I had the most delectable and productive lunch with my amazing mother-in-law. We didn't talk about our usual topics of conversations. Instead, we began brainstorming ways to collaborate and apply God-given talents for the benefit of others. If we are to actually pursue her action plan, the main objective would be to help groups of people find stable income so they can provide for their families with less financial worries or economic uncertainties.
My mother-in-law is an incredible human being with a soulful desire to help anyone in need. She presented a business idea to me that completely blew me away. I of course cannot share in detail what her plan is just yet. She still needs to hone in on her focus. But I'm proud to say, we actually put a business plan on paper and have assumed deadline dates for action items that will not only keep her motivated but will hold her accountable. (So many of us dream big but never follow it up with action.) She's graciously involving me in her business ideas. It's an honor to know she trusts me with her vision for this rather audacious plan.
Although the business plan is still in its infancy, I truly believe in what she's trying to accomplish. Let me just share the kind of person that she is and how we can all learn from her selflessness. She's been cooking up ideas to help people she knows who are financially unstable and who have an urgent need to care for their family. Over a delicious lunch of fried pork chops and sesame seed oiled-snow peas, we discussed how her business will help so many people in need. The business isn't about how much she can profit. Again, her goal is to help as many people as she possibly can. She's willing to venture out beyond her medical expertise to the foreign world of entrepreneurship. She'll put herself out there by taking and assuming all associated risks. This is her venture, her sacrifice, her blood, her sweat and her tears for the benefit of others. She's just putting what blessings God has bestowed upon her to good use. Believe me...she wants nothing more than to bring others to the very tip top.
She doesn't care for profit margins nor does she care for fame or prestige. She just wants to help people in a very unique way. In fact, it's so unique, I don't think this particular idea has been attempted in this geographical area. She has me salivating at just the thought. I of course see financial success as a potential reward. But she doesn't. Again, profits are not what matter to her. All she kept going on an on about is how many people she can help along the way.
With her attitude, creativity, spirituality, and her heart of philanthropy, I have all of the faith that she will succeed in more ways than she can even fathom. She understands that in order to make anything of yourself, you must be willing to help those in need. It seems as if this business would be her most exceptional form of giving back to the community she already so selflessly gives to.
Most people are inclined to do the work because there's something in it for them. Not my mother-in-law. She wants to do the work because there's so much in it for everyone around her. To me, reaching that pinnacle is the ultimate joy we're all meant to achieve. But there aren't many like her who will seize the opportunity to experience such a great and immeasurable reward.
I am going to help her get this idea off the ground and running. Praise God I have the time and resources to help. But first, there's a lot of work and more brainstorming to be done. Stay tuned...if it's in God's plan, this truly will happen and will be a story worth following.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Self-Image
I've been thinking a lot lately about self-image, particularly because my body morphs everyday during this pregnancy. Surely we all have external imperfections we wish could have been bigger, smaller, prettier or just different than how God made us. But after watching a documentary that candidly depicted the sad tales of women whose decision to pursue plastic surgery went awry, I can't help but feel bad for them.
For the record, I don't feel bad that they're in the state of depression or "suffering" in their post-surgical days. I feel bad that they never found the inner strength or inner beauty within themselves to squash superficial desires to enhance their body parts. Let me also state that these women chronicled in the documentary were already drop-dead gorgeous. One woman is an athletic trainer and model by trade. The other woman is a model in Las Vegas. Both are naturally blessed in beauty and physique. But with as much as they had, they wanted something else.
The terrible truth is that these two young women are not happy with the first round of plastic surgery they had done. The athletic trainer was suffering from debilitating ailments caused by her breast implants. The Vegas model hated her "Pinocchio" nose job.
Cameras followed these women around to show how their post-surgical dissatisfaction affected their everyday living. Towards the end of the segment, they both opted to have a second surgical procedure even with uncertainties that the problems they're dealing with will ever get fixed...for the better or for the worse. They both took a gamble and another huge health risk.
After both surgeries were performed, they both immediately felt relief and excitement with their results. Then as weeks went by, each woman became even more unhappy with what they were left with. The athletic trainer had her health and life back but was flat-chested. The Vegas model corrected her Pinocchio nose, but let the influence of others' opinions overcome how happy she initially was after the second surgery.
Moral of the story, these girls were never happy with their beautiful bodies to begin with. They further altered and risked disfiguring their natural features to find happiness and contentment. I believe they never found it because they never had the appreciation for their self-image from the get go.
There's a breed of people who go through life wishing to change what they've been blessed with. They then surgically make a change and are still left unsatisfied. What will it take to make them happy? Why not seek alternative measures to find true joy and happiness with self-image? If you have nice legs, show 'em off all year round and feel great about the stares and compliments you get. If you have a beautifully clear complexion, let it shine through your smile and look people squarely in the eyes so they can see your flawless radiant glow. They call you Mr. Personality because you're so "ugly." Then infect people with your charm and wit so that everyone would feel so lucky to be your friend. Trust me, there are ways to dig down deep and count the many beautiful blessings you have on your beautiful body. Count your blessings and let those overcome any superficial insecurities.
