2 Corinthians 2:10-11
If you forgive anyone for anything, I do too. And whatever I’ve forgiven (if I’ve forgiven anything), I did it for you in the presence of Christ. This is so that we won’t be taken advantage of by Satan, because we are well aware of his schemes.
Do you ever look back and think of a time when you could have handled something differently? I sure do.
I know there have been times when I have messed up so terribly that I can't think of a way to make ammends.
Maybe it was a "knee jerk" reaction.
Harsh words said from hurt feelings.
Talking rather than listening.
Trying to prove I'm right rather than doing what is right.
The truth is, we all have experienced our share of messes. The real truth is once it's done, it can't be undone.
Some of the things we create in our mess do not reveal who we really are. Sometimes they come from a place of such deep hurt that we simply cannot conceal it.
The pressure that we put on ourselves in our journey can be overwhelming. We push forward and try to do our best and then...WHAM! We find ourselves clinging to the end of a rope and we feel as if no one sees or hears us. We feel alone in the wilderness.
We made a mistake.
We knowingly committed a sin.
We unintentionally committed a sin.
We are humiliated.
We made a mess.
We feel like a failure.
The truth is we are not any of these feelings.
The experience may make us feel like a spiritual failure. We are now insecure because of the perfection we expect. The only perfection we should seek does not come in human form.
He is molding you. He is not finished with you. He sees you.
I have learned as I get older that trying to make ammends requires a great act of courage. The courage to say you have messed up and the courage to ask someone for forgiveness.
Giving or recieving forgiveness does not mean forgetting. It means making peace with yourself and with others.
With God, once you humble yourself to ask for forgiveness it is removed.
Don't ever forget your value. You are priceless in the eyes of the Lord. You are a blessing. You are forgiven.
Proverbs 3:5-12 (The Message)
Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
your wine vats will brim over.
But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline;
don’t sulk under his loving correction.
It’s the child he loves that God corrects;
a father’s delight is behind all this.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Monday, August 17, 2015
One More Chance
2 Timothy 3:15-17
"Since childhood you have known the holy scriptures that help you to be wise in a way that leads to salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus. Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good."
Excitement begins again.
When the new school year approaches, memories creep into my mind. All of those first days of school I have experienced make me yearn for one more. My time experiencing those days are quickly disappearing.
In the midst of the chaos of motherhood, you long to remember those days when you held that tiny baby in you arms. Both those baby girls are now teenagers and present their new list of demands.
No more rushing to make a bottle for the child screaming to be fed. Now they drive to pick up their own food.
No more diapers to be changed or tiny clothes to wash in Dreft. Now their clothes and mine are often shared.
Some days I would like a chance to rock my baby girls to sleep one more time. To hold them and watch them drift off to sleep. To be able to treasure that time not knowing it would be the last.
One more bath where you struggle to hold a slippery baby with one arm while maneuvering a wash cloth and soap with the other.
Oh those precious memories.
Just let me walk them into their Pre-k class one more time. Sadly, that is all we get. One chance.
Time passes too quickly.
There was a time when I would pray that God would keep them safe. I still pray that prayer but over the years, I have added.
"Dear God,
Please keep my children safe. Keep their friends safe. Help them to make good choices. Let them do things that are pleasing to you. Let them walk in faith. Let them be a light. Let them never forget that they are loved. One day bring a man of God into their lives that will love them unconditionally and lead their family to be Your faithful servants."
Over the years I have spent a little time in our local public schools and in the Sunday school classroom. I have mentored, read, volunteered and served as many times as I could.
During those times I have learned to be an active listener. An active listener really focuses on what is being said.
I have always felt in my heart that some kids are not heard. They are seen for who they are on the outside rather than what they have in their heart.
At times, I felt that some needed to be heard more than others. Those students are the ones I always wanted to ask questions to engage their mind and let them know that I was really listening to them.
I hope they remember that. There is a different feeling when you see someone you have actively listened to. They believe that someone cared enough about them to just listen.
I was not an active listener to my own kids at times. There were demands of motherhood, work and stress in general that stole away some precious moments. Today, I am doing my best to be that active listener in my own home.
This school year, I plan to practice hospitality more often. I want every person who steps through my door to know that they are welcome.
I am mentally taking a different approach to this new beginning. Savoring every precious memory before these last few school years are a distant memory.
Cherish those who care, those who need to be heard, those that have nothing to offer in return. You may impact someones life in a way you never imagined.
You only have one chance at life. One chance to make a difference.
