Tonight I was even inspired to jazz up what was going to be a hastily thrown together pot of pasta because the kitchen looked so nice. It's amazing how a clean, organized space can make a meal more enjoyable as well as inspire the cook!
The musings of a mom who strives to live a life yielded to God through His grace alone & who has been liberated from the restraints of her past.
Homemaker's Challenge: Kitchen Purge
Tonight I was even inspired to jazz up what was going to be a hastily thrown together pot of pasta because the kitchen looked so nice. It's amazing how a clean, organized space can make a meal more enjoyable as well as inspire the cook!
Time Is Tickin' Away
I'm pretty frugal when it comes to counting pennies, making the most out of the pantry, or even re-purposing things around the home. I love a good bargain and any way to save. We have started to unplug our appliances when not in use and scale back our energy usage.
But TIME.
Ah, but time.
Time gets away from me. I have found it very hard to wake up in the mornings most of my life, but had finally gotten on track. Then, when the time changed, that went right out the window. I mean ... gone.
I want my time back.
I can never get it back.
The only thing I can do is move forward from here and make the most of every moment I'm given NOW.
So my MAJOR GOAL right now is to start waking up earlier. I liked my 6:15 wake-ups. My entire day seems to get away from me if I sleep in, but if I wake up with the sun then the day goes well. It is filled with accomplishment with time left over for play and relaxing. There's definitely something worthwhile about getting up early. I want to be up and at it an hour before my kids wake up each day. That's my goal. And that way I get my quiet time with God in the quiet, sort out my list of "to-do's", have breakfast ready, and get a jump start on the things I need to accomplish. All before the kids are at the table! So, yes, here is my goal -- I'm tossing it out there for accountability.
Today I got up before them and just enjoyed the quiet. Tomorrow I will get up 10 minutes earlier than I did today...and so on, until I'm up an hour before them each day.
What's yours? Any tips to share?
Linked up with MAKE YOUR HOME SING MONDAY @ MOMS THE WORD, Raising Homemakers
Meet My Friend...
Those who know me well -- and those who may not know me well but spend any amount of time with me -- are well aware of the journey God is taking me on. I share parts of it here, but there is so much that I am learning and I am often too overwhelmed by all of it to sit and hash it out for a blog post. I'm getting there, though. Or at least I'm trying to.
Today I'm going to share my new soapbox. I feel like this is the platform from which the rest of my life is going to be shaped, shared, and ultimately defined by. Really. Are you ready for it?
Invite them to Jesus.
That's it. Love them to God -- let your life be so inviting that those around you chase down what you have because they crave it for themselves. Love them to God -- let your words be so life-giving that you resurrect dead hearts and dreams and those very words become an invitation to the heart of the Father. Love them to God -- let your life be so transparent that you become invisible and you are literally an extension of the Spirit whispering, "Come!"
I get so ill when I hear people say, "So-and-so was telling me about how tough it is to be out of work and not have food and to be sick. So I invited them to go to church with me on Sunday." Or, "My neighbors aren't saved and I keep inviting them to church but they never come." Not to mention, "I wish my friend would come to church with me; she really needs Jesus."
I love the church (in fact, I wrote about how much I loved it the other day HERE). So don't misinterpret what I'm saying and think I don't believe in the value of the corporate body meeting together. I do.
But I am sick and stinkin' tired of people recognizing that the lost world needs direction and inviting them to church. It breaks my heart to hear people talk about others who are in need and tell me that their solution was to invite them to church. It frustrates me to no end when I hear about a person who asked about Jesus and was told to come to church.
Why don't we simply INVITE THEM TO JESUS ourselves? God is EVERYWHERE. He is CONSISTENT. He is FOUND by those who seek Him. Instead of asking someone to church because you see a void in their life, why not INTRODUCE THEM TO JESUS? You can invite them to church, too, but don't miss the opportunity to share God with them simply because they aren't ready to go to a place of worship with you.
I introduce everyone I meet to my husband and our kids if they are with me because that's what you do. It's basic manners, is it not? God is just as present in my life (in fact, He's MORE so!) as they are. And yet, I don't introduce everyone I meet to Him. Why not?
Am I afraid that they'll find Him lacking? Will He embarrass me? Is it possible that He'll mess up and forget their names? Do I somehow, deep down, think He won't be able to meet their need?
Or is it me? Maybe I don't know Him well enough to introduce Him. Or maybe I'm afraid they'll ask me more about Him and I'll come up blank. Maybe I'm embarrassed by myself and don't want people to know we're in a relationship.
God is challenging me to step outside of the box I grew up in. It's not about which church I belong to, what denomination I claim affiliation with, or what doctrinal truths I can regurgitate. It's about me. And Him. And our walk together. And it's about all those in my life that don't know Him yet ... and the introduction HE is waiting on me to make so that HE can rock their world.
