Leap

Jumping along on the day that is leaped over three years and then appears for one is here. The day that is talked about, simply because it happens. It did absolutely nothing, and yet it gets recognition. Pretty awesome huh?

Do it for someone else. Do something sweet for somebody else on this day, just because they exist. Call your grandmother and tell her you love her. Write your friend a note, just to tell them how freakin awesome they are. Give your dog an extra treat. Bring flowers to a co-worker. Do something for a complete stranger, that would make them smile.

On the day that gets praised for existing, praise someone for exactly that!

Security

We lock our doors, have alarm systems, carry weapons, password protect our phones and computers. Why? Security. We want to make sure our cars, homes, information and lives are secure.

But really it is more about trust. We don’t trust the people around us or society at large with anything. This mainly deals with our outside circles. How we deal with people that we don’t know, people that are on the fringes of our lives. And yet within our inner circles a sense of security and trust must be present in order to have relationships and live.

At the office it is vital for me to know that my account managers are going to do whatever they say they are going to do. If I ask them to call a client, I trust that it is done. If trust becomes an issue, work as a whole becomes an issue.

In our personal lives it is the same. Why is family often held in higher regard then friends, because of security and trust that they will always be family, always be there. Without the sense of security in our inner lives, paranoia sets in causing havoc in our hearts and minds.

We live divide lives torn with trust leading the charge and I guess that is why sometimes it is just easier to lock the whole word out then to let anybody in. It isn’t a good life though. It isn’t the life we were born to live. Allowing ourselves to be open to people we learn to trust is hard, and takes time but it is worth it. Totally and completely worth it. In the end, a battered life full of ups and downs is way better than being a flat line.

Pleasure

 “One of the easiest ways to tell if a desire or pleasure you are having is part of your new nature (of being a Christian), is that it will never disagree with your identity as imparted by Christ and will always impart peace.”

Wow.

My roommate and I are reading a devotional together written by Beau Garrett featured around grace and the other night I was completely developed in the words that he wrote about desire and passion which is where the quote above came from.

How many times do we do something because we desire to do so, but at the end of the day regret it? Why must we continue to live like hooligans who take the easy, cheap, personally gaining path that at the end of the day makes us not have peace with ourselves let alone with God?

You can be at peace and be fulfilled. You really can be. If we spent as much time playing video games, shopping, or being on facebook as we actually did building on our relationship with God,  well goodness no telling how many amazing things could happen!

So next time you feel yourself being drawn to a desire or pleasure, make sure that you can say you are completely at peace with what you are doing and it falls in line with your identity.

Woven

Everyone has a different story. A different path of life that they were given. Some people were blessed with cherished up brings; others saw the harshness the world can offer way to early. However, it makes you, you. I often ponder why things have happened the way they did or why some things continue to be upsetting. Why will my Dad never be able to walk me down the aisle? Why must my heart be broken, only to have an inkling of hope? Why does my job test my loneliness? Because, it is a part of my beautiful story. My life has been blessed from the beginning of time and I am happy to live my life, my story and have it be so different from everybody else’s. Enjoy your unique delicate intimacy of life that God wove together for you, and rejoice in his purpose and plan for you alone.

Peace

I have been struggling lately and one of my dearest friends sent me this quote that I read every morning. It brings me peace and encouragement. I hope it meets you where you are as well.

“May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.” - Mother Theresa

Mistake

The most beautiful bracelets of all different colors, four of them tied together made a beautiful set of creams, tans, browns and teal. All together they cost $25. Snuggled in next to them on the display was a coral bracelet that added a little pop of color, the one bracelet cost $18. I headed up to the cash register and the sales associate took the price of the bracelets tied together, rung me up and I paid $25 plus tax and I walked out the door with all five bracelets, not having paid for the coral one because she thought they all went together. It is one of those times where it is a whole lot easier just to walk away.

I did walk away, I walked three blocks away, and then I walked back to the store. I explained to the lady what had happened and she looked at me like I was crazy. I was coming back into the store to pay her more money, for her oversight. Point blank she said, you are the only person I have ever seen do that, most of the time they are trying to sneak stuff out of the store hoping they won’t get caught.

It is a constant battle, the battle of the flesh between doing right and wrong, most of the time it is easier to do wrong because it is the selfish thing to do.

At the end of the day I knew that I didn’t do the right thing to begin with, but I went back and corrected myself. Being able to fess up after a bad judgment call happens is super important; don’t go on lying to yourself and others. Recognize the bad call, and do your darnest not to do it again.