CONTAGIOUS

When we hear that something is “contagious” it is generally used in a medial sense, for germs, viruses and such, but today I want to look at it in the “emotional” state of being. Contagious: adj. of an emotion, feeling, or attitude, likely to spread to and affect others.

Each year when it is cold and flu season rolls around, we are reminded to wash our hand frequently, take vitamin C, stay home when we are not feeling well so we won’t spread our germs to others, get plenty of sleep, eat well and get our flu shots to try our best to stay healthy. But when it comes to our spiritual wellbeing and things that are contagious, we are not always as diligent to protect ourselves as we should be.

Did you know that being around a complainer all the time will rub off on you? Yes it does! And I know that some of you know exactly what I’m talking about because you might be married to one, or have parents, relatives or close friends who are. Also, we can’t forget—you yourself might be a complainer or “Debbie Downer!” Negativity is contagious no matter how it is dished up.

I have a relative who constantly talks about what ails them every time we speak. They’re a Believer, but when it comes to healing they’d rather talk “sickness”! Sad to say, I don’t call them often, because I’ve found after several minutes of listening to them, my spirit starts to feel heavy. No matter how much I try to change the subject or encourage them, they always bring it back to “woe is me!” Some people like being where they are even if it is not a good place. It is what they are used to and truthfully become very comfortable with. It has taken me awhile to get this, but I protect myself from people who really don’t want to grow, make change and or love being miserable. It is not good for me—it is a contagious negative. But on the other hand, faith is also contagious and so is laughter, kindness, joy, love and a slew of other great things all Believers have access too, if we desire.

It is important to work on staying spiritually healthy and strong as much as the physical. Just as we should frequently wash our hands, we should frequently talk about what the Word of God has to say with other Believers. Medically we are encouraged to take daily vitamins to help supplement nutrients our body needs, spiritually we should make sure to have a daily dose of Bible reading, meditation and prayer. We dress warmly to protect ourselves from the cold—we should also surround ourselves with people who are positive and strong in the things of our Lord, to help protect our hearts and mind.

We often hear, “I caught a cold!” But truth be told, no one goes around trying to catch a cold—it comes after you! And we start to fight it off at the first signs, with either over the counter meds or natural remedies. Either way, we do what we can not to let it consume and overtake us. But the best scenario is preventive measures.

Of course in many cases as a single woman it is easier for me to distance myself from a negative contagion versus someone who is married to such a person or has to live with someone who falls in this category. That is why it is so important to cultivate friendships with people who can encourage you, are fun to be with and make you laugh. We need people in our lives that help to lift us up and we feel better after talking to them or hanging out with them. It’s a good feeling when someone starts laughing so hard they can’t tell the story of why they are laughing, yet it becomes contagious and before you know it—you’re laughing with them even though you don’t know why.

Dear sisters, I know each person’s life has its own unique circumstances and we must exercise godly wisdom in how we deal with people—but there are situations in which we just need to make the decision to make change in our circle of people—because they are toxic and what they have to offer is very contagious.

With the New Year quickly approaching many of us will soon be on a new health kick, but don’t forget—our emotional and mental health is very, very important. It can affect our physical health in many ways. Just as we try our best to put distance between someone who is sneezing and coughing all over the place so that we don’t become sick—we should be as wise for our spiritual wellbeing too. Amen!

A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones. Proverbs 17:22 (NKJ)

Until next week….be blessed!!

Love and Hugs
Ponnie

What If?

The “What if’s” of life can be positive or they can be negative. When we live a life of regret and what if I had only done so and so—that is not profitable for us. But when we think about “what if” in the sense of making change or setting goals—it can be a good.

Today’s blog is to challenge Believers to think about change and what impact we could make in the Kingdom of God, if we would not be so stiffed necked and steeped in a tradition that really is not so much about Christ as people try to put on.

What if all Christ followers celebrated His birth by giving to Him instead of each other? What if we took all the monies we usually spend buying a bunch of gifts and used that money to advance the Kingdom of God? What kind of impact do you think we would have?

