Preparedness

One Decision Away From A Different Life

/ boxcarmike / Leave a comment
Photo by emre keshavarz on Pexels.com

Hey, Y’all

It has been a little bit again since I last posted anything.

We are now on May 1st, 2023. This means we have completed one quarter of the year 2023. The last four months are gone. We cannot get months, nor any day of those months back!

All we can do is start from where we are right here, and now.

I realized over the weekend I needed to restart once more. Here I am doing what I can to reframe how I hope to take more serious my writing, emotional, and physical well-being.

What if I told you each of us is just one decision away from a different life?

Thank goodness we have today to turn things around. It can only be today. The reason is, all we have is this twenty-four-hour period or what is left of it anyway. I have decided, I must follow through with consistency.

I must reframe how this is to be done by acting on my decision.

I have bombed out at being consistent since the beginning. I must accept the fact I have done the best I could in this last quarter. Today is the day to decide and do better.

I did not even realize until this moment that I cannot succeed at something unless I practice the art of mindful self-compassion.

One of the ways I do that is by giving myself the loving talk and positive reinforcement by saying to myself, “I love you and I am proud of you for showing up today.” I need to say this is my second time saying it to myself and meaning it.

The old me would say something along the lines of it being a bunch of horse hockey and that it will never work. Do not knock it until you try it.

Oh, how I would cringe before to have to say that to myself! You would have thought I was cussing myself out. I want this change badly and it is not for the faint-hearted.

It did take me practice. Today it took deciding that I want a different life. This is only the beginning of a different life. Reframing the way, I look at things. Starting honestly right from zero in most aspects. That is not to say there have not been two decades or more of years of therapy.

I want to have the capacity to give more to myself and others.

Making the changes will naturally add to my gratitude which in turn gives me a boost in my day.

I was asked if I wanted to make changes and learn mindful self-compassion just this last weekend. I eventually said that I would like to try to learn how.

This syncs with other training I am in the middle of doing. Life is precious and so is time. All we have is today folks!

I have a good friend and others too. They tell me and I used to need to hear it a lot, “Things will not always be this way.”  They were right!

As friends, we always remind each other of the truths we find along the journey.

I said another thing over the weekend. I said, “I want the religious spiritual part I used to feel back.” I felt it as I was writing this entry. Writing can be spiritual for me. In writing is healing. Healing brings restoration.

The song going through my head as I wrote this was an old hymn “I Have Decided.” Only the version mostly how Amy Grant sang it because it is true for me.

“I have decided being good is just a fable. I just can’t cuz I am not able…/”

On my own I cannot be good I need God’s help.

We are one decision away from a different life!

Thanks for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

Taking Control Starts With The First Step

/ boxcarmike / Leave a comment
Front of my Workbook.2023 With Mel Robbins

Hey, Y’all!

Taking control begins with the first step!

I woke up early this morning. I was excited because I woke up early on a Saturday.

I changed the choice of my morning coffee I was given some Duncan Donuts Iced Coffee bottles. So I had one of those with two doughnuts.

I thought about accomplishments for this week and things I was supposed to do but missed out on as well.

One thing, in particular, was missing out on a meeting I was supposed to call into but slept through because I was too tired because of wasted energy on being angry. I was too concentrated on just appeasing another person meanwhile anger festering inside.

I will tell you I did confront that situation the next day and I did so in the right way. It brought positive results. I was able to navigate and come to an agreement with the person.

The mind gets weary with wasted energy and shortens our life much more so. I am not willing to waste my energy on things that make me angry. Sometimes we must take a break and do some baking.

I was able to have my apartment to myself long enough to boil some chicken and shred it off the bone. I wanted to try making this Chicken Casserole recipe. I was very pleased with how it turned out.

I did take three different recipes and came up with my own. I also used the casserole to use in my confronting conversation. Sometimes conversations go better with comfort food.

Boxcar Mike’s Chicken Casserole:

Preheat oven to 350 °

I boiled 4 Frozen Chicken Quarters until done.

Shredded the Chicken after letting it rest for 15 minutes.

Spray a 9×13 glass pan with nonstick spray.

I Opened 2 cans of Cream of Chicken and spread them evenly in the pan.

I mixed the chicken with 1 can of cream of mushroom soup.

