On this 22nd Day of  The Red Shoe Project,  I headed over to Living Word Christian Bookstore for our weekly women's Bible Study followed by lunch and an Art Journaling class. I love the ladies at these events. I have been attending for almost a year now and I have made some lovely friendships!

Today, I surprised the girls by wearing my new, hand-made, Ruby Slippers... glitter and all!  A Big THANK YOU goes out to Carolyn, (who heads up the art class), for helping me with the step-by-step process of converting my old, comfy black ballet slippers into magical Ruby Reds! I have to laugh...  I think I left a little bit of "stardust" wherever I walked today!

While I was out and about, I witnessed someone who had decided to verbally UNLOAD,  in public, all her woes, frustrations, and thoughts. It was Negative, Negative, Negative. A little weird. And a little scary. (I wont say more because the details don't really bring value to my point.)

I don't know about you, but I consider myself to be a very positive, happy-go-lucky, individual.  I try to surround myself with positive, upbeat, healthy people and positive situations, while bringing positivity where ever I go.  So when something really negative and angry, or loud and disruptive occurs, it can seem somewhat larger than life.  The energy and spirit of "your space" can be thrown off kilter, even if you're merely a bystander or observer.

Ok... so let me switch gears for a moment, and we'll come back to that later.

Do this exercise with me:

Clear your mind, and picture an orange.  A big, juicy Florida orange. It is so big and beautiful!  Can you smell it? Can you picture yourself peeling back the skin, breaking it open into slices and biting into it? That orange is so ripe and ready to eat. In fact, it's dripping with juiciness! Your hands are getting sticky and wet.

Now, put that picture aside for a moment, and think of a cow.  A cow... standing in a field.  A black and white cow.  A big, giant  black & white cow.  The cow is moo-ing.  "MOOOOO!"  There he goes, he's moo-ing again. "MOOOOO!"   Occasionally he puts his head down and chomps on some grass.  The grass is so thick and green and beautiful. It's a gorgeous day, and that big, black & white cow is right there in front of you, moo-ing and chewing on grass.

Ok.. now, go back to the big, beautiful orange.  See it?

Now... go back to the cow again.  Can you see him chomping on the grass?

Now picture an angry man yelling at the top of his lungs, standing in the middle of the food court in the local mall.  He is so mad!  His face is turning bright red. He's pointing his finger in someone's face and really giving it to them. He is losing it!  You are so glad not to be the receiver of his outburst. You notice your're  not so comfortable. The negativity is heavy... so heavy that you can feel it pressing down all around you. (Take a deep breath and let it out).

Ok... Drop the picture of the angry man and go back to the Orange... that Big-- Juicy-- Orange. Got it?
Now go over to the Cow.  Can you see the cow?  Black & White.  Green Grass.  Sunny Sky.  Moooo!

Thanks for participating in this little experiment.


During our Bible Study today, we talked about the importance of Guarding Your Heart and Mind.
We shared about "GIGO" Garbage in... Garbage out! You've got to be careful about what you take in through your eyes and ears.  They are gateways to your mind.  But not just that... you have to be careful at what you allow to linger in your mind -- What you spend time pondering, or thinking about.

Sometimes, when we've witnessed an ugly situation,  (like the the angry man in the mall), we allow that thought or memory to SIT in our mind.  We think about it over and over again.  We talk about it to this person and that person... re-hashing it.  regurgitating it over and over again.  We're not even sure why we are DWELLING on it.  (Maybe we don't have something better to think about?) So we think about it a little more... and a little more.

Have you ever noticed that nothing really positive ever comes from that. In fact, if anything, we just rile ourselves up by it.  We stir it all up, over and over again, absorbing as much negativity as we can possibly get from it. What's with that?

We are WASTING our mind's time with ugly negativity 

that ultimately has a ugly, negative effect on us.

Why we do that?  I don't know. But today we discussed God's Way.  Ahhhh... God's Way!  I'm learning a lot these days about God's Way.

  Philippians 4:8 states, 

"...whatever is true, whatever is noble,  whatever is right, 

whatever is pure, whatever is  lovely, whatever is admirable...

if anything is praiseworthy, think about such things. 

...And the peace of God will be with you."

God wants us to spend that "spare time" we have with our mind, pondering the good things in life.

• Like that great purse my friend, Linda, made for me!
• Or the wonderful lunch I had the other day with my friend, Bonnie!
• Or the joyful songs God keeps placing in my heart and nudges me to sing!
• Or even how my awesome bulldog, Paully greets me at the door!
• Or the great weather we're having here in Florida... sunny skies & warm! 
• And what about that beautiful butterfly that just fluttered by me!

