Number One

I can't believe I am writing a blog. I have never been one to journal. So let's just take a stab at it, shall we?

Yesterday, we had a guest preacher at my church. His message was about listening well. He listed these three steps for helping people to listen to sermons at church:

1. Prayer

2. Right expectations

3. Mental preparation

*working to listen

This got me thinking.... shouldn't we be applying this to all aspects of our life? Don't get me wrong, I consider myself to be an o.k. listener. I even took classes in college that taught you how to listen. But how many times do you not hear what is being said? A tip from my college courses was that hearing isn't the same as listening. This is so true. I can hear what the speaker is saying, but I don't actually process it.

For example, we are patterned as people. Someone says, "Enjoy your movie." You respond, " you too," only to realize that she is the ticket seller... she definitely won't be enjoying your movie. We heard what she said, but we didn't actually listen to her. Granted, she probably wasn't hearing what she was saying either (we'll get to that some other time).

When we actually listen to people we get a great response. Try getting a friend a little gift. Something they mentioned awhile ago. Most likely they will even forget they wanted it, but when they receive it they will feel so great because you actually listened.

What about listening to God? We all say we want to hear from Him. But do we ever listen to Him? I know I don't. Hmm.. Must work on that one.

Alright. Moving on. Sorry kids, since this is my first one I will be covering a lot of things that are bouncing around in my head.

I'm in the process of doing Beth Moore's bible study The Patriarchs. Sadly, I don't have the video session to go along with it. Today, she was talking about how we all have traits (physical and emotional) from our parents. It makes me wonder what I have gotten from them. It's the classic, I will NEVER be like my mom/dad/whatever. Guess what. You probably will be. So, if I got to pick, what would I take? Good question. Or maybe a better one. What do I already have? I feel like it's so hard to live with my parents sometimes. We love each other but you can't tell because we are so intertwined. 23 years in one house doesn't help our emotional channels. For me, remember to honor my mother and father is one of the HARDEST things to do. I tend to treat them in a very different manner than my peers, co workers, or even my friends parents. Like they are some kind of lesser being because they are MY parents. And MY parents couldn't possibly know/be able to do x, y, and z. Loving them has to be a conscious choice for me. And I do. I just need to show it more.

Last thing (I promise). One of my managers at work has gone all natural in her beauty approach. Honestly, it seems like a great idea. Think of all those chemicals you are rubbing on you all the time. As Americans, we are probably too clean. We strip our bodies of natural defenses and oils and our bodies produce them is excess to make up for it and what do we do? Strip it off again the next day. Don't get me wrong. I love my showers. And being clean. There just has to be a better way out there. Now let's see if I won't be too lazy to try this natural option.

Ok, time to post this for all the world to see. Here goes nothing.