I opened 1 large can of my mixed veggies which included lima beans, potatoes, carrots, a few green beans, corn, celery, and lots of pearl onions.

I opened a regular 15 oz can of cut green beans and added 3 dips of the chicken broth I made from boiling the chicken probably adding up to 1 1/2 cups of broth.

I also put in 3 huge globs of sour cream I am going to guess 2 ¼ cups.

I topped it with some turkey stuffing (I crushed stuffing with a meat tenderizer) and let it bake for 45 min covered with aluminum foil. After 45 min top again with stuffing and put it back in for 15 minutes more.

Add spices as you wish.

Below is a picture of how mine turned out.

I have leftovers and I am missing my neighbor and friend Shirley. This is something I would have shared with her. I am going to eat some after I finish this entry.

My point in this whole post is we do the things that help us help ourselves. We do not have to take control with an iron fist. It is taking steps to change the things we can. It is also accepting those things over which we have no control.

I made up my mind to walk today even while it was sprinkling telling myself I will not melt.

It is empowering to be awake today and take the steps I can.

I want to be better for myself without everything being a struggle. It is possible.

Today, may we travel lightly.

22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22 (ESV)

Thank you for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

Mindset Changes For Living A Fuller Life

/ boxcarmike / Leave a comment
Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels.com

Hey, Y’all!

I am enjoying my coffee in the wee hours. I want to catch up on everything that seemed impossible to get done yesterday.

I started this entry off by saying a prayer.

I forgot how important saying a prayer is before I do anything, so I may have the right attitude. I want changes and to have changed means changing how I operate so I have more than words. Anyone can say the right words but change only happens by action.

Prayer is key in changing me so that I may have the right motives and attitude. If I begin with prayer, I am opening communication with God. In effect, prayer enables God’s hands in being able to help me. In other words, it is not just my will at work.

Prayer involves the conscious contact with God I have always desired.

I know I have shared this before but as a little boy I went to the bluffs for serious talks with God. I knew I needed His help. No one else could or would. I often seem to forget that as an adult, now over forty years later I need to go to Him first and foremost.

Prayer for direction, safety, help, peace, and love will get me much further in accomplishing the things I am supposed to do.

The next thing is finding gratitude so that I am grateful no matter how situations and circumstances may be. This helps me build consistency.

Consistency is a challenge for me. It is my word for the year instead of a resolution. I want to be consistent in doing the next right thing. I cannot say I am doing well with that, but I am aware, and I am doing better in some areas. More work is needed in other areas of my life.

It does help me if I start with prayer and gratitude.

The next thing I must watch out for is the thoughts that pop in. Not only thoughts but lies I tell myself in my thought life. I also get thoughts that are nothing but lies. I need to catch those early and call them out as the lies they are and speak the truth.

Stopping the lies and negative thoughts is imperative to my change and growth.

I am finding I need to remind myself of this daily. As I remind myself of the untruths, I need to seek God for truth and call out those truths and realign my thoughts accordingly.

Some of it is simple stuff.

I can eat a balanced diet that is right for me.

I do not have to think badly of that person.

I do not have to talk ugly to those people.

They did not do it intentionally to ruin my day.

I am not always a failure.

I can walk. I can climb in and out of the truck without difficulty.

I am not a bad seed.

Not everything I touch turns to crud.

They do not think badly of me.

I can tell the truth.

My life does matter.

I do have a purpose.

  1. I am thankful for my nurses and doctors.
  2. I am thankful for joy today.
  3. I am thankful for friendships.
  4. I am thankful for forgiveness.
  5. I am thankful for the mindset changes.
  6. I am thankful for being able to read and write.
  7. I am thankful for the ability to make my own decisions.
  8. I am thankful for healing.
  9. I am thankful for a Loving God
  10. I am thankful for my life.

As I close, I leave you with this Holy Scripture:

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  2 Corinthians 4:16 (ESV)

Thank you for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

It Becomes A Holy Moment In Recovery

/ boxcarmike / 2 Comments
Photo by Ashlee Marie on Pexels.com

Hey, Y’all!

I am back and looking forward to sharing more in this entry.

I have shared some about my recovery and my journey since being clean and sober. I can tell you now that in my experience finding recovery in your inner being and seeing it work is holy. You find it in others and it is just as holy seeing it work in their lives also.

