Today is Valentines day; a day to remind us to show love to those around us. A day to show someone that we do not take them for-granted and that we care for them. A day where a simple card can make a world of difference to those who feel cast to the side, unloved, or unworthy of love. What a great opportunity to show God’s love in your community!

Today is also a day to remember people and events that have impacted us and allowed us to feel loved. It’s so simple to get lost in the frustrations of our busy schedules, but taking a moment to bask in the memories of these events can fill you with joy and strength you may have forgotten you had!

I am reminded of Valentines day as a child and how my mom used to show my brother and me how loved we are. We would wake up every Valentines day and have a little box of chocolates or stuffed animal and a very sweet card with a loving personal message that we knew was special and intended only for us….not just signed love Mom, but a message of WHY she loves us. Something to hold on to and re-read as a reminder, if ever we needed it.  Our house was never huggy and lovey but my mom always found other ways to show love and I have always held those memories dear.

Now that I’m a mom these cherished moments means so much more. They are reminders that I cannot take these opportunities for-granted with my own family because too soon those chances are gone. My daughter is still young and, for the most part, still wants me around. But I see friends with kids, not much older than her, that are all ready ‘too big’ to be hugged and kissed and loved on. It’s funny how through the ages this is something that has never changed.

I can imagine a Biblical Mom trying to kiss her son goodbye before he heads out to herd the sheep or a cave man son leaving the cave with his club ready to hunt and he wipes off his moms kiss grunting, ‘Oh mom, I’m too old for that kid stuff’ as he stomps away. Somewhere down the road we mature and realize we all long to feel loved and are no longer embarrassed by shows of affection but instead are filled with confidence by the joy of being important to someone.

This makes me think of my relationship with God. How, early in my walk, I longed to feel loved and worthy of His love, how much I wanted to know He was around but was too uncomfortable or embarrassed to act on this or show it openly. Maybe you feel like the young child in the example at times; wiping away public shows of affection toward your father, afraid of what others might think or say, but deep down wanting that love and closeness more than anything. Luckily, just like my mom would give us private little ‘This is how much I love you’ messages, never forced but always personal and waiting for us to recieve, God has done the same for us.

Regardless of where you are in your walk as a Christian, if your still in the early stage of wanting to know God and feel His presence but not knowing how to express it or seek it, or if you’ve been a life long Christian and need a reminder, God has left a private, personal, and loving message for you in His word. A message meant to keep you connected and strengthened. A word that is written just for you to strengthen you and fill you with joy and the confidence of being important and worthy of receiving everything He has for you. All you have to do is take the time to read it.

You don’t have to read chapters a day or do a bible in 60 days program. You don’t even have to read the books of the bible in order. This isn’t meant to be work, although you do have to be intentional, it’s meant to build relationship. Just open up your bible and start reading slowly until something grabs you emotionally or you don’t understand something and stick with that. Pray that God reveal to you why that stood out to you and enjoy the excitment of spending this time with God knowing He will respond to your questions.  He wants for you to listen and converse with him.

I am doing an amazing book study, called Forming-Change by Grace, with author and speaker David Takle, who I am privileged enough to go to church with, and we are currently studying conversational prayer. This study has completely changed my thinking on how I read my bible and pray….more to come on this. In the mean time he has a great book on this subject called Whispers of my Abba that I highly recommend (I am not getting paid for this recommendation, I just truly believe it will change your prayer life forever).

I pray that your eyes and ears are opened to hear and see these messages that God has personalized for you in His word. I pray that you recognize, not just on Valentines day but everyday, that you are so loved and so important to God. I pray that you are able to hold on to those feelings of joy and strength that come from knowing your loved and these memories strengthen you during your times of struggle and encourage you to stay in the word always excited to deepen your relationship with your Abba.

Feel free to contact me for further readings or prayer, and please share this message with anyone you feel it may help to encourage. Also, there is a comment box just below the share it button and I would love to hear your thoughts on this as well as ways God has shown you how loved you are.

God’s unfailing love for us is an  objective fact affirmed over and over in the Scriptures. It is true whether we  believe it or not. Our doubts do not destroy God’s love, nor does our  faith create it. It originates in the very nature of God, who is love, and  it flows to us through our union with His beloved Son.   ~ Jerry Bridges

Further Readings

No, in all these things we are  more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death  nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor  powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to  separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~Romans 8:37-39

The LORD  your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you  with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with  loud singing. ~Zephaniah 3:17

I love those  who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me. ~Proverbs 8:17

Give thanks to  the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. ~Psalm 136:26 

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. ~1 John 4:9-12

Today Madison and I had fun in the kitchen making our own granola bars. They were super easy, only used 2 dishes, and I made this and a crock pot dinner in less that 30minutes! You use quick oats, brown sugar, and honey as the base and can literally add anything else you have or want. We used a premixed trail mix (we found cheap from Aldis grocery) that had mixed nuts, M&Ms, and raisins, and added some walnuts, craisins, and yogurt covered raisins my hubby requested. Other recipes I have seen used cheerios, rice krispies, mini marshmallows, mixed dried fruits, chocolate chips, you name it and you can use it!

