SOMETIMES THE SIMPLE IS THE MOST DIFFICULT

Good morning, world 😄
 
"Sometimes the simple is the most difficult."  That's a line I've read in my favorite book 'Good Morning... God'. I would have moved on to the rest of the book but it struck me right there. I mean the words got me rooted right there.
Because many times through the years the simple got me stuck with issues I'd rather be free of but couldn't. Just because I couldn't get myself to do one tiny simple thing.

Have you been through something like that yourself?

There's no rocket science attached to it. It's just a pure tiny simple task or thought or idea which nags at you but which you chose to ignore. 

Despite the underlying knowledge that it could and might lead to the solution you desire.

It's something like..... making that important call although you are not feeling up to it -- writing that important letter thought the words won't come -- talking to that person who is a legit jerk but who holds the key to the project -- saying 'yes' or saying 'no' to a proposal -- turning down a plate of lechon (cos your cholesterol is skyrocketing high) no matter how much you crave for it -- and many more. Things which common sense or wisdom dictates but which you opt to avoid. Because. Period.

And the reasons why are many. It all seems to be attached to the ego.... the feelings... some sentimentality... perhaps a bit of anger... or maybe fear... or some sense of inadequacy -- or trust is wanting -- or the absence of faith -- or something else in your heart which holds you back from making that move.

Things become difficult when you struggle with yourself. It becomes a battle, big or small, but a battle just the same. And sometimes is left unresolved or pushed aside because you can't seem to raise the courage to act on it. Then eventually becomes forgotten in time.

A simple thought, idea, act left undone but which could make the difference in your life. You won't know it ... until you try.

Sometimes the simple is the most difficult. Because it takes you out of your comfort zone. But certainly great potential is in the simple, too.

Have a great day, folks! God bless you.

WORRYING WON'T TAKE YOU UP THE MOUNTAIN

 

 

  

One of the nicest things about early morning walks is the chance to watch the day unfold. Trees seem to look greener, flowers brighter, animals on the street light and cheery chasing each other on the paved streets, and people... Well, people are a good mix of both great and not so great. I get a good feed of both in that morning walk.
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Great disarming smiles come from people who have learned how to make peace with the world and life. Wan smiles come from people who are not there in the moment. Their thoughts, as a friend once said to me, may be on some worry or care, mostly of yesterdays, which they can't shake off or won't because it's their comfort zone. Can you believe that? Worry as a comfort zone? Perhaps they think that worrying is the thing to do. And that NOT worrying makes them LESS responsible or efficient.
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Well, when worrying tries to mess up my day, I turn to this verse.....
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Matthew 6:25-27 -- “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?"
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Peace, as God has promised us.
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The absence of worry, as life has taught me, enables you to have a clear clean field to sort out issues with. It affords true discernment as to what is important and what is not. Then you can decide better what to do with it without the unnecessary fuss and flurry which usually accompanies stress and anxiety which in turn clouds the brain. That, in all good reason, is the responsible and efficient way of dealing with issues, problems, cares and woes. As a good friend once said, "Worry makes me lose sight of my goal. Makes it harder to climb the mountain."
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True, people can't help worrying. Worry, as seen to be, has its uses too. But don't overdo it. It's a struggle not to worry, I know. A habit hard to shake off; worry warts abound. I struggle with that, too. But be kind to yourself and save yourself frequent trips to the doctor, too.
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You might miss God's blessings if all you do is fill your mind and heart with anxiety. Free space for awesome blessings to come in!

Further, life is beautiful; you might be missing that too when all that you do is worry.

Wishing God's bountiful blessings upon you and yours.

