OPERATION GET HEALTHY: Day 3

Yesterday was day 3 & my little boy was still sick.... He actually felt worse than he did the day before, which meant - he NEEDED to be loved on more.

When I started the Advocare 24-Day Challenge...I had EVERY intention of TOTALLY sticking to it...eating all the meals they listed in the plan....all the snacks...all the meals...all of it. Well...let's just say that when you have a little one that just doesn't feel good & you're waking up with him & you don't get very good sleep... Sleep becomes more important than food, or staying on your schedule, or any of that. I stayed on it to the very best of my ability.

I woke up to get my little girl to school, but my little boy woke up with me and just wanted to be held. I couldn't get his HIGH fever (103.8) to break, so I just held him & we both nodded back off... I finally sneaked away & let him sleep to have my Spark & my fiber drink, but by the time I finished those...Heath woke up and it was almost time for lunch, so then I had some greek yougurt for my snack and had a late lunch of whole grain organic spaghetti, 93/7 ground beef & a salad. All circumstances perfect...I wouldn't have had the same meal again for supper, but with a sick little one...it's just the way it was. I'm TOTALLY good with it. Lot's healthier than how I would have normally ate & enjoyed it just as much. Since I had more starch than what I would've liked to have...I skipped the snack between lunch and dinner & then wound up skipping the last one....because I had a little boy laying on me & I was exhausted. I didn't feel overly hungry though..... I've been talking to a couple of friends who have told me that they can feel a difference in their energy since starting. I can say that I don't feel that yet... MAINLY because I'm not getting enough sleep. It will come...I feel healthier for sure. I did have some cravings for some of the comfort foods I usually would have went for, but totally resisted and just went and cuddled with little man. Good news is his fever is GONE & he's back to himself.

Chapter 3 in The Daniel Plan talks all about FAITH & how that is the foundation for our success...not only in our health journey, but every journey, I can speak to this because I had a situation that COMPLETELY caused me to step out in FAITH & I'm thankful for that experience because I understand the potential rewards that come from it. Have any of you ever had the thought: "I just wish someone who KNOWS more than I do, would tell me what to do next." I reached that point in a FIERCE way at the end of 2013. I knew I was in a job that didn't have much to do with my God-given purpose...no matter which way I spun it. I also knew God wasn't going to waste the experience, but I had to get off that path. However, getting off that path looked SCARY. I'm talkin' pay cuts, people thinkin' I'm crazy, stepping out into LOTS of unknowns, puttin' lots of puzzles together - which means trial and error, criticism, a nervous husband, nervous family....TOTALLY steppin' off the path I'd been on (which lots of people can understand) onto a new one, which I didn't even totally understand, much less anyone else.... BUT I DID IT. I really don't know how to put it into words, but I wish I could. I'll just list out some of the ways it has changed my life: less fear, less nervousness, less worry, money doesn't control my life anymore, I have a deeper (& getting deeper every day) relationship with The Holy Trinity, self-esteem is way better, my husband's relationship with Christ is growing & so are my kids, I want to know MORE, I'm able to help people more, I know I'm capable of WAY more than I thought I was, I'm less fearful, I PRAY more, I'm able to help others in more ways than I did before, I've added to tools to my toolbag & I'm good with them, I witnessed the value others saw in my....at maybe one of the lowest points I've been at in years, I've gained more people that believe in this journey I've set out on, & I know that I have a different relationship with God, Jesus, & The Holy Spirit. ALL of EQUAL importance & all continuing to grOW. That's not even all of'm. FAITH is one of the most powerful tools to have in your toolbag. I can say that I know I am protected on this health journey & I'm supported not only with The Holy Trinity, but by my friends and family - in all the ways I need them.

The Daniel Plan & The Purpose Driven Life, will both tell you that the BEST way to deepen your faith is to read The Bible. If you want to, but don't know how...just tell God. The Holy Spirit will go to work & before you know it, you will have a plan, a friend, and develop a routine that leads to another routine. Just INVITE God in, Through the scripture you read...The Holy Spirit will pull at your heart & soul & spirit and just MOVE you. You probably won't understand it until you do it. I'm not gonna tell you how, because God will show you how. Everyone has a different way to get there. My very good friend always says: "The Holy Spirit is a gentleman. You have to invite Him in." He wants to know you want Him. You will than have the guidance in your life from God Almighty that knows EVERYTHING you need to know.