Easy Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

1/4 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
4 cups quick oats
1 1/2 cup your choice of toppings

1.  Line a 13×9 dish with foil or wax paper.

2. In large pot melt butter and mix in brown sugar, honey, and peanut butter. Let it melt and come to bubble, add in vanilla extract.

2. Add oats and stir

3.  Stir in toppings-if you use chocolate chips or yogurt covered fruits leave those out until the end-they will melt in the mix

4.  In pre-lined dish, press in granola mix. Add the optional chips at this point. Cover with another layer of foil or wax paper and press again.  Refrigerate 30 minutes before cutting.

5.  To cut pull out granola by the foil and flip over in the pan, pull off the foil, and cut to snack size…be careful, it is hard when it first comes out of the refrigerator.

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. ~Romans 5:3-4

We all have rough days.  Days where the kids are miserable and demand that everyone around them are miserable too.  Days where the demands of marriage, parenting, friendships, housework, budgeting, running errand, and work all just seem too much for us to take.  Days where we want nothing more than to whine about everything, be mad at the world, or be selfish and not do anything at all.  These emotions are all normal.  God made us to have feeling and be emotional.  We are relational beings and those relationships would not be possible if there were no emotion attached to them.  The struggle is how to not react out of emotion in our day to day struggles but to allow God to teach us what those emotions say about us and allow us to see the situation or the person the way HE sees it.

Our kids may have the temporary privilege of temper tantrums or be able to get away with the ‘I need a snack or a nap’ moodiness, but let’s face it, that just doesn’t fly for adults.   Imagine that you are at the grocery store, you ring up your items and the bill ends up being over your budget.  How silly would you look crossing your arms, sticking out your lip and stomping around saying ‘I don’t want to pay that!  It’s MY money not yours!’? We get so frustrated with our kids when they react this way to having to share or do chores.  They react out of the emotion of wanting to hold on, wanting to keep control and independence.  And even though this example may seem silly, isn’t that how we all are?

How often have you yelled at your child because you didn’t like how the tone of what they said made you feel?  Or been mad at your spouse because they didn’t run an errand like you were expecting and now you have to do that too?  Or maybe you just cannot stand how your neighbor’s trash can is always too far out in the street on trash day and then they let it sit there for 2 days.  Is that not the same reacting out of emotion? Letting how you feel control how you act toward someone?   Even if you are just in your anger what does this solve?

What if you could learn to not react out of the anger and never have to yell at your kids again, but simply use that emotion and let it become a teachable moment all around?  What if you could take that resentment toward your spouse not running an errand again and learn why that makes you so upset to start with?  After all, it’s not really the errand you’re mad about, or your neighbor’s trash can for that matter.  It’s that you are not being listened to, or feel that your own time or personal space is not valued.   That is the real issue that needs to be discovered and discussed, but getting angry and throwing a grown up tantrum does nothing at solving the problem anymore than stomping around the grocery store waiting for the clerk to change your grocery bill.

So how can we learn to control our emotions instead of letting our emotions control us?  How do we discover what the deeper issue really is?  We ask God to change our hearts.  We ask God to show us something about ourselves that causes us to react the way we do.  We pray that God allows us to see our kids, husband, neighbor, etc. as He does.  We let God show us love, grace, and acceptance toward ourselves and allow that to overflow in all other relationships we have.

I choose today to not live my life based on my emotion, but based on God’s emotion.  I want to see every relationship I have as God sees it and be able to forgive, love, and live in the peace and joy that I believe we are all meant to live in. I choose today to be “made new in the attitude of my mind.” (Ephesians 4:22-24).  The Greek word for “made new” is kaino, another use of this word is uncommon.  I like that, to be uncommon and new in the attitude of my mind.  To not be like the rest of the world that lets emotion control behavior, to not let my own personal hurt determine how I act toward my children or spouse, to not look at the hurt and wrongdoings in the world and look for who’s to blame in it.  I choose to be different and see the world for the hurting and broken people that are in it and are all looking for the same forgiveness, love, acceptance, peace, and joy that I am but are too broken and imperfect to know how to receive it.  We cannot control how other people behave, but, with God’s help, we can control how we respond to it and how we respond to them.

Further Readings

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools. ~Ecclesiastes 7:8-9

For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. ~1 Peter 2:19-23

A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention. ~Proverbs 15:18

Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ~Colossians 3:13

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. ~John 13:34-35

‘Children are a heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward’ ~Psalm 127:3

My first pregnancy was such a breeze…Not even fair really, now that I look back on it. No morning sickness, I wore the same clothes until 7 months and the same pants throughout. I had great energy, worked until days before I delivered,  labor and delivery was less than 6hrs, and the hospital had my room and epidural waiting for me when I got there! I even had time for a quick snooze before it came time to push!

I have since joked that I would never have another baby because chances that it could ever go that smoothly again are slim to none….boy was I right! No wonder so many mothers rolled their eyes at me when they asked how I was doing and how delivery went, ha!

I am now 19 weeks along with our baby boy and have been miserable the whole time! Morning sickness from the point of conception (seriously, all the tests kept saying negative but I knew better), and even though that has eased up this winter has been the worst ever cold and flu season. I’ve had 2 colds that seem to last forever, 2 sinus infections and an ear infection. I’ve never had either of those in my entire life! I have been exhausted to the point where I have made my husband pick me up from work or didn’t take the kids to school because I felt unsafe to drive. I lay in bed soooo tired, but I can’t seem to sleep, and since I’m pregnant I can’t take anything to put me to sleep.

