Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Mind Yourself

Have you ever heard the saying, "A rising tide lifts all boats"?   I have that quote on my kitchen bulletin board because it reminds me to keep my mind on good and productive things;  to keep my mood lifted otherwise I run the risk of bringing everyone around me down!
It has been scientifically proven... how we think will have a strong influence on our attitude, our behaviors, and ultimately our health.  Our mind is very powerful and together it works in harmony with our body and our soul.

I like what Randy Alcorn has to say about this:

"Sow a thought, reap an action.
Sow an action, reap a habit.
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, reap a destiny."


What thoughts, actions and habits are shaping your character today? 
I believe that character development continues our entire life so it's never too late to change your mind or your thinking about anything.  Have you heard of the acronym"G.I.G.O."?  It means "garbage in, garbage out"  Fill your heart and mind with good things and you will reap a harvest of great things in life.  Believe bad things will happen or fill your mind with negative and you will attract it.  Are there  challenges in life?  Of course.  Is there heartache and pain?  Absolutely.   What you choose to do with the circumstances that you are confronted or bombarded with will determine how your day,  your month,  your year, and your life take shape.
I mentioned above that your thinking can influence your health.  There is actually a study of how the mind or psychy can affect your health and specifically your immune system.   Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is the study of the interaction between psychological processes and the nervous and immune systems of the human body.   It has been proven that the way you think affects your health, for good or bad so I want to encourage you to think health and not sickness!   It may be as simple as saying to yourself and others that you are "not going to get the flu" even when others around you have come down with it and are out of work for days.  And when you are feeling less than you should adopt the saying "I'm not 100%" or something similar,  instead of telling everyone how sick you are.   You will feel sicker just by saying you are and you will become more well by believing that too!  
This family photo is from Thanksgiving. My mother is flanked by my husband Robert on one side and my son Anthony on the other.  Also present is my son Bobby, my son-in-law Chad, my nephew Barry, my brother Jeff, and my mom's husband Kerry.
It is so important to fill your minds with great things and there are many beautiful things to be thankful for.   I occasionally encourage people to write a gratitude list.  This is especially helpful if you are going through a rough time.  Write down anything that comes to mind including relationships and material things.  Try not to over-spiritualize keeping in mind that we are all three; body, mind, and soul.
This evening my son Anthony left for his mission trip in Nicaragua.  I am so thankful for him and I will keep my mind on being assured that God will protect he and his group as they help build a church school for a hungry community during the next eight days.   

"Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, 
and break up your unplowed ground; 
for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you."  Hosea 10:12


Do all you can do to lift people up.   Love them and support them.  Never be a part of their sinking!


God is blessing you.  Donna

21 comments:

  1. To have the right attitudes, speak right, be positve day in and day out is necessary for everybody sick or helthy, happy things or bad unpleasant things happens day in and day out. We think everything is okay, no worry neccessary not anymore and then out of the blue the phone rings and a message can change the whole life. Should I worry, should I cray, should I laugh, I immediately think. No remaining cool is the best and think clearly. This phone message I mention, is from my dad, yesterday, my mum, in hospital, because she had blue lips her doctor ment that should be examined. Her heart is since a few years not beating right. Now I just can wait until all tests are done. I like to say with all that, my mum is a negative thinker and in her apartment every room should look like in a museum. Her cleaning lady is to bad to do certain things...! She is complainig about everything without exception. So my dad and I say she got sick because of her bad attitudes. -- “What thoughts, actions and habits are shaping your character today?” – Being positive and kind in every life situation and not worry and fear to much. Jesus has me in the palm of his hand. - Blessings!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes the way that you think can and does effect your health.
    When I had breast cancer a couple of years ago I would not let anybody speak to me in a negative way about breast cancer.
    I had my breast off and everything went OK. Unfortunately when I
    had my yearly mammogram back in January this year. A small lump
    was discovered in my other breast I have to wait till July to find out if it is malignant. I have to wait because the lump was
    too small to tell when it was found. This is in God's Hands
    and that is where it is staying. At the moment I intend to have
    this breast off to but we will wait and see what happens
    I can and do go for days without thinking about this It is not on
    my mind all the time at all
    God bless you all
    Barbie M Brisbane Australia

    ReplyDelete
  3. I agree that our outlook on life affects our overall health. I try to stay positive about my life. My aunt is will be 99 in the spring and she has a very positive attitude about life. I think that is why she is living so long.
    I'm sorry to hear about your mother, Rose and also about your medical situation, Barbie. I will pray for both of you and your families.
    God bless you both.
    Blessings to you, Donna.
    Liz

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes! As I like to say "I have Multiple Sclerosis but Multiple Sclerosis doesn't have me" and while it limits things that used to seem important it has allowed me to be more able to understand others' difficulties and choose a path based on belief that this is an empowering OPPORTUNITY more than a limiting disability.

