tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20030179368709845112024-03-19T02:32:00.352-05:00www.danettedillon.comUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger425125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-91204905453108062542022-03-16T01:26:00.001-05:002022-03-16T01:26:56.686-05:00Standing in a Dark Office Waiting On Clean Sheets<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQB2t41AuPbmT_3sMKFkf1AYIqSHkqNSySBhYYAAVpUbNblL_dn2spX9WHCMz0FO_9huhNqIEenMW93QG5juBHEzIXbbhrKmKuuahGEIUJjvwEwCTXeEjp-ffbZAIPD_ww8F7E0taKT-jf73CuDst0Xtn9lns_IAOoU4EGRx7ObTxkVUSDJjO7Xxj2=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQB2t41AuPbmT_3sMKFkf1AYIqSHkqNSySBhYYAAVpUbNblL_dn2spX9WHCMz0FO_9huhNqIEenMW93QG5juBHEzIXbbhrKmKuuahGEIUJjvwEwCTXeEjp-ffbZAIPD_ww8F7E0taKT-jf73CuDst0Xtn9lns_IAOoU4EGRx7ObTxkVUSDJjO7Xxj2=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have this thing with clean sheets. There’s nothing like crawling into a fluffy bed of freshly washed, still-warm-from-the-iron sheets. </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-4d445cde-7fff-8af2-f6b0-cfd7813d6230"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Come to find out, my old-man-of-a-dog likes it too. His name is Jackson</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most people don’t know, but I’ve been on the road to recovery from a long illness, so naturally I’ve been spending a lot of time in my bed. Jackson has proven his faithfulness by taking up residence at the end of my bed. He’s always preferred my bed to his bed, but in the last months his refusal to sleep anywhere but at the foot of my bed has increased.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today I mustered up the energy to do a deep wash of my sheets. (A deep wash includes all of the blankets, pillow top mattress cover, and shams.) By the time all of the bedding was dry it was fairly late, and by late I mean 10PM. Jackson likes to go to bed around 9PM. Once he’s in bed, there’s pretty much no way to get him to move without the grumpy old man dog coming out. But the bed had to be made and him had to move.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At first, I was able to chase him out of the room only to discover he had taken up residence on the couch. A few minutes into reapplying all of the many layers to the bed, I hear the clip-clop of his paws on the wood floor. Making eye contact will only make him think he has permission to climb aboard, so I just listen. I thought he would probably make his way back to the couch. Instead, I look out of the door of my bedroom to see him standing in the dark office watching me put the sheets on the bed.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He was just standing there. In the dark. Bright eyes. Watching. Waiting. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I laughed so hard.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have to wonder if that’s how God looks at me. He’s masterfully working on creating little blessings and retreats in my life and I’m just standing there. In the dark. Bright eyes. Watching. Impatiently waiting.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The sad part is, I’d be totally fine to get into bed halfway made without all the added beautiful touches of a freshly pressed top sheet or decorative pillows or the nurse tucked corners. He has to shew me off again and again. “Just wait. Just HOLD ON. Do you want the nurse tuck or not?!” Now, Jackson is just a dog and he’ll never truly understand the beauty and comfort of the nurse tucked corners, but as a human, I know the comfort of the nurse tuck. It is my preference. But waiting is hard when you’re really tired of waiting. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unfortunately, good enough will never be the best. Good enough will never be God’s best. Which means, waiting is what’s best.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the end, Jackson refused to wait for me to finish. He climbed up into bed and would not leave. I was able to finish, but it would have been so much easier without him on the bed. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Clearly, he prefers freshly washed, still-warm-from-the-iron sheets too. He just does not understand the joy wigging your toes down into warm sheets firmly tucked at the corners. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If only he had waited…and been human.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-73885176969423020762021-01-11T11:52:00.002-06:002021-01-11T11:52:42.492-06:00Intention Word for 2021<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgibptOmbphNCXdphVCbK24FvWuLlYcZTw3-3GT2eWblJ8XF1aZl2q8Sdhp0BXiWamV-4zclE3HRLwzJPpbLPJumkOLUYjUbGMChW7WRydctc1rsdyPZZaGnPyHkrahx4WJmPSUU1uVj8s/s1277/Launch+2021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1277" data-original-width="828" height="1058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgibptOmbphNCXdphVCbK24FvWuLlYcZTw3-3GT2eWblJ8XF1aZl2q8Sdhp0BXiWamV-4zclE3HRLwzJPpbLPJumkOLUYjUbGMChW7WRydctc1rsdyPZZaGnPyHkrahx4WJmPSUU1uVj8s/w687-h1058/Launch+2021.jpg" width="687" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">A few years ago, I picked up a common practice of choosing a word to pursue for that year. One of the first years I added this practice to my routine I chose to focus on the word was grace. In that year I intentionally practiced giving and receiving grace for myself and for others. At the time there was no way I could have realized I would walk through one of the most difficult years of my life. I’m thankful that I established that practice because grace became a necessity as my dearest friends, my faith community, and I walked through a period of deep and unrelenting loss and grief.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16.7px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">After focusing on grace I found myself needing to change my focus to health. What started as a one year journey actually spilled into three years. Health is more than a number on a scale. For me, I had allowed many unhealthy practices to enter my body, my mind, my emotions, and my environment. Health in these areas remains a journey in process, but great strides have occurred and continue to occur. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16.7px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">Enters 2020. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16.7px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">Last January, consumed with fresh ideas, I thought I was ready to launch into those God-given dreams. I made preparations, I was organized, and I was on a path to financial and emotional freedom that would allow me to launch. But, as we moved into the year, I found that everything else would have to be put on hold in order to stay alive. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16.7px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">And I’ve been working to stay alive ever since. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16.7px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">In many ways the practices I established during my years of grace and health were threatened, but I was fighting to stay alive. I found determination to live, but often that determination to live become determination to win wars which is entirely two different things. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16.7px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">And now, as we collectively begin to take up space in 2021, I feel fear to publicly or privately state an intention word for this year. However, even in fear, I feel the necessity to openly declare a focus word. I keep telling myself, “You need to do this. You need to press in. You need to stop putting off what you were created to do. You need to step into the plans you felt so compelled to make.”</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16.7px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">In reality, identifying and owning my word for 2021 will require me to reclaim much of the grace and health that I lost in my fight to stay alive. But somehow I’m ready to do that. I’m ready to live with grace for myself and for others. I’m ready to be healthy emotionally, mentally, and physically. I’m ready to LAUNCH into destiny. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16.7px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">I read somewhere last week that it’s okay to go away until you feel ready. But I’ve been gone long enough and now I’m ready to LAUNCH. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16.7px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: inherit;">Welcome back, me. </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-61204034633734290022020-04-03T14:45:00.000-05:002020-04-03T14:45:23.264-05:00Staring at the Ceiling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_Q3j-u8JUcA89K2JtRXFIdu533FRlj3MBdhyphenhyphenCRhyV7_Zchhqgt_jz82HRVhcO6J92YRlVT_RCtcGCwYmciU-sMJs4p5ZnIMh3v6DntJTmC4hAXxQinz59tV9fr-S23Ej117iN-fgy9U/s1600/fan_t20_JYv7RE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_Q3j-u8JUcA89K2JtRXFIdu533FRlj3MBdhyphenhyphenCRhyV7_Zchhqgt_jz82HRVhcO6J92YRlVT_RCtcGCwYmciU-sMJs4p5ZnIMh3v6DntJTmC4hAXxQinz59tV9fr-S23Ej117iN-fgy9U/s640/fan_t20_JYv7RE.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm just going to be honest and tell the world; last night I was in a very dark place.<br />
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I had finished my evening routine combing through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter doing my nightly "research" (if you know, you know, and if you're female, you probably do), when the most incredible, deep sense of hopelessness came on me. Honestly, the hopelessness is always there just creeping below the surface of my conscience mind. Usually I keep it at bay with noise and lots of distractions. Last night was just a fluke. My routine failed to keep the darkness at bay. On my wilderness journey I have noticed my frustration does show up in my attitudes. Thankfully, my closest friend and my family usually can over look my negativity and judgmental attitude with grace. Then again, it's my tendency to retreat into secrecy during stress causes me to shut out those people I need the most. <br />
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It's just this vicious cycle.<br />
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But, last night, in those moments of inaudible, breathless wails, pounding my fists at the sky, I began to understand Moses's great sin--the very sin that prevented him from the Promise Land. In the account recorded in Numbers 20, I don't believe that Moses ever intended to disobey God. I do, however, believe he was frustrated and angry and sad and very, very lonely. I think the pressure of the people demanding water in a wilderness--a literal desert--was a little too much for him. I think the grief of burying his sister, Miriam, the girl who watched through reeds in the Nile, weighed on his heart. Moses and Aaron were gaining in years, and I sure the pressure of mentoring a replacement for his brother and himself consumed his thoughts. So, when God tells him to speak to the rock rather than to hit the rock as he had in Exodus 17, I can understand the mess up. I don't believe it was intentional. I believe his actions were the result of pent up emotion and passion.<br />
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Whatever his intention, the act of striking rather than speaking to the rock disqualified Moses from the Promise Land. God still miraculously provided the water, but Moses would never step foot into the Land of Promise.<br />