Today I'm going to share my new soapbox. I feel like this is the platform from which the rest of my life is going to be shaped, shared, and ultimately defined by. Really. Are you ready for it?
Invite them to Jesus.
That's it. Love them to God -- let your life be so inviting that those around you chase down what you have because they crave it for themselves. Love them to God -- let your words be so life-giving that you resurrect dead hearts and dreams and those very words become an invitation to the heart of the Father. Love them to God -- let your life be so transparent that you become invisible and you are literally an extension of the Spirit whispering, "Come!"
I get so ill when I hear people say, "So-and-so was telling me about how tough it is to be out of work and not have food and to be sick. So I invited them to go to church with me on Sunday." Or, "My neighbors aren't saved and I keep inviting them to church but they never come." Not to mention, "I wish my friend would come to church with me; she really needs Jesus."
I love the church (in fact, I wrote about how much I loved it the other day HERE). So don't misinterpret what I'm saying and think I don't believe in the value of the corporate body meeting together. I do.
But I am sick and stinkin' tired of people recognizing that the lost world needs direction and inviting them to church. It breaks my heart to hear people talk about others who are in need and tell me that their solution was to invite them to church. It frustrates me to no end when I hear about a person who asked about Jesus and was told to come to church.
Why don't we simply INVITE THEM TO JESUS ourselves? God is EVERYWHERE. He is CONSISTENT. He is FOUND by those who seek Him. Instead of asking someone to church because you see a void in their life, why not INTRODUCE THEM TO JESUS? You can invite them to church, too, but don't miss the opportunity to share God with them simply because they aren't ready to go to a place of worship with you.
I introduce everyone I meet to my husband and our kids if they are with me because that's what you do. It's basic manners, is it not? God is just as present in my life (in fact, He's MORE so!) as they are. And yet, I don't introduce everyone I meet to Him. Why not?
Am I afraid that they'll find Him lacking? Will He embarrass me? Is it possible that He'll mess up and forget their names? Do I somehow, deep down, think He won't be able to meet their need?
Or is it me? Maybe I don't know Him well enough to introduce Him. Or maybe I'm afraid they'll ask me more about Him and I'll come up blank. Maybe I'm embarrassed by myself and don't want people to know we're in a relationship.
God is challenging me to step outside of the box I grew up in. It's not about which church I belong to, what denomination I claim affiliation with, or what doctrinal truths I can regurgitate. It's about me. And Him. And our walk together. And it's about all those in my life that don't know Him yet ... and the introduction HE is waiting on me to make so that HE can rock their world.
Recent Giggles
"Mom, look! I made my teacher a picture to help her feel better." {said teacher is pregnant and has been battling early contractions}
"Okay, what is it?"
"Can't you tell? That's her on the bed and that's her baby trying to come out between her knees. I made it small so it'won't hurt too much."
(we recently had our third child at home and my kids are fascinated by birth. They did not watch, but they had TONS of questions, so we've talked about it pretty thoroughly)
"Why did you kick your brother?"
"I didn't."
"They why is he crying and saying you did?"
"I don't know. All I did was lift my foot off the floor and he touched it."
(all of this said with the straightest of expressions, of course)
"Mommy, may I have candy or cookies for breakfast today?"
"No, you may not. You may have cereal or fruit."
"Mommy, that wasn't one of your choices. May I have candy or cereal?"
I hope you find joy today -- and take advantage of those "opportunities" to grow in character, grace, and patience. Some day, we'll look back and laugh and miss the sticky hand prints, mischievous giggles, and even those mommy hurdles we're all a little tired of jumping over. Have a great day!
Monday, Monday
Today is Monday. I like Mondays, but they are not my favorite day of the week. It means the start of another week of hubby working hard, it's a night when we are not all at home together for dinner, and for some reason it's a day that things don't usually go according to schedule. So this morning when I woke up, I wasn't thrilled.
And then I remembered our Bible verse from last week {Do everything without complaining or arguing. ~Phil 2:14} and this week's verse {Be thankful in all circumstances for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. ~1 Thess. 5:18}. It's got to start with me, or the kids definitely won't learn it.
So I made a conscious decision to go into this Monday with an attitude of thankfulness, with only words of joy and thoughts of peace. So far, it's worked out pretty well for us! I've spent time with the kiddos, made my menu plan, and started my plan of action for the week.
Tomorrow I want to have a cup of tea with the Princess using our Depression-era Carnival glass tea cups to make it an occasion. I am also going to play checkers with the Lil Man. Today we are going to make muffins together. On Wednesday we go to the library (we've done this every week for about 2 years now and love it!). Thursday is our Bible study day. On Friday we are going to do crafts together. I'm excited about our time together this week. Other than tomorrow, it's all rote. However, it is still all special!
