Category Archives: Living With Purpose and Passion

Do you love me? Is it really true?

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Tevye, the colorful character from Fiddler on the Roof, leans over quietly and asks his wife, “Do you love me?” She screams in reply, “Do I WHAT?!” “Do you love me?” he asks again with genuine concern. She goes into an indignant tirade of how she bore his children, cooked his meals, washed his clothes, and so many other chores she’s done in 25 years. Acknowledging her many expressions of love, he gently repeated, “But do you love me?” Quietly she admitted, “I guess I do love you.” Teasingly, he replied, “Then I guess I love you too.” Together they sigh saying, “After 25 years. it’s nice to know.”

How do you know love is true? Is it by the repetition of those three little words, “I love you?” (Or perhaps those other three: “I was wrong!”) Or is it in the consistent demonstration of loving acts? We could say “both” and be closest to the truth. But neither words alone nor actions by themselves are the true test of live, are they? We can, and sometimes do, speak idle words and perform repeated acts of service more in response to duty than true love.

But somehow, our hearts are able to confirm what eyes have seen and lips have spoken. Here comes a time when the heart knows for sure what the mind has only acknowledged to be true.

“In sickness and in health” has a way of testing true love. Marcia and I have experienced this to be true through this long and unexpected journey brought cancer. In face of adversity, true love finds both gentleness and strength. It learns the value in f commitment and persevering and also humble surrender. Whatever we knew as star struck lovers 44 years ago has been positively confirmed to be true in a much deeper sense than we ever could have imagined.

The same is true about God’s Word which is his love letter to you and me. At some point we come to acknowledge that God IS God and his Word is inherently true. we know it in our minds, confirm it with our lips, and believe it in our heart. And yet there is a deeper sense of knowing God’s true love that comes only by experiencing it through difficult trials. I’ve commented before that I would t have chosen this journey through cancer, BUT I’ve discovered along its path blessings I would never have discovered on a more comfortable road. Whereas once I “knew” God’s live and Word to be true in my mind and heart, now I know it to be true through the experience of his grace, his power to persevere, the comfort of his promise and the real hope in his faithful promises. That he loves me – and you – is undeniably evidenced both in times of rejoicing and times of sorrow and pain. Even if I had none of this, the price his Son Jesus paid for the forgiveness of my sins was evidence enough of his great love. Our God is a good God. His banner over me is mercy and love.

But is the “flip side” also true? How should we reply when Jesus asks us what he asked his disciple Peter, “Do you love me?” Is it sufficient to go about dutiful good deeds like Tevye’s wife Golde? Or is it sufficient to say the words in prayer and song? Deep down we know true love is expressed not only by simple words or sacrificial deeds. It’s known by all that flows from a humble heart that gives a sacrifice of praise and a life yielded completely to him, no holds barred, no distractions.

He’s asking, “Do you really love me? Is it really true?” How will you respond today?

If you had just one

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It is an astounding time in which we live. In some parts of the world that are far remote to our way of thinking, life goes on day by day as it has for generations without change and little access to potentially life changing information and innovation. In our world of technology, change is what’s on the menu. The world is literally available at our fingertips. Need a recipe, instructions for how to fix nearly anything, or need to make a reservation for a destination across the world? Presto, your answer is dished up right away.

My grandmother, when she wanted to read a passage of scripture, would go to the table where the old family bible sat and carefully undo the brass clasps that protected it’s pages.

In contrast, we can access the bible “online” wherever we go. Don’t remember where to find a verse? No problem. Just “Google” a word or partial phrase and multiple results will appear. Click on one and you are immediately taken directly to the passage, available in whatever version or language you want.

I sometimes wonder what effect such readily available information will have on our abilities to remember things for ourselves. Whether it’s a phone number or a bible verse, a machine remembers it for us.

I’ve recently been asking people to imagine a life where such abundance of information was not readily available; where political pressures prohibit access to certain books, or that place in your life where a sudden stroke or gradual onset of Alzheimer’s robbed you of your ability to access information. If, in that terrible situation, you were somehow able to remember just one name, whose name would it be? If you could remember only one short passage of scripture, which one would you want to always be emblazoned in your mind and heart?

