Sometimes, it’s the small, insignificant things that end up mattering the most. We can be so focused on the big picture that the portrait diminishes because we failed to notice the details.
Be aware of the little nuances whether in people, situations or surroundings.
Being able to notice can be a game changer.
Sometimes, it’s the small, seemingly insignificant things that will unravel the larger, more glamorous moments because it’s truly the little things that being together the big.
This is true in paintings.
This is true in circumstances.
This is true in relationships.
This is true in life.
If we ignore the minuscule things that make up the whole, we can miss a vital key that can unlock future and further withholding.
Don’t ignore the small things.
They can truly turn out to be the big things.
Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
John C. Maxwell says, “Leadership is influence.” So, when the question is posed, “Do you see yourself as a leader?”, the answer for all of us should actually be, “Yes.”
The question should rather be, “Who are you leading?” And “Where are you leading them?”
If you are like me, and you call yourself a Christian, we should be leading others to Christ. Not to a religion. Not to church. Not to a “feel better” lifestyle. Not to a program or to a group of people. But we should be leading others to a relationship with Jesus.
All of those other things might come with the territory, and if we truly have a relationship with Jesus and actually read His Word, many of those things will fall into line. But the relationship is where it’s at. And if you have that relationship, you will have influence. And if you have influence, per John Maxwell, you will be a leader.
And even if you don’t claim Jesus as your Savior, or maybe you declare you’re not into “all that religious stuff,” you’ll still be leading someone somewhere. And again, I’ll insert the question, “Where are you leading them?”
If you have no leader yourself, and you have no foundation of truth, than your path will be quite a crooked one. And in this modern age, a crooked path can simply be foolish and quite frankly, dangerous. For there are buyers for your soul on every street corner, both physically and metaphorically. And typically, the highest bidder will win.
But at what cost? And are you willing to gamble your life upon it? Or better yet, are you willing to gamble with the most innocent among you? Or maybe even better to ask, what about the ones you love the most? Are they worth the precarious journey in your lack of leadership?
Whether you decide to choose or not, it will be decided. Refusal to answer is still an answer, and it will still bring consequences.
What personality trait in people raises a red flag with you?
Rudeness is a personality trait that raises a red flag for me almost immediately. You can be aggravated and not rude. You can be inconvenienced and not rude. You can even be mad and ticked off and still not rude.
Being rude is simply disrespect and apathy flowing out of your mouth and attitude toward someone else. Being rude is a lack of caring who’s around you or how you might be perceived.
Now, look. I’m not setting myself on a high horse and pretending I’ve never been rude. And it’s also not a “make it or break it” attitude for our relationship. We can all have bad days, and we can all make mistakes.
But if you walk around in life believing it’s your prerogative to be rude anytime you like and to anyone whom you dare, then, we’re going to have a problem.
If you believe it’s your God-given right to be rude to the elderly or to children, that’s when you and I aren’t going to get along.
And if you sincerely feel you’ve earned the privilege to be rude simply because you’re too young to know better or too old to care, then, we probably just can’t be friends.
And if you carry on that way long enough in my presence, I’ll even say something to you, retaliate with a bit of rudeness myself, or simply walk away and leave you to your fate.
Rudeness is never a right of passage nor an achievement of greatness.
It is just what it is: RUDE!
And just in case you’re wondering, speaking truth is not being rude, but there are also plenty of opportunities to speak truth firmly and strongly without being rude.
It actually takes more courage to be right and truthful andnot be rude.
And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
It’s almost funny, that the daily prompt today is asking if you’re holding a grudge, and my blog post earlier today was about forgiveness.
As they say, maybe great minds do think alike. Lol.
Do I hold a grudge? No. I’d have to say not because I’ve learned forgiveness is more important and more freeing than holding grudges that I could rightfully hold.
Yet, for some whose relationship has been effected by my distance and even my walking away, their narrative could be different. But sometimes, toxicity must be avoided at all costs. And that’s where the judgement begins.
