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Please visit me there! :)

Time To Clean That Fish Bowl!

I was trying to clean my beta fish today. If you know anything about Beta fish, they are very resilient. I am amazed at how long this little fishy has lived. I have to admit (please don't call the SPCA on me) there have been times when we went out of town and no one fed or checked on fishy.Every time we would get home I would just pray he would be alive so I could feed him!
I was noticing today as I changed his extremely dirty little bowl his fear to get scooped up. Now, I tried to imagine if it was me, and I was going about my day like every other day and a big scooper just appeared in my house. I might be a little freaked out. So I stuck his greenish muddled bowl next to the bigger, cleaner bowl. He still wouldn't let me scoop him! Doesn't he see I only have the best intentions for him? Doesn't he realize that I have something better for him?!
And so it is with us. We are Gods kids. He has something better for us. He wants us to allow Him to scoop us up and put us in a better place, but fear holds us back. We are so plagued by..what if it doesn't work out, what if I don't like change..what if..what if... And we choose to live in our safe (although sometimes dirty) little world.
I want to challenge you today: Next time you find yourself fearing that change that is about to take place, the unknown- Remind yourself of this: If it doesn't work out, you are a better person for trying and if it does...aren't you glad?!

For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. (Isaiah 41:13)
ps. Fishy is much happier now in his big clean bowl!

No Regrets

No Regrets
August21

Isn’t it interesting, from our earliest of memories we start in diapers and although we probably don’t want to think about it, some of us will end up in diapers. In the beginning we are taught to walk and talk, but in the end we loose our ability to walk and talk. Now stick with me here. I’ve heard it said before that it doesn’t matter how you start, it’s how well you finish. And while I agree with that statement, I also want to challenge it a little bit here. What about the middle? What about the day-to-day, everyday, exactly where you are right now. Let’s face it people, we are definitely not at the beginning stages of our life and we are definitely not in the end. See, we are in the middle right now. And how we live our life in this middle affects everything. We can’t go back when our kids are all grown up and say I wish I had done more with you, I wish I had talked to you more. When we’ve been married for 40 + years we can’t go back and say I really wish I hadn’t nagged so much and tore my husband down. I wish I had relaxed and enjoyed him more. We can’t turn the clock and say If only I had followed that dream God put in my heart and not let the fear of failure get in the way. If only … if only …

You see, God’s been dealing with me on living my life with no regrets. I have a list. I know the things He has placed in my heart. They are much bigger than me. I will not give up. I will stay the coarse set before me. Will I miss the mark sometimes? Sure. Thank you Lord for Your grace! I get knocked down, but I get back up again. One of my favorite quotes is “Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional” by Roger Crawford.

I always tell my kids never give up- never. And when my time is done here on this earth, I hope that I will have lived a truly authentic life, true to myself and true to those around me. I hope my kids can look at my life and see that I have truly lived this life that God has given me to the fullest. I think of all the people that inspire me. I think of the 91 year old triathlete, Mary Stroebe who is doing her 12th triathlon! I think of my bike friend who is 61 years old. His goal is to ride his bike at least 30 miles a day to stay active. He told me he is saddened by all the 60 somethings in the obituary. He has dreams to travel the world and ride his bike and go on a cruise and learn about foods and chocolates and wines. I look at these people and think, wow- if you can do it, why can’t I?! I want my kids to see my life and know that I lived in the moment and to the fullest. See, I can’t get yesterday back, so I better live my life today as though it were a gift, because it is. This was confirmed to me by Master Oogway in the blockbuster hit Kung Fu Panda when he said, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.” We are given no promises of tomorrow, so I better make my today count!

I just did my first triathlon last week. To some it may be small, but to me it was one of my many dreams. If you have something like that on your heart, DO IT. If you have let too many weeks and months get between you and a family member, you be the one to make the call. If there is someone in your life that has hurt you, let them go. Forgive. Let it go. Be free in Jesus name to live your life. If there’s a mission’s trip that has been burning inside of you, start making plans to go. What about that book you’ve always wanted to write? Just start it. You have to start somewhere. If you feel like God has called you to speak but are so afraid, look into those public speaking classes.

Psalm 37:4 (NIV) Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

The Bible says in Philippians 3:14, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” To have goals in life for God, to have personal goals, to have dreams to believe in, to have a vision to serve God, to be determined to see it through.

*Whatever God has placed on your heart, write it out (No matter how long it takes to get there).

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)- Where there is no vision, the people perish
If this blog has done anything, I hope it has encouraged you to live a life of No Regrets! No regrets with yourself, with your family, with your friends.

I end with this song by 33Miles called One Life To love.

