Don’t Let It Stick

Scratch it off of you!

When we were growing up, mom would bathe us and put lotion on us and was always checking our skin and hair. If she felt a little ‘bump’ or something on our skin she’d scratch it off …and we’d yell – ‘Mom, what are you doing!’ Dr. Mom was watching out for us, checking her kids out. She wasn’t about to let a wart, a tick or other skin ailment get a foothold on us. No pimple or splinter got past her. We were her kids, and she was our protector mom!

I did this with all my kids and got the same response – a startled yell when I scratched something off. My mom has been gone to heaven for over 20 years now, but I value the lessons she taught me. I don’t have to let things stick to me that don’t belong to me or on me. Scratch them off! I have the responsibility to do this to keep myself strong and well.

This is good for all areas of life. We don’t have to let comments, accusations, mistreatment stick to us. We have a good life to live and must live it! …Not letting somebody’s comment live on through us that wasn’t true in the first place. We’re the master of our own ship. Don’t let the barnacles of others attach themselves to you.

Scratch them off and sail away!

Men!

Today we’re going to talk about the men!

Why? ‘You are a woman!’ (I am, a woman- the writer)

We need men! Men out there, we need you!! Every one of you!!!

Without men, there would be no women. (and without women there would be no men)

But today is about our men! Amen to that!

We are all strong and have good ideas and capabilities, but each of our two genders are unique. Men have a different physique, a different mindset, way of thinking, planning, doing. They have a determination to see things through to the finish at all costs – even their own lives if need be. They are the protectors of their family and community. They know how to lead, guide, fight, hold steady and gently encourage, or stand strong with an iron will. They are good at reasoning together and coming to workable solutions.

‘Lady, I don’t know these men! Do they exist? Could I be one?’ If you’re a man, then yes! And be a good one. No shame in being a man. We need you to stand unashamedly strong!

I said it and I meant it. I am a mature woman and grandmother with lots of brothers, uncles, sons, friends in my life and I happen to like men. They are funny, goofy at times, strong, loving, stern, handsome, direct, caring, sometimes quiet, but they are men! And I thank God for them!

None of us are perfect – men or women. But we are trying to aim at being better!

Let’s not degrade ourselves or others or let them degrade us.

Be the man God made you to be. He will bless you. He will help you. He will strengthen you. He will encourage you and help you move ahead in your life. He is for you!

And so am I!

God bless every one of you men reading this today. Be encouraged!

Encourage Yourself!

Yesterday I talked about encouraging others. Today I’m talking about you encouraging you!

Yes, we can and many times will have to encourage ourselves. There will be times you have to stand alone. Others will not be there for you. They will not see what you see. They will not have your vision, your principles or motivation. You will have to hold the line by yourself. Take courage! This will build fortitude (another word for strength) so you can go further, become stronger, last longer, endure more – (that doesn’t sound fun, it sounds like hardship involved!!!)

We’ll have to chew our own meat – no ground up baby food involved. But I’ve heard it said meat is for the strong. No carnivore diet spoken of intentionally here, but meat makes strong muscles and we’ll need them to weather our storms, mental, emotional, spiritual and physical.

So, you had the idea to build the first lighthouse at sea alerting ships to steer clear and not get dashed to pieces in the dark. ‘How are you going to do that’, somebody said. ‘You can’t, the surf is too strong, water too deep, tide comes in, you’ll get washed out’… and on and on.

Yet! Somebody kept at it. They planned and planned and thought and thought and tried and finally the first successful one was built and saved many lives. ‘I could never do that!’ Maybe not your area of expertise, but there is something that you and you alone can and need to do. You – yes you – plan and think and try things out until you succeed. Begin to encourage yourself more!

Now back to the lighthouse. No one built it completely by themselves, but there had to be an idea, maybe guarded at first until it could develop and ‘build up steam’, and then others became involved. It began with them.

Today I am not giving up on my plan, thought, dream to ….