Heart Hope by Olga

“Blessed Beyond Measure” is the phrase I have used to express the goodness that God had shown toward me. God has blessed me so abundantly in my life that I cannot adequately express with words how thankful I am. I have been so many places that most people only dream of going. I have met the most interesting people including the rich and famous to the lonely and ordinary. I have friends that accept me just as I am - warts and all. I live and work in a most beautiful place with wonderful people. I have a great family who loves me and is supportive of me. I have more possessions than I need. And most importantly I have been adopted into the family of the God of the Universe. That list of blessings seems like God has only given me goods things. But are blessings only the good things in our life? We are quick to say, “May God bless you” to our friends and family; politicians like to say, “May God bless America.” By saying that phrase we often really mean for God to give u

I’m weird; I’ll admit it. I’m one of the crazies that loves to go to the grocery store around holidays. I prefer to have most of my shopping done ahead of time, but will go in the day before a holiday just to see the people scurrying around, feel the excitement in the air and  pick up the last few items needed.  I was shopping on Saturday for Thanksgiving when halfway across the store, I heard a lady that I had met a couple of times ranting and raving about her experience to other shoppers. The parking lot had been too full. The aisles were too crowded. The experience was taking way too long.  I hadn’t planned on speaking to her, but our paths crossed, so I just started with a bit of small talk to be cordial. But again she began complaining and ended by saying, “I hate this grocery store.” Well, she was in the mood for the Thanksgiving holiday, wasn’t she? Not one pleasant word, only complaining. As I walked away, I knew one thing - I was thankful that I didn’t h

A pain in the neck...that's what I've had for the past couple of months. And I don't mean a person or a situation but a literal pain in my neck. I'm not exactly sure how I got it. It could have been when I fell off my bike in the summer or maybe the way I sleep or even too much time at the computer. Whatever it was it has caused me pain when I turn my neck a certain way. A friend recommended a chiropractor, but I was not really sure about it, so I waited for a few more weeks until I simply had to do something to relieve the pain. The dull nagging pain had to stop. After filling in the necessary paperwork, I was told by the receptionist to enjoy the treatment. She said, "You will love it." Then I was guided to a dimly lit room with spa like music being played. Only problem was that I don't particularly care for spa treatments. The doctor entered and began quizzing me about the pain, previous history, etc before deciding on a treatment plan f

After three days of discussing policies and procedures, quality guest service and a myriad of other Legendary Hospitality topics at a recent training it got me thinking. We talked about the difference between standards and brand standards. Every lodging property has a standard whether it's a Holiday Inn, a Marriott or a Ritz Carlton. Some are moderate while others are the height of luxury. It may involve everything from the type of toilet paper to the way a guest is greeted. Of course the finest properties have the most stringent guidelines. The world too has standards. We are not to kill another person. Everyone in our country has the right to pursue happiness. World peace is desired by all. However God's “brand standards” for His children can be quite different: In addition to simply not killing someone, we are called to love our neighbor as our self and not only that we are to love and pray for our enemies. Matthew 5:44 The temporary happiness th

The paper plated filled with beautiful, luscious fruit was strategically placed on a fence by the river along the bike path. As I walked past it I was tempted to grab a piece before my long walk home, but I refrained. As I walked, I wondered. Where had it come from? Why was it there? It looked lovely, but I was sure it had purpose. Was someone going to paint a still life of it? I didn't think so, because the tags were still on the fruit. Was it an experiment to see what reaction people would have when they saw it? Possibly, because I had seen a couple watching as I passed it by. Was it left as a gift for hungry people along the path? Perhaps, since it is a well traveled route.   I'll probably never know why the mystery fruit was there or who had put it there or the reason for it. As God's children we are called to place fruit along the road that we travel. We might leave some for a co-worker who is having a bad day by an encouraging word. We might