It's been an introspective time for me. I have often sat down to blog and found myself just saving drafts unable to really articulate much of anything. I've mentioned recently how I have felt overwhelmed lately and how I have seen the Lord present to help me with that. It's been a time to evaluate, to think, to pray, to change, to cut back, and to just sit back and say, "God I really need You."
Although these types of seasons are not really that fun, they do provide an opportunity to be thankful. It's usually in times of difficulty when we human beings are most likely to realize our own limitations and reach out for assistance. Unfortunately many reach out in the wrong direction to things, people, and/or gods that don't satisfy and don't provide what is real. Others who do seek the Truth know what is real.
Real is refreshing. After sitting with a friend for a good part of the day and just chatting I felt very refreshed. Part of this refreshment came from the breeze, part of it came from the reason we were there, and part of it came from the fun we were having. But as I pondered on this more throughout the evening, I realized that much of this refreshment came from just having someone to talk to who is real and feeling comfortable to be real right back.
I try to always be real. I love real and believe it should be characteristic of who I claim to be and what I stand for, so therefore it is a priority to be real. Of course there are times when it is not easy or comfortable to be real, and other times when I fail to be gracious along with real. Still other times I fail to be real all together. I long to be a genuine and consistent person, and I want to refresh others and glorify God as a result.
Even more than this I am so thankful that I serve a God who is not only real, meaning existing, but also real as in genuine and true. He will never let me down. He will never leave me. He will always remain true and faithful and gracious and loving to me. Furthermore, I can be real with Him.
Have you ever screamed at God or just yelled while you prayed? I have. Have you ever just told Him exactly how you felt and trusted Him to love you and comfort you anyway? Oh, I am so thankful that I have. He knows exactly what I am feeling and thinking anyway. Why would I try to "hide" it from Him or wear a mask with Him? He wants me. He wants my genuine interaction. He wants me to be me, even if and when I feel like I can only be that way with Him. Praise the Lord!
He has also blessed me with a husband that I can be completely real with and still be loved and accepted by him. It doesn't mean that he always agrees with me or likes me when I get into a funk of some sort, but he loves me anyway.
Real is so refreshing.
Why aren't more people real? Fear?
Think of how many complicated situations and conflicts would be avoided if we were just real with each other.
Think of how many times we would receive His strength to get through a situation if we were just real with Him about it.
Lord, please help me to be real.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
My Strength When I Am Weak
Last week I hit a wall. I found myself feeling a lot of pressure because I had fallen very behind in many responsibilities and some committments that I had made. Most of these committments had been made before I knew I was pregnant and before I knew that this pregnancy would be more physically and emotionally challenging than any other to date (and I hope more than any other future ones). Physically I have been more tired and needing more sleep than I expected. Emotionally I have struggled because I have spent so much of my time sleeping, eating, and making sure my other children and my husband are taken care of that I felt very overwhelmed with other duties.
I got to the point where I was holding it together, but if anything - and I mean any little thing - came up while I was in that state all would be lost. I was at my breaking point. Maybe I could have prevented getting there some, but maybe I had to get there in order to get through it and move on. Maybe all of it was out of my control, and I really could not have prevented it.
That "any little thing" I mentioned did happen, and I was now done. It was one of those "I'm fine. I just need to cry right now," moments. I was fine. I did need to cry. I did cry. Then I was a lot better. Though the circumstances were perhaps brought on by the fact that I am pregnant, this was not a pregnancy set of emotions. This had been building. I have been here before.
I take very seriously a committment made, so I was unsure what needed to be done. It had become clear that I could not follow through with everything I had going on. I needed guidance from the Lord!
After collecting myself again, I resolved to get through the next few things I had going on and spend some time resting and seeking the Lord for the answers I needed. What a day it was, and by the end of it I was spent. I continued to ask the Lord for help, and I also remembered that I had not read my children's devotions (small lessons from the Bible meant to be read each day to continue to grow in the knowledge and wisdom to help live a life to serve and love Jesus) for the day to them. It was time to sit down and focus on the Lord with them.
I have been really, really excited about this new devotional I recently purchased for the kids. After being mostly disappointed with many children's devotionals that, in my opinion, are pretty shallow and not anywhere near the level of depth and insight I would like my children to be exposed to each day, I was very pleased to find this one. It's called, Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids, by Sarah Young. (She has a version for adults entitled, Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence and a journaling devotional called, Jesus Calling: A 365 Day Journaling Devotional. I haven't checked those out enough to comment on them, yet, but I have been enjoying the children's one.)
One important note is that I think this devotional is written more for older children, but reading it aloud to my younger children and explaining some of the ideas presented that may be more relevant to an older child has worked well for us. My favorite thing about this devotional is that I think it clearly displays a life that is lived everyday for Christ in a practical way, without sacrificing truth and thought-provoking points of life application (like I feel so many other children's devotionals leave out). Even my four year old has really grown in her understanding of trusting in Jesus with everyday issues since we have been reading this devotional together.
