Tag: Life

Time of Reflection



The moments that bring us to a stand still are our opportunities to reflect where we are on our journey through life.


Trapped indoors on a rainy day.


Time to slow down and observe what is going on.


If nothing is broke don’t fix it.

If nothing is complete don’t force it.


Let it all be what it will be,

and be free of discontent.


God has got you this far, he hasn’t forgotten you, he will not leave you stuck, difficult times shall soon be a distant memory.


Maybe, just maybe He has you here to:


Love in the moment.

Live in the moment.  

Sing in the rain. 

Jump in mud puddles.

Soak up this beautiful wonderful thing we call life.


Rainy days or sunny days, soak it up, the rain and the rays.


 Absorb life. Be alive. Love others.


In all things, be thankful, be graceful. 

Xoxo

leigh leigh


God knows all the Answers to Our Questions

 

Day 1

Immediately after I opened my eyes this morning at a chilly 6:00am, (Texas time) my alarm clock begging me for the third time now to start my day, I reached over for my iPhone and opened the BIBLE app.

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I decided in that moment I would go ahead and dive into the whole chapter. Upon completion of reading the whole chapter I decided I would commit my next 40 days with my Blog to speak truth, God’s truth with you, my awesome readers! I am still working out, and will eventually figure out how to share that side of me in future blog posts, but this 40 Days of Scripture will be categorized under A New Life in the Scriptures on my Blog.

I want to start with Proverbs 16. I urge you to read the whole chapter for yourself and encourage you to do a little studying on your own.

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It can be used and applied to your every day life no mater where you are on your journey.

“We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer.” Proverbs 16 Verse 1

We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer. (Hmmm I don’t remember asking for his answer, it’s my life, my plans.) I have to admit when I read scriptures some days I feel like I am just staring at the words. I know they are suppose to make sense in some form or fashion, but I am blank.  I began to mediate on it and let my mind imagine, I use context clues to gather more information from surrounding verses and then I pray that the Holy spirit would give me revelation, and knowledge. We can ask for that you know! 😉

If you switch over to the Message interpretation of this Proverb it’s titled is Everything with a Place and a Purpose.

So when I read we can make our own plans, I am assuming God is including EVERY HUMAN.

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In Deuteronomy 30:15-19 God lets us Humans in on a little secret. We are FREE to make our own choice! What!!? That is awesome! We have  a loving God who would never want to FORCE himself on us or our lives, but He ultimately knows that through salvation through his son Jesus, He is the ultimate way to a real true honest life of Freedom.

God specifically specifies our choices… LIFE….or DEATH!

Life- Eternity with God.

Death- Eternal Separation from God.

“…but the LORD gives the right answers.” Proverbs 16:1

I love that this verse is the first scripture in this chapter because automatically I can see how it can be valid as a Compass for our whole lives from start to finish, but it can also be used as a compass for a particular present season in our every day life.

He is ultimately advising us to SEEK HIM FIRST. Like a compassionate Father He is inviting us to run to him with our questions so that He can answer them.

We can make our own plans yes.. we can choose LIFE or we can choose DEATH, but he is reminding us to have confidence in Him to trust that ultimately He has the right answers.

To choose LIFE would be to seek salvation through his son Jesus Christ.

To choose DEATH would be to live a prideful life believing there is no God, no Jesus, no faith, no hope, no salvation through Jesus, or maybe even turning your back on God.

Now lets bounce back to the present. Maybe you really despise your job and you really want to quit, you know deep down inside you should stay, you have a feeling that you need to stick it out. You always have the choice to quit, or you could go to the Lord in prayer and ask him which way you should turn. Should you stay, should you go? Maybe he has you there to learn a lesson, or maybe he has you there to be a blessing. Either way when He is involved and you are choosing to follow him He will work it all out for your greater good.

“We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer.” Proverbs 16 Verse 1

 

Where are you at on your journey of faith? Have you decided to make your own plans without first seeking his knowledge, his will for your life right now? Do you know Christ? Do you know your freedoms of being a Child of God?

READ HERE if you are still on the fence about this whole Jesus, God, Faith thing people talk about.

Day 2 HERE

xoxo

Leigh Leigh

Learn more about Leigh Leigh HERE. Please follow my blog and join in on the fun at FACEBOOK HERE, or follow Leigh Leigh Speaks on Twitter HERE!

9 Things Learned from a cRAZy Busy Month #motherhoodstruggles FUNNY

To make light of the Chaotic Month of October here is an insert straight from my *TOP SECRET* Journal!

