Sometimes you don't why something happens to you.
This is the perfect reminder to just "Keep Calm and Carry On".
It doesn't happen TO you, it happens FOR you.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
happens for a reason
Sometimes you don't why something happens to you.
This is the perfect reminder to just "Keep Calm and Carry On".
It doesn't happen TO you, it happens FOR you.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Notes from DAY 22 | Created to Become Like Christ
What on Earth Am I Here For?
Day 22 | Created to Become Like Christ
Notes from 2/21/13
Women's Small Group Bible Study
page 172
God's ultimate goal for your life is not comfort, but character development.
Character vs. Personality
page 173 Frustrated by Circumstances?
Life is suppose to be difficult.
It's what enables us to grow!
pg. 172 God doesn't want you to become a god; he wants you to become godly -- taking on it's values, attitudes, and character.
page 172 God ultimate goal for your life on earth is not comfort, but character development.
page 172 Christlikeness is all about transforming your character, not your personality.
page 173: Life is suppose to be difficult. It's what enables us to grow.
page 173: Many Christians misinterpret Jesus promise of the "abundant life" to mean perfect health, a comfortable lifestyle, constant happiness, full realization of your dreams, and instant relief from problems through faith and prayer.
In a word, they expect the Christian Life to be easy. They expect heaven on earth.
God is not your servant.
page 173: Never forget that Life is not about You!
God gives us our time on earth to build and strengthen our character for heaven.
page 174: Through choices we make...
We choose to do the right thing in situations and then trust God's Spirit to give us his power, love, faith and wisdom to do it.
Since God's Spirit lives inside of us, these things are always available for the asking.
Holy Spirit releases his power the moment you take a step of faith.
Obedience & Faith
Obedience unlocks God's power.
Page 175: Atleast 8x in New Testament, make every effort in our growth toward becoming like Jesus.
#1: Let go of old ways
#2: Change the way we think
#3: Put on new habits, Christlike habits
PurposeDriven.com | Day 22
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
It's Never Too Late...to do something great!
"It's Never Too Late" by Patrick Lindsay
More from It's Never Too Late!
SaraHHouse365: It's Never Too Late...to make some quiet time.SaraHHouse365: It's Never Too Late...to take a trip!
SaraHHouse365: It's Never Too Late...to be better than you are!
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
14 Ways to Love Your Neighbors
14 Ways to Love Your Neighbors
A Discipleship Journal article by Stephen Sorenson
During the past several weeks, I've asked a number of people how they get to know their neighbors. Most of them say, "Well, that's a good question. I'm not very good at that." Then they launch into a grocery list of reasons why they haven't tried to meet their neighbors or why they've given up. I understand, because I wrestle with the same issues.
When I was growing up, it seemed as if my parents knew everybody in the neighborhood. They'd lived in the same house for years, and I played in empty lots with their friends' children. People trusted one another, often not locking their doors and not worrying about whether a neighbor was being too friendly toward their children. Even salespeople knew our names.
Today, much has changed in many towns and cities. There are few empty lots on which children can play. People lock their doors—sometimes with three or four locks—and pay a good deal of attention to their children's playmates, young and old alike. And salespeople know only our charge cards.
Add to this the transient quality of our society, job demands, family responsibilities, church activities, and all the attendant details of modern life, and it's not surprising that people don't know their neighbors.
However, Jesus said that we're to be the light of the world, and I believe this truth applies to our dealings with our neighbors as well. In fact, He explicitly told us to love our neighbors, to care about them in practical ways—a difficult task if we don't know their names.
As we learn, by God's grace, how to put others first and respond to their needs by His power, our lives will stand out. Our neighbors will know that we care and will be drawn toward us—and to Christ. Truly they will know we are Christians by our love.
Realizing that your neighbor situation may be quite different from mine, I'd like to share some ways I've met my neighbors. (Having a dog that barks early in the morning doesn't count.) There are probably hundreds of ways to meet neighbors, depending on our personalities, living conditions, interests, and so on. What's important is mustering the energy—and the courage—to try one or more of them.
1. Exchange simple greetings.
If you are consistently friendly when you meet people on the stairs, in the elevator, or during a neighborhood walk, eventually you'll have the opportunity to get to know them. We met a Pakistani woman on the stairs of our apartment complex once. Later, when her husband needed someone to read his dissertation, she remembered that we were editors and knocked on our door. When their young son cut his head open and needed stitches, she asked us to drive them to the hospital.
2. Pass along a compliment.
Solomon wrote, "How good is a timely word!" (Prov. 15:23). A cheerful word can still open doors to relationships, even in our impersonal society. For example, nearly every time I drove past a certain house down the road from us, I noticed that something had been improved. The trash had disappeared. A new picnic area had sprouted. The house was repainted. And so on.
One afternoon, as I returned from the park with my German Shepherd, I noticed a man and a woman standing in the front yard. I stopped my pickup truck and walked back to say hello.
The couple looked at my jeans and my powerful dog, and offered a tepid, unenthusiastic, "Hi." (Translation: "What are you doing here? What do you want? Do we know you?")
"I just wanted to tell you that I think you're doing a great job with this house," I said. "It's really looking good."
Immediately, their faces beamed. We talked for nearly twenty minutes, and I discovered they were Christians. In fact, they had read an earlier article I'd written for Discipleship Journal, and it had motivated them to think about becoming missionaries on an Indian reservation! As it turned out, they moved to a reservation a few months ago, but not before we had good times of sharing.
3. Welcome neighbors warmly.
In our semi-rural neighborhood, there are three easy ways to know that someone new has moved in: a moving van or collection of loaded pickup trucks; a once-vacant house that is now occupied; and/or a new child at the bus stop.
Study these signs and others that might apply to your neighborhood. When somebody new moves in, demonstrate some Christian hospitality. Stop by with cookies. Pass along information on where to buy certain items. Answer questions about local activities. Offer to help in any way possible. What a difference a smile can make!
Hospitality is emphasized throughout Scripture, and it's a great way to break down barriers and demonstrate Christ's love.
4. Share a meal.
Jesus knew how significant sharing a meal could be. He often met with "sinners" in their homes and spoke to thousands of people at mealtimes.
