JUST SMILE :-D

i went to wal-mart tonight, no choice.  I was picking up medicines & the makings for the traditional green-bean casserole.  my sweet bonus daughter (in-law) SAYS my son wants me to make it for Thanksgiving (i think really it might be her who wants it? just kidding sweety, LOL).

ANYWAY...... as I was walking around wal-mart putting things in my basket, I was watching the people, their faces, the way they walked, talked to their companions & children, stood in line.  I'm sorry to say I didn't see one person smiling.  It was heart breaking really.  I was watching all these lonely, sad people walking around buying stuff, some just piling stuff into their shopping carts, some picking very carefully, reading labels, prices & picking the cheapest & those people had VERY few things in their carts.  But regardless if they seemed to have wealth or lacked enough for even the barest necessities, NONE were smiling.  Not even the children.  

Now, keep in mind I had just left work after spending 11 hours on the computer, talking with coaches, agents, bosses, in meetings, doing paperwork, etc etc etc......  I was tired, my feet hurt, I really wanted to just go home, but like I said...  no choice.   Yet, as I looked at all these unhappy people, I had to ask myself, what can I do?  I'm not wealthy, I'm not rich, I live on a budget like everyone else.  So, what could I possibly give that many people to bring even the slightest little bit of joy into their lives?

SMILE

That's all I had to give.  So I did.  I smiled.  I smiled at every possible person I saw, small, tall, girl, boy, man, lady, old, young, 'rich', poor, whoever.  I smiled.  I smiled as I drove my cart down a couple of extra aisles just to smile at some more people. I started small conversations with people at a traffic jam in the produce section, waiting in line to get my medicines, waiting in the next line to pay for my groceries.  In fact, I could have checked out everything at the pharmacy, except for some reason this year I bought fresh instead of canned green beans, which meant I had to go through a regular check out so the green beans could be weighed.  Wouldn't you know it when I finally got to the check out counter, the older couple in front of me wanted to buy a Christmas tree, but the cashier (who I think actually was the ONLY person I saw smiling) didn't know how to check the 'tree' out on her register.  So, we waited.  We waited while she found someone to go out & get a tag or a sign or something so she could finish checking out the couples order & get the line moving again.  The lady of the couple in front of me turned & apologized for the wait, as did the cashier, I just smiled & you guessed it, started another conversation.  Then I turned around & smile at the people waiting behind me.  My feet hurt, my back hurt, I was sooooooo tired.  But I was determined I was going to share as many smiles as I possibly could.  It's quite possible it was the only kindness some of those people might have experienced all day.  

In our day to day world, where we get frustrated because of people not doing their jobs, thus making our jobs more difficult, frustrated with the driver (car or cart) who cuts us off (& then slows down....), frustrated with ourselves for not getting something done, or doing something wrong, or ........,  we tend to forget that the one thing that doesn't cost us any more than a couple of seconds and a few little calories of muscle movement, is a smile.  

With all the stress & strife we have in our lives, personal, job, family, finances, government, etc, the one thing we can do, that NO ONE can take away from us, is SMILE.  It's an international gesture that means the same everywhere.  No language barriers.  Just smile.  

I'm not perfect, & I often have to remind myself to smile, espescially if I'm really focused on something.  I hope I never forget today's lesson.  I hope I never forget to 

JUST SMILE!

 

I was going to do some online courses for work but apparently something on my pc is not compatible with  course web page. I can get in, i can see the selection & select a course, but the courses won't load.  Oh well, maybe that's Elohim's Way of telling me I need to just relax this weekend.  and I am fine with that!!
I'm just not going to worry about it, I have some other things I want to do, crochet, write, read, relax.  I'm tired of feeling like I always have to be doing something, I am trying to learn to relax sometimes, just relax.  that may seem odd to some, but it's a very difficult thing for me to do, for some reason I always feel guilty if I am just relaxing and enjoying myself.  multitasking is good for some things, some times.   but I believe He wants me to learn how to "power down", and rest.  not something I do normally or easily.  Do any of you ever have this problem?  For some reason, I've always equated "relaxing" with "laziness"  Some time, some where, I seem to have picked up this idea that I always have to be doing something "productive" or else I'm being lazy.  

