Day 552 ~ #IASenough

Fourteen days until Christmas!  Oh my!!

I think I am going to do something different on my blog for December all together.

1. Last year I did the 12 days of Christmas, which I will do again starting the 14th- which I am sure doesn't make any sense starting on the 14th that is, but if you count the 14th, then the 25th is the twelth day.
2. This year I was invited by Doug Bender to write four posts about his book Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First  from December 9th through the 12th . .
3. Soooo. . .  I have decided that throught the 8th I would share the top Seven things I love about December . . . 
4. And for the last six days of the year, a look back at 2012. 

My instructions are to:  1.) You select 4 readings within Session 2 (pg 37-66) of the book to write about  and 2.) During Launch Week, December 9-15, you write four (4) blog entries telling the story of your spiritual journey as you read and interact with the Live Second book and the four readings you choose.

My third (of four) post is from (quoted from the book) week 8, Day 7: Enough

Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.  Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, “Who is the Lord?”  Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
—Proverbs 30:7–9

Sometimes we approach God as if he doesn’t care about our personal lives. We  ask him for world peace or the universal spread of his fame but forget to ask him  for next week’s groceries. We ask him for the right president but not for the electric bill. The danger with this is we start to think that we paid the bills and that we earned the groceries. Our wealth makes us forget our God. Make it a habit instead to ask him for your needs and to praise him when he provides.

Talk with God 

Ask.

“I ask of you . . .”

God, I need . . .

This day and what it had to say struck a cord in me . . . it called for my attention.  For we are always so quick to pray for that particular person to notice us, for a dress,  a car or any other multitude of objects before giving thanks for what we DO have.

Dear Heavenly Father . . . 

I ask of you to continue to bring into our lives what you feel we need.  

God, I need for you to continue to bless our lives and watch over us.  Please keep my family and loved ones out of harms way... protect us.  Please continue to bless us with our home, good running cars, and food on our table.  Please continue to bless Dean with work and give me favor and bless everything I do with The Blessed Spoon.  Heavenly Father,  I need you to continue to watch over my sons, protect them and keep them out of harms way.  Continue to bless them with all that they do,  Please also watch over my brother, keeping him out of harm's way.  Finally . . . all my loved ones, those who are near to my heart,protect them and keep them our of harm's way, bless them with food on their table and favor in all they do.  

I praise you for all that you do for me and my family . . . I thank you. 

I surrender to you, my Lord and do everything in your name.

Amen. 

As my faith in God, Jesus my Lord and Savior grows . . . and . . . the more I study His word . . . the more I see His work in my life . . .the more I do in His name . . . the more joy comes into my life.  It's like all I have to do is make the effort and VIOLA!!  

I can not be more grateful and humbled by my work with The Blessed Spoon.  Getting enough donations to give to ten families last month was the best feeling in the world. . .    makes the fact that I have not been paid for my administrative duties not matter what-so-ever.  That euphoric feeling is payment enough.  I don't know what it is, but I just know that this all would not be possible without God.

Tweet using #IASenough to share your prayers.

Available in stores week of December 9th, 2012

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

I am second..

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.

Day 551 ~ #IASunity

Fifteen days until Christmas!  Oh my!!

I think I am going to do something different on my blog for December all together.

1. Last year I did the 12 days of Christmas, which I will do again starting the 14th- which I am sure doesn't make any sense starting on the 14th that is, but if you count the 14th, then the 25th is the twelth day.
2. This year I was invited by Doug Bender to write four posts about his book Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First  from December 9th through the 12th . .
3. Soooo. . .  I have decided that throught the 8th I would share the top Seven things I love about December . . . 
4. And for the last six days of the year, a look back at 2012. 

My instructions are to:  1.) You select 4 readings within Session 2 (pg 37-66) of the book to write about  and 2.) During Launch Week, December 9-15, you write four (4) blog entries telling the story of your spiritual journey as you read and interact with the Live Second book and the four readings you choose.

My second (of four) post is from (quoted from the book) week 7, Day 7: Unity

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.  May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 

—John 17:20–23

Love is the sign of our faith. Unity is the motif of our spirituality.  As the Father and the Son are one, so must we be. Bitterness and resentment should have no place in our lives. Unforgiveness and prejudice should find no home in our community. Our lives and our prayers should be littered with concern for others and care for those around us.

Talk with God

Ask.

 “. . . that they may be one as we are one . . .”  

God, I ask you to heal these relationships . . .

I could have chosen to writen about 'forgiveness' because Lord knows that there are a few people I need to truly forgive . . . I could have chosen to write about 'letting go', once again Lord knows that I need to 'let go' of a few things [FOR GOOD] . . . I could have chosen to write about 'love' which we all know that it is 'love' all that I want to feel . . . I could have even chosen to wrrite about 'humbling' experiences . . . or 'love defined' . . . YET . . . what I did choose to write about is unitting.  

