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!
What I Learned from the 8th Grade President
-How do you spell Manipulate? D–O–U–B–T–
The presidential race fever began early in my house; around October last year to be exact. Although I’m not referring to the candidates whose faces have been all over TV recently, the race was just as critical; at least around The Jensing household.
The ladybug you see in the picture is my daughter, Sky, who decided she wanted to run for 8th grade president.
From advertisements to slogans, Sky’s campaign was being carefully developed by the best campaign manager I know; The Jensing. Part of the process involved in qualifying as a candidate called for a written essay expressing why she would be the best person for the position, along with each teacher signing off that Sky was excelling in both academics as well as conduct.
If you know any politicians, than you understand that all politicians are good talkers; Sky is no exception. Every teacher signed off that her grades were proficient except Mr. Roberts (Note: all names have been changed in order to protect their identity) who gave Sky a less than ideal grade in conduct stating that she was a talker.
If you allow me to put my mommy hat on right now, I can tell you that I was livid. All this hard work and it was about to go down the drain because Mr. Roberts couldn’t see the political genius in my daughters personality!! (Tongue in cheek people, Tongue in cheek)
Sky had already turned in her essay and all that was left to do now was for her to turn in the teacher sign-offs. Of course we all knew that this would probably mean the end of her campaign trail.
The night before it was due, Sky had yet to turn in this missing piece. She went to bed that night but not before having a heart to heart talk with G-d about how she really wanted this and asked for Him to make a way.
So what exactly did I learn from Ms. President (notice I said Ms. President)? <Gloating>
Yes!!! Sky won that election and was voted in by her peers as 8th grade president. She never turned in the form that day and simply believed that her prayers had been answered that evening the moment she brought it to the Lord.
I on the other hand, wasn’t as trustful. In fact, just like many of the presidential candidates we see today, I was willing to do whatever it took to make sure she made it all the way through; even if that meant manipulating the situation here and there. I had gone as far as suggesting to Sky that when she was asked for the missing form she should tell them that she had already turned it in.
If you have never been in the situation, having your child correct you is not fun. Here I was encouraging my daughter to twist the truth when she stopped me dead in my tracks and said “Momma, I’m not going to do that”. Sky had resolved to trust G-d for what she had asked. In spite of her hard work, she accepted that this could mean the end for her but in her heart believed that G-d would make a way.
He did!
And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord – Luke 1:45
She was never asked for the form and moved forward in the process to the voting.
Many times making a way is exactly what He wants to do, that is until we intervene. And just like I wanted to, we manipulate the situation because G-d of course needs all the help He can get!!! If you don’t believe me, just ask Abraham and Sarah…
So what did I learn from the 8th grade president??… How to spell manipulate…D–O–U–B–T.
Are you doubting today? Don’t take the situation into your own hands, give it up to G-d instead.
Everyone’s Ugly at 80
Sometimes wise words come from those you least expect. And many times those “wise words” come disguised in simplicity. As a matter of fact unless your ear is attentive to the tip, what may have been the word that could’ve turned your situation around may just be discarded as casual conversation. Wise words don’t have to be complex in nature in order to be true, as I learned from someone I used to know.
Rosie, everyone’s ugly at 80, …
is what my old boss, Karen, used to say. Now Karen said many things… but the only one that stuck with me was that one.
Everyone’s ugly at 80, huh? Yeah, I guess, but what makes this an eye opening statement?
Well by itself it’s not. That is, until you begin to consider…
This past Friday The Jensing and I attended a Billy Joel concert. I had been wanting to see him live for a long time and when I found out he was coming to town, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
As expected, he was nothing short of phenomenal! His band was top of the line, the stage was beautiful, his energy was incredible, but what impressed me the most was his voice.
Quite frankly, at 66 years of age, I was expecting the quality of his voice to be a little worn. As a matter of fact, during the show he made light of his age and joked about how hard it was to sing certain songs these days because of all the high notes he would have to hit. Not only did he hit those notes perfectly, but age was not a factor, and at 66 years old his G-d-given talent to sing and play the piano was sharper than ever.
Which brings me back to Everyone’s Ugly at 80. Billy Joel no longer looks like the days where he could easily pick up the Uptown Girl. Now, I’m not calling the man ugly, but I’m simply stating that age has taken its course (as can be expected).
Beauty is fleeting
is the way Proverbs 31:30 describes it. So as we advance in age, very few things remain. Face lifts, boob jobs, Botox, are just some of the things we rely on to improve and sharpen our appearance… that is if we can afford to.
Our physical bodies can’t help but to deteriorate, but the good news is that our G-d-given talent is one of the few things that will remain. These talents are given to us for the span of our lives and as opposed to our physical state can improve with every day that goes by.
So although everyone’s ugly at 80, if we take the time to sharpen that talent that is uniquely ours, just like the piano man, our gift will be the main attraction.
What is your main attraction?
Climbing Higher
Being a South Florida native, high altitudes are not something we are familiar with. Barely above sea level, the highest point you might encounter while in Florida is the occasional landfill which gives the illusion of being a hill. A smelly hill at that.
I have, however, had the opportunity to go hiking in Colorado Springs and the difference in altitude compared to Florida is night and day. Shortness of breath, fatigue, headaches are some of the symptoms one might experience when trying to adjust to the new elevation.
Lucky for me, shortness of breath was the only reminder I had that my body was trying to Acclimate itself to the new environment. This discomfort however was overpowered by the breathtaking view.
A higher level calls for an adjustment on our part as oxygen and pressure become lower creating a much “thinner” air than we are used to. This of course, isn’t for everybody.
