How strange the packaging answers sometimes come in...
I read a blog this morning that was truly, exactly what I needed to hear (so to speak) today. While I am on a completely different path from this person, I too find myself saying "God, I don't understand. This is not where I wanted to be," a lot in recent days.
Fortunately, like the author of this blog, I know the path I am on is intended for my good and that continuing forward will only help me grow and learn and trust Him more, which is what truly makes a difference.
So, I wanted to share this with all of you today in case maybe you need to hear it too.
Check out Mayim Bialik's latest post on Kveller.com. It is truly inspiring.
-Lisa
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Friday, November 21, 2014
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Time for Some Action
I've been thinking a lot about the future and the past lately. The pastor at the church I attend did a sermon last week talking about second chances, but in the bigger scheme of life. He also talked a lot about taking action instead of only praying about things and waiting for a tangible, obvious answer.
It is most definitely good to pray over something and to take time to think things through, but it is also important to take actions. And to take risks.
In my own life, I am realizing that sometimes in order to just cope with the current reality, I find myself putting a band-aid (if you will) on a problem that essentially needs a more drastic course of action. I also know I'm not alone in this predicament.
Today I was talking with a friend about how sometimes you have to just do something entirely different than whatever it is you've been trying. And while I have many moments where I wish I could pull up Google and ask it what to do next, I realize that I can't no matter how much I'd like to - I simply need to try something different.
Sometimes I think God leads us down a very non-traditional path to where we are heading so that we not only learn to trust, but so that we can actually see that all of our self-doubt has no foundation whatsoever. That we really can be or do so much more than we could ever dream or imagine.
Just a thought.
-Lisa
It is most definitely good to pray over something and to take time to think things through, but it is also important to take actions. And to take risks.
In my own life, I am realizing that sometimes in order to just cope with the current reality, I find myself putting a band-aid (if you will) on a problem that essentially needs a more drastic course of action. I also know I'm not alone in this predicament.
Today I was talking with a friend about how sometimes you have to just do something entirely different than whatever it is you've been trying. And while I have many moments where I wish I could pull up Google and ask it what to do next, I realize that I can't no matter how much I'd like to - I simply need to try something different.
Sometimes I think God leads us down a very non-traditional path to where we are heading so that we not only learn to trust, but so that we can actually see that all of our self-doubt has no foundation whatsoever. That we really can be or do so much more than we could ever dream or imagine.
Just a thought.
-Lisa
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Message Received
I visited church with a friend this morning and heard something I so needed to hear, but didn't realize it. The sermon was on the story of Peter stepping out of the boat and walking on the water with Jesus (that's an enormous paraphrase by the way - see Matt. Ch. 15 vs 22-33).
Anyway...the pastor was talking about how in life so many times people stay in the boat so to speak, but how some people actually take a chance and step out on faith and get out of the boat - no matter what the result may be. Then he said that just by stepping out of the boat to begin with, we alter our future.
That caught my attention. I love the story about Peter walking on the water to Jesus and it came to mean more to me when I first moved out to Los Angeles. But after moving back to Texas...to make a long story short, I've struggled a lot with feeling like I took a leap of faith only to end up right back where I was to begin with, which is a place I couldn't stand to begin with (to be frank - and why mince words at this point?).
I never stopped to consider that, even if I can't see it right now, my future is not what it would have been had I not gone to California. I knew I was different, that I'd come into my own if nothing else, but I don't think I'd considered that the future I would like to see is still possible. And how I needed so much to hear that all was not lost.
It's interesting the way that God can prompt us to go somewhere, visit someone, or even check out a church at the exact moment when we're going to hear the sort of reassurance our soul is longing for the most.
The other thing this morning got me to thinking about is taking risks...
Sometimes we are called upon to look at our life - maybe a specific situation or just in general - and assess what (& occasionally who) we have in our life and if the "what" or "who" fits with who we want to be - or maybe more specifically who you know deep in your soul that you are despite your current situation.
Perhaps sometimes we are not simply called to step out of the boat. Perhaps we are called to jump ship when it's really a choice of thriving or drowning.
Just a thought.
-Lisa
Anyway...the pastor was talking about how in life so many times people stay in the boat so to speak, but how some people actually take a chance and step out on faith and get out of the boat - no matter what the result may be. Then he said that just by stepping out of the boat to begin with, we alter our future.
