Happy Feet !!!!!

Do you ever find yourself becoming aware of how your shoulders are pulled up to your ears, your teeth are grinding, your body is tense?  The moment you become aware of the anxiety, you let your shoulders down, take a deep breath and feel your body relax. Oh! how good that feels. 

In today's rush,rush world with so many important things to do, we lose sight as to how much stress we put on ourselves. We really have to think about relaxing. 

There are many reasons besides being too busy, why we are always in a state of tension and we've covered that in some earlier blogs.

The words for this week are: Loosen Up..Party Down..Run Like The Wind..Shake Your Groove Thing. O.K. I just aged myself. You get the message. There are things we can do that will calm us down and help us to enjoy life.

Lets start with the practical one we all know, but makes us tense just thinking about it.

EXERCISE..One of the best ways to relieve stress. We all know how it releases the good stuff for our bodies. Why then is it so hard to do. I think, my personal opinion, we make it bigger then it has to be. We have a picture in our minds that we need to (work out) and end up looking like this unattainable picture we have in our heads. When that seems impossible (which it is) unless you live at the gym...we don't do it.

Which brings me to my second point:

DANCE..I don't mean every step gracefully done..I mean get up off that couch and dance, turn on your favorite tune and dance all through the house. So what if its mid morning with dishes in the sink, laundry in the basket...DANCE!!  Have fun don't worry about time. Oh! how fun exercise can be.

LAUGHTER..Our bodies love it when we laugh. It releases all kinds of good things causing our body to relax. As we get older we forget to laugh. Mackenzie (my oldest grand daughter) loves to tell jokes...remember the silly ones we use to tell in grade school? I bought a joke book so I could have something to tell her. We are always telling each other jokes, they are silly but what fun. If you can't find something to laugh about-buy yourself a joke book.

Humor..Are you always serious in your day, trying to get things done, hurrying here and there. STOP!!! find some humor.  Sometimes we have to get creative, but that's what makes it fun. Send someone a silly card, look around at what the birds, squirrels, your pets do that bring a little humor into your day. Warning: You have to STOP to pull this one off.

DON'T TAKE YOURSELF SO SERIOUSLY..so what if things didn't go as you planned, you still got it done. It's going to be fine! Your a really funny person, you just don't know it because that side rarely comes out.

Most Importantly...

YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD..you will never be able to relax if you don't know the Lord in a personal way.  You'll always be searching for something, trying to fill that void. He is the only way to have complete contentment even through the tense times in life.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

NOW GO DANCE!!!

Have a shake your groove thing kind of week :)


Linda

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I Feel Grumpy Comin On!!!

Do you ever feel grumpy? I mean really grumpy. The kind of grumpy that makes you want to "spit nails." Sorry about that picture in your head right now. I have to confess I feel grumpy comin on. I've heard this hot weather can cause people to be irritable, but I am hardly in the heat. Can't be that.

We can blame grumpiness on a whole load of things, but if we get honest with ourselves it comes down to a right attitude. In other words I need an attitude adjustment. Sounds simple enough but it is NOT.

Have you ever been in one of those places where your looking forward to something your really excited about, you can't wait, you feel so good, you feel nothing can stop you, life is perfect, everything is great! We call that a mountain high-then you wake up the next morning, the event is over, nothing to look forward to, you don't want to get out of bed,life looks bleak. What changed? Nothing but your attitude, we call this a valley low.

Life is all about peaks and valleys. How we perceive life and those things around us make the difference between grumpy and content.

Grumpy is a cute word for angry. When we're grumpy you can be sure anger is the culprit.

Exodus 34:6 The Lord,the Lord the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

That should be our example, slow to anger and abounding in love. Let me stop here and say "This is not easy." This is not a normal reaction to those things or people who can really get to us. Our first inclination is to vent and strike out.

Proverb 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

I got to tell you this sounds good but so very hard to do. It's true how can you argue with someone when there is nothing said to argue about.

Proverbs 29:11 A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.

Not many choices here ,we are either a fool or a wise man.

Proverbs 29:22  An angry man stirs up dissension and a hot tempered one commits many sins.

Anger can make us act and say many foolish things.

James 1:19 Everyone should be quick to listen,slow to speak and slow to become angry

James 1:20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

The word of God is very plain, we need to control our (grumpiness) anger. On our own impossible!!

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Have a wonderful attitude week. :)

Linda

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Have You Any Wool ????

Many years ago I lived out a ways from the city. It was not my favorite place. I am a city girl by heart. I do have to admit there is a peace that you can never find in the city, the quietness, the sound of the breeze, birds are all a part of the country life.

Down the road, over the bridge and around the curve (that's how you find your way in the country) there lived a sheep farmer. I loved looking at them as I drove by, I had never seen them up this close. They look so cute and sweet, but looks can be deceiving. It brought to mind a book that I have read many times. Believe me, I am not one to read a book over again, but this one is just practical and I learn things about sheep I didn't know, not to mention it opens up the scriptures in Psalm 23 in a new and exciting way.

