Allowing Yourself to Change

The Gift of Transformation

It's the beginning of another year.  A time when we look back at the past and say "oh well" or keep the regrets front and center of our thoughts.  I prefer the first over the latter -- it's much easier actually.  It's also a time when we look forward with either anticipation of the opportunities ready before us, or we think that the days and year ahead may be the same ol', same ol'.  Different date, same issues.

I'm thinking of how I can change.  Change can be so uncertain.  It can bring about heart palpitations just thinking of the anxiety associated with evolving into something unknown.  When embraced, there is the possibility for improvement and transformation as well.  Changing something in the immediate time frame can be empowering!  See a vision come to pass can inspire you to keep going toward longer-term goals.

My environment is a huge part of how I feel.  The inside of my home being clean and tidy makes me feel prepared to welcome the unexpected guest at the door while giving me and my family a place of comfort and belonging.  The scent of some delectable dish coming out of the oven or fresh from the stovetop makes me feel accomplished that I'm well-able to provide for my family.  Seeing color all around me makes me feel joyous inside.  One of the greatest surprises for me in my current home was seeing the afternoon sun shining through a window and onto a light fixture that has a prism attached to the bottom.  The prism reflect tens of small rainbows all over my ceiling.  When this happens, moreso in the spring and summer, this fascinating experience just adds to my personal happiness.  Rainbows are at the top of my all-time favorites list -- they almost make me giddy!  Color, whether in painted rooms or in spots where there is art hung on the walls or in pops here and there in accessories placed carefully to maximize its affect, really adds to my sense of well-being.  

We have an under-utilized bedroom that I'm very anxious to turn into my creative space.  I've pinned all kinds of ideas.  Already placed in that room is a wood vanity that I've had since I was a child.  To change its use would be not only beneficial in accomplishing my goal of carving out a place for my writing area, but it would give me great joy knowing there was a current use for a piece that's been with me for so long.  Change presents a chance for transformation, in this case, for the vanity and the bedroom.  Even though that creative room is still in progress, I can't tell you how excited it makes me feel to imagine myself sitting at my newly transformed desk, writing or pinning ideas or planning my next adventure.  

That room isn't alone in needing a metamorphosis.  I plan on changing, too, along with that room.  The thought of 'getting' to change is exciting.  The idea that the change can happen to me is thrilling.  Seeing my vision come to fruition -- well, that's the pinnacle for me.  In that room, I can write, read, get inspired, reflect, and come out better than what I went in. 

Are you wanting to make a change in your own life?  It can be overwhelming if you try to accomplish too much at once.  Taking steps toward a goal does not only give you a feeling of accomplishment but of self-confidence.  Just one step at a time gets you closer than what you were moments before you took that leap of faith.  Make a mental or physical list of some changes you would like to see take place in the next week and month and year.  Then pick one that is most-attainable to you now and outline how you'll go from right at this moment to seeing that goal to completion.  

It's all a journey and the road you are traveling will have it's ups and downs.  Give yourself permission to change, allow yourself to have some hiccups along the way, keep focused on the goal, and take on the challenge.  You are fully capable!  Believe in yourself!  Believe others will want that for you, too, and see how they will join in support of your transformation.  At the end, you and I will look back at this and see how far we have come...and remind ourselves we are BEYOND BLESSED!

Perception Problem

Toasty,  Tasty, or Terrible

Perception is a funny thing, isn't it?  What's one person's trash is another person's treasure as they say.   Perception can taint how we feel about all kinds of things.  We develop how we view the world widely by experiences.  But those experiences are so personal that they cannot possible be true across the board.  

Case in point:  My son had three friends over.  They decided to use the toaster for some English muffins.  One friend thought toast sounded better.  His method of toasting was a variation on the usual.  He would put the bread in the slot, set the time once, remove the bread after the timer was up, flip the bread and put it back in the slot, then set the timer once more.  This was his tried-and-true method of "perfect" toast.  My toaster is a current version that toasts on both sides simultaneously.  Never have I needed to flip anything to ensure that both sides got the same, equal treatment.  In fact, my toaster even has a bagel setting which toasts only the inside, exposed part of the bagel.  That's a particular setting for one kind of method and it's not widely used.  I'd say we use the traditional setting much more often.  Yet, never have I used the flip method.  

