Five Ways to Find Relaxation, Balance, and Joy

Lemons are a favorite taste among many of us. Think of how often we enjoy things like lemon meringue pie, lemon drop candies, and of course, lemonade, especially in the summer. Cooks use it in all sorts of mouth-watering recipes. And, of course, some people, but not all, like the taste of lemon on fish. If we travel through the very warm states of California, Arizona, and Texas, we will see the numerous crops of nearly all of the citrus fruits, except oranges and grapefruits which are grown mainly in Florida. Right about now, our mouths are probably puckering up just thinking about juicy wonders. 

Seeing Our True Selves

Other than foods, when we consider how we affect others in our everyday conversations and connections, we may make others think about the sour taste of lemons! It is a trait we may wish to change, but sometimes, we do not even recognize we have such a characteristic. An actor once said, “I don’t think of myself like other people see me” and this could very well be true of all of us at certain times.

Mainly, we prefer to see ourselves as sweet and agreeable. Maybe most days we are just like that description. If we grew up with a mother or relative that we adored and sincerely loved, we wanted to be just like her. So, we imitated her gentle disposition and the manner in which she came into contact with friends, family, and strangers alike.

On the other hand, maybe exhibiting kindness, sweetness, and thoughtfulness was not our natural tendency and we had to really practice and work at the behavior. We did not have the adults around us that could demonstrate a good example of such a person. As adulthood approached with all its ups and downs, difficulties, and adversities, it changed us or, at the very least, brought out the worse in us.

The type of job one has trains us to become whatever a particular industry expects. Yes, employers do want employees who demonstrate kindness to customers or clients at all times, but global competition is the main focus in many--if not most--companies. From senior vice presidents and managers to waitresses, cab drivers, and grocery clerks, we all understand what it takes to keep a job.

Where There Is a Way

Unless we find ways to relax, balance work and home life, and strive to enjoy life, our opposing tendencies can get the better of us. We then, unknowingly, take it out on each other. Instead of listening with courtesy, speaking with love, and reaching out with forgiveness to each other, the measurement of our sour and bitter attitude can and will turn others away from us. This is exactly the opposite of what we really need in our lives, as we entirely miss the opportunities to combat loneliness, experience love, grow in faith, and expand hope. Pick one of these five and start there:

1. Find the cause of our discontent: change jobs; get caregiver or babysitting help; speak with a counselor.
2. Escape the house: get out with friends; vary housekeeping schedule with fun activities; take an interesting class.
3. Get a companion: if the house is too quiet, get a roommate; a pet; turn music on every day; or start dating again.
4. No overtime: arrange work duties so that overtime is kept to a minimum; spend quality time with others; skip the laundry and give yourself a facial.
5. Goals: make time now to finally accomplish our life-long passion.

Love is All-Around

Changing long-lived attitudes are certainly not easy. It takes practice day in and day out. The best place we can transform our outlook on life is when we are spending quiet time with God and finding out how much He loves us. Because when we discover and understand His love for us, we can begin to love others too.

It is an everyday starting point, and God will not fail to bring us to a whole new level of peace and joy. The best news is we can communicate with God anyplace, anytime and it costs absolutely nothing other than minutes we carve out for our own well-being. He is waiting and He has the answers!

“Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy” (Proverbs 14:10 NLT).

 

 

How Can You Keep Up with Your Hopes and Dreams?

It is certainly not surprising to hear nearly seventy-five percent of American women dye their hair something other than their natural color as compared to just seven percent in 1950 (Clairol 2008 study as reported at Emerita.com, a women’s wellness site). Of course, women in Hollywood tend to lead the trends. We usually expect to see women such as Helen Mirren (age 75) and Blythe Danner (77) display their beautiful locks in their natural state. But even younger ones choose to sport a change like Kate Winslet (46) and Lady Gaga (34). And at 89 years young, Puerto Rican actress Rita Moreno is still gorgeous! 

