I started this blog with the goal of just writing, anything. Over the years it has transformed from random pictures and thoughts to my garden and natural living journey. I look forward to seeing where it goes from here...enjoy!
My husband and I are in the process of building our first home. We've experienced a wide range of emotions since the day we decided to take the first step. You see we've been attempting to purchase home for years now, but there was always something not right about the timing. Once we came so close that we had an offer in on a house we had our hearts on only for it to fall through. God had other plans for us.
That was nearly three years ago and while we've looked at other homes, we have managed to keep a firm grasp on our apartment lease white knuckled and not ready to let go.
When the interest rates started falling and home builders began offering everything under the sun to sell, and then the first time home buyer incentive....well it was enough for us to step out and take another look. This time it was right, after prayer and three weeks of harassing our home sales representative (who has more than earned his commission) we took that first step....that leap of faith.
The evening we drove home after signing the contract it started, fear seeped in. It started with just one little thought.....what if? What if something happened to one of our jobs, how would we make our mortgage payments? In less than twenty four hours it went from "what if" to "this can't work". I'm not sure how we let that happen, fear doesn't come from god. Fear comes from trusting in things that are not of god, so place your trust in the lord and don't allow fear in your life. Seems simple and yet it happen so quickly. I'm very happy to say that as soon as we identified that we were in fear we ran straight to the lord. After prayer and renewing our minds, the fear was gone and peace had returned. Resist the devil and he shall flee (James 4:7)
What would of happened if we had allowed the fear to remain? Knowing how I have tendency to take control of EVERYTHING around me (still working on that one) I most likely would have gone back on our contract to build. I'm not even sure if you can do that, but I would have found out and lost our earnest money in the process. The worst would have been that I had stepped outside of the lord's will. I would of allowed the devil to steal the home God set aside for us and has been planning for us to have for these past three years.
Don't allow fear to control your life...God is in control.
So I haven't posted in awhile, still working on my consistency. Things have been getting busier at work, so I've been online less lately. Spring has finally come to North Texas and its beautiful outside. I plan to post again soon, hopefully with more purpose.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Do you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you sins?
Have you prayed this prayer?
“Heavenly Father, I believe that Jesus died on the cross for me and rose again. I give you my life. I want Jesus Christ to come into my life and into my heart. Amen”
Then guess what, you are a Christian. The Vine’s expository dictionary defines "Christian," as a word formed after the Roman style, signifying an adherent of Jesus, and was first applied to such by the Gentiles and is found in Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16.
This is the basics of Christianity, the very link that ties us all together. We have ALL sinned and have ALL fallen short, but by the grace of God we were redeemed by the blood of Jesus. You would think that you would find all of us celebrating together the beauty that is Christ and our victory that the lord bought for us. Instead you will find that we’ve become one of our own worst enemies and our weapon is persecution. Second Timothy 3:12 states very plainly “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution”, yes as a follower of Christ you will see more and more persecution. However, this persecution is supposed to come from the devil, not from each other.
There are many denominations, faiths, doctrines and ministries that teach Jesus Christ is our lord and savior. They encourage people to give their lives back to god, to turn away from sin and develop their relationships with the lord. They each endeavor to spread evangelism and further God’s word in the world. Yet, they find themselves caught up in the petty, small differences between each other. Maybe they don’t see eye to eye on baptism, the Holy Spirit or whether or not God wants you to prosper. Instead of uniting and supporting one another they tear each other down. When they should be sharing a much needed word from the lord, they are flinging careless insults at each other.
It is no wonder Christian’s have such a negative reputation among non-believers. How can we say that we are followers of Christ when we can’t even abide by a simple commandment to “love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matt 22:39)? We should be such an oasis of God’s love that people who don’t know Jesus Christ can’t wait to develop that relationship because they see his love reflected in our lives and want to be a part of it. Sadly many Christian just display the same strife seen in the rest of the world, the only difference is that theirs has a religious twist on it.
The word clearly states in Second Timothy 2:14 “Remind [the people] of these facts and [solemnly] charge them in the presence of the Lord to avoid petty controversy over words, which does no good but upsets and undermines the faith of the hearers” (Amplified Bible). This battle of words has got to stop and the focus on sharing the message of Jesus Christ to the world needs to return.
Blogger Friends' award! I received this sweet award from MaryLu at Cross and Cutlass
"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award." So please take a look at the following bloggers - I either look forward to seeing if they have read my posts and commented - or they are bloggers that I look forward to reading! And folks - if you have already received this award - then you are being Blessed again! Everyone should go visit these blogs to see the great stuff they post!
