Video

I thought this video was touching, sad, and yet simple and beautiful. This young handsome man passed away at the very young age of 18.

Watch his 2 part video to read his story and hopefully you’ll walk away realizing how beautiful life can be…here and after!

http://youtu.be/35O3E3T3GKQ

http://youtu.be/a4LSEXsvRAI

Stop-Drop-N-Roll

"No man can think clearly when his fists are clenched."
~ George Jean Nathan

Start to release. Drop your worries, anxieties, and begin to trust. Stop questioning so much; stop spinning your thoughts until you’re confused.

Begin to go with the flow. Life knows how to orchestrate itself, so unclench.

How can you receive with fist gripping hands?

You can’t.

Stop controlling, drop the worries, and roll with the flow!

Quote

"It is the heart always that sees before the head can see."
~ Thomas Carlyle

Things can seem impossible to the mind. The mind tries to rationalize what your heart is saying. Cast your mindful cares and become still. Listen to the heart. What is your heart whispering to you?

The head might need to see things to believe, but your heart doesn’t. Be still and believe.

 Hope all my readers had a Merry Christmas!

M.C

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

C.E

It’s Christmas Eve!

That’s right…it’s almost Christmas, Readers!

 Enjoy this magical time!

Love,

Elle

Time to Receive

Open your hands (let go) so you are able to receive all the good things that have your name on it!

Let it Snow!

No two snow flakes are the same;

they are unique and one of a kind…

just like you and I.  

May blessings fall on you like freshly fallen snow,

and to that I say:

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Christmas Stocking

Have you been naughty or nice this year? It’s never too early to start being nice. Start being the best that you can be, stop being harsh on yourself and others, and expect and believe for good things to happen…

…if you do all of that, you just never know what good thing you’ll find in your stocking!

Happy Holidays!

The holidays are magical, but sadly for many, the holidays bring a sense of loneliness.

Never feel lonely; Friends may come and go and families can feud and make up. You may experience a different quieter type of Christmas one year, but have a jam packed hustle and bustle Christmas the next year. Never give up on the fates and how they can bring things (and people) together. Don’t let the holiday blues get the better part of your cheer; be thankful and focus on what you do have, instead of what you don’t. And you’re never truly alone, because you a heavenly family and they are always with you…always!

There is no need to feel lonely. Churches can have wonderful groups to partake in, there are Christmas shows and movies that can light-up your holiday nights, and there are volunteer programs that you can participate in that warms your heart with the spirit of giving. You can make the most out of the holiday season if you choose to.

Be a spirit of cheer this holiday season. Smile at people, wish them a bright holiday season, send them a holiday card, or drop a candy cane with a note in their mail box. Let people know that they are being thought of. People may feel lonely, but a simple act of remembrance can light up their heart fancier than the famous Christmas tree located in Times Square.

And you’re always remembered here at Renewed Corner. Your writer is always thinking of her readers, and wishing them the best! Happy Holidays!

Quote

"All human wisdom is summed up in two words;

wait and hope."

~ Alexandre Dumas

Scripture Sunday

Keep praying, readers! Like the word says in

Matthew 18:19-20

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Keep praying!
Keep believing!
I’m praying for you and your intentions!
Happy Sunday!

Today is: Our Day

This is our day, Readers!

Keep praying. Keep believing.

Know that everyone on this site is cheering you on…just like our heavenly family is!

Remove all doubt today and believe. We are in a season of miracles, and I know we all have wonder angels watching over each and every one of us.

Let’s put our angels to work with our prayers!

Read the post (right) below for instructions:

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↓

↓

Our Day

Dear Readers,

I heard that Macy’s, which is a wildly popular retail store, has a national day of believe. Granted this national day of believe was a couple of days ago, but the concept got my spirit stirred up.

Wouldn’t it be great, if my readers and I created our own day of magical wonder and belief!

Since, I run Renewed Corner, I made the executive decision to set our own day of magical wonder in motion.

Here are the details:

This Thursday: December 15, 2011, we are going to come together as a blog family and support each other in our dreams, hopes, wishes, and expecting miracles.

Please come to this site on Thursday, December 15, 2011 and do the following:

1.      Have the desire of your heart wish ready

2.      Pray for your wish

3.      Release your wish knowing it was heard

4.      Pray for all the other readers that are coming to the site that day too, and that there wish is granted

5.      *Optional* IF you feel comfortable leaving a wish request in the comment box, please do so. Readers, pray for those who come to the site, and pray for any request you see in the comment box!

