Being in the tent making business (which is a means of support for myself and the ministry team at Jesus Is The Key Church) through A Fresh Cut, Lawn Care, Inc., I recently had a situation of error in my billing that was for the month of August, but it went out dated for July.

I tried to explain to clients who called that I had updated the month change but neglected to press "save," and how I pushed "print" instead, and so all the invoices were sent out for the wrong month. I asked for forgiveness for any inconvenience to them and shared in brief what I'd like to share with you today.

As a result not saving the updated month change, it produced some confusion and a few problems and by that it caused me to take a look at "saving the changes" that we make.

I saw how it applies to many aspects of our lives. Saving, doing what we can to uphold, to maintain any improvements we make, is as important as making them, perhaps more so.

It takes extra effort to get things turned around, but after the labor of heart, will, mind, body, time and money. After whatever sacrifices we make for change to come, a successful ending only takes place when we "save the changes."

Eating better, exercise, taking time with special people in our lives no matter what comes to get in the way are all great things to do, but the greater good comes if those changes we choose to make are saved as part of our life's routine. In other words we need to save those changes.

Even the work we do as a service to others, as our lawn tenders do: the cleanups, new beds, shaping up plants and defining landscape, when the work is done, the results need to be saved weekly.

We can get a new look by highlighting our hair and changing from drab to bright colors looks great, but maintaining a bright outlook no matter what color our hair is or what we wear or what the sky looks like is a change we need to make and remember to save.

There's always room for improvement, but when they're worked into our lives, they need to stay and be what we do from then on.

Saving the changes we make in our lives toward others is our way of saying thanks to them for allowing us to be in their lives the way that we are, after all, they made room for us, they let us be to them what we were not.

Saving the changes we make on the job is saying thanks for allowing us to serve or be of service to our clients, our employer. We want them pleased with us so that they will "save the change" they made when they choose us out of a field of other options, right?

Being honest with ourselves, we can all see areas that we can change to better ourselves, and be of greater benefit to family, friends, church and our community, but let's not forget to save whatever good changes we make.

Whatever we propose to do as in applying a more positive and grateful attitude in our everyday dealings, as in putting on a happy face, as in showing kindness to others, as in getting what needs to be done each day done accomplished, as in being all you can be, as in believing our lives and the way we choose to live it, makes a difference, that mindset needs to be saved.

So, before pushing "print," or before we let go of what good changes we've made, let's not forget to "save the changes."

Pastor Janna Hogan leads Jesus is the Key Church & Ministries, 1701 South Babcock St., Melbourne. Call (321) 724-8434, e-mail pastorjanna@jitk.org or visit www.jitk.org.