Simply Words?

This will be brief, I hope! Recently, I was concerned when I heard someone saying they 'should' have done a certain optional thing... It was said in a manner which sounded as if they were condemning themself. I would propose the use of 'could' have done instead of 'should' since  'should' implies as sense of guilt but the use of 'could' simply acknowledges possibly a missed opportunity.. (This was being said in the context of my friend's mentioning of how her quiet times with our Lord had not been what they 'should' have been recently..) See what I mean? 

One more pair of words I think about often is  'Successful/Significant,' for, once again, words do make a difference.. It was the coach of the Indianapolis Colts, Tony Dungee (sp?) who verified my thinking about these words in our Christian lives... We are not meant to be 'successful' as such since all we do is to be solely to the LORD's GLORY, but, we ARE meant to lead 'significant' lives which flourish as we become more yielded to His presence within us so that others can be impacted by the prospect of true PEACE, HOPE, JOY, MERCY, GRACE, and SO MUCH MORE becoming possible for their lives also!

Now for an intriguing thought about the power of a word.. This morning during my quiet time, I noticed the use of the word, "if" 4 times in II Peter 2:4-9.. I know the LORD has a reason for its presence there, but take time to look up why I am maybe a little bit puzzled about why THAT word is there instead of "since."  Blessings to all who read this...

MORE FROGS!

Had I been an Egyptian during the times of Pharoah before the Exodus, I definitely would not have been delighted with more frogs! Well, since I'm NOT living with a plague of them, I will tell you why I have been tickled as the Lord has been blessing me with MORE FROGS!  It all began when I assisted only one time in a children's Sunday School class years ago.. That day, they were being shown to Fully Rely On God! AKA: FROG! For months afterwards, I purchased and circulated little rubber frogs to friends so they'd be reminded to rely!(on God, of course!)  Now, jumping forward a few years of my life, I find myself enjoying my Lord as yesterday, and already today (before 9 A.M), He's been leading me to many frogs around my home! (One of them was even inside of a 'super ball' which is half clear!)  It seems He is determined to remind me that I can, and should, fully rely on Him solely for the power, and strength to make choices which 'tickle' Him! I'm constantly assured, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.."  YES! This is why I've written about more FROGS today.. HE DELIGHTS in encouraging me to walk in constant triumph over my dead-in-sin nature..   COLOSSIANS 2:13-15 delight me now as I read how He's made me alive with Christ Jesus- having disarmed powers and authorities, triumphing over them by the cross!!

As I re-read this I noted the reciprocal ways He delights and tickles me and I, Him! We need not be hesitant to let HIM, and to return in kind.. F.R.O.G.!