We have been challenged by Pastor Mark this week to embrace the Spirit-filled life and allow our day-to-day lives be led by the Holy Spirit. Not a new concept for me, but seems to be something that I definitely haven't gotten a handle on either. He is focusing on the addressing the family unit in the body of Christ right now and how we should build a foundation in our families that we can build a lasting Spirit-filled life on. He is going through Ephesians 5 right now and it has truly spoken volumes to me about things that I know need to change in my approach to parenting and in my marriage. Probaby the biggest thing is just what I let come out of my mouth to my children and my husband. Or how greedy I am with what I think is my time, my space, etc. The foolish talk, the empty words that can come out of my mouth to my children, which can lead to deception on their part as to who they are or what they will believe in their lives. It's just all very yucky to think about. But in Ephesians, it talks about what can happen when we allow our lives to be surrendered fully to the Spirit-filled life. and I know that it actually begins with obedience in one area, which is feeding myself with the Word daily and that has probably been one of the toughest things for me to stay constant with my whole life and therefore, I struggle keeping in step with the Spirit daily.
Ephesians says:
8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." (5:8-14)
"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (5:15)
"...be filled with the Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. "(5: 18-20)
To be filled with the Spirit, I must be surrendered daily to it. I must make the most of every opportunity to fill myself with the Christ and His Word. I must let go of my rights, my fleshly desires, and allow the Spirit to take over. It says in Ephesians, that when we are filled with the Spirit, we will speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual psalms. That we will be always giving thanks to God for everything. I'm thinking that sounds like a fantastic way to be.
I have been finding this week that having a thankful heart is another mind-shift that is so vital in our spirit-filled life. I have been making a conscious effort to thank God in every circumstance, every day this past week and it has made the world of difference for my soul. Joy has been returning in areas that I had been losing it. It was amazing. But now to actually have a heart that automatically gives thanks without even trying sounds even better, which is what can come from a life surrendered to the Holy Spirit.
I was convicted today after the sermon that I have not been very active in introducing my children to the Spirit-filled life like I should. Why is it that I so whole-heartedly believe in this way of living, but I don't find opportunities to share it with my children. It's probably because I haven't surrendered to it fully myself, therefore making it hard to be able to teach it. We need to practice what we preach, amen? That is something the Lord and I are working out and I believe He wants to lead us to a way of parenting that all the parenting advice books don't tell you, which is parenting under the authority of the Holy Spirit.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Truth about Relationships and Then Some
Something that the Lord has been showing me over and over through my relationships this past year and by seeing other relationships encounter turmoil, division, or whatever else you want to call it is that we can not view those that have hurt us as our true enemy. We only have one true enemy and that is the Devil himself...well, and the flesh. Both of those things want us to believe lies about other people to gain ground over our thoughts and our "rights" that we think we have. I was reading in "My Utmost for His Highest" the other day and it was about how God uses circumstances to test our faithfulness to Him. We say God is in control of everything very easily when things are going well, but when things around us are falling apart that involve people, or something they have done, suddenly we believed it was caused by that person and then we can totally lose focus on who we should be focusing on. And then we start wanting to be in control of fixing the problem or taking matters into our own hands. Yes, people do things that are wrong or hurtful to others, but how are we to respond to that. Are we to continue to stake blame on them and be unforgiving and bitter toward that hurt, or are we to see it for what it is? Trust me, I've had my share of bitterness, unforgiveness, and sometimes hatred over people who have hurt me and it did nothing but made me miserable. The Truth is God still in control, even when we think we are. Either he allows or orchestrates things to happen for a higher purpose than what our angry, hurting flesh is willing to see. The enemy doesn't want us to see it that way though so he starts putting thoughts in our head about that person or those people that have hurt us, and even about God, therefore keeping our eyes off of of Who we need to have them on. Remember, God had good will toward us, and if God caused or allowed this to happen, then He did for our own good. It may not make sense right away, but we will always be able to look back and learn from it if we are willing. We have to fix our eyes on God who has either caused or allowed this to happen for a higher purpose. And the only way to come out of it in the right position, is to depend completely on the One who ordained this situation in the first place. When we feel we are in a battle with someone, we need to look beyond that person and into the spiritual realm, and see who are battle is really against. Remember, "our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers and rulers of this dark world". If we could believe that folks, how many people would we have spared unforgiveness toward. Let's fight our battles the way God calls us to, and start rebuking the enemy and not our brothers and sisters in Christ. God is on our side and knowing that He is not just on our side individually, but on "our" side as children of God as a whole. That person may see you as their enemy too but that is just them believing the same lie you are. So that is when you need to pray for them to see things clearly as God does. Whoever it is that has hurt you, or even continues to hurt you, start going to the Throne of God on their behalf and claiming that God is for you both and Has a beautiful plan for your lives. And it also requires surrendering what we want out of that relationship and asking God to reveal what He wants. And then patiently allowing Him to accomplish it in His timing...it's tough but not impossible.
