Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.
Jeremiah 33:3
Monday, January 31, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
my funeral
I heard something last night that really caught my attention.... it was that we preach our own funeral. Without a preacher even standing up and talking at your funeral, the people that are there already know you and who you were as a person. So then I got to thinking.... who am I??? What will people say about me when I go? So then I tried to think of just 10 positive things about me as a person that other people might think..... so here is what I got:
(1) Christian..... I hope that's the first thing people think of
(2) Tried to be a great mom.... always trying to spend as much time with my girls as possible and let them know how much I love them.
(3) Try to be a good wife....
(4) People pleaser...
(5) Try to keep things as organized and clean as I can...
(6) Positive person...
(7) Not a me, me, me person....
(8) Love to cook and experience new things....
(9) Try to be a great friend/daughter/person/sister.....
(10) I LOVE absolutely LOVE my family.....
*** That's really hard and challenging to come up with. It's hard trying to put yourself on the outside looking at you and coming up with 10 things that you think other people would say about you if something were to happen to you.
(1) Christian..... I hope that's the first thing people think of
(2) Tried to be a great mom.... always trying to spend as much time with my girls as possible and let them know how much I love them.
(3) Try to be a good wife....
(4) People pleaser...
(5) Try to keep things as organized and clean as I can...
(6) Positive person...
(7) Not a me, me, me person....
(8) Love to cook and experience new things....
(9) Try to be a great friend/daughter/person/sister.....
(10) I LOVE absolutely LOVE my family.....
*** That's really hard and challenging to come up with. It's hard trying to put yourself on the outside looking at you and coming up with 10 things that you think other people would say about you if something were to happen to you.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Marriage
I have been thinking about marriages for some time. I don't know if it is because I have an anniversary coming up in a few months (hint, hint Jody!!) or if it is because Jody has been working out of town so much this past year that I have truly missed our marriage. I miss having him around, I miss having someone to talk with about anything and everything in life, I miss having date nights, I miss having him need me to do things with him, I miss buying him groceries and Coke Zero, I miss watching football at night, I miss having someone to help me make decisions about the girls, I miss my best friend :)
I see many couples who are married who do not even appear to like each other or who do not really spend time together as a couple. And so many couples who are divorced because they did not like each other and so many other reasons.
Praying for our marriages today. Mine and all of yours. Praying we all can celebrate 10,20,30,40, 50 or 70 years of marriage and still come out liking each other! :-)
I love this song by Andrew Peterson "Dancing in a Minefield" - it's a great song about marriage.
I see many couples who are married who do not even appear to like each other or who do not really spend time together as a couple. And so many couples who are divorced because they did not like each other and so many other reasons.
Praying for our marriages today. Mine and all of yours. Praying we all can celebrate 10,20,30,40, 50 or 70 years of marriage and still come out liking each other! :-)
I love this song by Andrew Peterson "Dancing in a Minefield" - it's a great song about marriage.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
"Salvation is Here"
One of my favorite worship groups is Hillsong United. They have a GREAT new CD out called "Yahweh". It's a live CD and it has some great renditions of some of my favorite songs. The video below is "Salvation is Here".
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Too Blessed to be stressed
Too blessed to be stressed
"I'm too blessed to be stressed and too anointed to be disappointed. I refuse to be discouraged, to be sad or to cry. I refuse to be down hearted and here's the reason why: I have a God who is almighty; who is sovereign and supreme. I have a God who loves me – and I am on His team. He is all wise and powerful; Jesus is His name. Though everything else is changeable, My God remains the same. I refuse to be beaten or defeated. My eyes are on my God. He has promised to be with me, as through this life I trod. I am looking past my circumstances, to heaven's throne above. My prayers have reached the heart of God and I am resting in His love. I give thanks to Him in everything. My eyes are on His face. The battle is His; the victory is mine; He will help me win the race. I repeat, I'm too blessed to be stressed!" (Author unknown)
"I'm too blessed to be stressed and too anointed to be disappointed. I refuse to be discouraged, to be sad or to cry. I refuse to be down hearted and here's the reason why: I have a God who is almighty; who is sovereign and supreme. I have a God who loves me – and I am on His team. He is all wise and powerful; Jesus is His name. Though everything else is changeable, My God remains the same. I refuse to be beaten or defeated. My eyes are on my God. He has promised to be with me, as through this life I trod. I am looking past my circumstances, to heaven's throne above. My prayers have reached the heart of God and I am resting in His love. I give thanks to Him in everything. My eyes are on His face. The battle is His; the victory is mine; He will help me win the race. I repeat, I'm too blessed to be stressed!" (Author unknown)
Saturday, January 8, 2011
How's Your Marriage?
