The lovely Alison at Embrace the Struggle invited me to participate in my first Ask Away Friday!! Alison’s blog encourages us to “Pray. Wage War. Pray Again!” What a reminder that no matter what is going on, we can face our struggles in the confidence that comes from God—don’t run from them, but grab on to them and grow from them. Check out her blog HERE!
I love the encouragement Alison provides and am glad that God allowed us to meet through blogging. I greatly appreciate this opportunity and Alison’s patience with me in learning about Ask Away Friday.
Alison provided great questions for me and got me thinking outside-the-box. Here we go!!
1. You quoted the golden rule in your Blogger profile. How difficult is it, in your mind, to live up to the standard of doing to others as you’d have them do to you?
I have to admit, some days this can be very challenging, however, I’ve made it a lot easier for myself by trying to put myself in the other person’s shoes. In doing this, it enables me to realize that many of us have “bad days” and most times, when someone isn’t treating me as I want to be treated, this isn’t always directed at me. It’s usually attached to something else. Additionally, treating others like I want to be treated reminds me of the quote, “What would Jesus do?” In doing my best to establish the attitude of Jesus, humbles me and allows me to move forward!
2. What’s your favorite hobby? Do you get to spend a lot of time indulging in it? Why/why not?
My favorite hobby is writing! I believe it’s my gift from God. I love to express myself through words, but more importantly, I love to encourage others. Unfortunately, I haven’t had as much time to devote to this recently. My schedule has taken over me! With this being said, on my Prayer List for this year is accomplishing my goals in writing, both personally and professionally! I’m not one who wants to sit on the gift God has blessed me with
3. Which word or phrase do you use the most in conversation?
*Smile* I should ask my friends and family about this one! Good question! I’m going to go back to my youth and say that this is either “Like” or, as an adult, “God is in control”. I think these factor into the conversation I’m having and what’s being said by who I’m having the discussion with. Yes, either of these will flow in my conversation!
4. Have you had any of your poetry published? Can you share one of your poems with us? I’ve published my writing/poems on my Yahoo! Contributor Page.
One of my favorite poems is “Looking at the Sky”. I wrote this poem after viewing the sky from my office window. It was as if God was painting a picture just for me to see, but I was too busy to enjoy it. Taking a moment to appreciate it resulted in this poem.
Looking at the Sky
Looking up, I see God’s master canvas;
Clouds, birds, the sun, and more appreciating God’s glory.
These display God’s beauty, enjoying it at the same time.
We take this beauty for granted, due to the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Do you ever stop and look up, or gaze out a picture window?
Even when the clouds are rolling in, the display is magnificent.
Dark blends with light, thunder roars, and the rain falls.
Our own, live movie in the midst of it all.
The clouds roll away, the sun shines again.
It’s as if God has a remote control, surfing through the channels of His favorite shows.
Looking at the sky, what a wonder!
Don’t miss the opportunity to see the greatest show on Earth: right above us daily!
By: A. Potter, © A. Potter, 2009
Link: http://voices.yahoo.com/looking-sky-4289115.html
5. I see you enjoy both Tia and Tamera’s show and Kerry Washington’s Scandal. What are the aspects of both shows that appeal to you?
I love Tia and Tamera! What I love about them is that I grew up watching them on the show Sister, Sister. Through their various shows from Sister, Sister to Strong Medicine (Tamera) and the movies they’ve made, I feel as if I’ve grown up with them; they would be ladies who I’d want in my circle of friends. Although our paths are vastly different, I think our journeys from youth, to young adults, and adults can relate in some aspects. Also, they are Christian and have expressed their beliefs in various mediums. It’s good to see this in Hollywood, because most times, this does not occur. Lastly, throughout their years, I haven’t really seen anything regarding them being involved in some type of trouble/etc. This has to be a blessing in Hollywood!! Being able to grow, express your faith, and make your own path for others to follow.