The biggest breakthrough I think Tim and I have had in our relationship recently is realizing that we are not each other's enemy. I believed too long without even realizing it that Tim was out to make my life difficult. But little did I know that he was believing the same thing about me...ha! Who was behind that? Uh..huh! The truth is we are not out to get each other and have no ill will toward each other in the grand scheme of things. We have said hurtful things to each other or even done hurtful things to each other, but really when it comes down to it, we didn't want to do that. It was an "in the moment" time of weakness that we regret. The only person that wanted to tear us apart was the enemy himself. And God was finally able to pound it into us after a difficult season that we had to go through, that He is on our side together, He is for our marriage, and as long as we believe the Truth of His Word over each other instead believing the lies that we have for so long, we will be ok. And things have been monumentally better since then. But it's a daily thing. We have to take every thought captive, EVERY thought, EVERY day....to the obedience of Christ. Which means we ask ourselves in every situation "is this thought from God, myself, or the enemy"? If your answer is anything but from God, than you rebuke it and replace with something that God would have you think about that person, even if you have nothing to work with. Just speak a blessing over them, even if you don't feel it, just do it. There is power in that...and the results will follow in your favor.
The biggest breakthrough I think Tim and I have had in our relationship recently is realizing that we are not each other's enemy. I believed too long without even realizing it that Tim was out to make my life difficult. But little did I know that he was believing the same thing about me...ha! Who was behind that? Uh..huh! The truth is we are not out to get each other and have no ill will toward each other in the grand scheme of things. We have said hurtful things to each other or even done hurtful things to each other, but really when it comes down to it, we didn't want to do that. It was an "in the moment" time of weakness that we regret. The only person that wanted to tear us apart was the enemy himself. And God was finally able to pound it into us after a difficult season that we had to go through, that He is on our side together, He is for our marriage, and as long as we believe the Truth of His Word over each other instead believing the lies that we have for so long, we will be ok. And things have been monumentally better since then. But it's a daily thing. We have to take every thought captive, EVERY thought, EVERY day....to the obedience of Christ. Which means we ask ourselves in every situation "is this thought from God, myself, or the enemy"? If your answer is anything but from God, than you rebuke it and replace with something that God would have you think about that person, even if you have nothing to work with. Just speak a blessing over them, even if you don't feel it, just do it. There is power in that...and the results will follow in your favor.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Blessings from Above
First of all, I want to say "Thank You" to my dear friend, Liz, for mentioning me for a blog award. How sweet of you to do that. It has been quite a year and I have not been as good about posting on here as I used to be. I get to where I have so much to say that I don't know where to begin or what to talk about so I just avoid it altogether sometimes.
So me not blogging doesn't mean there's nothing to say...LOL! There's just too much sometimes and I don't take the time to jot it all down. But I feel with it being the Christmas season, that there is nothing better to do than to say thanks to Jesus for all the blessings that He has given me in my lifetime. It is a thank offering to Him to celebrate His birth and His life that He has given so freely to us. And with it being a difficult year for my family financially, I have been forced to find all the things I have already been blessed with, and to be thankful and greatful for all the un-material things God has given me. And for that I am thankful, because I have felt more full this year than ever before.
Thank you Jesus for:
1. My husband- for the love and friendship that is growing between us, and for continually holding our marriage into Your hands. Thank you for making Tim a man after Your own heart and for never letting him go. Thank you for the amazing father that You have made him to be for our girls. You knew what you were doing when you joined us together 11 1/2 years ago and I know there so much more that you have planned for us. Thank you for the gift of your promises and hope for our life together...and thank you for fulfilling your promises for our life.