Thursday will be our own national wish day (maybe you can help me with a creative name for Thursday)! This is our day to come together, to pray for one another, and to expect the wonderful un-excepted, because after all, we are in a season of miracles, and good deeds count as bonuses!

Believe Readers! Remove your doubts and fears, and expect the twinkling lights to light up your heart.

Your Writer,

Elle

Quote

"It is wisdom to believe the heart."
~ George Santayana

There are times when you need to shut the whispers and opinions of the world and be still (long enough) to listen to the whispers of your heart.

Scripture Sunday

James 1:2-4

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Quote

I think this is beautifully stated.

Enjoy.

"You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; in just the same way, you learn to love by loving."
~ St. Francis de Sales

Quote & Thought

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
~ Sir Winston Churchill

Don’t look at failure as failure; failure is mindfully and lovingly moving you away from something that is not serving your best interest anymore.

Failure has too much of a negative tone to it, but we can change that perspective; look at failure as your compass. You may not know where you belong (just yet) but at least the failure lets you know where you don’t belong…and that’s at least one step in the right direction.

A Sprinkle of Believing!

"Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see."

~ The Polar Express

http://www.spike.com/video-clips/4wze43/the-polar-express-sometimes-the-most-real-things-you-can-t-see

And She Walked Away

Trust is an incredibly important element in your spiritual life. The Lord has been dealing with me on trust. I trust the Lord, I’ve seen the Lord deliver on promises, and I’ve been on the receiving side of HIS goodness, so why would I need to be schooled on trust? 

I can say that I trust and believe all day long, but does that show trust? No. Why? Because actions speak louder than words. It’s not enough to just say that I trust; I must also behave like I trust. And to be fully  open, I struggle with this. I struggle because my flesh wants to get answers, and it gets anxious, and I start to worry, and I think about the situation over and over and over again. My flesh needs to get a grip. All the things my flesh wants to do, does not show any signs of trust…but my heart really is in a trusting place.
So what do I do?

I need to become still. I need to ask the Lord to help me get through the day; take one day at a time. When I catch my flesh acting out, I must say out loud, “I’m trusting the Lord with this.” God does not need my help; I can truly trust HIM. 

Mary is a great teacher to me, because she shows me how to deal with trust. The first miracle that Jesus ever performed was at a wedding. The wedding needed more wine. Mother Mary went to her son and asked Him to perform and supply the need for more wine. It is my opinion that Jesus had to be a little nervous to perform HIS first miracle. In fact, Jesus even says to His mother… “My hour has not yet come.”

We are talking about trust. We are talking about our behavior and how we show trust. When we go to our heavenly family, we can trust them to give us what is the best for us. We do not need to beg or figure things out. Trust. Trust that the Lord hears you and is working, and then back off so HE can continue to work. Leave your request with HIM and trust. And once again, Mary shows us just how to do this:

When Mary asked HIM to fix the wine problem, HE hesitated; feeling as if HIS time to perform a miracle has not come. Mary simply and powerfully displayed trust by walking to the servants (waiters) and telling them, do whatever Jesus tells you to do…and then she walked away.

Do you see how powerful her actions are? She asked. She said, “Do whatever HE says.” And then she walked away. It was done; she had enough belief and trust to place the answer, whatever the answer was, in HIS hands…and she showed trust by walking away. It doesn’t say she went and begged Jesus for the wine. It doesn’t say that she went and worried about the wine. It doesn’t say that she got nervous or got impatient. She knew how to leave the request in HIS hands, and she probably went and enjoyed the rest of the celebration in peace…and how did she do this? She trusted and she walked away.

Scripture Sunday

“May our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father, who loved us and in his special favor gave us everlasting comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and give you strength in every good thing you do and say.”

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 NLT

Forward Friday

It’s Friday!

Have a great weekend, Readers!

Remember, this is a day to forward a little bit of cheer in someone’s life.

I forward well wishes and love to all of you today!

Quote

"When you get into a tight place and it seems that you can't go on, hold on — for that's just the place and the time that the tide will turn."
~ Harriet Beecher Stowe

Hold on and don’t run back; you never know what good thing is on the horizon!

