Return to Sender

Our lives are full of people acting like forces upon our lives.  Pushing and Pulling.   Most often against our wishes these people and their "stuff"  push us where we don't want to go. 

We've been "pushed" along for so long we forget what we like, what we want, and who we are.

We feel obligated to allow other peoples desires and expectations to rule us.  We feel it's what you do when you are a mom, a wife, a sister or a friend. . .

Along the way we've adopted the mindset that this is life, or this is love, or this is my service, or this is faith. 

Ugh no!  It's manipulation!  Pure and simple. 

And it wont change as long as you don't change.  Repeat. It wont change unless you change. 

You can't change people.  You can't make them respect you, or live their lives by your principles. 

BUT you do have the power to change YOU!  And that's enough to change the world around you!

Do you want change? 

Decide - What do you really want? 

Imagine - What would peace look like? 

Plan - How could you achieve it?

Would it mean another adult would take responsibility for their own life, their own feelings, their own attitudes and behaviors.  Then give it back.  Whatever you are carrying that belongs to someone else - give it back.   I they wont take it willingly (and they probably wont since you've been carrying it this long) then:  

Walk that TOXIC THANG out of your "yard" and up to their front porch and leave it.

Shake off the dust from your feet and hands - and walk away!!!!

I'm serious.  Its theirs. 

I'll tell you how I did it next time. . .

~ Givin' it Back and Happier for it!

Seeds of Change - Do you have a Plan C?

I used to think that raising a family, being a wife, homeschooling and keeping my home were my first calling, my priority.   I was right.

I used to own a business,  the business grew and so did my family.  The business became too much for me to handle on my own with 5 young children, so something had to give.  I was right.

I read that the Proverbs 31 woman was a wife, mom, homemaker aaaaannnddd  entrepreneur. I was right. 

So when my business became too much I concluded:  I must put my family first, the Proverbs 31 woman did these things in seasons (does it say that?) therefore, I must quit and wait to do this later.  Was I right?

13 years later. . .

I revisit this decision & realize I never considered plan C - CHANGE.

Being a wife, mom, homeschooler and keeper of my home is right. 

Taking care of my home and family includes meeting there daily needs aaaaannnndddd investing in, preparing for and securing their future, that's right too.

So when my business became too much for me, something did have to give.  It was time for it to grow not die.  It was time to move out of my house, outsource, hire subcontractors. . . CHANGE it, CULTIVATE it, but not KILL it. 

It never occurred to me then to CHANGE because QUIT, CAN'T, SHOULDN'T and COULDN'T were the seeds already lying dormant when the rainy day of decision arrived. 

What do we believe, what do we expect, what do we hope. . . what's possible, what's impossible, who decides? 

What are we thinking, what are we planting, what seeds are we allowing to drift in on the wind or sneak in on the bottoms of peoples feet, what seeds lay dormant in our deepest beliefs.

Why do we think "if A doesn't work then B" but never dare to dream or hope for plan C?  Is plan C wrong? Is plan C too impossible even for God?