Relax

If you are stuck in a cycle of negativity, or perhaps a critical and offensive spirit, then perhaps this is for you today.


"Stop taking yourself so seriously…."

That is EXACTLY what I heard  in my meditation.

"Excuse me?" {sarcasm}
"Say What?"

"You heard me, dear," was kindly, and ever so softly spoken into my heart.

I had moseyed into one of my favorite verses.  Ever done that?   "Moseyed" awhile over one particular verse?  If you haven't, then I encourage you, to try it sometime.

How to "MOSEY" in scripture:

1. Read a verse of your choosing.
(By the way, your "verse" can be anything that inspires you.  Doesn't have to be a Bible verse.  Just so happened mine was.)  

2.  Dictate the scripture into your handy little mobile devise.

3.  Close your eyes, and listen to the verse word for word.                                                                 Listen to each and every word.  One word or theme may stick out.

4.  Play it again, and listen for a particular word to resonate.

5.  Play it a third time.                                                                                                                          What did you hear?   Treasures are waiting to be discovered.  Write them down.

Michah 6:8:  "He has shown you, O man, what is good.  What does the Lord require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" 

In my mind, I am screaming out…… "LOVE!!!!  YESSSSSS!!!!!!"
 
The "love-child" hippy in me immediately sees "LOVE mercy."  (before my second listen)

I'm all about the LOVE.  And mercy comes in at a close second!

In fact, the joke my kids have with me is that if I ever went on ABC's The Bachelor (which I wouldn't…. but I COULD take them all!!!),  I'd be gathering all the drama queens around coaching them on how to BE  LOVE to each other.  That, and passing out all my essential oil remedies for their hangovers.

But today, (back to the point) upon my moseying, the  treasure uncovered was  the word "humbly"  and it beckoned me to come sit a spell.

Convicted in places I have "failed" this whole humility thing, I want to first go to more even more critique.  This is what my brain wiring likes to initially do… critique myself the most.  Then I remembered  a conversation I had with  a good friend.  He reminded me  that reframing my words will ultimately change my reality. In my  reframing I discover more buried treasures, and the more the dazzling diamond in my soul comes forth from that lump of cole....

So I hear this word humility, and I hear, "Listen!"

"Okay? ! I am listening!"

"Stop taking yourself so seriously, Girl!"

 "Well, I will pay attention to that more."  I say out loud.

The flies my the wall are wondering what the crazy woman is gonna say next to herself!  I imagine them calling each other around, "Guys, Guys!  She's at it again!  Comon'  grab the popcorn!"  

I paid attention to this word Humble.

I found that in Greek translations,  the origin of humble is described several ways, but my internal spotlight stopped at this:

"Bring down ones pride.  To have a modest opinion of oneself.  To behave in an unassuming manner devoid of all haughtiness.  To confess ones spiritual littleness…. "

Wow!  "To behave in an unassuming manner devoid of all haughtiness.  To confess my spiritual littleness."

The opposite of this is to get offended.  When I forget that I am spiritually little,  I become critical, impatient,  blaming, and much too busy to look a stranger in the eye.   I miss out on so much beauty.  I take everything and everyone too seriously…. including myself!

I want to take Humility's hand, and walk with her down the unconventional path.

She  doesn't let me "get" offended with others, or myself.
When I am offended with others, its ALWAYS a "me" issue projecting out.  I daresay, that being offended is a control issue as well.  

Humility says, "Sow into others."

Humility says, "Be."    

Humility leads me to know that all I own is not of my own doing but a beautiful gift.

When I critique myself harshly, Humility soothes me with, "You are wonderfully made,  beautiful, and unique.  Stop with the striving."

Humility offers grace to "view"  through a lens of kindness and compassion.
She shows me  when I am rightfully upset about the way I have been treated, and I just HAVE to retaliate,  that there is something beautiful still in that person's soul.  That She is also taking my "offender" on a journey.  

Pause, Breathe….

"There is always beauty," I hear. 

"Stop taking yourself so seriously, so that you can see my beauty."

In other words, I felt him jokingly say, "Get over yourself, girl."

My take away?

