He brought this beautiful, soft light to a dark room just being there on that table. He had a smile on his face and although he didn’t say a word, light radiated from every part of him. He brightened the room and made me smile. What a great thing to walk downstairs to this morning. I was sharing with Chris that I thought it was so neat how this one little snowman stayed lit up even though the others didn’t. He said it was lit up because its switch was broken. I said, “What do you mean?” He said, “Well there is a button on top you have to push to turn it off. That one you can keep pushing the button but it doesn’t turn off.” I thought that is a good word! Most people would think he’s broken but I think he is perfect! It’s our perspective that needs to be fixed, not him. He is exactly the way he is supposed to be; actually that little snowman is exactly how all of us are supposed to be.

People and things in life are going to push our buttons over and over again but if we continue to focus upward and keep going, our faith will grow and soon no one will be able to take away our joy no matter how many times our buttons are pushed.

I wanted to take a picture of these snowmen to post with my blog and something interesting happened. The three snowmen with their lights off were lying with their faces up and in a position that looked like they were standing. But, the one with the light, well no matter what I did to try and get him to face the same way as the others, he kept turning as if he was walking forward. Here’s the picture:

It amazes me how we can learn so much thru the simple things that surround us every day like these snowmen. A few things that came to my heart were:

1) We can make a difference by letting the light of who we were made to be shine without a single word. Be true to who you were made to be.

2) Our eyes are drawn to that light instinctively and as a result we look past the bad that may be surrounding us. It’s up to us if we leave our eyes focused on the one that’s lit up or the three that aren’t. Remain focused on the good – be thankful for what you do have and quit looking at what you don’t have.

3) People and circumstances in life will push our buttons but it is up to us if we will allow it to dim or turn off the light within our hearts. We have a choice to focus on how much our buttons are being pushed or to focus on ensuring at the end of the day we were able to stay true to who we were made to be (i.e. be the bigger person – not getting angry, bitter, judgmental, or saying/doing something we regret, etc.). Don’t focus on the person or thing in life trying to bring you down, focus on being who you were made to be and let God work on them.

Inner reflection – where’s your focus? Is it on the snowman lit up or on the three that aren’t? If you are in a place where you feel overwhelmed or want to better your life, I encourage you to begin focusing your eyes and thoughts on what is good. If you continue to look for the bad things then that is all you see (that gets exhausting and overwhelming), but if you choose to focus your eyes and mind on what is good then soon that is all you see. You then realize the truth – it wasn’t your circumstances that had to change, it was your perspective.

With much love,

Sandi Rauwolf

The question came into my heart, whose glasses are we wearing? Are we wearing the spiritual eyes God has given us to see good in all things or are we seeing things thru glasses the world has given us? What I mean is, as life happens every experience will change us in one way or another – the choice is ours as to how. It will either be another step to purifying our hearts (i.e. weeding out the things the world has planted within our hearts) or it will add negativity to our hearts if we allow it in.

Are you carrying within your heart … the hurt someone has brought that was so deep now everything you see is through the eyes of hurtfulness?

Are you carrying within your heart … the lies and betrayal someone you really cared about brought so everything you see is through the eyes of an untrusting heart?

Are you carrying within your heart … the guilt of past mistakes or current things you haven’t broken free from yet so everything you see is through the eyes of an unworthy heart?

Or are you carrying within your heart … the love from every person that has crossed your path especially the ones that came wrapped differently than you thought (bringing hurts, pains, mistakes, pushing you to your very limit) allowing you to see everything through the eyes of unconditional Love?

Imagine each of those experiences as another pair of glasses on your face. We know how silly it would look to walk around with 7 pairs of glasses – then why do we so easily accept the perspective of the negativity life has thrown at us whether thru our experiences or the experiences of others? I mean how many layers of perspectives are we seeing a situation through? Are we really seeing the situation with an untainted perspective? Do we understand the more glasses we are willing to put on, the more distorted the view becomes resulting eventually in seeing nothing but darkness?

