Bring out the Positive

On any given day, there are WAY more positive things that happen to you than negative. Have you ever REALLY sat and thought about that? Sometimes when we ask people, "how was your day?" They respond, "not so good." If we were honest, we would say EVERYDAY is a great day. Now, I'm not so positive that I never have a rough day. Somedays I feel like staying in bed. Somedays I want to scream. BUT, what I AM saying is that no matter how bad our day may SEEM, there have been many more positive things that happened during those 24 hours than negative. Often it seems the other way around.

Why do we feel like there is more negative? Ironically, it's because the good and positive things are so common that we often overlook them. In contrast, the negative, troubling things get our attention because the are, for the most part, unusual. Instead of letting the small number of difficulties cloud your thinking and grab your attention, make an effort and work to make the positive things your priority. Challenge yourself to make a mental list each day of at least 20 things that were good, valuable, positive things that come your way. The list can be as simple as "I woke up". Those are the things we overlook.

Most people, if asked, can quickly rattle off their list of troubles and problems.They would quickly be able to name at least 10 things. Put some effort into bringing out the positive, and I promise it will change your thinking.

Change your thoughts to positive, and you will be surprised how little your "negative" list gets :)

Interruption

Have you ever watched a kid try to concentrate on something, and a new toy commercial comes on? What happens? They are EASILY distracted. This is where my first thought on positive thinking comes from....

when we find ourselves beginning to feel overwhelmed by negativity, stress, doubt, or unworthiness you can always CHOOSE to become distracted...to break the pattern. When you think these thoughts, stop for 3-4 minutes and meditate on these ideas:

1. At least 2 people in the world love you so much that they would die for you.

2. At least 15 people in the world love you in some way.

3. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.

4. Everynight someone thinks about you before they go to sleep.

5. You mean the world to someone.

6. If not for you, someone may not be living.

7. You are special and unique.

8. Someone that you don't even know exists has been impacted by you.

These thoughts of peacefulness, gratitude, and acceptance can make us feel like the worthy champions we are. Breathe deep and relax. Focus on how fortunate we really are. In a few short moments you will break free from the negative thoughts that only a few moments earlier held you captive. When we are positive, we are in control.

I'm no theology expert, but I do know that God's Word never contradicts itself. My bible says that I was created in the image of God. It also says, "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into anew person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is goodand pleasing and perfect." Romans 12:2

The world tells us to be negative, to take the easy way out, that we are doomed because of our mistakes. But the good news is, that's all a lie from the enemy. The truth is, we are on the winning team, so let's act like it. Even if you don't believe the positive thoughts, continue repeating them, and eventually they will become your reality.

Make a conscious choice to interuppt the negativity...it can change your world profoundly!!

Power of Thoughts

I am beginning a new study...the power of our thoughts. I have decided to turn it into sort of a college course, so I can learn everything possible God wants us to know about thoughts. I think our thoughts are the number one way Satan attacks our lives. Our thoughts control everything. Think about a day or time when your thoughts didn't have power over you. Have you ever tried to diet? Have you ever worried about money? Have you ever thrown clothes all over the floor in the morning as you're trying to find something that you think looks good on you? Have you ever lost your temper or said something you wish you could take back? Have you ever asked yourself, "what was I thinking?" If you have say no to all of these questions, CONGRATS...you have mastered the art of your thoughts. However, if you are like the majority of people, including myself, we have to answer yes to most, if not all, of these questions. If so, I hope this study and blog adventure will help us all. Each day I plan on reasearching, reading, and praying for wisdom in this area of my life.

I do know a few things regarding thoughts already. I know that I have two choices for leaving legacies in my kids and family. The first choice is from satan and says to make their lives miserable because of my insecurities and weaknesses. It says to work out my own fears and issues through being a mother and wife. The enemy says that my unresolved issues don't hurt anyone else. The enemy says I'm unworthy.

HOWEVER, my bible says this: that my unresolved issues transmit spiritual negativity and doubt to others. That I should walk free of doubt, unforgiveness, negativity, and worry. Well, I have decided that my boys and my husband are not going to know some woman who was full of hurt, but that they will know a super woman. Where they will have to say, "please stop...you're so full of God that you are embarrassing me."

I want my family to be full of strength and full of God, and not have those hindered by my own weaknesses. Thus, I am beginning this "thought" study. How can we change our thoughts, even if we don't believe them, to create a postive environment. I cannot control what has happened to me in the past, none of us can. It happened. The blood of Jesus Christ does not give us amnesia, but it DOES give us a life beyond our past.  So, I can't change my past, BUT I can change my future. I can assure that generations after me will be full of faith and powerful thoughts to be history makers.

I have learned, in my few years, that great legacies are not left by GREAT and PERFECT people, but by broken people that are overcomers. The only way to be an overcomer is by our thoughts. I bet if I asked you who was the most influential person in your life, you would name some average person, not some professional athlete or star. We have to say "we are not great, but we serve a GREAT GOD". In my weakness, HIS strength is perfect. I look forward to this journey and can't wait to share all I am discovering. Who knows where this will go, but please join along. Feel free to leave comments or thoughts to add to the knowledge.

