Making Choices

I'm so very blessed to have so many cool subjects for scrapbooking pages.  Today's pictures tickle me. I remember not too long ago, when Oliver's big brother was going through the same things as Oliver is now. Both seemingly enjoy the contact with those chickens.

As the years go by, we'll expect Oliver and Caleb to like many of the same activities.

I've found the newsletter from Rick Warren especially interesting today...and helpful.  I'm copying  it here and hoping you get something out of it.

“Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come”(2 Corinthians 5:17 GNT).

We learned yesterday that, ultimately, your identity is based on your choices. Here are five winning choices you can make that will help determine your destiny:

1. I can choose to get healthier. Instead of bemoaning the fact that you don’t have an Olympic body, find ways to increase your energy, lower your stress, get more sleep, and have more power. Psalm 119:73 says, “You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands” (NLT). Improving the controllable factors in your life helps you reduce the impact of the uncontrollable factors.

2. I can choose to deepen relationships. The fear of rejection prevents connection, and the only way to get rid of fear is to do the thing you fear the most. Learn communication skills, replace bad relationships, reach out, and risk connecting with someone. “Let love be your highest goal!” (1 Corinthians 14:1a NLT).

3. I can choose to trust God no matter what happens. “I will always thank the Lord; I will never stop praising him” (Psalm 34:1 GNT). When you get to the point in your life where you can say, “I praise the Lord no matter what happens,” that is a confidence that you won’t find anywhere in Hollywood, on Capitol Hill, or on Wall Street. That is a confidence built on a relationship with God!

4. I can choose what I think about. Throughout the 20th century, scientists believed the adult brain could not be changed. When a Nobel Prize winner proved that you can rewire your brain, science finally caught up to the Bible: “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2b NLT). Your self is created by your memories, and your memories are created by your mental habits. Feed your brain with truth: God’s Word.

5. I can choose Jesus as my Savior. I’m not just talking about Jesus saving you from your sins. I’m talking about letting Jesus be your Savior every day. Letting Jesus save you gives you the power to follow through on the choices you make. “Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17 GNT).

You get to choose how much God blesses your life; he is just waiting on you to use your wild card. It is never too late to change. When you make these five winning choices, God gives you a winning hand.