My Christmas Wish

READY... “No more lives torn apart, That wars would never start, And time would heal all hearts.  And everyone would have a friend,  And right would always win,  And love would never end, This is my grown up Christmas list.” ~ Grown Up Christmas List, Amy Grant

AIM... Guess what?  Christmas is going to be on December 25^th again this year!  Funny how that date never changes, but it always seems to creep up on us as if we didn’t know it was coming.  Seriously, if you haven’t embraced the spirit of the season yet, it’s not too late.  As we head into Christmas this week, I encourage you notice all the priceless gifts.  Enjoy the shimmer and glow of the Christmas lights.  Relish in the warmth and crackle of a smoldering fire.  Savor the smiles, laughs, and tender moments spent with your family and friends.

With all we have been seeing and hearing during this season, it seemed most appropriate to share the gift of prayer with each one of you, my loyal readers.  And so, please accept this gift that may be shared with your friends and families on Christmas and in the coming days.

A Christmas Prayer
Loving Father, Help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds, and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
     by Robert Louis Stevenson

FIRE!   My Christmas wish for you is that you may truly recognize your blessings this Christmas.  I pray you will experience peace, comfort, and contentment this holiday week, and that these things continue as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.  Merry Christmas, my friends!

Be Excellent!

Lori

To Gift Or Not To Gift

READY… “The spirit in which a thing is given determined that in which the debt is acknowledged; it’s the intention, not the face-value of the gift; that’s weighed.”  ~ Seneca (5BC – 65AD), Letters to Lucilius, 100A.D.

AIM…  Gift giving at Christmas is all about the thought and love behind the purchase, right?  Apparently that concept is wrong.  Today’s statistics show that it actually IS the gift that counts.  How sad that our society has become so wrapped up in materialism that a simple gift or a handmade creation is underappreciated, if not completely unappreciated. The pressure of giving the perfect gift has caused some folks to resort to gift cards, cash or eliminating gift exchanges altogether.  The following Christmas story is a great illustration of this concept…not to mention a funny situation.

Buy Your Own Present

 

Last Christmas, grandpa was feeling his age, and found that shopping for Christmas gifts had become too difficult. So he decided to send checks to everyone instead.

In each card he wrote, "Buy your own present!" and mailed them early.

 He enjoyed the usual flurry of family festivities, and it was only after the holiday that he noticed that he had received very few cards in return. Puzzled over this, he went into his study, intending to write a couple of his relatives and ask what had happened. It was then, as he cleared off his cluttered desk that he got his answer. Under a stack of papers, he was horrified to find the gift checks which he had forgotten to enclose with the cards.

After a horrified chuckle, Grandpa realized that many of his family members didn’t even send a card to wish him well. Was this because they didn’t receive a gift? Was Christmas really just a time to exchange “thank you” cards for the gifts his family expected?  Let’s all take away a lesson from this story; be intentional about being grateful this Christmas.  No matter what gift you receive, be thankful that someone thought enough to give you a special treat, purchased with you in mind.  And if you find yourself in a situation where you do not receive a gift you might be expecting, don’t be ungrateful, simply redirect your thoughts and enjoy spending time together and making memories.  After all, gifts come and go and eventually get donated or sold in garage sales; fond memories, however, last in our hearts and minds forever.

FIRE!   Get crazy this Christmas and give an unsuspecting person a special gift.  You can simply bake cookies or you can give a gift card for an ice cream shop.  Whatever you do, give from your heart and enjoy the happy moment shared with your recipient.

Be Excellent!

Lori

The Greedies

READY... “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” ~ Luke 12:15 NIV

AIM…  It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  I LOVE the Christmas season and everything about it.  It is such a fun time for children and adults alike to enjoy the spirit and excitement of the magic that surrounds this special holiday. 

