Category: God

Categories
A Sunday Thought God

“Love Your Naamans”

“Love Your Naamans”

A Sunday Thought “Love Your Naamans”

But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call the name of the LORD is God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

II Kings 5:11

This past week my thoughts have been on entitlement. Entitlement is an issue. It is rampant in our culture. It is an issue that we read about and see it all the time. Do we really know what entitlement is? Are you confused about it?

Have you ever heard these statements:

“I deserve better.”

“I deserve more.”

“I deserve it all.”

“People should take care of me.”

“I’m entitled to more than I’m getting.”

I know that I have heard these statements, even out of my own mouth. Are they right? I started looking into it. The Bible gives us a good example of a man who suffered from entitlement. You will find his story in II Kings. His name is Naaman.

Naaman, as we read in the Bible, was a commander of a powerful army, a strong soldier, and was well regarded by his superiors and yet, had leprosy. At this time, there was no known cure for this disease.

One of Naaman servants told him where he could go to be healed. So he went to Elisha with his horses and chariots. Elisha told him that if he washed in the Jordan River seven times, he would be cleansed.

Here’s where we read of Naaman’s entitlement:

Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.

2 Kings 5:12

Entitlement comes with two attitudes:

1. I am exempt from any one responsibility, and

2. I am owed special treatment.

In other words, I don’t have to carry my own burdens, and I should be treated differently.

Naaman presents both of these characteristics in his response. First, in Naaman’s mind, he was owed special treatment or at least a proper acknowledgment. Second, Naaman felt that he should be exempt from responsibility. He didn’t want the responsibility to follow orders by washing in the river.

We all have a Naaman in our lives.

We all know a Naaman, perhaps it’s a co-worker, family member or friend who wants you to wave a hand over their situation and fix their problems. Maybe you have a son or daughter that, despite your best parental efforts, has chosen a path of laziness. They feel they deserve special treatment with no responsibility.

Here’s what we need to remember:

Change happens in the presence of compassion (love). Before you look at that Naaman in your life and pretentiously point out all their failings, remember that we have all been a Naaman. The Bible tells us, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”(Romans 3:23).

Here are a couple of things that we can do to help (in my opinion):

1. Be truly “for” them.

Naaman’s servants wanted him to be healed. They wanted to truly help him. I feel that entitled people need alot of our support! Even when they drive you crazy, frustrate you and make you feel helpless, they still require the elements of grace. We have all failed, and we will all need second and third chances.

2. Be black and white about your expectations.

Entitlement often causes people to not listen well to requirements and to others’ needs and expectations. Because those things don’t support their view of themselves as special and above the rules, they tend to dismiss them. So what can we do? We can be black and white with them.

At the end of Naaman story he was healed. He had encouragement, patience and wisdom from all his servants, and he ultimately followed Elisha’s orders.

I believe that entitlement can be helped and I believe that if we aren’t careful, this entitlement mentality will invade our relationship with God. Does God owe us anything? No, I believe that we owe him. In all reality, we owe God and the good news is that he doesn’t give us what we deserve. Instead, in mercy he gives us life! He gives us eternity and freedom and forgiveness and hope and love and truth.

Do you believe it?

I know that God’s paths work for our good and for His glory. I would like a chance to make a difference. Give me compassion for the Naamans in my life.

Happy Monday, dear friends!

Categories
A Sunday Thought Circle L Circle L Ranch God Sunday Thoughts

God~Our Team Captain

God~ Our Team Captain

My Sunday thoughts are quit simple.

God is our team captain.

This is what I have been thinking about,

When I was in school, a while back, our PE teacher would pick team captains. It was then the captains’ job to pick his/her team. I can remember the feeling that I would get when I would get picked. It felt good. Right? Do you remember the feeling of being picked? I do and I don’t ever want to forget that feeling.

That is the same feeling I got when God pick me to be on his team. You see, strong players are the backbone to every team.

But being on God’s team requires some responsibilities. Here’s my list:

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.

Ecc. 4:9

We have to work Together. When we work together, we can double our strength and get more done.

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Proverber 27:17

We have to have each other’s back. Being on God’s team is so special. It’s like checks and balances. We have someone watching our back. God will help us if we falter or lose sight of our goal, just like a good friendship. A good friend doesn’t always agree with you, what you do or what you say. A real friend is someone that is willing to challenge you, to be a better person. A team player encourages his teammates to be better players. Teamwork and friendship work in similar ways.

We have to work together. We all have something unique and special to offer God’s team. We must realize the gifts God has given to us through his love, together our team will have so many options and great advatages to share with others on our team.

We have to fill our spot. Teamwork relies on everyone knowing their position and fulfilling it.

We have to love our team mates. Teamwork requires a good foundation of truth and love. This is sustained by the forgiveness of God. We must follow God’s example and forgive each other. We also need to encourage others.

We have to be good communicators. I know that communication is key in any sport. I also know that communication is important when we are on God’s team. Prayer is the key to communication with our God.

To be an awesome team player, we don’t have to be extroverted or indulge in self-promotion. In fact, great team players have all kinds of personalities. All we really need is to be active, we need to participant and we need to play our role. To be an awesome team player, we need to put our teams objectives above our own and take the initiative to get things done without being asked. In the end, our team will win.

