Monday, October 29, 2012

2nd Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Day

Friday, October 26, 2012
Most people know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And on Friday, October 26th, some of my colleagues and I hosted our 2nd Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Day at the office. It was a deliciously pink day at the office filled with sweet treats, information about breast cancer, some giveaways, great conversations and lots of pictures. See pics below. If you've been following me here for over a year, you might remember that we hosted our first event at the office last year. Click here to read about last years event. 

Many of my colleagues and friends helped me in so many ways. Thanks to my colleagues, we had plenty of food and they helped with decorating, setting up and clean up.

And much to my surprise, many women from different divisions within our company showed up with breakfast treats the morning of the event. From the kindness of their hearts, these women showed up with goods without being asked to help. That made my heart feel really good. What a blessing! Although our company has many different divisions, I was reminded on Friday that we really are one company and one family, who demonstrate one love for a good cause. 

One company, one family, one love!!! That's rich!

This year, I encouraged donations to the American Cancer Society and I'm happy to report that we raised $710 across multiple divisions! This is in addition to the approx $700 I raised two weeks ago when I participated in a 5k walk through the American Cancer Society. 

This is a cause that is very near and dear to my heart as I'm a breast cancer survivor. This fall I celebrate 3 years being cancer free, no small thing. I can't begin to express in words how thankful and grateful and blessed I am to be cancer-free. As a survivor, I feel like I have a responsibility to do something to help create awareness and to raise money to fight this nefarious beast. 

Hosting this event is one of the many things I do each year now to make a difference.  

The purpose of these events at the office is to equip women with information related to breast cancer and to shine a light on the importance of self-breast examinations and mammograms. Both helped me discover my breast cancer in the very early stages and that's what saved my life. Everyone walked away with a pink bracelet (my gift to my colleagues) and a pink ribbon lapel pin (compliments of the American Cancer Society) to shine a light on breast cancer awareness and to encourage them to get involved in the cause. 

I made some new friends that day and learned about and heard many stories about how breast cancer impacted their lives because breast cancer happened to their mother or sister, an aunt or a friend. Some survived, others didn't. As listened to their stories, I learned that one colleague lost her mother to breast cancer when she was only 13 and I think that's the story that gets me the most. I can't imagine ... 

Many people, including men wore pink on Friday and that made my heart smile every time I saw someone in pink. The support and love I felt and the hugs I received and gave that day made my cup overflow with gratitude. I work with a terrific bunch of people and Friday's event reminded me that people are always willing to get involved and to help make a difference. I'm really thankful for their support and their generous donations. 

Below you'll find some photos that were taken that day. It was a great day, one that I won't forget because it was filled with goodness, connectedness and I made some new friends through out the day. 

If you're among the many who helped that day, from the bottom of my heart, thank you! I can't describe how grateful I am for your love and support. I couldn't have done this without you!!!

And a special thank you as well to Jennifer Briggs, Regional Health Health Director at the American Cancer Society for sending me the pamphlets and the pink ribbon lapel pins. 

Oh! And congratulations to all eleven (11) raffle prize winners. Raffle prizes consisted of gift cards to restaurants: Jameson's Charhouse, Wildfire, and Bravo. Winners also won Muvico movie theatre tickets in groups of two. 

We made a difference on Friday and for that, I'm thankful. 

Enjoy the pics ...

Until next time, keep thinking pink! 

xx, Ruthie

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. ~Margaret Mead




















Monday, October 22, 2012

The Right Desires


Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” ~ Psalm 37:4

Today I came across a verse that really popped out at me. It popped out at me because yesterday I was talking with a friend who asked me to pray specifically for him. This person requested that I ask God to place the "right" desires in his heart. What a beautiful and smart prayer request because our desires often differ greatly from what God desires for us.

I don’t think it’s any coincidence that I came across this verse this morning. In fact, I’m pretty certain that God allowed me to read this verse for a reason and He is the One that put a thirst in me today to dive into its meaning and to study what this verse "really" means.

And this is what I learned and what I’m learning …

I learned that people, including myself have often misinterpreted the meaning of this verse. We read this verse and believe that God will give us every good desire if we delight in Him. But think very carefully about what the Psalmist is saying here.

We should keep in mind that what "we think" might be good, may not align with what God desires for us. We must trust and believe that He knows all things and sees all things even before they happen so it is ALWAYS better for us to desire what He desires for us. 

As I continued my study on this verse, I learned that when we delight ourselves in the Lord, He doesn’t give us what our hearts desire, but He gives us desires within our hearts

Did you catch that? 

He gives us the “right” desires within our hearts when we delight ourselves in Him.

