Technology gets a bad rap sometimes. But honestly, it's super amazing! I mean,come on......without it we wouldn't have the vast social media that we have today. And I probably wouldn't be in my 40s staying connected to friends I had in college (or even childhood) without it. SO for that, I am grateful!! I often think of how much technological advances have really impacted my life and I am just.......thankful! Just tonight, I was blogging about my students' latest Science experiment, and with in minutes, I had posts from college friends on similar experiences. It's amazing! One thing I remember my father saying.....as he was a fore-father of technology......was that it had infinite possibilities. I love that. Knowing the possibilities are endless. Knowing that we can evolve and grow and change and learn and advance to limitless points. That in itself, is pretty awesome. Then you add in intellect, and the basic desires of humans to move forward and do things bigger, better, faster, stronger, :) well, and then you get the picture! So tonight's post is to TECHNOLOGY!!! How much we love it. How much we NEED it. And how much we USE it in life!!!
Friday, August 29, 2014
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Day 147: Power of Positvity
So this video went around social media a few years ago.....this precious little girl may be a teenager by now, but her message is still going strong! And it's worthy of a share or re-share.....or two! If we could all have this outlook on life......every day! :) May it be an inspiration to you, as it was and still is, to me!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Day 146: TRUST
This post is a devotion of TRUST! I trust the Lord and it's a little bittersweet because our son is going off to college this week. We are so excited and proud of him and know he will have an amazing experience in college,but......we are definitely going to miss the presence of his humor and spirit in our home! This week is going to be .....well..... a transition, for sure!
I came across this wonderful post about TRUST which I want to share. I also came across this adorable dog party video that I want to include in the same post....so I will try to add them both.
What I have realized, is that I must TRUST God that we've raised our son to be prepared to make this adjustment in his life! That is HUGE task, but I must TRUST that we've raised him to the best of our ability and he's ready to embark on this next chapter in his life! We are so happy for him to start his collegiate experience, and we are also happy that he will move forward with God at the center of his life!
We also are reflecting on how much JOY we've had in raising him this far. That brings me to my next post, the Dog Party!! One of his favorite books when he was a tot, was Go, Dog, Go! It was so much fun reading this book to him and every time, when I came to the part of the book where the Dog Party happened, he would get so excited with anticipation of all the fun the dogs would have at the "dog party"......well this video depicts my image of the dog party quite well.
So-- for all the parents who are sending their children off to college this fall......I pray for you and your child to have an amazing adventure! I pray that they will enjoy their new experience and that God will keep them protected and guided through the whole experience! I also pray that God will comfort parents through this transition, so that it maybe one of celebration of progression and less of sadness over missing their child.
http://christianmommameditations.wordpress.com/2014/08/11/a-word-to-parents-of-college-bound-freshmen/
http://christianmommameditations.wordpress.com/2014/08/11/a-word-to-parents-of-college-bound-freshmen/
I came across this wonderful post about TRUST which I want to share. I also came across this adorable dog party video that I want to include in the same post....so I will try to add them both.
What I have realized, is that I must TRUST God that we've raised our son to be prepared to make this adjustment in his life! That is HUGE task, but I must TRUST that we've raised him to the best of our ability and he's ready to embark on this next chapter in his life! We are so happy for him to start his collegiate experience, and we are also happy that he will move forward with God at the center of his life!
We also are reflecting on how much JOY we've had in raising him this far. That brings me to my next post, the Dog Party!! One of his favorite books when he was a tot, was Go, Dog, Go! It was so much fun reading this book to him and every time, when I came to the part of the book where the Dog Party happened, he would get so excited with anticipation of all the fun the dogs would have at the "dog party"......well this video depicts my image of the dog party quite well.
So-- for all the parents who are sending their children off to college this fall......I pray for you and your child to have an amazing adventure! I pray that they will enjoy their new experience and that God will keep them protected and guided through the whole experience! I also pray that God will comfort parents through this transition, so that it maybe one of celebration of progression and less of sadness over missing their child.
http://christianmommameditations.wordpress.com/2014/08/11/a-word-to-parents-of-college-bound-freshmen/
Post by Lucky Puppy.
