Tag Archives: Attitude

Pardon me while I compare my insides to your outsides

Posted on by
14

© Joy Cannis and Even A Girl Like Me, 2012

While shooting pictures yesterday for something unrelated to birds on a wire, I turned around and saw this site that had to be captured. It goes right along with how I have been thinking and feeling. It was as if it was placed there just for me and all I had to do was look up.

I laughed while thinking, “I wonder if this bird ever looks around and thinks, ‘Why don’t I look like they do?'” You have to admit, he kind of stands out. Do you think he sees his uniqueness as a blessing?

My temperament is one that craves relationships and interaction with many different people. I invest heavily in the lives of those I love and enjoy doing so. However, when I am experiencing inward turmoil I want to retreat and be quite. Lately, while going through certain stress I have been unable to withdraw which forces me to interact with others when I am out of sorts. This can be disconcerting.

In the past couple of weeks I have found myself looking around and thinking, “How does she do that?!”

“How does she work full-time, grocery shop during the week, run her children back and forth from soccer practice, gymnastics and piano, keep her house clean, volunteer at her church, serve on the PTA and have dinner waiting when her significant other returns from work? And what about doctors appointments in between and the unexpected illness?”

So tell me ladies, are you one of these women? If so, are you really doing everything that it appears you’re doing? Do you have hidden super powers? Are you saying affirmations in the mirror multiple times throughout the day to keep up the pace?

Most days, I feel more like this chick…
I can relate to the white bird on the wire. Sometimes I feel that my uniqueness is a gift and adds to my awesomeness. Other times I see it as a hindrance and something to be overcome. Here is what I know about feelings, they are constantly changing. Feelings in and of themselves are not to be trusted. So I must rely on truth, grace and the love that I know to be unchanging.

What are your thoughts? Am I way off base or do you know exactly where I am coming from on this?

1-Minute Meditation: Choice

Posted on by
1

IT’S QUIET.
It’s early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep.
The day is coming.
In a few moments the day will arrive.
It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun.
The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day.
The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race.
The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions
to be made and deadlines to be met.
For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands.
It is now that I must make a choice.
Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose. And so I choose.

I choose love . . .
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness.
I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I choose joy . . .
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance.
I will refuse the temptation to be cynical . . . the tool of the lazy thinker.
I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God.
I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than
an opportunity to see God.

I choose peace . . .
I will live forgiven.
I will forgive so that I may live.

I choose patience . . .
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world.
Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so.
Rather than complain that the wait is too long,
I will thank God for a moment to pray.
Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments,
I will face them with joy and courage.

I choose kindness . . .
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone.
Kind to the rich, for they are afraid.
And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I choose goodness . . .
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one.
I will be overlooked before I will boast.
I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.

I choose faithfulness . . .
Today I will keep my promises.
My debtors will not regret their trust.
My associates will not question my word.
My wife [husband] will not question my love.
And my children will never fear that
their father [mother] will not come home.

I choose gentleness . . .
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle.
If I raise my voice may it be only in praise.
If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer.
If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I choose self-control . . .
I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar.
I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control.
I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith.
I will be influenced only by God.
I will be taught only by Christ.
I choose self-control.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
To these I commit my day.
If I succeed, I will give thanks.
If I fail, I will seek his grace.
And then, when this day is done,
I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

From When God Whispers Your Name
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 1994) Max Lucado

 For the pdf version click here

More Meditations:
1-Minute Meditation: Jesus
1-Minute Meditation: Affirmation
1-Minute Meditation: Fear
1-Minute Meditation: Awareness
1-Minute Meditation: Merton Prayer
1-Minute Meditation: Focus
1-Minute Meditation: Peace

This Day

Quote

Posted on by
6

“I will live this day as if it is my last.
…I will waste not a moment mourning yesterday’s misfortunes,
Yesterday’s defeats, yesterday’s aches of the heart,
for why should I throw good after bad?”
I will live this day as if it is my last.
This day is all I have and these hours are now my eternity.
I greet this sunrise with cries of joy as a prisoner who is reprieved from death.
I lift mine arms with thanks for this priceless gift of a new day.
So too, I will beat upon my heart with gratitude
as I consider all who greeted yesterday’s sunrise
who are no longer with the living today.
I am indeed a fortunate man and today’s hours are but a bonus, undeserved.
Why have I been allowed to live this extra day when others,
far better than I, have departed?
Is it that they have accomplished their purpose
while mine is yet to be achieved?
Is this another opportunity for me to become the man I know I can be?”
— Og Mandino (The Greatest Salesman In The World)

