Inspiration
new year's reflections and dreams
Jen Huang
Well with the rush of the holidays behind us and the New Year celebrations are thru, I pause to think of the past year as a beautiful one in so many ways. One tends not to think that when its been tough financially, emotionally, mentally etc. So to find myself standing on the beach looking at the horizon, still hoping, dreaming, excited about what God will do with my life is amazing to me. The past year I have found special new friends and cherished old ones, a family that has been supportive, and a safe place where I can share my heart, to walk with dignity and a strength I didn't even know I had are all what makes the pass year extraordinary.
I believe some of the greatest lessons I will learn this year are forgiveness, patience, self-control, to name a few, but aren't we all still learning from life as it presents itself in the good, bad and the over-priced.
So wherever you are my lovely readers, whether, happy or not completely so - the new year brings, new adventures, new experiences. Some might say not so new, but it's the perspective that counts. Once we learn to look at things differently, half the battle is won because knowledge is power and knowledge is what shapes our mind.
Thank you stopping by and here's to "GIRL AT THE BEACH" as we search for beauty together in all it's glory.
Cheers Lisa xx
You might also like:
Jen Huang
Well with the rush of the holidays behind us and the New Year celebrations are thru, I pause to think of the past year as a beautiful one in so many ways. One tends not to think that when its been tough financially, emotionally, mentally etc. So to find myself standing on the beach looking at the horizon, still hoping, dreaming, excited about what God will do with my life is amazing to me. The past year I have found special new friends and cherished old ones, a family that has been supportive, and a safe place where I can share my heart, to walk with dignity and a strength I didn't even know I had are all what makes the pass year extraordinary.
I believe some of the greatest lessons I will learn this year are forgiveness, patience, self-control, to name a few, but aren't we all still learning from life as it presents itself in the good, bad and the over-priced.
So wherever you are my lovely readers, whether, happy or not completely so - the new year brings, new adventures, new experiences. Some might say not so new, but it's the perspective that counts. Once we learn to look at things differently, half the battle is won because knowledge is power and knowledge is what shapes our mind.
Thank you stopping by and here's to "GIRL AT THE BEACH" as we search for beauty together in all it's glory.
Cheers Lisa xx
You might also like:
February 21, 2011
Balanced Beginnings: a Guide to Starting a Stress-Free Day.
Morning is always the most important part of the day. Who can argue with that?
Getting your day started right from the minute you wake up will guarantee
(at least to the largest extent of your control) that...
- you will have plenty of time for all your tasks and “me” breaks
- (remember about our 10-minute exercise breaks?),
- stress won’t even dare get close to you,
- you will have plenty of energy during the day and in general,
- your day will be balanced and pleasant.
Let’s dive into the secrets of starting your day the right way.
Prepare for an amazing morning
The most important part is to go to bed at reasonable time. How many hours of sleep do you need to feel well-rested? Each person is different and while some feel great after only 6 hours of sleep others will require 8-9 full hours of zzzzzz. I personally know that my body needs 8 hours of sleep and unless I get that much I feel tired and low on energy the next day.
Start Your Day with Proper Breakfast
It is often said that Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I can also add that Breakfast is the easiest-to-skip meal of the day.
We often miss out on breakfast because we do not have time to fix it, we are not hungry or we are trying to shed a few pounds. Unfortunately this eating habit makes you eat more during lunch and later that day, it also makes you crave high-energy (read: high in fat and refined carbs) foods.
It makes you moody and irritated.
In the morning our bodies are getting out of the night fast (just think about it, night is the longest period for starving our body!) By the afternoon glycogen supplies (molecules that work as primary energy sources for the body) start to deplete. By lunch you start feeling fatigued, you lose your focus and the ability to think fast and make decisions. Usually in this state you reach for a cup of coffee with a high-carb treat which makes your blood sugar levels shoot out of the roof only making you even more fatigued in an hour or so.
Exercise
Exercise is an important routine that will help your body wake up and will energize you for the entire day. Morning runs or gym workouts might not be for everybody in the morning but thankfully there are other ways to exercise.
- Start your day with a 10-15 minute gentle stretch.
- Try a Yoga warm-up – Sun Salutation.
- Go for a 15-20 minute walk if you have time.
- Dance to your favorite song.
- Do any other exercise that you like.
The most important thing about exercise is to do at least something. Choose one particular exercise or routine that you will do no matter what. If you woke up late or not feeling good do just 5 minutes of simple exercises. Examples:
- Jumping jacks,
- Crunches,
- Pushups,
- Squats,
- Lunges,
- Active stretches (do not start by lying down on the floor or you will slip back into the Dreamland immediately.)