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Knowing these results of Moses's mistake frightens me deeply. I don't want to miss my Promise Land because of my obedience in the wilderness. To take a cue from the popular Tik-Toc video, I wish there was a switch I could flip that would change my feelings, and I, for sure, wish there was a switch that would change my circumstances. Right now, I desperately miss the carefree, fun-loving, adventure seeker that lives on the inside of me. If I knew how to find her I would chase her down and capture her and never let her go. Part of me thinks I left her on a mountain side staring head first into the wind tempting fate to just try and blow me to the rocks below. And maybe I did leave her there. But how do I get her back? How do I find my way back to that place?<br />
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I still believe that light will always find me. I still believe that God is for me. I still believe that God is good and gracious and loving. I still passionately believe He possesses all of those qualities. I still believe that God is fighting for me. I still believe He's working.<br />
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It's just last night...last night was a hard night. And I'm thankful that God is okay with my hard nights. And He's okay with yours too. He's strong enough to shoulder them. And you know what else? He's still working even on your hard nights and the mornings after. <br />
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This morning, I woke up, looked in the mirror at eyes that were a little more swollen and red than usual, and then I moved on. I'm going to be faithful. I'm going to pursue His presence. I'm going to strive for holiness. I'm going to trust God even if it's a little darker than normal.<br />
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When I do think about Moses and his mistake, I have to remember this: he didn't set foot in the Promise Land, but he did get to see it. He looked down off of his mountain, wind blowing in his face, and saw the Promise Land. There was grace for his dark place too.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-51549544221732026352018-11-19T00:36:00.000-06:002018-11-19T09:56:49.142-06:00Light vs. Darkness: The Light Always Wins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Mi5AQkv0ipyyBp3OvkcSPr2QXNm5KR5kZEbHYpIuu4adOUtaORlTBaov7xbGCCC0DDxPINe8FYL4ponQbIM6aHjadMs7COp_tDXzaPS4M_s4F_Z1Ng4r3N3n8_XAYXiOtWBB4IQKIyU/s1600/Abbey+Chuny.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="725" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Mi5AQkv0ipyyBp3OvkcSPr2QXNm5KR5kZEbHYpIuu4adOUtaORlTBaov7xbGCCC0DDxPINe8FYL4ponQbIM6aHjadMs7COp_tDXzaPS4M_s4F_Z1Ng4r3N3n8_XAYXiOtWBB4IQKIyU/s1600/Abbey+Chuny.png" /></a></div>
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Bursting through the colored glass the light splashed across my face. The kaleidoscope of colors twisted and turned as the clouds pushed and pulled rays of light through the sky and across the cracked walls and crevasses of war marred stone. Though slightly chilled from the brush of wind on my back, the light warmed me through and through--all the way to my cold bones.<br />
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Standing amazed--stunned even--the light helped me to see mysteries and truths hidden in the darkness of time, hurt, and weariness. The light and the wind pushed aside the internal cobwebs birthing clarity to hidden visions and dreams.<br />
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That was the experience I had at the century old Chuny Abbey, France, as I walked on the stones and tiles that priest and lay-people alike walked on, knelt on, prayed on. Somehow in the ruins of this bombed out Abbey the light still poured through the remaining stained glass. <br />
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I felt the light and it changed me.<br />
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It's impossible to hide from light. Light will always find you. As a child, my mom rarely shouted me awake. She just turned on the light. And that was enough to pull me from slumber into awareness. Even with my head under the floral sheets, knowing the light was on was enough to stir me from sleep. I wished that light gone. I wished those frosted globes dark. But no amount of wishing would turn those lights out. Morning had come and it was time to wake up.<br />
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Our need for light is never attached to our desire for light. We will always need light. Just like water, a plant needs light to complete photosynthesis. Photosynthesis creates oxygen. Oxygen is the very breath in our bodies. Light is just as much a necessity for life as water or oxygen.<br />
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But desire? <br />
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Desire light?<br />
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Desire is an entirely different thing. <br />
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God brings light to our lives in many ways. Sometimes through people. Sometimes through situations. Sometimes through heartache. Sometimes through nature. Darkness brings a form of ignorance. Darkness allows us to blissfully reside in complacency, fast asleep, hiding from reality. But, just as it was in my childhood, once the light is on, escaping the light is impossible. There is no amount of wishing that will turn that light dark.<br />
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Now that I've stood in the light, there is a great fear in me. I'm afraid the cold black will haunt my heart again. Can I be honest? Sometimes I feel the icy fingers of darkness creep toward my heart threatening to shut out the sun. But I've lived in the light, in the warmth, in the joy. There's no way I can ever be satisfied to live in the dark or even the dimness of light's embrace.<br />
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In someways, I feel like a little child again...the one we all were when the lights first went out. The one we were before we grew accustomed to the dark. I'm scared of the monsters that might be under the bed or behind the door or just inside the closet.<br />
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But even if that darkness does come back, whether it's for a night or for a long while, I know that I'm not alone in the dark. The Holy Spirit is with me bringing light to every dark place in my mind, my body, and my soul. He will warm the cold places. He will bring clarity to my vision. He will give me passion to reach for my God-given dreams. And, even though I'm in the darkness now, He won't leave me in the dark forever.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-303736266420468012018-10-26T15:29:00.000-05:002018-10-26T15:29:28.509-05:00Learning to Walk Through the Open Door<div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Everywhere around me I’m being told that strong women are self-reliant, hard working, unstoppable forces. I cannot tell you how many Instagram posts I’ve seen featuring sloganed materiel with the phrases “make sh*t happen,” “girls run the world,” or “girl power.” The list of idioms is pretty much endless. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">When I first started seeing these posts, I double tapped with furver. I believe in the power of women. I believe that women can change the world. I believe that women are unstoppable forces. I believe women can and should be able to do everything a man can do. But now, years later, I have to wonder if the women’s rights dialogue is doing us any good. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">While there’s plenty of truth to the importance of a woman believing in herself and supporting herself and supporting other women, I’m afraid this dialogue has failed at its original purpose. Instead of empowering women to partner with men, cross gender boundaries, the only success I see is making the hearts of strong women hard and unkind and the minds of weak women stubborn, unteachable, and completely self-centered. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Before we start calling for pitch forks or a <i>Handmaiden’s Tale</i> stoning please read with my heart’s intent. I believe women <u>are</u> entitled to as much education as they want. They <u>should</u> grow their knowledge and their understanding. They <u>should</u> have equal paying jobs. They <u>should</u> have meaningful work that employs their strengths. They <u>should</u> find fulfillment in their life’s purpose. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">As a woman in full time ministry, I clearly see the social injustices on women in the professional world. I live in a man’s world. I know, from personal experience, the loneliness I feel when I walk into a room of ministers and pastors that are all male. I’m excluded from conversations, given polite smiles as the token woman, and never recognized for the importance or influence of my life’s work to the people I love and serve. Instead, I’m recognized for my beauty, my "female" talents, my personality, my social media charm, or my father or grandfather’s ministerial success. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">It’s hurtful. It’s painful. And it’s wrong. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">But, I have to tell you, I have difficult time believing that just getting my masters in an all female cohort or just joining a support group where my grievances can be aired or just demanding attention from my leadership will do any actual good. In fact, I believe it does more to hurt my reputation than anything else. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Women have the power and authority to be anything God has called them to be. But, I know God’s character enough to know that He did not create any woman or man to be hard, unloving, closed-minded, self-centered, OR self-reliant. God created us for relationship with each other and for partnership with God. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">My parents raised all their daughters to be individualists. There’s a bunch of family dynamics that play into my personality and the choices I’ve made. But, just so we don’t muddy the waters, let’s just say that I am generally very strong, slightly stubborn, and hard working. I’m pretty blunt and definitely determined. I’m not a perfectionists, but excellence is a personal value. To top that off, for many reasons, I’ve been in a season of singleness for quite awhile which essentially means, if necessary, I can change a flat tire myself. I rarely allow anyone, man or woman, to assist me. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Recently, my closest guy friend and I retrieved lunch for ourselves and a few friends. It was my turn to drive and I happened to be carrying the take out meals that we had purchased. Purse on my arm, keys in my hand, I had a plan on how I was going to get in the vehicle. I would just put the drinks on top of the car, open the backseat door, throw my purse and the food in the backseat, and then put the drinks in the cup holders in the front. That was my plan. I was ready to make it happen. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">And then my friend did something I hadn’t </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">planned for. He walked ahead and opened the driver side door.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">It seems little, I know, but I realized in that moment that I had a choice. I could accept his help and adjust my plan to accommodate his thoughtful care or I could reject his assistance. My plan required more time and effort on my part, but it was <i><b>my plan</b></i> making it optimal for me. His action of assistance required a level of vulnerability of myself. To accept the open door, I would have to acknowledge that <b><i>his plan was better than mine</i></b>. It demonstrated kindness, preference, and thoughtfulness. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Now, if you’re a guy reading this I’m sure this internal dialogue is baffling. But I assure you, a civil war raged in my mind for the entirety of three seconds. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Ultimately, I chose to accept his help. Truthfully, it was a little difficult, but I’m really glad that I did. Accepting his help required nothing of me except choosing to see a better way and walking through the already open door. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">So what does this story have to do with the whole women’s power thing?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Well, everything. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Perhaps it’s just me, but I think most women only see the closed door that’s guarded by ten men. That’s the door we want to walk through. We’ve pictured in our minds what walking through that door will look like...what it will feel like. The adventure. The acceptance. The validation. If only we could get these ridiculous men to move out of our way. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: white; font-family: -apple-system, ".AppleColorEmojiUI"; font-size: 13px;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">But if we would allow ourselves to look around the room, I bet there’s a good chance we’ll see another door not guarded by a man, but opened wide for us to walk through. I propose we stop trying to fight our way into a door that we’re never going to get open and look for another door that leads to the same place. Look for the men who are self-assured enough to open the door for women. Be a woman self-assured enough to walk through a door opened by a man. Recognize that you don’t have to open the door yourself. You just have to be brave enough to accept a door that someone else opened. Be brave enough to recognize that assistance is not weakness. It’s teamwork. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: white; font-family: -apple-system, ".AppleColorEmojiUI"; font-size: 13px;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">When I think about God’s plan for humanity, it’s not difficult to find that teamwork plays a significant role in the success of actualizing God’s plan. For example, everybody knows of the successful Apostle Paul. But his success wasn’t achieved on his own. The door for his success was opened by Barnabas. If Barnabas had not spoken up for Paul, validating his conversion and call, the mistrust of the early church would have significantly diminished or thwarted his success all together (Acts 9). And Barnabas was only the first of many team-working partnerships that Paul benefited from. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: white; font-family: -apple-system, ".AppleColorEmojiUI"; font-size: 13px;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Now, sure, Paul was male, but there are multiple examples in God’s Word of doors opened by men for women too. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Barak opened the door for Deborah. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">David opened the door for Abagail. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Boaz opened the door for Ruth. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Mordecai opened the door for Esther. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Elijha opened the door for the Shumanite Woman. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: white; font-family: -apple-system, ".AppleColorEmojiUI"; font-size: 13px;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">And these are just some of the examples in the Old Testament.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Teamwork and community among the genders is part of God’s plan. We—humanity—working together in partnership with the Holy Spirit can only be more successful. The challenge for both genders is recognizing that there are plenty of doors. We don’t have to protect doors from each other. We have to recognize there are some doors that are ours to open and there are some doors that are ours to walk through. Either way, teamwork makes the dream work. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, "Be an opener of doors for such as come after thee." Generation to generation, male to female, there is power is working together toward one common goal. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Purpose in your heart to be brave. Be brave enough to open doors. Be brave enough acknowledge that your way may not be the best way. Be brave enough to walk through a door that someone else opened for you.</span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-1237341923525005422018-04-27T08:00:00.000-05:002018-04-27T08:00:08.188-05:00Hello, My Name is Danette<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After being gone for over a year, it feels like I should reintroduce myself.<br />
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My name is still Danette Dillon. Jackson is still my beloved schnauzer. I still live with my sister, Dalayna, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I still passionately love and serve the CrossPoint community. I'm still involved in the Tulsa Arts community. I still love Jesus and His presence more than life.<br />
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Through those constants in life, there's been quite a shifting too. In the blogging world transparency is the best gift we can give a reader. Generally, I'm an open book, but, for now, could have permission just to keep these things to myself? Maybe someday I'll want to share more, but today's not that day.<br />
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And it probably won't be tomorrow either.<br />
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How can change and consistency coexist? It's like they both live congruently in my life. And I both love it and hate it. <br />
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As I've been processing some of the changes happening in my life, I've decided to journal/blog. My experience is not incredibly unique. However, I bet if I'm feeling a little lost, a little hopeless, a little waterlogged, perhaps, there's someone else out there in this great wide world of the internet that might feel the same way. And if someone else feels the same way, then I'm not so lost or hopeless or waterlogged. And, I'm not alone.<br />
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And that gives me great comfort.<br />
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The writer of Ecclesiastes 3 shares a long discourse on the different seasons of life. There's a time and a season for everything that happens in life, but whether mourning or laughing, God is sovereign. Whether you feel scattered or pulled together, God is sovereign. Whether a war wages deep in my heart and mind or if I live in the perfect place of peace, God is sovereign.<br />
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My emotions do not dictate the character of God. He is loving whether I feel Him or not. He is present whether I feel Him or not. He cares for me whether I sense Him or not. He is just whether I see justice or not. My emotions do not define God's character.<br />
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And, your emotions do not define God's character either.<br />
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I wish that I could tell you that your emotions and your circumstances are going to change. I wish I could tell you that your whole world is going to be turned right side up. From over here in the Upside Down, I wish I could. But I can't. <br />
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However, I can tell you that your emotions and my emotions do not change who God is.<br />
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And He is enough.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-11360388404382444792017-01-09T09:00:00.000-06:002017-01-09T09:00:07.008-06:00Welcome to 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I believe 2017 is going to be a wonderful year. Just like every other year it will be marked with it's own set of difficulties and challenges. That's life. But my response to those difficulties and challenges will shape my future.<div>
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I am believing for God to bring many exciting blessing to 2017. I will embrace the challenges and the blessings together and trust God to lead me through both with grace.</div>
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Today I'm guest posting on <a href="http://thepearlpress.me/" target="_blank">The Pearl Press</a>. <a href="http://thepearlpress.me/" target="_blank">The Pearl Press</a> is an online magazine, mostly for women but not entirely, helping us discover beauty under pressure. I'd love for you to jump over there and check out their <a href="http://thepearlpress.me/" target="_blank">site</a>. They also have a very active <a href="http://www.facebook.com/tpearlpress" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Facebook</span></a> community that you might want to engage with.</div>
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I've made my commitments and I've written my life values and I'm ready to live those out with purpose! </div>
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What are you looking forward to in 2017?</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-84873841112719224412016-09-21T07:55:00.000-05:002017-05-21T23:20:48.810-05:00Short and Sweet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_KjtPuTid6BYnHZg5f26OfW_6KpDoxCExNGy13NX1dh9jVfHsbcOdVo9-wSrv5V2B7DOpOKATsKcT5_RuQzjG01s41t6ckf96dEKEIAQjjqdlDCHHur3cj2tCjWSCmxFybSrdYtaxoDw/s1600/hot+air+ballon+near+water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_KjtPuTid6BYnHZg5f26OfW_6KpDoxCExNGy13NX1dh9jVfHsbcOdVo9-wSrv5V2B7DOpOKATsKcT5_RuQzjG01s41t6ckf96dEKEIAQjjqdlDCHHur3cj2tCjWSCmxFybSrdYtaxoDw/s1600/hot+air+ballon+near+water.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Talent doesn't mean a thing if you don't have humility, work ethic, and vision.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">K.O. Olusola</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-59610989278616009442016-09-20T02:49:00.000-05:002017-05-21T23:21:01.249-05:00a Fall Reading List: Warm Up from the Inside Out<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqikrv2R4ClDDNVgnZdoI39MWGMODf8bo27yevNPtbLqVP_IAHd2PQYqksM8hGhVXQFixEfSmGPc1OOm9t5SKsCYAcQqd7uLyuGwFc-4edZkvIB_7oo7qGsfg5A6nkf4gD1wkSlUacmqw/s1600/fall_book_list_2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqikrv2R4ClDDNVgnZdoI39MWGMODf8bo27yevNPtbLqVP_IAHd2PQYqksM8hGhVXQFixEfSmGPc1OOm9t5SKsCYAcQqd7uLyuGwFc-4edZkvIB_7oo7qGsfg5A6nkf4gD1wkSlUacmqw/s1600/fall_book_list_2016.jpg" /></a></div>
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William Nicholson wrote, "We read to know we're not alone." Whether we're living the stories of imaginary character created in the mind of the author or whether we are sharing emotions and past experiences of the author's own life, the books we love the best are those whose words tear down the walls we put around our life and tie us to a time, a place, a thought, a dream. These are the stories we come back to time and time again. They bring comfort to the broken places in our lives. They bring friendship to our loneliness. <br />
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Somehow, these words we use to make stories bring connectedness. We finally realize we're not alone. The grief we feel from loss is normal. The loneliness we feel happens to other people. The insecurities we live with remind us that we're all human. The joy we feel is normal too. The joy comes from the lessons we learned in the stories--ours and theirs.</div>