Love in the Home

Unfortunately, we began hearing on the news today about Casey Anthony and her anticipated trial. As I watched her in the courtroom with no emotion, I couldn't help but think of my own children. How precious they are, and what an honor it is that God chose me to raise them. I couldn't imagine a mother harming her own child...I can't even imagine harming ANY human, much less your own child. Thoughts of home, family, and love flooded my mind today as I walked around and interacted with the boys. These are my thoughts:

If I live in a spotless house with everything in its place, but there is no love, I am a housekeeper - - not a homemaker.

If I have time for sweeping, dusting, and organizing, but have no time to play on the floor with my kids, my children learn cleanliness, but not Godliness.

If I make time for Facebook, but don't pray with my children, I allow technology to set their priorities.

If I laugh at tv shows, but don't listen and laugh at their knock-knock jokes, I am disconnected - - not a self-esteem builder.

If I tuck them in at night, I am fulfilling my duty, but if I slide a post-it note under their pillow as they sleep reminding them how special they are, I become a part of forming the next generation of strong leaders.

I I make lunches, I'm a mom, but if I let them help (no matter how much of a mess we make), I am teaching independence.

If I buy them everything they want, I am pretty cool to them, but if I make them save their money until they can buy it, I am teaching responsibility.

Love smiles at fingerprints on the freshly cleaned door, even though your flesh wants to scream, "I JUST WASHED THAT!!!"

Love wipes the tears BEFORE it wipes up the spilled cereal. Love picks up the child BEFORE it picks up the toys.

Love make them brush their teeth. Love asks them how can I pray for them. Love puts the bike ride BEFORE the laundry. Love watches Full House before Nancy Grace.Love has boundaries and expects the best. Love is a teacher. In love, I should not require anything of my children that I am not willing to do. I can't say pray, if I'm not. I can't say eat right, if I'm not. I can't say, respect your father, if I'm not. I can't say love, if I'm not.

Love also (against wordly views) reprimands and expects respect and manners. Before children, I took pride in perfect order. As a mother, there is much I must teach my children, but the greatest of all is LOVE.

Dear God,

Thank you for my children. Thank you for my husband and family. Thank you for the example you set for us, to love above all. Thank you that everything is not perfect all the time...that would be boring!! I am so honored to serve you and take great pride in raises your children. I feel blessed and honored, and take very serioud the job you have given me to teach Dylan and Cody how to be world changers and history makers. Thank you for staying close to me, so I will know what to do and say when my flesh wants to yell and scream. Please hold their hand as they grow older, so that they never turn from Your path.

Amen

The Price of a Child

As we end this day (Mother's Day), I decided to do a little research on my own. I look up the amount of money if will costs to raise a child from birth to 18 years old. For a middle income family, the govenrment has ESTIMATED $266,000. In my opinion, that's a low estimate, but nevertheless, a lot of money. That estimate doesn't include family vacations, new vehicles, college, etc. That is simply the bare minimum. Just think of everything you could do with that amount of money. Probably, pay your hosue off, buy a nice RV, go on a long vacation...For some, this large amount might confirm the decision to remain childless.

BUT, $266,000 isn't so hard to swallow if you break it down. It would look like this:

$14,777 per year

$1,231 per month

$41 a day

$1.71 per minute

Just over a dollar a minute :) Still, you might say, that's ALOT...here's my response...

There is no price tag for:

Feeling a new life move for the first time inside you.

Hearing your newborn cry for the first time and knowing everything is okay.

Counting all 10 toes and fingers for the first time.

Smelling their little head as you hold them close.

Cleaning a scraped knee.

Watching them sleep.

Getting a compliment of how well behaved they are.

Praying with them.

Getting a homemade card that says, "thank you for playing with me. You are the best"

Still sound like a lot of money? What do you get for your $266,000?

Naming rights

butterfly kisses

Hero status

glimpses of God everyday

more laughter and love than your heart can hold

you get to be Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny

endless converstaions about rocks and bugs

a partner to blow bubbles and fly kites

For $266,000 you never have to grow up. You get to fingerpaint, carve pumpkins, play hide and seek, catch lightning bugs, you have an excuse to watch cartoons, and wishing on stars.

There's no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just by getting the basketball unstuck, filling the pool with water, letting them stay up late, or cooking chocolate chip cookies. You get a front row seat to the first step, first word, first day of school, first date, first bike ride, first homerun. You get another branch added to your family tree.