Not long after Amanda and I were married, Ken and Ruth, a couple with several children, invited us to their home for a meal. How special that was for us! We didn't know many people yet and didn't have money for eating out. In addition to the great food, we enjoyed playing with their children. That meal led to many others, and they invited us over on special holidays and whenever the children celebrated birthdays.
5. Share a book.
Sharing food for the stomach is one thing. Have you considered sharing food for the mind? Do you have a book that one of your neighbors might enjoy reading? It's easy to loan out books, particularly as you learn your neighbors' interests. One couple is using our house-framing book to build a large workshop for their welding business. Another neighbor reads our books to learn more about certain issues in her life. A teenager (now grown) used to borrow Christian books from me regularly.
6. Share a skill.
If you are particularly good at interior decorating, fixing a car, greasing bicycle wheel bearings, landscaping, and so on, set aside a few hours on a weekend. Let other neighbors know when you will be using your particular skill and that you are willing to pass on a few tips or do some hands-on work. Then see what happens. Perhaps no one will drop by, in which case you can simply catch up on your own work. On the other hand, neighbors may stop by.
Sharing skills is contagious. If your neighborhood is like ours, when one person starts doing it, others will too. Everybody saves money, learns new things, and has fun in the process.
7. Share your recreation.
You may be surprised at how pleased a neighbor will be to join you in a favorite activity. If you are a mountain-bike aficionado and you notice that a neighbor also has a bike, why not suggest a time to ride a trail together? If you enjoy taking your family to a local pool, invite a neighbor or neighbor's child to tag along. Perhaps the local library is starting a new film series. Or your church has put together a special drama presentation. Or you have been given free tickets to a downtown event. Quite often people will be honored that you invite them. Even if they can't come, the invitation will mean a great deal.
8. Volunteer advice.
Perhaps you've learned about something the hard way, and your neighbor hasn't. If he or she is open-minded, doesn't have an attack dog who hates you, and is home when you are awake, try sharing an idea that has worked for you.
When we lived in a cul-de-sac, a neighbor's advice saved us lots of expense. Although I didn't know him well, he stopped by after a bad snowstorm and said, "When the wind is just right, snow blows into the roof vents of my house. You might want to check your attic." Turns out the insulation in our attic was covered with snow, which would have melted and created a real mess. From that time on, he and I talked about many subjects, including Christ.
Another time, I suggested that a neighbor jack out a fence post instead of digging it out. (I contributed the jack and chain.) He has always remembered that, and his family still corresponds with us from England.
9. Meet obvious needs.
Sometimes the best way to meet a neighbor is to be sensitive to a need. We've seen this happen over and over again.
One day we noticed a neighbor drive up and walk around her house trying to open a window. After a brief chat, we learned she had locked herself out. Amanda thought for a minute and asked, "Do you have a garage-door opener in your car?" Fifteen seconds later, the woman was in her house.
That was an easy need to meet. Sometimes, though, meeting our neighbors' needs requires work. I once passed a large rental truck parked in the middle of a gravel road. It was zero degrees, dark, and the wind chill was minus twenty. A man was pickaxing the frozen gravel from beneath the rear bumper of the truck.
Although I had acute tendonitis in both wrists, I knew I had to help him. So I drove home, changed clothes, and drove back. "What're you trying to do?" I asked. "Get into the driveway or get out of it?"
"We're moving in," he said, "and the back bumper dragged on the road. Now the truck won't go in or out."
I put my vehicle into four-wheel drive, drove up a ditch, and turned around in his driveway. Then we hooked up the winch and dragged the truck free. Grateful, he and his wife asked what they owed me. "Nothing," I replied, and shared a brief message about Jesus with them.
Another time, a van carrying a family of nine broke down about ten o'clock at night, not long after they'd moved into a new house up the road from us. The husband called us, and I was able to tow the van back to his home.
10. Watch for special opportunities.
The opportunity to meet others' needs is not always obvious. Occasionally we have to initiate the action, not merely respond to the situation.
One snowy morning at the bus stop, having dropped my daughter off, I noticed a woman I'd never seen before standing nearby and introduced myself.
"We just moved here," she volunteered, "and we're trying to move in. But the moving company won't deliver our things until we get the driveway plowed." She pointed to the fourteen inches of snow that had fallen the night before. "Do you know anyone who can plow it by eleven o'clock? The moving company wants to come today."
Knowing that the professional plowers were out fulfilling contractual commitments, I shook my head. Then I realized that maybe God wanted me to help her.
I borrowed another neighbor's tractor and plowed her driveway and also a path to her back stairs. That, in turn, led to various discussions with her and her husband, who invited us to their home for a meal. The head of a multinational company in Korea, she has never forgotten that people she had never met plowed her out for free.
11. Ask for help.
We all have strengths and weaknesses. One way of compensating for our weaknesses, and getting to know our neighbors better in the process, is to ask for help. (Sometimes it's better to receive than to give!)
For example, I frequently begin projects without knowing how they will end. I experiment and learn as I go. This works well sometimes, but when I started to build a go-cart out of a cast-off riding lawnmower, I soon realized I was in over my head. So I invited a neighbor who was technically proficient to help me, and we had fun for about four hours. During that time, he also shared several deep concerns.
Another time, when Amanda and I lived in a two-bedroom apartment, friends of ours from college days, Paul and Tina, arrived for a visit in an old car with worn-out brakes. I volunteered to help Paul replace them. Dutifully, we pulled off a wheel and began removing springs and other brake parts. Soon I knew we were in trouble.
"Hey," I called out to a man walking by, "you know anything about brakes?"
He hesitated and then grinned. "A little bit." He passed along a few pointers and gave me his apartment number in the adjoining complex. That simple conversation developed into a relationship with him and his wife that has lasted almost sixteen years.
12. Organize neighborhood activities.
Everybody has to eat, and few people will turn down the chance to grill a few burgers and sample other people's tasty dishes. In one neighborhood, a random gathering of people on the Fourth of July became a tradition. The residents closed off the street for a block party and brought their favorite foods. From about noon until dark, neighbors talked, threw Frisbees, and played with everybody's children. If you live in an apartment, see if you can reserve the clubhouse or block off part of the parking lot. Or arrange for everyone to meet at a nearby park.
Speaking of food, have you ever participated in a potluck in which neighbors go to different homes and eat a different course at each home? Progressive dinners can be a fun way to get to know people in your neighborhood, particularly those whom you've already met briefly.
