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The Ultimate Friend Request

I love it when I open Facebook and find a notification of a friend request. It is especially sweet when it is someone I have been friends with forever but have lost touch with.

I am of the belief …Friends are the most important ingredient in this recipe of life and everyone is a friend, until they prove otherwise. Often the value of friendship is understated…

Friendship Provides:

Companionship
Conversation
A Helping Hand
Laughter
Advice

Strangers are just friends waiting to happen. Sometimes you pick your friends, sometimes they pick you!

When my best friend sent me a friend request it didn’t come via Facebook, email, or a phone call. It came via a gift of love!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

I am a Friend of God…He Calls Me Friend!!!

He has also sent you…

The Ultimate Friend Request

Love Lee ♥

It’s A Heart Condition

Sep13

A little girl goes to the doctor’s office for her pre-school check-up. The doctor walks in and introduces himself. He proceeds to listen to her heart and lungs. As he lays his stethoscope on her chest, he gasps and says, “Is that Barney I hear walking around in your heart?”. The little girl looks up with a big smile and replies, “No Silly, that’s Jesus in my heart…Barney’s on my underwear!”.

I love that…no inhabitions!!! Her response was so matter-of-fact and with such conviction. We as adults could learn so much from this little girl.

Often the external display of behaviors, conversations, and associations do not indicate Jesus is anywhere near our hearts. Often we exhibit negative responses based on emotion. Below are some examples of negative emotions and the underlying cause(s).

Emotion/ Underlying Source

Fear: Aversion
Anger: Displeasure or Hostility
Guilt: Inadequacy
Depression: Pessimistic
Pride: Exaggerated elevation of one’s self
Jealousy: Threatened
Self Pity: Inability to cope
Anxiety: Overwhelming apprehension
Resentment: persistent ill will
Envy: Hyper awareness of what others have coupled with an unhealthy desire
Frustration: Unresolved problems or unfulfilled needs

So, when talking with an angry person who is frustrated you are better able to recognize you are really speaking with a displeased person with unfulfilled needs.

Hmmm…this insight might just put a whole new spin on what you hear that person saying. While you can’t change the circumstances that lead to the negative emotion from this person, we just might be able to have more compassion towards them when interacting with them.

In addition, if you recognize you might possess these emotions you should consider trying to find the source and begin to work through the issues.

When conscious of these emotions we can be somewhat in control of our interactions and reactions. We can adjust our responses and conversations to cater to our audience. What we need to remember is we live for an audience of One. We should speak and live to bring to honor and glory to Him…Father God.

It’s A Heart Condition

So, I ask you my friend…

What condition is your heart in? & Who is that I hear walking around in your heart?

Are you speaking to others and responding to others while bringing Glory and Honor to Your Father?

I have some work to do…How about you?

Love Lee ♥

Get Real and Cut the Bull

Sep11

Do you find yourself being who people expect you to be?
Are You always putting on a front?
Do you have difficulty sharing your views and thoughts?

Perhaps it’s time to

Get Real and Cut the Bull

I love what Beth Moore has to say about Cutting the Bull…

Is it time for you to Get Real?

Love Lee ♥

Our Nana is Awake

Sep10

As I wrote just a few days ago…”What a Difference a Day Can Make”. Yesterday our Nana was on a ventilator and today she is off and breathing on her own. Not only is she breathing… She is talking!

God Is Sooo Good!!!

As I sit here holding her hand, I thank God for His sweet presence.

Nana still has a long road ahead but she has come such a long way so quickly.

Please continue to pray for our Nana as she still has a nasty infection which is wiping her out!!!

But for now…

Our Nana Is Awake!!!

Love Lee ♥

Their Hearts Are Hurting

Sep9

So you wake up each morning, hang your legs over the side of the bed and say to yourself, “How Can I Screw Up This Day?” Right???

WRONG!!!

However, there are those who would believe otherwise. In-fact, it becomes their goal to critique you on everything you do. You know…that person who makes it their personal goal criticize your every move. Have you ever wondered what make the critical person tick? Having had my fair share of criticism I have recognized the following commonalities of a critical personality:

Internal Anger:

Often the critical person has deep-seated anger carried within. This anger could possibly be generated by unmet goals, emotional abuse, or the belief their rights had been violated. This person walks miserable and by being critical they ensure everyone is as miserable as they are.

Upbringing:

A person can be overly critical because this is how they were wounded as a child. Then, carries the wound in the subconscious mind making him/her overly critical and unbearable to be around. This person has received negative messages as a child resulting in an overly critical and sarcastic adult. The negative messages that this child constantly received as a child turned into a way of thinking that lead him to become an overly critical and sarcastic adult.

Lack of Self-Confidence:

The person who lacks self-confidence frequently puts himself down. This person is full of negative messages and these negative messages are transmitted to others in the form of criticism.