Powerfully Grounded

I heard a conversation that made my soul charm with resonated truth. The conversation took me back to previous conversations, being in a semi circle of people, where the topic was atheism. There was one person who had a hard time believing in anything spiritual and felt like it (spirituality) was a crutch for people to get through tough times. The group collectively tried to sway his non-belief opinion, but he just wasn’t having it. Then, my mind traveled to a conversation I saw on television a couple of years ago; This (very) Christian lady was dating someone (who again) believed spiritual belief was for the weak. If you’re wondering, that couple did not last as a couple, because obliviously a strong Christian faith woman wants a man with more of her own view points and beliefs.

Back to the original conversation that brought me into remembering old chit-chat. The belief that spiritual life is far-fetched or whimsical or lala-land is a huge (HUGE) misconception. Everyone has their own spiritual journey to walk and to discover. Spirituality is not for the weak and not for the strong; it’s for everybody. This is my resonated truth: Once you discover the truth, the reliance, the promises, the rest, that comes from having a spiritual life…you soon discover how powerfully grounded and beautiful it all is. It is the most reliable and stable thing on this earth.

A spiritual life is more valuable, more precious, more peaceful than most people care to realize. Don’t allow the opinions of others alter your own journey of beauty and truth.

Quote and Thought

"Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together."
~ Vincent van Gogh

Remember that your life, your journey is all part of a process. Yes, you can see at times how far you still need to go….but the flip side is, look how far you have already come. Keep showing up; let the process of becoming better flow without struggle. The quote mentions small things, yes, small things add up over time. Doing the right thing over and over is a process and it adds up to great results, so don’t give up!

Hot-N-Cold

Anger, un-forgiveness, bitterness, hate...

These are dangerous things! Don’t let them have residence in your heart, mind, or life.

"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." ~Buddha

Release you hand, step away from the hot coal! A burn can scar. Don’t let life bring scars and scar tissue around your heart. Let go and let God heal your wounds.

Anger, un-forgiveness, bitterness, hate...

These are dangerous things! Don’t let them have residence in your heart, mind, or life.

These things can form a block of ice around your heart. Don’t freeze your heart; you have too much life and love to give and receive. The heart cannot be receptive with a block of ice around it…every sound will sound muffled and unclear. Let go and let God melt the ice.

Say goodbye to the heat…say goodbye to the cold…and say hello to your life!

Student

Grace is the driving force behind renewed corner. What I can tell you about myself is this…

I am a student of life.

Life is always speaking to you, showing you, guiding you, and teaching you. There is an old saying that when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. I think that old saying is true…to a point. Even if you are not ready, things will show up disguised as teachers to point things out to you in a refining your soul king of way; the teacher is there if the student is ready or not. However, the teacher will keep appearing in different forms in different situations until the student is ready to learn; and when you learn-you grow.
Growth in your life is the goal.
We are built for change and evolvement.
There is always room for advancement and enlightenment in your life.


Yes, I am a student.

But, I have been given the opportunity to be your teacher; I’m honored and have gratitude for that opportunity.

If you find yourself seeking things that are making you grow…then pat your soul on the back and realize your soul wants you to be the best you that you can be.

If you find yourself coming across the same situations, the same dilemmas, the same type of toxic people, then become the student and ask yourself… ‘What I’m supposed to be learning from this?’ Learning from a problem is how you get power to shift the problem…so it doesn’t become a problem.

Learning, instructions, and knowledge can go beyond classrooms, textbooks, and chalkboards. The world is one large classroom and your life is all you need for enrollment.

Forward Friday

Hello, Readers!

It’s Forward Friday.

Remember to forward an act of kindness today.

Have a wonderful day!

~Elle

Know What You Know

I know we don’t like to struggle. I know that waiting can be beyond agonizing. I know that there are times when we wish we could have do-overs. But, I also know, that God knows what HE is doing. I personally have to remind myself that God knows what HE is doing even when I feel lost and confused. I also know from experience that the quote below is true…

"One day in retrospect the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful."
~ Sigmund Freud

We are built and designed for change and growth. Struggles, waiting, patience, and trust are all part of the growing and changing for the better experience. Sometimes you have to remind yourself of the things you already know.

Trust

Are you trusting that everything will turn out fine?

Do you trust that your situations will turn around?

Do you talk about your problems in concerning manners?

Are you asking yourself how and when things will turn out?

Are you asking others for their opinion on what you should do?

Do you start off saying the first two questions, but find yourself acting out the last three questions?

