Self-Talk, Soul-Talk

“My friend, you are a reflection of the way you think.  Wise King Solomon hit the nail on the head when he said, “For as he thinks within himself, so he is”  (Proverbs 23:7 NASB)


“The thoughts that run through our minds become the inventory we store away in our thought closets.  And out of that inventory we daily draw truth or error -- powerful, life-shaping beliefs that go on to influence  both our feelings and our actions.”


Jennifer Rothschild is a well-known speaker, author, and is also a gifted recording artist.  She is an inspiration to thousands of women not only because of her talents, but because her of her blindness which she has had to learn to over come since the age of 15.

The quotes above are both from Jennifer’s book, “Self Talk, Soul Talk.”  This book was written to help people replace destructive self talk with constructive soul talk from God’s word.


I hope that you will read this book, enjoy it, and learn to speak truth to your soul.

Let the words of my mouth

And the meditation of my heart

Be pleasing in your site,

Oh Lord, my rock, and my redeemer 

Psalm 19:14

Natural Remedies: Falling Asleep & Insomnia

First off, if you are wondering what happened to the essential oils topic...don't worry.  It will come back!  I just needed and break and I figured something different would be interesting for a few weeks.  Plus, I need some time to do some research so that I can write some better posts on essential oils.  :)

So this week, we're mixing it up and looking up natural remedies for (not) falling asleep and insomnia.  This one seems to be a little more personal...some things work for one person and others not so much.  So if you have any other ideas, feel free to share them!  Here are just a few things that help -- without taking sleeping pills. :)

• Avoid sweets and caffeine after noon - the caffeine and sugar add to energy rushes and uneven blood sugar levels that will keep your mind racing and your body from relaxing.
• Eat foods rich in magnesium - these foods include seeds, cashews and almonds, dark leafy green veggies, and whole grains. Magnesium is a natural sedative and a lack of magnesium can cause insomnia among other symptoms that can leave you sleepless.
• Try the visualization relaxation technique - this involves imagining a relaxing scene.  You could also remember relaxing times in your life to lull you to sleep. 
• If you are trying to train your body to fall asleep, melatonin can be an effective remedy.  Melatonin is a natural hormone within the body.  For a short-term period (usually thought to be 3 months or less), it is perfectly safe to take melatonin pills to help you fall asleep.  If used for longer, be sure to consult with a doctor.
• Warm milk also has a soothing property that helps people fall asleep.  For a little extra sleepy power, add a splash of nutmeg to the milk.  
• Prepare your body (and brain) to sleep - this means avoiding naps (if at all possible) and exposing yourself to as much natural light as possible during the day and then eliminating as much light as possible at night.  This will help your body naturally produce melatonin.
• Don't stare at the clocks (if you can't avoid staring at them, move them) - if you stare at the clocks worrying about the insomnia, it is likely to make it worse.  
• Get up and move around - if you can't fall asleep, move around, take a shower, get a new perspective.  Then try again.

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Will You Take the Nails?

Guest Writer - Rachel Stickler

"Nails didn't hold Jesus to the Cross - Love did"
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          Often I lay in bed on my side while facing my wall.  Not at all odd, right?  No.  Most of the time I stare at the cream colored paint until I drift off into slumber.  Well, last night I placed my hand on the wall.  I couldn't see it very well as all the lights were out.  I have done this before, you know, wondering if your hand print were anywhere, would you be remembered for the things you accomplished with your hands...well, I did this once again.  It drove me to tears just looking at the outline of my hand, I asked myself, Have my hands changed the world? Will they change the world?  Will they try to change the world? Have they saved someone's life?  Have they praised God with every part of their being? Have they served honestly, joyfully, and peacefully? Have they been strong and courageous, finding the root of evil?  Have they lifted the fallen back to their feet? Have they cared for the elderly and the sick? Have they held the sword of truth in trembling awe?  Have they been raised in worship to their Creator?  Have they written the Words of Life for all to see?  Have they expressed deep love and passion?  And most of all, have they been willing to take the nails, and die as Christ died?

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          This struck me like a ton of bricks.  I don't know if it has or will affect you as it has me.  God is showing me that the work of ones' hands (and ones' heart) can change the world.

          Will you die to yourself?  Will your hands take the nails? 

          Matthew16:24-26 states:  Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will loose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

"WILL YOU TAKE THE NAILS?" 

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About guest writer - Rachel Stickler

          "I am a 16 year old born again Christian, a quadruplet, a dreamer, a bookworm, a writer, a wanna-be singer, a sinner, a lire, and a hater.  It's true.  I fall short of the glory of God yet he gave (and gives me) grace every day.  I fail, I fall, and I fly.  What can I say?  I am who God made me yet I am who I choose, and I choose to be His alone.  My writings are musings and my readings are dusty old books...I love it!  And if I get lucky, God will drop something in my lap that I can tell you about!  I want to change the world (Or should I say, I want God to change the world through me), and this generation.  If I went on, this would become a novel!  So...there is just a little taste of who I am and what my dreams are :)    

Rachel's Blog: Chosen Generation

Recipe Mondays: Healthy Fruit Rollups

Remember as kids getting those yummy fruit rollups?  Maybe you are an adult and you still get them! Those things were so much fun!  And good!  But...a little less healthy.  Well, the times of debating whether or not to eat something so good, yet so unhealthy, are over!  Check out this simple recipe (link below) to make your fruit rollups in a healthy, homemade style! Happy Cooking!

