Life in a Jar for Christmas

How many gifts have we ever received that were immediately returned? The reason, most likely, is because the giver didn't know us well enough or, worse, didn't care about us. Many commercially bought gifts are boring and do not have any personal flavor.
But, no fear; it's never too late to begin getting creative! Time to have some fun crafting our own special Christmas gifts to give to our favorite people. 


One of the most clever of ideas are the Gifts in a Jar. Just about anything goes and this is easy! Use quart size Mason jars, so the lid can be decorated with fabric and ribbons or anything else our imaginations can come up with. We can adapt them to our individual friends and family, so they reflect both the giver and the receiver!  

FOOD JARS: fill with ingredients, include the recipe, and ad something extra like a scoop or special utensil.

Food Jar: the perfect gift!

cookies

soups

muffins

hotcakes

oatmeal & fruit

candy

MEMORY JARS: everyone likes nostalgia. Find unique items to fill a jar to show how you remember a special person in your life. Add a love note too.

tiny photos and/or mementos of favorite times together

toys of all kinds reflecting the person's hobby or a special occasion

colorful strips of paper with Scripture promises written out

hopeful and encouraging thoughts on specialty papers

ONE-OF-A-KIND JARS: these are like a "story in a jar" complete with an ending. They could be something unique, different or to enlighten in some way. Here is an example:

Ingredients: one-quart Mason jar; 2 cups white, uncooked rice; 20 whole walnuts; a 6-inch square of colorful, cotton fabric; length of matching ribbon enough to go around jar twice; card stock.   

Write or type out the following instructions and print on card stock; fill the jar accordingly; place metal insert on jar; place fabric on top of insert and screw on lid around fabric; punch hole in printed card stock and string onto ribbon; tie around jar underneath the fabric.   

Instructions:
This Jar is Your Life

It contains exactly 2 cups of rice and 20 walnuts. The rice represents everything YOU want to do with your life and the walnuts represent everything GOD wants you to do with your life. Now, if you try putting in all the rice first, then the walnuts, it doesn't work. But if you put in the walnuts first and then the rice, it all works perfectly according to HIS plan! Keep this jar as a reminder that God doesn't want much from us, just a few walnuts!

The 7 Best Christmas Traditions

It's on the way! Most of the world celebrates Christmas--the birth of Jesus Christ--in approximately four weeks on December 25th. In a few countries, the celebration is held on January 6th, which is called the Feast of the Epiphany or also known as the celebration of the Three Kings (Wise Men). For those countries that use the "Julian" calendar, Christmas is on January 7th. Not all countries believe in Christmas and, therefore, do not celebrate with us.  

What is Advent?
On November 27th, the season of Advent began. These four weeks are used to prepare ourselves for Christmas. Some parents give their children Advent Calendars to teach them about the coming celebration. This favorite "puzzle" has a tiny opening for each day. Behind the "windows" are pictures explaining the story of Christmas. It is great fun for the child to wake up each morning and discover something new! 

Traditions, Trees, and Tassels
There are numerous Christmas traditions different families celebrate to mark the days of December. And even though we may be single-again, there is absolutely no reason at all to avoid or cancel all these traditions. If we choose, we can revise the way we do Christmas to fit our new lifestyles, making totally new customs of our own. Whatever we decide to do, staying positive will create the best year of all!      

First of all, comes the household decorations to make everything beautiful and special. Wreaths for the front door, lights on the house and inside too (don't let this stop you: hire someone or ask a friend if this is too much to tackle), table centerpieces, and Christmas pillows for the sofa. Finally the tree goes up. On and on we go; as much or as little as our tastes dictate. It's all the fun of the season.

Then, of course, are the presents on Christmas Day imitating the gifts given to Jesus by the Three Kings. Shopping is great fun for some of us, but if this drives you crazy, crafts and handmade gifts are very popular and are really much more personal than buying a commercial gift in a store for someone that they don't want anyway.

Did you find the seven best yet?
1 Advent
2 Decorations
3 Wreaths
4 Centerpieces
5 Happy Birthday, Jesus!
6 Gifts
7 The Three Kings

This is just the beginning. Be sure to keep an eye on this blog over the next four weeks. You will find unique ideas of all kinds for the Christmas celebration!

He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth. Luke 1:14 

    

How to Get Our Sync Back in Five Easy Steps

Leftovers anyone?