When changes happen by forgiving and allowing your will to change.

You see in my world, there is law and order mandated by God. Yet God in His divine ways, which are higher than my ways, made a way for grace and mercy. Because of grace and mercy, a way gets made out of no way.

I found forgiveness is for me when it comes to me forgiving others. What forgiveness does for me is much more than I ever knew. Forgiveness means I am letting go. Forgiveness means I am withdrawing myself from that story. If I have been offended it means something touched me deeply that was awakened in me.

Forgiveness gives me the freedom to finally deal with myself and God.

I thought being forgiven had taught me something. However, when I learned about being the forgiver, I was in for a true awakening. I am still not finished learning about forgiving and being forgiven.

To reiterate why forgiveness is holy is that it means I want peace more than my right to stay offended. It frees me and the other person both. I do not have to stay enslaved to the pain and hurt. It is one less thing to carry in my excess baggage.

There is yet another part of forgiveness and that is forgiving ourselves. It is another way of saying that excess baggage because when I arrived in the rooms of recovery I had a long list of both hurts I had caused and a mountain full of hurts in my mind of what was done to me. Also, not all of the hurts were just in my mind. On both counts, I wore that shame. My heart was hard and I was scared of facing a day without a drink and having to face the real stuff. I let them lead me to doctors for pills.

Okay, let’s do pills. What could they hurt? A lot especially, when you go back out and add alcohol. Smoking a joint was trickery for me Id get high and then am paranoid as heck.

But I digress, shame was at the root of everything. Wrongs were done both drunk and stone-cold sober. My heart got very hard back then.

Recovery has changed me. I have to face myself and everything I am still in the process of letting go. In my journey recently my heart was hardening some. I was staying angry and holding on to some things.

I was starting to doubt my recovery and it welled up in me in a moment and shocked me as I saw it work in a particular moment with another person. I had my mind made up Sunday Night that I was gonna blast someone with words Monday Morning.

It changed at a moment’s notice when communicating with someone else we ended up helping each other. It softened my heart. It changed the course of my actions.  Today has been a day of more softening of my heart and more rest for the body and soul.

I will say I cannot afford to keep going in circles. By not forgiving I am allowing my shame to deepen, therefore, making it even harder to forgive.

I am the one who makes me crazy when I refuse to forgive. I want recovery more than ever. This is not philosophical, this is real.

As I close, I am leaving you with these three verses from The Holy Scriptures.

  • For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matthew 6:14 (ESV)
  • 15. but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16. since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”  1Peter 1:15-16 (ESV)
  • 8. He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 (ESV)

Thank you for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

Saying Goodbye To A Friend Friday Night

/ boxcarmike / Leave a comment
Photo by alleksana on Pexels.com

Hey, Y’all!

I have not been able to finish any writing lately. I have started a few blog post entries, but finishing the pieces was impossible. I am happy to find my way in another route. The timing had to be right. Some stories are not mine to tell and some have to wait for time to pass. 

I can see more clearly now. Sometimes, it is just about waiting and having rest.

My friend and neighbor died on the morning of the last day of March. She did all she could and finally, it was time for her to pass from this earth. A week later we (her friends and loved ones all gathered together), all saying the final goodbye to her.

I will say in her death, there were many lessons for all of us to learn from. I found many lessons for myself.

One of the lessons I learned was everyone lives and dies in the way of their choice. Everyone has their own beliefs. Each person in effect will live and die accordingly.

Another lesson I learned, there is not always the time when you say, “I will be right back.”

Still, yet, the other lesson I learned is, you cannot make everyone happy no matter how you live and die.

Dying is hard for everyone. There is a responsibility and need for dignity in both living and dying.

Harsh words and unsettled affairs can never be taken back or settled once death has taken place. Make the most of your time now. Leave this earth with no regrets.

Be ready and prepare as much as possible right now. Having medical directives for a living will and the last testament prepared, leaves less room for misinterpretation. You have a better chance of your last wishes being kept and respected. Not doing anything to prepare leaves open everything to misinterpretation and little choices that represent your true wishes.

Funeral homes are in business to make money. Our choices in how our remains are cared for are up to us. Having as much spelled out and paid for in advance saves the added stress later on, for loved ones suffering from shock and grief.

These are the lessons I have learned so far in this journey. Yes, death is a part of all of our journeys.

