12 Steps to A Prosperous New Year

I found this on Beingfrugal.net and wanted to share the great tips :)

As the year draws to a close, it’s natural to start looking ahead and planning for the new year. Some people make resolutions; others set goals. Regardless of your preference, making a plan for next year can help you achieve your financial goals. Here are a few rules to get you started.

1. Face the Facts

If you have no idea where you stand financially, now is the time to face the facts. Write down all your debt. Add it up. It might be scary, but as Dr. Phil says, “You can’t change what you won’t acknowledge.” Look at your debt vs. your income. You owe yourself some honesty. And once you know the facts, you can make a plan to change your situation.

2. Spend Less Than You Earn

Make a commitment right now to spend less than you earn. That is the only way to get yourself on sure financial footing. If you have a problem running up a balance on credit cards when you run out of money, stop using the cards. Cut them up or freeze them. Just make a commitment to spend less than you earn.

3. Pay Yourself First…or Second

With every paycheck you receive next year, take a little bit off the top for savings. If you’re a Christian and believe in tithing, as I do, pay yourself right after you tithe. But pay yourself before you pay your bills. It’s only through building a comfortable savings account that you can step away from living paycheck to paycheck.

4. Prioritize

Remember that you can have anything you want, but you can’t have everything you want. With savings and persistence, almost any goal is achievable. But if you’re trying to buy a house, take a trip to Italy, be a stay at home mom, and drive a BMW, things might not work out too well. Decide what is most important to you in life, and work on that.

5. Make a Spending Plan

You can’t make any changes without knowing what changes need to be made. If you don’t know where your money is going, you can’t make the changes necessary to improve your financial situation. A budget isn’t restricting. It’s just a plan for your money. If it’s not working for you, change it. But have a plan.

6. Educate Yourself

Wherever you are in your financial situation, learn about the next step. Do you have a great emergency fund, and find yourself ready to begin investing, but don’t know where to begin? Check out books from the library. Read blogs. Meet with a financial professional.

Do you need to cut back your budget? Do the same. We live in a day and age where information is easily available. Use it.

7. Stop Trying to Keep Up With the Jonses

Don’t you know that the Joneses are in debt and living on the edge? Learn to be content where you are. You can strive for more, but don’t live the lifestyle until you have the money to pay cash. You’ll sleep a lot better at night.

8. Give

Giving has a strange and wonderful effect on people. It takes our eyes off our own needs and places them squarely on the needs of others. When we realize that other people are struggling, too, our own situation seems less dire.

If you can’t give financially, volunteer your time. Read to kids in schools. Work in a soup kitchen. Visit the elderly in a retirement home. The possibilities are endless, and everyone has something to give.

9. Reduce Your Waste

Become a conscious consumer. Make sure that you really need the things you buy. Make sure you will use the things you buy. Recycle what you can. By becoming aware of how much you are wasting and trying to reduce it, you naturally start to spend less and use less. It’s better for the environment and your pocketbook.

10. Spend Time With Your Family

If you’re a parent, make sure you take time to spend with your children. Go to the park. Play a board game. Spend time doing free things together. Teach your children that they don’t need to buy everything on their wish list to be fulfilled. Remember that on your deathbed, all the stuff in the world won’t matter, compared to the relationships you had…or didn’t have…with those you love.

11. Give Yourself Permission to Fail

Nobody is perfect. So many resolutions fail each year, because people start out determined to follow their plan…and then they blow it. Go into the year knowing you will blow it in one fashion or another. Expect it. Deal with it. Pick yourself up and move on. Improving your financial situation is not about being perfect. It’s about continually moving in the right direction and learning from your mistakes along the way.

12. Find a Good Support System

If you’re trying not to spend money, don’t hang out every weekend with people who are spending like there’s no tomorrow. Find people who share your values and support each other. If you can’t find anyone in your life, look online. There are blogs like this one where frugal-minded people are constantly sharing ideas. Jump in and participate! There’s always room for more.

Whatever your goals are for next year, make a good plan. As Paidtwice said on the first day of this series, “failure to plan is planning to fail.” You can have a prosperous new year, but it’s not going to just fall into your lap. Figure out what you need to do. Then do it.

Christmas is in the Air

Happy December everyone! Its hard to believe that 2008 is coming to a close. I guess its true what they say about the older you get, the faster time passes.

We're enjoying everything that Christmas brings at our house. Our 7 year old just loves to watch the Holiday specials and we were happy to see the Polar Express a few times since we first saw it in the theatre back in 2004, when he was only 3 years old.. Wow!

I remember when my 19 year old son, Jeremy first read the book when he was in elementary school and it now has passed the tradition down to his younger brother.

I love to watch my son's child-like faith that believes in Santa. In fact, even at my age, I still do believe in Santa-- He lives on in every one of us who chooses to believe in the Spirit of giving! My husband laughs as I want to bless everyone at Christmas time and I always tell him "It is better to give than receive" as I think of someone else that I hadnt added to my Christmas list. Thankfully, making treats from our kitchen seems to fit our budget. After all, who doesnt like homemade sweets and treats?? LOL :)

Speaking of giving...Here is a little Holiday treat from our house to yours....

Merry Christmas everyone... and remember... they say that Seeing is Believing, but I do believe that "Believing IS Seeing".... its a little thing called Faith! :)

Enjoy!

November Reflections

I can't believe that its November already! Where did the year go? Before we know it, there will be turkey & trimmings on our tables (say that five times fast.. LOL) and then indulging in the Holiday shopping season.

We just started a new tradition in our household. I really needed something to lift my spirits after our home being on the real estate market for 3 months and two offers that fell through. We decided to take a temporary withdrawal off the market for the Holiday season... who needs the extra stress right??? The Holidays seem to always bring stress of their own. I felt in my spirit that I needed to reconnect to the things that really matter... cause the last few months have been stressful, to say the least.

So--- For every day in Nov, my 7 year old son Noah and I think of 3 things to be thankful for that day. Ive heard this idea from somewhere and by the end of the month it really is supposed to change your perspective on things. Try it for yourself and see what happens! :)

November brings the chance to share one of my favorite songs by Josh Groban that I discovered last year. The words speak for themselves, but there is so much to be thankful for! Truly! :)

Just Promoting my friends website :)

Some long time friends of mine just started an online business & thought I would help them out my blogging their website. You can go to the link of their actual webpage at www.creditonline321.net. :)

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The Attorney that Never Lost a Case

After living what I felt was a 'decent' life, my time on earth came to the end.

The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what I thought to be a court house.The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table.

As I looked around I saw the 'prosecutor.'He was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me. He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen. I sat down and looked to my left and there sat My Attorney, a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed so familiar to me, I felt I knew Him.

The corner door flew open and there appeared the Judge in fullflowing robes. He commanded an awesome presence as He moved across the room I couldn't take my eyes off of Him. As He took His seat behind the bench, He said, 'Let us begin.'