Let’s face it --as we age, our health, and our looks start turning towards a more natural way of life. It becomes apparent to us that maybe, just maybe, we can avoid much of what we thought was necessary for our younger years such as the latest lipstick color (but still a great way to uplift our spirits!), foundation formula, and hair color. It just does not seem as important as it once was.

This is not to say we should not keep ourselves looking our absolute best. Not only watching our diet and participating in exercise but once we choose to turn a shade of gray, we may need to find other colors to wear in our make-up and clothing. Gray, silver, and white tend to “wash out” skin color. A brighter, color-coded clothes closet with various “happy” hues can help solve this problem. Try it out on the next shopping trip and bring some new colors into the dressing room—a fun experiment!

Finding Joy Every Step of the Way

Someone once said (it’s been attributed to many people), “The older I get, the wiser my parents get!” It’s a funny quote that pops up every now and then but points out the truth of our circumstances. As single-again women, we have been through more than we thought we could ever handle. Maybe one reason for our natural locks turning a beautiful silver, but also a reason we are much stronger today than ever!

The joy of living on our own are the changes that cause us to become an entirely new person. We are older, yes. We are wiser, yes. And unless we have re-married, we no longer must worry about taking care of another person right now. If we want to become an all-around better person, we can choose to concentrate on keeping up with our hopes and dreams that were put on a shelf a long time ago! We then start seeing a woman who welcomes the chance to improve her perspective or attitude about life.

The progress we are looking for involves learning how to form plans for our own happiness while at the same time being careful not to follow just any unproven recipe or a supposed solution someone may offer to us. We are now wiser than we’ve ever been and so we must use our good sense and take everything “with a grain of different.”

It may help to meet with a life coach or counselor to figure out the best direction to go before jumping into things. Experience teaches us that our lives are quite different now and so might our paths, hopes, and dreams. It’s an exciting journey to find out what we can do. Whatever didn’t work in the past, may not work in our present. So, let’s be open to new and wonderful ways of thinking, concepts, and passions. Wow! We are on our way!

A Good Book to Read

We may never have realized that God Himself points us down the correct path for our best life. And it will certainly be different for each one of us. In Psalm 139 of the Bible, it says He knows everything about us. Of course, He does because God created us perfectly (He does not make mistakes), He knows when we travel, stand up, sit down, rest, what we are going to say, and even our thoughts.

From the time we are born until way past when our hair turns white, God has us in His hands ready to make sure we are blessed when we follow Him in all we do. He is our Guide, Helper, and the Author of every single moment of our lives as recorded in His divine book! Imagine that: 

The Book of ___ (enter your name) ___by The Creator of the Universe.

“I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you” (Isaiah 46:4 NLT).

 

Trading the Lie for the Truth

Garage sale fun!

There are a couple interesting shows on TV about how we all eventually reach a point in our homes when we cannot ignore the numerous piles of junk any longer. We even have the typical “junk drawer” where every bit and piece of our belongings end up in that one spot.

Stacks of magazines we keep for years nearly bury us. We think after the first reading we will go back someday and re-read them. That kind of hoarding is labeled as “reference material” and it makes us feel better than if we call it trash. Now that several restrictions are slowly being lifted following the Covid-19 attack, many of us are looking forward to one day soon when we can get back to enjoying weekend garage sales (yep, I am raising my hand too). We will gladly purchase another person’s junk they no longer want. Some of it is especially useful but, occasionally we buy items just because they look like something we might be able to use. Then we throw them into a box in the garage, forget about them, and they end up in our own garage sale the following year. Oh, my!

The summer organization bug is arriving like a parade of ants! We start thinking of what we can do to clear out all the rubbish. If we never, ever discard anything--fearing we will need it someday--we could become a candidate for one of those TV hoarding shows. It’s like trying to dig our way out of a thick jungle.

Stress-Free Answers

Those are all lifeless objects that we think we need, so we keep them. It appears all this accumulating gives us a sense of security, which of course, is false. But the same thing goes on in our brains, emotions, and spirits. We get bogged down worrying about every little thing, most of which we can do nothing about.

