Tuesday, September 27, 2005
"the little things"
Wow a friend of mine just wrote a blog on “the small things”. Her post has motivated me in this blog posting.
She wrote about a mutual friend of ours who passed away a few years ago. She talked about how our friend’s husband shared at the funeral. How he talked about how her life was about the little things. He talked about how all the little things made lives better and how precious the little things can be.
How true it is. The very first day I met this women she spoke to me with her soft voice words which touched me in a very large way that changed my life forever and will never be forgotten. It was the "little thing" she said that made all the difference in the world to me.
It is the small kind smiles, words, and touch through hugs that can make all the difference in the world. I may not always feel like smiling or sharing a kind word but I do it any ways because I know how those small warm fuzzies make me feel and so I try to give them back. These little things could save someone’s life that day; it has helped save mine on many occasions.
It is the thank you, the hello's, the unexpected phone calls, cards, that make the difference. When a person comes to mind and I am thinking about them, how they are or how things are going, I try to stop and call them. That might be the little thing they need for that day.
It is about making others feel how you want to be treated, with kindness, love, understanding and compassion. So since I have experienced so much of this, I try to give it back as much as possible. When in someone’s heart or mind they feel like the world is a terrible place or just down, these little things may make all the difference in the world to them. It may help restore their Faith, it has mine.
It is all the small things, which add up to be the big things. Sometimes we have no idea how the small things we do can effect a person forever, or for the moment. I think of times where I was so down, hurt and desperately hoping someone would call and the phone rang, or a kind letter came in the mail or via email, or I would be out and I would run into someone and we would stop and chat for a while. Some of those times have made all the difference in the world to me.
Some of the other “little things” would be have you ever stopped to look at life through the eyes of a little child. The walk down your front side walk that takes you second could take a ½ hour with a child. You see we may have to stop and smell the flowers, answer questions about the flowers. Then we might see a bug, which we would need to pick up, look at it, count his legs, wings, eyes, stripes, you know what I mean. Then we would have to set it free. Now we can carry on and move a little further down the side walk till something else of curiosity appears and we start all over. It is those little things that are so awesome and I also cherish.
I do not have children of my own but I see this through my nephews and my niece, I see it through my friend’s children and grandchildren.
I remember when I became a Christian a few years ago having a discussion with a really good friend about “the little things” she was looking for the lightning bolt and I was enjoying the small things. I explained to her that she has to look at the day to day “little things” and eventually they will add up to be the big thing. Today in my life there are no coincidences there are God incidences. I take all the “little things” and add them up to make the big thing. Because I was able to see these my Faith grew rapidly and today when tough times come because I know God is in my life and loves me those times are far shorter lived and further and further apart. God knew I needed to see him all around me so he showed me via the “little things” so I could believe in the “big thing” HIM.
So I dedicate this to that special lady who has taught so many about "the little things" and to all that provide me the “little things” day to day in my life. I also give thanks to God for putting those people and things in my life, and I give thank for God, for being in my life.
So as they say in life don’t sweat the big stuff, look for the little things.
She wrote about a mutual friend of ours who passed away a few years ago. She talked about how our friend’s husband shared at the funeral. How he talked about how her life was about the little things. He talked about how all the little things made lives better and how precious the little things can be.
How true it is. The very first day I met this women she spoke to me with her soft voice words which touched me in a very large way that changed my life forever and will never be forgotten. It was the "little thing" she said that made all the difference in the world to me.
It is the small kind smiles, words, and touch through hugs that can make all the difference in the world. I may not always feel like smiling or sharing a kind word but I do it any ways because I know how those small warm fuzzies make me feel and so I try to give them back. These little things could save someone’s life that day; it has helped save mine on many occasions.
It is the thank you, the hello's, the unexpected phone calls, cards, that make the difference. When a person comes to mind and I am thinking about them, how they are or how things are going, I try to stop and call them. That might be the little thing they need for that day.
It is about making others feel how you want to be treated, with kindness, love, understanding and compassion. So since I have experienced so much of this, I try to give it back as much as possible. When in someone’s heart or mind they feel like the world is a terrible place or just down, these little things may make all the difference in the world to them. It may help restore their Faith, it has mine.
