Nothingness

There are so many ways we can communicate...blogs, e-mails, text-messaging, mail, and then get connected to what is going on....TV 24-hr. news; iPods, satellite radio and the newest out, Twitter. Everywhere messages are going into our minds.

Do we ever have solitude? A time to just do nothing?

I want to quote from a book I've been reading lately. The author is
Henri Nouwen and the book is “The Way of the Heart”…

“In solitude I get rid of my scaffolding: no friends to talk with, no telephones calls to make, no meetings to attend, no music to entertain, no books to distract, just me - naked, vulnerable, weak, sinful, deprived, broken-nothing. It is this nothingness that I have to face in my solitude, a nothingness so dreadful that everything in me want to run to my friends, my work, and my distractions so that I can forget my nothingness and make myself believe that I am worth something.”

I hope you have your solitude time and truly enjoy it. Happy Wednesday!

Energy Drinks....hello!!!!! - random thoughts.....

I was actually shopping in a store and a Clerk (right in front of me) was drinking one of those energy drinks. Couldn't tell you the name if my life depended on it. I'm thinking it was Red Bull or something like that.

Sometimes I have to go early in the morning to a store that is open 24/7. I see people on their way to work, buying A DRINK and from a distance I can see the "energy" word on the can. Hmmmm - makes me wonder at 8 or 9 a.m. do they go back to the store and get another can of energy drink? Is that what keeps them going all day?

Oh, for Pete's sake, please don't get me a can. I don't have a problem with energy, except when I'm around a person who makes a drastic comment about how energetic I am; then I zone out and make it a point to stay away from them. (I think they are wishing they had some of it!) I'm proud of my energy. I totally believe it is definitely a God-thing! I ask Him daily to give me a great attitude of having life in all its fullness! He says "Ask and Ye shall receive." So I ask and He gives! Without the energy drink....I wonder what these energy drinks really do to a person. Hello........today while I'm in a store I'll read the label and maybe blog about it again! In the meantime....make it a good day today! I know I will! I'm up early to finish a book I started reading: "Hope Happens."

Good Grief It's Monday Already!

.....Don't let me kid you......my favorite part of the week is Monday...yea~~~~~~~~
I love Mondays! We get to practice our Christianity what we learned on Sunday!...a-ha.....And I can get all the laundry done and we begin the week with ultra clean clothes! So I got carried away getting the laundry all folded nice and neat for my hubby when he needs it!!! Yea....it's done...out of the way - well maybe until Thursday and I will repeat this wonderful task. Most wives look on it with drudgery, but I think the more we support our family system, the more we are optimistic instead of grumpy and out of sorts!!!!!

Here's a great inspirational thought!

Belief in ourselves is like a muscle - it is strengthened by constant and careful use! Yea...have a super dooper Monday!

Kids Rock!

It doesn't matter if they are seven, (almost ten) in their thirties, they rock! Okay so I picked up a "cool" word. Last night I had a loonnnggg super great conversation with our daughter. I feel like I'm a "Queen Mom" when I finished talking to her. I think it's super to raise kids and then later on in life, they give back to you what I call one hundred-fold...it comes back to you. To hear what they are doing in their lives is so phenomenal! hey - I know they are busy, but the respect given me to "yack" a while is so appreciated! WOW!

See ya in church - today Q&A, but the Worship Service begins at 10 a.m.-11 a.m. and the Q&A is afterwards. :)

Thought Provoking Question

Whose life did I touch today?

Of course, it's too early in the morning to answer that question. But, as the day goes by, what will be the answer?

Fact is, do we really care?

I know I care. Maybe too much some times. Hmmm, in thinking about it....I would say that is me....then, the "letting go" plays in and that's where it becomes a "God-thing" and I HAVE TO turn it over to Him.

I think we all lack a certain amount of caring. But, yet that sounds too judgmental.

