Friends that want to hang out

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

2010 Resolutions


Every New Year - I always have the same resolutions.... Lose weight... spend more time with my family.... get more organized.... cut more coupons.... be more frugal.... track my mileage.... start my taxes early.... and almost every year I blow it.... or I don't meet my expectations...

This year I have decided to not make it about ME.... but others. Yes, I still have my "to do" list and I will accomplish them one day.... but my resolutions.... my desires will be serve to others.... to make myself available.... to offer a helping hand.... to Glorify Him in all I do and make it about HIM not me......

2010 Resolutions

1. Volunteer at least once in a convalescent home.
2. Help in my kids' school.
3. Pass out socks to the homeless.
4. Carry a brown paper bag filled with non-perishable food in my car to pass out to the people holding signs - I will work for food....
5. Read my Bible everyday.
6. Journal every day.
7. Go on at least one missions trip.
8. Help a family in need
9. Be transparent
10. Be forgiving.... tolerant.... and more patient..

I pray that God will help me to accomplish the above list - I pray that He will make my heart and mind more obedient to His Desires...

What's On Your List?

Happy New Year~!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

To Love No Matter What


Have you ever just wanted to give up on someone? Have you ever gotten so tired of the constant subtle rejections that you just want to lash out? Have you ever felt like you have given your all to this person (s) and no matter what you say... no matter what you do.... nothing matters? This is how I sometimes feel - sometimes I just want to lash out and ask them "Why?" "Why do you want to be indifferent? Why do you act like I don't matter?"

This Christmas I was hurt once again by yet another indifferent snub - I don't think this person goes out of their way to hurt me - I do believe this person does not know how to love unless there are conditions... I do believe this person is afraid to be vulnerable... afraid to put themselves out there.. And in that fear they hurt others..... I can't control the way this person feels or acts... I can't control the hurt that I feel but I can control the way I react.. I can control what I say and what I do.....

The Bible tells us to love one another.. to forgive one another... The Bible does not tell us to give up after a certain amount of time... the opposite in fact.

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Matthew 18:21-22

We love because he first loved us. Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
1 John 4:19-21

God does not give up on us..... In my quest to be closer to God.. a follower of Christ I need to keep loving.. keep trying to break down those barriers.... To love no matter what -

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Be Inspired #1


Autistic Boy Becomes Basketball Hero

This is an amazing story of an autistic boy who loved the game of basketball - this story is so touching that you the coaches get all choked up talking about it. Had to share on my first "Be Inspired" blogs.


Monday, December 21, 2009

The White Envelope


I received this story about fifteen years ago and every Christmas season I share it with others - We need to stop and remember the purpose of this season... Merry Christmas and God Bless each and everyone of you. Love to you. Kelly


It's just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years or so.

It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas. Oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it, overspending, the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma, the gifts given in desperation because you couldn't think of anything else.

Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way. Our son, Kevin, who was 12 that year was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended, and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church.

These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in the spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes. As the match began I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler's ears. It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford. Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn't acknowledge defeat. Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, "I wish one of them could have won," he said. "They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them." Mike loved kids, all kids, and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse.

That's when the idea of his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church. On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition, one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on. The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents. As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn't end there.

You see we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more.

Each of our children, unbeknown to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike's spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us

Author Unknown

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Thinking About Mary


Breath of Heaven - The Story of Mary....

During this time of year I often wonder what Mary was feeling during her pregnancy... Her fears... her worries... Think about it.... Here is a young girl - betrothed to a young man named Joseph - they were not married yet - he finds that she is pregnant..... the small village they lived in saw that she was pregnant. Think of the whispers... the judgment... Think about how she must have felt - knowing that she was carrying the Son of God - the wonder... the awe... it is so difficult to grasp...




