Barking At Turtles - Breakout session with Jennifer Dyer

During MomLife Bootcamp we had a breakout session where we were able to choose a topic to attend. I chose Jennifer Dyer's Barking at Turtles. Now the turtle story is all hers to tell, but basically this was about the distractions that come along in a Mom's life and can keep us from experiencing a life of grace and peace. She called each of these things 'turtles' but I'm not that big on turtles so I'm just going to write about them full out.

The first she mentioned were trials. In James, it is said to take joy in our trials because they produce perseverance. Jennifer gave us a few reasons to take joy in the midst of trials. The first reason is because Jesus always comes to those who need him the most. The second reason is because suffering produces longing for eternity, our true home. Another reason is when we go through trials we catch a glimpse of how much Jesus did for us. And last, trials can bring out the best in us and we can thank God for trusting us to endure the trials.

The next distraction she mentioned was guilt - especially guilt that will not let go or that we don't let go.  The first thing we need to do is admit that we have failures. In admitting we are not perfect, we can't feel guilty for when we make mistakes, right? When we admit we have failures, we understand our need for Jesus, our hearts are able to bloom in his light, we are open to receive and understand his race, we can pass his grace onto others and we can be a light shining in darkness. Without our failures and without being poor in spirit we would not understand how much we need Him. We need to let go of our guilt and remember that there is no condemnation in Christ. (Romans 8:1-2)

Fear and failure can also be major distractions. To overcome this we need to turn to God's Word and remember "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:23-24)  John 16:33 says "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome this world." We are not in charge or control of this world. God is.

Never ending messes are next on the list. We need to remember that messes are temporary and keep an eternal prospective so that they don't drag us down. "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18 Jennifer reminded us that there are no bonus points in heaven for dying with a perfect house. Thank goodness in my case!

We need to also remember to seek first the kingdom of God and avoid being distracted by busyness and stress. Matthew 6:33 tells us "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you." We need to avoid 'doing' things that get in the way of our relationships with God and with our family. Being stressed out with all that we are trying to do and accomplish and not nurturing those relationships is not our purpose here on earth. 

The questions we need to ask ourselves is "what is our primary purpose as a mom?" and "what are our families' goals?". Jennifer recommended we look at our family schedules and consider everything we do in a day, even including changing diapers and carpooling. She suggested we ask ourselves what does not fit in our purpose as moms or does not help meet our family goals. Then she suggested we filter these activities through those ideas. Do not allow guild to force you to say yes because life is full of seasons. We need to enjoy the one in which we live.

Hope this all makes sense and you enjoyed hearing about my bootcamp weekend! This wraps up that weekend but I am looking forward to attending Momlife Bootcamp again in March 2014!

Living the Mom Life - Day 2 of Bootcamp

On this day, Saturday April 13th, I woke early and went down to the lake to see the sun rise. I didn't stay long enough for the sun to rise because it was freezing and dark. I figured I didn't need to be one of those dummies you see on horror films out alone, in the dark out in the woods at camp so I headed back in.

Before I returned to my bunk, I got to spend time praying, admiring God's miraculous work in a star filled sky and just meditating on what my life as a mom means. It was one of the best mornings I have had in a long time. Serenity filled my soul and mind. I was unafraid, rejuvenated and felt covered in God's love. I need more mornings like that.

That day the Mom Life crew's devotional asked us to describe God in as many words as we could and also to write down actions he has done in history and my life. He is just everything and all that is in my life that is good, pure and just has come from him. He has blessed me in so many ways.

After breakfast we joined a session with Dannah Gresh, author of "And the Bride Wore White". She spoke on what children need to become pure, holy adults and ways to live above culture. Dannah spoke two different words used to mean "To know" in the Bible. She spoke of Yada (spelling probably not right) which means to know, to be known, to be deeply respected. An example she gave of this word is in Psalm 46:10 Be still and know (yada) that I am God. The other word she spoke of is Sakab (also probably misspelled). Sakab means to exchange body fluids or the mechanics of sex without emotion. An example of the usage of this word is in Genesis 19 with Lot and his daughters. Yada is what should be in place in our relationship with God and in our marriages. The importance of friendship, deep respect and truly knowing our spouses should not be ignored.