GROWTH LIES OUTSIDE OUR COMFORT ZONES

No matter our efforts or intent to change and even if that prospect of change would largely improve our selves or our lives, still we hold on fiercely to things which comprise our 'comfort zones'. The CZ (comfort zone) varies from person to person. It could be every reason, smart or silly, brought forward by each of us to protect what we each perceive as essential to our existence. Even ready to every extent at defending it. In some it isn't even considered as a CZ because it has become so much part of character and personality comprising the whole package of being individual and human. It no longer is recognizable.
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A teacher from long ago once said.... 'No amount of teaching or learning will progress if a person doesn't first learn to let go of comfort zones'.
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That made me think.................
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She may be right. A CZ can be, by all appearances, sometimes cute... hip... attractive... comfortable... but is undeniably an ego booster... a people pleaser... a band-aid to insecurities... and a superficial guarantee of stability and worth. A comfort zone is just that ----- a place or state of being where you are most comfortable with who or what you are that you don't or won't want to change it.
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Yet, my teacher further added..... 'Being comfortable with who or what you are does not necessarily mean it is good.'
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The sole purpose of our lives, she says, is to grow... improve... to work at making ourselves better if not the best. This process would require shedding off layers in our character which hinder -- stunt -- delay -- or get in the way of growth. Human nature tends to incline towards what is easy... safe... comfortable. It veers away from strife.... struggle... harsh realities... fierce challenges... and change. Anything that suggests any one of those is a bane (nuisance) to a stubborn mind.
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That, by the way, is where our biggest battles are fought. Man, indeed, is a child of comfort zones.

 

"All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of 

letting go and holding on."   - Henry Ellis

I hope you all are having a pleasant week, rainy weather or hot notwithstanding. Take care and God bless!

 

(Thanking Mr. Quote Man for the wonderful quote mentioned above.)

 

 

A COMFORT ZONE IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE BUT NOTHING EVER GROWS THERE

 

 

 

 

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Most of us don't really warm up to any kind of change.. even if it were for our better good. We much prefer to stay where we are most comfortable and familiar. Our comfort zones. We tend to shy away from the unknown, from perceived danger, from taking risks, from failing, from being hurt, from strange new faces, places, and experiences, from anything which would make us leave the safety and comfort of our box. That's right we have placed ourselves inside a box, huge or tiny, where we live.. love.. work.. play.. and die. We tell ourselves that we are happy in it but down there in our hearts we know that we're missing something. Admit it.. we long for something still.
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This void lingers persists but which sadly we seem to be ignoring.
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Then a friend comes along and tells us wonderful stories of how beautiful the world is out there... about the awesome adventures he had... the interesting people he met... the amazing opportunities which led him to better his life... the many battles he fought and yet won with strength he thought wasn't there... and finally admitting that he didn't know that he was missing so much until he took that first brave step and stepped out the door of his comfort zone... at last setting himself free! Free to be the person he longed to be and was meant to be.
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Yet we tell ourselves that it's something which happens only to special people. People who are brighter.. braver.. smarter.. talented.. and made out for success. But wait! Are we not special people, too? We each have our talents and abilities, the same things which enabled us to do what we do inside our comfort zones.
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Perhaps... maybe... all that is needed is for us to expand or stretch our horizons far beyond the four walls of our familiar lives. To nudge ourselves to become better than the persons we were yesterday. We can do that-it's possible; others have done it before us.
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But that can only come when we agree to change...  from small to bigger -- from ordinary to extraordinary -- from average to exceptional -- from blah-blah to exciting -- from fearful to freehearted. And finally one day when we have learned to use our God-given talents wisely we become the persons He designed or meant us to be. 
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Nope, this isn't empty talk. This is what we were designed to be, truly ... People of joy, heart, courage, strength, hope, success, and faith. The potential is already there. Just step up and out. Claim what belongs to you.
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Blessings, everyone! Make life matter and moments count.

HEAVEN IS NOT A FARAWAY PLACE

 

"Don’t search for heaven and hell in the future. Both are now present. Whenever we manage to love without expectations, calculations, negotiations, we are indeed in heaven. Whenever we fight, hate, we are in hell."    ~ Shams Tabrizi

That's right. Heaven is not a faraway place, though it's okay too to think that it is. But truth is, where there is the presence of God --- is heaven's place. And that could be anywhere where you put in some good. In our mundane day to day lives as we consciously do good to ourselves, others, animals, mother nature, and the rest of the world.... Wherever good is --- God is.

