Be An Encourager

I was reading an encouraging story a few minutes ago. At first it seems like a negative story. But keep reading.

Be An EncouragerThis may seem like common sense to some, but it's so very important to be an encourager and not a source of negativity. It goes beyond what you even realize.

With so many people in the world telling us we can't succeed, we need to hear people telling us we can.

I remember my high school English teacher telling me not to apply to Cornell University because they wouldn't accept me and even if they did I wouldn't be able to do the work. (It's funny that I'm a writer now).

I almost didn't apply but a few days later I saw Ivan Foldfarb, a former teacher, in the hallway and asked him about Cornell. He said, "If you get in, then you go. You can do it." His words made all the difference. I applied, was accepted and majored in Lacrosse.

Too often we think it's our role to inject a dose of "reality" into someone's life. We think it's our job to protect people from the pain of failure and defeat. We think we must point out how bad the economy is and how horrible the job market is and how the sky is falling. We think that dreams were meant for others.

I say there are enough pessimists and "realists" in the world. The world doesn't need more negativity and impossible thinkers. The world needs more optimists, encourager's, and inspires.

The world needs more people to speak into the hearts of others and say "I believe in you." "Follow your passion and live your purpose." "If you have the desire then you also have the power to make it happen." "Keep working hard." "You're improving and getting better. Keep it up." "The economy is tough but you can still grow your business." "The job market is not great but I believe you'll find the right job for you." "We've hit a lot of obstacles but we'll get the project finished." "Even if you fail it will lead to something even better." "You're learning and growing."

When it comes to encouragement I know that every one of us loves working for and with people who bring out the best in us. We love being around people who uplift us and make us feel great.

And while we'll always remember the negative people who told us we couldn't accomplish something, we will always cherish and hold a special place in our heart for those who encouraged us.

Today I want to encourage you to be an encourager. So often the difference between success and failure is belief. And so often that belief is instilled in us by someone who encouraged us.

Today decide to be that person who instills a positive belief in someone who needs to hear your encouraging words. Uplift someone who is feeling down. Fuel your team with your positive energy. Rally others to focus on what is possible rather than what seems impossible.
Share encouragement. It matters and we all need it.
My Thoughts~There are always going to be those who want to discourage you, bring you down, make you feel small so that they can feel bigger. Were always going to have the constant doom and gloomers who believe why change things? It's to much work.
Well it's not to much work. You and I like the gentleman who wrote the article can achieve what ever dreams we have! It won't be an instant thing or easy. But it will be worth it. It gives us a purpose.
In God's word He speaks to us about the people in this story. The negative ones and the encouraging ones. He says this.
Proverbs 18:21~Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat it's fruit.
We can either speak blessings or curses through our words. The first teacher spoke curses over this young man. The second teacher spoke blessings into his life.
So if you have been in this situation-it's up for you and I, to choose which we will take. Blessings or curses. I hope you will always choose the blessings that those who are encourager's will speak over you.
Until next time...

                                                    

Perception-A Personal Reality

Thought's Running Through My Head

I wrote this over a week ago and tucked it away. I thought today would be a good day to post it. I'm not sure why? Maybe someone out there needs to hear it today.

July/16/2012

Sometimes things just pop into your head. That's me-most of the time. Especially since I spend 3/4 of all my days alone. I am angry the most that I can no longer drive. Driving has always equaled freedom. Freedom to just hop in the car and go. I miss that so much. I see B. Mark & Boo hop into their vehicles and go. They have no clue just how lucky they are. Mostly because we all take little things for granted. That is until their gone.

I have been trapped inside my home for several yrs now. Not that my precious family hasn't tried getting me out into the world. But for some reason, my backwards thinking lol. My home is like the sea. The outside is the beach. If you put a fish from the sea onto dry land it will flip and flop in desperation to return to the sea. That is my analogy of myself. Once I realized I could not drive any more-what was there left to do? I mean really. I'm home and I have no way to get any where. Again not that my family has not tried on their days off. I think they finally gave up asking me. Who can blame them?

