“Courage?” Blog #132
What is one thing that gives me “confidence”?
It is courage to do the right thing.
Where am I lacking internal nourishment?
When I insist on “going it alone”.
How can I encourage myself to do the right thing today? I can pray, “help me Jesus”.
In the book “Angels All Around” Lynn Valentine shares this, “In the Blink of An Eye”.
Arline Cahill stated the her son was very sick, his fever had hit 104. She was beginning
to grow afraid for her son. She watched him carefully, prayed and comforted him with
cool rags on his forehead. She just wanted the fever to break. As she sat there, she
got the idea to light his Baptismal Candle. Going downstairs to get the candle, Arline then
bowed her head and thanked God for sending healing to her son. Before going back
upstairs, she stopped and got a glass of juice. As Arline started back up the stairs, and got
closer to her sons room, she began to feel something in the air. It was as if the
atmosphere was charged with electrical energy. “The hairs on my arms and even on the
back on my neck, began to stand on end”, she said. Not knowing what this was, she
hurried to her sons room and opened the door. There she saw a glowing being hovering
over his bed. It seemed to be made completely of light and reminded her of an angel. It
did not make a sound but it did seem to notice her. Then in a blink of an eye, it was gone.
The next morning Arlines’ son was fine. He did not have any recollection of what had
happened the night before. Yet, Arline has never forgotten. Since then she has come to
believe that the visitation of a Guiardian Angel was sent in reply to her prayer.
Do I have courage to believe this story is true? I believe this is a true story. When I give
kind words to another soul in need, I am sending “Medicine”, Spiritual words of strength
and healing. This takes courage on my part, especially if I don’t want to do it. Can I
believe that my kind words of encouragement can be radically healing to another? It is
amazing how these words can impact another soul in a positive way for years to come.
We do not know how much another person is weighted down with depression, anxiety and
sadness. Wilted and ready to give in, my words just may be the healing energy to work on
a person in a powerful way.
I still remember years ago when my therapist shared with me the most important way to
rid myself of depression, ”go out and help another person.” he said. “You will immediately
stop thinking of your own sadness when you genuinely want to help another person with
theirs.” I know I can summon the courage to do my best today.
What is another kind of courage I need to have? I must learn to be honest and truth-filled
and be a caregiver not a caretaker. There may be a person in my family that needs to
hear the truth spoken with honest clarity. It is up to me to do this. If this involves “Tough
Love” then so be it. When I enable, cover up and allow deceit to fester, I only bring more
darkness into the room. Sometimes situations need to get messier before they can get
better. We are all teachers to one another. It is our Light and not our darkness that shows
other people the way to healing. Therefore, It takes courage to step up to the plate and
daily “Do the right thing”. I Pray for discipline, discernment and detachment. Then Jesus
will come with angelic help and light the way. Courage is the only choice In the face of
adversity, darkness and despair. My inner courage gives me inner strength to do the right
thing today. If I feel anxious in any way after I make a decision, this is NOT the right choice.
I have to go back, pray again for wisdom and when I feel a peace come over me, that is
the RIGHT DECISION.
Courage wants me to wear the face of prayerful patience, amidst my problems. Knowing
we live in a problematic world, it is my determined strength as a confident, courageous
Christian, to go out daily and stand for truth, goodness and love. So many people
rationalize it is so much easier not to believe in Jesus Christ, not to raise children as
Christians and not to go to church anymore. It is rather ironic that still the holidays of
Easter and Christmas make the most money from the people who celebrate these two
holidays materialistically to their own choosing. However, the beautiful energy that
surrounds these holidays bring hope for a turn-around in society today. I will continue to
try to change this, one person at a time. I will always try hard to find courage to see the
light around me and in others. I believe in Jesus Christ, for HE is my Lord. It also takes a lot
of courage to laugh at myself and not take myself so seriously. Therefore, I believe Jesus
is smiling at me today walking with me now and preparing me for tomorrow. I must have
BRAVE courage to believe.
I AM IN CHARGE OF MY OWN LIFE. I HAVE COURAGE TO BE BRAVE, AND DO THE RIGHT THING
Can I find brave courage I need by asking Jesus for help today?
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“Respect Myself?” Blog #131
When I look in the mirror, WHAT is the image I have of Myself?
WHO exactly do I allow into my “inner circle” of trust and friendship?
IF I have hurt myself mentally, HOW do I know I have truly changed?
It is important each and every day to go to the mirror and look at myself and say, “How
have I changed for the better today?” Have a made a true confession, down to the
details, (without blaming others) what causes my anger to surface towards another
human being? Am I empathetic or cold to what they have done to me? It takes a lot of
courage to make a personal confession of where and how and what keeps me stuck
regarding another person. I can only respect and love and accept myself when I am at
peace with all others. Granted, life can be extremely unfair, yet, it is up to ME to follow the
four “R’s”: Responsible - Remorseful - Repairing - Rejecting
Responsible - for myself to pick and choose wisely, those that come into my life.
Remorseful - apologetic if my past behavior is judgmental & agree to make amends.
Repairing - constantly working on myself and my relationship with Jesus.
Rejecting - any all negative behavior, angry attitudes and daily dark drama from others.
It takes courage to do ALL of the above and sometimes it is better to be alone without
certain people in our lives than to have the hurt, and judgement and sadness. If a person
feels “emotionally beat down” this is not a healthy relationship to have. It is important to
remember that IF I care about having good friendships, MY own life must start with being
HONEST with myself. I cannot and should not and will not LIE.
This basic premise allows other people to WANT TO RESPECT ME.
IF I have people in my life that are NOT motivating me to always do the best I can,
Then I need to discard these people and move on to higher ground with Jesus’s help.
There is an old saying that goes like this,
“Do healthy things you love and you will love the healthy things you DO.”
How to have self Respect? I will treat other people as I want to be treated. I will have a
healthy, honest, moral belief system and stand up for myself and act with Integrity . Every
time I think and believe and act with honest intent, my life improves. It’s interesting to see
that the people who most lack self respect come across as weak, needy and self
deprecating. However, above all IF I DO not respect myself, others are most likely NOT to
respect me. How can I tell I have SELF RESPECT? I AM ALWAYS REACHING TOWARD MY
HIGHEST GOALS. DAILY I TRY TO INSPIRE MYSELF TO DO MY BEST, TO BE MY BEST AND GO AFTER
THE BEST. HOW DO I START Good Self Respect? I wake up in the morning and MAKE MY BED.
I EAT A HEALTHY BREAKFAST. I LISTEN TO INSPIRING, HIGH ENERGY PODCAST OR PROGRAMS. I
SURROUND MYSELF WITH GOOD, HEALTHY, SPIRITUALLY AWAKE PEOPLE.
One of the most beautiful books I have ever read was by Marianne Williamson and her
poem inside the book: “Our Deepest Fear”
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate,
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our LIGHT and not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves; Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you NOT to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are meant to shine as children do.
We were born to make manifest the lord of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us, it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we’re liberated from our own fear,
Our presence atomically liberates others.
Can I ask Jesus to help me respect myself today?
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“Never Quit!” Blog #130
If I pray now, will my life get easier today?
As days go by, why can’t I figure things out and have peace?
Will these thoughts in my head give me courage to discipline myself?
I know when I woke up this morning, I had a completely different plan for what I was going
to accomplish. Each of us goes down the “highway of life” not expecting to have so many
detours, so many curve balls, so much distraction. Sadly, it can be that simple little
comment made by someone close to me, and I chose to take it the wrong way. It can be
the silly set of circumstances that blocked my navigating on to a more positive course. I
kept thinking about what someone had said to me and I suddenly got depressed.
When I allow myself to get distracted, I find all kinds of excuses for not doing the “right
thing for myself today”. More than anything, it is easy to find all kinds of reasons for “self
doubt”. My mind has been there a thousand times. I have found all kinds of temporary
“fixes” so to speak. I can ;pick up the phone and call anyone that knows “the complaining
side of me” and find an ally. These copouts are the way I decide to “figure things out?”
Seriously! My life will never get better than this IF this is all that I am going after.
Do I always want this “lower self” thinking to sabotage my every day duties? Because if I
do, it is tried and true. I will stay here stuck like this all day long. It has been tried so many
times that I am an old hand at excuses now. Instead of cleaning my house, it’s easier to
live in a mess. Instead of organizing my life, I survive in clutter. Yet, today….HE is waiting for
me to say: JESUS HELP ME. Somewhere deep inside of me - I know I want better. I want
this spiritual support. I want this help now.
Somewhere inside my mind I know I can do more. Somewhere in my heart, I understand I
can become a better person for myself if I just start the discipline now. ”Help me Jesus”
I can sit here and write about all The things in life, I take for granted. Yet, there are those
people who chose not to give up.
Here are three examples of basic necessities we have today. The light bulb. The
telephone. The safety pin. These three basic necessities were invented by human beings.
Human beings that refused to quit. Thomas Edison became famous for inventing the light
buib. He also was twelve years old when he developed scarlet fever and became deaf!
This never stopped him for not only inventing the light bulb, but the phonograph, the
electric railroad and main parts of motion-picture equipment! He never stopped trying.
He wasn’t even a teenager yet and was losing his hearing…that never stopped him and he
never quit! Lets look at 1876 when Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Right in
the middle of his inventions, Bell lost not one, but TWO sons of his died from tuberculosis!
They died right in the middle of his inventing process. Bell was very close to his family yet,
he never stopped trying and he never quit!
There is another man that we credit for a small little invention that is timeless. He was just
a mechanic when he found himself in debt to a friend for $15.00 In 1849, $15.00 was a lot of
money! Walter Hunt is credited with inventing the “safety pin” after he was worrying about
that debt he owed and kept twisting a piece of metal, it became the safety pin and he is
regarded as the inventor of it!
Another man that decided to “keep on trying” is a man named Jack Milton. He finally got
his college Degree as a World War 11 veteran at 100 years old.
There is a woman named “Grandma Moses”. She is most famous for starting to paint
pictures at the age of 78. She lived to be 101 years old and painted 1600 paintings!
I could go on and on and prove beyond the shadow of a doubt how important “Mind over
Matter” is. Never give up. Never give in. Never Quit believing in Jesus. Success very often
comes to people that do not give up. Even when faced with the most insurmountable
challenge, if we look, we can always find someone worse off.
“Don’t Quit”. by Edgar A. Guest
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
when the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
when the funds are low and your debts are high,
and you want to smile but you have to sigh,
when your cares are pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit!
