My New Year's

I have to say that my New Year's Eve really sucked. I had to deal with some personal issues that day and it pretty much took the afternoon and into the evening. I wasn't going out anyway, but so much for just relaxing. Looking back on it now I guess I should be happy that the crappy day was still in 2012 and not the first day of 2013.

And that leads me to New Year's Day. I was walking through a store in the late morning when a man stepped in front of me and blocked the aisle. It made me angry because he had looked up and saw me coming and so it appeared as if he was blocking me on purpose. I looked at him and he was smiling at me. I'm thinking, what in the world is his problem. I chalked it up to "Austin people" and slipped past him.

Not long after that, I went to eat lunch. I was sitting by myself and this lady, who was at least 80 years old, came up to me and said Happy New Year. I smiled and wished her the same. But then she looked real hard at me and said, God Bless You and then turned and walked out of the restaurant. In that moment, I had to fight the urge to cry. How did she know I needed an encouraging word?

A little later in the afternoon, I saw a man that I probably see almost everyday. We have never spoken before. But today, he walks up to me and just starts a random conversation and we ended talking for about 20 minutes. It wasn't until last night, when I was winding down and thinking upon the days events that it all started to come together for me.

The smiling man, the older lady, the man I see everyday.....they had engaged me with a smile, a good word, a gentle conversation. But how did they know I needed that? I didn't even know I needed it. I must have been carrying around with me the concerns of the day before. Maybe they could sense it. Or maybe.....maybe God tapped them on the shoulder and whispered in their ear. In that moment, they acted on an inner urge to do something good to someone. And not just anyone, but ME!!! All three. In the same day.

To the three people who helped pick me up throughout the day yesterday, I say thank you. To the God who inspired them to do so, I say thank you. I have a couple of prayers regarding this. One, may these three people continue to shine the light of God through their words and actions. Two, may the rest of us learn to do the same. Have a wonderful 2013.

Death- The Final Fight

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been watching a Facebook friend deal with her emotions as she watches her father slowly step closer to death. She posts updates and pictures of him almost everyday. This seems to be the time of year when so many older folks pass on. I'm really not sure why. My own ex mother in law passed away on December 10th, the same day my mom passed on many years ago. Other friends have also had loved ones succumb to death in December. As for my friend, I have come to look forward to her posts about father.

I'm writing about this because my friend has been so open in sharing her struggle as well as the struggles of her father. And reading about it has caused me to think about how we die. You can tell by the pictures she posts that her dad is close to passing, but another day goes by and he is still here. You can see the strain on her as she almost wishes he would go....that it would be a relief to the both of them. I know it would be for her. But for him, I wonder if he is content with waiting for death to overtake him. Or is he fighting death to the final, inevitable outcome....making death earn its victory? That's how I would like to imagine it. I'm not sure why, but everyday when I see him still alive I feel happy. I'm happy in knowing that he defeated death for another day. It reminds me of the movie, The Outlaw Josey Wales, when the boy says "We whooped 'em again, didn't we Josey?" I know we cannot defeat death forever. And there comes a time when it is ok to just let go and pass on. But I just have mad respect for the people who fight it and defeat it. It's like being down 40-0 in a football game. You keep playing hard and fighting....making the other team earn their inevitable victory.

Sadly, though, her father finally passed. So to my friend, my heart goes out to you. So many of us know the struggles you are enduring right now. And to your dad.....what a noble fight you put on, Warrior. You definitely made death earn it.

How To Pray For What You Want

So, yesterday I talked about how you should be careful about what you pray for. People tend to get mired in their everyday problems and become overwhelmed and frustrated. They then cry out for help in the form of a prayer and are dismayed when they don't get what they want but DO get what they prayed for. What happened? Well, they asked/prayed for the wrong thing. They were not clear on how to ask, specifically, for what they truly desired.

In our worldly, human relationships we are often unclear when we ask for something. We hint at what we desire and hope that our partner somehow "gets" it or "reads" our minds. But God doesn't operate that way. Even if you do not believe in God  but instead believe in a Universal Power, the lesson is the same. You get exactly what you are asking for. And to properly ask for something requires you to have the belief that you will receive it. Therefore, you might ask for a brand new bicycle but if you believe you will not get it, then you  are more likely to not get it.

Your belief must align with your prayer/asking. When those are in conflict, which will you receive? Will you get what you truly desire? Or will you get what it is you specifically asked for? Well, it usually depends on where the majority of your focus is. When people ask for strength, they are usually focused on exactly that.....being stronger so as to overcome their problems. So, they get experiences that will strengthen them. If their focus was on having fewer problems or on having their load lightened, they would be more likely to receive that.

So get specific with what it is you want. Ask and pray in a direct, honest language that is very clear on what you desire. Then, believe that you will receive it.

Be Careful What You Pray For

So often I hear people praying who are struggling with something. Sometimes, they are having relationship problems. Or financial troubles. Issues with their children. Their health. So many different things that we all endure from time to time. One of the most popular prayers I hear is, "Lord, give me strength." Usually, what they are saying is that they feel their problems are so overwhelming that they cannot handle it and need an extra push to get them over.

However, that is not what they asked for and not how strength is achieved. Anyone who has ever lifted weights will tell you that the way to increase strength is to increase resistance. That's right. You pray for strength, you are praying for MORE resistance in your life....not less. You are asking for an increase in problems. You are asking for more weight to be placed across your shoulders. You are asking for more resistance so that you will develop the strength you prayed for. Be careful what you pray for.

Another prayer I hear people praying is "Lord, give me patience." These people feel so stressed about life that they think they might snap at any moment. That they might have a nervous breakdown. They don't realize they already have patience within them. So, by asking for patience, they are actually asking for more than they already possess. This leads us to the same scenario as with strength. These people will now be given more situations that will require a higher degree of patience from them. They will be given more troubles and more stress and less time with which to get everything done that needs to be accomplished. They will be given this so that they can develop the very thing they prayed for......patience. Be careful what you pray for.

Yes, I say to be careful what you pray for because......you might just get it!!!