The Ripple Effect

Know what that is?
When you drop a pebble into a puddle, it causes a chain reaction that sends ripples across the entire puddle. It effects everything.

Someone was asked to take out trash for an elderly person.
It’s just a once a week job. 
Take the dumpster to the road.
Doesn’t take more than 10 minutes.
But he forgot one week.
The elderly lady, who wanted her trash out, did it herself.
She fell.
Broke her hip.
Recovered at her daughter’s for a month.
Returned to her house.
Asked for trash take-out to be resumed.
A week later, because of a blood clot from her hip surgery, she died.
That’s the ripple effect.
From one person forgetting to take out the trash.
Someone died.

Think what you do doesn’t matter?
It’s just the trash.
It cost a life.

Think your little hidden sin won’t matter?
No one will know.
You justify it.
Excuse it.
Defend it.
But it effects everything you touch.
Soon, you don’t know truth.
You lie to yourself.
You feel alone—because you feel guilty around others.
You hang around the wrong crowd, because they accept you.
One, who hung around the wrong crowd, went to prison for life—he didn’t rob the bank—his “friends” did. 
But they nailed him.
That’s the ripple effect.

Ever have something bad happen to you?
Someone said something unkind.
Someone cut you off in your lane.
Someone was just rude.
It took less than 5 minutes.
But it tainted your entire day.
Those five ugly moments became your day,
You relived it over and over and over.
Stewed on it. 
Had to tell everyone.
Others shared in your pain.
And shared their own.
That’s the ripple effect.

We recently flew to CA.
We had prepaid online for a checked in bag.
Just had to get the luggage marker at the kiosk. 
It wouldn’t work.
The representative only spoke Spanish to Joey.
She needed to see his card.
I mentioned that we already paid (of course in English).
While at the gate, I made some comment that they better not have charged us again for that bag.
Joey checked.
Sure enough, they charged us twice.
The lady at the gate couldn’t change it.
I sat on the plane, thinking how hard it was to trust airlines.
They treat us like cattle, herding us to our seats—I feel like mooing as I take my seat.
Sit down and buckle up. And don’t ask for anything.
If I can’t trust the airlines with my baggage, why do I trust them with anything else?
Everything was black, no lights anywhere out my window.
Why should I trust the airlines to take me where I’m supposed to go? 
They tell us, “We’re going to Fresno,” but are we?
Maybe they were taking us to Mexico and dropping us off!
Soon the entire trip was consumed with that five minute mess up.
You see the ridiculous way the ripple effect can be misused?

Satan wins too many battles by throwing one single thought here and placing a doubt there.
We pick it up and carry it for the rest of the day.
Or the week.
Or the year.

That’s why Paul told us in Philippians 4:8, 
Whatever is true, whatever is honoroable, ..just,..pure, lovely, commendable,
if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 

Think on these things.

He also commanded us to rejoice always.
If we are thanking God always, we can’t be consumed with those darts.
Gratitude replaces discontent.
Those five minutes of nastiness, instead of consuming our entire day, are replaced by God’s faithfulness and our praise to His answers to those 5 minutes.

I’ve been trying to end my day with praise and thanksgiving.
Making a list and replaying in my mind all God’s blessings for the day.

Joey always tells me, “This was a good day.”
Just stating it, doesn’t make it so, but refocuses my thoughts on what was good about it makes it so.

Ever have someone genuinely smile at you and greet you?
Doesn't it lift your spirits?
Make you want to share that smile?

We were recently encouraged by hearing from someone who had lived with us for a month during his high school summer.
He thanked us many times for the influence we had in his life.
And how it has changed what he is doing now.
His life and the lives of his growing family have been changed because he was shown what a family should look like.
That’s the ripple effect for good.
That ripple effect touches others’ lives in ways we do not know.
Others watch.
And are changed.

That’s what happened with the early Church.
They caused a ripple that effected the entire world for Christ.
Others knew they were Christians by their love.

So go ahead and throw that pebble. 
Make that ripple.
And just see where it leads.

I write about what matters...to you---
women, wives and moms---
about your family, faith and future.
I write about what's hard, what helps and what heals.
I show you how it's done. And not done.
I hold your hand as you find what matters to the Savior.
And let go of those things that mattered to you, but not to Him.
I write about what matters...to Him.
               Sonya Contreras

