Peace Begins With Conversation.

It seems in this day, with all the rushing around and devices hanging from our hands and heads, things to distract us, that a lot of us have forgotten a few things. So I wanted to take a moment to remind us of some very important things that we may have gotten distracted from and missed along our journey.

Our children:
Our Spouses (or significant others):
Our Parents:
Are we spending so much time with our faces in a computer or cell phone attached to our ears or the tips of our fingers that we are cheating or children of face time?
Do we communicate by text more than by across the dinner table?
Our Neighbors:
When was the last time you sat on the front porch and just talked about nothing?
When was the last time you prepared food, whether cookies, fresh bread or a meal, for your neighbor?
Do you even know your neighbors name?
Our community:
Do you ever do volunteer work?
Do you help when there is a shut in who needs their house winterized?
Do you toss your change into the salvation army little red bucket or do you toss it at the bellringer as if they are slowing you down? Have you ever stopped to say thank you to the bell ringer?
When the cashier is finished with your transaction... do you walk away in a rush? Or do you say thank you, have a nice day?  ( I wonder how many people even know thier regular cashiers first name).
When a waiter/waitress has introduced themselves to you and says I will be your waiter/waitress, do you catch their name and then use it? Or do you call them "Hey Miss" or "Excuse me Mister"?
Do you leave anything in the box for the paper carrier or the mail carrier? (Not just at Christmas either if just then it doesn't count.) Do you know your child's bus driver by name? Or their teacher? Perhaps the crossing guard? Have you ever told them "Thank you for getting my child home safe?"  Is there someone in your office that you never see anyone talking to; Someone you consider to be a loner? Have you ever taken a moment to say hello and ask how are you?  I could go on and on, but I think you get what I am pointing out. Now PLEASE....go out there and speak to people face to face, exchange pleasantries, get to know each other. Peace begins with conversation.

Fruit

Fruit

We should all walk daily

with the idea of being

good, I mean always,

everything, every thought,

every deed every idle word;

with the intent of being good

to ourselves and others.

I know no one is perfect; 

what I am, asking is

how hard to we try?

Or do we simply use that

as an excuse not to be?

Galatians 6:22-23

But the fruit of the spirit

is love,joy,peace,longsuffering,

gentleness,goodness,faith,

Galatians 6:23

Meekness,temperance;

Against such there is no law.

In God We Trust.

AngelOfMercy

During this busy time of year

We are all so busy, chasing things,
chasing our moment in the sun,
the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
We often forget what it is all about.
How it all came to be.
Take time to stop and think about
what's really important, to be truly thankful.
Remember it is not really possible to
appreciate what's important,
and meaningful in our lives
when we are so busy rushing
around trying to make things perfect.
There is only one who is perfect anyway,'
Remember him.

The holiday season

I know it is not politically correct now a days to make statements like "Merry Christmas" or "God Bless You" I know someone, somewhere gets offended at those words. Well I get offended by those poeple. IF They are in the USA, they are in a nation founded on God and his blessings. It is my feeling that if you do not share the same interests as those you are around then you are hanging out with the wrong people. I often tell my children..."You become what you hang with, so choose your friends wisely." I don't like hanging out with people who do not enjoy the same things I enjoy. And if we did hang out together it would not be a lasting friendship. SO I say to those who do not support the troops or God Belss America...Go hang out with people who share your interests, don't be an antagonist, nothing personal, but allow me to have my feelings the same as I allow you to have yours. I believe firmly in the theory of "Live and let live"
So I wish my readers a Merry Christmas, and I say God Bless each of you as you travel life's road. I say May each day be filled with the love of the Heavenly Father, and may you know him as your Savior!

When someone hurts your feelings

We never know what might hurt another persons feelings. Well, Sometimes we know what will, but there are times when we have no idea we have hurt another. That's why it is important to pay attention to your friends and loved ones. If they are acting differently towards you, possibly avoiding you or avoiding eye contact. Yes this can mean any number of things. But think back to recent events and conversations. If you can not think of anything ask them outright. Something like "Hey are we OK? Because I have noticed you seem a little distant lately" Something of that nature.  In the past few months I have had a few instances where someone has hurt me very deeply. People that I thought really cared. And perhaps they still do but I have not been able to fully trust them since these events have taken place. Just know that if you truly value another person, and you think there is any chance that you have hurt them. The best way to mend the relationship is to talk about it.
Be honest and open and apologize if you should. BUT Remember that friends get us through so much and we really do need them. Put your pride aside for a while and fix it!