Money, or the lack of it, causes us much stress as most of us know. Don’t get caught believing the lie that money provides happiness. It does not! How many famously rich millionaires (or billionaires) have we heard about that are truly happy? It might appear that way at first, but an excess of money generally brings an excess of responsibility, which equals excess stress. Think of all those lottery stories of winners one year after their big win. Many of them are worse off than if they had never gambled because they cannot keep up with all their new possessions. Believe it or not, many people fall into bankruptcy when the lottery money is all gone!

A roof over our heads

Certainly, we do need enough money to feed our families and keep a roof over our heads which are huge fears right now but frantically seeking a surplus of money is not our only concern. We also deal with relationships that have gone wrong, finding a job after our Covid-19 layoff, trying to survive after divorce, dealing with child custody, health issues, finding supportive friends, car repairs, anxiety, dieting, disappointment, and doubt. And on, and on, and on.

This is exactly why God commands us not to worry! [Matthew 6:25-28]. Notice, it’s not a suggestion. He is serious about this subject. Why? Because the truth is worries are endless; they consume us. Only God knows our anguish when worry devours us. He never wants us to live in that state of unhappiness and mental chaos. And better yet, God has the answers to our dilemmas. He is just waiting for us to share our concerns with Him because He is the only One who can do something about them.  

The Best Combination: Joy and Love

If we find ourselves completely worry-free (really?), the opposite problem may become our enemy. Pleasure. Collecting or “hoarding” too much of the wrong thing can steer us into a state of denial. We find ourselves hanging with an unsuitable crowd. Doing what we never thought we would. Ignoring our standards and principles. Filling every minute of the day and night with inappropriate bodily entertainment, earthly treasures, and worshiping ourselves.

Please do not get the wrong idea here. God wants us to be happy and content. He is all about us finding our joy. Joy and love in our families, friendships, and close relationships. Discovering His plan and purpose for our lives can be the absolute best kind of pleasure; a fulfillment of everything we hope for. Living in God’s world, where He is ready and able to handle our worries and concerns, will provide us a way to grow stronger and stronger every day. Now, that is a thing of beauty!

“This is what the story means: The seed is God’s message. . . .The seed that fell among the thorny weeds is like those who hear God’s teaching, but they let the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life keep them from growing and producing good fruit” (Luke 8:11, 14 NCV).

The Joy Factor, Moms, and Our Souls

Room for two or more!

We are hearing so many crazy things these days, but this one should put a smile on our faces. Currently, there is a “growing market for double strollers…reflecting a shift in American lifestyles” as reported by Gretchen Livingston, a former senior researcher at Pew Research. To add to this fact, older mothers (45+) also had the highest twin birth rates in the United States (statista.com). Life does, in fact, go on for moms whether this is a first or multiple-birth pregnancy.

   

The birth of every single baby, multiple or not, is a miracle because not only does each person born on this earth have numerous and intricate body parts, but every single person has a soul too. Unfortunately, many people never even give a thought to the fact they not only have a body to care for while on this earth but also a soul. It comprises our "total being" from the time we are born. "Each unique human soul begins at conception." Click here if you are curious: Questions Anyone? 

   

Center of Everything

So why is it so important that the human body should even have a soul? First, in Hebrew where the word soul comes from, it means "life, self, breath"--a necessary component the same as a heart. And in the Bible, Jesus says, "Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. . ." (Matthew 10:28 NLT). In other words, our souls cannot be destroyed. They are that important!   

Second, our soul is the center of everything--all our good and not so good decisions. Truly, it's the "integrity" center of our being and it plays a part in helping us understand truthfulness, faithfulness, goodness, and morality to name but a few. This probably sounds familiar because as single-again women we have dealt with many of these human characteristics over and over.  

Our unique soul helps us face not only the major life-sustaining determinations that can change the direction of our life, but also warns us about every silly choice, indulgence, and worthless gain before we make them. 

