Control is a very tricky thing. I do my best to follow my intended path and respond to things where I believe I can be helpful. Before responding to a situation, I pray that I will be given the words to say or the grace to say nothing! I don’t make decisions based on what I want but rather on what I believe is my next step through prayer and being alert and available to opportunities that arise. Once I feel confident that I am going down my intended path, I am driven to do everything possible to achieve…
Death is never easy for those who are left behind. Selfishly, we can all say that we were not ready; he/she was our life, was too young, too smart, too generous, too kind, too talented to be taken so soon. All of those things may be true, but I believe that those are things that we here on earth are mourning. If we think only in terms of the soul, I believe that there is no more magnificent place to exist than in heaven. My parents never made a big deal about death when I was young. It is…
In a relationship, look for someone who makes you a better person and for whom you make a better person. #1. Contributing more than your share. Ideally, you are committed and giving 100% of yourself to the relationship. However, let’s use percentages and think in terms of strengthening and evaluating your role. Giving more than your share or more than 50% is imperative. Each partner must think that the other partner is making a positive contribution; ideally, more than 50%. If you are not sure that you are contributing your 50% to the relationship/family. Start to develop…
Why is it important to love? It is important because we have unconditional love from Jesus. No matter what we do, Jesuswill forgive us and love us unconditionally. I believe an important part of allowing yourself to love is being able to love unconditionally. If you have felt the feeling of having unconditional love, you know that it brings with it a sense of security. A feeling that no matter what you do, you will still have that love. 1. Trust is essential for unconditional love. A willingness to trust in a relationship is not easy. It takes courage and…
I believe that Jesus prepares us for whatever life events we encounter. For myself, I see very clearly how Jesus has used every experience to better prepare me for what life has dealt. I was not able to see how these experiences would help me in the moment; it is hindsight that has allowed me to see how valuable each crazy step has been to my life thus far. There were countless times when I wanted to alter what I knew was my path. I stayed the course and have always believed that these crazy things that I did not…
I never allow myself to stay unhappy. Of course, there are moments, days or times that I have been unhappy. But in general, I don’t allow myself to think that way. I give myself a moment or a few hours, sometimes a day, but then I give it to Jesus and move on. That is easier said than done. It is hard to say, “ok Jesus, this issue is eating me alive, and I can’t function with this boulder in front of me. I am sorry for whatever it is that I have done to contribute to the…
Always, always is the answer to the question, “When do I give thanks to Jesus?” I live my life giving thanks to Jesus. I get up thanking Jesus for the day and for what we will discover. When I feel a sad or a negative thought come into my mind, I thank Jesus for redirecting me. I thank Jesus for helping me find misplaced items. When I see something good in the world, community, or at an event, I give thanks to Jesus. When something makes me smile, I quickly thank Jesus for that moment. When I see someone with…