How Freeing...

You've got to read this post by Breezy Tulip. 

To me, it is so freeing because it lines up my priorities so quickly.  I can make my decisions about what to add to my schedule or commitment list through the filter of have I done my first duty well?  And I don't mean "well" according to worldly, feminist standards.  I also don't mean you have to have a perfectly clean and decorated house, perfectly cooked meals, be perfectly fit, be perfectly selfless, etc.

I'm talking about God's standards.  Am I pleasing Him?  Or at least seeking to please Him in my home? in my marriage? in my children?  Am I seeking to grow in my walk with Him? Am I teachable and willing to change to be more like Him? And then how do I apply that change to my first duty?

The Body of Christ

Have you ever looked at your foot and criticized it for not being able to write?  Sound like a really stupid question?  It is. But go with me on this.

Have you ever looked at your hands and judged them for not helping you breathe?  Of course not!  It's obsurd.

God designed our members (body parts) for specific purposes to serve our bodies.  In the same way, He created each member of the body of Christ with his/her own purpose to serve that body.

So, just as it would make no sense to criticize an elbow for not serving our body as our eyes do, it would be ridiculous to criticize ourselves, our husbands, our children or our fellow Christians for not serving the body of Christ as someone else does or as we think they should.

We each have a function...

...some to minister through music.
...some to change diapers.
...some to encourage with notes in the mail.
...some to feed the homeless.
...some to live in foreign lands.
...some to homeschool.
...some to foster children.
...some to adopt special needs kids.
...some to organize large functions that bless many.
...some to minister one-on-one.
...some to take care of sick parents.
the list is practically endless.

This, of course, does not mean we are exclusive in our ministries.  I can pick up objects with my toes.  This is very helpful when I already have my hands full.  (I know you really wanted to know this about me!)  I have friends who minister through music and to the homeless.

And sometimes our functions change as the seasons in our lives change.  A little over ten years ago I had no children in my home. It was my husband and me. In 5 1/2 years God gave us 5 children who are now my primary ministry along with my husband.

My point is this...whatever situation you are in, be content, and be thankful.

Be thankful for the way God made you but also be thankful for His creativity and variety in the way he made others who are different from you.

How I function as a member of the body of Christ, how I minister with His love, how I walk out my faith will differ from others.  Not better. Not worse.  Just different.  And accepting the vast differences in the many members of the body of Christ is as sensible as accepting the differences in teeth and ears.

I'm thankful I've been reminded of this recently.  And I want to pray for eyes that see myself soberly.  For eyes that see the members of the body of Christ as individuals with gifts that differ according to the grace given to us. It's just makes sense.

Monday's Motto

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you

not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think,

but to think with sober judgment,

each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

For as in one body we have many members,

and the members do not all have the same function,

so we, though many, are one body in Christ,

and individually members one of another.

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them:

if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;

if service, in our serving;

the one who teaches, in his teaching;

the one who exhorts, in his exhortation;

the one who contributes, in generosity;

the one who leads, with zeal;

the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Romans 12:3-8

I have more to say about these verses (this motto).  Check back tomorrow...

Honest Scrap Award

I'm not really sure what it means, but I've been given the Honest Scrap Award! Just a fun little thing going around the blog-world.

Here are the rules:

1. Must thank the person who gave you the award and list their blog and link it.

2. Share "10 Honest things" about yourself.

3. Present this award to 7 others whose blogs you find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged you.

4. Tell those 7 people they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving the award.

So here we gooooooo.....

1. I would like to thank Tiffanie for this award. She's a wonderful friend; sweet, kind, generous and lots of fun to be around. I love lots of things about her, but what I love most is that she is no respecter of persons. She doesn't care who you are, where you're from, or what you look like. She will befriend anyone. If you're blessed to know her - even for a short time, you feel like you've known her your whole life. I could go on but I better get on with number 2, YIKES!

2. "10 Honest Things" about me (prepare yourself, this is long...):

a. I'm a book horder! I love books. I personally love reading Christian living books. I need lots of help, you know. But the hording mostly involves the kids' books. We recently had a used-book exchange. I have 4 - read it FOUR - Alice in Wonderland books, but I couldn't bring myself to give one up! I went to Goodwill to buy some for the exchange but ended up buying more for us.

b. I say "crap". And I don't think it makes me a bad person!

c. I want Kelly Ripa arms but I don't know if it will ever happen. Or my sister-in-laws arms! She's buff without trying.

d. I hated the word skinny in school. People/kids always pointed out how thin I was and wanted to put their fingers around my wrists to really see how thin they were. I only wore shorts in high school on half days. Which added up to maybe 3 times in four years. I didn't even say the word skinny until a few years ago. Now I don't care. You can call me skinny all you want!

e. I'm cheap. I trust God with our finances but money is connected to everything with me. If the kids aren't taking care of something, I'll say, "Do you know how much that costs?" or "You don't make enough money to replace that, so you better be careful with it."