I'll end this post by urging you to think about ten ways you would finish this sentence. (This is an exercise out of The Daniel Plan.): "It's just like me to...." Some of them may have some truth & some of them may be unGodly beliefs you have about yourself. Either way...once you identify them...Pray that God helps you work those out. Invite him in & THANK HIM in advance,

Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus! The fun ride starts when you open that Bible! God bless!

OPERATION GET HEALTHY: Day 2

So yesterday morning my little boy woke up - throwing up at 5:30ish. He was totally fine & playful the night before, so I wasn't expecting it. The doctor thought that he probably threw up because of drainage & high fever, which upset his stomach. He didn't throw up anymore & got to be himself in the afternoon, but was a very clingy little guy most of the day...like he is today.

I did my best to stay on the challenge plan... In fact I was SO proud of myself for how well I did on Day 1. Then yesterday....I did my shake and my cleanse & had a good breakfast....Then, the first snack after breakfast....

Well...let me SHARE something with all those people that don't have kiddos. They don't finish their food a lot....& mine have little snacks...little bite-size snacks. Well...my son thinks it's funny to feed us & he's SO stinkin' cute! Who wouldn't want to see him smile....

So...I TOTALLY didn't think about ANYTHING...as I consumed the two mini-chocolate chip cookies. In fact...I didn't even think about it until AFTER I already ate them.... Then about an hour later (on the phone again & about snack time) I grabbed the little Goldfish graham crackers that Heath was carrying around and started snacking....but that time I caught myself on the second one. Needless to say....I moped around the house...pretty bummed out at myself for about 30 minutes, mainly because I could not wrap my head around how I TOTALLY didn't make a conscious decision....there were no thoughts as I consumed them. I then started thinking about how much I probably NORMALLY consume and don't even REMEMBER. What a habit! I mean...I really feel like the only way I can STOP myself is by LIMITING what is actually in the house.

So then...I ate one less meatball for lunch & smaller vegetable portions & didn't have my last snack of the day.

That leads into something I read in The Daniel Plan...Chapter 2. In this chapter it discussed how our thoughts can sabotage us. "Negative thoughts, positive thoughts, or lack of thought can consume you." I've had both negative and positive thoughts consume me, but...lack of thought??? I mean...obviously it happened to me on Day 2, but HOW are we consumed by lack of thought? Because we are thinking of other things? Because it became a habit? But how? That's another one of those "in the middles" of how I go from Point A (Not consciously thinking... I guess) To Point B (consuming junk even though I THOUGHT I was making a CONSCIOUS effort not to.) I am VERY aware that I don't know how to fix that - EXCEPT for not having it around. I can also tell you...with two cute little munchkins that like those chocolate chip cookies too - It's gonna take MORE than will power.

So although I was shortly bummed out, I didn't beat myself up too bad & felt even MORE encouraged when I read this in The Daniel Plan: "The Daniel Plan encourages you to turn bad days into good information and to study your failures." I did that.

I want to share a little bit about Daniel. Daniel was one of the children that was taken captive when the King of Babylon and his army took over Jerusalem. The king put certain men over the different houses that held the captive children. Daniel was in a house with three other boys: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. The King ordered that all the children eat from the food of the King's table (including his wine), but Daniel felt moved in his heart not to & asked the master of the house (who really liked Daniel), if he could not eat it. The master of the house told him he was concerned because they needed to be nourished & the King may become angry if they look frailer than the children in other houses. Daniel and the house master agreed that for 10 days (same number of days as my cleanse) the 4 boys in his house would eat peas & beans and drink water. If at the end of the ten days they looked frailer they would eat of the King's table. After the ten days...those 4 boys looked healthier than the rest. In the book of Daniel it tells us that God blessed the boys with wisdom and learning. When all the children were brought before the King, not only were they stronger, but the King found them to be wiser and have a better understanding of things than all the magicians and astrologers in his kingdom. Coincidence? Hardly. The King decided to let them live with him because of all they had to offer.

This is an illustration from The Golden Children's Bible - 1993 Edition.
This was the illustrator's depiction of what the boys may have looked like: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

It MATTERS...what we put in our body. That said, this whole change is gonna be TOUGH for me...REALLY. Especially when I think about my eating habits for...pretty much...my entire life. That is why I NEED The Holy Spirit to nudge me & pull me in the right direction, like He did for Daniel. If you aren't familiar with Daniel, you should read up on him. That group of 4 were some kids of FAITH!! I mean they pretty much stood firm against a nation when they were asked to worship idols. By the way I learned about Daniel & many others in The Golden Children's Bible (1993).

