Why Valentine’s Day? Why February 14th?
Walking through hallways, grocery store aisles, attending sporting events, musical productions, school events, church services and even in public restrooms – the availability of cell phones has invited us into the lives of the oblivious.
photo credit: The White House Facebook page
I have not used a guest blogger until my husband asked if he could use The Third Cup as a platform to share the following information with you. He has a lot of wisdom to share and I am encouraging him to create his own platform, but for now I am sharing this platform with him.
Do you feel like the world is completely upside down and what is right has become wrong?
Well this is a social media world. We have access to policy makers and influencers in ways never dreamed of 20 years ago. Making sure they hear your voice has never been easier.
If your facts are from FaceBook, check them twice or three times. Snopes.com is a good resource. Many of the outrageous stories circulating in social media are simply not true. For example, the President did not have the U.S. flag lowered to half staff when Whitney Houston died. Gov. Christy of NJ did have the flag lowered in NJ, as he has the authority to in his state.
Don’t just tell them what you don’t like, ask them to do something about it.
For example “@POTUS, please lower the US flag to half staff to honor the men killed in Chattanooga” (I will explain POTUS in a moment)
Because this format is electronic you can include links to blogs or news articles.
Find the President, your senator, or your congressman on Twitter. Follow them.
Tweet them by using the @“sign followed by the name they use on twitter.
I think Twitter is the best way to contact the President. The Twitter name for the office is POTUS, which stands for “President of the United States”. Simply tweet “@POTUS” and then tell him what’s on your mind. Someone on his staff will read it. You will probably never hear back from them, but they will have heard from you.
Follow the same format for your congressman and let them know what you are thinking.
Find your congressman’s Facebook page, Like the page.
Post your comments on your own timeline, along with links to any info you want them to have and mention the congressman. As you are typing his or her name should pop up in a list below where you’re typing, click on the name. They will be notified that someone mentioned them in a comment.
https://www.facebook.com/WhiteHouse
https://www.facebook.com/barackobama
@POTUS
These two sites give you the social media info for the members of the House and the Senate.
Now, you have the general guidelines and procedures. Let the influencers and policy makers hear your voice.
If you found this helpful and would like to hear more of what David has to say, leave him a comment encouraging him to set up his own blog site. :)
photo credit: photography by April
During a conversation with someone going through a very difficult time recently I asked them how they were doing.
“Fine” they said.
But there was something in the answer that was not convincing so I probed ever so gently. (more…)
It’s post Resurrection Sunday.
The squeals of delight at the discovery of a candy filled treasure have drifted away in the gentle spring breeze like the white fuzz of a dandelion. The only evidence left behind is an overlooked egg hiding in the tall grass.
The pageantry and programs with all their pomp and circumstance are packed away for another year.
Easter finery, so carefully chosen as adornment worthy of royals for this most hallowed day of the Christian calendar, is now deemed common hanging alongside apparel of the every day. (more…)
No matter who you are at some point in your life you will experience difficult times. You might suffer the loss of a loved one, have an illness, lose your job, have a broken relationship or go through a divorce. It’s so easy to be overcome with a sense of hopelessness.
Whatever you encounter, it is essential that you don’t lose hope. But, your hope must be rooted in something bigger than yourself! It can’t be dependent on a person or life circumstances.
The object of your hope must be God alone! Otherwise, you will only be disappointed, and ultimately sucked into a vicious cycle which will lead you down a path of depression and despair. Satan is never happier than when he sees people giving in and giving up to despair and becoming lost in hopelessness. Don’t let that happen to you. Be prepared for difficult times so that you are ready when they come.
How is it possible to not lose hope in difficult times?
Many people define hope as wishing something will happen. However, biblical hope is a hope of expectation, knowing that it will happen. You might even define it as an eager anticipation of God’s promise coming to pass. This kind of hope is based on knowing that God will do what He said He would do!
Again Isaiah says, “THERE SHALL COME THE ROOT OF JESSE, AND HE WHO ARISES TO RULE OVER THE GENTILES, IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE.” Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:12-13
Before coming to Christ we were without hope (Ephesians 2:12). But now in Christ we have hope! Our hope is found in our love relationship with Jesus.
As a believer we are never without hope! But that is not all, as we live a life of surrender to Christ; we also have joy, peace and power! (Romans 15:13) What more could you hope for?
God is the God of hope. He is the foundation on which our hope is built; He is both the object and the author of our hope. (1 Peter 1:3) Trusting in God (Hebrews 11:1) by the power of the Holy Spirit we experience
Hope that is placed in someone or something other than God/Jesus Christ is misplaced hope. It will eventually lead one into
Hopelessness usually doesn’t come suddenly out of nowhere; rather it is usually the result of a series of events in which a false belief system is formed. It could be something like “I can do it“, which leads to “I thought I could do it”, to “I can’t do it”, and ultimately “it can’t done, there is no hope.” Putting your hope in yourself is telling yourself a lie. You place your hope in yourself, others or your circumstances rather than God and you will ultimately be disappointed. Loss of hope can also result in depression. Depression can be nothing more than a signal sent by your mind telling you that hope was lost. Often if you find a way to restore hope your depression will disappear.
• Acknowledge where you are and refocus. Take your focus off yourself and look to God. (Psalm 42:5)
•Focus on God and the fact that He is your hope (Psalm 25:5)
• Rehearse the names of God (Psalm 52:9) • Read the Bible (Psalm 119:74, Romans 15:4)
• You will have rest (Psalm 62:5)
• You will know God’s unfailing love (Psalm 33:22,2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)
• You will praise God more and more (Psalm 71:14)
• God will sustain you in the difficult times (119:116)
• Your heart will be enlightened (Ephesians 1:18-19)
• God will encourage and strengthen you in every good deed and word
Have you ever been in despair? The answer is simple. Quit looking at your circumstances and look at God. Go to the Bible for direction. Jesus overcame every conflict he had with Satan by using the Word of God. The Word is a door for those in the prison of hopelessness through which they can look, see the light of hope, walk out of darkness into light, and find direction for their lives. (Psalms 119:105, Romans 15:4)
Hope is essential; once you lose it, you have lost the game. Furthermore, it’s your responsibility to not lose hope.
Depression is the emotional result of hopelessness.
Joy is the emotional result of hope. Peace is the emotional result of faith.
Our hope is based on knowing God will do what He said He would do. And so we wait expectantly knowing that Jesus is coming back!!!