A Pinch of Desire
Those who know me can tell you that I am not a “cook”. The kitchen is the last place you can willingly find me, but of course out of obligation < husband and two lady bugs that insist on eating everyday> I do spend a lot of time there. However, on occasion I have to admit that a good recipe catches my eye, and since it seems that recipes are floating all around social media, I get inspired to make my way into the kitchen and experiment. Because even us “non-cookers” have our occasional motivation!
So I’d like to share with you today a recipe you might find useful. I hope it gets you cookin’, though not necessarily in the kitchen. Please make a note of the following items that you will need for this recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
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A pinch of Desire
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½ teaspoon of faith
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1 heaping cup of effort
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1 ½ cups of persistence
DIRECTIONS:
- Any good cook can tell you that all good recipes begin as a thought before they ever hit the kitchen table. Have you ever had an idea, thought, concept, or something you’ve wanted to do but has never matured past the state of being just that; an idea? If you have, you’re in the right company. It is this idea that will be your “pinch of desire” in this recipe. Because every big plan starts off as a small idea first. Oh, and don’t let the “pinch” fool you. Some of the best recipes most important ingredient is the smallest in dose.
- And speaking of small doses, we will need to add ½ teaspoon of faith to our pinch of desire.
Faith, like baking powder, will act as our leavening agent in this recipe.
Once we put it into the mix, it will grow the dream. It will make our desire rise and reach its maximum potential. We don’t need a lot of it to begin with because
faith is one of those unique ingredients that multiplies itself.
- Once those two ingredients are mixed, set them aside and in another bowl add 1 cup of effort. You will need an electric mixer or you can mix it by hand. Keep beating the effort until all clumps are gone. You may get tired of mixing but keep going and give it all you’ve got. You must fully exert yourself and put in all your energy. Don’t mix it on low, make sure the setting is on high. (Warning: This is the point you may begin to feel like giving up because it no longer feels like fun but instead feels like work…keep pushing).
- While continuing to beat the effort, slowly begin to add 1 ½ cups of persistence. Mix it in at a consistent pace. Making sure that the persistence is equally measured and you are not putting in more at the beginning than at the end.
- Mix all ingredients together and put it in to bake. The temperature will rise and test your dedication, commitment, and patience. But whatever you do, do not pull it out until it’s done! Set the timer on, and when it goes off you will have taken a pinch of desire and turned it into an accomplished dream!
Enjoy!
Do Not Resuscitate
I had never heard the term before… – DNR- , what exactly did it mean? All I knew was that we were being encouraged to sign one, as at that point nothing else could be done. It was 4 years ago today that my father showed me what a DNR was. He passed away undisturbed, without any pain, and his body was allowed to just go through the process. After all, that’s what we wanted, the least invasive, most natural death possible.
Hesitant at first to listen to the doctors who made such a recommendation, it slowly began to make sense. The time for him to go was soon approaching and trying to keep him alive with CPR would just contribute to a more painful death. Though it’s never easy to make such a decision, without a doubt, at times it really is best.
Do Not Resuscitate.
I think back today at the place I was in mentally 4 years ago and how so much has changed. Where in the days leading up to my father’s death I was having a hard time letting go and understanding that keeping him alive was not the most beneficial thing, today I see it clearly.
But DNR’s are not strictly for those lying on a hospital bed. In fact, DNR’s extend far beyond the hospital room and into our daily lives. In this 4 year reflection period that I’ve been having, I can think of many other things in my life that have come to an end, many of which I should have let die years ago. Yet some have remained around much longer than they should have because I have kept giving life to that which was already expired. In return for this life extension, I have received many heartaches, sleepless nights, and drawbacks because
resuscitating something that’s meant to die only brings pain.
I’d like to blame it on ignorance, and say that many times I haven’t known better. But the truth is that my first responder complex has been the culprit.
My father taught me a very valuable lesson that day.
Some things in life just have to die.
Next week, I have the privilege to speak to a beautiful group of women called the LILIES. I will share with them my experiences of letting certain things in my life live on way past the time they should have. I’m believing that they too will reflect on what they have been giving a life extension to, and that by the end of the day they will commit to sign a DNR with me.
Because somethings in life do not need to be resuscitated!
Believing you are letting go of the expired things this week!
The Event Planner
I don’t remember ever taking logistics in school but it was certainly amongst the courses offered. It never called my attention back then and I can’t say that much has changed. I mean, figuring out all the little details of anything has always been tedious work for me. Yet at the same time the little details are what make up the big picture.
Just this weekend the Jensing and I were analyzing our options of schooling for Sky as she gets ready to go into high school next year. Boy oh boy, was that a process! The choice as far as which school was a better selection was quite obvious, but did I get stuck in the logistics of this decision or what?! Transportation, school hours, after school activities etc. By the end of our conversation I was drained!
