Read to the end:)) Be the change you want to see!

Be the Change You Want to See in the World
The quote is from Gandhi.

I found the poem below on a blog, from stickhorse cowgirls


Lost Generation
I realize this may be a shock but
'Happiness comes from within'
is a lie;
'Money will make me happy'
So in thirty years I will tell my children
they are not the most important thing in my life.
My employers will know that
I have my priorities straight because
work
is more important than
family
I tell you this
Once upon a time
Families stayed together
but this will not be true in my era
this is a quick fix society
Experts tell me
Thirty years from now I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of my divorce
I do not concede that
I will live in a country of my own making
In the future
Environmental destruction will be the norm
No longer can it be said that
My peers and I care about this earth
It will be evident that
My generation is apathetic and lethargic
It is foolish to presume that
There is hope.
And all of this will come true unless we choose to reverse it.
--Jonathan Reed, 2007

Now read each line, starting from the last line to the first line (reverse it).
Don’t you love it? Yes, hopelessness can be reversed!!

Gotta get well!

Last Sunday I started getting a cold, I had gotten better, to only feel bad again, today I got up, got ready for church, felt bad, had a sinus headache, on the way to church got nauseated, had Steve stop and get crackers, then had to leave church early to come home and do a sinus flush take meds. and go to bed......UGH!!!!!!!!! The worst part is I have not seen mother all week, she has been doing ok, but had some ruff times, she could not remember her care giver, when Kay was there she did not want to be left alone with someone she did not know:(( of course Kay handled it perfectly, and by the time Kay left mother was ok with Faye, hugging her, mother told Fay she would not want to hurt her feelings for anything but just did not know her.....so sad! I made some pics of mother and her care givers for her to have and look at when she feels that way. I was going to the Alzheimer group last week but it was canceled due to 8 inches of snow:( Needless to say I am putting "I love snow days" plates, door hanger, snowmen up." I am tired of snow days, but it has been pretty and I sat inside all week and watched it.....just ready for spring and summer, anything warmer! Hannah went to the Dr. and her sugar was high so she will come back this week for the four hour test, she has done this before, but they were concerned because she had gained seven pounds this month, in which she had not been gaining much before, she also had her placenta in front of her cervix, it needs to move, she will have a ultra sound to make sure it has, so pray it does, if not she will have a c-section:(( I have a dear friend who is has a mass in her pancreas, she will under go test this next week, keep her and her family in your prayers, seems like a lot going on that needs prayer:) Thankful for a loving God who answers our prayers! I have a full week this week and hope I feel much better......hope you and your family are well. Just checking in with you:0

DULL.......dull.......milk or meat?

Few weeks back I was in Nashville at Don Crossland's church, Don is a man who has been given extreme Grace and Mercy, and Don has not taken that Grace and Mercy lightly, He gives all he has and is to the Lord. He is a quiet gentle spirit of a man, his preaching is astounding and his insight into God's word have come by his own journey of healing. To know more on Don, google him, he has Journey Toward Wholeness ministries and written several books.