I was also a little bummed out yesterday because I had planned to go grocery shopping for more healthy stuff, but didn't want to get Little Man out in the nasty weather. I thought I was stocked up, but the kids like the good stuff too, so I didn't have many options & it didn't look like he was going to be feeling any better today (which he didn't). Let's just say I'm glad I could add my parents to my support group. I mean Mom picked up things I didn't even think of. It is REALLY important to have supportive people around you.

All of how Day 2 went, proved to show me, that I can STILL eat healthy when things happen a little differently than I planned....which happens a lot around our house. I was able to be there for my son, get my daughter to & from school, with the help of my support system & make adjustments to Day 2's meal plan to still have it end as a pretty accomplished day.  Now I know that my eating habits are engrained in my brain & I have some habits that need to be broken and replaced with good ones.

God bless ya'll! I'm already a day off track, so be ready for catch-up posts! Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus & let's get healthy together!!

OPERATION GET HEALTHY: Day One

Hi All! Be ready for MORE daily blog posts!

In 2014 I spent more time reading The Bible than I have my ENTIRE life....& it has changed my life. It is AMAZING to me how The Holy Spirit works inside of us & MOVES us. I've been gently nudged and made aware of so many things that I probably would've passed up or not paid any attention to in the past. Over the last several weeks my health and my eating habits have been at the forefront of my thoughts. I am pretty weak in these areas....as far as...knowledge on HOW to be healthier and actually FOLLOW-THRU with it.

Before Christmas I bought the Daniel Plan Book & Journal & I bought another set for my VERY dear friend down in South Texas...in hopes that we could ENCOURAGE each other to be healthier based on what the Bible tells us about our bodies, deepen our friendship, & deepen our FAITH & UNDERSTANDING of God's LOVE for us. She agreed....but like things usually go for me - with these plans I didn't know how to start & if I was "ready."

God has BLESSED me with one very persistent friend that is a STRONG believer in Advocare. I've told her NO a lot, but the last time we saw each other I just felt like this 24 day challenge she was talking about was something I should do. Really,...sometimes the whole - in the middle - of how I get from Point A to Point B astonishes me. I was really not into it & then I just was. Anyways.... since I decided to do the 24 Day Challenge, which started today, I decided to also start The Daniel Plan and my journal.

I've decided to share this journey with you like I did when I read through: The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For?

I SO strongly URGE all of you to find a way to get closer to The Holy Trinity. I can't explain all the POSITIVE changes happening in my life, but the doors that open up are way better than I can explain, It doesn't have to be all "holy-roller-ish." If you believe in God - your Creator....all you have to do is TALK to him. I'm tellin' you...give him a little & he'll give you a lot...more than you ask for...& don't think that you have to be QUALIFIED to do it. (ex. Go to church every Sunday.) He WELCOMES you just as you are, just where you are. I've talked Jesus around a beer pong table & the two of us that were talkin' are better for it, Maybe not physically HEALTHIER, but spiritually stronger.

So to be clear. I think one of the BIGGEST reasons I agreed to the 24-day challenge, was that I KNEW I would have someone that would hold me VERY accountable & someone that was accessible to HELP me when I needed it. Through this challenge & with the help of my friend I will LEARN to eat healthier. From reading Pastor Warren's book: I also know that it takes about 40 days to FORM a new habit. That is why I decided to couple the Advocare challenge with The Daniel Plan.

Today was the first day of the cleanse. Besides the products I took (shakes, cleanse formula, etc.) here are the foods I ate: (I share this with you - in case it could help you.)

Breakfast: Chocolate Mocha Meal Replacement Shake
1st Snack: Kiwi
Lunch: Salad with Super Berry Vinegarette & 6 small organic turkey meatballs
2nd Snack: Pear
Dinner: Smoked Turkey, Sweet Potatoes, Steamed squash,red bell pepper, & zucchini mix
3rd Snack: A little smoked turkey & baby carrots

I did 50 jumping jacks & need to drink more water than I did today.

If you want to make a change in your life & you need MORE than willpower & a persistent friend or several....go get THIS book. You will realize that you have masses of people praying for you & INVITE God to walk with you EVERY STEP OF THE WAY!

