Another Choice

Bible time was heading down the tubes fast this morning.  Everyone of us was in a somewhat bad mood and one boy had his feathers ruffled more than the rest.

He was in a rotten mood and his responses were not obedience with a quick, cheerful heart.  The child in question and myself excused ourselves from the school table to go have a talk in the playroom.

I asked him what was going on.  He felt angry at everyone.  It manifested itself in grumpy responses and rolling his eyes.  At this point I had choices.

The first choice was to put on my matter of fact voice and in no uncertain terms tell him that is not how we show respect to authority.  Responding like that to family does not show them honor.  Administer consequence, dry the tears, carry on.

I am learning that I have another choice in these situations.  It is a choice to minister to the hurting child by asking questions and seeking to understand what is going on inside of them.  This guy was just in an old fashioned bad mood.  As tears streamed down his face he didn't know why he had a bad mood. 

So I planned a different course of action.  I asked him if he'd like some time by himself in the playroom.  I told him I could set him up so he could have some time to work without all the rest of us around.  I brought in little tables. 

Would you like a candle?  YES!  So I lit a candle on a table.  I fixed him a glass of ice water in a fun glass and I wish you could've seen his little face light up when I walked in the room and sat his water down on his little table.

It took very little time and effort to serve the little guy and show him love.  You want to know how he responded?  He emerged from his room, finished schoolwork in hand, all smiles.  He felt important, special, loved and taken care of.  All because of a little extra love vs. a lecture. 

Tonight is couch bed night.  Every Thursday we make out the couch bed and the boys get to camp out with us.  This guy has a strict snuggle Daddy on the actual couch bed policy.  At lunch he snuggled next to me and said guess what Mama!  I'm snuggling YOU tonight and giving you all my best snuggles!!!

I am amazed over and over that choosing to put on love produces significantly more peaceful outcomes.  We've still had talks about attitudes today, but I feel like the words have fallen on soil that received it so much better because it had been tended to with love and understanding.

This is a lesson that I pray continues to make its way deeper into my heart and that continues to become more and more of our reality.  It does not take much to minister to these little hearts.  A little time and effort sown reaps a huge harvest of goodness.

Shirkers & Slackers

The Bible reading plan for Shirkers & Slackers.  Yesterday I was talking to a dear friend telling her my desire to read through the Bible.  There are so many ways to do this.  I didn't want a different Bible, I wanted to settle into my very own Bible.  Reading my very own Bible allows me to settle in and get to know it. 

It begins to take the shape of a well appointed home.  I love to move.  Houses not Bibles.  But they are very similar events for me.  Moving into a new house or Bible is the same.  Everything feels new and different.  It takes awhile to find a good rhythm and to begin to feel like home.

On the housefront, when we move into a new  house the first thing we do is clean till it sparkles.  Move all our stuff in.  We hang the curtains, hang the pictures, arrange and move and get to know our way around the new space.  Over time little touches here and there continue to make it home.  The only place I want to be.

Same thing with my Bible.  The more I settle into the words on the pages, mark them, and write in the margins, the more familiar it begins to feel.

But where to begin is always the million dollar question.  This Bible reading plan for Shirkers & Slackers is money.  Simply click on the link and print off the PDF file (for free!).  Fold it in half and tuck it in your Bible. 

It is arranged by days of the week.  That way you don't feel like a failure.  If you skipped yesterday or the month of November entirely, you are not behind.  Simply pick up today and keep going.  And the article attached to the link-worth its weight in gold because it is hilarious and makes you feel normal.

Page, thanks for the info about this great reading plan!

I'm linking up with Flower Patch Farmgirl today.

Surprised!

This morning I opened up my box of Swiffer Duster refills.  My bedroom ceiling fan was beyond dusty.  I've been putting off cleaning it.  Tonight I want to sleep on clean sheets, so I decided to dust the fan, shake the sheets outside and toss them into the wash.

When I opened my new box of Dusters bright light and a heavenly chorus began playing right there in my laundry room.  It was the smell of heaven I'm sure!  The dusters smells amazing.  The perfect clean smell.  Ahhh.  What a pleasant surprise!  I had no idea they smelled.  Citrus and Light.  What a great description of the smell.  The dusting was needing to happen, it was going to happen today, and the beautiful smell was a wonderful surprise for me.  It caught me completely by surprise and off guard.

Something opened to complete a mundane, dirty job revealed beauty and joy.