That night he was preaching in Hebrews chapter five, when he stated the scripture that you can not hear, although you should be able to, but you have become DULL in your hearing, it so spoke to me. Now that is my paraphrase of the scripture. My life changed in 1976 when God spoke to me and I was saved, I have shared that testimony before on my blog, if you want to read it go to older post:) I was changed so dramatically, it was a total transformation of me. In my child hood there was sexual abuse and physical abuse, I had never shared the sexual abuse until Steve and I married and we had been married about seven years, I shared my shame and childhood with him, God began healing me and changing me, I was such a insecure person, barley would speak out in public, very jealous, just totally needed to know I was loved. God brought about a secure, confident, happy Linda. I was exhilarated for the Lord, I counseled at church and at Living Hope, which was a Christian Psych. hospital, God used me mightily in helping people, in the very areas I was weak in, I have seen peopled healed of disease, healed of a broken heart, delivered from evil spirits, the scripture God gave me was in Isaiah 61. that I would lay hands on the sick and they would be healed, that I would cast out demons, that I would minister to His people and I did, that God would be Glorified. I can not count how many people we helped from the life style of Satanism/Occults. During this time, I was keen in my hearing, I fasted and prayed, spent quality time in the word. Totally was fed the meat of God's word and was off the milk, so I know God's presence, His voice, His word, His power and HIS GRACE! As time went on, I had some real disappoints in my life and things began changing for me, I had a close friendship with the Lord, matter of fact, I do not believe I could go on in life if I ever thought I would not have that, He is the air I breath, but I had got sloppy in my faith, I had become Dull of hearing, when you become DULL of hearing, you will rationalize what you do to fit what you want, if it feels good then it is good, I shut people out of my life except for my family, and honestly thought that is all I need and my sister/friend Sherry Maxwell. My language was so tattered with curse words, I did not even recognize when I cursed, I did not attend church, I could not find one that I fit in, hummmm....maybe because I was a little dull of hearing, so I resisted what was being preached or felt it was not for me, I was more mature. Remember, I have never lost my prayer time or closeness to God during this time. But I had lost a lot of convictions that God had worked in my life, this past year I have been fed the milk again, and I needed the milk, I was not about to digest the meat of God's word, God has had abundant Mercy and Grace for me. There were a few things that happened this past year that shook me to the core, some I have never been able to share other then with Sherry and Steve, that night when Don preach, God spoke to me, I was DULL OF HEARING and He would change that in me, you see when we walk by the laws of the Bible it brings death to us, because we can not do it, but when we walk by the spirit of life, it brings life to us, what brings life to you? for me it is His people, helping people, using the strengths and weakness that have been in my life to help others, I will walk beside you and lead where I can and walk with you and you lead where you can, I need you and you need me, we need each other. Now when one becomes dull, sometimes you just need to be there with them, sometimes you need to lead them, I have had a group of women leading me this year in my 12 step study group, it has me hearing God's word very clear, it has me walking in what brings me life, amazing when that happens, its easy to speak edifying words instead of cuss words, it easy to be patient with others, its easy to share your heart where you are at in your life so you can help others get there too! If your new in Christ then you need milk to feed on but if your a old timer like me and you know the word then you need meat, and you need to be giving your life to feed the babes in Christ. It will be as you give your life away that your will find life and be fulfilled in Christ. During this time I have reached out to many things to fulfill me but nothing works, once you have tasted the love of God then the world has nothing to offer, it is fun for awhile but it only makes you DULL OF HEARING. Thankful God is always changing me, never letting me settle for anything else but Him. Hugs

Bright, Bright,is it too Bright?

