Birthday Gifts

Yesterday was my birthday.  I am now closer to 40 than 30.  That is all I’m saying about that. )

Anyway, I was able to take some time for myself and go shopping with some birthday money I was given.  I never shop for myself, so I had fun.  I walked around a new Mardels Christian book store that just opened in the town closest to us.  I had no schedule to follow, no kids needing to go to the bathroom, no “to do” list. It was really nice.  It was just “me” time.   Then a couple of hours after I came home my husband took me out to dinner to a Japanese Hibachi Grill.  That was cool!  I could not help but wish the kids were there with us to experience this unusual dinner until the guy cooking our food set a stack of onions on fire.  Then I knew that my boys never needed to see that or else they would go straight home & try it themselves.

Reflecting on my special day of course gave me a whole new list of gifts from God.  It is amazing how taking a little time to ourselves will help us to feel refreshed and revived and ready to what lays ahead.

Here is my list;

11. Handmade cards

12. sloppy kisses

13.  tight hugs

14.  solitude

15. clearance racks!

16. The sound opening a brand new book.

17. Another year to try again to grow closer to my Lord.

Joyful in Hope

 

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction & faithful in prayer”. Romans 12:12

 

I read this verse a long time ago and while I really liked it & stuck it to my bathroom mirror to remember, I didn’t completely understand the first phrase, “be joyful in hope”.  The rest of the verse made perfect sense to me, but this first part was a little more difficult.  I felt like it would require more of me possibly than the later two statements.  I understood what it would take to me patent in affliction and faithful in prayer; but joyful in hope?

I began looking up the meaning for the words joyful & hope.  I really like doing this because there are so many times that I think I know what a verse means until I begin to search out the roots of the word.  I found this definition of joy.

• Joy; “Happiness over an unanticipated or present good.”  

Joy is in the root of rejoicing which is how the Geneva and the King James both translate the Greek text to say.  And here is the definition of hope that I found.

•  Hope ; “To trust in, wait for, look for, or desire something or someone; or to expect something beneficial in the future.”

So, according to these two definitions I am to be happy or cheerful as I trust in and wait for the Lord to do something outstanding in my life.  That sounds all good and biblical, but not very realistic to me.  If my life is falling apart, how am I to be happy?  How can I be happy that my life is falling apart?  (My life is not falling apart by the way; I just think it is sometimes)  Here is what I have come to realize about this part of the verse.  God NEVER expects me be happy that I am experiencing difficulties.  He’s not even happy that I am experiencing them.  What I am  to be happy or joyful about is the fact that he is at work in my life, he is going to do something great, he is going to reveal himself to me in ways I can not even imagine.  I am to be joyful in the hope of what he is about to do in my life.  That sounds like a lot more fun!

It means that while I am in the midst of my boat called life and the waves are splashing up against the boat, spraying me in the face, I can look out and see him standing in the boat with me, keeping the waves from sinking my boat.  He is getting ready to calm the sea, but first he wants me to trust him.  That is another part of the definition of hope; “to trust in”.  It is very easy to say that we trust God in our lives, but when it really comes down to it, do we? 

I fail at this so often.  I say that I trust him to answer my prayer or to take care of something, but when I see the clock clicking away & he doesn’t seem to be doing anything about it, I step in and play God again.  It would be like me taking the oars in the boat and trying to row back to shore.  The shore looks safer than the storm I’m in so I want to go back.  And God in all of his mercy let’s me go back to shore at times.  He gives me what I want.  And it is the same outcome every time.  FAILURE!  I don’t trust, instead I think that I can do a better job than God!  Oh my goodness, doesn’t that sound wonderful?  WRONG!  Who am I to think that I can do a better job than the one who simply spoke me into existence…forget me; he spoke the whole universe into existence.  Have you see how big it is out there & here I am thinking that I know how to handle my life better than he would.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thought than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55: 8,9 (NIV)

The honest fact is that none of us can even get out of bed in the morning if our God doesn’t want us to.  He is every aspect of every second of our day.  He thinks about us more than there are grains of sand on the sea shore.  “How precious are your thoughts about me O God!  They are innumerable.  I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of the sand!”  (Psalms 139:7-8)  He loves us so deeply that he gave his son to die so that we wouldn’t have to.  The emotions that I experience when I think about the depth of that love, that I am not even capable of, are enormous!  I am engraved on the palm of his hand, he will not forget me!  “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;” (Isaiah 49:16)

Why wouldn’t I be joyful in hope?  Why wouldn’t I trust him to do a better job than I am doing with my life?  Why wouldn’t I be happy that he is about to do a great new thing in my life!