It is all the small things, which add up to be the big things. Sometimes we have no idea how the small things we do can effect a person forever, or for the moment. I think of times where I was so down, hurt and desperately hoping someone would call and the phone rang, or a kind letter came in the mail or via email, or I would be out and I would run into someone and we would stop and chat for a while. Some of those times have made all the difference in the world to me.
Some of the other “little things” would be have you ever stopped to look at life through the eyes of a little child. The walk down your front side walk that takes you second could take a ½ hour with a child. You see we may have to stop and smell the flowers, answer questions about the flowers. Then we might see a bug, which we would need to pick up, look at it, count his legs, wings, eyes, stripes, you know what I mean. Then we would have to set it free. Now we can carry on and move a little further down the side walk till something else of curiosity appears and we start all over. It is those little things that are so awesome and I also cherish.
I do not have children of my own but I see this through my nephews and my niece, I see it through my friend’s children and grandchildren.
I remember when I became a Christian a few years ago having a discussion with a really good friend about “the little things” she was looking for the lightning bolt and I was enjoying the small things. I explained to her that she has to look at the day to day “little things” and eventually they will add up to be the big thing. Today in my life there are no coincidences there are God incidences. I take all the “little things” and add them up to make the big thing. Because I was able to see these my Faith grew rapidly and today when tough times come because I know God is in my life and loves me those times are far shorter lived and further and further apart. God knew I needed to see him all around me so he showed me via the “little things” so I could believe in the “big thing” HIM.
So I dedicate this to that special lady who has taught so many about "the little things" and to all that provide me the “little things” day to day in my life. I also give thanks to God for putting those people and things in my life, and I give thank for God, for being in my life.
So as they say in life don’t sweat the big stuff, look for the little things.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Here Today----Gone Tomorrow
I was just doing a search for the famous saying "Here today, Gone tomorrow" and could not find the originating source of this saying.
What does this mean to me? Well it has many different meanings. The first thing that comes to mind is from a poem we read in AA at most meetings. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Yesterday is gone forever, tomorrow is not yet here and Today is really all we ever have. We may have the memories of yesterday but it is over and so we do not need to continue to live in it. Well tomorrow is not here so it might be nice to set goals for tomorrow, or dream of what we would like it to be, but again it is not here yet so we can not live in it until it gets here. So we can only live in the here and now of Today. What a wonderful gift.
So if we only have today we must live it to the fullest, enjoy it for what it is as if it is our last. We not have any regrets.
The next thing that comes to mind is Tsunami, Katrina, Rita, Ground Zero, 911, Flight 111, and many other disasters. Most people who experienced any of these probably woke up in the morning thinking this day was going to be the same as another day. Well it wasn't.
I am sure like myself most people think disaster can't happen to me or affect me. Well it can and does. A few years ago I had a terrible fall and smashed my knee to smithereens, broke my ankle on both sides and broke my wrist. At the time they told me I would never walk again. I also suffer with depression. So with this double whammy I sure felt I had lots to feel sorry about. How ever I fought had and today I can walk, and physically can do almost everything I use to do before the accident.
So why am I talking about this, well all this seems like peanuts to me in comparison to all the victims and families effected by the above mentioned disasters and many other ones. I still have a roof over my head, I have food, I have family, I have friends, and I have not lost any of my materialistic things. Wow my troubles when put like this are so very minuet to the hundreds and thousands of people who have lost so much.
I need to be more grateful for what the Lord is providing me and not take it for granite because he has proven several times that it can be taken away very rapidly. I need to be reminded often that my problems are nothing compared to others.
We do see how we can have it all today and tomorrow it can all be gone. He shows me that I need to keep all my affairs here on earth in order at all times and I need to be living for him daily. The Lord has provided me with many talents and skills and I need to develop them for the good of his Kingdom. I need to be listening to him and obeying him in order to Glorify him.