So what about being a team captain? Do you think that God assigns some of us to be “Team Captains” right along with him?

I do!

This verse provides the answers, and I love this verse:

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

John 15:16

The verse is very powerful, right? I mean read it again. These are words that Jesus said.

“I have chosen YOU”

It gives me the goosebumps to be honest with you.

So what do we need to become a team captain? Do you think that God makes us team captains? Oh, I think he does and I think that we need to know what it takes to be a good captain. Here are my thoughts:

Team captains are team leaders. When God assigns us to be a “Captain” we need to listen, communicate and respects those that are on our team. Being a Godly example is to what I’m referring.

Team captains think positive. Being optimistic really means to be hopeful of something good. When God puts us as “Captain” we need to motivate those around us by saying, “We can do this together”, “I will join you.” God doesn’t want our team to fail. Positive thinking enables us to perform at a level that we would never think would be possible.

Team captains pray for their team. God knows our skills, well in fact, God knows everything and we need to pray that God will direct us in everything, everyday. Team captains know what their teammates are capable of doing and not only prays for them, but also gives their teammates opportunities to succeed.

 Team captains understand that it takes a team to win. I know that it takes a team everyday to help me and my family. Right? Yes, I am thankful for those that pray for my family and I. I am also thankful that God listens to my prayers for those around me. It truly does take a whole team working together  to win our game called Life.

Team captains know their teammates skills. I am so glad that God knows the skills I am capable of doing. He knows yours as well.

Team captains knows their teammates personally. Being a “Captain” takes time. Time seems to go so quickly, but it is actually the most important gift we can give our team. Time. Yes sitting down in the quiet, praying and listening is always crucial. Taking time to get to know our teammates is important as well.

Team captains are mentors. This one is so important and like I started before it takes time. Mentoring will help win this game of life. Listening, giving affirmation,being a friend, loving, caring, giving Godly advice, tips and instructions is all you need to be a great mentor. God is a great mentor example for all of us.

Bottom line: team captains take responsibility to lead all of his/her teammates. If God assigns us to be a “Captain” then we need to make sure we are thinking and acting for the betterment of our whole team and not our own benefit.

The most important teammate that we can have on our team is God. He is THE “Team Captain.” In this game of “Life” we are all teammates. Some of us might be assigned to be a team captain, but we all have the same goal. Right?

When God calls each of us home, we all want to see his face at the end of our race. So why not help each other out? Well this week I am stepping up my game, I want to be a team captain. I want to be a better team player and I want to pick you for my team.

Will you join me? Because I just picked YOU to be on my team and you have some responsibilities to fill.

 

Happy Monday to you all.

 
Categories
A Sunday Thought God Godly Godly Traits Good attitude

God Confidence vs. Self Confidence

A Sunday Thought~God Confidence vs. Self Confidence

Learning the difference between God’s-Confidence vs Self-Confidence this week has really opened my eyes and my soul.

This week Cody and I have been talking about the difference in God-confidence and our self-confidence. It has been so good for me that I decided to share my thoughts with you all.

You see, I have been running my days on self confidence and I have decided that I am going to start running my days on God’s confidence.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:10

So what is the difference?  How can we adjust ourselves?

Self Confidence is how we believe in ourselves and our abilities, it is basically how we think and feel about ourselves.  As I write this I find myself worrying about what others will say, or what they will think. Whenever I lack self-confidence like this, or become overly self-conscious, I freeze up. I’m afraid I’m not clever enough or interesting, and you won’t keep reading my post. This really is something that I work on everyday with my blog posts. I know that I am not the only one that experiences this paralyzing self-consciousness. Right?

This is how I see it, the root of our problem is FEAR. Fear of rejection, fear of loosing, fear of looking dumb, fear of what others think, fear of what other people think or fear about how other people feel about us. These fears cause us all to hesitate and not put ourselves out there.

But….

What about pride? Sometimes we are driven by pride, we become determined to prove ourselves to those around us. Right? This activity can cause us to accomplish a lot, but in the end the result is more about us and way less about God. Pride can be the cause of our low self image and that feeling bad for ourselves. Here’s an example:

When we can’t do something as well as we’d like, our pride can’t bear the thought of our “losing” or “not measuring up.” So we mope about our shortcomings and failures, and stop trying.

Sound familiar. O ya, I have found myself doing the above.

Well the good news is that we can change our focus. We can move from being so self-conscious (like worrying about what others might be thinking of us) to being more God-conscious (like focusing on what God wants in our lives and let him work on our imperfect morals to help those around us).

Discussing this with Cody, we decided that we are going to work on being more God confident. We made a list of our thoughts:

  1. When we are more God Confident, we can base our self-image on what God thinks of us. We know that God loves us, that he values us, that he will forgive us and that we have a purpose in life. What really matters is what God can do though our lives.
  2.  We need to ask God EVERYDAY to help us serve him in his purpose(s). God has a plan for each of us. We want to make sure that we are following that.
  3.  We are going to quit procrastinating. (THIS ONE IS GOING TO BE HARD FOR ME.) We know that we have important work to do before he comes again. We want to make sure that we are ready.
  4. We need to be grateful for all we have and we need to offer our thanks to him everyday.
  5. We decided to make an EVERYDAY conscious decision to trust that God will do good things through us. We know that having God confidence in ourselves will help those around us.

