There is a long standing joke amongst many of my Christian friends when it comes to asking the Lord for patience. When it comes time for prayer requests and somebody asks that we pray for patience, one of two things happens, people either laugh or just shake their heads. This may sound insensitive but really it is out of love. Anyone who has been there before knows that if you ask God for patience he is not going to wave his hands and BAM you instantly feel more patient. Instead, he is going to present you with opportunity after opportunity to practice patience. That is a hard way to go about it and therefore we try to guide those who have yet to experience this so that they don't have to find out the hard way.
Somebody should have warned me that this applies to other areas as well. I am referring specifically to this fast (if you missed that post, catch up here). I naively went into it thinking, "This will be great, I will ask God to give me clarity and vision for what He wants me to be doing in my life." Can I just say, stupid? Okay, not really, but stay with me here. Let me just say that I am really getting what I asked for. God is showing me exactly what I need to learn. And that isn't necessarily easy!!
I still need time to process most of this before I can fully share what God is working on and revealing to me. But I will say that I have more time than I thought for that to happen. Yesterday proved to be more difficult than I thought it would be. I was all mopey about not getting to celebrate Mother's Day right and so I gave in to that feeling and convinced Jeremy to take us all to coffee and muffins before church. Before you ask what the crime is there, neither of those things are allowed on this fast. (Here is the does and don'ts of what I can eat: Daniel Fast Food List). I know, shame on me I couldn't even make it two whole days. But we did jump right back into it after that. That is until a extended family crisis of sorts came up (don't worry, everyone is okay). In reaction to that we decided to love on said family members by driving to their house with dinner...a non-fast approved dinner I might add. Okay, so now the day was officially blown.
Now normally, I would just throw in the towel. Obviously I had failed and there was just no point in continuing. This is where I am so thankful for my husband. Where I am weak he is strong and he convinced me that we needed to do this right so together we made the decision to restart our 10 days today. And you want to know the cool thing? God has used this little blip to remind me that even in our failure he gives us grace and that we should do the same for ourselves. You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:1) I was also reminded that in our weakness God reveals himself and uses us if we are open. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10) Yesterday reminded me of the unhealthy role that food plays in my life. It is how I celebrate, how I fellowship, how I comfort myself and others. Shouldn't that role in my life be reserved for God?
In a way, I am glad that we got the chance to start over. Already God has changed my perspective as I enter into this fast a second time. I cannot make it about the food, that is just symbolic of the sacrifice I should be willing to make to get closer to God. After all, Christ made the ultimate sacrifice for me. I am now ready to glean from this experience exactly what God wants me to. Hold on to your seats ladies and gentlemen, it may be a bumpy ride!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
My mom
Happy Mother's Day!! I am so lucky to be a mom blessed with 3 happy healthy boys. They are the best gift a mom could ask for.
I feel equally blessed to have a mom who has shown me how to be the mom I am. She is truly one of my best friends, someone I talk to several times a week and whose council I still seek.
My mom is adventurous:
She loves to share her faith as a missionary in Mexico by providing food, love, and sharing the gospel:
She is a fun, loving grandma:
Love you mom! Thanks for all you are and all you do.
I feel equally blessed to have a mom who has shown me how to be the mom I am. She is truly one of my best friends, someone I talk to several times a week and whose council I still seek.
My mom is adventurous:
She loves to share her faith as a missionary in Mexico by providing food, love, and sharing the gospel:
She is a fun, loving grandma:
Love you mom! Thanks for all you are and all you do.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
My morning without coffee
I start this morning bright and early and although it was not by choice, I am actually glad to be up. Jeremy and I are starting a 10 day version of The Daniel Fast today. I will go into that more over the next few days but for those of you who want more information this is a good place to start: http://daniel-fast.com/about.html
As part of this fast we are only drinking water for the next 10 days. For any of you who know me personally or have been following my blog for any amount of time, you know that I love me some coffee. No, I mean I really love me some coffee. Despite that fact that the majority of what we are used to eating is not included in this fast, I am most concerned about giving up the coffee. That's saying a lot because this girl also loves her food! So for a few days now I have really been focused on the fact that I couldn't drink coffee for the next week and a half.
Leave it to God, he has me facing that obstacle head on first thing this morning. Isaiah was up at 5:00am and my first thought was, "Really? This morning of all mornings? But I can't even have my coffee!" Are you imagining this in a whiny, early morning voice? Good, because even though it was in my head it was still awfully whiny. So I stumbled into the kitchen, warmed up a bottle, changed his britches, and sat with him in the quiet of his room feeding him a bottle. As my mind wandered back to the injustice of this early morning waking (did I mention the coffee?), God reminded me what this was all about. Rely on me. Let me be your strength. Don't lean on other things, I am all you need.
This is exactly why I am doing this fast to begin with. Coffee and food are just two areas of my life where I often turn for strength or comfort. I need this jarring reminder that God is all I need. You want to know the other blessing in this early morning? While Isaiah went right back to sleep I was left wide awake. That would normally irritate me but this morning I took advantage of a quiet house and spent some time in my Bible. Let me leave you with this: "Blessed are those whose strength is in you..." Psalm 84:5. The notes in my Bible say blessed are those who have come to know the Lord as their deliverer and sustainer. I will stand firm and pray on that today for I know that it is true.