Isaiah 43:19, For I am about to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness for my people to come home. I will create rivers for them in the desert!

I found this commentary in the Matthew Henry’s, and I thought was very thought provoking.

 ” He is honored by our hope and trust in him, especially when we rejoice in that hope. He is served, not only by working for him, but by sitting still quietly, when he calls us to suffer. Patience for God’s sake, is true piety. Those that rejoice in hope, are likely to be patient in tribulation. We should not be cold in the duty of prayer, nor soon weary of it” (Matthew Henry’s)

Remembering that my life is not really about me, rather it is all about God puts this verse all in perspective.  I can be joyful in my hope of his touch on my life as I am patient in my affliction and faithful in my prayers, because it is through him that all things happen.

Heavenly Father, help me to rejoice in my expectancy and trust of your working in my life. A~men!

I’m rated “E” !

I was awarded this blog award from Penney from Becoming Real.  From what I understand about this one is that I am to pass it on to 10 other blogging friends.  O’k, so I start roaming to my favorite blogs and they have already been given this award.  So, I’m thinking…”What is the use of giving them something that they already have.”  Well, I know that it means a lot to me when I get emails or comments from you all telling me that something I wrote really spoke to you or encouraged you.  So, I guess even if someone already has the E award they got it from someone else who really admires their writings.  What does it hurt to get it again?  I would hope that it would bless them to know that someone else has been blessed by their blog.

 So, I’m supposed to pass this on to 10 others or as close to 10 as I can get.  Even though I have been blogging for a few years it has only been in the past year that I have done it on a regular basis.  So, I am just now beginning to realize just how broad the blogging world is and I still haven’t even scratched the surface!

Thanks again Penney!!  You have blessed me greatly by your sweet words.

Here is the start of my list.

  http://itakejoy.wordpress.com/

Great Prayer Calendar

Here is a great download for a prayer calendar to use when praying for your children.  It comes from my sweet mom friends, Laurie & Sharon of Mom and Loving It Ministries.

They are coming to my church to lead a conference just for moms.  If you live in the Dallas Metroplex area, email me for details on this.  dana@livingstones4moms.com

Prayer Calendar download

More Gifts…

Here are more of my gifts from God

8.  Great discussion over bagels and coffee with a dear friend.

• I have a dear friend that is old enough to be my mother.  We love getting together to get caught up in each others lives.  This morning we sat for 2 hours and 2 cups of coffee discussing various issues we are dealing with.  Her wisdom in my life is invaluable.  I am so thankful that God placed her in my life at just the right time.

9.  Little helping hands.

                                                           

• One morning I had Gracie(3) & Zachary(6) helping me make breakfast.  Gracie was stirring our eggs while Zachary made sure she didn’t put her hands in or swish any out of the bowl.  We had a lot of fun & not much mess.  I’m so thankful for this young years when they still want to help mommy because it is fun, not because I told them to.

10.  Exodus 14:14, “The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.”

• The Lord showed me this verse the other morning.  It struck me as so powerful and awesome to remember that God will fight for us.  I feel like I fight against so much as a mother.  I fight against the media’s influence, friends influence and so much more.  Remembering that the God that fought for the Israelites in the wilderness is the same God that fights for me everyday. I just need to keep silent.  I just need to keep my mouth shut.  I just need to rest in his sovereign grace.

The Gift of Siblings

On occasion I catch my kids serving each other in an extra special way.  On this Sunday afternoon at my in-laws home Austin saw Gracie trying to swing.  Her short little legs just couldn’t get herself up on the swing so he helped her up.

Then she had a hard time getting started so Austin decided that showing her might be better than just pushing her.

It took some time, but Austin was very patient with Gracie and eventually they were both swinging together.

I asked Austin (who is almost 10) if he liked playing with his little sister.  He replied in a typical 10 year old way, “Yeah, she’s cool to play with.”

But when I asked Gracie (who is 3 going on 18) if she liked playing with Austin I got a 15 minute play by play report of what they did and how much she loved playing with him.  He won’t admit it but I know that I enjoyed playing with her as much as she enjoyed him.

So my 7th gift is; I’m thankful for the precious moments my children create on their own.  It is good to know that they don’t need me for everything!!

The Need for Solitude

I get a daily devo by A.W. Tozer.  If you have not heard of him or read any of his writings, I highly encourage you to check him out.  I have been very blessed and encouraged by his zest & zeal for the Lord.