You can read the reviews on Amazon and gain more insight from different perspectives, as well. Some people don't like that it is written as if Jesus were speaking. The way I handle this is explaining that based on Scripture (and each page begins with at least one verse and ends with several passages to look up in the Bible), this is what Jesus might say if He joined us here right now. These are the truths that He wants us to know, so we can stand firm in Him and resist the lies that come at us. As my children get older, we will continue to explain this even more. It is a very personal and very scriptural devotional.
So, I opened up to the day we were on in this devotional. The title read, Your Strength, Your Song, and opened with this verse:
"The LORD is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him." (Exodus 15:2)
The very next line was: "Remember, I am your Strength and your Song."
Wow, did that sound like a good reminder to me! I needed His strength that day in a big way! What did it mean that He was my Song? There are several other verses in the Bible that use this phrasing, as well.
"Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." (Isaiah 12:2)
"The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." (Psalm 118:14)
The word "song" in these passages literally means "music, melody, song," in the original Hebrew. Looking at the context of this verse in Exodus, it is important to note that this was part of the song that Moses was singing among the Israelites after the LORD had helped them cross the Red Sea and defeat their enemies. This was a victorious song!
Furthermore, pastor, speaker, and author, John MacArthur, mentions in a commentary on the verse above from Isaiah that "the doubling of the personal name of God serves to emphasize His role as the covenant-keeping One." He keeps His covenant with me no matter what I do or say and no matter how I feel. He keeps His covenant. How comforting. (Maybe we can discuss covenant somtime soon - it's awesome!)
He is my Strength and my Song. When I rely on Him and His truth, even and especially when I am at my weakest, His strength prevails and carries me through. When I see His deliverance what other song can I sing than one that praises Him and brings Him glory? This is a beautiful picture of the intimacy with which He loves us. I hope that if you don't understand this love or don't realize this love, yet, that you will indeed one day. It makes life so much sweeter. Oh, I just love Him!
He did surely refresh me with these words of truth. I needed that refreshing badly.
Over the next couple of days following this, He continued to guide me and answer the questions I had about my committments. I am so thankful that I can call on the God who made the universe and actually hear back from Him! I can only do this because of what Jesus did for me on the cross. He bridged the gap between me and Himself and made a way for me to enter into the Holy of Holies and commune with the Living and Almighty God. This gift is available to all who receive it.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8)
I'm so thankful that I don't always have it together - like that is even possible. It is in my weakness, and my recognition of that weakness, that I realize my need for my Lord. He is my Strength and my Song, and I will ever praise Him.
Was it a coincidence that on the day I needed to hear this message Sarah Young had put it in a devotional form that I would read aloud to my children? Haha! I think not. God knew that is what I would need on that day, and I am sure that I was not alone. I can only smile when I think about how perfect His timing is.
He can be trusted.
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23)
Amen.
I got to the point where I was holding it together, but if anything - and I mean any little thing - came up while I was in that state all would be lost. I was at my breaking point. Maybe I could have prevented getting there some, but maybe I had to get there in order to get through it and move on. Maybe all of it was out of my control, and I really could not have prevented it.
That "any little thing" I mentioned did happen, and I was now done. It was one of those "I'm fine. I just need to cry right now," moments. I was fine. I did need to cry. I did cry. Then I was a lot better. Though the circumstances were perhaps brought on by the fact that I am pregnant, this was not a pregnancy set of emotions. This had been building. I have been here before.
I take very seriously a committment made, so I was unsure what needed to be done. It had become clear that I could not follow through with everything I had going on. I needed guidance from the Lord!
After collecting myself again, I resolved to get through the next few things I had going on and spend some time resting and seeking the Lord for the answers I needed. What a day it was, and by the end of it I was spent. I continued to ask the Lord for help, and I also remembered that I had not read my children's devotions (small lessons from the Bible meant to be read each day to continue to grow in the knowledge and wisdom to help live a life to serve and love Jesus) for the day to them. It was time to sit down and focus on the Lord with them.
One important note is that I think this devotional is written more for older children, but reading it aloud to my younger children and explaining some of the ideas presented that may be more relevant to an older child has worked well for us. My favorite thing about this devotional is that I think it clearly displays a life that is lived everyday for Christ in a practical way, without sacrificing truth and thought-provoking points of life application (like I feel so many other children's devotionals leave out). Even my four year old has really grown in her understanding of trusting in Jesus with everyday issues since we have been reading this devotional together.
You can read the reviews on Amazon and gain more insight from different perspectives, as well. Some people don't like that it is written as if Jesus were speaking. The way I handle this is explaining that based on Scripture (and each page begins with at least one verse and ends with several passages to look up in the Bible), this is what Jesus might say if He joined us here right now. These are the truths that He wants us to know, so we can stand firm in Him and resist the lies that come at us. As my children get older, we will continue to explain this even more. It is a very personal and very scriptural devotional.
