God is Good Even When We're Not

I am overawed by how God can take something negative and create something fresh, positive and exciting. Even when we do the wrong thing God can create opportunities for growth, understanding and peace.
Our God is not into Karma, Karma means we get what we deserve, our God is into grace and mercy.
We need to stop beating ourselves up expecting the worst when we err, but acknowledge our mistakes, pray for forgiveness and then sit back and see what God can make out of it.
Sometimes we learn through consequences because that is what we need but in other situations God truly amazes us by creating a 'silk purse out of a sow's ear'.
This isn't an excuse to sin but a challenge to truly believe that God means us good, in all circumstances.
No matter who we are, God wants relationship, He wants to build His kingdom, it isn't all about us, it is all about Him. His pleasure, His glory, His Mercy, His Grace, His power, His will for this earth and all who inhabit it.
When God does a miracle by taking a mess and creating something beautiful we need to acknowledge it, feel humbled and thankful, giving Him all the glory.

For our God is truly the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in all, through all and forever.

Realising creativity

Realising that life is not something that is waiting to start when you get your head around it is something that many people; including myself, have failed to comprehend until recently. We give lip service to living every moment and cherishing the memories but have we actually done that or have we secretly been waiting in the wings for someone to shout 'action'. Nothing goes the way you expected it would, not life, career or relationships. It's not that they are not as they should be, it's just they are not necessarily what we were expecting.
Maybe that's why we reach those milestones in life like 30, 40 or 50 and seem to have a mini breakdown, we suddently remember that life has already started and a good portion of it is over.
I have no major regrets in my life, in fact I think when it comes to the big things I've done pretty well. I married a Godly man of good character, with whom I share the most amazing relationship, we have raised three beautiful children who have married equally suitable partners and I have managed to reinvent myself career wise more than a few times.
However the goals I set for myself were not defined enough that I actually ever pursued them with vigour. What I did besides from relationships that is, I did out of necessity rather than inspiration.
The question now is can I plan my goals and work towards them? Do I dare to dream enough? Work enough, be tenacious and fight enough? The answer if I'm honest is I'm not sure. Can I the procrastinator, dabbler, queen of the multiple ideas at a time be centred enough to pursue one thing?
I hope so. I want to believe so but deep down do I have the confidence, the stickability?
It's funny I know my children can do it. I watch them grow and follow their dreams, invent their lives, break out of the mould and I wonder where it comes from. Where did they get such impetus, drive, determination? Then I smile and I know where they got it, from me.
I may not be all I want to be, achieve all I want to achieve but I know that between their father and me we have nurtured tough, goal setting individuals who will do what maybe we couldn't do. No I'm not saying I won't do what I dream of doing, but I know I passed on the desire to achieve, to go with your gut instincts, to have a go because the only thing you'll regret is not taking the chance when you could.
Maybe things like that take generations to grow, I know my grandfather wanted to leave everything and move to Cairns, he never did, but I did. My parents gave up  career opportunities because they would have to leave family, but I moved away.
My mother didn't try things because she was afraid of failing but I have tried what she only dreamed of doing.
So maybe I'm not so powerless after all, maybe it's just a matter of perspective. I will keep on dreaming, working, analysing and maybe someday I'll look back and say, I did it!

Is it just me?

I just read a blog by a lovely young woman I really admire. She is a woman of few words, but those words penetrate through all the froth and bubble and hit your heart with a thud. I love her talent for saying what she means and leaving it at that. Shawna you're a star!

I'm not going to say "I wish I could do that" as I'm not doing the 'I wish I had someone elses talent whinge' but I do love things that are refreshingly elegant. Elegance is 'just enough for a large impact' like a simple but elegant dress which packs a punch by being cut well rather than having lots of accessories or frills.
I have to say I'm not like that, either in my writing, dressing, home or anything else for that matter. I used to try to be, always looking for ways to be seen as elegant, then one day I realised I was despising what God had given me.
As I've said in previous blogs, I love colour, texture, the wild and unusual. I love to find the different, out of the box, crazy things so being elegant is just never going to happen.
But I can admire and enjoy elegance, in whatever form it takes.

Accepting yourself the way you are, in regards to your personality and style is a huge achievement, one I am embracing more and more as I grow older. I've come to realise that often the people I admire (not you Shawna), want to be someone else and so we all spend far too much time thinking 'if only'.
My advice to everyone and anyone is take a good look at yourself, find your hidden talents, idiosyncrasies, your style and embrace them. It makes life so much easier and far less burdensome. Stop judging yourself by other peoples standards, God is the only standard and He is a much less harsher task master than we often think He is. If you are honestly giving Him your heart and living your life in relationship with Him, if He is challenging you (notice I don't say berating or condemning as only satan does that) and you are listening then stop fretting.
Learning to like yourself is probably the hardest thing you will ever do but it brings such release it is worth it.