Friday, August 24, 2012

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

More Stuff Happening

My last bulletin cover:

It’s been one of those weeks. It’s been a week where God has broken through the lies I was listening to and reminding me to guard myself with His truth, His word. I was “winging” it and it wasn’t working. I was retreating to old patterns when I’ve been called to live in victory. So I turn to the Truth, the Word. I’m again blown away and by the faithfulness of my Heavenly Father. I am overwhelmed as He patiently loves me through my fickleness. Then Thursday I get two phone calls. One is that my cousin, who is a 38yr old father of three with adrenal carcinoma, is at home waiting for hospice to arrive and assist him in his last days. Then there is another call that our beloved PW (Pastor Wayne) is in the hospital struggling for his life. What? And yet because has been preparing me all week I have peace. Yes, my heart hurts, I am sad, I weep, but I have peace. These are two men that know our precious God and He knows them even more. I believe God is teaching me repeatedly about the comfort His sovereignty brings. On Wednesday there was a song that kept running through my head, a song that I know is dear to the hearts of the body of believers. I know that it was another way God was preparing me for the news I received Thursday. Let’s encourage each other to continue to trust the Almighty Omnipotent God, who has all things in His hands for the good of those who love him. And, oh, how we love Him.

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name
 
Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name
 
Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name
 
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
 
Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name



Update:

This was written last week, and Sunday morning I received the call that my
cousin Bill had passed away. Pray for his wife, kids, sibling, parents, all that
knew and loved him. I can't pretend that Bill and I were super close.
But these things I knew of him:

  • He was very smart
  • He was funny
  • If I ever heard him complain (which was rare) he did it w/ a smile on his face or in a joking manner
  • He loved his wife. I'm sure they weren't perfect but from my view I could tell they were a team. I never heard him put her down.
  • He loved his kids. He would be excited about what they were doing and what he did with them, not afraid to boast about their accomplishments, or their character.
  • I had no doubt that if I was ever in a pickle I could call him, He was loyal
  • He was a great guy, loved by many.
Love you Bill. See you soon.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Stuff Happens

My most recent bulletin cover...

Sometimes stuff happens. Stuff that you never thought would happen to you, or your family. This stuff is hard, and complicated and it wears you out. You try to fix it, make it better, knock sense into people with your words. Nothing works because you are not God. Instead you become exhausted, drained, worn out. It was never yours to fix. You have to learn this the hard way of course. But, God is full of grace, always there, using every moment to bring healing in His own perfect way. He can be firm, but oh, so gentle, as He reminds us.....

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." Matthew 11:28-30

The Message




Let’s take a nap in His lap today...shall we? In fact...I think I just might stay there.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Grateful In All

This was originally written for my church bulletin cover...


“Lion on a leash." That is what Ann Voskamp calls Satan in her book One Thousand Gifts. I first heard of her through her blog where I saw her list. Her ongoing list of things to be thankful for. So I started one too. Now and then I remember the list and I meditate on the little and the big things in my life that I can be thankful for and jot them down. I recently started reading her book and was reminded that a life fully lived is not just thankful in the moments of wiggly baby toes, morning grass adorned with dew drops, and ice cream cones. I thought I knew this. Yes...of course we are to be thankful in all things. God uses all things for our good (Romans 8:28), so no matter how hard it is we thank Him and bless His name just like the song says.
Yet when it happens, what do I do? Do I pout? Often I do. Don’t get me wrong. There are times when hard things have happened and I have felt the blanket of the Lord wrap around me and hold me while I mourned and He never gave me a chance to pout. Then there are times where something minor happens that throws me for a loop and I’m pouting and wondering “why me?” as if I should be living a life free of hurt. That wouldn’t be a full life though. Life in itself is full of so many different experiences and how we deal
with them is up to us. When the bad comes am I thankful that though Satan is a fierce lion, he is still on a leash? No matter how much he tries, he can only
roar and perhaps scratch me from time to time, but his leash keeps him from
devouring what belongs to Christ. Am I thankful for the chance to grow closer to and stronger in Jesus? Allow me to continue my list here, finding something to be thankful for in a few of the harder things....





81.
Entangled in someone’s gossip....reminds me to hold my own tongue



82.
Friend claims to no longer believe in God.....my own assurance of faith is challenged and now stronger than ever



83.
Miscarriage.....chance to experience the Love and comfort of Jesus in a new amazing way



84.
Death of family friend...... thankful for time w/ her, reminder that life here is but a breath



85.
Whining children...reminded that I must sound that way to God sometimes



86.
Situation not going my way.....chance to break free from selfishness



87.
Exhausted..... this means that I have a life blessed with good things and people to wear me out



88.
Never ending to do list.... opportunity to serve



89.
Lonely times....moments to just be with the Lord



90.
The unknown.... the adventure.



Monday, June 13, 2011

Grateful


61. kids who can pour their own cereal
62. school out for the summer
63. reminders that my life is cake (thus the list to keep me in check!)
64. baby toes
65. summer breeze
66. happy birds
67. chance meetings w/ old friends
68. simplifying
69. sharing hand me downs
70. cool summer mornings
71. sister reading to little brother
72. surviving yard sales
73. air conditioning (this might be a repeat)
74. libraries
75. blogging mamas
76. phone chats with dad
77. generous parents
78. daughter's curls
79. washing machine's
80. grace

Confessions...

...of a failed blogger. Seriously! How hard is it to get on here and bare your soul? I've tried different things to motivate me on here. Maintaining consistency is often my downfall. Usually my people pleasing nature trumps the previous mentioned flaw, but since I don't know if anyone really reads this my pleasing side has no motivation. Of course I need to acknowledge the four kids I am a mother to and all the other household/wifely duties and baring my soul falls down on the list. But I will NOT give up! I will still visit this place, try new 30 day "fill in the blank" challenges and continue my list of things I'm grateful for.
Soul exposures of the day....
  1. Listened to a radio program today where a woman reminded me that in order to be more in tuned to the Spirit's discernment I need to walk so much closer with my Lord. I let this fall by the wayside to easily. I talk to Him on and off all the time, but I treat this relationship to casually. Time for a change.
  2. She also reminded me that it's not about us loving God, but that He's crazy in love with us. So freeing as I know I fail in my expression of love to Him constantly. His love overflows all my gaps.

Monday, February 21, 2011

It's been way too long....



46. ­­The sun shining through my car windows, warming my face.

47. 60 + degree weather in February

48. Friends giving birth to healthy babies

49. Hearing of women pumping their own breast milk for the new baby of a friend with breast cancer

50. Little boys who yell “Merry Christmas!” at 6:30 am in February

51. The reminder of complete acceptance by God

52. Dark chocolate truffles

53. Books

54. The Internet for maintaining relationships with my dear ones

55. Zumba!

56. God’s timing

57. My man and I being on the same page

58. Tiny greens peeking through the dirt...signs of spring!

59. Coffee

60. Flip Flops