Live Powerfully Now!

Living a Legacy-Worthy Life... in Health

2012-02-01T12:00:00.001-06:00

When you hear the term genealogy tree, what visual comes to mind? For most people it's usually the skeleton of a tree - the trunk and branches. Names are placed on one side for the paternal parent and on the other for the maternal parent. we usually don't see a lot of depth in our trees, just the bare facts of who came from who. I believe what we do, our contribution in life, becomes the leaves that flesh out the tree... what we are remembered for becomes our legacy.

Over the course of four weeks I will be discussing four areas we all can leaf (sorry, I had to) a legacy of love in for generations to come. I will begin today in the area of health.

One of my favorite phrases, "Genetics is a tendency... not a destiny!" is a powerful reminder that no matter whose below us on our tree, we always have the choice to learn from them and change. That said, what are you embracing as truth concerning health from your forefathers? No matter what it is, today, you can claim a healthier lifestyle, make some changes and influence generations to come.

What does a healthy-lifestyle look like to you? Is it:

Traveling without restrictions.
Playing on the floor with your children/grandchildren and getting back up.
Desiring intimacy with your spouse and being able to act on it.

This lifestyle is possible when we put actions to our desires... here are a few suggestions you could incorporate today: (Be sure to check with your physician before changing your dietary or physical regimen)

Include 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week - move it or lose it - make this fun!
Drink 1/2 your body weight in fluid ounces of water daily - create a "My Jug/Pitcher" and keep it handy!
Discover your Zone of Required Sleep and get it nightly - (set your bedroom up for successful sleep visit LivePowerfullyNow.org for articles on sleep.)
Live within your limitations - physical/medical - don't shut down because of them, adapt.

Practice these habits until you can teach them... we are raising a new generation of show me don't tell me young people... it's up to each of us to show up and walk the walk knowing it's the little things we do that make the biggest impression... so what are you doing or will you do to sprout some leaves on your genealogy tree concerning good health?

Emotionally Speaking... Argh!!!

2012-01-16T12:30:00.000-06:00

Some days you just want to say, "Enough is enough!"
This outburst normally occurs at a time when all the whys, whens, and how comes collide into a barrage of - I can't do this anymore!
Well no worries, you're not alone... there is hope. It's time to be Taking Out Your Emotional Trash and my friend Georgia can help!

Georgia Shaffer is a licensed psychologist in Pennsylvania, certified life coach, speaker, and an award winning author of several books, here is a question and answer with Georgia on her book "Taking Out Your Emotional Trash"
This is my BOOK OF THE MONTH. I've had several friends say they are going through Georgia's book together as a life application study, I encourage you to do the same. Here is the second half of a conversation with Georgia about facing your feelings and building healthy relationships...

… continued from January 9^th post

To have healthy relationships, you believe it’s extremely important to understand that different personalities handle loss differently. Tell us more.

When faced with an unwanted change, some personalities like to be around lots of people and talk about their experience. Others prefer to withdraw and privately sort things out. Still others will try to take control of the situation by working harder and seeking the most competent people to help. And then there are those who simply prefer to wait and let things work out on their own.

You need to understand that unless your friend, co-worker or spouse has the same personality as you do, they will handle loss differently. And when your emotions are raw, these differences between those you live and work with will be magnified.

For a free article on this topic (entitled Understanding Our Differences), go to www.GeorgiaShaffer.com and click “free resources.”

In Chapter 5 you talk about destructive and constructive ways of handling anger. Most of us agree that physical and verbal aggressions are harmful but what are some other destructive ways? And how can we express our anger constructively?

Anger is an energy that needs to be channeled in the right direction. Destructive ways of expressing our anger include

Making sarcastic or critical remarks
Giving the silent treatment – not communicating for days or weeks
Withholding something like our affection, time or attention

Whereas some constructive expressions of anger are

Exercising
Journaling
Talking to a safe friend or counselor
Righting a wrong
Fighting a righteous battle
Addressing the relational issue

You write that it’s important to understand forgiveness as both a choice and a process. What you mean by that?

First, forgiveness is a choice—not a feeling. But even when you make the decision to forgive, that’s only the beginning. The next step is to work through the feelings of hurt, anger, sadness or betrayal.

You might forgive someone on an intellectual level, but if you fail to do the emotional work then you won’t heal on a deeper level. Working through the process means you verbalize what happened to you and how you feel about. When you get stuck or want to nurse your grudges, remember what God has done for you and how you’re forgiven. You also want to remember it can take months, even years, to be free of the hurt because we can only handle the pain a little bit at a time.

What would you say to someone who is ready to face their bottled-up feelings—their “emotional trash”–but who is overwhelmed by the task?

Many of us get stuck at one point or another in our lives– that’s normal. Last summer I decided to clean my 2-car garage, which at the time barely had room for one car.

It didn’t take me long to realize that making the choice to clean my garage and actually doing it were two different things. I was overwhelmed by the size of the task. Two months later I still hadn’t done anything.

One friend told me to start in a corner and another friend suggested I do one box or one shelf at a time. But I was still paralyzed by the huge task. Finally, I decided the only way I was going to make any headway was to tackle the job one item at a time. Was I going to throw it out, give it away, or keep it? And if I decided to keep it, where would I store it?

The project took five months to complete. But the transformation was amazing. Now I have more space—enough for two cars—but I also have more energy, more joy, and even more money since I now know what I already have and where it is.

If you’re feeling stuck and overwhelmed, focus on one issue at a time. Ask yourself, “What is the next step for me? What is one thing I can do?” And don’t be afraid to seek the help of a friend or a Christian counselor because some times we can’t do it alone.

Most of us have emotional meltdowns once in a while. What can we do to minimize these meltdowns so we can protect our relationships?

Be honest with yourself and ask, “Why do I resist dealing with my trash?” Are you telling yourself you’re too busy to deal with it or that you have a right to be bitter with, say, your ex? Do you think if you ignore your unresolved anger it will disappear? The problem with not facing your feelings is it usually means at some point in the future you’ll find yourself spending a day—or more—unable to do anything but deal your hurt and pain.

Therefore, you want to create and maintain routines that will help you pay attention to how you are doing emotionally and spiritually. Ask yourself: “How am I doing in my relationships with others? Am I reacting or responding to what’s going on around me? Am I protecting myself from total depletion? Am I getting enough sleep, rest, and exercise?

There’s a free self-assessment at www.GeorgiaShaffer.com under “Free Resources.” Use this tool to check and see how you’re doing on taking out your emotional trash.

Here’s the bottom line. Waste management today can take twenty plastic soda bottles and make a Polertec fleece out of them. But that’s nothing compared to what God can do with your emotional garbage. He’s the master of waste management. He can take your junk and make something beautiful out of it—but you have to be willing to give it to him. As I mentioned earlier we all have emotional trash . . . the question is what are you doing with yours? Are you holding onto it or are you getting rid of it so that you can be free to be who God created you to be?

Well, I pray this interview has been a blessing to you... visit Georgia's website for her FREE resources and more words of encouragement.

Hugs to you until next time... Linda

Relational Dumpster Diving!

2012-01-09T14:00:00.014-06:00

Are you struggling to when it comes to RELATIONSHIPS?
Do you find yourself running back to salvage a friendship gone bad?

Then my friend, you might be considered a "Relational Dumpster Diver!"
... but no worries, I know someone who can help you recover by, "Taking Out Your Emotional Trash"

Q&A with Georgia

Georgia, we can all relate to the job of “taking out our trash,” but what led you to write Taking Out Your Emotional Trash?

Like many listeners, I grew up in a home where I never learned the skills I needed to handle my disappointments, insecurities, or anger in a healthy way. As a result, those hurts and feelings piled up and created more pain in my life. It took me years to learn how to deal properly with my negative emotions.

As a life coach and licensed psychologist in Pennsylvania, I’ve seen how other people struggle with their negative feelings. Too often they wait until a crisis before saying, “I need help.” Unfortunately, it’s usually our closest relationships that bring our junk to the surface and it’s those relationships that suffer the most. I wrote Taking Out Your Emotional Trash to help people dump this junk before they trash their relationships. I want people to experience less stress and more of the energy, peace and joy that comes when we get rid of these potentially toxic feelings.

Could you share with us your definition of “emotional trash”?

I define “emotional trash” as the negative thoughts, feelings and attitudes that accumulate in our hearts and minds and when ignored or denied can lead to strong emotional reactions where we say or do something we later regret.

It’s not that our emotions are unhealthy or dangerous – it’s what we do or don’t do with them that creates problems.

For example, I have a friend whose garbage was not collected one week and so her husband stored it behind a shed in their back yard. A week later, the night before trash day, he carried it back out to the curb. But it wasn’t until he walked into their garage, back into the light, that he noticed maggots crawling all over his sleeves and hands.

If their garbage had been picked up sooner, it would not have become infested—and he would have been spared a creepy experience.

The same thing happens to us when our grudges and unresolved anger are not dealt with properly. They create the emotional equivalent of maggots crawling all over us.

At the beginning of the book you talk about spending a day on a beach filled with trash, and how most of the people walked or played around it as if they did not see it. Then you say we often have emotions that we ourselves don’t see or have grown used to. Can you give me an example?

Resentment is a great example of an unhealthy or destructive feeling that we don’t recognize. It’s like living near a fast food restaurant and getting use to the smell, after awhile we aren’t even aware of its existence.

Several years ago I had to care for my mother after she fell. It was during this time I realized her smallest request like: “Will you buy me some hand cream?” felt like a huge assignment. I usually responded with a snappish response from me. Since this is not the way I wanted to treat my mother I began praying about this. While talking with an old friend from high school, I realized my poor attitude came from some deep resentment I still held from my childhood. I had lived with that resentment some forty years without realizing it. I came to see that my rotten attitude had more to do with what was in my heart than with what my mother expected or needed.

I hear stories like this all the time. For example, one woman told me she realized she still was bitter about her husband’s encouragement to get an abortion thirty years earlier. Like me, she had grown used to her bitterness and was no longer even aware of its existence.

You write about how easily our wants can get distorted into needs. You say wrong thinking and a lack of self awareness can plunge us into a downward cycle. How do we reverse this tendency?

It’s important to understand how our legitimate desires can become warped by wrong thinking. Unless we are paying attention, our unfulfilled desires can plunge us into a downward cycle that looks like this: “I desire fill in the blank” becomes “I need you to ….” or “I demand that you…” And it goes on to become: “And if you fail to fulfill my desire, I will punish you in some way –either by withholding my time and attention or by attacking you verbally.”