The prosecutor rose and said, 'My name is Satan and I am here to show you why this woman belongs in hell.' He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and in the past when I cheated others Satan told of other horrible Perversions that were once in my life and the more he spoke, the further down in my seat I sank. I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at anyone, even my own Attorney, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about.

As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at My Attorney who sat there silently not offering any form of defense at all. I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life - couldn't that at least equal out part of the harm I'd done? Satan finished with a fury and said, 'This woman belongs in hell,she is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a person who can prove otherwise.'

When it was His turn, My Attorney first asked if He might approach the bench.

The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan,and beckoned Him to come forward. As He got up and started walking, I was able to see Him inHis full splendor and majesty. I realized why He seemed so familiar; this was Jesus representing me, my Lord and my Savior.

He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge, 'Hi,Dad,' and then He turned to address the court. Satan was correct in saying that this woman had sinned, I won't deny any of these allegations. And, yes, the wage of sin is death, and this woman deserves to be punished. Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father withoutstretched arms and proclaimed, 'However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life and she has accepted Me as her Savior, so she is Mine.'

My Lord continued with, 'Her name is written in the Book of Life, and no one can snatch her from Me. Satan still does not understand yet. This woman is not to be given justice, but rather mercy.' As Jesus sat down, He quietly paused, looked at His Father and said, 'There is nothing else that needs to be done.''I've done it all. 'The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down.

The following words bellowed from His lips.. 'This woman is free.''The penalty for her has already been paid in full.''Case dismissed. 'As my Lord led me away, I could hear Satan ranting and raving, 'I won't give up, I will win the next one. 'I asked Jesus as He gave me my instructions where to go next, 'Have you ever lost a case?'

Christ lovingly smiled and said,'Everyone that has come to Me and asked Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you, ~Paid in full!

Awakening to Change

Awakening to Change
Being Aware is the First Step

Life is a journey comprised of many steps on our personal path that takes us down a winding road of constant evolution. And each day, we are provided with a myriad of opportunities that can allow us to transform into our next best selves. One moment we are presented with an opportunity to react differently when yet another someone in our life rubs us the wrong way; on another day we may find ourselves wanting to walk away from a particular circumstance but are not sure if we can.

Eventually, we may find ourselves stuck in a rut that we can never seem to get out of. We may even make the same choices over and over again because we don’t know how to choose otherwise. Rather than moving us forward, our personal paths may take us in a seemingly never-ending circle where our actions and choices lead us nowhere but to where we’ve already been. It is during these moments that awareness can be the first step to change.

Awareness is when we are able to realize what we are doing. We observe ourselves, noticing our reactions, actions, and choices as if we were a detached viewer. Awareness is the first step to change because we can’t make a change unless we are aware that one needs to be made in the first place. We can then begin understanding why we are doing what we are doing.

Afterward, it becomes difficult not to change because we are no longer asleep to the truth behind our behaviors. We also begin to realize that, just as much as we are the root source behind the causes for our behaviors, we are also the originator for any changes that we want to happen. There is a freedom that comes with awareness.

Rather than thinking that we are stuck in a repetitive cycle where there is no escape, we begin to see that we very much play a hand in creating our lives. Whether we are aware of them or not, our behaviors and choices are always ours to make. Our past and our present no longer have to dictate our future when we choose to be aware.

We are then free to move beyond our old limits, make new choices, and take new actions. With awareness, our paths can’t help but wind us forward in our lives while paving the way for new experiences and new ways of being. It is through awareness that we can continue to consciously evolve.

Man Charged with Threatening Autistic Boy

News like this angers me to no end. Im sure this man would feel different if he was in the other parents shoes! Sheesh!

Man charged with threatening autistic boy

YouNewsTV™

By KOMO Staff
Watch the story

SEATTLE -- A Seattle man accused of threatening his neighbor's autistic son pleaded not guilty Thursday in King County Superior Court to two counts of malicious harrassment, the state's hate crime statute. Mark J. Levison, 48, was arrested October 2 for allegedly yelling profanities at Chris Engen and saying that he "did not want to see that idiot staring at my house." Engen told investigators that the comments were in reference to his 13-year-old son, who suffers from severe autism. According to court documents, Levison did not answer his door when officers arrived, and stared blankly "in a drunken stupor" before he was arrested.

Levison allegedly told police that he wanted the boy's parents "to keep that (expletive) idiot out of sight." At the time of the October 2 incident, Levison was already under a court order to stay away from the Engen family because of previous threats.

On July 8, Levison allegedly threatened to burn down the Engen's house if they didn't keep their son in the backyard where he would not have to look at him. Engen said the incident began when Levison began yelling and walked across the street. "That's when he became threatening, and that's when he threatened to burn down his bedroom ... my son's bedroom, if he didn't go inside," Engen said.

The boy's mother called police. When officers arrested Levison for the threat they say he smelled of booze.The police report says he kept ranting about the boy."I pay $1,000 a month rent and shouldn't have to see that idiot spinning around and staring at my house," Levison said, according to the July police report.Levison is being held in the King County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail.

A Certain Faith in Troubled Times

A good word in troubled times! :)

A Certain Faith in Uncertain Times
Dr. David C. Cooper

Where do we turn in uncertain times? In times like these Psalm 121 brings a message of assurance: "I will lift my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." The psalmist looked to a higher source of strength beyond what he could find on a human plane.

The ascent psalms of 120-134 (15 total) were written over a diverse period of time, some by David. They were arranged in their order after the Babylonian exile. They were sung during the festivals of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. The ascent described the upward journey out of Babylon back to Jerusalem.

The city of Jerusalem and its temple are always described in Scripture as being "up." We always go up to the house of the Lord. In the Mishnah, the rabbis say that the 15 psalms correlate with the fifteen steps that lead up to the temple although there is no Scriptural support of this position.

Life with God is always an ascent, never a descent. Yet, the fact that it is an ascent reminds us that the walk of faith is indeed a journey not a destination, a direction not merely a decision. The purpose of the arrangement for these 15 psalms is not certain. However, they do begin with the pilgrim in exile and surrounded by pagans (120:5-6) in the land of Meshech, located in central Asia Minor and Kedar, in Arabia. His pilgrimage takes him to the house of the Lord (122:1) and finally, into the presence of the Lord himself where he declares, "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord" (134:2).

I will lift up my eyes to the hills and to the Lord. The "hills" are Mount Zion on which is at Jerusalem, the Temple and its surrounding mountains. The hills in its plural usage refer to the majesty of God revealed in Jerusalem (see Ps 48:1-2; 125:2). The Lord watches over Israel. The phrase "watches over" appears five times in this psalm. God is the guardian of His people. God is also "the Maker of heaven and earth." Not only is He the Creator, He is the only true God in contrast to the pagan deities of the ancient world (Deut 6:4; Ps 124:8; 134:3).

This psalm calls to a life of complete trust. The affirmation of faith, "I will lift up my eyes." Faith looks up, beyond the limitations of the self and human resources, and trusts the heavenly Father who alone does all things well. Instead of looking out at our circumstances in fear, let us look up in faith!

