Dig a Little Deeper

I was reading a blog where the writer talked about the "hate" mail she'd received from her latest article. She went on to describe how she prayed, read and re-read her article and so on.....
You can't always guess how a stranger will take what you share.

One thing about criticism is that it makes you dig. You dig in your heart to see if you were sincere and honest and try to find the source of the criticism. You dig deep. Sometimes what we see isn't pretty. Like the picture below, it may be filled with thorns and dryness, painful memories, painful issues, things left unaddressed too long.
And sometimes the person criticizing is the one with issues left unaddressed that have turned barren, brittle and dry. It's usually evident what was watered and what was not.
I like to dig...Digging is a good thing whether it’s in your heart, in the Word or in the dirt. There's something gratifying and soul healing about it. While you're digging I hope you strike Water, "life-giving water", "soul cleansing water", "broken heart healing water".

I am reminded of the verse, A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45

Beginnings

January 1, 2013

My mother used to say, "What you do the first day of the year is what you'll do the whole year through." I didn't really want to hear that because I wanted to sleep late and relax...just not do much on New Year's Day.
It would find us cleaning something at some point in the day or organizing. Seems over the years I felt the need to stay busy or see accomplishments because, after all, it sets the pace for the whole year!
Today, as I organized the pantry, cooked black eyed peas and stayed busy most of the day. I am reminded that:
1. "Habits are hard to break" so have good ones.
2. "History repeats itself" so started motivated to accomplish.

I hope to watercolor more, build my business larger and see another year through in The One Year Bible. I was reminded of the very first words in the Bible, For our new year of reading, Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning....."
I love that. What a way to start a day...a new year...fresh.