ARE YOU BLOCKING YOUR BLESSINGS?

I am a very blessed person.  Not just occasionally.  Every day I am blessed.

I truly believe in asking and you shall receive.  I believe in tithing and giving as a Law of God.  Some call it a Law of the Universe.  Either way, it works.

I have put it to the test many, many times.  When I tithe and give I always have extra money left at the end of the month.  When I don’t tithe and give, I’m broke at the end of the month.  I believe that God rewards your faithfulness and He proves it to me daily.

Over 30 years ago I went home for lunch.  My friend Kathy was with me.  When I arrived home there was no electricity, no water, and no gas.  I immediately headed to the bank.   I knew I had paid all the household bills with my paycheck, which I received the first day of every month.  Nothing had been paid.  All the money was gone.  And our account was overdrawn.  I was overwhelmed and distraught.  Later in the evening my ex-husband told me he had taken all the money out of the bank because he needed it.  All I could think of was: where would I get the money to get my bills paid for the month.   It was another two weeks or so before I got paid again.  And that money would have to pay for the next month’s bills.  I thought my brain would explode.

In desperation, I called my mother and asked if I could borrow half of it.  I sent her checks to be deposited on the first of each month.  I would have rather had a needle poked in my eye than ask my mother for anything but in this case I had no choice.   I was still short the other half of what I needed.

The next morning my friend, Kathy, came to work and said, “here’s the money you need.  If you pay me back, great.  If you don’t, it will never affect our friendship.”   I couldn’t believe it.   I swore that day that I would never ever borrow money from a friend or family member again.  And I never have.

My life being married was always plagued with money problems.  I was the more responsible one with money.  My ex wasn’t.  It kept our financial life in turmoil.  We rarely had more than a few dollars in the bank and nothing in savings.

I tell you that because I never paid my friend back that money.   And true to her word, she never asked about it, never treated me differently.  She just treated me the same as always.  I always felt ashamed.  After I divorced and was in control of all the money I was able to save the money up. 

I thought about just mailing her the money with a note.   But I just couldn’t mail it.  She didn’t mail it to me.  She cashed a check and put that money in my hand.  I wanted to do the same when I repaid her.

Not too long ago I visited her for the first time in years.  I rehearsed many times how I was going to give the money to her and what I would say.  Nothing seemed to express all of my feelings adequately.  We were sitting at the table one morning and I told her there was something I wanted to tell her.  I told her there was no easy way to do it, so I just started in.

I told her that back in those days when I had no one and I mean no one to help me, she just stepped up and offered.   I told her that I had never ever had anyone do that for me.  I reminded her of what she had told me about paying it back and how she had been true to her word.  I told her that not a day went by that I didn’t think about it.  I told her how I thought about mailing it but wanted to give it back the way she had given it to me.   I told her how sorry I was that I had never paid it back through all the years.

She took the folded bills and laid them on the table.   And then she said this:  “I’m so sorry you ever lost a minute of sleep over this.  I have never ever even thought about it.”   We hugged and it was done.  The weight was lifted.  Tell me.   How many people do you know like this woman?   Me either. 

So what does this story have to do with God being faithful to His word?  Well, I had believed for a while that I had blessings being blocked because I had never taken care of this debt.  One week after paying off my debt to Kathy, I was given an opportunity which resulted in me receiving more money than the money I repaid her.  That same opportunity has continued for 6 weeks.   Every week and still continues.

I believe even when we falter, God will still increase our blessings when we make things right.   It might be repaying a debt, forgiving someone, repairing a broken relationship, making a change in our lives or keeping a promise we never have.   Only we know where we have falter.   When we make it right, the burden will leave.  

Take a little time and reflect on your life.   Are you blocking your blessings?   If you are, make things right and let God’s mercy and blessings cover you like Blue Bonnets cover a field in Texas in the spring.  You will experience a peace and calm that you can only imagine.

Try it.  You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Caryn Cannatella

Copyrighted 2016

I FEEL PRETTY!!!!