You see, I'm learning to make each part of each day an intentionally special occasion. I don't want my kids to grow up and mourn the time that just flew by. I want us to enjoy having tea -- and using the special plates and cups shows them that they are just as important as company (really...shouldn't they be more important?!?!?!). Taking extra time with them while I bake so that we can do it together is so worth it. I am trying to go into each day with this thought process.
I'm really excited about our menu plan for this week. It's using all food that we already have in the house, so the only things we have to buy this week are fresh fruits and eggs -- great for the budget (and yes, I do plan it this way, but it's still exciting for me). But also, we're going to have some yummy foods. A meal doesn't have to be complex and pricey to be presented well and to taste great! In fact, I think I'll share our meal plan with you:
And then I remembered our Bible verse from last week {Do everything without complaining or arguing. ~Phil 2:14} and this week's verse {Be thankful in all circumstances for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. ~1 Thess. 5:18}. It's got to start with me, or the kids definitely won't learn it.
So I made a conscious decision to go into this Monday with an attitude of thankfulness, with only words of joy and thoughts of peace. So far, it's worked out pretty well for us! I've spent time with the kiddos, made my menu plan, and started my plan of action for the week.
Tomorrow I want to have a cup of tea with the Princess using our Depression-era Carnival glass tea cups to make it an occasion. I am also going to play checkers with the Lil Man. Today we are going to make muffins together. On Wednesday we go to the library (we've done this every week for about 2 years now and love it!). Thursday is our Bible study day. On Friday we are going to do crafts together. I'm excited about our time together this week. Other than tomorrow, it's all rote. However, it is still all special!
You see, I'm learning to make each part of each day an intentionally special occasion. I don't want my kids to grow up and mourn the time that just flew by. I want us to enjoy having tea -- and using the special plates and cups shows them that they are just as important as company (really...shouldn't they be more important?!?!?!). Taking extra time with them while I bake so that we can do it together is so worth it. I am trying to go into each day with this thought process.
I'm really excited about our menu plan for this week. It's using all food that we already have in the house, so the only things we have to buy this week are fresh fruits and eggs -- great for the budget (and yes, I do plan it this way, but it's still exciting for me). But also, we're going to have some yummy foods. A meal doesn't have to be complex and pricey to be presented well and to taste great! In fact, I think I'll share our meal plan with you:
- MON: Wraps - large tortilla filled with lettuce, feta cheese, sliced grapes, and blackened chicken breast. Pita chips and hummus on the side.
- TUE: Pasta leftovers from the weekend. Fruit and fruit dip for dessert.
- WED: Empanandas {hubby will be so happy!} - stuffed with seasoned ground beef, bell peppers, and potatoes. Spanish style rice on the side and side salads.
- THURS: Apple Puff Pancake, homefries, fruit salad.
- FRI: Hot dogs and chili, cold pasta salad.
- SAT: (movie and game night so we eat finger foods) Fruit Smoothies, homemade popcorn (air popped, topped with melted coconut oil and salt), and cheese and crackers.
- SUN: Brunch will be Stuffed French Toast and homefries. Dinner will be Blackened Chicken Alfredo with a Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Pie for dessert (we're having company).
Linked with MYHSM @ Mom's the Word and Titus2sdays
My Homemaking Heart
My purpose as a homemaker is to create a haven for my family and for all those that God leads to our door, to facilitate an environment of peace and openness, to create a loving place for our children to grow safely and for my husband to retreat to after a long day at work, and to reflect in my daily life the God in whose image I have been created.
The biggest obstacle of fulfilling this mission is me. I need to better plan my time and execute it. My focus at this time is going to be planning each day and sticking to my "to do" list, keeping up on the laundry, and having a family dinner ready every night at 6:00. I am encouraged to do this because I love how we can enjoy our time together when things are done instead of scrambling to accomplish them and missing our fun times. I think most of my daily glitches could be circumvented if I were to get up one hour earlier each day, so that is the goal I am working towards.
So my plan of action is:
- To make a to-do list each night for the next day
- To wake up and get out of bed by 6:30 each day
- To have tea with God each morning
- To joyfully serve my family by taking care of our practical homemaking needs (laundry, cleaning, etc)
- To joyfully serve my family by taking care of our intangible needs (time with each child, speaking each person's love language intentionally each day)
Life's A Journey
Have you ever read Pilgrim's Progress? I haven't. I've tried, truly, but never made it to the very end. I have, however, read A Little Pilgrim's Progress and loved it. I read it when I was in the fourth grade and just recently grabbed a copy from Amazon to read to my kids -- totally can't wait to take them on the journey to the Celestial City alongside of Christian.
Anyhow, I was mulling over that book this morning as I was thinking about how I've spent time bogged down in despair, on a winding side road, getting distracted by 'good' travelling partners who still pulled my mind and eyes from the right destination, dodging carefully aimed arrows, sitting peacefully in the valley, and enjoying views from the mountaintops. Life really is a journey, much like the one John Bunyan shared when he penned his classic story.