If you say you’re trusting, but find yourself trying to figure things out/worrying/nervous/seeking others…

Then you have to ask yourself…

Am I TRULY trusting?

You can say whatever you want, because it’s the behavior you display that truly tells the story of the belief and trust in your heart.

Belief

We are embarking into a miracle induced time of year! Yes, we have entered the holiday season. There truly is something magical in the air when the holidays are in our lives. We have an extra dash of hope, expectancy, love, giving, and belief.

It’s a good time to talk about belief. Belief lives beyond the holiday season. Belief lives in our minds every day.  The truth about beliefs is this: they are either true or they are lies.

Think of a belief as a thought; the thought could be true, but it could also be false. If you have a thought that runs in your mind daily…then that thought becomes your truth, and your truth becomes your belief.

It is possible for you to be telling lies about yourself and think that they are true, and ultimately that is your belief about yourself.

Let me give an example:

Let’s say you think getting the promotion at work is going to make you valuable; you’ll feel impressive with your new job title, you’ll feel important in the company, and you’ll get a boost when you tell your friends and family about your new level of success.

The Thought: Promotion equals validation

When you have a strong thought…that thought turns into a belief for yourself. You believe that the promotion will give you validation.

Is The Thought True: No

Being born, being a child a God, and being just who you are…is all the validation you ever need. Outside validation is false; Validation being God’s child is true.

It is the untrue beliefs that are holding you back. Start to be aware of your thoughts. When you start to become aware of what you are constantly saying to yourself…then you can analyze your beliefs.

If you notice that your beliefs are not true, and that they are not matching up with what the Lord says about you…then change it. The opposite of a lie is the truth; flip the thought and make the truth be your new…belief!

Scripture Sunday

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray

about everything; tell God your needs,

and don't forget to thank Him for his answers.

If you do this, you will experience God's

peace, which is far more wonderful than the

human mind can understand. His peace will

keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet

And at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus."

~Philippians 4:6-7

Forward Friday

Forward Friday is set up so that you remember to do something nice for someone today. You forward an act of kindness. It does not matter if the kindness is small or big, it just has to be genuine. We all want a little help, a little encouragement, and a little recognition. There is such joy from the simple act of giving;  when the receiving person feels love…they are more likely to pass that along. And if love and joy keeps getting passed along…just think of the chain reaction that would do…in our homes, in our community, and even our world.

Quote

Do you want to experience more peace? Communication is important, and feelings need to be addressed and expressed, but keep this quote in mind the next time a disagreement starts to surface.

"I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to. " ~ Anon

Key word: Every

Message: Knowing how to pick your battles

Goal: Finding peace

Quote & Thought

"Your life is right now! It's not later! It's not in that time of retirement. It's not when the lover gets here. It's not when you've moved into the new house. It's not when you get the better job. Your life is right now. It will always be right now. You might as well decide to start enjoying your life right now, because it's not ever going to get better than right now--until it gets better right now!" ~Esther Hicks 

It is challenging to stand in the present moment. We live our lives so fast, so connected, so jam-packed, that it becomes a challenge to see that your life is happening right now in this moment; not yesterday’s moments and not tomorrow’s moments, but now. As you read these words remind yourself that this is a moment; be present to the moment. When you start to pull awareness to all of your tasks, you’ll automatically become aware that this is the way to live. Today is all we have, so live in it fully and presently. ~Elle

Scripture

"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~Romans 8:39

There is NOTHING strong enough for Our Lord to stop loving you; nothing separates His love…NOTHING.

Level of Response

Be still and reflect.

Take a review of your life.

When things occur in your life, how do you behave?

Recall events…and ask yourself this question:

Did I respond OR Did I react?

Taking a retrospective review may help you break unwanted patterns in your life.

Remember, you cannot control others with what they say, or how they behave…You are only responsible for yourself.

And how you respond/react to situations can reflect the level of peace, calmness, and joy that you live at verses the level you want to live at.

Scripture Sunday

Psalm 46:10

“Be Still and Know that I am God!”

This scripture keeps being shown to me; so I share my lesson. This scripture is all we need, packaged in one sentence. When we have questions, when we are feeling anxious or worried, when we are experiencing fear, when we are wanting to control or feeling uncertain about certain events, remember to be still. Peace and calmness can be found in the still moments, where it is just you and your breath. The stillness is always at the center of the chaos. When you are still, remember that God is. God is everything…know that! Know that I am God means that you can be at peace in the storm, because God is always on the throne watching over everything. 

