Thankful for SUPER-POWERS

Phew! We made it through the haunted house season! Did you take my advice and go through your house? Did you find the courage to access those dark spaces and rid yourSELF of skeletons and ghosts that have been lurking around? Well good... and if not there’s no time like the present. If you’re like me, you’ve looked up and have realized the year is on a sharp decline. Before you know it, it’ll be 2023. Let’s not carry that ole S&^t into the new year! Promise me... 

I have to admit going into those dark spaces that have been log locked... and dealing with dead things have taken some work, riiiight? Even though some of us are stillll dealing with things and life may not be all that you hoped it would be by this late date... things could always, hear me, always be worse. So there are things you can be, should be... MUST BE thankful for. That’s right we’re heading into the  
Thanksgiving Season. And even if you don’t celebrate... what should be called “Indigenous People’s Day” - ya shouldn’t wait to one day of the year to BE THANKFUL! Since tomorrow is not promised to any of us, every day you’re above dirt should be a thankful one... just saying. But... for the next 30 days, I want to walk with you on a short journey of “being grateful.” And I’m gonna need you to dig deep... Let’s not be thankful for being pretty, in shape, having better hair, car, or clothes than others, or having a cute boyfriend or girlfriend... that’s so … so... shallow. Let's think on... be THINKFUL about things in our world and push to be seriously thankful. And I want you to be verbal... be intentional about speaking it out. I want you to be UNAPOLOGETICALLY great... So, I want to start by saying: I am grateful for POWER. I have the power to bring what was dead back to life, speak those things which are not into existence, to give freedom-keys to those on lock-down, to create beauty from ashes, to bring light into darkness, and to change bad to good ... POWER! It’s a power, everyone could have except for fear... 

Marianne Williamson said this in her book Return to Love (HarperPerreniel, 1992 )  

“Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us we ask ourselves who am I to be brilliant gorgeous, talented, fabulous. Actually, who are you NOT to be? you are a child of God. You're playing small doesn't serve the world.” 

My superpower, and yours, is to be who God has created you to be (your highest, best SELF.) You may not be all that you want to be YET, but honey, if you’ve been walking with me... You've grown. Be thankful that you are no longer the person you used to be... you know, back in the day when ya did something stupid that should’ve taken you out! Look you are still here, be thankful! If you are still in a dark place... PLUG-IN and turn the light on!  

Are you in a place your decisions have brought you, got an addiction, feeling stuck like Chuck, experiencing downtimes or bad luck, were things going good, and then boom... whatever it is (remember: things could always be worse) just PLUG-IN, and get the POWER TO CHANGE – and then bust a move.  

Imma be really honest, things are bad for a lot of people and continue to be so because their “talk is raggedy.” And I’m not just talking about what’s coming out of their mouth. Life and death are literally in the POWER of the tongue (there’s that word POWER again.) What about your SELF-TALK? We do more internal talk than we do speaking out loud. Start paying attention to what’s going on in your head. Wanna change your world... change your talk. Wanna change your talk, change your thoughts.  

How to change your world 

You change your world by renewing your mind. How do you renew your mind? This might sound a little cheesy... but I promise you it works... #1) Read the Bible. There is a reason this book has survived for over 2000 years, it’s supernatural. Start with Proverbs, there are 31, read 1 for each day. And every month something different will pop out at you. And #2 (and this works best when you’re worrying) “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (Bible) And it will bring light into your world.  

Seems simple, I know... but it’s not. Try this for the next 30 days and watch it not only affect your mind and heart, it’ll change your world too.  

For more on SELF-TALK pick up your copy of 4SELF 101 here. And if you need a little help putting it all into practice... I got you CLICK HERE 

Thanks for the Rain!

I remember dancing in the rain as a kid. The hot and humid St. Louis summers sometimes caused the black tar covered streets to melt beneath our bare feet as we did “the tolerance test.” Running and playing all day long, hot, and sticky but when it rained… omg, if the drops didn’t evaporate before washing over every upturned little face, it felt like heaven.

Now as an adult getting caught in the rain is a nightmare, especially in the winter. Cold AND wet, I can’t think of anything worse. The Book says “It rains on the just and unjust” meaning, everybody is gonna get rained on, it’s how you see it that makes all the difference in the world. “Rain, rain go away, come back another day or…  

In Seattle, it rains (so they say) 300 out of 365 days in a year. Almost all things are washed away EXCEPT depression. When you’re feeling low, getting rained on seems to make things worse. But there in WA life just goes on. Washingtonians do everything in the rain, ride motorcycles, camp, hike… where most people would turn back, they just shrug and keep it moving.

BUT! When you’ve been in a drought tho… “a dry spell” or if you’re feeling a little thirsty and “can’t get no satisfaction…” Yes, that can absolutely be dating, but it can also be about unemployment, or social activities… like where are your friends when you need ‘em. It’s being stuck in an “in-between-space. You’ve finally exited one place, but you’re not quite where you want to be yet… why does that place always seem to be like a dust-covered, tumbleweed town, plagued by dry winds, ashy skin, cracked lips and dry mouth. And all you can think of is …. WHEN’S IT GONNA BE MY TURN. Growing up I heard that a lot from my mother, especially when she drank. She’d also mumble between swallows, “I give and I give, when is someone going to give back to me?!.”

When you’ve got it going on you’re like a full picture of refreshing water and it’s easy to give. But then that generous spirit (or the need to get) compels you to give down to your last. And when you have nothing left, your friends start becoming scarce too. Sucks… but you are the one who must be aware of the condition of your own picture… if you don’t refill when your inner resources get dangerously low you’ll could end up “boiling dry.” (imagine boiling eggs and the water evaporates.) Thats the place where you’ve got nothing left to give… #SELFCARE means TAKING “you time” (to refill.)

