THINK..on this!

Think....True
Think....Honest
Think....Just
Think....Pure
Think....Lovely
Think....Good Report
Think....Virtuous
Think....Praiseworthy


I was lying in my bed one morning, my mind was racing around as usual. It was normal for me to be constantly thinking. Yes, I know we all think but some of us are 'busy thinkers' - lots of activity..lots! Not necessarily 'smarter' but definitely faster! STOP!


BREATHE.....


I soon realised I was doing it again. I was arguing, debating with others in my mind abut a non-existent (had not happened yet!) situation.
'Think things through', that was an understatement in my head. I would think it through over & over again, sometimes with various permutations, sometimes with one. I had created a whole movie in my head. I had 'gone all the way down the road', 'ain't no stopping me now' kind of movement. 'Worst of all', the feelings that went along with that movie or permutation, came along with it, I felt them!
The reason i quote 'worst of all' is because they were not positive thoughts. I was in defence mode protecting my idea, opinion, point of view, my right!!

That morning, I was battling as usual and the thought came to me (as it had before) to 'stop, calm down', bringing my mind softly to peace. That's when the Bible scripture came up 'Think on these things (this can be found in Phillipians chapter 4:verse 8).

I looked at my thoughts and felt that they were not pure and lovely. They may have been true and honest but in whose world? only mine. Remember: Nothing had happened yet, only what I imagined could happen.

Wisdom: Of course, it is good to 'think things through'. It would be silly not to but we need to consider what filters we are using to do that. How do you think?

I feel i am a positive person but am I? I am a leader, I experience challenges most days at work, home and socially. I am not afraid to give my opinion and naturally there will be some people who have a different opinion.

I feel I am an 'open' person always trying to understand others and accepting others where they are. This too is a challenge. It challenges my own values, beliefs, thoughts and feelings.

Looking in the mirror, sometimes I can see myself clearly, sometimes I become aware of a part of myself and sometimes I cannot see myself at all. It becomes a new day of learning, awareness and accepting.

Accepting myself is easy when it is a nice trait or characteristic, for example, generousity, kindness, patience, empowerment BUT, when it is not so nice like anger, intolerance, impatience or judgement then accepting seems harder to swallow. Now, when I refer to 'accepting', I don't mean embracing, I mean acknowledging. I can then begin to adjust my thoughts, feelings and behaviour around those things. Sounds easy...'Yeah, easier said than done'.

What I began to understand, as many meditators do, was if I think on 'true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good, virtuous and praiseworthy things, my mind became calmer, less stressed. I learnt that I could have the same thoughts but rework the 'movie', creating the positive from the negative.

As in older photography processing - a photo was taken on a roll of film called 'a negative'. Once processed, it developed from a negative to a beautiful picture.

We can do this with our thoughts. Processing any negatives to beautiful pictures - true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good, virtuous and praiseworthy thoughts. It will bring us peace.

To obtain continuous peace of mind, the process is to be received, seen, heard, learnt, spoken, tried, lived....Do it! simply 'Think on these things'.




I describe.................YOU decide.

LEAP!....where there's a will.

Fear feels uncomfortable.
Fear make us stop, freeze, go slowly, turn back, doubt.
Fear breeds more fear.
Fear creates limiting beliefs
'I can't do that'
'They don't like me'
'I am set in my ways"
'I'm sorry I can't help you'
'Why me?.....please ask someone else'
'I've never done it before'
'I'm not experienced enough'
'Help me, I can't do it alone'
'What are you looking at?'
'It's no point speaking out'
'I don't feel like going there'
'It's too late - I'm too late'
'They won't employ someone like me'
'I'm not going to dance first'
'You talk to her' or 'You tell him'
'I keep the light on at night'
'I'm not wearing that'
'I don't know why I haven't started yet'
'I'm too young' or 'I'm too old'
'I'm a Man' or 'I'm a woman'
I'm black' or 'I'm white' or 'I'm.....'
'It's hard'
'I'm not interested'
I don't know...leave me alone'

Fear breeds more fear!

