Commit to Love and Happiness NOW!

What is holding me back? What challenges do I face? Nothing is holding me back. I have no challenge that can keep me down. I really do enjoy life. Sometimes though something will get me down for a little while before I realize that any problem I have is transient. I am made in God's image which means that I make the most of what I have and who I am. I make no excuses. There is no reason for the blame and shame game.

Last weekend was my husband's birthday. I had planned a nice weekend with him. We ate lobster and went to a KU basketball game, and then Sunday I invited the kids to come celebrate with us.

Well, on Sunday I felt cranky. It may have been from lack of sleep or some other reason, but I was a little short with everyone. I woke up Monday morning feeling a little guilty so right away, I messaged my family on facebook and apologized. I didn't want to wallow around in self-condemnation or waste time making up excuses for my behavior so I just decided to ask forgiveness. I received it right away.

Most of the time, it is our own unforgiveness of ourselves that is holding us back. The truth is that we don't have to stay in a state of crankiness or unhappiness. We can move out of it. That's not to say that we always have to put on a happy face even when we don't feel like it. It just means we need to realize that our inner joy runs deeper than our pain.

Sometimes we try too hard to be perfect. God accepts us as we are so there is no guilt or condemnation for being human. All we really need to do is ask for forgiveness. God is our strength. In Him we find joy.

I also find joy in my family. About the time when I was feeling the crankiest, I saw a picture on facebook of my new baby granddaughter with the hugest smile on her face. This lightened my mood considerably.

I'm not going to sit in judgment of myself for my crankiness. Instead I am going to commit myself to love and happiness NOW! I love that quote from Maria Robinson that says, "Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." Happy Mardi Gras!

Love and Light,
Patty

Be a Valentine to Yourself

Aww! Valentine's Day! It's a beautiful day to remember love. I'm thinking of all my loved ones, but I am also thinking about how much I love myself. Everyone is in on this. Many of us think that it is not spiritual to say we love ourselves, but after all, aren't we creations of God?

Why do some of us want to feel unworthy? Romans 8:1,4 says, "There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." That is the key. Walking in the Spirit where there is splendor and unlimited joy is a choice we can all make.

Too many of us feel unworthy and look for something outside ourselves to make us feel complete. Some turn to alcohol and drugs or unhealthy relationships to make themselves feel better, but truly the only thing that can bring relief is forgiveness. We need to forgive ourselves when we make mistakes because God does.

Saturday we heard the shocking news of Whitney Houston's death. I am not judging or trying too hard to interpret what happened to her, but I can't help but wonder why someone as young as 48 is gone. She was beautiful, talented, rich, and famous, but still there was something missing. She had a relationship with God, but I wonder if she realized that like the prodigal son, she could have come back to her Father and He would have forgiven her for her wild, partying, undisciplined life. God is so merciful. I know that Whitney is now at peace. I just pray that her daughter can realize the comfort of God and learn to love herself enough to get through all of this.

Well, Valentine's Day is a day of love so remember that God loves us and that we need to love ourselves as well. Let's be good to ourselves today and every day. God bless!

Love and Light,
Patty