Be Genuine

Have you ever been in the checkout line at Walmart when someone tries to pay with a $100 bill?  Usually, the cashier holds it up to the light or takes a marker and runs a line across the bill to see if it's real.

Lately, my prayer has been asking God to make me more genuine.  I can't tell you how this prayer came about, but I know when I stepped back and gave myself an evaluation, I didn't come out looking too shabby.  After all, I'm a pretty good person who likes people.  I try to be honest, kind and generous.  I thought I deserved a pretty good grade.


God let me strut around for a few minutes and then it was like the Holy Spirit handed me a pair of 3D glasses and asked me to put them on.  I'm sure most people have experienced the effects these glasses have.  When I put them on, it was like all kinds things popped out, moved toward me and began to grow in size.  Things like grumbling and complaining, talking about others, behaving harshly and getting angry are just a few things that I was shown.  These glasses made it very clear that my self evaluation was very blurry in reality.


The time has come where I truly want to appropriate God's word into my life, "Be Holy, just as I am Holy".  I don't just want to act good, so I will keep praying this prayer for God to make me genuine.  He made me in His image and knows exactly what it's going to take to accomplish this.   So just like that $100 bill, when I'm held up to the light or when the trials of life are run across me, I want to be really genuine.

The Next 30 Years

On Monday, Lyndsay turns 25.  I am 55 and my mom is 85.  Three generations, thirty years apart.  It makes me realize how fast times flies.  My mom was my age when Dan and I married.  And 30 years from now, I will be my mom's age.

The next thirty years..... 

I lift you high in praise, my God, 

O my King! and I'll bless your name into eternity. 

I'll bless you every day, 

and keep it up from now to eternity. 

God is magnificent;

he can never be praised enough. 

There are no boundaries to his greatness. 

Generation after generation stands in awe of your work;
each one tells stories of your mighty acts. 

Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking;
I compose songs on your wonders. 

Your marvelous doings are headline news;
I could write a book full of the details of your greatness. 

The fame of your goodness spreads across the country;
your righteousness is on everyone's lips.