Birth Control, versus the number of children I gave birth to, obviously serves as an indicator to that fact…

But as far as My New Annual “DAILY Devotion & Journal” is concerned, I proudly announce, “Week One as PRODUCTIVE & SUCCESSFUL!!” The jump-start helped.

On 1-1-2012, the 365 “DAILY” countdown clock was activated and here I am, a whole week later and still in operation mode. To some people, that might not sound like a huge accomplishment, but for me, THAT IS MAJOR STUFF!!!

>> 1 week /7 days down – 51 weeks/358 days left to go <<

Now if only I could get back into the habit of writing/blogging on a regular basis again that would be Oh~So~Sweet!

I am not necessarily reaching for Daily or even Weekly, because I know it’s about Quality and NOT Quantity.

But if I could at least bring it a notch or two above what I am currently producing, I’d be a happy & content “Writer/Blogger” again.

Unfortunately, writing doesn’t come easy around here, as I have way, Way, entirely WAY TOO MANY distractions that compete for and drain my time and attention, not to mention, EnErGy !@#$%^&*()_++_)(*&^%$#@!

So this year I’ve incorporated a few helpers, in hopes of meeting My Personal Study & Writing goals.

Study Buddies like YouVersion.com. They have these super kool features to help me stay focused and committed to My Bible Reading Plan. They send a Reminder Notification to my cellphone each and every morning AND an email for extra measure. Then Joyce Meyer has SO much good stuff to share with me Everyday that my brain juices start flowing and I always end up having more to write then I have room for in my one-page-a-day iJournal.

While working on this post, I was thinking about cheating and was going to upload copies from my iJournal pages onto here and call it a “blog post”. Then I figured that would just be too boring or lame, so I decided to just write whatever came out my head instead, which is probably just as boring and lame, but at this point, for this particular post, it’s whatever…

This particular blog post is actually an exercise in connection with some of those “helps” I mentioned…

My Writing Helpers, Writers/Bloggers/Motivators like, Jeff Goins, Duane Scott, Dan King & Steve Pavlina to name a few. These guys have this stuff down man, like for real.

I acknowledge that there are plenty others like them out there who are serious about this writing/blogging business, but in my sincere attempt to earnestly FOCUS on MY Own writing issues and goals, I had to do a little weeding in my reading department. No offense you guys and gals, its only temporary.

If I sound like I’m just rambling on or grasping at straws, searching for words to put together to create a decent size blog post, then I’ve successfully accomplished my first writing exercise.

Thank You for reading this far, regardless if you liked it or not. Hopefully over time this will all get easier and better.

I am ridiculously eager to get this journaling business started again, trying to get a head start by practicing the “daily” task, so as to get back into the habit of writing before I actually have to start writing again. Not to mention, I seriously need this jump-start to hone in on my handwriting skills, as it has become rather sloppy, seriously!

I’ve neglected my old friends, pen & paper for longer than I care to confess. It’s really pathetic how much I try to avoid ever having to physically write anything anymore. For someone who once literally wrote everything down, it boggles my mind that I now have this weird Love-Hate relationship with Writing.

With all my new, fancy i-products, digital writing has dramatically changed my writing life.

Paper checks to pay monthly bills are about the majority of actual pen & paper writing I’ve done lately and that has dramatically declined over the course of the year now that online and over-the-phone credit card payments are accepted almost everywhere. As a matter of fact, I completely ran out of paper checks last month and just this past week had to make myself order new ones because of the very few bills I still have to pay via paper checks.

Grocery lists nowadays are done via text message more times than they are via the magnetic pad attached to the side of the fridge. Digital Notes has replaced my most favored “Things To Do” notepads, just as my multicolored, uniquely shaped “Post-Its” has lost its first place status to Siri, My New Personal Digital Reminders Assistant.

Funny thing though is how ridiculously attracted I still am to any and all kinds of pens, notepads & stationary. Whats not funny is how I still continue to buy them knowing they may never be put to good use. While looking for a New Journal, I didn’t even have to go to a store to buy one, I already had several, empty ones lying around begging to be filled with ink and words and doodling.

This journaling journey will not replace my current digital writing, as what I physically write will more likely than not, end up here, in the digital world as well.

