WHO ARE YOU, WHAT DO YOU STAND FOR, & WHAT WILL YOU FALL FOR?

Principles, Convictions, Character, and Integrity or PCCI are needed when determining the longevity of any relationship, whether it be a male/female, employee/employer, or a friend relationship, and even in  political or  governmental relationships. Studying a person's or an entity's PCCI is a fail proof method, if you give yourself the time to allow the process to work. The focus of this article will mainly be about relations between persons, but can also apply to relationships with organizations or entities as well. So here it is again, the acronym PCCI stands for P=principles, the first C=convictions, the second C=character, and lastly I=integrity.

The process of finding a person's Principles, Convictions, Character and Integrity will allow you to see without the aid of rose colored glasses, past all the window dressing, and allow your emotions and hormones a much needed break as to the type of person you are in relationship with, or are considering entering into relationship with. This is especially true for emotions, and/or hormones, because they seem to kick up the most dust, and cloud your vision as to which path to take, as far as, who in your best interest stays, and who goes, relationship wise. Principles, Convictions, Character and Integrity shape who the other person is, and who you are as a person.

Principles determine Conviction, Convictions determine Character, and Character determines Integrity. A person's PCCI will give you a heads up on how they will handle any given situation in and outside of a relationship with you.

Determining a person's PCCI requires patience though. That's why relationship gurus are forever telling us not to get caught up in the touchy, the feely, and eye candy aspects on first dates. Instead, on the first date go dutch, and allow for randomly switching off on picking up the tab. Dates between attracted opposite genders are opportunities to determine each other's Principles, Convictions, Character, and Integrity. Dates should not be about conjuring up series of strategies for becoming fully vested, just yet. The same holds true when interviewing for a job. As an applicant, ask questions of that potential supervisor that will give you an idea about what type of management style they have, find out what type of company you're interviewing to work for, who their clients are, and what their vision statement is. Vision statements don't have to be written or formal. Walk into any McDonald's and stick around long enough to people watch. Look at how they handle their customers, and you can figure out their vision statement. I interviewed for a job, and by the end of the interview the person hiring told me thru my questions asked, and them volunteering information, that they slandered past employees by name, were a gossiper in sharing their employee's business, would dig up information about employees and use it against them, by black balling them when potential managers called for references. I got the letter in the mail telling me I did not get the job, and considered it a bullet dodged.

While determining a person's Principles, Convictions, Character, and Integrity remember to do 2 things as well. One, love yourself enough to take your time. Two, trust your gut instinct. Gut instinct says, "It looks like this, it seems like this, but "Something" is telling me it's the opposite." And always, always, always, if you ever get the smallest inkling of fear-remove yourself immediately, and end all contact. Fear is a game changer-that's flat out God cutting to the chase, and telling you this is not the relationship for you. Get out of the relationship as fast as you can.

So there you have it, Principles determine Convictions, Convictions determine Character, Character determines Integrity. Good relationships are time-released journeys where you get to, at the appropriate time, experience emotional and physical joys, periods of ups and downs, and healthy periods of feast and famines when it comes to a desire for togetherness. For me, I'm learning it's best to search out the basics first in any type of relationship I am considering, then invest myself, after I determine if it's even worthy of my time.

I am a Christian, so it goes without saying, one should pray before, during, and throughout, any and every relationship. God is the center of every aspect of my life, so it's just a given for me. Because I am a Christian blogger, and I blog about my  relationship with God, as well as my other relationships, I don't know if I am writing strictly for myself, or for someone else; for the present, or for something that may occur in the future. Mercy me, while reading this post, I pray you'll determine for yourself, if this article is for you, or not, for now, or for a later relationship as well. I will end with this answer, God only knows, and time will tell. Basically that's what this article is all about, slowing down the pace in forming relationships, and taking the time to focus on determining which are worthy of our time. Some relationships are long lasting, others are but for a season. The key is to know which is which, and at what point we decidedly move on.

FLOWERCHIC

A SHELTERED LIFE WITHIN

Deuteronomy 10:14 The Message Version
14 Look around you: Everything you see is God's - the heavens above and beyond, the Earth, and everything on it.