I want this smell everywhere in my home.   Happiness, sheer happiness.

This leads me to something else I can't wait to share with you.  It's a thought from the book Simple Obsession I've been reading and the concept is from a Pastor named Hal Perkins. In talking about the fruit of the Spirit and if it is evident in your life.  Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Longsuffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control.

"Pastor Hal Perkins described it this way.  He likened people to vessels that hold liquid.  Every time someone "bumps" us, something spills out. Will it be ugliness or will it be the sweet, refreshing Spirit of Christ?  The "bumping" is the test of what is truly inside.

We must examine the fruit being produced by our internal attitudes, and if we find that we see and smell little or nothing of the character of Jesus, our bridegroom, then we must return to intimate fellowship with him.  There, he can begin to transform our nature and begin to produce the fruit of righteousness and holiness-that of the fruit of the Spirit."

If you are like me, you were bumped this week and maybe something ugly spilled out.  If you are like me, you want beauty to spill out.  Beauty and light.

Christ's greatest desire is to fill us of more of Him.

To smell like the fragrance of him, even in ugly, messy situations.  That right there is evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in you.  When you are opened up expecting the ordinary only to be surprised by beauty and the smell of sweetness.

Read something in the Word today.  Anything.  Proverbs 7.  Psalm 23.  2 Corinthians 6-8.  Genesis 50:2.

You can read for 2 minutes or 20.

Open your Bible and receive a Word from your Father.

This morning after I'd dusted my room, I brought the vacuum in to sweep the carpets.  I had laid my Bible on the floor and there was something blue peeping out from a blanket right beside it. It was one of the boys swords.

How symbolic.  Two swords on the ground, right there for the taking to fight battles with.

Praying for the kids

Our community group has began the most powerful thing.  We are bringing the kids in each week, one by one to pray over them.

The first week, each of the Middle Aged Children came in, one at a time.

Last night, the Youngest kiddos had their turn.

Next time we meet we'll pray over the oldest children.

We asked them what we could pray for.  Any sin areas?  Things you'd like to see changed?  Needs?  Fears?  Joys?

The adults sit in a circle and the child either sits in the middle or in their Daddy or Mommy's lap.  Then, all 6 of us adults take a turn praying prayers over the child out loud.

It is the most powerful, beautiful, humbling thing to be a part of.  Having our friends pray over our children and being able to do the same for theirs has been a gift.  It is power-filled.  Who knows how our prayers on behalf of these children is reshaping the course of their days?  There lives, choices, the legacy they will leave behind on this world.

Prayer is the greatest shield we can provide for our children.

Listen to them throughout the day.  Comments made to you or siblings.  Underlying tone behind comments.  Look for sin or obedience issues that are manifesting themselves.  Then talk to your Heavenly Father about them.  It is surprising how often I overlook prayer in the day to day of life.  Lord, teach us to pray without ceasing.  Make prayer to you be our first response before we open our mouth to teach and train.  Give us wisdom to speak truth into their lives.  Equip us with words of wisdom as we teach and train.  Reveal hidden sin in our homes.

There is a well of faith that runs deep if we'd tap into it.  Last night we had conversations on desperately relying on the Holy Spirit in the day to day of life.  In the making the beds, the buttering the toast, the refilling of sippy cups, the folding of laundry, the thawing of meat for dinner, the washing of the dishes, the taking 10 minutes to listen to a friend on the phone, the reading of the books to the boys, the cleaning the base of the toilet again because of bad aim, the sweeping of the floor, the opening of the WORD to be filled, the opening of the mouth to WORSHIP.

Days fly by and today can count for Eternity.  Is that really true?  Absolutely yes it is.  Whether you are in an office with fluorescent lights overhead, a classroom about to take an exam, a kitchen washing up more dishes, or a car running errands.  It can count.  It can have meaning and purpose.

Wake-Up

Awake!  Awake!

The two words that have been on my mind.

Do you ever get the feeling that you have settled into the unholy?  The routine, monotonous way of our culture?  The Idon'tneedtheHolySpirit to help me today because there's nothing big happening?  The I've got no plans today to live life in a way that would warrant the need for help from God or guiding from the Holy Spirit?

There are more questions I have.

