Sunday, January 24, 2010

It Is Waiting There For You (The Blue Dress)

Almost nine years ago, I was out shopping one day for a dress to wear to my son's First Holy Com- munion. What I really wanted was a short-sleeved, tailored, T-shirt dress in royal blue. I had never seen such a dress. It was just something that I thought would be really pretty. What I found that day was a skirt and jacket suit in the right color. But, I didn't like how it looked on me. I thought the outfit made me look old and frumpy. I had recently lost a lot of weight, and I wanted something more flattering. Plus, the suit was a lot more money than I wanted to spend at the time. But, because I had my heart set on royal blue, and it was the only thing I found at the department store that came anywhere close to what I was looking for, I bought it. I decided to get some lunch at the mall before I went home. While I was eating, I was thinking about the suit and how much I really didn't want to spend that kind of money on something about which I wasn't all that crazy. I was feeling a bit discouraged and decided that I would return it after I finished eating. Go to Penney's I heard the Holy Spirit whisper to me. At this point in my life, I knew that I had been given the gift of hearing from God, but I was still reluctant at times to act on what I was hearing. I was always very cautious to discern whether what I was hearing was from the Holy Spirit or if I was just imagining it all. I decided to check it out. What I heard as I walked toward Penney's was It is waiting there for you. I went directly to the women's department and found the dresses. I heard It is around the corner waiting for you. By this time, I was wondering if I was crazy. As I walked around the rack to the other side, I could see a tiny piece of fabric sticking out from between the other dresses. It was royal blue. I felt a shot of adrenalin fill my stomach. I pulled out the fabric that was squeezed tightly between all of the other dresses. I was shocked by what I was seeing... a short-sleeved, tailored, T-shirt dress that was royal blue. Unbelievable!!! I looked at the size. My hands began to shake. It was MY NEW SIZE!!! Then, I looked at the price tag... $9.99. It had been marked down from $80 and was more than $100 less than the suit that I had just bought. I stood there in the middle of Penney's completely stunned. I hurried to the ladies' dressing room and quickly tried it on. Of course, it fit perfectly. I loved it!!! I took it to the cashier and said, "I can't believe it. This is the EXACT dress that I wanted. And, I can't believe that it is only 9.99!" She looked at me like she had just seen a ghost. She was just as shocked as I was and said in disbelief, "I just put that on the rack!!! Someone had returned it from a catalog order. That's why the price is so low. There is nothing wrong with it, they just changed their mind." We both stood there speechless for a few moments. Needless to say, I have tried very hard over the years to listen to what God tells me. I usually do, and things work out great. But, when I don't, I end up regretting it. God often says to me My ways are not your ways. I've written before "when will we give up the fight?" God knows and sees all. He has a much clearer picture of things than I do. It is sometimes a struggle to put my own wants and desires aside to seek God and His Ways. But, when I do and I trust Him, things always work out for the best. God and His Blessings are always "waiting there" for me, and They're waiting there for you, too!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Take 100% Responsibility for Your Life - STARTING TODAY! by Jack Canfield

This isn’t a trick question.

Take 100% Responsibility for Your LifeCertainly you know the answer—the person who has been responsible for the life you live right now: YOU.

Everything about you is a result of your doing or not doing... Your income. Debt. Relationships. Health. Fitness level. Attitudes and behaviors.

I've often said that you are either creating or allowing everything that is happening in your life.

I think everyone knows this in their hearts, but often times people convince themselves into thinking that external factors are the source of their failure, disappointment, and unhappiness.

External factors do not determine how you live. YOU are in complete control of the quality of your life, by either creating or allowing the circumstances you experience.

When I hear people complain about the state of their life (be it their problems with personal finances, weight, their jobs, or general dissatisfaction), I like to help them see things differently.

If they feel “stuck” and unable to move forward for whatever reason, I ask them to scrutinize both what is working well and what isn’t working well in their life and see how they’ve arrived at where they currently are.