What if we gave so Bibles could be distributed in different languages across the world? What if we gave to missionary families who spend every day spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and showing His love to others through hard work? What if we helped the children of those who are incarcerated for more than one day? What if we helped a single mom get on her feet, and not just bombard her kids with toys for one day and walk away—but helped and supported them for one year? What if we helped an elderly couple, by making repairs to a home they can no longer afford to do yearly maintenance on? What if we sent money to support elderly Russian Jews who need heat and food for the winter?

What if…we stopped whining about people saying “Happy Holidays, versus Merry Christmas” and really make Christmas about Christ ourselves? How about if we stayed home on Thanksgiving Day so others could be home with their families and retail stores would not make the money they want and therefore stop opening and demanding employees work or lose their jobs? How about we will not stand outside Walmart, (or any other store) in the wee hours of the morning running people down as if we were running with the bulls? What if we no longer supported greedy retailers and came together in one mind and did Matthew 25:34-40 (NIV) during this holiday season versus blend in and look like the world?

I have a huge question that pastors seems to shy away from--why are we so hard pressed to find a church open on Christmas morning if it doesn’t fall on a Sunday? Why is that?

It makes us feel good to give toys and coats to children during the holiday season, but what about the other 364 days of the year? We think we have really done something when we give a single mom a frozen turkey and some trimmings to go along with it, but fail to make sure her gas is on so she can cook it. Yes, this has happened.

Truth is—if God wanted us to celebrate the birth of our Messiah, He would have instructed us to do so. And if we study we will find his birth was probably during the feast of Sukkot a Jewish holiday which comes in September or October each year depending on the Jewish calendar.

In some ways we are like the Pharisees when it comes to our Christmas traditions. Jesus was not pleased with them and rebuked them for their traditions. For the past several years I have wondered how pleased He is with us and our Christmas celebrations.

The suicide rate (year-after-year) is at its highest during the Christmas season? So, when we think about it, can this really be something God has sanctioned? Christ died for all on the Cross, so why would God sanction a holiday or time that brings such sadness and heartache to others?

Food For Thought: What if every adult you usually share Thanksgiving Day with had to work except you? What do you think that would feel like? What if the usual volunteers at the soup kitchens and homeless shelters who serve and prepare Thanksgiving dinner all had to work on the day before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Day and the entire weekend after? What do you think that would look like and feel to those who were shut out?

We as Believers should not be selfish when it comes to others—we are to be selfless. Forget about our Black Friday traditions and start thinking about others. Why are we so caught up in the way of this world, when we are cautioned not to be!

I really do wonder what progress would be made in the Kingdom of God if we did something extraordinarily different this Christmas and everyone thereafter.

My prayer is that you will at least think about what I have said today and maybe even begin to make changes in the way you celebrate Christmas to make it more about the Kingdom and Christ then traditions that really are not about the Kingdom. Amen!

Until next week….be blessed!!

Love and Hugs
Ponnie

Fifty is the New Thirty Five…Not!

1Peter 3:3-4 (NLT) ³ Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. ⁴ You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

The following paragraph is an except from an online article in Today Health, by Diane Mapes (Sept. 15, 2013), "America’s Favorite age? “It’s 50 New Poll Says"…inspired me to write today’s blog.

Barbara Beck Holstein is a psychologist from Long Branch, NJ is quoted in the article as saying, “I really think 50 is the new 30 to 35. For women, you can stay stylish and fit and maybe get your hair dyed or just do a little [cosmetic] tune-up and feel, “Wow this is great.”  I say, “Lies, lies, don’t believe a word they say!” Yeah, that used to be a jingle to a dog food commercial. ~Smile~

Ladies, 50 is 50. No it is not the fifty of our mother’s generation, we are more youthful and active then the average women who was 50 in the 60’s, 70’ and early 80’s. But it is no way, the 30 or 35 of any era…okay!! And yes, it is more common place to color our hair, wear makeup and have stylish hairdos and be more fashionable. But the average woman does not have cosmetic tune-ups and from what I see, many who have should have stopped a long time ago. When do cosmetic tune-ups cross over to vanity or obsession? Even a very well known sister-in-Christ has been tuning it up for years. From the beginning she was very open about her work with us. Her tune-up didn’t alter her appearance other than she looked refreshed and well rested. But it seems even she has been to the well a few to many times, because now her face is stiff and you wonder when you see her on TV…“What happened?” because she no longer has a natural and relaxed look about her.