Those are but a few of the hundreds of thoughts that will bring me PEACE.

Ok... so, how does our little experiment fit in?

Many people have difficulty with that  negative experience that barges into their mind, SITS down, and refuses to leave..

The Word of God says...

"...we take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ."

2 Corinthians 10:5b

So here's how it's done:

Think about the Orange.  Think about the Cow.  Think about the mall situation.

Think about the Orange.  Think about the Cow.

Think about the Orange.  Think about the Orange.  Think about the Orange. 

No more Cow.  No more Situation.  Just the Orange.

If the cow creeps back in.... Or if the mall situation creeps back in... I like to picture the handle of a toilet.  I press down the handle of the toilet and flush that thought away.  It's gone. I remind myself it's gone.  I remind myself that I'm not going to give that thought a place in my mind any more.  

I choose to think about good things, instead.

I think about the Orange.  It's a lovely Orange.  It's a big, beautiful orange!

You get the idea.  Try it!  (Of course, your happy thought doesn't have to be an orange.)

So when I got home today, I told my daughter all about the weird, verbal dumping that I witnessed earlier in the day.  I went through every detail.  Then I threw on my RED SHOES and  I brought Paully, the dog, out for a walk.

Out there, under the dark sky, filled with stars, The Lord spoke to me...

"Ok... so you got that off your chest.  

Now it's time not to think about it or talk about it anymore.

 Don't waste the space in your mind!"  

Enough said.  I'm keeping my mind focused on the Good Things!
Because that's God's Way.  And that way will bring me PEACE.

Won't you join me?

Gail

Day 21

I spent the morning of Day 21 of  The Red Shoe Project, basking in the sun, wiggling my sparkly, RED, painted toe nails! What a wonderful time I had chatting  pool side with a visiting friend! As she inquired about The Red Shoe Project and what was happening in my life, the conversation took an unexpected twist.

I began to share with her something unusual that God had spoken to me just over a year ago, while attending a business conference in San Diego.  As I was waiting for the keynote speaker to move to the podium and share his Million Dollar Secrets... I felt like my brain was suddenly "filled with stuff". Have you ever had two people talk to you at the same time from different directions? You can't really hear what either of them is saying, so you have to focus on one or the other? Well... it was like that.  As much as I wanted to listen and totally receive from the speaker on stage, it was as if someone beat him to it, and filled my mind with a conversation.

With that, I grabbed my writing pad to try and download what was in my mind, hoping to make space for what the keynoter had to say.  It was only as I saw what was pouring out onto the paper, that I realized that God was trying to speak to me.  As I wrote it out, I whispered it to myself and my brain took it all in.  All of a sudden, everything in the room... everyone in the room, seemed so far away.

God said,  "Gail... you are clothing yourself in a way that you think is palatable to people. But there are people who need your message.  They are looking for you, and they can't find you, because you're all covered up.  It's time to get naked and be who you really are!"

Ok... did God just used "naked" in a sentence with me?  YIKES!  I gained my composure and put the notepad down.  I was free to now listen to the speaker I had been waiting for.  But I must admit, his speech didn't have near the impact that God's did!

Really?  Covering up?  Me?  "But God... I thought I was naked?"

When did I take my faith and hide in the closet? 

 I couldn't believe it... but I knew it was true.

After all...   I did care about what people thought... especially business associates.  I didn't want people to perceive me as some sort of religious weirdo.  I didn't want to have to deal with their negative reactions.  I wanted to be "accepted" not rejected.  Just mention God and people are uncomfortable around you.  They roll their eyes, talk about you behind your back, and immediately push you out of their circle.

Really?  With everyone coming out of the closet... 

what am I doing in the closet?  ...with my faith, of all things? 

When did everything flip flop? When did being a good person who loves God become something that people shunned?

I'm not really sure, but this I know... I'm not staying in the closet anymore! I've adorned my feet in RED, and I'm stepping out for all to see.  I'm not worried anymore about what people think. I'd rather people reject me for who I am, than accept me for who I'm not.

And contrary to what people may think, I'm not looking to shove my faith in the faces of people who aren't interested in God. I just want to make sure that the ones who are looking for God can find me so that I can point them in the right direction!

There's a saying...

When remaining where you are becomes more painful, 

than what you fear, 

the time for change has arrived.

I'm inviting you to Celebrate your Faith in Christ with me!

