Not unexpectedly, I have already offended someone.
Last night, after I posted about "Dealing with Change," my post received the following comment, (which I later deleted)
"First off, let me tell you that this is quite a lovely post that you have made. I like the way your thoughts were organized, and that I will be hated by most for what I am about to say. Sorry to sound like the "black sheep" here, but throughout this whole post you are assuming that everybody believe that a supernatural form of deity exists. Second, you are then assuming that every person who DOES believe in a form of deity leaves his/her problems that they deem to be challenging upon the "god" to solve them. You are also assuming that the form of deity that everyone follows is a male. You are implying that unless you do what the "god" wants you to do, you will suffer consequences...Just putting in my two cents. Let the angry replies begin."
Maybe I need to clear some things up...
I do not intend to write for the world to relate to. My intent is to write for women who believe in the same God that I do. He is the God of the universe. He is the King of Kings, and He will return one day. He saved me by grace, and I believe in Him through faith. I will not hide from nor be ashamed of the God I believe in. He has brought me faith, understanding, knowledge, and most importantly, peace.
I realize that they are people who believe differently than I do. We can agree to disagree. This blog is not intended to be, nor will it ever be "politically correct." I will not choose my words carefully so as not to offend someone. I will instead focus on being authentic, real, passionate and nothing less.
In my defense, I do not throw my problems on the God I believe in. BUT the beauty of my God, is that through Him, we can overcome, we can live beautifully, we can be saved from our own sinful nature. He will not ever simply take away the problems we throw His way. He is compassionate as a parent would be towards a child. He will never simply take away our grief or make our lives easy and perfect because He can. Life would be pretty meaningless if that was what actually happened. My God does not want us to suffer. He actually gives us chance after chance after chance to be more like Him. Chances we don't deserve, but that He allows us through grace. He does not condemn those who follow Him; He does not force consequences on those who follow Him who make mistakes. He instead only asks that we love Him, acknowledge Him, and believe by faith, that He is God. When we ask Him to live inside us, we are forever His children regardless of how many times we screw up. It is by faith we come to know Him, not by good works.
And you're right, I don't understand how people could deny that there is something greater than us. I think it's pretty egotistical to believe that we are the most amazing beings that exist. I don't understand how you could stand at the edges of the ocean water, letting the waves gently lap over your toes, tasting the salt on your tongue, seeing the vastness that is before you and not believe that there is something greater. Or how you could stand on a mountain and see the world below you and the sky above you and deny that a creator exists.
The wonderful thing about the God I believe in, is that if you've never had that experience, one day you will. He will fill your heart and your soul so deeply that you won't be able to ignore the fact that you are loved, created for purpose, and intended for something more. And in that moment you will make a decision to believe or not.
There is more to life than posting on random people's blogs about how "politically incorrect" they are. Don't bother re-posting. I 'm not interested in arguing with you. We can agree to disagree. I just wanted to clear up my intentions for this blog. I hope you're okay with that. If you're not okay with it, which I'm betting you won't be, there are plenty of other things you can find to read on the internet.
If you want to know more about the God who has given me peace, purpose, and fulfillment, check out my church, where we accept everyone as they are http://www.lifechurch.tv/
Until there's more...
Allison
Clearing Things Up....
Friday, March 4, 2011
Change is an interesting topic. Any of us at anytime, can choose to make a change in our lives whether it be for better or worse. We have the ability to change in an instant. I know I often have to change my attitude in the morning. I am not a morning person by nature. I'm grumpy, moody, and very irritable every morning, if I choose to be so. But I have discovered that I can change the way I feel in an instant if I want to. I can change my attitude from one of "tired, worn-out mom," to "happy it's a new day mom," with a simple thought.
Sometimes change is much more than a simple decision that involves only our minds. Sometimes change can affect many people and many things. It can affect your future and the future of your children. Change can be bigger than just an attitude switch.