Dear Heavenly Father . . . 

I ask that you remove all resentment from my life, let alone I ask that you bring my family together as one, as we should be.  To look out for one another, as we build each other up.  I ask you to remove all resentment from my family's heart and bring us all together.

God forgive me for the resentment that I added to the mess I/we created.  

Finally, forgive me for not letting you take the driver's seat.. 

I surrender to you, my Lord. 

Amen. 

As I learn the importance of truly letting go and letting God, I understand more and more about "faith" and the reality of being second.  

To truly put Him first and wholely surrender to him . . . this is what being second is truly about.

If I expect to go to home to Jesus, I must first be forgiven.  BUT . . . To be forgiven by Him . . . I must first forgive others.  Bottomline . . .  if I do not forgive others then Jesus will not forgive me.

Surrendering to Him will finally allow me let go and heal.

Tweet using #IASunity to share your prayers.

Available in stores week of December 9th, 2012

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

I am second..

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.

Day 550 ~ #IASundeserved

Sixteen days until Christmas!  Oh my!!

I think I am going to do something different on my blog for December all together.

1. Last year I did the 12 days of Christmas, which I will do again starting the 14th- which I am sure doesn't make any sense starting on the 14th that is, but if you count the 14th, then the 25th is the twelth day.
2. This year I was invited by Doug Bender to write four posts about his book Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First  from December 9th through the 12th . .
3. Soooo. . .  I have decided that throught the 8th I would share the top Seven things I love about December . . . 
4. And for the last six days of the year, a look back at 2012. 

Okay so here I start the first of four posts on Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First, see number two above.

My instructions are to:  1.) You select 4 readings within Session 2 (pg 37-66) of the book to write about  and 2.) During Launch Week, December 9-15, you write four (4) blog entries telling the story of your spiritual journey as you read and interact with the Live Second book and the four readings you choose.

My first post is from (quoted from the book) week 6, Day 7: Undeserved

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—

who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

—Psalm 103:1–6

Confession is the act of acknowledging God’s right to judge but trusting in his habit  to forgive. Nothing we do or say can obligate God to forgive. We cannot be good enough to earn forgiveness or perfect enough to not need it. But if we humbly ask for it, he gives it every time.

Talk with God

Forgive.

“. . . forgives all your sins . . .”

God, forgive me for . . .

I choose this particular day because it is perfect! . . .  just wait, you'll understand.

I can't tell you how many times I have heard, thought or been told "you need to forgive yourself."

In the interest of time, the only thing I need to "let go" or "forgive myself for" is for not fighting for my boys longer.  Funny thing is . . .  I did all I could do with the resources I had available to me; I always kept my son's best interest in mind; I did it all alone . . . and still I feel I should have faught longer.  I should not have settled.  I felt/feel that I gave in.  I felt cornered.  I felt alone.  So on and so on . . .  and so on . . . 

Dear Heavenly Father . . . 

You know all I went through with my boys.  You know that what I wrote above does not even begin to scratch the surface as to what my sons and I went through.  I also know that You know that I didn't lean on you then as much as I should have.  

I know now that I should have let you take over.  

I should say . . .  What I mean is . . .  

As I learn to walk with you and what it is to be your child, each day my faith grows more and more.  I know today that if I would have leaned on you more then. . .  allowed you to take the steerwheel in my life . . .  surrendered to you . . . that You, my Heavenly Father would have seen me through my fight for my children.

I know that I did all that I could do; I used all the resources available to me at the time; and  that I did not stand a chance against all the foul play that was going on . . .   

I also know that I can hold my head up high for always being honest and doing the right thing. 

God forgive me for being so hard on myself . . . for beating myself up for things I could not control . . . for allowing this to affect me to this day and for not forgiving myself (.) 

God forgive me and help me heal so that I can finally move on.

Finally, forgive me for not letting you drive. 

I surrender to you, my Lord. 

Amen. 

As I learn the importance of surrendering, I understand more and more about "faith" and the reality of being second.  

To truly put Him first and wholely surrender to him is what being second is about.

Part of my lesson here is that I really need to let it all go.  Let it go in a balloon.  Give it all to God.  I  understand that by surrendering to Him, I will finally be able to let go and heal.

Tweet using #IASundeserved to share your prayers.

Available in stores week of December 9th, 2012

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

I am second..

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.

Day 507 ~ Forgive & Be Forgiven (XX)

Day 20 of the Husband Encouragement Challenge
courtesy of ReviveOurHearts.com

"And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32) 

• You can't say anything negative about your husband . . . to your husband . . . or to anyone else, about your husband.
• Say something that you admire or appreciate about your husband . . . to your husband . . . and to someone else, about your husband!

