1
Apr 13

ABC Award

Posted on April 13, 2013 by admin

Thanks to lsmcreation.com, I have been nominated for the ABC award.  Apparently, receiving this award obligates me to a list of nominations along with an alphabet describing myself.  But spending a whole blog post dedicated to describing myself sounds a little torturous to write. So instead of describing myself, I will give attributes of God that have recently touched my life.

God is…..

 

All-knowing   God is not surprised.  Ever.

Bountiful   My resources run dry.  But God’s never does.

Caring  I can unload it all on Him.

InDescribable  It takes my breathe away to know that God’s, love, mercy, and kindness extends far beyond what I can fathom.

Eternal  He is forever.  I have no fear that He will ever leave me.

Faithful  God is always with me.  Loving me.  Protecting me.  Even when I am unfaithful.

Gracious  The harder I fall, the more grace God lovingly extends.

Holy  I don’t deserve to be in His presence.

Independent   He does not rely on anything or anyone.  His joy is not dependent on me but my joy is dependent on Him.

Jealous  He is jealous for me.

Kind  I see His tenderness as He bestows countless blessings on my life.

Loving  Wow.  That amazing, incredible, and passionate love changes everything.

Merciful  His mercy extends beyond my imperfection.  And that’s an awful lot.

Near  Because of Christ’s sacrifice, I can reside in His presence.  Knowing He is always with me gives me confidence.

Omnicipant  He knows it all.  He is never surprised.  That slowly erodes my fears.

Powerful.   God’s immense power consumes the fear in my life.

Quiet  His gentle spirit calms my soul.

Righteous  His perfection is my salvation.

Sovereign  God is in control.  This  both overwhelms me and de-stresses me.

Trustworthy   He is worthy of my trust even though I often withdraw it.  But when I extend my trust to Him,  He always blesses me.

Uncontrollable    Despite my actions, God is in complete control.  His plan does not depend on me.

Versatile  He is limitless.  That is a huge comfort when I can not possibly see any good.

Wise  I cannot fully understand.  But He does.

X-ray vision  God sees past my outward appearance and into my heart.  That is humbling.

Yahweh  He is; He will be.  I can depend on His presence.

Zealous  He passionately pursues His glory.  And I am part of His plan.

 

My nominations:

simplybeth.blogspot.com

http://www.behindthegateblog.com/

http://www.intentionallyyours.org

www.mychristiandevotionalblog.com

http://biblelovenotes.blogspot.com

*Nominees, please copy the award picture for your post.  Describe yourself using the alphabet and then list your own nominees.

 

Posted in Award | Tagged | 1 Comment
5
Apr 11

Messy Glory

Posted on April 11, 2013 by admin

 

DSCN7299Spaghetti is Leesy’s favorite food.  She shoves it in by the fistful - oblivious to the tomato sauce smeared on her face, hands, highchair, and floor.

But I still continue to feed her spaghetti.   Even though, I know that she will be messy.

DSCN7301

 

In the same way, God created me in spite of my mess.  He knew my life would be a messy portrayal of His glory – yet He chose me anyway. 

He knew I would fight, struggle, distrust, and fail.  Yet, He loved me.  And desired me.

But He doesn’t see the fight, struggle, distrust, and failure in me.  He see’s His son.  The one I nailed to the Cross.

And yet, He loved me.

He desired me.

He chose me.

And that takes my breathe away.

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.  God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.  He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

                                                                                                  Ephesians 1:4-8

YouTube Preview Image

 

 


Posted in Inspirational Moments, Love | Tagged , , | 5 Comments
4
Apr 10

My Bubble

Posted on April 10, 2013 by admin

DSCN7307Abby has been an avid bubble lover since she was about 18 months old.  We had this giant bubble wand that she would play with for hours.  I loved to watch the wonder in her eyes as those round, colorful balls bounced in the wind.

Eight years later, she still loves bubbles.  She teaches her little brothers and sister how to make bubbles, and most of all, how to catch them.

YouTube Preview Image

But I live in my bubble.  It’s my safe place.  Secure.  Familiar.

And when I rely on my circumstances and my control for security, I have neglected my only true protection, and instead, created a false sense of security.

And not so long ago, it controlled me.

I had to park in the same place, sit in the same seats, and walk the same route.  I avoided confrontation.  I held tight barriers.  Fearful for anyone to find my depraved state.

Relying on myself to create and sustain my bubble was a constant source of fear.  I knew I was inadequate to maintain such a delicate balance.

But then, my heart softened and I realized that I don’t need that bubble.

God is my comfort.  My security.

He is my bubble.

