STOP

 

This weekend I babysat four [adorable] kids.Ages 5-11. The oldest had asked the two youngest to help them with something but they didn’t want to. As I was watching this scene unfold I asked them “guys, whats stopping you from obeying your sister?”. Later that night I ponder on that question but I made it my own “What is stopping me from ..?”

Sometimes I look at my life and wonder why I am not doing more. It’s kinda strange because I KNOW that I am doing alot but at the same time I KNOW I can do so much more. So that question made me be very honest with myself. Am I not being diligent? Wise? Or is it that I am lazy? Fearful? 

We all know our capabilities and limits. I once heard someone said “You do the best that you can do and when you reach your limit that’s when God starts acting”. I like the message of that — Give it your all. That night I answered what was stopping me. The answer was like a cold shower in the morning but it woke me up to ACT. 

STOP for a second.
Ask yourself “WHAT IS STOPPING ME FROM GOING TO THE NEXT LEVEL?”

 My wish is that NO MATTER WHAT … your life will be lived to the fullest.

The effects of doing right

RESPECT: The state of being regarded with honor or esteem

I am a human being just like you and I have emotions. I am currently single and with that [sometimes] I tend to be too friendly with the opposite sex. Except with one person. Him, I consider, to be very handsome and nice. But what makes this friendship different is that I have TREMENDOUS respect for him. Funny thing is, he has done nothing out of the ordinary to gain that respect but rather, is the family that he has that makes me not want to cross a boundary that will disrespect his parents or siblings.

 If a young child is not taught by his parents how to obey as a teenager, he won’t be able to know how to respect his authorities. So as this teen grows older it will be difficult for him to choose to do right because he is not used to doing that. In the end, this man may end up alone and without respect of the people around him.

So what does this have to do with the guy that I think is awesome? Well, his parents are great parents. not perfect, but they have instructed him in the right way to go. Consequence of that, they have a son who is a good man and brings honor to them. And in the end, because I have seen how they have chosen to always do right I just feel that I can’t play games with him. I respect his parents and I respect him.

When we do right, people watch.
When we continue to do right, people will trust us.
When we persevere on doing right, people will respect us.

Please, if you havent done what is right NOW is the time to change!
“A good name is more desirable than great riches; 
       to be respected is better than silver or gold.” Proverbs 22:1 

Putting Together the World

There was once a man reading a newspaper and his son was next to him. The father was busy reading news about the world, the son wanted the father’s attention. After much pestering, the father tore a piece of the newspaper with the world on it. Cutting it into pieces he gave it to the son so he can put together the puzzle. Not much time had passed when the son said, ‘Dadddy, look, I finished!” Surprised at how quick his son had put together the puzzle the father asked,’Has your mother been teaching you geography?’ 
‘no, i dont even know what that is but i found out that on the back of the page was an image of a man. so I put the man back together and found out that I put the world back together too.”

I am working hard on putting “together” that woman in me. Once I am done, I know I have put together a world. 
How’s your world doing .. fallen apart into pieces or is it whole?

inner self

I am in a Starbucks and I see people come and go. Some are by themselves, others are on the phone. A grandma is on my back with her 4 grandkids and another woman is in front of me with her child.  A young man is having a late lunch and one girl was waiting for her friend to pick her up and just left.  All the women appear to be flawless – from the grandmother to the girl that just left. They have their hair done, nice nails, trendy jewelry, and really nice purses. The young man is dressed with a simple white t shirt, blue cargo shirts and sandals, he is playing with his PSP. I forgot to mention, this Starbucks is inside of Target and on my right side people are coming in and out like crazy. Some leave with lots of bags others with just one but nonetheless, an item has been bought. I ask myself, do they NEED that item, or they just want to have a different color of shoes or a new shirt to wear for the weekend?

