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Let’s Get Physical

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I am a big fan of Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey.  One of the main principles is to put first things first. For more than 20 years I have been putting into practice some form of the idea of figuring out what is most important to me. When I set goals, I think about how I want to be remembered and what purpose God has given me in this life.

One of those purposes is to live a healthy life.

As a form of habit, I set goals for my physical body, after all it is my physical tool. If it doesn’t work, I won’t do the other tasks He has assigned. Getting older is not easy. I mean, I can’t read without my readers (glasses) but I don’t always put them on. Like my Aunt Maude use to say, getting old is not for the weak. (She didn’t use that term, but that is what she meant).

For the past decade, I have fought the weight gain problem and lost. When I got older, I did not lose weight as easy as I did when I was young. I am not a crazy dieter. I wouldn’t do the boiled egg diet, soup diet or the don’t eat anything diet. I have this problem with fried chicken and pie and soda. I like all of these things very much. (My fear is there won’t  be fried chicken in heaven – but I am going anyway.)

Although I was drastically opposed to working out in the beginning, my view changed. I have several people in my life who encourage others to work out and live healthy. It is the best way to live. Regular exercise can save your life and make healing quicker.  For example, I used to work out with this crazy instructor who loved making us do burpees and jump rope day. I hated jump rope day. One day, that fool sat in a F-150 (truck) and convinced us to push it around the block as our workout. (and I call him the fool. LOL)

Yet a year and a half later when I had surgery, I healed much quicker because of the strong core I developed working out with him. He has taught good principles and healthy eating habits. (Although I am never giving up fried chicken.) He has helped me make good lifestyle changes.

With my wee little human brain, I thought, God had me get healthy because He knew I would need it to heal faster.(Whenever you think you have God figured out, sit down and shut up) In 2015, I got to see what I could really do. I had some of the most grueling positions I have ever had. They required physical movement for 10 hours or more. There are moments I wanted to die because every inch of me hurt. I had no idea that something I liked to do could cause so much pain. I felt like an old lady.

As a result, I lost over 20 pounds and was able to reduce my high blood pressure medications. It was all God. As I was focused on other things, He took care of something I thought was a problem. All of the strength I had been building up over the years, the Lord used in an unexpected way and it blessed me.

Set some goals. Work towards them. Watch God bless you.

God brings amazing people into your life to bless you. Receive it.

A New Year and New You

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Every day I continue to grow and know more than I did before. Just this week, Bobby Flay taught me how to improve my grilled hamburgers and the Pioneer Woman gave me an alternate recipe for enchiladas. This week, I also got to smell frankincense after reading about Jesus being born in a stable with livestock, thanks Bill Hybels for Seeing the Christmas Scenery.

Life is a great journey where you take in information that will help you make good decisions about your life. This year I am going to do some different things with the blog section of this page.

I will write on certain themes and present them as a series. Not every blog will be tied to a series, but some will. The first series is going to focus on how to be a better you. I am going to share some principles that I have been using for over 20 years. I didn’t create it, I just took it and made it my own. I will invite you to do the same thing. Stealing from the inventor of the system, we are going to put first things first.

This year, I will invite guest bloggers to share valuable information with you. I have learned that we work so much better in community and can learn wonderful things from each other. I know lots of talented people who enjoy what they do. You will enjoy them.

I will also continue with the music. I will use some popular music, but I am an old school girl. So there will be O’Jays and Earth Wind and Fire. Yet, there will also be Third Day and Kari Jobe.

God is working out good things in my life. It is going to be a fantastic year

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15 Things I Learned in 2015

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I learned a lot spiritually in 2015 and I am sharing it with you. You can look back through my blog if you want the full version, but the cliff notes are below. I got to know God in a way, I have not known Him before.  I look forward to what 2016 holds.

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Mourning is a process. You have good days and bad days. Own it, but don’t wallow in it. Ecclesiastes 7:2

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Sometime we wait because the Lord has to take the teeth out of the serpent that is waiting to bite you Psalm 61:4

13

all of the struggles we are currently going through is God cultivating our hearts. He is taking hard dry ground and enabling it to grow something Ezekiel 11:19

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Sometimes our blessings are in the storm Ezekiel 34:26

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Remember who I am praying to. Revelation 4 tells me that I am not praying to a really good human being. He sits on the throne with flashes of lightning and peals of thunder. Four very scary creatures watch over him.  He is mighty, all powerful and sovereign.

