My parents are leaving today and I am so very sad. It's funny, as teen-agers,
we can't wait to get away from our parents and make it on our own. We seem to
think that we know so much more than they do and we just want to prove it, so we
move out and begin our own lives. Many of us become very successful and we have
families of our own and then we wake up one day and realize that our parents were
smart and that our lives are so much better because they are in them.
I know I've said it before but I am so thankful for my parents. I don't get to
see them very often and that makes me so sad. I treasure every minute that I have
with them. I love talking and laughing and looking back at the fun times that we
had in our family. I want my children to spend time with them and learn from them.
There is so much that they can teach my children. They can teach them the
importance of a relationship with Jesus Christ, the importance of hard work, the
joy of cooking and the joy of working on cars and hunting, the shear pleasure of
shopping for bargains. There is so much more they can share with them and I am so
glad that they have and will have many opportunities to spend time with them and
learn.
I love my parents and I am glad that we had this weekend and pray we will have
many more to share and enjoy.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
I spent the day at the beach with my husband and parents yesterday. We had a
blast walking on the beach and riding a bike for four. They make it look so easy
riding those bikes but don't be fooled, it's not. I laughed so hard trying to
pedal but I think that the men in the front were really doing all the pedaling. We
stopped and took pictures and just really enjoyed our time together. I will
treasure today forever.
Once we were home we helped our son with his homework and then left the kids
with their grandparents and went to a Pastor's dinner. We had such a nice time and
I was reminded why I love being in the ministry. God has placed an incredible call
on our lives and we are so excited to fulfill that call at our new church in
Southeastern Virginia. God is so good and we love our new life in Virginia. We've
experienced a lot of changes this past year and God has been amazing through it
all. Hope that you will see today how good God has been to you in your life.
Monday, September 28, 2009
I am enjoying my time with my parents. Our weekend was fantastic. It started
Friday night with us all going to a parent/teacher kickball game at my son's
school. It was so much fun seeing my son root for his teacher and seeing my
husband play kickball was, well it was....okay it made me laugh. He is athletic but
we aren't kids anymore.
Saturday morning, my husband, my father and my 7 year old son went hunting.
This was my son's first time and let me tell you, he wasn't impressed. He had
spent the night before watching all these hunting shows where they go out and shoot
the big deer right away and go home. This did not happen for him, and guess what
he discovered?? You have to be quiet when you are hunting for deer. So, when he
came home, he announced to us that he doesn't like hunting and that he was very
bored and that all you do when you hunt is hold a gun and be quiet. I am still
smiling when I think of him coming home so disappointed. I think he really thought
he was going to shoot the big one. After the hunting and some shopping we were off
to his baseball game. He did a great job!! I love being a mom!! I am watching my
little boy grow up before my very eyes. And, I am enjoying every minute of it
too!!
Friday, September 25, 2009
My mom and dad are coming to visit and I am so excited. I haven't seen them in
3 months, since we moved to Virginia. My parents are so special to me. I know that
I am very blessed to have such incredible parents. I was raised in a home where my
parents were very supportive and loving and really saw the value in having us all
go to church.
My parents are great role models for me. They have a great marriage and will
soon celebrate 44 years together. What I love most is that they are each others
best friend. They love spending time together and going on trips and many other
things. I have watched them in every area of there lives and have seen them
loving God and striving to do what they can to please Him. I know that without
praying parents and a supportive church family growing up I would not be where I am
today.
So, today as I wait for my parents to arrive I am thanking God for the blessing
and gift that my parents are to me and my children. I look forward to many more
wonderful years of making memories to last a lifetime.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Yesterday was a good day!! I got so much accomplished around the house and at
the end of the day my kids came home and I heard laughter, I heard singing to 80's
music and everything just felt good in the world. I love days like that. I have
found that I spend so much time being busy, doing what I am not sure. It is always
nice to slow down and stop and just enjoy the day. Read, cook, spend time with
someone you love, write a card to someone you haven't seen in a while or to someone
who is sick.
I have decided that one day a week I am just going to relax and do things that I
love. I know that not everyone has the privilege of staying home so for those of
you who work just take an evening that you are home and just relax, do something
you love.
When we moved and I knew that things in life would be very different I decided
that I was going to slow down and enjoy life more. I don't ever want to be busy
going nowhere. I want to stop and enjoy my kids and husband, my friends and family.
Those are the important things in life. So today just decide to enjoy the things
in life that matter most. Have a great day Ladies!!!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The theme of Women of Faith this year was Grand New Day. I've thought a lot
about what that means to me. I started thinking of it being like New Year's. When
a new year starts it feels like a fresh start.
Now throughout the weekend the various speakers spoke on different ways of
getting to that new day. Sometimes we need someone to show us how to start that
new day...those are the fireflies in our lives...they shine the light to help us find
our way to the Lord through our struggles so He can give us the strength and
courage that we need to find our way to that new day. Lisa Whelchel (Blair, from
Facts of Life) mentioned having an "Emmet" in your life. That is someone
who you can be real with. They are the person in your life who you can cry with,
laugh with, and just let your guard down and they see you for who you are and love
you. This person is another one that will guide you and direct you so that you can
find your way and have a new day, a fresh start.
Now obviously all the speakers this weekend were speaking from trials that they
personally had gone through. They found people in their own lives that helped them
through their trials. Because they had these people they were able, along with the
Lord's help, to make it through their struggles and face a new day.
I learned this weekend that having someone in your life that you can open up to,
talk to, and lean on is so important. I have been so fortunate to have an "Emmet"
and some fireflies in my life. I have mentioned several times that it's been a
tough year. There were days that I just didn't even want to get out of bed. I
didn't know where my life was going or what was going to happen. I just didn't
know how to get back on track and press towards my new day, my fresh start. I am
so thankful that the Lord placed people in my life that were there for me to remind
me of where I was suppose to be looking, who I was suppose to be turning to. My
new day came in June when my family moved to Southeastern Virginia. Not everyone
gets to just move and start over. We were able to and I am thankful. I am on a
journey now and the Lord is continuing to help me.
I pray for you that you have someone in your life that can help you through your
struggles and get you back on track towards your new day.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Going to Women of Faith this past weekend was something that I had been looking
forward to for a long time. Each year before I go, I pray that the Lord will show
me what it is He wants me to learn and grow from. This year was no different. With
everything that has gone on in my life this past year I really wanted to hear from
the Lord. I knew going into the weekend that it was going to be an emotional one.
There are so many things that the Lord showed me and taught me over the weekend.
One of the speakers shared with us the betrayal she felt when she returned from a
weekend of speaking to find that her husband had spent every last penny they owned.
She continued to share what they went through to begin the healing process in
their marriage and how to move forward in life. I think for me the moment that I
will never forget was when her son told her that she needed to forgive her husband
(his dad). She found herself a few days later looking in the mirror wondering how
this was all going to work out. The Lord spoke to her in that moment and told her
that he would deliver her. That she would be able to move forward and be happy
again in life. She needed to let go and forgive him. I found myself asking "How do
you forgive someone who has betrayed you and lied to you?" I asked myself that
question all weekend. I guess the answer stared me right in the face but for
whatever reason I just didn't see it.
I don't think that when you are betrayed so deeply by someone you trust and
respect you can forgive them in your own power or strength. I think it is
something that you need to ask the Lord to help you do. You need to ask for the
strength and courage to forgive and let go. The scriptures tell us in Ephesians
4:32..."Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in
Christ also has forgiven you." God has forgiven us and He is our example and if he
can forgive us for all we have done then we need to love each other and find
forgiveness for each other. Forgiveness isn't for the other person, it's for us.
We need to forgive so we can move forward in our own lives. God has a plan and
purpose for our lives. When we find ourselves wrapped up in unforgiveness, anger,
and bitterness then we are not able to clearly see what it is God has for us.
