Beautiful people do not just happen! They are those who have known defeat, suffering, struggle, loss & found their way out. I’m calling all you Beautiful people to be my friends and lets direct our feet to the SUNNY side of the street!
I LOVE HOW YOU ARE WIRED!
Yes, we are ALL supposed to live ethically. But we are to freely express our differences of gifts, passions, and personalities the way we are wired.
(1Cor. 12:17) Paul was challenging the church to dare to be different not to act and think the exact same way..
However, there are many in the body of Christ that want to cookie-cutter everyone into looking and being the same. Sameness makes it easier for us to tell who the insiders are. Just as things like black leather and Harley motorcycles easily identify bikers, Christians fancy certain kinds of behavior that we think are marks of Christ likeness. Things like respect for authority (which is often more brown-nosing than true respect) and compliance (which is usually more an aversion for conflict than true heart submission).
The sad thing is, unless you happen to fit the predetermined collection of personality traits set by the Christian culture, chances are you will sense the pressure to be something other than yourself and Christianity will feel restrictive and have little joy for you. I think Satan loves that. I think he wants us all confused about what real Christianity is and wants us to live in some kind of man-made, synthetic, kiss-up stuff.
A famous dead preacher named John G. Lake tells of a conversation he had with some old acquaintances that graphically illustrates how some folks have a predetermined set of personality traits that they think are most like Christ would be — which means they see those who don’t meet with their standard as wrong:
This is John telling the story :
“Once while I was in Chicago, I met a couple of old friends who invited me to dinner. At dinner the lady, who is a very frank woman, said: ‘Mr. Lake, I have known you so long and have had such close fellowship with you for so many years that I am able to speak perfectly frankly.’
“I said, ‘Yes, absolutely.’
“‘Well,’ she said, ‘there is something I miss about you. For lack of words I am going to put it in Paul’s words — ‘I bear about in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.’ You do not seem to have the marks of Jesus.’
“I said, ‘That depends on whether it is the marks or mannerisms. If you are expecting that the personality God gave me is going to be changed so that I will be another man and not myself, then you will be disappointed. If those are the kinds of marks you are looking for, you will not find them. But if you are expecting to observe a man’s flesh and blood, bones, spirit, and mind indwelt by God, then you will find them. Not a machine, not an automaton, or an imitation, but a man with a clear mind and a pure heart. A son of God in nature and in essence.”
I say, Well-said Mr. John G Lake.
God created you & wired you just the way you are. I think he did a great job. Be TRUE to you!
GET UP! Run Your Race!
Others can stop you temporarily—- YOU are the only one who can do it permanently!
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such away as to get the prize.
1Corinthians 9:24 NIV
What Would Happen If You Pushed A Little Bit Harder?
JUST THINK ABOUT IT…………
(Thanks to Michael Hyatt for these encouraging stats)
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The average margin of victory for the last 25 years in all major PGA golf tournaments combined was less than three strokes.
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The margin of victory in the Men’s 800-meter Race in the 1984 Summer Olympic Games was only 0.71 seconds—less than one second!
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The average margin of victory in the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500 (combined) over the last ten years has been 1.54 seconds. And the prize money for second place was less than half that of first place.
The point is that it doesn’t take that much extra effort to win first place. What could you do if you were willing to push just a little bit more and break ahead of the pack?
Matthew 19:26 With God ALL things are possible.
ISSUES? My Family Could Open A Magazine Stand!
It’s the Season for those friends we have lost touch with except for these once a year “SUPER FAMILY ANNUAL Letters” of unabated success and achievements.
As I fold another letter and place it on my desk. I can count numerous ways my family falls short of the “Super Family annual letter” however there is no need to sift through the details. Suffice to say that my family’s activities this past year would look a little less impressive.
If I had the time to produce such a letter I wouldn’t trade my children for anything, of course. I look at each one of my children, their kindness to others, their enthusiasm, and their energy. There is not much I’d change about any of them. They love God, they are funny, they are good company, they know they are loved and they show love in return. I can also say that although my oldest son kept me on my knees every moment during his teenage years…. I have gotten a glimpse of the future as he is now a VERY caring daddy. If all our children end up being just 1/2 of the parent my son is to my grandson then “Gosh Darn I’m going to have some FANTASTIC grand kids”! Ha!
With all that being said, its true nobody looking at my family would ever mistake us for the kind of family they would use to make television shows about “The Perfect Family, The BEAVER CLEVER type” You know one dad, one mom, 2-4 perfectly poised children.