That caught my attention. I love the story about Peter walking on the water to Jesus and it came to mean more to me when I first moved out to Los Angeles. But after moving back to Texas...to make a long story short, I've struggled a lot with feeling like I took a leap of faith only to end up right back where I was to begin with, which is a place I couldn't stand to begin with (to be frank - and why mince words at this point?).
I never stopped to consider that, even if I can't see it right now, my future is not what it would have been had I not gone to California. I knew I was different, that I'd come into my own if nothing else, but I don't think I'd considered that the future I would like to see is still possible. And how I needed so much to hear that all was not lost.
It's interesting the way that God can prompt us to go somewhere, visit someone, or even check out a church at the exact moment when we're going to hear the sort of reassurance our soul is longing for the most.
The other thing this morning got me to thinking about is taking risks...
Sometimes we are called upon to look at our life - maybe a specific situation or just in general - and assess what (& occasionally who) we have in our life and if the "what" or "who" fits with who we want to be - or maybe more specifically who you know deep in your soul that you are despite your current situation.
Perhaps sometimes we are not simply called to step out of the boat. Perhaps we are called to jump ship when it's really a choice of thriving or drowning.
Just a thought.
-Lisa
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
What's It Worth?
I've been thinking a lot recently about the price of happiness - and if it's one of those things where the price is different for everyone.
I was raised to believe that happy is a choice. One might infer from that statement that being happy - no matter what your circumstances may be - is a choice. Or that it's simply a matter of choosing to have a positive attitude and to be thankful for what you have. To be sure, I believe it is all of those things too. But there's something more...
For reasons too numerous to go into in this post, I've been thinking about how happiness being a choice might be more closely tied to other choices in our lives. Big ones.
Almost everyone I know believes they would be happy if they had more money and found "the right" person and I tend to feel that way too. But I'm beginning to wonder if we as humans have a tendency to stay stuck in one place (location, job, relationship, church, school, etc.) because when we made the choice to go into said space it was the best decision we could make at the time with the information we had. Then one day you wake up (literally and figuratively) and hindsight hits you like a ton of bricks.
Suddenly how your choices "should have gone" is so clear to you. You think "oh I should have..." fill in the blank. Gone to this other school. Majored in that other subject. Taken this other job. Kept dating instead of settling down. Changed churches the first time I felt this feeling. Saved more money instead of buying this or that. Left the first time he / she broke my heart. Run like hell in the opposite direction of where I am now.
I think the choice of happiness comes with what you do after your "wake up" moment. Do you take this new found clarity and stuff it into the back of your mind and let it morph from "aha" to a state of pain and misery.
Or do you take a risk? Do you start to ever so carefully consider "what if I did something different now?"
You might feel it's too risky - that you've invested too much time and energy into where you are now. Certainly, sticking some things out and changing your attitude can be helpful. And I'm not talking about the times when you just have a bad day, but something that consistently pokes at you and needles you whether you're focused on it consciously or not.
Sometimes just changing your perspective is enough. Other times you're challenged to step out on faith and tackle the thing that both scares and bothers you the most. It's that moment when you know that while the unknown may scare you, staying where you are is going to do so much worse. So taking the risk might be your shot at choosing to be happy.
If you're truly unhappy in your life, what price would you pay to change it?
Just a thought.
-Lisa
I was raised to believe that happy is a choice. One might infer from that statement that being happy - no matter what your circumstances may be - is a choice. Or that it's simply a matter of choosing to have a positive attitude and to be thankful for what you have. To be sure, I believe it is all of those things too. But there's something more...
For reasons too numerous to go into in this post, I've been thinking about how happiness being a choice might be more closely tied to other choices in our lives. Big ones.
Almost everyone I know believes they would be happy if they had more money and found "the right" person and I tend to feel that way too. But I'm beginning to wonder if we as humans have a tendency to stay stuck in one place (location, job, relationship, church, school, etc.) because when we made the choice to go into said space it was the best decision we could make at the time with the information we had. Then one day you wake up (literally and figuratively) and hindsight hits you like a ton of bricks.