I used to consider God’s love only relevant to my salvation.  But God’s love is powerful, intimate, and personal.  Once I reconciled my false delusion of His love with this TRUTH, I could reside in His comfort and in His protection.

And so, I constantly praise God for His release from my bondage to my bubble.  I   struggle daily with the temptation to seek comfort and security outside of His love, and sometimes I fall, and sometimes hard  - but it does not control me.  God’s love has given me the choice.

 I choose His comfort OR false comfort.

And so, when I park across the lot, sit up front at church, try a new route, or confide my struggles with a friend – I praise God.  I may still be weak, but I know – in the depths of my heart – that God loves me.  His strength has lifted the burden of the bubble.

And I choose Him.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

Hebrews 6:19 NIV

 

Posted in Inspirational Moments, Love | Tagged , , | 4 Comments
3
Apr 08

All the Glory

Posted on April 8, 2013 by admin

Lunch included a  sandwich, animal crackers, and applesauce.   But apparently, I have been depriving my children of applesauce.  Because it was a huge hit.

Especially for Eli.  He slowly slurped his applesauce out of his spoon.

He was absolutely delighted by the treat.

The Turtle Eating Applesauce

Delight

But my greatest treat, my delight, is in God’s love.

But sometimes that delight fades when my heart wanders.  And then, when I turn inward, I suffocate in my own strength.  In my own hope.  My own confidence.

I enjoy, with all my heart, writing these blog posts.  I love to share God’s marvelous works.  I love to encourage.  And I love the writing process.  I have found my sweet spot.

However, last weekend, I struggled.

     I couldn’t find inspiration.

                               My words labored on the page.

                                          I was discouraged with my lack of  impact.

                             I doubted God’s hand in the project.

But after a few days of self condemnation, I realized that I had begun to rely on my own ability.  I had begun to place my confidence in my own reflections of God’s work in my life.

 It had become my work, not God’s work.

With my hope in myself, my confidence shattered.  My hope failed.  My strength withered.

And so, I surrendered my heart, once again, to Christ.

And in scripture, I find my prayer:

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  (Psalm 51:10.)

And as I drew closer to Him, His love transformed me.  

He is the delight of my heart.

 And He is my strength, my hope, and my confidence.

And so, in whatever I do, He gets ALL the glory.

Not to us, Lord, not to us
    but to your name be the glory,
    because of your love and faithfulness.

                                                            Psalm 115:1

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments
4
Apr 05

Child of God

Posted on April 5, 2013 by admin

Zaiah is certain that his Daddy is biggest of all.

But Eli knows better.

Sharks are bigger.

But then he pondered for a moment.   And decided that God is bigger than a shark.

I reminded him that God is everywhere and can fit in teeny, tiny spaces, too.

And my sweet boy smiled as he said that God lives in our hearts.  Everyone’s heart.DSCN6980

So I had to tell him that God doesn’t live in everyone’s heart.  He loves us so much that He doesn’t force us to love Him.  And He only lives in you if you want Him to live in you.

And so perfectly, so honestly, Eli clasped his little hands.  And unprompted, he told Jesus that he wants Him to live in his heart forever.

My heart was blessed.

My little boy knows WHOSE he is.  He is God’s child.

And that’s all he needs to know.

That’s all I need to know.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God….

John 1:12 ESV

Posted in God's Child, Inspirational Moments | Tagged , | 4 Comments
4
Apr 04

Rest

Posted on April 4, 2013 by admin

Zaiah’s favorite nap is “The Belly Nap.”

That’s where I lay down on the couch and then he climbs up and curls up on top of my belly.  Of course, I don’t get much rest since he is a little wiggle worm.  He much prefers to snuggle and play than to actually rest.

DSCN6990

But I, too, am a wiggle worm at rest time.

I curl up to rest in my Father’s arms, but then, I don’t.  I wiggle – I fret and I resist complete peace.

The past few weeks have been a real struggle for me.  I have been a constant yo-yo between enthusiastic purpose and extreme discontentment.   One moment I am propelled onward by God’s joy bursting through my heart.  I patiently and purposely interject God’s love into the lives of my family.  But hours later, totally unsolicited, my mood crushes under the weight of my own  discouragement.

It’s nonsense.

But I know that my emotional judgment is clouded by my exhaustion.  I am physically so tired.

Unfortunately, I tried to discontinue the use of a muscle relaxer at night.  I thought that the Tourette’s symptoms were well enough controlled.  However, as I can no longer sleep at night due to a muscular reaction to that “falling” sensation of drifting off,  I think it is safe to deduct that I do still need some medical intervention.

Honestly, I am disappointed that freedom from the grip of anxiety has not obliterated those physical issues permanently.   However, I know that it is equally important that my body rests.

I need physical rest.