A.W. Tozer

Here is my devo for today…

January: Personal Life

Some things may be neglected with but little loss to the spiritual life, but to neglect communion with God is to hurt ourselves where we cannot afford it.

The Root of the Righteous, 9.

---

January 17

Personal Life: The Need for Solitude

And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.        

–Matthew 14:23

Modern civilization is so complex as to make the devotional life all but impossible. It wears us out by multiplying distractions and beats us down by destroying our solitude, where otherwise we might drink and renew our strength before going out to face the world again.

“The thoughtful soul to solitude retires,” said the poet of other and quieter times; but where is the solitude to which we can retire today? Science, which has provided men with certain material comforts, has robbed them of their souls by surrounding them with a world hostile to their existence. “Commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still” is a wise and healing counsel, but how can it be followed in this day of the newspaper, the telephone, the radio and the television? These modern playthings, like pet tiger cubs, have grown so large and dangerous that they threaten to devour us all. What was intended to be a blessing has become a positive curse. No spot is now safe from the world’s intrusion. Of God and Men, 125.

“If Tozer wrestled with this in his day, how much more are we bombarded today! We have all the influences of which he speaks, and much more all-pervasive, plus the internet and a host of other ‘playthings’ seeking to devour us. Lord, help us somehow to escape today and retire to solitude, even if only for a brief time. Amen.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know that for me, the word “solitude” brings to my mind a place that I rarely visit.  It requires peace & quiet, no distractions and impossible conditions for my house.  With 10 kids how in the world am I to find solitude?  What does that look like for a mom?

Have you heard of Susanna Wesley? 

 She had way more kids than I do  and in much more difficult circumstances (no TV babysitters, electric appliances, no internet, etc…) and she still found 2 hours everyday to find solitude and time with her Lord.  I’m thinking if she can do it, so can I.  Well, at least 30 minutes…don’t you think? 

I go back the the scripture that Tozer began his devo with.

“And when he sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.”

Even Christ himself understood the power & importance of solitude.  He sent the multitudes away and went by himself to pray.  Doesn’t that sound wonderful?  I can’ tell you how many times in my day I would love to send my multitudes away so I can pray or just have some quiet time to myself.  My multitudes may be different from yours.  They aren’t always my kids.  Some of my other distractions are things like TV, internet, to-do lists, phone calls & and many many more.  But we can learn from Jesus that we are to make a concerted effort and get rid of our distractions even if it is just for 5 minutes everyday.

 5 minutes of solitude sounds much more doable to me than 2 hours.

 

Try it…5 minutes a day of solitude.  While you are there for you short little 5 minutes try praying this prayer…

Lord Jesus Christ Son of God

Have mercy on me a sinner.

Say this over and over for 1 minute and see how peaceful you become.  Then spend a minute thanking God for whatever you can think of.  Then spend the next minute praying for those in your life. And spend the remainder of your time confessing your sin.

 

Just 5 minutes!

Solitude!

Where to begin…?

I am beginning my 1000 Gift List.  I don’t know how long it will take me to get to 1000, but I pray that I will not just make it, but surpass it.  When I think of all that I have been given by my God I just don’t know where to start in writing them down.  So, I will just start with what is around me first & let him remind me as I go.

 

1.  The view from my window as the sun is setting in the trees in the evening of day.

2.  The way my husband makes a point to tell me good bye, kiss me, tell me he loves me and to have a good day every morning before he leaves for work.

3.  The 8 year old boy who has to hug me at least 10 times everyday.

4.  The 16 yr old daughter who likes to tell me what she reads in her Bible.

5. The 11 yr old (almost 12 he reminds me) who loves to make me laugh.

6.  Caller ID

1000 Gifts

The other morning I was on my way to a meeting at church.  I still had a gift card to Starbucks in my purse & hadn’t had any coffee yet so I decided to swing through Starbucks real fast.  I rolled down my window and placed my order and then began to pull up to the window to get my coffee.  The wind was picking up and the air was getting colder so I pushed the button to roll up my window.  Nothing happened.  This is nothing new for my van.  It has done this since we got it but recently has become more stubborn in working.  Several times I have rolled my window down on a really cold day and had to drive with it down until it decided to work right.  But this time it really irritated me.  Things had been really stressful at home because of my husbands job and this little thing felt like a big thing on this morning.  I immediatley began to grumble about it. 

