This is a bit of a cheat post…I posted the following paragraph along with a selfie (see bottom of page) on Instagram today. I had taken a couple of pics while sitting in the parking lot before I went inside the movie theater because the sun was shining on this cold 8 degree day and the sunshine made me feel alive! I posted a pic while I was in the dark movie theater waiting for the movie to start. When I came out I deleted my original picture and wrote this :
“I deleted the pic I posted earlier. I was sitting in a dark theater wearing 3-D glasses when I posted it. And when I looked at it later, I wasn’t smiling in the original pic. I like life better when I’m smiling. Star Wars was AWESOME btw!!! I cried my eyes out. I saw the original #StarWars in the theater in 1977 when I was 5 years old. Sweet memories and definitely worth smiling about! “Life is like a camera. Just focus on what’s important, capture the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things don’t turn out – take another shot.” ~ Unknown #journey #iamalive #blessed #maytheforcebewithyou ”
So yeah. Sometimes you gotta take another shot.
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It is a federal holiday marking his birthday, which is January 15. He was only 39 years old when he was assassinated in Memphis in 1968 but his legacy for his role in the civil rights movement will live on forever. King was a brave man of action who through the life he led stood for courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility and service. He was a true instrument for change for our country during a time it so desperately needed it. His quotes from his speeches are as meaningful today as ever.
I posted several of his quotes today on social media. One of my favorites was “The time is always right to do the right thing.” And in my research I read that he also said that we all have to decide whether we “will walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness.” It is a choice isn’t it? He was a Christian and he devoted his life to loving and serving others.
So I was off work today because my company was closed for the holiday. I have wanted to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens since it came out last month so I thought today was a good day to go. I boo hoed my eyes out in several parts because this movie was SO GREAT!!! And it brought back so many memories from watching the original 3 movies when I was a kid…especially the first one. I am not going to give anything major away in case you haven’t seen it yet but the thing that stuck out to me was a quote from Finn (a black man in the movie) when he said to Poe about why he left the dark side and was helping him… “Because it is the right thing to do.”
WOW!
So many coincidences in my life every single day it seems. Or am I just reaching? I don’t think so. I see signs of God everywhere, every single day and it AMAZES ME!
I have had a couple of down days. I know, that is life. The cold weather doesn’t help my mood at all. But when I am cooped up in my apartment thinking too much I start to become negative. I start doubting. I get scared and feel like I have no direction. I wonder what my purpose is…I lose faith in God. Where are You??? But when I see a sign from God like I did today…Martin Luther King Jr. and Finn telling me the same thing…”The time is always right to do the right thing.” I am reminded that I am on the right path. I am trusting this journey. My desire to help spread the Good News through my walk with God and what He’s doing in my life is my purpose. I have a BIG God and He knows what He is doing even when I don’t. The right thing to do is continue to follow Him and just trust.
May the force be with you all!
Blessings,
Stacey ~ iamalive
(I’m in the process of having some work done on my website. I’m aware that the comment option isn’t working and hasn’t been for a long time. I will let you know when it’s back to normal. In the meantime please email me at iamalive41official@gmail.com I’d love to hear from you!)
And in case you haven’t heard this in a while…it brought chills when I heard it in the theater today! 🙂