Money-wise

Live strictly within your income and save something for a rainy day.

Incorporate in your lives the discipline of budgeting that which the Lord has blessed you with.

As regularly as you pay your tithes, set aside an amount needed for future family requirements. Include your children while planning for the future.

Go out in your garages and look over the unused bicycles, toy cars, athletic equipment, skis, roller blades, etc, and calculate what the return would have been had the cost of these items been invested properly.

How many of you have seen garages so full of things that there is no longer room for the car?

Avoid unnecessary debt. We need the discipline to stay well within our ability to pay.

Avoid debt as you would avoid the plague!

Be money-wise!

Courage

Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle.

The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours.

Keep moving forward!

Fear or Freedom?

When you say or do anything to please, get, keep, influence, or control anyone or anything, fear is the cause and pain is the result - Byron Katie

There is nothing worse than being controlled constantly by a person or something. You, the controlled, is completely silenced and full of guilt and shame. You, the controller, is absolutely living in fear of seeing the controlled blossom into their full potential.

To the controlled: find your inner strength and give yourself the respect you deserve.

To the controller: find your inner fears....deal with it and get help.

Let's get better y'all!

Your job....

Every time you suppress some part of yourself or allow others to play you small, you are in essence ignoring the owner's manual your creator gave you and destroying your design - Oprah

It's important to know what you are worth. Because, if you don't, you will get mistreated time and time again and your inner strength will get weaker and weaker.

Be strong. Walk in confidence. Be grounded on God's will over you. Do not settle. Treat your heart, your life and your emotions with tender, loving care.

Happy "thriving" Tuesday!

It's here...

If only one of the presidential candidates would make it part of his platform to do something about making Monday part of the weekend. I think he would get a lot of votes - Thomas Wayne

Lol

Just once, I would like to wake up, turn on the news, and hear…Monday has been canceled, go back to sleep!

:) I love dreaming!

Be good out there y'all! Happy glorious Monday!

Family

No success in public life can compensate for failure in the home ~Benjamin Disraeli

Your family (whether biological, extended or adopted) need nurture and care to grow strong and be rooted deep.

Money cannot buy love - we have heard the saying - it's true. No matter how heavy your bank account feels, it will never keep you happy. If you don't give your family the attention it needs and deserves, you will feel empty and poor.

Don't replace your family with work. Start pursuing them with love and care.

Fun times

Man has always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much...the wheel, New York, wars and so on...while all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man...for precisely the same reason - Douglas Adams

:)

Learn to enjoy yourself, have a good time and get some laughs in.

Happy Saturday!

Victim?

“How would your life be different if…You stopped validating your victim mentality? Let today be the day…You shake off your self-defeating drama and embrace your innate ability to recover and achieve.”
― Steve Maraboli

The problem that we have with a victim mentality is that we forget to see the blessings of the day. Because of this, our spirit is poisoned instead of nourished.

Listen, you can only be where your thoughts take you. If you always think, feel and act defeated....guess what, that's what you will be. But, if you start speaking life and victory over your mind, your emotions, your thoughts....then your actions will align and you will begin to walk in and enjoy God's blessings!

You can do it!

The proud...

“The proud person always wants to do the right thing, the great thing. But because he wants to do it in his own strength, he is fighting not with man, but with God.” ― Søren Kierkegaard

You will find this to be true if you are like me, sometimes :).

Absolutely nothing will give you more peace than surrendering all of your freedom; thus, letting go and letting God.

Be good out there today ;)

Open up....

Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed. ~Attributed to both Jonathan Swift and Benjamin Franklin

In everything you do, say or give, let it be with an open heart and a closed transaction.

Expecting something in return for everything you give, say or do doesn't make you a giver..... But makes you a lender!

Keep your hearts open and God will pour into you 100fold!

Hi world!

"I am afraid to show you who I really am, because if I show you who I really am, you might not like it--and that's all I got.” - Sabrina Ward Harrison

There is nothing wrong with being yourself and being exactly who you are. There shouldn't be fear associated with that either. If things need to change in you, hence your hesitation, then you need to focus on those changes And get better. Some of us love having continuous weaknesses so we can choose to hide behind the "issues" and use it as a way out!
On the other hand, if it isn't by your orchestration to keep your "issues" alive :), then do what you can and get some help. Don't settle for that either!