And then there is that great American tradition: the garage sale. Most people have items they'd like to sell or give away. Invite your neighbors to participate. It's a great way to meet them. You may even want to furnish the driveway. If you live in an apartment complex, see if you can use the parking lot. Arrange for at least one adult from each participating family to spend some time at the sale, and don't be surprised if you end up talking with neighbors you hardly know as if you were long-time buddies.
Baby showers also serve this purpose. When a new couple moved into our neighborhood, I met them as they were fixing up their mailbox. Kristen was obviously pregnant, and as time passed Amanda and another neighbor decided to hold a baby shower for her. They typed up invitations and delivered them to select neighbors.
In addition to seeing the joy on Kristen's face during the shower, Amanda met two women she didn't know. She now looks forward to spending additional time with them.
A Discipleship Journal article by Stephen Sorenson
During the past several weeks, I've asked a number of people how they get to know their neighbors. Most of them say, "Well, that's a good question. I'm not very good at that." Then they launch into a grocery list of reasons why they haven't tried to meet their neighbors or why they've given up. I understand, because I wrestle with the same issues.
When I was growing up, it seemed as if my parents knew everybody in the neighborhood. They'd lived in the same house for years, and I played in empty lots with their friends' children. People trusted one another, often not locking their doors and not worrying about whether a neighbor was being too friendly toward their children. Even salespeople knew our names.
Today, much has changed in many towns and cities. There are few empty lots on which children can play. People lock their doors—sometimes with three or four locks—and pay a good deal of attention to their children's playmates, young and old alike. And salespeople know only our charge cards.
Add to this the transient quality of our society, job demands, family responsibilities, church activities, and all the attendant details of modern life, and it's not surprising that people don't know their neighbors.
However, Jesus said that we're to be the light of the world, and I believe this truth applies to our dealings with our neighbors as well. In fact, He explicitly told us to love our neighbors, to care about them in practical ways—a difficult task if we don't know their names.
As we learn, by God's grace, how to put others first and respond to their needs by His power, our lives will stand out. Our neighbors will know that we care and will be drawn toward us—and to Christ. Truly they will know we are Christians by our love.
Realizing that your neighbor situation may be quite different from mine, I'd like to share some ways I've met my neighbors. (Having a dog that barks early in the morning doesn't count.) There are probably hundreds of ways to meet neighbors, depending on our personalities, living conditions, interests, and so on. What's important is mustering the energy—and the courage—to try one or more of them.
1. Exchange simple greetings.
If you are consistently friendly when you meet people on the stairs, in the elevator, or during a neighborhood walk, eventually you'll have the opportunity to get to know them. We met a Pakistani woman on the stairs of our apartment complex once. Later, when her husband needed someone to read his dissertation, she remembered that we were editors and knocked on our door. When their young son cut his head open and needed stitches, she asked us to drive them to the hospital.
2. Pass along a compliment.
Solomon wrote, "How good is a timely word!" (Prov. 15:23). A cheerful word can still open doors to relationships, even in our impersonal society. For example, nearly every time I drove past a certain house down the road from us, I noticed that something had been improved. The trash had disappeared. A new picnic area had sprouted. The house was repainted. And so on.
One afternoon, as I returned from the park with my German Shepherd, I noticed a man and a woman standing in the front yard. I stopped my pickup truck and walked back to say hello.
The couple looked at my jeans and my powerful dog, and offered a tepid, unenthusiastic, "Hi." (Translation: "What are you doing here? What do you want? Do we know you?")
"I just wanted to tell you that I think you're doing a great job with this house," I said. "It's really looking good."
Immediately, their faces beamed. We talked for nearly twenty minutes, and I discovered they were Christians. In fact, they had read an earlier article I'd written for Discipleship Journal, and it had motivated them to think about becoming missionaries on an Indian reservation! As it turned out, they moved to a reservation a few months ago, but not before we had good times of sharing.
3. Welcome neighbors warmly.
In our semi-rural neighborhood, there are three easy ways to know that someone new has moved in: a moving van or collection of loaded pickup trucks; a once-vacant house that is now occupied; and/or a new child at the bus stop.
Study these signs and others that might apply to your neighborhood. When somebody new moves in, demonstrate some Christian hospitality. Stop by with cookies. Pass along information on where to buy certain items. Answer questions about local activities. Offer to help in any way possible. What a difference a smile can make!
Hospitality is emphasized throughout Scripture, and it's a great way to break down barriers and demonstrate Christ's love.
4. Share a meal.
Jesus knew how significant sharing a meal could be. He often met with "sinners" in their homes and spoke to thousands of people at mealtimes.
Not long after Amanda and I were married, Ken and Ruth, a couple with several children, invited us to their home for a meal. How special that was for us! We didn't know many people yet and didn't have money for eating out. In addition to the great food, we enjoyed playing with their children. That meal led to many others, and they invited us over on special holidays and whenever the children celebrated birthdays.
5. Share a book.Sharing food for the stomach is one thing. Have you considered sharing food for the mind? Do you have a book that one of your neighbors might enjoy reading? It's easy to loan out books, particularly as you learn your neighbors' interests. One couple is using our house-framing book to build a large workshop for their welding business. Another neighbor reads our books to learn more about certain issues in her life. A teenager (now grown) used to borrow Christian books from me regularly.
6. Share a skill.
If you are particularly good at interior decorating, fixing a car, greasing bicycle wheel bearings, landscaping, and so on, set aside a few hours on a weekend. Let other neighbors know when you will be using your particular skill and that you are willing to pass on a few tips or do some hands-on work. Then see what happens. Perhaps no one will drop by, in which case you can simply catch up on your own work. On the other hand, neighbors may stop by.
Sharing skills is contagious. If your neighborhood is like ours, when one person starts doing it, others will too. Everybody saves money, learns new things, and has fun in the process.
7. Share your recreation.
You may be surprised at how pleased a neighbor will be to join you in a favorite activity. If you are a mountain-bike aficionado and you notice that a neighbor also has a bike, why not suggest a time to ride a trail together? If you enjoy taking your family to a local pool, invite a neighbor or neighbor's child to tag along. Perhaps the local library is starting a new film series. Or your church has put together a special drama presentation. Or you have been given free tickets to a downtown event. Quite often people will be honored that you invite them. Even if they can't come, the invitation will mean a great deal.