The first chapter of The Daniel Plan discussed why Pastor Warren felt MOVED to address this very issue of our society. It is filled with scripture & medical facts & statistics. On page 19 & 20 I found the very thought that has crossed my mind multiple times over the last several weeks: "If you want to know how valuable your life is to God, just look at the cross. With his arms outstretched, nailed to the cross, Jesus was sayng, 'This is how valuable you are to me. I love you this much! I'd rather die than live without you.' Now, if you are worth dying for, don't you think God wants you to take better care of yourself?" I'd feel twinges of guilt, because I know, like many of you know, that we NEED to be healthier.... We need to BUCK UP....quit making excuses! We need to BUCK UP & RIDE WITH JESUS! At least I do on this one....

I feel extremely blessed because I have a posse of about 7 people that are surrounding me to support me and encourage me, like I will them. Some are doing the 24 day Advocare Challenge, One is doing The Daniel Plan, & some are doing their own OR are just supporting me through it.

I will end today's blog with a prayer that Pastor Warren is praying over everyone on this journey. It is from 3 John 2: "Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well." Amen.

My Prayer for 2015

We had a GREAT New Year's Eve Party at our new place with LOTS of family and friends. It feels good to be in our space and have the ability to invite people into it. I had all the right intentions of sharing this prayer at the party, but there were people in so many different places, plus I'm still learning how to gather everyone together for prayer.

I want to start with a prayer of THANKSGIVING. This year was filled with growth in my business, my marriage, my family, my relationship with The Holy Trinity, my friendships, my ideas...I've read The Bible more this year than I have my entire life. If there is one thing I can encourage everyone to do this year - read The Bible...however you can, in a way that works for you. When Satan tempted Jesus in the desert, Jesus quoted scripture ALL 3 times, which drove him away. Then God sent His angels to comfort and minister to Him. There is POWER in the Word of God. I'm the most thankful for finding the courage and the faith to quit my job in December 2013 and go to work for myself. When I followed thru with it...it was like doors opened that I didn't even know existed. I strengthened so many relationships and met so many amazing people that have helped me and my family develop as human beings. One of the biggest blessings of this year is learning that building your faith and working for God is WAY more important than working for money. It's taken a lot of self-work to own, believe, and have faith in that, but it's been shown to me over and over again and has, surely, given me more peace. I'm thankful for being blessed with our niece Ida. I'm thankful Uncle Fritzi's health was restored and for Grandma Pfeiffer's renewed strength and endurance. I'm thankful for having the opportunity to get to know Nila more. I'm thankful we've found Claire - who LOVES our children & we all LOVE her. I'm thankful for the health and growth of my precious family. I'm thankful for the newest journey I've embarked on - my real estate business. I'm thankful for ALL the lessons I've learned and my eagerness to learn more & I'm thankful for the DIVINE guidance - caring for us when we don't know how to care for ourselves -  The Holy Spirit,

More than anything else this year....I want to be a source of encouragement to everyone I come in contact with and urge others to do the same. I've been blessed with a handful of people that have encouraged me thru the criticism I've encountered this past year. Be careful with your words. They can breathe life or kill dreams. Be positive and seek joy.

To everyone that celebrated New Year's Eve with us and to ALL our friends and family...I ask that you continue to pray for us this year....to support us in growing in ALL the areas that are important to us & to serve as a source of encouragement & lift us up as we fall. We will be doing the same for all of you. I urge you to not only pray for us, but for everyone that was there & everyone important to you. We are all human & need others to lift us up where we fall short.

"Just as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." - Proverbs 27:17

Here's to 2015, continued growth, and being a blessing and an encourager to other.

May God bless you ALL, in the name of Christ Jesus.

God, I ask that you cover these words with your everlasting LOVE, bless us, the people that read them & shine your light in all the areas of darkness we encounter in 2015.

Amen.

Day 42: "The People-Pleaser Trap"

Today is the last day of our journey through the book: The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For? by Pastor Rick Warren. It's kinda a bittersweet day for me. This book has a way of doing that to you. Both times...I'd get OVERly excited to read it, then EXHAUSTED from what I learned, then start longing to know MORE, then EVER-so grateful to have walked the journey. I'll tell you now, that I'll have MORE blog posts discussing specific discussion questions & I may go through it again at some point. I really like to document my journey. I also want to THANK everyone that has read, is reading, & has commented & sent messages of how much you APPRECIATE these blogs. The first time around, I was into maybe chapter 3 or so....& just KNEW I'd have to blog about this book. I'm glad it's touched some of you.

