When did vulnerability become a bad word

We live in a time where independence is synanomous with maturity
And to talk about or act on emotion has become a character flaw 
The lessons we teach others focus more on the mind than the heart
Emotionless living has given love an impossibly  hard start

It's okay to tell another they are needed, wanted and valued
Showing vulnerability doesn't make you less of an strong adult
It shows that you are human and capable of selfless giving
And if you ask me, people provide the motivation for living

It is good to know that you are capable of doing for yourself 
But when you find another that is open to help don't run 
For it is rare to find someone that gives unconditionally 
Who is open with time and shares his soul completely

I celebrate the journey

The truth of the matter is that I am single but only in the sense that I am not married
I am far from alone in this world, I am someone's sister, auntie, daughter, and friend
And in these defined roles I celebrate my important and needed role in this space
I accept my job with full intent offering support for whatever obstacle they may face

Along the journey the road may not have been easy, but I'm here for a key reason
And over time and with experience I have figured out the things I do very well
Sometimes I remind others of what is important or to urge them to laugh or play
To be disciplined with their words because your beliefs are shaped by what you say

We are never alone

I realize that being a friend sometimes means nothing more than being present
We think we must fix, help, heal and uplift, but really we just need to listen
The power of friends is that many times we are going through the same thing
And somehow knowing someone is in the same boat, helps lessen the sting 

We portray that everything is in order; but humility is the start of compassion
And through the commonality of true feelings, you extend the grace of friendship
Today a good friend shared that organization sometimes falls last for her too
After talking to her I didn't feel as bad about the chores that I also forget to do

Two Sermons for One

Today was a good day, full of many life lessons and inspiration. This morning I learned the importance of taking time for yourself, I cooked before church and took extra time to feel GREAT in the skin I am in. Church was great and it addressed self-centered Christianity. Many churchgoers look at what a church can do for them, versus really thinking what they can do for the church. Church is not about being entertained but really about showing and sharing Gods grace to others who are too lost to see his presence and love. Religion is not really about what you can't do, but is more about what you should do for your fellow man.

I enjoyed church and then walked outside and was blessed by a story I heard. It was about a man that was a victim of a petty robbery. He went to vote and received a phone call from the police saying that the policeman had his bag. The man didn't believe it because he assumed his bags were in the car, when he turned around to see, he realized he had been robbed and two bags were missing.  In this day in age, where we all have automatic locks, I wondered how they broke into his car without any visible signs. He later said the robbers popped the lock. The crazy thing is that he didn't realize that something had been taken from him until he received the phone call, up to that point he didn't even realized anything was missing. He went to get the first bag and wanted to thank the person who found his bag. Turns out it was a minister that is opening up a church, ironically he lived in the same subdivision as the man. The minister was able to locate him because he found the man's phone number and a church bulletin.

A few days later he received another phone call from a good Samaritan who said that his other bag had been found. This time the bag was found by a great couple who were from Rome GA. They were great people who were happy to help.

Lesson: So many times in life we stress about things lost either from negligence or things taken, but God sees and know all and in his divine way will fix any situation IF we give him the power to do so. Obviously the churchgoer who told me this story was a believer but what I appreciated was the second lesson in this. Which is when you have done all you can, you must release it and turn it over to God, because God will always straighten our path, even if we are not at fault. The man also went on to say the symbolism of bags or baggage, and said much of what was "taken" were things that he needed to deal with and move on but that he allowed to carry because he wasn't ready to let them go and after being robbed he was forced to let them go because they were no longer in his possession. In life we carry so many things around explaining their significance to others, when in reality Gods wants us to drop the baggage and open our eyes to his glory and his presence.

God is always present and is always teaching and I am BLESSED that I heard this story today, so I received multiple sermons this morning

True Religion

True Religion is not only about the doctrine you beleive
Its where you choose to invest the majority of your time
We all must go through stages of growth and change
In order to embrace the authenitc person that lives inside

Your loyality and committments show who you are
More than any affirmation or introduction you say
And when you are living your divine life, full of love
Then your spirit shines brighter than any sun ray

True Religion is the one that other see, not one you preach

The Power of People and Emotions

When we only focus on our problems, we ignore the life lesson God tries to show us
All life experiences have been orchestrated to train our hearts and minds in his way

Stifling thoughts, negative feelings and fears block our spirits from God's reach
So he sends people to show us the key lessons we wouldn't allow him to teach

Behaviors you see in others that ignite a strong response, are things you should fix
Your reponse to criticism and complaining are mirrors into your own development

If we are at peace with our lives, we wouldn't be affected by what others say or do
So If you didn't see your insecurities in others, those things would really bother you 

These feelings provide windows into our soul so we know how to begin change
When we judge others, we really are judging our peronal choices and decisions

God says he who is without sin, should cast the first stone; but we all have wrong 
Failure to connect external stress to internal turmoil, repeats our same sad song

If we don't learn our lesson the first time, we continue to hit our head on the wall
Self suffering is not about life's experience, it is the waivering stance in our response

After God tries to speak to you in prayer and meditation, he often turns to love ones
Hoping that if they show us what needs to be change, his divine work will be done