One holiday down and we survived! Now what to do with all the leftovers! Solve that and we ski over to the best day of winter with ease. It's really not far off--Christmas is just 30 days away. No need for nail-biting though! Let's just enjoy a small break today before it all begins again. Yes, it's o.k. to rebel. Instead of punching our way through the black-Friday madness at the mall, we can step away and do something that's invigorating without getting hurt. 


Souls On Fire!
There are many, many ways to move in and out with our world; to bring the positives back into our life. But we'll need to limit it to just a few, and build on that as we run into the new year with all the joy we deserve. One thing is certain: life never stands still. No, not for anyone. If this has been a year of mishaps, misgivings, and missed opportunities, it's time to set our "souls on fire!"   

Can we hear our hearts beating now as the excitement returns? It will happen only as much as we are willing and able to encourage it. Resistance will render the "beat" unable to perform. It will extinguish the fire. And we will suffer a hardened heart, instead of a loving one. And who wants that!

Five Easy Ways to Get Our Sync Back!
. . .is to think of the word Grace as an acronym. Grace is simply receiving the gifts of favor and kindness from a loving God who believes us to be deserving of all of His blessings.  

Grateful thoughts - every single day brings enough to be thankful about to fill an ocean. Sunrises, lattes, children's laughter, our health and safety, friends, books, gardens, hugs, pets, music, God's creation, and most important, His promise of heaven for all eternity. (Psalm 105:1)

GRACE Abounds!

Refreshing efforts - along with that sunrise, if we get outdoors each day and breathe in and out, our health can't help but to improve in amazing ways. Then we will naturally want to eat healthy and move our bodies, too. Our energy level will soar! Our outlook will change in remarkable ways. (Psalm 147:8)

Abiding attitudes - regaining our happiness is major for ourselves and those around us! We can choose to live in bitterness and an unforgiving environment, but we will never be happy. We can't have it both ways. Once mistakes are learned, our unhappy past has no purpose whatsoever. Today is all we are promised. Not tomorrow, not next week nor next year. Today is the present. Live in it! (2 Thessalonians 3:16)

Calm temperaments - to regain a sense of who we are meant to be is to find out and practice ways to remain calm and composed. This is easier for some women than others. Only you know you. A common cause of staying upset all the time, full of anxiety, and living in depression is harboring and entertaining worries on a consistent basis. God never wants that for us! (Matthew 6:25-32)

Expressing love - "Let me count the ways!" Nothing will move us faster into God's will than spilling the very best of ourselves into the lives of others. Just a simple smile can do it. Laughter and a hug upon seeing a friend (without complaining about our lives) can fill both of us. Give love. Get love. (2 John 1:6)         


So, if we truly want a better life full of love, laughter, meaning and purpose, it's up to us. There is no one else walking on the face of this earth that will do it for us. And if we ever want to share it with someone else at some point, it's advisable to take out the trash first before cooking up a new recipe!

Your Thanksgiving Day Diary

The following is a reflection of our most intimate time with our Creator. 
Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving! 

Psalm 96

Sing a new song to the LORD! Let the whole earth sing to the LORD! 

Sing to the LORD; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.

Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. 

Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.

Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods.

The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the LORD made the heavens!

Honor and majesty surround him; strength and beauty fill his sanctuary.

O nations of the world, recognize the LORD; 

recognize that the LORD is glorious and strong.

Give to the LORD the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his courts. 

Worship the LORD in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him.

Tell all the nations, “The LORD reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. 

He will judge all peoples fairly.

Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! 

Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!

Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! 

Let the trees of the forest sing for joy 

before the LORD, for he is coming! 

He is coming to judge the earth. 

He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.

* * * * * * * * * 

For another down-to-earth message just for you, see the post, Welcoming Thanksgiving Different This Year from November 21st.   

Welcoming Thanksgiving Different This Year

Can you get any of these correct without hitting Google? (Answers at the bottom of this post, but no sneaking a peek!)  

*When was the very first Thanksgiving feast?

*What was served at this first meal?

*What did the Pilgrims eat with?

*How many turkeys are eaten at Thanksgiving today?

*What year was the first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?

Looking Up

Once a year just doesn't seem enough to officially say "Thanks!" for all we receive. Let's hope we do it more often than that! But what if we just can not get up enough energy to do it? Life has given us a blow and we are having a difficult time getting up. 

