Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Baby Step 4
1) "Let no corrupt word come out of your mouth, but only what is good for building up..." Another way to word today's "better choice", "if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all". Its more than not making jokes that hurt others, or are at others expense, but there is the gossip, the complaining, the words I choose to use...my desire is that God would do a work in my heart, since its out of my heart that my mouth speaks, and do a deep clean!!
My first thought when I realized what I needed to do was how much quieter I will be if instead of saying something inappropriate or unwise I just keep my mouth shut...it may be a good time to take up a career as a mime:)!! This one God I beg your help, and yield to your refining work, though I know its gonna hurt!!
My first thought when I realized what I needed to do was how much quieter I will be if instead of saying something inappropriate or unwise I just keep my mouth shut...it may be a good time to take up a career as a mime:)!! This one God I beg your help, and yield to your refining work, though I know its gonna hurt!!
Friday, August 21, 2009
redeeming the time
Why do I find it so hard to live a simple life? It seems as though I always take "redeeming the time" to mean packing each moment, each opportunity as full as possible in the short time I am given. If that is true than why do people burn out, find themselves in need of so many vacations, and then vacations after their vacation? Why is it that in the midst of these days I am "redeeming my time" I find myself rushing my children everywhere with me and cannot seem to find the time to slow down enough to walk alongside my three year old as she wanders through her day in constant wonder of everything she passes! What is God really calling me to, in redeeming my time?
There is something about this time of year that makes me want to clean house! Out with the old, in with the new! Its been a full year of activity with our moving, beginning a new ministry, settling into a new area...its now that I look at where God has brought us, and what I desire more than anything is to be faithful to what He has called me to do! My questions going into our next year here is, what is it that He has called me to do, and what is it He has not called me to do? These are the questions I am considering in these days leading into a new season....all I know is that I have spent much time packing each moment in a frail attempt to redeem the time, and God is calling me to slow down!!
There is something about this time of year that makes me want to clean house! Out with the old, in with the new! Its been a full year of activity with our moving, beginning a new ministry, settling into a new area...its now that I look at where God has brought us, and what I desire more than anything is to be faithful to what He has called me to do! My questions going into our next year here is, what is it that He has called me to do, and what is it He has not called me to do? These are the questions I am considering in these days leading into a new season....all I know is that I have spent much time packing each moment in a frail attempt to redeem the time, and God is calling me to slow down!!
Baby Step 2
2) Take time to rest, and don't plan every hour of the day... I woke up this morning after a late night birthday celebration for my friend Lindsay, and was hit with a sad reality:(...I have indeed caught a cold! The blessing, in this is that its only been helpful in making today's better choice of taking time to rest! So for today, my plan involves playing barbies with my princess, building a pirate ship in my living room and exploring the open seas, and then to wrap things up I was thinking we might throw in a few rounds of hide and seek followed by a family nap in mommy's bed!!
Praising God this morning for His continued work in me, as I continue to face "the Ugly Truth" of who I am apart from Him. Playing in my head right now, "He's still working on me, to make me what He wants to be, took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars, the sun and the earth, and Jupiter and mars...?"
Praising God this morning for His continued work in me, as I continue to face "the Ugly Truth" of who I am apart from Him. Playing in my head right now, "He's still working on me, to make me what He wants to be, took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars, the sun and the earth, and Jupiter and mars...?"
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Baby Step 1
1)ALWAYS choose to be an encouragement, even if the jab seems almost impossible to resist
I love to make people laugh, and much of the time this comes at the expense of someone else. Its a mix for me of wanting people to laugh, and just plain old insecurity especially around people I do not know well. I don't want to leave the legacy of being the "funny girl", but want to be someone who you walk away from feeling uplifted and encouraged! I chose this today, honestly because I will be spending the day at the pool with the kids, and their uncle, who I have had a long standing friendship with that involves little more than poking fun for the sake of a good laugh. Now if "uncle Peter" decides to read this blog entry I must add, that it hurts me most that I have treated him this way, because of all our family he has been the biggest blessing to my family through friendship, and even service (helping me clean the old house,babysitting), excluding grandparents of course....don't want to get myself in trouble this morning!
My final thought to leave here this morning, my "Consuming Thoughts" this morning... I have a ridiculous amount to be thankful for!! I woke this morning, made my way through this beautiful apartment we call home, past by my sleeping husband who God has reminded me in recent days (yes I have at times forgotten:() is an incredible man of God, and I dare say the best husband a woman could ask for....passing him I made my way out to our balcony, which I must say in itself is such a blessing to have, and sat in our MBC memory chair which never ceases to be a reminder of our AMAZING years serving in that place...it was here sitting in silence, with only the sounds of morning sprinklers, and early migrating birds that I was left in wonder and amazement at my God!! To top of this moment I glance over my left shoulder and see my two children peeking under the blinds in their room waving and smiling the
most beautiful smiles in the world.... Yeah, a ridiculous amount to be thankful for!!!