So how does the body acclimate itself exactly?
By spending time at the higher elevation the body begins to produce more red blood cells in order to circulate more oxygen.
This week, I found myself wanting to climb higher. Although the mountain I climb is an invisible one, the climb is just as real and can leave me experiencing the same symptoms a physical mountain can.
In this higher place, the demand is greater but the reward is higher!
In spite of the adjustments I need to make, the higher I climb the closer I get to Him. It is in this “thin air” that He is found. It isn’t for everybody…only for those who are willing to adjust!
For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required Luke 12:48
Are you willing to make the adjustment?
All In or Fold?
Saturday afternoons at our kitchen table is where I learned how to play Poker. It wasn’t the fanciest of places but my father patiently taught my sister and I how to play the popular game and what the hands we needed to win were. It took me a moment to understand them all but once I had it down packed, I was constantly hoping for that Royal Flush to beat not only Barbie but most importantly my teacher.
Winning was always nice but nothing beat the feeling of winning with the highest hand possible. Only a master at the game could pull off the best hand in the playbook. My high hand wins were few and far between but as opposed to me, my father’s always ranked high. Perhaps it was luck, or perhaps it was skill or maybe it was simply because he was the teacher and I was the student.
In fact many times he was so sure of his hand that he didn’t hesitate to wager all his chips and declare he was All In.
Losing on the other hand was never fun. Countless times I found myself folding my cards to his, knowing that if I continued I might lose it all. And yet other times I chose to risk it and found out the hard way that his hand was better than mine.
Those afternoons of innocent fun taught me more than I imagined but not exactly about Poker.
All in or Fold? That’s the question.
Is what looks like your best hand yet enough to beat the master instructor?
The perfect plan, the perfect strategy, the perfect idea. You’ve thought it over a million times. No one knows you like you do. Who could possibly have a better hand for your life than you?
A man by the name of Abraham was in this same position. He would have to choose between his own perfect plan of sparing Isaac, the son he waited a hundred years for – his best hand yet- or sacrificing him at the command of G-d – the master instructor’s best hand-.
Abraham chose to fold and as a result of choosing G-d’s hand over his own, he became the father of many nations, as was promised to him.
You see the win is not always in the obvious but rather in the unobvious.
Today I chose to fold. Although I can’t see it, His hand is better than mine. Not because of luck, not because of skill, but simply because he is the teacher and I am the student.
Are you all in or will you fold?
Direct Hit
It is in those last days of the year where after careful consideration of what we did not accomplish, we begin to compose our list of resolutions for the year to come. The most common of those resolutions usually having to do with body image as well as goals of personal development, and relationships, many of which are carried over from the previous year.
My list, although not very long, is usually very specific with all the details carefully spelled out. Some years are better than others but it isn’t uncommon for me to miss the target and find the same items on my list year after year.
This year, after taking an honest inventory of where I am at with my goals, I have decided to condense my resolutions into one.
To be a Direct Hit!
On occasion the reason I have missed my target has had to do with alignment. Being even just one millimeter off, can cause you to miss the bull’s eye.
So what does one millimeter look like?
It can be summed up into one thing; having the wrong vision.
Aiming for the wrong goals can leave us frustrated and fatigued as we are constantly trying to accomplish that which was not meant for us.
The right vision can only come from the Creator who made everyone and everything with a purposeful design.
Today I chose His vision over mine and give Him space to launch me into a direct hit.
Are you chasing His vision or yours?
The Haters Club
As opposed to other clubs where the initiation process can be quite difficult, getting into The Haters Club is an effortless task. Obtaining a membership is as easy as harboring even the most minute amount of unforgiveness towards someone and you automatically gain full access to the club.
The club has many perks of which its members delight in including a license to hang on to anger indefinitely, a license to control, as well as the ability to keep the offender “on the hook”. These all seem very appealing but they come with a price.
Perhaps you have heard the phrase:
there is a fine line between love and hate
If you have ever been in love then you might agree it is one of the strongest feelings you can ever experience. You probably have mental archives full of details such as the place you and your “plus-one” first met, your first date, your first kiss, your first dance, and the list goes on. As a matter of fact there is probably a whole section of your memory dedicated only to this. Some might call it a tad bit obsessive.
Hate functions in much the same way. In fact, it is scientifically proven that hate is an all-consuming passion, just like love, which uses many of the same neural circuits in the brain. You have a perfect recollection of what the object of your hatred did, what they said, the place you were at, how you reacted, and the list goes on. Just like love, the circumstances take up valuable space in your mind and you are able to play them over and over in your head just like a classical movie.
Understandably, there are offenses others commit against us that leave us not only wanting to be members of the club but actually make us want to run for president. But before we run off and start a presidential campaign, we must be reminded that the price of hate is enslavement.
Recently, I was deeply touched by something I read on a social media site. It was a bereaved husband’s letter to a terrorist group titled “You will not have my hatred”. Though Leiris never states in this letter that he forgives, he obviously understands the price to pay for hatred. This is why he repeatedly tells the terrorists that he and his son will continue to walk around in freedom and that they will not respond to the terrorist behavior in anger.
Speaking as someone who has been on both sides of the fence, I can tell you that it is much more difficult to be the one extending the forgiveness then to be the one receiving it. Though this may seem obvious, what may not be as obvious is that the reward is also greater for the same.
…Because forgiveness is not about letting anyone off the hook but yourself. This is where true freedom lies!
Are you ready to give up your membership?
To read “You will not have my hatred” in its entirety please click here.