 

In the end, focusing on our selves will either keep us from getting to the work that God has planned for us to do, or will distract our motivation and messages by bringing glory to ourselves instead of God. If we focus on the one in the clouds, our confidence will soar and will motivate us to get the work that God has for each of us to do today.

Thanks for letting me share our thoughts today with you all. This is definitely something that I need to work on each and every day. I need more confidence in God’s work within myself. I get so tangled up in myself that it causes me to have anxiety and fear.

Today, will you make a stand with me?

Together let’s let our God-Confidence SHINE.

 

Happy Monday, Friends!!

 

 

Categories
A Sunday Thought Atmosphere Circle L Ranch faith God Heart Life

How is the Atmosphere in Your Heart?

How is the Atmosphere in Your Heart?

Everyone of our hearts has an atmosphere.
What is the atmosphere like in your heart? 

How is the Atmosphere in Your Heart?

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
To do justice and judgement is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
Proverbs 21:2-3


How do you feel about the world today?
Do you feel like there is a lot of confusion?
Do you feel like there is a decline in civility?
Do see that some people like to display love, but there are some that like to display crass?
What is the atmosphere of your heart?

These questions have been on my heart the last couple of weeks.

The atmosphere of our hearts depends on where and who we allow ourselves to be influenced by, and whatever is in our hearts. We can create an atmosphere of peace or hate. This atmosphere will be what flows in our hearts because it will conducive to what is in our hearts.

You see, we are in our comfort zone when we create whatever is in our hearts and flow in it when it prevails. We can create and contribute to God’s kingdom, or we can create and contribute to the enemy.

Think about this…..

When love rules our hearts, there will be resistance when we try to walk in the atmosphere of evil.  Our spirit of love will be discerned, but not welcome. To resist this atmosphere we must enter to feel a discomfort in our hearts. This feeling is out of our comfort zone. We must set up our atmosphere to see God’s light.

Satan tell us this…..
“If you can’t beat’em, join’em.”
Right? Satan is a very good recruiter. He makes us frustrated and then he wins by us thinking like him. I see it over and over and over. Do you?  He figures that if he has a stronghold in our atmosphere, he can get us to do what ever he wants. I am out to shut him down and I want you to join me.

How ’em I going to do that?

I know that I can change my own spiritual atmosphere around myself quickly by practicing:

Grace: 
Cut people some slack instead of cutting them clear off. Be humble and have compassion. Forgive and forget.

Gratitude:
Be thankful for everything that happens whether good or bad. Show gratitude by writing a note or maybe a phone call. Everyday give more complements than complaints.

Generosity:
Give, give and give a little more!! No I am not talking about money. I am talking about time, energy and kindness.

Not only will these things change our attitudes, but if we do these consistently, eventually the principle of sowing and reaping will catch up to us so our life will be full of people doing the same things.

How is the atmosphere in your heart?

Happy Monday!!

Categories
A Sunday Thought Celebrate faith God love

A Sunday Thought~Celebrate the Gift of Today

A Sunday Thought~Celebrate the Gift of Today

Celebrate Every Day!!


I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. 
Isahiah 61:10


My thoughts for the last couple of weeks have really been on our world. You see, how do we rejoice in the Lord when we live in an uneasy, broken world and every time we look in a newspaper, read social media, or read our emails, we hear about another awful crime or awful story?

I saw a wood sign the other day in a store that said, “Celebrate Today! I came that you might have life abundantly!” I should have bought it, but I just took a picture of it. This statement really changes my views. God has given me this day, and I want to make sure that I am doing what he wants me to do everyday. This statement is a reminder to me that in the darkest of days I can still find something to celebrate. Each day is a gift, and although on some days it may take some thought, there is always something to rejoice about.

Here are a few of examples of what God has done for me:

One of Cade’s cows had a backwards calf, and after pulling the calf out, Cade’s cow died from the complications of the delivery. Life and death happens, we all know that, this story is no different except that Cade now is responsible for feeding his calf. I think it’s a good lesson for Cade and he is getting a kick out of feeding his calf. They already have a bond. You see even when things look dark, God reminds us that he is still in control.

This past year, the repair bill on our vehicles tripled because we have so much water and mud. I mean we have replaced more ball joints, bearings, and bushings then I can even count, but guess what, we have green grass coming. You see even when you think about all the money, God reminds us that we need all the moisture, because our cattle need it.

Last week I got a phone call from a friend that I haven’t chatted with for a long time. I really appreciated her words. “Naomi, keep your head up, God has a plan for you.” You see, even when we think we are taking 5 steps backwards, someone is there to tell us its okay, now take 10 steps forward.

You see, these are only a few of my examples, but we can all learn to celebrate today. We have to look for it.

What makes your heart pitter-patter?
What makes a smile come to your face?
What makes your soul find peace?
Whatever it is, go do it. If its calling a friend, then pick up the phone and call them.
If its going for a walk, then head out the door and do it.
If its going for a horseback ride, then saddle up and go.
If its sitting in silence, then find a quiet spot.