Emptiness Becomes Openness

I can really relate to this since my 18 year old son moved out & on his own

Even though he moved out in April; It didnt really hit me until school started in Sept. I have to admit that I am really feeling the void of not having him around everyday, even though we have our 7 year old living at home. It really feels like the end of an era! *sniff*

I am ready for new beginnings, new opportunities and experiences ... we have been trying to sell our home (its been on the market since this Summer) & relocate to another state.

I guess the New beginning that I am yearning for will have to wait until Spring '09, as we plan to take a Holiday break and take our home off the market and re-list it in the Spring. Who needs the stress over the Holiday anyway? LOL.

I guess I will just have to keep trusting the Lord until then. Who knows what is just around the corner, but I know the Lord always has our best interests at heart!


Emptiness Becomes Openness
Sometimes a Loss Can Be a Gain

When we lose anything that we cherish, the sense of emptiness we are left behind with can be overwhelming. A space that was filled, whether in our lives or our hearts, is now a void, and the feelings of pain, loss, and separation can sometimes be difficult to bear. While it is always important to honor what we’ve lost, sometimes a loss can also represent a chance for a new beginning.

When we are ready, the void left by a relationship, a job, or a dream can then be viewed as open space that can be filled with something new: new experiences, new knowledge, new job opportunities, new dreams, new people, and new ways to grow. There are many ways to weave the threads of loss into a blessing.

If you’ve lost a job or ended a relationship, your first thoughts may revolve around filling the void with a similar job or the same kind of relationship. Try not to rush into anything just to fill up the emptiness. The loss of a job can free you up to explore new opportunities, especially if you’ve outgrown the old one. Likewise, the loss of a relationship can give you a chance to rediscover your own interests, explore new passions, and meet different people.

If seeking the good in what seems like a bad situation makes you feel uncomfortable, then try to remember that you are not devaluing what you’ve lost or replacing it cold-heartedly. You are surrendering to the fact that, in life, we sometimes have to let go and allow for what is new to enter into the open spaces created by our losses. In doing so, you are honoring what has left you and welcoming the new into your life with open space, an open mind, and an open heart.

Birthday Gathering Videos

One my favorite features on my camera is the ability to finally be able to get audio with video! We had a family gathering last Sunday to celebrate my husband Joel's birthday (9/28) and just 4 days later, Noah and Joels Mom share the same birthday on Oct 2nd.

Here are a couple fun videos... As you can see; Noah really loves to sing the Birthday song!


And another cute one of Noah singing up on the stairs landing at Grandma and grandpas

In God We Trust-- My Pastors Perspective :)

In God We Trust
Pastor Wendell Smith

It is the slogan emblazoned on all our money. In these uncertain times of national financial crisis, it is exactly what we need. Wouldn't it be refreshing to see our political leaders call our nation to prayer and ask for God's help in this predicament? Wouldn't it be revolutionary to see congressmen join hands and pray together? Wouldn't it be great if America humbled herself, as in days of old, and sought divine assistance?

Yes, practical steps must be taken to save the financial system from collapse. Yes, some institutions need to be rescued lest we all go down with their sinking ships. Most definitely, those who have driven us into this mess with their corporate greed should be confronted and forced to pay back all that may be loaned to them.

However, there are some things we can all do to lighten the ship and rescue others from shipwreck in this horrendous storm. While putting our trust in God, we should take these steps of action:

Pray for those in authority that they will understand the times, know what to do, and humble themselves to work together to solve our national dilemma.

Humble ourselves and repent of any pride, greed or self-reliance

Scrutinize our own financial stewardship and make certain we are "diversifying"; we should be tithing to the church, giving to others in need, blessing the poor, laying up money in savings and wise investments for the future. These are God's means of diversifying for believers.

In the mean time, as we prayerfully wait out this storm, let's get back to simply trusting God and encouraging others to do the same.

God bless America (so we can continue blessing others)!
For the City,

Pastor Wendell

Late Night Kitchen Time w/ Josh Groban

His second video blog!


Late Night Kitchen Time from Josh Groban on Vimeo.

What is Unseen

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, For what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal".
II Cor. 4:18

I ran across this scripture today and it really spoke to my heart. Now that the Fall season is here, the holidays will be following just right around the corner. During the Holidays, we gather with family and friends, but we also begin to prepare our Christmas wish lists before hand.

I was just thinking about this the other day as I was browsing the Sunday sale ads for the stores. My husband casually showed me the stainless steel appliances that were advertised in a sales ad and my flesh literally was going through the "gotta have that" attitude.

Then my spirit overrided my flesh (or soul) and spoke to me saying "Does it really matter if your kitchen has stainless steel appliances or not ? What matters the most is to be content with what you have, Paula. What is seen is only temporary" Now, That really brought me back to reality and changed my perspective!

Sooo--- I am working on being more content in my environment and circumstances. Back in 2004, the Lord blessed us with a beautiful townhouse. Its a matter of working on getting my soul and spirit to work in unison is the key!

We put our townhouse on the market over the Summer, in hopes to relocate to Texas when it is sold. Originally, I am a Southern California native-- but I have lived here in Washington State for over 30 years (gasp!) LOL. My spirit (and body too) just yearns to return in a warmer climate, where there is a low cost of living, and our family can get spiritually fed in a new home church.

My husband and I also have the goal of becoming totally debt free and eventually owning a house with no mortgage. (Even though I won 250K towards our home, we had to take out a mortgage in 2004 just to pay the taxes.)

At this point there have been about a dozen showings, a couple Open Houses and we even an offer back in August that was shortlived, due the buyers had to retract due unforeseen financial issues.

Even though we still have faith that our house will sell eventually (even with a slow real estate market!!!! Cause I know that the Lord has the ability to override anything that is seen with our eyes & can do "exceeding and abundantly anything above than we can even ask or think"-Ephesians 3:20)

But for now....I have decided to be content with the Lord's plans for our lives. If we are meant to stay here in Washington for a little while longer, then I gladly give God that control-- cause what is unseen is eternal and I refuse to fight against the Lords will for my life. :)

What Your Brain Looks like on Faith

I found this rather interesting.... :)

Scan of a brain

What Your Brain looks like on Faith

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1694723,00.html?xid=feed-yahoo-full-nation-related
By David Van Biema


Sam Harris is best known for his barn-burning 2004 attack on religion, The End of Faith, which spent 33 weeks on the New York Times best-seller List. The book's sequel, Letter to a Christian Nation also came out in editions totalling hundreds of thousands. Last Monday, however, the combative Californian produced a shorter (seven pages) and seemingly calmer publication that will be a hit if it reaches 10,000 readers: "Functional Neuroimaging of Belief, Disbelief and Uncertainty." It appears in the respected journal Annals of Neurology. And Harris, 40, claims it has little if any connection to his two popular books. Believers, however, may draw their own conclusions — and may want to read his subsequent neurological studies even more carefully.