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We work better together. God put us in community to work together. I am so blessed to be among a group of women who love and serve Jesus.  Hebrews 10:24-25

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He continually reveals himself to me. He tells me He loves me every day whether I hear it or not.  Deuteronomy 29:29, 1 John 3:1, 1 John 4:10

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He trusts us with moments, don’t take any for granted. Some people you are never going to see again. Act like it. Isaiah 43:10

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When things I want are not in line with what God wants, Be Still. Trust Him. Psalm 46:10, Proverbs 3:5-6

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Prayer is an effective tool to communicate with Him. James 5:16

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Until you are dead, it is not too late to start anything. Remember the Sunday School class for women in their 80s.

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I think God listens to our crappy prayers and decides to teach us a lesson by teaching us we don’t know what we are talking about.

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Even though some  things do not fit right now, I know that it will all come together because the one who made the plan completes everything.  1 Peter 2:7

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I need friends who will remind me of God’s faithfulness. Deuteronomy 7:9

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Fearing the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. There are lots of scary things on the planet earth, but there is none that I fear above the Lord.  The study of Revelation has given me a grand picture of who it is I worship.  It is not an accident that there are lots of thunderstorms and earthquakes in the area during the year we are studying Revelation. He is giving us an overview before the real thing happens.  Deuteronomy 10: 12-13.

CeCe Winans says it best. Worship Him.

It is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

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I am sad to see Christmas go. Love Christmas. I love the songs and movies. I love everyone being nice to each other. I love the stories of hope. This evening I am spending it with Call of the Midwife‘s Christmas Special.

I hope your Christmas was amazing like mine. I love my family, even the crazy ones. It was great to spend time with them throughout the holiday season. Of course, we were rowdy and loud.

These gloves are some of the fun things that came with Christmas. My favorite was an electric tea pot. All are handy and warm gifts.

Yet aside from the gifts, the best gifts have been what the Lord has taught me all year. Next week I will share 10 things the Lord taught me in 2015. In spite of all of our circumstances, He is still good and faithful. Here is one:

Sometimes we wait because the Lord has to take the teeth out of the serpent that is waiting to bite us.

So those of you in a hurry. Wait.

Until then, lets have some Christmas music. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

 

We really have come a long way, Baby.

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Spoiler Alert:

SW-THE-FORCE-AWAKENS

Movies and books are some of the things I love. When I was a kid, I used to catch the bus and go to Seminary South to the General Cinema theater to watch movies. It was the coolest thing to me and these movies had an impact on how I saw the world. Most of the movies I saw had men leads, and most of which were Anglo.

When the first Star Wars movie debuted in 1977, I was too young to ride the bus by myself.  But I fell in love with the Empire Strikes Back in 1980 and was excited that Billy Dee Williams was one of the cast.  As an actor is was good to see someone who looked like me in a popular film that was good to boot. It gave hope that African American actors would not be typecast as the bad guys, the stupid guys or “you don’t have a purpose” guys.

I don’t have adequate words to explain my feelings as I watched the recent installment of the Star Wars franchise. I was like, “Wow!”

As I sat in the movie theater 38 years after the first movie, I can see a difference in who we are as story tellers. As a country we have grown some and it is nice to see it reflected in a major franchise movie. It is nice to see actors who look like me get roles that might have been cast other ways.

I love that one of the main characters was African American and another was female.  The story-line had nothing to do with their race or gender, it allowed two actors to do what they do best. ACT. Yet their presence spoke volumes. It takes Star Wars to whole new level with me. It was a great movie experience. We have truly come a long way.

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I’m Off My Game

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Sometimes I kid my work partner that he is off his game when things don’t go the way we plan. It doesn’t happen often, but pointing it out helps us understand something we don’t like is happening. Usually we joke about it. He tells me if he is off his game, then I must be off mine.

Currently I am off my Christmas game. Presents still need to be bought, cards need to be mailed, and lots more.  I am so behind.

Christmas is my favorite season and it is about to be over before I even prepare for it. The thing that keeps me calm is music. One of my favorites this season is the Christmas Song by Dave Matthews.

I love the words to this song and the beat. As I was listening this week, I thought about Jesus. I mean He knew when he breathed life into Adam that eventually the focus would turn to Him. (And rightly so because He came to save us.) He knew that people would write songs about his life.

I wonder if terms like “less than golden,”  “daddy-o” and “jokers” gave Him a giggle. They make me giggle because of the songwriter’s method of telling the story. He uses a vernacular that I am familiar with.

I am not saying the song is biblical, but I do like the theme. I love the idea of showering Him with love while He lay in the hay. I disagree that the blood spilled is of the children all around. I know the blood spilled is of the perfect sacrifice for our sins.  Yet that doesn’t limit the song for me.  Because as God tries to explain to us what He does for us, we don’t always get it right.

But Jesus loves us. So much that He was willing to come be with us. We will never know the full extent of His love.

Even though I may be off my game,  I love being reminded of the trip Jesus made to earth to shower me with love.

