Quit Trippin’ Over Your Own Mess

I was inspired to write this blog today after reading a post by Star Jones.

How many times have you found yourself in a situation that caused you tremendous stress or despair?  We’ll all had our share of life’s ups and downs–but it’s how you handle yourself in the face of adversity that counts.

Here’s what I say:

CALM DOWN!   God has your life under control; He knows how to handle even the seemingly complex situation with ease.

SHUT UP!   Stop having pity parties and talking about your business all the time; don’t you know that the power of death and life is in the tongue!   Stop speaking negative things into existence in your life
and in others.

QUIT TRIPPIN!   When you look at your situations through your eyes, you often read more into the situation than what is there. It’s not as bad as you think particularly if God is in your life; Stop over
analyzing your life.

 

What Principles Do You Live By?

I don’t know if you’ve heard of The Vine but it is an awesome dose of daily inspiration I receive in my email.  My husband introduced me to it when we were dating some years ago and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Today’s message is titled:  8 Principles to Live By and it came right on time.  You see,  a few days ago, we learned that my husband’s employment contract with the Department of the Treasury was being terminated immediately.   Although the news is devastating, we are choosing to live on these 8 principles and act on faith.

God never promised an easy life but He did promise He would be with us through the through the tears and the pain—the heartache and rain and trust Him to see us through.

Today’s message from the Vine has become my motivation.  Enjoy:

Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity…
Proverbs 3:21-22 NLT

People who set goals accomplish much more than people of equal education and ability who don’t. With that in mind, build these eight principles into your life.

1) Decide what you want. But first consult God. ‘Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails’ (Proverbs 19:21 NIV)..

2) Think on paper. Writing your goals down gives them a sense of permanency, plus it energises you. ‘Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity… ‘ Wishy-washy objectives won’t get you where you want to go.

3) Establish a deadline. Without a definite beginning and ending it’s easy to procrastinate and get nowhere.

4) Make a list of what you need to do to. Keep it before you at all times; it’ll give you a track to run on.

5) Convert your list to a plan. Decide what you need to do first and what you can do later. An organised plan is always better than trying to carry stuff around in your head.

6) Act immediately. ‘Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity… ‘ (Ephesians 5:15-16 NIV). Do something! A mediocre plan that’s implemented beats a brilliant one that’s not.

7) Do something every day to move you forward. Build it into your schedule. For example, read systematically through your Bible, call a specific number of clients, engage in physical activity for a given time.

Have a goal you’re willing to devote your life to. And keep your eye on that goal at all times. ‘Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom’ (Psalm 90:12 NIV).

 

Real Diva Beauty Comes from Within

Let’s face it, all women want to be beautiful. However, many fail to realize that beauty begins on the inside and works its way out. But how do you become beautiful on the inside? You will not discover the secret in magazines, talk shows, or reality TV. Inner beauty is the result of God’s transforming power in the heart of a willing soul. He doesn’t simply cover up our flaws; He miraculously starts from scratch and makes us new. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, (she) is a new creation,” Paul wrote, “the old is gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 2:5).

The best beauty treatment is by spending time with the makeover artist Himself…Jesus. God’s spa is always open and the price has already been paid by Jesus Himself. So what are we waiting for! I’ll see you there.

 

The Valley of Storms

Life is good on the mountaintops of celebration. But no matter how much we’d like to spend our lives up there, we will eventually walk through the valleys of challenges. Life is tough in the valleys. Still, there are valuable lessons we can learn in the valleys that we could never learn if we stayed on the mountaintops.

If you find yourself walking through a valley right now, let God teach you as He walks alongside you. At midlife some people find themselves walking through the Valley of Storms.