8. Volunteer advice.
Perhaps you've learned about something the hard way, and your neighbor hasn't. If he or she is open-minded, doesn't have an attack dog who hates you, and is home when you are awake, try sharing an idea that has worked for you.
When we lived in a cul-de-sac, a neighbor's advice saved us lots of expense. Although I didn't know him well, he stopped by after a bad snowstorm and said, "When the wind is just right, snow blows into the roof vents of my house. You might want to check your attic." Turns out the insulation in our attic was covered with snow, which would have melted and created a real mess. From that time on, he and I talked about many subjects, including Christ.
Another time, I suggested that a neighbor jack out a fence post instead of digging it out. (I contributed the jack and chain.) He has always remembered that, and his family still corresponds with us from England.
9. Meet obvious needs.
Sometimes the best way to meet a neighbor is to be sensitive to a need. We've seen this happen over and over again.
One day we noticed a neighbor drive up and walk around her house trying to open a window. After a brief chat, we learned she had locked herself out. Amanda thought for a minute and asked, "Do you have a garage-door opener in your car?" Fifteen seconds later, the woman was in her house.
That was an easy need to meet. Sometimes, though, meeting our neighbors' needs requires work. I once passed a large rental truck parked in the middle of a gravel road. It was zero degrees, dark, and the wind chill was minus twenty. A man was pickaxing the frozen gravel from beneath the rear bumper of the truck.
Although I had acute tendonitis in both wrists, I knew I had to help him. So I drove home, changed clothes, and drove back. "What're you trying to do?" I asked. "Get into the driveway or get out of it?"
"We're moving in," he said, "and the back bumper dragged on the road. Now the truck won't go in or out."
I put my vehicle into four-wheel drive, drove up a ditch, and turned around in his driveway. Then we hooked up the winch and dragged the truck free. Grateful, he and his wife asked what they owed me. "Nothing," I replied, and shared a brief message about Jesus with them.
Another time, a van carrying a family of nine broke down about ten o'clock at night, not long after they'd moved into a new house up the road from us. The husband called us, and I was able to tow the van back to his home.
10. Watch for special opportunities.
The opportunity to meet others' needs is not always obvious. Occasionally we have to initiate the action, not merely respond to the situation.
One snowy morning at the bus stop, having dropped my daughter off, I noticed a woman I'd never seen before standing nearby and introduced myself.
"We just moved here," she volunteered, "and we're trying to move in. But the moving company won't deliver our things until we get the driveway plowed." She pointed to the fourteen inches of snow that had fallen the night before. "Do you know anyone who can plow it by eleven o'clock? The moving company wants to come today."
Knowing that the professional plowers were out fulfilling contractual commitments, I shook my head. Then I realized that maybe God wanted me to help her.
I borrowed another neighbor's tractor and plowed her driveway and also a path to her back stairs. That, in turn, led to various discussions with her and her husband, who invited us to their home for a meal. The head of a multinational company in Korea, she has never forgotten that people she had never met plowed her out for free.
11. Ask for help.We all have strengths and weaknesses. One way of compensating for our weaknesses, and getting to know our neighbors better in the process, is to ask for help. (Sometimes it's better to receive than to give!)
For example, I frequently begin projects without knowing how they will end. I experiment and learn as I go. This works well sometimes, but when I started to build a go-cart out of a cast-off riding lawnmower, I soon realized I was in over my head. So I invited a neighbor who was technically proficient to help me, and we had fun for about four hours. During that time, he also shared several deep concerns.
Another time, when Amanda and I lived in a two-bedroom apartment, friends of ours from college days, Paul and Tina, arrived for a visit in an old car with worn-out brakes. I volunteered to help Paul replace them. Dutifully, we pulled off a wheel and began removing springs and other brake parts. Soon I knew we were in trouble.
"Hey," I called out to a man walking by, "you know anything about brakes?"
He hesitated and then grinned. "A little bit." He passed along a few pointers and gave me his apartment number in the adjoining complex. That simple conversation developed into a relationship with him and his wife that has lasted almost sixteen years.
12. Organize neighborhood activities.
Everybody has to eat, and few people will turn down the chance to grill a few burgers and sample other people's tasty dishes. In one neighborhood, a random gathering of people on the Fourth of July became a tradition. The residents closed off the street for a block party and brought their favorite foods. From about noon until dark, neighbors talked, threw Frisbees, and played with everybody's children. If you live in an apartment, see if you can reserve the clubhouse or block off part of the parking lot. Or arrange for everyone to meet at a nearby park.
Speaking of food, have you ever participated in a potluck in which neighbors go to different homes and eat a different course at each home? Progressive dinners can be a fun way to get to know people in your neighborhood, particularly those whom you've already met briefly.
And then there is that great American tradition: the garage sale. Most people have items they'd like to sell or give away. Invite your neighbors to participate. It's a great way to meet them. You may even want to furnish the driveway. If you live in an apartment complex, see if you can use the parking lot. Arrange for at least one adult from each participating family to spend some time at the sale, and don't be surprised if you end up talking with neighbors you hardly know as if you were long-time buddies.
Baby showers also serve this purpose. When a new couple moved into our neighborhood, I met them as they were fixing up their mailbox. Kristen was obviously pregnant, and as time passed Amanda and another neighbor decided to hold a baby shower for her. They typed up invitations and delivered them to select neighbors.
In addition to seeing the joy on Kristen's face during the shower, Amanda met two women she didn't know. She now looks forward to spending additional time with them.
Monday, February 18, 2013
John House on Pioneer Public TV
You can fast forward to see Dad at minute 10:36.
Watch Detroit Lakes Music & Rural Art on PBS. See more from Postcards.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
LOVE - Valentine's Day
Happy Valentine's Day!!
As I read through 1 Corinthians 13 this morning, LOVE has a different spin on things. Along with 7 other ladies, I am in a Small Group "Live Out Your Calling" - Purpose Driven Life. As we learn how great God's love is for us, this famous verse in the bible is on such a deeper level for me.
4 Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,
they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled;
where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.
11 When I was a child, I talked like a child,
I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.
12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;
then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part;
then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love.
