A Time For Women To Rise

According to statistical data, women are surpassing men on a number of sectors. This is a far cry from a time when women were raised to solely care for their household. History has shown us that shoving women in the background or removing from them the right to communicate, educate themselves, and work makes for an unbalanced world.

As Hanna Rosin points out, our world has changed and many of today's jobs require the talents that women seem to naturally bestow. We are natural caretakers, communicators, organizers, planners and we know how to listen. It is a time for women. Let us shine as we do what we are called to do without hesitation or reservations. Use your voice, talents, and gifts to change, challenge and impact your world!

My Favorite Christmas movie of all time!

Frank Capra's, "It's a Wonderful Life" is my favorite Christmas movie of all time. I love the movie so much that I will not watch it until Christmas Eve and Christmas day every year so that it doesn't lose its luster. I still remember the first time I watched it as a little girl. We had just had our Christmas family gathering with food, music, and dancing like every Christmas......

Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year so the holidays were always special, and I always looked forward to celebrating. One night, after all the festivities I was still awake and flipping through the channels when I found a magical black and white film playing on television. I watched the character of George Bailey run through his town telling everyone how much he loved them and appreciated them. My heart was so glad as I saw the joy in this man's face as he genuinely expressed his appreciation for his life. Ever since that night I make a tradition of watching "It's a Wonderful Life" every Christmas.

"It's a Wonderful Life" is a movie that helps to reshape our perspective and offers hope. If you've ever felt like a failure because things haven't turned out too well in your life, or you were disappointed by something or someone, you may feel tempted to give up. George Bailey wanted to die after losing all his money and facing possible jail time. He felt like a failure and tried to end his own life until an angel named Clarence showed him what his world would look like if he were never born. George Bailey learns that he did in fact make an impact. He also learned that although his life didn't turn out the way he wanted it to, it was still significant and he was loved. He mattered.

I didn't understand the story when I was a little girl, but it sure became reality for me last year after life handed me much pain and disappointment. This year, as I'm still in recovery, I will enjoy "It's a Wonderful Life" once again for its charm, warmth, and for the smile it always brings to my face.....regardless of my situation.

If you've never watched this film, please do so. Whether you love it or hate it you will walk away feeling something because there's a message in it for everyone.


"Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends."
-Clarence

Send a holiday letter to a soldier!

The American Red Cross is accepting letters that will be given to our soldiers this Christmas. Send a letter to encourage our brave heroes who risk their lives daily for our freedom. Christmas is especially difficult for them and their families. Let's put a smile on their face this Christmas. : )

The deadline to send mail is December 10th.

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD
20791-5456

To learn more, visit www.redcross.org.

Who Says?

It’s rare the times that I'll learn something from a commercial. Sure those “Columbia House” commercials back in the day made me cry. And yes, I’m still very moved by those sentimental Hallmark card commercials they play during Christmas. And we mustn’t forget the old ‘Folgers” commercial where the son returns from war and his mother embraces him with such love to cause a grown man to cry like a baby. Yes, commercials can have an emotional factor to them. But recently, a simple statement in a birth control commercial sort of empowered me.

You know that commercial that tells women that they don’t have to have their period every month? In the commercial the women look at the camera and say, “Who says you have to have your period every month?” And yes, it may seem silly to be motivated or to learn something profound from a contraceptive commercial, but the simple words, “Who says…” really affirmed the season that I am in at the moment.

I am living in a season where I am questioning some of the things that I thought to be law, things that we all seem to accept. For example, who says that I can’t be strong and yet feminine at the same time? Pink is still my favorite color. : ) Who says that I can’t question aspects of my faith that I don’t understand? Who says that I shouldn’t take chances?

It’s amazing how many things in life we accept just because we think we should. It’s almost like there’s this invisible rulebook or checklist we’re supposed to live and abide by. Who says I’m supposed to follow? I’d rather take a chance in life and pursue what I believe is right than just follow and accept something just because everyone else does.

There are so many choices and mindsets in my life that I have recently learned were influenced by the words in that boring rule book. I’m learning that it’s okay to be me and to have the desires that I have. Just because someone is well liked by everyone else doesn’t mean that I have to like him or her too. And just because a certain path or formula worked in someone’s life doesn’t mean it will work in mine. I’m learning not to feel bad when the corporate world shuts another door in my face. I don’t feel we’re compatible anyway.

The truth is we are all in a different path, learning different things in different ways. What I am called to is not necessarily what the next person should pursue. It’s amazing the transformation that can take place in one’s life when the rug has been pulled from under them repeatedly. Or when they’ve tried “everything” the voices have suggested and still the doors stay stubbornly shut.

Who says I have to think, feel, and be what the rulebook says I should? I’m on my own journey. In the words of “Popeye,” “I am what I am, and that’s all that I am”

When I am sad

I really believe that God likes it when I'm sad. Is that a strange statement? Well, I really believe it....at least today.