This year's meal is different. Maybe at someone else's house. Maybe we were not the chief cook and pastry maker this year as we wanted. We have to share the kids with someone else. We have no one to attend dinner with us. We could go on and on if we allowed ourselves to wallow in our discontent. That is not good medicine for us, though. No one says we have to be the life of the party, but we have an obligation to take care of ourselves. If only for our own sanity.

Starting at the Beginning With This Conversation

Dear God, sometimes life gets me down and I find it hard to see things to be thankful for. Open my eyes to see the gifts you’ve given me in my life. I’m going to start by thanking you for loving me enough to come to earth and die so we can live together forever. Amen.  --Wendy van Eyck, Crosswalk Contributor

Now let's start opening some gifts. Begin today and all the way through Christmas, as we think of blessings, list in our journals why we are grateful. Thank you, God, for. . . 

• Never leaving us.
• An invitation to someone else's home.
• Allowing someone else to cook this year.
• Showing us how to be generous with the kids.
• Our health and improved outlook.
• Providing all our needs in the moment.
• Support of friends and family.  
• Peace and joy that grows stronger every day.
• Protection from ourselves and others.
• The gift of abundance in all things.
• Unanswered prayer when You knew what was best for us.
• Tears that keep my heart from becoming hardened.
• Your forgiveness and mercy.
• Salvation, to spend eternity with You forever.

We Have a Caregiver of Our Own

There are so, so many more ways to give thanks. Find some very personal ones and thank God for being there to take care of it all. Even what appears negative or devastating at the time are hidden blessings! Remember, all good things come from Him today and every day.  

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 

And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 2 Corinthians 9:8

--------------

Answers to trivia:
1. Autumn of 1621

2. No turkey was served at the very first Thanksgiving feast. But deer, duck, geese, oyster, eel and fish were.

3. Spoons and knives used, but not forks as they were not invented yet! 

4. 46 million turkeys are eaten every Thanksgiving. Female turkeys (hens) do not gobble. Only males do.

5. 1924 - first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. 

How Far Is The Mountaintop?

It's absolutely no picnic at all to lose someone. It hurts. It's heart-breaking. And it's even embarrassing. We put ourselves out there. We put our trust in the one we loved with all our heart. We walked down the aisle and made a vow. 

Then the trust was broken without a thought behind it. Shattered into pieces. We did our best to repair the damage. He walked out anyway. The tears have filled a dam--there are none left! Now we grab on, hold on, and move on with all the courage and strength we can find while the wounds heal.   

What Boundaries?

We often have to ask, ‘Now who can I trust?’ It seems the answer is ‘No one.’ We don't dare do that again, right? But, we know that all human beings are filled with flaws. Even us. Sometimes, people we trust do things to ruin that trust in amazing, surprising and hurtful ways. Even scary ways. 

There is no doubt about it. It is extremely difficult to regain a measure of trust once someone has devastated our world. What do we do about it? How do we get on the right track again? Do we run down the street screaming over the dishonesty and selfishness, or, do we set responsible boundaries for the next time we're in a relationship? What about our own excuses? Didn't we have some part in this drama? There are many lessons to learn here. It will take time. One thing is for sure: if we don't learn the lessons now, it will certainly happen again.  

We're here! The Mountaintop of our dreams. 

Lessons at the Top

This is where we discover we can only do so much on our own. We can begin a new life. Check. We can make new friends. Check. We can join a gym and get into shape. Check. We can get a new job if we want. Check. It's just like any new wilderness adventure. What we really need is a Guide to show us the way through the valleys to the mountaintop. A Teacher who can connect with us and give us a desire for the real truth. And a Friend who knows the life that will save us from ourselves.    

He gets us!

The only One who can do all this is our Lord and Savior, Jesus. He gets us! We can go to Him and really talk about the betrayal, hurt, and sorrow. He's been there. And it's not just about all the overwhelming events that have occurred; He knows about our most treasured dreams too. Thankfully, we can safely place our total trust in Him like no other. His promise is that He will never ever, ever, ever leave us! He loves us that much, inside and out. 

Listen! Do your hear your Counselor knocking at your door?
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Tiny Ripples of Hope

Let's just face it, get it out, and get it over with right now. This is the season of hope and joy! And we feel like saying bah-humbug, right? Being single-again, especially if it's a new situation to us, brings on welcome activities like pulling the covers over our heads for the next two months!  

If we want to breathe, however, the covers must come off. Actually, we can be stronger than we look. Certainly after that morning cup of coffee, tea, or juice. Getting dressed in something cozy and colorful, doing our hair and makeup, and stepping outside for a walk will fill our lungs with hope. Now, we can think clearly.