Let me tell you.....I went to post this yesterday & this one was my looooongest post so far.... At least it seemed like it. I had worked on it on 4 separate occasions. I didn't want to MISS anything & then......I had to re-load the page and lost A LOT of it. Coincidence? Not hardly. So.......I regrouped & stopped to REALLY meditate on the topic. What I've actually learned along my journey, regarding people-pleasing, so here goes :)

When I made the decision to quit my job & really pursue what I believe to be God's purpose for my life, I had to get myself to a point where my focus was not pleasing others. Then, once I made the decision & felt like I was in the middle of an ocean, able to go in SO many different directions...I started to lean on others thoughts, opinions, advice, etc. Then....I found myself going down a road that, I really knew all along, I didn't have much interest in going down. BUT....I respected the advice and experience of the people that I talked to & began putting lots & LOTS of energy into something where....I had a passion for a piece of it....but it wasn't really what I WANTED to do. The first consignment auction was pretty good for the first one & the second was nothin' to write home about. The circumstances and what not....aren't really what's important in this story. What is important is that I held that second auction, because I felt like I NEEDED to, to make other people happy in one form or another. I also kinda viewed it as a failure if I didn't have another & we had such a good turn out the first time around, that I thought it was what my customer-base might want. So here is my lesson behind it. WE HAVE TO WORK EVERYDAY TO SHIFT OUR FOCUS TO PLEASING GOD... not people. I started out that way & have wandered back and forth to that focus. Here's the other thing I learned. You will NEVER be happy if you don't FOCUS on what you've got in YOUR heart. What I'm talking about when I say "shift your focus to pleasing God" is not going to church everyday or praying a certain set of prayers everyday. How you develop your relationship with God is your business. I mean LISTENING to the TRUTH of YOU. God puts things on your heart for a reason. You were put here for a PURPOSE. Your purpose is different from EVERYONE else's. There are things that light you up inside & there are things that shut you down & nearly repulse you. You've got ALL the capability in the world to explore that piece of you. What I also learned from this is YOU HAVE TO TRUST YOURSELF....your thoughts....your gut.....your feelings....& that God-given spirit you have that guides you. God is just SO GOOD to us, if we allow it. Instead of wasting your time & energy on making other people happy, FOCUS on exploring & following what YOU know & TRUST. TRUST GOD to uphold you.

In the conversion of going from employee to entrepreneur...I had other challenges dealing with people-pleasing along the way. I can tell you that once you make an unconventional decision like I did, you open up a whole lot of things. It's like you break open & all kinds of rays of light start shining in different directions. Many times we ourselves don't know how to handle it, much less the people around us. The hardest place for me to be in, is KNOWING WHY I am making the decisions I'm making, but not being able to really explain it to others. Here is a lesson I learned. You CAN NOT make everyone happy. You can't make everyone understand WHY you do what you do & you can't possibly have 100% approval from everyone. You are trusting in things you don't see, so MANY of the things you do or the way you do them does not...MAKE RATIONAL SENSE to someone looking in. I mean....there are SO many times when it doesn't make rational sense to you either, but you've decided that you aren't looking for rational sense. You are following what you believe to be true & TRUSTING God for it. Unless you are dealing with a person that has made the decision to ACCEPT all people for just how they are & not pass judgement based on their experiences or worldly knowledge....you won't make them happy. You aren't thinking the same way as they are & someone will have to compromise. Will you compromise your belief to please them or will you KEEP THE FAITH?

I encourage you all to go to the Book of Judges and read the story of The Battle of Gideon, where Gideon (through God's grace) wins victory over Midian. Many of us may be familiar with the story, but today is the first time I REALLY read it. Read HERE: http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/studies/online/judges8.htm for an in-depth discussion of this battle & to see where I gathered my thoughts & comparison to my own life. The comparison I draw is the clay jars & the torches, which are 2 of the 3 tools used to defeat the Midianites. (The other was a trumpet). God had already asked Gideon to cut his troops (which were already outnumbered 4:1) down from 32,000 to 300, which made the odds 450:1. On God's command Gideon ordered his troops (who all had gathered around the Midianite camp) to follow his lead, which consisted of sounding their trumpets, smashing their clay jars that covered their torches, & shouting: "A sword for The Lord & for Gideon." Some of the Midianites fled. Many fought each other because they were SO confused by what was happening & how they were being attacked. They didn't have the peace of mind and the FAITH of God's deliverance that Gideon and his men had. So....when you break your clay jar & your light starts dispelling areas of darkness, STAND IN FAITH, clutching your torch...your light. There will be people that will be shaken by it....confused and in a frenzy. I've said many times throughout these blog posts that WE have to make a CHOICE. You can't MAKE people CHOOSE to have FAITH in something they can't see. You can't MAKE them believe what you do. They have to choose it & until they do....you won't EVER please them.