-- 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13
Check out this video I took of some of the neighbor boys I watched on Wednesday nights. I love how they quoted
As I read through 1 Corinthians 13 this morning, LOVE has a different spin on things. Along with 7 other ladies, I am in a Small Group "Live Out Your Calling" - Purpose Driven Life. As we learn how great God's love is for us, this famous verse in the bible is on such a deeper level for me.
4 Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,
they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled;
where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.
11 When I was a child, I talked like a child,
I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.
12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;
then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part;
then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love.
-- 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13
Check out this video I took of some of the neighbor boys I watched on Wednesday nights. I love how they quoted
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Million of tiny things
What are some of the tiny things that your husband or wife does?
What about your kids?
Your parents?
Your brother or sisters?
Monday, February 11, 2013
Break-Up Coach
Ladies,
Got a friend whose heart was just broken? I found this interesting website that helps you be a good friend by their side through the break-up.
Remember there are certain rules to follow!!
DO LISTEN. It's one of the most helpful and important things you can do for your friend. Just listen, nod, and let her know that you hear what she's saying and that you understand. It's so simple and yet so often we don't do it!
DON'T LECTURE, PREACH, OR GIVE ADVICE (UNLESS SHE ASKS FOR IT). It's a trap for both of you because you end up having the same conversation over and over again. Letting her go over the same thing more or less on her own 2 or 3 times without a lot of input from you is actually more healing for her. And although it may seem challenging at first to just sit and listen, eventually it ends up being less draining for you, too.
DO reach out just to say hi and that you're thinking of her with calls, texts, emails, etc. The feeling of loss of contact and communication can be one of the hardest parts of a rough breakup -- remind her that someone really cares. (One way you can let her know you're thinking about her is to send one of our free e-cards)
DON'T compare her current situation with yours from the past. Let her have her moment. After some time has gone by and her wounds are less fresh, you can swap war stories.
DO set boundaries and take care of yourself. Yes, it's helpful to listen, but it's also okay to take breaks and set limits. Ask if you can call her back later if you need some time off. If it's feeling like all you do is talk about the breakup for hours on end, suggest that you spend a specific amount of time talking about it (let's say 15 minutes) and during that time she'll have your complete and undivided attention. After that you both agree to change the subject. Tell her that a psychologist (that would be me!) recommends this for her as a way of honoring her feelings while not letting the breakup take over her life.
DON'T forget to have fun together. Just like the breakup shouldn't take over her own life, it shouldn't highjack your friendship either. Make sure you spend some time doing things you both enjoy, while letting her know that you'll still be there when she's feeling sad. Otherwise your friend may stay stuck in "woe is me" mode because she's afraid that if you see her acting okay for a while you won't let her be sad ever again. Let her know that you understand that she can have good AND bad days, and that you're there to share both of them with her.
DO feel free to criticize her ex in vague, general terms in her favor when she is angry and venting. Saying things like, "What a loser!", "I can't believe he said that to you, that jerk!" and "He really blew it, big time!" are usually good bets!
DON'T go overboard with trashing the ex. Don't get angrier about him than your friend does, don't bring up any personal complains you've been holding against him, and avoid specific insults or criticisms about his appearance, personality, etc. These are the ones that tend to come back to haunt you. On the off chance that your friend ends up getting back together with the guy, you don't want your comment about his freakishly small, pointy head floating out there.
DO act as a voice of reason and save her from herself when she's about to do something crazy. See if you can confiscate her phone if you're headed out for "forget him!" cocktails, and hide her keys if she's talking about driving over to confront him at his new girlfriend's house (yikes!). Tell her that you would definitely want her to do the same for you if you were in her position. If she's really set on doing something you think is a bad idea, instead of continuing to argue about it just ask her to give it a 24 hour waiting period (kind of like buying a gun).
DO send her a Breakup Coach E-card to help cheer her up. And if you've followed all of this advice and she's still driving you a little crazy, try sending her the link to my article about being a good friend while you're going through a breakup. It can't hurt. You can also let her know about my free, personalized breakup coaching programs that will give her daily support with customized emails designed just for her (and might take a little of the burden off of you).
My favorite part is the E-cards!
http://breakup-coach.com/coaching/
Credits The BreakUp Coach
Got a friend whose heart was just broken? I found this interesting website that helps you be a good friend by their side through the break-up.
Remember there are certain rules to follow!!
The Friend Zone
Support for those of us who want to be there for a friend going through a difficult breakup without letting it drive us totally crazy.DO's and DON'Ts for Helping a Friend Through a Breakup
We've all been there. Your friend is heartbroken. You care about her. You want to be there for her. You also might, just possibly, be feeling a teensy little bit frustrated with her. Here are some tips to help you navigate your friend's breakup and hopefully emerge with the friendship (and your sanity) intact.DO LISTEN. It's one of the most helpful and important things you can do for your friend. Just listen, nod, and let her know that you hear what she's saying and that you understand. It's so simple and yet so often we don't do it!
DON'T LECTURE, PREACH, OR GIVE ADVICE (UNLESS SHE ASKS FOR IT). It's a trap for both of you because you end up having the same conversation over and over again. Letting her go over the same thing more or less on her own 2 or 3 times without a lot of input from you is actually more healing for her. And although it may seem challenging at first to just sit and listen, eventually it ends up being less draining for you, too.
DO reach out just to say hi and that you're thinking of her with calls, texts, emails, etc. The feeling of loss of contact and communication can be one of the hardest parts of a rough breakup -- remind her that someone really cares. (One way you can let her know you're thinking about her is to send one of our free e-cards)
DON'T compare her current situation with yours from the past. Let her have her moment. After some time has gone by and her wounds are less fresh, you can swap war stories.
DO set boundaries and take care of yourself. Yes, it's helpful to listen, but it's also okay to take breaks and set limits. Ask if you can call her back later if you need some time off. If it's feeling like all you do is talk about the breakup for hours on end, suggest that you spend a specific amount of time talking about it (let's say 15 minutes) and during that time she'll have your complete and undivided attention. After that you both agree to change the subject. Tell her that a psychologist (that would be me!) recommends this for her as a way of honoring her feelings while not letting the breakup take over her life.
