Personal Opinion

I love how Jason puts his words on to a page and many times after reading them, I want to go and do something, be better, help someone and on and on. What a beautiful thing to do with your talents...help others and encourage them to be better.
Anyway these are great words of wisdom to all of us, but I think tonight...I really needed to hear them for me.
Good Night dear friends!

‘Shrink the gap’ between your opinion and God’s by Jason Wright

One of my favorite people on the planet suffers from a confidence deficit.

It’s heartbreaking.

We have many mutual friends, and everyone in her path finds her talented, articulate, dedicated, focused and faithful. This friend is lovely inside and out, and she seems to be the only person who disagrees.

She’s in a near-constant state of doubt about her real value. “Am I a failure? Am I good enough? Smart enough? Am I trying hard enough? Giving up too easily? Am I being kind? Generous? Am I reading the Bible enough? Serving enough? Praying enough?”

The doubts spread and multiply like a dangerous virus. Oh, if only she knew.

She’s a force!

She’s amazing!

She’s great!

Plus, she holds untapped potential to be even greater!

During one recent exchange, my mind ignited an idea that I’m pretty sure I didn’t plant there. In a flash, I realized that we’d had it wrong all along.

My self-doubting friend shouldn’t worry about our opinions, but about what God thinks. Doesn’t He know the goodness in each of us and how much potential we possess?

Then, with this theme, I posed a few leading questions.

“Do you believe God is your Creator?”

“Yes.”

“Your literal Father in heaven?”

“Of course.”

“Is He perfect?”

“Yes.”

“Does He love you?”

Her humble smile and the gathering tears answered for her.

“All right. So He’s our Creator, our Father, He’s perfect and He loves us. If that’s all true, then would any of us be built for failure?”

She shook her head.

“Well then,” I said. “It’s time to ‘shrink the gap’ between who you think you are, and who God thinks you are. No, we’re not perfect, but He doesn’t make mistakes. We are divine creations with divine potential.”

I reminded her that we are all unique with different talents, strengths and weaknesses, but we all have one thing in common. No one ever has been predestined for failure. We are built for success.

I know what you’re thinking. You’ve been there, too.

We all have. It’s natural. We doubt. We question. We cry out for a reminder that we’re not alone.

We each have days when we wake up and wonder if our prayers are powerful enough to reach the all-powerful.

I think you and I, plus my friend, plus your neighbor, plus your neighbor’s neighbor, all suffer from a flexible confidence gap that constantly expands and shrinks between our self-imposed limits and the eternal potentials of heaven. But if God’s power is limitless, and if all of our talents, gifts and abilities come from Him, then aren’t they also limitless?

Consider that. You are unique, so is my friend, and she is talented in many ways. So are you. Those gifts come from an infinite Creator who knows us intimately, even how many hairs are on our heads.

We’re flawed, selfish, impatient and prone to repeat mistakes. No, we’re not perfect, but our Father is. And that’s the miracle that matters most!

Of course we must remain deferential, humble and attribute all our success to Him. But we also should never, ever doubt His best work. (That’s you!)

I sure hope my friend is listening, but by now I understand that it’s not just about her. It’s about all of us. May we all recognize that none of us are meant for failure, because we’re all meant for Him.

Let’s shrink the gap.

Found the article HERE:

So true!

I laughed when I read this quote...isn't that the truth? When I was sick, I only went to the Doctor, the Drug Store and back home, and yet every time I seemed to see someone I knew and of course I looked as bad as I felt. My Grandmother used to always say to me " You should never look as bad as you feel" So sorry Grandma!
When I went to the doctor's office the other day, they told me that they needed to take my photos to put on my file. I didn't feel very great and sorta looked the same. I told them maybe another day, they then tried to convince me on how good I looked. Instead of being the PLEASER that I used to be, I said No, and that I would do it another day, when I felt and looked better.
The worst is when you feel like you look great ( which isn't all that often for me ) and then someone asks how you are feeling and if you are ok? Which makes me think of another quote that I need to memorize...


So as much as we laugh about this old fashion sayings, many of them are true.

