The last thing I learned is probably useless information for some. But I found it interesting.
I learned that severe carbon monoxide poisoning can cause the skin to appear cherry-red in some people. The skin turns bright red or cherry-red because of our mucous membranes. And blisters, it can cause necrotic skin lesions on the hands, legs, back, and ankles.
Other systems are headache, fatigue, dizziness, and abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and confusion. If you have these symptoms this get out of the building you are and see if you start feeling better.
What is one question you hate to be asked? Explain.
I think people get upset and frustrated when somebody asked a question that is perceived as silly or dumb. When you feel like the question being asked the person should already know sometimes we get frustrated.
There is not much get worse than being asked a question you don’t want to answer, or a question being asked over and over again.
February 13 is the day that began the new year of trees. Which is known as Tu Bishvat in Israel. It’s a time for planting seeds. Not only in the soil but in our lives. Mark 4:20 says, a seed sown in good soil can produce a crop some thirty, some sixty and some a hundred times what was sown.
I’ve always said, “Never underestimate the power of a seed planted in someone’s life.” But we also need to plant seeds within ourselves.
We may find ourselves in difficult times but throughout history, there has always been suffering. These days it seems like suffering is in our faces all the time. If we have an open heart, it’s hard to bear the tragedies that befall so many around the world. But the worst thing we can do is despair and feel hopeless.
We can become a powerful force of light and love in this world. The energy we put into this world is important.
First, we need to cultivate our intention toward peace in ourselves. Remember our words and actions matter. What do you see when we look into our shadow? Do you see violence, judgment, or anger in your life? What is happening in the world can be a reflection of what lives within each of us.
For someone to harm another, there is a part of the self that separates that person as “the other.” The offering happens through our judgments and stories we tell about someone else. We can make them out to be the enemy we place them within a hierarchy of importance. I look at where I do this in my life. It might be something as simple as being rude to a store clerk because they are taking too long or we are rude because we are having a “bad day.” In this situation, we have judged them as below us, and see ed ourselves as worthy of better service, therefore we treat them with anger.
We need to be careful of identifying with the “us vs them” mentality. This is a form of tribalism, and this can be where the war begins. The world is good at giving us a “us vs them” mentality, we see it every day on the news. It’s a way to demonize the other person or group, they want us to shut down any possibility of peace with each other. The anger churns in us, and it grows and ultimately robs us of our equanimity.
“The easiest way to control a group of people is to divide them. Once they are divided, they can be easily conquered.” -Malcolm X
Everyone is worthy of compassion and love -Everyone!
I see this in politics, families, and communities. We are called to love people. Each person’s perspective and ideas are a reflection of their collective life circumstances, just as my ideas are a culmination of my life experiences and influences. I have seen enough hate in the world, I choose love, it’s time to set our differences aside and have love and compassion for each other.
What would it be like to see everyone as a beloved child of God, worthy of compassion, patience, and kindness?
Remember, each of us is doing the best we can on our soul journey with the circumstances we have been given. Do not take someone else’s behavior personally, they are moving through their life difficulties the same as you.
This is how we begin to plant the seeds of peace within our. As we practice rooting out our judgment toward others, we might be able to see these seeds blossom in ourselves.
When we plant seeds we are setting intentions for personal growth. Consider what you want to grow, such as improved relationships, self-awareness, or reaching a goal.
Water your intentions with positive actions and thoughts, and nourish them with self-compassion and patience. And don’t forget to talk (pray) and ask for God’s help.
We’ve all regretted or have felt remorse in our lives at one time or another. Having regret is feeling bad about something and giving a reason to throw pity parties for ourselves. Feeling bad about the past focuses on personal losses which lack the power to change, and can be overwhelming, making us miserable.
Choosing repentance is a decision to change and seek forgiveness from God and a chance to begin to forgive ourselves. Repentance can give a chance to reconcile with those hurt by sin. It doesn’t deny the fact that people have hurt us, but gives us a chance to heal. Which can lead to salvation and freedom from regret.
We have to consider whether we are sorry about the consequences of our actions or broken over the sin of doing it.
We need to ask ourselves if we are ready to change our hearts or if we are feeling sorry for ourselves. Are we really to take responsibility for our actions?
