What a gorgeous fall day - really cool, crisp and DRY!
When I think about falling forward, I remember Sandy Patti's book and talk she gave at Women of Faith. I can't get it out of my head right now. She shared the story of how she and her brother would be on the small shed roof top. Her dad would coax them to fall forward and he would catch them. "Trust me" he said. Patti kept backing up. Her dad kept coaxing until she finally fell forward into the safety of his arms. She then talked about how she soon related that to Falling Forward into the arms of God. Sometimes we have to just let what is tugging us backward GO. We just need to inch forward trusting that God will catch us in the safety of His plan.
I look at all those leaves that are falling and I think about a situation I am in right now. So, it is time for me to inch my way down the roof and Fall Forward! Jeremiah 29: 11/14. And, of course Deut. 31: 8.
Have a wonderful Fall!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
NEW SEASONS BRING NEW EXPERIENCES!
Fall begins tomorrow! Are you ready?
Actually I got the bug during Labor Day weekend. It just seemed like the thing to do. Go pull down all the bags of silk flowers for fall. Obsessive-Compulsives have everything in black bags for each season. Fully labeled and ready to go when each season comes along! Are you laughing or appauled?
I am going to work diligently to change pictures for a little while. It is my favorite time of year. The flowers and leaves have such gorgeous warm but vivid colors. My scarecrows number (five) and they are all sizes placed appropriately. What is my point, you ask?
Each one of us is unique and fearfully/wonderfully made. Psalm 139. It is to my utter enjoyment to decorate for the season. I used to think it was for everyone's enjoyment. Whoever came here would enjoy the season to the ultimate that I do. It was a very disappointing moment when I realized that most friends or clients come here and maybe one out of 25 see the Disney world of country decoration. And, so I decided that I was doing it for me. Because thinking about NOT doing it because after all, no one cared, that just didn't work either. So, until my next literary sharing, enjoy some season beauty. I want to share a time with you that brings me great a ha's, peace, and aesthetic beauty! Enjoy your Fall!
Actually I got the bug during Labor Day weekend. It just seemed like the thing to do. Go pull down all the bags of silk flowers for fall. Obsessive-Compulsives have everything in black bags for each season. Fully labeled and ready to go when each season comes along! Are you laughing or appauled?
I am going to work diligently to change pictures for a little while. It is my favorite time of year. The flowers and leaves have such gorgeous warm but vivid colors. My scarecrows number (five) and they are all sizes placed appropriately. What is my point, you ask?
Each one of us is unique and fearfully/wonderfully made. Psalm 139. It is to my utter enjoyment to decorate for the season. I used to think it was for everyone's enjoyment. Whoever came here would enjoy the season to the ultimate that I do. It was a very disappointing moment when I realized that most friends or clients come here and maybe one out of 25 see the Disney world of country decoration. And, so I decided that I was doing it for me. Because thinking about NOT doing it because after all, no one cared, that just didn't work either. So, until my next literary sharing, enjoy some season beauty. I want to share a time with you that brings me great a ha's, peace, and aesthetic beauty! Enjoy your Fall!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
EMBRACING ACCEPTANCE!
by Charles L. Allen:
One of the important things about marriage is to be accepted. Love is the basis of marriage, but there are many married people who have never felt accepted. Marriage is not a reformatory, and spouses need to reach out to each other without criticism or reservations. To live with a wife or a husband who does not accept you is a dark valley to walk through. from - Victory in the Valleys of Life (Revell)
A very good friend wants me to write about acceptance. How do you get your partner to accept you for who you are and let you be who you are! Another gal within the same time frame gave me a picture of how she feels after 25 years of marriage. It comes from Joyce Meyer's publications. It shows a woman in a jar with the lid on it and she is looking out.
I do aspire to Dr. Phil's statement. . ."that we teach people how to treat us!" Acceptance for me means that I must communicate well who I am and what I need. Through out my practice of 30 years, I have tried to impart that as women, we need to teach that we do want to be a partner. The trick is, that sometimes we don't act equal and expect respect. We assume that you will respect us, and then we defensively detach emotionally when we see that it is not happening. So many women don't feel right or whole being who they are. They aren't anything without their spouse or significant other telling them they are accepted.
This topic can be a real can of worms. I see it as a necessary personal part of being accepted. Examples: I can't go anywhere unless he says I can or he thinks it is important enough to go. i.e. groceries, hair cuts, take kids to school, pick them up.
He doesn't think I should belong to this woman's club, or go to college, or joing an art club. He pouts when I do something great and get attention. He sulks when I want to go camping with my sisters for the weekend to get away and have girl time. He says, you don't need all those things, you have me. So what have most of us done? WE back down, detach, and become seethers on the inside.
I told John from day one what I needed. And, even though I left for days at a time to go to Miss Indiana, did he like it. No. But, he accepted my need to do and be who I am. It has been like that for 40 years. He put aside his need for me to be cloned to his side and the perks of doing that have been; I learned to manage my emotions when he needed to be who he is. Sure, we can get carried away being who we are. God promotes balance and moderation in all things. He demands love and acceptance. He teaches respect and integrity. So, is there any button we can push here for instant answers? Probably not! As women we need to KNOW that we are ACCEPTED by Jesus Christ. Psalm 139. Read that whole chapter if you need convincing.
