Patricia's Principles for Living

When my late husband Winston died he left some unfinished projects. One was finishing our deck. I decided to go ahead with Winston’s plan for glass panes with the railings. Finally the day came when the contractor finished the project. The deck and the glass panes with the white railings were absolutely beautiful. These panes allow one to have an unimpeded view of the lake and the mountains when sitting or standing. They were so clear. In Seattle the mornings in the early spring are rather dull and the sun is usually hidden behind the clouds. Later the sun rises earlier and earlier. I happened to be up one morning when the sun made its brilliant appearance. I looked through the big picture windows towards the lake. Suddenly I saw what I couldn’t see before. The brilliant sunlight revealed every hand print of the workmen who installed the glass panes in the railings. The mrks were as clear as day. It was amazing that which could not be seen before were now as obvious as the proverbia...

Software engineer rams a plane into a Federal building because of his anger at governmental policies and the IRS. Professor kills three other professors because she was not granted tenure. Man kills police officers vowing that he will never again go to prison and blaming the government for his treatment. These stories are coming in rapid succession. I ask myself why are we seeing these situations playing out over and over again. I think I have a simple, but not a simplistic, answer. If I agreed with W.E. Henley* in Invictus that “I am the master of my fate I am the captain of my soul,” I may be driven to take matters in my own hand and settle my grievances as I see fit. I’ve chosen a different way to look at real or even perceived injustices. I’m practicing filtering life through the lens of God’s Word,the Bible. God states, “Vengeance is mine I will repay.” Does that mean I don’t recognize that sometimes things don’t seem or really are not fair? No! However with God's promise ...

Of all the genres on television the most perplexing is the reality shows. Why are we so interested in the way other people are living their lives and being treated? Do we not have enough drama in our own lives that we must be embroiled in the saga of other people’s fears, tears, sins, intrigues, deceptions, turmoils, love lives and agonies? It’s a disturbing trend. Houses have walls to provide privacy. God has given our brains a covering to allow us privacy of thought. We cannot read each other’s minds. This allows us to share our opinions only when we want to purposefully do so. A person who cannot control when he/she speaks is thought to have a disorder of the brain. So this begs the question why are we intruding in areas once thought private? Why are we becoming a nation of voyeurs cruising into this or that melodrama at will? It also causes me to wonder about the people who would open the sacred pages of their lives to the scrutiny of any person who owns a remote control and a tel...

I resisted buying a new cell phone for a very long time. However I started to notice that other people were taking great pictures, surfing the net and sending emails with their new and improved phones. After six years with my tried and true friend I decided enough was enough. I bought a new phone. The pictures were incredible. I didn't want to pay the extra $35.00 for Internet service. My reasoning was I can do my email at work and at home. I resisted that part of the sales pitch. One night while exploring my new cell. Right there, I saw it, "Free Site, CNN." Well that sure is nice I thought. Night after night I read the latest headlines and saw great pictures on this website. This went on for weeks. I was hooked. On a Friday night I went on the website like I always did and enjoyed the stories. The next morning I woke up and went to the website. However this time I read that I did not have access because web service was not in my plan. I was startled. I'd been readi...

I've heard people say, "If God does not want me to do this, He can stop me." Well, God didn’t want Moses to hit the rock, but God didn’t stop Moses either. You see God had already told Moses what to do. Moses disobeyed and did not make it into the Promised Land either. It is the same thing today. God has already told us what to do. We just need to do it. If not, we live with the consequences. I have no argument with you. You want to get a divorce. God said don’t do it. You do it and reap the consequences. God said don’t murder. Look at the havoc it wreaks in others and one's own life. God's Word states don’t look at the wine when it is red in the cup. Go ahead you can drink it to excess. Check how many DUI's are issued in your city or how many people are killed on an average weekend. God also stated many positive things to do. Rejoice always. Live at peace. Find a wife. Eat with gratefulness. Come into His presence with singing. God stated this is the way wal...

Acts 27: 8 We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea 9 Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Fast.So Paul warned them, 10“Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” 11 But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. 12Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there.( NIV) The place where God warned them was called Fair Havens. God would have them spend the winter in Fair Havens. It was not God’s intention that they should lose everything in life, or suffer loss. Paul was the representative of God. The centurion represented the Government/the military. The Captain represented the economic/business side of the country. Paul represe...

Leaning down to peer at my face the man at the other postal window asked me, “Are you a Simpson?” “Yes,” I answered not recognizing to whom I was speaking. “Oh my,” he continued,”I knew your sister Joy.” After exchanging a few more pleasantries I realized this man indeed did know my family members, I just didn’t know him. He knew I lived in Seattle, Washington over the past three decades. In parting I said.” Well. I guess I’ve been marked as a Simpson.” “Indeed, he continued,” Your father stamped his imprint on all of you.” Reflecting on this brief encounter I thought how could this man, a stranger to me, in a city of over 1.9 million people identify me as a Simpson by just my features? He did say that I looked just like my sisters. Isn’t this what Christ told His disciples when they asked Him to show them the Father? He replied if you have seen Me, You have seen the Father. What if I, who names the name of Christ, had the same goal? What if I emulated Christ and followed God’s Word ...