Posted on by Kristina Knowles

The Gift of Forgiveness…

Is the greatest gift of all.

Have you ever been hurt, has someone broken your heart, did they trick you or lie to you? Yes, me too but I learned that forgiveness is the only way to live a happy, fulfilling, more meaningful life. Why or how you ask? It’s because living any other way will leave you bitter, mean, nasty, unhappy and not fun to be around. You will loose sleep, begin to age faster, your thoughts won’t be your thoughts because you will be preoccupied with hurt.

I’ve experienced my own hurt in my life, I thought I was over it but I quickly realized I wasn’t while attending weekly Mass one morning. It was so eye opening, it hit me like a brick. It was the revelation I needed to hear. I personally know God wants us to go to church for this very reason, you will hear or experience something that will directly help you or someone you know.

In I John 1: 4-9, you will notice that God is light and there is no darkness in Him in any way. God also wants us to be filled with joy, so beautiful. So when we fully admit that we are Christians, He believes us. God wants us to fellowship with Him, together and know that the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin and guilt, so awesome. We must admit and confess our sins, we need to stop living in sin and not lead other’s to sin, as well.

When we live in the hurt, we live in darkness. Yes, it’s true. It may be confusing but let me help you understand. Hurt is sadness, sadness is pain, pain is hurt. Hurt is Satan, Satan is the enemy. God doesn’t plan a bad life for you, in fact, it’s the opposite. God wants joy, happiness, greatness and most important LOVE for you and me. Sin is unforgiveness, letting the hurt continue to reck your life is like letting Satan take up camp in your life.

Please let today be the day you decide that the hurt from your past will not continue to rule your future. I am so grateful to God for letting me wake up today so I can share this good news with you. I pray you help someone that might need to read this today as well. I am here for you if you need me…

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

The Rescue Dog Affect…

Is worth their weight in gold.

Many, many school years ago I made a deal with my Son. If you make Honor Roll, you may adopt and rescue a dog. Well, he made it and we were off to the kennels within a 50 mile radious in Virginia, D.C. and Maryland. We continued to look high and low, near and   far. I was proud that my Son actually took the experience seriously, wanting to find the perfect fit.

One day we were visiting with family at American University in Washington, D.C. for a field hockey game. It was a beautiful fall day and we decided to have lunch in Georgetown after the game. Since there are several ways out of D.C. back to Maryland we were headed out on New York Avenue. It just so happens, on New York Avenue sits The Washington Humane Society, as we drove by we noticed they were still open and stopped in.

As we walked in, we got our normal “hi’s” and “hello’s”, signed in and proceeded to walk back to where the dogs were located. The ruckus began immediately when we opened the door, if you have ever been to a kennel, you know exactly what I am referring to. As we passed every single kennel, read every story we continued down the hall in anticipation. Was today we found our dog? And there sat Bentley, not barking, not getting up just sitting there looking at us with this expression on his canine face…What took you two so long? We had no idea about his breed[Giant Schnauzer], Jetty was his kennel name which had the first 4 letters of my last name[Majett] and he was super cool. This was our DOG!!!!

Jetty was his name, being a stay was his game. Jetty was found walking the streets of D.C., brought to The Washington Humane Society during the late rainy spring, adopted and then brought back to The Washington Humane Society again. Can you imagine our surprise that he was found, adopted and returned?! And now we wanted him immediately. However, the process would take a few weeks of a background check of us and WHS approval. In the background process they determined that the house we were living in belonged to my Mother, so we needed her permission. Yikes, I forget to mention this to my Mother because we were nervous she wouldn’t want us to have a dog in her big, beautiful house.  But as God would have it, she immediately gave us of her blessing.

Six years later, we are blessed beyond belief with our decision. I can’t thank my Mother enough for giving us permission, I am so grateful for the path we took that day because family was in town and I can’t thank God enough for these little blessings that end up being so major. We obviously changed Jetty’s name to Sir Bentley Schnauzer. Bentley has protected us far beyond words can imagine or describe. He is my fitness running buddy, my protector and friend .

God has created so many incredible blessings in animals. We must appreciate and care for the gifts He gives us. It’s a blessing to be given an animal to care for, love and nourish. However, owning an animal is not for everyone. Recognizing the fact that you shouldn’t or can’t own an animal is so important. To the person who let Bentley get away, along with the person who adopted Bentley and returned him gave us one of the biggest blessings of our lives-thank you. And most importantly, Thank you God!!!

 

 

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

I hate the hate against my Race…

the Human Race.

