Christmas Has Come and Gone...........

Hi Gang!

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas 2017!

It's so hard to believe that Monday we'll enter into 2018.  

Today it's bitter cold here in Wisconsin.  We're at a balmy -16* with the wind chill.  We're under a wind chill advisory until noon tomorrow.  Oh the joys of living in Wisconsin! LOL

I was able to spend time with my kids and grandkids over the holidays which is always amazing.  No gifts can ever replace time with loved ones.  

If you can believe it, I've already seen pics of Valentine's Day candy in the stores before Christmas actually occurred.  While I understand that stores need to sell their products, they could at least wait until the current holiday has passed.

Now my next biggest decision is when to take down my Christmas Tree.  Considering the fact it's only been up a week and a half, I don't know. LOL I do enjoy the soft glow of the lights at night while I'm watching tv. Makes it feel a bit like a Norman Rockwell painting..........LOL

Of course, this is during the day, but hey, you get my meaning. LOL

I pray that you're healthy, happy, safe, and I pray that you have P.E.A.C.E. in your life.

Until we meet again my friends, have a great week and let me know what you plan to do to ring in the new year!  I plan on sleeping, just like I always do! LOL

Love,

Luke Bryan - Light It Up (Audio)

Feeling Alone In The Midst............... Unhealthy Thought Paths...........

Hi Gang!

We're on the final countdown to Christmas.  Are you ready?  I still have a couple things to buy, but for the most part I'm as ready as I'll ever be.  I'm just shocked at myself that I actually put up my tree! LOL

Have you ever been in the midst of a bunch of people yet felt so alone?  That happens to me more times than I care to admit to.  I struggle with feeling as though I fit in.  I've always felt that way.  I've never felt smart enough or that I 'looked' as though I fit into a particular situation or group.

I've always been the kind of person who never wants to bother anyone, who tries to handle their own issues on their own, feeling as though I'll get looked down on if I ask for help because I should be smart enough to fix things or to just not have gotten myself into certain situations in the first place.

Look, we ALL have issues.  We're ALL human beings just trying to survive in this world.  If it were someone else afraid to ask for help, I'd be the first one to tell them not to be afraid and that there's no shame in asking for help, but when it comes to myself, I have a different set of standards.  It's as if I feel as though I'm not worthy of help.  

Do you see what's happening here?  It's a mind thing. Daily we need to renew our minds.

Romans 12:2The Message (MSG)

Place Your Life Before God

12 1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Romans 12:2New International Version (NIV)

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

When we get into these ruts of feeling lonely in a crowd or have feelings of unworthiness, we need to break those thought paths because they're just not healthy.  We need to turn our way of thinking around to a positive direction.

Proverbs 3:7-8New International Version (NIV)

                              

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;

    fear the Lord and shun evil.

 

8 This will bring health to your body

    and nourishment to your bones.

Proverbs 17:22English Standard Version (ESV)

A joyful heart is good medicine,

    but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Acts 26:2King James Version (KJV)

2 I think myself happy

Something that's a wonderful help is writing in a journal.  To get your thoughts down on paper and out of your head can be a tremendous help!  Also, talking with friends, doing a project you've been putting off, going for a drive, etc.... can be great things to change your thought path.

Years ago when I was going through my divorce, my son and I would be driving along heading to go shopping and we'd be riding in silence or listening to the radio.  So many negative/anxiety filled thoughts would consume my mind and I would ask my son to talk to me about anything because my mind wasn't in a good place at the moment.  By him talking about school or friends or some joke he'd seen on Facebook or Vine (when it was still a thing LOL), would divert my mind and get me into a much better place.

Sometimes just being with someone isn't enough, sometimes you need to talk.  You don't need to always talk about those negative thoughts.  The more we dwell on them the deeper we can plunge ourselves into a place of chaos and anxiety.  Once you've shared what you're going through, talk on other things.  Get your mind on positive things.

I pray that you're healthy, happy, safe and I pray that you have P.E.A.C.E. in your life!

Until we meet again my friends, get out there and finish up your Christmas shopping! LOL

Love,

DON'T Settle.........................and RANT..............

Hi Gang!

