Some people are in your life for one reason only--to feed off you. They soak up your energy, enthusiasm, wisdom, time, CD's, DVD's, sofa, car, jewelry, shoes, or whatever you have that appeals to them. It's easy to form bonds with these people because they're always around; but it's a trap. I don't have to tell you to watch out for these non-symbiotic relationships because you know; you've been sapped before. I just wonder if some of us happen to be that way and we don't know it. Are you the culprit?
Consider this a friendly reminder to take with you joy, love, peace, laughter, encouragement, wisdom, and whatever other talents or qualities you have by which someone you know can benefit. It's not always about monetary offerings (but who doesn't like getting treated on occasion too); it's about nurturing those you claim to love, and being fed in the process. Look at the babies. They come here with nothing, needing everything; yet, when have you ever felt so important, so valuable, so warm and so unconditionally loved as when that little face smiles and reaches for you? If I didn't know that feeling, and if I hadn't been blessed...
Women are always saying they don't need a man to validate them. Okay, I don't know what they mean by that exactly, and it's probably different for each woman, but let me play devil's advocate here briefly. Adam was on earth alone, the only one of his kind. He saw the animals paired up and eventually he got his own mate, designed just for him. They were to do some very important things with the land, and with themselves. Follow me now.
Woman was designed for man, to be a complement to man, and they were to fulfill each other's needs--the design was perfect, you know. When they sinned, God said to Eve, "your craving will be for your husband." I didn't make this up; Genesis 3:16, people. So while some of our more forward-thinking, ambitious predecessors sought to expand women's rights and changed the world, and though that's all good, know that we were made for men, and therefore feel it when they are absent from our lives. We feel it when they are present in our lives too, and don't we feel all the more powerful, sexy, desirable, and feminine when we have a man of our very own? ...
Someone recently mused, "the purpose of it all is...," and I don't know what he was going through at the time, but he got me to thinking about life. The way I see it, in their perfect state, humans were created with more than the basic equipment. They had the capacity for far more than we do in our imperfection; but still we inherit the basics, for starters. For example, we have senses designed to take in the life experience--eyes to see (colors, flowers, oh he's fine!), ears to hear (sweet music, a baby's first word), a mouth to taste (mercy--food is my friend), nerve endings to help us feel (infant kisses, warm massage, great sex--hello!), a nose to smell (your favorite fragrance, baking, breakfast). But we were given so much more too--vision to see what is and what's not in front of us; instinct, intuition, imagination, and so on. Feel where I'm going with this?
We are so wonderfully made, that even in our imperfect state, the majority of us are able to enjoy so much, on so many levels, for whatever time we are allowed to be here. Then we also have free will that allows us to make...
"For as they were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark: and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be."--Matthew 24:38, 39.
So I got to thinking, we can get so caught up in our own mess, so distracted by what we can see, so busy doing whatever we deem worthy at the time, we miss really important things. When I turned on Sprout this morning, Cookie Monster was telling us the meaning of the word important. He said something that means a lot to you; that's important. But I happen to know that sometimes we let those things that mean a lot to us simmer on the backburner until we get through this, or finish that, or rearrange this over here. And that's not really fair, nor is it wise. We put off going to school until.... We put off fixing that resume up until.... We slack on grocery shopping until.... It goes from big stuff to seemingly small stuff, but it's true. And then...
Time is a luxury.You have been afforded the opportunity to utilize yours for anything you choose.But what have you done thus far?I know you've heard this before, but what if your time was up in like ten minutes? What if you died suddenly? What have you done (not what do you plan to do)?Who would miss you?Whose life have you affected?Do your loved ones even know they're loved ones?Does anything matter to you, or are you just here taking up space for a time? What are you missing? What about your kids? What are you doing with the time you have been given? So many questions, so little time.
From the mind of: Tonya D. Floyd, No better time than the present... www.Versatili-T.com
I was thinking about how sometimes we get so preoccupied, we forget to praise God despite the circumstances. You know how when things are going very well, and bricks are falling into place, and the sun is shining—we can’t help but give God glory for what He’s done in our lives? Then sometimes when things are on the flip side, we pray and we pray and we pray, but we can’t see as clearly how things were wonderful at another time, how we were delivered the last time, or how we felt when we knew God was in our corner and the world wasn’t so big and bad. I didn’t say we ignore it or forget; I said we can’t see it as clearly as the good times. Well, I’m guilty too, so I figured I’d remind everyone in my reach including myself to take a good snapshot of that higher-than-high, wonderful, over-the-top feeling and keep it in our pocket to peek at when the skies are gray and the worst is all you can see around you. Then make it your business to describe that feeling and the gifts received when you were on top, giving God the glory...