2. Hannah - what a beautiful, sweet, loving daughter she is and I am so excited about the things you are doing in her life right now. Thank you for giving her a heart to reach out and disciple her lost friend and for the amazing letter that she wrote us in her journal. That was a gift that will never be forgotten. Thank you for answering my prayers when I pray that my children would first and foremost learn to love you with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. And thank you for loving them more than even I can. I pray that you show us how to raise her in a way that she will have a love relationship with you that lasts her lifetime during her journey here on earth.
3. Faith - I prayed for 2 years for this little girl when we were wanting to have our 2nd child. Though the waiting was hard, she came in your perfect timing and she has become such a tender-hearted, loving, and compassionate little girl and brings so much joy to our lives. I pray for her to know that our love for her will never waver no matter how much or little she sees it, and that she will find her true identity in You and You alone. I give this child to you and ask that you would meet her every need from the inside out and help Tim and I to know how to help her cultivate a lasting love relationship with you.
4. Rebekah - What a wonderful unexpected blessing this child is, who came at a time when we thought our family was complete. But you had other plans and now I just can't imagine life without her. She brings such life and joy to our family that I can't describe. I love that she needs the quality time that I love having with her. And that she is so affectionate and embraces every happy moment we give her. She has a smile and presence that lights up a room and brings such laughter to this family that we wouldn't have without her. I pray, Lord, that you would use Rebekah's vigorous and captivating nature to shine Your light to others. That people would be drawn to her because of her love for You, and because your love flows through her to others. Inhabit her heart in a way that is real and contagious, and that she will never want to run from you all her days of her life.
5. Mom and Dad - Words just aren't enough to describe the blessings that come from having such loving, giving, caring parents. My dad has become a patriarch of our family and has shown a love for us that will never be forgotten. My mother is such a selfless, sacrificial giving person and is truly one of my best friends. And you just can't put a price on that. Thank you, Jesus, for putting me in the family that you did and that we have been able to grow in our love for each other over the years instead of grow apart like so many families do. I pray that you will continue to grow our relationship with each other and that there will be lasting blessings that come from our family for generations to come. Create a bond of peace, joy, and love for you that can not ever grow old or weary.
6. Matt and Shelly - I am so greatful for my brother and "sister". Though my relationship with Matt hasn't always been the closest, that doesn't change how much I love him and believe that he was placed in my life for a reason. I hope that our relationship can grow from here on out and that we can find common ground in ways we never knew we could. That would be such an extra special gift from above.
Thank you God for Shelly. She has been such a an awesome addition to our family over the years and I am so blessed to call her my sister I never had. And I love her desire for You in her life. She inspires me and I hope and pray that our relationship would grow and mold into something more than we could imagine. She is considered one my best friends and though we don't see each other as much as we'd like, I pray our bond does not go away and actually grows stronger because of your place in our life.
7. My friendships - I tried listing them all but I'm too scare of leaving someone out, so I'll just say that I would not be where I am today without my amazing sisters in Christ. Every one of them that has been part of my life, whether big or small, has been a huge impact on my walk with the Lord and has poured so many blessings into my life that I really am just too overwhelmed to list. I have learned this past year that I can't take any friendship that I have for granted and that God in his sovereignty and provision, very intricately places each person in my life for a reason and I hope that I can be to others what they have been to me. I hope and pray that what has been poured into my life by my Lord and Saviour through my friends and sisters in Christ, can be poured out of me to them all a hundred times over. Thank you, Jesus, for friends. What a blessing from above.
8. My family in NY- I have grown more and more greatful and blessed by all of the family I have away from home. I am so blessed by our visits with them every time we go up there and whenever they make it here. I have grown to miss them more and more over the years. I pray especially for Becky, Beth, Scot and the Waters family during this time of year as they are missing Mike. I pray that this will be a year that they can say that You were still present in their lives even in the midst of their sorrow. I pray that they can find the joy and hope that only comes from You and that they can find the hope in Your promises for their lives. Thank you for the blessing that they are to me. I love my family in NY.
9. The Christmas carols that my children are currently singing to me as I'm typing. It's the sweetest thing ever and a gift (don't worry, I stopped and watched them).