Life is odd with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learn many a failure turns about,
when you might have won IF you’d stuck it out,
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow,
You might succeed with another blow.
Often the struggler has given up,
when he might have captured the victors cup,
And he learned too late, when the night went down,
how close he was to the Golden Crown.
Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of clouds of doubt,
and you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit.
It’s when it seem the worst that you mustn’t quit!
________________
Can I feel Jesus hold my hand today and promise myself I will not quit?
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“Questioning?” Blog #129
Why do I question how to live in my Higher Self?
Where am I suppose to go when things cave in on me?
What is the most important point I must realize to start my day?
Life is hard out there - no debating it. Yet, I CAN’T KEEP DOING THE SAME THINGS OVER AND
OVER. Every single one of us have different poison darts to “mess up our thinking” and
keep us stuck in a rut to complete and WASTE AWAY OUR DAY. Days become weeks and
weeks become months. Suddenly habits are formed and the days are getting darker.
When I can’t find my way out of depression, I just keep going deeper. I find all the ways
people have hurt me, I focus on how “nothing is my fault”. I think about “poor me over and
over again”. So often, I say to myself, “this situation I am in is impossible today”.
Jesus says to me, “I dare you to let me into your life right now!”
When everything is wiped out from my life the way I see it, when people turn on me and I
am not expecting it, when the unexpected happens and I don’t know what to do. I have
found there is no other way, except to say: “Help me now Jesus”. No matter how I feel
each day, where my head is at, I make myself get up, freshen up with a shower and clean
clothes. This start helps overcome a desperate desire to stay in bed and do nothing.
There is a reason for the statement, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”. Prayerful requests
IF they are for my highest good, and the highest good of those around me - never go
unheard. It is just in the timing that throws us off - I must let go of thinking “instant
gratification”. I must accept Gods timing for how, and why and when things happen to
me. When I believe I am right here in the right place at the right moment - I will make the
most of my situation now.
My thoughts make up who I am. My actions dictate where I go. I decide to live in truth.
There are times when all of us resort to rationalizing why things have happened. I may
say:, “it was because of you, I decided to do what I did”. That is LOWER SELF THINKING.
When I decide to SEE negative things have happened to me are because of MY Choices
alone, I’m on the “light path”.
Here is a simple solution to finding Higher Self awareness. I let go of my anger first. I let go
of my judgements on any and all others who have hurt me in any way. I let go of the
feeling “poor Me” and I put all of these thoughts in a bubble and I visualize blowing them
away. I immediately say the Lords Prayer. This clears my energy. Then I repeat those
three simple words of truth, “Help Me Jesus”.
This is HOW I bring in Higher Self thinking. When I am out of the shower and getting ready
for a day I can barely muster, I begin by saying Positive Affirmations. These affirmations
start my brain shifting into a Higher Gear! The most important point I want to make, LIFE IS
TRULY IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT JESUS. IF I want to start over, balance my life and believe I
can do this - I say to myself “HELP ME JESUS”.
WHEN I IMPLANT POSITIVITY INTO EVERY CELL OF MY BEING, I HAVE INNER POWER.
Why in the world were characters developed on televsion like Superman, Wonder Woman
and the Incredible Hulk? They show us strengths that are super-human and they perform
physical feats that seem impossible for the average human. There is a phenomenon that
no one can explain and it is called “hysterical strength”. This is a person who has the
power to exert force and lift weights beyond what is physical possible for an ordinary
human being. There are true life stories about parents who have lifted a vehicle to rescue
their children in life and death situations. There are thousands of situations where
miraculous events have occurred just because people believed it was possible and Jesus
was there to help them!
Did you know that in 2006 in Tucson, Arizona, a man named Tom Boyle watched as a
Chevrolet Camaro hit an eighteen year old boy named Kyle Holtrust. He was pinned
under the car but was still alive. Tom Boyle was able to lift the Camaro up and off of the
teenager, while the driver of the car pulled him to safety. Can I believe this kind of
impossible now?
Life is not impossible when we believe in HIM and the possibility of all we can do with our
Higher Self awareness intact. I am ready to “blow away the bubble of discontent” and
take on a brand new day with positivity, love for self and Jesus Christ in my heart.
IF my day is filled with questioning, can I find my way to call on Jesus?
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“Be Brave” Blog #128
Can I be brave, have courage and tell the truth now?
What does “low self image” have to do with me?
How do I say “No” to disguised darkness?
When I fill my life with courage, it changes everything. Do I have a low self image in my
day to day decisions? Seriously, sometimes the doubting questions and the things I feel I
have to face are like giving me a “Daily Mission Impossible”. It’s time to stop wasting time
with selfishness, dishonesty and lack of total truth in my life. I’m needed at the helm of my
ship - NOW. The Captain on my ship of life is waiting for me, IF I am willing to choose
wisely. There is no need to board the “Ship of Fools” and sail endlessly through life without
a rudder.
For no matter what I face, I remember HE will never love me less for what I do.
My teenage son came home from camp this summer sharing this, “the camp minister
taught me about a Jesus I never knew. He showed me there is room for me in HIS heart.
So I’m trying to figure out how to keep HIM helping me today”. For that one day, I felt he
really got the message. We have all heard these expressions, “Life is not for sissies”. “You
win some and you lose some”. “Here today, gone tomorrow”. Most of us have trouble
focusing on the positives throughout the day! There is always something to set us back, to
turn us downward or make us want to give up!
There is a great book that both of my youngest children read and it became a favorite.
“Hatchet”, written by Gary Paulsen…very thought provoking. This book is about a
thirteen year old boy named Brian Robeson. He is a product of divorced parents. His
mother lives in NYC and his father lives in the Canadian wilderness. Brian is on a small
plane to visit his father for summer vacation. Suddenly the pilot has a heart attack and
the plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness. Brian actually uses a hatchet his mother
had given him, to survive. This book has an amazing message about the power of inner
belief in oneself. Brian has many run-ins with danger. He is attacked by a porcupine, he
makes countless attempts to find help and fails one time after another. When a plane
finally flies overhead and doesn’t see him, Brian attempts to take his own life. He is cut off
from the world for fifty four days yet eventually gets fed up with his fear. He summons
enough courage to dive under the water where the plane has settled, and after almost
drowning, he finally recovers the emergency transmitter from the submerged plane.
The most important part of the book is the way in which Brian gets his courage. He pays
attention to his feelings and remembers positive things from his past. Brian remembers
what an old English teacher insisted on telling him about the “importance of positivity
and determination in order to keep going each day.” By being determined to be positive
each day, one immediately gets the strength to dig deeper inside and “push on”.
Courage must come to tackle the problems of today and things that are in the way,
constantly trying to sabotage and bring failure. By doing this, by being determined to BE
POSITIVE, one quickly defies darkness and pushes it completely away! There is great
power in Positive Thinking. With all the things that happend to Brian, he becomes
changed. He is totally transformed because he has gotten in touch with his feelings and
develops the ability to keep himself thinking positive even in the face of failure! By Brian
finding the emergency transmitter, he was able to send out a signal and a pilot was able
to come and finally rescue him after those long and endless fifty four days lost in the
Canadian wilderness.
I can try now to do what Brian did. I can pay attention to my feelings all day today. I can
tell myself at least three things in my life that I am grateful for. Any minute that I get down,
I remember these beautiful blessings. My gratitude helps fuel a positive attitude inside of
me, it helps me become braver than I ever thought possible. I also start using the
“Alphabet Affirmations”. I start with the letter “A” then I think of ten positive things about
myself that begin with the letter A. I say to myself, “I am awesome, I am amazing, I am
aligned with love, I am accepting of Gods will, I am affirmative, I am affectionate, I am
angelic, I am astounding, I am astute, I am attitude of truth.” Then I go on to the letter “B”
and so on and so forth.
Bravery can be mastered by positive thinking, truth attitudes and the greatest belief of all;
The belief in Jesus Christ who IS my stronghold. I pray every morning, “Thank you Lord
for insulating me in the armor of your highest spiritual steel protection from the tip of
my head to the tip of my toes, I am now protected”.
The definition for bravery is “the quality of mental or moral strength of showing courage or
fearlessness in the face of danger, difficulty, pain or uncertainty”. How many of us face
uncertainty each and every day? By just knowing that HE is showing up for me. By just
believing that HE is truth, light and the way. By just believing that when I close my eyes,
Jesus has my back. I reset my thoughts in peace.
Can I believe in HIM preparing me to feel brave?
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“Love Myself?” Blog #127
Where am I planted?
Do I respect myself?
Who really helps me grow?
I believe my mind, my body and my soul are all connected! I also believe at a soul level
we ask for certain people and situations to learn lessons from in our life today. For life is all
about learning lessons day after day from others too. So where have I planted myself in
this life to truly flourish? It is important I try to grow in every way internally day after day.
Do I care what goes into my mind daily? Am I stuck in mud, internally sinking deeper into
my old thoughts, anxieties and worry? If something negative happens to me, do I reach
for pills drugs, or a bottle for comfort?
If someone tells me to “bloom where I am planted”, I immediately envision a new garden.
Without care, sunlight and water, this garden will shrivel up and die. It needs water, good
soil and sunshine. I must plant good thoughts into my mind. I must eat healthy food for
nourishment. “Sunny, prayerful attitudes about life” give me added growth. I can’t just
throw myself out there to the wolves of chance and peril and think I can survive in a
healthy way. It won’t happen . Life is like that.
Heres an interesting fact. Somewhere in the world right now is the “worlds largest natural
flower garden”. This garden features over fifty million flowers and two hundred and fifty
million plants. Every season at the onset of winter, the gates reopen to one hundred and
fifty million flowers blooming. The sweet smelling flowers are in every color one could
imagine. This garden, this unbelievable miracle garden, has achieved three Guinness
World Records and declared to be the largest vertical garden ever! There is a fifty nine
foot flower structure of Mickey Mouse. How is it supported? This is the biggest flower
structure in the world. It weighs almost thirty five tons. Thus making it the tallest sculpture
in the world. One other thing, this miracle garden has another record with the longest
flower wall in the world.
Why have I decided to suddenly bring all this amazing information up right now? I have
chosen to share this remarkable story about the Miracle Garden of Dubai because of the
way in which the garden gets its water! According to the officials of the Dubai Miracle
Garden, the Dubai Municipality retreats the grey water of the city and sends it directly
to the garden! How brilliant. The flowers are maintained by the re-use of treated waste
water through a drip irrigation method.