And so it begins, this unofficial 1st day of writing, the subject being – Writing, my love for it, the ever-changing and varied methods of doing it, my neglect of it, my need to practice it and my longing for more and more of it…

Then share it with the rest of the world, it just may very well be what another NEEDS to make it though another day.

I don’t know if you noticed or not, but we are living in tough times, hard-to-deal-with, with hopelessness and dread steadily and quickly moving in on all sides.

With the ever-growing technology and information available in the world today, lives can quickly become cluttered and headed in the wrong direction quick!

The enemy is steady trying to distract the minds of men, women and children with unnecessary garbage, pulling more and more away from thoughts that are true, pure and holy.

Don’t underestimate the power of those tiny bits of inspiration, motivation, encouragement that you come across throughout your day. Share Them!

It’s difficult for some people to look to or turn to their Creator & Savior, especially if they don’t Know Him, Trust Him, Love Him.

BUT a simple encouraging, inspirational word or thought from another can change that.

Think about the last time you were inspired because someone else took the time to share something positive and inspirational with you.

A Life Inspired is birthed from a seed of Inspiration planted by another, spoken, written, lived and shared Inspired Life.

What inspired me today :

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Hebrews 10:24

Worry makes a man’s heart heavy. But a kind word cheers him up. Godly people are careful about the friends they choose. But the way of sinners leads them down the wrong path. Proverbs 12:25,26

Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. You know the teachings I gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you. Philippians 4:8,9

 1 For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.

2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.

3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.

4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.

5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.

7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.

8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8NLT

February 1, 1988 was one of those days I spoke up, and all hell broke loose. 

It has since become one of those “Most Unforgettable Moments” of my life. Actually the very first of MANY others to come. This particular day was the day the man I loved with all my heart and was planning to spend the rest of my life with, held a loaded shotgun to my head and threatened to blow my brains out.

Will he really pull that trigger???????

From the look on his face, the tone of his voice, and the grip of his hand around my throat, I had very little else to convince me otherwise.

After a night out with his brother and sister-in-law, to celebrate his brother’s birthday, and after one too many drinks – on his part, a side to this man I had never seen before, reared its ugly little head. The scary, manipulating, controlling side. The suicidal, homicidal side. The abusive, demanding, unpredictable side. The EVIL side!!!

The teasing and seemingly playful arguing started even before we left the bar that night. Although he made it sound all innocent and fun while we were still in the car with his family, all that changed no sooner they dropped us off and I was left all alone with this Dr. Jekyll & Mr Hyde I thought only existed on TV.

Apparently something was terribly wrong with me for having a problem with “my boyfriend” flirting with another female all night. But what was an even bigger problem than that, was the horrible mistake I made in verbalizing that I had a problem with it.

Shame on me!!! How dare I act so selfishly and disrespectfully and open my mouth in opposition to him and his behavior.

For the life of me I could not convince my boyfriend that there was anything wrong with him flirting with another female all night. After seeing “The Birthday Kiss” she planted on his brother and wanting one for himself, he lied to this woman and told her it was his birthday as well.

It wasn’t just my wild imagination or even jealousy on my part, but the VERY obvious fact that the two of them were equally attracted to one other and had no problem letting each other and the rest of us know it.  Even after speaking up and informing her that it in fact WAS NOT his birthday, they STILL BOTH insisted on exchanging a kiss and would have done so had I not stood up and put my hand over my boyfriend’s mouth as she nearly kissed the back of my hand.

Little did I know the horrible cost of interfering with that lip-locking exchange.

If you would just learn when to speak and when to shut the hell up, things would work out so much better and easier for you and I wouldn’t be forced to do this to you. “See what opening your stupid mouth gets you!!! This Is All YOUR Fault!!! One day you will learn to keep your mouth shut or I will be just have to shut it for you!!!

It went a little something like that, but of course with a lot more force and cursing. I’m sure many of you are thinking, Jealousy will get you nowhere, but honestly it wasn’t even about being jealous for me. I was more or less upset that he disrespected and devalued me as a person. Coming from someone claiming to love me, it was a bit confusing to me that he could act and treat me that way, or let another female treat me that way. It was a first for me, I wasn’t sure how to handle the rejection, I couldn’t wrap my brain around the fact that he supposedly wanted me so bad AND at the same time, wanted someone else. Yeah I was young and VERY naive, I was 21.