Invite God to use the storms you go through to stretch your faith. Understand that God can use storms for correcting (returning you to a right relationship with Him), perfecting (to mature you and prepare you for serving more in His kingdom), and instructing (to teach lessons you couldn’t learn otherwise). As you struggle through a storm, keep in mind that Jesus is watching and listening, and He is rooting for you. Not only that, but He is praying for you to remain faithful and learn to trust Him even more. Don’t panic, no matter how much rain falls, how loud the thunder crashes, or how close the lightening strikes, because God is more powerful than any storm you could ever experience.

One of my favorite quotes is:  “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass—but learning to dance in the rain.”  You and David should have a good time!

 

Responding to the Mess in Your Past

What are you doing about the mess from your past?  Is it still there tucked away nice and neatly or is it continuing to create havoc in your life? 

Everyone has a past to deal with. While we cannot change our past, we certainly change our response to it. We can either allow our past to defeat us or we can harness it, and use it for power in our lives today and tomorrow!

Our past can be our quicksand or our cornerstone.

 

Keep Going in Spite of Your Mess

Happiness keeps you sweet

Trials keep you strong

Sorrows keep you human

Failures keep you humble

Success keeps you glowing

But only God can keep you going!

**Make Your Mess Your Message in 2009**

 

Claim Your Own Mess Mr. Greenberg

Hank Greenberg says the mess was not his fault.  He was referring to the financial fiasco involving American International Group (AIG)—the Company he used to head. 

Speaking before Congress this week, Greenberg said he felt no reponsibility for AIG’s fiscal irresponsibility because he wasn’t with the company.  What he didn’t say was he stepped down in 2005 when AIG came under pressure during an investigation of the company’s accounting practices.

 So how does someone who spent nearly 40 years at one company claim NO responsibility for it’s demise and misguidings less than three years after his departure?   What Greenberg will claim though is his own personal loss.  He was quoted at the hearing as saying, “Of course, I lost considerable net worth, but I’m working. My life is not materially changed.” 

When asked would he be willing to give the proceeds from his stock sales to help pay back what the Company owes the government.  Greenberg’s response: ”Why would it go back to the taxpayers?  You go out in the street and start collecting from them.”  

How sad to see this 80-something-year-old involved in such a mess.

 

When Mess becomes More Mess

This week I developed food poisoning.  For those of you who have experienced this, you know how aggravating and “messy” it can be.  Talk about crash dieting!

Of all weeks to get sick, this certainly wasn’t one of them.  Since most of my time has been spent in the bathroom and there’s no computer in there, I have dropped the ball on a couple of important projects for clients.  The problem with that is those projects were due a week ago—which means my illness has delayed the work even longer.

This is what I would classify as a mess because people who know me know that I am always working hard—burning the midnight oil–to complete what I’ve started. 

So what have I learned?  

1)  Don’t bite off more than you can chew for the sake of proving you can do it.  

2)  When mess because more mess, sometimes you just have to let it run its course.  Too many times, we are so busy cleaning up the mess we made, that we create even more of a stink to the situation.

3)  Don’t add anything to make it worse;  just get through it and use the time to heal mentally and physically.

 

Don’t Let Your Choices Turn into a Mess

We all have choices in life: 

A choice in attitude 

A choice in direction 

A choice of victory or defeat 

A choice of bitterness or sweetness 

A choice of healing or sickness

 

The mental attitude which we hold toward our work, our aim and even our pain has everything to do with what we accomplish. 

 

 

“If you’re driving with passion, don’t allow yourself to get pulled over by someone looking for a free ride.”  Beverly Mahone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stop Singing the Blues

How many people do you know who have a “sob story” for everything that’s wrong in their lives?  The best way to change your tune is to keep your life filled with light.    

 

To keep out discord, keep your heart filled with harmony; to shut out error, keep the mind filled with truth, to shut out ugliness, contemplate beauty and loveliness; to get rid of all that is sour and unwholesome, contemplate all that is sweet and wholesome.   

 

 

 

Opposite thoughts can not occupy the mind at the same time so make your mess your message and start singing a new song.  

Be sure to stay tuned to this blog for my new book, Make Your Mess Your Message, along with a pre-order special.