Quote & Thought

"There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do."
~Freya Stark

Stand for what you believe in. Don’t let people or circumstances allow you to compromise your beliefs. Always do the best you can at living the life you know is noble and honorable. Let your behavior reflect your beliefs. Let your life be an example to others who are struggling with this concept; show them that living with integrity can be done.  

Forward Friday

Happy Friday!

Enjoy the weekend, Readers! Don’t forget to forward an act of kindness for someone today.

See y’all back here tomorrow!

Your Writer,

Elle

Without Words…

I’m obviously wordy McWordyson….How else would I communicate to you without the use of words?

Well, there are times when words are not necessary.  Please watch a powerful message, performed at Winterfest, in Knoxville TN.

Language is beautiful, but messages can be conveyed in stillness where you’re left…without words.  

http://youtu.be/cyheJ480LYA

Treasure Box

Trinkets and Charms!

Jewels and Gold!

Sparkles and Keepsakes!

We place our charms in a safe little box to keep their appeal. Oh, how we treasure our fancy goodies! We dress up to feel good on the outside, but we also need to dress up our minds!

Write out positive words, phrases, quotes, and scriptures; Place these word treasures in a charming box. Make sure you place your treasure box in an easy access area…that way, whenever you need a little mood booster, you can easily go to your box and pull out an uplifting treasure word!

Having an inspirational treasure box is worth its weight in gold!

Quotes

"I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time."
~ Anna Freud

"No one can create negativity or stress within you. Only you can do that by virtue of how you process your world."

 ~ Wayne Dyer

Always

God is always with you. Always. When we don’t feel HIS presence, rest in knowing (beyond the distant feeling) that HE is with you. Always. The Lord hears you, sees you, comforts you, and walks with you. HE’s with you when you sleep, when you eat, as you read these words, when you’re busy, and even when you’re alone.

Will He love you? Always.

Will He help you? Always.

Will HE direct your steps? Always.

Will HE turn things around in your favor? Always.

Is He cheering you on? Always.

Can you trust in HIM? Always.

Does HE know how to answer my relentless questions? Always.

Scripture Sunday

Ephesians 3: 18-19

¹⁸ "And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."

God Loves You!

Renewed Corner

I’ve tried my best to bring you solid material on Renewed Corner. If you want to see Renewed Corner grow, I ask that you help give a shout out to Renewed Corner. Help spread the word about this blog to those you feel may benefit. Renewed Corner is an uplifting blog, and if you have been uplifted or motivated in any shape or form from this blog…I’d love to hear how this blog helped you. Plus, if you feel like asking my opinion on a certain subject, I’ll do my best to answer with a thoughtful retort. Please leave all responses in the comment section…I read all comments; I love hearing from my readers.

Hope you are have a nice weekend! Hope to hear from you!

~Elle

Forward Friday

It’s Friday! Hope a wonderful weekend is ahead of you, my readers. I encourage you to forward an act of kindness today!

Your Writer,

~Elle

Quote

"If you put a small value upon yourself, rest assured the world will not raise your price"

~Unknown

Let There Be Light

The dark fearful nights freeze action. Which way do I go? What will I stumble over? How will I find my way? Psalm 18:28, “You light a lamp for me. The LORD, my God, lights up my darkness.” For it is fear that creates my darkness. For fear is the master of ruining my sense of direction and causes my disorientation. My Lord lights my pathway. Fear is the master at ruining my emotions and feelings. Fear is goaled at stealing every inch of my peace, happiness, and personal progress. Fear whispers in my ear for distraction. But I must remember that the Lord is always with me. I will not entertain fear. For I know that fear will come, but I have the ability to not amuse its whispers. I call fear for what it truly is…a liar. Fear hates me and wants to torment me, but “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1.

Fear is not my comforter or my friend. I will renew my mind daily and focus my thoughts upon the Lord.  “For you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we do not belong either to the night or to darkness.”   1 Thessalonians 5:5

November to Remember

November is here! Did you notice? Since when did November become such an overlooked month? We celebrate Halloween and bulldoze straight into Christmas; If you live in the U.S, then you know the holiday (skipping) trend of which I speak.  November is our fall time, our turning back the clocks time, and our Thanksgiving time.

But, where has the thanking gone?

Let’s bring November back. Let’s bring back the things we are thankful for. Try to make a list of a few things you’re thankful for. Let’s set a list of 5 things that we can give thanks over.

