What’s in a smile…

Grandfather had a favorite saying for spreading joy and happiness with the family. You can see God in every smile someone makes because anything that makes you smile is God.

There’s a lot of truth in that statement for a smile will light up your world along with the world of someone who just happens to be on the receiving end of that smile. Not only that, smiles are contagious and seem to spread the light and love to everyone. There’s just something about a smile that makes another person smile back.

Imagine how peaceful the world would be if everyone could just be secure enough to share their light and love with everyone they met. That’s the magic of life, sharing your light and your love with your neighbors and since we are all neighbors in the world, there is a lot of love out there to share.

A smile cost nothing, but gives much. It enriches those who receive, without making poorer those who give. It takes by a moment but that moment can last forever for someone who is need of a lift up.

None is so rich or mighty that he can get along without it, and none is so poor but that he can be made rich by it. A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters good will in business, and is the countersign of friendship.

It brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad, and is nature’s best antidote for trouble. Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away.

Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.

So give someone your best smile today and have them pass it on.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Now is a time for reflection…

Christmas is the season for Rebirth, renewing the Love of those we hold dear. It is the time for Joy and Happiness. It is also a time for Peace and Reflection.

Here is a little known secret to reflect about in the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas”:

-The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ.

-Two turtle doves are the Old and New Testaments.

-Three French hens stand for Faith, Hope and Love.-

-The four calling birds represent the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

-The five golden rings recall the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

-The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation.

-Seven swans a-swimming represent the seven-fold gifts of the Holy Spirit–Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

-The eight maids a-milking are the eight Beatitude’s.

-Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit–Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

-The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments.

-The eleven pipers piping stand for the eleven faithful disciples.

-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.

My true love is God!

This is what Christmas is all about!

With all this in mind I sincerely wish each and everyone of you a Very Merry Christmas! May your life be full of Love, Joy, Happiness and Peace. I pray for a complete Rebirth of Spirit for all. God bless you all!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Let There Be Peace…

The past few weeks have shown us a volubility in sanctity of our world. Between the conflicts overseas, to the outright murder of police officers, the senseless killing of our youth across the nation and the growing divide in our churches and Country over what the Constitution really says. This is heartbreaking!

Growing up I learned peace is not the absence of conflict in our lives, but rather the ability to cope with it. Over my lifetime I found it took another definition: Peace does not mean an absence of conflicts; there will always be differences. Peace means solving these differences through peaceful means; through dialogue, education, knowledge; and through humane ways.

The source of peace is our Creator, Jehovah God. Why? He is the “God who gives peace.” (Romans 15:33) Under the rule of his Kingdom that is soon to come, there will be an “abundance of peace.” (Psalm 72:7; Matthew 6:9, 10) This is far more than just a feeble peace settlement. Such accords often herald little more than a brief interruption in hostilities. But God’s peace will eliminate all causes of war and strife. In fact, no one will learn war anymore. (Psalm 46:8, 9) Real peace for all at last!

As beautiful as this hope is, you might nevertheless yearn for a measure of peace right now. Is there a way to find inner peace that can carry you through our troubled times? Happily, the Bible shows us the way. Consider some guidelines in the 4th chapter of the apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

To me the song – “Let There Be Peace On Earth” says it all:

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be.
With God as our father, brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother in perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me let this be the moment now.
With every breath I take, let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment, and live each moment
With peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.

Strive to live in peace with everybody and pursue that consecration and holiness without which no one will ever see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Change Your life…

When we wonder why things seem to go a different way than we want, we need to examine our ways. Grandfather always had a way of getting my attention when I brought things to His attention that didn’t seem to go right.

One of his favorite sayings: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”

Sort of makes you think doesn’t it? Sometimes we just have to look at things in a different way in order to see what is hiding in the bushes. Is it that blessing we were looking to share? Life is full of twists and turns and we have to be flexible in our thoughts and ways in order to negotiate those little roadblocks.

Sometimes we tend to look at things as the only way, failing to see what is the way for us does not necessarily mean that everyone else sees it the same way. I have learned over the years that there are many ways to look at a problem and as many ways to correct it.

The same goes for life. We all need to begin to look at life as a challenge that has many twists that can be approached in various ways. In other words we need to become flexible in how we deal with life and people for what is good for us just may be a disaster for someone else.

So, as a result, I have learned to look at all sides of a problem before determining how to fix it. I’ll add it was hard to transition to this approach, but after seeing how people suffer trying to cope in today’s world I found I made the right choice.

Choice – it’s the key word here. We have all learned that it’s the choices we makes in life, good and bad, that makes us who we are. We have also learned that when we make bad choices and end up somewhere in oblivian, we can always change our direction to get back on the right path.

The right path, just what is it? As Christians we follow the bible and it is very clear there just what our path is to be. Yet so many of us choose to ignore that part of the bible and just follow the parts we agree with.

I have found, and not trying to be judgmental, that the part so many seem to ignore is where Jesus said “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22: 37 – 40. The problem to some is, just who is your neighbor?