There is always beauty.  I miss out on beauty, relationship, and peace when I take myself too seriously.  Others will miss out on the authentic me, and  I miss out on their diamond bright.  Oh that I may forever see the diamonds.  May it always be.

speak life

I propose a new thought for today.  We feed on obvious things like food and we hear the phrase all the time,  "We are what we eat."  While this is true, there are other sources of nourishment that we eventually will exhibit.

WORDS

Words that are spoken over us,  and words that we read are the obvious thought, but what I propose you to digest slowly, is  the words that we speak over ourselves!

"We are what we SPEAK."

If you have read any of my posts before,  you already know that I am a huge advocate of speaking life and love over others;  calling out gifts and beauty.  By doing this, they will rise up to that word.  What I am learning and trying to apply to my daily life is to speak out gifts and beauty and promise over MYSELF.

Proverbs 21:23 says, "He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles"

Taking this at face value, I have read this and thought to myself, "yeah yeah, I know;  I need to work on my tongue and what I speak to my kids, to my friends, and what I talk about with them."  I immediately apply this verse to the usual do not gossip, don't lose my temper, and let my words be laced in love kinda stuff.  But this morning I paused on this and thought about my day in that moment.  I reflected on my last few days and my thought life; about struggles, my desires, my hopes and dreams, and the areas in my heart where I felt lack.  Being a verbal gal, I speak out things and give attention to those thoughts,  and guess what? I give life to those words!

My words over myself  sometimes speak to my troubled soul.  Stresses of single mom life,  finances, and moments of having a spontaneous offensive spirit are battles to take captive and transform.  In some moments, fear tempts me  and threatens to plague my thought life.  What comes out of my mouth next (after these thoughts) is critical to the life I want to live and cause.

Honestly speaking, the power of my words can actually destroy my spirit and stir up hatred and violence inwardly.  These words are an overflow of my heart.  To live authentic with this heart of mine that wants to exude love and joy, I must use those words wisely!  Now this takes training!  My heart is not always congruent with my words and vice verse......  I have to practice.  Think about it!

Vulnerably, I share with you a text I sent to a friend this week as I was troubled over a few different situations coming at me in some areas of my life.  I wanted to guard my words.  I said this aloud as I wrote it, and I made a decision to proclaim this over my life daily.

"I declare contentment over every area of my life.  I no longer want to do things the way I did them in the past.  I love my life right NOW.  It is rich and full, and not lacking."

Jokingly my friend responded back, "Good!  Now go get that tatooed on your forehead so you don't forget!"

Well, maybe  not on my forehead, but I DO like this tattoo idea!

See, when I proclaim that, It becomes alive in my heart and I believe it!  It is true!  I have the courage to live this!  I have the courage to not take on a spirit of offense,  to become depressed or anxious, or jealous of anyone else.  I also don't wish for something I don't have, because I already know that I am not lacking!  Its incredible what this  phrase has done in my heart.

My witty friend Suezi   told me,  "When we discourage ourselves with our speech, we take our own courage away."  Woah!!!!!   I don't know about you, but I want to live my life full of courage, grace, humility, love, and joy.  It starts in my heart.  My heart doesn't always FEEL this way, and that is when I must train my speech to transform my heart.

In a different situation:

I have been working with a friend lately who is struggling to line up her heart and mind with her speech. She struggles in her marraige;  she complains about what she lacks.  She knows that to transform her heart, she must begin speaking outloud how thankful she is for her husband, how blessed she is in __________________ ways.  She knows to not focus on any lack.  She knows that she must look at her feelings from a different perspective!  I know breakthru is coming for her!  She is practicing!  She is courageously speaking goodness, love, joy, peace over this situation.

What does your heart need today?  What do you need to speak over yourself?  Encourage yourself today and just wait and see what happens?

Cheers!

Reach...

Furiously tapping my keyboard, emotions flow.  I implore all you who are hurting to reach up with your hands and stretch stretch them out!  Your life depends on it.  Reach!  God will pull you up.

There is always hope.

ALWAYS.

You who have left your spouse, because you thought the grass was greener. 

You who have given up on a dead marriage and want to leave.

You, who are about to sign the divorce papers..... DON'T GIVE UP!

