Ecclesiastes 4:8 NIV
“There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
‘For whom am I toiling,’ he asked,
‘and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?’
This too is meaningless-
a miserable business!”
How often do I check on-line, compare prices and even read all of the reviews?
Quite often!
It’s the most convenient and expeditious way to shop now a days. Internet access is priceless.
Free shipping and discount notices are enticing.
I’m well acquainted with reputable, on-line shops, take delight in purchasing trendy gifts, totes and fashionable accessories, and even get elated by book releases of an author.
“I need this”, I often tell myself.
There have been plenty of empty boxes at the end of the day!
An empty soul…
“I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless.”
Ecclesiastes 2:1 NIV
Material possessions have never fulfilled the passion of my soul and never will.
After the shopping cart is submitted and items are delivered, the shopping experience ‘pronto’ fades away.
Quick pleasures are temporary and meaningless!
The quest for material possessions will never satisfy anyone’s soul.
Our souls are sculptured by God’s unfailing love and compassion. When we are embraced in His arms alone, our souls will then be exhaustively satisfied.
When tempted to visit another web site, “Have I spent quality time with my Creator? Have I prayed for God’s wisdom and direction?”
If the temptation is irresistible, stop and pray.
Perhaps, wait a day or two.
I bet our perspective changes once we surrender our cravings and desires.
We may never have multiple, empty boxes at the end of the day to be recycled ever again.
It’s Saturday morning already!
My husband is preparing a tasty omelet in the kitchen,
My sister is on her way back to Venezuela,
My second oldest boy is trying to settle down in his morning routine,
and,
I’ve got urgency to get ready for a brunch in less than an hour!
Living in the moment is strenuous when faced with life extinguishers, doubt and fear.
It starts with a benign question, ‘what if…?’
By the end of the thought, I have colorful, vivid images of a catastrophe.
It’s truly exhausting!
Strongholds can be debilitating without a doubt.
As I wrestled with life altering decisions, I finally grasped a reality.
There are no warranties in life.
In my most recent decision, I just wanted someone to reassure me about the future.
I wanted everyone to say, ‘it’s going to be alright…You won’t fail’
I even wished for a descriptive manual with clear instructions in ‘how to’ succeed at the task.
Guess what?!
No one can foretell the future much less can tell you if the decision you are about to make is the most favorable one.
When I kneel before Him in humility and most importantly with a surrendered heart, He always leads the way.
As soon as I surrendered this morning, He reminded me of one of his truths.
Just know, the Lord’s plans will always prevail.
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Proverbs 19:21 NIV
How peaceful does that sound?
It was comforting and reassuring!
Now, I’m ready for brunch.
I was sitting next to a vibrant, young-looking 65 years old woman when I heard the nail technician ask a routine question, “would you like your eyebrows trimmed today?”.
Her gentle response was, “I no longer have eyebrows since I’m a cancer patient… I’m blessed though”
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.”
Psalm 28:7 NIV
She was soft-spoken, gracious and well-mannered.
All I heard was, “Cancer… Blessed!”
Agh?
“How many of us feel blessed after six years battling with a rare form of cancer named ‘Leiomysarcoma’ on two different occasions? ” The cancer is now located in her lungs, kidneys and lymph-nodes .
I’m not convinced as of yet if I can ever bear 27 radiation treatments and still be blissful and undisturbed by a life altering event.
Her joy and strength were unshakable, her gratitude and optimism were palpable and her hope was in the Creator, the Alpha and the Omega. She had no doubts about His protection, unfailing compassion and never ending love.
She enjoys reading her Bible. She relies on His promises indeed.
Even though the white blood cell count is low and an infection may occur at any given time, she was grateful when she took the last chemo medication dosage.
She was even exhilarated by the trendy color of today’s manicure and genuinely smiled during our brief conversation.
She noted, “I’m truly content and in peace”. She gave me a firm hug on her way out.
Today’s perspective on ‘challenging work circumstances’ instantly changed!
I grasped the importance of the here and now, the value of good health and most importantly the ability to live every moment as if it would be our last!