9 Things I learned from what seemed like the craziest month of my LIFE!

#1 When your memory fails you, there are emails, text messages, and social media posts to retain every moment of our life! (Maybe it’s not so bad for you after all to be an addict!??)

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#2 When given any opportunity to sit still long enough, or lie horizontal you will fall asleep on accident and maybe even snore or drool because your body is so sleep deprived from going non stop!

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#3 “Mommy Time Outs” are FOR REAL and when used in moderation (10-20 minuets after you come home from work, or just anytime in your day) will SAVE your afternoon and your SANITY!

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#4 Gym stretchy leggings will become apart of your daily casual wear and you can be okay with this! Why? Well all the hours of cardio and weight lifting are sculpting some nice legs!

(sorry no selfie..will work on this though!) 😉

#5  If you ditch your make up, made up hair style, and decide to skip the contacts and wear your glasses all day including public outings, your kids will question if you are okay! (My son was very puzzled when I picked him up from school after work looking like a scrub! “Mom are you okay?”) LOL

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#6 PB&J on a tortilla is a wonderful back up sandwich when you run out of bread on a Thursday morning.

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#7 There are still NO EXCUSES for MISSING morning runs! These make you feel better!

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#8 If you feed your kids cereal for DINNER (because it’s 30 minuets past their bed time due to a football game) they will announce to the world, shout it off the roof tops that you ARE “THE BEST MOM EVER!!” (I have waited my whole life for that moment-thank you cereal!) 😉

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#9 If you have to skip out on laundry and cleaning up your chaotic dirty house, the mess will not disappear or disown you, it will be waiting patiently for your attention multiplying by the seconds!

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WOW I feel so much more knowledged! I’m SO happy and thrilled I had to endure craziness to learn such fascinating things! 🙂

 

GO Busy Mommas ALL OVER THE WORLD!!

WE ROCK!

Leigh Leigh

Follow my blog! Follow me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks or Twitter @ash_leighharris.

Beautiful Women keep their mouths SHUT!

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*image found on Facebook feed

“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” Proverbs 18:21 NLT

It’s Monday! You know what that means! We need a little piece of encouragement to move us forward on a positive note for this new week we will journey on.

I actually found this picture on my Facebook feed not too long ago. The instant it caught my eye, I thought to myself, this has to be blogged about and shared! I mean isn’t this so true!?

Wow, this scripture found in Proverbs 18 could not paint a more vivid picture of the one I found on Facebook. We see a fish who has the opportunity to swim past the hook dodging danger by keeping his mouth closed, or the fish could come running towards the bait with mouth wide open ready to seize what he thinks is going to make him feel satisfied and full, happy, and joyful, only to have his whole world turned upside down with destruction or death concluded. How many times have you been in a conversation with another friend and someone who you may have bitter feelings about pops up? Just the sound of that name could become the bait dangling from Satan in front of our little fishes faces. In that moment we want to so desperately begin to open our mouth and let all the ugliness about this person come spewing out in hopes that we convince our friend to take our side, like us more, gain alliance to us, dislike them too, as we spew our insecurities out like a volcano erupting. I use volcano as an analogy because the lava is extremely hot, and damaging, life terminating, to everything it touches. We have now pushed our opinions, hate, bitterness, onto this other person we care about, causing strong influence on their opinion of this other person as well. We cause GREAT DANGER and DEATH when we take the bait of gossiping and devaluing others!

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*image found http://amazinggeologist.blogspot.com/

 

 

“The gossip of bad people gets them in trouble; the conversation of good people keeps them out of it. Well-spoken words bring satisfaction; well done work has its own reward.” Proverbs 12:13 MSG

The best thing to do, would be to just avoid these “bad/negative” people in our lives during conversation with others. It’s simple, just don’t go there. If they are brought up, simply dodge the topic or skip to another topic of choice. If you can’t change the subject, then just simply don’t respond. The other person will eventually get the hint and move on to another subject.  Love covers a multitude of sin, so in saying this, cover their wrong doing to you. You don’t have to tell everyone how nasty they were by going behind your back last week or lying about you. Our friends nor any ones else for that matter really needs to know all this. Why? Because God is all seeing and all knowing. Our enemies can not escape him!! He will take care of them some way or another. So smile, relax, don’t worry, and by all means talk about something good!

