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Inspiration desserts are tarts with smarts!No matter. Inspiration Desserts are light as a cloud and smooth as silk--nothing here to upset your digestion. As you sample these sweet offerings (try as many as you like; they're low-cal, y'know!), relax for a few minutes and let the cares of the day go by. Inspiration Desserts are designed to ease you into a state of bliss. Well, punctuated by a small burp, perhaps. But hey! You're single, so burp away! Who's to know? After Inspiration Desserts, you may want to try a bit of Inspiration Eye Candy. You'll find all the links at the bottom of the page. Enjoy!
Weather or notHave you ever felt happy on a dark, rainy day? It's easy to feel great when the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and spring is in the air. But it takes real talent to feel great when the weather is miserable. Once, when a blizzard hit here in Illinois, I went out after work and was scraping the snow and ice off my car's windshield, like all of my co-workers. They were complaining about the weather but I felt fantastic. Why? Because several years before, I had cancer. I took a series of 55 cobalt radiation treatments that nearly killed me. For a while we didn't know whether I was going to make it. But God answered our prayers and pulled me through. As I scraped my windshield with numb hands, I thanked God for my second chance at life, and I thanked him that I was able to work again and return to a normal life. Don't let the weather dictate how you feel. Be bigger than that. Be blessed no matter what's going on around you!
Self-respectTurning the other cheek, as Jesus commands us (Luke 6:29), doesn't mean that you should let yourself become a doormat. I don't know if they use that metaphor in other countries, but it means that you figuratively let other people wipe their feet on you and walk all over you, through verbal, emotional, or physical abuse. Christians should stand up for their faith, and for themselves. It's been my experience that if you don't stand up to a bully, they will take that as encouragement and bully you even more. Self-respect is absolutely crucial for a thriving, happy life. Self-respect and high self-esteem start with accepting the truth that you are valuable and loved by God. He sees wonderful potential in you. It may take years for you to accept the truth that you are precious in the eyes of God. But when you do, the sense of self-esteem and self-respect that you develop will be profound. Jesus also counseled us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Mt 22:39). A healthy self-respect means you do not abuse your body or soul and do not permit anyone else to, either.
Notice and compliment
Do you see "invisible" people? They have the kind of jobs that don't bring fame or fortune. Maybe they're a sanitation worker. Or a newspaper carrier. Or a waitress. Or even a dentist or doctor (although they're usually not hurting for dough). Everybody takes them for granted, even though they may have a very tough, demanding occupation. They don't get recognized often, and nobody ever says thanks. About a year ago, I had a wisdom tooth extracted by an oral surgeon. It turned out to be a very difficult, lengthy procedure. When I went back for my follow-up visit, I told the doctor that he was an excellent surgeon and I was appreciative of the work he did for me. He laughed rather self-consciously, but I could tell that it had been years since anyone had given this man a sincere, genuine compliment. So don't let anyone become "invisible" to you, no matter what they do. Notice them and compliment them. You'll both feel better when you go to bed that night.
Hurray for me!
If you come from a background where you were discouraged from congratulating yourself on an achievement or were discouraged because that would be "prideful," it's time to change. When you make progress, it's healthy to reward yourself. It's also healthy to be happy about your accomplishment. The "woe is me" or "I'm just a poor, unworthy worm" mentality is sick. You cannot build healthy self-esteem until you allow yourself to feel good about your achievements. Healthy appreciation of yourself and what you're good at never involves boasting. Boasters are usually insecure, scared people who are trying to impress others. Learn to distinguish between buying yourself something to try to make yourself feel better (anesthetic buying) and a small treat to reward yourself for doing something that was hard. Rewards don't always have to be material. Achieving goals and recognizing yourself for it builds self-confidence. It also builds your gratitude and thankfulness to God for his help. What could be healthier than that?
The happy danceDo you dance? Most women love to dance. Most men hate to dance. That's probably because women dance well and men feel awkward and self-conscious. But whether you're a man or woman, you need to do The Happy Dance. The Happy Dance comes on you when you're filled with irrepressible joy because God wonderfully, majestically answered your prayers. You're so all-fired full of happiness that you just HAVE to dance! I don't dance in public because it makes me feel like a goof. But I do break into The Happy Dance in my home when it's been an incredible day, touched by God. There are no prescribed steps for The Happy Dance. It's whatever the Spirit moves you to do. When you're doing it right, you'll know. God laughs when you do The Happy Dance. Sometimes when you're doing The Happy Dance, you might just break down and cry because you can't hold that happiness and emotion over God's love inside anymore either. That's all right too. Your tears of joy really make God laugh. Next time God gives you one of his life-changing answers to your prayers, go ahead and do The Happy Dance. You'll be glad you did.
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