January 8, 2014

Pouring a little Coffee for Your Heart


Grab a cup and come sit with me!  What better way to start a New Year, or really any given (Wednes)day than to pick a pretty mug and fill it with something warm, and sip on a little truth as we awake to what lies ahead...

I am joining in and linking up with Holley Gerth as we pour out a little Coffee for Your Heart this year!  We are sharing a bit of encouragement on a Wednesday morning because - well, mostly because we all need to hear some encouraging words and by mid-week, we all need to hear them again!

So Holley is inviting us over for something yummy, so we can share our hearts and our 'homes' and speak life and remind each other and ourselves of what we need to know... of what we
already know but oh so often forget!



So today, this is what I really want you to know... to hear... and mostly, to feel as we lean in - no, dive in to 2014:

I feel like I am preaching to the choir here. I mean - after all, you stop by and visit me enough and you know my love for coffee and chatting... for counting gifts and speaking life.  Last year, when God spoke those three little things that are to be my focus - they sounded familiar but I had no idea how long He'd been leading me to live my life out day by day like this.  He would whisper soft and sing low and He would pull me close and hold me tight and over and over and over again, when I would share part of our story - He would remind me of what I knew.  Because, really - we can know a thing... and we can know it well.  But it is something entirely different to live it out loud, consistently, on purpose.  

I am an encourager... I give Him praise and glory when I say He - over the years - supernaturally changed my bent. I am now a positive faith girl and I almost always see first the Coffee half Full!  The enemy now has to work hard to cause my perspective and hope to shift to the negative, the lack, the less than.  Oh - I can go there - but I choose not to.

I have learned the secret.


And it has been reminded to me again and again, through the Word of God ("Death and life are in the power of the tongue..." Prov 18:21), through Ann's counting of One Thousand Gifts (...the more I look for blessings, the more I find them!), through trial and error and simply knowing firsthand how I feel when my obvious mistake is pointed out vs. someone calling out the Gold in me.

I have written all over this blog about all of those things but what I want you most to hear and see and 'get' today is this... let's focus on what we are doing RIGHT!  (I don't know about you, but I am already well versed in what I do wrong!) The secret is not really a secret at all... it is a choice.  

I know. I know... it's nearly a week in to the New Year.  Some of those Resolutions are already forgotten. Some of that excitement on January 1st has already wained and given way to 'realistic' and 'compromise' but let's warm up your cup together.

Each of us can sit down and talk about how we've blown it; how we failed, or feared even trying.  We can pull out our long list of Should Have's and What If's.  We can come in agreement with our shortcomings because that is easy and we all have them.

But this year... this year, still fresh and only days in, let's purpose to acknowledge a few things each day that you have done RIGHT.  What are you doing well?  What have you found focus and follow through with so far that is stirring up hope?  

Share with me in the comments below 3 things that you are doing well

They can be new things, or they can be ongoing great habits or choices that you are making.  Sometimes, we can remember to Speak Life... to Be Love... and to Shine On for everyone else, but I believe the call is to live that way always... and that includes a call to be kind to yourself... to fill up before you pour out!

(Did ya see what I did there?)



Linking up with the ever-encouraging Holley Gerth for Coffee for Your Heart

I am also joining in with Jennifer Dukes Lee for #TellHisStory

OK - I'll go first...

Here are mine:
Three Things I am Doing Well:

1. Morning(ish) Devotional/Bible Reading
2. I am participating in a 30Day Green Smoothie Challenge and so far, so YUM!
3. Getting back to regular exercise (whether it's 10minutes here and there, or braving the cold and going for a long walk!)

"Now... it's your turn!" she says as she refills her cup and leans back into the cozy couch...


28 comments :

  1. Anonymous9:07 AM

    Karrilee you are such a wonderful encourager! Love the energy of your writing. Stopping by from Holley's place! Have a great week!

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    1. Diane, I am loving getting to know you better! You are a natural encourager as well and I loved your post today! Now... you must have forgotten? Three things you are doing well?

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  2. Hi Karrilee, I'm stopping by from the TellHisStory link-up. Love your blog! It brightened my morning. : )

    3 things I'm doing well:

    -raising wonderful children
    -reading great books
    -learning to trust God more everyday

    God bless

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    1. Cathy - I am so glad you stopped by today! Come again and let's share some coffee and truth! I love ALL THREE of your 3 Things!

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  3. Anonymous9:50 AM

    Hello, Karrilee! Lovely words today, friend!
    3 things I am doing well:
    - Putting God first in Everything
    - Remembering that living BRAVE (my one word) is living Bold, Ready, and Available, Vying for, Everything God wants for me in 2014 and always.
    - Serving my family with joy because they are gifts.

    Wonderful post today!

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    1. Jennifer - thank you so much for your sweet encouragement! I loved your post today as well! LOVE your OneWord and the truth behind each of your 3 Things!

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  4. I love you... that my friend is the plain truth. And I love this - shifting our focus to what we do well, not what we've messed up (Lord knows I've messed up a plenty) So here's my 3 things.

    1. I encourage well
    2. I'm doing the #studentmom thing and doing it well
    3. Learning to trust HIM more!

    Blessings and hugs to you today friend.

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    1. Sweet Friend... I love you too and that is the plain truth as well! How easy and sad it is for us to relive and rehearse our shortcomings and failures - but as we look for gifts and count them out loud - let's not forget to count what we are doing well! I love your 3 Things - you DO encourage well... you ARE rocking the whole #studentmomthing - and trusting Him more? Yes and Amen!

