Words For Hire

Business, PR, Marketing, Social Media 586.461.2103

Sunday Inspiration: Number Your Days

by

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”- Psalm 90:12

It is Day 3 of the new year and decade. The celebrations are done, the goal sheets written and today we show up to begin filing the blank palettes that stretch before us. How we number the days will determine the final portrait when we reach Day 365. What we learn, do, give and gain is determined by the choices we make on Day 3, Day 4, Day 5 and each day thereafter. How will you number them? Will you act with intention as you live out your purpose and plan? Do you have a clear vision of where you are headed this year? Act with purpose each day and on day 365 you will be able to celebrate the goals reached and most importantly the wisdom gained.

Dream Killers and Vision Thieves

by

Samurai Sword
Image by Amin Tabrizi via Flickr

As I grow older, I am even more appreciative of the ability to dream. As adults with miles under our feet, scars from previous battles and the delicate balance that life demands, dreaming takes commitment.

Dreaming, thinking beyond our present circumstances to what could be, is the very essence of hope. Our dreams indicate that we still believe in more and that we are fiercely declaring we are alive as we continue to push past our now to achieve our tomorrow.

I am also aware that our visions and dreams must be guarded with the ferocity of a lioness protecting her cubs.

“Let one of your first decisions be to keep a closed mouth and open ears and eyes.” – Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich

When you are ready to turn your vision into reality, it is natural to want to share your excitement. It is after all momentous to move from dream to audacious belief. However, it is at this critical juncture when the dream killers and vision thieves lie in wait ready to sink your ship before it ever leaves the port.

These slayers are armed with grenades of doubt and swords with poisonous tips of opinions.  You unknowingly enter battle without the armor of decisive decision and the attackers level the lethal blow before you leave the gates of desire.

Your greatest weapon against this evil is silence. Share your dreams and visions with a trusted few. You will need the support of your spouse but think carefully who else is allowed into the inner sanctum. Your friends and family, though well meaning can launch the fiercest attacks, knowing your weak spots better than any stranger.

Gather a small but mighty band of support that will hold you accountable for your own belief, even as they cheer you on to victory.

Have you ever faced the dream killers and vision thieves? How did you handle it?

Saved by Hope

by

“Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime,
Therefore, we are saved by hope.
Nothing true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history;
Therefore, we are saved by faith.
Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone.
Therefore, we are saved by love.
No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as from our own;
Therefore, we are saved by the final form of love, which is forgiveness.”
Reinhold NiebuhrI recently went through a pretty rough time physically, spiritually and emotionally.  I stumbled across
I recently went through a pretty challenging time physically, spiritually and emotionally.  In the darkest of moments, I found that even a little bit of encouragement from a song, a scripture or even a quote turned the light on long enough to give me strength to keep fighting my way back to good health. I stumbled across the quote below and wanted to share it.  I hope it uplifts you as it did me.
“Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime,
Therefore, we are saved by hope.
Nothing true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history;
Therefore, we are saved by faith.
Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone.
Therefore, we are saved by love.
No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as from our own;
Therefore, we are saved by the final form of love, which is forgiveness.”
~Reinhold Niebuhr

What’s in a Name?

by

Since ancient times, many cultures have attached such significance to a name that it was believed to be integrally tied to the very soul and destiny of the human being. A name was a public declaration of not only what to call you but who you were.

Our names are not a label but our identity. During the ugly period of slavery, slaves were given names that indicated their job and their ownership. Future generations of African Americans attempted to reclaim their past and identity by giving their children names that were native to the motherland.

I was recently struck by the importance of names while reading I Chronicles. In the midst of a long genealogy, the bible tells of a man named Jabez. The name Jabez means sorrow but this man of sorrow prayed and received God’s blessing. I pondered my own name, and identity. Am I living up to my name? As I dream and plan will I live up to my name or surpass it?

Does your name fit your purpose? In biblical times, God often changed the names of followers to signify a new life and new destiny. No matter what we are called, we can choose our identity.  Whatever you are called, wear it proudly and allow your legacy to determine how future generations will see your name.

As you move forward this month with your hopes and goals, what will you be called?

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Breath of Life

by

Written by Karen D. Swim

Questions, doubts, more questions. Fragments of ideas that seemed just out of reach.

Growing tired from the introspection, I stepped out into the nighttime air and breathed deeply of the cool air. I felt my flesh respond to the chill. Instead of grabbing a jacket, I gulped the air deeper allowing myself to feel the full force of cold on my skin, and the light wind lifting my air. It was comforting in its discomfort shaking me from my fog making me thankful that I could feel at all. 

I stood in the air and an old song from church played in my head, “breathe on me.” I heard the gentle voices of the choir in my head and closed my eyes transporting my heart to the source of the song. Breathe on me. Transitions, questions, decisions. Breathe on me. Fear, uncertainty, excitement. Breathe on me.

I opened my eyes upon the inky night sky, renewed by breath. The stars twinkled faintly behind the clouds. The dark clouds hung over them like a drape, shielding the brilliance of their light. Yet, they were no less there and no less powerful. 

One last, long inhale and I turned to go in, choosing to leave my own clouds under the darkness of the sky. 

How do you recharge your own batteries when you’re feeling run down?

Who Moved My Life?

by

Written by Karen D. Swim

“We have to be willing to get rid of the life we had planned so as to live the life that is waiting.”

I planned to be a wife and mom (after my original idea of Queen of the World fell through). I was going to be bake cookies, volunteer with the PTA and hang out at the park with the other moms. At age 39 I was widowed and childless – this was definitely not according to the plan!

Life very often does not go according to our plan. There have been many times when things have worked out better than I ever could have planned. Better than plan is a reason to rejoice, dancing on the table tops kind of rejoicing. We never question “better than planned” because we are too happy celebrating our good fortune.

Ah, but when we get “not even close to plan” results, we question the unfairness of it all. We are disappointed, frustrated and perhaps angry.

Disappointment can be fleeting or it can suck your soul dry leaving you bitter and empty. You can waste years mourning what you believe you should have had or you can embrace what you do have. It is a choice we get to make often because life frequently does not go according to plan.

How do you handle disappointment? Has a setback ever turned out to be a positive experience in your life? Do you buy me as a PTA mom? 🙂