Other things are different this time around too. The excitement isn’t the same. At first I felt guilty about this, but how could I really expect it to be the same? The first time for anything is always new and exciting… now, I’ve been there done that. I’ve read the books, taken the classes, joined the mom groups, experienced the joys and pains. I’ve even gone through it along side many friends in the 4 yrs between pregnancies.

I know this sounds awful, but I also know many women who experience this and are afraid to say it. I think it’s time someone puts it out there!

Not enjoying your pregnancy or not feeling excited about it doesn’t make you an awful mother or unloving person. It’s hard to look beyond the seemingly unending nausea and ligament pain sometimes. It’s hard to get the energy to read all those cute name books or surf the Internet for the latest baby or maternity trends when you haven’t slept more than a 2 hour stretch for weeks because you have to keep getting up to pee and you’re already drained after chasing a little one around all day.

Give yourself a break mom! You don’t have to become supermom from the point you pee on the stick. Besides, you’re pregnancy brain probably made you forget where you put the cape anyway.

You have a right to feel awful and want nothing more than to lay in bed with the blankets over your head. It’s exhausting making those fingers and toes you will soon be counting. It takes all your energy and nutrients and crazy hormones to perfect this little bundle God is blessing you with right now. You will have plenty of time to be excited and glowing from the joy of motherhood once you are holding that precious child.

For now, only you can take care of you, and taking care of you is the best way to take care of baby. So let the guilt go. Let hubby, friends, grandparents, aunts, and uncles help ease some of your load and give you a chance to rest.  If your kids are old enough ask them to lend a helping hand with chores, it’s a great chance for them to learn empathy and responsibility.  Each week read with your husband on what is developing that week and pray about it.  It will help keep you both connected and will help you stay positive and as enthusiastic as possible.   It’s amazing the rejuvenation that occurs during prayer!

As you look at the rate of growth and development that occurs each week it will help you focus on the fact that God is in it with you.  Although you feel alone in your nausea and sleeplessness, no matter how great and supportive your husband may be, it is a great comfort to know that our father is walking this walk with you every step by uncomfortable step.   I also found it interesting to look at how I felt and compare it to what was developing.  The week I felt my absolute worst was the week muscles were developing…plus you can later say ‘you better enjoy those eye lashes kid. I suffered a week of migraines making those!’

Here are a few verses for you to meditate on in your times of discomfort and desperately needing rest.  I pray that this has comforted you that you are not alone in your suffering.  Please share this using the social media buttons below if it has helped you or you know someone it may help.  Also feel free to leave a comment with advice, encouragement or additional verses to lift up other woman in need.

Further Reading

A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; But as soon as she has given birth, she no longer remembers the anguish, For joy that a child has been born into the world.  ~John 16.21

Commit everything you do to the Lord.  Trust Him, and He will help you. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act. ~Psalm 37:5,7

For this child I have prayed and You have granted me my request. ~1 Samuel 1:27

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. ~Isaiah 40:11

After obsessively looking for the perfect recipe I ended up combining common ingredients of all available recipes and adding some spices here and there and this is what I came up with….It’s a gluten free recipe that can easily be dairy free and decaffeinated as well, and it’s amazing hot or frozen!

Enjoy!

Instant Spiced Vanilla Chai Latte–

Gluten, dairy, and caffeine free option

Ingredients

• 1 cp non-fat dry milk (omit and substitute 1/2 cp powdered sugar and 1/2 additional regular creamer to make dairy free)
• 1 cp regular non-dairy powdered creamer
• 1 1/2 cp french vanilla non-dairy powdered creamer
• 1/2 cp white sugar
• 3/4 cp brown sugar (use less of either sugar to make low sugar version–brown sugar helps with creaminess)
• 1/2 cup instant tea or coffee (regular or decaf-if using tea make sure it’s unsweetened and no added flavoring)
• 1tsp ground cloves
• 1tsp nutmeg
• 1tsp white pepper (optional)
• 2tsp cinnamon
• 2tsp all spice

Directions

1)Measure tea or coffee and pour in blender. Blend until it is a fine powder. Add brown sugar and blend. Add white sugar and blend. If using dry milk add that and blend. Add all of the spices and blend one last time. All ingredients should be uniform and fine-you may need to use a spoon to loosen up the mix at the blade occassionally.
2) Pour both regular and vanilla powdered creamers into large bowl or freezer bag-I preferred the freezer bag because it’s less ‘dusty’.  Add in the blender mix, close the bag, and mix until the color is uniform.  Store in the freezer bag, tupperware, or in a mason jar.
3) Add 2 heaping spoonfulls to an average size coffee cup of hot water or milk and enjoy! If you want it frozen simply add mix to warm water and blend, add ice until desired thickness is reached-I would use less water to start.

If you like this recipe please use the below links and share it!!  Thanks for reading!