10. Giving Yourself to us - You left the heavenly realms and walked in our shoes for 33 years to bring good news to the poor, and to give your life sacrificially so that we may have a love relationship with you for eternity that we couldn't conjure up on our own. You rescued us from eternal death and gave us eternal life. You love us the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow no matter how sinful or wretched we are. Your unabashed love for us is something that no material item can match. What I want for Christmas is for every knee to bow and every tongue to confess that you are Lord over all the earth. That we realize that you are the reason we walk, breathe, and exist on this earth. I pray that our lives will reflect your glory this Christmas season and that your light will shine in a way we've never experienced before.
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39
May this Christmas season bring you more of Christ than ever before, my friends. For He is our ultimate Gift.
So me not blogging doesn't mean there's nothing to say...LOL! There's just too much sometimes and I don't take the time to jot it all down. But I feel with it being the Christmas season, that there is nothing better to do than to say thanks to Jesus for all the blessings that He has given me in my lifetime. It is a thank offering to Him to celebrate His birth and His life that He has given so freely to us. And with it being a difficult year for my family financially, I have been forced to find all the things I have already been blessed with, and to be thankful and greatful for all the un-material things God has given me. And for that I am thankful, because I have felt more full this year than ever before.
Thank you Jesus for:
1. My husband- for the love and friendship that is growing between us, and for continually holding our marriage into Your hands. Thank you for making Tim a man after Your own heart and for never letting him go. Thank you for the amazing father that You have made him to be for our girls. You knew what you were doing when you joined us together 11 1/2 years ago and I know there so much more that you have planned for us. Thank you for the gift of your promises and hope for our life together...and thank you for fulfilling your promises for our life.
2. Hannah - what a beautiful, sweet, loving daughter she is and I am so excited about the things you are doing in her life right now. Thank you for giving her a heart to reach out and disciple her lost friend and for the amazing letter that she wrote us in her journal. That was a gift that will never be forgotten. Thank you for answering my prayers when I pray that my children would first and foremost learn to love you with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. And thank you for loving them more than even I can. I pray that you show us how to raise her in a way that she will have a love relationship with you that lasts her lifetime during her journey here on earth.
3. Faith - I prayed for 2 years for this little girl when we were wanting to have our 2nd child. Though the waiting was hard, she came in your perfect timing and she has become such a tender-hearted, loving, and compassionate little girl and brings so much joy to our lives. I pray for her to know that our love for her will never waver no matter how much or little she sees it, and that she will find her true identity in You and You alone. I give this child to you and ask that you would meet her every need from the inside out and help Tim and I to know how to help her cultivate a lasting love relationship with you.
4. Rebekah - What a wonderful unexpected blessing this child is, who came at a time when we thought our family was complete. But you had other plans and now I just can't imagine life without her. She brings such life and joy to our family that I can't describe. I love that she needs the quality time that I love having with her. And that she is so affectionate and embraces every happy moment we give her. She has a smile and presence that lights up a room and brings such laughter to this family that we wouldn't have without her. I pray, Lord, that you would use Rebekah's vigorous and captivating nature to shine Your light to others. That people would be drawn to her because of her love for You, and because your love flows through her to others. Inhabit her heart in a way that is real and contagious, and that she will never want to run from you all her days of her life.
5. Mom and Dad - Words just aren't enough to describe the blessings that come from having such loving, giving, caring parents. My dad has become a patriarch of our family and has shown a love for us that will never be forgotten. My mother is such a selfless, sacrificial giving person and is truly one of my best friends. And you just can't put a price on that. Thank you, Jesus, for putting me in the family that you did and that we have been able to grow in our love for each other over the years instead of grow apart like so many families do. I pray that you will continue to grow our relationship with each other and that there will be lasting blessings that come from our family for generations to come. Create a bond of peace, joy, and love for you that can not ever grow old or weary.
6. Matt and Shelly - I am so greatful for my brother and "sister". Though my relationship with Matt hasn't always been the closest, that doesn't change how much I love him and believe that he was placed in my life for a reason. I hope that our relationship can grow from here on out and that we can find common ground in ways we never knew we could. That would be such an extra special gift from above.
Thank you God for Shelly. She has been such a an awesome addition to our family over the years and I am so blessed to call her my sister I never had. And I love her desire for You in her life. She inspires me and I hope and pray that our relationship would grow and mold into something more than we could imagine. She is considered one my best friends and though we don't see each other as much as we'd like, I pray our bond does not go away and actually grows stronger because of your place in our life.