What has happened with ageing gracefully? Did God’s Word change in some way or is it just that even the daughters of the King are buying way too much into the world’s hype and definition of what beauty is? I must say…it is the latter!

Sarah was 65 years of age when this happened…Genesis 12:11-13 (NIV) As he (Abram) was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. ¹² When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. ¹³ Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.” It would reason that girlfriend must have been gorgeous for the Egyptians to want to kill Abraham so they could take her. Do you think her good looks were the result of her latest chin lift or Botox injection? No! I would be inclined to think it was because she didn’t smoke, and ate a healthy diet. They walked a lot back then and she most likely got plenty of sleep at night, and lived a stress free life for the most part. Oh, and we can’t rule out good genes. But you know what—these are the same things that help us age well today.  

I purposely chose the picture of Dame Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, because to me they are women who are aging gracefully….crows feet and all. They both will turn 79 in December of this year and seem to be having the time of their lives—Botox free!

In the article Holstein also says research shows that as we age, we tend to be less depressed, less anxious and more optimistic than our juniors. And we also become more comfortable with our bodies.

Now for me at age 60, this is pretty much true! But I know too many of my sisters-in-Christ who have yet to get there. It seems more and more, women in the Body suffer from depression and anxiety. They are sad, hopeless and struggle immensely to be comfortable with who they are. Why? I think there are many different reasons, but some of the most obvious to me are—we don’t work hard enough to forgive ourselves for past mistakes and poor decisions, and forgive those who have wronged us,  which makes it almost impossible to accept and love who we are. We ignore that God tells us to cast all our cares upon Him, so we don’t get the sleep and rest we need. And because of a lack of self-love, we are inclined to deem ourselves unworthy.

Personally I have worked hard (and continue) to be where I am in my spiritual walk. I have come from being made to feel (at a very young age) that I was worthless and my life had no meaning and I was a mistake which could only be erased by death; to…I am fearfully and wonderfully made! My self-love didn’t happen overnight, but it did happen!!! So, if it can happen for me, it can happen for anyone in the Kingdom.

Sisters, I pray you have been inspired to love and care for yourselves in a new way the past two weeks. If you are one who feels unloved, I hope you will start the journey of seeing yourself as God does. If you struggle with low self-esteem, I pray you will begin to do little things to pick yourself up and experience how good it feels to be gentle and loving to yourself. If you’re eating habits and weight has been a battle you seem to lose no matter how many times you have tried to do things differently, I hope you are inspired to start again, but taking small steps with a determination to see yourself through the long haul. And if you are one who lives in the past dreaming of being what you were 20 years ago, may you learn to let go and find joy and happiness in the present—you will be so happy that you did!

Until next week….be blessed!!

Love and Hugs
Ponnie

Don't Wait to Love Yourself....Love Yourself Now!

By the time this blog is posted we will be in the month of November and well on our way to thinking about Thanksgiving, (for those in the USA), Christmas and the New Year! For many of us instead of the holidays being a joyous season it’s a time of stress loaded with low self-esteem issues.

I pray this blog will encourage you to change the way you view yourself—especially if you are one who struggles with your self-image or health.

Shortly we’ll be bombarded with ads of what we should look like for the holidays, and then before we get a break—all the major weight loss companies and products will be bombarding us with deals to join so we can lose weight and love who we are! Well, sisters, we better start loving who we are today!

Too many of us have made the same New Year’s resolution to lose weight over and over and still find ourselves in the same place, or worst—we have gained more weight. There is an old cliché attributed to Albert Einstein…“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.” For some of us, this has become our cycle of life.