So here it is, one in the morning, and I cannot sleep no matter what.  I tried reading, tried watching a movie, even took a melatonin; but the thoughts just keep coming.  It always starts with a to do list…do you ever lay awake thinking of all that you need to do, then all that you could have done today but waisted time with something else? (Sorry if I seem to orbit around a bit, but there is a really great point I promise, just stick with me)

This past week has been kind of an off week for me anyway.  Not for any reason, just feeling a bit low.  So, as any girl would do, that needs a change in mood and a symbolic fresh start, I cut off all my hair, ha!  I know it seems dramatic but I had been thinking about it for a while and needed a change. (Also, my husband really likes it short so I wanted to surprise him)   It did seem to help at first; the cut and color turned out really great, I got really good feedback from the women at church at women’s night out that night, and of course my hubby LOVED it!

Then today my family spent the day cleaning the house, decluttering, and gathering items to donate…If you know me at all you would know that I HATE clutter!  It stresses me beyond belief!  Also, I love to donate things–especially if I already have someone in mind to give the item to.  Even more,  I love sorting out things with my daughter!  She is the most giving child I have ever seen and it warms my heart every  time she says, ‘Mommy, you can give this to the kids in Nicaragua’ or, ‘Mommy, I don’t use this anymore and I think my friend so-and-so would really like it’….Anyway, all these things combined you would think would have been great for changing spirits but, for whatever reason, none of this is bringing me out of this funk!

As I laid in bed tonight and had my to-do list bombarding me I kept feeling like I don’t do enough.  Actually, more like I do too much, which makes the things that I do only be done halfway, which is like them not being done at all, meaning I don’t do enough…Crazy, I know.  I barely follow it and it’s my brain!  (This is why I am processing this out; so that not only can I tell if it is a total lie or if there is any truth to it, but also so that my moment of weekness may serve as a lesson to you on working out your own lies with God as your focus-hope this helps!)

At first the thought made perfect sense.  ‘Maybe I can’t really keep up a blog, and a full time job, and work at the church, and give my husband and daughter what they need.  Maybe I really do need to cut something out.’  I started to envision all of the areas I am falling short at.  Then I started to think, ‘Maybe all this traveling and missions trip stuff is too much.  Maybe that’s what has pushed me over the edge of what I can accomplish with my time.  What did I really accomplish there anyway?  What difference did I really make in Nicaragua?  What’s the point of going to Costa Rica in October for missions training?  Like I’m going to be an actuall missionary, ha!  I can’t even manage to read my bible every day, or keep the kids happy and not fighting, or even finish the laundry by the end of the week…I’m supposed to go to another country and teach them how to seek God and raise their kids and help build homes!’  and it went on and on and on…I won’t bore you with the craziness, just wanted to show you how the lies develop.  How they become so easy to believe because there is a little bit of truth at the start of  them…you have to see that it may have some truth, but it’s not the whole truth, and certainly not God’s truth.  Nothing done in God’s name could ever be a waist of time or not done well enough!

 ‘So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it’       (Isaiah 55:11).

It wasn’t until I started to doubt the work done in Nicaragua and question what effect I’m actually having in the Children’s Ministry, where I work as the coordinator, that I began to see the attack happening.

I suddenly had a picture in my head of our mission’s team praying with the elders of a church in Nicaragua and suddenly I was reminded of the word of encouragment that I shared with them.   It was a sort of ‘aaha moment’ that allowed me to see a glimmer of light in this sinking darkness.  It is at that point that you have the choice to continue to hear the lies and accept the bondage of feeling useless, unnecessary,unloved, no reason for being.  All of the things that Satan would have you believe about yourself.  Now that I have the light to focus on that’s the only place I want to look and I pray that it draws me closer and closer to it and out of this pit.  So I focus on that memory…

The Holy Spirit had shown me a picture of a field on a hill, a horse with saddle bags full of seeds pulling a plow, and the farmer watching over.  I told the elders of that church that this felt to me like God’s farm;  He was the farmer, their head pastor is the horse, and  they are the plow.   God owns the land but he has trained and trusts that horse to pull that plow and work His land.  If the plow only had one point it would take a long time for the work to be done…but it would be.  The more points there are working together on the plow the faster that field gets prepared, and the faster those seeds get planted.  God is the only one that can make the seeds grow, but he has given us the horse, plow, and seeds and has trusted us to work in unity using his tools to get the job done.

While we were praying over the elders of that church, I felt like the Lord was showing me this feeling of defeat and hopelessness, a why bother kind of feeling.  I felt that, as people, we tend to count our success in numbers.  In the church, for example, we would ask; how much money is the church making, how many people are coming every week, how many outreaches do we do, and how many people are served at them?  Some go even further to count how many baptisms have we done or how many people came up to accept Jesus as their savior today?  Now these are not bad things to count, these are all great things to have happening…but they are only confirmation of things that are happening.

Every time a church goes out to advertise for an outreach in the community or  invites people to come forward and accept Christ as Lord and Savior or any of those other things, we do not know what is happeing in the spiritual world.  We can only see the physical.  We may only have a handful of people show up to an outreach when we planned for a hundred, but how many people are now aware that there are people out there that have noticed them and care for them?  How much closer then are they to accepting if they can be noticed and cared for, just maybe there really is a God who can love them?  Or, of the people invited to accept Jesus or be baptised into the faith that do not go up to do so, how many of them have accepted Jesus in their hearts and are saved at that moment but are just not ready to face some of their own lies to step out in this new faith and show that first step of obedience publically?  Does that mean the work done was any less successful?  Only if we count what we see in the physical world.

