CLICK HERE FOR FREE BLOGGER TEMPLATES, LINK BUTTONS AND MORE! »
Comments/suggestions about the blog, or have something you want me to post. Great!

Email me at focusedonthepositive@gmail.com

Friday, September 20, 2013

Difficult Blessings


Ever receive one of those blessing in your life that requires frequent "this is a blessing" reminders?   Short term thorn-in your-sides, that eventually become long term joys.  We are experiencing a couple of those in our family.  Though they are private experiences, I thought I'd laugh with you all about it without sharing any details.  I think it's quite hilarious that there are things you want, you hope for in your life, and when you get them the slow uphill climb of difficulty sets in.

For instance, for me child bearing is extremely difficult.  No, I am NOT announcing a pregnancy here, just using this as an easily relate-able example.  Children are a wonderful gift and blessing.  We pray for them, and long for them.  But actually getting pregnant and staying pregnant, (for me) is not fun.  It means months of illness, tests, stress, and accepting help from others.  Pregnancy is definitely one difficult blessing.  But it is absolutely worth every hardship!  Children are a beautiful gift and there is nothing in the world like loving and being loved by a child.

I would also include schooling in the difficult blessing category.  What a blessing higher education can be.  But there are many moments where you have to remind yourself, "This is a good thing",  "It will be great in the end"  or "It WILL be over one day!".

So if you have a moment, please humor me and share one of your previous "difficult blessings".  It will help me get through mine, and it's always fun to laugh at things from the past.  Thank you for sharing your experiences and laughing with me.  You were laughing with me right?  Just Kidding.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Personal Gifts

Have you noticed that each person on the Earth is unique.  We have our own physical characteristics.  Some of us have red hair, some have brown eyes, some are tall.  We also have different personalities.  Some are shy, stubborn, fearless.  Some characteristics we were born with, and some we receive through our experiences.

To make us even more unique, we all have different talents or gifts.  Each and every one of us have multiple talents or gifts.  Typical gifts are things like: musical ability, culinary skills, artistic abilities, but there are also gifts not as obvious.
Gifts like:




  • patience
  • being a good friend
  • being a good listener
  • lifting others up
  • being hardworking
  • the gift of loyalty       
  • the gift of humor
  • being easy going
  • faithfulness
  • not easily offended
  • the gift of imagination
  • the gift of communication
  • easing the burdens of others
The list could go on and on.

I think that when we take a moment to find out what our own gifts are a few wonderful things will happen.  First, our confidence and self worth increases.  Yay!  Don't we all need a little confidence boost!  I know I used to think that because I didn't have an obvious talent like "Singing Sally" my worth was less than hers.  Not so!  We all have value.  And when we realize what our gifts our self worth will increase.

Second, we will use our gifts to help others.  If you are a good listener look for opportunities to help others by listening to them.  That not only makes you feel useful, but helps those in need.  Double blessing!

So when you have a moment, think about what your personal gifts might be.  We all have them.  No one was created talentless.  OOoooh, and if you see a gift in some one else, tell them.  Maybe they don't even know they have it!

Good Luck my talented friends!


Image link