Lifeline

"Lifeline"

Tears roll down my face,
My heart breaks,
Despair.

Everything is wrong.
No one understands.
Lost and alone.

Friends say "Hold on."
Family says "Be strong."
God says, "You are loved!"

Everything is in divine
and perfect order
according to His will.

Tears roll down my face,
My heart swells,
Hope.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This is something I wrote awhile back when I was struggling to find my way. I know that many times we find ourselves feeling so very lost. The world doesn't seem to make sense, things seem to be in chaos, and we feel hopeless. At these times we must remember that God brings people into our lives that will serve His will and His purpose. That friend that calls you out of the blue, that person in your family who always seems to know when you are down, these are not coincidences.

To those in need I say reach out and find that God has put people in your life to help and support you even when you least expect it. To those whom God is speaking to, directing you to reach out, follow His voice and you may just end up being someones lifeline when they need you most.

CJ

Count it all Joy

Today's post is inspired directly by Holy scripture.

• "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." (James 1 : 2-3)

It seems difficult to be in a challenging moment of your life and count it as joy. Moreover nearly impossible to be happy about many stressful, sad, or downright aggravating situations. Let's examine those moments as little closer. How many times has it truly been a benefit to whine and complain about a struggle? In the end we still have to go through it and when we come out on the other side we are physically exhausted and emotionally drained . The mere relief at the end is often the only reward.

Now consider what happens when we do take a moment to reflect on the opportunity of a challenge versus fretting over it. We know if we trust in God, he will bring us through our difficulties. We know that if even if we don't understand the process, it is part of a divine plan. Wouldn't it be better to come through a difficult time in our life and say we knew it would be alright? Through our increased patience we understand that God was with us the whole time and we are meant to learn and grow from our trials.

So stand in your adversity and know that God is working in your life. Smile and testify that God is great and rejoice in the knowledge that you are a living example of faith.

Count is all Joy!

CJ

Living in the Moment

Ever have that feeling that the clock was running fast and the hours were just flying by? You take a look at your To-Do list and realize that you didn't even break into the top 3?

What about when we are anticipating something or looking forward to some particular event, time always seems to drag out and be as slow as molasses. Are we there yet?

The biggest difference in these two sensations is our perspective. When we get involved in something that is deeply engaging or highly enjoyable the time does not actually speed up. We lose track of the passing of time because our attention is thoroughly focused on something. We find this happening when we are working hard, extremely busy, or having a lot of fun. The next thing you know the day has come closer to and end and you feel like it was too short.

When we are waiting for something significant to happen, time of course does not slow down. Like driving on a trip to a destination which holds something promising for us, it is the anticipation factor that makes the time feel longer than what we can measure. Gearing up for an important decision, sporting event, vacation, celebration or job change can bring a lot of anxiety in the waiting because our minds are already thinking ahead of the moment and making the sensation of time seem to pass slower.

So today I am advocating one simple step to help us better handle times like these.
Live in the moment.

By living in each moment we can appreciate that the things we are waiting for will arrive in their due time. Usually there is nothing we can do to speed up that which is on its way, so take a step back and let things happen as they are meant to happen. We can also appreciate that the times when things are seemingly moving at a faster pace, we are indeed vibrant and alive. Whether we are busy with work or play, we can mark that passing of time with understanding that we are not just sitting idly by but taking part in something that involves us.

Wait for it, enjoy it, it's coming, it's not yet gone,
Live in the moment.


CJ

Take a Penny, Leave a Penny

In every interaction with others we take a little of who me meet with us and leave a little of ourselves with them. What and how much we take and leave depends on a number of things, like time spent together, the level of relationship, and the depth of conversation.


Many times this interaction happens without much thought. For example, when we check out at the grocery store it may not catch our attention that there is a relationship occuring with the cashier for that brief moment. What we take from them may be the courtesy of their service, what we leave may be a bright spot in their day. We could be that one customer who doesn't give them a hard time about anything.

Other times it is the deepest, strongest connection possible and what we take and give has a much more significant impact, sometimes soul stirring and often life changing. Think of that special someone and how every time you hug them the world seems to melt away momentarily and all is good & perfect. What we are sharing are pieces of our soul that intermingle with the other person's and create a stronger bond.

