Beth K. Vogt's Blog, page 55

In Others’ Words: The Need for “This I Knows”

So Monday’s blog post was about reframing impossibilities. Today’s post is about certainties.

I have to admit I kept tripping up over the phrase “The thing about getting older is … “ because, well, while I am getting older, I like to ignore that reality. Overlook the wrinkles. Highlight and lowlight my way past the gray. Celebrate my birthdays, sure, but not focus on my age.

But to put the truth of today’s quote into perspective, it has to be within the context of age … of maturing. I’ve moved from chasing after all the possibilities. I’ve achieved some dreams, some goals. I’ve won some … and I’ve accepted that I’ve lost some. And I’m old enough to realize I’m not going to have the chance to attempt to try everything I’ve ever wanted to … or dreamed of doing. I’ve had to say no to some things so that I can say yes to others.

So life does become about the certainties. The “this I knows,” you could call them. Here’s one thing I am certain of:

God is trustworthy — no matter what the circumstances of my life. I learned this the hard way — through a long season of doubt. (I blogged about this back in 2013.) After that time, I drove a virtual stake in the ground (and I wrote it down in my journal) saying: No matter what God, you are trustworthy. 

This topic is not up for discussion in my life. It is one of my “this is I knows.” And yes, I need to know what I am certain about just as much as I need dreams … maybe even more.

In Your Words: Which do you need more: possibilities or certainties? What is one of your “this I knows”?

In Others’ Words: The Need for “This I Knows” #inotherswords #lifequotes #certainties
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What are you certain about? #quotes #certainties #truth
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In Others’ Words: Possible Impossibilities

It’s Monday.

I think I shall start the week believing the impossible.

There’s so much more breathing space … so much more room for dreaming and doing … when I stress the possible in the word impossible.

Rather than thinking of all I won’t get done today or tomorrow or the day after … rather than thinking won’t and shouldn’t and and can’t and mustn’t … I’ve decided the mental roadblock of the word impossible doesn’t exist. Impossible is now a wide open door to so, so many possibilities.

Who knows what I’ll discover with my eyes wide open and the limitations shoved way-back? Who knows what I’ll accomplish with yes as my answer to all the doubts and questions that want to impede my progress?

Today I am going to believe the truth “I can do all things through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13 NIV) – and not put any hidden qualifiers on the verse. You know what I mean: I can do all things … except for dealing with that family issue. I can do all things … except for juggling those competing demands on my time.

No exceptions. No impossibilities. Care to join me in believing all things are possible?

In Others’ Words: When have you changed your thinking about something impossible — and been surprised to see it become possible?  How would you encourage someone facing an impossible challenge today?

In Others’ Words: Possible Impossibilities #lifequotes #inotherswords #faith
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It’s Monday: Believe the impossible #lifequotes #choices #possibilities
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In Others’ Words: Looking for a “handout”

In the Fellowship of the Ring, the first movie in the Lord of the Rings trilogy by Peter Jackson, the hobbit Bilbo Baggins describes how he feels to Gandalf the Gray Wizard this way:

I feel … thin. Sort of stretched, if you know what I mean. Like … butter scraped over too much bread. 

Thin. Stretched. Scraped. All perfect descriptors of life when hope is worn out. You’re leaning hard on your faith, wobbly that it is, and straining to see more … to see whatever cavalry you’re looking for to come riding into view.

I’ve been there, looking for a “handout,” hoping against disappointed hope that something — or someone — will change. Unable to see past the mess, the discouragement, the pain of the situation — but choosing to stand in faith. Not a “wish I may, wish I might” childish kind of belief based on wishing upon stars and waiting, waiting waiting … No. Faith isn’t about me and what I do or don’t do. My faith is firmly anchored to God and who he says he is — unchangeable (Hebrews 13:8 ESV)  and merciful (Hebrews 4:16 NASB) and one who listens to my prayers (1 John 5:14 NASB).

In Your Words: When has your hope felt thin … stretched … scraped? What helps you dare to have the faith to hold your hand out in the dark again, believing God is there?

With thinks to my writing friend (and walking buddy), Mary Agius, for sharing this quote with me.

In Others’ Words: Looking for a “handout” #lifequotes #inotherswords #faith
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“Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark.” #quotes #faith #inotherswords
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In Others’ Words: Barren is … as Barren Does …

Sometimes when I tell another person how oh-so-very busy I am … well, I’m hoping they don’t hear the hint of pride in my voice.

I’m a busy, busy person. That must mean I have a life worth living … a life of significance … that oh, maybe, I’m important somehow?