As part of this fast we are only drinking water for the next 10 days. For any of you who know me personally or have been following my blog for any amount of time, you know that I love me some coffee. No, I mean I really love me some coffee. Despite that fact that the majority of what we are used to eating is not included in this fast, I am most concerned about giving up the coffee. That's saying a lot because this girl also loves her food! So for a few days now I have really been focused on the fact that I couldn't drink coffee for the next week and a half.
Leave it to God, he has me facing that obstacle head on first thing this morning. Isaiah was up at 5:00am and my first thought was, "Really? This morning of all mornings? But I can't even have my coffee!" Are you imagining this in a whiny, early morning voice? Good, because even though it was in my head it was still awfully whiny. So I stumbled into the kitchen, warmed up a bottle, changed his britches, and sat with him in the quiet of his room feeding him a bottle. As my mind wandered back to the injustice of this early morning waking (did I mention the coffee?), God reminded me what this was all about. Rely on me. Let me be your strength. Don't lean on other things, I am all you need.
This is exactly why I am doing this fast to begin with. Coffee and food are just two areas of my life where I often turn for strength or comfort. I need this jarring reminder that God is all I need. You want to know the other blessing in this early morning? While Isaiah went right back to sleep I was left wide awake. That would normally irritate me but this morning I took advantage of a quiet house and spent some time in my Bible. Let me leave you with this: "Blessed are those whose strength is in you..." Psalm 84:5. The notes in my Bible say blessed are those who have come to know the Lord as their deliverer and sustainer. I will stand firm and pray on that today for I know that it is true.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Motherhood should come with...
Almost forgot about 5 minute Friday. We started out this morning in a whirl which makes me even more excited to stop and write if even for only 5 minutes.
Today I am joining They Gypsy Mama for five minutes of writing without thinking, without stopping, without editing. What's today's topic? What else...Motherhood!
Ready, set, GO:
Motherhood should come with: A warning label. Maybe even a list of side effects. Yes there is abundant joy and unconditional love but you may want to know that with that comes vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches.
Motherhood should come with: A warranty. Insurance. Something that would guarantee that everything would work out exactly how it should and in the case of some unforeseen disaster, it would all be taken care of.
Motherhood should come with: A reward's card. Every positive parenting moment earns you reward points, extra points would be earned for times when your kids are sick, teething, terrible twoing, teenaging, etc. Points could be redeemed for mom necessities like coffee, pedicures, shopping trips, and week long secluded vacations.
Motherhood should come with: Customer service. Maybe a 1-800 number to call when you just don't have the answers. Some one who is available 24 hours a day to come out and "service" what ever is broken. A drop off service station where your kids come out reprogrammed and in the condition you first brought them home in.
STOP!!
That's all I got time for today. Can you tell what kind of week it has been in my house? I hard week for momma! Had this post came at a different time it might have looked different, might have had a touch of sentiment to it. I guess that speaks to the job of motherhood...it looks completely different from week to week.
Want to join in? Head on over and link up at The Gypsy Mama:
http://thegypsymama.com/2011/05/five-minute-friday-motherhood-should-come-with/
Today I am joining They Gypsy Mama for five minutes of writing without thinking, without stopping, without editing. What's today's topic? What else...Motherhood!
Ready, set, GO:
Motherhood should come with: A warning label. Maybe even a list of side effects. Yes there is abundant joy and unconditional love but you may want to know that with that comes vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches.
Motherhood should come with: A warranty. Insurance. Something that would guarantee that everything would work out exactly how it should and in the case of some unforeseen disaster, it would all be taken care of.
Motherhood should come with: A reward's card. Every positive parenting moment earns you reward points, extra points would be earned for times when your kids are sick, teething, terrible twoing, teenaging, etc. Points could be redeemed for mom necessities like coffee, pedicures, shopping trips, and week long secluded vacations.
Motherhood should come with: Customer service. Maybe a 1-800 number to call when you just don't have the answers. Some one who is available 24 hours a day to come out and "service" what ever is broken. A drop off service station where your kids come out reprogrammed and in the condition you first brought them home in.
STOP!!
That's all I got time for today. Can you tell what kind of week it has been in my house? I hard week for momma! Had this post came at a different time it might have looked different, might have had a touch of sentiment to it. I guess that speaks to the job of motherhood...it looks completely different from week to week.
Want to join in? Head on over and link up at The Gypsy Mama:
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Guest Posting at Small Fry & Co
Like the title says, I am guest posting at Small Fry & Co today as a part of her Unsong Creative Mom Week. I am beyond excited as this is one of my favorite crafty blogs and I draw inspiration from there constantly. So hop on over and give some love to my post and while you're there, browse around on her blog awhile. I promise you will like what you see!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
31 years ago today
I just wanted to take a moment to wish my parents a Happy Anniversary. 31 years ago today they said I do and I can honestly say that I don't know a couple more in love then the two of them. Seriously, it was kind of sickening when we were younger but now that I'm all grown up and married myself I realize just how special that is.
