The Good Woman Project

If you're looking for a good read with truth and a Christ centered perspective? Read up!! Great articles on life. I'm enjoying the reads. http://goodwomenproject.com/

Don't stay angry forever

Struggling with forgiveness is like trying to run straight up a mountain with a 3,000 foot elevation climb. You may want to get to the top (signifying letting go of your anger and being able to forgive) but as you keep moving forward, your lung capacity constricts, your legs cramp up and you just want to stop the pain and stay at the bottom of the hill even if, in this analogy, it means holding onto your anger. It's a bit more comfortable at the bottom. Anger feels "right" in the moment when you're completely entitled to it. Funny thing about anger is that people or God are always involved in who/why we're angry. Recently, this truth took on a personal tone. I'm not one to get easily angry. I might get frustrated by something or someone and I'll join in on a good vent, but I don't typically want to stay there. In my mind, life is short and there's no good that comes from little petty caddy ways of people And I guess I just typically don't get seething angry, until recently. In one way, my passionate anger completely surprised me when it really shouldn't have been such a big surprise. As I recounted how this individual abandoned and deserted everything good in life, including family of almost 30 years to set up camp in Southern California and continue to live a very selfish lifestyle, I became livid. I actually took on the offense of his kids and spouse, when none of them asked me to. This individual was an important person to me in a few ways so to watch all the relationships get sabotaged and then continue to watch this individual invite people in Southern California to start new with him almost but so that he could use the "expertise" in "leadership skills" that were acquired here in Reno, made me absolutely livid!! I may still approach the individual with some thoughts, but not until I get to the very top of this mountain and am a bit more complete in forgiveness. I won't excuse what's been done and I know that neither will God but that being said, how does one process anger in a constructive way? I guess it's the same way you process anything as a Christ follower - you turn to God's words, to your relationship with Him for clarity. And it was in that good book that I found something that is continually readjusting my perspective. In Micah 7:18-19, Micah recounts God's character, which, as a Christ follower, I am challenged to strive toward. Obviously, I can never attain it, but it's a goal to go in that direction. "You don't nurse your anger and you don't stay angry long, for mercy is your specialty. That's what you love most. And compassion is on its way to us. You'll stamp out our wrongdoing." And then Daniel wrote in Daniel 9:9, "Compassion is our only hope, the compassion of you, the Master, our God, since in our rebellion we've forfeited our rights. We paid no attention to you when you told us how to live, the clear teaching that came through your servants the prophets." Finally, Jesus speaks the ultimate challenge when He said, "If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly father will forgive you." Matthew 6:14-15 Ouch. I didn't leave my family or desert a Christian vision in a city that I called home for almost 30 years. But I have so many sins that need God's hand of forgiveness it's hard to count. Again, I'm not excusing this individual's decisions but I am telling my heart the truth. Heart, if you compare yourself to this individual and judge between yourself and this person, you may come out on top. But when you compare yourself to your Creator, the perfect one who is completely righteous, you will never come out on top. So let go. Let go of the hurt, the pain, the anger and let God be the judge. I won't stay angry forever. I will embrace compassion and mercy and kindness will follow me all the days of my life. This is my prayer in the thick of my steep run of a hill called forgiveness.

Unseen and seen

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Because of the impact that sin's residue has left on this planet and in the hearts of men, we don't live in a perfect world. Anyone whose looking can see this fact obviously. Yet all of us enjoy the outdoors, the beauty of mountains, flowers, rivers, or the soft skin of a brand new baby, because a natural world speaks of our invisible God's goodness. Many people just live for this natural world to gratify natural inclinations, always living on a surface level. By living only for the things you see and touch and taste with your senses, no matter how great you claim it has been, ultimately your life will never be fully lived. We are not natural beings having a spiritual experience. We are very spiritual beings, first made and created in the image of the unseen God and yet we're having a natural experience. Hebrews 11 "The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd. By faith, we see the world called into existence by God's word, what we see created by what we don't see." Craziest thing about this world is that He made it all for our enjoyment. Through our joy in His creation, He receives joy and glory. But His greatest joy is when we enter into a living, viable relationship with Him. This is His greatest joy and our greatest purpose in life.