Fight The Battle Fully Armed

Fight The Battle Fully Armed

When fighting a battle, any kind of battle, put on your best armor. Choose your best men. Gather your best weapons. Yeah I hear you saying "Well, duh, That would only stand to reason." Yes BUT, when we fight our daily battles do we go in fully armed? Or do we go in half armed and half rehearsed, (if that much). Do you go about your day in a routine rut? Try this I think it will amaze you how much more your brain kicks in gear if you shake things up a little. Tomorrow, put the other shoe on first. Brush your teeth with the other had. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.  Wear your watch on the other arm, or around the other side of your wrist.   Stir the oatmeal and eat it with the other hand. Doing simple things differently every now and then awakens brain cells, which Makes you sharper and more alert, which  Makes you better prepared for your daily battles.  Try it!

Joel 3:9

Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men,let all the men of war draw near;let them come up.

Joel 3:10

Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears: let the

Pondering

When someone special comes along, It does not matter when or where you met them. If they are an old friend from high school, or someone you have always known and just never really got to know. If it is someone you just met through friends or happened upon them. And in this day and age maybe even someone you met online. When someone special happens into your life, You know it instantly. You can feel them in your soul, like you are somehow spiritually connected. I have only experienced this connection with a select few, but wow, how special those few are to me.  Words have not been born to give you the feeling I have. If you have not been there, you would never understand. I think I am pretty good with words and explaining things, however words fail here. Maybe I am rambling, but hey it's my blog I can ramble if I wanna...lol. I  wonder if people realize just how special, and wonderful, and important other people in our own personal human experience are. My hopes for you all, is that you, at some point in your life, you meet at least one person who is as special as some I have met. One who can make you smile when you feel like crying. One who can make you feel their presence as if they were sitting there holding you. One who can "talk you down" when you are feeling out of sorts. One who whenever you call or write, or text, or e-mail, you know they feel you. They get you. They sometimes know what you will say before you even say it. They get your jokes, they love you for who you are even when you do not love yourself.  There is someone who I know "gets me" so much that I sometimes think they are somehow reading my mind. This can be any kind of relationship. Gals with gals or guys n gals. It is a spiritual experience. Ethereal. I am searching for words. I can not find them.  Hugs~N~Kisses to you all.

May God Bless You and Show You Mercy.
May your stars shine ever bright.
May you feel the love that I have felt,
And be given hugs so tight.
May you forever wear a smile,
May you never know a frown.
May you know that I need you in my life,
May your spirits be never down.
May you feel how much you are loved,
May you ever know what is true,
May you know what real peace feels like,
Cuz you know I really love you!

When someone comes along

So often I hear my friends say things like..."I never seem to meet the right kind of people". Or something to that effect. If you're lookin for somebody special, I personally think you should narrow the search a bit before you even begin the actual lookin!  What I mean by that is that you should decide what is, and what is not acceptable before you even begin. If you have things that are musts, or maybes or total deal breakers, make your rules and decide where each option fits.  Some people are not suitable from the first sight, for example, if a tattoo is a deal breaker for you, eliminate anyone with tattoos.  If religion is an must, decide what that means to you. You can always waiver a lil bit from your rules if you meet someone who is extraordinary but has that tattoo, or is Catholic instead of Jewish, well I think you get the point. BUT I believe we get the best results...whether in search of a soul mate, a new job, car, home, anything we need in our lives,  comes when we are not lookin so hard. Relax and do not make it your end all be all. Just let come what may. I have met some very special people when I was not even lookin to meet anyone. Just stumbled upon them because our circumstances placed our hearts on the same paths.  Some have been there for a short time. Some have become friendships of endurance.
There are a few people I have met on the internet who have changed my life!
If I had not had internet, or not been on at the right time, whatever little circumstance could have varied , things would have been very different. BUT Fate placed us together. For whatever reasons, whether the needs to be met in
the relationships were mine or the other persons. I am thankful for those friends. They have gotten me through things I could never have made it through without them. I wish I could find them all again and make them know how important and special they are to me.  But as with everything, people change. Circumstances change. People move on.  According to the Bible, if we are not trustworthy with the little we have, how would we dare to ask for more?
We need to learn to be happy with what we have been given in order to get more. And until we are it seems to be fated that we will never be happy.
I sometimes see people struggle with every aspect of their lives,and I think "Why can't you just be happy with what you have?" There are a lot of people who have so much and are never happy. Then again there are so many people who have very little worldly goods and seem to be perfectly content with that.
I wish I knew how to teach people contentment. How the world would change if we could all just be content.

