5 things for when life treats you bad & weather drama

April 17, 2018April 17, 2018 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

There are unfortunate circumstances that happen in life, that there is nothing you can do about. You didn’t create it. You didn’t do anything to make it happen. You don’t support it or even want it around. But there it is. And you have to deal with it. Everybody has things they just wish they didn’t have to deal with. Sometimes life is just unfair. When bringing this fact to my Daddy’s attention, he will always say, “Fair is where grandma takes her pickles.” Point taken.

If you have never encountered a situation that has completely pulled the rug out from under you, that you had no control over, you are so blessed. However, don’t get too comfortable, because there’s a good chance, it’s coming. What kind of events am I referring to?

Sickness– Either yours or someone very close to you.
A broken relationship– This could be a husband, wife, child, sister, brother, mother, father, friend. Anyone that means something to you.
Finances-losing a job, not being able to work due to sickness, etc.,.
Addiction– yours or someone close to you.
Loss– The loss of a loved one.

Y’all, this is just a short list. In our daily lives, there are all kinds of things that can be thrown at us. Unwanted things & situations we just wish we did not have to deal with. However, I am a firm believer, that’s just life. Life is not simple. It can be really hard sometimes. There are things that we go through that maybe we are ashamed of or don’t think anyone cares or understands. No matter what there is always, always, always something to be thankful for. Even if it’s that all days are not like the one you just had! Here are some ways to make it through a tough time.

Realize. Realize that not everyone was raised like you. Not everyone wants to change. Not everyone cares they are causing you problems. Realize you cannot change anybody. Realize you are in charge of you & that’s all.

II Timothy 3:6 (NKJV) For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lust

2. Think. Think about how you will react to situations. All the hollering and kicking and screaming will not change some folks. Don’t put yourself through it. Just don’t. Those are the people who are not worth it.

Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV) A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

(AND THEN THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT OUR FRIENDS. The quicker you take this into account, the better off you will be.)

3. Pray. I know this is just a given. But you know, sometimes the rug can be pulled out from under us so quickly, that we forget to go to the Lord in prayer. If you haven’t heard, the Lord has all the answers. We just need to make sure we are talking to him & taking it all to Him in prayer.

Nahum 1:7 (NKJV)The Lord is good,
A stronghold in the day of trouble;
And He knows those who trust in Him

4. Focus. Focus on the good. Focus on someone else, who may not have it as good as you do. Focus on helping others & being a light, in a dim world. Focus on what you can do to make something easier for someone else.

I Corinthians 9:24 (NKJV) Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

5. Encourage. Be an encouragement for everyone around you. I promise you, if you are thinking of others & loving them, your problems will most of the time take care of themselves. Be so busy loving others, you don’t have time to think of the hatefulness of others.

Psalm 31:24 (NKJV)²⁴Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the Lord.

I know hard times can be, well, hard. We just need to have a plan to make it. If not, things can spiral pretty quickly. We need to love others and be sure to not be selfish. Find someone to talk to about what you are going through. You may be surprised to learn, others may be going through the same thing or may have a way to cope until things get better. **I do want to mention, some people struggle with depression. It’s not really something that just giving yourself a pep talk will take care of. Sometimes you need to see a doctor. And that’s okay. There are all kinds of medications to help you cope. Don’t be ashamed. You don’t have to be on them forever. Just to help you out, when you need it. Know that you are not an island. Other people depend on you. So, take care of yourself.** And know, the Lord is there for you. He wants to help you through your challenging times. Bad things happen to good people. But, the Lord shows you how to weather the storm & learn lessons you can only learn through difficult times. Then, you will have the experience to help someone else. And isn’t that what it’s all about? Loving and helping each other.

I thought I was done, but I do have one more thing to say.

Bad times happen to everybody.

It’s just how we view them & work through them that make the difference. We accept good from God. We also have to accept trials.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 I returned and saw under the sun that— The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all.

