Take your time....

I just came across this picture today, and laughed out loud!  It shows exactly how I have been feeling today....anxious.

My current interpretation of this cartoon is from Noah's viewpoint...  I feel as though I have received my instructions from God, I know what I am supposed to do, and where I am headed, I just have a few things slowing me down.... (Those darn snails!)

I have been public speaking periodically for about 4 years now. I have learned that I have a deep passion for sharing my stories of Trials and Living Responsibly, and Faith!!  I have been soliciting my own bookings for about two years, with not a lot of luck  (I'm not speaking as often as I'd like). I finally made the decision last winter, to register for a speaking conference.  Ever sense I registered for this all female speaking conference, I can't get my wishes/dreams/drive to speak out of my head. I have been waiting and praying and hoping for this conference to come, and waiting impatiently for whatever wonderful Divine Direction it takes me in!

So, with the conference approaching in 9 days, I find myself in the position of Noah... The Waters of excitement are rising around me, I can see the "light at the end of the tunnel", so to speak. But I have to WAIT, for God's plan to play out, and all he has in store for me...

Do you have 'snails' in your life, holding you back from moving forward as quickly as you'd like?

Here's a verse that helps:

Isaiah 40:31

but they who wait for the Lord, shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint.

Business of Busyness

I have been noticing lately, that Business and Busyness certainly go hand in hand in my life!  As I am struggling day-to-day, to maintain order in my Businesses (I have two home-based businesses, my public speaking/Christian Blogging endeavors, and I am the co-owner of a thriving construction company). I have been forced to question the significance/importance of this Busyness in my life....

It certainly is a blessing for me to be forced to contemplate the sources of all of the Busyness in my life, because I need to reevaluate and prioritize!

As I looked to scripture for answers.  The following verses were put before me moments into my search (it never ceases to amaze me, how that happens; just what you need to hear, right when you need it!!), and all apply......

Ps. 143:7&8
Answer me quickly, O LORD! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. 

Ephesians 5:15-17 

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Psalm 81:1-10
To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith Of Asaph.
Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob!  Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp.  Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.........There shall be no strange god among you, you shall not bow down to a foreign god.  I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.  Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

The 1st verse above, from Psalms, touched me because it was a reminder that I must ask the Lord for help in discerning what is the appropriate use of my time, and what my God-given talents and abilities are best used for. 

The verse from Ephesians, above, is exactly how I have been feeling..... Like there are too many different things competing for my time......that I need to NARROW MY FOCUS......  I will listen to and understand what the will of the Lord is! 

And the third verse above, from Psalms, WOW, what a "Direct Hit" straight to me!  HOME RUN for God! :)  Well... I am the lead soprano in a worship band, and we rehearse every-other week, and sing for 4 hours (all morning) every-other Sunday (which is a big commitment, and taxing on mind and body).  In my day-job, I am an Assistant in a High School Music department (which brings me much stress, but at the end of each day, it's worth it, because of the student's whose lives I am helping to touch through MUSIC).

At the end of this soul searching and listening for God's direction in all of this, I have come to conclude that the 2 home based businesses are what I need to scale back on.  I mean, they are not a part of my true passions, which include music, my children, and faith!  It is now clear to me (I started this post 3.5 weeks ago) that the things that the Lord wants me to spend time on, are my God given talents and strong-points, which will include the worship band, working in the music dept., Speaking about Faith, Blogging, and all other things that fall into the categories of my passions. 

Thank you Lord for this discernment and lightening of my load!!

P.S.  If you are a customer of mine, reading this, I will continue to be a representative of the same products that I have been, but will just scale back on my personal promoting and seeking of new customers.:) 

Ouch! That's beautiful...

Well.....I was back on the same hiking trail at which this Blog was started, 11 months ago...  I was admiring the vast beauty of this huge lake, the rolling hills, and the grasslands...when, all of a sudden, my leg felt multiple stings and felt very itchy...   I looked down to find small thorns stuck in my leg in several places. 

I then looked behind me, for the culprit of this pain and itching, and saw the multiple leaves of a prairie thistle. Urgh, that darn plant!

What was it doing in my way, and interrupting MY beautiful hike!!  Then, I looked upward a bit farther, and saw the whole plant, with a very lovely large purple bloom.  And then, I noticed the amazing backdrop for this little plant:

You see, once I knelt by that plant, I noticed the extreme beauty of the WHOLE view!

It is only when brought to our knees, that we can see the meaning of the trial...

Isn't that similar to many things that we go through in our lives?  We first feel the thorns, the hurt, the pain; only later to see the beauty that comes out of it!   Each negative experience that we have in our lives; as long as we get on our knees and work through it with God at our side; has a beautiful, positive "whole picture" behind it.

