The Chords of Your Life

Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus

It has been 2 weeks since I have entered a post. I thought January was typically a slow month but that has not been the case this year. I started off blogging October 2011 and was faithfully posting up until a few weeks ago. I feel like life is cramping me with all kinds of activities, although not bad things, but you can only do so much in a day.

I recently used my Christmas money to purchase a Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus. That was quite an investment for me but I am serious about furthering my guitar techniques. I have always loved music and the rhythm that guitar strings make, touches the core of my soul. But this post is not about music or guitars, it is about following our passions and being in control of them.

We all have different needs in our lives and the activities we follow meet those desires for us. These needs can change from one year to the next or from month to month. For me, those changes depend on how I control that activity. When the activity starts controlling me then I burn myself out. I am searching for a balance in my life. I want to incorporate new activities such as more time with my music but I also don’t want to forsake things such as this blog. Right now I do not see how I can post daily or even a certain amount each week. I don’t want to commit to a certain amount and then fail either. I will be posting as thoughts arise and let that be based on a day by day basis. Just know that if I do not post a blog for the day that I am working on other projects as well.

Socialization is very important to me and I like having time to spend with my family and friends on a daily basis. Sometimes that ranges from going out shopping with my Mom to raiding or running heroics with my guild family.

My relationship with God is also very important to me and I am trying to follow a plan with a friend that involves reading through the Bible in a year.

And you guessed it, I will be working on my music. I am following a program on a new PS3 game that should improve my skills greatly.

My encouragement for you today is, to find your balance, follow your dreams and desires, but don’t let them control you. You control them!
And if I could add a corny guitar play on words…. Don’t fret, control the chords of your life.

“This life is yours. Take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well. Take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly. Take the power to walk in the forest and be a part of nature. Take the power to control your own life. No one else can do it for you. Take the power to make your life happy.”
Susan Polis Schutz

WARNING

Do you read warning labels?  I would have to answer with, sometimes I
do and sometimes, I toss them in the trash can, without regard.  I
mean seriously, some things are common sense.
I am well aware that I should not blow dry my hair while I am
sleeping.  I also realize that I should not drink or taste dish
washing detergent.

What I would really find useful would be, warning labels on people.
If I could use my eyes to scan a bar code on someones forehead, that
said for example, ‘This man is very stingy. If you marry him he will
charge you for the toilet paper you use weekly.’  Or, ‘Warning:
becoming friends with this person will give you a lifetime of
happiness.’, life would be a lot less complicated.

Yes, I know, this is impossible, and maybe I would disregard the
warning like I do on my mattress cover label, ‘Do not remove or you
will serve time in prison.’

I believe in fate, and that there are no surprises with God.  He
brings some people into our lives to make us grow, and some to help us
make it through another day.

Life can be harsh and cruel sometimes, or it can be the adventure of a
lifetime.  Trust God, that he has a perfect reason for everything.

“A man’s conscience, like a warning line on the highway, tells him
what he shouldn’t do – but it does not keep him from doing it.”
Frank Howard Clark

“History is a vast early warning system.”
Norman Cousins

“Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the
right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we will know
how to be grateful for the gift.”
Unknown

(Image source: http://www.damncoolpictures.com/2010/11/stupid-warning-labels.html)

CHRISTmas!

As you celebrate this joyous Christmas season, remember that Christ, is what Christmas, is all about.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16

Christmas is about remembering God’s precious gift to us, and in turn, commemorating it, by giving gifts of love to others. It is not about commercialism, its not about how many or how expensive the gift,
it is the thought of love.

My favorite song in the whole world is “Canon in D” by Johann Pachelbel. Here is a beautiful Christmas version by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Merry Christmas to you all!

Love,
Cat

Love beyond Measure

Have you ever been fortunate enough to know the feeling when someone trusts you implicitly,  how it makes you want to go above and beyond for them, and it feels like it would tear your heart in two if you ever broke that trust?

How about when you are absolutely adored by another, and you feel as if you can do no wrong in their eyes, how it makes you want to be an even better person, because they have so much confidence in you?

when you look into their eyes and know, beyond all shadow of doubt, you mean the world to them, how you want to shower them with all the love in your heart and soul?