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Here's a look at what I'm reading this fall and where you can take them home with you.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Edayspring%2Ecom%2Flysa%2Dterkeurst%2Dunivited" target="_blank"><i>Uninvited</i> by Lysa TerKeurst</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NU24kEPco9nBxoU80wO6Foh6ztUg4V7Ge1U_GT5lk_F4a_ui1Qm5oqDn0oRi71FrZ8m2pp7Tqyms_uNVQyjbEO-tkjYtVNjvCXoIaquYpMAwo2p21jTu5UuMBb4fKhihwUye7tcAQ2E/s1600/uninvited_book_lysa_terkeurst.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NU24kEPco9nBxoU80wO6Foh6ztUg4V7Ge1U_GT5lk_F4a_ui1Qm5oqDn0oRi71FrZ8m2pp7Tqyms_uNVQyjbEO-tkjYtVNjvCXoIaquYpMAwo2p21jTu5UuMBb4fKhihwUye7tcAQ2E/s1600/uninvited_book_lysa_terkeurst.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310344972/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=ddillon3-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0310344972&linkId=c895c5cfa9dd10e89359033881afe5cd" target="_blank">2. <i>Savor</i> by Shauna Niequist</a></span></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW5fUyz_BQ8zCGMSgnKpA68kXk9PGcVHw0msv42gZsiyf1d2XH8MrS3XSe4DpTgt_YEW_m1eUmSmrpSFurCu4TkmbHLWkn6o40l509Fltx3f_ikd5jwLkv1Tx4CwNAdCw_wAO5IlLNaSY/s1600/savor_devotional_book_shauna_niequist.jpg" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/153689785X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=ddillon3-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=153689785X&linkId=49ba0132827c4ead281d34381d49ee7b" target="_blank">3. <i>The Pursuit of God</i> by A.W. Tozer</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7T4uBryeNVTM0bPS6M1hejctyACexgIpVw7LsOc8fhv6z0CtP2tP11aC7alyXY8C1IQuXhnfSxdk1Zm7Ydr5EnnF8BMg1aVl-W_WIXq7_XywuysPoMBzOBJzz3eirThkIKJ1dvq5P7y8/s1600/the_pursuit_of_God_book_AW_Tozer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7T4uBryeNVTM0bPS6M1hejctyACexgIpVw7LsOc8fhv6z0CtP2tP11aC7alyXY8C1IQuXhnfSxdk1Zm7Ydr5EnnF8BMg1aVl-W_WIXq7_XywuysPoMBzOBJzz3eirThkIKJ1dvq5P7y8/s1600/the_pursuit_of_God_book_AW_Tozer.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310342996/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=ddillon3-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0310342996&linkId=7736bc8d8a25c64a259008913025ed02" target="_blank">4. <i>Present Over Perfect</i> by Shauna Niequist</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3V3YBoViw3fZ-yWYE4sqWcVHvXuqgWJ2PzyarIhRhyu4peOH8d3_Sp9uT8BASTQZvWRptabHPMA6mPfV9ZnV_pni2gO5GE415QwLFaqzAzE_BSN2GGbD0hwLmESyILSfdisi2mzKhpM/s1600/present_over_perfect_book_shauna_niequist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3V3YBoViw3fZ-yWYE4sqWcVHvXuqgWJ2PzyarIhRhyu4peOH8d3_Sp9uT8BASTQZvWRptabHPMA6mPfV9ZnV_pni2gO5GE415QwLFaqzAzE_BSN2GGbD0hwLmESyILSfdisi2mzKhpM/s1600/present_over_perfect_book_shauna_niequist.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">What about you? Do you have any must read books on your reading list? Share with us.</span></div>
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<a href="http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=893613&u=864768&m=25848&urllink=&afftrack=" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://static.shareasale.com/image/25848/NewSadie_728x90.jpg" /></a></center>
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Link Ups</div>
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<a href="http://www.thedwellingtree.com/" rel="nofollow" title="Let's Be Friends"><img alt="Let's Be Friends" src="http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg553/tiffanycutcliff/BlogHopButtonFinal_southern_zps3ce2c2e1.png" style="border: none;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.thesweetsensations.com/celebrate-your-story-link-party-44/" target="_blank">Celebrate Your Story Link Up</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-80164336990709647202016-09-09T07:00:00.000-05:002017-05-21T23:21:17.117-05:00The Freedom to Abide<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Last year my sister, <a href="http://dalaynadillon.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Dalayna</a>, asked me to join a team of her friends that were starting a unique work. It's an online magazine called <a href="http://www.thepearlpress.me/" target="_blank">The Pearl Press</a>. This month is the one year anniversary of the launch that that endeavor. I am so proud of this group of women who are seeking the face of God and have a desire to be molded into His image.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Last month, I shared this post on their magazine, but I thought I would share it with you today. I hope it blesses your heart and compels you to abide in Christ and in all He created you to be.</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUfl-1QzT9cVHuVvjRROiIvn8_IFD49cfDRDcY9dotBck2wBXECPszcI-C4nGTIlZK9zUh1HRi-WNr1V13rUZG8S5OxzEgGz4uo65SVC_Tfo0B2xo3ReXxz3GY7wZQv_z9gbVmTBmu0U/s1600/abide+in+me+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUfl-1QzT9cVHuVvjRROiIvn8_IFD49cfDRDcY9dotBck2wBXECPszcI-C4nGTIlZK9zUh1HRi-WNr1V13rUZG8S5OxzEgGz4uo65SVC_Tfo0B2xo3ReXxz3GY7wZQv_z9gbVmTBmu0U/s1600/abide+in+me+4.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the most difficult challenges we will ever be forced to face is a challenge we see everyday. We stare into her eyes. We hate many of the things she does. As a matter of fact, we often tell her how much we hate her for the ignorant decisions she makes. Does she listen? Usually not. Instead, we find her a week or two later right back in the same broken place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We tried to tell her. We tried to warn her. We tried our best to get her to listen. We flapped our arms and raised our voice. We even slapped her around just a little bit--not much though--just enough to get her to stop.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">She's always doing it:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Over-scheduling.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Over-committing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Over-eating.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Over-spending.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Over-working.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh, but the list goes on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">She doesn't work out enough.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">She's a procrastinator.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">She talks too much.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">She makes herself look like an idiot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">She doesn't spend enough time with her family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">She doesn't cook home meals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">She doesn't invite people over to her house.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">She doesn't take vacations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">She doesn't keep her house spotless.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And to top it all off, she drives way too fast and passes over-sized loads on the shoulder.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The worst challenge, the most difficult person we will ever be forced to face, is That Woman we stare at everyday in the mirror.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">She's a sly one, That Woman, and far too often we find ourselves in a love/hate relationship with the eyes staring back at us in the morning as we brush our teeth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm not here today writing to compel you to accept That Woman and love her completely as she is. I think we should all love ourselves. We should all accept our personality. We should all accept our flaws, but we also have to remember that we are all on a journey to become more like Christ--to become less like ourselves and more like Him. (<a href="http://ctt.ec/7by8d" target="_blank">click to tweet</a>) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Paul wrote in Romans 7:15, "<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate." Sometimes we do live out the actions we hate. We're human. We mess up and sometimes a lot. </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">But it's in this journey, this walk up a long hill, that I really want to write about today.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">Last week, I found myself sitting at a table with a group of women at a retreat. I love all of these women so much. We have too much fun. Literally, too much fun. The retreat center was very large and there were multiple retreats happening at the same location. We all had separate living quarters, but we shared the dining hall. One of the other retreats that occurred on the same camp ground was a men's retreat.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">We're sitting at this table and in walk the gentlemen. I'm not the only single woman at the retreat, but the odds were definitely against me. It's just kind of a joke that most "still single" woman (and especially in the church) have to face is the uh-which-one-do-you-like game. For the most part, I'm fine with it. It's just for fun. Plus, I have my share of celebrity and not celebrity crushes too. The rouse is usually the same. I say in a hushed voice, "Maybe table 2, but let me show you a picture of who I'm really after."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">It's always great fun. Everybody always laughs. By the end of the conversation it's usually very loud.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">After the guffawing quieted down I sat back in my seat and look around the table I was sitting at. It felt like every single eye was on me judging me.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">Now, I know they weren't. I know those woman love me. I know they value me. And I love and value them. But there was something about the stillness of their eyes that made me feel about three inches tall. And then I said, under my breath, "I just hate when I make myself feel like a fool."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">And I do. I hate that. I do it a lot, but I hate it. I hate that <i>action</i> about myself. But, I'm working on it. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">On this life journey there has to be a level of grace that we extend to ourselves. We have to give ourself grace grow. We have to give ourself grace to take the journey. We're not going to get everything right all the time. In fact, we're going to get life and this journey wrong most of the time. Still, we have to give ourself grace to develop into the women of God we are called to be.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">We can only live in that grace when we start to accept who we are in Christ and to abide in That Truth. We have to live in That Truth. (<a href="http://ctt.ec/p0egc" target="_blank">click to tweet</a>) </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">I love what Ann Voskamp wrote about the practicing of abiding in Christ. She wrote:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Abide. Because it's never about your capabilities. When you're in covenant with Christ, it's His responsibility to cover your cracks, to be all your competency and completeness. Inabilities, in Christ, are made all-sufficient, just-right abilities. Abandon worry--and wholly abide.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25px;">Jesus said it Himself in John 15:17, </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">"</span><span class="highl" style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Abide in Me, and I will abide in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. </span><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who abides in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">There's a freedom that comes from recognizing and accepting that <i><b>without Christ I can do nothing</b></i>. There is equal freedom in </span></span><span style="line-height: 20px;">recognizing</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> and accepting that <b><i>in Christ I can do all things</i></b>. In the journey, we all have roles to take. We all have positions to play, but ours is never to judge ourselves or others. Our role is never to lead. </span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">It's always to rest. </span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">It's always to follow. </span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">It's always to abide.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">When we give grace to ourselves and accept That Truth and learn to abide--to rest-- in Christ, it sure does make That Woman easier to live with on this journey of grace and abiding.</span></span></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-61405822494129055852016-09-07T07:00:00.000-05:002017-05-21T23:21:27.236-05:00Short and Sweet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGhazsvhGA5VcUgsGWWRH9eeGmz5pBKmZuZ2eK6EwSr6l7TqkOuAfGxru1_FUseeW6HCO13cZPqd1cadxrRUAXwcDL2gjCwsfJrrWWwhmiO9OGAD51XIuPoSxEBGnrPAXz7wDWoRjdWQ/s1600/how+you+spend+your+life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGhazsvhGA5VcUgsGWWRH9eeGmz5pBKmZuZ2eK6EwSr6l7TqkOuAfGxru1_FUseeW6HCO13cZPqd1cadxrRUAXwcDL2gjCwsfJrrWWwhmiO9OGAD51XIuPoSxEBGnrPAXz7wDWoRjdWQ/s1600/how+you+spend+your+life.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Annie Dillard</span></div>