 

I have experience this myself too many times. I NEEDED (or thought i did) the latest shoes, the amazing handbag or the fabulous dress. I NEEDED to wear something new on the weekend – repeat an outfit? Not in a million years!!! But today I see the meaningless in all that. I have two closets full of clothes and lots of shoes. I really dont need half of what I got. I dont want to be accepted by the clothes that I wear but by how i carry myself. Even if I wear the latest marc jacobs shoes or that bcbg dress people will still see more of my character than what i have on. 

 

I was once with a friend and i had mentioned that i had decided to put up my hair nicely because i wanted to look like a lady. he looked at me and said “you are a lady”. He made me realize that I cute hairstyle wont make me a lady. My perspective was changed. A true lady will come from within, just like a true gentleman. Instead of wasting our time in trying to look flawless focus on your inner self.

 

(hint: saying to a man “hey bro, shut up” is not ladylike).

Timeless Message

There’s a timeless feeling when a loved one has passed away. You see their lives flash before your very own eyes and no longer are they aging or changing moods, but they are frozen in a timeless memory. They are who you choose to remember them by.

The world is mourning Michael Jackson. I saw the Memorial Service today – it was touching, I must say. I cried when his daughter began to cry. But I didnt know the man nor he had any effect on me with his music. My heart goes out to his family – just that, FAMILY. And while I am talking about family, a few weeks ago something painful happened in our family. My beloved and wonderful uncle passed away.

In my mind, he is timeless. 
He was the first one to ever taught about generosity. When I was around 7 years old I was spending vacations with my sister at my grandparents’ home. My uncle had gone away on a business trip to Brazil and when he came back he brought gifts for his children. I never, ever, expected anything but along with those gifts there were two small ones – one for my sister and another one for me. He was the first person to give me something without a reason. Thats how he loved .. through his generosity. I still remember the feeling it brought and I’ll never forget it. My uncle showed me the healing power of generosity and the unity it brings to those who give without a reason or expecting something in return.

The world mourns an icon they only met through music, but my heart carries a timeless message shared by my uncle: GIVE WITHOUT ASKING ANYTHING IN RETURN.

Tio, I love you and I will see you in Heaven.
But while I am here on earth, your spirit will lived on through my generosity.
Thank you for making me feel special on that day.

Investing Wisely

A book I was reading said that to be a positive and effective influence you need to concentrate and invest on those that respond to you. At first it sounded mean – I thought to myself, ‘but what about those that are not responding, people wont ever invest on them?’ Like I do with any new information, I take time to ponder and process it in my mind. Then it made sense… I am just one person, I cant stretch myself to please everyone. So if someone is responding I should continue investing in that friendship. It will benefit the both of us. 

 

Now, my next question was – How do I know who am I supposed to invest in? The answer is quite simple. For a season of your life invest in those you think are worth investing, then when you come across a milestone in your life see who is happy for you, see who is celebrating you — those are your friends. They are the ones worth investing.

 

What to do with the rest? NEVER, EVER, stop loving or serving them. But know that they dont belong in your journey. Maybe your paths will cross again, maybe not. But to make the most out of this great adventure invest in those that matter and those that care for you. Your life will be enriched and you will enrich others.

The Best is Yet to Come

I don’t know how you get on your birthday but for many years I used to dread this day. I’ve always had HIGH expectations on myself and others and for the most part I will just end up disappointed. Coming from a family of 6 kids and being #3 (read the middle child) wasn’t always easy. But I learn a secret … no matter what kind of day you’ve had you can always say THE BEST IS YET TO COME.  Why?  Because its in our power to do so. Covey shared the 90/10 principle – he said that 10% of what happens around us we cant control but the other 90% we CAN … we CAN control how we are going to react to the situation. Today I’m turning 25! In 5 more years I’ll be 30 .. oh dear! But though I do joke that I am old and all that I truly believe what Frank Sinatra once sang, “You think youve seen the sun, but you aint seen it shine.”
I’ve been blessed with wonderful family, friends and material things. Sometimes I feel that it can’t be topped but I know if I follow the 90/10 principle – THE BEST IS YET TO COME.

