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Sonia
  
I have but one life, I choose to spend it praising Him
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How the!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aug 3, 2008 2:59 am
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Ever been in a place where you have to ask yourself, how the heck did I get here!!!!! Now, if your name is Sonia, that should not be an unfamiliar feeling.

When you go to the Lord with the same question and His reply, Now do you really want to know? Remember that decision........

Once again I am at a place where a decision has the potential to take me exactly there. Now it is easy to play it safe and never take risks. But that has never been me. I have always lived life to the fullest. Yes, very often I regretted a decision, but more often I was blessed. I have had so many opportunities, I do not know if I have more than other people lol, or just a matter of taking more of them up.

I have to ask though; does that make me irresponsible?
5 Comments
Key To My Heart Aug 1, 2008 11:23 pm
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by Marsha Hoyt

I had closed the door upon my heart
And wouldn't let anyone in,
I had trusted and loved only to be hurt
But, that would never happen again

I had locked the door and tossed the key
As hard, and as far as I could,
Love would never enter there again,
My heart was closed for good

Then you came into my life
And made me change my mind,
Just when I thought that tiny key
was impossible to find

That's when you held out your hand
And proved to me I was wrong,
Inside your palm was the key to my heart ...
You had it all along
4 Comments
Fretting Over a Friendship Aug 1, 2008 2:08 am
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Fretting Over a Friendship

By Renee Myers,

"The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins;
He does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve." Psalm 103:8-10 (NLT)

Devotion:
It all started with a simple question from a friend while we chatted over lunch. She asked how a mutual friend was doing. I could have simply answered that our other friend was doing fine, but to my dismay lots of other thoughts came tumbling out instead.

Although I didn't say anything bad about our mutual friend (who we both like), I did share disappointments I felt about my friendship with her. Maybe you've had friendships that disappointed you, too?

Attempts to work through these feelings on my own hadn't worked. I needed to pray for God's insights and perspectives to help me understand my feelings, and also for His guidance to help me work things out. Praying to God enabled me to realize that my friend didn't perceive our friendship the same way I did. Our friendship meant more to me than it did to her. This realization hurt my feelings. I thought of the many times I'd gone out of my way to help her, accommodated her schedule at the inconvenience of mine, and how I'd considered her one of my closest friends! Now I was angry. Surely I needed to address this some way, but how?

I considered sharing my feelings with her, but that could lead to other problems. Maybe this was an unhealthy friendship that I should let go of? Unsure about what to do, I prayed again. God responded by speaking to me through the verses above from Psalm 103.

God pointed out that He has been merciful, gracious, and slow to anger with me. God does not constantly accuse me of my wrongdoings, and He doesn't stay mad when I anger Him. He hasn't punished me for all my sins, and thank goodness He doesn't punish me as I deserve!

In contrast, I had been easily angered when my feelings were hurt. I continued to mentally accuse my friend of what I considered wrong doings. It was time to let my hurt feelings go and look past the ways my friend had unknowingly disappointed me.

God's solution was to treat my friend the same way my loving Father treats me. After all, she's His child, too, and deserves the same love and grace that's been given to me.

Dear Lord, Thank You for using Your words to help me resolve my frustrations and remind me that I'm to treat others as You have treated me. Thank You for preventing me from taking matters into my own hands, and leading me to trust them into Yours instead. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Application Steps:

Take note of frustrations, hurts, or disappointments you have from a relationship. Ask God to give you insights and perspective to help you deal with your feelings. Prayerfully seek His help in resolving these issues. Memorize the scriptures below to help you address problems in a Christ-like way.

Reflections:
What is it that bothers you in the relationship?

How might understanding the other person's perspective help you gain a better perspective of the situation?

How can you offer the other person the love and grace that's been given to you?

How might this improve your relationship?

Power Verses:

Ephesians 4:31, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior." (NLT)

Ephesians 4:32, "Instead be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." (NLT)

Colossians 3:12-13, "God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So always do these things: Show mercy to others, be kind, humble, gentle, and patient. Get along with each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you forgive that person because the Lord forgave you." (NCV)
3 Comments
Deal breakers Jul 31, 2008 1:02 am
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What would be your deal breakers when either corresponding with someone or dating someone?

For me a definate no-no would be if he talks about his evil ex all the time.

A positive would be if he laughs easily and have a great sense of humor.
13 Comments
Decoding the Emotional Affair Jul 30, 2008 11:59 pm
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Decoding the Emotional Affair

An emotional affair can be just as devastating to a relationship as a physical one. So what's the difference between a close relationship with a member of the opposite sex and an emotional affair?

