Tag: #startingover #redo

Where’s My Owner’s Manual?

…new means different. As a matter of fact, Google’s definition of new is: not existing before; made, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time.

I read this morning about the meaning of prototype and it made my day – even though I know this – the reminder that God loves me uniquely and I’m special to him (I’m his prototype and there’s not another one like me), it was like hearing it for the first time! How can that be? Oh wait. The scripture does say that his mercies are new each day doesn’t it.

What’s really cool about this is, new means different. As a matter of fact, Google’s definition of new is: not existing before; made, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time.

That is why, when we hear a scripture or an encouraging word from God, even though we may have read the Bible through 10 times, in his mercy and brilliance, he gives us a NEW perspective of it. He created us, remember? He knew we needed fresh mercy, fresh energy, fresh creativity, fresh ideas.

He could have created all of us humans to be just alike: same hair, same heighth, same build, but he made each one of us new; he didn’t duplicate or repeat. Each one of us is his own special prototype, unique to his special idea when he created and formed us in our mothers’ wombs. No one can take our place..

There is something for you to do – a road only you can travel. Sure, other’s could walk down it, but they cannot leave the mark on that road the way you can, the way you were intended to do it. Sometimes the road is not scenic or lined with flowers and waterfalls on each side; instead, there may be rocks and mountains that seem impossible to navigate. But, remember. It’s your road. Embrace it and see what God intends to show you on your journey. Embrace it and let that new thing He is trying to do in you emerge.

How to know you are a prototype:

  1. Do you often ask yourself, “why is this happening to me” or “what exactly is my purpose”?  Then, you are one of God’s prototypes. He has the owner’s manual and knows how to put the pieces of your life together so that the finished product works as intended.
  2. Do you often feel like you cannot do this on your own anymore? Then, you are one of God’s special prototypes. He has the owner’s manual, and the special instructions reminds you that your version came with a constant companion who will never leave you nor forsake you. You are not alone.
  3. Do you often wish you could start over? Then, you are one of God’s unique prototypes. The manual has a section that discusses how to become a new creation, and I believe it indicates that you may start over as many times as necessary in order to produce what was intended for your life.

I just came back from a conference of 20,000 fitness coaches. We each listened to the same trainers, heard the same ideas, and will apply the knowledge same knowledge, yet none of us will produce the same results. Why? Because each of us is unique, and each of us has a path to travel unlike anyone else’s, and everyone’s owner’s manual reads differently because there is not a one of us who is the same. We are all a special prototype with different purposes.

Take a moment and ask yourself, “Have I consulted the owner’s manual lately?” If not, perhaps that is why the machine is not running as smoothly as it should.

Assignment:

  1. List some things that are not going well for you today (lately)._____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
  2. Now check your owner’s manual, and find the section that discusses the area of your life that you listed in number one. Read it carefully, and list here what it says. (for instance, have you been feeling angry or upset and cannot seem to get your joy back? The manual says “if you have anything against someone, take care of it before you go to God.” The instructions also say to not go to bed angry so that a root of bitterness doesn’t begin to grow. From this I would write: “Lord, I fogive that person for (fill in the offense). I give it to you tonight and will not carry it anymore”)

If this helped to remind you just how special you are and there are answers, I’d love to hear from you in the comments. I will respond.Vickie (124 of 143)

You Should Curse God and Die

Winston Churchill once said, “Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm”!!!!! I love it.

Poor Job. He was in a state of bother, scraping the scabs off his skin with a piece of a broken clay pot; his world had crumbled around him – bankrupt; his children were dead – well, you know the story. Then, his ever-loving wife tells him he might as well give it up.

But, he didn’t. He is an example of one who embodies the cliche “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” There’s a lesson here:

Some try and try and try then quit, listening to the voice of Job’s wife that says “what made you think you could do that anyway?” Thus, they end up with a mediocre life, always thinking… if only…

Some try and try and try, then try something else, then try something else, then something else, going after every “new venture” that is presented to them, ending up with a frustrated life and a laundry list of unfinished projects, always thinking… if only…

Some never try and just…settle. No commentary needed.