‘God doesn’t require us to succeed, he only requires that you try.’ ~Mother Teresa  

Just as these examples in the church show the difference between what is a success in God’s kingdom and one that is a success in our own mind, we must remember this in our own lives.  Just as with the horse carrying the seeds in the saddlebags, we don’t know how many seeds have been scattered from those bags.  If we are being obedient in following God’s direction and focusing on the work He has given us, we will never know how many seeds have been planted in the process.  God can use every word or action or even smile into something that grows into a beautifully frutiful life!

As for my own life,  I cannot see how God is growing the seeds that I have planted knowingly or otherwise.  I may never know what the effects were of my time in Nicaragua or any other mission or outreach that the Lord leads me to.   He will send me a bit of confirmation here and there to encourage me along the way, but I will never really know (on this Earth anyway) what ‘successes’ I really have been a part of.  I also know that sometimes we won’t get it right, but even still God will turn those attempts into triumphs because the attempt was still done in His name.

This is where my latest BIG struggle has come in to play.  I have such a HUGE fear of failure and such a work=reward mentality that has all of a sudden stopped me in my tracks.  How is it that I can pray outloud for every person in my path in Nicaragua–even in the middle of a Pizza Hut, but I suddenly cannot open my mouth to pray infront of anyone at home with out going into a panic.  How is it that all of a sudden I feel like I have to do more and do better or maybe I’m not doing enought.  Maybe I haven’t done enough to get into Heaven, maybe I am not really forgiven, is Jesus going to say to me that I never knew Him or will He say well done?

See how one to do list can become a never ending battle of lies?  These are more lies that I am facing right now and still processing through, but I will leave you with the examples that I have given and finish these alone with God.  Remember whenever you start to feel full of sorrow, or what’s the point to search for the glimmer of light and stay focused on it.  Pray to God to draw you closer to Him and shine full light on the struggles to reveal what is true and what is not.  Pray that He will show you or tell you exactly what it is that you need to understand your purpose and how you are treasured.  If there is a shadow of doubt, even the smallest little bit, Satan will feed on this and start that To Do list over again (just as he has done mine).  Stay focused on God’s word and read verses over and over to yourself until you are fully convicted of the truth in God’s word for you.  Every word in the bible is a tool for you to fight these battles and find peace and rest in the night.

I pray this bit of craziness in my head has revealed to you a path to take when feeling overwhelmed, useless, unloved, etc.  I pray that you realize that God never gives you more that you can handle and that He is always near for you to reach out to and focus on no matter how dark the pit may begin to feel.  I pray that you are able to put this all into practice to the point that you don’t even realize you are fighting the battle anymore, it just becomes second nature because you are able to stay focused on the truth, the light, and the way.  Amen!

‘I am not sure exactly what heaven will be like, but I know that when we die and it comes time for God to judge us, he will not ask, ‘How many good things have you done in your life?’ rather he will ask, ‘How much love did you put into what you did?’ ~Mother Teresa

Further Reading;

 ‘Come to me, all who labor and are heavy  laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I  am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke  is easy, and my burden is light.’ ~Matthew 11:28-30

‘Behold, God is my  salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is  my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.’ ~Isaiah 12:2

‘Therefore, since we have been  justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus  Christ.’ ~Romans 5:1

 ‘Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.’ Proverbs 16:3

Recently I have felt a bit stressed.  Everything is actually going very well, aside from my husband losing his job, but I am not actually all that worried about that.  I am still working as a nanny and also part time at my church, which only leaves us short a few hundred dollars short.  He could certainly make that waiting tables or working at Subway if needed.  No, the stress I am feeling is that I have some how gotten off center.  I have made myself too busy to read my devotionals or do any bible study time.  I have even been too busy to go to the gym or socialize even, and the stress has made me so worn out that I haven’t even been taking the kids to the park or play-dates as often as I normally do…which any parent can tell you is a recipe for disaster when you try to keep the kids at home all the time.  All of this has begun to effect my husband as well….it’s a bit of a snow ball really.  If you let one area of your life get out of control it ends up taking  hold of everything else in your life as well.

This last week I was supposed to go to a friends spa party, but had a crazy day of running errands with the kids, was preparing and gathering items from all over town for a yard-sale to raise money for my churches upcoming mission trip to Nicaragua, plus I had a friend who’s mother just passed and I was making her family dinner for the night.  I decided I just couldn’t do the party on top of everything else.  My husband had already made plans to take our daughter to a baseball game so I knew I had the house to myself and couldn’t wait to not be needed for a short time!

When I got home I just couldn’t shake the feeling of being, well,  off.  But couldn’t tell where exactly I needed to focus on.  I decided I needed to spend that time alone with the Lord and see if the two of us could figure out where this unrest and anxiety was coming from.

After praying and crying out from the various personal struggles and realization of a lie I had been letting myself hold on to…that ‘I don’t need to cry out for help, there are other people that need the Lord’s focus more than I do.  I will be okay’… the lie of self sufficiency and independence.