Little did I know that, this was just his style, his method of entrapment in order to get and gain control.

Believe it or not, I actually HAD self-esteem and a ton of confidence in myself back then, maybe even too much. I know, hard to believe huh, still shocks me at times when I think about it too. But its true. I never dated a guy that ever made me feel or give me any inkling of a reason to feel insecure, jealous, threatened or worried about another female. I was not having it, not one bit of it. If I even suspected a boyfriend was interested in one of my friends or another female, they were history in a heartbeat. I didn’t have the patience to fight and cry over one guy. There were just too many out there to choose from to settle down with a distracted one.

But this was more than a fight over one unfaithful and obviously distracted guy. It went far deeper than that my friend. When I attempted to walk away that night and put an end to what was obviously a very bad choice on my part, that option was not easily attainable or available from where I was standing. Which brings us back to the loaded shotgun ever so precisely and tightly pressed into the right side of my head, daring me to walk out the door and leave the only man who would ever put up with me and my big mouth. And so began the downward spiral into the nasty pit of despair for me.

If someone would have told me back then, that one day I would date and even MARRY someone who would constantly challenge my ability to keep his interest & attention, or that I would live most of my young adult life at the beck and call of an extremely jealous, insecure, manipulating, controlling and psychotic abuser, or better still, that I would one day find myself on the opposite end of a loaded barrel, I would have called them crazy to their face.

ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!

You have me confused with someone else.

That would NEVER happen TO ME!

I WAS MUCH TOO SMART , PRETTY AND STRONG to put up with that

Yet I stayed - for 14 years!!!

Something I can’t even begin to explain, especially in just one blog post.

Actually I probably could, but you would be sitting here reading for days.

On December 31, 2011,  New Years Eve Day, it will make 10 years since I worked up enough courage and strength to pick myself up and walk away for good.

The fear of dying at the hands of my husband and abuser could no longer hold me hostage, because that fear no longer scared me. If that made any sense.

I had finally and simply reached the point where I didn’t even care anymore if he killed me or not, I just knew I had to get out, to at least get my kids out, even if it cost my life.

It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do in my life, even harder than living through all the years of abuse. But I knew there had to be a better life than the one we were living.

Revisiting that chapter and speaking out hasn’t always been an easy subject for me. The rebuilding process took more days and prayers than one can even imagine. I didn’t always understand why I was allowed to go through it all, and survive. It took several years for me to reach a point of Forgiveness and a True sense of what Freedom meant and felt like.

But I can tell you today, that had I walked away that night, things could have turned out exceptionally bad or exceptionally great, as they both still did in the end of it all anyway.

I openly share my story today, and will continue to do so from this day forward for the sake of reminding and encouraging others out there struggling with the decision to stay or leave, or going through the day-2-day, hour-by-hour battle of surviving and living a normal life after-the-fact.

Be Encouraged!!! 

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. Genesis 50:20NLT

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28NLT

 My child, never forget the things I have taught you.
Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation. Trust in the LORD with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones. Proverbs 3:1-8NLT

 “To whom will you compare me?
Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One. Look up into the heavens.
Who created all the stars?
He brings them out like an army, one after another,
calling each by its name.
Because of his great power and incomparable strength,
not a single one is missing. O Jacob, how can you say the LORD does not see your troubles?
O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights? Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:25-31NLT

 to be cont…

Anyway, while attempting to get myself organized, focused, AWAKE and ready to begin the day’s lesson of the new online course I recently enrolled in, my cellphone began vibrating. The text message coming through was just a subtle yet startling reminder that I was in fact awake and not still in my bed dreaming. Yes, it literally scared the crap out of me. I mean come on now, those who know me, know I’m no good in the morning, why would they waste their time trying to get in touch with me in the first place.

But anyway, the text was from one of my daughters. Assuming she must have sent it to me by mistake, as I had no clue what or who she was even talking about, I simply ignored the text for a minute or two while I proceeded to read the intro for my assignment…

Emotional and mental energy are just as important as physical energy when it comes to your personal happiness, if not more.

While your body can be in perfect working order, your heart and mind can be completely exhausted and cause you to feel drained and depressed.

Emotional energy is the 70% of energy that does not come from diet and physical exuberance.

