Blessings and Miracles

Of course it’s March, and we will be hearing all about LUCK.  When you give luck the credit for something wonderful that happens in your life, you are not giving God the glory and honor for it.  I’m sure we don’t intend to slight our dear Lord at all – ever, but we should be more mindful of how we express joy for our blessings (and in some cases, miracles).  

It’s really a matter of where you place your trust, isn’t it?  Luck is such an elusive and vague thing, so why would you place your trust in it?  Luck is not higher than we are, and I’m not convinced that it even exists.  Some people think that way about God, and I think that is very sad.  I will bless the Lord God Almighty!

My faith and trust will be placed in God and His Son, Jesus Christ.  He’s all I need to navigate this life and make Heaven my eternal home!

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.  – Proverbs 16:33

 

Chance encounter… random happening… plain ol’ luck?  No.  There’s more to it than that.  Do you catch yourself saying things like…

What a lucky shot!

Wish me luck on that test tomorrow!

Only luck had kept her from getting sick too!

Good luck getting the secret ingredient from mom!

I’ll try my luck fishing on the other side.

I’m gonna take a chance and change my luck.

I’m sure we’ve all slipped and said these things at one time or the other.  If we can just think a little bit about what we’re saying, and more to the point, the implications of what we’re saying, we’d be giving all the credit for the good to God by saying:

Thank You, Lord, for helping me with that shot!

Whisper a prayer or two for me as I take that test tomorrow!

Thank the Lord she didn’t get sick too!

I’ll pray that you can get that secret ingredient from mom with no problem!

Lord willing I will catch some fish over on the other side!

I’m gonna dump the luck and say a prayer instead!

What just happened here???  The randomness and chance in the first sentences were turned into gratitude, praise to God, and prayers!  When we acknowledge God in these ways, we are letting Him know that we recognize His sovereignty and His control over everything – big and small.

Those blessings are sweetest that are won with prayer and worn with thanks.  – Thomas Goodwin

Don’t leave your life in the hands of randomness and chance.  Luck belongs at the local casino, because let’s face it, gambling is probably the most random activity human beings engage in!  Your life deserves more order and planning by God, who loves and cares for you more than you can imagine!  🙂

FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH

As superstitions go, Friday the 13th is a relatively new one.  There is no written evidence for it before the 19th century.  It became a common superstition in the 20th century.  There is a name for the fear of Friday the 13th.  It’s called paraskevidekatriaphobia from the Greek words Paraskevi, meaning “Friday”, and dekatreis, meaning “thirteen”.

Hollywood went a little nuts with that title for twelve of the most scary slasher films ever made.  Why not thirteen (you know me, I would have made sure there were thirteen of them for the sake of irony).  There was also a TV show, novels, comic books and franchise merchandise that focused on the fictional character Jason Voorhees.  He drowned as a boy at Camp Crystal Lake due to negligence on the part of the camp staff.  Decades later, the lake is rumored to be “cursed” and is the setting for a series of mass murders.  The films grossed over $465 million at the box-office worldwide.

I’ll tell ya, I remember seeing Jason’s hockey mask at Halloween all over the place shortly after the first movie was shown at the theatre.  The movies are now shown on TV almost every Halloween.  I’m surprised that the films were not popular with critics because the public sure did like them.

Do I watch them on Halloween?  Um…  no.  Do I read Stephen King novels???  Negative.  I’ve tried to make it through the movie Christine several times – but I haven’t yet.  I really can’t sit through a horror film very well – or very long.

Depend on the rabbit’s foot if you will, but remember it didn’t work for the rabbit.   – R.E. Shay

My dad was so superstitious!  Ugh – even when he visited my house I got in trouble when my broom accidentally fell to the floor in the closet.  Seriously??? 

So even though I know what the superstitions are, I will not live my life in fear of them.  I won’t assume that if a bird flies into my house, there will be a death in my family.  I will not think something bad will happen if I leave the rocking chair rocking after I get up.

I’m holding on to my faith in Christ today just like I do every day.  God wants only good things for His children and He will provide everything I need to be the person He wants me to be.  I pray that you too will be happy and confident in the Lord.

I will not believe bad things will happen today just because it is the thirteenth day of the month and it happens to fall on a Friday.  Hey…  it’s FRIDAY, right???  That is a good thing!!!  🙂