Emotions make great messengers but bad bosses.

 

My husband and I are carpooling to and from work so the other day while I was waiting for him I thought I would make good use of my time and go to the book store. I was gazing at the titles to see if one was jumping around saying read me. Lo and behold there it was a book written for me "You're Already Amazing" by Holley Gerth. Of course I purchased it because that's what you do when something calls your name and jumps around right? I drove to my husband's work, parked the car and began to read. From the beginning it had my attention. I am not done but I have read enough to know that it has to be read slowly to absorb all the information she has to offer. I did want to take a moment to share with you a statement that she said "Emotions make great messengers but bad bosses."  I have not been able to stop thinking about that. We are all created with emotions of all sorts from laughing to wanting to beat someone up. They are important in how we relate to people but what happens when they take control? There have been times I have allowed mine to be the boss not really checking to see if they were bad or good. When bad ones take control there can be great trouble. They can keep me captive and destroy a perfectly great day. They can make me feel like I am worth nothing. Matter of fact Saturday afternoon before I read those words was one of those times. A person said something negative to me that morning. I was feeling defeated. I allowed that feeling to kind of take root. I gave that emotion permission to be the boss. I pondered the wise words Holley said and sent those emotions of defeat on their way. I had a much better evening. We are all made amazing but some of us struggle with really believing that about ourselves. I am one of those people but that doesn't mean I'm giving up. It only means I'm going to try harder to keep believing in what God has said in His word. Matter of fact God thinks I'm pretty amazing because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. The next time the emotion of defeat comes creeping in I plan on quickly packing their bags back up and sending them on their way. Join me in not allowing those crazy emotions of ours to be our boss. If need be scream at them you're not the boss of me and wave bye to them as they run away. Have a great day believing you are amazing because God made us all that way.

How do you see?

        I have been wearing glasses for a number of years. I can tell when it is time to increase the prescription because my vision is not just right. I have to hold my papers farther away or squint to make out words. I have to be right on top of road signs before I can read them, then it is too late to make that left turn that I was needing to make. I might go like that for a while but it doesn't take long before I am ready to call the optometrist. I'm sure you know the routine. They say "let's see what's going on" then it starts. The examination. Tell me what those letters are, what about these, what about these, can you see these, after doing that with both eyes they make their notes. Then the fun stuff starts the flipping from one lenses to another. Which is better a or b? After a few a or b flips, they finally find the one that corrects your problem. They leave them at those lenses and say how is that? Yea I can see correct again. I can read those letters that I thought was a spot on the wall. It is no longer a strain to read and no need to squint.  The correct lenses make an enormous difference. Words and signs take on the correct form the distortion I was seeing is gone. Correcting my glasses helps me to see everything as they are meant to be seen.      

         Oddly enough the vision we use to look at our own lives can become distorted. From the time we are born people are telling us things about ourselves. We store all that information in our brain. Usually adopting them as how we see ourselves. We don't usually question it because we have heard it for such a long time. But what happens when people give you information that doesn't really coincide with what you believe. There starts the struggle. I would like to say eye doctor here I come again can you fix it? You do not need any fancy equipment just some good old honesty. You might need to make a list one of what people have said, the other what you really see deep inside or yourself. The first list will be easy because that is what the brain is us to hearing. Now the second list is not so easy. Take time to change the lenses and take a good look. Do things still seem to be cloudy it's okay do another adjustment. I'm sure you are starting to see the great things about yourself. Don't be afraid to put them down. One is a great start. If it has been a while since you have done this the lenses might need to be adjusted a number a time before you can really see clearly. That's it, keep making the lenses stronger, is the real you coming clearer in view? It will help if you just go ahead and write the great things you have heard people say come to mind even if you question if they are true. That might need to be done a number of times to get the lenses to see crystal clear. If your vision of yourself stays cloudy then you will not be able to be all that you are meant to be. Throw away your old comfortable glasses and be willing to go for the new great look. I know I have had some very comfortable glasses that I hated to get rid of. I desperately needed to because they were twisted and bent all out of shape. I gritted my teeth threw them away and took on a new look. I was shocked at the compliments I received. They even became comfortable after a while. The view I had of myself also was twisted and bent so I had to throw it away and replace it. If the view you have of yourself is twisted and bent all out of shape I challenge you to throw it away also. Join me in putting on the new look it gives. You are made for greatness, see it, believe it and walk in it. Allow yourself to see and be the new you. It will become comfortable after a while because that is who you really are meant to be. Have a great day.        

Author and Poet Glenda L. Hunter returns to #ConversationsLIVE

Host Cyrus Webb welcomes back award-winning author and poet Glenda L. Hunter to discuss what it's been like to reflect on her writing journey and the impact of her work on others. The two also discuss what it has been like to share powerful messages that inspire others to move in the direction of their own goals and dreams.

 Listen to the full interview below:

Compromise

I have been thinking about the topic of compromise after watching a show called The Song. The short of the story was a Christian man had joined a song competition to win two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. He was one of three finalists chosen to travel to different cities to perform songs they had written.  He wanted the money to help his wife, child and ill father. He entered the stage dressed plain and sang from his heart. The people clapped but he came in last. The producer of the event wanted him to change his appearance and style, really changing who he was. At first he refused to change and he talked about integrity. He got tired of losing and gave in. He allowed them to make the changes they wanted. Viola he began to win. At what cost? He lost respect. He lost contact with family. He was losing who he really was. But he was winning in the eyes of the crowd. Right before the last performance he received a Teddy Bear from his daughter with a note that read "Daddy I love you" he wept and found his way back to his real self. He appeared on stage as he did at the beginning, very plain. He apologized to the magicians he was mean to before his performance. He again sang from his heart. He did not win that competition but left with his dignity. He became content in where God had him and what he was doing. The last scene was an agent of a famous singer talking to him offering him a great deal. He did not have to change who he was. HE was a winner. I don't think change is wrong. I think the wrong came into play when he gave into what was not right for him. Allowing someone else to dictate what he was to be so he could fit in. Compromising to the point he lost who God made him to be. Have you ever compromised to the point you lost track of who you really are? Compromise is the blending of two different things. This in and of itself is not wrong but when it changes who God wants us to be than there is a problem. It is wise for us to remember that even if a compromise might make us a winner in the eyes of the world it does not mean that is what God wants us to do. We should always strive to be a winner in the eyes of God. The next time you or I are approached with a compromise we should ask ourselves two things: first will we lost the respect of people that know and love us and two which I think is the most important what would God think about said compromise. Have a great day a winner for God.