You, who are looking too far ahead of your goal and feel the overwhelmed, doubt, fear, and guilt of never attaining it before, so why would this time be any different?  

YOU.... DON'T give up!

You, who grieve over the physical loss in your life of a child gone....... REACH UP!

You, who are staring down the bottle of pills right now wondering if taking them is the answer.  IT IS NOT!

You, filled with shame and guilt of your past..... let go.  THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE.

Friend, what is it you are facing today?  Take courage, I promise you that when you surrender your heart and will, and do the "hard thing" instead of the easy..... your reward will be great!

Proverbs 4 says this...."Let your eyes look directly ahead.  Let your gaze be fixed strait in front of you. Watch the path (path of your feet) and all your ways will be established.  Do NOT turn to the right or the left."  What I find fascinating  is the "path of your feet" part.  Don't look behind you anymore.  Stop it!  Wife, stop blaming your husband for your hurts.  That is your past and it is filled with guilt and shame.  Don't look to the sides... It is full of you comparing yourself to others.  You are you and wonderfully made.  Don't look too far ahead either, it will overwhelm you on your journey to wholeness and healing.  Press on.  Look right in front of you at the path of your feet... You can get through this, one stride at a time.

Friend, don't take the easy road.  Take the hard road.  Your life, your family, your dead marriage is worth it.  When you think the hope is gone, trust me when I tell you that there is still hope!  If you have taken the easy road, there is no shame, and no condemnation; just reach up..... ask for help.  Hope is always abundant.  The reward is great my friend.

There is redemption in all things!

I'm keeping it simple today.  You, who feel hopeless, listen to this song  You are redeemed.  Your life is ALREADY redeemed.  REACH UP AND TAKE AHOLD OF IT.  I pray blessings and reward abundant on each person who reads this today!

The Bitter and the Sweet

BETTER THAN THE BITTER

Chances are if you are reading this, you have once in your life felt shame, anger, unforgiveness, and then bitterness.  Not sure?

Have you had your heart broken?

Have you been spoken to or treated in a disrespectful way by a friend?

Have you been emotionally, verbally, physically, sexually, or spiritually abused?

Have you ever felt abandoned?

I have.

An experience was created for me yesterday when I was at the gym.  Whether this man meant to or not,  the experience caused for me was one of disrespect and judgement.  His action toward me was like a time machine speeding me back to a time when I acted the most rebellious and shameful. And while my brain knows I have been forgiven and I am not that person any longer, he treated me as if I were that same woman 4 years ago.  Even so, there is no excuse to treat another human with unkindness. 

 The experience took me to a fork in the road.  How would I respond?  I had a choice.  I chose thankfulness.   I'm glad for his  behavior.  His behavior, gave me great insight into how far I have come in the last 4 years.  What the enemy wanted to cause in my heart was destruction, shame, and a victimization mentality.  Because of the tools in my toolbox, I was able to turn the potential disaster in my heart into something beautiful in my heart. 

What the enemy intended:

You see, the enemy of my soul intended for me to crumble, and sink into a victim mentality of deeply pooled shame and regret.  The enemy intended me to get fired up, angry, confrontational, and tell my story over and over to different friends (only told one friend this time….)  who would listen.  My old self would lash out, sending me into an angry and bitter place.   

Friend, anger and bitterness numbs your true heart.

Anger and bitterness affect your health,  mind, personality, and ultimately your relationships. 

They poison your body.  Ulcers, high blood pressure,  and disease are some of the affects of this poison that leads us to a slow death in body and mind.    Did you know that 90% of our sickness is anger, fear resentment, and bitterness related?   

Most depression, insecurity, and anxiety can be traced back to  bitterness.  Bitterness alientates you from other people and can detour you from the best of life.  Trust me, I have lived that side of the coin!  Bitterness affects our relationship with  God, because God is by nature love and wants the best for us.  Bitterness causes us to think negatively on others self, God and all things.  Bitterness directs our attention from perfect peace to a place of self-focus.  

Medical studies show that when harbored, bitterness may forecast patterns of biological dysregulation, (physiological impairment that affects metabolism, immune response, or organ function) and physical disease.   

