Dearest Friends,
It is a new year for us all. A new chapter in this journey of ours
From birth to eternity. And the time in between is our investment
in life, our destiny for the future is made by our very choices.
Choose wisely then my friends.
As I have sat down and pondered life lately, and the things
I have learned, I felt that some of it might be helpful to those
of you who are facing challenges, and who of us is not?
There are ways to simplify life and make each day happy
to a degree. All of it is a mental choice. I learned several
years ago, how to change my way of thinking by refocusing
when my thinking got too negative, and I was allowing
depression or sorrow, or grief to rule me. Rather than
dealing with things and learning to make sense of them,
I was wallowing in self pity and despair.
For each new day we can choose to be happy.
It is literally a conscious decision and discipline to
readjust and refocus our thinking when we know its wrong.
We can choose to forgive those who hurt us, even
if they don't ask. It takes the burden off our heart.
It takes the anger out of our spirit, and it frees us to
do something else constructive with our mind and time,
rather than sitting and recounting the hurts others
have done to us. What a waste of energy!
We can choose to declutter our lives. We can learn
to choose what we can do something about. Those are
things we can set short term goals on and work to achieve them.
Such as losing weight, keeping our house more orderly,
finding more time for friends or family, and even getting
more education or looking for a better job.
To declutter our house, we need to realize that looking
at the big picture, all that needs to be done is overwhelming.
So we do one small project each day. Whether it is a drawer,
cabinet, or just one part of a room we have stacked too
many things in. You will be surprised the feeling of satisfaction
that comes from cleaning one space each day.
The same would be true of the spaces in our spirit we clean
out and rid of ugly thoughts, worry, and unclean thinking.
You would be surprised what it allows you to do instead.
Your mind will be filled with more powerful, joyful thoughts
and less dark and fearful thinking. You are replacing the
old with the new.
A positive new, hopeful approach to the rest of your life!
Remember that saying, "Today is the first day of the rest
of your life?" If you think about that.. what we did yesterday
is gone, it is history. We cannot change it or fix it or take it
back. We can only learn from it and move on, leaving it behind
us where it belongs. Forgiving ourselves for our mistakes
and wrongs, and asking others to forgive us is a very
wise way to handle relationships. It is freeing!
Find some goal for each day. Each day we do something
specific, it brings us hope. It gives us something to look forward to.
Today is what we have within our hands. It is what
we can do something about.
Take time to encourage someone daily. Send them a email
or card, call them on the phone, or take a meal to a shut in.
Find some way you can show the love of God to someone
every day.
Above all do not neglect your spiritual life. This is what
fuels your day, your thinking and your relationship with
Christ. You must read the word of God daily, even if it is
just 2 chapters. You need to fuel your spirit to encourage
it, and bring you hope, inspiration, strength. Also, whatever
you apply to your memory, when a crisis hits, God can
bring that verse to your mind to speak to your spirit
and help you deal with your situation and rise above it.
We cannot grow in Christ if we don't give him room in
our spirit to grow in. Shutting God out shuts hope out.
Do not let one day pass without prayer and communication
with God. Tell him the details of your life. Tell him the truth.
Tell him what you have done wrong, and repent. Tell him how you feel.
Tell him what you need help with. Tell him thanks for the
blessings you do have. Your home, your change of clothes,
food on the table, and the gift of life. Tell Him you love
him and spend time in worship. It is so healing and powerful.
All these things are needful, and spiritually strengthening.
My precious friend, everyone has problems. But not everyone
lets their circumstances control their thinking.
We either live in faith or fear.
What is your thought life about?
Let Christ rule it.
Casting your cares upon Him, for HE cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.
Phillipians 4:13
(all things, not any thing is impossible with God... just trust)
So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper,
I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Hebrews 13:6
For we walk by faith and not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7
Do not ever receive the fear this world breeds in people
in these troubled times. WE have work to do my friends.
If we don't pray for others, who will? If we don't be a
witness with our words and deeds who will?
We have a job to do for Christ. We are His hands extended.
Do not take one moment for granted.
Time is limited for us all. Savor it, and live life
to the fullest, with wise, thoughtful thinking,
and prayerful decision making, choices
and relationships. These are things you
will never regret. Make your journey a joyful
noise unto the Lord, called out, called
unto holiness and a sweet smelling savor
to Him.
love always
millie
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