I mean, wow!, this was a profound little thorny plant....to be reminding me that all that I go through each and every day, is leading to the "whole picture" of just where God wants me to be, and right where I should be! 

So there I sat, next to that prairie thistle, thanking God for this reminder that, we must run into thistles, in order to enjoy the beauty that is on the other side of them.

I'll keep on...

Well, it is late on Sunday evening, and I will admit that I can quite crabby.  I am crabby that tomorrow is Monday.  I am crabby about having to go back to work, and my children back to school tomorrow.   It has been a very productive and enjoyable weekend; but I am TIRED!

Just a few minutes ago, I thought "Oh, I've been wanting to Blog and use the new song "I'll Keep On" by NF..... "

Here it is to listen to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bTYKwkr6Y0

I have been hearing this tune on the radio very often lately, and it is always at the very right times....when I am running kids from on event to another, or running myself from one Dr. Appt. to another.  When I have been feeling like I can't 'Keep On' at this crazy pace of life, I hear this tune on the radio and am reminded that I WILL keep on! :)

So, when the song says " My shoulders, they ain't built for this", I will admit, that is often how I feel about the fast paced life that my family lives!  Both in a physical and a mental way, there are many days that I feel I cannot 'carry' the many burdens of my life!

I need a constant reminder that, if I just continue to give all worries, all needs, all exhaustion, EVERYTHING up to God, he will take care of it all! Everything WILL be okay!

And as I'm typing this all, and listening to this Great tune, I am reminded of another thing that I've had on my "to Blog about" list for some time.....  My family and I had to travel for a funeral, about a month or so ago, and I had such a hard time getting us all ready to travel!  I recall myself complaining (both to myself & out loud) about all the rushed preparations....

Well, we all know that a person doesn't really get much notice of a funeral, a few days at most.  This was a very close family member, and my husband was asked to be a Pallbearer.  He did not have a suit.  My kids are boys, and despise dress clothes for the most part, so they did not have appropriate clothes either. So, I had ALOT of clothes shopping to do in just 2 days (of which I was working full days those 2 days also)!  Then, I recall, that I had a pre-arranged obligation to bring some toppings for some kind of potato bar or something at school...... It was Conferences week, and the PTO was taking food for the teachers.

So, the 1st evening was spent towing uncooperative boys and husband all around town to find the appropriate clothing for this event.  The 2nd evening (the night before the out-of-town funeral) was spent hemming and ironing pants, cooking and cutting toppings for the PTO/teacher meal, and packing clothing and toiletries for everyone,

I distinctly remember several times that evening that I thought to myself "I CANNOT do this!"

But then, while with family prior to the funeral, a story came up of a time when this mother of TEN, was doing laundry (with an old crank washer, washing board, and tub), and she had gotten her arm stuck in the rollers of the crank washer!  Some of her children were outside playing and the others and her husband were out working in the field.  There was no one to hear her cry for help.  There were no cell phones to call for help, nor to get a hold of the husband in the field.

I remember listening to that story so carefully, and thinking "Wow, if she could figure that predicament out all by herself, than I can make it through some crazy days too!"  I told myself " What are you complaining about?  Can you imagine trying to raise that many kids, that many years ago, before any of the conveniences that we have now?"

Once I am reminded, by that song, and by the stories of faithful and strong women of the past, to lift ALL of my burdens up to God, and that He is going to take all of that weight off of my shoulders EVERYDAY; and then I see, at the end of each day, that I have, in fact, 'made it' through the chaos, I am ready to KEEP ON for as long as the Lord asks me too!

May you always KEEP ON, knowing that the Lord is with you every step of the way!

Answers to Prayer

I had such a mind blowing experience this week...

My family has been considering purchasing a different vehicle for a couple of weeks now.  The van that we have, is not so "healthy", and probably will not be serving it's purpose too much longer...

So, together, we had put together a list of all of the "needs" and "wants" in a new vehicle (well, new to us...).   We took our time contemplating all of the features that we felt we needed/wanted, and that would best serve our family.

Once the list was complete, we began looking around town at used vehicles.

The first day that we physically went to car lots, we found one that we really liked, and it had 16 of the 17 items on our "list".    I test drove it, and fell in love, but had to return later (without children) to talk price, etc....

When I returned to the dealership, only 1 1/2 hrs. later, I knew that we really liked the vehicle, but felt uneasy about the purchase....    The dealer that had helped us, greeted me and said, "I have to finish something up, can you wait in the waiting area for a few minuets?"   So I did.  I checked emails and Facebook, and made a phone call from my to-do list, and still the dealer had not returned...  So, I thought to myself, "what can I do now", as I was waiting, and the 1st thing to mind was "pray about this purchase, and whether it is the right move."  So I did.  I folded my hands in my lap and silently prayed, "Lord, is this the right vehicle for us?  Please give me a sign whether this is the one I should buy."

