Life – Get The WORD Out!

Reflections Of Our Younger Selves

Recently I came across these pictures on the internet and it was a reminder of how I’ve been feeling. I’ve heard it from others and totally let it go in one ear and out the other, but now I am beginning to reconsider the comments that I’ve heard from adults in their fifties and older. Comments like age is only a number until you start feeling your age; or one woman’s shock to see wrinkles and facial hair that seemed to grow overnight; to vows made to fight the aging process while others indulge with beauty treatments and exercise.

Even now I look into the mirror and see the swimming athlete I used to be and even after two children I was a size 6. But those days are long gone. Do I want them back? No, not really. What many of us baby boomers are realizing is that we think we can do the same things we used to do, but our bodies are telling us a different story through aches and pains. Some of my friends tell me things they used to do in their past like standing on his/her feet for 8 hours, swimming a 200 or 400 meter freestyle competition without being winded, running marathons, welding sculptures, climbing ladders and kneeling to pull weeds and plant flowers. Some retirees are running marathons in their 50’s and 60’s, bicycling 100 miles per day, boating and doing things they love. So does it really matter that you can’t do some of these activities any more when you’ve had an opportunity to take up new hobbies?

My answer is no. Why? Because we’ve learned many new things which have taken the place of these strenuous activities and we are wiser overall. What I see is that Boomers are realizing that time matters more now than when they were in their 30’s. What’s even better is that we now have the time to do something significant and make a difference. Some are mentoring young children, working in nonprofits to make a difference in their community, became care givers, driving seniors to doctor appointments and grocery stores, while others are continuing to work until they are 70.

Who am I today? I’m an individual who will make a difference in the lives of those around me. I’m still adventurous, full of life and can tackle anything. I’m a better version of my younger self. Who are you today?

A Sign from…

*Photo courtesy of South Florida Sun Sentinel

On February 5, 2019, a very, very, large wooden cross washed ashore on Ft. Lauderdale Beach to the delight of beach-goers. It was 20 foot long, barnacle encrusted and looked like it could have been made from railroad ties.

According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Mary Ann Smolinski, visiting from Michigan said, “It’s amazing. Very spiritual.” Not long after the tales about how the cross washed ashore and the possibility of its spiritual meaning were heard everywhere. Some say it was probably from Puerto Rico due to last year’s hurricanes while others believe it is a spiritual sign. One man was so moved by the cross as a sign that he called his friend and said he was going back to church.

Today the cross now lays behind the Ocean Manor Beach Resort where it took ten men and two ATV’s to pull it ashore. WSVN reported “Ocean Manor resort Owner Frank Talerico told WSVN he had goosebumps when he learned of the cross and believed it was a sign of protection. He said his sister had been praying at the property that morning after having a bad dream.”

Have you received a sign? What was it? Remember, it is what you do with the sign that matters! So stay alert, read the Word, and pray!

Too Late for Cuban Refugees!

On Thursday, January 3, 2019, more than twenty Cuban refugees arrived in the Florida Keys on a makeshift boat. The blue and green tarps either attempted to keep them afloat or were protection from the sun and high waves. However, Border Patrol found them at Veteran’s Memorial Park and have processed them for return to Cuba. While the numbers of refugees attempting to flee Cuba has slowed down significantly, there were still multiple attempts in 2017 and 2018.

One has to wonder if these men did not know that former President Obama pulled the plug on the “wet foot, dry foot” policy in January 2017 as diplomatic ties were being reestablished between the countries. OR, was their life so horrible that they had nothing else to lose?

Seeing this makeshift boat in person really hits home as to how lucky we are living in the United States. One also feels compassion for these refugees who risked high winds at sea and even possible death.

Please understand that this post is not political, nor intended to promote or hinder immigration. It’s about compassion and humanity. One has to wonder what is really going on in Cuba since people are still willing to risk their lives at sea knowing that the “wet foot, dry foot” policy has come to an end.

May God bless us all!

*Photo courtesy of Livin’ the Keys Life

Raising The Bar…

There are so many self-help books about the power of positive thinking, achieving more in less time and striving for excellence, but how many of us really stick with it for the long haul? In reality, not many.

Yesterday, I came across the book 212, The Extra Degree by Sam Parker and Mac Anderson. The subtitle, “Extraordinary Results Begin with One Small Change” really stuck in my mind. I personally began to think of New Year’s resolutions we all have made that were not realized because we couldn’t fulfill the promise to ourselves and just gave up. Then I began to wonder, “what if”. What if I had stayed the course? Would my life be different today? I can answer this question with a firm “yes”!

