did you notice?

You might have noticed that I seriously dropped the ball on my 60 days of blogging. *sigh* I just couldn't keep up with it everyday. It's truly a large task for a full-time, hard working lady like myself. But I digress.

In my absence, I've had many moments when I wanted to write and had plenty on my mind. However, what's on my mind doesn't always have to come out through my keystrokes. I don't know if anyone wise has said something similar, but I'm pretty sure heeding said advice probably saved my tush a time or two, or at least saved some folks a day of heartache.

Courtesy http://donhall.blogspot.com/

Notes from the past 45 days (give or take) include ...

• I am not a fixer. As much as I try to live my life in a Godly way, I can't make other people live His way.
• I am not perfect. Well ... this one wasn't just realized, but I thought I'd mention it, given the "Godly" reference above. I slip, I ask for forgiveness, and I try again. Aren't you glad for The Cross?
• As hard as I try to be accepted by some, my attempts fail. Miserably. You might ask why I need acceptance. Generally, I don't seek it much. Those days are falling farther into my past, including the recent past ... like just five days ago in the past. It's not like I'm trying to change who I am in order to be accepted, it's that I continually try to explain myself. I'm rather tired of that. It's like talking to a wall and I'm done with it.
• God is good all the time, and I mean all the time. In the tough spots, He is good. In the embarrassing spots, He is good. In those moments where we lack understanding, He is good. God is in everything and everything is in God. Though we might not be friends, God has a plan. When you get old, I anticipate that I'll be caring for you. I may not like it, but for me to love God, I must love people. And that includes you.
• New friends can yield a lot of love. Especially like-minded Christian friends who pray passionately with and for you. Try it sometime.
• My children are growing too quickly physically, but perfectly in God. For example, my son, who will be four in ... wow, three short weeks, caught me by surprise the other day when we had this quick exchange.
  Me: "You're getting so tall! I think you got those long legs from your Daddy."
  Him: "No I didn't!"
  Me: "Well where did you get them from?"
  Him: "God gave them to me."
•  My daughter is me. This realization requires a lot of patience and prayer. And not even an ounce of gratitude for my mother, who wished her on me. Ha! (Thanks mama! You know I wouldn't trade that child for all the world.) And good luck world. She's a firecracker.

So there are my random thoughts for now. Time to throw a hot dog on the grill and enjoy the rest of my Sunday. Y'all go enjoy it, too.

Much Love,

tgif

Who do you live for? Or, maybe the question is better asked, what do you live for?

Friday.
My spouse.
My kids.
The next paycheck.

We all have a master. You may not think of it that way, but I challenge you to argue it. Whatever it is that you live for - whoever - that is your master.

What should be your master? God. He's a loving Father, a generous Provider, and our only Salvation. If you're going to dump all of your time into something - a hobby, a person, etc. - make sure it's in a way that glorifies God and would be pleasing to Him.

Rather than "Thank God It's Friday," why not, "Thank God I'm Forgiven"?

Loving you because He first loved me,

Gettin' Her Groove Back: 17/60

a new southside small group

Southside folks, James and I are opening our home for a small group to meet on Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m. beginning February 15. Rolf & Deb Kleinfeld, our very own husband-wife missionary team, will be leading the group - very exciting indeed!


Courtesy
http://www.hem-of-his-garment-bible-study.org/

 
We do have childcare lined up and would like to collect an offering of appreciation each week to present to our teen volunteer. Maybe a couple of bucks per kid? She has a genuine heart for children and will be a great leader for ours.

Regarding the study content, Deb said she believes we will be studying 1 Peter. To my knowledge, no special study materials are required, just your Bible and something to take notes with.

If you're interested in attending, email me at jccjhiggins@gmail.com or connect with me through Facebook.

For Him,

Gettin' Her Groove Back: 9/60

everybody else is doing it

No doubt that as a child you probably looked at your parents and whined, "but everybody else is doing it!" Often, it seemed like a compelling reason (to you, not them). We haven't lost that whine. That same phrase still lies within us. Ever heard of "keeping up with the Jones'?" Yeah, that's the "everybody's doing it" mentality. The trick is to funnel that whine into something good.

