I read the italicized paragraphs last night before bed in a book called Trust. I pray it is encouraging to you. It was to me especially after a challenging week!
Feelings are purely responses - sometimes good responses and sometimes bad ones - to the ups and downs that God brings into our lives. Unpredictable and unstable as they are, if we allow our feelings to determine our well-being, rather than allowing our standing in Christ to determine our feelings, we are going to be anxious about everything all of the time.
Joy and peace are characteristics of the Christian life, but inevitably there will be times, whether through sin or through some hardship or through just being human, when joy and peace elude us. But the presence or absence of good feelings is no measure of God's favor. Christ is the only measure.
Our relationship with God and all the good that accompanies it are secure in Christ, no matter how we feel. Christ is all we need for an accurate assessment of where we stand with God. During times when God's presence cannot be felt, when the joy that is meant to accompany our Christian walk has left us, we can remember his promise: "I will never leave you nor forsake you"
Do you know who you are in Christ? I think this is what I was losing sight of last week. I lost my awareness of who I am in Christ and, therefore, lost my joy. God views me as he views Christ. When I placed my faith in Jesus, God, the judge, declared me righteous and I became his daughter. He transferred the perfect, sinless record of Jesus to me. This is amazing grace people! This is the greatest gift, and I was allowing my feelings to steel the JOY that comes from knowing that my greatest need has already been met - SALVATION! There are no greater needs though I sure do think so at times.
He loves me whether I check of all my "to-do's" or not! He loves me and, therefore, allows trials for my good. To change me. Often times, trials are preludes to great blessings. I want to have a mind set on him, on ALL his promises to me (I challenge you to take a minute to look up some of his promises), so that I can feel peace instead of anxiety and so I can experience the feeling of freedom that comes from faith! Maybe next time I'm feeling stressed (which I'm sure will happen sooner than later) and the next time I feel like giving up, I will be able to recall this post and speak TRUTH to myself instead of listening to my feelings. But, I may need you to help me remember :)
This was taken from John Piper's blog - Desiring God.
Don’t give up. No, rather “take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded” (2 Chronicles 15:7).
Don’t give up when that familiar sin, still crouching at your door after all these years, pounces again with temptation.
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Don’t give up when you feel that deep soul weariness from long battles with persistent weaknesses.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me (2 Corinthians 12:8–9).
Don’t give up when your long prayed-for prayers have not yet been answered.
And he told them [the parable of the persistent widow] to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart (Luke 18:1).
Don’t give up when the devil’s fiery darts of doubt land and make you reel.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day…in all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one (Ephesians 6:13,16).
Do not give up when the fragmenting effect of multiple pressures seems relentless.
But as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger . . . (2 Corinthians 6:4–5).
Do not give up when the field the Lord has assigned you to is hard and the harvest does not look promising:
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)
Do not give up when you labor in obscurity and you wonder how much it even matters.
Your Father who sees in secret will reward you (Matthew 6:4).
Do not give up when your reputation is damaged because you are trying to be faithful to Jesus.
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account (Matthew 5:11).
Do not give up when waiting on God seems endless.
Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:30–31)
Don’t give up when you have failed in sin. Don’t wallow. Repent (again), get your eyes off yourself and back on Jesus, get up and get back in the fight.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9); if we are faithless, he remains faithful — for he cannot deny himself (2 Timothy 2:13).
Jesus knows your works (Revelation 2:2) and he understands the war (Hebrews 12:3). “Fight the good fight of the faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). Finish the race (2 Timothy 4:7). “By your endurance you will gain your lives” (Luke 21:19).
Don’t give up.
Good, huh? I think this "Don't give up" stuff is worth printing and putting on the fridge.
12.15.2012
Christmas Tea
Our church hosted a Christmas Ladies Tea on 12/8. I had so much fun. It was nice to just sit and fellowship. I signed up to decorate a table. It was neat to walk around and see how everyone decorated. The room looked beautiful and was so festive. There was a time of caroling and a lady shared her testimony. Everyone was encouraged to invite guests. Hundreds of women were there. Here are some pictures.
This was my table. I sprayed branches white. Once dried, I sprayed with adhesive and sprinkled with glitter. Then I hung ornaments. The brown little bottles you see were favors.
Here were some other tables.
And, there was no way to capture all the food in one shot. When you walked into the auditorium, there were long decorated tables that stretched from the entry all the way to the stage. All the women brought something.
We are heading home Monday for almost 3 weeks. I cannot wait. I am ready for some rest and relaxation with the one's I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!
If I could ask you to please continue to pray for Carter. After 28 days and 84 doses of medicine, he still has infection in his body. This is what is before us, and this is what needs to be treated before we can move on. It is thought that this infection may be standing in the way of the true problem. We picked up a different medicine today and he will be on it 4 times a day for 14 days. He has a genetics appt with our favorite doctor in Jacksonville this Wed. He will have a GI appt when we return to Colorado. We need for this medicine to work. Thanks for your prayers. God is good!