RESENTMENT IS LIKE DRINKING POISON AND WAITING FOR IT TO KILL YOUR ENEMY!  NO… IT KILLS US!

THAT IS WHAT THE ENEMY OF MY SOUL WAS AIMING FOR… THAT POOR MAN WAS A PAWN IN HIS PLAN!  

What really happened was beautiful

I HAD TO STEP OUTSIDE OF MY EMOTIONS AND NOT PARTICIPATE WITH THEM.  

I allowed myself to be sad for a moment.  I actually let a few tears flow.  And then I got my trusty toolbox out and began searching for the ones I needed to get through it.  I made a decision to forgive right there and then.  

Forgiveness is really the kindest thing you can do for yourself.  It is one of the most difficult things to do, and responding to evil with kindness is what it takes.  When I am unjustly treated, my default wants to get angry, depressed, and become self-righteous.  But that behavior in my heart won't get me the life I want.  I want a long life of joy and peace.  

Want to live long and happy?  You must forgive.  Whether the offender deserves it or not in your mind is beside the point.  YOU DESERVE to be free of the evil.  

 HOW CAN YOU TAKE STEPS TO FORGIVE?

Think of your enemy as someone who has helped you grow

Make a list of good things that result from that awful experience

Be compassionate with yourself, and eat well, rest, and focus on beauty in world.  

Allow yourself to feel pain.

Forgive means to UNTIE and the fastest way to free yourself from that enemy and all negativity associated with bitterness is to forgive.

Stop telling the story of the pain.   How many times a day do we go over and over the hurt?   It is literally a stake in the ground that keeps us from moving away from it.   Stop telling the story. 

Back to what really happened…..

What the Enemy didn’t intend: 

I asked to see that person in a new light.   I stepped outside of my emotion, and believe me, it was NOT easy.  I was humiliated.  But I left the situation, processed, and I immediately took myself out of the equation.   For what ever reason, this man felt bigger making me feel small.  That is his issue and heart.  My issue is to protect my heart form bitterness and unforgiveness. PERIOD.  

When I looked at him with a different eye, I saw him  with a heart of compassion.  I realized that he has  most likely never truly experienced amazing grace, and it caused compassion.  I cannot imagine living a life without grace.  I then prayed for him.  Yep.. (No... I didn’t pray for god to strike him down…lol).  I prayed a blessing for him.  I prayed his life would be blessed.  

NOW HOW IS THAT  for untying the tether from that stake in the ground?  

A wise lady once explained to me that forgiveness is not a choice.  It is mandatory.  It isn’t an  “Oh I am processing it and when I am ready, I will forgive” kinda deal.  Its not an option.  She then taught me that when I truly forgive, I will be able to bless that person and wish a good life for them.  

WOW!  at that point, I knew I had not forgiven a specific person in my life that caused so much pain. 

So I began to practice this.  Any time I thought of this person, I immediately took that tought captive and said the words, whether I meant them or not…. “I wish good and blessings over ______ life”  In my heart, It was hard the first few times, but the words we speak out in the universe are alive.  Pretty soon, after much practice, it became less hard, then it became second nature when his name crossed my mind.  After several months of practicing forgiveness over this person who I felt destroyed my life (a bit dramatic, I know) I ran into him in public.  I had not seen him in well over a year.  We spoke a few minutes and I then walked away. The freedom I felt was like nothing I have ever experienced.  I was free.  There was no stake or tether, no bad or good feelings.  Just a being.  It was SWEET!  

So when this other man in the gym acted in a way to cause my experience of shame, I had a choice.  Would I receive it in my heart and let bitterness grow.  Would I allow him more power in my brain?  Or would I turn it around and bless him and forgive?  I decided that I wanted to have a wonderful day and would not give it power.  I blessed him.  I also felt compassion for him.  I moved on.  And that is SWEET.

The sweetness of forgiving is much better than the bitter!  

BE LOVE…..

"Many times we are oppressed to being "littler" or less than we are/ but when human beings are loved up.... and supported mentally and emotionally, spiritually they rise to the occasion in brilliant ways to become the best self they can be"


Its time for us to stop being offended.  It is time for us to stop fighting, and stop trying to control.   If we wanna see a change for the better in our families, marriages, relationships, we must take a different approach.  Love.  Mystics, Prophets, Spiritual leaders, and my favorite, Jesus said it over and over and over.