I encourage you to take some time today and ask where your heart is and what prescription you are wearing, if it is not free of all the world tried to plant into your heart leaving only Love then ask God to help you see things thru His eyes – ask Him to weed out all the bitterness, unforgiveness, anger – all negativty allowing you only to wear His prescription so you don’t miss the blessings, help or Love He is trying to bring you … it begins by turning to Him first before anyone else including yourself.

Whose glasses are you wearing?

God bless you, love to you all!

Sandi Rauwolf
Author, Blessings Too Good

Have you ever had a situation where you didn’t understand how something that seemed so minor to you could upset someone else so much? Why does this happen? Our reaction is based on our personal experiences which can trigger a very positive reaction or a very negative one. An example would be two people looking at the same ink blot can have completely different opinions as to what the image is in front of them. Same exact image, two very different interpretations but one thing in common – both so strong in their personal interpretation that neither will back down because after all, it is right there in front of them in black & white (so they do not understand why the other cannot see the same thing). That lack of Understanding quickly leads to division and energy spent trying to convince the other to see it their way when reality is that they each “see what they see” based on their personal experiences (i.e., what they have lived and have been taught). But when reduced to the simplest form removing their personal interpretations, both agree that there in front of them is a piece of white paper with black ink. Common understanding … wonderful!!

We can learn a lot from that example and that is reducing things to the simplest form … understanding that there is only one something bigger. God knew that if we relied on our own understanding that different interpretations of His Word would manifest and division amongst His children would be the result but if we can remove the interpretations and go back to basics we will be able to see the ink on the paper … one God, one language (Love), one set of rules (His Word which is within us) – all we have to do is believe.

“The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130

May you open your heart and mind to those “heart tugs” believing and knowing they are God leading your every step with HIS understanding once you BELIEVE … He can then begin to truly bless your life.

God bless – love to you all!

Sandi Rauwolf
Author, Blessings Too Good

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Have a Blessed Life Now. Inspirational Seminar, Palos Heights, IL – Sunday, 04/26/09 go to this link to register www.signmeup.com/64817

Love Letters: Find your Sparkly Guy. Teen Girl Seminar, Palos Heights, IL – Tuesday, 05/19/09 go to this link to register www.signmeup.com/64946

2. LOVE OTHERS UNCONDITIONALLY – Yes, that means no matter what they do, you continue to love. It’s easy to love those who love you but when you can love others who do not yet know LOVE that takes great patience, strength, and humbleness. Turning the other cheek is not a sign of weakness but shows more strength than any fist could deliver (think about how much strength and self control it takes to turn the other cheek when someone is mistreating you – that speaks volumes about who you really are).

3. HAVE FAITH THAT NOTHING WILL SHAKE – When we have faith and believe, truly all things are possible – ALL things.

4. PRAY, PRAY, AND PRAY SOME MORE – The power of prayer is so incredibly powerful especially when done in numbers so be quick to offer a prayer to someone and just as quick to ask for one.

5. LISTEN TO THE TUGS ON YOUR HEART – The tugs where you know you need to check on someone or you know you shouldn’t do something. Many call this intuition or a gut feeling but it is God guiding you. When you learn to hear His voice clearly and listen to the guidance, you will be able to make decisions in your life that are going to bring abundant blessings to you and anyone who crosses your path.

6. BE KIND TO EVERYONE – a stranger, a friend, and your FAMILY.

7. LOOK FOR THE GOOD IN ALL THINGS – When we focus on the bad, that becomes all that we are capable of seeing but yet are confused as to why we seem to be surrounded by nothing good. When we look for the good then all we see is good and that is when we can truly find joy in all.

8. FORGIVE AND KEEP FORGIVING – we are to always forgive and that means over and over again. Remember you cannot change someone, only God can change someone so forgive them and pray that God will start to change their hearts. Only He can change us from the inside out.

9. SEEK PEACE – do everything you can to live a peaceful life and promote a peaceful life. Peace means freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, and anxiety – when you find peace, you want to help others find it because there’s nothing like it.

10. BE HAPPY – only you can decide how you will react to a situation, no one else can decide that for you. So don’t let life overwhelm you but instead focus on having joy and clear your mind of anything that doesn’t.