To reverse this downward cycle, we must 1) recognize which desires have become something we believe we need, 2) grieve the loss of what can’t and might never be, and then 3) embrace what is. It is only at that point we can learn to live with the tension that comes with having desires and dreams without demanding that God or others fulfill them.

WOW... Georgia has incredible insight when it comes to relationships and her book really tells it like it is... I will continue this Q&A next week.

Click on the book to order your copy today from Amazon Publish Post

Are You Ready For IT?

2011-02-28T05:20:00.003-06:00

IT will eventually happen to all of us. Maybe not today or tomorrow but at some point while we are living on this precious planet called earth, "it" will happen. What will you do when "it" does?

Many of us will throw our hands in the air with a gesture of disbelief. Other's will make that phone call to their best friend and exclaim, "I wasn't expecting "it" to happen today!" Then there will be the silent few, who knew "it" was coming all along. They planned, prepared, and postured themselves for the inevitable, and now they are reaping the benefits. Which group do you fall into?

For several years now I have prided myself in doing all the right things to keep body, mind and soul in tip top shape. But as of late, the concept of tip top has slid down to barely hanging on to the side... the moment of IT has arrived...

www.thepajamacompany.com

It's official... I've become my Mother!!!

Don't laugh guys it works the same way for you. One morning you wake up, look in the mirror and gasp with amazement as your stare through the shaving creme into your father's eyes... when did this happen you might ask? Better yet, what can we do about it?

I'll let you in on a little secret... the inevitable doesn't have to be a scary moment, in fact if you plan it just right "it" can be one of the most exciting times of your life.

Begin today by writing down all of the positive, exciting, unique, outlandish and extraordinary things you can about your mom and/or dad. Talk to your brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles get stories straight from those who know. Next, find photo's of mom or dad that make you smile or laugh out loud and create an album (online or in book format) and entitle it: Marvelous Muses About Mom! or Delightful Data About Dad! Create a page of memories and the next page a photo, repeat until you are satisfied that you have described your parent in all his or her glory.

Are you asking how this can prevent the inevitable? Umm... it can't, that's why it's called inevitable. But, what it can do is give you more reasons than you have now to really appreciate who your parents were and are today. Once we look into the realness of mom or dad, our view of them will never be the same. Then when the time of "it" arrives we will beam with pride and joy at the prospect of becoming more like the one we love.

Makes me reflect on my faith-walk ... how I look forward to the time I will become as Christ, standing in the presence of my Father. Now that's a T-shirt or pajama top I'd gladly wear. "It's Official... I've Become My Brother!"

Simplify...

2011-01-31T08:49:00.000-06:00

Are you like me?

I have several things going on in my head... I need to visit Mom tomorrow, I need to get everything ready for the new bible study starting this week, the parenting classes beginning on Sunday, the website updates Heather needs, the guest information for my radio show that Heather needs, the laundry I need to fold, the laundry I need to transfer from the washer to the dryer, getting supper on the table, okay... more than several, but it's okay because I'm a multi-thinker as well as a multi-tasker. Umm... why doesn't saying that help me to believe it?

Truth be told, many times I use the term multi-tasker to justify the endless stream of "good" things going on in my life, but in reality my good-thing choices are not always the "God" things I need to choose.

This year... my word is SIMPLIFY!

I have already created clear lines of sight in my kitchen (thank you Marcia Ramsland), make my bed every morning and dress to shoes (thank you Fly Lady), and have begun the excruciating task of organizing my office (for the last time, thank you Carol & Susan). I am now in Simplification Mode and it feels great!

What area of your life do you need to simplify? Your calendar, closets, or kitchen? Well I want to encourage you to get simplified over the next six months if you are ready. I will post my Simplify 2011 Challenge on Wednesday Feb 2, 2011. As we simplify our lives, weight will naturally fall away. I am offering a prize to the biggest loser. Be sure to check it out.

Summer Safety Tips for Your Children

2010-07-04T00:45:00.015-05:00

When the temperatures rise, where do you go or what do you do for relief?
For many years, our family has packed up boogie boards, eye goggles, fishing poles and ice chests in our car to spend a week or two on the gulf shores at South Padre Island, Texas.
Do you have a favorite summertime respite? Maybe you are more a community pool or fresh-water lake person. Regardless, if water or travel is involved safety strategies are a must to ensure a great time for all.
Here are some summer safety tips you might like to try.

Hydration:

A fun way to keep the kiddos watered is to have an ample supply of those frozen tube popsicles on hand.
Half-frozen pint sized water bottles are great in a cooler - label the bottles with your child's name or a fun personalized sticker, then log how many they drink each day. (Make it a contest and everyone will be drinking)
Watermelon is a great source of water-packed energy... and spitting seeds is great sport!

On a more serious not, be sure to check the urine color of your kiddos, you want it to be as near clear as possible. If it is dark yellow increase the water intake for sure. (If your child is on medication or a special diet, check with your physician for proper hydration indicators)

Rest:

It is more important than ever to provide a cool room for your children to rest.
The fear of "missing out" keeps some youngsters going strong for hours on end... but to ensure a pleasant time for all they need 8 - 9 hours of sleep each night.
Irritability is diminished with proper amounts of sleep... a cat nap mid-day works wonders.

Shade:

On the beach or at the pool be sure your children have a safe shaded area to sit under.
Mounting a waving flag (color of your choice) at your location gives them a reminder of where you are.

Maintain Visibility:

Create vacation "T-shirts" so strangers can recognize you belong together. This would be extremely helpful in large crowds.
Matching hats stand above the crowd as well helping you maintain visibility no matter where you go.

Individual Safety:

Buddies are essential on vacation, at the pool or beach - always go two-by-two.
Special "passwords" can help in times of emergency if your child needs to be picked up from a sitter or family member. choose a word you all can remember
Wrist Whistles are great for grade school children. Take a whistle and attach it to the wrist with a rubber-banded scrunchy (the kind girls use in their hair). Practice the emergency whistle tone you want your child to use BEFORE you get to your destination.

Fun Schedule:
Find one-fun-thing each family members wants to do. This can be over the entire summer, on vacation, etc. Agree as a team to participate in everyone's one-fun-thing ahead of time then... schedule it. You might wonder what this has to do with "safety". I have found when each family member feels included in the decision making of what-to-dos they are less likely to become bored. Boredom can lead to moodiness which in some cases manifests itself in seeking recognition outside the home. Remember even though you are the adult, summertime is not just about you... it's the time for memories to be made and recorded. Be sure to take pictures and videos.

There you go, share your summer-safety tips with us and have a blessed time... under the Son!

Hugs in Him... Linda

Should Parents Raise Up or Rule Over Their Children?

2010-04-21T11:47:00.003-05:00

This is Benjamin Leo Martin the newest addition to our family. Truly a result of literal labor and love on the part of my daughter Heather and her wonderful husband, Kyle.

I was honored to be present at the birth of this incredible bundle and believe me, if you have never been on this side of delivery, it was the utmost visual of God's sovereignty, resulting in the ultimate fruit of our labor. For our first time parents, you'll find it's after this "fruit" is produced the really hard work begins - LOL.

There are many who debate the roles of parents today especially where discipline is concerned. Are we to rule or raise our children? What is the difference? How does the Bible direct us and is it really relevant to parenting in the 21st century? I would love your input as I believe this is one area many of us are struggling with.

Rule is a verb, defined as: to govern or control; to decide.

Raise has many definitions but for our subject today, lets look at bring up and nurture.

The immediate difference I "feel" are the emotions each word evokes. If we rule over our children, it seems to be about control, our control over them and their purpose to do as we dictate; whereas if we raise our children there is a sense of love and desire to nurture.

What does the Bible say about this...

"He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly." Proverbs 13:24"

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

So what feelings do you get from those two passages of scripture about discipline?

Proverbs 13:24 plainly says if we love our children discipline must be present in the raising of them. Likewise, by "training" them up according to Proverbs 22:6, doesn't that mean discipline?

Truthfully discipline has to be present to set healthy boundaries for our children... understanding right from wrong, respect, honor, healthy eating habits, healthy sleeping habits, integrity... right?

Were you raised up or ruled over? How did it impact the way you care for your children?

How do you differentiate between raising and ruling when it comes to discipline?

My mind was thinking in bullet points today... can't wait to hear your thoughts.

My Warrior Sister!

2010-04-19T14:35:00.002-05:00

When did the Christian family become invisible in the cul-de-sacs of America?

When did Christian women become unbiased followers of worldly gongs?

When did our children suddenly become followers-of-farce instead of followers-of-faith?

Do you look around asking, "What happened? Am I the only one who sees a problem here?"

Welcome my Warrior Sister!

Get ready for the fight of your life... our faith, family, and the freedom of God's children hang in the balance. Where will you stand?

I don't know about you, but the Holy Spirit is prompting me to take a stand where others seem to be wavering, in the home, workplace and community. To look the world boldly in it's spiritually deficient eyes and say enough is enough. The time has come to feed on God's Word in a proactive fashion, wielding the full armor of our Heavenly Father in a battle for the life of our faith, family and friends.

Using this forum, I will share the power of God's Truth as the Spirit leads, it may be once a week or multiple times a week. Please leave comments to affirm or challenge the thoughts shared...

I am not professing to be a child complete, but merely a daughter of the Most High King who understands she is in the fight of her lifetime. I am not proficient in God's word but I believe in the One who guides me, knowing it is in His strength alone that I step out on the unseen bridge before me.

The question is not, "Is the battle waging?" It is.

The question is am I willing to say, "Use me Lord!" then to step out in action.

The battle begins... will you join me?

A Journey of Truth-Telling for Teens

2010-04-16T16:32:00.001-05:00

Have you ever asked yourself, "What is truth?" Do you feel no one understands you, for that matter, you don't understand yourself? If you are really seeking answers, not excuses then I invite you into my journey of truth-telling...

I'm here to encourage you to live life beyond what everyone else calls the "Real World". By everyone else, I'm talking about your peers. Today, many "Christian" teens feel it's okay to go with the flow of accepting the actions of others when it goes against their faith-walk. We even justify interaction with unsavory individuals by saying, "Aren't we supposed to love everyone? I mean yeah we are to hate the sin, but not the sinner, right?"

Seriously... my young brother or sister, I believe you are much wiser than that, but society is painting the portrait of Christian youth today with a very broad brush encouraging politically correct responses that oppose the black and white word of God. Let's get real, I remember using similar "Christianized phrases" when I was younger to ease my guilt for making unwise choices.

Now here I am some thirty odd years later, a married mother of two married children-with-children, one working twenty-one year old, and one sophomore in high school and I'm grandmother to four incredible young people who have the potential of becoming spiritually sound adults and positive members of society... note I said potential of becoming... yeah, they're just like you.

