There is a time and place for everything, including what we wear.

Ladies there is a time and a place for everything, which includes what we wear.

I’m not going to yell at you and say what you can and can’t wear; I simply want you to think about what you wear and why. And not about what the latest fashion magazine tells you to wear. I’m not even going to use the word ‘modest’ too much because that just sounds so dull, and besides everyone has their own meaning for the word.

When people say “dress modestly” they don’t always mean you should be boring, most of the time they mean dress as a lady, in other words don’t be revealing, which is a good way to dress.

When I hear the saying ‘dress modestly’ I think of brown colours and greys. Which is not my thing, hello, I have pink streaks in my hair.

If you like to wear brown coloured clothes that’s cool! But that’s not for everyone. Everyone is different with their own personalities and characteristics. Why dress the same as the latest fashion model or rock-star, when you can dress to suit your personality.

But in saying that there is a time and place for everything, that includes what we wear.

I have seen young girls on the train going to the city wearing only a crop top and short shorts.

Some women say they can’t find there prince, but are you dressed as a princess?

Think about it, if you wear skimpy clothing that shows a lot of your body in a place where it is unnecessary, then what kind of men will you attract? A young gentleman or a scumbag?

Now just because I call them a gentleman does not make them boring, a real man is fun but also respects you and has great respect for you, A real man will “fight for your honour!” to quote the 80s song.

A scumbag will not, and will expect things from you that you may not be willing to give. A scumbag will also use words against you to make you feel weak and useless whereas a real man will use words to encourage you.  

Now when I say “in a place where it is unnecessary” I mean that there is a place where it’s ok to wear clothes that show some of your body, such as the beach or a pool. That’s totally okay, I know there are many people who disagree with women wearing bikinis at the beach because it’s a ‘distraction to guys’ or ‘it’s too hard for men to control them-selves.’

PLEASE! Real men are not mindless beasts that see meat and turn into some kind of werewolf! In case you hadn’t noticed that really ticks me off. Women aren’t aloud to feel comfortable at the beach and get some sun?

It comes down to your heart, if you (ladies) are at the beach and you are just there for some sun, laughs with family/friends and for some swimming in the ocean, that’s great. If you are there to flaunt yourself, that’s not so great. There’s nothing wrong with liking how you look, I wish more women did, but there’s confidence and then there is cockiness. There is no need to be cocky ladies. We are all beautiful in our own unique ways.

This leads me to another topic, sexual assault. Ladies if you have been sexually assaulted in any way, then I’m so sorry that has happened to you and IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT.

No matter what you wear if a guy wants you sexually he is going to see straight through your clothes.

And even if you where wearing something that might be a bit revealing, there is a line that men and women should never cross. And that’s forcing yourself onto someone who does not want it. It sickening that people do that, and even worse when some say its okay. So not okay!  

But ladies you should never flaunt and tease a man either. If he is a good man who respects you, then you need to show him some respect also.

In the end what you wear says a lot about you. Ladies you are full of so much worth, there is no need to show most of your body and breasts, you are more than that. Have some respect for yourselves and your body, and allow for a little mystery.

“Your clothes should be tight enough to show you’re a woman but loose enough to show you’re a lady.”- Marilyn Monroe

Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them.- Eeyore

As I was hanging out my washing a while back I looked down and noticed a pretty purple/pink flower on the ground, there where only about two or so flowers on this little plant but I thought it was very pretty. Though it was in an area you wouldn't expect it to be able to grow.

So I cleared all  the rubbish away from the plant and watered it. A few days latter I come outside to see how my little plant was going, I was shocked and saddened to see that someone had thrown a heap of dirt and junk over the top of the plant and it was nowhere to be seen... I assumed it to be dead. 

Anyway I went down stairs today and glanced over the spot where the plant use to be...

Amazingly the plant had survived and was shooting threw the dirt and junk that had been thrown on top of it, not only that it is now twice as pretty and strong as it was before the incident with even more flowers. 

This little plant, though I'm not sure if it is a flower or a weed. It fought to be alive, this little plant didn't say, 'Oh dear, life has thrown itself over me again... oh well guess I should give up.'

