#thankfulheart
The Grandmother and the Bee
Monday, 4 a.m.: resident dove cooing, the smell of fresh-brewed coffee, and setting up to refine my notes for today’s before-work agenda.
Forgive those who have hurt you. God has your back and will elevate you. He saw your tomorrow before your today even began! When God knit you together in your mother’s womb, He gifted and equipped you with unique talents and abilities. Pray. Read God’s Word. Listen to Him. Trust His Timing. Be Kind. Forgive.
You can never really live anyone else’s life, not even your child’s. The influence you exert is through your own life, and what you’ve become yourself. – Eleanor Roosevelt
Influence in medieval Latin was influentia, meaning ‘inflow’. Further study gets into defining fluency and its origin. Let’s suffice to say that the word influence describes an effectual capacity or power on/over something or someone.
Before trying to define it I just thought of influence as either positive or negative. Because it is something that flows back and forth, we must be prudent in how we influence others and how we let others influence us.
If we get off track, it is imperative that we stop, check our course and get our bearings. Not only can we spare ourselves forty years of wandering but we can also spare those that we influence. Solution 1: Ask God for directions
Literally speaking, direct others along the same route you would soberly and conscientiously map out for yourself. It is easy to forget how the direction we are headed and the vehicle we use to get there, can profoundly impact others. Solution 2: Ask God for directions
“Success is always dangerous, and we need to be alert and avoid becoming the victims of our own success. Will we influence the world for Christ, or will the world influence us? ” – Billy Graham
“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.” – Soren Kierkegaard
“If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I’ll bet they’d live a lot differently.” “It’s surprising how hard we’ll work when the work is done just for ourselves.” – Bill Watterson
Romans 14:13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this–not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.
Philippians 4:8-9 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
It’s not enough to merely daydream about “stuff you’d really like to do.” You need to have a determined goal — a Vision. A vision won’t take shape until you have a plan, and without a plan, there can be no course of action. Without action there is no change. Without change no growth…
God will multiply when you begin where you are, with what you have. In the sixth chapter of the Book of Mark, we find Jesus, feeding thousands of people who were hungry; both in body and in spirit. The miracle of the loaves and fishes reminds us:
The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. -Michelangelo
The key to beginning is faith. Step out of your comfort zone! The key to increase is diligence and persistence. Diligence is a focussed pursuit and persistence is a resolute determination towards purpose, regardless of difficulty. Purpose is our why.
Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish. A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed. – Mark 6:41-44
Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. – Proverbs 19:21
and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills – Exodus 1:3
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. -Matthew 5:14-16
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. – Ephesians 2:10
The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them. Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat.” But Jesus said, “You feed them.”
“With what?” they asked. “We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!”
“How much bread do you have?” he asked. “Go and find out.” They came back and reported, “We have five loaves of bread and two fish.”
Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish. A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed. – Mark 6:30-44
That never made sense to me. Yet, I still would throw it out into the atmosphere like it would somehow give me more clarity about what I had to do next. Many of us find ourselves with too much day and not enough time. Just how many activities would it take to empty my tank?
I would be hard pressed to not encounter someone hurrying, literally, everywhere I go. In fact, just today I found myself hurrying through several tasks after experiencing unexpected delays. We hurry through breakfast, signing report cards, dropping our kids at school, driving to work, getting groceries, stopping for gas, and even through family time at the end of the day. We hurry through every task so we can squeeze more “stuff” into our day.
A good run requires a good rest. If we are going to run well we need to rest well. God did not create us to be busy. He created us to flourish and grow and share and love and fellowship with Him and with one another. Our run must first be to the throne of God where we can lay down our burdens.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. – Jesus
If we are to run the good race and persevere, we need to run with intent. We need to Run the Race of Faith We look forward to the finish line but our race is practiced, paced, persistent, and unhurried.
Good rest improves the run. Our rest must be as intentional as our run. Just as there are seasons of growth in Spring and Summer and seasons of rest in Fall and Winter, we must recognize the importance of the Rest that prepares us for our Run.
I am guilty of running without purpose and then collapsing without resting. But God has been speaking to me about that, and I thought I would share it with you. ❤
Matthew 11:28, Hebrews 12:1-2
Thank you for stopping by. Do you know how important you are? You have the potential to change the world! You are creative, imaginative, and engaging. Yes, YOU! Envision the exponential of your potential with two of you, ten of you, hundreds of you, and thousands of you! Sowing good seed into one another is powerful.
This little corner of the blog universe will provide the inspiration, information, and collaboration we all need to grow purposefully.