Were I to say that I believe in the right of an unborn child to live full term till it is able to live outside the womb, and then I say that I also do not believe in limiting the ability, not the right, of a woman to abort that same exact child, I have just cancelled my first conviction.

The act of procreation is a gift given from the Creator. The result, a child is also a gift from God. Both gifts can be abused and mishandled.

The only One that determines life or death, period, is God. He is the only One with that right-that authority as the Creator of life and all things present.

If it's the wrong time, the wrong circumstance, or if it is inconvenient to shelter a human life for 9 short months out of an entire lifetime, it is not the fault of the gift(s). Inconvenience does not negate the right of an unborn child, who is toatlly innocent, to live. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. We are a civilized country, we are civilized people, WE DO NOT HARM THE INNOCENT, we protect them. 

See, I have a real hard time trying to figure out, how we negate a human life for convenience, and run that by God thinking we'll ever get His approval. 

Sometimes, we as human beings like to see ourselves as little gods, when what we really are in totality are creations of the Master Designer-God. For the Creator, no one human life is any greater, than any other human created life. For every human life there is a purpose and a master plan of God to enhance the planet and shape the human race to a greater good. We are created to not just shelter, enhance, and promote our own life. 

This image was shared from Personhood USA Internet site

Simplicity

Sometimes life is not all that complicated. Today is one of those days.This afternoon I took Caity out to take care of doggie business, and afterwards I let her roam around the property. Just so you know, the temperature is a breezy 50+ degree day, absolutely wonderful out! So part of her time spent was watching the neighbor boys down the street playing street basketball. In case you don't understand the lingo, that is where you play basketball in the middle of the street, when there's no cars coming, and you "hot dog" your abilities shirtless in front of family, girlfriends, and neighbors. Only in small town America can you still do this. I don't know who won, or even if it really mattered much to them. It was just a moment of watching simple fun.

After watching street ball for awhile, I decided Caity and I should take advantage of the perfect weather by sitting out in the yard, for soon fall, then winter would be nipping at our heals. As usual once winter comes, we'd wish for summer the first time we were stuck in the house, due to being snow bound.

Last week was my vacation and I went nowhere, just hung out around town enjoying my favorite junk spots. Now that was nothing to sneeze at, since junking is my all time favorite activity.  I found two really cool things. One, was another side table for sitting outside with friends, and second, was a $4 wooden box for Caity. It's just a plain ole box. When I brought it to the counter, the owner asked me why I was buying it, and what my intentions were for it? Like I said, the box was plain and nothing particularly exciting about it. Well, my intent in the back of my sometimes creative mind was to  turn it into a wooden deck for Caity the dog, Now how cool was that. Yeah, well she wasn't all that much more impressed than you are at reading this I'm sure. But trust me, I had a plan.

Caity's DIY deck debuted as a hit. Today, I sat in my favorite Adirondack chair, and she on her deck. She actually napped on it for a short period. Most times she wants to sit on my lap, on my side table, on my chair arm, or over my shoulder. Not all that relaxing for fur momma. Caity always thinks there's plenty of room for her.

Speaking of simplicity, I am blogging outside in said Adirondack chair (without Caity, she kept getting her leash tangled) watching Ziggy the cat lounging in the window. We've been talking back and forth at each other through the screen window.

Even my parents have begun to ride the waves of simplicity. This morning I called my mom to see if we were having church. I wasn't sure if I heard right, that my pastor would still be at church conference today. During our conversation, she asked, "Well why you don't you get on the computer and see if church conference is still in session. I'm like, "Oh yeah, I can get on twitter and see if Bishop Bryant has tweeted anything. My church Bishop is a huge tweeter! He tweets every morning, every day, and I follow him on twitter. Of course he does not follow me on twitter, cause you follow one member, and you gotta follow them all. However, I do occasionally do a shout out for me and my church, and he always shouts back, "Hey family," which is pretty cool. So I read her his tweet, where he was inviting everyone in the area to join him for the last day of annual conference. Dilemma solved!

I'd say my precious momma has past the stage of threatening to buy a computer, to now anticipating buying one. I fully expect her to call me up on her red Jitterbug phone or text me, now that she has learned how, and tell me she's ready to catch the wave of simplicity and start surfing the WEB. Too funny!

