Sunday, June 27, 2010

That Fine Line Between Arrogance and Confidence - For Gentlemen

Ah, so we had one in for the ladies. Here is the flip side, because I am fair, eh? ;) This is a great example of how a man is very confident and he is so gentle while confident. He doesn't have to be arrogant and rude or a prude to prove his confidence. A lot of men think that they do.

Please read my previous blog on this about ladies being confident so that you can get a better feel for the movie, "My Fair Lady".

Freddie is a gentlemen who fell in love with Eliza while she was still "learning". A diamond in the rough. He caught her in a bad mood because of something between her and Professor Higgins. She didn't want to hear another word, because that is all she heard. Tired of all the "words" she expresses what she wants.

Gentlemen, please notice how he acts the entire time. He listens to her and is still very gentle, wanting to be attentive to her needs. She is secretly wooed by him, but remember that she is not in the best of moods here.

The entire time he is gentle but very confident because he continues to pursue her. He is climbing that tree. It takes patience, lots of love and admiration and persistence.

Before this clip, he brought flowers and left them with the maid. Then danced and sang on the street, because of her. Again men, if you are humiliated for being this gentle, sincere and sweet, count it joy because a real lady LOVES that. She WILL meet your needs, just saying. If other men ridicule it is because they are jealous :) Period lol

That Fine Line Between Arrogance and Confidence - For Ladies

I KNOW most of you HAVE HAD to see "My Fair Lady". This is my favorite musical of all times! I love English and I love musicals. As a child my mom introduced this movie to me and I continue to learn from it! The movie of tons of lessons, is what it is!!

Today the lesson is about confidence. For those of you who haven't seen this movie, I will let you in on it a little. Eliza Doolittle is a flower girl from the streets that doesn't know much about anything but survival on the streets. Her dad is an alcoholic and she sells flowers to survive. One day she dreams of owning her own flower shop and wants to learn proper English.

She meets an arrogant English professor and "hires" him to teach her. Little did they know that they were teaching one another and whether he wanted to believe it or not, he was falling in love with her.

Being confident does not mean that you have to flaunt, be arrogant and rude or tasteless. There is so much to learn about what a confident lady should be.

Confidence is modesty, head held high, sweetness and kindness, admiration for life and nature. Your positive surroundings give you that "sweet" confidence that men love. You don't have to play hard to get or be stuck up to show yourself confident.

A confident women does not have to admit that she is confident either ;). Please watch and pay special attention to this clip from "My Fair Lady".



She is highly confident to a man who remains arrogant. I LOVE this, because he is still learning and it took him to realize that he was falling in love before he understood what he was learning from her :) I just love this...

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Communication is More Than Talking - For Parents

Passionate!

YES Passionate about Communication!

I just want to talk about the impact of communication and taking it beyond merely talking. I have three wonderful kids and their interest is my top priority. I am ALWAYS looking for ways to improve as their mom. It is Very Very important to me.

I have always said that if there was such a thing as a greatest fear, that failing as a mom was definitely it.

We MUST talk to our children. I mean that sounds sort of cliché. Really and truly a lot of parents do not even communicate at all. Sad reality folks. Now for those of us who already do and are scavenging ways to improve our relationship with our kids, hey, there IS more to it!

Not only make eye contact with them, try holding their hands or touching their face and head. I cannot describe the impact that it has. I just started to really do this. My youngest son even sits next to me and will hold my hand. It's positive and is necessary for their emotional growth.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Imma Cool Apostolic Girl ;)

Thursday evening I was all about the Lakers and Celtics game. When I am watching a game, especially a Championship game, I want no interruptions. However, on this particular game my 22 year old cousin and his 20 year old bro in law come be bopping in right in the middle of the game, bleh! lol

Anyways, they thought it was just awesome to see this "old" 31 year old woman who is so "Religious" cheering like I was. I am the type of person that when I put my heart into something, I put it in all the way and a good game is no exception! I made the guys wait until the end before I gave them a ride home.

It paid off:

Here they come strolling in at midnight last night. I said sure stay the night but I would love to see you in church with me tomorrow. They both were all for it. Hey, Katy is pretty cool ,laid back and "balanced" ;) Surely the church folks are too... See where this is going ;)

Guess what? Both my guys were in the alter, crying. My cousin even honored my pastor and let him know that he wanted to make a change. I was so happy! Wow... not too often does a visitor stand and honor the Pastor AND pour his heart out! Praise the Lord - the focused prayer works!

Even better than that, Joe volunteered to help put up sheet rock in our new church tomorrow night! Bible study next weekend here at my house. Jesus is rockin! My cousin WILL make an excellent soul winner!! He is so energetic! :) Anyway, I am glad that I am a sports fanatic. It gets people's attention! :)

Friday, June 18, 2010

My Letter to the Single Mom with Fatherless Kids

YOU are not alone! There are so many of us in this world and especially in the States who are going through this pain.

