Be Better

March 28, 2016

I don't know your story.

I cannot pretend to know your journey.

My thoughts are mine and most of the time they do not need to be told.

Has society grown so cold that we really believe it is fine to hurt people in action and in word?

In our thought process do we truly believe we have all the answers and others are ignorant?

Is it really okay for us to discard the elderly along with their wisdom and to cast away the down trodden because we think we are better, wiser, stronger, or smarter?

We as people are losing ourselves and we don't even realize it. We have cast away people in the pursuit of self.

Relationships that were great are now awkward because we chose to focus on our 'feelings' instead of focusing on the beauty.

Nation has risen up against nation because of their knowledge through a culture filter...which, by the way does not give accurate information in the least.

Are we so fixated on hate and differences that we think that is what is best or 'normal'?

I have failed on many fronts, I have come up short in nearly every aspect of my life at different times; however, I am not willing to let that be my 'normal'...and you shouldn't either.

I want to see each person through the filter of heaven. I want to see the good, I want to see the value, I want to understand the journey. If I can truly understand someone's journey I will be better equipped to avoid the things that made them fall and embrace the things that made them stand tall.

I am not so naive as to think I cannot gain value and insight from each person The Good Lord has placed on this planet.

Maybe if we stop focusing on our feelings we can move forward as a society. Feelings lie...emotions cause us to make less than stellar choices. I hope the masses are being awoken inside like I believe I am...it is time to unify and become... one strong nation under God...vs remaining clusters of talkers that tear down much like spots of cancer that eat away at the inside.

We need not fear about the outside world destroying our beautiful land...lately we've been doing a good job of that on our own...from the inside out.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

What's holding you back?

What's holding you back?

I find most people are fairly good at making it through the days and accomplishing the essential ins and outs of each day. However, that's not where the joy flourishes. None of us were put on this earth to only go through the motions of surviving...God's plan for us on this earth is to thrive where He has placed us...to fulfill the Destiny upon our life.

Has your passion been snuffed out by the busyness of life? What are the things that make your heart leap and energize your spirit? That my friend is where you need to be putting some focus. 

Living and dying are a part of life...however, making an impact...that's a conscious choice...don't waste your days living and dying...fill your days with your destiny purpose. 

You are significant to many people. You are the inspiration that will breath life into dead dreams. You are an igniter that will cause smoldering embers to burst forth with a mighty flame. 

Invest time each day seeking God's direction and being obedient to His assignments to your heart. 

You were created to live strong and mighty...don't get so tangled in the mundane that you can't break free to run into your destiny! 

How Long?

1/17/16-How long?

How long are you willing to wait for a miracle?

If you choose to stop waiting for your miracle and leave your belief for it behind, will that make your journey better or will you never truly forget about the hope that was present during the waiting for your miracle?

The above is what came to me during worship at church this morning. It was profound to me…how long ARE we willing to wait for a miracle. I know the quick Christian answer is…”a life time”. However, in reality are there ever times you are believing for something, praying for it and investing time in the hope of it…and then just walk away? I think we probably do that all too often. Perhaps that miracle is no longer important to us…or maybe our hope or belief waivers and we decide the disappointment of it not happening yet is easier to deal with than to keep hoping.

I think it is during our ‘waiting’ time where the enemy tortures our belief and hope and can cause us to lose sight of our desire.

I truly believe God has your miracle ready to be delivered, but then we stop waiting right before he has prepared to deliver it. That’s just sad to think about. You are probably closer than you can imagine with receiving the miracle you have been praying on…waiting for and believing in…you’ve invested much time into the thought of it…don’t give up on your miracle…tomorrow could literally be your day…and if it’s not…keep believing tomorrow is your day until your tomorrow becomes your TODAY!

I’m reminded of that old Journey song chorus…’Don’t stop believing’…when you stop believing that’s when hope flees. It is better to have hope and keep believing than it is to give up your hope and belief…that would be devastating.

I am believing that 2016 will be the beginning of a new normal…a new normal of expectation…a new normal of seeing the miracles…a new normal of believing in the impossible and seeing the impossible become possible.

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." Romans 12:12

Trusting...

1/12/16-It’s Going to get Great

The Only constant is change…sometimes it’s good and sometimes not so much…but it is constant.

When you hear the voice of the Lord tell you…”it’s going to get great”…you would think that would be cause for excitement…but in that moment your heart aches and all you want to do is what God is asking you NOT to do. …and then again you hear…”it’s going to get great”…”trust me”.

