I love the kids Story Bible that Joei Kate has, it does such a great job of explaining certain things in a light that I've never thought of. I highly recommend it for children of all ages, so well done! I love it! You can find it on Amazon. It tried to input a link for it, but apparently I'm not that sharp! It's called "The Jesus Storybook Bible."
We just read a chapter called "The Perfect Storm," taken out of Mark 4 & Matthew 8. It really was a fitting chapter to read tonight, as Joei tends to be drawn towards worrying about this, that and the other. She was fascinated that Jesus slept in the midst of a horrendous storm! She was pretty confident that there would be no sleeping for her in a storm like that! She was also intrigued by how quickly the winds and the waves listened to Jesus' command to "Hush!" I love how this is worded:
"The wind and the waves recognized Jesus' voice. They had heard it before, of course - it was the same voice that made them, in the very beginning. They listened to Jesus and they did what He said."
The winds and the waves knew the voice that commanded them to be still! I imagine we can flip that to our personal lives as well; the fear we carry, the worry that consumes our thoughts, the condemnation we allow ourselves to sit under...that too knows the mighty voice of God! And if we would but activate our faith and speak to those things that are not as though they were, they have to submit to the authority of Jesus that is able to flow through us!
Joei Kate told me that she wished the winds and the waves would listen to her too. She said she wanted to be like the Lord...and that she wants the light of Jesus to flow through her. Of course that touches this mamma's heart; oh how I pray she always desires that. At 6 years old, she is asking for the light of Jesus to flow through her.
It reminds me of the scripture in 2 Corinthians that says "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." Our lives have the ability to reflect the glory of the Lord; that same light that my little baby Kate wants to flow through her. It's quite a prayer to pray, that Jesus would flow through us. I'd venture to say that it's one He is ready and waiting to answer.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
I win!
Lily is showing herself to have quite a competitive spirit! Anytime we are going to a different room in the house, or anywhere for that matter, she will generally run ahead of me and upon reaching the destination will turn around and say, "You lost, I win!" (Wish I had a video of her dancing right now behind me...)
I'm honestly glad that she has that competitive edge showing, it makes me laugh when I see it, but more than that, it makes me proud. It makes me feel like she is growing up in a secure environment, believing that she truly can win. Ok, ok, that may be a stretch, sure, but I relate most stuff to what my childhood was like. I don't ever recall feeling that competitive spirit, not ever. I was such an insecure child, that I was happy if I did not get picked last when teams were formed. I was happy if I did not trip during a race in P.E. class, for fear of looking foolish. I was happy if the "cool" kids acknowledged me. Insecurity is a far cry from feeling so secure that you can proclaim to anyone and everyone that you are a winner!
Now of course I am aware that too much competition can be bad, so can too much of anything. But for my little 2.5 year old, I'm not teaching her humility when she yells that she won...not yet. For just a little while, I'm going to enjoy seeing the security flow from my little daughter. There will be plenty of humbling opportunity in her life, so for now, while life is simple, Lily Rae, yes, you won. Indeed kid, you won.
How about you? How about me? Do you have that competitive edge that would drive you to do something great in this life? I didn't. Not for many, many years. It is only until fairly recently that I can honestly say, look out Jack, I'm going to do something great in this life. Because that's the security that I've found in knowing the Lord...He wants us to win too. So who am I to stifle that competitive edge =)
I'm honestly glad that she has that competitive edge showing, it makes me laugh when I see it, but more than that, it makes me proud. It makes me feel like she is growing up in a secure environment, believing that she truly can win. Ok, ok, that may be a stretch, sure, but I relate most stuff to what my childhood was like. I don't ever recall feeling that competitive spirit, not ever. I was such an insecure child, that I was happy if I did not get picked last when teams were formed. I was happy if I did not trip during a race in P.E. class, for fear of looking foolish. I was happy if the "cool" kids acknowledged me. Insecurity is a far cry from feeling so secure that you can proclaim to anyone and everyone that you are a winner!
Now of course I am aware that too much competition can be bad, so can too much of anything. But for my little 2.5 year old, I'm not teaching her humility when she yells that she won...not yet. For just a little while, I'm going to enjoy seeing the security flow from my little daughter. There will be plenty of humbling opportunity in her life, so for now, while life is simple, Lily Rae, yes, you won. Indeed kid, you won.
