Friday, June 22, 2012

"It Takes Guts to Get out of the Ruts!"

I've felt this way before, but for some reason, this time I'm more emotional and sensitive. Maybe it's my swinging Peri-menopausal hormones. :/ (yes, I'm at that transitional age) Maybe it's the frustrations of broken promises and messed up plans. Most likely it's going so long without having any direction in my life.  Stuck in no man’s land — wishing things were different, yet wary of putting myself out there to get let down… again? Whatever it is, I'm feeling like I'm stuck in a rut.

"Stalled. It’s natural to feel this way when we’re in the middle of yesterday and tomorrow."

My post title comes from a quote someone once said:
"It takes guts to get out of the ruts."
Robert H. Schuller 

I guess, I really hadn't thought of it that way, but the one thing about being IN a rut is that it's not easy to get OUT of it.
Have you ever felt like this?

5 Signs That You're Stuck in a Rut 

 1. Absolutely everything is harder than it should be. Nothing is simple or easy. Every thing you try to do is a monumental effort. But, I'm reminded of the saying. . 

  Source

 2. You feel like you’re constantly ending up in the same situation. You try so hard to change things yet the more you try, the more things stay the same.

3. YOU LACK JOY, YOU'RE TIRED, YOU LACK ENTHUSIASM 

Job 17:9
“The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.” (NLT)

There is a way out, but it takes some effort (and guts), and the lack of energy that comes with feeling stuck in a rut won’t help. So it’s important to take small steps and as you see the results you will feel encouraged to keep going. 
  1.  Change your Routine -  Try purposely changing your routine, with small things at first, like take a walk after work, instead of plopping down in front of the t.v.
  2.  Spend More Time Amongst Nature - Take the time to just enjoy your surroundings and take it all in.(I try to have my camera handy, so I can "catch" the little things in picture memories.)
  3.  Stop Negative Self Talk - When you catch yourself complaining or making negative comments in your mind, stop yourself. Replace negative self talk with positive reflections about your life.
  4.  Mix with Positive People - Seek out positive and enthusiastic people - enthusiasm is contagious!
  5.  Get into the Word - Many verses inspire us to Godliness, Fear of the Lord, trust, service, courage, kindness, authenticity and perseverance. The gospel reminds us that God is not out to get us. Instead God is for us. It reminds us that life is not about our self-fulfillment, but about our faithfulness to Him.
  6.  Get Healthy- Start to work fresh healthy food into your diet and bring some exercise into your routine.
  7.  Give something back - Contributing to others gives us a great sense of purpose in life. Where can you give more?
  8.  Take Responsibility - Even if you can’t always control your external circumstances, you can always control how you choose to feel and react to them.

It's gonna take some "guts", but I'm gonna work at getting out of my rut, starting today! If you are feeling in a rut, too, won't you join me in working your way out? (with a prayer for God's help along the way)
"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7 )
"Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6)



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Monday, June 18, 2012

A Rainboow of Blessings and Promise!

Source

Genesis 9:12-13  And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

The photo above was taken by a local weather station follower, after many days of hot, dry weather. There is just something about a refreshing rain, followed by a gorgeous rainbow! It reminds me of God's promises to me, no matter what I am going through in life or how I am feeling. So much is uncertain, but there is one thing that is certain. , . God will keep His covenant with us. He is always with us and all who are His children will see Him in heaven someday! What an encouragement!!

May you find refreshing hope in Christ this week. Remember to always give thanks for all of His blessings to you! 
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Matthew 11:28-29
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Isaiah 40:29-31
He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.
Philippians 4:19
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:37-39
No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Proverbs 1:33
But all who listen to me will live in peace,
untroubled by fear of harm.”
John 14:27
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
Romans 10:9
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sharing the blessings God has bestowed upon me as I take part in the Joy Dare.
3 gifts smelled.
794. Figuring out what was causing a bad smell in the kitchen and fixing the issue.
795.  A new lily my hubby bought me, just because! :)
796.  Freshly cleaned/shampooed carpets!

A gift unexpected, unwanted, unlikely.
797. Unexpected - A nice rain shower, after some very hot, dry days.
798. Unwanted - Roadblocks in helping a friend serve in church.
799. Unlikely - Reconnecting with my husband's daughter and her family....with the possibility of seeing more of each other.

3 gifts in His word.

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 
801. Job 31:4
Does he not see my ways
    and count my every step?
802. Psalm 84:10-11
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.

