Memory Verse Monday

I've really been wanting to memorize more scripture. This is an area of my life that I have struggled with. There are a million excuses in the book that I can use, but when I stop and think about all the things in my life that I have memorized and can quote by heart, it puts all those excuses to shame. I can tell you my ABC's and count way past a million. I can tell you what various traffic signals mean, (a green light means go, a red light means stop). I can tell you most of the capitals of all 50 states and where they are located. I know all 66 books of the Bible in order (though I need to review them from time to time). I could tell you how to make certain recipes. I know where most things are located in the grocery store. I can tell you how many cups of sugar are in a gallon of Koolaid. I can drive to many places in town without needing directions because I have memorized how to get there.


Webster defines the word "memorize" as "to commit to memory". It's that simple. What things can you recall without needing to go to another source? It is amazing to me how the Lord made our minds. It is like there is a small computer right on top of our head at our disposal whenever we need it. So if I can memorize, or "commit to memory" all kinds of birth dates and statistics of my children being born. If I can remember how to drive to the government building downtown or when my doctors visits are or a whole number of things...wouldn't you think I could remember a few scripture verses?

I have been discussing my desire and my need to know His word by heart and I got this great idea. What if I challenged you as well and we could be accountable to each other to memorize just one or two verses a week? It may be intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be amazed at how easy it is. Every Monday I will put up a new verse to memorize that week. If you will commit with me to learn it, email me or post a comment. You can remain anonymous if you'd rather, it doesn't matter to me. Just knowing I'm not alone and that there is someone else out there with an index card, studying the same verse as me, will keep me accountable! If there is a verse that has meant a lot to you or that you feel is important in learning, please share it with me.


James tell us that we are not to "merely listen to the word, and so deceive ourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does." (James 1:22-25)


God promises us that by learning His perfect law (the Bible) that we will be free and when we live out His Holy word, obeying it, we will be blessed. How cool is that? I encourage you to join me in this endeavor! I know it will be a blessing to us both!

Week 1: June 30, 2008

"For the word of God is living and active.

Sharper than any double-edged sword,

it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow;

it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

Hebrews 4:12

A Whole Year Gone By...

I realized yesterday that this blog has hit a milestone worth mentioning. One year ago, on June 25, 2007, I wrote my first post! My, how life has changed in just one year! I can look at the faces of my children and see the beginnings of those changes.

I had no idea when I first started writing, that so many other people would want to share in this adventure. In the last year, this site has had almost 140 published posts, almost 7,000 unique visitors and almost 11,000 page uploads! I know to some people, those numbers are small, but to me, they are so much more than I ever expected. To God be the glory!

I want to thank you for sharing in this journey with me. Thank you for your encouragement when I've needed it and for your prayers when I really needed them. You are such a blessing to my life and I feel honored that you would take time out of your busy day to come here.

I don't know what will come next, but I do know that I will keep on writing as long as the Lord gives me the words to say. Thank you again for sharing in this adventure of the unknown with me! You are such a blessing!

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Ephesians 2:10

Out of the Mouth of Babes!

My mom, Kelsey and I had decided long ago that we wanted to throw my sister, Katie a baby shower before she left for Washington. We know just how much stuff it takes to have a new baby! We had all these ideas of how to make it a nice, yet inexpensive shower. We were going to bake a lot of food so that we wouldn't have to buy alot of stuff. Then, as most of you know, my family got the dreaded stomach bug. I decided that I could still make two Angel food cakes if my mom could bake the rest. On Friday she called me and said that she was starting to feel sick too! I decided that we had to change our plan and change it fast. We had two days until Sunday for the shower!


I called Walmart and found out that it would be close to $25 dollars to buy a cake. Mom and I decided that we could each swing $12.50 and just buy a cake and save ourselves from all those hours in the kitchen. I have bought many cakes from Walmart and I have always been very happy with them. The store closest to my house couldn't make a cake in time so I called another store, that I had never dealt with before. I should have known by the conversation on the phone that it wasn't going to turn out like we had pictured in our minds. Here is how the conversation went:


Me-"I need a cake for a baby shower and I would like it to be white and have pastel flowers on it."


Walmart lady-"A white cake with flowers on it? For a baby shower? Why don't we just do a 'Baby Shower Cake'?"


Me-"What is a 'Baby Shower Cake' exactly?"


WL- "Oh you know, we have those plastic things and we just stick 'em all over the cake. Like a pink stork and things."