God is the One that places the right desires in our hearts when we delight in Him. Then when we pray according to those desires, He is able to answer our prayers in the affirmative. As we live in this manner, our lives become more and more aligned with His will for us. 

My friends, Ruthie just got a revelation today! What an eye opening experience to learn this today. And I’m so happy to be sharing this with you, because we can learn together. 

It’s important to know that God is the One who places the right desires within our hearts when we delight ourselves in Him. Delighting in Him is so very important and necessary because Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that the heart is deceitful above all things. And if you stop and think about that, you have to admit that there is a lot of truth in that verse because our hearts are tricky little organs that can be so fickle depending on our circumstances. 

The Message translation for Jeremiah 17:9 says: The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be.”

Today, I’m starting to REALLY understand why it’s so important to have God place His desires, the right desires in and on our hearts because our hearts on our own are deceitful and not reliable.

God promises that when we delight in Him, and rely on Him, when we take pleasure in Him, that He will give Himself to us and deposit beautiful desires in our hearts, the right desires that line up with His will for our lives.

Delighting ourselves in the Lord means that we live our lives loving Him, honoring Him, and pleasing Him. If living for God is a burden to you, then you are not delighting in the Lord. But if living to serve and please God is a joy, then you are on the right track.

My thirteen year walk with God has taught me this: As I get closer to God, He changes the desires in my heart in really good ways. He puts desires in my heart to love and care for people I naturally would have never wanted to love or care for. He has placed desires in my heart to do good, good I would have likely never done if I didn’t live my life making Him priority in my life. I love pleasing God because I love Him so much. And I love Him so much because He has done SO much for me. I could NEVER pay him back for what He has blessed me with. My life may not be perfect but it’s a good life because He’s such a big part of my life and the reason I experience love, joy and peace and so many other delicious experiences. I’m an experience kind of girl, I love to relish and live in moments and my relationship with God has awakened me to appreciate the moments in my life.

Beloved, God loves us and He wants the best for us. We must believe that and never doubt that. 

We need to understand that in order for Him to bring out godly qualities in us, we must seek Him first and above all things (Matthew 6:33). Our journey in life is not always perfect. Sometimes it’s tricky and trying at best but God has promised that He will never abandon us, and He has promised that there is NO thing that will overwhelm us. He will be with us every step of the way.

The key to the right desires in our hearts: We must trust Him, obey Him and delight ourselves in Him.

Learning this today is going to change the way I pray for people, my friends and myself. What a blessing to learn all this today!

Until next time,

xx, Ruthie


May the Lord bless you and keep you and may His face shine upon you. May He be gracious to you, lift you up and bless you with His peace.  ~Numbers 24-26






Friday, October 19, 2012

Today

Today is Friday and for most of us, it’s the end of the work week. Today as we know it, will never come again.

There's a song on the radio that commands my attention every time I hear it. And lately, they've been playing this song alot on KLOVE, the radio station I love listening to. I'm not sure who the artist is or what the name of the song is. The lyrics in the song that stand out to me the most are: "I want to live like there's no tomorrow, love like I'm on borrowed time." Wow! ... What a powerful statement. I can so relate because that's exactly how I want to live my life. I'm not always successful at living like there's no tomorrow but at the very heart of who I am, I want all my moments to count. 

The other morning as I was walking into my my office building, I ran into a colleague of mine who asked me how I was doing. And he didn't just ask in a casual manner to be polite. He really wanted to know how I was doing because he asked the question twice. As we stood there, we got to chatting for a bit before we headed over to our respective offices and during our conversation, he shared with me that as he gets older, he's realizing how important it is to appreciate what we have and to make life count. I can't tell you how refreshing it was to hear that. This colleague of mine has an extraordinary spirit. He's probably one of the most affable people I know. Everybody who knows him, loves him! He e-mails me periodically or stops by to check in on me, to make sure I'm doing okay. I love that about him. He's just a very kind man with a very caring heart for people. And I think to myself, what if we were all like him? 

I share these things with you because I want to encourage you to think and to live differently. We should all aspire to be a blessing to others, to be a friend, to encourage and to empower, not just today but every day. We should take the time to check in on our friends and our family members, taking the time to care, to love, to serve and to pray. We should make that phone call, write that letter, send that e-mail, plan that visit or host that dinner party we keep putting off. Let's do something or many things to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people who cross our paths, the people in our communities and with our family. 

Each of us is equipped and each of us has the power to make a positive difference in life, every day. Our words and our attitudes and our actions carry extraordinary power. 