DON'T forget to have fun together. Just like the breakup shouldn't take over her own life, it shouldn't highjack your friendship either. Make sure you spend some time doing things you both enjoy, while letting her know that you'll still be there when she's feeling sad. Otherwise your friend may stay stuck in "woe is me" mode because she's afraid that if you see her acting okay for a while you won't let her be sad ever again. Let her know that you understand that she can have good AND bad days, and that you're there to share both of them with her.
DO feel free to criticize her ex in vague, general terms in her favor when she is angry and venting. Saying things like, "What a loser!", "I can't believe he said that to you, that jerk!" and "He really blew it, big time!" are usually good bets!
DON'T go overboard with trashing the ex. Don't get angrier about him than your friend does, don't bring up any personal complains you've been holding against him, and avoid specific insults or criticisms about his appearance, personality, etc. These are the ones that tend to come back to haunt you. On the off chance that your friend ends up getting back together with the guy, you don't want your comment about his freakishly small, pointy head floating out there.
DO act as a voice of reason and save her from herself when she's about to do something crazy. See if you can confiscate her phone if you're headed out for "forget him!" cocktails, and hide her keys if she's talking about driving over to confront him at his new girlfriend's house (yikes!). Tell her that you would definitely want her to do the same for you if you were in her position. If she's really set on doing something you think is a bad idea, instead of continuing to argue about it just ask her to give it a 24 hour waiting period (kind of like buying a gun).
DO send her a Breakup Coach E-card to help cheer her up. And if you've followed all of this advice and she's still driving you a little crazy, try sending her the link to my article about being a good friend while you're going through a breakup. It can't hurt. You can also let her know about my free, personalized breakup coaching programs that will give her daily support with customized emails designed just for her (and might take a little of the burden off of you).
My favorite part is the E-cards!
http://breakup-coach.com/coaching/
Credits The BreakUp Coach
Sunday, February 10, 2013
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another
1 Peter 4:10-11
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Friday, February 8, 2013
101 Important Life Principles To Live By Every Day
Do you have a set of principles which you live by in life? Wouldn’t it be great if you have a manual with a list of life principles to live by?
In today’s article, I’d like to share the 101 important life principles to live by every day. Many of the principles listed are lessons which I learned at one point or another. This list complements the other 101 sister lists we have at PE to date, such as 101 Ways To Live Life To Fullest, 101 Ways To Be a Better Person and 101 Important Questions To Ask Yourself in Life. In a way, this life principles list is a repurposing of the principles conveyed in the other lists as adages to follow every day.
Don’t diminish this list just because there are 101 points, because every single one of them is important. I recommend you to bookmark this list, read 2-3 principles each week, digest them, then return the next week to pick out another 2-3 principles to ponder over.
Keep doing that until you are done with the 101 life principles, after which you will probably see new meaning behind the principles you have read before. That’s because these life principles are timeless lessons with bottomless depths. I continually find new layers of meaning behind each principle no matter how many times I acknowledge it.
I now present to you the 101 life principles:
- Ability: is more of a function of the time you spend honing your craft, rather than a result of what you were born with. Read: 10,000 Hours To Develop Talent
- Abundance: We live in a world of abundance. There are unlimited wealth and unlimited opportunities for everyone. So don’t worry about whether you can succeed in something and focus on how to succeed in it.
- Action: is a necessary part of success.
- “And”, not “Or”: It’s not about choosing Option A or Option B. It’s about Option C – an option you create which has everything you want, and more.
- Anger: is the most volatile form of emotion you can ever burden yourself with. Every bit of anger you hold on to damages your soul. Whenever you feel angry, remember that the person you are hurting is yourself.
- Annoyances: Everything that annoys you mirrors something inside you. Rather than look outward for the solution, look inside to understand where that annoyance is coming from. Read: Day 22: Mirror an Annoyance, Be a Better Me in 30 Days Program
- Attachment: only causes anguish in the long run because nothing is permanent in this world. Don’t mourn over the loss of something. Be happy that it happened instead. Principle #10 of 10 Surefire Ways To Be Unhappy in Life
- Awareness: is the first step to the resolution of any problem.
- Beauty: Physical beauty is great but it doesn’t last. Inner beauty, on the other hand, stands the test of time. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t improve our physical beauty – we should focus on being beautiful, both on the inside and out.
- Beauty, #2: There is no one standard of beauty. Beauty comes in all shapes, all sizes, all forms, all colors. You are beautiful as you are. Stop trying to conform to the image of beauty constructed by the society and embrace the beauty that is you.
- Being yourself: It is better to be a first rate version of yourself than a second rate version of someone else. (Judy Garland)
- Beliefs: Your beliefs affect your life more than you think they do. If you want to have the best life experience you can ever have, switch out your disempowering beliefs with empowering ones.
- Beliefs, #2: Half the things you say are usually more to do with your internal beliefs and issues than to do with other people.
- Blame: Whenever you point a finger at someone else, there are 4 other fingers pointing back at you.
- Business: In business, being the cog in the system also means you are the clog in the system. Learn to have your business run without you, be it via automating or outsourcing. Even if you still want to work on your business after that, that’s fine – it’s important that you work on the business and not in the business. Read: Million Dollar Tip #4: Scale Up Your Work
- Change: Just because you have realized something doesn’t mean the world around you will change right away. It takes time for your thoughts to ripple out and effect the reality because the physical world is denser than the spiritual one. So don’t be hung up with what’s on the outside but stay true to what’s inside you. Be focused. (Refer to #33: Focus)
- Change that lasts: It’s better to create sustainable change than change that is quick but does not last. Stop going for the easy way out. Learn how to create lasting change instead.
- Changing people: You can’t change other people. You can only change yourself.
- Comparing: There is no need to compare because everyone is different. Your goal is not to be like others but to be yourself. Stop comparing with others and focus on being yourself instead. (See #11)
- Competition: The only competition you have is yourself.
- Conditional things: Something that is conditional can never stand the test of time. For example, if your partner wants to be with you only if you do X, Y and Z, whereby X, Y and Z are not things that you believe in. Or say, if a parent will only love his child if he aces his exams. These are relationships rooted in fear and not what you want to be a part of.
