3 Wishes

if you were granted 3 wishes by a genie what would you ask for?

at first thought I would say oooo that's easy...a giant house with a swimming pool, unlimited $hopping moola,  & vacations every other week.

but are those really the right things to be wishing for Ali?... even though they sound so great, deep down they will not satisfy the thirst that only our heavenly father can.

even though i still would like some of those things, there are more important wishes i could be a wishing :) wishes that would benefit his kingdom.

what i wish for more than anything is a world filled with smiling faces, how much fun would that be if we could all just be friendly to each other for once?

i would also wish for selflessness in all aspects of my life...hello is this not so difficult for all of us? i wish i could spread my love as easy as i wish to receive it...wahhhhh.

my last wish would be to better bless my enemies, instead of letting evil thoughts about them linger in my brain...not that my enemies are total bad guys, but just people who have in some way or another hurt me and my sensitive spirit along the way.

it's so hard for me to completely forgive, but it's what our God does for us each & every day. there is incredible freedom in forgiveness, but for some stinkin' reason it is so hard to take that leap of faith.

a quote from my devotions:

"Am I that wise? If God spoke to me directly and asked what He could do for me, what would I ask for? Would I ask for health, wealth, youth, power, or prestige? Or would I ask for wisdom, holiness, and love? Would I be wise or foolish?

Suppose God asked you what He could give to you. What would you ask for?"

what would you ask for?

  

smile :) 

A

Canes & Wrinkles

I got a job at Ruby Tuesday as a hostess about a month ago now. My first restaurant job woo! 

It's been wonderful to greet people of all ages, races, and social statuses at the door with a smile no matter what they have for me in return.  Loving on them is my job.

And it's so much fun because that's why we're on this earth, to love as he first loved us. 

I'm shining my little light through my smile and it's been the greatest. Who'd a thunk i'd have so much fun at a restaurant not eating the food in front of my face, i sure didn't.

One of my favorite moments has been the old couples.

And God has really been teaching me something through them.

He asked me why I cater so much to certain ages and fall in love and want to love older folks more than anyone? I didn't have an answer really except for that they need me, but doesn't everyone?  He opened my eyes to judgements I have been making and holding onto.

Everyone so desperately needs to be loved no matter their appearance.

So I've been thinking this whole week and what I came up with was this:

If we pictured everyone (even though this sounds somewhat silly) with wrinkles and a cane wouldn't we be able to give love so much more freely?

I'm thinking you're nodding your head yes.

There's just something about old age that makes us treat and judge people differently.

Old people will always be preciously cute to me which is ok, but for now I'm picturing the world as if it were filled with wrinkles & canes.

After all, someday that will be each of us.

We need to soften our hearts and love people as if they carry a cane.

Help them out and love love love on them as if they were your grandma.

It's hard to do sometimes, but it's why we're here.

To love.

And smile :) 

A

An Eternal Image

[God shines his light down onto us so that in return we shine back for him]

The old Ali was big on self image, looks, and feeling good 

enough in her own sometimes "zitty" skin.  Feelings, feelings, feelings...dumb.

The new Ali though is set on her eternal image.

Even on bad hair days, days when those annoying zits show up, days when your closet is a giant lava pit of clothes you've tried on, days when you don't "feel" good enough for the tasks ahead it's important to remind yourself exactly why you're alive this day.

We are here because of Christ and his love & passion for us to do good in this world.

We are not here to look pretty. Don't let your feelings dictate your day.

We are here to love and shine our little lights.

Remember that today.

It's not about you, it's about him.

You are beautiful no matter the day or what lies ahead.

You are so precious to him.

Him, the creator of the entire universe.

I don't know about you, but i get the tingles thinking about that.

Smile and know how beautiful you are to him always :)

A

& as the lovely Joyce Meyer would say: 

Do not say anything else negative about you out of your own mouth. Say what God thinks about you.