So here's hoping you too are enjoying a day of simplicity! COME TO THE PURPLE DOOR WITH FLOWERCHIC next time, and we'll ride the wave, and see what the tide brings in.

FLOWERCHIC


                                                                                                                Photo by Andrew Mulligan

ME AND GOD GOT OUR OWN KINDA COMMUNICADO GOING ON

God and I have our own type of communicado. We got our own lingo, our own dance moves during our personal praise and worship, our own sense of humor, which mostly is appreciated by only us, Yeshua, and the HS. He likes the way I sing, even when I make my own words up and they don't always rhyme! Prophet Kim says that's OK cause God's listening to our heart anyways! He loves to sit with me when I read His Words. Sometimes He'll touch my eyes, my ears and show me stuff right in front of me that I have just been glossing over time after time. Sometimes He'll have me compose a thought and give it away for whomever is open to it. I think that part is really cool! God is a lot of fun to spend time with in doing plain ole normal everyday stuff. Sometimes I'll be running errands around town and praying in between stops. I call that our "hang time." And you know what, God totally "Gets" me. However, I'm still working on "getting" who all He is. I only know the tip of the iceberg of who all He is. But I'm on it! LOL

Have a happy remainder of your Shabbat Shalom!

Click on the link below for a beautiful love song. Close your eyes and dance with your Lord. Come visit me again at the purple door. It's always wide open to friends. Stay blessed.


FLOWERCHIC

SPEAK IT OUT!

Faith101-if we want God to do the unprecedented, the extraordinary, the unfathomable, then we must speak the unprecedented, the extraordinary, and the unfathomable, for He is the God that creates. He creates your something out of what presently does not exist. The extent that He will bring what you ask for is based upon what you speak into existence. That's why we cannot speak what we see before us, we can't speak what we hear, we cannot speak what we "feel" or are capable of physically touching. Because when we do, we are simply speaking what already exists. God doesn't move when this is done, because we have not spoken faith. Faith is speaking out what does not currently exist. It takes no faith to speak what already exists.

God is not excited by chaos that Satan has played apart in creating in our lives. Only Satan gets excited about hearing this. God gets excited by us speaking our faith in Him, and what He is doing in our lives. This happens when we say, "Thank You God, for doing the unprecedented, the extraordinary, the unfathomable in my current situation! I look at it like this, God's ears are not tuned into unbelief, therefore He does not react on our behalf. Note the word I used was re-act. GOD'S EARS ARE TUNED TO HEAR WORDS OF FAITH, AND THAT'S WHAT MOVES GOD! He's like, "Whoooa, did You hear that Yeshua? Oh, yeah, I heard that too! I do believe We just heard Us some faith! Al-righty! Watch Us now!" That's when Yeshua stands up and says, I'm with Ya! Lets roll Daddy-O!~Written by FLOWERCHIC

GOD IS AT THE CENTER OF MY RELIGION

James 1:26-27
26) If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.
27) Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for the orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.


My Pastor and I were discussing this new phase among Christians, where some are not wanting to be considered as religious. We're only guessing, but it seems nobody in this group wants to be considered in the same league as the religious leaders during Jesus' time. Well I don't want to be confused with that group either, but I'm not willing to kick religion to the curb.

God's the center of my religion.

Religion is not a practice that I am ashamed of. I am not "uncool" because I am a participant. Nor am I too "cool" to participate. In my religion, God is the Creator of all things. His Son is Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for the remission of my sin. Because I accept this as fact, I am in right standing with God. There are many other religions out there, but they are not centered around the worship of the only God there is-the Creator of heaven and earth and all that is within, the Father of Jesus Christ-the only Lord & Savior. God IS the God of my religion, and my religion is Christianity.