I've been wandering where the fruitful labor in my life is?  Not the pat I'm staying home raising my kids making them disciples answer. Important? Yes.  All there is?  No.  Here's the deal.  I am very comfortable staying home raising my kids.  It is in my pulse. A huge part of what I was created to do.  It is a treasure.  A gift.  But.  That still, small voice won't leave me alone.  The still small voice of The Lord God Almighty who keeps whispering I have more if you'd let me in.

So with two hands, palm up, wide open my heart says Yes. Yes please come into my days.  My suburban home.  The life with 3 kids and a mini-van and soccer goals in the back yard Yes.  Please come in.

Several times over that last month the exact same quote has come across my path.  "If your dream is not intimidating to you it is probably insulting to God."

It has been about two weeks since my prayers have turned to an almost desperation cry to The Lord.  Please enter into my days.  Unpry my hands from the things I hold so tightly.  Change my vision.  Help me see.

We had a fire going in the fire pit.  It was a gorgeous Spring Day and we were enjoying the backyard.  Anna!  QUICK!  Get the water hose!  A spark had jumped into the yard and the grass was burning up and it was burning fast.  We put the fire out and I was reminded about a big upcoming event.  The one where fire will test how we've built and the quality of what we built.  It will be shown for what it is.  It will be revealed with fire.  It will be tested with fire.

That has me thinking about the only things last forever.  God.  God's Word.  People.   The souls of men and women.  The Quality Filter.

You want to try something that will totally freak you out and pump you up all at the same time?  Ask The Lord Almighty, God of the Universe to reveal to you today what living your life as a sacrifice to him looks like.  Today.  Right here.  Right now. Every head bowed every eye closed nobody watching.  Just Kiddin.  Really though.  Ask Him.  What needs to change.  What needs added in.  What needs taken out.

When that tiny thought or opportunity pops in your mind you probably will not want to do it.  You may but you may not.  And what if?  What if God On High heard you and spoke back.  Gave you something to do.  An opportunity.  A way to be the hands and feet of Christ in someones life today.  Fruitful Labor in The Name of Jesus.

He hears.

The cry of the broken-hearted and hungry he hears.

He talks back.

Not remaining silent.

Scary.

Amazing.

Life changing.

The thing that adds color back into the bleakness of an ordinary life.

It is addictive. 

Starting to see God's fingerprints all over that ordinary life you've been living.

23. wind chimes filling the air

24. asking a 5 year old what floral means and him dropping to the floor to make a carpet angel
25. sunshine streaming onto carpet
26. the reflection of dancing leaves on the floor
27. flecks of dust floating through air
28. white, flower filled trees that look like snow
29. peacefulness of early morning
30. warmth of the fireplace
31. God's Word
32. lamps in early morning
33. coffee and cream
34. my oldest waking early morning to read with his Mama
35. first song of the day being sung from the trees
36. clean sheets, so soft, smell so good

I've been counting.  Counting the gifts in the days.  Looking around with eyes that see.  Hearing sounds I was numb to.  Awaking to God's goodness all around that I was blind too.  Counting to 1000.  1000 blessings.  1000 gifts in the now.

166. Mamaw's Quilt on my bed
167. lazy, cooling whirl of fan
168. soft light entering through blinds turned down

Ingratitude.  The sin that threatens to plague every waking moment of every day.  Discontentment with it all.  Home, work, marriage, wanting to be married, decorations, everything.  Tainted by a heart of discontentment.

170. hot water and soap to wash with
171. bird pecking around for food
172. squirrel flying through air to new tree
173. soft lamb's ear growing in garden
174. climbing jasmine
175. first blade of green grass in sea of straw

Joy.  The gift available if we put on a different pair of glasses to see with. 

1000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  The little book that found it's way into my hands last Tuesday that I cannot put down.  The little book that My Heavenly Father is using to usher in a new era in this heart.  The beauty of it all.  A dare to live fully, right where you are. 

Pull Over

This weekend turned out a little different than I imagined.  During our down times we planned to do things that refresh us.  For me that was going to include decorating magazines and thinking about my home.  It turned into a weekend of unscheduled revival.  Shane and I get a kick out of the 'scheduled revival'.  We see it a lot on back road church billboards when we're traveling to see his folks.

So this weekend turned into a lot of Bible reading and talking to the Lord about things.  I did not plan on extended time in the Word and Prayer but am thankful and changed because of it.  In a nutshell, I feel like I was cruising along, getting by pretty good and this weekend we pulled the car over and stopped it.  Not only did we pull over and stop, but we turned the car around to head in an entirely different direction than we were going.

