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Speaking Without Words

words, non-verbal“Am I being mean?” I asked. The response I received was, “No, it’s just another form of communication.”

You see, the woman in front of me in the aquafit class kept backing up. There was no room for me to move without crowding someone else. I was sure it wasn’t intentional and knew I’d been guilty of the same thing on occasion.

Two of us had gently pointed out her roaming and it seemed rude to keep asking her to move. Instead, I chose a non-verbal method of communication. I splashed more as she got too close! This proved to be effective at moving her forward again.

It is said that only 7% of our communication is verbal. I started looking for other examples of this.

On the far side of the pool, two young children danced with abandon to the music playing in the facility. It was easy to tell they were happy and carefree.

Have you ever taken one look at a friend and known there was something wrong? I’d just experienced that. I looked at someone, saw great sadness and gave him a hug. Non-verbally he had let me know he was hurting and I let him know I cared.

We speak with our eyes, our facial expressions and our body movements. My tone of voice can also convey a meaning quite opposite to my words.

If I can read this in others, they must be able to do the same when looking at me. Knowing this, I wonder; is my non-verbal communication keeping people from getting too close or drawing them near?

New Beginnings

#God, #the LORD, #inspiration, March 20th is officially the first day of spring. After a long, cold winter, spring is looked forward to as a time of new beginnings.

The hours of daylight lengthen and the temperature starts to rise. Soon green shoots will push their way through the ground with the promise of flowers to follow. Bare branches will bud and the trees will once again be dressed in their coats of green.

Vegetation which has been dormant for months begins its renewal. This is a time of hope and promise.

Patience is required as I wait for the signs of new growth to come. A date on the calendar doesn’t actually herald a change in the weather.

According to the dictionary, renewal has more than one meaning. It can be the resuming of an activity or state after an interruption. This is the renewal we see in our surroundings in spring.

The other meaning is the repair of something that is worn-out, run-down or broken. This is the renewal I have experienced in my own life.

When I was weary and broken I brought my life before the Lord. He gave me a fresh, new start. There was no need to wait for a specific date on the calendar. God has taken a dormant life and renewed it. His mercies are new every morning and my relationship with him is filled with new beginnings.

“The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7 NLT)

Give It All You’ve Got

#inspiration, do your best, give it allAfter six weeks of missing my exercise class, I was concerned about keeping up.

When the class started the instructor reminded us to work at our own pace and not worry about what someone else was doing. I needed this reminder.

I might not be able to keep my normal pace today, but I could still work to the best of my ability. No excuses; just do the best I can today.

On days I’m in top form, I can achieve peak performance. Other days, issues with my body or mind drag me down and I can’t accomplish as much.

It’s not always possible to be at a ten. Some days I will be at a three. Will I complain and make excuses or strive to be the best three that I can possibly be?

Even though my focus and energy level are not optimum, I can make the effort to do the most with what I have to work with.

This holds true in all areas of my life. If I live by this principle there will be no need for regret.

“Always Do Your Best. Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.” Don Miguel Ruiz

Coming Undone

#inspiration, #Jesus, protection, coveringAccording to Wikipedia, “Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof.

Along the beach in the Yucatan state of Mexico, we see many of these roofs. Some are on houses and others on palapas, which are open sided shelters used on the beach.

To build a thatched roof, dried palm leaves are placed in an overlapping sequence over beams supported by upright posts. It’s the combination of many intertwined leaves that makes the structure stronger.

To protect the roof from the battering winds coming over the sea, many along the beach have a net secured over the finished roof.

After a day and night of punishing winds, I noticed that several thatched roofs had been damaged. On one, I could see the netting had been torn loose and was hanging off one side. Some large holes now appeared in the roof.

This spoke to me of my life. I am stronger when I join forces with others. Each of us has unique strengths which combine to make us stronger.

Even so, we are only human. Forces will work to separate us and create holes in our structure. Jesus is the covering protection we need to remain intact. When outside influences try to rip this protection from me I need to hold on even tighter to Jesus. He is the one who can hold us together so we don’t come undone.

In their distress they cried out to the Lord. He rescued them from their troubles. (Psalm 107:6 GWT)

The Picture I Show You

idyllic, #inspirationPicture this: I’m sitting on my deck in Mexico, overlooking the sea. My view is of water that changes from green to blue and stretches as far as the horizon, where it meets with a cloudless azure sky.

Three pelicans float on the water. Suddenly they dive under. As their heads emerge I can see the silver glitter of fish in their large beaks. I’m close enough to see them swallow their catch.

A bit farther out, gulls flock around a small boat, hoping to enjoy some of the fisherman’s catch. The only sounds are the lapping of the tide along the shore and an occasional bird call.

This sounds idyllic and it is, but from this vantage point, you haven’t received the full picture.

A few days before strong winds blew in masses of seaweed. It came in with the tide and temporarily has been deposited on our beach. In order to get to the water, I have to walk through piles of seaweed. Some is dry but closer to the water’s edge it is soft and spongy underfoot.#inspiration, vulnerability, picture of life

This picture is an analogy of life. I have the option as to the picture I show you. Will it only be the pretty picture; the idyllic one that leaves you wishing you could experience the same as I am?

How well do you relate to someone who always seems to be under clear, sunny skies? I find it much easier to connect with people I have something in common with. Shared struggles promote closer relationships.

At some point in our lives, all of us have had to walk through weeds to reach our desired destination. The question is, do we turn back or make our way through the unpleasant areas?

I have found it much easier to navigate the rough spots when I’m not alone. The support of others helps me find the strength I need to keep going. When I stumble, it’s nice to know someone will be there to help me get back on my feet. In turn, I can do the same for my companions. This won’t happen if you think my life is perfect.

So, the question is, what picture am I showing to those I want to connect with?