Once upon a time, having an affair involved sex, secrets, and scandal. In today’s world of work spouses, 24/7 access to information, and the ability to have an online life that is entirely separate from your offline life, it may be that affairs of the heart are becoming more commonplace, not to mention more complicated.

However, unlike affairs of the past that involved physical intimacy, today’s affairs can be strictly emotional. So what, exactly, constitutes an emotional affair – and are you having one without even knowing it? The following questions will help you decode an emotional affair, helping you uncover the dangers as well as possible escape routes, should you need one.

Are you an Emotional Confidant?

The debate about whether or not men and women can just be friends continues in the 21st century. And while it’s perfectly acceptable to be friendly with members of the opposite sex, becoming an emotional confidant is trickier, especially when one or both of you are involved in other relationships. The question you really need to ask yourself in this situation is this: Do you/they provide emotional intimacy that their/your partner doesn’t? If the answer is yes, does that automatically mean you’re having an emotional affair? Not necessarily. But the question remains: Why are you, rather than their partner, the emotional confidant? Signs that you may be having an emotional affair include secretly e-mailing, texting, or chatting online 24/7 without one’s partner knowing about it, confiding more in the other person than you do in your romantic partner, and/or hiding things from or lying to your partner about your relationship with the other person.

Is the Relationship Keeping one of you from Meeting Other People?

If you’re having an emotional affair while you’re single and the other person is romantically involved elsewhere (or vice versa), the emotional affair may be keeping the single person from meeting other interesting and available individuals. It’s essential that you acknowledge whether this is happening. Unfortunately, the person who’s in a romantic relationship and having an emotional affair enjoys the best of both worlds, while the other person gets the short end of the stick. The single person who is emotionally invested in one relationship probably doesn’t have the time or energy for, or perhaps even interest in, seeking out a healthy and whole relationship of their own. And while the emotional affair may last for years, the lack of real and lasting love can lead to unhappiness, bitterness, and wasted time. If this scenario sounds familiar, on either side of the equation, you owe it to yourself and/or your emotional confidant (not to mention the other partner) to end the affair, let go, and move on.

Is the Relationship Healthy – for you Both?

While the comfort of an emotional affair can feel amazing, the negative repercussions can be devastating. What starts as an innocent and genuine emotional connection may result in hurt feelings, disappointment, and betrayal, or even lead to codependency or the breakdown of one’s romantic relationship. Before things spiral out of control, it’s essential to recognize just how unhealthy the emotional affair really is. It’s also important to acknowledge what might be missing from your romantic relationship that ultimately led to the emotional affair. By healing your relationship from within and walking away from the emotional affair, you reduce the chances of long-term damage to any and all involved individuals. And like it or not, that’s the best-case scenario.

How do you Untangle Yourself?

Untangling yourself from an emotional affair can be far more challenging than ending a physical affair. With a physical affair, you simply put an end to your sexual encounters; creating new emotional boundaries is trickier. This is especially true if the other person is involved in your everyday life, e.g., in the workplace or your social life. However, for the sake of everyone involved, it’s essential to untangle yourself. Start by setting new boundaries with your emotional confidant. Keep these new boundaries intact no matter how much the other person tries to challenge them. If your emotional affair happened online, it’s essential to remove this person from your online life. No more online chatting, e-mailing, or instant messaging. Next, focus your energy and attention on healing the emotional estrangement within your existing romantic relationship. If you can’t, then you may need to walk away from that relationship as well. But that doesn’t mean you run into the arms of your emotional confidant. Only the two of you will know what’s best. Trust your gut and proceed with caution.

If you’re single, your happily-ever-after future relies on you being strong enough to untangle yourself from your emotional affair. Create those new boundaries and keep them firmly intact. And trust that there’s somebody else out there for you who’s healthy, whole, and able to commit to you 100 percent. In the meantime, give yourself time to heal from the emotional affair. Seek professional help if needed.

Like physical affairs, emotional affairs are complicated. If you think you might be involved in one, it’s essential to ask yourself the questions discussed above. As challenging as it may seem, letting go is much easier in the long haul than holding on. While untangling yourself from an emotional affair can be tricky, you owe it to your successful relationship future to walk away as soon as possible.
(another eharmony article)
4 Comments
Demystifying the Single Woman Jul 30, 2008 11:47 pm
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Ever wonder what goes on inside the single woman's mind when it comes to dating? It's not as dark, mysterious, or scary as you might think. In fact, by getting to know what and how we think, you may just discover a thing or two that'll make trying to date us easier. Then again...

