Patricia's Principles for Living

We sit laughingly around the huge mound of presents under the tree in the big living at my parent’s home on High Street in Philadelphia. The doorbell rings. In bounds the ones for whom we’re waiting, my sister and her husband and children from Virginia. . Here we all are, all of us together. My own husband, sons and I have flown in from the West Coast to spend the holidays on the East Coast. Tons of presents together with squiggly grandchildren and aunts, uncles and grandparents make for a memorable scene. For me it’s a golden moment in time. All is right in the world. Christmas tree lights twinkle. Someone takes up the task to start calling names. Will we ever get through all of these presents? As the presents are picked up for distribution they seem to uncover another dozen hiding underneath. Well, there are eight brothers and sisters who have produced 12 grandchildren at this point. Such delight from squealing boys and girls and agreeing oohs and aahs from parents aunts and uncles

“These ultra modern candle holders will fit right in with our decor,” I thought. I eagerly bought a pair of them at a fantastic sale price. A few nights later when we had company I put a votive candle on each candle holder’s base. Just as I thought I beamed proudly. They do fit in our house. They added just the right ambiance for a festive occasion with friends. When I finished putting out the desserts I sat down at the table. I touched the holder of the candle’s concentric candle base. Wow, I said those holders sure retain a lot of heat. I touched them about fifteen minutes later. They seemed to be hotter. I wonder if this is why they were on sale, I mused. The base of these holders seem as if they could burn a hole in the table. But, if this is defective merchandise I wonder why the store would assume liability by selling these things. Fearing that the table cloth might catch on fire I blew the candles out. For a long time afterwards the holders felt warm. Later that week before I t

Football star 26 years old dies as a result of a domestic dispute. Major golf star marriage is mot likely on the rocks as extramarital affairs are revealed. Football player killed and his mistress is dead in a murder suicide. These tragic stories serve to illustrate that fame and money cannot protect anyone from the awful cost of going against God’s Word. These are very public tragedies being played out on the world stage. I wonder if anyone is paying attention. The book of Proverbs gives clear directions on marriage and staying away from extra marital affairs. It states that one cannot take fire into one’s bosom and not get burnt. The way to stay safe is to not play with the fire of illicit passions. Stopping before one starts is the only 100% way to be protected.

I took the dead looking browned seedling out of its pot. “It’s a shame that I couldn’t save the poor thing,” I thought . I’ll toss the soil back into the garden. As I lifted the 4 inch seedling I noticed something spiraled around in the pot. I tugged on what looked like a rope. Unraveling it I discovered it was the root. “My, my”, I thought as I stretched it out. “Look at this thing,” I exclaimed to my husband! “Come measure it,” I continued. Inside the 3 inch pot attached to a 4inch seedling was four and a half feet of root. “ This doesn’t even seem possible,” I exclaimed incredulously. Immediately I recalled the scripture to not let a root of bitterness spring up in your heart. The root filled the pot. In no way could it get the nutrients it needed to sustain a green plant. No matter how much water I gave it the plant was destined to die scrunched up in the pot with its root choking it. Isn’t this like life I thought? Do I have any root of bitterness in my heart. Wrapped like

Proverbs tells us not to look on the wine while it is red in the cup and sparkling. What it enjoins us to do is consider the effects of deciding to drink. It states that some who drink become like a staggering man on a wind tossed ship. It also states that there is a place for strong drink. If someone is in physical pain and is going to die Proverbs advises giving that person strong drink to forget their misery. This implies there is something in alcohol that makes a person not remember. Therefore before a person decides to take the first drink he or she must be aware that drinking can put them in an altered state that might lead to some life changing moments not just for them, but for others. A twenty-seven year old young man recently did just that because of his drinking. Drunkenly he got behind the wheel of a car and killed four people instantly. They were two happily long time married couples. I ‘m sure he wasn’t thinking when he took that first drink that he would wreak devastatio

Many product makers aspire to receive the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. It gives consumers the assurance that someone has rigorously tested the product and found it safe to use. This is a thorough process to make sure the item lives up to its claims. In Romans 16 we have the name Apelles mentioned once in the Bible. Greet Apelles, tested and approved in Christ. Romans 16:10 This one mention tells us a whole lot. Apelles went through some type of test and came out victorious. This is something to which I aspire. I want Christ’s seal of approval. I can have it if I follow the word of God and not faint under pressure.

Some women have achieved today’s’ fashionable pouty look by receiving silicone injections in their lips. They pay and endure the pain to keep up with the Hollywood trend setters. Isn’t it amazing that Proverbs enjoins us to also enhance the look of our mouths. Listen to Solomon’s words written thousands of years ago, “The lips of knowledge are a precious thing.” In order to have truly beautiful lips we should speak with the knowledge of God in or hearts and minds. Now that type of lip operation would have God’s stamp of approval.