I give up......I want to touch someone's life today...be it my husband, my kids, or the community. Last night on our date night, we ended with going back to Cracker Barrell and sharing a fabulous tasting strawberry shortcake dish and devoured it, left a pretty sizable tip for the Server (her eyes popped out) and walked away happy, knowing we "touched her life." So, the question still remains today....whose life will I touch? Hopefully, several lives as my life today will be reaching out to enthusiastically invite others to our Church Service tomorrow.

Say a prayer for me and I say "thanks!" (& I hope you get a chance to touch a life.)

Challenges

I truly love challenges. Many times, our "Welcome MC" at church will challenge us to get out of our box and invite others to church. I'll be the first one out the door and take the challenge with all the invigorating, looking for someone to invite beginning with Sunday and each day of that week.

As I was growing up, the Coach on the softball team always couldn't wait until the game because I was a player who DID WHAT THE COACH told me to do; if he said "Carol, hit the ball on left field," that's what I did. If he said "It looks like the 2nd baseman is not looking or paying attention, hit the ball straight out," that's exactly what I would do! (We had many winning scores because of my challenge from the Coach!)

I'm very challenged to bring others to church....where would I have been if my Senior High School girlfriend had not invited me to church? Thus, inviting others is not only a challenge for me; it makes me not want to give up....someone has to come and bring their family and I call it "fill those pews up!" This week I actually met a lot of people who do not have a church home. Was I definitely challenged? Absolutely! .....and hopefully they will be there Sunday. It's only a couple of days to keep on keepin' on....praying they will be there....greeting them at the door when they do attend! As my Aunt used to say....you can't beat that with a stick! Have a super, fantastic Friday! Do not let anyone steale your joy that you have with challenges! And whatever you do, do not give up!

DO THE MATH

Some people add something to life - we enjoy them.

Many people in this world desire to help others. - these people are adders.
I say they are adders because adding value to others requires a person to give of himself and that rarely occurs by accident. I have endeavored to become an adder. I like people and I want to help them.

Some people subtract something from life. we tolerate them.

Some people multiply something in life - we value them!

I am fortunate. I have a lot of multipliers in my life; highly gifted people who want to see me succeed, people such as being passionate about making a difference. They help me sharpen my vision and maximize my strengths.

Everybody needs somebody.

A New Twist On Life

.....moving furniture.....can be fun......it gives me
.....a new perspective
I can tolerate change more than most people.
Who wants to see the same thing day in and day out?
Changing perspective can cause you to start seeing and thinking things differently. But, definitely gives a new twist on life.

Change

I have a low tolerance for so-called gurus who claim they change people's lives. No one can change the life of any individual except that individual. Certainly, others offer a greater or lesser incentive for a person to improve his or her life. Nonetheless, responsbility still rests with each one of us for our own lives!

I love Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote: "What lies behind us and what lies before us are but small matters compared to what lies WITHIN us."

To the questions in your life in regards to change, you are the only answer. To the problems in your life, you are the only solution. You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it! If you choose to change......change for the better...your life will be happier and you will be content! May your Tuesday be great!

I Found It!!!!

It took approximately 3 hours to find an important document I needed for today!

It was in the last file I looked in!

Isn't that always the truth??? (Amen on that one!)

But the main thing is I found it! Nothing stresses me out more than knowing something is supposed to be there and it's not! I shouldn't have waited until the last minute to look for it!

I hope your day goes well.

Oh, no, my hubby comes in and says "What are you doing?"
Carol: "Just now doing my blog?"
Hubby: "Could I interupt you to help me find a book I'm looking for?"
Carol: "I think it's on the shelf..........etc., etc."

Well, at least we are started the day on THE SAME PAGE! - a-ha God is good!

Building Network of Friends

.....is what I spend a lot of time doing. There are friends from "way back" I keep in touch with and then networking of new friends.

Recently I have had the privilege of meeting new friends. A lot of people don't like to make new friends and it is not an easy matter for many of them. Many have developed strong walls of defense because they have been hurt so many times with friends.

