God is Good

A king who did not believe in the goodness of God, had a slave who, in all
circumstances, said: My king, do not be discouraged, because everything God
does is perfect, no mistakes!

One day they went hunting and along the way a wild animal attacked the king.
His slave managed to kill the animal, but could not prevent his majesty
from losing a finger.

Furious and without showing his gratitude for being saved, the nobleman said
"Is God good? If He was good, I would not have been attacked and lost my
finger."

The slave replied: "My king, despite all these things, I can only tell you that God is good,
and he knows "why" of all these things. What God does is perfect. He is
never wrong!" Outraged by the response, the king ordered the arrest of his slave.

Later, he left for another hunt and was captured by savages who made human
sacrifices. In the altar, ready to sacrifice the nobleman, the savages found that the
victim had lost one of his fingers, so he was released. According to them, it
was not so complete to be offered to the gods.

Upon his return to the palace, he authorized the release of his slave that
he received very affectionately. "My dear, God was really good to me! I was almost killed by the wild men,
but for lack of a single finger, I was let go! But I have a question: if God
is so good, why did he allow me to put you in jail?"

"My King, if I had gone with you in this hunt, I would have been sacrificed
for you, because I have no missing finger therefore, remember everything God
does is perfect. He is never wrong."

Often we complain about life, and negative things that happen to us,
forgetting that nothing is random and that everything has a purpose.
Every morning, offer your day to God, don't be in a rush.

Ask God to inspire your thoughts, guide your actions, and ease your
feelings. And do not be afraid. God is never wrong!

You know why this message is for you? I do not know, but God knows, because
he never makes mistakes.......

The path of God and his word is perfect, without impurities. He is the way
of all those who trust in Him, as he says in 2 Samuel 22: 31

What you do with this message is up to you. May God put in your heart the
desire to send it to someone. God knows why He chose you to receive this
message. Please bless someone with it. God is never wrong.

Have a blessed day!

Twenty 11

This year has been good to me... God has been good to me.

New things that I LOVE:

1. My new last name, Bellamy.

2. My status as a non-student, working woman!

3. Cozy love nest in Bartlett, TN... definitely smaller in size, but so full of warmth and love.

4. Zebra print chairs for the new law office (thanks mom).

5. Light brown hair color with blonde highlights.

6. Bahama Breeze and Pei Wei - new favorite restaurants.

7. Pinterest.com! Dinners and craft projects have not been the same since...

8. Devotional book called, "Jesus Lives" by Sarah Young... always so "on point."

Old things that I miss:

1. Nashville and the praise team at Riverside SDA church.

2. Painting and teaching art classes weekly.

3. The false sense of security that came along with student loan refund checks and "free" meal points.

4. My camera! Like seriously... counting down the days until I can replace it.

5. Cable.

Things I'm glad I left behind:

1. Fear of failure.

Zealous Advocacy?

A stretch. I am all for finding the good in difficult situations, but I'm having a hard time with the scenario described in a NY Times article just released. An 18 year old boy committed suicide leaving behing pages and pages of "goodbys." Because he was an illegal immigrant who would not be able to attend college unless the DREAM act is passed, activists are using his story to demonstrate the pressures on immigrant youth. While I completely agree that the frustration of growing up in this country without legal status is incredible, it rubs me the wrong way that some are using a kid who committed suicide as a "political pawn" to advance the immigrant agenda. Tell me, after reading this article, what do you think? Is it zealous advocacy or just plain exaggeration of the facts?

The Friendship Conundrum

The Bible says that in order to have friends, we must show ourselves friendly. . . Why is it then that many "friendly" people often feel so lonely? Sure, we all have between 500-1,000 friends on FaceBook, but when something is going on and we need to vent or laugh... we are hard pressed for a true friend to call. This predicament seems to worsen as the years go by... Our lives are enriched by spouses and children and careers... all wonderful things! Still, sometimes, I feel the void of simple friendships. The friendships that are not tainted by insecurities and neglect... And herein lies the problem. Do you know the feeling of needing to call on a friend whom you've neglected. Only you can't bring yourself to pick up the phone because you keep thinking... "What will I say? It's been so long..." I do. I've been there. I haven't been very friendly lately, and changing that lazy cycle is one of my personal resolutions.

Since tomorrow is not promised, I'm going to start today by shouting out my BESTEST friends! Ready... set... go!

Honey, you are my number 2! Did you know that I'm in love with you? Even though, most nights I just want to cha ching you ;) Thanks for still being my friend even though I have periods every month and get extremely moody (yes this is a public blog, but 50% of Americans also have periods so its cool... they know what I'm talking about.) Mom, Grandma, and Mellena, you are my number 3s! I love you three girls so much its not even funny. You are my friends just as much as you are my family. World, let me tell you something about these girls. If you are broke, they will beg to be the ones to bail you out. Like... who does that?!? If you are hungry, they will sneak to your house with food because they know if they offer, you will respectfully refuse and just sit there with a growling stomach. Like, really??? Ugh... I have no more words. Jailyn and Candace, thanks for coming to see me tomorrow. I love you girls. You are loyal and slow to judge, generous, fun loving, and uplifting... I really need you in my life. Thank God for Oakwood because it brought us together. Devin Denise Jefferies. You are def one of the best! I have learned a lot from you... like the importance of shopping, hair care, and makeup. Don't mean to make you sound like a barbie doll, but well... lol. Seriously though, you have also been a source of encouragement on the job front. You are a smart and determined woman who is going very far. So proud of you! So happy that you're in my life :) Krystle, you are a selfless little something. You always put others first. When I think of you I feel like I have failed as a friend, but you're always there. You call on birthdays and help at weddings... you expect nothing in return, and you are always there. I promise, if you ever need me, I will be there back. Deanna, love your inspirational style! You are beautiful, talented, and smart, and I'm glad for the period of time where we were thick as thieves. Even though our paths are different now, I will always think of you as a sister. Danielle - girl you know I don't see you enough, but I'm always wishing you well and thinking of you. Stacie - you are my favorite comedian in all of Huntsville, AL. Love your spirit. Love that God put you in my family. Maeling, Fedoria, Toni Ann... you're wonderful inspirations to me. I seriously can't imagine life without being surrounded by such intelligent and ambitious women. I LOVE YOU ALL!