We are here to stay
We can take this season and make all sorts of things into new habits and traditions. We can show the world we are here to stay on our terms! Remember, our lives don't have to be a picture of perfection. We can choose to simply live, breathe and survive by what we do and how we act. One definition of hope is "anticipating something good to come in the future." Ready to test that thought? 

Any or all of these fun pick-me-ups could fit right into our new wonderful lives (remember that's a choice we have too):

• Connect with a friend who really understands us. 
• Change our thinking and celebrate our own life. Try simple things we've never before done. A new restaurant. A new route to work. A new workout center. A new quilt for our bed.  
• Keep our sense of humor, even if we're not known as the funny-type. Watch a comedy. Tell jokes with your kids. Share a funny story with a family member.
• Keep an encouragement journal. As often as we can (morning or night) list a few things we are grateful for or that bring us happiness.  
• Volunteer to help someone who is in need. Work at a thrift store that benefits abused women. Read to children or the elderly. Teach someone to dance. 
• If we don't feel like being the cook this year for family dinners, it's o.k. to bring a store bought dish or flowers. Really. 

Every time you stand up for an ideal, you send forth a tiny ripple of hope. 
--Robert Kennedy

What will really help us is the truth. Aren't we tired of being jerked around? Tired of not hearing the truth? Of course we are. On the subject for today, then, we need to know where hope comes from, so we can understand it and, apply it to our lives. If not, our hearts will continue to feel "sick." Our stomachs will react negatively to our situations. 

The truth and nothing but the truth

How many ripples can we create this year?

First of all, the truth: God is the original source of all hope. He knew we would some day need all we could get. He offers it to us with hands outstretched! The Bible, in fact, tells us that hope creates patience, courage, and joy and, so, we can THEN understand why we have none at times. Without hope, we have nothing else. In fact, it is one of the three things which last: faith, hope, and [true] love. 

Hope is produced by endurance--when we "hang in there" and keep moving forward no matter what happens. No matter how much pain we might be feeling. When we do something really hard for a long time and still end up breathing. It is not a magical "wishful thinking" kind of thing. Hope is the confidence we have in things that are unclear or unseen. It's our inspiration! 

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

How Whispered Prayers Will Stop Stress

Probably most of us have, at one time or another, felt a sensation of sweating, tension, increased pulse and headache in answer to the various, everyday forms of stress. It can come from anger, fear, aggravation, frustration or illness in ourselves or others to name just a few reasons. No one can escape it for an entire lifetime. It's not pretty, but pretty common.   

Stress-less Solutions
Apparently, there are as many ways to handle feelings of stress as there are people alive! Some are quite simple like having a pet around to soothe our nerves. Close friends who have a gift of listening. Lighting candles and putting on quiet music. Going to dinner with an encouraging friend. Shopping for an antique clock. Huh? O.K. that's just something that happened to me today. And the yummiest: enjoying a warm beverage, probably with chocolate!        

Classic Clues
On a more practical level, if we want a solution that has been around for centuries that is guaranteed to turn our situation around, it's Whispered Prayer. On the surface, it doesn't seem that it's very sensible or useful in the midst of a stress attack. After all, we can't reach out and touch prayer as if it is an object, like a pet or a candle. We can't enjoy the taste like chocolate. But we can ask, what is prayer good for?  

• relieving distress (Psalm 102)
• deliverance from fear (Psalm 34:4) 
• confidence the Lord will hear us (1 John 5:14)
• we will receive an answer (Psalm 17:6)
• daily requests are welcome (Philippians 4:6)
• calms anger (1 Timothy 2:8)
• provides peaceful and quiet lives (1 Timothy 2:1)
• increases faith (Jeremiah 33:3)
• receiving the love of God (Psalm 42:8)
• healing and forgiveness granted (James 5:15-16)

These are only a few. We also know prayer is a direct conversation between us and the Lord, and that, dear friends, is pure joy.  

Where Do We Begin?
When we have no idea how to pray, nor what to pray for, it's not the time to give up! 
Jesus already knows what we want to pray for and He has a solution. His Holy Spirit will help us. We just have to be honest and ask. He will even fill in what we have left out. It's true! 