Where are you on your journey?
Paul writes that godliness with contentment is great gain. Are you content? For that matter, are you godly? That is a question I often ask myself. Because even when I'm striving for godliness in my life, I don't always have contentment. When I look back at the different places I've traveled, one thing stands out. The times when I had peace and contentment were not synonymous with the times that I was at a restful place in the journey. My contentment had little to do with where my life was and everything to do with where my heart was. My focus these days? To be content in all things, with all things, through all things.
Anyhow, I was mulling over that book this morning as I was thinking about how I've spent time bogged down in despair, on a winding side road, getting distracted by 'good' travelling partners who still pulled my mind and eyes from the right destination, dodging carefully aimed arrows, sitting peacefully in the valley, and enjoying views from the mountaintops. Life really is a journey, much like the one John Bunyan shared when he penned his classic story.
Where are you on your journey?
Paul writes that godliness with contentment is great gain. Are you content? For that matter, are you godly? That is a question I often ask myself. Because even when I'm striving for godliness in my life, I don't always have contentment. When I look back at the different places I've traveled, one thing stands out. The times when I had peace and contentment were not synonymous with the times that I was at a restful place in the journey. My contentment had little to do with where my life was and everything to do with where my heart was. My focus these days? To be content in all things, with all things, through all things.
Words Are Important, Too
Philippians 2:14
Do everything without grumbling or complaining.
Recently I heard this verse and thought, "Oh! We'll have to do this as a memory verse. I want my kids to know this one!" And then God said to me, "Oh! You'll have to do this as a memory verse. I want you, My daughter, to know this one!"
I had instantly thought of how my children had started to complain about certain tasks, even to the point of trying to reason with me about why they should not have to do them. However, God gently moved my thoughts to how I had a few tasks to accomplish that I had tried to reason myself out of. So I quickly memorized this verse, but God didn't let it stop there. He has given me a "to-do" list and I must do it joyfully to reap the reward of godly favor and blessing.
Today I am making my weekly To-Do List. On it are things that will bless my home such as make a monthly menu plan, set up a cleaning schedule, de-clutter my "catch all closet", update my control journal, and clean my bathroom. Also on it are things that will bless my husband such as plan weekly date times, schedule fun outing for entire family, and give hubby a massage. There are things for my children such as reading them an extra story one day 'just because', going on a nature safari, taking a trip to the library, and learning a new song. There are also some things on it for myself such as resurrect my habit of journaling and taking a prayer walk through my neighborhood a few times a week like I used to.
As I sit with my cup of tea and look out the kitchen window at vegetable garden boxes just waiting to be filled, I am reminded that a long time ago all of creation was spoken into existence. With words God created everything and declared them to be good. So why is it so easy for me to simply make my to-do list and overlook the fact that I need to speak over my home and husband and children blessings? It's not enough to accomplish tasks; I must also bless them. I need to do them without argument or complaint. God Himself set the example of how critically important words are when He chose to use them to create good things. And, being made in His image, I have the ability to create good and beautiful things of my own in my home with my words.
So also on the To-Do list in my heart are:
- Tell Hubby how much he is loved
- Verbalize how special I feel when he works hard to provide for us and bless our home
- Write him a note and stick it in his lunch box
- Compliment the children on their character
- Tell my daughter what a delightful person she is to spend time with
- Tell my son how proud I am of the young man he is becoming
- Speak words of destiny over all three children, even the baby
- Thank my best friend for her constancy and heart of service
And these are here because words are important, too.
Linked up with: Moms the Word, Come Have a Peace
Sabbath Thought: Church. World. Collision.
I love church.
I love gathering together with other people of like faith and worshiping God. There is something beautiful about entering God's presence with others and blessing Him with our adoration. There is something beautiful about having an altar to kneel at, knowing there is someone to pray with you. There is something beautiful about sitting and listening to someone share truths from the Word of God that will help you grow and mature in your faith.I love the world.
I love walking among people who are hurting and love-deprived, knowing that I have been where they are and that it's not a place you have to stay. There is something beautiful about entering God's presence in my own heart, blessing Him with prayers for the lost that He is calling to Him. There is something beautiful about knowing I don't have to be in a church building to lead someone to an "altar" where they can cry out to God, because I am right there to pray with them. There is something beautiful about hiding God's Word in my heart so that I can grow and be ready to share that truth with anyone at any time for any need.Where do church and world collide?
They collide with ME. It is up to me to step OUTSIDE of my comfortable building and into the world that I am called to be IN but NOT OF. I am called to be the BRIDE of CHRIST and walk in the world until the Beloved calls me home. In the mean time, I am called to LOVE as He loves, to SERVE as He served, to OBEY His directions as He obeyed the Father. The result of that will be a beautiful collision of church and world: a meeting of the lost and the found, the hurt and the healed, the hungry and fed, the hopeless and the expectant, the abandoned and the beloved.