Courtesy
www.TogetherWeFlourish.com

My pastor presented a powerful sermon this morning challenging us to live the life that will get us to heaven. One of the tasks laid out for us is to be His witness. As Christians, we're to go into the world and share the plan of salvation. That's tough sometimes, but one positive step to getting there is to display Christ-like characteristics - put others before yourself:

• hold the door
• let someone with less items go ahead of you in line
• say "please," "thank you" and utilize other manners yo' mama taught you
• buy the homeless person on the corner a cup of coffee as you're getting one for yourself
• share whatever you have - money, food, etc. - with someone who has an obvious need

Why are self-less tasks like I've mentioned above so hard for some people to fulfill? Because they're not the normal things to do (anymore). They're kind, humble and personal ways to show you care, which is not what our society is about anymore. No one cares about anything. Actually, I take that back. People care about saving animals, global warming and other causes that aren't important for The Kingdom.

How is it possible that we've lost the "human element" and elevated animals above each other? I'm all for adopting pets instead of accessing puppy mills, but I'd much rather my money and real efforts be used to help those who don't have hope somehow find hope. Make tomorrow count for more than yourself and the next stray animal.

I say, let's start a revolution beginning with the small stuff. Let's look to those who curl their nose and ask why we're being so nice and tell them, "everybody else is doing it." And we should add to that, "and because it's the right thing to do." Doing the right things in life are the first steps to receiving a heavenly reward. When you begin to take care of others, the walls will fall and you'll be able to move on to the deeper conversation of salvation.

What will you do for someone in need this week?

Gettin' Her Groove Back: 2/60
On my mind for tomorrow: showing compassion

a 'come to Jesus' meeting

Sometimes one never knows what sparks strange thoughts or epiphanies, but while driving this evening I pondered, do people even understand what they're saying when they declare they're about to have a "come to Jesus meeting" with someone?

The first entry for the phrase "come to Jesus" in the Urban Dictionary puts it like this ...

"Getting called on the carpet, dressed down, or otherwise chewed out in a severe manner. Usually used in conjunction with "meetin'" (meeting). He was late one too many times, so the old man dragged him in the office for a "come to jesus meetin'"."

(In doing this research, I found that you can order "Come to Jesus" stickers. Hmm ...)
 
I've heard this phrase used plenty of times in my country girl upbringing, and I've no doubt used it a time or two myself, but since I actually HAVE come to Jesus, I'm thinking folks really should think about what they're saying (novel idea, I know).
 
So next time you're thinking about chewing someone out or calling them on the carpet, or (heaven forbid) just reprimanding them, choose the phrase wisely. If you really want to have a come to Jesus meeting, come with the Bible in hand and have that salvation prayer ready to roll off your tongue.

plucked and illuminated

I sit before this screen and don't exactly have a plan of what to type.

Ann Voskamp's Life in the Upside Down Kingdom has my mind racing. Her plea for fellow bloggers to "Please. Keep. Writing." keeps running through my mind. What's more, her analogy of Koester's "Moulting Ducks" to mother's nesting their children is haunting me.

I, too, fail to pluck the best of myself for my family and instead gather up the fallen pieces of what's left of me to make their home. It's not fair to them. I encourage you to read her entry, especially if you're a mama.

Back to the upside down kingdom ...

It's encouraging to read that one so accomplished as Ann does not track her web traffic, receive comments on her blog, or give any mind to what the world's view of "success in blogging" is. She injects, "Your calling isn’t to be a blogger. Your calling isn’t to be a business owner. Your calling isn’t to be a success. Your vocation is always and only this: to be a servant of God."

Am I being a servant of God?

During lunch I read through The Radical Question: What Is Jesus Worth to You? by David Platt. It's a quick little diddy pulled from his book, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, which I have yet to read. The quick one - What is Jesus Worth to You - shook me up.

Platt calls for us to give great consideration to Jesus' actual words, his calls for real action, like the conversation found in Matthew, chapter 8:

"Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, 'Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.' Jesus replied, 'Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.' Another disciple said to him, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father.' But Jesus told him, 'Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.'” (Matt. 8:19-22)

Asking a man to not bury his father but leave it for someone else to do is not nearly as bold (in my mind) as the man actually doing it. Jesus asks more than that - for a man to sell every possession and give the proceeds to the poor (which the man determines is too high a cost). I'd like to think I know some souls willing to do that, but I'm just not so sure. Could I even be that faithful? Am I really being a servant to God?

