OH THE PLACES WE SHOULD GO - BLOWING ROCK N.C. FOR THE WINTER

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Have you heard the legend of Blowing Rock?

 

Back in the early 1700’s the area now called Blowing Rock was home to the Cherokee and Catawba Indians.  The two tribes hated each other and much hostility existed between them.  Two people went walking among the rocky ledges, one from each tribe, a young man and a beautiful young woman.  The minute their eyes met, they feel instantly in love.  They knew their tribes would never allow them a life together.  They sat on the rocky cliffs and gazed into each other’s eyes for hours that day.  They barely spoke a word; their hearts did all the talking.

 As the sky began to turn beautiful shades of red from the setting sun the young man realized it was time for him to return to his tribe.  He did not want to leave the maiden.  He tried to say goodbye, but the maiden begged him not to leave her side.  The young warrior felt so torn and so desperate in having to make the choice between his tribe and the beautiful maiden that he leaped over the edge of the gorge and fell to a certain death. 

The young maiden was shocked and stricken with a terrible grief.  She begged The Great Spirit to bring him back to her.  At that moment the mighty winds of the John River Gorge were given power and they blew her lover back to her before he hit the rocky river banks.  From that moment forward the young warrior knew he would never leave her side again.  They never returned to either of their tribes.  It is said that they still walk together up there at the blowing rock.  Many claim to have seen them holding hands and looking together towards the setting sun. 

Don’t you love towns that have been named after legends?  Especially after legends that are a love story.  You know when you stumble upon one of these legendary places that you have found something special.  

True to form, Blowing Rock North Carolina is a very special place.  The romance in the story lives on inside the town.  Honeymooners often chose Blowing Rock as their place of escape from the world.   My husband and I discovered the artsy streets of Blowing Rock back in 1998.  The drive was full of winding, curvy roads with hairpin turns.  It seemed we were always headed straight up a mountain.  Once we arrived at the village it felt like we had stepped back in time.  The streets were alive.  There was music and art everywhere we turned.  Captivating smells floated through the air from the local dining areas.  There was something magical about the place.

Blowing Rock is filled with fresh mountain air, magnificent mountain views and many wonders of nature.  After the civil war Blowing Rock became a great place for settlers to settle down with their families.  A little village with four hotels formed the foundation of what was to come.  The spot was already known for its healthy environment and the refreshing views of glorious mountains residing in uncluttered nature.  Word of mouth spread through many states and Blowing Rock became a well known tourist retreat.  As the popularity grew over the years preservation measures were installed to protect the little village full of quaint little churches, lovely hotels and fine restaurants.  Though there is a constant fight against commercialism, the village remains as charming as ever and many people have enjoyed passing their time in its streets, shops and restaurants, as well as hiking the awesome trails that surround the mountainous area.

WHERE TO STAY:

Southern Living says the Chetola Resort at 500 North Main Street (www.chetola.com)  is “one of the best stays in Blue Ridge.” It is home of the Bob Timberlake Inn.  There is a lodge with condos available that contain from one to four bedrooms.  This resort is the only Orvis endorsed fly fishing lodge in North Carolina.  They have a well equipped spa and a special kids center that offers “kids camp.”  This is where you can enjoy Symphony by the Lake and the Blowing Rock Winterfest Polar Plunge. (They actually go swimming in January.)   Chetola is also headquarters for the Annual Blue Ridge Wine Festival.

Another great place to stay is The Hound Ears Lodge and Club at 328 Shulls Mill Road.  (www.hounders.com)  This is a 750 acre luxury resort and residential community.  If you stay in one of their 29 guest rooms, you will be a guest among private homes and condos with a central clubhouse and an 18 hole golf course.  There are also six tennis courts and a heated pool.   If you are an avid golfer or tennis player, this might be your best choice.

Another beautiful place to stay that offers golfing packages is The Jefferson Landing Club at 184 West Landing Drive, Jefferson, NC 28640 (www.visitjeffersonlanding.com)  They are known for their exceptional dining experiences. 