Of course these are things that need to be thought out and planned, but is there such a thing as too much planning? Well I suppose that would depend on whether or not we step from planning into control.
This morning, in keeping with the planning overload we experienced yesterday, it seems I woke up ready for round two. The only difference was that I switched subjects. I found myself beginning to worry about an event I will be attending later this month -over which details I have no control-, and wondering about how I could make sure every specific would function according to my satisfaction.
This was control at its finest working undercover as planning.
I quickly caught myself and that’s when it hit me, “Just Show Up”.
I mean, after all, who died and made me the Event Planner for every single affair in life?!
You see, as much as I’d like to know how every aspect of anything I am remotely involved in will work out, sometimes it’s not for me to know.
It was then that I remembered that I have a fulltime Event Planner on staff that is there to work out all the factors of all my occasions and I simply have to …show up.
-Life is certainly easier when someone is working out the details for you!
Have a Blessed Week!
The Unexpected Outcome
I Love it when a Plan Comes Together
is the line made famous in the popular series A-Team. Although quite simple, it was also quite catchy. I mean, who doesn’t love it when things work out just as planned right?!
But what about when what we planned is nowhere near working out and instead we begin to feel as though we just hit a wall? Usually at this point we lose all hope and begin to count our losses…UNLESS of course we experience an Unexpected Outcome.
Unexpected Outcomes are those things we never imagined would work together for our benefit. In fact the most famous Unexpected Outcome story is one we just celebrated last weekend.
The savior of the world is falsely accused, viciously put to death on a cross, and then buried and sealed in a tomb. Talk about hitting a wall! Those that were followers of Christ were left with nothing but a memory of the one that came and revolutionized their world. All hope was lost and as much as they wanted to believe there would be a favorable outcome their limited thinking impeded them from seeing it.
And three days later just as time had convinced them of the death of a dream and stolen the last bit of hope that remained, the Unexpected Outcome AROSE (literally)!
I’m not sure about you, but that’s the G-d that I serve!
-One who shows up with a solution at the last minute!
-One who parts the red sea and lets a whole nation of people through!
-One who brings down walls!
-One who makes the mountains low and the valleys high!
A supernatural kind of G-d…
The G-d of the Unexpected Outcome!!
Believing that Unexpected Outcomes will ARISE in your lives this week…
References Available upon Request
Recently, someone I know and greatly respect was selected to be ordained as a deacon at his church. If there was someone I could truly see deserving of such a position, it was Ron. There are many reasons I knew Ron was the man for the job, but if I had to base my case on one, it would have to be because he is a man of integrity.
As part of being considered a deacon candidate, Ron would have to endure a time of cross-questioning where he would be examined in order to make sure he was both ready and the right person. After this process, Ron shared that it was an intense time but that he answered from the heart and felt good about the outcome.
Although he didn’t get into the questions and answers, there was one question he did share that had impacted him, and really left me meditating…”Are you above reproach”?
You know…above reproach…Blameless, Guiltless, Faultless, Clean??
Boy, is this a hard question to answer honestly!
Which reminds me of a book I recently read titled, How to Influence People by John Maxwell. Although every chapter in this book is a winner, my favorite is: A Person of Influence has Integrity with People. It’s the word integrity that strikes a chord with me. Defined as:
the quality of being honest and having moral principles
having integrity is what would qualify us as being above reproach.
Although easy to define, it is harder to live.
You see, integrity is what happens when nobody is looking. It is being able to get away with something with no one ever finding out, yet choosing not to. It is committing to others and keeping our word. It is not compromising our belief system for the convenience of the moment. It is taking the longer route and not cutting any corners. It is choosing character over gains.
Integrity is having References Available upon Request.
Which brings me back to Ron. Just a short time after the above mentioned examination, Ron was officially ordained as a deacon. His solid character I’m sure was the determining factor in his promotion. Ron was indeed above reproach!
Not only would I vouch for Ron, but there are many other people I know would too. Because integrity builds trust and trust is the key to successful relationships.
How many references do you have on your list today?
How Thirsty are You?
Thirst can cause us to do some desperate things. There have been many a story of people stuck at sea that resort to drinking seawater due to being completely parched. Though the outcome for ingesting water with these levels of salt are not favorable, can we blame those in such desperate situations for opting to take their chances?
Thirst is a force to be reckoned with; desperate thirst at that. The kind that keeps us awake at night. Though I’m certainly including physical thirst, I’m more so referring to a deeper inbred thirst. The kind that causes us to try option after option, chance after chance, all in hopes of achieving a certain goal or outcome.
Perhaps you recognize this thirst by a different name; passion, purpose, or desire.
Whatever you may call it, if you’ve ever experienced this type of thirst I’m sure you would agree with me that at its core, it demands to be satisfied.
