Peace Making or Truth Telling

There comes a point in your life when you will be faced with telling the truth. Telling the truth when that truth may be hard for someone to hear. Being honest with someone you see making bad choices is showing what it is to be real. Showing that you are not going to continue to ignore things that need fixed. Are you choosing peace making over truth telling? Is it time to be honest with someone about the things they are doing to themselves or others? If so I encourage you to be honest with them but do so remembering the following:

Always think before speaking and speak the truth when necessary.

Love and Truth go together. Think about how your words can come from your heart in a loving way.

Do not underestimate the power of what your words of truth can do for another

Their decision is their choice. Even if they lie and do not tell the truth or even hear your words of truth you go to bed knowing you spoke the truth.

The truth shall set you free and who knows who else along the way...

Snow of 2010

Today we had a fun snow day! We got almost 20 inches of snow..

Here is Aspen in her hideaway in the snow

Breck peaking out through the fence

Walkway leading to the front door

Breck walking in a tunnel in the back yard

Our patio furniture. This is where I like to sit in the sun when it is nice weather out

A place to rest from shoveling

Even though I am not much of a cold weather person I am thankful for beautiful days like this that I am able to spend the day at home sipping hot chocolate and spending time with my best friend in the whole wide world, the love of my life Dustin.

Thank you God for this beautiful day...

To do list...

As the snow is falling I sit here snuggled up in a blanket thinking of what I need to get done with my snow day. I am going to try to be productive with the time while I am snowed in. So what is on your To Do list? Here are some of the things I would like to get completed.

1. Get caught up on reading

2. Organize my desk and files

3. Wash

4. Make appointment for Breck to get a bath

5. Taxes - YUCK

Here are just a few things. The most important thing, although it is not on my list, is spend time with my hubby since he has an upcoming trip to Colorado to go skiing. I will miss him!

Happy weekend fellow bloggers,

Anne

The next chapter

So with much thinking and praying I have made the decision to leave the John Smith Real Estate Group and join the Weichert Realtors team! This is a decision that I am very excited about although I will miss all the people that I am leaving behind. I do know though that God will allow those friendships to continue to grow even if we are not working together anymore. I have learned a lot while on my journey in E-Town with the John Smith Team but feel like God has opened another door for me that I wanted to take the opportunity to explore. Being the closing coordinator was a great way for me to continue to learn and grow in real estate but I am now looking forward to having my own schedule back as I am now going back to full time sales. I am back to working from home and getting more balance back into my life. I look forward to growing in my faith as the lord opens doors of opportunity for me. Like I have been told before, a rolling stone never gathers moss. Here's to new chapters in life and looking forward to what the future holds!

Words of Denver from "Same kind of different as me"

Whether your rich or poor or somewhere in between this earth is not a final resting place so in a way we are all homeless just working our way towards home.

Sin, Faith, Duty

Sin, Faith, Duty

"If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."

___________________________________________________________________________________

As I read this passage I am left with questions. I am left wondering when God says if he repents, forgive him. What does repents mean exactly? Below is the dictionary meaning of repent:

feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; regret or be conscience-stricken about a past action, attitude, etc. (often fol. by of): He repented after his thoughtless act.

to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the better; be penitent.

My mind is focused on "to feel such sorry for sin or fault as to be disposed to change ones life for the better".

To me this is repentance. So often people use the words I'm Sorry as a way of getting off the hook. I have struggled with this for a while. At what point does I'm sorry just not cut it? When do you draw the line and expose someone for not really being sorry? To me sorry means you are aware of what you did wrong and you are willing to work towards changing. What if that I'm sorry means that person is not willing to make those changes? I lived most of my life being told I'm Sorry by someone who was suppose to love me but chose to continue to abuse me. I took the abuse day in and day out but they always said they were sorry. So we forgive them right? Is that what God is saying? Now I am aware that not all situations are going to be abusive. I think abuse is a reason to stop and evaluate having that person in your life. Remembering that you are to forgive them and pray for them to be delivered from the stronghold on their life. You can do this from a distance though and not allow the abuse to continue. I think now looking at the situation minus the abuse. When the person says I'm sorry but continues that bad behavior and does nothing to make their words an action in their day to day you should hold them accountable. I think too we need to remember that you can forgive someone but not be OK with the behavior. You can choose not to be a part of it. I don't think forgiving someone means allowing them to continue to treat you badly and having them think their sorry is good enough. We need to remember in this that you can not change someone, only God can and only if they allow the change to happen. That thing called free will. That would be where this comes into play. When you forgive someone it allows you to be free. When you pray for someone who has wronged you it also allows you to be free. Am I being too cold to think that a simple I'm sorry is not enough? Should we just let those off the hook that easy? Allow them to be lazy and selfish thinking that them and their actions do not play a part in the bigger picture? I think this is for each one of you to decide. Being who I am and coming from where I have come from this is the decision I have decided to make. To hold those accountable as I would want to be held accountable. I don't want to allow the fake sorry's to bring me down and set me off course to the path god has set for me. I want to work on forgiving those that have wronged me but letting them know that if they choose to continue the behavior that they really are not sorry. I want to forgive and move on and know who to keep close to me and who will keep my light lit when the darkness starts to make it fade..