    So while I am "supposed" to be legally "blind" and in a wheelchair these past 8 years, I "walk" 2 miles a day in my basement watching my Leslie Sanson DVD and "read" 4 books a month on CD or through my special glasses.

    Use it or lose it. Believe HIM and live His way as much as possible following Him!GIGO for me I like to say and breathe the words God In Goodness Out.

    He is Blessing all
    J-M

    ReplyDelete
  5. Donna,

    Its great to hear that Anthony and his team are in the building aspect for the school/church mission in Nicaragua. I was wondering if he has developed any type of social or community interaction website with the mission community? As it would be great to follow its building progress and be able to interact with its community mission. If not, hopefully, he will consider posting an inspired blog on the mission project and on how things turned out. Not sure on how the mission project turned out financially, but,it truly, would be great to watch the actual building progress of that community...And be able to fellowship with mission leaders and with its community church. Please let them know that our prayers are with them...and that we would love to hear back from them.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Barbie, Elizabeth, Jan-Michael, and Al!
    Thank you so much for your great comments. (Rose, I thought I saw one from you but I don't see it here so I will go look again after I write this) I first of all want to let you all know that I moderate my comments now so if they come in the middle of the night or when I am traveling, I might not see them for several hours after you write them. I decided to not allow just anything to be published because there were some disparaging comments written in the past which had nothing to do with this blog or our blog community.
    Barbi-I will continue to pray for your courage, comfort and hope while you wait to see what the outcome will be for your other breast. Elizabeth, you can for sure learn something from an aunt that has such a great attitude at age 99! Jan-Michael, you continue to be an inspiration to us all. I don't think I knew that your "eye-sight" was that challenged but you sure have a great way of "seeing" everything. We can all learn from you! Al-I will encourage Anthony to post a report, etc. on his mission work. He had started a blog from his last trip but he needs to refresh it! Right now as they are in the mission field he won't be able to communicate. I am quite confident that he is taking photos so I will tell him to post them and to blog about the team's experiences.
    Thank you!
    God is blessing you all. Donna

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Rose,
    Now I see that your comment showed up! So sorry.
    I hope and pray that all is going well with your mum. Keep your great attitude and it will ultimately be a blessing to her in ways that you may not see. You are a good daughter. Keep the strong faith you have. "fear not" as he is with you. God is blessing you. Donna

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Rose,
    Now I see that your comment showed up! So sorry.
    I hope and pray that all is going well with your mum. Keep your great attitude and it will ultimately be a blessing to her in ways that you may not see. You are a good daughter. Keep the strong faith you have. "fear not" as he is with you. God is blessing you. Donna

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks Donna!!! - You see my mum got a light form of diabets and has to take once in a day an "insulin syringe". I mean detected already a long time ago. But she refused to do something for it. Now it's an alert...!!! I just can shrug my shoulders. She refuses my help, because even she is seeing that something is wrong helthwise she continues to do the wrong things and has a bit of fear. I have never seen in my whole life sooo... stubborn people as my mum and dad are!!! - I pray to Jesus for help, but how can he help when they do not obej him and even think he can't do something for them. I continue my life here and take care of myself and try to do what is good for me helthwise and choose friends caefully. More I'm not able to do!!! -- Love people and "try" to support them. Never be a part of their sinking!- Yes Donna! My blessings.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks Donna and re my eyesight a couple of notes:

    Always loved the words "There are none so blind as those who will not "see"!

    Also, I probably never wrote re my eyesight before as I am so aware from research that no one 'really' sees more that 10% of anything! Our God given brain takes the memories and beliefs, experiences, fills in the picture that makes sense. Of course, that is the reality as is the fact that in my MS optical nerve damage I need to further fool my brain with Corningware dark glasses that take the blue spectrum out and gives definition rather than colour as most see it. But that is HIS other gift to me; Acceptance of the world both without Corningware innovation and with Corningware and we thereby 'Achieve' because we 'Believe'. Not to make light of listening to 4 books on CD a month or stopping driving a car, but wow how HE can lead us if we just get up, look up, delve into the Spirit of HE who breathed mankind into being.

    Yes I have to modify my computer and read BIG dark words, type them big sometimes or speak them into my intelligent computer and then shrink them down to a font most probably prefer. But hey, that is all part of the game and I miss golf but I have this new game and it is fun and I can listen to iTunes while I write way too much!

    I am so happy with all I do have and all the trips and sights I can think back to and my family. I am so thrilled to sit my Granddaughter up on my knee and watch Handy Manny DVDs on my computer and I am not thinking about having to cut the lawn or shovel the driveway or whatever.

    One last rhyme line...Just getting it DONE is always part of the FUN!