So, I opened up to the day we were on in this devotional. The title read, Your Strength, Your Song, and opened with this verse:
"The LORD is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him." (Exodus 15:2)
The very next line was: "Remember, I am your Strength and your Song."
Wow, did that sound like a good reminder to me! I needed His strength that day in a big way! What did it mean that He was my Song? There are several other verses in the Bible that use this phrasing, as well.
"Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." (Isaiah 12:2)
"The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." (Psalm 118:14)
The word "song" in these passages literally means "music, melody, song," in the original Hebrew. Looking at the context of this verse in Exodus, it is important to note that this was part of the song that Moses was singing among the Israelites after the LORD had helped them cross the Red Sea and defeat their enemies. This was a victorious song!
Furthermore, pastor, speaker, and author, John MacArthur, mentions in a commentary on the verse above from Isaiah that "the doubling of the personal name of God serves to emphasize His role as the covenant-keeping One." He keeps His covenant with me no matter what I do or say and no matter how I feel. He keeps His covenant. How comforting. (Maybe we can discuss covenant somtime soon - it's awesome!)
He is my Strength and my Song. When I rely on Him and His truth, even and especially when I am at my weakest, His strength prevails and carries me through. When I see His deliverance what other song can I sing than one that praises Him and brings Him glory? This is a beautiful picture of the intimacy with which He loves us. I hope that if you don't understand this love or don't realize this love, yet, that you will indeed one day. It makes life so much sweeter. Oh, I just love Him!
He did surely refresh me with these words of truth. I needed that refreshing badly.
Over the next couple of days following this, He continued to guide me and answer the questions I had about my committments. I am so thankful that I can call on the God who made the universe and actually hear back from Him! I can only do this because of what Jesus did for me on the cross. He bridged the gap between me and Himself and made a way for me to enter into the Holy of Holies and commune with the Living and Almighty God. This gift is available to all who receive it.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8)
I'm so thankful that I don't always have it together - like that is even possible. It is in my weakness, and my recognition of that weakness, that I realize my need for my Lord. He is my Strength and my Song, and I will ever praise Him.
Was it a coincidence that on the day I needed to hear this message Sarah Young had put it in a devotional form that I would read aloud to my children? Haha! I think not. God knew that is what I would need on that day, and I am sure that I was not alone. I can only smile when I think about how perfect His timing is.
He can be trusted.
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23)
Amen.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Our Homeschool is Now Open!
Ever since my first child turned two I have been excited about homeschooling. Before then I didn't really think I could do it. In fact, I used to joke with my husband saying that he would teach them, and I would be the lunch lady and arts and crafts teacher. I thought that was all I would be capable to handling, but I didn't want that to be true.
And so I began to do a few things. I prayed. I asked other homeschooling parents and children about homeschooling. I asked my sister-in-law, who I think is really awesome by the way. She lent me a book called, When You Rise Up; A Covenantal Approach to Homeschooling, by R.C. Sproul Jr, and what I read within really made me realize that I could do it! Even though I had a couple of years until I was actually going to begin to officially teach at home, I had a good start at navigating through the process of getting ready.
A few homeschooling conferences later, I am really very excited to begin this journey. I have learned so much and look forward to learning more each year. I am excited to learn with my children, as well. I am excited to be able to teach my children Truth and help them apply Truth to their lives.
While I will post much more to come about what has become my approach to our homeschool long-term, I am only going to focus on what we are doing now for this post.
Last week I began preschool with my 4 year old. She is very excited and very ready to start learning more, and asked me for weeks how much longer she had to wait to start school. Being that she has known much of what is taught in most preschools for a while (She's pretty smart), we are building on what she already knows and then adding to it. I am amazed at how well she has already done. She has been so cute during our school time, which is only about 30 minutes of focused time and then some games and activities to help reinforce what we went over. In fact, she calls me "Teacher," during school time. Adorable.
So what are we doing?
For the foundation of our preschool we are using Learn Your Letters... Learn to Serve by Laura Coppinger over at Heavenly Homemakers. I am really enjoying this curriculum! Through it she is learning more about the alphabet, but also the beginning of phonics, to pray for people, to memorize scripture, to serve others through activities such as baking banana bread for Bonnie during "B" week.
We are also starting to learn Spanish. Right now we will be working on basics, but eventually I would like to incorporate the La Clase Divertada curiculum into our homeschooling. I am really looking forward to learning along with my children. I love languages!
I have some listening activities and other crafts and fun projects to incorporate with this. Also I am going to be going further into numbers with her by cooking and baking with her. I'm going to purchase Teaching Your Kids to Cook, also by Laura Coppinger. I think I'll learn a thing or two in this department, as well!
I have been wanting to teach my kids more in the kitchen, but most of the time I am in a hurry getting something ready to be eaten soon. I think this resource will really help me to focus on slowing down and teaching my children. Plus it will be fun!
