Inspirational – Long walks and dark chocolate

A work in progress

April 21, 2015 Leave a Comment

Since I wrote “Check my What?” back in November, I have been more aware of my motives as I go about my business. Hopefully I have offended less, exalted myself less and cared less about being right, and more about showing love. Of course, as I write this paragraph, my failures glare at me from the recent past. Thankfully though, I realize I am a work in progress. I didn’t expect perfection quite yet, just improvement. And that, my friends, is the point of this post.

As we closely examine ourselves (If you don’t do this, I highly recommend it for your own benefit as well as those around you), we often find areas in our lives that need work. We long to see some speedy positive development in our needful areas.

I find though, that upon reflecting on their progress, many of my friends and members of my family are often way too hard on themselves. They don’t see mere improvement as success. Maybe 2 lbs. isn’t the 30 you want to lose, but it’s a start; it’s still success because you aren’t going backwards.

For me personally (besides the motive thing I’m also working on), I want to do more for others. I still feel like I procrastinate too often or give in to laziness and fail to reach my goals. However, I have improved and surely that counts for something.

If your heart is right and your intentions are good, you are headed in the right direction. Be encouraged that recognizing something that merits change or improvement is half the battle. At nearly 50, I am learning that there is still so much I don’t know, when I thought I about had it wrapped up!

Whether you think you can or think you can’t — you are right. ~Henry Ford

Only as high as I reach can I grow,
Only as far as I seek can I go,
Only as deep as I look can I see,
Only as much as I dream can I be.
~Karen Ravn

Filed Under: Inspirational Tagged With: change, motives, self reflection, successs

Grandma’s cure for boredom

April 20, 2015 1 Comment

Source : http://www.coolnsmart.com/boredom_quotes/

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Roy G. Biv.”

The Prompt: Write about anything you’d like, but make sure that all seven colors of the rainbow — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet — make an appearance in the post, either through word or image.

“Grandma, I’m so bored”, Olivia whined after lunch. Since breakfast, Olivia had roamed the house, snooping through the rooms, and went through a few photo albums. She had discovered that Grandma still didn’t own a computer, much less have internet. How would she make it for three full weeks with absolutely nothing to do?

Grandma Violet had known it may be hard to keep a pre-teen busy when she offered to have Olivia come stay for part of the summer. She had put a lot of thought into it and was prepared to teach her a life lesson and the quicker the better.

“Honey, Grandma struggled with the same thing years ago”, Violet said with a smile. “However, I no longer believe boredom is possible unless we just want to be lazy and selfish”. Olivia squinted her blue eyes and scrunched up her freckled nose. “What do you mean, Grandma?”, Olivia questioned. “Well, there is just far too much to do and too many people to touch to be bored”, answered Grandma.

“Bring me that yellow blanket hanging on the back of the couch, please”, Grandma said. Olivia snatched it up and brought it over to the dining room table. Grandma said, “I am making this for a young woman who is expecting a baby very soon. She doesn’t have any family close by and I want her to feel special and loved. I work on it in the evening, after dinner.”

“It’s very pretty, and I’m sure she will love it, Grandma.”

“Oh goodness, exclaimed Grandma, “the time got away from me. I need to hurry or I will miss visiting a friend before her afternoon nap. Her name is Indigo and she is very old. She lives in the nursing home down the street. I go to visit her every Monday and Wednesday and read the bible to her. She is blind you know?” They climbed in Grandma’s green station wagon to go and Olivia anxiously anticipated meeting Indigo; she had always had a soft spot for the elderly. After a couple of hours of laughs and a big bear hug from Miss Indigo, she and Grandma left for home.

When they got there, Grandma hurried into the garden and began picking some of the sweet bell peppers she had grown herself. Olivia followed along, watching Grandma pick the red and orange peppers and remove a weed or two along the way. When they were finished, Olivia remarked that they could never eat all of them.

Grandma said, “I don’t just grow these for myself. I share them with my neighbors. See, there is Mr. Whitaker across the fence; he loves peppers and he is on a fixed income, so it makes my heart smile to share with him. Let’s go inside and prepare a basket and you can run it over to him”.