Friday, August 8, 2014
Day 145: Give and you shall receive
This post comes about from a couple of things that happened this week that made me realize coincidence is not quite the word for what I was noticing. God's work would be a better term. So here goes--
Sharing a post from my friend, Kelly (because apparently, she doesn't have this "share" feature turned on in her settings!) but this is a good post, and it deserves a "share"
From Kelly: In the car today I heard something on the radio that was so inspirational I had to share. I only caught a little bit and after stopping for gas, the show was over so I’m not even sure which NPR program it was…if I find the source, I will post.
The show was about changing other peoples’ lives. I was only half listening at first because it didn’t seem to relate to me. I’m not Oprah or Ellen, who can pay someone’s college tuition or buy someone a car so they can drive to a new job…
But the more I listened to the examples, the more I realized that I have changed lives, and I’m sure you have as well.
Have you introduced two friends that you thought had a lot in common and they married? Yep. I’ve done that more than once.
Have you recommended someone for a job because you knew they were perfect for it and they have been happily employed ever since? Why yes, more than once.
Have you made a phone call that could change a life? Found the right person to help a friend? I bet you have.
Have you helped someone give up destructive habits? Drinking, drugs, or other poor choices? Definitely life-saving.
Have you mentored a young person? Encouraged them to go farther in their education, making the difference in a career path that could affect their family for generations? What a powerful gift!
Have you listened to someone who might be at the end of his or her rope? Encouraged someone with a kind word or spelled an overworked caretaker? No telling how much you helped
I have. You have. This show reminded me that we can all do incredible things. Connecting, encouraging, listening, doing. Some of these things take nothing more than picking up the phone, proffering a name…some take more of a commitment. But one thing I know, each time I have extended myself for someone, I have received as much or more in return. Today I am reminded to look around for those opportunities. If we truly listen to people and ask ourselves if there is something we can do to help, the chance to change a life can be found wherever you may be. I am sorry for the times I have overlooked the opportunities to help and for those who have made a difference in my life…thank you. xoxoxo KB
The show was about changing other peoples’ lives. I was only half listening at first because it didn’t seem to relate to me. I’m not Oprah or Ellen, who can pay someone’s college tuition or buy someone a car so they can drive to a new job…
But the more I listened to the examples, the more I realized that I have changed lives, and I’m sure you have as well.
Have you introduced two friends that you thought had a lot in common and they married? Yep. I’ve done that more than once.
Have you recommended someone for a job because you knew they were perfect for it and they have been happily employed ever since? Why yes, more than once.
Have you made a phone call that could change a life? Found the right person to help a friend? I bet you have.
Have you helped someone give up destructive habits? Drinking, drugs, or other poor choices? Definitely life-saving.
Have you mentored a young person? Encouraged them to go farther in their education, making the difference in a career path that could affect their family for generations? What a powerful gift!
Have you listened to someone who might be at the end of his or her rope? Encouraged someone with a kind word or spelled an overworked caretaker? No telling how much you helped
I have. You have. This show reminded me that we can all do incredible things. Connecting, encouraging, listening, doing. Some of these things take nothing more than picking up the phone, proffering a name…some take more of a commitment. But one thing I know, each time I have extended myself for someone, I have received as much or more in return. Today I am reminded to look around for those opportunities. If we truly listen to people and ask ourselves if there is something we can do to help, the chance to change a life can be found wherever you may be. I am sorry for the times I have overlooked the opportunities to help and for those who have made a difference in my life…thank you. xoxoxo KB
From me: And this brings me to my own, personal "full circle" moment and post. This week, my daughters started back to school and received flowers on the first day from their Aunt. It truly made their day and when I thanked her for the act of kindness, she said "well, I remembered how you used to send me flowers at school and it made me realize I wanted to pass on the tradition with my nieces"
Luke 6:38 - Give, and it shall be given unto you; For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Happy Friday!!
Happy Friday!!
Friday, May 30, 2014
Day 144: The Last Lecture
Our son just graduated from high school. I bought him this book as a gift and then I ended up reading it this afternoon. It was beyond being on my book bucket list. Enjoy~
I've read my first book of summer 2014: One of my son's graduation gifts and I can tell you.....this man was a favorite of mine years ago when I saw him on Oprah. He inspired me then, and his book inspires me still! I've got to share my top takeaways from reading his book, The Last Lecture! So here goes: 50 life lessons from Randy Pausch! A Carnegie Mellon professor who died of pancreatic cancer in 2008, leaving behind a wife and 3 small children.
