Today

It has been a year since I’ve “picked up a pen” and written something from the heart. I’ve made promises to you who have taken the time to walk this journey with me since I started in 2010, and I thank you for still being there. “Some bodies” asked me recently when I would start writing again, and my answer has been “tomorrow.” Tomorrow has finally come, and I look forward to the words that God will place in my spirit in the tomorrows to come.  I hope that today is the tomorrow you dreamed it would be – and more!  Blessings…

Dépaysement

A few months ago I stumbled upon a really cool site (Matador) that has lists of some “awesomely untranslatable words.” I, being the lover of words that I am, cannot resist sharing one with you today!

The word for today is: DÉPAYSEMENT (Dépaysement - French – The feeling that comes from not being in one’s home country.)

Imagine being in a land that is not your own. The people, while friendly, do not look like they do in your hometown, the food is different, the air smells differently, the language is foreign, and the customs are not the same. Morals and values are similar but aren’t quite what you’re used to. You’re living in a foreign land with laws that reflect their way of life and belief system – not yours. Alas, you are there, and it is not home. You don’t know when you’ll get to go home… but do you even want to go home?

I have been dépaysement for a long time. I have not been at “home” in my everyday life. I’m in a place that is foreign to me. I’m existing, but not quite feeling like I’m in my native life land. I’m walking around, doing what I’m doing, but it doesn’t feel like I’m totally in my land. I’m looking for something that feels like home.  I’m trying new things, and contemplating various changes all in an effort to live a life that is comfortable, joyous and gives my inner spirit peace – one that feels like home.  

Finding that sweet spot in my life is still a journey I am on, but at least now I can call it by its name and know what to look for when I do. The people will recognize me as belonging because I act and feel like I belong, the food will be rich, the air will be fresh and love will be abundant. I will be HOME!

Write the Vision

“Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.””  -Habakkuk 2:2-3 (NKJV)

Step 1 – Decide to make a change

Step 2 – Define your Vision

Step 3 – Write the Vision

After deciding that a change is needed and defining the change, we now must write the vision. While writing a goal does not mean that you’ll actually complete it, it does provide a sense of seriousness and a level of commitment that just thinking about it doesn’t provide. God promises that when we write the vision (that is God inspired, of course!) it will be for an appointed time, and while it may take a while, we should wait because it will come!  No, this doesn’t tell us anything about when it will come, how it will come or what it will look like when it comes, but we know for sure that it is coming!

If you read anything about goal setting, often times one of the steps is to write the goal. There must be something to writing things down. Sometimes the advice is to post the vision somewhere where you can see it daily and revisit it often. To lose weight, studies show that people who keep some type of food diary or log or something lose more weight. When you graduate from a program or school or receive a licensure, they give you something written to remember what you accomplished. Writing solidifies our commitment to our vision (what we say we want) and makes us accountable to ourselves.

What I can say from personal experience is that when you pray over what God has put in your heart, write it down and meditate on His promise you, it will surely come...

Without Vision the People Will Perish

“Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.” -Proverbs 29:18 (NIV)

Step 1 – Decide to make a change

Step 2 – Define your Vision

So you’ve decided that something has got to change in your life, and you’re forming new habits to start the change with that one thing. The question is what is your end result? What do you ultimately want to do? Or how do you want to be? Who is the new you? Create your Vision!

A ship that drifts in the sea will continue to wander aimlessly without a destination unless propelled intentionally by a motor or guided by sails that receive their direction from the wind. Captains have a destination, pilots have destinations – anyone moving has a destination. Sometimes the destination is simple like where to go out for the night. Sometimes it’s more complex like whether to move into a new career path.

Life is simple, yet complex. It is sometimes spontaneous, yet planned. I believe it should be intentionally moving towards some destination because we are always moving forward with the momentum of the divine prophetic revelation that God has given to us. We may not know how we’re getting there, but we know where we’re going. Even if we don’t know where we’re going, we know where moving in the general direction because we have a lamp unto our feet and a light to our path. With our spiritual eyes we see that we are moving in the purpose and plan God created for us in such a time as this.

God’s word tells us that without a vision for our lives, we will perish. We may not disappear from the earth, but our outlook on life, our optimism and our hope begin to diminish if we move towards nothing. A life without purpose or vision can feel like a waste. We may experience times of wilderness, but there is always the promise at the end that keeps us going. If you don’t know what your promise is, Jeremiah 29:11 is a start. God has plans to prosper us and not to harm us. He has plans to give us a hope and a future – a VISION.