Now, thirst existed even in biblical times. During his time in Gerar, Isaac dug up several wells in order to satisfy the thirst. Though there was quarreling over the first two wells he dug, and Isaac had to give those up to locals who claimed it as their own, the third well resulted in a keeper for Isaac.
As you can imagine, digging involves lots of work. The ground may be hard and it is easy to lose focus of the water (our goals) and become consumed with the dirt in between. Yet, if Isaac would have stopped digging after the second well, he may not have ever found the one that was meant for him.
Which reminds me of a well I recently dug just this week.
When I began to consider the idea of digging, I was tempted to quit even before I began.
I mean G-d doesn’t need my help anyway, so why even bother?! If He wanted to give me a well then He could just do so without me lifting a finger… He doesn’t need me to do anything on my part, just sit back and wait on Him right??
That was the thought process leading me to reason my way out of the work ahead. That is until I remembered,
Faith without works is dead
You see, if the thirst is desperate enough, we are willing to dig as deep and as long as necessary. Though we wait on the Lord, it is an active wait where if one well doesn’t produce, we move on to the next one, not afraid of the effort it will take on our part and never wavering in our belief that it is only a matter of time before we reach the water.
I pray you are Actively Waiting on the Lord today. Keep Digging…!!!
Keep Swimming
The Price of Advice can be sky high especially if you’re dealing with a top notch consulting firm. High end consultants offer specialized knowledge, innovative ideas, and a fresh perspective to everyday situations that can sometimes leave us clueless about our next step.
This weekend I experienced one of those moments where not only was I clueless and didn’t know what to do next, but where I began to question even the path I’m on right now. Boy, could I have used one of those high end consultants then!
The room was filled with an energizing vibe. Expectation was in the air and I was excited to hear from the speaker for the evening. I was at an entrepreneurial publishing seminar that I hoped would provide me with direction in my venture to publish my book. The invitation to the seminar was extended to me a couple of weeks prior and I was thrilled to get the opportunity to connect with experts in the field and determine what the next best step for me was.
As expected, the event didn’t disappoint. The information was excellent and the publishing consultants were eager to offer help in any way they could.
So you may be wondering what the problem was right? Well, when it came time to discuss terms, I realized that the terms really weren’t going to work for me. I left that evening feeling doubtful and second guessing what my next move should be.
And that’s when I received the best advice a discouraged girl cold ever ask for…
Keep Swimming
Yeah, you’ve probably heard those wise words before. They come from Dory, the confused (or not so confused) blue fish in Nemo that encourages Marlin the clown fish to just keep swimming when life gets you down.
Now although these words were free -well, the cost of the movie ticket plus tax- their value was immeasurable!
The advice didn’t come from a fancy consulting firm nor was it phrased eloquently but it was enough to get me right back on the path I need to be.
Its funny how G-d will use anything in order to communicate with us; even a children’s movie.
Although, even as I write this blog I still don’t know how things will pan out, I am encouraged to know that my job is just to keep swimming and His to map out the path.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6
Boomerang
From the heart is where my best writing comes from. So every week when I am considering what I am going to write about I just look at what has been occupying space in my heart or room in my mind in order to pen the message I am most connected with. For the past 2 weeks it seems that was has been laying heavy on me is something you might find most unusual; a Boomerang. You know the type; the wooden tool that when thrown is designed to return to the thrower. It is also known as a weapon used by the indigenous Australians for hunting. They would throw the boomerang over the tall grass to scare birds into flight and then into the nets that awaited.
Today it’s mostly used for recreation.
So although the tool itself is pretty cool what really gets my attention is the concept behind it. You throw it and it comes back.
A couple of weeks ago The Jensing and I were in Puerto Rico and we got to spend time with some wonderful people that he gets to work with. Our time there was to celebrate the top people in the company who were the top producers and as you can imagine it was one alpha male after another. All gloating over their achievements, rightfully so, as they worked very hard for what they had accomplished. Now one thing I noticed about these guys was that they didn’t mind celebrating each other but as they spoke about their day to day affairs it was evident that they weren’t about sharing their secrets to success. Except for one guy. There’s always one in the bunch right?
Harold.
Now Harold wasn’t about hiding his sales tactics. As a matter of fact he was excited to share what he claimed was his only sales tactic with anyone who was curious enough to ask.
And that’s when I saw the picture of the boomerang in my head.
You see Harold is an expert hunter. He takes the Word of God and in prayer throws it at his target and doesn’t doubt for an instance that the prayer will return to him having conquered his request.
It sounds too good to be true and because of this most of his coworkers brush it off as just a story he tells to hide his real sales secrets. I mean who is going to believe that praying for sales is going to bring sales? That would just be too simple right?
Well, I’ll tell you who…the one who tries it.
If only they knew that this indeed is the golden rule… Not just for sales but for life.
