Category: Women

Bible Study, faith, God, Healing, Hope, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality, Women

12 Things Women Give Birth To – Mother’s Day 2018

Here are 12 things woment give bith to. It is the Word God have me to share at our Women’s Luncheon this year. God bless you!

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Copyright 2018 Diana Rasmussen

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” Gal. 5:22-26 NKJV  

A tree doesn’t have to work to make fruit. You don’t walk outside and hear an orange tree saying, “Uggggg, Ohhhhhh, give me an orange.” You don’t walk through an apple orchard and hear, “Noooooo, Ouchhhhhhh, Oh myyyyyyyyy, give me an apple.

Why?

Because that is what is was made to produce.

The fruit is already in the tree.

God made it that way.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
Before you were born I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” – Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV

Yes, the trees need water, they need sunlight, and soil. But the important thing is – they were already made to birth fruit!

I want you to think of a birthing suite. There is a special room, special Doctors and Nurses. A special place to bring a baby into the world. God is our father. We are his inheritance, We are His children. He will birth new things from Heaven to Earth – through us. We are God’s Birthing Suite.

As women we were made to birth new things. Yes, we birth children, but God also created us to birth new ministries, new life, and new hope into those we touch. Do you remember your mothers touch? You would be sad or upset, and she would scoop you into her arms and hug you.  That love would drive out the sadness or the anger. It washed over you like waves until all you felt was good.

There is healing in our hands. God has given us the right and the authority to heal. A woman’s touch can change world!  As mothers of children and ministries and hope we carry within us the Healer, the Redeemer, the King of Kings. Sometimes it’s just a friend that needs someone to listen. Other times it’s a family in need of desperate prayer. Either way, God hears and answers our prayers.

DEFINITION OF BIRTH

• an act or instance of being born

• the emergence of a new individual from the body of its parent

• high or noble birth

• any coming into existence; origin; beginning

 

12 Things Women Give Birth To

1. Forgiveness

God calls us his Beloved. We are already loved and accepted by what Jesus did at the cross. We are forgiven god calls us to share that forgiveness with others. I remember when my mom was passing away. I was there in the hospital with her. She started bringing up things that she regretted. I stopped her. All I said was, “Mom, I forgive you. You did the best you could with what you had. I love you. And God forgives you too.” She started crying. Forgiveness is a powerful thing we birth into others. It has the power to break down walls and years of regret. Offer it generously.

2. Love

Women know how to love. God made us that way. We will go out of our way to help someone in need. We will sacrifice every day for our children and our families. We will love the lost. We love the broken. In fact, we are the first to get out the Band-Aids and antibiotic lotion. We will bandage up the broken. Do you remember when Jesus died and was buried in the tomb? It was the women that went to the tomb to anoint Him.

3. Hope

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

God is the author of hope. His hope is our anchor. Our hope is not in ourselves, but in God! How can we go wrong when we place our hope in the hands of the Maker of Creation? He knows all things, can do all things, and will bring life to the dead! God will use that hope to spill on over to those we meet. Your hope in the middle of this crazy world is what will draw people to you like a magnet. The entire creation, even the Earth is groaning for HOPE!

4. Children

Do you remember when God decided to enter his creation as a man? He chose a woman to give Him birth. The Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and she became pregnant. God chose a woman to carry Him, to hold Him, to love him when he was a baby. He knew that a woman’s touch would help him grow and thrive. As women we have the ability to bear children. We also find ourselves caring for other people’s children. Heck, we usually adopt the whole neighborhood!

5. Peace

Have you noticed how women are peacemakers? Give a woman a few kids fighting and she will instinctively jump right in the middle of it and break it up. God made us that way. We crave peace. So do those around us. God gave us peace that surpasses all understanding, and we carry to those who we touch

6. Joy

God had given us joy unspeakable. Joy that bubbles up like rivers of living water from the depths of our being. There are times we laugh out loud at the smallest thing. That is the Joy of the Lord spilling over. Joy is contagious. Have you ever laughed uncontrollably and all of a sudden so is everyone else? That is what our God does. He delights in you my Princess. You are the apple of His eye and he adores you!