So what am I saying about me and you? If only I can agree to be replanted, I will then be
nourished by HIS Holy Spirit and renewed with HIS “irrigation drip method”! Then in spiritual
truth I am renourished with the Holy Spirit and HIS internal water to wash away, and
cleanse, my anger issues, my sadness and all fear. Right this moment have it all washed
away clean and clear and what an amazing feeling of personal clarity. How to do this? I
need to say these few words now.
Four simple words, “Jesus help me now.”
Instantly, I feel forgiveness for myself. I forgive all of my past actions, right to this
minute, bringing in only SELF LOVE. I begin to “bloom where I am planted”. Now I
become a watering hole for Jesus Christ, whose garden I am firmly planted in. I must trust
this, for it works! There is nothing else to it. There is no magic potion. There is no “figuring
it out”. There is only accepting HIS word. Accepting HIS love. Feeling HIS energy pour
down into me from the tip of my head to the tip of my toes. I can feel the fresh feeling of
new buds of wisdom, internally bloom. For I now begin to grow strong where I am planted
and prayerfully protected. If the grey waters of the city of Dubai can bring life and color
and beauty to this magnificent Miracle Garden of Dubai, Jesus Christ can bring life, love
and light into my life. Here is where I choose to be planted, grow and bloom brightly, day
after day.
Can I invite HIM in to help me replant Self Love into my life?
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“Lifeboat” Blog #126
Whose side am I on?
Where are my beliefs centered?
What DO I really stand for?
Three different questions, yet all different versions of the same question. What do I believe
I stand for and why do I believe this? On April 15, 1912, the British ocean liner, The Titanic
was carrying 2224 passengers. This massive ship was on its maiden voyage from England
to New York City. Some of its passengers were among the wealthiest people in the world.
The ships builder had guaranteed this ship to be “indestructible.” That is until the ship hit
an iceberg. It then took less than two hours and forty minutes for this massive, majestic,
mighty piece of artistic brilliance, to sink to the bottom of the ocean floor. Almost 1500 passengers perished. Sadly, only 728 people managed to get to safety on little more than 20 lifeboats.
The first class accommodation on the Titanic was designed to be the pinnacle of comfort
and luxury. There was a swimming pool, gymnasium, fine restaurants, cafes, Turkish baths
and hundreds of beautiful cabins. The remotely activated watertight doors contributed to
the ship having a reputation as “unsinkable”. Yet take note in how quickly it went down to
the bottom of the ocean. A little more than two hours and forty minutes, and then no
more.
Reaching out, I often try to find what can make sense to me. in my life. When do I feel like I
may be sinking and in desperate need of a “lifeboat”? How often have I found the need to
take one deep breath after another and say to myself, “Why me, Lord?”
There are so many of us that want a concrete reason to believe in HIM? There is not a
single tangible reason why I or you should believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord IF this belief is
based on “tangible evidence right now”. Yet, I ask myself, is there tangible evidence where
exactly the wind comes from? Why the weather decides to change on a dime and where
does the rainbow come and go from anyway? Is there tangible evidence how exactly a
baby is made inside a human body? We all know there is no tangible evidence of any of
the above.
Still, nothing can make me believe in a Higher Power IF I do not want to. Nothing can
make me love HIM, and nothing can make me search until I must I be tested and tempted
and changed internally. Then with nerves frayed beyond measure, am I brought to a
pinnacle place of truth? For this truly is where growth of the inner Holy Spirit takes place.
Then I resolve to take HIS lifeboat. It is always here for me regardless of how many times I
have pushed HIM away. Jesus IS my lifeline connecting me to my lifeboat. In any and all
difficulty HE now lives in my heart with HIS Holy Spirit instilled within me for truth, love and
protection.
IF it is the middle of the night and I am afraid, lonely and filled with anxiety, Jesus is here
and he comes with an army of angels to help, heal and rescue me. HE has now
constructed a lifeline to my lifeboat which instantly gives me tremendous courage,
confidence and clarity.
I still remember when JESUS ASKED PETER TO TAKE HIS HAND IN THE BOAT. Peter began to
walk on the water toward Jesus and suddenly looked down and started to sink. Jesus said
to Peter, “Oh, ye of little faith”.
Can I believe there is a lifeboat waiting for me now?
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“Mindfulness?” Blog #125
Is my mind full of goodness or angry thoughts today?
What am I constantly focusing my thinking on now?
How do I bring peace into my life at this moment?
The other day I decided to pay attention to the people that live in my house with me. My
husband, my son and my daughter. What is foremost on each of their minds at that
moment? My husband was busy at his computer checking his emails, working on his mail
and paying the bills. He is very budget conscience man. My son, on the other hand was
upset with the fact that his scooter broke down and decided to focus his efforts on
cleaning up his mountain bike and relying on that for the summer. Our daughter was
busy making plans for her freshman year at college with all of its hopes and dreams. I on
the other hand, was doing none of the above. I had done my morning chores. I was
finished with my daily exercise and I was finding a way to let the “challenges of my day”
not get the best of me.
What are my copying skills now?
Why do I make this statement? Without realizing it, I suddenly became aware of the fact
that we are all living in the same house - separately. We are doing our own thing “so to
speak” but living together. What brings peace and harmony to each of us? First of all, we
each must feel safe and secure and satisfied with our home life. Most important we must
have respect for those around us, near us and those we encounter. The only way to have
the utmost respect for another person is to have the highest respect for one’s self.
Throughout the years in my real estate practice I was always aware of families that I
found homes for and who was the primary person making the decisions. It often varied,
sometimes the wife, sometimes the husband. Most of all, I could tell the way a person felt
about themself, almost instantly. A person shows their true colors by the way they present
themself from the onset. Are they dressed nicely and presentable? Not too flamboyant,
not too faddish and above all not slovenly? Nails clean, hair neatly groomed and shoes in
good shape? I realized early on, if I was a person that “simply did not care”, there was a
good chance that others would not care how they treated me either. Every day I show up
for myself and bring the best I can be out for others to see. Even at home, I try to look my
best.
I was at a luncheon the other day. Seated at a table of nine other women that all came
from a variety of professions. I studied the people at my table. I was immediately taken
by the woman across from me. She seemed so different from the other women at the
table who were non-stop talking and did not seem to be hearing anything anyone else
said. This woman was very in touch with herself. She was dressed very conservatively but
extremely classic. Her hair was short and perfectly groomed. She was thin and in perfect
shape. Her jewelry was modest, only a beautiful large pair of pearl earrings. She never
stopped smiling and as the luncheon went on, everyone at the table shared their secrets
of staying healthy. This woman across from me, was Asian descent, she volunteered her
age to be 92! I was absolutely astounded because she looked 65. All the other women
stopped talking and focused their attention on her. “How in the world did she do this”, we
all asked her. She never stopped smiling, just continued to share. Her secret she told all of
us at the table was “mindfulness”. Every morning she made sure that after her routine of
workout, walking and relaxation, came the mindfulness that was so critical to her feeling a
sense of peace throughout her day.
When I left the luncheon, I immediately looked up the word in the dictionary:
Mindfulness - “A mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present
moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and
bodily sensations as a therapeutic technique.”
So what in the world am I talking about anyway? Let’s say someone hurts my feelings by
something they said, I am immediately angry and I want to lash out. Let’s say someone
judges me unfairly and I want to right this wrong by retaliation. Better still, let’s say my
whole day goes wrong because I cannot stop thinking and focusing and fighting my
feelings of anger, dread and judgement. Well, mindfulness appears to help! Feel those
feelings then leave them alone! Move out of the lower self rut with the deep breathing
techniques.
Mindfulness brings in simple breathing techniques. I couple them with this. After the deep
breathing, I bring in the “Light Prayer” and the “Lords Prayer” to balance all my energies
that have gotten out of wack. As I breathe in, I pray to let go. I then focus only on the
“Given Moment at Hand” - my most distressing thought and angry feelings now move out
of my mind. I have brought myself back to the present by being “Present in this exact
moment”. It’s very important that I continue to remind myself about this.
All these “Things” that have happened to me are my “Lessons once again”. I must try to
remind myself of this and remember Jesus is my best friend. He is here and He is holding
my hand through everything that I may encounter. I am not afraid of today.
Over and over again - I focus on Mindfulness - being present in the given moment only.
Can I stop, look AND listen with Mindfulness now?
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‘‘Change It Now!“ Blog #124
What if I want God to change this situation I am in right now?
Why did I have this happen to me today?
When will the drama end and peace fill up my life?
How many times have I said I want a certain situation to end right now?
I want God to change this situation now. What IF……..
God wants the situation to “change me” now ?
When I get in a situation where there is no way out, I now know it is up to me to look at SELF
and see how I can grow from what is happening to me. Maybe I should look at what is
happening to me in a much broader way. What do I mean by this? Sometimes the
universe gets ahold of our life and shakes things up a bit. Suddenly we are shaking our
head and thinking “I most certainly did not start out the day like this!” Maybe there is a
certain lesson that has been given to me and for whatever reason, I have not learned. I
am suppose to learn from this lesson! So at a certain point, I am put in another situation
to learn a different, more powerful lesson around different situations given to me.
Now, the frustrating part in all of this, is…….. WHAT AM I TO BE LEARNING HERE?
It is only when I quiet myself, sit down, take deep breaths, I now sense real truth.
IF I am stressed, upset, worried about anything at all, there is where my lessons lie. I had a
very peculiar day today. Not a day that I could ever picture myself having. It is only after
sharing all this today, I have come to figure out why this kind of day happened to me. I
awoke early this morning and had planned on going with my husband to drop off our SUV
to get serviced before we were to leave for a long summer trip. When we walked out to
the driveway to get into our car, it was not there! More troubling then this was someone
had come into our driveway, got into our car and seeing that the keys had been left there
by mistake, decided to steal the car! The fact that we live in a gated community for the
past five years, has given us a feeling that we were very safe. We felt nothing could really
happen, especially with a guard inside a gatehouse twenty four hours a day, watching the
comings and goings of everyone. Not so, Not true, nothing is for sure. Both my husband
and I were shocked. How could this have happened? We were , worried and upset that
someone had brazenly driven off with our car! Why had we never thought about security
cameras? Although the car was missing, it did not appear anything else was taken. Yet,
where in the world was our car? Who would have taken it and would we ever get it back?
More than anything else, I kept asking myself, WHY did this happen to us now?