When I am sad I write profound poems, personal essays, and song lyrics.

When I am sad I think about the hurting and the voiceless in the world and how I'd like to end their suffering.

When I am hurting I seem to gain enough wisdom to light a candle on somebody else's darkness.

I offer them words, they applaud my wisdom, and then I re-enter my dungeon of introspection.

When I have a "dark night of the soul" my creativity grows and I find that I'm taken to deep places that I never knew existed inside of me.

Sometimes I am moved to tears, other times I am inspired. Sometimes they work together.

I don't say this in arrogance or pride. In face there are days that I would give anything to be shallow.

I wish that my greatest concern was not having the right top to match my pants.

But, in my life pain is real. And when it hits it's strong enough to cause me to lose hope for moments at a time.

But then, I rise up off the floor and I open my notebook or laptop and write once again. I'm a "survivor" as some would say.

My pain inspires me, and apparently this is what God uses.

Sometimes I wish that I didn't survive and that God would be moved to the point that He removed it all.

But, then I think that in some weird psychotic way I would miss it all.

Because for whatever strange reason pain and happiness walk hand in hand in my heart and mind. I don't know that I'd be the same person without them.

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." -Psalm 51:17 (NIV)

"Dear God,

I heard that there is a reward for this, but I'm still waiting for my consolation prize....Can you bring it before I get to heaven?"

Wax-On, Wax-Off: Learning Lessons Through the Ordinary

The Karate Kid has always been one of my favorite movies from the 80's. Maybe it’s because we watched it every other day, or the fact that my brother resembled Ralph Macchio. Watching The Karate Kid became as much a ritual as brushing my teeth and playing with my Barbie dolls.

When I became a Christian, this classic 80’s movie became a symbolism for something far greater than warm fuzzy memories. It became a sort of metaphor for my relationship with God. I can’t help but think that the relationship between Daniel-San and Mr. Miyagi is very similar to our own relationship and walk with God.

We don’t always understand what God is doing. Most of the time we’re questioning what everything means. In my own life I have had to ask God to help me see what He sees because I just simply don’t understand.

In the movie, as Daniel is venting to Mr. Miyagi about feeling used, he tells Mr. Miyago that he’s in pain for all the work he’s had to do for him. He feels that he has wasted all his time when he could’ve actually been learning karate. Mr. Miyagi’s response: “Not everything is as seems.”

Mr. Miyagi then asks him to show him "sand the floor," “wax-on, wax-off,” “paint the fence,” and all the other chores Daniel was responsisble for. Mr. Miyagi goes on to show the very confused and frustrated Daniel how one thing related to the other. Daniel was then able to see how all the meaningless tasks he had done actually related to karate. His eyes were opened up to the realization that he was learning, but not in the way that he expected.

Brother Lawrence, author of the popular book, “Practicing the Presence of God,” learned life’s lessons while washing dishes in a kitchen. Jesus taught his disciples lessons and principles through fishing and even reached a Samaritan woman by relating to her through thirst. Why does God use the ordinary to reach us? Because he wants to relate to us, he wants to speak our language.

So, the next time you're confused about your life and what God may or may not be doing, why not ask Him to help you see what He sees? You may even get a revelation like Daniel did.

The Karate Kid starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita

Honor

I read a story once about how Mother Theresa found the body of a man who had died of hunger in an impoverished country. She lay hands on the man and prayed for him. When asked why she bothered to pray for a dead man she said she didn’t want him to be overlooked or forgotten. According to Mother Theresa, every life is precious in life and in death.

What a beautiful image. Everyone deserves honor. Whether you’re the weary soldier who has just returned from the battlefield, the battered woman who has taken a second chance at love, or the janitor who sweeps the floors and wipes the toilets. No man should ever be overlooked.

After the terrible tragedy of hurricane Katrina, “The Oprah Winfrey Show” dedicated an entire show on the aftermath of the disaster. Dr. Oz, a frequent guest on the show who currently has his own program, walked the streets of New Orleans providing medical care to the wounded and dying. As he walked the streets of New Orleans he caught site of the body of a woman lying on the side of a road and he said, “This is someone’s daughter. Somebody gave birth to this person.” He then proceeded to cover the forgotten corpse.

We live in a world of injustice where countless faces die everyday. It may be the prostitute beaten and killed by a client, the child sold into sexual slavery, or the lonely old man in the nursing home whose family has neglected him. No matter who we are, human beings deserve honor. We all have a name and a purpose. We have importance and value.

Have you ever felt over-looked and unacknowledged? May you receive the honor you deserve not only in death but also in life. After all, we’re only given one chance to live.

“Honor has not to be won; it must only not be lost.” -Arthur Schopenhauer