Honour

Cicero on honour...

"In honorable dealing you should consider what you intended, not what you said or thought."

Kill the Drama Queen

I've been listening to the Donna Crouch 'Superwoman Diaries' recently - a series about how to live a leadership life excellently as a woman with a family, husband and many pressures to deal with every day. She makes a fantastic point when talking about challenges and how to deal with them:

"There is no room for the Drama Queen in this life. You have to kill her, she has to die. She cannot be part of your life if you are going to succeed on this leadership journey. Just get over it and get on with it."

I think every woman can identify with this - it's fantastic advice. And so, I'm off to kill the Drama Queen.

Star signs on the music channel

While I'm not one for star signs, I saw this one on a music channel this morning and thought it was great!

"Truth is, you're not perfect, nor do you suck, but you're doing your best, and that's heroic."

Release

I love this passage found in the Message Bible:

"Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life." Galatians 6:4-5

Courage

Another courage quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

"Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them."

Courage

Tonight I attended our Mid-year celebration for Kings Training College. Ps Steve shared a brilliant message with us students on courage.

One quote he gave that particularly spoke to me from Theodore Roosevelt:

'It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.'

Wisdom

My Father-in-law has been sending all of us Perrys a wisdom key everyday. I particularly like this one: "Never complain about what you permit."

Thanks Bruce!

Sandcastles

Max Lucado writes: "A little boy is on the beach. He packs the sand with plastic shovels into a bright red bucket. Then he upends the bucket and a sandcastle is created. A man is in his office. He shoves papers into stacks and delegates assignments. Numbers are juggled, contracts are signed, and a profit is made.
"Two builders - two castles. They see nothing and make something. And for both the tide will rise and the end will come. Yet that's where the similarities cease. For the boy sees the end while the man ignores it. Watch the boy as dusk approaches. As the waves near, the wise child begins to clap. There is no sorrow. No fear. No regret. He knew this would happen. He is not surprised. And when the great breaker finally crashes upon his castle and his masterpiece is sucked into the sea, he smiles, picks up his tools, takes his father's hand and goes home. The grown-up however, is not so wise. As the wave of years collapses on his castle he is terrified. He hovers over the sandy monument he protected. He blocks the waves from the walls he has made. Salt-water soaked and shivering he scowls at the incoming tide. 'It's my castle,' he defies. The ocean need not respond. Both know to whom the sand belongs...and I don't know much about sandcastles. But children do. Watch them and learn.
"Go ahead and build, but build with a child's heart. When the sun sets and the tides take - applaud. Salute the process of life, then take your Father's hand and go home."

Blogging

Ok, so here I am - checking out this whole "blog" thing. I am big on journalling and am constantly writing my thoughts for my papers at Bible College, so, why not share it with the world! One of my friends on team has said that blogging is a great way to vent new ideas for preaching. More and more I am finding myself preaching so I figure this can only do me good.

I think the best thing about journally or blogging is that it allows you to get all emotions, thoughts or fears out of your spirit and onto the paper. I have learned that there is an amazing release that comes through honesty. Honesty with yourself and honesty with God. None of us are expected to have it together, though we try. The challenge, particularly for mothers to have it all together can actually have the opposite effect, and we are crushed by our own expectations.

God 's word says "Cast all your anxiety on him, because He cares for you". Honesty with yourself keeps you free. Honesty with God keeps you humble. Humility knows that you can't do it alone, but thats the best place to be! With God, all things are possible!