Later in the morning the police called us to say that the car had now been found. It was
off the highway, up near the mountains. It was disabled, parked on the side of the freeway
and abandoned. One police officer said earlier In the morning he had passed our car
when “he rememberd seeing a hispanic man looking under the hood….” Later on we had
to go to the police station to file a police report, then on to the car dealership where we
tried to find out how long it would take to fix our car? Now, WHAT IF all these things
happened to us to prevent something much greater, much more injurious, much more
serious, from happening?
I do believe this is how the universe does work. I have to live my life that way. I believe
once I have my faith in place, I am protected no matter what. So with that awareness, I
will not get too caught up In what happened with my car being stolen. It has now been
found. Even though we eventually heard later on today that the engine was ruined. There
is a reason for all of this happening. I must go with the flow. I am now aware that we also
were in need of getting “Home security protection”. This was long overdue. This will be in
place by the time we leave. For awhile I had been dwellng on the fact that we had lost
two days from our Summer Trip, all because of this. Yet, when I checked on the weather
where we were going, I was told there had been a “Mini Tornado” that had touched down.
Many of the boats (like ours could have been) were upside down in the water. There was
also golf ball size hail that hit many cars, denting and compromising their worth. When I
let go of trying to control every moment, I then realize I can “think outside the box”. I grow
leaps and bounds ahead of where I “was at”. Now, with my faith in place, my guidance
system is working to show me more ways I need to take better care of myself.
So now, I remember I am constantly being prepared for the “next level” of learning. I am
here. I am ready. I am willing. When something happens to me and I get angry, I become
very vulnerable to negativity. Then the anger and judgement and resentment set in. My
pride takes over my Lower self and pushes away the higher self, understanding Heart. I no
longer want to try. This will always keep me stuck until I can make up my mind to start
thinking Higher, and higher with “change of heart” in a broader, wiser, more spiritual way.
My higher self kicks into gear now. With my faith intact, the Holy Spirit in taking over and I
breathe easily, now knowing what to do, these are my tests. I no longer push away the
light of Christ that feeds me. I choose my higher self power to guide me, help me and
heal me. This brings me right out of any lower self fog. The air is clear, calm and I breathe
in deeply.
Am I willing to learn from change now?
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“Parachute Pack?” Blog #123
How am I prepared to take on my day?
What tools inside me help me face what ever happens today?
Can I trust I have a “Higher Self” internally to guide me?
Unless I sit inside my house, do nothing, plan nothing, go nowhere, this is the only place I
can rationalize I am protected from the “slings and arrows” of the outside world. Yet, am I
protected? Am I aware of the fact “approximately 77% of all accidents happen inside a
persons own home”?
Most of the problems are because of falls. People fall and hurt themself. This situation
can give a person an immediate life change. Am I ready for this? There are so many
unexpected twists and turns that happen in our daily life. I believe that sometimes the
universe finds its own way of getting our attention.
Before we travel anywhere, we need to have a “map prepared” for where we are going.
Raising our children, many households have teenagers that will go off into the world
and/or off to college. How are they prepared to take on the outside world, if life gets them
down, what can pick them up?
This is their opportunity to keep on learning. However, do they have an internal connection
to their higher self? Did you know that 38% of students have thought about suicide? Even
after college there is graduate school, Masters Degrees and Doctorates.
THIS IS A PLAN, YES, BUT IS IT FILLED WITH BALANCE? WHERE IS THE SPIRITUAL PIECE?
Who and what and where prepares us to take on “the outside world?” All the problems
that may lay waiting. All the good and all the disappointing trials. Do I have an internal
plan of action if my world takes a detour? What if I wake up in the morning and there is a
medical emergency? What if I drive my car and it breaks down? What if another person
pulls the rug out from under me with cruel words and behavior? Because I have “Free Will”
I can choose whatever I want to do to make me happy, content and at peace.
So I ask myself, “Am I happy, content, at peace?”
The only way to find happiness, contentment and peace is through Love.
First and foremost I love Jesus Christ. He shows me how to love myself.
When I start my day I say the “light Prayer”of protection:
THE LIGHT OF GOD SURROUNDS ME, THE LOVE OF GOD ENFOLDS ME, THE POWER OF GOD
PROTECTS ME AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD WATCHES OVER ME, WHEREVER I AM, GOD IS
AND ALL IS WELL.
NOW MY PARACHUTE IS HALFWAY PACKED. Human pride and ego and anger create division.
These are the three demons of darkness that thrive in the lower self world. They build walls
of indifference, hate and violence. We can avoid all of this by rising above our lower self
thinking. When I decide to go with God and trust in my higher self, this brings more tools
to put into my “permanent parachute”. When I trust, I trust my Higher Self, Jesus has
placed his Holy Spirit inside me inside my Higher Self. I feel loved and alive and loosened
from all the snares of the outside world now. All the trappings, all the negativity and all the
daily drama are just like the television that I can choose (with my own Free Will) to turn on
or off on a daily basis. So, my Prayer of Protection is memorized now. My Higher Self now
takes over my lower self and I feel I can finally navigate through any rough waters with a
set sail and Jesus is at my helm. More than anything, I have replaced my fear (“False
Events Appearing Real”) with faith in HIM.
Shortly before dawn, Jesus saw his disciples who were in a boat amidst terrible weather.
They were being tossed around. They were terrified. Jesus immediately told them “Take
courage, it is I. Do not be afraid”. Then Peter said, “Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you
on the water”. “Come”, HE said. Then Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water and
come toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink, he
cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “Oh,
you of little faith”, he said, “Why did you doubt?”
The world with all its billions of people and all its complexities and strife DO exist. Yet
amidst all this, still remain the beauty. The brilliant universe of stars twinkling in the night
with the ever present full moon in its readiness. The blue sky filled with beautiful birds. The
sunrise and sunset. The butterfly, the giraffe, the lion and the eagle. The rainbow. So
many representations of life and its higherarchy. At the end of each day, it is in finding
purpose. We must find our truth and in doing this we are finding peace. This brings us full
circle. Now we have established what matters most in our “parachute preparation”.
Instilling all this belief.
So here I am. I am now ready with my parachute packed for total protection. I am aware.
I am content. I am instantly prepared for the unexpected because the Holy Spirit is in
place. I have connected with my Higher Self. All is right with my world. Packing my
parachute, giving myself the greatest love of all.
Can I pack my parachute today for permanent protection?
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“Inside Self” Blog #122
What choices can give me a better life right now?
Where, when and how - Do my actions connect to my wants?
How much do I put off until tomorrow, knowing today is calling?
I am all alone in this house I live in. No one but me and house exists at this moment. If I
pick up something and move it, this validates my presence in the room. This shows me I
am right here, capable of so much more. So let’s go on…
I clear, rearrange and throw things away. Looking at the way in which I live, it makes sense
to have much less clutter now. Less mess to clean out. Less of a build up of “old stuff”
around me. All the things that have no more use, I must now discard. This is my way of
living my life with more peace. I don’t need to juggle thousands of balls inside of my mind.
I don’t need to find answers to every part of my life that has passed. There is a simpler
way now to live my life with crystal clear clarity. However, it does take a different sensibility
to make use of a bit more common sense.
I begin to reason carefully with my “self” now. I can say confidently, “today is the perfect
day to start looking deep inside self”. It is primetime now for this new awareness. Why?
Because I matter. I matter so much to HIM. HE wants me to see the only purpose of my
life is to be with HIM. To find comfort inside of me. This is truly where my “Higher Self”
resides and waits for me.
Every day I must live with myself. I go to sleep, I wake up and I am always with my same
needs and wants and ideas about my life. Yet there are always problems that creep in.
There are people who say hurtful words. There are situations that happen, with no clue
how to “fix”. There is stress all around me. So now I take a very deep breath. I see now
how important balance is to my life.
Therefore I desire to bring peace into my life regardless of all other conditions.
No special coming of age today, just an inner understanding that it is time. It is time to
find the most peace-filled, safest, loving way to live from this day forward.
Remember this, “When the student is ready, the teacher does appear!”
Therefore, if you and I are reading this, it is indeed our time for inner change. Very often
the easiest way to handle any situation inside “self” that is troubling, bothersome or
constantly repetitively worrisome, is this: Take a piece of paper and write down the
specific situation that is “plaguing the mind the most”.
Give self options of how to deal with it:
Ignore it completely. (hoping it will just fade away)
Leave it for tomorrow. (think of ways to solve it tomorrow)
Resolve it Here and Now. (always the best approach)
IF I choose “Here and Now” and the problem has to do with other people, as so often it does - I must remember this important. Rule of Life: every person is given free will -No one can interfere with another persons free will.
So I WRITE IT DOWN - I CAN SEND A LETTER - I can pray for a peaceful solution.
Then as alarming as it may sound, I see I have no control over any person. So, as I work “my plan” for inside self, I leave Jesus Christ to do the inner work of cleansing and clearing and healing. My job is to apply what I have learned.
Let Go. Learning a most important Fact of Life: Let Go of what I can’t fix.
Hearing all this, I see my own weakness and fear and fragility. HE is my help. Jesus is here, waiting for me to accept him and I do that. All prayers when prayed for our “highest good and the highest good of those concerned”.
THESE PRAYERS ARE ALWAYS ANSWERED. Taking a deep breath, this is inner self sense of mine now takes on a VERY free feeling. I am calm.
I once knew a man who stated, “I keep three books going at all times”. I read a true story,
a book of fiction and a book of faith”. He also constantly carried a small note pad and
pen with him every place he went. Even when he went to bed at night, he kept a little
tablet of paper and a pen right by his bed. Why do you think he did this? Because he
didn’t want to forget something important that may cross his mind!
Legacybox.com states, “Between 50,000 - 70,000 thoughts go through the average brain
on a daily basis! On an average day, we humans have from 45-50 thoughts racing
through our mind every single minute.” What possibly can make me calm myself down
now? One way to do this is just by focus. Focus on just the current moment and this is
called “Mindfulness”.
When I “Let Go” and allow self to not worry and trust all is right around me. My best friend
is Jesus Christ. HE is with me now. By understanding all of the above, my worry, concern
and stress are at bay. I just gave it to HIM. Inside me now, HE feeds me, frees me and
shows me instant faith. I am calm. Isn’t it time for an “inside Self” cleansing?
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“My Trials” Blog #121
How often do I feel the pangs of being all alone?
Do my inner thoughts HAVE healthy coping skills?
Am I always sensing an anxious feeling?
I noticed when I sit outside, walk outside and spend time outside in the fresh, healthy air,
everything is so very peaceful. Everything seems right with the world. The birds, all of
them, obviously have a place to live, food to eat and shelter in the dark, cold night. Even
animals, not domesticated have shelter and for the most part, are able to find food.