So back to the in-between place, the desert… as long as you’re connected to the Source and you don’t give up, you will make it to the other side. Scooch up close and listen to this … Most often we just want to “arrive” but what we really need is development, that which can only be derived from THE PROCESS. In other words, the destination is less important than the JOURNEY. And if you stop half way thru… sorry it’s around the mulberry bush you go… and go and go until you finish the course. Stop worrying so much about leaving the place and start trying to devour each and every moment. Perhaps there’s a lesson to learn, forgiveness to give (or receive) maybe you just need toughening up, or NINJA skills, whatever it is, believe me, it will be VITAL for your next level.

So, now when it rains I don’t get CAUGHT, I prepare myself. And instead of gnashing my teeth, I may let Lil Anji (my inner child) out to splash in a puddle or two. Or you may catch me, with my nose in the air and mouth wide open catching rain drops with my tongue. Or spinning with my hands in the air dancing a jig. Or I may, like I did last night, wrap myself in a blanket, sit on the patio watching and  listening to the rain. I finally get it!The rain is what keeps the Emerald Isle (Seattle) green, and waters every thirsty thing which produces growth in it’s own time.

But most of all RAIN means abundance (#make it rain). There’s been a lot of SH^% in my life, but ya know what? through it all, I’ve planted many, many seeds. And the law of seed time and harvest always does what it’s supposed to do… cleanses and water whatever has been planted and toiled over. AND IF YOU DON’T FAINT (or drop out of the journey) your harvest (and mine) is coming. The key is to stay connected to the SOURCE and to keep moving. I declare that my seeds are bringing wealth… what are your seeds bringing you? Rain is a supernatural wonder! It cleanses hearts and minds, and revives the soul; calms the spirit, produces every beautiful thing to enjoy and you know… Living Water satisfies like nothing else in the world can. The rain reminds me that we are still alive and growing! And God I am so thankful!

Thankfulness

No matter how many problems you have… it could always be worse.  Its coming up to the holidays, and my boss loves to make baked goods. I know I must resist but I fear I may not be able to but then I think of the ever-increasing roll around my midsection, %$#^! And then walking down the street I see someone wearing spandex, looking like a stuffed sausage and I realize: 1) why has no one told her how inappropriate that is and 2) Ehhhhh maybe I’m not that bad.

Oh don’t look at me like that… we’re all a little ncy to be judgmental from time to time. And just ignorant in regards to what that other person may going through … just maybe it’s not horrible taste or poor choices. (Where’s the fashion police when you need them.) She’s probably saying in her head, “If you don’t like what you see, don’t look at it.” But some sights can’t be unseen, even if you do scream DELETE, DELETE, DELETE! Right… moving on.  The next thing that crosses my mind is…. Aaaaand that’s why you (SELF directed) need to just say no to the holiday cookies.

Here’s the truth, no matter what finger I point at others, metaphorically or not, I must remember that there are 3 pointing back at myself. Today at … oldish, I realize I’m quite where I want to be in life (yet) BUT… THANK GOD I’M NOT the person I USED TO BE either! I have grown yes, physically, but also more importantly spiritually, intellectually & emotionally. And you know what counseling has had a big effect. Sure there may be a certain stigma attached to therapy but when you’re mouth is jacked people don’t think twice about going to the dentist. To be honest I think it’s the asking for help part. Or as some people put it, “I’m grown, I don’t need someone else telling me how to think” YA KNOW THAT’S PRIDE, right? Uh the bad kind… And you know what they say about that kind of pride… it shows up right before a BIG FALL. I’ve said this before but I think it bears repeating: TIME DOES NOT HEAL ALL WOUNDS! Leaving it alone only allows it to scab over, while the infection continues to grow. Just bump it and you will see what I mean, HELLO! puss and blood.

Counseling/therapy is the right environment for a skillful practitioner to help one get healed and whole, some things you just can’t resolve by your ONESY. Scooch up close and hear this, it’s a Monumental secret, The secret to living UNBOTHERED, of coming back to center, of supernatural favor, of REIGNING over your own life… WORSHIP. And NOOO this is NOT ABOUT GOING TO CHURCH. Worship means: To go out of your way to recognize. Religious OR NOT everyone worships one thing or another. Ever heard the saying “I worship the ground she walks on” or “I can’t get him off of my mind” or “This job has me so stressed out, its all I ever think of, guess I will work another Sunday”… anything you continuously worry about or allow to fill your thoughts, OR takes most of your focus… THAT’S WORSHIP. Humans were built for worship (thankfulness and praise) and the pipeline is relationships Did you know that worship can literally change how you feel… really, it’s the endorphins! Ya know like with exercise? Try it, and see? Take like 5 minutes and write down everything that you are thankful for… and say each one by one OUTLOUD.  But don’t just rattle OFF your items off, take your time and THINK ABOUT what each means. Don’t let anything else steal your focus… stay right there. Let yourSELF get into it and when you’re done, I promise you, you’ll feel differently.  The secret of living a balanced satisfied life - Learn to worship. The question of your lifetime is: “Who or what are you worshipping” and are the rewards you receive as a result temporal or eternal? (Yep, one is much better than the other.)

Simple Worship: BEING “thinkful” and THANKFUL.

While I walk, the sun warms my face … and I say: “Thanks God for this new day, not everyone got one. And it’s a beautiful one.  The sun is shining, there’s a breeze, and the leaves are vibrant and beautiful and I get to experience it all. Thank you for this job and paycheck that allows me to pay my bills. I have everything I need!  Life is good, I am truly blessed and I am really grateful.”