For some people, the following 3 words hold negative connotations-church, religion, and Christianity. The devil is a liar! The church of believers of Jesus Christ is a wonderful, functioning institution, that atheist are in lust of. Are there some in the church that are giving it a bad name, by not following the teachings of God? Yes, there are some. What can we do about them? PRAY! Make no mistake, Christ loves His church, and He IS coming back for it! Religion-there are many of them out there, do they all revolve around the worship of the only Creator, whose Son is Jesus Christ the Savior? Nope! Well as long as you are participating in the One religion that does, then don't be ashamed of your religion! Christianity-Lord, God, Almighty, this word makes some Christians afraid! LOL! Good, this word should be held in reverence! It is the One true religion that revolves around the pure worship of the Supreme Creator God Almighty! God is the Only God that Creates something out of nothing! God is the Only God that raises the dead! God is the Only God that heals the sick! God is the Only God who has a Son named Jesus Christ, who can save your soul from going hell! Come on! Negative connotations? Answer, be wiling to define what is negative, and what is not. Simple, do not let Satan define what God has determined to be good, as evil. Stay blessed! ♥

FLOWERCHIC

Daughter Moments With My Dad

My favorite parent/daughter moment? Laughing and having fun sitting on my parent's couch next to my dad playing with his new jitterbug phone, sending text messages, and photos to Sista, and trying to figure out how best to customize his phone for his needs. The cool part? Me on the line with tech support and him sitting across from me at one point, with his arms crossed casually across his midsection and his one leg draped across the other "just a swinging" with not a care in the world, as I conveyed which phone options he wanted to keep, and those he wanted discarded to customize his phone just the way he wanted. I had tech support on speaker phone and I'd ask him questions. He'd nod his head "Yes" or he'd nod "No" to what he wanted, all the while sitting there all so casually, and I bet thinking, "Wow, this thing of raising two daughters sure has paid off!" ♥

I told him to not worry about the technical side of how to get things to work the way he wanted, to just tell me what he wanted, and technical support and I would make it happen. After he accepted that, he total relaxed with all this new technology. I reminded him of when we were kids, he and mom took care of all the techie stuff we had not a clue about, and he said, "Yeah, now that we're old, you guys that care of all this new stuff!" I said, "Yeah, just sit back and say, "Handle it, handle it," with the wave of your hand, in a shooing motion. We just laughed!

THE CAMERA IN MY MIND-Macedonia Freewill Baptist Church Annual BBQ

I was up and at em early this morning headed to Brownfield to the annual Macedonia Baptist Church BBQ! The goal was to beat the heat today. Its supposed to be 93 degrees, which is not bad considering the temperatures earlier in the month. The drive up is thru some of the prettiest county you'll ever set your sites on. I love looking at the cows, horses, old weather beaten barns, ponds, and farms that have been in families for generations. There are a lot of churches along this stretch of highway too.

As I turn off the highway, I pass my aunt's old school house on the right. I try to envision her playing out in the yard, or sitting on the steps talking with friends or eating her lunch. I wonder where she sat inside, whether it was by a window, did she get caught daydreaming, instead of concentrating on her learning? As I drive on, I see old family friends who are no longer here, and boarded up old houses that once housed families with echoes of life lived in the past. As I pull into the church, I see the familiar merry-go-round that my sister and I used to ride for hours on end as kids, at previous BBQs. I see the cemetery where many of my relatives on my mother's side of the family are buried. I see the church where every BBQ they have service. And then, my favorite, the BBQ shack where you can buy Cracker Jack Carmel popcorn, candy, can drinks, chips and of course the best BBQ ever!

This is the first year I have driven up by myself as a full fledged adult. Usually its always been in the backseat of family cars loaded with lawn chairs, sweat towels, ice chests, and traveling fly swats, and spray cans of Off repellent. My dad asked me to call him when I first woke up, so he and mother could be on the road too. We took separate cars, cause they like to stay and hang out with friends. Me, I'm out and about with no set schedule or destination. I can't be bothered with staying put, its Saturday after all.

I walked to the old familiar white, painted shack to place my order behind, none other than my dad. We laughed, and he asks how did they beat me there? I tell him of all my errands I had to run first. I'm quite surprised they beat me there too. Dad ordered mutton, mom loves mutton and talks of how she never gets there in time, before they sell out. But this year she scores big-2 pounds of BBQ mutton. I score a large bottle of their BBQ sauce, which is notorious. I'll use it sparingly throughout the year on my own grilled chicken, oven baked pork chops, and occasionally on my oven ribs. I buy enough BBQ to eat off of during the week, for lunch, and to freeze for special days in mid-winter when I'm wishing for county drives in the summer with my windows down, and my favorite radio station on.

