Look at you now! I Remember You When You Were...

How many times have you heard that from someone, when they see who you've become?  Never in a million years did they think this would be you, today.  And, let's be honest, you probably didn't think it either.  We all have amazing potential, regardless of what we've done or who we were in the past.It is the experience of the past that frames what the future will become.  I've heard it said that this "experience" is not what happens to you, but what you do with what happens to you.  I believe this.  Learn you.  Know you.  Own you.

It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking, "Maybe I am still that person. Maybe this is all a facade.  Maybe I'm really not better than I used to be.  Who am I fooling?" Negative nudges from naysayers do nothing for your personal growth.  It should not be acceptable for you to remain as you are.  Growth is essential - we all have to learn through experience, whether ours or someone else's.

Heighten your sense of self.  This phrase is so powerful to me.

Your

 - Belonging to you, and you alone.  You are responsible for you.  No one can make you do anything.  Power over your life is yours.  You are responsible for you.  You are responsible for you.

Sense 

- We all know about hearing, smelling, touching, seeing and tasting - these provide the data we base our perceptions on.  What are you exposing your senses to?  If you only hear, smell, touch, see and taste garbage, then what do you think your perception of Life will be?  Pretty trashy, huh?  Pay attention to what you allow yourself to sense.  Feed your senses with good things.  Nourish your self-perception. Do not allow your view of yourself to be re-colored or clouded.  Always stand in The Light when you look at yourself.  The Light is the Love and Truth of The Creator of the Universe and all that is in it.  The Light is The Truth that cannot be disputed.  God don't make no junk.

of Self - 

 - Wikipedia defines "self" as "an individual person as the object of his or her own reflective consciousness."  Who are you?  What are your values?  What are your needs?  What is and is not acceptable to you?  You have to define these things for yourself.  If you don't, they will be defined for you.  If you give up power over yourself, you let others decide who you are.  And those decisions are often detrimental.

When you become a better you, everyone isn't happy. Some people prefer you as you were - broken, confused, insecure. They may be threatened by your confidence and soaring self-esteem. But. Don't. You. EVER! let their responses turn you back into the person you were. Don't let anything or anyone diminish your SHINE!

A Little Lower

I've been in a bit of a fog all week, waking up too late to pray and meditate as I would like to, and walking around in a funk.  It's so important for me to have time in the morning to center myself and connect with my Creator.  It sets the tone for my day.  The five-minute prayer thing wasn't cutting it.

I finally got around to reading my Bible this morning.  The verses that follow really spoke to my heart, about who I am in God and the power that gives me.  We give Life's circumstances and the people around us wayyyyy too much power.  Our real power lies in our Divine connection and if/how we choose to use it.

Hebrews 2: 6b,7,8 (New Living Translation):

“What are mere mortals that you should think about them,
    or a son of man that you should care for him?
Yet you made them only a little lower than the angels
    and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them authority over all things.”

Did you hear that last part?  It says, "You gave them authority over all things".  Life is not out of our control.  We have God-given authority over ALL THINGS!  And we've been made a little lower than the angels. Just a little.  So act like it.

We are so BLESSED!  We need to walk in the Light of that Blessing.

Thought for today:
I have God-given authority over all things.  I am the amazing creation of an amazing God, and I'm going to have an amazing day!

Rainy Day Updo

It's raining and I needed to put this hair up!

So here's what I came up with.  Check my YouTube channel for a step-by-step tutorial.

Any style that's high in the front scores points with me.

I adoooore the profile of this style!  I will definitely repeat for a night out.

Here's a view of the top

The back is neat and all tucked in, with one ponytail holder and one bobby pin.

Two thumbs up!  Digging this style.

Make Space for Your Blessing

I've been nesting.  No, I'm not pregnant.  But in the last few weeks I've been compelled to "get it together".  And by "it" I mean my home.  It hasn't been what I wanted it to be.  I never really settled in. I never decorated.  I didn't hang pictures.  I just lived there.  It was purely functional.  But that wasn't working for me.  I wasn't feeling happy in my space.  I tried tapping into my creative side, thinking that is what I was missing, but I was so uninspired!  It wasn't until last week that it really clicked.  There is something on the horizon for me, but I need to be in a place to receive it.  I need to be settled and happy in my own space.  It's coming together, but it's taking some sweat.  I tackle the household alone; that's my thing.  Hubby offers help when he feels I need it but I honestly end up doing things myself anyway.  I'm like that.  He knows that.  So it's cool.

Today I flipped our king sized bed, propped up the entire thing (including the box springs), swept, mopped and put it all back just the way I wanted it.  We don't have a bed frame - the bed is so high, we never bothered to get one - and I hated the look of the bare box spring.  I tried a bed skirt but it kept shifting, so today I got the thought of using a fitted sheet instead.  Why didn't I think of this before? It's perfect!  I would show you a pic, but I feel a kinda way about putting pictures of my bedroom online. It's like showing my underwear.  I don't know... Yeah; I'm weird.

