tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15869094260613510372024-03-17T18:55:32.314-07:00LifeNotes EncouragementLifeNotes are notes on life from a Biblical perspective. I'm hopeful that LifeNotes is a source of encouragement regardless of the situation you are in.
Read on!!!
NylseLifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.comBlogger721125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-69337595573228714422024-03-11T04:00:00.000-07:002024-03-11T04:00:00.181-07:00Disconnected: My Journey Through the Abyss of Losing My PhoneI pride myself on always keeping my phone. My phone is the keeper of information for me and my family. It acts like Grand Central Station, providing direction for multiple locations/people.Late Friday evening, we decided to go out to dinner. I quickly changed, grabbed my phone, and headed to the car. Our first stop was at a restaurant closing in thirty minutes, so the kitchen was already closed. LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-42666375575416486402024-02-19T03:30:00.000-08:002024-02-19T09:18:43.771-08:00Driving Thoughts - Road Conditions May VaryThe daily rituals of living provide many opportunities for us to view life through a spiritual lens; driving is one such thing. Many years ago, I did some posts called Driving Thoughts, which resonated with so many and focused on things I've learned and applied to my life.When I read this devotional from Sisters In Faith, I knew immediately this would provide a great spiritual application for LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-10241772445283221712024-01-22T04:30:00.000-08:002024-01-22T04:30:00.134-08:00New Year; New MeLast year, I read through the Bible audibly by listening to Get In the Word with Truth's Table. This is a podcast by the women of Truth's Table. It's not a podcast, though; the two hosts read through passages from the Old and New Testaments and then end with a spirit-inspired prayer. It seems the Bible is read in chronological order, so on listening, you'll learn, for example, that a lot of LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-10877499131346927762024-01-15T13:15:00.000-08:002024-01-15T13:15:16.965-08:00If I Had SneezedOn this annual commemoration of Martin Luther King, I took my granddaughter to a local celebration. Today I learned for the first time of this speech. I'd heard parts of it before, but not in the context of surviving a life-threatening event.On April 3, 1968, Dr. King gave his last speech before being assassinated. Before this speech, a couple of years back, while he was at a book signing, a LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-892282914203238742024-01-01T14:23:00.000-08:002024-01-01T14:23:31.539-08:002023 Year in ReviewThere are years that ask questions and years that answer." ~Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God."2023 asked many questions, and I'm still searching for answers.It's good to question because it forces us to dig deeper, become more self-aware, and ultimately become more courageous as we answer those questions. I asked myself about my circumstances, friendships, and relationships. I LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-45656520900536868942023-12-04T03:00:00.000-08:002023-12-04T03:00:00.141-08:00When A Woman Steps InI sometimes feel like women are often overlooked, which is why I love to discover little-known women of the Bible. I was struck this morning by what appears to be a minor detail in a familiar story - the handwriting on the wall. The Queen mother steps in and mentions that she knows of Daniel, who can interpret dreams. How would the story have turned out if the Queen had not known of LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-60491329531467639762023-10-10T04:30:00.002-07:002023-10-10T10:04:12.830-07:00Some Things I Learned this Summer"Spend time with those you love. One of these days, you will say either, 'I wish I had,' or 'I'm glad I did". – UnknownIt turns out one of my first loves is my family. The family I created, the family I married into, and the family I was born into, and this year, for the first time in a long time, I had concentrated time with every variation of my family.At the beginning of July, we enjoyed a LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-30802891615467600542023-09-30T03:30:00.023-07:002023-09-30T03:30:00.143-07:00Birthday Week CelebrationsGood friends are hard to find. Once you realize this, you cherish what you have. The friend I have was heaven-sent. There was a time in my life as a young wife and mother when I felt and was incredibly lonely. I was learning who I was while trying to figure out the never-ending cycle of tasks raising little humans. I was glad my husband was there, but I needed more. I needed someone who LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-73937232071824038942023-09-12T04:09:00.000-07:002023-09-12T04:09:00.501-07:00Sometimes Maybe AlwaysSometimes and maybe indicate uncertainty. Occasionally, but only some of the time. There are more definitive paths. That there may be other options. A mere possibility or probability.However, always means every time, on every occasion, without exception.When we read the stories in the Bible, though definitive in their telling, they are often infused with a sense of sometimes maybe in their LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-46764877117608152262023-08-21T03:00:00.021-07:002023-08-22T07:51:59.173-07:00Everything is All RightHave you prayed so long for something, finally received it in a way you didn't expect, and after a time, the answered prayer is a disappointment? Your dream job finally appears after much prayer and effort on your part. Things are going well; you're learning new things, and you have a great rapport with your coworkers. You start to breathe. You've made it past the first year, but now there LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-80512931402761643532023-08-04T09:52:00.000-07:002023-08-04T09:52:44.116-07:00Coaching is not OptionalTennis is an individual sport where the players' moves and cunning are displayed for their opponents and the fans. Though tennis players have coaches, until recently, a player could not be coached during a game. There have been many instances where a player appears floundering and looks up to the coach's box while the coach remains stone-faced; if a player was caught receiving coaching during a LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-49848107616388941832023-06-21T06:05:00.012-07:002023-06-21T16:59:19.342-07:00I've Been Thinking - Part 1I started writing this post approximately two years ago. I've never shared anything this personal but now feels like a good time to do so. I don't know when Part 2 will be published.I became a Christian at the age of eight. It was during our church's annual crusade. One particular night the words of Pastor Tom Roberts pricked my heart. At the end of the crusade, all who made a decision to follow LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-4530092494295213512023-06-07T07:15:00.004-07:002023-06-07T07:15:57.826-07:00Current HappeningsI'm moving.It's a big move from the West Coast to the East Coast.It's an "it's about doggone time" move; the West Coast never felt like home.It's been chaotically peaceful. Lots of moving parts, but yet everything moved like a well-oiled machine. I'm smart, and so is my husband, but we're not THAT smart. I attribute the peace to God.Moving is emotional. I lived in my house for 16 years. Every LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-8362478699059251482023-05-30T01:30:00.002-07:002023-05-30T01:30:00.126-07:00Rights, Responsibilities, and PrivilegesI love Pomp and Circumstance; I love Commencement. The end of one chapter and the beginning of another.
