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Word to Your Mother

December 6, 2011 in Across My Heart, Mom Matters with 4 Comments

This post has nothing to do with V-ice, but can I help that he coined the phrase 'Word to your mother' ever so eloquently???

Recently Pastor Jason Pence slapped me right in the face!

well…

his sermon slapped me

I mean…

the Holy Spirit convicted me through his sermon.

Convicted. Challenged. Slapped. You get the idea.

In short, his message was about the mother of all mothers. Mary. The poor, uneducated teenager who, upon learning that she was preggers, was like, ‘cool – whatever you say, Lord’.

Hold up – If Jesus even asks me to sacrifice a few days (okay, hours) without food, my first reaction is ‘get thee behind me, Satan! This can’t be God! I must have nourishment’ (yes, snickers & Pepsi count as nourishment, thank you very much)!

But not Mary. The Bible records that yes, she was greatly troubled/petrified/scared to death, but not once does she whine, complain, or try to get out of it. In fact she instantly began to worship the Lord in acceptance of His plan, no matter the personal, temporal cost. It’s my belief that she had been fervently seeking His plan long before the angel of the Lord appeared to her. 

In the face of public humiliation, she focused on God’s plan.

At the potential of losing everything including her fiance, her family, her very life she praises the Lord saying, “For He who is mighty has done great things for me and holy is His name!”

What did Mary have that I don’t?

Trust.

I’m convinced that she was able to immediately accept God’s will for her (and all the pain that came with it) because she loved the Lord more than anything or anyone and had learned how to hear His voice above all the other voices that told her this was coo-coo crazy.

Three truths Pastor JP presented:

1. God uses people who desire to do His will. Seriously ask yourself what you desire to do the most.

2. God uses people who decide to pay the cost. There is a cost. What are you willing to give up to be used by God? Approval of man? Your comfortable life? Your money & time? Are you willing to risk it all?

3. God uses people who dare to trust His promises! How much do you trust God? Enough that you can praise Him when He calls you to do seemingly crazy things like give birth to His Son? Well, that role is already taken, so no worries there!

Let me encourage you to pause today, lean in close to hear the whisper of your Heavenly Father calling you to know & trust His voice above the world’s fearful chatter.

Typically, God’s plan doesn’t lead you down Earthly Easy Street, but remember God’s plan is higher than your plan. {in other words, God is smarter than you!} The rewards for obeying & following His voice are eternal. Yeah, like, Forrrrevverrrrr! That’s why Paul says we are to fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. We serve an eternal God and though we may suffer earthly trials, it pales in comparison to basking in his forever glory & riches.

I pray for you today, readers, that you would know your Heavenly Father’s great love for you.Because once you have experienced His unfathomable and undeserved love, a desire will awaken your heart to know, serve & risk it all for this gracious God who has redeemed your soul!

I urge you not to settle for the comfortable life or the so-called American dream of success & happiness. Life is about so much more than pretty decorations, political parties, fashionable shoes, counting calories, and being a ‘good person’!!!! Those things leave us empty and were never meant to fulfill God’s people.

As my mother often says, God didn’t call us to a soft life. (If you need examples, look to the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11.) There will be many trials to overcome and many blessings to share. He has blessed us not so we can be comfortable and self-pleasing children, but that we can give more and live the great adventure He has mapped out for us! Just like Mary, your adventure holds many ups & downs but the good news is that He goes with you through each twist & turn and HE HAS ALREADY OVERCOME it all!!!

So I ask you, do you desire for God to use you to further His redemption story in the lives of others the way Mary did? Take a step of faith, surrender your plan, your time and resources and seek Him for the next step…

Then strap on your big girl boots and dig in your heels because God is about to take you on the ride of your life!

Shine On!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Yes, Jesus Lives In Swaziland

May 25, 2011 in Across My Heart, Across Our World, Mom Matters, Swaziland with 0 Comments

A while ago I wrote this post, Jesus in Disguise. Today I came upon a post from a young lady who has spent about a month serving the Lord in Swaziland. Her post reminds me of my own words, and it cuts straight to the heart. I pray, like myself, God uses it to change your perspective on the children that are so often referred to as the “starving children of Africa”, usually said in a threatening tone to our own children who won’t eat the food on their plate, or that throw a temper tantrum because they didn’t get what they wanted. (I’ve done it too!)

