FRAMES

I talk to clients about REFRAMING a lot!!!  That means when we look at a picture it looks a certain way, if we change the frame we place around it, it begins to look totally different, without the actual picture changing one iota.  Frequently we look at things and place a negative connotation around them.  If we are willing to consider an alternative frame for difficult situations we can handle them more effectively! 

For example when something is taken from us, it's natural to think, "It's not fair," or,"all is lost!"  But if we continue to dwell on the unfairness of the situation, we WILL eventually go into a depression!  If instead we can think, "Yes, this is difficult, but maybe it'll open the door for something better down the road."  That thought is hope giving, and life affirming, 

What I really love about all this is that it's straight from the bible: 2 Cor 10:5 (NIV) says, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 

I would love to influence people to center their thoughts (and lives) on God through this blog, but even if I can only help someone recognize that they can take their thoughts captive and reframe situations, this blog has helped!  Learning new thought habits takes time and effort, but the pay off for the time spent is of great value!!!

So why did I put up a picture of my donkey's ears???  If you look closely, you will see the cattle at the top of the photo.  This was the first ride out after training him to the saddle, to gather cattle, and I just thought that everything looked better when framed by my  MiHijo's ears!!!

Nudges

Much to the embarrassment of my family of die-hard horse fanatics, I love donkeys! I have a young donkey that I am training, and I am delighted by how quickly he learns tricks, and how to work under saddle. Lately I've been concentrating on getting him to respond to foot commands. If I nudge him with my foot on the left, I want him to move to the right. I practice with him all the time. As I ride through the pasture, I find all sorts of obstacles to nudge him around. If he doesn't listen to the nudging, I get a little more aggressive with my feet, and finally, if he won't pay attention to me, just before he goes past the obstacle, I pull him around with the reins. The other day as I was riding, I was thinking about how I want to be receptive to God's nudgings. I don't want God to have to 'get aggressive' to get my attention, I want instead, to live with my entire attention focused on Him so that when He nudges me, I will notice and obey. I am so pleased with MiHijo when he heeds my nudgings.  I believe that it is the same when you take it up several levels!  When I heed God's nudgings, He is happy with me!  THAT's the way I want it to be!!!

Puzzle Piece

As I was counseling this week, several times individuals made the statement, "if only I could understand why this happened, I could accept it." I've come to believe that one of life's hardest lessons is having faith that there is a larger picture than what we see, and knowing deeply that God is working for the good of those who love Him. I thought of this poem each time the topic arose, and I wished that I had it with me, to help clients understand, so I decided to blog it, and next time I need it, I'll have it! I hope you enjoy it.

Puzzle Piece 

by Cinda Muench

I was strolling down the road one day, pondering 'bout my concerns.
I was feeling down and lonely as I mulled on life's tough turns.

When something caught my attention from the corner of my eye,
and I paused and stopped to look at it, before I walked on by.

It was just a tiny puzzle piece, I examined it and turned it around.
Just my luck, I shook my head, at the piece of trash I'd found.

I wondered about the puzzle piece. What was the bigger scene?
Then stuffed it in my pocket as I finished my routine.

I found that little puzzle piece that night when I undressed,
but my outlook was different then, and I realized I'd been blessed!

That tiny piece of puzzle was a simple reminder to me,
that life is so much bigger than the things we feel and see.

Each thing that happens in this life impacts on something greater.
Maybe, the hard times we go through now will strengthen us for later.

Or, maybe, my sorrow somehow, will open doors for others.
We'll never fully know how we impact on our brothers.

My life is like that puzzle piece, it's value has no measure,
how strange, a tiny piece of trash could really be a treasure!

Rocking Chair

Rocking Chair 

My favorite place to sit and relax, is a big, comfortable, “cushiony” rocking chair.  The chair has pockets in the arms that overflow with all my favorite things… bible, devotionals, dulcimer, and music,.  I love sitting there just rocking back and forth as I study, read, and practice!

In many ways worry is like that rocking chair!  I have all my favorite, “comfortable’ topics that my mind defaults to when I try to relax.  My brain overflows with possible subjects…the children, finances, work.  I can spend hours sitting there going back and forth, without actually going anywhere! 

I don’t like to spend precious time worrying, but it’s an old friend, and it comes naturally… a leftover vestige from pre-Christian days!  I recognize my worries don’t solve anything and they keep me from fully experiencing God’s amazing peace. 

I can waste my energy on a useless, destructive habit or I can pray and hand my worries over to God who is infinitely more capable than I will ever be.  Truth is, I’m sure those who are the focus of my worries would be much relieved to find out that I have let them go and given them to our Creator!

 

Verse: 1Peter 5:7 (KJV) Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Prayer:  Father God, I thank you for being there night and day, to handle the things that I can’t!  The beauty surrounding me daily reminds me of Your immeasurable wisdom!

Thought for the Day: The Creator of the Universe has it all under control!  

The Blessing was Mine!!!

How blessed I am that God entrusted 3 precious lives to me! In so doing, He showed me the endless depth of a parent's love for a child, and I began to understand about His love for me. My children also taught me about the kind of love spoken of in John 15:13. Had I not had children I would never have fully understand what it meant to love that deeply! When we serve others with pure hearts, WE are the receipients of the blessing!

Splitter or Unifier?

We live on a huge ranch. The fences are adequate to hold the cows, but the goats can go where ever they please! We feed the goats at night in the pens, so they rarely browse further than a few miles away. They also stay in a group...usually. The exception is when we introduce new goats to the herd. When that happens, they get confused, or they don't know who to follow. Either way, inevitably, we have to go out and find stragglers. We got a beautiful new red billy the other day, and when it came time to let him roam with the goat herd, I was nervous that he might get lost. As I thought about the possibility that the goats would split up, I realized that the same dynamic happens among people.  Some people plant seeds of dissention that cause problems within relationships. The bible tells us that we are to seek unity and restoration of relationships. I'm happy to say that the new billy is a “unifier.” What about you?

Trust

My husband had to go out and fix fences the other day, and I told him I wanted to go. He said, “Sure, but we're going to go over some really rough ground and some of the places are going to scare you!” “I'll be fine," I said grabbing hat and coat, "don't worry about me!”  With that we drove across the ranch to an area of beautiful mountains, and deep canyons. He stopped to put the truck in 4 wheel drive and I could see that he planned to bulldoze our way over young cedars and ocotillo, to the bottom of a steep drop off. I was determined not to let him know I didn't like it, so I just braced my neck, closed my eyes, and held tight! As I was sitting, waiting to get to the bottom I thought about how much I trust my husband. He is a careful man, a great driver, and he knows the territory. I thought, “what a gift it is to be able to trust him so completely.” It make me think of someone else who I trust completely. God! When troubles are beyond my control, I can just close my eyes, and hand them over to the One who will never let me down. He would never hurt me, He is divinely wise, and He knows the territory! He's infinitely capable of handling what ever it is that I need to hand over to Him!