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Sing your song

shepherd

A Sunday school teacher decided to have her 2nd grade class memorize Psalm 23, one of the most quoted passages in the Bible. She gave the children a month to learn the chapter.

One little boy was excited about the task, but he just couldn’t memorize the Psalm. Although he practiced and practiced, he could hardly get past the first line. The day came for the children to recite Psalm 23 before the congregation. The little boy was nervous. When his turn came, he stepped up to the microphone and proudly said, “The Lord is my Shepherd and that’s all I need to know!”

http://www.jokesclean.com/ChristianJokes/

I shared my story in previous blogs about how in 2013, I lost my job of 11 years and how my 13 year old Mustang was totaled in an accident. I got a brand new 2013 Ford and it turned out to be a lemon in less than a year. The Ford Company finally replaced it with a 2014. There have been no problems so far. In the midst all of the drama, I decided to go back to college. God blessed me to earn a 4 year degree (B. S. in Health Promotion) in a year and nine months. I had a lot of credits that transferred from previous degrees.

If someone would have told me that at the seasoned age of 30 +++ , I would have multiple degrees and yet be working 6 – 14 hours a week in retail making minimum wage, I might would have just run away. This job was a good fit while I was in school but now I need a full time job (or a rich husband ). I’ve been seeking a full time job, with no success. In the meantime, I try to keep hope alive. Some days are better than others. I know that things could be a lot worse, so I’m thankful for what I do have.

God has been a faithful shepherd. Although I don’t like my situation, don’t understand it, and it doesn’t feel good, I believe with all my heart that He loves me. I know that God has a plan for me. This is not the end. He has provided and continues to provide for me. Nothing has been cut off, my car has not been repossessed. My refrigerator has not been empty. Yes, Jesus loves me more than anyone on this planet. This situation hasn’t killed me. I believe that it will make me a stronger, better, and wiser person.

I haven’t blogged in months. I lost my motivation. I couldn’t think of anything to write about. Today I decided that I needed to sing, so I’m singing my song. Keep in mind that when I encourage you to “sing your song”, I’m talking about the song that is within you. It doesn’t matter who wrote it or who recorded it. Anna B. Warner wrote the words to the hymn, Jesus Loves Me and William B. Bradbury was the composer. It’s my song because it’s within me. Of course I can’t take the credit for writing the text nor composing it, but I can sing it as only I can sing it. I used to wonder why God didn’t give me a voice like Patti LaBelle, opera singer, Jessye Norman, or gospel singer, Yolanda Adams. Now I accept the fact that He gave me the voice that He wanted me to have.

Sing your song!

It doesn’t matter if you’re in tune or out of tune. My oldest sister, has many gifts, but singing is not one of them. We joke about it. Nevertheless it doesn’t stop her from singing anywhere and anytime. Sometimes (when the anointing hits) you wouldn’t know that singing was not one of her gifts.

There are social, emotional and physical benefits to singing. Singing can:

Help reduce depression and anger.
Encourage creativity.
Bring people together.
Release endorphins, the brain’s “feel good” chemicals.
Increase the amount of oxygen you take into the body as you inhale deeply, producing a feeling of alertness as more oxygen gets to the brain.
Improve muscle tone in the face, throat, neck and jaw.
Help manage stress.
Improve your ability to listen attentively without having to think of responses.
Be a form of meditation because it enables you to just “let go.”

I’m gonna sing my song while I live because when I die, no one will be able to sing it for me.

To view my video, those who receive email notifications of new blog posts can click on the link beside my picture.

HUMOR TIME

Hymns for People Over 50

Give Me the Old Timers Religion
Precious Lord, Take My Hand, And Help Me Up
Just a Slower Walk with Thee
Go Tell It on the Mountain, But Speak Up
Nobody Knows the Trouble I Have Seeing
Guide Me O Thou Great Lord God, I’ve Forgotten Where I’ve Parked The Car
Count Your Many Birthdays, Count Them One By One
Blessed Insurance
It Is Well With My Soul, But My Knees Hurt

http://www.jokesclean.com/ChristianJokes/

There’s a slimmer person inside me yelling to get out, but I can usually shut her up with ice cream and cake.

ACTUAL Church Bulletin Bloopers:

Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at Calvary Memorial Church in Racine. Come tonight and hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.

“Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don’t forget your husbands.”

“Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.”

The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to conflict.

The sermon this morning: “Jesus Walks on the Water.” The sermon tonight: “Searching for Jesus.”

Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.

Don’t let worry kill you. Let the Church help.

Thursday night will be a potluck supper. Prayer and medication to follow.

For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.

This afternoon there will be a meeting in the south and north ends of the church. Children will be baptized at both ends.

Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.

http://javacasa.com/humor/church.htm

Thanks for stopping by. It’s been therapeutic for me. Hope it has made you smile.

Resources

http://www.moresingingplease.com/benefits-of-singing

http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/emotions/singing-happy1.htm

http://www.businessballs.com/singing.htm

It happened to me.

Andrae Crouch sang these words: Somebody told me of the joy they had. Somebody told me that in sorrow they could be glad. Then they told me, once they were bound but now set free. But I didn’t think it could be until it happened to me.

My oldest sister, Pastor Charlotte Bryant has shown me the joy that she has over the years. She has shown me that in sorrow she can be glad. I know stories of when she was bound and then set free. But I STILL didn’t think it could be – until it happened to me.

To be honest, I didn’t want to believe it could happen to me. I didn’t want to change. I wanted to continue being depressed. I wanted to keep singing songs like What Do the Lonely Do at Christmas?, Nobody Knows the trouble I’ve seen, and Trouble in my way, I have to cry sometimes – I lay awake at night but that’s alright- Jesus will fix it after while. I didn’t want to sing songs like: I’m an Overcomer, Victory is Mine, and Joy bells Keep Ringing in My Soul.

Slowly but surely, it has happened to me. I’m not singing those negative songs anymore. When I hear them being sung, I will make up words to replace them. Everyone in life will experience trouble. 1Peter 4:12, 13 clearly says, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you: But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy.” Trouble will come. It’s up to me how I react to it.

I won’t say that I am the most joyful person in the world. I won’t say that I never get sad and depressed. I will say that those bouts don’t happen often. When they do happen and I examine myself, I find that I have not been praying, praising god and reading the Word like I should.

I challenge you. Don’t meditate on the negative, don’t sing the negative. Don’t declare the negative: Oh, I’m having a bad day, I have the worst luck, Nothing good ever happens to me, I don’t feel like thinking happy thoughts. Don’t claim the negative: my arthritis, my bad back, my lazy husband, my ugly self, my broke self. Look at the glass as half full and not half empty. Praise God. Meditate on the Word of God. Invest in some laughter DVDs or books. Do your part and God will do the rest. Then you can share with others how, IT HAPPENED TO YOU.