Who has betrayed you? Ladies, I think that we probably all have been betrayed at
one time or another by someone close to us. I am not saying that it will be easy
to forgive and move forward but I do know that according to scripture, it is what
is best. I pray for you today that He will enable you to do what it is that only He
can help you do.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Women of Faith was incredible. I expected nothing less to be honest. All of the
speakers were amazing and each one touched my life in an almost unexplainable way.
I loved being able to experience all of this with my best friend.
I want to share much of what I learned over the weekend throughout the week. To
start off I am so thankful that God places people in our lives that are the
fireflies that give off the light we need to see the way. They are the ones in our
lives that we can talk to about anything and know that it will stay with them.
They will be our shoulder to cry on, our listening ear. They will be the ones that
we laugh with till tears stream down our faces. The ones that we do the crazy
things in life with and take pictures that no one will ever see. They help us to be
brave and encourage us to do things that we would never do otherwise. I feel very
blessed to have some fireflies in my life. I pray that you have someone in your
life that you feel this way about. If you don't then I pray that the Lord will
place someone in your path that can be that for you. Looking forward to sharing
with you the rest of the week.
Friday, September 18, 2009
I have arrived at Rachel's and we are already laughing and having a good time.
I just love when we get together. The ride up was a little crazy. I was reminded
of how hectic traffic can be in Washington D.C. and Baltimore. I don't miss the
traffic and busy life of the big city anymore. I have come to love the quietness
of the country and how people just take time to talk about anything and everything.
Let me tell you it takes awhile to get use to people just taking time to be nice.
Living in Baltimore you get use to getting in and out and moving on to your busy
life. Meanwhile in the country everyone just likes taking the time to get to know
you.
I am so excited to head to Women of Faith and hear what it is the Lord has in
store for me (us) this weekend. I'm even more excited that I will get to do this
with Rachel. Starting After the Miracle with Rachel as been great and we have seen
the Lord work through this site already and we are just praising the Lord. I am
hoping this weekend that the Lord will just continue to give us ideas and ways to
encourage others. Looking forward to sharing with you all the great things the
Lord does this weekend.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
I am so excited!!! I am getting ready to spend the weekend with Rachel. We
have great things planned. We have been looking forward to it for quite some time.
I got up this morning anticipating packing and getting things ready for my trip.
Except, I woke up to my husband having the flu, my daughter complaining of ulcers
in her mouth and my son not wanting to go to school. I just about lost it!! How
could all of this be happening? I go away once, maybe twice a year by myself. Oh,
the conversation God and I had this morning. As the day has gone on, my hubby
hasn't made much improvement. I have done so much praying for him. I know that
God doesn't cause everything and that this is just life. However, it stinks. I
hate going away knowing that things are not perfect at home. I will be leaving him
sick with a son who is struggling with going to school and a daughter who is...well,
she is a teenager and each day is interesting. I am so conflicted with my leaving
for the weekend.
Now I have mentioned in my blogs about having gone through something very
difficult this past year. I guess that is why this weekend is so special to me.
You see, we are going to Women of Faith. Now if any of you out there have gone to
Women of Faith before then you know how special this weekend will be. Being at
Women of Faith is like stopping everything and God filling you back up. I look
forward to it every year. These women are incredible and they all have a story
that impacts your life in ways that you can't explain. I need that this year. I
need to hear God speaking and I need to just stop the craziness and be still this
weekend. I love the Lord with all my heart and my soul's desire is to be and do
what it is the Lord is calling me to.
I know that when I leave everything will be okay. I have an incredible family.
My husband will handle things and if he can't then I know that my daughter will
step up and help out. They know how important this weekend is to me. I am so
excited to see what God has in store for me this weekend. I BELIEVE with all my
heart that it is going to be something amazing. I am quite sure that I will be
sharing it all with you through my blog and devotionals. Looking forward to
sharing!!!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Yesterday was such an odd day. It started out great. I traveled with my
husband to a new Pastor's orientation event in Richmond Virginia. We had a great
time getting to know the other new Pastor's in the surrounding areas. On our way
home I called a friend who had gotten bad news. My heart went out to her as we
talked and she seemed so together and trusting God in her situation. When we hung
up I just remember praying for her and feeling her pain because I had been where
she is, I had been through a similar situation.
I have said before that I don't know or quite frankly try to understand why we
go through the things that we do. I am thankful though that the Lord uses the
things that we have been through to help others. I didn't have the perfect words
today to make the pain go away but I did have a listening ear and I am praying for
her daily as she faces the days ahead. I know that she will read this so for her I
found these verses, but it is for anyone who needs them today.
"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my
rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my
honor depend on God, he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O
people; pour out your hearts to him for God is our refuge."
~Psalm 62:5-8.
I love these verses. When we are going through difficult and devastating times
it is so reassuring to be able to find rest in our Lord and to know that He is our
refuge and that He wants us to pour our hearts out to Him. Trust in Him today to
help you through whatever it is that you are struggling with. There is no better
friend than Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
When we moved to Southeastern Virginia, we decided that I wouldn't work so that
I could help get my kids transitioned and also help my husband in our new church.
Both of my children are on the bus by 7:05 a.m. and are home by 4:00 pm. That
gives me 9 hours. One would think I could get everything accomplished in a day
with so much time to myself. The thing is, though, I have many distractions in my
day. My husband works from home sometimes so I don't want to be rude and vacuum and
dust around him. I get phone calls for lunch or shopping. And ladies, I will
NEVER turn down the opportunity to shop or eat. Then the end of the week
approaches and I quickly discover that I have gotten very little done in my home.
However, I have spent quality time with my husband, my kids, new friends and old
friends.
When we were living in Maryland, I had to work. So, I was very busy with my
job. I taught 2nd grade so when I came home I still had work to do. I had very
little time to do lunch with friends or spend time with my husband around the
house. I know that I need to have order in my house and that it needs to be clean
(especially since mom and dad are coming next week). I decided today, though, that
I just want to enjoy life and not get caught up in the meaningless things, things
that in the long run just don't matter.
I love my family and friends and like I have said in previous blogs I just want
to enjoy my kids and watching them grow. I don't want to look back and regret not
spending enough time with those I love. So girls, enjoy today with your kids, your
husband, with your friends, or your mom. You should live life with no regrets when
it comes to spending time with those that are so precious to you. You can clean
your house and do laundry another day.
Enjoy today. Call someone up you haven't seen in a while and get together.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
When I am writing this, it is September 11, 2009. I have been home most of the
day so I have been watching all the memorial services for those who lost their
lives on September 11, 2001. I have shed so many tears. I remember it like it was
yesterday.
Do you remember where you were when history was made on September 11, 2001? I
worked at a Pediatric Dentist office as a receptionist at the time and the
television was on and we were just beginning to see patients. I remember going out
to the waiting room and standing there looking at the twin towers burning and
feeling numb. Things like this aren't suppose to happen in the United States. We
are a powerful nation. We help other nations stay safe. I began to weep
uncontrollably. I felt so angry and sad. My heart ached for those who had lost
loved ones. I thought of the ones who had made it out of the towers and pentagon,
they would be missing co-workers and friends because of this attack. The next few
days were a blur so much was being shown on television and it seemed like you
couldn't go anywhere without seeing it or hearing about it. It seemed like suddenly
the whole nation was pulling together and there were no barriers. People weren't
seeing skin color or economic factors. We knew that we had been attacked and we
needed to pull together and help each other through. I remember attending church
after 9/11 and there was such a sense of unity and desperation. People were
searching for something to make sense of what had happened. I don't understand why
we were attacked that day and I was just like everyone else, asking the question
WHY?
Today, we paid tribute to those who lost their lives 8 years ago. May God Bless
the families who lost so much that day. May He continue to comfort them. I pray
that we as a nation will never forget the day that some paid all.
Friday, September 11, 2009
On Wednesday nights after church we have choir practice. Now, I love music. So
choir is always a joy for me. I love singing the songs and just really focusing on
the Lord. It is a special time for me.
