If You Don’t Use It – You’ll Lose It!

My precious mom said to her doctor “Doc, some mornings I just don’t want to get out of bed!” His reply? “The day you decide to do that, count on being bedridden very soon. In essence, he was saying “If you don’t use it – you’ll lose it!” These days – our minds are on overload, so much so, – the opposite is true: If we overuse it – we’ll lose it!

My sis-in-law was coming over to see me. I gave her the easy directions. “Turn into the community at the gate and just turn right at the first street and it’s the first home on the right.” I watched out for her. She turned right but went to the first house on the left. I overheard her talking to her husband on her cell phone: “I can’t do two things at the same time – drive and follow directions.” I get it. We need to be fine-tuned!.

I’ve been reading up on “powering up” our brains and I've found out some things that can boggle our brains – one of which is all the multi-tasking that we do. While on our phones, we’ll be driving, eating, telling our kids to stop arguing, remembering another item for the grocery list, etc. Bottom line – being focused not only saves our brain’s power (over-using it), but it also saves us from being distracted and having an accident. I read that a recent neuroscience research proved the human brain is unable to consciously pay full attention to two tasks at the same time (thus my sweet sis-in-law's dilemma).. Sure, we can do simple tasks like walking and talking at the same time – maybe even chewing gum along with it, but when it comes to true multi-tasking, our brain shouldn’t do it.
’t do it. Yikes! Think about all that multi-tasking we’re doing while driving – talking on our phones, eating, etc.

Helping us to not overuse our brain is “powering it down” when we get the sleep we need. A sleep-deprived brain works harder, but accomplishes less. It becomes more difficult to concentrate, speak clearly, and make decisions. I’m making sure I get as many zzzz’s as I can to keep my brain powered up!

And, “powering up” our brain is powering up our attitudes that cultivate good habits like, enjoying life, laughing often, developing an optimistic outlook and being sure to free our minds of stress and anxiety. And above all – STOP saying, even in a “just joking” way “I’m losing my mind!” Instead, we should daily “power up” our brains by keeping our minds on God’s Word – even memorizing scriptures that help guarantee sound and healthy minds! Let’s speak these kinds of affirmations from God’s Word:

~ I have the mind of Christ! (1 Corinthians 2:16)
~ My mind is renewed daily! (Romans 12:2)
~ His mind is in me! (Philippians 2:5)
~ My mind is in perfect peace because it stays on God. (Isaiah 26:3)
~ I love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul and MIND. (Matthew 22:37)
~ Daily, I think on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. Philippians 4:8

I’m in for the long haul so rather than my mind being used “mindlessly”, I’m “powering up” to be sure I live up to the best version of me that I can be! How about you?

“I refuse to give in to my fears. For God did not give me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a SOUND mind!”
2 Timothy 1:7

Life is Good. Life is Fun.

It's an awesome Sunday when you start with a spectacular view of The Olympic Mts to the West, Mt Rainier to the South and then having an amazing time of praising and worshipping God, seeing over 15 people baptized at The City Church in Kirkland, WA -- home church for many of the Seattle Seahawks' players.  

In fact, Pastor Judah Smith is the Chaplain for the team and directs the chapel service every Saturday night for the players. So, of course, seeing a sea of "the faithful" wearing Seahawks jerseys is a norm at City Church. And, it's quite common to hear prayers for the Seahawks to win their next game.

I read an ESPN interview of Russell Wilson from December 24th, 2015 that said "On off-game Sundays, Russell Wilson (Seahawks' quarterback) is at the Kirkland campus on Sunday mornings -- he doesn't live far from the church. He stands in the front row, sings and raises his hands to the heavens. He doesn't stand out too much, because even though he's a quarterback with great gifts, he's short. Wilson was drafted in 2012, 12th in the third round, part of a Seahawks class that one analyst scored a C and another an F. This was fine with Wilson. He doesn't mind that no one saw him coming. It plays well into his narrative that he was chosen for this, that God sent the world a diminutive man at 5-foot-10, that he was sent with an undeniable cannon of an arm to make the world take notice."

I love that. And, I love the testimonies of other players who have given their lives to Christ and are passionate about being His witness. Of course, I'm a fan of anyone who proclaims Christ and lives an exemplary life of Him, but to see high profile athletes making a statement of faith as role models that our world so needs, is a bonus. In a city that passionately loves their home team, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement and fanfare.  

The Seahawks have been my kids' team since they moved here eight years ago. And, I might add, it's been a great ride for them -- year before last, as the Super Bowl champs and last year defending champs but lost to the New England Patriots.

How fun it was yesterday to host our own Seahawks Party. Great friends, great pizza, yummy snacks, but best of all.....great game (they won big time)!

So what's the big deal? It's just a team, it's just a season, it's just a time for letting off some pent-up energy to cheer, celebrate and be passionate about something that really doesn't matter -- in the light of eternity. But even so, I believe God enjoys seeing His kids enjoy LIFE. Some folks think that being a Christian is the same as saying the party's over, that to be spiritual is to be miserable. Unfortunately, there are many people who don't want to let God into their lives because they fear God will make them give up anything that is fun. The truth is God doesn't want us to live without fun. The apostle Matthew spent three years with Jesus and he wrote, "Jesus came, enjoying life" (Matthew 11:19).

As Christians, we can enjoy life because our conscious is clear. We can enjoy life because we are secure within God's love. We can have fun, laughing in church and laughing at ourselves.

God "richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment" (1 Timothy 6:17).

God wants us to enjoy life.....after all "Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly!" John 10:10

A Beautiful Day To Go Golfing

Day 78 of Photo Inspirations -- A Beautiful Day To Go Golfing
Last Monday was a glorious 80 degrees in Tulsa, and from Mom's back porch, you could see the golfers out by the droves.

And my little great niece was out with her little pink plastic golf bag and club -- hitting her ball right in sync with the golfers. At 21 months old, she loves being at Great Granny's house -- especially when she can be outside. She'll wait for the golfers to come by and watch for the BIG moment with their club connects with the ball. She claps big and yells "yaaaaay"!   She could care less about whether or not the ball goes anywhere -- she just waits for the SMACK!

This is a scene we witnessed with all eight of the great grandkids. Each one played golf in Great Granny & Papaw's back yard.....and when the coast was clear (no golfers around), Papaw or Papa, would take them to play a little on the big course.

Here I am "remembering" again. While watching little princess play golf, my sister-in-law and I laughed as we recalled the golf lessons that our husbands insisted we take. First of all, when we were together, we laughed ourselves silly at some of the most "non-silly" things, to others -- but not to us. So, it was, of course, that way when we took our golf lessons. Like my little great niece was so thrilled when those golfers just SMACKED the ball, we were so thrilled when we simply connected with the ball -- even though our ball would typically only travel a few feet in front of us. Our instructor, ever-so-kindly, invited us to try another sport, because just possibly golf isn't the one for us!   LOL!

Bottom line.....we should become like a little child and get excited at the sheer joy of playing the game of life.   It's time we enjoy it.   So many people concentrate too much on winning that they forget to have fun.   Who wants to live life with pressure to win it all -- and end up burned out and miserable?   Isn't it time we learn to have fun, celebrate each others big AND little victories?    Ultimately we'll finish the 18th hole.....and surely we'll be able to celebrate the beautiful day we had, the great companionship of friends.......and SEEING the most adorable little girl.....SMACKING her ball!!