At the Jr. Pro basketball games today, I was asked this question.
How. Is. Your. Marriage.
Four simple words. Four simple, powerful words.
Do you know how few people have asked about our marriage during the last year or so? People ask how Jody's job is and how long he is gone this time, etc...People ask how I’m doing and to let them know if I need anything while Jody is away.
But asking about our marriage? That is so…personal.
But we need people to ask us the personal questions.
And others need you to ask them the personal questions. Your neighbor. Your co-worker. Your friend. Your boss. Your sibling. Your relative.
How are you doing today?
How did that make you feel when that happened?
What has been the hardest part of what you’re going through?
What scares you the most about the future?
What is getting you through this difficult time?
How is your marriage?
Ask the hard questions. Ask the personal questions. What’s the worst that can happen? They cry. They don’t answer you. They say, “Buzz off and mind your own business.”
Even if they say, "Buzz off" I have no doubt that they will be grateful that someone cared enough to ask.
How. Is. Your. Marriage.
Four simple words. Four simple, powerful words.
Do you know how few people have asked about our marriage during the last year or so? People ask how Jody's job is and how long he is gone this time, etc...People ask how I’m doing and to let them know if I need anything while Jody is away.
But asking about our marriage? That is so…personal.
But we need people to ask us the personal questions.
And others need you to ask them the personal questions. Your neighbor. Your co-worker. Your friend. Your boss. Your sibling. Your relative.
How are you doing today?
How did that make you feel when that happened?
What has been the hardest part of what you’re going through?
What scares you the most about the future?
What is getting you through this difficult time?
How is your marriage?
Ask the hard questions. Ask the personal questions. What’s the worst that can happen? They cry. They don’t answer you. They say, “Buzz off and mind your own business.”
Even if they say, "Buzz off" I have no doubt that they will be grateful that someone cared enough to ask.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Saturday, January 1, 2011
the book Bittersweet
Recently, a number of friends have recommended the book Bittersweet: Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way. I've been intrigued since the moment I heard about it.
Here are a few excerpts on the author's blog taken from the book:
"Bitter is what makes us strong, what forces us to push through, what helps us earn the lines on our faces and the calluses on our hands. Sweet is nice enough, but bittersweet is beautiful, nuanced, full of depth and complexity. Bittersweet is courageous, gutsy, audacious, earthy. "
I've learned the hard way that change is one of God's greatest gifts, and most useful tools. Change can push us, pull us, rebuke and remake us. It can show us who we've become, in the worst ways, and also in the best ways. I've learned that it's not something to run away from, as though we could, and that in many cases, change is a function of God's graciousness, not life's cruelty.
When life is sweet, say thank you, and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you, and grow.
I am planning to kick off 2011 by reading this book. I've had some sweet times in life and some very bitter times. I want to grow, change, and become stronger through the bitter times...those I've already experienced, and the bitter times to come.
Will you join me in reading this book? Together let's learn how to celebrate when life is sweet and grow when life is bitter.
Here are a few excerpts on the author's blog taken from the book:
"Bitter is what makes us strong, what forces us to push through, what helps us earn the lines on our faces and the calluses on our hands. Sweet is nice enough, but bittersweet is beautiful, nuanced, full of depth and complexity. Bittersweet is courageous, gutsy, audacious, earthy. "
I've learned the hard way that change is one of God's greatest gifts, and most useful tools. Change can push us, pull us, rebuke and remake us. It can show us who we've become, in the worst ways, and also in the best ways. I've learned that it's not something to run away from, as though we could, and that in many cases, change is a function of God's graciousness, not life's cruelty.
When life is sweet, say thank you, and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you, and grow.
I am planning to kick off 2011 by reading this book. I've had some sweet times in life and some very bitter times. I want to grow, change, and become stronger through the bitter times...those I've already experienced, and the bitter times to come.
Will you join me in reading this book? Together let's learn how to celebrate when life is sweet and grow when life is bitter.
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