Things

Things are not important! Let me repeat that. THINGS ARE NOT IMPORTANT!
Hmmm no matter how loud you say it, it still is hard to swallow.  Yes we need things to survive, in order to perform our daily tasks, and in order to live any kind of normal life. We definately need things. However, Things are just things. And there are so many we could live without. I know a really wonderful person, who lives in a little camper trailor. I haven't been in it, but it couldn't have much in it. My house is crammed full of "stuff" more things than I could ever use every day of my life. Yet some of those things, tho I only use them once or twice a year, they are still important to me. BUT If I had to I could make it without them. Oh sure I think I could not. Sure I want those things. But lately something happened that has made me take a look at myself. I think it is time to rid my life of some of those "things" and fill it full of something far more important. Love, friendships, family, maybe a little more housework..lol. a little less television. A little more time playing with my children, a little less time worrying about the bills. Realistically I know they may not all get paid on time, but that is not a change or anything new. Sometimes we can not pay things on time. Sometimes we can not meet deadlines. Sometimes we can not be everything to everybody. But we can be true to ourselves. And that's where it all begins. After that if we can only find a way to be the best us we can be, and not beat ourselves up for the few shortcomings we have, We have some degree of success. So in the big picture, I often hear "don;t sweat the small stuff" or "that's just a little thing". But when I think back, those little things in my life, that another did for me or to me, were what shaped my thoughts on wanting to do for others, wanting to help others, and wanting to be the best me I can be. I turned 41 this year. And for the first time in my life I can honestly say I am realizing who I really am. I am not perfect, but I do my best. I am not the best Christian, but I struggle daily to be as good as I can. I am not the best friend but I am thoughtful and kind. I am not the best at anythign I do, but I do what I do with all that I have. As bleak as it may sound, In the end we all end up dead so why not make the best of what we have ...while we still have the opportunity to do so.

My dear friend

His dedication got him no where but alone.

his life of a loner is by all appearances a good one.

No one knows the suffering and heartaches.

he puts on a brave front for all the world to see.

But inside he longs for one to hold and to love.

One who will wipe the tears when they fall

without judgment and say

"It's all right to cry"                                                         

He needs to feel those feelings again,

but the right one does not seem to be interested,

or available.

He longs for her to come into his life

and wreak havoc on the world he is comfortable with.

Make it all brand new. 

He longs for someone to just "be there"

When he walks in the door,

Someone who can smile and welcome him,

Without saying a word.

Someone who is OK with holding hands quietly in the dark.

Someone with whom he can speak freely and openly.

Someone who loves with no inhibitions.

He needs this someone to need him as much as he needs her.

And he needs to be able to take care and be taken care of.

If all the things in his life up to this point,

Were leading to where he is today,

Could he have done something differently,

That would have changed the present?

Would he have wanted it to do so?

Why does being alone have to feel SO ALONE?

He longs for that hand reaching out in the dark,

For reassurance that he is still there.

Feeling his heart beat faster when she looks at him

With that longing look that pleases him so much.

He longs to know she is there, even when she isn't.

He aches inside,

an ache so deep that words can never be

created to cover the feelings he feels.

An ache like a wound, that never heals.

True Love, the only ointment worth it's salt.

Tho I have no answers for his burning desires,

Or the feelings of need, want, longing,

I can offer friendship, a shoulder to lean on.

I have a lot of love and compassion for him.

I have a lot to offer him.

But I am not the answer he is looking for.