The greatest part of prayer is there's no special place we have to go in order to pray.
No special physical posture to assume. We can pray as we grocery shop, wash our hair, while we wait to pick our child up at school, or driving in the car. God always hears our prayers no matter where we are. Then, we can count on the fact God always answers our prayers. Yes, always. He delights in it! The answer is either "Yes," "No," or "Not yet." He knows what is best for us at the time. 

Thankfulness is a great place to begin! 

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6

How Many Do You Know?

Today is Veteran's Day! And we are going off the beaten path here just once. 

We owe our sincere Thank You to all the men and women of every single war who fought and sacrificed their lives in one way or another for our freedom! Some of us remember first hand the stories that have been told, because we personally know friends and family members who have our deepest gratitude. 

"There are approximately only 855,070 veterans remaining of the 16 million who served our nation in World War II. [Veteran's Administration]. The oldest living WWII veteran today is 110 years old!"

"9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam Era (Aug. 5, 1964-May 7, 1975)." [Veterans Administration]

"2.7 million service members have been to the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001, and over half of them have deployed more than once. Many times that number of Americans have borne the costs of war as spouses, parents, children, and friends cope with their loved ones’ absence, mourn their deaths, or greet the changed person who often returns." [Watson-Brown University]

These are only three of the most recent in our memories. In 240 years on our own U.S. soil, veterans have fought over 25 wars for our freedom [Our Country published by Silver Burdett Ginn, Inc.; and Wikipedia].

Taking our heads out of the sand
Please understand, no one likes war. No one. Obviously, we wouldn't be enjoying American freedom if it were not for our military. And military spouses and children should not be forgotten either. It takes great courage to "hang in" when the unknown must be faced every single day. Never knowing where or when they will need to pack up and go live somewhere else. Spending years waiting while their spouse is overseas. Children who never learn to make permanent friends because it takes time and time is elusive in the military. Today, stop and thank a military family you know or see. Just do it. They deserve the respect and honor! 

Being part of the military sometimes takes it toll on women with devastating results. "The divorce rate among both officer and enlisted men and women over 2014 was 3.1 percent, only slightly higher than the 2005 rate of 3 percent. The newly released statistics show that the rate has steadily declined since 2011, when it reached a high water mark of 3.7 percent." [The Pentagon, U.S. Dept of Defense] 

Where is the Good News?

A time for peace

"In a world filled with evil people, sometimes war is necessary to prevent even greater evil. If Hitler had not been defeated by World War II, how many more millions would have been killed? If the American Civil War had not been fought, how much longer would African-Americans have had to suffer as slaves?

"It is an error to say that God never supports a war. Jesus is not a pacifist. The most important thing we can be doing in a time of war is to be praying for Godly wisdom for our leaders, praying for the safety of our military, praying for quick resolution to conflicts, and praying for a minimum of casualties among civilians on both sides." 

For a further study, click on this Link from GotQs.com:
WHY WAR?

There is…a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:8

17 Blessings of Sunrises and Sunsets

It's the day after. . .finally! It's over, but just beginning. We may not have gotten what we wanted, but it is our life. It is what it is. No sense stomping our feet. Ban the worry. Kick the fear. Shatter the feeling. Drown the overwhelming dread. Oh, no, it may sound like it, but this isn't about the worst election in history! This is our life and better yet, this is a fresh start. We want to keep the momentum going (after all, a moving object is hard to destroy, right?). 

Reflections
So to ease up and take a break here, nothing is more encouraging than sitting with a sunrise or sunset while reflecting on the reasons why we have been blessed this way: 

1. A gentle wake-up call
2. Offers to us a brand new day with new mercies
3. Bestows hope for all things

Find your quiet place

4. Gives us reason to rejoice
5. It's God's love-gift to us
6. Colors our world perfectly
7. Keeps us humble
8. Provides peace to our mind, body, and soul
9. Reminds us of our Creator
10. Primary subject of artistic expression
11. Can share it, but not lose it
12. What dreams are made of
13. Best movie endings
14. Brings a release of tears
15. Leaves us with ideas for tomorrow
16. Conclusion to a wonderful day
17. Proof God is alive and in control

These are only 17. Obviously, there are many, many more we could fill our journals with. Taking a break is a highly avoided activity, but it's no reason for any kind of guilt. Breaks are actually an excellent form of free personal therapy! Without a regular habit of this method of calming our minds, we will never hear from God. 

The clamor is deafening!
Too many of us have said, "I never hear from Him." Could it be because we live in constant noise and chaos? God is gentle. He whispers. He listens. He is patient. Thank Him for that alone! 