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*image found on pintrest

“The words of a fool start fights; do him a favor and gag him. Fools are undone by their big mouths; their souls are crushed by their words. Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?” Proverbs 18:6-8 MSG

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I love, love this mental picture! Have you ever ate cheap candy? Cheap chocolate comes to mind. You know the kind that has lost it’s shelf life and is all dried out. Sugarless!  Oh my gosh, it’s disgusting isn’t it!? Not only does it taste bad, it lingers with bad after taste in your mouth! Are you seeing the similarities here? Although this scripture is talking about listening to gossip, I think it goes for sharing gossip as well.  Just like bad lingering candy, so do our words and gossip we hear. After they flow out of our mouth and heart they make it into someone else’s heart and then later their mouths.

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the moth speaks what the heart is full of.” Luke 6:45 NIV

So next time Satan lures you in with a big piece of Gossiping bait, don’t be a fool like a fish is! Keep your mouth tight, resist the bait, and swim to SAFTEY! )

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*image found at http://opendoor.tv/tongue-power/

We are human and we all are guilty of speaking ill of another person and listening to a friend bash on another. I don’t want this post to bring condemnation to you, but conviction. We all need to be reminded of how damaging words really our to others and ourselves.

This picture on my news feed was a great reminder to me, so I hope it can be a good reminder for you that will bring blessings to your life!

Being a Woman who can keep her mouth shut when it is absolutely the hardest thing you can stand is a BEAUTIFUL thing!

Don’t forget how beautiful you are!

XOXO

-Leigh Leigh

*Follow my blog, Follow Leigh Leigh Speaks on Twitter @ash_leighharris, or Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks

Busting the Monday Morning Blues

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Monday’s happen to be one of my new favorite days of the week. I use to look forward to Friday’s because it was a sign of things ending and time to be spent resting with the Husband and kids. Don’t get me wrong I still enjoy Friday afternoon around 4:10 when he comes walking through the door from work, but there is something inspiring about Mondays!

Monday marks new beginnings. Last week is behind us, a new week hangs in the mystery of the future. Maybe the older I get the more I seek after challenges. I am really not sure!

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Picture found on newtritionblog.com

As you journey into a new week today I would like to give you some words of great wisdom found in Proverbs 21.

“Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor.” Proverbs 21:21

To pursue something means to follow, to get, to be involved in.

Righteousness means morally good.

Prosperity is a condition of being well, successful, or thriving.

Honor means you are respected or judged of good character.

So when we put this all together it looks like this….

Whoever (anyone) goes after; chases; gets in involved in morally good things, and loves, will find life, the state of being well and thriving, and respected and esteemed by others.

How does this look played out in ones life? Well I don’t know about you but for me it looks like this.

I can pursue my husband in love. I can put him before myself by thinking of his needs first above mine. This may be taking an extra ten minuets of my afternoon to rub his back after a hard days work. Cooking his favorite meal, when I would rather pop in oven pizza. Running his errands, instead of lounging by the pool.

I can pursue my children by putting their needs above mine. I can do this by spending extra one on one time when I would rather send them up the stairs to play together. Take them to the park to feed the ducks, instead of making sure the house is absolutely immaculate for 5 minuets! Reading them a bible story instead of turning on the television.

I can pursue my friends and family by picking up the phone or sending a text to let them know I love them, that I am thinking of them, and I am praying for them. I can invite them over for play dates, or lunch.

Pursue my blog so that it will be fruitful to those who read it. Pursue my laundry so that it doesn’t collect to be the size of Mount Everest and take me down in defeat while my children holler out they have nothing to wear by Wednesday. Pursue my home so that my family has a clean, organized place to land after all the weeks events unfold outside of them home. You get the point! 😉

Pursue my relationship with Jesus by praying, reading my bible, singing songs of worship.

I can pursue righteousness by making conscious efforts to set my thoughts in heavenly places. Pray to not fall into temptation of road rage, impatience at the grocery check out line, laziness, negative thinking, nasty critical snap judgments of others. Stopping and pausing before I speak. Remembering to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Fixing my eyes on Jesus.

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*photo found on tumbler18.com

Pursue is the exact opposite of Passive. We are creatures made to move not lie doormat.

Be inspired! Be excited that it’s Monday! It’s a new fresh start and as you go along this week remember to pursue, pursue, pursue!

Pursue love, righteousness and be amazed at its return of LIFE, PROSPERITY, and HONOR!

Stop and think about it for a moment. How will this week be different for you if you followed Proverbs 21:21’s advise?

xoxo

–Leigh Leigh

Let’s stay connected! Follow my blog, subscribe to email, or like Leigh Leigh Speaks on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks

 

6 EFFECTIVE STEPS TO DEFEAT, NOT REPEAT, A BAD WEEK

It has been a week! Not one I would like to repeat that’s for sure. It wasn’t physically demanding, but definitely mentally draining. I can honestly say, I cried and I haven’t just let the tears roll in months. It wasn’t until I got a grip and discerned what I was thinking out in my journal. Suddenly it became clear what was going on. I was under spiritual warfare and I was letting it get the best of me. If your week was similar to mine here are 6 EFFECTIVE Steps to DEFEAT, not REPEAT, a no good week!

6 EFFECTIVE STEPS TO DEFEAT, NOT REPEAT, A BAD WEEK

#1 Write it down

Go back through your week. Pin Point the first event, circumstance, thought, that knocked down the first domino in your mind of torment. Write the order of events down on paper.

#2 Recognize your Enemy

Was your week derailed out of chaos or disorder? Was it weakened by lies, deceit? Did an unexpected set back occur?

1 Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,”

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

1 Peter5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

#3 Recognize the bad seeds planted from your struggle(s)

I was dealing with some decisions I have made in my life on forgiving others who had caused harm to me years previous. I recognized it was a distraction to my calling to forgive and get past difficulties through Christ’s love and healing power. I was about to stop giving grace and mercy to a person, but realized this could be dangerous as I am in need of grace and mercy myself every day. I recognized that the seed planted was pride and unforgiveness. I also was dealing with another issue that’s core root came from jealousy. I know that these types of seeds planted in my mind are VERY dangerous for me to let take root and grow. Out of them springs anger, resentment, and bitterness. All things in which I do not want to have inside of me. What gets rooted in the heart comes out of the Mouth, (Matt 15:19). As a Jesus follower I am called for life free from this kind of bondage. My enemy, Satan, was out to steal my joy and he used some very personal issues to rattle the my cages. Once I recognized the warfare in my mind, I was able to stop the chatter of nonsense that was fueling my downfall.

#4 Forgive them, Forgive yourself

Whatever happened this week, what ever offenses were made against you. What ever thought of unforgivness you may have harbored. Forgive. Forgive them, and then forgive yourself for the set back. 2 Corinthians 2:10-11,” Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” Unforgivness gives Satan the advantage in our lives. It also causes bitterness, resentment, strife which is the exact opposite of Love. Sometimes we need to extend grace and mercy to ourselves as well. If you let Satan’s attacks bring your down, don’t stay down, forgive yourself for the pity party you threw for an hour! 😉

#5 Let it Go

Proverbs 19:11, “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”

Ecclesiastes 7:21-22, “Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.”

Let it go, forget about it, press onward, seek things above.

#6 Change your mindset

Tomorrow is Monday. I love Mondays because they are the beginning of a new week and new opportunities. I may have been blind sided this past week, but this week my eyes will be WIDE open!

Colossians 3:1 , “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

Lamentations 3:22-23, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

 

I hope you have a Fabulous week ahead!

1 John 4:4, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

This is a little gold nugget. Tuck it in your pocket, keep it safe, and pull it out when trouble comes your way!

Lots of Love and Hugs,

-Leigh Leigh

Don’t miss anything!! Follow and LIKE Leigh Leigh on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks

 

 

Overwhelmed Much?

 

I am OVERWHELMED!

I have exactly one week until I turn 29 years old. This number has been a cruel reminder that I have one more year left of my 20s. Why does this freak me out so much? I mean its only 29! Shouldn’t I be going through these motions as a 29 year old fixing to turn 30? Oh well, guess I am a crazy person!?

“Do I suffer from Attention Deficient Disorder or am I just discontent?” I asked my husband late last night while we were talking about hobbies and things we enjoy doing. For giggles, I like to make fun of myselfso I started to go through the list out loud of all the crazy things I have done over the past few years. The joke really was on me when I started actually counting up my silly escapades of things we call “Hobby’s, talents, time fillers.” I laughed it off and dropped it.

The short car ride each morning to take my son to school has become my self reflection outlet. I love to get in the car and drive off into the beautiful sun rise knowing this is the start of a new day. The bright Sunshine brings warmth to my face as I sit at the four way stop waiting on my turn to take a left. I am almost home and whatever I do that day will not begin until the ignition is turned off and I make my way back into my favorite place I call home.

