Category: Moments, Thoughts, Life

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A Perfect Storm

I’ve alway wondered about the name  A Perfect Storm. We don’t describe anything else in this manner. We don’t say the Perfect Illness or Perfect Plane-crash, but somehow a storm that is likely to cause great devastation is classified as perfect.

I saw the movie Perfect Storm and I can still see the giant wall of water staring down at the little boat, finally crashing down over it. It is in those scenes that I wonder if I would have the strength to hold on. 

We have storms in our own lives. Some are perfect and some aren’t. Some come with warning and some take us by surprise. How do we navigate them? Is it possible for us to not allow them to capsize us or take us under?

The secret is we have to prepare before the clouds begin gathering or the radar sends out warnings. The two important elements we need to have stock piled in huge quantities are forgiveness and gratitude. It’s much easier to practice these  before the storm arrives then in the midst when you’re fighting just to hang on.

Weathering life’s storms can take us off course, put us in places we never thought we would visit. Having the strength to offer forgiveness and finding ways to be grateful in any situation takes practice. 

We can survive any storm, even a perfect storm.

When it’s all over and seas have calmed and the sun is peaking through the white billowing clouds, we will find the strength to be grateful for the lessons learned and strong person we’ve become.

 

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Rules for Walking on Water

Walking on WaterI remember as a kid confidently stepping off the side of the swimming pool with every intention of walk across to the other side, only to find myself plugging my nose before the cold clear water filled my sinuses as I sunk to the bottom.

I’m still fascinated by the idea of walking on water. I’ve come to realize that the opportunity to walk on water comes frequently – and it doesn’t require a swimming pool or lake, it doesn’t even require water.

Walking on water are those times in life when we find ourselves being called out into the unknown and we’re pulled between our desire, our fears, and our reality.

These moments have been plentiful lately in my life and there are some lessons I’ve learned

Don’t Look Down. 

Looking down is the same as looking at our resources; money, time, abilities, man-power. Walking on water never provides directions, it requires trusting that what we need will show up when we need it. It’s believing that our next step will be supported by what will remain invisible until you take the next step. 

When we are stepping out onto uncertain waters we:

  • can’t see the bottom
  • don’t know where our next step is going to land
  • can’t be fearful that there will be no foundation to support us
  • have to believe that when we need to make the next step we will stay afloat

Don’t Look Back.

When we look back we bring the past into our present. We can be certain that it will wrap itself around us like cinder block and pulls us under in a blink. So don’t blink and don’t look back.

Turn Off the Voices Saying You Can’t.

In the Bible story of Peter walking on water, he had eleven friends sitting in the boat voicing their great concern of his actions. When we hear those voices telling us we can’t, consider where they are coming from. Those who have never attempted walking on water will never understand why we would. Graciously thank them for their concern and get on with it.

Never-ever Look into the Storm.

The storm represents the circumstances which swirl around us like the wind. It can change direction in a moment. It takes the attention off the goal. Gazing into the storm only ends badly with us sinking quickly into the cold, dark, wetness.

This is what happened to Peter in the story. As Jesus reaches down to rescue Peter, he says, “You had it! You were doing it until you took your eyes off me…” When our circumstances become our focus, we loose our footing and courage.

Get Out of the Boat!

None of this can happen until we get out of the boat. Peter was in a boat with eleven close friends who were filled with fear. He managed to find the courage to throw one leg over the edge and begin his adventure. Getting out of the boat is up to us. No one else can make the decision.

Walking on Water is scary, exhilarating, exciting and terrifying. It can take us places that don’t make any sense. Sometimes it takes us places we never imagined. Often it takes us to the door of our dreams. 

The one thing we can certain of – it will change our lives forever. 

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A Lot of Chatter

jeannie bruenning

My husband refers to them as those who make a lot of chatter. You know the type. They are those special people in your life who have perfected the fine art of looking busy but never accomplishing much. 

These so called chatters start out as wonderful people. They are fun. They interact well (cause…they like to chatter…). They are creative, smart, and successful. There’s really no way to knowing that one day they will show up with a tool box and logs and start building a damn right in the center of your life. 

I used to think I was a magnet for these individual. “How do they find me?” I’ve said as frustration and resentment began to boil.  “What am I doing wrong?” Finally with arms flailing in the air, I shout the truth, “They don’t respect me!”

BINGO!! That’s the bottom line. Respect. 

There’s no need for a formula to figure out if someone doesn’t respect what you do or who you  are. Somehow, you just know. 

There have been times I’ve figured it out in the early day of damn construction. But there have also been times that the damn was so far along that my entire life came to a slow drip.

How do they find me? And when they do, What do I do about it?

Here’s my new solution. Welcome everyone one in equally. Have fun, enjoy their company, get to know them. BUT as soon as you feel the slightest inkling that there is a respect issue – switch gears – because those are people you have to manage. You have to show up with your own tool box and build boundaries before they start designing their damn. 

For everyone else in your life –  play! Have fun, create new stuff, and grow together. This is where you spend your time and energy. 

These are the relationships you build upon.

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Turn the Page…

Turn the page blog post

My dad used to say this when a soloist was preforming a song for longer than he thought was necessary. With a curious grin and a painful expression, he’d quietly say, “Turn the page, you fat-head.”

I’m not sure where this statement originated. Many of his quirky sayings came from the early radio days. “My get up and go – got up and left,” and George Burn’s famous closing, “Say Goodnight Gracy.” 