As for the men in our lives. I still say, communication - Telling someone the truth without hurting them is the communication teaching tool.
"Honey, when you insist that I don't need to do things that I believe are good for me, I feel like you don't know me, trust me, or love me unconditionally. Do you really mean you don't think I need that art class because "what will I do with it after all?"
"Help me understand, what is going on when you need to know every minute where I am?"
I could go on and on about samples of how to teach someone how to treat you.
Pray - seek God and ask Him to give you the emotional strength to talk about how much you need to be accepted for who you are. It may mean sitting down and actually interviewing each other. "What do you mean, I don't know who you are?"
Just some thoughts here - girls. What do you think? Should I write more about it?
One of the important things about marriage is to be accepted. Love is the basis of marriage, but there are many married people who have never felt accepted. Marriage is not a reformatory, and spouses need to reach out to each other without criticism or reservations. To live with a wife or a husband who does not accept you is a dark valley to walk through. from - Victory in the Valleys of Life (Revell)
A very good friend wants me to write about acceptance. How do you get your partner to accept you for who you are and let you be who you are! Another gal within the same time frame gave me a picture of how she feels after 25 years of marriage. It comes from Joyce Meyer's publications. It shows a woman in a jar with the lid on it and she is looking out.
I do aspire to Dr. Phil's statement. . ."that we teach people how to treat us!" Acceptance for me means that I must communicate well who I am and what I need. Through out my practice of 30 years, I have tried to impart that as women, we need to teach that we do want to be a partner. The trick is, that sometimes we don't act equal and expect respect. We assume that you will respect us, and then we defensively detach emotionally when we see that it is not happening. So many women don't feel right or whole being who they are. They aren't anything without their spouse or significant other telling them they are accepted.
This topic can be a real can of worms. I see it as a necessary personal part of being accepted. Examples: I can't go anywhere unless he says I can or he thinks it is important enough to go. i.e. groceries, hair cuts, take kids to school, pick them up.
He doesn't think I should belong to this woman's club, or go to college, or joing an art club. He pouts when I do something great and get attention. He sulks when I want to go camping with my sisters for the weekend to get away and have girl time. He says, you don't need all those things, you have me. So what have most of us done? WE back down, detach, and become seethers on the inside.
I told John from day one what I needed. And, even though I left for days at a time to go to Miss Indiana, did he like it. No. But, he accepted my need to do and be who I am. It has been like that for 40 years. He put aside his need for me to be cloned to his side and the perks of doing that have been; I learned to manage my emotions when he needed to be who he is. Sure, we can get carried away being who we are. God promotes balance and moderation in all things. He demands love and acceptance. He teaches respect and integrity. So, is there any button we can push here for instant answers? Probably not! As women we need to KNOW that we are ACCEPTED by Jesus Christ. Psalm 139. Read that whole chapter if you need convincing.
As for the men in our lives. I still say, communication - Telling someone the truth without hurting them is the communication teaching tool.
"Honey, when you insist that I don't need to do things that I believe are good for me, I feel like you don't know me, trust me, or love me unconditionally. Do you really mean you don't think I need that art class because "what will I do with it after all?"
"Help me understand, what is going on when you need to know every minute where I am?"
I could go on and on about samples of how to teach someone how to treat you.
Pray - seek God and ask Him to give you the emotional strength to talk about how much you need to be accepted for who you are. It may mean sitting down and actually interviewing each other. "What do you mean, I don't know who you are?"
Just some thoughts here - girls. What do you think? Should I write more about it?
Sunday, September 5, 2010
CHANGE CAN BE GOOD!
They always say change is harder as we grow older!
I used to laugh at my parents when they said that. I don't laugh anymore. It really is true. We had no idea months ago how Labor Day would play out? Would there be no auction and only ACD Festival events? No poster, or would there be a poster? The weekend was shortened by the new Auburn Auction people. Different auctioneers, lots of vendor changes, physical renovations, and new faces. It was hard to not have free passes for all our friends, as well as the fact that we had to pay to get through the Park. However, they always say "It is What It is, Deal With It!" So we did.
I think it will take me a couple times to get used to not seeing the family of Kruse out there. It felt down home. It felt friendlier. Even though there were financial problems and things that happened. I like down home.
Hope you all had a good weekend and I will be working on excerpts from some thoughts and writings coming up.
Shirley Faith
I used to laugh at my parents when they said that. I don't laugh anymore. It really is true. We had no idea months ago how Labor Day would play out? Would there be no auction and only ACD Festival events? No poster, or would there be a poster? The weekend was shortened by the new Auburn Auction people. Different auctioneers, lots of vendor changes, physical renovations, and new faces. It was hard to not have free passes for all our friends, as well as the fact that we had to pay to get through the Park. However, they always say "It is What It is, Deal With It!" So we did.
I think it will take me a couple times to get used to not seeing the family of Kruse out there. It felt down home. It felt friendlier. Even though there were financial problems and things that happened. I like down home.
Hope you all had a good weekend and I will be working on excerpts from some thoughts and writings coming up.
Shirley Faith
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