Unfortunately there are those times when we interact with others and make choices that have negative consequences. When we get angry or yell, when we choose to ignore or belittle, and when we mistreat or talk down to someone what we are doing is taking away joy & leaving darkness. Also, when someone treats us that way, we are assaulted with the same negative emotions. What we have to do is learn to recognize these instances and choose to not take part in them. If we are the ones giving negativity, consider the moment and change that behavior. If we are on the receiving end, learn to walk away and take none of it with you.

In any case, you must think about your role. Whether you a stranger, co-worker, team-mate, family member, lover, or friend you have a wonderful opportunity to exchange a part of you and have it mean something good.

Take only positivity and leave only love.

CJ

How are you living?

They say life is short, so who would want this brief time on the planet to be filled only with stress and negativity? Since life is fleeting, we should try to live it with integrity, respect, love, and fun.

We live in integrity when we say what we mean and mean what we say. Yes I realize that sounds like Horton the elephant from the Dr. Suess stories, but you know what? Those stories were often spot on about doing the right thing. By definition integrity is consistently acting from a set of core values, beliefs and principles. The old saying goes “A man is as good as his word”. There was a time when you could give your word and it was enough to seal a deal. Now to agree on matters we have to have papers drawn up with our lawyers office…in triplicate!

We exhibit respect best when we actively listen to others. I think it is one of the highest forms of respect is to listen to someone when they are speaking to you. This means not just hearing the words, but also considering the content and weighing the meaning as it relates to the speaker & the situation. Sometimes you dont even have to reply, just the look in your eyes tells the speaker you are really listening.

Love is certainly one of the hardest words to define. Webster and company ended up with no less than 28 seperate meanings. The basic definition I am referring to right now is deep affection. Sharing deep affection with someone generates more love to be shared. I believe that when you allow love in and give love back it grows on both sides. So we definitely want to live this life with lots of love to share.

As for fun, I don't think I need to explain that much. Have fun more often and enjoy some of the things that make you smile and laugh. Writing, Games, Reading, Music, Shopping, Dancing,....I know you get the idea.

CJ

Checking In

I refuse to let another moment go by without letting my readers know I am super busy! The blessings are flowing and I find myself with more topics and ideas than time to write them down. As I suspected, I can no longer sit at a day to day regular job, too many interuptions...;-)

Stay tuned, most definitely more to come.

CJ

Where Are You?

Ever come to a place and suddenly realize you don't want to be there? Or worse yet, you find yourself in a place you were specifically trying to avoid?

Many times our journey takes us places we would not have imagined being. The plans we make sometimes take us away from our goals even though we try to steer things our way. Why is that? When I graduated from high school I remember saying "I'm never going to flip burgers for a living!" and I just knew that was true. You know that is exactly what I was doing within a year. I ended up at a delicatessen making sandwiches, mopping floors, washing dishes, and oh yes indeed...flipping burgers.

God's plans are not our plans, we struggle and fight to make our way through life, but we often forget that we should recognize God's will for our lives is not always clear to us. I ended up working food service to learn some valuable lessons that I carry with me to this day, lessons about service and integrity. I would never have learned them without that stretch of my life being placed before me.

On a daily basis we must center ourselves to what we know is true that includes understanding that our movements and plans need to come second to God's will. Yes we still have freedom of choice and we may still end up in strange places. However it won't seem as mind boggling if we rest assure in the fact that we are exactly where we are supposed to be.

CJ

Room to Grow

"I am not young enough to know everything" - Oscar Wilde

This year I turned 40....whoa!...*Pause*....seeing it in writing kinds opens your eyes...
Anyway, I am also the father of three children. These two bits of information do not necessarily make me feel old, but most certainly lends to a state of mind called "older".

With older usually comes wiser. Interestingly enough though, I don't accept that blindly. You see I know that I don't know all the things I want to know. I am thankful for all the wisdom I have accumulated and have been blessed to share.

There is so much more wisdom to be gained and shared. I am excited to continue moving forward and accepting my role as teacher and counselor even as I learn and grow.

CJ