Contentment, God, Gratitude, Joy, Peace, Positivity

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Beauty, Contentment, Gratitude

There was a touch of the brilliant color this morning in the sunrise which dominated last night’s amazing sunset here in the sky over Phoenix; a reminder of how much noticeable beauty exists in our world and in nature all around us. People often grow accustomed to missing beauty in the world around them, not because it is absent; but because they have turned their focus onto that which is opposite! (For a time or for life.) When we turn our focus to what it is we wish to see, assured we will see it in something, we will!

So when I look at a rundown building, I don’t see the decay or the destruction and view it as ugliness. I see the history, I imagine the people who built it and their purpose. I look for the details which remain and notice the intricacy of metals, concrete, even in the paint under any graffiti! My eyes are used to my soul’s direction – to look for beauty, as it is surely there! Beauty is the intrinsic reflection of something within the beholder, not something assured within what is beheld.

Possibly some drove through last night’s sunset without even paying it heed. Their eyes, mind, heart and soul had been closed to noticing such splendor because they had a bad day or perhaps they’re trapped in a negative period in life. So imagine how hard it would have been for them to proclaim other beauty all around them easily and readily beyond something so obvious and overt as last night’s sunset?

We have to give ourselves the gift of experiencing beauty, through our senses, with our hearts and in our minds. For the universe our Creator made is rich with beauty; in objects, in nature, in experiences and in other souls! It is in us as well! Look today for all the ways in which you see beauty and take the time to appreciate those beautiful gifts from God! Beauty opens the mind to what is positive and affirming in life. The riches of beauty we take notice of in life all around us help to soften our hearts; as reminders of how much is right with this world and with life itself! Failing to notice routinely strips the soul of much which brings joy, peace and contentment to the heart and mind!

A soul determined to behold beauty will always see it regardless the imperfect state of things, or the location, or the object even! And when we accept beauty as readily as that, we tend to respect more of life around us for beauty’s sake; tending and caring for that which we know to be beautiful.

Holding Our Own Irons To The Fires . .

19 Monday Jan 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Choices, Commitment, Contentment, Discipline, Dreams, Inspiration, Patience, Self-Control

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Discipline, Motivation, Self-Control

My best days of success are those in which I have held my own irons to the fire of accomplishment. Whether or not I complete my tasks and reach my goals, each step I take in accomplishment is a success which brings me closer. The habits we form whereby we realize holding ourselves accountable, responsible and important enough in value to deserve the success we desire, are key!

We make habits in various areas of our lives because those habits support our good health, our well-being and our continued contentment in life. We place ourselves in high enough regard via self-love and self-respect to desire the rewards which those daily habits bring such as healthy teeth, focused mind, spiritual soundness, or good comportment as we go out into the world. Self-love compels us to value ourselves and to respect ourselves enough to take up the necessary tasks which keep us physically, mentally and spiritually healthy to the best of our abilities!

So I have learned to self-motivate, to self-propel my way to certain ends by habitually doing what I should when I should. I know what is good and bad for me; so I endeavor to do what is good more often, so that I might reap the rewards of even the smallest steps and measures of success! I don’t compare my journey with that of others in terms of where they are and where I now am; but I determine what it is I desire to have, to be or to experience in life, and work towards those ends knowing I am worth it!

No one else can move us towards that which we desire or give us the motivation for reaching our own goals. That is an internal switch we much activate. Others can help us by supporting our goals through encouragement or even assistance at times; but ultimately, it is up to us to see ourselves over the various finish lines which denote “Mission accomplished!” or “Goal achieved!”. And the best rewards are those which we sought with our fervent will and accomplished through some period of time by our own desire and actions. Success itself is a great motivator, encouraging us to do more and to strive for even beyond what we now imagine. Let your own success fuel you in life by first dreaming, next believing, and finally doing what you must to achieve those ends.

Thankfulness!

17 Saturday Jan 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Contentment, Family, Gratitude, Happiness, Life, Love, Wisdom

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Gratitude, Peace, Thankfulness

So thankful this Saturday for all those in my past . . the easy cartoon-filled mornings of my youth; prior to my parents getting us busy with our outside chores or our family errands and adventures. So blissful in recollection of days spent sweeping, pulling weeds, cleaning house, building our forts, chasing our dreams or perhaps just chasing rainbows. I’m thankful for trips to the public library to get some books to read, for trips to the grocery, for road trips and weekend outings to the lakes and parks. I’m thankful for a father who worked hard all week; but never failed to spend time with his family, as he truly made it a priority. I believe he even enjoyed it, as it was never a difficult decision for him! I’m thankful for family that played board games, that made laughter as much a priority as love.

I don’t remember perfect days without turmoil, without a fair share of grief or malady; but I do remember plenty of reasons upon looking back in which to be grateful in plentitude! I had a wonderful childhood! I was loved, looked after, had a roof over my head, clothing and food to eat. I had toys with which to play, parents whom knew the value of education not only in school; but also in the aspects of life which made us good citizens of this country and of humanity. I was taught to love God and that God loves me.

I truly ache for those who are born into anything less than love, as I believe compassion and caring is born first of love. And all love first comes to the human heart through the Spirit which lights the flame of it within. So thankful this Saturday looking back on all of those which brought me to this one! Today, I’m not starting with cartoons; but after breakfast, I am spending time with two people who are family to me, loved and treasured in their years of wisdom for their part in my life. What more could I ask?! I have a roof over my head, food to eat, clothing to wear, shoes on my feet as well as a heart that is full of love! And more than ever, I know God loves me and I love Him!

Lend a Hand . .

12 Monday Jan 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Character, Choices, Commitment, Goodness, Life, Love

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Compassion, Love, Strength

It’s Monday, and often on Monday, everybody needs a hand! Everybody needs a hand of encouragement, a hand up, a guiding hand, a hand of welcome, a hand of congratulations, a hand that grabs on when things are overwhelming, a hand that leads to an embracing hug. And not just on Mondays! Our hands are often joined as human beings in so many ways. And then, we often use our hands to hurt those around us; throwing punches, taking what isn’t ours, vindictively pushing away. But hands are meant to be the points of human connection.

Much like the threads of a quilt or a piece of cloth; they’re the intertwining connections between one human to another and so on. We reach out and endeavor to hold onto one another in this life, even as virtual strangers, because we aren’t meant to go through it all alone! We are meant to connect and to share our experiences and our gifts not only for our own sakes; but to teach and to learn, to follow and to lead, to give and to receive, to interlace, as well as to weave strength, love and purpose into humanity via our hearts, our minds, our hands and our lives.

Hands come in all sizes, colors and from every corner of the earth; but hands, like threads of any quilt or cloth, are most useful when they are linking, connecting and strengthening the fabric of humanity rather than pulling it apart. Too often, we bear witness to hands busily rendering patches of humanity weaker by way of a human desire to be better, to have what belongs to others or to hurt others. Each weak spot in the fabric of humanity helps to make the whole cloth weaker, even though the rest of humanity may endeavor to strengthen around the torn patch in response.

All of humanity is only made stronger for the duration when humans are led to strengthen those familiar and proximal bonds which hold all of us together! Each of us must do our part by offering to others our hands; holding onto one another as though our life and theirs’ depended upon it! It does.

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Author Archives: Cheryl Ries

40 Days . . The Meaning of Lent

Lighting Up The World . .

Changing Currents . .

Because Life Is Hard . .

Living Takes A Will . .

Keep Reaching, Keep Striving!

Beauty Is In The Soul of The Beholder . .

Holding Our Own Irons To The Fires . .

Thankfulness!

Lend a Hand . .