Dream With a Passion

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Seems to me that June is the month of dreams. More people get married and graduate in June than in any other month. It is one of the biggest months of celebrations, just ask my cake decorator friend.
How many of us live life full of unrealized dreams? We hear people all the time saying, "when I was a kid I wanted to be..." Or, "I've always wanted to..." What happened in the time the dream was given birth and the the time that the dream died. I believe there is a reason the dream was placed within our hearts to begin with. We were made to make a difference in this world and each of us is unique in what we bring. Passion is what makes the difference. I see it in the stories about the oil mess in the gulf. A child with a passion for wildlife raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to save the birds she loves. Another child started a 4-H project years ago that still thrives and is very vital to the survival of the coral reefs. They have done many things with their passion because they have not allowed it to fade and have acted on it.
What is your passion? Are you willing to do something to make your dreams live? The world needs your passion and waits with bated breath to see what you will do with it. Your dream is a gift directly to you. How long will it take for you to open it?

  

Fear

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

What is it that keeps us from doing all that God wants us to do? I venture to say it is nothing more than fear. The Bible tells us to do so many things, yet so few of them are being done by the average christian. Think about it.
We have all heard the excuse of why not to tell God you will become a missionary : "I don't want Him to send me to Africa." Okay so why do we not minister to those right there in our own home towns? Did He not say, "Go?"Yet we leave it for someone else because it is out of our comfort zone and we are filled with fear. Perhaps fear of rejection, fear of not knowing what to say or do. Fear of being sent to Africa may include fear of being separated from family and friends and fear of the unknown. Perhaps it is fear of not having a comfortable place to call home.
In so doing do we not place these things higher than our love for God, idols of sorts? We all know what God thinks of that now don't we? It is time we start moving out of our comfort zones a little more regularly. It is there that we will find God like we never knew Him before.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

4EVERBEUTIFUL 6/16/2010 10:29AM

Fear is always what keeps us from living our true potential. Great entry :) Report Inappropriate Comment

ENVIOUSMOON 6/16/2010 10:07AM

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Remember

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

One of my Spark mails today said to remember the good and learn from the bad in our lives. What good advice! There must be balance in our lives in every area. When we are going through tough times, it is always good to remember that they will not last forever. One of the best ways I know to do this is to remember the good things that have happened in the past and knowing that they will return. Nothing in this life lasts forever. Perspective and hope are gained by remembering this.
It is always wise to learn from the bad things that happen to us. If they have happened from mistakes we have made, it is wise not to repeat them! It is the times of greatest hardship that I have grown the strongest. Though I would hate to repeat them, I cherish them. They have truly made me what I am. I am more compassionate because of what I have suffered. I have found strength I did not know existed in times of weakness. I have found purpose through the lessons learned. I am changed for the good through the bad times. So how can I truly call them bad times? You find out exactly what you are made of during the times you are squeezed. There is something cleansing about the tears, something necessary.
The good times, too, do not last forever. It is in the good times that we experience the blessings of life. That is when we see the fruit of our labors. The good times are times of celebration and times of rest. We could not endure the times of trial if they did not let up eventually. Good times bring joy and satisfaction with all we have achieved. We would become lazy if they were allowed to go on forever. We would not appreciate them if it were not for the rougher times. They would not be as sweet.
So in all things let us give thanks. We may not see the purpose yet, but give thanks anyway. Let us rejoice when things are good and remember that they can be fleeting. Let us be cleansed and purified in the rougher seas of life.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

IUHRYTR 6/15/2010 3:42PM

This is why focusing on the positives, even in the down times, helps keep us balanced. -- Lou Report Inappropriate Comment

WISEONE68 6/15/2010 9:11AM

AMEN! So much of the time we get bogged down in the "bad" stuff and let it overwhelm us...not remembering that IT IS going to subside and fade away. Grief, though devastating, does pass; mistakes, though fristrating, do teach us lessons; and, as I always say to others (and try to remember for myself)--when we find ourselves in a situation--we must find out what God would have us learn so we can move on through...AND, never have to come back to it again. Thanks for the reminder...have a blessed day!! Remembering the GOOD--my !!! Report Inappropriate Comment

4ANEWME2DAY 6/15/2010 9:09AM

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Honestly!

