Posts Tagged: affirmations

“Reflecting my Heavenly Father on a Down Day”

On October 29, 2020 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14, English Standard Version)

“Today, as God helps me, I am a living reflection of my Heavenly Father.” (My twelve-step affirmation this morning)

But I don’t feel much like the light of the world or a living reflection of God this morning.  There are reasons.

  • My wife left and will be gone for a day-and-a-half.
  • It is cool and rainy.
  • The daylight hours are short.
  • My favorite brother-in-law has covid-19.
  • My hands hurt it (arthritis?) so badly that I can hardly type or hold my coffee cup.
  • I am worried about the upcoming election and its aftermath.
  • Today is the first anniversary of the closing of CCU, where I taught for eleven years.
  • I am trying to change my relationship with food.  (That is a very positive thing, but difficult, nonetheless.)

But I refuse to do anything to make a difficult day worse.  I refuse to think harmful thoughts toward myself or anyone else.  I refuse to eat a bunch of junk food.  That would make me feel a little better for a little while, but it would also cause me to feel a lot worse in a little while.

Instead, I do positive things, no matter how I feel.

  • I take and make 12-step calls and text friends.
  • I make myself a cup of vanilla caramel tea and drink it out of a butterfly meadow cup.
  • I read some good Scriptures (no Ecclesiastes today, thank you very much!) and other good readings as well.
  • I take good care of our little dog, who is a wonderful companion.
  • I send a text to my wife about what I’m feeling. (She texts right back with the most encouraging text I’ve ever received from anyone.)
  • I listen to a TobyMac c.d.
  • I turn on virtually every light we have on the lower level of our Cape Cod.
  • I write this blog post and publish it.

I will reflect God’s love and grace no matter how I feel on this or any other day.

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“A Better Story”

On June 2, 2019 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

Sunday, June 2, 2019

My affirmation for today is as follows: “Today, by God’s grace, I am showing consistent interest and care for the lives, needs, thoughts, and stories of others.  This interest and care enriches my own life, needs, thoughts, and story.”

For too much of my life, I have been the central character in my story.  And that makes it a very thin plot.  The characterization isn’t particularly compelling, either.  It is time for God and other people to play bigger, more important roles.  I would like to make more of a cameo appearance.

Jesus is the most important character.  He has all the best lines, and most dramatic actions.

But many others have vital roles as well.  Twelve-step friends, church friends, students and colleagues at the university where I teach, our neighbors, my sweet wife—all these and many more are vital to the story line.

I am a writer.  But my magnum opus is not my blogs or the short stories and books I’m working on.  It is not my scholarly articles or books that are in my mind and will one day (hopefully) be on paper.  No, my great work is my life.

And the dedicatory page will say To Jesus and to Many Others. 

And the subtitle of the dedication will read With Profound Gratitude for Letting me be Part of Your Story.

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