"The Lord giveth and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Deep winter.
I lifted my eyes from my Bible and looked out the window at the snow lightly covering the dead branches of the trees and bushes surrounding my house. As I sat pondering those words on the page before me, I wrapped the quilted comforter more closely around my shoulders and pulled my feet up into the chair in an attempt to ward off the chill in the house. Somehow Job had been able to maintain his faith---and even gratitude---through the loss of all of his material possessions, his children, his wife, and his health. What on earth did he have to be grateful for?
Then it hit me.
Nothing . . . nothing on earth, that is. But everything to look forward to after this life! Job understood that no matter what we are called to go through in this life, we still have reason to bless the name of the Lord, and thank Him for the simple gift of life here and the bright future after this life.
Even after all Job had gone through? How is that ever possible?
I submit it is only possible when we finally come to accept and acknowledge that life is a gift from God; that He wants to help us grow through it with dignity; that our ultimate goal is a reunion with Him after this life; and that every difficulty we go through is a chance to grow closer to Him and to watch His hand at work in our lives.
Today, find something to thank Him for. If you can't find it in your own life right now, pick up your scriptures. There---He is talking to you right now, through the words of His prophets. As Paul wrote to Titus, we live "In hope of eternal life . . . ", and this hope carries us through the dregs that otherwise would be hopeless.
In those dark times, I love to find a quiet place and use my Topical Guide to search out 'hope', or 'faith', or 'comfort' or 'mercy'---any topic that might soothe my soul---and ponder, and underline, and draw strength and courage from them. Then as I go forward, I can reflect on the words of my Father and my Savior and feel them giving me the will to move on.
Truly, "The Lord giveth and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord"!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
What are you thinking?
Have you ever made a mistake, and had someone look at you in disappointment and say, "What on earth were you thinking?"
Sometimes I have to agree with them, and I think, "What was I thinking?"
This morning I was listening in to a call with Robert G. Allen, the millionaire who is most famous for his book, Nothing Down. He was speaking about the things we think about - specifically what we ask ourselves. He proposed that the way we ask ourselves questions affects deeply the way we behave and the way we see the world.
For instance, have you found yourself asking, "Why did this have to happen?" "What did I do to deserve this?" "Will bad things ever stop happening to me?" "Why is life so hard?"
Mr. Allen contends that those questions lead nowhere. Some are unanswerable ("Why did this have to happen?";) others only lead to debilitating thoughts and attitudes ("Why is life so hard?")
The truth is, life is all about problems. Times without problems are scarce. Jenkins Lloyd Jones said the following:
“Life is like an old-time rail journey—delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.
“The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”1
I think he is right. The 'beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed' are unfortunately very rare. We are unrealistic if we seek that carefree, 'happily-ever-after' life that we heard about in the fairy tales.
So, if life is about problems and learning to solve them, what kind of questions should we be allowing ourselves to ask?
I have found that the most helpful question I can ask when I begin to feel overwhelmed, discouraged, or fearful is, "What can I learn from this?" Often, to be able to face life and the challenges I am dealing with, I have to break life down into tiny increments, and then my question is, "What is the very best use of the next fifteen minutes?"
Many times, it is a nap! I call them 'power naps', because they are short - fifteen to thirty minutes long - but they renew my energy and give me the power to move ahead for a few more hours. After a power nap, my outlook is always brighter, and I can ask the positive questions more easily.
In their book Killing Sacred Cows, Garret B. Gunderson and Stephen Palmer ask:
"How do we find freedom on a day-to-day basis? One powerful way is to ask yourself the right questions. Who is ultimately responsible for your prosperity? How can you overcome your fears?How can you be less selfish? What do you really want out of life? What do you have to give, that has not been given because of fear or other limiting factors? Who can you serve today? How can you increase your value to others?"
Can you see how those questions turn one's thoughts outward and upward? I know from my own experience that as soon as we begin asking ourselves these motivating questions, rather than debilitating ones, we are given strength to do something positive.
Richard Paul Evans, philanthropist and author of The Christmas Box suggests keeping an "idea journal" where we write the answers to these questions as we receive them. Some of his ideas have brought great prosperity; others have brought new life and sweetness to his relationships.