Chances are, you are thinking about how someone or something has hurt or offended you.  It happens.  Just does.  What are you gonna do about it to cause a different experience?  Or better yet...... how about YOU cause an experience of love first.  Don't wait.

Get up and walk into it.

Daily, I am faced with a choice.  Will I create an experience of love with the grocery clerk, gas station attendant, cable man, student, my ex-husband, his wife (I like to call her my step-wife as we do co-parent very well) and of course my own children?  Am I willing to take a few extra seconds to make another person feel "bigger" and "more than"?  Those few extra seconds are supporting that person mentally, emotionally, spiritually.

Here's an Idea!

With our children.....

We can call out their many wonderful things so that they continue to rise to that occasion.

OR, we can get on to them constantly nagging them about that not so good test grade, or the messy room.  That list can go on and on.  How about we try something new?   How about we try a new approach?  How about we try speaking life into their hearts?   Just the other day, I told Lily, in front of her brother (who she had been bickering with quite a lot in the past few weeks) that I had really noticed  in the last few days she'd been giving of herself.  I saw how she had put others needs above her own, and had a willing heart to serve even Tripp.  I told her how I loved her heart and how beautiful it was to see her mature into a lovely young woman.

NOW DON'T YOU THINK THAT IS SOMETHING OUR CHILDREN WANNA RISE TO?

Her countenance changed; she sat up straiter, and a smile beamed from her heart outward.

Husbands and wives, how about we stop looking back and living in the past and start calling out the beauty and strengths we see (or hope to see).  It will change your relationship!  I learned that lesson too late.  But I still learned it!

Stop looking back.  Stop trying to control everything and everyone with your own agendas, and just love from a place of authenticity.  I don't think we would need all of those happy pills and "drugs" of any sort.  And by drugs, I mean any addiction like pills, alcohol, and food.  What about Facebook, Instagram, Snap Chat, Twitter, or any other thing that distracts us and numbs us.  We live in such a narcissistic society!  Stop! Look around!  People are hurting!  People are dying inside and we are focusing on tweeting what we ate for dinner!  Really?

NOTHING else matters!!!!!  NOTHING.  It is so simple.

" If speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.  If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

BANKRUPT WITHOUT LOVE!  

So what is love? 

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.


Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.

Love doesn’t strut.                                    

Love doesn’t have a swelled head.                          

Love doesn’t force itself on others                      

Love Isn’t always “me first.”                                        

Love doesn’t fly off the handle.                    

Love doesn’t revel when others grovel.              

Love takes pleasure in the flowering of truth.

Love puts up with anything.                                  

Love trusts God always.

Love always looks for the best.

Love never looks back.

Love  keeps going to the end.

Love never dies.

HOW MANY RELATIONSHIPS WOULD BE SAVED IF WE ALL  LIVED THIS WAY?

 HOW MANY CHILDREN NOT REBELLING?

HOW MANY LESS BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS IN THE CLASSROOM?

I challenge us all to LOVE today.

BE LOVE!

Letters…….

Letters….

A teaser from my upcoming short story…

Sitting on her porch with hands trembling, she clutched the letters.  Holding them close 

to her heart, huddled in a ball, she rocked her body back and forth, back and forth.   

Was she brave enough?  Could she handle these words in particular? 

"Words, always with the words!" 

Words were her achilles heel; she needed them. Her fix came from men, friends, or 
relatives; it didn't 

matter where she got them as long as she did.    

She NEEDED them to survive.  Like a needle direct to her 

vein, she manipulated, bargained, and chased after her addiction.  The insatiable hunger 

for words assuring her of her beauty, her worth, or intelligence was never satisfied; and 

when they were not offered freely,  she demanded them.  Usually, she could find 

them without too much trouble.  But the words from this person were different.  They 

scathed.  Laced with guilt and shame, they always wounded and never missed the bull’s 

eye to her heart.  She let them in so easily all of her life, and NOW, she had a choice.  