Seasons come and go, flowers bloom and die. All looks right in the world of nature. I look
at my own world and my life around me, and I see Its important to count my blessings
and be thankful for what I have. So what then? What does cause me feelings of anxiety?
There are things that go over and over in my mind, and I have concern about them. That
is worry. The nights that keep me restless and turning, unable to sleep. All the things I
cannot find humanly possible to find my own answers to. My mind justifies daily, who I can
and who I cannot share feelings of concern. Do I feel I cannot go too deep with another
human being for fear they see my own frailties? Most of us choose not to share too much,
what IF this were held against me, right? So with that concern and constant struggle, I see
there is really no place to run, no place to go, no place to hide out with all this old, broken,
stuff. Still so much kept hidden and locked up, seemingly safe inside.
So when does all of this internal burden come forth? All my trials, tribulations and my
anxious thoughts need to be dealt with. They need to be removed. Why? Most of all,
distressing thoughts come about when one least expects them. I see this over and over
again, without fail.
IF I choose the “Show Curtain” now to go up, it must be with honest intent. For there HE
is, HE is waiting patiently in the wings, waiting for me to turn my head, see Jesus
smiling at me. I must agree internally to ask HIM for help to do this. Then and only then,
instantly will my trials be turned into testaments of truth. There is nothing to fear.
Everything is healed in a breath. Jesus is just waiting. I heard the most fascinating
commentary in church this past Sunday. It was one of those “miracle teaching moments”
when I just plain got it and it all had to do with a microwave oven. The priest was
comparing a microwave oven to a regular kitchen convection oven. He spoke confidently,
“A regular oven heats up slowly, from the outside to the inside of the food. A microwave
oven, instantly heats the food from the inside out!”
One might ask, what does this have to do with anything? Well, it was a fascinating
comparison in showing HOW the Holy Spirit goes to work once we allow it to. IF we do not
allow the Holy Spirit into our body, it won’t work. Every single person must individually
ask the Holy Spirit to go to work inside of them. Should they decide not to, this is a great
example of not using FREE WILL to ones best advantage. Do I want to believe in Jesus
Christ and be a Christian? Do I push him away and say no, remaining an Atheist, an
Agnostic, someone who chooses to turn their back on Jesus Christ and Christianity. This is
a person who does not have faith in God. Each and everyone of us with our trials and
tribulations, will someday leave this earth. Until then, we are tested daily as long as we
live here on earth. IF I insist on doing everything my own way, my mental and physical
health will suffer. I can attest to that.
After years and years of being so angry, I was so tired and spent. I had run out of answers.
I was up against a wall. I desperately needed to be rescued, nothing left…..who will come
to rescue me? I cried out for help. Help came instantly. I felt relief immediately. I felt the
presence of Jesus Christ inside my heart. HIS Holy Spirit at work now and forever. My
troubled trials vanished in an instant. It was as though now I could look at my life through
a television set and I got to turn it off, no longer filled with fear. My faith was what was
missing. I needed rescuing and Jesus rescued me. The sun is out in my life now, my trials
are In HIS hands, HE is completely in control.
Can I invite the Holy Spirit Into my heart right NOW?
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“Crash Course” Blog #120
What kind of a map do I follow in my mind today?
Hundreds of thoughts come to me ~ do any guide me?
Where is the right mental road map to give me direction daily?
The other day I was watching a dog run down the street. He was running as fast as he
could and then his owner caught his attention and he ran the other way. Did he have a
destination in mind? Every single day we wake up, some of us, with very good intentions.
Others of us are caught up in our fears, frustrations and daily drama. I for one, realize life
has more twists and turns then I ever could have prepared for.
Here is a different take on a little anecdote I may have shared with you in an earlier blog. I
remember looking back in my life to a powerful lesson I was given in going the wrong way.
I was out of college and I had gone to a party with my friend. On this particular night I was
introduced to vodka gimlets. For whatever reason, I the drinks went down quickly and the
glow I began to feel was warm and inviting. Did I have one to many? I was beginning to
feel like nothing could bother me, no matter what. This feeling that took over me, took me
away from any and all anxiety I may have been dealing with. I remember getting a phone
call and deciding to leave the party at once. It was snowy and cold. Yet I felt warm,
invigorated and able to take on almost anything. I started driving faster. It was late at
night. The snow was coming down thick as thieves. As I sped up and took a turn around
the bend, the bright lights of a car blinding me, coming right at me caused me to turn
sharply. I swerved and hit two trees head-on.
It’s really bizarre how after all these years, I still remember everything in slow motion about
the accident as though it happened yesterday. I was driving my favorite car. A dark
green, Ford Galaxie convertible. I loved that car. Yet, I remember flying through the air
and in slow motion suddenly aware I had crashed and had no control over my car
anymore.
Then, there I was, lying on the cold, black, snowy cement hearing the ambulance and
listening to a paramedic speak hurriedly to me. “You should be dead right now, young
lady, just lie still, we’ll take it from here. That car of yours is an accordion. How you got out
of that car and landed here, God only knows”. I remember I tried, but couldn’t talk
because I had punctured my lung and that was the least of it. However, as I slowly turned
my head, while laying on that cold ground, I saw my car smashed up against the trees
with only the front and back bumpers showing. I wondered where in the world was the
middle of the car? How did I ever get way over here on the opposite side of the road? It
was nothing short of a miracle.
At the hospital, in the operating room, I remember I could hear everything they were
saying. The doctors were carrying on with each other as though it was just a normal part
of their day. I felt nothing, and now I listened to everything they said. “She really did a
number on herself”, the one doctor was saying. “I give her a fifty, fifty chance she makes it”.
I tried to focus my thoughts on what he had just said. “What did he just say?! I might not
make it? Wait…. I wasn’t even twenty-two yet!” It was then I remember the strangest
emotion coming over me. Determined healthy anger. I was angry the doctor had made
that comment.
I was determined to prove him wrong! There was no way I would die. I was getting out of
there because I had a life to live. No matter what he said, I was going to show all of them.
My determined, healthy anger quickly gave me a crash course in how to mentally survive
when ones’ own life doesn’t look so good. This is where my healthy anger can be directed
at higher self healing. Now amazing miracles can take place. In a breath I am able to
change. In a breath I am able to find my better, higher, stronger self. This is where the
true light of Jesus Christ turns on and lights my way. Every day I am alive now though,
the choices don’t stop. Each and every day I am given this person to listen to or that story
to believe. I am given a chance to see with my own “change of heart” all the good I can
pick from IF I only tap into the Holy Spirit that is alive and well inside of me. Now I do not
speed down the highway of life and crash and burn. I treasure the lessons I have been
given to learn from now. I look at each and every experience I have been given from a
higher self perspective. I know it is not easy, life is hard.
I realize that every part of my waking day can throw me a “curve ball”. There will always
be something, or someone or some situation that I may not be ready for. However, I can
be prepared for the unexpected this way: I start my day like this:
I wake up, I pray saying, “Thank you Jesus for encircling me, head to toe, in the armor of
spiritual, steel protection. Nothing can harm me, If I don’t allow it”.
Every moment of my day gives me more opportunity to choose a course of “higher self
learning”. This keeps me from crashing into walls trying to use my own empty “lower self”
courses. What do I mean by that? Let’s just think school. School of hard knocks. The
school of life and learning. My school must have purpose, perseverance, and
permanence. Three important courses to keep me focused on a crash-proof life. My
purpose is to learn all my lessons each day with Jesus Christ as my teacher. I
persevere each day despite the dark, depressed feelings of difficulty. Permanence? I
am permanently defined and convinced of unchanging as long as I follow my recipe.
And so it is. The simplified, easy to learn, crash course of life. Jesus never said life is easy.
Yet as hard as it can be at times, as sad as I can be, and as much rain that pours down on
me, there is always Jesus and a beautiful rainbow ahead.
Can I take a crash course in learning and do it Jesus way?
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“Clear Choice” Blog #119
Is every minute of my day faced with a choice I must make?
What makes my heart feel settled and content?
How DO I choose carefully, wisely, and right?
Years and years ago, when I was a very little girl, I was visiting my aunt and she was
tucking me into bed one night. I remember vividly my question to her, “How do you know
when you are doing the right thing or the wrong thing? How do you decide which way to
go?” In a very quiet but emphatic voice my aunt answered me,
“When you are struggling in life with a decision you must make, always pray first. Then
be very quiet, wait for your answer. Most often the decision is right if you feel calm,
peaceful and confident with what you decided. If you are anxious, worried or upset -
you might need to go back and start over….”
I don’t even think I was ten years old, yet the words my aunt spoke to me made total
sense. I must say over the years, many times I have forgotten to abide by that critical rule.
Now looking back in hindsight, it would have always proved to be a safe bet. All people,
everyday of the week, are faced with decisions of some sort. So many decisions we make
are life changing. So many words we say to each other have final consequences. So
often decisions we have to make are not necessarily the best ones for us. However, we
always learn some kind of lesson going forward. Sometimes it’s the little things that turn
into big things. The cruel slight we make to someone close to us, the unkind words with
insufferable outcome. Words people refuse to take back. However, it is in the LACK of
confrontation that the most damage occurs. What do I mean by this? So often, we
should, and could and do not have a “face to face” meeting with a person who has hurt
us deeply. Always it is our choice to do whatever. Most people will rationalize and say, “it
won’t do any good to talk to them”, “I don’t want to deal with drama” or “they are just that
way, and I can’t begin to change them”. Yet, there is always the unwritten letter as well.
Continuing to do nothing is stagnant. This is not listening to my higher self. This is not
using prayer first to lead me in the right direction. This is not clear choice. What this is, is
“lower self choice”.
Things in my life will never change - if I don’t decide to change for the better.
Each and every day I have clear choice that come with prayer first. Then I pray for
discipline, detachment and discernment. I pray to see the other person and the entire
situation only thru the eyes of Jesus. This really does move things around. I have to
remember that clear choice will come to me when I am peace-filled. The hardest thing
in life is to face myself head-on. The easiest thing in life is to postpone dealing with a
situation that must be dealt with.
I remember when I was toying with the idea of “should we move to a warmer climate, find
a house that was more cost efficient, scale down”. I had talked to my husband and we
decided to take a summer vacation and look at three different cities in warm, healthy,
safe areas of the country. We wanted to move closer to our son as well. That was over
five years ago. Yet, in looking back, it is nothing short of miraculous how everything came
to be. We visited three cities. The last city was in a valley surrounded by mountains. The
house we looked at was perfect for our family and half the price of our house back home.