To view my video, those who receive email notifications of new blog posts can click on the link beside my picture.

Word to meditate on:

Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness. Isaiah 41:10

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you: because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3

A merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones. Proverbs 17

HUMOR TIME

God is Like a TV Commercial

Then there’s the Sunday School teacher who had her 5th grade class watch commercials to see if they could use them to come up with ways to communicate truths about God. Here’s what they said:

God is like.

Allstate: You’re in good hands.

Alka-Seltzer: Try him, you’ll like Him

Tide: He gets the stains out that others leave behind.

Sears: He has everything.

A Ford: He’s got a better idea.

Hallmark Cards: He cared enough to send the very best.

Bayer Asprin: He works miracles.

Delta: He’s ready when you are.

Alberto Vo-5: He holds through all kinds of weather.

Coke: He’s the real thing.

The US Post Office: Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail will keep Him from His appointed rounds.

Scotch Tape: You can’t see Him, but you know He’s there.

Dial Soap: Aren’t you glad you’ve got Him? Don’t you wish everybody did?

General Electric: He brings good things to life.

Charity Begins at Church
After the church service, seven year old Brian said to the preacher: ‘When I grow up, I’m going to give you some money.’

‘Well, thank you, ‘the preacher replied, ‘but why?’

‘Because my daddy says that you’re one of the poorest preachers we’ve ever had.’

Going Down!!

As the storm raged, the captain realized his ship was sinking fast. He called out, “Anyone here know how to pray?” One man stepped forward. “Aye, Captain, I know how to pray.” “Good,” said the captain, “you pray while the rest of us put on our life jackets – we’re one short.”

Get moving.

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. People who are physically active tend to live longer and have lower risk for heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, and some cancers. Physical activity can help control weight, strengthen bones and muscles, and if you’re an older adult, improve your ability to do daily activities and prevent falls. In December 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services launched Healthy People 2020, which has four overarching goals:

Attain high-quality, longer lives free of preventable disease, disability, injury, and premature death;
Achieve health equity, eliminate disparities, and improve the health of all groups;
Create social and physical environments that promote good health for all; and
Promote quality of life, healthy development, and healthy behaviors across all life stages.

Healthy People 2020 tracks approximately 1,200 objectives organized into 42 topic areas, each of which represents an important public health area. Increasing physical activity is one of the objectives. Specific goals for physical activity are:

Here are 8 more reasons to get moving:

To reduce tension and enable you to handle stress more effectively
To help prevent constipation
To improve your sleep
To relieve arthritis
To improve your posture and general appearance
To improve your circulation
To have more energy to praise the Lord in dancing

I get moving because I want to have flexibility and to strengthen my bones and muscles.

What motivates you to get moving?

Thanks for stopping by.

Resources

Physical Activity. (April 2015). Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/data-search/Search-the- Data?f%5B%5D=field_topic_area%3A3504&ci=0&se=0&pop=

http://biblehub.com/akjv/1_peter/4.htm

https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Isaiah%2041:10

http://biblehub.com/akjv/isaiah/26.htm

http://www.jokesclean.com/ChristianJokes/HolyOneLiners.php

http://www.guy-sports.com/jokes/clean_religious_jokes.htm

http://www.beliefnet.com/iLoveJesus/Features/Hilarious-Christian-Jokes.aspx?p=6#8SyJPYTfowTjR3eU.99

The Buffet Table

Welcome to the buffet table! I’ll be jumping from one subject to the next, so get your plate and fill it up. The good news: you don’t have to worry about portions, fat, sodium, sugar, GMOs, nor calories.

TOMORROW We’ve all said at one time or another, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” I’ll begin that project tomorrow. I’ll go on a diet tomorrow. I’ll start a savings plan tomorrow. I’ll start getting more sleep tomorrow night. I’ll give my life to Christ tomorrow. I’ll start working on things that God has laid on my heart tomorrow. I’ll get life insurance tomorrow. I’ll start exercising tomorrow. I’ll choose to be happy tomorrow. Tomorrow came, and you still didn’t do what you said you were going to do. The cemetery is full of the bodies of people who said, “I’ll do it tomorrow”, but tomorrow never came. Books, ideas, songs, inventions, plays, crafts, testimonies never to be shared, and destinies never to be fulfilled have been put in files labeled tomorrow. It’s so easy to put things off for tomorrow. Tomorrow is not promised.

Let your tomorrow begin today!

RESURRECTION DAY You usually don’t hear people talking about Resurrection Day until around Easter. The ultimate resurrection was when Jesus Christ rose from the dead. He died but when He rose, He rose with all power in His hands. His resurrection made it possible for us to have resurrections in our lives. We all go through things. Sometimes the situation looks, feels, and smells so bad that we think it’s dead. Just like God raised Jesus up from the grave, and just like Jesus raised up Lazarus from the grave, He can raise your situation up from the grave also. So when you find yourself in what you are sure is a dead situation, rest assured that your Resurrection day is on the way!

REFLEXOLOGY It is said that a large percentage of disease is stress related. Getting a massage is one way to release stress. There are many more benefits associated with massage therapy including relaxation, increased and improved blood circulation, and increased flexibility. Reflexology is a therapeutic form of foot massage and of course, hand reflexology is a therapeutic form of hand massage. Reflexology may benefit people in the same way massage helps people relax and reduce their stress levels.

Reflexology is based on the belief that each part of the foot is a mirror site for a part of the body. The big toe, for example is considered a reflex area for the head. The heart and chest are around the ball of the foot. The liver, pancreas and kidney are in the arch of the foot. Practitioners believe that certain areas of the hands and feet are linked to other areas and organs of the body. For example, the brain can be helped by putting pressure on the tips of the three largest toes on both feet.

One day while on the computer, I did a search on hand reflexology. I found a web site that allowed me to print out a free 10 step hand reflexology self-treatment. I sat at the computer and did some of the exercises. I can’t begin to describe how good my hands felt. I have two different foot rollers and a porcupine massage ball that I ordered online. I had no idea that my feet and hands could feel so good after using them.

One time I had a pain in my neck. The pain was there for more than a week. I took aspirin. I applied a heating pad. Neither of those things worked. The Holy Spirit brought to my attention my porcupine massage ball. I began to roll one foot and then the other over the ball and immediately the pain began to ease. I did it the next day and the next, and then the pain was totally gone!

Check out reflexology. Visit the library or google it. There are reflexology charts available that show the locations and therapeutic indications of pressure points on the hands and feet. I thank God for letting me discover the benefits of foot and hand reflexology. I use my porcupine ball on a regular basis. I get so busy that I sometimes forget about my foot rollers and hand reflexology techniques. That’s why I like sharing healthy living tips: As I review topics and share them, I get reminded of certain things.