There are two things that Dannah said was the most important things we should want for our children. The first is to love Jesus with all their hearts, souls and minds. The second is for them to marry well.  These are my prayers for my kids. I pray for their salvation and a deep relationship with Jesus but I also pray for their future spouses to also have a deep devotion to Christ.

As Dannah continued, she reminded us how important every decision we make in our children's lives are. Every decision matters and every decision builds. For example, when we give toys to our children to play with they are practicing for the future. Dolls dressed inappropriately can make a lasting impression on our kids and leave them seeking those types of clothing in their future. She also spoke of the importance of God's healing for ourselves. We can not raise sexually pure and whole children if we are not whole ourselves.

After we finished our morning session, we had free time which included things like riding horse back, volleyball, zip lining and arts and crafts that afternoon. It was a lot of fun and relaxing. :)

Living the Mom Life - Day 1 of Bootcamp

The weekend of April 14th, I joined my friend Kristen and went to MomLife bootcamp at  Pine Cove in Tyler, TX. I arrived Friday evening excited but also tired and worn down just from my daily activities. After I checked in, I started on the short devotional they had put together for us. The questions to answer on that day were about my fears for my family, children and for myself. Of course I did not want to answer because that would be admitting that I am not letting God handle my fears but truthfully I am not good at letting go of my fears and letting God have control of my life. Yep, I've admitted it.

I fear messing up my marriage. I fear becoming an addict like so many in my family. I fear my children not finding Christ and messing up their lives with addictions or not finding peace in Christ and instead search for it through worldly gains. I fear not being a Godly woman, wife, mom and example.

Now I would love to say after one weekend of bootcamp all those fears went poof into thin air. In reality, I was just reminded that I am not the only one who has these fears and struggles. There are moms who every day get up and look at themselves in the mirror and worry over ruining their children. Tracey Eyster, author of Be the Mom, spoke about the tug of war between doubt and doing more. She spoke of doubts such as "I am 'just' a mom" and how we as women and especially stay at home moms doubt our value in this world. She went on to say that to make up for those doubts we start 'doing' more. More activities such as spending more time cleaning our house, volunteering, saying yes to everything that comes along, etc. Pretty soon we are 'doing' so much we are not 'being' what we are supposed to be. Moms. Our children are not receiving the best of us and get the us when we are tired, cranky and worn down which means we are usually snapping at them and giving them the worst of us.

One of my favorite things she said was "If the enemy can pressure, pull and distract you away from fulfilling your God gifted role as mom, he robs children of the one thing they can not get from anyone or anywhere else." Wow. So yes, I am JUST a mom, but I am given the job by God to give my kids my love and attention. I am given the task of just BEING with my kids, not doing this, that and the other. I need to stop thinking in a Martha sort of way and start being like Mary spending time with God and my kids, showing my kids the importance of family love and time together and just Be The Mom.

The task Tracey ended with was for us to make a "To Be" list rather than a "To Do" list. List the ways we can just be with our kids. When I arrived home Sunday evening, I danced with my children, blew bubbles and cuddled. The bags didn't get unpacked, the blog didn't get written and the dishes stayed in the sink. That's okay, they were all there on Monday waiting on me.

Short Yarns

Want to exercise your creative wings and do a little writing? How about read others' short stories? Go to : http://shortyarns.wordpress.com/ and follow the blog today! Two writers and some crafty friends joining together to provide motivation, inspiration, accountability and some good ol' fashion fun.  Today's prompt is listed below!

Pick a bad habit you have, write about a character that has the same bad habit but only worse. Write about how that bad habit gets your character into some serious trouble.

Prissy the Procrastinator
Why do today what can be put off to tomorrow was the motto she lived by. Living in a house built by her great-grandparents over 100 years ago, Prissy the procrastinator was never one to let her motto get her down. Her yard stayed overgrown with weeds so tall you couldn't see the front door. Every six months or so the city would come and mow it and leave a bill on her door, adding to the collection of bills already piled up. Her mailbox was so full the post mistress had put a hold on Prissy's mail years ago. The utilities had not been on since her parents added them to her responsibilities. The roof on the house leaked every time it rained, dripping down walls and helping the mold growth. Prissy knew the roof needed to be replaced, the house cleaned, the mold killed, and probably a total renovation needed to happen. That would all wait for another day. Every morning Prissy woke up to a beautiful sunrise and thought about all the things she needed to do. Then she rolled over knowing those things will be there tomorrow.



