Tag: inspiration

Posted on

Be Your Own Rescue

There are a number of agencies and organizations in the world designed strictly to assist people who are less fortunate than others.  No matter how many systems you put in place to screen applicants there will always be someone who will take advantage of the programs.  I recall many years ago when a friend of mine said she was going to put her children names on the “Angel Tree,” a system designed to allow people with more to purchase and drop-off toys and clothes for those less fortunate.  I knew that my friend could afford to shop for her children’s Christmas presents, so I asked her why would she do that.  Her response was, so her kids would get more gifts.

I’m the kind of person who always feels guilty about accepting handouts even if I need them.  I remember when I was on public assistance with my first child, I kept telling my mother that I wanted to find a job because I hated having to depend on that tiny little check and food stamps.  Even today I have to be at my wits end before I go to anyone for assistance.  On the few occasions in my adult life when I lost a job or my financial situation took a turn, I was able to snap back to reality without the world knowing the magnitude of my situation.  I’ve been to food banks but never to clothes closets, and I still visit the food pantry at my church on occasion, because there is always more food than the congregation can take.  It does help when you can pick up a few veggies or occasional meat before you do your grocery list.

Unfortunately there are many in this world who always have their hands out and no matter what you do it never seems to be enough.  I firmly believe that after a certain age in life it is mandatory that you be your own rescue.  I don’t mean that you should never borrow money or a cup of  sugar, but how many times are you going to start over and keep asking people to hold you up while you get back on your feet?

Posted on

Who’s Pushing Your Swing?

Who’s pushing your swing? The other day during my bible study this title came to mind. As I was reading my devotional materials I came across something that made me see myself as a little girl on a swing.  In this  video of the mind I saw me trying to swing higher and higher by pushing off with my feet.  What I realized was I could only go so high and the height lasted for a very short period of time.  It took quite a bit of energy using my feet to propel myself.  I thought about giving up because the height that I reached did not merit the amount of energy that it took to get there.  There are situations in life where we spend too much energy trying to create stuff, when all we have to do is ask someone else to push us.  When someone else pushes us it not only relieves the need to be in control while using our own energy, it also allows us to reach higher heights.  In doing that, the thrill of the ride is more enjoyable and it seems as though you remain at the height a lot longer.

Who’s pushing your swing? Are you reaching the heights that you deserve or are you still operating in your own power to push?  Have you considered having God push your swing?  The heights that He is willing to take you, and the destiny that He has for you is unimaginable. We will have pain along the way, but misery is optional.  We can decide how we will react to the pain that inevitably comes to us all.  Will you spend your time blaming the world as you shuffle your feet at the playground and watch everyone else swinging high?  Or will you tell pride to take a seat the next time life takes you outside of your comfort zone?  When you find yourself swinging without a partner, why not ask someone else to push your swing?

Posted on

Don’t Let Time Master You

Sana Suvarna @sanaSuvarna 

Don’t let time master you!  People think that I am joking when I say, “I am so organized that I get on my own nerves.” Being organized is a blessing and a curse because when you meet someone who is NOT organized, it is extremely difficult to keep your mouth shut.  I’ve had so many occasions where I just want to tell somebody, “It really doesn’t have to be that hard. You make it that way because you fail to plan and organize your time, day, week, or whatever.”  Remember, “no” is not a bad word.  You can use it and mean it when you say it.  I use it a lot and never waste time defending my “no.”

Give me five minutes and I can run down my daily schedule and throw in most of what’s happening the rest of the week. That includes what time I have my coffee, what time I do my meditation, bible study and breakfast.  I know the night and time of my TV shows; I don’t do much daytime TV.  Also, as a business woman I have a schedule of activities devoted to my business.  There are days for creating content, marketing, advertising, business meetings and live videos.  With everything in life you get out what you put in.  Do the work, and when you have done all you can, then let it go and watch the results.  It is better to let things happen than it is to try and make things happen.

Posted on

How Full is Your Basket

Ashes Sitoula @awesome

How full is your basket? Recently I was having one of my low moments and I realized that all the things I was concerned about does not identify who I am.  Therefore, I decided to put my thoughts in a mental basket and allow myself to see that what’s in the basket does not define who I am, but it’s a part of who I am.  We need to stop making hasty decisions based on one feeling, one incident, or one wrong turn.  A lot of what we are experiencing is caused by our anxiety, our failures, our hopes and dreams, or our past mistakes.  It’s okay to allow those feelings to go through your body as long as you don’t stay in that place.