Remember, it’s the little things that can bring much appreciation…so remember them and give it some much over-do praise.

If you’re day is overwhelming you…remember your list! Always look to what is going right in your life, then what is going wrong.

Welcome back, November!

Quote

"Believe that you can do it, under any circumstances. Because if you believe you can, then you really will. That belief just keeps you searching for the answers, then pretty soon you get it."

~ Wally "Famous" Amos

Scripture Sunday

"There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to rebuild. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

Dishes

When you serve up your favorite dish…you’re not only left with a full stomach, but you’re left with a sink full of dishes. If you’re anything like me, then you love to walk into a clean kitchen. And it’s a safe assumption that most people in your home gather in the kitchen. What is it about a kitchen that makes it the heart of a home? There are some important lessons that are life reflecting, and the awakening can be as clear as your reflection in your spot free dishes.

We never know what grace or challenge we’ll face in a day. Life can be messy. There are unexpected things that can move into our day that we’re not prepared for. The day may start fresh and clean, and at the end of the day, we find ourselves in a sticky mess.

Our lives are like our kitchen. When you start to cook up a dish- the kitchen can be clean and sanitary; the end of the meal can make your kitchen look like an explosion went off in it. No matter how clean things were before or how messy things become later, one thing is for sure…things can always be cleaned and made new again.

No matter how messy your life looks, you can clean it up. There is no problem too big for God. If you reach your hand out to God for help, HE will reach back. Nothing is impossible with God.

Cleaning the dishes can seem like a never-ending chore. As soon as you clean the kitchen, a hungry soul could walk in and dirty it up again. Let’s take a deep look at what a dirty kitchen can truly represent.

If your sink is full of dirty dishes, then that means someone ate. If you ate, then a need was met. If a dish is dirty because you ate then that must mean you had food in stock to cook, again another need was met. If you have food in stock that must mean you had money to stock your kitchen…another met need. The job that paid for the food, the car that drove you to the grocery store, the utensils that you need to mix and measure your ingredients, are all graces that help you met needs in your life. Take a deeper look at all the small graces that help met your needs in a day.

I recall a lady who was so thankful for dirty dishes. Most of us think dirty dishes are a hassle. In fact, I make sure my sink is clean before I go to bed, because I hate waking up to a dirty kitchen. Why would someone be happy about having a sink full of dirty dishes? It represented her health. She was a cancer survive. She spent too many days stuck in a hospital, unable to do the never-ending chores we moan and groan over. To her, washing dishes meant that she was healthy. Being able to stand and have energy to wash dishes was a welcomed change; the alternative was being sick and weak. Dishes meant health; another importantly met need we so often overlook.

Next time you walk into your kitchen…smile. Smile knowing that messes can be cleaned, your needs are being met and you’re being cared for.

Never overlook the small graces you have in your life…even dishes!

Quote

"Nothing in life is to be feared,

it is only to be understood."

~ Marie Curie

Bottoms Up! (Re-Post)

Recipe:

1 Clear drinking cup

3-4 Scoops of dirt

Clean water

Take your clear cup or drinking glass and toss in your scoops of dirt. Then fill clear cup or drinking glass with clean water. View content of glass: Do NOT drink. What do you see? Is the glass cloudy? Does the water look appealing to drink? Would you serve this drink to friends or family? No!

Think of the cup as your mind. The dirt represents mean, harsh, worried, negative thoughts. The clean water represents kind, encouraging, uplifting, positive thoughts. Now, even though you only have a couple of dirt scoops (negative words) in the glass, it still causes the glass (your mind) to be unappealing and not serve worthy. Even a couple of negative thoughts in your mind are causing you to not serve at your best. It’s only natural to have moments of stress that bring on negative or worried mindsets, but follow the rest of the recipe.

Take your glass that still has the dirt scoops in it and keep pouring clean water in it. What do you notice? You’ll find that as you keeping pouring the clean water into the cup, the cup overflows and overflows until the dirt gets lifted to the rim of the cup and flows out. Keep running the clean water long enough and you’ll find there’s no longer any dirt in the cup; the cup is crystal clear and ready to serve!

That’s the recipe to a healthy mindset: Keep pouring positive words and thoughts into your mind until the negativity flows out. Keep pouring, and when you think you don’t need to pour anymore….keep pouring. This is not an overnight recipe, but the results are delicious!

Cheers!