Category: Uncategorized

He Is At Work- Part 4

by thefaithfilledtraveler, posted in He Is At Work, Uncategorized

This blog week I have been sharing with you various ways that the Lord has been at work through my new adventure of personal shopping. From the grocery store isles to the produce department, he has been busy reminding me that there is no such thing as “perfect” and that there are just somethings that we do not have control over in this life. But, the one thing that has been most obvious each day is that he is at work through me and the people that I am meeting.

See, in an attempt to help my family financially during my daughters leukemia battle, the Lord is using this experience to connect me & my customers together for reasons that we may or may not be aware of in the present, as well as provide a much needed service. I have met elderly individuals/couples who rely on personal shoppers, like myself, for their groceries due to their inability to drive . There have been moms who are home with small children that I have delivered to who reminded me of myself when my children were younger. It was so darn hard to take them shopping with me and unload the groceries when I returned home. Not to mention those who have been ill and unable to get to the grocery store.

The scenario’s that I have mentioned here are only a few that I have encountered . There have been many. But I will tell you that something has come out of each one of them. Whether the Lord used them to teach, show or remind me &/or my customers of something, he has certainly been at work in the process of this whole adventure. It’s so beautiful honestly. I just never know what is going to transpire when I drive up to their home, condo, apartment or place of employment in my little Chevrolet Sonic. But I am certain that the Lord will show up and be at work in the midst of it all!

On that note, I will end there. I apologize that I did not get this last blog post for the week out on Thursday as usual. Please give me grace. (LOL) . Let’s plan on meeting back here on Monday and on Facebook until then. Have a great weekend and a beautiful Easter Sunday with those that you love! Take care !!!

Warmest regards,

Salina Watson

He Is At Work- Part 3

by thefaithfilledtraveler, posted in He Is At Work, Uncategorized

In a grocery store setting, what does produce, empty shelves and improper bagging of groceries all have in common? Well, if you recently ventured out into the world of personal shopping to help support your family during your daughters leukemia battle, it could be that they all have the potential to drive you CrAzY! At least that is the case for me.

Take the produce department at your local grocery store for instance. Have you ever stood there looking for a piece of fruit for any length of time to only find all of them bruised, blemished or too ripe? What about the little bags that you put them in? Did it take you forever to get them open? I know, what about the one product that you desperately need that they don’t have or getting home to find that your meat is bagged with the soap you just purchased?  Oh my goodness, all of these things have happened to me on more than one occasion as I raced through the stores attempting to deliver my customers groceries to them on time and they have honestly been so frustrating.

So what does any of this have to do with our topic of HE IS AT WORK this week? Well, it has everything to do with it. See, each time a scenario as such or similar occurs, the Lord is at work teaching me that I don’t have control over any of them; therefore, I must learn to let them go. I’m laughing at myself as I type this because it so silly. I mean….it’s groceries, Salina. But this goes back to what I shared with you yesterday in regards to the things that my grandfather said to me as a young girl that I have carried into my adult life like, “If you’re going to do something, DO IT”! And ” Your name is on everything you do”.  Although these things were said to me out of love, over the years I have allowed them to weigh me down and expect more from myself than anyone else can possibly expect from me.

With that said, I am still learning. But I am further along in the process than I was 3 weeks ago. Thank goodness. My hope in sharing this with you today is that you will some how see yourself in this and begin to give yourself grace. For he did not die on a cross for any of us to live in bondage. And by expecting things from ourselves that we do not have control over, we are essentially keeping ourselves bound.

Happy Thursday, my friends! Make it a great one! Take care!!!

Warmest regards,

Salina Watson

 

 

 

He Is At Work- Part 2

by thefaithfilledtraveler, posted in He Is At Work, Uncategorized

What type of work could the Lord possibly be doing in the heart of a personal shopper? Well, as The Faith Filled Traveler who has been traveling around town the past few weeks shopping for others, I can tell you that he is definitely at work in me and that he is using things like peanut butter and fruit snacks to do it. Yes, you heard that right…peanut butter and fruit snacks.

Since I was a young girl I learned the importance of hard work. My grandfather would always say, ” Salina, if you’re going to do something…DO IT”! In other words, do it 100%. He would also say, “You’re name is on everything that you do”. Although this advice was good and given to me with a loving heart, it has weighed me down more times than I care to admit.

