Hope-Filled Living Magazine...: Inspired Living

Inspired Living

February 28, 2011

Dealing With The Past

Recite the Serenity Prayer quietly and then again out loud. As you say it out loud, think about the words and what they mean to you, personally.

God grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

As it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right

If I surrender to His Will;

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life

And supremely happy with Him

Forever and ever in the next.

Ø Lets break it down.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…

What things in your past have you carried around with you like baggage that you cannot change?

Courage to change the things I can…

What things in your life can you change to make a positive difference in your quality of living?

Wisdom to know the difference…

How does it make you feel to have some control over this change?

Reflect on your answers this week.

Inspired Living

February 21, 2011

One of my favorite old craft stores is Arnie's in Houghton Lake, which is not too far from my cottage.

I had the pleasure of stopping by for a visit the last time I was up there.

Arnie's has been a family owned craft store for many years.

It used to be quite special back when the real Arnie....owned it...he retired about 5 years ago.

But it was special because Arnie used to hire people to come in and teach all kinds of

special arts and crafts classes.

I learned to oil paint through instructors there. I really loved oil painting but gave it up for many years

while raising our children. I just stopped making time for the things I enjoyed that were personal to me.

There weren't enough hours in the day.

I have only taken one watercolor class...many moons ago,

but still dabble with it on my own.

I find watercolor more challenging than oil painting,

but all good things take practice.

When Ashley and I go away on girls weekends,

I bring the carrying case you see above

and work on my watercolor. It's fun and relaxing and

I have created some really

nice and personal pieces for my mother and sisters.

Hobbies can give us a great sense of personal satisfaction and fulfillment at a job well done. When you are first starting out, it's best to start with something small so you don't get overwhelmed. Understand that learning something new is going to be challenging, but can also be incredibly inspiring! I have learned that it's not so much about the finished project, but more about the process I go through while creating.

Having a creative outlet can inspire you to stretch your wings in new directions. Once the creative process has started, it will overflow into different areas of your life.

I have tried many different types of crafts and quite often get bored with them. Painting and embroidery are the two creative outlets that continually renew me. I don't grow bored with them. You may go through this process too while trying to discover what it is you want to try. That's o.k.

Take some time to browse the isles of your local craft store. Spend some time thinking about what really draws your attention. Don't be afraid to try something new. Start small. Just start. You will be inspired.

Inspired Living: Life the Life You've Imagined

February 14. 2011

I recently read a story of a couple that had always dreamed of visiting France. After many years of marriage, they finally got there together. Sitting along side one another on the way home from their vacation, their hearts ached. They had fallen in love with France, it's people and culture and their hearts and minds were now opened to worlds of new opportunities. Instantly feeling a connection they both knew that why their hearts had been drawn there for so many years. The fantasy had become a reality and it was a good reality.

Each of us has a story about a dream we carry with us throughout our lives. Too many of us do nothing about it but wait passively for a miracle to happen that would propel us knee-high into fulfillment and fruition of our dream.

I had a strange encounter the other day when a little boy decided to shovel the snow from the sidewalk in front of our office. "Hi, I'm Brian", he said to me. "Hi Brian. Thank you for shoveling the snow for us. It looks like you are doing a fine job." His response startled me: "You know, I AM a Cancer survivor! 2 years now in remission."

After my chance encounter with Brian, I began thinking how quickly life can fly by. Day in and day out we spend so much time trying to survive it that we never learn an understanding about what a gift it truly is, about the gift of time. I am hoping that this sweet-faced little boy gets to do all the things he dreams of in his lifetime. Somehow, I sensed that he had worlds of wisdom about time, about how precious life is.

When we are young, we think we have so much time. We enter each day with the assumption that the dreams we dream will come to fruition before our time runs out, our bodies grow tired and weak. Often we begin the busyness of adult life, starting a family, paying a mortgage, and for many, fighting to be affirmed and recognized in a career. Dreams are put on hold as the responsibilities of this kind of mindset encumber us.

Life is full of change. We learn to adapt to change in order to survive. That being said, we carry with us the ability to change and adapt to new situations. I say live the live you've imagined! If your dream is big enough and real enough to you, re-invent yourself. Life is too short to settle for anything less than everything your heart desires.