I am just grateful for the chance to feel better and to even want to put on my makeup and put on something other than my sweats.
Today I just created all day with one of my best friends, how blessed I am for her friendship. It was so fun to create with someone else, like yesterday that is what Amy and I did ( of course in between being Mom and Nana ) and that was a blast.
Creating makes me happy, I am so glad I have that desire back. After being sick for so long, I was beginning to think that I had lost my ability to ever create again.
Well, gotta run. Jeff and I are doing our Date Night tonight, because we are going to have the girls over for a 3 day Sleep Over starting tomorrow!!! Can't wait it has been a long time since we have done one.
Good night dear friends!

Confidence… or the Lack of ?

Warning, this post is a Bigger Than Me Day!

Lately I have been struggling, and lacking in the confidence department. I am not sure why exactly?  Maybe because I have been in more pain lately. Pain is hard on the soul and everything else. It is hard to get excited about things when you don’t feel good, and it even makes me grumpy with the family…which is unusual, so I definitely have to get to the bottom of it soon.
Also having this much pain doesn’t exactly make me feel very creative, and normally  I have soooo many ideas running through my head that I can hardly wait to get up in the morning and start on them. So…I really have to get my body back in order, so my mind and spirit will follow! As I read these quotes I thought how true…

"If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life."  ~ Unknown Author…. (Some times the world is a tough place to live, so it is vital that you believe in yourself first!)

“As is our confidence, so is our capacity.”  ~William Hazlitt ….( So true, if we believe in ourselves and our abilities, anything is possible! )

"Confidence doesn't come out of nowhere.
It's a result of something... hours and days and weeks and years of constant work and dedication."   ~Roger Staubach … ( I agree, the more I work and spend time at something, the better I get! )

“With confidence, you have won even before you have started."    ~Marcus Garvey … ( This is definitely a POSITIVE quote, having confidence helps you win the game of life! )

 

So now that I know what I should do… I just need to go do it!

Just like my daughter and her friends at college, doing synchronized swimming at the park…now that take confidence in ones self and self esteem. I need to have more pictures of myself just being silly and playing. I don’t really play very well. Sometimes I am probably too serious with life!

Well, thanks for believing in me… even on the days that I don’t  believe in myself!  Good night dear friends!

The importance of YOU!

I just loved this essay, it speaks volumes and a great reminder for me ....to believe in myself!
Because there is no one out there quite like me. ( My Mother used to say that very same thing about me, but she said it with a different expression!)

I hope you enjoy it, good night dear friend!

Steps To Happiness  

Author Unknown

Everybody Knows:
You can't be all things to all people.
You can't do all things at once.
You can't do all things equally well.
You can't do all things better than everyone else.
Your humanity is showing just like everyone else's.
So:
You have to find out who you are, and be that.
You have to decide what comes first, and do that.
You have to discover your strengths, and use them.
You have to learn not to compete with others,
Because no one else is in the contest of *being you*.
Then:
You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness.
You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.
You will have learned to live with your limitations.
You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due.
And you'll be a most vital mortal.
Dare To Believe:
That you are a wonderful, unique person.
That you are a once-in-all-history event.
That it's more than a right, it's your duty, to be who you are.
That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish.
And you'll be able to stay one up on what used to get you down.

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe." -Anatole France

"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

"To move ahead you need to believe in yourself...have conviction in your beliefs and the confidence to execute those beliefs."   ~Adlin Sinclair

 

Paintbrush or Mask

For years as a victim of abuse, I wore a mask ( a smile, a happy face ) so that others wouldn't really know the real me. It took me years to take my mask off and I couldn't really do that without learning to love the person who was under the mask...ME!  I still struggle every now and then with my self esteem, I know who I am ...a daughter of God, but sometimes when life hits me hard and I start to forget alittle. I am what they call a WORK in PROCESS. I believe we all are to some degree. I believe that is why we are here on earth, to learn and grow from our problems and trials. I believe that life gets better when we learn to love the person under the mask or like this poem describes it...the paint!

I hope all of us will try to show our true colors, our real self and keep company of true friends, who really love us and accept us! May we all remember more often...who we are and hold up our heads proudly to be... beautiful, talented, wonderful daughters of a Heavenly  Father who loves us!!!

The Paintbrush

I keep my paint brush with me
Wherever I may go,
In case I need to cover up
So the real me doesn't show.