Come out of your shell and let the world.....let us meet you :)

Chill.....

It's never a good idea to make decisions when you are extremely emotional. The choices we make in the heat of emotions would be better if left for some other day.

If you can, chill out a little, rest on it a few days and see how you feel about it; and then you can make a sound decision.

Don't make quick decisions this week, pace your emotions!

Happy "Mighty" Monday!

Talk about a blessing....

Not what we SAY about our blessings, but HOW WE USE them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving — W. T. Parker

You know how it is... we get blessed and we share it as a testimony but how often do we share that testimony with someone else, with a stranger, with the world out there?

To have the miracle is halfway through the journey. To take it to the full measure of its capacity, you have to share.... You just have to :)

Happy Sunday people!

Kindness

In life you can never be too kind or too fair; everyone you meet is carrying a heavy load. When you go through your day expressing kindness and courtesy to all you meet, you leave behind a feeling of warmth and good cheer, and you help alleviate the burdens everyone is struggling with.

Enjoy your Saturday and be kind out there :)

Done??

“Consider the postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there.” - Josh Billings

Of course we have a lot of dreams and aspirations; of course we want a lot and want to do a lot. But the real test is of all the things we have started, which one have we actually brought to the finished line?

Don't have a whole lot of unfinished items hanging around. Get things done!

Happy Friday!

Live already!

Do not be bothered by what other people think of you or say about you, no matter how negative these are. Remember that in the end, it is only between you and your Creator. And only He knows who you are, what you are made of an what's best for you!

So ignore the haters and live big!

Happy Thursday folks!

One more try...

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.” -Mary Anne Radmacher

What is that one thing that you think you cannot do, you think about all the time, you are most passionate about, that you feel everyone else is good at, that makes you smile, that you have played out in your mind over and over again.......What is it?

Take a deep breath, believe in yourself, settle it in your heart and let's see if you can walk it out :)

Happy "Winning" Wednesday!

Gift it

It is always a pleasure to lend a helping hand, to care without reserve, and to give without expecting something in return...this is the essence of true friendship that will thrive the test of time - Unknown

One of my mentors would say "if you can afford to lend a friend some money, then you can afford to not expect it back". In other words, if you have it and you can give it, give it as a gift ;). It's the hand that is always open, that receives most!

Happy "Thriving" Tuesday!

Rise up

“You must make a decision that you are going to move on. It will not happen automatically. You will have to rise up and say, ‘I don’t care how hard this is, I don’t care how disappointed I am, I’m not going to let this get the best of me. I’m moving on with my life.” ― Joel Osteen

Decisions are difficult to make, especially when your heart has been broken or your dreams crushed. It is in that moment that you need to decide to rise above the pain and re-live again!

Don't let disappointments destroy your vision; but let it motivate you to achieve greater things.

Happy "Mighty" Monday!

Prepare

“If you believe you can accomplish everything by "cramming" at the eleventh hour, by all means, don't lift a finger now. But you may think twice about beginning to build your ark once it has already started raining” - Max Brooks

Preparation is essential if you want to achieve full success. You cannot just slide into the finished line; you have to be a part of the building process.

This is where your patience is tried, your faith is tested and your character is built!

Happy "Selah" Sunday!

Leaders

Leadership is not a magnetic personality—that can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not "making friends and influencing people"—that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person's vision to higher sights, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations. ~Peter F. Drucker

Ask your dad....

A little boy was having difficulty lifting a heavy stone. His father came along just then. Noting the boy’s failure, he asked, "Are you using all your strength?"

"Yes, I am," the little boy said impatiently.

"No, you are not," the father answered. "I am right here just waiting, and you haven’t asked me to help you." - Author Unknown

Just recently, I had the same feeling. I was fighting carnally and didn't even bother asking my father (God) to help me. I realized that I was incapable of helping myself when I ran out of strength in the first hour! Lol... Was actually quite funny trying to do things on my own and then being reminded that I don't have it in me ;)....

When you come to that point, (hopefully you are much smarter than I am), ASK God for the help you need right from the start. It's a beautiful thing to stand back and watch Him move on your behalf.

Happy Friday!

Small, and then big!