Vision

As I think through my vision lately and the days when I feel like it is passing through my fingers I am reminded through God that there is always someone fighting harder than me. As I read this story of a man named Moses in Uganda I am brought to tears. Thank you to this man for his vision and fighting for it, thank you for the man who was willing to go outside of his comfort zone to bring me and many others this amazing story. How blessed this man is when to many he may seem very poor.. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did. What an amazing God we serve!

Home buyer tax credits

For anyone thinking about making a move you might want to read this information regarding the tax credits available.

Any questions just let me know.

Have a good rest of the week!

~Anne

Some will,some won't, So what..

You are going to have people in your life that will care about you and what you want in life. There will be those that won't. I am challenging myself to focus more on those that will and less on those that won't. I need to stop putting energy and time into those that don't care and allowing them to affect my attitude, diminish my goals and my purpose. Start really believing who people show you they are. Know who does support you, cares about you and who will help you get to where you are going. Focus on the bigger picture and remember that allowing those who don't care or support you to be your focus will only allow your goals, dreams and those who do believe in you to slip out of site.

You are here for a reason, great things are in store for you. Each day remember, Some will, Some won't, So what !

Read - Discuss - Grow

So this Sunday starts the new book in The Bloom Book Club. I have just a couple more chapters left to get me to the finish line. I am excited to start hearing everyones thoughts and idea's on what each chapter means to them. I love to be in an environment where there is brainstorming and I am being challenged to think or view something in a way that I may not have seen before. If you have not checked this out yet and you are looking for a book club to be a part of we would love to have you join us. The ladies that head this up really work hard and I am thankful to them for all they do. The last book we read was "Crazy Love". That book changed the way that I think and my relationship with God. The book we are reading now is "Same Kind of Different as me". This is a little different style than the last book but very good. This book engages you in the journey of two mens lives and how God brought them together and changed each of them through the journey. You can look for new posts on the book to start either Sunday or Monday.

Have a great weekend!

~Anne

Disbelief

Someone said to me the other day that when someone shows you who they are believe them. I had to really digest this. Isn't this so true? Don't we so often see someones true colors and we don't want to believe it. They are so clearly showing you who they are and we just act as if it does not exist. I know that people are not perfect and they make mistakes but at what point do you just believe that they are the person they are showing you they are? If there is one thing I have learned in my life it is that you can not change people. You can encourage them to be better and hold them accountable for their own good but if they are not willing to do what it takes then you can not assume that for them. You can not allow them to bring you down or compromise who you are. So what am I showing to others of who I am? When am I going to just start believing people when they show me who they are? Is doing that putting God in a box and saying that he can not bring change or help them? All many things that have been whirling around in my mind lately which is a crazy place to be. Thank you for continuing to take the wild ride into Anne's World..

TGIF!