11. HELP OTHERS, DON’T JUST SAY YOU WANT TO … ACTUALLY DO IT! – give unselfishly of yourself. The world needs it. When you go out of your way to help someone whether it is a simple act of kindness like leaving change in the pop machine for the next person, letting someone cut in front of you in line at the grocery store, or you go on a missions trip – the gift you receive in/for giving unselfishly could not be purchased with all of the money in the world. I guarantee this is one thing that no matter what you are facing in life, it will help restore your soul. It just feels good! Don’t make excuses like I am focusing on my family right now – when we make time to help others, think of the incredible example we are to our children without saying a single word.

12. IF A SENTENCE EVER STARTS WITH “Please don’t tell anyone …” THEN IT IS BETTER LEFT UNSAID.

13. LET YOUR YES BE YES AND YOUR NO BE NO – never allow yourself in a situation where you need to make up an excuse, or tell a lie – again, let your Yes be Yes and your No be No.

14. BE COMPASSIONATE AND EMPATHETIC – when we can truly put ourselves in another’s shoes, our heart becomes merciful and our actions kind.

15. KEEP YOUR WORD – if you say something MEAN IT and DO IT, that means you must be mindful of all that you say, words cannot be taken back. A person’s word should count for something so make yours count.

16. DO NOT JUDGE OTHERS – you do not know what they are facing in life or if they have even been taught love. What if you are the only love God has sent into their path so they can learn from you but instead you judge them and turn away?

17. SAY YOU’RE SORRY AND MEAN IT – when you make a mistake, apologize from your heart and mean it. Do not expect anything in return (another words do not take away your apology even if someone doesn’t offer you their’s).

18. RESPECT OTHERS – when you respect another person, your actions tell them you care about them as a person and that they are worth something – remember God loves ALL His children.

19. THINK BEFORE YOU DO – if something is going to cause you to lose sleep, bring harm/hurt to yourself or others then NO amount of pleasure or fun in the world is worth it and I don’t care how good it feels/satisfies at the moment. It will just leave you feeling empty and it IS poison to your soul.

20. WHEN YOU FACE TROUBLES PUSH THRU THEM – it is our tendency to turn and try to run from difficult situations but if we are facing them, there is a REASON we are facing them. I have learned those difficult times are meant to teach us an important lesson that we need to be taught. The next time you face a difficult time, ask God to show you what it is He is teaching you – is it unconditional love? Patience? Forgiveness? Faith? …

21. SEEK WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE – pray for wisdom and knowledge, it is so important. God is waiting for us to ask Him to show us His way, to allow us to see things thru His eyes. So ask … when we ask for wisdom He will give it. Imagine having God’s Wisdom? Very powerful!!

22. DO GOOD – it’s a choice and again only we can make it, be eager to do good in this world. “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.” 1 Peter 3:13

23. DO NOT SEEK REVENGE – if someone wrongs you, forgive them immediately. Two wrongs do NOT make a right – so when you find yourself in a situation where you want to teach someone a lesson, give it to God instead otherwise evil becomes contagious and will spread destroying everything in its path. “Do not take revenge my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath for it is written, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord.’” Romans 12:19

24. RENEWAL OF THE MIND IS CRITICAL – anything that does not promote love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, peacefulness, gentleness or self control is not from God and should be pushed out of our mind as fast as it enters. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23

25. UNDERSTAND AND LIVE A LIFE OF INTEGRITY – I love dictionary.com’s definition of integrity. It is “adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character, honesty.” When we renew our mind to living a life that represents integrity, we find a peace that is beyond our understanding. And although the world tries to convince us it is not possible to have peace in this life, we soon discover it obtainable and not so far outside of our reach after all. “…for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:16

26. WE LIVE LIFE TRYING TO FILL THE EMPTINESS IN OUR HEARTS WITH EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE ONE THING THAT WILL COMPLETE US AND THAT IS GOD.