I recently put this title on my Facebook page. I got a few likes but no one questioned what I meant which was fascinating to me for so many reasons. First, because I am Bi-Racial, so which race was I referring to and secondly because in today’s climate people will speak out and ask but this time everyone kept quiet, did the comment go over everyone’s head or maybe because no one cared. All suitable reasons to me but I remained curious.

So let’s get back to that title, I don’t like hate. I really don’t like even typing the word hate, either. However, I have lived over 40 years on this great big beautiful planet called Earth to know better. I know that no matter who you are, how big or small, how tall or short, how beautiful or not so beautiful society says you are, how the color on your skin shows up; everyone has dealt with hate. Yes, it’s true, I have seen it with my own eyes day in and day out.

Some of you would like to think that one religion, creed, sex, color, ethnic group has it worse over the other but you are wrong. You are too blind to believe the truth because it’s easier for you to hide behind the negative agenda instead of embracing the truth, we all have felt hate in some form or another. I would think that this type of revelation would open the doors of happiness and love, instead of more hate, more violence. But again, that would be too easy and we must do things the hard way and continue to divide us all into groups. Instead of agreeing that we all have been hurt or hated against and it had nothing to do with race. Yes, I wrote it, nothing to do with RACE!!!

There is no denying that by living primarily with my beautiful Caucasian, Irish Mother, you might think I would hear some negative comments about me or my brother, no. Instead I heard the opposite, all compliments and praise. Maybe you might think I must have heard some racially motivated comments while spending weekends with my handsome African American, Native American Father, right!? No, wrong again, I felt safe, never afraid of who I was or what I looked like.

Don’t get me wrong, I saw something awful. I saw hate, in forms that had nothing to do with religion, creed, sex, color, ethnic group or racism but pure ignorance. I have straight friends and gay friends, I have friends who would be considered obese and friends who get teased that they have anorexia, I have friends who are too tall for being a woman and friends who are too short for being a man. I have friends that have been told they talk “black” and friends that “talk white”. I have friends that have hair that’s too curly or too straight, too long or too short. I have friends that feel too smart and friends who don’t feel smart enough, I have friends who have been called Nerdy, Jock, Princess, Goody-Goody, the list goes on and on and on. Does this resonate with any of you? We have been labeling people for decades without any of these labels having to do with race, just hate.

I am just asking you the next time you want to classify something as racism you might want to call it what it really is…hate. I have heard conversations of groups of women put other women down…hate. I have heard family members tease and make fun of other family members, that is not kind or loving but…hate. I have sat at a dinner table to listen to men put another colleague down, again hate. I have witnessed children bully other children, again not because of the color of their skin but pure…hate.

Don’t you get it, the world wants us to be at odds with each other, to create this divide against one another to promote hate and not love. Why? Because Satan would like nothing more than to have you let him move into your home and kick God out. God is love, God doesn’t ask us to hate but to love. And we are raising a society of people who don’t or can’t love themselves, self-hate is rampant. We need to lift each other up, stop the hate and start to love ourselves. I will close with racism does exist but more often than not, it’s truly just hate.

Don’t hate someone because they are different, love them because they are.

 

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

Please heed my warning…


Cherish every moment you have at this very minute with your children. Learn and don’t repeat the bad times, get out as much as you can from those horrible moments. Talk up and encourage the loving, nice times and reminisce often on the good things. Do this so you know how to be truly grateful and know when to celebrate your accomplishments and learn from your mistakes.

Never take your children for granted. Looking back with no regrets at the life you decided to have with your child or children is more rewarding than any job, any promotion or amount of money this world can give you.

Not too long ago my Son graduated from Kindergarten, then High School and just recently I went to Lackland Air Force Base to watch him graduate from Basic Military Training. Just so you know, there is nothing BASIC about BMT, in fact, it broke him and built him back up. My Son is not the Son I said good-bye to months before he entered his agreement to The United States Air Force. I am beyond proud of him and his recent accomplishments. And just because he is different, it’s a good different.

However, I am sitting here wondering where did all the time go. I mean, I read about this sort of thing and talked with my Mother about it but to actually go through it is different and a bit surreal. Real hard is more like it. The last 20 years flew by. He is a boy becoming a man at high speed. Not sure if he or I are ready for this but it’s happening whether we like it or not.

The good news is I planted seeds in him so long ago I was not worried or concerned. And I will continue to plant good seeds in him. We should, as a society, plant good seeds in all the children of this world those especially close to us.

So please remember, the amount of quality time we chose to spend with our children while they are small and impressionable is so very important. It’s the most important job we have to fulfill. Like God, He is always with us. Our children need to know that no matter what we will love them. Now that doesn’t mean we have to agree with their life choices but we must love them like God loves us…without conditions. Even when we sin, God loves us. Even on our worse day, God loves us.