7. Ministries

God has a place for women in his Body the Church. Without women, it would be pretty dry out there! We are the water for a dry and weary land. We are the light bearers who go rescue those who are lost in the darkness. We are the hands of God to a lost and dying world.

8. New life

“Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
And He who formed you from the womb:
“I am the Lord, who makes all things,
Who stretches out the heavens all alone,
Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;” – Isaiah 44:24 NKJV

God will use us to bring life to dead things. Have you noticed how a woman can take a run down old house and make it a home? We are resourceful. We use what we have. We are creative. God made us that way. We bring life to the dead, just like Jesus.

9. Faith

 “So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”” – Matthew 21:21-22 NKJV

The faith we carry to those around us will open up the doors of Heaven over them. Our faith is contagious in a good way. When we bring God into the situation, we bring health, healing, hope, love, forgiveness, and new life!

10. Healing

“In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. They also honored us in many ways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary.” – Act 28:7-10 NKJV.

As women of God there is healing in our hands. We carry in us this hope of Glory, Christ in us. Christ can touch people and heal them when we simply reach out and touch someone. God will do the healing. We can just lay hands on them and they shall recover, God promised!

11. Prayer

“ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” – Philippians 4:6 NKJV

“Confess your trespasses[ to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” -James 5:16 NKJV

Our prayers move mountains. When we stumble and fall, there is a sister to pick us up. We carry each other’s burdens. We pray for one another. God answers our prayers.

12. Power

“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.  Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” 2 Corinthians 1:20-22 NKJV

God fills us with His power with the Holy Spirit. We have received a deposit. A precious deposit that guarantees our inheritance. It marks us as His.

“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” – Ephesians 1;11-13 NKJV

To summarize, the fruit is already in you. God put it there.

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.” John 15:16-17 NKJV

You were give the power with Jesus to birth 12 new things into this world:

Forgiveness, Love, Hope, Children, Peace, Joy, Ministries, New Life, Faith, Healing, Prayer, and Power.

Now go on out there and share the love, and share the fruit, in Jesus Name!

Advertisements
faith, God, Hope, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality, Women

God Did Not Save You to Tame You

You have passion. You have purpose. You were created for such a time as this.

‘God did not save you to take you.” – Lisa Bevere

God is the Author of passion. He is the Author is purpose. He put it in. You. Now what do you do with it?

I started reading Lisa Bevere’s book LIONESS ARISING. She has a wonderful way of opening up my eyes to the bigger picture. It’s not always about us and our little life. We were made to carry the light of God into the darkness. We are carriers of hope, and joy, and peace. We are created to bring change to our world.

What will you do with what God gave you?

I find myself asking myself the same question. Guess that’s why I’m reading the book, lol! I wish I could say I know why I am here and what I am supposed to be doing. Most days I feel like I am on autopilot doing my day to day stuff. It’s ok, but I know there has to be more than this. Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for my life and my family. I am blessed. I love my life.

But there are Wind Whispers from God showing me there is more. There is a way more. I’m hungry, I’m thirsty. I want to see it!

Lord, give us a fresh revelation of your God story and how we can carry Your light and love into this fallen world.

Revelation 2:7

“Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. I’m about to call each conqueror to dinner. I’m spreading a banquet of Tree-of-Life fruit, a supper plucked from God’s orchard.”

daughters, Hope, Motivation, motivational, Quotes, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality, Women

15 Inspirational Quotes for Strong Women

We all know a strong woman. Someone who has stood up and fought despite all the drama and heartache that comes with life. There are women who carry eternity in their hearts and bring life to whatever they touch. I have been blessed to know many of them.

Strong women inspire us and give us hope and courage. They remind us why we are here and that God isn’t finished with us yet. Strong women give us encouragement and help us look forward instead of backwards. They listen and help us heal from all the past hurts. They help us brush the dust off, shake our ‘manes’ , and get back up. I love them all – my daughters, and granddaughter, my moms, my friends, my sisters, and my fellow bloggers. You are amazing!