Nope! This plant put up a fight, got through it and is now stronger then it has ever been before.

Maybe we should be more like this plant. 

Life can be hard and it can get you down, sometimes it feels like life just got a shovel and thrown dirt and junk over the top of us... leaving us gasping for air and hoping for sunlight. 

But we need to fight back, force our way through the mess and break through. It will be hard and may take time but it is worth it... there is light at the end of the tunnel. It may be dark for now but keep pushing and you will see the beauty of the sky and sun once again. 

Also once your through you will be stronger and you will shine... its no lie, beautiful people don't just happen.

" The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen." - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Couldn't have said it better myself... but remember, you are not alone, God is by your side always loving and eager to help. 

The butterfly project.

I am not a cutter but I know many who are and who have been. Self harm is a way for people to let go of the pain they feel inside that gets too strong (and many other reasons). And there are many different types of self harm. So I want to share a little something called The Butterfly Project. I do not know who started this but I believe it can work.

The rules for the butterfly project are pretty simple;
One: When you feel like you want to cut get a pen or sharpie and draw a butterfly on yourself.
Two: Name the butterfly after a loved one or someone who really wants you to get better.
Three: You MUST let the butterfly fade naturally. No scrubbing it off.
Four: If you cut before the butterfly is gone, you've killed it. If you don’t cut, it lives.
Five: If you have more than one butterfly, cutting kills all of them.
Six: Another person may draw them on you. These butterflies are extra special.
Seven: Even if you don’t cut, feel free to draw a butterfly anyway, to show your support. 

The other day I was at the train station waiting for my train, I decided to go to the toilet, a girl came in and something didn’t seem right, as I was washing my hands a little voice came from the cubical asking for toilet paper as her arm was bleeding, I instantly asked how bad it was and if she needed help. A 14year old girl came out of the cubical and she had blood all over her white shirt and jeans, my eyes froze to her arm where the bleeding was.

I had never seen anything like it, she was clearly a self-harmer, her hole left arm was completely red and bruised from previous small sliced cuts she had done to herself, clearly she had cut herself the night before and just bumped her arm and the scabs had re-opened, they were very small cuts but they sure did bleed.  

I instantly wet some paper and helped to stop the bleeding, she was scared so I went with her to the desk where she got many funny looks from people and we got some band-aids.

I then sat with her and we chatted as I helped bandage her arm. I then noticed she had cuts all over her body. My heart went out to this young girl. We chatted about many things, manically depressed she said she was, no surprise. She was a sweet girl, just very sad and lost. During the bandaging I told her about the butterfly project and asked if it would be okay for me to draw a butterfly on her arm and sign my name to it. She agreed and all I can do is hope and pray that it helps her in some way.

I have seen and know many people who have been cutters, but that isn’t the only type of self harm, there are many. Self harm really is any way that you beat yourself up over something, you could be punishing yourself or you’re just so sad on the inside that you need to physically release the pain somehow, as it is all too much.

Either way if you are a light cutter or a heavy cutter, an emotional self harmer or a punisher towards yourself you need to find a way to stop.

I have been an emotional self harmer and I snapped myself out of that with Gods help, it took me a while and I often come back to doing it, but you need to realize when you do these things and stop yourself, because you will only destroy yourself. Maybe that’s what you want. To stop living, I have helped many through that and still do, and I have lost someone to it also.

But I am here to tell you that life can get better! You just need to give it the chance and change your thinking. I know I know it’s hard and may seem impossible but it is possible. As all things are possible through God! Ask for His help and be real about it.

There is no magic potion that can heal you, but there is a saviour who loves you dearly and it hurts Him as much as it hurts you when he see’s you self-harming. God can help you, just like he has helped me and thousands of others.

But in the end you need to work hard to get through hard times especially depression and similar things to that. And most of all you cannot do it alone, if you are too afraid to ask for the help you need then I pray that someone will come along and see your need for help.

For those who are on the hard path to get through this, well done! And please keep going!