I wonder if on that day as they started their new life together, they could have even begun to dream of the life they would create?
They will be the first to tell you it wasn't all perfect. They had their rough times. But you want to know what got them through...they gave their marriage to God. They chose to love each other unconditionally even when it got hard. I am so thankful for the wonderful example of marriage as it is intended to be that my parents provided for my brother and I. They made it clear that while we were important to them that they were even more important to each other. Their love was the foundation of our family. And it superseded anything else. Because they loved each other in that way all that love spilled over onto us as well.
31 years later they still choose each other each day. Their love is now spilling over on the people of Mexico as they serve as Missionaries there. They are goofy, fun loving, crazy people who if you don't already know would be lucky to get to know.
Mom and Dad, I love ya lots and wish you at least 31 more years of love and happiness!!
 |
| Gotta love the hair...and yes, that's me with all that sass! |
They will be the first to tell you it wasn't all perfect. They had their rough times. But you want to know what got them through...they gave their marriage to God. They chose to love each other unconditionally even when it got hard. I am so thankful for the wonderful example of marriage as it is intended to be that my parents provided for my brother and I. They made it clear that while we were important to them that they were even more important to each other. Their love was the foundation of our family. And it superseded anything else. Because they loved each other in that way all that love spilled over onto us as well.
31 years later they still choose each other each day. Their love is now spilling over on the people of Mexico as they serve as Missionaries there. They are goofy, fun loving, crazy people who if you don't already know would be lucky to get to know.
Mom and Dad, I love ya lots and wish you at least 31 more years of love and happiness!!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Let us not forget
Just over a week ago was Resurrection Sunday. Because of the type of blogs I follow, my dashboard was filled with posts celebrating our Savior and what he did for us. We remembered why Jesus died, so that no man would be lost and that each of us would have a way to the Father. He came for sinners, for the lost, for the least among us and we all celebrated the fact that He had done this.
Now as I get on my different social networking sites today I see post after post with people celebrating the death of Osama Bin Laden. And I get it. Really, I do. In a way it really is a victory for the military and for our country. But it is also a loss. The Lord does not wish for any one of us to perish without knowing him. "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9. The reaction we should be having is that of mourning. Not mourning the person, as obviously his life is not one to be celebrated, but mourning the loss of his soul.
While thousands of people are dancing in the streets and raising a glass in celebration of this fallen enemy, I would call all of you Christians to take a different approach in reacting to this news.
"Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice." Proverbs 24:17. This is a time to truly practice what we believe. We believe that Christ died for all and so that has to include Osama Bin Laden. That may not sit well with your flesh but spend some time praying on it and I think you will see that that is God's heart. Let your reaction be a reflection of God's love for all of us. I guarantee that this will stand out from the majority. It will cause people to question. It will present the opportunity to witness. Don't begrudge those who aren't there yet...it is not an easy place for some to come to.
Some people who have said it better than I can:
-http://www.revelife.com/746839071/the-death-of-osama-bin-laden-and-the-christian-reaction/
-http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-now-in-hell/
-http://blogschmogme.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/mixed-emotions-about-osama-bin-laden/-http://carrythefireministry.blogspot.com/2011/05/christian-response.html
Now I realize that not everyone who reads this will agree with me. And I also understand that this can be an emotionally heated topic. I would love to hear your opinions, whatever they may be. I just ask that we deliver them in a respectful manner. My hope is that we can have some candid discussion from all of this that will lead to greater understanding, whatever perspective we come at this from.
Now as I get on my different social networking sites today I see post after post with people celebrating the death of Osama Bin Laden. And I get it. Really, I do. In a way it really is a victory for the military and for our country. But it is also a loss. The Lord does not wish for any one of us to perish without knowing him. "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9. The reaction we should be having is that of mourning. Not mourning the person, as obviously his life is not one to be celebrated, but mourning the loss of his soul.
While thousands of people are dancing in the streets and raising a glass in celebration of this fallen enemy, I would call all of you Christians to take a different approach in reacting to this news.
"Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice." Proverbs 24:17. This is a time to truly practice what we believe. We believe that Christ died for all and so that has to include Osama Bin Laden. That may not sit well with your flesh but spend some time praying on it and I think you will see that that is God's heart. Let your reaction be a reflection of God's love for all of us. I guarantee that this will stand out from the majority. It will cause people to question. It will present the opportunity to witness. Don't begrudge those who aren't there yet...it is not an easy place for some to come to.
Some people who have said it better than I can:
-http://www.revelife.com/746839071/the-death-of-osama-bin-laden-and-the-christian-reaction/
-http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-now-in-hell/
-http://blogschmogme.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/mixed-emotions-about-osama-bin-laden/-http://carrythefireministry.blogspot.com/2011/05/christian-response.html
Now I realize that not everyone who reads this will agree with me. And I also understand that this can be an emotionally heated topic. I would love to hear your opinions, whatever they may be. I just ask that we deliver them in a respectful manner. My hope is that we can have some candid discussion from all of this that will lead to greater understanding, whatever perspective we come at this from.
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