You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communication, technology, business, finance, and cooking that no college can ever match. You have the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away monsters, take their tv, and love them forever. Hopefully, one day, they will love without limits and not count the costs.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

Almost 30

As I quickly approach the big 3-0, I have begun reflecting on the my life. I have made an attempt daily to think about the different chapters I have faced so far in my life. There have been MANY!! What I have realized is that I think we usually are faced with the most important life decisions early in our life because we are too young to be scared. If I had to face some of those same challenges now and in the future, I'm sure I would worry alot more. So, I have created a list of the top ten lessons I have learned so far in my life....most of which my mom tried to tell me but I thought I knew it all :)

1. The same situations that scared me to death ended up being the happiest moments.
Having to tell my mom that I was pregnant in college was the scariest thing I have ever had to do, BUT now my children are my world and I couldn't imagine life without them.

2. Bad things are going to happen.
No matter who we are or what we do, we can accept the fact that bad things are sometimes going to happen. Part of growing up is experiencing unexpected troubles. People lose jobs, get in car accidents, divorce, fall into addictions, and sometimes die young. It is part of life. We have to accept those things and know that it's okay to mourn and be sad. However, guilt, regret, and depression are feelings that we HAVE to get over in order to move on.

3. Everyone can make a differnce.
There are teachers, coaches, and friends we all remember that change our lives. By one simple quote or smile, they transformed the way we look at the world. If someone did that for you...then YOU are probably that someone for another person. You never know when or who is watching you.

4. Words do hurt.
Remember the old saying, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt." That is FALSE. Words, negative or positive, that people tell us about ourselves remain etched in our minds. If those words are hurtful and negative, we tend to repeat them over and over in our heads. We have to learn how to repeat the positive stuff just as much as we do the negative. People, even friends, will hurt you. Don't let hurtful words stay in your mind. Repeat positive things about yourself in your head, even if you don't believe them. Eventually, we become what we tell ourselves we are.

5. Sometimes you just have to go for it.
There are often times when things don't make sense, but we have to take a chance. Without chances, we can't grow. The first steps you took as a toddler was a chance you took. You took that step hoping that if you fell, someone would be there to catch you. Same concept...step out of the boat!!

6. Have fun and laugh alot.
There is no better medicine than laughter. Even if you don't feel like laughing, do it. You have to change the way you feel before you can change the way you act (sometimes people think it's the other way around). We are free and blessed, so there is no reason we can't laugh everyday.

7. Don't make excuses and be responsible.
YOU are the person who is responsible for YOU. It is not your mother, father, ex, or anyone else's fault if you are unhappy. We can choose to lie in self pity OR get up, get on, and make a conscious choice to change the pattern. As Dr. Phil says, "we teach people how to treat us." Get over it!! We make a choice everyday of how we will act, what we will say, and how we will feel...choose LIFE

8. Manage your money.
This is often the lesson that requires failure in order to get it. If you can't pay CASH, you don't NEED it. There is a big difference between a WANT and a NEED. Pay your bills BEFORE you shop :) Live on a budget, and learn to say NO to your flesh when you WANT something.

9. Notice the little things.
These years have flown by, and I'm sure it will continue that way. I decided that I WILL notice the little things. I will watch my children sleep, I will notice my husband's hobbies, I will enjoy dinner with my family every night, I will play ball with my kids if they ask. These are the things that I will enjoy talking about one day with my nursing home friends :) so I will notice them now.

10. The most important lesson I have learned is TO PUT GOD FIRST PLACE IN EVERYTHING.
If HE is first in every part of my life, the rest falls into place. The battles I am faced with are given to HIM...I'm just a passenger enjoying the ride. HE can handle my insecurities and worries. I don't have time because I need to enjoy the ride :) I have learned to PRAY AND WAIT!! Loving God, to me, means I spend time with HIM everyday, I talk to HIM everyday, I listen to HIM everyday, and I learn about HIM and HIS example.

There are so many more, but these are my top 10...ENJOY :)

Dear God,

Thank you for the lessons I have learned so far. Thank you for the happy moments, the scary moments, and the terrible moments for they made me who I am today. I am proud to be your daughter and I am thankful for your example. I pray that I would remember these lessons and live by them. There will be a day when I look back and smile on these days, so I pray that I would enjoy them.

Amen

What IF

Since 50% of "LIFE" is "IF" I began thinking of all the what-ifs we face everyday. I have challenged myself (feel free to join in) to recognize some of the opportunities that God places in my path daily. It's not always the HUGE miracles that make the biggest difference. Every GREAT achievement begins with small blessings. So, I have vowed to notice these moments in my life each day. Just think about this...

WHAT IF we replaced every negative word with a postive word.
WHAT IF we stopped to pick up trash we saw.
WHAT IF we decided to build up our family with life changing prayer.
WHAT IF we woke up everyday and gave GOD first place.
WHAT IF we took 30 minutes a day to exercise.
WHAT IF we spent quiet time with GOD everyday.
WHAT IF we saved the money we want to spend on a "want" and buy lunch for someone who's hurting
WHAT IF we stopped to smell the roses (literally)
WHAT IF we spoke to strangers
WHAT IF we sat down to dinner with our family.
WHAT IF we played in the yard with our kids.

