Approving of Yourself

Saw this quote in my Guideposts magazine this morning.  Few words can make a big impact sometimes, and this did for me:  "You have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn't worked.  Try approving of yourself and see what happens.  ~Louise Hay, motivational speaker.

Follow Your Heart

Follow Your Heart

When you have an idea, which you think could make someone’s life better, even your own life, do it—even if it seems insignificant, or even if you think you don’t have the time today.  Do it because that thing you are thinking about is much more important than that load of laundry, or those dishes that need put away, or that floor that needs scrubbed.  Do it and you will be so happy that you followed your heart! 

When you have trouble deciding whether or not to take the time, stop and ask yourself these questions: Will it help someone?  Will it take all day?  Which task will bring more value to someone?  If I were on my deathbed, which task would I regret not doing?  Will it bring happiness to me or someone else?  Do I really have the time?  It depends on what time means to you—getting another household chore completed, completing another deadline for work?  We all have things we must accomplish, but we should not neglect the “from-the-heart” things either.  What do I mean by “from the heart?”  Does a friend need a card from you to know you care?  Could you visit a neighbor for a half hour once a week—even once a month?  Should you take the time to write down that inspirational verse you just read?  Yes!  By all means, yes!  You probably won’t even remember having read it a week later if you don’t write it down.  Take the time—you might be able to put that verse to good use some day to help someone else.  And how about putting it on the refrigerator?  If you are having a down in the dumps kind of day, maybe just spotting that verse as you open the fridge will put you in a different frame of mind.  You might even want to take the time to write or type it on pretty paper or scrapbook the verse.  Write it down—follow your heart!

Take 15 minutes out of your day to at least start the project.  Most times, 15 minutes is all the time the entire task will take.  Another way to think about it and make it easier is to think to yourself, “I will pick one thing to do today that I really would like to get to that is a “from-the-heart” thing.  Sometimes, it is just a matter of thinking of it as prioritizing people over things.  Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”  Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.”  The pattern of the world today is to prioritize work, but we must guard our hearts and not let work become our idol, serving it instead of people. 

The next time you question whether you should take 15 minutes to follow your heart, do it!  It will make you feel better all day long!  And remember, you are a person, too, so if you spend 15 minutes (or more) doing something kind for yourself, feel no guilt!  Everyone deserves love, and that includes you!  Andy Warhol is quoted as having said, “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” We all may or may not get our 15 minutes of fame, but fame is fleeting.  I believe God desires for us, not fame, but peace, so follow your heart most days, and get your 15 minutes of peace—and hopefully a lot more than 15 minutes!  If you know our Lord Jesus, you can have peace all the day long! Read the Bible and find out how—it will be the best thing you can do for yourself!

Take a Vacation

Take a Vacation

We all look forward to vacations!  Why?  Because it is a chance to get away from all that we do on a daily basis, and because we can slow down and get some rest.  But did you know that you can take mini-vacations every day?  You can and you should!  Everyone is very busy, but we are often too busy, abnormally busy.  We are not moving at a God-pace but often at a frantic pace.  It is not the pace God meant for us at all.  When we are racing around, we leave God out of our lives.  God should be the driver in our lives but not the race driver.  It takes an on-purpose mindset to slow down and think about God and to ask God to help you.  God is with us always, but we often ignore Him—not on purpose, mind you, but because we are busy making every moment of our lives an emergency.  God created everything, and He did not create everything in a hurry!  If God did not create us to be in rush mode all of the time, then we should heed what He wants for us:

Exodus 33:14 - And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28-30--Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Psalm 127:2--It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.

Mark 6:31--And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.

Psalm 46:10--“Be still, and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Isaiah 30:15--For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning[a] and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”  But you were unwilling,

Sounds to me like God wants us to slow down and get some rest!  Work has its place, but so does rest.  Stop and think:  Do I feel closer to God while rushing or when I slow down?

 Think about how you are using God’s name when you are rushing: 

“O God!  I’m never going to get this all done!” 