Enjoy this day for me…
And enjoy the rest of your days.

Develop your Strength

As my time in Bolivia draws to a close, I’ve been reflecting a lot on who I have become. I am still the same person, but I have learn a lot of truths in my stay here. Truths that have shaped me into  becoming a leader. Truths that have convicted me into respecting my fellow brothers and sisters. But the greatest truth I learn is this … “If you know whats RIGHT  but chose to do whats WRONG because its easier … then you are a weak person”

That’s OBVIOUS you might think. But each day there is a right and wrong to alot of our decisions. Is it right to tell a little white lie? Is it right to do nothing when we see someone in need? Sometimes we get caught up with what everyone else is doing and forget our own beliefs and convictions. Or sometimes we get to overwhelm by the corruption and greed around us that we no longer believe that justice will prevail and therefore fall into the same temptation. People will know whether you are a strong leader if you stick to your beliefs regarding the outcome or the consequences.

As I was getting ready to come to work today I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I saw a strong woman. And this is not to boast, but to let you know, it can be done. If you act justly and righteously in every area of your life you will be able to look at yourself in the mirror and like what you see. I am a strong person. Are you?

Choose Your Battles

CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES

My dad gave me this advice about 3 years ago. I was having a major disagreement with my sister and he said in a calm voice, “Susan, choose your battles”, and then he went on and gave me this long speech on why I shouldn’t be arguing with my sister. But that stuck to me – CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES.

The hardest thing for me to do is to stand up for what is right – even if I’m standing alone. I get so many criticisms for speaking up the truth. It is not my opinion, but it’s the truth. People bash me, they make fun of me. People make comments aiming to hurt me. And sometimes I do feel hurt, sometimes I do feel angry and want to fight back but that’s when I remember my dad’s words – CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES. And I do. I evaluate whether it will be profitable for me to get into a fight. If its not, as hard as it is, I stay with my mouth shut and let it go. Knowing that I had done what is right and just gives me peace. Other times, I need to fight it and because I have chosen what to fight and what not, I have strength and perseverance. I know that if I were to get into any little fight then I wouldn’t have the strength to fight in the battles that matter.

“’Administer true justice” – Zechariah 7:9

Why do you call her fat?

For many years I had a silent battle with my mind – I thought I was fat, well, I thought I was getting obese. But if you look at me, I’m a normal ( very pretty) woman. Sure I can do better but I can also be worse. I used to think I was the only one struggling with this, thats why I was silent about it. However, I’ve met lovely young women – who were like 20 lbs thinner than – who have the same struggles. I’ve met G O R G E O U S young women who think they are not pretty. “Why do we have a twisted conception about ourselves?” I asked one time …. the answer came to me (many years later) last week.

A friend took a picture with a celebrity and he posted it on his facebook. The first comment was the answer I was searching for, “she’s fat” it said, then a few more comments were made along those line.That’s why we have suicide, anorexia and other types of MIND-diseases, because we are calling each other fat. We are calling each other stupid. We don’t look at each other in the eyes, the window to the soul, and learn WHO the person is. I remember many years ago,  we were at a New Year’s party and this thin person was next to a big person and her comment made me sick to my stomach, she said “Maybe this new year your resolution can be to go to the gym.” Has the world made us so insensitive to other’s people feelings?!

It took me a while to realize I was just a normal person with a sweet tooth. But I’m glad I did because you know what? I am pretty and not only that but I’m special and very unique. I like my eyes and I like my personality. I am a strong woman who loves. The world tells me I should be thinner but the world cannot look at my eyes and see my soul. The world is a shallow place. It does not affect me anymore.

I end with this… maybe you are having a silent struggle. Or a relative. Or a friend. So please, before you make any offensive comment look at their eyes and learn to see the soul. It does not matter the weight of someone but their personality. Love them unconditionally. Let us not conform to this patter of the world anymore.