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Every week, usually on Wednesdays, I post a picture or a quote that I found floating around the internet. It's just something short & sweet.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-13475080883168948122016-08-31T15:57:00.000-05:002016-08-31T15:57:52.118-05:00Short and Sweet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvVlCnaw7kf499sHMIO5NRuFVtGyefSD_XkapTEMAksuOvXMwwT-Yd7Y2u88Y1tUShE4PsRIOEJmqJ4XvMcYcZrNasaOkWY043ogaHnCduyvrOeSGUBh88e4hyphenhyphentGgd5ZWBi-E_Qeu_QQ/s1600/passion_and_drive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvVlCnaw7kf499sHMIO5NRuFVtGyefSD_XkapTEMAksuOvXMwwT-Yd7Y2u88Y1tUShE4PsRIOEJmqJ4XvMcYcZrNasaOkWY043ogaHnCduyvrOeSGUBh88e4hyphenhyphentGgd5ZWBi-E_Qeu_QQ/s1600/passion_and_drive.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvVlCnaw7kf499sHMIO5NRuFVtGyefSD_XkapTEMAksuOvXMwwT-Yd7Y2u88Y1tUShE4PsRIOEJmqJ4XvMcYcZrNasaOkWY043ogaHnCduyvrOeSGUBh88e4hyphenhyphentGgd5ZWBi-E_Qeu_QQ/s1600/passion_and_drive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvVlCnaw7kf499sHMIO5NRuFVtGyefSD_XkapTEMAksuOvXMwwT-Yd7Y2u88Y1tUShE4PsRIOEJmqJ4XvMcYcZrNasaOkWY043ogaHnCduyvrOeSGUBh88e4hyphenhyphentGgd5ZWBi-E_Qeu_QQ/s1600/passion_and_drive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><span style="font-size: large;">"The more you are motivated by Love, the more Fearless & Free your action will become."<br />
-Dalai Lama</span></div>
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Every week, usually on Wednesdays, I post an inspirational picture or quote that I found floating around the internet. It's just something short & something sweet.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-75446872355109227552016-08-20T13:58:00.001-05:002016-08-20T13:58:22.933-05:00Weekend Notes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKitL8G31gqhJf8In6oLr0wgywUSSIXdp04IW_zIUgfR0hIpwpYk2d3riXwCD4HnsUpZxVB1PJfKGBp6-YWGSCBkdHO1Dg9mf2SvzbO-RWjeV-_NC1xGEUXEMp9SEw4sJhM9s6K3KNws/s1600/resized.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKitL8G31gqhJf8In6oLr0wgywUSSIXdp04IW_zIUgfR0hIpwpYk2d3riXwCD4HnsUpZxVB1PJfKGBp6-YWGSCBkdHO1Dg9mf2SvzbO-RWjeV-_NC1xGEUXEMp9SEw4sJhM9s6K3KNws/s1600/resized.png" /></a></div>
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The end of summer brings so many wonderful things. It's like we rush to complete those last few things on our summer bucket list. I can always tell when summer is almost gone. The nights get just a little bit longer. The morning weather gets just a little bit cooler. My shoes are always wet with dew after walking the dogs in the morning.<br />
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And it is wonderful. </div>
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I love every second of fall.</div>
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Here's so links from around the internet that you might enjoy reading this weekend.</div>
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<li>My guest post on <a href="http://www.thepearlpress.me/2016/08/abiding-in-grace.html">The Pearl Press</a></li>
<li>This post from <a href="http://hollyfelts.com/blog/hannahjimenez">HollyFelts.com featuring my beautiful friend, Hannah Jimenez</a></li>
<li>For all the list makers in the world this <a href="http://livelaughrowe.com/printable-grocery-list-simple-to-do-list/">printable grocery list from LiveLaughRowe.com</a></li>
<li>I have statement chokers. I love s<a href="http://camillestyles.com/beauty-and-style/the-essential-pieces/statement-choker/">tatement chokers, but wearing them...that's difficult</a></li>
<li>Taking a complement? <a href="http://darlingmagazine.org/accept-compliment-feel-like-fraud/">Is that for me?</a></li>
<li>Hang on to those <a href="http://www.designlovefest.com/2016/08/dress-your-tech-157/">summer rays and dress up</a></li>
<li>Need a quick end-of-the-season <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaaGmSN5mHw">party recipe? Here ya go</a></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have a wonderful weekend and we'll see you Monday for Monday Mocktail.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-55717770917410136422016-07-13T16:58:00.002-05:002016-07-13T16:58:21.809-05:00Short and Sweet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThVvEj46s_bPfMOK30xpFdlrWsq-EHXelyVBVkr5HWLukQvLOpd231OBU65Vt9k5sojCLWG_8nm89zknOYgOLg5cjBYGpczNUws1ASZg1t6eNV_tAw3vdNosb7xGB-9ib65KdKkvcgZM/s1600/short_sweet_july_13_2016_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThVvEj46s_bPfMOK30xpFdlrWsq-EHXelyVBVkr5HWLukQvLOpd231OBU65Vt9k5sojCLWG_8nm89zknOYgOLg5cjBYGpczNUws1ASZg1t6eNV_tAw3vdNosb7xGB-9ib65KdKkvcgZM/s1600/short_sweet_july_13_2016_resized.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://featherandlace.tumblr.com/post/140636098395/grayskymorning-joya-rose">via</a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-34795974115947305532016-06-02T08:00:00.000-05:002017-05-21T23:21:44.178-05:00Home Tour: The BedroomMy sister, <a href="http://www.thepearlpress.me/">Dalayna</a>, and I recently moved into a new house. We love it. Admittedly, setting up house can be a little bit of a challenge. There's always something that you need or forgot to register for. Slowly but surely the house is coming together.<br />
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Here's a first look at my bedroom and also a few resources for you to add key elements to your home.<br />
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By the way, <a href="http://goto.target.com/c/189086/81938/2092?u=www.target.com">Target</a> has a promo code for home purchases. Get 10% off select home items with promo code <a href="http://goto.target.com/c/189086/81938/2092?u=www.target.com">JUNEHOME</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPqBLcAJfKyOohRDNikrAa49xjZlwzcot-nhrjnaFEGR3z0-lG2Zl1zpz5E9W5v8aVrH4qJkFtxqPJliwt4cjjakvMpOqBCZrTOBugI7keQCFaW8-mEOPQfqAjN-lxCc8jy4191Gws3Q/s1600/Room+Tour+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPqBLcAJfKyOohRDNikrAa49xjZlwzcot-nhrjnaFEGR3z0-lG2Zl1zpz5E9W5v8aVrH4qJkFtxqPJliwt4cjjakvMpOqBCZrTOBugI7keQCFaW8-mEOPQfqAjN-lxCc8jy4191Gws3Q/s1600/Room+Tour+6.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwUBjwbJSU6DvZadk55yhjoRPxprVdRyRd0EcM-j1plPIWjNQwu0Sn_dWbIZtlCmXn94yzFTlHnwkWPt7y9wPvw1lGeOytIuK2E9_uhLWKza7K-Tg5aq2lUNdYy7TzFU3Ak0pMvb6oMJI/s1600/Room+Tour+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwUBjwbJSU6DvZadk55yhjoRPxprVdRyRd0EcM-j1plPIWjNQwu0Sn_dWbIZtlCmXn94yzFTlHnwkWPt7y9wPvw1lGeOytIuK2E9_uhLWKza7K-Tg5aq2lUNdYy7TzFU3Ak0pMvb6oMJI/s1600/Room+Tour+8.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMdkfpI_epqLa4YLGdAjq-pfU7Xe4ASRxpaWWUE85musv1j1moIhMxSKFY9d0j6IUOU-LLMLeVqB-BK0XrfUewo2QnKpcgnqo7ZJYIavxqDfO5FJ7nPkB85tYwqgzq3BqshN9jJGKk1U/s1600/Room+Tour+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMdkfpI_epqLa4YLGdAjq-pfU7Xe4ASRxpaWWUE85musv1j1moIhMxSKFY9d0j6IUOU-LLMLeVqB-BK0XrfUewo2QnKpcgnqo7ZJYIavxqDfO5FJ7nPkB85tYwqgzq3BqshN9jJGKk1U/s1600/Room+Tour+5.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://goto.target.com/c/189086/81938/2092?u=http%3A%2F%2Fgoto.target.com%2Fc%2F189086%2F81938%2F2092">One</a> | <a href="http://goto.target.com/c/189086/81938/2092?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2F12-x12-matted-for-8-x8-photo-room-essentials%2F-%2FA-17315150%23prodSlot%3D_1_7">Two</a> | <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=65867&m=11035&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Ewayfair%2Ecom%2FAugmented%2DTetrahedron%2DSculpture%2DMCRR5967%2DMCRR5967%2Ehtml">Three</a> | <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=65867&m=11035&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Ewayfair%2Ecom%2FGlamour%2DOval%2DServing%2DTray%2DD252G%2DD252S%2DBADA1300%2Ehtml">Four</a> | <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=65867&m=11035&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Ewayfair%2Ecom%2FMerced%2DEnd%2DTable%2DLGLY2585%2DLGLY2585%2Ehtml%3Fpiid%255B0%255D%3D17253137">Five</a> | <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=354787&m=37430&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Eonekingslane%2Ecom%2Fp%2F4430791%2Dfaux%2Dsheepskin%2Divory%3Fcat%3D53">Six</a> | <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=120126&m=17025&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Eminted%2Ecom%2Fproduct%2Fwall%2Dart%2Dprints%2FMIN%2DFLU%2DGNA%2Fslopes%3FccId%3D1066220%26org%3Dtitle%26feature%3DBrowse%26event%3Dsku%5Fclick%26sku%3DMIN%2DFLU%2DGNA%26pop%5Frank%3D64%26source%3Dimage%26t%5Fapi%3D1">Seven</a> | <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=65867&m=11035&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Ewayfair%2Ecom%2FClearma%2DSide%2DChair%2DFMI10203%2Dclear%2DFLNE1391%2Ehtml">Eight</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-26242184044048377412016-06-01T16:58:00.001-05:002016-06-01T16:58:49.681-05:00Short and Sweet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgKaR8bO1Mr3-45fITDcrIpsW4ghtlzpeo1YHJj6JEgyOIDTixY6Op7fpBDrrdy4JORxWru-TAX7KNBlpb2eLBekbLhq3c1fnmI0zd8M5Pm-xnFEi5guzvUsROkRVBvT0xHzkgKDRaf8/s1600/shot+and+sweet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgKaR8bO1Mr3-45fITDcrIpsW4ghtlzpeo1YHJj6JEgyOIDTixY6Op7fpBDrrdy4JORxWru-TAX7KNBlpb2eLBekbLhq3c1fnmI0zd8M5Pm-xnFEi5guzvUsROkRVBvT0xHzkgKDRaf8/s1600/shot+and+sweet.jpg" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-6336869468644952122016-05-25T17:15:00.000-05:002017-05-21T23:22:17.665-05:00Short and Sweet<a href="http://s863.photobucket.com/user/leahone4/media/Embrace%20adventure_zpsr4fgmr5b.jpg.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo Embrace adventure_zpsr4fgmr5b.jpg" border="0" src="http://i863.photobucket.com/albums/ab194/leahone4/Embrace%20adventure_zpsr4fgmr5b.jpg" /></a><a href="http://alifelivedwell.tumblr.com/image/144473796956" style="text-align: center;">via</a><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-37483336335859803922016-05-24T03:03:00.000-05:002017-05-21T23:22:29.807-05:00What To Do When Your Dog Eats Your Charger + a Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63Dd-X31uy3kbSCRpk7VZA0rd2RisToTXKf6_qMU76kfwmaAlym0G8DVxGATwgX25wN9E4S6z4uG4UaBcgmk60TzB81-UWEaAoPSvF0EGy0rmYf_hBblfJtCyYOi1u30Kg92Z9H-WPqg/s1600/crewed+charger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63Dd-X31uy3kbSCRpk7VZA0rd2RisToTXKf6_qMU76kfwmaAlym0G8DVxGATwgX25wN9E4S6z4uG4UaBcgmk60TzB81-UWEaAoPSvF0EGy0rmYf_hBblfJtCyYOi1u30Kg92Z9H-WPqg/s1600/crewed+charger.jpg" /></a></div>
