Where’s The Power?

Can you believe we’re at the end of another month? We’re getting very close to the half way point of this year as well. How has your year gone? Do you need to be more agressive in the next 7 months? More loving? More caring? More considerate? More relationship oriented? More protective of your time? More productive? What will you focus on for the next 7 months?

As we contemplate those 7 months, not to mention tomorrow and next week, today I thought we’d talk about power. Power is something that we all have, and the majority of the time we either choose to use it or give it away. On rare occasions it will be taken from us, but that’s not the norm because usually even when it looks like someone is taking power away from us there’s still something we can do about it.

Where does our power ultimately come from? Our ability to make choices. You have the power to choose how you’re going to live your life: what you’re going to eat, what you’re going to buy, what you’re going to wear, and who you’re going to be with; these are all choices you make on a daily basis. We make bigger choices in our lives too, like who we marry, where we live, the spirituality we believe, and the careers we have.

There are some other powerful things in the world like love and nature, but ultimately it comes down to the power of choice that rules how our lives turn out. So with your power of choice what will you choose to do today?

“Choice is the greatest power we have. Some say love is-but we first have to choose love.” Caroline Myss

Starting with Trust

This week God has put the subject of trust on my heart. How does the dictionary define trust? It says that trust is hope, placing confidence in someone or something, to rely on, faith, assurance, a feeling of security, dependence, a belief that a person or thing will not fail, a responsibility. Wow, trust is a huge deal!

What does the Bible have to say about trust? Psalm 28:7 says to trust God with all our hearts. Psalm 63 relates that because we know we can trust God we will and should praise him. Psalm 91 says that God protects those who trust him. Isaiah 40 says that God strengthens those who trust him. Jesus said in John 12 that those who trust in him will live in the light and no longer in darkness. Romans 15 speaks of joy and peace in someone because of trust that is placed in God.

Trust means believing God has the best plans possible in store for you in the future. Trust means understanding that there are other people in your life so you can share things with them, converse through difficult situations or times, and rely on them. Trust is Daniel believing God would bring him safely through a night in the lion’s den, but more importantly understanding how important it is to pray regardless of what others may say, trusting God will protect.

I want to finish today with some lyrics from a song “You Never Let Go” by Matt Redman. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Your perfect love is casting out fear. And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life. I won’t turn back. I know you are near. And I will fear no evil. For my God is with me. And if my God is with me. Whom then shall I fear? Whom then shall I fear?”

I pray this week you will put your trust in God, I promise you He will never fail you or let you down.

Reality Reflection: One Small Person

This weekend in the US we’re celebrating Memorial Day. It’s a time we take each year to remember and honor the people who have made a huge personal sacrifice, as well as remember and thank their families who have suffered too with their loss. Every so often in the news we hear about one service member being killed or having died as part of whatever conflict they were working on. And maybe we think that one doesn’t sound like a lot, or it doesn’t seem that serious. And in some ways it’s not, because it is only one person and there are many others who are still out there fighting for our country and innocent people around the world.

But the simple fact is one person can have a huge impact on the world, even if that impact seems quite small. For example one soldier may save one child’s life and it seems small in the short run, but to that child’s family and who they may become in the future it is and could be huge.

With each word, action and attitude we each choose, we can make a positive or negative difference in the world, one that can be small or large. Sometimes it’s necessary to be part of a group to really see the impact, like with the Ice Bucket Challenge a few years ago. But often we can see the difference with only our own actions, like when we help someone pick up things they’ve dropped or share some encouragement with someone.

This Memorial Day I encourage you to step up. Don’t let the sacrifice that men, women and their families have made go to waste. And don’t forget to let those you love know that you love them, because you may not get another chance to tell them.

Rebuilding or Repairing?

Today’s inspiration comes from a quote I read earlier this week from Richard Whately: “…that it is the neglect of timely repair that makes rebuilding necessary.”

In my life I’ve done a lot of rebuilding-sometimes because I didn’t make the right decision, and sometimes because I made the right decision, but it was just the more difficult road. If you think about the number of marriages that end in divorce, those couples have gotten past the point of timely repair, to where they can’t even rebuild their lives, or they choose not to.

What can we each do that will help us spend more time enjoying life and less time rebuilding? Let’s start with families and significant others. The most important thing to do is communicate. Don’t worry so much how they will react to your honesty, just be honest. Second, make the effort to spend time together as a family, and have date night-just you and your partner- at least once a month.

In our jobs and careers there are things we can do as well. Start with admitting to yourself if you’ve outstayed your capabilities or passion. If you can’t do your job well anymore, it’s beyond time for a change. Maybe it’s a change within the company or in what you do, but still a change.

Personally there’s some daily work to be done as well. If you can’t remember the last time you ate something truly delicious, took a walk in nature, did or read something spiritual and wholesome, did something that only you like doing (a hobby perhaps), or went to bed early because you wanted to, you’ve got to quickly make some repairs-you’re heading for burnout.