Don’t give up and never give up on yourself! You’re worth fighting for.

There is always HOPE.

"He heals the broken hearted and binds up there wounds."

Psalm 147: 3

Can we save people or only be there?

Ever since I was a little girl I always tried to save things, toys, objects, animals. I always tried to rescue bugs from my brother as they often became his little science projects that he would get board of eventually and forget about. I would fight with him and have a grand plan to set them free in the wild where they belonged.

I’ve always tried to keep little important things that have been broken or unusable as I believe that one day they may be needed or used. This is a gift as well as sometimes being a curse.

When I was a little girl I tried to save a little bee that had lost his stinger. I remember making him a tissue bed and trying to nurse him back to health. My mother later explained that when a bee stings something it dies. Well I was sad of course and I did my best but the bee did die as that’s just how it is.

I have always tried to save people also. Keep them as my friend no matter how damaging the relationship was for me as I wanted to help them. And had this hope that someday just maybe, me staying would save them.

Growing up in this life has showed me many things so far but one thing in particular. You can’t save people. You just can’t. You can try, try all you can but you just can’t. You can only love them. That has become my favourite quote. You can’t save people you can only love them- Anais Nin.

One of the reasons why I took my dear friends suicide so badly (despite the obvious) is because I’m a fixer and a saver. The fact that I couldn’t or in my mind could have saved him killed me.

It has taken me almost two years to let it go. The fact that I can’t save people. It sucks and it’s hard but it’s the truth.

I came up with a strange fantasy that I thought I could and that it was my responsibility. Big no no! Why? Many reasons but the main one being if I had lived that way for much longer it would have been the death of me emotionally. I would have wasted away like so many in this world and become just another faded person. Now that’s not cool.

I had also come up with some strange fantasy that I had let down God, as the responsibility had come partly from Him. And that is wrong.

I can make a difference in someone’s life as can you and I believe we all have a purpose, each one of us. But at no point ever in time will God place something on you that you can’t handle and will destroy you. Never ever would God or has God done that. If you look in the bible and read the stories every time someone has failed on a mission that God gave was because they took it on themselves and tried to do it on their own without Gods help. Which of course stuffed them up and also burnt them out really quick. Where as that is not what God wants, He wants what is best for us and can and will use us to the best of our abilities, but we can only make it if we let God be our strength and empower us to do the impossible, but only through God.

Clear all doubts and fears that race in your mind, constantly reminding you of past mistakes and failures. Such thoughts are not from God. You are more than your yesterday.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”  

Psalm 73:26

What you want and what you need.

Gods plans for us are not always as we want. Actually very often we don’t get what we wished or prayed for. And sometimes that is probably a good thing.

How many of you pray for your own happiness? (which is a fine thing to do just as long as it isn't all you pray about)

When was the last time you prayed for someone else? Or even prayed for something you may not want knowing it’s the right thing to do? What have you done about your prayers?

I watched Bruce Almighty a little while ago, it was a little disrespectful at times but overall it was funny and had a good message.

There comes a point in the film where Bruce who was given Gods power (including responsibilities) answered every single prayer with yes. This lead to destruction, for example many people won the lotto which means they all had to share the money.  Bruce seeks out God and complains about the mess as God replies, “Since when have people know what they want.”

So true, we all think we know what we want or even what we think we need, but God is the only one who truly knows.

I read a little message card the other day that is about a little caterpillar watching a butterfly stating that he never wants to fly. The bible verse that goes with it is,

“The Lord will fulfil his purpose for me.” Psalm 138:8

We don’t always get what we want but often we receive what we need from God. Sometimes we don’t end up where we hoped to be. But that doesn’t mean we are a failure. God can use you no matter where you are.  

God is not punishing you, God is taking you on a personal journey that can change and heal you to fulfil your purpose, your destiny. But only if you have the courage to let God in, and move on with your life and to serve, if you are where you thought you would be or not.

Life is messy, yes, but it is livable. It is bearable no matter how unbearable it may be. Everything changes with time. But God is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow.

When you are unlovable God loves you.

When you are cranky, God loves you.

