TRANSFORM

imageDefinition:  To change something completely and usually in a good way.

Last week while working on the blog post for Spring, the word TRANSFORM struck a chord with me.  You know how the earth slowly wakes from the winter slumber and color begins to blossom in nature, that is TRANSFORMATION.  How many of you have or had a little boy that loved playing for hours with the action figures, the transformers or watched the movie?  I think of a little fuzzy caterpillar and through time how it blossoms into a beautiful butterfly or a little tadpole swimming around in a pond suddenly grows up and becomes a frog hopping around!  I laugh thinking of my dear sister and how she utterly despises frogs, she stepped on one barefoot and she has never been the same.

I recently ran into two friends I hadn’t seen in over a year; I almost didn’t recognize them, they had both lost quite a bit of weight, were eating healthier and working out faithfully.  Not only had their bodies TRANSFORMED but their whole demeanor and the way they interacted with me had TRANSFORMED. Their complexions were so clear, their eyes glistened and they had more of a bubbling ongoing personality.   They both seemed so much more confident, at ease and happiness radiated through each of their expressions.  I am so very happy and proud for both of them.  I loved them dearly just the way they were.  However, as I witnessed the TRANSFORMATION on several different levels, it made me stop and think how each one of us truly have the power within to TRANSFORM just about anything we set our minds to.

I was flipping through the channels last weekend wondering why I even have a TV as nothing seemed to be on I cared to watch but I paused for a moment while Dr. Wayne Dyer was giving a talk on 101 Ways to TRANSFORM your Life.  I am pretty content with mine but I am always looking of ways to improve or tweak a few things.  As I was sitting there listening to his strong but soothing voice it was a bit captivating he started out by telling us to break the word down into two words, to take the word form the physical world we live in, all the boundaries we experience that is our form, it is our body.  Trans is a prefix to put in front of our form.  Trans means to go beyond, to soar above, to go past.  So TRANSFORM means to go beyond the limits of our body.  One of his points resonated with me and I believe to be so true that each one of us has the power within we each must change the thoughts we think, the words we speak in order to TRANSFORM our lives.  It is your internal dialogue you have with yourself that has such a powerful impact on how you function day in and day out.  It all begins within before you can make any TRANSFORMATIONS from the outside.  You have to believe, to plant those seeds of desires within, visualize and meditate what it is you truly want to TRANSFORM then through time the results will follow.

I also think it is very important to plant positive affirmations within oneself and that requires feeding our minds and bodies with positive information.  You can obtain this through several different ways.  Listening, reading, I personally like to have my quiet time each morning.  I firmly believe God gave us the Bible to TRANSFORM us not just simply inform us.  Therefore, I read a few scriptures, work on my Bible Study lesson, I have 4 to 5 devotional readings and I journal.  One of my favorite verses on TRANSFORM is found in Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Did you see that “Renewal of your mind”…see how powerful your mind can be? That is why I also like to just sit, to be still and let my mind ponder, wonder and dream.  It is so good for my soul to sit in the silent dawning of a brand new day before the worldly responsibilities take hold.   Yes you got it, “Takin Time Out”!  How about you…what are your rituals?  Have you ever thought about the word TRANSFORM and how it may or may not impact your life?

TRANSFORMATIONS do not always have to be the physical body.  Let’s take an apartment or a house for example…we live in the city and so many of the master plan developments of homes in the neighborhood have three or four different floor plans.  That’s it…35 to 40 homes in a neighborhood and they basically are the same.  You can have the same floor plan but they change the front of the house to appear different usually the number or kind of windows are the key for example one may have a large bay window in the living room but another has two long skinny windows, same on the inside but different from the outside.  How about apartments they have one, two or three bedrooms but the floor plans are basically the same. So you pick the one you like you sign the rental agreement or mortgage note and then you start to move your belongings in, your prized processions and slowly as you unpack each of the boxes and start putting things away, hanging pictures or artwork, arranging the furniture it gradually is TRANSFORMED into your home.  I will never forget moving from the community I grew up all my life to Amarillo and my Dad was very clear to take the bare necessities as we weren’t sure it was a permanent move.  Dad meant clothing, personal items I use daily and basic furniture.  The bare necessities in my book included all the stuff that made a home.  Yes you got it knick knacks…pictures, my stuff.  Several trips later into a 3rd story apartment I was a happy girl with worn out parents!  I laugh to this day when my parents got married they moved to the home my great grandparents had on the ranch.  They lived there for over 25 years; they didn’t move they just built onto the house several times.  So when they sold the ranch and decided to head south their 25 years of accumulation had to be paired down and moved.  So they had an auction.  Dad finally agreed since he has moved several times since I won’t mention how many as I have lost count, his stuff is what brightens up the house and truly makes it home.

Smells also can TRANSFORM the house to a home.  Have you ever noticed how an old empty farm house may smell dusty and musty?  But you take a little elbow grease and some cleaning supplies, you move in and the house becomes alive again?  The sweet smells of down home cooking…or perhaps kids running indoors after playing all day outside.  Yes it is TRANSFORMED.  Who has been a camp counselor or a teacher?  My dear friend and neighbor talks about how each class is different not just in the make-up of the kids but the smells that they bring into the classroom.  The culture, the food we eat, the personal hygiene are all different so I can only imagine.  I will say bounce sheets work miracles for those funky smells, you can place them in your gym bag, or line along the windows in the camp bunkhouse or classroom.  Fabreeze and Lysol is my friend too and oh how I love scented candles!  Hmmm….

I hope each of you realize that no matter what life brings your way, through all the trials, tribulations, disappointments and grief we each have a choice to choose to TRANSFORM our attitudes, our minds, our souls, or physical bodies, our homes, our environment or world through simple small steps.  For some of you maybe today is the day to begin again.  I love the saying, “small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can TRANSFORM the world.”  This can be through our thoughts, words and actions.  Remember one small word of kindness, can TRANSFORM someone’s day.  One touch can bring life and love to a lost soul and one smile is a language we all speak the same!

Well it time to fill my tea cup with my Earl Grey morning cup and head to the shower to see if I can TRANSFORM my bedhead to something presentable for the day…I hope you will think about the word TRANSFORM and “Takin Time Out” this week to renew your mind, body and soul.  If nothing else stop and look around how Spring and Mother Nature is TRANSFORMING, the sweet smells of spring flowers, perhaps showers of rain or l know my West Texas and Southeastern Colorado friends and family have the dust bowl smell of dirt but let’s all count our blessings…until next time my dear friends ENJOY…BREATHE…TRANFORM….

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