Mine, Mine, Mine!

When my mom brought me home from the hospital, my brother met us at the car, exclaiming “my baby, my baby, my baby.” (He was an extremely intelligent boy and knew greatness when he saw it. 🙂 ) I carried my “blankee” for much longer than I will ever admit and it was definitely my property and mine alone. Try and take food away from my daughter and see what happens to you. How often have we witnessed children grab a toy away from someone else’s hands all the while exclaiming, “mine”?

We sure do like to lay claim to our possessions, don’t we? I have noticed a pattern developing culturally that seems similar. More and more often, I hear people refer to their own “truth” or they might comment about another person saying something like, “that’s her truth.” I hear things like, “do you girl” or “look at what I made” when it comes to our children. I recently used hash tags under a picture of my own daughter laying claim to her softball status: #lovemynumber6 and #thatsmygirl. I know, you are probably thinking that these are innocent claims that come from an innocuous place. But, I think that they might speak to a larger issue that comes from our self-absorbed, self obsessed nature or as my Pastor likes to say, “Me-ville.”

Jesus answered, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6). Jesus also said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) We see God say to Moses in Exodus 3:14, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.'” It seems to me that we need to be very careful when it comes to “truth” and laying claim. The only truth that stands firm in this world is Jesus. It is not my truth or your truth, it is His Truth. And the truth of the matter is that anything good or right or fair that flows from our lives is simply a reflection of God working through us. Further, any possession or gift or talent that we lay claim to was entrusted to us by our Father. This includes our children.

Thank God that He shouted, “mine, mine, mine” and sent His Son to save us. Thank God that Jesus shouted, “mine, mine, mine” when He gave up his last breath and conquered death, rising victorious for us. Thank God that His Holy Spirit shouts, “mine, mine, mine” as His very life pours into our very being. Glory Father, your truth is everything! You must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. (John 3:30 NLT)

So, this weekend, I dare you to claim “His Truth” in your life and instead of “doing you”, let’s “do God”. He is the only Truth that matters.

Be joyful!

If you start thinking to yourselves, “I did all this. And all be myself. I’m rich. It’s all mine!”–well, think again. Remember that God, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors–as it is today. Deuteronomy 8:17-18 MSG

Broken Windshield…

I took Big Momma into the shop today to get her windshield replaced. (Big Momma is the name of my vehicle.) A few months ago, a rock flew up and smacked the windshield right in the corner of the driver side. Since then, a large crack developed from the “injury” and started creeping across the entire windshield, tainting the clarity of the view when driving. We successfully put off taking Big Momma to the “doctor” for as long as possible. But, that annoying crack just kept on getting bigger and bigger.

Sin in our lives is so much like that crack in Big Momma’s windshield. So often, it can fly up out of nowhere and smack us, causing injury in our lives. The longer we take to confess the sin, the larger it gets. And before we know it, the sin has crept across our lives, obstructing our view. In fact, the narrow lens of that sin becomes our focus, rather than the bigger picture seen through the windshield.

Praise God that He is the ultimate Physician for our lives and souls. He has the final say on sin! When we confess our sin, He tends to the original injury. Even if we try to ignore the sin and it creeps into other aspects of our lives, He can fix it. In fact, He can replace the windshield of our souls and make us brand new! Through his redemption and forgiveness, hope shines through the windshield again, making our focus as far east and west as the eye can see!

Oh, if we would only confess our sins quickly and often, the view would be so much clearer! Lord, help us be people quick to repent and ask for forgiveness. Help us extend forgiveness to one another more often too.

Be joyful!

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” 1 Timothy 1:15 NIV

My Father’s Eyes

Jesus in our Eyes by stasiabv on DeviantArt

We attended a birthday party on Saturday, where I found myself surrounded by the most gorgeous women. The weather was beautiful, allowing us to sit pool-side under a gazebo. The faces around me were no less radiant than our surroundings. I allowed myself to take it all in, enjoy the easy conversation, abundant laughter, delicious food and found myself thankful beyond measure.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could see ourselves through each other’s eyes? I found each friend breath taking! I could sit back and take in the whole picture. I wasn’t zeroed in on the flaws in each lady. No ma’am. I was focused on the value of each person and their unique design. Plus, we all had one thing in common: we all have a deep relationship with Christ. I have prayed with these beauties, cried with them, studied God’s Word with them and laughed with them. You see, I had the inside scoop and the essence of their nature became the beauty in their faces.

Then, this morning, it hit me like a ton of bricks. God, our Father, sees us in our fullness. Our flaws are covered by his Son’s blood. He has prayed with me, cried with me, studied His Word with me and laughed with me. The essence of His nature has become the beauty in my face. There is nothing that I can do that will make Him love me any more or less. There is nothing that I can do to make Him see me any more or less beautiful than I am. Right now. In this season.