I decided I didn't want to take pictures today. I just wanted to live in the moment, enjoying old friends, and traditions, without the distraction of a camera. I want to relive the moments in my mind when I'm older, with the camera in my mind.

COME TO THE PURPLE DOOR WITH FLOWERCHIC again. I like sharing my life with you through my blogs. I hope you enjoy reading them. Have a blessed life.

FLOWERCHIC

Mini Moments Over Time

Life is made up of a series of mini moments. A wonderful life is made up of a series of orchestrated moments with joy, peace, love, endurance, thoughtfulness, and of good family, friends, and acquaintances along the way. Once you learn to depend on God, the terrible times are really only a blink in time, in the greater scheme of all time. You learn to endure in faith, till life blinks again, and your next mini moment rolls around. Before drifting off to sleep last night, I realized because of my parents, grandparents, and great grandparents, God has always been apart of my life growing up. My earliest memories are of Sunday school, church, and knowing who Jesus Christ, God, and the Holy Spirit were in my young life. My relationships with them have evolved over time, but I have never known life without them. So I guess that is why, even though I get weary sometimes, I never throw in the towel and quit. God is always near, and I can always pray, and leave whatever ails me in His quite capable hands.

FUN TIMES AFTER THE HEAT WAVE

LIl dog Caity and I have been out already this morning. Yes, it was still dark. I was barely awake, when all I saw were 2 ears, 2 eyes, and her favorite toy yellow peering over the mattress at me. Yellow always gets carried out with us when we go out of the mornings. This is my sign that its time to leave the comfort of my bed. While we were out, we harvested tomatoes from our small garden. Checked on our collard greens, and they are coming along just fine for fall harvesting to my dinner table.

Earlier this week, my dad and some of his friends helped me clean my fence row out. I miss my tree, but it was dying and it was too close to the fence row, branching to close to both our roof tops. So I have one lonely Adirondack chair, and soon I'll pull out my side table, to sit near my grill between the houses. I'll need to set back my nickel, dimes, and pennies to replace my umbrella. I'm making a mental list to buy 4 geraniums today to plant out front. It has been so hot, I put off planting flowers. They would have just died during the heat wave had I bought them earlier, cause I certainly would have not tending to them in the 100+ temps we recently endured.

God is so good, we are enjoying our first weekend after the heat wave! It is so beautiful out! Lil dog and I have plans to go to the park today and stroll around. Its gonna be so much fun!

Yesterday I drove out to the country and bought a peck of nectarines, my favorite fruit! I love driving out to the country. I had K-Love blaring on the radio, and all the windows down. I was praising the Lord and jammin down the road. Of course when I turned into Mr. B's farm, I toned it down. He waited on me and showed me the different grades he had. I told him, "I'm no canner or freezer girl, I just want to enjoy your sweet nectarines!" We talked a bit, (he knows my parents and with his wife, they often talk across the table at the restaurant), and then I paid, then he loaded 2 handfuls more onto my already overflowing peck for good measure. I barely made it to the car!

I told you, everywhere I go, I get blessings! God never fails me! Proverbs 17:9 says it all, and I claim it!

Today is my sweet daddy's birthday! So today, sista and I will head over for homemade peach cobbler and ice cream. Then, we'll give him our gifts and cards. He has such a kind heart, he always sheds a few tears when he reads our cards out loud, and then he thanks everybody. My mom will act like she forgot his card, which is an ongoing joke between them, he does the same thing on her birthday! Ha! "I guess the girls cards will have to suffice, I didn't get a chance to get out and get you anything."  Minutes later, "Here, hand this across to your daddy!" We have lots of fun around the dinner table at my parent's house, always have.

Well, I'm gettin kinda hungry, time to russell up some bacon, eggs, and fried potatoes for breakfast.  Two weeks from today, will be the annual Macedonia Baptist Church BBQ. I'll have lots of pictures, stories of fresh pork skins, and the best BBQ ever to talk about!

Come to the purple door with Flowerchic again! Don't forget to bring your ice tea before you sit down.

Click on the link below for a great tip for summer cooking!

FLOWERCHIC