834 - Sugarcoating is never sweet!

Dear Lord, I find myself so often wanting to make things easier for others than they actually are. Or I want to help my kids too much or not tell them the whole story so not to scare them away from something. I like to sugarcoat. I guess it is the protector in me or something.

Even the other day my Elleigh was published in our town paper that she wanted to be a missionary to China. When she first told me that I was very proud of her of course, and I wondered if she even knows many people get killed for their faith over there? I wondered if she knows how life can be over there? So I just patted her on the head and squeezed her tightly knowing I was not going to expose it all - did she even need to know now? I wanted to protect her from that info. I knew the worry wart she already is would quickly change her mind.

After all was said and done I asked her about being a missionary and why she chose China. "Mom, I like how sweet the people look over there."

Elleigh do you know that Christianity is a forbidden religion over there and that many people get killed for their faith over in China?

Oh no Momma, I didn't know. I change my mind, I want to go to London.

I didn't know it would be London, but I knew she would change her mind. Bless her! But it took me many days to muster up the guts to ask her that...I wanted to protect and let her just live in fairytale land.

The point is to all that is that I so often want to keep the hard stuff covered up so that one will not turn away...who does it help? No One!! I find myself wanting to sugarcoat a walk with Christ...I get scared to tell people at times it is not easy, it hurts many times, people don't understand, if you know everything you may want to run...

I have been reading much about the body of Christ and studying 1 Cor. 12. I find it so interesting that in verse 26 (i think) the writer explains that while one part of the body suffers we all suffer, but while one part of the body is honored, we rejoice. We are here for one another! We are suppose to help all parts of the body suffering through whatever it is. We don't sugarcoat and especially not ignore with our heads in the sand.

Now I find myself in 2 Cor. 1:8-10 and the writer pleading with the prayer warriors that they need not be uninformed about the hardships they suffered. He wanted them to know so that they would pray harder or keep praying. He also wanted them to realize that only the living God could get them through such trials and "deadly peril". All of this they were going through had the purpose of making them not rely on themselves, but on the Lord!

I see here that Paul was not into sugarcoating. He wanted to be upfront and honest with the way things really were. He wanted others to "come to the other side", but wanted to make sure they knew how difficult and dangerous it was at times. He wanted those serious, but also wanted others to know that HE will supply everything you need and more.

There are many lessons from this passage. Our call to keep praying for all the saints. The call to press on through the hard stuff as it should catapult us closer to the Savior. The call to give up the self-reliance game that can easily trip us up and make us believe we are all that and a bag of chips. Ha! But also what I took from this is that we are to not sugarcoat our trials in order to protect the innocent.

Lord Jesus, I am not sure how this really applies to me other than this is something I struggle with at times. I don't know of a situation right this minute that I am trying to do this sugarcoating in, but Father open my eyes to see. Maybe I am trying to protect my newest love - Baptist Children's Home girls!! They each have already been through so much in their lives and many don't know You, Lord. Lord, help me to be truthful and not sugarcoat. I love you Savior!

I am headed to Harrisburg to pick up the Barlow Girls tickets this morning. I am taking all the BCH girls. Barlow Girls have been featured in the Bible study we have been doing and it was incredible timing they were in town!!! I am so excited to worship with them! Thank you for this opportunity!

EJ did wonderful in her game last night - she hit a real homerun! Tucker has a game tonight and we are also excited for American Idol. Lord, please raise the temperature!!! I love you!

822 - Just the way I am - even if I look like a turtle...

This video is not the best as far as for the viewing pleasure - ha! I look a bit like a turtle today. My neck and head seem to come way out! ha ha!! Ok - I just had to get that off my chest!

This video is about being able to accept how God gifted you - Just the way He planned it!!! Take a look and then let me hear from you! Thanks

807 - A Bill that Says LOVE!!

1 Cor. 13 - this is the chapter that most people know - even those that don't believe - Love is patient, love is kind, love is.......... what you come to find out is we can never really totally live out that kind of love on our own. And what I have recently discovered for myself is love has so many different faces.

