Tonya Ferguson's Blog, page 46

little inspirations

"Be aware of what you say.

Your words can either Cut

like a Knife or Soothe like

a nice Warm Hug."     ~tf

little inspirations

"Be careful......Each word you speak is like a tiny boom-a-rang.

You may think they go away, but they will come back to you."     ~tf

practical life lessons

Caught.....Not Taught



"Why do we even bother to say we can't "take any more?" 

I mean really, what is the alternative?  How would it be possible

to NOT "take any more?"  As long as there is breath in our bodies,

we will continue to "take" whatever we have to.  It's called,

"LIFE," and we're either smack-dab right in the middle of living it,

or we're dead.   



We should know by now that we will be able to do

everything that is asked of us, and even more.

So why do we allow the negativity to creep into our words?



When things in our lives become the most difficult is when

we are able to grow the most, if we don't kill it with the power

of the negativity with the things we say.  If we know that we

WILL be able to do something, what good can come from us

first saying we can't do it? 



We need to be BOLD, COURAGEOUS, CONFIDENT, and

POSITIVE, in the things we think, do, and say.  It not only affects

us, it affects those we come in contact with.  We need to

"walk that walk" and "talk that talk."  We need to lead others

by our example.  Let them see us living within the power of

positivity.  Some of the best lessons others can learn

from us can be "Caught....Not Taught." 



Until the next time we talk.....Stand firm on Philippians 4:13.

Love, Hugs, & Prayers,

~tf

little inspirations

"Ahhhh, morning is such a sweet and

special "grab-bag" time of day. 



There's so much going on around us

in the morning stillness, to tickle our

senses as the world awakens.



In that stillness, we should drown in

Thankfulness, as we drink in the dew of

God's presence that glistens all around us."     ~tf

little inspirations

"Before you speak or act you need to ask yourself these 3 simple things.

Is what I'm about to say or do TRUE, KIND and NECESSARY?"     ~tf

practical life lessons

If you are only living for what you can get out of this world, that's very "sad."

If you think it's all about you, that's very "sad."

If you don't care about the needs of others, that's very "sad."

If you never reach out a hand to someone in need, that's very "sad."

If you refuse to lay down your life for the sake of someone else's, that's very "sad."

If you are always putting yourself above everyone else, that's very "sad."

If you are not showing compassion to those in pain, that's very "sad."

If you think you are better than everyone else, that's very "sad."

If you aren't willing to help someone gain a better quality of life, that's very "sad."

If you hurt or demean people with your words or actions, that's very "sad."



Aren't there enough "sad" things in this world without you adding to them?



If you don't get my point here, then THAT is very "sad."



Until the next time we talk.....stand firm on Philippians 4:13.

Love, Hugs, & Prayers,

~tf

little inspirations

"Your fear of trying to "Please People" puts you in bondage of them.

STOP IT!  Stop it right now!  Break those chains of bondage NOW.     ~tf

my stormy lessons

When Imperfection Is Perfect Enough



NOTHING in this life is "Perfect."  NOTHING!  "Perfection" is something strived for , but never achieved.  It will never be obtained by anyone, so we need to stop wasting our time trying.  We just need to learn when "Imperfection Is Perfect Enough."  The quicker we learn to do that, the better off we will be and the more stress that will be relieved from our lives.



I have not lived a "Perfect" life, nor will I ever.  But even in my times of "Imperfection" I have found things still turned out ok.  I may not have lived up to my idea of "Perfect," but I was never a failure, because failure is never final.



I think my learning that no one will ever be "Perfect," early in my life, is what helped to navigate me through the most violent 13 year storm of my life.  I had to learn to live with the "Imperfection" of death, disease, grief, loss, Caregiving, and sacrifice.  "Imperfection" was all that surrounded me.  I saw the "Imperfection" that was brought into our world.  I lived with that "Imperfection" for such a long time, and tried to make "Perfect" sense of it, to no avail.  There's no way to make "Perfect" sense out of "Imperfection," or is there?



I am so glad God doesn't expect us to be "Perfect."  He sent His "Perfect" Son to die for ALL our "Imperfections" so we would never have to worry about being "Perfect."  It doesn't mean we have a free ticket to ride in this world.  We should want to live by the standards, morals, and values that we are taught about in the Bible as we develop our relationship with God.  But when we are "Less Than Perfect," God's Grace is ALWAYS there to Forgive our "Imperfections."



Taking all of that into consideration, why would me writing my book be any different?  I never set out to "become an author" as I was growing up.  I wasn't even thinking about that at all while I was living the very words that eventually became my book.



I began writing for me, in hopes I could begin my healing journey.  I finished writing for everyone else, in hopes they could begin to walk through their healing journey.  As I wrote more and more, I realized it was turning into a book.  I had never written a book before.  I didn't know how to write a book.  I only had my TRUTH to follow as a blueprint as I put my heartbreak down on paper.



Of course I wanted my book to be done correctly.  I wanted it to be "Perfect."  Ooops, there's that word again.  I should have known there was no way that was going to happen.  While I was writing my book it wasn't too bad.  But as I was adding the finishing touches to it to get it ready to send it off to be printed, IT ALL HIT THE FAN.  The closer I got to getting it done the worst it got.



I began having severe issues with the program I had used to write my book in.  Every day when I opened it up I had to COMPLETELY re-format the entire book before I could start working on it again.  Then it would keep locking up on me and when I would open it back up I had to start over with the re-formatting.  Every day I re-wrote my book, trying to correct the errors and glitches that kept showing up.



The last week I cried every day as I fought against the "Imperfect" program I was using, as I desperately worked to get my book completed before I completely lost it into cyber space.



Once I got the book back from the printer, I was devastated to find some of the errors and glitches were in there.  I considered getting the corrections made and getting "Perfect" books printed.  It bothered me that there were mistakes in the book.  It bothered me to think others may think my book was not viable because of the "Imperfections."  Then my daughters brought to my remembrance how the "Imperfectness" of our lives is "REAL LIFE" and "HONEST."  They felt it had turned out JUST the way it was supposed to.  The way my book had turned out was the epitome of my life's "Imperfections."  Those few "Imperfections" were my "Badge of Honor" to be worn proudly.  Those few "Imperfections" represented the long, long "Imperfect" battle I had fought.  Those few "Imperfections" were my "Battle Wounds" to walk through life with.  How could I even consider taking those few "Imperfections" out.  There's no way I could re-live my life to not include them, so they simply had to stay.



So, where some may see those few "Imperfections" as mistakes that I should have corrected to make it "Perfect," I couldn't disagree more.  If I could change anything to make it "Perfect," it would be the "Imperfections" of death, disease, grief, loss Caregiving, and sacrifice.  Sometimes you just have to know when "Imperfection Is Perfect Enough."



Until the next time we talk......Stand firm on Philippians 4:13.

Love, Hugs, & Prayers,

~tf

little inspirations

"It's not WHAT you go through, it's that you go THROUGH it!

There is NO Battle too Great!

You are NEVER too Weak!

There is ALWAYS a Way!"     ~tf

little inspirations

"There's NEVER a day so long or a time so bleak that we

STILL don't have SOMETHING to THANK God for."     ~tf