These are only a few of the great places to stay in or near Blowing Rock.  Accommodations are plentiful and great here.  We rented a little cottage/cabin just inside the village so we could get a taste of the local life.  It was great.

THINGS TO DO FOR OUTDOOR ADVENTURE:

If you are looking for outdoor adventure, you have found the right place.  There are hikes, whitewater rafting, rappelling, ice skating, zip-lines, fishing, boating, canoeing (boat rentals are available at the serene Price Lake from May – October.  The lake is inside the Julian Price Memorial Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway) and horseback riding is to be found either here or nearby.

Enjoy a hike to a waterfall.  The Glen Burney Trail and the Linville Falls are two good choices.  The Glen Burney Trail is inside the Annie Cannon Memorial Gardens.  It is a strenuous hike, probably not for amateurs.  Linville Falls is accessible just a few miles south of Grandfather Mountain.  

Hike up to the Blowing Rock and take a picture with your honey.  Reenactment of the story is NOT encouraged though.  The view will take your breath away.  

After your hike there are plenty of great spas right there in town that will refresh your mind body and spirit before dinner.  Most of the resorts have spas and there is a spa inside the old mansion that belonged to Elliot Dangerfield, a renowned artist of the area.  (Westglow Spa)  Chetola Resort has one of the best spas.  

THINGS TO DO IN THE VILLAGE:

After your outdoor adventures through the scenic land you can enjoy a nice romantic dinner.  Top of the list would be The Gamekeeper(recommended by the Charlotte Observer, Blue Ridge Magazine, Smokey Mtn. Living and Southern Living and Gourmet), The Best Cellar (for fresh seafood, beef, rack of lamb and roast duckling), Twigs,(crab cakes, filet mignon, duck breast and mountain trout)  The Restaurant at Gordon Ridge (known for intimate seating and beautiful views of the mountains) and Rowland’s (at Westglow Resort and Spa yet known for decadent choices as well as health foods). 

Most all establishments serve locally grown food.  The Chestnut Grille at Green Park Inn has its own 1/3 acre garden on site. More casual eateries are scattered all over town. 

There are microbreweries for those looking for craft beer selections.   An unusual Tavern experience can be had at the Divide Tavern And Restaurant which is sitting directly astride the Eastern Continental Divide. The Six Pence Pub is also a popular gathering place in the evenings. 

On Friday and Saturday nights The Green Park Inn lobby hosts a cocktail hour.    It is a nice historic place where you would be able to relax and enjoy the scenery.  On Saturday nights there is live jazz at Timberlake’s Restaurant at Chetola.  Neither of these charge a cover.  Chetola Resort also holds Saturday night bonfires by the lake.  Bring your own s’mores.  If the weather permits there is an outdoor bar set up.  There are lots of places to get a hearty breakfast when you wake up the next day, and there are plenty of coffee, ice cream parlors and sweet shops in town. 

OFF THE BEATEN PATH:

You might want to visit a winery.  The High Country has a Wine Trail.  Great wine and beautiful views abound at each location.  You have the Banner Elk Winery, the Grandfather Vineyard & Winery, Linville Falls Winery.

There are interesting farms and orchards in the area.  Start with Apple Hill farm and visit the alpacas, goats, donkeys, chickens and dogs.  If you are here during Christmas, visit the tree farms at Appalachian Evergreens and Watauga County.  Events will be going on at both places during the holidays.  

Festivals are wonderful here!  There are so many to choose from.
  

If you have never been to The Highland Games on Grandfather Mountain, you do not understand what it is to be Scottish!  This is a HUGE event with people from all over the world celebrating their Scottish heritage, wearing their kilts, playing their pipes, playing their Olympic games and eating their Haggis.   Linville is very close to Blowing Rock. 

The area around 1500 Laurel Lane in Blowing Rock is the home of the Equestrian Preserve.  Every year in June and July Blowing Rock has a HUGE Charity Horse Show for Saddlebreds, hunters and jumpers.  

