If you are as excited about antiques and collectibles as I am, feel free to head over to my Etsy shop (as of now, I ship to US only – sorry, international readers!). I should have several listings up at a time, and have a variety of items that I’ll be uploading once the current ones sell, so keep checking back! This writer appreciates your support, since the economy isn’t always very kind to writers and teachers.
https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/CarolinaVtgWoman
“In what way are you strong?”
I am strong because I don’t give in to the lies that my depression feeds me. I fight against it and use healthy methods of coping, rather than turning to anything I would later regret. I try to surround myself with positive, encouraging people who build me up rather than tear me down, adding to any negativity my brain tries to feed my heart. The Lord tells us in Proverbs that guarding our heart is so important to living a life that pleases Him: “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” (Proverbs 4:23) This is obviously true, as you observe your own life and the lives of those around you.
I’ve had to leave behind some unhealthy friendships that were worsening my depression, so I have had to be incredibly strong, since that isn’t an easy thing to do. I continue to fight, with the Lord’s help, and as I keep positive people around me.
It is so exciting to look and see the following visual proof that I’ve been consistent with my blog each month for the entire year since its creation:
Thank you so much, my dear readers, for coming here to read my thoughts on travel, my personal life, lessons learned during my teaching career, my love for Jesus and His Word and His creation, art and health, and more! You are what keeps me motivated to continue blogging.
As followers of Christ, it is imperative that our pride and our focus be in the blood of Jesus, that pays for our sin.
As humans, it is so tempting to focus on our own earthly accomplishments, or eve to glory in the religious practices we do, the number of prayers we pray in a day, or in our theological knowledge. While many of these are good and honoring to God, pride in the doing of them, or thinking we have everything figured out (i.e. spiritual arrogance) is sin.
Our good works here on earth may honor the Lord, when done in the right spirit, but they do nothing to save us or justify us before Almighty God.
We should, instead of directing our attention and the attentions of others on ourselves, “glory in the gory” – focus on the death of Christ on the cross. His gruesome death, with the weight of our sin on His shoulders, and His glorious resurrection, are the only reason we are viewed by God as righteous and worthy to be present with Him, worshipping for all of eternity.
“It is because of [God] that you are in Christ Jesus, Who had become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.” – I Corinthians 1:3
Lest we think we can be righteous in our own strength, we must continually remind ourselves of the finished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:5-7)
“Therefore my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:10,11) As people who have been saved by Christ, we Christians must be more focused on reaching others for Christ and looking forward to seeing Him face-to-face than we are with the things of this world. “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior.” (Philippians 3:20)
“What do you think is the most important question in life?”
I truly believe that the most important question in life is one that every person will eventually be required to answer: “Are you ready for eternity?”
Eventually, every one of us will die, and even if we never answered this question in life, we will be confronted with it as soon as we depart from this earthly life into our eternal destination. Every one of us will meet our Maker one day.
We will either be able to answer with confidence, “Yes! Jesus paid for my sins and I have been made righteous through His sacrifice and am ready for eternity with my Creator in heaven,” or we will be forced to bow the knee to Him, then spend eternity apart from Him, paying the ultimate price for all of our sins.
“What do you do, even when you do not feel like it?”
I still keep our place clean and free of dirty dishes, etc. The cleanliness that comes after the cleaning process is worth the time, sweat, cleaning products, etc. that goes into it! I really don’t enjoy most of the process, but if I don’t do it, no one else will, so it falls on me.
