Moms! Let it Go and Let it Grow!

I'm sitting at my desk in Radiology at Children's Hospital and hear playing "Let it Go" on the tv monitors in the waiting room. How many times have I heard that song from "Frozen" and from messages I've heard about letting unnecessary stuff go?

But, this day, I'm thinking about Mother's Day and from what I've learned, "What would I tell my 18-year-old self when I first became a young mom?" I would tell her: "You may be new at this but practice makes perfect so LET IT GROW!"

I wasn't athletically inclined. No sports for me. Though I wanted to be "that" girl who stood out and won awards for her team, I didn't even try to go there. But, athleticism kicked in for me many years later when I started running. I learned that God made our bodies in a way that we can't expect to be an athlete with only an "I wish I could" mentality. Years ago, a group of us walked the 5K in honor of my husband who couldn't walk at all. After that, my son's marathon trainer said: "Your son's long, athletic legs came from you! It's time for you to start running!" At first, I thought she was kidding or crazy, but before long I started training. It started with building endurance. Then I was ready to run a mile. The first day I walked and ran, the next day I walked a little faster, and eventually, I could run a mile. Before long, I was ready to run my first 13.5-mile half-marathon.

I wish someone would have told me about endurance in motherhood! It takes endurance, practice, work, consistency, and exhaustion to grow into mothering with wisdom and maturity and grace and gentleness. I found the more I practiced, the stronger I became, step by step, slow and steady, learning, doing, listening to older moms, staying closely knit with the Lord and relying on His Holy Spirit, the better I got.

There is a reason Scripture talks about older women teaching younger women (Titus 2:4-5) to keep on and that's what this older woman is saying to you today, precious moms! You are NOT failing! It takes time and work and sweat and tears. When I say, it gets better, I don’t just mean it gets easier because your kids sleep and are more self-sufficient (although sleep is awesome). It gets better because you get better. You mature. You grow in grace. You are acting out of what you have been given by God. You have been molded and tested, and if you keep on, you will make it. So get your running shoes, pace yourself (oh my goodness, pace yourself), and keep on. You are NOT failing! I'm not saying "Let it go". I am saying "Let it grow!" You're not alone. God is cheering you on and so am I!

James 1:2-4 confirms what God is telling us: "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So LET IT GROW for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."

Born to Create

Our Creator continues to inspire me daily. All of His creation is masterful! I'm so proud of Him. I'm like a child when I say, "THAT’S MY DAD!”

Honestly, I cringe when I hear people say: "I'm not creative. I can't cook. I'm not an artist. I’m not a crafty person. I can't sing. I can't sew. I'm not technological. I could never blog like you do. I can’t play an instrument." I continue to be amazed at the talents and abilities of those who activated their creative abilities! Those who realized that with training, studying, practicing and pursuing, are the ones who are doing what we wished we could do. It started with a desire and a dream and they put those desires and dreams to task when they turned their “I can’t” to “I can”!

Case in point….Marco! I met this brilliant and talented master chef last week while in Mexico. His culinary abilities were outstanding and his attention to detail inspired me. Oh, I know we are all busy and it takes time to master a skill as Marco has done, but he took the time to learn and it has served him well around the world.

My 96-year old friend in Tulsa recently took up watercolor painting. She was delighted to show me her works of art displayed all around her room. She followed in her Creator’s handprints and created.

Erwin McManus, author and speaker, says: "God designed you to design; He created you to create; He imagined you to imagine; God dreamed you to dream; When you were born, you were not an ordinary child. Someone made you feel you were ordinary. You are the essence of your Creator. You are the reflection of God, Himself. You are extraordinary. Now it's time to BE the genius He created you to be -- you are both a work of art and an artist at work."

The CREATOR of the universe made us in His image so we have the goods to do WHATEVER we set our heart and mind to do. I, for one, didn’t realize I could write and blog eight years ago, but I let the creative juices that were already in me, placed there by MY Creator flow and I began to write. Here I am, eight years and 1,898 blogs later and I am creating!

Maybe someone convinced you that you are not creative. Someone spoke into your life to make you LESS. And it's time someone spoke into your life to make you MORE. I’m doing that today. I’m encouraging you to create. We are WORKS of ART.....and we are ARTISTS at WORK. Our homes should be like Picasso's attic -- where we are dreaming and imagining and creating. I'm speaking into your life RIGHT NOW and telling you...."Silence the voices. Get out that paint brush.....and start painting! Get out your pen or computer and start writing! Get out your cookbook and start cooking! Take a class. Buy a “How-to” book. BE a Creator!”