I find it a nearly impossible task. The thought of summarizing all of God’s Word onto a scrap of forbidden paper or having mental capacity to remember only one verse is daunting to say the least. Jesus summed up all the law and the prophets with these few words:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39

We could shorten that to a simple yet profound challenge to each of our daily activities: Love God – love others. If you remembered nothing else, how might this simple ‘code’ guide your every day? Galatians 5:6 similarly summarizes my daily and life purpose: “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” It reminds me that whatever else is taken away, faith and love remain the essence of life.

Given the challenge, a friend quickly replied with this verse: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” John 11:25-26 If he could remember just one short promise, he wants it to be the one of eternal life offered freely to him by his Lord Jesus.

What about you? Maybe you have a “life verse” you’ve committed to memory that encourages you and continually points you toward your prized goal. Thankfully, we don’t have to choose just one. And while there’s no guarantee we won’t fall victim to some debilitating condition which limits our ability to remember and process the valuable truths and promises, committing one or more of those to memory now will continue to guard your heart and mind even in those days.

God’s Word is the antidote to our woes. It’s how Jesus answered every temptation. Commit it to memory now. Apply it to your daily life and watch how it helps you in times of trouble.

One door away from heaven

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I’ve been thinking a lot about heaven in recent weeks, wondering what it will be like to step through the door from this life I know, to my new and forever life in heaven. Will I take one last look at this world I’ve enjoyed and then turn away to the welcoming arms of Jesus? Or will my eyes remain fixed on loved ones I’m pained to leave, bidding them to follow as I simply fall backward into the arms of my Lord and Savior?

What will it be like to walk through heaven’s door?

Of course, you realize there are also many doors between us and heaven’s gates. There is the door of realizing that there is a God, and we’re not him! There’s the door of realizing we need the saving grace of Jesus who paid the price for our sins. There’s the door of baptism, the public profession of our faith, not something hidden in the shadows of our life. There are doorways we cross over to learn patience, kindness, faithfulness, and other qualities we want to mark our lives. We walk through these doors once and continually evaluate the purpose and passions of our life as identified by that passage. Having passed through the door of salvation, how do I now live this “new life in Christ”? How is my life transformationally different because of this?!” After all, what is the point of passing through a door if I don’t intend to enjoy and participate in what’s on the other side?

There are doors of friendships that bring us closer to heaven. They open to reveal God’s grace and truth. In these relationships, we share life as it really is, without pretense. We encourage each other to seek the best, God’s best, and to live purposeful and rewarding lives as we wait for heaven. Chit-chat easily gives way to meaningful and cherished sharing of what’s most important to us. Who knows, the door of one friendship might be “One Door Away From Heaven.” Dean Koontz, author of the book by that name describes it like this:

“What will you find behind the door that is one door away from Heaven? If your heart is closed, then you will find behind that door nothing to light your way. But if your heart is open, you will find behind that door people, who, like you, are searching and you will find the right door together with them. None of use can ever save himself; we are the instruments of one another’s salvation, and only by the hope that we give to others do we lift ourselves out of the darkness into the light.”

I see it actually as God’s hand of grace and forgiveness that leads us out of the darkness, not our own doing. The gift of heaven comes only by faith in Jesus who offers it. But isn’t it also true that we all play a part in opening doors for those around us by our encouragement and daring to be real with them? Don’t these deepest of friendships open the door that is one door from heaven? I think it’s how God designed us to belong to each other as a community of caring people.

No doubt, we all have lots of speculation about what heaven will be like. While the bible doesn’t tell us everything, reading it reveals much about heaven that should appeal greatly to each of us. No more sorrow, no more pain. Sharing forever with the one who loves us most. Reuniting with loved ones who’ve gone before us. Beauty quite literally beyond our imagination – life as it was designed to be from the beginning.

More and more, I am discovering these truths from God’s Word bless my day in the most practical ways. Focusing my energies and passions on relationships that open doors to heaven keeps me from wasting my life on so much meaningless chit-chat and activity. I hope this for you too. Live with hearts open to the purpose and passion God speaks to you. Be intentional about the doors you open for others.

