Over the years, my pocket book has been stretched until it looks like a suitcase!   Life is challenging with our world's economy, the cost of living, and the ever present bills that seem to crawl into our mailbox.

I have always believed in a comment made to me years ago that it was important to create memories and make that a priority with family. Empires fall, money fades, but we have our memories.   That has been a foundational practice for me as I raised my kids.   My purse may have been empty, but my heart was full.   We created memories with adventures in the park, flying kites, walks along the beach, and campfires with my extended family.   One such special memory was watching my kids bring their backpacks to my bed while I read and they did homework.

Sin in our world can create unpleasant and sad memories for us.   Sometimes we cannot choose those and carry heavy scars because of that.   One great thing is that we can create new positive memories ourselves.   We have choices to heal, to move forward, and begin a new page in our scrapbook of memories.

I love watching my children open up our scrapbooks smiling and laughing, saying things such as "remember when...."   I didn't have money for trips but what I had for them was TIME.   Time creates memories.       People climb corporate ladders in their workplace.   How about climbing the corporate ladder as a parent?   It takes time and creativity as we fill the pages of our scrapbook.

Solomon voiced these words in Ecclesiastes 5:18, "What is the best thing to do in the short life that God has given us?   I think we should enjoy eating, drinking, and working hard.   This is what God intends us to do."   Our time on earth is limited, and each day gives us a great responsibility to do our job, to take care of our bodies, and enjoy life!

Memories don't have to be elaborate.   They just need time.   We have had our share of picnics and ants, bike rides, table games, baking in a total chaos, and new family traditions created.

Solomon continues to say, "It is better to enjoy what we have than to always want something else, because that makes no more sense than chasing the wind."

Summer holidays are coming up.   Vacations need to be scheduled, kids activities need to be prepared to keep everyone's sanity and the scrap book of memories added to.   What a great privilege to look back over the years and smile, though so needy financially and still have had the opportunity to choose positive memories with my kids despite the dollar value.

Make a list of memories you can create in the next days for your own scrapbook.   Rejoice that despite the dollar value, there are so many memories that are at your fingertips.   Be positive with your kids as you live out the importance of building memories.

Father God, thank you that you love making memories with us.   You cherish listening to our hearts, You always have time for us, and You want us to enjoy the life we have here on planet Earth.   Help us to discern positive memories that we can carry in the scrapbooks of our memories and thank You for those opportunities.   Help us to remember that a dollar has just a dollar value and a memory is a lifetime!   In Jesus' name, Amen.

Questions: What is keeping you from making memories with your family? What are your priorities in life? What is the most important thing you can do in the short life that God has given you?

With so many organizations & individuals helping the impoverished countries around the globe, I have to wonder why we see such little change. It's a heavy burden to see starving, lonely children and do nothing about it. How can I move beyond my luxuries to make a real difference to a needy woman or child? Proverbs 24:12 (The Message) weighs heavy on me today. Rescue the perishing; don't hesitate to step in and help. If you say, "Hey, that's none of my business," will that get you off the hook? Someone is watching you closely, you know-someone not impressed with weak excuses.

God is not impressed with me sticking to my daily schedule, nor is he impressed that I went to bed on time, He doesn't care about hair do, my pretty toes, or my clean house. God cares about relationships; he cares about the orphans, children, the poor, and His lost children who know Him not. I need to care about what He cares about, I have to break out of my norm, I have to look beyond my need to control & seek to surpass my comfort levels.

Pray with me as I ponder.

Nakisha R. Guzman a.k.a Kisha

jollyhomemaker.blogspot.com

"Don't waste your life is not a catchphrase for me; it's a cliff I walk beside every day with trembling." John Piper

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=200355272910

What if God is an African American woman named Papa, What if Jesus looks like a Middle Eastern man, and What if the Holy Spirit looks like an Asian woman??? What if we remove religion & take God out of our media influenced box? Read "The Shack"...it could open up a whole new way of living for you! A whole new way of feeling..a whole new relationship with our El Elyon! I'm only on chapter 8 of 18! :-)

Nakisha 'Kisha' Guzman

Kisha, The Writer:www.balancedandpurposed.com

Kisha, The Mama & Wife:kishag.blogspot.com

Kisha, The Wellness Lady:www.nakishaguzman.com

" You don't have to compromise to be recognized!"

The Lord God is always in control. Anything happening in our lives is for our benefit. It makes us stronger, teaches us to rely on Him, rewards us, disciplines us, and strengthens us for future purposes. Don't allow the mind to be heavy with fear & doubt; don't allow the circumstances to overcome your mind.

Think on the Word, think with Faith, speak in Faith and rest in the knowledge that joy that will come in the morning.

Nakisha 'Kisha' Guzman

Kisha, The Writer:www.balancedandpurposed.com

Kisha, The Mama & Wife:kishag.blogspot.com

Kisha, The Wellness Lady:www.nakishaguzman.com

" You don't have to compromise to be recognized!"

When we let go of fear, only then, can we gracefully move from what was, into the miracle of what can be.

Nakisha 'Kisha' Guzman

Kisha, The Writer:www.balancedandpurposed.com

Kisha, The Mama & Wife:kishag.blogspot.com

Kisha, The Wellness Lady:www.nakishaguzman.com

"Everything requires effort; the only thing you can achieve without it is failure."

