Crossroads

You place a mask for all to see.

A shield of comfort in shadowed disguise. 

Never allowing yourself to be free. 

Denying the true you inside to rise.

No one knowing the war within.

The battle to reveal the true you.

wondering which side of the fight will win.

Smothered in shadows until you turn blue.

You peel away layers to see what you find.

Fearing the face that will finally appear.

Will others reject or will they be kind?

To see the real you they would have to be near. 

Fear of rejection, judgement, and wrath.

Open exposure for all to see, 

Now at a crossroads you must choose a path,

To live in bondage or finally be free.

You pull off the mask and choose to be free,

Learning potential, talents, and pro's. 

Finally seeing the person you can be, 

No longer the person that nobody knows.

<3 Cat

Thanksgiving Thoughts

          This Thanksgiving I am in a spot of reflection. Reflecting on what these commercialized Holidays mean to me..really. What message am I to pass onto my Children about the Holiday season? As I watched all the commercials and receive all the Black Friday adds I started to feel like Charlie Brown on their Christmas Movie...What is this all about? "Ho,Ho,Ho and mistletoe"?? Death by trampling anyone? No need to get that from "the Running of the Bulls, you can grab one at your local Walmart on a "killer" Black Friday deal..or should we say as it perverts itself into our Thanksgiving more and more each year.."Green Thursday." 

        That's really what its all about anymore...the "Green" ..the money. Listening to the clever jingles on the commercials telling us to," drop the dishes and grab the keys" from our Thanksgiving day. Every year it seems to be the "proper" thing to pull us  more and more away from our families and fight more to "keep up with the Jones." You know little Tommy needs to have his flat screen television in his room, I-pad, Ipod, Kindle, Nook, Play-Station3, and he MUST have the I-phone5. Really??Do you need more reasons not to talk?  Do any of us know anymore how to be Thankful? Of course we say Thank you...but is it only for the "stuff?" We Americans are a spoiled people, and out of sight out of mind.

        Worrying about what others have and making sure we are up to speed with them. We spoil our children, so any thoughts of going without anything is like amputation of the leg. Since this is what is expected, placing pressure on the families that trying to moderate, or that are trying to keep the "real meaning" of the holidays.for their families to "follow suit." Seeing all the hustle bustle of it all loosing what we should be seeing. Having a real heartfelt conversation with your children, knowing who they are, and who they are becoming. Being Thankful for the blessings that we have daily, but looking beyond ourselves. I feel true thankfulness infects your heart, so that you have no choice but to look beyond yours and your families blessing, but having to pass that on so that others are blessed as well. So, I challenge you..Do you know what your local soup Kitchen did today? Do you know where it is at? Did you know that the homeless have to leave the shelters and find someplace to go from about 8am-4pm in this cold weather,even children. There are a few agencies that try to help with those problems..but they need volunteers. Do you know that there are Mothers or Fathers that are trying to figure out what to feed their children, let alone a big fancy meal. Did you know that the state of West Virginia has so many babies entering into the Foster system with a lack of foster parents, that they have to send some out of state? There is a child that if you don't pick their star off the tree, may not get Christmas presents. So many people out of their homes for the holidays due to all the natural disasters..and that one you can spin the globe, close your eyes and point, and you will most likely select a place that needs help. 

       So am i going to tell you what the holidays should mean to you? No. What I am going to hopefully show you is the importance of self-reflection and readjusting our priorities. I will say that I have great hope that when people take time and really think about what the holidays mean..what our actual blessings are..I think we will almost all agree that, they are NOT what these stores and businesses try to make it into. And if that is the case..why do we fall into their demands? I will leave you with this question...the one I have been asking myself as well, in determining what you are truly thankful for, and all your big and small blessings in your life...Are you and I being that blessing for someone else? I truly hope you all have an amazingly blessed Thanksgiving, Don't just get someone to smile by chance..Do it with purpose and great intentions! 

Here are some links...God Bless
  https://www.redcross.org ; https://www.habitat.org ;https://donate.salvationarmyusa.org
www.toysfortots.org ; http://www.prisonfellowship.org
<3 Cat 

Reflections: World vs God

       When you look into a mirror, what do you see? Let's be honest people...when we look, we are looking for flaws. Some people can't even stand to have a mirror around them because of how unhappy they are with what they see. They look at their own reflection and instead of seeing who they truly are.. who God intended them to be; what do they see? They see, fat...ugly...too skinny...failure..cheater..addict..and on and on, covering your true  "whole"reflection. Why is that? Why do we just see negative? 

    The enemy takes our worldly views and human reactions and uses them to chain us up, and restrict us from the real view of ourselves. Most of the time even when God comes and sets us free, we CHOOSE to walk with those chains out 
of deception, fear, or comfort. 

