You be You, I'll be Me

I believe we all have the need to feel different, unique. We all experience this feeling the same way, however, and the only way we are truly unique is when we realize this and let that feeling go, so the Holy Spirit can use us for God's purposes. We will then be unique because He uses each person as He designed them. When we "try" to be unique, we are then too much of our own thoughts- the same thoughts as all people by nature- and we lose our uniqueness!

Recently I've been reading a book about Heaven. Heaven is real, as Hell is real, and it's amazing to think how the Earth is a planet, we are on this planet, and God knows each and every one of His believers! Anyway, in Heaven, I want to cook, sew, sing like Selah (it might take 1,000 years of voice lessons), and be a loving manager. Oh, and I'd like to be a potter also. The point is: Am I practicing on Earth, daily, what God will want me to do in Heaven? Oh! Write and draw too! ... I am SO GLAD we'll have an eternity, because there are so many things I want to do for my God!
(I wonder if we played Dominoes with Jesus if He'd always win?)

Today is the perfect day to focus on living for Christ. A perfect day, with so many options in the day!, how can I best use this 24 hours?
... I better start with a prayer... ask for focus... and fully live.

True Love

I believe that Love is a choice, not a feeling. Every day we wake up and we can decide if we will love the person we're with, or turn our feelings toward something/someone else. We can choose to love our children whole-heartedly and unconditionally. We can choose to hold grudges too, but what would that gain us? The same goes for parents, really... we can love or resist.

So when did it get so difficult for people to stay married for 30, 50, 60 years? Do we wake up and decide that there's something more important to us than our family? Is there anything else more valuable than true love? I think not!

There is something that could deter the desire to pursue true love-- perhaps "inconsideration". Are we considerate to remember the other person? Are they understanding our feelings because we carefully and calmly explained ourselves? I think we each need to own up and be responsible to connect and stay connected!

What, in this entire world that God created and Satan destroys, could we possibly love more than the peace that passes all understanding? Besides, since Jesus saved us, we're "family" to God- the creator of the universe. Imagine! What a GREAT family to be devoted to!! I love the thought that I'm a Child of God and HE is always loving me... unconditionally, with consideration, and wholeheartedly. ... And who am I that I shouldn't pass on that same love, daily...

Reality

The reality is that the Gross-Factor is really high when cleaning the shower. Yuck. It's not the hay bits or the dirt that make the gross factor so high, it's the hair conditioners that stick to the sides of the shower that gross me out. ... So I was thinking...

Wouldn't it be great if we could shower under gentle waterfalls, Grandma made the bread by hand, and our children collected fruit for us to eat? Ah yes... glorious. Then again, How many times did they wish that THEY had indoor plumbing? Wouldn't a life like that get redundant and we'd dream up ideas for entertainment- and ways to preserve food in a cold box so we could stock up food for a few days and enjoy more time with "better living"?

Okay, so maybe the waterfall showers is a little overrated-- but I still dislike cleaning our bathrooms. yuck.

wham-

Driving home from work, I panicked and braked while a long white truck was pulling out in front of me... very slowly. wham. My first car accident wasn't a personal tragedy, but my car was totalled. (I loved that car.)

I think about how many times in life each person gets a "wham"- "out of nowhere"- "where did that come from?" experience. Say, for example, a cold or the flu. wham. It hits you square between the eyes-- and suddenly you cherish your ability to breathe, you remember the days without pain, etc. Even after the cold/flu is gone, you remember for a few days how wonderful it is to breathe again! Then as we go about our everyday life, we forget quickly how many great miracles are working for us each day.

We had a rental car for a few weeks and then my wonderful husband found us a car. Not just any car, but a better car than the first car. Now it's hard to remember how many things needed fixing in the old car... now it's difficult to remember exactly what the dashboard looked like... My everyday life is moving me along quickly.

All this to say that I had my first car accident? Nope. All this to say, "Don't forget to stop and smell the roses." Just because it isn't a problem right now doesn't mean we need to take it for granted! Give someone you love a hug; smell your beverages and food; taste fully; feel the weather; notice your environment and take in the sounds, sights and smells; give generously;
"Act kindly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).

Time to huddle!

The economic crisis of 2008/2009... that's where we're at. The stock market went down, the price of gas went down, the interest rates went down, the price of gold went down, peoples incomes went down, the price of housing went down, the price of clothing went down, the price of foods went down, the price of life went down-- and unemployment is widespread. It's time to huddle.