This week was exceptional. We had a great practice. We had a nice group of men
and women there and the songs just sounded so good. I had had a stressful day and
really needed that time. After choir was over, some of us stayed and talked. What
took place the next half hour made my day. We were just catching up on our weeks
and the next thing I knew, we were laughing about Facebook and comments we had made
and quizzes taken and various other things.
I love that we can have fun and that God places people in our days to cheer us
up and encourage us. Friendships are so special to me. I believe with all my heart
that God gives us the gift of friendship. I pray that you have someone in your
life that makes you laugh and encourages you and that they have a way of making
your day better.
The Lord has blessed me with many special friendships. Some are very new and I
look forward to them growing and some are older and so very precious.
One of my favorite friendships is the one that I have with my mom. My mom was my
mom when she needed to be, but when I grew up and became a mother myself, we became
best friends. She has been my biggest fan all my life. She has always believed in
me and prayed God's best for me. She has been my confidant, my shoulder to cry on,
my listening ear, and always has known what to say to make it better, or to at
least give me a different perspective. She makes me laugh daily and no one knows
me better than mom. Oh, I could go on and on about her. She is truly a gift from
God and I am so thankful for her. Moms are the best!!!
I pray that you have a mom like this and if you don't, then I pray that you have
someone in your life who is very dear to you. Call them up today and thank them. I
know that my mom will be reading this today so to her I say...thanks mom for
believing in me and showing me such a Godly example. I love you so much!!!!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Have you ever found yourself in the middle of something that you have no control
over and you're stressed and anxious about it? Okay, if you are saying no, I think
you could be lying. I think that we have probably all gone through something that
has left us feeling stressed and helpless.
Now, we all handle stress differently. I have watched my kids the last few days
as they have gotten on the school bus and headed to a new school where they have
had to meet new people, new teachers, and start new classes. I have prayed with
them, for them, and have loved on them and given them all the positives that come
with going to a new school, a new church and becoming a part of a new community. I
have done what I feel a mother should do.
However, they leave for school and I find myself stressed, anxious and feeling
like I have no control. So this is where I have to practice what I preach to them.
I have learned in my life that when something comes my way that is out of my
control and that stresses me out, it is time to ask the Lord what it is He wants me
to learn.
I never want to go through something and it be for nothing. I am finding myself
on my knees asking the Lord for peace where my kids are concerned. There have been
a lot of changes for them and for me. So what is it that the Lord wants me to
learn? I believe it is to lean on Him in all things. He is my strength, my peace
and my strong tower. What is it today that you are learning from the stresses of
life? Are you learning to lean on Him? I pray that you are.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Okay ladies I have shared my children with you and my love of being a mother but
today I want to share with you someone who has been my best friend for 17 years and
has shared my greatest joys and my deepest sorrows. I married the love of my life
on June 20, 1992 and I love him more and more with each passing day. I love being
his wife and his partner in ministry and in life. I honestly don't know what my
life would be like without him. He is constantly encouraging me in every area of
my life. When Rachel and I decided to start afterthemiracle.com he was so
supportive. He has helped me find Bible verses to go with my devotional ideas and
given me blog ideas (and no, this one was not his idea) and has even helped us
promote the site. He is an amazing Pastor/Shepherd and an incredible father.
I have heard about and have seen marriages that are what I call co-existing
marriages. These are marriages that the two are just room mates. There is no real
communication or love for one another. They go about their days and do their jobs
and parenting and coaching and whatever else they can fit into their day. And, at
the end of that day, they just crawl into bed and wait for it to start all over
again the next day.
These marriages make me very sad. I see them everywhere I look and I want to
just look at these couples and say...Please take the time to talk, to find
out what the other one is thinking, try to go back and discover what it is that
made you fall in love with that person.
Sometimes it takes great forgiveness on one's part in order to move forward in
our marriages. I don't know what is going on in your marriage. I pray that it is
great and that you are blessed, but if not, then I pray that you seek and ask the
Lord to give you the strength and courage to heal and move on in your marriage.
Take time for each other. My husband and I learned in the last few years that
the most important thing we can do is stop the craziness and sit and talk. One day
your kids are going to be gone and it will be you and your spouse. What will you
do then? I don't claim to be a marriage counselor, by no means. I just know that
God designed marriage to be a blessing. I am thankful today for the husband the
Lord has blessed me with and today I say to him I love you with all my heart and
thank you for encouraging and supporting all that I do. My life just wouldn't be
the same without you.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Do you feel like you have a real purpose in life? My husband has been preaching
on I Samuel and this week he was speaking on David being anointed King. Now David
was the smallest of all his brothers. The Bible makes it sound like he was a good
looking young man but I don't think when he walked into a room that he commanded
everyone's attention. His dad didn't even think enough of him to tell Samuel about
him when he was searching who it was God wanted him to anoint as King. When I read
this story in 1 Samuel 16 it makes me ask the question...What is my purpose in life?
God had a purpose for David and I don't think that David ever thought it was to be
King over Israel. Some of us spend a lot of time wondering what it is we are to do
in life, what is our purpose?
I don't know about you but I've thought on several occasions that I knew what it
was that God wanted me to do. For the longest time I was so involved in music. I
sang in the choir, sang solos, did weddings and was in a quartet for awhile. I
knew that God had gifted me musically. I felt that music was truly my passion. A
year and a half ago I had something happen that was heartbreaking and the joy of
singing changed for me. I remember wondering what was it that God wanted me to do
now?
I prayed and prayed and prayed. Friends, what happened after that prayer was
what has forever changed my life. I went through a very difficult time and found
myself on my knees before the Lord. I knew that I wanted and needed to do something
with what I was going through. Rachel was by my side and supported me when I was
going through my difficult time. She and I spent so much time talking about what
we could do with her story of Isabella and with what I was going through. We
prayed and dreamed and prayed some more.
When I moved away to Southeastern Virginia we continued to talk, dream, pray and
search for what God wanted for us to do as friends with what we had both been
through. We had so much we wanted to share and the Lord really impressed upon our
hearts to encourage women with what we had learned and experienced.
I know that there are many of you out there who are hurting. Some of you have
already shared your stories with us and being in the ministry my husband and I hear
stories daily of sickness, sadness and tragedy. My heart is very heavy for you and
I am praying for you today. In the midst of your pain I am praying that God will
show you your life's purpose. When I was at one of the lowest points of my life,
that is when God showed me what my purpose is. I feel that my purpose is to do
afterthemiracle.com with Rachel and encourage and uplift women
wherever I am. See, when God showed me what it was He wanted me to do that is when
the healing started for me. I made a choice to focus on my purpose in life and not
on my pain. When the Lord shows you your purpose, my prayer is that your focus
will then be on what it is God wants you to do and not on your pain. God loves you
today and He does have a purpose for your life.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Everyday, when I sit down to write my blog, I want to write something that will
uplift you or make you laugh or make you think. I've sat in front of my computer
for the last 2 1/2 hours trying to think of something to share with you today.
Girls, to be honest, today was a crazy day. I spent time cleaning, doing laundry,
cooking and getting haircuts. Rachel is coming this weekend with her family and we
are really looking forward to spending some time at the beach relaxing and having
some girl time. I love that our families get along so well and our kids can play
and our husbands talk and of course she and I will laugh and dream like we always
do. I am so thankful to have Rachel in my life. She is the friend in my life that
I can always count on. She is the one who believes in me and pushes me to do what
I think I cannot do. She always points me to the Lord and assures me that in the
end, everything will be okay. I hope that you have a friend like this.
I am proud to be doing after the miracle with Rachel. God has taken what
she and I have been through and has done something amazing. I KNOW that Rachel is
going to see this, so to her I say, I love you girl and thank you for always
believing in me and being a Godly example.