It's time for some heart examination. As you continue in this 30-day challenge, have you found any roots of bitterness that are contaminating your relationship with your husband? Do you understand that as long as you are unwilling to forgive your husband—by God's grace and in His power —you will not be able to encourage him? Your own resentment will keep getting in the way. Now is the time to deal with any unforgiving attitudes. Forgive him, even as God has forgiven you.

Is your husband a forgiving man? Does he keep short accounts of your problems? Express your thankfulness for such a man.

Does your husband seem to harbor grudges against you? If so, could there be things you need to change? Do you possibly need to ask forgiveness for an offense?  

Day 20 ! . . .    

I'm going to keep this simple and not let it get too wordy.  

When it comes to forgiveness in my home, it must always be preempted by a cooling down period.

I have learned that when I get upset and go off the charts... it's like gravity... whatever goes up must come down.  Or as in our case, whatever temper heats up, it must cool down.

I have also learned that staying mad at your spouse, or anyone for that matter, does not help you.  All those ugly negative feelings are only good for bringing you down and darkening your heart.

When one first meets their "true" love we are so forgiving.  It all falls under the honeymoon stage.  

Have a few years go by, commit the same offense and then see how far that gets you!  Chuckle, chuckle.

Seriously, it's not that cute anymore.

However, if we keep the honeymoon going on year after year, forgiveness will come by easy.

What keeps me grounded lately is knowing that if I forgive, then I too will be forgiven by Him.

I believe that is enough to motivate me to forgive my hubby... wouldn't you agree?  wink, wink.

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

I am second..

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.

Day 468 ~ Letting Go...

Today has been an unsettling day for me.  Going back to what happened on Sunday... (you can catch up on the drama here) ... well let's just say that not much else has been on my mind.  It's like a bad movie playing over and over again, without an end in sight.

Well I did come to one conclusion today...

After giving this (so) much thought... I figured out that much of my hurt stems from being bullied and humiliated for most of my life (especially as an adult,) by my own father and my (younger) sister, in my own home.  That, and witnessing lie after lie coming from both of their mouths.  It's like they weren't happy with their lives that they felt a need to fabricate most, if not all of their accomplishments.

So... fast forward to today... I do not do well when others lie.  I find a need to call them out on it.  Not to mention the bullying... well let's say that I am sensitive to that.

Therefore... you can definitely say that I do not do well with other people's $#!+.  I do not do well when people are not forthright.  I do not do well with people who are not honest.  I definitely do not do well when people are mean, ugly and gold-diggers! (both male and female alike!)  {and} Needless to say, I DO NOT LIKE BULLIES and WILL PROTECT my love ones and myself from them.  

I would just rather stay away from it all (period).

SO that's where I'm at.  My feelings hurt.  My defense up.  (and) A little sad.

What I am suppose to be doing is praying.  At least that is what my passionate anger class states.  Pray, leave it to God and if needed talk to the people who hurt you in a loving manner.  Therefore... tonight... I am praying and leaving it to God.  Tomorrow... talking.  Maybe.

Lord, you know what has happened.  You know how hurt I am, how angry I feel.  But I really believe that the best thing for me to do in this situation is to accept the wrong and turn the person over to you.

You know not only his or her actions, but his or her motives.  I know that You are a righteous God and so I trust You to do what is right by that person.  I also release my anger to You.  This anger stimulated me to think through the situation and I am taking the steps I believe to be best.  Therefore, the matter is over.

My anger has served its purpose and I release it to You.  Help me not to be controlled by any residual thoughts and feelings that may come to me over the next few days.  I want to use my life constructively and not be hindered by this event.  Thank you that I am your child and that You will take care of me.

Amen. 

I hope this works.  Don't want to be angry anymore and waste my precious time thinking about this.

 

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

I am second..

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.

Day 437 ~ #29 of My 30 Days of Truth...

My 30 Days of Truth challenge   I will admit that I changed one question and changed a few curse words... other than that the challenge is intact. 

Day 29: Something you hope to change about yourself, and why...

For the past 437 days my focus has been on bettering myself, my life, as well as the quality of life for my family.

After all as my father-in-law quotes...

A happy wife is a happy life.

Not to say that I am a horrible person, because I am not... however I have allowed my life's trials and tribulations, my past, and all the horrible things that have been done to me by none the less "mean" people, affect my {quality of} life.  It made me a very bitter, grouchy person.

437 days ago I set out on a journey that was to be a year long... and has inadvertently blossomed into my continued growth, which in turn has kept me blogging.

I am a work in progress and accept that.  I now also accept the things that have happened to me, and have forgiven many as well.

I feel that I am on the right road. 