My point is that when things that make our heart and soul feel good, then God will be able to work magic in them. We can consciously release all our worries, fears and burdens to God. When we look at all the amazing things that happen everyday- the beautiful sunrises, the miracle of life, the miracle of salvation and forgiveness, a phone call, a hug, a child’s laugh, a friend’s visit- our heart and souls will leap with wonder that will fill our minds with love and joy.

My prayer:

Lord, help me look for the magic in this day. Open my eyes to the reasons for joy so that I can celebrate life in all its fullness. Thank you for giving me life today. Thank you for everything you have given to me. Thank you for showing me your ways.

Happy Monday, friends.
Going miles on Sunday Thoughts.

Categories
A Sunday Thought God Grateful

A Sunday Thought~Be Grateful for What You Are

A Sunday Thought~Be Grateful for What You Are

Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation
for all abundance. ~Elkart T


Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
James 1:17-19
Ever found yourself saying statements like these:

I wish I had her skinny shape. I wish I had her job. I wish I had her life. I wish I could afford her closet. I wish my house was decorated and more updated. O man, it could go on and on. Right?
Researchers say it is part of our American mind set to desire to have more, go further, be happier, and look better than our parents, and especially than our friends and neighbors. While I think that a little friendly rivalry can spur our exercise efforts if we have a workout partner, having a whole lot of envy of others can send us into a backwards spiral.
I believe that one of the best antidotes for statements of comparison is gratitude for what God has given us and for what we are. This past week, I have been really trying to focus on the good qualities God has given to me. I even wrote a list of the qualities God has given me. It was really good for me to focus on that list because when we appreciate our own abilities and the gifts God has given to us, contentment and peace will settle our hearts. The above verse, taken from James, tells us that every good gift comes from above and we should never forget. 
My plan is to move my pride aside and focus on the love God has shown to me.

So, whenever I start feeling insignificant or “less than,” I will be writing a list of blessings and gifts God has given to me. When I write these lists those dark clouds of regret will begin to clear and I then will see the light of who I am and what God has graciously given to me. 
On days (which has actually been a lot lately) when I feel insignificant, I think about the person I am today and the special relationship I have with Christ. It brings the sun out, so I can see the reflection of a lady who is unique and certain of her personal worth because she is loved by God and complete in Christ.
My prayer:
Lord, you are an amazingly loving and giving God. Thank you for your goodness and your love. Thank you for your changing love!
Going Miles on Sunday Thoughts!! 
Categories
A Sunday Thought Expectations faith Goals God Life Look Up

A Sunday Thought~Raise Our Expectations

A Sunday Thought

A Sunday Thought~Raise Our Expectations

 

With every high expectation there is a low expectation.
After every victory there is a letdown.
With every Blessing there comes a testing.
But let it be our motivation to pray more and turn to God.


Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.
Colossians 3:2

It is a spiritual as well as a psychological fact: we move toward what we see in our minds.
Our lives will follow our expectations. 

My thoughts have been on on expectations! Let me explain. Without realizing it, most of us spend much of our time trapped inside the “busy-ness” of daily life. We are effectively unconscious to the world and sleepwalk through our days. Being locked inside such busy-ness can erode a vast chunk of our life by stealing our time. We all have expectations, right? We have low expectations and high expectations. I wrote a list out of some thoughts that detour our thinking about high expectations.

They are:
Our Situation Has Lasted So Long, And We Don’t Think It Will Ever Change
We put more trust in people than we do God.
Our Friends Enable Instead of Empower
We Ask God For Just Enough To Get By
We have a hard time focusing on what is happening right now
We are “running on automatic,” without much awareness of what we are doing
We rush here and there and never really be attentive to them.
We find ourselves preoccupied with the future or the past.

In other words, are we driven by the daily routines that force us to live in our heads rather than in our lives?

Quantity isn’t everything, of course. But those who practice mindfulness are also less anxious and stressed, as well as more relaxed, fulfilled and energized, so not only does life seem longer as it slows down and you begin to “show up for it,” but it seems happier, too.

God is extremely interested in what we see through our “spiritual eyes.” What I mean is this; if we have a vision of victory in our life, we can rise to that new level. But if our gaze is on the ground instead of our possibilities, we are  hurling our selves in the wrong direction. If our gaze is on the ground, we are missing great things God wants to do in and though us.

Our life will follow our expectations.

Let me say that one more time.

Our life will follow our expectations.

What we expect is what we are going to get.
EVERYDAY. WE. NEED. TO.KNOW.OUR.EXPECTATIONS.
Don’t let them down.
Don’t look down.

If we raise our level of expectancy, our vision will be enlarged.

On the opposite side of my list, I made a column of what we can do to help get our expectations back on track.
They are:

Appreciate Happiness. Happiness is looking at the same situation with different eyes. Life is happening at this very moment. Tomorrow and yesterday are only thoughts. So make the best of today. Think of all the  circumstances or people that make you happy and write them down. Why do they make you happy?

Turn off Social Media. This has been the biggest and best action I have taken to help me look up. All the likes, shares and etc. are not going to get us to heaven. Everyone has ups, downs, good days and bad, they just don’t share them all with us. So while it may look like they have it all together, I can assure you they don’t. I have picked Sunday to turn off all Social Media.

