Hope

Aren't you happier when you have something to look forward to? Whether it's big or small, you're happy in the waiting because you're expecting it to come along when it's time. Perhaps it's waiting to go on vacation to the beach to relax and sunbathe, to get a massage after work, payday, etc. Think about it...there is always SOMETHING to look forward to.

In most cases though the happiness brought by that particular massage or trip to the beach fades with time. There are few things in life that supply overwhelming joy and everlasting happiness. There are few things in life that last, including us. Each one of us will die one day. Ask yourself one question, does it feel like you should die? I still feel as though death is not real, that it shouldn't happen to me; it is foreign to my being. A part of me feels as though I should go on living forever. This is my life that I didn't even ask for. I live, I breathe, I think, I feel, smell, touch, taste, hear. Now why would I or should I ever stop doing these things? To die seems like such a waste.

Tell me, do you feel like you have a purpose? More than just to live your little snippet of a life that may or may not have an impact on the generations to come. I mean, it is a nice thought that maybe my life has had a positive affect on the people who will go on to live after me, but those people are just going to die someday too. So, while it is a positive thing to leave behind a legacy it isn't good enough for me if it all just ends. Scientifically; I've heard the whole entire globe is going to end someday...just like that, and be no more. Then what was the point of it all? And if you are saying to me, "why does there have to be a point?" Well isn't it true there is always a 'point' or a 'purpose' to everything you do? Why do you eat breakfast in the mornings? Why do you brush your teeth? Even the seemingly pointless things you do probably have some sort of purpose at least on a personal level. Why would everything suddenly become pointless?

Back to the point {<--hehe}: People are always looking forward to various things. We seek to be happy, to be blessed, to be comfortable, we seek for love, and to be accepted, every single one of us. Why do we share these commonalities? I think we were created to be hopeful and to seek good and do good. I know, I said created. Isn't it true created things have purpose behind them? For example; toasters, whoever created them made them with a purpose in mind: to toast bread. {Bad example? maybe.} I feel as though I have a purpose and I certainly did not give myself life. I suppose my parents gave me life and their parents gave them life and so on. People started somewhere and I think the first pair were definitely created with purpose.

To be continued....

 

 

{Tipsy Tuesday} Words of Inspiration.

Hey y'all! I've been thinking about the power of words lately. So, I felt it would be fitting to feature some of the inspirational prints I've found via Pinterest for this Tipsy Tuesday. Ya know, just to get us all thinking. :)

 

Want to link up with your tips, tricks, tutorials, inspiration, or what have you? Just put your name and specific link to your post in the box below! Wondering what I'm talking about? Click here.

Inspiration Workshop Week #8

THE PROMPT ~ (from Gussy Sews website)
This week’s prompt is YOUR INSPIRATION ~ where you pick the prompt/share whatever you’d like! I’m especially excited to see the topic you select AND to read through and pin some of the photos you share ;]



The thing that inspires me the most is the time I spend with God. To be quite honest though, the past couple of weeks I haven't even thought about Him, prayed, read the word, or fellowshipped with other believers. So I haven't felt too inspired. Having said that, I just sat down, read Proverbs chapter 22 (I like to read whatever chapter corresponds with the current date) and I haven't felt more alive, awake, or inspired in weeks! :)

The verses that really spoke to me were Proverbs Chapter 22 verse 4 and Proverbs Chapter 22 verse 11. I bet they'll speak to you too.

I also like a good book. I've read Mere Christianity before but it's been so long that I figured it was time to read it again. If you like a good book that will make you think, reaffirm your beliefs, and get you excited about God and his kingdom then this is a book you would like.



My best friend, who is getting married this upcoming Saturday (Woohoo!) got this beautiful Vera Bradley coffee cup for my birthday this year. I love coffee and I love pretty coffee cups. I drink out of it daily so I'm sure some of my more inspired ideas came about whilst drinking out of this pretty cup. :)

 

-Mandy

Women's Fellowship, A Read Along with Beth Moore

I go to a women's fellowship on Thursday nights. I haven't been able to go faithfully but I have gotten to go 4 times out the 12 or so times they've met but Thursday's fellowship was awesome! We're doing a read along with Beth Moore's book "So Long Insecurities". And she said something sort of profound in the chapter we listened to.