Our days are numbered indeed so I hope and pray I never lose sight of what’s relevant in life.
“When do I begin the process?” I asked the high school guidance counselor about college admissions.
Academic grades were average and English was my second language. I had tutoring services for Reading comprehension, Algebra, Geometry and Statistics. I disliked History and Biology. Writing was a daily challenge too.
“Was I struggling in maintaining a decent G.P.A? “
Yes, indeed!
Counselor’s response was poignant, “Don’t bother. You will never amount to anything.” She walked away, and disengaged from our brief conversation.
“How was I supposed to react?”
I was only 15 years old and was an aspiring freshman in High School. I was ready to overcome educational challenges yet needed some direction and ton of assistance.
I was quite disheartened and discouraged throughout high school. Fortunately, I completed high school and enrolled at a local community college soon thereafter.
The recurrent theme in high school was, “I’m not good enough.”
Despite of my inadequacies, I developed effective coping strategies one day at a time and improved on study habits over time.
As soon as I completed one degree, I enrolled in another one of interest.
Thirteen years later, I defended a doctoral dissertation in front of a challenging committee and a professional audience.
Consistency and optimism are key ingredients for success.
Today, I’m a licensed Mental Health Counselor & a Registered Clinical Supervisor in the State of Florida, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst worldwide and a Psychologist in the State of Tennessee.
God definitely has a plan for all of us!
God wants for all of us to prosper and run the ‘race of life’ well. He doesn’t want for us to be discouraged much less give up. He encourages us to persevere and rejoice in every struggle, in the midst of adversity and hardships.
The Lord is always faithful.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”Galatians 6:9
One of my colleagues from graduate school would always be available. If Dayra would say she was going to be at your house or call you, she would always follow thru with her commitment.
Yes! She would always show up.
Her level of commitment was remarkable and admirable.
I’ve lost contact with Dayra over the years yet she is much alive in my heart today.
Dayra is a dependable gal, a perfect role model.
I’ve never been 100% there for anyone, not even for myself.
‘How come?!’
Busyness, hardships, high fatigue level, and a fast-paced lifestyle are just few circumstances that may hinder the progress towards building community.
Today, I value existing ‘Dayras’ in my life. As a matter of fact, I want to be more like a ‘Dayra’ and nourish these relationships one day at a time.
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”
2 Corinthians 9:6 NIV
Over the years, I’ve learned not only to prioritize but focus on what’s relevant in life. The relationship with God, others and self are paramount.
Taking time to nourish my relationship with God, family, friends and self on a daily basis takes commitment, energy and focus.
Waking up early in the morning, praying for courage and strength, and showing up in life also matters at the end of the day.
Are you ready to show up? I’m all in.
How many times have I checked this tree in our front yard? Not once or twice but multiple times this Spring. My husband and I drove around the neighborhood and compared similar trees in size and development this past weekend. We asked ourselves, ‘Do we need treatment for a fungus or fertilizer?!’
Our other tree started to show foliage overnight. We were so excited, ‘It was just a matter of time’. We both agreed.
I don’t know about you…
I take delight in manipulating external factors so outcomes can be achieved in a timely manner or even sooner than expected.
When outcomes are delayed, I get impatient. When hurrying, I mess up at times.
Can I really rush the growth of our front yard trees? That’s a foolish thought! We can use pesticide if there is fungus and fertilizer to nourish the soil perhaps.
I truly struggle with God when circumstances are not unfolding as expected. I may repeatedly ask Him, ‘Help me now, I need an answer’ or ‘Please, fix this for me right now! or ‘I will fix it myself!’
The Lord reminds me everyday, “Be still, and know that I am God…”
Psalm 46:10 NIV
God is in control. He takes care of details and aligns the circumstances with the most favorable plan in our lives. We just need to surrender and trust in Him alone.
It’s quite a challenge to wait, I know.
It took me twenty-five years and three professional licenses before I stepped into a regional position. Even though I face opposition multiple times in a day, God reminds me “Be still, Adriana’.
