Study Hard

Many moons ago, I was a student.  Ask my kids and they will be excited to tell you that dinosaurs roamed the earth during that time.  But anyway…..  I remember the sinking feeling in the pit of my gut when I forgot to study for a test.   You know the teacher probably told us a thousand and one times but somehow that information never processed into my little head.

It is such a sick feeling when you are not prepared.  Immediately, you think of a thousand and one reasons to run out of that room and hide behind some pitiful excuse.

What about our spiritual lives?

Think about it….. if satan knows scripture and can quote it with a little twist that only deceives, should we be prepared enough to know the difference??

Jesus did.  He was tempted by satan in Luke 4.  Here is Jesus fasting for 40 days and satan is right on His heals tempting him with food, prosperity, and disloyalty.  Ahhh, but Jesus knew some great come backs.  Of course He knew the scriptures and didn’t fall for satan’s trickery.

Study is important.  Memorizing is important.  Usage is important.  You may study your Bible and memorize scripture but it won’t do you any good if you don’t put it to good use.

There once a woman in my life.  She knew scripture like something fierce.  She could spout it out lickedy-split.  To my untrained ears, she used those verses to belittle me and to impose superiority over me.  I can remember pulling out my old King James Bible and prayed for some kind of creative “get back.”  I came up empty.  God showed me how little I knew.  I will never forget that feeling.  I knew at the time she was only doing this to control me.  She was using God’s word in such a negative manner.  It felt wrong.  But, I didn’t know how to rebuke.  Praise God, I finally dove into His word and learned.

Enjoy your Monday….. God bless…..

Just One Month

Can’t believe that 2011 is this close to ending! Where did the time go?  I am still in February!

((sigh))

Time flies.

Won’t be long until my kitchen will smell like homemade yummies!!  Our “kitten”-almost grown cat- Matthew (we so lovingly call Toot!) will be playing in the Christmas tree before we know it.  Thank God I finished my shopping back in January!!  I know…. I know…. over achiever!

My intent for today’s post is not to remind you that another year has slipped you by…… Nor to shame you for not taking advantage of early Christmas shopping….

But….

To help you get a jump on Advent.

See, I’m trying to help!!

Here’s a post I did back in November 2009 about Advent……  Enjoy!

I don’t know about  you but there are times when I am walking around in Wal-Mart doing my weekly shopping in September and I begin seeing the Christmas inventory on the shelves, I actually hang my head and it has to shake in disbelief.  Commercialism has converted Christmas to consume our time, energy and money in spite of the the Carols ringing in the air.  I don’t know about you, but to me, the sheer joy and meaning of Christmas has been replaced by the beeping of a cash register.  I think it is time to really take a look at an old fashioned tradition to get our hearts and minds in sync with the true meaning of Christmas.

I am talking about Advent.  It is a tradition that my family, growing up, did not practice.  I had never heard of this time of the year until we started going to our present church.  And over the past 8 years we have grown to love and cherish this tradition in our home.

Advent is a Latin word that means, “the coming.”  It is a special time for personal retrospect and growth.  This age old tradition takes place on the four Sundays prior to Christmas.  This year, it begins on November 29, 2009 and runs through Christmas Eve.  Advent is a season of reflection that can bring meaning to our season.  Many families already have Advent calendars and candles.  The calendars may have tasty treats and are used as a Christmas countdown.  But, how do we truly reflect on our faith while observing these traditions?

For the next few days leading up to the first Sunday of Advent, I will take  you on an adventure exploring the idea of Advent and many traditions you can begin with your children.

But first, I want to talk about 3 important reflections that are important to your understanding why Advent is a sacred tradition before you begin this in your home.  Remember it is a time of personal retrospect and growth as a believer……

1.  Reflect the meaning of God coming to Earth as a human baby.  It is the most humble form God could use.  A helpless child being delivered into this world in a manger, humbles my heart to say the least.   God loved us enough to come into this world as a child, a human form.  This birth changed the world and it has left an impact on countless lives throughout time.

2.  Reflect how Jesus has changed your existence.  As I look over my life and reflect on how I have grown spiritually, I am overtaken by joy.  Take a moment and really inspect your life.  Consider how God’s power through Christ has empowered your life, your actions, your way of thinking and your faith.

3.  Reflect on the fact that Jesus is coming back.  Yes, He is coming back.  And the anticipation can be the fuel to our joy…… not our fear.  You can even think about it in the way of  “Jesus is coming over for Christmas.”  If you think about your Christmas preparations in terms of God coming to spend the holiday with you, you can not help to change your perspective.  Would Jesus see Himself in your celebration?  Would He see Himself in you as you greet your guests, prepare your meals, or Christmas shop?  Would He see how His life has impacted your passion for life and for the season?  Try thinking about truly inviting God over for Christmas this year.