I am finding the same thing. As I ask the right questions, and record my answers, and begin to work on those answers, my outlook is becoming more positive. I am able to accept the fact that life can be hard, but my attitude can be positive no matter what I am going through.
What are you thinking? Perhaps beginning to ask more positive questions can be the beginning of a more optimistic chapter in your life, too. I pray it will be so!
-Roslyn
Sometimes I have to agree with them, and I think, "What was I thinking?"
This morning I was listening in to a call with Robert G. Allen, the millionaire who is most famous for his book, Nothing Down. He was speaking about the things we think about - specifically what we ask ourselves. He proposed that the way we ask ourselves questions affects deeply the way we behave and the way we see the world.
For instance, have you found yourself asking, "Why did this have to happen?" "What did I do to deserve this?" "Will bad things ever stop happening to me?" "Why is life so hard?"
Mr. Allen contends that those questions lead nowhere. Some are unanswerable ("Why did this have to happen?";) others only lead to debilitating thoughts and attitudes ("Why is life so hard?")
The truth is, life is all about problems. Times without problems are scarce. Jenkins Lloyd Jones said the following:
“Life is like an old-time rail journey—delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.
“The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”1
I think he is right. The 'beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed' are unfortunately very rare. We are unrealistic if we seek that carefree, 'happily-ever-after' life that we heard about in the fairy tales.
So, if life is about problems and learning to solve them, what kind of questions should we be allowing ourselves to ask?
I have found that the most helpful question I can ask when I begin to feel overwhelmed, discouraged, or fearful is, "What can I learn from this?" Often, to be able to face life and the challenges I am dealing with, I have to break life down into tiny increments, and then my question is, "What is the very best use of the next fifteen minutes?"
Many times, it is a nap! I call them 'power naps', because they are short - fifteen to thirty minutes long - but they renew my energy and give me the power to move ahead for a few more hours. After a power nap, my outlook is always brighter, and I can ask the positive questions more easily.
In their book Killing Sacred Cows, Garret B. Gunderson and Stephen Palmer ask:
"How do we find freedom on a day-to-day basis? One powerful way is to ask yourself the right questions. Who is ultimately responsible for your prosperity? How can you overcome your fears?How can you be less selfish? What do you really want out of life? What do you have to give, that has not been given because of fear or other limiting factors? Who can you serve today? How can you increase your value to others?"
Can you see how those questions turn one's thoughts outward and upward? I know from my own experience that as soon as we begin asking ourselves these motivating questions, rather than debilitating ones, we are given strength to do something positive.
Richard Paul Evans, philanthropist and author of The Christmas Box suggests keeping an "idea journal" where we write the answers to these questions as we receive them. Some of his ideas have brought great prosperity; others have brought new life and sweetness to his relationships.
I am finding the same thing. As I ask the right questions, and record my answers, and begin to work on those answers, my outlook is becoming more positive. I am able to accept the fact that life can be hard, but my attitude can be positive no matter what I am going through.
What are you thinking? Perhaps beginning to ask more positive questions can be the beginning of a more optimistic chapter in your life, too. I pray it will be so!
-Roslyn
Monday, July 7, 2008
I Feel Pretty . . .
Maria, the lead female character in the musical "West Side Story" is in love. Looking in the mirror she sees herself in a new light, and the strains of a song swell as she begins to sing, "I feel pretty, oh so pretty . . ."
One young widow I'll call Maria met a new young woman at church who invited her out to lunch. They had seen each other several times in the halls but had never said much more than hello.
Maria arranged for a sitter for her three-year-old daughter, and they went to a quiet little restaurant. In the course of the conversation, the new friend asked about her marital status.
"I'm a widow - my husband died last year."
"Oh - I'm sorry. I should have guessed - the widow's weeds, you know."
Widow's weeds? The term was unfamiliar to Maria, but from the woman's glance at her clothing that had accompanied the remark, she assumed it referred to her clothing.
She self-consciously thought about what she was wearing, from head to toe. A grey sweater, worn jeans, black slip-on shoes. She had put on earrings that morning, just in honor of the occasion. It wasn't often that she went out to lunch.
The food was tasteless after that. Her mind was preoccupied with the comment and what it meant. It was true - she rarely thought about the clothes she put on. She got up, got dressed, made it through the day, and undressed at the end of each day. That was it. She was surviving.