A while later, they sat together at the dinner table; bones from Grandma’s yummy fried chicken on their plates. Olivia tried to stifle a yawn and Grandma asked, “Are you tired, my dear?” “Yes ma’am, I am”, Olivia replied.

“Did you learn anything today about why Grandma doesn’t have time for boredom?”

Olivia thought for a moment about what a fulfilling day she’d had. Her heart had warmed when Indigo squeezed her and thanked her for the visit and Mr. Whitaker’s smile and “thank you kindly” had made her feel like she was a part of something special. Grandma had even introduced her to the young, very pregnant woman at the post office and she could sense her appreciation for the friendship Grandma was giving her. Olivia was glad she would be here to watch her open the yellow blanket that Grandma was picking up to work on now.

“Yes, I did, Grandma. You are so busy giving of yourself to others; you don’t have time to be bored, and I won’t either anymore.” Grandma gave her a hug and told her she was welcome to go to bed if she’d like. “Can I stay up a little longer and watch you work on the blanket?” Olivia asked.

“Of course, my dear and I will even show you how to make one yourself if you’d like.” As they worked on the blanket together, Grandma smiled and thanked the Lord for the gift of this child and moments like these while Olivia thought to herself how blessed she was to have a Grandma like Violet.

Filed Under: Inspirational Tagged With: bored, generosity, helping others, kindness, selflessness

Seed of faith

January 10, 2015 3 Comments

Photo from : http://www.onlinejewelryclass.biz

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “In Good Faith.”

Describe a memory or encounter in which you considered your faith, religion, spirituality — or lack of — for the first time.

I was raised to have faith and I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have it. Thankfully, my mom and grandmother took me to church faithfully, and taught me to read the bible.

One memory I have that brings back a smile is when I received the gift of a mustard seed necklace. I don’t remember who it was a gift from, but I think it was on my birthday. It was a little gold chain, sporting a tiny orb which contained an even tinier mustard seed. The mustard seed may have been tiny, but it helped ingrain in my young mind the scripture promising that even a little seed of faith moved mountains.

I loved wearing it and if my memory serves me correctly, I believe it broke and was put to rest somewhere beneath the spinning ballerina in my jewelry box. I suspect when I was a little older, I thought I was too cool for a mustard seed necklace and chose to throw it away instead of fixing it.

In my almost 50 years, with all the bumps in the road, and the ups and the downs, I have often thought about that little necklace and what it symbolized. The promise has proven true time and time again.

Linen rose

Matthew 17:20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

Filed Under: Inspirational Tagged With: Bible, Daily Prompt, faith, God, mustard seed, necklace

Goodnight December

December 31, 2014 5 Comments

I’m sitting inside, a couple of hours away from 2015, enjoying my Christmas tree for what will probably be the last time this season. As much as I look forward to what the new year will hold, it always saddens me to pack away the Christmas decorations. There is just something about Christmas; the spirit of love that is in the air, people are nicer, and family members and friends seem more appreciative of one another.

The hubby and friends are outside playing corn hole, there are fireworks blasting in the distance, and other faint sounds outside of parties and traffic in the neighborhood. Being the introvert that I am, I would rather spend my time quietly reflecting on the past year and meditating on God and what His will is for me for 2015.

This has been a tough year in many ways for many people. The news has been overflowing with sad stories and bad news and full of fear inducing possibilities. I hear it said that we could say that at the end of every year, but I have to disagree.

The thing I know to be true is that when I place my faith in God, all of the worry, fear and hopelessness vanishes. When everything is falling down around me and I feel the strength of the waves of oppression and the heat of the battle, I have an Advocate. This coming year, that is what I will hold on to. No matter what situations may arise, God always has a plan. It might not fit into my self-established agenda, but if I will follow it, all things will work for my good.

Have a happy and blessed New Year – Find out what God’s plan is for you and adhere to it and experience the joy that will follow.

Love and Blessings,

Lisa

Filed Under: Inspirational Tagged With: God, hope, love, New Year, peace

Not mine to control

December 2, 2014 2 Comments

Saturday sunset

Admittedly, I like to be in control of things. I am a planner and it’s unnerving to me when I don’t know things. When I ask my husband what he wants for dinner, my motives are bigger than my desires to know his particular cravings on that day. I need to know what time and if there is a possibility that others may be invited. After all, I must plan. To him, the spur of the moment individual that he is, it is annoying that I need to know all of these things before lunch. Learning to “roll with the flow” is a lesson I have not even begun to master yet.

