Do I love? - Looking into myself

We all talk about love, and most of us are serious when we say the world needs more love!  But, do we love as we should?  Do we take responsibility for our part?   Are we failing miserably?  Or are we striving to love more, to love better?  Well one way to find out, is by having a little time at the end of the day or the week to reflect on how we are doing.  Ask ourselves some tough questions....are you up for it?

Here is a great list of questions that will help us see how we are doing when it comes to loving others....to truly loving others.  I advise you to take paper and pen and take some notes.  Take this seriously and you will learn a lot about yourself, you will also be able to make some real changes that can move you in the right direction....to truly love!  I will have these divided into four or five parts...keep your eyes open!  I advise you to not rush through these, read a question and take time to truly ponder it....only then move to the next one.  Get a journal or a pad of paper and take some notes.  Come on get excited and take this seriously, the world needs more love and it starts with us!  This is part 1 !

V"Love is patient love is kind

Am I patient with myself? 

Do I expect too much of myself? 

Do I get angry at myself when I fail? 

Am I patient in prayer? 

Do I stop praying if I don’t get quick results? 

Do I remember to pray for others?

Am I patient with others (family, friends, school)? 

Do I get irritable at other people’s failures or weaknesses, or if they are less quick or clever than I am? 

Am I patient and kind with children, the elderly and the sick? 

Am I patient with those who work with me or for me?

Am I gentle and kind in my speech? 

Do I speak well of others? 

Do I act kindly towards those in a less privileged position than mine?

Do I act kindly towards those in a higher position than me (maybe people I consider more beautiful, more successful, or rich)?

V  It is not jealous, or pompous, it is not inflated. 

Am I jealous of someone else’s good fortune, or success? 

Do I judge people because of their car, their clothes, their home etc (when they have nicer things than me, or more expensive things than me)?

Do I try to keep up with the next-door neighbour? 

Do I boast about my children, my friends, my abilities….about anything else?

Am I affronted if others don’t live up to my expectations? 

Do I expect more of others than I do of myself? 

Do I criticize others so that they lose confidence in themselves? 

Am I complacent about myself? 

Am I hypocritical in the way I live? 

Do I keep on comparing myself with others?

Do I look for praise from others? 

Do I always try to be the centre of attention?

Am I slow to thank, to encourage, to praise? 

Do I bore others by talking about myself? 

Am I conceited? 

Do I stop to give thanks to God…and to those who love me?

Do I bother to listen to others? 

Am I slow to apologize or to admit my faults? 

Do I show my gratitude to God and my fellow men for all they do for me?

Do I include others in my group of friends?

Do I care when others are lonely or feel left out?

V  Love is not rude, it does not seek it's own interests( it is not selfish)

Do I treat others with the respect due to them as persons? 

Do I act as if I don't need anyone?

Do I disparage others with the way I talk to them?

Am I genuine in my relationships with others? Am I ever fake? Do I gossip about them? 

Do I disregard fairness in mind or action? (ex: with those who work for you or with you?) 

Does my language reflect my loving attitude toward others?(what about when you fight and/or are angry?) 

Am I ever arrogant, rough, obstinate or overbearing?(with your friends, parents or husband?) 

Does my character prevent others from speaking? 

Do I inconvenience others by my selfish use of radio…TV…record player etc? 

Do I insist on what I want before thinking about others and what they might want? 

Do I consider the effect that my actions will have on others?

 Am  I inconsiderate? 

Do I try to let others know they mean a lot to me?

Do I take a genuine interest in the needs of the Third World? 

Is my attitude to material things determined by selfish motives? 

Do I use my own and other people’s property with do care? 

Do I ever deliberately hurt another? Do I always find excuses to justify why I hurt them?

Do I seek for my own pleasure at the expense of others? 

Does my selfishness ever lead me to ignore God?

Guest Post- Where Is My Wife

When you are down by Hannah Akoglu

Darkness you refuse to quit? Today a Poem

The bottom of the Lake

Did you sink to the bottom of the lake and like it?

Are you recoverable?

Or Are you Too comfortable, to even try it?

Vulnerable, sinking in terror.

You suffer deep inside

consequences of your own error.

Open wounds full of grit

no end in sight, a path well-lit 🔥

Now deep into this endless pit - 

all because the darkness you refuse to quit!

Darkness like quick sand swallowing you whole.

You justify and excuse

you vilify and accuse

Everything that can save your soul!

Oh, tame servant of control!

Your will, please try to break

This decision you must make.

There is not much more 

your poor soul can take! 

Can’t you see? Your life is simply fake?

Vulnerable now dangerously close to death

Truth you seek- for in the rubble 

every breath a mighty struggle. 

Can’t you see friend you’re in trouble?

Please Swim swiftly and reach for help!

Yet Of hope you are not able

nor of sweet commitment capable.

With your eyes closed Instead 

you dive in this sinkhole of despair!

No longer breathing life's sweet air

Is it so hard to acknowledge?

you’ve been wrong since before college

In the cavern of your mind

Hope cannot be undermined

or neglected for too long

Don’t you know?