In January, I will begin violin as part of her schooling. I found this really great violin curriculum, The Violin Book, that I am actually using to teach myself to play violin, as well! It is four to five years worth of curriculum, so it will serve us for a while. My husband and I love music, and I believe that even if our children decide to pick up another instrument other than violin, this start will be helpful to them. Another reason I chose violin is pretty practical - a violin is small and easy to store, transport, etc.
All of the resources I mentioned I will preserve to be used again and again for how ever many children the Lord blesses us with as they go through preschool, as well.
We also do quite a bit of reading during the day. We believe reading aloud will benefit our children greatly. We read Christian devotionals, Bible stories, age-appropriate literature and story books, and even some coloring books that have words in them. My daughter always asks me to read what is on the page before she begins coloring.
As for now we are off to a great start. I am very thankful for the opportunity to be a home educator, and I look forward to the many blessings that will follow as a result...
And so I began to do a few things. I prayed. I asked other homeschooling parents and children about homeschooling. I asked my sister-in-law, who I think is really awesome by the way. She lent me a book called, When You Rise Up; A Covenantal Approach to Homeschooling, by R.C. Sproul Jr, and what I read within really made me realize that I could do it! Even though I had a couple of years until I was actually going to begin to officially teach at home, I had a good start at navigating through the process of getting ready.
A few homeschooling conferences later, I am really very excited to begin this journey. I have learned so much and look forward to learning more each year. I am excited to learn with my children, as well. I am excited to be able to teach my children Truth and help them apply Truth to their lives.
While I will post much more to come about what has become my approach to our homeschool long-term, I am only going to focus on what we are doing now for this post.
Last week I began preschool with my 4 year old. She is very excited and very ready to start learning more, and asked me for weeks how much longer she had to wait to start school. Being that she has known much of what is taught in most preschools for a while (She's pretty smart), we are building on what she already knows and then adding to it. I am amazed at how well she has already done. She has been so cute during our school time, which is only about 30 minutes of focused time and then some games and activities to help reinforce what we went over. In fact, she calls me "Teacher," during school time. Adorable.
So what are we doing?
We are also starting to learn Spanish. Right now we will be working on basics, but eventually I would like to incorporate the La Clase Divertada curiculum into our homeschooling. I am really looking forward to learning along with my children. I love languages!
I have been wanting to teach my kids more in the kitchen, but most of the time I am in a hurry getting something ready to be eaten soon. I think this resource will really help me to focus on slowing down and teaching my children. Plus it will be fun!
All of the resources I mentioned I will preserve to be used again and again for how ever many children the Lord blesses us with as they go through preschool, as well.
We also do quite a bit of reading during the day. We believe reading aloud will benefit our children greatly. We read Christian devotionals, Bible stories, age-appropriate literature and story books, and even some coloring books that have words in them. My daughter always asks me to read what is on the page before she begins coloring.
As for now we are off to a great start. I am very thankful for the opportunity to be a home educator, and I look forward to the many blessings that will follow as a result...
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Pregnancy Ponderings
 |
| Courtesy of Jennifer Cottom Photography |
I know it is pretty obvious, but I wanted to look up the word pregnant to get the definition - especially because of phrases like, "pregnant with possibility," and "pregnant pause." So according to dictionary.com here goes:
Pregnant:
1.having a child or other offspring developing in the body; with child or young, as a woman or female mammal.
2. fraught, filled, or abounding (usually followed by with ): a silence pregnant with suspense.
3. teeming or fertile; rich (often followed by in ): a mind pregnant in ideas.
4. full of meaning; highly significant: a pregnant utterance.
5. of great importance or potential; momentous: a pregnant moment in the history of the world.
Quite frankly I think that definitions 2-5 also describe definition number 1! What potential, great importance, richness, significance, etc a pregnancy holds! Why? Because this baby growing within is loved by God, is being knit together by God, and has a God-given plan for his/her life even before the first breath taken. That is huge!
I was also thinking about rest. I have been doing quite a bit of that, and sometimes much to my frustration. However today, as I have reached the 8 weeks mark, I realized that it has actually been really nice to rest. Sure, I am very behind on many things, but what a great reason I have been given to just rest a lot.
Well, and eat a lot, too. I am still nursing my so-called-toddler (is she really a toddler already?), and being used by God to create another human being that I also must feed. It's a lot of food.
But back to rest...
As much as I can take care of things on my end - eating, drinking my supplements, drinking enough water (also a lot), not doing anything crazy like sky diving, etc. - I still must rest and let God continue to work while I do so. This became a really cool picture to me today. Sometimes I just need to sit back, or in this case go to sleep, and let God work. There are many times in the Bible where we see this, but some of my favorites are:
"But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever." (Exodus 14:13 - When they were about to cross the Red Sea.)
"You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you." (2 Chronicles 20:17- Another great story of God protecting His people from their enemies.)
"Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
What other areas of my life do I need to just rest in the LORD and trust Him to take care of it?