Suddenly how your choices "should have gone" is so clear to you. You think "oh I should have..." fill in the blank. Gone to this other school. Majored in that other subject. Taken this other job. Kept dating instead of settling down. Changed churches the first time I felt this feeling. Saved more money instead of buying this or that. Left the first time he / she broke my heart. Run like hell in the opposite direction of where I am now.
I think the choice of happiness comes with what you do after your "wake up" moment. Do you take this new found clarity and stuff it into the back of your mind and let it morph from "aha" to a state of pain and misery.
Or do you take a risk? Do you start to ever so carefully consider "what if I did something different now?"
You might feel it's too risky - that you've invested too much time and energy into where you are now. Certainly, sticking some things out and changing your attitude can be helpful. And I'm not talking about the times when you just have a bad day, but something that consistently pokes at you and needles you whether you're focused on it consciously or not.
Sometimes just changing your perspective is enough. Other times you're challenged to step out on faith and tackle the thing that both scares and bothers you the most. It's that moment when you know that while the unknown may scare you, staying where you are is going to do so much worse. So taking the risk might be your shot at choosing to be happy.
If you're truly unhappy in your life, what price would you pay to change it?
Just a thought.
-Lisa
Sunday, January 8, 2012
What's Next?
What's on the other side of disillusionment?
I believe I'm finding myself in whatever that may be and discovering a strange mix of inspiration, freedom and frustration. It's an interesting place to be and while I believe some of the frustration is solvable - while hanging on to the inspiration and freedom, there is no quick fix (maybe that's true of everything in life) and sometimes that can be very trying.
Things that make you think about integrity; what's right and wrong in a very black & white manner; and making the right decisions so that you can live with yourself.
Balancing what's in your head with what's in your heart is often tricky. Trying to figure out how to navigate the path you're on and where it's taking you (patiently!) is about five steps beyond tricky.
For me, my faith plays a huge role in dealing with all of these issues. I believe God has a plan and that as we make our own decisions and navigate the road we're on, He's always got something for us to learn. Some lessons are repeated. A lot. But once you get it, you go forward. Perhaps that's why you can spot patterns in your life and behavior. As my Mom says, if you're not changing, you're not growing. So here are my questions of the moment:
How do you figure out where you're going when you've become certain that you're in a place of transition? And what steps do you take to keep yourself focused on the future while living in the present - even if you know the present is only temporary? How do you gain the most out of each leg of the journey called life?
Just a thought.
-Lisa
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The Waiting Place
Ever find yourself at a complete loss for how to handle a situation? Or maybe have a period of time in your life where - while you may believe there's a purpose or a reason for all things - you simply can't figure out what that might be?
Personally I'm experiencing a time where I'm in what I'd describe as a "waiting place." If you've ever read Dr. Seuss's "Oh The Places You'll Go" you know exactly what I mean.
Without going into detail I've recently hit a place where I feel like I take a step forward and get shoved back almost immediately. So I find myself scratching my head, looking around and wondering what on earth the right next step might be. Or am I just supposed to wait here? And trust?
I do not particularly excel at either trusting or waiting, so I suspect that may be why I find myself in this situation. But then I also wonder how much is just life and how much is more? And what happens when you choose to view the world from the perspective of purpose? Of learning or having lessons in each situation?
Lately I find myself putting many of the more intangible things I've learned up to this point into practice. You really do tell people how they can treat you with what you allow (this is not a new lesson - just one I've finally learned to actively practice). No matter how much you might hope for peaceful, still waters they are few and far between in this life and how you handle that defines many things about you (like your health, your relationships, etc). And my fave Oprah lesson - "when you know better, you do better."
That last one has actually changed the way I approach the first two. It means I have to be willing to stand up for myself and to know how to do that in a respectful way and in a variety of situations. Even when those situations are about as comfortable as a root canal. (Actually I happen to have a great dentist, so I've definitely had dental work that was more pleasant than this place).
Simply learning lessons in life is not enough. You have to put them into practice. So it's not enough for me to say I trust God and I'm happy to follow His leading. I have to actually practice trusting Him and following Him. Even if He's saying "wait."
Just a thought.
-Lisa
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Blessed Assurance
Ever notice that doubts kind of creep up on you when you're really busy or pretty stressed about other things and all of a sudden you find yourself in the middle of a meltdown and you aren't quite sure how you got there?