When you can’t even love yourself, God still loves you!

Give life the chance and give God the chance. Heck, give yourself the chance to grow and move forward! Life will be ready for you to join in again when you are ready to step back into it. 

A reminder.

There is no such beauty as the stars of the night sky.

I sat out on the unfinished deck tonight and lay there staring up at the stars. I was mesmerized.

They where speechlessly stunning.

I just wanted to say that life is still beautiful, it may not be perfect but it holds beauty and love everywhere.  You just need to give yourself the chance to see that.

I want to encourage you all to give life that chance. Just to stop and take a breather. Look up at the stars at night. Spend your day trying to make each member of your family smile or laugh at least once.  

Life gets hard and it gets busy. But take the time or make the time to enjoy it. Working is good yes and providing for your family and yourself is very important but what’s the point if you can’t enjoy precious moments with the ones you’re working so hard for?

Take a chance, dream, pray and always always love. 

You are not Alone.

^“Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” – Mathew 8: 23-27

I have heard this story many times as I have grown up with church. But it was talked about in my wor4U2Day devotions last night, in a way it has never been talked about before and it got me thinking.

Jesus was on the boat with the disciples the whole time, He was right there. Literally. Yet the storm still came, thrashing at the boat. As you can imagine the men were terrified, but Jesus was right there on that very boat with them, during the same storm, fast asleep might I add.

The men were terrified because they did not feel Jesus’ presence, even though He was there, because they didn’t feel Him they lost sight of God and their faith. They set their eyes on the size of the waves and their minds focused on the fear in their hearts.

How many of us do the very same thing? We have all been through storms and most likely are still going through them. During these storms it is easy to lose sight of what is really important and fearfully stare into the storm that we are in the middle of. Instead we need to be full of faith and focus on God.

Perhaps when we are in a storm we need to calm ourselves and know that God is in control, instead of freaking out and stressing out hopelessly yelling “where are you God!?”, because chances are He is right there, on the same boat, you just need to redirect your focus on Him and fill your heart with faith instead of fear.

When you’re in a storm take the time to look around and find God, because He is on this journey with you, you just need to have faith to see that.

It may seem as though God stays silent throughout the entire storm but don’t be afraid, He has it sorted and with only words God can make the storm disappear.

“He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.”

Mathew 8:26

Just know that God is right there, He is not blind to your pain and sorrow because He is in this boat with you. You are not alone. Fill your heart with faith, not fear.

It's okay.

Some people say that quitting is for losses and there is the saying that you only loose if you don’t try.

I think these sayings can be used too much. I mean yes people who don’t try at anything can be really saddening and if you are one of those people I hope you snap out of that mind set and pull yourself together.

But where is the balance? As I know there are many in this world who push themselves way to hard, and oh I take my hat off to those people, because man can they work, it’s quite impressive, but not when it takes a toll on them emotionally as well as physically.

I remember when I quite my first job, I did it because things had gotten so intense and full on that I was having frequent anxiety and panic attacks. I used to think it was all because of work that I had them when actually I believe that it was more the cherry on top that pushed me over the edge as it had always been there.

Things got so bad that I truly felt that if I hadn’t quit then I probably would have ended up in the hospital or having some kind of breakdown, was that the end of it? Oh no of course not. After I quit I felt so bad and guilty and I felt like a failure.  I couldn’t stay and bare it, and because of that I quit, I felt like I had let myself and my family down, as the girl who quit, the  girl who couldn’t take it so she bailed out.

One day I was at home alone and my anxiety got so bad that I had to leave the house, I couldn’t breathe, doubts and questions where yelling at me and remarks of failure and weakness hunted me like a dark cloud. I jumped in my car and with my bible and a note pad I sat under a beautiful tree near a lake with ducks and swans, it was beautiful and man did I need it.

I sat and I prayed hard. And I slowly came to the realisation that I had not quit and failed myself or anyway else, I simply stood up for myself and did the right thing by me. I knew my limit and it was coming up very quickly. I knew that I had to get out of that situation to save myself. It was a hard thing to do and something I felt like I had to regret  for a long time, but in the end it was the right thing. And if you’re going through a similar thing then I suggest you pray and figure out what is best for you to do.