- Confidence: is a quality that comes from knowing oneself. It can’t be manufactured regardless of how many material objects you own or what statuses you have. Read: How To Be The Most Confident Person In The World
- Criticism: helps you to become better. Rather than reject it, celebrate it. Read: How To Give Constructive Criticism: 6 Helpful Suggestions
- Criticism, #2: Receiving criticism means what you are doing is worthwhile enough for people to critique on. One will not criticize unless he/she feels he/she has a stake in it. The more criticism you get, the better, because that means you are doing something of real value and worth.
- Cynics, Skeptics, and Pessimists: are not worth arguing with. They are negative time bombs waiting to go off. You will only end up (more) bitter, damaged, and upset at the end of the exchange. Read: How To Deal With Energy Vampires: 8 Simple Tips | Manifesto version
- Death: is part and parcel of life. With every death comes a new birth; with every birth comes an eventual death. Don’t mourn the dead. Celebrate the fact that they lived.
- Death, #2: There is nothing to fear about death for it happens to everyone. Rather than fear death, focus on living your best life instead. Read: Do You Dread Growing Older?
- Doing everything alone: You can’t accomplish everything by yourself. Even if you do, you can never accomplish as much as compared to if you had the help of others. Involve others in your goals. Delegate, outsource, and hire where applicable. Ask for help when you need to.
- Escaping: has never solved any problem for anyone. The moment you decide to face your problems is the moment you gain power over your life. (See #78)
- Failure: is a necessary part of success. Every great success is almost always preceded by a great failure. It’s more important that you learn from your failure(s) and harness the lesson(s) so you can achieve your next success. Read: How To Start When You Have Nothing
- Fear: is a disempowering emotion to live with. Your real self is not filled with fear. Discard it and you will be set free. Read: How To Overcome Fear (3-part series)
- Fear, #2: No matter how much fear you have, your fear can be conquered with love. (By love, I’m referring to universal love, not specifically romantic love.)
- Focus: is what happens when you stop letting yourself get distracted by the unimportant things.
- Force: You can’t force things to happen if they are not meant to be. There is a time and place for everything. You can only do what you can and let the universe take care of the rest.
- Forgiveness: isn’t about forgiving other people. It’s really about forgiving yourself. To quote Lewis Smedes, “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” Read: Day 25: Forgive Yourself, Be a Better Me in 30 Days Program
- Friendships: A friendship is a bond between two like-minded souls. If there are friends you no longer feel an affinity for, perhaps it’s time to let the friendships go and work on building new friendships. Read: Why I Parted Ways With My Best Friend of 10 Years and How To Have More Best Friends in Life: The Heartfelt Guide
- Frustration: makes you feel bad and doesn’t help you solve your problem. Release the frustration in you and work on the issues instead. Read: 13 Helping Points When Things Don’t Go Your Way
- Fulfillment: You create a more fulfilling life by giving attention to the good things, not the bad things; by celebrating the good stuff, not whining about the bad stuff; by working on things that you love, not doing the things that you hate.
- Future: You can’t control the future, but you can affect the present moment. If you want to have a better future, create it. (Check out inspirational quotes on the Future.)
- Generosity: Being generous doesn’t deprive you. When you are generous to others, you subsequently receive more into your life. Read: Are You Emotionally Generous?
- Giving and Receiving: Rather than think about what you can receive (whether from people or from the universe), think about what you can give to others.
- Growth: Always challenge yourself to reach greater heights. There is always room to be better, regardless of who you are or what you have done. Be attached to the notion of growth, not an end state.
- Habits: Your habits make you who you are. Excellent habits give you an excellent life. Read: Cultivate Life Transforming Habits in 21 Days
- Happiness: is the result of doing what brings you joy. It is not a goal to be achieved. Rather than focus on being happy (for the sake of being happy), do what makes you happy instead. Read: How To Be Happy: 10 Timeless Principles for Lasting Happiness
- Haste: Sometimes, more haste leads to less speed. Being in a hurry can lead to more mistakes compared to if you were not.
- Humility: will earn you more respect, acknowledgment and recognition than arrogance ever will. There’s no need to be a show off. If you are really good at what you do, it will automatically show through your accomplishments.
- Ideals: are good but don’t let them stop you from living in the present. They are meant to inspire you and give you a direction to move toward so that you can maximize your present moment (not to take you away from living in it).
- Improving: If you think you can’t improve any further in something, then you are just not aware of your areas for improvement.
- Individuality: Everyone is different. Accept that each and every person is unique. Stop imposing expectations on people.
- Inspiration: comes from being in the state of flow. If you’re not feeling inspired, you’re not in a state of flow.
- Intuition: When in doubt, follow your intuition. It will guide you to where you need to be.
- Intuition and Logic: Contrary to popular belief, intuition and logic are not at odds with each other – they go hand-in-hand. Hone your analytical mind through constant thinking. Cultivate your intuition by listening to your gut. They will be the biggest tools you have at your disposal.
- Jealousy: is what happens when you resent someone’s success. But you don’t have to, because you are capable of achieving that same level of success, and more.
- Judgement: Judging people doesn’t make you a better person. It only makes you an ugly one.
- Laughter: Perhaps a little cliche, but laughter is one of the best medicines for the soul. When’s the last time you had a good laugh? If you haven’t been laughing/smiling/grinning for a while, maybe you have been too stifled in your life. Go do something that makes you loosen up and laugh out loud.
- Let go: Sometimes you have to let go of what you have now in order to move forward. Read: Day 28: Let Go, Live a Better Life in 30 Days Program
- Let go, #2: If there is something you can’t let go of, dig deeper. There is probably something in you waiting to be uncovered. Read: Ask Celes – Is It Possible To Let Go of Unhappy Past Forever? and How To Move On From a Relationship (5-part series)
- Life: is an experience that you actively create, not something you wait around to “happen”.
- Limits: The only limit in life is yourself. No one’s stopping you from becoming better and achieving more except yourself. To reach greater heights, identify your limits and remove them accordingly.
- Love: isn’t something you deliberately seek out. It’s something that happens when you follow your life path, become the right person, and meet that right person along your life’s journey.
- Low consciousness people: If you do not want to be affected by people of low consciousness, simply raise your consciousness to a level where you are safe from them. Read: Map of Consciousness
- Low consciousness people, #2: Low consciousness people hold you back from reaching greater heights. These include energy vampires, critical people, dishonest characters, and people with temperament issues. Let them go from your life and send them love as you do that.
