life

This is a blog post from a friend of mine and I liked it so I thought I would share.

"it is not that we live everyday like it is our last, but every moment. Wanting to please our lord and honor him. It is not that he demands us to be perfect, but that we should try hard to keep our feet from evil." For the days are evil" are we just apart of them? Or separate? Even the prophets of old said please forgive me a man of unclean lips-for he understood "From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" he knew that his heart could lead him astray, that he needed to maintain a clean heart at all times to be used by GOD. So be diligent watchful, for the days are short, life is but a vapor. We are the new testament of the bible not just those between Matthew and Revelation. What is the world reading from your pages, how much power does GOD have to move mountains for you or through you?? "

From my pages, I want people to read about a person like Paul. I have a lot of work to do. Lord make me invisible so that others will see only you. Might I decrease so YOU may increase.

Mom Alarm

I recently heard a news report about a safe haven law in Nebraska that allows you to drop off your teenager at a Safe Haven location and they become a ward of the state. I am not going to debate about whether the Safe Haven is a good law or a bad law. That is not my intention. I am also not going to talk about the women that may have to give up their children and I what I think about it. But this opened up some thought in my head and well, you clicked here so you're reading about it.

I believe that as moms we have a "mom alarm". I read a devotion about the mom alarm today. as mom's we have a "6th sense" so to speak (i like to call it the Holy Spirit) that tells us when our kids need us and if they may be in trouble. How do we get from protecting our precious little one, to having a teen that is so out of control that you just drop them off and be done. You have loved and cared for this child for something like 15 years and then you drop them off. I don't get it.

So here I am, I am the mom of a 17 year old boy. He'll be 18 in 6 months. There have been many times over the last year that I have thought, "well, i must be done, he doesn't need me anymore" and I had to tell myself it's not true. He just likes to hide it.

Just because my teen is hiding the fact that he needs me because he wants to be an adult, just because he actively pushes my help away, does not mean he doesn't need it. It's my job to stick in there and love him when he's unlovable. To stick with it and yes, still punish him when he needs it. just because he turns 17 or 18 doesn't mean he doesn't need me anymore. In some ways, he needs me now more than ever. The decisions he's going to make over the next year are going to be the biggest in his life so far. He needs help making them even if he doesn't want to admit it. Also, he wants my help, he just doesn't want to admit that he wants my help.

In so many ways, we are the same way with God. We are like those pesky teenagers that push Him away because we can do it ourselves. We want to make our own decisions and prove we can do it on our own. Perhaps we want to show Him that we can be responsible, but in reality, we still and will always need Him. I'm so grateful he doesn't give up on me. I'm glad he doesn't think that because I may want to do things on my own that he doesn't turn his back on me. I'm so glad that when we are out of control he doesn't drop us off somewhere.

Father, thank you for your unconditional and unfailing love...even when I don't deserve it. Thank you for NOT giving me what I deserve.

Mothers can come in all shapes, sizes and genders and can enter your life when you least expect it. They are there because God has sent them, He hasn't given up on you...or me.

He's friends with me?!

Recent quote from David Letterman, speaking of Johnny Carson
"You know, there are people in everyone's life who you can't believe you have a relationship with, and you are truly in awe of them, because they are so iconic and so influential that you're just kind of pretending. You know if you behave the way you really behave, they would recognize that you're a complete dope and they would never have anything to do with you ever again. That was kind of the way I felt about Johnny. I was so worried that I would say something idiotic and he would just pull me out of his Rolodex. … I never got out from under the feeling that he and I really could be friends because I idolized him and I knew by any measure I would always fall short."

Ok - Wow, this speaks volumes doesn't it? I was recently hurt with the knowledge that I'm just not my brother's favorite person. Call me a Bible thumper or Jesus freak but he just doesn't like me. I've known this my whole life and yet I have also denied it my whole life. I have always wanted him to like me. I tried to be the sister he wanted, but the fact was, I am who I am and no matter how much I tried to hide it, he could always see through me. Finally I stopped trying to hide who I was and he doesn't really speak to me anymore.

My point? How many of us have looked at God (like I would look at my older brother) and we want him to like us so we try and be on our best behavior or something silly, hoping he can't really see who we are afraid he won't like us?
A friend of mine recently said, I would never do that, I'm at church, God might see me! I said to them, God's always within you...He can always see you.

God knows who you really are no matter how much you try and hide. God sees EVERYTHING you do and hears everything you say even before you say it. Guess what...He likes you anyway. He knows who you are at the very core and he loves you. He made you! Be open, don't hide, he sees you anyway and he knows your heart.

Ok, so you mess up from time to time. Sometimes you mess up really big. Sometimes you have bitterness in your heart. He still loves you and you can't hide it from him. When you hide who you are, all you are really succeeding in doing is separating yourself from God, the one who loves you no matter what. Embrace his friendship, Embrace his relationship, Embrace Him.

Can't means you don't want to

For years my kids have said to me, "but mom, I can't!" and I would reply, "can't means you don't want to". It's true! There is no such thing as can't. Can't simply means, it is too hard, it takes too much time, or I don't want to. When learning to tie shoes, "can't means you don't want to. You have the ability to do it, it's just hard and so you think you can't or you think it's easier to have someone do it for you." When learning multiplication, "can't means you don't want to. You can learn this and you will learn this, it's just hard for you but not impossible." so many instances over the years and it's always been, "yes you can!"