To say that love is kind, it can look totally different than love that is not proud. I think of love that is kind as the love that remembers to pick up the laundry. Love that is kind looks like the sweet face of a friend bringing dinner to one that is going through a rough time.

Love that is not proud is one that never says I told you so. Love that is not proud never gloats when i beat you in ping pong - well sometimes! Love that is not proud is most beautifully seen when forgiveness is asked for and the words "I was wrong" come out with ease.

Love has so many different faces, purposes, actions, and reasons!! Love can even be disguised, so to speak! There are things that do not look like love when in fact when the layers are pealed away and the Holy Spirit is heard - love is revealed!

My mom and dad having gone through this recent stroke have seen love in so many ways. Love has been very obvious by all the hospital visits, food, cards, phone calls, etc! It has been overwhelming to say the least and by the obvious love they will never be the same. (In saying that I do know that they hope to never be the same and care for others they way others have cared for them.............once they get past this rehab part.)

Mom made a comment the other day that her phone bill was the highest it had ever been. God revealed to me............that was love, it just looked very different. Love made those people call and check on things. It resulted in a higher bill, but it was love! (Don't stop calling!!)

It is the best to hug on daddy. It usually brings him to tears in a way it hadn't before the stroke. One might look at the tears and feel sorry for him. But I know those tears are love. Love seen very differently than before, but tears are love to me!

Mom has a neighbor friend, Ingrid, that is a wonderful, crazy, dog lover like mom. She was so faithful in taking care of Cuddles while mom spent every moment in the hospital with dad. To this day she still comes to visit and will even take Cuddles on walks just to give some relief. I am not sure I have ever heard of love is..........."taking care of your dog" in the scripture, but I know it was credited in the Heavens!

One of the most different forms of love, but most important and helpful came in construction and "fixin". My brother has come down countless times to help with whatever needed to be done. He has organized. He has built. He has programmed. He has painted. He has constructed!! My brother has had a hands on kind of love that speaks without words!

Love looks so different and can look not so much like love until we really look at what the Lord is showing us. A bigger visa bill or phone bill - but still it is love!! Thank you Jesus for your creativity!! I love you - let me show your people that I do...........No Strings Attached!

769 - Giving fully

Dear Lord, Today is the day that I leave with my #1 tennis player with my assistant coach Patricia Trout and head on the long ride to Chicago - about 6 hours away. Katelyn will play in the tourney for the 2nd time in 2 years. Last year we went in doubles, but this year she has done it again, but all by herself in singles. I am so very proud of her and hope for only the best - and good fun and fun! ha

My parents got back from Australia where they competed in the World Games. They both brought home a Silver and my dad's team also won a gold!! They both are fantastically crazy basketball players! This is all part of the Senior Olympics! I love it! I'm so proud of them!

Lord, today I found myself perched in the 58th verse of 1 Cor. chapter 15. "Therefor my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

After the last couple of weeks, this verse is like such a healing balm! I have a few decisions to be made and really want to make sure I am doing as You desire Lord. I want to give myself "fully to the work of the Lord". If there is anything I do know about myself is that I do not do a lot of things well. I struggle with being very organized and having all my I's dotted and T's crossed. There is always something it seems that I am scrambling after.

But I know that I not just love ministry, but I love doing ministry well! I am passionate about it and know this is where He has placed for me to be. I think about ministry all the time and I think about all kinds of ways to draw people in! Yes, it is my heartbeat because He is my heartbeat!!

I love how, Father, this verse says to "Stand Firm" - It sounds like an exhortation to keep doing!! Stand firm in what He has called me to do and keep pressing on! I don't see one standing firm in question - but standing firm with resolute!

"Let nothing move you" - Oh God, for your sake and because of the power in the Resurrection, I pray that I can be resolute myself about Your purposes. Lord, that I will let nothing move me! I will press forward into you and stand firm in your power!