Me-"Well, that's a good idea, but I think we really just want a pretty cake with flowers on it."


WL-"Alright then, What color flowers?"


Me-"Pastel colors, like pink, yellow and purple maybe. It's for a little girl, so don't put tons of blue on it, but we don't really want tons of pink either-if that makes any sense! And I'd like to put a bible verse for the writing, if that's ok."


WL-"A bible verse? On a cake?"


Me-"Yeah, it says, 'All good and perfect things come from up above.' James 1:17a"


Wl-"Whoa, that is way too much to write on a cake! What about just 'Congratulations' or 'It's a girl' or something like that?"


Me-"No, that's alright, if it's too much to write, just leave it blank and I can always have yall add something when I come to pick it up."


WL-"Ok, let me get this straight, you want a plain white cake with flowers on it and no writing...for a baby shower?"


Me-"Yep, that's right. A little less traditional I know! Thanks so much!"


So...come Sunday. I am running around my house trying to get dressed to leave. My dad, brother and friend have all come over to play Axis and Allies while all the women are at the baby shower. I'm about to leave when my son has a horrible dirty diaper where I have to change not just the diaper, but also his clothes. I finally make it out the door with all that I am supposed to bring. I'm a little behind schedule and I have to go pick up the cake from Walmart to bring to the church.


I walk up to the counter and tell them my name. I refrained from saying,"I'm the weird lady who wanted the white cake with flowers and no writing, for a baby shower!" The lady behind the counter's face lit up and she said, "Oh that is my favorite cake! I love what you wrote on it!"

I was taken back a little by what she said because as I recalled, it shouldn't have any writing on it! As I walked away carrying the cake, I noticed that it did indeed have words on it-only it was a bit off from what I had originally said. In bright, purple writing it said,"Every Good and Perfect Gift Come From God, For Little Girls."


I repeated it out loud hoping that if I said it enough times that it would sound like proper English. But it wasn't going to happen. So, here I am, in busy Walmart, running late with this ugly cake with hot pink, bright yellow and purple icing all over it and a botched up bible verse that didn't even make a correct sentence on it. I looked in the cake cases, hoping to see another cake I could use instead and all I saw were birthday cakes. I didn't have the heart to make a big fuss after the lady glowingly told me that it was her favorite cake! I called my mom and I was just fuming. Here we are, paid for a cake and I couldn't even put it out because I was so embarrassed to let anyone else see it.


My daughter was with me this whole time. After I got off the phone with my mom and I sat gripping the steering wheel as I drove, in a quiet voice she says, "Mom, I don't understand what is so wrong with the cake-the cake is for a little girl-it's for Katie's little girl. People aren't coming to the shower to eat cake, the are coming to see Katie and give her presents for her little girl."


Out of the mouths of babes comes the truth! I could justify my anger all day long, but in the end, she was right. I realized that I was more upset over people thinking I didn't know my bible verse and that I had messed up something so simple. I was more worried over what people were going to think about me, when this whole shower had nothing to do with me at all-it was all about the celebration of my soon-to-be new niece.

I am so blessed to have a Heavenly Father that will stop me in my tracks and help me see the bigger picture. So often we get all wrapped up in the tiny, meaningless details of life that we forget to keep "the main thing, the main thing"! I challenge you today to look at your life and figure out what your "main thing" is...now go focus on that!

Made Perfect

Last Tuesday, I had all these plans on my calendar for what I was going to do last week. I was going to spend some girl time at my moms with her and my two sisters. I was going to spend some more girl time at the pool with my sister-in-law and her two children. Later in the week she was going to come to the house for our kids to play. I had grocery lists and ideas of going to the library. Nothing important, but I definitely had my week pretty much planned out.


Then I woke up on Tuesday morning. My energy was so drained I had to lay back in bed for 30 minutes after taking a shower. I could barely hold my arm up to blow dry my hair. My husband and my mom/sisters were concerned. Maybe I had mono, or some other illness that required a doctors care. I called Ask-A-Nurse and they told me to seek medical attention. So I gave in and went to the doctor the next day. He told me, he was pretty sure I had a gastrointestinal virus. A gastro what? A virus could make me feel so tired, like I was in the final days of pregnancy? A virus? Are you sure?