I hope everyone is having a blessed week. It has been cold here. I wore my sandals to work the other day and about froze my toes off. 35 degrees is still 35 degrees whether it’s in April or December. LORD HAVE MERCY, I know it’s going to warm up, but it sure is taking it’s time! Beats all I’ve ever seen. We are still playing softball. And by we, I mean Miss Neenee. She is enjoying the fire out of it, to our dismay of long, cold nights sitting outdoors, at a ball field.

Until next time, I should be going, because I should be washing clothes.

photo credits: makeameme.org, , know your role, Calvin & Hobbes

5 things to help you when dealing with illness & being thankful for the little things

February 12, 2018February 12, 2018 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

I was talking to a co-worker, the other day. I was sharing how many boxes I had to use to store my 2017 files. Normally, I use about 6. This year, I have already filled up 11 boxes & have more to go. We were talking about how blessed we were to have had a lot of work last year. It also made me think about my mama & how she thought about work.

If you are new here, you may not know, but my mama passed away in 2002. She had multiple sclerosis. She was a wonderful person, not to mention the best mama in the WORLD. She became ill in her early 40s. So when I hit my early 40s guess what I thought was going to happen to me?? Yep. I got past it & thanked the Lord for it. Looking back, I learned so many lessons while she was sick. It was a terrible time for our family. But we stuck together. One of the things I remember about my mama was that she worked hard. She worked at home & she worked an outside job. Once she got sick, I can remember on many occasions talking to her about work. There were times I would come in after work & be so tired. She would always tell me to be thankful. She would say,

” Be glad you can go to work. I would just give anything if I could.”

That has really stuck with me through the years. I think of that when I get stressed or aggravated, at work. I am so blessed to have a good job & thankful I am healthy enough to go to work. When you get sick & tired of work & think how hard you must have it, just remember there’s those out there who would love to be healthy & able to hold down a job. Now that I look back on all those times when my mama was sick, I think of lessons I learned. And that’s something I want to say today. If you are going through a sickness of your own or someone else you love, here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Keep moving. Oh, it’s ok to stop & have a moment here & there. But look for the opportunities to do good. You will do no good living on the corner of gloom and doom. Yes, it’s a tough deal, that no one wants to deal with. If you use your time to count your blessings & look ahead, things won’t be so grim. At one time, Mama was on the one at church, that you called to report announcements. She would take them down & give them to my Dad for church. She loved talking to people & letting them know they had our support. Find something you enjoy & keep going.

2. I learned just because you have a pain, doesn’t mean you have to be a pain. The nurses & nurses aids that cared for my mama always loved her. She hated to be in the position she was in. And she deeply appreciated those doing for her what she could no longer do for herself.

3. Never lose sight of God. In times of trials, it is so easy to question God & want to know why. There are no real good reasons why bad things happen to good people except that we live in a fallen world where the bad comes with the good. Accept it. It’s reality. We all deal with things we wish we didn’t have to. Keep your faith in God alive & well. Sometimes it’s all we have. Mama went to church even when my daddy would have to get her ready, pick her up & put her in the van, & push her in with her sitting in a wheelchair. That is true love for God.

Job 2:10 Shall we indeed accept good from God & shall we not accept adversity? (NKJV)

4. Look for the happy times. Illnesses are awful. But there is good in everything. I got to spend lots of quality time with my precious mama those last few years of her life. We learned to look for the little things, in our day, to help us make it through. Like getting the mail, the nurse coming, an unexpected guest, cooking special dishes, receiving cards from friends & family or ordering out. I can say, most of the time she kept a good attitude. Which I believe her thankfulness helped keep her grounded with her illness.