Have an awesome day!

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

Pink ballet flats and a Scar…

I once heard that scars are a reminder that the past existed. Several years ago my wonderful birthday fell on Thanksgiving. As I looked at the pile of pink presents, I couldn’t wait to wear my new pink ballet flats my Mom bought me. And when I tried them on, I noticed the 4 inch scare on my foot that had become a distant memory. My son and I went on a camping trip to a friends cabin in Bluemont, Virginia one Memorial Day weekend. We didn’t know what to expect but the closer we got the sky was bigger and bluer, the mountains taller. It was just so gorgeous and peaceful. Our mornings started off with kayaking and taking in the sights. Our nights were relaxing and quiet. We were free from video games, emails, constant telephone calls and other distractions we’ve grown accustom too.

My son and I talked and laughed a lot, more so than normal. I was really glad we were able to take this trip together. On the morning of our departure, I was cleaning up after our meal and out of a bag of trash poked a piece of glass that ripped open the top of my foot as I walked by. I couldn’t believe my eyes, I think I went into a calm shock. My son rushed over, looked down at my foot and took over. He got a wet paper towel and tried to apply pressure in order to stop the bleeding. My son then picked me up, like I weighed nothing, and took me over to the truck. The owner of the cabin took us to the emergency clinic. Once I was seen by the Doctor, she told me that my son was asking about me and wanted to come to see me so he could cheer me up. I told her that he may come back, so he did and he started making me laugh. Seventeen stitches later we were back in our car headed home.

As I looked in the rear view mirror as we were leaving Virginia, I was smiling. Smiling ear to ear and so happy because I was so proud of my son. I needed to see my son in a different light, he showed me a side of him I never knew existed. The scar will be a positive reminder of our amazing weekend away to Bluemont, Virginia.

We should allow our children to know what it feels like to be responsible, take charge and be the greatness God put in each and every one of them.

Have an awesome day!

 

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

Seventeen years ago…

I severely sprained my ankle just before Christmas 2000. It was awful for so many reasons, but I realized that I would not be able to work out on a sprained ankle. It was a little over a year when my Doctor gave me the thumbs up to start exercising again. Unfortunately, in the process of healing I gained 30 pounds from not exercising and poor food choices. I got on the treadmill as soon as I returned home from my Doctors appointment.

In 12 weeks of hard work, I lost all the weight I had gained, thankfully. Something happened while I was in the process of working out. I wondered in amazement how did I let myself gain the 30 pounds just because I had a sprained ankle? I told myself I would never let that happen again. Then I injured my calf twice in 2006 and recently got a contusion to the elbow. I am optimistic with all my injuries because of my original mistake. I was disappointed with myself back in 2000 when I sprained my ankle, I didn’t research alternative ways to stay healthful or exercise and I should have. I have learned to walk instead of run, to lift weights for my upper body, to swim and eat healthy. I will no longer settle for dead ends that don’t help me, I’ll continue to research a better way when I am faced with a challenge.

God feels that exact same way about us, He wants us to rely on Him for all of our worries and concerns. God speaks to us in so many didn’t forms, we just need to be still and listen. I know God is with me every step of the way, He is with you too.

Have you ever thought that you didn’t have a way out of something challenging? Don’t fret or worry, there’s always a better solution to a problem. Listen for God’s instruction.

I hope you have a great day!

Posted on by Kristina Knowles

The $250 Million dollar Powerball…

Jackpot can make you dream like never before. The “What If” I win dream is a very powerful feeling when the jackpot is high. I really like thinking about all the wonderful things money has the power to afford me to do for others. It evokes grandiose dreams, charity donations and gifts to family and friends.  Lavish thoughts and splurges galore, all for a $1 ticket for a chance to win. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we didn’t have to wait for a lottery jackpot to dream big? Dreaming is free, we all are allowed to dream good intentions and happy thoughts about our friends and family, even complete strangers we would like to help.

Praying is a form of dreaming our heart makes. I pray that with a clean heart we can focus on so much good on our world and the world at large. It starts with me and you, to pray big Godly prayers. We should make time every day to pray so we can get closer to our real happiness. I believe true happiness comes when we can help our neighbors, friends and family right now, don’t wait for the lottery to be a jackpot winner or giver. We are all winners at this very moment, no ticket needed. God is the jackpot giver, He knows exactly what you need and when you need it. So be intent on praying for God’s jackpot plan for your life and not your own, I promise it’s better than you could imagine for yourself.

I have been blessed with amazing friends and family that have helped me beyond belief, I am so grateful.

Have a great day!