With the excitement and the pressure that the New Year brings most of us feel that this is a great time to start new projects.  But not necessarily!  Don’t get caught up in the New Year, New You phenomenon. For most people this should be a time of reflection on what worked, what did not work, and the changes we need to make moving forward.  When you look at your basket you need to be able to see it as something outside of you and not see it as you.  When I gathered my thoughts and concerns and put them in my basket, I must say that my basket was full.  However the great thing about that was, I was able to separate the basket from me.  I could look at it when I needed to or felt like looking at it.  I could also leave it sitting there altogether.  I could add items as they came to mind, and that in itself removed the thought or concern from the immediate forefront of my mind.  It’s almost like writing down what needs to get done.  Once you release it on paper you are no longer bound by your thoughts.  So, is your basket full?  If it is then that’s a good thing. It simply means that you have transferred your thoughts to a place outside yourself where you can deal with them at your leisure.

Posted on

Underneath the Drip

Underneath the Drip! Are you so blindsided by what you don’t have that you fail to see what’s right under your nose? What about the days when it seems like the world is against you and nothing you do is working?  Remember that one thing that you knew was a sure go and it turned out to be a mistake in the end?  You cried your heart out because you just knew she was the one.  You spent hours in the kitchen preparing his favorite meal because you were told, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”  Well, all is not lost!  There are times when we are getting exactly what we need for growth from a very unlikely source.  We are so conditioned to micromanaging our results that we can overlook our blessings.

During my bible study today there was this story about a man who saw a beautiful flower growing up through a crack in the concrete. He wondered how did this plant manage to survive with such hostile surroundings.  When he looked up he saw that there was an air conditioning unit dripping water directly above the plant.  The plant received the help it needed from the water above.  We are just like that plant.  We need to appreciate the help that is sent even if the source is not what we expected.  Are you underneath the drip?

Posted on

The Fire Starter

Phone pics 907

How many times have you neglected to get something done because you were either dragging your feet or you didn’t think that you were capable? I know that has happened to me numerous times.  There have been days when I thought, “Why even give it another shot?”  And those are the days that brought about the necessary change that I did not know I was seeking.

Are you a fire starter or the person who needs someone to set a fire under you? I have been on both sides of the fence.  However, most of the time I have been the person who gets set on fire.  I am thankful for the people in my life who see beyond my belief in myself.  This year has shown me that the fire starters in your life can create confidence and give you that much needed push to imagine the unimaginable.  Because of the choices that I made to better myself in one area, I received the push I needed to accomplish much more in another area.  Thanks to my fire starter, I now have a presence on four social media sites, and I share daily on all of them.  Not only that, I learned how to schedule my posts in advance so my time and energy is better utilized.  In addition, I am more comfortable with Facebook Live, which has opened another window of opportunity for me to share my messages of inspiration and encouragement.  So, your fire starter may be there for a reason other than what you intended, or YOU may be the fire starter in someone else’s life.

Posted on

Who is Geri

Geri Mason is a woman who has met her own definition of success.  From pregnant teenager, high-school drop-out, single parent, to secretary, radio intern, television reporter, writer and motivational speaker, she is definitely a “Woman on the Move.”  Born to working class parents with little education, Geri was the first of eight children to attend and graduate from college.

After being diagnosed with breast cancer at age 30, Ms. Mason started her search for a deeper meaning and purpose for her life.  Out of that search came “Geri Speaks,” a ministry of writing, speaking, and encouraging others to reach their highest potential.  She continues to share her story through her books, speaking engagements, workshops, seminars and the media.  She had the honor of sharing her story in 1997 at the Million Woman March in Philadelphia, PA.  She is a prolific writer whose work has been published for over fifteen years in her monthly column for Key Awareness Publishing Newspaper, in Virginia.  With a soft-spoken style and genuine spirituality, her story is one of faith, courage, and determination.

To know Geri Mason is to be “touched” by her faith and joy for life.  For speaking or writing requests, she can be reached at gerispeak@yahoo.com.  Please leave your name & number.