The friend's toasting concept came from a family member that has always done it this way and passed down her knowledge to the subsequent generations.  This idea had been used with success for generations now.  His knowledge and view on this method had come from personal experience.  

The three friends didn't agree so much with the method nor the outcome.  When polled, three out of four agreed the toast was burnt.  One person cited he had to use his back teeth just to bite through the blackened crust.  Others looked at it and assumed it wouldn't taste good so they wouldn't even try it.  The culinary concoction ended up being shunned most likely out of the perception that the technique wasn't widely used and, therefore, the result would not be the conventional result -- it wouldn't taste good. I took a poll of those involved, me included.  Two of us found it appetizing while three did not.  Majority ruled, the toast was a thumbs down.  Now when I look at this picture (which is the actual toast in question), and I see a delicious looking, quite edible piece of toast.  I think I could have convinced everyone to try it and, I will even venture to guess, they may have liked it.  Persuasion can be a powerful thing.  The toast was eaten by it's maker, so I didn't get to try to convert the opposition.

So it goes with situations and people, too.  By pure notion, we can miss out on so much because we rule it out before we have evidence to backup our feelings or have anecdotal affirmation.  We can declare some toasty (tolerable), tasty (exemplary or satisfactory), or terrible (objectionable or undesirable).  Have you ever deemed something unworthy, not to your liking, invaluable or waste of your time?  Did you decide that because of your own experience, or did you let the influence of someone or something else help make the decision?  Did you ever use intuition because you had a sense about a person or situation?  Did you ever change your mind from your initial judgement?

Let me encourage you to not judge before you have involvement.  Don't miss out on a new person or event because of your past (in)experience.  You might have just stumbled upon something wonderful that will change your perception -- for the better!  Keep working toward the goal of being Beyond Blesssed!

  

Puppy Perspective

Life Made Simpler

It's been a few days since I posted last.  Just when I was thinking my life was pretty laid-back and fairly uneventful, a change was coming and I was just "resting up" as I came to find out.

For many of us, life wouldn't be the same without a pet.  Whether it's big or small, our little animal friends can really add another dimension to our lives.  In our family, we have had dogs nearly our whole married life.  We've had cats and fish, too, but that "season" is over.  A rabbit entered into the mix almost two years ago.  It's cute and soft, even fairly easy to maintain, but, in my humble opinion, it's not quite like a dog.  Dogs add companionship, unparalleled love, and interaction that can be almost better than human.  They listen to your stories, they don't ask questions, and they always have time for you.

This last year, we had to put down our beloved dog, Lucky.  He was a beautiful dog in all ways!  He wanted nothing more than to be near you, to play here and there, walk by your side, and greet everyone as they came into our home.  Just a young puppy when we adopted him from a rescue shelter, he stole our hearts.  His needs were small and basic -- food, bathroom time, playtime, and love -- most of all.  As with all dogs, it's a lifetime commitment for both the animal and owner(s).  It's a building of a special bond and relationship that can't be compared to much else.  Our hearts were filled with so much love from what he gave us.  Then in the end, we each experienced a pain that was unmatched as we had to say goodbye.  He really made me think how simple things were and how it didn't have to be very complicated.  Just love.  That's it.  Just love.

Each member of the family handled it differently.  Some went on seemingly unfazed; others tried to busy themselves to shelter their hearts from the pain of the loss.  Yet others showed and felt the pain palpably.  The latter was me, totally and completely.  Honestly, I was such a wreck after that.  I'm a wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve kind of girl.  I kept telling everyone around me, hoping to convince myself, that I was done with dogs.  Too much heartbreak, too hard to start over.