Father, help me see myself and others through Your eyes. To borrow some lyrics from Amy Grant:

She’s got her Father’s eyes, her Father’s eyes
Eyes that find the good in things
When good is not around
Eyes that find the source of help
When help just can’t be found
Eyes full of compassion, seeing every pain
Knowin’ what you’re going through, and feeling it the same
Just like my Father’s eyes.

Be joyful!

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.
Psalm 139:13‭-‬18 NIV

A Broken Arm..

When I was two years old, I broke my arm in a tragic tricycle accident. Well, I guess saying it was tragic might be a bit dramatic; especially since I was riding my trike in circles on our porch when I simply fell over, landing just right to break my arm. Mind you, this was under the watchful eye of my mother, who fact checked this story for me. 😉

I grew up on the west coast of Florida which meant that we were fortunate to visit Disney World frequently. Shortly after my tragic injury, we went to the Magic Kingdom for the day. My little arm was in a cast and I received quite a bit of attention. Many people inquired about my arm and several Disney characters showed concern (including Mickey Mouse himself). About halfway through our day, my dad informed me that we were going to the Hall of Presidents. I asked him what they were going to do there. He told me that a bunch of men were going to talk with us. I responded dramatically, “are they going to ask me what I did to my arm?” You see, my new found “celebrity status” was simply too exhausting for this precocious two year old. Not to mention, I had my own goal, which was to ride the Tea Cups. This goal did not involve a bunch of old presidents talking, thank you very much.

How many times in life do we allow the demands of people around us to leave us exhausted? How often do we get completely put out by questions, even if they come from genuine concern? How often do we become so focused on our own goals that we find ouselves unwilling to bend along the way? Better yet, how often do we make unnecessary assumptions because we are locked in, with laser focus, on our own wants and needs?

Our Father finds us when we are broken, exhausted, and completely put out with the demands of life. He scoops us up, places us on His lap and listens to our dramatic cries. He knows that the path to the tea cup ride is full of twists, turns and distractions. Yet, He will guide our steps, heal our wounds, and give us fresh perspective if we will simply allow Him to reign.

And don’t forget, sometimes we need to approach the throne with child-like abandon and let Him know we need help finding that tea cup ride. I have a feeling He knows the way!

Be joyful!

And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3 NIV

Humility…

This one word packs such a powerful punch! God has been working on me in this area of my life. I am finding that He is offering lots of opportunity for me to practice humility, as well as my daughter and husband right now. I must admit watching my daughter navigate this one lately has been incredibly difficult. But, the lessons that God is teaching are beyond important. They are life changing.

Webster’s Dictionary defines humility as “a modest or low view of one’s own importance; humbleness.” Yes, I agree. That is one hard pill to swallow, especially in this generation of self. We are hard pressed and often rewarded when we practice the exact opposite of humility. It’s no wonder that antonyms for humility are words like pride, arrogance, self-importance, egoism. The world teaches us that we actually should have the highest opinion of self. We should put ourselves above all other things: our desires, our thoughts, our opinions, our success. And the world tells us that it doesn’t matter who or what we need to step on in order to get ahead. We can cheat, lie, steal, gossip and take any advantage possible to put self ahead. No offense here folks, but isn’t the beloved “selfie” about as narcissistic as it gets?

God knew that we would need a fresh reminder about the importance of humility throughout each generation, which is why He reminds us over and over again in scripture to humble ourselves before our Father and to humble ourselves in our relationship with one another. In Philippians 2:3, God tells us to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above self.” God reminds us in Proverbs 11:2 that “when pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Proverbs 15:33 also tells us that “wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honor.” Ephesians 4:2 shares with us to “be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” And finally, God boldly proclaims in 1 Peter 5:6 “humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

We are called to swallow our pride and practice humility always. Jesus is the Author and Perfector of humility. He laid down His life for me: for my pride, arrogance, self-importance, egoism. In contrast, He is the only one who has the right and reason to hold a high opinion of Himself. Yet, we see Him practice the opposite, not just practice but teach and equip us to do the same. With our humble obedience, He will give us wisdom, honor and He will lift us up in His perfect time. (Can I get an hallelujah from the back row?)

Yes, the lessons God are teaching are beyond important. They are life changing. If I will simply get my “self” out of the way.

Be joyful and humble!

“But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” Mark 10:31 NIV

Birds on a Feeder…

My Sunday school gals are crackng up right now. Yes girls, I am writing about the birds on the feeder. Ha! (Please excuse a little inside joke here.)

Bird-Watch_101698698_web — Picture from Lowe’s website.