Friday, September 4, 2009
In yesterday's blog I wrote about not wanting to miss my kids growing up. About
wanting to slow down and enjoy the ball games and other things they are a part of.
Well today was orientation and meet and greet the teachers at their new schools. I
think I was just as nervous as they were. See my kids came from a small Christian
School where their dad was an associate pastor, so he was right there for them. I
liked having my husband right there. He could spy on the kids anytime he needed
to. As you can see this is all new for us. I guess it is kind of a letting go. I
watched as my 2nd grade son walked in and met his teacher and she treated him like
he was the most special kid she ever met. Well, I loved her right away! He looked
around the room and was excited about all the things that he saw and the things
that they would do. I walked away with a sigh of relief knowing that my baby was
going to be okay. I had one down and one more to go.
I walked into my daughter's high school a few hours later and had to fight back
the tears. Okay, I am not that old, not even 40 yet and I know that what I am
about to say sounds old but here it goes...I can’t believe she is in high school...I
remember putting her on the school bus in kindergarten...with her red hair in a pony
tail and ribbon, her little nike sneakers and stylin' little jeans. She has turned
into a beautiful young lady. As I walked behind her tonight just watching her as
she found her classes, teachers and her locker, I was sad that she has grown up and
become so independent. But, I am so proud of her. I know that she will always need
her mother and I will always be here for her. I still need mine and I am so
thankful that I had and have a remarkable mother.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
I was at my son's baseball practice the other night and was watching him as he
hit the ball and ran bases and just laughed with the other kids. Of course I am a
typical woman. I was sitting there thinking about all the things I needed to get
done. The house isn't clean, there's laundry to be done and dishes in the sink from
dinner. I was distracted. Meanwhile, my son is having the time of his life, just
being a boy and playing ball. I am missing it because I have too many other things
on my mind. We as mothers wear so many hats. To be honest with you, I have
struggled with this for many years. You hear the older ladies say "Enjoy these
moments they will be all grown up before you know it." We laugh and say
"Oh I know
they will." I guess that night as I decided to slow down and watch him play I
realized that he is growing up and he is becoming a big boy who before too long
won't need his mother as much. I don't know about you ladies but I don't want to
miss one thing that my son or my daughter are doing. Being a mom is the best job I
have. My house will always need cleaning, there will always be dirty laundry. I
want to slow down and watch my son play ball and watch my daughter continue to grow
into a beautiful young lady. The most important job we have is to help our
children turn into wonderful, caring, responsible adults. I am so glad that God
has blessed me with my children. They are my world!!
Wednesay, September 2, 2009
I was thinking today about all the people in my life who
are hurting. We just recently moved to a new community and new church.
My husband and I have been overwhelmed with the pain and hurting there is
in our small church and community. I have spent much time praying and asking God
what can I do to reach out to those who are hurting? "I'm only one person," I have
thought, and how can I reach out to all of them? In the last week, a family friend
lost her husband, someone we know found a mass on her breast, a father is dying in
the hospital and probably won't make it but another day, our neighbor has
pancreatic cancer and the Lord has blessed her with more time then the doctor's
said. My heart is so heavy as I look at what they will face or have faced. What do
you say? I don't know why these things happen. I don't have answers and I can't
make the pain go away or change the diagnosis. I do know that we have a heavenly
Father who knows our pain and is waiting for us to look to Him.
When I have spoken to people who are hurting I always hear... "I just want
someone to listen and I want to know that someone cares." I have not mastered
reaching out to everyone, but I have tried to send cards and give hugs when I see
them. Talk with them and let them know I am praying and that I will be there for
them. Ladies, if you have someone in your life who is hurting today, then call her
up, tell her you love her, and that you are there for her. I am sure she needs a
friend to just listen and comfort her in her time of need.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
My children are getting ready to start school next week.
I have a teenage daughter who will be starting high school this year.
Everything must be perfect. Not only is she starting high school but we
just moved into the area so she is also new, so she must
look perfect and have everything perfect. Yesterday we decided that we would go
shopping for the perfect shoes. Now ladies, we all
understand how important it is to have the perfect shoes to go with that special
outfit. However, my husband and my 7 year old son
were going as well. This was to be our "family day". My husband was thinking how
hard could it be to find a pair of shoes and a backpack.
Oh my he was in for an experience!!!!We went to the first store she found a pair
she liked but not in her size, the same thing
happened at the next store. They agreed to call some of their other stores to see
if they had her size. They did but my husband didn't seem
to understand why we would drive away from this area that had so many shoe stores.
She did settle on a a pair of shoes but it just wasn't the same
because they weren't the color she wanted. Her dad was just glad she got a
pair.
Next, we were off for a backpack. My husband thought
this would be so easy just grab one and we were off to Barnes and Noble
which was what he had been waiting for. However, this was not the
case. We hit every store on the strip in the pouring down rain
and she just wasn't finding what she wanted. Did we not understand that it
needed to look cool and match all the outfits she had
bought for school? We would walk into a store and they would have like 30 to
choose from and she would do the scan over and say "no
none here". My husband just looked at her like she was crazy and started pulling
them off the rack and saying "What is wrong with
this one?" I laughed when she said, "Dad, they are athletic ones, I need a cool
looking one." He shook his head and started
towards the exit. Finally, we found a skater,surf shop
that had the perfect backpacks. Now, her Dad and brother had already gone on
to Barnes and Noble to meet up with an old friend. We walked into the
store and there it was hanging on the rack. It was the
perfect one, had lots of color and had the brand name she wanted, our day
was complete.
When we got home last night I started thinking about
finding the perfect things in our life. We search for perfect happiness and
perfect peace. We go in and out of churches, relationships and
other areas to find it. The scriptures tell us that God will give us
perfect peace, peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). If you're
looking for perfect peace today why not open your Bible today
and search the scriptures and find the one who can give it to you.
"And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
~Philippians 4:7
Do you ever have one of those days where you feel blah? Nothing's really
wrong, but you just feel unmotivated, unproductive, and a little lonely. I had
one of those days Tuesday. The kids were back in school after a long weekend and
Isabella took two really great naps, so a lot of my day, I had to myself. You
would think I would have had a wonderful day! But, in actuality, I didn't. It
was actually pretty lonely and I found myself with too much time to think and worry
about little things going on in our life right now (which unfortunately is what I
sometimes do when I have time!)
As I was going through my day yesterday, I was thinking of how I could weave
this into my blog to help others who also might have been feeling down. And, I
kept getting frustrated that I didn't really have any great words of wisdom or
Bible verses to share that lifted me out of my loneliness yesterday. I basically
had a bad day. One where I didn't feel like I got enough accomplished, I felt
alone, and couldn't wait for the day to be over. It was one of those days, where
you'd wish a friend would just call you up and say, "We're going shopping!"
And then, that happened!! Well, not shopping, but a friend called and said, "I
don't want to cook tonight, want to meet for dinner?" So, we loaded our 5 kids in
the car and went out to dinner. And, I have to say, it was exactly what I needed
on a day where I felt a little down and alone.
It really made me remember how God takes care of the big things and even takes
care of the little things in our days. Throughout the day yesterday, I was praying
that God would pull me out of my bad day. And, He did! So, I don't really
have any great sage advice for those sorts of days, except to say that you really
aren't alone. God is with you all the time, in all places, and on all types of
days. And, He cares about our days when we have big problems and our days when we
just feel out of sorts.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
What are you good at?
If you are a confident individual, then you probably just rattled off five or
six things that you excel at! If you struggle with self esteem, then you may have
paused and not come up with anything that you thought was notable. Or maybe you
came up with something, but don't think it is nearly as cool as what your friends
are good at. Well, today, I want to talk about your gifts and how we can use our
gifts, or rather how God can use our gifts.
