Articles by Teresa Bell Kindred at Heartlight

Sell Your Soul?

kindred@scrtc.com (Teresa Bell Kindred) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Recently, a woman from California listed an old baseball card for sale on eBay. The first bid was for $10. When she started getting lots of email requesting more information about the card, she suspected she'd stumbled on something more valuable and quickly ended the sale. Smart lady. What she had found was actually a card made in 1869. The card featured "The Red Stocking B.B. Club of Cincinnati." This club was baseball's first professional team. It's thought to be one of the first baseball cards ever produced, and its value could be more than $100,000.

While a baseball card isn't that unusual of an item to auction off, some of the items people have sold on eBay are pretty silly. Some man sold space on his forehead for advertising, which brought a little over $37,000. A woman sold her dead father's walking cane, his ghost included, for about $65,000. And then there was the famous grilled cheese sandwich that supposedly looked like the Virgin Mary that sold for almost $30,000.

The truth is, you can sell just about anything on eBay, but you can't sell your own soul -- at least not anymore. A while back, one man's soul was up for sale and a woman from Iowa had bid $400 before eBay realized what was going on and stopped the auction. While you can no longer sell your soul on eBay -- it's in violation of their policy and you can't sell body parts either -- you can use the Internet to sell your soul to someone willing to buy it. A 24 year old sold his for $3,800 to a New Zealand pizza place appropriately named after the place of torment.

What is a soul anyway? Our soul is our very life -- our heart, our thoughts, our being. Can you put a price on that?

Obviously some people have tried to sell their soul, and then there are those who sell their soul without realizing it. What do I mean by that? Any time we let our lives be dictated by things or other people, instead of following God's will, we are selling our souls. Some sell theirs for power, some for pleasure, and some for money and possessions.

Jesus warns, "What good will it be for you to gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul? Or what can you give in exchange for your soul?" (Matthew 16:26).

Dollars won't be anything but fuel for the furnaces of hell when we enter eternity. Gold will be nothing but pavement for the streets. All the things we think of as valuable today will be gone in the blink of an eye.

Sell things out of your attic or closet on eBay if you want, but give your heart and soul to Jesus.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him (John 3:17).

Teresa Bell Kindred is a lifelong Kentuckian, a former teacher, a wife, a mother, a freelance writer, and a frequent contributor to HEARTLIGHT. She is the author of the book The Knot at the End of Your Rope: 10 Ways to Hold On When You are Stressed Out. Learn more at her web site.

Website: TeresaKindred.com

Pink Slip

kindred@scrtc.com (Teresa Bell Kindred) — Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Check out our new women's blog, featuring Teresa Bell Kindred. You can find it online here: http://akindredheart.com

"Hey Mom," my daughter said when I answered the phone, "I've got some big news. I didn't get a pink slip!"

My daughter is a first year teacher and many of her friends and co-workers did get the dreaded pink slip. Some of them will be rehired before school starts back in the fall, but Kentucky's education budget is tighter than ever; and, as a former school board member, I am well aware that dollars only stretch so far.

I think my daughter was destined to be a teacher from the time she was just a little girl. While her friends were asking for baby dolls for Christmas she wanted marker boards to play "teacher." Maybe she was genetically programmed to teach. Her grandmother was a teacher and so am I, as well as many of her aunts and cousins.

Some people are born knowing what they want to do with their lives, while others have to search in order to find their calling. Some folks are born into Christian families and accept Christ easily. Others know that they need something to cling to, but they aren't sure where to look. Still others turn down roads that lead them to heartache and destruction.

No matter how we get to Christ, once we are there, we are all treated the same. Christ is an "equal opportunity employer: and He never gives pink slips (Hebrews 13:5-8; Romans 8:32-39). He wants all His children with Him forever.

Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are his dear children (Ephesians 5:1).

Website: TeresaKindred.com

Treadmill of Life

kindred@scrtc.com (Teresa Bell Kindred) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600

One of my New Year's resolutions is the same one I make every year: take better care of myself. In an effort to firm up the body parts that tend to be losing their elasticity, I joined a gym for women last January. At first I was attending regularly, at least three times a week, but then something happened and I missed one week, then two, then three. Well, you know how it goes

I talked to a friend of mine and mentioned my membership at the gym. She asked which gym and when I told her she replied, "I don't belong to that one, but I do belong to three others."

"Wow, I'm impressed," I said.

"Don't be. I don't go to any of them on a regular basis," she said.

"You're kidding."

"No, I'm not. I have really good intentions but those intentions don't get me very far," she said.

