Bless & Release

There has been a slight gap in my posts because of new changes in my life. And we all know that change can make us exhausted and stressed. Even so, the results of these changes have turned out great! 

The work team I've been a part of has been amazing and provided me some of the best experiences and success of my career so far. Even if the tasks before us seemed daunting, unattainable, or stressful, we would pull together, rock it and exceed expectations!

But, God made it obvious a few months ago that, after 8 years, it's time for a change. There has been an organizational shift in culture, outside of my team's control, to a more corporate, competitive mindset. Two valuable lessons I've learned in the past are that:

• You can find a work environment that fulfills you and work that you enjoy...and
• It's not mentally, emotionally, or physically healthy to stay in a work culture that you find negative.

Although it's a lot harder than it sounds, now I will have to take all my hard work and the successful program I've been overseeing and follow one of our sayings in our department... "bless and release." :) God's given me friends and mentors here that will last long after my final step outside the office building and for that I am grateful and content! 

Okay, three cheers for new adventures: Yay, yay, yay!

Random quotes by Robert Brault

One of my favorite free-lance writers. He has a quick-wit and unique perspective. Enjoy!

 

"I know this about reality  -- that it is better fashioned from hope than despair."

"Though we often wonder why God does what he does, we can be sure he does it on better information."

"Always laugh off a slight insult, so that people will understand what it means when you're not laughing."

When someone says to me, "I'm sorry if you took offense,"  I say, "Come back when you're sorry you gave it."

"Do not spend your life seeking security and then wonder why you never found happiness."

"There are couples a matchmaker would match every time -- and couples who, for no rhyme or reason, rhyme."

"Once you learn to do with what you have, it doesn't matter if you lose it, because you have learned to do with what you have."

"Eventually you realize that the reason God didn't always answer your prayers is that He was answering your mom's prayers."

"I count myself lucky, having long ago won a lottery paid to me in seven sunrises a week for life." 

"You never have a friend all figured out.  Just when you think you know what makes them tick, they tock."

And probably his most often quoted saying...

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." 

Write the Story...

As part of my 10 x 10 x 10 discipline, I've been dedicating at least 10 minutes to being creative. This week my creativeness is focused on writing and that's been completely liberating! I found a website that provides both photo prompts for writing and tons of questions.

I do my fair share of writing at work and I did a ton of writing for college but this is truly creative writing. It is different because I can write in the way that best expresses my feelings. You can too!

maybe you'd like to write in lowercase like e.e. cummings? or in a beautiful cursive? or maybe you want to use long expressive sentences that flow across a page like soft hair spreading out on a silken white pillowcase. :) It's worth a try just to stretch your mind and thoughts out of the norm/comfort zone of your day. So if you want to play along...here are two photos...pick one and write five sentences to creatively describe what is happening. 

Another suggestion I came across was in the form of question answering or general prompts.
Here are a few I found on Creative-Portal.com

1. Who are you today?

1. What’s your story (how did you get here)?

1. Write a dialogue between your feminine and masculine sides.

1. What are your limitations, and are they self-imposed?

1. Describe a color in one word (without using the color's name).

Writing is refreshing. So go ahead and as William Wordsworth says, "Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart."

In-touch-ness

When a woman moves away from nature
 her heart becomes hard. - Lakota saying

One of the troubles with the weather getting hotter is that I find myself spending less and less time outside. Humidity, blazing sun, and hot blowing wind just does not make a pleasant environment for this pasty, curly haired girl! And, because of this, I have noticed that my spirit has been waning a bit and especially in its emotional in-touch-ness. [yeah, not a real word but fitting]. 

Even though last week I came across the Lakota saying above, it didn't strike a cord with me until Saturday afternoon when I found myself on the couch sobbing my eyes out. I was emotionally spent and realized I'd not taken a real break to catch my breath in a few weeks. Can you relate?
 
American naturalist, John Burroughs once said, "I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order." How true! When I'm in nature, I feel I'm spending the deepest time with God and I come back soothed and healed. So to protect my emotional health and creative spirit, I made a decision. Each day that I can...and I hope to do it more days than not... I am going to be intentional about spending at least 10 minutes outside, 10 minutes being creative, and 10 minutes just stretching and breathing. Maybe I'll go outside on the back porch and write a poem or outside in the garden and stretch? Maybe I'll eat lunch outside under a tree or take a mid-morning walk? No matter the 'when' or the 'how', this is a MUST for my health and my tear-stained couch cushions are the proof. So I'm moving towards nature a bit more to soften my heart, be soothed and healed.

What about you? How is your sense of rhythm and in-touch-ness lately? Well, maybe you need to make some changes too? Use this "10 x 10 x 10 discipline", baby! *smile* Take that 10 minute walk beside the lake's edge, a 10 minute stroll through a flower garden, or a long look at the horizon? How about 10 minutes to jot down a short story or doodle a cartoon character? You can make the 10 x 10 x 10 discipline whatever meets your needs... I just hope that if you need it, then you take it. :)

But Why's the Rum Gone?

During the Pirates of the Caribbean movie, Captain Jack Sparrow always gets a laugh when he says, "But why's the rum gone?" Before I became a Christian, alcohol was a steady part of my week. I have an extremely high tolerance for it and so what would bother and affect most people would do almost nothing to me. After I became a Christian, I gave it up for four years. Then after much prayer and advice, I decided to then allow myself to have a social drink of rum and coke with dinner sometimes or wine occasionally. I also developed a "rule" for myself that I'd stop at two drinks, even though I could handle a lot more. This has been fine for the past 10 years or so but as of this Saturday, June 1st I've made the decision to give it up for a full year (small goals at first really help me) and probably forever.

I've not been perfect in these past ten years but this past Friday was a "last straw" as they say. At a table full of coworkers, I broke my two drink decision. As I tried to close my check out, I was reminded that the restaurant would not "split" the check and that someone else was "picking up the tab." Obviously, "free" is too tempting to me because with one small look to the waitress and a tiny gesture toward my glass, the line was crossed. But I didn't just step over the line...I walked about 1/2 a mile past it. :(

Isaiah 5: 22, 24 says, "Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks,...for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel."

That is just one of many scriptures that I've studied over the weekend to come to this decision. It's strange as I reflect on the night because that very line from the movie, "Why's the rum gone?" even came up as we sat there!

I was sharing with some sisters in my fellowship that I am thankful Jesus did not return on Friday night...because I would not have been ready! Jesus is merciful and God is so gracious. I set a terrible example to others, did not glorified God, and brushed aside wisdom to do damage to my body. But now to embrace wisdom, set an example to others, glorify God and care for my body I am sharing my story, repentance and decision! There is just tremendous grace with that.

And so...this is my answer to the question why the rum is gone. :D