Now, when you make yourself slow down: 

“O God, You are so amazing!” 

Try slowing down for just one day and see if it doesn’t make a difference in your well-being.  

Bible Verses on Worry, Anxiety and Fear

Bible Verses On Worrying

Matthew 25:  Jesus Teaches About Worry:  That is why I tell you NOT to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. (This is Jesus talking, remember, so if He is telling you to stop, then STOP IT!  Stop worrying!)  Isn’t life more than food and your body more than clothing?  Look at the birds.  They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for YOUR heavenly Father feeds them.  And aren’t YOU far more valuable to Him than they are? (Yes, you are!)  Can all your worries ADD a single moment to your life?  (No, they can’t add to your life, but they can take away—don’t let them!)

And why worry about your clothing?  Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow.  They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.  And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for YOU.  Why do you have so little faith?

So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat?  What will we drink?  What will we wear? ( What if?, what if?, what if?)  These things dominate the things of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father ALREADY knows all your needs.  Seek the Kingdom of God ABOVE all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. 

So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.  Today’s trouble is enough for today.  (Remember, God’s already been to tomorrow, and He’s got your back, Live in the moment and stop worrying about tomorrow!)

Luke 21:34 begins: “Watch out!  Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life.  Jesus is talking about His return here, but when I look at this verse, it reminds me that worrying is very bad for us.  Jesus compares the ways in which our hearts can be corroded and made dull, so much so that we don’t have time for Him or for others.  He mentions worry right up there with carousing and drunkenness. 

What does drunkenness and carousing do to us?  The NIH lists the following effects of alcohol: 

·         affects the way the brain looks and works, changing mood and behavior

·         heart disease

·         arrhythmias

·         stroke

·         high blood pressure

·         liver problems

·         pancreatic problems,

·         cancer

·         immune problems. 

Okay, now let’s compare what stress, anxiety and worry do to our bodies:

·         Difficulty swallowing

·         Dizziness

·         Dry mouth

·         Fast heartbeat

·         Fatigue

·         Headaches

·         Inability to concentrate

·         Irritability

·         Muscle aches

·         Muscle tension

·         Nausea

·         Nervous energy

·         Rapid breathing

·         Shortness of breath

·         Sweating

·         Trembling and twitching

·         Suppression of the immune system

·         Digestive disorders

·         Muscle tension

·         Short-term memory loss

·         Premature coronary artery disease

·         Heart attack

·         Can eventually lead to depression and even suicidal thoughts.

As you can see, there are a lot of similarities between what drunkenness and worry can do to us, and the effects are not positive!  Jesus knew what He was talking about, and we need to pay attention to what He tells us.  Not trusting Him is detrimental to our health!  We must trust Him and have faith that He is taking care of us at all times if we are asking Him to do so.  Trusting is the opposite of worry.  The more you get to know Him, the more you understand this, but to get to know Him, you must spend time with Him.  Read your Bible and get to know Him better and better every day! 

Ben Franklin is known to have said, “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”  I say, “Growing closer to Jesus makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise!”  When we know Him, we worry less and so are healthier, our wealth is not in money but in how much He loves us and how much we love Him, and we can turn to God’s word at any time and find all the wisdom we need right there!  Stop worrying; just stop it!

1 Peter 5:7 says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.  Webster’s dictionary defines “give” as:  1. To hand to someone.  2.  To place in someone’s care.  3.  To grant (permission, opportunity, etc.) to someone.  4.  To transmit or communicate.  So when you are worried about something or someone, use imagery to imagine yourself reaching up your hands and handing God your worry.  You are granting Him permission to take it from you and giving Him the opportunity to use your trust in His care to handle your problems better than you ever could.  Imagine a meeting with God whereby you transmit all your worries over to Him and walk away at the end of the meeting feeling much lighter, knowing your worries are in Great Hands!  God is a good, kind, caring, and loving God.  He made you, and He cares for you.