    Take a dog for example... if you had a puppy and for it's whole life, everyday, you walked that puppy out the same exact path to it's tie out lead and back to the house, never deviating. Once that puppy becomes and adult dog, you can remove the leash and as long as you walk the same path as it did when restricted by the leash, the dog is going to act as if it is still chained. Why is that? Even though you have set them free from their chains, everything is still the same. The same scene, the same view points, the same outlook on life; because they have never experienced or looked anywhere else. Now, if you took that same dog and walk them on a different path, they have now been taken out of their place of habit, comfort, and what is known to them. When they see that change and experience it, they know they are free to run. 

    It is the same thing with us when God forgives us and sets us free. Many times we walk the same paths, see the same things that we always have, the worldly views, and feed into the enemy's deception never looking past our chains. We go on struggling, not realizing that those chains are no longer there. Instead choosing to carry them. Giving God limitations on what He can do in our lives, by lessening our faith in God and what he can really do, and making a worldly view on how He see's us. Like when Peter walked on the water. When he looked at Jesus and saw Him walking on the water, looking solely at Jesus he had the faith to let God bring him to his full potential, but as soon as he looked away at the world around him, Peter let those seeds of doubt and worldly views lessen his Faith in what God had already proven possible...and he sank.    (Matthew 14:22-33)

         But here is the real story, as we accept God into our lives and ask for forgiveness then, we are set free! His word teaches us that, shows us a new way to walk, and how God really see's us. So many times we try to restrict Gods love, put boundaries on His forgiveness. Holding grudges for God, thinking for Him that, "He must me disappointed or angry at us," and that just isn't the case. You see, we mark ourselves "unworthy"and we are all unworthy if we just look at ourselves or where we have been chained, but the difference is that God made us worthy the day He placed His son on the cross. 

     We need to stop trying to think for God. Stop trying to tell God what is right and wrong, and choose to accept that we are all sinners, we all have a past, and we all have present struggles. By accepting Jesus into our hearts we are now re-birthed as a "forgiven sinner."  This is not forgiveness that we know worldly, this is a true forgiveness, wiped clean, a real fresh start with no grudges held. A true cleansing, something beyond our view.

      So, how do we see different? Well, how do you know what someone is thinking? You ask them. So our first step is to ask God himself. God has left us a personal message to teach us to see a new way to walk, to see that we have been set free, and to get a better understanding of His forgiveness. The Bible is our message and it reveals your true reflection. Who you are really as a whole with God. Every time you are in His word, trying to walk that new path, you start revealing who you really are and how God views you. We have to choose to accept it...not because we are worthy (because that is not possible) but because God chose to make us worthy! 

     So lets see what God says we are...
1.) We are Loved 
  John 316 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

2.)We are Forgiven 
Acts 1043 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

3.) We are Saved
21 Acts 2:21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
1st Thessalonians 59 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

4.) We are His Children

2 Corinthians 618 And,“I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

   
5.)We are Heirs to God
Romans 817 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

6.)We are Ambassadors of God
Ambassador: A diplomatic official of the highest rank appointed and accredited as representative in residence by one government or sovereign to another, usually for a specific length of time. 

2 Corinthians 520 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

7.)We are called to purpose

Romans 828 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.

8.)We are to prosper

Jeremiah 2911 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

9.)We are Conquerors

Romans 837 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 

The enemy and the world's words hold us down, and hide who we truly are, and then God sets us free...So we need to make those steps to really let go of our chains because we are the only ones holding them now. Don't take other people's words or opinions, and that includes your own as well. If you want to know what God thinks then get in His word and learn. Learn your new walk so that you can see that you are free..learn how God see's each and every one of us, and how precious we are to Him. God doesn't bog us down with words that hides us. God wipes the reflection clean so we are really revealed in His image, forgiven by His amazing grace, and Loving us everlastingly..no one can take that! 

Romans 8:38,3938 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Cat <3

Cookie for Your Life?

     I woke up this morning and awoke my kids for school with my sons and daughters able to get the same education. By choice I am a mother, a wife, and a student, freely able to decide what direction my education takes. Every Sunday I attend church. Not a church picked out by my government, but the one my family chose. We make multiple choices everyday for our life's direction, as well as choose who serves in our government. These are the privileges that Veterans have blessed me, my family, and my country with. These men and women devote their lives to ensure that we American's have these daily luxuries, that most of the time we overlook. 

    In wars throughout America's history, men and women in the United States Military have left their own families behind, and place their own lives in grave danger. Veterans stand, train, fight, kill, and die for our country and our freedom. They volunteer to be in a situation that most of us could not handle, let alone imagine. They live on the battlefield with next to nothing and get shot at, when a lot of American's panic without cable television. 