WHY?

After the first 6 days that Elohim *worked* creating everything for us,  He RESTED.  Genesis 2:2-3

After He provided the manna & gave them directions on how to collect it, He commanded them to rest on the following day, on the Sabbath.  Exodus 16:23

Exodus 23:11-12 talks about letting the land rest in the 7th year and reminds us to rest on the 7th day.

Exodus 35:2 speaks again of resting on the 7th day.

Leviticus 16:31, 19:30, 23:3,32 telling us to rest on the Sabbath.  In fact Leviticus 23:32 is very specific, "This will be a Sabbath day of complete rest for you, and on that day you must deny yourselves.  This day of rest will begin at sundown on the ninth day of the month and extend until sundown  on the tenth day"  In this scripture Elohim is instructing His people concerning the day of atonement.  He is so specific that He tells them "All who do not deny themselves that day will be cut off from God's people.  And I will destroy anyone among you who does any work on that day.  You must not do any work at all! This is a permanent law fo ryou and it must be observed from generation to generation wherever you live." (29-31)

Deuteronomy 5:12-15, "observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy as Yehua, your Elohim, has commanded you.  You have 6 days each week for your ordinary work.  But the 7th day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God.  On that day no one in your household may do any work.  this includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your oxen and donkeys and other livestock, and any foreigners living among you.  All your male and female servants must rest as you do.  Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt but Yehua, your Elohim brought you out with His strong hand and powerful arm.  That is why Yehua, your Elohim has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day."

I don't believe He could have made His commandment any clearer.    

As to why it's taken me so long to hear & understand, I don't know.  but I hear & understand now Yehua, my Elohim.  

Regardless of what others think or believe or say or approve or don't approve, I hear & understand.  

Shema, O Israel, Yehua, my Elohim, Yehua is one.  and I shall love Yehua, my Elohim, with all my heart, with all my being, with all my might.  Deuteronomy 6:4-5

one of my favorite life scriptures says it all Psalm 46:10, Be STILL and know that I am Elohim.  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."  

so for the rest of today, to finish out the Sabbath, I will be STILL and know YOU are my ELOHIM.

SORRY, SWAMPED AT WORK THIS WEEK, BE BACK BY THURSDAY I HOPE!  THIS WEEKEND AT THE LATEST!!

PLEASE, DON'T GO AWAY!! 

Honey

Honey fresh n sweet, then off to dreamland for me!

But this time.....

I'm exhausted again, to the point I can barely keep my eyes open, BUT THIS TIME, it's just physical exhaustion.  there is a peace so deep in my spirit, calm, warm, sweet.  why you ask?  Deuteronomy 6:4-5  "Shema (hear & obey) O Israel, Yehua, your Elohim, Yehua is one! And you shall love Yehua, your Elohim, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your might." 
I have been focusing on these scriptures for a few days now, 'morning, noon & night'.  I have no explanation other than just as He spoke everything into existence, and tells to us we are to speak these words, at the beginning and end of each day and throughout the day, (Deut 6: 6); so we also speak these words into existence into our lives, into our spirit, into our souls, into every part of our being,  changing our spiritual DNA to be more like Him, to saturate ourselves with His presence.
its hard to explain, but o so easy to enjoy this peace, HIS peace.
SHALOM!!

FUN!!! I NEED TO HAVE SOME FUN IN MY LIFE

WELL, I SURVIVED, BARELY, BUT I SURVIVED....

And here it is, a half hour after my bed time.  I spent the last hour or so working on my story blog.  Why did I choose to write on my story blog instead of here you ask?  (or even if you don't ask?  LOL) 

FUN!!!  I NEED TO HAVE SOME FUN IN MY LIFE.   Even if no one else ever reads my story, it's fun for me, relaxing, and get's me out of my self, so to speak.  So even though I haven't written here for 2 weeks or so, at least not seriously.  This is all I have for tonight.  I have to get to sleep so I can get to work freakishly early tomorrow morning.  Please, if you haven't already, take a look at my story and I hope you enjoy it.  LOST CHID FOUND AGAIN.   

OTHERWISE, I'LL BE BACK, TOMORROW, I HOPE! :)