I'm going to end this shout out, assuming that my other friends don't actually read my blog. If you are a friend, and you read my blog, please let me know! I want to shout you out and tell you that I appreciate you! Most of all, I just want to know that you are reading because it's an encouragement as a writer. You can comment or subscribe, or just shoot me a private email (raquel.l.bellamy@gmail.com). If you are a stranger, take advantage of TODAY to tell your friends that you love them.

Now... to put this icing on the cake... the best part of Proverbs 18:24 is the sweet reminder that we have a friend "that sticks closer than a brother." Yes, I'm shouting out my number ONE friend, Jesus!

Snow Day, Slow Day

Ever feel like the weather is running the show? When its 60 degrees and sunny, you are Queen of Productivity! On snow days you find yourself staring out the window wondering why you aren't at home with a cup of hot coco. Today was one of those days...

As a business owner, lazy days directly translate to how much you can spend at the grocery store next month! Sleeping late can become a nasty habit leading to missed marketing opportunities and missed deadlines. Here are a few suggestions for breaking the cycle and maintaining self-discipline in spite of the weather...

1) Designate an official work space. If you have a Type A personality (like me), this is a no-brainer. Whether at "home" or at "work," you've got a desk neatly organized with writing tools, paper, a computer, and all the essentials for productivity. You are prepared to keep trucking even when you're trapped away from the office by a blizzard. For my Type B friends, your alternate workspace is a corner of the couch. Time for a change! The couch will not suffice when all around you, the world whispers "watch a little tv... sip a little joe... take a little nap."

2) Keep important contacts in your cell phone as well as the office Rolodex. Last week I found myself in quite the pickle... I needed to call an important client whose telephone number I had left at the office. No secretary to call... no partner or associate... just me. I had to drive 30 minutes in the rain (and you know I hate driving in the rain). Don't let yourself fall into this trap. More often than not, you will choose to stay at home and call the client later.

3) Have a cup of coffee... or Postum :) My SDA friends know all about Postum, a coffee substitute sold by Kraft Foods. Growing up, I thought coffee was as forbidden as drugs and alcohol. In law school, I had to change my thinking a bit. Sometimes, a little boost from caffeine can really change the game on productivity levels. If you are still not interested in drinking caffeine (which I respect), try snacks high in protein and magnesium like nuts and bananas.

4) Exercise. Instead of taking a nap (RESIST), how about taking a jog? A study presented by the American College of Sports Medicine showed that employees who used their company gym were more productive than other employees. Personally, after working out, I feel empowered to check more things off of my "To Do" list. In the same way, when I take a nap, I oddly feel even sleepier. So again, RESIST.

5) Call a colleague. Remind yourself that the rest of the world is at work, and if you want to be successful, you should be at work too.

Finally, remember the wise words of my dear friend Confucius:

"Find a job you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life." I couldn't agree more. If you are happy with your career choice, you may actually find yourself itching to get up and go ...even on snow days.

Tortilla Soup

Today was just one of those icky, stay-at-home kinda days. The rain poured for hours... cold fast drops that slapped you in the face one-by-one. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't stay at home. I had to attend a 3 hour class. My drive downtown for the class was awful. You see, I drive a pretty "mature" car. She whines, and shakes, and doesn't de-fog windows in rainstorms! Sigh...It was pretty bad. I ended up hitting a pole in the parking garage *sigh again.*

Anywho, as a reward for enduring the weather (because I like rewarding myself for everything!), I came home and made a delicious tortilla soup! It was so yumolicious that I must share the recipe. Try it one wintery day. I pray your tummy and soul are warmed.

1 can black beans (rinsed)

2 14oz cans chicken broth

2 skinless boneless chicken breast (I secretly used canned chicken, shhh)

A little of this and that (sorry, I stopped measuring):

chopped onion

minced garlic

cumin

chilli powder, taco seasoning,

1 lemon (squeeze juice into the pot)

frozen corn

salsa

fresh cilantro

simmer chicken onion and garlic, throw everything into a pot, stir... Let simmer for 20 minutes.

Crunch some tortilla chips in the bottom of your bowl. Add soup. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top and be warm and fuzzy inside.

Twenty. Five.

Ten years ago, the most important thing to me was not important at all. I can't remember one thing that I stressed about, not one. That's why today I celebrated simplicity. I sat still and breathed deeply. I prayed and baked and watched three movies. I did. not. stress.

I'd like to think I'm entering a new era of maturity, of focusing on what matters - the moment.

I started to write a post about my 25 desires for the future... but really, I want only one thing. I want to live in the will of God. God's will is something that I can't control. God's will is something I'll never fully understand. But, as frustrating as that can be, I am so overjoyed to know that no stress is required. I cannot plan a faster route or freak out about the minutia... I don't even know the destination! All I have to do is follow. And, trust that His plan is ALWAYS better than anything I could have come up with on my own.