The Lovers, the Dreamers, and Me

I'm just a hobbit, trying to make her way in the world with faith, hopes, & dreams in hand. Oh & some art tools as well. & a ukulele.
HONK HONK

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April 3rd, 2013

Saw a comic today that got me wanting to share my thoughts.

I like the occasional stiff drink now and then. And by “occasional” and “now and then,” I mean maybe one in a month or two,

I don’t have anything against alcohol. I like mixed drinks and wine coolers and so on. I just have something against the abuse of it, much like anything else. If you gorge on food, you become obese. If you focus on negativity, that’s all that’s going to shine out of your life. If you marinate yourself in booze, you tend to become unreliable and ultimately dependent on the substance.

You know what’s ironic? I’ve been told by someone (who is basically sworn off drinking because they binged too much) that I need not be afraid of getting into drinking and getting drunk because of hearsay. I just need to try it once, and if anything, find my limit before I get drunk so I know when to stop.

Oh I know my limit. I know when to stop. And that’s at one drink. Maybe two. And to have someone needle me that I’m being “stuffy” or “no fun” when I legitimately do not want more is very bothersome. Very much so for me. If someone wants to soak themselves in booze, that’s their beef; I’m not going to sit there and wag my finger and warn them against the sin of drunkenness. But do not try to conform me to your view of “a good time” just because you enjoy letting a substance dictate how your mind should work. No one likes Stockholm Syndrome in any circumstance or for any reason.

So in a nutshell: sure, I’ll have a drink with you. And that’s just it. A drink. One. Why? Because I’m a prude? Because I don’t know how to have fun? No. Because I choose what I put in my body and my mind, and excessive amounts of alcohol do not sound fun in the least. It’s much like some people not liking roller coasters, or swimming, or watching scary movies. You can’t make someone like something just because YOU like it a whole bunch (movies and tv shows count in this - ask my friends, they’ll tell you how I shut down when they keep bugging me about seeing some movie or show).

Respect someone if they say “no, just one drink.” Don’t bug them about it. Don’t ask “Why?” or say “You’re missing out on a good time!” Don’t try to convince them otherwise. Leave peer pressure in high school with the rest of the immaturity. Be mature and let them be.

Besides, it means more booze for you, right?

If I could shout this to everyone and KNOW they’d hear it and listen to it, I would.

If I could shout this to everyone and KNOW they’d hear it and listen to it, I would.

(Source: spiritualinspiration)

April 2nd, 2013
spiritualinspiration: Enjoying Who God Created You to Be by Joyce Meyer Start believing today that you are a rare, one-of-a-kind, valuable and precious woman. To help you learn how to be successful at being yourself, I want to give you some easy-to-follow suggestions: Speak good things about yourself. Declare what God’s Word says about you. For example, say to yourself, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ. I am made acceptable in the Beloved. God formed me with His own hand, He loves me, and God doesn’t make mistakes.” Avoid comparing yourself with other women. God must love variety, or all of us wouldn’t look so different. He has created each of us differently right down to our fingertips. We can look to certain people as good examples to follow, but even then, good traits if duplicated will manifest differently through our individual personalities. Focus on your potential instead of your limitations. Refuse to concentrate on your weaknesses except in an effort to turn them into strengths. Keep your flaws in perspective. People with a high level of confidence have just as many weaknesses as those without confidence, but they focus on their strengths instead of their weaknesses. Learn to cope with criticism. If you dare to be different, you’ll have to expect some criticism. Going along with the crowd when you know in your heart that God is leading you in a different direction is one of the reasons women don’t succeed at being themselves. You won’t be comfortable in your own skin if you go against your own convictions. You are a woman who is perfected and complete in Him. When you start to believe that, you will no longer feel that you are lacking anything or that there is anything wrong with you. Remember this: God will never anoint you to be anyone other than yourself. Let now be your time to go forward and be set free from the torments of comparing yourself with others and trying to be someone you’re not. God is proud of who He made you to be!

spiritualinspiration:

Enjoying Who God Created You to Be
by Joyce Meyer

Start believing today that you are a rare, one-of-a-kind, valuable and precious woman. To help you learn how to be successful at being yourself, I want to give you some easy-to-follow suggestions:

Speak good things about yourself. Declare what God’s Word says about you. For example, say to yourself, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ. I am made acceptable in the Beloved. God formed me with His own hand, He loves me, and God doesn’t make mistakes.”

