"Takin' Time Out"

Definition: A main division of a book, typically with a number or title. A local branch of a society.

Welcome my friends, love this time of the week when I get to sit down with my laptop, curled up in my favorite chair with a blanket wrapped around me and yes I have a savoring cup of hot orange spiced tea in my favorite cup and the dog curled up at my feet. I am frantically trying to type as fast as I can as these random thoughts are eager to come out into some form of inspiration. This week we have had major rain in North Texas and the weather has shifted to a little cooler than normal but we will take it as I am sure the blazing hot days of summer will be right around the corner. Even though I really don’t mind, I love sunshine and the heat.

This week I have chosen the word CHAPTER. While “Takin Time Out” this week I read a great quote from Victoria Moran that could apply to each of our lives…”A charmed life is lived in CHAPTERS, the way you would read a long novel…Give yourself without reservation to the CHAPTER you are on.” Read this again slowly…”give yourself without reservation to the CHAPTER you are on!”

How many of you feel like you better do everything now…today…right this minute? Do you find yourself running nonstop just to keep up, frantically trying to get it all done? How many times do we feel it is never enough or the “To Do” list never gets done? Your day is defeated and it hasn’t even begun…has someone or something robbed you of your joy? Or maybe you are fighting an illness, a loss, are just trying to keep up! Let’s STOP a minute…breathe in deeply and re-evaluate!

Read the first portion again “A charmed life is lived in CHAPTERS”. This is different way to approach life or perhaps gives us a different perspective because you live it in CHAPTER’s one section at a time just like you were reading a book. Just think about a really good book, one you can’t put down you are so engrossed in the story, absorbing each word on the page and nothing exists but what is happening now. Even though CHAPTER 9 is laying the foundation for CHAPTER 10 the book only make sense one CHAPTER at a time. Sometimes it leaves you in suspense, the adrenalin can be flowing or your heart skips a beat but you are caught up in the actual moment. This is how we should be living our lives each day. When you live your life this way you can devote more attention to what is yours, it is your story and embracing in living in the moment the present fully aware as this time will never come again. Take just a second and look at your current CHAPTER…are you in school, newly married, raising children or teenagers, perhaps you are a recent empty nester, building your career, ending your career and recently retiring, in the sandwich generation, experiencing loss, change, health issues or in the final CHAPTER? No matter where you are I hope you are truly enjoying and finding the best life has to offer being grateful for every little detail even if it is a tough one. No matter your circumstances you still have a contribution to make to society. I realize circumstances can certainly make things more complicated and we all have a CHAPTER we are ready to see end and move onto the next one or have a chance to undo. Yet as I stated earlier each CHAPTER helps build on the next one! It makes us who we are and maybe the CHAPTER is not all about you but you are living through hell to be a part of or help another person’s CHAPTER be complete! We all have to take the good, the bad and the ugly to make it a good novel! Now wouldn’t you say that is a novel idea?

Maybe your CHAPTER is like a detective you can’t quite put your finger on it. You are in search of the missing facts…something is off…just make sure your questioning does not turn into an obsession that distract you from the activities you are supposed to be living. There is nothing wrong with feeling your way through the unfamiliar realms of the new emotional landscape you may not have all the answers you just need to continue your pursuit of the truth…let your inner compass guide you. If you get too off track it’s ok to ask for help…whether it is through a friendship, mentor or a coach/counselor. There are always bumps in the road and seeking wise counsel is important to get us through that CHAPTER and onto the next!

Another point I would like to make no two stories are alike, so just because someone expects you to do things a certain way may not be your true story…your CHAPTER doesn’t always have to be in the order your parents or family members may think! We were not all designed to grow up, go to college, get a job, start and raise a perfect family, give back to the community, go to church, retire to Florida or Arizona and live happily ever after. Even though many non-fiction books portray this image or someone tells you this is how it will be let’s get real…even June and Ward Cleaver had Eddie Haskell to contend with or The Wilson’s had Dennis the Menace living next door. Life is to be an adventure…imperfect and messed up most days. That’s what makes a great book!

I feel it is very important to be grounded and connected. I need my faith in God to get me through most of my CHAPTERS and when I stray and try it my way that is the CHAPTER that is most disastrous. When you feel your CHAPTER is falling apart or you need some guidance and encouragement, I hope you will pick up the good book! Yes, the Bible…this is the bestselling book of all times. It is filled with so many CHAPTERS to help you day in and day out. It provides us with knowledge to learn to cope, maneuver, have hope, faith and learn to truly love one another. Jeremiah 29:11 “ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you hope and a future.” Or Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” and Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us who can be against us?” Finally if you are struggling Matthew 9:36 “And when Jesus looked at the crowds he felt sorry for them, because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.” I am hoping you will let God be your shepherd as the next Chapter is written.