The reason people of God tell others to read the Bible is not because it is doing something good for God.  God does not need our help; we need His help!  If you are suffering and someone tells you about a solution to your suffering, will you ignore the solution?  It would be foolish and detrimental to do so.  I am telling you now—there is a solution for what is bothering you, and that solution is the Word of God.  Use the concordance in your Bible to find out what the Bible says about your particular problem.  Read all you can about it, and learn how best to deal with your problem.  If you choose to ignore God’s word, you are choosing to ignore help. 

Now, since I am writing about worry, fear and anxiety, I have gone to the Bible to see what I can find in it that addresses these particular problems.  I found so many verses regarding these problems that I chose only the following ones to use here, but again, there are many, many other verses in the Bible that deal with these particular problems, so I encourage you to find them for yourself and study and memorize them, so the solution is right at hand when you need it!  The Bible verses are highlighted or made bold.  My interpretation is in parentheses.

Proverbs 12:25 says, “Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. 

(Think about this:  worry does make us feel weighted down—it’s that little niggling feeling you walk around with all day, the feeling that something in your life is not right.  However, when someone says something helpful, it lets us know they care, that they understand or are at least trying to understand, and that we are not alone, it helps so much.  Be an encourager—it will help you feel better, too!)

Matthew 7:9-11:  Jesus says, “Parents, if your children ask you for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?  Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake?  Of course not!  So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to you children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him.” 

(God is not some big, old, mean Being sitting up in Heaven just waiting to disappoint us, laugh at us, and ignore what we need.  Hardly!  Actually, He is opposite—He is kind and loving and cares for us.  He loves to give us good things, and He has promised to help us when we turn to Him and ask!  So what are you waiting for—ask!  And remember, His ways are higher than our ways, so if things don’t turn out according to OUR plans, they will turn out better in the end, because God knows what is best for each and every one of us.  He has a plan for our good!)

Philippians 4:6:  Don’t worry about ANYTHING; instead, pray about EVERYTHING. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you LIVE IN Christ Jesus. 

(Those are all-encompassing words we find in the Bible:  ANYTHING, EVERYTHING!  Wow!  God cares about the big things and the little things in our lives, which is awesome!  Another important word in the above verse is “thank.”  No one likes it when we do something for someone and get no thanks—God included!  When He helps you, thank Him.  And remember to always LIVE IN Christ Jesus!  He died FOR US so we could LIVE IN Him.)

Philippians 4:8-9:  “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.  FIX your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise…then the God of peace will be with you.”

(If we are anxious, we must change our thinking process.  God’s Word says we need to switch over to thinking about things that are positive, nurturing and good.  Be careful what you are thinking about, and to do this you must first be aware of what you are thinking about.  This pertains to T.V. shows, music, people you hang around with, etc.  You may need to change several things about your life, but we must FIX our minds on positive and lovely things or we will suffer anxiety rather than have peace.)

John 14:27:  Jesus tells the disciples, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart.  And the peace I give is a peace that the world cannot give.  So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

(Who doesn’t love a gift?  Peace of mind AND heart is a gift that Jesus left us; he said so Himself.  Is there any greater gift that someone could give us?  I don’t think so.  The world, He said, cannot give us this peace; it is found only in Him.)

Matthew 5:13-15 Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth.  But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor?  Can you make it salty again?  It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.  You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket.  Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 

(If we are to be salt and light, can we do a good job of it when we are stressed and worried and anxious ourselves?  No!  So we need to deal with ourselves before we can be salt and light for others.  And Jesus told believers, “YOU are the salt and light.”  That’s US—believers in Jesus Christ!  He tells us not to lose our flavoring; in order to do this, we need to live in Christ, be thinking about Him, and be studying about Him every single day.  Make time for Jesus!  We also have an obligation to tell others about Jesus’ love and His sacrifice for us.  We should be so filled with Jesus that telling others about Him does not feel like an obligation; we should be overflowing with Him that we can’t resist spreading our joy to others!)