1-I quote my father almost every day. Part of it is because if you dispense your own wisdom, others often dismiss it; if you offer wisdom from a third party, it seems less arrogant and more acceptable. Of course when you have someone like my dad in your back pocket, you can’t help yourself. You quote him every chance you get. My dad gave me advice on how to negotiate my way through life. He’d say things like “never made a decision until you have to”. And he’d warn me of being in positions of strength, “just because you’re in the driver’s seat, doesn't mean you have to run people over”.
2-When you see yourself doing something badly and nobody’s bothering to tell you anymore, that’s a bad place to be. You may not want to hear it, but your critics are often the ones telling you they still love you and care about you and want to make you better. There’s a lot of talk today about “self-esteem”. It’s really not something you give, it must be earned. Give them something they can’t do, and they work hard until they can do it.
3-There’s 2 kinds of head fakes. The ones where you want someone to think you’re going one way and you’re really going another. The other is when you want to teach something and they think you’re teaching something else. It teaches people things they don’t realize they’re learning until well into the process. That’s the crucial one.
4-Don’t believe in the no-win scenario. As much as possible, keep the faith!
5-People are more important than things. I can’t emphasize this one enough. Too many people get caught up in “worldly” things. You can’t take it with you comes to mind. You can’t. So why mess up feelings over material things. Don’t. Just don’t.
6-The brick walls in life are there to stop people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there for a reason. They give us a chance to show us how badly we want something.
7-Not everything needs to be fixed. Cars are meant to get you from point A to point B. Not a status symbol.
8-Keep the attitude, let’s saddle up and ride. Things won’t always go your way, but don’t succumb to complaining, feeling sorry for yourself or whining. Deal and go one.
9-Humility- it really says a lot. Humility speaks volumes.
10-You can’t die. You have to live. Well, it turns out, you already have. Let that be your legacy.
11- Time must be explicitly managed, like money.
12-You can always change your plan, but only if you have one.
13-Ask yourself, are you spending the your time on the right things?
14-Develop a good filing system
15-Rethink the telephone.
16-Delegate
17- Take a time out. Time is all you have. And you may find out one day, you have less than you think.
18-We need real, accurate, timely feedback in order to grow.
19-Pay it forward. Wherever you are today, someone helped you get there. Be giving and pay it forward.
20-The greatest reward may be in enabling the dreams of others
21-Dream big
22- Don’t complain, just work harder
23-Treat the disease, not the symptom
24- Don’t obsess over what people think
25-Meet people properly. Learn names
26- Find things you have in common
27-Try for optimal meeting conditions
28- Let everyone talk
29- Check egos at the door
30-Praise each other
31- Phrase alternatives as a question
32-Look for the best in everybody
33- Watch what they do, not what they say
34-Dance with the one who brought you
35-Luck happens when preparation meets opportunity
36-Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right
37-Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted
38-Send handwritten thank you notes
39- Loyalty is a 2 way street
40-Show gratitude
41- Be prepared
42-Apologize sincerely and mean it
43-Tell the truth
44-Be creative
45-No job is beneath you
46-Know where you are
47-Never give up
48-Ask and you shall receive
49 Decide: are you Tigger or Eyeore?
50-If you lead your life the right way, karma will come to you. The dreams will take care of themselves.
1-I quote my father almost every day. Part of it is because if you dispense your own wisdom, others often dismiss it; if you offer wisdom from a third party, it seems less arrogant and more acceptable. Of course when you have someone like my dad in your back pocket, you can’t help yourself. You quote him every chance you get. My dad gave me advice on how to negotiate my way through life. He’d say things like “never made a decision until you have to”. And he’d warn me of being in positions of strength, “just because you’re in the driver’s seat, doesn't mean you have to run people over”.
2-When you see yourself doing something badly and nobody’s bothering to tell you anymore, that’s a bad place to be. You may not want to hear it, but your critics are often the ones telling you they still love you and care about you and want to make you better. There’s a lot of talk today about “self-esteem”. It’s really not something you give, it must be earned. Give them something they can’t do, and they work hard until they can do it.
