Your Gifts will Carve out a Place for You

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A word of encouragement today. My thoughts today are propelled by a verse from Proverbs 18:

16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

Sometimes, friends we need to trust the process....know that the good things we do naturally because they are gifts given to us by God, will prepare a place for us in this world.

Yes, I am talking about this world,  and not some ethereal mystical place.

This is another reason why I like the book of Proverbs, because it is really grounded and practical. It is fabulously encouraging to sense this truth spiritually that verse 16 talks about.

Let´s say for example, you love to sing and sing whenever you get the chance. When you sing it´s like Heaven opens and the atmosphere in the room becomes electric. That is a sign that you are practicing one of your personal spiritual gifts. God gave you that gift and the gift itself will propel you forward. You can trust the process and keep singing regularly and know that God will open doors for you in this area of life.

May God bless you and the exercising of the gifts He has personally given to you. May it be easy to recognize your gifts. May you see the signs of His prospering what you have put your hands or voice to do.

Peace,

Carla

Come Walk This Way

Did you ever have an experience like little Bobby?

¨Bobby said they don´t like him on that sports field, where he just waddled up to join a team on a whim. Why do you think they don´t like you Bobby? Because they told me to get lost....Bobby stuttered as a tear trickled down his little cheek.....¨

Anyone who has gone through any kind of rejection, whether they were young or over 50, it can carry a sting unlike any other. It feels like a slap in the face, an utterance that stuns and shocks the beauty and joy out of a day....a crushing blow especially to the young who seem to be born naturally optimistic.

The thought I wanted to talk about today is that one of the most beautiful attributes that I have learned and experienced of Ǵod is that HE absolutely does not play favourites. He doesn´t pick and choose which humans to love.  

God does not carry a grudge against certain people. God does not carry a spirit of rejection towards any human being. Rejection is not a part of God´s character. God is the Healer. He heals people physically and He also heals their hearts. Emotional and social wounds from years ago can be healed by God´s Spirit, if we give Him the chance. He, the Spirit of God, is truly patient and kind.

Sometimes, we may not even remember an experience of rejection that we may have suffered from many years ago. But God´s love is thorough and patient. His love penetrates the crevices of our hearts, where no one may go. His Spirit has such a delicate love that wipes away fear and trauma. He allows juicy golden tears to wash away the sorrows we have kept locked down for too long.

God loves us all, every single one of us. No matter where you were born, and who your parents were or are, and what your appearance is or isn´t......God´s love is stable. His love is supreme.

Yes, there is hatred in the world, but we can choose not to walk in it. We can face hateful situations without becoming hateful ourselves. It is something we all will face at some point in life. But we must come know that God is Love. He is love personified.

Come walk this way.....walk with the carpenter that taught us all the value of sacrificial love.

Peace,

Carla

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Celebrities and their Low Net Worths....Huh?

I don´t know if this is just me....but I always assumed as soon as someone achieved a certain celebrity status on t.v., that their net worth would increase accordingly and promptly.

But the more I read about the net worth of several reality tv show stars, I see that that is often NOT the case. Many many reality stars who have spent years churning out popular episodes are reported as having net worths of less than one million dollars.

Now, let´s just put net worth into the perspective of a  ¨Toronto¨ homeowner. The average house as per Zolo ( as of Dec 1, 2023)  in Toronto is worth $1,077,531. in canadian funds. That means if you own an average home in Toronto and have  no mortgage on it....you are technically a millionaire. You have a net worth of at least 1 million dollars.

But if we look at, let´s say just for an example, ¨Sue Aiken¨ from the popular northern survival show 

¨Life Below Zero¨ reality series,....Sue is reported by (https://briefly.co.za/97983-sue-aikens-net-worth-salary-husband-divorce-children-career.html) as having a net worth of only $500,000. Now, that is probably in US dollars, so that would be higher if translated into Canadian funds. But still, it would still put her net worth under a million dollars.

But if you look at how many views her episodes have garnered over the years and how recognizeable Sue Aikens is.....you  begin to see a disconnect. The shocking truth is that celebrity and fame does not equal instant wealth. You can be popular and well known and still have a  net worth of less than a million dollars.

