Cliche` with your Coffee?

I have a confession to make.... I am the cliche` queen. Give me a caption competition and I'm in heaven particularly if the subject matter is something funny - I love to laugh and I love to make other's laugh. So what that gotta do with a cuppa Joe, you cry? Well I'll tell you through confession number two of the morning and it's that I love to eary wig on the conversations of others in coffee shops! I know really is there any hope me..? As I was in such an establishment the other day I became aware of how many of these little cliche` phrases we have in our language. For example 'what you see is what you get' or 'actions speak louder than words' and so on. It got me thinking - do we really hear our words, do we fully grasp the weight of meaning and power they contain? Psychology recognises the influence of our words upon cultural behaviour it has a whole branch ' the discursive appraoch' dedicated to the study of shared meaning through conversation. You may think - cliche` alert sorry ! 'what goes in one ear goes out the other' but I wonder is that true? 

Ponder for a sec about some of the ad campaigns of late - do you hear yourself humming a particular tune, developing a fondness for meerkats or thinking- yeah I'm worth it?  Cliches` work because they fix something much bigger than words in our minds they fix concepts, aspirations even dreams. The bible tells us to renew our minds by washing them with the word. The bible is full of cliche's, promises and truth. God knew we'd need help taking in and rememebring His word. So if you can't get the twinnings advert out of your head try these for size, share them in coffee shops, pubs, school gates, wherever and be encouarged as they will not return empty but full of life meaning and hope.

Jerry 29 V 11 'I know the palns I have for you, plans to give you a future and a hope when you seek me with all your heart'.

Phil 1 V 6 'The Lord will complete the goooooooood work He has begun in you!

Math 21 V 22 'when we wobble in our faith God is faithful.'

Have a good day Hugs Ruth x

Blast from the past...

I have a friend who's mantra is 'you can't let your past determine your future'. Good mantra eh? But what happens in our formative years really does to some extent shape who we are. Last week we visited my husbands family who live in a well to do seaside town on the south coast. He hadn't been there since he left at 18 and was sharing with me how for most of his childhood he lived in abject poverty. Most of his school chums were from very middle class families and did things that cost money like horse riding, which is perhaps why he was so into books - libraries are free! Living in this juxtaposition compounded his sense of unworthiness. However since then he has worked extremely hard and risen to the top of his profession. He has huge responsibility both professionally and spiritually. Yet going back to that town took him back to his childhood and he had to actually shake off a sense of shrinking back to who he no longer was.

Our past can have a huge affect on who we become or it can be the spring broad for great things. But in order to embrace who you've become the past, like a coat you've grown out of, needs to be taken off. Our growth is God's agenda; we are designed to grow, increase in life, to become more and bear fruit. However we can't do this if we try and navigate life looking backwards. Perhaps this is why our eyes are on the front of our heads? We have a hope and a future that is not of this world but we'll not see it if we're looking behind. It's not were we've been but where we're going that really should be the catalyst for our motivations and choices in our today. If you've been experincing a blast from the past - rejoice in how far you have come and be excitied about where God's going to take you...


Hugs Ruth x

It anin't watcha say it's the way thatcha say it...

Don't worry this weeks blog isn't an ear bash I promise! In fact it's more about getting watcha want out of life which is cool yeah? We all have things that push our buttons, that make us go from 0-60 in a second. You know what I mean a throw away comment that winds you up or a situation that drives you nuts; leading to the overflow of our hearts rushing past our lips before the filter is in place - in other words... we speak from feeling instead of faith. Jesus didn't mince His words or shy away from calling a spade a spade but He always spoke with grace and wisdom. You only have to read the gospel to know Jesus got results - Deliverance, healing, forgiveness, restoration, freedom and life were all characteristics of His parlance but over riding all of these was love.

Much of our lives will be carried out through interaction with other sensitive humans and this can be tricky at times but we can learn from Jesus. If He had to tell a woman ambushed in adultery that it was wrong and she should sin no more He did it in such a way which gave her dignity and life. If He had to tell one of His friends He wasn't trustworthy and the cock would crow 3 times as a sign, He did it with regret and pain. Where He was accused of all sorts of rubbish He didn't rush to defend Himself but He left room for God to work. Jesus got results not only by the words which He said but by the way which He said them. I want my life to be increasingly productive so I'm praying for the diplomacy of Christ because well, I know my need of it - How about you? Are your interactions with other's inspiring unity, wholeness and love and bringing Kingdom results into your life?

Ponder today on the way of your words...

hugs Ruth x

May white horses follow you...

I'm doing a bible study on the book of Zechariah at the mo... in chapter 6 the prophet has a vision of different colours of horses pulling the chariots of heaven for the purposes of God. I was struck as I read various commentaries how each had a specific role. According to Mathew Henry's commentary; the red horses symbolised war and were permitted by Heaven for the purpose of subding evil nations. The second to be sent out where black in colour symbolising the melancholy destruction and consequences of war. BUT the third horse sent out soon after symbolised comfort, peace and compassion of God. The fourth horse dappled in colour; symbolised God's provision for our human response to the complexities of life's highs and lows.

There's no doubt about it, life is a strange mixture of the bitter and the sweet. But be encouraged - where God permits pain (Lamentations 3 says God does not willingly bring affliction to the sons of men) He rushes to offer comfort in abundance. Life's issues are not black and white; more often than not we wrestle just to understand how to do the right thing. And Prise God, there's grace and mercy for that. At other times it is the inconsistency of our relationship with Jesus which dapples our world. You know when you're on fire one day and like 'yeah whatever' the next? God in His awesome kindness has made provision for our fickle passions and that blows me away.

So sweet cheeks if you going through it may you know the comfort and blessing of white and dappled horses in your world today...

Hugs Ruth x

OOh OOh I wanna be like Yuooo!

Have you seen the go compare adverts on TV - I read recently they were voted the most annoying advert of last year. Anyway I've been thinking about comparison and how we're encouraged in our culture to compare everything -  Like should I buy the designer item or the one which is very similar for only a quarter of the price. That form of comparison is necessary and only effects your wallet but there's another form which can effect your heart.You see when it comes to ourselves comparison can be a particularly unhelpful thing. Do you remember the jungle book where King Louie sang in scat how he thought if he just had man's fire he'd be human thus complete? (Love that film!) Well he'd totally missed the point of his existence. By wanting to be human he robbed himself of his true call... To monkey around, sing great scat music and party in the the jungle of course..!

You see when we compare ourselves to another we miss out on the wonder and purpose of who we are created to be. Moreover when we compare there's danger we'll either be smug because the comparison has fallen in our favour so pride can make us ungrateful. Or it falls unfavourably and so self pity seeps into our world doing the same thing. Either way comparing dilutes the real you, leaving you in a place of self satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Next time you catch yourself comparing your shape, your car, your relationship with God to another, just stop. Remind yourelf you are fearfully and wonderfully made and have something only you (being you) can bring to this world.

 I heard a great quote once "be yourself everyone else is taken" isn't that so true?

Hugs Ruth x