What about hell? It's here, too. When we allow the evil one to influence our lives turning it into such a big horrifying mess. Like whenever bad rears its ugly head in our character-----    whenever we allow it to dominate us...    whenever we consent to the bad of others...    whenever we turn blind towards injustice, cheating, falsehood of any kind...    whenever we serve greed, meanness, cruelty, pride, ego...    whenever we think ourselves superior to other living creatures...    whenever we twist religion to suit personal agenda...    whenever we consider bad as good and some good as bad to suit personal convenience....     whenever we stick to being wrong because it's easier to remain inside our comfort zones.....    and everything else and more along those lines.  That's hell ....... and we certainly give the devil every reason to have a party.

So then....    what's it gonna be ----  heaven  or  hell?
The choice is ours to make.  It always is.
This is just one life -----  make it count.
Blessings, everyone.

TODAY BECOME A BETTER VERSION OF WHO YOU WERE YESTERDAY

Got this in my inbox this morning, from friend Mr. Quote Man........

“There are three things extremely hard:   

steel, a diamond, and to know one's self.” 

------ Benjamin Franklin

Oh but we know that, don't we? And most of us also know that just because it is extremely hard (and that even is an understatement) ....  we still would keep working at it until we get the steel to build the foundations of our houses, the diamond to enhance our pleasure, and the effort to better our selves.

Nothing is nor comes easy to achieving something that which is good. The law of the universe. To come out better or best, things and mortals are passed through the fire. The fire is rough, inconvenient, intensely challenging. But it is a necessary process to peel off useless unnecessary layers in order to reveal the precious treasure within.

In the task of self-improvement the challenges are greater and huge. Because we would have to deal with our centuries-old habits, beliefs, and attitudes those which apparently no longer serve a good purpose and which instead stand as obstacles to a better self. The challenges nudge us out of our comfort zones which by our human nature is definitely a most unwelcome change or task. I struggle with that, too.

The aim today and each day that comes to us is to become a better version of who we were yesterday. Hard... yes... but not impossible.

May today bring you endless treasures and blessings, in Christ.

CLOSED DOORS and OPEN WINDOWS

WELCOME 2009!

The previous year for the world was a mix pot of odds and ends, tumultuous at some point and ecstatic in another and even so diverse in-between. The world is because everything good or bad must run its course -- helped along in most by mortals. Well, can't complain (Oh maybe a whimper? lols -- loudest when doors closed to my face) as far as my own life is concerned, not now anyway as I look back to it. You see, I have realized that everything that was in my 2008, good or bad, was my life and it helped form me in more ways than one. And leaving out something no matter how bad or unpleasant it was would create a void in my life tapestry. I understand now that those things were necessary for a purpose only Somebody up there would know. I didn’t know that then when I was hurting. But now I want to think that I did and have learned, grew, matured into wisdom and becoming albeit one painful bit by bit the person I was meant to be in the first place… as predetermined by the Heavens. And the learning still continues.

I believe that goes for everyone too. We’re all the same no matter the race, color, or creed. Basically we have the same needs, wants, expectations, hopes, and dreams. And we with our temporary lives are all travelling the same road to Heaven. If there was really a serious attention to a New Year’s Resolution… maybe it should read

I SHALL... LIVE MORE, LOVE MORE, LAUGH MORE, CARE MORE, BELIEVE MORE, TRUST MORE, FORGIVE MORE, HELP MORE, GIVE MORE, and PRAY MORE.'

We can do that… bit by bit or one tiny step at a time in our lives day by day. Who says it can be achieved in just one sitting. Nah, that’s not how it’s done. It may take awhile to change or develop new habits or shift one’s paradigm of thinking but it can be done. Leaving our comfort zones may be the best thing to happen to us yet. And come to think of it, maybe that would take care of the ills of our world too. --- God bless you.