One of the hardest lessons I have had to learn in my Christian walk is that I have to relinquish control; especially when it comes to people and this is often adult kids who won’t just do what mom says is best. I must trust God with them and most of the time, thankfully, I do.

The one that brought the most grief this week though was having someone completely misunderstand my intentions and refuse to give me the opportunity to explain. My motives were harshly and unfairly judged and although I know in my heart of hearts that I didn’t intend any harm, that I harbor no ill feelings and that the person is truly mistaken, I wasn’t given the opportunity to right the perceived wrong.

As I have mentioned before, I loathe dissension. However, in this situation, again, I must trust God to shine the light of truth on the problem, while I patiently wait. It’s easy for people to say, “Don’t worry about it”, or “It’s not your problem”, but since I feel like the right words would be like a healing balm to a troubled soul, the waiting is difficult. But, wait I will, with the calm assurance that God has a plan that is better than mine.

Have a blessed night!

Filed Under: Family and Home, Inspirational Tagged With: motives, truth, waiting

Worry doesn’t change anything

November 11, 2014 4 Comments

The Prompt: If you could permanently get rid of one worry, what would it be?

I don’t believe in worry. Yes, I know we all have our moments, but I choose not to let worry control me. There are times I battle with it, but if I give it to God, the fear dissipates. It was a lesson that was hard to learn, but when you realize it’s useless, it becomes easier to let it go. I wrote a short story to show how I feel about worry.

It was getting late and the Browns were getting ready to turn in for the night. Faith Brown was humming a hymn as she removed the excess pillows and turned down the sheets. Her husband, Wori Brown grunted as he stalked past her on his way to the bathroom.

Faith shook herself out of her slippers and tossed her robe at the bottom of the bed. She kneeled by the bed and said a prayer, then climbed into bed and snuggled into the warm covers, thankful for a safe, comfortable home.

Wori needed to go to bed as 5:30 came early, but there was just too much on his mind. He paced through the house a few times trying to figure out what to do about the shortage in the checking account. He was overwrought with concern over some choices their adult son was making. He wondered what he could do or say to get his son to listen to reason. He was stressed about the way he had spoken to his favorite employee today at work. By the time he finally made it to the bedroom, Faith was fast asleep. He tossed and turned and awoke groggy after a fitful night’s sleep.

Faith awoke with the dawn and sat down with her coffee and her bible to start the day on the right note. She enjoyed her coffee, read from Psalms, prayed over her family and went about her day’s tasks.

Wori gulped down his coffee, rushed out the door and hurried to work. His mind was full of distressful thoughts throughout the day. His stomach was bothering him and he had a headache. Traffic was horrible and he shook his fist at a car as he sped past. He felt his blood pressure rising as he had to wait at yet another red light.

As the sun was setting, Wori opened the front door and was greeted by calm wife who informed him that dinner was waiting. The house was quiet and he was glad to be here. He could smell the aroma of his favorite dish and maybe even an apple pie. As Wori ate, he asked Faith how in the world she could stay so peaceful in the midst of such duress. They were going through several trials in their lives and he never saw her falter in her faith.

She said, “Nothing I can do or say will change any of the situations we are facing, so I put them in the hands of God and leave them there. When the temptation comes to worry or fret, I remind myself to think on whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, that is what I think about.

He knew she was right, so after dinner he made his way to the back porch, bible in hand. He spent some time alone, prayed for peace and placed his frustration and feelings of inadequacy into the hands of God. Faith joined him with a smile on her face and thankfulness in her heart, knowing that with God and each other, they could face anything.

Filed Under: Family and Home, Inspirational Tagged With: nablopomo, Stress, thankfulness, worry

Check my what?

November 6, 2014 8 Comments

We have all heard the phrase, “check your motives” but how often do we really check them? I am finding personally as I try to make a habit of it, that they aren’t always as pure as I had once imagined. This motive checking has been on my radar for quite some time now as I knew it was something God was dealing with me personally about. Not surprisingly, it is way easier to judge someone else’s motives than your own and your family members are easy prey.