The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid?   Psalm 27:1

(When you fear people, you must be lacking in faith in God, so be aware of this.  Our God is our stronghold (our well-fortified place).  “If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31.  If you are outside on a dark night, you need a light to see where you are going; the same applies to our lives.  We cannot see the future, but God has already been to the future, so He knows where and how to lead you.  Trust Him to not let you fall, and trust Him to get you where you need to go.  Salvation means we have been saved from the power and penalty of sin.  Jesus died to rescue us from Satan’s power, and Jesus died to pay our price for our sins.)

Psalm 118:6:  The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

(Our fellow men and women can try to do a lot to us—gossip about us, lie about us, avoid us, etc., but if we resist retaliating and, instead, turn to God for His always-available help, we can keep our peace.  Joyce Meyer has a saying, “Don’t let others steal your peace,” and she’s right.  Go to God with your concerns and ask for His Way to deal best with people.  But be prepared for answers you may not like or with which you do not agree.  God will not bless those who become bitter, angry and wish ill-will on others.  You are not aware of others’ situations, so do not be quick to judge, just go to God when you need a listening ear!  Listen for His direction!  He will act on your behalf if you ask and allow Him, but in the meantime, pray for your enemies and do not seek revenge!  This is not the world’s way; it is God’s way!)

Deut 31:6:  Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

(Strong and courageous is opposite of weak and fearful.  God goes with us everywhere; there is no where we are that He cannot be.  People disappoint and desert us, but God promises NEVER to do so!)

When I am afraid, I will trust in you.  In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?  Psalm 56:3-4

(People feel fear--it is human, but the Bible tells us what to do when we feel fear:  trust God!)

Isaiah 41:10:  So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

(Three pretty terrific promises from God:  strengthen, help, uphold YOU!)

Isaiah 41:13:  For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

(God is holding your hand right now!)

Romans 8:15:  For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ""Abba," Father."

(We have God’s Spirit in us if we have received salvation through Jesus.  We must remember this—we have God’s Spirit IN us!)

1 John 4:18: There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

(How to drive out fear?  Perfect love!  Know that God loves you perfectly, and strive yourself to love everyone.  If you are caught up in your own fears and concerns, get out and do something good for someone who is also suffering and probably a lot worse than you!)

Psalm 56:3:  When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

(Fear happens, but we have a WAY to eliminate it—Jesus is The Way, The Truth and The Life!)

Psalm 34:4  I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

(Seek:  To try to find, discover or obtain (Webster’s).  We must seek the Lord, and we do that by reading His Word, listening for His voice, and being with fellow believers who are close to the Lord.  He always answers, and He is able to deliver your from your fears if you practice trusting Him.)

1Peter 5:6-7  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

(I read one time that if we think we are already humble, then we are not.  If we are still relying on our own strength, power, knowledge and resources, then we are prideful.  We can do all things through Christ, Who gave us life!  God made us, God wakes us up everyday, God gives us the air we breathe, God enables us to think, etc.  Everything we have comes from Him, and we need to rely on Him for everything.  God has the proper time in mind for everything we do, so relax and give Him that control.  Now let’s talk about casting.  In angling, casting is the act of throwing bait or a lure using a fishing line out over the water using a flexible fishing rod. The usual technique is for the angler to quickly flick the rod from behind toward the water (Wikipedia).  Think of this when you think about casting your anxieties on God—ALL of your anxieties.  Picture yourself standing before God, telling God your concerns and then asking Him to take control and work it all out at the right time and for your good and for the good of others.  Cast your concerns now, quickly, as soon as you start to worry!  Don’t let worry get the upper hand, but hand your problems to God—right away!  Now walk through your day ready to be flexible and relaxed, not rigid and uptight, and trust that God is already at work on your behalf.  Don’t pray and then start to worry!  That tells God that you don’t really trust Him.  He cares for you more than you can know, so He wants the best for you.)

Joshua 1:9:  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” 

(When I go somewhere by myself, somewhere I wish I had a good friend by my side, I remind myself that I always have a Good Friend by my side.  Then, I picture Jesus walking beside me, and I know I am truly not alone!  Jesus actually commanded us to be strong and courageous!  A commander is one who is in authority over us!  Jesus is our Authority, He loves us, and He does not want us walking through life timid and afraid.  Remember, He is with you WHEREVER you go!)

