What Is It?

Did you know that the power of you subconscious mind can enliven your soul, your being, basically, your whole self? Really! Your whole self includes your mind when you are asleep. We feed our mind when we are awake but did you know your mind is busy when you are asleep. We have dreams and that is proof that our minds are still busy with life.

Our bodies take what we give them during the day, and at night we think on these things when we are sleeping. Our dreams become darker the more we toss and turn over bad things happening in our lives. The better dreams come when our world is filled with positive occurrences. Of course, we can’t avoid the problem areas; they come and they persist. But we can manage them by looking to the better good.

How To Do It

The better good means choosing the way we will look at the problem. When we choose to look at a problem from a good perspective then we can choose a positive way to deal with it. I turned seventy a few months ago, that means my body is bearing more aches and pains that go along with getting older. How I look at it makes a great difference in looking away and afar into the future. I choose how I am going to look at it.

I get the choice to choose to be positive or negative. It is interesting how much my attitude affects my circumstances. The day doesn’t go so well when I choose to complain, distress, and press myself in the down and under events of this life. But when I do the opposite, focus on the up and coming events of this life, the sorrow turns to joy and happiness. It’s a mind game. We choose how we are going to feel. When you look for the good, the good you will find. If you surround your mind with thoughts that are positive, your mind will work to the better good and you will find the better good in people, places and things.

Why Should You?

We choose our own destiny. Choose life. Choose abundance. Choose energy. Choose joy. Choose to smile at life. Think on what is good in life. Remember happy events. Do your best. If something didn’t turn out right; do it again but give yourself grace. Small helps can make a big difference. Like they say, try it, you’ll like it. God tells us to love others. You can’t go wrong if you are loving.

I learned this when I was in college. I didn’t understand the book Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. I had to do a report on it but I couldn’t make sense of it. My boyfriend explained the book to me and then it made sense to me. I was so grateful to him. I could then do the college coarse work purposefully and confidently. Sometimes we just need a little help to get the job done. I’ve come to realize how much we need the assistance and help of others at times.

When Should You Do It?

Always. Anytime. The right time. When it helps. At appropriate times. The list goes on… … … Too often I have made it my practice to not ask for help, to do my best, to try a little harder than the last time. I could have asked for some help. We should ask when we need some help. We should rest, those times when we need it. We should smile. God will help you. The thing you must learn is to rest in Jesus and give the struggle to Him. He will bring someone to you that will help you. It is amazing how God brings things to pass.

I can look back on my life and see many times when God brought things to pass that were beyond me. Sometimes they were significant moments. One of the greatest times happened when I was striving to get myself together during my first year after my life returned to being a single again. I was sitting on the couch having my personal devotions. I was writing in my composition book where I kept my thoughts separate from my devotional. I then went outside in the orchard where I cried alone. I stopped. Wept some more. Then God showed me His cross. How insensitive actions with unfulfilled hope continually bleeding for twenty years caused my continually bleeding heart. Then how the will of God came into my heart and removed the sword and made it into a cross through the transforming work of Christ. Thus God freed me. A couple of weeks later I realized I hadn’t gone out in the orchard to talk with God like I was used to doing. I thought about it. I knew then that God had healed the deep hurt out of my life. I was so thankful.

I’m Trying, Doing, and Living It

I’m kind of a people watcher. I notice the way people walk, talk and communicate. We all do it different yet the same. Yet it is our differences that seem to matter. Someone who makes you look in at yourself in a positive way helps you to see the goodness in you. They use what they learn for your benefit. If they continually tear people down you get tired of being with them. They are noticing what is wrong instead of what is right. This can be a difficult thing to learn at times. We tend to get very tired with our comrades. If you’re going through hard times the stress seems to build until it’s unbearable. But. But you can cope. You can uplift. You can help. You can cheer. You have a lot to offer. God will help you.