See…when I do anything and I mean ANYTHING, I want to do it the best that I possibly can. This sometimes means taking a little longer to do whatever it is that I am doing to ensure that it is done right, or at least  done “right” in my eyes. It can also mean checking, double checking and sometimes even triple checking myself . That said,  as a personal shopper, you are racing against a clock to deliver groceries to your customers by a designated time. You don’t have time to check, check and recheck.

Although this process has been a little difficult for me, it has really helped me to let go of my need to be “perfect” and to be confident in my work from the start. I am able to quickly check the quality of the product and it’s expiration date and move on to the next. Now, I will not say that I have mastered this, but I am a whole lot better at it now than I was 3 weeks ago.

My point? The Lord is teaching me to be confident in my work from the start and to give myself some slack. He is also showing me that being “perfect” is an illusion that will never be obtained. For the only thing “perfect” in this life is he. Everything else is a work in progress! Rest in knowing that, my friends!

I’ll see you here tomorrow as we continue our talk on HE IS AT WORK and on Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/thefaithfilledtraveler/  this afternoon! Make it a great day! Take care!

Warmest regards,

Salina Watson

 

Lessons Learned- Part 2

by thefaithfilledtraveler, posted in Lessons Learned, Uncategorized

What lesson could one possibly learn or be reminded of from a pair of aqua colored smores dress socks? Well… I can’t answer for everyone, but as the mother of the young man who was wearing them to prom underneath his navy blue suit this past Saturday night, the reminder was clear…..DO NOT TAKE LIFE SO SERIOUSLY! HAVE FUN! ENJOY!

As a wife and mother of nearly 27 years, I have always been very focused and intentional. I have a plan for everything that I do and a reason for it, too. Although these two qualities can be beneficial to some degree, they can also be harmful if I am not careful. See, by being so focused on what I am doing, I can miss the opportunity to enjoy each moment. That is, I can miss the opportunities to laugh , have fun and be playful with those that I love. Can you relate to this at all?

I think that this is one of the many things that the Lord was referring to in John 10:10 when he said, ” I have come that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.” While we do have responsibilities that must be taken care of, he wants us to enjoy the life we have been given. This means, making room for fun, laughter, playfulness while tending to our obligations. Yes, there are obviously times when we must be serious, but in the grand scheme of things, the majority of life is really not so serious. And I am talking to myself here as much as I am talking to you.

So, how do we that? How do we make keep from making everything so darn serious? I don’t have the answer to that entirely, but I am going to start by looking for things that bring me joy when I enter a room. Whether that is someone who is smiling,  a child that is laughing or being silly, I am going to strive to take note of those things with the hope that they will set the tone for whatever it is that I am doing. And if you have a suggestion, please share. The good Lord only knows that I need a little help in this department.

Have a great weekend, guys! I’ll plan on seeing you here on Monday! Take care!

Warmest regards,

Salina Watson

Lessons Learned

by thefaithfilledtraveler, posted in Lessons Learned, Uncategorized

 

 

Have you ever noticed how the Lord uses the ordinary everyday things in our lives to teach us new things or to remind us of old? Although I believe there is  room to learn and grow in everything that we do, I feel like there are times when he magnifies certain lessons. Or, maybe it’s just that we are more aware of them.

This was the case for me this past weekend when my son, Montana was preparing for his senior prom. As I sat back watching it all unfold, there were several lessons that I was reminded of. One of the greatest of these was that those who care for us the most will be by our side through the good and not so good. Thankfully, prom was an example of the good.

I’m pretty sure my daughter’s, Morgan and Mariah were just as excited about Montana’s special day as he was, maybe even more so. They were helping him dress, offering advice, snapping pictures before he left the house to pick up his date and even joined us for pictures with his friends at a little village near our home. They did this all while grinning ear to ear. It was priceless. As their mother, it made me so proud.

See, those that care for us  the most will celebrate with us. They will grieve with us, too. They are the ones that will be by our side through it all. But they are rare. Not everyone is intended to fill these shoes.  For I believe that the Lord has strategically placed certain special people in our lives that are meant to be our partners in this way. The good news is, we will not have to search for them. They will show up. Just keep your eyes and ears open. You’ll soon notice the one’s that are always there when you need them and often when you don’t realize that you do.

