SEE YOU THERE!
Monday, April 15, 2019
Something Special
SEE YOU THERE!
Monday, April 8, 2019
What Unique Site Will Delight Your Eyes?
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| Traveling Route 66 |
Softly rolling hills that burst with patchwork colors from
local farms in the “Plains” states are a feast for the eyes! We get a sense of
exactly where our food is harvested and brought to our grocery stores. Lots of
water in both the northern Great Lakes region and in the constant “wetness” of
the Northwest keeps everything green with its own type of natural “irrigation”
system. If we are not into daily, massive humidity, the dry Southwest will be
our favorite places to park for a while. We have so many options and each one so different.
There is an infinite number of things to see in this
country and if we are beginning to plan summer vacations, we simply can’t go wrong by giving the “good
ole USA” a chance to amaze us. The best of the best sights are the out-of-the-way
places such as:
Oak Alley Plantation in Louisiana is 50 miles from New Orleans
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| Rocky Mountain National Park |
Plum Island, Massachusetts offers a secluded,
11-mile long sandy beach
National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, is a great place to explore to
your heart’s content!
There are numerous other out-of-the-way sites just like these in every state in America! No sense
having to stick to the commonplace attraction for a vacation!
A
Blessed Nation
No, this isn’t an advertisement for great summer vacations. We
are just pointing out the vast landscape terrain that we, thankfully, live on and can enjoy
day in and day out. Land (or more exactly, soil) is where it all begins. We choose to build homes on it. Great cities have survived on it for decades. Bridges connect us. We construct beautiful roads to drive our candy-apple red 1956 Ford trucks, original VW Bugs, and shiny SUVs on. Farmers scatter the seed on fertile soil that produces good food for our
table. We are truly blessed!
Still, all this construction and growth is really
difficult to soak into our brains and understand. It’s always been there (or so we think), therefore, we
don’t even give it a single thought at times. Maybe some of our great-grandparents,
though, had stories to leave us telling of hard times building this country
from the ground up. Or maybe we’ve read about or seen documentaries of the 1930s
Dust Bowl or the Great Depression and the devastation they brought.
We suppose some people have no comprehension of the
birthing of the United States of America if they have not read or studied it. Maybe some do not
even believe most of the historical stories they hear. If it’s not on YouTube
or the latest website, it seems beyond their grasp. That is exactly the
importance of visiting our own national sites in person whenever we can. If we
don’t ever do that, it will remain a fictional mystery.
The
Beginning
There is one important book whose stories have also been
discredited from the very beginning ever since the invention of the printing
press (yet, it has never gone out of print!). It’s called God’s Word—or more
commonly, the Holy Bible.
It’s a biblical and true historical account of God’s
creation since the beginning of time itself. God’s own breath inspired every single
word found in its pages just to benefit
each one of us! Yet, we must ask ourselves, do we believe God? Do we
believe in God? Is his “seed” taking
root in our lives? Or is it just lying lifeless alongside the “road” we
travel?
“This is what the story means: The seed is God’s message [the
Holy Bible]. The seed that fell beside the road is like the people who hear
God’s teaching, but the devil comes and takes it away from them [doubt] so they
cannot believe it and be saved” (Luke 8:11-12 NCV).
Monday, April 1, 2019
Movement Opens Up a Whole New World
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| Your Alarm Clock of Change |
Many people hate change and do anything they can to avoid it. Basically, it’s the fear of the unknown that stalls us and glues our feet to the ground. We hesitate to accept an offer of a better job because we are so familiar and used to what we are currently doing. We stay in an undesirable area because we hate the thought of moving. We all know the famous saying, “If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always gotten!” (Marc Ostrofsky, American entrepreneur, and New York Times Best Selling Author).
A Whole New World
We single-again women know all about transitions after experiencing a major shift in our lives. It was something we may or may not have wanted and wished it could have been different. Whether it was the loss of a spouse, becoming a single mom, or the ending of a marriage, it caused certain movement in our lives--good or bad depending on our perspective.
Have you ever thought about why ostriches supposedly bury their heads in the sand when they are frightened? Well, we may be surprised to learn that is only a myth according to the American Ostrich Association. They say ostriches don’t bury their heads because they wouldn’t be able to breathe. Makes sense. However, they do dig holes to use as nests for their eggs. Then they often stick their heads in the hole to turn the eggs. Therefore, it looks like they really are burying their heads!
If we bury our own human head under the covers and refuse to face the world, we soon find out we can't breathe! It creates a chain reaction: no air equals no energy to move equals confusion equals loneliness equals giving up, and on and on it goes. But there is a better solution. Throwing off all those smothering covers shows us that movement naturally causes progress and progress creates positive energy (advancement) in our lives opening up a whole new world! Little did we know that the new job we landed was going to be the best solution for our finances. We realize we should have moved to that new town much sooner than we did because it provided a delightful opportunity to make new friends and gave us beauty we were not expecting.
