Tracing The Marks

Skaters make marks on the ice with the edges of their blades. The ones pictured above came from a skater who showed up one morning and focused solely on one particular jump.

I've watched coaches trace the marks in front of their students to point out the fault in their attempt at accomplishing some feat on the ice.  My coach has done it to me.  When I was learning the "three turn" weeks ago, I couldn't figure out why on earth they call it that.  It seemed more like one because you start out facing one direction and end up facing the opposite all on one foot.   When I asked him, he simply said "because when you do a three turn, it makes the figure 3 on the ice".  I went back out on the ice and did a three turn and sure enough, I had created the number 3.

Thus began my lessons in "figure skating".  You can tell what you've done by the marks you leave on the ice, good and bad.

What kind of marks are you leaving by the life you live?

I have watched a mother yell so loudly at her child (from the side of the rink) that even I could hear what was being said.  "We pay a lot of money for you to do this.  Every minute you waste is money wasted.  Now get out there and skate if this is what you really want to do."  My heart sank.  I could see his little spirit crumble and he barely skated in response to her reprimand.  Even I felt ashamed and I wasn't the one being rebuked.

Now it's not that I don't think children (or adults for that matter) don't need encouragement to do better and an understanding of the cost of something they want to pursue, but the little guy is only 9 years old and shaming him in front of everyone doesn't seem to be the way to go.  What kind of marks is she making on his little soul, I wonder?

I determined that I would try to encourage him whenever I can.  Living on the edge (my new theme these days) has spread further than just putting on ice skates.  I want to be a cheerleader to the other skaters, especially the young ones.  I found the courage one day to tell him he was doing great when our eyes met as we passed on our way around the rink.  I asked him if he had a competition coming up and he quickly perked up and said he just had one and he placed second!  I congratulated him and made a big deal over it.  He beamed and his eyes seemed to sparkle with pride.

We have the ability to leave marks in the souls of other people.  I want to be a person who says the kinds of things that leave good marks.  You might not think that what you are saying means much, but somewhere down the road, someone will point to the marks that were left by something you said. Make it something worth noting!

"The Elephant Diet" Day # 64 Notes of Encouragement

So much has transpired in the past 2 days:

• a long phone conversation with my previous producer leading to the decision to have him be the producer of my Christmas CD (meet Eric Copeland - President of Creative Soul Records)
• many e-mail exchanges, music file sharing and talks about budget 
• a miracle - in the sense that Eric gave me a much lower price than expected (because of all his past experiences, he has come up with ways to make this more affordable to artists like me so I am now able to move forward sooner than I thought!)

AND.....I have received some encouraging notes from readers and I want to share them!

Reader # 1:

My dear friend,

You and Tom have been in my thoughts and prayers often the past few days.  I want to encourage you to keep going forth with your vision and dream for what God has placed in your heart.  What I've seen in my own life and in the lives of others I've seen step into their destiny and into the place God is directing them is this: it seems like things come against us and our dream when things are on the brink of God moving us more into where He wants us to be.  The enemy does not want you to doing what you are doing or for you and Tom to move into all God has for you.  ______ and I have been experiencing a lot of the same things the past few months since moving into this new area of our lives.  

Our car totally died a few months ago and God told us not to take out any more loans but to trust Him to provide another vehicle.  Since quitting my job as office administrator it's been very tight financially.  Since we feel right now that I'm not to get another job, it's tight.  I have to keep fighting to not go get another job.  It's been a challenge to be without a car the past few months.  

Sometimes I fight also with doubt about the things I feel like God is telling me to do in the near future.  God has been giving some specific scriptures to stand on and I keep them with me and try to speak them over myself everyday.   I'm sure you have already done this, but ask God to give you specific scriptures to stand on.  One scripture I felt drop into my spirit to pray over you and Tom when I heard about all that has been happening to you guys this week is this:

Isaiah 54:17 -Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹⁷ But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord.

Psalm 18:33

Amplified Bible (AMP)

³³ He makes my feet like hinds’ feet [able to stand firmly or make progress on the dangerous heights of testing and trouble]; He sets me securely upon my high places.

We love you guys and continue to keep you in our prayers.  

Reader # 2

Dear Frances, oh my word what the past several days have been put forth to you and Tom. You both have been on my mind and I know so many friends are praying for you. Isn't it just the time you needed to hit one of those pot holes in your life? 

So often we are on the verge of success and darkness overcomes us. What if the Lord would turn His heart from us when bad things happen to good people. He knows the struggle you are going through. Thank God He hears us when we call..or cry out to Him during these times. When I was your age I did not have Jesus in my heart like you do, and I was always blaming or complaining to someone about my bad "luck" (no such thing as luck).


It's according to Gods Plan with you Frances. 

Take a peek at what our ancestors had to struggle with.....It takes my breath away what men, wives and oh those children must have suffered through. But God is love....God is love.

Please know our prayers are with you and Tom.

Peace and Love,
Gary & Annette

Reader # 3

After catching up on the blog today, she decided to call me and tell me that Tom needs to pick a different animal for his life.  If the elephant really is turning on him, stepping on him and taking bites out of him, he needs to re-think this.  Agreed.  But I'm afraid I've influenced him.

We laughed.  I asked her what her animal would be. 

"A Giraffe" she said without any hesitation.  "Because I'm always sticking my neck out".

Love it!  

Thank you everyone for your prayers, laughs and words of encouragement.  

 P.S.  (Did you know that you can leave comments, but make yourself anonymous if you want - that way everyone who is reading can enjoy the comments - like a little blog family that is supporting me - just a thought)