We can find a favorite, quiet place to go to and carve out a time to spend with Him. For most of us, this place is in the outdoors. It could be near a river or creek, a hillside, a park, a forest, or even our backyard, porch, balcony, or living room. Someplace. Somewhere. He is waiting to spend time with each of us. Can you hear Him now?

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1
   

5 Secrets About Your Working Life

The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one. (Oscar Wilde)

Let's face it. No beating around the bush. Once we become single again, most likely we will need to either find an alternative income source or a regular job. Even if we have all the money we need, sitting around with nothing to do is terribly boring, unproductive, and detrimental to our social life!

There are actually many benefits to taking a job or starting a career. Try a little exercise and list as many as possible. If we have already been working for awhile, maybe we are thinking of changing our job. That's not a bad thing by any means. We have to take pride in our work and if it's time to move on, we'll know it by the dissatisfaction we feel.

5 Secrets About Why Working Is Good For Us

• Our health and happiness will improve
• Taking the risk will energize us
• Gives us reason to become who we really are
• Creates friendships with those in our same situation
• Provides ways to find new interests      

The wrong thing at the right time
All of this may seem scary at first, but even if we have never worked before outside the home, there are ways to get started with that too. One of the first things to do is to find our strengths. If accounting is not our thing, taking a job as a bookkeeper would be a disaster. If we hate baking, working as a pastry chef would drive us crazy. If sales gives us hives, selling cars would be a joke. Get the picture? 

WHAT AM I GOOD AT?  [Click on this Link]

Next, we don't need to be told, education is important. If a degree is already on our shelf, then great--we need to get out the door and hit the pavement! If not, then, obviously, the key is to get educated in a field that is exciting for us. It may mean night school while we work elsewhere to pay the bills, but then what else do we have to do with our time? If we work hard at it, it will happen before we know it. 

Who is directing us?
Some of us are planners from way back. Organizing is at the top of our list. Some of us are definitely not in that camp! We need help for sure. What is really good to know is that we do not need to do this alone. There are support groups, counselors, and friends to call on when we are down in the dumps. 

There is also One who cares about us more than anyone ever could. God knows what we need (not want) the most and what is best for us. He sees the Big Picture from beginning to end. The best we can do is look at our life with blinders on. God is willing to direct our steps until we reach His ideal for our perfect life. Our part is just to ask!

Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3

How to Become a Queen

Patiently waiting

Dogs and cats are some of the most patient creatures on earth. If trained right, they will wait for their food or to go for a walk. They will wait all day long for their master to return home. They may not enjoy it, but they never, ever give up! They don't need a box of tissues, either, to dry all the tears. Oh, no, they go and play with their toys or look for bugs to eat or, o.k., tear up the couch maybe. But give up? Never. It's probably why we like to have them around. They are optimistic and hopeful!

Beating on a Brick Wall
We could actually learn something from our pets. Too many times, we humans use excuses to not get better, get over, get out, or get going. It's just seems a lot easier to give up and stop trying. Maybe we should try to write down what is so great about giving up and losing hope. The page would most certainly be blank because there is nothing good about it. Or at least nothing we would want to admit.

If you have ever had the fortune to buy a Chanel suit, dress, bag, or perfume, you probably know Coco Chanel was a designer. But she didn't just click her red shoes, open her eyes and she was famous by any means. Coco once said something very insightful on her way up to success: 

“Don't spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door.” 

In other words, if something--our life, job, home, finances, whatever--isn't working, don't give up! Try something different. Don't be discouraged, just refuse to fail! It's often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock. Don't misunderstand. We all have our "down" moments or seasons, even, to get through. All I'm saying is something a therapist asked, "Why are you banging your head against a brick wall?" A life-changing question, indeed!

The Making of a Queen
A more familiar story is the one of Esther, a beautiful, young Jewish woman who became a Queen. She also did not have a perfect life, nor an easy one. Esther was not born with a "silver spoon" in her mouth. She was an orphan until her cousin adopted her. After she was crowned the Queen and wife of the King of Persia (at his insistence), she went on to fight for her people to become free. It was a long and difficult, but successful, battle. Her secret? Esther never gave up! [Read her entire story in the Book of Esther in the Bible]. And the outcome was all planned by God. He is always on our side. Always.*

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

*For an amazing, fictional version of the story of Esther, see the book by Kate Breslin, For Such a Time.