What has your stuff done for you lately?

New toys, bling and shiny new things are all something that we at some point or another like to have.  We spend money on new cars, clothes, video games, movies, boats, golf clubs, homes, grills, watches, jewelry or even a new “[hair] do.”  Sometimes our purchases are necessities, but more often than not, they are wants or something else that that we see in the store window that someone’s marketing campaign convinced us that we MUST have.  So we go shopping, we buy something, and then we have either:

a)    toys that are sitting in the house that we no longer use and even forgot we have,
b)    toys that are sitting in the house that we no longer use and even forgot we have and are STILL PAYING FOR or
c)    toys that we use frequently because we made a good purchase for our house or for our hobby

Which one of these applies to you?  I believe many people have an interest in something and spoil themselves occasionally and are reasonable with their purchases.  There are others who make purchases or start hobbies and never finish them.  We then are sitting on all of this stuff that we are still paying for and we have no use for the items.  Or we may still use it (like a car) but realize we could have made a different purchase and saved a little money.

Essentially, in a consumption society like the U.S., your success is sometimes marked by your stuff, but your stuff does nothing for you – on the inside.  It sits there and waits to be played with while we are still paying a bill for it and don’t have time to enjoy it.  When was the last time your car encouraged your dreams?  When was the last time your clothes comforted you during a difficult time?  Did your grill get you a new job? 

Some of your stuff may be helpful to you at certain times in your life, but it demands money and maintenance from you. What has it done for you lately?

Note to Self

Have you ever made a “to do” list that gets longer every day.  These are not your normal “to do’s” but your personal “to do’s.”  You know, the things that you “need” to do to be the you that you think you want to be.  Some of the things I “need to do” everyday are: floss, spend time with God, exercise, read a chapter in a book, write on this blog and other things that I believe will enhance my overall being.  The problem is that I never get around to doing them all, I get overwhelmed, do nothing and then I feel bad for not having met my goal.  Who said I need to do all of this stuff anyway?  Oh, yea, ME!

I am going to free myself right now.  Self, the only thing you absolutely need to do is spend time with God. The reason why is because after you spend time with God, He will share with you the “everything else” you need to do for the day.  Problem solved!

I would write more, but I have to go floss now :-)

Don’t worry, be happy

Tomorrow will worry about itself…

I am a planner and arguably an over-planner sometimes.  The what if’s have kept me up at night even when I think I’m not worrying over something.  My faith reminds me that tomorrow will worry about itself, and that I should be anxious for nothing, but with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, I should make my requests known to God.  

After all, I am to cast my cares onto God anyway. These spirituals keep me grounded and keep me going when I think that I have to do everything by myself when there is so much to do.  They remind me that I can only do what I can do within the 24 hours that God has given me to do it.  

Everyone gets the same 24 hours to do or not do whatever needs to be done during the day. Worrying doesn’t make the time go faster, nor does it help the work get done.  Worrying causes stress, grey hair and arguably a shorter, less enjoyable life.  

Live today.  Enjoy your life today.  Be in the moment today.  Right now, this moment is all that you have.

(Matthew 6:34, Philippians 4:6, I Peter 5:7)

Can Two Walk Together?

"Birds of a feather flock together."

This is something my mom always repeated to me growing up when we discussed my inner & outer social circles and my association with certain groups in general.  As you grew up and transitioned through puberty and adolescence, did you parents, guardians or anyone who cared about you take a special interest in your friends?  Did questions ever arise about who were your “road dogs,” your “ace,” your “crew” or your “partners in crime?”  Did they ever tell you that you needed to watch out for such-and-such or so-and-so and tell you to be careful?  Did they ever suggest that you befriend someone else because he/she seemed like a nice person?

Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your destiny.  Peer pressure is one of the top influencers among adolescents.  I don’t think some of us really understood what the big deal was until we looked around at our friends to see what they were doing and then looked at what we were doing.  Our “elders” knew the importance of being an eagle that soars solo or being in a “flock” of chickens that never get off of the ground.

One of the indicators of where we are or headed in our lives is the pack that we are rolling with.  Are they thugs? Thieves? Entrepreneurs? Service people? Lazy? Kind? Selfish? Caring? Bold? Daring? Silly? Determined?

Take note of your friends and see if they reflect the YOU that you say that you are.  I’m not saying that you should “unfriend” anyone because you believe they aren’t doing what you think they should be doing or because they don’t believe what you believe.  I am saying that if your friends are causing your life to be unhealthy for whatever reason, then you should consider their place in your life.  Not everyone is going to be able to walk with you in the places that God has prepared for you.  Chickens can’t fly where eagles are destined go. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3

Are You Dangerous?

“If you knew who you really were and acted like it, you’d be dangerous.”

Sometimes we try so hard to be who we think others want us to be or who we think we want to be that we forget to just BE!  Some people have a lifetime identity crisis.  They never realize who they are and are on a lifetime journey to discover just what that looks like.  Grass doesn’t have to try hard to grow, and a flower doesn’t struggle to bloom.  Under the right conditions with water and sun the flora around us just exists, and we marvel at its beauty.  In the animal kingdom, eagles do not ask the other birds what type of bird they are.  They do not require lessons on being an eagle, and a lion does not have to ask how to roar.  They just exist and do what they were born to do.

For those of us who are in Christ, know that we are the head and not the tail, we are above and not beneath, we are joint heirs with Christ, and we are the sons and daughters of God.  We know that our lives have purpose, and we are called to live according to His purpose.  His purpose is having a loving relationship with us, for us to have unity in His Spirit and for us to love others as we love ourselves (the Golden Rule).  If we are unclear of the details of our purpose, then He will reveal those details to us as long as we are tuned in to His frequency.

Stop wondering who you are.  You were fearfully and wonderfully made.  God made you perfectly and uniquely.  There is none other like you, and no one can do what you can do or contribute to the world in the same way you can with the same talents and gifts that God has planted inside of you.  Start stirring your gifts, use your talent for love, and BE the person God created you to be.  Be DANGEROUS!