Are You Buff, Toned, and Muscle-Bound?

I hope you’re still reading after that question because, quite frankly, most of us aren’t. But, this question is asking about our “faith muscles”. I’ve learned so many lessons in God's gym. My faith muscles have had a good work-out and some days I can lift some pretty heavy stuff. We go to that gym because we know we need to stay fit when it comes to our faith and determination to keep on keeping on.

Faith is very much like a muscle. The more we use our muscles and exercise them, the more they grow. And the more we grow, the more we can lift and others will even notice our muscles. even when we’re not flexing. I’m smiling as I type this because I am wishing that I had physically noticeable muscles when I flexed. LOL! In the same way, someone who is a man or woman of faith is not merely gifted with it, their faith has become noticeably larger because it has been worked out over time until it can be seen without even flexing!

When I ask for God to “increase my faith”, He gives provides me with increased opportunities to grow muscles. YIKES!! Not the most pleasurable experiences – working out often hurts! Some of those workout routines may look like an illness that we or a loved one are facing; a loss of a job; difficulty in a relationship; struggling with another trial or testing. Each workout routine gives us the opportunity to depend on Him more, to trust Him literally for every breath we take, to spend more time in prayer with Him, and to get as close as we can to Him.

We can recognize those whose faith is so strong even when they are not flexing it. Once we get spiritually fit, the issues that once plagued us (i.e., fear, despair, worry, unbelief, hopelessness, concern) seem to have little effect on our strong belief and trust in God. My post today was inspired by a precious friend who I follow daily on FB. This woman's faith muscles are so developed that through the greatest tests, she still proclaims “Nothing is impossible with God”. Just take a look at her musclebound faith:

“Faith is the only reason I’m still standing and fighting. It is the reason why my “terminally ill” son is still alive at 8 yrs old and now off of 19 medications. He’s never walked independently a day in his life, but EVERY SINGLE DAY multiple times a day, I tell him his legs are SOO STRONG!! I tell him he is SOO SMART!! I tell him he runs SOO FAST!! I tell him he’s such a great preacher!! 😎 I tell him he’s healthy and whole!! His vision is perfect!! His hearing is perfect!! His organs perform the way God designed them to! I tell him he’s loved SOO MUCH and that the same spirit that lives in JESUS lives in him!!

That, my dear friends, is what I call “faith-muscle”. After reading Lori Street Whitmore's words, I went back to the gym – God’s gym, that is – and I exercised a little harder, longer and thought, “If she can make it through so many rigorous work-outs of faith, so can I." What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger. So many faith-muscle-bound people encourage us. I’ve got several of those “trainers” in my life. Perhaps, you need to start with the best muscle strengthening program available. Here are some of the training manual’s tips:
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
1 Corinthians 16:13 “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.
2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good faith; I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Good or Bad Habits Are Addictive

Habit: an acquired behavior pattern, regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary! What habits do you have that might affect how others see you? Biting your fingernails (Oh, I well remember that awful one when I was a kid)? Cursing? Running your fingers through your hair? Being a constant complainer? Talking with your mouth filled with food? Nervously tapping your fingers?

Habits are almost like being on "Auto Pilot" -- there I go again talking about FLYING (4th day in a row!). Once we hit "auto pilot" -- we just move through life without really considering how they affect our lives and how others see us.

Then , there are wonderful habits that are formed in our lives that consistently, and repetitiously, make us BETTER people. From the training we received as kids -- and now teaching our kids. For example -- to say "Thank you!" and "Yes, Ma'am or Yes, Sir". Think about how we were taught to look both ways before crossing the street. It served us well to this day. And it will for our kids as well, forever. Involuntary habits. And, what about the positive habits we have that bring about the best in ourselves and others? Speaking "I love you!" and "I appreciate you!" HABITUALLY. And, those of us who are radical believers in the favors and special blessings that come directly from God......we just naturally and habitually say, "Praise the Lord" or "Thanks be to God"!

And, for those who are facing some major challenges and circumstances that seem out of control -- we just naturally and habitually say, "Praise the Lord -- He's working all this out for my good. This is no surprise to Him. I thank you, God, IN all these things!" Great, involuntary habits, that serve us well when it's good times.....and tough times. What involuntary habits do you have that shows WHO you are, and WHOSE you are?