Apparently, there was another plan that I wasn't aware of.  Months went by and eventually talk of having another dog was a topic of conversation more and more often.  I felt the pain in my heart just at the thought of starting over again, moving on, and allowing myself to fall in love once more.  And, it wasn't so simple.  I kept being reminded of that honest, unimpeded, unrestrained love that Lucky had given to each of us, individually and fully.  How could I tell my heart to not want for that again?  How could I look my children in the eye and deny them of that chance to bond again?  How could I tell my husband not to give this another try and help him heal from the previous loss he quietly felt so deeply?

Need I tell you that through many tears, many smiles, many hopes of finding just the right one, I went on a mission to fill that part of our family again that had been devoid for months.  My pledge to myself was to not get caught up in this, to be honest.  It was going to take a very specific pet to step in and get that spot.  And, the requirements were very specific.  That "you know it's 'the' one" kind of feeling?  That's was I was looking for.

Much to my surprise, there were many contenders.  Well, really, thousands of dogs to sift through, each looking for their forever home.  The stories were emotional and hard to just gloss over.  I prayed that God would help me -- to give me wisdom and discernment, to not be afraid of opening my heart again, to just help in anyway He would.  After trying more than several times and being declined for what seemed to me to be pretty surprisingly pathetic reasons, I was ready to give up.  Then one night, late into the wee hours, I found a litter of the cutest puppies.  After showing my husband, the choice became quite clear.  We were headed toward filling that spot!  Our hearts were tentative, our emotions were raw, our minds were hopeful.

God had "reserved" just the right one for us!  His name is Backes Bear, "Backes" for short.  He's named after David Backes, #42 of the St. Louis Blues hockey organization.  David Backes is a daunting, respected player on the ice.  Off the ice, he is all about the animals and is involved in a local charity, Athletes For Animals.  We felt we'd found a befitting name for our beloved new pet.  Our Backes is a Great Pyrenees/German Shepard mix.  He looks like a fuzzy German Shepard.  He's beautiful!!!  He has such a great disposition and fits just right into our family.  We adopted him Saturday at the age of 8 1/2 weeks.  We couldn't be happier!

Backes really looks at life in a manner worth noting, which is why I've devoted an entire post to him.  With those eyes, he looks for trust.  With the wag of his tail, he evokes joy.  With his playfulness, he brings laughter and fun.  With his heart, he gives all of his love.  And we give all we have to him!

I'm grateful to have Backes to remind me what my head and heart so reluctantly were afraid to experience.  I needed him to show me once again to keep it simple.  Be present, be ready, be available.  And, just love.  Don't make things complicated.  The payoff is a heart full of happiness and joy.  May you be Beyond Blessed!

What Are You Waiting For?

It's Within Reach -- Grab that Missing Puzzle Piece!

Right here, right now, the decision you make after reading this will change your life!  It's not a trick (2 Corinthians 4:2).  It's very real and very exciting!

You may have been looking for some answers.  You might not even actually "know" the questions, but you do know that there's a state of confusion between what you "think" you know and an inner tugging, a still small voice, or just a feeling you have been having.  

Maybe you've been attempting to fill some void -- a space from within -- with anything and everything, but nothing has worked to resolve or eradicate that missing something.  It's like a jigsaw puzzle that's missing the final piece.  You can almost imagine what it looks like, the shape or the colors.  You've tried other pieces but nothing fit just perfectly.

In some way, we have all had a missing puzzle piece.  I had many broken, torn, missing or seemingly non-existent pieces that I tried finding to no avail.  Some of us put on a pretty good facade trying to live like nothing is wrong.  But until we take this all-important step, we will never be truly complete.

What is that piece?  It is Jesus Christ!  Seems pretty simplistic, right?  Whether you have heard of Him before or not, whether or not you are already a "believer" or a "Christian", you must make an essential, personal decision for it to fill your puzzle.  

Maybe you can relate in some way to my story.  