Self-image is quite the beast to conquer. I struggle like any other woman. But I would never change what God intended to give me. I'm proud to say I am happy and securely accept what I've got...and keepin' it real is the greatest compliment I can give to my Creator.
For the record, I don't feel bad that they're in the state of depression or "suffering" in their post-surgical days. I feel bad that they never found the inner strength or inner beauty within themselves to squash superficial desires to enhance their body parts. Let me also state that these women chronicled in the documentary were already drop-dead gorgeous. One woman is an athletic trainer and model by trade. The other woman is a model in Las Vegas. Both are naturally blessed in beauty and physique. But with as much as they had, they wanted something else.
The terrible truth is that these two young women are not happy with the first round of plastic surgery they had done. The athletic trainer was suffering from debilitating ailments caused by her breast implants. The Vegas model hated her "Pinocchio" nose job.
Cameras followed these women around to show how their post-surgical dissatisfaction affected their everyday living. Towards the end of the segment, they both opted to have a second surgical procedure even with uncertainties that the problems they're dealing with will ever get fixed...for the better or for the worse. They both took a gamble and another huge health risk.
After both surgeries were performed, they both immediately felt relief and excitement with their results. Then as weeks went by, each woman became even more unhappy with what they were left with. The athletic trainer had her health and life back but was flat-chested. The Vegas model corrected her Pinocchio nose, but let the influence of others' opinions overcome how happy she initially was after the second surgery.
Moral of the story, these girls were never happy with their beautiful bodies to begin with. They further altered and risked disfiguring their natural features to find happiness and contentment. I believe they never found it because they never had the appreciation for their self-image from the get go.
There's a breed of people who go through life wishing to change what they've been blessed with. They then surgically make a change and are still left unsatisfied. What will it take to make them happy? Why not seek alternative measures to find true joy and happiness with self-image? If you have nice legs, show 'em off all year round and feel great about the stares and compliments you get. If you have a beautifully clear complexion, let it shine through your smile and look people squarely in the eyes so they can see your flawless radiant glow. They call you Mr. Personality because you're so "ugly." Then infect people with your charm and wit so that everyone would feel so lucky to be your friend. Trust me, there are ways to dig down deep and count the many beautiful blessings you have on your beautiful body. Count your blessings and let those overcome any superficial insecurities.
Self-image is quite the beast to conquer. I struggle like any other woman. But I would never change what God intended to give me. I'm proud to say I am happy and securely accept what I've got...and keepin' it real is the greatest compliment I can give to my Creator.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Seek wisdom and see what happens!
Today's Our Daily Bread daily devotional had another message that spoke to my heart. I can relate to today's biblical theme with my current life situation. We as Christians should reflect on the following thought, "God gives peace to those who are quiet before him."
In his own interpretation, my husband so beautifully broke it down for me...from his heart, through his wisdom and in his own eloquently simple words. My husband reminds me that there's too much noise coming in and going out all around us. We're surrounded by so many unimportant things every waking moment. But in the quietness of the very moment when we choose to drown out all worldly ruckus, only then can we truly come to know God and His awesome presence and almighty powers.
I must admit, 2010 has been THE most challenging year of my entire life with demands for spiritual growth in my marriage. As a living testimony to our faith, my husband and I have decided to drown out the noise, minimize the clutter, throw out the garbage and purposefully avoid negative distractions from our focus. We do everything we can to keep our eyes on HIM. But for those who know or for those who don't know what we've had to endure this past year, you may never understand how daunting of a task it has been to silence everything and everyone who don't matter.
I picked up a book my husband has been reading by Larry Lea entitled, "Wisdom - Don't Live Life Without It." Ever since my husband has made wisdom one of his main prayer requests, so much has changed for us...and for the better. He teaches me to never lose focus on the mere fact that God is always working. He works through your pain, through your pleasure and most especially when you don't realize He is working. My husband's spiritual wisdom astonishes me. He has matured into this man of God with a razor-sharp focus on the cross. He tells me he doesn't have superpowers, although to many who know him, we all seem to think he does. But there's no such thing. He tells me he lives life searching for more wisdom, no matter how intense the situation may be. In his wisdom, faith surely follows with a peace that somehow surpasses his own understanding.
Through the gift of wisdom as Lea ingeniously explains in his book, we've learned the why's and who's when it comes to silencing the unnecessarily loud noise. People will always find something to gather and gossip about. People who don't care for you to succeed will somehow find a way to bring you down to their misery. The hypocrites will stop at nothing to destroy their neighbor and its only those who lack wisdom that go out of their way to despise their neighbors. It's so sad, but you see it as the truth in every social circle you may have. We're salaciously human...everything worldly is what we so naturally adhere to.