GROWING UP It’s generally thought that wisdom comes with growing older. It does happen with some people, while others become stupider (yes, I had to look it up: stupider or more stupid). I like using stupid because it really gets people’s attention. I’m growing up while growing older. Sounds silly doesn’t it? Life seems backwards. By the time you grow up and begin to figure life out, it’s time to exit.

“I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it makes sense.” Harold Kushner

I like to think that my life would have turned out much better if I would have had the wisdom I have now, when I was 25. But I don’t dwell on that thought because I can’t go back to when I was 25. I can’t undo what’s already been done. All I can do is learn from the mistakes, stupid decisions, trials, and disappointments because they were instrumental in making me who I am today. Not that I’m all that, but I like to think that I have become a better person. I’m not where I need to be, I’ll be growing up until I die, but I thank God I’m not where I used to be.

“In the trials we’ve faced, something good has happened too: God has fine-tuned us so we are more compassionate, more caring, more loving, more aware of others’ pain.”

I would have never chosen this path for my life, but my strategic, all knowing, loving, Daddy God had other plans. He knew and still knows the best route for my life. After all, it was He who formed me while I was yet in my mother’s womb. He tells me in Jeremiah 1:5a “I knew you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart for me before you were born” and in Jeremiah 29 verse 11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Now that’s good news!

HUMOR TIME Willing to take a bullet for Jesus? The two thousand member Baptist church was filled to overflowing capacity one Sunday morning. The preacher was ready to start the sermon when two men, dressed in long black coats and black hats entered through the rear of the church.

One of the two men walked to the middle of the church while the other stayed at the back of the church. They both then reached under their coats and withdrew automatic weapons.

The one in the middle announced, “Everyone willing to take a bullet for Jesus stay in your seats!”

Naturally, the pews emptied, followed by the choir. The deacons ran out the door, followed by the choir director and the assistant pastor.

After a few moments, there were about twenty people left sitting in the church. The preacher was holding steady in the pulpit.

The men put their weapons away and said, gently, to the preacher, “All right, pastor, the hypocrites are gone now. You may begin the service.”

The dog closed his eyes in concentration. This fundamentalist Christian couple felt it important to own an equally fundamentally Christian pet. So, they went shopping. At a kennel specializing in this particular breed, they found a dog they liked quite a lot. When they asked the dog to fetch the Bible, he did it in a flash. When they instructed him to look up Psalm 23, he complied equally fast, using his paws with dexterity.

They were impressed, purchased the animal, and went home (piously, of course). That night they had friends over. They were so proud of their new fundamentalist dog and his major skills, they called the dog and showed off a little. The friends were impressed, and asked whether the dog was able to do any of the usual dog tricks, as well. This stopped the couple cold, as they hadn’t thought about ‘normal’ tricks. “Well,” they said, “let’s try this out.”

Once more they called out to the dog, and then clearly pronounced the command, “Heel!” Quick as a wink, the dog jumped up, put his paw on the man’s forehead, closed his eyes in concentration, and bowed his head.

I hope you leave today – as full as a tick. Bye for now. Thanks for stopping by.

Resources http://www.christian-jokes.net/Jokes/Church-Jokes/115-willing-to-take-a-bullet-for-Jesus.aspx http://www.christian-jokes.net/Jokes/Bible-Humor/141-The-dog-closed-his-eyes-in-concentration.aspx Jeremiah 1:5 International Standard Version http://biblehub.com/isv/jeremiah/1.htm Jeremiah 29:11-13New International Version (NIV) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+29%3A11-13&version=NIV Johnson, B. (2006). I Don’t Suffer From Insanity….I Enjoy Every Minute of It! (Mar. 3) Siloam Springs, AR: DaySpring Cards, Inc.

Hold on, it’s not over.

I love plants! I don’t have a lot of space for them so I only have five. I try to get plants that are low maintenance because I don’t have the gardener’s touch that my mama had. I talk to my plants. Research says it’s good for them. I have given my plants names: Tangy, Grapefruit, Sunshine, Blossom, and Rae.

One summer day a few years ago, I decided to try to prune Rae’s leaves cause she was getting too big and I didn’t want to put her in a bigger pot. Then I had this bright idea to just take some of her leaves out of the pot. I ended up taking her completely out of the pot, and she kind of fell apart. I put her back in after removing some of the leaves. She didn’t like it. Her leaves started withering one by one. I was sad to see that she was dying. I took her outside on the back porch. She’s an indoor plant but I thought that maybe being outdoors would help. It didn’t seem to help. She continued to wither away. I saw little gnats on her soil. I placed her in the corner on the back porch and stopped watering her. I figured it was over.

All her leaves withered and turned brown. She looked completely dead to me. My feelings were a little hurt because she had been with me for a long time. You may be saying, “My goodness, it was only a plant”, yes, but it was my plant. One day I was getting ready to throw everything out of the pot, I saw something green. Now remember all the leaves were withered and brown. I immediately pulled out the brown, withered leaves and there it was: a little green baby leaf. I asked myself, “How could this possibly be?”

I added some dirt to the pot and left it outside. I noticed a few days later that she seemed to be doing just fine. I cleaned up the pot and took it back inside. Everyday Rae grew a little bigger, and then I saw another leaf. I smile now every time I look at Rae. She seems to be doing just fine. What would have happened had I just dumped everything out of the pot without looking closely at it? Yes, it was just a plant, but I think God used that plant to remind me and you that, it’s not over until He says it’s over.

Are you on a quest to be fit for the Master’s use? Have you been on a quest to be fit for the Master’s use and have given up and quit? Have you been letting healthy living information that you have heard about go in one ear and out the other, thinking that it’s too late to change or improve now? Well my friend, it’s not too late!

Let me share two examples of when it looked like it was over, but God said it wasn’t. We read in the 11^th chapter of John about three people whom Jesus loved: Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus. One day Jesus got the message that Lazarus was sick. Jesus didn’t go see about him for two days. Lazarus had died and had been buried by the time Jesus arrived. Now you’ve got to admit, this was a hopeless situation. It was indeed over! When Jesus arrived, they took Him to the tomb where Lazarus was buried. Jesus took time and spoke to God the Father. He then cried out with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth and in the first part of the 44^th verse we read: And he that was dead came forth. God showed everyone that it was not over!

We read in the book of Exodus about the freedom of God’s people from slavery and the beginning of national identity. Pharaoh had finally let the people go in verse 13, but later had a change of heart. He took his army and went after them. They had gotten as far as the Red Sea when they saw Pharaoh and his men. This situation looked hopeless. I’m sure they thought it was over.

God said it wasn’t over! He divided the waters of the Red Sea like a wall in two directions at once (north and south). The children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground. The Egyptians pursued and went in after them, like a bunch of fools. God released the waters once the children of Israel had crossed to the other side. That was the end of Pharaoh’s army. They drowned in the Red Sea. Can’t you just imagine God saying, “Now, it’s over“!