Discipline

Although I am not much of a New Years resolution person I have made the choice to start getting back into going to the gym again. The holidays took me away from my routine. So this week I started back and I feel great! It is amazing how good you feel when you leave the gym. Although I may be very sore it is such good therapy for my soul. I then question myself about why I am not always as committed to the gym as I should be. The answer is always "I don't know". I think this is true of many things in life. There are so many things that we know we should be doing and when we do them we feel so much better. So why don't we do them? I think the answer is many times "I don't know". It is weird to me how if we have no reason why we would not do it then why don't we do it? Why are we wired this way? I also find it very interesting how although we know what we should be doing we are surprised when we end on the wrong path and do not arrive at the destination we intended. There are some lucky people out there that can stay thin and in shape and not work out but it is rare. I fell into this same trap asking myself why I had gained 15 pounds and felt horrible about myself when all along I knew it was because I did not exercise or eat right. I did nothing to get to the destination in which I intended to arrive but then seemed surprised when I did not arrive there. I see this so many times with people in life. They really WANT to do something but they just don't do it. They don't want it bad enough or they just think it will happen on it's own. This year although I do not like to set New Year's resolutions I pray that I can be more of a "Just do it" kind of person. That I do not allow myself to justify things I know I should not be doing or not doing things I know I should be doing. I pray this for you too because I know how hard this is. I think it is very important to have people around you who constantly motivate you and challenge you. I am blessed to have people like that in my life. They make me want to do better and be better. I pray that you will find people like that if you have not already been blessed with them in your life. So here's to not just saying that 2010 is going to be a good year, here's to MAKING 2010 a great year!

Making Vision Stick

It is neat to have a moment when you can see how things come together and when you realize that God plan for you will never make sense at the time but that is where discipline comes into play. I will admit, I do not do so well in this department. I always viewed discipline as something negative, a sort of submission. If we always understood everything and had our plan all mapped out it would be boring and we would never learn anything from it. True faith comes into play when no matter how unclear things seem to be that you are willing to continue to do what you know you should do by continuing to follow God. Not play the game of walking away every time things get to tough or things don't go you're way. I always say that I do not want to play the victim in life. Just get over the crap and move on. What I failed to realize is that every time I walk away I was playing the victim. I am saying to God that it is all about me. What I want is more important than the bigger plan ahead. The devil will allow you to believe that it is all about you but it is not. Stay focused on the truth and stay focused on the bigger picture. When you pray for God to show you and guide you remember to have your eyes open to see what he is showing you. It will not always be in bold print with flashing lights. You have to really look for it but when you do you will see amazing things. Also remember that even in the ugly, painful, unfair things that happen to be praying and looking. It is in those times that God can be the most present in your life. I was depressed when this summer I turned 30. I kept thinking of the fact that I had not accomplished what I had planned and I was not where I should be. The truth is that I am where I should be. I am embracing the past years no matter how good or bad because it has brought me to where I am today and I am finally understanding who I am and catching a vision for the future. What I have realized is I have had vision but it was all about me. God has put a vision into my heart that I have a passion for because I am realizing that vision is from him, for why I am here and for the legacy that I will leave behind. What is your vision? Pray and open your eyes so God can reveal it to you.

God bless!!

I am not much of a magazine reader but I found a magazine that is pretty neat. It is called "all you". It has all sorts of things in it that are very helpful. They also have some good recipes. I just read an article about using your phone to save money and noticed some things I thought I would share. Below are some apps that I thought were neat:

* The Cellfire app- (free) delivers grocery deals to a blackberry or iphone. search for a local supermarket and choose coupons to download to your loyalty card. The discounts show up when you use your card to check out.

* Your shopping and see an item you like, but you wonder if it costs less elsewhere. With REDLASER ($2.00) on your iphone, simply point the phones camera at the product bar code. The app scans it and searches the web to find the best price.

* With iphone shopper ($1) check off items on your list as you shop and you can input prices to see your running total. the app helps you stick to your budget and lets you customize lists to your stores layout.

It is amazing where technology has taken us. I am excited to try some of these. Dustin has the redlaser and used it a lot around Christmas.

Another thing I have realized lately is that I need to eat breakfast more often. A lot of people say it helps to loose weight and it is a lot healthier. They had an article in this months all you with some ideas for each meal of the day. This drink caught my eye for a quick breakfast on the go:

Put 6 to 8 oz of fat free milk , 1 cup frozen berries, 1 tsp honey and a half a banana in your blender the night before and stash in the fridge. In the morning, pop it onto the blender base, puree and pour into a travel mug.

Hope some of this was helpful. Have a great weekend!!

Life, death, love and faith to move on...

