Kathiey's World

Monday Morning Motivation:Fear of the Unknown Brodie and the Grocery Bag On your typical day, my dog Brodie is not afraid of bags. He is not fearful of handbags, grocery bags, or trash bags. He is not even scared of tea bags. But this was not your typical day. It was cold, and the sky was gray. There was a slight breeze, just enough to transform a plastic bag into an object of fear, at least for Brodie. We were taking one of our multiple daily walks when Brodie’s confident gait altered. His tail went down, his fur began to stand on end, and I heard a low guttural sound that I only heard when the UPS truck stopped in front of the house. I scanned the horizon in search of the cause of this behavior, and there it was, a small plastic grocery bag in a bush swaying in the breeze. I knew what it was, and because of this, I felt no fear. On the other hand, Brodie saw something that he could not interpret, and because it was an unknown, he was struck by fear. Do I think that we will never expe...

I chose this verse for New Year's Day because it speaks of "future" and "hope."  Not only a future and a hope but a blessing wherein God says he plans to prosper and not harm us.  Happy Day!  Life is going to be a piece of cake from now on. I will have a ton of money and be joyous in the future that awaits me.  Well, it may not be that easy.   As I read a few commentaries on this verse, I found that Jeremiah was writing to God's people who were in exile.  They did not have a carefree life; they were outcasts. At that time, this verse was a blessing of comfort to the people who received it, as it was for me when I faced the betrayal at the hands of my husband and the demise of my decade's long marriage. I leaned heavily on this verse to get me through each day, each minute.  I do believe in the context of the scripture and that God does want us to have a wonderful future and hope for each day.   In one writing, I found that to prosper means to grow...

Monthly Motivation Sometimes, fear does get in our heads and in our way.  The fear of failure, the fear of the unknown, and the doubt that we are incapable of success may block our progress.  We will miss many opportunities if we listen to that negative voice.  What does God say? "Have I not commanded you?   Be Strong and Courageous! Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged,  for the lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 Joshua 1:9 was one of my go-to verses when my 37-year marriage dissolved. I was afraid, and I was anything but courageous. God has helped me with the fear and uncertainty and continues to hold me daily, and for that, I am thankful. Overcoming our fears may be easier said than done, and I believe it is a process. I think to strengthen our faith, we must practice our faith. For me, this meant giving my fears to God over and over again as they continued to rear their ugly heads. Yes, our concerns may still ...

Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go," Joshua 1:9 Sometimes, where we find ourselves may not be where we want to be.  Sometimes, we did not choose to be in this place, but it was thrust upon us.  Regardless of our situation, we can rest assured that, as Christians, God is with us.  Maybe where we find ourselves is not our chosen path, but the one thing we can do is decide how we react to the situation.  We can now attempt to make a new path, knowing that God is "with us wherever we go."  What a blessing! Here is a quote by Kristin Armstrong concerning choosing our path... "This choice not only affects you, but it can shape the legacy  you leave for your children and grandchildren." Our choices affect everyone.  With God's help, I pray I make the right ones.  God Bless You On This Journey KathieyV:-)

Because of you, God, I will sing in the shadow of your wings! Thank you, Lord, for the shadow of your wings.  Thank you that I find protection, fatherly encouragement, direction for my path, and your endless, unfailing love that can be found in the shadow of your wings. Thank you because you uphold me in all things, and because of this, I have the strength to sing:-) God Bless You On Your Journey! KathieyV:-)

 Have you ever failed at anything? I have. Have you ever fallen down, either physically or figuratively, and felt you did not have the strength to keep on trying? I have. Have you ever felt lost/confused and just did not have the motivation even to try to get out of the hole you have dug for yourself or the energy to attempt to get out of the pit in which life has placed you? I have. I guess most of us have been in these situations.  But there is good news! It is a new day and can be a new beginning; we can get back up and keep on trying to be the best we can be. I find this is only possible with God's help. Here are a few sayings to help us pull ourselves up by our bootstraps no matter what is going on in our lives. "This thing called failure is not the falling down but the staying down."  (Author unknown,  at least to me.) (I happen to know the person in the photo, and he did get up and had many triumphant sledding moments after this fall.  He could have given...