There was a lot of time spent talking to God about what kind of ship I am running around here in the day to day.  I found out something that was, um, humbling and disheartening.  This weekend God revealed to my heart that I've been reaching a very low bar in how I am managing my home life.  If you shoot for nothing you will hit it every time.  This weekend I got a real, vivid picture of how with a little discipline and direction from me, our days can become more intentional and purposeful.

I am on a new mission.  A mission to first and foremost make God and His Word the first and last thing on our hearts each day.  To have His Word hem us in behind and before.

For starters, this morning I read the Proverbs to the boys while they ate their cereal.  I simple task that took 3 minutes.  We had a short prayer of blessing for God to guide our time today and make it His.

Last night at Community Group we read the story about Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding.  He gave me an exciting picture that we can bring him our simple resources, something as simple and ordinary as water.  And we can bring it to him and he can transform it into something exquisite, valuable and very costly.

That is the plan.  Bring him our days.  One simple ordinary day at a time. Take 3-5 minutes as a family to very simply speak His Word out loud together and commit it in Prayer to him.

Tonight before bed, we will very simply have a time of prayer and Thanksgiving over the provision of the day.  If there are sins that need to be confessed we can do that.  We will praise God and ask Him to make us to make us more like Him.  To help us on our journey to more fully center our simple, daily lives around Him.

A Sweet Gift

Did you know that I received a gift yesterday that was more valuable than any I've received in a long time.

Have you noticed that sometimes the days do not pan out like you imagined?

Someone says something cruel to you and it hurts.

Someone gets sick or something gets spilled and things get sticky.

You want to go do something but the money is not there.

Interruptions happen when you do not want to make the time for them. 

Yesterday Shane came home from work.  He was sick.  That never happens.  That also means I was all hands on deck yesterday so he could get the rest he needed.  Last night after I had cooked dinner, bathed the boys, washed the dishes and swept the floor there was a big smile on my face.  I was smiling because God had blessed me with the gift of contentment.  When you have a heart of contentment plans can change but they can't take away your joy.  When you live in a way that you roll with the punches trusting God all along the way there is a steady, unshakable peace you are blessed with.

When you have a heart of contentment you can find something good to focus on.  It is a choice you know.  The things you choose to focus on. 

A heart at peace gives life to the body.  That is what Proverbs says.  Godliness with contentment is great gain.

Last night after the boys were tucked in bed we made some good Dunkin' Donuts coffee.  We pulled out the Hershey Kisses with Almonds.  We watched a couple sweet movies. 

Let me tell you something else.  My boys are getting older.  We are walking into some new territories that I have felt unsure about.  I have had some fear and worry about if I am saying and doing the right things for them.  Before I went to bed last night, I knelt by the boys bed to pray for them.  As I prayed I was heavy hearted.  Wandering if I am doing OK.  Wandering if they are doing OK.  Am I teaching them the things they need to be taught right now.  Are we having fun and enjoying our days.  Are we using all the oppurtunities we've been given.

This morning as I was reading my Bible I want you to know that God spoke right to my circumstances and questions.  He does that.  He is Alive and He is the greatest resourse I know of to talk to about my fears and questions.  This is what I read, "He pursues them and moves on unscathed, by a path his feet have not traveled before".  He told me through that verse that I can walk into new territory with confidence because I know who is right by my side.  I may be walking into a territory that is new to me but it is not new to Him. 

Being able to communicate with God is another sweet gift.  If there is something you've been heavy hearted about you know that you can talk to God about it.  He will listen.  You can open up that Bible of yours and let God talk to you through His Word.  How many times does pessimism and lack of faith keep us from doing that very thing?

You know what else he told me?

I have chosen you.

I have called you.

You are my servant.

I have chosen you and not rejected you.

I will strenghten you and help you.

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Is that not the greatest news you have heard all day?  You have a helper.  You have someone who has not rejected you and left you to chance.  Don't reject that help and leave it in an unused heap on the floor, tossed aside.  Pick it up, embrace it, use it, enjoy it.  Walk into your new territory with faith and confidence.

Walking

My prayer the last 3 weeks has been that I will walk with the Lord.

In the dailyness of life, schedules and deadlines that I would be found walking hand in hand with Him.

An interesting thing has come out of walking with the Lord each day. There is joy even in busyness.