A lot of needed rest can also provide great opportunity to pray if I let it. In addition to these ponderings, the LORD has also been faithful to remind me to pray for my friends who are also expecting a child and for those who desperately want to be expecting a child, but have found it difficult to do so. I've also been praying for friends I know who have lost a child or have miscarried or have a sick child.
I do know what it is like to miscarry. I did that a couple of years ago. It was very humbling because somehow I didn't really consider the possibility. Then it happened, and as hard as it was, I really learned a lot. Three months later I was pregnant again, and I realize that without that miscarriage I never would have known my second child. What a loss that would have been! The baby we lost is in Heaven waiting for us, and there are many cousins, aunts/uncles, and friends who were miscarried that are there with him/her. This does bring comfort. I really pray I never have to go through that again, but I do thank God for His comfort during that time and since.
I wish more people talked about miscarriage. I never realized how many women I know have miscarried until after we miscarried back in 2009. I wonder how helpful it would be for everyone if we talked about it more.
We have always been "early-announcers" when it comes to pregnancy. We announced to everyone we were pregnant at 4 weeks the first three times and 5 weeks this time (basically as soon as we found out). My husband and I decided that even after miscarrying the second pregnancy, we would still announce early. Our reason was that we wanted people to pray for us no matter what. I was so glad we didn't have to go through that alone. Plus I really don't think I could keep such exciting news to myself. I understand why other women struggle with this, though, or decide to wait to share the news.
All in all, I praise the LORD for this gift, this blessing, this miracle. I want to do my best to take care of myself, my baby, my family, and let God be God to take care of it all. He is so kind, so loving, so generous, and I am continually amazed the He knit me together in my mother's womb and continues to carry out His plan for me as He uses my womb to knit together another. Amazing.
Now, I am going to go eat for the twelth time today...and then go to bed.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Death to Complacency
I was at our big international conference for my business this past weekend, and I walked away with a lot of conviction. The word complacent was mentioned, and it hit me pretty hard. I started to think more about complacency and ask the Lord where it had taken root in my life and all aspects of it.
Dictionary:
Complacent - Contented to a fault; self-satisfied and unconcerned.
Bible:
"At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, 'The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.'" (Zephaniah 1:12)
"Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!" (Amos 6:1)
"Within a year and a few days You will be troubled, O complacent daughters; For the vintage is ended, And the fruit gathering will not come." (Isaiah 32:10)
Uh...ouch.
So even though there is more to the story with each one of this scripture references, it is easy for me to decide that I certainly don't want this word to explain any aspect of my life. However I realized that indeed there are places of Kristen that can very accurately be described in this way right now.
As they say, though, "Knowing is half the battle." The other half is changing it.
How does complacency set in? Knowing this will help in preventing it again (and again and again) down the road. It is like a cancer because it is not usually detected until it has grown enough to cause a problem. Then it must be fought with vigor and aggression to destroy it completely in order to be set free from it.
My definition of complacent is:
Knowing what I should do and not doing it. Being content with where I am.
Even if I think that I am thinking otherwise - ie: I don't consider myself content with where I am - my actions speak the truth.
I have realized that this is going on in my business, for example. I have a job do to, a responsibility, to those whom the Lord brings before me to offer hope through what my company has to offer. How can I be complacent when I know how much I have been blessed by it? How can I act unconcerned for others?
I have realized that I have grown complacent in my prayer life. I have been more intentional in recent weeks, but still the battle must be fought and won in order to restore my prayer life to one that takes seriously the call to pray.
I have realized that I have grown complacent in my outreach to my neighbors. I want to show my neighbors the love that Christ has for them and the love that He has given me for them, as a result. I want to invest in them and be a good friend.
Complacency can sometimes be disguised as busyness. Sometimes I am busy, but other times I have not been intentional in making what the Lord has called me to do a priority and something of great importance. I can make great excuses, some of which may even be valid, but the fact remains that a complacent heart is not good.
The Lord sees our hearts. He knows what is going on in there, and only He can help us do what is right.
I need Him. It is so easy to become complacent if I forget this truth. I need Him for everything. I must depend on Him wholeheartedly and realize that apart from Him I can do no good thing.
So now I revisit these areas of my life, look into what scripture says about them, and carry on. May I be faithful to continually slay complacency with the Sword of Truth, for His glory.
Can I get an Amen?
Dictionary:
Complacent - Contented to a fault; self-satisfied and unconcerned.
Bible:
"At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, 'The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.'" (Zephaniah 1:12)
"Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!" (Amos 6:1)
"Within a year and a few days You will be troubled, O complacent daughters; For the vintage is ended, And the fruit gathering will not come." (Isaiah 32:10)
Uh...ouch.
So even though there is more to the story with each one of this scripture references, it is easy for me to decide that I certainly don't want this word to explain any aspect of my life. However I realized that indeed there are places of Kristen that can very accurately be described in this way right now.