This year, 2017, will be the 94th show.  It draws top competitors from all over the country.  It is well worth the $10 gate entry fee to go inside and see these spectacular horses exhibit their talents in the oldest known outdoor horse show in America.  When you get inside you will notice there isn’t just a horse show going on here.  In one area of the preserve you will find fine food and very popular craftsmen selling their art.  Exhibits and tours are very interesting at the Preserve.  You can bring your trailer and board your own horse to take some of the excellent trails that surround the Preserve.  You can park your motor home here and enjoy the whole experience of the local amusements as well.  



Feel good about spending your money at this place; it all goes to good charities. http://blowingrockhorses.com/blowing-rock-charity-horse-show/ will give you more information.

Banner Elk is also a very short distance from Blowing Rock.  Banner Elk is home of the Wooly Worm Festival held each October.  The people bring their wooly worms to Banner Elk to race them.  The outcome of the race is said to predict the weather for winter.  It is all determined by the stripes of the winning worm.  The things people think of to rally around!  Believe me this is VERY popular.  It has been taking place since 1978 and goes on all weekend with cash prizes given to those with the best worms.  There are usually 140 food and craft vendors at this event plus musicians and dancers.  Proceeds go to children’s charities.

Winterfest is yet another festival in Blowing Rock that you might enjoy.  For 2017 the dates are January 26 – 29.  You can take the Polar Plunge, a very cold dip into Chetola Lake.  It all starts with a big brunch at Timberlake, where all the locals wear costumes relating to an icy winter, and then proceeds to the lake where the ice has been drilled and broken up for those willing to take the plunge.  

This is the week that all the local restaurants present their “Winterfeast” featuring their best dishes.  There is also a Chili Cook-off with prizes.  It is also a great time to peak into the work of the student ice carvers in the Southeast Regional Invitational Collegiate Ice Carving Competition.

I could go on forever about the happenings and the beauty and fun of Blowing Rock, N.C. area, but don’t take my word for it.  Go!  Check it out yourself.  I promise you will not be disappointed.

SEASONS - CELEBRATING A CHRISTIAN HANUKKAH IN 2016 - BLESSINGS AND MEDITATIONS FOR THE EIGHTH DAY

PRAYERS:

Blessed art thou O Lord Our God, King of The Universe Who has given to us holidays, customs, and seasons for gladness. For the glory of The Lord Yeshua, Our Messiah, The Light Of The World.

Blessed art Thou, Lord Our God, Master of the Universe, Who performed miracles for our fathers in those days at this time.

We kindle these lights to commemorate the wonders and the miracles and the saving acts that You have performed for our forefathers, in those days at this time, by Your Holy Priests.  And all throughout the eight days of Hanukkah, these lights are holy and we are not permitted to make use of them, but only to behold them, in order to offer thanks and praise to Your great Name, for Your miracles, for Your wonder, and for Your salvation.

MEDITATION:

Phil. 2:14-16:  Do all things without murmuring and disputing that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. 

 (Comments by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Once again the Apostle Paul is giving us good instructions on how to be light-bearers.  Are you cheerfully going about your destiny as a light bearer?

Funny thing about lamps; they are mostly seen and not heard.  Paul says we should not murmur and we should not be getting into disputes.  He advises us to remain blameless and harmless even if we are living among crooked and perverse people.  We are simply to be like a light post - and just stand still and shine!    

Why would a person who has been given the life and light of Christ to dwell in ever have a complaint?  

How could we possibly murmer?  

Let us go about the work of God with cheerful uplifted hearts and not consider the things that he called us to as work, but of a joy unspeakable.

For now we DO live in a crooked and perverse world, but He is coming again and we will behold Him.  What a glorious day that will be!  

Has the reality of this sunk into your spirit and appeared on your face today?  Are you living in the light?

Do not hold back the joy that God has blessed you with.  Share it with the world.  

Let His light beam out from your face and spill over into your smile.  

Let your light shine before men that they may see Christ living in you.  

May the beautiful light of Hanukkah stay in our hearts all through the coming year and may the light be a blessing through every day that we live. 

Do not run your race or do your labor in vain!  Let the light of Christ help you to

Love.  

and

Live.  

May His light ever shine down on the path before you showing you the way home.

Share these blessings along the way.  Give the Light of The World to everyone that you meet. 