7. My friendships - I tried listing them all but I'm too scare of leaving someone out, so I'll just say that I would not be where I am today without my amazing sisters in Christ. Every one of them that has been part of my life, whether big or small, has been a huge impact on my walk with the Lord and has poured so many blessings into my life that I really am just too overwhelmed to list. I have learned this past year that I can't take any friendship that I have for granted and that God in his sovereignty and provision, very intricately places each person in my life for a reason and I hope that I can be to others what they have been to me. I hope and pray that what has been poured into my life by my Lord and Saviour through my friends and sisters in Christ, can be poured out of me to them all a hundred times over. Thank you, Jesus, for friends. What a blessing from above.
8. My family in NY- I have grown more and more greatful and blessed by all of the family I have away from home. I am so blessed by our visits with them every time we go up there and whenever they make it here. I have grown to miss them more and more over the years. I pray especially for Becky, Beth, Scot and the Waters family during this time of year as they are missing Mike. I pray that this will be a year that they can say that You were still present in their lives even in the midst of their sorrow. I pray that they can find the joy and hope that only comes from You and that they can find the hope in Your promises for their lives. Thank you for the blessing that they are to me. I love my family in NY.
9. The Christmas carols that my children are currently singing to me as I'm typing. It's the sweetest thing ever and a gift (don't worry, I stopped and watched them).
10. Giving Yourself to us - You left the heavenly realms and walked in our shoes for 33 years to bring good news to the poor, and to give your life sacrificially so that we may have a love relationship with you for eternity that we couldn't conjure up on our own. You rescued us from eternal death and gave us eternal life. You love us the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow no matter how sinful or wretched we are. Your unabashed love for us is something that no material item can match. What I want for Christmas is for every knee to bow and every tongue to confess that you are Lord over all the earth. That we realize that you are the reason we walk, breathe, and exist on this earth. I pray that our lives will reflect your glory this Christmas season and that your light will shine in a way we've never experienced before.
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39
May this Christmas season bring you more of Christ than ever before, my friends. For He is our ultimate Gift.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Interrupted sleep
I'm a bit perplexed these days at how to get my dear 3 year old to sleep all night. I can't say how long it's been since this has started but it's been at least a month or two since she's been getting up at random times at night and climbing into our bed. And it's been happening almost every night. We have been putting her back to her bed some but not always, which is probably escalating the problem. Some attempts have gone bad due to her throwing fits about it in the middle of the night, and us fearing she'd wake up her sister in her room, or the puppy that still sleeps in our room (in her crate, not our bed). I've been praying over her a lot before bed. I prayed over her last night when she woke up again. She still was fearful and insisted on me sleeping with her or visa versa, so I resorted to putting a pallet on our floor next to our bed and she was quite content with that. Although, I do not want to make that a habit either. She asked to sleep on my floor tonight again but I didn't give in to that. There was a time a few weeks ago that I prayed very intentionally and specifically against anything that is giving her bad dreams or for wisdom and revelation into what is waking her up so much. That night, she never woke up. But has done it every night since. Tonight, I decided a new attempt at playing some soft Christian music in her room. She really was pretty excited when I brought up the idea and it made her stop asking to sleep on my floor. Phew! That was a relief. She went to sleep very well with the music playing. This will be our first night to attempt this, and I'm praying it helps her. Her room seemed way too quiet before and I just wonder if that has been contributing to her waking up. Too many noises she hears, etc. So we shall see how it goes tonight.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Pride
I picked up Beth Moore's "Praying God's Word" yesterday for the first time in ages. I opened up the book and came onto this passage that Beth Moore wrote in regards to what pride does to us. Woh! This hit me right between the eyes!
Hi. My Name is Pride. I am a cheater.
I cheat you of your God-given destiny...because you demand your own way.
I cheat you of contentment...because you "deserve better than this".
I cheat you of knowledge...because you "already know it all".
I cheat you of healing...because you're too full of me to forgive.
I cheat you of holiness...because you refuse to admit when you're wrong.
I cheat you of vision...because you'd rather look in the mirror than out the window.
I cheat you of genuine friendship...because nobody's going to know the real you.
I cheat you of love...because real romance demands sacrifice.
I cheat you of greatness in heaven...because you refuse to wash another's feet on earth.
I cheat you of God's glory...because I convince you to seek your own.
My name is Pride. I am a cheater
you like me because you think I'm always looking out for you. Untrue.
I'm looking out to make a fool of you.