Traditionally, Christmas is a time for giving of gifts and sharing time with loved ones.  However, for some, Christmas has become a time for making lists and checking them twice, shopping frenzies, baking and kitchen chaos, making party plans, organizing for Santa Claus and his flying reindeer, oh, and, remembering the baby Jesus’ birth.  I laugh, because sadly the whole reason for celebrating Christmas is to rejoice in the birthday of the Savior of the world. Those who came to honor him brought a few modest gifts to bestow gratitude and joy for the occasion.  Today, celebrating Christmas seems to be all about the gifts.  Children are encouraged to write a letter to Santa with a list of things they want him to bring to them on Christmas day.  We are encouraging our kids to think about what they WANT for Christmas.  As a parent who loves the spirit of Santa myself, I recognize this is somewhat of a backwards thought process.  We are sort of teaching our kids to be greedy; however, we have help.  Advertisers have joined the greed fest.  We have gone from non-stop political ads to non-stop ads for toys.  Our stores are packed with all kinds of fun things for our kids and society just injects the air with the desire for more.  You just can’t help but get “the greedies” at Christmas. 

What you can do, however, is be aware that those desires are going to surface and make a plan to help counteract some of the effects that greed may have on your children and your family.  The best suggestion I can offer in order to stay grounded during this time of year is to be generous to others.  One of the most effective ways to show your family the true spirit of giving is to find a way to be generous to someone who may be less fortunate than yourselves.  You can take your children to serve in a soup kitchen, have them purchase and wrap gifts for an adopted family in the community, drop your change into the Salvation Army red buckets, give supplies to the animal shelter, offer to bake cookies with a neighbor who is alone; invite him/her over for a night of games.  The ways to be generous are endless.  Best of all, you should ultimately make an effort to spend less money and instead spend more time together this Christmas.  Let’s face it, we all have enough stuff!

You control the focus and temperature of the holiday attitude in your realm.  Is it about all the gifts, or is it about loving each other and sharing your love and kindness with others?  This Christmas, you decide if you want the greedies in your home or if you want to start teaching a lesson of love.  I’ll leave the decision up to you.

FIRE!   Take time out from the busyness of Christmas to enjoy the true gift of the season!

Be Excellent!

Lori

Too Blessed

READY… "Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received.  Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling.  Thanksgiving is the following of that impluse."  ~ Henry Van Dyke 

AIM…  Ahhh, Thanksgiving week.  The one day a year when everyone looks forward to an amazing meal cooked to perfection.  The one day a year folks take time to be thankful for life and all their comforts.  The one day…wait a minute!  Why in the world do we wait all year for this ONE DAY to gather, cook and be grateful?  Earlier this month, many of my friends on Facebook started a daily thanks post about things they were thankful for leading up to Thanksgiving.  All their posts have been lovely, valid reasons to be grateful.  However, I also realized that initially, many of the things they were all mentioning, I was thankful for EVERY DAY of the year.  Granted, it’s difficult to gather the extended family every day (nor do some of you want to be gathered with your relatives every day.)  With working and family responsibilities, it can be difficult to prepare and cook the perfect meal for several people every day.  However, it doesn’t take any real effort to be thankful every day for the blessings in your life.  Just a brief moment while you’re sipping your coffee or during your morning commute is all it takes to recognize and utter words of gratefulness to the one who gives us our comforts, provides for our needs and loves us unconditionally every day.  Psalm 147:7 says to “Sing to the Lord with grateful praise.”  This Thanksgiving, let us sing to God our thanks for all He has blessed us with, be it your loving family, good health, financial provision or food on your table. Take time to feel blessed; not stressed.

FIRE!   We all know the typical things most folks are thankful for: God, family, friends, jobs, money, food, warm house, clothes, etc.  I’d like to know what quirky or unusual thing you are most thankful for this Thanksgiving.  It can be the one thing we all take for granted or something completely profound. Whatever it may be, give thanks, for all things!

**For me, well, I am thankful for coffee.  Coffee wakes me up in the morning.  It warms my body when I am cold.  It provides a great excuse to get together with friends to catch up and chat.  I enjoy it in all varieties of flavors and creative beverage and food concoctions.  Coffee is one silly little thing I am grateful for in my world this Thanksgiving.**

Be Excellent!
Lori

It's Your Right

READY...“Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.” ~ John Qunicy Adams, 6^th US President 1825-1829