That’s right, only 30% of your overall energy level has to do with physical condition! Although that is quite a bit, and good physical health is important, there is a lot more to it.

Many people who are in poor physical health manage very well with their lives, because they have the emotional resilience to deal with it.(1999-2011 Universal Class, Inc.)

Good Stuff!

Naturally, curiosity entered my already distracted mind, so I text my daughter back, basically just to confirm whether or not she sent the message to me by mistake.

Before I could get a reply back from her, my phone began to ring………. but the caller was not my daughter. It was an unknown number and if you don’t know this about me by now, then listen up — I NEVER, EVER answer calls from numbers I don’t recognize, EVER!!! Especially early in the morning!!!

So if you ever need to talk to me, and you’re not sure if your number is already programmed in my phone, your best bet is to text me first to let me know who you are and that you are about to ring my phone, and then we can talk! Kool? Kool!

The unknown caller is rather persistent, as they try a second and then a third time to make contact with me. Just as the 3rd try has nearly reached my voice-mail again, the text comes through,

“Answer your phone, cause _______ is trying to reach you, I gave them your cell number!”

I quickly swiped my finger across the screen of my cell phone to catch the caller just as they were about to hang up.

The nature of the call and the caller, were both extremely shocking and to-be-expected, all rolled into one.

We talked, mostly they talked, I listened.

I was humbled that they would go through the trouble they did to reach me. Still amazes me how God could use ALL my past hurts and failures for the healing of another. Who would have known and believed anything good could have come out of all that nasty mess. I know I sure didn’t see all the benefits while I was living through it and coming out of it. He really does “Make all things work together for our good.”

So for about 30 minutes or so we shared experiences, even shared some of our unique, extremely private & god-awful hurtful Most Unforgettable Moments, really tough stuff!!!

But what the caller was most anxious for, even more than the advise and recommendations they had called for, was HOPE. They were in an all out search for Hope. Hope for the next step, for the next day, for the future. They assumed Hope was long gone. Can’t imagine how hard it must be to find yourself in a spot where all hope is gone. I’ve come within inches of reaching that place, but God rescued me and reminded me that He never left my side. Thank God–He Exist!!

I trembled and secretly cried inside as this person opened up and revealed to me an even darker side of their journey, one that I had not experienced during my season, but could totally understand where they were coming from. I quickly rebuked all weapons that were formed or forming against them for their destruction. I assured them that the Lord was not clueless or unaware of each and every event that had already taken place and begged Him to reveal Himself and Holy Presence to them that very minute, assuring them that He had not given up Hope, that all Hope was NOT lost, that HE WAS, IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE THEIR HOPE — Our Hope!!

The highlight of our conversation was me being able to point them to The Source that helped hold me together during that tough season in my life. The exact same source that still holds me together to this very day…

Our Loving, Caring, Forgiving and OH SO Faithful, Heavenly Father!

He told me to tell you that He is not mad at you and that He loves you with every fiber of His existence. He was actually kind of upset, but more hurt and heartbroken than anything.

He said He tried calling you and reaching out to you a few times, but you always seem too distracted by other things around you, friends, work, oh and that little addiction issue that He was just trying to help you overcome.

He told me to tell you that He was just trying to get your attention before it was too late, He didn’t mean to bother or harass you, but He just loves you so much, and it really hurts him to see you suffering so much when you really don’t need to.

He visited me first thing this morning and asked me to do this little favor for him, I mean it’s the least I could do for Him after everything He has pulled me through.

Oh and He also asked me to remind you and everyone else out there that He really isn’t the one behind all those ridiculous tests and trials and all that really hard stuff that we go through from time to time. A lot of that stuff is brought on by His rival, who also happens to be our worst enemy. The one that can’t stand to see us doing good and moving forward in life. He said, the devil is just that type that won’t admit to anything and is always trying to make Him look like the bad guy. He pulled that stunt with Adam and Eve in the Garden and after seeing how easy it was to convince them, he just kept using that same old trick and even after all this time, people still fall for it. He said we should never listen to a single word that he says because all he does is lie. He is the father of lies!

