THE SMALL VOICE MUST COME FROM THE HEART

I watched the movie 'Smurfs' with my daughter last night in the living room. Cute entertaining and amusing lil' characters. But there was this line said by Papa Smurf in that scene with Neil Patrick Harris which stuck to my mind long after the movie was over.... Not verbatim but in essence it goes this way -- 'In knowing what to do, the small voice must come from the heart.'

But how many of us do listen to that tiny voice in our hearts? And do we ever listen? Easily we attach more importance to what the mind dictates. Like it never fails us. Well, sometimes it delivers where and when it should. But I have learned that some things are better thought of or lived from/with the heart.

Better exemplified with the people in our lives. People give life so much meaning. Reason enough that we should and must handle it with care. And it's better done with the heart than anything else there could ever be.

Oh sure we also get the 'unlovables' -- unpleasant characters to say the least. Nope, I don't pretend to love the hard-to-love characters in my journey. That's not how it usually works, in reality. But on looking at the bigger tapestry of life, that too (if you'll think hard enough) is part of our growing and learning. Nothing is ever bad if you try to look at it from the standpoint of God. After all there's always a reason for things happening, by God's design. You have to learn to look at it that way or you'll go crazy trying to figure it out.

When you deal with people, it's wise to think twice first. More often we get confused or bewildered as to what the right thing to say or do at any given situation good or bad. We can make mistakes with that confusion and risk hurt feelings or hearts broken. It's a pull between 'reaction' and 'consideration'. But if we stop awhile and listen to that small voice from within.... right there in the heart, you'll get things right more often than not. On the side of care and understanding.

The heart, as designed by God, speaks the language of kindness, compassion, sympathy, consideration, understanding, empathy, concern, gentleness, honesty, truth, humility, and more which altogether form the heart and person of a child of God. You do know we are created in His image. That's who we are.

That small voice within, coming from the heart, is the voice that makes things right. Let's pay more attention. Try to listen more. The heart, our heart, is the core of our being ..... and the heart is where God makes his home in us.

WHAT ARE YOU GOOD AT?

In retrospect...........

"I don't believe you have to be better than everybody else. I believe you have to be better than you ever thought you could be." -- -- Ken Venturi


What are you good at? I know a friend who says that he doesn't have any talent to speak of, that there is nothing he can bring to the table or to the world.

Wow! Is he for real? Then maybe he does not know his God - the God who made him. Because God does not create junk.

When you first saw the light of day out from your mother's womb, your life has already been figured out by Him. He placed everything that you would be needing to carry out your mission order. Right, YOUR mission order. And when God does that, it only means that you have been equipped and enabled to work it.

But since He also gave you your free will, much of that will depend on what you intend to do with it. Or your understanding of it.

Your parents help you along to discovery by sending you to school, molding your character in the home, and you yourself get into the mainstream of gathering experience which in turn help shape your inclination. The hint is right there under your nose. Now the question to ask is.... where are your eyes set on? Or your heart.. and mind.

Let's make it simple. The goal of your existence, our existence, is to serve. Jesus showed us the way. But God in His magnificent god-ship decided to make it easier for us by blessing us each with talent. Talent which comes in many forms of thought, speech, and action. It's there for our enjoyment.. yes ... but solely not for our self-gratification alone. It has a purpose, by God's design. And that purpose is to bring God's magnificence out to the world.

Nope, I'm not thinking of doing it on a grand or grander scale. Although some others may or can. Saving the endangered species, preserving our forest lands, feeding programs for malnourished children, building houses for the homeless, and many other worthy causes. That also is part of the diversity of the gift. But to the greater majority of simple lives and simple people, we are matched with it in a more reasonable and realistic scale. Yet ordinary people who can do things extraordinarily well, by God's design.

We do it with our family, our neighbor, our friends, our community, and even to strangers who are called to our circle of life. We bring to them simple gestures of kindness, loyalty, responsibility, hard work, optimism, courage, help, inspiration, encouragement, faith, goodness, laughter and smiles, hope, strength... even our music and dance, our writing and art, our intelligence in science and mathematics, our inventions that make a difference in society, our friendships. There's lots more. You can see yourself in any of these. All with the aim of helping make this world a better place for everyone. Or perhaps just one person. That would still be good. Service with a higher goal. You see, we too are co-creators of our world.