Faith
Find more articles about faith here:
Dear Faithful and Loyal Readers
Life Falling Apart? Try Gratitude
A Few Words about Marriage
When Suffering Gets Personal
What an Amazing God We Serve
Response to Healthy Gaming
How Miserable Are You? Are You Happy?
The Need for Meaning Even in Pain
Reminders of What's Important
God's Unmeasurable Love
A Quarter of a Century Spent for Our Country
What Were You Thinking?
Who Are You Watching?
Boundaries for a Better Life
God's Boundaries
Memories of a Hero Mom
The Ripple Effect
How Do We Think Like Jesus
Litany of a Waiting Woman
Ever Cook a Frog?
New Year's Reminders
They Galled Her Gammy
When God Speaks
A Russian Christmas Story
Be Thankful
Be Grateful
Are You Tired of the Same, Old Thing?
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Laughter—Why Laugh?
Mom
Are You Disturbed?
Unity of the Brothers
Encouragements To Declutter
Do You Have Too Much Stuff?
Too Much Stress
Getting Past the Noise—The Value of Silence
Are You Scatterbrained?
How Good Are You?
Looking for Something Good To Read?
A Cup of Cold Water
I Will Trust When I Cannot See
Encouragement—What Is It?
Being in God's Presence
"Einstein and the Professor"
When God Is Silent
Do You Crave Beauty?
Using Stories to Discipline
The Danger of the Wrong Story
Using Stories to Teach Lessons
God is in charge of the future
November Dare Joy Challenge
Ungratefulness
Developing an Attitude of Gratitude
Looking for Jesus
What Do Your Prayers Reflect?
Life's Little Pleasures
Daniel—Greatly Loved by God
Take Every Thought
Jars of Clay
What Do Your Words Reveal about Your Heart?
How Do You Get Strong Faith?
Too Busy for God's Word?
How Do You Think Like Jesus?
Reflections from a Mom
Pain—What's It Good For?
Why Marry?
Consider the Robin
One Life Who Made a Difference
What Day Are You Living In?
Interrupted by God
Is Jesus Really the Answer to Everything?
Are You Beat Up?
What's Your Hurry?
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Are You Salty?
Are You Condemned?
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Do You Eat Your Stress?
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Immanuel—God with Us
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When God Says, "No!"
What Do You Do with Left-Overs?
How Great Is Your God?
Are You Needy?
How Do You See Sin?
What Do Your Words Mean?
Is Evil Overwhelming You?
Those Aha Moments
Is Your Soul Happy?
Are You Ignored?
Looking for the God Moment
Do You Know Truth from Almost Truth?
I Believe in Jesus—What Now?
Do You Have Your "Son"-Glasses On?
Less Is More
Singing His Praise
Are You Trying To Do It All?
What Do You Do with All These Prayer Requests?
Have a Problem?
Do You Know How to Pray?
Looking for God in Every Moment
Are You Receptive to God's Blessings?
Tell the Senate: Mothers Aren't Birthing People
Is Your Life Complicated?
How Do We Fight Evil?
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Giving Up or Taking Away
the Bible is simple
Are You a Dripping Faucet?
What's Your Testimony?
The Final Move
Be Careful What You Wish For!
Are Your Prayers Answered?
I Choose Joy
What Have You Learned from Your Hardship?
Who Are You Trying to Change?
What's Your Five-Year Plan?
The Danger of "Aloneness"
My Colors
Are You a Whiner?
Are Your Works Approved?
Do You Think You're Stressed?
Is Your Soul Feeling Ragged?
God Speaks to the Heart of the King
What about the Details?
Have You Felt the Long-Suffering of God?
How Does God Lead You?
Do You Have Enough?
Don't Carry More than You Need
Cast the Seed
God Is Faithful
Are You Deceived?
Are You Essential?
Are You Safe?
Are You Tired of the Same Old Thing?
Does the World Make Sense?
Have You Seen God's Majesty?
Do You Feel Judged?
If You Only Had One More Day To Live
Are You Understood?
Do You Long for the Word of God?
Slow Down and Smell the Dead Leaves
Are You Hospitable?
Our Heritage Is Bought by Blood
Are You Disturbed?
Are You Depressed?
I Did It My Way
Finding the Simple Life with Meaning
The Simple Life
Do You Have the Right Words?
Did Your Dream Die?
On the Other Side of the Fence
Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence
Confessions of a Desperate Mom
Saving for Tomorrow
A Wedding Remembered
Who Will Stand in the Gap?
Are You a Protector or a Ruler?
Who Are You?
Are You an Image Bearer or a Wad of Cells?
Are You a Watchman?
Where Do You Find Meaning?
The Lamb of God as Told by a Scribe
What Love Is This?
Remember: The Symbols of Passover Explained
Tea and Rest
Do You Have Peace?
What Makes a Marriage Work?
When Life Is Awful
Are You Strong Enough?
Rules
Seasons
Be Faithful through Suffering
Do You Know the Word?
Wake Up! Strengthen What Remains
Are You Spit in God's Mouth?
Is Jezebel in Your Midst?
Do You Stand Against Satan Himself?
Are You Tired of Being a Mom?
What in the World Is Happening?
It's Not My Story
How Would Your Faith Compare?
Are You Sinking?
Are You a Rule Follower?
Useful for Him
An Intimate Moment with Mary
The Worldview that Makes the
   Underclass
Thoughts to Ponder
What Does It Take To Know the
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See the Story in the Stars
Do the Scriptures Burn You?
Being in His Presence
Contentment: It's Not for the Timid
How Secure Are You?
How Do You Respond To Stupid People?
The Earthworm Is My Hero
Heart Issues or Issues of the Heart
Things Aren't Always What They Seem
More faith articles are found here:

under the Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Or here:

under the Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Articles on Suffering can be found  here, 

under Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Special Days
Remember: The Symbols of 
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Aug 12, 2017 The Heavens Declare the Glory of God
July 4th, Freedom
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Valentine's Day: A Day of Love?
Memorial Day-A Day To Remember
Veterans' Day-To Honor Our Men
Fall Colors
First Thanksgiving Day
    Proclamation
Christmas: Stories behind the Songs
Christmas: Stories behind the Songs, part 2