Gail

Day 20

This morning I was looking rather nautical in my navy and white striped top, navy capris, and RED flats.  And I was so warmly greeted, at the door of the church, by my friend, Wes, who was focusing his attention on my feet to see for sure if I was, in fact, wearing RED shoes!  "You're following me on Facebook?" I asked.  "Absolutely," he responded.  "It's day 20, I believe, right?" Yes... it is Day 20 of   The Red Shoe Project, and I am realizing that we have quite a few men joining us on this Yellow Brick Road journey towards greater awareness of the Power and Presence of God in our daily lives.  I love it!

Twenty days... They say that when you've done something for twenty-one days it officially becomes a habit. (One more day to go!)  You know, I'm realizing that things are changing for me with this Red Shoe Project.  Not that didn't think that they would, (of course, it's inevitable!), but I didn't expect to see so much change in such a short period of time.  First... my life is changing on the outside.  I've made some specific choices to spend more focused time with God.  So my routine has changed... what I do, where I go,  how I spend my time.  Second... I'm beginning to notice that those choices are causing a  TRANSFORMATION on the inside of me. I can feel a stirring in my spirit. My thoughts, my perspective, my heart, my feelings... somethings happening to them.

It's funny... the Red Shoe Project is about making an effort to look for God everyday in the world around me... but I'm realizing, more than ever, that He's also doing a work in me!

I've also noticed that Spending my time, CONSISTENTLY, with God is THE KEY to opening the door that leads to a deeper relationship with Christ.

Deeper... Fuller... More Powerful... More Magnificent!

Here's a Truth I've discovered:

Thinking about God is just not 

the same as Being with God.  

For example, thinking about a dear friend, brings great memories and feelings to mind. But that doesn't even compare to actually spending the day with that friend...  maybe having lunch or meeting for coffee, going bowling, or just hanging out and talking about things.  Right? One is thinking about the memories, where the other is making the memories.

With The Red Shoe Project, I'm walking it out.  Who wants to settle for memories of old, when there's still time to experience the real thing?  I'm living it!  I am developing a "New Normal"...  A life in RED SHOES.  A life of true Divine Partnership.

What about you?
Gail

Day 19

Some days are for outside adventures, but Day 19 of  The Red Shoe Project kept me house-bound in my warm, RED SOCKS, hand-made by Granny.  I know it's a little late in the year... but my goal today was to take down our big Christmas tree and pack away any left behind holiday decorations. I popped on Pandora to my "worship" track and enjoyed the entire afternoon with Him.

I must admit I always dread packing everything up.  The house at Christmas is filled with so much warmth and magic!  I love those twinkle lights!!!  And many of those ornaments warm my heart and make me smile.

I purposely left my favorite ornament on the tree until the very last possible moment.  When all else was packed in the box, I reached up and took down "Dorothy's Ruby Slippers".  You know they have such significant meaning for me. (The Power and Presence of God in my life).  But this time, God whispered in my ear...

"They'll be o.k. packed away for a year... 

besides you'll be wearing real ruby slippers every day". 

Not to mention the fact that it's not just that I'm wearing RED SHOES everyday... Even more,  I'm living in the True Power and Presence of God every day with this Red Show Project!

That being said, today was nothing short of an Amazing Afternoon with The Teacher. (The Holy Spirit). It was a day filled with Divine Wonder as He revealed to me something magnificent.

Do you remember doing "Connect the Dots" pictures as a kid?  I loved those!  Each dot was numbered, and you had to connect the dots consecutively in order to discover the full picture... which until you completed the task, was a total mystery.

Today the Holy Spirit showed me how all these little, random things in my past are connected to one another.  Events, People, Conversations, Trials... right down to very specific details.

(It's funny how you can't see how anything connects when you're in the middle of it.)  

He connected the dots to show me the details, so that I'd see for myself that all along He's had a plan.  And although those details seem random, and in many cases insignificant, when He connected the dots for me... 

WOW! It all came together with such brilliance!  

Remember I had just mentioned a couple days ago, (Day 17), how God had told me to TRUST HIM and KNOW THAT HE HAS A PLAN?  Well, I love this about Him.  He always comes back and reinforces the things he tells me so that I know that He's really speaking to me.  And that's what he did today.  It was a living illustration!

And in seeing how His plan for me was so intricately woven together in the past, 

I am assured that it is the same in the days ahead.

Steve Jobs closes us tonight with these words of wisdom:

I am praising God for His magnificent orchestration in the plan He has for me!

 I do BELIEVE!  I do.  I do. I do.

Be encouraged!  I know He's got a brilliant score for you as well!

With love,
Gail