But to hold a grudge means your intent will eventually be to bring harm. Holding a grudge has the intent of revenge. Holding a grudge has the motives of destruction.
Holding a grudge is rooted in the foundation of unforgiveness. Holding a grudge brings resentment and bitterness. Holding a grudge actually brings more harm to you than it does to those against whom the grudge is held.
That grudge will create a prison in which you’ll live if you’ll let it. That grudge will be the hot iron that you think you’re grasping in your hand, yet the longer you hold it, the more it burns your flesh and all those closest to you.
But if you’ll release that grudge, it’s like releasing the hot iron to go back into the fire from whence it came. And the release brings you more freedom than you could ever imagine.
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 3:13
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
Dealing with trauma can be excruciating. And just as a wounded animal wants to lash out and wound anyone who would try to help, we as humans will also have a tendency to lash out and bring harm when we are hurting.
We will rear back and punch an honest bystander simply because she leans in to take a second look. We will react with violent anger because he offers a gentle hand. We will claw and bite when they surround and hover, only hoping to give a comforting word or a compassionate nod.
The pain we feel can be so deep and seem so lasting that it actually feels unfair to see a world who is unaffected by it.
The agony can be so debilitating that we feel justified in our knee-jerk reactions and spiteful words because after all, they can’t possibly understand all that we’ve endured.
But what does wounding another accomplish? It doesn’t remove the gash. It certainly never heals the scar. It only leaves those in our wake with their own needed recovery.
And the enemy of our soul celebrates the victory of our further demise. The demons that watched our first injury shout with glee as they observe our continual upheaval and destruction of another.
This is his goal. This is his ultimate objective.
Bring annihilation to all, not just one.
And bring it through the hands of the tortured who should rather be seeking to pour the healing balm.
So, recognize his tactics.
Become keenly aware of his ploys.
And vehemently reject his satisfaction.
Through the bleeding, learn to praise the One who gave you breath.
Through the brokenness, seek to pour the oil of mending on those who are the weakest.
Through the injustice, desire to be the wounded healer embracing instead of victimizing.
Work through the muck and mire to find His calm.
Extend your heart with all it’s shattered dreams to find His love.
And as you do, stretch yourself to find someone deeper in the pit than you have fallen and struggle to lift them up and pull them out.
When you do, you’ll find yourself conquering the enemy with your peace.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
What was the last thing you searched for online? Why were you looking for it?
These questions are always so interesting to be answered, and it’s even more intriguing to wonder if the answer is completely true or maybe just one of the recent searches in the the day.
When asked what was the last thing I searched online, my first thought was so I really want to answer that prompt? Because sometimes, the search can be so random, and something I wouldn’t normally search.It can be something someone brought up into a conversation, or a word I heard but didn’t know the meaning, or even a place I hear mentioned, and I’m wondering its location.
So, when I’m asked what’s the last thing I searched online and why were you looking for it, I secretly sneak over to my history tabs to see what I might find before I choose to answer. And then, I wonder do you want to know the last, last thing, or rather do you want to know the last interesting thing?
The last lady search is a bit random because I saw some friends advertise other acquaintances in a play locally; so, I searched the characters of Steel Magnolias to see what characters they might be playing. It’s been so long since I actually watched that movie, I couldn’t even remember the whole storyline, much less the characters’ character.
Then, the last thing before that, which would be what I actually answer as my prompt was something I was researching to speak about in a meeting: Matthew 5:13-16.
This is the Scripture about salt & light. If you’re a believer like me, we have this directive, to be salt and light to the world around us. And this scripture is so descriptive and so instructional that when I read it and then, think of where we are today in our world, it almost makes me sad…and convicted.
Now, if you’re not a Christ believer, as I am, this might not apply to you, but if you call yourself a person of faith in any way, this has our names written all over it! This was Jesus speaking to his disciples and all those who chose to listen to Him on the Mount of Olives. This is the same time frame when He gave us the famous Beatitudes that everyone loves to quote and preach to others of how we should live.
