You get what you pray for!

I have a confession. Sometimes, I pray for something and when it arrives I forget that I asked for it. 

I have an inclination to believe that I am not the only person with this issue. I suspect that there are many reasons why this happens. Perhaps it’s because we ask for things in the midst of a crisis and once cooler heads prevail, we realize it’s not as much of a crisis as we thought. Or, maybe it’s that we make a request to God and he answers in his own time, which may often be after we’ve moved on to other requests. There are times that I get so lost in my time with God and who He is, that all other cares fade away, including my immediate request. Whatever the case, for me, it often requires me to institute mindfulness to recognize the answers to my prayers have arrived.

The other day, in a moment of meditation, I realized that God has answered a major prayer request of mine. It was a revelatory moment.  Right there, under my nose, was a major move of God and I didn’t even notice it! How could this happen? How could God change my world in such a major way and I not even catch it?!

As always, those thoughts led me to a trail of other thoughts that helped me to arrive at a few confirmations:

• God does indeed answer prayers.
• God’s love is unconditional. He meets our needs even when we’re not paying close enough attention to even say thank you.
• Mindfulness is essential in developing our relationship with God, and with others.
•  Just as God is patience and unconditional in his love towards us, we (referring to believers) are called to extend this same grace to others.

I can’t speak for you, but I sure do have work to do regarding mindfulness in my relationships, especially in my relationship with God. I have a sneaky suspicion that if I was able to miss a major move of God occurring right under my nose, then it’s likely that I have missed a few others things. In the midst of a whirlwind life of high expectations, constant demands and pressures, it behooves me to recognize where God is moving. More importantly, it is necessary for me to join God where he’s moving, which can’t happen without mindfulness.

Happy Friday!

'Til next time...être bien!

Where have I been?

Hello my friends!
Well, I've received a few messages from followers asking "Where are you!?" Things have been a bit quiet on Love, Life & Musings lately, and for good reason.

As mentioned in a previous post, I work full-time and I am a full-time graduate student studying Marriage and Family Therapy. As such, there are times that the demands are high and require me to be fully engaged. I absolutely adore the field of Marriage and Family Therapy and I am convinced that practicing in the field is one of my life's callings. Therefore, I make the necessary sacrifices willingly. But, this does not mean that I don't miss sharing with you guys in the meantime. :o)

Another reason why I haven't posted lately is because I post when I'm led to share. For those of you who enjoy creative writing or journaling, you know that one doesn't always have "something" to say. As a hard fast rule, I think it's best to keep quiet if you don't have something productive to share. Each post that I share comes from a very authentic place, be it authentic humor, encouragement or randomosity, it's all from a pure place. So, if I don't feel strongly directed to share.... I don't. 

Also, I've been toying around with different templates and designs for this blog. I am seeking out a format that will encourage more open dialogue between readers and myself. It's likely that the design and format of this blog will change in the near future. If so, don't be alarmed...it's still the same Love, Life and Musings, just with a make-over. 

In the meantime, thanks for the support and all of the kind comments that you've offered regarding the content of this blog. We all learn from each other and I take not for granted the wisdom offered by others. 


'Til next time...être bien!

Confidence vs. Arrogance: A Conundrum

For all intents and purposes let’s start with the basics…

Confidence
1 a: a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or of reliance on one's circumstances b: faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way 
2: the quality or state of being certain 
arrogance
: an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions

My interactions with others and all that I see in the world today leads me to believe that people have no clue that the aforementioned have different meanings. As I skim through the status updates that appear upon log in, I am often irritated and confused. It appears that many people have created a science out of “tooting their own horn”. In fact, the horn has been tooted so much that its blaring howl prevents one from hearing anything else.

Make no mistake; I am the first one to celebrate a person with confidence in their abilities. However, confidence turns to arrogance when one feels the need to remind people on a regular basis of their greatness. The truth is, if you are seriously that fantastic other people probably already know it. I see no purpose in reminding people of the obvious. In my opinion, reminders are only needed if you are unsure of who you are.