As Curtis Jones from LPM reminded me as Resolution was cancelled, "Although it didn't work out on earth, it did count in Heaven". I am laboring for the Lord and I may not have the opportunity to see the results here on earth - but whatever we do in the Name of the Lord will count in Heaven. Nothing we do in His name is in vain!

Oh Lord, I cry out to you in thanksgiving! I worship you Father and ask that you are clear on my paths to take! I want to follow you and have great support knowing that my work is not in vain! Lord, I want to hear from you! I want to love you more!! I want to be confident not in my adventures, but in Your power and love for me!! Jesus - you are great and greatly to be praised! I will!! I give myself fully to you!!! I love you - amen!

604 - Just Stuff, More Than I Can Bear?

There is a famous verse that many people quote incorrectly or I should say out of context. It is the 1 Cor. 10:13 "He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear..." During a difficult time it is very natural to want to think that God is not going to give me more than I can bear because that is the first thing one that can find nothing else to say....says. "Just know it can't get any worse because the Bible says he won't give you more than you can handle." I know those are very well meaning words, but frankly that is not what the scripture says. It says, "He will not let you be TEMPTED beyond what you can bear..." Tempted and just not getting more than you can bear are 2 very different things.

Tempt means to test, tempt by solicitation to sin, entice, allure. That has nothing to do with going through a death, sickness, finances, or whatever. Yes, in those rough times we might be tempted to act in sinful ways, but God letting up on the actual stuff we go through because we think it is more than we can bear just is not what the Word says. Plus, we don't need a rough time to act sinful, we do that just fine in the good times as well!

To my minuscule understanding of the Word, it means that when the opportunity to sin is placed in front of us it is never more than we can't shake a fist at and walk away from. The temptation may seem like it is more than we can bear and not have the ability to walk away, but the scripture says He will always provide away out for escape. Boy , do i love that!! I need to remember this more often when my car pulls into Dairy Queen for a Cotton Candy Blizzard almost on its own... ha ha! Not sure why the Lord brought that to mind today, but I am thankful He revealed to me that Truth!

Today we go for what I am hoping and believing will be SJ last doctor's appointment. We will find out conclusively about the Rheumatoid Arthritis and if there might be anything else. Oh Lord, help me to not be tempted to doubt!!

On Monday - if i can figure it all out - I am going to be having a huge giveaway. I have been given some flip flops from this company - www.switchflops.com and have some things to giveaway. They have been so kind and generous and I really want to help them in their business. Plus, I love love love their products!!! Go check them out, but come back on Monday (or so) to register to win!!

It is official and I will be the varsity tennis coach for the high school girl's team. I am super excited. We have been taking registrations for tennis camp and are about all filled up!! We have opened another week up for older kids - 6th grade and up - and will see if that makes.

So that is about it for now. Got to the get the kids up and ready for the day. Oh, did i tell you I had my first golf lessons the other day? Oh goodness I loved it. And then while my girls were having their tennis lesson I was able to "rent" a pro and hit for about 20 minutes.......................... oh it felt so good too!!! I miss all that too! Those days will come back soon enough. Let's just hope i still have a shoulder... my cuff is hurting just a bit!! ha ha! I am a wimp!

512 - New Year's Resolutions - Tift

Dear Lord, you know the plans I have for today and I commit them to you. I have an important meeting this morning and I have some others things as well that are important to me. Lord, give me wisdom and solid thoughts. Give me confidence and gentle boldness. Give me patience and much, much love!! Thank you in advance for taking care of things!

Lord, I have tift or is it a rift...... anyway... with myself and other things I have been reading. I decided to not verbally say or make any new years resolutions and all over the web I saw the same things from many of the fellow Christian bloggers. I saw things like - I am not going to make any kind of resolution this year. I am just going to pursue Godliness or Grace or Righteousness, etc. I thought or maybe even said the same thing. I guess there are several reasons for that. 1) Don't want everyone to know I have failed again. 2) Don't want to be like everyone else. 3) Don't want to make promises that I can not keep again. 4) Think it is hokey and just a silly thing anyway. My list could go on and on. But then again I vowed probably just to myself that I did want to resolve to pray more and more diligent about my Bible studying. That is noble and a good thing - many bloggers had the same idea or convictions...