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The truth? There's nothing you can do when your dog eats your charger except purchase a new one.<br />
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I know. I know. That's not the answer you wanted to read. You wanted to read a way or ways that you could save yourself from a $75 electronics bill on your credit card, but the reality is that's just about the only thing you can do. I mean, I suppose you could try to use electronic tape and try to secure the two pieces together, but let's be real. Is that really a possibility? Probably not.<br />
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But, even though it may seem like it at the time, that chewed up cord will only define your day if you let it. It's an inconvenience to be sure. It's a burden on the wallet. (How is it possible that one small little cord can cost $75?) But the end of the world? Far from it.<br />
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The quickest way to turn your grey clouds blue is to start thinking of others and doing everything you can to encourage them. It's funny how that small $75 cord matters less and less when you put others first.<br />
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You could...<br />
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1. Send a card to a college friend. (<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Edayspring%2Ecom%2Fcards%2Feveryday%2Dboxed%2Dcards">Here's some beautiful cards from DaySpring.</a>)<br />
2. Invite a friend over <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Edayspring%2Ecom%2Fyourebraverthanyouevenimagineinspirationalmug">for tea or coffee</a>.<br />
3. Send a text to a friend you know is down.<br />
4. Place a bright potted plant on your neighbors door step.<br />
5. Randomly surprise a friend at work with an <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Edayspring%2Ecom%2Fyourebraverthanyouevenimagineinspirationalmug">afternoon pick me up</a>.<br />
6. Pay for the person behind you in the drive thru.<br />
7. Mow the front of your neighbors yard. (Make sure to follow their lines. :))<br />
8. <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Edayspring%2Ecom%2Fgift%2Dshop%2Fjewelry">Purchase a piece of jewelry for a friend.</a><br />
9. Print off a picture of a friend, frame it, and take it to them.<br />
10. <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Edayspring%2Ecom%2Fgift%2Dshop%2Ftableware%2D1">Make dinner for a new mom</a>.<br />
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These are just a few ideas for you. I've joined up with <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Edayspring%2Ecom%2F21%2Ddays%2Dof%2Dencouragement%3Fref%3Dhomepageleft21dayslaunch">DaySpring</a> to do <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Edayspring%2Ecom%2F21%2Ddays%2Dof%2Dencouragement%3Fref%3Dhomepageleft21dayslaunch">21 Days of Encouragement</a>. So far it's going pretty good. Several days I've found myself come to the end of the day and really not have done much. I feel guilty and quickly do something to be an encouragement to someone. The idea of this challenge is not to encourage guilt. It's to help us think. This challenge is encouraging me to think a little bit less about myself and a little bit more about someone else.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMM3zT0P4cjbo3ZBLZLNKq2K8hOkqv486npQDxv5XUHka7mt31zdnzREoooKFlU7rUURYuJhQ6UWZ8zZ7P_BopWHxAJdmkZh6NC4DGsdYkzsSKdJpvicCTDNdAP00cmzhyuNdoFx6zGw/s1600/new+charger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMM3zT0P4cjbo3ZBLZLNKq2K8hOkqv486npQDxv5XUHka7mt31zdnzREoooKFlU7rUURYuJhQ6UWZ8zZ7P_BopWHxAJdmkZh6NC4DGsdYkzsSKdJpvicCTDNdAP00cmzhyuNdoFx6zGw/s1600/new+charger.jpg" /></a></div>
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I have a friend, Alisha, who has been doing to challenge with me. She's an Encourager Rock Star! She sent me a text telling me she decided to write a note to her pediatrician who she was seeing that day. I asked her after the appointment how it went. Her doctor had tears in her eyes! That's what it's all about! Not the making someone else cry, but the making someone else see how important they are.<br />
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If you haven't already, join us on this challenge. Let me know in the comments if you're going to be partnering up too. Tag your social media posts with <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Edayspring%2Ecom%2F21%2Ddays%2Dof%2Dencouragement%3Fref%3Dhomepageleft21dayslaunch">#liveyourfaith, #DaySpring, and #2Thes511</a>. Find out more about 21 Days of Encouragement <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Edayspring%2Ecom%2F21%2Ddays%2Dof%2Dencouragement%3Fref%3Dhomepageleft21dayslaunch">here</a>.<br />
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Use your influence to brighten someone else's day. You'll forget all about that charger.<br />
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Here's a chance for you to win $200 in store credit from <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Edayspring%2Ecom%2F21%2Ddays%2Dof%2Dencouragement%3Fref%3Dhomepageleft21dayslaunch">DaySpring</a>!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-60522543633032740352016-05-13T08:00:00.000-05:002017-05-21T23:22:40.182-05:00the Blue House on the Corner of Washington and Division<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFWe0kywntEhieXye4Wpbc8nQCR2KkhCQO3jcHcGqBnc4KStpYF0F5C7jvNa_kuaP-nSRnmLqjzXinU5mJsBGg4o0J6NBO1m9ohq2MVGggEdnYkMxshdE6oCbZ5WAi39ro1-LrU12Pt8/s1600/19485-Rowayton-House-Tour-Five-Mile-River-Oysterman-Row-Entryway-4ad2fb59.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFWe0kywntEhieXye4Wpbc8nQCR2KkhCQO3jcHcGqBnc4KStpYF0F5C7jvNa_kuaP-nSRnmLqjzXinU5mJsBGg4o0J6NBO1m9ohq2MVGggEdnYkMxshdE6oCbZ5WAi39ro1-LrU12Pt8/s1600/19485-Rowayton-House-Tour-Five-Mile-River-Oysterman-Row-Entryway-4ad2fb59.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.cottages-gardens.com/Connecticut-Cottages-Gardens/September-2014/Rowayton-House-Tour-Five-Mile-River-Oysterman-Row-Gallery/index.php?view=deluxeslideshow&cp=3&play=false">via</a></span></div>
Several months ago I spent a couple of days in my college town. I drove around her streets. I went to all my favorite places. I saw a few friends. I even stopped for a few minutes in front of my dream house.<br />
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I used to love that house. It's the second house on the right of the corner of Washington and Division in Springfield, Missouri. It still has it's huge, mature trees and the wrap around porch. It's a two story house probably built around 1920. It's beautiful. Ten years has changed my house. It's not quite the same.<br />
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I used to love the color of the house. It was a periwinkle blue--really more blue than purple--with white trim. The gutters and shutters were also white and each window had a white flower box bursting with yellows and blues and purples. I had dreamed of sitting hours and hours on the oversize white chairs that lived on the porch. I planned on adding some white hydrangea bushes to the front. (That was before I knew of peonies. If I had known of peonies, hydrangea's would have never been an option.)<br />
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In my mind, I saw my children growing up there, walking to school and riding their tricycles up the little paved side walk. I saw this house in all the seasons...both of life and of nature and I wanted to be a part of it all. Right there, just like that, with the house frozen in time and me growing old with my family living in the embrace of it's walls.<br />
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I dreamed of living in that beautiful blue house on the corner of Washington and Division in Springfield, Missouri. Even now, sitting here writing, I feel it's pull. Only problem is, the house isn't blue anymore. It's green.<br />
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It's not kelly green or hunter green. It's more like a sea foam green only darker. The shutters are still white and so is the trim, but the chairs are gone from the places that used to hold them. The flower boxes have been removed. And it's just not the same. <br />
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In some ways, that makes me a little sad...that the house isn't the exact same. It looks different and I'm sure there is a different family that lives there now, so of course it's different. <br />
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I don't have a right to, but in some ways I mourn for that blue house with the window boxes. I mourn the lack of little children spending hours playing on that wrap around porch. I mourn beautiful orange leaves of fall. I mourn for the raised vegetable garden beds just around the back of the house. (To be clear, I have no idea if there ever were raised vegetable garden beds. I assume that there were or are because that's what I would do.)<br />
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Yes, my delusion was grand. But it was <br />
<a name='more'></a>beautiful while it lasted.<br />
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We all have dreams. We all make plans and expect them to occur exactly how we visualized them. But in reality that very rarely happens. And really that's ok. If our dreams are not actualized the way we imagined them, that's ok.<br />
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<a href="http://ctt.ec/H5210" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Tweet: We all have dreams. But in reality they very rarely happens. And really that's ok. @danettedillon http://bit.ly/1VVnxRx</span></a><br />
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And sure, we'll grieve their loss. We'll always want that reality imagined in our mind. But while reaching our dreams and goals is important it's the journey to our dreams and goals that makes us who we are supposed to be. <br />
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It's the struggle,<br />
the fight,<br />
the push...<br />
It's the passion that changes us. <br />
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<a href="http://ctt.ec/eDZdb" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Tweet: "It's the journey to our dreams that makes us who we are supposed to be. It's the struggle, the fight, the push." @danettedillon</span></a><br />
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It molds us. It makes us strong. It makes us want to win. The struggle should make us want to be better--at least a better form of ourself--so that we can be and do what God created us to do. The struggle makes us brave because we have to be brave. We have to take risks to see our dreams come true. We have to be brave to see the impossible become reality. We have to be brave enough to trust that God has a plan and will see us through to the end. We have to be brave to give up control and trust God to give us what we need when we need it.<br />
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I'm reminded of a quote from Amy F. Downs book <i><a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Edayspring%2Ecom%2Fannie%2Df%2Ddowns%2Dlet%2Ds%2Dall%2Dbe%2Dbrave%2Dbook%2Dand%2Djumbo%2Dmug%2Dgift%2Dset">Let's All Be Brave</a></i>. (<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Edayspring%2Ecom%2Fannie%2Df%2Ddowns%2Dlet%2Ds%2Dall%2Dbe%2Dbrave%2Dbook%2Dand%2Djumbo%2Dmug%2Dgift%2Dset">By the way, DaySpring's books are all 25% off. I'm going to purchase some. You can to here.</a>) She writes,<br />