AIM…  It was an exciting morning.  I got every family member ready and out the door for work and school in normal fashion.  However, instead of heading to work, I drove straight to my polling place where I, like many other Americans, would be casting my vote for the President of the United States along with many other local leaders.  When I arrived, the parking lot was already full. Wow!  I was thrilled to know that so many of my neighbors and friends were excited to vote today too.  As I got out of my car and walked toward the door of the building, I felt this huge swell of pride rise up inside of me.  I, yes I, Lori Bodkin, was going to VOTE!  Sidebar - I have voted many times before, but never really felt like I did today.  Before today, I voted out of obligation because it’s my civil duty and because I, as an American, have the freedom to do so.  Today, however, was different.  Today, I was feeling overwhelmed with gratitude that I COULD vote.  I am a woman.  In other countries, women do not get to vote and their opinions do not matter.  I am an American citizen.  The men and women in the military have fought and died so I would continue to have the freedom to vote and choose the leaders of my country.  I am a human. I have feelings and morals and values and concerns about the community and nation in which I live.  I want only the best for my family and our future.  Today, I was simply overcome with the idea that other men and women in our nation could also vote and celebrate our freedom to choose by placing our opinions in the hands of God (and the hopefully, well-trained poll workers.)  It was a day I realized that no matter what, we all love to live in America and we all respect the positions of our leaders and all we really want is to feel like we are a contributing member of society.  So, into the building I went and collected my ballot; I VOTED for the people I felt would do the best job for all of us and the rest will soon be history.  I happily skipped out to my car wearing my “I Voted” sticker like a badge of honor.  I hope you voted today too.  Regardless of your political views and opinions, let’s all remember we were originally called the melting pot for a reason and we can all be thankful we still have the right to share our decisions with the entire nation.  For that, we can all be truly grateful.

FIRE!   Tomorrow is a new day!  Let’s put aside our selfish pride and hidden agendas and remember above all else, we are Americans.  We live in the land of the free and the home of the brave, and we must continue to be ONE nation under GOD, indivisible, providing liberty and justice for ALL!

Be Excellent!
Lori

 

In The Midst Of A Storm

READY… “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.  He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.”  Psalm 107:28-29 NIV 

AIM…  Frankenstorm Sandy just moved through our nation with vengeance this week.  What did you do to prepare for the storm?  How did you handle yourself in the midst of it?  Life sometimes hands us our own Frankenstorms. When that happens, how do you respond? What do you do?  

We all know seasonal storms and the storms of life are going to occur whether we want them to or not.  Some folks like to be well prepared to withstand a weather catastrophe with water, food, gasoline in their vehicles, a generator, candles, batteries, etc.  Others don’t get too excited and tend to wait to see what really happens and then approach their circumstances in a more reactionary mode - if anything happens to them.  I find that the same is somewhat true about personal storms. Some folks like to be emotionally prepared by surrounding themselves with supportive friends, reading self-help books, praying and trusting God to assist when life will inevitably get ugly.  Others, however, wait for the difficult situation and then find themselves in the middle of a crisis.  Suddenly, because there was no self-preparation, these ill-equipped folks go into panic mode and stress out over life’s attacks; oftentimes they spiral out of control.

I think we can all learn a lesson or two from this week’s wicked storm.  First, when the authorities tell you to evacuate – you pack up and leave!  If you are in a harmful or difficult situation in life and God nudges you to make a big change to save your sanity or your family’s circumstances, then listen, pack up and leave.  Second, be prepared!  We all know the storms of life are coming.  Whether you are in the midst of a storm, dealing with the aftermath or heading into the next downpour, you can do a few things to make the journey a bit easier.  You can heed the advice of trusted friends and family members who can speak from past experiences.  You can read books, watch shows, attend classes, and take action regarding your specific circumstances to prepare, prevent and be productive when your storm strikes. And finally, you can lean on the one who created you, who knows your storms and when they are coming, and who can be ultimately trusted with your life.  Just ask God to help.  After all, He alone is the one who has calmed the storms in the past and is fully capable of calming any storm in your life in the future as well.

FIRE!   Create emergency plans this week.  Work on putting together a plastic tote with things like water, flashlights, batteries, non-perishable food, etc.  Then prepare for your personal storms by putting together a support system of trusted friends and daily prayers.  By preparing for both storms, you are setting yourself up for success when the next storm decides to strike.  