Things I will miss with my friend Shirley, are late-night country music barbecues. Looking at the stars and watching the neighbors and goings on in the neighborhood.Watching tv shows together and having snacks and sweet tea while often on the phone or sitting in her living room.

Thanksgiving and Christmas times The many hot afternoons with ice pops and treats. Sharing meals for no particular reason.

Shirley had her niece make Mexican food for me with freshly baked brownies. This was shortly after I got out of a temporary stay at a rehab skilled nursing facility.

Our first time together was on the Fourth of July barbecue, which Jean our mutual friend/neighbor and her husband hosted, as I was being moved into my new apartment. We each baked cookies, cakes, pies, and cobblers.

Shirley was feisty, sarcastic, and funny. When Shirley was serious she did not mince words. She was my friend and a generous person who was light-hearted. The pain was too great and after many miraculous comebacks, time was no more here on earth, for her.

I will forever miss Shirley. Good Night Sweet Lady and Friend!

Thank you for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

Life’s Experiences Have Given Me Many Blessings

/ boxcarmike / Leave a comment
Photo by Alex Rusin on Pexels.com

Hey, Y’all!

It is great to be behind the keyboard again. I apologize for ghosting my blog for the past couple of months.

When I am not writing, I get scatterbrained because I lose my center. I want to change by getting plugged back into writing. I am looking forward to wound healing and healthy tissue progressing. Things are looking great with my wounds.

There have been many obstacles that got in the way of my healing. However, my body seems to be overcoming the obstacles. The weight loss progress is a different story. I am looking at what to do differently and taking in new information and calling upon what worked before.  

I will take the good parts of any day over the negative results.

I am not that person who wants to show grotesque pictures to the whole world or even to my loved ones. At one time I did some things like that but I just want to take the healing and not have to look at how bad things are I suppose.

The other side of the coin is, multiple times a week for years I have seen pictures of my wounds. I did show others once in many years what seemed to be an endless nightmare. I am not healed yet, but I feel healing is manifesting for sure.

Right now I am dependent upon taking my blood sugar and the pills to control it. However, I still take care in choosing what I eat most of the time. My blood sugar is excellent being controlled at 5.2. I am very happy with this result.

In other news, I have rearranged my house (my apartment). I am staying busy going through the drawers and getting rid of papers and things to make life more manageable. It is so much easier when less is more.

This evening after a long day of doing wound care and a doctor’s appointment, I took a nap. I was tired and needed the rest.

I have a lot of work ahead of me.  I have many goals to meet in all of the different areas of my life. Sometimes I get sidetracked and focus on stuff that has no real meaning or place in my life. This is why my writing is important, if even insignificant to others. It helps keep me grounded.

I am so grateful for my friends and for learning that they are not to be taken for granted. I also get to see where I am a friend to them and I also have learned I am not to be taken for granted either. I get to be a friend to me today and I am learning to treat myself better.

Life is one big recovery field I get to glean from and learn how to change and grow. This takes losing to gain so much more. It means less of me and mine to get to us. Together we can do this. Alone, I cannot accomplish as much.

Gratitude goes a long way in my recovery from a seemingly hopeless state of body, mind, and spirit. I must count my blessings.

Numbers 6:24-26 (ESV)

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Thanks for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

Willing To Do Be BetterThan Yesterday

/ boxcarmike / Leave a comment
Photo by Tobi on Pexels.com

Hey, Y’all!

We want things to change and be better. We want everything and everyone around us to be of a higher standard and to meet our needs accordingly. The sky is the limit! We are reaching for those stars. If we pay attention and look closely, maybe everything is better than we could ever hope for.

Here begs the question. Are we willing to do better and be better than yesterday? Are we willing to come up to a higher standard? I am just remembering after reading so many times, “we cannot transmit something we have not got.” If we do not have something we cannot give it.

I know from my experience, one day I can turn around and see the change in others. However, I may still be holding on to judgments, pettiness, and anger. Meanwhile, everything and everyone else around me has changed and come up to a higher standard. Suddenly, it is a whole new ball game. The team is ready for us. Are we ready for the team?

We suddenly realize it is not about who is better.  Are we willing to be better than yesterday? Even if we have something, we can lose it or give it up. In most cases, we give it up in trading what we might have for something newer, shinier, and bigger.