You may be sick in your in your mind, in your body, in your spirit and/or financially. It may seem like every time you lose five pounds, you gain back eight. It may seem like trying to live a healthy lifestyle is just too difficult. You may feel like you will never get to where you desire to get to in life. You may have already said, “Just forget it.” There have been many times when I have said those words – but God is saying, “It’s not over.”

Job 22:28 reads, “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.” We want to decree and declare these words: “It’s not over, it’s not over, it’s not over until God says it’s over.” Family members may say it’s over. Circumstances may say it’s over. You may have said before you read this blog, that it’s over. My friend, it’s not over until God, the author and finisher of your faith says it’s over!

You can still experience peaceful living if you have a right relationship with God. You can still learn a way of eating that is simple, balanced, and easy to understand. You can still make time to do some form of exercise. You can still stop smoking and drinking. You can still stop speaking negatively. You can still be delivered from any habit. You can still have the victory. You can still give your life to Christ and let Him use you.

When I think of Rae, I am reminded that it’s not over until God says it’s over!

A little humor

Jonah and the Whale

One day, a teacher was talking to her first grade class about whales when a little girl had a question.

Little Girl: “Do whales swallow people?”

Teacher: “No, even though they are much bigger than a person, they have throat pleats that filter their food of krill and plankton.

Little Girl: “But Mrs. Thurston says Jonah was swallowed by a whale.”

Teacher getting angry: “Blue whales cannot swallow people.”

Little Girl: “Well, when I get to heaven I’ll just ask Jonah if he was really swallowed by a whale.”

Teacher, still red with anger: “What if Jonah went to hell?”

Little Girl: “Well, then you can ask him.”

Do you want to go to Heaven?

Father Flannagan was diligently trying to win souls for the kingdom of God. One day he had a fine idea. He would go to the local pub to evangelize the local drunks and bar flies. He walks into the pub and notices one of his flock from the local church he preaches in. “John!” he screams, John! do you want to go to heaven!!!! John answered,” Father Flannagan,, why ,,yes! of course I want to go to heaven.”” Then, get over here behind me now,” says the father. “Patrick!, Father Flannagan screams out again.. “Patrick do you want to go to heaven?” Well father,, yes… yes ,, I do. “Then get over here with us now… so Patrick joined the two men..

Father Flannagan spotted anouther and said,, ” you! do you want to go to heaven? The third man paused. No answer! Flannagan again asked the man,” you sir! Do you want to go to heaven!! The man paused again and then shouted,” no!” the Father was dumbstruck and asked the same quesion,, What do you mean you DON’T WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN?? The young man then stated, ” no,,not today ,, it seems as if you’ve got a group to go today and I don’t want to go today!!!!

Bye for now.

Jonah and the Whale http://www.jokesclean.com/ChristianJokes/

Do you want to go to Heaven? Submitted by Evelyn http://www.christian-jokes.net/Jokes/Heaven-and-Hell-Jokes/404-Do-you-want-to-go-to-Heaven.aspx

http://clipartpictures.org/images/stories/flowerclipart/potplants/Plant_in_Pot3_Flower_Clipart_Pictures.png

Still Standing

It’s been a while since I’ve written a post. I haven’t been motivated. I thought and thought about what I could write about and my mind went blank. I really couldn’t think of anything. Then it hit me: I’m still standing. I began to think about all the things I’ve been through since August 2013. You can read more about my story in my first post. I went through some storms but I’m still standing: spiritually, mentally and physically. I could have given up on God. I could have had a nervous breakdown. I could have allowed myself to become so stressed out that I had a heart attack or a stroke. But God didn’t see fit to let any of those things happen. The winds and the rain came. I swayed, but didn’t fall. God kept me.

tree

Here’s a short update to my story. Ford Credit Company finally exchanged that brand new 2013 Ford that had to be towed so many times, for a brand new 2014. I’m making a little spending money. I work a few hours a week in a retail store making minimum wage. I am still working on what I hope will be my last degree. Things could be much better, but they could also be much worse. I feel that I have grown closer to God. There’s a saying, “What doesn’t kill you will make you stronger.”

I like to think that I’m stronger, wiser, and better. I’m grateful. I’m happy. I have peace. My current situation is not where I will stay. I’m just passing through. When you’re going through something remember that you have to go through to get to the other side.

I don’t know how long I will continue with this blog. Some things are only for a season. I may still be posting next year. I do know that it’s been fun and a little scary stepping out of the boat and doing something that I had never done before. I challenge you to step out of the boat. Do something new, something different. Have no fear. Follow your dream(s) in 2015.

“Food” –Creation retold

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

Then using God’s great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream and Krispy Creme Donuts. And Satan said, “You want chocolate with that?” And Man said, “Yes!” and Woman said, “and as long as you’re at it, add some sprinkles.” And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled.

And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size 14.

So God said, “Try my fresh green salad.” And Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing, buttery croutons and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.

God then said, “I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them.” And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.

God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it “Angel Food Cake,” and said, “It is good.” Satan then created chocolate cake and named it “Devil’s Food.”

God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.

Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds.

God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald’s and its 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then said, “You want fries with that?” And Man replied, “Yes! And supersize them!” And Satan said, “It is good.” And Man went into cardiac arrest.

God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.

Then Satan created HMOs.

Thanks for stopping by. Thanks for letting me know that you stopped by. Thank you to those of you who chose to follow this blog. Happy New Year!

God has been mighty, mighty good down through the years and He’ll continue to be good in 2015.

Refunds

Try Jesus. If you don’t like Him, the devil will gladly take you back.

http://dir.coolclips.com/Nature/Plants/Trees/Deciduous/Tropical_storm_natu0309.html

http://www.wholehealthclinic.net/whc/humor

http://www.jokesclean.com/ChristianJokes/HolyOneLiners.php

Life Happens

Do You Remember?

Grandma and Grandpa were sitting in their porch rockers watching the beautiful sunset and reminiscing about “the good old days”. Grandma turned to Grandpa and said, “Honey, do you remember when we first started dating and you used to just casually reach over and take my hand?”
elderly couple Grandpa looked over at her, smiled and obligingly took her aged hand in his. With a wry little smile, Grandma pressed a little farther, “Honey, do you remember how after we were engaged, you’d sometimes lean over and suddenly kiss me on the cheek?”

Grandpa leaned slowly toward Grandma and gave her a lingering kiss on her wrinkled cheek. Growing bolder still, Grandma said, “Honey, do you remember how, after we were first married, you’d kind of nibble on my ear?” Grandpa slowly got up from his rocker and headed into the house. Alarmed, Grandma said, “Honey, where are you going?”

Grandpa replied, “To get my teeth!”

