“A house becomes a home when you can write
“I love you” on the furniture.”

I can’t tell you how many countless hours
that I have spent CLEANING!

I used to spend at least 8 hours every weekend
making sure things were just perfect – “in case
someone came over”. Then I realized one day
that no one came over; they were all out living
life and having fun!

Now, when people visit, I find no need to explain
the “condition” of my home. They are more in-
terested in hearing about the things I’ve been
doing while I was away living life and having fun.
If you haven’t figured this out yet, please
heed this advice.

Life is short. Enjoy it! Dust if you must, but
wouldn’t it be better to paint a picture or
write a letter, bake a cake or plant a seed,
ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there’s not much time,
with rivers to swim and mountains to climb,
music to hear and books to read,!
friends to cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world’s out there
with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your
hair, a flutter of snow, a shower of rain.
This day will not come around again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind, old age
will come, and it’s not kind. And when you
go – and go you must – you, yourself
will make more dust!

-Author Unknown

Excuse This House

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Some houses try to hide the fact
That children shelter there
Our boasts it quite openly
The signs are everywhere

For smears are on the windows
Little smudges on the door
I should apologize I guess
For the toys strewn on the floor

But I sat down with the children
And played, laughed and read
And if the door bell doesn’t shine
Their eyes will shine instead

For when I’m forced to choose
One job or the other
It’s good to be a house wife
But I’d rather be a Mother

-Author unknown

Stories above from: Heavensiinspirations.com.

Many Christians are masters at conflict-avoidance. Perhaps we confuse “blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9) with “blessed are those who avoid unpleasant situations.” But conflict and confrontation weave their way throughout the fabric of the Bible.

As the children of Israel prepared to cross the Jordan River for the first time, they faced literal warfare. But first they had to fight a figurative battle that threatened the nation in a different way. The tribes of Gad and Reuben owned “vast numbers of livestock” and wanted to stay in the pastures on the east side of the Jordan (Numbers 32:1).

Moses immediately questioned their motives. “Do you intend to stay here while your brothers go across and do all the fighting?” he asked. “Why do you want to discourage the rest of the people?” (Numbers 32:6-7).

The leaders of Gad and Reuben could have wilted in the face of a powerful man’s anger. Or they could have reacted spitefully. Instead, they replied, “We simply want to build pens for our livestock and fortified towns for our wives and children. Then we will arm ourselves and lead our fellow Israelites into battle” (Numbers 32:16-17).

Moses then laid out the specifics for how the tribes would move forward. They responded, “We, your servants, will follow your instructions exactly” (Numbers 32:25). And they did.

When confronted with disagreements, we tend to vacillate between dishonest niceness and sinful anger. Both extremes are wrong. Jesus never shrank from confrontation. He did, however, pray for our unity even as His crucifixion loomed.

Conflict is inevitable. When it comes, may it point us to the selfless honesty of Jesus and His path that leads to lasting peace.

From: Our Daily Journey