Here’s the Clue
Never doubt how God works in our lives. He gives us many, many ways to live out His perfect, individual plan and purpose for us creating more joy and peace in our lives each day. Be assured He has not forgotten about the transition we are going through. His love and compassion create a total transformation so we can move forward. We just need to keep our heads out of the “sand!”
“That is why we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6 NLT).
Monday, March 25, 2019
How Aggravating is Your Struggle?
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| Resistance Stretch |
No matter how we got to where we are right now, we can definitely celebrate that we made it! Our strength and determination have led us into a far better environment where we can create something new. It's a wonderful feeling!
The Struggle is Real
Have you ever tried to survive and raise a family on the salary of a receptionist? Many of us have, including Indra Nooyi, an Indian-American citizen. But she didn't let that stop her. After receiving schooling in India, she moved to New York with little money to continue her studies, but working as a receptionist, she was finally admitted to Yale School of Management. It was difficult, but eventually, Indra received her Master's Degree in Public and Private Management.
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| Struggles Are Real |
The key? Indra never gave up! And that determination soon found her in 1994 as the CEO of PepsiCo where she served until 2018. During her time there, sales grew 80 percent! She also currently serves on the board of Amazon. No one can keep this woman down!
We, too, need to hang onto those days that we fought to claim as our own! Yet, still, remember we don't live in fantasy land. As long as we are alive, we will have struggles in this life. We all understand things don't always go perfectly as we planned. The difference is that now we know we have the will to make it through whatever troubles come our way. We might even say, we have a "Masters' Degree" in Endurance.
We may, in fact, still be working on getting settled into the best creative job for us, working on a degree, perhaps finding a new place to live, or searching for the most amazing childcare. And, of course, keeping in touch with encouraging friends and even developing new friendships. Those are all struggles but can be enjoyable if we allow that to happen.
Faith and Hope
So where can we turn on those days when we rather just run away? You may find this solution surprising, but the simple answer is "Stand still and stay calm." Take a breath. Most likely, we need a break at that point because fear always grabs hold of us when we are just an inch away from success!
Fear comes from our (spiritual) Enemy who wants nothing else but to destroy anything we are trying to create. So we say we should stand still and stay calm because God has a plan. He Himself will actually fight for us if we ask for His assistance. Then, we wait for God's direction for our next successful step.
"The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm" (Exodus 14:14 NLT).
Monday, March 18, 2019
9 Breakthrough Routines for Your New Life
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| Film Awards |
About three weeks ago, the 91st Academy Awards ceremony (better known as the Oscars) was presented amid all the gala, glitz, and glamour one could stand. It's not something all of us cared to watch in its entirety, but if we are movie-goers of any kind, our interest in the list of winners might have prompted us to spend maybe a minute or two on the results.
We bring this up because every now and then when giving their acceptance speech, someone at the Oscars has an ounce of practical wisdom worthy of notice. This year we caught the following quote: "It's not about winning, it's about not giving up!" Surprisingly, this came out of the mouth of singer and actress Lady Gaga. We were shocked. But we are not here to talk about the stars. We are more interested in you, fellow sisters.
Not Giving Up!
We have gone through a massive drama ourselves. Maybe it is still very fresh in our minds, or some of us are still navigating the first year or two after a break-up, and others are well on their way to a new destination. One thing is clear: we are all survivors!
Whichever scene we are currently living in, not giving up must be part of our daily script. Why? you ask. Well, that's a good question, so pose this to yourself: what would I be doing instead?
Yes, sometimes, we don't even want to drag ourselves out of bed in the morning. It's too warm and cozy. It's safe. We don't have to get dressed. And we could turn our phones off, so no one bothers us. That's understandable; we've all been there, but who would get the coffee? (Smile break).
Remember the script: we are not giving up! We've made it this far, so we already know hiding under the covers does not match up with our new role as a survivor. And the more we practice our part, the better we become and the further we go.
Taking the Plunge
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| Enjoy the Lilacs |
Let's jump into the middle here. For whatever reason--divorce, the death of our spouse, or single mom status--we are on our own now. It still feels strange and will always feel different. But now, we must figure out which path to take that will create the very best life we can manage.
Most likely, a new routine would be very helpful to our well-being at this point. Trying to do everything the way it always was as a couple creates a lot of stress. Consider some of these fun and encouraging stress-busters and then add your own to the list.
9 Breakthrough Routines for Your New Life
Choose a new path for your daily walk and smell the lilacs.
Make scrambled eggs instead of the usual sunny side up.
Wash clothes on Thursdays instead of Mondays.
Change the furniture around and buy new pillows.
Take a class in flower arranging or horticulture.
Share lunch with a single neighbor.
Sleep in the middle of the bed (my favorite).
Attend the late church service instead of the early one.
Challenge yourself and move to a new place/town/state.
