Don't read this post- unless you mean it!

Oh, I have been bad, very very bad.....

What does that mean? It means I have been taking care of others and not me. Unfortunately, that means if I do that long enough...there will not be any of me left to take care of the others that I need to take care of.  It means we have been eating out almost every meal instead of taking the time to go to the grocery store and buy some healthy stuff for us to fix. It means I haven't been exercising, I haven't been praying (except in desperation- "Oh Lord Help me now!") It means I have not been getting the things accomplished to get to where God wants me to be....where I want me to be.... where anyone would like me to be. It means I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. Do you mean it? Do I mean it?

I am amazed that my husband puts up with me and my thoughts, words and deeds. He is a saint. He loves me no matter what. I hope that everyone out there has at least one person in their life like that.... I know you do...even if it doesn't feel like you do. God is there- our Father who wants to make His presents known in your life. There is a pastor here in St. Louis- that does short commercials FOR GOD. One I love fits here.... A powerful prayer that you can pray is, "God show me your real, make yourself known in my life." - I love that.... my other pastor friend- says, "God is not mad at you!" That is so powerful. We need to accept the forgiveness that God has for us.

How many times have we messed up? We have let the business take what time we have and not LIVED our LIFE! I have quoted this before but, it fits here again- In the movies- there are Leading Ladies and Best Friends- Don't miss out on being the Leading Lady of your own life. That always fits for me. I was voted by my high school class- Most likely to become an Artist (wasn't I already one?) and  Most likely to be every ones Best Friend -(Very sweet, that was me! Nice, sweet, a best friend. A Leading Lady, nope!) I have a problem with taking the second seat in what I want to accomplish. In my weight, in my ability, in my talents and in my time. We have a talent in all of us that God wants to use for HIS glory.... God holds us as precious- why don't we? We are his special child.... the one He calls by name.  I love the scripture that says....he knows even how many hairs are on our head. (Matthew 10:28-30) I know that Dan loves me...but, he would never sit count the hairs on my head- just because he loves me..... That is crazy love. I think that we think from time to time...when we allow life's problems to get us down, that God is too busy for us. I sometimes pray that He will take care of everything but, me. If He would do all that then, I could focus on other stuff.  I know however, that He is taking care of all the stuff and me. I don't have breath without Him. So, it comes back to me and how I handle the stuff and me. Or me and the stuff.

So, I have to make a plan. Initiate it and make it happen.
1. Make a menu for the week.
2. Go for a walk everyday.
3. Buy a swimsuit- Pool opened today.... will be in it this week- to aqua size!
4. Make healthy meals for me and Dan.
5. Take the time to journal and write.

Okay- it looks pretty easy.... now the hard part... DOING IT! We are more than conquers! We are Champions! We are Princes and Princesses! We are able to do more than we can think. Do it!

Do you mean it?
It takes commitment and dedication...
Do you mean it?
It takes WORK, time, money, energy...
Do you mean it?
It takes being the Captain, Leading Lady, the Force...
Do you mean it?
It may take seeing the dietitian- you keep putting off...
Do you mean it?
It may mean spending money on a trainer or going to a gym....
Do you mean it?
It may mean getting you butt outta bed at the unknown hour of 4 am...
Do you mean it?  Do I mean it? YES! I do..... Do you? Really?
What are you willing to commit to make it happen for you?  Let me know where you are starting? What is your first steps?

I am praying for your success! Pray for mine!

DMKMiki@yahoo.com

Kicking a Box of Snakes

On the news on Sunday night, Osama Bin Laden had been killed.

 Wow, I had not even thought about him in a very long while. I am not a news buff- my husband is. I don't like to watch much of news- it just gets me down. One of my favorite teachers growing up, was Mrs. Lauren Davis. She was my art teacher and a child of the 60's-70's. During the time when I was in her class, the space shuttle had blown up with one of the teachers in it. I can remember Mrs. Davis saying to the class, as she had a TV brought in for us to watch, that these are the markers of our lives. The places that will bookmark time. Big events in the world. Times that we will remember because of the feelings that hold a place for that time and date. She started talking about where she was when it was announced that President Kennedy had been shot. It still brought tears for her. The uncertainty of that day- so many years later still brought up the panic that our nation felt on that day. Raw emotions with no real sense of wellness or wholeness still.... the bewilderment of that day still hung heavy on her heart. A beloved and great President was gone. It didn't make sense.