A couple of months ago, I was sitting in a Sunday School class where the teacher
was talking about Jesus feeding the 5000. And, as he was teaching that story, the
thing that really struck me is that the disciples just brought what they had (a
couple of fish and some loaves of bread) to Jesus and then He took them and did
something amazing. The disciples didn't think that they had very much to offer
and they certainly didn't have enough to do what needed to be done: feed thousands
of people. But, they still brought it to Jesus, Jesus blessed it, and Jesus used
it to feed thousands.
Isn't that true of our gifts also? We may not think we're smart enough, strong
enough, or talented enough to do anything great. But, what you think doesn't
matter. What matters is that you bring it to Jesus, let Him bless it, and then
watch Him use it.
So, what are you good at? You are good at something. God gave each one of us
something that we can, and must, use for Him. What is it? Just bring it to
Jesus and watch Him do marvelous things with it.
"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others,
faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."
~I Peter 4:10
Monday, September 28, 2009
We had a great weekend. We spent Saturday morning on the football field with my
son and then went to Virginia for about 20 hours to celebrate my nieces' birthdays.
Even though traveling through the beltways of Baltimore and Washington, D.C. is
always so frustrating, I am so refreshed when I hit the countryside of Virginia.
My sister-in-law and her husband live in a very small community about sixty miles
south of Richmond. The town has a population of about 500 people and is a sweet,
little country town in southern Virginia.
On Sunday morning, I took a walk before doing my devotion and just basked in the
morning sunlight and open space. I heard dogs barking in the distance and very
little else. It was so peaceful and reminded me of another small Virginia village
that I love so much.
After I took my morning walk, I went inside to do my devotion and was so blessed
to read the following verses in Psalm 90:
12 Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
13 Relent, O LORD! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. (NIV)
It was such a fitting set of verses for my morning in the country. As I read
these verses, I was reminded that I must spend my days on this earth wisely. I
really like verse 12 and in other versions, it is clear that we must be spending
our days well. In The Message, it reads:
"Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well!" (v. 12, The
Message)
Are you living your days wisely today? Are you spending your time well? Or are
you wasting a lot of your time with things of this world? As I walked through the
countryside on an early Sunday morning, I was reminded that I just may not be
spending my time as well as I could be. It was very nice to slow down a bit and
reflect on what is important, even if it was only for about 20 hours this weekend.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Have you ever had one of those days that you'd like to have back? Be able to
have a do-over? I had one of those days yesterday. I won't go into the details,
but suffice it to say, I would do some things differently if I could.
It also didn't help that I was alone last evening. My husband was out of town
on business, so once I put the kids to bed at 8 o'clock, I was left to my own
thoughts and reflections. And, sometimes, that's not a good thing! But, in this
case, it did turn out well.
As I was reflecting on the day last night, I was searching for a verse to help
myself feel better.
And, I ran across Romans 15:4:
"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that
through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
It really made me think about how we have the best resource for our bad days in
the Bible. There are so many stories and examples of "bad days." In fact, there
are far worse examples of "bad days" in the Bible than I had yesterday. And, we
just need to use the resource that God has given us to get us through those bad
days.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
This week, I have been sharing the things from WOF that I really enjoyed. And,
today, I want to share with you the thing that really resonated with me. And, it
was something that made a big impact on me in August as well when I went to the WOF
conference in Washington, D.C. And, that is Lisa Whelchel's talk.
Now, if you are a child of the 70s and 80s, then you loved Facts of Life.
I watched every episode and I wanted to be Blair. She was, hands down, my
favorite. I loved her attitude, her beauty, and just everything about her. So,
when I heard that Blair was going to speak at Women of Faith this year, I was
ecstatic. And, I was giddy with excitement in Washington, D.C. as I met her on the
floor of the arena and then waited in line for her to sign my book. But, while I
started out just a crazy fan of hers, I began to realize that I could relate to her
quite a bit and I began to truly admire her.
I discuss the themes of her talk a little more in today's Relationship Corner.
But, I will share here some of my personal revelations. Lisa talked about her days
on the set of Facts of Life and even about how she moved to California from
Texas when she was about 12 years old. She remembers being independent,
autonomous, and basically in control of her life. She found her own apartment, set
up her phone and electric, and settled into California life all on her own. At age
12! She was successful in her job and she had an attitude of work hard, figure
out how to do something, and you can do it. Period.
I understand that. I also have that same approach to life. If you try hard
enough or think hard enough, you can figure anything out. You can succeed.
Period.
The problem is, and Lisa talked about this, is that being that autonomous, that
independent, that successful can be lonely and can lead to an emotion-less life.
You find yourself building walls around your heart because you believe that being
independent and autonomous is what people expect of you. And, in your weakness,
you don't ask others for help (because that would show others you can't do
something). Instead, you just try harder, think harder. Because what would
people think if you failed at something? What would people think if this strong,
autonomous, in-control woman, couldn't do something?
Lisa shared a story about how she met a woman, her "Emmet," who helped her let
those walls down around her heart. And, showed her that she could be loved for
herself. Not just for what she'd accomplished or how good she was at something.
Just for being Lisa Whelchel, flaws and all.
It was a very powerful talk for those of us who feel the need to be in control,
autonomous, and perfect. I have an Emmet and I am very thankful for her. She
reminds me that I don't have to be good at everything or strong all the time. I
can just be me and that's enough for her. And, that's enough for God. I pray
that you have an Emmet too.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
All week, we have been sharing things that impacted us from last weekend's Women
of Faith Conference. And, the thing that I would like to share with you today is
Steven Curtis Chapman's story. He gave a mini-concert on Friday night and it was
amazing. He briefly talked about his daughter, Maria, who was killed tragically in
his own driveway last year. He talked about how he had received so much support
and prayer from his fans, friends, and family. And, he talked about how it was
only the Lord who was seeing him through this dark, dark time in his life.
I found a Focus on the Family interview that Steven did earlier this year.
In it, he talks about this tragedy and how he got, and is getting, through. One
thing he said was that, "We've hit rock bottom, but we've found a solid foundation
beneath our feet."
When I heard that, I was instantly reminded of Matthew 7:25:
"The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against
that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock."(v.
25)
I can only imagine what the Chapman family has been going through over the past
18 months. And, I imagine that it felt much like rain coming down, streams rising,
and winds blowing and beating against the house. And yet, they did not fall
because they had their foundation on the rock. His concert was amazing. And,
their family is simply amazing.
Yesterday was a hard day for me. I had to go back to work after an amazing
weekend at Women of Faith with my best friend. And, honestly, it was really tough
for me to make the mental switch from an amazing weekend to the mundane world of
housework, teaching, and traffic.
It made me think of Moses after he was face to face with God. What did he feel
like when he came down off the mountain and had to get back to life as usual? He
had this great conversation with God and he had all of these new things to share
and he was back in the world, trying to share them. It must have been hard. It
was for me on Monday. I wanted my face to be glowing from the high that I was on.
And, instead, I found myself frustrated that I had to return to work and all I
wanted to do was bask in the high a little longer.
One thing that I did when I returned home from work is that I spent some time
writing in my journal everything that impacted me this weekend. Everything from
the silly adventures that we took around Philadelphia to the deep insights that the
women of the weekend shared.
Yesterday, I shared that a dominant theme that emerged from the weekend was one
of brokenness and God delivering us through the darkness. Another theme that
emerged was that of friendship. In many of the stories and testimonies, we heard
of how the Lord sent very special people to help them through their life. Patsy
Clairmont talked about one such woman as she discussed fireflies. As Wendy
mentioned yesterday in her blog, fireflies are those who help us through our lives
by shining the light of Christ to guide our paths. Patsy talked about losing one
of her best friends last year. She shared how she had been friends with this
person for over 50 years and how she simply adored this woman. As she told the
story, she emphasized how the Lord sends fireflies to us throughout our lives.
Some may stay for a season or some may stay for a lifetime, as this woman did.
The warmth of this relationship was so evident as Patsy talked about her and it was
quite moving to hear. My heart was so full as I heard her talk and I applied it to
my own life. It reminded me how important relationships are and how we all need to
strive to be fireflies in other people's lives. And just how precious those
fireflies are.
