Tag: motivation

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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?

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You See my Light Not my Light Bill

When I think about where I started from as a sixteen year old wife and mother, and becoming a single parent at age seventeen, there is no way that I could have visualized the life that I’m living today. In my prayer and meditation room there is a picture of my two daughters and my two grandchildren, which reminds me of the amazing job that I did as a single mom to both my children.  I may not have been able to give them the latest fashions or the favorite gadgets that other kids had, but I did give them love and I taught them tenacity, and how to survive in a world that judges you by your current circumstances.  I thank God that my daughters have truly grown up to be beautiful women, who are doing an amazing job with their own child.  I must say that I have no regrets.

There are times in life when we look at people who have made it, or made it to the top as some would say, and we tend to see their “halo” and not the struggle that it took to get there. We place people on a pedestal based on their accomplishments or their notoriety.  Nobody is going to tell you the whole story of how they got to the top.  There will always be a secret or two that remains untold no matter how close a friend you may be.  Even husband and wives have secrets because no one needs to know everything that you have gone through.  As you watch me do what I do you are only seeing my light not my light bill.  Don’t allow anyone to dictate what is possible in your life.  Only you know what it takes to light up your world.

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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.