When you choose to change, do you do it for the world or for yourself? Do you make decisions based on what you want and desire in a moment or based on your faith and what you believe God has in store for your life?
We are in a position where we could change a lot of things about our lives and it would all appear great to the world. But we learn more and more everyday that the "world" doesn't matter. As it turns out, we were not made for this world. We were made for God's purpose.
Often times, when we're faced with a decision that would create a lot of change in our lives, we simply give it to God. And then there are times when we let our earthly minds get in the way, causing us to be selfish and self centered.
All too often we let our desires and wants make decisions of change for us. We let the things we "think we need" take over our consciousness. In reality, change in our lives should be spurred by God. When you're living in the will of God, you'll have peace about the decisions you make within His will, and you'll experience unrest and guilt about the decisions you make outside of His will.
Change is an interesting topic. What spurs you to change? Is it your own unrest? Or is it the stirring of your soul to do something greater....to be someone greater? We all change everyday. Are your changes making a difference?
Until there's more,
Allison
Sometimes change is much more than a simple decision that involves only our minds. Sometimes change can affect many people and many things. It can affect your future and the future of your children. Change can be bigger than just an attitude switch.
When you choose to change, do you do it for the world or for yourself? Do you make decisions based on what you want and desire in a moment or based on your faith and what you believe God has in store for your life?
We are in a position where we could change a lot of things about our lives and it would all appear great to the world. But we learn more and more everyday that the "world" doesn't matter. As it turns out, we were not made for this world. We were made for God's purpose.
Often times, when we're faced with a decision that would create a lot of change in our lives, we simply give it to God. And then there are times when we let our earthly minds get in the way, causing us to be selfish and self centered.
All too often we let our desires and wants make decisions of change for us. We let the things we "think we need" take over our consciousness. In reality, change in our lives should be spurred by God. When you're living in the will of God, you'll have peace about the decisions you make within His will, and you'll experience unrest and guilt about the decisions you make outside of His will.
Change is an interesting topic. What spurs you to change? Is it your own unrest? Or is it the stirring of your soul to do something greater....to be someone greater? We all change everyday. Are your changes making a difference?
Until there's more,
Allison
Thursday, March 3, 2011
I started selling Scentsy over 3 years ago. When I started, it was simply with a dream that one day I'd be able to stay home with Addison who was 9 months old at the time.
Through it all she, and now Luke, have been my inspiration. They have been my reason to keep working and to look for the best in myself. It's even more interesting when I think about the life that I had planned for myself. I was going to teach and hopefully one day be able to stay home with my babies while my husband "brought home the bacon" so to speak. I was going to be a mom.
Thankfully, God had a completely different plan for my life. It's nothing like I had envisioned, but it's so much more than I ever could fathom. My schedule is nuts! But I get to manage it. I get put my kids first. There are times that I don't answer my phone because it's their time. There are days that I never answer an e-mail (even though I can't get my inbox to stay below 150!).
There are times I feel mounting pressure and stress until I step back, look at them, and remember that they are why I did this in the first place. I became a Scentsy consultant so I could be the mom that I always wanted to be. And at the end of the day, I am.
Sometimes we all have to step back and look at why we do the things we do. Why do we work so hard? Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves? If you look deep enough, I bet it comes back to family. We all want to be able to provide the best for our children and those that love us.
I have a post it note on my desk that I've had for a long time. It simply reads "Remember Why You Started." When I become overwhelmed or frustrated or annoyed or tired, I look at that, and remind myself, that they are the reason I work. They are the reason that I am the woman that I am. They have pushed me. They have challenged me. They have made me more than I ever dreamed I would be. Love is a powerful thing. What is it that's pushing you on? What is that makes you start over again every day? Don't ever forget about it. Don't ever let it slip your mind. Let it always be your motivation and your reason to start.
Until there's more...
Allison
Through it all she, and now Luke, have been my inspiration. They have been my reason to keep working and to look for the best in myself. It's even more interesting when I think about the life that I had planned for myself. I was going to teach and hopefully one day be able to stay home with my babies while my husband "brought home the bacon" so to speak. I was going to be a mom.