“Pain is what the world inflicts upon us. Suffering is our emotional reaction when we fail to make the difficult conscious choice to choose Joy.” Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Life Happens

One morning I woke up, got out of bed and began to go about my day as usual. Only this morning my mood was not so happy. I tried to encourage myself by singing gospel songs and hymns. That didn’t work. Singing, I’m Happy and I Know It, didn’t work. I tried quoting scripture. That didn’t work. I spoke with my sister on the phone. She’s always encouraging, but this day, even her words weren’t encouraging. All I could think about was my situation and how it seemed hopeless, and how tired I was in believing that trouble doesn’t last always.

I guess you could say that I just refused to be comforted. I explained in my first blog how my car was totaled and that I was laid off of my job in 2013. Some, days are better than others. I try to keep the faith. I get knocked down, but God helps me to get back up.

On this particular day, I counted my little money. I had enough to pay a bill. I went to the bank to make a deposit. While driving to the bank the tears began to flow. I was thinking, “When is my change going to come?” I have had enough. Can’t I just get a break? I rode up to the outside terminal at the bank. I didn’t want the teller to see the tears streaming down my face.

I got home. I asked the question, “Why do I have to go through this? Why even be saved (a born again believer) if things are no better for me than the unsaved? Then it happened – just what I needed!” The thought came to me: Every single person in life will go through something at one time or another. The only difference is that I can go through with Jesus. I don’t have to suffer alone. The bible tells us that it rains on the just and the unjust. No one is exempt from trouble.

I believe it was God, speaking to my heart. God is the only one who knows exactly how to get through to me when nothing or no one else can. My tears stopped! I was back in my right mind. Back to my regular self. One of my favorite sayings is, “God loves Him some Annette!” He won’t allow more things to be put on me than I can bear. He loves Him some YOU too. I hope the words to this song blesses and encourages you.

It is not our place to know the mind of God. The Spirit knows what is best in the long run -best for each of us individually, and best for humanity as a whole. This is often very difficult to accept when we see war and disease in the world and experience physical and emotional suffering in ourselves, our family, and our friends. I consider this belief in God’s infinite power and ultimate wisdom to be the true test of faith.

– Jonathan Lockwood Huie

SWEET SLEEP

Sleep is often the first thing to go when we get overworked. We get so busy that we stay up just another hour or two or three to finish a project, get some chores done, etc. etc. We must make sure that we are getting enough rest. The mind’s ability to deal appropriately with stress factors can become very limited if our bodies are tired. Without adequate amounts of sleep we feel lousy and our abilities to learn, memorize and reason are sharply impaired; we are more susceptible to colds and flus or just getting sick in general.

Most medical professionals recommend 7 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. Many in both medical and psychological fields find benefits in taking time during the day to get alone with oneself, relax, breathe deeply and allow the mind to rest from the stress factors of the day. Some individuals may be able to function perfectly on only four hours of sleep per night; others require as many as ten, to feel refreshed. Some professionals suggests that you get as much sleep as you need to feel rested and able to function at your maximum the next day. There are some tips to help you maximize the quality and quantity of your sleep:

Go only to bed when you are tired. Don’t try to make sleep happen. Instead, get up and read or do something constructive until you feel tired.

Don’t stockpile sleep. Going to bed earlier than your regular time probably won’t help. You will only condition yourself not to fall asleep later. It’s not possible to save on your sleep.

Avoid late meals and snacks. Heavy meals can interfere with sleep. If you must eat something, consider eating a light snack containing protein.

Cut the caffeine. Have your caffeinated drinks in the morning or early afternoons. Caffeine can stay in your bloodstream for up to six hours.

Limit your liquids after 8:00 P.M. Frequent trips to the bathroom can keep you up all night.

Individuals who are physically fit and active will be better sleepers, so make exercise a part of your daily routine.

If napping makes you feel good the rest of the day, if it doesn’t interfere with your evening sleep and if your schedule permits, a 20 to 45 minute nap after lunch may help revitalize you.

Scientists know that the body releases it greatest concentration of growth hormone – the substance that helps our bodies repair damaged tissue – during sleep. Most sleep specialists believe the mind benefits equally from a good night’s sleep. Sleep deprivation makes us moody and irritable. Most individuals have trouble adequately approaching stressful situations when their bodies lack rest. It also limits our ability to concentrate, make judgments and perform mental tasks. As a result, it can affect our job performance or, even worse, lead to industrial or traffic fatalities.

Sleepless nights can be a sign of eating the wrong thing or a fearful, angry, or fretful attitude.

Christians are promised “sweet sleep.” If you consistently experience sleepless nights, the devil is robbing you of something God guarantees. Memorize Scriptures, meditate on the Word during those sleepless periods, and cast all of your care on God. If you start reading the Bible and praying, I’ll bet it won’t be long before you get sleepy. You know the devil doesn’t like it when we spend time reading the word and praying, sometimes he’ll send a spirit of sleepiness. If you read and pray and don’t get sleepy, well then be happy cause that was time spent constructively.

Leave your troubles outside before you enter your bedroom. You will never sleep well if you lie in bed obsessing over your troubles. If I remember correctly in the movie Gone With The Wind, Scarlett O’Hara said in one scene, “I won’t think about this today, I’ll think about it tomorrow.” Tell yourself, “I’m leaving these worries and concerns out here. I’ll deal with them tomorrow or the next day. I refuse to bring them into my bedroom this night.”

Proverbs 3:24 – 26 Verse 24 reads, When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

Psalm 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace and sleep: for thou Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

When you meditate on God’s Word, the Word will lead you, keep you, and speak to you during your waking and sleeping moments. Proverbs 6:22, When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

The truth of the matter is that
you always know the right thing to do.
The hard part is doing it.
– Norman Schwarzkof

Bye for now. Thanks for visiting!

Resources

http://jokes.christiansunite.com/Old_Folks/Do_You_Remember.shtml

http://www.i-heart-god.com/images/Happy_Married_Couple.jpg

http://www.clker.com/clipart-laugh.html

http://www.joyprogram.com/hard.php

A Healthy Lifestyle

There is always, always, always something to be thankful for.

“No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.”
James Allen

“There is always something to be thankful for. If you can’t pay your bills, you can be thankful you are not one of your creditors.”

I hope this video blesses you. This is one of my favorite songs.

Six components of living a healthy lifestyle

There are many reasons to try to live a healthy lifestyle:

To lower the risk of disease.

To relieve stress.
To have increased energy.
To increase the length of your life.
To increase the quality of your life.
To be fit for the Master’s use.

I am not trying to increase the length of my life, but I am trying to increase the quality of my life. I don’t do everything right. Some days are better than others. I love food. I love to eat. The problem is I eat too much. Anyway, I’m working on it.

If I had to pick the most important reason for striving to live a healthy lifestyle, I would choose #6. We all have a destiny to fulfill. We have been given gifts and talents to use for God’s use. I don’t think most of us truly grasp that. If we did, we would be doing more for Him.