I'm reminded of another section from Matthew ...

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  (Matt. 6:19-20) 


and

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Matt. 6:24)

It must be God's desire to hear us pray a prayer like this ...

“Two things I ask of you, LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." (Proverbs 30:7-9)

At the conclusion of this day, I'm left with feelings of inadequacy for being a servant of God. Perhaps these passages are where nuns and monks have gotten it right. Without a family to raise, it's easy enough to sell everything and leave everyone to follow Jesus. However, as it was recently pointed out to me by Ms. Beth Moore, every person in this generation has the responsibility to raise up the next to know Jesus Christ, whether its through their own child or another.

For tonight, I tread lightly the thin line between normal living and radical living. We're striving for simplicity in the Higgins household. Cutting back the frills and donating a lot of things to Goodwill lightens our heart for Jesus and blesses others in need. Faithfully tithing and serving are cornerstones of our life. Will we walk away from life as we know it to become a missionary family? God has a calling for each of us and He reveals only a few steps of our path at a time. In short, who knows? Only the All Knowing knows.

Ever praying for illumination and striving hard to pluck the best from my breast,

i have a dilemma

This is what stepping out in faith is all about ...

Ever want to do something for others but just don't have all the logistics planned out and every need accounted for? I'm there.

I'm hosting a group of ladies in my home to pack up and pray over Operation Christmas Child boxes. If you're not familiar with OCC, it's an effort by Samaritan's Purse that supplies Christmas gifts and the Good News to children across the globe. Their official mission is, "To demonstrate God's love in a tangible way to needy children around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ." Last year 8 million children in 95 countries received these special boxes packaged with love.



So what's the problem? Filling these shoe boxes takes a little bit of money. In each one can be toys, candy, clothes, personal hygiene items, etc. (I am notorious for going overboard.) In addition, each box has a suggested donation of $7 to cover shipping costs. If families are already packaging a couple of boxes with fun goodies for kids ages 2-14, should we then ask them to donate $14 to ship those two boxes? Right now, with money kind of tight, I'm hesitant.

Online raffles are illegal, or else I had a great plan to offer up one of my prized Longaberger baskets or pottery pieces. So what else can I do? Suggestions are invited and welcome through the comment link. If you'd rather keep your correspondence private, email me at jccjhiggins@gmail.com.

Praying for OCC,

conversations with caitlin

Conversations with Caitlin come easiest in the morning. Our drive isn't long enough because I know we could go so much deeper and there's lots more we need to talk about.

This morning, as Caitlin's reading over her God Time devotional, she informs me that she asked her music teacher if the school would be having a Christmas program. Of course, his answer is no, since the school doesn't celebrate Christmas. They'll be having a winter program instead.

My carefree girl. A true lover of Jesus.

This is Caitlin's first year in public school; she attended Christian schools pre-K through second grade. Not celebrating Christmas is unfathomable to her.

I didn't even have time to ask her how she felt about her music teacher's answer before she blurted out, "you know what I'm doing for my birthday? I'm having a gospel Christian birthday with Christian face painting, Jesus fish rings, and gospel Christian music!"

My child is retaliating against her school for not celebrating Christmas. Boo-yah! Too bad we can't afford to invite her entire class and use it as a day of ministry.

I don't know where the "gospel music" mandate came from, because we're not old-school Christians (not knocking those who are, of course); we listen to contemporary Christian music. I think she's thinking of THE Gospels.

Anywho, she went on to say that she would be drawing the face painting options for me to choose from. When I asked her why kids can't just tell me what they want on their face, she said, "because it has to be Christian."

The girl's got her mama's hard-headed leadership skills. When the mind is made up, it's pretty well made up.