Thankfully, God had a completely different plan for my life. It's nothing like I had envisioned, but it's so much more than I ever could fathom. My schedule is nuts! But I get to manage it. I get put my kids first. There are times that I don't answer my phone because it's their time. There are days that I never answer an e-mail (even though I can't get my inbox to stay below 150!).
There are times I feel mounting pressure and stress until I step back, look at them, and remember that they are why I did this in the first place. I became a Scentsy consultant so I could be the mom that I always wanted to be. And at the end of the day, I am.
Sometimes we all have to step back and look at why we do the things we do. Why do we work so hard? Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves? If you look deep enough, I bet it comes back to family. We all want to be able to provide the best for our children and those that love us.
I have a post it note on my desk that I've had for a long time. It simply reads "Remember Why You Started." When I become overwhelmed or frustrated or annoyed or tired, I look at that, and remind myself, that they are the reason I work. They are the reason that I am the woman that I am. They have pushed me. They have challenged me. They have made me more than I ever dreamed I would be. Love is a powerful thing. What is it that's pushing you on? What is that makes you start over again every day? Don't ever forget about it. Don't ever let it slip your mind. Let it always be your motivation and your reason to start.
Until there's more...
Allison
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
It seems that we're naturally created to fear. Babies have a fear of falling; children fear things like the dark, monsters, strangers, and yet, when we fear things as adults we're shocked that we're fearful of something!
It's almost as if the more experience we have in the world, the scarier it can become. We begin to see that there is a lot of evil that surrounds us, and in our defense, we can't really escape it. With the news, the internet, and our smart phones, most of us can't ignore the bad.
There have been times in my life when I lived in fear. Consumed by it. The funny thing is, the fears I had were so completely irrational and senseless. For over a year, I lived in a constant fear that one or both of my children would become sick and I wouldn't be able to take care of them. Completely irrational, but it consumed me. And I became a slave to worry, anxiety, and fear.
During that time, I had very little actual faith in the God that I believe in. I knew He was there, but I didn't really know what He was capable of. I was just trying to survive day after day by myself. I didn't know that there was so much more that God could take from me. He gives a lot, but He can also take from us. He can take the fear and worry that consumes you, and make it disappear. Fear is not of God.
I don't know what it is for you, but I would bet that every single person who reads this has at one time or another been consumed by fear. It is the devil's greatest attack. It's his go-to game plan for the weak and weary and lost. We all fall subject to it.
If we allowed ourselves to, we could live in paralyzing fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of death, fear of failure, fear of suffering, fear of loss, I could go on and on. You get the picture. We're naturally fearful. It's through faith in God that that fear becomes nonexistent.
I recently heard a story about Beth Moore (watch this if you don't know who she is Beth Moore: The Hair Brush). According to my pastor, Beth was once consumed by the fear that her husband was going to die. She was overtaken by constant anxiety. She was a Christ follower but lacked faith in this area in her life.
One day, she simply heard God ask her, "then what? If your husband dies, then what?" And she slowly walked through the entire healing process of what would actually happen if her husband died. She came to realize that even if her worst fear were to come true, with her God, she would learn to live again. Peace is a beautiful thing. A beautiful thing that does exist through faith.
"For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7)
Fear is not of God. It's the enemy's way of breaking us down.
No idea why I wrote that....I guess someone needed to hear it today.
Until there's more,
Allison
It's almost as if the more experience we have in the world, the scarier it can become. We begin to see that there is a lot of evil that surrounds us, and in our defense, we can't really escape it. With the news, the internet, and our smart phones, most of us can't ignore the bad.
There have been times in my life when I lived in fear. Consumed by it. The funny thing is, the fears I had were so completely irrational and senseless. For over a year, I lived in a constant fear that one or both of my children would become sick and I wouldn't be able to take care of them. Completely irrational, but it consumed me. And I became a slave to worry, anxiety, and fear.
