Some more about Purse-onality...

Recently, I was thinking about buying a new purse and it occured to me that our career &/or calling in life have a big part to play in our choice of purses. I'll explain...

Another "C" of Purse-onality

So we introduced this next "C" in the last posting (can't promise it will be the last "C" though). Well, it only makes sense don't you agree? It's one thing to decide on the contents-and-compartments combo and the colour of your purse - based on your preferences + personality of course. But I can't help but wonder if our choice on how to carry it is also a reflection of our personality or spirituality. I'll share my TEA...as usual, you're welcome to take as much or as little of it as you want.

The colour of your purse-onality

Another aspect of purse-onality is the colours of purses. Years ago, I was a one-purse lady...in fact I loved every bag once it was black. Yes, black was (& still is) beautiful for several reasons...

For starters, it’s a neutral colour and will go with any and every outfit. I didn’t believe there was any reason to move things from one purse to another just because it needed to match with my shoes. Who said shoes and purses had to match? In fact, who was looking at me anyway? (I got the answer to that question later)

The second reason is: it is dark enough not to be stained...or tainted by dirt or dust - which almost makes it ageless. If and when it ages (and if you must), it's easy to get the right colour of polish - for the edges at least...if you decide not to buy another black bag to replace it.

And then...I met Beryl (another of my best friends); she was (and still is) always so colour-coordinated - don't know how she does it. So I decided to try it out...tried to get more bags to go with my black, brown and navy blue shoes - well who needs more than 3 colours of shoes? Clothes can always be made to fit the accessories - won't you agree? I know more ladies do it the other way around - I guess that's why I'm so unique.  Ok back to purses...

What's your purse-onality? (2)

Talking some more about purses and purse-onality, have you noticed that some ladies have practically anything you'll need in their purses. It's almost like an overnight bag - hmm does that mean they are prepared to spend the night wherever? I don't think so and definitely hope not. Well, when you ask them the last time they used an item e.g. that sewing kit, the response is "you never know when it could come in handy." Again that is so true - but your shoulders and back may not agree with you.

80:20

Some (if not most) of us would have heard of the 80:20 rule in business circles. The interesting thing about this rule is how relevant it is in (& to) our everyday lives.

Essentially the rule encourages people to determine how to live efficiently =>

least effort and most result.

What's your purse-onality?

A few years ago, a dear friend and I had the opportunity of attending a Women of Faith Conference. It was such a wonderful time in the presence of God with a lot of women.

One aspect that I cannot forget is when Anita Renfroe came up and started by asking how many people came to the conference with their best friend...that was tricky and yet a moment of truth - I wonder how many ladies told the truth. It was really funny and interesting to see how ladies looked at each other with that query: "Are you my friend - let alone my best friend?" Even Anita picked up on those looks and rubbed it in. At least I was there with one of my best friends; we looked at each other laughed and boldly raised up our hands. No one ever said you cannot have more than one best friend... I've found that a handful is just enough - we've talked about that before and likely will again.

She went on and talked about women's purse-onalities and how our purses (or handbags -as some of us call them) tell so much about who we are. Now I cannot remember the exact details of all she said - well I was laughing more than committing her comments to memory. So I'll just share some of my thoughts or at least what goes through my mind (& mouth sometimes) when I'm "purse-watching"...

Think on this...

"A refusal to correct is a refusal to love; love your children by disciplining them."

 Can you guess who said this? I just love the simplicity of the statement; mathematically put:

Love = Discipline

Now discipline and wickedness are not the same thing and discipline is part of our Duty of care. These 2 books continue to help me in that Duty of care:-

A book I got from my mother:

and one I bought last year

BTW, that quote is by King Solomon - Proverbs 13:24 (The Message)

Think on this...

I just heard an interesting car ad...they said:

"For the world you cannot predict,

you need a car you can depend on."

In fact, I know they continue to refer to that brand as

"the star of the road."

After pondering on this, the question I cannot keep myself from asking is:

With how unpredictable life is, who or what do you depend on?

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving in Canada...

Each time I hear someone say "Happy Thanksgiving" the questions that come to mind are:

What are you thankful for?

Who are you thankful to?

It's interesting - yet sad - how much this special occassion has changed in focus. In fact it has lost focus for a lot of people. If "lost", it helps to check where you are coming from so let's look at the history of Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, occurring on the second Monday in October (since 1959), is an annual Canadian holiday to give thanks at the close of the harvest season. Although the original act of Parliament references God and the holiday is celebrated in churches, the holiday is also celebrated in a secular manner.

On January 31, 1957, the Canadian Parliament proclaimed:

“ A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed … to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October.”*

The Who and what of Thanksgiving are clear in the proclamation - sad how people have moved away from this initial intention. If you look around you, you see that God has blessed you and yours with bountiful harvests in various areas of life. Like, Bishop David Oyedepo said "if you can think, you can thank." There is a clear promise for all who praise & thank God in Psalms 67:5-7 - tells us the result of thanksgiving:

"May the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise you. 

Then the earth will yield its harvests, and God, our God, will richly bless us.

Yes, God will bless us, and people all over the world will fear him." (NLT) 

Too many of us spend a lot of time asking God for things whnever we pray but "if the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice."**

To wrap up, here are a few wise words...I pray they sink into your spirit and make thanksgiving spring forth from your heart:

Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.***

Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day****~neither should you.

Happy Thanksgiving!!  

 

 

Sources:

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(Canada)

** Meister Eckhart

*** Edward Sandford Martin

****Robert Caspar Lintner

Duty of Care

So what is "Duty of care"?

Duty of care is "a requirement that a person act toward others and the public with watchfulness, attention, caution and prudence that a reasonable person in the circumstances would. If a person's actions do not meet this standard of care, then the acts are considered negligent..."* Now that is a mouthful - it is also a combination of simple words. I found it interesting that this phrase came to my mind when I read the following verses in July (comments in green mine).

Proverbs 27:5-6: "A truly good friend will openly correct you. (Gently and kindly too) You can trust a friend who corrects you, but kisses from an enemy are nothing but lies." (CEV)

Proverbs 27:17  "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." (NLT) (There may be some friction but it's for the good of both of you)

Proverbs 28:23 "In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery. (NLT) (Constructive criticism goes further any time and every time)

Let's tie them in....

"Cut your coat...

...according to your size." Have you ever heard this or even received it as advice?  This is one of the worst pieces of advice you can ever give, receive or apply in your life.

I'll tell you why shortly...

Think on this...

Do you agree that ...

P.S. This is an actual church sign - I got it off the internet.

Our prayer is that this blogspot will help answer some daily-living questions.
Feel free to email your questions to sapphireandberyl@gmail.com
- with God's help, we will answer them. 

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