The House is Quiet

Although I no longer have small children at home, my husband is a "crash, boom, thud" kind of guy. Quiet isn't even in his vocabulary. The middle child of 11 of an Irish Catholic family in the Bronx, he knows what it means to live life out loud.
So the guys went to a Men's Breakfast this morning and I have four hours of no noise. It has been blissful.
I can't say I have been too productive, but I have thorough enjoyed my time out. I have been exploring pioneerwoman.com that that Adrienne turned me on to. What fun! That led me to another site and on and on I have played without guilt. (Have you read Joyce Meyer's Eat the Cookie, Buy the Shoes book? lol)
I want to encourage you to make some "me" time at least weekly to feel your soul with a few of your favorite things. Never be too busy to enjoy life. It goes by way too quickly.

The Mosaic of Our Lives

My friend, Johnda, has come to town for a visit. I love it when she comes because we speak the same language at so many levels. She is straightforward and even blunt at times, but she has a heart of gold and when she laughs her eyes twinkle.
It doesn't matter what project I am in the middle of, I have learned that when she is in town, I need to grab her, because she will be gone all too quickly.
This is a principle I should probably apply to all of my friendships for no one is guaranteed tomorrow. The older I get, the faster the sand runs through the hour glass of life.
If you have a friend like Johnda, you are rich.
Have to share this video. The first pix is of a palm tree. Johnda bought a picture of palm trees today to hang over her fireplace in her Georgia home. She always brings a bit of California with her.

Rescuing Others

Sometimes friends and family get in a mess and we see their pain and we want to rescue them.

For some this becomes their lifestyle. It gives them a sense of being needed and may even make them feel important. However, more often than not we are meddling in God's work.

I heard this once and don't remember where: If you fix the fix that god fixed to fix them then God will have to fix another fix.

We are where we are today because of the decisions we made yesterday.

If I have an adult child that I am constantly bailing out, she does not have to learn to be responsible.

I remember once in my 30s as a single mom, I went to my dad to pay my light bill. He told me that was the last time. I said okay.

A couple of months later I was in the same predicament and I went back to him. He said, "What did I tell you the last time?"

"But Dad, " I protested, "What about the kids?"
He said, "You should have thought about that before you put your money elsewhere."
My lights were cut off that night. The kids and I sat on the balcony and I made a game of it. The next day an agency helped me, but I never have had my lights cut off since.

My dad quit rescuing me and I was forced to grow up.

Yes, they helped me from time to time with Christmas and things but I needed to be a responsible adult about day to day expenses.

Now I have adult children and I have to make those decisions. I see how hard it was for my dad.

I see the joy when I give an unexpected gift when I know my daughter is doing the best she can with what she has. AND SHE DID NOT ASK.

Always expecting others to get you out of your messes is a sign of self-pity and perhaps a spirit of victimization that makes you feel others owe you.

Today at work someone posted the following on the Bulletin Board and I just had to share it:

His Word says in Ps.34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5 They looked unto him, and were lightened; and their faces were not ashamed. 6This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
In the Dakes Bible on the side bar "looked" in vs 5 is
l. Look within is to be miserable
2.Look around is to be distracted.
3.Look expectantly to God brings blessing.
Then in the side bar "out" in vs 6 -To get men out of troubles is God's work and gives scripture references of v.6, 17, 19; 25:17;40:2, 54:7, 81:10; 107:6,13,19,28.

Are you interfering with someone's life? You may be keeping them from total dependence on God.