The current paper recovers Harris's identity as a doctoral candidate in neuroscience at UCLA, his occupation before he commenced what he calls his "extramural affair jumping into trenches in the culture wars." It is an addition to the growing field of brain scan trials, and Harris thinks it may be the first to detail how the brain processes belief. At first read, it seems less dangerous to Christianity than to another cherished pillar of Western thought — that "objective" beliefs like "2 + 2 = 4" and "subjective" beliefs like "torture is bad" belong to entirely separate categories of thought.

Harris and two co-authors ran 360 statements by 14 adult subjects whose brain activities were then scanned by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) devices. It suggests that within the brain pan, at least, the distinction between objective and subjective is not so clear-cut. Although more complex assertions may get analyzed in so-called "higher" areas of the brain, all seem to get their final stamp of "belief" or disbelief in "primitive" locales traditionally associated with emotions or taste and odor. Even "2 + 2 = 4," on some level, is a question of taste. Thus, the statement "that just doesn't smell right to me" may be more literal than we thought.

Harris tested how the brain responded to assertions in seven categories: mathematical, geographic, semantic, factual, autobiographical, ethical and religious. All seven provided some useful data, but only the ones relating to math and ethics produced results clear enough to give a vivid picture of the way the simple and the complex, the subjective and the objective intertwine. Regardless of their content, statements that the subjects believed lit up the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (VMPC), a location in the brain best known for processing reward, emotion and taste. Equally "primitive" areas associated with taste, pain perception and disgust determined disbelief. "False propositions may actually disgust us," Harris writes.
Is there a practical application here? He speculates that if belief brain scanning were sufficiently refined it could act as an accurate lie detector and help control for the placebo effect in drug design.

Harris says there is no critique of faith hidden somewhere in his brief paper. But his next neurological enterprise may be another matter. He is planning an fMRI run that will concentrate specifically on religious faith, which Harris thinks he now knows how to plumb more deeply. He also plans to set up two different subject groups — the faithful and non-believers. "That way," among other things, he says, "you can ask, 'Do believers believe that Jesus was born of a virgin the same way that nonbelievers believe that Chevrolet makes cars and trucks?'" It may turn out that the brain treats religious faith as its own special category of belief unlike ethics and math.

But that is not what Harris expects to find. He suspects the machines will show that "belief is belief is belief." And that conclusion, he admits, may put him at loggerheads with familiar foes. No one, he says, could accuse him or anyone else of trying to disprove God's existence on the basis of an fMRI. But faith is more vulnerable. "People who feel that religious faith is a singular operation of the brain — if they admit that it's an operation of the brain at all — would object to what I'm doing, since it may show that faith is essentially the same as other kinds of knowing or thinking. The whole thing will seem fishy to anyone who thinks we have immaterial souls running around in our bodies."

Which, of course, a lot of people do. And despite the fact that, as Harris puts it, his current literary mode "is not beach reading," they may find that they are keeping up with his academic writings more avidly — and nervously — than they do his bestsellers.

Fun test video of Noah

Just testing out the video capability..... :)

Josh Groban Sings @ the Emmy's!

What can I say???? He's the Man!

Recognizing Our Own Abundance

I loved this message, so I thought I would post it. I can personally testify from my own life that what we give to the world, always comes back to us... the ultimate law of attraction! I am just amazed on how that works and how much it parallels the principles of God.

Whenever I think of the word "abundance "; I always think of the Fall Season and the scripture that comes to mind is " as long as the Earth remains, there will be always be seedtime and harvest"... so whatever what we sow, positive or negative, will eventually come right back to us-- and sometimes not as we had expected nor had planned!

Recognizing Our Own Abundance

Planting The Seeds Of Generosity

The most difficult time to be generous is when we ourselves are feeling poor. While some of us have experienced actually being in the red financially, there are those of us who would feel broke even if we had a million dollars in the bank.

Either way, as the old adage goes, it is always in giving that we receive. Meaning that when we are living in a state of lack, the very gesture we may least want to give is the very act that could help us create the abundance that we seek. One way to practice generosity is to give energy where it is needed. Giving money to a cause or person in need is one way to give energy. Giving attention, love, or a smile to another person are other acts of giving that we can offer.

After all, there are people all over the world that are hungry for love. Sometimes when we practice generosity, we practice it conditionally. We might be expecting to “receive back” from the person to whom we gave. We might even become angry or resentful if that person doesn’t reciprocate. However, trust in the natural flow of energy, and you will find yourself practicing generosity with no strings attached. This is the purest form of giving. Remember that what you send out will always come back you.

Selflessly help a friend in need without expecting them to return the same favor in the same way, and know that you, too, will receive that support from the universe when you need it. Besides, while giving conditionally creates stress (because we are waiting with an invisible balance sheet to receive our due), giving unconditionally creates and generates abundance. We give freely, because we trust that there is always an unlimited supply.

Being aware of how much we are always supported by the universe is one of the keys to abundance and generosity. Consciously remember the times you’ve received support from expected and unexpected sources.

Remember anyone who has helped you when you’ve needed it most, and bless all situations that come into your life for the lessons and gifts they bring you. Remember that all things given and received emanate from generosity. Giving is an act of gratitude. Plant the seeds of generosity through your acts of giving, and you will grow the fruits of abundance for yourself and those around you.

God's Secrets

I thought this was an awesome blog post and wanted to add it to mine. It makes perfect sense to me as sometimes the Lord speaks to me through certain dreams at night using symbols that I wouldnt otherwise be able to comphrend during the day. Just like the author of this blog, I am in awe of the Lords unlimited power. That unlimited power keeps me in a healthy balance just knowing that I can put my upmost trust in Him when I give the control over to Him.

Its amazing, cause I really didnt know the true meaning of "fearing the Lord" meant until I surrendered my life to Him & was in awe as I watched Him take control over my life and circumstances. Its definately something that I no longer take for granted, cause Ive personally seen what the Lord can do in the world and in the lives of others.

God’s secrets

http://livingmyfaith.blogspot.com/

We have a friend who is unable to keep a secret. A couple weeks ago she was included in a planned surprise anniversary party for her son. She said she kept her “lip zipped” and was so proud of herself. As her family looked back, they recalled how she dropped big hints on the way to the party with them. While they didn’t catch on, she just could not totally keep this great secret to herself.

God has secrets too. He has a secret covenant or agreement that He makes with certain people. Psalm 25:14 describes the people to whom He makes this mystery known, “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.”Most people would say that the fear of the Lord means an awe and reverence for Him. It does mean that, but in my research, this word can also mean terror, like the healthy terror

I should have if a hungry tiger walked into the room or a tornado was bearing down on my house .Fearing the Lord, in my opinion, means recognizing His unlimited power and what He could do in my life and in this world. It means knowing that He is not to be messed with, and even though He is a loving God who cares for me more than my awareness, like the children of Narnia, I know that “He is not a tame lion.”

The fear of the Lord is important for me. If I focused only on His unconditional love, I might take that for granted and do stupid things. This holy fear keeps my choices in balance. If I focused only on His grace and forgiveness, I might sin without a thought, but fear makes me realize that God can inflict chastening and even bring great calamities to teach me that sin is my enemy; I must not fool around with it.