It snowed here this week, the first morning of the snow I opened up my blinds to our large picture window, it was so bright with the sun shining on the snow it made me sneeze and my sinus run, I had to tilt the blinds. I said on my Lord! that is really bright!!! You could hardly keep your eyes open. The next morning I was laying in bed, and started thinking of how bright that was, and how bright the Lord is, and how bright He shines in our life, you would think that the brighter Jesus is in your life the better it would be as a witness for Him, but you know I think it is the opposite, when all people see is Jesus, He will be so bright they have to look away, they as I could not keep my eyes open in the brightness of that sun and snow. I pondered that thought and then I realized it is when people see our weakness in us, they see us stumble, they see us fall, they see us hurt, they see us question, they see us get angry, they see us at our worst, then they can see Jesus in us, because they see the brightness of Jesus shinning through all our pain, hurts, habits, hang ups, they see us broken and spilled out but then they see us reach to Jesus for strength and they see a peace that surpasses all understanding, they see us endure and hang on to hope that only God can give, they see us read our Bible, they see us worship, they see us pray, so remember its not how bright you shine, it has been said, you are so heavenly minded your no earthly good, be you, be who you are, let Jesus shine in your weakness and in your strengths, when we are so bright that we blind people with our faith, you have to wonder is that person for real? It is so easy to have a vertical relationship with God, what is hard is to have a horizontal relationship with people, you will never be fulfilled in Christ until you have both, yes you can be safe with just being one on one with God, but the Bible says to love your neighbor as your self, the only reason we do not let people into our life is due to hurt/rejection and mis trust. Do you have a close friend you can tell anything to? If you do not then you may look like that bright shinny snow to other people, and they will stand back from you and close the blind some, what ever is going on in your life you need the horizontal relationships with others, woe is one who falls and does not have a friend to pick him up, woe is one who will not be vulnerable in friendships, woe is one who can not share their weaknesses, I am working on my trust issues with Pastors and Church, I realized over the past few years I have had a intimate relationship with God but have not allowed the horizontal relationship's again in my life, I have kept the few friends I have and have not worked on those friendships very well, but to be whole in Christ and be fulfilled, so I can trust in a church and Pastor, I have to be willing to be vulnerable again in relationships......I have been in a 12 step study group and it has helped me see so many things in my life, why I emotionally eat, why I emotionally spend money, why I react to certain things real strongly, it helped me see some resentments I had, let me see what I expected of others in my life, my own insecurities, but most of all gave me a coping skill in life. As you know I sell real estate and we have a class, Ask For Action, in this class your taught several steps, you can see where you are in your sale and if you are losing your buyer/client you just drop back to the step you need to be in and start from there again, this is how the 12 step program is for me, I was never a drug addict or alcoholic and thought that 12 step was for that, but boy was I wrong, it has renew my walk with the Lord, there is a scripture in Hebrews 5:11 that states, we have much to say and hard to explain since you have become DULL of hearing..............now when I read this and it was being preached by Don Crossland, I knew I was very very DULL in hearing........that will be tomorrows post:0 When we become dull in hearing, we will rationalize the things we do and why we do them, to meet our needs.
Hope this helps you to build your friendships, and for you your relationship with the Lord, but most of all do not be so bright you do not have any close friends:) The basic human need is to be loved...................................by the way I will be leading a 12 step group in April if you would like to attend let me know and I will share the details with you:)

Another snow day

This am I woke about 5ish, not that I needed to, just did. Then I heard the news and weather, it was going to start snowing, if you remember I was to have a banquet tonight, but all that changed and we will do it tomorrow night, due to the snow.......we were able to continue with all our plans. I called Faye mother's care giver and told her the weather would be bad and I would come and be with mother, went over in my PJ's, mother was glad I was there, we had breakfast and enjoyed the snow, then her other care giver Connie got there, I left, but wished I could just hag out all day and enjoy the fireplace and snow and mother. She was looking for Walt when she woke, thought he was in the bed, it is hard for her to remember what happened, but she did ok with it and realized he is gone. She is doing much better....thank you fro praying. I then went to finish up my list for the banquet tomorrow night now:) All I have left to do is my nails and I need that done real bad:) I will take a pic of me and Steve, I have a new out fit and he will be in a tux:) Then Sunday we have Laila's party, hope it does not snow, but it may:((( then time with my girlfriends, fun, fun, fun and much needed......have some major decisions to make about what to do with leading a step study, so pray I know what to do:) well going to bed, its been a long day but a fun day, The girls, Laila and Peyton came over and played with Blake then I made chilli and cheese dip and Jared, Jebb, Mikka came and ate with us, Alicia had driven by to outrneighbors and came in with Alexandria and her friend Kaylie, they did not eat but just visited, they were on their way to get a pizza...April came over this am, then she went to where she lives at the Harris, I was worried about her driving but she wanted to go and did:( I was hoping we could have this day to figure out her school, she called when she got there and did ok on the driving, had one scare with her car spin tailing, hope she does not get back out till tomorrow, then is is to be warmer, she is coming by to help with Hannah's babies, till the sitter gets here at 4pm.....keep April in your prayers, she would appreciate it:) going to call it a nite, so nite nite!

middle of week and still much to do:)

