It's My Life

Remember the Bon Jovi song, "It's My Life"? In it he says, "It's my life; it's now or never 'cause I ain't gonna live forever. I just wanna live while I'm alive."

Yes, don't we all? Regardless of the economy and the oil spill, we just want to stay in control. Like Tom Petty, we want to say, "Well, I won't back down. No, I won't back down. You can stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won't back down." That's called perseverance. We need that to live our best life yet.

If we don't put any limits on ourselves, we can turn around any situation. It's all about attitude. Joel Osteen says, "It's time to stretch." It's time to believe that we are blessed and will continue to be blessed.

It's our time. It's our life. We have the wisdom, strength, and talent to live the good life. If we put our faith in God and believe in Infinite Wisdom, our lives will change for the better.

Yes, it's my life, but I need all the help I can get. I'm ready to be directed by a Higher Power that is Absolute Good. I'm ready for Divine Wisdom and Great Light and Love. I'm ready for joy and peace. I want a life that is richer and fairer than anything I could ever imagine.

So while I know it's MY life, I'm ready to place it in the keeping of the Supreme. Only then will I absolutely know that everything is going to be all right. "Come unto Me....and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) I need that peace. It's My Life, but I gladly turn all my affairs over to You, Lord.

Love and Light,
Patty

Your Sweet Spot

A few years ago my friend Holly gave me a calendar with excerpts from Max Lucado's CuRe for tHe CoMMon LIfE. Lucado said, "God gave you a 'sweet spot,' a zone, a region in which you were made to dwell. He tailored the curves of your life to fit an empty space in His jigsaw puzzle. And life makes sweet sense when you find your sweet spot."

Yes, it does. When you find your sweet spot emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and physically, it feels awesome! I found my sweet spot!! Emotionally I know that every day I have a choice about the way I feel, and I choose joy and love. Spiritually, I go to God who knows all things and leave all my problems in the wisdom that can see through everything and give the perfect answer. Mentally, I appreciate the brain that God gave me, and I open my mind to that light knowing that my thoughts will be divinely created. Physically, I love where I am. I have an awesome family, live in a great college town, have wonderful friends, and a great opportunity to teach kids during the school year. What more could there be?

I found my place of blessing and have a serene sense of peace. I hope you have found yours too. When you find it, you can claim the promise of my favorite verse with me: "All things work together for good for those who love God." (Romans 8:28)

Love and Light,
Patty

Turn It Around!

Summertime! It's full of new opportunities. Just ask my granddaughter Jessica who is taking Driver's Ed. Each day this fifteen-year-old gets a chance to drive. She has confidence because I've been letting her drive since she received her learning permit around Christmas time. She's logged over 30 hours so far. She is preparing for new things. She doesn't think to herself, "I can't do this. I don't have those skills. This is not in my comfort zone." No, instead she thinks, "I know how to do this. I'm equipped." She is very confident but not always 100% secure. She is very cautious when she backs out of the garage, for which I'm very grateful. She hasn't wanted to drive in the Kansas City traffic until recently, but now she feels empowered and ready to do anything. She'll take the risk, and I guess since she only has a learner's permit and drives my car, I'll have no choice but to take it with her....lol! The point is that she is open to try something new, and I support her all the way in this.

Someone else who was willing to try something new is Steve Jobs. I have been reading about the new iPhone, and the technical difficulties that Steve Jobs is having with it. I know full well that he will work them out. He's had setbacks in the past, but none of them has kept him from making Apple one of the most successful companies in the world.

He started at the age of 20 to make computers in his parents' garage. Within 10 years, his company was worth two billion dollars. However, his own board of directors fired him from his company. He didn't become a victim though. Instead he became a victor by building up two more successful companies and selling them for billions. Then Apple brought him back and he turned that company into a huge success story.

My husband loves Apple and has it now for his personal PC. He recently purchased the iPad and sings its praises all the time. Where would Apple be today if Steve Jobs had become discouraged, gave up, or just settled when he had a setback? When something didn't work out, he tried another way until it did. He kept believing, and my husband, who is a big Apple fan, is glad he did.