I think it is pretty common for us, as mothers, to feel like we need to put on our capes and become super-mom.  We need to meet our children’s needs and schedule, meet our husband’s needs, keep the house up, volunteer, socialize, keep up with our work, and anything else int there that comes along (don’t they say, ‘If you want somthing done, ask someone busy’.), but the truth is that God didn’t give me a super cape and super powers.  He gave me a life to enjoy along side others.  A life that we all are meant to share the load in.  None of us were made to carry everyone’s burdens plus our own!

I am reminded of one of my favorite books,  ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ by C.S. Lewis, where it was just explained how Aslan is the son of the creator and he was is there from the beginning of time through everything (he later sacrificed himself to save the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve—great book to read little by little and compare with the bible to help kids understand it better).  One of the characters was saying how they needed help with something and if Aslan is so great He would know the problem and send help or fix the issue himself–don’t we all feel that way about God too?  The response to this was that Aslan does know and he does care and he can fix it, but sometimes he just wants the relationship with us where we talk to him and ask for help—isn’t that true with God also?  Isn’t that ultimatley what we were created for, relationship?  We were created to walk alongside God in the Garden of Eden enjoying the abundance of love and provision He has for us.

The point here is that God does know our needs and he knows when we have taken on too much with our time.  He sends us signs and messages here and there to slow down and reach out for help–if we would only take a second to see them.  But most importantly when we start to become overwhelmed we can not follow our instinct to fight and continue on, which hinders our time and relationship with the Lord, but instead it is then more than ever that we need to be in constant prayer asking if that is even what we should be doing with our time to start with.  and if so asking the Lord to help us carve out time and energy to accomplish these things….after all he is the creator of time, certainly he can help us find more of it!  Someone once said that, ’if the devil can’t make you bad he will make you busy’ either way you will not be doing God’s work.  That can’t happen.

I pray you take this as your message and reminder to slow down and spend time with the Lord.  Only he can tell you what is worth your time and only he can give you more energy and inspiration than any cup of coffee ever could!

He Answers

By Hickok

 

I know not by what methods rare,

But this I know, God answers prayer.

I know not when He sends the word

That tells us fervent prayer is heard.

I know it cometh soon or late;

Therefore we need to pray and wait.

I know not if the blessing sought

Will come in just the guise I thought.

I leave my prayers with Him alone

Whose will is wiser than my own.

Further Readings;

‘Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.  Keep on seeking, and you will find.  Kep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.’ ~Matthew 7:7

‘This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.’ ~1 John 5:14, 15

‘Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.’ ~Ephesians 5:15,16

‘But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.’ ~Matthew 6:33

‘Is any one among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise.’ ~James 5:13

‘Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.’ ~Proverbs 19:21

Layers of Protection–

Water Safety–With summers being so hot and water being such a fun way to cool down, swimming becomes a dangerous pass time for children.  If your child asks to go swimming with a friend, and you will not be ther,e be sure to ask what adult will be supervising or if the facility has a certified lifeguard on duty AND talk to that person to verify not only that they actually will be there but also their competence.  Keep in mind that if you are sending your child off to a park, apartment pool, town pool, etc these places do not always provide a life-guard, and proper supervision is vital to ensuring water safety and that there is no dangerous horseplay, diving, skiing, tubing, etc.

The next layers for water safety would be ensuring the pool is fenced or doors leading to pool area are locked, there are alarms on pool water, and of course summer safety courses and swimming courses are available at most local YMCA or town pools.  Keeping pool floats, life preservers, and life savers within easy access are also important.  Discuss with your child that you never lean over into the pool for something that has fallen in, instead ask an adult for help.

Another important practice would be to rehearse what to do in case of falling in the pool with your child; practice treading water and grab hold of the edge of the pool and walk with their arms over to the ladder to get out.  This is especially important for toddlers and children that are not great swimmers yet.  It only takes a second of you looking the other direction around the water for a child to accidentally fall in.  If all other levels of protection have failed and this does happen the last thing you want is for them to panic, so practice this skill fairly regularly…I have been doing this with my daughter since she was 1 and do it several times throughout the swim season.

Sun and heat Safety—Proper clothing to protect the body from both the heat of the summer and the harmful rays of the sun is the first step to ensuring your child’s safety.  There are loads of UV protective shirts available now that are really cool and…well, cool!  They are thin and breathable, but allow additional coverage and protection from the sun’s harmful rays, but still allow your kid to choose a design and style that fits their personality.

Additional layers of sun and heat protection would obviously be sunblock and hydration.  Encourage kids to pace themselves playing sports and activities in the heat of day, and provide several water and shade breaks during the course of an activity.  Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or greater on all exposed skin; look for sunscreen that protects for UVA and UVB and apply sunscreen at least 20 minutes before going outside—the spray kind goes on really quickly and seems to work really well for kids of all ages.  Reapply sunscreen after swimming, perspiring heavily, or drying skin with a towel.

