What we want most this Christmas

What can you do NOW? What do you control and what is your concern but out of your control?


These are things to ponder during these days of gatherings and special moments. Even good things can bring stress--the stress of self-imposed expectations
--threats on self of perfectionism.


KNOW that you are enough.
You. Are. Enough.
Even if you did nothing else but be you, 
you are enough.


BOW--Bend the knee to the One who made you and calls you by name.
He loves you.
He came for you.
He died for you.
He rose for you.
He's declared you good. Very good.

Rest in that knowing in gratitude.

ALLOW people to be exactly who they are. No more, no less.
This is harder said than done, but will decrease stress and promote inner peace in your soul.

Isn't that what we want most this Christmas? Without our health and peace, we have nothing.

Allow yourself space
--to think
--to dream
--to know you're loved
--to know you're enough

on this crazy spinning ball called earth.

Stop off for some moments of calm and 
bow
now 
and allow.

Blessings and thank you!!

Anne

Thanks for stopping by. Linking up late to Five Minute Friday with a tribe of writers each week at Kate Motaung's blog. Stop over there to see what others have written on the prompt, NOW.

If you're feeling small

Linking up with other writers today for Five Minute Friday. Find out the skinny on how to join in over at Kate Motaung's blog. And check out what others have written on the topic "build".


Dear You,

Have you been made to feel small this week? Less than? Unimportant. Even invisible?

Sometimes that happens when those around you are wounded themselves and they can't see past the pain, to see you.

This doesn't reflect on you at all, even though that's the ditch you often fall into. 

Time and time again, you think the way they treat you is all about you and your not-good-enoughness.

Think again.

It's when these feelings and thoughts of others come at us, and even from our own selves, (the wounded parts), that we must build ourselves up.

Our highest self must come to the rescue of the hurting, invisible, small version of ourselves and build ourselves up.

Our brains only listen to us.

That's right. Your brain will hear the words of others and try to make you think that you are the smallness that others say.

But, if your brain tells you the truth of who you are, that you are enough, those other voices will be silenced.

Good will win over bad.
Light always puts out the darkness.

It will always start with us, and it should end with us, too.

See, God created you. He loves you. He's always near you.

And, he's given you YOU!! 
Cherish the loved one that you are.
Cherish your gifts.
Accept them.

Tell yourself you are enough. Because you are.

People may come and go from your life and they will say what they will. But, you don't have to listen.
Instead, listen to the voice deep inside of you that is in tune with the voice of God.

You, my friend, are enough.


Blessings to you today, friend.

Anne

Repeat after me.

Today is Five Minute Friday where a tribe of writers take five minutes out of their busy schedules and write about a topic that Kate Motaung chooses for us! No fancy edits. Just writing for five minutes from the heart. Come on over to Kate's place to see how to join in! This week's prompt is "world".

GO.

I’ve been doing a lot of talking to myself lately. You know. The good and the bad. Sometimes the bad wins out and gets me into all kinds of trouble.

Thoughts have energy in the body, did you know that? There have been experiments done on that and thoughts either have negative or positive energy and we get to choose.

That is another amazing thought.

We get to choose our thoughts.

Sometimes it is SO HARD and it seems like something or someone else inside my own head is choosing those negative thoughts for me. But, you know what? It’s my own thoughts that I, myself, are choosing for good or for bad.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how my own mental and emotional health is tied greatly to my physical health. (I think about this almost constantly..) That’s why I’ve written so much on “soul care” and taking “soul spas” for ourselves.

 It’s only when we take the time to think about

 this body, soul, spirit connection 

that we can truly be healthy.

So, I”ve got an exercise for you.

Here goes.

Repeat after me. 

“I am worthy.”

“I carry the divine light of God within me, because I’m created by Him.”

“I can do anything and go anywhere I want to. Only my thoughts limit me.”

“I am loved.”

“I forgive myself for not believing I am worthy and loved.”

“I give myself permission to love and accept myself.”

"I am one of a kind in this world. There is no one else like me. I am unique."

STOP.

Thanks for stopping by today, friend! I pray that you will take the time to do these simple affirmations. It makes a huge difference in our thoughts to say positive, truthful and uplifting words to ourselves.

Blessings to you!

~Anne

Which rooms will you linger in?

Imagine with me for a few minutes that your soul is a mansion. In this mansion are many rooms. Some rooms are full of soul care and some rooms are rooms of neglect. 

Which rooms will you visit?
Will you visit the rooms titled 

worthy, 
loved, 
held close, 
attended to?

Or, will you venture into the basement and linger in the rooms labeled

the past
regrets
bitterness
unforgiven
anger

I imagine that in this mansion called "soul", I am free to roam about. There are many floors with many rooms. It is totally up to me which rooms I visit, where I linger, and how long I roam the hallways even trying to decide which rooms I will camp out in. 

I want to pull up a comfy chair in the room called Worthy. Because that is who I am. Worthy of love. Worthy of respect. Worthy of good friends. Worthy to be good to myself.

I want to throw back the curtains and raise the blinds in the room called Loved. 

Because that is who I am. I am loved by my God. I am loved by my family and friends. I am loved. 

In the room called "attended to", I would pull up a comfy chair again and just think and dream. And realize that to be attended to by a loving God means I am of utmost concern to him.