Would she to let them in?  How could what had always been insulting weapons 

against her soul be any different now?  Why did God wish her to read these letters now?

What other words could be spoken into her heart?   This choice  

was her’s and she should have felt empowerment, but she felt trepidation.  Permission 
had never been requested to speak before.  This is why she had not read these letters.  
She had the upper hand for a change.  She had control.  And now, in this moment, she 

wanted no part of controlling.  Control tactics had not served her well.  

“Oh God, do I dare?”  

A single tear trickled.  Just one was all she would allow. 

“Am I strong enough?”

“Daughter, I am strong in you” 

“I am with you” 

Reading the letters was a risk.

“Ok then.  If I must," she bravely resolved, and with fingers trembling, she unfolded the 

papers, and then practiced a round of deep breathing techniques she'd learned in yoga.  

Slowly scanning the words, a well of pent up tears overflowed.  A few times, she 

stopped and sobbed into her folded arms. Words that she had always longed to hear  

were now the rusty old key fitting perfectly into the locked recesses of her heart.  

Decades of damage received into her spirit  had sharply dug trenches in her heart

where tenderness had once lived.  Trenches now housed the numb, bitter, and thick 

scars.  But these words were a healing salve over her scars, and they would birth new 
living skin in their place. 

In these moments,  the years of rejection and adoptive spirits were completely washed 

away.  Years of anger and misunderstanding were diffused.   As she read the letter, she 

could hear her mothers voice and she had to stop periodically to release deep pools of 

buried pain.  So much emotion forced underneath;  Lies were planted so deeply 

in her heart.  

AND NOW to learn the truth?   

She was wanted.  

She was loved.  

She was not a burden after all.  

 My Dear Girl, 

From the very beginning, I've always chosen you but you've managed to convince 

yourself otherwise.  I was talked into putting you up for adoption because I was barely 

able to take care of myself.  How could I take care of you too? ……...

 

To BE or not to BE

"You know Shelli, you don't always HAVE to BE such a bad-ass."

"Excuse me? Wait, What?"

"You heard me," said with a chuckle.

Why wouldn't the Artist of my soul speak to me this way?  He is using my language.  He got my attention.

In these past few weeks, I faced some mental, spiritual, and physical challenges.  It's ironic that when I feel like I have it all together, just around the corner, lies my next challenge.  Yet again, something new to take a bite into,  and slowly digest.  A few weeks ago,  I was forced into stillness.  Literally, ALL activity in my life had to come to an abrupt halt leaving me to mull in the silence of just BE-ing.  I had no choice but to do some spiritual heart surgery.

In the stillness, I was able to see that I had gotten caught up once AGAIN in a tornadic cycle of striving.  Let's be honest.  We all get swept up in this cycle.  Fortunately I am not as stubborn and stiff-necked as I used to be.  Notice I said "not as."

We all have our "striving cycles."  Mine may be different than yours.  One of my most recent striving platforms that I've been out to prove is my "bad-assery."  My mighty princess warrior had been on a rampage for everyone to see,  my pendulum way out of balance of living in my authenticity.

"How about you lay down that mighty princess warrior sword awhile?"

"Uhhhh, ok?"

Direct, Clear, and to the point.

I began to think about how I have been proudly waving that sword.  Directing it to slice through every challenge, and every person I perceived to  challenge my strength as a woman.
(pride comes before a fall)

In my forced stillness, I realized that I had forgotten to BE.  I love to BE.   BE-ing is the BEST!!!!!  I know the value of being still,  I teach the value of being still, and I (ahem) mostly live in  being still.  I realized, there is more to settle in my soul.

The prideful warrior inside wanted to prove to everyone she could fight, and she was a strong bad-ass.  MPW drove herself full force into situations that potentially could have caused her emotional and physical harm.  Fun, yes… Adventurous….yes.  Sometimes stupid…yes.  Prideful….you betcha!
(I will fight for you, you only need to be still)

Surely I can't be the only person who struggles with this balance.

I wonder………

What is it that you are striving to prove?  Haven't you proven enough?  What do you need the world to see?  Are those reasons serving you?  When will it end?  Will there ever be NOTHING left to prove?

