Caller I.D.

 "There are no accidents--coincidences are just miracles in which God wishes to remain anonymous."  --Alan Cohen, "Wisdom of the Heart"

photo credit: clker.com

Determination

This is a tale of determination and how God uses it to help us fulfill the desires of our heart...

The day before yesterday I started on a writing project and was using this pencil to make notes.  At the end of the day I could not find it.  I looked under everything on top of my desk, on the floor, even in the drawers in the desk.  I was completely flummoxed....and frustrated.  It wasn't that I didn't have more pencils, it was "how in the world could I have lost it?!"  The eraser on top surely would have kept it from rolling away too far.  The search left me feeling frustrated so I eventually gave up and got a new pencil.

Then yesterday I was trying to close one of the drawers in the filing cabinet next to my desk when it would not move.  This drawer has a history of losing it's wooden rail so I knew what to do....

I had to go get the flashlight and hammer (more frustration for the interruption in working on my project), get down on my knees, place the flashlight so it would shine on the staple holes, I had to position the staples into the holes with one hand and hammer with the other while in a very small space.  Finally!  Success!  I stood up, grabbed hold of the drawer to put it back in and look what I found....

How in the world did it end up in THAT drawer?!

I was quick to understand what God was wanting me to really see in all this.  It was so obvious!  I often get frustrated when things don't go the way I want/think they should.  My determination to complete some goal is very strong and I will expend a lot of effort sometimes to achieve it.  But when I still don't meet with success I usually come away feeling defeated.  What I learned yesterday is that sometimes, in order to get what we want, we have to attend to what is right in front us....find the right tools, then get down on our knees and take care of matters that have nothing to do with our goal.....and in the process discover the very thing we were looking for.

Now....I wonder where that long-ago photograph is hiding that I need for my project?!

Father, thank you for this object lesson to remind me that I am not alone in achieving the goals You have in mind for me.  I just need to put my hand in Your Hand and You will take care of the rest.

Link to scripture:  Psalm 37:4

Take action:        

                               

Potential

♫You Raise Me Up♫

I've been thinking a lot about potential lately.  Richard Cohen writes, "The question is not, 'How much potential do you have?'  It is, 'How much potential will you live?'" He uses the example that a woman is born with all the eggs she'll ever have.  But whether those eggs will become children depends on several factors.  The bird's eggs above will only hatch into live birds if they are fertilized and then incubated for the proper time.  The potential is there, but the bird's actions and other factors will determine if the potential becomes reality.

Too often we don't live up to our potential because we fear success as much as we fear failure.  With success comes responsibility and we don't want to be a one-shot wonder.  How often do you hear stories about that first book that was easy to write, but subsequent books now had deadlines or higher expectations for them.  The excuses can go on forever and often do.  

It comes down to what Cohen says about education which comes from the Latin "educare" and means "to draw forth from within": "Real education spotlights a child's uniqueness and stimulates her to discover and act on her natural talents. What would you be doing differently if you knew that the seeds of greatness were already with you?  What you are is God's gift to you.  What you make of yourself is your gift to God."  

So, relax about whether or not you "can" but rather concentrate on whether you "will".  If you have a desire of the heart, then the seed has been planted.  Your job is to draw it out through education, practice, and realizing no matter the outcome it will be good enough because it grew out of you--you with your particular flare, experience, and knowledge.  It won't be like anyone else's creation and shouldn't be.  Don't judge it--just let it come forth.

Father, thank you for this reminder that You planted my potential to share Your Love in creative ways and are here to help me bring it to fruition.

Link to scripture:  Psalm 37:4

Take action: 7 Essentials for Living Your Fullest Potential

Dreams

"When your heart is intent on living your dream, you will gladly let go of everything that is unlike the dream in order to manifest your vision."  Alan Cohen


Cohen tells the story of being deeply moved by a violinist who played a Stradivarius.  In order for her to afford to buy it she sold her house!  Here is some music played on a Stradivarius violin you can listen to while you read the rest of my post:  "The Antonius" played by Eric Grossman

Cohen said, "The breadth of passion, joy, and beauty she brought into the world through playing that violin far exceeded any gifts she might have offered by inviting friends to her house for tea."  His story made me think of my dream to be a mother and what I let go of to fulfill it.  For me it meant letting go of having a career because I knew I didn't want to let someone else raise my children while I was at work.  It meant not going on fancy vacations because we were saving money for a downpayment on a house so our children would have a yard to play in.  It meant giving up my two-seater sports car!  But this is what I got instead:

My first born (that's my sports car in the background we had to sell soon afterwards)

My second born (I gave up sleep for him)

My third born (I gave up my figure for him)

My three sons are like my Stradivarius.  None of the things I gave up felt like sacrifices to me.  Everything that was "unlike my dream" fell to the side because my "heart was intent on living my dream." 


Do you have a dream that feels as though you're not any closer to achieving than when you first dreamed it?  First, check that your heart's desire is in line with God's desire for you.  While that may not always be clear, you can be certain He'll make it clear if your heart is obedient to desiring to do His Will.  If we stand before Him insistent that what we want has to be right, we will not see the clear signs that He has something else for us.  Then you must let anything that doesn't help fulfill your dream fall to the side.  In other words, you can't have (keep) your cake and eat it too!


The interesting thing to me is that now that our sons are grown and on their own, the things I gave up to have them are coming into my life once again.  We have another 2-seater sports car, the time and money to travel if we wish, and if my new dream to become a published author comes true, then I'll have that career I never thought I would have.  The only thing I may never regain, however, is a good night's sleep....something about growing older it seems....


Father, thank You for giving me the desires of my heart.  May I handle them with care.


Link to scripture:  Psalm 37:4

Here is more information on the Stradivarius violin:  Stradivarius Violin