Wow, it's been a week already. Soon time will begin to fly even faster. Nadia is doing well, praise God. We had our 1 week appointment and she is now 7.9 lbs. We are bonding and I am learning to breastfeed. She is so precious. Her sisters love her so much. I am starting to regain my strength and the pain from surgery and all that came with it are subsiding. Although I am getting little sleep, it's so worth it. Ray, My Grandma, and Tori are really putting in work to keep things running smoothly while Nadia and I connect, grow & heal. The Lord has poured out so many blessings upon me & my family (Genesis 49:25) and I am so grateful, thankful, and in a daze from His love, kindness, mercy and grace.

While things did not go as I planned it, my God's plans are mighty & always in my best interest. I thank Him for not always giving us what we want because what we think we want may not be good for us!

Proverbs 19:21-We humans keep brainstorming options and plans but God's purpose prevails! I hope I can remember this for future events!!!!!!!!!

Love, Joy, and Peace to you all-

Kisha

Proud Mama of The Fantastic Five

Nakisha 'Kisha' Guzman

Kisha, The Writer:www.balancedandpurposed.com

Kisha, The Mama & Wife:kishag.blogspot.com

Kisha, The Wellness Lady:www.nakishaguzman.com

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase. -- Martin Luther King, Jr. --

Today, I am in a refreshed state of praise and worship to my Heavenly Father, who knows all things and does all things well. Yesterday, I was stretched spiritually and I was stretched as a mother. It was a overly-hectic start of a day but near the day's end I was able to see that had I not been available due to labor I would have missed some very valuable growth opportunities and caused undue stress on my support team.

3 out of my 4 girls needed me to be in tune with the spirit, respond and deal with 3 very different situations. In all that occurred yesterday He even revealed to me a strength that I have. An area that I have passion for but was uncertain of my abilities.He gave me the opportunity to see that yes, I placed this desire and passion in you and like His Word tells us: I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Now my mentor (who was once just a client) has been telling me forever: Make your request known and however it turns out, God will get the Glory and has your best interest at hand.I can now grasp the notion without the added commotion!

May His peace & joy rest upon all ya'll.Have a rockin' day!

Nakisha 'Kisha' Guzman

Kisha, The Writer:www.balancedandpurposed.com

Kisha, The Mama & Wife:kishag.blogspot.com

Kisha, The Wellness Lady:www.nakishaguzman.com

During many rushed mornings and late evenings this was a part of my prayer: "Heavenly, Father, make me more like Christ". While this is a journey that every believer should seek to travel, we must be spiritually prepared for each aspect of growth that comes along with such a request. When you wear or speak that WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) slogan, are you sure you are ready for the challenge?

I was unprepared. I considered only the good aspects of being Christ-like; things like kindness, peacefulness, witnessing, spiritual gifts and so forth...you know, all the feel good stuff. Boy, did God answer my prayers! I spent a year or so suffering. Now, my suffering was not like the great sacrifice that He made for us but a form of suffering it was. In my suffering, I grew in many ways. I learned how to pray the Word, I began fasting not just my selfish ambitions but fasting to truly hear from Him, I learned to recognize spiritual warfare & oppressive spirits, I learned what silence really feels like and learned how important it is to have spiritual mentor and a prayer partner.

Let me be honest, while I was in it, I didn't recognize it as a process of growth; I didn't recognize my prayers being answered. Now, I see and I am one step closer. So when you pray Psalm 26:2, get ready! The Lord will always answers your prayers. It may not be the answer you expect but it will be the right answer for your calling, for your purpose, and for your destiny!

Nakisha 'Kisha' Guzman

Kisha, The Writer:www.balancedandpurposed.com

Kisha, The Mama & Wife:kishag.blogspot.com

Kisha, The Wellness Lady:www.nakishaguzman.com

I'm a planner. I love to-do-lists, calendars, schedules and goal sheets. I'm a visionary, I see only the greatness and potential for success. I have more ideas in my head than I know what to do with. I enjoy helping others start ventures and I enjoy starting ventures. If I could learn something in a month, do it for a month, move every month.I would. I receive great fulfillment from helping others, exhorting others and giving to others. This is just who I am, it's a part of my core make-up. I like action, I like being busy, I mean I am invigorated just typing this! God knew I needed balance so he beautifully designed my life so that I have that balance. His design keeps my passions ignited with a flame that is divinely timed, controlled & purposeful. I didn't always realize this or see his hand at work!

We are ALL special to God, uniquely gifted, purposed for His glory and destined for 'our level' of greatness. Doesn't this all sound wonderful? It's because it is wonderful and can be most fulfilling when used to pursue God's agenda. Proverbs 19:21 teaches us that we humans are always brainstorming our options and making plans but God's purpose will prevail. Here are recent examples: I have two friends who were trying to prevent pregnancy and yet found themselves having children this year! His purpose prevailed.

Jeremiah 1:5 tells us that before each of us was born, God set our purpose, He designed us specifically for fulfilling it. So where's the problem you might be wondering? Well, here it is: As Christian humans living in a world that is not our own, we tend to conform or submit to its powerful influence. We are self-centered and our lives are filled with our selfish pursuits. We pursue and create our plans, our agendas, our ideas and we selfishly ask God to bless it. I am speaking from my own personal experience. I am speaking as a person who is still being transformed in her thinking of what & when I need to do. Initially, it was not easy for me to grasp this, so many years of living for self had my mind trained differently. It's not easy to abandon your ambitions but once you do this and genuinely seek Him.He will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that will amaze you, Malachi 3:10. Remember, being blessed isn't all about money, it is also about peace of mind, clarity & divine guidance, joy in the midst of turmoil, patience and a new kind of faith!

i am but a vessel,

Nakisha 'Kisha' Guzman

Through My eyes: http://www.balancedandpurposed.com/

A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new! Albert Einstein