Well, in approximately three hours I will be meeting with lady friends for a Women of Worth Class I teach. Yes, they are definitely friends...so very faithful and loving.

God bless you this Lord's Day. See ya in Church!

Finally No Storms!

Hopefully we will have a day of beautiful sunshine! I followed the storm the other night on a weather channel....the meterologist was a tad bit behind on reporting the storm coming to our town, but watching the pattern the storm took interested me. As a kid I was mortified at storms, but as I'm older I will even watch the lightening out the window and the trees being torn asunder.

I'm looking forward to a GRAND day! Taking our Grandson to his Soccer game and I just know he'll win, and then all the fun things we can do afterwards, as the day will go by quickly I am sure.

Can't wait until tomorrow - W.O.W. and Church! See you there!

.....Attitude 101, day 2

Get honest with self.

Make sure that you're not carrying around excess baggage. If you have areas in your life in which you constantly struggle with your attitude and you cannot seem to get free, then you need to ask God to show you what's holding you back. Ask God to show you if you have any bitter roots that you need to get rid of. God will show you the truth about yourself and your attitude. There is no obstacle on this planet you cannot conquer if you CHECK your attitude and have a desire to get along with someone.

You CAN do it. I know you CAN!

Cya in W.O.W. class in two days - 9 a.m. :)

Attitude 101

AN ATTITUDE -

Thoughts

turned

inside

out

Life is good, but it could be a whole lot better if people would just take a big time check on their attitude.

Last night my husband was teaching on the Life of Jonah and that he had a rebellious attitude. He ran from God! Whoa!!! That hit home to me....not the rebellious attitude because I check that out hourly and I do not do rebellion in all it's form. What hit home to me was running.....I run from people who have an attitude of pushy-ness or overly controlling. No one likes to be controlled, but the persistence is the part I think gives them a bad attitude and apparently they cannot see it for themselves.

Attitude Check!

Today I will have a grateful attitude, (attitude of gratitude) recognizing this day is a gift! ...and choose friends who will lift me up rather than pull me down. And I know my attitude will take me places I never imagined!

The Truth!

Here's a great quote:
"What concerns everyone can only be resolved by everyone."

Friedrich Dürrenmatt

To me this represents truth and fairness! That is one of my pet peeves; when someone is not being fair or telling the truth! Think about it.

I hope your Wednesday (day after ugh....taxes) is awesome!

Cya at 3rd Wednesday tonight!

Post #415 - Date 4-15

A friend of mine has a phenomenal blog...when I finally figure out how to link, do all the miraculous blog stuff, I will share.

She posed a question: "How do we know it's of God?" Interesting question -- in my Post Title today...I am knowing it's of God...this would never happen in a zillion years. I'm on Post #415 on 4-15! This would only happen to me...I think it is of God....I feel His presence every time I sit down and write and then to note that as I pull up the screen to post the next blog...it numbers my blogs (those are the behind the scenes that I see before I write). Most people would say...that's no big deal...well, I look on it as it's cool...and you can call it luck or of God...I just think that's the way things happen for me....I am so blessed far beyond comprehension and it is just one more reason to enjoy life, look for ways to get excited about all the tons of things I enjoy.......Sure, to someone else they may just blow it off...to me I think it's just way cool!

And as my husband says, "If it makes you happy, it makes me happy!" Honestly, these are days when people are doubting God...does He really exist, or why go to church? or .....is the Bible relevant? ...I care....so if you want to know answers to these questions....don't be afraid to ask. Where is God when you need Him? Trust me, He is there!

Monday Came Quick!

I think all the walking yesterday:
....made me sleep soooo good!
....and made Monday come quick!

At any rate, I had better get going....had a 6 a.m. breakfast with one of the awesome ladies from Church.......came home...put a load of laundry in and have several "loose ends to tie up" as I call it. So, with that in mind, and a few phone calls I have to make, this Monday will be come and gone!

