Day In And Day Out

(I found this in a September archive of drafts.  I have no idea why I did not just post it then as it appeared to be complete.  So I am sharing it now.)

Does that ever happen to you?

Where you feel like your life is just going through monotonous motions?

I am not referring to the Zombie phase.

The one where you are not able to function.

Like after my divorce,

Or when I was struggling with overcoming abuse.

But the one where it is just another day in,
and another day out.

With no momentous happenings?

I am talking about those days that pop up once in awhile.
The ones where I feel like I am starring in Groundhog Day.
Where I am repeating the actions of my days.
With no subsequent changes, no subsequent growth.
And yet I continue doing the same thing.


Well, I had one of those a few days ago.

It made me ponder what I was doing in my life.

What I was doing with my life.

To ask myself if there was a better way.

I think so.
I know so.


On one hand I should be relieved.
I have no pressing emergencies,
No crisis'.

But I also am not experiencing a lot of excitement either.


Just a typical day on the ranch,
(well, except that I live in the heart of the city.)


On the other hand, precisely for that reason, ( that life is mellow) I can be proactive.

What am I doing to make the best of my days?
To make the best of my life?


Do I ask myself, "Why has the Lord brought me here today?" as Sheri Dew suggests.

And then do I look for ways to build up the people within my perimeters of influence?

She suggests five thoughts about our impact, our ability to influence:

1.  We have more influence than we think.

2.  Righteous influence is a spiritual gift.

3.  Influence is not about elevating self, but lifting others.

4.  It is not possible Not to have influence.

5.  Our influence has no limit and no end. 

After pondering these ideas, I feel a sense of obligation.
A responsibility for my influence on others.
A need for optimism.
(Since I have been known to be a candidate for the pessimist-poster-child.)

If good starts with me, it will spread outward.

Like Phil in the movie, I will endeavor to change my life a little each day.
So that in the end, those around me will be better people,
And I will be too.


If I am blessed with a day coming in,
then it is only fair that I will bless a life going out.


“We cannot escape the influence our lives have upon the lives of others.”~ Thomas S. Monson

 

A Thriving Survivor

After the holidays, I found a plant on a clearance shelf striving to find some much needed light to survive.

Here is her story.

How could I help?
The only real green thumb I have is when it accidentally gets spray painted while I am working on a project.

But as I wrote, I loved the symbolism it held for me so I carefully read and followed the directions hoping with care, my plant would get a second life.

It has!

I moved her to a different location with more light to encourage growth, and grow she did.

I do not know if she will flower again and if so, what I will get.
Especially after reading this in the directions:


Amaryllis bulbs that have been forced, may be forced again the following year or transplanted into the garden.  The flowers however, may be smaller with fewer blooms.

We are technically in the same year (I think).
And I am not sure what "forced" means in this sense.
I anxiously await to see whether she will bloom or not.

Truthfully, of course I hope she blooms!
But if she doesn't that is o.k. with me too, because she is alive.
And that is what my goal was when I saw her forcing her head out of the packaging.

Again, I think of my own life.

In some ways I too had a "forced" life.
And I have also been transplanted a few times.

I believe that some of my blooms may be smaller because of this.
And yet I continue to bloom.
It may not be accurate to say, since I am the one judging myself,
But my blossoms seem to be increasing in size.
At least that is what it feels like inside.


I believe in the end, it is how we feel inside.
Are we alive and growing?
Are we trying to bring forth our best blossoms?
Are we reaching for the Light and then using it for our best good?

We are all sent here to reach for our highest potential.
If we are not reaching it, per chance it is time for us to find an environment which encourages that?


HAPPY GROWING!!


Please share your growing tips with us.
Thank you.

BEFORE                                                                                AFTER

                                                                                                        

 ''She saw every ending as a new beginning. Celebrate her resiliency."~Kobi Yamada

                                                                       

                                                                                                         

Who's Going To Call A Time Out?

Time-outs in sports are used for various reasons:

If there is uncertainty as to what to do next,
If there needs to be a change to the original game plan,
To strategically try to throw off the opponents' momentum,
And possibly most often, if there is a  need to regroup, calm down, or
to get back on the right track, hopefully stopping the behavior before it spirals out-of-control.

This may be done with honest and firm bluntness from the leader, mixed with encouragement.
All done in hope of a better outcome.


But what about in our personal lives?
Do you ever feel a need for a time-out to be called?
And who is going to be the one to make the decision to stop the game and make that call?


As I was looking around for a coach or team captain or helpful fan to give me direction , there was no one in sight (except my dog).

It sure felt and seemed like the call needed to be made.
The game of my life was in desperate need of some regrouping and a reminder of the purpose of it all.
I was headed off track if something didn't change and soon.


But where was The Help?
The enforcer?
The motivator?

You are looking at her baby!

You've got to be kidding me!?

I used to tell my children it was time to call it a night after hours on the computer or working on a project; when the zombie-mode had set in.
As a single woman the idea that someone else would see the need I was ignoring and call me on it, seemed like a pretty appealing idea to me.


As I look back I did have a loving Father, God who continually tried to warn me when I was off, I just didn't always listen and/or obey.  He would respect my choice and not force me to call for a time-out if I chose not to.


The simple truth is that it is up to me to seek help when I am uncertain (my waning self-esteem), or unsure of what to do next (because my finances or health need attention) and especially when the original game plan has changed (as my dreams are altered).
To know when to humbly ask for adapt-ability. 


And yes, there may be times when I need to be aware of my opponent gaining momentum through influence on me (repeating defeating messages) and to call a much needed time-out to get clear again.

Because life is constantly full of unexpecteds I will need to be the one who intuitively and instinctively needs to get in a huddle on my knees and pray, asking for words of promise and faith and direction and then hold ME accountable to get back in the game and make a winning difference/change. 


Time-outs can save a game!

"Achieving balance in life (or basketball) requires great, great effort, desire, and alertness.  Life is complicated, and it's easy to get things totally out of balance.  That's when you have a problem."~ John Wooden