Now, you may be correct by saying, that websites that pretend to estimate a celebrity´s net worth are just guessing....and have little factual support. Yes, you may be correct.

But try a little exercise today....what is your favourite reality series? Is it  ¨Selling Sunset¨? Is it 

¨Life Below Zero¨ or ¨Extreme Cheapskates¨? Try typing your favourite actor on one of these shows into your favourite search engine and add the words ¨Net worth¨ and you will be sure to be surprised. Some of the most glamourous tv personalities with very fancy tv wardrobes may have a lower net worth than you do!

So, my blab fest is done. My point is made. TV fame does not equal wealth. Perhaps the net works do not offer good compensation to many celebrities for their participation. Or is it perhaps that many actors or actresses do not know how to negotiate better deals for themselves when it comes to reality tv episodes?

Good business people learn how to leverage their celebrity into several income streams, with licensing deals and merch. They develop the ability to monetize their images into cash machines.

It does bear repeating that fame does not necessarily guarantee a good sense for business. 

So, in summary, if you have had the good fortune of garnering some fame, take the time to learn how to monetize that stardom. Write a book..... produce a line of goods that takes advantage of your perceived area of expertise. Go on podcasts and promote your merch. Become a promoter of a brand you can partner with. Be sure to get good agents and lawyers who will help you maximize the earning power of your fame and help you negotiate the best dollar deals for your next TV appearance. Be a good brand ambassador!

The networks make billions of dollars from the backs of eager reality tv stars. Think they all have the right to prosper? Sure they do.

Peace out,

Carla.

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Simple Luxuries

I know folks are struggling. But in the midst of the juggling....sometimes it´s helpful to enjoy the simple things that give you joy.

Simple mushrooms fried with salt and paprika and vegetable oil over the stove.....the most basic appetizer, but loaded with yum.

What are somethings you enjoy in their most simple forms? Scrambled eggs? Without milk or other spices....just eggs scrambled with some salt?

Or a toasted bagel with butter?

Or a spoonful of peanut butter  straight from the jar?

Come on folks, don´t let the hard times steal all your happiness.

There is so much good left in the world, so many kind people, honest people and hardworking people who share the fruits of their labor every week with their families, churches and causes they believe in.

Don´t ever feel like things can only go from bad to worse. Things can get better. We do not know the future, but we do know what to do. We know to continue to do the basics, to work hard, to spend within our limits and put something aside for investing and savings. We know to share with those who have less than we do, and we know how to give to God.

We know how to be honest. We know how to earn an honest day´s wage.

The rest is up to your imagination and the the Lord above. Don´t give mankind access to all your emotions. Don´t let the newcasts of the day cause you to feel like life is terrible. Turn that news off sometimes, when you need to get a hold of yourself and reframe your mindset to that which is productive.

You are smart. You are kind, you are generous. You know good people.

Pray for your friends. Pray for your clients, Pray for those who run things in your region. They need your prayers right now. Tell yourself your prayers are important and powerful.....because they are.

You may not see the result of your prayers instantly, but every now and then God will allow you to see how powerful a change your prayers bring about.

Remember that Spirit is always greater than Flesh and live accordingly. I know I know....easier said than done, but know that God loves you....with open arms and great patience.

Know that you are not alone. You are loved and you are needed. Maybe you don´t feel this way right now. But it´s ok to feel whatever you are feeling whether passive or productive.

Just know that you are great worth in God´s eyes. Don´t give up on getting what you need.

Sow some good seeds into someone else´s life today....you never know what God will do for you  in return.

Peace in Christ,

Carla

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Blocking Muting Type Type Type

Photo credit: Roseanne Barr and Patrick Bet David Podcast/youtube videos.

This animal....this beast called social media has given us all powers...powers that many of us grip with glee over one another.

I was on X (formerly known as Twitter) this weekend and I playfully asked someone if I disagreed with them would they block me....and their stoic answer was ¨Yes, I'll block you if you badger me¨.

Well, that kinda sums it up eh? We all kinda relish that blocking muting cancelling power don´t we?

Yes, myself included. I am often tempted to block folks who don´t believe what I believe and don´t agree with my personal views. But I am starting to wonder if that is a tad childish on my part. 