10 SECONDS later, the dealer that I had worked with, came reluctantly up to me and said "I am SO SORRY!   The vehicle that you were interested in just sold.   Please don't hate me!  I am SO SORRY!"  I just, got up out of my comfy chair, and said "OK, no problem", and walked out with no regrets.

That is truly one of the most CLEAR answers to prayer that I have ever received!   I  knew, going into the dealership, that something didn't feel right to me.  Who knows what it was that made that vehicle NOT the right choice for us.....but THANK GOD for the clear message!

P.S.  The following day, we found a used vehicle with all 17 of the 17 items on our "want" list.  We put it on "hold", prayed about and considered it for 2 whole days.....and since God did not give us any messages otherwise, this time, we purchased the PERFECT vehicle for us! :)

Thank you God!

Feet

Well, I am not a person who is very fond of feet... I mean, generally, they smell, they are dirty, and not so cute...

I remember a few years ago, when my church had a special prayer service, that there were volunteers 'washing the feet' of anyone who wished to partake, and I did not partake.  I remember thinking...."my toes are not polished, I've been in these shoes all day, I am not going to give my feet to a stranger to wash, how embarrassing"....

That prayer service had not crossed my mind again, until this week, when the following scene played out in my home:

Because of my current back problems, one morning, while getting ready to leave for school and work, I asked one of my boys to buckle my shoes... He did so immediately, without complaint.  Then, when I put out the other foot, my other son said "Hey, let me do that one!" and pushed his brother out of the way.  I walked out of the house thinking 'why in the world would they argue over who got to buckle my shoes?'  But then it hit me...they only wanted to help someone that they love overwhelmingly; Me!  They argued over who would get the 'honor' of making things easier for someone that they love deeply.  Wow!

That then made me think of the prostitute who washed Jesus' feet, in Luke 7: 37-38: "A sinful woman in the town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she brought an alabaster jar of perfume 38 and stood behind Jesus at his feet, crying. She began to wash his feet with her tears, and she dried them with her hair, kissing them many times and rubbing them with the perfume."

For the first time, I UNDERSTAND why that woman washed and kissed Jesus' feet...  She loved him overwhelmingly!  She knew that Jesus' was her Savior, and that He deserved the Best that she had to offer!  She wanted to give Him something, anything, in exchange for the love that He gave her, and all of humanity. 

I am SO grateful to my boys, for teaching me this lesson!   For showing me that no matter the dirt, grime, smell, filth, or any other form of put-off'; giving something helpful, caring, meaningful, to someone that you love overwhelmingly, is easy, and without reserve, because of how deeply you love them! 

I guess a saying that is hanging in my house, REALLY rings true today... "While we try to teach our children about life, our children teach us what life is all about!" 

I think, the next time that there is a Prayer Service at which feet washing is being done, I will volunteer to be a washer...blessing others through love! 

Remember

Last weekend, the worship band that I am in played/performed "Remember" by Laura Story. I was very excited when the worship leader chose this song for the weekend after Easter! How fitting!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlDVeD2nMew

I didn't expect, though, that I would continue thinking about that song, and Jesus' sacrifice all week long...but that is the effect it had on me...

It seems sort of natural/normal to me to feel Easter joy all year through, but that the only time that we really mourn the amazing, unbelievable sacrifice of Jesus, and of God through His Son, is holy week. 

But why? As these lyrics say over and over, we should be moved to remember, all the time... 

The song talks of the bittersweet-ness of the immense sacrifice of Jesus. We need to consider both the blessed, amazing, unmistakable gift that He gave us, by dying for all of our sins; and of the sadness of the death of our Savior, God's Son.

I am truly thankful for this reminder that I've been contemplating all week. I have been in a mental tails-spin between praising the gifts we were given through Jesus, and the bittersweet nature of the whole thing... I mean, our Savior and Lord was killed for us. He took all the blame for my sins, our sins, the world's sin to come. The more I think about it, the more astonished I am by the magnitude of Jesus' existence, and the never ending blessing that God gave us through him!

Wishing you all a Blessed Week!   Remember! 

Thank God for Psalms!

Psalms 19:14

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer."

On my way to worship band rehearsal tonight, the above verse popped into my mind, and hasn't left since.... You see, I have heard myself saying (under my breath) some less-than-desirable words over the past few days.  I am feeling down and defeated, because I have been experiencing extreme low back pain, along with nausea.  

Over the last 3 weeks I have missed several 'fun' family events due to this pain and being ill, and I have also missed a considerable amount of work.  But, the last 3-4 days, have proven to be especially challenging.... and I have noticed my attitude change from the usual, peppy, me; to grumpy, frowning, negative me.  

