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When Less Is More

When Less Is More

I’ve devoted the next 100 days to focusing on and sharing insights about healing.  I hope you will enjoy the read. If you find something helpful please use it and share it with your friends as well.  And if you have a relevant insight please share it in the comments. Thank you. Enjoy the journey!

Day 1: When Less Is More

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never fail you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 RSV

Have you ever wondered how many friends is enough?  When we were introduced to social media as a way to cultivate business we were encouraged by the pundits to gain as many followers as possible.  How many is enough? I listened and started building away on several platforms.

I have over 5000 friends/followers over several platforms.  While I recognize the value of having potential clients to buy books or CDs or attend a concert or workshop I would settle for having a few close relationships that I can be real in.  Intimacy is uber important!

The longer I live the more I treasure quietness.  I’m grateful for moments where I’ve performed for 30,000 or 70,000 people.  I long for more moments where I’m a caring and listening ear for someone who values my attention and where I can be the same.  And if I had to do it all over again I would spend more time having those moments and be happy with ¼ of the followers or fans.  I’m grateful for them but I want to give my best in the most meaningful way to those who God has allowed me to cross paths with.

Because we are constantly being marketed to we feel this urge to have more things to be happy.  It doesn’t work that way. Shawn Achor wrote a book (The Happiness Advantage) that explains well how happiness isn’t the result of getting a certain amount of stuff or achieving a certain amount of success.  We must choose our happiness and we can have it now and enjoy it along our journey.  Things don’t give us happiness.  Happiness is a choice we make.  Stop believing that “more” will bring you happiness.

The bible encourages us in many places to be content and not live a life consumed with the pursuit of money.  When we unplug from the advertisements and messages around us we can start to believe that God has given us what we need to enjoy life.  And one of the most important lessons we can learn is that life is best when we choose daily to depend upon Him and trust Him. After all he said he would never leave us or forsake us.

So today I choose to be happy as I am, where I am with what I have.  I am blessed. Thank you, Father.

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Happy Songs

Happy Songs
Happy Songs

Sometimes I just need to take a moment away from everything and everyone and listen to a happy song.  When I say a happy song it doesn’t mean that it’s really fast or uptempo.  It means it touches me and encourages me.  Sometimes they make me cry…but I’m happier after listening to them.

I recently posted a video on my Facebook page that created quite a stir.  It was a preacher talking about the evils of worldly music.  So many people commented on this post because they felt very strongly against what he was saying.  I knew that the preacher used to be a hip hop video dancer and so he was trying in his spiritual journey to distance himself from his past lifestyle.  But those who watched his video felt a sense of narrow mindedness in the sermon because it seemed that the preacher wanted all styles of music except for hymns, spirituals and maybe classical music to be avoided.  It reminded me that music tastes vary as our experiences, personalities, and cultures do.  And people feel very strongly about their music.

I am very eclectic.  My DNA comes from a mixture of countries and cultures.  And my musical taste is equally varied.  So I hope you find my list of songs interesting.  I would love if you’d share with me what your “happy songs” are and why in the comments below.  But mostly, my prayer is that they will touch you and encourage you and of course…make you smile!

Here they are in no order of preference.  Enjoy!!!