3-There’s 2 kinds of head fakes. The ones where you want someone to think you’re going one way and you’re really going another. The other is when you want to teach something and they think you’re teaching something else. It teaches people things they don’t realize they’re learning until well into the process. That’s the crucial one.
4-Don’t believe in the no-win scenario. As much as possible, keep the faith!
5-People are more important than things. I can’t emphasize this one enough. Too many people get caught up in “worldly” things. You can’t take it with you comes to mind. You can’t. So why mess up feelings over material things. Don’t. Just don’t.
6-The brick walls in life are there to stop people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there for a reason. They give us a chance to show us how badly we want something.
7-Not everything needs to be fixed. Cars are meant to get you from point A to point B. Not a status symbol.
8-Keep the attitude, let’s saddle up and ride. Things won’t always go your way, but don’t succumb to complaining, feeling sorry for yourself or whining. Deal and go one.
9-Humility- it really says a lot. Humility speaks volumes.
10-You can’t die. You have to live. Well, it turns out, you already have. Let that be your legacy.
11- Time must be explicitly managed, like money.
12-You can always change your plan, but only if you have one.
13-Ask yourself, are you spending the your time on the right things?
14-Develop a good filing system
15-Rethink the telephone.
16-Delegate
17- Take a time out. Time is all you have. And you may find out one day, you have less than you think.
18-We need real, accurate, timely feedback in order to grow.
19-Pay it forward. Wherever you are today, someone helped you get there. Be giving and pay it forward.
20-The greatest reward may be in enabling the dreams of others
21-Dream big
22- Don’t complain, just work harder
23-Treat the disease, not the symptom
24- Don’t obsess over what people think
25-Meet people properly. Learn names
26- Find things you have in common
27-Try for optimal meeting conditions
28- Let everyone talk
29- Check egos at the door
30-Praise each other
31- Phrase alternatives as a question
32-Look for the best in everybody
33- Watch what they do, not what they say
34-Dance with the one who brought you
35-Luck happens when preparation meets opportunity
36-Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right
37-Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted
38-Send handwritten thank you notes
39- Loyalty is a 2 way street
40-Show gratitude
41- Be prepared
42-Apologize sincerely and mean it
43-Tell the truth
44-Be creative
45-No job is beneath you
46-Know where you are
47-Never give up
48-Ask and you shall receive
49 Decide: are you Tigger or Eyeore?
50-If you lead your life the right way, karma will come to you. The dreams will take care of themselves.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Day 143: God is working
My last post was somewhat sad over the situation of money being stolen at work, but I had truly come to peace over it and I have some really great news to share today! I was just informed from one of my co-workers that the stolen money miraculously showed up returned today!!!! Now if that doesn't make a person smile>> I don't know what else would! I'm so happy that God was working on it the whole time and that this individual made the RIGHT choice to take God's way out after their sinful behavior! I always try and teach our kids (and stress to them) that when we sin, God always provides a way OUT........you just have to TAKE it! And so many don't or won't because of pride or fear of being revealed in what their sin was.....but God is more concerned with our character being developed than with our reputation being tarnished!!!
I'm so glad I prayed about it.....and I'm so thankful that God gave me peace to replace my anger about it.......and I'm so thankful that a soul was redeemed today!!! Thank you God! For always working on our problems and on us......even when we feel unworthy! You are the light and the way!!!
I'm so glad I prayed about it.....and I'm so thankful that God gave me peace to replace my anger about it.......and I'm so thankful that a soul was redeemed today!!! Thank you God! For always working on our problems and on us......even when we feel unworthy! You are the light and the way!!!
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Day 143: The Holy Spirit
I have often heard people refer to being overcome by the Holy Spirit and I think I have finally experienced it myself!
A few days ago there was a theft at my place of work. It was worse to me than any other because it was a collection that we had taken up for an ill colleague who'd recently been through unexpected surgery and had an extensive hospital stay. Granted, it is always wrong and awful for anyone to steal but this particular stolen item hurt everyone at work because we felt that it was an inside job and it wasn't the first time it had occurred. It was in a location only few knew about and it was taken by someone we have suspected of thieving for years.
