God Speaks In Mysterious Ways

Having teens can be a bit of a roller coaster ride. There are the typical ups and downs that a parent coaxes and encourages them through. The times where we believe in them when they think things are hopeless. When God shows us the big picture of what He has in store for them and then we still know God will bless them even beyond what we can ever ask or imagine.

During those times when they are in the valley and even when we are frustrated with them (not God) we have nothing more important to do than ask God, "What now, Lord?" And we are seriously wanting wisdom like we have never known before.

Sometimes when God speaks it just doesn't make sense to us. So we have a choice----impart our own wisdom or obey Him.

Today when I asked He simply said, "Make pancakes. Mickey Mouse pancakes." I have no idea why. But the pancakes are on the table. It doesn't feel "wise"----but if that's God's agenda then call me Solomon with a touch of Martha Stewart.

SCRAP**SHOP**ALERT!

Okay, just a little heads up to my scrapping friends out there. ;) Frugalities.com is a discount scrapping place......the discount varies........today everything is 48% off. And if you order, use this code: FRUGDCRG to get a free gift with purchase.

This was a public service message......hey, I do what I can. ;)

Surrender

As I reflect back over this past year of my life I've learned a ton about surrendering. And as soon as I surrender in one area of my life, I find myself at peace with the 'just' so long...and then God shows me another area that needs a good look.

The biggest thing I've learned is that surrendering isn't passive. It's also not about giving up. Surrendering is all about trust. Trusting God completely. It's faith that He is who He says He is. Faith that all His promises are true. Faith that He has my ultimate best in mind always. Even when I think it might hurt. He doesn't promise us a perfect life or a pain free life, but we certainly have joy & peace available to us even during the difficult times.

I'm not a trusting person by nature. Optimistic, but not completely trusting (I know---that's an odd combination). And I've had to lay down a lot at His feet this year. Myself. To really evaluate if He was first in my life. He wasn't. Pride. Funny how I didn't realize that was an issue. Not boastful proud, but caring WAY too much what 'others' thought. The hardest of all though is to give our families completely to God. I know that sounds crazy---surely I dedicated my children to the Lord long ago. Baptized even. But to me that was more of a promise on my part to do my best to raise them in a Godly way. Surrendering them meant to let go and really release them to God. Especially at times when I knew that by their own actions and/or choices they could really be hurt---physically, emotionally, socially. Ouch! The last thing we want is for anyone we love to be hurt. However, sometimes something that hurts terribly for a short time brings a healthier life. I hated taking my kids for immunizations. Hated hearing them cry. Dreaded taking them once they figured out what was coming. It hurt. Blood curdling screams sometimes. But it also protected them from other things.
Greater, more harmful things.

I will say that God has proven himself faithful over and over. When we surrender the picture in our mind of how we think things should be, we have the opportunity to explore how God wants things to be. And His ways are so much better than my ways. If I'd just learn faster. Trust more. Surrender more completely.

It does get easier to recognize God's voice. And when He shows me 'another' area "we" need to work on, it's much clearer now. I'd like to say it's easier, but I'm not sure it is. There are still things that I tend to want to hang onto sometimes. Tightly. But one finger at a time he gently coaxes me into letting go---and without a clenched fist I realize the fear has left and my hands are open wide to my Saviour.

Hi Mom! Oh, I never knew those words could sound so good. Reuben's in China and we hadn't heard from him for a few weeks. We understand that connections are sometimes not great and they are being kept very busy, but we had been hoping he'd call soon.

So today the phone rang. No one there, so I hung up. Just as my hand left the receiver a thought crossed my mind "what if that's Reuben trying to call." So when the phone rang a minute later I eagerly grabbed the phone again and said "hello."

It was him. It was hard to hear. He talks into his computer and calls our phone and it was like the buffering you experience if your internet speed isn't the same. He could hear us very clearly, but we only heard bits and pieces of jumbled words. I understand he is now in Beijing. I heard a very joyful laugh in between words in my one sided monologue! :)

It's really the littlest things in life that bring the most joy. Hearing "Hi Mom" and the laughter.....the perfect start to my day. My heart absolutely soared as I realized how precious those two little words were. I think God really knew that I needed to hear that. And I realized that sometimes it's not what they say....it's how they say it. Only two other people in the world say it quite like that.

Monster Goals

How do we begin to dream bigger? We limit ourselves and what God will do in and through us by our own thinking. After all God can do more than we could ever ask or imagine!

I did a little informal survey a while back. I began to ask women if they had dreams and/or goals. It was a wide variety of women from all walks of life. Some said yes, some said no. But almost every one who said yes had a goal that revolved around a family member.....and not them per se. It's easy to dream for other people. It's easy to see their potential. But I really believe that women need to see the big, audacious dream that God has for each and every one of us.