Healthy Fruit Rollups

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Saturday Smiles - Need a Smile?

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Need a smile?  Here are a few funny pictures that I hope will brighten your day!




"Team work in action!

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Pony ride anyone?

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 "I win!" says birdie

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Discovery Friday - Cool Craft & Decorating Ideas

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Who doesn't like unique and amazing craft ideas?  I sure do!  I recently discovered these unique ideas and I certainly plan  to at least try the bottom three for decorating my room!




<<  Who would have thought?  Coffee filter, flower baskets!  How fun!

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A paper plate seahorse?  I love it!!!

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What a GREAT way to decorate candle holders!  I plan to make several of these and flower vases too!

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 This idea is certainly a must try!  .... Though, I haven't decided what I must try it on quite yet.

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What a fun idea!  I was looking for a way to decorate the outlet covers in my room - and now I have it!


Do you have any unique craft ideas?  Share them with me!


~ Missy

The List

My Character Prayer List 


Admit it.  We all have things in our characters that we aren’t exactly happy to admit. 

 Pride, wrong motives, and bad attitudes are just a few that I could mention.  As bad as we may know these things are, often times we end up watering them and watching them grow instead of working to destroy them.  Letting bad characteristics grow in our lives can easily harm those around us as well as our relationship with the Lord.  A simple prayer will never change these things in our lives, but continual prayer and effort will.  

My suggestion to you is, make a list!  Write down the top 3-5 things in your life that need to change and then pray about them daily.  By choosing to focus on, and pray about these issues on a daily basis, it creates a mindset that then acknowledges these problems as they surface throughout the day.  

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For example, I would do certain things with the wrong motives, seeking to draw attention to myself instead of doing them for the Lord.  Most of the time, however, I would not even realize that my motives were wrong until thinking back on the situation at a later time…Ouch...  

Since I began daily praying that the Lord would help me to have pure motives in everything I do, I have started recognizing wrong motives before they even have a chance to get to work.  Making a list has drastically helped me re-focus on the person that I want to be - and more importantly, who the Lord wants me to be.


My daily character prayer list:

#1.  Pride


Pride is one of the slimiest and most disguised characteristics that there is.  It is so good at camouflaging itself that it manages to sneak into every decision and action that a person may ever make without ever being noticed as the base to the problem.  I pray against pride in my own life and that the Lord would reveal to me the areas in my life where pride has a strong hold.

#2.  Discernment


Our world is so corrupt and filled with so many different ideas, moral values, and religions, that often times it is a real battle just to be able decipher right from wrong.  An issue can be 99% truth, but if there is 1% lie then that bit of deception can corrupt the whole percentage. (Pride often likes to play with our discernment as well)  I pray that the Lord will show me if there is even 1% untruth so that I may be more sensitive to finding what is really true.


#3.  Pure Motives


This one I already used as my example in Part I (Link here), but motives, like pride, can be very sneaky and go unnoticed.  (But then again, most wrong motives are driven by the sneaky pride syndrome)  Reading the Bible or praying in public, putting yourself in a place where you will be seen while doing a volunteer cleaning job or project - these things in themselves are not wrong, but they can be to easily be twisted into drawing attention to one’s self. 

By daily praying that the Lord would reveal to me my true motives, I can more easily stop wrong motives before they start. 

#4.  Attitude


Have you ever heard the saying, “You can be 100% right in a 100% wrong tone of voice”?
There are many times I have caught myself doing this very thing.  

It is very easy to correct one another with the wrong tone of voice, where as if you had used the exact same words with a gentle, caring voice, your words may have been accepted instead of causing the person you were talking with to feel as though they must defend themselves. 

Attitude is a huge issue and can be displayed in a multitude of ways and be drastically different from one person to the next.  (And is almost always driven by pride! - I’m sure you saw that coming.)

I pray daily that the Lord would help me see my attitudes for what they are and that I would portray a right attitude no matter who I am talking to or what the topic matter may be.


#5.  Fickle Little Things


It is so easy to get into meaningless little arguments about meaningless little issues that really don’t matter!  I despise being accused of things that I did not do, not matter how small they may be.  

“Mom! I did NOT leave the dishrag soaking in the dirty dishwater, but I’ve sure seen YOU do it plenty of times!”  (This is hurting my pride even to write this… Ouch….)

The most explosive arguments can happen over such trivial things and yet when accused, I always feel as though I must defend myself… and then of course, turn the subject around and lay the blame on someone else.  Whether I was to blame or not, the point is, the matter often is frivolous and simply shouldn’t matter.  

I pray that the Lord will help me to learn to hold my tongue when accused of something, even if I am innocent.  The truth is, I can chose to brush such matters off and let them go, or turn around and say something that could cause such pain to another person that it may harm them for the rest of their life.  (Watch your words - they are powerful!)

Now you have read my list.  There are many more things in my life that I know need to change, but for now I have chosen to focus on these top five.

It is my hope that you will seek the Lord and ask Him to show you what you need to work on the most in your life.  Then, I hope that you will pray daily about each issue, so that you would be aware of each of them as you go about your day.  Don’t give up on your list.  We all will have things that we will need to work on for the rest of our lives, but daily focus and prayerful persistence will bring about a marvelous change.


What’s on your list today?  (Quote stolen from a store slogan - :D  )


~ Missy