I was raised a Christian from the time I was born.  I knew who Jesus was, I knew about alot of religious doctrine.  I went to church every weekend.  Then I started dating the man who I ended up marrying.  He had been raised similarly, but eventually his mother chose a non-denomination (not any specific religion, yet bible-believing Christian) lifestyle.  She exposed her family to it and each of the kids made personal decisions to go that route as well.  He then exposed me to a most intriguing non-denominational church, yet I still insisted it wasn't for me and I continued going to my Protestant church.  We got married and a few years later had our first child.  His sister got married in that church he liked so well, which gave me another perspective on that faith and that particular church.  After trying to attend both churches, which quite honestly made things harder, we both prayed that God would show us the path He wanted for us.  It was made clear to us that we belonged at this new-to-me church.  We decided to commit to the non-denominational church, and we are still there today, nearly 13 years later.  Then one day the pastor gave what we term as an "altar call".  Basically, if you want to be saved, accept Jesus as your personal savior (yes, it's that easy), and you get prayed for afterwards.  God had brought me full circle.  I was in tears of joy and amazement.  I was overwhelmed by this decision (in the best possible way).  And, before I knew it, my hand was raised!  It was MY decision, finally and completely.  I wanted to be saved.  

Let me also say that I always felt I was saved.  But this was different.  Before, alot of this was decided for me by my parents, so it wasn't so much of a personal decision.  The churches I had gone to in the past were perfect for my place in life, at that time, and they did a great job of exposing me to scripture and the people in the Bible, and gave me a great foundation for my faith.  But something was still missing.  

My puzzle is now complete with a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. I have an amazing walk with Him!!!  And I want YOU to have that same opportunity to accept Him and all He offers -- right here, right now.

Are you ready to get your missing puzzle piece?

Romans 10:8-13

8 But what does it say? The Word (God’s message in Christ) is near you, on your lips and in your heart; that is, the Word (the message, the basis and object) of faith which we preach,

9 Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) andconfirms [his] salvation.

11 The Scripture says, No man who believes in Him [who adheres to, relies on, and trusts in Him] will [ever] be put to shame or be disappointed.

12 [No one] for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. The same Lord is Lord over all [of us] and He generously bestows His riches upon all who call upon Him [in faith].

13 For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord [invoking Him as Lord] will be saved.

Click Here and Receive Jesus:  Follow this link to have an intimate understanding of what that means.

Once you have accepted Jesus Christ as YOUR personal Savior, your world is guaranteed to change!  Let me be the first to welcome you to God's family!!!

I will leave you with a few more links so that you don't feel like you've gotten this far and start saying "now what".  These are links from my church to get you started.

St. Louis Family Church
Beliefs


I humbly pray that you find all the answers you've been looking for.  That Jesus fills your heart, soul, and life up in a completely enveloping way with love, grace, tenderness, and mercy.  May you be BEYOND BLESSED!

You Are Welcome Here

It's No Coincidence We Found Each Other

A person may plan his own journey, but the Lord directs his steps.

Proverbs 16:9 (God's Word Translation)

You've settled into a comfy spot with your internet-capable device.  You've stumbled upon this site or maybe even searched the internet to find yourself here.  I'm so thrilled to spend some time with you today.   Browse around, check out all the links, and let's get to know each other and see what we have in common. 

After you've taken a look around, I hope that you've found a place to come back to again and again.  Let this be a place of inspiration, comfort, renewal, and encouragement.  A place to truly be Beyond Blessed!

My Pleasure To Make Your Aquaintenance

Let's Get To Know Each Other

In a house somewhere in the big wide world, sits a middle-age woman who's been through a thing or two.  She asks herself how she can take her life experiences and relate them to others in a respectful, helpful way with honesty and sensitivity.  

She's a lot of things to a lot of people -- daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend, cousin, aunt, sister- and daughter-in-law, fellow faith-filled Christian, and neighbor.  Not to mention the distinction of being a chauffeur, color-coded scheduler, time-manager extraordinaire, and confidante that go beyond the call of duty most days.  The order of title changes minute by minute, yet she can apply them all to herself.

What drives her and keeps her on track is her belief in Jesus Christ, the one true God, the maker of heaven and earth.  She believes He knew her before He created Earth and He knitted her with talents and gifts as unique to her as a fingerprint.  Her steps are ordered and her future is known to Him.  

That person is me.  If you can relate to any of the above, then in some big or small way, that is you, too.  I welcome you with open arms here.  Let this be a place where you visit often, tell others about, and find yourself beyond blessed!