"Perseverance!"

March 26, 2016

    "Perseverance!"

Perseverance:  1. steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragements.  

Persistent:  1. persisting stubbornly; insistent.  2. lasting or enduring tenaciously.  3. constantly repeated, continued permanently; remaining attached beyond the usual time.  

Tenacious:  1. holding fast; characterized by keeping a firm hold.  2. highly retentive, persistent, stubborn or obstinate.  4. adhesive or sticky; holding together, cohesive; tough.


Goodmorning everybody!  As I was sitting here preparing my thoughts and spirit to write, I knew that I was going to speak to perseverance because that word has been in my spirit for a little over a week now but I didn't know just how REAL my very own words were going to have to be adhered to by me as my OWN testimony to living by, especially NOW, TODAY!  

I was prepared to sit down and just write and talk about setting goals and sticking to the goals you set with perseverance, being steady in a course of action with dogged determination and purpose in spite of your difficulties, obstacles or discouragements.  That sounds good, right?  We can do that, right?  Absolutely we can but what do we do when we're hit with a real discouragement?  

What do we do when a real obstacle is before us like finding out moments ago that your online merchant account, your online retail business is shut down!  

You, as of this very moment that you're about to give your motivational pep talk to tell the world, yes you can persevere, yes you can move past any and all obstacles, yes you can get off the couch and from in front of the television and put that remote control down and go out into the elements and get some fresh air and walk!  Yes ladies and gentleman when you find out that you can no longer get your money, and your baby, your lofty dreams, desires, ambitions of being an online retail mogul, giant, is not available for service and on top of that customer service is closed for the weekend so you're left in limbo as to what's happening with your business? 

Can you still stay focused enough to see past the current state of affairs to remain steadfast with dogged determination as you feel like your head is being held under water not being able to breathe because this situation is now causing major difficulties?   Do we have the dogged determination to move forward at a steady pace by staying on course or do we allow a setback to sideline?  

I think not, in fact, I know not!  We take our setbacks and use them as our comebacks!  We find the lessons to be learned in any and all situations of what to do?  Or, what not to do?  Keep it moving with persistence by remaining attached beyond the usual time.  Tenacity is key!  Keep a firm hold by being stubbornly persistent like an adhesive, hold on, stick wth it. Don't give up and Persevere!  You can do it!

Love Alwayzz,

Lo Lo from P.O / Lolita Mamacita

"Each of us should make the most of our lives.
We should give life our best, let us use our lives
more wisely to chase our dreams, 
find our true purpose, and be as happy
and successful as possible!"
~Malcolm X.

"Lights, Camera, Action!"

February 17, 2016

"Lights, Camera, Action!"

1. Light;  something that makes things visible or affords illumination.  2. an illuminating agent or source, as the sun, a lamp or a beacon.  3. the radiance or illumination from a particular source, as a candle or the sun.  4. a particular light or illumination in which an object seen takes on a certain appearance, a device for or meas of igniting as a spark, flame or match.  5. spiritual illumination or awareness, mental insight, understanding, to be awakened.

Have you ever gone to see a play and when you first get in the auditorium you see the stage and up on the stage is this huge curtain that's closed and wondered what is going on behind the curtain?  I have, when I'm sitting in the audience I'm thinking to myself what is going on back behind the curtain?  I know that there must be a stage crew, camera man, someone in the sound booth, a director, the actors, etc.  There's a lot of work that's put into making a great production and understandably so.  We arrive with the anticipation and expectation of a great show.  We know that we've paid good money and look forward to the actors coming out onto the stage to wow us.  We assume that everyone is rested, and have taken their jobs seriously enough to have studied and know their lines. The bottom line is we want to be entertained.

What about life?  How do we approach our own lives?  Do we wake up daily with the expectation and in anticipation of having a great day?  Do we put forth our best efforts in our lives to live the best life we can?  Do we study to show ourselves approved?  Do we learn all their is to learn about our bodies, minds and souls to make sure we operate at maximum capacity with energy, and vitality in order to perform at optimal levels?

Our life is a stage and we must awaken every day and approach our lives as if we are on stage and people have paid good money to see a great show.  The caveat is we must believe, think and know that we are the audience of our own stage production called life.  We must be prepared behind the scenes of our lives so that when the curtain opens we know that what we've done behind the scenes has prepared us for center stage when life says, "Lights, Camera, Action!"  Are you ready to give your life and yourself your best production?  

And, when the final curtain closes on our lives are we going to hear the sounds of the audience of our friends, families, co-workers and complete strangers give us a standing ovation and say bravo, bravo, bravo?  Will they say encore, well done thy good and faithful servant?