15 Inspirational Quotes for Strong Women

  1. “She is clothed with strength and dignity and she laughs without fear of the future.” – Proverbs 31:25.
  2. “Women are like teabags. We don’t know our true strength until we are in hot water.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
  3. “Knowing what must be done does away with fear.”- Rosa Parks
  4. “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” – Maya Angelou
  5. “I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles.” – Audrey Hepburn
  6. “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Jane Goodall
  7. “If I stop to kick every barking dog I am not going to get where I’m going.” – Jackie Joyner-Kersee
  8. “God is within her, she will not fall.” – Psalm 46:5 
  9. “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
  10. “When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.” – Helen Keller
  11. “And one day she discovered that she was fierce, and strong, and full of fire, and that not even she could hold herself back because her passion burned brighter than her fears.” – Mark Anthony
  12. In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man; if you want anything done, ask a woman.” —Margaret Thatcher
  13. “We are not held back by the love we didn’t receive in the past, but by the love we’re not extending in the present.” – Marianne Williamson.
  14. ‘When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me’. “– Erma Bombeck.
  15. “Blessed is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her.” – Luke 1:45

God, Healing, Life, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality, Women

Life is too Short to Sweat the Small Stuff

I have known 5 people who passed from this life and into the next over the past few months. It’s humbling. We always think we have more time here on planet Earth. I am learning how to let go of the negative people in my life and not to sweat the small stuff. It hasn’t been easy. It’s not a natural thing either, that’s for sure.

I had a disagreement with my boss this past week. I feel what she did was wrong. She doesn’t think so. I haven’t pursued it. I bit my tongue and didn’t say anything. But it affected me. I woke up at 4 AM four times is past week after having dreams I was fighting with her. It’s exhausting. At this point, it really doesn’t matter who was right and who wasn’t. It’s not a contest. I guess there will always be times that workers and management do not see eye to eye.

Then I had to ask myself:

“How important is it Diana?”

“Will it really matter a year from now?” No.

“Does her option of me define me?” No.

“Does she want to help me succeed?” No.

“Do I have to let her opinion affect me?” No.

I read this great story on a blog that helped me put it in perspective. It was a Buddha story, so don’t get all freaked out ok?

Buddha was well known for his ability to respond to evil with good.  There was a man who knew about his reputation and he traveled miles and miles and miles to test Buddha. When he arrived and stood before Buddha, he verbally abused him constantly; he insulted him; he challenged him; he did everything he could to offend Buddha.

Buddha was unmoved, he simply turned to the man and said, “May I ask you a question?”

The man responded with, “Well, what?”

Buddha said, “If someone offers you a gift and you decline to accept it, to whom then does it belong?”

The man said, “Then it belongs to the person who offered it.”

Buddha smiled, “That is correct.  So if I decline to accept your abuse, does it not then still belong to you?”

The man was speechless and walked away.

Source: https://personalexcellence.co/blog/critical-people/

How I am Learning to not Sweat the Small Stuff:

  • I don’t have to attend every argument I am invited to.
  • I don’t have to let the negativity of others in.
  • I can agree to disagree.
  • It’s a job, not who I am.
  • I don’t have to prove myself to everyone. I can just be me.
  • I can accept that not everyone will agree with me or even like me, that’s ok. We are each entitled to our own thoughts and opinions. Life would be boring if we were all the same.
  • God knows and God sees. He knows the truth. I can be free from the opinion of others. I can choose to trust Him to deal with the ‘sandpaper people in my life.
  • We all reap what we sow. I’m gonna plant my own seeds and take care of my own garden. I want good fruit, fruit that will last. I’ll plant kindness and peace, and hope.
  • God will repay her for her false accusations. I don’t have to.
  • I’ll pray for her. God says to pray for those who persecute you. Do I want to? No. But I know the only way I will be free of this is if I let go of it and let God take care of it. I trust God. He is faithful. He is true.
  • I’m going to refocus on the things I am grateful for, not the things I am not. If you have ever used a magnifying glass you know it magnifies what you look at. I am going to magnify the good things, not the bad.

(all images from Pinterest)

humor, Quotes, Uncategorized, Women

10 Quotes on Living in an Empty Nest

Our family has had 3 graduation this year – two from High School and one from College. Yes, we are blessed and so proud of all of our 6 kids. But, can I ask, “Now what?” We still have one son at home, at least for one more semester.  My son went to visit family for the next 2 weeks, so here my husband and I sit. We have 2 older kids who are doing amazing and are out on their own.