Even the consequences of deliberate sin show me that I need to fear the Lord. While He forgives me, He may not withhold the fruit of foolishness just because He loves me.This verse from the Psalm 25 brings out another great reason to fear the Lord. He reveals His secrets to those who do.

Because I fear Him, He shows me things that I would not otherwise know, things about Him and the spiritual realm, things about myself and others, and the trusts about the covenant or solemn agreement that He has made with me.C. S. Lewis did a great job in depicting the Lord with the lion, Aslan in his Chronicles of Narnia series. Sometimes I imagine myself with those children curled up in the fur of Aslan, knowing that He could devour me in just one bite, yet knowing that I am safe with him.I am safe with God too.

Because Jesus died for me, I am protected from God’s fury and wrath, and can instead consider this sin-hating God my refuge and hiding place. He still hates sin, but He let me in on His secret—the closer I get to Him, the less apt I am to experience His wrath and the more I know about His grace.

In Remembrance of 9-11: We will Never Forget!

It's hard to believe its been 7 years since that fateful day, yet I can still it recall it like it was yesterday. I was 9 months pregnant, with my son, Noah at the time. I remember how my 2 eldest boys, Josh and Jeremy were getting ready for school that morning & called me into the living room that morning and said "Mom, you've got to see whats happening on tv!"

I thought I was watching some sort of movie and couldnt believe what I was seeing on the tv screen and watched in horror. My heart sank to the floor & I found myself in tears. I remember thinking, Please God, dont let me go into Labor today as I touched my pregnant belly--as I was only 2 weeks away from my due date. I prayed for the safety of my family that day and those who had lost their lives that day.

Most of all, I prayed for America & how the terrorists could try to steal from us, but they could never steal our freedom. We are Americans and we will stand strong... together!!

I think 9-11 was a wake up call for all of us-- A warning that evil does exist in the world & its up to us to be the change!

Sarah Palin/Tina Fey... Striking Resemblance!

Govenor Sarah Palin

Actress Tina Fey

Change the hair a little and its pretty darn close!

I'll bet Saturday Night Live is going to have a blast with this one!

Sarah Palin-- Advocate for Special Needs Children

Sarah Palin - advocate for Down syndrome, special needs

Every family or friend of a person with Down syndrome would love to see the footage of the love showered on baby Trig - Sarah Palin's fifth child, who has Down syndrome - by his siblings last night

I loved the close ups of the youngest daughter cradling Trig in her arms and smoothing his hair.
And my goodness, when Sarah took the baby and held him close to her, then turned him out so all America could see his beautiful face - well, it doesn't get much better than that.

Who would have thought that a baby with Down syndrome could be in such a position to witness to the world?

Palin on her son Trig and her promise to us:

"And in April, my husband, Todd, and I welcomed our littlest one into the world, a perfectly beautiful baby boy named Trig. From the inside, no family ever seems typical.

That's how it is with us.

Our family has the same ups and downs as any other -- the same challenges and the same joys.

Sometimes even the greatest joys bring challenge.

And children with special needs inspire a special love.

To the families of special-needs children all across this country, I have a message: For years, you sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters.

I pledge to you that if we are elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House".

Folks, this is going to spark a national conversation that is long overdue:

Sarah Palin, Down syndrome & the brave new world
By Valerie Karr
Thursday, September 4th 2008, 4:00 AM

Republican vice presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin has put children with disabilities in a national spotlight. Her recent decision to have a child with Down syndrome places her in a tiny minority of American women. A staggering statistic: 92% of unborn children diagnosed with Down syndrome are now aborted in the United States. I don't normally get overly exercised about the issue of abortion, but this number is striking - and a searing indictment of social values. Somehow, we are saying the lives of children with Down syndrome mean less than those of so-called normal children.

Read entire article here.

Noahs First day of 1rst Grade :)

I can't believe that it seemed like only yesterday when Noah had started preschool. He started preschool a month after we had moved into our new townhouse back in Sept of 2004. When we first moved in, his little head was inches below the mantle of our fireplace.

Our Possessions Don't Define Us.

I have been contiplating this a lot lately & happen to run across this article on the net. We will be in the process of moving once we sell our home. I thought this was a great perspective that basically that sends the message that our possessions dont really define who we really are. We are not the car we drive or the house we live in since everything belongs to God anyway.

Joel and I have aquired a lot of stuff in our 8 year marriage-- so I am letting this be a helpful guide as we plan what to keep and what to give away. One of my most prized possesions is a old & tattered, worn out Bible that belonged to my Grandfather that I inherited when my father went home to be with the Lord in 2002.

The pages are worn and yellow; but as I turn each page-- they remind me a lot of who I am. I know my heritage defines who I really am a whole lot more than what I could ever own while living here on Earth & that really means a lot to me. :)

On Faith
Ann Thomas Rinker

http://www.gazette.net/stories/092806/fredcol180153_31953.shtml

Can you imagine what it might be like if you were to lose everything you own in a fire or flood or in some other way?

What one thing would you miss the most? What items do you feel you couldn’t live without?

What are your greatest material possessions?

I was flipping the channels this morning and caught a story on one of the morning shows about family who had lost their home and all their earthly goods in a fire.

I am not certain how long ago this occurred, but I do know that the house was gone; all possessions, everything, lay in ashes.

The family had been on vacation at the time of the fire and came home to find a shell of a building where there home once stood.

The wife and mother of this family, Betsy Kramer, did not appear on television for our pity, but for us to learn something from her loss.

She told the interviewer that at first she felt as if she ‘‘wasn’t strong enough” to handle the situation. Then she noticed her daughter sleeping.

Looking up at what was the little girl’s room, she realized that ‘‘all was not lost because her child was spared; her family was safe.”

It took losing everything for her to realize just how unimportant these things actually were.

The family now lives in a newly constructed house and their possessions have been streamlined to include only what they truly need.

Today, the woman works as a professional organizer helping others get their lives in order, relieving them of the clutter which can control them.

She said she hopes her work enables her clients to embrace what is really important and to recognize what truly creates happiness in one’s life.

A bit later I flipped to another channel and soon became mesmerized by a story about a young man who was born with a disorder that left him without leg muscles.

Even after multiple surgeries his legs remain limp, much like soggy spaghetti noodles. At 15, he made what would be an important decision; he decided to teach himself to break dance.
Dance he does and boy can he wow the crowds with his self-taught abilities. He has even won awards in dance competitions.

He credits his parents with teaching him to reach his highest potential, citing his dad’s advice, ‘‘Your first failure is not to try.”

This young man, known to his fans as ‘‘Lazy Legs,” uses his time going to schools for deaf and disabled children, giving talks and demonstrations to motivate them to reach their potentials.

It was amazing to witness the children’s response to this man, Luca Patuelli. He tells his listeners, ‘‘maybe you can’t have it all, but you can have what is important.”

His encouragement and personal triumphs allow these disabled kids to dream dreams that they perhaps had never dared before.

Ms. Kramer and Mr. Patuelli show, by their examples and in telling their stories, just how precious life is, in all of its forms.