Regent sometimes masquerades as repentance, because both carry similar initial postures, but confusing the two can be devastating.
We can mix up regret and repentance easily because they both begin in the same spot -with pain,
If we look at Peter and Judas in the Bible we can compare the two. Twoo mean. Two failures. One leads to transformation and fresh faith and the other leads to despair and death.
When Peter disowned Jesus even after declaring himself incapable of denying Jesus, his willful heart choices caused regret (Luke 22:33:57). We can see a similar regret with Judas, who realized he betrayed innocent blood and drought to rectify it with his actions, there was one difference, it was whether or not they believe they could be forgiven.
Peter wept bitterly at his betrayal, he was deeply grieved over his sin (Like 22:62). And yet by God‘s grace, the Holy Spirit turned him tow hope (John 21:15-19). His surrender was so encompassing that he was able to believe his mistake was not fatal, but redeemable. In contrast, when Judas cast down the 30 pieces of silver and was met with indifference, he had no hope that he could be forgiven and then committed an act of final despair (Matthew 27:3).
Both Peter and Judas essentially asked the same question, “How could God possibly forgive me for my sin against Jesus?
Regret so easily masquerades as repentance.
When we choose to act misaligned with the Bible, it usually comes with embarrassment or self-condemnation. The pain often puts us on the path to shame, and that shame becomes either an end or a means to an end.
Grief over sin can never be a destination but it’s a tunnel through a mountain. We should not stay there, but give our guilt to Jesus because he asks for it and promises to deal with it once and forever. (John 3:17, Hebrews 12:2).
Peter’s response after succumbing to sin was brokenness and humility. Judas response was embarrassment at his weakness, as well as not thinking God would forgive him.
Repentance says, “I want to stand on Jesus’s record of righteousness and not my own.” It trusts that our failures, no matter the extent, are not fatal and that the only failure is not surrendering our fears, guilt, shame, sorrow, and sin to the love and goodness of Jesus.
We are human beings, God expects us to sin. Our proper response to the knowledge He already has is to shallow our pride and remind ourselves that we aren’t Him. Only He is God, we are all broken but deeply loved by Him.
Repentance doesn’t ultimately fix us, it’s simply how broken people, with broken lives, inhabit a broken world until Jesus comes to take us home. All the while experiencing substantial healing and transformation from God who longs to be in a relationship with us. And there’s not a thing to regret about that.
Because of my life experiences and my mother down-grading me as a child I never really became a social person. Talking never was my thing because I was always afraid of people judging me, or making fun of me. And I would get punished for speaking. My brain made different pathways. As a result, my writing seems to flow more fluently and easily.
Growing up I coped by creating a world inside my head. I see the world in a completely different way. I have always felt like an outcast no matter what environment I am in. I felt different because I was treated differently growing up.
As a result, I have no problem taking an idea or thought and putting ink to paper. I have always been able to sit down and write whether it’s about my belief in God, things I’ve learned through life or a short story.
Today I still have struggles but have been successful at coping and managing what life has thrown at me. Today choose to love, rather than hate. I’ve had enough hate to last a lifetime. That is my success.
Flipping through script means to do the unexpected. God is the master of flipping the script. He had shown us throughout the Bible that whenever a person or situation arises and seeks to threaten His purpose or destiny for our lives, He steps in and flips the script.
He did it with Esther. When Haman thought he could destroy the Jewish people. God stepped in and flipped the script. He did it with Daniel when the evil script was written to destroy the lives of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego in the fiery furnace, God flipped the script and they came out untouched.
But the most important script that God flipped was the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. In Genesis satan (the serpent) thought he had the advantage over humanity, but God sent His Son into the world to be a sacrifice for our sins. It was through the resurrection of Jesus that God indeed flipped the script. Now we get to walk in His power and authority in the earth.
Just as He flipped the scripts with Esther, Daniel, and Jesus, He flipped the script again. In my opinion, the world had been in a dark place the last few years God has flipped the script again.
God can flip the script in our personal situations too. He sure did in my life. I was headed down a dark road when He found me. If He had not flipped the script, I more than likely would not be where I am today.
Be encouraged that God can flip the script in your personal situation. Don’t believe the lie that it’s over and you will live in this season forever. God can flip the script in any situation. He is able to do the unexpected.
