One Life to Live

A couple of weeks or so after Christmas, I pack all of the Christmas decor away except for anything that pertains to winter, especially the snowmen. They are so cheery & jolly!

⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄

The little burgundy 'radio' heater is for heating the dining room. Isn't it a charmer?? 

⛄❄⛄❄⛄❄⛄❄⛄❄⛄

⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄

⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄

⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄

⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄

⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄❆⛄🕯

 I also like to keep my garland & tiny lights, along with faux candles, to light the dark nooks. 🕯

⛄🕯⛄🕯⛄🕯⛄🕯⛄🕯⛄

"Brighten the corner where you are...🎜🎝🎜"

⛄🕯⛄🕯⛄🕯⛄🕯⛄🕯⛄

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine...🎜🎝🎜"

Which brings me to the title of this post.

 Although I know this was also the title of a television 'soap opera' 

( I was never a 'soap opera' fan myself) it is a very fitting title for us all. One life. That's what we get, our gift from  the Lord. & we only get to do it once, no do-overs, although I'm sure all of us have some rewinds we would like to have a new start on. But this is a new day, a day that has no mistakes in it yet as Anne, with an 'e', Shirley says. This is a gift that keeps on giving, or should. Every day. How we choose to let our lights shine in each God-given day is up to us. These are very challenging times that require more & more strength, courage, energy, creativity, selfless acts, love & more, so much more.

But with Jesus, our resources are endless & ongoing. This is not trite or even easy, just simple. "Jesus is the answer, for the world today..." a song written in the seventies by Andre Crouch. & we must never compromise that answer. We have to stand for truth & righteousness, decency, morality. We have to stand & let our voices be heard for the the unborn, the innocent, the defenseless, the helpless. We have to take our candles to those dark corners & expose the evil in darkness. We have to speak out against injustices even if we think it doesn't help. We have to let God express Himself through us on this earth, sometimes in love, sometimes the truth in love which won't be well received. We have to intercede in prayer to gain victory against "powers, principalities, rulers of darkness, spiritual hosts of wickedness in high places." Our 'brighten the corner' isn't just a corner but our entire sphere of influence, which includes our whole world when we access the power of prayer. 

There is so much brokenness in our world, 💔  even everywhere we see with our eyes. But with our one life, we can be a "Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell in." (Isaiah 58:12b)    

With our one life we can

"...preach good tidings to the poor...heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives & the opening of the prison to those who are bound; ...comfort those who mourn, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that He may be glorified." (Isaiah 61:1-3) That's our goal, that the Lord may be glorified! These scriptures are also good reminders when we grow weary in well doing. (Remember the promise at the end of this scripture?!) & here is another scripture that I encourage myself with.    "King David required of the Lord, 'Shall I pursue? Shall I overtake them? ' & the Lord answered, 'You shall pursue, you shall overtake, & you shall recover ALL.'  "(my emphasis) & we will. Because, "We win, we win, hallelujah we win!!!..."  We MUST live our one life with purpose, His purpose, because it really is a vapor, & our time to influence our world will be gone forever. Only what we do on our brief sojourn on this earth for Jesus, for people & His kingdom, will last through eternity. This is what we get to take with us. Will we '....come rejoicing, bringing in (our) sheaves." ? Our sheaves of  testimonies of  living our one life for Jesus in faithful prayer, of standing in the times of persecution & hardship, of being faithful no matter what, of people coming to Jesus because of our walk & talk, of 'having done all to stand, stand', of bringing Jesus to our world & letting Him love & live His life through us & turning our upside down world right side up. Now that's a life worth living. That's a life making a difference. & the world will know we've 'walked this earthly sod', because our footprints will be marked with heavenly 'phosphorescent ink' for those we pass on the baton, to those who come after us. For the purpose of good. For truth. For righteousness. For people. For Jesus. & for us.

"Therefore in their land (heaven), they shall possess double; ( pretty good dividends I'd say!) & everlasting joy shall be theirs...& I will make with them an everlasting covenant. Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles, & their offspring among the people. All who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the posterity whom the Lord has blessed." (Isaiah 6 1:7b-9) Wow! Now that's the kind of sowing & reaping I like! To my children & childrens' 

 children etcetera, etcetera.! Let's live our 'one life to live' so there will be great rejoicing,"... bringing in the sheaves.🎜🎝"

⛄❆🕯⛄❆🕯⛄❆🕯⛄❆🕯⛄

Raintree Perk of the Day:

"Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works & glorify your Father in Heaven." Matthew 5:16  💗