You can set up a timer and try to get maximum amount of exercises into just 5 minutes. Modify exercises to suit your fitness level and goals.
Create your morning routine
Routines might seem boring but they can be a great way to start your day when your brain is not completely running at full speed yet. Try to make your routine productive and creative and do not include things like watching TV or checking email in this routine. Your routine should eliminate all distractions and help your mind focus on work or important tasks of the day.
Make a habit to do at least one thing regularly every morning. It will be a sign to your body and brain to wake u and start the day. I start every morning with a big glass of water with juice of half a lemon. This drink energizes me better than coffee and gives me a good boost of vitamin C.
Morning Don’ts
There are things that can make your day great and balanced and there are things that will steal your time and leave you in mid-morning frustration. Here is the list of things that you SHOULD NOT DO first thing in the morning if you want to start a great day:
- Watch TV
- Check your email
- Read newspapers, watch news or use any other way of emerging yourself into the ocean of world problems
- Surf the web
- Worry about the problems of the previous day from the minute you open your eyes
- Be a perfectionist (it’s okay if your bed is not perfectly made)
- Start your day with an argument.
Images via we heart it.
Wake up your creativity
In the morning your brain is fresh and is ready to produce amazing ideas a
nd solve the most difficult tasks.
Try to set 20-30 minutes aside to write in your journal in the morning or start a personal blog.
You can
- reflect on your life,
- write down thoughts that popped up in your head when you woke up,
- analyze situations that seemed stressful,
- do a few creativity exercises that broaden your outlook and help you find solutions to different problems.
Journaling has a lot of health benefits, one of them being stress relief. Other proven benefits of journaling include improved cognitive function, stronger immune system, decreased symptoms of asthma, arthritis and other chronic conditions as well as more positive attitude towards life (positivity is one of the cornerstones of life balance.)
Devote time to your spiritual needs
Nourishing our body in the morning is important but taking care of our inner peace and feeding our spirituality is even more vital.
Start your day with a prayer: be thankful for what you have in life,
ask for wisdom and advice with your daily tasks.
If you are a Christian as I am read a few verses from the Bible and set aside
some time to talk to God.
If you are not a Christian then at least spend this time meditating.
This post was written by Anastasiya. Follow her on Twitter or StumbleUpon and keep your life balanced
Happy Monday to All. Love Lisa.
January 27, 2011
Thursday's Inspiration.
This is so touching. A homeless who is barely able to take care of himself, taking care of his dog. Sometimes, you just need a little love, not just things.
(Source: cindyrelluuuuh, via jumpedship)
xxx
What are you saying...to yourself?
 |
| Via Here. |
I am alone. No one understands my problems. I know me best. No one understands my situation. No one has the pressures I do. No one…no one…no one….
What sort of messages are you sending your brain on a daily basis? More importantly, what sorts of messages are you sending you heart? Mark Twain said, “A man's character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation.”
Satan, as tricky as he is, will use anything to pull us away from God. Satan can use feelings of being alone, separated or isolated to destroy our trust in Him.
Where do these feelings come from? Didn’t Satan put a lack of faith in Eve when he asked her, in Genesis 3, “"Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" Of course he did.
We know from our Bible reading that God only instructed Eve to not eat from one particular tree, but this question the serpent asked placed a seed of mistrust inside Eve’s heart that made her suspect and question God’s true motives. Note that Eve never asked Adam for input on this dilemma, her whole decision making process was internal, in her mind.
“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.”
We can learn something from her mistake.
Some of us are in the habit of what I call “self-talk.” I actually believe self-talk is a very useful and helpful thing, provided the talking that is going on is one that is Godly in nature. Satan can use negative self-talk to pull us away from the family of God and from God, our Father, himself. How? By convincing us that we are alone in our struggles, that we have no one that understands us, and the ultimate lie that people and maybe even God himself doesn’t love us!
 |
| Via Here. |
Some of us are in the habit of what I call “self-talk.” I actually believe self-talk is a very useful and helpful thing, provided the talking that is going on is one that is Godly in nature. Satan can use negative self-talk to pull us away from the family of God and from God, our Father, himself. How? By convincing us that we are alone in our struggles, that we have no one that understands us, and the ultimate lie that people and maybe even God himself doesn’t love us!
Have you allowed more than just a seed of doubt come into your heart that has begun to take you off the path of unity and trust in God’s plan for your life?