I've been grappling with a little of that lately. Just about different things. What ifs and why nots I call them. I really figured this was brought on largely by the start of my last semester in grad school and the impending job search.
And actually, I thought I'd just about sorted everything out. I was feeling much better about things or at least I wasn't feeling noticeably "blue". Still...there was that little kind of "eh" feeling that I couldn't quite put my finger on that just didn't feel right.
I appear to be coming down with a slight cold so I stayed home today (all day) and dosed myself with Vitamin C & Zinc and otc meds. Since I'd decided to stay home I live-streamed this morning's message at the church I usually go to (http://www.oasisla.org/) and watched.
The series they've been doing is called I Heart LA. Today's message was I Heart LA City of Creativity.
Somewhere in the midst of this message the "eh" feeling broke. I realized that as thankful as I am for being in LA and as much as I try to focus on the positive...somewhere deep in the back of my mind there's a little part of me that's waiting for it to disappear.
I'm not sure why that is and I haven't the energy or mental space at the moment to begin to analyze such things. But this morning's message reminded me that God put me where I am for a reason - regardless of the surrounding circumstances. And that is something I can rest assured in.
Funny how sometimes God can send you a message you didn't even know you needed.
Just a thought.
-Lisa
I've been grappling with a little of that lately. Just about different things. What ifs and why nots I call them. I really figured this was brought on largely by the start of my last semester in grad school and the impending job search.
And actually, I thought I'd just about sorted everything out. I was feeling much better about things or at least I wasn't feeling noticeably "blue". Still...there was that little kind of "eh" feeling that I couldn't quite put my finger on that just didn't feel right.
I appear to be coming down with a slight cold so I stayed home today (all day) and dosed myself with Vitamin C & Zinc and otc meds. Since I'd decided to stay home I live-streamed this morning's message at the church I usually go to (http://www.oasisla.org/) and watched.
The series they've been doing is called I Heart LA. Today's message was I Heart LA City of Creativity.
Somewhere in the midst of this message the "eh" feeling broke. I realized that as thankful as I am for being in LA and as much as I try to focus on the positive...somewhere deep in the back of my mind there's a little part of me that's waiting for it to disappear.
I'm not sure why that is and I haven't the energy or mental space at the moment to begin to analyze such things. But this morning's message reminded me that God put me where I am for a reason - regardless of the surrounding circumstances. And that is something I can rest assured in.
Funny how sometimes God can send you a message you didn't even know you needed.
Just a thought.
-Lisa
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Introduction
Hi, & Happy 4th of July to you!
I wanted to write a quick introduction to explain the type of blog I plan to have here.
This will be a place where I'll write about whatever strikes me that day (and I will tell you upfront it may or may not be a daily thing). I will probably write quite a bit about God and faith, but not so much in a sermon-type way, as that is not my department.
I like to share some of the things I think and the way my faith impacts the rest of my life.
I will also (probably) blog about artsy stuff because the arts in general were & are kind of like my first love. They are something I've run from on occasion (for "practical" purposes) and yet I always find myself back in their midst - and that is a place where I am happy, so much for practical.
This is not supposed to be a place of professional expression, a.k.a. work / journalism. It is a place for the expression of thought. Therefore it is in no way meant to be unbiased. I will happily be expressing my own thoughts, opinions, feelings, etc. here. So feel free to leave me comments with your own thoughts.
I hope that, if you're reading this, you'll enjoy what you find here & check back often.
I wanted to write a quick introduction to explain the type of blog I plan to have here.
This will be a place where I'll write about whatever strikes me that day (and I will tell you upfront it may or may not be a daily thing). I will probably write quite a bit about God and faith, but not so much in a sermon-type way, as that is not my department.
I like to share some of the things I think and the way my faith impacts the rest of my life.
I will also (probably) blog about artsy stuff because the arts in general were & are kind of like my first love. They are something I've run from on occasion (for "practical" purposes) and yet I always find myself back in their midst - and that is a place where I am happy, so much for practical.
This is not supposed to be a place of professional expression, a.k.a. work / journalism. It is a place for the expression of thought. Therefore it is in no way meant to be unbiased. I will happily be expressing my own thoughts, opinions, feelings, etc. here. So feel free to leave me comments with your own thoughts.
I hope that, if you're reading this, you'll enjoy what you find here & check back often.
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