Have you been swamped with a plate full of commitments? It gets a little overwhelming doesn't it? My wise bible study teacher once told us to commit each day to the Lord. Allow him to take out and put in whatever he chooses.

Thankfully God has given us 24 hour segments to work with at a time.

His 24 hours.

This week I found a website of a beautiful girl named Katie, click here to be taken to her website. She is a woman who is living in the fullness of joy that God has to offer this side of heaven. She's enjoying the fullness of joy because she is walking with Him where He has led her. The JOY radiates from her face. My word the pain and suffering of some of her posts is gut wrenching. It is messy.

One look at her life will etch its memory in your mind for days to come. It will cause the life changing questions like, "Am I following you today LORD?" I live on a suburban street, have 2 nice cars, 3 boys and a full schedule. Our family goes to church. My man works 9-5 and I stay home with my babies all day.

You know what practically it is looking like for me this week? I'm hosting a lunch at my house Wednesday afternoon. Everything in me wants to deep clean. The itchin' to clean my blinds and suds up my baseboards is about to explode I want to tackle it so bad. Really, like visions of Pine Sol and a scrub brush are dancing in my head.

Everything in me wants to get my twinkle lights and Christmas balls and floral ribbon and deck the halls.

You know what it looked like last week? My very special friend got married and everything in me wanted to go to the consignment shop and get a cute new outfit. In my mind I schemed and schemed on how I could find some time to get over there to look. Do you know what the Lord told me? He said march your happy self right into your bathroom, open up that closet door, choose a shirt. Take it off the hanger, put it on and be happy because you've got sheets and a couple loads of laundry that need to be washed. You can shop another day.

I'm in the mood to write. To sit at my computer with a Peppermint Mocha and write.

And I don't know. I don't know if time is going to allow these things or not. But walking with God today for me practically looks like taking these desires for how to spend my time before the Throne because there may be some other things He has in store for how to spend the 24 hours he's given me today.

(things like posting a blog and being sure to make up words like dailyness and being extra sure to use plenty of runonsentences)

Surrounded

This year I am going to surround myself with people I love.

My home is going to continue to be a reflection of color and whimsy.

I am going to paint a canvas.

Life is going to be intentional.

I will sit more.

Talk less.

This is going to be year of freedom and joy.

A year of spiritual revival and awakening.

Caring less about what people think.

Striving to be obedient to that still small voice even when the command seems scary.

God has already been stirring in my heart and it feels like it is about to explode with JOY.

I do not want to waste one second of this life I have been given.

I might even put a picture of two cute butt cheeks in a post if I want.

Yes. 34 is going to be a good year.

I this. I that. Then I did this. Then we....

Come on in and pull up a chair, we gotta talk.

I hate to read posts like this one.

Seriously, they usually make me want to puke. What an attitude, huh? Just bein' real.

They are usually an attempt at motivating the reader toward something better and end up reading as pious and judgemental.

My thoughts today are not an attempt at some super-spirituality or condeming attitude toward mankind.

This post is me talking to myself but you can come in and take a listen if you want.

Or you can X out which is cool too, don't tell anyone but that's probably what I'd do if I were you.

Talking a lot about yourself.

Being consumed with your life and your corner of the world.

This morning we talked about PRIDE in our Bible study.

My teacher said when a person uses the word I a lot they have pride.

It is like a glaring red flag in conversation.

Guilty as charged.

It got me to thinking.

About the last time spent talking on the phone with a friend.

Was the conversation dominated by you telling about yourself?

Your lot in life?

Your accomplishments?

Did you ask the other person about them?

What about your time on Facebook.

Are your comments all about you?

Your story.

Your soapboxes and platforms?

Your rendition of the same thing that happened to you?

What about the last time spent in prayer?

God I want this, I don't want that...

Please do this, please don't do that...

It is such an ugly thing, that Pride.

It repels people.

It is draining to the listener's ears.

It is more repulsive to God than the smell of skunk is to us.

God Hates The Sin of Pride.

It is a stench to his nostrils.

Where is it hidden in my life?

That is the big question for you today LORD?

Make me despise it as much as you do.

Turn over the hidden stones.

Was pride the first sin in the garden?

Is it the easiest for Satan to tempt us with?

These are hard questions that cause anger to well up inside us at the mere mention of the subject.

Lord please uproot the ugliness so that your Glory and purposes can push through and shine for your renown.