It's funny. Sometimes I express my anger at not being able to do things. What things would I do? I haven't a clue. It's the principle of the matter here. Anyway's, back on track. B. Mark and sometimes Boo-will make a comment when I'm expressing this anger. Like, well get out there and do something, volunteer, etc. Really? How the heck am I supposed to do that? Then I sometimes calmly remind them that I can't drive any more! And what they and others do not realize it's not the fact that they try-God love em. But that because when you lose a freedom like this, rather you like it or not, you become a part of your environment. I stay in the house so much-that to me this has become normal to me. Get me outside and panic ensues!

It's kind of what happened with B. Mark but on a grander scale as he was fighting for his life. But the perception you see can be misleading. This happened when B. Mark was coming out of his coma 6 1/2 yrs. ago. he had lived and breathed over 6 weeks via a ventilator. Mark's body had begun to finally start healing enough-that The Dr's said it was time to slowly wake B. Mark up!! When the therapist tried very slowly over several days to wing B. Mark off of the ventilator he would panic! BP went up, anxiety went up, everything seemed to go up every time they tried this. I finally had to ask why was this happening. Why couldn't Mark just start breathing on his own.

The therapist explained that sometimes patients perceive and believe that they can no longer breath on their own. Mark's ocean (fish allegory) was the ventilator.The dry beach was where  B. Mark would flip and flop. As he believed that the ocean was the safest place to be. In reality he as I had it backwards.

The therapist tried and tried to help Mark get off the ventilator but to no avail. I was called in and told that B. Mark would have to be sent to a "facility" for those who needed to stay on the ventilator longer. Even though the therapist and I and all the Drs. knew Mark could breath without it. Mark didn't believe it.

So I went into ICU and calmly talked to Mark. yes, he's in a coma. But I am a firm believer that coma patients can hear you. So I went over to Mark's bed. I told Mark that I knew he was scared of letting go of his life line. But that he could and he needed to try. I assured him nothing bad would happen and if he panicked we were all right there to up the respirator. Then a wonderful thing happened a few days later. I walked into his room in ICU and the therapist is smiling. She says to me-guess what! I'm like what! She said that Mark took 3 breaths on his own in an hour! Now that may seem insignificant to some. But this was a break through! Mark tried breathing on his own and he did! We still had a long way to go but at least Mark's perception was changing. The day finally came when the very happy wife, therapist Dr's & nurses watched as the ventilator was removed from B. Mark's room.

How in the world did this all play into me not being able to drive! I guess it's because most of us have a false perception in our lives. Where the abnormal somehow becomes normal to us. I am no where close into how I am going to try and change my perception and realize that the beach is the real world and that I can survive it.

It's a journey, so I'll try and post the progress.

Until next time....Donna

Learning From Geese

Learning From Geese It seems we can learn a lot from geese. Here are some facts and lessons about them. :) We live in an area where geese are very common. We see them coming in the Fall and leaving early Spring. Their migration is an awesome sight. There is an interdependence in the way geese function. FACT: As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an "uplift" for the bird following. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. LESSON: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another. A shared vision and sense of purpose create synergy, making the going a little easier for all. FACT: Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone. It quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the "lifting power" of the bird immediately in front. LESSON: If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those we see who are headed where we want to go. FACT: When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at the point position. LESSON: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership -- people, as with geese, are interdependent upon one another. FACT: The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. LESSON: Positive encouragement is a strong motivator. We need to make sure our "honking" from behind is empowering, and not something less helpful. FACT: When a goose gets sick or wounded, two geese drop out of formation to follow him or her down to help and protect their fallen companion. They stay with him/her until [s]he is either able to fly again or dies. Then they launch out on their own with another formation or catch up with their flock. LESSON: If we have as much sense as the geese, we will learn to stand by each other as we are achieving our goals.

More GodVine Until next time...Donna

My Thought’s On The Picketing Of Sage Stallone’s Funeral

This post was from a writing I did several days ago.

This morning I was reading an article on Sylvester Stallone and Sasha, Sage’s Mother about their son Sage’s-death. Sage was 36 & passed away on July 13 2012. The article captures my attention because the title reads….

Sage Stallone Death: Westboro Baptist Church Plans To Picket Actor’s Funeral on account of his “adulterous dad,” Sylvester Stallone. After it was announced that the 36-year-old actor had died on July 13, Margie Phelps, daughter of Westboro leader Fred Phelps, tweeted to her 5,600 followers, urging them to picket Stallone’s funeral.