You have incredible potential! The question is, do you believe it?

On this journey of truth-telling... I'll share my life - the good, the bad, and the ugly and what I've learned along the way. You can choose to respond and ask questions, read and remain anonymous or any combination you desire. Not all of our talks will be easy and certainly most of them will be controversial, and I'll make a mistake or two along the way, but I promise to only share what I truly believe and to back it up with examples from my life, the lives of friends and God's word.

Be sure to follow this blog so you know when I post. The journey begins now. I'm glad you are here.

Raising Kids Who Respect Themselves - Parents

2010-04-14T18:16:00.002-05:00

I am the mother of four great children... seriously they are wonderful!

Sure we've gone through the bumps and bruises of relational-learning but, I will say without a doubt, I'd claim them as mine hands down any day of the week.

Now back to where I was going with this thought before I chase something else shiny. I have four children ranging in age from 33 down to 15, so it goes without much explanation, I have experienced the ups and downs of raising children. My oldest two have children of their own, one is out on her own and my 15 year old son is still in the coop.

Raising children to respect others, begins with them respecting themselves. I will be posting my thoughts on this matter as the weeks go by. But here is a thought I’d like your thoughts on.

Is it just me or do you agree that raising children has become more challenging today than for those of us in our forties to fifty somethings? Actually, I'll increase the range to include thirty somethings... here it is, I think girls are more aggressive and boys need stronger reins. What do you think, is it just me?

I mean, I have two of each, so I don't easily jump out there to criticize, but why have our girls gone off the deep end when it comes to dating? I was talking the other day to a young lady who said, "I like a new guy, he's great and he's 16." "Well, that's not too bad" your thinking, but she's only 13 and a young 13 at that. Goodness!

I looked her in the eyes and said, "You have to be kidding me, you're dating?"

"Well", she started off, "It's not like we go out a lot of places or anything, but I like him so much."

It must have been pretty obvious with my mouth wide open and deer in the headlights look that I wasn't leaning her direction any time soon to offer positive feedback to this discussion, I mean "Really!" A thirteen year old should not be thinking about the opposite sex, they should be keeping up with the latest and greatest cartoons, learning how to cook under mom or dad’s teaching and watching Veggie Tales videos!

I guess that's asking too much from the youth of today, right?

Wrong... whatever it takes, especially today, we must preserve the innocence of our young people, not with coercion and threats but through active day-to-day participation and sound guidance from mom and dad.

I had youth advocate, Sean McDowell on my show some months ago and he quoted an incredible statistic, "40% of families across America had no father in the house." Imagine, neighborhoods filled with girls who have never had a daddy say, "You are beautiful and special" or boys learning how to "be a man" from peers who don't have a clue. Is it any wonder, we have babies birthing babies and young people taking their own lives... all because they think sex is LOVE, but we all know, they’re not getting the results they desire when they give in to the worlds lies.

All my research shows, kids do not care what we know until they know that we care. I guess this can ring true for all of us, but our young people today believe they are to give respect where it is earned not out of obedience to position... slightly different than when I grew up.

Time to take a stand... what do you do to empower your teens in the area of respect?

One of the things we do is set healthy boundaries in and out of the home... a healthy boundary is one that stands firm but is based on love.

Every young person needs to be in a quiet, dark, and cool room for them to receive a sound sleep. No night time radio playing, head phones, cell phones, ipods or computers in the room either - make computers a family element (if it’s already in their room... move it!) family elements are available to everyone at anytime so they need to be in an open central location. Just like the dinning table, you don’t have one of those in the bedroom, do you?

At least one meal a day is spent around the dinning table - this allows for communication, face-to-face time, we are family time, big brother mentors younger brother time, dad shares his thoughts about the family time, mom shares her concerns about other happenings in the lives of extended family members(grandma, grandpa, aunts, and uncles, etc) time... LOVE is spelled T.I.M.E. Togetherness: It Means Everything.

This is the first post on respect. Let me know what you think, this is your place to ask questions or give your thoughts.

I leave you with a question: How do you let your kids know you really love them?

Choose to Fight! - Parents

2010-04-10T12:35:00.002-05:00

"Your a girl?" Voices of every gender rang out in disbelief as soon as I removed my hat.

I recognized early on after our first presentation of "Two Pigs and T.H.E.Wolf" that this was my moment of "aha". No matter how old we are, we long for the "aha" to get a point across. The "aha" stops our audience in their tracks, taking them off guard just long enough... causing them to sit up and take notice.

"Of course I'm a girl, it just goes to show, you can't judge a book by it's cover, it's whats on the inside that makes the difference." Open-mouthed faces and awestruck eyes... we received the same response every time, from the young and old and I loved it! After a moment of silence or spontaneous applause, I went on to share with the audience the importance of choosing friends wisely as well as getting to know the heart of a person, not just who they showed you on the outside. After all we just proved how easily anyone can be deceived...

Out in the real-world, evil lurks around every corner hiding behind compassion filled eyes and promises of a better life... "Just follow me, what I have to offer is better than what your living with now." It's a shame our kids never see the truth behind the invitation until they are snuggled up with evil in the proverbial bed of life and lies.

During one of my radio broadcasts, I interviewed youth advocate, Jeffery Dean about his book, "The Fight of Your Life". I encourage you to listen to the broadcast after you finish with this post.

We discuss why our teens are at risk and how we as "responsible" parents can make a difference... we just need to be willing to fight as though their lives were at stake... because they are.

If you know anything about me you know when I become passionate about an issue, I seldom release my grip and this is one issue near and dear to my heart. I'm a mother of four incredible kids, two are married with children of their own, one is 21 and single living on her own, and our youngest, a sophomore in high school.

There are many stories to share and with time they will come but for now let's just say, our youngest has much "healthier" boundaries in his life than the others did... because today we are choosing to fight.

How are you choosing to fight for your youth? I'd love to post your stories here.

How Not To Date a Loser

2010-04-09T17:45:00.002-05:00

Are you seeking Mr. or Mrs. Right?

Are you doing "singleness" well?

What are you blind-sided by when it comes to dating?

Are you living the life of He's just not into you or She's just not into you?

Okay, these are a lot of questions to ponder all at once but I'm thinking one of them will resonate with you at least enough to get you to read on.

My friend, licensed psychologist Georgia Shaffer has written a book by the same title of this post, "How Not To Date a Loser". When she was on my radio program, Georgia shared great insight into the dating arena as a single, divorced mom herself.

Georgia has specific boundaries she will not cross considering who she will or will not date, do you? What is a deal breaker for you, one could be you will not date a smoker. How about "deal makers" which could be, "I want to date a Christian". Georgia shared one of my now favorite lines, "You should never settle for something that is not God's best for you."

When we recognize and rest in who we are in Christ, we have a better view of ourselves and thus are able to create healthy boundaries before we get hot and heavy into the dating scene. You can start out by listing the top 5 values of your life. What's important to you: food, family, faith, fun, generosity or wealth? Georgia has 40 make or break questions available on her website, if you sign up for her free newsletter. I highly recommend it.

Research has shown that having sex releases clouds of hormones into our brain called oxytocin which sets us up to bond with the person we are intimate with. The first time you have sex higher levels of oxytocin are released thus resulting in more teens falling head-over-heals in love with the person they date.

Another thing to consider when you begin dating, trust the input of those who have loved you before you begin dating a new person... seek wise counsel, look at the strengths and weaknesses of your possible spouse and ask yourself if you can live with the weaknesses if they never change.

Finally, Georgia suggests we date a new person through the four-seasons to see how they deal with... holidays, moments of stress, or their family before we decide that he or she is the one.

Where did this post speak to you? Let me know.

The Healing Power of Marriage - Couples

2010-04-08T17:14:00.005-05:00

When you consider marriage, have you ever thought of it as something positive with healing powers?

Let's take a minute to look at three areas where soul-mates can help to heal each other inside the marriage: Heal the heart, Heal the hurts and Heal our emotions. Dr.David Hawkins- Your Relationship Doctor has been part of my radio ministry for years and during one of his broadcasts we discussed this topic. Take a listen for more in-depth insight into marriage .

Both Dr. David and I agree, things that have taken place in our lives from even the early age of childhood can be healed by the power of our mate! One of the reasons this can occur is because our spouse knows "everything" there is to know about us - the outside (what everyone else sees) and the shadow-side (a place where the pretenses are put to the side). This can be a scary thing for some of you to think about, but remember your mate is having the same thoughts, thus you both have power to hurt or heal each other.

If marriage is supposed to be a place of refuge, but we are not experiencing a feeling of safety what can we do? We need to "turn our brain upside down" in order to respond to our mate in a positive way helping to combat their insecurities and vulnerabilities.

The marriage bed and all the other rooms involved after wedlock are to be a place of sanctuary. Pretense free... no more secrets!

Some of the points Dr. David makes is we need to look at marriage as:

Our Responsibility is to look at our mate as someone desperate for our love and affection. Realizing everyone is wounded from something in our past but we are not always privy to that information, we need to remember how we felt when we fell in love. We also need to choose transparency - windows into our emotional lives.

Our Opportunity is to shut our mate down or invite them into a place of safety. Criticism is the number one means we use to shut each other down. If we choose to do our part no matter what our mate does we can remain on the pathway to healing. We must choose not to push the buttons that ignite pain rather, we need to step back in sincerity and consider the situation.

Our Response is to be purposeful in our responses to our mates. We agree to trust each other more and more in every area by feeling safe to respond with truth. But... our response must promote healing - unity. We have to look beyond our perspective and see things from their point of view. Never intentionally do harm. If harm is done, let's make quick repairs.

In order for a marriage to be blessed as intended by God, we need to foremost be in a one-on-one relationship with Jesus Christ. This helps us have a unity of spirit... a cord of three is rarely broken. you + your mate + Jesus = we.

A great line to use to open a doorway to healing, "____ I felt hurt when you did _____." Now there is no perfect response but the direction we want to go is, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you. Please forgive me." No attack, just an expression of our feelings.

I will continue this topic in another post, as the journey to Live Powerfully As Couples continues...

Real Life Radio Network - YOUR INSPIRATION STATION. Where Possibilities Become Reality.

2010-02-13T23:09:00.000-06:00

Real Life Radio Network - YOUR INSPIRATION STATION. Where Possibilities Become Reality.

Have you ever experienced a moment in time when you knew for a fact that God was doing "something new"? I'm having one of those moments and I invite you to join me in the journey.

Beginning Monday, February 15, 2010 at 6:00am Texas time, a new online radio concept will be launched, the Real Life Radio Network!