Keep your child hydrated; replace salts lost during perspiration; and watch for signs of heat exhaustion and stroke.  Always keep cold packs on hand to cool the child off if any of these symptoms appear and call 911 immediately if you have ANY concerns.  Some symptoms include fatigue, red skin, high body temperature, dizziness, nausea, clammy palms, weakness, muscle cramps, and confusion.

Bug and Bee– Insect repellents that contain DEET are most effective against ticks, which can carry Lyme Disease, and mosquitoes, which can carry West Nile Virus, as well as many other viruses. The current CDC and AAP recommendation for children over 2 months of age is to use between 10- 30% DEET.  DEET should NEVER be used on children under 2 months of age.   Avoid combination sunscreen/insect repellent products because sunscreen needs to be reapplied every two hours but the insect repellent should not, also DEET is absorbed through the skin so it is best to use as little on the skin as possible and spray mostly on clothes.  (Side note–I just heard on the radio that skin-so-soft is safe for family pets!  dilute it slightly with water and spray on your dog if you plan on taking them camping)

The best way to keep from having an incident with tics is to avoid tall grass.  If you will be in an area with tall grass and weeds you can tuck  you pants in your socks–for a really fashionable look!  The best way to remove a Tick is by grabbing the body with tweezers and pulling away from the skin.  The mouth may still be attached but the body is where the Lyme disease is so that’s what you want to get rid of.  Obviously, contact your family physician if you have any question, concerns, or would prefer a professional to remove the Tick.

If your child is stung and the stinger is still visible, gently scrape it off horizontally with a credit card or your fingernail.  Squeezing or removing the stinger with tweezers can actually cause it to release more venom.  Watch for signs of allergy; pain, swelling, facial flushing,  changes in breathing, muscle spasm, nausea, etc.  and call 911 immediately if you have any concerns.

Stranger Danger- Summer vacation and breaks often mean that kids are left home alone or are outdoors riding bikes, playing in the yard, etc on their one.  Busy playgrounds and children unattended or away from adults leave to easy of an opening for perpetrators.  The first layer of protection in this area would be to discuss rules and parameters with your child. Do you allow them to use the computer while you are not around?  And if so do you check the history and have access to their face-book, email, etc to randomly check contacts and sites visited?  If they are home alone discuss who they can open the door for and how to know who’s at the door.  Do you want them to answer the phone or use an answering machine or caller ID to screen calls?  If they are riding their bike how often do you want them to check in? Discuss a safe distance to stay away from someone who may be approaching for directions or something.  Talk to them about how to handle these approaching strangers.  Point out things to your kids that seem fishy.  Teaching them to be aware of their surroundings and what to look out for is a great habit for both of you.

Other layers of protection include enlisting neighbors to keep an eye on neighborhood kids that are out playing and to check in with you if anything seems off.  Children should be home before dark.  Also, there are child safety cell phones out now that have a tracking device and allow your child to call or for you to call if there is any concern.  They have a limited number of preset contacts (that you pick) and an emergency SOS number.  This keeps your kids from texting, and getting on the Internet–which exposes them to all sorts of dangers, but it also keeps your phone bill down while allowing them to have a cell phone and tracking device on them at all times for emergencies.  You could also try to limit the amount of time that your child is unsupervised by keeping them involved in community service clubs, summer sports, activities, or vacation bible schools.

I hope this list of tips is helpful for you to keep your kids safe over this school break.  Remember communication and supervision is always the first level of protection for your children, but there will always be times where you look away, even for a second.  It is in those times that you must have a back up layer to keep your family protected.  If you have more tips for other moms please leave those…you never know who’s life you could save by simply leaving a comment.  Have a blessed and safe vacation!

“The noblest calling in the world is that of mother. True motherhood is the most beautiful of all arts, the greatest of all professions. She who can paint a masterpiece or who can write a book that will influence millions deserves the plaudits and admiration of mankind; but she who rears successfully a family of healthy, beautiful sons and daughters whose immortal souls will be exerting an influence throughout the ages long after painting shall have faded, and books and statues shall have been destroyed, deserves the highest honor that man can give.”

As the country has been preparing to go into the mother’s day weekend I have been seeing lots of posts on Facebook and Twitter for plans families have made to celebrate, I have  heard many discussions on the radio for mothers to call in and share their idea of the perfect mother’s day, and of course there are advertisements everywhere to send your mother flowers, candies, spa packages, etc.  This has all made me wonder what makes mother’s day so special to me?  (it’s also a bit of a test to see what my husband does with the day and how he guides our daughter, but he doesn’t know that yet).  This is the first year my daughter is old enough to really make something creatively on her own or for us to do something together, which I would love!  But mother’s day means more than that to me.

For me mother’s day doesn’t mean a chance to not have to cook breakfast or dinner.  It doesn’t mean being pampered at a spa or being given flowers that will die in a week.  I don’t enjoy sitting around and being waited on.  I have a family and I cook and clean because I love them and love to love on them and care for them.  So, for me, to take that away for a day is not a celebration.  Yes, there are times where I want an hour to not be needed and to have an opportunity to shave or read a book but anymore than that and it’s not fun anymore.

While all of those things may be appreciated, what Mother’s day really means to me is the day that  God blessed me with my daughter.  The day that He trusted me with His precious creation and allows me the honor and blessing to raise her up and teach her all about Him and how to serve and love the world.  It is also the day that I was able to look at my little tiny baby girl and see God’s face looking back up at me.