3 gifts in your dad. (My dad passed away from Alzheimer's in Oct, 2004)
803. Memories of our shared love for boating/sailing.
 Me and my dad, about 1980
804. My Canadian heritage.
805. A youthful look (my dad always looked young for his age and I've been told that I also look younger than my age.)

3 gifts from your heavenly Father.
806. My heavenly heritage.
807. Ps 127: 3-5  
Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
808. Deuteronomy 7:9  
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,


3 gifts you became  in serving.
809. Teaching the kids about having "no fear" through Jesus in Children's Church.
810. Listening to a friend who is going through some difficult trials.
811. Receiving letters from a single mom that I encouraged through volunteering at our local crisis pregnancy center/child care center.
 
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Friday, June 15, 2012

Check out my post over at "Cairn Cottage"

Father's Day is Sunday
. . . so, I thought I would share some things about the most important man in my life. 
Hop on over to my other blog to see some great pics!
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Thursday, June 14, 2012

How Long Does It Take?


I was reading these verses and thinking, you know, there are some things I hadn't really picked up on before in these verses.
 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.(Ephesians 6:4)

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.(Proverbs 22:6)
  1.  Children (of all ages) need their dad's love and discipline. And God specifically points out that it is their responsibility to instruct and disciple their children! It doesn't say "parents". It says, "fathers". (Not that moms shouldn't be involved in helping discipline.)  But when I think of all the dads that I know, many of them fall far short of meeting that responsibility here. Either they are so harsh and overbearing or they are so lenient and inconsistent that their children don't learn the lessons they need to learn to grow up to be responsible Christian adults. Many fathers are too busy with work, church, and all the stresses of life that they just don't find the time to give enough attention to properly train their children one on one instruction on a regular basis.
  2. The other verse, in Proverbs, has always perplexed me. I know many children who were raised in loving, Christian homes who ended up living very ungodly lives as adults. I also have known children who grew up in the worst family environments imaginable, and yet become devoted Christians and responsible adults. I guess I hadn't noticed till just now, though, that it may not be until a child is "old" until he will turn to the "way he should go". The question may be, "How old is old?"
Parenting isn't easy! That is for sure! Especially today, it seems like our kids just aren't growing up and being as responsible until they are well into their 20's (and sometimes even older). I often wonder if our generation of parents have raised our kids in too easy a life. (I know I'm not talking about ALL parents and not all kids turn out bad, but it seems to be much more prevalent today that kids are not growing up as quickly as we did 20, 30, or 40 years ago.) I do feel that this generation of young people do feel more entitled to having their way, having more things, and being more self-absorbed. As parents, this becomes a never-ending battle of us teaching them right values and the world trying to teach them just the opposite. 

As I'm writing, I'm speaking from personal experience. It is a battle that sometimes wears a parent down to complete exhaustion, times of feeling over-stressed, frustrated, and hopeless.  If it weren't for our Lord and Savior, there would be no hope. This is something I need to constantly remind myself.

 

Favorite Scriptures for “Surviving A Prodigal”

3 John 1:4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 “The lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Psalm 27: 14 “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
Jeremiah 29:11-12 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.”
Jeremiah 31:16-17 “This is what the Lord says: “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,“ declares the Lord. “They will return from the land of the enemy. So there is hope for your future, declares the Lord. Your children will return to their land.”
Luke 1:37 “ For nothing is impossible with God.”
Romans 5:3-5 “We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that sufferings produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope; And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”
Galations 6:9-10 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
2 Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”
Hebrews 12:11 “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

As Father's Day approaches, may we honor the dads who have stepped up to the plate and trained up their children in the way they should go.

God, have mercy on parents with children of all ages and on our future generations! We need Your guidance and wisdom in these difficult times!! Amen.

 
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Monday, June 11, 2012

Five Love Languages

My ladies Bible study group is reading the book, "The Five Love Languages,' by Gary Chapman. This book has been around awhile, but I hadn't heard of it till a friend recently told me about it. So far, I'd give it two thumbs up. It's a great book not just for married couples, but for all relationships; from family members, to co-workers, to couples dating. Our pastor at church has also been talking about relationships and marriage, so we have been studying this subject a lot, lately.  I'm so thankful for a loving, caring, faithful husband. He takes care of me and my son, spends time with me, and shares my faith. We have been married for over 25 years, through good times and not so good times, but I wouldn't trade them for anything! They have made me and us together who we are today. They have strengthened our relationship and our walk with God. 