But He also said the majority of all that stuff has to do with our own selfishness too and that we do bring a lot of it on ourselves. He said He mentioned all of that in His Word, but a lot of people don’t seem to understand exactly how the sowing and reaping process works and have to actually go through it a few times before it dongs on them. But He just wanted to clarify that He really doesn’t sit up there on his throne, picking on people all day long. Actually He said He spends most of His time, picking up all the shattered pieces and trying to put them all back together with as little pain as possible, but some people wait so stinking late in the game to reach out for help that its pretty bad by the time it reaches Him and He has to fix things up the best He can and a lot of times before He can even finish putting it all back together, its snatched right back out of His Hands.

He said a lot of times He really can’t step in like He would want to and hates when He is forced to sit back and watch some of us almost drown to the point of death in all of our mess. He says all that stuff is really complicated, but its a good thing that He knows the exact time to step in and as much as He’d like to jump in at the get-go, He simply can’t because it would just screw up the whole scheme of things. See He knows and sees what we can’t see — The Whole Picture.

Oh and that empty void feeling that you’ve been feeling lately, He told me to tell you that He actually is responsible for that part. In fact He did create each one of us with that. He said it may sound selfish on his part, but because He is a jealous God and wants all His Creation for Himself. He figured that if He designed a specific spot “Just for Him”, then we would all eventually have no choice but to search for and reach out to the One and Only thing — HIM — to fill that emptiness.

He said He was stopping by again in the morning to see if I did my part in relying this message to you, but more importantly, He can’t wait to hear what your thoughts are on all of this.

He is so excited and hoping that you will respond directly to Him, so that the two of you can begin patching things up because He really misses you a lot.

He can’t wait to hear from you, how about you give Him a shout out!

He doesn’t sleep, at all, so you can reach Him any time.

While searching for and nursing my MUSE I often forget to [filter, filter, filter] during the process, and especially before I post something for the WWW to see. I am usually very S=c@TT>e>R<e///D while I scramble my brain with a mixture of ALOT of different things:

• music
• books
• pictures
• videos
• people
• words
• …
• …
• …
• …
• …
• …

and the genre playing field out there is ENORMOUS, sooooooooooooooo for Heaven’s sake chill out!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some people are easily amused while others are easily offended

I have always been the type of person who is easily amused at the simple, little things, the things most people would be OMGing,”did they really just say that, OMG”

I actually look for and find great pleasure & excitement on the funny~flip~side.

NOOOO, I’m no comedian, BUT I do come from a ~~l~~o~~n~~g~~ line of VERY intentional and habitually funny people, most who HAVE NO FILTER or care to invest in one.

MY Funny is not always going to be YOUR Funny, that’s why You were born You and I am simply weird, I was wired that way, so technically I can’t really apologize for that, but then again I could, but I’ll more than likely screw up again and need to apologize again and again and again and…

That being said, to all you super sensitive people out there hating on my musing process, you can do 1 of 2 things:

1. Delete Me, I won’t be offended!!! You’ll be back, possibly to get offended again, so chose wisely!!!

2. Come Prepared, because some things are just naturally raw and nasty at the start of anything worth waiting for,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Birth is usually a very exciting time for most people, I did say MOST. Some parents plan and prepare long in advance for the births in their lives. But unfortunately there are many who do not, cannot, or worse, will not. Some parents and grandparents get all technical and detailed with the births in their lives. They throw party after party with ALL their pictures and announcements, sharing with the world each and every milestone, accomplishment and achievement and what have you, while so many just get caught up in survival mode, are forced to go through the motions just hoping to make it through the day, much less 18+ years and hopefully raise a decent human being. Some can’t even fathom all that is involved in parenting and caring for another life so they either give up before the birth or a short time afterwards, and sadly for some, even during the process. I’m not knocking those who choose whichever path they go down for their or their child’s life. Sometimes, it’s all that some can do and I for one am not The Judge of the universe to say what is right or wrong for anybody else, as I have walked in the path of most of these myself.

But I will say one thing in respects to those who are struggling and may feel that there is no better way to life and living and are left with no Hope. It is EACH OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY to let it be made known, LOUD & CLEAR, that each and every life on this earth is precious, unique and worth living. That help is ALWAYS available, somewhere, if not in our own hands!!! FAR TOO MANY lives go unnoticed, cared for or fall in the cracks, when there are well enough, enough of us on this planet that can step in, even if only for a season or maybe just one-time, permanently or temporarily, to make a difference in someone else’s life.