I felt guided to share 26 things life taught me (versus any other number) because of the biblical significance of that number. In my last blog (titled 26 :) God led me to research the biblical importance of numbers. At the time, I had no idea that the Hebrew and Greek language (which are the two languages the original text of scripture was written in) are different from the English language in that each letter of the alphabet has a numeric equivalent. It is actually where 666 being equal to the anti-christ comes from – interesting, huh? Anyway, the number 26 represents the personal name of God. His name is stamped on everything including our hearts and minds. Once we open our hearts and minds to Him, He is able to begin teaching us His language. The parable in my last blog was this … 26 letters form thousands of words – literally infinite possibilities of creation once you know the language. So, 26 representing the name of God opens up infinite possibilities available to us once we learn His language – that is powerful!

I’m sorry for not getting this posted sooner, life has been so busy but in a GREAT way. I have had multiple radio interviews and am very excited that I have been invited to be a guest speaker for the Count It All Joy Women’s Retreat in Freemont, IN on 03/14/09. Following that I am booked to be on Celebration with Marcus & Joni Lamb on DayStar TV (www.daystar.com) out of Dallas, TX on 04/14/09. You can check my upcoming events on the Upcoming Events tab from my website www.blessingstoogood.com. I’m putting together multiple seminars and workshops as well to help others have a blessed life now – it is so exciting!

God never ceases to amaze me at all that He will do for us. The blessings that are waiting for us once we open our hearts and minds to Him (and learning His language) are unending and better than we could EVER imagine!! I’m pretty confident that most could use a few blessings in life right now so may you open your hearts and minds, seeking Him more than you ever did before so He can begin to pour His love and blessings into your life.

Love to you all!

Sandi Rauwolf
Author, Blessings Too Good

Most of us have the infamous “junk drawer” in our homes. You know the drawer – the drawer that starts out with a few things and before we know it, everything that we don’t have time to deal with ends up in there. Well, if we aren’t careful, our lives can end up looking like that junk drawer. It is our natural tendency to run busily thru life shoving things to the side with the intention of dealing with them “some day”. But the reality is that despite our best intentions, we don’t! And the busier we become, the MORE stuff we shove aside. There is real danger in this for a few reasons:

1. MISPLACED – It becomes a habit so without even thinking about it, we start shoving things into the drawer that should NOT end up in a “junk” drawer!
2. ISOLATED – It goes undisturbed, so we forget about all of the things in that drawer and that includes the good things!
3. LOST – We don’t start digging thru the junk until we have a really good reason to do so and most often it is because we’re trying to find something.

Where does that leave us? In a flustered state, that’s where! But there is a special gift in that frenzy because when we face something in life causing us to feel a little frantic or desperate that is when we begin searching for something bigger. We pray “Please God help me. I PROMISE I will clean out this junk and do better next time!” Wow, if God only had a penny for every promise each of us has made to him – there would be an end to world hunger!

That frenzy state pushes us to do some soul searching, to step back from the busyness and evaluate what is really important in our lives. I mean where exactly are our priorities? Do we cherish the treasures that God has given us? Do we sprint thru life shoving everything to the side not truly appreciating what we do have? Do we have a hard time seeing past all of the junk in our lives preventing us from seeing all of the good?

Today I understand what a gift that state of frenzy is to each of us and exactly how much those tough times taught me.

It taught me that the most important gift you could give someone is not anything you can buy.
It taught me to appreciate the things in my life no matter how small or insignificant they may seem to others.
It taught me to be thankful for everything – even the challenges.
It taught me that good health is a gift.
It taught me not to take anything for granted especially LIFE.
It taught me how to love with my whole heart, even when it hurts.
It taught me to cherish the time with those I care about the most.
It taught me that there is more in this world than just me and my family and I need to be doing more. Watch this Advent Conspiracy and you’ll know what I mean. It really makes you think!
It taught me that when the world falls apart, there is only one thing I can cling to and that is our awesome God. He is THE answer to all of life’s problems.

Life truly is a precious gift so we need to embrace every second and be thankful for all that we DO have in our lives and quit focusing on what we do NOT have. It is NOT easy especially when we are surrounded with adversity or pain. When we seek God and trust His plan He will not forsake us. “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8

Tears fill my eyes and my heart overflows with thankfulness for all of the treasures He has given me. Treasures I never again want to shove into a drawer or easily lose track of because of the busyness in life. How about you – is it time for you to clean out your junk drawer?