We have quite a bit of bird activity in our back yard. The birds are magnificent around the feeder: bright red and orange beaked cardinals, blue jays, yellow and tan finches, ring neck and mexican doves and black grackles to name a few. They each take a turn and have their own unique way of feeding. Some wait their turn on the fence, swooping in and out grabbing seed at the feeder quickly and decidedly. Others land on the feeder and pick out the seeds that they like, tossing the unwanted seeds on the ground. While others eat the scattered seed on the ground under the feeder. And often, along comes a squirrel to dangle over the feeder in a variety of positions, even though we put corn out specifically for them.

It is fascinating and often comical to watch the activity and ritual of each bird at the feeder. I wonder if God feels the same watching over His little flock. Some of us swoop into life, not over thinking it and get things done; quickly moving in and out of our roles. Others wait patiently to see how things are done and then follow the lead and take their turn. Some of us are very picky and quickly sort what we like from what we don’t like, with unwavering discernment. And some of us like to wait and be served, happy when things are sorted out and decided for us. And some of us provide the much needed theatrics and comical relief of dangling it all out there, without a care in the world about protocol or procedure. Even when there might be an easier way to get things done.

There is beauty in each way, each gift, each approach to life. God orchestrated it perfectly. Each personality and gift needed, valued and cherished by God, our Father. He loves to watch us figure it out and I think He gets a good chuckle sometimes too.

Embrace your unique approach to life this week. Fly high. Soar. Dive. Embrace your bright feathers! You were designed to radiate His Glory and He loves you…most!

Be joyful!

“Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” Luke 12:24 NIV

It’s Time to Make the Donuts…

I showed the students at our Leopards for Christ meeting this morning a very popular Dunkin’ Donuts commercial from the eighties. This commercial showed Fred, the Baker leaving his house morning and night, in all kinds of weather, to make the donuts. At the very end of the commercial, Fred actually finds himself running into himself. You see, the monotony of the daily task left him blurry eyed, confused and half brain dead. He couldn’t remember whether he was coming or going, let alone whether he actually made the donuts!

Much of daily life is the same for us. The paper work, the laundry basket, the car pool, the dead lines, the yard work, our studies, the gym, conversations, and even our time with God can fall into drudgery. Before we know it, we find ourselves simply going through the motions and finding little motivation, let alone joy in our daily tasks.

Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” I can’t think of a better way to combat the mundane tasks that confront us in every day life. When our focus shifts from going through the motion of the task to trusting God to pattern our steps and guide our understanding, everything changes! We find a revitalized soul and a purpose. (Even when it means scrubbing the toilet for the 100th time.) Seeking God’s will each and every day, makes the day seem limitless in possibility and wonder. Our obedience to the minutiae that every day life requires can actually bring blessings we could never imagine.

When it’s time to make the donuts again, trust that God has a bigger purpose. Even the smallest of tasks can result in the greatest rewards. By simply fixing your eyes and heart on Jesus, those donuts start to look and smell amazing. And before you know it, you find yourself taking a big, ‘ole bite, thanking God for each delicious morsel of life!

Be joyful!

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” Mark 12:30 NLT

doughnut6

Parenthood…

When I was little if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would respond, “a mom”. As I mentioned in The Story of Us, there was a time in my life when I thought that being a mom wasn’t part of God’s plan for me. Then along came a bright, blue-eyed little girl who changed my life forever.

Being a mom is the hardest job that I have ever had and it is also the most rewarding. Watching my daughter navigate the challenges of school, friendships, athletics, peer pressure, boys and adolescent life is difficult. There has never been a day that I stood back and thought, “yep, nailed parenting today.” No, not one.

My dad reminded me last year when we were going through a particularly challenging time as parents that our job is not necessarily to raise “good” children. Rather, we are to train up our daughter in the ways that she should go. We should direct her heart and steps towards God. And realize the same free will that God gives us, He also gives to her.

Our best effort as parents is placing her feet on the solid foundation only Christ can provide, not us. It is relationship with Christ that gives my daughter a fighting chance in this world that tries to entice, distract and often devour her.

It is Christ who gives her an audacious spirit to stand up against the unfairness of teen life. It is Christ who gives her kindness to give when mean girls try and knock her down. It is Christ who gives her the athletic ability she uses on the field. It is her responsibility to honor Him and no one else when she is on that field. It is Christ who watches when she takes a test and who she pleases when she studies and prepares for that test accordingly.

And it is my job as her parent to remind her of Christ each and every day. He is the only One that can give her what she needs to get through her day and life.

He is the only one that can give me exactly what I need to be her mom. He entrusted her to me and chose me to be her mom. Right here. Right now. And it is my responsibility to honor God in how I navigate my role as her mom.