Breathe. I know we are breathing right now, but really whenever you feel tired, angry, stressed, anxious or unhappy, take a breather. I can remember my coach in high school, when our team was getting off track, he would say “go take a 5 minute breather.” So we would all go to the water fountain, take a drink, walk back to the gym and then continue on with practice. He was really smart. (Don’t tell him I said that!!) You know why? Because when we would get back to the gym, everything that had been really bugging us, didn’t seem as big as we thought.  So whenever life seems to be getting off track, take time to breathe.

Write in a diary. This one has really help me. I have been writing in a diary every night. I write my goals, my thoughts, what we did for that day. I write down what I am thankful for. I write down what I need to work on. I am telling you what, just this little 5 minute exercise, sure gives me a fresh new look.

Our level of expectation is the level of our faith. If you show me a person with low expections, I will show you a person using very little faith. Show me a person with high expectations, I will show you a person with a lot of faith. We need to remember that we are talking about having our expectations in God. We need to trust in God to take care of us and everything that concerns us.

Our focus everyday should be on higher things. Left our eyes to those things that are Godly.
We will not be able to take earthly things with us, right? So why not focus those things that we CAN take with us.

This week I am choosing to surround myself with people that choose the light of God, that bring optimism. Choosing to find the good and the happy in every situation is hard, but it can be done. I believe that I need to raise the bar, raise my level of expectancy and choose to make the best of my life today.

Running miles on Sunday smiles. Thanks for reading friends. Do you have any ways that help you keep your expectations up?  I would love to hear them.

Categories
A Sunday Thought Circle L God Thoughts

A Sunday Thought~ What God Has Given Me

A Sunday Thought

A Sunday Thought~ What God Has Given Me

My thoughts this last week have been on this statement:
“Naomi, What has God given you?”
Wow, what a powerful statement, but a good one.
I thought about it, wrote a list and then studied them.  Here is my answer:
God has given me Light: 
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:3 & 4
God has given me a Promise:
And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
Genesis 9: 12 & 13
God has given me Peace:
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Colossians 3:15
God has given my Fruit:
And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the LORD our God doth give us.
Deuteronomy 1:25
God has given me a lot of Blessings:
And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
Deuteronomy 28:2
God has given me Love:
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:10
God has given me a Friend:
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 17:17
God has given me a Way:
That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
Jeremiah 42:3
God has given me an Example:
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
John 13:15
God has given me a Book:
The Bible
I am sharing my thoughts so that you and I may enjoy them and be witnesses of His goodness to our world. The purpose of this is to help you and I, appreciate how much God loves and values us and our well-being. We all are are somebody greatly loved and valued by God.
A gift speaks of the thoughts of the giver about the recipient. Think about that.
A gift speaks of the thoughts of the giver about the recipient.
I want to use the knowledge of the giving nature of God to help me everyday. I also want to use the nature of the gift to re-evaluate my worth to God. This week and for the weeks ahead I am going to re-evaluate what God has given me and my hope is to see my faith get stronger and more productive.
I have one more thought:

It is important too, that when we receive a gift that we have the right attitude. So when God gives me a gift, I should receive it with a good attitude. The Bible says God takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servants. The process is as follows: know the free gifts, receive them by faith, have a thankful attitude and then enjoy them to the full.

Happy Monday, dear friends!! Going miles on Monday Smiles.
You know what friends, I would like to challenge you all.
If you like this post, would you mind sharing it.

Categories
A Sunday Thought God Overwhelming Stress Thoughts

A Sunday Thought~When Life is Overwhelming

A Sunday Thought

A Sunday Thought~When Life is Overwhelming

You know what? The same God who created Mountains & Oceans & the Stars

 looked at You and thought the World needed you too.

(Picture Credit to My Cowboy)

 

Do you have too much on your plate? Do you feel overwhelmed and stressed out? Well I do!
This week I have been focusing on fixing my overwhelming thoughts! I am focusing on distressing! I am focusing on getting myself peaceful.
You know we are in an age of fast paced lifestyles and heightened commercialism, EVERYWHERE we look, EVERYTHING needs our attention. Consequently, we are on information overload and we don’t have time for ourselves. Right?
I know that as I juggle between family, ranch life, work and my personal needs, it is really easy to get sucked into the NEVER ENDING list of to-dos and end up feeling overwhelmed and stressed.
So how did I become overwhelmed?
 
Expectation~
My #1 source of stress and my overwhelming anxiety is my expectation on one particular outcome. I try to hard to satisfy that one expectation, and I place so much pressure on myself that I cause my self stress.
 
Take on WAY too Much~ 
My friends always say “Naomi, you have to learn to say NO.” I know it, but I am not good at saying NO. I love helping people out. I love to please others and I don’t like displeasing those that may need help. I don’t like letting people down, but you see I actually am letting really important things that matter down, like my dreams, and spending time with my family and friends.  I can see it and I am working on it. 
 