Your purpose to God does belong.

See Love can’t be unexpected

If your thirst is well directed

Death to pride could save your soul

You just need this to decide

If your life is redirected

Run away, have a new goal

Your enemies’ constant demands

too much for you to withstand!

Self-reliance, fear and insecurity.

Pride, lust, anger and impurity.

I desperately want to say

Someone your soul wants to save.

But You are drowning with a purpose,

I wonder will stop and try to stay?

Will you pause and try to pray?

Hold His hand

his angels immediately he will command

To help you and lift you

And take and free you

out of the land of the damned!

Talks and Workshops

Talks and Workshops are available. 

Please contact me for more information.  

Coming Talk:  BCHLC   

Five Pillars of the Home School Mom –  I think these are the non-negotiable must haves for a homeschooling mom to be successful.

1. Prayer– Without a relationship with God and His grace in our lives there is no success. It’s all about making time for God not finding time!
2. Encouragement – Why we need each other, it’s all about giving and receiving. The gift of each other and the power of friendship.
3. Time Alone – Have some fun recharge your batteries, it’s all about taking a break doing something completely unrelated – something that renews your energy!
4. Health – Diet and exercise can change everything! For me it was Trim and Healthy Mama/ skiing and scuba diving! How eating right and the right physical activity can change your life!
5. Forgiveness – Ourselves, our husbands, the kids (our own and others’), and each other!  God makes every day a new beginning!

                                      https://bchlc.ca/speaker/carolina-akoglu/

Workshops:

1. Praying with your kids
2.Homeschooling: Let's get started
3.Encouragement for the Tired Mama
4 Self Confidence Talk for Kids

Contact me for information.

light_in_u@yahoo.com

Possible Topics:

1.  How to get close to your Teen
2.  How to Build your Kids Self Confidence
3.  Want your kids to learn?  Use Marketing!
4.  Homeschoolers - Beautiful and Brave

5.  Teen is not a dirty word1

6.  Hey kids save yourselves

Pictures

Do You Hunger?: Only God Can Satisfy

Ask:  Why am I so sad?

Today, more than ever people feel empty and alone. Why? How can this be?  We are all connected by social media, then, why are we still unsatisfied? Many relationships are superficial and empty, and everybody is just too busy.   So many of us are self involved and selfish, and at the end of the day there is nothing but emptiness. Do you feel that way?

There is a better way to live. 

We need to pray, so that God will teach us to hunger and thirst for what truly matters. To be made eager, on fire, and aching for that which will bring us peace and heal our hearts.  Our hunger can be satisfied; but we need to be willing to give ourselves completely, and to trust. In our quest for righteousness and for truth, only God can satisfy us. We can not grow tired of seeking what is "good and right", but we need to remember that it needs to be "good and right " by God’s standards. 

In choosing a different path, in choosing to live a different kind of life, we walk away from what the world claims is right,.  If we seek we will find.  And once we find we can never look back.  When we decide to no longer do our own will, when we decide to open our heats to God, our loving Father, He comes and he makes us brand new.  We find our path.  We find healing.  We find what is true and right. Not what today's world excuses as right, but true righteousness.  And our life is made brand new.

As we are transformed by God's love and we start walking down a different path,  sometimes we will make people uncomfortable,  sometimes we will not be so popular. This is because what it is to be like Christ, stands in stark contrast of those who are modelling other things. Some people might criticize us and say that we are too scrupulous, obsessed about the little things – but we need to know why we do things and walk in confidence.

Scrupulosity is when we do something for the sake of itself, or for our own ego. Righteousness, on the other hand, is for the sake of loving God. So the key is to be honest and know why we do things. When we know in our hearts that we do things for the love of God; it is then that we can be brave and firm in our way of being, not wavering. 

It is a grace to speak freely in defence of truth, and in defence of what is right. It is a grace to be ready to fight for the good of others no matter who they are, or where they are. If everything we do, we do out of love of God then we will have peace.  

A peace that surpasses all understanding, because God will be guarding our hearts and minds.   And then, what other people think will become inconsequential. 

The gift of Peace then - will be the natural result of the way we live.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they shall be satisfied. "



UA-51497455-1

Chairlift Rescue at Grouse Mountain : Holding on to Hope

Chairlift Rescue

Soon I will write up a post on my experience this day!  But for now I just want to write a small paragraph.  Just when the situation seemed hopeless, God inspired amazing people to turn it around.  He used five teens, from which at least three are loving faithful Christians, and two adults to completely change the ending to this story.  These five teens are an inspiration, their families chose homeschooling for them - and clearly it has paid off.  The five of them were  instruments in God's hands that amazing day!

God tenderly directed every person to help.  He also gave amazing fortitude to the father who held on to his child for so long.  Although it was terrifying for me, and at times I felt helpless, I prayed.    In my heart I knew I needed to document this amazing situation, people needed to see.  And the response has been amazing, people are being inspired and touched by God all over the world because of this video.  I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to "be God's hands and eyes" on this day.  Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit!

Feel free to ask me any questions you might have...

Carolina Prada Akoglu