Be Excellent!
Lori

Things That Make You Go Hmmm

READY... “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”  ~ Dr. Wayne Dyer

AIM…  Every once in awhile I’ll stumble across a situation that really makes me scratch my head and think.  I must admit, while these scenarios certainly stretch my brain, they also make me snicker or laugh really hard.  See for yourself and let me know if you figure out any of the answers or if they have you wondering hmmmm as well.

·         If nothing ever sticks to Teflon, how do they make Teflon stick to the pan?

·         What do people in China call their good plates?

·         If the police arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent

·         What was the best thing before sliced bread?

·         How come there aren't B batteries?

·         How is it possible to have a “civil” war?

·         If the #2 pencil is so popular, why is it still #2?

·         What happens to an 18 hour bra after 18 hours?

·         Why do tourists go to the tops of tall buildings and then put money into telescopes so they can see things on the ground close-up?

·         What happened to the first 6 "ups"?

·         Why do hot dogs come 10 to a package and hot dog buns only 8?

·         How do you know that honesty is the best policy until you have tried some of the others?

·         Can you buy an entire chess set in a pawn shop?

·         What if someone died in the living room?

·         Where in the nursery rhyme does it say Humpty Dumpty is an egg?

·         Why do people tell you when they are speechless?

·         Why do we have hot water heaters when hot water doesn't need to be heated?

·         Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

·         Why are hemorrhoids called "hemorrhoids" instead of "asteroids"?

·         What if the Hokey Pokey IS what it’s all about?

FIRE!   Admit it, you laughed and actually recited the Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme to yourself to make sure there wasn’t any mention of an egg, right?  Great!  At least now I know you enjoyed a laugh or two to start your day.  Feel free to forward and share these scalp-scratching scenarios with your friends so they can laugh with you!

Be Excellent!

Lori

Which Half?

READY… “A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties”  ~ Harry Truman

 

AIM…  Your approach to life can vary from day to day, and it can change based on your circumstances and attitude.  So, are you a glass half full or a glass half empty kind of person?  I know several glass half empty folks.  I can say loads of positive things about most of them.  However, no matter what happens, they expect the worst in all situations.  You know the ones; they just know nothing good is going to happen. Even when things are going well for them, they are waiting for the tide to turn. 

 

I hate to admit it, but I get into those slumps occasionally; although, my glass is usually half full.  Yes, I am an eternal optimist.  I believe that something good is going to happen in every situation.  I, like other glass half-fullers, expect that life is going to work out positively and that God makes sure everything happens for a good reason. You might be saying to yourself, “Self, that is just an unrealistic approach to life.”  Yes, that may be true.  However, I guess if I’m choosing my attitude, I’d rather step up and face life head on with my outlook on the sunshine, up side of things rather than to stand with one foot ready to plunge into the depths of a blue funk.  You know, it’s never too late to change directions--even in the midst of the plunge. If you haven’t hit rock bottom, there’s time. If you have hit the bottom, there’s only one way to go--up.  It’s never too late to take a different attitude to your circumstances.  What do you have to lose?  You can either feel excited with anticipation about life or you can worry with despair about what is to come.  So I ask you again, are you a glass half full or glass half empty kind of person?

 

FIRE!   Ok, so there’s something interesting and joyful about this having a glass half full attitude.  My advice to you comes from a great friend. If there’s a time when you get to feeling not so positive, be sure your glass is at least half full of an incredible beverage!

 

Be Excellent!

Lori

Bullies

READY… “When people hurt you over and over, think of them like sand paper. They may scratch and hurt you a bit, but in the end, you end up polished and they end up useless.” ~ Chris Colfer

AIM…  I understand that October is national anti-bullying month.  I know bullying has become a major issue in the school systems, especially since kids have almost unlimited access to social media. Social media provides a place where their identities are protected from behind a screen. It’s a lot easier to hurl insults and accusations when you don’t have to see the other person face to face.  The truth is that bullies have existed from the dawn of time.  It’s almost a survival of the fittest situation.  However, it’s not ok; it’s never been ok. Sooner or later we, as parents and community members, have to stand up for what’s right and put an end to this dangerous behavior. 