I REALLY want to talk about another people-pleaser trap, we may find ourselves in. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you do your absolute best to show a person your due RESPECT for them, but it isn't returned? They point out your flaws to others, when they have the same ones. They just might be a little better than you are with it. They put themselves above you & diminish your value in one way or another... If so, I'm sure you find yourself waging this inner battle with yourself on how you should handle it. I'm gonna break it down for you. When a relationship (of any sort) lacks MUTUAL respect, it is your duty to shine light on it. I know it's hard. I've been there. There is a tactful way to do it & it's important that you are doing it for the RIGHT reason, which is to help another brother or sister see the hypocrisy, inflated ego, & judgement in their treatment towards you. MANY times people don't even realize they do it. You shining light on it, gives them the opportunity to change their course, which will lead them closer to Jesus.

"Point to Ponder: Happiness is my choice. I don't need anyone's approval to be happy."

Daily Bible Verse: "Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close." Psalm 27:10 (NLT)

Daily Question: "Whose opinion matters most to me? Whose approval am I living for?

From My Journal: God's - This book has very much helped me develop my faith and affirm some of my thoughts and concerns.

What I can tell you now....You have to CHOOSE daily...& sometimes minute by minute to work towards God's approval. LEAN on others & God's truth. God BLESS!  

I am SO thankful for this journey. I ENCOURAGE you to BUCK UP BABY & RIDE WITH JESUS! I have learned more in these last several months than I feel like I've learned in a lifetime. YOU CAN simplify your life. God isn't trying to make things hard on you.

Day 41: "The Envy Trap"

Today is Day 41 of our journey through the book: The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For? by Pastor Rick Warren. This chapter has been a HUGE help to me. It helped to make A LOT of things clear to me, point out some of my sources of anxiety & made me VERY mindful of the importance of NOT comparing.

I've talked about LOTS of things over the last 40 days....perception, pride, ego, etc. Today we talk about envy. From the book: "Envy is one of the so-called 'Seven Deadly Sins.' These are root sins that many other sins grow out of." The BULK of what I got out of this chapter is how IMPORTANT it is for us UNDERSTAND that we are UniQUe, and that this FACT makes us incomparable.

We ALL know what ENVY is.... It's the whole... "Why is she prettier, richer, more popular? & Why is he stronger, richer, more popular, etc.?" From the book: "Comparing is the root of all envy. Unfortunately, from about the time we each began to walk, we also began to compare." Guys we live in a world of comparisons. I can tell you when you learn, understand, and see how the lessons of envy are outlined throughout the Bible, you can become EASILY frustrated with yourself, & other people. For me personally....I get frustrated at myself when I catch myself in the act of ENVY because I know better, but sometimes it is an automatic reaction. Other times I get frustrated & ESPECIALLY since I learned this lesson, because it really is silly to insult, downplay, compare, build oneself up to knock another down, pass judgement, reject qualities of yourself for what others have made you feel like you lack.... BUT then I think about how I did the same things. Not because I was an ugly person, but because I had been conditioned (by the world) ALL MY LIFE to compare. I was compared to others. Others compared themselves to me. We compared teachers & preachers & singers & athletes & everything & everyone under the sun. I still do it, but now I know I shouldn't & I know how to CATCH myself...divert my attention...build someone up, instead of knock them down.

It's GREAT that one person likes buttoned-down organization, but theirs no need to go around tootin' your horn about it.

It's okay that one person's greatest skill IS NOT keeping their house tidy & spotless. That doesn't devalue them OR anything they've done.

It's okay that you reach God through the Protestant teachings, while another is Catholic or Baptist or Muslim or Buddhist or any other religion or belief. We get SO wound up in the particulars of things. We forget about that part of us that we can't explain....our gut feeling, that place that longs for more. If we'd spend more time working on CONNECTING to The Holy Trinity & other people, we'd accomplish so much more of what REALLY matters.

Another thing that this chapter made a little clearer for me was WHY many times....the people that are closest to you typically ENVY us OR we ENVY them. I've experienced it & when another person is envying me & are being ugly....I just couldn't wrap my head around it. I just could not understand WHY they wouldn't WANT to be a part of our lives or why someone SO close would say extremely hurtful things to multiple people & never say anything directly to us. You've gotta be careful with ENVY & SPEAKING IT OUT. Once you speak it out....it takes it to a whole 'nother level....and not a good one.