How many of you are happy for Friday?  I know I am.

I'm coming here with sheer irritation this morning for reasons I can't fully disclose.  But what I DO want to share is the fact that no one should ever SETTLE for someone, to be mistreated in any way and put up with it for the sake of being in a relationship with them.  

Proverbs 17:1 (NKJV)

Better is a dry morsel with quietness,

Than a house full of feasting[a] with strife.

In my own life I've put up with so much.  Being talked down to, being overlooked, watching as the guy looks at/ogles over other women, being ignored, expected to work like a man doing heavy manual labor, being called derogatory names, and the list goes on and on.......  All the while I was giving my total devotion, love, buying things, going above and beyond expectation only to get ignored/mistreated.  

I SETTLED all for the sake of having someone in my life as a significant other.  Shake my head....

I'm telling you right now that if you're in a relationship with someone who doesn't treat you right, who doesn't adore you and love you completely just as you are (personality, looks, weight, etc...) or who ignores you or doesn't respond to phone calls or texts from you, you need to step back and take a long hard look at what type of relationship you're actually in.  At that point, you can pretty much figure it's just one sided. 

Real love doesn't work that way.

(Preaching to myself here. LOL)

Some people just don't know what they want and have no business being in any type of relationship.  When they do, it pulls the other person away from a potential someone who will actually treat them with the love and respect they deserve.

As you can see, I'm feeling pretty 'passionate' about this thought path today! 

While I'm on my ranting soap box, what is up with all the double standards so many men have?  They can have a pot belly and/or a bald head, but the women they pursue are expected to look like a Barbie doll, perfect figure, blonde, etc.....  SERIOUSLY?????  Have ya looked in the mirror lately?  I've watched a multitude of music videos and those are the same way.........the singer can be scraggly looking or have a pot belly or half their teeth missing, but the girls are always the image of perfection.

What ever happened to getting to know someone?  

When I was in high school, I was always looked down upon because I was overweight.  The guys always made fun of me and many of the girls talked down to me with condescension.  For all of them, in their eyes, my weight determined who I was, what type of a person I was.  In their eyes my weight defined me as stupid, worthless, ugly, etc...  Because they didn't have weight issue, it made them superior in their own eyes.  I have noticed over the years that many of those same ones that made fun of me ended up marrying someone who wasn't 'perfect', who carried extra weight.  I found it quite ironic.

I'm just ready for 2018 to start fresh and wash away 2017 of all it's craziness.  I'm ready to start truly figuring out my likes and dislikes, what I'm willing to put up with and what I'm definitely NOT willing to put up with.  I'm also praying for the discernment in all things and the strength to not just 'go with the flow' of whatever comes across my path, and also the ability to see my truth worth.  

I am NOT what I weigh.  I am kind, loving, generous, a good listener, a good hugger, devoted, caring, etc... I'm not perfect by any means, but I am a good person.  I just need to keep reminding myself of that.

I pray that you're healthy, happy, safe and I pray that you have P.E.A.C.E. in your life.

Until we meet again my friends, have a fabulous weekend and always remind yourself how special you are and that you're loved!

Love,

Colt Ford - Reload (feat. Taylor Ray Holbrook) [Official Video]

Anxiety..........

Hi Gang!

It's a beautiful cold day in Wisconsin.  The sun is trying to peek through the clouds and it's a balmy 31*!

I wanted to talk about something today that I don't often talk about.  It's my anxiety.  

I guess it's something I've dealt with my entire life, but didn't always have a name for it.  I've always had those heightened feelings at times, especially in crowds of people, but I guess I just thought I was weird or something LOL.

I mean, I've always known I was weird, but thought this was just extra weirdness. 😜

In all truth and honesty, it's no laughing matter.  

When I go into a larger group of people I feel so self-conscious.  I feel as though I'm being watched and judged because I'm not perfect and that gives me such anxiety that I feel the need to escape immediately and be alone where I'm not being judged, where no one can see me.  

While we shouldn't care about what other people think of us, I think most people DO care to a point.  Unfortunately for me, I seem to care a bit too much to the point of feeling the need to escape.  

