Do It Anyway

I was reminded of these beautiful words of wisdom over the weekend....was thinking it would be a great thing to share for people to start their week. Mother Teresa hung a copy of this poem on the wall of the orphanage she founded in Calcutta.

Do It Anyway


People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.



In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
...... It was never between you and them anyway.

Have a blessed week my friends~
*~Michelle~*

The Resurrection

The Resurrection gives your life meaning and direction
and the opportunity to start over...
no matter what the circumstances.
~Robert Flatt

I hope and pray that you all enJOY this beautiful weekend coming up. We celebrate......and as we shout and rejoice that "Christ has Risen!!"......we also can say "We will rise" as well!!!

Peace and love~
*~Michelle~*


ps. Thanks to all who have shared, tweeted, posted my son's video this past week......we still are overwhelmed! The message has impacted so many.....we read the comments on Youtube and see that so many people (children/adults) can relate and have also found some peace in their heart. Some have also have courage to speak up/out. Thank you again! :)

Proud Mama Moment

My son Hunter is an inspiring film maker....he is only 17, but has a gift with the camera how he "sees" life through his own lens.


Here is the latest video that he filmed/edited/etc. The fact that the artist, Pink, tweeted this to her 3.6+ million followers is insane enough to make us beam with pride.....but when Hunter gives God all the Glory for being blessed with his talent/opportunities.....well that is more than we could ever dream about.

Please watch this amazing video with a powerful message......and please share!!! (you will have to pause my music player)

He is on Facebook ..... HLFilms





Thank you for allowing me to share........

Peace
*~Michelle~*

Double Trouble

WOW! I can't believe it's been so long since I have been here...... I know I have been been busy with homeschooling, family and also sterilizing our home after a nasty bug decided to come visit. (side note/word of advice. Never, I repeat NEVER....let the phrase "we haven't been sick in our house, in like.....YEARS!" flow from your lips.......just sayin')

So yes....life has been busy. Good, but busy. We've been starting spring clean-up around here nad getting ready for baby goats! YAY!

So even though I have been absent in the blogging world.....I have been trying to NOT be absent in my prayer world. I have been doing this awesome Bible study of the Book of James, led by Mark Hall (Casting Crowns) via Facebook. It is amazing on how devoting 10 minutes in the morning to this powerful Book can really give you a new way of thinking and start to bring changes.

I am learning that James is one of those intense books that cuts right to the core of it all. As Hebrews 4:12 reminds us~For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. It is convicting and I am finding myself squirming as I dig deeper in it. James doesn't pull any punches. He was right up front about the cost of discipleship. Just as the early Christians were wrestling to apply the teachings of Jesus to their everyday lives, we are also living in a world plagued by divisiveness and hypocrisy...putting much emphasis on status, wealth and social acceptance. This Word needs to be heard.

One passage has been weighing on my heart, so I am thinking that the Holy Spirit really needs me to meditate on it.....but also share it. This might step on your toes.....and not sure who needs to hear this......but read it, really soak it up......let it be absorbed.....think about how it can apply to some/any areas of your life......

Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ~James 3:11


Ouch.....I find that I struggle with double-mindedness in some areas of my life. I have been praying for God to help me change. I would love to hear from you on your thoughts/feelings on an area that you might struggle with....

Hope this finds you all smiling and well~

*~Michelle~*

Boomerang

Life is like a boomerang.

Words and actions you send out...

...will always return to you.

Choose them wisely. :)


"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don't condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity." ~Luke 37-38 (MSG)

Something I have been learning more and more lately......

Hope this finds you all smiling and well.....looking forward to a new season that is just around the corner!
Peace~
*~Michelle~*

True Love

......Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put His love on the line for us by offering His Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to Him.

Romans 5:6-8 {The Message}

Remembering the True Love that comes from Above~

xox
*~Michelle~*

Think About it {Phil 4:8}

I received this devotional today and I just had to share it's message:

We choose what we watch and read, the conversations we have and the time we spend with God and in His Word. If the mind is not filled with good, trust me, the enemy will fill it with bad.

Ain't that the truth?

We live in a world influenced by the power of Satan and sin. The media bombards us with war, poverty and sickness. Musical "artists" (and I use that term lightly) glorify alcohol, sexual immorality and violence. We have TV series that showcase teenage moms and reality shows with people/families who are so out of touch with reality....... it's unreal. We hear about break-ups, break-ins and break-downs every day.

So with all the world's distortion and deception.....we can become desensitized. We also can find ourselves compromised, which in turn affects our thoughts, decisions and actions. It can be very difficult to keep our minds free from the negativity. Our mind is our control center. It's the old "every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit" dealio.......(Matt. 7:17). Filling our minds with positive thoughts, images, and ideas will help us to remain positive/hopeful even when we have the trials and setbacks in life (which we will!)

But it's a choice.

We have to make a conscious choice to surround ourselves with as much positive influence as possible. We have to choose to turn off the TV when there are more "bleeps" than words.....we have to choose to listen to encouraging music {K-LOVE.com is constantly playing for me} and choose to be with like-minded uplifting people as much as possible.

But most importantly.......choose to make the time for God by reading His Word and let it deposit into our hearts and mind. When we do all these things, we are suiting up in God's Armor. God's armor brings victory because it is far more than a protective covering. It is the very life of Jesus Christ Himself. It is a life of freedom from the despair we face daily in this fallen world.

And lastly, people will take notice. The attitude that you show in your daily living is a witness to others. Even when things are not going well, if you keep the joy of the Lord in your life, you will show people something that they will want. We can slowly plant seeds in people's lives. And isn't that what we are supposed to be doing?

So today......choose the Light...for yourself, and for others as well.

The Message version of Philippians 4:8 ROCKS:

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.



I leave you with this quote {from the same devotional}

"You can't keep a bird from flying over your head
but you can keep it from building a nest in your hair."

Peace and love~

*~Michelle~*