For example, if a woman tells me she’s unhappy with her weight—she travels frequently, and has no to time to exercise or seek healthy foods—I point out that her weight is not a result of her travels and schedule. It’s an outcome of what she chooses to eat and how she chooses to move, regardless of her daily agenda. Why not make a conscious effort to pre-plan healthy meals and snacks, even if it’s on the go, and sneak in 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there to be physically active (hey, I know some frequent flyers that make it a habit of running through airports!).

If you’re frustrated with any area in your life, then it’s time to take a little inventory.

Certainly there are wonderful things happening, whether it’s your job, your romantic relationship, your children, your friends, or your income level. Your accomplishments are just as important as your missteps.

First, congratulate yourself on your successes; and then take a look at what isn’t working out so well. What are you doing or not doing to create those experiences?

Watch out! If you find yourself beginning to complain about everything but the choices you’ve made, then you need to take a step back. See if you can stop blaming outside factors for your unhappiness.

When you realize that you—and only you—create your experiences, you’ll realize that you can un-create them and forge new experiences whenever you want.

How empowering is that!

You must take responsibility for your happiness and your unhappiness, your successes and your failures, your good times and your bad times.

All too often we choose to claim the successes and blame the failures on others or other circumstances. When you stop blaming, however, you can take that energy and redirect it to focus on shaping a better situation for yourself. Blaming only ties up your energy. Imagine roping all the energy into a positive effort.

Some ideas to make this happen:

1. Believe, Believe, Believe! Have unwavering faith in yourself, for good and bad. Make the decision to accept the fact that you create all your experiences. You will experience successes thanks to you, and you will experience pain, struggle, and strife thanks to you. Sounds a little strange, but accepting this level of responsibility is uniquely empowering. It means you can do, change, and be anything. Stumbling blocks become just that—little hills to hop over.

2. Take no less than 100% responsibility . Successful people take full responsibility for the thoughts they think, the images they visualize, and the actions they take. They don't waste their time and energy blaming and complaining. They evaluate their experiences and decide if they need to change them or not. They face the uncomfortable and take risks in order to create the life they want to live.

3. Stop complaining . Look at what you are complaining about. I’m fat. I’m tired. I can’t get out of debt. I won’t ever get a better job. I can’t stand the relationship I have with my sister. I’ll never find a soulmate in life. Really examine your complaints. More than likely you can do something about them. They are not about other people, other things, or other events. They are about YOU.

4. Make an immediate change. Are you unhappy about something that is happening right now? Make requests that will make it more desirable to you, or take the steps to change it yourself. Making a change might be uncomfortable for you. It might mean you have to put in more time, money, and effort. It might mean that someone gets upset about it, or makes you feel bad about your decision. It might be difficult to change or leave a situation, but staying put is your choice so why continue to complain?

You can either do something about it or not. It is your choice and you have responsibility for your choices.

5. Pay attention. Looking to others for help and guidance is helpful, but don’t forget to stay tuned in to yourself—your behavior, attitude, and life experiences. Identify what’s working and what isn’t. If you need to, write it all down. Then…

6. Face the truth and take action for the long term . You have to be willing to change your behavior if you want a different outcome. You have to be willing to take the risks necessary to get what you want. If you’ve already taken an initial step in the right direction, now’s the time to plan additional steps to keep moving you forward, faster.

Isn’t it a great relief to know that you can make your life what you want it to be? Isn’t it wonderful that your successes do not depend on someone else?

If you need just one thing to do different today, than you did yesterday, make it this:

Commit to taking 100% responsibility for every aspect of your life. Decide to make changes, one step at a time. Once you start the process you’ll discover it's much easier to get what you want by taking control of your thoughts, your visualizations, and your actions!


© 2010 Jack Canfield

Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com


Sunday, January 17, 2010

Shepherd Me, Oh God

This morning's Communion Hymn, based on Psalm 23, was "Shepherd Me, Oh God" by Marty Haugen. It is one of my very favorites. Here are the words, which begin with the refrain:

Refrain:
Shepherd Me, Oh God,
beyond my wants,
beyond my fears,
from death into life...

Verse 1:
God is my shepherd,
so nothing shall I want,
I rest in the meadows
of faithfulness and love,
I walk by the quiet waters
of peace.

Refrain

Verse 2:
Gently you raise me
and heal my weary soul,
you lead me by pathways
of righteousness and truth,
my spirit shall sing the music
of your name.