Mad doesn't even begin to describe the way my co-workers and I felt after we heard the disturbing news. Some were down right furious and we all wanted the person to be caught!
This feeling lingered with me for more than a day and I found myself being even more upset because I have been stolen from in the same way for a long, long time. I also know several other people I work with who have experienced similar theft and so we have all just been very upset and hoping the perpetrator would be caught this time!
I, as well as others I work with, had a strong desire to RIGHT the wrong that had been done and to catch the one who had stolen. We have been violated for long enough and we felt it was long overdue for this person to be caught and stopped. We began discussing ways to catch the person and we felt that WE had to DO something to put an end to this sinful behavior that has permeated our work atmosphere for such a long time.
By the second day after the event occurred, I came home from work and prayed. I prayed for God to please let the person be caught. I prayed that it would happen and soon! And then all of a sudden, as if being covered by a warm blanket, a sense of peace came over me. I felt the presence of God and felt and instantly thought--that He will handle it in His time. I had a revelation that each person is on their own journey through life and this journey is a spiritual one. No one knows the path that others will take and no one can MAKE a person repent. My first thought was that this person has probably been stealing for so long that it is ingrained in them, that it is a way of life for them, and that they are probably living in denial about their "problem" because there'd be no way anyone could continue this sort of behavior on a clear conscience. I decided that it wasn't as important that they were caught in what I saw as MY TIMELY MANNER. It was all about God's timing and this person would probably need a very serious incident to occur to be their wake up call that what they are doing is actually wrong and sinful. I also thought about how it wouldn't do them any good to just be "caught" and "punished" without their truly accepting what they'd done as wrong. It was more important to their soul that they realize, truly realize what they have done and it was more important to their soul that they admit their problem, repent and change.
In thinking of the situation in this manner, I felt an enormous relief and an incredible sense of peace about it. I not longer felt a need to "catch" them or even know about the results of any investigation. I discovered that the Holy Spirit had calmed the storm inside of me and the feelings of righteousness and anger dissipated. I was free from all sense of urgency and anger to remedy the situation and it was WONDERFUL! What's more--I felt a desire to PRAY FOR this individual. I realized that praying FOR them was not only a much better idea than trying to catch them and a much more Godly reaction to their sin. (Becoming Christ-like came to mind......) Was I? Was I maturing in my thinking and gaining wisdom through the situation? Perhaps the lesson was about me and my reaction and not so much about what had occurred that I disagreed with in a worldly way, but what occurred provided me with an opportunity to practice my Christian walk in a very meaningful manner. Yes-this person is a sinner, yes, what they did was wrong but God knows our sins and He is the only one in any condition to judge. I even felt a little guilty for being so judgmental. Don't we all sin? And maybe our sins differ but who are we to point out other's sins simply because they differ from our own? This person may continue to sin......right up until their very last breath but as long as they truly accept that they are sinners and seek God's forgiveness, even on their last breath, who am I to say that it won't be forgiven by God? Shouldn't we all hope that we are ALL forgiven? (Pending true belief in God and authentic repentance).
So I write about this incident for a couple of reasons. I hope it can be helpful to anyone facing a similar situation and to teach my children to grow in their faith and seek Godly wisdom above all else. I want my children to know of my example of receiving the Holy Spirit when I sought prayer over a frustrating situation, say, rather than revenge. Or even just staying angry about it--praying and giving it to God (who is best equipped to handle it anyway;) is always the better choice! And God blesses us when we seek him over pursuing our own desires. I was blessed with a sense of comfort and peace and it even encouraged me to pray for the other person. This person probably has a disease or is has a living hell that they are so desperate as to steal from co-workers for so long. Either way, praying for them is a much better act than persecuting them. If our praying for someone else could save a soul, wouldn't God be pleased about that? Our God is pretty amazing! :)
This last image pertains exactly to my experience. Talking did no good. It just allowed us to vent and probably stirred up more strife. Praying about it--now THAT made a difference!