If you read Isaiah 55:11 it says:
So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Harold isn’t only good at what he does, he is number 1 in the company as far as sales are concerned . There’s no doubt that he probably has a great sales pitch but his success is really all because he understands the power of prayer. Just like in hunting when the boomerang is thrown and it scares the birds into the nets, our prayer goes out grabs a hold of the blessing and brings it right back to where it was initiated …into our hands and into our lives.
So since that time in Puerto Rico I have bought myself the Boomerang you see in the picture to be reminded daily that what I put out in prayer is what’s going to return!
I’m praying today that you would capture the simplicity of that.
What prayers are you sending out?
The 13th Disciple
Twelve. That’s the number of disciples we are used to hearing about. But what if I told you there was a 13th disciple. One that isn’t spoken of much, but is just as important as the rest. Would you believe me?
For many of you, we would first have to get passed the suspicion surrounding the Number 13. Considered by many to be a number symbolic of bad luck you would assume no good could be associated with such a position.
The odd number, the one that doesn’t seem to fit in with the rest, the one that everyone rejects!
Defined as One who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another, all disciples share one thing in common and that is that they are all hand selected. Despite popular belief, it is the teacher who chooses His followers. Though many may express an interest, only a few have what it takes.
Criteria isn’t very complicated. In fact when Jesus considered who He would select as part of His core group He didn’t seek out the perfect. On the contrary, He searched for the broken whom would allow themselves to be made whole! He searched for the number 13’s.
This weekend I watched a movie that tells the story of a number 13. If you haven’t seen Risen, I recommend that you do. It is a tale of one who met the criteria for the position of 13th Disciple quite easily. He was the odd one out, he didn’t fit in with the rest of the group that followed Jesus, and he was rejected and feared by many. He was the absolute perfect number 13! Of course what made him perfect wasn’t his flaws but the fact that his life was changed by love and his desire to tell others of G-d’s acceptance.
Jesus’ original 12 disciples came from all walks of life. Included in the group were fishermen, tax collectors, political activists, common people and what were considered uncommon leaders. Some were rich, some were poor, some were educated and some were not. Yet, they all had one thing in common…they were spreading the Word and testifying of the acceptance of all!
This evening as I sit here and write this blog, I can’t help but think of myself as a number 13. My past qualifies me for the position…least likely, odd number out, fragmented etc. But what makes me absolutely perfect for the position is when I look in the mirror and see my flaws covered by His love and grace. It is then that I am reminded that I was hand selected by Him.
What do you see in the mirror today? A 13th Disciple?
Wrestling Faith
Some people are wrestlers by nature and others are not. I, like most people, fall into the second category and can tell you that every move I have learnt has taken great effort and practice in order to be able to exercise. Now before you go thinking that what I speak of are body slams and headlocks let me clarify that what I am referring to is a different type of wrestling; one you may or may not have heard of. Let me explain…
Just this week, I read an article whose title called my attention immediately because it reminded me of my youngest daughter.
“Defiant children destined to succeed, according to a 40 year study”
Now, although defiant is not the word I would use to describe my strong-willed little ladybug, Rain, she definitely has more fight in her than your average 8 year old. I read the article and it confirmed what I already knew, that people with such independence and determination are lined up for success because of their refusal to quit; what I call natural born wrestlers.
You may be familiar with the type. The one that isn’t afraid to demand and fight for their rights. I myself have never been one to grumble much, but I have observed time and time again how
The squeaky wheel gets the oil
As a competitive sport, wrestling dates back to the ancient Greeks but in reality, it has been around for much longer than that.
The first recorded wrestler is a man you perhaps have heard of by the name of Jacob. Now although not your traditional wrestler, Jacob had been wrestling since the day he was born. He came into the world displaying what would be his character by holding on to the heel of his twin brother. And we can see this same character throughout the transcript of his life.
Yet, his greatest and most notable wrestling match is told in Genesis 32:22-31 where he struggles with the angel of G-d.
Jacob was in need of the blessing of G-d and he refused to let the angel go until he blessed him.
The story goes on to tell us that after wrestling all night and right before daybreak the angel blessed Jacob.
If you’re like me, then maybe you’ve read this story before and wondered how Jacob could hold back the angel of G-d. Was it with his human strength? I submit to you that what bound the angel and caused him to release the blessing wasn’t Jacob’s strength but rather Jacob’s faith.
A faith so strong that it refused to let go until that which it longed for had been satisfied.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much
Persevering, relentless, squeaky, importunate kind of faith. The type that can be confused as defiant and can even seem violent at times.
…the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force – Matthew 11:12
I’m not sure about you, but this is the type of wrestler I want to be. One who refuses to give up and understands that the blessing is attached to the struggle.
Don’t give up on your blessing today…get into a struggle and pray it into existence!