As you are “Takin Time Out” this week reflecting on your current situation or the plans ahead…please do not get so absorbed in the future or letting the past haunt you…let’s breathe in deeply, let out slowly and be present TODAY…this very moment…enjoy this CHAPTER as it is being written! Until next time my friends let us Love generously, Praise loudly, and Live fully!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Definition: To give back (someone or something that was lost or taken) : to return (someone or something). To put or bring (something) back into existence or use. To return (something) to an earlier or original condition by repairing it, cleaning it, etc.

Darn it, here I am again one month from my last post! I have had the best intensions this year to be more faithful in my blog post and doing what I truly love to do and that is writing from the heart. Yet sometimes life and our daily activities truly seem to just get in the way and keeping us from pursuing those desires that are locked up inside or derailing us from the train track temporarily…so as I have said before and will say again…It is time to begin again, here goes…

Just so you know, I have a warm scrumptious cup of Chai Oolong Maharaja tea that my children gave me for Mother’s Day savoring in my favorite cup, my laptop plopped in my lap, a fuzzy blanket wrapped around me in the wee hours of this beautiful morning. I can hear the dog snoring as she is curled up at my feet and my fingers ready to type all these random thoughts rolling around in my head. I have begun to think about what I want to share this week and the word “RESTORE” pops into my head. You see I have been working on several projects at home and at work to RESTORE a feeling of warmth, balance and refresh my surroundings. It makes me happy to visualize and make subtle changes whether it is painting furniture with chalk paint or changing the color of the wall to adding a pop of color with a new pillow for the couch. Even the fresh cut flowers sitting on the table makes me smile. It truly brings back a sense of peace in this chaotic world we live in.

I have a few antiques that have been passed down from generation to generation. In order to keep the wood luxurious I know I have to give it a good cleaning from time to time and put some tung oil on it, rubbing it into the grain and watching it come back to life. It is amazing. I also like to watch a parched plant from the heat of the day and what a little water can do to RESTORE its beauty and perk it right up. How many times do you have a computer issue and you have to RESTORE its data? Just recently my poor mother in law was hit with a severe Spring storm and a tornado blew though their little community. She had half of a tall pine tree come crashing down on her roof splitting the trellis in the attic and causing major damage to the sheetrock, ceiling, walls and rain pouring into the house. Fortunately she and the cat were safe in the center closet of the home and over the next few weeks we will watch the transformation of how the insurance company and construction workers can slowly RESTORE the present situation into a beautiful home once again. So thankful for her safety it could have been so much worse.

Last week I attended a conference where an incredible soldier, Shiloh Harris and author of Steel Will spoke what an inspirational being…he had everything going his way while serving our country and fighting for our freedom…then the tables turned in an instant and he was blown up, lost two of his friends in the accident and he really should not have lived either…but God had a purpose and he has an incredible testimony of surviving the unthinkable walking through hell to become the man he was meant to be. As he quoted “Everything in your life is a gift. Sometimes it may not be the gift you want, but you realize that your challenges are a new beginning.” His words RESTORED my soul and I realized my issues were not as severe as his and yet he overcame, prevailed and is RESTORED even better than he was before the accident. I encourage you to pick up his book or if you need a speaker at an event…his story is life changing and he adds quite a bit of humor even amongst all the tragedy!

I am not sure about you but God has a unique way of bringing individuals into our lives just at the right moment. Through their words, actions and simply their being they can bring you out of a funk or help to get you back on track. That is exactly what happened yesterday. My energized and very balanced friend who I feel knows me like no other gave me some wonderful pearls of wisdom. Her words keep replaying in my mind…what is stopping us from taking the next step in reaching our dreams? Is it fear, lack of confidence or self- worth, not the right time or simply that fact we need to RESTORE our souls. We need to take that leap of faith, stepping outside our comfort zone and simply make things happen. No more excuses and letting those big ole “buts” get in our way! What about YOU is there a buried dream, desire or goal that you have locked inside waiting to be unleashed? Maybe you need a little restoration to bring it all back to life! Take out the rag and begin rubbing it on the tarnished being….breathe in deeply, slowly rubbing back and forth let your mind wonder…I like to refer to it as “Takin Time Out”…what sparks an interest…keep rubbing slowly…is it a workout plan, renewing an old friendship, making a call to a relative or baking some cookies for a neighbor? What areas of your life need RESTORED? Health, wealth, spiritual, physical, or is it mental like lack of focus or clarity? Let’s build up that energy slowly, deeply and begin to envision what it is that has been holding us back?