In that collision I will be fulfilling my call to love as He loved, to go and make disciples, to lead others to the heart of the Father. I will stop saying "I'll pray for you" and I will start praying then and there. I will stop being sad that my neighbor is hungry and their pantry is meager and I will sacrifice to help fill it. I will stop observing the hurt and continuing on with my life and I will start helping the hurt find healing. I will stop mourning for the abandoned and start loving them out of their lost place. I will stop simply inviting them to go to church with me and I will start extending an invitation to meet my Saviour, right where they are. I will collide with the world and change it.
Invitation to Dance
I ♥ when God has an agenda all His own, a time all His own, and a plan in place that we know not. And then, like the king extending his scepter, God Himself extends an invitation to us to be a part of that plan, to be a lovely part of furthering His Kingdom on the earth. It is being invited to dance with the Beloved of your heart.
Today I was blessed to witness God do something awesome. I was, in a small way, able to be a part of that moment of grace in another's life. It was not what I had planned for the day, nor was it anything I imagined being a part of at any time. But, wow. Simply wow. Amazingly wow. Overwhelmingly wow.
When God invites us, mere mortals basking undeservedly in His grace, to take part of something so heavenly it cannot be mistaken for anything other than divine ... it is awesome. It is a gift. It is a moment to be remembered, to be cherished, and to be lived in. It is an invitation to start doing it more often -- to walk with God supernaturally.
I believe God invites us to partake of these moments so that He can whet our appetites for more. More of Him, more His heart, more of His passion for people, more of His eye for eternity. He doesn't long for our time on this earth to so wholly separate us from Him that heavenly things are foreign; rather He longs for them to create a longing in us to be united with Him in the heavenlies.
Look today for the miraculous in the mundane. But do not look so hard for the spectacular that you miss the supernatural (thank you to Damon Thompson at the Ramp for this reminder). Be open. Be ready. Be willing. It will lead to a dance that will make your heart sing!
A Day in the Life of...
Have you ever looked at someone else's life and admired it? Loved the perfect kids, the well kept home, the beautifully turned out mom, and so on? And then wished you could live one day in her shoes to see how it all works?
I admit I'm nosy.
I always have to know the what, how, and why behind everything. My recent lessons have included coconut oil and cloth diapers. Not as random as it sounds, I promise. We use coconut oil for its health benefits, but then I wanted to know why it's healthy. And we are using cloth diapers about 50% of the time to cut back on spending when we are home (we use disposables overnight and when out) and I there is so much to learn about. I could study for years and never get it all, I feel like, lol.
Anyhow, my recent prayer has been for God to help me as a homemaker. Not just the wife and mom side, but the little details that make it all possible. Getting up on time in the morning, having a joyful heart, balancing the time and attention I want to give each child and still getting things done at home, self control to not watch too much TV or play on the computer too much. You know ... how do all these things work?
So yesterday I decided I would put my college degree to work and utilize some of my training by brainstorming over the weekend and coming up with a vision, mission, and purpose statement for my life.
And today I stumbled across the Homemaker's Challenge at Joyful Mothering encouraging me to do just that. I'll be linking up there every Thursday, but I thought I'd share about it today in case anyone wants to join me on this journey. I love God's timing; now I can do what He prompted me to and have the encouragement of others on my journey!
I'd *l*o*v*e* for you to leave a comment and tell me what you think homemaking is. And if you're going to join the challenge and you're a regular Graceful Abandon reader, please be sure to link up your blog below here today so we can start following you ... and then link up with Joyful Mothering starting this week!
Just a Simple Thought
What are you thankful for today?
What will you intentionally enjoy today?
How will you bless those in your home today?
What will you do to bless your Lord today?
What will you do to renew yourself?
What unexpected source of beauty will you look for today?
Weapon of Mass Destruction
I think it takes a few things.
It takes men and women ready to live according to a standard not of this world.
It takes fathers leading their homes and parents raising their children in a lifestyle of faith and faithfulness.
It takes individuals understanding the impact of prayer and the rights and authority of the believer who have access to this powerful weapon.
In light of the recent devastation in Japan, many have stepped up to pray for them. I think that's awesome. Only 1% of the Japanese population is Christian. That means for every thousand Japanese people that have died as a result of the tsunami or for any other reason, only one hundred of them are in God's presence right now. To me, that is the true tragedy, the greatest devastation. Our prayers need to intercede for these people and we need to beg God to send people with a passion for evangelism and missions to share the love of God with the Japanese people.