Happiness doesn’t come from things any more than the fact that our possessions should not define who we are.

We are more than our physical abilities or limitations. We are the spirit within us.

Our treasures are our God-given bodies; our loved ones; our dear friends; our hopes and dreams. We are not the car we drive; the fancy house we live in, the crowd we run around with; or the way we look, dress, or feel. We are so much more than that.

As children of God we are the spirit of love made in His image. What a gift it is to hear the stories of Betsy Kramer and Luca Patuelli. Will our own stories be as inspiring to others? Will they be as faithful to God’s hope for our lives?

Slipping through my fingers.....

This song from Mamma Mia emotionally hit me when I heard it. It just fits perfectly to what I am going through lately. My middle son, Jeremy is moving into his first rental house in Bremerton with some friends today-- and it has brought some mixed emotions from sadness to excitement for me.

I will miss those days that I thought wouldnt ever end. Jeremy & I used to hang out & I remember how his friends used to call me "the cool Mom". I will miss the days when he & his brother Josh, used to come through the door afterschool & tell me about their day. Its strange, as even I have one more child still at home; It feels like an era is gone... but a new one just beginning around the bend as we wait for an offer on our house.

Of course, our 6 year old; Noah will be starting the 1rst grade in less than two weeks now & I will be soon taking the traditional walk to the school bus stop on the corner on his first day of school. Will I get weepy?? Of course-- Estrogen city here! LOL.

Where does time go? I will try to remember on the challenging days, that one day I will look back and miss these days... from good to bad & try not to complain.

Mamma Mia!

Since the 19th falls on a work week; Hubby & I went out to lunch and a movie yesterday to celebrate our 8th Anniversary. Mamma Mia was hilariously funny! I cant wait until it comes out on DVD! I was impressed with Meryl Streeps vocals.. she can really belt out a tune.

This song is one of my favs from the movie. It takes me back to the 70's when my gal pals and I would have fun with this song--just a few of us junior high girls with hairbrushes for microphones, dancing around and acting silly, can anyone relate??? LOL :) Brings back fond memories!!!! :)

The Joy of the Lord

Our family and extended family has a lot going on in our lives right now, so this is a great reminder for me.

The Joy of the Lord is My Strength!
Alan Riley

Sometimes we in the church are accused of glossing over the fact that life can be hard. We sometimes tend to give the impression that all you need to do is give your heart to Jesus and all of your problems will be solved, all your bills will be paid, you will have success and prosperity and everything you touch will turn to gold.

If you are a Christian, you will have a continual smile on your face and always be happy. We make all our baskets, we sink all our putts, we close all our deals. Does that sound like your testimony? I know it doesn't sound like mine! I think the problem is that we've confused joy with happiness. Happiness is dependent on happenings.

Circumstances in your life dictate whether or not you are happy. Joy, on the other hand is a gift from God - a fruit of the Spirit that transcends whatever is happening in your life.

Joy allows you to rise —even to soar— above difficult circumstances, challenges, and heartaches. Joy comes from knowing Who is in control and that He has a plan to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

We do not draw our strength from the great feeling we get when things go right; if we did, we would be powerless when hard times and adversity hit, and we would all be easy pickings for the devil.

No, it is the joy of the Lord that is our strength! Jesus wasn't happy about going to the cross. He prayed the night before "If there is any other way, let this cup pass from me..." But He did have joy in obedience.

The writer to the Hebrews put it this way: "Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross..." There was joy for the Lord Jesus even in the pain and the agony of the cross because He knew the end result of His obedience and sacrifice would be the offer of salvation for you and me. Jesus chose to go through hell for us rather than to go to heaven without us.

In the book of Philippians, the Apostle Paul talks about joy over and over again. Yet he wrote that letter to the church at Philippi while he was imprisoned in horrible conditions. How could he write about joy while imprisoned in a dark, cold, rat-infested Roman cell? It's because joy is not dependent on circumstances!

When you and I face tough times, we can draw on great reserves of joy that are rooted in our knowledge of the faithfulness of God. That's how Job was able to say in the midst of tragedy, heartache and great loss, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13:15, KJV) He knew God and He trusted God. That is how he could have "joy in unrelenting pain" (Job 6:10, NIV)

Job's friends made the mistake of misjudging Job. But what was worse, they misrepresented God. They presumed to speak for God in telling Job he needed to repent. Job's friends naturally assumed that since things weren't going great for Job, he wasn't living right, and God was punishing him for his sins. I'm afraid the spirit of Job's friends is still very much with us. We see and hear it just about every Sunday.Now, don't get me wrong here— I've spent most of my life in church.

Since I was a teenager I have either worked for a church or worked with organizations that worked with churches. I love the church. I love church people. But let's be honest—sometimes we have a problem keeping it real. We look at each other and smile real big and say, "I'm fine! We're all fine! How about you? Are you fine?" while inside we're hurting. The problem is if I admit to you that I am hurting or struggling, you might assume that I'm not spiritual enough. To avoid that I just pretend that everything is fine, when it really isn't.

If there is any place on earth that you should be able to keep it real, it ought to be the church. God's Word tells us to confess our faults to each other so we may be healed. (James 5:16) But you can't confess your faults if you are afraid to let me know that you have any!

In the church we, like Job's friends, have bought into the notion that "spiritual" Christians don't have any problems. But if you think about it for a minute I believe you will agree with me that the most spiritual people I have ever known were those who had walked through deep dark valleys of sorrow and heartache yet through it all their faith and trust never wavered.

It wasn't the smiley-faced folks pretending to be perfect who touched my heart, it was those who I saw pressed on every side but not crushed, cast down but not destroyed. It was in those people that I saw that indeed the joy of the Lord is our strength. I want to be one of those people! Lord, help me to draw my strength from your gift of joy and not from my feelings or present circumstances!

Rev. Alan Riley is the Director of Web Operations for Streaming Faith and serves as the Managing Editor of StreamingFaith.com. He is an ordained Baptist Minister and a frequent contributor to the Streaming Faith Daily Devotional. His personal blog can be found at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001uUSF-VRXKJMzMYbJGHJxB8lzz2UG_s-Cwta9B-vtc4UAEr269rVYs0MC87pllfsSlxbEIiLZrqlunMLWSK4hdH3aXszkJkp4DlFbDD0l_M13AH67aBWdng==.

To Reach a Rainbow....

Noah's kindergarten class sang this song on the last day of school & the words just stuck with me.It really puts things in perspective.... Ahhhhh.... faith of a child.... every adult needs a good dose of it from time to time. We can still learn a lot from children. I know I have by just watching our son, Noah. He just lives in the moment and totally enjoys himself.

To Catch a Star

To catch a star,
You have to ride a cloud,

To reach a rainbow,
You need to dream out loud

You can do anything,
I know...

You can do anything.. I know it..
If you try....
and believe...

Don't let nobody tell you...
You're less than great...

Cause we all are human...
and sometimes we make mistakes...