TOO Much Pressure on MYSELF~ 
I have this voice inside my head that will not be quiet. It is always chattering, telling me what I did wrong, telling me that I am too fat and out of shape, and telling me that I am not good enough. This voice is negative self talk. I am working on shutting that chatter off. IT IS HARD.
I Can Do It Myself~ AKA Control. 
I have this attitude of I can do it myself. I don’t want to ask for help. I am like a two-year old. I get it. I am working on it. You see, I have this overwhelming list of jobs that I think I need to get done, but I don’t ask for help. 
TRY To Keep UP with the JONES~ 
No really maybe not the Jones, but with all my friends on Facebook. I know that I am not the only one that does this. “Overachiever” is another way to describe this. This one is the one that gets “Likes” and “Shares.” This one makes us feel special. I am not saying that having accomplishments is bad and that we shouldn’t “Share” or “Like” them, I am saying overachieving comes with a stressful price. 
So how am I going to fix it?
Quiet Time~ 
Reading my Bible and praying. Just a little quiet to turn off my chattering head. 
 
In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. 
Psalms 18:6
Get Out~
I have figured out that I have to get out to be able to view my circumstances and get a fresh, new perspective. So how do I do that? MOVE. I go for a walk, go for a horseback ride, call a friend to talk or have lunch. Getting out from the situation and changing my physicality helps me gain clarity and it changes my overwhelmed head.
What is Most Important~ 
This is the question that I ask myself when I get all the chattering turned off. I ask myself, “What is most important for me?” I often find myself getting so caught up in the doing, that I forget why I am doing it. I want to focus on the things that are important to me, instead of the unimportant tasks that overwhelm me. 
Writing~Journaling~
This is something that I just started. I have been writing a daily post in a notebook. I include thoughts, plans, and even have a few drawings in it. When I am starting to get that chatter voice in my head, and feel the stress and that overwhelming feeling, I know that I need to declutter my mental space. I have been dumping those thoughts right on a piece of paper. I have been making lists and you know what, they are not neat and pretty, but I don’t really care.  I just want to have a metal declutter.  Believe me, it works. 
Ask for Help~ 
 
I am learning to ask for help. I am learning to ask more for God’s help. I am learning to ask friends for help. I am learning to ask My Cowboy for more help, especially when I feel stressed and overwhelmed. You know what I have learned, rarely do I get turned down when I ask for help.
Time~Set Boundaries~ 
Time is precious. My time is unrenewable. I need to spend it wisely and consciously. As I get older, I understand the importance of time.
Turn it Off~ 
When I feel stressed and overwhelmed and I feel like the world is against me, I find myself turning on the internet and just hanging out. WASTE OF TIME.  I have started something new, every Sunday I don’t turn on any of my social media. I don’t look at it. It has made a world of difference in my attitude and the chatter in my head. We all know that social media is addicting and it turns that chatter in our head on high. So turn it off. 
 
Night Time~
After we put the kids to bed, My Cowboy and I chat! I mean we just talk about our favorite parts of the day, or the worst. We talk about how thankful we are about what we have. I have really been trying to focus on giving thanks to God for all that I have and for my health and our family health. It is really important for me to get things off my chest and talking about it helps. I also do a lot of praying. I have figured out that if I can go to bed with the chattering voice off, I will wake up in the morning refreshed and ready to go. 
My Ending Thoughts~
I have started to treat my stress and overwhelming thoughts as a friend. Just like an indicator letting me know that I need to regroup, slow down and adjust the focus in my head. Life doesn’t have to be overwhelming and full of stress. We cause ourselves these issues and no matter how rough our day is today, or yesterday, every morning God has a new plan for us. 
And now it is your turn to help all of us out.  What do you do when you are overwhelmed and stressed? Comment below. 

Happy Halloween from the Circle L!
Categories
A Sunday Thought God inspire Sunday Thoughts

A Sunday Thought~ In·Spire

A Sunday Thought

A Sunday Thought~In·Spire


inˈspī(ə)r/in·spire

verb
  1. 1.
  2. fill (someone) with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.
  3. “his passion for romantic literature inspired him to begin writing”
  5. 2.
  6. breathe in (air); inhale.

(https://www.google.com)

I have a question for you?
What are You respiring into people?

re·spire
rəˈspī(ə)r/
verb
  1. breathe.
  2. “he lay back, respiring deeply”
    • (of a plant) carry out respiration, especially at night when photosynthesis has ceased.

Hope? Love? Passion? Confidence? Happiness?

My thoughts this week have been focused on this question.
WHAT DO I DO THAT INSPIRES THOSE AROUND ME?

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2 Timothy 3:16

WHAT you breathe into people isn’t as important as THAT you breathe into people.

Reality is it takes elements to inspire people.
These elements include:

Ourselves- What have we become ourselves?
Experience- What experience do people get when they are around us?
Relation- Can they relate to us?

After doing a little soul searching on this In·Spire topic, I wondered to myself; how can I become an inspiration to those around me?

This is what I have come up with:

Be Fun, Be Positive, Have a Good Attitude
People won’t listen TO, or be inspired BY, someone they have a hard time taking seriously. After all, it’s impossible to listen to someone if you’re too busy questioning that person’s character.

Be Ourselves. Be Authentic.
God made us unique. We each have our own perspective on life. There is no need to be ashamed of who we are.