Grab a cup of coffee, tea, or a smoothie…there is much to share. Please visit often, we’ll keep the light on.
Passion that begins with purpose and cultivates encouragement will bear fruit and grow. -CKaeha
Ever plan an event, a gift, or celebration, that you put your whole heart into? – Painstakingly crafting every detail? – Smiling while you worked and created? – Eagerly awaiting the moment to arrive? – Then your guest refuses to show up? …God doesn’t mope. He keeps calling!
Ever pray all night for someone you love because they are battling a wasteland of fear, doubt, despair, and worry, without heavenly weapons? They can’t see the promise, nor God’s Hand extended…God never leaves you!
Ever keep the porch light on and dinner warm, even though you have been repeatedly stood up? …God always keeps His light on!
God’s Love For You Is Relentless! He makes everything new. He gives you a crown of beauty for ashes. When you pass through the waters He will be with you. When you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire you will not be burned. He is doing a new thing, do you not see it? He will make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Call to Him and He will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. His thoughts and ways are Heavenly and higher than anything you can imagine. Do not be afraid, God is with you. His plans for YOU are for good, to give you a hope and a future. He will listen to you when you call on Him and pray to Him.
I know some mountains seem too high to climb and some valleys seem to dark too navigate, but God is a God of miracles. He levels the mountains and breaks down barriers that are between you and His Best for you!
For with God nothing shall be impossible
– Luke 1:37
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.-Jeremiah 29:11
Additional Scripture Reference: Isaiah 54:10, Revelation 21:5, Isaiah 61:3, Isaiah 43:2, Isaiah 43:19, Jeremiah 33:3, Isaiah 55:9, Isaiah 41:10, Jeremiah 29:11-12, Psalm 77:14, Isaiah 45:2
Waiting can be annoying. Waiting can be painful. Sometimes, waiting is an excuse! We wait in line to order our coffee, or food. We wait for our order to be filled. We might be waiting inside the lobby or we might be in the drive-thru, but either way, we are waiting.
What about those times when our self-doubt causes us to wait? Like: Wait until we feel more confident. Wait until God gives us another sign. Wait until the timing is perfect.
Stepping out in faith will never ever be in our earthly view of perfect timing. It requires a deep and intimate relationship with God; praying and reading His Word. Trusting God is tough 24/7. Just remember, God delights in us and He gets the glory when He works miracles through us and equips those He has called.
Fear of failure is crippling. God wants to get up and walk. So, what are you waiting for?
Aloha is Hospitality, Kindness, Forgiveness, Beauty, and Love. It benefits everyone! The Hawaiian lei is a lovely symbol of Aloha… it provides a loving and unconditional “welcome”
A gesture to welcome visitors, be lovely, be fragrant, bring joy, represent hospitality, show kindness, and encourage community.
Leis were once made of hair, feathers, shells, bone, leaves, vines, flowers and even teeth. Materials used were associated to certain cultural beliefs and superstitions. Maile (leafy fragrant vine), associated with a spiritual connection to the forest, was and still is a highly favored lei material, dating back to 750 A.D. when the Hawaiian Islands were first settled.
Seeds, leaves , vines, kukui, feathers ,and flowers like Ilima and Pikake, are still used to create magnificent garlands. The flowers from the hala fruit are connected to love and desire. In addition to the traditional style, many leis are now comprised of candy, money and various textiles like fur and specialized yarns. A symphony of techniques from the past and mixed with current design, make up the crafting of a lei. There still exists an etiquette in receiving a lei: do not refuse the gesture (unless you are highly allergic to the material).
The lei has never lost its symbolic character. It has however, grown in its attributes and skill set to bring cheer to the giver and receiver. Each year on May 1st, Hawaii celebrates Lei Day to commemorate the culture, history and symbolic nature of the lei. It is globally recognized as a tangible symbol of the versatile and comprehensive qualities of Aloha
The lei, as a symbol and gift of Aloha, is used in countless capacities, from welcoming new arrivals, to celebrating a wedding, graduation, promotion, birthday, reunions, or even paying respect to a passing loved one. Here are the attributes that will never go out of style:
In 2005 I launched a journey of encouragement, love, kindness, and hospitality…sharing the “Gifts of Aloha” is still my tagline. I began designing and creating permanent leis, each labeled with a message of encouragement. One day I will return to that quest. All in God’s timing! Check back or follow so you are notified when I post pictures of them and perhaps I will be inspired to post some how-to videos!
Humanity Beautiful 
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