This statement is the proof between maturity and immaturity.
It is the difference in the choice driven life and victim driven life.
It is the challenge of every human being alive.
You can either grow through your pain or allow it to consume you.
You can either choose to let it change you for good or for evil.
You can either live with determination or excuses.
It is up to you, and what you choose, what you allow will determine not only your outcome.
It will very likely determine the outcome for your children and/or those around you.
So, what will you choose?
How will you grow?
And who will reap the benefits ..or consequences?
Choose wisely, please.
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Things in this life that bring me peace are waterfalls, and a child’s laughter, and mountaintop sunsets, and the breeze rustling through the trees.
But truly, there is only one thing that can bring me true inner peace.
And it’s not found in a magazine, or a shopping center, or material possessions.
It’s not discovered in a song or a conversation or an atmosphere of friends or family.
It’s not even realized in a moonlit stroll or an early morning city run.
Truthfully, it’s not recognized in these things because it’s not a thing.
My peace is revealed in the One who created peace, in the One who designed those mountains, sunbeams and starlight that can swirl around in our moments of peace.
My peace is unveiled by the One who IS peace.
His very name is The Prince of Peace.
And when I have Him within, I find that peace is wherever I go.
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 26:3
For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
I always heard as a child that practice made perfect; so, I practiced playing the flute, and I practiced riding my bike, and then, I didn’t.
Because I wasn’t practicing accurately. I was just putting into rhythm the actions that wouldn’t make me better.
Practice truly makes permanent what you are doing, but it doesn’t make perfect if you’re doing it all wrong.
If your words are bringing pain, the continuation of those will only continue to wound and harm.
If your actions are bringing trouble to your life, to your family, or legacy, that turmoil will not stop as you continue the same steps.
We must change our practice to change our outcome.
We must alter our path to alter our destination.
Actions become habits. Habits become lifestyles. Lifestyles become character.
So, if change is to come, change is the action that must be taken.
You’ll never climb a mountain if you don’t start hiking.
You’ll never succeed at anything until you first, begin the task.
And today is a great day to commence!
Be consistent in truth. Be faithful in love. Be reliable in kindness. Be dependable in joy.
These are some great places to start.
Let’s get ready! Let’s go!
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Colossians 3:17
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works…
Too many people claim they’re gonna live better, gonna do better, gonna act better, but they’re still holding onto that which brings them down.
Some assert they’re gonna eat right, but the cabinets are filled with junk, and the menu is filled with fast food and calories.
Some proclaim they’re gonna get fit, but the weights gather dust, the shoes stay in the box, and the gym membership rolls through a year with the door never opened.
Some declare they’re gonna speak right, yet the music is turned to trash, the podcasts are filled with perversion, and the languages are covered with cussing and crudeness.
Some affirm they’re going to act better, yet the friends stay the same, the words ramble on with no change, and the actions are as redundant as the clock hand.
If you desire change, it must be proven within.
It you desire an alternate path, it must first be evident in your walk, then the journey will follow.
If you’re still entertaining the demons from which you claim to have been freed, then your receptivity will be the burden on your own shoulders.
It will be the nightmares of your own dreams.
Wake up!
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
What strategies do you use to maintain your health and well-being?
There are probably several strategies I use to maintain my health and well-being and many more that I truly need to implement.
Like exercise and eating right. I need to do better in these categories. Eating is alright, and my saving grace is most likely that I do eat a lot of salads, try to make sure I’m getting good fiber, making better choices throughout the weeks, and I eat one big meal most days (lunch) and a protein bar at the other two meals. So, better than some, not as good as others.
However, I’d say the thing I work hardest at is keeping the right mental attitude, and that contributes to a ton of my well being.
Avoid stinkin’ thinkin’ for a good and prosperous life!
I am naturally introspective, and because I’m a reviewer (there are doers, dreamers and reviewers in life), I tend to automatically see what will go wrong in a given situation. Over the years, with the help of my “optimistic-big picture,-always seeing what can go right-amazing leader” husband, I have learned to not only see the problem but to also work hard to see the solution, too.