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"Courage looks different for each of us. If we want to see God glorified all over the world, we need to be brave enough to see courage in its different forms. And we need to do the thing [God is asking you to do]. I can't see into your life to tell you what that thing is today--but I know enough to understand that the brave decisions you make at fifteen affect the brave choices you make at twenty-five--and they are different from the brave moments you face at thirty-five and fifty-five. <i>To see yourself the way God see you is the first step in being brave.</i>"</blockquote>
Looking back on my college experience I can easily see that the choices I made have defined my life. And, at this moment, I'm fine with it. Tomorrow may be different, but today, I'm fine with it. <br />
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I'm fine that I may never own or live in that blue house with little children playing in the yard. Is that what I want? No. But I'm choosing the road of the Brave. I'm choosing the path of trust. I'm resolved to be more than I am, to do more with God than I could ever do on my own, and to live a life of complete trust.<br />
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And maybe, just maybe, I will live in that blue house with children playing in the front yard. They may be foster kids or they may be adopted or may be they are even my grandchildren. But maybe, just maybe I'll paint that green house blue again. I'll fill those window boxes full or yellow and purple. Maybe I will fall into those huge white chairs and drink in the rain as it slips down off the roof. Maybe...but that can only ever happen if I live on the path of the Brave now.<br />
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What about you? Are there any dreams that you feel are dead but you desperately long for them to live again? How are you living brave now?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-83016071833636169602016-05-10T18:43:00.002-05:002017-05-21T23:22:51.702-05:00Intentional Encourager<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Recently I got the opportunity to participate in a community theater project in Sand Springs, Oklahoma. It was a lot of fun. I made many good, good friends. (All that's another story for another time.) But there is one new friend added to my circle that truly amazes me. She is absolutely the most thoughtful, most gracious, most intentional person I have ever met. </div>
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She brought gifts and cookies to celebrate each cast members birthday during the production.<br />
She brought gifts for everyone opening night.</div>
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She invited us over to her house after one of the performances.</div>
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She took time out of her busy, successful professional life to create a game for the cast party unlike any other game.</div>
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She invited her entire acting class she teaches and purchased their tickets.</div>
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She is completely encouraging while being completely honest.</div>
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She perfected the character she portrayed to the highest standard.</div>
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Like, seriously, the list goes on and on and on...</div>
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I don't think I've ever met a person who lived out Paul's admonishment to the church at Philippi more completely. "Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves" (Philippians 2:3).</div>
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This lady, only a little younger than myself, puts me to shame. Humble, thoughtful, detail oriented. <i><u><b>Everyone loves her because she makes everyone love themselves.</b></u></i></div>
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The way you make other people feel about themselves is the way they will feel about you.</div>
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<a href="http://ctt.ec/4u_ae" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Tweet: The way you make other people feel about themselves is the way they will feel about you.@danettedillon http://bit.ly/1sbxvSP #liveyourfaith #dayspring</span></a><br />
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Sitting at my desk now, overwhelmed with emotion and conviction and a little bit of shame, I recognize that I want my life to be marked with intention. And yet, I remember Paul's words to the church at Rome, "I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate" (Romans 7:15). So many times I feel like Paul.<br />
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I want every single action to be executed with one purpose. Not for selfish gain or ambition, I want to encourage people. I want people to believe in themselves. I want people to see that they have infinite potential. I want to be able to encourage people to reach the greatness that is possible.</div>
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Investing in others takes time. It takes thought. It requires a sacrifice of yourself. But investing in others is always worth the cost.</div>
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<a href="http://ctt.ec/o4DMZ" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Tweet: Investing in others takes time, thought, & sacrifice. But investing in others is always worth the cost. @danettedillon http://bit.ly/1sbxvSP #liveyourfaith #dayspring</span></a><br />
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I've decided to join with <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Edayspring%2Ecom%2F21%2Ddays%2Dof%2Dencouragement">DaySpring for the 21 Days of Encouragement</a>. For the next 21 Days I'm going to intentionally do something to encourage someone else. DaySpring has so many different resources to help me on my encouragement journey. You can check them out <a href="http://here./">here.</a> </div>
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I hope that you will join me on these 21 Days of Encouragement, but even if you don't remember that when you encourage others suddenly you find yourself resting in contentment and joy.</div>
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<a href="http://ctt.ec/a3jdK" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Tweet: When you encourage others suddenly you find yourself resting in contentment and joy. @danettedillon http://bit.ly/1sbxvSP #liveyourfaith #dayspring</span></a><br />
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What are some ways you can encourage others? I've been told it's all in the details.</div>
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<a href="http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=849662&u=864768&m=25848&urllink=&afftrack=" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://static.shareasale.com/image/25848/AffiliateDeal_728x90_00.jpg" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-37091909054592471472016-04-21T16:10:00.000-05:002017-05-21T23:23:03.731-05:00Short & Sweet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwb6H8jNNe69P1oYQaXYf6DQQP5gRpOKcualMRmRLUHvJPOVNGtlcVXcSuSfYMuFjmtK8hBTXDySkL5Q7iuYvEFNkzgN3OLPUn1_z_rOI2Mc8mnY4m6wYBKTpXR2Xa-D8Cxk9j-2g-XV4/s1600/short+and+sweet+10+resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwb6H8jNNe69P1oYQaXYf6DQQP5gRpOKcualMRmRLUHvJPOVNGtlcVXcSuSfYMuFjmtK8hBTXDySkL5Q7iuYvEFNkzgN3OLPUn1_z_rOI2Mc8mnY4m6wYBKTpXR2Xa-D8Cxk9j-2g-XV4/s1600/short+and+sweet+10+resized.jpg" /></a></div>
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Go on! Live your adventure.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-88282049196164317542016-03-04T12:13:00.000-06:002017-05-21T23:23:14.121-05:00Spring Break EssentialsSpring break is quickly approaching. Everyone needs a break--just a chance to get away. Whether you have kids that will be out of school or whether you just need an escape, here are a few necessities that will guarantee your trip will be a success no matter the destination.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm96my4_Y6qNFv6a9ppsgVyxJ6sFej0bOP-n8drr1zYYSPsaYSu3CVuB9QZOgdFReIwpwvQxawJfWqoILDZEzwvv8oOF8Wr_yVxKwZYeE0oanmW6GbDyOGMZOoaSu9nyiEZBlfNZ6Qa_I/s1600/spring+break+essentials.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm96my4_Y6qNFv6a9ppsgVyxJ6sFej0bOP-n8drr1zYYSPsaYSu3CVuB9QZOgdFReIwpwvQxawJfWqoILDZEzwvv8oOF8Wr_yVxKwZYeE0oanmW6GbDyOGMZOoaSu9nyiEZBlfNZ6Qa_I/s1600/spring+break+essentials.jpg" /></a></div>
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In Order from Left to Right and Top to Bottom</div>
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<a href="http://goto.target.com/c/189086/81938/2092?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Ffujifilm-instax-mini-8-camera-blue-16273439%2F-%2FA-17393973">Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Camera</a> | <a href="http://goto.target.com/c/189086/81938/2092?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Fwomen-s-geometric-scarf-birch-green-merona%2F-%2FA-17410183%23prodSlot%3D_1_20">Merona Women's Scarf</a> | <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=4YCXMS/WIpk&subid=&offerid=357944.1&type=10&tmpid=8157&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fshop.nordstrom.com%252Fs%252Fhinge-drea-peep-toe-leather-sandal-women%252F3881466%253Forigin%253Dcategory-personalizedsort%2526fashioncolor%253DBLUSH">Block Heel Sandals</a> | <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=4YCXMS/WIpk&subid=&offerid=357944.1&type=10&tmpid=8157&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fshop.nordstrom.com%252Fs%252Fmadewell-the-transport-leather-tote%252F3965586%253Forigin%253Dcategory-personalizedsort%2526fashioncolor%253DENGLISH%252520SADDLE">Madewell "The Transport" Leather Tote</a> | <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Edayspring%2Ecom%2Fwhatever%2Dis%2Dlovely%2Dinspirational%2Dcoloring%2Dbook">"Whatever Is Lovely" Inspirational Coloring Book</a><br />
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Capture all those memories the retro way with the <a href="http://goto.target.com/c/189086/81938/2092?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Ffujifilm-instax-mini-8-camera-blue-16273439%2F-%2FA-17393973" style="text-align: center;">Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Camera</a> and send them immediately to print. Whether you choose to scrapbook those lovely memories are post them around the house they will take you back to all those relaxing, fun experiences.</div>
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Sometimes spring break weather can be a little more like winter break especially in the mornings or nights. Layer up with this <a href="http://goto.target.com/c/189086/81938/2092?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Fwomen-s-geometric-scarf-birch-green-merona%2F-%2FA-17410183%23prodSlot%3D_1_20" style="text-align: center;">Merona Women's Scarf</a> from <a href="http://goto.target.com/c/189086/81938/2092">Target</a>. I'm really love the bright colors.</div>
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With all the sight seeing to be done your feet can really take a beating, but no need to sacrifice style for comfort. <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=4YCXMS/WIpk&subid=&offerid=357944.1&type=10&tmpid=8157&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fshop.nordstrom.com%252Fs%252Fhinge-drea-peep-toe-leather-sandal-women%252F3881466%253Forigin%253Dcategory-personalizedsort%2526fashioncolor%253DBLUSH" style="text-align: center;">Block Heel Sandals</a> are both comfortable and on trend. Plus, these styles from <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=4YCXMS/WIpk&offerid=357944.10041895&type=3&subid=0%22%20%3ENL_080212%3C/a%3E%3CIMG%20border=0%20width=1%20height=1%20src=%22http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=4YCXMS/WIpk&bids=357944.10041895&type=3&subid=0%22%20%3E">Nordstrom</a> provide an extra bang for your buck with free shipping and free returns everyday.</div>