Recently at church, Pastor Chris made point number one which was "Refuse to Quit!" Soon following that message there were so many instances in which I wanted to quit. Things were hard, or it just seemed as if nothing was going to work out. I actually said, yep you guessed it. "I can't do this!" And clear as a bell I could hear God tell me, "Can't means you don't want to. All things are possible with Jesus Christ."

He was right of course, just as I had pointed out countless time, I was saying I can't but what I really meant was, this is really hard and I don't want to. Of course it was a momentary lapse, we all have them. Little moments when we doubt or are just plain tired. But there was a light that went on in my head. How many other times has God had the opportunity to throw my own words right back at me. I'm a parent, He's the ultimate parent. How many times has God had the opportunity to look at me like a spoiled kid who in reality has things so much easier in today's society than ever before.

I say things to my kids like, you don't know how good you have it. When I was your age I had to....well you know how the rest goes. insert your own story there. But the point is, God could say the same thing...you don't know how easy you have it. Why when the apostle Paul was traveling the world telling the Good news to the gentiles, he had to walk thousands of miles, get shipwrecked, stoned on the outskirts of town, why once i even made him blind for a time. you kids today are far too spoiled and you don't appreciate what you have...can't means you don't want to...let's practice first time listening.

Ok, maybe I'm oversimplifying it but the truth still holds firm. God is our parent and sometimes we are his bratty kids stuck in the terrible twos.

Never Quit! Refuse to Give up! God has never given up on his children. Can't means, you don't want to and you shouldn't ever settle for that.
May God bless you as you continue on even when it's hard and seems impossible. May God bless you as you continue your walk, refusing to give up, and doing everything with excellence...not perfection, but excellence, to the best of your ability. Oh and God knows what your best is, just as you know when your child is giving you their best.

football practice this week

Changes

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

Have I really been crucified with Christ? Do I truly no longer live? To be crucified with Christ requires radical change. Do we begin changing and then get to a comfortable place and stop, happy with who we are? I think we do. We have to be constantly reminded that God's not happy with where we are. He still wants us to change and grow into the person he created us. But that change can't ever stop, it won't be complete until the day we are with him.

How difficult it must have been for Jesus not to come down off the cross. he could have done it. They were daring him to do it. They were double dog daring him! But he didn't. He allowed himself to be beaten, tortured and completely humiliated...for us. Could I have suffered so much pain and humiliation and not come back with an "oh yeah! well watch this!"?

Let's not become complacent. God's not done growing us. Seek the growth opportunities even though it may be excrutiating and leave stretch marks!

Activity

Those of you who know me will be very shocked to hear this. I know this will be difficult to believe but I enjoy being active. I don't want to just sit at home on the couch eating bon bons. I want to be out in the world, doing everything I can, tasting and enjoying life, playing with the kids, charity work, laughing with friends and even talking with people.

I told you that you'd be shocked!

Ok, so it probably wasn't much of a shock but keep reading anyway.

I was watching a commercial the other day for this program called Saving Grace. She was saying she liked to embrace life, laugh, play practical jokes, enjoy life and at the end she said "Embrace your Grace". So I was curious and I watched one of her programs. She is violent, seemingly immoral, I was very shocked by her behavior. I don't want to embrace that. The premise of the show, I really like, she has this angel following her around trying to save her and bring her to God. I love that! We all need someone trying to save us that just will never give up. But at this point in my life I embrace life a little differently than she does.

I love to hang out with my friends. My best friend Katie, we homeschool together, I just love going and hanging out with her. We go to the gym, shopping, shows, movies, shopping, you name it. It's always fun hanging out with her. We share each other's lives and I'm better for it. I love hanging out with all my friends, we just enjoy each other's company. I love going and serving at church. I think I have the best church in Vegas, the people are wonderful, the atmosphere is amazing. I go there and feel God's presence and see Him in the faces of those around me. I also enjoy charity work. You name, I'll do it. Some ministries near and dear to my heart are the homeless, victims of domestic violence, violence against children, I will participate in a run or walk, give money, time and energy. Right now I'm planning a garage sale and all the proceeds are going to charity right here in las vegas. Ok, I'm not trying to toot my own horn here. Give God the glory for everything. I am only able to do these things because he puts the desire in my heart and gives me the energy and resources I need. I'm not doing these things God is. But I love to do them. I could fill my days giving in outreach to the community and I would be the happiest person on earth. I love reaching out to the community. Why, because the community is full of Grace's that need to be saved. They need an angel that is going to keep giving even when you seem to be a lost cause and never give up. People are hurting and are in places they don't really want to be but can't seem to get out. They have lost hope because they don't see their angel. My desire is that everyone sees God. Hopefully it's through me but they need to see God in the faces of many.

I guess I do "embrace my Grace". Grace is tenacious. When she's trying to solve a crime she won't give up. Her methods are less than desirable sometimes but she doesn't give up. I hope my methods are little better but my point is I'm not giving up. I will "embrace my Grace" by being tenacious/persistent doing God's work. I will keep working until He tells me I'm through. That's one of things my mom had a problem with toward the end of her life. She felt like she couldn't do the work anymore and she so badly wanted to keep working. She didn't realize He just had her working in a different way.

You have a purpose. God has a plan for you.

"Embrace your Grace"