Sometimes (like all humans) we may ignore our internal warnings and go ahead anyway with a poor choice. This is when it's important to stop and realize how we may or may not be taking care of our soul. It's like perhaps "bruising" the soul on purpose. The soul, therefore, is affected by every choice, good or not so good. 

The Joy Factor

Now let's switch gears for a moment. Which would we rather choose as a single-again woman: joy or misery? Silly question, right? No doubt we would choose joy but, hundreds of people willingly give up what would make their lives the very best they could be and unwillingly choose the worst possible option without giving it much thought.        

For so many years as married women, we may have felt like there was just no choice available for us. And this is totally understandable. Sometimes with a serious and worse yet, dangerous situation in addition to no support from others, decisions seem impossible and lonely. 

Nothing better than peace

Now we can understand by the discussion in today's blog that no matter what happened in the past or exactly when our souls are still intact! They belong to only us and God. We made reasonable decisions to get to where we are right now, and nothing and no one can separate us from God's love--ever! 

God Is There for Each One of Us, Especially Now

In the coming days, weeks and months, women will continue to have their babies even through this health crisis. But it is a new norm. Hospitals may not be able to keep a new mom for as long as they would like but instead send them and their baby(ies) home for safety. And family may not be able to travel to support the mom. So, let’s help each other the best we can manage. There is always something we can do for our neighbors.

Remember, regardless what’s going on in this world, God holds our soul in His hand and now you can make it on your own with His blessings of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT). It's the JOY FACTOR! Hallelujah! Amen.  

     

"And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?" (Matthew 16:26 NLT).

Are Your Hopes and Dreams Different Now?

Gray Hare (hair)

It’s certainly not surprising to hear nearly eighty percent of women dye their hair something other than their natural color (Clairol 2008 study as reported at Emerita.com, a women’s wellness site). And, of course, women in Hollywood tend to lead the trends. Can we even remember what actress Diane Keaton (74) looked like before her beautiful gray locks? Or actress Jamie Lee Curtis (61) who sported an “icy white” shade at the 2019 Golden Globes? Country singer Emmylou Harris (72) has looked great in white for more than eight years. Singer and actress Rita Moreno is ninety years old and still looks better in light gray!

As we age, our health, and our looks start turning towards a more natural way of life. It becomes apparent to us that maybe, just maybe, we can avoid much of what we thought was necessary for our younger years such as the latest lipstick color (but still a great way to uplift our spirits!), foundation formula, and hair color. It just doesn’t seem as important as it once was.

This is not to say we shouldn’t keep ourselves looking our very best. Not only watching our diet and participating in exercise but once we choose to turn a shade of gray, we may need to find other colors to wear in our make-up and clothing. Gray, silver, and white tend to “wash out” skin color. A brighter, color-coded clothes closet with various “happy” hues can help solve this problem. Try it out on the next shopping trip and bring some new colors into the dressing room—a fun experiment!

Wise Beyond Our Years

Someone once said (it’s been attributed to many people), “The older I get, the wiser my parents get!” It’s a funny quote that pops up every now and then but points out the truth of our circumstances. As single-again women, we have been through more than we thought we could ever handle. Maybe one reason for our natural locks turning a beautiful silver, but also a reason we are much stronger today than ever!

The joy of being on our own are the changes that cause us to become an entirely new person. We are older, yes. We are wiser, yes. And unless we have re-married, we no longer must worry about taking care of another person right now. We can concentrate on how to become a whole and a better person. A woman who welcomes the chance to improve her perspective or attitude about life.

Graying Our Words

The progress we are looking for involves learning how to form plans for our own happiness while at the same time being careful not to follow just any unproven recipe or a supposed solution someone may offer to us. As stated earlier, we are now wiser than we’ve ever been and so we must use our good sense and take everything “with a grain of different.”