Back to Sunday night, I was amazed as I saw young people gather in front of the White House- cheering. Not that I am not proud of our troops and the job that they have done. Praise God that we are as safe as we can be and that I had not even thought about OBL in a good long while. Anyone who travels remembers 9-11 here in on OUR ground, American soil a disastrous tragedy occurred. It was a Tuesday morning and I can remember my roommate Malissa telling me to get up a plane has flown into the World Trade Center in NY. I was at home and on our TV in the living room, there it was just as she had said, it was as if I were watching a movie; then another plane flys into the other tower.  The close up shots that they we getting live were devastating, people jumping out of the windows. Could this even really be happening.... Where were our troops and the planes....all flights were stopped.... cut off....planes were missing, we were in chaos, where is the President? Panic was upon us.... is Armageddon was real? today? Were they going to hit every city with our own planes? I stood in my living room in awe of the unknown, I stood praying for my family, friends and the people in NY. It was real. It was mind blowing. It was someone attacking what we had thought of as safe, precious, unfailing- The USA. Our mental state of peace as a nation was changed in an instant. By who? who would do such a terrible thing? Why would anyone attack our land? When was it going to end?

This time things have come full circle, or so we think. OBL has been killed. I am a person whom death is not a punishment. Putting a mad man like he was in prison, that would be a punishment. For his never ending cycle of life to be stuck behind bars. The world protected from him. He was evil. Being pro-life means all life, even if it is a life that you think- you would not want it to continue... You do not have a say. Only God does. I do know that we have a military for a reason- to keep us and others safe. I do as many of us feel this sense of security. We don't walk our streets armed (most of us, anyway). We don't have military walking around our grocery stores with rifles- yet. I celebrate our new found sense of safety- but, I cannot celebrate a mans death.

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Our safety is this.... a cardboard box of snakes in the room with you.... the flaps are over the top, and they are quiet. One pops his head out of the top and slowly slithers away. Then another does the same.... still feeling uneasy, just because they are snakes. They are close. When they are out and finding protection someplace else...they are still in the room with you.... you walk over to the box to see inside at how many there are in it- you take a peek. Opening the cardboard box- you look inside... They are still covering the bottom of the box - 10-20 more snakes are inside. As you release the lid one bites your finger... Ouch! I hope it's not deadly. They seem to settle again.  But, this cardboard is your only safety away from them....You are bigger than them. They don't seem to be coming your way when they leave.... but you are uncomfortable just having them in this room with you. You make a decision to try to move the box away....outside. You go over and try to slide it to the door by pushing it with your foot. It makes them hiss. You stop for a bit and then try again...this time you kick it a little.... you want them gone. One, then two more are out and they are mad at you.... but, you are so close to the door..... you kick it again, and the box is outside but the snakes are in attack mode and they are all coming at you. What did you do? This is how I feel about what has been done...America may have killed one big snake....but the others in the box are still growing and they were being trained by the other.... to take over. This extremest Muslim group, is dangerous. We have a false sense of security- It's a cardboard box.... it's not structurally sound. Please everyone pray for our nation. We need to find peace for all. These people walk their streets with guns. It is not a religion of peace. We are taught to love our neighbour as ourselves. This is a kill your enemy group. Christians are taught to love your enemy. We have a hope in our future. It is called Heaven. You don't get extra virgins there for taking out people who don't believe in your god.

 What we know for certain and how sometimes those things we hold on to are all just what we have created to be true.  Psychology- what a major player in our everyday life that people can be confused by a thought, word or deed. They can challenge there own thoughts, emotions, sense of self. All that plays a roll here. That we as Americans feel this sense of security. I hope it is as true as we have always been led to believe it is.... Lord, hear our prayers.

True Peace~
Miki