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Visit little, old shops? Pick up the <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=4YCXMS/WIpk&subid=&offerid=357944.1&type=10&tmpid=8157&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fshop.nordstrom.com%252Fs%252Fmadewell-the-transport-leather-tote%252F3965586%253Forigin%253Dcategory-personalizedsort%2526fashioncolor%253DENGLISH%252520SADDLE" style="text-align: center;">Madewell "The Transport" Leather Tote</a> to stow all those one of a kind finds. Nothing scream minimalism more than Madewell. Oh, and you can pick up this tote from <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=4YCXMS/WIpk&offerid=357944.10041895&type=3&subid=0%22%20%3ENL_080212%3C/a%3E%3CIMG%20border=0%20width=1%20height=1%20src=%22http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=4YCXMS/WIpk&bids=357944.10041895&type=3&subid=0%22%20%3E">Nordstrom</a>. Free shipping? Anyone?</div>
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Rest and relaxation have a way of bringing creativity to life. But let's face it. Sometimes life doesn't offer us those little retreats. That's fine too. Foster your own creativity with the <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Edayspring%2Ecom%2Fwhatever%2Dis%2Dlovely%2Dinspirational%2Dcoloring%2Dbook" style="text-align: center;">"Whatever Is Lovely" Inspirational Coloring Book</a> from <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=864768&b=213520&m=25848&afftrack=&urllink=">DaySpring</a>. </div>
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Wherever you find yourself this Spring Break I hope that is rest for your soul. I'm planning on going to Dallas, Texas, for a few days with my sisters and cousin. Personally, I can't wait. What about you? Headed anywhere special?</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-80660415134830228962016-02-25T15:44:00.001-06:002017-05-21T23:23:49.128-05:00Short & Sweet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BVkbMWk3aUlRFKxgF5HCH3WMu5JBb1PfurHbf7BKYJV1ERkCovF8F5hRBk4A7gSeSCRMvpHYPeUYDcHckjUbuTWqGXQj_NeO3yz5aNAEk3IzDpsWUS7cDswtziqMqF4_fEfhyv57_t0/s1600/Resize+Sprount+Plants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BVkbMWk3aUlRFKxgF5HCH3WMu5JBb1PfurHbf7BKYJV1ERkCovF8F5hRBk4A7gSeSCRMvpHYPeUYDcHckjUbuTWqGXQj_NeO3yz5aNAEk3IzDpsWUS7cDswtziqMqF4_fEfhyv57_t0/s1600/Resize+Sprount+Plants.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BVkbMWk3aUlRFKxgF5HCH3WMu5JBb1PfurHbf7BKYJV1ERkCovF8F5hRBk4A7gSeSCRMvpHYPeUYDcHckjUbuTWqGXQj_NeO3yz5aNAEk3IzDpsWUS7cDswtziqMqF4_fEfhyv57_t0/s1600/Resize+Sprount+Plants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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It's amazing the miracles that happen in the darkness. It's just like little seeds that are planted in the black soil. We can't see what is happening under the veil of the cold earth. But in time those little green buds will burst through the blackness and soak up the beautiful rays of light. <br />
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Hang on. There's a miracle in your darkness.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-72468441364193236302016-02-18T02:00:00.001-06:002017-05-21T23:23:38.843-05:00Self Talk: Three Steps to Change the Inner Dialogue and Over Come Internal Lies<div>
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Self talk can be one of our worst obstacles in life. Self talk are those conversations that happen in our head and those voices that never seem to shut up. Those voices just go on and on and on. Those voices scream the words of our past experiences and every fear we've ever had straight in our face. And we can't run from them either. They're inside of us comparing who we actually are with what other people say or have said we are. They contradict what we know is true about ourselves by telling us lies. </div>
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The really crazy part is we are the voice who's lying and comparing and contradicting reality!</div>
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Sometimes we just have to tell ourselves to shut up. Not literally, of course, but those inside voices--the negative self talk that runs around in our head. Tell that voice to shut up. </div>
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And then, after you've stopped listening to all those lies, replace those lies with truth. </div>
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The truth is you're are going to make it. It doesn't matter how far you've fallen or messed up, you can get up and start again. The truth is you can do anything for at least a little while. And if you can do anything for a little while you can do it for as long as it takes. </div>
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Have you seen that episode of the <i>Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt</i>? You know, the one where she says, "I can do anything ten seconds....You can handle anything for ten seconds."</div>
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Obviously, that's a simplistic approach to reality, <br />
<a name='more'></a>but it's still true. If you can make it ten seconds then there's a good chance that you can make it for twenty. And thirty. And forty. And as long as you need to. Don't give up on yourself. </div>
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The truth is you're not alone. No matter how alone you feel there is always someone right there with you. In Deuteronomy <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://0" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true">3:16</a>, through Moses, God is confirming to the Jewish nation that He will go with them into the land (Israel) that He promised them. He said this, "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you."</div>
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So, you're going to make it. You can do anything for as long as you have to. You are not alone. But somehow that negative self talk still comes through. </div>
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How do we get that inner lair to shut up?</div>
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<b>1. Replace the negative thought with a truth. </b></div>
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Our thoughts don't change themselves. We have to purposely change them. Whenever you have a negative thought stop yourself from saying it and immediately speak out loud a truthful statement. It's important to say it out loud because we need to replace all the negative things we've heard about ourselves. Eventually, we'll start to believe the truth instead of the lie. </div>
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<b>2. Ask for some accountability. </b></div>
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As much as I wish she would, my sister, <a href="http://dalaynadillon.blogspot.com/">Dalayna</a>, will not let me throw myself a pity party. As much as I would like to, she makes me get out of my head and see life as it really is. Sometimes she does get it wrong, but even when her correction is off, her insight does change my perspective. And I need that more than I need almost anything. </div>
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Now, in my sister's case, I never asked her to hold me accountable. She just does that because that's what sisters do. Maybe you don't have a sister who can challenge you to believe the truth. Ask someone else who is positive and has some wisdom. </div>
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One word of caution. When you ask for accountability, don't get upset when it's given to you. You asked for it. </div>
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<b>3. Do the positive things you know you should do even when you don't feel like doing them. </b></div>
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We run our lives by our feelings. And too often, because we run our life by how we feel, we ending up ruining our lives. It doesn't have to be this way. If you change your thought processes and if you change your language and if you surround yourself with positive influences eventually your positive forward motion will start. But in the meantime, you might have to act on what you know in your head and not how you feel in your heart. </div>
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The war we wage within ourselves is always worse that battle we face in the real world. It's a battle between who we are and who we want to be and our own fear and self doubt. Yes, self talk is a challenge but you can do this. You can do anything for at least a little while. You're not alone. </div>
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Now, go win this fight. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2003017936870984511.post-23842897110124505322016-02-17T14:01:00.000-06:002017-05-21T23:24:11.719-05:00Gone Too Long<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBFUWzNsRFYlLUocEFzzj9xh43FqpzUQKLGBm1V45-bP2oqvxPdqzDB5Pd3givEVpDJ-N0T3akUzHMQgU-ScN_2nsPj18r44TzfG_sG8lV3e8ugPTp0Brf08MJ_QLQUInXLgoZo49Q-Q/s1600/Gone+To+Long+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBFUWzNsRFYlLUocEFzzj9xh43FqpzUQKLGBm1V45-bP2oqvxPdqzDB5Pd3givEVpDJ-N0T3akUzHMQgU-ScN_2nsPj18r44TzfG_sG8lV3e8ugPTp0Brf08MJ_QLQUInXLgoZo49Q-Q/s1600/Gone+To+Long+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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Over the past year and a half I found myself staring at this blank white screen many times. I've had an idea or a thought that I wanted to share. I'd write a sentence or two. I'd resource pictures. I've even written entire posts, but I haven't published them.<br />
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Over the past months I've even made a blogging calendar. But here I am again. Typing and deleting and editing and cutting and pasting words.</div>
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Have you ever felt tongue tied? Maybe that's how I feel.</div>
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I've got the words and the ideas and the images all floating around in my head, but it's this thing of sitting at the computer typing all of them out. That's the problem.</div>
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I have this friend, <a href="http://www.loveisthekeyministries.com/">Kathy Key</a>. She's a life coach. (You can find out more about her life coaching <a href="http://www.loveisthekeyministries.com/">here</a>.) Sometimes our schedules permit us to spend leisurely mornings at some breakfast nook. A few months ago we happened to be sitting at just one of those booths when our conversation moved from professional discussion to personal goals. </div>
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I was going on and on lamenting about how I felt stuck and tongue tied and purposeless when she stopped me. Using her life coaching skills she asked me about my ultimate goals. I listed many goals all of which seem so impossible even now.</div>
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At that breakfast table she began to speak life to those dreams again. At that table, she saw the potential in my dreams. But she didn't just see my abilities or talents that make those dreams possible. She began to give me actions to see those dreams come to pass.</div>
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So here I am. Taking a step. It's a couple months late, but it's still a step.</div>
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I won't reach my dreams today and probably not tomorrow and maybe not even the day after that. But as I read and reread and delete and edit and cut and paste I can clearly see one thing. The blank white screen has a lot of black on it.</div>
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And maybe I'm not as tongue tied as I thought.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0