Based on the vision of Laurie Zieber (SheSpeakstoInspire.com) to bring together individuals whose desire is to make a lasting difference in the lives of others. The RLRN was birthed. Everyday we will touch the lives of individuals in a one-on-one mentoring capacity via internet radio with the purpose of being real by offering practical answers to everyday questions. Though RLRN is not designated as a Christian operation, most of our broadcasters are believers in Jesus Christ.

This launch has been in the planning stages since mid 2009, we have been meeting every Friday planning, scheduling, lining up guests, organizing our host website hub and broadcast website. And though we are working hard to stay on target with "the plan", ultimately we place everything at the Lord's feet - timing - scheduling - guests - networking - websites - and our weekly messages.

A great thing about RLRN is there is diversity in our hosts and excellent content in our programs. Something for everyone from guys issues to words-of-wisdom found in history; mid-life musings to the legal lowdown; women's issues to growing our faith with a daily devotional and survival success stories that will encourage all who listen in. Give us a try and when you think about RLRN, send up a prayer, for God's will, His way, and His time.

Blessings,
Linda

Christianity: Religion or Relationship?

2009-12-27T00:10:00.001-06:00

"Do you know if you are going to heaven when you die?" Though Pete spoke in Spanish, we had repeated this process numerous times while in Peru, I knew what he was asking.

"No, I don't know for sure. It depends on what I do right, like helping other people, going to church, not saying bad things about people. Doing those things helps you to get to heaven." The words flowed with uncertainty out of the mouth of a thirty-something male Quechua Indian named Luis.

Once again, Pete, my translator and friend, waited for my words prompting his response. "If we can show you in God's word that you can know for certain when you die you will go to heaven. Would you be interested in hearing about it?"

It was about forty minutes later when all six of us (we had been joined by two Quechua women and a young boy about nine years old right after we sat on the ground to share the Truth about God, Sin, Jesus and our Response with Luis) stood together hand-in-hand in the plaza praising Jesus for His sacrifice that allowed four more brothers and sisters to enter into fellowship as sons and daughters of the King.

While in Peru, we never shared a religion or denomination, we simply yet truthfully proclaimed the sovereignty and love of God. By doing so, the story mentioned previously became just one of the many memories-of-salvation Pete and I were privileged to witness.

Ten days in Peru opened my eyes to the beauty and despair of God's creation in ways I had never seen it before. My heart was filled-up and wrung-out so many times it felt like a dirty shirt being scrubbed clean by the Quechua women as they slammed it against the rocks in the stream, knocking the loose dirt off, only to submerge it again and again working out the very last speck of filth.

It only took a few times being spiritually wrung-out that I began to ask, "What next Lord? Where do I go from here?"

I've been back in the United States over a month, I can easily close my eyes to revisit my Peru memories but I believe new ones are about to be formed right in in my home town. God's answer to my "What next Lord?" seems to be "Become pro-active right where you are."

I'll let you know what that looks like as soon as I can. Until then, take a look at this great video made by The Firehouse assuring us we will never be alone:

An Invitation... Step Into My Evening

2009-12-13T20:12:00.008-06:00

Tonight I spent an hour and ten minutes listening to an incredible Christmas Celebration at my church. There was something for everyone...

Our prelude music was played by a remarkable brass-ensemble that stretched across the stage, then five of our prominent "adult" members became "child-like" as they acted and sang, under the lively direction of Allison Pittman, through "Toys" with our combined choirs.

Hearts were encouraged, as Christmas Carols and worship music sprung forth, from our Pre-K choir, children choir, youth choir, adult choir and our Evergreens (our most mature saints) filling the sanctuary with joy.

Our teens in Cadence, my son Sam III included, busted into the night with "Stomp/Blueman Group style" music that got everyone rocking - it's amazing what these kids can do with PVC pipe, hollow plastic tubes and trash cans!

The Fishers of Men quartet drew us close to the Lord with "Only God", then the Student Handbells plucked and slammed out "We Three Kings"... seriously it is such a great sound.

When Richard Barnett's English brogue sliced through the silence with a "Christmas reading", my eyes closed without encouragement as I sat in the darkness breathing in his eloquent words reminding me of who Jesus is.

A standing ovation promptly followed the "Nutcracker Suite" performed to perfection by our orchestra. Might I add, our director, Chris, is not much over 21 and phenomenal.

After our third "everyone stand up and join us in singing..." Christmas carol, the Adult Handbells blessed us with "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", did I mention I LOVE hand-bells, oh it was wonderful.

Pastor shared the true reason for the season and how his recent trip to Peru reminded him of Bethlehem... to the point of waking up on a straw bed surrounded by animals... hmmm

I agree with Pastor David, "If I had a choice of which time period I would come to earth, I would have selected the twenty first century, not two thousand years ago... air conditioning and a real bed are great things."

And yet...

Jesus came... fully man, fully God to a lowly manger with stinky hay and smelly animals. No showers, or malls. No cell phones or internet. Just one man on a mission to show the world how much He loves us.

If you don't know Jesus, the real reason for this season, I'd love to introduce Him to you.

Reflection in the Mirror

2009-11-21T17:40:00.007-06:00

The MIRROR of my life reflects many things...

Musing past the wrinkles

Intrigued by the lines

Recoiled by the gray

Running from my mistakes

Overwhelmed by my insecurities

Reminded of my failures
..............................................

Reminded of His love

Overwhelmed by His sacrifice

Running into His arms

Recoiled from my sin

Intrigued by my future in Him

Musing on His WORD

... especially the hand of God as He gently holds me, leads me, and feeds me.

Tell Me a Story

2009-07-24T16:58:00.002-05:00

How many times have you sat mesmerized by the articulate and interactive tales of a good storyteller? Stories are powerful! Everyone has at least one but not everyone is willing to share.
Did you know that when you share a story from your life it can change the journey of someone else simply through the hearing? It's true. Have you seen the commercial about the one act of kindness birthing multiple acts of kindness because one person started the cycle and someone else followed suit? It is the same when we share a story from our own life, especially the struggles... in the telling the reader or listener becomes family, they are no longer alone and they are free to share of themselves, it can be so sweet.
I've found myself sharing a lot lately... not because I made a decision to suddenly share, it has occurred through the nudging of others and the gentle leading of the Holy Spirit. In that time of sharing two things are happening, hearts are being opened and relationships are being created.
When I share, it's not long and drawn out, it's more like sound-bites, pertinent to the situation but potent in content, that's how I know it's from the Holy Spirit, LOL, because if it was all from me, I'd still be talking... oops, sharing.
My heart is becoming less guarded and fearful of rejection, and in the telling of story others are being drawn into my world where we can converse and interact without judgment. It feels good. It feels right.
Do you share your story? If not, what's holding you back? I'd love to hear your thoughts and ... your story.

Celebration of Freedom!

2009-07-03T09:42:00.002-05:00

My life as a 'military brat" began at birth, my first traveling experience at the wide-eyed age of 3 months, now mind you my eyes were not as wide-open as they are today and I had no clue where I was going, but none the less, my journey of freedom had begun.

What exactly is a journey of freedom you might ask? For me, it was the freedom to go anywhere we chose as a family, to experience life from all angles, and to mingle with cultures across the world. Okay, before you begin telling me that my Dad had no choice where he went because the Air Force made that decision for him, I already stand in agreement with you, but, he did have a choice about where his family would live albeit by his side on all non-isolated tours, or safe with family and friends stateside. My Mom and Dad always put family in the top three positions - God, Family, and Country! When Dad was out protecting our country, Mom supported the family spiritually and made sure we were in church every Sunday and Wednesday (Baptist all the way) ;')

As I entered this weekend of celebration (July 4th) my heart traveled back to a time when my Dad said to me, "Honey, always respect our flag, our government, and our country. We stand for freedom across this world and other nations look to us to be the flag bearer of what is to come."

Today, I wonder... are we still that flag bearer? Is America, still the land of the free and home of the brave?

My desire in this posting is not to get "political" just to ask... is this the America, our fore fathers dreamed of when signing the Declaration of Independence?

I do feel free, I do feel favored, I do feel I live where opportunities abound, and I certainly believe I live in a country where at least for now, I have the right to declare my trust and faith in my sovereign God and Lord Jesus Christ.

So today... I pray for my country and those in power, that they will take to heart the purpose and history of the Declaration of Independence. I pray the lives of those who signed it were not persecuted in vain, that the trials they went through after wards were worth what we feast on today. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I'd love your thoughts... God Bless America!

Teens and Summer Romance

2009-06-11T20:51:00.007-05:00

As the mother of four great children... seriously they are wonderful!

Sure we've gone through the bumps and bruises of relational-learning but, I will say without a doubt, I'd claim them as mine hands down any day of the week. Now back to where I was going with this thought before I chase something else shiny, I have four children ranging in age from 32 down to 14, well he would argue that a month away is almost as good as here, so for all purposes, he is 15. There I go again, stop... leave shiny stuff alone... stay on target... I have a 15 year old son and summer is here... help!!!

Is it just me or do you agree that life is different today than for those of us in our forties to fifty somethings? Actually, I'll increase the range to include thirty somethings... here it is, I think girls are more aggressive and boys need stronger reins. What do you think, is it just me?

I mean, I have two of each, so i don't easily jump out there to criticize, but why have our girls gone off the deep end when it comes to dating? I was talking the other day to a young lady who said, "I like a new guy, he's great and he's 16." "Well, that's not too bad" your thinking, but she's only 13 and a young 13 at that. Goodness!

I looked her in the eyes and said, "You have to be kidding me, you're dating?"

"Well", she started off, "It's not like we go out a lot of places or anything, but I like him so much."

It must have been pretty obvious with my mouth wide open and deer in the headlights look that I wasn't leaning her direction any time soon to offer positive feedback to this discussion, I mean "Really!" A thirteen year old should not be thinking about the opposite sex, they should be keeping up with the latest and greatest cartoons and watching Veggie Tales videos!

I guess that's asking too much from the youth of today, right?

Wrong... whatever it takes, especially today, we must preserve the innocence of our young people, not with coercion and threats but through active day-to-day participation and sound guidance from mom and dad.

I had youth advocate, Sean McDowell on my show a couple weeks ago and he quoted an incredible statistic, "40% of families across America had no father in the house." Imagine, neighborhoods filled with girls who have never had a daddy say, "You are beautiful and special" or boys learning how to "be a man" from peers who don't have a clue. Is it any wonder, we have babies birthing babies and young people taking their own lives... all because they think sex is LOVE, but their not getting the results they desire when they give in to the worlds lies.

Time to take a stand... what do you do to empower your teens? How do you let your kids know you really love them? Tell me your secrets and I'll tell you mine.