Book Review

While I was living in Budapest, a friend recommended that I read this book. Filled with some nuggets that I find encouraging to dwell on, I thought I'd put them out there. Here's a quote I read today that I'm loving.... "God took care to be the one with whom both the man and the woman would first experience personal relationship. Created to relate, their first taste of relationship was with Him.....The man was alone with God for some time, hearing His law, enjoying His fellowship, doing the tasks God had set before him. And the woman was with God while the man slept, communing with Him alone until He brought her to the man......Why would God take care to connect individually with the man and with the woman before He brought them together? Perhaps they needed the imprint of God's face to be their maiden experience of the heart-to-heart connection they were created to receive and give. And out of the overflow of that primordial love connection with God they found the pattern and energy for joyously giving themselves in love to each other" Yes, I do believe this is a key to what is taking place in our relationships. He will always be the first one.

Your sense of Proportion

"Keep your sense of proportion by regularly, preferably daily, visiting the natural world." Catlin Matthews

Visiting the natural world on daily walks outside is medicinal. When I get the chance, I love taking lunch time to enjoy the outdoors. In Minden, it was a long stretch of back roads by some cow pastures and a few horse ranches. Smelly on occasions but fantastic for views of the mountains through Carson Valley.

Now, I hear the rushing sound and sights of the Truckee River but sometimes it isn't enough. I keep thinking I need to bring my fishing pole or swim shorts to hang out in the water on some days. But I walk and watch as fly fisherman are out trying their hand once again to catch those watery creatures below. Birds chirp in trees all around. People and their dogs seem to enjoy this little trail too or picnic along the way and as the weather gets hotter, people gather. But no matter what time of the day I try and get out for lunch.

In the Spring, Summer and Fall when the weather gets nice and it's hiking time, there's another opportunity to basque in the beauty of the outdoors. Camping and hiking are a nice reprieve from the daily grind. And while outside, exploring the incredible things God has created all around, I'm kept humble. I see things in proportion. My little problems, my little complaints are absolutely nothing in the overshadowing revelation that God created all things and holds all things in His hand. He will work out whatever is my momentary challenge. "When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world." John Muir I also come back with fresh eyes to see humanity. In all our quirks and roughness, we are tied together. What I do affects others. How I live counts. And yet the whole world isn't centered on me. I am not the center of this universe. My sense of proportion is strengthened and invigorated to live this thing we call LIFE.

The Nearness of You

This morning I woke early and just wanted to be "near Him". I guess I just wanted to feel His embrace of truth. I was tired of my thoughts and distractions and wanted them to be washed away by HIM. Funny how a Nora Jones song means a lot in a moment like this. "It's not the pale moon that excites me That thrills and delights me, oh no It's just the nearness of you It isn't your sweet conversation That brings this sensation, oh no It's just the nearness of you When you're in my arms and I feel you so close to me All my wildest dreams came true I need no soft lights to enchant me If you'll only grant me the right To hold you ever so tight And to feel in the night the nearness of you" One day I will see this God clearly and as plain as day. One day all the questions will be answered too. In the meantime, it's His nearness that I KNOW exists. I can see it all around in His creation but when I feel Him near, that's awesome!!

Happy girls

True beauty is not skin deep but goes so much deeper. You could have the perfect body, be fit as a fiddle, but if your heart is dark, it will show. You might have the perfect skin, but how are you with others? What motivates and drives you in life? When you get to the heart of someone, that's when beauty or ugliness is seen most clearly. I have a friend who raises her kids to have a happy heart. If they start showing attitude, she sends them to their room until they can get a happy heart. I think there's something there because ultimately we are responsible for our own heart - how we tend to what grows there, how we garden it, etc. And kindness, compassion, grace never go out of style. I think this is a good question to ask oneself periodically. What's in your heart?

I don't think that means you have to be a soft, delicate, fragile little flower that seems breakable and unbelievable. But bitterness, anger, a constant state of sadness is like the color purple. You're bruised and it's showing. This may not be your fault what has happened to you or where you find yourself but what you do have control over is what you do in those moments. Whatever is weighing you down isn't worth the weight. Let go of it and move on. Even if all in your life is going crappy, but you have a happy heart, or you have to go to your room and get a happy heart, it will show through. What's troubling you can't be worth the weight it bears down on you. Not to mention it's just not pretty. Don't you like to be around pretty things? Things that delight your soul to look at? Your heart can be that way too....doesn't have to be so dark and ugly.

Isn't it funny too how once you find yourself all in a twitter over something so menial, you just want to kick yourself later because hindsight is truly 20/20. It's so easy to see how dumb something was once you've done it. It takes less effort just to smile, to lighten your load and let go of the things concerning you. This is where trust in God also comes in. Find joy in life in spite of whatever your circumstances might be. In my humble opinion, this is a sign of understanding true beauty. It's a lifelong endeavor but so worth the glow.