Monday, June 14, 2010

Honesty is the right policy, right? We have always heard this and I think most people believe this. Would you not rather be told the truth rather than be deceived? There is nothing I like less than knowing I have been lied to. I may not always like what someone says to me, but if I know they are telling the truth I will trust them and their responses more the next time. People will seek out those that they know will give them an honest response.
But are we honest with ourselves? I'd bet many of us lie to ourselves on a daily basis. We don't want to admit that we are not the person we want to be. We gloss ourselves over so that we don't have to take responsibility for the discrepancies we see. We often times think more highly of ourselves than we should. We want to look better than the reality.
So today I choose to be honest with myself. I will take stock of the realities and if I see something I'd really not like to see, I will do something to change it. I am after all, the only one who can.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

IUHRYTR 6/14/2010 12:56PM

So true that we are often blinded when it comes to seeing our own faults. -- Lou Report Inappropriate Comment

A Trip to Walmart

Sunday, June 13, 2010

As I went to Walmart today after church, I observed a child, approximately two years old, with family members. She had a shopping cart full of her dolls and plush toys. The adults were discussing how they had already spoken to the child. Nothing they did mattered to the child. She knew what she wanted and they were violating her will. She could not be consoled.
A short way further I noticed four family members. One set of two was going one way and the other to the other entrance. Somewhat angry words were exchanged and I could see the muttering beneath her breath all across the face of the woman.
I was struck by something. We come to God many times, demanding our own way. He can reason with us all He wants, but we stubbornly cling to our own ways, our own desires and cannot hear a word He is saying to us. It doesn't matter why He speaks, we refuse to listen. Just as the adults in this case were becoming increasingly frustrated do we not think that God tires of our selfish behavior?
In the second case I see us become angry at God for things that have happened in our lives and become resentful, so many times at Him for how things turned out. We allow a separation from Him because of it as we go our own way, pursuing our own path even though it may separate us permanently. We do so with arms crossed on our chest and muttering beneath our breath at Him. He is willing to allow the separation, but only because He cannot bear our sin that we so stubbornly cling to. We live with unresolved anger and bitterness and take no responsibility for changing it and as a result our relationship is damaged, sometimes irreparably.
Today let us look at our lives honestly and humbly. Do I confront those things that separate me from God? Do I want to see them reconciled? Or do I want Him to do what I see as the right way even if it is contrary to what He knows is best for us? Do I demand my own way, or else with Him not realizing how much pain it causes Him? Do I allow sin to separate me from Him and stubbornly go my own way? Can I honestly say that I am sorry I have sinned? Or am I sorry He sees it as sin?

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

CARDIFF1066 6/13/2010 8:04PM

Great thoughts. Thanks. Carole Report Inappropriate Comment

LLCURTS 6/13/2010 6:58PM

This is a good one - the bible says the word of God is like a two edged sword cutting between the soul & spirit. Sometimes our will is so strong that it is difficult to tell the difference between God's will and our own. But it is only the Word of God who will reveal the truth to us. We must be able to live our life one day at a time with the attitude to please the Father and know that HE will reward us - we know we don't deserve it but because He loves us He wants to give us good things... and let Him do that - again the Bible tell us he will give us even more than what we can ask or think - WOW! He gives more than we can ask for and its the best for us... Report Inappropriate Comment

PURPLELVR7 6/13/2010 5:30PM

Thank you for sharing - this is really food for thought Report Inappropriate Comment

IUHRYTR 6/13/2010 4:39PM

"Or do I want Him to do what I see as the right way even if it is contrary to what He knows is best for us?" I'm still waiting to learn what my purpose is in life and wondering how my current difficulties will work out. I'm not angry because of the lack of progress, as I see it, but do get frustrated at not having a clearer vision of what is to be. Does that make sense? Am I just being impatient? -- Lou Comment edited on: 6/13/2010 5:11:01 PM Report Inappropriate Comment

SONGOFJOY27 6/13/2010 3:55PM

Thanks - this is thought-provoking. Report Inappropriate Comment