       For me, (literally and metaphorically) my warrior authentically will always be drawn to tough mudders, steep rock climbs, cliffs to jump off of, daring water adventures, and certifications.  

The big question I pose to myself, and to you is WHY?  Are we drawn to the striving to prove our worth?  Are we drawn to strive out of duty?  

OR….do we live in zeal from the authenticity of how our soul was designed to live and love?  

What would it look like to simply BE?  

To live in this moment not to PROVE a single thing.  

What would it be like for us all to truly BE comfortable in within our skin and LOVE. 

 What  revolution would start in our community if we stopped trying to prove "that thing"  

Think about it.  

I challenge you as I challenge myself, to enjoy living in the present moment of BE-ing.  

XOXO

The Quiet Truth

I  don't know why the lies are louder.  

Lies are rude; they interrupt.  They do not raise their hand and ask permission to speak.  And when they speak, they shout.  It is very hard to get them to shut up once they get going.  

Lies accuse, shame, and demonize. 

       What lies do you hear?  


Truth behaves the exact opposite!  Truth is a gentleman.  Remaining still, quiet, resolute, Truth in pure love always encourages and inspires.  

      What is your Truth?

If you don't know your truth, then how do you rest, stay, or cling to it?  When lies drown all other noise out and leave you smothering in darkness, how will you find your way?  You must know your truth.  

You must saturate in it.  

What is your truth?  

Who are you?  

If you don't know who you are, simply look at the accusations coming against you.  You are the antithesis of those accusations.  You see, the very thing your soul was created to do, to be, to live will be attacked and the accusations will come up against them.  

When you flourish in your beauty (your gold), the accusations are the opposite.  

Struggling with insecurities of speaking or sharing a message of your heart?  I would bet that you are created to speak  it.  If you are a gifted speaker, then your attacks will come in as the doubting of your gift.  Your attacks will attempt to silence your message; your voice.  It makes sense doesn't it.  The enemy may be slick, but he's still kinda stupid.  Like those dumb bullies in all the movies.  

If you are an encourager who thrives on calling out the beauty in others, then I bet that you struggle in your own self worth and discouragement.  This will isolate you from the very people who are needing you.   It makes perfect sense.  The enemy of your soul wants to silence you.  Dumb bully!

Some of the lies you may be hearing:

You are worthless?  
You are invaluable, priceless, and a precious commodity!

You are alone?  
You are cherished and included.  

Believe that you have no voice?   
You are gifted, articulate, and communicative! 

Hearing you are invisible?  
You are seen, visible, obvious and are made to be seen!

Hearing you will never amount to anything?  
Victory and success are around the corner.  

To live in truth takes work

You have to renew your mind, retrain that brain of yours to speak out the truth.  Speak this truth out when you feel overcome by the lies.  You will rewire that brain and once you believe it and truly know your truth,  The lies will get quiet.  

Find your truth, Its the opposite of the shame.  Bind it on your heart.  Wear it around your neck.  

What you feed grows

PS… These accusations are just a few that could be heard.  These are merely some the ones I have experienced in my life, and some that I still experience.  I'd love to hear your truths and how you have overcome the shameful accusations.   

PSS… If you struggle with finding your truth, I'd love to help you.  Send me an email at shellitrippbloom@gmail.com and we can work together to find your truths, and stay in them.  

Are You Getting a Raw Deal???

Getting' a Raw Deal

I may as well just go on and spit it out!

I have been known to drink Raw Milk.

Thats right, non-pasteurized full fat, raw milk, and I love it!

People ask me, aren't you afraid of Botulism?  What about Salmonella?  What about the fat?  NOPE…

I want to ask, but don't, "Aren't  you tired of being a sheep and believing everything that the media, government, and FDA tell you?"

I try to explain why raw milk is better, and why its actually the pasteurized, homogenized milk from the dairy factoried, miserable, hormone pumped cows that make us sick.  That its truly the bloody pussy (you can't see it) in that dairy that wreaks all kindsa' havoc on our systems, inducing the symptoms we see today in our children like asthma, eczema, hives, GI issues, and yes CANCER.  No one listens.  Heck, you may check out at this point.  