Fear is staying in the shadows
Fear is not reaching our potentials
Fear is controlling
Fear is frightening
Fear is numbing
Fear is silent

Fear is like a dead end street
Our potential....a faith leap!

Fear is not believing we can
Fear is not believing 'I am'
Fear is not using our will
Fear is demotivating and still

Fear breeds more fear!

BUT, where there's a will, there's a way!
Do you believe that?

'I will do this'
'I will do that'
'I will go here'
'I will go there'
'I will go everywhere'
'I want to go'

Really, Do we believe that?

'I will get that job'
'i will buy that house'
'i will, I will, I will'
Where there's a will, there's a way!

Fear breeds more fear
BUT, where there's a will, there's a way!
Really, Do we believe that?

'I will believe it'
'I do believe it....so, what's the next step?'

Proving it!

So, LEAP! 
One step at a time.




I describe....you decide

What do you see?

Blind from birth? Are you blind? well, if you are reading this blog of course you're not (I hear you say or should I say think?) but could you be and not realise it? Hmm

Extract 1/3: 'And as Jesus passed by He saw a man which was blind from his birth' - King James Bible John Chapter 9 verse 1.

What do you see? Do you see yourself? Can you see those around you? Can they see you? Being blind from birth is a long time, it feels final. There may be areas in our lives that we just can't see, until an experience 'opens' up our eyes...you know...those 'Aha' moments.

The more we interact with different people - different to us in gender, age, race, ability, disability, beliefs, sexuality, language and location, then we really begin to see ourselves and  those we come into contact with. What do you see?

Extract 2/3: 'And His disciples asked Him saying 'Master who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?'- verse 2

Who sinned? In the world of Christianity, this is a big question to ask. There are many 'churchgoers' or 'bible readers who would have an answer to that question. 'Yep, it was the man, he did something wrong' or 'Oh! it's from birth, so it must be his mother' or It's his father because it all comes from the male lineage' or finally maybe 'They weren't married, so God has punished them'.  How often do we decide we know what's wrong by what we see?Who sinned? Who did something wrong? Have you? What do you see?

Extract 3/3: 'Jesus answered, neither hath this man sinned nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him' - verse 3

Neither....Nor! So Jesus (Leader of the Free World) said no-one sinned! No one did anything to cause this man to be born blind. No-one! Many non believers would agree with that statement. It would seem silly to think that someone did wrong...wouldn't it? But some would. Think about a time when something went wrong...were you able to identify who had done wrong? What if no one did anything wrong but something still went wrong..is that possible? This may all seem simple and straightforward but how many of us do exactly that...blame and make decisions based on what we see? Is it based on what you think or what you know? Has anyone ever accused you incorrectly? How does it feel? Do you still feel emotional about it even if it is in the past? Have you let go? Can you let go? What can you see?


Made manifest. When I read this part of the extract, I had always believed that because Jesus had healed the blind man, that this was the  resulting 'works of God' being 'made manifest'. In this case it was (most probably) but what about everyone else who has these challenges in life, visible or non-visible? 

One day while watching TV, I saw a young man who had no arms, talking about his life and the challenges he faced on a daily basis. After his talk, the young man moved to another stool and began to sing a song he had written. He also began playing the guitar with his feet. I cried while watching this and the 'blind man' extract came alive to me in a 'new way'. Here was a beautiful example of the 'works of God' being made manifest in that young man. He triumphed over his physical, mental and emotional challenges. It showed me and all the viewers who were able-bodied, what can be achieved if we only believe.

He was made to be an 'overcomer'. He was born to be a musician. He was born to be a singer-songwriter. He is married and he has released an album of songs. This young man may not have achieved all this if he was not physically challenged. What do you see?

What are you doing with  your challenges? 
Are you overcoming or have you been overcome by them? 
What have you been born to do? 
Are you succeeding?
Are you inspiring?
Are you living? 
Are you being?
Do you believe?

You can read the full extract for yourself in John - Chapter 9 verses 1 to 7. I used the Kings James version of the Bible but you can find a version that suits you best...there's loads out there.

Have an insightful week.



I describe............You decide!