You can do anything,
I know...
You can do anything... I know it..
If you try.... and believe.. :)

Faults

Do not think of your fault; still less of others' faults...
Look for what is good and strong and try to imitate it. Your faults will drop off like dead leaves when their time comes...
--John Ruskin

If we keep focused on our faults and problems, guess what we'll get more of? If we keep our minds always on our shortcomings, we're virtually guaranteeing that those shortcomings will be major parts of our lives for a long time to come. We'll strengthen them and give them more power in our lives, just by keeping our minds on them.
But is that what we really want to do?
There are many, many examples of the good and the strong, the loving and the compassionate in the world. And as we see those examples, if we keep our focus on it we can bring it into our lives more regularly--it can become the most common element of our lives if we but keep it in our minds and imitate it all that we can. We shouldn't be faultfinders, and we shouldn't stay focused on faults any more than they deserve--and they certainly don't deserve much of our focus at all...
There's been an awful lot written about the Law of Attraction, the concept that we attract to ourselves in life exactly what we think of. By thinking about certain things, we cause ourselves to be much like magnets, attracting to ourselves things that are just like our thoughts. Focusing on our faults, then, causes us to focus on being critical, on looking at the negative side of ourselves, creating a magnetic pull to other elements that simply will perpetuate our focus on our faults...
By keeping my mind on the positive, though, I attract more positive things to me--more positive people and situations and outcomes. And as my faults matter less and less, they go away, killed by neglect.
And I may even find that some of what I thought were faults actually are among my greatest virtues!


~ Living Life Fully ~

Noah's House

Noah never ceases to amaze me. He has such a creative mind! Our house is for sale right now, so Noah decided that he was going to create himself a new one-- complete with a lego security gate.
Hey, its cute-- even though the box was formerly used to hold cat litter and makes a cozy home for his stuffed animals. What more could you ask for, right??? LOL :)

Bucket List Questions

PONDERING POOL QUESTIONS

If you haven't got a clue what to do, and haven't got a "bucket list", here are 50 things you can mull around and meditate upon.Set aside some time read them over. And then, start working through them giving them each a lot of thought. Good luck!

1. What would you love to do or accomplish, before you die?

2. If you were to begin to achieve that/these, what is the first change you would start to make?

3. What would you need to include MORE of in your life?

4. What would you need to have LESS of in your life?

5. Rewrite your goal(s) so it is 'moving towards' something, rather than 'moving away' from something?

6. What is YOUR personal definition of success?

7. If you had to guess your life purpose, what would it be?

8. What daily habits could you replace with a better daily habit? List them.

9. What would a massive action 'look like' for you?

10. What action would you take, if you knew you could not possibly fail?

11. What has worked for you when accomplishing past personal goals?

12. What can you see about any past setbacks, which may actually benefit you?

13. What are you tolerating/putting up with?

14. What will you do, to completely erase petty things that are bothering you?

15. For what will you take 100% responsibility, from now?

16. If you were your own coach, what coaching would you give yourself right now?

17. Who and what are you listening to, most of the time? How will you change that, if it needs changing?

18. What do you keep saying to yourself that usually hinders your progress?

19. What could you now keep saying to yourself, to empower you?

20. What could you get done this week that you know needs doing?

21. For that task, what is the first step and the next step?

22. What could you put in your environment to remind you of your promises to yourself?

23. What could you include in each day to create and hold your vision for your future?

24. What have you 100%, decided to achieve?

25. What ways do you benefit by NOT deliberately moving toward what you want?

26. What activities and new habits will you deposit into your future, this month?

27. On a scale of 1 to 10, how excited to you feel about taking these actions?

28. What could increase that score?

29. What are your highest aspirations for this year?

30. What are the greatest lessons you have learned in life?

31. What is life asking you to do differently?

32. What are you now willing to do that you've been unwilling to undertake?

33. What non-negotiable decision are you willing to make for your life, and stick to?

34. What in your life needs immediate attention?

35. What strategies could you use to better manage your daily priorities?

36. What is perfect about where you are in your life right now?

37. Describe in detail, your feelings once all your goals are achieved?

38. Which books could you read, people could you call and places could you visit that support your goals?

39. In what way are you a better person this year than last year? What will be your answer, next year?

40. Where will you fine-tune your use of time in the next 24-hours?

41. Is there anything you are ignoring, to which you should be paying attention? Be honest!

42. What are you most excited about now? What are you looking forward to?

43. What ways will you will get more energy into your life?

44. What newly created, personal standard(s) will you abide by, come hail, rain or sunshine?

45. What are your greatest strengths and how will you leverage them?

46. What would you most like to be acknowledged for, so far in your life?

47. What do you need to give yourself so that you can give more to others?

48. What new belief could you take on to speed up your personal decision-making processes?

49. What do you already know for certain? Is that the truth?

50. List all the benefits that you got from completing this exercise, and what are your next steps forward?

Source: Thea Westra, Senior Thought Leader, Forward Steps

So Whats on Your Bucket List?

Last night I watched "The Bucket List" starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. It was a story about two terminally ill patients who make up a "bucket list"-- which is basically a list of things to do before they "kick the bucket".

I found this movie both endearing and inspiring. What caught my attention is when one character asked the other 2 questions:

Have you found joy in your life?

Have you brought joy to other peoples lives?

Even though I could answer both questions with a positive yes; it was the last question that caught my attention the most & it became a revelation for me. Isnt that what life is all about anyway-- thinking less of ourselves and bringing joy to one anothers lives???

I will keep that in mind in the days ahead- bringing joy to other people. Now that is one of the keys to true happiness & will become a priority on my bucket list!

Time to break out the butt paste! LOL

Hubby and I got a laugh over this one & has become a running joke in our house lately!
BTW-- yes, it is a real product. See for yourself at http://www.buttpaste.com/!

Life is Life!

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is...
The way you cope with it is what makes the difference...
--Virginia Satir

It's kind of funny to think of life as "it's supposed to be," as if our experiences here on this planet have come with an instruction book and a user's manual... We see good things happen to other people and think that those good things should be happening with us, also. We see bad things happen to others and think that while they might deserve those things, we certainly do not, and they shouldn't happen to us at all...
But life is life, and it doesn't operate by rules. It flows. If a river suddenly finds its course blocked by a landslide, it simply changes its course. Life is like that, too. If we've put up blocks to the flow of life in our efforts to control things, then life will simply flow around us, and we may stand there a bit dumbfounded, saying "That's not the way things were supposed to be!"...
Life is what it is, and in our life experience other people will do what they do... How we react to life, and how we act in and towards life, is what mostly determines what our personal life experiences will be like.

It's that simple, and if life gets to be overwhelming and difficult, I need to slow down and ask myself an important question: is life really overwhelming and difficult, or are my reactions making it seem overwhelming and difficult to me?
I love the fact that life is as it is, though I have to remind myself of this constantly... Once I accept this fact, my life becomes much easier, much simpler, for I no longer need to try to control situations or outcomes. When I accept this fact, I free myself up to enjoy life, just as it is...