As a parent, I've attended my share of these, and each one is special. We celebrate each other by acknowledging our student's achievements combined with heightened expectations.
As degrees are conferred, we often hear that in addition to that degree, the graduate is now granted all the rights, LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-80859559248551563432023-05-12T02:00:00.023-07:002023-05-12T02:00:00.153-07:00I'll Never Tire of Mother's DaySome people have a love-hate relationship with Mother's Day. I'm not one of those people; I absolutely love the day.Motherhood is no easy task, and anything we do to celebrate mothers is worthwhile. Now I'm not saying go out and spend money you don't have, but if a day forces you to acknowledge what you can be doing often, then it's worthwhile.And I know some don't have the best relationship withLifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-83512520400792808662023-04-10T13:19:00.001-07:002023-04-10T13:19:32.510-07:00How Not To WorryResurrection week is over, and now we're dealing with the aftermath. We all have to get on with our lives and figure out how this monumental event impacts our daily lives. Resurrection impacts our lives in more ways than we can imagine; for the hopeless, it provides hope. For those experiencing anxiety, it can calm them. In this story, place yourself in it as you do your daily LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-34218545090228575392023-04-03T04:30:00.117-07:002023-04-03T04:30:00.142-07:00Holy Week - It's All About Love
Source: ImageBank
This week is considered Holy Week. Do not take this for granted, for they are many who still do not realize the significance of this week and the actual events that transpired. I'll never forget the time at work when I told one of my employees about Good Friday. He was not familiar with the term and the meaning of the day. Back then, I felt nervous about sharing, but I sharedLifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-16605928628868714742023-03-13T04:30:00.004-07:002023-03-13T04:30:00.157-07:00Provision and Picky EatersMy mom always said I was scornful. (She had a way with words; scornful was a fancier term for saying I was picky). It wasn't "have it your way at our house"; whatever she made for dinner was what we ate. I always despised discernible fat on meat; if I could see it, I wasn't eating it. Growing up, a cut of beef called salt beef was popular for a while. It was flavorful but lined with LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-78285681549858487652023-02-27T04:30:00.014-08:002023-02-27T04:30:00.152-08:00Extremely BlessedI participated in a conversation recently where someone said, "we are extremely blessed." That phrase got me thinking as I sometimes think we equate blessing with financial prosperity or being able to do whatever we want, synonymous with living the good life. We equate blessing with pleasure.
The person who mentioned being extremely blessed by all outward appearances did not appear that way. HeLifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-80815366413461115962023-01-31T08:40:00.001-08:002023-01-31T08:40:37.759-08:00Connections"Connection is why we're here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. The power that connection holds in our lives was confirmed when the main concern about connection emerged as the fear of disconnection; the fear that something we have done or failed to do, something about who we are or where we come from, has made us unlovable and unworthy of connection." Brene Brown, from her bookLifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-1976354342427936242023-01-16T01:00:00.005-08:002023-01-16T01:00:00.168-08:00In Honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther KingAs a young Afro-Carribean family living in America, we wanted to ensure our children knew who they were. One of the things that connected my husband and I was our knowledge of Black History and wanting our children to have better experiences than we had. We didn't want them to be judged by the color of their skin. We knew what it was like to navigate life as a Black person. We embraced who LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-23807660839879914872023-01-01T10:31:00.011-08:002023-01-01T10:31:00.137-08:00What a Year; A Year of QuestionsThere are years that ask questions and years that answer.” ~Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God."2022 asked many questions to which I'm still searching for answers.I think it's good to question because it forces us to dig deeper, become more self-aware, and ultimately become more courageous as we answer those questions. I questioned myself, my circumstances, friendships, and LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-24258826653669606352022-12-12T06:00:00.005-08:002022-12-15T08:51:19.978-08:00Not So"It's the most wonderful time of the year!" That's what the song says, but I also find it wonderful because of the events we celebrate at this time of the year. Also, it's my birthday! Anyhow, Christians know the Christmas story ad nauseam and the joy around it can sometimes be lost.There's a part of the Christmas story that I've been thinking about for a while, and it's the first birth - the LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-44750398186708777942022-11-21T04:30:00.006-08:002022-11-21T04:30:00.136-08:00You Have Your Letter?During my quiet time yesterday, my brain turned toward church traditions. Ironically, the message at church this weekend also focused on traditions from a different perspective. This post shares a tradition that has disappeared but was helpful.I grew up in the Brethren church. I distinctly remember as a child that when anyone visited our home church or relocated, they brought a letter of LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1586909426061351037.post-61403599919181492652022-10-04T08:34:00.020-07:002022-10-04T08:34:00.187-07:00Getting Up There"You can't help getting older, but you don't have to get old." Have you ever heard this quote by George Burns? I'm at the stage of my life where it seems many are dying; the pandemic has only compounded this. If they're not dying, many friends now have ailments that appear randomly. Stiffness in the joints, random pain in your foot or elbow, a nodule on your skin. My friend calls this old people LifenotesEncouragementhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900170663081766838noreply@blogger.com9