It may help to meet with a life coach or counselor to figure out the best direction to go before jumping into things. Experience teaches us that our lives are quite different now and so might our paths, hopes, and dreams. It’s an exciting journey to find out what we can do. Whatever didn’t work in the past, may not work in our present. So, let’s be open to new and wonderful ways of thinking, concepts, and passions. Wow! We are on our way!

A Good Book to Read

We may never have realized that God Himself points us down the correct path for our best life. And it will certainly be different for each one of us. In Psalm 139 of the Bible, it says He knows everything about us. Because God created us perfectly, He knows when we travel, stand up, sit down, rest, what we are going to say, and even our thoughts.

From the time we are born until our hair turns white, God has us in His hands ready to make sure we are blessed when we follow Him in all we do. He is our Guide and Helper and every single moment of our lives is recorded in His divine book! Imagine that: The Book of __ (enter your name) ___.

            

“I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you” (Isaiah 46:4 NLT).

Where Can You Find Joy and Satisfaction?

Email surplus 

Sometimes our best days at work can go wrong and cause embarrassment if we are not careful. “Carelessness got the best of this employee. Working as a defense contractor, they [the company] wanted to invite their team to a New Year's Eve party but, unfortunately, the invitation got sent to the wrong group of people.

“They realized their mistake when they started getting replies like 'Am stationed in Italy but will try to make it'. Turns out they had sent the e-vite to a Navy client list whose name was one letter different from their team's. The NYE invitation had been sent to 7,000 sailors.” [as reported by careeraddict.com]

Several funny and sometimes unfortunate events can happen to us the longer we are employed in the work world. It’s just not possible to survive long without collecting some really personal stories. If we are smart enough to save these types of incidents in a file of some sort, then when we retire, we would have enough material to write a book!

What’s the Matter?

Aside from such amusing and absurd situations (we all need to laugh at ourselves now and then), there is nothing funny about getting into the habit of comparing ourselves to others at our workplace, in our families, and our neighborhoods. We need to remember every one of us has unique qualities, gifts, and personalities that suit us and only us.

Unlike a friend in the next office, class, or block, our abilities are different for a reason and for a different purpose. We don’t do ourselves any favors trying to imitate others—in fact, it is self-Destructive with a capital D. Each woman is special and gifted with numerous and exciting traits even if we don’t know what those are right now.

If we become frustrated, perturbed, and unhappy with our lives, it may be an indication we have been comparing ourselves with someone who appears to have everything figured out. Someone who has already accomplished what we want and has moved on to her next goal. We ask ourselves, Why not me? What’s the matter with me?

The answer is we have convinced ourselves that we are in the same category as that other person which is probably not true. Remember, we are each unique. So, we have our own niche to work towards but are unable to discover it because we are too busy looking at the other person. If we are trying to live her life and not our own, we will continually suffer from a distorted view of what we can or cannot accomplish. That leads to a dead end.                    

Plain and Practical Directions

Since we have moved (willingly or not) into a new single-again life (divorced, widowed, or single mom), it’s important to investigate and discover clues about ourselves and our abilities. Taking time to do this will lead to a very satisfying life. We are not saying it will be easy, but it will turn us around so we can see straight ahead.

Addition Blocks

The following seven questions will get us thinking and bring answers we may have never considered before today. This is an important building block for anyone wanting an enjoyable and successful life. Journal the answer to each one as it will lead to more insight:

1. What dreams are burning inside your thoughts?
2. What one thing needs to change for your dream to begin?
3. Describe your ideal environment (house/job/city etc.)
4. Is there a college class you need to take?
5. What did you like to do when you were a child?
6. What habit could be changed for the better?
7. Name one or two friends who are nurturing to you.

“Understand that the what must come before the how. First, choose what you would do. The how usually falls into place of itself.” (Julia Cameron, the Artist’s Way).

A Lifetime of Happiness

Everything happens for a reason and for a purpose. The Creator of the entire Universe knows us better than anyone. Even ourselves. What is even more exciting is God already has a plan for us and is anxious to help us acquire just the right skills, tools, and connections for a lifetime of happiness!    

“Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct” (Galatians 6:4-5 NLT).

How to Turn Desperation into Cheerful Circumstances

A big box of Joy!

This is the season of hope and joy! But let’s face the truth right now: we feel like saying bah-humbug, right? Living the single-again life--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. But good news, we are stronger than we look, certainly after savoring that morning cup of coffee, tea, or juice. Getting dressed in something cozy and colorful, styling our hair and makeup, and stepping outside for a walk will fill our lungs with hope. Now, we can think clearly.

Anticipate Something Good
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? 

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 close friend who really understands and supports us. 
• Change our thinking and celebrate our own life. Try simple things we've never considered before such as 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 our kids/grandkids. Share an amusing story with a family member.
• Keep an encouragement journal. As often as we can (morning or night) just list a few things we are grateful for or that bring us happiness.  
• Volunteer to help someone 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 okay to bring a store-bought dish or flowers. Really. 

” Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances that we know to be desperate.” –G.K. Chesterton, English writer, and philosopher

The Truth and Nothing but the Truth

The truth is powerful, and we need a good dose of it right now. Aren't we tired of experiencing lies, people evading us, and abusing our good nature? Of course, we are. On our topic 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. 

Don't forget Hope!

Ready for a great truth? God is the original source of all hope. He knew we would someday need all the hope we could get. He offers it to us with hands outstretched! The Bible, in fact, tells us that hope creates patience, courage, and joy. So, we can THEN understand why we have none of these 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 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 NLT).

How Can We Calm Down the Craziness?

Welcome Wreath!

It’s here! Twenty-three more days to Christmas! The month of December has some varied and crazy kinds of celebrations around the world. It just takes a walk through a shopping mall to discover the prime time for retailers is now (we can check our credit card statement in about four weeks!). And it seems each year is trying to out-do the previous one. So much so, we tend to forget what in the world we are doing!

Discover Something New

Traditional activities can somewhat calm down the craziness. A favorite, first made popular in Germany in the 1900s, is various paper calendars to count down the days in December. Each one has twenty-four or twenty-five little windows that can be opened one day at a time exposing beautiful or fun pictures to the delight of a child. We always had these when I was a child and I still enjoy them. Hurry and get one because it’s already December 2^nd!

Another peaceful and meaningful practice in many homes is putting up a Nativity scene either now or when the Christmas tree goes up. In 1974 a neighbor of mine, who made ceramics, surprised me with a Christmas gift—a fifteen-piece Nativity set which is still in one piece (or should I say 15 pieces) today and is put up on the first Sunday of December (like yesterday). A string of tiny, white lights surrounds the scene. It’s a joy to see it lit up every night!

Aside from our own homes, we can witness Christmas traditions everywhere including in our churches. Many churches begin the Christmas countdown with what is called Advent candles. This consists of an evergreen wreath with four, large candles around the edges and one more candle in the center. Each Sunday in December a candle is lit and on each of the following Sundays, one more candle is lit. On Christmas Day (or Eve) the last Advent candle is lit. What does it all mean?

There are various meanings surrounding the season of Advent, which means “coming.” But to make this simpler, we can remember that the five candles represent the following themes:

Candle of Hope

• Hope (or promise)
• Preparation (waiting)
• Joy (peace)
• Love (adoration)

And the fifth (center) candle represents the true meaning of Christmas, the Birth of Jesus Who is the Light of the World.

It’s a Perfect Time!

Traditions anchor us in a world gone crazy during this season. As we see our children grown and off making their own traditions with their own families, sometimes our homes can take on a simple or “minimalist” environment. It’s not so important to go “bananas” trying to keep it just the way it was when the kids were five, eleven, or even thirteen. Actually, it’s rather fun to see a new kind of wonderful appear in our homes.