I've noticed ENVY among many of my friendships throughout the years. I also believe that I'm not sure how to handle it when someone envies me. If I look back, I can tell you...it is an area where I know I've been envied, but I don't know why. I don't know how to talk about it, and I don't know that talking about it will do any good. But you know...it's not even that I wouldn't talk about it. I just wouldn't know where to start or how to start. I mean a lot of the time you KNOW someone envies something about you, but you have no idea what. I have had a conversation where I did determine "WHAT" they envied, but I didn't even know how to respond, because I had the opposite feeling towards it....like it was NOTHING to be jealous or envious of. Maybe there's a lesson in that. It is simply nothing but WASTED energy. We just shouldn't envy...just be happy with what you've got, because it does NO good. What I also learned in that convo was that once source of envy leads to more sources of envy....and then you realize the other person is in a tangled up mess of it. You have a choice then...to remove yourself from it (for both peoples' sake) or stay around and waddle in it.

I remember being friends with someone & another friend TOTALLY latching on to them  & it affecting me SO much. I started wondering what the heck was wrong with me. What was my flaw? What was wrong with me? Now I know that whatever that connection was...was a blessing to that person....exactly what & WHO they needed in that moment in time. Sometimes I was the person that linked that connection. Sometimes I was a bystander that witnessed it. Nonetheless, it had absolutely NOTHING to do with who I was...It was about the needs of the other, but we are all conditioned from birth to be all about ME.

In some of my past positions, I can look back & see that a lot of my CHAOS was fueled by my envy for another. It wasn't that I disliked the person I envied. In fact, I HIGHLY regarded them & pray for them regularly. I disliked the fact that their journey went so much differently than most anyone else in the company. What is interesting about it is that I NEVER felt any source of anger, negativity, or that this person didn't DESERVE where they were. In fact....they were one of the first people I called & one of the main people that agreed that things were not happening fairly to me. I mean....I didn't even think I should have what they had. I just (looking back) envied the ease of their journey versus the difficulty of MINE. I kinda feel like that person may have too. Regardless, I know now that it was time to move on anyway & it was a stepping stone/transition period that deepened my TRUST in God. AMAZING how God can turn ugly into BEAUTIFUL.

I'm gonna list out the 4 KEY steps to ridding envy in your life. READ the book for more in-depth details.
1-"Stop comparing yourself to others!"
2-"Celebrate God's goodness to others." You know the co-worker that got the position you wanted, brother that scored the winning shot, etc.
3-"Be grateful for who you are and whatever you have." EVERYTHING we currently have is a gift from God.
4-"Trust God when life seems unfair." There is a purpose for everything....as hard as that is to wrap our head around sometimes...it is.

Here's the daily stuff:

"Point to Ponder: I cannot fulfill God's purpose for me if I am envying others."

Daily Bible Verse: "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones." Proverbs 14:30 (NIV)

Daily Question: "In what areas of my life do I often compare myself with and envy others?"

From My Journal: My success in business with other auctioneers: If I'm "better," raise more money, if they operate better than me, if they are more well known, if my pricing is fair, popularity & who provides & does more.

I can tell you...I've cut A LOT of that crap out. Still something I'll work on daily. We all will.

Here's a few more things from the book that resonated with me:

"If you don't know how to be happy with what you have, you will never be happy with more."

"Having ambitious dreams, a desire to be better, and faith goals are all good things, if they come from God, benefit others. and are pursued in faith for his glory."

"If you would like to increase the amount of happiness you experience in life, here is one of the secrets: learn to enjoy the successes and joys of others."

"Anytime a relationship seems 'out of order,' you should check for either envy or selfish ambition as a possible cause."

"The Bible clearly states that the religious leaders had Jesus put to death because they deeply envied him."

"The Bible says, 'When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves to themselves, they show how foolish they are.'" 2 Corinthians 10:12 (GWT)

"Envy is actually a form of spiritual rebellion based on ignorance and arrogance. It assumes that I have a better plan for my life than my Creator does!"

Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus! Don't COMPARE anything....just trot along on your journey with Him. You HAVE all you need RIGHT NOW & you are ENOUGH for whatever & wherever you're headed. God Bless!

Day 40: "Living With Purpose"

We are REALLY nearing the end. In the older version of The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For? by Pastor Warren...the book ends here. The new version has TWO AWESOME additional chapters...that we'll cover over the next couple of days.