Dear Mom,

Jesus is your only hope and I am just going to be very honest with you. There is a danger in you dating and allowing men to come in and out of your life. First of all, you have children who are torn because the most important man in their life is no longer there.

It is not okay to test the waters. Dating is absolutely fine, but you CANNOT bring your children around someone that you are merely dating. There is danger with this and I am going to tell you why. Please note that I am not a counselor, yet. I am giving my personal thoughts and feelings about this, because it is very serious.

Children become attached to people very easily. If you are with a man and they have no father in their lives, they will automatically cling to him, thinking this is Dad now.

It is of the utmost importance to guard their hearts. Because of the fact that you are bringing men into your life, with the possibility that they are going to leave, you WILL reopen old wounds in your children.

This cycle can and will repeat with every new boyfriend you introduce your kids to. Please be watchful of them and their feelings. Keep communication open at all costs and shower them with as much love as you can! They NEED it!

The Sweetest and Shiniest Apples Cannot Be Shaken

This blog is for the lonely, the hurting, the givers of all themselves.

I just want to show you something that the Lord has shown me over these past couple years about love, loneliness, heartache and pain. Being lonely is by far one of the most painful things that I have to face day to day. Even worse then that is being lonely when you are married. That is why I am certain and I refuse to be shaken down and fall into the same trap that a lot of lonely people do.

True love is not a game. We all know how it works, we may have played it but I have learned that to have all that God has for me, He is not going to put me in any position where I have to play mind games to try and win someone over. Been there, done that!

I do know that all I have to do is just be me. Sometimes being the lonely apple on the top of the tree means to sit there, keep shining and allow the Sun to keep you warm.

Sweet apples cannot be shaken down to the ground; they know the game and are too sweet to play it.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Take It From A Giver

I am not here trying to brag as you may think from the title to this blog. I want to talk about a very important subject that is vital for your overall health.

I was born to give. Although I don't have material things or money to give; I give something that is even more valuable. I give of myself, my time and energy. It is just how I was made. I want to literally SAVE THE WORLD!

This has been a very painful lesson for me, because I am a natural giver. The Lord taught me a valuable lesson about "Who is really important".

For someone who LOVES and wants to help EVERYONE, this was an EXTREMELY painful but very necessary "process" (I guess you can say). This is an ongoing process actually. People will come and go through your life. Being a lover of people, I find this to be a very painful ordeal.

In order to move on and continue to grow, we must let go of people that drain us or don't add life to us. We must also remember that we cannot "save" everyone. What I mean is that there are some people who really rely on us for encouragement, strength, prayer, love and constant attention. These people WILL drain us!

However, there are only so many people that we can "tend" to. I, personally am a single mother who is caring for her kids, alone. My three kids are everything to me. They are my top priority, although I feel that ALL kids are my priority. Kids are my passion!

However, it is impossible for me to pour my time and energy into everyone, so things are done in moderation. I don't even ponder anymore like I use to. I have such a burden for people and especially the poor and children, but have found a medium that will not consume me or my time with my kids.

I am not being selfish. The Lord showed me this and it broke my heart, because I want to share my heart with everyone and anyone who is willing to take it! That is why it hurts so bad.

People are placed into our lives for a reason and a season. They may have impacted our lives so greatly that we may grow fond of them, but sometimes that feeling of bond or closeness is greater than what we are GAINING in the relationship. When this happens, it is time to let go.

I can really write so much about this, but I feel I have covered most of my own personal experiences. Hope you were able to benefit from this. It's a tough lesson and hurts like crazy, but it is very important to learn!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

"Lord, Why am I Always Sad?"

Since I have been awake this morning, I have felt a heaviness that will not go away. I can't really describe it, except that it feels like sorrow and burden.

Have you ever been so sad and you didn't know why? I can remember countless times as a young convert asking the Lord and pondering this sadness. I remember praying and crying so much that my stomach would hurt.

There are times when my heart won't stop breaking for reasons unknown. Sometimes I would cry around people I didn't even know, simply because I could feel their pain or see it on them.

I would wake up in the middle of the night and feel this uncontrollable urge to cry, for no reason in particular. I would ask the Lord why I was always so sad. I didn't understand it. I even "reminded" Him that I was to have joy.

It came to me one day that this was something He put in me because of my love for people. There will never be any getting away from it. It is part of who I am. It's painful and there is a lot of sorrow that comes with it. However, my love for God and people is far greater than this sadness.

Just to be used of God gives me great joy deep inside. Please remember that if you see me with a sad face, it doesn't mean that I am not happy. I am just a willing vessel who has found a place in the Kingdom and has joyfully accepted it.

Florida Court Sets Atheist Holy Day

-----I never forward emails but this was too good not to post!!-----

Florida Court Sets Atheist Holy Day! Gotta love this Judge!

You must read this.....a proper decision by the courts...for a change.

FLORIDA COURT SETS ATHEIST HOLY DAY



In Florida , an atheist created a case against the upcoming Easter and Passover Holy days. He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians and Jews and observances of their holy days. The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days.