As they say, though, "Knowing is half the battle." The other half is changing it.
How does complacency set in? Knowing this will help in preventing it again (and again and again) down the road. It is like a cancer because it is not usually detected until it has grown enough to cause a problem. Then it must be fought with vigor and aggression to destroy it completely in order to be set free from it.
My definition of complacent is:
Knowing what I should do and not doing it. Being content with where I am.
Even if I think that I am thinking otherwise - ie: I don't consider myself content with where I am - my actions speak the truth.
I have realized that this is going on in my business, for example. I have a job do to, a responsibility, to those whom the Lord brings before me to offer hope through what my company has to offer. How can I be complacent when I know how much I have been blessed by it? How can I act unconcerned for others?
I have realized that I have grown complacent in my prayer life. I have been more intentional in recent weeks, but still the battle must be fought and won in order to restore my prayer life to one that takes seriously the call to pray.
I have realized that I have grown complacent in my outreach to my neighbors. I want to show my neighbors the love that Christ has for them and the love that He has given me for them, as a result. I want to invest in them and be a good friend.
Complacency can sometimes be disguised as busyness. Sometimes I am busy, but other times I have not been intentional in making what the Lord has called me to do a priority and something of great importance. I can make great excuses, some of which may even be valid, but the fact remains that a complacent heart is not good.
The Lord sees our hearts. He knows what is going on in there, and only He can help us do what is right.
I need Him. It is so easy to become complacent if I forget this truth. I need Him for everything. I must depend on Him wholeheartedly and realize that apart from Him I can do no good thing.
So now I revisit these areas of my life, look into what scripture says about them, and carry on. May I be faithful to continually slay complacency with the Sword of Truth, for His glory.
Can I get an Amen?
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Intentionality in Taking Care of Yourself
Hey, who loves to work out, eat right, and get enough sleep? I do, but it doesn't always happen. If you go to a mall and sit for ten minutes watching the people who walk by you can see that it doesn't always happen in the lives of others, either. Why not?
I think it comes down to a combination of a few possible reasons:
1. Ignorance
2. Busyness
3. Laziness
4. It seems too hard and overwhelming.
5. Guilt
Any of these strike a chord? I think I have spent time with each of these possibilities as one time or another, but what I have found over the years is that I don't have a choice. Well I do actually have a choice to either take care of myself or not, but really if I want to live well is there really a choice?
So if the desire is there, where does one start? I think that dealing with the ignorance part will help with the rest of it. I suggest starting with the food you eat. Do you look at the ingredients in the foods you buy? Start with one or two ingredients that you want to get away from. My suggestion: Work on cutting out high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.
High fructose corn syrup, despite the catchy ads, is a chemically altered sweetener that is in a lot of foods. Your body uses it and responds differently to it than natural sweeteners such as raw, unfiltered honey. Less refined sugars such as evaporated cane juice, turbinado, and natural sweeteners such as honey, or natural maple syrup, stevia, and rebiana (there are others, too) are much better. Actually my company has a great natural sweetener which you can check out here.
If there are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils in a food, then there is also trans fat. Trans fat is no good for the heart, and to put it in the words of a professor my cousin studied under, "I'd rather smoke a pack of cigarettes than eat something that has trans fat in it." That should speak volumes.
So what do you do? Your favorite snacks and foods have those two items in them! Have no fear, there are so many healthier options out there that often even taste like the foods you love - and sometimes even better. Example: Do you love Wheat Thins? For years they have had high fructose corn syrup in them. I love Back To Nature's Crispy Wheats. They taste even better and have healthier ingredients. And as a bonus, they are even cheaper!
Did you know that even 20 minutes a day of good exercise is beneficial? Can you go for a walk? Can you get a Zumba
or Pilates
DVD and pop it in for 20 minutes? It takes actually taking action and forming this into a habit to make it a part of your life. It's so worth it! You don't have to join a gym.
It amazes me what type of foods people eat and how little care they take of themselves mostly because they just don't know there is another way that is actually easier and affordable. You have to be your own advocate when it comes to what you put into your body because there is a lot of junk for sale.
Maybe it's busyness that is the problem. I know I get busy sometimes with life and neglect working out or getting adaquate sleep. Again it takes having a plan and being disciplined to stick with it. Also realize that it takes time to establish a habit. If you work on establishing a habit everyday for a month, you probably will have it as a part of your routine by the end of that month. I always include "exercise" on my to-do list, so that I can remember to do it and cross it off when I am done.
Many people argue that it takes time to cook healthier meals for their family. Sure, this is probably true. However, with proper planning you can make it work for you. For example, if you carve out a little time each day to take care of prep work, such as chopping veggies for the next day, you can save some time the next. Even more so, I have found that making a flexible meal plan helps tremendously. Each week I sit down and write out what will be for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for every day of that coming week. Sometimes I change my mind about what I wrote down, but for the most part it helps avoid the "What am I going to make for dinner?" scenario. Planning this out can save a lot of time! For me, it eliminates the wandering around aimlessly looking between the fridge and the pantry trying to pull something together at 5:30. It's too easy to just give up and order in or make something far less nutritious when you don't already have a plan in place. There is a great little book called, How to Take the Hassle Out of Homemaking
, by Rena Stronach that offers some great advice. I highly recommend it!
