Friday 30 August 2013

Mahalia Jackson--How I got over LIVE




50yrs ago Martin Luther King Jr made the 'I Have a Dream' speech which changed the world and America forever. This woman, Mahalia Jackson played a big part in that speech, she was a gospel singer that sung that historical day. When Martin Luther was giving his speech she lent over to him and gently whispered, 'tell them about the dream Martin' and he pushed his notes aside and said the most famous, significant, freeing speech ever made to this day.

Darlene Zschech reminded us of this in a conference, another significant worship singer that has impacted the world with her music, she reminds us that we have a purpose for where we are today, and God has us right where we need to be to impact the world around us.

Listen to this woman's passion and influence as she sings from her soul and love for her people. (the quality is poor, but the passion is still very clear)

Thursday 22 August 2013

Nice vs Kind

R u being 'kind' or are you being 'nice' ?

Nice - 1.Pleasant; agreeable; satisfactory: "we had a nice time". 2.(of a person) Pleasant in manner; good-natured; kind: "he's a really nice guy".

Kind - Having or showing a friendly, generous, and considerate nature: "a kind woman".

The definitions are similar when describing a person in the context of a 'nice person' or a 'kind person'. But there is a difference in being 'nice' and being 'kind'.

Nice seems more of a compliant word, its easy to be nice for the sake of keeping the peace around people we don't necessarily like or connect with. We can be 'nice' at a family gathering, ''nice'' to our work colleagues, 'nice' to the delivery guy.

We are 'nice' in the way we give a smile and say 'G'day'. We are 'nice' to our boss or even 'nice' to the customer that is abusive and can't see reason (that one might be a little more difficult).

For so many reasons we can be 'nice'  and quite easily without too much attachment or thought.

Being kind is intentional. 

Being kind is done because you care, or because it is a connection to your heart.

Helping an old lady across the street, or kindly listening to a friend that needs you to just be there for them, or being kind to a family member that needs help to look after the kids when they are not coping too well. They are intentional acts that you haven't had to think about too much. Kind acts that come from caring about those around you.

Kindness can also be in the community , by helping the poor or volunteering your time because you are connected to do so. Kindness is fulfilling and can satisfy the soul of the person giving the kindness and the person receiving it.

Being 'nice' is being polite, but also we can be 'nice ' to people to get what we want, its an easy unattached option and 'nice' words are easy to come by when we need them to work in our favour.

Being kind has attachments, it has intention and it can change lives and relationships. We are kind to someone we love or care about or when we see or feel a genuine need. Kindness can change atmosphere.

 “Wherever there is a human in need, there is an opportunity for kindness and to make a difference.”

 Kevin Heath
 Ceo More4kids


Monday 5 August 2013

My Three Words

As I'm sitting here in my house looking around pondering my day, I see three words I have as ornaments, Dream, Believe and Peace. All great words with lots of meaning and definition. People have had many stories told using these three words, some even life changing. Its like they have an expectation attached to them, to inspire and make you think about what could be. I look at them right now and just see words. Words that at different points in my life had meaning but also words that I still search for their meaning. We hear these words mentioned in Church, motivational speakers, sport coaches, team leaders and any other motivational leaders and teachings.

They aren't words we use everyday, or remind ourselves of everyday, we don't get up everyday and say YES !!! TODAY IM GOING TO DREAM,  BELIEVE AND BE AT PEACE !! WOOHOO and if we do, we don't usually sustain it throughout the day.....

When I get up I do think about God, I think about what I'm going to do today and who I will see and how I feel about it. Does my house need a clean, will my kids like me today.
This is real life for me....

Those three words are for people already living the dream........

Or are they?

Maybe its just the way we use them and our own expectation we have on such words. What if we could get up every day and say 'Today I'm going to BELIEVE that my DREAMS can come true and I am going to have PEACE about it.' Then hand them to God to carry for the rest of the day, wouldn't that be cool !! Well isn't that what He tells us to do.

I can do all things through Him that strengthens me, Philippians 4:13

He carries these words for us and gives them to us as we need them and seek them, even in our every day tasks and life challenges. I need these individual words at different times through the day.

I need PEACE to do the housework and pick up after everyone day in day out.

I need to BELIEVE my life will have abundance and my family will be safe.

I need to DREAM of a future that is fulfilling and has meaning. 

Now they are MY three words.... I can find my own meaning and expectations that are not overwhelming, they can inspire me in the way God sees them for me.

God sees all of HIS children as equals and all things, including words, are for us to take as our own, its how we see them for ourselves and how we need them in our own life experiences as individual, unique creations.