I did get back to the gym and went back to working out three times a week. Then I started having dental problems, lots of dental problems. What began as replacing a lost filling escalated to a root canal, and then several weeks later, an abscessed tooth. It took four hours and three people to remove that tooth. I took it home and slept with it under my pillow for a week, but the tooth fairy never came.

After that episode, I got back in the saddle again, or should I say back on the treadmill again, only to come down with a sinus infection. I recovered from that; then we decided to build a house, sold ours, and the packing up and moving process began.

During that chaos, I had a root canal followed by mysterious pain in my face and jaw for three weeks, and then another root canal. Because I couldn't identify exactly where the pain was coming from, we did the wrong tooth the first time. That's right -- two root canals in one month.

One of the walls at the gym is the Wall of Fame with pictures of members who have achieved their goals. I ran into the owner of the gym the other day and suggested she create a Wall of Shame next to it with my picture beneath it.

If my goal is to take better care of myself, shouldn't I include spiritual goals as well? Many of us want to get in better shape physically, but what about spiritually? Like my friend who joined three gyms, I'm afraid many of us have good intentions that don't carry us very far. We join a church and start out full of enthusiasm, only to find that the daily business of living distracts us from Bible study, attending services and prayer. Getting in shape physically takes time and effort and so does being a Christian.

So again this year, my New Year's resolution is to take better care of myself, physically and spiritually … and to take out more dental insurance!

Happy New Year, friends.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless (1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT).

Website: TeresaKindred.com

Compassion at Christmas

kindred@scrtc.com (Teresa Bell Kindred) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0600

Her name is Reina and she is 8 years old. She has long dark hair and big brown eyes. She lives in the mountainous region of Guatemala with her mother and grandmother. Her mother sells tortillas in an effort to support them.

I have never met Reina but we have corresponded with each other, with the help of a translator, since I became her sponsor four years ago through an organization called Compassion International.

In her letters, Reina tells me about her chickens and asks me to pray for her mother and her grandmother. She draws me pictures of her house and colors the sky blue with a yellow sun. I keep her letters and hand-drawn pictures in a special place and honor her request for prayer, and I always include Reina in those prayers as well.

If Reina beats the odds and finishes high school, she will probably not attend college. Only 2 percent of Guatemalans attend universities, and only half of those graduate. One of the highest paying jobs in her country is that of a factory worker, where she can earn about $126 per month.

I learned about Compassion International on Heartlight's Web site and decided to check it out. I saw Reina’s picture on the page of children waiting to be sponsored. I took one look at her little solemn face and fell in love. Within minutes, I was signed up as her sponsor.

For less than what it costs to fill up my gas tank, Reina receives medical care, food, encouragement, and support from a school sponsored by Compassion International.

The dictionary defines the word compassion as “a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.”

There are thousands of children waiting for someone like you to help alleviate their suffering. “Somewhere children dance to the joyous music of life and elsewhere they only cling to existence. They are all ours,” says Laurie Kohl. Why not make a child dance this holiday season through a sponsorship?

Merry Christmas from the Kindred house to yours!

Website: TeresaKindred.com

Growing the Roots!

kindred@scrtc.com (Teresa Bell Kindred) — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0500

When our twin boys were about 7 years old, they planted some seeds beneath our deck. The ground was softer there and it was easier to dig than the sun-drenched back yard. I can still see their young faces as they ran inside the house and told me about the tree they were going to grow. After milk and cookies, they ran back outside.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Back outside to see our tree!" they answered.

They really believed it could happen that fast.

Not long ago, I heard about some seeds that reminded me of Grant and Russell's tree. If you plant the seed of a Chinese bamboo tree and care for it diligently every day for four years, nothing will happen. That's right ... nothing. Not even a sprout. But at some point during the fifth year it will begin to grow, and in just a few weeks it will be more than 80 feet tall.

I'm not a gardener. While I enjoy other people's gardens, it's simply not one of my passions. But I am passionate about children, and as a parent, grandparent, former teacher, and current school board member, I see that there are a lot of parallels between planting seeds, parenting, and education.

As parents and teachers, we plant the seeds of character and knowledge. Some of us are like Russell and Grant -- we expect results within minutes, but each child has an individual timeline for growth. If we expect them all to grow and learn at the same rate, we will become discouraged. Sometimes we have to water and wait, and wait some more. Sometimes that waiting period is hard and we start to wonder if what we say or do really matters.

As for the Chinese bamboo tree, it didn't really grow 80 feet in just a few weeks. It grew for five years and a few weeks. What parents, educators and Christians need to remember is that just because we don't see immediate results, it doesn't mean the tree isn't growing.

