WHO WILL GET THE CREDIT

Thinking out loud about navigating life, accomplishments & ownership.

Sometimes in the living of life, in navigating the inherent complexities we, the I in us can get overshadowed, buried in worry, anxiety, feelings of helplessness and inadequacy. It is important that we stay rooted in the knowledge God is love, we were created in that love from that love and its prefectness. Thus we must be careful not to allow doubt to plague us as it will erode our confidence and trick our minds into believing we are not enough when in truth we are indeed enough. We are powerful beyond measure because we are of the Father who created us in his own image and likeness leaving his imprint on our heart, minds, bodies, souls and spirits. It important that we do not allow the light of others to diminish our own light by surrendering to envy or jealousy that in the long run only serves to cast doubt upon ourselves preventing us from understanding our own worth and from whom that worthiness stems.

DON'T LET THE EGO MISSILE YOU INTO FALSE NOTIONS OF INFERIORITY BECAUSE THE SPOTLIGHT IS ON SOMEONE ELSE.

Chris Langan has an IQ higher than Albert Einstein's.

Moustafa Ismail has 31-inch biceps and can lift 600 pounds.

Bill Gates is estimated to be worth billions.

Those who have extraordinary abilities or possessions might be tempted to think more highly of themselves than they should. The truth is we don't have to be widely smart, strong, or wealthy to want to take credit for our achievements. Though I dare say any size of accomplishment carries with it this question: Who will get the credit? During a time of judgement, God spoke to the Israelites through the prophet Jeremiah. He said: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his richest" (Jeremiah 9:23). Rather,"Let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me" (Jeremiah 9:24). God wanted His people to prize Him and His excellence above anything else. If we allow praise to inflate our self-image, we're forgetting that "every good gift comes down from the Father" (James 1:17). It's better to give God the glory not only because it protects our hearts from pride but also because He rightfully deserves it. He is God, the One "who does great things marvelous things without number" (Job 5:8). Not I but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted; Not I, but Christ, be seen, be known, be heard; Not I, but Christ, in every look and action; Not I, but Christ, in every though and word. We were created to give God the glory.......

Have a bless and productive day

Oswald Gould, written July 10, 2014

On angel duty since 2015

85,276,800 seconds
1,421,280 minutes
23,688 hours
987 days
141 weeks
2 years, 8 months, 14 days 
270.41% of a common year (365 days)

YOUR FEELINGS WILL BE HURT

Sometimes the deepest hurts can come from the ones we love the most and is closest to us and yet is sometimes where the most valuable lessons are learnt.

One of the most challenging things in life is navigating through our hurts feelings. Hurts inflicted by others and by the self as a direct consequence of our poor choices and judgments. Yet learning the skill of manoeuvring through our emotional and psychological hurts is essential to our growth and development into whom we are ordained to be as human beings.

“Someone once said that God is not about hurting someone’s feelings. But, we need to be mindful that when we transgress, disobey, and get out of order that God will handle his business concerning us, and, I guarantee you your feelings will be hurt. When our parents “put it on” us because we were disobedient our feelings were hurt but that went along with the punishment for our actions. Our parents did not care about our little feelings when it was time to discipline us for our actions because we were disobedient. Their job was to ensure that we understood right from wrong, action and consequence. God is a God of order. He is a covenant maker and a covenant keeper. When we get out of order we should expect for our little old feelings to be hurt.” ^{Oswald Gould Dec 6, 2012}

I guess some of the big questions should be:

1. How do we shift ourselves in the midst of the pain so that we can get the lessons embedded within?
2. How do we begin to deconstruct it so that we understand its meaning? Because essentially there is where the true self-protection lies.
3. How do we apply it in our lives so that when the cycle of life repeats itself that we recognize the signs and are able to choose differently thereby creating a different outcome and sidestepping the negative consequence and hurt?

On Angel Duty:

48,729,600 seconds

812,160 minutes

13,536 hours

564 days

80 weeks and 4 days

1 year, 6 months, 17 days

154.52% of a common year (365 days)

Stay Strong in Faith and Know Your Enemy

Stay Strong,

Many times in life we feel defeated seemingly beaten by adversaries – soldiers of the one with many names: Beelzebub, Leviathan, Lucifer, Satan, Belial, Devil, Apollon, Antichrist, Abaddon, intent on stealing our souls, our spirit and stearing us away from God. It is for this reason we must know our enemy. We must:

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” ^{1 Peter 5:8}

Arm yourself, do not allow your body, mind, soul and spirit to be devoured. Be armed!

“Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand.”^{Ephesians 6:13}

I had a friend that told me she discovered a huge snake in her back yard. The snake had just eaten a pretty nice size animal and could not get away, she called a neighbor he quickly came over and killed it.

We all have snakes around us, our enemies, they want to harm us because it is “THEIR NATURE”, it provides nourishment for them, they want to hurt us and get away fast. But there will come a time when they will be so full of their mess, they will not be able to get away and will be exposed...

Have Faith

Keeping watch…have a blessed day, Ossie

On Angel Duty:

• 1 year, 3 months, 9 days
• 464 days
• 66 weeks and 2 days
• 40,089,600 seconds
• 668,160 minutes
• 11,136 hours
• 127.12% of (365 days)

SURRENDER

"When I was a child I often had a toothache and l knew that if I went to my mother she would give me something that would deaden the pain for that night and let me get to sleep. But I did not go to my mother at least not till the pain became very bad I knew she would take me to the dentist the next morning.... I wanted immediate relief from pain, but I could not get it without having my teeth set permanently right." C.S. Lewis from book Mere Christianity.

Like C.S. Lewis, we might not always want to go to God right away when we have a problem or struggling in a certain area. We know that God could provide immediate relief from Our pain however we also know that He is more concerned with dealing with the root of the problem. This causes us to hesitate in fear because we know that God will reveal the issues we are unprepared and unwilling to deal with. It is in times like these when it is helpful to remind ourselves that the Lord "deals with us as with sons" (Hebrews 12:7).

God’s discipline, though perhaps painful, is wise, and His touch is loving. He loves us too much to let us remain as we are; He wants to conform us to the likeness of His Son, Jesus (Romans 8:29).

God's purpose of love can be trusted more than any of our emotions of fear.

Thank you Lord, for showing us our hidden faults, for You treat us as Your dear children. Help us surrender to Your cleansing work till the beauty of Jesus be seen in us.

God's hand of discipline is a hand of love....surrender it all to Him.

Have a blessed and productive week.

Ossie/9.18.14

On Angel Duty

1 year, 1 month, 29 days

115.89% of a common year (365 days)

60 weeks and 3 days

423 days

10,152 hours

609,120 minutes

36,547,200 seconds

TAKING UP YOUR SEAT OF LIFE

“For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” ^{--Jeremiah 29:11}

Have you ever felt like you’ve been booted from your seat of life or perhaps you have relinquished it in fear of failure and inadequacy?

Are you seated where you are destined, are you seated comfortably, feeling empowered or are you languishing in doubtful worthiness to the throne? 

Where are you in relation to your destined seat in life?

 “There are people occupying our seats preventing us from enjoying our show in life. God gave us the tickets at birth, our number was already preprinted on the seat and on the ticket but we’ve allowed someone to sit in our seat and control our destiny. It’s time to be proactive and call the Usher “The Holy Spirit” to come and remove them from our seat and have them escorted out of the building. And once the Usher has escorted them out, do not go out there and bring them back in. Take up your seat of life.” – Oswald (Ossie) Gould (Nov 30, 2012)

Ossie..................

On Angel Duty:

329 days

47 weeks

10 months, 26 days

7896 hours

473,760 minutes

28,425,600 seconds

90.14% of a common year (365 days)

image of chair found on pinterest

FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS – IN HIS WORDS

Ruminating…

It has been

176 days

5 months, 26 days 

25 weeks and 1 day

15,206,400 seconds

253,440 minutes

4224 hours

48.22% of 2015

Since he’s left to be with the Lord, he is in a better place no doubt, though his presence is still missed. Sharing a bit of his thoughts and taking in a bit of his wisdom when he was among us, written July 8, 2014

FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS – IN HIS WORDS:

A friend told me He had recently accomplished one of the things on His "bucket list" (a list of things to Do before you die) when He took His sister to Europe. Although He had traveled there many times, she had never been there. What struck me was the unselfish nature of Having that goal on His "bucket list." It caused me to wonder how many of my dreams and goals are focused on others and not on myself.

(Romans 12:6-21) speaks of God's gifts to us as members of the body of Christ and how we should use them in everyday life. All of them are outward in focus. Teaching, for example, is not for the teacher's self-fulfillment but for the benefit of others, so too with the other gifts mentioned in (Romans 12:6-8). Paul summarized this open-handed approach by urging us to "be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves" (Romans 12:10). Paul exemplified this attitude by including others in His ministry and investing His life in the next generation of believers. Generosity, hospitality, forgiveness, and compassion guided His behavior.

