Tag: life

Inventory Time

#God, #inspiratioin, #blessingsOh, the joy of annual inventory! In a gift store with many small items, the job can seem overwhelming. By the end of the second day, I was getting frustrated with myself when I forgot my tally and had to recount several items.

What I found interesting was the number of items I had forgotten we had. Some that had been tucked away need to be put out on display again, while others are best discarded.

After I had counted physical items, I decided to take inventory of my life. Holding onto past hurts, disappointments and regrets is a waste of valuable time and space. I need to let them go. Instead, I should be focusing on the many blessings in my life. They deserve to be put on display.

God has blessed me with a loving husband, and close relationships with our children and grandchildren. We are healthy, happy and productive. I have time to work, time to rest and time to play. I’ve been given inspiration to see the world in a positive light and to share that with others. I have a roof over my head, water that flows when I turn on a tap and food in my pantry.

I could go on and on as I count my blessings. They are far too numerous to list here and I know I will not grow tired of counting them.

All that I am and all that I have are gifts from God. By far the greatest gift is the joy I have in knowing I’m a much-loved child of my Heavenly Father.

Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. (Psalm 21:6 NIV)

The Music of Life

#Jesus, #inspiration, life, musicMusic has much to teach us about life. I didn’t realize how much until I heard a wise woman say that the rests in a piece of music don’t contain music themselves but are an important part of the complete piece. She went on to say the melody doesn’t end when you come to the pause; instead, you take the rest, carry on as if it hadn’t happened and hit the next note with confidence.

My life contains many similarities to music. I have times when all is smooth and steady, reminiscent of the whole notes. Then, there are the times when the tempo quickens like that of quarter and eighth notes.

The most interesting music has a combination of notes as well as sharps and flats. How I put these together in my life can create harmony or discord.
The part of the musical score I hadn’t thought about was the pauses.

Sometimes I have planned these into my life as a time of refreshment and renewal. Other times they are forced on me through illness, injury, or loss.

I had always thought of the unexpected rests in my life as interruptions. Now, I see they are not wasted time but actually help to make me who I am. It all depends on what I do with them.

Jesus was a perfect example of enjoying times of rest in the middle of the stress and demands of his busy life. He offers the same opportunity to me. I need to accept the full notes and the pauses.

When I spend quiet time with him I will be able to learn the melody he has set out for my life and hit the next note with confidence.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 NLT)

Oops, That Shouldn’t be Showing

#inspiration, weeds, rootsI did a double-take. What I was seeing didn’t seem right, but there it was. A weed was poking up in the middle of some artificial grass!

The turf had an open weave backing to allowing moisture to drain through. The weed took advantage of an area it could work its way through and was now in plain view. I wonder how long it persevered, working its way towards the light of day.

I saw this weed as an analogy of the bad habits in my life. They may be hidden from view for quite some time, but eventually, will work their way to the surface. Without warning, they will break through and become visible for all to see.

My intention is to keep you from seeing these. That’s why I covered the unflattering things with an artificial layer in the first place. Although I pretend what is hidden doesn’t exist, I know that sooner or later the truth will come to light and I’ll have to deal with it.

When it does, will I quickly cover it up to keep growing or will I remove the problem at its root? The first option is a temporary solution. It may seem easier to start with but I’ll always be wondering where and when those nasty weeds will pop up again.

The second option takes more work initially. I need to be willing to peel back the perfect looking surface and do some hard digging. Only then can I get to the root of the problem. If it’s more than I can deal with on my own, I may even need to enlist some help.

My peace of mind won’t return until the weed is eliminated. It’s time for me to get my hands dirty and start digging. How do you deal with the weeds in your life?

“I don’t want to be overdramatic about it, but I’m starting to see a lot of my bad habits get the best of me.” Ben Gibbard

You Can’t Be Serious!

#inspiration, seriious, humour,lifeI was standing in chest deep water holding a pool noodle. We were instructed to hold the noodle with one hand on either side and skip forward and back over it. As you can imagine, this was a bit of a challenge!

Just as I was feeling quite proud of myself for accomplishing this, everything changed. One heel caught on the noodle and the tug caused me to release my grip. The noodle shot up into the air, causing much laughter from those around me.

There was a time when the embarrassment from an incident like this would have had me wanting to disappear. In this case, I made fun of myself and joined in the laughter. Then I was able to carry on and enjoy the rest of the class.

What caused the change in my reaction? I have learned to believe five simple words that have the power to change my outlook. They are, “Don’t take yourself so seriously.”

When I practice this behaviour I am happier. Actually, so are those around me. Life is a lot more fun when I can laugh at myself. I figure as long as I can laugh at my mistakes I’ll never run out of things to laugh about!

What about you? Do you take life too seriously or can find humour in situations?

“Celebrate your success and find humour in your failures. Don’t take yourself so seriously. Loosen up and everyone around you will loosen up. Have fun and always show enthusiasm. When all else fails, put on a costume and sing a silly song.” Sam Walton

My Dish Soap Life

#God, #inspiration, effective, lifeHave you ever noticed the difference between brands of dish soap? I’ve discovered that the name brands are more effective than the generic ones I’ve tried.

As there are only two of us in our home we generally wash our dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher. The generic brands are less expensive so we decided to try one. I wasn’t impressed with the results so tried another.

