What do you love to do?
What is that one thing that fires you up?
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photo credit: mike baird (creative commons)
From Sundi Jo: This is a guest post by Spencer McDonald. Spencer lives in Snohomish, Washington. He is a writer, speaker, facilitator, and coach. Spencer helps others visioneer a life that matters. You can also find him on Twitter.
On my way home today I passed seven dudes in orange vests picking up litter along side the highway. In one hand, a garbage sack and the other, a poker to collect all that litter.
As I drove on I wondered about that litter. I wondered who tossed it and why? Did they care at all about our environment?
Then it hit me… forget about the litter on that highway. That was easy to remedy. What about the litter inside our mind left there by careless others over our lifetime? You know who they were. They were our parents, our teachers, our friends, our co-workers, and maybe even church friends. And these are the pieces of litter they tossed into our mind.
The first piece was “No.” It was meant be something that keeps us in check and wound up limiting our thinking.
Next, many pieces of “Stop it” were discarded. This litter was meant to control our mind.
In school our teachers littered. They tossed out “Don’t.” As in don’t do that, instead do this. They meant well and wound up programming us to avoid things, which turned into raging fear.
When we came home from school and had a dream of using our talent to make our way in the world more litter was left. That piece of litter was “You can’t.” It was a protection device that zapped our happiness over a lifetime.
As matching piece of litter, “Get a job” made way into our mind and tarnished more beauty. “Get a job” stole our hopes and dreams. “Get a job” robbed our talents. “Get a job” was the stinkiest of the litter left behind.
I challenge you to take a walk through your mind. See all that litter (garbage). Choose to eliminate the litter that is holding you back from greatness. Do it because you are powerful beyond belief if only you will believe it.
Begin by identifying the litter. Name it. Call it out.
Next, find resources to help you get it cleaned up. This might be good friends, uplifting books or blogs, motivational speakers, and personal coaches.
Finally, use anchors to keep the litter out of your mind. These anchors are things like pictures of what you want, positive affirmations you read daily, prayer or mediation, and accountability partners.
Do these things and you will regain a spotless mind and life that is on fire with happiness and success.
Question: What other little have you had to work to get rid of? Comment below…
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That, my friends, is why you could never pay me to quit blogging.
Sunday morning I had a chat with my 10-year old cousin, Caleb. He wanted to bring his cell phone into church and I didn’t think it was a good idea. I was 10 once and he sometimes forgets that. I explained there was no reason he would need his phone and it would be just fine left in the car. I then went on to explain that the only reason I bring mine into church is to take sermon notes. All was settled, so I thought.
I sat absorbing the sermon and typing notes on my iPhone. Then something struck me that I wasn’t sure about. I decided to text my friend sitting two seats from me to ask her a question about something the pastor had just said. I was immediately convicted with that morning’s previous conversation in my mind, but I justified it. I’m asking a question about the sermon. It should be fine.
As soon as I hit the send button, I knew I was a hypocrite. I didn’t practice what I had just preached an hour earlier to someone who looked up to me. Not only that, but I even wrote a blog post in May to share with others how to honor our pastors.
H Y P O C R I T E !
So, I had to eat my words. I told Caleb what I had done and then we had a conversation about the word hypocrite. He forgave me, of course and a lesson was learned. All was well and the day went on. Though I accepted the forgiveness from Jesus, the memory is still fresh in my mind – a reminder that we have to constantly practice what we preach.
Have you experienced this? Comment below…
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I asked those closest to me for prayer, and in their best attempt to make me feel better, I received spiritual answers. To be honest, that was the last thing I wanted to hear. I was already feeling guilty for being mad at God, then I would be sorry. Then I would be mad. I felt like Job and I just wanted to tell them all to shut up. But instead, I smiled on the inside, took their suggestions and went about the day.
I finally had to lie down and take a nap. I had nothing left in me by 4p. I had already decided I wouldn’t be working out and I certainly wasn’t going to small group to be around others I didn’t feel like being around. I had struggled throughout the day wondering if I wasn’t spiritual enough. I would get mad at God, then feel guilty. It seemed to be a cycle. I woke up about 45 minutes later, did some more work, ate dinner and went to small group. I decided my feelings were not in the place to make decisions for me.
When I got home that evening and got ready to settle into bed, I decided to journal. It’s one of my greatest forms of expression. Here’s part of that conversation between God and myself:
“Here I am. Part of me wants to talk to you and part of me doesn’t. Of course you already know that, because you already know my thoughts before I do. I’m tired and I don’t understand. I know I’ve told you that a gazillion times already. I don’t know what to do and I desperately want to know. What do I need to change? Please tell me. You promise that you will never leave me or forsake me, but when I woke up this morning I felt left. I felt like you weren’t there. I know that’s not true. Show me something. Tell me something please!”
By the end of my lamenting I was drawing closer to Him.
“You are my strong tower. My ever-present help in time of need. You are my Father. My friend. My protector. My strength. My wisdom. My heart. My everything. I know you’re not going to leave me. I’m not going to leave you either! I don’t want to do that again. I don’t ever want to be where I was in August 2009. NEVER! I want to sleep with Your Word close to me tonight. I know you are there. I know you are. I know you’re not leaving me. I don’t understand and I won’t pretend like I do, but I’m going to continue to trust you Father. Forgive me for my lack of trust today.”
That’s just what I did. I closed my eyes with my Bible in my hands. Still without understanding. But I chose to believe that He wasn’t going to leave me. Tomorrow would be a new day. I started that morning pissed off. But the night ended renewing my mind with the promise that God would never leave me.
What promise are you holding onto? Comment below…