But we often overlook the devastation on our own soil, and as a result don't pray for our nation as we should. We live in a nation where thousands of unborn children are murdered every day. We live in a nation where the sanctity of marriage is under attack because the enemy of our souls wants to destroy the family. We live in a nation where Christianity is fading into the oblivion of religious ritual. We live in a nation where right and wrong have become relative and the foundation of our government is cracking.
And yet we can change things. When God told Abraham it was time to pour out His judgment on Sodom, Abraham interceded. He continually went to God on behalf of the people and God listened to him. In the end, Sodom had to handle the consequences of its sin, but it was not for lack of Abraham's intercession or God's merciful heart. We, too, can go before God and begin to intercede for our nation. I encourage you to pray.
Prayer is a weapon of mass destruction. It can destroy false ideologies, tear down roadblocks to truth, shift eternal destinies, result in miraculous healings, change the impossible, and destroy the foundation of the enemy. We need to pick up this weapon and damage the craftily built chains of abortion, defiled marriage, ungodly worldviews being taught in our schools. It is time to pray for our nation and the generations that are coming!
Simple Day, Complex Joy
I take a simple delight in caring for our home. The home that God provided, miraculously, when we were not sure we were even supposed to move here. The home that God has taught me to care for in ways I never thought I'd enjoy. The home that has a roof that doesn't leak and windows that don't gush air, because God provided a means of provision.
I take a simple delight in homeschooling our children. The children that God ordained to be "ours" {because really, they are HIS and we only care for them during this short blink in the timeline of eternity}. The children that God has turned my heart towards, taking a career-desiring over achiever and turning me into a woman who wants nothing more than to have babies and then raise them at home. The children we are homeschooling, because God has given my husband the means to meet our needs so that I am able to stay home with them.
I take a simple delight in my husband's coming home each day and kissing me after his time away. The husband that God blessed me with, after a season of disobedience, rebellion, and poor choices. The husband who was my best friend and chose to love me in spite of my past choices. The husband who tirelessly provides for our family, who has stepped up to be the spiritual covering in our home, who has stood firm in spite of trying times, and whose love is constant day after day.
You see, none of these "simple" blessings are anything short of miraculous. I might have a simple day today, enjoying our home, our children, and our marriage ... but the blessings and their resulting joys are complexly created by a Loving God!
A Beautiful Gate
I'd like to invite you on a journey with me. Picture a dusty road, bustling with people. It's time to gather and pray and everyone is rushing in and out of the gate to gather in the Temple Courts. There is a bustling of activity and that is stirring up the dust even more. The sun is hot, the day is clear, and nothing seems out of the ordinary. The women are quickly catching up on town gossip as they hurry to their area. The men are discussing business and sharing the latest news about Rome. Children are laughing and joyful, fussy and tearful. The animals that are penned for sacrifice are squawking, bleating, and scratching.
A crippled man sits to the side, holding out his hands, tiredly beseeching people for money. He can't walk, he can't work, and he's at the mercy of those who walk by him. He's probably been sitting in that same spot, day after day, year after year. He's tired of sitting there, tired of waiting for people to feel like giving him money just so he can eat. The people aren't tired of walking by him day after day; they barely notice him. He has become such a normal part of the scene that he just blends in.
But today is different. It's nothing anyone can see with the eyes, but two men felt it. There was something crackling in the air that day, a sense of expectation. They had seen so many wondrous things happening over the last few months that an "ordinary" day would be odd to them. Peter and John had seen a man risen from the dead, seen Him ascend into heaven, felt the wind and seen the fire fall when they gathered for prayer with other believers, and even heard the tongues spoken that gave a message in many languages. This day they went to the Temple to worship, as they did other days. This day, however, they stopped by the man asking for alms.
They had no alms to give. So they stopped.
Why?
Because they knew he was asking for the wrong thing. The man thought all he could ask for was money. After all, why would he think he could ask for what he really needed? What would people think if a crippled man started begging for new legs, for blood to circulate, muscles to strengthen, limbs to function, and a miracle to occur?!?! But these two men... Well, let's just say that they knew there was nothing you can't ask God for. They'd seen Lazarus come out of a tomb, for heaven's sake! So they told him they couldn't give him money, but they told him to "Get up and walk in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth!"
And he did.
I wonder what the people milling about the Temple gate thought when he started leaping and praising God? I wonder how many of them worshiped in a new way that day instead of following routine? How would you have responded?
Today I want to see people the way God does. I want to walk in that crackling, urgently aware state of Holy Spirit that John and Peter did that day so that when I walk by people asking for help I can point them to the Miracle Giver. I don't want to enter through a gate I've entered a hundred times to pray a prayer I've uttered a hundred times to a God I've taken for granted a hundred times. I want a new awareness, a pressing desire, a passion. For God ... and for the people He has called me to love.