 From the book:

The 5 Love Languages®

What if you could say or do just the right thing guaranteed to make that special someone feel loved? The secret is learning the right love language! Millions of couples have learned the simple way to express their feelings and bring joy back into marriage: The 5 Love Languages, Dr. Gary Chapman’s New York Times bestseller!
  • Words of Affirmation
    Actions don’t always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, “I love you,” are important—hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten.
  • Quality Time
    In the vernacular of Quality Time, nothing says, “I love you,” like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there—with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby—makes your significant other feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed dates, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful.
  • Receiving Gifts
    Don’t mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you. A missed birthday, anniversary, or a hasty, thoughtless gift would be disastrous—so would the absence of everyday gestures.
  • Acts of Service
    Can vacuuming the floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an “Acts of Service” person will speak volumes. The words he or she most want to hear: “Let me do that for you.” Laziness, broken commitments, and making more work for them tell speakers of this language their feelings don’t matter.
  • Physical Touch
    This language isn’t all about the bedroom. A person whose primary language is Physical Touch is, not surprisingly, very touchy. Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face—they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care, and love. Physical presence and accessibility are crucial, while neglect or abuse can be unforgivable and destructive.
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Sharing the blessings God has bestowed upon me as I take part in the Joy Dare.
3 gifts in what you are reading.
  "The Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapman
776. Learning that my greatest love language and my hubby's are the same
777. Suggesting trying different love languages for my son/girlfriend's relationship and seeing improved communication.
778. Being reminded how we compliment each other and have learned to accept all of each others traits.
3 gifts empty
779. Thinking about being an 'empty-nester' in the near future...time goes by so quickly!!
780. "The man who knows his own emptiness can receive abundance of knowledge, and wisdom, and grace, from Christ; but he who glories in himself is not in a fit condition to receive anything from God." Source
781. The empty tomb!!
3 gifts that made you really smile.
782. Spending a day at the beach with my hubby!
783. Watching children playing in a water park.
784. Getting a kiss from my hubby!

A gift at 8, at 12, at 2
785. Quiet morning, walking through my garden.
786. My son, who just walked in the door, saying, 'hi, mom' ! :)
787. Going to a graduation open house...being reminded how our kids grow up SO fast.
3 gifts painted.
788. On terracotta pots: my first time using chalkboard paint.
789. Painted on 2 new teacups to match my teapot.
790. Son's girlfriend went with me to Pottery Bayou and also painted a coffee mug.
3 gifts full.
791. A weekend, full of activities and fun!
792. In spite of physical hardships, my heart is full, knowing God is my great Healer!!
793. Paul's prayer for the Ephesians, though they participated in "the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Eph. 1:23), was that they might "be filled up to all the fullness of God" (Eph. 3:19), "to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13). Such is the basis of our consideration of the fullness of God in man. (source)

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Friday, June 8, 2012

Ready or Not, Here I Go Blogging Again!

Happy weekend, blogger-land fans! How was everyone's week?  Mine definitely has been a roller-coaster ride and sometimes I think I am so nauseated by ups and downs that I would like to get off, please!! Ever feel like this?
                                                                                          Source: Uploaded by user via Ann on Pinterest


But, I'm still hanging in there!
If you are new to this blog, you may want to read my story in the section above this post, named "More About My Poll."
I had been waiting till we had confirmed that our current house situation would go through to make a decision, but alas, it is not meant to be at this time. There have been more surprises in this house sale than what's under the tree at Christmastime! Currently, we are back to square one in waiting for a buyer.  Before this had happened, I got so excited at the thought of creating my new blog, because it will be mostly written with the lake cottage life in mind. And even though we aren't there yet, our current place of residence still has quite a 'cottage' feel to it. Also, being just a few short miles away from several lakes makes taking photos and writing about where I hope someday we will be, so I have decided to go ahead and start writing in my new blog. But first, the name...

Well, the votes were counted and it looks like we have a winner, not by far, though.  There was a wide variety of votes, with every name option, except 2, having at least 1 vote. First and second choices were close, though.

Do you want to know the name of my new blog?

Well, just hop on over to this link HERE.

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Everything is Blooming!!

Well, if it wasn't evident in my last post, it’s definitely very evident this time around!! Spring has sprung!!! We’ve been keeping so ...

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