God equipped me for the circumstances I’m facing today; otherwise, I would have already failed.
God’s mercies and grace are renewed every morning. He is my refuge and comforter. As I’m sitting in my leather couch this morning, I am counting all career blessings that have unfolded this past year alone.
Let me relax, drink my morning coffee, and enjoy my day ‘off’.
Spring is already here and there is no need to rush.
At 7:50 a.m. I was on my way to work when I heard the phone ring. Doctor’s demands were harshly voiced over the telephone,’quit smoking immediately’. He later added, ‘I don’t care if you inhale the nicotine, you must stop now. It suppresses your immune system…’
I was embarrassed and remained quiet at first.
‘Yes, sir’ I softly answered.
I never knew how difficult it was to quit smoking when our bodies depend on nicotine. I used to smoke a pack a day of ‘Marlboro – ultra lights’!
I was battling addiction then.
There are all types of addiction; alcoholism, workaholism, gambling, overeating, pornography, drug and sex addiction just to highlight a few.
Withdrawal symptoms are typically signs of dependence; an ongoing struggle during the initial stage of recovery. Relapse is another factor to keep in mind.
For over six years, I had been battling ‘atypical cells’ in my body and I still need to be tested every six months.
When I initiated the healing process, I decreased the number of cigarettes each day until I no longer needed to purchase a pack. I also replaced smoking with healthier, relaxing activities.
I find exercise, arts and crafts, reading, journaling and prayer to be quite relaxing. Most importantly, meditating on God’s Word calmed my anxious heart.
In Christ, anything is possible.
“It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.”
Psalm 18:32 NIV
Let’s trust in Jesus Christ, surrender our addiction and live an abundant life filled with healthier choices.
I am ALL in. How about you?
Would you like to take a walk?, hubby asked. I glanced at him quickly and mentioned, ‘later’.
All I truly wanted was for him to join the ‘pity’ party and forget about the wellness program.
What? yes, you heard me right!
I wanted loud noise makers, colorful balloons, matching cups, plates, table cloths and napkins plus ton of confetti.
When I party, I like to celebrate my ‘stinking’ attitude in style.
‘Stinky’ thinking overrides the joy of every waking hour.
If we focus on regrets, we neglect our blessings. If we focus on past circumstances, we neglect the joy of the ‘here and now’. If we focus on the ‘what ifs’, we neglect the richness of today’s reality.
Discouragement and pessimism creep in fast when holding tight to a stinky attitude!
The Lord encourages us, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Philippians 4:8 NIV
But God, how can I think on what’s lovely and admirable when the circumstances are just NOT so lovely? How can I be noble when others are not?
As I’m wrestling with Him, I pray for strength when I’m weak and disheartened.
Finding time to pray and meditate on Scriptures is key.
Keeping a daily, gratitude journal reminds us of God’s faithfulness, a tangible reminder of His blessings.
Saying NO to some activities provide a margin for us to rest and not be exhausted all the time.
I would rather be rested, prayerful and grateful instead of partying with a stinky attitude! How about you?
Let’s not have another pity party anytime soon.
“Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!”
Psalm 66:20 NIV
How many times have we stood at a crossroad and did not know which route to take?!
Mapquest directions were not clear or GPS was malfunctioning or its signal was lost or there was an unexpected detour along the way.
Challenges in life are to be expected.
We may experience mixed emotions when standing at a crossroad but we can definitely take a minute to breathe, sit back, relax and pray for wisdom.
Over the years, I’ve made numerous life-altering decisions. As much as I like to consult with family and friends, I’m the one who is ultimately responsible for the outcome.
It can indeed be a lonely experience!
As I’m facing another crossroad in life today, it is nerve wracking not to have a clear sense of direction.
Calm my anxious heart Lord!, I often pray.
Praise God for His faithfulness, comfort and peace.
God is currently orchestrating the most favorable circumstances and is taking care of details on my behalf. Even though I still don’t have a sense of direction, I know He has heard my prayer.
I just need to trust Him as I am waiting for an answer at the crossroad!
Journaling a Bible verse or two! 