What to Say

Dear Friends,

How are you doing today?  I hope you are doing well.  As you can see from the last post there has been some excitement going on with me.  I have several devotionals started, but unfortunately I haven't finished them yet, so you're stuck with me and my non-thought-out thoughts.

The first is that my car is back from the shop and doing as well as it can.  The muffler broke right next to the catalytic converter.  I took it to a muffler place and Big Jim welded it back together for me.  Then I took it back to Doc McGee and he got my lights to shine at the same brilliance (not where the driver light is way brighter than the passenger light).  However, my radio has more shorts in it then just the ground wire, so it still comes on randomly.  Praise the Lord my dad had some money to help me out otherwise I don't know what I would have done.

Second I've been in prayer for two people, and although you might not know them if you want to say a prayer for them and their families I know it would be appreciated.  Alan, whom I tutored in Mexico, lost his best friend last night.  He died in a car crash at the age of 21. 

Back when I lived in Mexico as a tutor Alan's aunt and uncle came to live in the house with family until they got to where they would be missionaries.  The aunt, Kelly, who is only a year or so older than I am, is in the hospital with something that even the infectious disease doctor doesn't know what it is.  She just had her baby four weeks ago. 

My heart and prayers go out to the families of both as they struggle through this.

I've been singing this song since about Tuesday, so if you need a pick me up too here it is:



Keep On Tryin'
by Poco

Much Love,
Kelli

Greetings From a Mustang

Greetings.  I've taken over my owner's (Kelli) blog since I have caused her to not be able to post here.  I had been telling her for a while something was wrong, but we have a language problem and she had no idea that the noise she was hearing was actually me trying to warn her.

Well, while we were sitting at McDonald's it happened.  I broke. She cried.  I would try to tell her in English what has happened, but lets face it, she wouldn't really understand that either.  I love her, but she isn't what I would call mechanic-smart.  Look, we all have our gifts, but her knowledge of cars ain't one.

Yes I did say "ain't"  I'm a Texas Mustang.  It comes naturally to me... Meanwhile we are going to see Doc McGee, as he seems to know me and Kelli rather well.  She just has to say her name and he knows.  I'll have you know that the last two times I went for a visit there it turns out it wasn't me at all. 

So forgive her while she deals with me, but to be fair I did try to warn her...

Bring Me Sunshine

Sometimes, even as a Christian, you have days that just bring you down.  They are rough, hard to take, and all of your emotional issues seem to come to the forefront.  Yes you have abundant life and a joy you can't explain, but there are times when you just don't feel that and with good reason.  Sometimes life just flat out sucks.

I've been going through a time period where all of my work, all of my effort, and all of my mental and emotional excursions seem to be for naught.  I've talked about an anti-Midas touch, and I have certainly felt that for a couple of weeks now.  I've cried out to the Lord in prayer and I have received four friends, two words, one song, and a walk.

The four friends were actually a different times, but each one has been such a wonderful relief to me and a blessing of uplifting love.  I really needed their encouragement, and I'm blessed to have them in my life.

The first word I received was from the book of Luke 1:45 (NIV):

Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.

Then I heard this from Pastor Paul's podcast (Lessons Every Dreamer Must Learn Part 2 Continued) today:

When God is grooming us for greatness He brings us up slowly.

Then of course was this song: I don't think a better video ever came to my attention right when I needed it like this video. It is "Bring Me Sunshine" by the Jive Aces. I'm a sucker for fun time-pieces.



Bring Me Sunshine
by the Jive Aces

I know I sometimes vacillate between the two thoughts "I'm the only one going through this!" and "My problems are so small compared to others why am I complaining?"  The truth is neither of these things.  I went on a prayer walk with my church last night.  We went through the neighborhood walking and praying for each house as we did.  We didn't stop in front of each house, but just walked and prayed.  I never prayed for myself once during that walk and it was so wonderful to get my mind off my own problems.  I encourage you to do it as well.

I wanted to write to you and tell you that even in the midst of a rough time that there are blessings, that there are rewards, and that you will get through this.  You aren't alone and no matter what the issue is, if it is truly bothering you then don't worry about how big or small it may be to someone else's problem.  Ask the Lord to guide you through the time and keep on praying for others.

Much Love,
Kelli

Saturday Fun Edition

I apologize for the lack of post yesterday.  I'll explain later but until then I want to share with you some of my favorites of the week.

Favorite Tweets of the Week:

From Fred Thompson: 25 yr old FL beauty queen kills intruder w/pink .38 pistol. Guy's probably better off dead than having to tell that story in prison.

