Category Archives: Friendship

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Embracing Joy: Ten Steps To Make The Most Of The Month Of December…

The end of the year is almost here, but before the clock strikes midnight and a new year begins, we still have 31 incredible days to enjoy this amazing gift called life that we have been blessed with. December, the culminating month of the year, arrives again this year with a special charm—a time when the air is filled with the scent of festivities, our minds with reflection, and our hearts with anticipation. As the year draws to a close, it brings a multitude of opportunities to embrace the joy, spread warmth, and prepare for a fresh new beginning. Here are 8 Steps we can take to make the most of this remarkable month:

1. Embrace Festivities: December marks the pinnacle of celebration and our spirit needs some good celbration, laughter and fun . Dive into the festivities, whether it’s lighting up the menorah for Hanukkah, decorating the Christmas tree, or preparing for Kwanzaa. Engage in the celebrations of your culture as you partake in the traditional rituals, and revel in the joy of just simply being together with those you love.

2. Reflect and Reconnect: Amidst the hustle and bustle, make sure that you carve out moments for introspection. Look on the inside of yourself by reflecting on the past months, acknowledge your achievements, and contemplating areas where you need to grow. Make time to reconnect with loved ones by taking the time for gatherings, the sharing of stories, and the opportunity to relive cherished memories. December offers a perfect backdrop to nourish our connections with those that we really care about.

3. Spread Kindness: The real essence of December lies in giving. Extend acts of kindness to those around you. Volunteer your time, donate to charities, or simply lend a helping hand to someone in need. A small gesture can create an immense impact and bring warmth to someone’s heart and blessings to all around.

4. Savor the Seasonal Delights: Indulge in the flavors and aromas unique to December. Treat yourself to hot cocoa by the fireplace, relish gingerbread cookies, or try the diverse array of traditional holiday dishes. Allow your senses to revel in the culinary delights this month brings. Actually take time to enjoy the tastes of the holiday season.

5. Set Intentions for the New Year: December serves as a bridge between the old and the new. Take this time to set intentions for the upcoming year. Outline your goals, aspirations, and resolutions. Visualize the path ahead and lay the groundwork for a promising start to the new chapter. I like to think of a word that will be my word for the new year. My new year word for 2023 was FAITH and my new year word for 2024 is INFLUENCE.

6. Appreciate Nature’s Beauty: Depending on your location, December either blankets the world in snow or paints it with blossoms. Embrace the beauty of nature—go for a winter walk, admire the twinkling lights, or take in the vibrant colors of blooming flowers in the Southern Hemisphere. Connect with the natural world around you. It really is the most wonderful time of the year!

7. Practice Gratitude: Cultivate a mindset of gratitude. Acknowledge the blessings, big or small, that have enriched your life throughout the year. Keep a gratitude journal, expressing thankfulness for moments, experiences, and the presence of those who’ve made a difference in your life. I like to write down at least three things that I am thankful for everyday.

8. Pay Attention To The Spiritual: Our lives are physical, mental and spiritual. Be sure to focus on and work on the spiritual part of your life by taking time to think about the greatest gift ever give and how that gift makes your life worth living.

9. Create Lasting Traditions: Establishing traditions adds depth and meaning to the holiday season. Whether it’s baking together with family, hosting a themed gathering, or watching classic movies, these rituals foster a sense of belonging and create timeless memories. We take and make time for what really matters to us.

10. Enjoy Yourself! As December unfolds its charm, make sure that you seize the opportunity to immerse yourself in its magic. Let it be a time of joy, reflection, and preparation for the exciting prospects ahead. Embrace the festive cheer, cherish your loved ones, and welcome the new year with open arms.

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You – Version 2.0

If you will take just a moment to observe all of creation, you can’t help but notice that everything that has been created is continually improving and becoming better. You were made in the image of God and you are a work in progress, which means that you are a part of the Master’s Master Piece, created to become a better version of yourself. Becoming a better version of yourself does not happen by accident, but by taking very intentional steps here are a few of the steps that we all need to take to become the better version of who God created us to be.

Three Steps To Becoming A Better Version of Yourself!

1.) Believe You’ve Got The Power! “18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.’ -Matthew 28:18 God is all powerful and God flows His unlimited to power through His Son Jesus Christ into our lives. This unlimited supernatural power enables us to live a life that is beyond anything that our limited human mind can comprehend or dream. You’ve got the power, but you have to believe it for it to become active and effective in your life and living.

You have spiritual, mental and physical power! The power of God that flows to and through your life is not limited to just one area, but instead flows to every area of your life, enabling you to become all that you were created to become in blessing others and giving glory to God.

In Philippians 4:13 the Scripture teaches that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” We need to personalize this verse and allow it to empower our faith to help us believe that all things are possible with God, our Creator.

I challenge you to: Say it, believe it and live your life in it’s power!

2.) Get Active And Stay Committed! “19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” -Matthew 28:19 gives us the command to go in that power that God has given us and make disciples. You know you’ve got it, when you can’t help but share it with others. As we keep working on ourselves, before we know it – we are helping others, which is why it is very important to remember: You can’t give to anyone else what you don’t possess!

3.) Remember: Team Work Makes The Dream Work! “20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” -Matthew 28:20 explains that the best example is example and so we need to live our lives out loud and proud by coming together and working together to be a blessing to one another. There is no “I” in Team, but there is an EAM = Everyone Achieves More! Remember: God Plus Me Equals A Majority and with God and me working together with His other special creations, anything is possible…

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The Gift Of Choice!

The reality that I am created in the image of God still blows me away. And if I am honest, most days, I don’t even come close to even come close to getting what that reality really means. What I do know is that it means that God loves me BIG and has given me this human experience as a gift to grow in my relationship and understanding of Him.

When we actually take the time to step away from the busyness of life, we can’t help but to think about all the gifts God has given us to be thankful for. I encourage you to take time everyday to think about some of the great blessings God has blessed you with and take the time to show some gratitude by saying thank you.

Out of all the great gifts that God has given, one that amazes me to my core is the gift of choice. God has given each one of us the gift of being able to choose for ourselves the life we will experience and live. When we stop and think about it, that gives us great reason to rejoice and be happy, because with that choice comes great power to decide and determine the direction of our life and living.

The thought of this great gifts makes me think of the tremendous responsibility we have been given to be the “master of our fate and captain of our soul” as talked about by William Ernest Henley in his classic poem “Invictus”.

Invictus

“Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance my head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears looms but the horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.”

So what are we to do with this great gift of choice? We are to choose wisely to live the life of blessing we were created for and we would do well to learn as quickly as possible that our choice do indeed have consequences. So, let’s start off with an extra positive choice:

“4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” -Philippians 4:4

Once again, we see the tremendous power we have at our disposal. We have the ability to choose who or what is going to be the focus of our lives. Others do not get to decide this for us, unless we give our power of choice away to them. It is our power and our choice – what we will focus on. I want to encourage you to focus on the God Who made you and His amazing plan for you to live a life of blessing made up of living, learning, laughing and loving.

You’ve got the power – will you use it? That’s the BIG QUESTION isn’t it. We have the power, but most of us never ever get around to using it. We might every now and then tap into it, but for the most part, we tend to wander around aimlessly, just getting by. You have the amazing power to choose the life you will live – choose wisely!

It is interesting to me that Philippians 4:4 tells us to “Rejoice in the Lord” two times, almost as if there is some understanding that we are not really going to get it the first time. When it comes to choice, we can be happy or sad, mad or glad – the choice is ours. I choose to rejoice in the God, Who gave me the power to choose for myself and look forward to growing in the blessing of that incredible power that changes everything…