I can't help but recognize that kids absorb everything. You never know what sticks with them. I think the genesis of her furor came from a few places:

1) I insist on non-scary pumpkin carving (scary pumpkins nearly scare the pants off Jackson, her little brother). Together, she and I printed out Christian pumpkin carving patterns from http://www.pumpkinglow.com/Patterns4.htm.
2) After our discussion about Santa, the real Christmas is on her mind.
3) She's never heard of a "winter" program. What's THAT supposed to mean to a seven year old?
4) She's used to taking her Bible with her wherever she wants. School is not cool with Bibles. And P.S., she told me this morning that she'd like to take her small New Testament with her anyway, thank you very much.

KATY, BAR THE DOOR!

So what's a mom to do with this?

Smile.

Praise God for His work in this child and pray that He continues to shine through her.

Do what she asks, with respect to her birthday party.

I guess it's on to Oriental Trading for me,

"But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven." - Matthew 10:33

hold on, my heart

Have you thought about the changes you've made in your life and said to yourself, "I'm doing good!" only to have a moment that brings back a flash of your old self? I had a moment like that yesterday.

Something, no, someone that I desperately want to be was bestowed upon another. Sharon is a great writer, no doubt, and extremely charismatic. She's a fine example of what a Christian woman should be. My surge of jealousy was personal and had nothing to do with her; it could have been anyone that the Lord chose to anoint. The issue is that it wasn't me.

The Anointing by Stephen St. Claire

Furious with myself, I let my husband know that I needed prayer - on the double - to still my jealous heart and wipe it clean. His words were so perfect that I felt as though it were Jesus texting me rather than James. "Your time will come as long as you are not ignoring what you're called to do," I read. Does God speak or what?

So to Sharon, if you're reading, I wholeheartedly congratulate you! You have what it takes to do what has been declared, and I hope to be following along behind you shortly. I have a gigantic hug for you when next we meet. And no, I'm not jealous anymore. :)

Resting at the feet of Jesus,

heart on your sleeve

I read a friends' Facebook quote of another friend today ... "How I behave reflects what I believe. That's true everywhere; in church, in traffic, at work, and at home." - J. Kochheiser quoting J. Varner.

Joshua commanding the sun to stand still.
John Martin, 1816

 Over the past 26 hours, any time I can, I've held a new book that challenges me to have audacious faith in God. Pastor Steven Furtick's Sun Stand Still: What Happens When You Dare to Ask God for the Impossible is a call for Christians to realize that God can do the impossible if we have wild enough faith to believe that he can, and we have the willingness to pray Sun Stand Still prayers. (Read the book for a definition of a Sun Stand Still prayer. Better yet, look up the book of Joshua in your Bible and see how he audaciously asked God to make the sun stand still.)

Considering the amazing God we serve - the God who created the heavens, every star in the sky, every creature of the earth, and us, his masterpiece creation - how can we not have a radical faith in him? He knows all, can do all, sees all ... We must get over ourselves and the urge to plan the life that we believe is ahead of us. Or, go ahead and make your plans, but always keep this fact in the back of your mind: TOMORROW IS NOT GUARANTEED.

I'm not suggesting that you live for today and for yourself. I am suggesting that you live for today with the purpose of doing good for others. Make your life count for something. Why be a mediocre Christian? You are a child of God! He will give you every provision required to do his work. Know that if you fall, he will catch you. If he doesn't, then your fall is part of something bigger. I'm okay with that and I have a story of my own to tell one day. We exist to serve him and we should all be so proud, so humbled to do and give for the one who repeatedly does for and gives to us.

Yes, it is true that our actions speak louder than our words and that how we behave reflects what's really in our hearts. As my husband likes to remind me, "we're not all in the same place in our walk with God." So true, and it's evident in our behavior and the faith (or lack thereof) that we demonstrate on a daily basis.

Right now, it's impressed upon my heart that I invite you to leave a comment for prayer. It will be my honor to pray over you, whether it's something specific or you just want to say hi. Someone somewhere needs these words and needs the extra lift and encouragement. What an honor to love you with a prayer to our almighty God on your behalf.

Loving you because HE first loved me,

audacious faith

My pre-order copy of Sun Stand Still: What Happens When You Dare to Ask God for the Impossible was backordered. Today is the release day. So after running an errand this morning, I checked out Family Christian Bookstore. Yep, they have 10. In a box. Somewhere in the back. Don't know when it'll be unpacked.
Okay.