5. Keep your sense of humor. I can remember a lot of different times when mama would say, “Don’t that beat all?” Then she would laugh about whatever mess we had gotten ourselves into. Because, bless my heart more times than not, every time we tried to do something I would end up making things twice as hard as they really were. Things that were normally easy, was tough, when she was bedfast. Washing her hair was a total mess sometimes. Because how do you wash someone’s hair in the bed? I usually ended up getting her soaking wet. She would laugh & say she never thought she would have to swim with her gown on. Laughing would help break up the monotony of the reality of what was really going on.

Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.(KJV)

I hope you are having a blessed week. It’s been very rainy the past few days. And cold. We have thankfully been in the house! I hope you are somewhere sunny, with balmy wind hitting you in the face. I won’t be too jealous! Until next time, I should be going, because I should be washing clothes.

Click on the free printable to download scripture memory cards for encouragement.

photo credit: http://www.meetpenny.com, pinterest

8 or so things to make you sparkle & shine

April 23, 2015April 23, 2015 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

Diana Sumpter

I am so excited to tell you about a luncheon I attended. Two of my sweet co-workers & I went to a ladies luncheon where Diana Sumpter was the speaker. She has a big ol’ list of stuff she has done. For one she is a National Sales Director for Mary Kay. So you can bet her pink Cadillac Escalade was taking up a space in the parking lot. She also is a 8 year Air Force veteran. She was funny & motivating & inspiring. And ya’ll she came around to our table & introduced herself to us. She didn’t have to do that, but she did. She’s just a nice person like that. I like nice people. She actually was from the town we were at. To read more about Diana go here. It goes without saying she is a downhome country girl at heart. Here are some wonderful things she said to encourage us:

1. Don’t take advice from someone you would not trade places with.

2. Take the word quit off the table.

3. Don’t let someone else ruin your manners.

4. Don’t try to change others. Change yourself.

5. Do what’s right, even when no one is looking.

6. Choose excellent friends.

7. Bless others & be grateful.

8. Live in the future, not the past.

Diana says we need to create positive energy wherever we go. To use our time to encourage others. She said to not let people get the best of us. When a person gets on our last nerve:

1. Imagine a visual list of names of people you are dealing with. Wipe that person’s name off your list.

2. Bless their heart.

3 Spray some glitter in the air. Because no one can be unhappy with all that glitter around!

The last thing I want to share with you, is an exercise Diana told us about- to be more productive. She said once a week, write everything you have, on your mind, on a piece of paper. When you are finished, go back & look at what you have written. See what you can do to accomplish these things. If you can’t accomplish them, go get someone that can help you. This will help solve lots of problems & get things done.

I am so glad you came by to visit with me today. The weather was absolutely wonderful today. WONDERFUL, I tell you. I am thanking the Lord for that! I hope you are having a great week wherever you are. Until next time, I have to be going because I should be washing clothes.

photo credit: http://www.mypinkchic.com, junk gypsy

Don’t tell me to smile & what to do when it sunshines

January 21, 2015January 21, 2015 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

In life, I have found this to be true- you just never know what someone else is going through. The other day, I was at the pharmacy picking up my medicine. There was a man ahead of me. I was practicing waiting patiently. I say practicing, because there are times I get sorta disgruntled, when I have to wait. These days, I am so busy, that having to wait on someone else can put me out a tad. This previous statement comes from the same lady that is the biggest time waster that ever was, which also has a love hate relationship with time management. So, I know, I need to clean off my own door step before I even consider making mention of anyone else. There, since that elephant is out of the room, I was standing in line at the pharmacy when I noticed the lady behind the counter looking sort of perturbed. The man, in front of me left, & I stepped up to the counter. I told the pharmacy tech what I was after & she got my bag. As she was ringing it up, she said,

“Do you know what that man said to me? He told me to smile.”

Then she shared with me how her daughter had run away from home at 18 years old. She said she had not seen her in several years. She said she had heard her daughter had gotten married & actually only lived a few miles from her house. She said some days it was all she did- was to think of her daughter.

She then said, “You know with that on my mind, sometimes it’s just hard to smile.”