May we serve them as if they were Christ Himself (our own children and the children of the world). We don’t serve Him because we want to score heavenly brownie points, or we want to be known as a do-gooder. We serve Him ~ them ~ because we have His love within us that compels us to love our neighbors near and far, with the love and resources we’ve been so richly blessed with.

The following blog post can be found at this LINK, and is written by Sheila Yoder

Matthew 25:31-40

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

God brought me that passage at the beginning of this month and it’s carried me through. Sometimes it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you are hugging an AIDS infected child instead of handing them a cure. It’s hard looking into the eyes of an orphan and not being able to adopt them. It’s hard praying for a child and not being there to see if their life changes. Sometimes you start to wonder what good you’re really doing. And then God reminds me of that verse.

 

As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.

Even if I didn’t cure AIDS this month or adopt every orphan, I got to know Jesus. In fact, I hugged Him and kissed His face. I played clapping games with Him and winced as His slobbery hands ran through my hair. I helped Him color and watched Him play soccer. I shook His pop n’ beans covered hand and set Him on my hip for the afternoon. I made Him smile and took His picture to send to His sponsor. I gave Him clothes and taught Him a Bible story. I hugged Him and kissed His face.

Do you know Jesus?

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U-G-L-Y…

March 13, 2011 in Across My Heart, Across Our Street, Friendship, Mom Matters with 0 Comments

U-G-L-Y you ain’t got no alibi… you ugly! hey! hey! you UGLY!

ahh, memories of high school come flooding back, don’t they, when you hear this cheer?

Not sure why my memories traveled back to this rousing cheer… most likely cuz I spent part of the weekend at a girls conference called Dazzle. It was all about helping over 200 teenage girls gain a greater awareness that beauty on the inside matters way more than any beauty you can portray or ‘put on’ the outside. Both matter, but inner beauty should matter more. And apart from Christ, you’re ugly. (I’m paraphrasing  just a tad)

 

Love is Beautiful

If inner beauty really matters more to us, the fruit of our  lives will more greatly reflect Christ. Outer beauty matters, but you can only hide your inner ‘ugly’ for so long. Usually within a few hours (okay, minutes), we are able to get a pretty good read on someone’s inner beauty just by their attitude & what they talk about.

At the ripe old age of 35 now, I find myself caring waaaay less about my outer beauty {Side note: I actually need to care more, cuz people are starting to notice how unfashionably fat I am} Anyhow… I want my inner beauty to exude Christ’s character. Don’t you? No, I don’t want to be known as the nicest person in my small town. Christ was definitely not nice all the time, but He did ~ does ~ love people. happy people. depressed people. sick people. crazy people. little people. rich people. poor people. ugly people. all people. That love is beautiful.

So I’ve been reflecting on true beauty. True beauty isn’t about the clothes you wear. True beauty isn’t about how fit/fat you are. Your true beauty lies within you because Christ dwells in you – because you are loved. You are adored. You are made in His image.

Go out into the world today knowing that if you are a daughter of the King of Kings, your true beauty lies within. There is nothing you can do to get Him to love you more or love you less. Lets live out of that abundant love He has for us by seeing ourselves and the other women in our lives through the eyes of Christ. Eyes of Love.

“So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.” Colossians 3:12-14, Message Bible

I’d love to hear some other perspectives on true beauty. How do you define it? And what kinds of qualities do you consider to be u-g-l-y?

Shine On Sisters,

Danielle

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The Missing Peace!

July 20, 2010 in Across My Heart, Across Our Table, Mom Matters with 3 Comments

The Missing Peace!

They screamed. I screamed. We all screamed…

Not for ice cream, though I could’ve used some today. My kids fought most of the afternoon about one thing or another – who tooted on who, who’s turn it was to pick up the dog poop, who stole money from the Monopoly bank, etc. etc.