Go to http://shortyarns.wordpress.com/ to share your responses or to see others' responses!

Reaching Out: What does it mean to you?

Our church often speaks of reaching out to others and sharing Christ's love. We have a variety of missions to other countries. We have opportunities to serve as groups to the Rescue Mission. We even have a team in the making to help greet newcomers and assist them in joining our church. But what does this mean to us personally? 


Jesus shared to gospel everywhere He walked. Everywhere. Where do we go that we can share the gospel? Is it really hard to share? I know I have heard arguments against sharing because of concerns such as offending the people, unsure of what to say, and just being plain scared. I have had all those feelings and I'm sure more. I have stood right in front of someone, felt the urge to share, and walked away instead. How lousy I felt for days. 


It is really hard to put your faith on the line. I read people's accounts from other countries where there lives are at stake if they admit they are Christians. I remember having a speaker come and tell us about how they have underground churches. In Roman times, Christians were thrown in as gladiators to fight others or animals such as lions. Yet here I stand, shaking in my shoes afraid of what? Being yelled at? Looked down upon? Making someone mad? 


Right now, we have rights in this country. We can be Christian and not lose our lives because of it. Jesus told us to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19) How can I do a better job of following His last command? How can you? We don't have to travel to other countries to share the Good News. There are people who we run across everyday who don't know about Jesus. 

The Potters' Hands

Ever felt crushed by the world around you? I know I have. There have been times I have felt completely annihilated to the point it hurt to breathe. I know we have all been there at one time or another, whether its through the loss of loved ones, loss of jobs and financial struggles, or just the battle of making it through the day without drama, depression, or sometimes even a substance crutch. In one way or another, we have felt crushed. 

Today, my heart was lead to read Jeremiah 18:4 

"But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, 

so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over." NLT

God is the potter. He is the only one who can allow the world around us to crush us. When He allows such things, it's to make us a better vessel. On March 2, 1998, after my grandmother's passing, I felt as though my heart was crushed entirely, my lungs unable to take full breaths, and my mind unable to even process a single thought. For a little over a year, I made bad decisions one after another. I threw away values and morals I had upheld for years as if they no longer mattered. Worse of all, I turned away from God in my time of pain, refusing to allow Him to help me and spurning those who would dare suggest I do otherwise. 


When I finally started to turn my life back around, I still continued to be apathetic towards God. I was not purposely turning my back against Him, I just was not running towards Him either. Still, He continued to be with me. I have always known that. I knew that the entire time I lived in my crushed state. When I finally started praying again, and asking for His hand to be in my life, my entire world changed. I no longer felt crushed. I no longer struggled with my shame over the mistakes I made after my grandmother's passing. I began to take shape into a new vessel. A better vessel. 


I am not by any means perfect. I know God is continually working on me to become an better vessel tomorrow than I am today. He will always be working on me. I know I will be crushed at times. I also know He knows what is best for me, and will always have His hands around me to help keep me malleable, stable, and protected. 

"But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed 

say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the 

potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for 

special purposes and some for common use?" 

Romans 9:20-21 NLT

Door Keeper To The Lord's House

Amazing how something as simple as holding the door open for people can adjust your outlook. As I spent 45 minutes opening the door for people coming to watch our church's Christmas program, I had so many people show me the true meaning of kindness. There were men who kept trying to hold the door for me, proving there are still gentlemen in the world. Women who would say the kindest words about how gorgeous I looked and how sweet I was. I needed those words when I was feeling nauseous, standing in 30 degree weather with the wind blowing like crazy! And then there was the best words that I kept hearing over and over, different versions of the verse about being a door keeper in the Lord's house. When I arrived home, I promptly looked up the verse they were telling me about. 

"Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; 

I would rather be a door keeper in the house of my God 

than dwell in the tents of the wicked." Psalm 84:10 

After reading that, all I could think is wow, how awesome that God gave me the privilege to do such an awesome job. To be a servant at His house. Each time someone would quote that verse to me, in so many different variations, I just kept thinking that it is so true. There is no where I would rather be than at the door of God's house, letting His people in. 