Nobody has things just as they would like them. The thing to do is to make a success with what material I have. It is a sheer waste of time and soul-power to imagine what I would do if things were different...
They are not different...
--Frank Crane


~ Living Life Fully ~

Thoughts

Look Up at the Moon
(Thoughts)



When you feel down, you are thinking too much about yourself. You can only tie yourself in knots when so many of your thoughts get wrapped around you... Then your thoughts become like spider webs that wind themselves over and over again...
Enough thinking! Rest your weary mind. Give it a break. Give yourself a vacation from thinking. Take some time off...
See a blank sheet of paper before you instead of one all crowded with notes every which way. You can start anew. Right now you can. Simply let go of these trains of thoughts you have been riding on. If you were on a train, and it didn’t take you where you wanted to go, you would get off and find another train. Or you would walk. In any case, you would know you don’t have to stay on the same train as if you had no choice...
Your thoughts are your choice. And if thoughts come unbidden, you can ignore them or shoo them away like the flies they are. You don’t need to make too much of them. Thoughts are a dime a dozen anyway, aren’t they? When certain thoughts are a waste of your time and energy, don’t get you anywhere, then, beloveds, find some thoughts that energize you, not revolving thoughts from your Rolodex, but new thoughts. What a novel idea. You can have new thoughts. You can think anything you want. Your thinking can be purposeful. It can take you where you want to go...
Perhaps your mind has been on a pony path, a small circle, and you go round and round. If your mind has been tethered, undo the tether and jump over the fence... Why, there is a whole field of new grass to chew on...
What is a beautiful thought you could hold right now? What might it be? Is there something to prevent you from thinking of it and putting it at the top of your list?
Look up at the moon and find yourself there. Be the moon looking at you... Immerse yourself in the stars, the beautiful stars of the night. Soon all the stars will turn into One Sun. Think of the sun. Think of how it shines, and how it shines on you. Feel how its golden light reaches you...
Let thoughts enter you in the manner of the warmth of the sun. There is nothing you have to do to absorb the sun. Be out in it once in a while. The same way you can find thoughts new to you, thoughts that you are happy to take home with you...
When you buy something at the store and it turns out to be defective or simply not what you really wanted, you return it to the store. You don’t have to live with it... You don’t have to claim it as yours just because it’s there...
Manage thoughts the same way. Let some in, and send some out. It is no big deal... Thoughts are not inviolate. They are only thoughts. They have no life at all without you...
Thoughts are meant to serve you, not roil you...
And when you have thoughts that were once serviceable and now are worn out consider them like appliances that have seen better days -- you would go back to the store and buy new ones. You do not to be stuck with a thought that now is of no use to you...
When you are feeling down, you need to think some new thoughts. Bring them on... They are waiting in the water. Haul them in. Take them on board. Rescue new thoughts. Change your mind...


~ Heavenletters ~

People Who Soar

People who soar are those who refuse to sit back, sigh, and wish things would change.

They neither complain of their lot nor passively dream of some
distant ship coming in. Rather, they visualize in their minds that they are not quitters; they will not allow life’s circumstances to push them down and hold them under...
--Charles Swindoll

"People who soar." Oh, how I'd like to think of myself as a person who soars! Far too often, though, I find myself to be a person who slogs--through the mud and the grime and the swamps of the world.

And while it's tempting to believe that down here in the mud is where I'll find those who really need my help, the question must be asked: can I help more people by providing a role model of someone who soars through life, or by trying to pull them out of the mud that they've mostly chosen for themselves, especially if they're neither ready nor willing to leave the mud?
We can find many excuses for not soaring through life in a state of joy and abundance. We're afraid of heights, we don't want to leave others behind, we don't know how to soar, we're "needed" where we are. Sometimes we just accept that life's unfair and let our circumstances keep us down because we're afraid to go after the changes we'd need to help us to soar...
When I look up into the sky and see a bird soaring gracefully with the wind currents, I think of how nice it would be to let the currents carry me effortlessly through the air. And I realize that it's not impossible for that to happen, as long as I'm willing not just to face change, but to invite change and allow it in and to welcome it, and then to take those actions that change demands. Soaring isn't difficult for one who has learned to fly, but it's impossible for one who has elected to stay chained to the ground. Life can't keep us down--we must allow ourselves to stay down...


~ Living Life Fully ~

The Revelation in Seperation

This is a good Word as my husband and I prepare to sell our house and relocate to another state.
Change is hard on all involved, but if there is no change; then how do we grow???


The Revelation in Separation
Rev. James C. Matthews

"And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord." Deuteronomy 8:2-3, NKJ

I believe there are times in our lives when God removes us from the routine of life, and separates us from others, so that he can spend some time with us. Without God "taking this time" with us, we would drift through our lives preoccupied and distracted by life, and never pursue the destiny and purpose He created us for.

Because these places of separation are often uncomfortable and dry places, we resist them and conclude that God must be punishing us, when in reality He is preparing us through separation. It is in these dry places, where no one else can help us (including ourselves), that we discover that God is our source, our healer and protector.

We discover that our true source is not our jobs, our families, our education or money - but God alone! This level of revelation cannot be gained unless we have spent some quality time with God. Oftentimes, if we don't voluntarily "make this time" for God, He will involuntarily "take this time" for Himself.

Separation Is Often an Indication of Designation

If it seems like everyone and everything that you've always looked to for support is gone-it is not a coincidence but rather divine providence. It may be an indication that God is readying you for a transition in your life.

Ask Abraham, the one whom God separated from his family to give him and his descendents a Promised Land. Ask Joseph, the one who was forcibly removed from his father's house (of which he was the least of 12 brothers) so that he could become the second most powerful man in the world.

Ask Moses, the one whom God separated from Egypt and prepared in the desert for 40 years to deliver His people from slavery. Ask David, the youngest son of Jesse, the one whom King Saul removed from his father's house and placed in the palace where he could observe firsthand what it meant to be king. Finally, ask the apostle Paul, the one whom God separated from the pharisaical order so that he could become a leader and pillar in the Kingdom of God. Separation is indication of God's designation of those He is calling.

Separation Is a Sign of Preparation

God is preparing and positioning you to discover something about Himself that He cannot reveal to you while you are surrounded by others. He needs to separate you from the people and things that you have placed in positions that belong to Him. They would only distract you from hearing and seeing the things He wants to show you. During this time of separation and seclusion, we also discover things about ourselves that we otherwise would have never known.

There is no one to impress or save face with when we are alone. God has the ability to show us who we really are so that He can begin the process of molding us into who He's called us to be. God will remove our support and separate us from the things that we've become familiar in order that He might reveal to us something much greater-Himself.

In Deuteronomy 8:2-3, we read that God purposefully lead His people into the wilderness for the purpose of proving Himself to them. God used this place of isolation to develop their confidence in Him as their God. They did not labor for their living, but simply believed God for their living.

There was no Walmart in the wilderness, therefore they had to trust God for their food, clothing and care while having no money to buy anything with. God proved to them that He was their one and only "true source". They would have never received this revelation, without this time of separation and sanctification with God.