I have a full weekend ahead of me:) Today I worked, listed a home and went to step study, we have two more classes, then will do leadership training and lead a step study in April:) It has been a very positive experience for me. Tomorrow I have to shop for what we will need for a pre and after party at our Awards for excellence Banquet, for the Realtors. It is always a fun time and I am thankful I am not the chair person this year:)) That made me a nervous wreck last year, talking in front of 500 people......again so relieved this year it is some one else:) Then we have Mikka's one year old birthday party Sunday, hard to believe she is a year old! I have some girlfriend time planned with Sherry, Pam and Dinah.....looking forward to that time together. Steve will have surgery the 10th on his other arm, he has done so well, I am thankful they can do so much now days, he is getting some relief. In today's paper the obituary stated Leo Branch past away, his memorial service was today, this is the man mother married a few months after daddy past away, this was not a very positive time in our life:0 but hated to see he past away. Mother is doing better with themed changes:) It is too cold for her to be out, but she is fine to be home in front of her fireplace, she loves it! I have not seen her today and that always makes me worry about how she is, but I know the care giver would call if there was a problem:) tomorrow and Friday will be extremely busy for me, so I will run by for a little while tomorrow. I am tired and ready for bed, Blake is fast asleep and Steve is watching NCIS, so its bed time for me....nite hugs

loss or gain? what motivates you?

Whew!! It is cold here but no snow, rained like a blizzard with high winds, was very hard to drive in:( But I did list a home today and will list one tomorrow, you never know where business comes from, a friend on face book ask if anyone had space they could use for a car wash to raise money for his son's baseball team, which I found him a place, his mother in law called me today to list their home!! So you just never know...I prayed for listings this week, I need some so I can get buyers and make some deals come together, that is how I stay in business, there is a saying if you do not list, you will not last......also Realtors never retire, they just become listless:0 so there you go!

Ok, here goes what I want to talk about on motivation...........we are motivated by loss or gain in our life. If you want to know what motivates you and how to keep being motivated then figure out which one motivates you....I for one am motivated by gain, I love contests, I love to go on trips, vacations, I love to be able to give to others, so if someone is wanting to motivate me, offer me a contest, show me some one's need, ( such as car wash ) plan a cruise or vacation and I will work, work, work to get there from here.........but tell me, if you do not do this you will not have this, and I will say, ok, guess I just do not have it then. So when one is motivated by loss, it would be they not wanting to lose something, such as a job, a home, a vacation.........they will work because they have to and want to maintain their status quo........I will work because I want to play:0 Plus I love being a Realtor........so what motivates you? Are you motivated by worry about losing what you have? Will you go the extra mile to maintain? If so you may be motivated by loss, you look at what will happen if you do not keep on keeping on. If you are motivated by gain, you look at what you will do with your life and you will keep on keeping on, if you are told you may lose this if you do not do this, you may not care, you may say will I will just do something else, or go some where else, because when people take things away from you it does not push you into motivation, you simply turn a different way and make it work, you are motivated by gain. So look at your life, personally, physically, spiritually........when I made a life style change in my eating habits and my exercise habits, I was motivated by gain, I wanted to not be embarrassed about my size, I would dread if I saw someone who I had not seen for years, this year I am helping plan my 40th reunion, I was motivated by gain, I gained my confidence back, I gained my life back! I have seen, especially with teens that they are motivated by gain, example, you can take away the car, phone, tv, what ever and they may not change, but you offer them to go to a concert or out with friends, phone and they will strive to please and meet the goals every time! There is no right way to be motivated, just know your self, so you will recognize when you are spiraling in the wrong direction, then do what motivates you! I think as your older your priorities change, if you have a traumatic life illness in your family it changes you, after Jared had cancer, my life changed, what was important was not important, I realized real quick how your life can change in a moments notice, I learned then to hold all I have in a open palm, then the Lord is free to add or take away, you can never out give the Lord and He will always provide for you, so you are always taken care of:) If you hold it in a closed fist, He can not add or take away and you will always have what you have, probably miserable if I remember correctly:0 So take it from me and look at what keeps you ticking in your life and give it all to the Lord, He will direct your steps, for He knows us inside and out, every hair on our head and holds every tear we cry! So thankful! hugs and nite