If we are not careful death becomes us.

In the beginning, the thing we most wanted was to free ourselves and all of those around us. Our vision becomes clouded by the things we refuse to let go of. What we know suddenly becomes everything we have believed from assumptions and decisions we made long ago. We decided and so it was until we decided to change. That is if we make that decision.

Pain has been my biggest motivator in making changes. It has taken both physical and emotional pain. Sometimes, even just seeing the pain caused in others by my decisions and actions. I admit, mostly it is my personal feeling of pain.

If we just take the opportunity to be open to hearing others out. I said the words not too long ago; that most people just need us to listen so they can unlock themselves. I remember once a friend of mine suggested that I have tunnel vision.

I was so wrapped up in myself that I had not even noticed the sarcasm in his voice. I asked him if it was fatal and if it was permanent. His answer was plain, it could be fatal, and it could be permanent if I was not willing to change some things.

It would be many years before changing my ways. I am still changing and have gone back and forth.

Some days are simply better than others. On the whole, everything is better, and I am better than I once was.

Yesterday I heard the word, humility. Humility is in the way of not waiting or wanting applause for choosing to do the next right thing by others.

It comes down to putting off our selfishness and letting go of my old ideas. It is seeing the good in everything and everyone.

It boils down to finding gratitude in the hardest of things we often go through.

We soon learn to be grateful for all the doors that close and the doors that open to us.

Psalm 119:105 (ESV)

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

I hope to continue writing and sharing my journey more consistently.

Thanks for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

Come With Me On My Journey By Accident

/ boxcarmike / Leave a comment
Photo by Julissa Helmuth on Pexels.com

Hey, Y’all!

It has been too long again, y’all! It has been over a month since I have written. I woke up after an hour and a half nap and knew it was time to write. Let us just walk together, as I tell you things that have happened along my journey. I woke up laughing.

In my sleep waking up I was listening to Jase Robertson share something along the lines of God is not going to stop everything in creation to say; Hey hold up everyone, Jase made a mistake! We need to wait. (Note: Jase, if you read this I may have taken your words out of context). People tell me I hear wrong a lot of the time.

Once I said the words, God is ready for me to write out loud to myself, this light that has been burned out for a week, suddenly flickered on! Is this by accident? I think not. I even told my mama today; I have not written in like a month.

It seems I could not go on without another infection happening, this new year. The ailments that go along with the infection of being tired all the time and dragging. Some more effects in which I will belabor the point.

However, there is a difference this time in treating the infection. Thankfully, the days of needing the PICC Line are gone. The labs in the pharmacy take an antibiotic and some pumps of this gel mix it up and put it directly on the wound.

However, knowing the cause of the infection type and what bacteria is growing from a culture is necessary to know in this treatment.

I caution everyone to seek a professional. DO NOT ATTEMPT ON YOUR OWN!

Suffice it to say in my experience this is working! Hallelujah! What a miracle. Thank you, God!

My wonderful care worker (L) has gone on to another client so that he/she could get better hours, meaning a full-time check. Before L left, I asked L if I could pray for L. This is out of my comfort zone, yet it happened!

God told me to pray for L. I asked for forgiveness in that prayer if anything I said or did cause harm or was a stumbling block for healing and forgiveness and that L would be blessed as L went forward. At the end of that prayer, we both just said Wow!

I talk to God, I tell Him how badly I mess up at things.

I just could not get over what I thought I heard Jase say. It is like am I that self-absorbed to think all of creation must stop because I am struggling with all kinds of mistakes? How selfish! If it is what Jase said or not, those are the words I was to hear. I can laugh at the incredulous of my thoughts.

Micah 6:8 (ESV)

He has told you, O man, what is good;

and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God?

Thank you for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

Holding Up The Whole Wide World, Really!

/ boxcarmike / Leave a comment
Photo by Porapak Apichodilok on Pexels.com

Hey, Y’all!

Ain’t it heavy?

Man! I am telling you, it is heavy if you are thinking and trying to hold up the whole world by yourself! You are not alone.

We all fall into this thinking trap, thinking we are alone and trying to do it all ourselves. We do not even know half of it if we had to do it all by ourselves. I had one of those times by the end of the day, yesterday.