Shine!

AN APPLE A DAY - 365 DAYS TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE - A LITTLE KNOWN SECRET FOR A SUCCESSFUL CAREER

START THIS NEW YEAR OFF BY WORKING A LITTLE LESS!

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

We all need to feel productive in life and in our careers, that is just healthy; but working longer than 40 hours a week has surprisingly been proven counter-productive.

Odd as that sounds, according to a study by Stanford professor John Pencavel, output is proportionate to time worked only up to 49 hours. Beyond that, the rate decreases and those who put in 70 hours have the same productivity as those who work 56 hours.

So, enjoy your off time by doing the things that you really want to do with your life!  This is much healthier. 

 Keep work at work and family, hobby and recreation time going on after you have faithfully put in those 40 regular working hours. You will be happier – and happier people stay healthier.

Are you the type of person who has trouble with this?  Below are some tips for the workaholic:

1.  KEEP CONSISTENT WORK HOURS.  Have you been bringing work home in order to finish things sooner?  You are only making a way for more unrealistic deadlines. 

Stop! 

Work hard during the hours that you are required to work; but stop when your eight hours (or whatever time you have originally contracted for in a day) have ended.  Even if you get paid for the extra time - you would be robbing your family and/or your real life of your presence in order to give it to a job where you are very replaceable.   You are NOT replaceable to your family!  I abhor companies that claim to be family.  They lie.  A company can never replace real family and/or friends.  Your job is your job and your family is your family; try never to mix up these two very distint entities.  

You are not really doing anyone any favors by donating all of your time to your work, not even the company that you work for.  Think about this:  How can people do proper scheduling and planning when people like you skew the reality of production?  You are not helping anyone by sneaking tasks home after hours and letting your work consume your life there too.  You give the false illusion that it takes less time to do certain tasks than it really does.  How will anyone ever know the truth and plan accordingly? This is unfair to your co-workers.   Because of deceitful employees like this we have sweat-shops all across America and managers who haven't  a clue about what is really happening.  Others who are doing their best with reality can't live up to the false illusions that you create.  

Join the theme of the “Frozen” movie and “let it go!”   Make that song a ring-tone for your phone if you can’t remember! There are magic health benefits to this process of “letting go.” As long as you have diligently done your part of the contract you made with your employer and worked the hours you agreed to work originally; you need not feel guilt!

When your shift is over - go home!  The benefits are tremendous!  Even the bible verifys this fact. When Jesus says in Luke 10:7 that "the laborer deserves his wages."  You should be paid for the correct amount of hours that it takes to do your job; not an agreed upon wage that you have to donate time to in order to get the task done.  

When your shift is done; go home and tend to your own life.

You can plan better meals, and you will have enough time to cook them properly. 

You will be able to unwind and get the proper rest that you need before tackling those chores fresh in the morning. How are you going to do what you have chosen to do with all of your heart and as if unto the LORD if you are too tired and haven't eaten properly?

Even worse than sneaking work home in the evenings is going in on the weekends because it is quiet and you can be more productive in that environment.  Consider this truth:  You are giving up all of your down time at home because your office is a bit dysfunctional for work!  Why not just fix the real problem instead of adding yet another one?  It all starts with being honest.  Work in the reality of the scene that you are given to work within.  Managers are paid good money to solve problems that are counterproductive in the work place; such things as too many interruptions in your working hours.  You are only ONE member of a whole team.  Be a team player.  Let these people have a chance to do their jobs too. 

2.  GET THE SLEEP THAT YOU NEED TO RECHARGE YOUR BRAIN AND BODY:  If you are working very hard during the day and meeting challenges and deadlines all the time; your brain and your body need to be fresh and relaxed.  This happens best when we get quality sleep every night. 

Leave the unfinished work at work so that your brain can “turn off the office” until tomorrow.

I have an old trick that I’ve used for years.  I picked out a tree near the office.  Driving out I mentally hang the office on that tree and do not pick it back up until the next morning when I pass that tree again.  I don’t talk about work after that.  I don’t think about work after that.  I LEAVE work hanging on that tree.  It is ALWAYS still there when I come back. 