That's the kind of faith I want to have. I know that life is not always fair, but I also know that God is fair. Nothing can keep me from my divine destiny except my own self. If I have the right attitude, nothing can stop me. Isaiah 60:1 says, "Arise, shine; for your light has come."

Joel Osteen paraphrases scripture when he says, "[God] lifts the fallen. He gives hope to the hopeless. His mercy is bigger than any mistake we could ever make." He also says, "God has a plan....don't worry....what you think is a setback is really a setup for a greater comeback.....when you face an adversity, that setback, that disappointment, you don't know where it's taking you. You've heard the saying, 'When you're down to nothing, God is up to something.'.....when it looks like your darkest hour, God will turn it around, restore you, and bring you out to your brightest hour!"

Oh, yes, I needed to know that today. Thanks, Lord!

Love and Light,
Patty

Divine Destiny

Who are you? Isn't that the philosophical question we've asked ourselves since college? How do we realize our potential? How do we create what we want from ourselves? So often we fail to have the same vision of ourselves that God has for us. All too often we limit ourselves by negative thoughts and self-doubt. Sometimes our self-esteem is low, and our insecurity keeps us from fulfilling our divine destiny. Yet Joel Osteen says that "the world will not be as bright as it could be if you don't release the full glow of your gifts and reflect God's glory."

Sometimes we fall short because we compare ourselves to someone else. That is not a good idea because it is not only being unloving to ourselves, but it sets the other person up as our enemy, especially if we judge ourselves or the other person. It's great to have role models and see everyone's uniqueness in where they are, but we must also appreciate ourselves. The bible says in Galatians 6:4-5, "Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life."

In 2005-2006 I lost 66.7 lbs. I felt so good. Unfortunately I have been gaining the weight back. I'm not sure what is causing it (except overeating and under exercising....lol), but one of the things I think I haven't realized until recently is that losing weight can be as worthy as any other goal. It is inspirational and helpful to others when we take care of ourselves properly. It gives other people hope too.

Joel Osteen says, "You are not a want-to-be.....You are fully loaded and equipped." I know that I have everything I need to fulfill my purpose. I have what it takes. You do too. We just need to stretch and have faith. If we do what we can, God will do the rest. We can leave the safe zone for the faith zone. It's my divine destiny! "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," according to Philippians 4:13. "The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right,"says Isaiah 60:19.

Today I have new confidence and boldness. You and I may have a different goals, but together let's pursue them. It's not the time to retire. Let's re-fire and divinely live our destiny! I'm excited! Are you?

Light and love,
Patty

Inspiration from Two Beautiful Young Women

"We all go through times that are more difficult than others," writes Joel Osteen.

Speaking of difficult times, I know a young lady who has faced adversity and come out a winner. This girl woke up one morning to flashing blue and red lights flooding through her window, only to find that the police had shot and killed her next door neighbor who happened to be a good friend of hers. It's a long story, but it seems that her neighbor had borrowed his sister's truck without permission and when the police investigated, he came to the door with a gun and was shot and killed. Prior to this, the young lady's mom had lost her job and things unraveled at school too with bullying and other teenage drama. Everything seemed to be going against her. With so much going on around her, she felt intense pain. The only way to relieve it seemed to be cutting. She was depressed and hurt with nowhere to turn. After her grandparents learned of her dilemma, they drove 600 miles to pick her up. They found their granddaughter withdrawn and angry. After taking her to their home, they enrolled her in school and obtained counseling for her. The girl turned her life completely around. She not only quit cutting, but she excelled in music, drama, and art at her new school. She wrote poetry and drew sketches that were published by the school library. She performed "Walk Like an Egyptian" with a girls' ensemble. The choreography and singing brought down the house at her school's spring show. The girl's name is Jessica Parkos Alvarez. She came from a small town in Nebraska to a large university town in Kansas where she made friends with wonderful people who adored and admired her. How do I know so much about this young lady? Maybe because I am her grandma, her "Nana" who is very proud of her accomplishments. Jessica has hit her stride and everything is falling into place. Because she is in such a good space right now, she has given me permission to share her story.