ONE LIFE TO LOVE
by 33 Miles
He never thought he cared so much about the minute hand
Until he started praying for a second chance
If he could only do it all again
And trade the long nights that he spent behind his desk
For all he missed
He tells his wife I wish that this moment in this room
Was not me dying but just spending a little time with you
CHORUS
You only get just one time around, you only get one shot at this
One chance to find out the one thing that you don’t wanna miss
One day when it’s all said and done I hope you see that it was enough
This one ride, one try, one life to love
She never thought she cared so much about those little hands
That held on tight the day she left till she was scared to death
Sitting all alone on a hotel bed, the end of the road
The sun has set on her big plans to feel young again
She picks up the phone, dials a number, hears that little voice
That’s haunted every single mile since she made that choice
You only get just one time around, you only get one shot at this
One chance to find out the one thing that you don’t wanna miss
One day when it’s all said and done I hope you see that it was enough
This one ride, one try, one life to love

“I don’t want to survive, I want to live! * WALL-E * 2008

(For their full interview about this song go to: http://www.ccmmagazine.com/just_for_you/story_behind_the_song/11581812/
-It’s really powerful.)

I Have Seen the Light!

I went into my garage the other day to get into our other fridge and realized the light had burnt out in the garage. It was pitch dark. I couldn't see anything. Well, except a small amount of light coming in through the corners of the door leading to the outside. Even though it was only a tiny bit of light,it was, nonetheless, light! I made my way to the fridge by focusing on the light. Without it, it would have been very easy to stumble on something.
The Bible says in 1 John 1:5 God is light and in John 12:46 Jesus says, "I am the light". Also we read in Psalms 27:1 The Lord is my light.
There are going to be times in this life when all seems dark around you, and your not quite sure how to navigate through the darkness. I encourage you to look toward the light. Keep your eyes on Him, and, as it says in Psalms 18:28 (NASB)- For You light my lamp; The LORD my God illumines my darkness.
Trust Him today to bring light in a dark place.

1 Peter 2:9 (New International Version)
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Even If No One's Watching

I went for a run this morning before it got too hot. I know this might sound silly to some, but when I'm running- whether it's on the track at the gym or outside, I imagine that the people are watching me. It's like they're my audience and I don't want to let them down. Whenever I think of stopping I say to myself, must keep going. This morning was an unusually quiet morning. Not too much traffic, the sidewalks were quiet. I heard the Lord in His still small voice as He spoke to my heart. Would you do it even if no one was watching? Well of course Lord! It's You and me, and together we can do anything! Then I heard it again. Would you serve me even if no one was watching. Would you continue to pray to me even if you didn't hear anything. Even in the dry times. Would you still love and live for Me? If you weren't in the limelight and no one knew who you were, would you still live for Me? If no one ever read your blogs, and your gifts stopped for a time, would you still love Me?

Lord, I say today- even if no one was watching, my life is yours.

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Fill Er' Up

We are like a car with high gas mileage. God is the gas. We need to fill up- alot! If you start running on fumes, I encourage you to head to the nearest gas station, immediately! And the great thing is- It's all free! No waiting,no lines, no fee. That's right, no cost to pull your little car over into God's 'Shell'! :)

People Who Leave Footprints On Our Hearts

Isn't it funny how the thought of a certain time period in our lives brings back memories of people. I think back to my time in Palm Springs and I'm quickly reminded of my old roommates. I often wonder what ever happened to them. I also think about the small group of people who led me to the Lord and discipled me. I often wonder if they realize the huge impact they made in my life because of the time they invested in me.
I'm sure if you went back to your High School years or your college days, there are people that just come to mind. Unfortunately, there are also people, who, instead of leaving footprints, have more like, trampled on your heart! And perhaps there are people that it just hurts to think about- either we hurt them or they hurt us. Those are the ones that we really don't want to dwell on too much.
I think sometimes, when we're in the moment, just living our day to day lives, we're not thinking about who's in our circle and how we will look back at these years. Or flip the coin. Who in our circle will look back in about ten years and you will come to their mind. You see, in our day to day living, we need to live on purpose.
Those coffee trips with a girlfriend, those girls nights, those women retreats where you spend half the weekend bawling with girlfriends. Those phone calls you've made even when the last thing you felt like doing was talking on the phone, the funny card you sent to lift someones spirits. All of these things will go into the scrapbook of our hearts as the years pass, and we say, "remember when?".
Even as I write this, I am sure there are people leaving footprints on your heart and likewise you are touching lives, making memories. Leaving your own prints on what is now the present and will someday be the past.
In this season of your life I encourage you to live on purpose- And yes, footprints will follow.

1 Thess. 5:11 Therefore comfort one another and edify one another , just as you also are doing