That was really the only one...

Favorite Video of the Week:



I'm so excited.  I know this makes me a nerdy fan girl, but I don't care.  Vincent D'Onofrio as Robert Goren is perfection.

Favorite Product of the Week:

My Phone!!!  It is an HTC Inspire.  So far we are in the puppy love phase, but it is awesome.





Short update, but I hope you all have a fantastic week.

Much Love,
Kelli

Financing Your Freedom

Money, whether you have it or not will always be a constant companion to you.  It is not an easy subject to talk about, especially if you are struggling with it. As I am.  I don't usually like to hear about money or discuss it, but I read an article the other night that changed my mood and I wanted to share it with you in hopes you may be blessed by it as well.

I believe God can speak to us anywhere and through anything.  I had broken my cardinal rule of drinking caffeine after 7:00 pm, and was therefore predictably up after 11 pm, when I should have been blissfully asleep.  To help combat this I decided to read and took a magazine from the stack my Grammy Bear had sent on with me.  It turned out to be the August 2010 Oprah magazine.  I started thumbing through it backwards (as is my usual custom with magazines and I have no idea why) when I came to this article in the front: The Joy Divided (Martha Beck has no head for numbers (just ask her accountant), but she does have a proven strategy for converting money into happiness.)

Obviously it grabbed my attention right away.  Money and numbers aren't my thing.  I always try to pay my bills on time and pay any of them before I do anything fun with my money.  However, when you don't even have enough to pay your bills it can get rough.  I once heard a preacher say that 10% was not a sacrifice.  I beg to differ.  When you only have enough to pay the bills and the tithe would give you some extra cash to do the fringe things you need to do (oil change, new tires, hair cut, pay a little extra on the student loan) it can be particularly tough to tithe it. However, DO TITHE it!  You won't be sorry.

Sorry, tangent... so I wanted to read how this author used her money to receive happiness and how much it would cost me if I wanted to do the same.  I was surprised by her view on it and I thought what a way to look at it.  She divides every purchase up into four categories:

• I really NEED it, and I really LOVE it.
• I really NEED it, but I don't really LOVE it.
• I don't really NEED it, but I really LOVE it.
• I don't really NEED it, and I don't really LOVE it.

She concluded that you should spend your money accordingly:

• For I really NEED it, and I really LOVE it pay TOP DOLLAR
• For I really NEED it, but I don't really LOVE it pay BOTTOM DOLLAR
• For I don't really NEED it, but I really LOVE it pay w/ funds you can spend on those items
• For I don't really NEED it, and I don't really LOVE it DON'T BUY!!

What a great principle!

I believe in asking God for wisdom when spending money, but by spending it wisely you can also enjoy what you spend.  Those items that you don't love and don't need just don't buy.  Save it for those items that you really love with your rainy day spending money.  For your bills you may not LOVE certain ones, but you know what service or items are necessary to your life that you are willing to pay for.

This is also freeing for those of you who like to spend your money one way versus what others say you need to spend your money on.  For example a good concert would be more valuable to me than a great pair of shoes.  To me experience is better than tangible items.  However, to others the opposite might be true.  Therefore this idea and principle frees you from any comparison, and it allows you to spend your money how you need and want to without worry that you aren't spending it like someone else is.

So sit down and go through what you spend your money on.  Cut out what you don't love and don't want, and focus on the stuff you do.  You might even save some money!

Much Love,
Kelli

Life Application: Forgiving Yourself

To make sure I keep myself humble, and to show you that I always learn more than I can teach I thought I would follow up my devotionals/teaching posts with my life application of them.

Normally I would wait and at least give you more than a day's worth of reflection, but yesterday after I posted Forgiving Yourself I was struck over the head several times on the subject of forgiveness.

The first thing I did was take my own advice and truly contemplate what I thought my worst vice was.  What did I do that constantly made me un-happy with myself and therefore caused me to, at times, hate myself.  As I thought about it I think I came up with it: complacency.

I get into moods where I believe things are "good enough", and I accept that they are and move on.  However, I have found that when I do this that it comes back and bites me in the butt.  Hard.  Suddenly I'm transported back to that great Calvin & Hobbs cartoon where Calvin is trying to sell "Swift Kicks in the Butt for a Dollar!"  And as no one seems to be buying his service he turns to Hobbs and utters, "Why is it that the one thing people need nobody wants?"