The bible tells us, "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord. "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11. This particular passage goes on to say, "Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

We have been given free will to make our own choices. Pray and seek Gods guidance for clarity of your vision. When you consecrate your hopes and dreams to God, doors and windows of opportunity to help you fulfill your dreams will suddenly open to you. If you are silent enough, you will hear a still, small voice guiding and directing you, giving wings to your dreams. Live the life you've imagined. Begin today. Don't waste your precious life doing less, being less, expecting less and burying your hopes and dreams beneath the "stuff" of life! LIVE IT! If you dream it, you can achieve it. Reinvent yourself and change your reality.

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness, concerning all acts of initiative (and creation). There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: That the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no one could have dreamed would have come their way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now." Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Inspired Living/February 7, 2011

Creating a Sacred Space

Life is so hectic these days for most people that finding time for ourselves can be challenging. One way to honor the process of taking time out for yourself is to create a special space in your home that you can call your own. It is important to find a quiet area where you can collect your thoughts, read, pray, meditate or journal.

Where do I begin?

Look around your house and take note of areas that tend to draw you. Is there a comfortable chair in front of a window to which you often gravitate? Perhaps you have a spare broom closet or, if you are like me, one of your children has moved out and you now have a spare bedroom. Maybe you have a room filled with clutter—a room where you store all the excess “stuff”… and you are thinking about clearing it out and getting rid of everything you do not need.

After you have found your sacred space, do what you need to do to clean it out, clear it out and freshen it up. You can paint a small niche in a bright color, decorate it with fabric or hang personal artwork.

Next, gather some things that have significant meaning to you and display them on a small table, bench or whatever you have on hand. Decorate your sacred space with things you already have…just do some shopping in your own home! Light a candle, pick a few daisies and put them in a vase. Buy yourself some pretty stationary, a journal or other things that inspire you to spend some time with your thoughts. Your sacred space can be a creative space too.

Spend time in your sacred space doing things that make you feel good about yourself. The more creative, happy time you cultivate in your space, the more sacred it becomes to you, and the more you will realize the importance of setting aside time for yourself and your own private thoughts.

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I was stranded on my way home from visitng my parents the other day, as the highway was closed due to severe weather and accidents. Oh, what to do when a girl is forced to take a detour in a strange town....

Goodwill shopping!

I love, love, love old linens...especially any that are hand embroidered...these are what I found...

I picked up two pillow cases (pink), one small pillow case (butterfly), four guest towels,

and an embroidered picture that I have already mailed to a friend.

This kind of craftsmanship is a dying art and yet still easy to find at local thrift stores.

I like to pick pieces up here and there and surprise my friends with unexpected little gifts that suit

their decor and personality. It's always fun when somebody thinks of you and surprises you

with something you didn't expect. Small gestures mean alot. By bringing inspiration into the lives

of others, we too are inspired.

The total cost of my detour was $3.25.

The postage for a small envelope to mail my friend her surprise was $1.28 and it is a gift

I know she will cherish.

Becoming More

January is the start of a new year and if you choose, can be the start of a new You!

Each new year opens up worlds of possibilities to us, if we are open to becoming more, learning more, discovering more and challenging our minds and bodies in new ways.

What does it mean to “become more”? To answer that, we must consider some of the following:

What are some of the desires of your heart? Are there things you dream of doing, places you dream of exploring, books you want to read, and classes you would like to take? The road to becoming more begins one step at a time, one foot in front of the other. It is a journey of self discovery and greater awareness of people, culture, and the thoughts and feelings of ourselves and others. Attempting to “become more” does not mean that we are not satisfied with who we are at the present or that we are not good enough in the eyes of others, but rather , we are open to embrace a new view of things and open to new opportunities; It means that we are receptive to greater personal growth.

I began this New Year by making a list of things I would like to do in 2011. I wrote everything that has been on my heart; those things that I don’t ever seem to get a chance to do because my time is limited. Making my list helped me to understand that life and each day will happen regardless of planning or not. So, why not plan to make time for the desires of my heart? Why not plan to make my life more fulfilling by seeing and doing new things and challenging my mind and soul in new directions?

Take some quiet time away from the rest of the world during the month of January and make a list of all the things you want to do and see this year. After you have completed your list, go back through it and pick the top five most reasonable and attainable:

Make a plan….look at your calendar, your schedule and your budget and pencil in some dates. Try to only include on your list only things that you know are attainable in the coming year; destinations which you know you can reach if you plan ahead.

Happy Planning!