That is God's definition of talent.

So.. the question again is --- What are you good at? Use it! No excuses now, you have to better than you ever thought you could be. God expects it. He planned it. And know what..... 'Whatsoever you shall sow...... so shall you reap.' (Gal 6:7) Blessings to you all!

(Photo courtesy of Mike Kinnaird)

THE NEW YEAR BECKONS FOR CHANGE

There's somebody I know who faces this new year with such grim anxiety. She says it's going to be the worst of times for people-for the world. That so?

If it is, then we have only ourselves to blame for it. Who inhabits the earth? People. Who comprise life? People and other creations. Who manages the environment and resources? People. Who runs governments? People. Who fights ever so stupidly with wars? People. Oh the list can get long and longer. No excuses now.. it's people no matter how you look at it.

Therefore in simple language, if we do badly at our tasks and role the results will just as bad if not much worse. If we have made of ourselves such poor examples as human beings and of living, we shouldn't be surprised at the mess that follows it.

On the other hand, if we have been our best good selves we would be basking in the glory of our successes and Mother Earth -- she won't have to kick us hard in the butt no more. And God would be smiling happily and proudly.

But wait, there's a lot of good out there still. Individuals who stick out their necks to try to help save fellow beings, the environment, the animal world, work to bring about much needed change, brave enough to go against the tide, who lead with nothing but their own armor of hope - faith - courage - belief.

Because they believe in change. Change will and can get us the brighter future we so hope for. We need change to feed our highest goals and dreams for ourselves, for our children, and for the generations following. We must change if we are to thwart the effects of our bad deeds. Yes we can if we put our minds and hearts to it. Anyone who says we can't isn't trying hard enough himself.

This is the message of the new year. We are given a new slate to step up to our highest potential as individuals, as people, as human beings, as children of God.

And whatever other reasons, rhetoric, meanings ventured out by others, I believe in this simple thing .... the New Year means new start, new life, new hope, new dreams, new opportunity, new reason for doing things right for us and the world. Let's go back to the original plan, by God's design, to live right.

A HAPPY MEANINGFUL AND BLESSED
NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!!

WARMEST GREETINGS TO EVERYONE

For you all.....

a very MERRY and BLESSED CHRISTMAS with your family and loved ones. May the precious blessings of this wonderful season dwell in your homes forever.


Thank you for visiting my blog. It's such delight and pleasure for me. This year has been a wonderful blog journey with you. Bless you.

Sincerely,
Ellen

TALENTS DIFFER - ALL IS WELL AND WISELY PUT

I was watching children playing out on the street close to the house one day. Overheard were older boys taunting a smaller kid who looked so helpless and defeated. Something they felt he wasn't capable of doing and which apparently they thought they did better if not best.

I feel so bad for the little kid, in fact for anyone who is at the end of such mean taunting or ridicule.

Frankly, that also happens in our adult world.... in different versions but with the same end result of making the object feel so unworthy - inadequate - dejected - and miserable.

But you know what, it is true that maybe the little kid wasn't capable of whatever it was the older boys could do better. Yet I am also sure that the small fella won't be so small with what he would know best too. He has it in him (God put it there) and one day he will find out what... if he hasn't already.

Let's be kind to one another. Because who you think is inferior to you might be quite superior in things you know nothing about. There's more to gain with kindness. Knowledge or talent is the monopoly of none. God wisely made sure of that.

Quoting here wonderful lines along that same thought ........

"If I'm not as large as you,
You are not as small as I,
And not half as spry,
Talents differ, all is well and wisely put;
If I cannot carry forests on my back,
Neither can you crack a nut."

Lifted from Emerson's poem -- Fable
(a quarrel between the mountain and a squirrel)

Unquote.

Big thanks to a good friend who sent the poem to me today.
Blessings to everyone. All the best for you this holiday season.

WORDS ARE POWERFUL -- HANDLE WITH CARE.

This line from a quote may come across as somewhat stern to some. But I think that's not the intention. It's more of real good sense, truthfully.

To quote:

"I am responsible only for what I say not for what you understand." - Unknown.

We never can read a person's mind, no matter how close that person is to us. The mind is a mystery and always will be. So is the heart.

