Who are you? who who who who.....

In my devotion time with the Lord tonite there was a wonderful portion that I just had to share with all of you. (Author Ellen Miller) she says...

She says we want to be accepted and admired, we fear ridicule so we create a fictional character that we believe is more engaging and attractive than our true self.

Here is three tips she gives us:
1. Reveal - tell others something about yourself, others love to hear that you are not perfect, that you make stupid mistakes.
2. Respond - real people listen with their heart and respond with their eyes. The eyes are a window to the soul.
3. Relax - get comfortable, take your shoes off, it is amazing to watch the walls come down when we kick off our heels.

So who do you believe you are? Is she a different woman than you allow others to know? If you've been in character too long, you may have forgotten how to fake it and be yourself.
"You can't live intentionally until you fake it; try being yourself for a change"

Lasting Joy....

In my evening devotion tonite there is a statement I really wanted to run to my computer and share with everyone. Here it is:

"you will find lasting joy only when you decide that others' approval is not important to who you know you are".

Psalm 16:11, You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Joy is a state of heart that you and only you alone can control. No one can mess with your joy unless you let them.

The ABC's of friendship...

I've been doing a lot of study on friendships for the past several months for a seminar I will be teaching later this month. I just came upon this poem on the internet and really like it so I wanted to share it with all of you.

Accepts you as you are
Believes in you
Calls you just to say Hi
Doesn't give up on you
Envisions the whole you
Forgives your mistakes
Gives Uunconditionally
Helps you
Invites you over
Just likes to "be" with you
Keeps you close to heart
Loves you for who you are
Makes a difference in your life
Never judges you
Offers supports
Picks you up when you are down
Raises your spirits
Says nice things about you
Tells you the truth when you need to hear it
Understands you
Values you
Walks beside you
Xplains things you don't understand
Yells when you don't listen
Zaps you back to reality.

Does't just sound like our everyday friend does it, it describes our best friend we could ever have. Yep in case you don't know Him, His name is "Jesus" and He is waiting to be "your friend"...why don't you invite Him to be..

Three things...

Three things in life that once gone, never come back:
1. Time
2. Words
3. Opportunity

Three things in life that can destroy a person:
1. Anger
2. Pride
3. Unforgiveness

Three things in life that you should never lose:
1. Hope
2. Peace
3. Honesty

Three things in life that are most valuable:
1. Love
2. Family & Friends
3. Kindness

Three things in life that are never certain:
1. Fortune
2. Success
3. Dreams

Three things in life that are truly constant:
1. Father
2. Son
3. Holy Spirit

**These "three things" were sent to me this week by a great friend. I pray God will use them to bless you as He did me when I received them. I also pray that if any of these "three things" need to be fixed in your life that you ask God to help you get them right.

God's love is always with you. God's promises are always true and when you give God your cares you know God will see you through.

The Little Old Man...

You are going to meet an old man someday down the road - ten, thirty, fifty years from now - waiting there for you. You'll be catching up with him...What kind of old man are you going to meet? That's a rather significant question.

He may be a seasoned, soft, gracious fellow, a gentleman who has grown old gracefully, surrounded by hosts of friends, friends who call him blessed because of what his life has meant to them. Or he may be a bitter, disillusioned, dried-up old buzzard without a good word for anyone; soured, friendless, and alone....the kind of old man you will meet depends entirely on yourself, because that old man will be you.

He'll be the composite of everything you do, say, and think, today and tomorrow. His mind will be set in a mold you have made by your beliefs. His heart will be turning out what you've been putting into it. Every little thought, every deed goes into this old man.

He'll be exactly what you make of him. It's up to you. You'll have no one else to credit or to blame...Every day and in every way you are becoming more and more like yourself. Amazing, but it's true. You're becoming yourself more and more. Live only in the terms of what you're getting out of life, and the old man gets smaller, drier, harder, crabbier, more self-centered.

Open your life to others, think in terms of what you can give, your contribution to others, and the man grows larger, softer, kindlier, greater...The point to remember is that these things don't always show immediately. But they'll show up sooner than you think.

Those little things so unimportant now--beliefs, attitudes, ambitions---they're adding up inside where you can't see them, crystallizing your heart and your mind, and someday they'll harden into that old man. Nothing will be able to soften or change them...The time to take care of that old man is right now. Today. This week. Examine his values, his motives, his attitudes. Check up on him. Work him over while he's still plastic, still in a formative condition, because the day comes awfully soon when it's too late.

The hardness sets in worse than paralysis. Character crystallizes, sets and jells. That's the finish...Any wise businessman takes inventory regularly. But his merchandise isn't half as important as he is. Better take a bit of personal inventory. We all need it, and by keeping this check on ourselves, we'll be much more likely to meet a splendid old fellow at the proper time. The kind of fellow any of us would like to be.

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap" Gal. 6:7

Oh God, fill us with your Spirit, and help us to keep on being filled in a moment-by-moment walk with you...Take us from this place and help us sow well, and become that old man and woman you want us to be, and all along the way reap a great harvest for your glory!

--Author Unknown

The Christmas Ten Commandments

The Christmas Ten Commandments

1. Thou shalt give thy heart to Christ. Let Him be at the top of thy Christmas list.
2. Thou shalt prepare thy soul for Christmas. Spend not so much on gifts that thy soul is forgotten.
3. Thou shalt not let Santa Claus replace Christ, thus robbing the day of its spiritual reality.
4. Thou shalt not burden the shop girl, the mailman, and the merchant with complaints and demands.
5. Thou shalt give thyself with thy gift. This will increase its value a hundred fold, and he who receiveth it shall treasure it forever.
6. Thou shalt not value gifts received by their cost. Even the least expensive may signify love, and that is more priceless than silver and gold.
7. Thou shalt not neglect the needy. Share thy blessings with many who will go hungry and cold unless thou are generous.
8. Thou shalt not neglect thy church. Its services highlight the true meaning of the season.
9. Thou shalt be as a little child. Not until thou has become in spirit as a little one art thou ready to enter into the kingdom of Heaven.
10. Thou shall not forget to share your joy, peace and faith with those around you.
-- Author Unknown