I am simply offering you an educated "other side of the coin" that is often muted out by the Big Pharma, FDA, Government, Large Corporation, Big money, Shut-
Down-the-Small-Farmer organizations.  

Because here is what actually you get my friend when you buy that pasteurized milk at the local grocery….

PUS!!!!!

Pasteurized milk is 150 times more contaminated with blood, pus and feces than fresh, raw milk.

And not only that…. here are some other dangers of drinking pasteurized milk from big dairy farms…

1.  KILLS BONE DENSITY.  THIS IS THE MOST IRONIC FACT TO ME.  It totally contradicts what we… the sheep are spoon fed. The dairy industy has been hard at work the last 50 years convincing people that pasteurized dairy products such as milk or cheese increases bioavailable calcium levels. 

This is…. well, I am just gonna say it… BULL-SHIT. 

IT IS BECAUSE OF THE PASTEURIZATION PROCESS THAT OUR BODY PULLS THE CALCIUM FROM THE BONES and other tissues in order to buffer the calcium carbonate in the blood. Calcium carbonate happens in the pasteurization of the milk.  

This process actually causes osteoporosis.

2.  Feeds Cancer-  One of the most prevalent hormones is an insulin like hormone called IGF-1.  Medical studies conclude that IGF-1 feeds breast, prostate, and colon cancers. Heck, really any cancer feeds on it, but these three are the most prevalent.  

3.  Pasteurazation covers up the low milk quality

4.  Destroys nutrients- those nutrients that are put back in the milk are "fortified" and they are synthetic.  Your body doesn't recognize them or use them.  

5.  Destroys enzymes- No secret here.. the heat kills the enzymes.

6.  Causes Asthma

7.  Causes antibiotic in-effectiveness-  The more antibiotics we take, the less effective they become.  Well them there cows in that factory???  They are pumped full of them because they get tuberculosis from standing in their own feces all day.  

Don't believe me… Do your research; it is out there.  A wonderful book to add to your library is The Untold Story of Raw Milk. 

Lets talk about the benefits of RAW MILK

Raw milk is what you get when you milk a cow.  Nothing is added, removed or heated.  All of these totally awesome and amazing nutrients and enzymes found in raw milk are still fully in tact:

• calcium
• phosphate
• magnesium
• sodium
• potassium
• citrate
• chlorine
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin K
• Vitamin E
• Thiamine
• niacin
• biotin
• riboflavin
• folates
• pantothenic acid

The only way to really get the full benefits of these nutrients, and the enzymes that help us use them all, is to consume raw milk.

Raw milk also contains many components that kill pathogens and strengthen the immune system. These include (but are not limited to):

* lacto-peroxidase 
* lacto-ferrin, 
* anti-microbial components of blood (leukocytes, B-macrophages, neutrophils, T-lymphocytes, immunoglobulins and antibodies), 
*  special carbohydrates (polysaccharides and oligosaccharides), 
*  special fats (medium chain fatty acids, phospholipids and spingolipids), 
*   enzymes,
*   beneficial bacteria, 
*  B12-binding protein. 

 These components are largely inactivated by the heat of pasteurization and ultra pasteurization.

Now you definitely need to do your research.  Not every local dairy farm that offers raw milk is good.  Find out what they are feeding their cattle.  They must be feeding their cattle grass.  Milk from these cows are going to have higher levels of fat-soluble vitamins, conjugated linoleum acid (CLA) and other essential fatty acids.  How are they milking?  Are their cows grazing on grass all of the time or GMO fed products some of the time.  Unfortuanately some "organic" cattle farmers are dishonest and claim grass fed, but when it comes to milking time, they actually begin feeding their cows ALOT and I do mean ALOT OF grains.  

For an interesting history lesson on how we came from a culture that drank raw milk to a culture that now pasteurizes, you should read  The Untold Story of Raw Milk.  I find it fascinating that the man who pushed for pasteurization, and did win still fed his own family raw milk. (its in the book)

  HMMMMMMM…. that sounds a little like the health care quandary we are in today.  

Again I say it… we must stop being SHEEP

You are getting a raw deal my friend…. from the FDA, Government, Pharma, and Big Industry….