Welcome!

I hope you enjoy this blog. It's a new outlet for me. My intent is to encourage, inspire and help us all think a little deeper about our journey in this life. I plan on keeping it real and sharing what's on my heart for the day. Enjoy and God bless you!

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Just in the nick of time!



My youngest son is beautifully stubborn. Some say he's just strong willed. However, when we are in public and he is trying to run the show, he will scream at the top of his lungs until he gets what he wants. I used to just give in, when I couldn't handle it anymore( I know). I have been trying the last few days, to go head to head with him, wait it out, re-establish who's boss. Well, it took 2 hours yesterday before he finally did what I asked him to do, but I held my ground and he eventually obeyed.

It's one thing in the privacy of your own home...and a whole other ball game in public. We were in the grocery store today, needed to quickly pick up a few things. I put my lil guy in the cart, and all was well. I decided to get him a little treat from the bulk food area. He seemed compliant picked out what he wanted, the only problem was, he wanted his choice right then, I gave him one little jelly fruit, the problem was he wanted all of them. I didn't give them to him because they were sold by weight and if he ate them all the  cashier wouldn't be able to charge me.

He began the scream, super loud, standing up in the cart, did I say SUPER LOUD? well, I could not seem to get him to stop and I couldn't give in, we were in day three of establishing who was boss, and I needed to pay for them first. People were staring at me checking down the aisle. I moved to a different aisle trying to hide and get him to quiet down.

I finally took him out of the cart and he was still screaming wanting his treat. At this point, I just wanted to crawl under a rock and eat chocolate, but I'm working on not always trying to escape too. I was praying under my breath, kindly asking God for help, and for my son to stop.

A few minutes later he is still screaming, I feel stuck and at the end of my rope. I look up and this petite older woman comes down the aisle I'm trying to hide in. She comes up to me and let's me know that she can see my son is highly agitated and is inquiring if there is any way she can help. I have to admit, my guard was up big time, I was on the defensive, expecting her to judge my ability to control my son.

I asked her what she thought she could do to help( I was not being super friendly). She said, " I can pray for him!" I have to admit I was shocked by her response. I asked her if she was a Christian, she said that she was. I told her that I would actually really appreciate it, because I was feeling very overwhelmed at the moment. 

So there in the natural foods section of Fred Meyer the three of us stood. I took the moment and closed my eyes while still holding my son, and allowed her to pray for us. My son calmed down, I thanked her and we quickly paid and left the store.

I have never had anything like that happen to me. I needed that moment, as crazy as it was. I needed to see that God was with me, it's good to know he has people all around. We are supposed to be one big family right? It took a lot of boldness for that woman to approach us and to offer prayer. 

Thank you Lord for seeing me in my time of struggle,and extending your grace and peace through a stranger. Give me that same boldness and compassion to respond to those around  me, stranger or kin. Thank you Lord for your kindness towards me, please bless that woman who blessed me, I know you know where she is. I know you know her name, just as you know mine.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

It's okay to be O.K.

Philippians 4:10-13 (New Living Translation)

Paul’s Thanks for Their Gifts
 10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ,[a] who gives me strength. 

I've been thinking about the above verse lately. I've been thinking about what it means for me to be content, for me to be o.k. I realize that I can be o.k. with who I am, how I am, what I am. For me being content is not me sticking my head in the mud and saying " this is just who I am, I will always be this way," It's me really looking at myself, my life, my journey thus far. It's me taking inventory of my current situation and looking back down the road to see how far I've come.

Being content is about recognizing what's been done by you, for you, and with you. I know that if I am always looking for who I " want to be" or who I'm "not" then that is a pretty depressing life. In all reality, no one is really ever going to reach perfection on this side of eternity. Being content, being  o.k. with myself is about celebrating the journey thus far, and acknowledging the hard work it took to get here, and giving praise to God for his guidance, and thanking those who have walked alongside me on this journey, up to this point.

Stopping at each milestone and remembering, giving praise, having a heart of gratitude and expectation for the things to come, not just things, but growth, deeper relationships, hard things too, for they bring the best results.( even though they are really tough to go through)

I know that I am not " all I ever want to be right now" however, I am at the same time. I will always be growing and maturing and learning new ways to humble myself, better ways to listen,  more strategic ways to get things done. I will still need to  work on slowing down, keeping focus, and many other things, but that is my point, this life is about growing and learning and being who we are. I firmly believe that it is really important, crucial in fact to my well being to be o.k. with me as is. It's where I start. It's me being real and honest with me.

The honesty free's me up to see where I am and be o.k. with the good, bad and the ugly, but also gives me the opportunity to improve on those things too. I think about my weight loss journey. I think about how I used to believe I would really love myself when I got " skinny", then I would be loveable and somehow that self -love would just automatically turn itself on... I'm not " skinny" yet, in fact I don't know if I will ever be classified as such, but I do know that if I don't love myself now, I won't love myself later. So I love me now, as I am, and I am working on my body, but it has nothing to do with loving me now.

I am learning to be o.k. so I can take time for evaluation, honestly checking myself, honestly giving God praise for who he is in my life and for what he has done, and  being able to celebrate with those who love me along the way.

Whatever situation you find yourself  in today, find something in it to celebrate, find a growing edge, look for a way to encourage someone else. Our life is our life, it isn't about comparing one person's heartache to someone else's heartache. 

We are where we are in this life and that's our starting point, keep  moving forward, I encourage you to celebrate and take joyful inventory along the way, after all, we only have one life to live.