How about Barnes & Noble? Sure, they have ONE copy. It's around here somewhere. Look high, look low. Look in the Christian Inspiration section. Look in the New Non-Fiction section. Look in the other Christian sections, just to be sure it wasn't misplaced. Not to be found. Hold on, let's call another B&N. Nope, they have three copies but haven't found them yet either.

How can my search for this book not pan out? Why is it so unattainable?

I gave in, came home, and logged in to Amazon to order with two-day shipping. It'll be here Thursday, but I really, really wanted it today.

To tide me over and prep my soul, I'm listening to author and Pastor Steven Furtick preach for 24 hours. God must have something for me to hear before I can start the book.

Are you reading it? You should. Let's find out together what audacious faith looks like, and then let's stretch ourselves into fostering audacious faith. Let's see what God can do when we dare to ask the impossible. Join me.

daniel's smile

Today we "adopted" a child. Daniel is 3 - not quite three months older than my Jackson - and from Ecuador. His smile is infectious and I am anxious to receive our packet all about him.

Daniel is a Compassion child and there are many more children just like him who are in need. While he does have the support of his mother and grandmother, Daniel does not have a father figure at home, and the earnings in Ecuador are meager.

You may be asking yourself why we chose to sponsor a child when our pennies are already being pinched. The answer is simple. Our life as Christians is about doing for others, especially the less fortunate. Who better to receive the blessings of healthcare, education, food and clothing than a child?

Being a sponsor is easy and you can choose your own child. Search by gender, age, country, and even birthdate to pick a child in need. The cost is $38/month. That's several days' worth of venti fresh-brewed Starbucks. I think giving up your coffee in exchange for a better life for a child is do-able.

For a real glimpse of Compassion children, read Ann Voskamp's blog about her recent trip to Guatemala where she was able to visit the child she sponsors. This was all it took for me.

Loving children for Jesus,

Help a Child

loving the least

Do you saunter down the street with your designer purse, criss-crossing to avoid the homeless (or those who look like they might be)? Shamefully, I'll admit that I have.

While I do still tote a designer purse from time to time, I no longer go out of my way to avoid anyone. My biggest fear? That someone will actually ask me if I can spare a dollar and I realize that I don't have one to give since I rarely carry cash.

It's become real to me that Jesus was among the least. Having the awesome following that he did, he could have been a real rock star. But he wasn't. He could've lived with kings and been showered with riches. But he didn't. Jesus lived with the poor, healed the lepers that others avoided, brought a four-days' dead Lazarus back to life, and made his life among those who had the least.

What an amazing life.

Here we are trying to get ahead. Aiming for the stars. Padding our pockets and pampering our babies. The good ol' American Dream. We suck.

I've started downsizing in the past months. We'd been doing that all along, but we're really serious about it now. What do we need and what can we live without? What are the things that we'd like to have and what can we actually afford? Is there something that our money can be put toward instead of the next size of  oversized TVs?

In preparation of a coming revival at our church, I'm fasting one meal a day. Also during this time, I'll fast from my nighttime addiction ... my daughter's Nintendo DS. Won't you join me in giving up at least one thing for the next 10 days? Let's take our morning coffee money and add it to the offering plate this Sunday as an extra missions offering. Give up something you love to show your love.

thank God for unseen blessings

Garth Brooks once sang, "God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers," but I believe God's greatest gifts are unseen blessings.

Every day I say a deliberate prayer of thanksgiving for our health, our jobs, the roof over our head, and my car that continues to hold out. However, God blesses us every minute.

Some days when I'm running late because I've been held up in traffic or made a wrong turn, I become frustrated and, more often than not, end up speeding to make up for lost time. Do you know what brings back my calm and slows me down? Coming upon an accident or a car pulled over by a policeman just moments before I arrive. Then I think, "that could have been me." I think these are little light bulb moments to slow us down in life and actually say a little prayer of thanks to God. I mean, even people who aren't very spiritual say, "thank God" out loud when they've been saved from something dreadful.

I've just finished reading Proverbs chapter 2 and wanted to share a special tidbit with you about unseen blessings.