Who Are You Hanging Out With?

Day 349 of Photo Inspirations -- Who Are You Hanging Out With?
On Saturday, I went for my monthly weigh-in at Weight Watchers.  For 30+ years, Weight Watchers has been my accountability and sustainability partner to keep this girl in line when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight.  I reached my goal weight many years ago, but I still go in to be sure I'm still at goal.....and, it's a great way to be sure I'll stay on point for the Christmas holidays.

I've been wanting to highlight one of Weight Watchers leaders, Renny Berry​, for quite some time, and on Saturday, after visiting with him just a few minutes, I knew now was the time.  Often, when I go in for my monthly weigh-in, I see Renny there -- Mister Cheerleader extraordinaire -- ever cheery, energetic, effervescent, upbeat, and enthusiastic.   On Saturday, when I went in -- he was his usual self -- going to each member as they came through the door with hugs and doling out life-giving words that made each one feel like they were sincerely loved and appreciated.

Yes, we were "drinking the Renny koolade".  His computer was down so he couldn't help most of the ladies, but because I'm a lifetime member, he could weigh me and note my progress.  That's when I was able to tell him how much he blessed me each time I came in and how I would sure like to interview him for my blog.  He told me he could sum up who he is in one word.... "GRATITUDE".  He said, "Before I get out of bed every day, I think of 12 things I'm grateful for.  Living with an attitude of gratitude makes all the difference."  Immediately, I knew we were on the same "gratitude" page.

I, typically, just go in for my monthly weigh in, but, this day, he urged me to stay for the meeting, and I was so glad I did.  Not only was I inspired by his training about living a healthy lifestyle, hearing his own weight loss and well- being journey, but his overall optimism caused us to feel like we can accomplish anything with the right tools, goals, and undaunted persistence and determination.

As he spoke, I looked around the room and saw these posters that put everything Renny said into perspective.  I thought...."what a place to be -- this was a safe place -- it was an encouraging place -- it was a postive place".  And I thought about those of us who often hang out with negative folks, on purpose.  I thought about those who watch negative tv shows and listen to negative commentary on the radio, read it online and they just settle there.  And, have you noticed, negativity attracts negativity?  

I don't know about you, but I'm determined to go to places and hang out with folks that build me up, make me strive to be a better me, and make me look at the brighter side of life (one caveat is -- "unless God has me mentoring someone who needs my encouragement").  I think I'll just keep hanging out at church, at motivational meetings, at Weight Watchers, and with optimistic friends and family.  I like the way Jim Rohn puts it...."You can't soar with eagles if you're hanging out with turkeys."

I think I'll go soaring with my eagle friends today!

The Expert in Anything Had to BEGIN

Ever look at someone and wish you had their talents or abilities or strengths and just wish you had even a portion of what they have? They, too, were at their beginning.....they had to learn; they had to spend hours developing their gifts; they had to be willing to be trained, they had to grow.

I became a pilot, a pianist and organist, a teacher, a securities broker and a real estate broker -- not to mention all the other things I've gone on to do -- because of training, studying, practicing....and determination, And, now, I've gone on to become quite accomplished in the world of technology.

Several years ago, I bought a cell phone that did it all -- talk, text, email, photos, music, internet, games. The nice guy at AT&T set it up for me. I was a happy camper -- ONLY $150 a month for my phone and service. But then, two years ago, my son created a social commerce company, Solavei to lower the cost of commerce and make it even profitable. I was excited to switch my mobile service to Solavei ($100/mo savings) and help people save, too. And in so doing learned more in this world of technology. Now, I am often the AT&T guy -- helping my friends and family get set up on Solavei -- and the best part, it also meant a $100/mo savings ($1,200 a year) for me -- not to mention, thousands of people have joined my network so I even have residual monthly income coming in. Who would have thought that this Nana would be competent in this world of technology? No one, including myself, but I was willing to grow, to be trained, to develop my gifts and to learn. I often laugh at myself when I'm talking about APN settings, MVNO, bandwidth, CDMA vs GSM, etc.

And what about you? What have you stretched yourself to become and do? God planted seeds inside you for you to cultivate and grow. Sure it may take hours and hours of training -- but isn't that what we did as youngsters when we began to read and write and learn arithmetic? Why would we stop now? Let's continue to take leaps of faith to become the best we can be! It comes with great reward. Now, let's wake up those seeds and cause them to GROW, today!!