The bible is very clear in several verses about restoration, restoring God’s restoration of our marriage, friendships, relationships, hope, health, faith, joy, purity, trust, broken relationships, family, healing and spiritual restoration. I encourage you when you are desperate or at your wits end to turn to him, read his word and find the hope and restoration you are looking for.

I think of poor Job, if you haven’t read this tiny yet powerful book in the bible I encourage you to do so. He went through so much pain and suffering yet he was RESTORED through his constant faith and trust in God. Job was a very wealthy man living in a land called Uz (no not Oz like in the Wizard of Oz) but Uz. This land no longer exists today and scholars are divided on the actual location, some have suggested it was near Damascus while others feel it was near Edom and I have read it was a home of the Arabs located in Syria and western Jordan. All I know is it was way far away from Texas…. Job had so much yet he lost it all including his wife, family, health, home but he did not lose his hope and faith in God. The scripture reminds us after all this devastation God RESTORED his environment and doubled his blessings. Job 42:10 “And the Lord RESTORED the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends, and the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.” Where are YOU in life have you lost something or have had health issues? Jeremiah 30:17 “For I will RESTORE health to you and heal your wounds declares the Lord because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.” Psalm 23:3 “God RESTORED my soul” Keep the faith and restoration will eventually prevail! God is good…

As you are “Takin Time Out” this week what area of your life needs RESTORED? Do you need to drag out that tutu from your childhood and put it on? Let’s imagine for just a moment mine is pink, fluffy and oh how I can dance pretending I am on stage in New York, yes the childhood innocence of make believe, words I can do all, I can be all and I can have it all? Let’s RESTORE that feeling again.. I love Audrey Hepburn’s quote “People, even more than things, have to be RESTORED, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed. Never throw out anyone.”
Until next time my friend let’s all help each other to be RESTORED!

 

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Definition: An argument against something; an objection.

I know, I know this may seem like a really strange word to blog about BUT, please bear with me and let me explain! A few weeks ago a friend of mine said they had a very interesting Sunday school lesson on “How Big is Your BUT!” (Not butt…BUT BUT’S…LOL) The question really caught my attention. For those of you who know me personally I have always been a little self-conscience of my backend until JLo (Jennifer Lopez) came along and changed the perception of our world with regards to the shape of our body! I have learned to love mine and while recently taking some weight off love it even more. Oops sorry I sorta digressed.

My friend began to share how many times a day we may be asked to do something or perhaps we have written out our goals and desires and this little three letter word gets in our way. It begins to grow in our day to day activities and holding us back from the person and purpose God has intended for us to be. I have poured myself a cup of hot strong Earl Grey Tea and encourage you to do the same. We have a great conversation ahead because we are going to start peeling this apple down to get to the core reason why we love the word “BUT” and determine how big is our but?