We have finished 3 Netflix series this week. I am just about caught up on laundry. I haven’t cooked in days. How do you people do this? This changing seasons things is very confusing for this Mama. I feel all flustered!

So I went looking for wisdom. Here are some great quotes about living in the empty nest!

10  Quotes on Living in the Empty Nest

  1. “It is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves, that will make them successful human beings.” —Ann Landers
  2. “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” —Robert Bault
  3. “When mothers talk about the depression of the empty nest, they’re not mourning the passing of all those wet towels on the floor, or the music that numbs your teeth, or even the bottle of capless shampoo dribbling down the shower drain. They’re upset because they’ve gone from supervisor of a child’s life to a spectator. It’s like being the vice president of the United States.” — Erma Bombeck
  4. “A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” — Agatha Christie
  5. “Give the ones you love wings to fly, roots to come back and reasons to stay.” — The Dalai Lama
  6. “The day a child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult; the day he forgives himself, he becomes wise.” ― Alden Nowlan
  7. “The best way to keep children at home is to make the home atmosphere pleasant, and let the air out of the tires.” ― Dorothy Parker
  8. “Graduation day is tough for adults. They go to the ceremony as parents. They come home as contemporaries. After twenty-two years of child-rearing, they are unemployed.” ― Erma Bombeck
  9. “I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them.” ― Phyllis Diller
  10. “All of us have moments in our lives that test our courage. Taking children into a house with white carpet is one of them. ” ― — Erma Bombeck

 

behavior, Hope, motivational, Women

Sometimes You Have to Laugh and Get Your Giggle On!

Laughter – they call it medicine. It has been proven to help people get over illnesses, change negative thought patterns, and bring healing!

Psalms 126:2

“Then our mouths were filled with laughter; our tongues sang for joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord had done great things for them.

Benefits of Laughter

  • Reduces stress hormones
  • Lowers your blood pressure
  • Increases oxygen levels to your organs
  • Increases memory
  • Boosts immune system
  • Increases creativity
  • Increases intelligence
  • Decreases pain
  • Improves sleep
  • Releases endorphin’s so you feel better
  • Helps fight cancer
  • Improves depression

Feeling stressed?

Overwhelmed?

Depressed?

Put on a comedy show, spend some time with a friend or family.

Shake it off and get your giggle on!

Psalm 118:24

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Hope, motivational, Quotes, Spirituality, Women

14 Inspirational Mother’s Day Quotes

14 Inspirational Mother’s Day Quotes

 

  1. “An ounce of mother is worth a ton of priest.” — Spanish Proverb

  2. “A mom’s hug lasts long after she lets go.”—Author Unknown

  3. “I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” — Abraham Lincoln

  4. “Motherhood: All love begins and ends there.” — Robert Browning

  5. “As is the mother, so is her daughter.” — Ezekiel 16:4

  6. “Mothers were meant to love us unconditionally, to understand our moments of stupidity, to reprimand us for lame excuses while yet acknowledging our point of view, to weep over our pain and failures as well as cry at our joy and successes, and to cheer us on despite countless start-overs. Heaven knows, no one else will.” — RIichelle E Goodrich

  7. “Most mothers are instinctive philosophers.” — Harriet  Beecher Stowe

  8. “Having children just puts the whole world into perspective. Everything else just disappears.” — Kate Winslet

  9. “Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.” — Unknown

  10. “The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men — from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms.”  — Oliver Wendell Holmes

  11. “Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love.” — Stevie Wonder

  12. “Mothers were the only ones you could depend on to tell the whole, unvarnished truth.”―Margaret Dilloway,

  13. “Mother, the ribbons of your love are woven around my heart.” — Author Unknown

  14. “A mother is a mother still,

    The holiest thing alive.” – Samuel Taylor Coleridge

 

Related Posts:

Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality, Videos, Women

Happy International Women’s Day

In honor of all the amazing women out there I created a video for you! I treasure each of you and am proud to call you friend. You have made such a positive difference in my life. I am grateful and thankful for each of you. Stand strong sister – the best is yet to come!