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things (afterall) ~Robert Brault

Life goes on and time waits for no one; therefore it is important that we cherish each moment - whether big or small. Memories are built upon such things and are kept because they add volume to our stories!

Don't live absent-mindedly; be present so you don't miss anything :)

Can you?

You have trusted Him in a few things, and He has not failed you. Trust Him now for everything, and see if He does not do for you exceeding abundantly above all that you could ever have asked or thought, not according to your power or capacity, but according to His own mighty power, that will work in you all the good pleasure of His most blessed will. You find no difficulty in trusting the Lord with the management of the universe and all the outward creation, and can your case be any more complex or difficult than these, that you need to be anxious or troubled about His management of it? - Hannah Whitall Smith

Trust God, knowing that He can do all things! ;) ALL!!!!

Do you feel it?

“If you don't feel it, flee from it. Go where you are celebrated, not merely tolerated.” ― Paul F. Davis

No one should make you feel less than you really are. And if you ever get that feeling of not being wanted around or being mistreated; then, by the grace and strength of God, you need to have an exit strategy!

You are created uniquely and wonderfully and ought to be respected as such!

Be celebrated, not tolerated!

Focus, Focus....

“Don’t let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do.” ~ John Wooden

A lot of us spend a whole lot of money, time and attention on our weaknesses; hoping that we can strengthen them so we can be whole. One great lesson I have learned from my hubby is to focus all of your energy on the things that you do best a.k.a "your strengths". And align yourself with people that are stronger in the things you aren't good at and there....you achieve what you want.

In other words, if you spend all your time on making your weaknesses stronger, then you are actually doing absolutely nothing with your strengths!

Happy "Mighty" Monday!

Check, check!

We should every night call ourselves to an account; What infirmity have I mastered today? What passions opposed? What temptation resisted? What virtue acquired? Our vices will abort of themselves if they be brought every day to the shrift. - Seneca

If we could apply this to our whole lives, our work, our relationships and our attitudes; I feel like it'll probably help us go through life with a lot more caution, sensitivity and awareness of what's in us and around us.

Don't be somewhat manipulative, as I can get ;)

It's always a good thing to check ourselves daily!

How to Give Yourself a Break Physically

1. Allow yourself a little extra sleep, whether it’s by going to bed a half-hour earlier or by sleeping in an extra fifteen minutes and then skipping your usual morning coffee stop.

2. Take a day off from exercising if you usually run, go to the gym, or participate in some type of aerobic class.

3. Skip the stairs and take the elevator or escalator—sometimes it’s perfectly OK to choose the path of least resistance! :)

4. Replace strenuous exercise with something less intense, like stretching.

5. Relax in a sauna or steam room to relax your muscles and sweat out chemicals that build up in your body.

6. Utilize a detoxifying cleanse to clear out toxins and give your digestive organs a break.

7. Take a break from processed foods and sugar if a cleanse feels too extreme.

8. Get a massage or trade massages with someone you love. Massages are not only relaxing; they’ve also been proven to minimize anxiety, boost the immune system, and reduce depression and anxiety.

9. Take a long, hot bath to take weight off your weary muscles and joints.

10. Be mindful of your posture at your desk at work and take breaks to walk around and stretch. This one is smart on any day—hunching over our computers can cause major back and neck pain!

Happy Saturday!

Friday laughs!

“I've always thought that a big laugh is a really loud noise from the soul saying, 'Ain't that the truth.'” - Quincy Jones

It's Friday and it has been a very long week. As you close your week; take sometime and enjoy a good loud laugh! :)

Inner challenges

“There are two big forces at work, external and internal. We have very little control over external forces such as tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, disasters, illness and pain. What really matters is the internal force. How do I respond to those disasters? Over that I have complete control.” - Dr. Leo Buscaglia (1924-1998);

Yes, how do I respond to my inner challenges? It's important to have control over our emotions and feelings as they cause our personalities to manifest.

Trust Factot

A little girl and her father were crossing a bridge. The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter:
"Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river." The little girl said:
"No, Dad. You hold my hand."
"What's the difference?" Asked the puzzled father.

"There's a big difference," replied the little girl.
"If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go."

So it is in any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond. So hold the hand of the person whom you love rather than expecting them to hold yours...
- read it somewhere