I don't like shopping because I don't like spending money - except at Goodwill where I get my 39- and 59-cent books. But as cheap as I am, I don't mind giving money for those who need it because I know I'm giving it to Jesus.

f. I don't like wasting anything! Food, time and, of course, money! When I see plates of food being thrown away at parties, I get a sick feeling in my stomach. I wear the same clothes for years!! I just keep wearing them. When my sweaters start to get a little knotty, I use a razor and shave off the fuzz balls. Voila! Good as new! Same with the 2 pair of dress slacks that I bought almost 6 years ago.

g. I could stay in my house and never leave. I'm a hermit at heart. Which leads to my next honest thing...

h. I'm a terrible friend. I don't say this to be self-depricating. I love my friends and I have the most awesome friends anyone could ask for. But I am not a good friend. I'm terrible at calling. I think about them and think about calling but it's never at a good time - either for them or me. I think about getting together but am terrible at planning it. My friends are very patient with me.

i. I can say the alphabet backwards. I memorized it because I have sleep issues. When I was a kid I would count to 20 to fall asleep. Then I had to count backward from 20. Now I count backward from 1,000 or recite the alphabet backwards (which doesn't work). Sometimes I go through the alphabet and say the names or attributes of God that I can think of that start with each letter.

j. I organize my closet by color (mostly in rainbow order). I have pants by color, sleeveless and short-sleeved shirts by color, then long-sleeved shirts by color. I don't have that many dresses and skirts to organize, so they're just separated by skirts and dresses.

I didn't know there was any other way to do it. One day I went to iron one of Roddy's work shirts for him but couldn't find his red section. This was after being married over 10 years. Obviously, I am a terrible wife too and don't put his clothes away for him nor do I iron enough for him. Anyway, shortly after that, I did reorganize his closet by color - which makes it much more enjoyable for me to put his clothes away.

3. I don't have 7 people to award this to because some have already been awarded but here is my list. One is private, so I will list it without linking.

My Amazing Sister, Tammy

My Wonderful Sister-in-Law, Kara

My Ever-Thoughful Friend, Rebecca

My Canadian-Blogger Friend, Tyler

My Favorite Neighbor-Friend, Tina

Did He Cry?

Does anyone else have trouble sleeping after parties or, for that matter, any event involving other people?

I sure do. The lights go out and my mind starts going - reliving conversations and having them again with the words I should have said.

Last night I was so tired, I thought for sure I'd go straight to sleep. Yeah right!

I starting thinking about the confrontation with the food service lady. I asked God to help me forgive her. Then I tried to remember what I said that had made her flip out the way she did and act in such an unkind way toward me.

As soon as she had finished reaming me out, I had decided that I was going to find another place to serve. But as I was laying in bed (trying to sleep), I thought maybe I could just meet with or talk to the Volunteer Coordinator and try to work it out so that we wouldn't have to work with this particular person. Because I loved the fellowship I had shared with the ladies we served.

Then, all of a sudden, God said, "She needs Me, too."

I started to cry! I don't know exactly what broke the dam.

Was it the emotions I had held in all night?

Was it the feeling that I'd rather stay home in my comfort zone and not expose myself to that kind of treatment again?

Or was it forgiveness and God giving me a tenderness and compassion for this woman?

Maybe all of the above.

Now I wonder, did Jesus cry before He came to earth?

Had He anticipated the day with mixed emotions knowing what His stay here would entail? Knowing what He would be exposed to?

Did He consider staying in His comfort zone? Earth and a fleshly tent were certainly not comfortable!

Or did He cry with tenderness and compassion for us? Or with joy for what His journey would mean for all of mankind?

Oh what an example He has set before us. And it all began on what we celebrate as Christmas Day, Jesus' Birthday.

What gift will you give Him this year for all He has done for you?

Will it be your time? Your money? Better yet, will it be your heart? Your life? Your all?

God is Good...All the Time!

All the Time, God is Good!

I'm basking in the amazingness of my God!! The One True God!

You see, the devil showed up tonight!

In an attempt to ruin our evening of serving, he channeled himself through the food service manager at the WRCC. But God showed up and thankfully the Holy Spirit that lives is me was stronger than my flesh because I didn't fight back the way my flesh wanted to. All praise to Him.