My husband and my youngest daughter have always had this thing that they do when I am fussing at them about something. While I am in mid-sentence, they say, “I love you”. There were times when this was infuriating, but a large percentage of the time, it garnered a smile from me and the change of subject that had been their intent all along. Their motive behind saying it was to change the topic and my train of thought, or to derail my indictment. Thankfully, I know they both adore me and that although their motive wasn’t entirely pure, they still meant what they said.

If we pay close attention to our conversations, our emails, and our Facebook posts, they can speak volumes regarding motive. Has anyone ever posted something seemingly innocuous on Facebook, but the reason you did it was to get back at or prove a point to someone? What about the argumentative email that you go back and forth with someone at work? Is it perhaps because you are determined to be right or prove them wrong? Are all of your questions about others out of genuine concern or do you ever have an ulterior motive? Think about times when you are discussing something and you say something that you later regret. Why did you say it? What was your motive behind it? Were you being kind, compassionate, loving and merciful?

Now, for the difficult part of this post, the part where I am completely transparent. Often when I speak, my motive is to prove that I am right, to make myself look good (attain praise), to get attention, or sometimes even to call attention to a fault in someone else. Ouch! The truth hurts, doesn’t it?

Now, you can see why God is dealing with me personally. Thankfully, this journey has opened my eyes to some of the little hidden things of the heart and I have learned about myself and others. I have asked for forgiveness and for God’s help that that my motives will always be pure; that the words I speak are from a heart filled with love.

I want to challenge you to pay attention to your own motives in conversations, as you go about your day and see if you have any “wow” moments in this area. Then, be brave and come back and post something you learned.

I dare ya!

Filed Under: Family and Home, Inspirational Tagged With: check your motive, conversations, motives, nablopomo

The Who trumps the What

October 6, 2014 1 Comment

What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a policeman, a fireman, a dancer, an astronaut. You might hear any of these if you ask a child this question. Today as I sit here and contemplate on the aforementioned subject, I am reminded that WHO you are is so much more important than WHAT you do.

I firmly believe that everyone has a god-purposed calling and are bent towards it at a very young age. Our role as adults and mentors is to help children discover it, encourage it and feed it well and watch it grow. There is something we are all instinctively good at and naturally have a passion to do.

However, I propose that who we are while we are doing it is what will glean the greater good. I can be the best in the world at whatever I do, but if I can’t influence a life for good, what is it really worth? Yes, there are some cases in which you could be a jerk and what you have done would still bring good to the world around you. You could discover a cure for a disease, for instance, and that would bring good, regardless of your personal impact on society. As a rule though, the who far outshines the what!

Who we are determines how others are impacted. Do we exude kindness, generosity and love as we encounter others? How we treat people has such a lasting effect, for good or bad. There is a quote attributed to Maya Angelou that says, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”.

Who am I today as I carry on with my work and life, as a mom, wife and friend? That is what will be remembered and leave a potential life-long impression.

Filed Under: Family and Home, Inspirational Tagged With: kindness, love for people, peaceful

When you give up on the white horse, read this

September 30, 2014 7 Comments

When I listen to young women and even read some of their Facebook posts, I realize one way that we have failed them. It seems their ideas of love and what it is or what it should be originates from fairy tales or the latest box office hit. They believe there really is someone out there who will give them chills every time they see them forever. Honey, trust me; if you have chills it usually means you have a fever and I don’t mean some heat induced love coma either.

For those of you desperately waiting for Brad Pitt’s twin to come riding up on a white horse in all his handsomeness and sweep you off your feet and carry you to his castle, well, have you ever heard the term “fantastical wish”?

Yes, when you meet Mr. Right, there are emotions and feelings and I will even go as far as to say butterflies on occasion, but what is love? Is it just a feeling or is it something much more?

Love isn’t even remotely about the size of the ring, the exorbitance of the wedding, or how many ways he charms you on social media for all your friends to see (and be jealous!). It’s certainly not about looks or size because all that will change as time marches on.

True love is an enduring promise; it doesn’t come and go with your moods and selfishness. And as the hot flames die down, they turn into something warm and stable and more comfortable; like glowing embers that can be reignited.