So, that’s what I do.
I strive to look at the good, the solutions and the HOPE in any given situation. I don’t always get it right, but I can proudly claim I am light years ahead of where I was 25 years ago.
A couple of things that help me do this:
1. Daily Scripture reading. Yeah. I read the Bible. For some, you’re already tuning me out because you think I’m going to get all religious on you. However, hold just a second, please, and just read a few more lines to see what I’m talking about…
I have found that the Bible is a great big story of incredibly amazing people, and it’s beyond interesting. It has mind-boggling miracles and mysteries, intriguing family dynamics and dysfunctions, and all kinds of battles and victories. It’s a great history book as well. And it’s certainly led me to a greater level of understanding, knowledge and insight. So, beyond the soul refreshing relationship I’ve found through knowing and talking to the ultimate Hero of the Book, it’s an incredible piece of literature. And it’s no wonder it’s been the #1 Best Seller for centuries. (I challenge you to just try reading it sometime.)
Then, the added bonus for my reliance of daily Scripture reading is that I find it gives me peace of mind, restores my joy, and fills me with more love than I could ever imagine. So, this would be the first and foremost reason for my daily reading plan of the Bible.
2. I strive to THINK right. Too many people will just let your mind wander all over the place, or maybe be consumed with so much reasoning that it lends itself to confusion, or even allow yourself to be so overwhelmed with thoughts of fear, anger, bewilderment or just plain chaos, doubt and confusion that you never have a clear thought about anything.
There’s another great book I’ve come across that has helped me learn to think right: Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer. She teaches you how to retrain your mind to have the right thoughts, no matter how messed up it might be right now. It’s a really good book! I highly recommend it.
3. I’ve learned to forgive and forgive again. This is huge. Unforgiveness can eat away at your health and well being before you know it. And when you’ve let unforgiveness fester so long that it’s turned into bitterness, it can literally destroy you!
I read an article once that talked about the scientific benefits and dangers of unforgiveness and negative thoughts. It described how these cause neurons, atoms (or something?… it’s been a while since I read it. Lol) or something in your brain to actually develop little spikes on them. And because your brain is the communication to the rest of the body, these little spikes start poking and prodding the various areas of your body and begin creating toxins and miscommunications, which then develop into sicknesses, diseases and even terminal illnesses.
Now, maybe someone wrote that article, and it was more theoretical than proven, I have no idea. And I really don’t care. It makes perfect sense, and it made a huge impact on me. So, I work hard to avoid harboring unforgiveness and negative thoughts.
4. I’ve embraced positivity and try to avoid negativity. (See explanation above.) I’m not always the best at this, but I try, and try, again. Being positive is really good for you mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally. Plus, it’s so much more enjoyable to be around someone who’s more positive than negative.
Now, this doesn’t mean I always have my head in the clouds and never see anything bad. That’s honestly a dumb way to live, too. And I’m a bit too much of a realist to be that way. But if I can choose positivity, I will work really hard to do so.
5. I don’t do drama. I don’t do OPD (other people’s drama), and I don’t do my own. Drama just works everyone up for nothing. If you’re going to fight a battle, there better be spoils, and good ones. But when everything gets dramatic, and especially when it’s someone else’s problem and solution into which you are inserting yourself, there’s usually absolutely no good pay off. So, why do that to yourself?
6. I strive to keep peace in my heart. This doesn’t mean that there’s never a storm of life that I’m not walking through. It just means that I’ve learned to embrace peace no matter if the circumstances around me are chaotic or not.
And truthfully, I can’t do this in my own strength. None of it. Whether it’s being disciplined to read Scripture, thinking right, being forgiving, being positive, avoiding drama or seeking peace, I really don’t have the ability to maintain all of this by myself. I’m not passionate enough, strong enough or even wise enough to know how to do all that, but I’ve met Someone who works it all in me and through me: my loving Savior, Jesus.