If you haven’t already, get a vision, pray about your future, and start walking towards your destiny.

Your Future Starts in the Present

Happy New Year! I realize we are 29 days into 2012, and many have already set their New Year’s Resolutions declaring what will be different this year. I have done the same, but one difference is that I am taking ownership of my present. To envision a different future is to concede that your present is not the way you want it to be.

I’ve been taking inventory this month of the things that I would like to change. I then started to pray about the areas in my life that I want to look different. I must confess that the areas in which I need great improvement are numerous, and unfortunately I’m not Superwoman – I cannot do everything all at once. I’m deciding where to start and I will start on that one thing.

Often times we try to do everything all at once, when studies show (http://www.inc.com/ilya-pozin/7-things-highly-productive-people-do.html) that we are less productive when we multitask. I’ve decided to stop multitasking (although I still haven’t quite gotten into the habit of turning the t.v. off when I’m working at home!) and focus on one thing at a time in the hopes of being more productive. I’m applying this same strategy to changing various areas in my life. I expect to give more time to one thing at a time for the 28 or so days it will take to form new habits.

28 days – the magic number. If we invest time NOW, then our FUTURE will be different. Time is a commodity just like money, and how you spend will reflect in your lifestyle and quality of life LATER. Your present will not always look that way it looks today. If your present is not what you want it to be, ACCEPT that fact humbly. Give yourself the GRACE to make the changes so your present will be the VISION that you see in your mind. Your future starts in the present – it starts TODAY!

BEYU

In August I visited a local café called Beyu (bee - you) caffé to chat about my life with a good friend. What a message in the name of that café – BE YOU! How often do we find ourselves doing things we really don’t feel like doing to make others happy?

We tell ourselves that we are showing or giving our “love” or friendship when we are really causing ourselves to be tired and sometimes resentful of our friends and family. Why is it so hard for us to say no?

Maybe we are “people pleasing,” or seeking approval or feel like the world will fall apart if we are anything less than superman or superwoman. Perhaps we just enjoy seeing people happy – even if making them happy makes us uncomfortable sometimes. Regardless of why we do what we do, every now and then, you just need to Do YOU!

Spend some time with God, mediate, take yourself shopping, buy yourself dinner, take yourself out and spend all day at home in your pajamas if you want to. When we “do” for ourselves, we rejuvenate and recharge to help others. There is nothing selfish about it. For a healthy you just BEYU!

Newsfeed … December 25, 2011 … 2,011 Likes

On holidays or “Holy Days” we tend to reflect on the meaning of the said “Holy Day.” Today is Christmas, and we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the son of God, who was born of a virgin, died for the sin of the people in the world and was resurrected on the third day after His crucifixion. Today we celebrate His coming into the world. We know this because the Gospels tell us what happened – 2,000 years later.

At the time of Jesus’ is birth, news traveled a little slower than today in 2011. Messages were sent via messengers on horseback, camel-hump or by ship. They even ran marathons or sent pigeons with pertinent information. It could take days, weeks or even months for information to arrive to populations around the world or in various kingdoms. 

Today, we are accustomed to instantaneous information via the television, radio, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, instant messaging and other internet mediums. What would have happened if Jesus were born in the age of the internet?

The social stigma Mary received for being pregnant and unwed would have not been as taboo, and the Wise Men would have flown to Bethlehem.  BUT what if Mary & Joseph had Facebook? What would their “newsfeed” look like?

If Mary & Joseph had Facebook…

Early in the morning

Have you ever gotten to the end of your day and wondered what happened to the day? You’re wondering how 6 p.m. came so soon and why you didn’t do the 10 things you set out to do that day. When we wake up, our minds are generally clear and we often times decide to “save the world” that day – or if not the world then at least give our “to do” list a good striking through. Then something happens. The seconds turn into minutes, minutes turn into hours, the evening arrives and we’ve done nothing. Not a thing on our list is checked off. We didn’t save the world, and we didn’t save anything in our personal lives. How do we stop this viscous cycle?

I’ve heard many people advise that “early in the morning” is when we should pray, meditate, read, workout and take time for the important things in our lives. I have been resistant to this creed for a few things. While I meditate, pray and spend quiet time with God, I haven’t gotten my head around exercising or reading or some of the other things that I am too tired to do in the evening. Now that it is dark outside in the early morning, I especially loathe getting up because psychologically for me, it is still “night time.” What’s the solution? SUCK IT UP!

