Be The Light

A lot of life is dictated by our self-made fears and uncanny ability to create the worst possible outcomes in situations, before we allow ourselves to experience them.
A while ago, I began researching fear and found some great content online at the Raptitude blog.
 
Fear vs Intent
 
In all things in the world and in life there is polarity.
Opposites. Dark and light, night and day, love and hate, yin and yang.
There are no absolutes and everything is merely a matter of degree.
You cannot hate someone completely without loving them even a tiny bit, whether you acknowledge it consciously or not. It is just a matter of degree.
The manner in which you proceed through life sits in between the poles of fear and intent.
Do you move positively towards the things you want or do you run from the things you dislike?
We all do both but you will tend more often to one side than the other. It may be to a large degree or a small degree.
Insecurity in relationships comes when you are living from fear rather than intent. Instead of the positive decision to have a happy stable relationship you are seeking to avoid an outcome you do not like. It may be the fear that she is cheating, the fear that you are not good enough for her or any other fear. The key is that fear dominates.
Happy successful relationships come about when people are operating with intent. They create the circumstances they want in life rather than avoiding those they do not like.
This is evident in more than just relationships. In fitness it is the difference between trying to avoid becoming fat vs intending to become fit and strong. In your career it is avoiding a boring job vs chasing the job of your dreams. In your finances it is avoiding poverty vs consciously attaining wealth.
It is hard to let go of fear when you have nothing to replace it with. But positive intent is an excellent replacement.
There is a good biblical saying that to light a room you do not need to shovel out the darkness, you just turn on the light. By adopting an intent based mindset you will automatically lose your fear.
 
***
 
I responded by writing a series of haiku poems:
Haiku vs Fear
 
Him and Them
They try to steal my joy
And I start to bend

 
But the One
Reminds me to trust
And I lift it all up above

 
Up To Him
Only Because of Him
Can I really, truly live.

 
Plan on it
Go write a dream list
And then do it

 
Before he or they
Make you forget
And dust cakes up on it

 
Do what you
Always wanted to do
And do it good.

 
***
 
My prayer for you today is that you are able to follow through all things with intent and love, remembering the beauty that you do not always see on the surface of a person's scowling face, but that exists in their heart.
Be the light in your world and do not let fear darken your flame!
 
xo,
Ms. Panda

He's Calling!!!

There is a saying,

 “Faith is knowing there is an ocean when you can only see the stream.”

If we just release it all to God, and trust in Him,

there is no reason to worry

no reason to fear

no darkness

He is the light and He is calling!

Will you answer?

I did.

And since then I have been called again and again -
and just like a good friend -
our relationship is getting stronger and stronger!

I am not only called to write about my relationship with God,
but also to make music and worship Him,
AND
I do it all for HIM. 

I trust that if I do it all with Him in mind,
with Him in total control,
it will all work out
for His greater plan.

So I wrote a verse thinking of my many callings:

HE'S CALLING

Me: Ring! Ring! He's calling!
It's the Lord! It's the Lord!

Jesus: Answer me, please...

Me: Sing! Sing! It's my calling!
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Jesus: Sing from your knees...

Me: King! King! He's almighty!
He is Lord! He is Lord!

Jesus: I love you more...

Me: Bling! Bling! Hit the lottery!
I have scored! I have won!

Jesus:  Child, it's only just begun!

Me: Blink! Blink! I cannot see!
My heart shines! Shines His light!

Jesus: See, now you're free!!!

Me: Think! Think! Now I'm free!
Tell them all! Share His love!

Jesus: Let's meet in heaven above!

Me: Drink! Drink! His blood shed for me!
Eat! Eat! My testimony!

Jesus: I am the three...

The Father, The Son, Holy Spirit inside

Me: Call me home after the ride

Show me love when I walk through the door,
On earth as it is in heaven FOREVERMORE!

Jesus: AMEN!

The Dog Days Are Over - Yeeeeaaaahhhh!!!

It's been a minute since I blogged, but a lot has changed.

First - I moved.  From Kansas City, MO to Dana Point, CA.  Two days of hard core driving.  Then, when I was just under 3 hours away from my new place, the worst thing ever happened.

My black lab, Lucy, got spooked by my road trip picnic basket when it fell in her seat, and instantly jumped out of the window of my car while we were driving 80 mph!!!  I watched in horror as she flipped over and over uncontrollably.  I slammed on the brakes, threw the car in park on the median and got out just as she flipped her last couple of times.  I expected the worst, but as soon as she stopped tumbling, she got back up on all fours and ran right to me!  It was a miracle!

I loaded her in the car and examined the damage.  The first thing I could see was blood, and LOTS of it.  I got some Subway napkins from my lunch and went to town on her, dabbing here and there.  It seemed like everywhere.  I breathed deeply - in through my nose and out of my mouth.  My hands and knees were shaking, but somehow my mind was clear.  I knew what needed to be done.  It's crazy how the maternal instinct kicks in - fight or flight is some real deal stuff.

I thought back to a similar incident, when my 11 year old nephew freaked out in the face of fear and I channeled my thoughts about how he could've handled HIS situation and applied them to my reasoning abilities.  It worked.  I drove carefully and cautiously, while calling on loved ones to help.  We made it safely to a vet and got her stitched up and on pain meds ASAP!  I spent the night with her - my car still packed to the brim with my stuff.

Here are some words I wrote when she was in surgery:

9-27-11

She can't tell me where it hurts

But I can hear her screaming in pain

Reacting to fear, an emotional day

As I try to play with Annie, 

I can't help but hear you, Lucy Q.

Jumped into the street while we were going 80.

I couldn't help but see you, Lucy Q.

I'll never forget that image, Lucy Q.

It took us three more days before we finally got to our new place, and Lucy is getting better everyday! I love her more now than ever before!

Here's a pic of Lu wearing the collar of shame.  She hates it.  But we gotta do what we gotta do! ;)

I never realized how one little thing, which was completely out of my control, could change my entire life, but now I do.  What I had envisioned for my first week in California became something TOTALLY different and taught me a LOT about life and what really matters.  It's amazing who you call, who you can count on, and how others interpret the whole situation.  Just sayin'.  It's been a week from hell and I am actually glad it is Monday!  Crazy!?

I can honestly say that God was watching over us and the fact that she didn't have ONE broken bone gives me reason to believe that we definitely had our angels with us.  I took this picture from my sunroof - and if you look closely, it looks like God's feet...walking above us.  Pretty AWESOME!!!

Here's to the end of the "Dog Days" and a fresh, and completely unexpected new direction for Ms. Panda.  Keep ya posted!