So that I can rest in His peace.

So that I can reside in His joy and love.  So that I can coherently declare His praises.  And give Him glory.

And so, I pray for rest.

                                     For physical rest.

                                                        And most importantly, spiritual rest.

There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 

Hebrews 4: 9-10

Posted in Inspirational Moments, Peace | Tagged , | 4 Comments
10
Apr 02

From CANDYoholic to JESUSoholic

Posted on April 2, 2013 by admin

My parents brought the kids Easter baskets, and before the other kids had reached the bottom of their baskets, Eli was already double fisting his Junior Mints and Skittles.

The kid is a “CANDYoholic.”

But my prayer is that he becomes a “JESUSoholic.”

As a mother, I want nothing less than to see my children on fire for God.

But as their little hearts learn to trust in Jesus, I am overwhelmed by the decisions and opportunities to teach them about their Savior.

Show them God’s love.  Model a good marriage. Memorize scripture.  Read Bible stories.  Morning Devotionals.  Model gentleness.  Show forgiveness and mercy.  Discipline in love.  Teach them to prioritize God’s ways.  Serve alongside them.  Sacrifice.  Show them how to be a good steward.

It’s ALL good.

But as I am a completely disorganized person, a long list overwhelms and discourages me.  Fortunate for me, it’s not really about a list.

It’s about revealing God’s love and grace in my own redemption.

It’s intentional living for Him.

          Sometimes it means writing on their hearts as we memorize scripture.

But sometimes its as simple as letting the dust collect so that I can hug, kiss, and listen to my little blessings.

  Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

              Deuteronomy 11: 18-19

 

 

Posted in Inspirational Moments, Raising Children | Tagged , | 10 Comments
3
Apr 01

Poor in Spirit

Posted on April 1, 2013 by admin

I loved my elementary school counselor.  She was sweet, gentle, and compassionate.

However, in her office, I remember my first official secular education on self-confidence.

But if was years before I even comprehended that self-confidence is a clearly secular teaching.  And so, my lack of self-confidence has been a constant sting of inadequacy and discontentment.

But God doesn’t desire me to be SELF-confidant.  

In fact, the message of the cross, the message of the gospel is Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Mathew 5:3).

Until recently, this verse confused me.

What does poor is spirit mean?    And what could this possibly have to do with the kingdom of heaven?

But our church recently did a sermon series on the sermon on the mount.  And on Easter morning, it suddenly became clear.

It refers to the depravity of soul.

And so, this lack of self confidence is not a flaw in my faith.  Instead, it declares my need for faith.

 Because I have a deep depravity, I need Jesus.

I need the Cross.

I need the Resurrection.

And in His salvation, self confidence is replaced with my identity in Christ.

God-confidence.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 Mathew 5:3

 

Posted in Confidence, Inspirational Moments | Tagged , | 3 Comments
2
Mar 29

Love

Posted on March 29, 2013 by admin

 He  loves me.

Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

4 Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
    Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
    for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
    and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
    nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 53: 1-12 NIV

Posted in Inspirational Moments, Love | Tagged | 2 Comments
2
Mar 28

Unpredictable

Posted on March 28, 2013 by admin

Zaiah, my little engineer, took me on a train ride to New York City where we drove into a river.  But he taped the windows closed while under water.  And then we had to abandon the train because we got stuck in mud.  Superman Zaiah rescued me.

The world of Zaiah is so unpredictable.

The real world, though, is unpredictable too.

                                                     But God is NEVER surprised.

My Dad is undergoing Chemotherapy right now for Leukemia and Lymphoma.  Naturally, I am unsettled at the unknown.   But my confidence in God’s complete control overrides my uncertainty.

God has used my Dad’s health issues through the years to build that strong confidence in Him.  I have seen solid faith in action.  My Dad has lived through many miracles and demonstrated to me that God’s power overrides statistics or fear.  He has full confidence, not that God will always heal him, but in God’s goodness and provision.

Yet, I still struggle to trust God in the little details.

I assume that God’s heart is consumed with more important matters.

I divorce His love from my hopes, apprehensions, and disappointments.

I put a limit on God’s love.

                  But that is not truth.

God is, in fact, involved in my life at every level and is not surprised at the little details. However, there are days that discouragement and emptiness begin to sink into my heart.  And His love feels distant and disconnected.

It’s on those days that I abandon my agenda.

                                  Let the laundry wait.

Let the dishes soak.

And instead of fulfilling my otherwise necessary obligations, I retreat into the quiet with Him. 

I revel in His mighty presence.

My soul quiets in the arms of my loving Savior.

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

                                                       Zephaniah 3:17

 

Posted in Control, Inspirational Moments | Tagged | 2 Comments