What a gift he is showing me. He reveals more to me each day as he feels I am ready. He is preparing me for the time that I am Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. We just never know when that will happen, are you ready? I am not sure I am ready but I am working towards being ready. Are you working towards being ready?
I am rereading right now with my small group bible study at my church the Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. I am hoping that this will help me more to be ready? I believe this book will help me to discover What on Earth am I Here for. It will help me to look at 5 purposes, and move me into deeper thoughts about what I need to be doing. I am so excited about this.
I keep telling people I am not perfect and some days I make loads of mistakes as a Christian. I do not always live the way I think I am suppose to but It is my hope that each day I am here I will strive more and more to be like Him. I can't live in yesterday but I can learn from yesterday, and I can not live in tomorrow but I sure can prepare for tomorrow. So that is my goal right now. Are you preparing for Tomorrow and learning from yesterday?
So in conclusion Yesterday is gone, Tomorrow in not yet born, so Today is all we really have. Live it to the fullest as it is your last day.
HERE TODAY-----------------------GONE TOMORROW
How thought provoking these 4 words can be. What do they mean to you?
What does this mean to me? Well it has many different meanings. The first thing that comes to mind is from a poem we read in AA at most meetings. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Yesterday is gone forever, tomorrow is not yet here and Today is really all we ever have. We may have the memories of yesterday but it is over and so we do not need to continue to live in it. Well tomorrow is not here so it might be nice to set goals for tomorrow, or dream of what we would like it to be, but again it is not here yet so we can not live in it until it gets here. So we can only live in the here and now of Today. What a wonderful gift.
So if we only have today we must live it to the fullest, enjoy it for what it is as if it is our last. We not have any regrets.
The next thing that comes to mind is Tsunami, Katrina, Rita, Ground Zero, 911, Flight 111, and many other disasters. Most people who experienced any of these probably woke up in the morning thinking this day was going to be the same as another day. Well it wasn't.
I am sure like myself most people think disaster can't happen to me or affect me. Well it can and does. A few years ago I had a terrible fall and smashed my knee to smithereens, broke my ankle on both sides and broke my wrist. At the time they told me I would never walk again. I also suffer with depression. So with this double whammy I sure felt I had lots to feel sorry about. How ever I fought had and today I can walk, and physically can do almost everything I use to do before the accident.
So why am I talking about this, well all this seems like peanuts to me in comparison to all the victims and families effected by the above mentioned disasters and many other ones. I still have a roof over my head, I have food, I have family, I have friends, and I have not lost any of my materialistic things. Wow my troubles when put like this are so very minuet to the hundreds and thousands of people who have lost so much.
I need to be more grateful for what the Lord is providing me and not take it for granite because he has proven several times that it can be taken away very rapidly. I need to be reminded often that my problems are nothing compared to others.
We do see how we can have it all today and tomorrow it can all be gone. He shows me that I need to keep all my affairs here on earth in order at all times and I need to be living for him daily. The Lord has provided me with many talents and skills and I need to develop them for the good of his Kingdom. I need to be listening to him and obeying him in order to Glorify him.
What a gift he is showing me. He reveals more to me each day as he feels I am ready. He is preparing me for the time that I am Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. We just never know when that will happen, are you ready? I am not sure I am ready but I am working towards being ready. Are you working towards being ready?
I am rereading right now with my small group bible study at my church the Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. I am hoping that this will help me more to be ready? I believe this book will help me to discover What on Earth am I Here for. It will help me to look at 5 purposes, and move me into deeper thoughts about what I need to be doing. I am so excited about this.
I keep telling people I am not perfect and some days I make loads of mistakes as a Christian. I do not always live the way I think I am suppose to but It is my hope that each day I am here I will strive more and more to be like Him. I can't live in yesterday but I can learn from yesterday, and I can not live in tomorrow but I sure can prepare for tomorrow. So that is my goal right now. Are you preparing for Tomorrow and learning from yesterday?
So in conclusion Yesterday is gone, Tomorrow in not yet born, so Today is all we really have. Live it to the fullest as it is your last day.
HERE TODAY-----------------------GONE TOMORROW
How thought provoking these 4 words can be. What do they mean to you?