How about you? Which rooms will you linger in? Which rooms beckon you?

Blessings to you today friend.
Thanks for stopping by, and I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

~Anne

I'm linking up today with other writers for five minutes of free writing for Five Minute Friday at Kate's Place. Won't you stop by and join in the fun? Today's prompt is "visit".

Dare to Be: Brave Part 2 {Day 23}

News flash. 

Today, I did not want to go to the gym. 

My flesh is so weak! I wanted to just cozy up under an afghan and drink tea this afternoon!!

On Day 12 I told you about our trial at the gym, with our oldest son as our trainer. It's been going pretty well, in that my husband and I are still going. Our two week trial is up tomorrow. 

So, the proof will be in the pudding. Tomorrow.

And, I felt really frumpy today at the gym. It is really hard for me to stand in front of a mirror. Much less to stand in front of a mirror lifting weights at the gym. 

I am in loose fitting pants and a sweatshirt, because, it hides more. Nothing I'm wearing really matches. I am not put together. I look around and I feel, just frumpy.

even though I put my belt on yesterday morning and it just hung there....good sign something is happening!

So uncomfortable and honestly, I'm not sure I would go right now if my husband had not agreed to do this with me. 

But, I did the weight lifting anyway. 


I'm not sure about you, but being brave to me doesn't just look like going to a gym when I am out of shape, and lifting weights in the weight room with Arnold's 
and very fit women all around me.


Being brave looks like going back. And back. And then back again.

It will take bravery to keep going and facing that mirror and really facing my own negative body image. Something I really need work on.

As we were walking out of the gym today, my husband says, I don't know about all this. Is it really doing any good?

I say to him.

You are investing in your future self.

Yes, I really do believe that.

I'm going to keep choosing to be brave.

~Anne

Click on my button to see a list of all 31 Days posts!

Where I talk about the numbers on the scale

I found myself falling for it again. I've been going to (a very popular) weight loss program for several months now. Lost about ten pounds. Not stellar speed, but loss nonetheless. The last couple of months I've been yo-yoing up and down about one pound each week. Discouraging to say the least. I want the weight gone yesterday!  

I have the familiar conversation with myself on weigh-in morning. This time it's positive. "Hmm. I've been pretty good this week. I feel good. My jeans are looser. It sure feels like I've lost weight! Should be an encouraging weigh-in day!"

So, I put down my half full cup of tea (don't want to add any more water weight, just in case). I decide that, just to be safe, I would eat toast instead of my regular oatmeal. I bet toast is lighter. I stuff a banana in my purse (for after weigh-in), grab my water bottle and head out to my car. 
On the way to weigh-in, my thoughts are hopeful. I absolutely know I've lost weight this week!

When I get there, I have to stand in line. Two women ahead of me, but three weigh-in stations. I want to make sure I get the far left station. That lady is the most gracious if I happen to gain this week. My turn comes up. Dang. I have to go to the weigh-in lady that hasn't been too high on the grace-o-meter in the past few weeks. You know, during the yo-yoing.

My experience during my yo-yo weeks lately is that if I lose, Weigh-in Lady smiles and usually says something like "Wow, you did great!" Which is quickly followed by my eager question. "How much?" Then she would announce the good news. 

However, on my bad weeks, the weeks where the number hasn't budged, or has gone up, I always know the answer before I step off of the scale. (even though the numbers are only visible to Weigh-in Lady.) If I gained even just .2 pounds (why do I base my self-worth on .2 pounds anyway?) Weigh-in Lady does not make eye-contact. No smile. No indication that I have done well that week. No facial expression and no eye contact have come to mean the infamous weight gain. (Who knows, it could have just been from all the watermelon I ate last night.) I'm thinking, if the scale goes up, I am not worthy of a smile, or a "Hey, those things happen, you'll get this!"? Shouldn't those who gain on a given week be encouraged even more than the ones who lose a pound or even two. Every. Week? Just sayin'.

But. Since then, I've been evaluating my own mood, outlook, and emotions around this whole weight loss thing. Why do I place so much weight (pun intended) on the encouragement or non-encouragement of said Weigh-In Lady?

I know this weight loss thing is my responsibility and mine alone.
I know that the number on the scale has nothing to do with my worth as a person.
I know that God doesn't want me to depend on anyone but Him for validation of how or who I am as a person.

Weigh-in Lady's plastic non-caring face last week sticks in my head like glue. I don't need that. I am not paying money each month to be (what feels like) scowled at for not making the needle go down on a given week. 

I've decided that I put too much weight on Weigh-in Lady's reaction. And, on the number on the scale on weigh-in day. God wants me to have joy and peace no matter what I'm doing. Even losing weight. He wants me to depend solely on Him for my self worth.(yep, I said that before. I'm reminding myself.) Not on whether Weigh-in Lady smiles at me or not. 

See ya. I'm going out to buy my own scale.

The strength of the Dandelion...

 Dandelion arrives in early spring,

(before any of her counterparts)

wearing her yellow bonnet.

She brings no insecurity with her.

She is known by all, but appreciated by few.

This does not deter her from being herself in all of her glory.

She's strong.

She knows herself.

She outshines even the more glorious.

Even when others' beauty fades, she still shines.

She never questions her worth or purpose.

Oh, to arrive on this earth like her.

Beautiful.

Strong.

Undeterred by opposition.