Sisters for Christ

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." Proverbs 17:22 I have always been an optimist and a very cheerful person. But last Sabbath, I woke up with a heavy heart. My daughter ALexa cannot go to church with me and that is always depressing for me. I always want her to come along and be spiritually refreshed or rejuvenated. So I decided to spend a weekend in Richmond and be with my church family. I have always wanted to join the afternoon sessions plus the Kairos prayer and get-together, so I decided this will be the weekend to enjoy all these, instead of rushing home as always. I packed some clothes. Although I have not made arrangements for lodging, I know there will always be someone who will volunteer her room for me. As I drove the almost 90 miles drive to church, I started thinking of what I could possibly do to use my time wisely. Reality dawned, I never had to. God had a plan for me. Potluck was scheduled to my delight.

As I mingled and interacted with these women at our church, I realized, we have so much in common. We all work during the week, took care of our families, and although sleep-deprived and exhausted, we come to church - still willing to serve. We cook and bring food, we help serve and make sure every activity at church runs at the right speed and sequence. We do not complain or grumble - we just accept the stark reality that this is part of our existence. Then I decided to stay with the Pagunsans after finding out that the Kairos group will meet at their place for their weekly sundown worship and fellowship due to a predicted evening rain. I knew then, it will be a fun evening. And it sure was!

Worship started and as the rain poured, more families came bringing food to devour. Another scrumptious dinner was served and as the kids found their chosen activity, the men group themselves around the kitchen table while the women went upstairs for a special activity: watching old movies. This was our evening to relax, to forget about the stresses and challenges of the past week and to rejuvenate ourselves before another week ensues.

Even without the popcorn and snacks, we had a great time laughing, crying and making odd if not silly comments about the movie. It was such a simple activity - but it brought us joy and camaraderie. We knew that evening was a time for relaxation knowing that there will be more challenges in the week ahead. As sisters in Christ, we do have a common goal: to take care of our family, support our church and all their social and religious programs, be an example to our children and to be healthy physically and emotionally so we can serve others better. I love this article about how to be a healthier and stronger woman. Here are 9 principles of purposeful living that we can put into practice. [1] You should NOT WORRY, for WORRY is the most unproductive of all human activities. Worry is a negative state of mind which deals with the same problem over and over again, yet nothing is solved. [2] You should NOT BE FEARFUL, for most of the things we fear never come to pass. Fear is the opposite of confidence. It is also another negative emotion where it deals with uncertainty and loses heart easily. How can one win when one feels defeated even before the game has started? [3] You SHOULD NOT CROSS BRIDGES before you get to them, for no one yet has succeeded in accomplishing this. Deal with each problem as it comes, you can handle only one at a time anyway. Let God's will be done, not ours. What will happen will happen for a good cause. One cannot deal with unseen problems though one can learn to troubleshoot. [4] You should NOT TAKE PROBLEMS TO BED with you for they make very poor bedfellows. Problems are not solved when one go to sleep, be rested proper to have our energies and spirits renewed to stand tall to face all challenges the next day.. [5] You should NOT BORROW other people's problems. They can take better care of them than you can. There are numerous other people's problems beyond one's expectations and understandings. Learn to tackle our own problems before giving a hand to others. Solve our own problems before minding other people's problems. [6] You SHOULD NOT TRY TO RELIVE YESTERDAY for good or bad... it has already gone! Concentrate on what is happening in your life today. There is no use crying over spilt milk. Be geared towards moving a step at a time. 'Yesterday was a cancelled check, tomorrow is a promissory note, Today is ready cash, Use it to the fullest!' That was what people used to say. [7] You should BE A GOOD LISTENER, for only when you listen do you hear ideas different from your own. It is very hard to learn something new when you are talking. We have a pair of ears but only one mouth. Be patient to speak before understanding. Our mouths serve us best when in accord with inner conscience where Truth dwells.. [8] You should NOT BECOME BOGGED DOWN by frustration, for 90 percent of it is rooted in self-pity, and it will only interfere with positive action. Self-pity is the web that spins miseries and traps oneself with their 'self-dug-pits' or dungeons. Slithering snakes and crawling insects will be your friends while in the darkness of frustrations. [9] You should COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS, never overlooking the small ones, for a lot of small blessings add up to a big one! For every blessings known to you, there are hundreds more that you don't know. Have heart in all you do. Always be grateful in all we have. Gratitude is a virtue for all. Gratitude is a key to peace of mind and heart. When one seeks to assuage the suffering of others, it is really one's own suffering that one mitigates the relief. When one direct one's attention to the inner-self, which is Truth, one will perceive the same Divinity to be present in all. Thus it makes up these 9 principles to live by......... Lucy Wong is a health and nutrition consultant. She is keen in sharing the 4 dimensions of health, aiming at attaining total health and happiness for all. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lucy_Wong_Moi HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD!!!!!! Your sister in Christ, Raylene