 

Only You…

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So I have this song stuck in my head, but I only know 2 words.  It makes me giggle.

So I walked into my mechanic’s office and explained the problems with the car. He answered by breaking out in song. I could not help but laugh as he continued to sing through my distress. After he sang a little, he looked at me and laughed.

The best part was he reminded me of where my source and help comes from. As I stood ready to talk business. He reminded me that God was my protector and has control of our lives. He reminded me that nothing happens in our lives without God.

Now he did roll his eyes at me for wanting him to do the repairs the same day. ( I got there two hours before he closed.) He also continued to sing.

A couple of days later, as he was going over the repairs with me, we talked about family. He said family gatherings are about love and respect for each other. He gave me a hug, a kiss and wished me Merry Christmas.

I paid for car repairs, but got a whole lot more.

As you are meeting with your family and friends this holiday season, and getting caught up in the festivities, remember to love and respect one another. When things start going to the contrary, just sing.

 

I don’t want to bore you with my love

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I have been so busy I forgot to blog last week. It is not the only thing suffering at the expense of my busyness. Yet, I have also been able to catch some insight.
I listened to this song last week and got caught up in it. The words enchanted me. I remember singing out loud with it. I love the story of being so caught up with someone you think your love will bore them. I think we have lost the idea that another person can be special. Although I can’t imagine a man who would be bored with my love. (Lol)
We have access to some amazing artists who tell incredible stories that capture US. And the truth is when they are gone, we will never have anything like them again. People will imitate them, but it will never be as real. These artist touch something in us that can’t be explained with words.

Songs in the Key of Life is an incredible work. It speaks to me on so many levels that I gain new insights every time I hear a song from it.
This holiday season give yourself the gift of a nice beverage and a listen to the Songs in the Key of Life.  Here is one of my favorites.

Rained On But Not Overwhelmed

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After I finished an 11 hour shift, I stopped and pumped gas in the rain because I was headed home and didn’t plan on venturing out anymore that evening. My T-shirt and jacket were wet from the rain, but I was headed home and traffic was light. It wasn’t going to take long.

Driving along one of many highway construction zone, I got a flat and had to pull over and park on the side of the road. I was a long way from home. It was dark, rainy and cold. Did I mention I was wet?

I called for a service to come change the tire, waited and prayed none of the cars speeding by would hit me. My sister, who is better than your sister, came and sat with me. She sat in her car (because she needed to listen to the game) and I in mine. It was still cold, rainy and dark. My car shook as 18-wheelers sped pass me.

I prayed, Lord I am sure there is a lesson in this. Help me know what you want me to get from this.

Shortly after that my sister pointed out that behind us about a fourth of a mile, there was a car in a ditch. Focused on my misery I had not noticed the still headlights in my rear view mirror. The car’s lights were on but we were not sure if anyone was in the car. The ditch was filling up with water. That car was in a worse position than mine.

Help arrived for both of us at the same time.

My lesson: No matter how bad your situation seems, there is always someone who has it worse.

What struggle seems to be drowning you? The Lord has promised in Isaiah 43:2 that when we pass through the waters, He will be with us and the river will not overcome us. At the right time, someone came along and helped us out of those situations. Sit back and let Him teach you what He wants you to know. Instead of being lost in your own misery, allow God to give you some perspective about your circumstances.

Lord, help me find a way to praise you in all my circumstances even when I am soak in cold rain, and it is dark and I can’t do what I want. Thank you for sending someone along side me to wait with me. Thank you for sending rescuers. Amen.

 

 

 

Stop Kicking Grace to the Curb

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This week I got to languish in God’s grace. Sometimes we mistake God’s grace as a nuisance because it doesn’t look like what we think it should look like.  While I was getting a good picture of the High Holy God I serve during this week’s bible lessons, I experienced His grace in several settings.

My favorite experience was that worship comes from your heart. Many days we feel like Peter with a sword in his hand promising to follow the Lord to death. Yet when it comes to worship in any place at any time, we are more like Peter running from the crowd denying we know Jesus. I mean there are some places you just can’t worship Jesus. (wink)

God sends people into our lives to teach us about His grace. It seldom looks the way we expect it. It is never the people we expect. It always teaches us about His character. His goal is to make us look more like Christ and less like us.

When things don’t look the way we plan it, we figure everything is wrong instead of God had other plans. We tend to ignore the souls God has placed in our path and try to do things on our own. We miss the blessing.

I mean if anyone could have worked on his own, Christ could. But He chose 12 guys to work with Him. He knew what would happen if those men allowed God to work through them.

What is God calling you to do that is outside of your plan? Are you willing to miss His grace to work your plan?

This year I have watched His grace do incredible things in my life. It is purifying me.