Memory Lane of Easter

This is a blog I wrote on April 11, 2007....Such a sweet memory!!!

Okay. So we were driving home from church (White Rock Fellowship) on Sunday and Stephen (my 5 year old) shared the following revelation with me.

"The Easter bunny's cousin was in Sunday's Cool today. He said that Easter is not about the bunny. He said that Easter is about Jesus. Jesus died on the cross for our sins, but don't panic mom, he's not dead. Easter is about celebrating that Jesus came back to life." Stephen went on to tell me that the Easter bunny throws fits by making messes in people's yard with eggs and candy just trying to get attention. "Kinda like Mary does." Mary then piped in with "I'm not throwing a fit." Stephen confirmed to her that though she wasn't throwing a fit right then, that she does in fact throw fits to get attention. So funny!!!

So to sum up my son's words...The true meaning of Easter is that Jesus died for each one of us and that we celebrate his coming back to life on Easter. It's not about the Easter bunny who just wants attention. Our attention needs to be on Jesus who loved us more than life itself. WOW!!!

I am emotional when I hear the gospel coming from my young children. They are sponges, soaking up everything that they see and hear. I am honored that Jesus would entrust them to me. My prayer is that all that I say and do mirrors that of Christ and that my kids continue to learn how much God loves them. I am so BLESSED!!!

Always a student...

Today has been a great day. I love my career as a therapist. I know that is what I am to be doing in this season of my life. I know that I make a difference in the lives of others....not everyone, but some most people. I am not questioning my journey or wanting to take a different track...but today....I have loved today.

Today I was a student in the full sense. I have sat in class today...discussing Old Testament and Theology...two different classes. I have been able to just sit and soak up the teaching and discussions of others. I have not been the one with the answers today...and I am okay with that. I have been the one thinking of questions....and seeking answers....

I love being in the classroom. I really feel free in the classroom. This probably seems crazy to others...but I love to learn. I love to be in school, learning.

I believe that we are all students, all the time. We are constantly in the state of learning, we just don't recognize it.....However, when learning is the focus...you don't miss it. We miss so much when we lose the perspective of learning....We get wrapped up in living that we miss the learning. Today, I didn't miss the learning...I soaked it up!!!

And I get to do it again tomorrow!!! YAY for me!!!

Real promises in the midst of Fear

Have you ever had the thought "I know God doesn't give me more than I can handle, but I really think He has me confused with someone else."? If I am completely honest, I have had that thought more than once.

The reality is that God is still on the throne.

The reality is that God doesn't give more than you can handle...with His help!

The reality is that this world is NOT our home, but a stop on the journey to eternity.

The reality is that God believes more in me than I believe in myself.

The reality is that we will go through trials and struggles in this life but HE has overcome this world.

I continue to be amazed at how often my human-ness takes over and I forget that God has already taken care of whatever I am concerned about. He has not promised that I will always be happy. He has not promised that I will always be healthy. He has promised that He will be with me every step of the way.

The reality is that it is sometimes those steps that we have to walk that are the most scary, even when we are in His arms. Speaking personally and frankly, when I am scared, that is it, I am scared. Even as a child, when I was afraid, the fear didn't subside simply because I woke up. It didn't subside simply because I was in my parent's arms. It didn't subside when I was in my husband's arms. It didn't subside when I prayed. My fear subsided when I realized that everything was okay or going to be okay or when there was a plan.

This is new information to most people as I kept this very private until I had more information. I had a mammogram on January 11, 2012. There was absolutely no concern. It was simply a requirement for my insurance company. I went to the exam expecting it to be uneventful and that I would be fine. There is no history of breast cancer in my family. I had not felt anything abnormal, no signs...thus was confident that it would come back fine. The next day, my fear started. I got the call for additional mammogram due to the results being concerning. They couldn't get me in for 7 days, which is 7 days for my mind to take over.

I believe I did a great job keeping positive for the most part. However, there was much fear within. I knew that whatever the results were, that God was in charge and that as long as I relied on Him, I would get through this. All I had to get through was the next test. I just kept telling myself that. I stayed strong on the outside but was fearful on the inside.

My test came back fine. I am healthy and strong. I believe the lesson for me was to stay in the moment on God's lap, listening and believing that all was going to be fine....Not that I would be healthy but that I would not be alone. The lesson was that I needed to focus on living life for HIM instead of losing life in the moments of fear.

God is so good!!!!

Is my Offense Offensive?

I know what you are thinking...Offense???? Is this a blog about football? Actually no it isn't but there is a reality that the Bears offense has been offensive as of late!

Anyway...I am thinking more of the offense of being a Christian. I am wondering if my Christian example is offensive or am I working active offense, protecting the "name" of Christian? Am I protecting the reality of Christ by my actions? My prayer is to not be offensive in my walk but to create a hunger for others to have what I have. I wonder how I am doing and what I need to do differently.