I FEEL PRETTY!!!!

WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE UPDATE PICTURES WHILE LOSING WEIGHT

When you take a new update picture it gives you tangible evidence that you are losing weight even if the scale is standing still.  Sometimes we get so caught up on the numbers that we forget our body does not always reflect the number on the scale when we are losing.  I can tell you that I didn’t lose a pound jogging miles every day.  However, I did build a lot of muscle in my thighs, calves and hips.   And that was reflected in those 3 areas becoming much smaller!

If you take an update picture and can see a difference when you put it side by side with your beginning picture, it can keep you motivated.  The past 6 months has been a trying time for me.  I felt like I was just a blob.    I didn’t feel as healthy (probably cause I wasn’t jogging).  I was tired all the time.  I wasn’t eating as well.  It all takes its toll.

I decided to pamper myself.  Got my nails and toes done.  Then I got a perm, cut and color.  Bought me some new earrings and a blouse or two.  My daughter took my picture and when I pizap’d it, I could really see the difference!  When I look at my new picture, all I can think is “I look darn cute for someone almost 62! 

Don’t get frustrated with slow weight loss or even a plateau.  Just keep eating healthy.  Everyone wants to lose a lot of weight fast.  Trouble is, that weight tends to come back fast.  Doctors and nutritionists will tell you that slow weight loss is best and has a better chance of staying off.

If it takes me 2 or even 3 more years to get to my goal weight, I’m ok with that.  I’ll be the same age whether I lose weight, stay the same or gain weight.  I choose to keep losing.

Do yourself a favor.  Take update pictures every couple of months and pizap them so you can really see the difference in your body.  You will be amazed!

No matter what eating plan you are on, you should take pictures.  And if you need that extra help losing weight, join me and start using Skinny Fiber!  No stimulants; no caffeine.  All natural plant based supplement.  Skinny Fiber has helped me and thousands of others in getting healthy and losing weight.  It can help you too!  www.caryncann.com

copyrighted

caryn cannatella

Skinny Fiber Sales:  www.caryncann.com

IT'S YOURS FOR THE TAKING

BE GRATEFUL & BE BLESSED

Sometimes I just lie in bed and think about my life. Now, I'll admit I have had some crappy years out of my 61 years. Some worse than others. In 2003 I was alone, totally alone, except for my children. I thought my life was a mess I'd never get straightened out.

You know what happened? I decided to declare daily how much I was blessed and write down daily what I was grateful for. In the beginning I wasn't able to see all my blessings as clearly as I do now. Some days it was just "I'm grateful for my job (which I hated)." "I'm grateful for my home (hated it too)." "I'm grateful for my children (none of us liked each other much back then)." "I'm grateful for my car."

But you know what I happened? I started being able to name many things that I was grateful for. During those next 4 or 5 years I became grateful for everything. And the more grateful I became, the more blessed I was.

I no longer think about the times in my life that were hard, that I was mistreated, that I was abused. I just look at my life as a whole. I have so little stress in my life. Every day I remind myself of my many blessings.

I now have a family that includes my best friend and all her family (those Diaz's are the best). I have a best friend who shares my home. My son, Cody, is doing well in his job and is making great progress financially. My daughter, Ashlie, has been at her job a year and a half, planning to attend college and is in love with a great man. And her boyfriend, Daniel, has now become family. I still consider my ex to be a part of our family.

If you want to live a life that is pretty much stress free, be grateful for what you have, no matter how little or much it is. And then declare daily how blessed you are. I guarantee you that if you do those two things, you will see an amazing change in your life. I know. I have lived it!

