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Count our blessings, not our likes…
Numbers are everywhere. We count on how much money is in our budget, we count the days we have lived, and we even to count expecting a special occasion or time to come. When we use numbers to count things its almost like labeling a value to what is to come or what has happened. Think about it… what occasion have you used a number to label something? I bet you can think of a ton (see a number is used) of examples. I have come to a spot in my life where there is a distinct difference to numbers that matter and numbers that do not matter. Numbers that is the place of friends and moments shared. On social media there are so many numbers labeling the amount of friends and moments you have. In fact I have heard some share the number of friends they have that follow them or that have reacted to their posts. Take a minute and relate to those that use these numbers to bring them an extra step or confidence that they are important. It is time to relax on the numbers and really rely on the person you are. You are never alone, just look around you. I am in total awe of the world that God has created. No need to count what I have or what I wish for or what I have to show to others. Meaningful moments come from counting only the blessings around you and realizing that you only need your heart, your soul and your brain that God created as you. Everything changes when you begin to love yourself. You no longer send out energy of desperation or need to be filled from the outside. You become a powerful source within yourself that attracts better. The more you love who you are, the less you seek validation and approval from others around you. The only approval you should seek should come from your biggest fan… God himself. Just look up, your blessings are counted all around you. July 2019 |
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HOME is where the HEART is..
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You are alone, BUT not ALONE...
Solitude…alone…Abandonment…these words scare me.. constantly I need to pray and talk to God to know that He is with me. That I’m not alone.. I’m not in solitude.. I’m not abandoned. God is always with me. The only way to feel that strong connection is to communicate to Him every day.. to get validation just to BE.
My struggle is with the fact that I can’t physically feel, or physically touch God. I am so hardwired to need that human connection that, I’m needing to constantly remind myself He is with me. He believes in me. He created me as I am. As I work on catching and not releasing my faith that He is always with me.. I have talks with Him, I feel Him in His guidance, I see Him in the opportunities and challenges He provides me. I accept that.. There is still as strong physical need, though and I believe He wants us to have both; a physical vessel and faith of His greatness. Point is He has given humans beings this life to feel and to be touched, to love and to be loved, to care and to be cared for. I’m sharing this thought because it’s not validation that drives me to physically want things, it’s a need to feel both ways…to just BE still and know I have Him in my life and a physical vessel in my life to feel, to love and to care. Summer 2019 |
A-OK
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Mind over Matter - It is a thing..
A very close friend of mine shared his insight of the make up of church and how it seems to have those that do things to receive praise from other vessels walking on this earth and those that just do things for the good to seek from God. My pastor stated, “That when you live ministry, you leave ministry.”
My take away from that statement is clearly connected to my dear friend’s thoughts. That is: when you are focused on being a part of Jesus, you are able to be His disciple. When you make your personal journey to praise the Lord a job or live by His wishes just to hear praise from others, you are creating a chore. Not a natural sense of what He has in store for you.
Let yourself be a deacon of the Lord by living out His truth and word. Live your life so others meet Jesus. “So whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
Personally, I need this reminder each day, often each hour and sometimes each minute. I often find myself doubting things like: this will never work… or they won’t want to hang with me… or even they don’t care for my thoughts. Sometimes I even feel such self-pity that I forget the truth.
Truth is, our vision of our self worth needs to be on the Father and not on others -- not on vessels walking this Earth. I have come to find that I when I connect my day with Him, when I am able to share His word or just faith with others, I am filled with joy.
The Spirit of Joy is truly the most amazing gift that God has given each of us. We just have to feel it. Happiness is only for a moment – Joy is for a lifetime. When you have true joy you are able to be content with your mind. You will have mind over matter with joy.
Mind over matter is a phrase that refers to one’s ability to use will power over physical limitations. The mind, in of itself is capable of accomplishing infinite limitations brought on by YOU. It is important for us to believe that we are nothing less than powerful in our determination to do well. God has given each of us the power to have mind over matter. We just need to love Him and obey Him. Simple command.
“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another counselor to be with you forever -- The Sprit of Truth. He lives with you and will be in you forever.” John 14:16–19.
So I end with this, make a reminder to yourself to always remember that God is always with you. Joy will be with you as you follow his joy and connect to his purpose he has for you. May your mind always be over matter with Him.
January 2020
A Mother's Love never ends
A letter to my children .. May 2020
To my children – Jonathan and Libby,
I write this letter to you on a day that the nation celebrates all mothers. Mothers of all kinds, single mothers, fur moms, stepmothers, mothers that replace moms, dads that take on the mother role, the list is endless. I share these examples to show it does not matter the definition of a mom, but the way a person raises or helps raise a child in this world.
I know your definition of a mom may be quite different than what my definition is...all I say is I've always loved you and I always will.
I know that this day should not be only celebrated for one day in a year, but each day present on this earth. I celebrate you both each day. Today my wish is that I and you both stop letting yesterday steal the present day. “I am who I am.” Exodus 3:14. Be who God created you to be accepting your journey and all that has to come with it.
For me I know that .... Without you, I will not be the person I am today. Thank you for all the memories you have given me. I truly believe that God has handpicked you to be my children. Further for us to be an us.. "A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12. Meaning together we can continue a life of strength and wealth in all things, especially those things that we can ot see.
I pray that you will “not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:18 You both are amazing individuals that God created into beings.
My deep wish is that you both listen to my words…May today be the first day of the rest of your life by allowing the present to be a gift each day and by continuing to live a life that makes me proud of the being you are. I love you.
- Love Mom
Actions speak louder than words or do they?
My mom would often say, “Actions speak louder than words.” The definition of this saying is that actions are more revealing of one’s true character since it is easy to say things or make promises, but it takes effort to do things and follow through.
When I was younger I wondered what that looked like., or how will I be able to justify that idiom. As I grew older I saw what she meant. I would hear promises and hold that person accountable to what the promise was. The only thing was, I would put so much hope or faith into that promise that I was willing to accept even if the promise was not fulfilled. I would take what they said and live with the hope that it would eventually be complete.
Many times that acceptance would bring me frustration or devastation because the promise was broken. The only reason I can think of doing this is that I seem to measure my happiness, my contentment into someone else or something else. Over time, this would grow to be devastating. The words said would give me sense of false hope, tempting me to measure my value by how the promise would connect me to what I thought was my happiness. I started making excuses as to why that person was not completing the promise or I hung onto the promise as sense of connection to the person saying it.
Today, I am trying to quiet the voices of hope and faith in the actions of others. I know that people show their love in many ways. Maybe in actions like, letters written, gardens created, tea made and brought to you in the morning, just doing things you like without asking. Although these are amazingly nice things to do, they need words too.
See, I had faith in that saying, so much so that I was held captive in my mind and heart thinking that a person who shows his love through actions and it will give me enough faith in that person that all will be complete. This faith also grew hope that one day that person providing such actions would be with me always. I relied on the actions of this person to provide happiness, for my hope, and for my being.
Relying on a being on this earth to be your only reason for happiness causes devastation, degrading thoughts, accusations of failure and a sense that I was not enough. So going through recent trials, I have switched my perspective how actions speak louder than words. I believe that actions and words should be balanced. When you see someone or feel that someone is doing things for you because they care about you, they need to express it too. In order for the relationship to grow in faith and hope each being in the relationship must do and say truth.
God’s word is put into action throughout scripture. His story shows how the words He spoke are put into action for all to grow their faith in Him and others. So, “in the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead.” James 2:!7.
May the balance of actions and words continue to grow for “anyone that listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it, they will be blessed in what they do.” James 1: 23-25. May we all find balance in actions and words.
July 2020