(And now I’m shaking my head as I think: You’re really going to admit that awful truth here? Don’t you want to use that DELETE key?!?)

But I’m not cleaning up this blog post. Nope. I value honesty — y’all know that by now. And the truth is I also know busyness does not equal significance. Not even close. The busier I get, the more I can lose track of the very things I value the most. The busier I get, the more I can lose myself.

Barrenness. 

Long before the birth of Christ (BC), Socrates was philosophising about busyness and how it can wring our souls out and leave us empty. Generations before the Internet and Facebook and Twitter and DirectTV and IMAX and telecomuting and the “sandwich generation” and parental peer pressure (although I think that’s been around since Adam and Eve) — all the things that creates busy for us … there was the black hole of barrenness left in the wake of being too busy.

The question is: When faced with the WARNING, WARNING, WARNING … how do we stop all the BUSY, BUSY, BUSY?

For me, it’s perfecting the simple word, “No” — saying it and meaning it, no matter how someone else responds. It’s knowing that a wise woman knows her limitations — and that I can’t do it all and be true to myself, my values, and still have breathing space in my life.

In Your Words: How do you stop the BUSY, BUSY, BUSY and avoid the barrenness?

With thanks to my writing friend, Laura McClellan, who shared this quote with me.

In Others’ Words: Barren is … as Barren Does #InOthersWords #Lifequotes #Socrates
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“Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” #lifequotes #Socrates #busyness
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In Others’ Word: This-a-Way or That-a-Way

I so enjoy the eloquence of Yogi Berra.

Granted, it’s a bit garbled, but the man speaks truth.

When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

Make a decision. Make a choice. Keep moving. 

And yes, sometimes the decision we have to make is all about choosing between a right or wrong possibility. But sometimes it is about making the decision to take the fork in the road — either one — and face the coming consequences.

Make me know Your ways, O LORD, Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day. (Psalm 25:4-5 NASB)

In Your Words: When you face a fork in the road, what helps you take it? How do you decide this-a-way or that-a-way? Where has the path led lately?

In Others’ Words: This-a-Way or That-a-Way #lifequotes #inotherswords #choices
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“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” #lifequotes #YogiBerra #choices
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In Others’ Word: More Meaningful Than Words

I am a hugger.

Not a non-discriminating hugger — the kind of person that ignores another person’s “DO NOT HUG ME” barrier. No. I try to be more sensitive than that. I also give people I meet fair warning, telling them straight up, “I’m a hugger.”

I believe today’s quote: Hugs are powerful. Being embraced by another person — by someone you trust — provides comfort. Understanding. Healing. And oftentimes, no words need to be spoken.

In Your Words: What about you? Are you a hugger or no? When has ” … a good strong hug” been more powerful “… than a thousand meaningful words”?

In Others’ Words: More Meaningful Than Words #lifequotes #inotherswords
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The Power of a Good Strong Hug #lifequotes #comfort
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In Others’ Words: Fight the Recipe

When it comes to cooking and using a recipe … well, I’m not the most strict follower of outlined steps.

Oh sure, I buy the recommended ingredients. But when it comes to measurements, I tend to eyeball a teaspoon of salt or a cup of sugar. Close enough is good enough, right?

Follow the recipe to a point … and then freewheel a bit. That’s the fun of being a “creative.”

Don’t you love that word creative? It gives you permission to push the rules back a bit so you can try new things … explore … and enjoy the unexpected results.

When it comes to writing, I am a creative. Yes, I’ve learned the craft — and I’m still learning new ways to be a better writer. But when it comes to story, this is where I fight the recipe. This is where I dare myself to try new things, to up my game, to set aside the literary measuring cups and spoons and follow the story down unexpected twists and turns. Sometimes I allow my characters have their say, rather than putting words in their mouths.

Fightng the recipe … daring to embrace life as a creative … and allowing the story be more than I ever imagined.

In Your Words: How do you live your life as a creative? Where do you fight — or follow — the recipe? 

With thanks to my writing friend, Susan Mathis, who said this wonderful bit of wisdom when she spoke at the local Colorado Springs ACFW meeting this month.

In Others’ Words: Fight the Recipe #inotherswords #lifequotes #amwriting
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“We are creatives.” @SusanGMathis #writers #inotherswords
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In Others’ Words: Change of Direction

Got any plans for the upcoming week?

Got any plans for changing those plans?

I like to start my week of with my “Here’s what’s going to happen” list. A rundown of my appointments, my commitments, my deadlines, and my “got-to-get-them-dones.”

And then things change.