Other than the rough start, the rest of the evening was awesome! I loved serving and spending time with the women and their kids. One of the moms said she was so thankful she could just sit and relax because normally they have to walk through the line themselves and get everything. Tonight they sat and we brought them whatever they needed.

We had about 20 adults and 30 kids volunteer so it was a little crazy and crowded but everyone was so great. They went with the flow and jumped in wherever they were needed - even the kids. They were such hard workers. I know several of the kids from different families were asking when they could come back and do it again!

The other highlight of the night was that we were able to give away some of Jackson's Bibles. We brought all of our Women's and Children's Bibles and ~drumroll, please~ 25 Women's Bibles and 16 Children's Bibles were taken...41 in all! Yea!!

One of the women told me that about 3 minutes before she walked into the dining room, she told her friend she needed a Bible!! She said, "I had no idea you would have them here." I said, "But God did!" This is the God we serve!! How personal and perfect is He?!

So the devil showed up, but God won!!

Prayers Much Appreciated

This Thursday night we have the privilege of preparing dinner for and serving 100 women and children at the WRCC (Women's Residential and Counseling Center). It is an extension of the Coalition focusing on women who are abused and have no other place to go with their children.

Thirteen families from our Sunday School class are working together on this. Roddy and I are heading it up and would love your prayers for a seamless, orderly evening. We are scheduled to do this every other month but this will be our first time. So we have no idea what to expect and what will be the best process. We're praying for wisdom. But mostly that we will all be a blessing to these women and their little ones and that Jesus' love will shine through to them.

Thank you for praying!

Monday's Motto

In honor of Tiger, I thought I'd share this Wagner family motto...

If it's not yours, don't touch it.

Monday's Motto

Whenever Christmas begins to burden,

it's a sign that I've taken on something of the world and not of Christ.

~Ann Voskamp

Jesus' Birthday

Last year around this time, I read a post by Ann at A Holy Experience that changed the way we do Christmas.

It made perfect sense to me. On my birthday, we don't all exchange gifts. Do you? So I wonder why we exchange gifts on Jesus' birthday.

I read the story to the kids and it made perfect sense to them as well.

Of course, we couldn't wrap presents and put them under the tree for Jesus to physically open Christmas morning. So what could we do?

Jesus said that whatever we do for the least of these, we do for Him.

So to give to Jesus, we gave to others...and it was the best Christmas ever yet!

You may think of other ways to give and serve others this month but these were our birthday gifts last year (some to be repeated this year and new ones to be added).

We put together hygiene kits for the men at the Coalition which we then had the privilege of handing out on Christmas morning.

We memorized the Christmas story from Luke 2 to recite to the residents of a local local nursing home followed by Christmas carols.

We saved our coins and donated the money we collected to Wycliffe Bible Translators. There is also an option of going through their Gift Catalog to specify where the money is used.

And we let the kids pick gifts from Samaritan's Purse Gift Catalog.

There are so many ways to serve others not just at Christmas but throughout the year. Keep your eyes and ears open. Give and it will change your Christmas. Keep giving and it will change your life.

Our focus was so different last year. Getting wasn't what was important. We experienced in spades that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

P.S. We still exchanged gifts with our families because this is our conviction not theirs.

And we decided that because Thanksgiving is about the abundance of blessings God gives us and being thankful for each other, we will give our gifts to each other at Thanksgiving. At the first Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims gave gifts to the Native Americans and vice-versa. So this will be our time to exchange presents with each other.

Twilight

For me the choice is simple. But for others the lines have been blurred. Here is an excellent reason not to partake in the Twilight madness! Read The Visionary Daughters review.

Here's an excerpt...

For this discussion, we would like to set aside the dark paranormal element of Twilight, though that is a concern on its own. We believe what ultimately draws women into this series and other romance novels in millions-strong droves is the same thing that lures men into an estimated $3-4 billion-a-year pornography industry.

Give Thanks!

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;

make known his deeds among the peoples!

Sing to him, sing praises to him;

tell of all his wondrous works!

Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!

Psalm 105:1-3

Monday's Motto

The value of anything

is the price it pays in eternity.

What are you investing in?

Monday's Motto

Stick and stones may break the bones

But harsh words can wound for a lifetime.

Talk is Cheap

Read the following last week and had to share. It's lengthy but sooo good!

"Are you a frustrated parent? Is your brow drawn tight as if pulled by drawstrings? If parenting is not enjoyable, be assured, you have a bad attitude. When your children look into your face, what do they see? They are not fooled. They know how you feel toward them. Your face is a graph of approval or rejection. The smooth tongue of 'positive affirmation' is not enough; in fact, it is worse than nothing if there is not genuine delight in your heart...If they see disappointment and criticism, they will answer in kind. Discontented parents breed discontented children. Your attitude is the root of the family attitude tree. A bitter root cannot produce sweet fruit.