Dog Daze of Summer

2009-06-02T14:55:00.009-05:00

It's true, that summer is considered official around the 21st of June but here in Texas... it's summer already! Hot days, hot nights, hot inside and out, thank goodness for ice and tabletop-fans. It takes everything to keep moving without sticking to something, yes, the dog days of summer are upon me.

My life seems to be in a 'daze' of sorts here lately too. Overload, overwhelm, and the desire to get everything done, right now. The only thing missing is the additional 15 hours in my day - he he.

What has you wrapped around it's little finger of intent? If you are anything like me, I intended to keep my blog current posting every few days, HA! I intended to prepare a nice meal everyday with the family eating at the dinner table at least once, double HA! The list could go on, and it does, but why tell you what I haven't accomplished, when I can share what has happened in spite of my daze-of-intent.

I have spent more time reading the books I love, here is one you need to check out for the summer, it's called, SATURDAYS WITH STELLA, written by an incredible author, Allison Pittman. Allison has a three book series called, Crossroads of Grace and her newest novel, Stealing Home. All of them are awesome and will fill your summer read itch, but I'm thinking dog daze here, so this one fits wonderfully.

I have spent more time with my family this year, traveling back and forth from San Antonio to Austin, stopping in San Marcus as well. I have renewed friendships and maintained current ones, with an occasional breakfast, lunch, or twitter. And most of all, I have spent more time with God on a weekly basis than I have in years.

I am really loving the new Facebook group I started a month ago: Quiet-Timers:30-Days in the Word Join me a a great group of believers as we meet each week on the Discussion Board posting our thoughts about the truth and life application we have received from God's word. If you are not a member of Facebook, do it if just to be a part of this incredible group.

My daily quiet time empowers me to keep going and to be the child God desires me to be, because on my own... it's just not happening.

Let me leave you with this, as the days get hotter and life seems unbearable, let the One who created even the hottest days, quench your thirst for rest and refreshment as He has done for me.

Hugs!

Headaches a Plenty!

2009-05-18T16:01:00.004-05:00

This has been one of those weeks... no, months. Some of you know exactly what I'm talking about, everything that can go wrong has gone wrong and some things have gone wrong... twice.

Hmmmm... so what did I do? Cry out to God with indescribable sounds coming forth from my depths of despair? Reach out to friends, family, or the best tech person I could find? How about all of the above? Yes, all of the above and still I set, with my desktop hard-drive looping insanely, as though it had a personal vendetta against me.

Do I really believe my computer has it out for me? No! But someone does... and I'm not alone on the battlefield. The evil one is causing havoc in the lives of so many sisters right now, it's hard to imagine what will happen next.

Each of us have our personalized battlefield; family, technology, job, health, marriage, children... the list can go on and on. I guess the question is how do we prepare for the battle?

A morning quiet-time is my best defense, yet I have found a few days this week, it's become my late afternoon quiet-time, or I'll get to it tonight quiet-time, can I get an Amen? It seems when I need to spend time with Him most, I don't. What's up with that?

I'd love your thoughts... I don't believe I'm alone here.

Finding Courage to Encourage

2009-04-26T17:54:00.006-05:00

When I think of encouragement, several pictures run through my mind. Teachers giving instruction to their students in the classroom, parents urging their nine month old to take that first step, fathers handing the car keys to their youngest child saying, "You can do it son, I'm proud of you." These pictures have one central thread, can you guess what it is? Give up? Each encourager is in the "has to" position, you know... the teacher has to motivate, it's her job, the parent has to work at getting their child to walk or else suffer the consequences, and the father, well, the only way the son can get out of the house sooner is if he learns to drive, gets a summer job and heads off to college, so he has to train him well.

What if we have nothing vested in a person who needs encouragement, what if, what they did or didn't accomplish had no direct connection with us? Would we choose to encourage anyway? What if our encouragement came in the form of taking off work to ensure they got to the doctors office or grocery store? What if our encouragement required an outlaying of cash, would we reach deep into our pockets? What if our encouragement cost us a raise or a promotion...

It takes courage to encourage today. I humbly admit, I'd be hard pressed not to answer no to some of those encouragement opportunities and I'm a speaker who teaches about encouragement, so what's up with that! The truth is we all fall short of the glory of God, even in the area of encouragement.

So what do we do to find the courage to encourage? For me, I seek out my sisters-in-faith and ask for prayer. And like the flood-waters of a tsunami they pour out to over flowing... some on their knees, others in silence, still others in written prayer and yes, even those who place their hands on me asking for God's mercy and grace. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound... especially when it resounds out of the mouths of your children oh Lord.

This is a picture of me and some of my sisters, celebrating Pam's birthday, downtown San Antonio. I am blessed to have others to go to when I need encouragement as well.

Do you find it challenging to encourage when there is a cost involved? Let me know.

Do You Know How to Play?

2009-04-02T09:38:00.004-05:00

There is a test that shows how old we are in real time compared to our chronological age. It is based on our activity level, fitness level, and mental clarity. Sadly, many find their ranking older than their actual age, I believe it's because we have lost the will to play.

The busyness of life sucks us in with the promise of financial freedom, dreams come true, and a life worth living. Reality shows up with damaged relationships, broken marriages, disfunctional children and a life filled with remorse.

My husband chose to step out of his comfort zone to learn how to play video games with our youngest son, they enjoy their time together on a weekly basis. This also opened the door to a weekly bible study for both of them together - playing & praying together, it's an awesome thing.

I on the other hand, have spent so many hours working at my ministry, I have lost opportunities to "play" with my kids. Now, I make it a point to step back from the computer at a resonable hour to go outside with my son, sit and attempt to play some of his games with him, go to the zoo, or whatever he wants to do. It takes more than desire on my part, I actually have to plan and be proactive.

Traveling an hour from home to be with the older kids and grandchildren doesn't happen as often as I like but I truly love our time together when we have it. I desire to be the fun Maw-Maw... please pray for me to succeed in this.

What do you do to have fun with your friends & family? Do you find it as challenging as I do do put work to the side to have fun?

Finding Strength in Our Weakness

2009-03-14T16:52:00.006-05:00

I was reminded today of how much I despise being sick. One of my best friends is at home "resting" after a long week of nieces and visiting friends. No, it wasn't illness that put her on her back in bed, but exhaustion plays a close second to illness if you ask me.

The last time I was flat on my back, because it hurt too much to lay on my side, was four years ago when I had my hysterectomy. Actually in our home we call it an "Hysterical-Ectomy" leaving me with stories too funny to ever want to go back and revisit.

The surgery was a piece of cake, recovery however, not-so-much. My doctor had placed an exterior catheter into my bladder for "ease and comfort" and to reduce the chances of an infection. Okay, I didn't get an infection, but my goodness, I couldn't sleep for the seven days it was in place. I couldn't even toss and turn. It was more like lay still and breathe.

One thing I did discover during that time was how much my hubby, Sam had changed over the years. In the past, it would be nothing to find him calling out from another room, "How's it going, need anything?" with no intent of moving to get it for me, just knowing it was a nice thing to ask. But the transformation that occurred during my hysterectomy was empowering to our marriage.

Sam genuinely cared about my comfort and healing (now, I could go off on another tangent saying, "The only reason he wanted me to heal is because he missed sleeping at night and me back on my feet to do whatever it is I do on a regular bases"... but I won't go there) Seriously, I met a new Sam during the time I spent on my back. He helped me go to and from the bathroom. He cautiously walked me down the hall then back to the bedroom, sooner than we both anticipated. And he did it with a quiet joy, I could tell it gave him joy to help me.

Admittedly, I am not someone who asks for help easily. so to have Sam there was a great comfort to me. It took eighteen plus years for him to come around and for me to accept his reaching out. I wonder, how many of us desire our family members to be more loving or caring yet we are the ones who keep them at arms length? Maybe it's just me.

I'd love to get your thoughts and story if you have one.

Steps to a Thinner, Healthier You! step 5

2009-02-13T21:41:00.000-06:00

Out of Sight, Out of Mind!
The final step to a thinner and healthier you is to remove the temptation of foods that cause us to binge. As the adult, we are in control of what is available in our home for our family to eat. Slowly start to substitute good choices for not-so-healthy ones. Keep fresh fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator. Replace white bread with one containing grains. Limit the amount of salt, (we use sea salt) sugar (stevia, guava, and honey are good), caffeine, and alcohol you have on hand.

Once more a chance to encourage healthy living with our younger set – allow them to help you purge the pantry. Go through things you eat on a regular basis and check the label, if the first ingredient is sugar – out it goes! Okay this might be too shocking to the “family system” – take it slow, start with one or two items at first. Purge and then replace with something healthy – let the kids choose the healthy items – if they are part of the process the chances of them embracing the change is greater.

There you go, five ways to give your home a healthy boost without devastating side-effects. Now if you are having a challenge with other adults in the household, that’s a totally different situation! I recommend sitting down together and discussing the corners you can turn together to getting everyone on the road to healthier living.

Small steps to a healthier life are easily accomplished if we keep our eye on the source of our strength. I constantly pull on the sleeve of my savior Jesus Christ for discernment and direction; He is one guest we should always invite to our table. Happy eating.

Steps to a Thinner, Healthier You! Step 4

2009-02-10T21:36:00.000-06:00

Palms Up for Portion Size!
If you eat at the table, use a smaller plate, and slow down to eat but choose to pile on the food, you miss the boat altogether. Portion size is key. One of the easiest ways to know where to begin and end is to look at your own palm. Opened-faced minus the fingers – this is your portion! Whether we are talking meat, veggies, or bread this concept will keep us in the ball park of proper portion size.

Once again, make it fun! When your young people are filling their own plates (the younger you can get them started serving themselves the better) remind them to look at their palms and see how close they can get to measuring a portion. Keep in mind as your children are growing you don’t want to limit their diets (especially fat) as you do adults.

You can use the Palms Up Method with your family and encourage them to place color variety on their plates as well – veggies, salads, lean meats, pastas, sweet potatoes and yes macaroni and cheese even has a place at this setting. Look for balance.

Steps to a Thinner, Healthier You! Step 3

2009-02-05T21:33:00.000-06:00

Slow down the pace!
Do you find yourself eating just to get something in your stomach? More than likely you eat fast because eating has become a function not an experience. I can hear it now, “Linda my life is too hectic for me to “experience” my food!” Granted, we do live fast paced lives, but it’s the fast paced eating that is driving us to an early grave.

When we choose to take 15-30 minutes to eat a meal we find our full-line is satisfied with less food. Setting your fork down between bites while you savor the flavor of your meal will allow your mind to catch up with your stomach and the full sensation will be recognized earlier. Taking the time to actually chew your food instead of inhaling it will help in the process as well.

