Venusdflytrap’s Weblog
Just another WordPress.com weblogWords of Peace #11
“It’s true that we only live once, but if we do it right, once is enough.” - Paul C. Brownlow
Words of Peace #10
“People see God every day, they just don’t recognize Him.” - Pearl Bailey
Words of Peace #9
“True peace is found by man in the depths of his own heart, the dwelling place of God.” - Johann Tauler
Are you a coffee bean?
Hey guys,
Just wanted to share something Patricia sent to me. I thought it was awesome and wanted to share it. You know she probably should have a blog, but since she doesn’t want to do it, I’ll just have to add this as a “Patricia Page.” 
You know I had to do it girl! LOL! Enjoy guys and be blessed.
ARE YOU A COFFEE BEAN?
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how
things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make
it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It
seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water.
In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the
last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without
saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the
carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and
placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a
bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me what do you see?”
“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.
She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and
noted that they got soft.She then asked her to take an egg and break it.
After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.
Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she
tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked. “What’s the point,
mother?”
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same
adversity–boiling water–but each reacted differently.
The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However after being
subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had
been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior.
But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became
hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the
boiling water they had changed the water.
“Which are you?” she asked her daughter. “When adversity knocks on your
door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?”
Think of this:Â Which am I?
Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I
wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the
heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a
financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and
stiff?
Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough
with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water,
the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it
releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things
are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.
When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest do you
elevate to another level?
How do you handle Adversity? ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE
BEAN?
Don’t tell GOD how big your storm is. Tell the storm how big your GOD
is!
Words of Peace #8
“You grow up the day you have your first real laugh at yourself.” - Ethel Barrymore
I love this one. It’s awesome! I guess I’ve been growing a lot lately because I’ve been cracking up at myself - LOL!
MIA
Hello Everyone,
I know it’s been a while. I’ve been missing in action from my blog. These last few months have been CRAZY for me and I know I’m behind on my blogging. I promise to catch up and get back on track. There are so many things I want to add including some great pics with my homies at LPC. Just wanted to drop a quick line and let you all know I love you and miss communicating with you all. I look forward to chatting soon…
God bless always,
“V”
Sundays at LPC Rock!
I didn’t get a chance to comment on this past Sunday service, and I probably don’t have to because The Major, Citizen Cane, Pastor Trav, Jesse and other LPC bloggers do an amazing job of recapturing the best moments; however, I really have to say Sundays at LPC Rock!
Worship was awesome! It’s so great to see how we have grown. There’s some great new talent up on the stage too - Go Rebecca and Kyle! Gods presence was all over the place!
The videos were so much fun to be a part of and even better to watch. Nice comeback Jesse! God is really working in this place! The talent we’re blessed with at LPC is tremendous and I’m so happy to be able to take part in all of it.Â
Pastor Trav got into the Funk of Conflict this week.  He got right to the heart of conflict, what it is and how we tend to react to it. It’s funny because some people still believe when you’re a christian you don’t face conflict - WRONG! In fact, you may face more of it. Rather than run from it though, we’ve got to face it dead on - and what better way to be equipped than to harness those biblical principals Pastor Trav went over in Matthew 7:1-5; 18:15-8; 5:21-25 and Romans 12:17-19.Â
I recently faced a conflict with my former broker. When I was shopping for a new broker to hang my license under, I came across one that was capable of processing loans both in FL & NY. I was specifically looking for a FL based company that had a NY branch since I live here but still get referrals from NY - and that’s what I found. It seemed like a great fit - they charged a per file flat fee only and they had an in house processor (so the per file fee of $1,500 was to cover processing, taxes and fees). At least that’s what was on the contract. To make a long story short, they were only supposed to take $1,500 from my commission. Since this loan took a bit longer than the usual 30-45 days (just about 3 months) the broker felt it was ok to take an additional $1,100 out of my commission and then not tell me about it, until I received my wired commission, which was short the additional monies. Needless to say, I was a bit ticked off! Then to top it all off, the person I initially dealt with passed me off to his boss, who apparantely does not know the meaning of integrity or professionalism for that matter. The conversation we had was short and unpleasant (I didn’t go off or anything - I promise). He was basically trying to justify what they took by the fact that the loan took longer to close and that his processor worked more on this file than any other. That was such a lie! I worked my butt off on that file and was helping the processor along the entire time because she was swamped with other files. I did most of the work! Funny thing was - that was the first time he even looked at the file, so he didn’t even know what he was talking about. Whenever I tried to speak, he cut me off. I’m sure he knew I was right and that’s probably why he kept trying to justify this wrong. I wasn’t the one responsible for paying his processors salary (especially when she was overwhelmed with other files) but it seems that’s what he felt I was responsible for. The point though - that “we had a written agreement” and these additional “fees” should have been discussed with me prior to transfer of my license and file being processed was clearly noted. My attorney sent a letter on my behalf and they have 30 days to respond, which is this week. I’m guessing they’re just going to ignore the demand for payment and see if I take it any further. This one was a tough one, but I kept my composure, even though a part of me wanted to go pay them a personal visit during my trip to NY. I didn’t though. Not sure how I should proceed on this - any words of wisdom? Think I should take it to small claims court or leave it alone? All in all, I know God is in control and the final judge. For now, I’ll just keep these scriptures close to my heart.  Who knows? Maybe they needed the money more than I did. 8-p
Be blessed,
“V”
Words of Peace # 7
“Remember the day’s blessings; forget the day’s troubles.” - Early American Proverb
Pay it Forward…One act, one gesture, one day at a time!
