We slow down

by Sharon O | Nov 9, 2011 | Uncategorized

Gain Strength

by Sharon O | Nov 8, 2011 | Uncategorized

The other day I met with a friend of mine and after talking for an hour or so she leaned into the table and said to me:
“Have you ever thought of speaking at a ladies gathering?
You have so much to share and you say it so eloquently in a way that others can feel and see the story you are telling.”
I paused and took a deep breath and replied,
“I would really have to know that is what God wanted me to do,
it is nothing that I would pursue on my own.”
Believing in oneself is the beginning of a new challenge
and at this point my own ‘belief’ is not that strong.
It was hard for me to grasp that (i) would have anything to share.
When the above quote was found
it was as if I heard a quiet gentle whisper saying to me.
“You must do the thing you think you cannot do”
Oh that my confidence would be as as strong as my friends sitting across the table from me.
She said she was encouraged by my words.
She wrote me a note later in the afternoon and shared that she told her husband she felt SO blessed to have taken time with me at lunch that day.
It is hard for me to take in.
Hard for me to imagine that (i) could share part of my life’s story and others listening to it
would be blessed through my process of sharing.
Perhaps it is time to look ‘fear’ and disbelief in myself in the face and learn to say:
With God’s help i can do it.
(the little i means the attention is not focused on me).
The challenge remains for me to follow through with what my friend asked me to think about.
You gain strength, courage and confidence by taking one step at a time.
Will (i) someday be able to take that small step of faith?
Can you?
Is there something challenging you these days?
Do you need the step of faith to do it?

Many years ago

by Sharon O | Nov 3, 2011 | Uncategorized

Thirty eight years ago on November 3rd ~ 1973
We kneeled at the altar and said our vows to each other to God and our families
and all of those who were witnessing this young man and young woman begin a new life together as husband and wife.
Did we know what we were doing or saying?
I think we thought we did
but until one has gone through the sickness and health together
the better and worse times ~ the good and the bad
the joyful times and sad times one cannot really know what “I do” really means.

We were 18 and 19 and beginning a crazy life of young marrieds and eventually young parenting.
Trying to manage a home and budget and work and church and all the other ‘things that get in ones way’ of relationship.
We struggled and we have grown.
We have changed.
I still can’t believe you were in a  yellow tux pretty sure you wouldn’t wear one now.
Young love says yes sometimes when really you probably didn’t want to wear yellow.
One thing maturity has taught is that we have choice and we can say no now.
Throughout the years we struggled and moved deeper in the process of learning to ‘grow up’ together.

Times were not always easy but because we had a God we could lean on and people who supported us and a belief that we were in a commitment that could not be broken.
We worked hard to do what needed to be done to make it the best life we could make it.
On that afternoon 38 years ago when we bowed our knees and our hearts at the altar and said ‘I do’ to each other.
We chose to make it happen.
To make a life together for ourselves and our future children and grand children.
We had no idea God would bless us with a son and a daughter and later six beautiful grand children.
We had no idea what the years would bring us and how much we both would change.
For richer for poorer and for better or worse as you tell me often:
“remember we are going to grow old together”.
I truly hope and pray we do.

So as we walk into the next 38 years we lean on the Lord and each other ~
through the good times we will share many memories and through the sad times we will share many sorrows too.
Then with a smile on our faces and a dance to our step we will say to each other:                                                                         

A Real Reason

by Sharon O | Nov 2, 2011 | Uncategorized

   In this time of giving thanks and learning to be grateful
   it is good to remember to always go forward and not look back.
   When we look back we see regrets ~
   when we look back we see hurts that happened ~
   when we look back we see and remember things
   that cannot be changed ~
   ever ~ 
   so in the process of life and learning to be grateful ~
   it is far better to look ahead ~   
   to anticipate the sunshine after rain ~
   the rainbow after the storm ~
   the little glimpses of heaven here on earth ~
   and the real reasons to be thankful.
   The reason for the season ~
   it is to give thanks with a grateful heart.

Attitude of Gratitude

by Sharon O | Nov 1, 2011 | Uncategorized

As we enter into a season of thanksgiving and being with others.
I challenge us all to take note of what we are thankful for
and create within our selves an attitude of gratitude.

I challenge us all to create a quiet time
perhaps pour a cup of tea
write down on paper
our thankfulness
our gratefulness
and in that process
I hope
our thoughts will not be on how busy the season is
but how wonderfully blessed we really are.

Gratitude:
{the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful; a feeling of thankfulness or appreciation; thankful; pleasing.}

~ An attitude of gratitude is not that hard of a thing to nurture within ourselves we just have to take the time to do it ~

Grateful:
{warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received: thankful ~ as in: I am grateful to you. Expressing or actuated by gratitude; as in ~ a grateful letter to someone; pleasing to the mind or senses; agreeable or welcome; refreshing.}

Thankful:
{feeling or expressing gratitude}

   Give thanks with a grateful heart ~
             Give thanks with a thankful heart ~
                       Give thanks with a heart of thanksgiving ~