Christianity is about action. It is about relationship. It is about living out Christ in such a way that others want what I have. My actions need to be grace filled, loving. I think that I am doing a better job of being active and alert for what God has for me. I am not perfect, but then, I am not called to be perfect. I have been created and called to be who God wants me to be and to plant a seed that encourages others to live out what God wants for them too. My actions therefore need to point others to Christ instead of turning them away, be offensive.

Many times I say the wrong thing, act the wrong way. I have been offensive, or at least not Christ-like. There are some clear times where my actions were offensive to God and to others. There are others who claim to be Christians and then participate in offensive behavior. This makes it very difficult for Christians that work very hard to live out Christ's example. My walk has been bumpy and I have wandered in circles in the dessert, thinking I knew the way. It is offensive to God to think I know better than Him or to only half listen to what He is saying to me. Reality is that God knows the way and is the only way. He is very patient and loving. He gently whispers the directions that I need to take, not leaving me in the dessert alone.

My prayer is that I continue to be on the offense, protecting the name of Christ. I pray that my life lives out the mercy and grace of God. I pray that my actions not be offensive. So which are you...on offensive living out, protecting the Name of Jesus; or are your actions offensive to God?

Necessary Endings....Henry Cloud....WOF

Women of Faith was amazing!!! I will never miss a WoF weekend again. My life is forever changed! I decided to write out my notes via blog so that I can review, think and never lose them!

God imagined all of this. He is the Creator. He birthed the dreams inside me thus is on board with me following those dreams.

IMAGINE:

Clinical: Life where you feel good
Relationally: People that fuel you and celebrate you
Performance: gifts/talents are suppose to show up in this world, being used for God

IT'S NOT GONNA STAY BEFORE FOREVER!!!

Happiness - overall sense of well-being, joy, SHALOM
Anything circumstancial only counts for 10% of your happiness but even that only lasts for a short time.
Constitutional/ genetic part of you - Set of life practices and attitudes~God has wired your brain this way.
***Be a giver. Experience the joy of sharing what God has done for you!
***Be connected to people. BE MY MONKEY!!! (MONKEY will be a separate blog all by itself!) Ecc 4:12
***Be goal oriented. Have goals. My life is God's! Step out of comfort zone and be challenged. Resurrect that Goal that you have thought you could do!
There has to be a leaving to get where God wants you! "I have a different tomorrow for you." It requires movement on our part. NECESSARY ENDINGS
Today may be the enemy of your tomorrow!
You can't go to God's Promised Land and take Sodom and Gomorrah with you.

Ecc. 3 A season for everything. People hang on to things longer than it's season! (Fear, etc.)

Pruning is necessary because we produce more buds than we can sustain...Same with plants/flowers.
**Keep only the best.
**Prune the ones not going in the right direction
**Prune the dead branches.

What is God wanting me to end? What do I need to prune? Lots of stuff taking time and energy are getting in the way of what God's desire for me is.

Everything is for a Reason and a Season.

Some of those things are hard to die to.
You can't get where God wants you to be when you are in denial about what God wants for you.
Why don't we Prune? FEAR - There is nothing better...nothing else
God is my source and will supply all my needs.
Fear of moving forward: Hurting someone's feelings
Searching for life...connectedness
No Connection (Hell) - hopeless, meaningless, isolation, empty
Bad Connection (The Law) - negativity, abusive, perfectionism, NOT GOOD ENOUGH
Seductive Connection (Sin) - empty promises, addictions, feel better for the moment
Real Connection (God) - Total acceptance by God, The real YOU can show up!

Perfect means COMPLETE not flawless...

Through the window of my brokenness is the place where I can see the face of God.

We don't have to carry everything~only what God gives us to carry....HE will carry the rest!

Original sin - "I will go at it without God."

Be tethered to the body!
Be in conversation wit God constantly/consistently
Keep your bumper on - Shelia Walsh

There is a "Critical Parent" born inside each of us...GUILT...Our conscience is not pure, it is fallen.

The Garden of Eden was a place where self-assessment didn't exist.

Self-esteem has nothing to do with performance.

Self-Image - God and my monkeys love me....

Changes....

Life is full of changes. Sometimes we like the changes, other times...not so much. Changes are hard much of the time. Changes are sometimes for the better and sometimes at our expense. Life is good, but hard much of the time.

Women of Faith challenged me to IMAGINE what God has for me in my circumstances and how HE can make things happen in my life if I surrender and trust HIM. God, I trust you and I know that you hold my hopes, dreams and heart in the palm of your hands. I know that you hold me when I need comforted and dance with me through the joys.

I am an open vessel to you. Speak clearly to me....as sometimes I don't listen very well.

I am blessed...and Change is GOOD!

Here I go again....

Well...It's been two years since I blogged...Guess I should stop thinking about it and just get to it...I really want to utilize this space to get my thoughts out there...So I start again...Not much has changed about me...Still married....Still have 4 kids....Still love Jesus more and more everyday...Still loving my job and the work I am honored to do...I have put in my status on Facebook that I want my friends to hold me accountable to staying with this blog...Not sure the direction it is going to go but we will see...So I say to myself...."Welcome Back!!! It has been way too long!"