During that time, I had very little actual faith in the God that I believe in. I knew He was there, but I didn't really know what He was capable of. I was just trying to survive day after day by myself. I didn't know that there was so much more that God could take from me. He gives a lot, but He can also take from us. He can take the fear and worry that consumes you, and make it disappear. Fear is not of God.
I don't know what it is for you, but I would bet that every single person who reads this has at one time or another been consumed by fear. It is the devil's greatest attack. It's his go-to game plan for the weak and weary and lost. We all fall subject to it.
If we allowed ourselves to, we could live in paralyzing fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of death, fear of failure, fear of suffering, fear of loss, I could go on and on. You get the picture. We're naturally fearful. It's through faith in God that that fear becomes nonexistent.
I recently heard a story about Beth Moore (watch this if you don't know who she is Beth Moore: The Hair Brush). According to my pastor, Beth was once consumed by the fear that her husband was going to die. She was overtaken by constant anxiety. She was a Christ follower but lacked faith in this area in her life.
One day, she simply heard God ask her, "then what? If your husband dies, then what?" And she slowly walked through the entire healing process of what would actually happen if her husband died. She came to realize that even if her worst fear were to come true, with her God, she would learn to live again. Peace is a beautiful thing. A beautiful thing that does exist through faith.
"For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7)
Fear is not of God. It's the enemy's way of breaking us down.
No idea why I wrote that....I guess someone needed to hear it today.
Until there's more,
Allison
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Okay I cannot believe I am actually committing to do this! But I really feel like I'm supposed to challenge myself to write. Plus if I want to write everyday for 3 months, I'll have to get and stay inspired, and I figure that's a pretty good place to be.
I always wanted to have a blog just to keep track of my life, but now I feel like there's a bigger reason. I'm not sure what it is, but I think we all have something to share. My goal is that every post I write will be one that is meaningful and beneficial to others. Hopefully I can help you be more intentional and find more peace in your day to day life.
I'm excited about my new blog design (coming soon!) and all the upcoming topics I've been thinking about writing about like:
"the worst place you can be is in a constant state of trying to impress others...once you know that you are doing what you were made to do, you don't have to look at others and think 'I wish I could be like her'."
So I am going to go forward knowing that this is what I'm supposed to be doing and praying that someone needs it.
Come along for the ride! Who knows what the next 3 months will reveal?! One thing I can assure is that it won't be boring, and I'm pretty sure you'll think I'm crazy by the end of it.
So until there's more,
Allison
I always wanted to have a blog just to keep track of my life, but now I feel like there's a bigger reason. I'm not sure what it is, but I think we all have something to share. My goal is that every post I write will be one that is meaningful and beneficial to others. Hopefully I can help you be more intentional and find more peace in your day to day life.
I'm excited about my new blog design (coming soon!) and all the upcoming topics I've been thinking about writing about like:
- Cooking for Kids
- On the Road (my experiences running)
- Things that Move Me (Inspiration)
- Kidtivities (fun stuff to do with little ones)
- My Scent Adventure (Scentsy!)
- Around the World (our travels)
"the worst place you can be is in a constant state of trying to impress others...once you know that you are doing what you were made to do, you don't have to look at others and think 'I wish I could be like her'."
So I am going to go forward knowing that this is what I'm supposed to be doing and praying that someone needs it.
Come along for the ride! Who knows what the next 3 months will reveal?! One thing I can assure is that it won't be boring, and I'm pretty sure you'll think I'm crazy by the end of it.
So until there's more,
Allison
Sunday, February 27, 2011
I spend every Sunday scouring my calendar looking for all time I need to get everything done. It's in my nature to plan, but with my focus this year being on intention, I have found myself spending even more time tearing apart my schedule searching for every spare minute.