Some of the most common BUT’S I hear are:
1) “BUT I really don’t have enough time.” – Well all I have to say, we each have the same 24 hours in a day, 40 hours in a week and 365 days in a year. To be honest extra time rarely just materialized out of thin air. We have to work for it. If you are looking for creative time, a time to exercise, a time for yourself I encourage you to put this as an appointment on your calendar just like you would any other appointment like the dentist, doctor or doing your taxes. YOU deserve it.
2) “BUT I am afraid of failure” – This one is a little  I know! If we really push ourselves we fail more then we can succeed…sounds crazy BUT so true! The greatest failure is to never risk failure at all.”
3) “BUT I need to find balance in my home and work life” – Yes, this was a big goal of mine especially when my children were smaller and still living at home. To be completely honest it was a constant struggle and many times I lost focus on life itself. Being more in the future rather than in the moment. Don’t forget to embrace the now, pay attention to your gut and the little voice inside. Climbing the corporate ladder is important until your family, your health or who you really are begin to suffer.
4) “BUT I don’t know where to start”. That can be a problem BUT I say just start. Set small achievable goals and just do it. Let’s say we need to purge the closet or garage. I saw on Facebook a clever idea for those who celebrate Lent. It ran for 40 days…so they took a trash bag and added one article of clothing they didn’t want or need a day for 40 days then gave the bag away. I also like the 2 minute rule if it takes you less than 2 minutes to respond to an email or a task at hand then be like NIKE and “Just Do It”.
5) “BUT I have to plan everything first”. I can really relate to this one BUT the older I get the more I seem to be flying by the seat of my pants and having more fun. What happen to spontaneity? I think the last minute party or the time we just got in the car and started driving were so much more fun and the expectations were not as high than the weeks, months and all that energy we spent planning.
6) “BUT I need to do some research” Yes, doing your homework is important, especially when buying a big item or having home repairs done. Just don’t let it drag out where your project never gets done or that item never purchased.
7) “BUT I will do it tomorrow”. Famous last words….listen to you when you say that phrase…Reality check…”Tomorrow never comes!” We must do it today or at least by the next day or delegate it.
8) “BUT I love Playing the Blame Game!” – My boss, husband or wife won’t let me, my kids need this or that, and I am too old or too fat or too busy. How many times do we blame someone else or a situation from allowing ourselves to move forward? I say way too many.
9) “BUT I don’t have anyone supporting me” – Excuse me…there are so many support groups, charities, churches there really is no excuse for not having the support. You may have to find the right people aligned with your goal and vision…there are other people looking for you as much as you are looking for them. Unite to Ignite is my philosophy.
10) “BUT I can handle this” – this one hit hard, not asking for help or delegating tasks to someone else. We all need help at times. I personally am guilty of being the little red hen and doing many things myself when I am robbing someone else of the gift to give back.

Reading the word of God and staying in tune with him each day truly helps me to overcome the daily “BUTS” I encounter. Two verses that help are found in; Psalm 3:3 “BUT you Lord, are the shield around me, my glory, the one who lifts my head high.” And Romans 12:21 “Do not be overcome by evil, BUT overcome evil with good.”

I have been a bit discouraged because I hadn’t posted a blog in a while and as I was “Takin Time Out” this week, I came up with several excuses why BUT I decided it wasn’t worth explaining, life happens and sometimes things do not go according to plan. Our BUTS truly can hold us back, they have become a wonderful excuse to put off, whine, and give up. As you look in the mirror tomorrow morning ask yourself “How big is your BUT?” What are you going to do to face the facts they are holding you back? If we recognize the pattern we fall into we can change them one BUT at a time. As we make the statement pause for a moment and change the negative “BUT” to a positive one, the I can’t to I can!

Until next time my friend as long as you keep making excuses and letting your “BIG OLE BUT” get in the way, it will never be and if you keep telling yourself you can’t, you won’t! , I have the privilege to go to work today, it’s a brand new day, the birds are chirping, the sun is shining and I am alive! Life is tough BUT so am I…it’s time to begin again…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Definition: personal belongings packed in suitcases for traveling.  Past experiences or long-held ideas regarded as burdens and impediments.

 

 

Whew what a month, as I am sitting here typing these random thoughts that are floating from my head, I am craving a scrumptious cup of steaming hot Green Ginger Tea. It’s my new favorite blend.  I debated between two topics to write about this week and finally decided to go with BAGGAGE!  What do you think of when you hear the word BAGGAGE?  For some reason Mary Poppins popped into my head with her button down coat, umbrella and her famous suitcase known as carpet BAG.

 

 

 

 

 

I also had to chuckle thinking of an awards trip I won through my previous employer a few years back to a beautiful 5 Star resort in Florida known as “The Breakers”. Several of us flew in together and rented two vans, one was a white passenger van and the other was more like a utility van with no seats that carried all our BAGGAGE and multiple sets of golf clubs. I actually rode a bit illegal, as I laid on the BAGGAGE from the airport to the hotel we didn’t all fit in the other van.  Honestly it was like the Beverly Hillbillies rolling up in our high class rental vans.  The bellman and valet guy didn’t know what to think as we barely fit through the Porte-co-chere entrance in front of the hotel.  Personally I think they wished we would have gone to the delivery dock to unload it was a sight to behold…I chalk it up to another great adventure of Makin precious Memories!

 

Just recently I had a flight on Southwest Airlines that made one stop before my final destination. Most of the passengers deplaned with the exception of a few of us, I was reading my book when all of a sudden out of the corner of my eye I noticed one flight attendant crawling up in the BAGGAGE bin while another closed the door.  I was thinking this is odd. Then they began to let the new passenger’s board and as you can anticipate the first person walking on wanted a seat up front opened the door to the BAGGAGE bin and out popped the flight attendant.  She scared the poor passenger to death, yet fortunately I found out they knew each other. What a great joke… It was priceless! Needless to say we all had a good laugh.  Southwest flight attendants always seem to have just a little more fun than other airlines.