 

 

God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you!
Diana

Music, Quotes, Spirituality, Women

Quotes to Stir Up the Courageous in You

Quotes to Stir Up the Courage in You:

 

  • “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”- Ralph Waldo Emerson

  • “Courage is grace under pressure.” – Ernest Hemingway

  • “Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” – Maya Angelou

  • “People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within.” – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

  • “One by one she slew her fears, and then planted a flower garden over their graves.” – John Mark Green

  • “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

  • “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.” – Rosa Parks

  • “A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.” – William G.T. Shedd

  • “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”- Dale Carnegie

  • “Courage is found in unlikely places.” – J.R.R. Tolkien

  • “Freedom lies in being bold.” – Robert Frost

  • “Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.” –  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  • “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9

 

 

 

FIGHT SONG – by Rachel Platten

Like a small boat
On the ocean
Sending big waves
Into motion
Like how a single word
Can make a heart open
I might only have one match
But I can make an explosion

And all those things I didn’t say
Wrecking balls inside my brain
I will scream them loud tonight
Can you hear my voice this time?

This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I’m alright song
My power’s turned on
Starting right now I’ll be strong
I’ll play my fight song
And I don’t really care if nobody else believes
‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me

Losing friends and I’m chasing sleep
Everybody’s worried about me
In too deep
Say I’m in too deep (in too deep)
And it’s been two years I miss my home
But there’s a fire burning in my bones
Still believe
Yeah, I still believe

And all those things I didn’t say
Wrecking balls inside my brain
I will scream them loud tonight
Can you hear my voice this time?

This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I’m alright song
My power’s turned on
Starting right now I’ll be strong
I’ll play my fight song
And I don’t really care if nobody else believes
‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me

A lot of fight left in me

Like a small boat
On the ocean
Sending big waves
Into motion
Like how a single word
Can make a heart open
I might only have one match
But I can make an explosion

This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I’m alright song
My power’s turned on
Starting right now I’ll be strong (I’ll be strong)
I’ll play my fight song
And I don’t really care if nobody else believes
‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me

Know I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me

Songwriters
Dave Bassett, Rachel Platten

Published by
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

 

Hope, Spirituality, Uncategorized, Women

Hard Times Reveal True Friends – Quotes to Live By

Hard times reveal true friends. I had a hard day today. I think it was just all the stress of everyday life piling up on me.  But I had friends at work who helped me see beyond today. Friends who showed me kindness when I lost it. Friends who gave me hugs and prayed for me in my time of need.  Thank you Lord – for good friends!

 

“Friendship … is born at the moment when one man says to another “What! You too? I thought that no one but myself . . .” ― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

“Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow
Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead
Walk beside me… just be my friend” ― Albert Camus

“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.” ― Henri J.M. Nouwen, Out of Solitude: Three Meditations on the Christian Life

“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” ― Elbert Hubbard

“If I had a flower for every time I thought of you…I could walk through my garden forever.” ― Alfred Tennyson

“I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light.” ― Helen Keller

 

“Why did you do all this for me?’ he asked. ‘I don’t deserve it. I’ve never done anything for you.’ ‘You have been my friend,’ replied Charlotte. ‘That in itself is a tremendous thing.”
― E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web

 

“I think if I’ve learned anything about friendship, it’s to hang in, stay connected, fight for them, and let them fight for you. Don’t walk away, don’t be distracted, don’t be too busy or tired, don’t take them for granted. Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together. Powerful stuff.” ― Jon Katz

 

(All images from Pinterest)

faith, Hope, Spirituality, Uncategorized, Women

Being a Blessing – Guest Post by Jennifer Parrish

This morning my daughter Jennifer Parrish shared an amazing story of how a complete stranger chose to bless her and her family. It is a beautiful story of ‘paying it forward’ and choosing to be a blessing in this world. This is from her FB page today:

I don’t get “serious” on here often, but something remarkable happened over the weekend and I think it holds an important lesson for all of us. I was waiting in a long line to check out at Target with a stockpile of SIX boxes of diapers and various groceries (crazy couponing, of course!) The couple behind me struck up a conversation with me to pass the time. We talked about my baby, mostly. First time mom. Sleepless nights. Those cute yet elusive first smiles and laughs. Jokes about how many diapers she must be going through as they eyed my cart. The cashier finished scanning my coupons, and as I was grabbing my card to pay, they stuck their credit card in the machine. WHAAA??? I was astonished. And overcome with emotion. I think I thanked them a thousand times as I gathered my things, teary-eyed. I haven’t stopped thinking about this. Did I say anything that made me sound like a charity-case? No, I don’t think so. I think they saw a new mom, putting an extraordinary amount of effort into saving money on the things she needed and they genuinely wanted to make a difference. What a gesture! It got me thinking a lot about money and the kind of example I want to set for my daughter. We’re all feeling the pressure to make more money, save more money, spend more money…we’re all obsessed. Even my “crazy couponing” can be viewed as an obsession with money. It’s a sickness. We have a roof over our head, food on the table, and clothes on our backs. And that’s more than most in this world. I want my little girl to know that; to really appreciate that. I think we all need to remember IT’S JUST MONEY. It’s what you do with it that really matters. Maybe it’s less about constantly collecting new and better things, and more about finding contentment and appreciation for what you have been blessed with. Maybe if we find ourselves in an opportunity to help another person, we should take it–without weighing it against our own needs first. Total strangers paid for a new mom’s diapers…and made a lasting impact on her philosophy about money, and the real value in life.

Thank you Jen – for sharing your heart with us today. Your post reminds us all how a simple act of kindness can mean so much. You are an amazing young woman and your daughter is blessed to call you Mom.

Thank you Lord for the kindness of these people. Bless them 100 times over!

Here is my daughter Jennifer and her beautiful daughter Devyn:

(Featured Image – Jennifer and Dameon Parrish)

behavior, Hope, humor, Quotes, Spirituality, Women

When You Have to Eat Your Words – 10 Quotes on Change

Have you ever had a day where you had to eat your own words? Yeah, something you said a day or two ago comes back around and you end up having to eat those same words you spoke? Me too. I wrote yesterday about Gratitude. I didn’t know that today I would need those verses to remind myself a few things, lol.

So I write this blog to find hope in this crazy world. And I have to admit, sometimes the world gets crazier! Last night I read this article on Facebook about how HOPE thrives when there is CHANGE. Now that’s true. But what if I don’t like CHANGE? Too bad Ms. D. Change is inevitable, growth is optional I hear. So I thought I would search out some wisdom on the subject. Here are some great quotes by really famous people about CHANGE.

10 QUOTES ON CHANGE

  1. “You can’t stop the future
    You can’t rewind the past
    The only way to learn the secret
    …is to press play.”
    ― Jay Asher, Thirteen Reasons Why
  2. “They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”
    ― Andy Warhol, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol
  3. “We can’t be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out of it, you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean, a sea. Holding onto something that is good for you now, may be the very reason why you don’t have something better.”
    ― C. JoyBell C.
  4. “We are not trapped or locked up in these bones. No, no. We are free to change. And love changes us. And if we can love one another, we can break open the sky.”
    ― Walter Mosley, Blue Light
  5. “Stepping onto a brand-new path is difficult, but not more difficult than remaining in a situation, which is not nurturing to the whole woman.”
    ― Maya Angelou
  6. “And that is how change happens. One gesture. One person. One moment at a time.”
    ― Libba Bray, The Sweet Far Thing
  7. “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
    ― Mother Teresa
  8. “Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge.”
    ― Eckhart Tolle
  9. “One day spent with someone you love can change everything.”
    ― Mitch Albom, For One More Day
  10. “There were people who went to sleep last night,
    poor and rich and white and black,
    but they will never wake again.
    And those dead folks would give anything at all
    for just five minutes of this weather
    or ten minutes of plowing.
    So you watch yourself about complaining.
    What you’re supposed to do
    when you don’t like a thing is change it.
    If you can’t change it,
    change the way you think about it.”
    ― Maya Angelou

(All quotes found on Goodreads, Images from Diana Rasmussen and Pinterest)