We’re not all about looks, so you shouldn't be either

While we appreciate the aesthetics of six-pack abs, bulging biceps, and a great butt, you don't have to have them for us to consider you a catch. But just as we're willing to accept your beer belly and/or back hair, you should accept us as we are. And even though we don't look like Angelina Jolie, when you compliment us on our curves, calves, or killer smile, we kinda feel like her. (Hint -- that would make you Brad Pitt, and most of us would do a whole lot to Brad in the bedroom. Bring on the compliments!)

We like it when you make the first move (but if you don't, we might)
We realize it's hard for a guy to know when to approach us, especially when we're out and about with our estrogen pack (or as we like to say, on a Girls' Night Out). But when we separate ourselves from the herd, make eye contact, and smile, we're giving you the go-ahead to approach. And if you don't respond? If we're feeling particularly confident and cute that night, we just might approach you. And when we do, give us a chance. After all, we're going out on a limb. If you're not interested, that's perfectly fine, but let us down gently. We can handle rejection, but we'd appreciate a certain level of respect when being rejected. (Thanks!)

You don't have to be a pickup artist to get our phone number
We know all about The Game, but did you know that you don't need to employ pickup artist tactics to get our phone number? In fact, it's pretty safe to say that by the time we graduate college, we're no longer looking for some guy who's got game. We're smart, driven, independent, and fun-loving individuals with brains who'd much rather hear your most genuine How are you? over How you doin'? any day. (Honest!)

Material things don't impress us
Unless you want to date a gold digger (and if so, good luck!), don't try to show off on a date by flaunting your material possessions. Expensive cars, bling accessories, and a pocket full of cash just don't impress us. We have our own money, our own homes, our own lives. If we're worth your time, we're not looking for someone to bankroll our lifestyle. Instead, what impresses us is kindness, consideration, and a sense of humor. Plus, when it comes to finances, we'd much rather date a guy who lives within his means and is planning for his future than someone who always has to have the latest gadget or ride but can't seem to pay off his credit card.

Other games we hate
We don't mind if you play video games recreationally, but if your Zelda obsession becomes 24/7, holds our living room hostage, or in any other way negatively affects our relationship with you, chances are good that we won't stick around for long. And if you do by some chance find a cute, smart, funny girl who's also a gamer? She may just be the Holy Grail. (Don't screw it up.)

Honesty really is the best policy
If you want to feel the wrath of the single woman, lie to her. But trust us -- you don't want to do that. In fact, to get on our good side all you need to do is be honest. If you're not going to call us, don't say that you are. If we ask if you're dating other people and you are, tell us. We're big girls who would much rather hear you tell us the truth -- even if it's not what we want to hear -- than be lied to and misled. (Besides, we just might be dating other people too.)

We don't all have marriage and babies on the brain
Yes, we sometimes over-analyze everything you say. And yes, there are usually three days a month that we're pretty bitchy. But believe it or not, we're not all wired with wedding bells on the brain. In fact, a lot of women actually enjoy being single. So contrary to what you might currently think, we don't spend our first dates picking out china patterns in our heads. We're actually paying attention to you, listening and getting to know you to decide if you're worthy of a second date. Go ahead, be worthy (or not). But most important, be yourself. That'll make our decision easier.

So there you have it. A glimpse inside the single woman's mind. Once you know what makes us tick, dating us is a snap. Or at least a little bit easier…

(article from eharmony)
10 Comments
A parent's prayer Jul 30, 2008 2:20 am
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Oh, heavenly Father, make me a better parent.
Teach me to understand my children, to listen patiently to what they have to say, and to answer all their questions kindly.

Keep me from interrupting them or contradicting them. Make me as courteous to them as I would have them be to me. Forbid that I should ever laugh at their mistakes, or resort to shame or ridicule when they displease me.

May I never punish them for my own selfish satisfaction or to show my power. Let me not tempt my child to lie or steal.

And guide me hour by hour that I may demonstrate by all I say and do that honesty produces happiness.

Reduce, I pray, the meanness in me. And when I am out of sorts, help me, O Lord, to hold my tongue.

May I ever be mindful that my children are children and I should not expect of them the judgment of adults. Let me not rob them of the opportunity to wait on themselves and to make decisions.

Bless me with the bigness to grant them all their reasonable requests, and the courage to deny them privileges I know will do them harm.

Make me fair and just and kind.

And fit me, O Lord, to be loved and respected and imitated by my children. Amen.
2 Comments
My Nameplate Jul 30, 2008 1:51 am
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My Nameplate

By Luann Prater

"Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: holy to the LORD."