Refrain

Verse 3:
Though I should wander
the valley of death,
I fear no evil,
for you are at my side,
your rod and your staff, my comfort
and my hope.

Verse 4:
You have set me a banquet of love
in the face of hatred,
crowning me with love beyond my power
to hold.

Refrain

Verse 5:
Surely your kindness
and mercy follow me
all the days of my life
I will dwell in the house of my God
forever more.

Refrain

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Be Not Afraid

The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord" (Luke 2:11). This is the heralding of the Good News of Jesus the Christ, which we hear most often at Christmastime. Throughout Sacred Scripture, the messages from God, whether from angels or Jesus Himself, are prefaced with "Do not be afraid." Pope John Paul II's homilies and speeches were marked by our Lord's Words "Be Not Afraid." So often, we are faced with fears that keep us from the best that love and life have to offer. I'm not talking about the kind of fear that protects us and keeps us out of harm's way. I'm talking about the kind of fear that is instilled in us by lies. Lies we tell ourselves, lies others tell us about ourselves, lies others tell us about others. Fear can be debilitating, and it can cause us to make poor decisions. It can cause us to stop believing in ourselves and those we love. It can cause us to not love and respect those who are different from ourselves. I truly believe that the opposite of love is not hate, but fear. Fear is at the root of everything that is the antithesis of love... anger, hate, gossip, fighting, war, back-biting, break down in communication; and also discouragement, loss of hope, and lack of joy. As I told a friend recently, I have made so many mistakes in my life... all based on fear. But, I can't fall into the trap of believing that every decision I have made has been wrong. When I find myself looking back at some of my decisions, I try to remind myself "that all things work for good" (Romans 8:28). Now when I make decisions, I try very hard to let "peace" be my deciding factor (Colossians 3:15). Very often when I seek God's direction, the Words that I hear from Him are Do Not be Afraid. That is usually a pretty good indicator to me to move forward with something or, at the very least, that whatever decision I make will not steer me in the wrong direction in a particular situation. It helps me to remember that God is with me always. "Fear not, I am with you; be not dismayed; I am your God. I will strengthen you, and help you, and uphold you with my right hand of justice" (Isaiah 41:10). In the words of our beautiful Lord, "Do not be afraid; just have faith (Mark 5:36). I pray that you will find the courage to trust in the Lord, resist fear, and live a life of love. Remember always Jesus' Words: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid" (John 14:27).

Sunday, January 3, 2010

The Epiphany

Today, the Feast of the Epiphany, we celebrate the visit of the three Magi to the infant Jesus. The name Epiphany comes from the Greek word Epiphania, which means to show, make known, or reveal. Epiphany... the day on which the Divinity of Jesus was publicly recognized. Light of the World, Emmanuel (God with us), Prince of Peace... the Good News of great joy for all people had at last been manifested to the world. I remember clearly the "seed" that made the Divinity of Jesus an undeniable reality to me. It was the book by Philip Yancey entitled "The Jesus I Never Knew." Yancey, a former atheist, set out to disprove the Christian claims about Jesus. Through his research, Philip Yancey was convinced that Jesus was Divine. From his research, philosophy, and compelling arguments, I too was convinced, without a doubt, that Jesus Is Who He said He Is... I AM. An epiphany on a grand scale for sure! A few months later, a fuller reality of God's Love was unexpectedly revealed to me as I was watering my hot pink impatiens. The Holy Spirit suddenly and clearly filled my whole being with the awareness that God loves ME, NO MATTER WHAT! The Infant Jesus was the first Christmas Gift, a gift of God's perfect Love. A Love that can't be earned. A free gift to all of mankind. And, like all gifts, it needs to be "unwrapped" to be truly enjoyed. But, we won't unwrap a gift if we don't know it exists, if we don't believe it is for us, or if we don't think we deserve it. The Good News really is good news!!! God loves us all, no matter what! Don't leave this gift under the tree... unwrap it today. We can experience the epiphanies of the reality of God's Love and His constant Presence in our lives every day, if only we keep our spiritual hearts, minds, eyes, and ears open. Prayers for a very Happy New Year!