The Hey You Lady

"> You know that I've been watching you as you go about your daily business. I hear your morning prayers asking me for help, and I hear your evening prayers thanking me for seeing you through another day, and giving your burdens over to me. I've been there the whole time in between, answering your prayers. I knew that you needed companionship. I gave you a best friend for a season. Even though you have grown apart I used the relationship and the things you shared to influence a major decision on your job today. You pray for my blessing on your meals, and pray that I keep you healthy. It's no coincidence that you haven't used any sick days this year. Each morning you thank me for the beautiful day, but I see you spend your time inside, hardly looking at my Creativity du jour. The sky, the trees, the air temperature, the cloud formations -- I did this for you. I hear your prayers for Aunt Fannie, asking me to heal her. I really do hear. But, child, my wil...

I have a nephew who just completed his first week of college. Just thinking of that takes me back to when I was his age, with the world and its endless opportunities before me. What did I want to do with my life? Would I go to school, or go directly to the job market? Would I get married and have a family? What town would I live in, and in what kind of house? These are all big decisions that just about everyone has faced at one time or another. For some, the decisions seem to be based on circumstances. Some are made in haste or on impulse. Then there’s the flip of a coin, or the “rock-paper-scissors” method. But the most sensible decisions are the ones that have deliberate thought behind them. So how does somebody make a deliberately thought-out decision? To begin with, it is helpful to have a solid grasp of your personal values . These values will be a useful filter in making major decisions. Take the time to identify what you value in life – the things that are important ...

One of my favorite films in recent years is “Finding Neverland,” which tells the story behind the story of Peter Pan. Early in the movie is a scene in which playwright J. M. Barrie is walking with his large dog in the park and has just met the four boys and their mother. The oldest boy asks what Barrie does for a living, and he answers by saying, playfully: "Well, currently, I make my living entertaining princes and their courts with my trained bear, Porthos. If you command your brother Peter to join us, I am willing to give you just such a performance." (Peter has not been playing with his brothers because he is still unable to process their father's death.) The other boys agree. Barrie sets himself up with his dog in front of the seated family. He faces his dog and says: "I want you to pay particular attention to the teeth. Some unscrupulous trainers will show you a bear whose teeth have all been pulled, while other cowards will force the brute into a muzzle. On...

What does it mean to "love your neighbor as yourself”? The statement implies a comparison. We love our neighbor the same way or to the same degree that we love ourselves. What does it mean to love ourselves? If we truly love ourselves, we would do what is in our best interest, all the time. We’d eat the right foods, get enough exercise to maintain optimal health, get the proper amount of rest. Our careers would have us doing what we love to do even if the pay isn’t that great. We’d be wise in how we handle our money. Our friendships would be healthy for us, and we would know when to say “no.” We wouldn’t hold grudges, and we wouldn’t play favorites. Our driving habits would make allowances for other drivers to make mistakes without our becoming upset with them, and we would take our time and enjoy the scenery. If we truly love ourselves, we would recognize that we can’t do it all on our own. We’d ask for help from others, and ask for h...

About a month or so ago, I asked the question “If I were God for a day/week/whatever, what changes would I make in my life (the life of Heyyoulady )?” I did not post my answer at that time because I didn ’t want to influence anyone else’s answer by what I said. In all honesty, I had forgotten that I still had not posted my answer until I ran across this entry when I was looking for something else. (Thanks to chrislogan , ajforward 007 , quiet_strength , justthisonce _2 and legendairy for sharing your answers.) So, if I were God for a day, what changes would I make in the life of Heyyoulady ? When this question first came to mind, my initial thought was that God has already changed so much in my life. I know that I’m still not fully the person that God intends for me to be. Since no one can know the mind of God but the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:11), and I have the Spirit of God dwelling within me, then, by inference, I can know an inkling of the mind of G...