I love to make people laugh, and much of the time this comes at the expense of someone else. Its a mix for me of wanting people to laugh, and just plain old insecurity especially around people I do not know well. I don't want to leave the legacy of being the "funny girl", but want to be someone who you walk away from feeling uplifted and encouraged! I chose this today, honestly because I will be spending the day at the pool with the kids, and their uncle, who I have had a long standing friendship with that involves little more than poking fun for the sake of a good laugh. Now if "uncle Peter" decides to read this blog entry I must add, that it hurts me most that I have treated him this way, because of all our family he has been the biggest blessing to my family through friendship, and even service (helping me clean the old house,babysitting), excluding grandparents of course....don't want to get myself in trouble this morning!
My final thought to leave here this morning, my "Consuming Thoughts" this morning... I have a ridiculous amount to be thankful for!! I woke this morning, made my way through this beautiful apartment we call home, past by my sleeping husband who God has reminded me in recent days (yes I have at times forgotten:() is an incredible man of God, and I dare say the best husband a woman could ask for....passing him I made my way out to our balcony, which I must say in itself is such a blessing to have, and sat in our MBC memory chair which never ceases to be a reminder of our AMAZING years serving in that place...it was here sitting in silence, with only the sounds of morning sprinklers, and early migrating birds that I was left in wonder and amazement at my God!! To top of this moment I glance over my left shoulder and see my two children peeking under the blinds in their room waving and smiling the
most beautiful smiles in the world.... Yeah, a ridiculous amount to be thankful for!!!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Choices
Do I get up when my alarm goes off, or shut it off and wait for the kids to wake me? Do I read my Bible longer or catch up on facebook? I have been thinking a lot about choices, realizing that sadly I have fallen into a pattern of poor choices throughout my day. Choices based on my human nature to be lazy, self centered, and prideful. I would like to say I am exaggerating or just PMSing, so its probably not as pathetic as I make it sound, but neither would be true. I am truly this pathetic apart from the grace of God!
So, how did I reach this place where my poor choices began to outnumber my good choices, and where is the path that leads out? Unfortunately there is not one choice that was made, and thus would undo this mess I have made...I see a lot of small, insignificant decisions. "Just for this morning I will shut my alarm off and sleep in, I can have my quiet time later in the day"..."I earned at least one lazy day,two lazy days, three lazy days...crap! I am so far behind"..."I will start again tomorrow, I am too tired today"
MY choice this morning is to start making better choices!! One day at a time...commit to make at least one new choice, a better choice than the ones I have been making!!
To get started though there are some Bigger choices I need to make, that may seem insignificant to others, but they are things that have begun to hold me captive to this pattern of waste! 1) I will officially sign off facebook, and all the hours spent watching others live their lives rather than using that time to live the one God has laid out for me... 2)I will not shut off my alarm regardless of the hour I went to bed, but will commit to my alone time with God before my family rises 3)I will accept my Heavenly Father's invitation to a sabbath and end this rat race
Above all else my prayer, is that these new choices will be honoring to God, and that I would live a life that brings glory to HIm!!!
So, how did I reach this place where my poor choices began to outnumber my good choices, and where is the path that leads out? Unfortunately there is not one choice that was made, and thus would undo this mess I have made...I see a lot of small, insignificant decisions. "Just for this morning I will shut my alarm off and sleep in, I can have my quiet time later in the day"..."I earned at least one lazy day,two lazy days, three lazy days...crap! I am so far behind"..."I will start again tomorrow, I am too tired today"
MY choice this morning is to start making better choices!! One day at a time...commit to make at least one new choice, a better choice than the ones I have been making!!
To get started though there are some Bigger choices I need to make, that may seem insignificant to others, but they are things that have begun to hold me captive to this pattern of waste! 1) I will officially sign off facebook, and all the hours spent watching others live their lives rather than using that time to live the one God has laid out for me... 2)I will not shut off my alarm regardless of the hour I went to bed, but will commit to my alone time with God before my family rises 3)I will accept my Heavenly Father's invitation to a sabbath and end this rat race
Above all else my prayer, is that these new choices will be honoring to God, and that I would live a life that brings glory to HIm!!!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
More Haiti Memories..
I realize I have not been great at blogging my Haiti trip, and since I honestly still think words do not begin to do it justice, I will share some of my favorite photos from the trip!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)