"PIGS AND PEARLS"

By: Donna Selma Lind

"PIGS AND PEARLS"

Strolling through the park the other day my husband said "Hey look at the cute little puppy!"

 Across the field of grass was a young woman walking her pup. He had on a snug blue harness with a matching blue leash. From a distance we watched the puppy zipping back and forth across the park frolicking in the piles of leaves. 

As we walked closer I elbowed my husband, "That is not a puppy, that is a PIG!" 

"Noooo! No way is that a pig are you kidding me?" was his unbelieving response.

We darted through the grass stepping on crunchy leaves and acorns along the way until we were face to face with the cutest little tiny three pound pig!

Yes! There was a Pig in the Park! Or should I say a Pork in the Park? I'm not Bacon this stuff  up! 

 I don't want to Hog up your time and Boar you with details, but this little piggy was quite a Ham! 

It was love at first glance. My heart began to pitter-patter and pine for this little Swine!

But I digress... His name was Humphrey. He was a six week old Teacup pig and his owner was a darling college student who was a Nutrition major (which assured me that she had no plans to eat Humphrey in the near future)!

While Humphrey was the cutest little piggy that I ever did see, there have been other Pigs in my life that were not so cute!

Jesus said in Matthew 7:6 "Don't throw your pearls to pigs. Otherwise, they will trample them and tear you to pieces."

Have you ever given your time, energy and gifts to someone who didn't appreciate you? 

Did you ever give your heart and share yourself with a person who used and abused you?

Have you done and given everything you have to help someone until you are completely drained and spent, only to be attacked and stomped on from the very ones you gave it all to?

Well, now we know how Jesus felt and now we can understand when he warned us:

 "Don't throw your pearls (your time,energy and gifts) to pigs(scavengers,unappreciative,ungrateful people.) Otherwise, they will trample them (take advantage,walk all over you) and tear you to pieces (attack,mistreat,use and abuse) ."

If you have been a victim of "Pigs and Pearls" then it is time to pray for Discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to show you who the "Pigs" are in your life and stop sharing your "Pearls" with them.

Jesus continued his message in Matthew 10:14 " Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that place, shake the dust off your feet."

Time to clean out the Pig Pen!

"You don't need a certain number of friends, just a number of friends you can be certain of."

"The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray."
 Proverbs 12:26

"Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm." Proverbs 13:20

"Do not be misled:Bad company corrupts good character." 1 Corinthians 15:33

Share your "Pearls" with those who celebrate, respect and receive the good that you have to give!

             HALLELUJAH! 

PRAISE THE LORD AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!

                                                          

   Donna Selma Lind

"DETOUR"

By: Donna Selma Lind

There we were traveling down the highway doing about 70 mph, the GPS warned us ahead of time to stay in the left lane. I repeated  the warning loudly to my husband "STAY IN THE LEFT LANE." Suddenly the GPS screen went goofy. It started to scramble up on the screen, the map and directions were blinking on and off and the arrows and road names were jumping up and down on the screen like an EKG readout after downing a pot of coffee! I repeated "STAY IN THE LEFT LANE."

The GPS changed her course and announced turn right at the next Exit.

"DON'T LISTEN TO HER" I instructed " STAY IN THE LEFT LANE!"

My husband snapped "The GPS said to turn right at the next Exit!"

"DON'T LISTEN TO HER, I HAVE THE MAP STAY IN THE LEFT LANE!"

Not being able to listen to two women shouting directions at the same time (me and the GPS) he chose the GPS and turned right at the next Exit!

A thunderous discussion ensued as we drove around lost for the next 20 minutes.

 (Have you ever had a thunderous discussion with your spouse when you were lost?)

 The GPS straightened out and we finally got back on track and on road we were supposed to be on. Traffic was backed up and we saw a bunch of flashing lights and emergency vehicles ahead of us. There had been a multiple vehicle accident. Tow trucks, Fire engines, Police cars, and Paramedics were racing to and from the scene. 

We looked at each other and realized if we had stayed in the left lane like the GPS and map originally directed us, we would have likely been in the middle of that accident! 

But for the saving Grace of God go us.We immediately began praying for all of  the people involved in the accident.

We have no explanation as to why that GPS suddenly went crazy and took us off our charted course. Nor can we explain why we could not find another exit to turn around and get back onto the highway, or why we had to drive around lost for 20 minutes, except for the hand of God and  his hedge of protection!

"For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go." Psalm 91:11

How many times has God protected us from danger? How many times has he given us another chance? 

How many times has he provided a way out?

Life is a journey. We travel down the road and many times we are not reading his Guidepost's along the way. We don't listen to his voice when he is warning us that we are going the wrong way. We end up lost on roads that are dead ends and we feel like we have no way out.

Sometimes it's a relationship, a job, a place,a thing. Either we end up on the path because we chose it ourselves, or we hitched a ride on someone else's wagon.

 The only road I want to be on is the road that leads me to the Lord! 

"Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow." Psalm 25:4

I have spent too much of my life going down the wrong roads. Wasted too many years choosing my own path or following someone else's. I want to live out the rest of my life on the road less traveled walking hand and hand with my savior. 