My husband and I have lived, loved, and lost in the most extreme sense this past year. When it was so much easier to let the resounding noise of senseless negativity and defeat overcome our hope in God's second chances and new beginnings, we chose to trample through the clutter with Christ-seeking hearts. When anyone would try to bring us down, we kept each other focused on what only God knows we need...not by anyone's expectations or by their worldly standards. We seem to come together holding hands taking the road less traveled.
With as much as God have given us to persevere through, my husband constantly reminds me that in every situation, good or bad, there should be JOY that follows. There is no sense for preparing ourselves for disappointment when looking at the treacherous road ahead. Once we silence the world, keep our eyes focused and make the effort to follow Christ in his teachings, only then can we truly know God in all of his glory.
I must say there were times I thought I deserved so much more than what I got. There were times when I thought what I was given was way too much to handle. But thankfully, my husband is always next to me reminding me that joy is soon to follow. Now look at where we are today. Never in a million years did I think our marriage would be so blessed. Never did I think we could have so much to celebrate than we do now. Despite the chaos of this year and having to force ourselves to drown out the noise, God was always working on something so great. I praise God for our prayers have been answered. I am 16 weeks PREGNANT and have never felt so strong, so loved and so convicted in my 28 years of life. God is giving us the miracle of a new life. We're going to be parents very, very soon. Praise God, we seek for spiritual wisdom to carry us through it all. Now, as soon-to-be parents, it's our calling to share what wisdom we've gained with our baby-to-be so that Baby can also know just how great God truly is.
In his own interpretation, my husband so beautifully broke it down for me...from his heart, through his wisdom and in his own eloquently simple words. My husband reminds me that there's too much noise coming in and going out all around us. We're surrounded by so many unimportant things every waking moment. But in the quietness of the very moment when we choose to drown out all worldly ruckus, only then can we truly come to know God and His awesome presence and almighty powers.
I must admit, 2010 has been THE most challenging year of my entire life with demands for spiritual growth in my marriage. As a living testimony to our faith, my husband and I have decided to drown out the noise, minimize the clutter, throw out the garbage and purposefully avoid negative distractions from our focus. We do everything we can to keep our eyes on HIM. But for those who know or for those who don't know what we've had to endure this past year, you may never understand how daunting of a task it has been to silence everything and everyone who don't matter.
I picked up a book my husband has been reading by Larry Lea entitled, "Wisdom - Don't Live Life Without It." Ever since my husband has made wisdom one of his main prayer requests, so much has changed for us...and for the better. He teaches me to never lose focus on the mere fact that God is always working. He works through your pain, through your pleasure and most especially when you don't realize He is working. My husband's spiritual wisdom astonishes me. He has matured into this man of God with a razor-sharp focus on the cross. He tells me he doesn't have superpowers, although to many who know him, we all seem to think he does. But there's no such thing. He tells me he lives life searching for more wisdom, no matter how intense the situation may be. In his wisdom, faith surely follows with a peace that somehow surpasses his own understanding.
Through the gift of wisdom as Lea ingeniously explains in his book, we've learned the why's and who's when it comes to silencing the unnecessarily loud noise. People will always find something to gather and gossip about. People who don't care for you to succeed will somehow find a way to bring you down to their misery. The hypocrites will stop at nothing to destroy their neighbor and its only those who lack wisdom that go out of their way to despise their neighbors. It's so sad, but you see it as the truth in every social circle you may have. We're salaciously human...everything worldly is what we so naturally adhere to.
My husband and I have lived, loved, and lost in the most extreme sense this past year. When it was so much easier to let the resounding noise of senseless negativity and defeat overcome our hope in God's second chances and new beginnings, we chose to trample through the clutter with Christ-seeking hearts. When anyone would try to bring us down, we kept each other focused on what only God knows we need...not by anyone's expectations or by their worldly standards. We seem to come together holding hands taking the road less traveled.
With as much as God have given us to persevere through, my husband constantly reminds me that in every situation, good or bad, there should be JOY that follows. There is no sense for preparing ourselves for disappointment when looking at the treacherous road ahead. Once we silence the world, keep our eyes focused and make the effort to follow Christ in his teachings, only then can we truly know God in all of his glory.
I must say there were times I thought I deserved so much more than what I got. There were times when I thought what I was given was way too much to handle. But thankfully, my husband is always next to me reminding me that joy is soon to follow. Now look at where we are today. Never in a million years did I think our marriage would be so blessed. Never did I think we could have so much to celebrate than we do now. Despite the chaos of this year and having to force ourselves to drown out the noise, God was always working on something so great. I praise God for our prayers have been answered. I am 16 weeks PREGNANT and have never felt so strong, so loved and so convicted in my 28 years of life. God is giving us the miracle of a new life. We're going to be parents very, very soon. Praise God, we seek for spiritual wisdom to carry us through it all. Now, as soon-to-be parents, it's our calling to share what wisdom we've gained with our baby-to-be so that Baby can also know just how great God truly is.
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