So today's a BIG deal that kind of ties this whole book together. If you LET it...this book can help YOU transform your life & buILD a relationship with our ALMIGHTY Father. It has been LIFE-CHANGING for me.....BOTH times.

ULTIMATELY....this chapter helps us to BEGIN to develop our "LIFE PURPOSE STATEMENT." I will share mine with you. I KNOW it will chAnGE, but here is where it is now.

4/14/14 Draft ONE of My Life Purpose Statement:

The Holy Trinity is the center of my life. When anxiety, trouble, stress, worry, or anything else that is the devil's work creeps up, I will call to Him & He will save me. I relinquish myself to Him to use me for His purpose and to bring glory to Him - therefore blessing others and helping others bless others. I will use all of my talents (known & yet to be discovered) for my life purpose: to be more like Jesus, to share my talents and experiences with my church family, believers, and non-believers, to spread his love to all that will listen and do my best to be heard. I will teach my family and friends to love and grow like God wants, so more and more people can bring glory to God. I will help fellow Catholics and Christians learn from each other and learn how to accept and grow from each others differences. I will share The Good News and the way my church has fanned the flame of my spirit and soul. I will share The Good News through whatever method I am gifted in, that will reach someone. I will serve God by using my knowledge and skills to help others collectively raise needed funds through love and support. I will work to strengthen and grow me and my family's depth of servitude by researching missions. I will bring others in. I will work on being happier and more open to accepting God's blessings and trusting that he has me, holds me, and protects me. God is my refuge, my strength, my grace, and my glory. I am His to be used for His good works. God is my center. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." Mark 12:30 Amen.

PLEASE refer to the chapter for the BEST ways of developing YOUR statement. There are a couple of other things from this chapter that I'd like to write about.

"Once you know what God wants you to do, the blessing comes in actually doing it." THIS. IS. HARD. Just when you think you're getting the hang of it.....something makes "doing it" really hard. It can be PEOPLE, FINANCIAL SITUATIONS, FEAR, OTHER PEOPLE'S FEAR, CIRCUMSTANCES, YOUR OWN CRAZY...this list could go on. Just don't beat yourself up about it. I did because I want to do things "right." I put WAY too much pressure on myself.

Also from this chapter: "Don't get discouraged when you stumble. It takes a lifetime to build Christlike character." BELIEVE me when I tell you there are things about yourself that you've forgotten or that you've hidden, or that you THINK you've dealt with....so YOU WILL STUMBLE. You've got this.

Couple quotes to help us work on DIRECTION:

"The Bible says, 'Know where you are headed, and you will stay on solid ground.'" & "Proverbs says, 'An intelligent person aims at wise action, but a fool starts off in many directions."'  Well...I've been a "fool" for a LOOooong time, but I'm workin' on it....& I am making progress.

As a PARENT you can bet that PART of your mission will be to raise your babies to KNOW & LOVE Jesus....& I think to give them the ability/knowledge/etc. to SHARE The Good News. It's not double-duty...It's already PART of your mission......PART.......

"...even Jesus didn't meet the needs of everyone while on earth. You have to choose whom you can best help, based on your shape." I'm sitting here smiling because we ALL want to help EVERYONE & we want EVERYONE to "get us" & we want EVERYONE to like us. Go on & get over it. It ain't gonna happen. You won't even be able to help ALL of the people you run into that you CAN help. They have to be open to it & sometimes you are HELPing by planting a seed that someone else will water. HOWEVER, there is a targeted group of people that you are MADE to HELP. I THINK I'm figurin' mine out, but I'm open for it to be another group of people I'm not thinkin' of. Just don't FORCE it. Really... Step through the door when the OPPORTUNITY flings it open.

Listen here... There really are NO EXCUSES. "What matters most is that you fulfill God's eternal purposes regardless of where you live or work or whom you marry. Those decisions should support your purposes. The Bible says, 'Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.'" Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

The Daily Stuff:

"Point to Ponder: Living with purpose is the only way to really live."

Daily Bible Verse: "For David...served the purpose of God in his own generation." Acts 13:36 (NASB)

Daily Question: "When will I take the time to write down my answers to life's five great questions? When will I put my purpose on paper."

From My Journal: I will start in my journal today. I am thinking about it NOW. Praise God. Praise Jesus. Praise The Holy Spirit.

If you struggle with the chaos of what to do next I would recommend The One Thing by Gary Keller. I'm in chapter three & I'm already ready to find that first domino. ;). Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus! He is good, Good, GOOD to us! God Bless!