When I pass that tree I begin to think of what I wish to do when I get HOME.  The drive from that tree to my own driveway gives me a time of transitioning away from the challenges of the office and stepping into the comforts of home-sweet-home.  This will definitely improve your marriage.  If you are single; it will improve your relationships with others. It will help you to unwind and relax and SLEEP well.

When I do cross the threshold to home I try to unplug from technology as much as possible after 8 p.m.  This gives my brain time to slow down and stop processing so many random thoughts at a time.  I don’t check e-mails or phone messages or do any on-line work after 8 p.m.  I turn on the answering machine during dinner, and do not check the messages until the next morning.  Reality check here folks:  It is not rude to ignore random calls that are intruding upon the peace and quiet of your home in the evenings.  You do not owe the whole wide world your constant attention!  Ignoring these unrequested interruptions  helps your body to relax as you enjoy the healthy meal that you are preparing because you have chosen to leave work in time to tend to your own needs.  

You can actually focus on the life that you are working to attain!  It is only fair; since you DO work very hard during working hours, that you are able to achieve the lifestyle that you are working to have when you arrive at home!  Not realizing this is the same as beating your head against a brick wall; your efforts will all be wasted. 

3.  GET MORE SUNSHINE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INTO YOUR DAY.  When that lunch break comes along – LEAVE for awhile.  Take that mid-day siesta!   You don’t always have to leave with a co-worker either.  Take some time for yourself in the middle of the day.  Get out of the building and into a bit of sunshine somehow.   I often take walks.  I love the feeling of a purely silent lunch – no conversation with anyone – just me and the air that I breathe for a few minutes.  It is relaxing and healthy.

This also applies after you leave the office and come home for the evening.   It is good to try to take a stroll through the neighborhood, or work out at the gym or do a few exercises in your home gym before you begin to prepare your healthy evening meal.  Unwind for the evening.  A few sips of dark red wine never killed anyone.  Some couples like to sip on wine and catch up on each other’s day before they begin to cook dinner.  Just 15 minutes of this casual conversation and a relaxing beverage are often very helpful.   

All of these activities give you even more time to unwind from a very busy day. 

Eat outside whenever you can. Even if it is dark; look at the stars!  Being outside in nature is always more fun.  Walk around the block, or take an extra dish to your neighbor later, or do a little gardening two or three evenings a week.  Go to the park, walk your dog or browse through the local mall and run your errands for a few minutes. You will be amazed at how the stress melts away when you are in tune with nature by getting out-of-doors and moving around a bit more after work.  The face to face contact with the local people in your community is also good and healthy.  Some days seeing another human being smile at you at the end of the day can change your life. 

4.  SPEND MORE TIME WITH THOSE THAT YOU LOVE:  Now that you are keeping a more consistent schedule, don’t waste it becoming a couch potato.  That television is not your best friend!  

Use some of your down time to communicate with your marriage partner, or your close family and friends.  If you are married; plan a few fun evenings for just doing the things you both enjoy together.  Go to a nice restaurant, take a stroll around the park, see that movie you’ve heard about, read a book together, listen to some new music together;  whatever you can imagine that puts a little more spark into your time after work.  These are also fun things to do alone or with a friend if you are single.  

Use a few evenings during the week to invite friends over to your home or accept invitations to visit them.  Share some of your new found  down-time with other family members and friends, just keep a balance.  It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate; invite them for coffee and dessert; or to watch a favorite movie, or to share your hobby with you.  Play cards, just talk or help each other out with a little babysitting.  Find a way to have more people in your evenings and less technology.  Life will definitely get happier.

5.  PICK ONE DAY A WEEK TO BE COMPLETELY RANDOM AND LAZY.  Don’t do any of your regular chores, don’t get out of your pajamas if you don’t want to, just do whatever you are feeling like the most.  

Read a good book, take a long bubble bath, get a haircut, do your nails, have a massage, anything that is relaxing.  This should be a day without a to-do list.  

Watch movies, listen to music, eat out – whatever you can do to relax without letting things become mundane and routine.  Those routine things will still be around tomorrow. 