God bless you!!!

Love,
Sandi

The thing that touched our hearts the most is what we have seen in our little girl. Over the last week she has been the happiest we have ever seen her. She is constantly smiling, singing – just so joyful! It’s amazing and as if a whole new world has opened up for her. As I stand watching her almost float around the house without a single worry in the world, I couldn’t help but smile and bask in the happy, joyfulness of our little angel. I found my heart overflowing in her delight because I love her so much. As I was enjoying that special moment I felt as if God gently whispered to me, “that is how I feel when my children are filled with joyfulness”. And I sat there thinking about what a loving God we have and how much He does want us to experience joy in all. I felt as if at that very moment God was standing there with me smiling at this precious little angel filling the room with peace and love. What a tremendous gift to me on such a stressful day that seemed to suck the life right out of me!

It’s amazing how our attitudes affect the world isn’t it? How many times do we have something going on in our lives that let’s just say causes us to fall short of filling a room with peace and love? Life in this world can be so demanding, so exhausting, and so stressful! It can dangerously cause our hearts to be calloused (emotionally hardened).

Matthew 13:15 “For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them”.

When our hearts harden, we are no longer open to what God is trying to do in our lives or others. Suddenly we can hardly hear God’s voice although He is speaking to us loud and clear (just like I described in my last blog when Samantha’s ears were filled with fluid). When life robs us of that peace and joy, how effective are we when God sends someone into our path?

What do I mean by that? Well, there are no coincidences with God – things don’t “just” happen. It’s not a matter of luck or being in the right place at the right time. If someone crosses our path we need to be open to what God may be doing – whose life He may be trying to touch. A concept I failed to understand for so long is that each of us has a role, a very specific purpose here. Long before we even realize that purpose, we have unknowingly touched many lives that have crossed our paths. I was in a particular season in my life many years ago where I didn’t grasp this concept. I didn’t think I made a difference in a single life but God taught me otherwise. We have touched another life with something as simple as a smile or letting someone step ahead of us in line at the grocery store. That smile, that simple act of kindness God may have used to completely change the path that person was on that day – just like God did for me watching Samantha fill the room with peace and love. I know personally when I let life rob me of God’s peace and joy I certainly am in no mood to help anyone nor do I want to be helped – this is the true danger of a hardened heart!

But God understands this – that is why He has given us a way to peace, joy and eternal life. When we seek worldly things to fill us with peace and joy we may experience joy for a moment or two but it is short-lived. We are left feeling empty again, feeling lost. But thru those failures, thru that emptiness we find that those adversities cause us to seek something bigger … to discover the true meaning of life! To discover Him! Once we welcome Him into our hearts and begin our walk with Him – nothing, not even the grave can rob us of that joy because He is now with us (Psalm 16:9-11) He begins to change us and as we mature in our spiritual walk it is amazing the things we can see, hear and how He changes our hearts. We truly can find joy in ALL. We can be kind and loving, effective and productive (2 Peter 1:1-11) even in our weakness. As Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 12:10 in our weakness, we find strength.

We never know who may be coming into our paths … whose life God may be trying to reach thru us. Often thru those interactions God brings us a very special gift like the story of the old Fisherman (I share below – thank you Faye :).

May God bless each of you and fill your life with peace, joy and a true understanding of life … the life He wants for each of us and that is eternal life with Him thru His son Jesus Christ (John 3:16). God bless!

Love,

Sandi :)

THE OLD FISHERMAN

Our house was directly across the street from the clinic entrance of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. We lived downstairs and rented the upstairs rooms to out-patients at the Clinic.

One summer evening as I was preparing supper, there was a knock at the door I opened it to see a truly awful looking man. ‘Why, he’s hardly taller than my eight-year-old,’ I thought as I stared at the stooped, shriveled body.

