This simple question is one we can find ourselves asking over and over.

It really is an important question to ask because times will change, thoughts will change and we will change.

I am not the same person I was yesterday. The thoughts, opinions and words of others may have had an effect upon me then, but I have the power to shake them off and keep moving forward into a better version of myself. That is who I am.

So many voices yelling for front and center, always wanting you to give your undivided attention to them – really it is a form of control. These voices want you to be what they think you should be. They want you to be like them. There is no freedom if you cannot be who you really are.

If we can make it past the scares and fears of men and women and get deep inside ourselves, and really listen and look; we just might hear a voice quietly speaking saying, “This is who I made you to be. Be who you already are and be the best version of it. I will help you.”

The God who made the heavens and earth, the whole universe in general, made you  and me and He has a deep interest in you and your good and how you turn out.

‘You can’t talk to me about God,’ many might say, but yes, I can. I too have had to work past the fears and scares of men and women telling me what I cannot speak about and you need to also!

Those fears and scares are holding you back so you cannot find the One who crafted you so He can show you which way to go.

Do not be afraid to look again, and ask again, “Who am I?”

Then listen closely for an answer.

Sometimes by choice, and sometimes not by choice, we enter into a quiet season.

I’m coming out of one. It was rather lengthy, caused by illness. During this time, I did not want to listen to anything or watch anything. I just wanted calm of quiet.

Part of it, I believe, was I had to shut out all the voices I’ve talked about before,  that keep clamoring for attention, trying to make entrance into the mind and thoughts, I had not felt completely well for a while, and I  seemed to be spiraling into the barren, hot, sandy, winds of a large dust bowl. Yes, I am interested in our world and want to keep up on current events, but there really is nothing I personally can do about most of them other than pray and vote. All the rest seems to fall under the category or worry. What I was allowing in was affecting me. It’s never been my mission to be another news informer. I am to be an encourager, point out the good in life and help others see beauty, hope and possibility; create new things, move forward, take care of and provide for themselves and their families. None of this could be done if worry was centerstage.

I had to come to grips with myself and realize so many of the news podcasts, YouTubes etc., were just causing me to feel upset and closed in. So after I began to see with certainty what I had been doing to myself, I decided to think about what made me feel good and happy. (and how many times do we fall under condemnation for feeling good?? There is no way we can figure out and solve all the problems we hear about!!!)

This brought me back to my original intention…encouraging people. Helping them see and magnify the good portions of their life. Be thankful. And truly live their life.

Have you been through any of these quiet seasons?

Yesterday a black squirrel was racing across the wooden picket fence top gaining on a fat gray squirrel carrying a large nut in his mouth.

Today a gray squirrel was racing across the wooden fence trying to catch another fat gray squirrel running with a nut in his mouth…might have been the same gray squirrel.

I wondered why when there are so many nut trees around that the black and gray chaser squirrels didn’t go find their own food instead of expending all the energy chasing the one that did. They could have gone to the ‘source’ and gathered all the nuts they wanted and ran off to hide and eat them. Instead, they wanted to take from the one who had what they wanted…(who had to find it himself). They thought it would be easier to take what the other squirrel had earned rather than ‘earn’ their own acorns.

Oh, the dilemma! Mankind faces the same quest. Hopefully we can learn from the squirrels – there will be plenty to go around if we will only do our own looking and finding.

No need to beg or take from another. We are capable and able to acquire everything we need if we only decide we can.

Where will I go today to gather (earn) what I need?

It’s out there waiting for me.