Most folks will argue that the crackdown has to come from home; specifically from the parents.  Well, with broken families and one parent trying to do the job of two, it’s difficult to love and punish with purpose.  I say that is no excuse. That is just a challenge; you can make it work regardless if you have two parents or not.  It’s whether you CHOOSE to reinforce the good morals of kindness, love and honor in your home and outside of your home.  Sadly, the honor of the family name doesn’t mean what it used to.  Kids don’t understand the amount of trouble they can get in and how it will affect the family name and reputation.  There’s so much negativity in our world that most of those inappropriate actions go unaddressed or overlooked.  It’s not until that innocent young girl or awkward teen-age boy comes home and tries to hurt themselves that our society takes notice—and starts to lay blame.

You are a responsible human being with good moral character and integrity, and I challenge you to take care of the people around you.  Bullying isn’t just for kids anymore.  Social media has become a springboard for inappropriate messages and information from all ages.  We must take responsibility to stop bullying.  We must be sure we aren’t contributing to the problem; ignoring what is being posted online is condoning it. Be mindful of your texts and social media comments.  Watch your words in conversations; they become your destiny.  If you wouldn’t want someone else speaking to you in a specific tone or with certain phrases, don’t use them yourself.  Be on the lookout for young men and women who may be in need of a trustworthy adult to confide in or provide direction for help.  It’s time for each one of us to take action against bullies.  Yes, in the long run, most of us have turned out to become amazing people despite our own bullying stories.  However, we can’t risk the chance that just one human being slips through the cracks and falls off the radar due to a lack of awareness or fear of getting involved.

FIRE!   Talk to a young person today.  Ask him about his day; who he hangs out with and what his friends are like.  Be interested in the things he is doing.  Check up on his electronic media and be aware of who he is chatting with online.  (If your kids object, tell them it is your responsibility as a parent to ensure that that they are being socially responsible.) Believe me; you’ll be doing him and yourself a favor in the long run.

Be Excellent!

Lori

Bullseye!

READY… “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.” Proverbs 10:9 NIV

AIM… WOW!!  This is the 150^th edition of Arrows of Integrity!  I am still amazed every week (or so) that so many of you are enjoying the stories, gaining personal insight and direction, and are using these messages to help you make good decisions for your life.  I must admit, there are moments when I wonder if this is it.  Am I supposed to continue writing my Arrows messages?  Then, one of my loyal readers will send a comment to me regarding how that week’s information really made a difference for him or her.  Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your continued support, love, and grace over the past three years!  I’m thrilled to see what God has in store for these Arrows in the future.  I am so grateful you have shared these messages with your friends, and I hope you encourage them to subscribe if you find yourself forwarding them each week.

I would be remiss if I didn’t share a few bits of inspiration with you on this very special celebration of our 150^th edition.  It got me thinking about the tagline for our title.  Are you REALLY “Aiming for excellence as you target life together” with the rest of the Arrows of Integrity gang?  Have the weekly messages caused you to change directions or think twice about your approach in life?  The overall intent is for each one of us to take these God-inspired words and apply the instruction and advice to our daily lives; for each of us to CHOOSE the high road, to set an example of excellence and to be a guiding light in the world of chaos we live in.  Remember, true integrity is determined by the choices you make when no one else is watching.  However, your example of integrity is being watched every moment of every day. Who is learning from YOUR example?  I encourage each one of us to take a moment to evaluate our intentions and rethink our approaches and reactions to life.  No matter if you are performing a task at work, shopping at the grocery store, driving down the highway, coaching a little league team, leading a Bible study at church, studying for an important test or preparing for retirement, your character determines your destiny.  Choose wisely, my friends, and nothing will stand in your way of hitting the bullseye of success!

FIRE!   As you target life, be true to yourself and your commitment to living a life of integrity.  Let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no.  Be honest.  Make wise choices that your children would be proud to witness.  Have the courage to stand up for your moral decisions.  Love others.  And at the end of the day, when you look in the mirror and have maintained your self-respect, you’ll know you can sleep peacefully on your journey to success.

Be Excellent!

Lori  

 Check out my daughter, Alyssa’s version of Arrows of Integrity.

I’d say it’s a bullseye!