Now when you encounter that constant overly critical personality you no longer have to become defensive because your are able to recognize the criticism is not always warrented. In-fact, now rather than seeing an overbearing critic you are able to see a wounded child who is angry and lacks self-confidence.

So how do you respond to the criticism? Do you retaliate or withdraw? Dealing with Criticism is an awesome article I found that is full of advice for you on how to deal with criticism.

To deal with the critical persons…pray for them!

Their Hearts Are Hurting!!!

Love Lee ♥

Dealing with Difficult People

Sep8

“Life is too short to spend your precious time trying to convince a person who wants to live in gloom and doom otherwise. Give lifting that person your best shot, but don’t hang around long enough for his or her bad attitude to pull you down. Instead, surround yourself with optimistic people.” ~Zig Ziglar

Ain’t That the Truth!

I would rather rob a liquor store than be around that person but unfortunately you have to work with that person or worship with that person or perhaps even live with that person. We have all had to deal with that difficult personality who is miserable and wants to share their misery with everyone else by being…

Negative
Hateful
A Bully
Vindictive
A Kill Joy
Angry
Unrealistic
Passive aggressive

You get the picture and I am sure someone’s name or face came to mind as your read the list of negative descriptions. So, how do you deal with this person you are forced to interact with?

Recognize The Enemy:It is spiritual warfare. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
Put Your Armor on: Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:11
Say to Yourself: “They are not the enemy”. You are not fighting against flesh and blood. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. Ephesians 6:12
Pray: Take a mental pause from the ranting and raving to whisper the name of Jesus over your situation. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. 2 Thessalonians 3:2
Love: We are instructed to love our enemies so when this difficult person is acting out make a conscious decision to love. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matthew 5:44

It is easy to get caught up in drama but we must be the rational healthy one and recognize we can not change this person but God can. And remember that is why they are refered to as…

Difficult People

Love Lee ♥

Trusting His Heart

Sep6

It has been a week…

We have been reminded life is fleeting and we are only promised the here and now. With Richard’s mother in ICU fighting for life, our grandson lost his half-brother in a car wreck today, and my loss of a beloved pet our hearts are hurting.

When life doesn’t make sense or seem fair and we feel all alone we have to learn to trust His heart…

This song is so incredibly perfect for where we are in our lives today…Listen closely to the words of this song. When everything in our world falls apart we have to…

Trust His Heart

Love Lee ♥

The Power of Words

Sep1

As I was writing a Happy Birthday greeting on my friend’s Facebook Wall this morning, I began to think of how much power words hold and the affect they can have on a person. Think about it: Words spoken by

God created the earth and everything placed on it
Political leaders can begin and end wars
Teachers educate the world
Preachers encourage a congregation
News anchors provide updates on events occurring around the world
Spouses make or break a marriage
Parents influence the future of their children
Grandparents are cherished for a life time

And Words Spoken By You Have the Power to Encourage Everyone You Encounter Today!!!

The Power of Words…

What Will You Say Today?

Love Lee ♥

He Knows My Name

Aug31

There is so much comfort in being called by name..

Having lived in Brazoria County all our lives it was rare we could go to the grocery store for a gallon of milk and make it back home (a few blocks away) in less than an hour. You see, every time, it seems as though we would run into someone we knew and would end up talking for a good while. In-fact, I can’t think of a time I went to the store there wasn’t someone to call me by name.

I will never forget when we moved from Brazoria County to Fort Worth…we found ourselves in a town where we did not know a soul. I sitting in Long John Silvers one day and right in the middle of our meal, I broke down into tears. When Richard asked me what was wrong, my reply was, “No one knows my name”.

While living in Fort Worth, I experienced some very lonely times with minimal contact with family and friends. However, it was during those times I realized “He Knows My Name”!!! In-fact, he knows everything about me. He knew me while I was still in my mother’s womb and He loves me…

Today, I am not alone because…

He Knows My Name

Love Lee ♥

Just for Today

Aug30

Close your eyes, take a deep breath and imagine with me…

What would the world be like if everyone walked in love…Just for today
What would the world be like if everyone spoke with kindness…Just for today
What would the world be like if everyone helped their neighbor…Just for today
What would the world be like if everyone allowed someone to go to the head of the line…Just for today
What would the world be like if everyone offered a meal to the hungry…Just for today
What would the world be like if everyone was non-judgemental…Just for Today
What would the world be like if everyone put others first…Just for Today
What would the world be like if everyone omitted the words “me” and “I”…Just for Today
What would the world be like if everyone cared…Just for Today

We are only promised this moment in time. To chose to make an impact on the world… Just for Today allows us to breaks down lifetime goals into manageable components of time. We remove so much stress and pressure when we wake up and say…

Just for Today

For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. Deuteronomy 30:16