"God gives out Wisdom for free, is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding. He's a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well, a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere. He keeps his eye on all who live honestly, and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones." - Proverbs 2:6-8 (The Message)

We are each blessed every day with a God who knows us and longs to be known by us. He is the granter of knowledge, protector of those who speak from the heart, watch guard over those who live with integrity, and devoted to those who are devoted to Him. Lest we forget, God is our Creator. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Thank you, God, for all the ways you bestow your blessings on us, even the ones that go un-thanked and especially those that we don't always see.

I have a few special prayer shout-outs tonight.

• TK, I'll be praying for your surgery - the wisdom for the doctors, the care provided by the nurses, and your quick healing and recovery. Also praying for E and the girls while their Daddy's recovering.
• BG, Praying over your interview and wondering why I haven't heard from you. Love you.
• JH, Loving you like no other and praying that you find the comfort you're seeking - the kind that can only be found in God.
• BB, So great to see you Sunday. Stay off those toes and recover quickly! You have much comedy to deliver.
• BP, You're a dedicated friend and mentor. Thank you for always helping me to see the way.
• TZ, Praying for your safety on the roads and for good days in your stressful work environment. He is always with you. Lean on Him.

Much Love Always,

One last thing, please take a minute to read this blog post, "Detours to the Destination" by Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC. It's relevant to the topic.
Photo by Casey L. Higgins

get over yourself, per Paul

Tonight is the last night of our Living for God in an Ungodly Culture small group study and as I'm sitting here reading through 1 Corinthians 16 once more, the book asks me to read a couple verses back in chapter 10. I'm stunned, as I did read chapter 10 before but I don't remember reading this ...

"Don't be so naive and self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it's useless. Cultivate God-confidence. No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it." - 1 Corinthians 10:12-13, The Message, Paul's letter to the church in Corinth

It always amazes me how the Bible can be read time and again but always offers a new message. Cultivate God-confidence. How did I miss that before? What a solid smack in the forehead! And the affirmation that certainly the trials any of us face have been faced by countless others ... wow.

I've heard it said many times, "If He leads you to it, He'll lead you through it." I don't know if that was a hand-me-down paraphrase of these verses, but what a revelation that God does actually say that to us through His Word.

More so today than ever, I believe the Bible is a living, breathing document that never grows old. It always illuminates something new and is just as applicable today as it was in its first days. Crack it open sometime and be stunned as God speaks to you.

Be Blessed,

sun stand still

I'm so excited about this book from Pastor Steven Furtick that I just pre-ordered it. Seems like it might be good to wrap a small group study around, too!

Watch an introduction here.

so much i want to say

Hosting up to 15 children in my home for Neighborhood Bible Club this past week was a blessing on so many levels. My heart's full. Overflowing, in fact, right out of my eyes in the form of tears. There's so much I want to say, so many emotions that can't completely be expressed ...

I can't shake the vision of those precious children learning the songs in my backyard. How one teen quieted them into a circle to practice once more. Their eager receptiveness to each nights' Bible story, and the little hands that went into the air when asked if they'd like to ask Jesus into their heart. It's a lot to take in, the lives impacted by 8 to 11 volunteers each night. And that's just at my house, not to mention the 23 other host homes in Chesterfield County.

Thanks to the amazing work put forth by our Children's Ministry team, more than 600 kids heard the story of God's gift, Jesus Christ. They learned Romans 3:23-25, now have three original songs with motions to share with their friends, and 97 of them asked Jesus into their hearts to be their personal Savior. What work God is doing in our community!

wash away the day

Dirty little toes need a good scrubbing at days end, but the washing of the feet is so much more than removing the dirt.

A mother is nothing if not humble; kids make you that way. When Jesus washed his disciples' feet, it was an act of humility and a show of love.

"A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean." - John 13:10

If we're to be "clean," we need only accept Jesus Christ as our savior, accepting that He is the earthly son of God who died on the cross and rose from the dead on the third day. When we're baptized, we rise anew from the water. The blood of Jesus is the only thing that can make us white as snow. It is He alone who can wash away our sins.