Exodus 28:36 (NIV)

Devotion:

Recently I received a license plate with my company's logo on it. They strongly encouraged us to place it on the front of our car so that everyone can see who I work with at a glance. I was pretty excited and proud to do it - at first. However, when someone cut me off in traffic and heat rushed up my spine, sending my morning smile into a scowl, I remembered the plate that identified me! I forced the grimmace to leave my face and replaced it with numbness. Arghh! The realization hit me, I can't just react now without thinking of the impression it will leave on others. I must admit at times I've wanted to intentionally drive through a mud hole to mask the name on that plate.

My girlfriend won't let her husband put a fish symbol on their car, a symbol of their faith, because she knows that car can sometime reflect a little "road rage". She is afraid it might reflect poorly on her Savior. What if we had to wear the seal of God on our forehead for everyone to see? Would we act any differently? Would we be nicer to the store clerk, the grumpy boss or the bratty child? If at a glance the world could see who we were with, would it alter our behavior?

In Ephesians 1:13 it says, "... Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit." So we ARE marked with a seal, and it is not just on our foreheads, it should be oozing from every part of our being! When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, it is as powerfully evident to others as an engraved nameplate welded to our face that we belong to Christ. How? Matthew 5:16 tells us, "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

Surprisingly, I have become accustom to to the nameplate on my car. I think now before I react. I consider the consequences of my driving. It has seriously made me a better driver and less stressed. Isn't that amazing? It no longer makes me anxious or afraid that I will discredit my company. People recognize me coming now and wave.

So who is reading your nameplate? Do they recognize the light of Christ in your actions?

Father, we often try to blend in with the world. Give us freedom today to proudly display the righteousness You have given us by reflecting your light onto others. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Do You Know Him?

Application Steps:

Make a sticky note name-tag that states, like our key verse, "Holy to the Lord" and wear it today. Allow God to work through you and in you as others notice Who you are with.

Reflections:

What makes me hide the fact that I am a Christian?



How can I purposely shine on others today?



Why do I act as if no one is watching? God not only sees, His Holy Spirit is with you...during the good and bad reactions.



Power Verses:

Matthew 28:20b, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (NIV)



Col. 4:6, "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." (NIV)



1 Peter 3:15, "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." (NIV)
0 Comments
Scammer bait Jul 30, 2008 1:27 am
211 Views
Do you guys think there is something like scammer bait?

I think I have some on my profile. Do I need and exorcist you think?
7 Comments
Teach me to love Jul 30, 2008 1:21 am
152 Views
This is a repeat post, I saw this again today and was touched by it again and wish to share it.

by Louise Knight Wheatley

There was a time when in my daily prayer
I asked for all the things I deemed most fair,
And necessary to my life -- success,
Riches, of course, and ease, and happiness;
A host of friends, a home without alloy;
A primrose path of luxury and joy,
Social distinction, and enough of fame
To leave behind a well-remembered name.
Ambition ruled my life. I longed to do
Great things, that all my little world might view
And whisper, "Wonderful!"

Ah, patient God,

How blind we are, until Thy shepard's rod
Of tender chastening gently leads us on
To better things!
Today I have but one
Petition, Lord -- Teach me to love.
Indeed, It is my greatest and my only need --
Teach me to love, not those who first love me,
But all the world, with that rare purity
Of broad, outreaching thought which bears no trace
Of earthly taint, but holds in its embrace
Humanity, and only seems to see
The good in all, reflected, Lord, from Thee.
And teach me, Father, how to love the most
Those who most stand in need of love -- that host
Of people who are sick and poor and bad,
Whose tired faces show their lives are sad,
Who toil along the road with footsteps slow,
And hearts more heavy than the world can know --
People whom others pass discreetly by,
Or fail to hear the pleading of that cry
For help, amid the tumult of the crowd;
Whose very anguish makes them cold and proud,
Resentful, stubborn, bitter in their grief --
I want to bring them comfort and relief,
To put my hand in theirs, and at their side
Walk softly on, a faithful, fearless guide.
O Saviour, thou the Christ, Truth, ever near,
Help me to feel these sad ones doubly dear
Because they need so much! Help me to seek
And find that which they thought was lost; to peak

Such words of cheer that as we pass along
The wilderness shall blossom into song.
Ah, Love divine, how empty was that prayer
Of other days! That which was once so fair --
Those flimsy baubles which the world calls joys
Are nothing to me now but broken toys,
Outlived, outgrown. I thank Thee that I know
Those much-desired dreams of long ago,
Like butterflies, have had their summer's day
Of brief enchantment and have gone. I pray
For better things.

Thou knowest, God above,
My one desire now --Teach me to love.
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