Those families never discussed financial difficulties due to child support issues, learning disabilities, substance abuse, alcohol abuse, displaced anger issues or complicated family histories. The children in those homes never had to travel between mom’s home and dads home. Those children never had to feel like they didn’t have a home to call their very own. They have never discussed the un-easiness they felt when their parents re-married. Then suddenly Dads home becomes his new wife’s home and Mom’s home changes because a man they don’t really know is now calling the home rules.
“The CLEAVER FAMILY” lives were based on fantasy played out on a sound stage. Still I find myself comparing my family with those families and try to measure up to the “SUPER FAMILY ANNUAL LETTER”
I now see the truth of that old saying: “If you spend your whole life looking over your shoulder at how everyone else is running their lives, you are apt to get a crick in your neck”
There isn’t any such thing as a perfect family. Nor is there one right way for a mother to live her life and raise her children. There is only one right for each mom and her kids. Imagine if you succeeded in making the world perfect for your children, what a shock the rest of life would be for them.
Yes I make mistakes as a parent and occasionally have made BIG ones. However on a good day I know the worst mistake would be to judge us by someone else’s standards.
I certainly, hope those “SUPER FAMILIES” whom I have sometimes envied have wonderful family lives. Still I know from experience that just because a marriage is intact and the cookie jar is full of homemade cookies it doesn’t mean people are not dealing with ongoing struggles of their own.
If I joined those friends of mine whom send those “SUPER FAMILY ANNUAL LETTERS” It would READ “OUR FAMILY IS NOT PERFECT BUT WE ARE FULLY FUNCTIONAL or FUNCTIONING FULLY”
One thing about a perfect looking life: You’ve got to keep it looking perfect. ( I have more than enough work in my life, No thank you!)
As opposed to a life-like my children’s (U.S. Stats show that by 2012 divorced/re-married blended families will be just about half across the U.S) a life-like most families that are filled with glaring short comings.
Nobody who walks in my front door can possibly think we have it figured out. We still are and may always be working out all the “Blended family Dynamics” which started years ago in bringing my 3 sons and a daughter TOGETHER with Craig’s 3 sons happily as one united family”. Looking into the future our Brady Bunch sized family will only continue to super size as my oldest son is married and his brothers then sister follow suit over the next coming years.
This is our present day family roll call : Ryan 24, Madalyn 22, Jeremy 22, Andrew 20, Cameron 18, Blake 14, Samantha 14, Skylar 12, the worlds cutest grandson “Trevin” is 2 and my new precious grand-daughter Airee~Lee 6 weeks old. Needless to mention …. There is ALWAYS something going on. We have school issues, girlfriend issues, car issues, money issues, chore issues, job issues, communication issues, friends whom have issues. We have so many issues we could open a magazine stand! Ha!
Moments of struggle makes us stronger. When one of us messes up, it’s these times we learn the most.
My children know that I will never abandoned them or fail to take care of the important things in our life. Dealing with imperfections, having to share bedrooms, deal with a step father, step mother, step brothers & sisters. I believe all this has given them opportunity to become more passionate, generous, caring people and allows them to acknowledge their own failings.
In the end I would rather be a family that knows how to bail water and navigate around ice bergs, than a family sailing on the titanic under the illusion that they are unsinkable.
Did You Grow Up Like I Did?
A friend posted this on their Facebook status and it was all true for my life growing up so I had to Re-Post.
“My curfew was the street lights, & my parents didn’t call my cell, they yelled “time to come in”. I played outside w/ friends, not online. If I didn’t eat what my parents made me, then I didn’t eat. Hand sanitizer didn’t exist, but you COULD get your mouth washed out w/soap. I rode a bike without a helmet. Went barefoot outside and getting dirty was OK! Comment if you drank water from a garden hose and survived”?
HE WHO THROWS DIRT
He who throws dirt, loses ground…….
TRUST
Remember that love and forgiveness is granted unconditionally, but trust must be “earned.” Trust is the acquired confidence in a person’s actions. We certainly can, and should trust persons who show trustworthy behavior, but because all men have the potential for failure, we should never put an infallible sense of trust in anyone but God.
SHOOT FOR THE MOON!
What Is The Lesson When You Don’t Reconcile The Past?
The lesson for me was presented through stomach ulcers & heaviness as the “Annual Family Gathering” approached. My offense was eating up my health & composure.
I DREADED FAMILY GET TOGETHERS AND LIFE WAS PEACEFUL STAYING AWAY.