Christmas Time

A simple trip to Shreveport Target for laundry detergent, how can that possibly go wrong? I notice how the air is lacking the scent of pine that hung over our small town when I was growing up. Parking is atrocious. Target is crowded with rude people in a hurry. I don't hear jingle bells ringing, all I hear are kids around me screaming. Finally, after checking out, trudging across a damp parking lot to the truck, and getting everything loaded, I head to Chick-Fil-A to grab dinner for the family. The drive through line is wrapped around the building. My son is screaming in the back seat because he's starving. Dinner for him is CFA nuggets broken up and handed back as I maneuver Youree Drive. Drivers all around are not paying attention - pulling out in front of me, slamming on their brakes because they finally spotted the entrance to the shopping center they were looking for, and just failing to pay attention overall. When did Christmas become so tedious? Better question, when did I allow Christmas to become so tedious? 


I remember when Christmas was fun. The excitement of shopping for the perfect present. The feeling of peace and joy all around. When did I allow myself to feel any other way about Christmas? And when did I stop making the reason for the season the center of my Christmas? It started slowly. A gathering here. Another present there. Pretty soon I'm concentrating on cooking, wrapping, gatherings, cards, pictures, and everything else except the one who started it all. 


My prayer for myself and everyone else is this: May we all put Jesus in the center of our Christmas and all of our days. May we know that without His birth, Christmas would not exist. And without His death, salvation and eternity would not be ours. 



   So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 
   And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
   Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
   “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
   So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
   On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

Luke 2:4-21

Everything Changes

We hear the same phrase over and over again. Nothing ever stays the same. Yet when it happens to you, it's almost surreal. A crash of metal against metal. A house full of memories ablaze with fire. A sudden loss of a business in times of economic turmoil. Bankruptcy. Pregnancy. Marriage. Divorce. Graduation. So many events in a person's life, big and small. Just when you get used to the way life is, everything changes. Amazing, isn't it? How many times do we look back to the way things used to be, wishing for days gone by? 


Jesus told us, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." Luke 9:62 In order to be used for God's glory, we have to look forward. It's amazing how hard that can be. I am always looking back to the days before I was _______, or when we had _________. There are days where I spend every moment reflecting on my past, when in fact I need to be in the present looking towards my future so that I may of use in God's kingdom. 


So tonight I look towards my future, full of hope and faith, knowing that God is always there. 


"Learn from yesterday, Live for today, Hope for tomorrow" Albert Einstein

Humble Is As Humble Does

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 1 Peter 5:6

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

   “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." James 4:6

hum·ble

 [huhm-buhl, uhm-] adjective, -bler, -blest, verb, -bled, -bling.

–adjective

1.

not proud or arrogant; modest: to be humble although successful.

2.

having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience,etc.: In the presence of so many world-famous writers I feltvery humble.

3.

low in rank, importance, status, quality, etc.; lowly: of humble origin; a humble home.

4.

courteously respectful: In my humble opinion you are wrong.

5.

low in height, level, etc.; small in size: a humble member of the galaxy.

–verb (used with object)

6.

to lower in condition, importance, or dignity; abase.

7.

to destroy the independence, power, or will of.

8.

to make meek: to humble one's heart.

—Synonyms 
1.  unpretending, unpretentious. 2.  submissive, meek. 3. unassuming, plain, common, poor. 4.  polite. 6.  mortify, shame,abash. 7.  subdue, crush, break. Humble, degrade, humiliate suggest lowering or causing to seem lower. To humble  is to bringdown the pride of another or to reduce him or her to a state ofabasement: to humble an arrogant enemy.  To degrade  is todemote in rank or standing, or to reduce to a low level in dignity:to degrade an officer; to degrade oneself by lying.  To humiliate is to make others feel or appear inadequate or unworthy, esp. insome public setting: to humiliate a sensitive person. 

—Antonyms 
1, 2.  proud. 3.  noble, exalted. 4.  rude, insolent. 6.  elevate. 8. exalt

Daily humbling myself before God is something I do not ever see myself perfecting. I try very hard to do something to help someone and then keep it between myself, them, and God but it never works out. I'll do okay for a minute or two, then somehow, someway I will bring a conversation to the point where I can utilize my 'shining' example. How does one perfect the art of being humble? I personally think it all starts with giving credit to the one who deserves it. God. He has given everything to us. Nothing is of our own. Not our bodies, minds, souls. Not our talents, jobs, hobbies. Not our families, friends, pets. Not our material possessions. Everything comes from Him. Without Him, we would be nothing and have nothing. I pray I remember that every minute of everyday, and that I learn to be humble in His eyes.