“Just the Way I Like It”

How many of you drink coffee or tea?  Have you ever had someone make either of these beverages “just the way you like it?”  They’ve put the right amount of sugar or cream in it.  The coffee grinds or tea leaves were blended and seeped perfectly so that when you took the first sip, your brain agreed that it tasted “just the way you liked it.” You may have nodded your head, closed your eyes, and said to yourself, “hmm-um, this is good! Afterwards, you took a few moments to savor the flavor and aroma as you slowly drank its content.  It was perfect for you and you alone, no one else, just you.  However, that same cup of flawlessness when tasted by someone else may not be met with the same reaction. 

Have you ever allowed someone else to taste your coffee or tea and they exclaimed that it was too sweet, didn’t have enough honey or cream in it or, they hated the taste of coffee or that particular flavor of tea? You may have looked at them in amazement because to you its contents were perfect. So how could they possibly not like what you loved?!

Well, God has made each of us unique with our own brand of likes and dislikes.  He’s also tailored blessings that are “just the way we like them” as individuals.  Therefore, when we go through life and are enriched with good things or challenges that are specific to our growth and learning experiences, our reactions should reflect, “This has been perfectly designed just for me by God.” The question then becomes, “What am I to learn from this?”

As we begin to understand that nothing happens to us by accident and all of life’s experiences are somehow interconnected to help us increase our awareness and knowledge of God, then we will recognize that He has prepared us all for “just the way I like it” moments of learning that can last a lifetime.

Are YOU a House or a Home?

To answer this question appropriately, a definition of how I mean both terms is necessary:

            A house is a place where ones belongings are kept. There can be one room or many that are designated for different purposes. A bedroom usually has items and furniture pertaining to resting such as a bed, covers to keep one warm, and a closet for storing clothing.  The kitchen pertains to eating and can include a stove, refrigerator, and eating utensils.  Each room has its own use and can hold many items. Although a home can have the same items and may look like a house, the differences between the two are striking!

            In addition to holding belongings, a home is warm and inviting to its owner and any guests that may come in.  A home is peaceful, and welcoming. Everyone loves coming to a home because the spirit of its owner is fun, loving, and encouraging.  Challenges and problems happen in both the house and home; however, the differences in how these are handled are distinctively different.

Let me now use this example in terms of the human experience: 

Those who occupy houses are angry, uneasy, depressed, and have critical and often nasty attitudes. They keep gossip going, and break down loving relationships,  They are never satisfied or happy with themselves or others.  They’re the ones that say or see the negative in things, are always the victim and think that the world owes them happiness and things they will never accomplish on their own merit. People hate to be around them because their mental house is always dirty and smells like trash!

            The person who occupies a clean mental home, although they may be faced with the same challenges as the house owner, their attitude is positive and one of hope.  They believe in the good in life, and have faith that things are eventually going to be alright in spite of the difficulty.  They may incorporate prayer, positive thinking and people into their space that exemplify the same optimism as themselves.  They see the world as full of opportunities and move faithfully in the direction of their dreams despite challenges.  People enjoy coming around them because positive light and energy are reflected in their presence.

So, my question to you again is:  Are YOU a house or a home?

            If you’ve identified yourself as a possible house, begin to think back in your life’s memory to understand the ‘root’ cause, then work yourself forward.  You may need help to discover the root cause so, if need be, don’t be afraid of getting counseling from a professional.

            For those who’ve identified yourself as a home, know that your light helps others become better. Continue your path of faith and light. Perhaps you’ll be able to help a house become a home!

New Beginning – New Year – New Attitude

New Beginning – New Year – New Attitude

(12/31/2011)

 

As tonight is the last night of 2011, many of us are reflective of the experiences we’ve encountered over the last twelve months.  We think things like:  Last year at this time I was…. I wonder what next year will bring? Will I see 2012 come?  And so it is with this year.  What is it about the end of a year that causes us to take a pause when we should do this each day.  Is it our illusion to think that automatically, we’ll be here to celebrate a new day, new year, with new found hope and optimism? Illusion or not, we do it and find pleasure in knowing that perhaps tomorrow will come with us on the other side of the old year and anticipating a fresh new start.

I would venture to say that each of us has had some challenge or experience that we weren’t expecting which either shock us to our core due to excitement or devastation.  And in those moments we learned something about ourselves that maybe we had never known.  There may have been some deep strength, courage, or perhaps a scream of anger that we belted out unexpectedly.  Perhaps you may have experienced extreme laughter to the point of insanity or sadness that made you numb.  Whatever the experience, I’m hopeful that your learning lesson is you’re still here, tomorrow is a new year, and most importantly, God is in charge!

So, look up.  Don’t fret, keep a smile on your face, and understand that this new year should be greeted with a new attitude!

What is it that you have to be thankful for in 2011?  What challenges did you overcome this year that were never there before?  How did you spiritually mature?  And what did you learn about the closest person in your life that you weren’t aware of the previous year?

Do share your experiences… Talk 2 Me About it!

God bless!

Dr. Sally