 

Sometimes we use humor to cover our hurt. I know I am often guilty of this. Not sure why I do it, I just feel like it is my best defense mechanism. But there are times when even my great big ol funny bone is hurt too deeply to be funny. It is then I am like a little lost sheep with no idea how to respond. (Catching me at a loss for words is a huge accomplishment cuz I am usually so quick with a snappy comeback or something funny) What I don't understand, is why people want to go around hurting others. Oh I know sometimes it is inadvertent. Sometimes we are ultra sensitive, hormonal, whatever the case may be, but it seems like there ar epeople who want to hurt other peoples feelings. There is a person in my life who is always unkind. Nevre has anything kind to say or do when they are around me. Others say they are the same with them, and still others say they are not always like this. For the life of me I can not figure them out. And for many, many years, I simply played the game. Not if but when they were unkind I simply pretended not to notice. Or whispered to the children who were witnessing the act of unkindness that this person was showing them how NOT to act. I usually tried to handle it with humor.  Recently I have changed my tactics. I have decided that it is bullying and I am not gonna take it anymore. I will try to keep ya posted as to how that is working for me, (OR NOT).

Honoring the troops

I am thinking as I sit here, just how grateful I am to those who have or are serving our nation, in order to protect our right to be whom and what we are. Not a lot to say on the subject, just really feeling appreciative of those who have given me the freedom and right to complain about every little thing; while I really have got it made in all reality.

I love my God, I love my Country, I love my family, I love my children, I love my Husband, I love my State, I love my town. I honor, respect and support our troops, be they Marine, Army,Navy, Air Force, National Guard, Reservists, Whatever branch, I pray for you and I ask God to keep you safe from harm as you protect me and my loved ones.

May you be reunited with your loved ones soon and may you feel the love, respect 

and support I am sending your way.

Mislead?

I often wonder, Have we been mislead, or d0 we mislead ourselves?
What I mean is this. We often make mistakes, we often do misdeeds, sometimes we even set out to intentionally be dishonest. We are, afterall, human beings. It comes natural. The old saying "the Devil made me do it"  comes to mind. I know we all, whether we admit it or not, Have at some point lied. I also know that, again  whether we admit it or not, we have intentionally been dishonest. You may be reading this and thinking to yourself, "I have always tried to be as honest as I can about everything". Ok ask yourself this, Has anyone ever asked your opinoin and you "spared" their feelings by "spinning" your answer? Have you ever told your children about Santa, The Tooth Fairy, The Easter Bunny? Hmmm got your attention? Although these seem harmless lies, they are still lies. We all tell lies to spare someones feelings or to cover up things we do for someone. (eg: A surprise party.)
When the problem arises is when it becomes such a habit that we start slipping into telling "little white lies" more often than is really necessary. I do not think we will be bound for Hell, for telling a few little lies to avoid conflict or spare feelings. I am not trying to make you think I believe you are going to Hell. I just wanted to address the fact that we all think we are so honest, when we really tell more lies than we would care to publicly admit. We say thank you and your welcome, wehn we really did not even want or appreciate what was done and it is an inconvience to us. We say "Sure, come on over, I wasn't doing anything", when someone calls with a need. When we really were getting ready to turn in for an early night.
We say "sure I can help" when in all reality we need help ourselves. Why do we do that?  Well my personal opinion is that we do a lot of the things we do for approval. We long to feel a part of a group. We long for acceptance. We just want to "fit in". This is all well and good until it interferes with who we really are. Always be true to yourself. Yes, we need to do a little "spinning" and to a degree I beleive that it is perfectly acceptable, within the parameters of not hurting anyone or causing problems for someone , (Ourselves included). However I also believe that we need to use this part of our personal arsenal with a lot more caution than most of us do. If we end up telling lies to avoid something we really need to face head on, this will only cause us more problems in the future than if we had just told the truth and been an adult about the matter. No I don't mean to preach to you to tell the truth; I just wanted to point out that we need to be cautious. Falling into apattern of "little white lies" is how a lot of "Big black Deeds" got started. Just think about it. And the next time you think about needling your way out of something with one of those little white lies, Think if it is worth it and what the consequences will be down the road.
Until next time,
God Bless You And Keep You Safe.
Angela