If you, too, find yourself grappling with this thing called parenthood, take heart! Remember that God has not forsaken you. He will give you the words, wisdom, patience and love that you need to get through it. He is cheering for you, loving you and holding you up even on the toughest of days.

You see, He knows the sacrifice parenting requires. He sacrificed His own Son for us.

He sees you. He knows you. He loves you. He equips you. Now, roll up your sleeves and get back to work! We can do all things through Christ!

Be joyful!

“Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” Proverbs 22:6 NLT

A Kit Kat…

My husband and I laughed so hard at the family Easter Egg hunt in our back yard yesterday. You have never seen grown people act such a fool over hidden plastic eggs! My daughter’s beloved Nana actually tossed a plastic bowl at her head to try and distract her at one point. I’ll put it this way, we have a very competitive family!

The angel dog was also part of the hunt, barking and cheering on the hunters. And he was close by when each participant went through their eggs. He proudly brought a small Kit Kat candy bar back to me and was very proud of his found treasure. Before I knew it, he was eating his treasure, wrapper and all. I immediately told him to “drop it”, which made him choke it down even faster. You see, he wanted that candy bar even though it was not good for him.

We have so many similar temptations in life, don’t we? We find ourselves caught up in the moment and before we know it, we have gobbled down that thing that is not good for us. Even when we hear our Father telling us to “drop it”, we quickly devour it in hopes that it won’t hurt too bad this time.

Thank God that we have a Father that understands and was willing to send his Son, Jesus, to conquer death and sin. So when we find ourselves with a mouthful of sin, wrapper and all, we can repent and bask in his forgiveness. He also provides a way for us to stand up against that temptation the next time, even if it is a yummy Kit Kat candy bar!

I hope each of you delighted this Easter in the overwhelming sweetness of that empty tomb and all that it means for you. And I do hope that you enjoyed a little something sweet to eat, minus the wrapper of course!

Be joyful!

“The angel spoke to the women: ‘There is nothing to fear here. I know you’re looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed.'” Matthew 28:5‭-‬6 MSG

A Seizure…

20180329_124330 The angel dog had a seizure yesterday. It is the second tine this has happened to him. The first seizure was at least three years ago. The truth is that it has been so long since the first one that I had forgotten what they looked like. We were laying on my bed late afternoon and I was working on my laptop. One of my first blogs, “Early Mornings with the Angel Dog” was about our morning ritual, which depicted how the angel dog loves to snuggle under the covers each morning with his momma. Yesterday afternoon, he began scratching like he wanted under the covers. When I lifted the comforter so he could go under, I noticed that something was wrong. He was squirming on his belly and it seemed like he didn’t know how to get under the covers. I jumped up and put my hand on him and called his name. He again was squirming and seemed unable to stand up.

My husband works for a company that allows him to work remotely. So, his office is actually in a barn in our back yard. I called him and told him to please come in because something was wrong with angel dog. In the time that it took him to walk across our yard into the house, angel dog seemed to be calming down and was now trying to squirm his way closer to me. I laid my body over his and kept whispering over and over that it was going to be okay. We called the vet and headed to the vet clinic. Angel dog was already feeling better and actually ran to the truck and hopped up ready to go for a ride, which is one of his favorite things. (My sweet husband prayed for the angel dog on our way to the vet clinic, which made me fall a little deeper in love with him.) Everything checked out at the vet clinic and the vet confirmed that it was a seizure and that often mild seizures in dogs are more traumatic for the owners than the animal.

I want you to know that I was completely calm, cool and collected throughout this incident. And if you believe that, I have some swamp land that I would like to sell you in my home state of Florida. I was so shaken that I called the wrong vet clinic. Then, was crying so hard that its no wonder how the poor woman who answered the phone at our vet clinic even understood who we were and what was happening. Fear had taken a firm grip on me.

I remembered a time about a decade ago when fear also took a firm grip on me. This time, the recipient of my phone call was my mother and I told her through choked back tears that my first husband wanted a divorce. What followed for months after were cries to my Father in heaven asking Him to put the pieces back together. Sometimes those prayers were with words; but, often those prayers were silent cries where the words simply wouldn’t come. Through all of it, Jesus laid his body over mine and whispered that it was going to be okay. And it was eventually okay. In fact, because of His grace, forgiveness, mercy and peace it became more than better. I found myself able to run again and hop up in the truck ready for a ride!

Maybe you need to be reminded this Easter that God is active and present. That He is capable of conquering death and resurrecting life. That we never go through life’s storms, life’s heart breaks or life’s fears without Him. He can and will, in His timing, make things good again. Make things great in fact! He will not leave you in the darkness of Good Friday….to borrow a well known quote…”Sunday is coming”! Hallelujah!

Be joyful!

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 NLT