Be grateful and be blessed! It's yours for the taking.

copyrighted 2014

caryn cannatella

www.caryncann.com

THE OLD TEXAN

THE OLD TEXAN

There was a man who was born in Texas.  He was a native Texan.  And everyone knows that to be a Texan you have to be born here.  This man loved everything about Texas.  He loved the snow of the Panhandle.  He loved the rolling hills and waterfalls of the Hill Country.  He loved the pine trees of East Texas.  He loved the desert and mountains of El Paso.  He loved the Gulf of Mexico by Galveston.  He even loved the sand storms of West Texas.  He loved the Alamo.  He loved Blue Bell Ice Cream.  He loved the Mexican music, the Zydeco music, the Country music, the Rock n’ Roll, the Gospel music and even the musicals.  He loved the Cowboys, the Texans, the Rockets, the Spurs.  He loved the Longhorns and the Aggies.   He loved the work ethic of Texans.  He loved how Texans love their state.  Oh and he loved those blue bonnets!!!  He loved EVERYTHING about Texas.  It was his life.

When he came to the end of his life, he called his family and friends together and told them that all he wanted was for a mound of Texas dirt to be placed in his closed hand when he was buried.  And when he died, his family and friends fulfilled his wish.

When he got to Heaven, God met his at the gates.  “I’m here to welcome you to Heaven but what is in your hand?”  “Dirt,” the Texan said.  “Well, you can’t bring dirt into heaven.”  “But it’s from Texas and I won’t go in unless I can bring it.”  God replied, “Then I guess you will have to stay out here.”

A few days went by and God returned to the Texan who was sitting on a bench outside the Pearly Gates with his fist closed tight around his mound of Texas dirt.  “You ready to come in yet,” God asked.  “Can I bring my Texas dirt in?”   “No, I’m sorry you can’t.”  “Then I’ll just stay out here.”  “Ok,” said God, “but we have a HUGE party planned for you.”  “If I can’t bring my Texas dirt, I don’t want to go”.  God turned and left.

A couple of days later Jesus in the form of a child came out to visit the old Texan.  “What cha doing, mister?”   “Nothing.”   “Why are you sitting out here?”  “God won’t let me bring my Texas dirt in?”  “Why do ya want that old clump of dirt anyway, you’re in Heaven.”  “I just do!  I want to bring it with me.”  “It’s just an old clump of dirt!  Just open your hand and let it go!  Then me and you can go into Heaven together!”

The old Texan sat and thought about that.  The little boy said, “just open your fingers and let it go.”   Finally the old Texan just opened his fingers and the breath of the Lord blew the dirt out of his hand!  He took the little boy’s hand and they walked through the Pearly Gates.

And do you know what he found when he entered Heaven?  EVERYTHING TEXAS!

So my question to you is:  What are you holding on to that is keeping God’s blessings from you?

copyrighted 2014
caryn cannatella

www.caryncann.com/?SOURCE=BLOG

CAN A NEGATIVE EVENT BECOME A BLESSING?

CAN A NEGATIVE EVENT BECOME A BLESSING?

When something goes wrong in your life do you see it as a setback?  I have noticed that when something goes wrong, and it could be small or large, we tend to view it as negative.

I have learned and believe to my core that when bad things happen, God can turn it into a blessing.  Sometimes I don't see how He can, but he does.  Sometimes He will use it to put into motion a plan to take care of something you have requested of Him.

Yesterday I had to buy two new tires.  Today a new battery.  I feel blessed.  There was a time when I wouldn’t have been able to even buy either.  I would have been worrying what wouldn't get paid this month.  I no longer live in that place. But more than that, I live in a state of feeling blessed and being grateful.  I didn't always live with that attitude.  

Since changing my life to blessed and grateful, I am just amazed how God turns negatives into blessings in my life.  I don't believe God causes bad things to happen.  But I do believe that He can take a bad situation and make it a blessing for me....if I just let him.   I could tell you about some of the times that He has put things into place over a long period of time to be bring blessings into my life.  Many times He is working in the background to bring about your blessings.

Believe He will do it for you.  When you stop believing, you close the door for Him to keep working.  Try it just once.  You will be amazed!

copyrighted 2014

caryn cannatella

www.caryncann.com/?SOURCE=BLOG