I recently read a great new book by one of my favorite authors, M. L. Tyndall. Tyndall’s newest release The Red Siren, is about a lady pirate in Charles Town, South Carolina during the early 18th century. Faith Westcott, attempts to save herself and her sisters from the cruelties of forced marriages by amassing great fortune as quickly as possible. Her faith in God abandoned, Faith turns to pillaging ships and quickly becomes a notorious pirate. With every ship Faith plunders she becomes closer to her goal and to getting caught.
Dajon Waite is on a hunt to capture every pirate that patrols the Carolinas, especially one in particular that cost him almost everything. Haunted by his past actions and a fear of repeating them, Dajon follows a hard set of rules that leaves no room for grace or forgiveness. What will happen when he discovers his nemesis is also the woman he is assigned to protect? Will Dajon finally accept God’s forgiveness and what will happen to the woman that has captured his heart?
The Red Siren captivated me from the first chapter and didn't let go until the story was told. I took an instant liking to Faith with her fiery personality and her willingness to fight against all odds. I found it very interesting how she could face down an enemy on sea with no fear evident, but it was fear that she allowed to dominate her life and to risk everything to become The Red Siren. I began thinking of all the things God could do with her life if she would just let him back in her heart. Her sisters added great interest and humor to the story and I found myself wondering how Tyndall will develop these two throughout the series. I truly enjoyed the twists and turns, it will keep you guessing until the end.
Some food for thought. I came across this on another blog and it got me thinking, I’m not as friendly as I think I am. How many people do I not make eye contact with or don’t speak to unless spoken to first and why?
The other night my gas light came on and not wanting to run out of gas..... I stopped for gas in a not-so-nice part of town. As I was finished pumping my gas and getting back in my car, some strange looking guy started yelling something and walking towards me. Literally, my response was to slam on the accelerator and floor it out of the gas station and onto to the highway without ever glancing back. In that particular situation, I’m will always prefer to err on the side of caution (he didn’t look like he was coming to say hello) but seriously.....did my first thought have to be “Is he going to carjack me” and “Do I hear gun fire”(I didn’t).
We’ve come to an age where every stranger is the enemy until proven otherwise so it is just better to walk quickly by while staring at the sidewalk, grocery shop with my headphones on, or (my personal favorite) use my cell phone as a body shield (like you’ve never pretended to call someone just to avoid talking to that sales rep).
The crazy part is that I’m not even a fearful person, have never been attacked and really have no reason to be unfriendly or rude to people. I’m the girl who goes running at 11 o’clock in the evening and so what if my jogging trail isn’t well lit. So if I’m not afraid, why can’t I say hello to the woman standing next to me in the elevator or smile at the guy whose buggy is blocking my aisle. Is that too hard?
So I believe I’m going to give this hello thing a shot, nothing grand but just an attempt to be friendlier.
On a side note, I found # 11’s call center research just plain weird, BUT will most likely suggest the “Smile Hunting” game to my supervisor just so I get that you can’t be serious look again. :)
What if you said Hello to everyone in your path for one month? by Joe Kita
Hello. It's one of the first words we learn as babies, yet it's one of the last ones we think to use as adults. In our never-ending rush to get something or somewhere, it seems we don't have time anymore for this most basic of gestures. And that's unfortunate, because saying hello is more than just saying hello. It is an acknowledgment of existence. It is a pause, however brief, to affirm another's worth (and have yours affirmed in return). How might the world change-how might we change—if we mastered this word? To find out, I spent one month saying hello to every person I met. That meant strangers on the street, people in cyberspace, and even myself in the mirror every morning. Here's what I learned:
1. It's not as easy as you think. Age gives us a crust, like the film on refrigerated pudding. Even though we may still be soft deep down, that's not what others see. I, for one, look a lot less friendly as a bald 49-year-old than I did as a curly-haired teen. Mistrust becomes our unfortunate catchword, and it's tougher to raise a hand in greeting because that invites people in. "The older we get, the more task-oriented we become," explains R. Allan Allday, PhD, an assistant professor of special education at OklahomaStateUniversity. "Our tendency is to speak to people only when we need something, and that's a difficult habit to break."
2. Friendliness is so rare nowadays, it's disarming. Because people aren't accustomed to being greeted, I found it a sneaky way to grab their attention and get what I wanted. For instance, when I began an e-mail with "Hi," I was more likely to get a reply. And when I said hello to cashiers and clerks, I got better service. It's as if I woke them up to my presence.
3. It can boost productivity. In one of the few studies ever done on this subject, Allday had middle school teachers greet their students individually each morning. This brief interaction ultimately raised the kids' productivity by 27 percent. School went from impersonal to personal, he explains, and that resulted in more class participation and better grades. (Managers, take note: Perhaps your time would be better spent at the office door saying "Good morning.")