I'm so afraid to show you me,
Afraid of what you'll do - that
You might laugh or say mean things.
I'm afraid I might lose you.

I'd like to remove all my paint coats
To show you the real, true me,
But I want you to try and understand,
I need you to accept what you see.

So if you'll be patient and close your eyes,
I'll strip off all my coats real slow.
Please understand how much it hurts
To let the real me show.

Now my coats are all stripped off.
I feel naked, bare and cold,
And if you still love me with all that you see,
You are my friend, pure as gold.

I need to save my paint brush, though,
And hold it in my hand,
I want to keep it handy
In case someone doesn't understand.

So please protect me, my dear friend
And thanks for loving me true,
But please let me keep my paint brush with me
Until I love me, too.

Author is either Bettie B. Youngs or David, Wizard of Oz

 

"Happiness is:  Looking in a mirror and like what you see." ~Author Unknown

"When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you." ~Lao-Tzu

'You gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face. You must do that which we think we cannot."   ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Encouragement

My mom told me that from the time I was real little, that all I wanted to do was draw! She would always told me how good I was and how much she loved each picture that I drew. I was grateful for her encouragement and it helped give me the desire to keep going at it. However my dad was just the opposite, he thought it was a waste of time and a distraction from my school work. I think it is interesting the power that parent's have over their kids, just through encouragement or criticism. This story was a good reminder for me to truly watch what I say to my kids about their talents and likes.

One never really knows the potential in a child, so it is vital to try and support and encourage every talent that they have or desire to have. I don't mean support by sending them to school's and classes that cost a lot, but a support through the encouragement you give them. Yes a kind word, positive thought, believing in them...all these things can go a long way and most important can help your child go a long way in life!

Good night dear friends and don't forget to encourage and appreciate your own talents and those of your family.

Dante Gabriel Rossetti, the famous 19th-century poet and artist, was once approached by an elderly man. The old fellow had some sketches and drawings that he wanted Rossetti to look at and tell him if they were any good, or if they at least showed potential talent.

Rossetti looked them over carefully. After the first few, he knew that they were worthless, showing not the least  sign of artistic talent. But Rossetti was a kind man, and he told the elderly man as gently as possible that the pictures were without much value and showed little talent. He was sorry, but he could not lie to the man.

The visitor was disappointed, but seemed to expect Rossetti's judgement. He then apologized for taking up Rossetti's time, but would he just look at a few more drawings- these done by a young art student?

Rossetti looked over the second batch of sketches and immediately became enthusiastic over the talent they revealed. "These", he said, "oh, these are good. This young student has great talent. He should be given every help and encouragement in his career as an artist. He has a great future if he will work hard and stick to it."

Rossetti could see that the old fellow was deeply moved. "Who is this fine young artist?" he asked. "Your son?"

"No," said the old man sadly. "It is me-40 years ago. If only I had heard your praise then! For you see, I got discouraged and gave up--too soon."

Anonymous from Brian Cavanaugh's The Sower's Seeds

"THERE ARE NO SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD IN THE EYES OF A CHILD. THERE ARE SEVEN MILLION."  ~Walt Streightiff

"WE WORRY ABOUT WHAT A CHILD WILL BECOME TOMORROW, YET WE FORGET THAT HE ( SHE ) IS SOMEONE TODAY."  ~ Stacia Tauscher

 

RIsing to the occasion!

"We become more adept at rising to the occasion each time we see ourselves doing it. Every time we cope well with whatever real life throws our way, it's another deposit of confidence, creativity, and courage in our self-esteem account... When you need to rise to the occasion, do it with style. Do it with a knowing smile. Confound them. Astound yourself. Make it look easy, and it will become so." ~Sarah Breathnach

I found this quote and thought about how true it is. Every time we make a deposit of the 3 C's ( CONFIDENCE, CREATIVITY AND COURAGE ) it really does build up our self esteem and that has to be a good thing.

It is late and I think that I am just going to leave this quote with you, it's a bit deep but...I love it, it makes me want to take that challenge, to face whatever life throws at me. Thanks for supporting me, when I was too weak and scared to support myself. That's what friends are for right?    Night!