Memories "Something remembered from the past, a recollection." I remember reading a book titled, "Before I Go to Sleep" by S. J. Watson.  As I am reading, I am always looking for quotes that touch an emotional chord in me.  The storyline of the book is centered around a woman who has lost her memory. She regains bits and pieces of her memory throughout her day, and then she falls asleep at night and loses it all again.   The quote I underlined and that touched me the most was this  "A ripple across the surface of the lake of memory."   There have been significant changes in my life over the years, and it has not been easy.  I do my best to give it to God.  I don't allow myself to think much about my past because I tend to gravitate to the pain.  After reading this quote, I decided to let myself remember. I allowed myself to remember the good. I remember Dave.  As my Dad was dying, he said, "Dave, take care of your sister," and he did. ...

The last 2 sermons I have listened to have touched on the fact that many of us feel disconnected.  Just what is the definition of disconnected? Disconnected: Having a connection broken.  To feel separated, separated, divorced, cut off.   I am sure there are many life events that leave us feeling cut off or disconnected.  For me, it was the end of a very long marriage.  For you, it may be something else.  Whatever the circumstance it is a comfort to know that we are not disconnected from God.  Please remember His promise "I will never leave you or forsake you" Thank you, God!   That makes me smile:-) Happy Monday! KathieyV:-)

Monthly Motivation He Directs Our Path It was spring break for my grandson Caleb.  We decided to go to a museum every day for three days.  The first museum had a special exhibit that contained challenging mazes and puzzles.  I know I am not the best at making my way through mazes, but we decided to give it a go.   I enjoyed the first maze.  This maze was geared to the younger kids in the crowd.  I liked that I could look over the barriers and quickly plot my course for an easy exit.  Yes, I saw clearly, and it felt good. Having made it through the first maze, Caleb and I were overconfident, so we decided to try the more difficult available mazes. This maze had high barriers, so much that I could not begin to see over to plot the desired course. We wandered, coming to endless dead ends, u-turns, and circles.  I am unsure how it happened, but somehow, we made it out.  Caleb decided he wanted to go again.  I wanted to say "No!" but off we w...

  I found this short story on a site called  Spiritual Short Stories.  The title of the story and the author are unknown.  As I read the story,  I thought of myself and the many others who have experienced pain and despair. The Story A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one would pop up. Her grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire, and soon the pots came to boil. In the first pot she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then s...

  This is a motivational post from my divorce blog.  I wrote it early in my separation and divorce process.   Psalm 143:8 is a beautiful verse that we can hold unto in the good and the bad times in our lives. Monthly Motivation I have found, in my transition, that one of the most difficult parts of my day is just getting out of bed.  I could lay there for hours in a strange form of emotional pain.  As I encounter people in my situation, which is almost daily, they too have this problem.  "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.   Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul". Psalm 143:8 I thank you for this life, Lord, even the painful times, because it makes me draw closer to you.  Help me to see my life as an adventure regardless of where I find myself.  Help me to see you in every situation. Please show me the way I should go,  for to you, Lord, I do lift up my soul.  Am...

 Monthly Motivation for June of 2023. I had recently finished the book "The Help"  When I found out there was a movie, I could not wait to see it. There were many times in the movie I found myself angry at the injustice and other times touched by the tenderness. The love in the quote repeatedly spoken by Aibileen to the little girl in her care touched my heart. "You is kind. You is smart. You is important"  Words we all need to hear when we are little and continue to need to hear as we age.  They are words of encouragement, support, and love.  In our humanness, we sometimes fail to encourage others with words they may desperately need to hear.  Sometimes we fail to give the hugs, the support, the time that we could share with others.  We get caught up in life and its problems, its busyness.   In the times when we feel alone, when we feel unimportant or feel downright stupid, we need to remember that is not how God feels.  To God, we are...