Love is the most precious gift God gave to us. God is love and he gave his only son to die on the cross for us.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man would lay down his life for his friends.”  John 15:13

If you have someone in your life that feels this way about you, then count it the greatest blessing you could ever receive, for you are so truly blessed beyond measure.

“Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives.”
C. S. Lewis

(Image source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/86356535/buddies?ref=cat2_gallery_32)

Blind Horse, Guide Horse

The following is a beautiful story, but it is not my story.  It touched me deeply when I read it and wanted to share it with you.

“Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it.
From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse.
But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice
something quite amazing.

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His
owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home
for him.

This alone is amazing. If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear
the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, you
will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.

Attached to the horse’s halter is a small bell. It lets the blind
friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow.

As you stand and watch these two friends, you’ll see that the horse
with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that the
blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the
other horse is,trusting that he will not be led astray.

When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each
evening, it stops occasionally and looks back,
Making sure that the blind friend isn’t too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just
because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges.

He watches over us and even brings others into our life
To help us when we are in need..

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing
bell of those who God places in our lives.

Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way.”

“Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly.”

Author Unknown/ Image source Unknown

No Mistakes

A king who did not believe in the goodness of God, had a slave who, in
all circumstances, said: My king, do not be discouraged, because
everything God does is perfect, no mistakes!

One day they went hunting and along the way a wild animal attacked the
king. His slave managed to kill the animal, but could not prevent his
majesty losing a finger.

Furious and without showing his gratitude for being saved, the nobleman
said “Is God good? If He was good, I would not have been attacked and
lost my finger.”

The slave replied only “My king, despite all these things, I can only
tell you that God is good, and he knows the “why” of all these things.

What God does is perfect. He is never wrong!”

Outraged by the response, the king ordered the arrest of his slave.

Later, he left for another hunt and was captured by savages who made
human sacrifices.

In the altar, ready to sacrifice the noble, a savage had found that the
victim had not one of his fingers, and the king was released. According to them: it
was not so complete to be offered to the gods.

Upon his return to the palace, he authorized the release of his slave
that he received very affectionately.

– My dear, God was really good for me! I was almost killed by the wild
men, but for lack of a single finger, I was let go! But I have a
question: If God is so good, why did he allow me to put you in jail?

– My King, if I had gone with you in this hunt, I ‘would have been
sacrificed for you, because I have no missing finger.

Therefore, remember: everything God does is perfect. IT is never wrong

Often we complain about life and things that happen to us apparently negative,
forgetting that nothing is random and that everything has a purpose.

Every morning, offer your day to God.

Ask God to inspire your thoughts, guide your actions, to ease your
feelings. And do not be afraid. God is never wrong!

You know why this message is for you? I do not know, but God knows,
because he never makes mistakes…….

The path of God and his word is perfect, without impurities. IT is the
way of all those who trust in him, as he says in 2 Samuel 22: 31

There’s an App. for that!

Ok, first off let me warn you…I’m a huge Apple fan. When Apple comes out with a new product… it’s usually love at first sight for me.

I am sure you have, in the past, seen the commercials where they show that you can virtually do anything you can think of with your iPad, iPod or iPhone because literally …There is an app for that!

Well what about life? Is there an application for every question I have about life? Yes, I believe there is.

Do I know them all? No I don’t!

But the key is that they are out there like little Easter eggs and I just have to find them! Do I literally mean I can browse the Apple app store and find it? Of course not… I’m talking about the applications you and I both learn on a daily basis that life is constantly hurling our way!

The answers are all out there somewhere, some much more hidden than others. But if we persevere, if we don’t lose faith and the hope that we can find them, then somewhere along the way we will discover what we seek.

Unfortunately, there are questions that will never be answered until after death. Those are the ones that we have to totally rest our faith in the fact that God is in control.

Let’s wrap this all up in a neat package? Sure!

You are the designer of your own “app”! Just keep knocking! Some doors open immediately, some you have to rap your knuckles a little harder, and some doors are just never going to open no matter what.

Take the good with the bad, and for everything else? Check out the Apple app. store!