But did I come to the rescue with laughter or a calm attitude? Nope. They were screaming at the each other, so the obvious answer was for me to scream louder, right? So I screamed, “PEACE!!!!”

All I wanted was for them to get along & play Monopoly peacefully. I could think of no other word (okay, well, I could, but PEACE is what came out, thank God!) Unfortunately my scream scared my seven year old and made him cry all the harder & louder. Ugh. I wanted a do over. And the only way to get it was to create peace – not just scream about it.

Ever have a day like that?

~~~~~

Peace.

An amazing word that nearly evokes a sigh of relief when spoken (not screamed). A word that seems to breath hope at its very mention. Peace. We long for it. We seek after it. And many times we are left questioning, “Why don’t I have any?”

In this world we live in, how can we truly ever have peace or hope of peace? Won’t there always be conflict & turmoil? Won’t there always be famine & disease?

Yes. It’s true. But true peace does not come from everything in our lives being perfectly in order. Nor does it come from being accepted or being popular.

Do you hear that?

You will NEVER achieve peace if you are looking for some outside force to bring it to you.

Success.

Relationships.

Sex.

Donuts.

Money.*

Peace comes from within. You may have heard that before, but are you living as if you believe peace comes from within or without?

God’s peace is not a promise of the absence of turmoil, but a promise of peace during crisis & chaos. I can think of no greater comfort than knowing that God’s peace is available to me regardless of my circumstances.

Isaiah 53 says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

Did you catch that? It was Christ’s punishment that brought us peace. We already have peace because of His suffering & His punishment.

So how do I live according to that peace Christ died for?  And how do I communicate that peace to my children without duct taping their mouths? (Did I just write that?)

  • Seek the Giver of Peace ~ “Turn away from evil & do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.” Ps. 34:14 – Action is required when pursuing peace.
  • Release the Care ~ “So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; He is most careful with you.” 1 Peter 5:7 I love that God is careful with me. He is tender with me as a mother is with her newborn baby. He loves & holds us close.

Corrie Ten Boom said, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of sorrows; it empties today of strength.”

  • Create an Attitude of Thankfulness ~ your attitude determines your altitude. Find the things & people in your life that you can be thankful for in the midst of a difficult time. We don’t necessarily thank God for the turmoil or chaos or disaster, but we thank Him in the midst of it, knowing that He says all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
  • Don’t Give Up ~ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Your story, God’s story through you, IS NOT OVER!!!

So today I hope you are encouraged to seek & stir up the peace that is already within you.

When you are stressed & ready to duct tape someone’s mouth shut, how do you respond? :)

SOS! Shine On Sisters

*not listed in order of importance, mind you

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What’s your Lasting Legacy?

July 16, 2010 in Mom Matters, VIsion with 0 Comments

If there’s one thing we humans all have in common… no matter our social status or our geographical location… can you guess? That’s right! (I knew I had smart readers) We all will eventually come to the end of our life on earth. It’s a fact. There’s no way around it. God did not create these vessels called physical bodies to live forever.

For Christians, we know that our spirits live on forever. But sometimes I think that the knowledge of a ‘higher life’ hinders us from really fostering the heart & will that it takes to show people we care. We hinder ourselves from  making a true difference in the lives we touch here on earth, in these earth suits, ‘cuz well, real life begins in heaven, right???? Wrong.

It counts. Now.

Today.

This is Real.

How do you want to be remembered when your time on earth is done? What will the people closest to you say about you… not just at your funeral, but in the months & years that come after your death?

I’ve been following Todd Smith’s blog & Facebook page for a few weeks now. I find he’s very insightful in many ‘little matters’. I read his blog post today & wanted to share it with you. After reading it, come back here & lets discuss it.

What Will Be Your Legacy? | Little Things Matter.

What’s one thing you want to be remembered for? And how are/have you made that a reality? I think we can all learn a lot from this & from each other.

SOS! Shine On Sisters!

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Stir up the Lovin’!

July 9, 2010 in Across My Heart, Across Our Table, Mom Matters with 2 Comments

I’d like to hear from my readers today! Tell us all something extra special about one of your kids – your daughter’s beautiful smile, your boy’s adventurous spirit, his tender heart, her latest accomplishment… Or share one of your best memories together ~ like the time your four-year-old  ratted you out as the one that passed gas at the table (oh wait, that was my son!).

I find that when I remember the good times with my kiddos, is often when I’m stirred to create new good times! How about you?