Show someone you care today and let them know that what they have to say is important.
Teach them well. Be a listener. Have a servants heart.
"Since childhood you have known the holy scriptures that help you to be wise in a way that leads to salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus. Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good."
Excitement begins again.
When the new school year approaches, memories creep into my mind. All of those first days of school I have experienced make me yearn for one more. My time experiencing those days are quickly disappearing.
In the midst of the chaos of motherhood, you long to remember those days when you held that tiny baby in you arms. Both those baby girls are now teenagers and present their new list of demands.
No more rushing to make a bottle for the child screaming to be fed. Now they drive to pick up their own food.
No more diapers to be changed or tiny clothes to wash in Dreft. Now their clothes and mine are often shared.
Some days I would like a chance to rock my baby girls to sleep one more time. To hold them and watch them drift off to sleep. To be able to treasure that time not knowing it would be the last.
One more bath where you struggle to hold a slippery baby with one arm while maneuvering a wash cloth and soap with the other.
Oh those precious memories.
Just let me walk them into their Pre-k class one more time. Sadly, that is all we get. One chance.
Time passes too quickly.
There was a time when I would pray that God would keep them safe. I still pray that prayer but over the years, I have added.
"Dear God,
Please keep my children safe. Keep their friends safe. Help them to make good choices. Let them do things that are pleasing to you. Let them walk in faith. Let them be a light. Let them never forget that they are loved. One day bring a man of God into their lives that will love them unconditionally and lead their family to be Your faithful servants."
Over the years I have spent a little time in our local public schools and in the Sunday school classroom. I have mentored, read, volunteered and served as many times as I could.
During those times I have learned to be an active listener. An active listener really focuses on what is being said.
I have always felt in my heart that some kids are not heard. They are seen for who they are on the outside rather than what they have in their heart.
At times, I felt that some needed to be heard more than others. Those students are the ones I always wanted to ask questions to engage their mind and let them know that I was really listening to them.
I hope they remember that. There is a different feeling when you see someone you have actively listened to. They believe that someone cared enough about them to just listen.
I was not an active listener to my own kids at times. There were demands of motherhood, work and stress in general that stole away some precious moments. Today, I am doing my best to be that active listener in my own home.
This school year, I plan to practice hospitality more often. I want every person who steps through my door to know that they are welcome.
I am mentally taking a different approach to this new beginning. Savoring every precious memory before these last few school years are a distant memory.
Cherish those who care, those who need to be heard, those that have nothing to offer in return. You may impact someones life in a way you never imagined.
You only have one chance at life. One chance to make a difference.
Show someone you care today and let them know that what they have to say is important.
Teach them well. Be a listener. Have a servants heart.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Making My Way
"I prayed to the Lord and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears" Psalm 34:4
How are you?
I admit I am going to miss that question a little. It was the first question my counselor would ask as soon as she would see me.
You see, I kind of graduated and I am very proud of that fact. Five months ago, I wasn't sure that day would come but I worked hard and faced every difficult situation with every ounce of determination I could spare.
The question has changed. Who am I now?
It's a question I ask myself several times a week. I know who I am but exactly who am I becoming?
There are days where I am so confident I scare myself. I am bold and fearless and feel like there is nothing that I cannot accomplish. I love those kinds of days.
It seems as if those confident days are followed by days of worry, anxiety and trying my hardest to trust people. I detest those kinds of days. My mom always told me hate was a strong word so I try not to use it but it fits here. I hate those kinds of days.
Those worry filled days that I hate are actually the ones I should be thankful for. Those days are the ones that drive me to my knees asking God to give me faith and be my shelter and shield. Times that I lean on His to be my rock and fortress because I am weak.
I know I am not the person that I was. I have to admit that some days I do worry about the path I am on. Am I enough? Will I stumble? Will I stay the course? Will I wait patiently? Will my dreams become reality?
The future is a scary but exciting thing. For so many years I lost hope in what the future was and now I find myself reprogramming my mind to stay hopeful for what the future has in store for me. Hopeful for what God has in store for me.
One of the best feelings I have is when I share pieces of me with others. Small tokens to let someone know I have thought about them. A text, card, note, gift, or sharing something I cooked are ways I want others to know they matter.
That is who I am. The person who prays every day to show as much love, care, kindness and respect to others as I can.
This reminds me of a recent instance where I felt called to share with someone who needed encouraging.
My oldest daughter was preparing to take her driving test. We practiced, I raised my voice, she protested and we were both frustrated by the time we entered the DPS office.