Why? Because in the real world, we can´t actually block folks we disagree with. We share the roads with people we don´t agree with.... We share church pews with folks we may not agree with on some issues. We share workplaces and restaurants with many folks who don´t feel the same as we do..

So, I guess my question today to myself is this? How far do I go with trying to control the narratives that come my way? How far do I go to sidestep folks who strongly disagree with some of my most cherished beliefs?

And just to bring it to another level.....if I profess to believe in Jesus, how much love and acceptance do I show towards those I am supposed to be blessing and praying for? Is it possible to block and mute someone on social media and then pray for them in the same heart beat? It is possible to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ if I am trying to build a virtual island where only my own words echo off the walls?

Do I really want to build an island where only I have permission to speak?

Cancelling folks and muting and blocking folks....perhaps we relish it so much because we don´t have enough control over other areas of the public sphere. Where you fall on this issue? Do you let anyone speak whatever they wish on your channels and different social media apps? Or do you clamp down and silence every voice that doesn´t sound like yours? Do share.

Peace,

Carla

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New Season

Hi Friends,

A new day.... another day of choices. We actually had snow on the ground yesterday and folks hauled out their winter coats.

It isn´t that that is all that unusual....but it was still October....yesterday.

It has been predicted that our area in Northern Ontario is going to have a drier and warmer winter than what is ¨normal¨. But we do have a lake nearby and that can skew the results.....

(it´s called lake effect snow).

Do you have certain rituals or household preps you do every year before the cold weather sets in? Do you cover some of your windows and plug up some of the drafts coming in from your doors?

So far, all that I have is a sweater that I knit many months ago....warm and snuggly, but altogether too heavy to wear in any weather other than ¨freezing¨. Oh, yes, I forgot...I also knit a hat and a few vests too. We will see if I will dare to wear those....they have a ¨different¨ look that takes some courage.

Some folks who heat their homes with woodstoves have taken care to load up their wood piles earlier this year, to be sure the wood had time to mature and dry out. Those who rely on natural gas to heat their homes are imploring our federal government to halt or slow down the carbon tax that is scheduled to impact natural gas costs.

With rising interet rates, I see that folks are simply spending and investing more conservatively....counting their coins first before splurging. It hasn´t stopped folks from travelling, but perhaps they are scouring for cheaper air fares and better package deals for accomodation. Folks still drive a lot....our roads and highways are full.

Those who are savers, who simply accumulate cash and sit on it in a savings account, are enjoying these higher interest rates. But folks who use debt to build businesses, buy real estate and other investments are scratching their heads. A technical recession is on the way into the 3rd quarter in Canada. That means a lot of Canadian investments will be ¨ön sale¨ and ripe for the picking.

Are you the type to buy when things go down in price? Do you wait until your dollars fetch more in a bear market? Or do you hunker down and wait until the bull market returns and ride the upswing?

What´s nice about the markets and real estate is that there is always something brewing, no matter what the weather is doing outside. Always a trend to watch, a category that looks interesting and someone having an opinion somewhere in the world aching for someone to listen. 

Colder weather beckons me to good books and warm steamy mugs.What´s on your reading table today?

Peace,

Carla

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Weeping Willows and Camouflaged Mushrooms...

Greetings friends.....Tis that time of year when a stroll in the autumn leaves and crisp air is essential. No worries about frost just yet....but the leaves are still giving up a great colourful show and the living things that inhabit the forests and paths are still visible....prepping the soil before the snows will fall in a month or two.

Weeping willows are one of the most recognizeable trees that adorn many residential areas in Ontario, both central and northern Ontario. Folks don´t find them depressing despite their downturned limbs and leaves, because the abundance of the foliage and the way they sway in the breezes is lovely and reassuring.

Below is another gift of the season, the discovery of mushrooms growing camouflaged among the fallen crunchy leaves. 

Well friends, there is no profound speech today, nor rants or intellectual discussions.....just the peaceful sigh of a restful sunday. We are grateful for our country, for this time of year and the beauty that God has bestowed upon us here in Northern Ontario. Enjoy your weekend friends. Drink deep of the beauty.

Peace,

Carla.

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