Personally I need to get back to a much healthier lifestyle. Does that entail losing weight? Yes it does. But the weight loss cannot be the main focus, making changes (no matter how small) that will become my new way of living is what is important. Loving me from the inside out is what’s most important.

In the next few months we are going to have many different voices trying to sell us gym memberships, exercise equipment, exercise and dance DVD’s, yoga and zumba fitness classes. Well, some of us may not have the money for memberships, classes or equipment. Our food budget may not include fixing meals other than that which the entire family can eat and they are not going on a diet. So, what are we to do? We are to exercise wisdom. We can start now so we don’t get caught up in the whirlwind, of spending or charging money we don’t have for something we will use or do for a month or two.

First we must start by accepting who we are today! That doesn’t mean we stop wanting to make changes for the better, but we cannot continue to put off loving ourselves until, “I lose weight or have more money to spend on me.” That is just an unacceptable mindset in the Kingdom of God!

Start today with something small that won’t cost you a dime! How about swapping out sugary drinks for more water (that includes diet drinks too)? What if you put a play list together of your favorite music and dance (at your pace) for 20 minutes a day? Cutting down portion sizes of what you eat will help, and having a cut off time at night when you stop eating. Begin to limit your sugar intake each day. Walk in the evening after dinner—there are so many little changes we can make that will start us on the road to “healthy” and “self-control”. If you are home most of the day, still put on lipstick and decent clothing—don’t wait until you have somewhere to go. Put on your best perfume just to smell good for yourself. No matter how small the start, it is a beginning and that is all that matters.

Seeking God as to what the problem is and why we are overeating or not satisfied with who we are is a very big part of the process. Is food a self-medication for you? What are the triggers in your life that cause you to eat, or feel bad about yourself? These are some of the hard questions we must ask ourselves and put before the Lord.

Getting to the root cause for sin in our lives is the best thing we can do for ourselves. Why? Because the end result is Freedom! And through Freedom comes acceptance and joy.

One of my BFF’s has lost a lot of weight the past year. In fact in August when she helped move Tovah back to college I complimented her on a new pair of black jeans she was wearing. Well, I saw her recently (almost 3 months later) and she had a belt on to keep the pants up…LOL! She has been a great inspiration to me. How? In the way her focus has been to be healthy and learning new things when it comes to what the body really needs to function and stay healthy.

My friend started posting pictures on Facebook of all these different smoothies she was starting make, and doing vegetable cleanses. She grew veggies, herbs and tomatoes in her garden this summer. But most of all she started training to run in races. And she will tell you herself, the only running she ever planned to do, was run if someone was after her...LOL! She was having trouble sleeping through the night and feeling rested during the day—that is no longer is a problem. Sleep is sweet for her, and she attributes that to eating differently and exercise.

Now, I’m not trying to convince you to run a race, but I am trying to help you see that it is not too late to make changes that will be lasting and profitable in the long term.

The beauty of being a daughter of the Most High God is everything is a custom fit for us as individuals. God will supply all our needs right where we are. You can work out with Him what it is you need to do. Memberships are good for some people because that is how some are wired, but they are not feasible for all of us. All we have to do is stop buying into what the world says we need and should have and focus more on the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit of God to do that for us. I have two cookbooks

I would like to recommend to you, because they both talk so much about loving yourself, being healthy and yet have two very different approaches, which are both gentle.

The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight and Eating Great, by Pam Anderson: Pam Anderson is a renowned chef who lost over fifty pounds by making certain changes in her life and has kept the weight off. I love this cookbook because her introduction talks about her journey of being overweight and her feelings…excerpt from the book “My desire to change my life began more than two years before I shed a single pound.” She talks about loving yourself right where you are and then begin to make small changes. This is not a jump in starve yourself kind of book and you will be able to cook good food for you and your family. I give it 5 stars for sure.