God has so much for you, I admit, but don't worry,
If you stick with me you'll never know.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Walking it Out...
Wow! It's been a whole month since I've been on here. I have been contemplating whether I should keep this blog or not, since I'm not as good about keeping up with it as I used to. But I've gotten so much encouragement from people about it and figure I'll keep it around a while longer. We are approaching the holidays and this 
is definitely my favorite time of year. I've thoroughly enjoyed the college football season so far too since our team is #1 right now. And I love that all the college football hype surrounds my favorite time of year. It's all one big perfect package. I've had the pleasure of going to 3 UT games this season and don't really know how I lucked out that much but it has been very fun and exciting to say the least. Although, I thought I was going to have a heart attack during the last game. The picture beside this is from that game. What a nailbiter!!! A little too close for comfort for me! But at least we came out of it with a "W"!
is definitely my favorite time of year. I've thoroughly enjoyed the college football season so far too since our team is #1 right now. And I love that all the college football hype surrounds my favorite time of year. It's all one big perfect package. I've had the pleasure of going to 3 UT games this season and don't really know how I lucked out that much but it has been very fun and exciting to say the least. Although, I thought I was going to have a heart attack during the last game. The picture beside this is from that game. What a nailbiter!!! A little too close for comfort for me! But at least we came out of it with a "W"!My girls have gotten into the groove of school quite well and are doing good in the
ir classes so far. Although, mommy is really struggling with getting up at 6:30 in the morning lately and seems to be a bit frazzled every morning getting them ready since she's been dragging her feet getting out of bed. But we're still getting them to school on time, so that's good at least. ANd Rebekah and I have enjoyed some good one-on-one time at home while the girls are at school. She is growing so fast and I know it will be no time before all 3 of my girls will be in school. Here's a picture from our trip with all my girls to the Pumpkin farm a few weeks ago on Columbus Day. We met several friends there and had lots of fun!
ir classes so far. Although, mommy is really struggling with getting up at 6:30 in the morning lately and seems to be a bit frazzled every morning getting them ready since she's been dragging her feet getting out of bed. But we're still getting them to school on time, so that's good at least. ANd Rebekah and I have enjoyed some good one-on-one time at home while the girls are at school. She is growing so fast and I know it will be no time before all 3 of my girls will be in school. Here's a picture from our trip with all my girls to the Pumpkin farm a few weeks ago on Columbus Day. We met several friends there and had lots of fun!Speaking of fun, our Boxer puppy, Mocha, has also been so much fun for the family. She is 3 months old and is 20 lbs already (she was 6 lbs. when we got her) and she has really made a great addition to the family. This has been a completely diffe
rent experience than our other dogs we've had since we prepared ourselves before we got Mocha this time. And we're actually training her. We have her in training classes right now. She just started last week and did quite well for her first time there. We have 8 weeks to go. And she and Tim have been going on morning walks every morning which has been great for both of them. I will say that the hardest part right now is getting the girls to respond properly when the dog gets rough with them when she is playing. They of course start screaming and crying when she gets too hyper or jumpy, which makes her even more jumpy and hyper. I get onto the dog, but I get onto them too for reacting that way. So I haven't quite figured out how to stop that madness, but hopefully we'll figure it out soon. I feel I'm training the kids as much as the dog.
rent experience than our other dogs we've had since we prepared ourselves before we got Mocha this time. And we're actually training her. We have her in training classes right now. She just started last week and did quite well for her first time there. We have 8 weeks to go. And she and Tim have been going on morning walks every morning which has been great for both of them. I will say that the hardest part right now is getting the girls to respond properly when the dog gets rough with them when she is playing. They of course start screaming and crying when she gets too hyper or jumpy, which makes her even more jumpy and hyper. I get onto the dog, but I get onto them too for reacting that way. So I haven't quite figured out how to stop that madness, but hopefully we'll figure it out soon. I feel I'm training the kids as much as the dog.Now it's time for me to squeeze in some Rebekahisms that my mom shared with me when she was staying with her a few weeks ago. They are too good to not mention!
Rebekah chattering: Mommy said I was once baby Becka. But n
ow I turned in to Rebekah.
Rebekah said: I was a baby and Faith was a baby.
Gramma said: Did you know I was once a baby too?
Rebekah said: A Gramma baby!!!