For those of you that have seen the movie, I’m sure you remember how a few random acts of kindness by one little boy changed the lives of the many that were touched by them. It resulted in a domino effect of love and kindness - not just in his home town, but all over the world! That movie became one of my top 10. If you haven’t seen it, go check it out. My thoughts - if one little boy can have such an effect on the world, imagine what could happen if we all performed one simple act of kindness every day. After all, isn’t that what God has asked of us? John 13:34-35 says - “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”Â
Easier said than done? I know what you mean. Just getting through another crazy day at work or with the kids (for those who have children), when you’re feeling physically, mentally or emotionally exhausted and drained can be a challenge sometimes. You might be saying, “How could I possibly fit anything else into my schedule? Now, I have to fit in blessing someone else?” I can admit to feeling that way after a long day or week. Yet, it’s in those times that I’m reminded by God (through people, situations or reading material) of the verse in Luke 11:28 - “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”
What good is the word if we don’t apply it in our daily lives? We talk to eachother about how we are looking for other ways to serve…well, maybe this will help. I pray this serves as a reminder, as you go about your busy day. Below are a few tips of simple gestures, acts of kindness and blessings that you can fit into your schedules. Do them as you do life! May it encourage you to be Seed Sowers (Mark 4:26-29 “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how…) and Good Samaritans (Luke 10:30-37 “…But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds…Go and do likewise”).
You may have done or heard a few of these before, maybe not. Feel free to add your own.
1. Smile and/or say “hello” to someone. You never know what kind of day they’re having. Sometimes, a friendly smile can make all the difference.
2. While going through the toll booth, give an extra dollar to the clerk and tell them you are paying for the car behind you. You can even ask them give to share an encouraging message if you like.
3. You can do the same at a “Drive thru” during lunch. As you drive away, watch the smile on the receivers face. You’ll never forget it!
4. This one is especially good on a rainy day. If you’re not in a rush and can afford the gas and see an elderly person waiting at a bus stop, offer them a ride.
5. Share a compliment. It feels good when someone says “Nice outfit or I love those shoes!”
6. While checking homework, write a little note to the teacher expressing your gratitude or appreciation for their hard work. This one only works if you like your kids teacher 
LOL!
7. Let someone go ahead of you on the grocery line or at the gas pump.
8. Allow the other driver to make a right turn or get in front of you on the highway.
9. Put an extra snack or sandwich in your kids lunchbox or backpack. Tell your child to give it to someone that doesn’t have lunch or much to eat. You’ll also be teaching your children some great values at the same time.
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10. This one requires more time, but can also be done on a weekend. Go online and look up the phone numbers to local Assisted living facilities or Nursing homes. Call and ask if there are any residents that do not have living relatives or frequent visitors. Take an hour or two out of your day and bring a game or book to one of those residents. Spend some time talking to them or maybe just listening. That one hour may be the most precious gift you can give someone.
I’d love to hear the outcomes. Feel free to share your stories. Just don’t forget to Pay it Forward!
God bless!
Words of Peace #6
“The soul feeds on simple joys and withers without them.” - Victoria Moran
