New favorite quote!

I ran across this quote today in an article I was reading and thought it was excellent! I wanted to remember it... and be able to re-read it. So, here's my next addition to my blog!

"Take your fears to the Lord. Talk to him and listen to him. Then, if you feel a spiritual motion as tiny as the touch that a butterfly's wing might make, acknowledge it, heed it, and let his influence work upon you.

The Lord wants you to succeed
even more than you want to yourself.

Have faith in a perfect Father's love, fearing nothing. Remember that love is promised not just to those who have never made a mistake, but that love is promised to every one of us--who have all made mistakes."
--By Patricia T. Holland in talk entitled "Fear Not"

Waiting... but I WILL move ahead, bold and confident

So, it seems that my drive to church lately has become a very emotional time for me :) It's a VERY pretty drive, but it takes about 30 minutes!

(I know. You think living in a very populated area just over the river from DC would have a chapel closer to me. Yes, that is true. One about 7 minutes away. But, I'm "special". Since I am still single I get the pleasure of traveling a bit farther to church to be with other singles :) I can't complain though, it is a beautiful chapel that looks out on the Potomac River and very near Mt. Vernon. Beautiful!!)

ANYWAY, great time to think and ponder and enjoy the beauty of nature along the drive! Usually I turn the radio off, but for some reason I didn't think to do it today as I was leaving. As usual, I had my christian music station on and my thoughts were elsewhere for a few moments. But then I tuned into the interview they were having with John Waller, a christian music artist, as he was talking about what inspired his song "While I'm Waiting".

He dreamed of becoming a Christian music artist from the time he was a teenager. But, it took about 17 years! After 15 years of doing trying, he put it to the side and became a pastor of a church, but then started writing songs for his congregation. He created an album and sent it to some record companies.

"Then, nothing happened for six months. So, I was getting to the place where I was discouraged and I began asking myself had I done this for nothing. A friend of mine called me and I was struggling. I had literally been in tears, waiting and trusting. He said, “You need to write about that. People are waiting on God all the time. People can really relate to that.” And I wrote "While I am Waiting” in about ten minutes. It took ten minutes to write and 17 years to live though."

Inspiring story for me!
17 years... that's a long time!

His focus in his music is to really start trusting in the Lord and let go and say, "Alright, this is a life of faith. This is a life where I have to trust God. And He is trustworthy."

Okay - I was hooked and tuned in as the song started.

Wow!!! Personally, this is where I feel I am at MOST of the time in my life, but especially right now as I look at my next few months. MANY changes, including definite job loss and many "secure comforts" for me will be gone or shaken up. There are also, a few very specific, righteous desires of my heart that I am, and have been, "waiting on God for", for what I think is a LONG TIME!!!!

And, yesterday was a day when, let's just say, my trust, faith, hope and patience were not at the level they should have been. Doubt and discouragement get the best of me sometimes. But, I feel like a prayer was answered in this song this morning as the power of its words brought me to tears and a small meltdown as I was driving. Fortunately, I was by myself in the car!

Lyrics for "While I'm waiting"

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

In my life, I am waiting. I am hopeful, but YES, sometimes it is PAINFUL. I do, at times, feel like I am running a race not knowing where the next water station is or what big hill is around the bend. But, I do my best to try and move forward "bold and confident", in obedience, while trying not to crumble and faint.

Fortunately, God has blessed me with feelings of PEACE providing quiet moments of reassurance in knowing I am doing what's right for the moment and that gives me the strength to go that next mile... not knowing what it will bring! This song was an answer to prayer for me this morning and gave me peace in knowing that God is AWARE of my righteous, heartfelt desires and that I need to regain my level of trust and patience in waiting. I know, without a doubt, that God's plan for my life is better than I could ever imagine and that I need to wait...

WAIT AND TRUST!
HE hasn't failed me yet... why would he start now?

Here's the music video!!

John Waller - While I'm Waiting (Official Music Video) from Provident Label Group on Vimeo.

Outta My Boat!

So, I am a nerd!

I have no shame in admitting that :)

One of my nerdy things as a "counselor" (or just because I am interested in the topic of helping people be their best!), I love reading self-improvement books. I saw this one on-line and thought it was more counseling related, but, really, it's a bunch of CEO's and famous business people stating with helped them succeed in the business world! I was a little disappointed until I related what they were saying to what the average joe (a.k.a. ME!) could learn and discovered some awesome quotes!! It's all about focusing on what you can control while making the best of your life and situation.

Quotes from “That’s Outside My Boat.

Letting Go Of What You Can’t Control”

By – Charlie Jones and Kim Doren

“No door closes without another opening. Embrace it.”

"Water the grass on your side of the fence

and make sure it’s kept well."

"Sometimes just let life happen."

"CELEBRATE what’s in your boat and the life you have!!!"

“Don’t be afraid to change paths –

leave current boat and jump ship!!”

“Never ask yourself why, but ask yourself what.

Don’t ask yourself, 'Why me? Why did this happen?'

Instead, ask yourself, 'What can I do to be a better

person as a result of it? What can I do to get better and

what can I focus on to make a better life for me and my family?'"

Nurse Sister Margaret

“Sometimes what you think is the worst thing that

could happen to you actually turns out to be the BEST

thing that could happen to you.” Jesse Ray

“It’s a process every day.

What could have been is what could have been.

What’s important is what’s now.

I have a choice.

Either I can live for now, or I can live in the past,

and the past will destroy me.” Larry Lindstrand

“You wake up today, you enjoy today.

You have no control of tomorrow

and you’ve lost control of yesterday.

You go inning by inning.” - Joe Torre

Just dump and forget.

Just dump and forget.
My new motto and a blog that will change my life!

So, I hate to cook. No, really, I do. It's in my top five things I "try to avoid at all costs" list.

Now, from time to time, I do like making desserts... or at least ones that are not too complicated. (What does this say about my sweet tooth?!) But, my patience for anything else is comparable to a two year old being asked to wait to eat a piece of candy sitting in front of them. I have no patience for it.

For measuring, stirring, letting it rise, mixing 200 times till my hand falls off, waiting for it to do something so I can complete the next step in the process of making it, cutting, cleaning up pots, pans, mixing bowls, measuring spoons... waiting for the next step, or waiting for it to cook... are just TOTAL turnoffs for me. The TIME I feel that is wasted for something that will be consumed in about 5 minutes and usually just consumed by me... has led me to have the microwave become my best friend and my diet does not change very much at all! Am I bored with it, YES. But not enough desire to do anything drastic yet... like actually start cooking.

Now, lest you think I am totally lazy, I have tried to change my attitude about cooking, and ever so often I get a moment of inspiration to cook. But that lasts for all of the time it makes to actually cook one meal. Then, all desire to cook is once again lost. I just gain no internal satisfaction from it, so, I think, why bother!

WELL, my roommate for the past two Sundays has MADE yummy, tasty meals in her crockpot and I have been so impressed. She dumps it all in and forgets about it for hours. Yes, there might be some initial mixing or cutting, but none of this waiting and making sure that something doesn't overcook while waiting for this other thing to cook, etc. (another terrible problem of mine!)

Just dump and forget!

And, you can do it at random times of the day and cook on different speeds!

So, here's the blog she gets her ideas from.
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

Who wants to come for dinner on Sunday? Did you know you can even make desserts in a crock-pot?? Where has this machine been all my life!!!

(yes, I know. Sitting on a shelf in the kitchen because I never bothered to figure out how to use it!)

My new motto: JUST DUMP AND FORGET!