 I pulled up to window and was greeted by a very cute & young blonde girl who was way more happy than I was ready for.  After all, my window was not going to come up, it was cold, and I was now about to be late to my meeting. 

“Good morning!” she said

“Hi there” I replied, trying to sound happy to be there.

“So, are we having a work day, play day or maybe just a mom day today?” (still very cheerful.)

“Um, well it is always a Mom-day, but I am on my way to a meeting.”

“You are a mom, so how many kids do you have?” (ughhhh I hate that question!)

“Ten”

“Two?”

“No, ten as in ten little indians.”

“Wow…and I only have 2.  I will definitley remember you when I am stressed out with my 2 kids.”(she’s still smiling, I’m thinking where is my coffee?)

So, anyway my coffee finally arrived so I said my thank you & headed out and of course my window was still not going to work.

“Come on you stupid window!  It is cold out there…just roll up this once please.”

And then I felt the Spirit whispering into my soul as he is so timely and faithful to do.

“What are you thankful for?”

So I decided to thank God for what I am thankful for and try to roll up my window.  So I said, “Lord, thank you so much for this old van and how faithful it is to start everytime I need to go somewhere.” and I tried my window and it came up a little.  So I did it again…

“Lord, thank you for my big bunch of kids.  They are who I love to spend my day with & I love being their mom.” 

Window: up a little more!

“Lord, you have blessed me with the most amazing man in all of your creation I think.  He puts up with so much of my bad habits & never says a word.  He is crazy in love with me, but even better than that he is even more deeply in love with you.  Thank you!”

Window: almost there!

“Lord, you love for me overwhelms me and I don’t know how you can love a person like me, but you do.  I do not deserve to even be alive much less have the life you have given me.  Thank you for your love, your sacrifce and your promise to provide.  I love you!”

Window: All the way up & no more cold wind coming in.  Praise the Lord!

 My attitude was totally transformed when I stop thinking about my crummy window and began worshipping my God.

Charles Spurgeon said,

 “With such a panorama unfolding before you there is no excuse for despair; but you may find ten thousand reasons for confidence in God.”

I love that, no matter what is going on in my life, I have at least ten thousand reasons to be confident in God’s covenant of love in my life.  I have at least ten thousand reasons to be thankful to Him.

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

 Colossians 3:2

 So, I have decided to participate in the 1000 Gifts List.  On this blog I will begin making a list of gifts, not of gifts I want or have given, but of gifts that I have…by my God.

My life is quickly being swept away by much busyness, schedules, illness, trials and more.  I don’t want to forget all that God has given me but when I am sitting in the center of all that is going wrong in my life I don’t think about my gifts. Blessings. Treasures. God.

George MacDonald wrote, “No gift unrecognized as coming from God is at its own best…when in all gifts we find Him, then in Him we shall find all things.”

All things are from God and are of God and I don’t want to miss a single one.  I want my heart and mind focused on his gifts not me & my failures.  I expect a great transformation in my life. 

 I encourage you to start your own 1000 Gift List and see what God can do in you!

Let your roots grow deep into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught.  Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.”

Colossians 2:7 (NLT)

Savoring God’s Word

A friend of mine told me about a “really great blog” as she put it.  “You have to check this out!” she said.  I’m thinking, “I don’t have time to go to other blogs, I barely have time to post on my own.”  But I went anyway to this blog called, “Holy Experience“. It is written by a Canadian mom of 6 who draws near to her Lord as she goes about her day and writes about it.  I was very impressed with her blog so I thought I would pass on to her a post that she wrote that totally romanced me into desiring a deeper study of God’s word.  Her words flowed like a gentle river and danced like a perfectly poised ballerina.  The Lord new I needed to read and gain a new & fresh desire for his word and he used this mom to give it to me.  Thank you my Jesus!

Here is a bit of what she wrote, but I really want you to go to her blog to read the rest.  I know that you will be blessed!

Ann writes; “My Bible lies open on the table, beside my bowl of oat flakes flecked with flax. And I wonder: Do I slurp this heavenly bread down, swallowing, swallowing? Or do I chew. Slowly. Deliberately. Savoring.” 

“We wake to a new year with intentions to eat differently. While we resolve to exercise more, lose weight, to eat less, we begin the year as starved, crazed ones, desperate for food, gnawing for real filling, deep satiation.

So it should be. We growl, hungry for God.

And maybe that is how our empty heart places are satiated: eat less, savor more.”

Read the rest HERE at Holy Experience