Yep, that’s right.  I’m only human.  I have days where things bother me, and I am tempted to become discouraged.  Try as I may to push the negatives out of my head, they seem to resurface.  At times like these, it is important to reach out to someone.  There are just some times that you have to pour your heart out.   You have permission to feel the feelings and to talk about them, just don’t dwell on them.  That is where you get into trouble.  The more you dwell on the negatives of a situation, it will start to consume you.   As the saying goes,

You can’t live a positive life with a negative mind.

I heard another one today that rings true as well, and it is as follows:

Your thoughts about the situation lead to unhappiness.

I had a very sweet friend pray for me this week.   Not only did she pray for me, but she reached out and let me know that I was on her heart and that she just had to let me know she was praying for me.  I’m glad she did because her message came at just the right time.  It was as if her heart knew that my heart was troubled and her words were like soothing balm to my soul.

What did I do to combat the negative thoughts this week?  I prayed, and then I put on praise and worship music.  I can guarantee you that if you put on some good uplifting “feel good” type of music and just start singing your heart out, you are bound to drive away those ill feelings!  I do not believe that you can remain in a negative frame of mind when you lift up your hands or voices to the Lord to sing His praises.  That was, indeed, the solution for me this week, more specifically tonight!

I had a wonderful day with my family and yet these negative thoughts started creeping in about an upcoming situation.  I could feel the joy draining from my soul.   After my little jam session, I am pleased to say that, “I’m back!”   Negative Nelly has left the building, ladies and gentleman!  Positive Polly is back!  hahaha  I just could not resist,

You know that God will always provide, don’t you?  Without a shadow of a doubt, know deep down inside that God WILL always provide.  It just might look a tad bit different than what we had in mind.  Our Father knows best.

This thought keeps coming, and I have not been obedient up until this point to write about it.  It’s no secret that I love bird watching.  I have feeders up all over my property and in front of the windows of my house so that I can watch a variety of birds visit daily.  These little birds thrill my heart every time I see one of them perched enjoying the feast before him.   I have Wood Peckers, Blue Jays, Cardinals, etc. right on down to the smallest of birds being the sparrow.

Have you ever heard the song that talks about how His eye is on the sparrow so I know He’s watching over me?  It’s true.   As you read the words to this song, pause for a moment to meditate on exactly what it is saying.  Allow the words to speak to your soul:

Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart feel lonely
And long for heaven and home?

When Jesus is my portion
A constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches over me

For my friend that prayed for me and showed her love:

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy.  They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.  ~Marcel Proust

Please know how very grateful I am to have you in my life.  Thank you for watering the beautifully planted seeds you’ve sown as you sit back to watch them in full bloom.

One last quote as I close this evening,

Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.  ~Marianna Williamson

Life is truly good, people!  Our loving Heavenly  Father is so wonderful to us all.   Focusing our heart on that should bring an immediate smile to our face.   He’s watching over all of us tonight.  He loves us with an unconditional love like we’ve never known before.

Thank you, Father, for taking someone as human as I, with all of my faults and imperfections, and loving me even still.

~Shirley

Light, Love, Hope