But these scriptures get a little more pointed, a little more laser focused on our personal lives and how we should be living them. This word brings it home to where all of us live.
We are to be salt. Salt of the earth. Salt brings flavor. Salt brings preservation. Salt brings health. Salt can also bring destruction. If you do more research, there’s lots of debate on what Christ meant when He told us to be the salt.
Instead of debating, I’d say He might have meant all of the above. Let me break it down a little…
Be salt that brings flavor to the world around you. Bring kindness, love, faith and hope.
Be salt that brings preservation. Preservation of the Truth. Preservation of His Word. Preservation of His Name and of all that He is.
Be salt that brings health. We, as humans, must have a measure of salt to be healthy. We, as Christians, must bring a measure of hope to bring health to those around us.
Be the salt that brings destruction. Not destruction of good but rather of evil. Bring destruction to lies, hypocrisy and evil intent against the innocent. Bring destruction to the deconstruction of faith, holiness and all things right, true and good.
Be the salt.
Being the light is a bit easier to comprehend. But for sake of congruency, I’ll break this down a little, too.
We are to be the light that shines in the darkness. We are the light that sits on a hill. We are the light that cannot be hidden. We are to be the light that transform the dark.
Light shines in the dark to protect from predators; so, protect the innocent and those without a voice.
Light shines in the dark to brighten a path; so, bring joy to someone else.
Light shines in the dark to lighten a room and dispel a fear; so, bring peace to another.
Light shines in the dark to expose the shadows; so, bring confrontations of truth to break deceptions and lies.
Light shines in the dark to lead the way; so, guide all you find to a better tomorrow.
You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men,that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
There is a modern day push to tolerate all things, no matter what it might be.
To remain silent even when injustice is being propagated.
There is a peer pressure within society that you may speak, so long as your words aren’t too strong, too forceful, too conflicting, or God forbid, too spiritual.
Yet, I want to ask, WHO SET THE RULES?
WHO claims you are right and I am wrong?
WHO gets to choose what is common decency, kindness to mankind, justice to the abused?
Kindness does not begin where your intolerance ends.
Common decency does not get defined only by those with a specified ambition and agenda.
Justice does not get unbalanced weights to apply innocence to evil and evil to righteousness.
There has to be an absolute foundation on which to stand.
There has to be a voice that rises above the muck and mire.
There has to be an outcry for purity, holiness and truth.
And there must be a gathering of like minds who are bold enough to speak that truth with love.
Stop being a doormat.
Stop being used a vessel for wrong.
Stop being weaponized to destroy the innocence of all humanity.
You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a heavy and a light. You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small. You shall have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure, that your days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. For all who do such things, all who behave unrighteously, are an abomination to the Lord your God.
Deuteronomy 25:13-16
Hear this, you who swallow up the needy, And make the poor of the land fail, Saying: “When will the New Moon be past, That we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may trade wheat? Making the ephah small and the shekel large, Falsifying the scales by deceit, that we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals— Even sell the bad wheat?”
Amos 8:4-6
These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
My journey didn’t stop with mere time travel or writing; it led me to become one of the most sought-after empaths, a soulful psychic who reads the hidden depths of the human spirit. I’ve been blessed—or perhaps burdened—with an ability that allows me to feel the emotions of people from every corner of time.
I am a licensed psychologist based in Greece. My love for housekeeping has inspired me to create this blog about home management and family relationships. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing!
Dedicated to movie nerdom, nostalgia, and escape. In the late 90s, I worked at Blockbuster Video where they let me take home two free movies a day. I caught up on the classics and reviewed theatrical releases for Denver 'burbs newspapers and magazines. Today, while raising two young, beautiful daughters with my amazing wife, I look forward to anything rated R and not Bluey. Comments and dialogue encouraged!
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