Life's Headaches...

You know I've been thinking. (Ha Ha) I've talked A LOT about turning my life over to Jesus Christ. My focus has been turning over my weaknesses to Him, and allowing my weaknesses to be what they are. This morning my question is when my physical body is in a state of DIS-EASE how can I turn that over to Jesus Christ?

For example I have struggled with chronic headaches for many years. I have just suffered through them and believed that life was meant to be this way. In this last year, my headaches have become almost debilitating. I began a personal journey to figure out what is the best way for me to deal with them. I have tried many things, that just haven't worked. I have gone through times where I have felt frustrated, defeated, and allbut suicidal.

This morning it dawned on me that I can work through the 12-step program to come to a loving acceptance of my condition. So far, I have been making all the decisions as to my treatment plan for these headaches. My new focus is to step back and quietly listen for inspiration as to how is the way the Lord would have me deal with my headache treatments.

I start this day with several questions, “How can I benefit from these headaches?” “What can I learn from having these headaches?” “If I let these headaches go, how would my life be different?” “What limits do I place on my life due to my headaches?” “How does FEAR play a role in my headache treatment?”

Now, I pose the question to all of us...What things in our lives that make our lives unmanageable as we are living them? How can we let go of trying to control these things and turn them and our will over to Jesus Christ?


Maybe these headaches are trying to teach me something. Maybe I will always have these headaches, but I don't have to be one. I don't have to limit my life because of headaches anymore.

Live Your Truth

I have a growing list of wonderful quotes from people that inspire me. I have collected quotes for many years. In fact, I bought a little journal book to write quotes in when I come across something that inspires me. 

Maybe you like to read inspirational quotes too. What inspires me doesn't have to be what inspires you. The fact is, I need to live my truth and you need to live your truth. (It's just that simple). Inspirational quotes, isn't necessarily what I wanted to talk about today. I'm sure that you have read a quote at some point in your life, and thought "Wow, isn't that special..." After a few moments where were your thoughts? How do we internalize these inspirations?  


Remembering that there are no new thoughts in this life, just thoughts that the heavens are recycling for our growth. If we are to find growth in the moments that inspire us, why is it so challenging to be sustained in this inspiration?  


I have found that when I focus on changing my life, it doesn't change. As I have been more and more willing to turn my life over to my Father in Heaven. As I become more and more accepting of Him directing my life, and believing that I am watched over and guided by a great and loving Father. The more faith I have in living my truth. With my growing faith in living my truth, when I read a quote that invokes inspiration my heart swells with love for my Jesus. This love impresses the words into my heart and gives me the sustaining power to continue on.


Here are a couple quotes that have impressed me with inspiration to live my truth. Today, I challenge you to ponder them within your truth...

"I am not at all the sort of person you and I took me for." - Jane Welsh Carlyle

"You can do more than praying after you've prayed. You can never do more than praying before you have prayed."- Corrie ten Boom

"Intuition is a spiritual reality and does not explain, but simply points the way." - Florence Scovel Shinn

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." - Roy Rogers

"Pride creates a noise within us which makes the quiet voice of the spirit hard to hear. And soon, in our vanity, we no longer even listen for it. We come quickly to think we don't need it." - Henry B. Eyring

"One can never change the past, only the hold it has on you." - Merle Shain

"Don't ever let someone tell you that you can't finish the race because you can." Ro Paxman

Authenticity

A couple weeks ago, I found that I was behind on some work I needed done. In my search for authenticity I asked my wonderful hubby for the day to myself to work. This meant he would do all the things I normally would for the family plus all the things he normally would do as well. My past thinking errors would normally fill me with guilt, and anxiety. This day was perfect! I accomplished more in this one day than I had in the whole week. Much to my surprise the family got so much done in the yard, they made a “game” of the work that needed to be done.

In that day, I learned that I can ask for what I need, and that things work out in ways I couldn't imagine. Yep, things worked out “good.” Would I be regretting my decision if they hadn't? Well, honestly, things didn't work out the way I thought they would. I wouldn't have thought that my hubby would have made a “game” out of the day. If I had been involved with the family. Would I have taken his choice away from him? Would I have prevented him from being their Dad? Asking for what I needed, gave my family the room to grow and become stronger.

I also learned that next time I need something like, time or help I will ask. I realize there is no guarantee it will work out with a happy ending, but it will work out with lessons learned. I will grow stronger and my family will undoubtedly grow stronger.

I will somehow find the courage to do the things that my heart impresses on me. I will look for the new perspectives in the viewfinder of my camera to lead me to new heights.  

New Perspectives....

I'm officially back...I have a lot to talk about. Living life is much different than talking about it. Living thinking sober is actually rather difficult. Living and letting live, is still challenging for me. So much has happened this summer in my relationships with other people.

First, as you are likely aware I spent most of my summer taking pictures of kids ages 0-16 as they participated in the IJRA rodeo season. I learned so much about life from these kids. I learned how little I actually saw life, or other people. I walked though life with blinders on towards anything outside my blinders. The young people and their families are simply amazing. The work so hard at being the best they can be. My personal belief is also that the horses involved take such great care of these young people, to keep them safe, and to teach them. Watching these kids grow through the view finder of my camera gave me a new perspective on living, having courage, dedication, and hope. I learned what defeat looks like on the face of a child, in it's realness. The life of a child has a sense of authenticity to it, that isn't common in adults, at least not this adult.

I owe it to myself to take these lessons from the kids, and integrate, all be it poorly sometimes, to be more authentic in my life. I spend a lot of time considering what it is I really like, feel, and believe. For the next several post, I'm going to talk about how I am becoming more authentic and the lessons I am learning from it. I would love to hear your life lessons too....