HANGING ON TO HOPE

Three years ago it happened – I was downsized in a company restructure, after having given a number of years of value to the company. In the new structure my role was redundant.

And, to cap it all, the job market was not then, nor is it now that great.

There was no option but to go it alone and so I became self- employed.

Those who have ever started, or attempted to start a business, know that without capital this is not an easy thing and, in addition, during this time I have experienced every negative ‘ism’, rejection, and loss of all things material. But, with a little help from my friends and faith in my God and Saviour, I am still here, still alive and still strong, even if it is often a little bit here, a little bit there.

You see, it is very simple. In difficult conditions we can choose either to carry on, or to quit. There is no third choice. Carrying on, and how we do it will mean different things to different people, as will quitting. But the choice will need to be made.

How we keep going, on a practical level, will differ from person to person, but one thing is certain, we must keep going and we must have hope. Hope, that belief in things we don’t yet see. There is an old saying, where there is life there is hope. True. And we can also ponder on good old Abraham who ‘against all hope in hope believed’.

While there is breath in my body, your body, there is hope. Things can turn around in an instant, if we keep going, but not if we quit. If we quit we close all doors and hope fades into darkness.

Where are you today. Breathing? Then I urge you to keep going, one second at a time if necessary, but do not quit, do not give up your hope.  Look higher, look further, look outside your circumstances.

For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord……..Plans to give you hope and a future.

Yes, it may be hard to do, but hanging tightly onto hope is the first step in achieving your dreams.

Terri Codd Corporate Training & Life Coach: 076 751 3556: coddterri@gmail.com: terricodd.blogspot.com 

HALLOWEEN – the Evil Behind the Fun

When you hear the word "halloween" what goes through your mind? Kids in costumes, fun, trick or treat? But in reality, Halloween openly promotes death, devils, witches and flagrant "appearances of evil.”

But where did Halloween come from?

Halloween began over 2,000 years ago among the Celts and their pagan priests called the Druids. Witchcraft, Satanism, paganism and virtually all facets of the occult acquire instruction from the Druids. From the popular jack-o’-lantern, trick-or-treat, costumes, to the pranks, ghoulish ghosts, demons, goblins and witches – Halloween owes its morbid birth to the Druids. 

The Druids celebrated two special nights of the year: Beltane and Samhain. Beltane took place on May 1 and marked the birth of summer. Samhain occurred on November 1 and signified the death of summer. Samhain, a night celebrating death and hell, was the Druids most important ritual. It was a terrifying night of human sacrifices. And it was the original Halloween. 

The Druids believed, during Samhain, the mystic veil separating the dead from the living opened. The Druids taught these roaming spirits loosed on Samhain went searching for a body to possess. The frightened Celts would masquerade as demons, evil spirits and ghosts (hence today's costumes) hoping to convince the roaming evil spirits, they were another evil spirit, and leave them alone. The Celts also prepared meals as "treats" to appease the evil spirits from "tricks" or malicious acts; hence our custom of "trick or treat." 

Let there be no doubt—Samhain night was a terrifying "covenant with death, and with hell." The rituals of the Druids reek from the deepest hell. Their most repulsive activities involve their human sacrifices of children on the night of Samhain or Halloween. 

The Druids also celebrated the festival of Beltane. The word Beltane literally means the "fires of Bel." Bel is the same god called Baal, found over 80 times in the King James Bible. INATION O

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Understanding the hellish history of Halloween—why in the world did decent people so embrace it? What magic "trick" transformed rancid Samhain into the giddy Halloween?

As the Catholic missionaries swarmed Britain and Ireland seeking the mass conversion to Catholicism their order from Pope Gregory in 601 A.D. was to cunningly convert the Druid rituals into Catholic rituals. The Catholics converted the ritual of Samhain into the festival of All Saint’s Day, a day of celebration and prayer to dead "Saints." 

Rather than extinguish old customs, the church leaders provided ‘Christian versions’ of them: from the Middles Ages on, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day replaced the ancient Celtic celebrations of the dead. 

The Catholic festival of All Saints Day was also known as All Hallows Day, with the word "hallow" replacing "saints." The day before All Hallows Day (October 31) was recognized as All Hallows Eve. Eventually, All Hallows Eve became Hallows Eve; hallow’even; hallow’en and ultimately today’s Halloween. 

While Halloween masquerades as childish fun and frolic, it’s serious business in the occult world. Witchcraft, Wicca, Satanism and paganism believe, on the night of Halloween, devils and spirits are unleashed. They perform their most hideous and potent rituals on the night of Halloween. This is the "Witch’s New Year" and the primary Sabbat from which all others fllow. 

The ornaments decorating Halloween came directly from the Druids and the occult.  Masks and costumes carry a long history in the occult and demon possession. Masks are contacts to the spirit world to invite the spirit to "possess" them. 

So, before becoming part of the ‘innocent’ fun of Halloween, perhaps ask yourself do you really want to risk opening a Pandora’s box in your life that you will not be able to control?

Terri Codd Corporate Training & Life Coach: 076 751 3556: coddterri@gmail.com: terricodd.blogspot.com 

THE POWER OF CHOICE

Eventually your little choices are going to become habits that affect the bigger decisions you make in life. ― Jim George

One of the most powerful attributes of being a human being is the ability to make rational, thought through choices. 

So why is it we so often fail to make use of this powerful ability that is unique to the human race? 

I was recently watching a documentary focused on diabetes, the theme of which was how much pain, suffering and death could be prevented if people would only make better lifestyle choices.

But the fact is, 21^st century living offers so much choice that we end up choosing between items on offer, rather than choosing a lifestyle approach or philosophy. 

In real terms choosing between various brands of cool drinks offering various synthetic sweeteners, low calorie options etc, to choose the least harmful, where the real lifestyle choice would be to choose to drink water instead of any of the above. 

And it is the same with most other choices. 

We tend to filter them through the “gratification filter” instead of cutting to the real choice. 

Does that mean we need to live ascetic, miserable lives with no pleasures? 

No, but it does mean that perhaps we need to consider our choices from broader perspectives. 

The biggest cause of death today is probably the tongue – we satisfy taste before our bodily nutrition needs, and we use it to tell ourselves that this is the way I am, my genes and so on.

It starts with that decision to change my lifestyle, slowly at first perhaps, but with each day building one upon the other.

Remember, today you have the choice between life and death – choose life.

Terri Codd Corporate Training & Life Coach: 076 751 3556: coddterri@gmail.com: terricodd.blogspot.com