I see my neighbor as being everyone in the world and even though that may talk and think differentially than I do, they are still my neighbors. We don’t always agree on how we approach things, but we respect each other’s right to think that way. I have found this mutual respect has made life easier for both of us.

So, are you tired of batting your head against a wall of opposition? If so try looking at all sides of it before taking a stand. You just may find, as I have, there are many answers and yours just may not be the right one.

Your challenge is to make it your goal that your life would become a reflection of His life, your heart a reflection of His heart. Allow Him to make you and form you into His Image. For God bore your image in His death that you, in your life, could bear the image of God. Live today in the image and nature of God!

If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got. Change yourself and your world will change with you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Open Your World…
I have been sharing thoughts for about 47 years either through “Life’s Handbook” or my blog which is just over 5 years old. I have to say It has been a humbling experience to see my world open up the world’s of other people. I never thought my words would have such an effect on others.
When I started writing back in late 1971 I was fighting to recover from injuries received in Vietnam and was lucky to be alive. But, God had a plan for me and that was to share my Life experiences wth the world. It brings back memories that Grandfather taught me and sayings like: What the caterpillar thinks is the end of the world, the Master calls a butterfly. I really thought it was the end of my world. Little did I know the butterfly in me would be the Hope for so many around the world.
Hope… Imagine just how much we can change the world if we shared hope with everyone we touch on a daily basis. I have found my thought shared in many books and even on a television show. This is amazing that God will use us to spread love and hope throughout the world.
In my post What Love Is I shared this: Light is Love and the more of our light we shine the more love we share. The more love we share the brighter our light shines. Seek the light!
As Christians we are the love and the light God wants shared with all in our path. We are His example of what love can do and the light to His path. If we all would share this love and light peace just may be possible around the world.
Life just doesn’t happen, we are here for a reason and to me that reason has turned out to be the light for others to find Hope and Love. As I share my Life experiences with my readers, I ask you to help spread the love, light and hope with all you can. I also ask for comments and questions as they open the door for more subjects to write about. Between the teachings of Grandfather and my extended education, my life experiences are open for anyone who asks.
How about you, are you ready to open your world? You just may have the hope that someone’s needs to go on.
Walk daily with God at your side!
Love always,
Ed

A life of love…Absolute solitude puts you on a precipice, the very edge, if you will, of a two edged sword, perched between life and death, the yin and the yang , the heavens above and the earth below. It is here, the very essence of life, where life itself takes on a whole new meaning. Harmony, love, trust and faith in, with and around your fellow man step up and take a leading role in the meaning of everyday life. It takes a unique balance of all of these to maintain human relations in our complex world. The pressures put on us by our social peers, for lack of a better word, tend to drive us all in opposing directions from the center of life’s true meaning.When reading these lines, take the time to ponder on what they mean to you. Your world will open up to you and show you new ways to love. For we all know life is too short, yet we waste so much of it in one conflict or another. Wouldn’t it be so much easier if we learned to take those conflicts as life lessons meant to share our light and love with each other?Grandfather always reminded me:
Love doesn’t make the world go around, but it sure makes the ride worthwhile.
Love is something that has many definitions, yet we all seem to look only at the ones that make us happy. Sharing your life experiences, good or bad, can make someone else’s life a little easier for the simple reason that what you learned working through that conflict can be the answer that helps another person cope with theirs. Maybe that is why Grandfather always told me to learn from the mistakes of others, for you don’t have time to make them all yourself.
Harmony, love, trust and faith interweave and merge throughout our worlds to the point that one can barely distinguish the end of one from the beginning of another. It is done with such balance that each one will compliment the others in the dynamic state of our ever-growing worlds. Four separate feelings, each with a virtue in itself, all sharing a common beginning. They are interdependent on each other to help maintain that delicate balance of what we call life. This unshakable bond created from this common ground is the center of our worlds ….the heart.
Happiness… begins in the heart. Then it grows on the words we share with others, on the wings of birds in flight, and on the pedals of all our flowers. This is what love truly means – to share and happiness is truly a joy meant to be shared. I guess when you tie it all together life has no meaning without the love we share, for it is the sharing that makes it grow.
A life of love begins when we accept the fact that we have to release our personal prejudices, we all have some, and realize we all need each other to make it worthwhile. It all begins with that first smile, word of kindness, or the gentle hand you offer someone in need. Are you willing to take that first step?
Walk daily with God at your side!
Love always,

Ed

Thanksgiving…

This Thanksgiving I give thanks to God for family, friends and the loving peace He has blessed me with. When I look back over the past year, I am amazed at all the blessings He has given me, in spite of my short comings. Thank you Father for loving me and showing me how to love.

I’m sure we all have many things to be thankful for and I sincerely wish each and every one of you a wonderful day full of love, joy and thanksgiving. Share your blessings with every one that crosses your path. Be the shining light He intended you to be and remember love isn’t love until you give it away.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Your story…

YOU are led through your lifetime by the inner learning creature, the playful spiritual being that is your real self.