A crippled man sits to the side, holding out his hands, tiredly beseeching people for money. He can't walk, he can't work, and he's at the mercy of those who walk by him. He's probably been sitting in that same spot, day after day, year after year. He's tired of sitting there, tired of waiting for people to feel like giving him money just so he can eat. The people aren't tired of walking by him day after day; they barely notice him. He has become such a normal part of the scene that he just blends in.
But today is different. It's nothing anyone can see with the eyes, but two men felt it. There was something crackling in the air that day, a sense of expectation. They had seen so many wondrous things happening over the last few months that an "ordinary" day would be odd to them. Peter and John had seen a man risen from the dead, seen Him ascend into heaven, felt the wind and seen the fire fall when they gathered for prayer with other believers, and even heard the tongues spoken that gave a message in many languages. This day they went to the Temple to worship, as they did other days. This day, however, they stopped by the man asking for alms.
They had no alms to give. So they stopped.
Why?
Because they knew he was asking for the wrong thing. The man thought all he could ask for was money. After all, why would he think he could ask for what he really needed? What would people think if a crippled man started begging for new legs, for blood to circulate, muscles to strengthen, limbs to function, and a miracle to occur?!?! But these two men... Well, let's just say that they knew there was nothing you can't ask God for. They'd seen Lazarus come out of a tomb, for heaven's sake! So they told him they couldn't give him money, but they told him to "Get up and walk in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth!"
And he did.
I wonder what the people milling about the Temple gate thought when he started leaping and praising God? I wonder how many of them worshiped in a new way that day instead of following routine? How would you have responded?
Today I want to see people the way God does. I want to walk in that crackling, urgently aware state of Holy Spirit that John and Peter did that day so that when I walk by people asking for help I can point them to the Miracle Giver. I don't want to enter through a gate I've entered a hundred times to pray a prayer I've uttered a hundred times to a God I've taken for granted a hundred times. I want a new awareness, a pressing desire, a passion. For God ... and for the people He has called me to love.
A Heritage of Hospitality
When we moved to Alabama 6 years ago, I was told that I needed to cultivate the art of hospitality. The pastor who told me this went so far as tell me that it is a gift that God gives to all women and I needed to find my misplaced gifting. He said it to encourage me because I had laughed and said, "That's not really my thing." He told me it was indeed "my thing" and that God would restore it to me.
You see, I love to feed people and always have. I love to have people over and fill every space space in any home I've ever had with people. But hospitality seemed a little more than that to me.
It was an elusive mystery.
It was easy to have people over, it was easy to create a fun environment when we did ... but being hospitable eluded me. I just knew there was more to it than opening the front door to people.
And there is. According to the dictionary, hospitality is the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way.
Eek. You mean that hospitality isn't something I can do??? I like things that I can measure and evaluate tangibly. But according to this definition, hospitality is actually intangible. It has nothing to do with what I can accomplish and everything to do with who I am.
A quality is a character trait, the nature of someone, or native excellence. Disposition is the predominant or prevailing tendency of one's spirits, state of mind, or a bestowal.
I had to pray for a heart of hospitality. And I am so glad that when we ask, He answers! I have come to believe very firmly that a heart of hospitality is one that beats in tandem with the Father; He indeed treats His children and those who don't know Him in a warm, friendly, generous way. I want my spirit to tend towards the care of others, to have my native excellence be in godly pursuits, to bestow on those who enter my home and my love love, peace, and joy.
And as a mother, I am charged with training and teaching my daughter (the most precious Titus 2 relationship I will ever have) many things. Not the least of these is quality of hospitality. This is a legacy I am imparting, and I am so blessed to see her joy in being a hostess already as she develops this gift!
Today we welcomed a guest into our home. My daughter met her at the front door, opened it and said "Welcome to our home" and then led her into the kitchen and offered her a drink. I had lit a couple of candles and baked some muffins for us to enjoy. We shared coffee, conversation, and encouragement. It's the little details that make the difference and I love passing them on to the next generation!
Linked up with: Make Your Home Sing Mondays
Erasing Potential
Yesterday I pondered the question: DID I WASTE MY POTENTIAL?
{The answer, by the way, is NO, I did not, I have not, and I will not. But I encourage you to go read it if you haven't; I think it's my most honest and revealing post yet and covers one of the toughest issues for many of us stay at home mommas}
Today I'd like to take a closer look at what potential actually is:
{The answer, by the way, is NO, I did not, I have not, and I will not. But I encourage you to go read it if you haven't; I think it's my most honest and revealing post yet and covers one of the toughest issues for many of us stay at home mommas}
Today I'd like to take a closer look at what potential actually is:
- possible, as opposed to actual
- capable of being or becoming
- expressing possibility
(a quick thank you to dictionary.com for feeding my obsessive need to know and share the definition to pretty much every word I use!)
Potential is actually one of my least favorite things to see in people.
