Asking for Help

One of the biggest lessons I have learned this year is that it is okay to ask for help. I know that I am not alone in having that particular fear of reaching out and asking for help when in need.

I, like so many have an aversion of hearing the word no. The word no has been a painful word for me. In the past it would cut me to the quick until I realized that no won't make you bleed. What the word does do for you is to look around for other options and to ask again.

If you have a particular need, I urge you to ask and keep asking until you get the help that you seek. After all what is the best that could happen, that person may just say YES!

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you (Matthew 7:7)

The Power of Forgiveness

During this season of Lent, I have been working on the lesson of forgiveness. I have to say that this hasn’t been the easiest thing in the world. With ongoing health issues, I made the conscious decision to release the negative toxins in my mind that can exacerbate pain.

I have come to the realization that yes, although I have been emotionally hurt by people, they have no power over me if I don’t let them. The choice is really mine. Now I am not saying that it is easy to release that pain and let it go. However, my perspective is that if I leave this earth, I can say that I worked on it.

The true power of forgiveness was demonstrated recently when a man forgave the drunk driver who plowed into him and he subsequently lost a limb. For the entire story: Weymouth man forgives drunk driver who cost him his leg. This man was an example of divine mercy. He has shown a grace of spirit and compassion that most of hope to achieve in our lifetime.

I am working on the seventy times seven principle and I urge you to do the same. Ironically, one of the Greek definitions for forgiveness is "let go.” Are you holding a grudge against someone, or has someone hurt you and you find it hard to forgive them. Today I encourage you to LET IT GO! I know I have long way to go but hey that is what living is all about. Have a joyous day!

“Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’

Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven.’” Matthew 18:21–22

Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters

Happy New Year! Rosh Hashanah the Jewish New Year began at sundown last night. I always love New Year Celebrations no matter what the culture may be. It gives us a time to stop and reflect on the past year and make affirmations on the new. Today a friend and I decided to celebrate in our own way. A new beginning.

We went to the beach and cast our bread upon the water and became one with the earth, water, sky, and all that is good in this world. Sharing our bread with the Sea Birds was amazing. When we started on the beach there was one lone gull. His cry to others that an abundance of food was being shared brought birds from a far to share in our bounty. (For a minute, it looked like a scene from the Hitchcock movie the birds)

It was a peaceful day to be one with the Universe. A day to start fresh and start anew. A New Year begins so that we may live life to its fullest and more abundantly.

Cast your bread on the waters: for you shall find it after many days (Ecclesiastes 11:1)

Giving with Heart

You know I was in a toy store the other day, to pick up a gift for our church’s giving tree. The giving tree grants holiday gifts to children in need. As I was trying to decide between a couple of items for a little girl, I asked woman who I was in conversation with what she thought about this present or that. Her answer alarmed me, "For a giving tree? I wouldn’t spend a lot of money on it? Wow! I thought, if we are giving a gift shouldn’t it be from the heart. Why participate in charitable giving to anybody and give them something that you would not want to receive.

That is why so many of us are royally disappointed with Yankee swaps, Kris Kringles, and holiday gift exchanges. We often buy the gag gift or something we definitely wouldn’t want to get as a gift and feel smug that we participated in the annual event.

This year, give with your heart, with love and with joy!

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35 (New International Version)

Healing the Broken Spirit

You know when we have been hurt by others or have been victimized in a situation; it is often so hard to rebound. First off, breathe! Whatever the situation, in this great world that we live in, you are not alone. Right now on the planet there are approximately 6,628,238,381inhabitants. Trust me, you are not in this universe alone, and your situation, no matter, what you may think is not unique. Somewhere, someone has had similar experience

People ask all the time, how you get through. There is really no easy answer. My sister would often tell me that we have tears that are unshed stuffed all the way down to our kneecaps. Hmm…

They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Yeah that might sound fine but how do you get through the rough patch. For me, prayer is the answer, for others, meditation, and for some pure anger. The point is not to run away from the feeling but to feel it intensely and then work through it. Yeah, I know, it sounds easier said than done. But get angry, cry the messy tears, talk it out… just do something. When we take action, it moves us through a situation. Don’t stop to analyze whether the action is right or wrong.
Take action and remember that in every situation there is a lesson to be learned.

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning (Psalm 30:5)