So you had a bad day?

We've all had one of those days... you wake up just not yourself exactly. You drop the milk while making the cereal, can't find your shirt, and so on. I had one of those days recently. I wasn't sure why I woke up feeling out of sorts, but knew there was something not right. It's these days that someone can say something that on any other day would not mean anything but on certain days it means more. On this particular day I tried to keep a positive attitude. That was until making dinner... opening cans of veggies to make a big pot of vegetable stew. One wrong move and my pinkie almost met an imminent death with a freshly opened lid. I am happy to report that I saved the finger, barely, but that was the last straw on a downhill spiral of mishaps.

Sometimes life can just seem like too much. There are just too many obiligations, too many pulls from too many directions. You want to stand up and scream, "ENOUGH, I'VE HAD ENOUGH."

It's these days in particular that seem to erupt with bad thoughts and memories of the past. Flashbacks of bad times in your life roll through like a fast forwarding movie. Driving down the road I remember walking through a snack bar in a hospital in Dallas during the months following our daughter Isabelle's near drowning accident. I hadn't been back to that place in so long (in my mind). It's funny how your brain turns on you so quickly.

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. II Corinthians 2:5

Even when the days seems gray (and lonely) it's necessary to hold your thoughts captive. I know from experience that jumping on that negative train of thought can become a run away train filled with more negativity and sadness.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

I love that God gives us direction in every area of life. I also love that His advice is not only perfect, it is also very practical. Taking time to realize how much there is to be thankful for and thanking God for those things can instantly bring you out of a negative frame of mind. Prayer, lifting your thoughts and needs straight up to God is also a very practical way of relieving a burden that is on your heavy heart.

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye
do. I Thessalonians 5:11

Having faithful Christian friends or family to talk to can also help to lighten your load.

What do you do when you have those kinds of days?

I know that my first desire is to crawl back in bed, pull the covers over my head, and wait for the day to work itself out. Unfortunately that is not a practical solution with the responsibilities of a family. I'm so thankful that God has given me paths to follow to get through both good and bad days.

Thank you heavenly Father for loving and proctecting us, thank you for
being our rock and strength and shield through the good days and through the
bad. Thank you for giving us practical ways to deal with life when the
days seem to be hard and thank you for never giving us more than we can deal
with. You are an awesome God and I thank you for loving us everyday.
In Jesus name, Amen.

The Perfect Gift

I don't know about you, but right after Thanksgiving my mission in life is to find "the perfect gift," for each and every person in my life. I want so badly for them to be pleased. When I was pondering what to talk about for my guest spot this month this is the subject that came into my mind immediately.

I wonder if everyone has that same determination for perfection?

I have more fun watching people open things I have carefully selected than I ever do opening something given to me. The opposite is true when I give those gifts that are generic... you know, the ones that were picked up quickly at the black Friday sale at Kohl's and are just to serve the purpose of having a gift for someone who you know will be giving you a gift.

What is it about giving and recieving that makes people so happy? It's much more than a need for something, it is definitely a want issue. I think about that every time I see the old reruns of Little House on the Prairie. The really old ones where they are in the little house and get a stick of candy for Christmas and are so excited. Can you imagine giving your children a stick of candy for Christmas? Period?

I love my kids, they are kind and loving and they have hearts for Jesus... but they also want stuff!

Where's the balance? Is there a balance?

I actually decided to scale down this year to create more balance. Growing up I was taught that Christmas was not a religious holiday. It was almost a bad thing to even suggest that it was associated with the birth of Christ. Now I do realize that even though we do not know the exact date of the birth of Christ it is more about celebrating His birth on that day.

Christ was, is and will forever be the perfect gift. So no matter what I give my kids, my friends, my relatives, or my secret pals, the best gift is Christ's love. If I can show that love I am giving the perfect gift. There is nothing that compares.

It is frustrating to get caught up in the materialism of the holidays. I am always really aware of it when they put the Christmas trees up in stores in October. This year I hesistated to begin getting ready for Christmas, not because I am depressed or sad... but just because I don't like being pushed into it.

I think if we as Christian women took a stand for Christ and spreading goodness during the holidays rather than the overwhelmed feelings that usually consume us trying to make a Martha Stewart Christmas, we'd do much more good.

Jesus is the perfect gift.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through
Christ Jesus our Lord.

Do you struggle with the holidays, trying to do to much?

Do you find yourself losing sight of the true meaning of Christmas?

Christ was born 2000 years ago, is He born now in your heart?

I pray that that Christ is born in all our hearts and will come alive this Christmas.
Amen.

Who Am I?

Who am I?

I'm a:
mother
wife
friend
daughter
sister
cook
American
christian
blogger
girl
woman

But... who am I?

His word says:

You are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for you to do. Ephesians 2:10

As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. Isaiah 62:5

God made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. Isaiah 49:2

You brought me out of the womb, Lord; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God. Psalm 22:9-10

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Psalm 139:1-3

What a comfort to know that even when I struggle with the many hats assigned for me to wear daily that God knows me and loves me. He knows my thoughts and my ways.

I watch teens screaming to be different, yet the same. Wanting to figure out who they are but conforming to trends to be accepted. But it goes past the teenage years. Even as adult women we want to fit in. From our clothes to our children... from the vehicles we drive to even the cell phone in our purse. These things all identify us to the world. God doesn't define me by my looks, or my car. He knows my heart even when my daughter goes to school without her paper signed or when I burn a batch of cookies. I'm not a failure to God when my purse isn't coach and my sinks aren't sparkling clean.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14

I am wonderfully made and God loves me. He loves you too! I don't know about you, but just reading that verse is like taking a breath of clean fresh air. Exhale.

Think About It:

Do you struggle with the world's view of you?
Do you find yourself constantly trying to fit in or stand out?
Do you worry you don't measure up to the people around you?

If so, memorize that verse. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderfully made.

Thank you God for creating me, thank you for loving me just as I am. I am yours!

Promises!

I love the stories in the Old Testament. There are so many nuggets of knowledge there! Like the story of Noah and his ark. It's a well known bible story that even most small children have heard and can recount. God told Noah to build an ark, God sent the rain, It rained for forty days and nights. Noah took all the animals in pairs…

Noah trusted God.

He built an ark. Can you imagine the ridicule he suffered? I can’t.

He did all the things God told him to do.

When he released that dove to see if there was dry land, God sent him an olive leaf. It was a piece of hope.

It meant that God’s promises were true and the land was going to be dry again.

Can you imagine the smell of the ark full of dirty animals?

I’d be ready to place my feet on dry land, wouldn’t you?

Would you wonder if the water would subside?

Wouldn’t that olive leaf be a wonderful sight?

I love the olive leaves God sends my way.

I believe His promises.

After another forty days, Noah opened the window he had made in the boat and released a raven that flew back and forth until the earth was dry. Then he sent out a dove to see if it could find dry ground. But the dove found no place to land because the water was still too high. So it returned to the boat, and Noah held out his hand and drew the dove back inside. Seven days later, Noah released the dove again. This time, toward evening, the bird returned to him with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. Noah now knew that the water was almost gone. Genesis 8:6-11