Everyone won’t write a book, be a movie star, the president of a large corporation, or a great artist. The greatest accomplishment that any of us can do is to accept Jesus Christ as our personal savior and be found trying to fulfill our destiny. Life passes by so swiftly. We have only a limited number or years. I don’t want to die without at least trying to discover and use my gifts and talents. What you do may not be on a professional level. My videos and my blogs sure aren’t. But at least I can say – I tried.

I want to share with you six components of healthy living.

Air is a component of health that we totally take for granted. We don’t go to bed and say, “I sure hope that I won’t run out of air while I sleep tonight or I wonder if I’ll have enough air in the morning.” We just assume that we will have air.

It is possible to go weeks without food and days without water, but six minutes without air and you’re a corpse. Air is so important because of oxygen. The blood and trillions of cells that make up the body perform the functions of life. They must be oxygenated regularly or death occurs. We receive our supply of oxygen by extracting it from the air we breathe into our lungs. This is called respiration. In tiny air sacs in the lungs, the blood is purified, supplied with oxygen, and sent on its way to the rest of the body. When we breathe out, we exhale carbon dioxide gas and a lot of other waste materials.

Even though it’s practically impossible to have really pure air in this day and age we can still do what we can to make the best use of the air that we breathe.

Deep breathing is a component of health that supplies us with the fuel that keeps us alive. How we breathe affects how we absorb oxygen into our bodies. The oxygen feeds the brain, the nervous system, and every cell of the body. Normally, we should breath abdominally. There are enormous benefits that accompany breathing the way the body is designed to breathe. Most people breathe totally from the chest.

Abdominal breathing clears your mind and relaxes you. It balances you. It’s the key to relaxation and to the correct oxygenation of your body. Abdominal breathing takes pressure off the heart, and has an amazing effect on the nervous system. We want the abdomen to expand as we breathe in, and then we want the air to move up and out as we exhale.

Exercise is a component of health that greatly assists in the oxygenation of your entire body, especially aerobic exercise, which accelerates the heart’s pumping action. There is an exercise routine for everyone. Bones are alive, and just like every other part of the body, they benefit greatly from exercise.

Life depends on the flow of blood in our bodies. Every drop of blood circulates through the entire body, every minute! A larger heart is a healthier and stronger heart. Any good exercise routine should address basically three areas of fitness: (1) cardiovascular, or aerobic, (2) strength, and (3) flexibility. Aerobic exercise is the form that strengthens the heart.

Water: There is not one function of the body that is not dependent on water. Approximately seventy percent of the body is water. The brain is 80.5% water, the lungs 80%, and the blood 90%. From the minute food enters your mouth, every process necessary to transform it from a food to blood, bone, muscle, and tissue – depends on water.

Water holds nutrients in solution and transports all food necessary for life to the various parts of the body. The body uses water to extract the vitamins, minerals, proteins (amino acids), carbohydrates, fats, and the other basic nutrients of life to the proper place and drops them off in the exact amounts needed at exactly the right time in the body.

Water holds wastes and toxins that it picks up from the cells and carries them to the organs of elimination. Water carries them to the four organs of elimination – bowels, bladder, lungs, and skin for disposal. Water brings in what we need and carries out what we don’t.

Without sufficient water you would have no saliva. You wouldn’t be able to swallow! The organs that perform the functions of life are all more water than anything else. Water is the chief agent in regulating body temperature, like water in the radiator of a car.

As to how much and what kind of water to drink, well the experts have different opinions. One thing is for sure, the less you get from your food, the more you have to drink.

Continue reading “A Healthy Lifestyle”

Let it go and be happy.

Letting Go

A man named Jack was walking along a steep cliff one day, when he accidentally got too close to the edge and fell. On the way down he grabbed a branch, which temporarily stopped his fall. He looked down and to his horror saw that the canyon fell straight down for more than a thousand feet.

He couldn’t hang onto the branch forever, and there was no way for him to climb up the steep wall of the cliff. So Jack began yelling for help, hoping that someone passing by would hear him and lower a rope or something.

HELP! HELP! Is anyone up there? “HELP!”

He yelled for a long time, but no one heard him. He was about to give up when he heard a voice. Jack, Jack. Can you hear me?”

“Yes, yes! I can hear you. I’m down here!”

“I can see you, Jack. Are you all right?”

“Yes, but who are you, and where are you?

“I am the Lord, Jack. I’m everywhere.”

“The Lord? You mean, GOD?”

“That’s Me.”

“God, please help me! I promise if, you’ll get me down from here, I’ll stop sinning. I’ll be a really good person. I’ll serve You for the rest of my life.”

“Easy on the promises, Jack. Let’s get you off from there; then we can talk.”

“Now, here’s what I want you to do. Listen carefully.”

“I’ll do anything, God. Just tell me what to do.”

“Okay. Let go of the branch.””What?” “I said, let go of the branch. Just trust Me. Let go.”

There was a long silence.

Finally Jack yelled, “HELP! HELP! IS ANYONE ELSE UP THERE?”

http://www.clipartbest.com/cliparts/9iz/xAe/9izxAeL4T.jpeg http://www.aish.com/j/j/122650799.html

We all have or will experience “letting it go.” We have to make a choice to do it, just like we have to make a choice to be happy, grateful and laugh. Letting go of situations, people, bad habits, hurts, relationships, unhealthy food, etc., etc., can be very painful. It’s not always easy to do.

“The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.”

― Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/letting-go

Ecclesiastes

3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

⁴A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

⁵A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

⁶A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+3%3A5&version=KJV

“If you let go a little you will have a little happiness. If you let go a lot you will have a lot of happiness. If you let go completely you will be free.” –Ajahn Chah

http://findinghappinessmovie.com/find-happiness/happiness-quotes/

I shared in my first blog: I was on my way to work in August of 2013. I went through the green light. A driver didn’t stop at her red light and ran into my car. My car was totaled. I have replayed that incident over and over in my mind. What if I would have waited a few minutes longer before going through that green light? What if this, and what if that? Coulda, shoulda, and woulda haven’t helped anyone that I know of. The fact is, it happened, it’s over and I must let it go.

Some bad situations can actually be blessings in disguise. We block those blessings because we choose to not let go. I believe some people enjoy holding onto things. Some people want to let go, but just don’t have the strength, or know how to do it.

Here are 8 things that I do or say to myself to help me let it go and be happy:

1.) What does the Bible say about your situation? Find out, and then meditate on those scriptures.

2.) Instead of focusing on what you have lost, focus on positive things.

3.) Look at your actions and see if you can do things differently the next time.

4.) What’s done is done. You can’t put spilled milk back into the glass.

5.) Concentrate on today, this hour, this minute.

6.) Be grateful.

7.) Laugh.