He is truly my Rock, my Shelter, my Peace, my Provider, and my Source for all I need for health and well-being. And often, those who don’t have a relationship with Him will say, “That’s just a crutch.” And I have to admit. Yes. I have found I can’t even walk without holding onto His hand. For when I’m leaning on Him, I can do all things well…
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 26:3
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I recently lost my grandmother of 94 years, and I miss her so. She and I were a lot alike in so many ways, and often growing up, she was more like a mother to me than a grandmother.
She taught me how a young lady should carry herself and how to really love your man.
She taught me that a gentle word really can turn away wrath and a loving touch can bring harmony to a chaotic world.
She taught me how to be classy and be okay with tradition, religion and “the way things have always been.”
She taught me that you’re never too old to try new things, as she traveled to Jamaica in a missions trip at 80 years old.
She taught me that if you set your mind to it, you can accomplish just about anything, as she lived by herself for almost 20 years in a great big bay front property after my grandfather’s death.
And the most important thing she ever taught me was that a relationship with Jesus Christ and with the joy of the Lord being your strength, you can live out your days with laughter and peacefulness, no matter what the storms of life might bring.
I am thankful for the heritage she offered, and I will gladly pick up the mantle she left. She may not have always done everything right, and she’d have never wanted you to call her the picture of perfection.
But if I can live my life with as much dignity, class, integrity, charm, joy, love and peace as she had, I will call myself a blessed woman.
What heritage are you grasping hold of today?
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Proverbs 31:30-31
She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
Proverbs 31:25
She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
I love the thought of my God loving me enough to protect me.
I love the realization that He loves me enough to defend me.
And I love the image of imagining Him as a lion running to me.
He will do this.
He is a mighty God, an everlasting Savior, an all Powerful Lord,
And yet,
He cares for me. He cares for you.
And He longs for us to be with Him.
And if He needs to run to us,
He will.
And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
Luke 15:20-24
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
I spend the majority of my time with the loves of my life: my husband and our two sons.
We have the most fun together, either all together, individually, or even broken up into pairs.
We love to travel, or hike, or to take a road trip, or take a walk, or go shopping, or find a great restaurant, or maybe just sit for a spell, telling stories, pondering the mysteries of God, comparing notes on the Lord of the Rings, or simply hanging out doing nothing at all.
Just being together is what counts. And although, each of us are so very different from the other, we’ve always been a very tight knit family. But as they grow, those days are coming to change very soon.
And my heart gets a bit sad every time I think about it.
Yet, I know it is meant to be, and I know it’s bittersweet.
It is meant to be because every parent wants their child to always be moving forward in life, never crippled, never wounded, or just stuck in one phase.
It is meant to be because every parent wants to see their children flourish, succeed, and fly like an eagle into their adult life, learning, growing and soaring into his own.
It is exciting because we want them to be strong men, independent, and confident in who they each are called to be. We raised them this way, and they are boldly approaching the goal.
It is exciting because we want to see them explore and experience all the thrills, all the joys, we once did and so much more.
It is bittersweet because I know as these days draw closer, they will fly; they will flourish, and one day, they will find the girl of their dreams. Then, they will begin their own families, their own lives.
It is bittersweet because this mama’s heart will miss them so and long for one more hug, another spontaneous, late night chat, an unexpected trip to the store “just to get a few things” and have some extra individual time together.
It is heartwarming because as you realize they’ve got what it takes to make it, and not just to survive but to thrive, you realize they really did hear you. They really did receive.
It is heartwarming because you know the two of you, husband and wife, now will have a rediscovery of each other. You’ll have opportunities for time renewed that has been shared for decades, and now, it’s just the two of you.
Yes, it is meant to be, and it is bittersweet.
And yet, it is both exciting and heartwarming.
Change is coming, and it’s coming so fast.
It will be upon us before I am truly ready.
So for now, I will be present in the moment.
I will cherish the past and look expectantly toward the future.
But I will continue to savor my overspent time with my loves right here, right now.
And I will continue spending my most valuable moments with the loves of my life.
For this is where I long to be most, second only to being by my Savior’s side. But that story will be saved for another day’s writing…
Right now, I’m going to get back to where I love to spend most of my time…❤️
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
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!
the grizzle grist mill 