Avoid comparing yourself with other women. God must love variety, or all of us wouldn’t look so different. He has created each of us differently right down to our fingertips. We can look to certain people as good examples to follow, but even then, good traits if duplicated will manifest differently through our individual personalities.

Focus on your potential instead of your limitations. Refuse to concentrate on your weaknesses except in an effort to turn them into strengths. Keep your flaws in perspective. People with a high level of confidence have just as many weaknesses as those without confidence, but they focus on their strengths instead of their weaknesses.

Learn to cope with criticism. If you dare to be different, you’ll have to expect some criticism. Going along with the crowd when you know in your heart that God is leading you in a different direction is one of the reasons women don’t succeed at being themselves. You won’t be comfortable in your own skin if you go against your own convictions.

You are a woman who is perfected and complete in Him. When you start to believe that, you will no longer feel that you are lacking anything or that there is anything wrong with you.

Remember this: God will never anoint you to be anyone other than yourself. Let now be your time to go forward and be set free from the torments of comparing yourself with others and trying to be someone you’re not. God is proud of who He made you to be!

March 31st, 2013
Church doodle.

Church doodle.

spiritualinspiration: Just Because by T. D. Jakes….. “Just because no one has been fortunate enough to realize what a gold mine you are, doesn’t mean you shine any less. Just because no one has been smart enough to figure out that you can’t be topped, doesn’t stop you from being the best. Just because no one has come along to share your life, doesn’t mean that day isn’t coming. Just because no one has made this race worthwhile, doesn’t give you permission to stop running. Just because no one has realized how much of an awesome woman you are, doesn’t mean they can affect your femininity. Just because no one has shown up who can love you on your level, doesn’t mean you have to sink to theirs. Just because you deserve the very best there is, doesn’t mean that life is always fair. Just because God is still preparing your king, doesn’t mean that you’re not already a Queen. Just because your situation doesn’t seem to be progressing right now, doesn’t mean you need to change a thing. Keep shining, keep running, Keep hoping, and keep praying, Keep being exactly what you are already. COMPLETE!”

spiritualinspiration:

Just Because by T. D. Jakes…..

“Just because no one has been fortunate enough to realize what a gold mine you are, doesn’t mean you shine any less. Just because no one has been smart enough to figure out that you can’t be topped, doesn’t stop you from being the best. Just because no one has come along to share your life, doesn’t mean that day isn’t coming. Just because no one has made this race worthwhile, doesn’t give you permission to stop running. Just because no one has realized how much of an awesome woman you are, doesn’t mean they can affect your femininity. Just because no one has shown up who can love you on your level, doesn’t mean you have to sink to theirs. Just because you deserve the very best there is, doesn’t mean that life is always fair. Just because God is still preparing your king, doesn’t mean that you’re not already a Queen. Just because your situation doesn’t seem to be progressing right now, doesn’t mean you need to change a thing. Keep shining, keep running, Keep hoping, and keep praying, Keep being exactly what you are already. COMPLETE!”

spiritualinspiration: Jesus is alive. He was resurrected from the dead and lives in heaven, interceding on our behalf. Because He is risen, we can have confidence that … • Our sins are forgiven. Jesus came into this world to give His life as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28). Through His death on the cross, the debt for our iniquities has been paid completely. We are a forgiven people. • The Lord is actively involved in our lives. Jesus made many promises to His followers of all generations. He pledged that those who abide in Him and do His will would bear much fruit for God’s kingdom, enjoy spiritual blessings, and have guidance from the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is ever-present (Matt. 5:1-12; John 15:5). Jesus spoke several times about the power of prayer for those who believe—we have assurance that our petitions will be heard and answered. When our requests are in accordance with the Lord’s will, we’ll receive what we have asked for (1 John 5:14-15). Jesus gave His word that He would prepare a place for us in heaven and return one day to bring us to our everlasting home. Then we will live with Him forever. We can face each day secure in the knowledge of these truths. We can face each day secure in the knowledge of these truths. Because Jesus has accomplished all this for us, He deserves our steadfast allegiance. Our worldview is to be framed by His life and words. We must stand firm and not compromise when the world tries to draw us away. Honor our risen Savior by following Him wholeheartedly (1 Cor. 15:58).

spiritualinspiration:

Jesus is alive. He was resurrected from the dead and lives in heaven, interceding on our behalf. Because He is risen, we can have confidence that …

• Our sins are forgiven. Jesus came into this world to give His life as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28). Through His death on the cross, the debt for our iniquities has been paid completely. We are a forgiven people.

