To obtain the unattainable

I was running the other day and was so focused. It was a good day. I actually completed a mile in 8 minutes! Whooo-hoo! Not bad for a lady in her 30's. I pushed myself, I was thinking of those motivating people on the Biggest Loser show from the tellie. How they work incredibly hard to lose all that weight. Anyway, getting side-tracked. It was like someone was yelling at me that I could run ALOT faster than I was, yet there I was by myself. "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." -1 Corinthians 9:24 I encourage you to read the rest (verses 25-27), it is quite challenging. I was so pumped when I finished, with my ipod blasting in my ears, that I ran outside and shouted out loud (totally freaked some people out-just kidding, just kidding, just kidding). I sprinted across the lawn to a beautiful opening in the grass, yet out of sight for passer-bys and then, I danced. I leaped and twirled, and finally when my energy was gone I fell to my knees. I pressed through my thoughts and imagined my Savior before me. That is why I run, that is why I dance. I knew at that second that ANYTHING is possible with HIM! In Matthew 19:26, Jesus said, "With man this is impossible, but with God ALL things are possible." Now, in this passage, Jesus was instructing the disciples on how to obey the commandments. Have you ever read the commandments? Not just the 10, but ones Jesus instructed us in the New Testament? Love your neighbor as yourself, and SOOOOO many more. You'd have to be perfect! No man is perfect. When I was sprinting, cracked knees and all, I felt as if I could do anything, obtain the unattainable, because my Lord CAN! With Him, I can. With Him, I shall. With Him, I see. With God, I am not alone and have the strength to press through any circumstance. To obtain and imagine the impossible, is to KNOW the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Are you Inspired?

Sometimes, all it takes for me to be inspired is to hear music, other times I notice someone else accomplishing something that seems so far out of reach for me. Today I was inspired like every other hour, it might of had something to do with the fact that I only had 2 (out of the 4) of my kids. Anyway, my mojo was slowly coming back. I felt motivation in myself. Before I go on, I must explain where I'm coming from..... I'm a motivator, I motivate, I usually light a fire under other peoples butts to get them going. Yet, for the past couple of years my personal motivation (to truly live and live freely) has been very stale. It's as if my heart stopped beating and I was just functioning on pacemaker mode. For some odd reason today, I wanted to be fully AWAKE, alive. It was like everybody I talked to was inspiring. These people weren't saying anything spectacular, they were just living. Neighbors doing yard work, a friend telling me she was expanding her business, and at first -I was starting to feel sorry for myself with a hint of jealousy. I questioned myself: "What's wrong with me? Why have I not trimmed the bushes in my yard, why haven't I started my on-line course for school yet?!?!?!?!" Have I been lazy? Am I that depressed? Then it shifted into determination, I decided I was not going to accept watching life go by, I'm going to live it.....like I used to. Taking advantage of EVERY second, of EVERY day! So, I borrowed the neighbors hedge clippers and cleaned up the front yard: Happy Mother's Day, Kara!
Some people have justified my laziness and letting go of my house/yard work by saying "Kara, you have A LOT on your plate right now- 4 kids, work, a husband with a ruptured disc, and a father who is terminally ill." But you know, if I stop and dwell on all this craziness in my life, what good would it do me? I need something to drive me? A God who says: 'NOTHING is impossible for Him'. Who lets us know that we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us! What solid words of affirmation, that can take a person from fighting to survive into feeling the sunshine on their face. Take each step in faith, step closer to God, dig into the Bible, focus on the positive like: what CAN BE done! Like I said, are you inspired? Then what is it, that inspires you?

Covered in sin

I am completely filthy. I have said things, I can not take back. My thoughts went places they should never have gone. My face is wet with shame and mud covers my ears, so that I can not even recognize His voice. I am covered in a heaviness -that penetrates my heart to a pain that is indescribable.
I am without patience, I have NO self control, it is I who fails every time a test is afoot, I hate, when He LOVES. I am completely covered in sin, gasping for air as I weep.
Can I ever imagine the sufferings my Lord experienced? The differences between us? Jesus did nothing wrong, He had no right to be upon that cross! It is here that I am humbled. It is here that I discover WHY the CROSS exist. He willingly died on it...so that I could live and live FULLY. That I might KNOW Him, and NOT live in the dark, the unknown, to not see through pessimistic goggles. Life can be so damn hard yet, He makes it worth it. He exposes the parts that reflect His LOVE, His grace, His hope, His beauty. In every day there are reflections of Him, I just pray that my sin does not stubborn me to the point of where I don't notice them. He cleanses me, He has this incredible POWER to wash my filth away! His affections towards me are not ones of disgust or disappointment. He soothingly wipes away the mud and dries the tears, my past is still there -as it always will be.....but NOW, I hear Him. My violent past was a stepping stone to get closer to Him. I desire not to travel that road again, knowing my God is faithful and I can listen for His voice.

Take me back to India

I just watched Slumdog Millionaire and started to cry, couldn't stop. Great movie, most think....well, it's just a movie...not real. Yet, I, having traveled through-out India know differently. Some of the streets I walked on, were filled with children that were tortured in order to beg for money. The poverty is overwhelming, but the drive and the spirit of the people is intense. So many beautiful lives. I want to go back. It's crazy that I feel so trapped here, watching nonsense....people fighting over where they want to go out to eat or (even I am guilty of this) freaking out on my husband about cleaning up. I often wonder: 'Where did I go wrong seeing the big picture?' Stressing over petty things. When did I grow numb of others pain, suffering, and strife? Hopefully, there is a moment in EVERYONES life -where compassion happens. Where it is either being given to them or being given by them. I believe it is the fortunate ones that are compelled by such compassion and filled with hope, therefore learning to act upon it. My heart longs to see a better world, it only takes one to motivate thousands and the thousands to change the millions. Why not? Who am I? Who are you? What exactly is our destiny? To stand-by, maybe enjoy the ride, or BE the ride and let others experience something besides complacency, ignorance, injustice, hurt, or even hell.