A challenge for you!

         I have a challenge for us. I am going to try this with you. I should add the word"again", because I tried my challenge yesterday and failed miserably. It is so much harder than it sounds.

         Make it one full hour today without casting judgement on or about anyone.

         Clear your mind and find mental rest in not judging anything that anyone may say, what you read on social media, a text you may receive or just day to day interaction with people that you encounter. Absolutely no judging.

        Now if you catch yourself judging, and my guess is that you will, just clear your mind again. perhaps there is a verse you can recite or a song, but remove judgement as it may come and replace it with something constructive.

       I'm going to silently say, " I will greet this day with love in my heart", which is a line from a favorite book by Og Mandino. Whatever works for you.

       Please send your feedback. I'm curious if this exercise is even possible. I asked my daughter to try this yesterday and her response was, " Oh  Mom, I have tried that before and it is impossible."

       Is it? Can you do it? I really want to know how we do in transforming our minds. My wish is that as I spend less energy thinking and judging other people and things, I will be left with a refreshed body, mind and spirit and perhaps an extra dose of energy for something far more positive and constructive.

Romans 12:2   

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  

                                           “How to Change the World”

Happy Friday! It is gorgeous out today. The sun is shining in a soft manner, gentle enough to glisten and warm us while cool breezes keep us from feeling stale or stagnant. It is beautiful; this day that God has blessed us with. I am thankful.
         I have a question for you on this amazing, refreshing day. A little thought to ponder while you eat ice-cream and enjoy the warm sunshine on your face. …”How can we change the hearts of people hurting in a fallen and broken world?”

         Here is "my" answer to this question and a glance at my up-coming book “A Journey through Poetry with the Coffee therapist”…….

"How to Change the World”

                                                               .

When people hurt me I cry.

When people point fingers and attack, I hurt.

I feel anger and confusion and it is challenging 

not to mirror what is being projected onto me.

It is hard to see my faults 

when I feel wronged or accused.

When people hurt me I cry.

Today someone showed love and compassion to me.

They looked beyond the wrongs 

and imperfections and loved me.

This made me soften!

It made it all too easy for me to see my faults.

When people show true love it makes me cry.

My soul opens up and I am overwhelmed with peace.

This is so powerful.

When people love there is a power 

that conquers all hate.

This power brings harmony, grace and peace.

This power overcomes all.

This power saves all.

This power delivers all from evil and despair.

When people love me I cry.

So, do you need someone to see themselves?

Embrace their faults?

Do you need someone to recognize their own wrongs?

Show them love!

When people love me it makes me cry.

∞

To Listen or talk, that is the question…..

If you are really honest with yourself, what would you rather do, talk or listen?

Mine is talking. I want to talk and would prefer if everyone else would listen and even better if they agree with everything I say!

Right?.........”Rolling your eyes yet”?

I think this is probably true of most of us, so this presents a problem. We all want to talk, so who is going to listen?

Daily I experience this in my shop. A customer really wants to talk and they just want someone to listen. They usually don’t even want feedback as much as they just want to talk and feel that someone is actually interested, cares and is truly listening.

Honestly, this gets HARD, this listening thing!

But I just realized as my sweet customer just left after talking, and talking and talking some more, which I had to really focus and train my brain to just stop for a moment and listen.

I mean, even if we have to think of this as a gift that we are giving someone, whatever feeds our ego. But, we really need to practice the discipline of talking less and actually listening more.

It feels good when someone truly, honestly listens to you. So, I encourage us to practice this discipline today. Wrap it up in a box with a bow if you must, but give this gift today. The gift of caring enough to look someone in the eyes, engage and actually stop and listen to them.

Do this with self-less motivation and you may be surprised at the gift that you get back in return! Happy Monday!

It’s Saturday morning and soon I will be heading to my funky little coffee shop, as I have 15,222 times before in the last five and a half years that I have been the owner/operator/CEO/coffee therapist.

I sit here by a warm little fire this morning sipping coffee and writing. TODAY I am giving myself the luxury of actually trying to count the days that I have faithfully gotten up, gotten dressed, and left my warm home and sweet family to serve people at The Shop Downtown! And I use the word luxury, because I rarely sit around on the couch in my home and relax. I’m always off to the shop or just coming home from the shop and needing to do something else! Life+busy=Me………

I seem to have a bit of a UN –thankful tone, and that is not true. I am extremely thankful for my little funky coffee shop and the miracle that God has provided so many interesting and wonderful people every day, day in and day out for me to serve. But I am finding myself tired!

I pray today for new vision, new fresh divine appointments or perhaps the thing I need the most is a fresh perspective.

Someday's, “and it is OK to admit”, we just need a little excitement and an energized heart and mind. I’m praying for this today!

………..And now I am excited to go to my shop, because I know that God answers prayer and promises the desires of our hearts. Wow, what do you think he has in store for me today? What do you think he has in store for you? Let’s get moving and find out!