Take the phone off the hook.  Ignore the answering machine.  Leave your cell phone at home under the bed.  Do NOT check e-mails or social media posts.  Give yourself one day/and/or evening after work with a much needed break in the normal routine without stress or having to be “on.”  

Schedule this time just like any other appointment on your calendar.  If you are like me you will probably pick Monday nights.  That is my night for doing absolutely nothing productive.

Mondays are the hardest day at work; hence Monday nights are the best choice for total down-time at home after work for me.  Don’t tell anyone my secret; I LOVE my Monday nights!

6.  TAKE AN ANNUAL VACATION AND GET AWAY AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR.  Just trust me and do it.  You will totally understand after the experience is over.  

All of the above will help you learn not to be a work-aholic.  These things will help you unwind from stressful work days and hence you will sleep much better at night. 

Try them out.  If you do; I promise you will never go back.

There is a secret, untalked-about reward that comes along with all of the above.  You will perform better at work!  You will think clearer, move faster and promote a more positive work place with your attitude and actions.  I’ll bet you might even get a raise!

SEASONS - CELEBRATING A CHRISTIAN HANUKKAH IN 2016 - BLESSINGS AND MEDITATIONS FOR THE SEVENTH DAY

PRAYERS:

Blessed art thou O Lord Our God, King of The Universe Who has given to us holidays, customs, and seasons for gladness. For the glory of The Lord Yeshua, Our Messiah, The Light Of The World.

Blessed art Thou, Lord Our God, Master of the Universe, Who performed miracles for our fathers in those days at this time.

We kindle these lights to commemorate the wonders and the miracles and the saving acts that You have performed for our forefathers, in those days at this time, by Your Holy Priests.  And all throughout the eight days of Hanukkah, these lights are holy and we are not permitted to make use of them, but only to behold them, in order to offer thanks and praise to Your great Name, for Your miracles, for Your wonder, and for Your salvation.

MEDITATION:

Ephesians 5:8-11:  For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light.  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.)  Providing what is acceptable unto the Lord.  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

1 Thes.5:4-6:  But ye, brethren are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness.  Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

1 Peter 2:9:  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

 

(Comments by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Are you walking as a child of The Light? 

Do you realize as a child of God that you become part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation?  We who belong to Him are a peculiar people; people who show forth our endless praise for Him.

God has called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light!  

We must pass this light on to others.  How?  By sharing Our Lord Jesus Christ in all that we do and say every day of our lives.

With The Holy Spirit living inside of us, we can come much, much closer to God.  That is exactly what God wants us to do – come closer!  We are His children and all Father’s long to spend time with their dear children.  They welcome them into their arms and say "Come closer!"

 

And as we draw closer what does our Father wish to see in us?  He is looking to see that we bear the fruits of goodness, righteousness and truth.  These are the things that reflect who He is.  

Are you not delighted when you look at your child and see that they have learned to imitate you and that they have taken on the characteristics of your own nature?  

Is it not a marvelous thing to behold?  

Our God delights when He can see His nature living within us!  When we reflect Him we have fellowship with The Light of The World, Jesus Christ.  

When we do these things that bring God's light into the world our brother longs to draw near to us because He enjoys our company.

Do you love Him?  

Do you love Jesus; your Bridegroom?  

He is coming back for you!  Be ready!

Are you soberly watching and waiting and keeping your light burning in order to see him?  

Are you keeping oil in your lamp to light the way to the wedding feast?  

The oil is the filling of God’s Holy Spirit.  

Keep an extra supply.  Be careful not to let that oil run out!  You are going to need it very soon.  That oil will provide the light that we need to get to where we are going.   All you have to do to obtain this oil is to ask God for it.  Don't forget to ask!  

He provided the light for that first Hanukkah; and he will provide light for the lamps that we will carry to the wedding feast.  

Our bodies are living lamps that are filled with the oil of God's Holy Spirit which will light the darkness and show the whole world the Light of The World; our Savior; Jesus Christ.    

The miracle of the oil of Hanukkah is that the oil did not run out.   