See my point? In the book of Mark, Jesus said, "IF?" "There are no ifs among believers. Anything can happen?" (Mark 9:23). Let's live it out. Would you like to take the challenge with me? Let's slow down and notice the God moments. One day we may look back and say we WISH we had noticed the IFS.

Dear God,

I praise you for all you are! I thank you for the dreams you ahve put in my heart...the LOL dreams. The dreams that seem inconceivable. The dreams that are impossible without YOU! I pray that we, as your children, would recognize the WHAT IFS in our lives. I pray that we would notice the paths YOU send us down, and give us courage to step out on those paths. I love you for who you are and for changing my life.

Amen

Laundry

My least favorite household chore is doing laundry. Let me be more specific, my least favorite part of laundry is folding. I can even be more specific than that and say that my least favorite part of folding is the "sock load". As a matter of fact, I dread it so much that I usually do that load last so that I can just leave them in the dryer and everyone can match their own socks throughout the week. Do you have some chore that you feel that strongly about? The worst part is...if I don't do the laundry, no one will have clothes for the week. This is the kicker...my wonderful, amazing husband always offers to do it for me (I think he just offers because he knows I will say no). Because of my FEAR that he might not do it exactly like I do it, put just the right amount of fabric softener in, and fold the towels just right I always respond back with a, "no, I got it." Why are we like that? OCD maybe? I think it's more like C-R-A-Z-Y!!

We should welcome the fact that people want to help us, but we are so set in our routines that we go like robots until we crash at night. So, back to my story on folding laundry. I would definately have to say that if you take the clothes out right away, while they're still warm, they are so much easier to fold; there are no wrinkles. If you leave them in there for a while after the dryer goes off, they don't fold as easy or look as good. The plan for our lives is the same way. If we would learn to step out (get out of the dryer) when God says "GO", we would have peace and would stay in alignment with Him. If we think we know what's best, and our plan is better than God's we will probably stay in the dryer a little longer than we should...this is called DISOBEDIENCE and will quickly lead to us feeling like God is distant from us. Well, guess what...if we feel distant from God, guess who moved...we did!!

Sometimes God's plan may seem crazy to us, in fact impossible. we often forget who He is...I mean, he breathed the Earth into motion!! Who are we to argue with this Supernatural Creator who keeps the planets spinning exactly right. God wants us to just have faith and step out. We have to be certain that it's God's voice we hear, that's why we stay tuned in to Him. If we step out, succeed, and live an impossible God dream then the only person who can get the credit in God. If we wait until our time, and God still blesses us (because He's a great God), we are likely to give ourselves the credit. Let's allow god to move in our lives and get out of the dryer when He says to :)

Miracles still happen!!

Well, I'm back to blogging after a week long battle with the flu (my son). Over the past 21 days I been experiencing some supernatural events as my church is in a series called Awakening. We, as a church, have been praying and fasting for 21 days. My family has been pressing in hard to God, asking for Him to speak to and guide us. Boy, did He pull through in a BIG WAY! So, I'm gonna try to fit the miracles we have seen in just the past 21 days in this little blog...you ready?

As many of you know, Alan and I have been looking for a new house. We needed something bigger for our rather large Brady Bunch. We discussed what we were looking for and it sounded extravagant...3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage, bonus room, large yard...yeah, something we we never believed we could have. So, we have found a few houses and called about them. They all had MOST of the things we wanted, but none of them had ALL we wanted. We decided we were just going to have to settle (due to our budget) and do without some of the "luxuries" we had hoped for. To make a long story short God was at work the whole time. As I have been fasting and praying, He has spoken to me through other people and verses. God's Word says he doesn't just want to give us what we want, He wants to bless us beyond what we can even imagine or dream. Through some cancelled appointments by other people, some patience on our part, and some supernatural miracles God showed us a house that has EVERYTHING we initially wanted. Funny thing is that today, the last day of the fast, we put our deposit on it :) It is officially our's!! We are so happy, but the ONLY way to explain this is that God's Hand was all over it. It was nothing we did, except be faithful and trust in Him.

Just when we thought we may as well quit looking and stay where we were, God showed up. If we hadn't listened to Him, we would be in a house that was out of our budget and not what we needed. I'm so thankful for the committment we made to trust in and follow Christ. The best part of this whole story....this house is less money per month than we are paying now!! God is good. So, I say all this to say, we HAVE to let God work in our lives, even when it makes no sense. If it was all laid out in front of us, it would be easy, and everyone would do it. God wants to see dedicated people who will trust Him even when they can't understand why thigns are happening. We can't just pray for things to happen. It would have been a mistake for us to pray, "God, please GIVE us this house we want so bad". We need to want God's will. Do you realize that He is all powerful, He could suck up all the air on Earth right now if He wanted. He is Mighty. Who are we to think we know better? Let's step aside and let the Creator take control...trust me, it's alot less stressful when you let life go and put it in His hands.