The cure we all need

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Patient- “So Doctor, how long do I have to live?”

The great physician pondered the question, not searching for an answer, because the solution was obvious from the beginning. No, he was reflecting sadly on how his patient had allowed himself to be overcome by such a condition that was increasingly destroying his quality of life and now had become a contagion to others.

Doctor- “You will live as long as intended. My personal concern is for what quality of life you will be afforded if your condition continues untreated.

P- But Doctor, I’ve been following your orders and taking my medicine for many years. Still my condition worsens. Sometimes it seems unbearable. And lately, I’ve been seeing signs that my family and coworkers are getting this too.

D- Have you really been taking your medicine as prescribed? Have you consistently and persistently massaged the salve into all the afflicted areas? Or have you merely sprinkled it about here and there, now and then when it seemed convenient? Have you really been consistent and diligent in the exercises I gave you? Your muscles won’t grow and strengthen unless you gently stretch them. It’s only when their very fibers are gently broken that they can regrow even stronger. Remember, this isn’t a do it once and forget it process. It’s a lifetime application.

P- But it hurts. And besides, you know how busy I am and how many responsibilities I have.

D- To become fully well requires diligence, commitment, sacrifice, and even pain. Remember the first rule of airplane safety? First apply your own oxygen mask and then help others. Your condition is sucking the air out of your life. Often you don’t consider it too bad because you’ve become so accustomed to living this way. You think you have it under control but it’s an illusion. You’re not dying but one by one the most critical areas of your life will fall victim to the disease you refuse to properly treat.

P- Is there still hope for a cure? Or am I doomed?

D- Certainly, the damage has taken its toll. But the cure is now as it has always been and will always be, most effective in restoring the fullness of life you really desire. You DO want to o have a truly full and abundant life, don’t you?

P- Yes, of course. But how long will I need treatment? Sometimes it seems to cost more than it’s worth.

D- You’ll need the treatment for your entire life. It may seem costly from one perspective. But compared to the time and energy and money you fritter away on things that don’t really benefit you, it’s not costly at all.

P- Will it really be a cure? No more symptoms, sorrow, or pain?

D- It will take time but yes, it is definitely the perfect cure. It takes time and you may notice that your symptoms flare up I occasionally. Don’t let it worry you. Just keep applying the healing salve generously and vigorously and you will see remarkable improvement – and finally, a complete cure, as if you had a new body.

P- Oh Doctor, I’m sorry for being so negligent in neglecting your instructions. I really want to be well and commit my life to what you’ve said. How can I ever thank you?

D- I’ve given you enough healing salve to share with others. Help them to apply it to the destructive conditions of their lives. Share in their suffering and celebrate their victories. Seeing you live well and helping others to do the same is the thanks I desire.

As you reflect on this Doctor-patient parable, consider the cancerous effect harmful thinking that invades your own life. A little worry builds up to become a mountain of anxiety that seems insurmountable. Bitterness , anger, envy and greed grow and multiply like cancerous cells that rob the oxygen from us and smother our ability to breathe clearly and enjoy life fully. Unchecked, this condition becomes contagious and infects those around us. The solution is to consistently, persistently, and diligently apply the healing salve of God’s truth and grace so that it reaches every aspect of our lives. It’s sometimes painful, but it’s not too late. Let his truth and grace pour over you until even your unconscious thoughts bear the mark of his unending love.

Lord, take my destructive thoughts and replace them with the healing salve of your peace, patience, goodness, love and joy.

I see it differently now

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In the Canadian Murdoch Mysteries, young detective Murdoch solves murder mysteries by using his keen interest in science and also relying on his devout faith in God. His success as an investigator almost always involves applying what he already knows to a situation that is new. For example, in one episode he needed a photograph of the victim right away but the only known photograph of the lady was in France. The fax machine had not yet been invented and it would take weeks to send the photo by boat. However, he knew that electronic communication was possible by converting a series of numbers into letters: 1=a, 2=b, etc. Looking at that in a different way, he realized those numbers could represent not just letters but also shades of gray. So by constructing a rubric where 1=white, 9=black, and the numbers in between representing the various shades, he had the photograph in France converted to a chart of numbers and had this sent electronically by wire. Once received in Toronto, the numbers were painstakingly conveyed back into the grayscale correspondents. The result was of course a facsimile of the original photograph.

