Life Lessons

What’s Love Got To Do With It?

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In 1984, Tina Turner released a song entitled “What’s Love got to do with it.

As the song goes on it says’ I’ve been taking a new direction

But I have to say

I’ve been thinking about my own protection

It scares me to feel this way”.

She further sang love is nothing but a second hand emotion!

Tina Turner talked about taking a new direction. Taking a new direction takes courage.  After many frustrations with love, the light comes on and you realize that you have looked for love in all the wrong places.  So what do you do now?

Well, there is a love that is unconditional. This love is both passionate and principled.  This love goes deeper than the superficial. This love is so personal that it has your name tattooed in his hand. This love is always thinking of you.  This love has the ability to plan and cause His plans to come to pass for your life. This love knows your needs and cares for you. He loves you to the point that he died for you so that you could live he good life!

What’s love got to do with it?

Everything! Love caused

Him to willingly stay on the cross to pay the price you and me!

Love, true love has everything to do with it!

So if you are feeling lonely, and maybe you didn’t get the chocolate, flowers, or special gift from someone special. Hang in there!

Know that you are loved beyond measure!

Experience this love everyday!

 

 

 

SO IT’S 2019!

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A new year has embarked upon us!  People are busy making and breaking New Year’s Resolutions!  It’s only day 5. We have 360 days to go! How are going to spend those days?

We have a golden opportunity to start with a clean slate. However if we are to be successful this year, we must lay aside every weight that so easily besets us.  Now I know that sounds a little Elizabethan. But in today’s terms we must put away all the distractions in our life. You know the relationships that we have unsuccessfully resuscitated for the ninth time. The time has come to bury them once and for all. We must cast out the negative thinking that we have allowed to embed itself in our psyche. We have to renew our mind with the most powerful words in the universe, God’s word!  It’s time to forgive yourself and others.  This will propel you into forward thinking and strategies that will breed great success.

It’s time to build a financial plan that will impact generations.  Leaving a legacy is very important!  The key here is to develop and consistently invest in that plan.

Well, let’s talk about the elephant in the room, our health. After assessing our health status, some of us may need to consider making a seismic shift in our eating and exercise plan. Some just need to start a plan! (Lol). This plan also includes getting enough sleep and relaxation!  In all your doing, don’t forget to stop! Exhale and enjoy this new year that we have been given!  Find something that you enjoy doing and make time for it!

Life is beautiful! Live it to the fullest! Happy New Year!

 

 

WHAT DO THE LONELY DO AT CHRISTMAS PART 2

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Christmas can be a trying time when you have experienced loss. But, with a little planning you can make it through.

When we spoke last, I was sharing with you a few things I did at Christmas when I lost my husband and was four months pregnant. Here are some other things that helped me make it through this season.

4. I did something new, for me it was watch sports. I never had interest in sports before. So I scheduled various games and watched. Since I was sports literate, I studied the rules of the sport I was watching.  A little corny, I know, it gave me something else to think about. Find something you are interested in and explore.

5. As you know I was pregnant. Since it was my first pregnancy, I started researching the process. I wanted to be prepared. This was a diversion for me. Find a diversion so that you can focus on something else that will bring satisfaction to you.

6. I sought to serve through volunteering at my church.

7. I attended church regularly and was very active in the organizations within my church.

8. I visited friends and family as I normally would do. Remember, no man is an island.

9  I visited my friends and family as I normally would do.The MOST IMPORTANT thing that you can do is to develop a relationship with our Heavenly Father! 1 Samuel 30: 6, KJV, tells us when David found himself in a trying situation, he encouraged himself in the Lord! Truly, my Heavenly Father walked with me then and now! Know, He will do the same for you!

 

REMEMBER:  YOU CAN MAKE IT!

 

WHAT DO THE LONELY DO AT CHRISTMAS?

 

Christmas is a time of celebration! We celebrate Christ’s Birth, family and friends. The Holiday Season is such a festive time! But, there are many who don’t feel festive because of personal loss. This loss could be a family member, a good friend, a job, car, or home.

I have experienced loss in my life during this season. I won’t tell you that it is easy to shift your feelings from a low place to a healthy place, because it is not! However you can do all things through Christ who will give you the strength!

Here are a few things that I did after losing my husband when I was four months pregnant the month before Christmas.

  1. I gave thanks to God for His goodness to me! Now I know you are thinking, how can I be thankful after such a great loss! No matter what, the Lord is Good and His Mercy endures forever!

 

  1. I planned a personal celebration! Holidays for me meant cooking, the house smelling like what I call Christmas. So I went ahead and cooked a festive Christmas meal. Cooking on holidays is therapeutic for me. Look inside yourself and find what is therapeutic for you, and do that.

