What’s Ahead for The Heart Mechanic in October

By the fallen leaves and crisper air whisking through my nostrils when I’m outside, I declare Autumn is finally upon us. Happy October, everyone! I wanted to touch base and catch everyone up to speed on the themes I spoke about in September and link you with past posts which you may have missed, in case you’re interested in going back through to read them. Aside from that, I wanted to give an idea of my themed goals for the blog this month.

Coming forth this October, I plan on covering my favorite Fruits of the Spirit (how I give them to others and receive them all the same). October also marks two unique life-markers for me. One being my baptism six years ago. The next being my second “spiritual birthday” of sorts, for it is with God’s grace and master plan that the heart inside this old rib cage still beats today. Yes, the “doozie” I suffered when trying to alter God’s timeline for my life. I probably put more weight into October 14th than I do my physical birthday in May.

September’s overall themes centered around my reading through Max Lucado’s book “Traveling Light” and speaking of personal testimonies to my own prison of want, self reliance, and lack of great patience. Also, how taking a gracious and more understanding approach to diversity is healthier on our minds and bodies than acting selfish or crass.

Key posts from September you might have missed:

How A Single Night of Failure Provided a Bridge to God’s Timely Blessings

Why Humble Pie May Taste Like Liver… but it’s as Good For Us as Broccoli

How I’m (now) Trying Not to Act Like a Spoiled Doctor’s Kid

How We Can Have Our Cake (and just maybe) Eat it Too

Why I Was Too Busy at Work that I Accidentally Stole Something

Throughout October, I have a format I’m going to try following throughout each week. I’ll continue the Thursday Thought section which I hope aids in providing biblical reasons we should be incorporating a different approach to certain things we encounter almost daily.

Then once per week, I will talk about this month’s theme: Fruits of the Spirit. And some fun seasonal theme sprinkled throughout for good measure. Fall is my first favorite season, so be prepared for some of my best blog posts. It’s in Autumn and Winter when I drink the most coffee, and coffee is definitely my writing fuel.
So to start out the month here at The Heart Mechanic, let’s start with a dive into some scripture and prayer.

“[But] the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” (Galatians 5:22-26 ESV)

Prayer:

God in the Highest, please lighten our minds to accept the gifts for which Christ your son gave himself up so that we could be given these graces. Each day this holiday season (and all times thereafter) invite our souls to partake in the works of The Holy Spirit and guide us through the Spirit all the same. We applaud you and your blessings you provide in our life, even those which seem so small and insignificant. Help each of us to identify your Fruits and inspire us to share them with everyone around us, through each step we take is in your Holy name. Amen!

Why I’m 30 and Terrified, but I’ll Soldier On…

Tomorrow I turn 30. What a number, isn’t it? Over the past few weeks I have pondered through my depression and thought– what on earth do I have to show for myself at this milestone? But after a close loved one told me time and time again that it’s just a number, I had to do some self reflecting and look at all the good things that I have done with myself, or for others to make such a number count.

Though insignificant they may seem, they might have just made the difference at the time in somebody’s life. No, I haven’t climbed Mt. Everest or seen the 7 wonders of the world. I may not have been to London or France, neither have I really traveled much through the United States either.

Countless times I am caught buying somebody else’s coffee orders in the Starbucks line even when they don’t know me, or I don’t know them. Sometimes I get a hug and a smile and other times I get just a “Thanks!” It makes my day when I am able to brighten somebody else’s with the gift of a random act of kindness and I suggest that anyone of you try it too. It will truly make a huge impact on your heart and make somebody truly thankful that there are still thoughtful people in the world.

I have had multiple different occupations through different fields of expertise and I am grateful to have broadened my knowledge over a vast array of different positions. This gift has provided me the expense of learning a lot of unique things about the world that I may not have otherwise ever known. The biggest impact on my life has been from the pharmacy field, where I truly have been able to make a difference. I wish to get back into pharmacy very soon, actually.

Reflecting today on years past, I can only think of the good things that I have done in my life. I have made a lot of people smile, cry tears of joy and done some philanthropic things. But what matters is I haven’t lost that spirit or  ability. So to 30, I say, “Bring it on. I will take the good with the bad and continue to make people smile. Because that’s what I am put here on Earth to do.”

Though 30 seems like a lot of years, it’s barely only a third of one’s lifetime. If we truly are meant to live until 100 or so. It’s not even a mid-life crisis, yet somehow I think that I’ve lost 30 years by turning 30 years because there is so much in life I haven’t done yet. But God willing, I’m going to get through that bucket list one item at a time at my own pace. Whether it takes 30 more years, or 60. I will keep marching forward!

It’s My Birthday!! It’s My Birthday!! (in Christ)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Happy Sunday, blog world.

I won’t keep any of you for too long but I wanted to kick off this week of posts about “New Beginnings” and Salvation as this marks my 1^st Birthday as an official Child of Christ. Yes, Today (a year ago) I was baptized for the first (and only) time in my life. I have scratched the insides of my brain trying to figure out how to embed a video of my baptism from my Tumblr site. So the best I can do is provide a link for you guys to click on that will open in a new window or tab of your browser. When it’s finished, you can close the window or tab and you’ll be back on this page.

https://www.tumblr.com/video_file/65267576987/tumblr_mvchprX58q1rncl2j

To kickstart my “Spiritual Birthday Week” I am enjoying all the same things I did exactly a year ago.

I have a luscious beef roast in the kitchen that’s simmering to perfection. Glory be to God for the invention of this thing called a Crockpot.

I am going to watch the exact same movie that I did with my friends in Indy that day. RED starring Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich with Mary-Louise Parker and Morgan Freeman.

The only things missing today from the original day are my Indy friends and my precious pooch, Mini Cooper.

AND YES… I WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE MY EYEGLASSES WITH PASTOR STEVE POE!

Hope all you wonderful guys and gals have a great close to the weekend. See y’all tomorrow back here on The Heart Mechanic!