That night just after midnight, my daughter woke up and she was sick, sick, sick. And I knew-that doctor did know what he was talking about! As I stood in the bathroom with her, rubbing her back, I started praying. The Lord knows how queasy I get watching someone sick like that. I prayed that I could be a good mama and take good care of her...and I prayed that no one else in my house would get it and that she would get better very soon. I can tell you that He truly showed up for me in that bathroom! All grossness was gone and He gave me the strength I needed, time after time.


But that second part of my prayer, no matter how much I bleached and used Lysol-He chose to say no! Just when we thought we were in the clear, my two boys got that stomach bug. I can tell you, I thanked the Lord repeatedly for my washing machine and bleach cleaner. In the midst of my sick children, and praying for repeated strength, the Lord made me realize something. I have been taking for granted my families good health. I have been making plans without consulting Him and asking Him what He'd like me to do this summer. I felt like Paul when he said, "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of satan, to torment me." (2 Corinthians 12:7). Let me tell you- that stomach flu was no joke and it felt like a thorn in my flesh, tormenting me and my family!


I also remembered something else from that passage of scripture. God told Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor 12:8b) He gave me what I needed to make it through. In the end, I even found myself praising Him for this stomach bug-not because I wanted my family sick, but because it was after all just the stomach flu. It wasn't cancer or a brain tumor or so many other life long illnesses. I knew that no matter how bad it got-in a few days, God willing, we'd be back to normal again. The pool would still be there waiting for us, the cousins would still want to play and I could go to my moms anytime.


So often we think our lives are our own to plan out and do whatever we wish. Then something happens and we don't have the strength to make it and reminds us that His strength is made perfect in weakness. Made perfect. Think about that. There have been many times in my life where I've felt the Spirit calling and I'll answer, "But Lord, I'm not strong enough...or I can't sing well enough...or I'm not smart enough..or I'm not_________fill in the blank."


He tells us that it's OK that we aren't all those things, often that is why He calls us. It causes people to not look at me-instead they are looking at the power of God in my life. I am so humbled to think of how He turns my weaknesses into something beautiful, into something perfect!

Sweet Goodbye's and New Beginnings

I've been laying awake in bed writing you this post in my head. I finally decided to just get up and share it with you-I've been thinking that and that I am pretty sure that coffee I drank at my parent's house was not decaf! (Please forgive me if this post is jumbled or doesn't make much sense!)

I know that lately, I have been incognito as far as this blog thing goes. My life has been on hold these past four weeks. My sister Katie returned home from many months in Oklahoma where her hubby, Theo was doing training for the Air Force. I knew my time with her was limited so I made sure to incorporate whatever she was doing, into my weekly plans. I was afraid to commit to anything without checking with her first. You see, she leaves us tomorrow for Washington state for the next four years. Now, I know that we'll see her between now and then, but the chance to spend time with her, won't come around very often!

These past few weeks, some of my favorite moments with my sister wasn't where we were doing anything big or special. It was the times she'd come spend the afternoon at my house, sitting on my couch talking about everything and nothing at all. It was the times she'd just ride in the car, running errands with me and entertaining my boys while I'd run into the store to grab something. All those nights where she'd stay for dinner and we'd cook together. It was all that "normal" living that we were able to share together that I'll miss the most.

I am almost five years older than Katie. I don't remember the moment so many years ago, where I went from being the older sibling to us both being equals, I just know I'm glad it happened that way! The Lord has blessed me with an amazing, close-knit family. Whenever I have told people about her moving so far away, many people have commented, "How are yall going to do that? Your family is so close to each other!" It always makes me smile when the outside world sees what I feel in my heart.

When I found out they were moving to Washington state...and then a few weeks later when they found out they were expecting their first child, I asked the Lord "Why?" Why take her so far away? Why now, when she is about to have a baby? I looked at all the things I was going to miss, instead of all the opportunities they would have by moving there. The Lord reminded me in His soft, calm way, that His ways are not my ways (Isaiah 55:8) and most importantly, that He has a plan to prosper us and not to harm us and to also give us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). He has a plan for them in Washington, just as He has a plan for me in Georgia. What a sin to want something out of His will! He also reminded me that it is because we are so close, that distance will not change anything. It is because of our love for one another, that we'll be OK.