The other lady who has shown strength in the face of adversity is my facebook friend, Becky Clark, who was born with albinism. This rare condition affects only one in every 17,000 people. Becky was born without the melanin pigment that gives color to eyes, skin, and hair. Usually serious vision problems and skin that is extremely sensitive to the sun are traits of albinism.  There are less-educated people in certain countries who persecute those with albinism because they believe they are cursed.

Becky Clark suffered some persecution herself because she has very pale skin and white hair. There have been times at school when she has faced challenges of bullying and teasing. Yet, Becky has met these challenges with the help and care of someone who took the time to understand with compassion what it is like to have albinism because she has it herself, even though she is a beautiful model.  The person who helped Becky wishes to remain anonymous but will always remain a wonderful part of Becky's heart.

As I am writing this, Becky is writing and inspiring other teenagers. My Jessica just completed 8th grade successfully and happily and is ready to enjoy a summer of driver's ed, art, and having fun. These young ladies are not cursed but instead are blessed with creativity, wisdom, and good ideas. They don't have to sweat the small stuff, or even the big stuff for that matter because they go with the flow. They have flowed right through insults, frustrations, and challenges of all kinds.

I've been reading Joel Osteen's book IT'S YOUR TIME, and he tells many stories like these of people who have overcome obstacles that seemed insurmountable and came out victors. When they got knocked down, they got up with new hope in their hearts, knowing that life was going to get easier if they could just flow with the universe.

These ladies  have strong belief in themselves. They are winners full of creativity and inspiration that will make our world a better place. Because of that, I am thankful and honored to know them and be a part of their lives.

Love and light,
Patty

Finding Strength in Adversity

Do you ever feel like you are facing one challenge after another? I felt like that this week.

First, I had a family situation to handle and then a job challenge appeared. I was thinking, "What next?" Then God reminded me that my perception was slightly askew. Instead of obsessing on what went wrong, I needed to remember what is going right.

We always have the choice to enter green meadows to rest beside quiet streams or to walk in gloomy darkness. We can proceed with quiet confidence or throw in the towel of despair. God will give us "a supernatural strength, a peace that passes all understanding, joy rising up in our spirit" according to Joel Osteen. If we remember who we are and trust our Creator, things will be arranged in our favor. If we know in our heart that all our needs will be met, we will gain the right perspective and see God's goodness in our lives. Then we can break through any barrier put in our path.

When I was feeling overwhelmed and confused, I remembered that God is my protector and my guide. Not only was I renewed at that time, but my family member seemed to find her way as well. Now I have the faith to believe my job challenge will be resolved and that I will come out of it stronger than ever. That is the kind of God I know and love. Instead of telling God how big my problems are, I tell my problems how big my God is. That fixes everything. May you have a blessed week and gain strength and renewal through any adversity that comes your way.

Light and love,
Patty

Happy Mother's Day!

It's Mother's Day! What an outstanding day!

When I had children, my dreams came true. Now I pray for successful lives for my kids. As I do this, I visualize their freedom, health, peace, abundance, harmony, strength, light, and understanding. I see them under the direction of the wisdom of the Most High God, achieving good and wonderful things and lacking nothing.

I know that God remembers them and guides them into victorious lives. I trust in the infinite goodness of God. I truly believe that any adversity that comes into their lives will be transformed and that the greatest measure of good will come to pass.


What causes this kind of faith? It is my ability to leave everything to God. It is my ability to stop worrying and start experiencing the peace that comes from my connection with God. It comes from the belief that God is good and gives me a richer and fuller life than I could ever imagine. It comes from the belief that this will also come to pass for my own children and for their children as well. I claim God's promise found in Isaiah 49:15-16 for my children when He said, "I will not forget you. I have engraved you in the palm of My hand."

God bless you this Mother's Day! You are either a mother or have had a mother so that makes this a special day for everyone. Happy Mother's Day!

Love and Light,
Patty