Personal attitudes are highly contagious, and children usually come down with a worse case. 'More is caught than taught.' And children seem more highly susceptible to catching a bad attitude than of being taught to have a good one...

'Our actions speak louder than our words,' but our attitude screams louder than our actions. The first need and the most lacking element in child training is a right attitude on the part of parents...

Who you are is more important than what you do...

Your children are playing follow-the-leader...

The bad news is that you are responsible for the condition of your children. The good news is that you don't have to be frustrated over attempting to change them. You only need to change yourself. Since their attitudes are reflections of yours, you need only change your attitude, and the reflections will change...

Children living under condemnation are not motivated to good works. None of us seeks to please someone who is condemning us...You may nag or gripe them into relenting to your will, but you can never bad-attitude them into a good attitude. Children cannot be intimidated into positive character. To stand off and criticize their performance will not induce them to a rectifying shame. No one has ever been motivated to climb out from under a pile of disapproval to win the praise and affections of his or her accuser.

The law of human nature is such that condemnation and shame cause an alienation that only produces more disobedience...

If you are always ready to show them what is wrong, but do not constantly exemplify what is right, they will cower under your judgments while continuing to grow into the likeness of your graceless bitterness.

The parental spirit of displeasure holds the child in 'death.' A new spirit in the parent will allow the child to serve from a joyous spirit and not from the decrepit bondage of legal depression...

Your children will begin to develop positive character only in an atmosphere of forgiveness and acceptance. The first step to recovery and the ground on which it continues is the parent's smile...

If fellowship with God provokes His children to holiness, what will be the result of a child's fellowship with his parents? The best training is done under the supervision of a smile. There is a time for discipline, rebuke, spanking, and even controlled anger, but such should be temporary signposts on a path of communion that you walk with your children. If they see your delight and appreciation, they will have the courage to try to maintain that sweetness.

These excerpts are from No Greater Joy, Volume One by Mike and Debi Pearl.

Good stuff, don't you think?

Why? Why not?

Often when people go through hard times or difficult situations, they ask, "Why?"

"Why is this happening to me?" or "Why would God allow this to happen?"

If you think about it, the question should really be, "Why not?"

Because the reality is, we don't always get what we actually deserve, which is hell. Even our hardest day is better than that.

Instead, what we get is an opportunity to accept Jesus as Lord of our lives and live eternally with Him in Heaven.

It's humbling.

But in case you're still wondering why we have to go through difficult situations, here's what Paul says in II Corinthians 1...(emphasis mine)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and

God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings,

so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation;

and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort,

which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.

Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings,

you will also share in our comfort.

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia.

For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death.

But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.

On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

You also must help us by prayer,

so that many will give thanks on our behalf

for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Monday's Motto

Sin is like a weed...

Ignoring it won't make it go away!

A Mother's High Calling

The Stay at Home Missionary quoted this on her blog. I couldn't resist copying it here...

"Oh that God would give every mother a vision of the glory and splendor of the work that is given to her when a babe is placed in her bosom to be nursed and trained! Could she have but one glimpse into the future of that life as it reaches into eternity; could she look into it's soul to see it's possibilities; could she be made to understand her own personal responsibility for the training of this child, for the development of its life, and for it's destiny,- she would see that in all God's world there is no other work so noble and so worthy of her best powers, and she would commit to no other hands the sacred and holy trust given to her."

- JR Miller

To Be Thankful

If you need a reality check, or just a good cry, read this. I couldn't help but sob when I read it. And maybe it affected me more than it will you because I knew them. So let me tell you a little more about them.

Cyndi is a 32 year old widow. Her husband died after a two year battle - and I mean battle - with cancer. He was a loving, godly husband and father. He leaves behind three children.

And while I know he is so much better off, I absolutely hate what death leaves behind.

As I was crying my eyes out, I began to wonder...

If she could have him back,

would she ever be too tired to make love to him?

would she nag him over that chore not yet done?

would she begrudge a weekend golf game? or would she count the minutes anxiously awaiting his return and greet him with a smile?

would she be bitter about the overflowing trash bag that should have been taken out yesterday?

would she harbor anger over a poor financial decision he made despite her advice?

would she complain when he brought home the wrong kind of peanut butter from the grocery store?

Or would she just be thankful?

I want to be thankful for every second I get with my husband and children. I don't want to be petty and trivial. I want to remember what is important!

Monday's Motto

Order of Priorities:

God

Family

Others

Self