Become a better YOU today.
Romans 8:28 "And we know all things work together to them that love the Lord!" What a great promise!

Phenomenal Sunday

.......I was busy this morning before going to church to finish the Mother/Daughter Annual Brunch display at our church! sooooooo I ran out of time and the day has been phenomenal!

So....instead of saying Good Morning, I will say Good Night because in a couple of hours I will enjoying a great night's sleep!

Church Service was awesome today. My friend finally came for the Worship Service. I was so happy to see her.

I hope your day was eventful. My hubby and I went to Barnes and Noble and enjoyed some Cheesecake Factory Strawberry/Cream cheesecake! OOOOOOOO so wonderful tasting! Very refreshing. They were passing around samples of a new Starbuck's Mocha Frappachino.....ooooo yummy on that one! Good night all!

Confidence In Outreach

.......comes solely from God

.......just do it!

.......When feeling crummy about confidence, wallow in it for a bit, but above all, get confidence in Outreach!

...........if I listened to every negative comment about going out and telling others about Lighthouse Church, I'd never leave the house! Hello!!!!

..........I'm a "Wannasee".....okay Carol crap, what is that????

"Wannasee The Pews Filled" on Sunday Outreach dedicated Person!!!! I can't wait for the attendees I invite to get the same blessing I get out of my husband's teaching!!

.......and those are my very caring thoughts today. See ya in Church tomorrow...10 a.m.-11 a.m. - Worship Service - one great service is all we have!!!

Respect

Webster's Dictionary defines RESPECT: "an act of giving particular attention : consideration; high or special regard : esteem, the quality or state of being esteemed."

The ladies at church are asking me to give a lesson on "Respect." As they have gotten older, they say they have noticed that there is no respect given for their Mom by the younger world. On the other hand, there are ladies that are Mom's themselves, but have no respect whatsoever for their Mom. Hence, they fear they will "turn out like their Mom" therefore, they turn away from their own Mom.

Respect is a foreign word to some people. We should have ultimate respect for our husbands, our kids, our in-laws, our friends, especially our parents who have "weathered the storms of life" and we can learn from their tremendous love and respect. I can remember my Mom always saying, "Respect your elders." To me that meant a Sister who is older than me; actually anyone that was older and wise, so it would behoove me to learn something for my own good from these women. The Bible says we who are older should teach the younger and be an example. I take that literally and am proud to help someone who wants to learn from me.

Society has dictated (unfortunately) that your parents don't know anything...they are old foggies. To me, that's where the respect has been lost and it's tragic. If we don't teach our kids respect, they will have chaos when the child gets to the teens years.....no respect, to me, means they will have an attitude and that could get them in a lot of trouble.

One of my pet peeves is knowing someone is not respecting me and believe me you, when you get upward in years, you see how some people place you in an OLD category and they truly don't have any respect whatsoever and to be quiet frank, we have a choice of letting it annoy us, or feel sorry for the person who has no respect or clue what it means to respect an elder. Okay so I've been on a soapbox today....and do I want to teach the younger women at church RESPECT.....most definitely!!! I will patiently wait until the next class and thank them for wanting to know! It's an interesting subject especially since most of the ladies are Mom's themselves and it's an amazing discovery that the way they treat their Mom is exactly the way they will be treated when their children grow up. The Bible says we reap what we sow.

I feel sorry for the person who has never learned the meaning of respect and does not have that character quality. I'm so happy we raised our kids who truly love and respect us. .....and I know they care so much. I also thank God for the mutual respect given to us by the church members. What do you think? Do you have respect for your elders?......meaning high consideration as Webster Dictionary says? And, THANKS dear ladies for getting me pumped up about a topic I believe is very relevant to our lives.

My heart is so touched by this caring subject! My husband and I had a pre-date discussion about it last night (the subject of respect) and perhaps ......to be continued tonight. I can dig it!!!!!