I have always considered myself to be a Christian, but like I have said before that does not mean I was always living my life as a Christian should.  When my daughter was born and I was able to feel the miracle and awesomeness of God’s creation and see how day by day she was formed and since then how she has grown.  It was that day when my whole world began to change.  I, for the first time, let myself see God all around me and was able to understand how He could unconditionally love each and every one of us regardless of what we have ever done.  How He would want to guide us, but not give us all of the answers and instruction. Hear our prayers and requests but not always give us everything we ask for.  Just as we, as mothers, know that our kids need guidance but not overbearing instruction, and may want everything but not everything is actually good for them.  There are so many things I have been able to learn about God the father through becoming a parent myself and that is what makes this day so special to me.  The first day that I truly saw God and felt Him healing and changing me.

This weekend is a celebration of the blessing of motherhood.  The gift that God entrusted us with, and the experience of being a part of God’s creation and seeing Him first hand.  The opportunity He has given us to change the future of this world by training our children to see Him, look to Him, and live a life that would make Him proud.

So, as you receive your well deserved mother’s day gifts and loving thanks for being the sacrificial servant that you are to your family, please remember to give God His rightful place in that day as well…right in the center.  I will be thanking God everyday for the beautiful child he has given me, but on this day the glory will go all to Him.  Nothing I do, nothing I teach, not even the love that I feel could be done with out Him.

Happy mother’s day!!

“There never was a woman like her. She was gentle as a dove and brave as a lioness… The memory of my mother and her teachings were, after all, the only capital I had to start life with, and on that capital I have made my way.”

Do you have a hunger for God? If we don’t feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because we have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because we have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Our soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great. If we are full of what the world offers, then perhaps a fast might express, or even increase, our soul’s appetite for God. Between the dangers of self-denial and self-indulgence is the path of pleasant pain called fasting.  ~John Piper

I realized yesterday that Lent is coming up… it begins today in fact.  As I realized this I began to wonder what some of my friends and followers may be giving up.  Is it meat, coffee, Facebook, etc?  I was thinking of it more like a second chance news years resolution that no one takes seriously, not as the opportunity for spiritual growth that it is. 

You see, I have never observed Lent.  Never even felt the need to fast at all actually.  So as I got on twitter and Facebook to see what everyone was giving up I began to unknowingly judge some peoples responses.  I thought, ‘Giving up sweets or carbs! That’s pretty selfish not spiritual.  You just want to loose weight. God doesn’t care if you drop a few pounds!’…Then the Lord spoke to me.

He told me that I was missing the point.  “So what if that person wants to loose some weight! They still need to rely on me to do it. What is behind that persons need for those things?  It is the need to be comforted and find a bit of peace.’  The point of a fast is not just to give up something because someone said you should do it (and starting today…and for 40 days), but because the Lord is telling you that there is something getting between your relationship and it needs to go.  There is something in your life that is taking away time with Him or your need for Him.  And THAT is what you fast.  If that is soda or carbs for you then so be it, who am I to judge what is the right choice for you.  What you fast and for how long is something between you and God.

So, as I was judging and pointing my finger at the most popular fasting selections that I read today God pointed the finger right back at me.. He told me not only do I need to give up one of those things, oh no… I have three things that need some immediate attention and refocusing.  I rely on coffee every morning for my energy and focus for the day.  I lean on snacks for a moment of stress relief and comfort during difficult times, and I look forward to a glass of wine or a beer nearly every night in hopes of some relaxation.  All areas of my life that I do not bring the Lord into nearly as much as I should.

Am I giving these things up for Lent, no.  I am giving them up because the Lord told me I need to learn to look to Him for my strength, energy, and focus.  Lean on Him for some comfort from stress, and look forward to relaxing and resting in Him to find some peace before bed.  Who knows how long this fast will be, but the test is if I am willing to hear my Father’s wisdom and lean on Him to get me through the hardest part of this trial…which will begin in about 7 hours when I am longing for my first cup of coffee.   I am not telling you this to brag about what I am going to do, but to encourage you to ask the Lord if and what you should fast.  Ask Him to point out the areas in your life that need attention and how you can grow closer to Him.

I would love to hear what the Lord is asking you to fast in search of a more clear and dependent relationship on Him instead of earthly things and also if there is any area of your life I could pray for you or send you some encouragement.  I pray that you hear from the Lord what you really need to be giving up in His name.  I pray that you continue to grow in your relationship with God as you seek Him out for the strength to get you through your fast.  I pray that at the end of that time that you have received not only a greater relationship and greater clarity with our Father God, but also that the ‘things’ you have given up no longer have the purpose and hold on you as they did before.  That they are once again only things and not the comfort, strength, or peace that you once thought them to be.  Amen

Don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time. ~Matthew 6:34

Further Readings

I the Messiah, will publicly honor you in the presence of God’s angels if you publicly acknowledge me here on earth as your Friend. ~ Luke 12:8-9

For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you  received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry ‘Abba, Father’.  ~Romans  8:14-15

And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. ~ Matthew 6:16

Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes
from the mouth of God.  ~Matthew 4:4