And if you are too busy to get enough sleep perhaps you should look at your schedule and see what you can cut back or cut out. Sleep is so much more important than people realize or maybe want to believe. It seems more convenient to just have an extra cup of coffee than get the full amount of sleep required to function optimally. God made us to need sleep - really 1/3 of each day (at night) should be spent sleeping. Your body does the most repairing during the hours of sleep. Plus you just can't function well when you are tired. So get some sleep, will ya?! And by the way, for more insight into caffeine, check out Caffeine Blues, by Stephen Cherniske.
Laziness can be another cause of failing to take care of oneself. I've talked about laziness before, and it seems to be a big problem in our society in particular. Laziness is also a characteristic of our fallen human nature because it is rooted in selfishness. Laziness affects others, too.
"If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks." (Ecclesiastes 10:18)
If it is a feeling of being overwhelmed that is holding you back, making a plan is a solution for this, as well. Also realize that you don't have to change everything at one time. Pick one or two things to change at a time and work on that. It will get easier as you add one or two changes at a time. Don't get overwhelmed by the big picture. Just take a step at a time.
I have found that often with moms, but also with others, there is a feeling of guilt associated with the idea of self-care. My mother will tell you that she did this for years. She took care of everyone else and not herself. I think that had to do with not realizing that she was just as important as everyone else and maybe she felt guilty about taking time for herself. Thankfully she made a significant change and started taking care of herself in a big way. One of the ways she has done that was by losing at least 50lbs! It took time, but I am so proud of her. She has a lifestyle that has helped her live better, and I know she will continue.
Maybe guilt comes in the form of "I never stick with it," or "I've let myself get this far gone." Don't beat yourself up. It doesn't do any good. Instead, make a plan. Start with learning more about one aspect of taking better care of yourself. If you know someone who is good at doing this, ask them questions. Take one step at a time, and if you fail to follow through one day, wake up the next day with a second chance. No one is perfect.
I long to see this taken more seriously within the church (all followers of Christ). We are called to be set apart as holy unto the LORD. Again, we are not going to be perfect. I think we can do much better though. It's starts with me. I need God's help to be disciplined and intentional.
I'll recommend one more resource here. I love the book, What Would Jesus Eat?
, by Dr Don Colbert. I found it very helpful and will read it again.
The next two things I am going to work on to make changes in order to take better care of myself are:
1. Going to bed earlier, so I can get up before my children...
2. Snack on more veggies instead of carbs (I have found myself filling up with more carbs than I need lately)...
I hope this encourages you. What are you going to start with next? Leave a comment. I would love to hear, and you never know, you might encourage someone else.
 |
| Flat Stanley Getting His Veggies On |
I think it comes down to a combination of a few possible reasons:
1. Ignorance
2. Busyness
3. Laziness
4. It seems too hard and overwhelming.
5. Guilt
Any of these strike a chord? I think I have spent time with each of these possibilities as one time or another, but what I have found over the years is that I don't have a choice. Well I do actually have a choice to either take care of myself or not, but really if I want to live well is there really a choice?
So if the desire is there, where does one start? I think that dealing with the ignorance part will help with the rest of it. I suggest starting with the food you eat. Do you look at the ingredients in the foods you buy? Start with one or two ingredients that you want to get away from. My suggestion: Work on cutting out high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.
High fructose corn syrup, despite the catchy ads, is a chemically altered sweetener that is in a lot of foods. Your body uses it and responds differently to it than natural sweeteners such as raw, unfiltered honey. Less refined sugars such as evaporated cane juice, turbinado, and natural sweeteners such as honey, or natural maple syrup, stevia, and rebiana (there are others, too) are much better. Actually my company has a great natural sweetener which you can check out here.
If there are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils in a food, then there is also trans fat. Trans fat is no good for the heart, and to put it in the words of a professor my cousin studied under, "I'd rather smoke a pack of cigarettes than eat something that has trans fat in it." That should speak volumes.
So what do you do? Your favorite snacks and foods have those two items in them! Have no fear, there are so many healthier options out there that often even taste like the foods you love - and sometimes even better. Example: Do you love Wheat Thins? For years they have had high fructose corn syrup in them. I love Back To Nature's Crispy Wheats. They taste even better and have healthier ingredients. And as a bonus, they are even cheaper!
Did you know that even 20 minutes a day of good exercise is beneficial? Can you go for a walk? Can you get a Zumba
or Pilates DVD and pop it in for 20 minutes? It takes actually taking action and forming this into a habit to make it a part of your life. It's so worth it! You don't have to join a gym.It amazes me what type of foods people eat and how little care they take of themselves mostly because they just don't know there is another way that is actually easier and affordable. You have to be your own advocate when it comes to what you put into your body because there is a lot of junk for sale.