Well today, I finally got a medical answer.... doctors confirmed what they suspected, that I have a herniated disk in my low back.  I felt a certain amount of relief, finally being told, for certain, what I am dealing with.  

As I mentally processed this news, less than 4 hrs. after the Dr's call; I decided, as the above verse ran through my mind, that I need to go about this new "hurdle" in life, in an entirely different way....

I decided that I would much rather be thankful, than grumpy.  Having decided that I wish to try my best to have the words from my mouth and those in my mind, be grateful to the Lord, and praise and glorify him; I was able to put a stop to the negativity in my mind!  Yes, I am still scared.  I am still worried by my level of pain, but I am also finding new STRENGTH in the Lord, that I did not have earlier today. I just needed a reminder, from God, that He gives me strength, and that He is always watching out for me and caring for me!  

As I write this post, another verse is coming into my mind, part of Psalms 23...  "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.  He makes me lay down in green pastures...." 

Thank you Lord, so very much, for MAKING ME "lay down", and rest my mind and body. Thank you Lord for reminding me that every word from my mouth and mediation of my heart are heard by You, and should be pleasing to and praising You. And most importantly, Lord, Thank you for reminding me that YOU are my STRENGTH, and therefore I need not worry, You take care of ALL of Your children! 

When my Knees Hit the Gound

Late last week, I heard a wonderful new song on Christian radio, as I was driving to work.  I listened intently to the wonderful lyrics!  Ever since that morning, I haven't been able to get a phrase from the song's chorus part out of my mind.... "I touch the sky, when my knees hit the ground."

Isn't that the truth!   Every time that phrase has crossed my mind over the last several days, I have thought "Wow!".  What a beautiful mental image I get, of all of us being at our best, excelling, getting through tough things, smiling, laughing, at the same times in life when we are kneeling and praying fiercely to God.

I myself DO feel like I can touch the sky, when my knees hit the ground!  When I am faithful in my prayer life, and I am diligent about asking God for help and guidance, I feel confident that I can face anything!   Prayer gives us all the inner strength and courage to move forward in whatever personal battle that we are facing!

For me, prayer reiterates the wonderful love of God, and makes me feel even closer to his watchful care.  The more I pray and look to God, the more I feel him walking right beside me through everyday life!

What a beautiful picture I have in my mind, imaging a child of God being nearest to "touching the sky" when they are on their knees, opening up their fears, failures, worries to him.   It is through prayer that we can strengthen our connection with God each and every day, and feel his presence so close to us, that we feel we are touching the sky, and at home in his care!

I searched the internet for an image that would portray the beautiful thoughts that song has given me....  Here is what I found:

When we humbly kneel before God, and ask for his help, forgiveness, and more, we open ourselves up to him and his amazing works! The act of falling to our knees and needing Him, truly needing Him, creates an amazing connection!  What a wonderful feeling it is to know that our great God is right beside us whenever we need him!

While I was searching through images, for one that spoke to my heart, I also came across this one,

and wanted to share it's beauty as well.  This image too, is the closeness that I feel emotionally, soul to ear, with God, when I am kneeling before Him!

The power and love of God is felt best when we are in a vulnerable position, "on our knees".  I am SO very grateful for being reminded of this powerful connection, by the words of an amazing song!

I searched high and low for the song, and finally found it to share with you, Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1RQciil7B0

Can this be Easier??

I have been going through this week thinking "Why can't life be just a little easier?"  Feeling sorry for myself, about my constantly growing "To Do" list.  If only this task were easier or if only that event was not required to attend....

I've found myself thinking often lately, that there is just too much going on in my life to possibly be able to do it all.   Certainly, we all have felt like that at one time or another!  Everyday life just gets really crazy sometimes!

Well, I began thinking about my outlook in recent days, and realized that I have been dreading each day, right as I wake up in the morning.  I have been starting each day with a bad attitude that "This is going to be a crazy day!  How can I possibly do it all?"

Tonight, as I was running kids from one place to another (in the midst of some of that "craziness" of life :), this song played on Christian Radio, and it gave me a new perspective....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY2ycrpbOlw

"Every Good Thing" by The Afters, spoke to me deeply and brought a smile to my face!   This song reminds us all that we don't want to miss any moments in life, for they are all beautiful!  God has given us each moment, each task, each breath, for a distinct reason.  Each moment is a gift from God and a part of his plan!  I am thankful to have been reminded tonight about the beauty of all the little things that happen in these busy moments of our lives!

May you all take an extra moment today to enjoy the smile of a child or share an extra 'Hello', and in that moment, be reminded of the beauty of each moment!  Thank God for "Every Good Thing"!