Sure, I understand that going through one of life's changes, {peri-}menopause, has had an adverse affect on my and I will have grouchy moments.  But the fact is that I am aware of it and am working on it.  Which includes some apologizing on my behalf for uncontrollable outbursts of grouchyness.  LOL!

The important thing here is that I am aware of it and am working on myself... 

Bottom line.. I wouldn't change a thing.  Everything that I have gone through... all that I have seen... all that I have experienced... has made me who I am.  {and} I wouldn't change a single thing!

With God's grace.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ~1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)

Where I've been and where I'm going next...  

Day 01 : Something you hate about yourself.

Day 02 : Something you love about yourself.

Day 03 : Something you have to forgive yourself for.

Day 04 : Something you have to forgive someone for.

Day 05 : Something you hope to do in your life.

Day 06 : Something you hope you never have to do. 

Day 07 : Someone who has made your life worth living for.

Day 08 : Someone who made your life hell, or treated you horribly.

Day 09 : Someone you didn't want to let go, but just drifted.

Day 10 : Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.

Day 11 : Something people seem to compliment you the most on.

Day 12 : Something you never get compliments on.

Day 13 : A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough days. (write a letter.)

Day 14 : Write a letter to a hero that has let you down.

Day 15 : Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you've tried living without it.

Day 16 : Someone or something you definitely could live without.

Day 17 : A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.

Day 18 : Your views on gay marriage.

Day 19 : What do you think of religion?  Or what do you think of politics?

Day 20 : Your views on drugs and alcohol.

Day 21 : (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?

Day 22 : Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.

Day 23 : Something you wish you had done in your life. 

Day 24 : Make a playlist for someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)

Day 25 : The reason you believe you’re still alive today.

Day 26 : Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?

Day 27 : What’s the best thing going for you right now?

Day 28 : Name a decision you made that caused a chain of events that would not have happened if it wasn't for that decision.

Day 29 : Something you hope to change about yourself. And why. 

Day 30 : A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself

 Here's to 30 Days of Truth!

I am second.

[here's to you finding your... ]
Peace...

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.

Day 429 ~ #21 of My 30 Days of Truth...

My 30 Days of Truth challenge   I will admit that I changed one question and changed a few curse words... other than that the challenge is intact. 

Day 21: (scenario)  Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour earlier... what do you do?...

So here I am with one third of my honesty challenge left before me... and let me tell you that the only thing that is difficult about this is being honest.

Not that I do not want to be honest, I really don't have a problem being honest.  If anything I think I am honest to my detriment.  Don't ask me if your butt looks big, please... you may not like what you here.  wink, wink.

What is difficult is my not knowing what colleagues (other blogger friends) may think of my more recent honesty.  

My last two posts have been a little heavy subjected and I am three days ahead in my blogging to sharing ratio... My blogging got ahead of my sharing my posts for comments on my favorite site (voiceBoks.com) 

What are people thinking of my honesty?  Have I lost readers?  followers?  or maybe friends?  I'll be finding out in the next couple of days after my posts have been read.  It's Saturday night as I am writing this.  Saturday in itself is a low numbers kind of day for blog reading... Sunday picks up a little and then Monday even more. 

...Then there's tonight's topic... this is an absolute no-brainer!!

There is no doubt in my mind.. I didn't even have to give it a second thought...As soon as I would find out that my best friend was involved in a car accident I would drop everything and go to their aid.

No brainer!

No fight is worth not being there for a friend let alone losing a friend over. 

Wouldn't you do the same?

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.  ~Matthew 18:21-22 (NIV)

Where I've been and where I'm going next...  

Day 01 : Something you hate about yourself.

Day 02 : Something you love about yourself.

Day 03 : Something you have to forgive yourself for.

Day 04 : Something you have to forgive someone for.

Day 05 : Something you hope to do in your life.

Day 06 : Something you hope you never have to do. 

Day 07 : Someone who has made your life worth living for.

Day 08 : Someone who made your life hell, or treated you horribly.

Day 09 : Someone you didn't want to let go, but just drifted.

Day 10 : Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.

Day 11 : Something people seem to compliment you the most on.

Day 12 : Something you never get compliments on.

Day 13 : A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough days. (write a letter.)

Day 14 : Write a letter to a hero that has let you down.

Day 15 : Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you've tried living without it.

Day 16 : Someone or something you definitely could live without.

Day 17 : A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.

Day 18 : Your views on gay marriage.

Day 19 : What do you think of religion?  Or what do you think of politics?

Day 20 : Your views on drugs and alcohol.

Day 21 : (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?

Day 22 : Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 : Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 : Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 : The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 : Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 : What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 : Name a decision you made that caused a chain of events that would not have happened if it wasn't for that decision.
Day 29 : Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 : A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself

 Here's to 30 Days of Truth!

I am second.

[here's to you finding your... ]
Peace...

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.