Regarding Scandal, the acting, writing, and concepts appeal to me! I would love to meet Shonda Rhimes. I feel that her writing and her writing team are superb! Scandal is one of those shows if you’ve never watched it, if you do, you’d automatically get hooked on it. The writing flows so well! I would love to work for Ms. Rhimes! LOL.
Also, the acting on the show is amazing. Kerry Washington is awesome as Olivia Pope (I would love to meet Kerry too). She leads a great cast of characters who work so well together. One aspect I also love about the acting is that you can see the relationships between the characters are genuine. I do feel that with this cast, you do not see color; most times, people focus on this, but I don’t see this with Scandal. I see great, talented people working together and giving a great show that I watch every week!
6. Which aspects of blogging are the most enjoyable to you, and which are the most difficult? Why?
What I find most enjoyable about blogging are expressing myself through my writing, encouraging others, and meeting new people. Blogging provides an opportunity for us who love to write, or those who are just starting out, to get our thoughts, words, and work out there. It’s a great way for it to be “about me”, in a sense. I say this because there’s no one over my shoulder stating that I cannot write about certain things. There is a certain freedom in blogging. This allows me to encourage others and to meet fellow bloggers all over the world. I couldn’t ask for anything more!
What I find most difficult about blogging is learning about blogging! LOL. By this I’m referring to the widgets, tools, and some of the technical aspects of blogging. All of these play a factor in being able to share my blog, posts, etc. with others, and to obtain followers. I thought I knew something about computers, but I definitely have more to learn! Sometimes, I feel that I need a class on blogging! But as my friends have told me, “If you write it, people will read it”. This has helped me along the way; in the meantime, I’ll continue to learn and to grow.
7. I recently wrote about my “I don’t” list: things that I absolutely don’t do. What would be your top five “I don’ts”? My Top Five “I Don’ts” would be:
- I don’t lie: There’s nothing to be gained in this!
- I don’t like to be late: I’m always early!! My old band director used to say, “To be early is to be on time!” This is truly the case with me.
- I don’t “do drama”: Life is too short for drama; there are too many good things to focus on.
- I don’t wake up late: LOL, I’m always up before the sun, getting things done!
- I don’t like to be still: I’m one who’s always going something!
8. It’s been a tough winter for everyone, even for you guys in the South! Describe a perfect winter day for you.
Being in Florida most people don’t think that we have winters, but there are a few cold days down here. Of course, our winters differ from many other places! On the colder days, I love to be at home, on my sofa with a blanket, & my cat sitting next to me. Most times this includes watching TV or reading a book! (I’m a book junkie!) On days like this, I’m learning the importance of being still and taking in breaks!
On the days that aren’t as cold (meaning the day starts off as cold and then temperatures reach the 80s by the afternoon), I take time to enjoy the outdoors: go for a walk, meet my running group, or even ride my bike! To be honest, I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else (I’m a Florida native!)
9. What’s something that you simply can’t live without?
I couldn’t live without God! He’s done so much for me and has been too good to me! I don’t know where I’d be without His love, mercy, and grace. Just allowing His Son, Jesus, to die for me is enough. I’m truly blessed by God’s love and couldn’t imagine my life without Him. The quote, “He’s been a mother to the motherless, a father to the fatherless, a friend to the friendless, etc.” comes to mind—He’s the end all and be all!
10. What song has been playing in your head the most in the last few days? Why do you think that particular song is resonating with you?
The song that’s been in my head for the past few days (and more) is Tramaine Hawkins’ “I Never Lost My Praise”. This song is speaking to me because I’ve been going through so much in the past few years; it’s been more challenging in the past 6 months! But in spite of these challenges, and my own thoughts, I continue to praise God! I’ve been trying to talk to Him more and am working to hear that “still small voice”. I know that He’s in complete control. This song continues to bring a joy to my heart. You can listen to the song HERE.
I absolutely loved participating in my first Ask Away Friday!!! I hope to do this again in the future.
For more information on Ask Away Friday, visit Penny’s blog at “The Real Housewife of Caroline County”.
Until next time.
Blessings,
© Lisi P, 2014