This week I encourage you to look at your life. Are you heading down a steep hill towards rebuilding, or are there some repairs you can do starting today to put the brakes on your fall?

Trust and Hope for the Next Generation

One of my favorite things to do is watch dogs and puppies. I love to watch all animals, but especially dogs and puppies. OF course in this internet age there are tons of videos on YouTube and lots of social accounts for animals (including an adorable husky my brother shared with me the other day). I also love watching and supporting the organizations that have great missions like those who raise assistance dogs or work on conservation of species. As I was watching the puppies on one of my favorite sites, Explore, they posted news that a baby osprey had hatched so I popped over to check out the new little one. As I was watching I was reminded of the uncertainty of life and the hope that we all live with.

Bird parents sit on their eggs for however long and hope they hatch and then hope the babies don’t get eaten as they grow. The same is true for dogs, they are pregnant for however long hoping that all the babies are born healthy, hope they grow up with no health challenges and live a long life. Humans are the same, that we’re pregnant and hope the babies are born healthy, and then hope they grow up to be amazing men and women who make a difference in the world.

But the simple fact is we don’t know. We don’t know that they’ll live and be healthy and thrive.  Sometimes they don’t.  But we have to rely on God and trust that God has the best plan for those animals and those babies. The Bible shares in Matthew 6:26 “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?” God has a plan for each of our lives, we may not know the full amount of that plan, but we do know that it’s a good plan, a plan that includes a future.

So if you’re going through a period of uncertainty, I encourage you to remember the birds and the animals. If they can trust God to provide not only for them but provide and protect the next generation, shouldn’t we do the same. Trust that God has a plan for your life, and that He will be with you through whatever you’re going through now.

Reality Reflection: Who will you be at 92?

With much of the world looking at England for the Royal Wedding, my ear was caught by a couple of statements made not about the royal couple, but about the Queen. I’m not a huge history person, nor am I really on top of all that goes on in England, but every statement I heard in the days surrounding the wedding regarding the queen were positive, which is a huge statement about who she is and how she has ruled.

The first statement that stood out to me was regarding her fashion choices. According to those who pay attention to these things, her fashion statement has always been “I need to be bright,” and her fashion choice for the wedding certainly was that, and you couldn’t miss her in the bright green outfit she wore. But it’s far more than just a fashion choice in my book. I think the bright fashion choices not only help her to stand out, but they’re a reminder to her, and the world if they pay attention, that we’re at our best when we’re being bright lights in the world.

The second statement was regarding that at age 21 she gave a birthday speech and in it she said I “shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family…” That’s far different than saying ‘I will lead this country’ or ‘I will be the best leader I can be’ or anything along those lines. It’s really a statement about how she chooses to put others first and considers their needs/worries/concerns/hurts. And it’s a statement that she has lived up to, and something she has passed on to her children and grandchildren.

When you’re 92 what will people say about you? Will they smile and think of the cheer you brought to the world, way you uplifted others, and the service that you led? What will they remember you for?

A Turn of the Word

We deal with so many unknowns in our life it’s almost funny. Recently I had the check engine light come on in my car and of course that concerned me. But all that light tells me is that the engine needed to be checked, it doesn’t come out and tell me exactly what the issue was, so it was frustrating and a little worrisome, knowing there’s a lot that goes on under the hood of a car, and it could be something serious or something not super serious (but obviously still probably pretty important).

Later I was on Facebook doing work for a client and stopped by my newsfeed to see what my friends were doing and glanced past a friend’s post where she talked about having to make one of the toughest goodbyes in her life. My first thought was that she lost someone close to her, but it wasn’t that serious, the other person was just moving away.

What’s my point with these two stories? They’re more examples of how communication can challenge us, and the impact that the words (or lack thereof), or actions/signs can have on us. But if we look at it another way, there’s incredible positive power in our words, too. Sometimes being positive, or just saying positive things can help turn your attitude, day and life around. Hearing the words “it’s just as sensor” was a big relief to me for my car. Seeing that my friend’s friend didn’t die was a big relief, because she’s too young and you never want someone to die before they’ve lived their life fully.

If you’re struggling to find the silver lining or turn the words around, I thought I’d share some words of encouragement that can lead you on the path to victory from Kendall SummerHawk:

I will try again
I will do something different the next time
I will have learned something incredibly useful
I will say, “How fascinating!”
I will be smarter & wiser because of the experience
I will congratulate myself for trying
I will start over
I will have a great story to share with others, later
I am stronger and tougher than any failure
In my heart, I know I am unstoppable

What great things will you choose to do with your day today?

Building Relationships with Respect

With yesterday being Mother’s Day here in the US, I’ve been reflecting on families and relationships. Every day in the news there are stories of relationships gone wrong, of people letting others down, of people hurting other people and ways that people are destroying our world. But at the same time you can’t ignore the fact that some of those people are bad people. They’re not people you want in your life or around your kids, and they can’t be “fixed” unless there’s an Act of God. But fortunately, there aren’t as many of those people as the news makes it out to be. Most of us just have issues, quirks and traits that may or may not mesh with the people around us.