Love Always,

La La Lolita Lovely

"You don't drown by falling in water, you
drown by staying in it!"
~Zig Ziglar

"Others are quick to point out what you should be, but
you're the only person who can decide what you will be."
~Dave Steward

"Unlock Tomorrow, Today!"
~Lolita Jackson

February 9, 2016

Acres of Diamonds!

I read a book a couple of days ago called "Acres of Diamonds."  The book was originally a speech by Dr. Russell Conwell who first delivered the speech to motivate and inspire his troops at their ten year reunion and afterwards was asked to deliver the same speech thousands of times to people in cities throughout the country.  Russell Conwell was the first president of Temple University, a baptist minister and a captain during the civil war.

There's many lessons that can be extracted from Dr. Conwell's speech.  I am inspired mostly with the premise of the books commentary that lets us know that we must first explore our own backyards for  wealth, money and opportunities in life before we go out to seek and search the world for what we could have right in the palms of our hands!  Dr. Conwell's speech tells of many stories of people who give up what they have in their hands in search of wealth and opportunity elsewhere.  One of the scenarios tells the story of a man that owned a farm and by all accounts was fairly successful, "wealthy and contended" with his comforts only to hear that diamonds were being discovered.  The farmer sold his farm to go in search of diamonds until he found himself broke, distraught, tired and confused so much so that he threw himself into the ocean.  The man who bought the farm from the man found "Acres of Diamonds" on the farm!

Dr. Conwell dismisses the notion that money is the root of all evil and reminds us that it's the "love of money" that's the root of all evil and that one must have money and wealth to further the cause of philanthropy while allowing ourselves to live comfortably. We're encouraged to have businesses and know our customers to better serve them and know that it's not criminal to make a profit off of our earnings in business. Dr. Conwell let's us know that we should be vigilant, steadfast and we must apply ourselves completely to the tasks at hand while earning our keep without having things handed to us and if we fail or fall down in the process it's not the end of the world in fact falling down is actually failing forward and like Les Brown says, "if you fall down, land on your back because if you can look up then you can get up!"  Dr. Conwell spoke of a man that gambled in business and lost but he didn't give up, he kept trying different ideas and endeavors until he had only 62 cents left and he turned 62 cents into 40 million dollars!

Reading "Acres of Diamonds" has me looking in my own backyard asking the question of myself, "Lolita, what do you have in your hand that can net you "Acres of Diamonds?" As I look around I see and know how blessed I am to have been given the gift of creativity!  I'm constantly and consistently coming up with one idea after another that I know can net me "Acres of Diamonds!"

  It reminds me of a passage in the bible when God spoke to Moses and asked him "What does he have in his hand?"  I believe there comes a time when we all get to the "Red Sea" of life and we look out and things look insurmountable, so wide that we can't get around it, so tall that we can't climb over it, but God has given us a way, a staff.  We must throw our staff into the sea and watch it part.
 
Our staffs can come in many forms starting with the form of faith. We must first have faith enough to believe that we are equipped and worthy to have acres of diamonds in the palms of our hands that comes in the forms of ideas and thoughts that can generate the very thing we need to part our "Red Sea" in life!  Then we must act with a sense of urgency and modesty!

So my friends, how about it?  Let's throw out our staffs into our "Red Seas" and discover our "Acres of Diamonds" right in our own backyards!


Take Care Beloveds,

Love Always,

La La Lolita Lovely!


"You cannot make it as a wondering generality.
You must become a meaningful specific."
~Zig Ziglar

"There are seldom, if ever, any hopeless situations,
but there are many people who lose hope in the face
of some situations."
~Zig Ziglar



  

"Footprints In The Sand!"

January 1, 2016

"Footprints In The Sand........."

One night I had a dream.  I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.  Across the sky flashed scenes from my life, for each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me, and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand, I noticed that many times along the path of my life there was only one set of footprints.  I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life.  

This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it; "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way.  But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints.  I don't understand why when I need you most you would leave me?"

The Lord replied; "My precious Lolita, I Love You and would never leave you. Lolita my dear, during your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then Lolita that I carried you!"

by Mary Stevenson

Revised by Lolita Jackson

Sometimes life will happen and we must accept life on life's terms. In doing so, we may find that we're alone and we may also be feeling lonely.  It's during those times in our lives that we can rest assured in knowing that God is carrying us to the other side of the troubling times that hath so easily beset us.  I'm learning to take advantage of the times that I may be alone and in that time and space I'm finding out that I'm better equipped to hear what God is saying to me.  God's word says; "My sheep know my voice and the voice of a stranger they will not follow!"  The only way we can truly know if it's our heavenly father or not is to make allowances for the solitude.  In that space we will find wisdom for direction, peace for turmoil, and tranquility for endurance!

In Solidarity,

LaLa Lolita Lovely

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly.... who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while Daring Greatly!"

~Theodore Roosevelt