Dear God,

Thank you so much for planning out my life. You knew me before I was born, and you know when I'll take my last breath. Thank you that You don't want an average life for me, You want me to be blessed beyond my wildest dreams. Thank you for whispering to me so that I never give up. I want life to be all about You. Please help me to step aside every day I wake up so people will see less of me and more of You. I am so honored to be your daughter and I want to make You proud. Thank you for miracles and for putting all the pieces together.

Amen

Even when we feel like....

Our poor little boys have been so sick. Cody spent last week in the ER and doctor's office with a final verdict of acid reflux. Now, Dylan has the flu. He is so pitiful. He wants to feel better so bad, but his little body is just struggling to fight off this yucky bug. He's trying to eat, and laugh, and play, BUT he just doesn't have to energy. Today he felt so bad he asked me to stop rubbing his head because it hurt to touch him. It is so sad, as a mom, to watch your child lay in bed and hurt. We have an instinct that makes us want to care for, make better, and protect our kids (and even other kids). We want what's best for them. When we see them hurt, we hurt. When they smile, we smile. We they feel joy, we do. I found myself constantly checking on Dylan today..."do you feel better, honey", "is there anything I can get you?" Until finally he said, "mom, I just want to sleep!!"

So, I decided to leave him alone and spend some quiet time with God (my usual time is 5:30am) but it's always nice to have MORE than the normal. God revealed something to me...He is the same way towards us that moms are to their kids!! God is constantly checking on us...when we hurt, He hurts...when we smile, He smiles...when we don't feel like holding our head up, He wants to gives us some medicine (which is usually is Word and Prayer). But too often, we respond to Him just like Dylan did to me..."God, can You leave us alone...we just want to sleep!!" It's time we wake up, respond to Him, accept His cure, and experience life the way He intended for us to. He didn't send His son for us to live an average life with the "flu". He wants us to be full of joy, kindness, love, compassion, strength, wisdom, and generosity. It's no wonder unbelievers don't want to know God if we, as believers, walk around with our heads down, sick, and gloomy. Let's show the world that we are experiencing a new life, a life full of hope. Although we will get "sick" sometimes, we have a Savior that will follow us around until we accept His help to get well.

Dear God,

Thank you for giving us life. Thank you for healing us, and making us feel better. I am so passionately in love with You and I am believing that You are getting ready to do big things in my life. It is my prayer, Lord, that when those big things happen, You get the glory. God, give me wisdom and guidance to be more like You. Feel my heart my love and my eyes with opportunities to make a difference for Your Kingdom. I want more of You and less of this world.

Amen

Diagnosed

We have spent the last few days traveling from the emergency room, to the doctor, to the internet looking for homemade remedies. Our youngest son has been having chest pain, severe chest pain. So much so that he has been asking us if he's going to die. We have reassured him that he will be fine, we will figure out what is wrong, and everything will go back to normal.

So, after the doctor explained what was wrong today and prescribed him some medicine, his stress level has decreased. When we got home I said, "Son, I told you the doctor would say everything was okay." "Mama," he said, "you're not a doctor, so I needed to hear it from her." WOW!! Interesting how we have to hear things from certain peoepl to believe it.

Today's blog message is real simple...listen to the Master physician, the Great teacher. The enemy wants you to listen to all the wrong people. Stand against that and committ to spending time with God everyday, just listening. He wants to bless us, He wants to speak to us but we're always so busy asking Him for things that we can't HEAR from Him. Stop and Listen...that's why we have 2 ears and 1 mouth...to listen more than we speak!!

Dear God,

Thank you for giving me a spirit of listening. Lord I love talking, and I thank You for blessing me with a personality. But God help me to learn to listen more. I want to hear from You daily. Help me recognize Your voice. I pray for the Holy Spirit to stir inside me so I can always feel Your presence. I need God moments all day. Help me to be more like You and may You get all the glory.

Amen

We CAN control our behavior

Have you ever heard people say, "I was just so mad I couldn't control myself"? I wish I had a quarter for everytime someone claimed they could not control their actions and what they say. It is a proven fact that the smallest, yet most difficult muscle in our body to control is our tongue (that's why Satan uses it so much). Just imagine the wars, divorces, lost jobs, broken hearts, and broken kids that are found in our world...and to think they all occurred at least to some extent) because of someone's lack of control over their tongue. Now, think of the opposite. How many lives could be saved, children taught to be world changers, thriving marriages, positive work relationships, and mental health issues could be solved (or at least improved) by changing a negative word into a positive word. It's all about control!! What is the majority of us learned to control our tongues...what a wonderful world it would be!!