Love is staying when you have every reason to go, its forgiveness whether you think they deserve it or not, it’s being patient when your patience is running out. Love is what you have, when at the end of a long, horrible day, he can walk in and just know and give you a long, hard hug. Love is telling you to lie down and rest and let him take a turn with the baby you were up with last. Love is looking across the room and knowing that person has your back, whatever the situation. Love goes through deaths, crisis and pain and grows stronger.

Love is making a choice to love on the days you just aren’t feeling it. Love is caring enough to figure out someone else’s needs before they even ask you to. Love is a tear in their eye, merely because there is one in yours. Love realizes another’s dreams and helps them achieve them.

Love is not dragging people through their past and it should never glean satisfaction from an “I told you so”. Love is not giving 50%, it is giving your all and then some. Love isn’t easy, it is long-suffering. Love isn’t for cowards. Love has respect and would never ask you to do things that make you uncomfortable.

Love is long conversations, marked with smiles and laughter and him grabbing your hand while driving down the road. Not so anyone can see, but because it’s what he wants. Love is when he never leaves the house without a hug and kiss and an, “I love you”, because he realizes life is precious and sometimes short. Love is a text when he knows you are struggling with something that says, “I love you and I’m here if you need me”.

Love can be messy. It isn’t always dancing through the meadows with a song on your lips and flowers in your hair. There usually aren’t any castles involved at all unless you go to the beach. And the closest you might get to a white horse, is his dirty pickup truck.

Do I still get butterflies? Yes, I do, but more importantly, when they are gone, or fail to appear for a while, I am not discouraged, because I know love is more than that and the longer you fan the flames of love, the stronger and more powerful it gets.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy;

love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely,

does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

I Corinthians 13:4-7

Filed Under: Family and Home, Inspirational Tagged With: love, love for spouse, marriage, Romance

Warning signs

May 3, 2014 3 Comments

As I opened up the mirrored door on my closet, I caught a glimpse of my downcast expression. As I began to reflect on my mood at such an early morning hour, I stopped what I was doing. At that moment, I knew one thing. All cleaning had to cease and desist. A navy dress in mid-air about to meet its hangar home was tossed into the heap of clothing.

I was compelled by an overwhelming desire for my knees to hit the floor and His ears to hear my heart. I had to meet with my King and the sooner the better.

The signs are always obvious. I have been acquainted with them for years. My thinking turns dark, bleak and negative, or my mood plummets, or my reactions to others become sarcastic or haughty, or I may just feel somewhat hopeless about something. There are other indicators, but these are some I recognize right away.

At this point, I can choose to obey the signs and heed the direction they are leading me or find myself lost, anxious and floundering until I backtrack to what I knew to be the right course from the outset. This time, I do the right thing and soon find myself in my office on the floor.

Why do we sometimes ignore the signs and symptoms that our joy is being stolen, our hope is fading and our faith is weak? I believe the biggest reason is our busyness. We neglect to pencil in the time on our already too-full, appointment laden calendars for God. Our most important appointment, the one that should be the springboard for all other appointments, is missing.

As God continues to deal with me about this, I know this…

When He isn’t in first place, nothing falls into place.

As I poured out my heart to Him this morning and the joy, that only He can give, flooded my soul, I was reminded once again why I set my clock early (on most mornings). The day that is bathed in prayer while the sun still sleeps, is a day that brings with it the peace and courage to face whatever might come my way. It’s a day faced with renewed faith and strength. Most importantly, it’s a day where I have once again relinquished control and chose to place it in His all-knowing, ever-loving hands.

Filed Under: Inspirational Tagged With: counting blessings, courage, depression, emotional, god first, joy, moody, peace, Prayer, sadness

A work in progress

Grandma’s cure for boredom

Seed of faith

Goodnight December

Not mine to control

Worry doesn’t change anything

Check my what?

The Who trumps the What

When you give up on the white horse, read this

Warning signs

Goodreads

Show me some love

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Goodreads

These things keep coming up!

Archives

Follow Blog via Email

Check out some of my most popular photos and ramblings

Blogs I Follow

How many people have stopped by to check it out?