I am the worst at eating for function instead of the “experience”. But I have found over the years, if I actually think about what I’m eating (not in an obsessive way) and relax as I do it, the digestion process is enhanced as well. There is nothing that causes an upset stomach quicker, than gulping down your food on the run.

I guess this means we need to make time, not just take time to eat – what a concept! Even if you are one of us who choose to eat smaller meals six times a day – slow down and enjoy it.

Steps to a Thinner, Healthier You! Step 2

2009-01-31T21:29:00.003-06:00

Exchange lunch plates for dinner plates!
This is one I have used many times. When you use a smaller plate your eyes see more food – it’s true! Another truth is “our eyes are bigger than our stomachs” so why not fool them?

I was brought up with the mindset that you eat everything on your plate because someone somewhere was starving, this lead me to eat past the full-line and the result was more calories than I required. So today I use smaller plates and feel full, not stuffed.

Parents you can make this fun! Use a theme once a week to encourage your young person to help out in the kitchen and bring out their favorite plates. They can set the table under your guidance (learning proper place setting etiquette as we go – except of course in this lesson we are using the smaller plates for the entire meal – its okay one lesson at a time!)

Spouses, here’s a chance for a little romance. Bring out your favorite china, using the luncheon plates; decorate with fresh cut flowers and some soft music – ahh Vive La Amour!

Steps to a Thinner, Healthier You! - Step 1

2009-01-26T21:23:00.004-06:00

We have an excuse for every poor choice we make today, “I had bad parents”, “No-one told me the truth”, “It’s just the way I am”, and the sad fact is we think it will justify our actions. But when it comes to our choices at meal time, we are finding it’s more about harboring bad habits than it is an inherited or environmentally stimulated bad behavior.

True, we can inherit poor eating behaviors from our parents or past eating patterns, but we have so many options today to eat healthy. If we want to change where we are going it starts with the choices we make today. I know there are conflicting “words of advice” everywhere you turn, and knowing what to do can be very complicated. So here is the first offering of five simple tips to help you make positive health choices:
Start eating at the dinner table!
Our tendency today is to eat on the run, on the couch or out of a bag. The result is we eat more! Well past our full-line. Why? Because we are eating whatever is convenient, eating larger amounts, sometimes we eat directly out of the pots -- no portion restrictions -- it’s a free for all!

If we take the time to sit at the table, we are more conscious of our portions, we can unwind with the family, not race to get done. Go over the events of the day and if you like, you’ll have the opportunity to put on some background music to make it a more relaxing enjoyable time.
I'd like to know, when was the last time you ate a meal at the table with your family?

Oranges and Apples and Mangos oh My!

2009-01-14T20:12:00.003-06:00

I have so enjoyed eating additional fruit that I can't help but talk about it! Okay, you may be wondering what I mean by additional fruit, it's simple really. I used to eat fruit for breakfast or on occasion at lunch, but now... now I eat it all day long and I have more energy than I have ever had before - whoopee!

My husband Sam and I each eat around 5 to 6 oranges in the morning, then we have a protein shake and more fruit throughout the day and at night we eat some lean protein in a huge veggie salad, does this sound drastic to you? I thought so at first but after having The Fat Burning Chief - Jay Robb on my radio show, we decided to give it a try.

I eat well nearly everyday of the week and yet still had moments of sluggishness, but now I don't go through that mid-day slump and I believe it has to do with the increase in my fruit intake. Sam says, "I feel better than I have in years."

Do you eat a lot of fruit? Do you have a favorite fruit? Mine is mango but I eat them only occasionally because of the calories. Do you have any fruit recipes you would like to share? I mix blueberries and strawberries in plain organic yogurt with Jay's Sweet Whey and some organic granola - yum!

How do you eat your fruit?

We need a God we can trust

2009-01-08T22:00:00.002-06:00

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

If your life is exactly the way you always hoped it would be…then stop reading! If not…read on with anticipation of gaining insight into the God you can trust. Pastor Ray Pritchard’s book The God You Can Trust is an easy read for Christians or non-believers who are seeking to understand life’s situations. Yet, states Pritchard, “God doesn’t ask us to understand, He only asks us to believe. Though our circumstances always change, He never will.”

Pastor Ray has ministered extensively overseas and has encountered many challenges while traveling the road of life. If you have ever dealt with Detours of Depression, Pot Holes of Self-Pity, Dips of Disbelief, Bouts of Brokenness, or Stop Signs of Suffering? He would say, “You’re not alone!” He shares, “It’s one thing to trust God when all is going well. It’s something else to trust Him when life is falling apart.”

When all else fails, you need to know with absolute certainty; “God is faithful. Every word He says is true. Every promise He has made will be kept. He said He will take care of us, and He will.”

In less than 200 pages, Pastor Ray gives us a reason for HOPE! He shares how the faithfulness of God is timeless. With His sacrifice of Christ Jesus, His son…He paid it ALL! Christ paid a debt He did not owe…sinless He suffered in our place.

Think about it, when we are at our lowest and can’t imagine any greater pain -- Christ suffered even more! Yet even though Jesus Christ suffered in our place, taking on our sin, God remained faithful. He is faithful and available to the suffering, defeated, sick, fearful, fallen, doubting and dying. He is faithful to finish His work in us from generation to generation…until the day He returns to take us to glory.

In The God You Can Trust, Pastor Ray reveals why God allows us to fail; How the Holy Spirit intercedes for us; the Three Stages of Faith during affliction; Predestination and Free Will; Becoming a person of prayer and much more.

Words of encouragement and hope with a guideline to getting on track to a growing relationship with God, is awaiting you inside the covers of this book. Quite often it is during times of trials and tribulations that the Holy Spirit touches our lives deeply.

Here are Pastor Ray’s “Five Simple Suggestions” on how to respond to the trials, troubles and afflictions of life.
1. Thank God for your Troubles! (1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NASB) “In everything give Thanks”)
2. Look for God’s Fingerprints in your life! (“Think of how your troubles have brought you closer to God.”)
3. Immerse yourself in God’s Word! (“When you are tempted to run from the Word, run to it instead!”)
4. Have Faith in God! (“Don’t give up! Don’t give in!”)
5. When your learning becomes knowing, share what you have learned about God with someone else! (One reason God helps us in times of trouble is to equip us to help others).

I leave you with a thought about faith and choice. As children of the King, we are given choice by God’s grace and by faith we respond to it.

The Wonder of Words

2009-01-03T23:44:00.002-06:00

Prov.15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Can you think of a time when you yelled out in anger? How about cutting someone down with your words then laughing after, like it was a joke? I have so many stories, and believe me my children could share their favorite, “Mom & Dad Shout Outs” as well. I have found the best way to get a friend or child to block you out is to raise your voice. For me, it was time on my knees in prayer that made a difference. Also, I gave my older children permission to motion my volume was rising, it isn’t easy, but I am determined to keep the communication open not slam it shut. Is this an area you find convicting?

Eph. 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
“Can I share with you in LOVE?” “I know that this won’t go any further…” “I’m only telling you because…” No matter how you dress it up, it still winds up at the same dance… GOSSIP! When we choose to talk to others about someone else very seldom is it “for their own good”, most of the time it's because we are feel better when others are “put in their place”! I have to ask myself, “Is what you’re saying lifting up or putting down?” Is it God-centered or self-centered, that is the question. (Remember if we listen to gossip we give credence to its worth.)

Prov.12: 14 “From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.”
Think of someone who always has something good to say, does it make you smile? I would love to be that kind of person, how about you? Someone others look forward to seeing or calling because they brighten up their day? How about we do this:
Choose to say a kind word at every opportunity & smile even when our day is not its best. Try it and let me know what happens.

As we go through life we are always faced with choices and the use of our words is one of them…do we lift up others or put them down…do we say good words or bad ones…are we gentle or harsh…do we support gossip or turn away from it…and finally how do others see us? On our own we struggle, with God’s support we soar!

Words of Wisdom

2008-11-07T19:09:00.001-06:00

Prov.12:18 “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
Have you ever wondered if the person who just cut you to the core with his or her negative words even realized what kind of damage they did? Have you said a reckless word that could have been mistakenly taken the wrong way? I think we all have, I certainly have. I remember when my youngest daughter Katie came home from school frustrated, “I can’t believe Julie got so mad. I can’t help it if she took what I said wrong.”
We sat down for a “talk”, I’m sure Katie thought it lasted for days. I explained, “Perception is real, so if Julie “took it” one way even if you didn’t mean it that way, it’s real to her. You need to apologize.” Well that did not go over with her at all!
“Mom, you have to be kidding! It’s not my fault that Julie didn’t understand, why should I apologize?”
“If your intent was to hurt her then don’t tell her anything. But if it wasn’t don’t you think she should be told?”
Katie began to understand that even though her intentions were pure; her friend’s perception was real, and if she was hurt by what she said, it wasn’t right. The next day Katie apologized for the confusion.
We learned some great lessons through this. I’m happy to say I learned daughters still listen to their moms. We both learned words can cause harm or healing and it’s our choice in how we use them that makes the difference.

Prov.4:24 “Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.”
How many times do we think thoughts that if they were heard out loud we would be embarrassed? Do you sit in your car and #*#*# at the person in front of you or the car that cut you off? If no one hears is it wrong? What about our children, unsaved friends, or our spouse? When we choose to allow perverse words to go unchecked (TV, Movies, Friends and Family) we are endorsing it! I have been on the receiving end of “corrupt talk” and it’s devastating. My tendency is to back away but lately I have been bolder in my correction, especially with family members.

How do you deal with the issue of WORDS? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

PURPOSED FUN!

2008-10-07T13:25:00.004-05:00

I traveled a lot as a child. The only daughter in a military family, I was privy to multiple cultures and climates. My time in Ipswich, England proved, you can go swimming in 70° temperatures and not freeze to death. For three years, I rode my bike around the neighborhood, climbed fruit trees, and waited not very patiently until the thermometer broke 69° to join my school friends in the local public pool. Life was great, pleasures were simple, and moving my body wasn’t a conscience effort. I moved without an agenda, no exercise plan, or pedometer to be sure I walked long enough, and no trainer telling me if I was using proper form. I got up, ate, and went.

During my travels, one thing that stands out, especially as I reminisce about my early years, is the fact that no matter where I lived, children were always playing… outdoors! We were like the traditional postman “…through rain, snow, sleet, or gloom of night…” nothing prevented us from our appointed, fun. Odd isn’t it, today we have to prod and bribe our family members just to get them off the couch, away from the television or video games, in order to do what most of us embraced in our youth. “Ah, what a world, what a world….”