I would like to challenge you to really mediate and reflect on these three points as you begin your Christmas season.  You will be surprised in the changes you will be making……

God Bless……

 

Broken or Trained?

Have you ever thought about what it really means to be meek?  The world wants you to think it is all about being weak.  Today, I am going to explain that meekness can mean your stature in a relationship.

So what are you waiting for???  Grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and watch!!  Come on… push play!!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PsA6wce_T0

And for my Deaf friends out there…….It is in sign!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdMIawUpJ8Q

God bless……

 

A Walk, A Memory, A Lesson

Often, I walk.  Often, God has a lesson for me.  Often, the walk and the lesson leaves a memory so meaningful that life is better because of it.

Many times I pause from the business of the day.  The going to and fro.  Hussle.  Bussel.  Checking off the to-do-list.  At times though, my long list,although checked off, lacks the sense of accomplishment.

I feel hollow.

Twisted inside.

Like I forgot something.

Is it my perspective?

Have I forgotten the safety of hiding myself in the arms and love of God?

Have I forgotten that twist and turn of a vine branches produces strength especially when Christ is my vine?

Have I forgotten to look for the beauty around me that God leaves as a reminder of his love?

Have I forgotten that His living water creates sustainable life?

Have I forgotten that under all the hussle and bussle of the day, God’s living water is there for me to partake?

A simple walk.  A memory.  And God’s lesson in love.

**The photographs are taken at the Two Rivers Bridge walk.  Arkansas is so beautiful.

Mother/ Daughter Bonding

My baby  daughter and I had a blast last night.  A bonding experience like none other.  Laughter.  Discussion.  A couple of fearful moments.  A recipe for true bonding that will never be forgotten.

No boys.  No besties.  No one but us and a spider.  Yes, I said spider.  No need to blink twice or to reread the sentence….. a spider.  A biggin at that.  A giant ugly 8-legged spider brought the two of us together.

Want me to elaborate???

I know you want me to……

We got home from a long day of work/school, band practice, and video blog taping.  The cool night approached and a very hard working spider built a huge web at our front porch.

Ew.  A spider.  I know they have a purpose here on earth.  But I wonder why God had to make them so creepy looking.  ((shuddering as I am typing))  I don’t like them.  They creep me out.  I scream when I find one in the house.  Mark has to save me.  I freeze every time I see one.  ((shudder))

But there was something about this enormous spider and its web……  I marveled instead of throwing up.  It fascinated me and my daughter.  Mind you if the spider moved….. I was up against the house or moving towards the door so fast you didn’t know what was up.

Well, the porch light was on and moths were fluttering all around.  Is it just around here or has this been the year for moths?  They are every where.  That’s when I got the bright idea of feeding the spider.

So, I put down my purse and began to catch a moth.  My daughter laughed so hard I thought she was going to pass out.

“Mom you look like a cat.”

I reached for the moth.  Missed.

Reached.  Missed.

Chased.  Reached. Missed.

This went on for—ever!  Then our young cat, Matthew, joined in.  He saw Mommy trying to get a moth and it looked like fun.  So here we were…. cat chased, reached, and missed.  Mommy chased, reached, and missed.  Daughter bent over laughing and holding her stomach.

Matthew knocked one down.  He jumped.  I dove.  Now we were fighting over this moth.  He wanted it.  I wanted it.  Daughter wiped away tears of laughter.

There’s something to be said about cat reflexes…… he got it.

I set my sight on a big one.  I thought, bigger = slower.  Eventually, I got it.

Now to throw it onto the web.  The laughter stopped.  I eased up to the web.  I never took my eyes off that spider.  I was afraid of it jumping.  I had already proven to myself that my reflexes are not as fine tuned as I thought.

I threw the moth and it stuck.  The spider pounced.  Daughter and I stood there in amazement.  Mouths open.  Awestruck. The spider went straight to work.  Poisoned the moth in its clutches.  Then quickly turned it over and over to wrap it up in web.  Daughter and I talked about the whole process.

Heard about it in school.  Never actually saw it done before.  It is quite interesting.

Your PawPaw used to do this for hours when I was a kid.  He would catch bugs and feed them to a spider on our back patio.  Uncle and I would sit and watch.

It moves in stealth.  It is over so quickly.  Poor moth.

Yeah, poor moth.

A moment shared together.  Will she remember?  Will she do the same with her kids one day?

Hope you have a great day….. God bless……