I was nervous for two reasons. She was either going to fail the test and be devastated or she was going to pass and be ecstatic. Either way meant some fear for the next chapter in our lives. A teenager behind the wheel without her Mom.
As she was taking her driving test, a dad and his daughter were leaving the office. He asked if I was a nervous mom and of course I replied yes. We chatted about his daughter who just failed the parallel parking portion of the test. You could tell by her face that she was upset and it truly broke my heart. As we talked, I told her that tomorrow was another day and she would do much better the next time.
After my daughter returned with a huge smile, I knew that she had passed but my heart was with the girl that had just failed. She needed more than what I had just said to her. It was an undeniable tug to share something with her.
As we left the parking lot, I noticed a car practicing in the parallel parking section. Both my girls asked why I was driving over there and I explained I had to finish something I started.
I rolled down the window and the young girl rolled hers down. I shared with her that she needed to be confident and let the past stay where it belongs. I let her know we had faith that she would pass the next test and if she felt insecure, she just needed to ask Jesus to be with her and take away her fears.
Her dad nodded in the passenger seat as I poured out what was on my heart and she wiped away a tear that ran down her cheek. My ecstatic heart pounded as I drove away and I said silently "Thank you God for pushing me to share."
Who I am becoming cannot be measured. It can only be felt by those who can see what is in my heart.
How are you?
I admit I am going to miss that question a little. It was the first question my counselor would ask as soon as she would see me.
You see, I kind of graduated and I am very proud of that fact. Five months ago, I wasn't sure that day would come but I worked hard and faced every difficult situation with every ounce of determination I could spare.
The question has changed. Who am I now?
It's a question I ask myself several times a week. I know who I am but exactly who am I becoming?
There are days where I am so confident I scare myself. I am bold and fearless and feel like there is nothing that I cannot accomplish. I love those kinds of days.
It seems as if those confident days are followed by days of worry, anxiety and trying my hardest to trust people. I detest those kinds of days. My mom always told me hate was a strong word so I try not to use it but it fits here. I hate those kinds of days.
Those worry filled days that I hate are actually the ones I should be thankful for. Those days are the ones that drive me to my knees asking God to give me faith and be my shelter and shield. Times that I lean on His to be my rock and fortress because I am weak.
I know I am not the person that I was. I have to admit that some days I do worry about the path I am on. Am I enough? Will I stumble? Will I stay the course? Will I wait patiently? Will my dreams become reality?
The future is a scary but exciting thing. For so many years I lost hope in what the future was and now I find myself reprogramming my mind to stay hopeful for what the future has in store for me. Hopeful for what God has in store for me.
One of the best feelings I have is when I share pieces of me with others. Small tokens to let someone know I have thought about them. A text, card, note, gift, or sharing something I cooked are ways I want others to know they matter.
That is who I am. The person who prays every day to show as much love, care, kindness and respect to others as I can.
This reminds me of a recent instance where I felt called to share with someone who needed encouraging.
My oldest daughter was preparing to take her driving test. We practiced, I raised my voice, she protested and we were both frustrated by the time we entered the DPS office.
I was nervous for two reasons. She was either going to fail the test and be devastated or she was going to pass and be ecstatic. Either way meant some fear for the next chapter in our lives. A teenager behind the wheel without her Mom.
As she was taking her driving test, a dad and his daughter were leaving the office. He asked if I was a nervous mom and of course I replied yes. We chatted about his daughter who just failed the parallel parking portion of the test. You could tell by her face that she was upset and it truly broke my heart. As we talked, I told her that tomorrow was another day and she would do much better the next time.
After my daughter returned with a huge smile, I knew that she had passed but my heart was with the girl that had just failed. She needed more than what I had just said to her. It was an undeniable tug to share something with her.
As we left the parking lot, I noticed a car practicing in the parallel parking section. Both my girls asked why I was driving over there and I explained I had to finish something I started.
I rolled down the window and the young girl rolled hers down. I shared with her that she needed to be confident and let the past stay where it belongs. I let her know we had faith that she would pass the next test and if she felt insecure, she just needed to ask Jesus to be with her and take away her fears.
Her dad nodded in the passenger seat as I poured out what was on my heart and she wiped away a tear that ran down her cheek. My ecstatic heart pounded as I drove away and I said silently "Thank you God for pushing me to share."
Who I am becoming cannot be measured. It can only be felt by those who can see what is in my heart.
"We were glad to share not only God’s good news with you but also our very lives because we cared for you so much" 1 Thessalonians 2:8
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)