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Versatile Blogger Award

Nov30

A  big thanks to Wayne at http://wayneaugden.wordpress.com/ for nominating me for the Versatile Blogger Award. 

What an honor for such a young blog!

Now I get to name my fifteen favorite blogs;

  1. http://michaelhyatt.com/ – Leadership, Product Review
  2. http://goinswriter.com – Writing, Blogging How tos.
  3. http://sethgodin.typepad.com – Leadership, Business – Short, sweet and to the point.
  4. http://www.marydemuth.com – The flip side of abuse, writing tips
  5. http://www.rebuildingtogether.org/ – Rebuilding Together is the nation’s leading nonprofit working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize communities. Our network of more than 200 affiliates provides free rehabilitation and critical repairs to the homes of low-income Americans.
  6. http://www.aglow.org/ – Aglow is a dynamic, global organization made up of women and men with a single purpose: to see God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven through prayer, local groups, events and outreach.
  7. http://aglowblogs.org/prayer/2011 
  8. http://blog.duarte.com/  Public speaking, Presentation strategies
  9. http://www.rabbitroom.com/ – Variety, Review
  10. http://zenhabits.net –  Simplify
  11. http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/ – Decorating with found bits and pieces
  12. http://www.billycoffey.com – Sage advice from a young “old soul”.
  13. Dear Daisy Cottage – Photography at it’s finest http://deardaisycottage.typepad.com/imagery_by_kimberly http://deardaisycottage.typepad.com/daisy_cottage
  14. Bonita at http://encouragingwordsforwriters.blogspot.com/
  15. And of course there’s Wayne.  Words of a thoughtful man.  This man is a gatherer.  The words he shares are wise words from all around.  Book reviews as well.  Wayne leaves no doubt about his beliefs.

Thanks again for the nomination Wayne.

 

Now the rules say I must share seven things about myself.

  1. I’ve been married to my husband for 35 years at Christmas time, and have seven grandchildren, ten and under.
  2. I enjoy learning about blogging, writing, leadership and new paining techniques.
  3. I help my husband with his non-profit – Rebuilding Together  and he helps me with mine – Aglow International.
  4. I am a lifelong learner.  There are not enough hours in the day for all the reading and research I want to do.
  5. I love to paint.  Rooms, furniture, signs, finger nails. Anything.  Stand still long enough and I might paint you!
  6. I always wanted to write a book.  I decided to begin by writing a blog. To kind of get the feel of putting all my thoughts together for reading by others.
  7. My heart is to show people what a real relationship with Jesus can be like.  It is so different than what religion has shown us over the years.

Thanks for joining me!

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“What if?”

Nov28

 

I hear these words all around.

People are always asking “What if?”

The question itself is not a bad one.

I wish the context was different.

Here’s what I mean;

  •       “What if” it rains?
  •       “What if” I get fired?
  •       “What if” it doesn’t fit?
  •       “What if” I make the wrong choice?
  •       “What if” I don’t know any other way to go?
  •       “What if” it doesn’t work?

You get the idea.

What usually follows “What if?” is negative.

“What if?” we were to turn that around?

  •       “What if” it doesn’t rain?
  •       “What if” getting fired opens up new opportunities for you?
  •       “What if” it’s too big?
  •       “What if” the choice I make is someone else’s Significant Encounter?
  •       “What if” the way I go is far more glorious than the way I’ve always gone?
  •       “What if” it does work?

As you can see, it is only a matter of reframing our words.

Most media today whether liberal, conservative or any other you can think of,

is designed to show only the downside of “What if”.

Insurance companies count on “What if”.

Our discontent stems from the fact that we only see the dark side of things.

I’d like you to try an experiment with me.

For a week, just a week, try posing your “What if?” questions in the positive.

See how you feel at the end of that week.

Is your positive “What if” attitude being contagious to those around you?

Is your atmosphere beginning to change?

Are you feeling a little lighter inside?  Healthier?

I’ve spotted three verses from Proverbs citing this reaction.

Proverbs 15:30 says this; Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart and good news gives health to the bones.

In Proverbs 17:22 you’ll find this;   A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 23:7 as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.

I for one am tired of negative “What if” trying to dry out my bones.

I want my heart to think better things.

How about you?

Tell us in the comments one “What if?” that you can change this week.

“What if” they all comment and we can learn some new things?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Significant Encounter Friday #2

Nov25

Welcome to the second post for Significant Encounter Friday.

 

In last week’s post, we ended with the idea that we never know

Which one of our words will be someone else’s Significant Encounter.

http://wp.me/p1Deai-cE

 

Following is a simple example of just that.

I went to the beautiful wedding of the daughter of a friend.

Everything about it was amazing.        

The brides dress was incredible,

The dress the miniature brides maid wore,

Mirrored the design of the brides dress.

 

I commented to my friend that it was a perfect dress.

I asked her where she got one so small.

Her answer was that she made it herself.

 

She then went on to tell that all the while she was making it,

She thought she could not do it,

But kept hearing my voice,

Saying her name and telling her that she could do this.

 

Somewhere in our history,

I had told her that she could do something that she thought she could not.

Every time she wanted to quit on that amazing dress,

She heard my voice encouraging her on.

 

Sometimes our Significant Encounters come in packages we do not recognize.

Random conversations.

Unexpected acts of kindness.

Coincidental happenings.

Chance meetings.

God moments disguised as everyday life.

With the ability to change the way we see things.

 

What random, unexpected, coincidental, chance kind of things

Have changed the way you experience your life today?

What in your life would qualify as a Significant Encounter?

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