When Gramma leaned over and hugged and kissed Rebekah she said: You smell like tuna!!!
And Gramma said she had just taken a shower too. She said she must have to return that body wash. Apparently it's not vanilla scented after all.
A few days ago, I was having to go down the NAMC hospital to get some medical records for Hannah and Faith's school and couldn't find a parking spot to save my life it seemed. Well, Rebekah chimed in finally and said in a very sarcastic voice"Just find a parking spot already, mom!"
ow I turned in to Rebekah.Rebekah said: I was a baby and Faith was a baby.
Gramma said: Did you know I was once a baby too?
Rebekah said: A Gramma baby!!!
When Gramma leaned over and hugged and kissed Rebekah she said: You smell like tuna!!!
And Gramma said she had just taken a shower too. She said she must have to return that body wash. Apparently it's not vanilla scented after all.
A few days ago, I was having to go down the NAMC hospital to get some medical records for Hannah and Faith's school and couldn't find a parking spot to save my life it seemed. Well, Rebekah chimed in finally and said in a very sarcastic voice"Just find a parking spot already, mom!"
Kids will be kids!
Moving along now, I've been doing a Beth Moore study ("Breaking Free") since the beginning of September and it has been such a revealing and monumental study for me.
I wanted share a few things that God has reminded me through it. One of the things is that instead of asking God to follow me every day and help me in my walk, I need to start committing to God that I am going to follow Him however or wherever He wants me be every day. When we ask God to follow us, we're pretty much throwing out the fact that it is His will we need. We're making it about our will instead. When we take on our day, we don't always stay in God's path, and He won't follow us if we're veering off from His will. So we need to be ready to follow God in every way, and that is when we will begin to experience the Spirit-filled life that we are called to. Whether it's how we are parenting our children, loving our spouses or not, whether we are reaching out to a neighbor or friend or not, etc. Most of the time, we just try to take off in the day ourselves, and assume God is going to walk along side us wherever we go. He may be with us, but He isn't gonna walk with us into a sinful life. We do that to ourselves. He'll stand by, watch us, and wait patiently for us to run back to Him. But He really just wants for us to follow Him ever step of the way and in that, We will know His will and plan. But we have to want it and receive it for Him to reveal it to us!
Another thing that God is showing me, is that a way to be free from any strongholds in our lives, we need to learn to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. And I think that ties in to the first point I made. We won't want to follow Him if we don't love Him with every part of our being. That sounds hard to do, God. Well, that's because it is. There is no way we can do that without praying for God to give us the power to love Him in that way. But we also have to realize that the only reason we love God and others is because He first loved us. One thing I love that Beth Moore said is that God would have to stop existing if He stopped loving us. Because He is love! But if we can grasp how much He wants us to love Him back, and then ask Him to give us that ability, He will answer. Because that is us praying for something that is according to His will. Each day, I want to be praying that the Lord helps me to love Him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, and that my husband and children will learn to do the same. Our fulfillment should come through Him and Him alone, and everything else is just overflow. I wish I could say I'm there, but I'm not yet. But I want to be there and I guess that's a start. What things am I trying to fulfill the empty places of my life with instead of God? And can I believe that God is enough? That has been the question that keeps coming back to me. O Lord, help my unbelief in this area and in this area with others. We need to believe that you are enough!
As we are moving into the Holiday season, I pray that I can learn to rest in His presence every day and that I can allow His Spirit to guide me into His will through the hussle and bussle of life and bring me to a place of fulfillment and contentment in Him and Him alone.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Hmmm...
Well, I'm up at 6am on a Saturday morning trying to figure out what to do with myself since I really just rather be sleeping. Tim is off having a great hunting, fishing, and camping trip so I'm on full-blown doggy duty this morning. Mocha decided that 5:45am was her wake-up time this morning (and of course she has been sleeping later on weekdays...figures). But I think it happened because Rebekah decided to try to come into my room and climb into my bed at 5:45 this morning only to wake up Mocha. Needless to say, we have implored Rebekah not to do that anymore since any sign of a human being up and around gets Mocha thinking it's time to get up. Oh well, such is life.