Why is that so hard sometimes? Why is it easy to trust what we can see and so hard to trust when all the evidence in front of us would cause us to not trust that things can “get great”.

On WAY more than one occasion my flesh has gotten in the way of my peace. Sometimes I can get worked up over things that don’t even concern me, but I willingly put myself in that battle. An area I struggle with GREATLY is not stepping in to fight my children’s battles…I WANT TO…I want to take on the foe’s that come against them and rescue them from all pain and heartache; however, I am learning more and more that my job in those battles is to pray them through them, not to step in and win the battle for them…if I do that, I end up taking away their victory and I certainly don’t want to be selfish and do that!

The Lord has asked me to do something for 2 weeks…well, in reality He is really asking me to NOT do something for 2 weeks. It was in fact an “If/Then” statement. If I listen and step away from something for 2 weeks God will step in and do something…His exact words to me were…”It’s going to get great.” You would think hearing from God telling me that if I obey His request things were going to get great would be super exciting…honestly, it feels like torture. It’s a little like telling yourself you are not going to eat cookies and then everywhere you look you see cookies…car tires begin to resemble an Oreo, your spouse’s face looks like a Snicker Doodle and the Frisbee you never noticed in the garage screams CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE to you every time you walk by. I suppose it’s about resisting temptation…I’m certain the lesson I am going to be learning in the next 14 days will be if I resist the temptation then the result will be great…and not only great, but I will have been TRIUMPHANT…I think that’s the piece that is the most rewarding…the reward is ACTUALLY being able to follow through and see something to it’s completion. The bonus from obedience…experiencing the reward!

“Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” Ecclesiastes 7:8

Reality Check?

1/11/16-Reality Check?

Have you ever woke up on any given day and thought…WHAT AM I DOING? I have to say some days I feel like I’m running full speed…but I must be running in circles because my to-do list didn’t shrink it actually grew! How is that even possible?

Some days I have it all together and then the alarm goes off the next morning and I am a disheveled version of who I was the day before. Some say…maybe it’s the “change of life”…well, not for me…No, I’m not in denial…I had the “change of life” come at the early age of 32 when the side effects of cancer decided to alter the natural course of things…but hey…I lived, so all is good!

Why is it we are all walking around attempting to make it look like we ‘got it all going on’? When in reality ‘my all’ on many days ‘got up and went’.

I’m doing my best to be real…to be authentic and to no longer hide behind the ‘everything is okay’ mask and the ‘I’m always happy’ mask. In reality, I really am okay most of the time and I really am happy most of the time…but not all the time. I want to give everyone reading this permission to be real…laugh when something is funny, cry when you have heartache and scream when nothing else seems to work. It’s actually quite liberating…although, I can’t remember the last time I screamed; hmmm…I must be due for that soon…lol!

Let’s begin 2016 with a reality check…be okay with you…embrace your uniqueness and share that with the world…after all God created you to be you…he didn’t create you to be a poor copy of someone else who you think has it ‘all going on’…because chances are…they have days where their ‘all’ has got up and ‘gone’!

“I can do all things through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

Failure Happens

1/10/16-Failure Happens

Glad when I mess up it’s not televised on national television!

Have we forgotten in TEAM Sports a TEAM Wins or a TEAM loses?

(For those that don’t know; I live in MN and it’s football playoffs…I need not say more about that:))

Off moments happen, that’s life. Those moments of failure when we anticipated success can definitely knock the wind out of our sails, but it does not remove our sails.

Life lesson from the January 10, 2016 Vikings game: IGNORE the haters, because they weren’t even in the game!

“Our enemies have no reason to gloat over us. We have fallen, but we will rise again. We are in darkness now, but the Lord will give us light.” Micah 7:8

Mixed Emotions

1/8/16-Mixed Emotions

One of the greatest joys I have is watching my children grow into the people they are suppose to be…and equally one of my greatest heartaches is watching my children grow into who they are suppose to be.

With the passing of each year my involvement in my children’s lives diminishes. No longer am I the provider of all things or in on every conversation and know every friend. I am no longer the fixer of all issues or the mender of all hurts.

I seriously have heartache some days as I watch them leave the house to pursue life. Its not that I don’t want that for them…I do! I want to do all I can to guide them to a full life of purpose; however, along the path no one told me in doing that I would be left in their dust.

You know the dust…the dust of years gone by…the dust in fact is the memories, the giggles as babes, the stitches and the trophies, the sleepovers and the birthdays, the goals and the finishes, the late nights and the early mornings.

Truth be told a part of me would go back to those days. Those days of having my family all together all the time; those days of more family meals together because we were all on the same schedule; those times of snuggles and wet kisses. Those times of star gazing and long strolls.