Lost and Found
The road we are on right now will lead somewhere that's for sure. But, where? We have a choice which way to go, but we need a Guide to get us to the right destination because it is easy to get lost and never get anywhere. Then years later we will wonder what happened and why we are in a rut. The Good News is we have the perfect One to help us and He is free of charge! The "ticket" is Prayer and it can be used over and over and over. Find yours today in God's book, the Holy Bible.
"Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow" (Psalm 25:4 NLT).
Monday, March 11, 2019
Are You Part of a Chain Reaction?
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| Domino chain reaction |
People also can create "a series of events that are related to each other that each one initiates the next." In other words, it only takes one person to do something right--or wrong--and a whole chain reaction happens whether we want it to or not. There are no coincidences in life. We can not walk this life day by day and not affect someone else by what we do or say.
Crossing Paths
Every day we run into people we know or even perfect strangers because their presence was meant to cross our path for a reason. For instance, maybe this morning we got up and our day started out badly. The can of coffee is empty so we have none to make. The cat threw up all over the kitchen floor and we stepped in it. And the car won't start. Ever have a morning like that?
Chain reactions occur in chemistry, nuclear reactions, and unfortunately, vehicle accidents every day. In our everyday lives, however, we can enjoy much of what happens to us depending on our attitudes. Look at it this way: we are all interconnected and overlapping. Just as we are trying to get that car started, the new neighbor (we have not met yet) shows up with jumper cables. We introduce ourselves and begin talking. Now we find out our cat got out of the house while we were cleaning up her mess in the kitchen and the neighbor was trying to find the cat's owner as he discovered it in his yard.
It Doesn't End There
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| God's Galaxy |
This is a beautiful story but it doesn't end there. God also gave human beings "free will." And so, the first human beings chose to eat what they should have left alone. They wanted to do things their way. And because of that event, another chain reaction began and continues to this day.
We have choices to make every single day of our lives. Will we say a kind word to someone to brighten their day or a sarcastic remark that will make their day worse? Can we drop what we are doing to help a stranger or will we remain in our selfishness? Can we give generously or hoard our possessions? All of these types of events will cause a good or unfortunate chain reaction. It's up to us just like Adam and Eve.
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1 NLT).
"Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came marking the sixth day" (Genesis 1:31 NLT).
He wisely rested on the seventh day. And we are stronly encouraged to do the same!
Monday, March 4, 2019
Why Did God Make Snowflakes To Begin With?
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| Snowflakes and a Warm Drink |
Blizzards, winds, and digging out from all that snow is not the best way to enjoy this time of year. It all looks beautiful, but only if we are inside and not having to drive in it. And, yet, being able to spend time at a ski resort speeding down a slope, ice skating, or snowboarding are all fun for many people.
So, until Spring arrives in our yards, we could use that softly falling snowflake out our windows as a sort of life metaphor. Most people have heard that “no two snowflakes are the same.” Ever wonder why that is true? The very simple, basic answer is that water molecules in the air stick together to form unique crystals. And millions of them fall into our world all at once. If you want some fun checking this idea further, just click on this link: Snowflake Magic
Snowflakes vs. Rain
After reading all the scientific magic of snowflakes, let’s go a step further and ask, why did God (the Creator of all things) go to the trouble to make snowflakes to begin with? Wasn’t rain enough of a miracle? Well, maybe, just maybe, because he was giving us an easy way to observe that snow makes every object and situation in our lives beautiful.
That may be a stretch, but we can’t deny it certainly makes us slow down and gaze at the wonder and beauty of it all. Yes, there are days when the accumulation of snow makes life difficult when we need to drive somewhere. Or endless shoveling is required just to get out the front door. Or dressing the children in all their boots, mittens, and jackets to go to school is a major event. Life can be hard to deal with in any season.
Snow gives us a visible “reason” to see life in a different way. The rain wasn’t enough—God took rain and froze it into crystals so we would take note there are always options when we are looking for answers. Our real-life situations can often overwhelm us. Maybe all we need to do is change what we are doing. If one way doesn’t work, another probably will if we give it a chance.
Try This, Not That
Options are out there, but we need a desire and an open mind to find them. Ready to try something different?
Try this: take a risk and find a new job that’s satisfying
Not that: staying in a job we hate
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| Enjoying Life |
Not that: working until we are burned out because everyone else does it
Try this: Downsize and simplify
Not that: Living among more and more clutter in a house that’s too big
Try this: Find out what God’s purpose for us is all about (hint: we all have a dream)
Not that: Sitting back and becoming discouraged and bitter
Try this: Be the best we can be no matter the direction we go
Not that: Showing up with a bad attitude and toxic, contagious thoughts
The Best is Yet to Come
When we put effort into understanding ourselves (who are we?) by understanding what God has purposely made us for (what is our gift?) and why we are in the situation we are in (ignoring options), then we will be headed in the right direction.
Part of this is developing our faith journey in knowing that God loves each of us just the way we are, right now, today. And just like the snowflakes he created, we are all unique and wonderfully made! Believe it!
“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry” (Isaiah 55:10 NLT).
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