Lucky for us in the Lone Star State, temperature is seldom a factor that prevents outdoor activities. Unlucky for us, we have gotten into the habit of work, rest, eat, rest again, and work. We have embraced this pattern, so much so that we don’t set aside time for fun, pure simple fun. Well now is the time to get a spring back into our step and I know exactly what we can do.

We can begin today by planning purposed fun! I suggest some ideas we can all implement with our spouse, children, and friends to make this time of year our “springboard” to fulfilled relationships and good health. Yes, good health can be the byproduct of fun, I promise. Listed below are practical tips we can all embrace.

Make a hop-scotch board on your sidewalk (don’t let age detour you) and challenge family members or neighbors to a weekend competition. Winner chooses a restaurant for dinner and gets to bring a friend. (if they’re younger than 7, they can choose a television show or movie)
Map out some locations around town that include up-hill and down-hill climbing. Make walking sticks out of nearby cedar tree limbs (strip the bark down to the shiny wood) then challenge some neighbors to a family hike. (be sure to start out slow and simple – short distances ensure quick recovery) Afterwards invite them to your place for a backyard Bar-B-Q and be sure to serve our Suck-the-Chip-Dry salsa. (see recipe)
Create a family garden. No matter the size of your property, you can build a raised-bed garden (check local lumber stores for a book or go online) then plant vegetables you’ve never tried before. Or if you have never had a garden, plant the regulars – tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, radishes, green beans, and don’t forget, the jalapenos. Be sure to check the length of time to maturity and plan a harvest party with your neighbors or church family. (this would be another great challenge you could put out into the neighborhood

SUCK-THE-CHIP-DRY SALSA (recipe given to me by my good friend Melissa R)
1-large can diced tomatoes (with juice)
1/3 bunch Cilantro (snipped into small pieces)
1-can whole green chilies (drained)
½ large white Onion (quartered)
2-med Serrano peppers (quartered) use less for a milder flavor
Add all of the ingredients, in order listed, into a blender. Zap on low for just a few seconds at a time until the ingredients are blended not pureed. The results should be a slightly chunky salsa with a wonderful bouquet of freshness that tantalizes your senses and a bite that says hello but doesn’t stay for desert.

I’d love to get any of your recipes or activities you would like to share with the rest of us.

STRESS IS KILLING US… but it doesn’t have to!

2008-09-29T11:30:00.007-05:00

Stress is proving to be a main component in life destroying illness such as heart disease, chronic fatigue, headaches, depression, and anxiety. Too often we are frantic to speed things up, determined to cram big things into small spaces, and forever trying to be everything to everyone, only to realize it’s an impossible task, leaving us frustrated and stressed out.

I’m reminded in Isaiah 58:11, “The Lord will guide you always… You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” to lean on God in all things as He will provide all of our needs. So instead of looking at the rest of this year as being full of “stress opportunities” I wanted to share these “stress reducers”.

1. Go to bed allowing a minimum of seven hours of sleep.

2. Get up with enough time so you can start the day unrushed and allow for quiet time with God.

3. Lay out clothing the night before – an excellent habit to teach your children.

4. Say No, more often.

5. Simplify and downsize your life and closet – keep, store or give away – repeat every 6 months.

6. Allow extra time to be ahead of deadlines and to arrive at appointments ten minutes early.

7. Separate worries from concerns. Do what you can and if you can’t do anything… let it go.

8. Make a budget and live within it; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

9. Oops Items: Carry an extra car key in your wallet or purse, hide an extra house key, keep extra stamps in the car, and make a photo copy of credit cards you carry.

10. Do something fun for yourself at least once a week. Movies, fishing, time away from the children, time with the grandkids, whatever works.

11. Incorporate at least thirty minutes of Physical Activity a day – at least thirty.

12. Everyday challenges? Talk to God on the spot. Seek wise counsel from Godly friends.

13. Develop a forgiving attitude towards others because He forgave us.

14. Talk less; listen more.

15. Slow down - enjoy the journey.

16. Laugh.

17. Laugh out loud!

18. Laugh out loud some more!

19. Go ahead laugh again, this time really kick it out!

20. Every night before bed, thank God for one new thing, situation, or opportunity.

Do you have additional ideas to relieve stress? let's hear them!

There are several books on the market that talk about handling the issues of stress; a few of my favorites are Escaping the Stress Trap by Mary Southerland, When Pleasing Others is Hurting You by Dr. David Hawkins, and A Positive Plan for Creating More Calm, Less Stress by Karol Ladd all of these can be found in my shop.

STORY OF A LIFE LIVED POWERFULLY – Mom G

2008-09-25T16:35:00.001-05:00

How many people do you know personally who truly have lived a powerful life? I guess it’s all in how you define powerful living, for this story I define it as living with purpose beyond mediocrity!

My mother-in-law, Mom G, is 98 years young and she is a role-model to role-models. She was born before the Great Depression and has survived breast cancer, the death of her parents, siblings, best-friend, and her spouse by having a positive attitude, remaining active, and as she puts it, “I’ve never been bored a day in my life!”
Born in 1910, Dorothy Challiss Goldfarb the first of four children, accepted the role of big sister and has been a caregiver ever since, even today she checks the doors of fellow apartment dwellers to ensure no one leaves the keys in the locks before turning in. Her early years in school found her an excellent typist and outstanding pianist (starting lessons at age 5). She is the first to admit practice does make perfect and she reflects it well, if not perfection, at least excellence in all she does. Even this month, Mom G was playing piano at a concert with fellow entertainer Armando, 50 years her junior, for residents of a local nursing facility.

“I never drank or smoked and as children, we walked everywhere we went. My mother taught us to exercise from the time we were real little and I have never stopped. I am truly blessed.” This was Mom G’s response to my question, “Mom how do you account for your longevity?”

Every couple weeks, my husband drops off a new word seek puzzle and a package of Nestlé’s Turtles at her apartment, yes; she lives on her own – independent and loving it! Of course the word puzzles keep her mind sharp and the turtle candy, well… it doesn’t seem to hurt.

Though her lifelong friends have passed on, Mom G still finds enjoyment in the little things, tending to her plants, getting in an early 1 to 2 mile walk each day, a daily 10am piano recital for her apartment buddies, an occasional concert here and there, and typing out her life story on an original Smith-Corona manual typewriter. I can see why she has never been bored, her life is full of purpose and she wakes up everyday expecting to fulfill it.

This positive way of thinking has helped Mom G overcome all obstacles and we can learn to live powerfully by following in her footsteps.

Q&A WITH LINDA - parenting

2008-09-22T17:17:00.006-05:00

Quite often I’m asked questions concerning all matters of life… this is amazing since I don’t see myself as a life guru, I fully believe only God has those answers. I’m not a counselor but I do have over 30 years experience in raising children. My four range in age from 14 to 32; they are bookend-boys with girl-fillers-Wahoo! God has given me over 22 years in matrimony with the same wonderful guy. I did experience an early-in-life marriage that lasted for 10 years, the marriage ended in divorce but the relationship has continued to grow. My ex and his wife are a couple of our good friends now – PTL. Plus, as a talk radio host I am privy to tips from experts in every field and will use their knowledge in my answers as well. That said, I decided to ask for questions to post each month and get your thoughts on them as well. here we go with the first one:

Nancy writes: Linda I have a teen age son who is in a tough place at school. He says he wants to stand up for his faith but he seems to be hanging around with the “wrong kind of kids”. How can I encourage him to step out without sounding like a goody-two-shoes mom?

Linda answers: Nancy, teen years are never an easy time especially for Moms. I know for myself, it was hard letting go to see if my children could “swim”, in the world, on their own. The truth is they can… maybe not in our way or time but they will. I have always been encouraged by the following scripture “In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them. Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:5-6 NIV This shows me the reality of life for those who choose the path of wickedness but also the hope that if I do everything I can as a parent to provide my child with truth according to God’s word, he or she will come back around in their time.

On several occasions, I had to take a stand with my children about who they hung out with. Even now with my youngest, a freshman in high school, I make it a point to know who he’s talking to or texting. I intentionally get involved in his school, by attending meetings, football games, and any other activity he is involved in. This lets him know I care about him and that I want to be more than just a Mom who says “no” without “knowing” what’s going on. It also gives his “friends” a chance to get to know me and vice versa. I believe a lot of negative circumstances can be circumvented if we participate as parents in all aspects of our children’s lives, even if it has us running after work to make it to a game. I don’t claim this as a 100% deterrent to negative behavior, but they will know how much we care by how much we are there.

There is a book out by Mark Gregston, When Your Teen Is Struggling- Real Hope & Practical Help for Parents Today He offers tips for parents of every age who want to be a positive influence in the lives of their children. Though the title infers there are challenges already in the home, I believe we can gain preventive insight as well. Mark shares, ‘Your kids may seem to be pushing you away, but they need you now more than ever.’ This is a great read.

Fun in the Sun

2008-07-09T21:05:00.003-05:00

We love the sun! If we had our druthers, we would live at the coast, and fish and swim everyday.

I am blown away by the sun phobia in America. God created the sun, "... and it was good." Our bodies were created to take in vitamin D to help strengthen our bones and the sun is the best source. the next best source is cod liver oil.

My 98 year young mother-in-law says she was given a teaspoon of cod liver oil daily by her mom. Today, you can get cod liver oil in capsules. My mother-in-law walks at least one mile everyday, she takes a multi-vitamin and baby aspirin daily (her only meds) and she plays incredible piano (she has a calender of monthly events she performs at) she is amazing!

If you can't get out in the sun (note: anyone living at 30 degrees latitude and below can usually get enough sun exposure by baring 40% of their body daily for 30 minutes. Find your latitude at http://www.noaa.com/ enter your city the info will come up) on a daily basis, you may want to consider purchasing the light bulb I use in my office. It has the same effect as the sun, check our http://www.mercola.com/ just enter light bulb in the search box.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about the sun... are you a "sun phobe" or a "sun lover"?

To Garden or Not to Garden

2008-05-20T22:27:00.004-05:00

Oh my, I just spent an hour visiting with friends and picking wonderful vegetables from their garden. Sweet onions, red potatoes, jalapenos, and squash, they smell heavenly, well if you like the smell of fresh dirt that is.

My youngest son went with my husband and I and loved it. We plan on raising a Fall garden, so some of Sammie's friends can pick fresh veggies as well. if you have never had the opportunity I think it's worth the effort to visit a public working farm or to raise your own stuff, even if it's in a barrel. :)

I'll let you know how the growing goes... maybe I'll post some photos of our harvest.