But the appalling thing was his face, lopsided from swelling, red and raw Yet his voice was pleasant as he said, ‘Good evening. I’ve come to see if you’ve a room for just one night. I came for a treatment this morning from the eastern shore, and there’s no bus ’till morning.’

He told me he’d been hunting for a room since noon but with no success; no one seemed to have a room. ‘I guess it’s my face. I know it looks terrible, but my doctor says with a few more treatments…’

For a moment I hesitated, but his next words convinced me: ‘I could sleep in this rocking chair on the porch. My bus leaves early in the morning.’ I told him we would find him a bed, but to rest on the porch. I went inside and finished getting supper. When we were ready, I asked the old man if he would join us. ‘No thank you. I have plenty’ And he held up a brown paper bag.

When I had finished the dishes, I went out on the porch to talk with him a few minutes. It didn’t take a long time to see that this old man had an oversized heart crowded into that tiny body. He told me he fished for a living to support his daughter, her five children and her husband, who was hopelessly crippled from a back injury.

He didn’t tell it by way of complaint; in fact, every other sentence was prefaced with thanks to God for a blessing. He was grateful that no pain accompanied his disease, which was apparently a form of skin cancer. He thanked God for giving him the strength to keep going.

At bedtime, we put a camp cot in the children’s room for him. When I got up in the morning, the bed linens were neatly folded, and the little man was out on the porch. He refused breakfast, but just before he left for his bus, haltingly, as if asking a great favor, he said, ‘Could I please come back and stay the next time I have a treatment? I won’t put you out a bit. I can sleep fine in a chair.’ He paused a moment and then added, ‘Your children made me feel at home. Grownups are bothered by my face, but children don’t seem to mind.’ I told him he was welcome to come again.

And on his next trip he arrived a little after seven in the morning. As a gift, he brought a big fish and a quart of the largest oysters I had ever seen. He said he had shucked them that morning before he left so that they’d be nice and fresh. I knew his bus left at 4 a.m., and I wondered what time he had to get up in order to do this for us.

In the years he came to stay overnight with us there was never a time that he did not bring us fish or oysters or vegetables from his garden. Other times we received packages in the mail, always by special delivery; fish and oysters packed in a box of fresh young spinach or kale, every leaf carefully washed. Knowing that he must walk three miles to mail these and knowing how little money he had made the gifts doubly precious.

When I received these little remembrances, I often thought of a comment our next-door neighbor made after he left that first morning. ‘Did you keep that awful looking man last night? I turned him away! You can lose roomers by putting up such people!’

Maybe we did lose roomers once or twice But oh! If only they could have known him, perhaps their illness would have been easier to bear. I know our family always will be grateful to have known him; from him we learned what it was to accept the bad without complaint and the good with gratitude to God.

- Author Unknown

Well, I knew she had not been feeling well due to experiencing bad allergy symptoms despite testing negative for all of them so I made an appointment for the allergist who referred her to an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist). As we sat in the ENT doctor’s office he was asking her questions and she just stared at him. I said, “Samantha, please answer the doctor honey don’t be rude by not responding.” She just sat there with “the” stare again accompanied with a look of being ashamed but still looking away not responding. I couldn’t understand what was going on with our little girl.

I told the doctor about her recent behavior so he examined her and noticed her ears were filled with fluid. He wanted to test her hearing so instructed us to walk down the hall to the hearing test room. I am not sure if you have ever seen one of these rooms but it is a soundproof booth equipped with a few different headsets and a chair facing a window where the technician performing the test can be seen by the patient. In walks my little baby into this small soundproof booth. I wasn’t sure if she would be brave because she would be alone in this little room with only a stranger staring back at her thru a small window. But she WAS brave and went right in! The technician put the headset on her and explained he was going to be speaking to her through the microphone. He told her that she would hear him thru the headset. He explained he would be saying words to her and would like her to repeat them back to ensure she was hearing Him clearly. He walked out of the small soundproof booth and shut the door behind him. She was enclosed with soundproof walls and completely shut off from the rest of the world. There were chairs right outside of the booth so I sat and watched the test being performed. The technician said a word into the microphone … “pancake” but instead of my little girl repeating pancake she said something like “panck”. He then said, “baseball”. She responded with something like “bab”. I don’t remember the exact way she repeated back the words but it was not even close to what he had said. It was a very distorted version of the word spoken to her. I sat there with tears rolling down my face. She clearly could not hear despite him speaking loudly and clearly into the microphone. What she was hearing was a muffled version of the technician’s voice.

