{"id":605,"date":"2012-01-18T19:00:24","date_gmt":"2012-01-19T00:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/smalltownamerica\/?p=605"},"modified":"2012-01-18T19:19:11","modified_gmt":"2012-01-19T00:19:11","slug":"making-choices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/smalltownamerica\/2012\/01\/making-choices.html","title":{"rendered":"Making Choices"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every day, sometimes every hour we have to make choices that concern our lives and well being.\u00a0 A few months ago I watched as a group of children tried to make wise choices regarding their candy selections.\u00a0 When I was a kid, we got a dime to go to the store for candy.\u00a0 With that dime you could get a big candy bar, some bubble gum, and a hand full of penny candies.\u00a0 These children were each given a dollar to spend.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>They looked through all the choices, handled the candies, changed their selections several times ,and sometimes even sampled the candy.\u00a0 They took more time with this decision than most politicians do when making decisions that effect our whole nation.<\/p>\n

We should give some consideration to the choices we make, especially ones that might change the coarse of our lives forever.\u00a0 Sometimes a simple decision can\u00a0 effect our whole life.\u00a0 What if a young man chooses to try drugs, just for the fun of it?\u00a0 Who knows where that decision might lead?<\/p>\n

What if a young girl thinks having a baby at 14 will solve all her problems?\u00a0 Will that choice direct her life?\u00a0 What if parents tell their children not to talk to strangers, but they do anyways; and they choose to talk to a sex offender?<\/p>\n

As adults, we still continue to make choices.\u00a0 What if you choose to stop going to church?\u00a0 After all, those Christians are all hypocrites and I have better things to do with my Sundays.\u00a0 Perhaps you choose to run a red light or try to beat a train….\u00a0 I know a Christian young man who decided to drive through a stop sign on a busy highway; just for the thrill of it.\u00a0 That choice cost him his life.<\/p>\n

Choosing between peanuts butter or chocolate chip cookies will not change your life.\u00a0 Choosing between Batman or Spiderman curtains for your room, will not change your life.\u00a0 Choosing between paying for your new jeans or stealing them, might.\u00a0 We need to think about the consequences of our choices BEFORE we make them.\u00a0 Once we take action\u00a0 on our\u00a0decision , it’s too late to change our minds.<\/p>\n

Jesus will always help us make the right choice if we ask Him.\u00a0 He knows the plans He has for you.( Jeremiah 29:11-13)\u00a0 Make godly choices; seek godly advice before making important choices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Every day, sometimes every hour we have to make choices that concern our lives and well being.\u00a0 A few months ago I watched as a group of children tried to make wise choices regarding their candy selections.\u00a0 When I was a kid, we got a dime to go to the store for candy.\u00a0 With that…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":420,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,14],"tags":[42,19],"class_list":["post-605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-encouragement","category-inspiration","tag-choices","tag-faith"],"yoast_head":"\nMaking Choices - Small Town America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/smalltownamerica\/2012\/01\/making-choices.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Making Choices - Small Town America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Every day, sometimes every hour we have to make choices that concern our lives and well being.\u00a0 A few months ago I watched as a group of children tried to make wise choices regarding their candy selections.\u00a0 When I was a kid, we got a dime to go to the store for candy.\u00a0 With that…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/smalltownamerica\/2012\/01\/making-choices.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Small Town America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-01-19T00:00:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2012-01-19T00:19:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/smalltownamerica\/files\/2011\/10\/IMG_0107-300x230.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"dhanny\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Making Choices - 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