We were only there for three days, yet I remember waking up that morning after seeing
the house and knowing it was perfect for us. Yet, we had lived in our present city over fifty
years. How could we put this all in place? I put my hands together and said, “If this is
your will Lord, let it be done. Please give me a sign if we are suppose to move here”.
What happened next was so unbelievable.
We were in the car driving for not even two hours and my cell phone rang. It was a young
realtor who knew us and knew our home was NOT on the market. He shared with us that
his clients loved our area. “Could he show our home, please?” he asked. I half thought this
was a joke, but put the price even a bit higher, just to see what would happen. In less than
a few hours time, he called back with a full price offer. He asked if we could close in the
next thirty days and the buyer would be happy to pay cash for the home”. My husband
was absolutely blown away, as was I. Now, in the back of my mind I remembered my
prayer that morning. I felt peaceful, I felt excillirated, I felt there was only one choice, one
clear choice. Jesus had made it for me and I had followed the rules. Jesus is here.
I prayed first, I asked for help and I waited. That was almost five years ago and I still
feel in awe, how quickly things came together. My college friends had a big sale,
everyone helped around us and we were on the road to our new home within thirty days
time. Had anyone told me at the beginning of that summer I would be completely moved
by summers end, I would have laughed at such a crazy statement! In fact in June we
needed to repair our deck which was very costly, but decided it must be done. After all,
we were having a big baby shower, outdoor party for our son and his wife expecting their
first baby. We also knew it was time for a new pool liner because this one had seen its
day. We were just getting ready to enjoy our home for the summer. We were there,
except for our short trip. Who knew in August we would be completely moved?! Yet, …..
herein lies the rub.
When I used my recipe, asked for Jesus’ help and listened carefully to what I must do,
the pieces of my life all fell into place. I believe clear choice is all around me. It is the
chaotic, constant, craziness of the world I live in that causes so much distraction. This is
why I must always remember to adhere to a most valuable piece of advice:
“I must be in the world but not of the world.”
Today as I am faced with one more beautiful day to live in, I am more thankful for all the
blessings Jesus has bestowed on me. When I pray, I pray in earnest, knowing if my prayer
is for my highest good, it will be answered. Therefore, I am careful, consistent and clear in
my prayers daily. I pray in earnest and mean it. I listen quietly, inwardly, constantly to my
higher self, inner spiritual direction. When I do this, I know beyond a shadow of doubt that I
will find my clear choice.
“I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future”.
Jeremiah 29:11
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”
Proverbs 3:5.
“Be still and know that I am God”.
Psalm 46:10
Can I sit quietly now and pray for direction?
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“My Answers?” Blog #118
What IF what I believe is wrong?
What IF people I am angry with don’t matter?
What IF everything that has happened to ME is to teach ME?
I remember something that happened to me years ago, I had no answer for. I had gotten
a ticket to go see and listen to a very famous man. He was famous for many reasons. He
is a fascinating speaker, an Indian-American author. He was also really big on alternative
medicine. (I did not take drugs and loved the Holistic approach.)
Above all, he is most renowned for his writings. He has written over fifty books and they
are published world-wide in over thirty languages. This night, he was in my city to give a
talk and I wasn’t going to miss it. The problem was, I got there late, it was packed. A few
thousand people were there too. Finally I found one solo seat in the middle of the
auditorium. Once I sat down, I had a mission. Don’t talk to anyone, listen carefully to what
he had to share and leave as soon as it ended.
The man sitting next to me was in his forties, balding with glasses and a slight build. I
could see I had nothing in common with him and nothing to talk to him about. What
caused me to even look over at him was his incessant, happy non-stop chatting to the
person on his other side. I had hopes he would not talk to me. I was focused and fixated
on why I had come here. I was also dealing with my own deep-seeded depression.
As much as my life had been good to me financially and work wise, it was because I had
become a work-a-holic. However, secretly, I knew I was very lost inside of me. All the
trauma way back to my childhood that I had experienced was oddly, constantly catching
up with me at strange moments. Whether it be my childhood, and or the loss of family
members, or my own way of pushing people who had been close to me away, I was
feeling it “big-time”. So here I was, ready for one more speaker to give me all “My answers”
to the darkness that continued to haunt me.
Unfortunately. because of where I was seated and the accoustics in the auditorium, it was
very hard to hear Deepak Chopra share his wisdom with me. I had decided at the
intermission I would leave. Plus I had a thermos of red wine in my car so this would relax
me as I headed home for the night. As I look back on years ago, more than thirty years
ago….. One never knows when Jesus and HIS angels decide to send a miracle into
someones life. I, for one, was not prepared for it. Why, do I feel this? Because I was fine I
rationalized. I had all my answers to my own problems safely figured out, guarded inside
of me. Yet, I had compartmentalized all my issues. Things from the past, too dark and too
scary, think about them another day. People in my family who appeared too distant, just
stay away from. Any and all things in my life that seemed to upset me, I turned away
from, got out my wine at the end of the night and in the morning, dug into my work. So
with that being said - I had My Answers all set. The biggest, saddest, most unfortunate
piece to this:
NO ONE RUNS AWAY FROM THEMSELF. WITHOUT JESUS, LIFE IS AN EMPTY SHELL.
So back to my Deepak Chopra evening. It was now intermission and I decided. I had so
much work to do, I was leaving. However, as I worked my way out of the auditorium into
the main entrance hall for concessions, there were hundreds of people in front of me!
Suddenly I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and to my amazement, there stood
the balding, slight framed man with glasses I had been sitting next to. “What in the world
did he want,?” I thought to myself, but smiled and looked over. His next words wound up
having such an impact on my life - I never drank again. WHAT IF EVERY SITUATION THAT
HAPPENED TO ME IN MY LIFE IS A LIFE LESSON TO LEARN FROM? I started to look at life in a
different way, glass half full, not half empty. Most of all I became a believer in “Self
Purpose/Self Worth” and “The things that happen to me, are there to make me stronger
belief”. Above this, I threw away MY ANSWERS to life and started digging deeper. Yet, here
is WHY I changed in a breath…. This man who put his hand on my shoulder said:: “I hope
you are enjoying yourself as much as I am. You know, I lost my wife and four daughters
in our house fire. I am so thankful FOR WHAT they have showed me AFTER giving up
their lives, the lessons I needed to learn and how important my life is for me to learn,
forgive and go do good. Now you have a nice day”. With that, the balding kind man
just smiled at me, turned around, and disappeared into the crowd. I never got his
name. I never saw him again. He never knew my story as well. But then again, did he?
Could he actually be an angel/person who just happened to be there at the right moment
and the right time to share the right information with me? One will never know….
Any person can take what I have shared in any way they want. I however, choose to
believe the latter. I Ieft that night empowered. I felt relieved. I felt I had been given a small
glimpse of “spiritual wisdom from Heaven”. I now believe that angels walk among us.
They are here to give us information, in person, when we really need it. I went to my car
that night, and poured out all the wine, never needing that false kind of support again. I
had a totally different outlook on life. I started to read as much as I could about
spirituality. I started with the Bible. The New Testament was easier to digest. The biggest
change inside me was this. From that one encounter, I climbed out of my scared shell. I
believe now, each and everyone of us have lessons to learn each day. The family
members around me can give me my greatest lessons. Am I open to this? There is no
mindless lesson. EVERY person coming into my life is there for a reason for MY growth! I
now search like never before, for all the real reasons why HE is my answer. I either choose
to grow and learn, or stay stuck with the wrong answers and wrong people and die on the
vine. For Jesus IS the vine and we are HIS branches.
“Can I let go of my answers, and invite Jesus to show me truth?”
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“Wet Strength” Blog #117
Today, is my heart colder than yesterday?
Inside me, will I go deeper than I’ve gone before?
Right now, do my tears define weakness, or strength?
The sun can be shining, the weather warm and no real health issues today to deal with.
Yet, is there an emptiness inside me? What is it that keeps on bothering me? I can’t get
away from it no matter what I do; all those thoughts. Thoughts never go away when its
time for relaxing, or resting and of course sleep. No wonder so many people feel that
need to “zone out” and grab sleeping pills. At some point though, the mind DOES come
back to itself and “we must deal with what is upper most on our mind; those worrisome
thoughts. Someone once stated and the Bible confirmed,
“share your troubles with another soul”.
Then, apparently the burden begins to lift. However, when the tears are pouring down,
when the heart feels like breaking and the mind will not rest from worry, what to do? All
alone and not know what to do? Yet, I DO know what I do.
First, I believe my tears are healing. Tears are a way of cleansing the heart. Tears are also
kind to me. In my mind, tears have a way of talking quietly to me,
“Enough now, You have your own attention, tears let you learn that lesson and move
on. You can let that go, or come back later and try to work it out….”
I heard somewhere a while back, an interesting observation about a life, it’s important to
learn about oneself”. This is not a strange statement put forth. However, if I stop to think
about it….I’m always learning about myself if I but just pay attention. I know what I like to
eat and not eat. I know what drinks appeal to me. I also know I cannot any longer “drink
hard liquor” or I will want the bottle. I know foods that appeal to me and foods I wouldn’t
touch. I know people who are kind in nature and not judgmental, I like them. I know what
kind of television shows I like to watch and not watch. I know what people in my life am
drawn to and those who frustrate me beyond belief. I know things about myself no other
person on the face of this earth knows. I also know who has hurt me, who has let me
down and when was the last time I cried. Am I ready?
Tears so often come to bring strength. When our emotions are overwhelmed and our
bodies are numb with sadness, fear and pain. Tears come and come. When someone
has hurt me in ways I cannot deem possible, tears can come. When I have tried with all
my strength and all my might and all my will and still someone continues to let me down
and hurt me more each day, tears come. Yet, in all those sad tears, inner and outer wet
strength develops. In all those tears I can find a new spiritual path, a stronger will and
a mightier inner faith because I agree now, I CAN LET GO. I can turn things over to HIM.
HE takes control. HE’s got my life now and I no longer feel all alone, I have HIM with me. So,
I will not walk alone. I hold tightly to HIS hand and HE keeps me standing tall!