Let’s think about this. How can we change it up. First we have to recognize it. Notice how you are with different people. Notice your comments. (yikes) Add in positive or redemptive comments. Surge ahead. It’s going to take time. I’ve been fairly negative for far too long. It will take time for me to retrain my mind into that of a positive thinker (!). But I want to help others. The more I lift the conversation up, the more it will bless people. We need others to push us up (metaphysically speaking). We need to help others. People will be blessed when we assist them. Have you ever noticed when someone compliments you, you know how the thought plays around in your mind and brings you some pleasure. It sure feels good. . .(if it’s the truth). Make sure your comments are true. Otherwise it will backfire and your words will be empty and untrue.

You Can Help Yourself

Pray first. Start the day with prayer. End the day with prayer. Let the prayer seep through you to bless others. A friend today talked about when she’s driving her car. She uses the yellow, red, and green lights to pray. Praying while you drive means God is close to you…all the time! Oh, to praise God. Oh, to thank God. Oh, to pray for others. God is handy. He is right there…really there. He hears us. Delivers us and helps us. God is close. Praise Him for being close to us.

Help others. When we help others we are in a sense helping ourselves. You see, when we help others we are also helping ourselves. We get a kick-back. As we reach out, we are given a sweet thing; we’re given another chance to help another person. The more we help, the more we’re blessed. The more we give, the more we’re encouraged. It’s a wonderful thing. Also, the more we pray, the more we become aware. Here is a true fact, the more unselfish we act, the more unselfish we become. We can’t help it. We become less aware of ourselves and more aware of others. That’s such a beautiful place to be. Try it, you’ll like it!

Do you notice a problem? Have you ever felt irritated? Of course. Yes, we all get irritated, out of sorts, or even angry. I’m not one who gets angry very often, but I do get frustrated or in a bad mood. Although, today I am less perturbed than I used to be. I like to think that I have grown over the past few years. But if I am not careful, I slide back into that hole. Every day I have to keep after it, and I mean that.

We are either going forward or backward. We never stay the same. It helps to take stock of what we say and do. If you start the day off with a prayer…you are on your way to having a better than good day. You are bringing God close. You are thinking on Him. About Him. For Him. If your prayer keeps God close as in a conversational tone, you can really tell He is close, interested, and available. You can even ask Him to show you that He is with you.

It’s not that we aren’t supposed to have problems, that’s just not the case. But He is close, willing and able to help us with the problems. He is there waiting for us to call upon Him. We sometimes have to call upon Him many times, and that’s okay. Other times, He is ready to jump in. God waits for us to call upon Him. The relationship keeps going deeper and deeper. It is really quite beautiful when you think about it. He wants us to become compatible with Himself.

My journey with God is becoming a stronger faith walk. As I grow, I trust more; as I trust more I am showing God that I am stronger than I used to be…and that’s good. In fact, that’s great!

There are times when we get stuck in a rut. We can’t seem to get out of the rut though we try. During those times we must be patient. God is teaching us to wait, rest, and trust: Wait till He is willing to move us: Rest until the time is right (you’re active while you wait and rest): Trust Him through the ups and downs. You will find that the Lord has taught you during your time of waiting, resting, and trusting. It will amaze you what you have learned during this time.

Almost two years ago I found myself struggling to get my life going in a basic way forward. I knew how but I couldn’t seem to move forward with any traction. It seemed as if I was stuck in one place for a few months. I got discouraged. I didn’t complain to others but I assumed they could tell. I was ready to quit my blog for I didn’t have much to say. The truth is, God has me delving into a different direction. He wants me to learn a few new things. He has some things He want to show me. It is amazing the direction He is leading me. It is all new. I’m learning new things and that is good, very good. Later on I will share what he is teaching me, but not now.

Maybe you are learning a few things. I’d love to hear your thoughts. God has kept me quiet for two and a half years for a reason. He wants me to listen. He wants me to think about the things He is showing me. He wants me to get rid of some things, too. God wants to teach us. He is always making us new, brand new.