We all have a tendency to sing songs that go on longer than necessary. They are the songs of our lives that typically contain the words alway and never:

  • Money is always tight
  • We never have enough time
  • My job is alway stressful
  • I never have enough help
  • We’re always sick, tired, with an abundance of aches and pains 
  • We never feel respected, appreciated, or cared for

I’ve been watching a situation that needs to change. A few days ago as I was thinking about it, I realized that I was singing the same old song, “It never changes – this always happens – there’s nothing we can do…” 

“I’m sick of this song,” I said out loud.  I need to start singing a different one. The version that tells about the good, the potential, the possible (instead of impossible), sing of the new adventure that will be ahead when change finally comes.

Yesterday, I found myself singing that same old song… “I gotta change these words!” I said with great determination.

Today, as I began the old familiar stanza, I heard my dad’s quiet voice, “Turn the page you fat-head!”  

With a curious grin I burst into laughter, “Thanks dad, I think I will!” 

 

Check out Living Unstuck!

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Energy

I’m intrigued with the idea that our emotions can be measured as energy. Laughter, joy, love, are positive energy, while anger, hatred, anxiety are negative. 

There seems to be an abundance of negative energy these days. We seem to ooze anger, hatred, anxiety, resentment and fear. 

I recently listened to a series of books written in 1910 by Walter Wattles. Mr Wattles has taken a scientific approach to this subject. 

Wattles was convinced that we have the power to change our world by controlling our emotions; positive energy creates more positive energy and  negative energy creates more negativity. He says if medicine is focused on illness, it will create more illness. On the other hand, if medicine is focused on wellness, it will create wellness. Religion based on fear creates more fear. Faith based on love will create – love.

How does this translate into our current world environment? How does it effect our daily lives? Scientifically it would make sense that if we want to change a negative situation, fighting it with negative energy will not give us the result we desire. Sadly, when we come out fighting against something, we are actually increasing that which we hoped to eliminate or change. 

The only way to change negative energy source is to weaken it with positive energy. This is no easy task. It’s much easier to come out fighting. 

36270697_10156007745914079_3011563989155971072_nI saw this book cover on Facebook today and it grabbed me. I’ve not read the book, but I love the cover. Hard Times Require Furious Dancing.

That’s it! We have to find the strength to dance. Difficult times require us to create all the joy, love, laughter, graciousness, happiness, peace, generosity that we can muster – because it is the only way that we can defuse negativity.

This isn’t ignoring negative situations or living with our head in the sand. Far from it. It is a determination not to get sucked into its negative hold.  It’s choosing to flood the world we have control of with an abundance of positive energy. In doing so, we have the ability to weaken it’s power. If enough of us do it, we can defuse it all together and possibly replace it with good. 

Hard Times Require Furious Dancing! What a beautify image.  What a powerful statement. 

Negativity can not be fought with negativity –  it will loose it’s power when we choose to furiously dance!

Hard Times Requre Furious Dancing, New Poems by Alice Walker

Please check out my newest book: Living Unstuck, finding your joy!

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Is it good?

Is it really possible that we can bring things into existence by speaking it? Can we move mountains or walk on water? There are many who say we can’t – Jesus said we can.

I believe that we are creative people. In fact, I think that it may just be our creativity that God made in His image (I certainly hope its not our physical appearance). Creating is a powerful energy. Sit in the middle of a group of creatives and you can’t help but feel it. It pulls you in and allows you to dream big and feel bigger.

During one of my many contemplative days, I felt I was missing a piece of the puzzle. “God,” I said, “I’m not understanding this whole create your life thing, I’m missing something.” Each time I found myself trying to figure it out, which was most of the day, I’d pray the same pray. 

The next morning I woke with this thought. In the story of creation God has laid out everything we need to know. 

“So what does that look like?” I said out loud. Then I thought about creation.

  1. God called things into existence.
  2. God set them into motion.
  3. God called them good.
  4. God rested. 

I call things into existence all the time! In fact, I’m rather good at it! I’m never without an idea. My mom claims I walked around the house at the age of three saying, “I gutz a ide!”

I’m pretty good at setting things into motion. I’ve started a lot of things. I get charged up about bringing ideas to life!

Then my mind went blank. My head dropped as I sighed a big deflating sigh…I couldn’t remember the last time I called those things I’ve created ‘good’. I’ve waited for others to claim they were good. I’ve hoped someone else would see my creations goodness. I even start sentences with, “I did that but it’s not really good….”

I signed again as I thought of the next step. “…and I don’t rest after I create them.” Who has time to rest when you’re worried if someone else is going to notice how amazing you are? 

Four easy steps all demonstrated to us through the greatest creation story ever. 

  1. We call things into existence by having an idea, thinking a thought, dreaming a dream.
  2. We set them into motion by taking steps to making our ideas, thoughts and dreams real.
  3. We stand back and realize just how amazing it is that we have the ability to do so AND we see the good in what we’ve created.
  4. We rest in the knowledge that we have given it our best, grateful for the ability to create.

I’ve still never seen a mountain literally moved. That actually seems a bit dangerous. I have seen mountainous situations move. 

I’ve yet to literally walk on water (and yes, I’ve tried that too). But I do know what it is like to step out of the safety of a boat onto the rough waters  – knowing that if I looked down, I’d surely lose it. Feeling the excitement of taking the first steps with no knowledge just how far down the bottom is. 

We are creators. I don’t think we have any idea just how powerful our creativity is. Maybe it’s because we aren’t good at seeing what we do as good or resting in the satisfaction of creating. But if it truly is our creativity that is made in the image of the Creator of the Universe…the possibilities are endless.