There are of course some things that are hard but will pass over time, and if it is the right thing to do then you can stand the storm and grow stronger as it passes. But there are some storms that you cannot stay in the middle of.

There is quitting and then there is giving up.

Quitting as it gets too much and it is bad for your health and wellbeing to stay and then there is giving up, which is giving up on yourself.

You’ve got to dig deep and find out who you really are in these situations and you must also call out to God for help. He will not put you through something that you cannot handle, ever.

“No temptation has overtaken you such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”- 1 Corinthians 10:13

I found the notebook I took with me that day and would like to share what I wrote and my prayer to God.

“I sit here on my own and fears, resentment, loneliness, heartache, regrets and mistakes haunt me like shadows, but only the shadows are of a shape of a scary monster who is nowhere to be seen.

Only Gods light can save me now, only His bright purity can rescue me from this killer of dreams and hope.

But you (I) still need to face another day, if only we could leave our complications and worries behind to venture off to a new future. If only.

I cannot do this on my own; I need you Lord, oh so much, help me! Hear my cry! And save me from the shadows that haunt me ... Must I really fall more?

I do appreciate and love my life. But sometimes it is just all too much.

Please Lord give me your words, wisdom and strength.

Amen.

I don’t want to cause any trouble, I just want to be free of the hold she has on me. (My old boss)

Must I always live with a broken heart?

I know you have a plan for my life but what if I stuff up that plan? Or I just think I have?

ARGH, I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION, I KNOW I DID I FEEL SO AT PEACE!

But why do I feel as tho I need to convince others and myself?

You know what!?  I quit my job. For many good reasons.

I finally stood up for myself and did what was best for me, no other person or the devil will make me regret my right decision, that I made with God, well at least with Him by my side.”

For all of those who are going through similar waters now or who have been, you are not alone.

Maybe a similar trial is yet to come for you, but know that you are not alone.

And it’s okay to go through these times, heck, it is good, because these are the times where God in all His miraculous glory strengthens and molds you to be a better person, but this is only doable if you let Him.

There is nothing wrong with having or getting depression, anxiety, panic attacks or any other form of emotional turmoil, because you are only human and these things happen to even the strongest of the strong and you know what? With the right mind set and a little faith it can make you stronger and it can help you to become a better and bigger person, yes it is hard but God can get you through it, God has gotten me through many trials and each one He has made into a triumph.  And I know He can do the same for you if you let Him. 

Your Protector.

I have this lovely little bird named Eugene, and he is my baby. A gift on my 19^th and he was only 10 days old when I was given him. A helpless little demanding baby, I hand reared him and I love him to bits. He is my baby and to him I really am his mamma, it is an adoptive relationship as you can imagine.

Every morning when I come out of my room he is excited to see me and celebrates with constant whistling. I like to think he does this because he loves me but it could just be that he is hoping for food. His favorite treat is ‘Arnott’s Milk Arrowroot biscuits’, which are my favorite as well. He would happily eat them until his little tummy exploded and oh yes he knows the word biscuit, we have to be careful we don’t say it because he gets so excited when you do thinking he will get one.

Anyway, every now and then I bring him in his cage out the front of the house for some sun and fresh air while I sit beside him.

Eugene loves this time; he closes his little eyes and soaks in the sun. But he can only relax and enjoy himself if I am there with him. If I leave he freaks out whistling and whistling for me and he cannot relax, only if I am there.

Why?

Because I am his protector, he knows that when I am near he is safe and that I will do all I can to look after and protect him. When he is outside he is vulnerable and he knows it, but when he is inside he is safe. So when he is outside he needs someone, often his mum to be there for him.

How are we the same?

There are many places we can be where we feel safe and confident. But there are so many places where we can feel scared, alone and unsafe.

Who is your protector?

I know who mine is, God, and just like my bird Eugene, I know that I am vulnerable and helpless without him present, as he is my protector.