    J-M†

    ReplyDelete
  11. J.-M. bad with this eyes. My Dad (87) got macula-degeneration about 16 yeas ago. Eyes realy bad. He reads the newspaper with special glasses. Computer he is affraid of it. Doctors damaged one eye badly with different kind of theraphy. Reading books is heavy. So he has Audio-books. TV from a certain distance, impossible. He did something wrong, my personal opinion. He never got to classes to learn how he can live better with this desease. Just a few very simple tricks would be necessary. Anyway, it is like it is and it’s his own business. – What I can say J.-M. keep up your good spirit. I see what negative thinking (my Mum) can do. The sadest thing of this whole story is, doctors tell today, take this medicine, you have this and this desease, next day another, oh, you have nothing, do not take this medicine. – I gave up worrying to much! I have enough of this story together with my complaining mum, not only because of her a bit sick body etc. I told already when she not comes towards Jesus and obej him, sould I feel guilty for her, no, not at all! I’m to youg (still this year 53...) I have to look that my environment do not make me sick. – The best we all can do leaving the sick things behind us and live towards the future. - Blessings

    ReplyDelete
  12. Jan-Michael, you really inspire me with your optimism. May God bless you abundantly!!
    Liz

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks to all who have inspired me too through your comments and stories. We all have our challenges but have to learn to get over the hurdles, being open and patient with ourselves and others. Accepting adversity too quickly or thinking it the easier way rather than challenging adversity, is not I think what God would like of us. And it seldom is the easier way. In fact what seems easy, so often just makes it harder and also harder on our friends and families who want us as well as possible as do we want them as well as possible.

    "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning how to dance in the rain".

    J-M†

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi All!
    I am back from my little trip with my best friend. I realize I am a few days late in posting a new blog but I will get to it!
    Thank you all for you continued support and I love your great comments.
    By the way, Robert's new book, "When You Are Down to Nothing, God's Up To Something" is out! I will mention it soon and see if we can't all spread the news. There are so many people who need this message today more than ever! God is blessing you. Donna

    ReplyDelete
  15. Donna, I preordered Robert's book already last fall. Hope it will arrive!!! - A pitty that he on his blog do not spread the News himself. I know he is a busy man...!!! How goes the saying: You want to get a letter so write a letter! Or I say sometimes, if you/I want something from God/Heaven I have to ask and get in action. Have a good time- Blessings

    ReplyDelete
  16. "Judge not, least you be judged."
    Robert is working day and night and is mostly out of town either raising money for his businesses, speaking on world peace, or speaking in international churches for no pay. As his wife I am grateful to do what he cannot do right now.
    I know that he started a blog (actually it was started on my blog site and he is officially one of my approved "administrators") He does not have the time nor the energy to do a blog right now! We all have our life's issues to deal with and so do Robert and I! I am so thankful for all of you and your continued support of us via this blog. God is blessing you. Donna
    PS I weeped as I read just the intro. of his new book. It is a message that all will resonate with!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Don’t worry be happy, here is nothing to judge!!! Who can better speak about an unreleased book than the author himself??? We can learn why he in this case Robert was inspired to write this book and the way he did and on what we most should pay attention. That can help us to more understand why this and that was told and all readers can learn more. - I know everybody has once in a while to carry a big load on their shoulders. – What I pers. say. It’s a season and it will pass when we focus on the right possibility. I know the man of the largest USA church, his beloved father died. Now he is the main pastor of the church, before he was behind the scene in the TV and video production of the service. Good and necessary job. I would be proud if I could have one like this. I tray to say, he took out of a tragedy an oportunity and went towards a bright future. I hope for myself I never will dwell in my tragedies. – Blessings to all of you!

    ReplyDelete
  18. YES Donna...You and Robert are "partners" and just as you and he were together at CC you two are showing many how partners get it done! Together! My recognition in business once was questioned as I had dropped from the Account Exec "numbers filed in head office", having transferred my "numbers" to younger up and coming professionals that took the calls while I planned future progress for the division of the company. The final result was the top of the whole company and I did not need my name appearing on the results. Those results spoke for the good way of spreading the load and you and Robert too are great examples.

    Such an inspiration! I am awaiting my copy of the new book and you have whetted my appetite even more by your comments.

    You are patient as I know this book was a while in final release. But as you say we will see first "a message that all will resonate with"!

    Blessings to all
    J-M

    ReplyDelete
  19. Looking forward to reading Robert's book. I just bought a copy for my Kindle from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/When-Down-Nothing-Something-ebook/dp/B004QZ9QQ4
    You're right, the introduction is very moving. God brought Robert through some very painful times and this book is a wonderful reflect of God's grace, mercy and strength.
    It truly is great to see how God got Robert out of the mess at the Cathedral too. What happened today brings to mind Romans 12:19. God is Great! Be blessed and stay strong Schuller Family!

    ReplyDelete
  20. We have missed both of you and hope to connect aging, met and talked to Robert A. a few times in St.Louis. It loks like Romens 8>28 worked for you in 2012.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment on my blog. Please try to stay on the topic and remember also that there are many who are struggling through all kinds of challenges. Let's all be kind and thoughtful with our comments please! :D