Proverbs 12:25  Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. 

(Feel weighted down with worry?  Go get your Bible and hear from God.  He wants your trust.  Go to church, and let the pastor’s sermon speak to you.  Talk with a Christian friend or counselor-another great way to hear from God!)

Luke 10:19  Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

 (Jesus is telling us that He has given us AUTHORITY over serpents, scorpions and over all power of the enemy, and NOTHING shall hurt us!  It does not get any clearer than that!  We don’t realize how much power we have in Christ Jesus!  If we did, I think many of us would live differently, more free, more strong, more courageous, and less worried.  Jesus said, “BEHOLD!”  That means He wants us to look at and see the power we have in Him.)

Isaiah 43:1:  But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.

(Jesus knows our name!  How awesome is that, that the Creator of the Universe knows us each as individuals!  We are redeemed, which means our debt as sinners has been paid already!  We are saved, and we are free!  Jesus paid it all by choosing to die in our place!  God now calls us ‘His.’  How awesome!!!)

Psalm 91:1-16:  He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day.

(To dwell means to live or stay as a resident (Webster’s).  If you live with someone, you are usually in daily communication with them, you get to know them well.  The same should be said of our relationship with God.  We should be in daily communication with Him but also be sure to be quiet in His presence and listening for what He wants to say to us.  What does the above verse say that God does for us?  He is our refuge, fortress, deliverer, faithful, shield, and He has us covered!  Now, what’s to fear!  God’s got you covered!!!!)

Isaiah 54:17  No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”

(We all have “people problems” from time to time.  God tells us how to handle them.  Go to Him, and He will help you.  Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies, and the above verse tells us that God will be involved in the dispute and help it get resolved.  But you must ask Him to help and do not hate, but pray for the one with whom you are in dispute.  It seems natural to want to retaliate or prove ourselves right, but God wants us to take the high road and resolve the conflict with His help and in His way.)

Lam 3:57:  You came near when I called on you; you said, ‘Do not fear!’

(God does not want us living fearful lives.  He wants us to rely on Him, because in relying on Him, we stay close to Him.  He loves each and every one of us.  He created us to commune with Him.  He is near you always, so there is never a need to be afraid.)

Fairy Gardens

I have yet to make a true fairy garden; you know, those little sections of your garden that you devote to the little fairy statues and other mini items to make the fairies comfy.  I decided that the first thing I need to do to start my fairy garden is to come up with a list of items I could use for it--cost-effective items, mind you--not expensive things in my garden!  It is not necessary.  Now for that list:

• fairies from thrift stores, dollar stores, garage sales, anywhere cheap
• a small fairy-sized plot of land in my garden (or I could make a new garden--always excites my hubby when I dig up another garden (believe that if you are of the female gender!).  
• large container in which to place soil and plant a fairy garden if no room in garden
• rocks--ones I paint or get my students to paint--glitter is always welcome for some sparkle factor in the sunshine!
• seashells
• mini teacups or normal-size ones
• small plastic frogs, turtles, etc.
• mini furniture
• interesting plants--I love ferns and think of frilly and fun when I see them, so I would definitely use them; moss
• stepping stones
• ceramic or plastic mushrooms
• small houses
• plastic or ceramic birds
• twigs to make fences, doorways, etc.
• little butterflies
• gems
• tiny birdhouses
• craft sticks made into doors, windows, etc.
• miniature mirrors
• mini lamp posts like you see at Christmas time for in villages
• bendable branches to be used for archways
• marbles for placement on golf tees as garden globes
• acorns
• pinecones
• small logs
• anything miniature, really--no rules!

Possible Fairy Garden Containers:

old wheelbarrows

old furniture

old chairs with pot inset

sandbox

large flower pot

old tub

basket with liner

pretty dish large enough for purpose

large pot