I remember awhile back when a friend of mine told me she had an unbelievable scare
because her nephew had asked to meet her and share a statement that caught her off
guard. Her nephew was a kind, good hearted young man with grades that got him
through college. He and his sister had been brought up in Calf. in a very secular, non-faith
family. Now her nephew was about to take a job in another city after graduating from
college. My friend eagerly met him for a good-bye lunch. After lunch they took a walk in a
park. It was here she heard him say, “When I leave you today, I have decided to end my
life unless you can give me a reason for living”. My friend was speechless! She asked her
nephew to sit down on a bench beside her. Quietly she told him in a few words, her own
reasons for wanting to live! Yet, first, she asked him a question, “You don’t know right now,
any more than I do,what exactly happens to yourself when you die, do you? So that puts
us at 50/50 odds. Her nephew sat there, sad tears pouring down his face as he nodded
his head. She put her arm tightly around her nephews shoulders. “However, she went on,
in my Christian faith, it’s a sin to take your life. IF you knew right now you would suffer
gravely for that one act alone, you just might think again.” Then she told her nephew,
“more people than you could ever believe, have had that thought. If you can find it inside
of you to just hold on and ask for help, Internal, invisible, infallible help -
A HOST OF ANGELS WILL COME WITH HELP RIGHT NOW.”
HE IS HERE FOR YOU. HE WILL ALWAYS HEAR YOU. JESUS WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU.
My friend said they both were crying. She watched her nephew, as his tears became so
hearwretching. She sat closer, held him tighter as he spoke to her, “No ONE has ever talked
to me like this before!”
I thought about all the things my friend told me that day. It is now years later and her
nephew DID go on to take that great job in another state, for which he is very successful.
He also become a Christian and attends a Presybtarian church. A couple years later, he
married and now has twin girls! Look at the lives my friend help save all because she
believes. I believe too. I believe if you feel sad, or lost or alone in any way today, if those
tears swell up inside you, if sadness has become too much, it’s okay. It’s all okay. I
continue to believe my tears are a washing away of the old, weak, limited me.
I now firmly say, “These tears have become wet strength, all because of HIM inside of
me”.
Can I feel strong now, with HIS help coming into me today?
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“No Empty Life” Blog #116
Deep inside, do I still fight with myself today?
How do I handle problems that seem overwhelming?
Why am I constantly pushing away internal help, already there!?
Yesterday morning another rush, so many things to do. Yet, when I woke up, I
remembered to say my prayers. I asked for help. I surrounded myself in Devine
Protection. I end my prayer saying “Not my will, but THY will be done”. Getting into my
car was still hectic, however I had a banana, a protein bar and a water, always with me.
This was my fuel for awhile. Then finding a good radio station, I decided to “see what else
was out there as well”. Sadly, lots of dark, depressing, angry music. Who listens to this? I
found a good talk station and went back and forth with uplifting music as well. Important:
listen quickly to current daily World Affairs.
Why? Because I am in the world. My job is to teach myself daily. HOW? By learning my
own lessons, HELP OTHERS, and watch current events around me. Do I feel important to
those around me? Am I giving back? In every way I can, I reach out to those around me
who ask me and are in need.
My life is important to me and to my Lord who guides me and those around me. This is
the first “mindset” to getting rid of an EMPTY life thought.
The person or people who I choose to connect with must be Christ-centered, Heart
healthy, and Honest. If I have relationships with others who are needy, dark, dysfunctional,
my own life will suffer. I will slide down the wrong path and find myself confused, angry
and frustrated! One of the biggest contributors to sadness is loneliness! One of the
biggest contributors to loneliness is Social Media! Social Media intrinsically promotes “the
wrong messages” especially to teenagers today. Tik Tok, SnapChat and Instagram. “MY
empty Life has no Value” screams over on Facebook and all over the internet. And we
wonder why teenage suicide has gone up 130+% in one year!
The second mindset is this, “no matter where I am, who I am with, or what happens to
me, I have value. My life is NOT empty internally to my Lord Jesus.”
Unfortunately in life there is a daily pull, a constant pull toward the secular lifestyle. People
want possessions. People want material things. People live on their phones, morning,
noon and night! We have never in our life had such an opportunity to “feel so important”.
Picking up our phones. we see hundred of emails and messages; Tok Tok, Facebook and
Snap messages wait for us! Yet, I have to stop myself and say: “Seriously”? What IS
important in this stuff?
First things first, there are good people out there. There are bad people out there. There
are kind and fair and honest people on the Internet. There are also dark, deranged and
delusional people on the internet. Most of the time it is obvious what we are suppose to
do and not do. Yet, any one of us can get caught up in the “wrong mindset” with the
wrong people and then scary stuff can happen. NOT TO MENTION WASTING OUR TIME ON
THE PHONE.
Now I come to Mindset Number Three. I create a small plan for TODAY. I write down
something constructive I will do (maybe a letter or email or text to someone that needs
uplifting words from me), something I will learn - I can find a Pod cast among hundreds -
just by going to “Ted Talks” I listen in my car. Then I write down, under notes in my phone,
who I want to “let go of”, Jesus takes over there. With each new thing I do, I feel more and
more important, loved and valued. My life IS important to God and to me and I now utilize
my “higher self” energy; there is no room for an “Empty life mindset” COMPLETELY GONE.
With these concepts in mind, I move on to the next portion of my day. Taking care of my
self and my Internal life filled with Jesus Christ energy. I start slow, deep breathing. I find
time to relax, unwind and rest. All the while remembering how important my mental
health is to me. I can sit in my car and do ALL of this. There is no more chance for an
empty life because just like a car needs refueling, SO DO I. When I start to feel anxious,
rushed or harried I say,
“Thank you Lord for insulating me in your spiritual steel armor of protection. Keep me
safe from all darkness, all worry and all anxiety. In your name I pray, Amen”. I can
smile now and say without judgement of others, “There but for the grace of God…..go I”.
Can I look in the mirror, see myself INTERNALLY, with a full, healthy life?
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“Closed Heart?” Blog #115
Why have I set my mind against my “Higher Self”?
Does living today make me feel good about “ME”?
What is at the “heart” of everything I do?
Is my heart Closed today? If so, I need a “change of Heart”.
It’s amazing how time slips away even when I have nothing planned. For whatever reason,
I still justify, rationalize, negotiate with myself, and don’t like to admit it, but I have judged
people all my life. I look at them under a microscope of anger, confusion and a closed
heart. At the end of the day I say to myself, “I don’t see those people because they did this
and they did that but THEY hurt me!” Why then, should I change my mind?
Lately, I have decided to play it all through. I take one person whom I have judged
constantly and imagine they are no longer here. Now I go on and do this with ALL the
people that have brought me the most pain. There is one part of this that is hard to
digest. It is the part where I must admit at the end of the day, I feel this description about
these people “applies only to me”.
Every one else has a different description of the people I have problems with. WHY IS
THAT? WHERE IS TRUTH IN ALL THIS? ALAS, it is relative and I have to admit, I am stuck with
the old, confused, judgmental ME. I have put into place my own feeling for people that is
not necessarily truth, but “my truth in how I see them”. Someone else will see them
differently and on and on. Do I feel let down? Of course I do! When I judge another, it
keeps my heart closed. It defeats the purpose of people coming into my life who I need to
be learning my lessons from. For we are ALL teachers of each other in some form. It is
hard to understand this TRUTH and learn from it. Remember Jesus said, “Father forgive
them, for they know not what they do”.
Now, I will caveat this by saying IF there are people in my life who are alcoholic abusers,
drug addicts and doom sayers, I must give myself permission to leave that relationship for
the “better and higher good of all concerned”. Then I say to myself, can I now start over? I
can open my life to healthy people around me. I have a NEW PLAN IN PLACE.
Yet, no one can achieve a healthy new plan without a “CHANGE OF HEART”.
Some people look at life like this, “I DON’T NEED ANY PLAN. I am older now and all alone. I
have very little left in life. I don't see family members, my relationships are all strained and
It’s best I leave well enough alone”.
Wow, most people would say, this is a fairly dark assessment of anybody’s life. Yet, maybe
it’s their truth? NO one knows HOW LONG we will live. So why settle on such darkness?
And, there is darkness out there! Not just in older people but the young as well. This is so
sad. One statistic caught my eye the other day reading People Magazine. An article on
social media jumped out at me. It stated how damaging Social Media is. I would say
whether we are young or old, the addiction to social MEDIA IS dreadful. SIT ON OUR PHONES
OFF AND ON, MORNING TIL NIGHT AND ACCOMPLISH WHAT?
Teenage suicide has gone up over the past year 138%. I was wondering what kind of
plan did those teenagers have in place ON THE DAY THEY DIED?
Whether young, middle age or elderly, HOW WE THINK ABOUT OURSELF MATTERS.
EVERY SINGLE DAY WE HAVE TO SAY YES OR NO TO LIVING LIFE. YES, I AM GOING TO PRAY WHEN
I AWAKE, AND “NO” THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THAT COMES FIRST.
YES, I AM GOING TO START MY DAY WITH LOTS OF WATER, GOOD FOOD AND SOME FRESH AIR
AND WALKING. There is no room for “NO”. I will say affirmations to myself no matter how
depressed I feel I am. I can do this. The main reason for a “CLOSED HEART“ IS IN MY
ATTITUDE TOWARD THE PEOPLE AROUND ME.
Do I have a person who I am at odds with? IF so, I WRITE THEM A TEXT, EMAIL OR LETTER.
How much of how they feel about me and our relationship do I take responsibility for?
I do not say no to this or put it off ONE MORE day. IF I am, thinking about this person, IF they
are on my mind, IF I am upset or disappointed in any way, this will not go away. THIS IS
MY LESSON THAT I MUST DEAL WITH. What for? BECAUSE this is causing me to harden my
heart, and refuse to see things any other way, stay stuck! DO I UNDERSTAND NOTHING WILL
CHANGE. MY COLD, JUDGMENTAL, CLOSED HEART STAYS CLOSED. What does that show me
in how I am growing in life internally and helping someone else? I AM NOT. IF I AM a
CHRISTIAN, I must look at what I am to compare myself too, Jesus Christ. Well, here is a
quick comparison of a forgiving nature vs “closed heart”. Jesus did all he could, he gave
and gave, and his disciples turned against Him. Peter asked him, “Lord if my brother sins
against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Then Jesus blew
them all away in his answer:
“I say to you, not seven times, but seventy times seven times”.
I CAN find a new way today to OPEN my CLOSED HEART. I can sit still and breathe in deep
breaths to the count of ten. “Thank you Jesus for opening my heart to only your will
today”. I say yes to a healthy, light-filled life. This gets rid of my nasty habit of excuses.