Isn’t it interesting how we, as humans, believe our life is not under our control, that our past defines us and we can’t change our path? It’s true our past stays with us forever, but we decide what our future is. We have the option to change our paths, to go another direction anytime we want. I’m not saying it will be easy, for all things good require effort on our part. We just need to be willing to work for it.

DON’T turn away from possible futures before you’re certain you don’t have anything to learn from them.

Many times I have written that people cross our paths for a reason and that reason is we have something to share with them or they have a gift to share us. That gift just may be the answer you are seeking to brighten you future, putting you on a different path in life. Our goal is to determine if the answer we seek is in that future or not. God brought that person to you for a reason, don’t sidestep it, make the best of it. I’ve often wondered just how many blessings I’ve passed up, because I decided I didn’t have time to stop, listen and share. Yes, it’s true, we are the sum total of the choices we make in life, take the time to explore them before throwing them aside.

YOU’RE always free to change your mind and choose a different future or past.

The beauty of freewill is we always have the option to change our mind. If the direction we choose turns out to be a bad choice, we can change direction and start a new path. Powerful isn’t it? Many of us feel we have little control over our life when in fact we almost have full control. Yes, before you ask, God knows what position we are going to take before we do, but He also is there to guide us back when we overstep our brain. We just have to listen to that soft whisper in our ear.

Over the years I’ve learned that life just doesn’t happen, we chose the direction and He guided us along the way. We made mistakes, probably more than we should, but He was always there to help guide us back to where we needed to be, if we asked. I have also learned He is always there, as promised, and always will be.

So, are you happy with the direction your life is going? If not change it and find a path that brings you closer to Him. Ask Him for assistance and He will guide you back to where you belong. As you travel your path, shine your light and share your love with everyone you meet. One just may be that angel you are seeking.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love alway,

Ed

We Are…

As a Christian I have learned God is love and since He resides in my heart, I am love also. My soul is the light that shines the love He has given me to share with all.

Yet, some in the church feel that love is only to be shared with fellow members who talk and act as they do. The divide in our Country starts right here in the church. As strange as it sounds, the place that teaches us to love our neighbors is also the place that is dividing us as a country yet so many are blinded by their intolerance to see it.

The pastor of our church said something the other day that, hopefully, will open the eyes of Christians everywhere. He said if you think Southern Baptists are the only ones in heaven, you are going to be in for a big surprise. I think that will fit for just about every denomination we have in this world. God created each and everyone of us in His image, with His love and He blesses everyone of us.

I have written many times about how unique each and everyone of us is and how we all have a place where we fit in the world. It is also true that we need everyone working together to make it whole. Love is the answer and the glue that holds us all together. Light of the world we look out in the darkness, open our eyes let us see…

Father, I ask that you open our eyes and let us see the divisiveness among us and help us come together as one, with one purpose, to love all that cross our paths. Help us see that the blessings You bestow on us are meant to be shared in order to show Your love. Remind us that we are the light that reflects Your love and light. Open our eyes so that when we look into the mirror we see actually are looking at the face and eyes of You, that this is why we are made in Your image. I ask this in Jesus name, Amen.

I will close with one of grandfathers reminders:
The soul is not where it lives but where it loves.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

More than your share…

Over the years I’ve received many comments on my posts from people who say they’ve gone through many hardships in their lives and wonder just when it is enough.

This got me wondering why some feel they got more than their share, so I decided to share a life experience of my time in Vietnam to show both sides of that experience. As you know our lives are full of roadblocks and potholes that we have the opportunity to learn from and grow.

As you know, I was a Scout/Sniper in the Marines from 1967 to 1971 in Vietnam. As a sniper I saw my share of hardship and turmoil along with death. But this is part of combat and we all saw more than we needed. The plain fact is, war is not fun period and in Vietnam one had to fight day and night to stay alive. The friendlies you fought side by side with during the day were your enemy at night.

One mission had us finding prison camps where our solders were kept and to bring them home to safety. We were able to render the camp harmless and free our men in due time. On the return trip, I was at the back of the group closing the trail when one of the soldiers tripped a wire and blew a claymore off. It killed six and wounded a few more. I was hit in the head and right side causing severe damage to my right arm and shoulder along with opening part of my skull. I was rushed to camp and moved to the hospital ship Sanctuary where a group of surgeons put me back together. I ended up with 360 stiches in my head, a double compound fracture of my arm, a shattered elbow and they sewed the tendons back together on my shoulder which also had shattered.

While the doctors were putting me back together, I was sitting in His immediate presence while He held my hand. I felt no pain, only immense love. It was obvious He was not finished with me yet and He sent me back. Where I was taken to Germany and then sent home.

Ok, I hear you asking yourself what all this has to do with more than your share?

At the time I thought I had more than my share of pain and suffering, until I remembered He saved me for a reason and blessed me to share with everyone else. I very easily could have been one of the 58000 plus who didn’t get to come home.

It comes down to this we, as humans, tend to complain about our sufferings in life, but fail to realize all the blessings we receive along the way. Do you get more than your share of blessings? I know for sure I do.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed