Imagination is Everything

This is relative to the quote - "If you can dream it, you can do it."

It's also in conjunction with planning before performing an action. Or for writers, outline before you start a large writing project.

It's confirmation to oneself that things are possible after envisioning them.

It's the reason Alice from Alice in Wonderland mentioned about striving to attempt at least 6 impossible things before breakfast. This one is my favorite.

For every mention, there's a whole group of people to put you down and tell you that you're incapable for whatever reasons. There's skepticism and then there's just plain hatred. Celebrating hate is the norm of our human culture whether we'd like to admit it or not. There's usually more than one person to jump up and say, "No, we can't do that." Most of the time, if you would try this on your own if you haven't done so already, if you ask why, there's no supporting reason for it. Sometimes things get pulled out of the air and the rest of the time, there's talk about something that has nothing to do with the subject you are trying to pursue. This means that they have nada. 

Things would not be invented if it were not for the dreams of the inventors. We would just be using the same tools. This still needs to be convinced to so many people trying to avoid modernization through new technological software at all times. ugh But that's a work in progress as well. Even though the power still goes out so much during harsh weather, we're still grateful for the lightbulb. 

We wouldn't have been introduced to the movie villain, the King of Nightmares, Freddy Kreuger if it weren't for Wes Craven's dreams. And we sure wouldn't be hearing over and over that Martin Luther King had a dream.

So let your head roam around in the clouds and catch some extra z's. Imagination brings about creativity and creativity directs us to a better future.

Don't be afraid to imagine. You never know what you're going to get.

Written by Andrelyn Izquierdo.

Don’t forget! No matter what, you can always shine on.

#imagination #alberteinstein #SunshineHeadquarters #inspirational #blog #AndrelynWriting

Day and Night

 

God divided the day from the night 

for us to have opportunities 

to receive and appreciate 

the beauty of each one.

To see the stars, 

decorate the background of the moon, 

and experience a light so bright 

that is the burning sun.

Written by Andrelyn Izquierdo.

Don’t forget! No matter what, you can always shine on.

#dayandnight #Bible #scripture #religion #poetry #SunshineHeadquarters #inspirational #blog #AndrelynWriting

Wisdom

 

Image by Andrelyn

Church this past weekend was wonderful with their Mother's Day special. While I'm not considered an official mother, I still have two fur babies at home, my two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. They are forever like children no matter how old they are even in dog years. On the stage, they had a panel of two pastor couples (Pastor Josh and his wife, Pastor Stu and his wife) on stage speaking their individual points of view and blending them together beautifully in grounding their words in scripture. 

Some of the things the wives mentioned really sunk in and made me reflect immediately in my life. 

"I'm only as happy as my saddest kid."

This helped me to realize that I have held too high of expectations for my mother and our relationship. Despite our differences, we keep trying to stay bonded. One of those things holding me back is the expectation that I should be able to say everything that is considered to be bad, and it should be accepted without having to guilt me for it. But given our recent talks about climate change, she cannot handle all the sad news. Then we moved onto another topic of politics, there's much more shocking and unwelcome news there. Then we talked about other things, and it was just one dreadful thing after another. I can empathize with her on how overwhelmed she feels with all that bad news. It saddens her and gives her the impression that I'm incredibly sad about it as well. It made me realize that my expectations were too high and that another thing to help us that I can take charge of is helping her focus on the positive for both of our sakes even though for me, it's not an issue to handle personally. So, it's begun this week and is slowly picking up much more positive results. For our relationship, I'll continue to show her how these terrible situations do not sadden me and in fact, made me stronger because I've seen her go through some of them too. To me, that's a win-win that is not only positive but a compliment that makes a lasting impression. Talk about taking church literally and using the lessons to learn from. 

There were so many wonderful things mentioned, but there's the other one I can relate to that is shown in the picture above:

"Take the wisdom around you and use it."

When one of the wives mentioned this, she was advising everyone to use other moms as wisdom as well, or parents in general. Each parent mentioned how insecurity can creep in at times. If you find yourself at a park, don't compare your parenting to another to bring you down and beat yourself up. Instead, turn it around and use it as a lesson for improvement. Your partner chose you to be the best parent for the child the two of you share. Be grateful for that opportunity rather than focusing on a negative that can be meaningless. As Pastor Josh mentioned, "Your child is your report card," not other people when it comes to the children's happiness.

Here's another takeaway from this quote:

I feel like another way that is the best opportunity for me to do this is with books. Lately, I've been trying to surround myself with books as they are inspirational and motivational without having to open them. Then there's the wisdom that pours out of every filled page that provides additional inspiration. What better place to apply this quote! Books go with everything. There's no end to their correspondence and there are so many ways to apply the information.

Wisdom is something that is highly cherished and respected although, throughout history, people's actions have shown otherwise. Scholars of the highest stature in their fields are looked up to for their knowledge because everyone looks to them as a bar to reach or a level to achieve. For some, it takes a small amount of time and for others it takes a lifetime. However long it takes, it's doable for anyone. I believe that people can limit this and make things go in other directions that they're not supposed to. People in history have been quick to turn on scholars as well to accuse them of absurdities and craziness for concepts that they do not understand. Geniuses have gone through such horrible experiences, and some are not recognized for their acquired smarts until after death. Why is it that humans do these kinds of things? It's sad, but overall, there's still respect for those who do get the wisdom and apply it in the correct manner. 

Another quote comes to mind: "Don't hate, appreciate."

Some of the younger folks may not know this one yet as it's considered to be old-school. lol But the point is to celebrate another one's intellect. Use that wisdom for something that may benefit you or someone you know too. We can all learn something new. The good news is that there's no cap on learning. There isn't a maximum or an unbreakable ceiling. Every day is an opportunity to learn something new, gain more wisdom, and use it for good. Here's your challenge: take a step back and you try it too.

If the quotes from the sermon interest you, feel free to stop by and join us.

Bethany Baptist Church in Puyallup, WA

All are welcome on Saturday evenings at 6:00pm or Sunday mornings starting at 9am or 10:30am.

We're also online too!

https://www.bethanysite.com/

Hope everyone had a Happy Mother's Day!

Written by Andrelyn Izquierdo.

Don’t forget! No matter what, you can always shine on.

#wisdom #MothersDay #BethanyPuyallup #church #spiritual #personal #experience #SunshineHeadquarters #inspirational #blog #AndrelynWriting

Easter at Bethany

 

It was a full house at Bethany today for Easter. Going to church always feels good so it was especially exciting to get in there today. Besides the holiday and celebrating Christ, it also happens to be my third year anniversary attending there. There's something special about these sermons here. In a serious and religious atmosphere, Pastor George always has a way to insert humor with his honest approach from his own personal experiences. They're very relatable and show how even pastors can experience struggles demonstrating how no one is perfect. 

Haiku Poem:

Deepened feeling of

reverence Pastor George

while at Bethany.

Today, the theme was reconciliation. The focus was a bridge they built to represent Jesus bridging the gap between us and God. 

There was a special ceremony for inviting new Christians, those who want to resolidify their relationship with God, and those who want to improve their existing relationships in our lives. They played special music for people to walk across the bridge to God. They gave a round of applause for each person walking. It was genuinely nice.

More rows of chairs were added while there were still more people just outside of this room in the lobby. It was a beautiful sight to look around and notice so much more diversity in our space. Not one corner looked the same at any angle, which is fantastic. A true reflection of our community that seems to be safe enough for all types of people to walk on in. This sends such a positive message.

Bethany has repeatedly called me back and not by phone, if you catch my drift. But the people have been kind as well. Pastors George, Josh, and Stu mix themselves in the crowd having casual conversations with the entire congregation after each service. They have prayer circles available for those who want a little extra spiritual reassurance. Occasionally, we do baptisms and communions during services. And their children's school area is always hoppin' during service and their afternoon/evening school sessions all the way to high school.

The area I love the most is their library. There are so many shelves of books by many authors. Surprisingly, I even found some political books and some by nonprofits highlighting their experiences abroad. This is not your stereotypical, you can't do this or that kind of church. They keep evolving over time to be an everyone kind of church. You hear real-life opinions spanning so many subjects. Sometimes you may even forget that you're inside of the church. You're encouraged to laugh, let loose, and be comfortable. And even though Bethany is a good environment to be in, Pastor George still reminds us that we come to church for ourselves and God and not the people. It is a personal spiritual choice. So, if there's ever an unpleasant experience due to a particular person, it can be different during the next go-around. And we'll always feel spiritually recharged and fulfilled because it is a collection of our strengthened relationships with "The Big Man". The music played by the band is wonderful too.

All are welcome on Saturday evenings at 6:00pm or Sunday mornings starting at 9am.

We're also online too!

https://www.bethanysite.com/

Happy Easter everyone!

Written and images by Andrelyn Izquierdo.

Don’t forget! No matter what, you can always shine on.

#Easter #BethanyPuyallup #church #reconciliation #brigethegap #spiritual #personal #experience #SunshineHeadquarters #inspirational #blog #AndrelynWriting

What's the Difference Between Thinking You're in Love and Actually Being in Love?

Image by Stux from Pixabay.

Thinking that you're in love doesn't mean there's a relationship but is also the before that can be confused with having a crush on someone. It can turn anyone to shy with a smile when next to a particular person of interest, that is in a good way. 

It's the stage that can be confusing that will only be cleared up with courageous acts of expression that are small or very meaningful. It's the phase of discovery and exploration that when ignored, gives the signal that it's not love and to keep looking.

Now for the other, actually being in love with someone is when you cannot sleep at night without thinking about your loved one. Whenever you come across a mentioned favorite thing, it makes you smile more often with or without the person being around or reveals an intense emotion that doesn't leave. You may also find yourself giddy throughout the day periodically for no reason.

It can keep you in a daydream that doesn't want to leave and butterflies fluttering in your tummy that can even make you a tiny bit nervous when daring to get closer. When you close your eyes and think of the moment you two shared, love, will skyrocket you to the moon while sleeping.

An acceleration of the heartbeat and the quietest calm simultaneously. The rhythm can quicken to sporadic jumps or can be as still as the lake on a windless day. Love can transform a person into a teddy bear to spread more of it. The arms envelope your body that will automatically pass onto you. It equips your back with wings to provide strength and help you fly through any obstacle.

Love is the feeling that will assure you that everything will be alright no matter what. It's a security that comforts you on the worst days and the invisible line that keeps you balanced on the tight rope. It's the most wonderful feeling in the world to come home to. There's nothing else like the experience of feeling true love. 

Written by Andrelyn Izquierdo.

Don’t forget! No matter what, you can always shine on.

#Love #difference #wonderful #emotion #fly #skyrocket #teddybear #dream #SunshineHeadquarters #inspirational #blog #AndrelynWriting

If You Can't Fly...

Words I live by every single day...

While the cold leads to aching bones,

When woe becomes too overbearing,

As there is not enough time in the day,

the art of movement, 

can tame the pain, 

even for a tiny moment of a day.

Poem by Andelyn Izquierdo

Don’t forget! No matter what, you can always shine on.

When It's Not Love, Choose to Feel Dislike Over Hate

 “Fortunately, the requirement to love others is not a mandate to like them. Love is a choice to act in loving ways, regardless of whether we actually feel loving toward a person at any given time.”

~ A Woman’s Daily Prayer Book

Reference to 1 John 4:7

This message brings comfort to me as I hope it does for you because it proves that it is possible to love someone you dislike. This can be done on a human level. Using a little wordsmithing here...while it is not okay to hate someone which can lead to violence, it is okay to have a strong dislike for them which can reach more towards the opposite way of the spectrum - to forgiveness. But we must love each other. Within how we work culturally within our society, it is safe to say that when one does not like what someone does, it is much easier to forget and let it go. But when one introduces the word hate, everything turns serious with the other person making it much harder for either one to let go of that word and follow up to it with damage. 

When you tell a friend that you hate something that someone else said, does your friend reply with, “Oh, it’s nothing, let it go,”? Or do they reply with, “I hate that too, we should never hang out with them again”? Most of the time it's the second option that is the default answer.

(Photo by 123RF)

If you think about it, there’s usually an action word that comes after the hate. While it can be used for good as a motivator, it is also used as a way to hurt other people. So I’m enlightening you today with the good news that there is a safer and less destructive way to feel about someone you do not like. We can use a better substitute word to express our emotions just like how we teach our children about this same topic. We can dislike a little bit or a lot. But let’s try not to use the word hate and keep the love going.

I really believe that if there are more people doing this simple practice, there will be extra room for positivity to replace all of the hate circulating in our world today. Join me in making a better change on how we communicate with each other because it is some HARD WORK!

Let's Act Better.

Let's Be Better.

Pass this along to a friend.

Don’t forget! No matter what, you can always shine on.