What!!! I am so angry & hurt right now. I am a Christian & I love Jesus. What they are doing Is NOT in the least being a Christian! No wonder the world laughs at Christians! No wonder Christians get smug looks, when they try & share the Salvation of Jesus Christ with them. I mean why would they? Here we as Christian’s talk about God’s love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, acceptance. Then in the same breath a church who is supposed to be carrying the message of God’s love-wants to picket a funeral! All because they say his father is an adulterous? Where’s the love, compassion in this?

Let me say this. Christian’s are not perfect. Not by any means. We all fall down. We all make mistakes. But to reach out this far with hatered in their hearts is not what Christianity is about. Like anything in life, your going to have the radical people that want to stir the pot. But what they don’t realize is the damage they are doing to so many that are lost and hurting out there. The one’s who feel they have no hope. The ones who are standing at the church doors Sunday mornings pacing back and forth before deciding to take a chance and open the door. Deciding too walk into the sanctuary. Fear ensues them. Will I be accepted? Will they judge me on what I’m wearing, have I messed up so bad that God won’t forgive me? And so many, many other un-answered questions. I was at this spot twenty-one yrs ago. So I’ll be honest. Yes “some” of the people there will look at you and judge you. There will be the clicks that think your not “good” enough for their get together’s. But there are many, many others that will open their hands to you. You’ll either get a hand shake or a hug. Maybe even both. There is warmth and security in this kind of acceptance. Especially when you have felt like an outsider for so long. You took that chance. You opened the doors to the church. Not knowing what to expect. Looking for hope. Let me also say this. That people will let you down. The church will let you down. But that question you had in your mind-the one that wonders if you’ve messed up to much for God to accept you. Too love you. I can say 100% never. There is nothing under heaven that you can do that God won’t forgive. Nothing. Because God loved us while we were yet sinners. God didn’t start loving you when you came to him. When you walked into that church. No, God loved you while you were yet a sinner. Romans 3:23-for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:24-and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Yet, this church-or actually some of the people from the church who are participating in this picketing is telling other’s by their actions that God only loves certain people, certain clicks or groups. This is called religion-not Christianity! Anyone can act religious and pompous. Puff themselves up enough to where they feel they have the right to judge others! Not true! We have all sinned. Rather your a Christian or not. We all sin. Every day. Were human beings. Flesh and blood. Does that mean we mock God and do what ever we want? Of course not. Because when you accept Jesus into your heart, there is a peace that nothing on earth could even come close to. And you have a new heart. A heart for God. God does not make us change we want to change. God does not demand for us to change instantly. Or to give up every bad habit right then and there. Why? Because God gave us free will. Free will is just that-a choice. So when you start to see good things change in your life it’s because Jesus lives in your heart. You no longer want to do the old things you once did. Hang out with the so called “in” crowd etc. Do all these changes happen over night? No. God will continue to work on us until Jesus calls us home.

My gosh I always seem to go around the bend when sharing my thoughts. But that’s the way my mind works *smile.*

But I have said all this while thinking out loud. God loves Sylvester Stallone. God loves us all. And in the word of God the Holy Bible there is a scripture that talks about this very thing that is happening at this church. I’ll share it with you. John 8:7-11 ESV

And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Romans 8:9-11- But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. V 10-Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” V 11-She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

This is the pure love of God. All that are picketing this funeral are acting just like those who thought their sins were hidden. That her sin was greater. They were ready to throw her to the wolves. But God see’s our inner most being, Our soul and all it’s dark places. So he called them out on it. Once it was realized that their sins came into play no one, not one could throw the first stone.

I pray that there will be those who will speak up and say this same thing to the picketing crowd.

Who of you is without sin!

I pray for Sylvester, Sage’s Mom, family, friends. That by the grace of God the Pastor of this church would step in. That the ones filled with anger and maybe even hatred-will listen to that still small voice of God-telling them that what they are doing does not bring glory to God. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

here is the link to the article in case you didn’t see it this morning.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/16/sage-stallone-death-westboro-church-picket-_n_1676362.html?ncid=webmail2

Until next time~Donna