Monday, September 21, 2009
I haven't blogged since Friday because we have been at the Women of Faith
conference in Philadelphia this weekend. And, as it always is, it was an amazing
conference that I was fortunate enough to share with someone who is so very dear to
me. I am going to share some of the most important things that I learned
throughout this week's blogs. I'll share personal and spiritual revelations with
you and look forward to hearing from anyone who also went to WOF this year and
would like to share their revelations with us.
Today, my heart is so very full. I almost don't even know where to begin. We
heard stories of heartache, stories of personal triumph, stories of personal loss,
stories of special friendship, and stories of God's deliverance. And, the one
theme that continually emerged was that we all have periods in our life where we
are broken and are dealing with things that we don't think we can get through.
But, in our brokenness, our weakness, the Lord is with us. He will give us the
strength to persevere. He will give us the friendships to restore hope, trust, and
love in our lives. And, ultimately He will deliver you.
In your season of brokenness, you do not have to deliver yourself. He will.
And, trust Him to be able to deliver you when you ask Him to. And, trust that He
will send people to you who will stand by you, cry with you, laugh with you, and
love you through it.
My heart is so very full...and I look forward to sharing with you some of the
contents of my heart.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Today is going to be a quick blog because Wendy and I are getting ready to go to
Women of Faith today. I've said it already, but I am so excited to hear what the
Lord is going to say to us this weekend. I look forward to sharing insights that
He shares with us through my blog.
And, I have to say that there is truly nothing better than sharing these events
with your spiritual sister. Every time Wendy and I get together, I am reminded of
the verse in Romans:
"I long to see you...so that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each
other's faith"
~Romans 1:11-12
Wendy is my spiritual sister and more than the fun, laughs, and shopping that we
do, the encouragement that we provide to each other is what I look forward to each
time we get together.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Its kind of funny. Wendy's and my blogs are very similar today. Probably
because we're both very excited about going to Women of Faith this weekend. Have
you ever been so excited that you just couldn't stand it? That's how I feel
today. In fact, there are a lot of things happening in my life that I am excited
about. Some of them I can share with you now and some I am going to wait to
share.
Right now, I am so excited to be going to Women of Faith this weekend. As
Wendy mentioned in her blog, it is such an amazing, powerful, emotional, and
spiritual event. There is nothing like sitting in an arena with 10,000 other
women who are crying, singing, laughing, and praising God. And, if you're
listening, God will clearly speak to you. I found that to be the case when I went
to the Women of Faith conference in Washington, D.C. just over a month ago. It was
the first time I had ever gone and I was just overwhelmed with how God spoke to me
that weekend. In fact, I had a major revelation while I was there that I will
share with you in a couple of days!
For now, I am just excited. I am excited to go back to Women of Faith and to
hear God speaking. And, I am really excited to be sharing this with Wendy. There
is nothing better than experiencing God with your best friend.
I am so excited. And, I look forward to sharing my experiences, revelations,
and insights with you. I can't wait to share how God speaks this weekend!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Today is my mother's birthday, so I thought I would take today's blog to talk
about my mom and how special she is to me. Growing up, my mom and I were really
close. She and I got along really well and it seemed like we spent a lot of time
together and went to the mall every Saturday when I was a teenager. I'm sure we
weren't shopping every Saturday, but that is what I remember!
One thing I always appreciated about my mother was that she was there for me,
all the time. When I came home from school, she was there. And, that was rare
among most of my friends, whose mothers worked outside of the home. You might not
think that a teenager would like to have her mother around, but I did. It was nice
to have her there when I would come home and I remember sitting in our kitchen
talking about all sorts of things. I realized how special it was then and I really
appreciate it now as I reflect on how she put her career on hold for about 15 years
to raise my brother and me. And, for a college educated woman of the feminist
movement whose friends were out climbing the corporate ladder, choosing to be a
stay at home mom may have felt like an isolating choice at times. But, it was the
right choice and I'm glad she made that choice.
Today, we may not live in the same city, but we're still emotionally as close as
we ever were. And, as I have become a mother myself, I certainly appreciate the
choices she made and hope that I can be to my daughters what she was (and is) to
me.
Happy birthday mom! I love you.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Are you waiting for something? Waiting for a new direction? Waiting for an
answer to prayer? Waiting for test results? Waiting to take the next step in your
life? Waiting for someone to make a decision that impacts your life? Are you
waiting?
Waiting is tough. I've shared with you how I have been forced to wait in my
past and it is hard. Even now in my life, I have things that I am trying to
accomplish and places I'm trying to reach and I'm impatient. I'm sure many of you
are like this too. We seem to be so impatient to get to our destination that we
lose the journey.
I have already shared with you how I love music and I have another song to share
with you today. Now, I'm asking you to follow me on this one because it may seem a
little odd to share here. But, here goes...
I have a five year old daughter who just loves Miley Cyrus (AKA Hannah Montana).
And, I was watching the Hannah Montana movie with her recently and was really
struck by the song The Climb. Now, before you disregard anything I am
saying today because I am citing Hannah Montana, I want you to really listen to the
song. I think it has a very good message and those of you who have little girls
probably know this song by heart. When I first heard it, I liked it. I liked the
message and I think it is particularly fitting here for anyone waiting to get to a
destination. Also, if you listen to the words, the song has pretty good
theology:
"I gotta keep trying. Gotta keep my head held high.
There's always gonna be another mountain. I'm always gonna want to make it
move.
Always gonna be an uphill battle. Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose.
It aint about how fast I get there. Aint about what's waiting on the other side.
It's the climb."
Listen to the words. Our life is a series of mountains to climb and waiting to
get to the other side. And, there will always be another goal, another mountain,
another hardship that we have to get through. And, if we always focus on the
destination, we will miss the journey. We will miss the climb. We will miss how
the Lord blesses us during the waiting.
So, if you are waiting today for something, then try to enjoy the waiting.
Watch how the Lord works during the waiting and praise Him as you wait. Enjoy the
climb.
Just remember to enjoy the climb and to wait patiently on the Lord. Take every
step in obedience while you are waiting. Serve Him, worship Him, and watch Him
work during the waiting.
"I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope."
~Psalm 130:5
Monday, September 14, 2009
I love music. And, I think music is one of the best ways that we can worship,
feel uplifted, and really hear God speaking. I use music everyday to lift my
spirits, to get energized, to uplift a friend, and even to pray.
Today, I want to share a song with you. I really like this song because it is
upbeat and I think it is a great song when you are having a bad day. And some
days, I find, that you don't have anything really wrong in your life, but
you just feel a little down. And, I think this song is great for those types of
days. On this Monday, you may need a pick-me-up and I think this song can do
it.
Enjoy the song and remember to leave it in the valley!!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
I think its funny that I was talking about memories in Thursday's blog, because
Friday was full of remembering. It was September 11th, so everyone was
remembering the events of that day 8 years ago. I remember watching the Today Show
when the planes hit the World Trade Center buildings. I remember watching them
talk about the first plane and how it must have been pilot error and then live on
television, I watched the second plane fly into the second building. I can still
remember the shock, questions, and sadness on Matt Lauer's face as it unfolded live
in front of us all. I, like so many others, also remember how our country pulled
together and how the American flags flew. It was a horrible time in America's
history, but it also felt so great to be an American!
In addition to remembering 9-11, Friday was full of other memories for me. I
had an appointment for Isabella yesterday morning at Johns Hopkins Hospital. And,
even though I work on that campus and have been to the medical campus many times
since last year, I had not been to this part of the hospital since our pregnancy
with Isabella. And, when I was there yesterday morning, the memories just came
flooding back. Everything from the orange security bracelet that they make
patients wear to the smell of the hospital to the droves of families that flock to
Johns Hopkins for care for their children brought all of the memories back. It
was almost overwhelming. I sat there looking at Isabella, 15 months old, sitting
up in her stroller smiling at all of the people in the elevator and was overwhelmed
with emotion.