I think about a person who became stuck in life, someone who kept saying NO to living life
at it fullest, someone whose life quickly went from youth to elderly. He had a “closed
heart”. The movie has been playing over and over called, “A Christmas Carol”, starring
Mr. Scrooge. He said “NO” to a healthy life. The beginning of the movie shows all kinds of
town people trying to get Scrooge involved in different holiday traditions. His anger
controls him. His misery keeps him down and his misplaced judgmental criticisms have
crushed his entire spirit. He’s figured people out alright, he “thinks”, and he judges them
too. That is until he starts getting visitors from Christmas past, Christmas present and
Christmas future. He is given a gift most of us unfortunately are never given, until it’s too
late, the chance to have a “Change of Heart”.
Scrooge is able to “see himself in the past, present and future”. He is able to SEE all the
dark, sad choices he has made and IS MAKING and where he is SAYING NO. Ebenezer
Scrooge suddenly has been given a rare opportunity to change the word NO to YES. I sit
here and imagine IF I could suddenly take the clamps off of all my judgment calls, all the
times I am saying NO and change it to “YES”. How would my life be? Deciding on
forgiveness is not useless if it opens my closed heart.
Can I have a “change of heart” with everyone I look at?
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“A Rough Day?” Blog #114
Do I understand I have no control over yesterday?
Can I start out this morning and implement a new routine?
What is my “Mindset” to find a way out of despair?
I know that in a second, I can change my mind, change my thinking and redirect my focus
on this day. How often do I do just that? A big part of my “Higher Self” awareness for me
now, is this, “DO I CHOOSE TO STAY STUCK?” As long as I have a breath left in side of me, I
can learn to let go of what is plaguing me, depressing me and keeping me down. Just
last week I was so proud of myself for being organized and keeping a list of what I needed
to do for that day. The day would not turn out to have any of the items on my list
completed! I started out just fine, however the traffic was bad, I had gotten a late start
and I was aware that I was anxious driving in my car. My mind was shifting as it often
does, and suddenly out of nowhere I felt a loud bang! A car had come barreling into my
lane and as I drove forward, he plowed into my left side. As loud as it was, I thought I had
serious damage. The blaring noise was my tire exploding! Immediately I got SO
FRUSTRATED AND FROZEN. Here I was in a completely “unexpected moment”. I was angry.
I was put out. More than anything, I was going over and over in my mind.
Why did this have to happen NOW? (maybe I needed to slow down?)
When I finally got home that day, I turned on the TV to relax. Ironically, there was a special
on about a woman who had tragically lost her husband and was left with illness, children
and no way to pay her bills. I was humbled immediately. Of course when it comes to
“that other person, worse off than me” one of us need reminding, yet we all need to find a
way to come back to healthy coping tools quickly!
WHAT KEEPS ME GOING EACH DAY?
A therapist I once saw, made a remarkable comment to me, “What brought you to the
point of coming to see me today?” In other words, what was the straw that broke the
camels back?” WHEN DOES TOO MUCH BECOME TOO MUCH? MY DECISION FOR THE WAY I
HANDLE MY LIFE HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THIS STATEMENT. How DO I CARE for ME today?
How many people say to themself: “If it can just get to be five o clock, I can have that drink
and finally relax!” Or better still, I just need some weed, or that pill and I can handle
everything going on around me.”
Anyone ever think, “The body IS the Temple of God”. Whatever does that mean?
IT means exactly what it says. How am I taking care of my own body?
I believe that whatever I am given to deal with, God will never give me MORE than I can
handle. Therefore, I BEST have healthy, coping skills in place quick, because I believe for
myself…..ONE DRINK WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH. One thing leads to another and the artificial
stimulus goes on and on and on…….
I am here to learn my lessons. I must accept they are all around me. How do I know this?
I just look at the things that bother me the most! Is it a family member? Have a
managed to find forgiveness. Is it something I am afraid of? Then I can sit down, write it
out and find a healthy person to confide in. Is it serious money problems? This is where
my own BUDGETING is critical! I am the only one that knows how much I need to make
and spend and save. Again, I can sit down and write it all out. Share this with a
confidential, healthy person.
My rough day can change in a breath - being emotional, unrealistic, untruthful, only
keeps the rough days coming. I understand internally the importance of TRUTH. IF I am
open to prayer, talking to Jesus Christ, I see than TRUTH comes, comes straight to me. IF
I am overwhelmed, overworked, overtired, have I taken on the wrong responsibilities? No
one can tell me truth better than HE. Then I AM in balance with my day and realize there is
time for everything I must do. Here is a perfect TRUTH that fits perfectly right now.
TIME FOR EVERYTHING. Ecclesiastes 3
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
A time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plan and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them together,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace….”
How did I spend my time, IF I had a rough day today?
NOW LISTEN TO SONG FOR TODAY - CLICK PLAY BUTTON IN VIDEO BELOW
“Help Me Now” Blog #113
Do I focus on other people issues, knowing I can’t fix them?
Am I overwhelmed with where I’m at, right this minute?
What can come into my life to help ME all day today?
The other day I was perusing thru my phone and saw an amazing “healing moment”. I
watched a video of a young man attempting to steal a purse from a pretty younger
woman, sitting at the bus stop. He was successful in grabbing her purse. Then for
whatever reason, he turned around halfway down the block and saw now she was looking
for her purse with a “stick in front of her”. .He instantly realized he had stolen a purse
from a blind person. He could have just kept on running away with his instant prize. Yet,
he did not. He turned around and saw she was now using her stick In an anxious wide
circle, trying in vain to find her purse! The young man quickly put her purse in front of the
stick and she picked it up. Clutching her purse to her chest, she started off walking. The
young man now followed the blind girl. As she walked carefully, he saw there was a large
garbage can directly in her path; he moved it. Then the girl came to a busy cross street.
He went ahead of her and stopped all the traffic as she navigated her way across the
street. The young man followed her all the way to where she lived to make sure she was
safe. Then he turned around and disappeared from the area. This little vignette could
have been so different.
Every single thing that happens in our life today is a Life LESSON IN SOME WAY.
When our phone rings today, do I build someone up who is calling me? Or do I start to
gossip about another person who we both know? Do I start my day with a prayer of
“Protection”, surrounding myself in the light of God, and asking to have “HIS will direct my
day, instead of “my will”?
My thoughts are everywhere if I but allow them to be. There is so much noise around me.
I can only gleam “higher self information” if I center myself now! The young man who
was willing and ready and DID steal the young blind girls purse, was given an “angelic
example” of TRUTH. He immediately saw a dark deed he had done and he turned it
around instantly!
I know each one of us is saddled with so many painful difficult, sad situations, oftentimes
we cannot find an answer to. This is why I focus on today! I learn something new. I can
be forgiving of myself for past wrong doings. There is a teacher waiting inside of me. ALL I
need to know is deeply buried inside my heart. No reason to be afraid. I smile now and it
feels good. Even though I have family members who I cannot fix, I may have health issues
that concern me, I have people around me who appear not to care. All ls as it should be.
I am given all situations to learn from I STAY STRONG.
I remember going to the club to work out and swim and there was a very large woman in
the pool near me. We swam to the end of the pool at the same time and she just wanted
to talk. She told me all the diets she had tried never did work and she also was starting to
be so forgetful. Yet, she said the only thing that tasted good each day was her “diet soda”
she drank over eight to ten cans a day! I told her all she needed to do was look up on the
internet the dangers soda contained contributing to loss of memory, poor health and
weight gain! She ironically told me, in all the visits to her doctors, no one had ever
mentioned this to her!
We live in a society overrun with people telling us what to take. Every single ad on our
phone or TV. tells us “Not always truthful statements”. I believe I must discern for myself.
Every day I am flooded with commentaries and promotions ads, commercials are
everywhere! I must ask myself:
What are MY own boundaries? What do I stand for? What must I let go of? I cannot ask
for help for things in my life until I learn Who I am and what I want. It’s easy to fall back
on “artificial help”. Alcohol, drugs, darkness IS around us. The only way to access the
light of Jesus Christ is to invite him into my heart.
Many of us have children either still at home or out in the world with children of their own.
They will always have a “heart attachment to us”. They will in their own way, reach out to
us for advice, help and assurance. It is my obligation to share Gods Truth with my family
as long as long as I am alive. That is my responsibility as a healthy parent. Sometimes in
fear, we fail to speak truth.
This is where discipline, detachment and discernment come into place. In my world I
understand the order of obligation to those around me; Jesus Christ comes first and
foremost in every thing I do. Then my family comes next. When I am aware of who my life
shows obligation to, It is not a hard decision when I become challenged.
My entire life is not as I had hoped it would turn out to be. I wanted fun and laughter and
security when I was a child. I grew up in fear, hostility and dysfunction. I wanted to
someday get married and have a loving family to raise and care for. I made terrible
decisions when I was given tragedy and for many years chose to hide behind my drinking,
problematic people and chaotic choices. As I look back, I only regret not having courage
to choose wisely.
IF I WOULD HAVE ASKED INTERNALLY, HIS HELP WOULD HAVE COME!
ITS NOT ENOUGHT TO USE FAITH AS A 911 OR FAITH TODAY AND GONE TOMORROW. TIME
MATTERS…..EVEN JESUS WENT INTO THE DESERT FOR FORTY DAYS, WITH NO FOOD. JUST
PRAYER. EVEN JESUS HAD DOUBTS ON THE CROSS.
“MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” HE CRIED OUT, ALSO SAYING; “FATHER
FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO” AND LASTLY SAYING “FATHER INTO
YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT”.
ALL THESE WORDS SHOW JESUS HUMAN SIDE - HE REFUSED TO CALL ON HIS DIVINITY TO SAVE
HIM! TAKE HIM OFF OF THE CROSS. HE WANTED TO SHOW HE KNEW AND KNOWS WHAT WE FEEL
LIKE… WHAT WE GO THROUGH EACH DAY! SO I SAY TO MYSELF. I CAN DEAL WITH TODAY
WHATEVER IT IS. I HAVE MY FAITH TO HELP ME NOW. I HAVE A RECIPE FOR MY LIFE, I START WITH
BABY STEPS, I CAN DO THIS! WHEN I WORRY ABOUT MYSELF AND MY FAMILY, I NOW REPLACE
WORRY WITH PRAYER. I AM COURAGEOUS IN MY BELIEF FOR HELP IS HERE FOR ME NOW.
CAN I LET GO OF MY MOST FEARFUL THOUGHTS AND GIVE IT TO HIM?
NOW LISTEN TO SONG FOR TODAY - CLICK PLAY BUTTON IN VIDEO BELOW