Old and New Pictures!

Just wanted to share some pictures of my apartment. These show the 'Old' and the 'New' place. The old has the darker wood, the new is lighter. 

I'll post more pictures when all my stuff is moved back in and I'm unpacked. But I know some of you have been waiting to see the results of the remodel... so enjoy the pictures!

Old bedroom

New Bedroom

Old Kitchen

New Kitchen

New Living Room

(facing front door)

I like the new look and am excited to getting my stuff back in and unpacked. It will take a while to have everything put away. But even with the new look, it's still my home!

Relax, I'm taking care of it...Rather YOU!

The move OUT is TODAY!
 The gang will be here at 2:00.

Last night I was doing laundry and packing the last few odds and ends, and figured I'd do some laundry. I loaded up the cart with the basket and headed to the laundry room. The laundry room wasn't very busy, which means I could get mine done. I put in the 2 loads and headed back my apartment. 

Decided it was time for a much needed rest. As I was reclining, there was a knock at the door. I slowly made my way to the door and opened it. It was young couple, whom I didn't know. The man then said, "I found this, and it as your name and address on it." Then he handed me my laundry card! "THANK YOU so very much!" I didn't even realize I had dropped it! 

Why is that card so vital? In order to use the washers or dryers, you need the card. The card is loaded with money, and each time you wash, or dry, it subtracts the amount. Without the card—can't do laundry! And on top of that, I had just put over $30 on the card!!! There are even more details here: The Office was closed. So, there would have been no way to get a new card last night and I would have had 2 loads of WET laundry!

As I closed the door and made my way back to the recliner. I realized that once again God was demonstrating not only that He loves me—but

HE is taking care of things....

rather He is taking care of ME.

Yes, it was only a laundry card. But you see, God is concerned with each detail in my life. If you've read some of my recent posts, you've seen God's attention to detail. 

It doesn't matter if it's a laundry card with $30 on it. Or a $200 trailer. Or a $1700 daybed and mattress to help lower my pain during the day. The price of something doesn't matter to God. Rather, I matter. God isn't JUST taking care of things—He's taking care of ME! 

When I keep my focus on God, He takes care of the details. My responsibility is to glorify God each day. Whether it's doing laundry, packing odds and ends, or just relaxing, I'm to be doing ALL to the glory of God. A positive day is not about what I've accomplished, or how low my pain level is, or what I did or bought.

 Rather a positive day is only created

if I've glorified God.

Friends

This was my devotional email tonight from Meet me in the Meadow by Roy Lessin, (DaySpring). As I read it, my heart overflowed with thanks to God for His gift of Christian Friends.

Here are some very special thoughts written by Pastor Howie Moss that share the meaning a Christian friendship can bring into your life.

F – Faithful – as a friend, you model faithfulness to our Lord and to me. For this I am blessed.

R – Responsible – as a friend, you hold yourself responsible to our relationship and in so doing held me responsible to our Lord.

I – Insightful – as a friend, you provide a perspective on life that I otherwise would have never been aware of.  By this you have opened my eyes to see our Lord’s nature in many wondrous ways.

E – Enjoyable – as a friend, you make the journey of this life so much more enjoyable.  The laughter and simplicity of friendship you bring to my life has given me a heart that can smile, even in the midst of difficulty.

N – Natural – as a friend, you strongly influence me to understand the worth of just being who I am…The importance of being who and what God created me to be and not what man expects me to be.

D – Desirable – as a friend, you continuously point me to the Cross.  Challenging me to compare myself, not to others, but to the Cross.  This has put a fire of desire in me to live for Jesus, love like Jesus, learn from Jesus, and lean on Jesus. Thus, your friendship to me is very desirable because it brings me closer to our Lord.

A Christian Friend is great at helping you turn from negative to positive! A friend's kind word, a hearty laugh, or even a look can help you change your attitude from "poor me" to "I'm RICH!". And it goes both ways! As you create your positive day, you encourage your friend!

Take a moment and let your Friends
know what they mean to you.

Another Unexpected Blessing!

Today, I went to Select Comfort to order my Sleep Number mattress for the new Daybed. The salesman, Chris, was very helpful in explaining the differences between the two I was considering. After I got the pricing, I left for a while to think about which mattress would provide the most comfort.

Upon returning, Chris mentioned that if I bought the P5, I'd also get a free blanket! That was just icing on the cake....because that was the one I had chosen. As Chris was writing up the order and verifying my information, I handed him one of my business cards. On the top of my cards it has the Create a Positive Day logo matching this blog. As he looked at the card.... he realized he had seen that before. He then said, "this is an inspirational blog....isn't it?" I said "yes". While surfing the internet, he had come across my blog and enjoyed reading it. I though it was so COOL that God brought us together so that we could meet! Another unexpected blessing from God!

Create a Positive Day! That means more to me today than yesterday. I was reminded again that I have a responsibility to honor God in my life and in my writings. People are watching me and reading what I write—many of whom I'll never meet face to face. I have a responsibility to make sure that all aspects of my life honor God. Create a positive day is more than a logo or slogan... it is my way of life.

And the only way to truly

create a positive day,

is to be living my life honoring God. 

Time Delay

I was watching a show on the English Monarchy. The tradition and pomp and circumstance fascinate me. The attention to details are passed down from generation to generation.

But something that was said last night, struck me. The Queen's birthday is in April. But they celebrate it in JUNE! Why? Because the weather is better! 

If you want a celebration in June... then have one. Why should the Queen have to wait 2 months to celebrate her birthday? The birthday celebration, an all day celebration, was planned out to the second. The Queen even watched some on TV since she couldn't be in two places at once.

Of course, I started thinking about TIME DELAY. Do I delay things because I think later will be better? Or do I delay things... just because I don't want to do them—NOW? Yes, there are times when a delay doesn't really make any difference. But some things need to be done in a timely manner. Often delays can make matters worse. 

How do I know if a delay is a good thing? I think it would go to my motivation. Am I delaying because I'm being lazy and just don't want to do something? Am I delaying because it would involve giving up something I like (but may not be good)? Why am I delaying? 

If my motivation is right, I have to consider how it effects those around me. Is the delay is being inconsiderate? Does it cause others to rearrange their schedules? 

Delays don't just apply to events. It can also be applied to my spiritual life. As God works in my life, and shows me areas which I need to change... delaying won't help at all! Yet, Satan can give great reasons for delaying making the change in my life. 

I've been evaluating the TV shows I've been watching. Some, I've watched for years and have gotten caught up in the story lines. Yet, when I take time to really look at the show and what it portrays, the shows are openly promoting more and more sin. No, I'm not "doing the sin", but if the sin image is in my mind.... it's more apt to become something which I think about. And that is JUST as sinful as if I did the actual sin. 

It was easy to stop watching the "newer shows" which portray sinful story lines. I wasn't as invested in the show. But I've been delaying turning off the older shows... "maybe tonight's show won't show 'abc'." Yet, of course they do. The writers of the shows aren't Christians and their values aren't what mine should be.

DELAY. If the delay is causing me to sin, then the delay is WRONG and harmful.

 I need to learn

that putting something off 

for 2 months

"when the weather is better",

won't cut it with God.

He calls sin—sin. It's an abomination to Him. It needs to be dealt with immediately. 

If I want to create a true positive day, I need to make sure that what I'm reading, listening to, and watching, are pleasing to God. The more good I put into my mind, the more 'good things' I have to think about. Each day I STOP delaying turning off the sinful images, songs, or talk, I'm making positive changes and obeying God.

EACH day I OBEY God—

is an EXTREME Positive day!