I'm UNCOMFORTABLE!

I have had so many ideas about my next topic, but I have been in an awkward place lately.

You know that uncomfortable feeling when you have been standing on your feet so long and  you are just ready to sit.  You want to get comfortable whatever that may mean to you.  Yes I know that feeling oh too well.

Lately I have felt that way on more than one occasion. When we moved to Dallas it wasn't under the best circumstances, but we are here and God had a plan that we couldn't even see.  Now it is time to find a new place to live which also requires us to look into schools. I find myself frustrated and telling God I just want to be settled.  I like to be comfortable.  Don't we all? We buy clothes, shoes, furniture based on how comfortable it makes us feel.  I am uncomfortable because I feel as though I am standing,  waiting in anticipation for God to tell me to move.  I don't care if it is right, left, or forward. You know what? God does care.  He loves me that much.  Stop getting so uncomfortable that you are about to make wrong decisions.

 I am reminded of Luke 9:57- 58 NLT As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, "I will follow you wherever you go." But Jesus replied, Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head."


So after reading those two scriptures several times I had to check myself. I had this plan of how my life would go and it has totally been opposite of what I thought it would be like. I really wanted a career where I traveled throughout the world.  So I thought. I laugh thinking about it.  I thought at one point I wanted to do disaster management. Seriously, I am not joking.  I said I was never going to get married.  I have been married 6 years. I said I wasn't having kids, and then miraculously I had a desire to have a baby.  My oldest will be 3 on April 25th, and the youngest is 1. Even though this wasn't the life I had planned it is the most rewarding. I am a wife and mother daily, my greatest purpose.  I impact them  and they will impact their families.  That is legacy!

  I know we live in a society that wants us to believe that this life is forever and that when you die that is the end. Sorry but that is a lie. send me a comment or Email me if you have questions.  This place meaning earth is really not my home. It is temporary.  Once I realize that wholeheartedly everything else seems so insignificant.  It doesn't change my desires, but it helps with my contentment.  I know that God loves me and nothing that he has for me will harm me. This is my daily speech to myself.  You should try it to.  I quote Jeremiah 29:11 many times because it encourages me more than I could ever imagine.

So I told Jesus I would follow him, I would surrender to his plans for my life.  I will be uncomfortable because I didn't design any of these plans. HE knows better than me, HE never fails, HE is faithful!

HOW TO BE PERFECT?

I know that title got most of your attention.  10 steps to being perfect. Yeah right! It is a joke people.

There are NO Steps for you to be perfect. It is not happening.  Truthfully no one is perfect but Jesus.  As I was sitting in marriage class yesterday I zoned in on those words. I have heard it before, I knew that it was true, but at that moment that was all I could hear.  Maybe I needed to be reminded of that.  Matthew 5:48 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.  
Of course I had to do some homework on the definition. I normally don't write when I look up Greek translations, but then I realized we study everything else we definitely need to get in the habit of studying God's word.   I started thinking what does this word mean in the Greek, clearly God is not trying to tell us that we are perfect.  I knew that was not the case.  According to Strong's Concordance, "perfect" in the Greek is teleios  (tel'-i-os) meaning complete in all its parts, full grown, of full age, completeness of Christian character.  
Now I am no theologian or anything, but from this definition I gather we need to become more spiritually mature.  

Babies don't stay babies, they do grow up.  You can't eat baby food forever. Chew on that!

People will FAIL you.  People will HURT you.  Only you can control how you will respond. I have learned so much about offering people grace. Give people some leeway.  I never really understood how to do that, but then I am reminded of all the times God forgives me and gives me grace I don't deserve. We always wan God to give us grace.  There is nothing we can do to earn it either.  How dare I not do the same for someone else?
I am reminded of Matthew 6: 15   15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

These are some of  the cliches I've heard that will not help us to forgive and show grace to others.  

• I forgive and don't forget- this takes time but you can't continue to bring the offense up
• You  hurt me once, but you won't hurt me twice-No we are not a doormat, but if we are genuinely being relational we will get hurt, or offended at times. 
• I can't forgive that one

I have to seriously check myself when I want to justify why I shouldn't forgive.  Sometimes I ask questions like " Why does this keep happening?" "You just don't understand God" That last question makes me laugh now.  Yeah I am sure we have it so much harder than Jesus did.  I mean have any of you been nailed to a cross lately? I am just saying. It really does put things in a different perspective. 

There is no justification.  Jesus forgives me for everything, even things people don't even know about. OUCH!! 

I'm Ready To Fight!

I know you really thought I was about to fight someone LOL! NOT literally that is. 