Today I will consider the tree.            I said to the almond tree, 'Friend, speak to me of God,' and the almond tree blossomed. Nikos Kazantzakis But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;  I trust in the loving-kindness of God forever and ever Psalm 52:8 God Bless You On Your Journey! KathieyV:-)

I came across a quote the other day that I have always liked.   When God closes a door he opens a window.  Someone added to that quote which made it become even more clear... “When God closes a door, he opens a window, but it's up to you to find it.” Jeannette Walls There is truth in that quote.  Yes, if a door does close, I believe God provides us with options. I, like Jeanette Walls would say, but that option does not just magically appear; we have to find it.  I don't think God intentionally hides our options, but I think we need to be motivated to seek them out. For example, In divorce, the alimony does not just appear you have to hire an attorney to make it happen. If you need a job you have to get out there and work to find one. If you want to take a nice vacation it does not just happen you have to develop a plan. If you want to make new friends you must get out there with others to find those friends. Here are a few photos and quotes... "If opportunity does...

Interestingly, there are times in our lives when we have it all figured out. We know what we need and are confident that our hopes are the right ones and in line with God's will for our lives. As far as we can see at the moment, these self-proclaimed hopes will never change. But guess what?  They can change. Our situations, experiences, joys, and pains may lead us to other hopes and dreams.  A  A dear friend of mine had a hope chest. We were teens, and I remember her chest filled with sheets, towels, tablecloths, and other household items leading up to her envisioned and hoped-for marriage. Her hopes sounded perfect to me. I now wanted a hope chest because I dreamed of marriage, a lovely home, happy kids, and endless friends.  What would I have put in my hope chest in my teen years? I would have put things in the chest for my home. I also had non-physical hopes, such as the hope of a loving husband who would love me forever, children that would fill the house with jo...

I can't believe it is February already.  As we begin the month, let's look at Monthly Motivation.  This one has to do with tasting the layers of our lives.  I have been reading a unique book, The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, by Aimee Bender. The premise of the book was fascinating. The main character in this book has a gift. Her gift is the ability to taste feelings and emotions in the food that someone prepares for her. She can taste joy, betrayal, fear, loneliness, and all the feelings and truths hidden in the food's layers. This ability is how she gets to know who you are. That got me thinking, "what would my daughters and friends know about me if I were to have them over for a homemade meal and they had this same gift?". What would they taste in the layers? I know they would experience some unpleasant layers that make up my life. Layers brought on by my being discarded by my husband. They would taste the emotional pain of abandonment. They would know th...

  Thank you, Lord, for the shadow of your wings.  Thank you that I find the protection, fatherly encouragement, direction for my path,  and your endless unfailing love in the shadow of your wings. Thank you because you uphold me in all things, and because of this, I have the strength to sing:-) Happy Monday, Everyone!                                                                         KathieyV:-)  

I love the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. Why? Because it is an example of God's abundant Grace on which I lean so heavily. It is a picture of God's love for us, for me. In church yesterday, the Pastor spoke of how the son in this parable had turned his back on his father. How he squandered all he had given him, and how he became desperate without his father in his life. How he then returned to his father and was lovingly accepted back into his father's house because he was so loved. And even though the son did not deserve it, his father forgave all his foolishness, and the slate was wiped clean. Years ago, there was a song that I would listen to that would bring tears to my eyes each time I heard it. It is a song by Benny Hester called "When God Ran."  "And the only time,   the only time I ever saw Him run   Was when   He ran to me,   Took me in His arms, held my head to His chest   And said "My son's come home again."   Look...

 Quote of the Week comes from Nelson Mandela.   When we fall Lord, and we will, please help us to rise. KathieyV

It is the first week of June 2022.  I can't believe how fast time is flying by.  I like to have a scripture to hold onto each month, and this month, I have selected scripture from Lamentations.   I love that God's "mercies begin afresh each morning." God Bless You on Your Journey! KathieyV