At home that afternoon, she looked in her closet. There were a few outfits she had liked to wear, up until a year ago. For some reason, she never reached for them anymore. Some outfits still brought back painful memories of the last time she had worn them - with him. Others just didn't feel right. It was just easier to wear jeans and whatever T-shirt happened to be on top in the drawer.
The comment of her friend haunted her all that night. Did it matter what she looked like? Was she ready to think about her appearance again?
For many of us it takes a long time after a loss to get to the point where anything other than surviving each day matters. The energy and focus required to simply exist are all-encompassing. But there can come a time when thinking about our appearance becomes something that lifts us, something that brings us one more reason to smile.
Maria opened the bathroom drawer and dug out her face wash and moisturizer and found her makeup compact. She sat her three-year-old daughter on the counter next to her, and together they washed their faces. While the little girl played with the washcloth and a doll, Maria applied moisturizer and makeup.
"Mommy pretty!" her daughter squealed, and, looking into the mirror, Maria had to agree. It felt good to be taking care of herself once again.
She walked to her closet and chose a khaki skirt and a blouse in a bright peach color, put them on, and looked in the full-length mirror. The effect startled her. She was surprised to admit that she felt pretty. It was an unfamiliar - but pleasant - sensation.
If you are feeling drained and it has been a while since you have done something to take care of yourself, go to that bathroom drawer. Pull out the face wash and moisturizer, and pamper yourself for a few minutes! Then look in the mirror, and admit it - it's all right to say it:
"I feel pretty!"
If you want some new ideas on makeup application, check out my website at www.marykay.com/ros. You can even upload your own photo and try on new colors!
You are pretty!
One young widow I'll call Maria met a new young woman at church who invited her out to lunch. They had seen each other several times in the halls but had never said much more than hello.
Maria arranged for a sitter for her three-year-old daughter, and they went to a quiet little restaurant. In the course of the conversation, the new friend asked about her marital status.
"I'm a widow - my husband died last year."
"Oh - I'm sorry. I should have guessed - the widow's weeds, you know."
Widow's weeds? The term was unfamiliar to Maria, but from the woman's glance at her clothing that had accompanied the remark, she assumed it referred to her clothing.
She self-consciously thought about what she was wearing, from head to toe. A grey sweater, worn jeans, black slip-on shoes. She had put on earrings that morning, just in honor of the occasion. It wasn't often that she went out to lunch.
The food was tasteless after that. Her mind was preoccupied with the comment and what it meant. It was true - she rarely thought about the clothes she put on. She got up, got dressed, made it through the day, and undressed at the end of each day. That was it. She was surviving.
At home that afternoon, she looked in her closet. There were a few outfits she had liked to wear, up until a year ago. For some reason, she never reached for them anymore. Some outfits still brought back painful memories of the last time she had worn them - with him. Others just didn't feel right. It was just easier to wear jeans and whatever T-shirt happened to be on top in the drawer.
The comment of her friend haunted her all that night. Did it matter what she looked like? Was she ready to think about her appearance again?
For many of us it takes a long time after a loss to get to the point where anything other than surviving each day matters. The energy and focus required to simply exist are all-encompassing. But there can come a time when thinking about our appearance becomes something that lifts us, something that brings us one more reason to smile.
Maria opened the bathroom drawer and dug out her face wash and moisturizer and found her makeup compact. She sat her three-year-old daughter on the counter next to her, and together they washed their faces. While the little girl played with the washcloth and a doll, Maria applied moisturizer and makeup.
"Mommy pretty!" her daughter squealed, and, looking into the mirror, Maria had to agree. It felt good to be taking care of herself once again.
She walked to her closet and chose a khaki skirt and a blouse in a bright peach color, put them on, and looked in the full-length mirror. The effect startled her. She was surprised to admit that she felt pretty. It was an unfamiliar - but pleasant - sensation.
If you are feeling drained and it has been a while since you have done something to take care of yourself, go to that bathroom drawer. Pull out the face wash and moisturizer, and pamper yourself for a few minutes! Then look in the mirror, and admit it - it's all right to say it:
"I feel pretty!"
If you want some new ideas on makeup application, check out my website at www.marykay.com/ros. You can even upload your own photo and try on new colors!
You are pretty!
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