Our goals in life should include giving away the gifts God has given us. Grant us, then, the grace for giving with a spirit large and free, that our life and all our living we may consecrate to Thee.

For a healthier spiritual life, exercise humility and care for others.

Have a bless and productive day

Feeling excited

Ossie 

Take A Break For Rest And Prayer

139 days

4 months, 19 days

19 weeks and 6 days

12,009,600 seconds

200,160 minutes

3336 hours

38.08% of 2015 since his transition to be with the Lord

In His Words.....
Walking a bit through his journey and ...

Stepping waaaaay back....

THE DIAGNOSIS (2010)

Not long ago I developed a physical problem. My neck on my right side shoulder was swollen. I had a painful swelling on the right side of my neck, and I had to struggle daily with fatigue. When I finally went to the doctor, I had learned that I had a rear type of cancer, “nasopharyngeal carcinoma." My diagnosis, stage 4 Nasopharyngeal Cancer found at the back of my nostril underneath my brain. The doctor put me on chemo and radiation and said they were not sure whether I will live or die because of the illness.

I had to force myself into a new routine. Eating healthy, taking short naps in the morning and the afternoon, all necessary to give me the strength to be fairly productive until I was cured, I had to pace myself. Rest was vital.

At one point when Jesus sent His representative out to teach in His name, they were so excited with all they were doing that they neglected to take time to eat and rest properly. When they returned, Christ told them: "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while" (Mark 6:31). 

Everyone needs rest, and if we go too long without it, we will suffer physically and emotionally. We also will be unable to carry out our responsibilities as well as we should.

Is the Lord encouraging you to "come aside.....and rest a while?”  Sometimes a few more rest stops with Him may be necessary.

I come aside from the world of strife, with its burdens, trials, and the cares of life to a beautiful, quiet, restful place where I commune with my Jesus face to face.

To avoid a breakdown, take a break for rest and prayer.........

Have a blessed and productive day

Ossie…

Feeling rested​

Listening-In His Words

A loving heart and a Listening ear.

In her book listening to others, Joyce Huggett writes about the importance of learning to listen and respond effectively to those in difficult situation. As she relates some of her own experiences of listening to suffering people, she mentions that they often thank her for all she's done for them. "On many occasions," she writes, "I have not 'done' anything. I have 'just listened.' I quickly came to the conclusion that 'just listening' was indeed an effective way of helping others." This was the help Job sought from his friends. While it is true that they sat with him for 7 days in silence, "for they saw that his grief was very great" (Job 2:13), they didn't listen when Job started talking. Instead, they talked and talked but failed to comfort him (Job 16:2). "Oh, that I had one to hear me!" Job cried (Job 31:35).

Listening says, "What matters to you matters to me." Sometimes people do want advice, but often they just want to be listened to by someone who loves and cares about them. Listening is hard work, and it takes time. It takes time to listen long enough to hear the other person's true heart, so that if we do speak, we speak with gentle wisdom.

Oh, Lord, give us a loving heart and a “listening ear.” I cried, and from His holy hill He bowed a listening ear; I called my Father, and my God, and He subdued my fear.

When we are thinking about an answer while others are talking we are not listening.......

Have a bless and productive day.

Oswald Gould

July 9, 2014

"Better Than I Deserve" - In his words

“How you doing?”

When people ask how I'm doing, I reply, "Better than I deserve." I remember a well-meaning person responding, "Oh no Ossie, you deserve a lot," to which I replied, "Not really."

I was thinking about what I truly deserve God's judgment. We easily forget how sinful we are at the core of our being. Thinking of ourselves more highly than we should diminishes our sense of deep indebtedness to God for His grace. It discounts the price He paid to rescue us.

Time for a reality check! As the psalmist reminds us, God "has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities" (Psalm 103:10). Considering who we are in Light of a Holy and just God, the only thing we truly deserve is hell, and heaven is an absolute impossibility except for the gift of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. If God never does anything more than redeem us, He has already done far more than we deserve.

No wonder the psalmist says, "As the heavens are judge above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him" (Psalm 103:11). Knowing ourselves for what we are, we can't help but say, "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound!" He gives us so much more than we deserve.

Lord Thank You for not dealing with us according to our sins. We are indebted to YOU for the love and grace that YOU demonstrated on the cross to purchase our pardon and forgiveness far beyond what we deserve!

If God never does anything more than redeem us, He has already done far more than we deserve.........

Have a bless and productive day

Feeling wonderful…
Ossie, Friday June 27th, 2014