 

This past week, while “Takin Time Out”; I began reflecting on a couple of friends and situations they are going through. For one in particular I envisioned her carrying this backpack filled with rocks and she takes it everywhere she goes.  It really is exhausting.  The weight of the backpack seems too much to bear at times.  Each of those rocks resembles her past life, one of regret, guilt, anger, remorse, emotional bondage, fear, a dysfunctional and damaging childhood, divorce, addiction, envy, and worry.  The emotional BAGGAGE is really too much to bear.  The unfortunate thing is she can’t seem to escape from this backpack, she sleeps with it and that causes for restless nights.  Her mind is always racing and this leaves her on edge.  In some cases the anxiety in her mind created circumstances much worse than the reality and it really isn’t all that bad.  My heart hurts for her!  She is truly stuck in bondage…

 

I recall from a Bible Study I did with Beth Moore on “Breaking Free” The whole premise of the study is to totally release yourself to the BAGGAGE that is holding you captive. I remember her saying BAGGAGE attracts BAGGAGE. She and her husband have worked very hard through their 30+ years to retain their marriage and help one another unpack their bags.   It hasn’t been easy but how awesome is that?  Are we each helping our spouse as well as ourselves through this endeavor daily?

 

Have you ever heard someone mention how children will pay for the sins of the parents? Did you realize that was part of the 10 Commandments? Exodus 20:5 says, “You shall not bow down to them (referring to any kind or type of idol) or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” Generational BAGGAGE or bondage!

 

Let’s go back to the verse for a moment and camp out on the whole idol part. An idol (or god – notice the small “g”), is anything or anyone we worship or use as a replacement for God. Only Christ can set us free from this worship. All other gods can only enslave; therefore, enslaved parents teach their children how to live in bondage even with the best of intentions to do otherwise. Take alcoholism for example, if a census were to be taken of the number of alcoholics in three generations of an alcoholic parent’s family, the head count would very likely be high. Why? Because alcoholism had been deposited in the family line. Alcoholism reared its nasty head and an unfortunate number of children and grandchildren fell into the same type of bondage as the parent. Sins of the parents and grandparents add up in the next generations.

 

Another example could be their mindset, lack of self-esteem perhaps they felt because their parents didn’t go to college and get an education they can’t or don’t need to either. Or you can reverse the role and the parents are very highly educated but one child struggles and they decide degrees aren’t for them and guilt set in.  I feel it is all in our attitude and how we apply our God given talent.  Yes, a college degree in today’s world will get you a little further faster than maybe one who does not have a degree. Yet, it doesn’t make a person better than another.  All in all it is how we live and if we are stuck in bondage with generational BAGGAGE.

 

So, how do we escape this generational bondage? COURAGE! Courage to believe we can be different. Some will try to excuse themselves by saying they can’t help the way they are.  After all, their mother, father, sister or their brother was that way. We need to take a stand and tell ourselves – we are going to change the ways of our family!

 

Realistically this could probably be a whole other blog post…my main point is to have each of us realize we ALL have some kind of BAGGAGE keeping us in bondage.  While “Takin Time Out” this week lets reflect on how we can unpack that bag for the time being and begin again with a new beginning one baby step at a time.   If it is too overwhelming then set up an appointment with a good counselor or life coach to help you work through it.  Find a good support group.  Remember as we are driving down the road on this journey in life, there is this big wide windshield of opportunity and please don’t let that rearview mirror of the past cloud the beauty of today.  Until next time my friends let’s begin to unpack the BAGGAGE…

 

 

 

 

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*Definition: the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses. Interest, fascination, attention, passion, curiosity.

The ability for the mind to be creative or resourceful. Originality, innovation, innovativeness.