- Material objects: are just tools to help you enjoy your life. You do not carry them with you when you die. So, don’t invest yourself in them. Rather, invest yourself in the development of your consciousness. Read: Materialism Breeds Unhappiness
- Meaning of life: is up to you to create. You can either treat life like it has no meaning or see it as this amazing opportunity that the universe has blessed you with. Read: Discover Your Purpose in the Next 30 Minutes
- Mistakes: are there to help you learn more about yourself. Don’t be hung up about the mistakes you make. Don’t be afraid of making (more) mistakes either. Be hungry about the lessons they embody.
- Money: is a symbol of value exchange between people. The amount of money you earn is simply a representation of the value you are giving to others. To earn more money, simply create more value for others.
- Motivation: comes naturally when you do what you love.
- Nasty people: There is always something good in everyone – even in the nastiest of people. It’s up to you to recognize that.
- Nasty people, #2: The nastiest of people are also the unhappiest of people. Be kind to them because they are the ones who need your love the most.
- Obstacles: The obstacles that lie between you and your goals are not there to stop you from reaching your goals. They are there to stop the people who don’t want them enough. (Original quote by Randy Pausch. Watch his commencement speech at Carnegie Mellon: 10 Powerful and Inspiring Graduation Speeches You Don’t Want To Miss (#3 on the list))
- Opportunities: don’t come knocking on your door just by virtue of you doing nothing. You can either passively wait for opportunities to fall onto your lap or actively create them yourself.
- Passion: If you aren’t following your passion, you have nothing to lose. Seriously. If you have to work for at least 2/3s of your life, you might as well base it off your passion. Stop letting yourself be hung up by fear and start pursuing your dreams. Read: How To Overcome Fear Of Loss And Pursue Your Dreams and Passion or Money?
- Past: You can’t change the past; it has happened and it is what it is. Fixating on it isn’t going to get you anywhere. You can only change the present to create a better future.
- People you dislike: Your life is limited, so spend it around people you like.
- Pleasing other people: When you live a life trying to please others, you end up not living a life at all. You are just living others’ lives under the facade of your life.
- Positivity: If you want to have more positivity in your life, start by being more positive yourself. Spot the silver lining behind every dark cloud. Recognize the strengths of the people you are with. See the good side of everything you have.
- Possibilities: We live in a world of possibilities. Anything you have ever dreamed of, imagined, or wished for, is possible, as long as you set your heart and soul to it.
- Power: You have all the power in you to do everything you ever want, and more. So start doing what you want and let the power in you emerge.
- Procrastination: is a sign of a bigger issue. Stop trying to fix your procrastination as a problem and start thinking about why you are procrastinating in the first place. Read: How To Overcome Procrastination (5-part series)
- Progress: Celebrate how far you’ve come, and not how much you have yet to achieve. The former will empower you to greatness, while the latter is rooted in fear and only serves to hold you back from greatness.
- Priorities: Know what matters to you and work on them. These are the things that will bring you the greatest happiness in life. Read: Put First Things First
- Lead by example: If you want to initiate change, lead by example. Words can only do so much. A living example shows everything.
- Reality: Just like how the kind of fruit a tree bears is a result of the seed it is sown from, your external reality is merely a reflection of your internal beliefs. Change your beliefs and your reality will follow suit. (See #12)
- Regret: is what happens when you are stuck with the impression that you did (or didn’t do) something you wish you didn’t (or did). But you can’t change the past; no one can. Milk that is spilt can’t be unspilt. Stop living in the past and start living in the present.
- Relationships: A relationship is a bond between two dynamic individuals. It should be actively created between the parties involved, and not something you base off of norms and other relationships. Don’t impose expectations on your relationships; nurture them and let them come into their own. Read: How To Improve Your Relationship With Your Parents (series)
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Faith | Mere Christianity
Mere
Christianity
C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis
Book 3 | Christian
Behaviour3: Faith (pg. 138)
I must talk in this chapter about what the Christians call
Faith. Roughly speaking, the word Faith seems to be used by Christians in two
senses or on two levels, and I will take them in turn. In the first sense it
means simply Belief -- accepting or regarding as true the doctrines of
Christianity. That is fairly simple. But what does puzzle people –at least it
used to puzzle me – is the fact that Christians regard faith in this sense as a
virtue. I used to ask how on earth it can be a virtue –what is there moral or
immoral about believing or not believing a set of statements? Obviously, I used
to say, a sane man accepts or rejects any statement, not because he wants to or
does not want to, but because the evidence seems to him good or bad. If he were
mistaken about the goodness or badness of the evidence that would not mean he
was a bad man, but only that he was not very clever. And if he thought the
evidence bad but tried to force himself to believe in spite of it, that would
be merely stupid.
He's Just Not that Into You.
Life is simple.
For those you want in your life, you'll find a way to do so.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Kirsten Baker - This City Kills - EP
 |
| Kirsten Baker's First EP |
Kirsten has been blessed with this gorgeous voice that I'm a huge fan of!!
She decided to move to Nashville to pursue her singing career this past fall and I'm anxiously awaiting to see her make it big!!
I actually met Kirsten's family before I met her. I joined a Small Group led by her mother Denise and sister Kelsey. Jordan, one of our group members frequently talked about Kirsten's voice and often played Kirsten on her Iphone.... but it wasn't until I met this sweet doll and heard her play in the livingroom live that my mouth dropped.
I couldn't believe her voice! I was hooked.
I'm honored to help spread the word of the next step towards her career....
To learn more about Kirsten and recording her first "EP" (I'm not exactly sure what it means either), check out this little video.
See, I told you she's sweet!!
Now listen to this voice!!
You may remember Kirsten from when I posted this video of her singing for our Small Group's Christmas get-together (right)! Raw talent!! Their Cover Clocks version is another favorite of mine.
Can't wait to see what's ahead of you girl!
So proud of you!
To see more of her videos, click here or search KirstenBaker39 on Youtube.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Anything worth doing , is worth doing right
My friend Kelsey's brother Ryan is in charge of a fitness division with the United States Marine Corp.
Ryan used to work out in the garage and had these pinned up for reminders.
"If its worth doin', it's worth doing RIGHT" and "More Sweat Less Blood"
I always love home made notes people put up for motivation.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
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