Praise Him for this.

A Friend Means A Lot

Today I saw my friend from back in the day. Well, literally, back in the day when I bought my house. You see, it wasn’t the usual type of looking for a house. At the time, I thought my days were over for buying a house. I wasn’t employed any longer with a steady income. Although I still had the orchard to care for and a daughter to help me, but it was a tough go. I knew I had to move soon.

I Just Assumed It Was Too Late

Three years before when I was chomping at the bit to buy a house, I looked at a house in Nord. Boom, No way! Then I looked for a house in Orland. Boom. No way. I also looked at a house in north Orland and boom, no way, it was out. I decided I was looking at the wrong time. And I carried on, renting from Mom and Dad, knowing I needed to get out, still chomping at the bit. The home was falling apart, way past it’s prime. I didn’t know what to do. I started looking at rentals.

I gave up but just for the meantime.

Later I quit my job as a teacher though I kept the orchard job. I pursued my desire to become a writer. I was striving to improve as a writer, but without a lot of experience. I attempted to write two books. I worked very hard on them. Spent two summers completing them. But neither one was publishable. I didn’t know that you have to have the keys to sell your books (before self-publishing was possible). I had gone about writing in the wrong way, due to my ignorance and not having the money to take coursework etc. I must say I was terribly discouraged. I reached out to Inspiring Voices and they helped me with my first publishable book.

Then The House Appears

Anyway, back to the house hunting… One day I was walking in the circle of the driveway on the Nord property, when the Lord seemed to be saying that I should look for a house now. At first, I was surprised. I thought I couldn’t look anymore now that I wasn’t teaching. I mentioned it to my mother. She had just been talking with the owner of this house at church. Mother said, “I think she lives in the Pleasant Valley area, near the old Chico Mall. She wants to sell her house after Christmas.” I had decided to go looking for a house again that day with my real estate friend (realtor) so I included mother’s friend’s house. She was a friend of my parents from the church they attended.

The house is a 1960s house that had had only one owner prior to me. They were Christians, which was extra nice for me. The house was ready, as if she was ready to sell it then. She invited me to look at the house that day! She showed me the house, I felt a thrill as I walked room to room, viewing the backyard and enjoying the inside. It was a nicely built home, not too big and not too small. Just right! Could this be the house for me? I certainly hoped so. . .

When we got outside and were done looking at the house, my mother was happy. She was sure it was the right house for me. The realtor was smiling. She said “Norma, what do you think? Does it seem right for you?” I smiled and said that it had the right number of bedrooms and that the office was an extra. My realtor friend said, “Look up.” I looked up at the sky. There overhead was a big beautiful rainbow that arched over and around the house and went to the south. Entirely unbroken. She grinned at me. We both know the Lord. I knew that she believed God was revealing his will for me.

You Know It When It’s Right

Seeing her today brought it all back. God knew how much I wanted a house, but it seemed too impossible for me. He made what seemed impossible, very possible. I’ve been in this house eleven years now. So glad. So good. So thankful. God is good to us, better than we deserve. I’m glad he listens to us and he brings things to be as soon as the time is right. I’m glad I’ve got this home and I’m thankful for my realtor friend. She loves God more than money, and that’s the truth.

So, I guess, I want to encourage you to trust in God, even when the dream seems to be beyond your circumstances. God holds you and protects you. He knows what you don’t know. Sometimes it seems like the pain or problems won’t go a way, never will leave you alone (I had years of this type of thing) but God knows whether it is right or wrong at the specific time. He will help you when the time is right for you to do the specific thing. Trust him. Give it to God. Wait patiently. God knows what we don’t know.

“Thank you, Father. You’ve given me a home, but more than that, you’ve given me good friends that mean the world to me. You’re so good to us. We are blessed all the time, even when the days are long and filled with trials. You are always there to help us. I appreciate it so much.”