There was only physically enough for one day.   

It burned for eight days and the people were able to worship in the Temple and experience The Glory of God for seven days longer than they anticipated! 

Do not take the light for granted.  Keep your oil full and keep the light going!  

Let's make another symbol for Hanukkah by asking God for extra oil from which we can shed light into this dark world.

We need the light of Christ to shine through the darkness.  

Let's keep the oil of God's Holy Spirit flowing here on planet earth.

COME AS A CHILD – LESSON 150 – LEARNING TO BE CONTENT

THOU SHALT NOT COVET

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Have you ever been envious of something that belonged to your neighbor? 

Maybe you love the style of their home, or maybe you enjoy the way their car drives, or maybe you think your neighbor’s husband is the BEST catch of the whole neighborhood, or perhaps you wish you had a job that was as much fun as your best friend’s. 

All of the above feelings are what we call envy; and full blown envy breaks the tenth commandment that God spoke to Moses about up on the Mountain. 

Isn’t a little envy perfectly harmless though? 

What possible harm could it do when usually no one even knows your feelings but you anyway? 

Envy is one of those self-inflicted types of sins.  The damage doesn’t usually hurt anyone but the person who is being envious. 

When you begin to dwell on those things that belong to others and covet them for your own you can actually bring damage to your own soul. 

It all starts with such simple little thoughts, and then it grows and grows until the thoughts of what you desire consume you and then begins to plague you with a constant form of unhappiness because you are lacking that thing; and now nothing but the thing you covet brings you satisfaction. 

When this feeling grows and escalates you might even commit some other sins in order to fulfill your desire for something that belongs to someone else. 

If you enjoy someone’s car, or house or even their clothes or furniture you are tempted to go into debt to buy the same things for yourself; and then you eventually suffer from financial disaster which your own lusts provoked. 

If you envy someone else’s mate you might catch yourself being flattered by their attention and spending just a little too much time talking with them.  You might catch yourself having visions of an adulterous affair with them; and sooner or later sin comes from that wrong desire of envy and covetousness that started out so very small and innocent and then grew and grew until it became bigger than you. 

Perhaps you wish to be as wealthy as the people you read about in magazines; and you long for the freedom that money can bring to you and you begin to feel that you will do almost anything to achieve more financial freedom.  You might just catch yourself scheming and planning to rob someone of their wealth in order to furnish your own selfish desires.

The little covetous feeling grows and grows until you have committed a crime; and you find yourself in the snares of robbery, adultery, debt, etc.; somewhere you never imagined you would go. 

The very freedom that you sought after by obtaining the wealth you coveted through illegal means now just feels like a horrible trap!  You begin to turn on yourself in anger and you inflict your guilt upon yourself day after day and you feel trapped.  You are always afraid of when the truth may become public and everyone will see you for the thief that you have become because of your original covetousness. 

It all starts with just one little thought; one little sliver of discontent; one little longing to be like someone else or to have what someone else has.  

Our very wise God knew the danger of these traps, so He had Moses to chisel those very important words in stone:  Thou shalt not covet (Exodus 20:17.) 

God spelled it out for us right from the beginning, so we would know when to stop and put on the breaks and protect ourselves from wrong temptations.  

This one little commandment, if followed correctly, can keep you from breaking all the rest of them!  These are four very important little words!

God’s word is infallible. 

If you keep this commandment you will have so much more joy and happiness in your days.

 

It is a very good commandment; but it isn’t an easy one!  It sort of sneaks up on you and presents itself when you aren’t paying attention.  It will catch you totally off guard.  This is why God so clearly spelled it out for us. 

So how do we avoid covetousness in our daily lives?

We must start by guarding our hearts. 

The heart is where we must learn how to respond to the things of life.  There is a constant war going on between the flesh and the spirit and the heart is the main force that can guard against that war; or give in to it.  Not one heart can make it without the reinforcement of the love of Christ living inside. 

It is Christ living in us that opens our eyes to the danger of covetousness, and it is God’s Holy Spirit that protects us from caving and giving in to this battle. 