I think one reason I'm so sad about her leaving, is that I know how hard it is to have children and not be able to share them with the ones you love the most. When I had my first child, I lived very far away from home. I can remember so many things I wanted to share with them, but wasn't able to. Her first steps, her first word, the cute look in her eye when she was about to do something she knew she wasn't supposed to do. I can remember how much it hurt not to be able to share all those tiny moments with them. One year for Christmas, my parents and my brothers and sisters made a cassette tape. They recorded themselves reading various stories. Randol would listen along and turn the page when my mom hit the piano key on the tape! Just letting her listen to their voices made them come alive in a way that photographs cannot do. I can remember being in the living room and hearing that tape play from down the hallway. It made it feel like they were there, in my house with me. At that time, I never thought that one day I'd live within a hop, skip and a jump from not only my own parents, but my husbands parents too. I never thought that one day-it might be my voice on the tape recorder, reading to my little nieces and nephews who are very far away. I am so glad we have things like email, cell phones, web cameras and airplanes. How did all those families do it in the olden days when they would say goodbye forever and ride off in the wagon train across the wild west? I cannot even imagine!

So tomorrow morning, I will head on over to my mom's house and hug Katie's neck for the last time until Christmas. The next time I see her, she will be a mommy-how hard that is to believe! And as I wave to them, as they turn the corner out of sight, I will count my blessings that the Lord has given me such a sister...such a friend.

Will You?

Total darkness.

You-can't-see-your-hand-in-front-of-your-face kind of darkness. You fiddle with your hard hat to turn on your head lamp. Suddenly you can see the magnificent stalagmites inside the cave that you have been crawling around in. Your heart starts to slow down as you are no longer crawling around in the unknown, feeling with your hands to find your way. Now you can see.

"In Him was life, and that light was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." (John 1:4-5)

Sitting outside listening to the crickets chirp, the only light you can see is the slight glow from the city. You sip your cold sweet tea and squash a mosquito on your arm. Something catches your eye and you turn your head. There, way across the yard is a small flicker of a lighting bug (or a fire fly, whichever you choose to call them). Before you know it, your yard is full of excitement as you watch these tiny lights dance around.

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

There's a storm and the winds and the rain beat against your house. You can hear the tree in your front yard banging its limbs against your window. It is howling like a ghost. You sit and watch the weather channel and pray that it will stop. Darkness. The power goes out and the only light you have is from the flashes of lightening from outside. Your heart is beating fast and you scrounge around trying to locate your flashlight by feeling in the cabinet. Finally your hand grabs it and you turn it on. Now you can see and it doesn't feel so scary anymore.

"Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light for my path." (Psalm 119:105)

You can't find your shoe. You know you placed it somewhere in your room, but it has since gone missing. You search frantically in your bedroom because you are now late for church and it's your turn to bring breakfast for your Sunday School class. You walk back into your closet to look one more time. You turn the light on and there it is, sitting on your husband's side of the closet. You must have glanced in there a 100 times and didn't see it. Then you realize, you never turned on the light before now and the darkness was hiding it.

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9)

You're laying on a blanket waiting for the fireworks to start. It's hot, but there is a cool breeze brushing your shoulders. You sip on an ice cold Dr. Pepper and look up at the stars. Your family decided to go across the river, away from the crowds, away from the city lights, to watch. The only light is the twinkling stars up above you. You lay there and watch them come out, one by one. Suddenly you hear a big bang and the stars are joined by red, blue and green fireworks.

"...God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin." (1 John 1:5-7)

You walk outside to your car on an early, fall morning. The breeze blows your hair and wraps itself around you. There are no birds chirping or any other noises besides the tapping of your shoes on the concrete. The only light is the faint glow from the beginning of dawn. The sun starts to peek its head above the horizon and greet the day.

"The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble." (Proverbs 4:18-19)

Light.

It brings us comfort when it's dark. It makes it possible to see things that we may have missed in the darkness. It becomes our friend when we are afraid of the unknown. It helps us to see in our homes when the sun goes out. It helps us to drive late at night. It brightens up even the darkest night.

Light, without it, we would forever be in darkness. Think of how different the world would be if the sun didn't shine or if there were no stars. Think of how hard it would be to read by your bedside or find your shoes in your closet, if you didn't have it. The Lord knew how important light was, for He made the light in only the first day of creation (Genesis 1:3).

In Revelation 21:22-23 is says, "I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light and the Lamb is its lamp." If you are a child of God, a very small piece of that light lives within YOU! Whether your light is as bright as a huge spot light or as small as a firefly, light is still light and no matter how big or small, it still brightens even the darkest of nights. You can be that light to help others find their way; you can be that light, full of excitement and beauty as the firecracker. You can be the light that helps someone start a new beginning as the sun begins a new day. You can shine your light on the darkness in people's lives and help them to overcome their fears and their worries.