Don’t Worry. Be Happy.
Stop worrying about what other people think. Be confident in yourself. Our human nature seeks approval, but if we learn to not look for approval of others, we will not only be happier, but it leaves room for us to inspire those around us.

Be a Good Listener.
Have you ever just needed to talk to someone, and when you started talking, they wouldn’t listen? It is frustrating and a lot of time it hurts our feelings. Being a good listener takes an effort but it is worth it in the end.

Be Consistent.
Being consistent is hard to execute and even harder to come by. Consistency, despite convenience and comfort, creates a unique character– and that is inspiring. We all have a special talent, maybe we can write, maybe we can help out in our communities, maybe we are good with words, so let’s share it with those around us-EVERYDAY! Think about this: Do you know someone that SHARES their gifts regularly that isn’t inspiring? I can bet you no. Because it is impossible.

Unfortunately – despite our best efforts – we CAN’T inspire everyone we meet.

Some people just aren’t inspirable.

No matter how hard you work to get their respect.
No matter how hard you work to be their friend.
No matter how hard you try to help them.

Not everyone wants or is willing to be inspired.

AND THAT IS OK.
I have a challenge for ALL of us.  Our challenge in life, is to include the attributes of inspirational people in our lives.

Because THAT is the only way to increase the probability that other people will become inspired too.

REMEMBER: We can not inspire everyone.

You CAN, however, increase the probability of inspiration by molding yourself into the most inspirational person you know.

I have a question for you?
What are You respiring into people?

Categories
A Sunday Thought God Negative Thoughts Positive Thoughts Stream

A Sunday Thought~ Redirecting Our Stream

A Sunday Thought

A Sunday Thought~ Redirecting Our Stream

The next time we have negative thoughts, let’s try this: ignore them.
Ignore the negative and accept the positive.
Dwell on the good and forget the bad.
Let’s let our stream flow in God’s direction.
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
Psalms 46:4

Let’s be Real.

Let’s talk about something that may be eroding our stream.

What I am talking about is our negative thoughts.
What I am talking about is our negative patterns.

My thoughts this week have been positive and negative. I made a goal to turn all my negative thoughts into a positive thought. I also prayed that God would help me with my negative thoughts.

Ever had a week or a day, that just didn’t flow.  I know I have them quite frequently, but this week I am going to focus on redirecting my stream.  I would like you to join me.

You see, with every negative thought we have, every pessimistic thought, our stream gets deeper and our current gets stronger.

What causes these negative thoughts, that causes our stream to get deeper and the current to get stronger?

Anxiety, Fear, Doubt, Stress, Tired, Frustration, Anger, Discontent, Dwelling on the Negative just to name a few.

Fortunately, we have control over our stream. We have control of the current of our stream. We can actually build a new stream.

Let’s be Real.

When we spend our days dwelling on God’s words, and we start seeing the best in all our situations, one thought at a time, we can redirect our stream and control the current.

Here’s my thoughts:
It is normal to have negative thoughts. Everyday we have some type of negative thoughts and its OK. The key is how we handle the negative thoughts.

We don’t need to believe in our negative thoughts. Our minds would like us to believe that all of our thoughts are correct.

Our minds and body are not the same. The truth is our minds are just one part of us; it isn’t the whole US. Being able to separate our thoughts from our sense of self is one of the most useful things we can do.

Think of yourself as being made up of four parts.
Mind
Physical body
Heart
Spiritual aspect
This means: You. Are. Not Your. Mind. Your mind is just a tool for you to use. We have control over our thoughts. We have control over how we react to those thoughts and we have control over our Stream.

Let’s be Real.

The next time we have negative thoughts, let’s try this: ignore them.
Ignore the negative and accept the positive.
Dwell on the good and forget the bad.
Let’s let our stream flow in God’s direction.

Happy Monday!!

Categories
A Sunday Thought God Patience ranch life Sunday Thoughts

A Sunday Thought~Patience

A Sunday Thought

A Sunday Thought~ Patience

Ranch Life, Nebraska, Land scape
My patience this past weekend was tried to the MAX, but I have learned more about practing patience.
You see, this past weekend Circle L Ranch received a significant amount of moisture and I learned a little more about patience.
Patience is a Struggle.
Patience is the art for overcoming the difficulties.
Patience is waiting for snow to boil so that we could feed our bucket calves.
Patience is waiting for the lights to come on. (We are 58 hours and counting without electricity.)
Patience is not having a dishwasher.
Patience is not having a shower for 3 days.
Patience is not being able to wash our clothes.
Patience is not having a land line phone.
Patience is seeing mud and thinking about all the green grass coming.
 
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 
Roman 10:17
As I read my Bible by candle light this weekend, I quickly changed my attitude about patience.
 