Here our perception of her being obstinate and disrespectful was completely wrong. She wasn’t disrespecting. She could NOT hear! The fluid in her ears was preventing her from hearing properly so much in fact that they scheduled surgery for Wednesday (please say a prayer for our angel?) Sitting in that doctor’s office, my heart was heavy and I felt terrible for the way we had been treating her based on our false perception. I just kept hugging her and telling her how sorry I was.

Later that night while I was praying for the surgery next week to restore her hearing, I realized how much I needed to ask for forgiveness and pray for myself as well. I asked God to help me see the world AGAIN through His eyes, with His heart and NOT with a displaced perspective. We thought we were doing the right thing having consequences for those disrespectful moments. The problem was we didn’t have all of the facts but yet we reacted as if we did. Her blank stare when someone would talk to her was because she couldn’t hear what was being said but was too ashamed to say anything. My heart was broken!

God really opened my eyes to a couple of things:

1. We need to be mindful of our perceptions of every situation and ensure we do NOT assume anything no matter how obvious something appears. We can save ourselves and others a lot of pain if we see a situation for what it is based on facts instead of past emotional hurts or assumptions that may skew our perspective.

I’m quickly learning that if I really want God to send me to help others then I need to learn to listen with His ears and see with His eyes so none of my baggage causes wrong perceptions.

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’ He said, ‘Go and tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.” Isaiah 6:8-9

2. How often are we the ones sitting inside the soundbooth with God speaking to us but there is something keeping us from hearing him clearly? How many things get in the way of us hearing His voice? Too many, I’m afraid. It can be the busyness of our lives. It can be the wrong influences whether alcohol, gambling or some type of addiction – it can be our peers. Are we surrounding ourselves with people that have our best interests in mind – loving us and helping us to become the people God made us to be?

We need to learn to listen to His voice and hold fast to our God so that blessings will come into our lives.

“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20

God is amazing! Once we open our hearts and minds to Him, He surrounds us with what appears to be “every day” moments like Samantha’s hearing test but within those “every day” moments there lies a very powerful message from Him. The thought I would like to leave you with today is how many messages is He sending you? Can you hear Him?

Blessings!

Sandi :)

It’s a butterfly moment … the moment when a beautiful butterfly can finally free itself from its cocoon, leaving the old and ugliness behind. All of that horrible ugliness is replaced with something exceptional … a feeling of being on top of the world, floating on air, expanding its wings and glancing down to see if indeed it’s all “real” because it feels too incredible – too good to be true. Then it discovers that not only is it floating, but things are even better than that. God has taken such an ugly beginning and magically transformed every moment of darkness into something incredibly beautiful, something beyond comprehension. And you sit here as living proof of His grace and endless possibilities. How is that possible? How could it be? How could something so ugly, so seemingly encased in darkness for that long emerge a symbol of grace and love representing nothing less than the true meaning of HOPE?

That moment, that incredible transformation, my friends, is proof of how God CAN and DOES take the ugliest, the darkest of situations and transforms them into something truly magnificent. My heart overflows with thankfulness for the opportunity to sit here sharing my thoughts with you while glancing forward at the endless possibility of helping others in their faith by reason of those darkest, most challenging times.

Tears fill my eyes with not only a “knowing” but a true understanding that every second is a gift and “getting” that in the darkest of times, we should not feel secluded but instead feel protected, like the butterfly in its cocoon – trusting His plan and knowing that God can, without a doubt, transform something horribly ugly and dark into a beautiful creation – a creation that is so incomprehensible that it could only be possible with Him.

May God bless you with a butterfly moment reminding you that no matter what you may be facing, trust His plan for you – be patient while he creates something truly magnificent in your life. Hugs!

Sandi :)