On this September 11th, I am so very thankful. Thankful for Isabella. Thankful
for all of the blessings that my family has been given. Thankful for my country and
all of the heroes from that day 8 years ago and every other day in our nation's
history.
May God Continue to Bless America.
Friday, September 11, 2009
I was driving yesterday to an appointment and I passed a Dunkin Donuts and it
made me smile. Not because I love donuts, but because it reminded me of someone
who loves their iced coffee. And, for that moment, that person was on my
mind.
If your days are like mine, they are full of reminders of things. Good
memories. Bad memories. Friends. Family members. A song could come on the radio
and I can instantly remember my senior prom. Or, I could see a car drive by that
reminds me of a friend who I haven't seen in years who used to drive that same type
of car. My day is full of reminders.
This experience made me think about how we should deliberately place reminders
in our life. I have Isabella's baby announcement tucked into the sun visor in my
car because I like to be reminded daily of the miracle of her birth. And, every
time I put the visor down, it falls into my lap. It drives my husband crazy, but I
love having it there as a reminder of what God did in our life.
Do you have a phrase or verse that inspires you? If you do, then put it on a
card and place it where you can see it throughout your day. Having these things
around us can help to encourage us as we see them and remember their meaning.
I really like having little reminders throughout my day of important people,
events, and memories. I like hearing songs and remembering a meaningful event or
seeing a restaurant and thinking of a friend. And, I really like seeing a verse
and remembering that God loves me, protects me, and carries me through my day.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Yesterday was a rough day. As I was going through my day, I kept thinking, what
am I going to write about in my blog? I woke up at 6am, did a quick devotion, got
ready, and hit I-95 at 7am to get to a meeting by 8am. I had meetings nearly every
hour all day long. By the time 4pm hit, I was exhausted, frustrated, and feeling
as if I did not accomplish everything I needed to and didn't even get to do what I
wanted to.
But then, God spoke. Have you ever had a moment where you really felt
God speaking and everything turns around? Let me tell you about my evening last
night...
My son had football practice, so my husband and oldest daughter went to that and
I was home alone with Isabella. I was still pretty frustrated from the day, had a
headache, and was not feeling particularly spiritual. I put Isabella to bed and
knew that I needed to have some quiet time before my kids and husband came home
from football. I went into the sitting area of my bedroom and was searching for a
new devotional series that I had purchased. I figured it would be a good thing to
start and I needed "a reset" if my evening was going to be better than my day was.
Well, I couldn't find the series I was looking for, felt even more frustrated, and
then stumbled upon a book that was deep in my end table. It was small and I hadn't
read it before, so I figured I'd see what it was all about.
The book is called The Prayer of Jabez and is only about 90 pages long
and looks like a children's book in size and style. I started reading it and two
hours later, I hadn't put it down and had finished it. I also had written notes in
it and underlined key passages to remember later. And, I had already decided that
I was going to mail it to a friend who I thought it would be perfect for. What
started as a coincidental finding of a book in a moment of frustration, ended with
an attitude changing revelation. And, even better than lifting my mood for the
evening, this tiny book has given me a new approach to my prayer life. You see,
this book is about praying in your daily life the same prayer that Jabez prayed.
I don't know if you are familiar with the prayer of Jabez. It is located in I
Chronicles 4, verses 9-10. If you look it up, you'll notice that it is 2 small
verses in the middle of chapters listing the genealogy of Hebrew tribes. And, you
may have seen these chapters before and just gone right on by. Here are the two
verses:
"Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his
name Jabez, saying, 'Because I born him in pain.' And Jabez called on the God of
Israel saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that
Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not
cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested."
Today, I spent two hours reading about these two verses. And, my prayer life
has been changed.
In this book, author Bruce Wilkinson describes what this prayer means and how we
can pray it in our daily life and in doing so, can be blessed beyond measure.
Ultimately, you are asking for God to work greatly through you and to enlarge your
influence for Him. You are asking to be blessed beyond measure by allowing God to
work through you to reach others (to enlarge your territory of influence for Him).
And, you are asking for His help as you do it and His protection as you become
successful. There is nothing more dangerous to Satan than someone who has become
influential for God. So, as you pray for more influence for Him, you must also
pray for protection from temptation.
Now, I am sure I haven't done this book justice in my one paragraph description.
I hope I have piqued your interest a little and that you find this book at your
local bookstore and read it for yourself. Ultimately, in all of our lives, we can
pray that the Lord works through us to influence others. And, to influence others
greatly. My friends, pray boldly today that you would be blessed largely by
having God work through you in mighty ways.
After a day of frustration, I coincidentally stumbled upon this great book and
heard God speaking. Coincidentally? I think not.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Do you ever feel like you have found yourself on the wrong path? I just
started reading Andy Stanley’s book called The Principle of the Path. I am
only 3 chapters in, but am finding it very interesting so far. He writes about
choosing the right path for your life. And, despite all the best intentions,
prayers, and goals, if you do not walk the path that leads to the destination that
you dream of, then you will not get there. He also talks about how we don't end up
places by accident. Our destinations are a product of the paths that we have
chosen and if we want to "be" in a different place in life, then we have to choose
a different path. And, he talks about how our daily decisions reveal to us the
path that we are on. Every area of our life (financial, emotional, relationship,
health, occupational) has a path that we are walking. Is the path you are on in
your finances or in your relationship or in your occupation taking you towards the
destination that you desire?
Here's a quote that really hit me as I was reading the first few chapters:
"When you get lost in life, you don't waste minutes or hours. You can waste
an entire season of your life. Choosing the wrong path in life will cost you
precious years. Nobody wants to do that. Nobody wants to wake up in his fifties
and wish he had taken a different path in his thirties."
What path are you on in your relationship? In your finances? In your career?
In your life? Is it the right path? Do you want to change your path so that you
don't end up wasting an entire season of your life? I know that I don't want to
wake up in my fifties and wish I had taken a different path in my thirties. So
ask yourself today, "Am I on the right path?"
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
As I sit to write my blog this Tuesday morning, I have to admit to you all that
I'm a little sad. As I mentioned yesterday, I was visiting Wendy this weekend.
And, the day after is always a little sad as I spend moments laughing about the fun
we had and wishing that we lived in the same town again and could have this kind of
fun more easily. But, as I sit here a little sad this morning, I also sit here
feeling so very blessed.
Recently, I have been thinking a lot about friendship and how important
relationships with other people are. The Bible talks a lot about friends and shows
examples of special friendships through Jonathan and David, Ruth and Naomi, and
Paul and Timothy. As we see throughout the Bible and as we see in our own lives,
God has given us friendships with other people to encourage us, support us, love
us, and help us grow in Him.
As I think about friendships, I have also been thinking about how we build and
maintain them. Interestingly enough, my research area within Psychology is
relationships. For about 15 years, I have studied how friends help us through
stress, how we give back to them in their time of need, and how that makes us feel
emotionally and physically. (If you are having trouble sleeping, I could give you
a copy of a few of my academic publications, guaranteed to put you right to sleep!)
Today, one thing that I am thinking about is how we maintain relationships,
especially as life takes over. And, one thing that I see in my own life and in my
research is that relationships take time. You need to feed them, spend time on
them, and make them a priority if you want them to thrive.
I have seen this first hand this summer when Wendy moved from Baltimore to
Virginia. And, I feel the need to be really honest with you all and tell you that
we have traveled a lot to see each other this summer. And, due to the flexibility
of my schedule, I have been able to go to Virginia more than Wendy is able to come
to Baltimore. And friends, I have heard a lot of comments, criticism, and
questions about my traveling to see Wendy so frequently. In the 2 1/2 months
since they've been in southeastern Virginia, we have gotten together about seven
times. And, trust me, every time I am heading down there, someone says to me,
"You're going to Virginia again?" Now, as you've seen, we've been working on this
endeavor. But, even if we were not, I would still go see her. And do you know
why? Because even though the Lord has given us our special friendship,
we are responsible for maintaining it. And, it will not last if we
don't maintain it.
