Positive Thinking

I have been studying and reading a great deal about positive thinking. I have been verbally attacked for discussing "The Secret". I personally believe that it is a very enlightening book. However, there are some people that find it very anti-Christian.

I don not promote the idea that whatever you wish for you will receive. I promote the idea that if you are still, quiet, pray and listen to your heart (where Jesus resides) then you will be lead to God's will for your life. That will becomes your will and when you align yourself with God's will then things begin to happen. If you believe they will happen then they will. However, if you are a "victim" and do not believe in what God plans for you then you will not receive it. Perhaps in some ways you are not really ready for it.(Just my opinion) I have been in the doubters boat many a time. I know that it's easier to be negative than to be positive.

Now is the time to remember that God not only wants to take care of our needs, he wants us to prosper and bless others. If we give when we have little (time, money, food, etc) then how much more could we do for others of we are prosperous and truly, deeply, happy.

What is God's plan for you? Are you a victim or a victor? Did Jesus think positively or negatively?

Inner Peace

Lord, I come to you with an open heart asking that you guide me during this day and beyond. Show me how to be the woman you would have me to be, to free myself from the past and embrace the future. In Jesus Name, Amen

I had a piece all prepared to write and when I sat down at the keyboard all of my words left me. No kidding. Nothing. Blank mind. Not a single thought of my "brilliant" post was left. So what better way to start than with a prayer. As I type these words I feel a calmness that wasn't there before. A calmness that I have desperately needed during the past few days.

You see, I have been taking care of sick children for an entire week now. And Friday I was sick myself. Not just sick, but the "I really am going to die" type sick. And lucky for me hubby had to work all day Saturday also, so no rest for the mommy. I noticed yesterday that the 'loving, caring, anything for you sweetie' mommy was disappearing quickly. My wonderful 4 year old who has been sick the longest was very whiny and not very receptive to any medicinal solutions I had for her. So a snapped at her more than a few times. Not nice, but that's where I was in the sick, sleep deprived role of motherhood.

My baby was finally able to sleep at 2AM this morning. Just long enough for me to take a nap. My alarm was set for 5AM. Time to start my day. Needless to say it has been a very LONG week for all of us. I prayed over her numerous times yesterday because she was so tired and so weak and nothing seemed to help her cough. Well praise God because her cough is finally gone and she is sleeping even now as I type.

I wish I had prayed sooner. I cannot believe I left it as long as I did. But yesterday it dawned on me. What would it take for her to be gone from me? She looked so pitiful and she hadn't really eaten in days. A few crackers here and there and some soup but not a lot. When I really sat down and thought about it I began to cry and pray. I realize that she is here for however long the Lord allows, just like all of us. So I need to keep my role as her caretaker in perspective and do just that.

I know that I will still struggle with my temper and that patience is not my strength but I can find it in HIM. The Lord taught me that I need to stay close to Him so that I can be the woman He wants me to be, the woman He created me to be.

So I ask, where do you stand? I do have to remind myself that it's not all about the destination but also the journey.
I hope some of these ramblings made sense. :)

Did You Realize?

"I want a brand new video game system for Christmas." Little Turtle said to his mother.
Mother Turtle smiled. She had already bought Little Turtle a new bicycle. Mother Turtle knew that if she bought him video games then he would always stay inside and never learn the wonders of the outside world. Mother had found a bicycle during the Summer that was perfect for her Little Turtle. Now she had to figure out how she was going to give Little Turtle his present without him being disappointed?

The next day, Mother Turtle, left a picture of the bicycle laying on the kitchen table. She watched as Little Turtle picked it up, studied it, and put it back on the table. Quietly, he went outside to play.

Another day passed, a few of Little Turtle's friends rode their bikes into the driveway. As they left, Mother Turtle said, "Those are really neat bikes, too bad you didn't get one last year."

"Yea." Little Turtle said quietly.

Mother Turtle left the picture of the bicycle on the table day after day. Little Turtle looked at it day after day. She spent the next few weeks dropping hints about how great it would be if HE had a bike.

Christmas morning came and Little Turtle crept down the stairs to see the shiny red bicycle sitting in front of the tree.

"Momma, momma! Look what I got for Christmas! A bicycle, just like I always wanted!"

Mother Turtle smiled broadly. She knew this was the best present for him and now he knew it too.