I'm not sure what I think will happen; if I think that people will be mean to me or yell at me or laugh at me or all of the above.  

The feelings of anxiety turn into depression.  I get upset with myself for letting those feelings get to me.  Then my mind starts thinking about what other things I'm not good at or things I've done or things I've said and I begin to beat myself up internally, sometimes to the point of tears.  I judge myself very harshly instead of allowing someone else to do it to me first.  I beat someone else to the punch, so to speak.  

The negative self-talk can get to be overwhelming and spiral me deeper into anxiety and depression.  

While I do take a low dose of medication, it's not a magic pill.  I still have to do my part to help myself.  Part of helping myself is by getting busy doing things that need to be done.  It takes the focus off myself.  Also writing my blogs and occasionally filming a YouTube video helps as well.  I don't mind people watching a video because I'm filming it alone and I don't mind people reading my blogs because I write alone.  I'm weird, I know. LOL

Please know that if you have similar feelings that you're not alone.  There are many people who struggle with anxiety and depression.  My best suggestion is going to your doctor and seeking therapy.  They can help give you the tools you need to live a happy life.

I pray that you're healthy, happy , safe and I pray that you have P.E.A.C.E. in your life.

Until we meet again my friends, have an awesome week and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,

What's Meant To Be Will Be........................

Happy Tuesday Gang!

Today's thought path is something that I've often thought about, but I sometimes still try to force things......If something is meant to be it will happen.  If it's not, no matter how hard you push/force, it's not going to happen.  

So many times in life we like to be on our own time table.  We want things when we want them and how we want them.  We sometimes get into a mindset that regardless of the circumstances, we still want whatever it is.... a job, a house, a love interest, etc...  

Because we get so consumed with our desire of wanting something or someone so desperately, we can easily overlook red flags that appear all over the place.  But because we're so driven and self focused, we neglect to see those flags. 

The flags you're overlooking could potentially save your life or save you a lot of money or save you a lot of heartache.  

Key parts are:

 slowing down, 

taking a step back 

and taking a deep breath.  

Most importantly, pray and ask God what He'd have you do.  So many times we run in front of Him because we're so excited about the circumstances.  We can't wait and because we're running so hard at what we 'think' we want or 'think' we need to have, we neglect to see the potholes in the road (red flags) and can fall into those holes.  

If it's a part of God's plan He'll make a way where there seems to be no way.  If it's not a part of His plan, He'll block you from it or it from you.  He's trying to protect you from things you can't clearly see.  It's in those moments that you have to just look up and thank Him.  

I've always told my children to listen to God and take heed to what He says.  We may not always like it at the time or understand the meaning behind it, but we must follow His direction.  If He wants to reveal the reasoning behind it at a later time, He will.  If not, we just need to continue to trust Him.

You get angry when He puts you behind that slow vehicle on the highway not knowing He's protecting you from an accident.   

You oversleep not knowing He's protecting you from getting on that plane that was about to crash.  

I'll give you a personal example:

There was a young man that showed up at our church many years ago.  One of the church women was helping him out, but was trying to find one of the men of the church to mentor him.  She had spoken to my then-husband and myself about taking in the young man.  Before the end of the church service that morning I had red lights and flags going off in my mind and hearing 'NO! NO! NO!'.  I went to my then-husband and told him I had no idea why, but God told me that we couldn't take this young man in.  I asked him to please just trust in what God had told me.  Thankfully he did and we never took the young man home with us even though we didn't know why.

Three months later I was informed that the young man was wanted in 2 other states for prior child molestation charges.  My children were very young at the time.  Because I took heed to the red flags that God sent in my spirit, He later revealed why He sent those flags and as a result my children were saved from harm.

Some people may think I'm crazy when I tell them when something like that falls into my spirit.  They can think whatever they want.  I'm going to continue to take heed.  God has never given me false information before and He's not about to.

Remember when we were kids and were told to 'Stop. Look. and Listen'?  Those things still hold true, not only at a cross walk, but in all areas of life.

I pray that you're healthy, happy, safe and I pray that you have P.E.A.C.E. in your life.

Until we meet again my friends, have a fantastic week!

Love,