I also tackled my "beauty corner" so I could get pretty in a pretty space.  Just need some nice new mirrors and I'm good to go.  Ok, I'll show you a pic of that :-)

I also tackled my earring display.

This is how it was before

This is how it is now.  The necklaces and shorter earrings are hung below this frame.  Sooo much better!

I rearranged the kitchen yesterday, moving the fridge twice and the stove once, and lifting our old dining table over the new one so I could set everything just the way I wanted it.  I don't know where I found the energy, but I know I slept very well last night.  :-)

Next is the bathroom.  I can't decide between a beach theme or an Asian theme.  Mind you, the place is full of shells and rocks that I've collected over the years, so guess what theme will win?  Haha!

It's amazing to walk in the door and see things in their proper places - it's like my home is smiling at me, saying, "Come in!"

My house taught me a lesson recently.  I had been saying for a long time that I wanted to put some chairs in the living room.  Just a sofa and loveseat, nothing exraordinary.  We have been living here for years with no living room furniture.  Yeah...I know. Don't judge me.  I let the kids use the space to play.  So anyway I never cleared the space for said chairs.  The place was a catch-all for all kinds of things - toys, bags, books, shoes, you name it.  It wasn't until I started to make space for what I wanted that it came to me.  And I wasn't making space specifically for the furniture.  I just changed my mindset, and I started to de-clutter.  And the minute I did that things started to flow.  I would move one thing or get an idea of how I could use the space better here or there.  I'd find new uses for items I previously overlooked.  My husband would come home, look around and say, "okaaaayyyyy" (which is Hubbyspeak for "cool").  I realized that it isn't enough to say I want something, I have to make space for it in my life.  I realize that the more clutter I remove from my life, the more I make use of the good things I have, and the more room I have for new and better things.  This holds true for my house, my mind, my emotions and my spirit.

I'm applying this lesson to my life, de-cluttering my mind and taking stock of what can be put to good use in my life.  There's no room for junk, no space for old dusty things that offer no value.  I'm releasing negative memories, thoughts and emotions.  And you know what?  Cleaning house is making me so happy!  It's like the very act of cleaning, scrubbing, and putting away is spiritually cleansing.  I will keep this up.  It feels too good to stop.

I'll share soon about my cleaning schedule and how it's changed my outlook on my life and how I relate to my family.

I'll share a simple tip that I learned recently. I shine my sink every night.  After washing the dishes, I wipe the entire sink down so there are no visible water droplets.  When I wake up in the morning my sink is the first thing I see, and it's gleaming!  It's a great start to my day.

I say, if you want to change your life, change your space.

Make room for blessings...

People Complain Too Much!

Listen... The only someone who can keep you down is you. Stop blaming other people for your miserable life. You made some choices. Your life as it is today is the consequence of those choices. So shut up. Suck it up. Face where you are. Face it head on. Change what you can. Find ways to deal with what you can't. Move on with your life and deliberately choose every single day to be happy. And don't just say you are happy. Find it, feel it, and live it! Stop the crying and moaning. Enough already. I'm not indifferent. I'm not being harsh. I just want to tell the truth. And sometimes the truth isn't pretty. Sorry. I've been there...done that...got the T-Shirt. And guess what? When I was tired of moping and moaning I ripped it up and used it as a rag to clean up my mess. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I sure don't let anybody steal my joy. You shouldn't either.

Can't Do What I Should...Doing What I Shouldn't. SMH

Why is it that I feel I MUST pick at every little thing that pops up on my face?  And then, of course, I'm left with a scar.  I knew it would happen.  I knew I would cause more damage, but yet I can't seem to stop myself.  Sigh...

We do this in other areas of life, too.  We know we shouldn't eat that...or hang out with x person or y person.  We know we shouldn't try to get one over on someone, or keep the change when the cashier miscalculated and gave $10 extra change.  But we do it anyway.

There has to come a point when we think of the consequences, and that is a deterrent in itself.

Clearly, I'm not there yet.  At least where my face is concerned.

God and Centipides

I killed a centipede in my daughters' room tonight.  I was coming from the shower and noticed something on the floor.  I looked away, and looked back and the "something" was about one tile over from where it was previously.  I grabbed a shoe, and the rest is history.  Bye, bye, centipede.

What's my point?  God looks out for us.  He opens our eyes so we can see danger that we wouldn't see had it not been for us being tapped in to His vision.  I don't think of incidents like this as "lucky".  There is Divine intervention in so many of our daily circumstances, but we often don't see or don't take the time to acknowledge God's Hand in our lives.  I believe I was put in that spot to see that little insect and stop it before it crawled up into the bed and... (let's not even think about that).

I had to stop and say thank you.  I only pray for the vision to see potential dangers in more subtle things, like the negative influence of a well-meaning but badly-advised friend, or the wisdom to choose right when the pros and cons seem to all be in the gray area.

There is no "luck", only Favor.  And Favor comes from God.