If I constantly create excuses as to why I can’t get up and do what I say I want to do, then clearly I don’t want to do those things “bad enough.” We create time for what is important – even if the time is in the wee hours of the morning. Early in the morning, our minds & spirits are fresh (even if our breath isn’t!) and our bodies are poised to do great things. 

There is a woman whom I greatly admire who had three children, and she found the time to get up, spend time with God in prayer and study time, exercise, lose 20+ pounds, keep her household running and work full-time while being an awesome mom. If you have excuses, look around in your life for someone who has all the excuses in the world, but still finds a way to make it happen. Maybe you can glean some inspiration from them. There is a special blessing for those who decide to start their day early in the morning…

Butterflies

Today is a very special day for families in the U.S. Today is “el día de acción de gracias¨ or a day to give thanks. There is a story about Pilgrims and Native Americans that apparently started the tradition and here we are centuries later still going. While it´s great to set a day aside to “remember” to be thankful, it is my hope that we make a daily practice of expressing our gratitude every day for life, health, family, friends, food, clothing, shelter and a million other things that God has allowed to be present in our lives. Gratefulness – not entitlement should be the order of the day – 365 days of the year.

Today, I was inspired by a t.v. show (yes, a t.v. show) that shall remain nameless. The writers used the metaphor of butterflies and how it is God’s proof that second chances exist. While I agree, butterflies are a symbol of so much more. They are beautiful by almost anyone’s standards, but they did not start that way.

Butterflies started off as worms – yes, caterpillars are worms. They crawl on the ground, searching for food and are at the mercy of numerous predators. Their vibrant colors provide some protection, and after some time, they stop feeding and start to morph. They become dormant, immobile and “rest” in a hard shell while they are morphing. They are actually are quite ugly during this metamorphosis. Finally the changes on the inside start affecting the outside, and they “hatch.” They break through the rough exterior and emerge as gorgeous butterflies, and live a full, life (sometimes a week or a year depending on the species) blessing us humans with their beauty.

Why am I talking about butterflies? I thank God for His butterflies. Their journey from “wormdom” to being the most beautiful flying insect is an example of the change God can work inside of us. He can give us an entirely new life – make a new creation if we would just do what we were born to do, and let Him have His way inside of us. The change will eventually reflect on the outside, and we will bless the world with the beauty He has created. I am grateful that there are second chances with God! :^) THANK YOU, Lord!!!

Desiderata

“Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence…” - Max Ehrmann

Much has happened in the last month. In the eastern part of the U.S. we’ve experienced Hurricane Irene that relentlessly wreaked havoc on the east coast, an earthquake that rocked the DC area and surrounding states and tornadoes in the southeast. The Libyan people killed Moammar Gaddafi, fed-up Americans are “occupying Wall Street,” which have led to riots in California, President Obama announced the return of U.S. troops from Iraq and Steve Jobs, the apple founder and innovator, died all too soon. There are many other major events that have rocked the world, as I have only named a few.

I have struggled with what to write and at least one of the followers of my writings asked when I would post again. I thank you who choose to read what I humbly write. There have been many events and multiple challenges for me this last month. I have been desperately seeking peace. It is challenging for us to remember who or what our anchor is when there is so much noise and haste happening all around us. It is in silence and in our quiet moments that we can hear that still, small voice speaking to us, “Peace, be still.”

I am finally getting some understanding of what it means to be still. So here I am, waiting in silence for peace to come. Thank you for your patience, blog family. I will try not to have you waiting so long again.

“...in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world…”

“Just a spoonful of sugar…”

I realize I’ve been off the map. My excuse is that I’ve had places to go, people to see and things to do. I don’t have time for “fun” things because I’ve got work to do! Does this story sound familiar?

I’ve been so out of balance that I haven’t taken time for myself or for my passion to encourage and uplift others. As a result, a friend told me recently that I need to get out and get connected to the world. I started laughing. When asked why I said that the medicine I was getting is what I give to people all the time.

So I say to myself and to you, repeating what I said many moons ago, “Get into balance!” Life is too short to not enjoy it and working all of the time is fruitful, but out of balance. We are in control of what we do and don’t do – most of the time. When you can, choose balance, pencil-in fun, rest and connect with the world. Your life will be so much sweeter… “…makes the medicine go down….”