Seriously, Tell me how much pain, shame, fear, anger could one body stand? I looked in the mirror and saw a not so young woman. The heartache was now showing on my face. I looked worn. I looked tired. I managed to hold on to my mother’s pain, my fathers pain, not knowing what it was or how to rid myself of it.
Through my tears I was able to get in touch with those experiences hidden, forgotten, buried in pit of my soul.
I had to actively seek reconciliation and offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me.
I was reluctant to try and heal strained relationships because I did not understand the difference between reconciliation and resolution.
I was afraid that if I reconciled I would return to a hurtful/dysfunctional relationship without change taking place and never get past the past.
With reconciliation, I buried the hatchet but not the issues. I found that I could continue to work on problems but now I did so with respect and love instead of sarcasm and anger.
Reconciliation focuses on relationship while resolution focuses on the problem. When I worked on reconciliation 1st the problems grew strangely dim. I found myself as the FAMILY PEACEMAKER. I thought Peacemaking was appeasement. Peacemaking is not avoiding conflict, running from one problem or pretending it doesnt exist. When I would say “I DONT WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!” I was being cowardice, and this wasn’t peacemaking.I have also found that giving in and allowing people to get thier way is passiviity, not peacemaking.
There is also a difference between forgiveness and trust. Forgiveness is a gift that allows us to move forward in life without being trapped in the past by resentment. Forgiveness takes care of the past but restoring trust is all about the future~and is earned over time.
Power Of Transparency And The Strength Of Being Backed In A Corner
Many people need to get to a point where they loose self consciousness because they are so sick and so tired that they can’t see what God has given them
They need to get to the point where all we want is to get well!The point where “getting well” is the only thing that matters! Many years ago.. I reached this point. THANK GOD ABOVE!
I had nothing else to loose in this life. I found myself grief stricken, after the death of my baby daughter, my parents divorce, MY own divorce which I had no idea would cause me emense pain for years. In trying to stuff my heartache I quickly married on the rebound. Which ended in another failure! I was alone raising 4 children and now facing my fathers suicide………..
I found myself in a not familiar place,a frightening, very sad & angry place.
I listened to my brother tell me that he found our father laying in a pool of blood.
He left no note, he said no goodbye.
My father took a gun in hand and fired it into his head.
No words left to be said. Not now. Not ever again here on earth.
Just as I was catching my breath, I was hit with yet another heart SHATTERING nightmare! I wanted to die! I felt HOPELESS, shocked, numb…….
I look back now and see Gods hand in keeping me alive.
At my darkest times of surviving the pain, God would bring my children to mind, and I knew I had to push through.
I have learned the power of transparency and the strength of being backed in a corner.I found faith when my options diminished. when push has collided with shove. I was being crushed by the inevitable.
My will had lead me to this day where I found myself Broken, Bruised, an utterly alone, facing an impossible situation. I had no shove left to push through.
Who needs faith for water? We just go to the tap and drink. Who needs faith for parting of the sea when there are bridges standing strong?
Faith is reserved for those times when there are no options,
I cried out to GOD!Your Will I cried! Your Will Not Mine!
There is nothing we can do but be crushed by the inevitable- or look unto the invisible to do the impossible. Faith must have an incubator of impossibility to exhibit its illustrious ability.
In other words DON’T PANIC! Don’t stop short of the win. The greater the conflict is, the greater the conquest!
AS I HEADED TOWARD THE BIGGEST BATTLE OF MY LIFE. The pressure to turn and run mounted!
Suddenly I remembered Paul and Silas as they were in prison. They had no way out. They had been beaten. Their feet were chained. Looking at their circumstances life as they knew it was over. However Paul never looked at the circumstances in life. He believed his God would save him. Paul and Silas just began singing in worship to the Lord & Thanking him!
The Lord avenged, restored and rinsed the residue from my past away!
The battle I faced that day, the heartache, years of regret, nightmares, it was all dismissed, GONE that VERY day.
I had seen an act of GOD! Everything that Satan had taken, damaged, stoled from me, had been restored! The Lord can take your darkest nightmare in this life and make it a dream come true.
There is a kind of renewal that can only occur in a heart of someone who has been through enough to open his/her heart, to close up his/her past, and to stand in the rain of his grace and tell the next generation the truth!
This is the beating of my heart! The reason I live is to help others find God. So they may know of his saving power and walk in his love.
Mia Is Sunny Side Up! 