Look at what Paul says. "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words…."For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Cor. 2:12-16)
Negative self-talk can kill the urges of the ‘new self.’ "Loner-ism" can destroy our unity within our families, church communities and begin to make our own thoughts seem more ‘right’ than God’s…just like it happened with Eve. It breeds insecurity, faithlessness, doubt, and makes us question our very worth before our heavenly Father. Don’t give Satan that touchdown. Don’t hand Satan your worth before God and Jesus. Don’t make Eve’s mistake.
If you feel like your self-talk has become ungodly, worldly, nonspiritual, distrusting or negative, get open, talk to someone close and get it off your chest. God bless.
Via Source
Love Lisa
Via Source
Love Lisa
July 29, 2010
Rooms of our heart.
 |
| Via here. |
What is God’s blueprint for my life?
Jeremiah 29:11-13For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”
 |
| Via here. |
In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
 |
| Via here. |
 |
| Via here. |
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
This was written by my sister (in the faith ) Carolyn Goblick, Acton, Massachusetts.
She is an amazing woman of faith, who I respect greatly. I hope this devotional inspires you.
Love Lisa
Trusting your God.
Trusting God is easy when things are going well and we can see our way. Trusting God when the path is obscured and we cannot clearly see ahead is more challenging.
There is a prayer in the Bible prayed by David; it’s a prayer you and I can pray for ourselves when our way is obscured with the uncertainty of our lives. Mark it in your Bible and make it the prayer of your heart whenever doubt and fear want to crowd out your faith.
“Show me Your ways, O Lord. Teach me Your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me for You are my God and my Savior and my hope is in You all day long” (Psalm 25:4-5, NIV).
Whenever your faith wants to waiver, read this prayer and refresh your confidence in the Lord who will lead you and guide you and teach you because He is your God and Savior and your hope all the day long!
Much Love to everyone. Lisa.
{Images from jardino}
Meditation #2...,God is Timeless.
Is voice becoming the new text(again)?“Your Father knows what you need before you ask” (Matthew 6:8).
E-mail, messaging, cell phones, chat rooms, teleconferencing, skype! Technology has enabled us to meet and talk to people all over the world…instantly.
Stop and think about it. You have got to be amazed at the speed our communications travel.
But even more amazing is the fact that God knows and hears our prayers even before we think about them or open our mouths. He even knows what we could have said and didn’t, how our prayers will be answered, how we will respond to the answer.
Technology is God’s idea. He wants us to use it to help reach and teach people to worship Him.
God is so amazing and great! Let’s worship Him today! He is worthy of our awe and praise.
“O Lord, You have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit or stand. When far away you know my every thought. You chart my path ahead of me, and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment, you know where I am. You know what I am going to say before I even say it” (Psalm 139:1-4).
Questions: What is it that amazes you today about our great God? How can our modern technology help you to serve God better today?
March 15, 2010
Meditation #1. Where do you run?
Where do you run when you need help? Do you call your husband and pour your heart out to him? Do you ask your Mom or Dad to listen? Or maybe you prefer to be alone in your room, where you can log onto Facebook, post your problems on your wall — and see if your friends may have the answers you need?
A few years ago, I was faced with a situation where I needed help. I did all of the above. I asked everyone except God. Usually, I go to God first. But this time my problem seemed so overwhelming that I instinctively ran to the physical things that I could touch or see with my natural senses.
Then, was faced with the possibility I was infertile, my first course of action was to have as many opinions(doctors) as possible to tell me what was wrong, why couldn't i have children. I was angry with God when I lost two babies, angry that he wasn't going to allow this to be easy for me. Yet when I when I became pregnant with my son, I fell to my knees knowing the only one I could rely on was Him.
Yes, it’s fine to go to the people around us who love us, but first we must run by faith to God. People come and go. People are not always there. Even our family as much as they may love us are not always around.
“... the LORD will take care of me. Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a smooth path” (Psalm 27:10-11, KJV).
“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).
We need a constant Source of help, a place we can run where our Comforter never turns away and our Guide never departs. We need a Helper who can always be found, one whose love is steady and whose forgiveness is strong. We need God.
We need God for life itself. We need Him on the days when we are popular and we need Him on the days when all of our friends are gone. We need God during nights that are filled with frustration and tears, and we need Him on nights that are filled with laughter.
James 4:8 encourages, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (NKJV).
Have a great Monday everyone, and remember to pray through your challenges, talk to God about what is burdening you today. Much Love to you all.
