Be Aware of Your Surroundings

Maybe it is his Marine training, or just being a man, I am not sure....but my son has reminded me a time or two to.....BE AWARE OF MY SURROUNDINGS!

I have taken his advice to heart and I do my best to take good care to stay safe and be alert as I go about my day, in public places, and even when I am home. I understand the need to watch what is happening around me, to be on watchful alert at all times.

These days it is esp important to be reminded of this because we have our high tech phones that we can easily get our noses stuck in even as we are walking to our cars in parking lots, etc.
There are so many safety rules/lessons, that we need to be sure we are applying on a daily minute by minute basis.

This is also true in the spiritual realm.

There is an invisible yet VERY destructive enemy on the prowl every minute of every day following you around doing his best to knock you down and wipe you out completely.

This enemy is as sly as a slithering snake. He is waiting for you to have your guard down and he is ready to pounce on you. He does not do this in obvious ways like a home invasion.....although it will certainly feel like one once he has had his way with you.
No, he usually works on the sly and begins chipping away at your confidence, your peace, your very sanity.
He knows where you are vulnerable, he knows where to hit you.
Your family, your marriage, your kids, your job, your home, you name it...that thing that matters to you, he will be after it!!!

We are warned about this enemy in John 10:10
"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy."

God knew we would need to be on alert. That we would need to keep our guard up.

If we keep on reading we will find the happy ending....
"I have come that they have life and that they may have it abundantly."

HE is our savior! Our hero! Our knight in shining armor!!!
He is here to save us from the attacks of the enemy!!

It is up to us to be aware, to constantly think about what we are thinking about. Check ourselves as to how we are reacting and responding to the stresses in life, or even how we are just plain ole reacting to the people in our lives. Watch where we are going, what we are seeing and listening to.

If we can remember that the enemy does not want us to be happy and peaceful and to have all that GOD has for us.....and remain watchful at all times, we can keep the devil out.
Put our armor on every day to be prepared in battle, because whether we want to accept it or not, this IS a battle!

Let me echo my sons warning to YOU dear ones....
BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS!!!!!
XO

Missing My Dad......

Ever miss someone so bad it hurts?
Oh, I am sure you have, most of us have.
Well, today is one of those days for me.

Today would have been my Dads 73rd birthday....he died when he was only 49 years old, I was only 29! Oh how I miss him today and have throughout the years!

I often think how awesome it would be to have him here to share life with.
He loved life & He loved his family!!!!
He would have loved the people in my life today. My children, of course, and now my grand-angels!! My kids remember him as a wonderful Papa and now he would be the greatest GREAT Papa!!!

Oh I know he is safe and happy in heaven, and I am thankful for that. BUT, I can't help but miss him like crazy on days like this!!!!

I often find myself telling some random, usually silly story and then proclaiming that my dad told me that!
I am carrying on his legacy.

Of course this all makes me wonder and ponder the legacy I AM LEAVING!!!

It is my hope and prayer that I leave a legacy of love and that my loved ones remember me as fondly as I remember my Dad!!!!!!

Next Page Please....

Life is ever changing.

Some things seem to always be the same and NEED changing and other things change so fast it makes our heads spin.

Many of us are afraid of change and fight it tooth and nail. I venture to say that I am one of those comfort creatures that likes things to be similar and run smoothly. Actually I am all about things running smoothly. I am a planner and like things to be planned out.

I have had that challenged a great deal in the past few years. I did not like it most of the time and I have had to learn a great deal about flexibility. Uhmmm....I don't bend real easily, BUT on the other hand. I am one who MORE THAN ANYTHING is interested in being faithful to God and HIS plan for my life.

SO I bend and I move and I ditch my own plans in the trash while going for HIS plan!

The way I see it, it is ALL a learning and growing experience. It's what we need to be closer to HIM, our source of strength and passion and love and ..............
well EVERYTHING!!!

After a few years of these flexibility lessons, it seems as if He is about to mix things up and after one HUGE change I will be living a much more "planned" out daily routine. I kinda like that idea!!! I think it will be so good for me.

After 13 years of working as an Assistant to an Interior Designer; making plants & topiarys, decorating, assisting, choosing tile and paint colors, hanging window treatments, and pictures, etc. etc. etc.
I have a NEW job!!!

I am leaving the decorating field and entering a new job as a front desk receptionist for a welding company.

At this new job I will have more routine. Things will be far less physically demanding (my body NEEDS this!!!). I will be able to use some of my other talents and abilities.

I am excited!!!!!

This chapter is complete (or it will be after this work week).
Now it is time to see what else God has in store for me, what great things have yet to come.

I am looking forward to it with great anticipation and excitement,
and saying.....


NEXT PAGE PLEASE.......................

A Pig-Pen Mentality.....

Do you remember the Charley Brown character, Pig-Pen???

He's this little guy who brought with him a cloud of dirt and dust everywhere he went.

Back in the day when I worked in the forest service was when I was first referred to as "Pig-Pen". Rightfully so, because I was the one at the end of the day with the dirt swipes across my face (you know when you are hot and sweaty and you wipe your forehead).

Jeez I get dirty doing ANYTHING! I don't mean to, but I tend to be so messy!

Recently I have had this image in my mind again. Only this time I am seeing the swirl of dirt following him along life as more like our persona....our attitude, our cloud, our atmosphere.

We all bring a sense of yourself everywhere we go, whomever we meet along the way is touched (whether it be positively or negatively) with this puff of personality we permeate. It is our very BEING, our CHARACTER, our attitude, atmosphere, disposition, ESSENCE, heart, identity, individuality, influence......

Think about it. Are you exposed to someone who brings a specific PUFF of personality everywhere they go? It can either draw you in or repel you. It can either make you feel good or make you want to cower in the corner. You either see this person coming and feel wonderful or you want to turn the other direction.

Oh, sometimes our "persona" is not THAT extreme. But either way, you are bringing it along with you everywhere you go. You are creating your own atmosphere.

Hmmmmmmmmmm................

Think about that!

Have you ever heard the phrase, "everywhere I go, there I am"?

Yea, that is what I am talking about.

You cannot escape your own cloud.

So what IS YOUR influence, your atmosphere??

How are you making others feel?

How do you leave people feeling when you have spent time with them?

Are you even aware of how you are behaving?

Lord knows we ALL need help in this department. We all need to be aware of the atmosphere we are creating around us.

We have a short time with each person we encounter (for the most part) so we need to be a positive, happy, joyful, encouraging personality that draws them to the love of Christ.

My prayer today is that I can remember my own little cloud of "dust" as I go about my day that I might bring smiles and encouragement every step of the way!!!

Tell me YOUR thoughts about this little theory of mine.........I would love to hear them!

Have a blessed and beautiful day!!

XO