Saturday, November 24, 2012

Do Your Part!


I've always wanted to be an inspiration to others. That desire pushed me to ask myself, "What can I write, say or do to accomplish that goal?" I frantically sought out projects and opportunities to become this "inspiration" that I envisioned so earnestly. One day I just cradled my head in my hands and with a sigh spoke out loud, "What do I do Lord? I just want to be an inspiration to others!" In a still quiet voice He said three words that radically changed my mindset and perspective, "You already are." BAM! Talk about a revelation. I had to sit back in my chair and heave another sigh, but this time it was of relief. "I already am?" I repeated half questioning what I'd heard. Then with a sense of faith and confidence I repeated once more, "I ALREADY AM!"

Sometimes we work so hard at something only to become disallusioned because we don't recognize or appreciate the impact it has on others. We look for the hoopla and fanfare and miss the simple satisfaction of just being who God created us to be each day. If we are authentic in our living in Christ by  modeling Him while maximizing our gifts and abilities--fulfillment will be a natural by product.

What do you desire in your heart? Pray for God to show you how to realize those desires in your "day to day". Be faithful over it and enjoy each moment of it. Don't worry about the impact--leave that to the Holy Spirit. He will do His part if you do yours:)


In His Stillness
The deafening silence
Awakens my soul
An I hear His possibilities
~Odetta Li


12 1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Romans 12:1-2(MSG)

Friday, November 16, 2012

Are You Jealous?



Ah...the pangs of jealousy. At some point in our lives we've shot those darts of jealousy or received them in the back a few times but...consider the following:

Why do you want green eyes?
What makes them so unique?
Why do they turn heads
When they come prancing down the street?
Green eyes are very pretty
Till they meet some others greener
Then those green eyes that you meet
Can suddenly get meaner!
Those green eyes start to envy
What you have and what they don't
You pray that they get nicer
But without it they just won't
Those green eyes become a monster
Piercing right into the heart
Taking out the greener ones
Just ripping them apart.
Why do you want green eyes?
What makes them so impressive?
Those green eyes sure are pretty
Until they get possessive!
~Odetta Li

22 The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!   Matthew 6:22-23
Here's a link to a cool Christian woman's blog posting about jealousy---the green eyed monster.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Do You Have A Dream?


What happened to the dream I dreamed?
Was it adjourned to a later date?
Found comatose in a vegetative state?
Was it hidden in a basement somewhere?
Discovered molded and in despair?

What happened to that dream I dreamed?
Did it sneak off on a quick hiatus,
Hoping for a more prominent status?

Waiting for just the right time to make its debut
That dream I dreamed...
~Odetta Li

Have you ever dreamed of doing something BIG? You stay awake at night excited with the promise of fulfillment and success. In your excitement, you share your dream with someone who doesn't quite catch the same vision and then discouragement comes. The dream begins to fade like watercolors in the sun...
Well don't let the naysayers bury your dream with your permission. Snatch them from the grave and hold them up to the sun! They are still alive and ready to grow. Start with baby steps and celebrate even the small successes. You can do it:)

Write the vision, and make it plain on tables, that he may run that reads it.
Habakkuk 2:2