Together, let's decide today to tap into that power and to do something extra nice for someone. That someone could be a stranger, a friend or a family member. Maybe today, you'll decide that it will be many people. And if that’s what you decide, I applaud you! That’s a great attitude! After all, the day is still young, it’s not too late. It's never too late. 

When you speak to people today, slow down. Don’t be in such a hurry. Let your words breathe life into them. And when people speak to you, listen carefully and attentively. Let’s remember that people matter, people over things matter.

Let’s remember that our words have incredible power. Our words have the power to heal or to wound so let’s choose words that heal, that build people up, that promote goodness, wellness and kindness. Let’s choose words that leave people feeling blessed, loved and valued.

My friends, tomorrow is never promised. Today is all we have. What we have is right here and right now. 

So .... how are you going to spend the next 24 hours?

What kinds of things will you do and say to make a difference, not just today but every day?

Until next time, 

xx, Ruthie

p.s. I just researched the artist and the name of the song that I mentioned in this post. The artist is Jason Gray and the name of the song is called: Good to be Alive. It's a good tune and it inspires me in really good ways. :o) Hope it inspires you too. Be well ... 


May the Lord bless you and keep you and may His face shine upon you. May He be gracious to you, lift you up and bless you with His peace.  ~Numbers 24-26

When God’s face shines upon you, that’s Big Daddy smiling at you, beloved.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Forgiveness

Forgiveness I've learned is something we all have to do in life and sometimes we have to do it more times than we can remember. Nobody gets through life unscathed. At some point, you have either hurt someone or someone or many someone's have hurt you or disappointed you. What I’m learning about forgiveness is this: Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different. It is what it is. It makes no sense to keep remembering the offense. If you choose to dwell on the offense, you're living "stuck," stuck in your past. And I can assure you that the offender doesn't think about the thing they did or said to hurt you nearly as much or at all so why live like a prisoner when you have the power to live differently? Forgiveness is about letting go, and liberating yourself. If you want to live the “freedom” life that God desires for you, you must release yourself from your past hurts. You must stop living in the past and begin living in the present and keep on keeping on.

I'm not trying to minimize how hard it is to forgive. Believe me; I know how difficult it can be, especially when wounds are fresh. Forgiveness is hard work, really hard work sometimes. Forgiveness I've learned doesn't mean that you condone what was done to you. It also doesn't mean that the person who hurt you has to be a part of your life either. Sadly, sometimes we have to set healthy boundaries and decide that some people just cannot be part of our lives or part of our inner circle. Sometimes this is temporary and sometimes it must be permanent. If you have to make this decision, don’t feel guilty about it especially if you have to do this with a specific family member. You must remember that you are not their teacher or their advisor. You must allow God to be God. Let God deal with the people who hurt you. That's God's job, not yours. I've learned that hurt people hurt people so let God deal with their hurts. When I remember that hurt people hurt people, I find that compassion rises up in me. The best thing you can do for those who offend you, who hurt you, who disappoint you, is to pray for them. Yes, pray. It took me many years and re-reading and listening to God's word and sermons on the topic of forgiveness to be able to pray for those who have hurt me. I'm here to tell you that yes, it's hard but it's also possible. The Bible tells us in James 1:22 to be doers of God's Word. So when you're ready, pray for their healing. Pray that God will bless them with godly wisdom, pray that God makes them whole. If it's important to you and you want the relationship restored, ask God to restore your relationship. This I know is alot easier said than done but if you ask God to help you pray for those who have hurt you, He will help you in this area. But it begins with a decision. You sit in the driver seat of life and you are the one that must decide that you want to honor God and pray for those who have hurt you even when you don't "feel" like it. We can't live our lives guided by our feelings because our feelings are constantly changing. We must live our lives based on what is right, and true and honorable. When my wounds are fresh and I'm praying for those who have hurt me, I pray as a decision and most of the time, I find that I cry alot as I pray for them because the wound is still so fresh but over time, the tears end and I find myself feeling stronger and I'm able to pray bold and confident prayers praying for their very best. I pray God's Word over them and their lives. And in my heart, I know this pleases God when I finally get to this place. And truth be told, it makes me feel really good inside too, like I'm growing and maturing and becoming the woman God calls me to be. 

Forgiveness I’ve learned is a heart matter. Sometimes we forgive people face to face through a meeting (meeting with them) or we call the offender and share with them that we've forgiven them but sometimes, it’s necessary and safe and totally "okay" to stay away from the person who caused you pain or who violated you and forgive them in your heart without having any contact with them. The offender need not be present nor be in the know. Forgiveness is less about the offender and more about you and your healing and restoration. Forgiveness does not require an apology. Apologies are nice when sincere and they help us during the healing process but it's not necessary to receive an apology to forgive. We forgive to set ourselves free. 