I’m learning that adjusting my plans isn’t a bad thing — and sometimes doing so is the absolute best thing.

I may look at my calendar on Sunday night and think I know exactly how the week needs to go. But then Monday happens — and it’s a snow day and my youngest daughter is home from school.

Change of plans — change of direction in my day. I can either resist it or be flexible and go with it. Enjoy the time with my daughter. Yes, I still have things to do, but hey, my daughter is home. Why not take advantage of that opportunity?

Or I may think Tuesday is all clear — a writing-without-interruption-day. And then — surprise! — copy edits show up in my inbox. Change of plans — change of direction in my day.

Change is about more than what direction I’m moving toward — although that is very important. Change is also about my attitude, which can be a true indicator of whether I’m heading in the right direction or not.

Am I tense? Stressed out? Second-guessing myself? Then odds are I’m not heading in the right direction. It’s time to stop what I’m doing and pray about where I’m heading. Decide if I keep doing what I’m doing … or do I change my actions (and my attitude) because it’s the right direction.

In Your Words: How do you decide when change is the right choice? When did making a decision to change what you were doing get you going in the right direction?

In Others’ Words: Change of Direction #inotherswords #lifequotes
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Are you heading in the right direction? #inotherswords #choices
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In Others’ Words: The Thoughts That Make Us Strong

My youngest daughter likes to read fantasy and scifi novels. My son writes fantasy novels (and yes, his debut novel releases in April.) I know enough about that genre to tell you that one type of character populating those books is a shape-shifter. A shape shifter appears in one form at first — maybe a human — but can shift to another form — maybe an animal of some sort. One shape … shift … another shape.

I can do my own version of shape shifting — emotional shape shifting, that is. One minute I am feeling fairly balanced, confident — calm, cool and collected. The next minute, I’m second guessing myself and my life choices, dragging myself around by the virtual scruff of the neck and giving myself a real going over.

Why the emotional flip flop?

If I take the time to trace back the path of my mood shift I can figure out the (mis)direction of my thoughts. With a little mental investigation, I discover where I allowed a discouraging word to settle into my mind or where I allowed a bit of disappointing information to lodge in my heart as a judgement against me as a person.

Our thoughts can be so, so devious. Mishandled, our thoughts are the very things that weaken us, like bullets fired from a gun equipped with  silencer. We don’t hear the shots being fired, but we feel the effect of that thought as it explodes in our mind and damages our perspective, our movtivation, our hope.

I really blew it when I said (fill in the blank) to that person.

I wasn’t well prepared for my presentation today. I sounded so stupid.

I’ll never do as well at (fill in the blank) as he does. Why do I even try?

I can’t.

I’m so ashamed.

Nothing I do will change anything.

I’ve had to learn how to stop listening to the thoughts that defeat me. I’ve had to choose what is going to define me: thoughts that I let slip into my unguarded mind or thoughts that I choose to dwell on so that I am strong and resilient — and in my right mind. It’s a deliberate choice — some days it’s a fight. But I am stronger for it.

In Your Words: What thoughts make you strong? What helps you hear them?

The Thoughts That Make Us Strong #lifequotes #inotherswords
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In Others’ Words: The Thoughts That Make Us #Strong #quotes
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In Others’ Words: The Power of Laughter

 

Right before I worked on this post, my husband and youngest daughter were watching a sitcom on TV. Nothing special about the show — the TV just happened to be on because they’d finished watching our favorite program, The Flash.

My favorite part of those few moments was hearing my husband and my daughter laugh.

One study states that laughter

lowers your blood pressure
reduces stress hormones
triggers the release of endorphins, which are the body’s natural pain killers

 

Now I wasn’t thinking about all of these health benefits when I smiled at my husband and daughter laughing. Not at all. I just savored the sound, knowing they were happy, they were relaxing, they were having fun.

There’s something about laughter — the right kind of laughter — that refreshes our souls.

And when I hear a child laugh? Ah, there’s nothing more pure, more uplifting than the freewheeling laughter of children. (You should have been there when I took that picture of my friend’s son getting a “lickle” from Pippin. I can still hear his laugh whenever I look at that photograph.)

In Your Words: When’s the last time laughter provided you with an instant vacation? Whose your favorite comedian?

In Others’ Words: The Power of Laughter #inotherswords #quotes
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#Laughter is an instant vacation.” #inotherswords #miltonberle
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With thanks to my writing friend, Jeanne Takenaka, for providing this quote. Jeanne has a wonderful blog that I encourage you to visit, both for the inspiring insights and the beautiful photography.