His Plan was not that we get stuck on ourselves and our issues and forget that there are “others” in this world with us!!!

My ship has definitely sailed and still floats in each of these areas that I’ve mentioned. Came close to sinking quite a few times, shipwrecked a few others, to smooth-sailing as well. I have been fortunate enough to have experienced both the stressed and depressed life to the satisfying and exciting life. From the desperate, ashamed and afraid to the redeemed, forgiving and loved. It’s no accident that I experienced days, months, years of not knowing when or where I was going to sleep for the night or how I was going to feed my children the next day. It’s no accident that I have a heart to give so much that I forget to pay my own bills or go so far to help another that I’m left too drained and exhausted to help myself, because I know now that ONLY HE CAN & WILL FILL ME UP!!!

Unbeknown to most folks, ALL life has been planned and prepared for, regardless if one has been trying and expecting, or just got caught up. None of us are here by accident!!! Not a single one, died or alive, wanted or abandoned, cared for or neglected!! God makes No Mistakes – EVER!!! He is The Creator of ALL things and ALL people, tribes and tongues. I didn’t make that up, His Word says so!!!

To the opposite end of the dash – Death – It’s a subject that some don’t like to talk or think about, don’t fully understand or agree with, and then there are even some who could care less about the fact that it happens each and every day, numerous times a day!!! It’s a fact of life and it’s something we all have to or will go through, we can’t ignore it or escape it.

As most of you already know, I just had a birthday yesterday, 44 years and counting… and I couldn’t help but think about my life and what I’ve done with the 44 years I’ve been giving and I thought about my death as well, even though I didn’t get that far yet, otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this blog, unless of course by some freak happening, I am no longer here. But it is definitely not something I am looking forward to for quite some time, but have to take into consideration none-the-less. Most who know me really well, I’m talking really, really well, know what a god-awful mess I made with most of those 44 years. LOTS and LOTS of nasty stuff in those baggages. Granted, I’ve managed to accomplish lots of good and useful things and not waste all of what I have been blessed with. And I’d like to hope that the years I have left will be spent doing a lot less of those things from my past. BUT I’m not perfect, so I’m sure I will screw up a time or two before I leave this place. For all those who I’ve hurt, used, abused in any way, shape or form, I truly am sorry!!!!!!!!!! I have already forgiven those who have done the same to me years ago and have had to learn the hard way how to walk in forgiveness everyday.

Some people are fortunate enough to have an extended dash in their lifetime, while other’s is very brief. Regardless of how much time we are blessed with, it’s what we do with that time that is really important, whether you agree or care or whatever, it’s a true fact and can prove it, but that’s a whole ‘nother blog. Which takes me back to the ultimate questions of the day:

• “Why were we born?”
• “Why do we die?”
• “Why are we here and where are we going after we leave here?”

Actually what we really need to focus on is,

“what am I going to do with the time that I am here?“

We only have a “limited time” people, check any headstone in the cemetery and see for yourself, we only have a dash!!!

Some people love them, others hate them, most do their best to avoid them, still others search for them and embrace them. Far too many cut them, while others are pushed into them or worse shoved into them, quite a few pile into them all on their own. Some are easy to climb out of, at the same time there are those that lead you from one straight into another and then another.

Regardless if you are the type of person who refuses to accept the corners in your life, or one who gladly searches for them, they do and will always exist in our lives, physically of course, but even more so, figuratively. What you do with your time in them, ultimately determines how long you stay in them &/or if you will ever return to them.

With all that being said, I must confess that, though I embrace some corners, I absolutely despise others. I actually thrive in some corners, especially the ones I created for myself. So far I have 6 of them, that may seem like a lot to some of you, but it’s actually not enough, and I’m sure I will create more down the road.

The corners I’m talking about are my quite spots, where I meet one-on-one with My Greater Source, where I listen and hear for His Voice to whisper His Thoughts, His Plans for my life, His Knowledge, His Wisdom, His Motivation, Approval of and Confidence in me and what He has called me to do.  But most important, His Encouragement! Something I need each and every day, to continue down the path that He has laid in front of me.

Has God cornered you yet? I’m certain He has!

Are you listening to His Plans for your life or are you still walking in your own wisdom and glory?

Isaiah 41: 9 I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.