1-Minute Meditation: Affirmation

Posted on by
4

Printable PDF version Zig Ziglar DAILY AFFIRMATION

Look around…there’s beauty everywhere

Posted on by
11

I am more than elated to be hosting my sister, the incredibly gifted, Jennifer Riley. To say that she is talented would be the understatement of the year. To call her designs genius would be like calling Michael Angelo, average.

If you’ve already met her you know that she is the kind of person who you want to refer to as “best friend” shortly after being introduced.

By every sense of the word, Jennifer is one of the most talented and creative people I have ever known. Her arrangements give people goosebumps. Onlookers will stand, mouth gaping while those next to them whisper, “Have you ever seen anything like that?!“

The answer would be “No.” No one has seen anything like it because there is no one like her. Jennifer takes beautiful flowers and other various materials and puts them together, sprinkling some kind of magic dust on them before setting them out for the enjoyment of others.

Her work has appeared in magazines, newspapers and venues all over the country and it always leaves people asking, “Who did these arrangements and where can I find her?”

I totally get that you may be thinking, “Well, she’s biased. It’s her sister.” While it gives me an incredible sense of pride to call her sister, her work speaks for itself.

Jennifer’s exquisite handwriting is considered a necessity to those wanting to make a lasting impression with their invitations. So I thought it would be fun to have her answer the questions I had for her and take pictures of the paper to post for you to read.

Are you ready for this? It’s an interview/spotlight post like no other!

Let’s do this!

1.~ What inspires you?

2.~ How do you put up with all of the demands? I couldn’t do it.

3.~ Have you always loved creating beauty/or should I say, arranging beauty to make it more beautiful?

4.~ Your work has been described as “Exquisite.” “Like nothing else around.” Unique.” Beauty with a twist.” “Fun.” “Better than anyone else out there.” What do you think about these statements describing the work of your hands?

5.~ You were recently chosen to create more than 700 arrangements for the 2012 Kentucky Derby. That must have been a daunting task. In cases like that, do you find it difficult to remain motivated? Are you able to ignite the passion in those working with and for you?

6.~ Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

7.~ If you could give solid advice to one aspiring designer, what would it be?

From baby showers to weddings, corporate events and home decorating, the options are limitless. Here are some pictures of Jennifer’s craftsmanship for your viewing pleasure.

When seeing one of Jennifer’s designs, there will be no question who the artist is. She has a style all her own. One that, though many have tried, cannot be replicated.

I am so grateful that she would take time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions for us and share from her album of work. She currently takes her own photos, but I’m thinking of putting in a bid. (Just kidding, sis)

If there is anything that you would like to ask her, please comment in the section below. She’s no different than any of us creative types when it comes to hearing praise about our work. So don’t hold back!

Find her on facebook by clicking here.
Be on the lookout for her website, coming soon.
You may also contact her through the information on her business card.

You’re not the boss of Me

Posted on by
33

This was my less than loving response when my incredibly attractive husband walked downstairs and began our first verbal exchange of the day.

It was a Friday and it went something like this…

Him: “Honey, we need to run a few errands and get some things done around the house.”

Me: “I know, but NOT today! It’s my ‘pajama pants wearin’, don’t tell me what to do, day!’ I exclaimed, while shoving another sea salt & turbinado sugar dark chocolate almond in my mouth and chasing it with Peet’s coffee. (Perfect combination if you ask me.)

Him: “Ooooooo-kay.”

Me: “You KNOW this! Friday is MY day to do what I want! And I don’t want to run errands or wash dishes, do laundry or anything else that requires motivation on my day to do what I want! I will do it tomorrow or Sunday, but NOT TODAY.”