The other thing I’ve learned about forgiveness is that God not only forgives us but He heals us and restores us. I love God for so-o many reasons but I love Him for how He has healed me and restored me through the years. Nobody could ever heal us or restore us like God. He is our REAL Healer, our only Healer. And let's face it, healing takes time, lots of time for many of us so please give God time and be a willing vessel and allow Him to heal you and make you whole again. We must give God time. My pastor continues to remind us of this lately and it's such a blessing to me EVERY TIME I hear him say those words. Often times, we miss God's blessings because we don't wait on God, because we don't give God time. Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that God makes ALL things beautiful in His time. Isn't this an encouraging verse??? I just love it! This is a verse that God placed on my heart several months ago, and I find it so very interesting that my pastor also recites this one often too. Sometimes, I think God inspires my pastor to write sermons/messages just for me because I've lost count on how many times I've walked away from church saying: "Wow! ... That message was right on time and spoke specifically to my circumstance." Only God! So mark this verse (Ecclesiastes 3:11) on your heart so you don't forget it and so you don't lose hope and please, please give God time. In fact, I love this verse so much that I printed the words and framed this verse in a 4X6 inch picture frame. The picture frame sits in my master bedroom as a tangible reminder so I never forget to keep waiting on God, to wait for His best. 

Sometimes the hardest person in life to forgive is yourself. Have you ever experienced this? I know I have. Many times. Too many to remember how many times. If you fall into this category, allow me to remind you that you deserve to let yourself off the hook. If you have prayed and talked to God and asked God to forgive you, then guess what? He forgave you! And you MUST do the same for yourself. You must forgive yourself. 

I love what the Bible has to say in Jeremiah 31:34. It says that God will forgive our wickedness and He will never again "remember" our sins. Isn't that amazing??? This means that when God forgives us, He remembers our sin no more, like EVER! And we need to do the same for ourselves. If the memory surfaces, choose a different thought and remind yourself that God has already forgiven you. When the hurtful memory surfaces, it's the enemies way of trying to keep you down. Sometimes I find that I have to say: Shut up enemy! In this context the enemy here is the devil, the dark spirit that works and whispers to you in your thoughts to keep you away from living your best life. The enemy loves to attack your thought life and that is why the battle is always in our minds. But fortunately for us, we have every thing we need to change the way we think. It's our job to renew our minds. When the enemy comes at you whispering terrible things, tell the enemy that God has already forgiven you and that you have already forgiven yourself and command the enemy to leave, in the name of Jesus! You can say, "In the name of Jesus, I command you to leave NOW!"  

Dear ones, did you know that God calls you to live an abundant life filled with emotional freedom from guilt and unforgiveness? He does and it says so in the Bible. So decide today to free yourself if you’ve been struggling in this area and forgive yourself. You deserve it and God desires this for you. And I want this for you too. 

If you’re struggling with forgiving someone else, allow me to remind you that forgiveness is a choice. Did you catch that? It's a choice. Forgiveness is not based on a feeling. If you wait for the day when you’re going to “feel” like forgiving someone, the day may never come. Forgiveness is an act of obedience to a holy God and when we choose to forgive, God ALWAYS meets us in the pain and releases us from the bondage of unforgiveness. He also releases us and frees us from all the ugly feelings connected to unforgiveness. In the process, He tenderizes our hearts and eventually our hearts no longer feel hurt over what ever it was that caused us to feel hurt in the first place. 

In Matthew 6:14-15 is says: "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Wow! This is a powerful verse!  This is one of the many verses that inspires me, motivates me and helps me to choose to forgive. It's not always an easy process, but it's always worth it because forgiveness brings peace into your life. Living with peace is nothing short of AMAZING!!! And it's not that kind of peace you experience from worldly experiences. It's a God peace. God's peace it says in the Bible surpasses human understanding. It's super sweet my friends. 

So in summation, forgiveness is necessary and important work and it's one of the best gifts you can give to yourself and others too. The pay off is: freedom, peace, and wholeness. You will feel better about yourself, the situation and where you stand in your relationship with God and others. Unforgiveness keeps you from experiencing God's best and all the beautiful blessings He desires for you. When you refuse to forgive, you open the doors to bitterness. But when you choose forgiveness, you open yourself up to peace and harmony in your life. 

Until next time, if you're in a season where you have an opportunity to forgive someone or yourself, I hope and pray that you will choose to forgive. It's worth it and you will be glad you did. 