A few days ago there was a theft at my place of work. It was worse to me than any other because it was a collection that we had taken up for an ill colleague who'd recently been through unexpected surgery and had an extensive hospital stay. Granted, it is always wrong and awful for anyone to steal but this particular stolen item hurt everyone at work because we felt that it was an inside job and it wasn't the first time it had occurred. It was in a location only few knew about and it was taken by someone we have suspected of thieving for years.
Mad doesn't even begin to describe the way my co-workers and I felt after we heard the disturbing news. Some were down right furious and we all wanted the person to be caught!
This feeling lingered with me for more than a day and I found myself being even more upset because I have been stolen from in the same way for a long, long time. I also know several other people I work with who have experienced similar theft and so we have all just been very upset and hoping the perpetrator would be caught this time!
I, as well as others I work with, had a strong desire to RIGHT the wrong that had been done and to catch the one who had stolen. We have been violated for long enough and we felt it was long overdue for this person to be caught and stopped. We began discussing ways to catch the person and we felt that WE had to DO something to put an end to this sinful behavior that has permeated our work atmosphere for such a long time.
By the second day after the event occurred, I came home from work and prayed. I prayed for God to please let the person be caught. I prayed that it would happen and soon! And then all of a sudden, as if being covered by a warm blanket, a sense of peace came over me. I felt the presence of God and felt and instantly thought--that He will handle it in His time. I had a revelation that each person is on their own journey through life and this journey is a spiritual one. No one knows the path that others will take and no one can MAKE a person repent. My first thought was that this person has probably been stealing for so long that it is ingrained in them, that it is a way of life for them, and that they are probably living in denial about their "problem" because there'd be no way anyone could continue this sort of behavior on a clear conscience. I decided that it wasn't as important that they were caught in what I saw as MY TIMELY MANNER. It was all about God's timing and this person would probably need a very serious incident to occur to be their wake up call that what they are doing is actually wrong and sinful. I also thought about how it wouldn't do them any good to just be "caught" and "punished" without their truly accepting what they'd done as wrong. It was more important to their soul that they realize, truly realize what they have done and it was more important to their soul that they admit their problem, repent and change.
In thinking of the situation in this manner, I felt an enormous relief and an incredible sense of peace about it. I not longer felt a need to "catch" them or even know about the results of any investigation. I discovered that the Holy Spirit had calmed the storm inside of me and the feelings of righteousness and anger dissipated. I was free from all sense of urgency and anger to remedy the situation and it was WONDERFUL! What's more--I felt a desire to PRAY FOR this individual. I realized that praying FOR them was not only a much better idea than trying to catch them and a much more Godly reaction to their sin. (Becoming Christ-like came to mind......) Was I? Was I maturing in my thinking and gaining wisdom through the situation? Perhaps the lesson was about me and my reaction and not so much about what had occurred that I disagreed with in a worldly way, but what occurred provided me with an opportunity to practice my Christian walk in a very meaningful manner. Yes-this person is a sinner, yes, what they did was wrong but God knows our sins and He is the only one in any condition to judge. I even felt a little guilty for being so judgmental. Don't we all sin? And maybe our sins differ but who are we to point out other's sins simply because they differ from our own? This person may continue to sin......right up until their very last breath but as long as they truly accept that they are sinners and seek God's forgiveness, even on their last breath, who am I to say that it won't be forgiven by God? Shouldn't we all hope that we are ALL forgiven? (Pending true belief in God and authentic repentance).
So I write about this incident for a couple of reasons. I hope it can be helpful to anyone facing a similar situation and to teach my children to grow in their faith and seek Godly wisdom above all else. I want my children to know of my example of receiving the Holy Spirit when I sought prayer over a frustrating situation, say, rather than revenge. Or even just staying angry about it--praying and giving it to God (who is best equipped to handle it anyway;) is always the better choice! And God blesses us when we seek him over pursuing our own desires. I was blessed with a sense of comfort and peace and it even encouraged me to pray for the other person. This person probably has a disease or is has a living hell that they are so desperate as to steal from co-workers for so long. Either way, praying for them is a much better act than persecuting them. If our praying for someone else could save a soul, wouldn't God be pleased about that? Our God is pretty amazing! :)
This last image pertains exactly to my experience. Talking did no good. It just allowed us to vent and probably stirred up more strife. Praying about it--now THAT made a difference!
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