All About Me homework

I was recently given the opportunity to help with homework! (Note: it was for 1st grade so I actually felt that I COULD help!)

As our children are no longer in school, I am a bit out of practice. I was feeling a bit misty that our daughter graduated this past year. I had no one to help get ready or school shop for. THAT was an odd feeling.

I was over at my nephews and niece's house. They are 6 1/2 year old triplets. 3x the fun....and the homework...and school papers, etc. They had a night before school assignment of "All About Me" It was a fill-in-the-blank and draw pictures of things like: my name is, my favorite food, my favorite thing to do, my favorite character in a book, etc. It was 2 pages. I split it up into a couple sections at a time so they wouldn't have to work on it all at once. I let them do it in the order he/she chose.

The one section they all did last was draw a picture of "What I do best" Each of them really had to think hard about what they would draw.

I'm wondering if it was the word "best" that made them hesitant or if we really learn at that early of an age not to brag about ourselves. I know as we get older it seems more difficult for a lot of us to remember that we are each individuals with talents and gifts that make us....us....especially if anxiety tries to creep in.

Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of growing up, we forget that it is OK to acknowledge the fact that there are things we are "best" at. Maybe we don't think of it like that. Maybe we don't feel like we should act too "proud" or we sound conceited. Too often it is much easier to think of the bad and the ugly than the good.

The online world can easily make us feel "less than" what we see portrayed on TV, movies, and the internet.

I urge you to take a bit of time and think about your very own "All About Me" even if, maybe especially if, you are WAAAYYY past first grade.

Genesis 1:27 (NIV) So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Jeremiah 18:3-5 (NIV) So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel.  But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

FREE (thought) Trash Removal

I'm online paying my trash bill. I'm thinking. I pay to have my physical trash removed weekly. Well, the weeks I remember to get the bin out by the road in time anyway.

I'm feeling a bit blah. Dumpy, if you will. I'm letting the darkness outside creep inside. If I'm not careful, depression will start to try and take over. I'm getting better at realizing it. Most days. When I pay enough attention, before it gets too much of a grip. When I remember that it's OK, preferable even, to TAKE the happy pills I have on hand. When I remember, I don't have to battle darkness on my own. When I acknowledge, it is more of a battle than I like to admit.

Feelings, emotions, thoughts that can get dark easily. They become the mind trash that needs to be dumped. I don't keep physical trash around. Why should I keep mental trash around? Why should you?

We don't even need to pay to have it removed. Well, unless you count therapy! ;) 

Wouldn't it be N.I.C.E. to work on removing some of that mental trash?

N - Notice!
When those thoughts start invading, pay attention. Don't let them get a foothold and lead you down the path of self destruction.

I - Don't Ignore! It may feel easier to just stay in bed at least temporarily. However, if it is becoming preferable to stay in bed rather than participate in life? Get some help. Call a dr. Phone a friend. Reaching out may be the last thing you FEEL like doing, but remember feelings are not truth.

C - Celebrate!
Something. Anything. Find a reason to inject some joy in your day. Turn the radio on. Have a family dance party. Dance by yourself. Find a reason to celebrate that you are here for this moment. BE in THIS moment.

E - Encourage!
Find something encouraging to read or look at or enjoy. Encourage someone else. You never know how telling your story may help someone else on their journey. Others have walked this path, but no one has taken YOUR path. Don't walk alone.

Little lights shine brightest in dark places. Find a way to bring a bit of light into each day. Even if you have to borrow it temporarily from someone else's candle. Then when you're feeling better? Share your light with somebody that needs a spark.

Genesis 1:3-4 (NIV) And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.
 

Philippians 4:8 (NIV) Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Psalm 100:4-5 (NIV) Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Like Me

I put off writing. I put off lots of things. Things that I know will make life better. IF I would just take the time to slow down, be less busy. Things like taking some quiet time and listening to what God has to say to me. Things like praying more. Reading the Bible more. I KNOW what I need to do. I just don't do it. OR I find other things to do, ways to waste time. I don't WANT to waste time. At least I don't think I do. But I do.

If I had a friend that only spent time with me or talked to me when they needed something, I dare say I'd be rather ticked off.

If I had family that I do everything for and they choose not to love me, I would be hurt.

If I wrote letters to those that claim to love me and they don't read them, I might wonder why do I bother?

If I watched a person make choices on spending their time and money in ways that are harmful to them, I would think I would do whatever I had to do to get their attention.

....and there it is. I would be ticked off, hurt, wonder why I bother, try to get attention. Life is not about "I" or "me". When we try to do life on our own, we make it SO much more difficult than it has to be.

God has pointed out to me in numerous ways over my life that He cares about the tiniest details of my life. Things I don't even bother to tell my closest family and dearest friends because it doesn't seem relevant or a big enough deal,

I think that may be part of the issue I'm dealing with lately. Too often I think God is like me. I totally forget that I am created in HIS image. He is NOT created in mine.

He will still listen to me. Even when, especially when, it has been too long.

He will still do everything for me and love me even when I don't acknowledge it right away and maybe not ever.

His words are still in that love letter of the Bible waiting for me to read what I need to hear when I need to hear it.

He knows that I have made choices on using my time and the blessings He has provided in ways that are not the best use of dwindling resources.

He will get my attention. One way or another. He likes me. He loves me. Exactly because He is NOT like me. I am like Him. I can be. He made me and you to be the very best versions of us we can be. WE are the ones that try to find ways to explain things to make us feel better. He already knows. The parts we hide from everyone else. He knows AND loves us anyway.

So are you ready to start getting back to where we need to be? Like me?

Genesis 1:27 (NIV) So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV) And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

For the Love of.....Animals?!?!?!

Recently, "we" acquired a horse. Well, my daughter and husband got the horse. I have been roped into helping occasionally (ex. picking up 50# bags of sweet feed grain). I had made it quite clear to both of them that I wanted little if nothing to do with the horse, clean up, etc. This is mainly my own selfishness. We already have too many cats. Did we really need one more thing to take care of and further drain our dwindling financial resources? Did we really need one more BIG thing that would dwindle financial stuff even further?

Now that the horse is a done deal and grazing happily in the back yard, I have had to reluctantly rethink a few of my previous thoughts.  I have noticed a change not only in her, but in others that have come to visit. There is something very relaxing about petting animals. If they are fed and watered, animals are usually pretty content.

And our daughter, who sometimes has a very hard time dealing with life, is learning some great skills and opening up more. She has been learning more responsibility....with less complaining/whining. She has talked to others about her horse that she probably would not have spoken to otherwise or very little if she did talk. She gets outside and moving around. She has a new buddy that listens unconditionally when she's had one of her bad days.

She is like a butterfly emerging from the cocoon of teenager. It is exciting to watch.

Will my love of animals ever be as strong as our daughter's? More than likely not. Is the additional expense worth it? How do you put a price on something priceless like a smile and increased self confidence?

Genesis 1:24 (NIV) And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.