Maybe it's busyness that is the problem. I know I get busy sometimes with life and neglect working out or getting adaquate sleep. Again it takes having a plan and being disciplined to stick with it. Also realize that it takes time to establish a habit. If you work on establishing a habit everyday for a month, you probably will have it as a part of your routine by the end of that month. I always include "exercise" on my to-do list, so that I can remember to do it and cross it off when I am done.
Many people argue that it takes time to cook healthier meals for their family. Sure, this is probably true. However, with proper planning you can make it work for you. For example, if you carve out a little time each day to take care of prep work, such as chopping veggies for the next day, you can save some time the next. Even more so, I have found that making a flexible meal plan helps tremendously. Each week I sit down and write out what will be for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for every day of that coming week. Sometimes I change my mind about what I wrote down, but for the most part it helps avoid the "What am I going to make for dinner?" scenario. Planning this out can save a lot of time! For me, it eliminates the wandering around aimlessly looking between the fridge and the pantry trying to pull something together at 5:30. It's too easy to just give up and order in or make something far less nutritious when you don't already have a plan in place. There is a great little book called, How to Take the Hassle Out of Homemaking
, by Rena Stronach that offers some great advice. I highly recommend it!And if you are too busy to get enough sleep perhaps you should look at your schedule and see what you can cut back or cut out. Sleep is so much more important than people realize or maybe want to believe. It seems more convenient to just have an extra cup of coffee than get the full amount of sleep required to function optimally. God made us to need sleep - really 1/3 of each day (at night) should be spent sleeping. Your body does the most repairing during the hours of sleep. Plus you just can't function well when you are tired. So get some sleep, will ya?! And by the way, for more insight into caffeine, check out Caffeine Blues, by Stephen Cherniske.
Laziness can be another cause of failing to take care of oneself. I've talked about laziness before, and it seems to be a big problem in our society in particular. Laziness is also a characteristic of our fallen human nature because it is rooted in selfishness. Laziness affects others, too.
"If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks." (Ecclesiastes 10:18)
If it is a feeling of being overwhelmed that is holding you back, making a plan is a solution for this, as well. Also realize that you don't have to change everything at one time. Pick one or two things to change at a time and work on that. It will get easier as you add one or two changes at a time. Don't get overwhelmed by the big picture. Just take a step at a time.
I have found that often with moms, but also with others, there is a feeling of guilt associated with the idea of self-care. My mother will tell you that she did this for years. She took care of everyone else and not herself. I think that had to do with not realizing that she was just as important as everyone else and maybe she felt guilty about taking time for herself. Thankfully she made a significant change and started taking care of herself in a big way. One of the ways she has done that was by losing at least 50lbs! It took time, but I am so proud of her. She has a lifestyle that has helped her live better, and I know she will continue.
Maybe guilt comes in the form of "I never stick with it," or "I've let myself get this far gone." Don't beat yourself up. It doesn't do any good. Instead, make a plan. Start with learning more about one aspect of taking better care of yourself. If you know someone who is good at doing this, ask them questions. Take one step at a time, and if you fail to follow through one day, wake up the next day with a second chance. No one is perfect.
I long to see this taken more seriously within the church (all followers of Christ). We are called to be set apart as holy unto the LORD. Again, we are not going to be perfect. I think we can do much better though. It's starts with me. I need God's help to be disciplined and intentional.
I'll recommend one more resource here. I love the book, What Would Jesus Eat?
, by Dr Don Colbert. I found it very helpful and will read it again.The next two things I am going to work on to make changes in order to take better care of myself are:
1. Going to bed earlier, so I can get up before my children...
2. Snack on more veggies instead of carbs (I have found myself filling up with more carbs than I need lately)...
I hope this encourages you. What are you going to start with next? Leave a comment. I would love to hear, and you never know, you might encourage someone else.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
And Then God Will Bless Us
I stumbled upon this Psalm this weekend, and it really came to life for me and struck a chord in light of the state of our nation. I thought it would be important to share because this inspires me to pray even more urgently for our nation and the world. It is so amazing how the LORD lays out His truth so plainly. We need only to search for Him and find Him by searching with all our heart (see Jeremiah 29:13).
Psalm 67
"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us,
Selah
that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise You.
May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You rule the
peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth.
Selah
May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You.
Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us.
God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear Him."
Oh how I pray, LORD, that the peoples will praise You! May all the peoples praise You! Then the land will yield its harvest. Then You will bless us, and all will revere You!
May we be faithful in praying for our leaders, our people, and other peoples and their leaders. May we each seek the LORD and praise Him wholeheartedly. May we never cease to praise the LORD! He is so great!
"Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere Him." (Psalm 33:8)
"Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD." (Psalm 150:6)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)