I know when Eugene is scared, as he has a different whistle; I know when he is happy also. And God knows even better than anyone, all of our calls as well as what we are really feeling in our hearts. No point in trying to pretend or lie to God, because He knows.

God knows when you are most vulnerable and wants to protect you:

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10

God will not be fooled by your pretending:

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.” Psalm 139:1-2

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13

Forgiveness is a gift, Forgetting is letting go.

I was watching an episode of ‘7^th Heaven’, it’s a great old TV show. In this particular episode an older lady said “forgiveness is from God, perhaps all we can do is forget.”

Now this fascinated me, I have never ever heard it said like this, now don’t get us wrong she is not saying that humans are incapable of forgiveness. But they sure can find it hard, especially to forgive themselves.

They went on to say that you need to realise what is needed to be remembered and what is needed to be forgotten.  

For example if something is dragging you down and not helping you move forward then it probably needs to be forgotten.

Whereas other mistakes or situations are good to remember as they remind you of what you have learnt through them.

But does that mean you must remember the burning heart ache to remember the lesson? I don’t think so. I think it is possible to forget the actual trouble, mistake or nightmare but still be able to remember what you learnt from it.

When you are able to let go, happiness and peace are able to move in.

Forgiving others:

Let’s go through these one by one, there is forgiving others and forgiving yourself, which is easier? It depends on your personality and let me just say I suck at both, seriously I have an un-forgetful heart and grudge attitude I need to work on.

Forgiving others is important, not just for them but also for you, as it will give you peace. But there is a difference between forgiving and forgetting. Forgive and forget is what people say as if it is one of the easiest things in the world, but c’mon who are we kidding. It is difficult, especially when you have been hurt deeply by the ones you love.

How can you forget things that are burnt into your memory? Is possible for such pain to be eased?

Yes, because anything is possible through God. But it is not one sided, God can help and heal you, but you need to actually want to be healed.

Some people fear forgetting, as they think that if they do so then they will just give those people another chance to hurt you all over again.

You can forgive and you can forget but you can also be smart enough to know who is worth hurting for, and who you cannot let hurt you anymore.

It really is mind over matter. You need to decide to forgive, and you need to decide to forget, it’s not up to anyone else and waiting for people to come up to you and say sorry and never do such a thing again is a long shot, I mean I have faith that that can happen but the chances are not that great. And I know being the bigger person can get extremely exhausting, but that says so much about you and your character.

You can forgive that’s fine and great but to actually move on, you must forget. Because if you let it, your mind and sometimes heart will keep you locked in a tower forever.

Forgiving yourself:

Forgiving yourself, ahh, here is a hard one. It’s this personal battle that at times only God can really help you with. I know so many times I have said that God has forgiven me yet I have not yet forgiven myself, why? Well it actually can be very similar to forgiving others, it is because we are afraid that if we forgive and forget we will do it all over again and do one of the most hurtful things in the world which is to hurt others, and our hearts shatter when we hurt someone we love. And in our minds we cannot forgive ourselves.

I was watching an episode of ‘Chicago fire’, another great TV show, and there was this fire fighter who had done something horrible, and he could not forgive himself, and he confessed everything to a friend who had grown apart because of the incident and his friend told him that he forgives him, and that was all he needed, the relief he felt, it was amazing and so true. Sometimes we also cannot forgive ourselves out of fear that the ones we have hurt cannot forgive us.

I would like to encourage you that perhaps if you have un-forgiveness in your heart towards yourself or someone else that is hurting and holding you back, that now may be the time to talk with them about it.

Too late? Or it won’t help? That’s okay, you are not doomed to a life of exile, you have the power to forgive yourself and others, and an even more powerful God who can help you. But remember to move on, you must forget also. Which is easier said than done, which is why you must decide to do so.

Isn’t it interesting that forgiven has the word ‘give’ in it, perhaps forgiveness is not always mutual, but the ultimate gift.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

Comparing yourself to others.

How often do you compare yourself with someone else? If it be a family member, friend, or even someone famous or someone you admire.

We all do it.

But should we?