Walking with Christ is a lifelong choice and a winding road that one can easily step off course from. Do not hang your head and give up if that happens to you. Rather, pray for God to make your path straight and dedicate your life to Him. We will all falter. The one and only perfect soul now sits at the right hand of the Father. Think you're doomed when you stray? Repent and know that Jesus is interceding on your behalf.

The bottom line to Christianity is that you can't win or earn your way to heaven. You must only believe and make the choice that your life will be lived in a way that is pleasing to your Father God in heaven. At the end of your days, you'll want to know that your name is in the Book of Life. When Jesus comes to claim his people, won't you want to be one of the saints marching in?

Humble yourself as if washing the feet of others. Do God's will. Be a good person who does for others. It's not just a Christian way of life, it's the right way of life.

Hoping You're a Friend in Christ,

finding my calm in a sea of chaos

<< This is my home right now. Nearly every room of it. Each time I get one box-free something else creeps in. I feel like I'm about to lose my mind, especially when we're opening our home in a few weeks to feed His flock.

I remind myself that appearances aren't what's important, it's our heart to spread the Word and reach children in our neighborhood.

I recall a plaque I painted once ... "The cleaning and scrubbing can wait 'til tomorrow, for babies grow up, much to our sorrow. So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust, go to sleep. I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep."

That wonderful gem hung in my firstborn's room for a long time. It reassured me that it's okay to ignore the chaos that living in a home produces, but I suppose it's not as valid now as it used to be. While my babies are definitely not keeping and are filling my heart with sorrow as I watch them grow up before my very eyes, it is time for some order in my court.

As the Queen, I hearby declare that every box (within eye shot of visitors) will be unpacked with their contents neatly stowed away by no later than August 15, the day before we greet new neighbors and tell them how much Jesus loves them.

Hold Me To It,

jump-the-gun anger ::: restraint

Have you ever been so mad that you feel it - this rush of chaotic energy right under the surface looking for a pore to violently rip through? That was me today. It was scary for a minute. I can't recall the last time I was that angry.

My husband came home to find neighborhood kids throwing rocks at my dog. She was tied and couldn't retreat their charge. Over text, I was going ballistic. "I'd beat those kids myself," I punched into my phone. I was outraged. Where are their parents? Why would they think it's okay to bully my sweet black lab? He found her cowering against the door, trying to escape the walnut-sized limestones being hurled at her. Poor, sweet Daisy.

It was just the last straw for my day, that's all. Or, I thought it was the last straw for my day ...

A relationship is sort of being mended, I guess you'd say. The guilty party won't say she's sorry and the victim won't point out the wrong of the guilty. I'm neither person. I see it as perfect timing for a whole laundry list of things that need to be said to finally be said. Alas, it's not my territory.

So my real last straw was that my husband will be child-less most of the day on Father's Day. It wasn't my doing and he says he's fine with it. Guess I shouldn't care then, but I do. He's the one who typically doesn't hold grudges; I'm the one who does. I'm still not over him being wronged and I'm still mad at the person who hurt him. I certainly don't want my kids with her yet; I haven't gotten over the mistreatment. Apologies have not been offered and I don't just "get over" things so quickly.

God has words for me on this matter, but tonight is not a night I want to read them.

---

His "laundry list" of commandments for me is lengthy.

"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." -Ephesians 4:31-32

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." -Matthew 6:14-15

"And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." -Mark 11:25

"And as you wish that others would do to you, so do to them." -Luke 6:31

"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every tongue be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God." - James 1:19-20

---

And that, ladies and gentleman, is a spirit check. It's humbling.

I wish I knew how to let go of this particular anger and angst that has built up in me for so long, and how it is that I can easily forgive anyone but this one. Contrary to what I'm sure is the popular belief, this person claims a great deal of my thoughtlife as I battle what to do, what not to do, how to act, what to say, ponder over actions and reactions, and pray for guidance in forging a successful relationship. Sometimes I feel like this is the one true place that Satan has his toe-hold in my life. This is my button. My trigger. The one topic and person that will send me over the edge. He knows it. I know he knows it.

As TobyMac would say, "Hey Devil, go on! Get yo' junk outta here! I don't need you!"