About Me

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I LOVE to design and to paint whimsical items that will put a smile on your face. Each day I share my simple life with you as I try to encourage, to inspire and sometimes JUST to make you smile as I recount my life growing up on a dairy farm! I've never had many material items in my life, BUT I have been blessed beyond words with love and encouragement from WONDERFUL Parents who instilled in me WHAT was important. I have had EVERYTHING that I needed and WAY too much of what I wanted. I am slowly learning to be a better person each day through my interactions with my friends on Facebook. Some day I hope to be as good as people seem to THINK I am! I am BLESSED! Welcome to my little corner of the world...Please stop by and visit often!

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

JUST some THINGS...Wednesday, January 8, 2014



Things are starting to warm up in Middle Tennessee.  It has been COLD.  At least we did not have to deal with the snow that so many areas had to deal with.  My thoughts have been with those who are cold—for WHATEVER reasons.


I am mindful of those who are working to restore basic services to people—plumbers, electricians, road workers, mechanics…SURE, these people get PAID to do their jobs, but it sure does NOT hurt to offer them a word of THANKS, and so that is what I am doing!

We take so much for granted in our daily lives.  We don’t notice what it takes to keep things chugging right along UNTIL…For the LIFE of me, I don’t understand WHY we don’t offer the forgiveness that WE demand FROM others TO OTHERS.  Things in LIFE HAPPEN.

I am THANKFUL for UPS, Fed Ex and the Postal Workers.  I sure can’t drive a package across the country myself!  And good grief, if I did, there is a GOOD chance my package would be SITTING on the kitchen counter WHEN I got across the country, so CHILL!  I do NOT hear people applauding the efforts of these shipping companies WHEN a package arrives safely, so WHY is it so disturbing when ONE package that you sent does NOT arrive!  I understand it is frustrating, BUT in one year, what difference will it have made in the day-to-day functions of your life?  Let me ASSURE you, MOST people who have to listen to YOU rant, are NOT one bit impressed—YES, include ME in that statistic!

 
I don’t know at what point that THINGS become so much more important than PEOPLE, but each day I seem to witness the results of this up-side-down trend.  My goodness, I have problems and I have THINGS that I worry about, but I won’t bore each of you with those things because GOD and I have it covered!  He will SOMEHOW give me the guidance that I need and will help me get those problems solved.

 I am aware that I create THINGS…I am trying to make a living selling THINGS…and NO, the irony is NOT missed on me!  Yes, I can justify WHAT I do as being a mission to spread God’s love and to present positive, happy messages to the people that I target, BUT the truth is, what I make are THINGS!





While I make my THINGS, I also have been given a ministry that appeared quite by accident.  I have been given WORDS to share with people.  I did NOT plan this…or seek this…or even KNOW to dream this, but for some reason, it had been placed in my fingers that tap, tap, tap WORDS that are sent to my brain.  I do my best to LISTEN to the words I am to share…some of the words I don’t have the courage to share because they are quite harsh, so I push them away and save them for a day when I can find a kinder, gentler way to present them.  I don’t discount their worth, I just hopefully await the day I can share their message in LOVE.  





I am amazed at HOW God uses people…even more fascinated at WHOM he chooses to use.  I have little tolerance for humans who decide that God can ONLY use a certain gender or color of people…WHO are WE to QUESTION GOD!  I snicker at those who THINK that God cannot and DOES not use women to minister!!  I asked a Father one time who was telling me that the Bible says that Women CANNOT serve in positions of leadership in a church.  I asked him his thoughts about elders, deacons, pastors…etc… to which he replied that he respected these positions and that he thought they were called by God.  I then went on to talk to him about his daughters, if he wanted the best for them and if he wanted them to serve God and if he wanted to teach them to become whatever they wished to become and if he loved them.  OF COURSE he did…Then WHY would he teach his daughters, that he loved more than life itself, that THEY served a GOD who did NOT have a use for them in church.  He basically told me I was crazy and wrong…SO, sometimes I just can’t fight what people believe, BUT I sure can PRAY that I am NOT wrong, and if I am wrong, that God will PLAINLY tell me so.  I ALSO pray that hearts will be opened, MINE INCLUDED, to LISTEN and to HEAR that STILL small voice of GOD…I also pray that I will accept people for WHAT they believe and not judge them.



Sometimes THINGS lead to opportunities.  I am happy to have an opportunity to SHARE that LIFE is so much more important than daily frustrations.  I’m GLAD to tell people that we can SERVE a GOD who cares about our frustrations, YET urges us to discover ways to rise above these obstacles.  I am thankful beyond words to be able to suggest ways for us ALL to become better people with a better outlook on life…don’t sweat the small stuff.  IF you are safe, then deal with those SMALL details quietly and use your VOICE for IMPORTANT messages…Be a REFLECTION of HIS LOVE…Blessings to YOU…~charlotte♥

2 comments:

  1. Good morning, Charlotte! The other day (when it was bitter cold) I read a Facebook post from one of my friends in Chicago that kind of miffed me. The air temperature was something like 20 degrees below zero, and she was complaining that she didn't get her mail for the last two days. I had talked to my son that day (who also lives in the Chicago area) and he said that they got nearly a foot of snow the day before the temperatures plummeted. He told me that it was so cold that the snow was dry and as soon as it was shoveled out of the way, it blew right back wherever. I couldn't imagine the horrid conditions that mail people had to endure. Cars didn't run (my son is a police officer and many of the squad cars didn't even start) and being out in those conditions were brutal. Yet my friend complained that her mail wasn't delivered on time.

    I know it sounds harsh, but I don't look at her quite the same way. I found her remarks to be selfish and uncaring and while she was only really an acquaintance, I am certainly not interested in pursuing further friendship with her.

    If I had a wish for the world, it would be that people have more empathy for each other. I know I am not perfect either, and I do get cross with others from time to time. But I usually try to look at things from their point of view as well as my own and I try to understand what they are feeling.

    In any case, your blog makes a good point mentioning how we should be GRATEFUL for these everyday things. Thank you for reminding us.

    Have a wonderful day! xoxo Sheila

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mail...ANGRY because her mail is LATE...ugh...

      Wow...your son is a policeman...THANK him for me for doing THAT job...that is awesome!!

      We ALL get frustrated with life and we ALL have to vent, BUT when people KEEP venting about the SAME THINGS, it makes me LOOK at them differently...WHEN we live in a world where we basically have ONLY our words to TELL our story and WHO we are, WE MUST choose them carefully...YES and we must forgive and forget, BUT there comes a time, we we just have to MOVE On!!...

      Yes, good words YOU have shared with me! xoxo

      Delete

Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the world. In case you haven't been told, you are loved!~~charlotte♡