8.) God loves you and He cares. He’ll help you “let it go and be happy.”

http://bocsupportnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/admin/1893/09/cast_your_cares_1peter5_7.jpg

What will you say or do to help you let it go and be happy today?

Bye for now.

Laugh & Be Happy

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”

Proverbs 17:22 King James Version (KJV) by Public Domain

What are some things that make you happy? Shopping at Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe’s, and Earthfare Market make me happy. Waking up in the morning with Jesus on my mind makes me happy. Being able to get out of bed with nobody’s help but God’s makes me happy. Hanging out with my two sisters makes me happy. Having the assurance that Jesus loves me makes me happy!

Laughter increases happiness. You can’t laugh and

be sad at the same time. You have to make a choice to do one or the other.

KD2

“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.”

― E.E. Cummings

Three Hymns
One Sunday a pastor told his congregation that the church needed some extra money and asked the people to prayerfully consider giving a little extra in the offering plate. He said that whoever gave the most would be able to pick out three hymns.

After the offering plates were passed, the pastor glanced down and noticed that someone had placed a $1,000 bill in the offering. He was so excited that he immediately shared his joy with his congregation and said he’d like to personally thank the person who placed the money in the plate.

And there sat our Rosie all the way in the back. She shyly raised her hand. The pastor asked her to come to the front. Slowly she made her way to the pastor. He told her how wonderful it was that she gave so much and in thanksgiving asked her to pick out three hymns.

Her eyes brightened as she looked over the congregation, pointed to the three most handsome men in the building and said, “I’ll take him and him and him!”

Learn to laugh more. When you need a break from thinking – just laugh. When you’re having a bad day – just laugh. When you’re feeling stressed out – just laugh. You don’t have to be happy or feel good first. You don’t need a sense of humor either, and you can do it any time. Fake laughter becomes real laughter very quickly. A good belly laugh can be like an internal jog.

After doing a study on the benefits of laughter, I decided that every time I got in my car, I was going to spend a few minutes laughing. Some days I didn’t feel like it, but I “faked it until I made it.” I started off with ha, ha, hee, hee, ho, ho …………………………………….

I thought about the goodness of God and His promises. I thought about the fact that I am a “winner” in life. I thought about the fact that nothing bad could happen to me without God’s permission, and if He permitted it; it was working together for my good. It wasn’t long before I was laughing for real!

It is recommended that thirty minutes of exercise three times a week and 15 minutes of hearty laughter each day be a part of a healthy lifestyle. Ten to fifteen minutes of laughter could burn 50 calories.

Possible benefits of laughter include:

Improves alertness, creativity, and memory.
Helps you sleep better.
Relaxes the whole body.
Decreases depression and increases life satisfaction.
Increases endorphins, those feel-good chemicals that give a buzz during exercise.
Relieves stress and tension.
Increases the body’s tolerance to pain.
Helps you forget about your problems, if only for a few minutes.

A Sure Cure

Three Pastors in the south were having lunch in a diner. One said “Ya know, since summer started I’ve been having trouble with bats in my loft and attic at church. I’ve tried everything–noise, spray, cats–nothing seems to scare them away.

Another said “Yea, me too. I’ve got hundreds living in my belfry and in the narthex attic. I’ve even had the place fumigated, and they won’t go away.”

The third said, “I baptized all mine, and made them members of the church…
Haven’t seen one back since!!!”

“We don’t stop laughing because we grow old; We grow old because we stop laughing”

Michael Pritchard

Bye for now.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/10547.E_E_Cummings

http://www.christian-jokes.org/jokes6.html Author is Unknown

http://www.christian-jokes.org/jokes2.html Author is Unknown

Grateful & Happy

“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”
― Abraham Lincoln

“To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us – and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His
love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him.
Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference.”
― Thomas Merton

Grateful & Happy

I have tried to make the choice to be happy most of my life. I’m still a work in progress. It’s not that my life has been so terrible, it hasn’t. I grew up knowing that my mama and daddy loved me and my four older siblings. They always provided for us. As a matter of fact, I was an “ungrateful, selfish, spoiled” child. My daddy and oldest sister get the credit for spoiling me. I take the credit for being ungrateful and selfish.

I think I began to be ungrateful and unhappy when, as a child, I began to compare myself to other children. I was never thin enough. I wasn’t pretty enough. My hair wasn’t long enough. My skin wasn’t light enough. I was taller than most of the other children, so I wasn’t short enough. The list of complaints goes on and on.

I was depressed and even considered committing suicide several times during my teenage years. I never actually tried to kill myself. I was too afraid that I would botch up the job and be maimed or a vegetable for the rest of my life. I never thought I would live past the age of eighteen. God has brought me a long way.

It hasn’t been an easy job loving and accepting myself. Being grateful and happy has not been easy. Some days are better than others. The good news is: My grateful and happy days outweigh my ungrateful and unhappy days. The gap is getting smaller and smaller. I plan to spend the rest of my life finding things to be grateful and happy for.

I greet the day with gratefulness. I choose to have an attitude of gratitude. When my eyes open in the morning, I thank My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I make positive declarations. I declare, “I am blessed when I go out and when I come back in. Today is a gift from God. It’s wonderful to be alive another day to glorify and honor Him. Nothing is going to happen to me today that God can’t handle. I am grateful for all that I have had, for all that I have now, and for all that I will have in the future. I choose to be grateful and happy.”

I cannot control negative situations that I encounter during my lifetime. I can control my reactions to them. I was on my way to work in August of 2013. I went through the green light. A driver didn’t stop at her red light and ran into my car. Thank God, no one was hurt. My car was totaled. I had owned that Mustang for 13 years. I had no car payments, the insurance wasn’t high, and the yearly taxes weren’t high.

I made a choice on that day, not to act crazy. I made a choice to be grateful. I could have died. Someone else could have died. The situation could have been so much worse. I was also grateful that the accident wasn’t my fault and that the other driver had insurance.

I went to the car dealership and signed the papers to purchase a new 2013 car. I had not had that car a month, when it just completely died on me. It had to be towed. The dealership informed me that it needed a new battery. That didn’t sound right. Why would a new car need a battery so soon? I got the car back. Thank God for warranties. The story keeps getting better and better.

I was laid off my job of eleven years, October 31, 2013. I loved that job and thought I would retire from there. There I was with no job and car payments to be made. This was not a happy time for me. It wasn’t easy for me to be grateful nor happy. As I write this post, I am still unemployed. That brand new car has died and been towed three more times. The car company informed me that they will buy back the car. I have never gone through a buy back process, so I don’t know how it will work.

I am not feeling sorry for myself. I am not asking, “Why are all of these bad things happening to me?” It hurt to lose my job. I shed some tears. I am not super woman. I am grateful for the years that I had the job. Not everyone has been blessed to have a job that they actually love to go to.