Trust is a serious issue with God, He invites us to trust in Him with all our hearts (Proverbs 3:5). Isaiah 2 remind us to always place our trust in God rather than man. It’s easy to look to others for strength and help. We seek peoples advice, and seek their approval, and all the while, we fail to look to God for these things. 
“Stop trusting in man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for what account is he?” -Isaiah 2:22
We let the world define us, when only God can define us. We let the world change who we are when God created us to be unique.
Trusting God is not just a feeling, it’s a commitment to have faith in what he says, even when we don’t understand.
There are benefits to trusting God.
Having the courage to trust God can help us face our fears. trusting God can give us wisdom to make good choices. Trusting in God can help us withstand life, challenges, and trust in God help us shape our character.
Trust in God can help guide us through all situations and circumstances. Better outcomes come from trusting God.
Isaiah 26:3 tells us about the peace and rest we have from trusting God,
“You will keep whoever’s mind is those steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.”
God promises us that when we build our life on trusting Him, our life will be secure and fruitful, even in the most challenging and dry times of life.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 tells us God has set a choice before every one of us.
“ I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, but I have said before you, life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore, whose life that you may live, you and you are descendants, love the Lord, your God, to obey His voice, and to clean to Him for He is your life, and the length of your days.
The power of pressing God is the ability to find strength, peace, and resilience in challenging situations by fully believing in God‘s goodness, power and plan, allowing us to overcome our fears and anxieties while leaning on His guidance and support, Which ultimately leads to a deeper sense of purpose and inner stability.
There are three items I could not live without. The first one is my Bible. I rely on it to have a close relationship with God. It helps guide my way when making tough decisions.
The second one is a vehicle. I rely on it to get to the grocery store, and visit friends.
The third one is coffee, it would be a struggle to not have a hot cup of coffee during my day. I could do it if I had to, but I definitely enjoy my coffee.
We have become too dependent on the luxuries of life. The simple things to have a certain lifestyle. Even to the point of having anxiety when we are forced to live without them. Instead we should be focused on personal growth, relationships, and health, they are the important things in life.
What experiences in life helped you grow the most?
My life has been full of tragedy. The loss of my young brother drowning at age 11. Another brother was murdered over a drug deal. The way my mother treated me, I had to grow up fast and it was hard.
There is actually a psychological phenomenon called post-traumatic growth when which happens through traumatic experiences that can lead to personal development.
It gives you a deeper appreciation for life, stronger relationships, and increased resilience, even through the pain of the tragedy it remains present. But post-traumatic growth is not a quick process, and it’s important to allow time for healing and processing the traumatic trauma before expecting growth.
The Tragedy I’ve been through helped me reevaluate my priorities, develop coping mechanisms, and have empathy for others who are going through traumatic experiences too.
If we are honest, we all struggle to control our thoughts. Ungodly and evil thoughts are constantly seeking to wage war in our minds. The question is do we dwell on those thoughts or fight to switch those thoughts?
“When you fix your thoughts on God, God fixes your thoughts.”
This seems really simple, but how many of us let our thoughts wander? God gives us the victory through Jesus.
In our struggle, we can rest in the perfect work of Jesus on our behalf. Those who place their faith in Jesus alone for salvation have been given the Holy Spirit, who helps us fight against sin and temptation.
We can switch our thoughts faithfully without trouble or disquiet when we recall our minds to God we can keep our minds from wandering.
Our thoughts lead to purposes, and purposes go forth to action, actions form habits, and our habits decide our character and character is what changes our destiny.
We can keep our memory clean and pure when we know the Word of God, what He says about us, and His promises.
Our strange thoughts need to be trimmed and adorned with God’s ways and Jesus’s virtues of living a crucified life.
With the sword of the Spirit, (God’s Word) we can become strong and withstand Satan and his ways.
I believe that we are all born with a destiny. God has a purpose for our lives. It’s our identity in life. The events in life lead us to a specific role in life in order to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives.
I also believe that no one is predestined to go to hell. We have free will, it’s that free will and the choices we make that will send us to hell.
God made it simple: Believe in Him, learn and obey His Word, follow His ways and He will bless us in life and in death.
When we mess up repent and turn away from our sin and try again. God knows we are not perfect, but He expects us to try.
From Pity to Praise 