If you have siblings I am sure you have had a "play fight" a time or two. Maybe you do not have siblings, but cousins or a best friend will do as well.  Generally kids start play fighting very early, often finding it quite hilarious.  We all know when you play fight you don't fight hard because you are not trying to hurt the other person. Just simply having fun.  I don't want to sound super spiritual, but we really should believe that we are fighting an enemy who is coming for blood. This is not some character with red horns just trying to scare you. I can't stress this enough.  I told my husband we are trying to fight the enemy with fly swatters instead of swords! Come prepared to fight.  You  have to be dressed in your gear to fight. I challenge you

Now I bring this up because lately I am hearing the word prayer thrown around like we say "sorry" with no meaning.  OUCH!  I know God has plans for my family, and that Satan would rather kill, steal, and destroy them.  Therefore, I will fight for my husband, children, parents, friends, and even acquaintances. My prayer life in the last year has changed drastically! I often wonder how hard we pray when we say "I am praying for you?" Just imagine if we prayed for others like we pray for ourselves.   We really should stop being so passive about prayer.  As Pastor Dusty always says, let's stop saying "The least I can do is pray for you, when actually the best thing you can do is pray." 

I remember in the beginning days of my marriage I was terrible.  Always yelling, screaming to get my way. Very selfish, that is another topic for another day.   Needless to say that didn't work.  We all have passion and drive when it is something that we want. Pastor Dan says it so well  "I AM NOT GETTING WHAT I WANT!" All conflict stems around this common theme.  I am grateful that when my husband and I reach conflict that we cannot handle, we both know that we have to pray. This was NOT always the case. PRAYER IS EVERYTHING! 

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray Continually

Continually derived from Continual is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as happening again and again within short periods of time.  In my mind this means I really should be praying whenever possible.  No one is saying be weird about it by trying to pray at every second of the day because that is not possible. However, be genuine with your prayers. When you say you will pray for someone, PRAY FOR SOMEONE.  Surround yourself with a great support system.  Do you have someone you can call and ask to pray with you? 

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.

1. Pick a Time to pray everyday, this creates discipline
2. Pray about everything and not just some things
3. Believe/Pray with your heart 
4. Be Honest with God
5. Get a Support System/Accountability Partner

Pray for me, I am praying for you.  Pray hard as though your life is dependent upon it. 

When I say I am praying for you know I am giving my best.  

Fresh Start

If you don't know this is a brand new blog.  My previous blog was  A Woman At Home, but now that I am back working outside of my home I decided it was time to start something new.  I am praying daily for those who decide to read my blog.  Some days the posts will make you feel all warm inside, but some days you may not like me because of what I am writing. Love me Anyway!!! I  mean no harm. I have been so timid before because I feared what people may say or think.

When I told some that I wouldn't write in that blog anymore I was shocked at the response. Most were saying that was not right for me to take them on this journey with me, and to leave them stranded. I found that quite funny.  Who knew that this blog would touch so many?! That sure was not my intent. Totally in shock. Who knew this simple blog that I started to help me with my emotions and feelings after becoming a mom would be so helpful to so many women. That's nothing but God! He had and still has purpose for me.  You too just in case you were wondering. 

Thank you to those who have followed, encouraged, laughed, cried,  text, or whatever role you played during my journey at home with my babies.  I even thank those who made hurtful comments about stay at home moms, breastfeeding, or any other topic that I had the opportunity to facilitate discussion.

After my first week at work, I enjoy what I am doing.  I am an office manager at a law firm.  I respect my boss and he respects me.  I had an awful work experience before, and grateful that I am removed from that and using my skills in a different field.

I am adjusting to waking up at 6 or 6:30 a.m., getting Addisyn ready, while Rance gets Abbye together. This is all new for me.  I do miss my TEA sisters at Heartland Church on Tuesday mornings though. Rance picks up Abbye and I pick up Addisyn.  We found a home-based daycare thanks to my sister/friend referring us. I feel at ease everyday when I drop her off.  It is so true, God does know best. When you trust HIM he will never lead you astray.  I used this scripture Proverbs 3:5-6 in the last blog, but I feel it needs repeating.  Maybe you should write it on a sticky note and place it on your mirror. Repeat it daily if you choose. You may just start to believe it. 

Proverbs 3:5-6(NIV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your way submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

 

 





 

I never thought I would say that I am a proud wife and mother. It brings me great joy to serve my family daily.  Yes I said serve. Years ago I thought serving my husband was crazy. I am so glad God got me straight on that. Servitude should be something we ALL should try.  You cannot show genuine love without servitude and gratitude. It just doesn't happen.  Well that is another topic for another day folks.

 

1Peter 4:10 (NIV) Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.