Plant the seeds, grow the roots, and eventually there will be a tree. Never, ever, give up.

Consider him [Jesus] who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:3 TNIV).

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 15:5-6).

Website: TeresaKindred.com

The Last Goodbye

kindred@scrtc.com (Teresa Bell Kindred) — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Seventeen years ago this week my mother died. I dreamed about her last night and woke up with her on my mind. In my dreams she is healthy and happy, but she wasn't when we said our last goodbye. It was just a little over a year from the time we heard the fateful word "cancer," until she died the next July. Without a doubt 1989 was the toughest year of my life.

Last week, a good friend of mine learned that her mother has cancer and that it has spread to several different organs. "I'm just afraid it's too late," she said to me. Within seconds my mind traveled back in time, reliving that last year and wishing I knew how to help her.

Yesterday while walking at the park and praying for my friend, I thought of some things I wanted her to know. I think of them as lessons I learned about cancer. I shared them with my friend and I hope they helped her a little. I'm sharing them with you too, just in case there are others going through similar experiences that might benefit from someone who has been there.

There is always hope. My husband's brother was diagnosed with a particularly deadly type of lung cancer over two years ago. His prognosis was not good. It's been a tough two years but so far he has surprised all his doctors and defied the odds. As long as there is life, there is hope.

Cherish every moment of every day you have together. Our whole family went to Disney World the month before my mother died. How in the world mom was able to get out of her wheelchair and climb through the Swiss Family Robinson tree house I will never know; but she did, and those memories are dear to my heart.

Kids are wonderful distractions and reminders of happiness. Our oldest child was 8, our daughter was 5 and our youngest son was three when my mother became ill. Even on the darkest days you can find joy in the sound of a child's laughter.

Take care of yourself. In the middle of the most stressful time of my life, I found that exercise made a big difference in how I felt and coped with things. At first I started walking just to get out of the house and get some fresh air; but I soon realized that brisk walking helped me physically and mentally, even if it was just for fifteen minutes a day.

Remember to lean on others. My sister-in-law became my best friend during mom's last year. She stood by my side every step of the way. She loved my mother as much as I did and I couldn't have asked for a better friend. My brother and my husband were helpful too, but they both had to work. Not a day went by that Kelly didn't come to sit with mom so that I could be with my children. The Bible reminds us that "a real friend sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24). When a loved one is seriously ill, there are no greater comforts that God, prayer, and true friends.

Is there someone you know who is going through a year like the one I had in 1989? If so, be a friend to them. Encourage them in any way you can. Pray for them, as well as their loved one. Be a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

Website: TeresaKindred.com

Unplug!

kindred@scrtc.com (Teresa Bell Kindred) — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest" (Mark 6:31 TNIV).

I bought a postage stamp this morning. When I couldn't get it to stick to the envelope, I accused the lady of selling me a defective stamp. She took the stamp, wiped it off, peeled the adhesive paper, and stuck it on my letter. My face turned red. I had been licking a self-adhesive postage stamp!

I left the post office and went to the gas station. I got out of my van and scanned my card on the pump to get my three-cents-a-gallon discount. The scanner didn't read my card, so I tried again ... and again ... and again. I must have tried 10 times before I gave up and went for help. The man who works at the station left his cubicle and followed me to the pump. He took my card from me and looked at me with a puzzled expression on his face.

"This is from the exercise place up town. It won't pay for your fuel."

Feeling even more foolish, I went home to spend some quality time with my granddaughter. She wasn't in the best of moods, so to entertain her, I donned a headband with blue bunny ears that I had given her for Easter ... then I forgot to take it off. When the UPS man delivered a package, he looked at me like I had just stepped off a spaceship. Maybe I had!

I blame my antics on being distracted. Seems like I'm distracted a lot. Like most folks these days, I'm "plugged in" 24 hours a day. If one of my phones isn't ringing (I have three), then I have a permanent mental list of 20 things I need to do throughout the day. If I finish that list -- which I never do -- I have more items waiting to be tackled.

The only way I know to be less distracted is to unplug myself -- by turning off all the gadgets in my life and going somewhere where no one knows me and there aren't a million things I need to do. To put it simply ... I need a quiet place where I can be still and communicate with God.

Technology is great, but it's not necessary when it comes time to talk to God. We still talk to him through prayer any time. Truthfully, however, anything that rings, beeps, or vibrates to get my attention is distracting when I need to spend time with Him.

So unplug yourself and spend time in His presence. Be still and know that He is God! (Psalm 46:10)

Website: TeresaKindred.com