It's about Perspective

Isn't perspective everything?  The same situations in my life change depending on my perspective of them.  People change before my eyes, depending on my perspective.  It's my own perspective that changes how I see myself.  What I think is really my choice!  I either feel rich in blessings and see miracles around me OR I feel empty and lacking and full of heartache.  Even if circumstances change, we can gravitate to either way of viewing it.

I remember listening to marriage talk tape once where the author was saying that no matter what your spouse ever does… you can find something to praise about him.  She gave the example of someone who said all their husband does is sit on the couch and watch football (while drinking and cursing).  She said that you can admire his appreciation of sports. 

You can ALWAYS find SOMETHING positive if you look for it. 

Thankfully, it's not a struggle for me to find the good in my husband.  But there are other areas of my life that I am continually working on my perspective. 

Like even moving here to Utah.  It was our most difficult move and required many sacrifices.  But we have also gained many blessings and opportunities as well.    

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I've had this thought that because of our sacrifice in moving here, the Lord would bless me in a specific area that I wanted.  So my perspective starts to mold around whether I feel this blessing will be answered or not. 

Doesn't it seem true that our pain, disappointment and sorrow is often attached to the fact that there is something we WANT? 

And is it wrong to want something good?  Is it wrong to have righteous desires?  A good marriage? To have children? To mend family relations? For better health?  Etc.

But why must wanting and praying for good things bring such heartache?

Perhaps it is our PERSPECTIVE. 

In my own perspective of looking for a specific blessing, am I not seeing all the other blessings that have been showered upon me?  Am I not enjoying what I already have?  And really, am I lacking anything? 

Is it possible that the feeling of "lacking" something or the sense of "loss" is really a deception?  After all, doesn't God provide for our every need? 

If we don't have something we want right now, is it possible that we don't really "need" it like we think we do?  Or maybe we aren't ready to have it yet?

In my goals for this year, I not only want to EAT HEALTHY, KEEP ACTIVE, and SERVE OUTSIDE MYSELF… I have also written down my greatest blessings and also the answers to my longings (as if they are realized) in sentence form, and will repeat these sentences to myself every day.  Because it's about my PERSPECTIVE and I want to keep it as real as possible. 

I know there is an Adversary trying to manipulate my perspective and distract me from truth.  For me, keeping close to the Lord is the ONLY thing that helps me overcome some of this very strong manipulation.

Here are some yummy meals I've had this last month when out on a date with my man:

The one on the left was some beef kabobs, and the right was prime rib with cole-slaw - which I haven't had in years (I cut the fat off it, of course)

Our waffle iron got dropped and broke, so Brent made me these Medifast Pancakes in the sandwich maker with sugar free syrup to dip.  I thought that was clever!

That is all for now.  I hope to do better at updating my blog this year!  I appreciate all my wonderful blogger Peeps!  Thank you for reading and for your positive encouragement.  :)

Much love, XOxoXo ~Margene

Movie Marathon & Pizza Galore...

Brent is HOME!  All is well... peace abounds... smiles galore!

(I kind of have a funny story from picking him up at the airport... I may put it in another post)

Okay, so in times past, a fun day date with my hubs would be something like having a Lord of the Rings marathon (using the extended edition DVD's, of course) and ordering some large Pizza Hut pepperoni & supreme pizza’s.  Shoving it down with loads of diet soda or chocolate milk, and making a double batch of brownies or cookies and pigging out while we watch.  Seriously, that used to be our ultimate date!

BUT NOT ANYMORE!

Today, instead of sitting around watching Frodo traverse the beautiful forests of Rivendale... we RODE OUR BIKES through our own gorgeous Oregon Rivendale.  (Mind you, I love LoftheR).  But nothing compares to the date I had with Brent today.

Just starting out

We conquered the Oregon Vernonia-Banks trail!  Our first plan was to try and go 6 miles in and then come back for a total of 12 miles.  That’s a lot of miles for people who haven’t been riding bikes for any distance consistently.  The paved trail is lined with the most beautiful trees, barns, trestles, railroad tracks, green fields, pathways to explore, ponds, little streams, little animals, cool bridges and Blue Skies (at least or today).  Brent said it was the "best day ever" and I have to agree!

What we ended up doing was 14 miles in... with more than 1/2 of those miles at an uphill incline.  Then we came 14 miles back out for a total of 26 miles!!  It took us about 4 hours.  Four hours of the best date ever!  Yes, my legs burned, I panted, I got hot, I got cold.... but it felt AMAZING!  Just a year ago, I wouldn’t even dream of being able to do this.

At the end - 26 miles!

We were both remembering almost a year ago when we first got our bikes out after I had lost 70 pounds and rode about 5 miles and we felt we were superstars!  That had felt amazing.  I am amazed at what I find that I can do - that I didn’t ever think I could do.  

What do you think you can’t do?  
Maybe you should re-think that and just go for it!

The Lord has also blessed me with my knee feeling better!!  I am now running up to 7 minutes at a time.  Can’t wait to go jogging with Brent, who apparently feels that I am going to kick his butt.  He’s put 10 pounds back on while he’s been in Utah (mostly due to stress) and is feeling that he’s not in as good of shape.  (This is quite the role reversal, I’ll tell ya, as Brent has always been more the athlete than me since High School).  But he worked it today - He IS the MAN!!!  I like the idea of kickin’ his butt, though... is that bad? 

You know, life is hard.  We move in a month, Brent did not get a position at work he applied for that he really wanted (which would have been more money and less stress), money is scarce, the homes we’ve been trying to buy in Utah have not come through for us yet - so we’re moving with no place to live, there are issues with our kids that need addressing... and on and on.  

But you know what?  Life is still so good!  

For me, it used to NOT be good.  Everything brought me down.  I still get down at times.  But my outlook has changed.  

You know what is different from a positive person vs. a negative person?  

It is their PERSPECTIVE.  


It is about looking beyond the moment or the situation.  It is about seeing the whole picture.  It is about seeing things as they really are and what is really most important.  

I am so thankful to start a new perspective in my life.  After so many years of negative... I am so thankful to shed that.  My chains are gone - I have been set free.   

So bring it on... Life is SO GOOD!!