Why do we change courses without achieving our goals? For some it’s life’s unexpected curve balls that have caught you off guard, or the goal may have been set too high while for others it is simply a timing issue. So what do you do? Instead of throwing in the towel, set small, achievable steps and build upon each success as you go through the process. Consider tweaking the goal along the journey to keep it relevant. Can you see the long-term benefit of the goal? The point is to keep learning, growing and achieving.

Throughout my life I have set many goals and attained them, but there are a few I wished I would have accomplished. Perhaps you have also had goals or dreams you did not accomplish. Would you resurrect any of them today? If so, why?

Think about this phrase taken directly from Parker and Anderson’s book:

“At 211º, water is hot. At 212º, it boils. And with boiling water comes steam. And steam can power a locomotive. The one extra degree makes the difference.”

What area of your life will you launch the extra degree to make the difference?

The Love & Hate Relationship With Cars–Uggh!

Americans have fallen in love with the automobile a long time ago, but cars can be a blessing and a curse at the same time. One one hand it’s a great luxury to be able to drive to the store versus walking or biking in this heat! The curse is when they break down and cost too much to repair.

My love for cars began at an early age when I assisted my father while working on his antique car. He said every young girl ought to know the basics about their car and how to fix it in a pinch. For me, that car was a sporty Pontiac Bonneville that had a supercharged V-8, a moon roof, electric everything and leather seats. I can’t even begin to count the number of times I have jumped in the car with no particular place to go and driven along the water to relax or unwind. I remember many carefree drives where the sun is shining down through the moon roof, the windows are down and the fresh smell of salt air is blowing through the car.

Unfortunately, today was not one of those enjoyable “love my car” days!

Fast forward to today, and my car has more electronic parts and sensors than you could even imagine. The fun began when I stopped at the bank and it would not restart when I returned. I knew it wasn’t the battery because I replaced it just three months ago and AAA was slammed with service calls. It would be at least an hour before I could get service. Being the adventurous and “driven” person that I am, I decided to walk home and change into something cooler. I was up for a walk and the distance was only three blocks, but I never imagined the scorching heat would make me feel like I was going to melt into the side walk! My face even felt like it was burning.

Feeling all hot and sweaty, I finally arrived at my front door. When I opened the door I instantly felt the cool air hit my face as I walked into the house. I thought, “How wonderful it was to have air conditioning”. Then the phone rang and it was AAA stating that the service truck would be there in fifteen minutes! I didn’t even have a chance to cool down before I had to make a mad dash for the bedroom for the quickest clothes change of my life which included putting on my tennis shoes. Now I thought, all I had to do was get back to my car before the service truck arrived. I burned rubber, on my tennis shoes that is, and managed to arrive before the service truck! Whew! Now two of us sweating in the hot sun–the service truck driver and me. He hooked up a handheld diagnostic device to my car which ruled out the alternator and battery. He said it was probably the starter, yet the car started when he tried it and I was able to drive home.

I knew that this repair would not be cheap from previous experiences repairing my car. I took a moment to stop, look up at the sky and had a little talk with the Lord. I said, “You know I don’t have money to make expensive repairs to this car. Could you please help me out here?” I began by viewing You Tube videos to find the location of the starter and other possibilities for the problem. Then I began to call mechanics and one mechanic was very familiar with this type of problem. His experience with the same type of car led him to believe that the crank shaft position sensor had gone bad. He asked me a few more questions about how the car was acting and he was right on the money.

After speaking with multiple car mechanics who blew my mind with $710+ repair quotes, I desperately needed to find a cheaper alternative. I called an auto parts store and the part was only $66. I wondered, “Why were the mechanics charging so much to fix it?” Thankfully, I remembered a neighbor saying she had a great mechanic who was reasonable. I went to see her and then called her mechanic. She was right–for less than $200 my car would be fixed! I yelled, “Thank you Jesus for answering my prayer!”

So after all the feelings of frustration, walking in scorching heat, and mind blowing quotes, I felt so blessed because I am able to talk to a God who answers prayers! In fact, I’ve realized that I have had many circumstances where God has answered my prayers. That is why I am recording these stories for myself, for my children and for others to always remember to be encouraged and to give thanks to the Lord.

What kind of prayer answered stories do you have?