I do believe that we can learn to get along with just about everyone, whether it’s having a civil conversation or actually developing a friendship with them. But that does take a lot of work, typically from both parties. For some reason some people choose to hold grudges or make snap judgments about some people, and aren’t open in the future to changing those opinions, despite how they or the other person may have changed over the years. And no matter how kind or polite you may be to them, they’re just nasty. I’m not suggesting that you need to be best friends with everyone, but I don’t think we need to have the poor interactions and relationships many people have.

Does it take superhuman effort in some cases to get to that point? Yes, but that’s part of what God can help you with. Yes, the Bible talks about loving everyone, but for some of us loving is a big stretch. So let’s start with two things that are a lot simpler: treating others as you want to be treated and respecting others. God made them just like He made you and I, and I haven’t known God to make anything that was wrong or without purpose. So if for no other reason, choose to respect and treat them based on how you want to be treated, because God loves them. Not all moms are perfect examples, but many moms can run circles around us when it comes to loving and accepting their kids in a way that we struggle to accept and understand others.

This week I encourage you to think about your attitude and how you treat and interact with others, and spend time in prayer with God asking for His strength and guidance in how you can build more relationships and have more interactions that will honor Him.

“Respect everyone, and love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God, and respect the king.” 1 Peter 2:17

Courage to Live Another Day

The other day I was reading one of the email updates I get from a charity that I support, Mercy Corps, and in it they were talking about the 2015 earthquakes in Nepal. I had a bit of trouble wrapping my head around the fact that they happened in 2015, and not years before that, and how long ago that actually seemed. In the very busy lives we live 3 years can seem like an eternity, and yet it all seems to go by so fast. Maybe that speed is part of the reason that the 2015 earthquake seems like it was so long ago.

This email I recieved shared about a woman, Sushma, and her family, and the difference that just $75, a few pots and some farming education made. That seems like so little to most of us, but to them it made all the difference. It gave them the support, both mental and literal, to get back on their feet after their home (and village) was destroyed. Since then Sushma, her family and her farm have grown and thrived.

Something else the email said really made me think.  One of the women who visited Nepal from the charity said she realized that not only is there courage needed to survive a crisis, but there’s courage needed to live, and thrive, after one. For some when a crisis is over, that’s the end, they’re no longer living, but for so many of us we have to figure out what comes next and how we’re going to get there. It’s a lot easier to say you’re going to rebuild, than it is to actually do it; just look at Puerto Rico still struggling with power in many areas after the hurricane hit back in September of 2017. Even choosing to pick up and move to a new state or country after a big event like the earthquake or hurricane takes a lot of courage.

But what about the “smaller” things? The tough illness, lost job, failed class or broken relationship? They hurt too, and take a lot of courage to move on from as well. Sometimes it takes a lot of strength to get through just one day, and that’s OK. All of these life events and challenges show us who we’ve been created to be, help build our strength, teach us things and give us a chance to prove to ourselves that we’re more capable than we could have ever imagined.

So what about you? Will you choose to be courageous in your life today?

Faith, Love and Moms

With Mother’s Day just a few days away here in the US I’m thinking about moms, and maybe you are too. It’s not always easy to be a mom, and we don’t always give moms the credit they deserve for the amount of time and effort they put in to their kids. Even the 9 month commitment and accompanying sacrifices to carry a child is more than some of us give to things in our lifetimes. No, not all moms are great, and not all women are really cut out to be moms, and some moms need more help than others. There’s nothing wrong with admitting and recognizing that you’re not cut out to be a mom or that you’re in need of help, there are lots of people who are willing to help you and plenty of families who are great with kids and can raise the next generation.

So as I was thinking about moms, it got me thinking about the very complicated topic that love is. Love is so many things, it’s an emotion, how we describe relationships, how we describe others, something that can unite, something that can soothe, something that can hurt, a feeling and so much more. But one of the biggest things that love is, is a choice. Even in cases of love at first sight, we have to choose to love the other person, and choose to do the work that it takes to keep that love healthy and strong.

One of the most important choices moms make is whether or not to love their children. Sometimes that’s easier said than done, and moms have to make a choice to choose love, or something else. One of the most important qualities a Godly mother can bring to the table is not just an attitude of gratitude, but an attitude of love.  When she teaches, guides and even disciplines with an attitude of love, it creates a solid foundation for us to grow into the people God has create us to be, and gives her the strength to do it in a way that honors God.

It’s almost guaranteed that we’ll be hurt in our lifetimes, but if we have learned from the cradle to have faith in Jesus, how to be thankful and how to love, we’ll understand the importance of forgiving, have the foundation to be able to do it and be able to move on in our lives with love, confident in knowing that God’s got something better for us.  So this week, so a mom you know some love. Maybe it’s with a card or gift, or maybe just the gift of time and a visit from you.