I don’t like being at home. I can’t shop like I want to. I can’t do things like I used to. I enjoyed getting out of the house, dressing up, and wearing heels to work. This is not the route that I would have chosen for myself. I believe that God has something better in store for me. Throughout this process, I think I have gotten closer to God while choosing to be grateful and happy.

We can choose to find something to be grateful and happy for in every situation. One size doesn’t fit all for happiness. Here are 6 more things that I tell myself or do to help me stay grateful and happy:

1.) I affirm that trouble doesn’t last always.

2.) I affirm that my situation could change for the better before I go to bed tonight.

3.) I remind myself that everything has a beginning and an ending.

4.) I change the words to the song, If You’re Happy and You Know It to: I’m happy and I

know it.

5.) I quote and meditate scripture from the Bible.

6.) I remind myself that Jesus loves me and because He loves me, everything is working

together for my good.

What will you say or do to help you be grateful and happy today?

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/69-folks-are-usually-about-as-happy-as-they-make-their

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/gratitude

http://www.clipartbest.com/clipart-nTBBkdzTA

http://www.clipartbest.com/clipart-niXoygGiB

	nettemarie357 on Stress-free Nuggets
	Korby Brown-Tinnin on Stress-free Nuggets
	Korby Brown-Tinnin on Entertaining Nuggets
	Vanessa Harris on Delightful Tidbits
	nettemarie357 on Bright Tidbits

Sing your song!

I’m gonna sing my song while I live because when I die, no one will be able to sing it for me.

To view my video, those who receive email notifications of new blog posts can click on the link beside my picture.

HUMOR TIME

Hymns for People Over 50

There’s a slimmer person inside me yelling to get out, but I can usually shut her up with ice cream and cake.

ACTUAL Church Bulletin Bloopers:

Share this:

Andrae Crouch sang these words: Somebody told me of the joy they had. Somebody told me that in sorrow they could be glad. Then they told me, once they were bound but now set free. But I didn’t think it could be until it happened to me.

My oldest sister, Pastor Charlotte Bryant has shown me the joy that she has over the years. She has shown me that in sorrow she can be glad. I know stories of when she was bound and then set free. But I STILL didn’t think it could be – until it happened to me.

I won’t say that I am the most joyful person in the world. I won’t say that I never get sad and depressed. I will say that those bouts don’t happen often. When they do happen and I examine myself, I find that I have not been praying, praising god and reading the Word like I should.

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Word to meditate on:

Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness. Isaiah 41:10

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you: because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3

A merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones. Proverbs 17

HUMOR TIME

God is Like a TV Commercial

Then there’s the Sunday School teacher who had her 5th grade class watch commercials to see if they could use them to come up with ways to communicate truths about God. Here’s what they said:

God is like.

Allstate: You’re in good hands.

Alka-Seltzer: Try him, you’ll like Him

Tide: He gets the stains out that others leave behind.

Sears: He has everything.

A Ford: He’s got a better idea.

Hallmark Cards: He cared enough to send the very best.

Bayer Asprin: He works miracles.

Delta: He’s ready when you are.

Alberto Vo-5: He holds through all kinds of weather.

Coke: He’s the real thing.

The US Post Office: Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail will keep Him from His appointed rounds.

Scotch Tape: You can’t see Him, but you know He’s there.

Dial Soap: Aren’t you glad you’ve got Him? Don’t you wish everybody did?

General Electric: He brings good things to life.

Charity Begins at Church After the church service, seven year old Brian said to the preacher: ‘When I grow up, I’m going to give you some money.’

‘Well, thank you, ‘the preacher replied, ‘but why?’

‘Because my daddy says that you’re one of the poorest preachers we’ve ever had.’

Going Down!!

As the storm raged, the captain realized his ship was sinking fast. He called out, “Anyone here know how to pray?” One man stepped forward. “Aye, Captain, I know how to pray.” “Good,” said the captain, “you pray while the rest of us put on our life jackets – we’re one short.”

Get moving.

Attain high-quality, longer lives free of preventable disease, disability, injury, and premature death;

Achieve health equity, eliminate disparities, and improve the health of all groups;

Create social and physical environments that promote good health for all; and

Promote quality of life, healthy development, and healthy behaviors across all life stages.

Healthy People 2020 tracks approximately 1,200 objectives organized into 42 topic areas, each of which represents an important public health area. Increasing physical activity is one of the objectives. Specific goals for physical activity are:

Here are 8 more reasons to get moving:

To reduce tension and enable you to handle stress more effectively

To help prevent constipation

To improve your sleep

To relieve arthritis

To improve your posture and general appearance

To improve your circulation

To have more energy to praise the Lord in dancing

I get moving because I want to have flexibility and to strengthen my bones and muscles.

What motivates you to get moving?

Thanks for stopping by.

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Welcome to the buffet table! I’ll be jumping from one subject to the next, so get your plate and fill it up. The good news: you don’t have to worry about portions, fat, sodium, sugar, GMOs, nor calories.

Let your tomorrow begin today!

“I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it makes sense.” Harold Kushner

“In the trials we’ve faced, something good has happened too: God has fine-tuned us so we are more compassionate, more caring, more loving, more aware of others’ pain.”

HUMOR TIME Willing to take a bullet for Jesus? The two thousand member Baptist church was filled to overflowing capacity one Sunday morning. The preacher was ready to start the sermon when two men, dressed in long black coats and black hats entered through the rear of the church.

One of the two men walked to the middle of the church while the other stayed at the back of the church. They both then reached under their coats and withdrew automatic weapons.

The one in the middle announced, “Everyone willing to take a bullet for Jesus stay in your seats!”

Naturally, the pews emptied, followed by the choir. The deacons ran out the door, followed by the choir director and the assistant pastor.

After a few moments, there were about twenty people left sitting in the church. The preacher was holding steady in the pulpit.

The men put their weapons away and said, gently, to the preacher, “All right, pastor, the hypocrites are gone now. You may begin the service.”

Once more they called out to the dog, and then clearly pronounced the command, “Heel!” Quick as a wink, the dog jumped up, put his paw on the man’s forehead, closed his eyes in concentration, and bowed his head.

I hope you leave today – as full as a tick. Bye for now. Thanks for stopping by.

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A little humor

Jonah and the Whale

Do you want to go to Heaven?

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Refunds

Try Jesus. If you don’t like Him, the devil will gladly take you back.

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“Pain is what the world inflicts upon us. Suffering is our emotional reaction when we fail to make the difficult conscious choice to choose Joy.” Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Life Happens

I guess you could say that I just refused to be comforted. I explained in my first blog how my car was totaled and that I was laid off of my job in 2013. Some, days are better than others. I try to keep the faith. I get knocked down, but God helps me to get back up.

Charity Begins at Church
After the church service, seven year old Brian said to the preacher: ‘When I grow up, I’m going to give you some money.’