 

While “Takin Time Out” this week, I love to just sit and imagine potential possibilities. I truly feel blessed to have the gift of visualization. Not everyone has this gift, it comes very easy for some and others have to physically see, touch or hear in order to imagine. I recently read an article and you may want to try this little experiment to better understand how imagination can work. Do you have a lemon? They suggested cutting the lemon in half and squeezing some juice into your mouth and noticing how you react. Now if you don’t have a lemon let’s try this thought experiment and imagine that you have one, picture yourself slicing through the bright yellow rind, exposing the fruit from inside, see yourself holding it up and squeezing it and letting the tart juice splash onto your tongue. Can you feel yourself pucker or salivating not in your mind’s eye but in real life?” If so you have used your gift of imagination and if you couldn’t well let’s say we have some work to do! LOL…

 

As a child I think we are much more in tune to use our imagination, especially when we are playing with Lego’s, Lincoln logs, Hot Wheels, Tupperware or old pots and pans.   Perhaps you let your child play in dirt or sand…when is the last time you had a mud pie or ventured around a moat into the sand castle you just built?  We have to use the creative side to build or create those images stuck in our head. I love to watch my grandson with his action figures and how his voice makes sounds not so much words but things flying and crashing. Then there are my little granddaughters and how they are always talking while playing carrying on a conversation and pretending to cook, clean or take care of their little baby dolls. Isn’t that true with adults, women tend to say more words in a sentence and guys will sometimes elaborate with noise or sound effects or nodding of their head.

 

I have been fine tuning my goals for the year and breaking them down into bite size pieces so I can actually achieve the majority of them this year. As we have discussed in past blog articles, I am a goal driven individual, I like to make lists and check them off, I like to imagine making this place and space I live in more efficient, fun loving and makin special memories when opportunities present themselves. You see after coming off a very overwhelming fourth quarter at work and projecting additional challenges in the upcoming months, I have to figure out a way to better manage or improve these circumstances that are really out of my control. I do know I can manage my attitude and I can adjust the sails of the ship even though I can’t control the wind. Imagination plays a big role in this endeavor. What about you? Where is your imagination leading you to this year?

 

This week we just celebrated Rev. Martin Luther King Day, for some it was a day off from work or school, but not for me. That’s ok I always like to pause for a moment and respect a man who lived his purpose and passion and wasn’t afraid to live it. His famous speech given in August 1963, “I have a Dream!” I hope while he is sitting up in heaven he realizes what an impact he did make during his short life on earth. We all need a dream, we need to imagine and visualize. This brings us hope for a better future, when we stop using our imagination then that is a very sad day as we are just existing! A life of mediocrity with unfulfilled potential.

 

Our mind is very powerful it can run away with us leading us to act through suspicion or fear, but we can also use our imagination as a tool to change our life. How do you want your life to be? Do you want greatness, abundance, positive energy, love, health, happiness, success, prosperity, or contentment? Whatever it is can come to fruition if you will believe and belief begins with our imagination. What we visualize and put our minds to I firmly believe you can achieve.

 

One of my favorite Christian songs is “I can only Imagine” originally sung by Mercy Me. I want you to sing along or if you haven’t heard the song before just read the words:

 

I can only imagine what it will be like, when I walk by Your side I can only imagine, what my eyes will see, when Your Face is before me I can only imagine I can only imagine. Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall Will I sing Hallelujah will I be able to speak at all I can only imagine! I can only imagine! I can only imagine, when that day comes, When I find myself standing in the Son I can only imagine, when all I will do, Is forever, forever worship You I can only imagine! I can only imagine Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel Will I dance for you, Jesus or in awe of You, be still Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall Will I sing ‘Hallelujah! will I be able to speak at all I can only imagine! Yeah! I can only imagine Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel Will I dance for you, Jesus or in awe of You, be still Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall Will I sing ‘Hallelujah! will I be able to speak at all I can only imagine! Yeah! I can only imagine! I can only imagine Yeah, I can only imagine I can only imagine I can only imagine. I can only imagine, when all I do is forever, forever worship You! I can only imagine.

 

The words remind me of our faith, whether you have a higher power mine just happens to be Christianity with the trinity God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. I believe a healthy imagination is crucial to the Christian life. Through my faith and imagination I know he is with me each and every day. I can overcome any obstacle or challenge as he will never leave or forsake me. One verse that comes to mind is from Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen”

 

As I sit here sipping on my scrumptious cup of Earl Grey tea, I just think of all the things that we use day in and day out. From the house, trailer or apartment we may live in to the public building we visit, the cars we drive even this computer I am typing my blog post on. It all began with one person’s imagination. A plan you might call it…it’s a perfect opportunity for us to ignite our imagination and make some plans to make this place or space a better place to live. Until next time I hope you will remember belly laughs are timeless, imagination has no age and dreams are forever…let’s activate our imagination this week while “Takin Time Out!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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