Side Note: My man is Sicilian. He is intense and passionate. (Two of the many things that make him irresistible to this southern gal.) Nothing gets his heart racing (in a good or bad way) like I do. I read his cues well at this point and what his deep caramel colored eyes were telling me was that he was maintaining the utmost control by not saying anything. Now, he may have been biting the sides of his cheeks ’til they bled, but I was really proud of him for not engaging my teenage like tantrum.

Him: “Would you mind peeling yourself off the sofa long enough to dress our son so that I can take him to run errands with me?”

I was up grabbing clothes, socks and shoes before he had finished his sentence! (The house all to myself?! You don’t have to ask me twice!)

I don’t know if he passed on telling me that I was acting like a brat because it just wasn’t worth it or because he knows I have enough self awareness by now to realize when my behavior is less than appropriate. I like to believe he was thinking the latter of the two. Either way, he offered to remove distractions, giving me a few cherished moments of “me” time.

I’m a writer. When I’m not able to express myself through written word I feel unsettled with each day that passes. By the time a week has rolled around, I’m ready to implode. I covet the moments when my mind can spill out onto these pages with uninterrupted thought. In fact, there is absolutely no noise other than the tapping of the keys as I write and the intermittent crunching of almonds. Ahhhhhh, serenity now.

So, here’s the deal. I’m keeping my “Don’t ask me to do anything day.” I highly recommend that you do the same. Pick a day that works for you. And by day I mean, several hours, not 24. Oh, and leave out the childish fit, it’s not pretty. Trust me!

The Overcommitter Quitter

Posted on by
4

We have all known at least one. Maybe you are one? That person who overcommits only to quit before the follow through and usually with only hours notice. I know this person well because I was one. There are times when I still slip back into the pattern of pleasing. It is one of the things that I detest most about myself! A defect of character found often in my blind spot.

No one likes a person who will not follow through. The kind of person who is the first to volunteer and then call at the last-minute or better yet, text to say that there is just no way they can make it. They are so sorry, but…

The worst part about this behavior is that it sets the person on the other end up to fail from the very beginning. It deems the offender undependable. Few things are worse than when you take someone at their word only to find that their word has been spread so thin that it means virtually nothing.

I must make a conscious effort not to say yes to every opportunity that comes my way. In an ideal world everyone would always be happy with me. My work would be unbelievable every time, even if something I’m not versed in. Everyone would want me on their team to offer my ideas and then carry them out.

Are you laughing out loud?! I know! It’s I N S A N E! It’s also exhausting. For me, overcommitting is just another way of feeding my ego. It’s Edging God Out. I don’t intentionally push God to the side. It happens subtly. That’s why ego is so tricky. It makes those of us who overcommit and under deliver look like the victim. Many people will even feel sorry for us.

Self-centeredness often comes disguised as an opportunity to help someone else. At least mine does. I have to look at my motives or the next thing you know I’m shh-shing God and striving for the acceptance of man. That which is not lasting, but feels so rewarding in the moment.

Henri Nouwen says it best when discussing The Temptation to be relevant. “I was suddenly faced with my naked self, open for affirmations and rejections, hugs and punches, smiles and tears, all dependent simply on how I was perceived at the moment.”

I’ve shared with you before that I have to strip myself of everything, stand before a full-length mirror and speak aloud to God. To some it sounds crazy while to others it’s genius.

It has been many years since I was blindly living my life to please everyone else. I will use Nouwen’s words again when he was asking God for clear direction with important decisions and he said, “I was living in a very dark place and the term “burnout” was a convenient psychological translation for a spiritual death.”

When my soul purpose is to please Christ, the one who made me and everything on earth and in heaven, my life can be rich and full without being overwhelming. When my attention drifts from the giver and sustainer of all that is good, it’s only a matter of time before I am brought to my knees.

I have released myself from the chains of people pleasing through overcommitment. I have some incredible friends who, in their wisdom, with kindness and love, help me back to my center. It takes time. It doesn’t happen overnight. It’s work, but I am here to tell you it is attainable. You will need someone you trust to point things out to you without the fear of being chastised. Like anything else that’s worth having, it means sacrifice and transparency.

Well, what are you? Are you an overcommitter? An overcommitter quitter? Or a healthy balance when it comes to demands?