• The Lord is actively involved in our lives. Jesus made many promises to His followers of all generations. He pledged that those who abide in Him and do His will would bear much fruit for God’s kingdom, enjoy spiritual blessings, and have guidance from the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is ever-present (Matt. 5:1-12; John 15:5).

Jesus spoke several times about the power of prayer for those who believe—we have assurance that our petitions will be heard and answered. When our requests are in accordance with the Lord’s will, we’ll receive what we have asked for (1 John 5:14-15).

Jesus gave His word that He would prepare a place for us in heaven and return one day to bring us to our everlasting home. Then we will live with Him forever. We can face each day secure in the knowledge of these truths. We can face each day secure in the knowledge of these truths.

Because Jesus has accomplished all this for us, He deserves our steadfast allegiance. Our worldview is to be framed by His life and words. We must stand firm and not compromise when the world tries to draw us away. Honor our risen Savior by following Him wholeheartedly (1 Cor. 15:58).

March 30th, 2013
Hi kids.

Hi kids.

(Source: spiritualinspiration)

March 29th, 2013

Today is Good Friday. To some, it’s just another day. To some, it’s Friday, and that means the weekend! To others, it’s a day of tradition, a day everyone else in their family has always set aside, and they have to do the same out of obligation.

To me, it marks the day Someone I know and love beyond comprehension climbed a lonely hill in a far-off land - His back beaten and shredded, His forehead mangled from thorns stuck there - and was nailed to a couple slabs of wood, and hoisted up for all to see.

Many who witnessed this saw only a blasphemer, a man who mocked God with His words, and deserved such a death to slate their blood-lust. Some saw a young Rabbi, a man who had only been speaking peace - if He deserved death, it was not in such a barbaric way. Only a few saw Who He truly was: Jesus, The Man Of Sorrows, the Messiah, the One foretold by the prophets, the One Who would save all mankind. And yet even then, those few still didn’t understand the depth of what Jesus was accomplishing - they saw only that their beloved Friend and Rabbi was being killed for no reason.

Far from that.

What category do WE - those of us who know and believe on the other side of Calvary - fall into? Is Good Friday nothing more than tradition, the only day to remember what Christ did for us? Is it just another day? Or is it a day to set aside in some way, a day to pause and focus on the fact that our Friend, our Rabbi, our Savior, chose to walk that path up to the top of Golgotha, and let His blood pour out for each person who has walked and will walk on this earth?

Take some time today to remember and ponder the obligation-free choice Jesus made on this day. He didn’t NEED to do this. He didn’t HAVE to do this. He simply WANTED to, because of His glorious love for us all, and wanting to save us from the fires we actually deserve.

spiritualinspiration: “Let Them Go” By T. D. Jakes There are people who can walk away from you. And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you, let them walk. I don’t want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean, hang up the phone. When people can walk away from you, let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody who left. The Bible said that they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19] People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can’t make them stay. Let them go. It doesn’t mean that they are a bad person; it just means that their part in the story is over. And you’ve got to know when peoples’ part in your story is over so that you don’t keep trying to raise the dead. You’ve got to know when it’s dead. You’ve got to know when it’s over. Let me tell you something. I’ve got the gift of good-bye. It’s the tenth spiritual gift. I believe in good-bye. It’s not that I’m hateful, it’s that I’m faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He’ll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don’t need it. Stop begging people to stay. Let them go!

spiritualinspiration:

“Let Them Go”
By T. D. Jakes

There are people who can walk away from you. And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you, let them walk. I don’t want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean, hang up the phone.

When people can walk away from you, let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody who left. The Bible said that they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19] People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can’t make them stay.

Let them go.

It doesn’t mean that they are a bad person; it just means that their part in the story is over. And you’ve got to know when peoples’ part in your story is over so that you don’t keep trying to raise the dead. You’ve got to know when it’s dead.

You’ve got to know when it’s over. Let me tell you something. I’ve got the gift of good-bye. It’s the tenth spiritual gift. I believe in good-bye. It’s not that I’m hateful, it’s that I’m faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He’ll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don’t need it. Stop begging people to stay.

Let them go!