From FOMO to NOMO

Everyone is familiar with #FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). But what I have realized when I feel that longing inside when I see what other people are doing or have is that I’m really okay. And I can choose to count my blessings. (As well as the fact that online life is not real life.)

I’m #NOMO (NOT MISSING OUT) at all. It is okay to have a longing. My life is really my story and that is not going to look like anyone else. I actually have so much to be thankful for. I have family and friends. I’m healthy. I have opportunities. I just need to take them and not let my fears stop me.

I’m not missing out. And I hope that you come to see that you aren’t either.

Something’s Got To Give

This has become one of my favorite movies to watch over and over like my daughter does with “The Office”. I’m quite sure she knows that series by heart. It puts her to sleep at night.

I became a Diane Keaton fan the moment we locked eyes in 2008 at Legoland. That may seem childish. But that is the place I least expected to come face to face with a celebrity.

I have to protest to the ending of the movie. I mean it was cute in the sense of seeing a family together with the typical expected figures in their respected ages. However, I would have picked Julian. I don’t feel that he was given much time to develop his character. We did not know much about him and hence we don’t have much depth there. But He respected Erica. He respected her work as a playwright. He respected her as a person and to me that is everything. Why would you want to be with someone who doesn’t respect you? That is soul-sucking.

Don’t write a sequel. Write what happens to Julian after he parts ways with Erica.

AI the outsourcing of Humanity

Thoughts for today…

I suppose when I was a baby I was a bit more trusting. Now that I am 51 and have many years under my belt maybe not so much. The human condition is a problem. We are imperfect. We have limits. We sin. We transgress. We need to eat, to sleep, and long to find connection.

I don’t think that I feel comfortable having AI be my voice. In a way it feels like cheating. It feels like plagiarism. If AI is writing “my words” for me isn’t that the same thing as paying a friend to write a paper?

I am a natural skeptic. I tend to be the one who comes up with the worse case scenarios for everything. I’m trying to be more positive lately. But frankly, I don’t trust AI. Maybe because it was created by a human and my trust level for humans is pretty low. But there are some people I trust. Well, I think.

The world has been rapidly changing in the past 3 years. Nothing can stop the change that is happening or is to come. But I think the most important thing to keep in mind is our humanity and that despite all our technical advances we can’t replace a human soul. Why would we even want to?

So Tired of Advertisements…

Life has become one giant AD.

Why has Matthew McConaughey gone into the self-help gurusphere?

This is what’s on my mind recently. I was surprised when I saw Matthew McConaughey (will be hence referred to as MM for short) pop up on YouTube AD for his Livin’ Live Event. I signed up because I was curious, but skeptical of course. Basically he’s officially somewhat of a new age guru / self-help / motivational speaker who identifies as a believer. Please check out this article below from the Daily Mail.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12012165/Matthew-McConaughey-slammed-bizarre-self-help-webinar-sales-pitch.html

Will he next transition into a candidate for President of the United States?

How to receive the gift of Salvation:

All have sinned and we all need a Savior. Jesus is the Savior and the only mediator between God and Mankind (humankind).  “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God..” Romans 3:23 KJV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:16-17 KJV

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 KJV

Click on this link for a deeper explanation of what it means to be saved.

https://www.gotquestions.org/how-can-I-be-saved.html

Update: Making Changes.

I just wanted to update this blog. I don’t post here that often anymore. But I will keep it open incase I do as well as the information I have here on Champ 1 Gene Mutation and directions to the support group etc.

Overall I need to reevaluate my life and simplify it. I am not going all minimalist, but I definitely want to remove or get rid of a lot of physical, mental, and online clutter (so to speak). This feels good and rather freeing.

I look forward to a new chapter in my life where I can find more peace and less stress and even if I have stress to find the Grace of God to deal with it.

Thank you. Esther~

In Christ Alone.

Hello, everyone that still follows this blog.  As I look back I am thankful to be able to do all I have in years past.  I laugh to myself because I see the disjointedness of this blog.  It was suppose to be about singleness of purpose of designing and being creative, but appears to be a dumping ground for the many thoughts that have been floating around in my mind.  I have been through a lot.

I usually come up with my blog titles first and then write.  But today I am just writing first and seeing if the title pops up later.  The world is quite chaotic and it is very unsettling to my spirit as well as to the many many people who are struggling with fear.

There are so many voices in the world telling you which way to go.  But for me I have come to believe that my faith is the most important thing that I have and my identity must be only In Christ.  I never really understood that when people would say that to me.  I didn’t get it.  I am still learning.

What does it mean to me to be In Christ?  To me it means that all my earthly “identities” are not important.  Yes, there are labels and boxes that I could be put into but when I am In Christ all of those fall away.  And hypothetically fellow believers should be bound by a kinship and we should love one another even if we disagree.  What binds us together should be love for God and one another.

This world and its government is passing away and is not our permanent home.  I look forward to my heavenly home and seeing the Kingdom of God and His perfect rule.  I thank God for this life that I have been able to live so far by the grace of God.  I am practicing putting all my faith and trust in Him.  It is a struggle because of fear.  I have had a lot of fear all my life.

“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:26-29 NIV

Here is one verse that I have held onto when I am afraid:

“When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?” Ps 56:3&4 NIV

In my moments of great anxiety I had written this on a well worn piece of paper and carried it with me.  It brings me great comfort.  I will attach a photo of that below.

 

 

The Greatest Gift to Give this holiday season!

Photo by Roberto Nickson on Unsplash

I think the greatest gift we can give others this holiday season is: attention!  Being present with others while in the moment is a tremendous gift.  There are so many distractions today than ever before in history!

Attention doesn’t cost money.  All it does cost is moments of your time. So many people are very disconnected and lonely and all they want is for someone, anyone to pay attention to them and listen to what they have to say.

I’m a strong proponent these days of boundaries.  Everything must come with limits.  But be on the look out for people who just need a few minutes of your time and give that gift to them if you can and if you feel it is appropriate.

Getting a material gift is great, but it is not everything.  I think that deep connections and conversations with family and friends is what truly matters.  What do you think?  What gift will you give this holiday season?

 

On Hiatus

As of 3.22.19 I will no longer be updating this site.  I will be focusing on everyday life and focusing on my youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zlWO0y6xac&t=99s