Crucible of Praise

Everyone likes to be praised for a job well done. It is something that comes standard with the package of our humanity. Some folks become praise junkies. They go about doing things just to be recognized and rewarded. Others while they relish the compliments, prefer to remain anonymous in their well doing. Proverbs 27:21 sheds some light upon the power and purpose of praise. The Message states it this way: "The purity of silver and gold is tested by putting them in the fire; The purity of human hearts is tested by giving them a little fame."

I am still learning how to be gracious when receiving compliments. When I know I have done well, I tend to reward myself. Not necessarily in a tangible way, but I just have a deep satisfaction in my labors. Often I am perceived as being ungrateful due to my inadequate responses. In reality, I love the accolades but I don't want to let them swell my head. I am learning to say a simple "thank you" and/or "to God be the glory".

Praise can incite pride or it can work perfection. Pride is the automatic response of the flesh. Perfection is the result of yielding to the Spirit of God. Remember, everything He created is good. The Word says so. Yet there is no goodness about the flesh. It is merely an earthen housing for the Spirit of God. So the Apostle Paul adds that we must keep the flesh under the control of the Spirit.

Basically, I said all of that to preface this huge thank you to Rita at Saved by Grace. She has bestowed upon me the "Nice Matters" award. Let me also add, to God be the Glory, Great Things He Has Done. Without Him, I would be neither nice, friendly, good, positive, or influential.

"This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world. Once you've been awarded please pass it on to 7 others who you feel are deserving of this award."
I have met so many nice bloggers in the few months that I have been in the bloggyhood. Those who are nice are also positive influences in the blogosphere. Inspirational is yet another word for various blogs I have read. "Feel good" blogs are as infinite as the stars in the sky. Finding 7 worthy recipients is easy. Keeping the list to 7 is the hard part. And.......Now........The envelopes please................Ooops! There must be some mistake. I have been handed some bills instead of the nominations for the "Nice Matters" awards. Sorry to disappoint you folks, but the hour is late, the awards will have to wait..... until my next post.

Dodge Ball Anyone?

Chet tagged me with the Jesus meme on the same day that I tagged 5 more folks. Time out! (smile) In the childhood game of tag, you only tagged one person at a time. A girl can't even get a regular post out, for everyone in the neighborhood wanting to play. (smile) The blogosphere park has no bounds, there are innumerable rides, and the merry-go-round never ends.

Even as a child, I would get weary of playing tag. I was a bit on the heavy side and running was not my thing. When I got tired, I would just leave the gang and hide out until I cooled off. Hide and seek was my game. Perhaps that's why I enjoy lurking around here so much. Well, I used to lurk. Now I just jump right into most any kind of conversation. If I don't like what's being said, I just surf on over to someplace else.

Surfing: Now that's a sport I never even considered. Then again, how many waves can one catch in the heart of Dixie?

Actually, I like the attention that getting tagged brings. It is the responsibility of perpetuating the game that overloads me at times. I'm a slow typist and still a novice with computer applications. Yeah, yeah the last post looked pretty good, but it took me about 4 hours. Now how many folks with full time jobs and families have that kind of time to spend on one post? Looks like I did; but that isn't the norm.

So how about some help around here. Larissa over at Living in Liberty asked a question in the comments of my last post. She wants to know more about this tagging stuff and how to do it. Does anyone have a post about "how to play tag"? If so, could you post the link in my comments for her. Or better yet, go see her and leave it in her comment box. Thanks.


P.S. We usually play horseshoes on the Fourth of July. That is if we can get the horses to part with them for a few hours. See y'all after the holiday.

Tagged again, "Blog Rocker" ??

I remember as a child watching tag team wrestling with my PaPaw. When one wrestler got tired, he just went to his corner and tagged his partner to fight awhile. I have been to a few camp meetings where the evangelists did some tag team preaching. But this is a first for me, seems I got tagged twice in the same week. Being the practical sort, I just answered them both in the same post. The only problem, I'm still pretty slow with linking and such. So the folks I'm tagging get a twice is nice kind of tag. They are all Rocking bloggers that love Jesus.
There's Peg, Rosemary, Janet, Supermom, andJanna.



compliments of Melanie@ This Ain't New York

The 5 Things I love about Jesus meme- tagged by slw @ Thundersounds
Instead of writing 5 paragraphs, I thought I would practice some more 'puter skills.











You get the picture.

I've Been Tagged

I have been tagged by Godzheart. If you need some encouragement today, see her June 10,2007 post. Her other blog Lessons from Life is both educational and devotional.
This is a first for me. I left her a note that I had never been very good at playing tag. Actually, I wasn't fast enough to catch most of the kids I played with. Seems I have been a bit slow with this tag too.

Here are the rules:
Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
People who are tagged write a blog post about their own 8 random things and post these rules.
At the end of your blog you need to tag 8 people and post their names.
Don't forget to leave them a comment and tell them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

8 Random things about me.
1. I have always been a tom-boy.
2. I love Gospel music. Gospel as in the old-time "Black Gospel".
3. I work in the medical field as a Laboratory Technician.
4. I am a fix-it kind of person. I love tinkering with mechanical things.
5. Ooops! #4 has 2 things listed.
6. I settled for "B's" in school rather than apply myself to study.
7. Now I enjoy studying and want to give my best effort.
8. I hate answering the telephone.

Now, who to tag??? I would love to know more about my readers, but many of them have little time for games. I have made some new discoveries. Some of them I enjoy reading simply because they are about living and working in the country. Those folks may not have much time for games either. We will see. I thought of tagging Heather, but you can read her 8 random things here.


Northern Farmer @ Healing Waters Flow
Jel @ My Place
ND Homekeeper @ ND Homekeeper
Jenn @ Reflecting Him ---- rec'd updated info, see this.
Karla @ Looking Towards Heaven
Melanie @ This Aint New York
Peanut @ Peanut's Place
Stephanie @ Olive Tree

Don't forget to catch me over @ Beneath the Ivy Wreath where I post Worship Wednesday for my sister.