I love to ERASE potential every chance I get, especially in those I care most about.
Sound crazy? (Well, that's okay, because I'm pretty sure we've already established that by most standards I am!)
Let me explain myself before you close out this blog page.
Potential is one of the most dangerous things a person can have. It leads to a false sense of security in one's abilities and future prospects. It leads to confidence about what one can do, but not what one does. It points to good things, but never realizes them.
As a mom, as a Titus 2 "older woman" {or at least someone who tries her best to be one}, as a wife, as a friend ... I want to ERASE potential in those around me. I don't want to see what they can be or what they might do. I want to help them BE and DO their best. I want them to reach inside and grab on to what the Creator of the World and the Lover of their Souls put inside of them and fling it outward, showering the world with all the good things inside of them. I don't want them to look back and think I could have done so much with my life. I want them to laugh and tell their great grandchildren I could have done anything God asked me to...and I DID. It was wonderful!
What a legacy to leave our children! The knowledge that potential isn't evil, but unrealized potential is a devastating waste. The understanding that erasing that potential and writing in a story of realized life is so much better. The experiences that many never get to have because they are so focused on what they could do and never actually get to do. I want to ERASE the potential in myself, in my husband, in my children, and in the lives of the women who walk within the sphere of my voice. I want to SHOUT out a message of LIVING and WALKING OUT the dreams God has nurtured inside of each one of us. Take a look at your potential today and take the eraser of motivation to it; REALIZE YOUR ABILITIES AND USE THEM!
Did I Waste My Potential?
I've always thought I was weird. Different. Oddly one of a kind.
And if you know me, you're probably shaking your head right now and thinking, "She really is." (I've been told that a lot this week, and not always in a good way I'm afraid; some seem to think it's not so hot.)
It used to wig me out.
I used to want to be like 'everybody else.'
I used to wonder why my hidden dreams were so far removed from what they were "supposed" to be.
Obviously I was freak.
You see, I was a straight A student. I had 'potential.' I could be anything I wanted to be, go anywhere I wanted to go, open any door I wanted to open. I was raised to conquer every challenge, overcome any obstacle, and to always be the best (if you've followed this blog at all, you've read a few times that I was plagued by the disease of perfection ad still struggle with it). Family members, teachers, and friends used to tell me all the time that they knew I'd be "somebody."
So why is it that many of these same people look at me and wonder what happened?
Why is it that when I talk with them I feel like I've somehow let them down?
Why do I struggle with whether or not I've wasted my potential?
Why?
Because we have been slowly but surely exposed to and indoctrinated with a lie in our culture today.
We have been told that "somebodies" make something of themselves. They go to college, have a successful career, and make good money. They provide for their families. They have it "all." They juggle work, soccer practice, dinner, and a love life. They balance work at church with volunteering in the community. They bake for every fundraiser, go to book clubs or belong to the Junior League. They have date night, ladies night out, and tuck their kids in most of the time. They have a great baby sitter, a supportive family, and a degree on the wall. They don't sacrifice one thing to have another. The world is their oyster and life is a pearl; they really do have it all.
But I don't think that's true. Who can really give their best to all those things? And who wants to give less than their best to anything that really matters?
Why do I feel guilty because I've walked away from that?
No more. No more condemnation for this momma. No more lies telling me that I am just a wife and a mom. There's nothing just about it. It's who I am, it's what I do, it's the life I lead ... and it's the fulfillment of a calling far greater than any I could have ever dreamed up for myself during my idealistic youth.God's intended purpose for His children is His best. Not the world's best. Not their imagined best for themselves. His best. And we know that God's ways are not our ways, nor does His ideal picture often look like our own. The world is no longer a reflection of its Creator because it has been marred by sin. However, God is restoring in the hearts His Beloved -the hearts of those who listen, those who seek, those who respond, those who crave, those who are desperate- God is restoring in them a true understanding of what His best is.
As a married woman with three beautiful children, His best for my life focuses on my relationship first with Him, then with my husband, and after that with our kids. Once I give them my total best, then everything else can be fit in. For me, that means staying at home and lavishing our home and all who dwell within it with love, with grace, with peace, and with joy. It means spending time on the "little things" that make big differences. It means giving my all to these important relationships. Not with a feeling of wasting potential, but rather with a pervading sense of purpose, fulfillment, rightness.
Today I get to love my husband. I am honored to keep our home a place of peace and refuge after a hard day's work. I get to make a wonderful dinner for our family. I get to do laundry. I get to snuggle with our children as we homeschool. This is where I am called to give my best. Every gift, every talent, every scrap of potential my Creator instilled in me is being used in a precious and valuable way. It's not being wasted, even if it doesn't mirror society's best. After all, my home is my oyster and my family is a pearl of great worth!
Linked up with: Growing Home, Marriage Monday, Make Your Home Sing Monday
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