Blessings, 

Ruthie


May the Lord bless you and keep you and may His face shine upon you. May He be gracious to you, lift you up and bless you with His peace.  ~Numbers 24-26

When God’s face shines upon you, that’s Big Daddy smiling at you, beloved.

Unforgiveness in your heart will hurt you more than anyone else. ~ Joyce Meyer


Forgiveness is the economy of the heart. Forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits.  ~ Hannah More 

When you forgive, you in no way change the past but you sure do change the future.  ~ Bernard Meltzer

You will know that forgiveness has begun when you recall those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well. ~ Lewis B. Smedes 

Forgive and give as if it were your last opportunity. Love like there’s no tomorrow, and if tomorrow comes, love again. ~ Max Lucado


Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free and realizing you were the prisoner! ~ Max Lucado






Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Because You're Special (a note from God)


You are not of the world … I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ~John 15:19 (ESV)

Beloved, 

Out of my love for you, I have chosen you to walk a different path. Putting your trust in my Son means that you do not walk according to the ways of the world. The lightness of your step and your joy in the journey—gifts of my Spirit—cause you to stand out.

Don’t let the opinions of those who doubt me cause you to question your uniqueness or my deep love for you. The enemy of your soul cannot stand the hope that I offer the world through you. He will try to discourage you or cause you to conform to the world’s image, but he will fail.

You, beloved, bear my fragrance. You are my image. Know that I am always with you and will always protect you.

Love, God


Dear God: 

When I’m tempted to conform to the world, remind me that I am Yours.

(The above is an excerpt from a devotional book called: Heaven Calling. I love this devotional book because you really do feel like you can hear God's Voice. In the book, there is a devotional message for each day of the year. It's a lovely way to start the day. I hope this blesses you today.)





Monday, October 1, 2012

October is all about PINK

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It's almost hard to miss if you're a shopper or love watching television or football, not that I follow football but I've seen all the pink the players wear during the month of October because my friends and family ALWAYS point it out to me every year. And you know what? It makes my heart really glad that they do. 

I think men who wear pink are brave and confident and I personally think they all look great in a pink shirt. I'm noticing more and more men wearing pink through the years, even when it's not October and it always makes me think: Now there goes a man who is comfortable in his own skin. I like that kind of confidence. 

So yes, October is all about the PINK. 

And on that note, may I encourage you this month to think pink? To buy pink? To wear pink? You know, there really is strength in numbers and together we can make a difference

We can all make a difference through purchasing something "pink" or we can make a small or large donation to the American Cancer Society or any organization that is doing something to fight the good fight against breast cancer. 

I just celebrated my 45th birthday last week Monday and this fall marks my third year being cancer-free. Yes, I'm a breast cancer survivor. I don't usually get super emotional about my birthday but this year, I found myself crying that deep ugly cry the Sunday before my 45th birthday. I sobbed in deep gratitude for being alive and for God's goodness in my life. 

My life is far from perfect and lately I've been healing from a back injury but I'm still grateful because I see God's goodness and so much beauty everywhere. I think when you look for it, you see it, and you can appreciate it. And for that, I'm thankful. 

Until next time, I hope you'll buy something pink, wear a little pink, and or make a small donation to a charity that is doing something to fight this nasty, nefarious beast. 

Until there is a cure, God bless and as always, many thanks for stopping by.

xx, Ruthie

Did you know?


Did you know that God wants to make your life wonderful, worth living, and something to get excited about when you wake up every day

And do you know that today, God wants to reveal His love to you in a fresh, new way? In fact, He desires this for you, EVERY DAY!
God wants to make you whole, not just a little bit, not partially but complete-ly whole. Beloved He does NOT want you to spend the rest of your life hurting, not about a past hurt, or a current hurt or a hurt that will happen in your future. He is the ONLY One who can set you free. 

So today I implore you to open your heart and receive His goodness. I promise ... you will never regret this decision.

Last question: Have you made any plans to make your tomorrow better than your yesterday? You know, it’s never too late. 

Every day, is a "new" opportunity to do something, to think about or dream about something, to move your life in a direction that will make your tomorrow better. And one of the best things you can do is draw closer to God, to seek Him, to learn more about Him. You can even reach out to someone who can answer your many questions about God and decide today to surround yourself with positive people who will build you up and breathe life into you with their words. It's never too late beloved. Never ... 

Until next time, may the God of our beautiful universe speak into your life and into your heart in beautiful and super-natural ways, today and every day. God bless you dear one. 

xx, Ruthie

May the Lord bless you and keep you and may His face shine upon you. May He be gracious to you, lift you up and bless you with His peace.  ~Numbers 24-26

When God’s face shines upon you, that’s Big Daddy smiling at you, beloved.