If he says "Go" I will go. If he says "Stay" I will stay. Wherever he goes I  will follow. 

There are going to be bumps and Detours on the Journey, some are Divine Detours that God places in our path in order to protect us or teach us something along the way. Some bumps and Detours God places in order  to slow us down when he is trying to talk to us and get our attention.

Just like when God re-routed our path so he could protect us from the accident ahead. Thanks be to God!

Let's all make sure to tune into the Holy Spirit's GPS for: Guidance. Protection. & Strength.!

You are not alone on this journey.God is with you. Even if you are lost, He is with you. If you took the wrong road, he is with you. It is not the road behind you but the road ahead of you that counts! 

"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:6

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord and share the Good News!

Donna Selma Lind

*Click below and enjoy the Journey with Third Day MOUNTAIN OF GOD*

"CONQUERORS OF CLUTTER"

By: Donna Selma Lind

"In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:37

It's that time of the year. The time when I get into my Fall nesting mood. You know the mood, when we swap out the summer clothes for warm knitted sweaters, scarves and boots. And summer beachy home decor for comfy quilts, toasty fires and  pumpkin spice coffee, candles and everything else pumpkin!

It is also the time of year when I like to become a "CONQUEROR OF CLUTTER!" 
Spring and Fall at my house are the two seasons that I like to do a thorough cleaning of  everything in our home. I get what I call "The urge to purge." This involves de-Cluttering every room in our house from top to bottom.
I do an inventory of all my stuff and then I make three piles: KEEP. SELL. GIVE AWAY.
No Rocket Science here, just basic CLUTTER CONQUERING 101.

I have discovered that :THE MORE STUFF WE HAVE, THE MORE THE STUFF HAS US!

Stuff leads to clutter, clutter leads to confusion, confusion leads to stress and anxiety, which leads to unrest and no peace!
When we have too much stuff  it not only clutters our home, it also clutters our mind.
It costs us more time because when everything is a confusing mess we can't find anything. When we can't find our stuff it also costs us more money because we go out and buy things that we already have but can't find at home in all our clutter!
Clutter and disorganization steals our time, money, peace and joy!

All that stuff is a heavy weight that keeps us in bondage. 
TIME TO CONQUER THE CLUTTER! 

"We must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that distracts us."
Hebrews 12:1

A big thing that keeps us chained to the STUFF are all the sentimental memories that are attached to our things. I get it. I can look at a dish or a chair and a flood of memories hit me of a family holiday or a special person who something reminds me of and suddenly I have a tight grip and I am not ready to let go of that object.
But I learned a little trick years ago that helped me to let go of some things. Since just  looking at the things transported me back to the memories, I found if I took a photo of the object it had the same effect! I was able to let go of alot of STUFF but keep the memories alive by looking at the photos! The memories are in my heart not in the stuff!
It doesn't mean I have gotten rid of everything but I have been able to get rid of a ton of stuff that was weighing me down.
I know it can be overwhelming for so many of you out there that are living under a mountain of clutter. You know who you are. In fact right now you are looking around your home cringing at the thought of where to even begin to start the process.
Well take a deep breath, understand it is a process and it takes time, but YOU CAN DO IT! Repeat after me: "I CAN DO IT! I AM MORE THAN A CONQUEROR IN CHRIST JESUS."

Do you want to live clutter free?

Here are a few ideas that work for me.

I RESIST BUYING AND BRINGING STUFF HOME! (Window shopping is still free! )

Use it or lose it! Have I worn or used this in the last year? 

Do I love this ? Does this give me pleasure? 

Am I holding on to this out of guilt or obligation? (This applies to relationships too!)

Whatever is tucked away in a box , closet or in storage and I haven't seen it, used it or worn it in a year, it is time to get rid of it!  

Can I Bless someone else with this?

I Organize and Label everything! 

I keep things in the same spot so we can easily find them. (Keys, phone, purse, backpacks, etc)

Communication Boards. ( Family Calendar/Schedule. Each family member has a dry eraser board for reminders and chores.  

I heart Baskets, Bins and Bags! ( I like a place for everything and everything in it's place! ) 

If something is keeping me from my time with God then I need to limit it or get rid of it! 

If  I had to choose and limit the things in my home that bring me joy and I use on a regular basis what would they be?
 (My Bible, Husband, Laptop, Label Maker, Fuzzy Socks, Books & Animals.)


There are a ton of organizing ideas on Pinterest that you can get ideas from. 

Pick something you can stick to and get started- one file, one pile, one mile at a time!
I hope this inspires you to get going. Just think of the freedom you will have to do things that you love instead of being tied down to taking care of things!

"Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." Colossians 3:2

 YOU CAN DO IT!  YOU ARE MORE THAN A CONQUEROR OF CLUTTER!

Write to me in the COMMENTS box and share your ideas and Victories with me.
 I would love to hear from you!

HALLELUJAH! 

PRAISE THE LORD AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!

DONNA SELMA LIND