The Beauty Detox Foods, by Kimberly Snyder: Kimberly Snyder is one of Hollywood’s top celebrity nutritionists and beauty experts. This is another great book about health and love for oneself. This book is geared more for those who want to make big changes in the things they eat. Her focus is healthy from the inside out and how certain foods change your outward appearance for the better. Kimberly gives a lot of nutritional information that I found to be very encouraging to help me make changes that are very doable for me. And if you have an interest in cleansing and detox drinks and smoothies…this is a great book for you. Another 5 stars!

If we can start making decisions about ourselves today instead of waiting for January 1st, we will be well ahead of the game and will not fall into the same old trap we’ve might have been captive too before. Start being your best friend with a great big dose of self-love!

Until next week, Part II….be blessed!!

Love and Hugs
Ponnie

God Sees

Many of you are constantly being good to people, going out of your way to be a blessing, making sacrifices nobody knows about. Nobody may be singing your praises, nobody may be calling your name, but God sees what you’re doing. The scripture says in Matthew 6:4, “Your Father, who sees what you give in secret, will reward you in the open.” ~Joel Osteen~

When January 4, 2013 rolled in and I celebrated my 60th birthday you couldn’t tell me this was not going to be a bang up year and my season!!! Now did the Lord tell me this? No. But in my mind it stood to reason, it was time for me. Well, it hasn’t turned out as I had hoped; in fact it has been harder than the past few years have been with many sacrifices made. In many ways I felt as though I were going backwards versus moving forward. I was beginning to have thoughts that God had somehow forgotten about me—so when I read what Joel had posted on his Facebook page it was as if Lord had him do it just for me. I don’t care about folks singing my praises, but I needed to be reminded of God’s Word and what it had to say about my situation—He Sees!

Living in God’s Kingdom and imitating His MO, (Motive of operation) is not easy. In fact the world’s MO by many standards is much easier. You might go out your way a few times for someone, but then you get to say, “Ah, the heck with you!” You can stop speaking to a sib, parent or relative until Jesus comes back! You can be selfish and self-centered if you choose to. You can have a nasty attitude and tell people off, without regard to their feelings whatsoever. You are allowed to be petty, vindictive, mean and unforgiving. You can mistreat and cheat on your husband if you feel like it. If someone wrongs you, you can cut them out of your life—for good! But not in God’s Kingdom—that just won’t fly!

As Believers we have people in our lives God has put there and we can’t cut them off, (Even though the temptation is there). We are not to be selfish and self-centered. We are to be Christ centered and therefore must care for others, forgive, lend a helping hand, sacrifice our own comfort, time and money. We can’t tell someone off when they have been rude to us. We are required to put away filthy language and speak in love to others even when we feel like smashing them in the face. God’s standard for living in His Kingdom is high, and we must strive to live a life of obedience, and please Him.

At times we can begin to feel, as if we are always giving in and doing more. But do not become discouraged. If you are walking in love and the wisdom of the Lord then no one can really take advantage of you, even if it may seem they are. Yes, people may mistake your kindness as a weakness, but in truth it is one of our greatest strengths. So, therefore their misconception is on them. We may never know the outcome of the seeds we plant along the path of life in following God’s MO—but God does—because He gives the increase.

I believe if we stay focused on “Our Father, who sees what we give in secret” we will not be discouraged as often in our love walk. We won’t be so disillusioned with our husbands and or children. The way we look at our bosses will change and envy will not consume us when we are passed over for a promotion on our jobs or a certain position at church. The temptation to whine and complain will not find victory in our lives. People should see more joy in our lives, even when times are hard or difficult. It should bring us great comfort to know God not only sees all that we do to help others, how hard we work and the sacrifices we make, but that He sees when we are mistreated too. Nothing gets pass Him.

Sisters, keep the Word of God before you. It is our greatest weapon (along with prayer) to living as we should. It gives us hope, peace and a confidence, which equals—the JOY of the Lord!

Special Note: I got the job!! And they didn't even check one reference! Only God can do that...Amen!

Until next week….be blessed!!

Love and Hugs
Ponnie