Here's another example for my teacher friends...when you are at school, your students act one way. When you have a sub, they act a COMPLETELY different way. Proving the fact even more that humans control their behavior. The determining factor in whether we control our behavior or not is who we are trying to impress. In other words, if you are around someone who you are trying to impress, you can magically control your behavior. Ever been in this situation...horrible day, kids are arguing, 2 more weeks until pay day, nothing in the freezer to cook for dinner, bad day at work, and even worse, you and your spouse are arguing. Things are getting pretty heated and your screaming at your kids to stop fighting and get to their room. Suddenly, the doorbell rings. It's a guest (you can fill in the blank....neighbor, pastor, friend, stranger). Just like magic, your fit of rage turns to a cheerful smile. Your rough tone changes to a polite welcoming voice. See what I mean?? We CAN control our behavior.

We have to quit praying the pity prayer (God, I just can't do it....) We have to speak revelation into our lives. Pray with authority. We are on the winning team, so act like it. If we are willing to control our behavior for a stranger, shouldn't we give it our best to the Creator, the King....everyday, every minute. Be bold...pray for revelation that God would give you wisdom and guidance. Don't beg Him to change you. He will help, but we have to put our big boy/girl pants on and do some work too.

Dear God,

Thank you for saving me. Thank you for looking beyond my flaws and loving me. Thank you for giving me something I don't deserve. Give me wisdom to make the choices that will make you proud. I want to make You smile down on me, and I can't do it without Your help. Direct me, grow me, stretch me. I want to be more like You. God, in Your name, I demand that Satan take a backseat. Satan has no business in my life, around my family, in my school...there is only room for You. Thank you, Lord, that I'm not where I need to be...but thank You even more that I'm not where I used to be.

Amen

Busy Lives

Up at 5:00 am to drink my coffee and spend time with God, 6:00 am kids wake and begin the morning routine which includes brushing teeth, eating breakfast, and getting dressed, 7:00 am leaving home for a 7:30 meeting at school (somewhere in between the God time and kids' routine, I managed to get dressed). 8:15-4:15 make a difference in as many lives as possible while teaching the basics of Reading and Writing at the same time. 4:30 leave straight from work and head to grad school. Class from 5:30-8:30. Bust it home to see the kids before they go to bed and to spend some time with my wondeful husband (who has supervised homework, cooked dinner, and made sure everyone got a shower). 9:00 do some homework, 9:30 blog, and finally, go to bed.

REPEAT PROCESS BEGINNING AT 5AM.

Ever wonder how we manage to pack so much into our day? I believe if God had made a day to be 48 hours, we would somehow figure out a way to stay busy. People often say, "how do you do so much?" My answer is, "I think it's a blessing that I am ABLE to do so much." Idle hands (when you have free time on your hands) get in trouble. Now, don't get me wrong, don't ask me to do anything on Saturday. I think we all need a "recharge" day. God gives us talents to use, goals to reach, and people to help....BUT He doesn't want us to get so busy that we miss the point. Through all of my acitvities, I am constantly talking to God. Praying that He will direct my next step, that He will get the glory, and that people would see less of me and more of Him. So, if you're bored....get busy. If you're too busy...be still and meet with God, He's been waiting on you.

Dear God,

Thank you for blessing me with health and energy to accomplish all You have placed in my heart. Thank you for giving me talents and goals in life. I pray that I would never lose sight of the big picture. I pray that I would never get so busy that I don't have time for You. Please help me prioritize my life, keeping You at the forefront. Thank you for my husband, who steps in while I am pursuing my goals, and makes sure our kids are taken care of. Bless our family, send your mercy and grace to us. We adore you, we are passionate for You, we want to walk beside you so reign in our lives.

Amen

Bachelor - The Rose Ceremony

Love watching the Bachelor, but love even more picking out the "evil" girls (probably not the most Christian thing to do). Isn't it so clear to us (as viewers) who should get kicked off. The most awaited part of the show is the rose ceremony. It's pretty cool to see the same girls getting a rose each week. I wonder how many roses the winner will have received by the end of the show? I also wonder if the guy has already made up his mind about who he is going to choose? Funny thing is, we receive roses everyday too. Each new day we wake up is a rose, each new friendship is a rose, each newborn child is a rose, each promotion is a rose, each gift God gives us is a rose. In the end, what we are chosen for is indescribable, it's more than any tv show could ever glamorize.

The girls and the bachelor are in a moment of utopia, good feelings, amazing dates. However, none of that compares to the feeling we should feel as Christians. The Creator of the Universe picked all of us during the final rose ceremony. He will not make us compete against each other for His love. He has given us ALL a rose, a rose garden. What we do with our rose is up to us. There is no bachelor that compares to our God. He is the knight in shining armor that will save the day. He saved our lives. He died for us, so shouldn't we at least water the rose He gave us.

We should never allow competition, flashy "things", other relationships, and gossip get in the way of our pursuit of Him. Let's help each other, not deter each other from getting all we can from this confusing thing called life.