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  5. Loved reading this while drinking a cup of coffee in a quiet house (if you could see my home, you would understand how rare this is!). We should focus more often on what we do well, I think!
    Here's mine...
    1. Writing out my Daddy's sermons from 30 + years of ministry
    2. Making memories with my kids
    3. Focusing on real life friendships

    Happy new year, friend!!!

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    1. Becky - you are such a treasure! I love that you were drinking coffee with me this morning! How much do I LOVE your 3 Things? Writing out heritage and history and just WOW - what an honor and a blessing for you to do that... and then be able to share it! Amazing! And so much yes - making memories with the littles and focusing on inrl friends - so vital!

      Looking forward to 2014 and seeing what unfolds for you... let's do (virtual) coffee again soon! ;)

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  6. Thank you for your encouragement today, friend! :) Um, three things...

    1. being a friend
    2. bonding with my daughter
    3. moving forward with some of my dreams

    I was gonna add that I drink coffee well to the list, but that's kind of a given. ;) Happy Wednesday to you!

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    1. Mel - it's so nice to see you! So glad we could have a 'coffee date' together over at Holley's today! I love your 3Things! Each one - so vital! and yes... you and me both Sisterfriend! If drinking coffee was a marketable skill - well - I'd be retired by now! ;)

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  7. Anonymous11:13 AM

    What a beautiful idea to focus on the positive and not the negative in our lives.
    Here's my 3 things.

    1. Being on time ( I hate to be late for anything)
    2. Encouraging (some may say pushing) others to start working on their God Sized Dreams
    3. Praying for others
    Bonus : Learning to trust in God's timing

    Love and hugs to you today friend.

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    1. Amy - there is so much life and light when we focus in on the blessings... on the positive... on what is going right! But I don't know about you, but I know for me - I can forget to do that for myself! I LOVE your list... I strive to be more on time - I am a chronic under estimater when it comes to how long it will take me to get somewhere! I'm doing better though! One of those things I am working on! And yes - Encourager is who you are! Love it - and that you included Praying for others too!

      Love you friend! See you at #fmfparty tomorrow night?

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  8. Thanks so much for your encouraging comment on my blog today!! It has always been hard to for me to vocalize what I do well....but it is a good exercise. So big gulp! :)
    1) I can make people laugh
    2) I love to pray for and encourage others
    3) I love to sing and lead worship at church

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    1. Kristin - I hear ya... it's easier to point out and pick on what I'm doing wrong so this challenge is stretching for me too! I love this list... (other than the leading worship - I can claim this as my own! I love to sing - but it's definitely not something I would say I do 'well'!) LOL! So happy you joined in!

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  9. This is important! And something I so often overlook! Last week, I fought a WAR with fear over something I was scheduled to do. I did not want to do it, but I wasn't sure if God was calling me to do it and trust Him. I didn't have peace about either option. I kept asking for confirmation while I fought the fear. In the end, God revealed that the fear was appropriate and meant to warn me, and He led me to change the plans. I felt His pleasure in fighting fear and standing my ground in faith while listening for His voice. As I journaled about it, I realized that I need to do this more often... to recognize when I do something right. I love your encouraging way, girl! (((HUGS)))

    Deb Weaver

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    1. So happy to find you here my friend! And yes - we must learn and relearn to listen to those promptings and pay attention to what He is saying! So proud of you for hearing clearing and doing what needed to be done! Now - that was one thing... so two other things? ;)

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  10. Thanks so much for linking up today with Coffee for Your Heart, friend! XOXO

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    1. Thank YOU so much for creating space for us to all gather and encourage! What an amazing loving Community that you are serving coffee and hope to, friend! XOXO right back at ya!

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  11. Love your sweet heart for reaching others.

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    1. Ashely... as always - simply seeing your beautiful face (thumbnail just didn't sound right?) and connecting heart to heart right here in the comments, blesses me - Every. Time.

      Love you girlie!

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  12. Beautiful encouragement, and so needed. I've already gotten down on myself for missing the mark in several things I set out to do this year.

    But here are a few things I am doing right:
    1. Loving my children well.
    2. Working hard to help provide for my family.
    3. Encouraging others through writing.

    I really wanted to link up with this. Perhaps next week!

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    1. Barbie - you and me both, sweet friend! I LOVE your List... and I benefit from your List! Love you so... praying for you!

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  13. Hmm it is hard because I don't focus much on what I do well but it is good practice and a challenge! So here it is: 1) recognize how serving others is necessary for my own continuous healing process 2) have better patience and more grace for others 3) striving to see beauty and enjoy the outside even though we are in a severe drought and it is so brown and ugly here in CA. There! It feels good to recognize the good in myself and also recognize that the good isn't perfect and be okay with that. Blessings Karrilee! Love, Rachael

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    1. Rachael - it's a little eye opening at what a challenge it is for us to point out what we do right, isn't it? I know I was surprised at how there was really no 'flow' to my coming up with a list - but I seemed fluent in the the things I am not doing right... I think this year, we are going to change this!

      I LOVE your #3Things - serving others, better patience and more grace, and seeing beauty! All great things!!!

      And I love what you shared about seeing how the good isn't perfect and being okay with that! Oh my friend... that'll preach!

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  14. I love how you encourage others. You heart shines here. So glad you were able to share your words with us at #TellHisStory, and with Holley's new community, too.

    OK, my three things:

    1 - I encourage others.
    2 - I have an open door.
    3 - I have a heart that sees the hurts of others.

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    1. How I love it when you stop by Jennifer - oh - and to get to HEAR your voice and heart this week in your video... LOVE! I say AMEN to your three things, my friend! So Much Amen!

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Thanks so much for stopping by! I always love to hear your thoughts! Remember to: Speak Life - Be Love - Shine On!
~Karrilee~

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