This was my table. I sprayed branches white. Once dried, I sprayed with adhesive and sprinkled with glitter. Then I hung ornaments. The brown little bottles you see were favors.
Here were some other tables.
And, there was no way to capture all the food in one shot. When you walked into the auditorium, there were long decorated tables that stretched from the entry all the way to the stage. All the women brought something.
We are heading home Monday for almost 3 weeks. I cannot wait. I am ready for some rest and relaxation with the one's I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!
If I could ask you to please continue to pray for Carter. After 28 days and 84 doses of medicine, he still has infection in his body. This is what is before us, and this is what needs to be treated before we can move on. It is thought that this infection may be standing in the way of the true problem. We picked up a different medicine today and he will be on it 4 times a day for 14 days. He has a genetics appt with our favorite doctor in Jacksonville this Wed. He will have a GI appt when we return to Colorado. We need for this medicine to work. Thanks for your prayers. God is good!
12.14.2012
Life Lately and My Shift of Perspective
Sorry for my lack of posting lately. My mind has been going in a bunch of different directions. It has been hard to focus. I am going to attempt to catch you up on life. There has been a lot going on, and I will admit, as much as I try to keep it all together and fight for joy in the midst of overwhelming circumstances, I do break every now and then. Tuesday was one of those nights for me. I was feeling weary and burdened and pretty much vomited up my emotions all over my husband. He is so good at listening and asking those hard questions that get me thinking. How does he always stay so calm? Always.
This time of year should be "the most wonderful time for the year," right? Well, shopping for gifts stresses me out (maybe it's because I put too much thought into every single present and search 20+ sites for the exact same item looking for the very best deal). My decision making skills are quite horrible. Anyhow, I love giving, but I loathe shopping (which may just explain my "bummish" look all the time). And, celebrating Christmas away from where we actually live makes things even trickier. You have to take into consideration how all these presents are going to get from point A to point B. I wish I could say that I have thoroughly enjoyed my Christmas shopping and that it has put me in the best of Christmas spirits, but it has done quite the opposite.
And, to take on this task - that I clearly make bigger than it should be - while trying to school my children is not a good combination. You see, not only does the task of shopping become big, but every error my kid makes and every disruption that God allows becomes real big too. Then my attitude and my "I can't do this anymore" feelings become biggest of all! They trump all and put me in a sad place.
It's funny how one day I can be full of faith and 2 days later be a mess.
I mentioned disruption in my last paragraph. Well, they have been as plentiful as my shopping headaches and my homeschool frustrations. And, I guess disruptions were really the START to my "not so routine life" and my "crazy feelings" lately. I don't know about you, but I like routine and schedule and when things get way off track, I feel frazzled. I know ONE of the beauty's of homeschooling is the flexibility. You have the ability to be able to rearrange your schedule to 1) enable you to serve and bless others when needed and 2) to take care of things that need immediate attention. I am thankful for this. But, often times, instead of remembering how much of a blessing homeschooling is and instead of being grateful for the opportunity I have to educate my children and teach them about God, I start feeling condemnation for not getting our entire lesson plan complete each day and in the proper order. I start feeling like a failure and that I am doing a disservice to my kids. I am not giving any grace to myself. None. I think I experience these feelings each year at least once, but for some reason, they seem more numerous and more debilitating this year and during this busy holiday season particularly.
Maybe it's because these disruptions aren't just minor (like getting locked out of the car or having to take my hubby his lunch because he forgot it), but major! And, they are combined with the major adjustments of moving. We started the school year with Carter in the hospital and we still have not found an answer to his illness. We have lots of doctor appointments and lab visits. The Monday after Thanksgiving my beloved Nanny was in a 7 car accident that easily could have taken her life. I flew home to help care for her for a few days. My Dad has a herniated disk in his back that is causing numbness in both legs to the point where he can barely walk. And, my Mom-in-love is battling a rare infection and severe back pain. It is hard not to be home to help care for these people that I love so much.
So as you can see, my thoughts are very split. It's hard for me to devote all my attention and energy to one thing right now, and therefore, it's nearly impossible to give my best to anything. And, for those of you who know me well, I am a perfectionist. I don't like settling for anything less than the best. My expectations are always set high. Again, no grace.
All of this to say, I'm coming around. LOL. My kids have never failed and, in fact, are advanced in some areas. God is at work changing me. He always is. I don't want you to feel sorry for me one - single - bit. I really am doing better than I deserve to be doing. I am thankful for so much today! Thank you God for sending your Son to die on the cross for my ugly sins. For taking the wrath that I deserve upon yourself. For choosing me. For saving me. For promising me eternal life in heaven with you where there will be no more pain, no more sorrow, no more crying, no more tears. For loving me despite my doubting, my pitty parties, my sinful attitudes. Thank you that your grace is new each and every morning. Help me to find rest and hope in that truth because your promises never fail. Be my strength Lord when I am weak - Cor 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." Thank you for blessing me with the gift of children. There are families tonight that don't have their kid's sitting beside them. Help me, Lord, to be overwhelmed by your love, grace, and mercy instead of by my feelings. Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness! Help me never to forget that my greatest need has been met, help me to turn to you when my feelings start to take over, and help me, Lord, to never ever take for granted or complain about all that you've given to me. I know you can take it at any time.