Dear God,

Thank you for giving me a rose. Help me to realize that I am a daughter of the King; that I have no reason to doubt Your love for me. Help to see that Satan wants nothing more than for me to be depressed, anxious, self doubting, and regretful. Satan wants me to feel like You haven't forgiven me, but I know You have. You wiped it all away. I pray for a soft heart, one that listens more than speaking. One that always sees people the way You do. Thank you for giving me a rose even when I didn't deserve one.

Amen

Wipeout

Have you ever watched Wipeout? It's a gameshow where contestants attempt to make it through an obstacle course. The winner is rewarded with $50,000. The trick to this whole thing is that the obstacles are nearly impossible, beating people, bruising people, bending in ways they never knew they could, and literally causing WIPEOUTS!  We love watching this show for 2 reasons...to watch people WIPEOUT and to listen to the hosts of the show.

Sometimes our days feel like complete wipeouts. We feel beaten, bruised, punched, bounced, and flipped. Somedays we don't feel like we can get up one more time, and other days we breeze right through the course. We should handle both of those types of days in the same way. On the days we feel confident and motivated, we should praise God. Thank Him for all His grace and mercy. Thank Him for everything we are and everything we have. On the days we wish would hurry up and end, we should do the same. Thank Him that we still have breath. Thank Him that we are competent enough to understand that we are having problems. Thankful that we have a God that creating the universe and allowing us to share it with each other.

Nothing bad comes from God. Even when our circumstances FEEL terrible, God is using it for some purpose. God works all things together for our good. There is always a bigger picture. God doesn't MAKE bad things happen to us. Sometime the bad things are a result of our bad choices. We need to quit blaming God for everything and start thanking God for everything, even the unwanted.

Dear God,

Thank You for another day of breath. Thank you for filling my heart with a dream, and God, I need You to help me make that dream come true. I have put aside Cristi things, and have made a committment to live for God things. Please give me the courage to keep that committment. Please give me the enery and faith to pull through even when I wipeout. Thank you for teaching me valuable lessons when I do wipeout, it strengthens my faith every time I stand back up. I love you for saving my life. Thank you for using me to help others, open my eyes to those who need me.

Amen

Life Sentence

Imagine this scenerio for a moment...you are standing in a court room facing a trial that could change your life. The verdict comes back GUILTY. You are now standing in front of the judge, the one who holds your future. You plead your case, but he doesn't seemed interested. He is about to sentence you to LIFE IN PRISON. Suddenly, someone appears in the back of the courtroom and suggests to the judge that they serve your sentence for you. This person is willing to watch you go free regardless of what you did.

This is what happens in every one of our lives. We are all "criminals" in this life, sinning on a daily basis. No matter how hard we try, how much we pray, how loud we turn our Christian music, we are human. We will never have a day where we are perfect. HOWEVER, we have the Creator of the Universe that is standing in the back of our courtroom saying "I want you to be FREE". Jesus Christ was sent to this Earth, walked a sinless life, and died for us to be free. If you were allowed to walk out of that courtroom after facing life behind bars, would you return directly to a life of crime. NO!! Let's show God how thankful we are for His favor by living a life that makes Him proud. When an ordinary person encounters our extraordinary God, something amazing takes place. I wish everyone could feel that at least ONCE in their life. That would change everything.

Deat God,

Thank you for taking my place in the life sentence. Thank you for letting me walk free. I am so thankful that Your grace covers me, that Your mercy is extended to me on a daily basis. I want to be more like You..please guide me. I want wisdom, power, and passion. Please open my eyes to God things, not world things. Help me to realize that Satan wants to mess me up. Keep me focused, so he doesn't win. The battle is over...the victory is ours. Thank you for that...I'm so glad to be on the winning team.
Amen

Surviving vs. Living

As I left work today, I asked someone how their day was. There reponse to me was, "Well, we survived!" As I walked down the hall, I found myself in another world thinking of how we manage our daily lives. I don't want to ever just survive, I want to THRIVE. Now, I'm not saying the lady who answered my question was trying to be negative, I'm sure that is just a common phrase we use around the world of education. However, I do believe we should be careful about what becomes "normal" to us. If we don't watch ourselves, we will allow small words/thoughts to become a part of our lives and before we know it, our attitudes begin to change. On the popular show SURVIVOR, the goal of the game is to simply be the last person standing. If I were in charge of reality shows, I would create a SURVIVOR that had as many people as possible standing in the end. You see, I believe that anyone can survive (God gave us that fight or flight sense that allows us to do so). However, it takes a believer, a faithful servant to not only survive life, but to actually enjoy it.

I don't want to look back on my life and think to myself, "that was fun, I should have smiled." I want to smile now!! I don't want to merely "make it", I want to be above my circumstances (no matter how bad they may SEEM). It takes a humble person to encourage others on days when they themselves could use it. If we begin to speak postive words in our own lives and into the lives of others, it may just make us feel better. If what you're doing right now isn't making you feel like you are thriving, try speaking LIFE into and about people, rather than negative thoughts. Sometimes we don't even realize we are being negative...that's where Satan likes it. When he can fool us without us even being conscious of it. Don't fall for it!! Even when you don't feel like it, speak LIFE. I'm not saying we should be fake, but often people think they have to change the way they feel BEFORE they can change the way the THINK. When, in all actuality, the opposite is true. We should change the way THINK which will lead to a change in the way we FEEL. Act "AS IF"...(as if you are THRIVING, not just SURVIVING). The most perfect man to walk the earth didn't die on a cross for us to survive, He intended for us to THRIVE!!