I do not want a swift kick in the butt at any price, but time and again I get it.  And I have yet to understand why this happens.  And so it was this thought that reminded me that I, at times, allow complacency to creep in and cause me turmoil.  The thoughts, "If I had only done this..."  "If I had thought about..." So, as I also talked about what is it that I can do to turn this around?

I have to forgive myself or past mistakes will keep coming back and I'll continually beat myself up about it.  Second I have a new question that I ask myself at the end of every task, "Have I done all I can do?"  If the answer is "Yes" then I need to move on. If something happens and I learn there was something else I needed to do then I need to realize that it was an honest mistake, learn from it, and move on.  If the answer is "No" then I need to continue working until I'm satisfied that I've done everything I can do.

For me honest mistakes hurt far less than casual mistakes that could have been prevented if I were on my game.

Second I listened to North Point's 2nd Part of their series Life Applications.  The second part is about the life application of forgiveness.  There are many references in the Bible to forgiveness and we know that to make ourselves whole we need to forgive.  Not because the other person deserves it, but because it frees us from the grudge and residual anger that eats at us.  Even if it is directed at ourselves.  If you get the chance I suggest you listen to it.  Especially the very end when they have an incredible special guest.

I'll come back and visit how I'm doing with this new found thought, but I want you to know that I don't take what I tell you lightly.  If I'm going to teach I have to believe it.  Which is also why they would kick me out of public school as a teacher because I'm not teaching anything as fact when I know it to be false.  That's a discussion for another time though.

I know that forgiving yourself is hard, but I hope that you do.  It will release you from so many beatings that you have given yourself, and suddenly life doesn't seem nearly as harsh as it was before.  Remember nothing is ever destroyed from without unless it was first destroyed from within.

Much Love,
Kelli

Forgiving Yourself

I don't think we ever face any tougher critic than ourselves. In fact for many of us our hatred of ourselves goes beyond what we might heap on our worst enemy. And I think most of it comes from the nasty decision to judge.

We judge everything, and while having good judgment is necessary we seem to lack the necessary wisdom needed when making a judgment. Especially about ourselves. Unlike God we cannot judge the heart of a man. So we do the next best thing and look at the actions and words of others to determine how we should proceed with that individual. We see the circumstances and their actions are perceived by us and most of the time we are lenient if we know they have a good heart. However, that leniency is not given to ourselves and I firmly believe it is because we think we can judge our hearts.

I also firmly believe that we don't judge our hearts correctly. I had a Bible Study Fellowship leader that used to repeat this phrase; "We need a high view of God and an accurate view of ourselves." I find in my circle that most have a very high view of God, but an incredibly inaccurate view of themselves. Me included. Part of the issue is perfectionism. I know I strive for it and fail every time. For reasons I don't yet understand I keep trying to achieve it, but the cost of doing so is killing parts of me that need to be nourished. I know I am not alone in this. Our society today demands more and more from us and I think it is crippling us to the point where we are literally killing ourselves. This needs to stop now.

It is so easy to tear down and so difficult to build up, but I think as women we have an innate ability to build each other up. Now, we all know women and have been victims of those that easily tear us down, but I say today, right now, we take our power back. Let those that tear people down be shown for what they are, and let you, yes you, start to build up another. The first way we can do this is with ourselves.

Take your biggest flaw. I mean a real flaw. One that doesn't paint you in a good light. One you struggle with: critical of others, over-eating, no filter when speaking, hot tempered, financially irresponsible, whatever the case may be, own that flaw. I don't mean accept it as good, I don't mean to continue in it, and I mean own that it is part of you. Now, if you are religious ask God to forgive you of that flaw. If you aren't then we will join you in the second part and I now want you to forgive you. Do it. Now. Once you've accepted and forgiven yourself for the flaw you hate the most about yourself you can now take it and help yourself.

If you are critical of others, take that eye for detail and pick out the good things in someone. Then compliment that person. A great placed compliment can go a very long way. If you over-eat think about who might benefit from the food you’re eating. For everything you eat donate the same amount to your local food bank. If you have no filter when speaking repeat this phrase every time before you open your mouth, "Even a fool is thought wise, if kept silent." (Proverbs 17:28) Then proceed to speak. If you are hot tempered find out what your trigger buttons are and become passionate about a solution to help alleviate the anger trigger. And if you are financially irresponsible find out small things you can do to help you become better at managing your finances. There is a solution out there for you, and your deepest flaw can reveal what can become your biggest treasure.

You are stuck with you until you die, and you are certainly worth the love and care you give to others. Having self-love doesn't have to be selfish. It can fulfill your role in helping others.



Get It Right
by Lea Michele

Much Love,
Kelli