Isn’t this how all inventions are given birth? A problem presents itself, like a deep chasm separating a person on one side from someone on the other side. Always seeing the expansive gap between them, the only solution to come together was to walk for miles, through great effort, to find a possible crossing. And so it always was this way – until someone looked at the problem differently and built a bridge to cross the gap.

I don’t know if you are particularly inventive or engineering-minded when it comes to creating new solutions to nagging problems. But don’t we all have the ability to look at a problem from a different angle, a new light, and build a bridge of our own to cross the gap from frustration and woe to victory and celebration? That’s exactly what happens when we encourage each other to see problems as opportunities, stumbling blocks as stepping-stones, and even a wide gap of understanding of disagreement as the opportunity to construct a bridge built with respect, compassion, forgiveness, humility, and genuine love.

Right now you see someone who hurts others with brazen words and actions. But looking differently at them, you see someone who is hurt themselves and needing someone to befriend them. You’re in a heated discussion where no consensus can be found and you just want to escape. Looking differently, you realize that HOW we make a decision is sometimes more important than the actual decision. You think of someone who disagrees vehemently with your political or spiritual views and quickly a wide gulf appears to prevent even a civil conversation from happening. Looking differently, you see your own views, firm as they may be, are not the only way of seeing things. Respecting the other person’s right to their own opinion changes how we see them.

That’s what God’s Word does. It shines light, the great symbol of truth and understanding and wisdom onto dark and problematic situations. God gives us the perspective we need to have hundreds of times a day in order to see our problems, our life, and others through his eyes.

Confounded by seeing the your problems always the same and never-changing? Read God’s Word and ask him to see things differently – though his eyes.

Would you like MORE?

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Charles Dickens’ Oliver, still hungry after his meager portion of cruel, boldly approaches the workhouse master and asks, “Please sir, could I have more?” In a world where the majority of people face a similar situation every day, even those of us with full bellies still ask for more. More bang for the buck, more miles per gallon, more value added features, more happiness, more fulfillment, more time! Even when we simplify our lives and focus our energies and discover that “less is more,” it’s still “more” we’re after. More peace, more balance, more of everything good.

But what happens when you actually get more of what you’re seeking? Does it lead to more contentment and satisfaction? Or does getting more make us want even more yet? Many of our appetites for things like food, fitness, and life festivities leave us saying, “That was great! Let’s do it again!” Whether we are “addicted” to something good or something bad, our appetites easily become satiated and yet left wanting more.

Consider facing a terminal illness or any other situation that leaves you pleading for “a second chance.” If your life circumstance was redeemed and restored, how would you respond? We’ve heard “there are no atheists in foxholes,” and we know that many desperate “negotiations” are made in desperate times. “If only you do this, I’ll certainly do that.” But would we follow through? If faced with a month to live, you were granted many more months or even years, would it forever change the way you spend your remaining time? Or would you continue to fritter it away on meaningless activities? If the court gavel came down with the verdict of guilty, and yet someone stepped in and paid the price for your wrongdoing, would it change the way you lived your life each day after?

That’s the picture of God’s gift of grace. He gives us life with so many second chances. He gave his Son to not only pay the price for our rebellious ways but also to provide an inheritance into his kingdom. And more yet, he gave us his very Spirit to guide, comfort, strengthen, and teach us everything we need.

Whether you have good reason to believe your days are very short or whether you think you have many years left, why not live each and every day with a thankful and generous spirit as if you were miraculously redeemed? If you’re sure you’d rejoice if the darkness of your worries were wiped away tomorrow, why not let the light of that hope shine brightly in the midst of your pain today?

Today is called the present because it is a gift. Look for and celebrate the goodness that remains in your life today and share it with others. I think you’ll find more of everything you really wanted.

