I had a short stint running track when I was in middle school. It was enjoyable until the coach put me in an 800 meter race that I had not prepared for. As a sprinter, I applied what I knew and started out strong.… Continue Reading “Choosing a Strong Finish”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: Arrogance, bad choices, Choose Justice, Choose Righteousness, Chosen, Completion, Don't Stop, Endure, Endure to the end, Faith, Finish Well, Finishing Strong, Forgivness, God's Way, good choices, Hope, Hubris, Humility, Living well, love, Love Mercy, Persevere, Pride, Refusing to learn, Resisting God, Thanks, Thanksgiving, The End, Walk Humbly
I read of her in my college literature class, Lady Elaine of Astolat. A figure in Arthurian legend, she died from the weight of unrequited love. Sir Lancelot just didn’t feel it the same way she did. Of course, dying because of or for… Continue Reading “Choosing Strange Love”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: Death, Doubts, Faith, Feelings, Good Feelings, Happiness, Ignatius of Antioch, Jesus, Jesus' Sacrifice, Joy, Lady Elaine, love, Love Hurts, Love like Jesus, Love that Gives, Martyrs, Meaning, Perpetua and Felicity, Polycarp, Purpose, Sacrificial Death, sacrificial love, Self-centered, Sentiments, Strange Love, Suffering, Till Death do us part, True Happiness, Unrequited Love
I recently had someone describe her problems to me as rooted in co-dependency. She could see that her choices had become so enmeshed with another person’s responses that she no longer knew what was hers and what was the other person’s. The solution she… Continue Reading “Choosing to Limit Myself”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: 10 Commandments, Boundaries, Boundary, Boundary Problem, Care, Channel, Co-dependency, Command, Commandment, Direct, Directions, Fence, Fences, freedom, Guide, Healthy Boundaries, Help, Identity, Intimacy with God, Intimacy with Jesus, Just say No, Laws, Life, Limts, love, Restrictions, Rules, Safety, Say no, Thrive, Thriving, True Freedom, Walls
It’s been used as a joke, but there are some very funny images to support it as a reality. Do humans resemble their pets? In attitude and temperament? Even in their looks? It appears the answer is a strong YES! This phenomenon, particularly with… Continue Reading “Choosing a Different Look”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: Appearances, Biblical truth, choices, Choose, Hating sin, Idolatry, Idols, Living for God, Living for Jesus, Looking like my pet, love, Loving God, Loving Jesus, Loving things, My model, My pet looks like me, sin, Spiritual Blindness, True Discipleship, True Worship, What I look like, What I love, Who I follow, Worship, Worshiping the Wrong Thing
I realize now there was one central reason I played sports as a kid. I wanted to belong. There were some bright moments on the high school football team, but I knew I would never be a star player. It was the opportunity to… Continue Reading “Choosing the Direction of My Love”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: Affection, Augustine, City of God, desires, Desires for God, Desires of the flesh, Destiny, Direction, Eternal, Eternity, Heaven, Hell, Kingdom of Darkness, Kingdom of God, Kingdom of this world, love, Loving the world, Loving the wrong person, Loving the wrong thing, misguided love, Purpose, Saint Augustine, Selfish, Selfishness
Posted on July 1, 2024
by Jeff Herringshaw
1 Comment
My dad turns 86 tomorrow. He and my mom have been living with us for the past several years. And it’s been so good to have them near in this senior season of their lives. They are able to engage with their grandchildren and… Continue Reading “Choosing to Honor My Parents”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: 10 Commandments, 5th Commandment, Abuse, Abusive Father, Abusive mother, Appreciate, Appreciation, Choose Life, Chosen, Difficult Parents, Father, forgive, forgiveness, freedom, grateful, gratitude, Honor, Honor you mother and father, Honorable, Hurt by my parents, Hurts, I Exist, I was chosen, Life, love, Mother, My Existence, Parental Love, Parents, Respect, Respectful, Thank You, Thank you Dad, Thank you Mom
What is it about children and their selective hearing? They conveniently fail to perceive instructions or warnings they don’t like. But if a parent for some reason does not follow through with something he said he might do, there is a predictable mantra shouted:… Continue Reading “Choosing to Follow His Promises”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: Assurance, Belief, Believe, Believe God, Believe Jesus, Blood oath, Commitment, Don't Give Up, Doubt, Doubtful, Enduring Faith, Enduring Hope, Faith, forgiveness, Future Resurrection, Give my word, Give your word, God's Promises, Guarantee, Hope, I give up, I promise, Jesus is coming, Long wait, love, Pact, Persevere, Pledge, Promise, Promises, Redemption, Return of Christ, Salvation, Tired, Trust, Trusting God, Trusting Jesus, Vow, Wait, Waiting, Weary, Worthy of Trust, You promised
It hit the airwaves just before I graduated from high school. And though I never absorbed any of the lyrics except the first line, I found myself humming and singing those few words over and over. There was also a movie and TV series… Continue Reading “Choosing a Long-Term View of My Life”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: Anti-materialism, Assets, Eternal Life, Eternity, Faith, Fame, Famous, Forever, Heaven, Heavenly reality, Hope, Hopeful, immortal, immortality, Incorruptible life, Invest, Investments, Live forever, Long life, Long Suffering, Long-Term, love, Materialism, Never die, Never give up, Patience, Perseverance, Persevere, Physical, Physical reality, short life, short-term, Short-term Thinking, Skepticism, Wait, Waiting
As far back as I can remember, I have largely interpreted life, my value, and my impressions of those around me through the words I hear. What I have taken in through my ears has lodged deep into my soul. Countless words have cut… Continue Reading “Choosing to Speak Life”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: advocate, Affirm, applaud, approve, backbiting, backstabbing, bad-mouth, Belittle, boost, cheer, Comfort, console, Crude Jokes, Crude Talk, Curse, Curses, damage, defamation, defame, depreciate, dirty laundry, dirty linen, dishonor, Dishonoring, disparage, Encourage, Encouragement, Energize, enliven, Faith, False, Falsehood, gladden, Gossip, Healing, Healing Words, Heart Motive, Honoring, Hope, Hurt, Hurtful, Hurtful Words, injure, inspire, Jokes, libel, Lies, Life-giving, Life-Giving Words, Lips, love, Lying, Lying Lips, malign, Mouth, muckrake, mud-slinging, Negative Words, Painful Words, Power of the Tongue, Praise, promote, Refresh, revile, Sarcasm, Sarcastic Words, slam, Slander, Slandering Words, slime, slur, smear, smile, Speech, Spoken Word, Support, Talk, Talking, tear down, The Mouth, The Tongue, Truth, Truth in Love, Words
How many plans have been started with grand vision and then abandoned because of how insignificant and underwhelming the idea later felt? My visionary follow-through often struggles. Emotions of discouragement settle in when the glorious things I imagine don’t swiftly materialize. Not seeing an… Continue Reading “Choosing to Begin Small”
Category: Daily ChoicesTags: Afraid, Begin, Begin Small, Beginnings, Don't despise small beginnings, Embarrassing, Eyes of Faith, Eyes to See, Faith, fear, Fresh Start, Greatness, Hope, Inadequate, Insignificant, Insignificant beginnings, Loaves and Fishes, love, Mustard Seed, Patience, Simple, Simple Obedience, Simple Offering, Simple Prayers, Small Beginnings, So small, Start Small, Surrender, Think Big, Trust, Trusting Heart