Who’s Pushing Your Swing?

Who’s pushing your swing? The other day during my bible study this title came to mind. As I was reading my devotional materials I came across something that made me see myself as a little girl on a swing.  In this  video of the mind I saw me trying to swing higher and higher by pushing off with my feet.  What I realized was I could only go so high and the height lasted for a very short period of time.  It took quite a bit of energy using my feet to propel myself.  I thought about giving up because the height that I reached did not merit the amount of energy that it took to get there.  There are situations in life where we spend too much energy trying to create stuff, when all we have to do is ask someone else to push us.  When someone else pushes us it not only relieves the need to be in control while using our own energy, it also allows us to reach higher heights.  In doing that, the thrill of the ride is more enjoyable and it seems as though you remain at the height a lot longer.

Who’s pushing your swing? Are you reaching the heights that you deserve or are you still operating in your own power to push?  Have you considered having God push your swing?  The heights that He is willing to take you, and the destiny that He has for you is unimaginable. We will have pain along the way, but misery is optional.  We can decide how we will react to the pain that inevitably comes to us all.  Will you spend your time blaming the world as you shuffle your feet at the playground and watch everyone else swinging high?  Or will you tell pride to take a seat the next time life takes you outside of your comfort zone?  When you find yourself swinging without a partner, why not ask someone else to push your swing?

Making Decisions Based on Wrong Problem

Don’t make decisions based on the wrong problem.  Most of us have heard the saying, “Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face.” There are so many ways to look at that statement.  At times we are so quick to try to resolve a problem before we have weighed all the options on the table.  When you panic you cause your brain to stop processing information in a logical way.  Your focus becomes the end result rather than looking at things from the perspective of the “why.”  We all want things to go as planned and we hate when that doesn’t happen.  But let’s be clear, all things happen for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.  So, the next time your world gets turned upside down know that this did not take God by surprise.  He saw it coming way before you experienced it.  And the greatest part of the story is, He knows the intended outcome.  Relax and watch the situation work in your favor.

Although you may be the best planner and organizer, that does not mean that the universe will always be in alignment with you.  We live in a world of humans, therefore our plans may sometimes be contingent upon others.  Many things are beyond our control but God is the ultimate conductor of MY orchestra, and the final song always belongs to Him.  I’m a small instrument that allows myself to be used in His song.  Together we make perfect music!

Don’t Let Time Master You

Sana Suvarna @sanaSuvarna 

Don’t let time master you!  People think that I am joking when I say, “I am so organized that I get on my own nerves.” Being organized is a blessing and a curse because when you meet someone who is NOT organized, it is extremely difficult to keep your mouth shut.  I’ve had so many occasions where I just want to tell somebody, “It really doesn’t have to be that hard. You make it that way because you fail to plan and organize your time, day, week, or whatever.”  Remember, “no” is not a bad word.  You can use it and mean it when you say it.  I use it a lot and never waste time defending my “no.”

Give me five minutes and I can run down my daily schedule and throw in most of what’s happening the rest of the week. That includes what time I have my coffee, what time I do my meditation, bible study and breakfast.  I know the night and time of my TV shows; I don’t do much daytime TV.  Also, as a business woman I have a schedule of activities devoted to my business.  There are days for creating content, marketing, advertising, business meetings and live videos.  With everything in life you get out what you put in.  Do the work, and when you have done all you can, then let it go and watch the results.  It is better to let things happen than it is to try and make things happen.

How Full is Your Basket

Ashes Sitoula @awesome

How full is your basket? Recently I was having one of my low moments and I realized that all the things I was concerned about does not identify who I am.  Therefore, I decided to put my thoughts in a mental basket and allow myself to see that what’s in the basket does not define who I am, but it’s a part of who I am.  We need to stop making hasty decisions based on one feeling, one incident, or one wrong turn.  A lot of what we are experiencing is caused by our anxiety, our failures, our hopes and dreams, or our past mistakes.  It’s okay to allow those feelings to go through your body as long as you don’t stay in that place.

With the excitement and the pressure that the New Year brings most of us feel that this is a great time to start new projects.  But not necessarily!  Don’t get caught up in the New Year, New You phenomenon. For most people this should be a time of reflection on what worked, what did not work, and the changes we need to make moving forward.  When you look at your basket you need to be able to see it as something outside of you and not see it as you.  When I gathered my thoughts and concerns and put them in my basket, I must say that my basket was full.  However the great thing about that was, I was able to separate the basket from me.  I could look at it when I needed to or felt like looking at it.  I could also leave it sitting there altogether.  I could add items as they came to mind, and that in itself removed the thought or concern from the immediate forefront of my mind.  It’s almost like writing down what needs to get done.  Once you release it on paper you are no longer bound by your thoughts.  So, is your basket full?  If it is then that’s a good thing. It simply means that you have transferred your thoughts to a place outside yourself where you can deal with them at your leisure.

Change the Strategy Not the Goal

Phone pics 136

How many times have you set a goal and found yourself working so diligently towards it and all of a sudden BAM! You hit a roadblock and you turn the corner to find that there is yet another obstacle blocking your view.  So what do you do?  Do you turn around and go back or do you change courses?  You still want to get to your destination, however you cannot go the way that you planned.  I would suggest that you change the strategy, not the goal.

Many of us get caught up in doing things one way. I know because I was that person.  If things didn’t go the way I had it written down then it wasn’t going to happen.  Whew!  What a difference my life has become since I decided to leave room for the unexpected.  And believe it or not, I am having so much more fun with this new life.  It feels good to realize that you are not in control of everything that happens.  I still set goals.  I still plan.  I still write down my “I Will” list every night before I go to bed.  But guess what?  I am not governed by that list.  When things change I move on to something else, or I create something that is not even on the list.  I follow my spirit.  I have learned to go with the flow.  What a beautiful feeling!  Try it.