Being a mom, a wife, a business woman, a church volunteer, a runner, and not to mention a short order cook, plus a friend, a sister, now a self-acclaimed writer, an event coordinator, and even a counselor at times, it gets a little hard to fit it all in week after week. I think we all have that struggle. How do we make it all happen?
It's amazing what a little intention can do. It can take you a long way. Below are all the things I attempt to cram into a week:
The most interesting thing is that before I had my "Finding Time Sundays," I would go into the week completely clueless as to what needed to get done. I knew I had a lot to do, I just had no idea when I was going to do it!
Now I make it intentional. Every week. I know when I wake up every day exactly what needs to get done.
I know it's not a brand new idea, to plan out your week. I'm just saying you should try it. I know it seems like work, but it actually makes your week so much easier!
You can find the time. I have no doubt. Happy planning!
Until there's more...
Allison
Being a mom, a wife, a business woman, a church volunteer, a runner, and not to mention a short order cook, plus a friend, a sister, now a self-acclaimed writer, an event coordinator, and even a counselor at times, it gets a little hard to fit it all in week after week. I think we all have that struggle. How do we make it all happen?
It's amazing what a little intention can do. It can take you a long way. Below are all the things I attempt to cram into a week:
- Church: 1 hour of attending, 4 hours of serving
- Kid Time: At least 1 activity with each kid where I get to spend time with only that child
- Dinner: a home cooked meal at least 4 times a week
- Scentsy: a team update, a director update, 2 conference calls from corporate, sales, recruiting, 1 lunch a week with downline, team meeting plans, and on and on, etc...
- Physical Health: running at least 3 days a week
- Spanish class, gymnastics, gymboree, and ballet with the kids each week
- Laundry! (which I only do on Mondays!)
- Bible Study: 3 hours of meeting and 5 nights of homework
- Date Night with my hubby: We plan at least 2 evenings (just the 2 of us!) per month
- Me Time!: Yes! I plan bubble baths and time to read!
The most interesting thing is that before I had my "Finding Time Sundays," I would go into the week completely clueless as to what needed to get done. I knew I had a lot to do, I just had no idea when I was going to do it!
Now I make it intentional. Every week. I know when I wake up every day exactly what needs to get done.
I know it's not a brand new idea, to plan out your week. I'm just saying you should try it. I know it seems like work, but it actually makes your week so much easier!
It's interesting to me that we can ALWAYS find the time to do the things we really want to do, but very rarely can we find the time for the things we need to do or the things we should be doing.
You can find the time. I have no doubt. Happy planning!
Until there's more...
Allison
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
I don't know if God ever speaks to you, but lately (since I've been open to listening), He has been speaking to me. And no, I don't hear the audible voice of God. But I do hear Him, and once you've heard Him, you know what it sounds like. A few years ago, I would have thought anyone who said they heard God speak was crazy. And now, here I am, stating that God is speaking to me.
The one thing He says over and over....MOVE.
Move on, move up, move over, move into the promises that I have for your life.
There were lots of things about my life He wanted me to move. One of those things was the all consuming fear I used to have (key words "used to have") of my kids being sick and me not being able to take care of them. It was irrational fear that I often let over take my life and my spirit.
Very slowly, He taught me more and more about Himself and about the ways the devil creeps into our lives and attacks us very deliberately and stealthily. I found myself looking for ways to escape that fear. I never knew that through Faith, I could overcome fear, and through faith I could tell something to move (like the devil) and it would move!
And oh how He has tested me. While Brian was on a 3 week hunting trip with one of our dear friends in Colorado, I was faced with my biggest fear....a puking child. And in those first moments of utter and irrational fear, I found myself in tears. And suddenly I was asking myself, "What are you so afraid of!?" And I realized that all the time I had spent worrying (literally every time they would nap, I would listen to the monitors waiting for one of them to get sick), all that time, was completely pointless. The devil had played me.
And then I found myself very slowly moving towards freedom. Asking myself over and over again, so what? What are you so afraid of?
