Adapt or Die (Full Episode) | Life Below Zero

Life Below Zero---one of my favorite northern reality shows.

I am always delighted when I am able to catch an episode, old or new of this series.

I respect characters who are proud of their survival skills and the traditions that go along with that mastery.

Some of the characters in this series, such as Sue Aikens, explain to the viewers how they crave the extreme isolation. They love the challenge of it, and the ability to manage their own lives and livelihood in their own style.

I don´t think I have ever actually met someone so extreme and independent as Sue Aikens, but perhaps some of my dutch relatives, past or present might disagree. I was raised by strong dutch work ethic and the strength of character that defines someone who refuses to give up and never gives in, when faced with an obstacle.

Do you enjoy these Life Below Zero episodes? What do you learn from watching them beat the odds?

Do tell,

the comment section is always open to you.

Peace,

Carla

The Ability to Seek and Serve God

Twas thinking again..... I like to do that once in a while.

Was thinking about how it´s hard for some of us in this modern society to be able to seek God. We just don´t necessarily have a frame work in our current society for what that means. What does it mean to seek God? How do I know how?

And so, in prayer today, I was praying for someone. That someone has an incredible capacity to live large, to give their all to a strongly held belief. That person needs the peace of God.

We may be able to do a lot of things in life.....to accomplish great feats of strength and beauty. But what is the hallmark of someone who knows how to connect with God their Maker? What happens to a person externally when other people can sense that person loves God? Is loving God the same as serving Him?

I don´t know much. But I would say, that when I cross paths with someone I suspect of having a close walk with God, I notice that they are usually not very talkative. They have a quiet inner knowing of the world of the Spirit. They don´t seem to feel the need to compete for attention or get awards and trophies for what they have done in this life. They seem to have an air about them which steers us towards the future, a future where God is. They don´t have a pressing need for any particular material item. They have a contentedness in their smile and patience in their tone.

Well friends, not sure what the purpose of this post is, other than to encourage those of you who are stubbornly praying for someone who has yet to yield to God. I want to encourage you not to be discouraged. Don´t give up. Don´t feel like you are wasting your time. Earnest prayer for another human being is never wasted. Prayer is an extremely valuable expenditure of time.

It may be, that when you are praying, you may need to be asking God to give that person on your prayer list, to be given the ability  to seek and serve God. It may not come naturally for some folks. 

Ask God to stir up in that person a love for Jesus. Ask God to reveal Jesus to that person. Ask God to stir up a desire for the Word of God and the ability to understand it. Ask God to lead righteous people into their path. And if you get tired of the burden of prayer, ask God to raise up intercession for that person. You need not bear this burden alone.

Sometimes we do not know how to pray. Sometimes we do not know what it will take before we see a breakthrough in someone´s life. Some folks have thick walls built around many layers of their life. It is only the mystery of God that will unravel that fortress. It is not your responsibility to unravel a person. In fact, it might be perceived as downright nosy to try to ¨figure out¨ how someone is supposed to come to God.

It is not my place to oversee anyone´s journey with or towards God. It is only my duty to pray until I see or sense a breakthrough......a proverbial connection between a human being and his/her Creator. I can not walk in another person´s shoes towards God. But I certainly can bring a person´s name in prayer to God in heaven so that God will move obstacles out of their path to joy and peace and wholeness.

Resist, my friends, the desire to understand all that God is doing in a human being´s life. We do not need to understand all of God´s ways. We rarely do.

 We simply must trust and pray. Pray and persist in prayer until you see and sense the breakthrough. Pray until you sense the peace that only comes when a person has peace with God their Saviour.

Well, my friends, that is all.

Be well and enjoy this beautiful evening, wherever you may be.

Peace,

Carla.

Guess Who Can Solve Inflation?

My Dear Friends,

I say this with complete humility. I say with all gentleness and kindness. I say this with an understanding of how business works.

If you own a business, you have the power to stop inflation. But But But....you may say, I only control a very small tiny part of the market. But yes, you can exercise restraint when and how you raise prices in that tiny but VERY IMPORTANT corner of your world.

If everyone lives with an unrelenting competitive spirit and raises prices as high as the market will bear, we will never stop the run-away train of inflation. Greed does not have any morals. Greed will steal food from a child. Greed will steal homes from the elderly. Greed will not have mercy.

If you are blessed to have a position of authority in your company, you can make a modest choice the next time you need to decide upon your next price increase. I am not suggesting that you run your company into a deficit. I would still encourage you to always protect the profitability of your business and the success of your workforce. 

 I am merely suggesting that just because people might be willing to pay ANY price you charge for your product or services, doesn't mean you SHOULD charge  the HIGHEST possible price.

Consider charging a reasonable price. Consider charging a price that you know a struggling single mother could afford. Consider charging a price that your elderly disabled grandparent could afford. Consider a price that would help in a very small way, for that grandparent to be able to afford to stay in his home instead of having to live in a retirement home.

Consider charging a price that will let you sleep at night, knowing that you are not gouging your neighbor.

Consider charging a price that you know pleases your God.

And no, you might not win a Nobel peace prize.  You may think that no one will notice your restraint and compassion in your pricing strategy. But know that these things, although often very quiet and seemingly invisible, are very much noticed. Your competitors will notice and your customers will notice. You will have slowed down that freight train. It is not longer a run-away train. It has become a slow moving tourist train with happy passengers.

Peace,

Carla

Tweet