This mornings car ride sparked questions; what is it? Am I discontent Lord, or do I just have a super bad attention problem? I keep searching for that one thing that sets me apart that I love doing. Did you really create us to be good at one thing? I mean there are singers who sing, athletes who play professional sports, artists who paint, teachers who teach, dancers who dance, authors who write best sellers. Why can’t I just find that one thing I find joy in and confidence in?

I have to figure things out, when I can’t it drives me insane. So I did the only thing I know to do when I just can’t seem to put my finger on it I journal. I love how God knows what we are going to ask and when we are going to ask it. My journal time usually becomes a super divine conversation with my maker.

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I titled todays entry ADD OR DISCONTENTMENT and then I made a list of everything new I have tried in the last four to five years. I will just stop and say, I am a little embarrassed to share this with you because you will really think I am a CRAZY if you don’t already! 😉 Each item listed was going to be “MY THING,” you know that one thing you do all the time because you love it and you are good at it! I have only stuck with two of them which are in italics. I do however hope that the blogging becomes permanent!

  • Working out
  • Hair bows
  • Handmade get well cards/birthday box
  • Crochet (self taught by YouTube videos)
  • Journaling
  • Blogging
  • Mums
  • Hand made jewelry
  • Organizer binds for house chores
  • Flower Garden
  • Fondant cake making

 

 

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I then brainstormed what I loved to do when I was younger. I use to love making collages out of magazine clippings. I would love to redecorate and rearrange my room over and over and over again. I was beginning to make a connection. My 20s looks a lot like a collage of things I would have made when I was a teenager. I had collaged and collected all my interests and all I had left was a big mess of everything running together to create a blob of massive proportions: dollars lost, over flowing bags of ribbon, cardstock, glue sticks, and yarn taking over a closet in my house!

It wasn’t until ran out of lines to see the scripture that was printed on my journal page at the bottom.

The journal I am currently using was a Mother’s Day gift from my Husband and children a year ago. I LOVE this journal because on every other page there is a scripture posted at the bottom.  It is no surprise to me that the answer I was looking for would be starring right at me on todays blank sheet!

“Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Colossians 3:17

OH MY WORD!!!!” Whatever you do,” it didn’t say the “ONE thing you do.” I was instantly hooked and reeled in on the word “whatever.” I knew if I dug a little deeper in scripture I would find what I was searching for. I proceeded to grab for my LIFE Handbook, my Bible, and I read over Colossians and 1 Timothy 6.

I kept staring at my list, there were so many things on this list in such a short amount of time in my life. Why so many? I then remembered how creative our Creator is. I mean stop and think about the variety we have on this planet; people, food, animals, plants, the colors each night of the sky as the sun is setting. He has created so many things and they all bring glory back to himself. I began to ponder if God has so much variety with us here on planet earth what is really the matter with having so many things on this paper? Maybe he doesn’t want us to limit ourselves to just one thing!? I closed my journal and read some more. 1 Timothy 6:6 says that” Godliness with contentment is great gain.” I knew I had let my imagination run off course and I was brought back with this truth.

I should not be too concerned about what makes me happy or wasting time comparing myself to other women’s talents, hobbies, gifts.

 I should be more concerned about how the desires, talents , and gifts God has given to me bring benefits to others not myself.

After all, My life really isn’t my own.

When you put verses 23 and 24 together in Colossians 3 you will realize that it all comes back to being a servant of Christ.

23″ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

If your suffer from crazy ADD or DS (discontentment disorder), such as myself, make a list of all your crazy endeavors and then examine the motives behind each one and label that motive beside the item. Do they benefit just you, just others, or both? My motive list included attention, pride, and ways to make money. (Ouch) These things I can mark off. I can come back to them later in life when my motives are no longer one of the three previously stated. 😉 What brings joy or encouragement to others? Those things, you should keep!

This morning I found contentment in this truth; I am a servant of the Lord, and “whatever” I choose to do with my free time be it a hobby or just for fun, I should focus on my motives behind it, and if it doesn’t give thanks to the Lord and it doesn’t benefit others, I am wasting my time, energy, and focus on it. I need to drop it and let it go. This gives me freedom from being OVERWHELMED!!!!

Being mindful to be a blessing to others will bless you as well.

I have a new outlook on my hobby list and my condition. I do not suffer from ADD, but I do suffer from discontentment because nothing Godly was gained in my pathetic attempts to chase after things that did not bring any satisfaction to anyone else but myself.

I feel confident that I can now bring my focus back on to others while I am enjoying things that I love to do! Contentment is a BEAUTIFUL thing!

Be Beautiful-

Leigh Leigh