Friday, December 18, 2009

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever


The other day I went to dinner and an ornament exchange at a very dear friend's home. There were seven of us women - women who worship together... pray together... and learn from each other....
After dinner, we all sat down to listen to the The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. I had never heard the story before... and I am so happy I did.... I truly believe everyone should hear it...
I have always known that Christmas was Jesus' birthday.. I have always known that He was the Son of God... but I always envisioned the birth to be much like what we see on TV... A beautiful and well rested Mary gazing at her quiet baby boy... Then immediately after the birth came the three (3) wise men.... Did you know that the Bible does not say how many there were? Did you also know that they did not show up at His birth but a few months.. possible a couple of years afterwards...?
This book The Best Christmas Pageant Ever shows the story of Jesus' birth from a different perspective... This story is about some very rough kids who fell in love with baby Jesus.... The real Jesus... The real Mary... and brought Him the best gift of all.... their hearts and more..
Discover The Best Christmas Pageant Ever this Christmas... Below is a mini movie I found on Youtube - enjoy and may you and yours be Blessed by the Best CHRISTmas present of all - our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.





Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Too Religious....


I recently met a very dear and sweet girl - I had been looking forward to meeting her for quite a while... She had joined our family a few years ago and lives across the world from us.... We connected on Face Book a year or so ago and finally met face to face last week.... It was love at first sight for me.. What a joyful woman she is....

She was very apprehensive about meeting me... On Face book - I will post some of my blogs or pictures.. I will talk about my faith and praises.. I am very open about my relationship with God - I believe because of my Face Book postings - this adorable girl was afraid to meet me - wondering how "religious" I was.... Wondering if I would be scary.... judgmental... Bible pounding... Evangelical.... the unknown is scary...

I believe that the world view in many ways has made "religious" people look bad..crazy... because we choose to live the "uncommon life". By the "uncommon life" I mean we choose to use the Bible as our basis for right and wrong... That does not mean we are here to judge.. that is not up to us. But we are to love one another... We are to follow God's law.... His word.. Because many of us do not agree with the "liberal world view" we are looked at as haters.... but that is not true... at least for me and those I know well..

So back to this beautiful girl.... I could tell she was a little nervous - mostly because she was looking at me with the "deer in the headlights" expression and not talking as much as I knew she did..... I was thinking of a way to break the ice and to let her know that I was pretty down to earth... My husband gave me the best opening.... We were talking about how we were able to go on a date... and my nephew asked what we did on dates... Well, my husband said... "We get a limousine... and I said "and we have sex..." My sweet new niece - about laughed herself off the couch... Sometimes, you just got to shock em......


Wednesday, December 9, 2009

The Art Of Patience


First off - I am not a patient person... I am always in a hurry - I want everything now - I won't stand in long lines (unless I have too) - I won't wait at a restaurant more than 15 minutes (no food is worth it to me) I like many others want instant gratification... In today's world that's what it is all about, isn't it. I want it now... I get it now.... and there you go....

Years ago my mom gave me a coffee cup that said - "Lord, grant me patience and grant it right now!" Even then at the ripe young age of 21 - I lacked patience... It is not a secret that I lack the patience gene... Get me behind of the wheel of a car and you'll see me in action... I'm not a dangerous driver... but when someone who drives extremely slow happens to pop in my lane... The passengers in my car will often hear me grumble... call the driver a "Bubba" or talk about the nuisances of bad drivers on the road -

I once heard someone say "Don't pray to God for patience because He will give you something to gain patience with" I have learned that God is a patient teacher... a patient Father and yes I do believe that He gives us opportunities to learn... learn to love... learn to empathize, and learn to be patient... I think when I became a parent was my first lesson in patience.... As the years go by I find myself growing in patience... growing in tolerance... growing in understanding. I think the closer you get to Him and the deeper your relationship becomes with Him the better the opportunity to gain the ability to be a more patient person.. a more spiritual person.. a more Christ driven person..

I can give you a load of baloney and tell you that I have gained all the patience I need but that would not be truthful.. I am a work in progress. I know I have become more patient with the people in my life.... But behind the wheel... well that is a different kind of patience....

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves."
-- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Smiles From Strangers


I love this time of year- the Joy Joy Joy of the season... Today - I was walking around Target picking up some gift cards and toys for my nieces and it seemed whenever I made eye contact with someone they smiled.. I loved that... I love the smiles of strangers... The CHRISTmas Joy of others.

I believe the CHRISTmas season is a great time to be a reflection of Christ's love for us... It's a great time to show kindness.... compassion... giving.. Of course, this should be a every day thing... but there something about this season that just brings out the best in us.... The best in me...

May your CHRISTmas Season be filled with Smiles From Strangers...

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