I was one of those women without even realizing it. No real goals or dreams. Vague 'to be a great mom' kind of thing or 'a great wife', but no clear goals or actions to get there (take the time each week for one hour to spend totally undivided attention on each child; each day say a word of affirmation to my husband that I totally mean from the bottom of my heart).

God really gave me a vision of something he desires. It's beyond my simple reasoning. I see the goal and I have to admit it scares me. On my own I have no skills that are enough to accomplish this. Even with others along side me believing in the same vision, it isn't enough. It's a God kind of goal. It's a moving the mountain or turning the water into wine kind of thing. And I know that He doesn't need me to accomplish it, but I believe He placed it in my heart to pursue it and He will see it through.

Do you have a goal? Do you have clear steps that will take you toward that end? Do you have a time frame of when you need to be at each step? Is it measureable? It doesn't matter what kind of a dream it is. It might be personal, job-oriented, a dream vacation, something you just always wanted to learn how to do...but start dreaming and don't forget the desires that God places in your heart. Go after the goal!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1

Go run with God gives you!

Nothing and Everything

So often people ask "So what have you been up to lately?" and I'm at a loss of what to say. Most of the time I say "Not much," not because I've been sitting on the couch eating bonbons, but because my everyday stuff doesn't always seem significant in a 'newsy' sort of way.

I'm a wife and a mom, so my days are filled with laundry, cooking, errands, appointments, shopping (the grocery and laundry soap kind mostly), phone calls about said appointments and driving people places and watching them do their thing. All of which is totally needed and totally my calling.

In between those things I have a couple part time jobs and teach a Bible study and help with women's ministry. Throw in a few hobbies like scrapbooking, sewing and working out (which reminds me....) and you've got a very full life! It's a great life, but the weeks seem to pass by so quickly and before you know it they are gone. Which makes scrapbooking the everyday moments seem even more important.

So what did I do this week? Well as a matter of fact I tried really hard to make my family feel loved and feel special. In fact I went out of my way to do so. I worked diligently to help provide for my family through my job. I spent time with God, without which I would've been a basket case I'm sure. I reached out to women in my church to encourage them. I'll never get a promotion, or probably even be noticed in a corporate ladder kind of way, but I've got a great life! And it feels good to not have a 'class reunion' kind of answer to life, but rather one that I can answer for when God asks.

So what have you been up to?

Hot Pursuit!

Oh my goodness.......every time I think of those words I have Cletus' voice from Dukes of Hazzard running through my head! LOL.......so how does that fit in you ask? Well my Sunday school class is on marriage. We have a wide range of people/couples in our class. Some married 27 years, then divorced for two and then remarried, some (us) married 22 years, some married 15 years, some married 4 1/2 years, some separated currently, one single, one whose husband left her the week before class started, two couples that are engaged to be married. But all desiring to know what marriage God's way looks like. And to be as close to that as possible.

The first thing that really struck me was pursuit. How back when we were dating and also during the honeymoon phase we pursued our mate. When asked the question of 'how do you currently pursue your mate' I heard a myriad of ways, but mostly things that we do just because we love them, not necessarily things we do to 'pursue' them. You know, the over the top things that we go 'out of our way' to do INTENTIONALLY just for them. Now I do lots of little 'I love you' things like laying out Dave's clothes because he's flying into the house to shower and leave (not because he can't pick out his own), but I realized I didn't do too much pursuing. And sadly I kinda forgot in the busyness of life what that looked like.

The other day I was reading a blog and it hit me.....Dave would LOVE that! Homemade from scratch cinnamon rolls........but wait, there's more......with maple frosting (a favorite of ours)!

Now I haven't made anything with yeast in years........long enough that I can't remember what it was, but enough to remember it wasn't worth all the work. And I don't normally have much time at home either, so this was going to need careful planning. Today I had a whole day at home, so last night I picked up the ingredients. When I brought everything home and left it in bags in the kitchen I just said, "please don't ask any questions, I want to surprise you." Okay, so he then knew that the surprise was food, but that's okay.

So this morning I began preparing. Now this recipe has lots of steps, but they are really easy and don't take that much time after all. Just lots of time between steps. And I admit that when mine came out of the oven they didn't look QUITE like the photograph. But I placed the pan in front of Dave after lunch today and waited. Actually I did the dishes and said, "If they are great, then let me know.....but if they are awful, I really don't want to know." :) The sound that followed told me they were phenomenal and that he loved them!! And I hadn't realized how much I really needed to have done something out of the ordinary that he loved....and to feel so happy about it!

So there you go. Pursue your mate today. Not the everyday sort of stuff. And it doesn't have to take a ton of time either. Think back to when you were dating or newlywed and how you worked hard at knowing more about your spouse and impressing them! And then do it. Be intentional and just do it.

And if you happen to want to know more about the cinnamon rolls....look here:

http://thepioneerwomancooks.com/2007/06/cinammon_rolls_.html