At that point I felt I needed to share with her the 5 cent version of the situation with my son. I told her my 23 year old son left home several years ago. That he’d had 2 car wrecks (while under the influence) & chose to do drugs & drink, still. Now. BUT, that God was good & he took care of things in His own way & time. I told her I would be praying for her & she said she would be thinking of me, too.

Nahum 1:7 says

⁷The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. (NKJV)

Lord have mercy! Who in the world would have known that innocent little drug store visit would have been a chance to encourage somebody? You just never know what other people are going through. That’s why I HATE it when some well-meaning person tells me to smile.

If I look that disheartened, just ignore me, or say“Bless your heart,” or how about “Have a good day”?

Those kinds of things would be much better than,

“Smile, it can’t be that bad.”

Really? Because you don’t know if my heart has just been ripped out & stomped flat by somebody I love or if I am doing ALL I can to put one foot in front of the other or if I’m just sour person. Why take the chance? Just be nice. That’s all we need anyway. A little kindness.

The apostle Paul gave this commandment to the church at Ephesus:

Ephesians 4:32

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (NKJV)

That means I need to be kind & you need to be kind, because God was kind to us. He sent His son to die on the cross for our sins. Do you think God was smiling when He did that? Probably not. And I bet nobody was saying to God that day:

“Smile, it’s not that bad.”

Because you know what? Sometimes it just is that bad & we need to be kind & tenderhearted toward each other. Many times people need compassion. Not somebody barking at them to get over it. What if they don’t know how? We need to be ever mindful of others. It’s just considerate. Be prepared to help & encourage whenever you go. Kind words will melt a broken heart quicker than anything.

Thank you for stopping by to visit with me today. Sunshine! Finally, coming through these windows. Loving this 60 degree January weather. What exactly do you do when it sunshines? You get out & enjoy it. Just like we did.

Playing with rocks, no less.

Always a good time with a rock.

And this cute puppy dog.

I hope you have a blessed week. Until next time, I should be going because I should be washing clothes.

photo credits: k.love.com,www.dianalamb.com

Is the ‘Like’ button really important?

September 23, 2013September 23, 2013 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

How many of you like to be liked? (My hand raised higher than anyone else.) There’s just something about other people approving what we think, say, or do, that gives us a smile. I don’t know anyone, who at any age does not want their parents to be proud of them. Feeling as if someone admires us is similar to getting up to a breakfast of biscuits & chocolate gravy! We are excited and it just makes us feel good down in our belly. We are creatures that crave to be praised! We want to be popular & feel as if we matter. When I post a new status on Facebook or pin something to Pinterest, I am always super excited to see how many “likes” I get. Even on this little ‘ol blog here, I am loving the “likes”! Each “Like” is similar to getting a present. (And who doesn’t love presents?) I always look to see who my likes are from. Because it’s important to see who’s agreeing with you, isn’t it? It’s great to feel like you are favored! I don’t think I am alone in this. I read in an article there was a study of 200,000 employees. They were trying to find out why their productivity was low. Do you know what the outcome was? It did not involve wanting more money. A need to feel appreciation & affirmation topped the list, of what they wanted from their superiors. You might say, affirmation was a basic human need

If the church at Corinth had a Facebook page today, I think the apostle Paul would use the “Like” button, to show his enthusiasm for them. He surely was one to be an encourager to the church at Corinth.

I Corinthians 1: 2-5 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;

Paul continually & purposely showed his appreciation to God for the church. When we see others who are striving to obey God-let’s show our appreciation to them. There’s not a person on Earth that does not like to feel appreciated & loved. We need to thank God for the work He is doing through them.

I am so thankful for you & that you came by to visit with me today. It has been such a whirlwind, since school started. You know better than anybody what it’s like to be busy! Please think of someone you can encourage today. Then, go do it!! I will do the same, but for now, I have to be going, because I should be washing clothes!

**Parts of this was borrowed from Our Daily Bread-MarvinWilliams