When I log into Facebook and hear the countless horns tooting away, I feel sad and concerned. Especially considering a large number (nearly all) of these people are adults. Instead of hearing the kudos, I hear the following (I have inserted random fictitious samples to drive my point):

Status: My swag is at an all time high. Get on my level.
Translation:  “I’m insecure. But I want you to believe that I have it all together. “

Status:  You gon’ wish you never left this. Don’t you know who I am? He does me right. Don’t hate.
Translation: “I’m immature. I am mad at my last man and trying to make him jealous with my new man. I want everybody to know that I am getting some and that I have a new man!”
(Not to add the new man changes every week)

Status: I am the best thing that ever happened to the world. Thank me!
Translation: “Not only am I grossly delusional, but I want you to think that I think highly of myself. In actuality, I am trying to convince myself that I am great, because my self-esteem is majorly low”

The preceding status updates may seem far-fetched but I have actually heard much worst. It saddens me to think that, even as adults, we have not arrived at the wisdom's doorstep called modesty. Even more unfortunate is the fact that people will comment and celebrate this foolishness, thus encouraging more of it. I guess misery does indeed love company.

My grandmother would tell me as a young girl, “Let someone else toot your horn sometimes.”  I learned the power of such as I aged; I found modesty to have its place in every lady’s life. I’m not saying that we should not have confidence and congratulate ourselves when we accomplish greatness.  However, I am saying that we should live a life that beckons positive acclaim. It is my belief that those who live out loud with purpose and zeal will always get noticed. Yet it’s noteworthy that they are rarely the ones seeking kudos.

When we try to convince others that we are great by attempting to assert our superiority, we appear insecure and shallow. We reek of unhappiness and have a negative effect on everyone that we touch. Perhaps we should reserve our energy for the time that we need to legitimately compete, hence requiring us to “toot” just a little bit. Modesty and confidence are attributes that everyone can appreciate in a husband, wife, coworker or friend. But arrogance just plain stinks up the place no matter where you go.


'Til next time...être bien!

Winning

Monday Morning Musing #6

Somehow, this concept of "winning" has been grossly misrepresented by our dear friend Charlie Sheen. In recent interviews with various reporters, Mr. Sheen has concisely laid out his concept of "winning". According to him, "winning" is: having tons of beautiful women at your disposal, nice cars and lavish houses, embracing a life where you do exactly what you want with no regard for others and most importantly, pursuing this lifestyle with "violent hatred". He admits that his decision to respond in this matter derives from feeling misused and kicked around.

This comes as no surprise, as most people who are as reckless as he has become are often doing so as a defensive mechanism. In my opinion, Mr. Sheen is not winning. As his ratings raise and his popularity soars, it may appear that he is but  be not deceived.

True Winning
Initially, I planned to title this last Monday Morning Musing "The Power of Failing". After further consideration, I decided that "Winning" was a much better title. My intention is to share my personal formula for winning in contrast to Mr. Sheen.

For me, winning is getting up everyday and pursuing the purpose that has been set before me with extreme vigor, tenacity and tunnel-vision focus. The level of focus that I am referring to requires great sacrifice. It often means laughing a nay-sayers, missing out on events that you would like to attend, losing sleep and even losing some friends in the process. In order to truly win, one has to be CRYSTAL clear about their purpose and calling in this life. This vision then becomes that foundation for everything that you do.

More importantly, for me, winning is realizing that in the life of a believer there is no such thing as failure. Every life experience, failure and success alike, provides valuable lessons from which we can learn life-changing principles.  "Winning" is not about the amount of material treasures one can store up. However, it is about the everyday actions and impacts that create the total sum of a legacy that speaks to future generations. It's about having the relentless passion to pursue a purpose or dream with everything within you. Even Mr. Sheen seems to understand this concept, as he has pursued money and revenge with "violent hatred" (his words not mine). So, what's stopping you?

Are you winning? This week, spend a little time thinking about how you are "winning" or what changes you need to make to "win" in this life. We'd love to hear your thoughts! Share them with us by commenting below or Twitter (@lLoveLifeMusings). 

'Til next time...être bien!