 

Welcome To The Human Race

READY..."I am not a human being; I am a human becoming.”  ~Author Unknown

AIM…Have you ever met someone who’s got it all together?  You know the one.  Her life is wonderful: her hair is always styled; her lipstick is always on; her children are well-behaved, and her husband is a great provider.  Yep, you know her.  We all know her. However, behind all the wonderfulness is a living, breathing human being.  Behind those accessories and well-matched outfits is a woman with feelings and emotions and probably dealing with the same problems that the rest of us deal with. However, from the outside, you’d never know it.  She hides her imperfections so well.  Her mantra is “a place for everything and everything in its place.”   So, when life happens and all those things that used to fit so neatly inside her life box come spilling out, it’s almost surprising to us, the casual on-lookers. Secretly, we savor a moment of satisfaction knowing that perfect lives do not exist for anyone. Real life does indeed happen to all of us every single day. The only difference is that some folks are better at going with the flow when life throws them a curve ball. Some folks need an entourage and a pity party when life happens.  

No matter what, grace is the best gift to offer when you recognize that yep, she’s human too.  Life doesn’t have to be perfect anymore.  What a relief!

FIRE!   The next time you encounter a difficult situation with someone, pause, redirect and give her grace.  Perhaps there’s more to her life story than you realize.  Oftentimes, a those perfect closet doors are hiding a mountain of problems.

Be Excellent!
Lori

God Intervenes

READY… “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."  ~ Marcus Aurelius

AIM… Today, we remember 9/11.  You know where you were.  You remember exactly what you were doing.  It was a chilling event that rocked our world to the core.  However, what started out as a regular day for most of us, turned into a nightmare for others. We have listened to the life-altering stories from survivors who didn’t make it to work that day at the World Trade Center Towers because life’s ordinary delays or even a few strange hold-ups prevented them from being caught in the midst of American’s most tragic event.  I’m talking about things like several folks getting stopped in unusual traffic jams, or how one fella spilled coffee on his shirt and had to take extra time to change his clothes, and even one gal who dropped her shoe in the toilet of all things.  The stories go on and on about the reasons various people did not arrive to work on time, forever changing their very fate.

We can grumble when God intervenes in our lives, or we can rejoice in the detours and delays.  We have no idea what’s at the other end of our journey, but God knows.  My mother sent me this amazing dialogue she received from a friend recently.  Perhaps it will give you a different perspective and some patience when God intervenes in your life next time.

 
Just Askin'
Me: God, can I ask you a question?
God: Sure.
Me: Promise you won't get mad?
God: I promise.
Me: Why did you let so much stuff happen to me today?
God: What do you mean?
Me: Well, I woke up late.
God: Yes.
Me: My car took forever to start.
God: Okay.
Me: At lunch they made my sandwich wrong and I had to wait.
God: Huummm.
Me: On the way home, my phone went dead, just as I picked up a call.
God: All right.
Me: And on top of it all, when I got home I just wanted to soak my feet in my new foot massager and relax, but it wouldn't work!!!Nothing went right today! Why did you do that?
God: Let me see, the Death Angel was at your bed this morning and I had to send one of the other angels to battle him for your life. I let you sleep through that.
Me: (humbled): Oh...
God: I didn't let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that would have hit you if you were on the road.
Me: (ashamed) Hmmm…
God: The first person who made your sandwich today was sick and I didn't want you to catch what they have, I knew you couldn't afford to miss work.
Me: (embarrassed): Ok...
God: Your phone went dead because the person that was calling was going to give false witness about what you said on that call. I didn't even let you talk to her so you would be covered.
Me: (softly) I see, God.
God: Oh and that foot massager, it had a short that was going to throw out all of the power in your house tonight. I didn't think you wanted to be in the dark.
Me: I'm sorry, God.
God: Don't be sorry, just learn to trust me.....in all things, the good and the bad.
Me: I will trust you.
God: And don't doubt that my plan for your day is always better than your plan.
Me: I won't, God. And let me just tell you, God, thank you for everything today.
God: You're welcome child. It was just another day being your God, and I love looking after my children.

FIRE!   Richard Bach said, "Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: if you're alive, it isn't."  If you are reading this, congratulations!  You are alive!  God isn’t finished with you yet, so set forth today giving thanks for the opportunity to move mountains, serve others and make a difference in your world.  And if you find yourself in the middle of an interesting twist of events, be grateful God is intervening.

Be Excellent!

Lori