“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”
― Brené Brown

Watch Your Step!

#inspiration, #JesusI had just returned from a walk along a tropical beach. This is not a groomed for tourists beach, but one in its natural state.

For this reason I needed to watch my step. Small fishing boats are held by ropes secured on the shore. The rope may be flat on the sand and not easy to see. The breeze tosses the boat, the rope becomes taught, and if I’m in the process of stepping over it, I may be tripped.

There are also remains of sand bags protruding from the sand. Some are easy to see and others are mostly buried. I have stumbled on the torn edges barely visible above the sand but have also been caught by the ones clearly visible.#inspiration, #Jesus, guide my steps

It’s one thing to be tripped by an obstacle I can’t see and quite another to see the potential problem and still get caught.

I was thinking about being aware of my surroundings and watching my step when I realized this same attitude would serve me well in life. It’s when I become overconfident in my own abilities I tend to trip.

On our walks, my husband often tells me, “Watch your step.” His guidance has helped to keep me from harm.

In my life I rely on Jesus to guide me. He watches my steps. When my attention is elsewhere he catches me when I stumble and sets my feet firmly beneath me once again.

though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. (Psalm 37:24 NIV)

Surprise Attack

#inspiration, fear, barbsInitially they thought the sudden pain was caused by an encounter with a stingray. A few had recently been seen in our area. When his foot became swollen and the pain was more than he could bear, the couple headed for the hospital.

A doctor cleaned the wound and removed a piece of spiny barb. He then informed this man that the injury was caused by a sea bass.

Information was given on how this happens. The sea bass has a boney spike under its dorsal fin. When it is threatened or inadvertently stepped on, this spike shoots out as the fish turns. The barbs stick into your flesh, causing pain that lasts for hours. If the wound is not properly cleaned, infection can set it.

These fish are bottom feeders and easily stepped on when wading into the sea. The attack in question happened about ten feet from the shoreline. The fish was reacting to danger by fighting back in self defense.

In a way, I’m like this fish. I don’t like to be stepped on either. Even the thought of danger has me heading into self defense mode. The barbs I send out may not pierce the flesh, but they still cause injury. Mine come as sharp words which leave wounds not visible but still extremely painful.

Sometimes the person who suffers the attack is caught by surprise, not even realizing they have stepped on me. Hearing the story of the sea bass attack has been a good reminder for me. Unnecessary injury is caused when I strike out because of fear.

“Most attacks come from fear.” Neil Strauss

Looking for the Dash

#God, #inspiration, unique, lifeThe situation reminded me of a story I’ve heard several times over the years.

In my case, the dash was to separate two numbers on the outside of a condo. The exterior had recently been painted and now the identifying numbers outside of our door were missing.

We chose some brightly coloured ceramic tiles with the numbers but finding a dash was another matter.

One could have been painted on the wall but that’s not what we wanted. The dash had to have more character than a painted line.

Since our condo is on the waterfront, we decided a shell could be used. The hunt was on for the perfect shell. This needed to be unique enough to also reflect who we are.

The story I was reminded of was about a tombstone. It indicated the date of birth and the date of death. Between these dates was a dash. This represented the years of life. The point of the story was to make the most of the dash. Searching for a dash now, reminded me of the importance of living a meaningful life.

When I was a girl in school, the races we ran on sports day were called dashes. I was good at the shorter ones, like the 50 yard dash, but didn’t have the endurance for the longer runs.

I now realize that the dash representing my life is one of endurance. God has given me a unique life and trusts me to run it to the best of my ability. With his guidance I will use it to reflect his light and love to those I come in contact with.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. (Hebrews 12:1 NLT)

Don’t Settle For Scraps

#inspiration, dreams, acheivementThe small fishing boat anchored near shore seemed to be an attraction for several pelicans. They hovered nearby, a few in the air and others approaching on the water.

When we got closer, it was easy to see what was luring them to the boat. The fisherman was cleaning his catch. As he sliced into the fish, the unwanted pieces were tossed overboard. Instead of going to the work of catching their own fish, these birds were happy to feast on the unwanted scraps.

I wondered how often in life I’ve been happy to settle for scraps when, with a little effort, I could have had so much more.

Do I work hard towards my goals and dreams or give up thinking they require more talent or ambition than I possess? Is it much easier to associate with those who have achieved what I desire, hoping some of their talent will spill over on me? Maybe they will have an abundance of what I’m looking for and I can hover nearby for the scraps.

This is not a pretty picture, but one I’m sure I’ve been guilty of at one time or another. Watching these birds settling for scraps was a visible reminder of who I don’t want to be.

What I’m reaching for won’t happen overnight, but given time and dedication, is achievable. If I truly believe in myself there will be no need to settle for scraps.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Eleanor Roosevelt

“All great achievements require time.” Maya Angelou

“Never underestimate your own strength. You were born for a purpose and are blessed with the power to achieve it.” Leon Brown

Re-Tired

#inspiration, #God, serviceWhat do you do with tires that have become too worn to be used safely on your vehicles?

One common use is to make swings for children. Recently I saw old tires used in what I thought was a very unusual, but fitting way.

Where formerly, they carried vehicles on the road, these ones were set into the pavement to serve as speed bumps.

This served as an appropriate analogy for me. As I travel the road of life, there are times when I may not be able to do things I once was capable of. This doesn’t mean my value is gone. When I look for new ways to be of service, God will place me where I can do the most good.

He is more than able to make me what he wants me to be. As I move from one stage of life to the next, my purpose may become greater than anything I imagined. In his service my value doesn’t decrease. The Lord has been impressing upon me to keep my hands open. He needs to take away what I’ve been holding tightly before he can put something else there. It is only when I let go of one thing that I will be free to embrace the next.

There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. (1 Corinthians 12:5 NLT)

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