So then when I say things or write my thoughts down, I do not expect listeners or readers to see it or understand it the way I may want it understood. Maybe some will and that's when I consider it such a blessing and appreciate it lots. But some won't or can't or will not. Still good because I respect the differences of our respective histories and nature. People are as different as the wide range of colors in the color spectrum. That simply makes it even more interesting. We may be looking at the same thing but you may be seeing apples where I see grapes -- or maybe you see some good where I can see only utter bad, and vice versa.

But I am responsible for what I say or write. I should be careful that whatever is said or written would not in any way be detrimental to another person's personal growth or well-being. Would not detract from the beauty of his god-given nature and soul. Would not diminish his self-worth. Would give credit where credit is due. Would seek more to understand individual differences and flaws. Would not feed his fears, doubts, frustrations, or even bias. But would allow for his greater potential and possibilities to shine through and out to the world. Better yet to help clear his way or nudge him gently along the path of his life journey, by God's design.

I see every person as my brother or sister -- as equals in this common journey we are taking in life. A travel companion regardless of gender, color, culture, creed or personal history.

It is a privilege and pleasure to travel this same road with you.
Blessings to you and your loved ones.

(A yellow rose, as been said, stands as a symbol of friendship. This is for you, lovely people in Christ. May I say thank you, too, for coming by my blog page every time.)

GOD AND YOUR PARTICIPATION EQUALS ANSWERED PRAYER

A good friend bemoans the fact that her earnest prayer hasn't been answered yet. I asked her how long... and she replied longgggg! And she added 'so what's wrong with God? doesn't he think my prayer worthy?' Whooah that's taking it too far.

Everything in life has its own allotted time and place and memory that would etch itself into life and living. (Something along that line which Ecclesiastes says so well.) There's no escaping that. Now you would ask me how that has something to do with her prayer. It's this. As hard as it may seem to understand how this works but strangely I think it works. (Believe me, I had some problems with that at the start but with the gifts of understanding and faith I have learned to see it now through the eyes of God.) Not always easy but it is worth trying for.

Time is what it's all about. Everything happens in its own time. The perfect time is not our time but that which God decides for you. And that time is when every factor of your life is in sync with the rest of the divine plan for your life. But He expects your participation in its granting.

You will get your dream but only after you have worked hard or honed your talent to deserve it when it comes.

You will get well but only after you have strengthened your faith and belief in the power of a God who heals. And further if you change bad habits detrimental to your well-being.

You will get your dream job but only after you have scoured all possible areas leading to it. And after you have kept up with the desire and persistence to land one.

You will find a good husband or wife but only after you have learned to love yourself first. Because how can you give something which you do not even have in full measure yourself? Be the person you want to see in others.

You will pass the important college exam but only after you have made yourself study hard and consistently have worked on good grades from day one. There are no short cuts to excellence.

You will overcome hurdles in whatever sphere of your life but only after you truly understand that it solely depends on you..... on your attitude towards life, on how you can understand that success or failure does work itself to make you come out even much better as a person. There is always something in either one that increases your worth and stature, it always adds up and not take away from you.

Your earnest prayers will be answered but only after you understand and understand all these very well ..... after all else has been considered --- after you have done your part --- after your faith has grown stronger with every moment that you prayed...... and when everything is in sync with His divine plan... you will have your prayer. Because God operates on the right timing ----- one that is especially right for YOU.

Oh yes, God sometimes makes exceptions... things called miracles. Blessedly wonderful things. Still it is good to ask from your simple humble human mind and heart with a faith that pleases a magnificent God so much more. Ending your prayer with 'Thy will be done here on earth as it is in heaven.'

BE THE GOOD THAT WE LOOK FOR OR WANT TO SEE IN PEOPLE AND IN THE WORLD

I believe the lines in the quote below. Though sometimes it's quite a challenge dealing with some rather odd and difficult character types. But I try to remember that basically people are good. That's how God made us all. So when I got this in my email this morning, I simply wanted to share it here.