To desire as a child does

2008-03-22T16:20:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow morning thousands if not millions of children will awaken in anticipation of finding a hidden Easter basket or Easter egg. They will eagerly hunt with tireless effort until the prize is secure in their grasp.

For some, just the hunt itself fills them with gleeful emotion, the kind of emotion that keeps them awake the night before. For others, it is the prize... oh the prize that's worth tackling your older sibling for, especially if the prized egg holds the promise of money inside!

This is the eagerness our Heavenly Father desires from us as we seek His face. Imagine doing whatever it takes to please God daily. Reaching out to others, courageously carrying our cross, selfless giving, putting aside time daily to be in the Word, desiring a relationship with Christ over all others... as a child feverishly anticipates the taste of sweetness from their basket of goodies, we too should yearn for time spent with God.

I know the busy-ness of my life can sometimes get in the way of my relationship with Christ. As I look forward to tomorrow and the celebration of His resurrection I am reminded of how much value He places on me, how much he loves me in spite of when I let Him down. I'm so glad I can crawl up on His lap and lean my head against His chest... thank you Abba Father for your love and faithfulness. And thank you most of all for your willing sacrifice made for me at the cross.

Travel with Expectations

2008-03-06T14:04:00.003-06:00

This has been a crazy week. I spent 3 glorious days in Destin, Florida where I was blessed to speak and meet some incredible new friends! Then I traveled to Beaumont, TX with my friend Lynn and edutained students and teachers in 8 schools/libraries for 3 more days. WOW... I'm exhausted!

When I travel, I always anticipate who God will put me in front of, so plane trips are always a hoot. I figure if I'm seated on the end, I can reach across the aisle or inward towards the window... so basically, no one is safe. I have asked to be used as an encourager and God is faithful to supply the opportunities. Even this past week I engaged with the air-staff a few times, and was able to offer up words of encouragement and praise. It makes me smile when I see others smiling.

I sat next to a young man on his way to see his 10 year old son whom he had not seen in 6 years. Bobby (not his real name), was scared of flying so this made the trip even more challenging. He sat with his headphones on, window shade pulled down and arms folded. I asked about his ipod, the conversation began, and by the end of the trip I was asking if I could lift him and his family in prayer. He welcomed it.

I look forward to a few days off from running the airways, but always anticipate what God will do next time out.

Are pets property or family?

2008-02-20T17:23:00.003-06:00

Over the years, I have had numerous pets in my home, ranging from Hermit Crabs to a Tennessee Walking Horse.

I've always had an animal by my side to lean on and receive comfort from. I think God made them specifically for that purpose. We don't have to explain our mood, we don't have to ask for forgiveness, we don't have to make excuses why we were late or didn't show at all, and we can always expect them to love us unconditionally.

I know there are some people who treat their animals like they have no value or worse they don't care for them at all. My heart aches when I hear of animal abuse, a part of me would like to see the owner (loose term) receive the same treatment.

For the most part, if we treated each other with the same care and love as we do our four-legged or scaley friends, our world would be in much better shape... just my thoughts, what's yours?

How to say I love you...

2008-02-13T16:55:00.005-06:00

Sorry I've been out of pocket... life on the road!

This is the day before the annual Valentines Day celebration. A day when loved ones leave notes of affection in unexpected places or run out in a last ditch effort to make the "I really do love you" deadline with a card and partially crumpled box of chocolates. Yes... I have received them.

My favorite way to celebrate this day set aside for amore is to hand write notes and hide them around the house (or in today's technological era... send a text message) with one or two reasons why I love them. It could be because they are always "there" for me, or maybe in my youngest son's case, it's because he gives the greatest hugs (which I look forward to everytime he comes home from school).

My older children have moved out of the house and have lives of their own, but just a text-hug or love-u-call tells them, "I'm thinking about you now and you're important to me." I admit, it takes me stopping what ever important thing I'm working on and making the effort to do the deed, but it's so worth it.

One of the things I want 2008 to be remembered for, is as the year I personally touched more lives in a positive way than ever before. So if it means leaving notes, making a call, writing on napkins I place in a lunchbox, or simply hugging a neck... I pray God will give me the opportunities.

What is the Measure of Friendship?

2008-01-24T22:04:00.000-06:00

One of my really good friends called tonight from California to ask for prayer... she said, "it's my turn..."

"If you need to borrow my sound system just let me know." Lynn shares without hesitation. And I accept in the same fashion because we're friends. Goodness, we've been friends for so long, she get's a cold and I blow my nose!

Allison sent me an email with the cover of her newest book, "Saturday's With Stella" and the only line of text in the email was, "Taaa Daaa!" I knew exactly what it meant and I smiled in the sharing.

My oldest daughter called the other day, just to say hi and to let me know, "I love you mom and I'm glad we're friends." If I told you that conversation had been eagerly anticipated for more than nine years would it surprise you? I'm overjoyed!

Friendship is: a call at 2am that goes until 3:30 without hesitation, reaching across the miles with a quick "thinking about you" in the subject line of an email, saying, "It feels like I've known you forever" after meeting for the first time, seeing a movie you saw 4 times and reacting like it was the first time, holding each other when tragedy strikes... friendship is time, energy, laughter, tears, birth, death, near, far, young, old, forever and fleeting... friendship is love!

Champion A Cause

2008-01-24T21:45:00.000-06:00

I just tucked my son in for the night, he's thirteen and still asking his father and I to pray with him before he goes to sleep... I'm blessed.
During my prayer, I was urged to call out a blessing for those who have no home, or food, or loved ones to cradle them in their arms. I asked for protection over those traveling the roads, not by choice, but out of desperation. And my heart became heavy with the burden of others shivering in the alley ways and underpasses... children without parents, and elderly without a caring soul to worry about them. Our world has become a place of isolation and indifference and my heart aches.
Another issue that has me on fire is teenage obesity. I am in the early stages of a program called G.H.U.T. TALK (Get Healthy Using Truth) I'm excited about the possibilities and I guess that's the most powerful aspect of the whole thing - the possibilities! I believe championing a cause keeps us out there, you know, like an aside in a good theatrical performance; it's more exciting than just the regular goings on. Insight and enthusiasm explode in the "asides."

Don't Stress the Big Stuff!

2008-01-19T23:12:00.000-06:00

I'm learning that as I get older, I find it easier to sweep the little stuff under the rug... I have a very bumpy rug.

My mother-in-love, Mom G, will be 98 years young in August, and not only is her rug the keeper-of-the-little-stuff, it harbors the heavy things as well.

Mom G went through a bout of breast cancer 3 years ago and after they removed an orange size lump, she went home to her apartment and rested until she could tinkle the piano ivories once again... and tinkle she did and does still today. She walks 1-2 miles a day, takes a baby asprin and a multi-vitamin. Loves to spend time working word puzzles and talking with friends.

I asked her once, what her secret was to good health, "Never drank, never smoked, walk everywhere I go, and I watch what I eat."

Recently she noticed her eyes were getting a bit cloudy and she shared with a smile, "Imagine after all these years I'm getting early signs of cataracts." But not to worry, she said she's too old to mess with surgery, and I'm glad.

I started sweeping some bigger stuff under my rug, I don't mind the bumps, life is too short to worry about tomorrow... I have enough to deal with today.

Marriage the second time around

2008-01-11T20:58:00.000-06:00

Marriage isn't always a walk in the park on a sunny day, it can be, but for many the institution of marriage has moments of stormy weather with a mere partly cloudy outlook. In those times when life is at it's bleakest, we tend to pull away from each other seeking separate harbors of refuge.

I am living a life 22 years after divorce. Married today to a wonderful man who lifts me up from the depths of life's stuff and carefully places me on the high ground. He surrounds me with love, gentle guidance, and daily affirmation. It wasn't always that way. (Click on this posts title to hear my show on healing a marriage with Dr. David Hawkins.)

Really, I am no different than any other girl who wanted that knight in shining armor to ride up on his royal steed and sweep her off her feet. My knight just happened to arrive 10 years after my first marriage and one year after my divorce. He drove a blue Ford pick-up truck, hunted or fished every weekend and loved his daily workout at the gym. He did have a horse though, a Tennessee Walker.

Over 20 years later, the Ford truck is gone, our horse passed away, hunting and fishing is down to a minimum, he's still working out but now it's 3 times a week instead of everyday. Yet he continues to lift me onto high ground. We have had many opportunities to throw our hands in the air in defeat, but we choose to love instead of leave.

Sleep Deprivation

2008-01-11T20:28:00.001-06:00

When I wrote my article on CBN.com about sleep deprivation, I never realized the number of people affected by it. Men, women, and even children seem to be natural targets for this life-sucker. I received numerous emails asking for more information. So I wrote a couple continuation pieces, they can be found in my newsletter archives. (check my website)

We live a fast paced life with fast food and fast cars, is it any wonder we can't slow down long enough to get the rest we need. I must admit, slowing down (This means, don't work on office stuff, watch high energy movies, or listen to intense music for at least 2 hours before going to bed) is just one factor to getting a better, more complete nights sleep. Dark rooms, cool temperatures (below 70 degrees), electronics moved at least 3 feet from your body are some other factors that promote a good night sleep.

If you're reading this, you're either someone who can't sleep, knows someone who can't sleep, or you're one of my friends and are reading out of obligation (thank you.)

Every once in a while, I'll throw in some posts with tips to better health, this is one of them I hope it was helpful.

Leaving a legacy of love

2008-01-11T19:54:00.000-06:00

Our society is falling apart and people are quick to point the finger-of-fault at the churches, the schools, and the government. I think the break down begins in the home. Families without Mom and Dad at home are not easy to run period, let alone smoothly.

I can't quote a study right off the top of my head, but I know it's been said numerous times, when the daddy is missing from home, life gets tough for everyone in the family especially the children. Mom's raising kids alone, trying to hold down multiple jobs. Son's growing up without a positive role model and daughters seeking false love based on the "missing link" in their home.

Here's a big shout-out to all you moms and dads that are raising kids on your own. God bless you! Stand your ground when it comes to what you believe and high-moral standards. It may be difficult but your kids will love you for it when they get older. When I went through my divorce, there were times I had to stand firm, it wasn't easy but I knew it was what I had to do. I remember my oldest son (7 at the time) getting angry because his Dad wasn't there and he didn't understand why.

I knew things he didn't, but telling him wasn't the right thing to do. So I said, "Honey it's okay to be upset. I love you enough for you to hate me as long as it takes, for you to know how much I love you." I've held true to those words and God has sustained me over the years.

Today my kids know I love them and though the oldest ones don't live around the corner, we talk and visit as much as possible and I always remind them of how much they mean to me. I believe leaving a legacy of love is so important, it's what we fall back on when times get tough.