Relationships are important. God has told us that and research has confirmed
that. And, I believe that we need to spend time on them. But, sometimes it feels
like finding, building, and maintaining relationships is not easy. From my
academic work on relationships and from advice given throughout the Bible, I
believe there are some things that we can do to find, build and maintain
relationships with others. And, I want to share those tips with you.
I am writing today to tell you that I will be introducing a new column next week
on friendship. In it, I will explore what the Bible tells us about friendship and
I will show you what some of the research shows us on friendship. I think it is so
very interesting to see how science is confirming what the Bible has told us about
relationships with others. And, I am very excited to show you some of the tips for
building important relationships with others. I hope this column will be helpful
as you find, build, and maintain relationships in your life. So, look for this
column next week and remember to thank God every day for giving you the special
people in your life and make sure you take time to maintain these relationships.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Neither Wendy nor I blogged yesterday because it was a busy, busy day! As she
mentioned in her blog on Saturday, my family is visiting hers this weekend. We
went to church in the morning and then to the beach in the afternoon to get in one
more summer day in the sun before all the kids are back in school (mine already
went back and hers go back tomorrow). As always, we had a fabulous time. There is
nothing better than watching your kids roll themselves in sand until they are all
covered, watching your husbands boogie board like they were 16 years old, and just
sitting and talking with your best friend about everything from suntan lines to
God's will.
We will head home soon (everyone is still asleep as I write this) and as I
reflect on going back to Baltimore, I sit here thinking about everything that has
transpired in the past 2 years. Wendy and I have been through a lot, as we have
mentioned in past posts and stories. But, through it all, we have gained so much.
First and foremost, we have gained a best friendship that is like a sisterhood.
Isn't it amazing how hardship and tragedy can bond you to other people? In
research, we see it all the time in times of crisis, war, and tragedy. Similarly,
we see it in our own lives. But, even more important than the special friendship
that has come out of this, we have both been reminded of how mighty and faithful
our God is. We've both been through some rough things in the past two years.
And, we both have seen God's grace, love, and guidance through it all.
I truly feel that I have had such a revelation over the past 8 months about what
is important in life, what you should do with the hardships that come your way, and
how very important the special people in your life are. It truly is ALL about
loving God, loving and cherishing the people in your life, and having time to do
both. And, if you don't have time to do these things, then I strongly suggest
that you look at how you spend your time and figure out how to re-arrange your life
so that you are spending time on your priorities first. I know that is what
Silvano and I plan on doing.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Wendy's blog yesterday made me smile as I was thinking about my own
kindergartener. This was a big week for us. My oldest daughter finished her first
full week of kindergarten. And, my heart is so full as I watch her with her big
backpack that overtakes her body, her big smile waving from the school bus, and her
independence as she says to me, "I can go to the bus stop by myself." Being a mom
is the best job in the world. And, it is my most important job right now.
It reminds me of a conversation that I had recently with a gentleman whose kids
were all grown. He was telling me about the ministries that he was involved in.
And, I remember telling him how I'd love to do something like that, but just don't
have the time. And, he stopped me and said, "At this point in your life, your most
important ministry is raising your children. You'll have time someday to focus on
other people, but right now, your work for eternity is your children and raising
them to know and love God."
That is so true and it was so good to hear that reminder. As women, I think we
need to look at raising our children as a ministry. And, I think we really need to
encourage each other in our roles as mothers and even help each other as we raise
our children. Reminds me of a sweet teenager who jokingly refers to me as her
"second mom."
How great it is to watch the children that you love grow. I love being a mom,
and a second mom!
"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn
from it."
~Proverbs 22:6
Friday, September 4, 2009
Today is my sister in law's birthday. She's 34 today and this year's birthday
is particularly special. Let me tell you why...
About a month ago, she went to the doctor because she thought she had an ulcer
that needed attention. And when they went to scan her stomach, they found that
she had a tumor on her adrenal gland. The tumor was about 13cm or 5 inches in size - about the size of her fist. The doctors immediately started testing to see what
was going on and they diagnosed her with adrenal cortical cancer. Let me tell
you, there is no bigger shock than hearing the word cancer. The doctors then
jumped into a mode of testing to see if it had spread. Come to find out, all of
this testing revealed that the tumor was likely not cancerous. It is very large
and needs to be removed, but it is likely not cancer after all. She's preparing
for surgery now and will likely have the tumor removed in the next couple of weeks.
She's very scared, as you can imagine. But also, very relieved.
I'm writing this blog today to tell her Happy Birthday! And, to tell her that
we love her very much and will be with her as she endures the next few months of
surgery and recovery.
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for
the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." ~Joshua 1:9
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Yesterday was the first day of classes at Hopkins. I
just love the first day of class - everyone is excited, has new
books, highlighters, and backpacks, is well rested from the summer break, and the
campus is just bustling with excitement. And, to top it all off,
we had the most beautiful weather. It was a great day to start
the Fall semester! As I walked to my office, I watched all the young students
laughing and greeting each other and seemingly so excited to be
back at school.
As I was watching the freshness among the students, I
couldn't help but think of my college days. I remember
coming back to school after a summer break and being so excited to be with my
friends again and so eager to conquer the semester. There is
something very special about that sort of excitement and
freshness. And, somehow, it seems that as we get older, we lose that
feeling of a "fresh start."
Like me, I'm sure there are areas of your life that
you'd like to get a fresh start. So, why not make a "new school
year resolution" and go after that fresh start. And, rest in the fact that God can
give us a fresh start if we ask Him for it. There
are so many stories in the Bible where great men and women
faltered and God gave them a fresh start when they asked. So, if you feel
like you need a fresh start, then just ask Him for it.
Then, grab your new backpack, your new class schedule, and enjoy the Fall
semester!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Yesterday was an exciting day. After many weeks of
talking, praying, planning, and traveling, we launched this site.
And yesterday, we were able to sit back and watch as many
of our friends and family visited its pages, sent us emails of
encouragement and shared your stories with us. As I sit here this morning,
I can't help but reflect on my experiences of the past few
years that have brought us to this ministry.
As I was preparing the write-up of Isabella's Story, I
was going through my old emails. And, I found an email that I didn't even
remember writing. It was written on February 6, 2008 as we were dealing
with all of the issues surrounding Isabella's pregnancy. In
this particular email, I ended the note with the following:
"Thank you again for your prayers and for just being
there....we will make it through. I know it. And, hopefully, we can use
this to help others later. For now, we just mourn."
As I reflect on that experience and on this email that I
sent in the midst of it, I am reminded that during our hardships,
we may mourn for a period. And, that is okay. But, we must never lose sight of
the fact that despite how helpless our current situation
may be, "we will make it through." And, someday you will be able to use the
situation to help others. I have had countless
opportunities to share Isabella's Story with people and each time, I feel so
blessed to have that experience.
And, on this morning as we start Day 2 of this website,
I feel very blessed to be sharing with all of you our journey after the
miracle.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
I was driving around doing errands this morning and
listening to my current favorite CD:
Mandisa, True Beauty. And, I was enjoying the quiet
time in the car and actually let myself just
listen to the music and not think about the many things
that I had to do that day. In fact, that
quiet, music-filled time in the car felt much like my daily
devotions feel. As women, I think that
we don't often make time for ourselves to be still, to
pray, and to listen to what God may be saying
to us. This morning, I really appreciated the stillness as
I listened to music in the car and I did
feel God speaking. It makes me think of Mandisa's song
with the same title. If you don't have this
CD, I highly recommend it. And, if you don't have quiet
time with the Lord each day, I really
highly recommend that.
