Wow, I'm still here

Holy cow it's been a long time!!! February was the last post!! A lot has happened since then. Nothing extremely exciting, but a lot nonetheless. I'll just touch on the latest thing - a family Reunion on my Mother-in-Law's side. It was absolutely a blast. We stayed at his Uncle and Aunt's ranch in Westcliffe, Co. we roasted marshmellows and made s'mores, 7/8ths of the family hiked the side of a mountain nearby, while those of us with youngins 'hiked' the short trail (3 mins.)and let the kiddos play by or in the stream by the bridge where we were to meet up with the rest of the fam (45 mins. later). The kids were asked by Auntie to look out for walking sticks on the hike because they were going to decorate them later in the weekend. We also had gunny sack races, three-legged races - kids w/kids, kids w/ adults and adults w/ adults; horse races (Auntie had these adorable plush horse 'costumes' that the kids slid on over their shoulders), made gak, lassoed 'bulls', had church in a barn, and decorated the walking sticks, went to Garden of the Gods and went to The Royal Gourge (which we happened to get in free because we went in the south entrance and the woman working that 'gate' was awesome!!!!!) My family and I got to sleep in the Greenery? I can't remember if that's what it is called. We used a Port-a-Potty all weekend, had some yummy food, and saw some family that we hadn't even seen in years. It was nothing short of a blessing!

Take Back the Reigns

I was working on finishing up a Beth Moore study that's been done for quite some time, when I a song washed over me. The lesson that that I last finished was on the Power of the Tongue, how we can use it "to praise our LORD and Father, and use it to curse man." (James 3:9) I have tongue issues, as verse 2 and 8 state, we all do, and at the end of the daily portion of the lesson, it asks you to bring your issues to the LORD and let him know what's on your heart and how He can help. I am a nurturer by default, so much so that I want to fix things, mainly people. Sometimes the only part in their mending I should have is to just be ears, or a shoulder. James 1:19 asks us to take note of this: "to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." Three areas that are my weakest when it comes to my mouth.

Back to the fixing thing. I am utterly and completely guilty of trying to fix my husband. I have been convicted, many times, of being in God's way of growing my husband. This is not a good lesson to be stubborn about learning! I really pray that I would GET OUT OF THE WAY, for good. Not only am I causing myself heartache, but also damaging my relationship with my husband because I think I need to fix it. Are there any doctors who'll staple mouths shut? Sign me up!

I love how in James 1:19 the first thing that we are to note is to be "quick to listen." Which if you rearrange the letters also spells SILENT. Not a coincidence. I'm not always the best listener, especially when I get passionate about something. Whether I'm right or not is not the point, it doesn't matter if I don't have love for the other person to listen to what they have to say as well.

Now, back to the song that washed over me. One of my past Youth Minister's and his wife made an album and one of the songs on the album is entitled 'Give me the Reigns' and which the words to are:

Jesus' time had come to give his life.
He said, "Everything will be different now, but that's alright.
I will go to Jerusalem and declare who I am.
I will go to my Father and prepare the way for man,"
but Peter said, "No! Lord I know best, give me the reigns.
LORD listen to reason this isn't a game
I have decided, to give it my all, do it the best
show everyone that I'll stand up to the test,
do what I can, never will fall, never will stumble, but I'll always stand tall
go it alone, never with you, LORD you don't know what I've been going through
And I still wonder why it does wrong.

Take off your shoes, Moses.
He said, "I've chosen you to lead my people.
You will go to Pharoah and declare who I am.
And I will go there with you and reveal to you my plan,"
but Moses said, "No! And I wonder why, when I'm on my own
it never turns out the way I planned?
LORD, why, when I'm all alone? I just don't understand."

Don't make me go, Sprit.
There's so much more I need to know about my future.
My life seemed so wide open till you came with your call
but LORD it's not that simple just to give to you my all
I want to say, "Lord you know best, take back the reigns.
Lord give me your reasons, I'm living in pain
I have decided
to give up control, only to you
fall on my knees, chasing only what's true
take it to heart, learn that I can't
find that on you I can depend till the end
show you my love, that's all I know
LORD, please lead me where you want me to go
Jesus oh Jesus, show me your way
Show me Your way

I often "wonder why." Why "it never turns out the way I planned?" Hmmm, as easy as it is for me to believe satans lies that I'll never get "it" - getting out of the way, so why even bother. I know that I have the victory!!! He that is in me, is greater than he that is in the world! (1 John 4:4) And as long as I'm faithful to the One "who began a good work in me," He will be faithful to "carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus"

I pray that I would see the obstacles in my life, not as discouraging stumbling blocks, but as empowering spring boards. I can either chose to praise my LORD and Father or curse man with my tongue, "As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD!" (Joshua 24:15b) I chose to give back the reigns, what will you chose?

It's been a long time, but that's okay, things have been busy. But I've just got to share. My sweet Kelby did the most sweetest thing last night. I was on the computer checking mail and such, and Kelby starts putting the dishes from the dishwasher away. At first I was like, "Oh hunny, no, no, no, those aren't cleaned yet...." But then I realized they were and let him proceed. I helped him put a couple of the plates away, but other than that, he did it all! And he wiped the table down too! He asked me "Mommy, do you know why I'm doing this?" "No baby, why?" "So that you don't have to." My heart melted, as you could imagine. I then asked him if he wanted water or lemonade and he said lemonade. So, I made him some. He asked me if I was getting him some lemonade because he was working hard :oD, "Yes sweet boy, you are working hard." I pray that that selfless servants heart continues to grow. I pray that I can nurture it respectively. That was a beautiful way to end the day.

"God's Mirror"

This is part of an excerpt from the book I'm Not Good Enough by Sharon Jaynes. You can read the rest of the excerpt by clicking on the title of the this post. Wow!!! I'm hooked!

When we look into God’s mirror, His incredible love letter to us we
call the Bible, we discover the truth. God does love you (Colossians
3:12). You have an entire cloud of witnesses cheering for you (Hebrews
12:1). You are God’s masterpiece…a work of beautiful art (Ephesians
2:10). You are good enough because Christ lives in you (John 14:20).
You are a chosen, holy, dearly loved child of God. Th at’s the truth.
Let’s get out of the house of mirrors and start seeing ourselves as God
sees us.
In one of John’s letters, he wrote, “I have no greater joy than to hear
that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 4). I believe that
God has no greater joy than to know that His children are walking
in the truth. When we are walking in the truth, the lies are exposed.
We can recognize the lie, reject the lie, and replace the lie with truth.
Th en, and only then, can we be all that God has created us to be and
do all that God has created us to do. We can experience the abundant
life He planned all along.

Three Years Ago Today

Wow, it's been a while! Well, today is my now, three year olds birthday! It's finally here. Not that I was wanting it to get here fast, but actually thankful that it's gone by what seems to feel like, slowly. She's actually 3 going on 13. She's quite the ham, but also has a very shy side. And when she wants to, she can wrap you around her finger in a matter of seconds. She's a charmer, just like her Daddy ;o). Even though she can be sweet, she also can get an attitude that is nothing shy of ugly. I hope, and pray that I can consistently and effectively harness that attitude. There are some goods things intertwined in there - she recognizes her boundaries and her space. Now, I just need to teach, and learn myself, how to appropriately express those boundaries without being cold, rude or mean. Praise God his mercies are new every day!! And despite my faults, God still uses me to plant healthy seeds in my children.

Happy Birthday Clara Jean!! Mommy loves you!!!