Stir up the lovin’! What’s great about your little bambinos?

Shine On Sisters!

P.S. Hey, you don’t have to be a writer to leave a comment! Just say it as it comes! It works for me! Besides, how often does someone actually ask you to brag on your kids? Exactly!

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Public Humiliation Bites

June 24, 2010 in Across My Heart, Across Our Table, Mom Matters with 6 Comments

My kids are at the zoo. {Shout out to the Gpa & Gma! Holla!!!}

I’m guessing they’ll see a few of our relatives there, specifically in the orangutan exhibit. No, I’m not an evolutionist, but boy those animals sure look like my long lost Uncle Emmett, with less hair.

2 shots of public humiliation with that, please!

While the kids are at the zoo, I’m sitting here looking for inspiration at another zoo of sorts. Barnes & Noble Cafe. Have you seen some of the people who frequent this joint? Me included. This is great content just waiting to be written!

One table across the way has caught my eye & ear. Allow me to briefly set the scene. A girl, probably 19, skinny with a very low-cut scarlet red shirt. A boy, who looks like Twilight’s Jacob (and seems to know it). And then there’s the gal that completes the trio. I’ll call her Wanda. She’s middle-aged. Short unkempt hair, glasses & a classic pair of mom jeans. {I think they saw me staring, cuz they just left} Oh well, more wi-fi for me! Just kidding.

The two youngsters (I can say that cuz I’m in my mid-thirties) Scarlet & Jacob pull out their PC laptops. Not even MacBooks!  That should’ve been a clue that something was about to go very wrong. They spend the next 40 minutes explaining to Wanda how Facebook works. They hold nothing back. Scarlet even decides to set Wanda up with a FB account, on the spot. How thoughtful.

While I’m trying to find inspiration from heaven, and look completely interested in what I’m not doing, I hear bits & pieces of their conversation. I can not believe how condescending Scarlet’s teaching methods come across. And I’m shocked that Wanda lets it happen! Wanda even dares touch the laptop much to the loud chagrin of Scarlet. The entire B&N Cafe hears, “Don’t move it like that! Unless you want to buy me a new one!” Jacob chuckles. Wanda doesn’t.

Why am I telling you this? Because I’m Scarlet. Not literally. But I act like Scarlet & her sidekick Jacob, specifically with my kids. I know I do. Even in public, I talk down to them like I’m the Great and Powerful Oz possessing of all the world’s knowledge and they just arrived from Kansas with their little dog.

I often resent the “why?” I get asked at least 27 times a day.

Even though these two were actually taking time with her, I felt so bad for Wanda. She just wanted to learn how to use FaceBook. I don’t think she ordered up a shot of arrogance & public humiliation with her tutorial.

Next time someone needs our help let’s remember a few things :

  • I am not Oz. I am not superior because I have knowledge.
  • The person (including our kids & parents) are not stupid. Everyone deserves respect.
  • There are still things we need to learn. I think we reap what we sow. Let’s sow patience & understanding when we want to flaunt how much they don’t know!

So yeah, I feel like I pried into the lives of strangers. I kind of did. But I learned an important lesson during my time of people-watching at the local Barnes & Noble Zoo. When we talk down to people – our kids, the waitress, our parents, our co-workers, we do nothing to lift ourselves up. When we patronize, we look ridiculous & I can guarantee our help will not be solicited twice. Let’s teach the way we want to be taught, with patience, kindness, and encouragement.

I’d love to hear your perspective. Have you ever been on the receiving end of public humiliation?

Shine On Sisters!

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Moms Around The World

June 15, 2010 in Across My Heart, Across Our World, Mom Matters with 0 Comments

Think you’re so different?

Wonder how other moms around the world raise their kids & make time for themselves?

Here is a sneak peek into the lives of 5 moms from five different countries – Brazil, Jordan, Singapore, the Netherlands, and South Africa. I think you’ll find that women/moms are very, very similar no matter what continent they live on, or what language they speak.

Moms Around the World

How would you answer some of these same questions?

My favorite thing about being a Mom…

One of the hardest things about being a Mom is…

For dinner last night, we ate…

I love that the first mom from Brazil says that Brazilian men don’t do much to help around the house, even though many moms now work outside the home too. Sound familiar? :)

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Are You The World's Worst Mother?

June 13, 2010 in Across My Heart, Mom Matters, PopCulture with 4 Comments

What if you won the Worst Mother Ever award?

Lindsay Lohan’s mom did. How awful is that?

It was bestowed upon her by TMZ, a celeb gossip/news company (okay, technically from an online poll TMZ held). TMZ is not known for their excellence in journalism, but they are well-known & have a sizable following. And now Dina Lohan is known. Not just for being famous LiLo’s Mom, but for wearing the label of “Worst Mother Ever”  for things like dropping her daughter off at a bar when she was supposed to be in rehab… yeah. Wonder if her younger kids ever use that award against her? Probably. I would have when I was a kid, for sure.