Warmest regards,

Salina Watson

 

Things Can Change In An Instant

by thefaithfilledtraveler, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning, everyone! Happy Monday! Where in the world did the weekend go? It vanished in a blink! I feel like there should be a law that everyone must take 3 days off each week. Two days doesn’t seem like enough, does it?  After all, it takes one day to recover from the previous week , another to prepare for the upcoming week, and then you have to find time for recreation in between.  Can I please get an amen this morning?!?!

Well…now that we have that out of the way, lets get started. Have you noticed how things don’t always go as planned? I mean you can have good intentions for your day, but then something happens that throws everything off course. This was the case for the Watson’s yesterday.  While one of our children and their friend were running a quick errand, they were hit by another vehicle. The driver of that vehicle darted out of the median into oncoming traffic. Thankfully, everyone involved were okay; however, it left the two of them saying, “It’s strange how things can change in a matter of minutes.”

It’s true! Life as we know it can change in an instant. And it generally happens without notice, as with the accident. I’m sure each of you can relate to this on some level.  I know I sure can. There have been many times in my own life where I was blind sided by things that completely changed the course of my life.  It was as though, life as I knew it up until then stopped and a new life began. Although not every unexpected event will have this type of effect on us, they will certainly effect us in someway.

Can you think of a time when something happened unexpectedly in your life? How did it make you feel in that moment? Was it something that changed the course of your day, or did it impact your life? This is what we will be talking about this blog week. My hope is that we will some how be able to see the Lords hand in it all. While I do not think that he causes unforeseen things to happen to us , I do believe that he allows them so that we can learn and grow as a result of them. I hope that you will stick around as we dive deeper into this topic this week. I’ll see you here tomorrow. Take care!

Warmest regards,

Salina Watson

 

 

 

Could Anticipation of The Future Keep Us From Embracing The New?

by thefaithfilledtraveler, posted in Embracing The New, Uncategorized

ISAIAH 43:19(NLT) – FOR I AM ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING NEW. SEE, I HAVE ALREADY BEGUN! DO YOU NOT SEE IT? I WILL MAKE A PATHWAY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS. I WILL CREATE RIVERS IN THE DRY WASTELAND.

This blog week we have been talking about different ways we can potentially miss seeing the beautiful new things that the Lord is doing in our lives. One way is by doing things that no longer serve us. Although they may have served a purpose in our past, they may not in our present.  The second way is through our personal agenda’s. Sometimes we can be so focused on it that we miss all that he is doing in the process. This brings me to the third and final way, which is anticipation of the future.

How many of you at the end of last year were looking forward to the beginning of 2019? Perhaps 2018 was not exactly what you had hoped it would be, and you were wanting a clean slate. Or, maybe it was everything & more than you could have imagined and you were excited about what was to come. Whatever the case may have been for you, could it have kept you from truly seeing all that he was doing at the time? If you’re anything like me, likely so. Sometimes we can be so focused on the future that we miss the gifts that are hidden in the present.

The truth is, each day that we are given the Lord is doing something new in and through us all. It is the point of our existence.  We were not meant to stay as we are, but rather become all that he created us to be. It is a process, my friends. That is, we are a work in progress. Let us strive to embrace the new by living every moment fully present. In doing so, we will begin to see the “pathways” and “rivers” before us! I am sure of it!

Thank you all for being here this week. Please send me your thoughts and ideas on anything that we covered. I always love hearing from you guys!  Otherwise, I’ll see you back here on Monday and on Facebook-  https://www.facebook.com/thefaithfilledtraveler/ , until then. Happy weekend! Take care!

 

Warmest regards,

Salina Watson

 

 

 

Are Our Schedules Keeping Us From Embracing The New?

by thefaithfilledtraveler, posted in Embracing The New, Uncategorized

Could our busy schedules be keeping us from embracing the new that the Lord is attempting to do in our lives? Are we so focused on our own agenda’s that we are failing to see the things that he is doing before our eyes? Although I cannot speak for you guys, I, for one, can see where this has been the case in my own life.

As a planner, I generally have my days planned out in advance. From the time that I wake up until I go to bed, I have a To-Do list of task that I check off each day. This combined with daily disciplines that I rarely veer from, like going to the gym help me to stay focused, be productive and achieve goals. This routine all started when my children were younger. During that time, I was working long hours and trying desperately to be the best wife and mother I could be. In order to do that, I woke up extra early and worked from a To-Do list that prioritized things that were important me. I didn’t want to jeopardize my family and their needs for the sake of building a career.