 

  1. I love music, so I played what I call comfort music. Music that reminded me of happy times and music that encouraged me to keep on keeping on.

 

As the holiday progresses, I will be sharing my journey with you.

KNOW THIS: YOU CAN MAKE IT!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Going In Circles

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Years ago, The Friends of Distinction wrote a song entitled “Going in Circles”. A portion of those lyrics say “I’m an ever rolling wheel, without a destination real. I’m an ever spinning top, whirling around until I drop. What am I to do my mind is in a whirlpool.”

As I pondered those lyrics, I thought about the millions of people that make New Year’s Resolutions and set goals, have unsuccessful relationships over and over again, but never are successful in their endeavors…  Could it be that you are doing the same thing over and over again and expecting something different?

What is the anatomy of your thinking?  Everything that manifests in your life comes from your thoughts.

Proverbs 23:7a (NKJV) “As a man thinks in his heart so is he. So it seems that in order to get different results, one has to change his thinking.

When your thinking is jammed, your life is stuck in a cycle and like the song says, “you’re like a spinning top whirling around until you drop right back in the same place.

So I challenge you today, reboot your mind!  If you are wondering how to do that, you may begin by focusing on these things. Philippians 4:8 KJV says  “8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—think on these things. “

Believe it or not, you are in control of your thoughts. The subtle reason you have not been able to reach your goals is because your thinking has been skewed. You keep meeting the same people with different names but the same character because your thoughts have magnetic power.

So make this adjustment, and think on the true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and things of good report.

Align your mind with where you want to be and your body will follow.

 

Be Yourself

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It was about 8:05 am or so one summer morning in the early 1960s.  Our radio was tuned to the local radio station; the radio personality was Dr. Erskine Faush with the very popular radio show that began with James Cleveland’s song “The Love of God.”

My great-grandmother was sitting on the front porch and I in the living room.  The song “Never Grow Old” by Aretha Franklin came blaring on our Grundic Majestic Hi-Fi Radio combination.  

Aretha was about nine years old when this song was recorded. As I listened, something rose up in me and I wanted to sing along with her. Intently, I listened to the various nuances and tone of her voice.

I began to sing or, shall I say, imitate her. I must say I did a great job! Head thrown back in the locks of my shoulders, I belted out that song with excellence, sounding just like Aretha!

After my rendition of that song, my great-grandmother called me to the front porch.  She said, “Pat I heard you singing and you sounded great!” I beamed with pride! “However,” she continued, “you were imitating a great singer and it was a powerful song. But you did not use your voice, the one God gave you! You have a great voice, use it. Sing like yourself be proud of what God gave you. Remember to always do your best.”

It is great to admire others and even learn from them. Always remember, be yourself.

What my great-mother was saying to me was that I was fearfully and wonderfully made. She wanted me to set my own trend. She wanted me to do me! She encouraged me to be what God called me to be and use that to bring him glory just as Aretha was doing. 

She said, “If you just do that all will be well with you.”

So from me to you, BE YOURSELF!

Keeping an Open Hand

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One summer day I was sitting on the front porch with my favorite aunt and she asked me to open my hand. I thought, “What in the world this is about?” But my love and respect for her prompted me to comply with her request. She reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a bright new quarter. Then she asked, “Pat, what is this?” In my mind I am thinking “Really?” In my time of growing up children were not allowed to “sass” adults and especially not family members! I said very slowly and carefully so as not to sound disrespectful, “A quarter.” She replied, “Yes!”

She put the quarter inside of my hand, with these instructions: “Close your hand tightly and no matter how hard I try, don’t let me get that piece of money out of your hand!”

The games began. She tried. I resisted. This tug of war went on for a while. Finally she said “Open your hand.” Whew! This had gotten quite tiring, I said to myself. I opened my hand and guess what she did?

Aunt Rena took her quarter back!

Now she asked me to open my hand and keep it opened. By now I am thinking “What?” Again, I played along. She put the quarter in and out of my open hand several times. Then she repeated the open and close spiel again! By now, I am really sick of this dumb game! But because Aunt Rena was my favorite aunt, I smiled and continued to play along.

This time after taking the quarter, she asked me to close my hand and when I did she tried to put the quarter into my closed hand, but because my hand was closed she could not get that quarter into my hand! Then she said something simple yet profound. “The key to having more than you need and something to give away is keeping an open hand!” Aunt Rena said when you keep your hands open, something can come in and something can go out.

I really thought that that was a silly game. In retrospect I realize that the concept of sowing and reaping, seed time and harvest was taught to me as a child in a very simple, but yet profound way! This concept has become an intricate part of my life.

Luke 6:38 reads: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

Travel with me as we explore life lessons.