Dear God,

Please fill my heart with what you want my mouth to say, and give my tongue the power to say it. Open my eyes to people who need me and opportunities that need encouragement. God help me to realize that our mouth is our biggest enemy and strongest asset in life, and give me self control to make it my asset rather than the previous. Help me to know that staying silent is not always what You want. give me courage not to play it safe, but to be brave with positive thoughts. Thank You for all you have blessed us with, thank you for Your unending grace, and thank You for planting a passion in my heart to help people. Give me guidance to make that vision become a reality.

Amen

Little Things Can Change Everything

Schools out, too cold to play outside, can't drive anywhere, and the only thing on tv is the latest update of "severe winter weather". Isn't it funny how it all started with ONE TINY RAIN DROP. Most of the choices we make in life seem insignificant and small at the time, but when you compile them all together and look back, they drastically change (for better or for worse) the direction of your life. I guess it's comparable to a diet. The decision to change one meal at a time will lead to a healthy DAY...a few days of these choices will lead to a healthy WEEK...MONTH...and soon the results of weight loss will be noticeable.

Most things in life do not suddenly happen (which is the opposite of what people like to think)...there is usually a build up of smaller choices that lead to an event. What's funny is that we, as humans who don't like to accept the blame for things, somehow justify our crisis by blaming it on LIFE. When it all actuality our crisis is typically the result of our poor judgment of several small decisions which have escalated into something HUGE. Let me break it down...one small purchase at a time (which we justify and feel like we deserve) can eventually lead to debt, arguments, and an overwhelming stress. My word for 2011 is FREE...hopefully, my family will experience freedom this year as we make a conscious effort to pray about the small, daily decisions. Don't let the routine of daily life allow you to take for granted the importance of EACH CHOICE you make, they are ALL important. Without each rain drop, the winter storm wouldn't have been so severe.

Dear God,

Today I pray that we would make you proud. I pray that we would consult you for every single choice we make. Thank you for giving us free will, but thank you even more for being here with us helping us use our free will wisely. Please give us wisdom daily so that the small events build up and create positive experiences rather than a life changing crisis. Humble us...we can't do this alone. We need you to give us passion and positive attitudes, so that we see things through Your eyes. The world wants us to believe we deserve material things...please open our eyes to see that You gave us forgiveness and grace which we didn't deserve. Thank you for staying the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Amen

Balance

Remember in elementary school when you were first learning how to use a balance to weigh things? Sometimes you may put too much on one side and the whole things would fall apart. It was really hard to get just the right amount of things on each side to make it balance just right. Well, isn't it funny how almost every lesson in life can be compared to some childhood experience?

Life as an adult is all about BALANCE. the most difficult thing about being a mom, wife, teacher, student, friend, and every other realtionship is this simple word. Sometimes we get so engulfed in something that the weight becomes distributed in all the wrong places, and the balance falls apart. As a teacher who loves her job, I often find myself putting so much of myself into my work that the balance is not steady. Bringing papers home to grade, surfing the web for new teaching ideas, packing lunches, giving baths, helping with homework, cooking dinner, doing my own homework, and still finding some time to spend with my husband and God is oftentimes a crisis. It is my prayer that I would stay balanced.

God,

Thank you for your wonderful gift of relationships. Thank you for choosing me to be the mother of 2 healthy children who I adore. Thank you for my job. Thank you for the students I spend so much time thinking about. Thank for family and friends that encourage me and make me laugh everyday. Most importantly, thank you for giving us fresh starts, second chances. Thank you that I can mess up today, and you will cover me with grace. Please give me passion and balance in my life. When my scales begin to tip in one direction, please direct and guide me to get the balance back. Help me to be an enouragement to people daily as I depend on you for my encouragement.

Amen

Fresh Start

As I embark on this new venture of BLOGGING, I feel compelled to share my purpose. I decided this year not to set a New Year's Resolution...only to committ myself to one word for the next 365 days. The word I chose was "FREE". I am making a conscious effort to be FREE. Financially free, stress free, worry free, drama free, free to live and worship, free to live passionately for Christ, my kids, my husband, and others. As I think we all feel at the end of a year, I was ready for a fresh start, a clean slate. What a better time to begin fresh with a clean slate and live free than RIGHT NOW. I have chosen to journal this adventure in order to keep me accountable and, even more important, to encourage others.

I will begin this journey tomorrow, so please join me...become a follower...and receive some encouragement along with plenty of laughs from our crazy but wonderful life :)