We have taught our kids over the years to be responsible and kind, to be courageous and steadfast, to bless others and to understand there is a big world out there…and then the day comes when they are and they do know and they soar.

Here's to embracing being left in the dust!

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

Seeing past the outer layer

1/7/16-Seeing past the outer layer

We as a society gain no awards by heaping coals of shame, guilt and condemnation upon others. I find each individual person has that market cornered by themselves on that. In other words…we tend to heap the coals on our own heads in regards to shame, guilt and condemnation that it really is unnecessary for others to do the same to us.

God created mankind to love. Would it be such an odd idea that we accept others flaws and love them to flawlessness?

The world likes to shine light upon our inadequacies…maybe it’s time to start shining light on what is good about others. Maybe instead of focusing on the things we hate about a person we focus on the things that are good. For example…I dislike STRONGLY when people curse; I find it odd that the English language dictionary has so many words to use to express ourselves and yet a person seems the best option is swearing…really?!? However, as the years have passed I have learned to set an example and not swear and focus on the good pieces. I had a conversation with someone several years ago who would make a sailor blush with their language…but their heart was SO kind! They really wanted to help people in profound ways and were doing exactly that. So, in that moment I chose to hear their heart instead of focusing on the cursing…if I would have focused on the cursing I would have never seen the true heart of this person…and essentially would of robbed myself from getting to know a truly beautiful person.

I believe we need to stop finger pointing others weaknesses and sins and start recognizing each individuals strengths. I think sometimes we believe if we shine light on another's faults it will take that spotlight away from shining on our faults…which is completely not true. I believe if we choose to shine light on the strengths, gifts and talents of others -that will equally be the light that others will view us in.

…and let’s face it, at the end of the day I really would prefer seeing the good in others…it gives me hope for tomorrow.

"Treat others the same way you want them to treat you." Luke 6:31

Take Position

1/6/16-Take Position

(As I sat on the sofa sipping tea this morning this is what The Lord spoke to my spirit.)

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I will stand against the armies of my foe. I will not bend or break no matter what is thrown.

Victory lies within the heart of the strong...triumph lies within the courageous one.

No longer will I watch while innocence is denied...no longer will I choose to sit on the sidelines.

My flesh resists while my heart knows what to do...Lord help me to push through.

The boiling of a nation has caused the impurities to rise. Lord help me be one that helps the world recognize.

It will take thousands of armies of ONE to UNITE. Are you willing to FIGHT?

Time to Armor Up & familiarize yourself again with the only weapon that will win this war...WORDS offered as an incense in prayer to God...that is where defeat will meet victory and be crushed.

Calling all the armies of one to take position on your knees and release the incense of unity in our words to the heavenlies.

As we become a unified brigade on our knees that is when we will hear the sweet whisper of the Lord say..."Now watch and see what I AM going to do because of you."

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"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves." Matthew 10:16

Perspective

1/5/16-Perspective

This morning as I was still in my pajamas and my daughter was headed off to the orthodontist I get a text that says…”PICK UP YOUR PHONE”. Apparently my phone was on vibrate and I did not hear it the first 5 TIMES SHE CALLED.

I get on the phone and I hear…”Mom, my car died in the middle of the road.”

No parent likes to hear that…so I throw some yoga pants on (like that is any better than pajamas..lol) and head her way.

A wonderful man named Ryan stopped to help us. He had a portable battery charger and it was just what we needed to get the car into a parking lot. He was definitely God sent!

Claudia made it to her orthodontist appointment a little late and then made it to school during second hour.

You may be asking yourself; what does this story have to do with PERSPECTIVE?

Let me share…

It would have been easy to get all bent out of shape over the car dying. After all, it’s frustrating, inconvenient and as far as cars go…usually a bit pricy to fix.

However, in that moment I said to myself…it’s just a car and Claudia wasn’t hurt or trapped or lost. You see, the last couple months of 2015 I saw a family lose their 19 year old amazing son to suicide. I saw a marriage of 34 years experience the …”til death do us part” come to pass. I saw children lose a parent, and a community rally around families who lost their 17 and 18 year old son’s in a car accident; and then tonight I learn of a 15 year old that chose to end his life a few days ago.

That my friends offers PERSPECTIVE…Things Don’t Matter, People Do!

So, in 2016 when life throws unexpected curve balls my hopes are we will know that if those curve balls are about money, cars, houses, jobs, and any other THING…we will choose to be thankful because in the end…Things Don’t Matter, People Do!

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11