How about you? How about me? Do you have that competitive edge that would drive you to do something great in this life? I didn't. Not for many, many years. It is only until fairly recently that I can honestly say, look out Jack, I'm going to do something great in this life. Because that's the security that I've found in knowing the Lord...He wants us to win too. So who am I to stifle that competitive edge =)
Monday, January 3, 2011
Non-Sufficient Funds
I remember when I was about 20 or 21, I went to stay in England for 6 months. At the time, my aunt lived there and I was doing some work in her local church. It was a great time in my life, but that's another post for a different time! Anyway, I left my bank account open here in the States, I don't think there was hardly any money in it though! But nonetheless, I left it open. Well, I had a gym membership that I cancelled prior to leaving, as it was deducting money from my account and I needed that to stop. Come to find out, 6 months later, they were still taking money from my account, leaving me with non-sufficient funds, and a ton of fees. Good times.
I read a neat quote today, it says, "We never cry out to God and receive a returned check stamped 'Insufficient Grace.'" - Sandy Smith
Don't you love that? It does not matter what you put into your so called Spiritual bank account, or what you do not put into it, Grace is always there for you. God does not respond to us with even a hint of rejection! Ah I love that!
Ephesians 2:10 says "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
While yes, indeed we are created to good works, we do not receive love or grace by doing said good works! If we never did a blessed thing again on this earth for Him, God's love would still be there for us. He still would smother us with his ever present help, love, mercy & grace. What a great Lord!
But we can't get away from that scripture, that yes, we were created for good works....His workmanship...that means we were carefully planned....every detail of our world, every facet of our lives, every little personality quirk we have, our looks, our hopes & dreams; It's all just a part of God's crafty workmanship. WOW!
There are tons of reasons we were created to do good works, but let me touch on two of them that I personally think:
1. To help people! Just plain and simple. We are called to be God's hands extended, in all that we do. Oh man, that I would grab hold of that calling, and be the hands of Jesus wherever I go. Whether it be to help someone cross the street, be kind to the person that shoves you at Wal-Mart when you have lost every last ounce of blessed patience at that store, or even just being a blessing to your family and friends. Every facet of our lives, created to do good works. To help people!
2. To help us! It just plain feels good when you have something to do with your life. Especially for us ladies, we need to be needed. And we need to know that what we are doing is worth something. Oh what a great place to live, knowing that you are doing your best to reach your full potential in life! I love to think about that; God creating us to do good works simply for our benefit. It's a good life...
There, of course, is more...but since Lily is cartooned out at the moment, I need to sign off!
I just wanted to drop these thoughts on the blog today, in light of this great New Year that is ahead of us. I want to take Ephesians 2:10 to heart this year, more than ever before. I want to help people. I wish that everyone would know the wonderful grace that Jesus gives. And I want to live to my highest potential...for such a time as this. How about you?
I read a neat quote today, it says, "We never cry out to God and receive a returned check stamped 'Insufficient Grace.'" - Sandy Smith
Don't you love that? It does not matter what you put into your so called Spiritual bank account, or what you do not put into it, Grace is always there for you. God does not respond to us with even a hint of rejection! Ah I love that!
Ephesians 2:10 says "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
While yes, indeed we are created to good works, we do not receive love or grace by doing said good works! If we never did a blessed thing again on this earth for Him, God's love would still be there for us. He still would smother us with his ever present help, love, mercy & grace. What a great Lord!
But we can't get away from that scripture, that yes, we were created for good works....His workmanship...that means we were carefully planned....every detail of our world, every facet of our lives, every little personality quirk we have, our looks, our hopes & dreams; It's all just a part of God's crafty workmanship. WOW!
There are tons of reasons we were created to do good works, but let me touch on two of them that I personally think:
1. To help people! Just plain and simple. We are called to be God's hands extended, in all that we do. Oh man, that I would grab hold of that calling, and be the hands of Jesus wherever I go. Whether it be to help someone cross the street, be kind to the person that shoves you at Wal-Mart when you have lost every last ounce of blessed patience at that store, or even just being a blessing to your family and friends. Every facet of our lives, created to do good works. To help people!
2. To help us! It just plain feels good when you have something to do with your life. Especially for us ladies, we need to be needed. And we need to know that what we are doing is worth something. Oh what a great place to live, knowing that you are doing your best to reach your full potential in life! I love to think about that; God creating us to do good works simply for our benefit. It's a good life...
There, of course, is more...but since Lily is cartooned out at the moment, I need to sign off!
I just wanted to drop these thoughts on the blog today, in light of this great New Year that is ahead of us. I want to take Ephesians 2:10 to heart this year, more than ever before. I want to help people. I wish that everyone would know the wonderful grace that Jesus gives. And I want to live to my highest potential...for such a time as this. How about you?
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