Inchworm

Again, progress is made, tiny bit by tiny bit. I’m having an inchworm kind of day, but moving forward, nevertheless.

Why does progress need to be defined as something so dramatic and over the top? Victory can be defined in making a different choice that no one else sees, breathing, in the face of a tempting moment instead of giving in to that temptation. It can be in the tiniest sigh to not give up. Victory isn’t all about trophies, ribbons, money and certain “things” that we measure ourselves with.

Celebrate the inchworm and its victories. You and I are still alive, still fully under God’s Love and Promises. Let’s inch toward that reminder today!

"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin..."

Zechariah 4:10

The Status of a Dream...

Just because it hasn't manifested yet, doesn't mean your dream isn't coming. When it comes to the desires of one's heart and dream department, God's M.O. is Ephesians 3:20!

  "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."

Don't give up!!!

This Memorial Day...

God Bless America This Memorial Day and Beyond!!!!

Life

Gandhi Cont'd...

Trying here, Gandhi!

Whew, so this inspirational diddy is easier read than lived, but each of us needs to remember to keep trying. Process! Process! Process!

1 2 3 Blocks

“For who has despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice..”.

Zechariah 4:10

Progress seems slow, if it can be seen at all. You don’t see any positive results from all of your efforts, tears and pain. You feel like you’re going nowhere, nowhere good, anyhow.

Feel this way? Life and recovery both can seem so filled with no visible evidence of improvement or joy. A lot of the time, “what’s the point?” seems to rattle around in our minds. We may try to build from rubble, but we only see ashes.

But there is meaning in this tiny, gradual step each of us may be taking, whether it be in life, or in recovery- or in both, at the same time.

I recently came across a quote from Mahatma Gandhi that is incredible:

“Almost everything you will do will seem insignificant, but it is important that you do it.”

Taking these tiny steps, one by one, truly does have a cumulative effect. And taking these tiny steps, making the effort to build up those particular areas that need our attention in life and recovery are the building blocks of our individual destinies.

When we are children, we play and build with blocks. How many times has a stack of them come tumbling down? Maybe we cried, threw temper tantrums or even gave up. But eventually, most of us did return to that play- and learn something, create something wonderful that cause us joy.

We need to remember that God, as our loving Father, looks down on us, as His children, helping and preparing us always. It doesn’t matter if we fail or fall down. A loving human parent wouldn’t think of punishing a child for having a stack of blocks tumble down. Why would God, therefore? Scripture tells us… God is a good God and Father, always helping, always building.

“So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who keep on asking him!”

Matthew 7:11

So, take that next step, add that next block to your life.

It’s, indeed, getting each of us closer to this:

Remember this Scripture includes- it never excludes- you!

“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.”

Jeremiah 29:11

Babe Ruth's Advice...

Must remember, even though/when it's difficult to do so...

Onward...

Expletives

@!$%*&!!!!

Yes, we’ve all done it in life; we say a crude, lewd word that slips out before we can even stop it. Or maybe we INTENTIONALLY use such a word for impact. Whatever the case, the word gets put out into the atmosphere.

Recently, a young girl I was mentoring had a friend who approached me with such language. She’s 15. It offended and disappointed me because I could see the shock value and toughness the girl wanted to project. I could see that she wanted to impress me. She did not. I expressed my response to her poor choice. Yes, she’s young, but old enough to know better. Really, did she think that life would be better, enriched by using such foul language? I’m not prim, prissy and proper. Believe me, back in the day, I used my share of curse words, usually for poor and similar reasons, but it never made a situation better. It usually made it worse, quite frankly.

God tells us, in His Word, that we’ll give an account for every idle word we speak (Matthew 12:36). Sobering. That includes curse words, dirty words, expletives.  We need to ask ourselves, “Does what I’m about to say really benefit, help or encourage?” If not, then maybe, perhaps, we shouldn’t say it.

The fact is that we all say things we shouldn’t, act hastily. But we also, on some level “know better.”

This young girl, hurling expletives, has potential to make better choices than those crude words. Each person has such tremendous value, that choosing these poor quality words reflects ignorance and shame upon that person, not dignity and respect.

It’s a reminder to all of us to “come up higher.” We can always make another choice. Words that have true power are those that edify and build up, not tear down or destroy. Let’s all concentrate on those words instead.

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!!!

The Scream With Grace

Been there, screamed that.

Na- na- na- na-na. I can't hear the unpleasant difficult stuff. Na- na-na- na- na...

I think Munch is even going, "awwwwh, isn't she cute?"

As if here were only one of us...

We need reminding of this in life.

More googly eyes...

I can't see straight right now. Spent time re-wrioting, re-working the organization of book project. Up, down, left, right, in chronological order, by topic? Ugh!

When googly eyes attack...

Enough tedious detail work tonight. Brain mush time!

Back To Grace...

I'm sorry, I just have to pause and reflect at the royal wedding's  little flower girl, Grace Van Cutsem again.

She's now a celeb, known throughout the world. The famous photo of the royal couple's kiss is just one, cementing her in "awwh, isn't that cute?" kind of notoriety.

Yes, it seems like her grumpy little face is all over the place now. And I'm having a hard time finding on smile on that little mug!

It just goes to show that, at our core levels, we're all raw and honest with our feelings and expressions. We may be obligated to put on a brave face, to show up for an important event, like a wedding, but truth wins out over public image, whether it's politically correct or not.

We all have our Grace Van Cutsem moments in life.

To Grace, who reminds us that it is about God's Grace whenever we're imperfectly our grumpy, less than elegant selves!

You can take your hands off from your ears now.

Yom Hazikaron L'shoah U'l'gevurah

We Remember...

Yom Hazikaron L'shoah U'l'gevurah (Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day), May 1^st, 2011

We remember. God bless, help, remind and comfort us, so that we may never forget!