I pray that, in light of today's events in CT, that your perspectives are changed too.... for the better!
This time of year should be "the most wonderful time for the year," right? Well, shopping for gifts stresses me out (maybe it's because I put too much thought into every single present and search 20+ sites for the exact same item looking for the very best deal). My decision making skills are quite horrible. Anyhow, I love giving, but I loathe shopping (which may just explain my "bummish" look all the time). And, celebrating Christmas away from where we actually live makes things even trickier. You have to take into consideration how all these presents are going to get from point A to point B. I wish I could say that I have thoroughly enjoyed my Christmas shopping and that it has put me in the best of Christmas spirits, but it has done quite the opposite.
And, to take on this task - that I clearly make bigger than it should be - while trying to school my children is not a good combination. You see, not only does the task of shopping become big, but every error my kid makes and every disruption that God allows becomes real big too. Then my attitude and my "I can't do this anymore" feelings become biggest of all! They trump all and put me in a sad place.
It's funny how one day I can be full of faith and 2 days later be a mess.
I mentioned disruption in my last paragraph. Well, they have been as plentiful as my shopping headaches and my homeschool frustrations. And, I guess disruptions were really the START to my "not so routine life" and my "crazy feelings" lately. I don't know about you, but I like routine and schedule and when things get way off track, I feel frazzled. I know ONE of the beauty's of homeschooling is the flexibility. You have the ability to be able to rearrange your schedule to 1) enable you to serve and bless others when needed and 2) to take care of things that need immediate attention. I am thankful for this. But, often times, instead of remembering how much of a blessing homeschooling is and instead of being grateful for the opportunity I have to educate my children and teach them about God, I start feeling condemnation for not getting our entire lesson plan complete each day and in the proper order. I start feeling like a failure and that I am doing a disservice to my kids. I am not giving any grace to myself. None. I think I experience these feelings each year at least once, but for some reason, they seem more numerous and more debilitating this year and during this busy holiday season particularly.
Maybe it's because these disruptions aren't just minor (like getting locked out of the car or having to take my hubby his lunch because he forgot it), but major! And, they are combined with the major adjustments of moving. We started the school year with Carter in the hospital and we still have not found an answer to his illness. We have lots of doctor appointments and lab visits. The Monday after Thanksgiving my beloved Nanny was in a 7 car accident that easily could have taken her life. I flew home to help care for her for a few days. My Dad has a herniated disk in his back that is causing numbness in both legs to the point where he can barely walk. And, my Mom-in-love is battling a rare infection and severe back pain. It is hard not to be home to help care for these people that I love so much.
So as you can see, my thoughts are very split. It's hard for me to devote all my attention and energy to one thing right now, and therefore, it's nearly impossible to give my best to anything. And, for those of you who know me well, I am a perfectionist. I don't like settling for anything less than the best. My expectations are always set high. Again, no grace.
All of this to say, I'm coming around. LOL. My kids have never failed and, in fact, are advanced in some areas. God is at work changing me. He always is. I don't want you to feel sorry for me one - single - bit. I really am doing better than I deserve to be doing. I am thankful for so much today! Thank you God for sending your Son to die on the cross for my ugly sins. For taking the wrath that I deserve upon yourself. For choosing me. For saving me. For promising me eternal life in heaven with you where there will be no more pain, no more sorrow, no more crying, no more tears. For loving me despite my doubting, my pitty parties, my sinful attitudes. Thank you that your grace is new each and every morning. Help me to find rest and hope in that truth because your promises never fail. Be my strength Lord when I am weak - Cor 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." Thank you for blessing me with the gift of children. There are families tonight that don't have their kid's sitting beside them. Help me, Lord, to be overwhelmed by your love, grace, and mercy instead of by my feelings. Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness! Help me never to forget that my greatest need has been met, help me to turn to you when my feelings start to take over, and help me, Lord, to never ever take for granted or complain about all that you've given to me. I know you can take it at any time.
I pray that, in light of today's events in CT, that your perspectives are changed too.... for the better!
12.05.2012
Denver Parade of Lights 11/30
Here are just a few pics from the wonderful Parade of Lights! I feel like a lot has happened since I last blogged. When I have time to put my thoughts into words, I will update you. Please check back. Thanks for reading.
And to make you laugh.... The horse had to relieve himself right by us. See how the urine ran towards us?
Santa is on top but you can't seem him well
And to make you laugh.... The horse had to relieve himself right by us. See how the urine ran towards us?
Santa is on top but you can't seem him well
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)