That said, over the years I have grown more and more dependent on my To-Do list. Because of this, I often have to step back , regroup and remind myself not to be so laser focused on the task at hand, that I miss the things that the Lord is doing in my life. After all, our journey here on earth is all about him and his plan for us, right?

So, what about you? Is it possible that your schedule could be keeping you from seeing and experiencing the things that the Lord is trying to do in your life? If so, are you willing to forgo somethings throughout your day in order to embrace it?  I sure hope so. For he is doing new thing, my friends! Let’s dare not miss it!

Warmest regards,

Salina Watson

Embracing The New

by thefaithfilledtraveler, posted in Uncategorized

Hello there…happy Monday! How was your weekend? With a few things on our schedule, the Watson’s were busy bee’s. However, we did manage to slow down for the majority of the day yesterday to celebrate my oldest daughter’s birthday. Although it was a simple celebration, the time that I spent with my family combined with the conversations that we had throughout the day were pretty special. Well, enough about me. Let’s get started with this blog weeks topic.

Have you noticed how new construction seems to be popping up everywhere? I feel like every time I turn around there is a new business &/or home being developed. To be honest, I often fail to notice them during the construction phase. It isn’t until they are completed that I find myself wondering how I missed the whole process of them being built, which can take months…years. I think this holds true for the new things that the Lord is trying to build in and through us. We often miss the construction phase in pursuit of our own agenda’s. Or, we are so focused on the old that we do not recognize the new things that he is currently doing.

The word says in Isaiah 43:19 (NLT)- “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” Guys, do you hear what I am saying? The Lord is creating beautiful new things in, through and around us, and we are missing them. That is, we are missing the blessing’s that are taking place in the space between that which is old and new.

For the next few days we are going to talk about 3 things that keep us from missing the “construction phase” in our own lives. I hope that you will join me each day and that by the end of the blog week we will be more aware of these things so that we can embrace the beautiful new things that the Lord is doing. Will you join me? I hope so. Have a great Monday! Take care!

Warmest regards,

Salina Watson

 

 

 

Blessings That Are Found In The Ordinary

by thefaithfilledtraveler, posted in Blessings, Uncategorized

Do you suppose that the Lord could be using every day things to bless us with answers to prayers? Or, to confirm that we are on the right path? As silly as it may sound, I’m talking about things like t-shirts. Yes, t-shirts. Could he be using ordinary things in our day to day to bless us? Of course he is!

Yesterday I received this t-shirt from a friend that I have not seen in well over a year.  I met her while on a retreat in October 2017, and I have only seen & spoken to her a couple of times since.  During the retreat I shared a little bit about my running journey that started in August 2013 with her and a small group of ladies. I told them how when I first started I could not run halfway around the track near our home without stopping and gasping for air. Yes, it was awful and a little funny, too. But, with time, patience, and persistence, I managed to build up to 16miles , and I still faithfully run to this day, some 5.5 years later.

During that time, I distinctly remember hearing a small still voice say, “Meet me at the track”. In fact, I heard it many times over the course of that year.  What I began to realize is that the Lord was using my training time to teach me new things about myself, and most importantly about him. See, the running adventures had very little to do with running at all, and everything to do with what the Lord was trying to do in me as a result of them.

Fast forward to today, where I find myself in new territory with a blog and creating t-shirts to sale to help support my family & fund my daughters adventure, I received the reminder above. That is, I received a blessing from the Lord in the form of a t-shirt reminding me that it is not about my blog or t-shirt designs, but rather what he is doing in me as a result of them, and that I am on the right path. Guys, I was in tears. I mean ugly tears. Especially when I found out that she has had the shirt ready for about a month; although, she delivered it yesterday. My friends, do you see the blessings surrounding this? It was all in the Lord’s time. I received the shirt at the time that I needed it most. And what blessing it was … it is !

So what have you been praying for? Are you needing a confirmation that you are on the right path? Look around! I am certain that he is blessing you with the answers that you are seeking, and that he is using the ordinary things to do it. Don’t miss it! It’s beautiful,  so…so beautiful! Keep your eyes, ears and hearts open to the blessings around you. They will likely not come as you expect for them to, but rather how they are intended to!

Make it a great Wednesday, everyone. As always, I’ll plan on seeing you on Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/thefaithfilledtraveler/ later today and here tomorrow morning as we wrap up the blog week. Take care!

Warmest regards,

Salina Watson