It is weird how you can feel someone be so close to you who is no longer living. Almost like they are sitting right next to you. That is how I feel right now about my grammy. My grandmother went home to be with the lord on Tuesday after suffering from a stroke in the beginning of the month. Her death is so overwhelming to me for so many reasons. I am so filled with emotions. She will be missed by so many people. She was the most unselfish person I have ever met. Her faith was always so strong and she was such a rock for all her loved her. She has taught me so much. Some of which are only entertaining my mind now that she has passed. God has revealed things to me in such amazing ways through the process of loosing her. I am so sad that she is gone and wish she could still be here but I more than anything am so happy for the life she had lived. I feel so blessed that I had the opportunity to know her and be privileged enough to call her my grandmother. She is in me and even if she is not here anymore each person that knew her has piece of her that will allow her to live on. The family values she has left my family with are solid. She built up a strong foundation that nothing can break down. As I held her hand after she had passed I felt as if she was there even though I knew she was no longer able to feel me touching her. I have peace in knowing that she is happy and in a beautiful place. She has finally arrived in her home where I will some day see her again. Until then I know that I am going to look at the way I live while still here on this earth through a new pair of lenses. Grammy left me with such understanding of love, family, compassion, strength, endurance and faith. I have peace in my heart that I know God has placed there letting me know that no matter what happens no one can take those things away from any of us as long as we hold onto them tight, never give up and keep fighting while staying focused on him until he takes us home to our final destination.

So which way would you go?

Continuing to pray that God will show me the way he wants for me to go. Life can sometimes be unclear.

Remembering his promise to me...

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4 New International Version Bible

Though a mighty army surrounds me,
my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked,
I will remain confident.
Psalm 27:3 New Living Translation Bible

The LORD is my light and my salvation
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life
of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1 New International Version Bible

Phil. 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Ps. 91:4-5 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

Ps. 91:10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.

Prov. 3:25-26 Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.

Isa. 54:14 In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you.

Ps. 56:11 in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

2Tim. 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

Rom. 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

1John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Ps. 91:11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

Ps. 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Rom. 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Rom. 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

Rom. 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 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.

Ps. 31:24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Ps. 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid?

Ps. 27:3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

Hebr. 13:6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

I am down Lord, please pick me up. I do not have the strength to get myself up

Crawling in my skin
These wounds, they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing what is real


There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface
Consuming/confusing
This lack of self-control I fear is never ending
Controlling/I can't seem


To find myself again
My walls are closing in
(Without a sense of confidence, I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take)
I've felt this way before
So insecure

Crawling in my skin
These wounds, they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing what is real

Discomfort, endlessly has pulled itself upon me
Distracting/reacting
Against my will I stand beside my own reflection
It`s haunting how I can't seem...

To find myself again
My walls are closing in
(Without a sense of confidence, I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take)
I've felt this way before
So insecure

Crawling in my skin
These wounds, they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing what is real

Crawling in my skin
These wounds, they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing, confusing what is real
(There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface)
Consuming, confusing what is real
(This lack of self-control I fear is never ending)
Controlling, confusing what is real.

Same Kind of Different as me

Today I found out the next book in The Bloom Book Club! I am really looking forward to reading the next book! The title is "Same Kind of different as me".

Click on the link above to find out more about joining us in our journey of discovering the next book together.

Happy Holidays!

8 Gifts

With the economic times here where everyone is watching their pennies Christmas becomes more of a stress. We live in a spend, bigger, better world. I think we have become a country of people who think that things will make us happy. We have lost touch with people and the little things in life. We miss the precious moments in life that God has for us to see because we are so caught up in the world. Someone sent these to me and I thought I would share them with you. I challenge you this holiday to try to be more creative with your giving. To try to incorporate some of these below into your gift giving. I am going to be taking some time to do this myself and look forward to sharing with you what I came up with. I am not very creative but this holiday I am going to ask God to fill my mind with creative thoughts and ways to give a unique and special gift to those that I love. Happy Holidays..

8 Gifts That Do Not Cost A Penny

1. The Gift of Listening- But you must really listen. No interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your response. Just Listening.

2. The Gift of Affection- Be generous hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.

3. The Gift of Laughter- Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say, “I love to laugh with you.”

4. The Gift of a Written Note- It can be a simple “Thanks for the help” note or a full sonnet. A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime, and may even change a life.

5. The Gift of a Compliment- A simple and sincere, “You look great in red,” “You did a super job” or “That was a wonderful meal” can truly make someone’s day.

6. The Gift of a Favor- Every day, go out of your way to do something kind.

7. The Gift of Solitude- There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone. Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others.

8. The Gift of a Cheerful Disposition- The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone, really it’s not that hard to say, help or thank you.