The title is "A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23 " by Phillip Keller. Mr Keller grew up and lived in East Africa, surrounded by simple native herders. Then as a young man made his own livelihood for about eight years as a sheep owner and sheep rancher. So he writes this with first hand experience with every phase of sheep management.

Psalm 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.

The strange thing about sheep is that because of their very make-up it is almost impossible for them to be made to lie down unless four requirements are met.
1. Sheep are very timid, they refuse to lie down unless they are free of fear.
2. Because of the social behavior within a flock sheep will not lie down unless they are free from
    friction with others of their kind.
3. If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down-only when free of these pests
    can they relax.
4. Lastly sheep will not lie down as long as they feel in need of finding food, they must be free from
    hunger.

   

It is significant that to be at rest there must be a definite sense of freedom from fear, tension, aggravations and hunger. The unique aspect of the picture is that it is only the shepherd himself who can provide release from these anxieties. It all depends upon the diligence of the owner whether or not his flock is free of disturbing influences.

A flock that is restless, disoriented, always agitated and disturbed never does well. And the same is true with people. No wonder the Lord called us sheep throughout the scriptures.

Psalm 100:3 we are His people; the sheep of His pasture.

Psalm 119:176 I have strayed like a lost sheep

Isaiah 53:6 We all, like sheep have gone astray

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

Have a great week!! If you can, pick up this book, you will truly be blessed.

Linda :)

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Hurry Up!! I Got Things To Do.

As Monday gets closer I start brainstorming in my head as to what topic I want to touch on. This last Saturday was the Women Encouraged "Get Together Saturday" at my house. Our topic was a teaching by Joyce Meyer "Are You Too Busy?" If you've ever listened to her you know she gets right down to the nitty gritty. I have been thinking a lot about some stuff she had to say.

Her main point was..are you busy or fruitful?  Stop and be honest with yourself, which category do you fall into? She talks about the fact that we all have the  same amount of time. What are you doing with it?

Most of us are over committed and under satisfied. One of my pet peeves (don't mean to step on any ones toes here) but it amazes me how many hours in a week is spent on sports. Nothing wrong with a fun game, but it is out of balance and no one seems to notice or be concerned.

Busyness, according to Joyce has become almost a badge of honor, we are proud that we are so busy....but what does the Lord think of our busyness? We each were created with a purpose, most likely in our running here and there at a speed faster then light, not only do we not know our purpose, we don't have time to seek God for what that purpose might be. 

If we are over committed, we need to change that!!! One of the hardest words to say is "NO" we start there. A decision always means change. Are you willing to make changes? What changes will you make?

Spending time with God will definitely change things. In His Word, Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.   How can we know which way to go if we don't even take the time to listen. We are so preoccupied and overly busy that our priorities become all messed up. 

To get an idea of where your priorities are, take time to sit down and write out all the things you put your time into...then take each thing you wrote and ask yourself ..WHY?  You gotta get real here.

A lot of what we do can be put into one or more of the following categories:

Trying to impress others.
Trying to keep people happy and not angry at us.
Belonging...being part of something.
We feel guilty if we don't do it.
We might look like a bad person
We want people to like us.

Becoming fruitful means change. Being fruitful means being productive and bearing good fruit.
John 15:16 I have chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit..fruit that will last.
What is the fruit of the Holy Spirit?
Galatians 5:22  But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

When we walk in the purpose God has set for us, we begin living a life of passion, not a life full of dread and busyness.  Now ask yourself...AM I TOO BUSY?

Isaiah 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying this is the way, walk in it.
Have a restful and passionate week!

Linda

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Pass The Mustard Please!

Everyone knows that Wednesday is the Fourth of July. If you doubt that you can look in the sale flyers and see all the stuff you can buy cheaper because its  the fourth. Look at the grocery store shelves where the buns, mustard, hamburger,chips use to be. NADA! Gone! Some have already left this past weekend to start to celebrate by swimming, boating, eating and lots of drinking. And of course who can forget its the fourth when loud reminders explode in the sky for weeks until wee hours of the morning. Parks will be packed, back yards will be filled with the smell of food on the grill. Bottles of sun tan lotion will be the companion of all in hopes it will protect them from the pain of burned skin. WHAT A CELEBRATION IT WILL BE ! 

But wait....what has happened to the pomp and circumstance, the seriousness, the awe, the compassion for what the fourth truly means....the lives lost for our freedom,the thankfulness that we live in a  country where we are truly free,the respectfulness to a God who created all that exists, the love for one another and the knowledge of how precious life is, especially the unborn.

Wednesday is a day for celebration...take time to be thankful, reach out to someone who may need a hug, a smile,an invitation to dinner,tell someone how much they mean to you, share the story of this great freedom with your children, your grandchildren, share with others the wonders of this country that we take for granted. Most important thank God that He has placed you in such a wonderful wonderful place.

Thank you Lord, that you placed me in a nation that I am free to do the purpose you created me to do.  That I can live in  complete peace knowing you are in control. That I have choices to live my life to the fullest.

Psalm 148:5  Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created.

Have a wonderful week, and a great,safe holiday celebration!!!!!  Now could you please pass the mustard?

Linda

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