The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring, "Case dismissed!"



The lawyer immediately stood objecting to the ruling saying, "Your honor, How can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and others. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays."

The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, "But you do. Your client, counsel, is woefully ignorant."

The lawyer said, "Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists."

The judge said, "The calendar says April 1st is April Fools Day. Psalm 14:1 states, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God.' Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that, if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool. Therefore, April 1st is his day. Court is adjourned."

You gotta love a Judge that knows his scripture!

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Blazing Blue



Picture by Graur Razvan Ionut - Free Digital Photos

Bright blazing blue eyes
Captivate my longing heart
Sweet smile, mesmerized

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Outreach Director v. Kingdom Worker

What does it mean to be Kingdom minded?

Kingdom minded people want to see people saved. There is one thing that I have noticed in some churches. It is almost as if we are competing for numbers. Churches that think this way are not being Kingdom minded. However, it goes even further then that.

Being Kingdom minded starts in the heart. People that are Kingdom minded consistently look for opportunities to win a soul.

-When they travel.
-When they Interact online.

True outreach is not winning people to your own church. An outreach director is just that, a director. They organize the churches outreach team. ANYONE can do that! It takes a burden, prayer, fasting and a calling to be KINGDOM minded and a worker for the Kingdom.

I love to see people won to the Lord. It is my heart's desire. We have a brand new church that will seat hundreds. We currently run just 50.

The question one should ask:

Is it more important to the Lord to see the building filled or to see souls filled with the Holy Ghost??

A KINGDOM minded person prays that God INCREASE their territory.
An Outreach Director organizes outreach and just prays to win the city.

I GUARANTEE that if Outreach coordinators would become Kingdom minded, God will bring more into the Kingdom, by increasing their territory.

Remember: We are not winning people to our church, we are winning them to the Kingdom. Think on that and watch God!

Friday, June 4, 2010

There is Freedom in Forgiveness

Life takes us many ways. Some paths we chose, some we follow and some we are forced to take. Sometimes it's not always in the path that we take, but the decisions that we make along the way. A lot of the times, when it is all said and done, we realize that we are only causing ourselves the pain.

About 2 1/2 years ago I met someone who made a huge impact on my life. I met them in person, just to meet them for lunch or dinner. I never thought that we would ever be more than acquaintances and we never were. When I came home I realized that I had strong feelings for them. I got scared, anxious and desperate in fear of losing them. Later I realized that we get that fear when someone has hurt us and we love them. It is as though we lose a part of our self. In fact, I felt that way with my ex husband during the separation and divorce, because I feared him.

In my desperate attempt to express my feelings for him, I probably messed up and really freaked him out. These feelings were strong, I really felt that I loved him and he had to know. I think it was too much for him. Keep in mind, we never even held hands or even talked hardly at all.

It was too much, me expressing the way I feel and I think I eventually angered him. He wrote me the most hurtful letter that broke my heart. Immediately I forgave him, because I knew I had to be that way and that I was probably coming on too strong.

However, after that he never acknowledged me and because I wanted his forgiveness, I kept contacting him and I was hurt even more. Whenever I would read something he wrote on line, I felt those feelings but the hurt was still there. This went on for over a year or so.

Finally a few months back, I realized that I had to let go of these crazy feelings and everything about "us" (there never was us though)to feel entirely free. I feel that I had to get even, but never realized that this is what it really was.

It wasn't until I let it all go that I realized that letting go of the entire situation and contacting him that it is what I needed to do all along. I really thought that I forgave him. I was just holding on to someone that really hurt me because I was afraid to lose a part of myself.

Now I can look back and smile, knowing I did what I could to make amends. I let it all go and I can honestly say that I have learned a lot from it.

I am more cautious about my heart and who I give it to. My dad called me gullible when I was a child and I feel that I still may be a little bit :) I just love very passionately, deeply and sincerely but I guess some people can't accept it or maybe they don't know how to.

During this time, I was literally tormented with thoughts and spirits. I know now that there were feelings of bitterness that I just didn't know how to shake. My mind and my whole being was effected. It effected my family and those I love. I got angry and hurt people close to me. It felt as though something deep within me was eating at me. I was tormented...

Forgiveness is like this:

1. Accepting what caused the pain with honesty to yourself.
2. It's ok to feel the pain of the situation. Write or talk about your feelings.
3. You can't get even. Know all the things are the Lord's vengeance.
4. You are forgiving others for yourself. You cannot save them or feel like they will be hurt by you letting them go. (This was my biggest reason for not letting go).

When we realize that we must not only forgive in our heart but that we must let go and chose to not get even, we haven't completely forgiven them. It is not until we let go, that we have really forgiven them.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Life - Haiku


Photo by Francesco Marino/Free Digital Photos

Life is about growth
Watering souls with the Word
Pure hearts with Sunshine

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Trust - Haiku

Something in your eyes
And the soft touch of your hands
My heart can trust you