The one and only event to keep in the forefront is to remember and celebrate the birthday of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Who can light our world with heavenly stars, angels blowing trumpets, and three kings bringing the gifts! Now that’s a perfect birthday party!

“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise” (Hebrews 10:23 NLT).     

How To Build an Amazing Journey

Grand Canyon in Arizona

 In America, we have some of the most magnificent sites and they are not just for tourists from around the world who visit. Americans would be wise to see these attractions themselves so they can have first-hand knowledge of their own country. The Grand Canyon in Arizona is one of those amazing places.

There simply is nothing like this Canyon. On average, 4.5 million visitors annually are attracted to this extra large “hole” in the ground that measures 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and over a mile deep.

The staff at curiosity.com says, “The water from ALL the world’s rivers would only fill the Grand Canyon halfway! You can actually see the Grand Canyon from space. . .The river that carved the Grand Canyon is the Colorado River, which is only 100 meters wide. The Mississippi and Amazon Rivers are far bigger, but neither have made a giant canyon. So how did this one canyon get so grand? The Colorado River is unique in that is transports 500,000 tons of silt and sand every day. And for every mile the river travels, it drops 10 miles down. While this river took care of carving away a deep slit in the canyon, gravity and weather helped make the Grand Canyon wider and wider. But that's not the end of the story: The Grand Canyon is getting deeper and wider every day!!”

One Amazing Journey

As a single-again woman who has gone through the deepest and longest ordeal of your life, the Grand Canyon may not seem that amazing. (But we still suggest a trip there to see. It may help put everything into perspective). You are on an adventurous journey of your own and the sights are all new, to say the least. Scary maybe, but not impossible.

What you do and how you do it, will determine how wonderful and amazing your life really can be. The alternative, of course, is to sit and brood all day, every day and end up nowhere, sad and lonely. It’s definitely up to you because you are on your own now and no one can make decisions for you. No one is forcing you to move on. For those who wish to have a better life though, the options are endless. Ready to go? This is exciting!

You may be just starting--the first stage--or you may be in the middle or approaching the exact spot you are aiming for. It doesn’t matter how fast or how slow you wish to go. What does matter is that you never give up! You have dreams and ideas way in the back of your head that have been there for years. So, it’s time to get them out on the table like puzzle pieces and have some fun.

In fact, if you are a visual person and want to see this in a creative and concrete way, you could create a puzzle out of each piece of your dream. Choose Option 1 or 2 below whichever appeals to you.

OPTION 1: Puzzle

1. Grab some colored poster board or construction paper
2. Cut the whole piece into many different, odd, and crazy shapes
3. On the back side of each one, name one small thing you want to see happen (i.e., take a creative class at your community college; change the furniture around; buy new dishes at a local thrift store; change all bedding for new ones)
4. On the front, number each one so they fit together in order
5. On a separate piece of large poster board (different color), put your “puzzle” together, numbers facing up and secure with “movable” double sided tape

Done! It’s beautiful!

TO USE: Now each morning/week go to your puzzle and pick one number, check the back, and decide this is what you will do today. No guessing or getting stuck about what to do with your new life. This will point you in the right direction. Keep it up!

OPTION 2: Colored Image (something easier)

1. Purchase one of those numerous “adult coloring books”
2. Choose a page with separate elements, like flowers
3. Number and name each one with a “dream” item (see #3 above)
4. Let those items correspond with each day of the week/month

TO USE: each day color just one image you have named. When done, this is your guide for what to do that particular day. Easy, fun, and effective.

Beautiful Joy

Wide, Long, High and Deep

Your life can be as fun and interesting as you want. Whatever your passion, you can make it come true and create a beautiful life full of joy. As you go about each day, you will see just how very much God loves you and is willing to Guide you in all areas. Start each morning asking for His direction and thanking Him for all He provides.

Remember, His love for you is bigger than the Grand Canyon. Wow! In fact, HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO MADE IT! Plan a trip to see His Amazing Grace!

"And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is" (Ephesians 3:18-19 NLT).