HELLO...IT'S FRIDAY!

ROSE NOTEPAPER ELEMENT

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Wow, thank you for all your lovely comments! I know how busy life is for some, so I appreciate that you took time to write me words of encouragement.

The qoute on the notepaper is not part of the notepaper element - it was just so beautiful that I included it in the preview picture. My suggestion is that you jot it down - it could easily be typed in at a smaller size and added on the bottom for a beautiful touch. This was sent by my friend Valerie, yesterday.

I'm getting a general overview through my blog, responses from all, there is a lot of pain out there. Not one of us does not have pain in our lives. We've all said and done things we regret, often things that cannot even be changed. Its called consequences. Hopefully, consequence is a feature God gave us so that suffering it, we won't make the same ones over...

The best thing to do in this case is as best you can, address the issue. If you've offended someone, ask forgiveness. Once you've honestly searched your heart and taken action to improve yourself - and always ask God to help you with this area of your life... once you have done all this, forgive yourself.

Forgive yourself, and though never forgetting, go on. Satan works right in this moment. You must decide to trust in the Lord and go on and do good. It is natural that you carry guilt with you for things you have said and done - but to continue to walk there is not healthy. You are a new person in the Lord and He does not want you to stay way back there - He carries the burden for you now. Leave it there. You don't put the trash out and then go back to take things out, do you? Its the same with the past. Grow up. Shake it off. Go out and do good.

You may be tempted to stay back there, pinned by guilt and emotions and by the power of people you feel indebted to. Don't do it . If you don't please someone don't keep trying. In time, with prayer, hopefully these people will DESIRE to make amends, until then its an unhealthy balance. When the time is right they will let you know - all your efforts now will only add fuel and cause rebuff. I'm not saying don't care, I am saying don't go there. Wounds, physical and emotinial all need TIME to heal.

BARB'S TIP # 24

Create Your Own Beauty

When one day seems to blend into another, when everything begins to tinge with ordinary-ness, its time to create your own beauty. With all the rush of today, meals are easily turned into home McDonalds affairs - plain old and rushed. To counter this take a little extra moment with EVERY meal to make it a special moment. We HAVE to eat, we dont' have to rush and make it ordinary. Cut veggies in a different fashion, look for cutters that have a fancy edge. Pick up interesting plates and bowls at thrift stores to put condiments into. Use placemates for every singe meal. Light a candle. Put a flower on the table, if you don't have a flower, use a dandilion, if you don't have a dandilion use a bunch of parsley. Put the parsley in a wineglass. Put lettuce in a wineglass...lol ANYTHING to make your meal nice. It will affect your eating experience. If you have a loved one eating with you, put a sentimental note, or encouraging note on their plate! Don't settle for ordinary - ever!