Well, you are you; there is no one else like you, so why would you compare yourself to someone who is completely different to you?

Not only that but what are you comparing? Is it the way they look compared to you? speech? Intuition? Status? Work? The list goes on.

But I think we need to be careful, I mean, I was just talking to a friend last night, and he was feeling down as he was comparing himself to his siblings, but he was only comparing himself to the earthly and worldly things such as status, intuition and material stuff. And to be honest I was a little frustrated as from what I have seen, he is far richer then all of them together. Why? Because of his job or intuition? Well no, because of the person he is, because I know that when we all stand before God He will not compare us or talk to us about the earthly things such as where you have worked or how attractive you where or your partner. He will only be interested in your heart; He will only be interested in what you did for others, on your unselfishness and willingness to serve.

 Do you honestly think that He cares about what brand you are wearing? Or will He care more about the attitude you are wearing? Will He care more about how cool you are? Or will He care about whom you have helped even if that meant making yourself look bad in front of those whose opinions don’t even matter?

For goodness sake people grow up! This world is not the only thing in life, there is far more to it than that, and I believe so many of us get caught up in this world and we forget about what is truly important.

Don’t get me wrong I still love to shop and have glittery things, but I do not put my worth in those things, because in the end, what are they?

We need to look at the bigger picture. And we need to look inside our hearts and do what is needed to become better people rather then look in the mirror and decide which plastic surgeon to go to so that we can make ourselves look younger.

It is so sad seeing people who look great on the outside but are completely hollow on the inside, those with good hearts are far more beautiful than the latest girl on the cover of a magazine.

God made you the way you are, if He wanted you any other way He would have done so! He knew that you would look the way you do, hello he created you, and guess what? He still loves you.

God also created you in such a way that makes you completely unique to anyone else.

But don’t get me wrong, don’t use God as an excuse for bad behavior or for a particular ‘way that you are.’ Use your conscience, and read up on your bible and see what Jesus was like to decide if there is anything you may need to change about yourself to become a better person.

So next time you compare yourself to someone else or look in the mirror, remember, that they only show you the outside, not the inside, not your heart which is what matters in the end.

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

Psalm 139:13

What to do in an Uncontrollable situation?

Uncontrollable situations happen in life, all the time. What can we do about it?

Some of us worry ourselves sick and pace the floor, some make themselves busy in whatever they can find. And others pray.

Pray?

Why would you sit around and pray, when you could be helping somehow? Well here’s the thing, some situations are simply out of your control, how is worrying yourself sick going to solve anything? And making yourself busy will just wear you out fast.

When we pray, we are not just praying to anyone, we are praying to the creator of the universe! He is the most powerful thing in the entire world! Don’t you think that the wisest thing to do is sit down and talk to the one who actually can fix and heal? The one who can make the mountains move with the flick of his hand?

Bad things happen, yes, they happen to everyone, the rich, poor, good or evil, it happens, you shouldn't always see it as a punishment for something you may have done.

God allows certain things to happen for the good of you or others, things sometimes happen in order for you to learn lessons from them that nothing else could teach you. Sometimes the only thing that can change a person is something so big it stops them in their tracks and changes there life forever.

How do you pray? Well when I was younger I would image that when I said amen, the prayer I just made would be written in a letter and would float up to God for Him to read. But it is not like an email or a letter that you send away, it is a conversation, I’m not saying you hear His voice, but He certainly hears yours. A Prayer is just you talking to God, tell him about your day, thank Him for all the beautiful blessings He has given you and thank Him for His son, the reason as to why you can have a relationship with God in the first place. You can also ask God to help you and others with life, don’t beat around the bush, be honest and specific and most of all let God know that you love Him, it’s okay to tell Him that if it is true, :) I’m sure it means far more then we can imagine. A prayer does not have to be long it can be short and sweet, it can be anytime of the day or night and wherever you are.

But just because you ask God for something does not mean it will happen! God does not work for you! But He does care for you, so whatever God’s plan is it will not destroy you, and if you have the right attitude it can make you a better person.

Have faith, you may not be in control, but God is!