    Veterans offer the most ultimate act of love, they sacrifice themselves for us. A lot of people are not willing to sacrifice their own life for a loved one. Veterans do just that everyday for strangers. They do what needs to be done for the safety of our country. Veterans put their needs aside and make our country's needs their new priority. Yet they stand in the shadows. Yes we set aside a couple days per year to thank the veterans we run into, or the military that are at the parade. But did you thank the guy standing under the bridge holding the cardboard signs; a lot of them are veterans. Veterans are everywhere, yet many do not know that after everything they have done for our country a lot of our veterans starve, or are homeless. As a matter of fact about," 1/3 of the homeless are Veterans." According to the United Veterans Beacon House, "Most homeless Veterans are male and account for at least 60% of the nation's homeless men. More than 90%of the homeless Veteran's are high school graduates , a third have some college education."  Are they thanked? Veterans should not have to worry about where they lay their heads, after risking their lives to assure that we have a safe place to lay our heads.

     It frustrates me that on Veterans Day, the government does not shut everything and all schools down. This Veterans Day, my kids were out of school, yet I as a college student did have class. My son asked me," Mom, why are we out of school today?" I told him that it was Veterans Day, and we took off to remember and to thank the Veterans for their sacrifices. He then asked," Then why do you have school?"I thought it was a very good question. How am I to convey to my children the importance of stopping to honor those who give their lives, when our own government and school system doesn't? Sure they do a quick speech then it's back to work, with maybe some free cookies. I know these acts are "appreciated," but we need to think about the Veterans more than just on holidays, or when we are at war. We need to start treating every day as if it is Veterans Day, because every day we wake up with our freedom is a day that we need to thank a Vet!

Cat <3

Do You See Me?

       What is Love? Some say love is a rose,some say it is Family, some say it is how much you buy them, and my neighbor says that love is when I make her my cheesecake. I am not saying that any of these are wrong definitions of love, but i cannot say that they are right either. I see why some people choose those "objects" to represent love, but they are not mine. To me, love is a look. Now, I know what you must be thinking,"A look, really? How can a look describe love better than a rose?" To say love is a look, is really not that absurd when you stop and think about it. Some write songs even agreeing with me on this. (i.e. Alison Krause's song, "When you say nothing at all") 

      People have known for generations the power in a look. So much can be said through the eyes, said to be the "windows to the soul." That is not the only reference to the power of looks and expressions. There are countless sayings that we use daily,"If looks could kill," "She has fire in her eyes," "He has the look of persuasion," "She is giving her puppy dogs eyes," and the references can just keep going as to the power of a look. When using Sign Language, your facial expressions play a huge part into the Language. A simple change of  expression when signing can give your words a very different meaning. Today, we even have television shows based on how every movement of your face tells a story. So to me, love is a look. 

      There is the look from a child to her mother. The first two years of that child's life,"She" has no words to tell her feelings, but behind those eyes," She" tells all. When "she" is sad, one look can melt your heart, making you do anything to fix the problem. A mother can make her child feel calm, all by the love that Mother shares with just a look. 

     There are so many different shades of love; so in turn, there are many different looks. No two people give the same look for a feeling. It takes really reading the expressions to define them. As you get to know someone the easier the expressions become to read. There is the look of love for a friend, compassion, and family. There is the look of "heartbreak" for a loved one, and the look of "the crush." So much can be said with no words at all.

     So many people think that communication can be done just by talking, or now-a-days, texting, or messaging online, but you miss so much without being there. To watch someone's expressions when speaking gives you sub-words to go with the "real" words. You can see honesty,sarcasm, compassion, or even B.S. when they speak. You can learn the true meaning behind their words, 

    So to me, love is a look,"The look" says what your mouth cannot find the words for. The look two people in love give each other before a kiss, the look of passion and desire; no words are needed to instruct them. "The look," so intense with compassion, and care. But the best look is the "hidden look," This is the look not meant to be seen. It is when you are doing something random, of no importance, and you feel them looking at you. Their eyes tell you that they do not care what you are doing...They just love you. 

Cat <3

What are your Motives?

 I have been thinking about action vs. reaction a lot here lately. At any point in time, in any situation, you have a choice. Whether that be in your action or reaction. Every step of any situation you find yourself in, you have a choice..and though we all think most of the time that we are right in our choices..after some time to think it over or we finally look up to see just how big of a ditch we have dug. But even at that time we still have a choice in how we conduct ourselves..there is never a time that is to late to change your actions. 

 What the real question is, is what is your motives behind actions or reactions? Is it love or lust? If it's not one..then it's the other. The difference was said in a great way to me..love is the mindset " what can I do for you" to build someone up to be that person to bring greatness out of someone..or lust is the mindset "what can I get out of this ?" To constantly take, take and use others to build yourself up. This is in marriage...dating...family...friendship..and even to strangers. 

What are your motives? Love..or lust?? If you can readjust your motives..your actions/reactions will follow suit. Are u the friend,family,or other half that bring down others and pull and take from them..or do you build up those around  you to inspire greatness?? Everyone complains about the world today and how selfish and heartless it is..well wake up people..those actions and reactions..they start at home! There is some food for thought :)

Love,
Cat