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 
Hebrews 6:12
Sometimes when things don’t happen on our timetable, it can be tempting to get discouraged. But in the season of waiting is when you have to dig your heels in and refuse to give up! This is how we dealt with this weekend’s issues. I know that God is doing something in me at the same time that He is doing something for you. God knows that we need green grass for our cattle, so he is bringing us moisture. The little things this weekend, like not having electricity, has really made me appreciate power lines and the crew that helps keep them running.
My reminder for all of us today: God has us in the palm of His hand. I know that we all have some kind of difficulties in our lives right now, but they are not that difficult for God. Our challenges should not stop us; they make us stronger, they help develop us.
My ending thoughts today:
Let patience have its perfect work. At the end of the day, not having electricity was a blessing. The kids, my Cowboy and I had a good time eating and reading by candle light.
Trust that God is faithful to His promises. God always keeps his promises and I don’t need to worry.
Speak faith over your circumstances. I prayed a lot for our neighbors, our friends, our livestock and their livestock this weekend when the snow was blowing, and we couldn’t see the barn. I knew that God was in control.
Declare His goodness and faithfulness. After the storm passed, the sun came out and I prayed to God and told him “Thank You.”
God is fighting our battles and working behind the scenes.
Don’t give up because with faith and patience, it’s just a matter of time before you see His promises come to pass!
I would like to say “Thank You” for those who prayed for our ranch this past weekend and for those who texted and called.
Happy Monday, dear Friends!.
I am leaving you with a few photos from this past weekend.
Eating pistachios by candle light.

 

Boiling snow for bottle calves
Snow man, Ranch kids
Cade built a snowman. (No that is not Coal)
Dog pat
Cade knee deep in water.

 

Windmill, Nebraska Snow, Ranch Life
and at the end of a storm, I think what a wonderful life.
Categories
Enemy God Sunday Thoughts War

A Sunday Thought from the Circle L ~ Our Battle Field

A Sunday Thought

A Sunday Thought from the Circle L ~ Our Battle Field

Cow, Cow Dogs, Blog, Ranch Life
Everyday we need to bow our heads, get to our knees and ask God to help us with our mind war.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 
Isiah 26:3
Do you believe this?
We are fighting a war everyday.
Whether or not you are aware of it, we have a war raging all around us, and we have a battle for our minds. Our enemy’s target happens to be our thoughts. Our enemy wants to control how we think, because when he has our minds, he can control our entire lives.
So how do we know when the enemy is close?
Our enemy is very patient. He will wait until we least expect him. He loves control. He loves to put negative thoughts in our minds. This is how the enemy talks to us:
Obsesses, Confuses, Pushes, Frightens, Rushes, Discourages, Condemns, Worries.
This is how God talks to us:
Calms, Comforts, Leads, Stills, Encourages, Enlightens and Fills us with Peace, Provides Joy.
Our thoughts determine our actions, our attitudes, and our self image. Our thoughts determine our destiny.
Thoughts are POWERFUL. Words are POWERFUL.
You see we can WIN our War. We have God on our side, and all we need to do is let him fight the fight for us. Prayer and positive thoughts will strengthen our force.
I am going to leave you with these thoughts:
The enemy of ours is not after our money or our stuff. All he really wants is our minds, our attitudes, our hearts, our faith and our peace. He wants the things we can not see. He wants to battle for it. Our mind will always believe everything we tell it. This week I want to win the battle and I want you to win as well.  Let’s feed our mind with faith, feed it with peace, and feed it with love.
Do you need help in your battle field?
I would be glad to help.
Happy Monday, Friends!!
Categories
God Happiness Mold Sunday Thoughts

A Sunday Thought~ “Fit” Into Your Mold

A Sunday Thought

A Sunday Thought~ “Fit” Into Your Mold

Cowgirl, God, Mold, Happiness
Matthew 12: 37 says…by your words you will be justified…., and

 by your words you will be condemned….In other words, the way we talk

 and think about ourselves reveals how we feel about ourselves.

 I make mistakes, I compare myself to others, and I sometimes

 want to “Fit” into someone else’s mold. I am asking God to help me

“Fit” into my own mold.
But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 
For every man shall bear his own burden.
Galatians 6:4-5
My thoughts this past week have been on pretending.
Pretending that I need to “fit” into someone else’s mold.
Have you ever felt like this?
Ever feel like someone is trying to “fit” into your mold?
Hear me out; We don’t fit into somebody else’s mold; and other people don’t fit into our mold as. So we should all stop trying. God likes us all. He wants me to be the best Naomi can be, not aspire to be like somebody else.
I talked to a friend last week about this topic and she had some really good advice; “Just be yourself!” It hit me on the head like a hammer on a nail. What God wants us to be is ourselves.
After my chat with my friend, my attitude changed and my thoughts were redirected. I dared myself to be happy. Happiness comes to us by accepting ourselves (the opposite of being insecure). Many social, physical, and emotional problems stem from the fact that we aren’t happy ourselves (insecure), and so we try to “fit” into someones else’s mold. Our thoughts are negative. We are always comparing ourselves and wishing we were different. Ever feel this way?
I won’t lie, that is how I was last week. I was pretending. I wanted to “fit” into someone else’s mold. After I hit my head with the hammer, I rethought my approach. I was created to be ME. God made us all different for a reason. He has a goal for each of us. We need to be a God-pleaser, not a man-pleaser. This week I am going to work on my own mold. I am going to be happy. And my new attitude is this:
 
I am confident in who I am. I’m not going to go around pretending, wishing I were something else, trying to fit into somebody’s else’s mold. I am going to be happy myself and leave out the negative. I want to have courage to “Fit” into my own mold.
Who is in with me? Do you “Fit” in your mold?
Happy Monday, dear friends!!