If everyone is in the same boat, so to say, then it's not quite so bad. If we stay close to friends, stay close to a church family, hang tight in our immediate family, then we can work it out and still find hapiness in our everyday. :) Undeniably, this is tough. It's plaguing the minds of people while they're trying to move on; preoccupying our thoughts when we try to relax. However, since it's a continued factor, we need to mentally set it aside for a short amount of time each day and feel some relaxation in whatever blessing we have.

Me? I have a wonderful family and loving friends. I have my friend, God, who cares about me and knows me better than anyone else. I also have a house big enough that if someone lost their house, we could co-habitate. ... It would be tight, only one shower, but we could do it!

Life is full of choices: non stop daily choices. I say 'let's not dwell on the obvious trouble. Let's huddle together and find more options in our day.'
And once again, I have a full day ahead of me... what should I do with this 24 hours?? :)

Praying

I have this "thing", passion if you will, for praying. It's an amazing phenomenum. Picture the creator of the entire universe, of the bodies in the heavens right down to the nuclear systems and organic systems that keep us all together on the Earth... picture this Creator, "God", who lets us talk to Him personally. w o w.

If I start from a point where I haven't been praying for a while, I am respectful and distant. But here's that wonderful miracle part-- this God wants to be BFF. Yep, my Best Friend Forever.
I can say anything and think of God as a person since He was a person; and He was a person just for us and our benefit.

So what should I ask for today? I usually start out saying that I'm sorry I do many things that wouldn't be acceptable in His Court in the Universe... I'm kind of scuzzy. But I'm also thankful that He overlooks that because Jesus was perfect! (Very thankful...) You know what I usually do? I usually ask God to be with a long list of people I love. I want them all to FEEL God.

Today... today I think I'll ask for God's direction. I love it when life falls into place easily. Asking for jobs and health is a priority, but besides that, without clear direction I get frustrated. I feel like someone put a bag over my head and I can't figure out what I'm supposed to do! Today I want to specifically ask for Him to show me in my real life that He's really here. (I love that!!)
Well, I've thought about it enough. I'm anxious to make my cup of coffee and have coffee with my Jesus. :)

Now I feel strong enough to live through another day. Thank you Jesus.

I'm Not Willing

I'm not willing to just let my friends "go". How is that done?!?
I returned from a funeral for a friend, and I feel stunned. I'm afraid to live another day because what if someone else that I love will "leave"? I don't want to do this. I don't like being the adult. This is too painful. ... yet isn't this what everyone has to live through?

I feel like I'm not strong. I feel vulnerable. I feel like a sappy romantic who tells everyone she knows that she loves them (in some way or another I hope). I feel blessed to have enjoyed the experiences that I was given. I feel overjoyed to have had some precious moments, those little things that are so personal. I want to resist change-

And yet, with change comes new moments in a day. They might not show up immediately, but there are still days for fun, days for lingering, days to enjoy moments with those we love.

I want to walk with a lighter step tomorrow, knowing that the day is open for new experiences and opportunities to enjoy someone else. Tonight I walk a little slower, a little heavier... and that's okay too.

A whole life

Everyone has a whole life- A life with dynamics. Everyone that drives by me when I'm driving in my car has a complete life with many variables, with many people that they know, who also have an entire life. It's absolutely mind boggeling to imagine that every single person on this planet Earth has a whole life!

When I'm 80

Many times within a week I wonder what I'll be doing when I'm 80. I want to plan to be busy and happy. If I remember correctly, Laura Ingals Wilder started writing when she was 70. What about that? That would be great.

I want children around me. I love children. I want to be able to be artistic in some way.

I would like to buy a house off the ocean. (That's a dream more than a goal.)

I want to still be crazy in love with my husband.

Whatever I'll be doing, I know that today, and every day, is a day of preparation for when I'm 80. I can practice being who I want to be starting now. Sometimes I think that having only 24 hours in one day just isn't enough! I bet I could use up 36 hours in a day...
I want to spend time with all of my family and all of my friends! I'm thinking: since there isn't enough time to see everyone often, well, let's have a party!! *I'll be calling you soon*

The New Day

Yes, I started my day with a dark roast coffee. yum. I was prayerfully thankful, but I was also busy with my family-- and what could be better? My Dad stopped in for his cup of coffee, and I called my Mom; my children bustled around me... I couldn't be happier!

I might not have any "followers", readers actually, but I'd like to log these entries for my adult children. I hope they enjoy the tidbits of thought that they might not have listened to when I was actively parenting them. I LOVE my adult children!

With the beginning of a new year, and the economy unpredictable, I plan to stay the same. Focus on changing the world- one child at a time- and reaching out with kindness to others I pass.

That and enjoy that lovely cup of morning coffee with my Jesus.