Time given, Time taken

     I was heading out to home depot to get some materials when I saw a neighbor walking with her kids, as I drove by I could see a wince of sorrow in her eyes, a moment of emptiness behind the smile. I stopped the van and called her to me. As she walked back to the van I could clearly see she was broken inside. I asked her if she was okay and her eyes looked away as she began to tell her sad situation. You see she recently divorced and I knew her husband well, sadly everything fell apart and of course things got messy. 
     I remember speaking to the husband telling him that he needed to draw close to God and start removing the stress in his life with his work and start eating healthy. He looked fine but I felt I needed to say that, well during the ex-wife's conversation with me it obviously didn't happen. He had a sudden heart attack and was rushed to the hospital for a triple or quadruple bypass. His arteries where all clogged. I quickly stepped out of the van and ran around to hug the ex-wife and give her comfort. It was the first time it felt like I was holding a bunch of broken pieces melting like wax under a hot sun. Her kids came running up and she quickly put on a brave face and smiled and said "Well, have a great day Ernie, I'll talk to you soon." 
     Time passes quickly, sometimes we assume that tomorrow is a guarantee or at the very best our health will somehow be the same but we really never know and the time we have now is precious. Some people spend all their precious time trying to acquire things instead of embracing the people who so desperately want their love, friendship and kindness. 

Today I saw an opportunity to take a fantastic shot and as I focused on how I should take the photo, I could hear a light buzzing sound and then a CLICK. I took the shot and immediately looked around and just off to the right was an elderly woman looking at me with a big smile, she quickly chuckled and said "I stopped so you could take your shot." I laughed and said "Thank You" We quickly began laughing together and saying a few things back and forth with big smiles and I asked her if I could hug her and she had a BIG GRIN and said "OH of course, I LOVE hugs!" so I quickly gave her a gentle hug and laughed once again. She looked up at me and said "you just made my day, more than you know!" She asked for my name and then wheeled away for a cup of coffee. 
 

    Sometimes the littlest things can change everything in your day.

A moment of patience

in a moment of anger

Saves you a Hundred

moments of regret. 

#trials #suffering #survivor #hope 

Whether it is in the deepest of trials, the greatest of sufferings, this I surely know, God is the hand I will rest upon, God is the hope that I will raise my heart to, God is the peace from which I will bring my sorrows to. God can and does bring us through our storms, sometimes He stills them and the waters become like glass and other times He teaches us that character is paramount, tarry the rough seas and remember this too shall pass. By Ernie Kasper

Overwhelmed

The Tipping Point...

There always is that moment when something little may have just broke the camels back on patience. You are doing great and BAM someone yells at you from another car or you have little mishaps along your day and they put you off a little bit until something hits a tender spot in your life. You start thinking negative, you start speaking out things like "Of course this was going to happen!" or "Go figure!" when easily before you were in the mindset of  "It's okay, just a small bumped in the road, don't sweat the small stuff."
It can easily be just one domino that starts the whole thing in motion and that is the place where grace is so important, so precious and valuable, knowing that things do happen and we fall sometimes and it's those times we need forgiveness. Beating yourself up over a tough situation doesn't help anyone and it surely won't help you get back up and shake the dust off of a bad moment and learn to step forward. The sign of a good boxer is on how well he or she can take getting knocked down. Will they get in the ring and practice and learn from their mistakes and become better or will they just sit in the corner and complain about how useless they were in the ring. Our duty is to look to God for hope and encouragement and when we fall, He wants us to know that He is there for us because that's what a father wants, to be trusted, to be counted on, to be a source of wisdom and encouragement.

Isaiah 41:10: "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand" (NLT).

#TeamJesus #suffering #courage The real character of anyone is truly seen when they're at their weakest, their worst of hours; watch them in the seasons of despair and if something shines in those darkest hours you know the truest of characters, the rawest of integrity, the grit and if they pray, praise, rejoice and trust in that season you have met a hero of faith. 
By Ernie Kasper



We The People

~People~ #truthbetold #faith 

People want faster cars, less patience
People want more money, less virtue
People want more spirituality but less truth
People want nicer clothes but weaker character
People desire satisfaction with less value
People hope for change but refuse to let go
People want wisdom but desire less humbleness
People put so much effort into whiter teeth but fail to see the value of a gentle word
People want instant fame hoping it will give instant peace
People desire bigger houses, thinking it will give comfort when the warmth of family far exceeds such things.
People want bigger tv's instead of deeper conversations
People want what others have but unless you can appreciate what you got, then what they have is never good enough.
People need something more than empty words
People need something more than broken promises
People need a cure for their hurts and pains
People need peace in the midst of suffering
People need the Lord...

By Ernie Kasper