"Where in the world did we conclude that we have to subtract value from ourselves in order to give credit to someone else?"-Beth Moore

Let that sink in for just a moment. As women we have all compared ourselves to one another at some point. We do it so often we've grown numb to it and don't even realize we're doing it. And there is a million different ways we do it. We're not just talking about looks, although isn't this one of the most obvious ways we compare ourselves? If you're a mom you could be comparing yourself to other moms and all of the things they accomplish alongside raising their children (yep, you caught me there, this is one is talking to me), or a co-worker who has been promoted while you're still waiting for your big chance leaves you wondering what she has that you don't, maybe you're a stay at home mom and you feel guilty because all of your friends who are moms work eight hours a day to help provide for their family, or maybe it's the other way around (sorry so many mom examples, I can't help it!).

I believe it is healthy, and even needed to recognize the good in others but by no means does it make any sense to take something good about someone else and subtract it from my value as a person just because I don't possess the same specific quality as them. We can't be all things at all times. We are all unique, we possess different traits, characteristics, interests, etc. The list goes on. Find freedom in embracing your uniqueness and allow yourself to be blessed by the uniqueness of others instead of feeling condemned for not being more like them.

There is a difference in being inspired by other women and comparing ourselves. One is positive and uplifting, the other is bondage.

Another thing Beth pointed out in this chapter was while we're comparing ourselves with other women we're turning them into rivals. To consider someone a rival we have to depersonalize that person. Woah.

My friend Brittany who was also at the girls' night said something along the lines of "We need to take down the magnifying glass and view other women as people just like us. They have hearts just like we do, they have struggles, desires, etc." Brit is really insightful and has a big, wonderful heart, and I always love hearing her perspective.

I think I could go on and on about this issue. I didn't realize how important it was until Thursday. It's huge! This may end up being a continuous topic. I hope this blessed you and gave you a new perspective.

-Mandy

On a completely unrelated note:

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Since making the transition from blogpost to wordpress I've realized I need a better way to keep up with all the blogs I follow. I'm going to start the process of adding all the blogs I followed from there to blog lovin' as well as figure out how to move all of my old posts over to here.

Honestly, I haven't had time to even keep up with any of my usual reads but that's going to change soon once I have this whole thing figured out. :) I'm excited to get back to reading all your wonderful and inspiring blog posts!

Hope everyone has had a great week, enjoy your weekend!

Life, It's What You Make Of It!

Life really is what you make of it. I've been learning all about that lately. You have the power to CHOOSE whether you're going to be happy, sad, annoyed, angry...etc. I struggle with perfectionism. I expect things to go perfectly and when they don't it is very easy for me to choose to react negatively. Expecting perfection in life is like waiting for pigs to fly. Pigs are never going to fly! There is no point in waiting! Instead I should choose to look for good in situations and expect good things to happen in my life (this is a reasonable perspective) but for a lot of people; myself included, it's easier to fall into negativity.

Why?! Because we are human and fall into our old man nature (our flesh)! Galations 5:17 says that the desires of the flesh and the spirit are opposed to one another. Verses 19 & 20 speak of the works of the flesh. I challenge you to find one positive thing about them...you can't. The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control, and things like these. Now think of the opposites of those words (hate, sadness, turmoil, impatience, cruelty, evil, unfaithfulness, harshness...) and you have the flesh. I run into these words often in my life!

The mind set on the flesh is hostile to God, it does not submit to his law, indeed it is unable to. And it can not in any way shape or form please God. But the mind set on the spirit is life and peace! What fun is it to be impatient, to think evil of someone, or to be harsh with others anyway? To live in the flesh produces death but to live in the spirit produces life...

Here are just a few examples from Proverbs:

Proverbs 14:30 "A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot."

Proverbs 17:22 "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."

Proverbs 11:3  "The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them."

Proverbs 11: 8 "The righteous are delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it."

Proverbs 11:17 "A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself."

Proverbs 11:19 "Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die."

Proverbs 11:27 "Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it."

Proverbs 12:18 "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

Proverbs 12:20 "Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy."

Proverbs 12:21 "No ill befalls the righteous, but the wicked are filled with trouble."

Proverbs 12:28 "In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death."

Proverbs 12:3 "No one is established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will never be moved."

Proverbs 4:23 "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."

This next part is information I gathered out of "Sparkling Gems From the Greek," by Rick Renner.

"But I say, walk by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."

Galatians 5:16

The word walk in this verse is the greek word peripateo. Peripateo is a compound of the word peri and the word pateo. Peri means around, something encircling, or concerning. Pateo means walk, movement of feet, step, stride, tread, or trample. Put the words together and they mean to frequently, continually, or consistently, walk around the same area. So instead of walk by the spirit the verse could say live in the spirit. Do it so  consistently and continually that it becomes a habit; your way of life.

If we are of Christ Jesus we have crucified the flesh along with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24) and we've been set free (Galatians 5:1)!  Let's choose life! And make a concentrated effort to walk/live by the spirit.