Moral of the story: This is the way God is with us. We ask him for what we want, but He knows what we need. So He places a seed in our hearts and gives us signs to help us realize what we need is so much better than what we want.

Put It In His Hands

I've been fighting this for so long, I'm not sure it's real. I've been fighting the housewife/homemaker thing. Don't ask why. It's a long, sordid story that just shows that I still have issues with my parents. But two weekends ago my husband threatened to leave if I didn't do something with our pigsty of a house. I guess that was my wake up call. See, he said he'd take the kids with him.

So after many tears and prayers I bit the bullet and I have been plowing through the clutter and the dirt. It's still not great but it is a drastic improvement. And my husband even noticed. He helped clean up the kitchen one night last weekend and then tonight he told me that the house looked nice.

I've even been cooking more and spending more time with my kids. Which I might add that my kids have been helping out more now that they see mom doing more. The one thing that I'm having to struggle to keep up with is my writing, but I am pressing on.

So I will put it in HIS hands. Each day I will start anew and put it in HIS hands. It is no longer my burden. I will do what is required of me and I pray Lord that you will give me enough hours in the day to accomplish those tasks. In Jesus name, Amen

Reaching Out

I have worked harder the past few days then I have in a while. I finally got the message, "Put up or shut up" I know this sounds crazy on a spiritual blog, but it's the truth. I have been whining about my situation in my personal and professional life for a few years. However, I have been going in circles this whole time. I knew the answer to my problem. It came to me after many a prayer. Change my thinking, change my attitude, but most of all change my actions. No matter how much my thinking changed, nothing else changed without my action.

I have made out many lists with my goals and my plan as to how to reach that goal. I have prayed, meditated, cried, pleaded, screamed, and agonized over how to improve my life, how to love my kids more, how to get my husband to love me like he used to, how to get closer to God. The one thing that I have put off, until now, is to TAKE ACTION. All of the good thoughts in the world won't help without putting in the effort to make it happen.

Four days and counting. My laundry is slowly catching up. My dining room is clean and we can use the table. My kitchen is a work in progress. My living room is clean as are the kids rooms. My bedroom is also a work in progress. Today I will tackle the remaining two rooms and my van. Clutter breeds chaos and stress and (in my case) anger. No more. It takes 21 days to make a habit. So I'm making new habits everyday.

Praise God that He has never left me. He has never given up on me. Even when I gave up on myself, even as I have hated myself. God never gave up. He was there to hold me and comfort me and to lead me through the darkness. He has been the one to prod me into action through one thing or another. I get it now. I understand that I have deep responsibilities to my children, my husband, to myself and to Him. He won't give me more then I can handle so I need to choke it up and "handle" it. And to quote someone else "I just wish He didn't trust me so much"

So if you're stuck on the treadmill and feel destined to repeat yourself just remember that the definition of insanity is 'doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results' I have been stuck in insanity for WAY too long. I hope that my post will help you out of yours.

Sincere Prayer

I am sure that a lot of you were praying yesterday and last night, as I was. When McCain gave his concession speech I was close to tears.

I asked God how this could happen? How could our great nation be so blind? Then I felt at peace. The words I heard in my heart were: Now is not the time. This happened so that you will all wake up and pay attention and take action on how your government is run. You will make an effort to find out what legislation is trying to be passed and take action on it. During the next election you will pound the pavement and let others know where the candidates stand on the issues. You will WORK.

This is what has given me peace about the election. (Plus it is sort of cool to have an African -American elected president during my lifetime.)

Tomorrow I will be back to life as usual, but today I just had to let you know that God is there and when you pray sincerely and openly he answers willingly and honesty.

Following God's Plan

God had to set me straight once again. I was so excited about this writing job that I had applied for. Finally a regular paying job that paid me once a week. Alright, go me!

Then came the news, Sorry you're not the quality writer we're looking for. OUCH! That was a kick in the butt. And the ego. So then I'm back to square one and could have used the money. My book isn't exactly flying off the shelves.

So I began praying about it and WHAM! God informed me that there will be time for that later. Right now is the time to get my family in order and focus on my fiction writing career. I'm still adjusting. I REALLY wanted to be bringing in some money to pay off our debt. But that's not the plan. And I have to follow God's plan if this writing career is going to work.

I am praying everyday that I will follow God's will and not my own. It's a little easier when I pray about it.