Happy Birthday to ME!

Today is my birthday! June 18th. I am celebrating life! The life that God gave to me.
He breathed into me, and brought me to life 56 years ago. I am so thankful.

I am learning to be happy with where I am at. To rest in the moment, instead of pushing through, trying to become "better", by doing more. Learning to rest in who God made me to be. That it is okay to "do" things that I enjoy, and bring refreshment to my soul...it isn't selfish. It is part of caring for the self that God designed and made me to be. Appreciating who I am, and how He made me.

I'm easily distracted and become distorted in my thinking. I start to believe that my life is based on my performance, instead of who I am in Christ Jesus.

I am so thankful for my Shepherd. Jesus. Who gently leads and guides me back onto the path. My kind Shepherd pokes and prods, ever so gently to steer me back on course. My Shepherd is also, El Shammah- The LORD who is there.

Today, I will celebrate by spending quiet time by the "still waters". I will "lie down in green grass" by enjoying being in the outdoors...breathing in fresh air. Filling my lungs with life giving air. I will spend time doing things that restore my soul. Creating with my hands. Spending time with family.

Why I find it difficult to take time out for me!

There are no easy 1,2,3's of why it is so difficult for me to spend time on myself. I can echo the usual responses of: I'm too busy. There is too much to do. Other's are expecting me to perform, to produce. These can all be true. Maybe it is unique to women, but I think not. I believe we all have difficulty taking time for ourselves because we feel it might be considered selfish.

From our young days we were instructed to "not be selfish". (thinking only of self). Children don't seem to have a problem with thinking of themselves first and foremost, this comes naturally. Until the instruction from adults come and interrupt their worlds. Teaching how to put others first. I think maybe we are cautioned so much to think of others, that thinking of ourselves becomes a "no-no".

For those who struggle with perfectionism, and doing things "right", taking time for oneself is usually considered "selfish". Of course, this is not true. But if perfectionism is a challenge that you face, then accurate thinking is already being distorted by your need for the highest standard attainable. One of the problem's with this standard is, it can never be reached. , Even if one tried to their utmost, they would still fall short, because in their mind, perfect is really never attainable. It is like a mystical place. It cannot be fully realized. It is a mirage of the mind.

So how does one settle the argument of selfish versus self-care? For me, this continues to be a life long learning experience because I am a "recovering perfectionist". I'm continually "tripped" up by the enemy who would deceive me into thinking that I must not give myself one iota of a thought, for that would be selfish. The truth however, is that I am LOVED with an abiding, unchangeable, unimaginable love. God loves me so much and is constantly thinking about me;(Psalm 139: 17-18 NLT). He desires that I walk in truth and not deceit;(3 John 1:4 NLT). He desires that I spend time with him;(Song of Solomon 7:10 NIV.) He wants me to care for my body;(1 Cor. 6:19-20 NLT). He desires for me to rest;(Heb.4:10 NLT). And the LOVE list goes on.

I'm continually learning how to practice self-care each and every day. One of the ways of taking care of myself, is taking time out for me. Actually, "scheduling", me time. Listening to the Holy Spirit whisper to my soul. That is where I always need to start, and then find things that restore my spirit, mind and body. The Spirit reminds me of who I am in Christ. The unique OOAK person I am. He brings to mind things that I enjoy, or that refresh. Joy filled things. I am on treasure hunt of JOY!

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What I Love To Do that Feeds My Soul

I love to be outdoors. Walking along the ocean. Breathing deeply. Smelling the salty air. Filling my lungs. Slowly inhaling and savoring the exhale. The smell, along with a few deep breaths and my soul is beginning to soar.

Slowing down is necessary for my soul to be refreshed. Listening to the rhythm of the waves, allows the gradual slowing of my own heartbeat. YHWH. The inhale and exhale. The sound of breathing. "The holiest name in the world, the Name of Creator, is the sound of your own breathing..." (Rabbi Lawrence Kushner)

It is then, after my breathing has begun to sync with the wave patterns, my mind begins to think about the "majestic power" that created all of this beauty. God spoke all of this into existence. Genesis 1:9-10. How awesome is that! My God, The Creator God, who spoke the world into existence wants to be with me. Communing with me. Sometimes I find it "easier" to listen when my soul has been quieted and refreshed by His creation.

I also love to create with my hands. The process of thinking, designing, and then creating is what can energize my soul. I feel so blessed to be able to now "create" as part of my soul needs, as well as financial needs for my family. Psalm 90:17. Thank you God for the opportunities to participate in Your creative nature, by aligning my soul with Yours, to CREATE.

http://bit.ly/belovedbrews

My One Word for 2015

Have you ever been resistant to the "One Word" that God gives you at the start of a New Year? I have.
This year, the word that kept coming forward was "RELEASE"; as in release, in order to receive. In my thinking that was a little "New Age" for me...until I really began to grasp what God was telling me. He will use what ever circumstances He chooses to grab my attention. Since I had preconceived ideas of how the word "RELEASE" sounded, I kept shunning the word. One day a person very dear to me asked me if I was so resistant to "the word", being "my word" for 2015 because I was trying to be in control of everything.
Um...y-e-s, I guess that might have something to do with it, maybe just a teeny tiny bit! You mean to tell me, that I need to practice R-E-L-E-A-S-I-N-G control?
After going to Dictionary.com and looking up the word RELEASE, I discovered that God was indeed right in choosing that word for me this year.

Release-
freedom, liberation's, relief, deliverance, permit an action, allow, ease, dis-burden. Um...hello...did you get that? Permit an action, dis-burden, ease, relief? I'm telling you, who wouldn't want more of that? Okay, God, I get it. I need to be surrendered to you this year, to see how you would like to remove my burdens, bring ease into my life, remind me that I am not in control, and that it is only an illusion that I can control my surroundings.
To top off the search and acceptance of my word, The Holy Spirit directed me to this verse. Romans 7:6 "But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code."
WOW...for a recovering "legalistic Pharisee"..being released from the burden of trying to perform and trying to produce in order to gain approval; the word RELEASE sounds like a freedom journey for sure.
So, I'm off on my journey of discovery of what it means to live "released". I hope you will join with me as we learn and share all the wonderful mysteries that lay hidden, waiting to be discovered in 2015.