If you are doing battle with this sin; the best thing you can do is to go to God and make a clean confession.  Do it out loud and be as thorough as you can.  Get the whole story out on the table and ask God to help you to learn how to avoid whatever it is that you struggle with the most.  You can’t do it on your own; but with God’s help all things become possible. 

The Apostle Paul had a very good way of avoiding covetousness in his life.  He practiced contentment.  

Paul explains in Philippians 4:12:  “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed of hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

 

About thirty years ago I was a very unhappy woman.  There were many things that I had wanted in life that did not turn out the way that I had hoped.  I was always coveting the things that I did not get in the past and hoping that there was something that I could do that would change that situation and turn it around so that I could have all the things that had slipped right through my fingers. 

As I prayed about this, God showed me that verse from Philippians.  I had read it many times before and heard it repeated by others often; but it suddenly took on a whole new meaning for me.  I began to apply that verse to all of those situations where I was discontent.  The more I thought about it and faced the ghosts of my past mistakes and gave them to God and asked Him to replace the desires of my heart with the things He desired for me; the better I began to feel about everything. 

Soon a person who had been continuously moping and sad became a person with a quick smile and a joyful heart.  

I can truthfully say the laughter quotient in my days doubled!  

After several years of carefully applying Paul’s theory about contentment to my daily life I realized something very important:  The things that made me sad, the things I had longed for with all my heart in the past, were not the things that brought me joy.  Those things had only made me sad in actuality.  When I gave my will over to God and began to live in total contentment with just the things that He provided for me; my days began to fill up and run over with joyful living.  I realized that God had known what I needed all along and it wasn’t until I let Him furnish the things of my life in His way and in His time that I truly found contentment and I truly came to know who I was and what God had created me to do with my life. 

Had I obtained all those things that my heart so longed for before I became content and accepted God’s way; I would never have achieved total happiness. 

This isn’t the only commandment that works out that way; they all do in some form, shape or fashion. 

If you have gained nothing at all from this study of Moses on the Mountain receiving the Ten Commandments; I hope that you remember that each and every commandment that God gave; He gave out of a Father’s pure love. 

He wasn’t trying to create complications for us; He actually wanted to make things simpler for us. 

He wasn’t trying to withhold blessings from us; He wanted the blessings that we received to be REAL. 

Each commandment given to Moses on that day was another way for God to help us to find out just how unique we are in His eyes.  That is the only way to ever experience complete joy in this life. 

Not another person on this earth has been created just exactly like you!  God wants you to see that, and to know that you are who you are because He has planned a very special purpose and life out just for you.  He loves everything about every design that He put into each of us; and He has our backs, and knows exactly what is best for us.  We must trust that His commandments are to encourage us to believe and follow Him.

By avoiding covetousness in our lives we avoid so many other evils. 

Often covetousness brings that green-eyed monster called jealousy. If you want to find out how bad that can get; go read the story of Sarah in Genesis.  She had a bad case of jealousy; until God taught her what it was like to be content with the things that He provided whenever He decided to provide them.  That was when Sarah began to experience true joy. As humans operating in our own power and intellect, we get too competitive and this seeps into our relationships and we lose focus on God’s plan for our lives.   

If you have fallen victim to coveting simply stop right now and confess your sin to God. 

As you ponder your sin in your prayer just stop and take a little inventory of all the areas of discontent that you are experiencing.  Determine what you can do to be content in these areas and visualize yourself going through the correct motions instead of the wrong ones of the past.  Think through how you will handle the situation the next time it arises.  Accept God’s will in your life and begin to move forward as the person that God has truly made you to be.  Whenever you fill the discontentment raising it’s ugly head again; determine to be grateful for what God has designed specifically for you. 

Give God thanks for the things that He provides constantly.  Let go of the things you don’t really need and begin to live in the abundance of a grateful heart.  You will ace the requirements of this commandment and receive abundance and joy as a bonus! 

May God lead and direct each and every one of us as we remember all the commandments He gave to Moses on the mountain. 

May these ten best ways to live bring a new strength and hope into our days and make our lives full and abundant as we carry out God’s will within our own little part of the world through the course of every day living.