Then, there are those who try, try again ad infinitum. The definition for that phrase “ad infinitum” says again and again in the same way; forever. There’s a slight difference in those who try, try again ad infinitum and succeed, though. They will not keep doing it the same way when one way doesn’t work. I think that’s defined as insanity! – doing something over and over the same way expecting different results, right? Ha.

Take that and consider Google’s list of synonyms, and the real meaning comes out:

for ever and ever, evermore, always, for all time, until the end of time, in perpetuity, until hell freezes over;

In particularly, that last one. There are those who keep working toward their goal, and no matter what obstacle comes their way, they get right back up and move forward, doing whatever it takes, however long it takes. Those are the ones who make it. For instance,

  • Walt Disney was fired from the Kansas City Star because his editor felt he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” He was cheated and nearly penniless. The legend goes that Walt, working in a beleaguered office tamed one of the many mice that scurried around, kept him in a desk drawer, and fed him from his own small rations – thus Mickey Mouse was born (first known as Mortimer Mouse). -Google Books.
  • Steven Spielberg was rejected by the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts several times before winning numerous Emmy awards for numerous films
  • R.H. Macy had many retail flops before the retail giant, Macy’s -my favorite store, became a success
  • Soichiro Honda was hated by his Japanese business community because he dared to be different.Vroom, vroom, anyone?
  • Colonel Harland David Sanders, my own home state of Kentucky icon, was fired over and over No one wanted his chicken recipe! Losers…
  • The list goes on and on… Sir Isaac Newton, Vera Wang, Thomas Newton…. You should go read the list

What if they had settled? What if they’d said… if only…. What if they’d quit!

Even Scripture tells us we should keep “trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:10.  Some just take the philosophy of eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die, thinking…I can’t ever be good enough anyway.  Well, join the club. Yet, we are told that we are not to give up! We never stop seeking what God wants. We never settle! Keep reading, keep praying, keep trying…all the while, resting in the confidence that He knows your frame, that you are but dust. He knows your failures and faults, but he loves and died for us anyway!

Winston Churchill once said, “Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm”!!!!! I love it.

How many times have you failed? Good! Now, change your perspective, your methods perhaps, and try again!

Challenge:  write down your goal, your desire… then plan how you will go after it…again. Leave a comment of what you are going to do.

Monday Makeover

I love Mondays! – – – said very few people ever.

I really do, though, because Monday marks the beginning of a new week. It’s like New Year’s Day, every 7 days: A chance to start over. A chance to forget what happened over the weekend (the fact that we ate too much crap or drank too much …or … fill in the blank).

In Ephesians it speaks of “former things.”  What was. How we were. How we walked.  And it says, NOW  we no longer are that way. We’ve been changed. Made new, and now we can walk in the purpose for which we were created.  That’s good news! “But I blew it again.” Ah. But you are sad because of it because that was your former nature that crept back in.

This Monday, put off the former things. Forget what happened last week, ask forgiveness if you need to, but take this moment to start your redo. God gives us redos! Man may not, but whether or not “that person” will forgive you, like you, let you in… God will. So, throw off the guilt for the things you did or didn’t do or that you should or shouldn’t have done, and start over. It’s MAKEOVER MONDAY!

Here are 5 things that will get you back on track to your purpose:

  • Remember your “why.” (If you’re not sure what this is, comment below, and I’ll help you discover it)
  • Forgive yourself. God has.
  • List 3 things (besides food, family, and faith) that you are grateful for.
  • Tell yourself it’s a new day and former things are passed away.
  • Now, go do the next right thing – forgetting what went wrong before – what’s the next right thing to do, today, that will move you closer to who/what/where you want to be. Go do it.

What is it about Mondays that you don’t like. Why do you think that is?