Going home

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There was a time long ago, when we left our home in the USA, and set up our new home in Australia. I was offered a job to teach music grades 7-12 in a small town school located in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. They didn’t tell me until I arrived that I was the 6th music teacher in 6 years at this school. But through much perseverance I made my mark, elevating compulsory music education from being hated to being tolerated. One learns to accept what progress one can make. When six brass instruments surprisingly arrived by train from headquarters I, a woodwind guy, started a brass band. However badly we performed we could count on getting a “standing ovation” when we played “God Save the Queen.” Decades later I learned that little school band had grown in proficiency and toured Europe!

We lived in “Sherwood Cottage” in Burradoo, 3 miles from town. During school vacations we packed our Holden station wagon and hammer to keep the gear shift lever in place and we set off on grand adventures. From the tropics of Queensland to the chilly and rugged island of Tasmania; from the beaches at Botany Bay to the outback town of Broken Hill where we nursed orphaned kangaroo joeys, we experienced the “dinkum di” Aussie life. We explored opal and gold mining towns and enjoyed the diverse landscape of “the bush.” Despite the challenging work situation, we made wonderful lifelong friends and came to call the wonderful land of Oz our “home away from home.”

But at the end of my teaching contract and with our own little Aussie “Joey” in tow, we returned to our home in America. We enjoyed vacations in the Badlands and the Rockies but as much fun as we had, there was always a point where it was “time to go home.” There’s no place like home, that place where your is where your heart longs to be. It’s a place filled with celebrated love and shared burdens. When we went on mission to Bolivia, we had this strange and pervasive feeling that we had come “home to the place we’d never been before.” It’s where we belonged and where we long to return because of the people we met and how God was moving among us.

As much as we all cling to our own home sweet home, there is another place, more wonderful and exciting beyond imagination, that’s called our true home. If we think climbing volcanoes and feeding baby kangaroos is exciting, we’ll be blown away at how marvelous is this home where we’d never been before.

It’s open to all who realize how desperately they personally need God’s gift of eternal salvation and the transformational power for living right now with peace and joy and real hope. Heaven is our true home, the place of great everlasting blessing. And there’s a piece of “Heaven on earth” when we come quietly and humbly before the Lord our God and receive his blessing of grace and power for living a victorious life that rises above our darkest circumstances.

None of us know the time we have left in this earthly home. May God guide the time that remains. . . until we finally go to our forever home.

The other shoe

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Most of us have encountered some difficulty that perplexes and challenges us to the point of frustration or deep sorrow. In times of persistent and relentless troubles we often ask, “Why?” Why has this sorrow knocked at my door? Why has this pain barged into my life? Why has this burden weighed upon me like a crushing boulder?

We ask “Why?” hoping that an answer will appear and calm our anxiety. It’s not just the big things like a life-threatening diagnosis, a devastated relationship or financial ruin. We ask “Why?” about the small stuff too. Why, when I’m in a hurry, are all the stop lights red? Why did it have to rain when I was going to take a walk? Why was my flight delayed, my luggage list, my request denied, my wallet stolen or my keys lost?

You’ve been there and so have I. Even if we’ve learned to not dwell on the “Why” of our circumstances, the question continues to pop up. “Why?” “Why ME?”

But you know, there’s another question to ask that leads us to a place of gratitude and humility. It’s asking questions like, “Why was I born in a country of such riches when others struggle to survive? Why do I get to access clean water while others travel miles for this basic commodity? Why am I allowed this job I grumble about when others who are eager to work can’t find employment? Why am I burdeed by how much extra weight I have when so very many have no food? Why do I complain about medication side effects when so many have no access to the most basic medical care? Why did I benefit from the sacrificial gift of Jesus WHILE I was still a sinner? Why am I so blessed?

Why? Why me?

The answers may vary but they all speak to the loving and amazing grace of God. It’s not that I’m blessed and “they” aren’t. The “favor of God” falls clearly on the poor as on the rich. In fact, God blesses the poor and warns the rich. While God allows both wealth and poverty, neither of them are marks of his grace. The mark of God’s grace is indelibly imprinted on the heart that chooses to follow him and honor him in all situations. The joy of the Lord is not only found in celebration parties; it’s displayed openly in a faithful life that is unshaken by the circumstances that surround.

