Tuesday, January 25, 2011

We've MOVED!

Our iBloom blog has MOVED! Come visit us at http://ibloom.co/blog/!

Friday, January 21, 2011

Putting Away Christmas

Well, it’s been almost a month since Christmas… have you put away all the evidence of the season? Have you packed and stored all the decorations, recipes, and wrapping paper? Have you also put away the feelings of love, hope, and peace that entered your heart this time of year?

I began pondering this idea after I sent one of my daily emails to my grown daughters. I wrote something like, “today I am going to put away Christmas.” As I took down the hand-knitted stockings so lovingly created by my Great-Aunt, I thought about those words I had used, “putting away Christmas”. I knew what I was trying to say, but somehow the words struck a deeper meaning.

While raising my daughters, there were times when circumstances caused us to celebrate their birthdays after the date or someone would send them a card or gift later. I always told them to stretch this celebration as long as they could! But, was I doing that with the birth of Christ? Was I daily opening my heart and mind to that long ago night filled with angels and shepherds and the miracle birth?

One thing I know for sure, I don’t want my relationship with the Prince of Peace to be a seasonal one! I want Jesus to fill every thought, word, and action of my life! That’s a big statement; how was I going to be intentional this year about making this happen? One thing I added is memorizing scripture. I am participating in Beth Moore’s blog group and memorizing 2 verses per month. God was getting tired of hearing me say, “it is hard for me to memorize scripture”, and so I decided to just do it! I know that by focusing and filling my mind with His word, I will be prepared to share His love and truths with others.

So, how do you spend time with God and grow your relationship with Him? How do you keep the meaning of Christmas a daily celebration? Share your ideas, Ladies!

Oh, I also decided to leave out my nativity scene this year. It is a reminder of the love, hope, and peace of Christ who fills my heart!

Joy in the Journey,

Lori Burrell

iBloom Associate

Monday, January 17, 2011

Counting Blessings



Hi Friends,

I hope you enjoyed it.

Christmas, New Years, your family, the gifts, the food, the lights, the laughs, and the snow! I hope you drank it in like sweet hot chocolate on a cold, snowy day. I hope it warmed your soul and gave you the strength and stamina to survive January...Ha!

As we begin another year, the AMAZING GIFT of another year, I hope you'll set aside some time to give thanks for all of your blessings. I have a friend who has a stenciled message on the wall in the entryway of her home that reads, "Grant me patience to deal with my blessings".




I think of that when I begin to feel overwhelmed. I am so blessed. With blessing comes responsibility yes, but I don't want those responsibilities to overshadow the blessings. Ever.

So God, please grant each of us the patience to deal with our blessings in 2011, to recognize your hand in our lives, and to search for ways to bless others starting in our own home. Starting with our spouse, let us love as you love us and to exert patience when we are feeling the weight of responsibility. Help us to find our way back to recognizing our blessings.

I would love to hear from you! Share your excitement, your challenges, and let me know how I can be praying for you. You can leave a comment on the blog or email me directly at leighann@ibloom.us

Here's a peak at what I'll be chatting about on the Happy Marriage Blog: 11 Tips for a Happier Marriage in 2011. Check it out and share it with someone you love.

Blessings,

Leigh Ann Napier

The Happy Marriage Coach

http://leighannnapier.com

www.ibloom.us

Friday, January 14, 2011

Rain for the Soul

Is your soul dry? Parched? Need refreshing?

With the holidays behind us and facing a cold winter, we need to lift our heads and hearts to the refreshing of the Holy Spirit.

Find some refreshment here.

Praying you have a blessed day!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

First Step for 2011 – Lead Yourself Effectively by Betsy Ringer

Okay, so you have been making plans and thinking about hopes and dreams for this fabulous new year stretching out ahead of you. That’s great! That’s a wonderful thing to do! As your Life Coach, please allow me to encourage you to take the following steps to lead yourself before you jump into all the projects and plans you are eager to start. When you lead yourself effectively then your plans and hopes and ideas have a better chance of actually being implemented.

Leading yourself effectively doesn’t mean you have to be perfect (what is that anyway?) but it does mean you are authentic, make intentional choices, embrace life, know peace, love and respect yourself, enjoy loving relationships, and think through problems.

I’ll share a story that will help illustrate four points for you to consider. Last winter we had an ice storm that tormented our area for two days and nights. I was alone in my home. As the constant freezing rain built up on my power lines and many tall trees, I could hear the crackling branches clanking against each other in our woods and from time to time heard loud crashes of large limbs plummeting to the ground. Our lights flickered over and over and I was terrified I would lose power. I knew if I lost power, there was no way I could drive anywhere. I wouldn’t be able to get out of the driveway. I also knew my body does not generate heat and the cold would be shocking.

I set out into survival mode. Looking back on it, I employed some “lead yourself” techniques that are good for all of us whether facing adversity or everyday problems:

  • Pray—I centered myself in the Lord’s power. I surrendered my tendency toward panic and fear and trusted that He would guide me through.
  • Prepare—What could I do now to prepare IN CASE the power did go out? I gathered flashlights, batteries, candles. I put hot water in thermoses. I kept my cell phone charged. I brought in firewood to dry. I took inventory of quilts and blankets.
  • Picture—To gain perspective I pictured where I would sleep, how I could stay warm while doing productive things without power, and how I could exercise periodically. I tried to keep perspective that it would only be a few days that I would have to live like that and I could make it through.
  • Connect with others—I texted with my husband and kids and talked with them as well. They reassured me and even gave me ideas about how I could keep my cell phone charged and how to build a fire.

525,000 customers were without electricity for up to a week after the storm. They all have stories of survival. And we are grateful for all the workers who came from many states to restore power to us.

My point in sharing this story is to encourage you to make sure you are taking steps to lead yourself. Try implementing these steps into your everyday life as you step into 2011.

Pray—Center; surrender; trust. Ask for guidance for the year ahead.

Prepare—Think ahead so you can respond instead of reacting. How will your plans, hopes and ideas affect all areas of your life? What steps can you take now to prevent challenges from becoming overwhelming?

Picture—Envision where you are going and how you are going to get there. Think about handling problems with wisdom and living with joy.

Connect with others—Serve others and allow them to serve you. Relationships and contributing to the well-being of others brings deep meaning to our lives.