In both cases, I had to use more than double the amount of our previous brand in order to produce suds and to get the dishes clean. My conclusion is that a diluted product is false economy.

The same can be said for my life. I have the choice to concentrate my efforts or to dilute them by adding unnecessary ingredients. It’s not hard to figure out which option is the most effective in achieving my goals and dreams. The more I add to my day, the less chance I have of accomplishing what is most important.

The trouble can come in deciding which elements strengthen my life and which ones will only water it down. That is when I turn to God. He is always available to direct me. When I follow his advice my life will be strong and effective, rather than mixed with worthless things that dilute it.

Once like sterling silver; now mixed with worthless alloy! Once so pure, but now diluted like watered-down wine! (Isaiah 1:22 TLB)

Many plans are in the human heart, but the advice of the Lord will endure. (Proverbs 19:21 GWT)

Open Hands

#God, #inspiration, prayer, submissionYears ago I heard of an interesting way to catch a monkey. When a banana is placed in a glass jar, the monkey will reach in and grab the banana. With a clenched fist it will not be able to remove its hand from the jar. Even in the face of danger, it will hold onto something it perceives of value, rather than open its hand and lose the prize.

This makes it easy for the trapper to grab the monkey when all it needed to do to ensure its freedom was to drop the banana.

The story came to mind recently when I felt God impressing on me to keep my hands open. Everything was going well in my life and yet I felt discontent. Something wasn’t quite right and I didn’t know what it was or what to do about it.

Like the monkey, I was holding on to the prize in my hand and found it hard to let go. After a struggle, I was able to say through my tears, “I don’t want to give this up, Lord, but I will if that’s what you want from me.”

By opening my hands and letting go of what I perceived as important I was submitting to God’s will for my life. It was strange to think I had to let go of my own desires to find freedom, but that was exactly the case.

The restrictions I placed on my life have been lifted and I am in awe of what God has now placed in my outstretched hands. His plans for me are far greater than anything I could dream of and I am overjoyed to have him back in control.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

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

My Snooze Bar Life

#God, #inspiration, plansI’ve never been one to use the snooze bar on my alarm. I’d rather set my wake up time for slightly later than hit the snooze bar, doze off and then be disturbed all over again.

Although this may not be part of my morning ritual, snooze bar thinking appears in other areas of my life.

Many times there is a task needing to be completed but I don’t feel I have the time, energy or focus to tackle it. By putting it off, I’m actually hitting the snooze bar. Whatever I’m putting off will keep disturbing my thoughts until I finally get up and do it.

On the other hand, if I set my mind on the job at hand, rather than putting off the inevitable, my life runs much smoother.

The stress of missing deadlines, self imposed or otherwise, disappears. I find myself more productive. This contributes to my sense of well-being.
Formerly, I called this bad habit procrastination. The visual of hitting a snooze button is a much more powerful motivator. I want to move forward and not constantly put my life on hold.

The rest of the world does not take a break just because I do. Who knows what I may be missing during the time I hit the snooze bar of my life? God has many plans for my life and I don’t want to sleep through any of them!

Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper and be satisfied. (Proverbs 13:4 NLT)

An empty stable stays clean, but no money comes from an empty stable. (Proverbs 14:4 NLT)

The desires of lazy people will be their ruin, for their hands refuse to work. (Proverbs 21:25)

Is Your Life Good?

#inspiration, gratitudeOur young granddaughters were coming for a sleepover so we bought a breakfast cereal with them in mind. We are not fans of high sugar cereals but still wanted a treat so settled on Life cereal with cinnamon.

At breakfast, the girls looked skeptically at the box and two decided to try it. The other one watched and then asked, “Is your Life good?” Their approval for the Life they’d received helped her decide to try it, too.

The question made me wonder how I’d respond if asked how my life was. Some days I’m filled with energy and passion for life. Other days are more challenging.  No matter what a day may bring, I need to be content with the life I’ve been given.

Each new experience brings me closer to who I was meant to be. I saw a quote that resonated with me.  It said, “What will you do with this one precious life you’ve been given?”

My answer is to live life to the fullest and with gratitude. How about you?

“Above all we must realize that each of us makes a difference with our life. Each of us impacts the world around us every single day. We have a choice to use the gift of our life to make the world a better place – or not to bother.”
Jane Goodall

Autumn Leaves

#inspiration, natureEvery season has its own unique beauty.  As we enter autumn (also known as fall), the leaves on the trees change colour.  The area I live in doesn’t have the vibrant reds that some parts of the country display but the golden leaves against the bright blue sky have their own breathtaking appeal.

On a recent walk I noticed some trees with green leaves, some with gold and many that had dropped much of their foliage.  There were also those with multiple colours, as though they couldn’t quite make up their minds. The crunch of leaves under my feet was strangely satisfying as I pondered the various stages in this cycle.

In front#God, #inspiration, life, nature of me were trees planted close to each other, the same type and approximately the same size.  They had received the same care.  Why the difference in their reaction to this period of change?

I have no answer for this, other than there is a time and season for everything.  For some the time had come to change, while others were not quite at the same phase in their life.

It’s the same for people.  We all have our own seasons of activity.  You may be in a time of growth and productivity while I’m in a period of rest and renewal.  Every cycle has its value. The autumn leaves reminded me that God’s timing is perfect for each of us.  I am thankful that my life unfolds according to his schedule.

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. ( Ecclesiastes 3:1-3 NLT)

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