~~~~~~

This story is not to shame or judge Dina Lohan. Lord knows she needs prayer! Just an example to show that you are in fact NOT the worst mother in the world.

Besides the fact that you AREN’T, do you ever FEEL like the worst mother who walks the planet?

How about when your 2-year-old child falls head first, out of the cart onto the cement ground at the grocery store? Or when you get a call from the kindergarten principal saying that your kid threatened another kid with a pair of safety scissors? (pretty sure these two incidents are related somehow)

At times we all feel as though someone is about to hand us the Worst Mother trophy.

We screw up. We blow it. We scream.

We scold & talk to our precious child as if they were an idiot.

We spank in anger. We want to run away!

{I might need some confirmation that I’m not the only one who blows it.}

I can guarantee that all of you reading this blog love your kids. And I wouldn’t be going too far out on a limb to say you’d gladly lay your life down for them.

Just like we shouldn’t take all the credit when our kid scores the winning hit in the little league baseball game or invents the next Nobel Prize winning genetic code that stops cancer in its tracks… we can’t take all the credit for when things go wrong.

Moms, don’t allow your guilt to suck out the joys of motherhood. Realize you & your kids are gonna make mistakes: some more embarrassing than others ~ some with life-altering consequences.  It’s in those times that our kids need our love the most, not our shame.

We should strive to be the best examples, but lets allow for screw ups.

Tantrums will be thrown in public.

Naughty words will be blurted out in front of your MIL.

And don’t even get me started about what the kids will do! :)

Love them through their humanity ~ the good, the bad, the ugly. In that process of letting our kids be human, how about we do the same for ourselves? When you blow it, go to God, and your child, if necessary, and ask forgiveness. Teach them by example to forgive & move forward.

Release the burden of ‘motherhood’ guilt. Chances are no one is going to show up at your door and slap you with a “Worst Mother Ever” award. Unless you’re Dina Lohan. Yeah. We need to pray for that woman! :)

I wanna hear from you!

Have your or your kids done something lately that have made you feel as though the paparazzi might chase you down with an award you DON’T want? :)

Shine On Sisters!

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Berta Mae needs Great TESTimonies

June 2, 2010 in Across My Heart, Mom Matters with 2 Comments

Berta Mae, Research Cow Extraordinaire, is TESTY!

Great testimonies are the outcome

of great TESTS!

Do any of  you have any TESTimonies you’d like to share to encourage the rest of us?

Recently or long ago, big or small, short or long… take a few minutes to recount a trial that you’ve been through.

The Word tells us to admonish one another for the building up of the saints. Don’t know about you ~ well, I do actually…. we all need encouragement. Maybe today you are riding the wave of life’s euphoric joy!

Then today is your day to ENCOURAGE other Moms that God will see them through, just as He has you.  Would you take time to share how God brought you through a trial at a different time in your life?

Were you healed? Was a relationship repaired? Was financial freedom restored? Was a prayer answered?

Can’t wait to be encouraged & uplifted!

Shine On Sisters!

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