Late night thoughts

Was just sittin here thinkin, I wonder if people really realize what a miracle it is that we are even here at all?
I don't know how religious everyone who reads this will be,( if anyone does read it) , BUT At one time this earth was void and empty. Then as it became a populated entity, Sin was so rampant that God destroyed most all of it.
Then he allowed it to be populated again. And the best I can tell it is such a sinful place now it is getting harder and harder to find the good in people. No I am not a pessimist. I am a true optimist, However, I am also a realist. See in our history we elected officials we trusted to lead us, and to make the best decisions for the majority of the people. Today it seems we elect the lesser of the evils. ( Sometimes) We used to know if we walked into a business that we could count on the product they sold us, and if there was a problem that it would be taken care of. If someone gave you their word, you could count on it as if it were signed in blood. We did not feel the need to lock our doors when we left home. We could trust the majority of the people we came into contact with to do their best to be a good person and to be good for their word, and fair. Our children trusted that their parents were teaching the morals and values that had been handed down for generations. Our friends were true friends. Having a friend turn on you was a very rare thing. Oh I know there has always been sin. And I know it has always been something people did behind closed doors as much as humanly possible. Today it seems to me there is no shame. I see things on the news I would never have dreamed possible in my lifetime. Parents teaching their children to shoplift in order to keep from being prosecuted themselves.  Parents lieing right in front of their children and then telling them it is wrong to lie. Setting that kind of double standard only sets out to confuse them and you can bet they are more likely to follow your example  and actions more than your words. The amount of nakedness in public that is accepted now is unreal. We can't talk about the Bible or pray in public without offending someone, yet we are supposed to openly accept others and their religions with little, or in some cases, no tolerance is reciprocated for the beliefs our nation was founded on. What happened to "We The People" What happened to "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness"? I wonder what our founding fathers would think of how we have "handled things". I think there would be great looks of disapproval. I think there would  be shame on the faces of our former leaders. I think we have no shame in the things that have happened because it was gradual. Each generation has let a little more slack in the rope of morals we were founded on. Now there is so much slack that it would be nigh impossible to pull her taut again. Honestly I think people today would not want it pulled taut.  It is easier to wallow in our sinful state than it is to "clean up" and be the nation God intended us to be. If I were able to start a revolution, it would not beso much  a religious revolution, but it would be one founded on good morals and values. Honesty and integrity. Love for self, love for others and love for country. The best I can do is post here and ask that when you read this you will pray. Pray for our leaders to make the right decisions. Pray that they will pray before making those decisions. Pray that our children do not grow up morally corrupt, and run rampant with all the "new ways" so much that they forget where we came from. Pray that family still means something in 100 years. Pray that salvation is still sought out and not thought to be an unnecessary or obtrusive way of living. Pray for one another. And pray that God will have Mercy on people and forgive our wicked ways, for we are only human and we are sinful creatures by nature.
Until next time.
God Bless You and
 God Bless America

My personal thoughts

My personal thoughts I hope they inspire some of you to take time to see the beauty life holds. Not just the beauty we see, but the beauty we can feel in our hearts.


Qoute


Beauty VS Personality: Barbara Ellison Inspiration 1925


"Nothing in the world has ever been beautiful merely on the surface.


Beautiful women hold their preeminence through a single unchanging possession-


An inexhaustible, rich store of vitality."






My Personal thoughts






If being attractive were merely a matter of good looks,


one might feel the cards had been stacked,


and a few fortunate persons had drawn all the aces.


But the appeal of beauty is transient.


Beauty is, as they old saying goes, in the eyes of the beholder.


BUT True beauty is never an optical occurrence.


True beauty is the heart that has been mistreated enough


to know how to reach out to someone floundering.


It is found in the oddest of places.


My grandmothers' old wrinkled hands, holding out a warm slice of fresh baked bread.


My mother in laws' cloudy eyes when she sings AMAZING GRACE.


My mothers' graying hair when the sunlight hits it just right.


The twinkle in a mothers eyes when her child smiles.


The dirty little face that, though covered in frosting, is smiling


and laughing while we sing the first birthday song to him.


The old worn piece of paper with the handwriting of a soldier, at war,


saying his I love you's to his family.


An old pair of boots that a deceased grandfather wore when he worked in the fields;


Now sitting by the hearth to celebrate the memory of his life.


A hand worn to blisters from earning a living to feed his family.


A faded and torn piece of lace from a great, great grandmothers wedding dress.


The quilt made from old dresses you remember seeing your grandmothers


and mother wear when you were growing up.


I am sure we could all add to the list of things we see real beauty in daily.


Stop and notice the little things that make life beautiful.


Remember to say please and thank you. And to say I love you.


We all should take a moment to see beauty in places that at first glance do not look so beautiful.


Maybe Grandma was right when she told me "Beauty is as beauty does!"






If You read this then consider yourself on my personal list of beautiful people.


And know that, although I may not see you often or say it as often as I should,


I LOVE YOU!!!!!


Angela R.S. Fulkerson