YOU can be that. But will YOU?

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16)

Be Inspired: Nick Vujicic's Story

Too Much R 'n R

So often we think of summer as a time to take a break. We take a break from school, from studying, and from work to go on vacation. It's a time to forget about the clock and just relax.

In the midst of all this relaxing, I seem to have started slacking on other things in my life; not just the laundry or the dusting, but my Bible study. I find myself staying up later and sleeping in longer. Instead of getting up when its still dark to read my Bible while my house still slumbers, I'd catch a little extra shut eye. My patience was thinning, my temper was just under the surface and I'd ask myself, "What is wrong with me?" I would pray all throughout my day, but I never take the time to listen. It became a one way conversation. I'd ask the Lord for answers, yet never sit still long enough to get it.

Luckily the Lord never gives up on me! I love when the He tells me something over and over again through different avenues in my life. After about the second or third or fourth or... (however long it takes!) I go, "OH! I think He's trying to tell me something! DUH!" and the light bulb goes off. A few days ago, I got it. The Lord has shown me that despite the seasons and the weather changing, there is one thing that should always main constant in my life. (How easy it is to forget the smallest of principles!)

It doesn't matter if its raining or shining outside. It doesn't matter if it's 100 degrees or only 35 degrees outside. It doesn't matter if I have 50 things to do or nothing to do. I should always, always make time to read His word.

Always.

There is no "time off" or "summer break" from our relationship with Christ. So often we make excuses to why we don't do the things we should. I'm tired, I have small children and can't find time, I have to work late, I'm behind on laundry, I need to call so and so back; on and on our excuses go.

In Luke 12:35, 39, 40 it says,"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him...But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him."

We are supposed to live in anticipation and expectation of His glorious return...ALL THE TIME! We are not to be idle, not to be bored or so busy that we forget to take time out for Him. One day all the things of this world will pass away. The pictures you take today will be the only thing left of this moment. Before you know it, summer will be gone.

But He will still be on the throne.

As Beth Moore put it so plainly recently on her blog, "Three months without bible study is two and a half months in the pit!" Don't take a break from your Savior. It's the most important relationship you have.

Remember, He is coming back one day. And He will take His own with Him. Will you be ready or are you so busy "doing" that you've forgotten?

Sweet Summertime

It's summertime. That means long days at the pool, the anticipation of going to the beach and sinking your toes in that cool sand. It's smooth legs and tank tops, Barbeque's and cold lemonade, spending all day with your children who are now out of school. It means ice cream and Popsicle's and staying up late to watch fire flies. It means finally getting to read a book as you sunbathe and add a little color to your skin. It means later bedtimes as the sun keeps us awake a little longer. The smell of freshly cut grass and hearing birds chirping and dogs barking. Summertime means getting to buy colorful flowers and planting them in your garden. It means getting to watch the butterflies and ladybugs up close in your yard. Summertime means fun and relaxation...right?

It can also mean cranky kids who never cease to tell you how bored they are. It means taking them to this summer camp or this church function. It becomes too hot to let your kids outside to play in the yard. It means giving baths every night because they are so sweaty from just walking to get the mail. It means higher gas prices and eating out because its too hot to run your oven. It means over exhausted air conditioners that can't ever seem to make your house cool enough. It means frozen food that is all thawed out by the time you get home from the grocery store. Your time alone is cut short, as your kids wake up earlier and stay awake later. You can't go a day without frizzy hair and feeling sweaty. It means gnats, mosquito's and roaches. 'Nuff said.

How do you look at summer? Life really is all about attitude isn't it? I am amazed at how two different people can look at the same situation with completly different outlooks. As you reflect on this season, always keep your eyes open to how He is tryng to show you Himself. I love how the Lord is constant, yet He's always changing our environment. There has always been a summertime since the beginning of time. And you can probably bet that unless He comes to take us all home with Him-there will be a summertime next year too! I love seeing His creativity in the way the world changes just in my own backyard. He never really gives us a chance to get bored does He?

Embrace these next two months. The pictures you take today will be the only thing left of this moment. Before you know it, school will be starting again and the weather will be getting cooler. The flowers will fade away and the days will become shorter. Seize the day and remember to smile!