Anyways, life is doing ok around here in the Waters household though. We have had our ups and downs since Tim's father passed away on Sept. 1st. And yesterday would have been Mike's 56th birthday, so it was a tough day. So Tim is walking through the process of grieving over the loss of a father as I've been trying to learn how to be a supportive wife of a grieving husband. It's not easy by any stretch of the imagination. I've had to remind myself over and over from the beginning that what he needs from is completely different than what I would need from him. We are wired so differently as men and women are. So I have to constantly put myself into his shoes and try to figure out what he needs and that is just not easy. What has been real tough too is that I've missed my husband in certain ways. Don't get me wrong, I totally understand why I've lost a companion for a while. Yet I'm a quality time person, he is not, so when you throw in the grieving he is going through, quality time pretty much goes out the window altogether (unless I get on my knees and grovel for it...lol). Not his fault at all, but it still doesn't make it easy on me. Of course, life is not about being easy is it. And life is not supposed to be about me either. I've been pretty ashamed of myself since the beginning of the month at how selfish I can still be even when my husband is going through what he is going through...oh, the joys of living in the flesh.
On that vein, God is teaching me a lot about that as I've also started a new Bible Study this fall with our women't ministry at church. I'm doing "Breaking Free" by Beth Moore and boy is it shining some light on things that I didn't know were even there! We are only in the 3rd week and I keep thinking, "Is there actually more?". This is so much already!
Last week, the study was on the obstacles that hinder our fullness in Christ. Woh!!! Was that an eye-opener. She covered on: unblief, pride, idolatry, prayerlessness, and legalism. These things are direct counterparts to a full life in Christ, which are: belief in God, God's glory, satisfaction in God alone, peace from God, and experiencing God's presence. So long in short, I discovered I need serious work on all of this!!! I'm sure we can all find some way in which those obstacles are a part of our life. You know when you think you are doing pretty good in your walk with God and WHAMMO!, God wakes you up to reality? It's like in the song "Slow Fade" by Casting Crowns when he says "Be careful if you think your standing, because you just might be sinking". What a powerful statement!
So now I'm going through feeling overwhelmed at what he has revealed to me this past month, and I'm still having to walk this out every moment of every day. So it's time to cling to God with all that is within me and trust that I will grow through everything that has transpired in my life, one moment at a time.
Anyways, life is doing ok around here in the Waters household though. We have had our ups and downs since Tim's father passed away on Sept. 1st. And yesterday would have been Mike's 56th birthday, so it was a tough day. So Tim is walking through the process of grieving over the loss of a father as I've been trying to learn how to be a supportive wife of a grieving husband. It's not easy by any stretch of the imagination. I've had to remind myself over and over from the beginning that what he needs from is completely different than what I would need from him. We are wired so differently as men and women are. So I have to constantly put myself into his shoes and try to figure out what he needs and that is just not easy. What has been real tough too is that I've missed my husband in certain ways. Don't get me wrong, I totally understand why I've lost a companion for a while. Yet I'm a quality time person, he is not, so when you throw in the grieving he is going through, quality time pretty much goes out the window altogether (unless I get on my knees and grovel for it...lol). Not his fault at all, but it still doesn't make it easy on me. Of course, life is not about being easy is it. And life is not supposed to be about me either. I've been pretty ashamed of myself since the beginning of the month at how selfish I can still be even when my husband is going through what he is going through...oh, the joys of living in the flesh.
On that vein, God is teaching me a lot about that as I've also started a new Bible Study this fall with our women't ministry at church. I'm doing "Breaking Free" by Beth Moore and boy is it shining some light on things that I didn't know were even there! We are only in the 3rd week and I keep thinking, "Is there actually more?". This is so much already!
Last week, the study was on the obstacles that hinder our fullness in Christ. Woh!!! Was that an eye-opener. She covered on: unblief, pride, idolatry, prayerlessness, and legalism. These things are direct counterparts to a full life in Christ, which are: belief in God, God's glory, satisfaction in God alone, peace from God, and experiencing God's presence. So long in short, I discovered I need serious work on all of this!!! I'm sure we can all find some way in which those obstacles are a part of our life. You know when you think you are doing pretty good in your walk with God and WHAMMO!, God wakes you up to reality? It's like in the song "Slow Fade" by Casting Crowns when he says "Be careful if you think your standing, because you just might be sinking". What a powerful statement!
So now I'm going through feeling overwhelmed at what he has revealed to me this past month, and I'm still having to walk this out every moment of every day. So it's time to cling to God with all that is within me and trust that I will grow through everything that has transpired in my life, one moment at a time.
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