Nope, we need not have to bother about those who make life miserable or mess things up big time. Well, maybe they could hurt us someway by intent or maybe not cos after all who can read their minds or hearts anyway ..... but they can hurt themselves even so much more than what they might have intended for someone. Because it is always true that 'what goes out ---- comes around.' It's one of the simple truths of life --- that the boomerangs of life can hit you where and when you least expect it. Things have a weird way of finally catching up with you. Everything that we do, good or bad, comes back to us in the same form it was created or intended. Maybe that's God's odd way of rewarding us and on the other hand punishing us too. That's some thought, don't you think?

But that isn't the whole point of my discourse here. Rather it is to say that we need to learn to refocus or set our aim on looking for the good in men and in life. We do know that there's enough bad or misery happening around us... we needn't add anymore to all that. Rather that we should make the choice to highlight the good, to promote it, to advertise it, to assert it, to believe it. More importantly..... to BE the good that we look for or want to see in people and in the world. It's been said and written about in many different ways by many before us... and will still be said by many more after we have gone. But the thought still remains........ to quote ----

"If you look for good, you'll find good.
If you look for bad, you'll find bad.
In life, you always find what you look for.
Only thing that matters is - what you choose to see."

- Unknown –

COUNT TIME WITH THE BEATINGS OF YOUR HEART WITH YOUR EYES ON YOUR DREAM

This got my attention this fine sunny morning.......

"Life is like having a cup of tea. You sit by the side of the window, Lift the cup and take a careless sip only to realize, Somebody forgot to put the sugar. Too lazy to go for it, you somehow struggle through the sugarless cup. Till you discover undissolved sugar crystal sitting at the bottom... That's LIFE... So move on and stir up your Life ......."
- (Unknown)

So I hope that wonderful quote will turn your attention to all the undissolved dreams sitting there in your heart. It's never too late to get it out up front of your life, begin even with tiny steps. Make it matter whatever it is you may think would feed those dreams. Little is big when the heart is in it.

Don't put up fences yourself; instead break down all those walls keeping you back from realizing your dream. If you have to do one painful task at a time, do it. Because nobody else will do it for you. And if you truly want it very much, nothing can ever stop you. Don't worry about time... Time is always there for anyone who knows how to handle it. Don't think that youth is enough excuse for not starting now. Neither should you think that old is. Grandma Moses did her famous paintings in her seventies. Age is just a number, as many have said, and it is. And even if perchance you don't get there to where you want to be... be comforted with the thought that you have worked towards a dream... for a dream... because of a dream. That you are luckier than some of us who don't even have a dream... or know what it is.

And when you enlist the help of the Big Guy up there, you can never lose. Don't count the days with time; count it with the beatings of your heart with your eyes on your dream. I am :-)

Blessings to you all! :-)

LIGHT TRUMPS DARKNESS EVERYTIME

Came across this quote: "There's always going to be bad stuff out there. But here's the amazing thing -- light trumps darkness, every time. You stick a candle into the dark, but you can't stick the dark into the light." -- Jodi Picoult

Exactly! Some friends I know curse the darkness with their hearts, hating everything bad that's happened to their lives. I don't blame them. It's hard enough having to go through misery to have to sing along through it. Easier said than done.

But I do know one thing... that bad is just as real as good. That it too has its own place and time in our lives. Yes, nothing beneficial derived from it. Well, that seems to be the general perception. But you know what, when you have gone through so much you come to this new understanding that it's temporary... that it's weakness is its own nature. Meaning that bad is strong as it is also weak. Weak in the sense that you can pierce through its darkness with the right tools.

And what are these tools? Easy. We do it everytime. The tools of hope, love, trust, faith, strength and courage, knowledge and understanding, and the belief that it too will pass... just like everything else in life does. It's fleeting - temporary - impermanent - transient - and that it has no defense against the good that could and would permeate it.

And it has no armor to shield itself against a person's willingness to learn from it. So thus it will be tossed and turned, beaten blue, shaken and rolled around, and squeezed tight until the lessons are extracted from it.

Neither can it revel in the mistakes it pounds upon a person because a person who sees clearly with the eyes of God is enabled to see mistakes as friends and not as enemies. We learn from mistakes.

Good and bad. Yin and Yang. Darkness and light. Each have their uses. But truly 'light trumps darkness everytime'.

Have a pleasant and blessed weekend, everyone! Blessings!

(Photo courtesy PDPhoto.org)