I just came back from a trip to California to see one of my great friends. We met through Scentsy, and instantly formed a great relationship. At lunch one day, I noticed she was wearing a necklace that said "I am not afraid," and I remember thinking, "that is so cool." She gave me the business card of the girl who made the jewelry, and when I came home I looked up the website. Turns out that the back of that necklace says, "I was born to do this."
What a power statement. It occurred to me that I didn't have anything to fear. And whatever I'm facing at the moment, I was literally born to do!
So last week progressed and I found myself faced with a lot of mountains. Addy got sick; I've been stressed about our retreat; taxes are around the corner...you name it, the devil attacked me on it, and yesterday, I found myself so overcome with worry that there was no intention at all in my day. I was just trying to go from one worry to the other and work it all out in my mind.
I then I started asking myself, "what are you afraid of?" And I kept answering myself, "I am not afraid! I was born to do this!" It was God's way of telling me to move those mountains. To rebuke fear and live in freedom.
Many people looking from the outside, in would say that we are living in God's promise for our lives. And I will say that our life is great. We have things we never thought we would have and have opportunities to do things we never thought we would be able to do. Plus, we have been able to meet so many great people through Scentsy that we now call our good friends and even think of some of them as family.
And yet, I know there is more. I know He wants me to keep moving. To keep challenging myself and growing stronger in all areas of my life.
And what a wonderful feeling it is to MOVE.
Until there's more...
Allison
The one thing He says over and over....MOVE.
Move on, move up, move over, move into the promises that I have for your life.
There were lots of things about my life He wanted me to move. One of those things was the all consuming fear I used to have (key words "used to have") of my kids being sick and me not being able to take care of them. It was irrational fear that I often let over take my life and my spirit.
Very slowly, He taught me more and more about Himself and about the ways the devil creeps into our lives and attacks us very deliberately and stealthily. I found myself looking for ways to escape that fear. I never knew that through Faith, I could overcome fear, and through faith I could tell something to move (like the devil) and it would move!
And oh how He has tested me. While Brian was on a 3 week hunting trip with one of our dear friends in Colorado, I was faced with my biggest fear....a puking child. And in those first moments of utter and irrational fear, I found myself in tears. And suddenly I was asking myself, "What are you so afraid of!?" And I realized that all the time I had spent worrying (literally every time they would nap, I would listen to the monitors waiting for one of them to get sick), all that time, was completely pointless. The devil had played me.
And then I found myself very slowly moving towards freedom. Asking myself over and over again, so what? What are you so afraid of?
I just came back from a trip to California to see one of my great friends. We met through Scentsy, and instantly formed a great relationship. At lunch one day, I noticed she was wearing a necklace that said "I am not afraid," and I remember thinking, "that is so cool." She gave me the business card of the girl who made the jewelry, and when I came home I looked up the website. Turns out that the back of that necklace says, "I was born to do this."
I am not afraid. I was born to do this.
What a power statement. It occurred to me that I didn't have anything to fear. And whatever I'm facing at the moment, I was literally born to do!
So last week progressed and I found myself faced with a lot of mountains. Addy got sick; I've been stressed about our retreat; taxes are around the corner...you name it, the devil attacked me on it, and yesterday, I found myself so overcome with worry that there was no intention at all in my day. I was just trying to go from one worry to the other and work it all out in my mind.
I then I started asking myself, "what are you afraid of?" And I kept answering myself, "I am not afraid! I was born to do this!" It was God's way of telling me to move those mountains. To rebuke fear and live in freedom.
Many people looking from the outside, in would say that we are living in God's promise for our lives. And I will say that our life is great. We have things we never thought we would have and have opportunities to do things we never thought we would be able to do. Plus, we have been able to meet so many great people through Scentsy that we now call our good friends and even think of some of them as family.
And yet, I know there is more. I know He wants me to keep moving. To keep challenging myself and growing stronger in all areas of my life.
And what a wonderful feeling it is to MOVE.
Until there's more...
Allison
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)