I am here to tell you I know some days it feels like we are in this world all alone. I am also here to tell you in those times we need people to tell us we are believing a big, fat lie! When my security is threatened by a letter that gets sent out by a computer glitch error, I went into a meltdown mode.

Thank goodness from a friend for giving me some direction. Even though there were directions in the letter I did not know how to do it at that moment. I had to hear directions verbally. I was able to get a live person by the second time I called the number. It was only after hearing and following directions, that I could admit I overreacted.

I was not alone. I had people who could help me help myself. In this world today sometimes, it feels like there is a rain cloud directly over your house. Your roof has all kinds of holes and all you have is one little pail, running from leak to leak trying to catch all the rain, hoping you can save your home from flooding.

It is useless and wasted energy to keep running and screaming. It accomplishes nothing. We will always find trouble at every turn. None of us can keep it all together. We can learn to remain calm and not fear the worst. People and technology make mistakes all the time.

However, it is important to remember while we remain calm, that we have responsibilities. We may have to wait and see how some things turn out but we keep moving on in the meantime. I am still learning and making progress, even making mistakes along the way.

The world is not as heavy when I let go. I am not alone in this life. This is another lie I believed until I was shown the truth. We have to weed out all the lies we believe so that we can live. We do not have to be miserable.

I strive for happiness today. This means changing my mindset and stopping the lies I have believed. If I believe that I am always right, there is no room for change and I will remain miserable and lose out on a lot in this life. I want more for myself and others.

I am not alone. I cannot hold up this world. I will never be perfect, but I can do better than I do. I am not always right. I must keep changing to learn to enjoy life.

There is a plan and I know a man who can. It gets better than this, I promise.

John 16:33 ESV

33 I have said these things to you, that n me you may have peace In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Thanks for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!  

Freedom Begins When We Stop Comparing Ourselves

/ boxcarmike / Leave a comment
Photo by Bich Tran on Pexels.com

Hey, Y’all!

I am up late writing because I am experiencing some physical pain. I cannot control the pain. I hope and pray by following the suggestions of my doctors and nurses, I can help alleviate the pain. It helps stop the pain when I use the lymphedema pumps on my legs and feet. Praying helps but actions do back up the prayer.

Following directions is imperative for my healing. This is something I have had to learn in the past decade or more.

I must admit that following directions is not something I have done well. I have improved over the years. I hope to achieve a better understanding of how to keep improving, on listening and doing what is suggested in all of the areas of my life.

We can ask for help, but if we are not listening and following directions, we will not know how to change or improve our state of being.

I have heard that changing takes patience, practice, and time. Time takes time. If all we have are words, we cannot change without actions that match up to the words. I am impatient with myself and others when it comes to change.

I have parroted phrases thinking it was enough to make a change in myself. Why? I was comparing myself to others and others said it was the right way. I tried mimicking others, but I did not have the directions for making the changes.

Anyone who has ever worked an equation with algebra knows you can have all the right letters, numbers, and powers to the numbers, but if you do not have the directions for solving the equation, you cannot show the work for the answer.

I am above no one. I did not know how to make the necessary changes in my thoughts. I compared myself to others and had lofty thoughts of who I thought I wanted to be. That has always been the case in my life. It still gets me in trouble, to this day.

I need reminders so that I do not get myself isolated or bogged down in my thoughts because I am comparing myself to others. It is that which I compare myself to that keeps me bound. When I compare myself to something unrealistic, I am enslaved, trying to be that which I am not.

Today I have some directions and suggestions from others and it is helping me change. Some days are better than others.

When I compare myself to others or try to be someone I am not I cut myself off from God and others.

I heard it said years ago if you hang around a barbershop long enough you will get a haircut. Being the people watcher I am, I started watching the different haircuts and would pick one out thinking it would change me. I was not the cool person I saw. I was still me; I was doing the same things I had always done.

It is the thoughts of ourselves we must change. We are not all that and a bag of chips. We are neither lowly nor miserable pieces of garbage. We can live a life that is true to what we are supposed to be. But it is doing necessary action daily.

We start finding gratitude and seeing the beauty in life. We learn what having respect for ourselves and others means. We not only start speaking differently but we take the actions necessary to grow in deeper love for life. We find that we are not only hearing mere words but directions that we comprehend.

We lose our chains and become free.

Proverbs 4:26 ESV

Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.

Thanks for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!