We are blessed in order to bless others. Walk a mile in another’s shoes and discover a new way of asking “Why? and a sufficient reason to give thanks for all you have – to share so they can ask, “Why am I so blessed?!”

The last toenail

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Strange title, I know. But this week I am celebrating the last toenail to fall off. This is the third time since cancer that I’ve lost all twenty fingernails and toenails. Each time it takes about six months to shed them all and additional months to grow them back. It’s not a big deal compared to the other atrocities of cancer, but being without nails is a frustration, especially when they catch on something and rip off suddenly and painfully.

Actually, it’s not the last nail falling away that I celebrate. It’s the new beginning. New growth brings hope. All pain, even if it is for a lifetime, is temporary for the one who accepts Jesus’ teachings and believes his promises. Whatever is “falling away” in your life is not your whole life. What is gone cannot strip away what remains without our choosing. And whatever is lost cannot compare to what remains: the contentment of rising above circumstances, the peace in spending time with your living God, the hope and joy of his faithful promises that his grace IS sufficient for our needs and he will NEVER abandon his child.

Yes, your suffering and disappointment and pain is real. But it is not forever. And it doesn’t have to define who you are.

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Look full in his wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of his glory and grace. ”

Be thankful for the new beginning that rises before you.

 

Are you trying to find life balance?

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I had a dream. It was one of those conspiracy theory plots we all laugh about – until we discover them to be actually true. As with many dreams, the details were a bit sketchy by the time daylight arrived. But I remember the phrase “masked intentions.” In this dream I was a “mole” in an organization that promoted itself as a developer of healing medications. But in reality, their goal was to pursue a human genome project that would result in a Nazi-envisioned “perfect race.” I woke up just as I was being interrogated by the company on suspicion of being “the mole,” and before finding out if I was able to get the truth out to the public.

Whew! It was a thriller nightmare that left me exhausted. But it also left me pondering the “masked intentions” of our own lives. I wonder if we say our chief goal is to pursue God and follow his perfect plan for our lives, when in reality we are pursuing our own personal agendas. We hotly pursue profit and fame. Career and passion for personal hobbies consume us to the point people actually identify us by those pursuits. In the meantime, instead of actively pursuing God we find ourselves pursuing our own comforts and ambitions. God, family, and friendships take a second place spot in our agenda. We say, “I wish I had more time for prayer, for family, and time to visit friends who are hurting, but I am so busy!”

It’s a common dilemma. What are we to do? Perhaps our first thought is to try to achieve some sort of balance that results in a little time for what is most important in our lives. But the pursuit of balance often is like juggling too many balls in the air. Inevitably they come crashing down and create more stress that pushes us back to what we do best – pursuing our own interests and agendas.

Rather than pursuing the “perfect life balance,” may I suggest an alternative approach? What seems to make more sense is to focus on life integration. Balance requires finding time to add more into your schedule. An integrative approach to living subjects everything to the one most important thing.  The one most important thing is that which you will be most satisfied achieving at the end of life  and which brings you most enjoyment also at the end of the day.

What is that one most important thing? For most people I visit with, it comes down to faith, family, and friends. Simply stated it’s all about relationships – the only thing we take to heaven with us. So whether we’re at work or play or recharging our batteries by coming quietly before the Lord, our focus is constantly being attuned to our relationships with God and others. It is as Jesus summed up:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39

As we integrate this dual command into everything we do, we’re asking,”Is this thing I’m doing, saying, or thinking honoring God? Is it demonstrating my love for others? Is this moving me toward the one most important thing in my life?”

When we are thirsty, we don’t say, “I’ll have some juicy lemons and limes and then have a drink of water.” No, instead we infuse the citrus fruits into the water for a cool refreshing drink. All parts become blended, not balanced and it is this blending that most satisfies us.

If there’s actually a way to achieve life balance, I think you’ll find it in the simple process of integrating – blending – our chief values with your daily activities. It’s found in sediting the goodness of the Lord in all our  activities and thoughts. Don’t be deceived by masked intentions. Be fully satisfied. Enjoy the one integrated life you have to live!