Enjoy Your Blessings
I honestly do not know if it’s because most of us started from a simple household where you only had your needs met and not your wants BUT, it’s a real challenge for some of us to splurge a little even when we can afford it. May the Lord deliver us from this. I mean it! The amount of obituaries I see on my social media newsfeed is a daily reminder that our days are really numbered. I ask myself, what are we toiling and working all our lives for? By all means, be a blessing to others but also, do not cheat yourself out of the good things of life if you can afford them.
Life has a way of making you feel guilty about enjoying the pleasures of life and my question is, where else will you enjoy the blessings that God has created for us on this earth? I do not subscribe to that doctrine that teaches people to remain poor and convince them that God wants us to suffer here on earth, give up all we have worked for so we can go to heaven and enjoy life there instead. The God I know said that it gives Him pleasure to give us the desires of our heart. I also read so many times in the bible where he blessed men and made the great with wealth, riches and honor. So, my dear brother or sister reading this blog, when God blesses you, please enjoy your blessings because it is your lot. Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 NIV says it all:
“I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people:
to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work on earth during the few days of their life that God has given them, for this is their reward.
To every man whom God has given wealth and possessions, He has also given him the ability to eat from them, to receive his reward, and to find enjoyment in his toil; these things are the gift of God.
For he does not think much about the fleeting days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied with the joy he derives from his activity.”
My prayer for you this week is that the Lord will bless you abundantly and when He does, be a blessing to humanity and also enjoy the blessings. AMEN!
XOXO,
Lady Abena.
Less Is More, Cut The Waste
If you’re ever tired of hearing that less is more, please don’t be because it gives you a much better quality of life. You’ll be amazed how much waste we gather in our lives when you start cleaning out - from your closet to kitchen to the monthly expenses. One of my life nuggets that I want to share with you is to take an inventory of your whole life - I mean every area of your life and do a ‘tummy tuck’ in each area.
Humans are natural hoarders if you ask me and we like to hold on to things even when they are expired. Our wants outweigh our needs and so we go for everything we want especially for many people who have access to get things they want. Even the one that has severe needs, given the opportunity to choose, he/she will go for the things they desire versus what they need. Letting go is not in our DNA but when you finally overcome that, you’ll find a more enriched quality of life than too much quantity which devalues your life.
You can begin to cut the waste in every area of your life including the time you even spend on things that do not make you productive. Always think about quality versus quantity and gather just what you need so you do not throw away so much. Even Jesus cautioned in John 6:12 after feeding the 5000 that the rest of the food be gathered and stored and not thrown to waste.
“And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.”
I pray for you this week that the Lord will empower you to be a good steward of the resources He has blessed you with. AMEN!
XOXO
Lady Abena.
Mind Your Own Business
Do you know I literally jumped off my bed the first time I saw this scripture, 1 Thessalonians 4:11 ESV, “and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,”? I sure did. I was so fascinated that this was written in the bible and then I read the part where Jesus asked his mother at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, “Jesus said, “Is that any of our business, Mother—yours or mine? This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.” (John 2:4 MSG).
I smile about Jesus' rhetoric because my mother is one of those humans with the largest of hearts and unfortunately for me, it runs in my bloodline. She’s the first to step in to help with a situation or help someone going through something. She will not stop me either when I try to defend, protect or help someone. Do you know that some of the people we helped are even the ones that came back to bite us? Yup, story of my life. So, in this new season of mine, I’ve started to really mind my own business and I’m teaching my mom as well but she’s not a very good student in this area. Here’s why, people usually come to her, and even me, it’s like wherever we chose to hide, God will let someone find us or reach out for some kind of assistance. Sometimes I believe God is testing my heart and conscience and I’ve told Him I’m going to start failing these tests soon because I’m teaching myself to mind my own business.
There are a lot of things you’ll see in life that you would be tempted to react to. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still moved each day to support causes and people in life and I do so without any regrets, but the key for me is moving forward with wisdom. If someone needs me and I’m able to assist them I will. If I see a need and I’m able to step in I’ll ask for permission and then I step in. If it’s a matter of life and death, I’ll always choose to bring life to people. In all of this, the key ingredient for me is not to be in the middle of any debacle or be caught up in people’s issues, problems and their chaos (aka. drama).
So, I pray for you this week that this life nugget will keep you safe and protected. AMEN.
XOXO,
Lady Abena.