4. People you wouldn't normally acknowledge turn out to be the friendliest. The gnarly, the dirty, the semi-strange … in other words, the people I'd normally avoid or not even notice were the ones who reacted the most warmly. No doubt it's because they're so accustomed to being ignored that any acknowledgment is akin to being feted at the Rotary.
5. Respect begets respect. I normally run or bicycle the same route at the same time each day. When I started waving to the drivers who passed, an unusual thing happened: After a few days, they not only started waving back, but they also gave me a wider berth. So my workouts became more pleasant and safer. "You became a person to them," says Allday.
6. Setting influences sociability. One study found that people in New York City were less likely (38 percent) to shake hands with a stranger than those in small towns (68 percent). And, researchers say, pleasant environments generally evoke more reciprocal smiles and hellos than unpleasant ones. My experience was similar. Whether due to distraction or suspicion, my urban hellos were answered far less often than my rural ones. Likewise, people in vacation spots, like the JerseyShore, were far friendlier than those hustling to work downtown.
7. Tinted windows should be banned. In general, highways are the worst place for hellos. When I waved from behind the wheel, other drivers would give me a dumb stare. Cell phones certainly contribute to this (you can't wave when both hands are occupied), but a bigger factor is our inability to see each other. Either the vehicles are too big or the windows are too dark. As a result, we share the road with faceless machines that are much easier to ignore or be aggressive toward. There is one noteworthy exception, however, and that is motorcyclists. Every one I waved to seemed genuinely thrilled to be noticed. The threat of death makes bosom buddies of us all.
8. You need to be careful around kids. It's an unfortunate, but necessary, sign of our times that youngsters are instinctively wary of strangers. Next to motorists, 5- to 15-year-olds ignored me the most. Although that wasn't surprising, it did sadden and even scare me. To them I was a predator.
9. Reaching out focuses you. The simple act of saying hello continually pulled me back from wherever my mind had wandered and forced me to be more aware. It's social Zen.
10. It can save your marriage. I never realized how infrequently I greeted my wife of 24 years, or the rest of my family, until I started doing so deliberately. Common courtesy isn't so common.
11. It's a form of universal health insurance. It's impossible to say hello without smiling. One leads to the other just as a tap causes a knee jerk. And smiling has been clinically shown to lower blood pressure, boost immunity, and even release natural painkillers (endorphins), each of which lowers stress, boosts happiness, and improves health. Apparently, a smile creates a similar effect in the recipient. Canadian researchers found that call-center employees who played a five-minute "smile hunting" game before work, in which they repeatedly picked the smiling face from a photo assortment, had 17 percent less of the stress hormone cortisol after their shift.
So maybe we can make the world a better place by just saying hello. After a month of doing it, I feel lighter and more connected and I have a better sense of well-being. Once I broke through my initial crustiness and got into the habit, it even became a game: Can I make this grump open up?
If you're inspired to try this at home, there's no need to greet everyone you meet. That can be intimidating and even exhausting. Instead, pick an arbitrary number—say, three—and make it your goal to say hello to that many strangers daily. That will result in 1,095 more hellos over the next year. Build from there. And don't forget to acknowledge the most important stranger of all: Saying hello to yourself each morning in the mirror recognizes the one person who needs it most.
I know I've always loved hearing stories about buried treasure and always felt disappointed afterward when it dawned on me that in this day and age people have savings accounts, no need for burying your treasure. Instead of leaving a detailed map to your life savings and sticking with the "finders keepers" motto, people have wills leaving everything to specific individuals who may or may not be able to navigate unfamiliar terrain, avoid booby traps, jump ravines and solve riddles. What about us new guys? Where is our adventure? The same type of adventure that our ancestors got to experience? Is their no treasure hunt for the next generation?
This is why I was shocked to discover Geocaching and realize I've never heard of it until a few months ago
My Husband and I heard all the commotion about Geocaching from some friends out of Greensboro, NC. We didn't put much thought about it or really even understood it until we visited North Carolina this week....and WOW, I'm addicted.
Basically, Geocaching is using a hand held GPS device, tracking coordinates taken from a Geocaching website and then setting out on foot to find treasure (ARRR!). "Caches" (the modern day treasure) can be placed anywhere (i.e. a park, along a sidewalk, in a tree or some other landmark), they differ in size and difficulty level and its your job to find them. What I love is how BIG this is, world wide! If you visit www.geocaching.com, punch in a location it will show all surounding caches and I'm sure you will find some near you.
What's funny is I currently don't own a GPS device, so lately I've been tagging along with friends who do have one, but soon I'll be on my own. I've noticed on geocaching.com that some descriptions take you straight there and that you most likely don't even need a GPS device to find it (I plan to hit those first).
As for the treasure, I've only found small items like figurines, buttons, and other odd items. The real exictment is in the hunt and following the hints and clues
