Sunday, November 13, 2011

Half Measures


Half Measures

It seems that I’ve fallen into the great trap of complacency. 
Good-enough and not-too-bad have found a home in my soul.
I’ve grown accustomed to being sad and fat and making everyone around me stop asking me to do things again.  “At least I’m not as fat as I used to be.” I say. Last year,  I was running, 13 miles at a time, and now, I just sit and sigh and eat and cry.

Sit and sigh, and eat and cry. 

Who says I can’t be all that I envision? What has made me so satisfied with being dissatisfied?  Do I have to go all the way back and then some to only THEN turn around? That’s like getting lost, and having to go all the way to the coastline before I make the decision that I AM ON THE WRONG ROAD.

It’s been a pattern of mine to stop, start, stop, start. I hate it. It’s not a pattern I want to be involved with any more.  I remember when I was losing weight last year, I told a few people, “it’s going to really suck, and then it’s going to suck some more, and after that, it really really sucks. Then, you will smile.”

Right now I say, “enough, and I forgive you. Can we finish this, please?” 

No more regrets.

From Cheryl’s Noggin, November 13, 2011

Thursday, November 3, 2011

It's Not All About You

"All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings.” Ezra 1:6

IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT YOU

Your extra money, that is.  It’s not all about you.  It doesn’t seem like you have a surplus, but I bet you do, somewhere in your house.  What’s in your freezer? What’s in our cupboard?  Do you have extra time?  Have you ever found money on the sidewalk?  Me too!  Just this year I decided that any money I find is not mine to keep.  I have picked a friend and give her everything I find.  Mind you, so far it’s only been around 35-cents, but that could very well change, and I have a plan in place.  Last year, I found $40 on the ground!
My simple point is this…whatever you have is twice as much as someone else.  Be nice, share.  It’s easy to get to the end and think, “if I give this away there won’t be enough for my family and me.”  I have found that when I give money or things away, the amount that I have left goes twice as far.
Nothing can beat the feeling of helping someone else.  Make twice as much dinner tonight and bring a meal to a single mother.  Make a plan for your “found money” that doesn’t include YOU.  Rake someone else’s lawn, maybe even before yours.   To make it tricky, try not to get caught.
God, help me to get my eyes off of myself and onto others.  Teach me to give sacrificially and out of my abundance.  You own it all anyway—help me to  take my hands off and stop holding on so tightly to the things of this world.  I trust that you will provide for my family and myself.  Thank you, Amen.

Additional Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 9:13; Philippians 2:1-3; Matthew 19:21