So what is my problem. I am willing to commit to do or be better at what God is obviously in or is about, but those things that I have to invite Him into I am not willing to commit. Lord Jesus, this is what I feel you saying to my heart..........God is all about me praying, God is all about me studying His Word - those are givens and frankly I don't think I could ever actually reach the mark or my goal at being a proficient prayer(er) or knowing all the Word let alone in one year. When I do become proficient or know all the Word I think He will just take me home. But those other things such as losing weight, diminishing my computer time, getting an accountability group together, getting my ministry and office organized and stay organized, staying on a budget, etc.......... Those are all things that God is "in", but it is not so obvious because we have to take Him there in sort of a way.

Here is my point I feel the Lord convicting me about. If we want to see change in our lives we have to commit it to Him. Doing things on our own will never work. We have to bring God into every single area of our lives. He has to be in our weight loss. He has to be in our financial pursuits. He has to be in our thoughts of organization. He has to be in it all. And He is. Since He is living inside of me - I am the temple of the Holy Spirit I Cor. 6:19 - I am taking Him everywhere and in everything. He is there when I am able to not indulge and yet He is quenched when I blow it and eat too much! He is there when I think I have to have that skirt (or rather baseball cap for me), but know better. My Lord and Savior is begging me to take Him into every area of my life. He wants to be in more than my prayer closet, He wants me to take Him into my kitchen, into my workout room (if i had one), into my clothes closet, into my purse, etc. He wants and will have access into every area of my life - especially my thoughts!

Lord, what is it that I am afraid of? Am i afraid that I won't please you? Am i afraid that I won't be accepted after failure? Am I afraid that someone will actually hold me accountable? Am I afraid to be vulnerable to the World Wide Web? What is it Lord? Vulnerability has never been an issue for I don't think. I am what I am and am not too much on hiding. Many, many other things are my issue, but that is not one that I see at this time. I have a good friend that is being called by the Lord to expose all this year - be completely vulnerable at all costs. It is beautiful! I am shocked at how many people deal with this issue. I had no idea! But for me - and Lord, help me to be vulnerable here - I just don't take the Lord into enough areas of my life. If i did I think I would have more self-control when I sat down to eat. I would have more self-control when I am talking among friends. I would be able to walk away from a killer sale that says I have got to have one more black pair of pants. I would have more discipline about my computer time. I would not worship any others gods is what it boils down to!!

So Lord, there it is. I want to live the victorious life. I want to be committed to everything you have called me to. I want to hear your voice in every area of my life. I want you to have full reign over me in everything , i mean everything! I want to be skinny, I want to be organized, I want to be a prayer warrior, I want to be in an accountability group, I want to be financially responsible................. I want you, Lord!!! I want you to have your way with me! I want it all - what you have for me. I know that I can not and will not be faithful in any of these ares without your help, guidance, push, discipline, and moment by moment involvement in my life!! I want to feel your breath......... always. Thank you for this or rather these convictions Lord. Forgive me for not taking you with me in all areas of my life. Forgive me for thinking or at least by my actions saying I can do it on my own. Forgive me for my pride and forgive me for not believing You! Lord, here we go! Off to another victoriously living day!! Victory in Jesus!

482 - All out of Sorts

"Everything is permissible - but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible - but not everything is constructive." 1 Cor. 10:23

First of all Lord Jesus I am so pumped that this verse uses hyphens. I am hyphen and exclamation queen and now I see where I get it - from my Abba Father. I use them in the wrong way, but I will learn as I grow up, right. Just being silly, but I was excited to see hyphens! Anyway, just kind of feeling out of sorts today.

Lord Jesus, I know this cyst thing is really no big deal - it could go away on its own - all the bleeding could stop (it has gotten better)- all the cramping could just stop (hardly feel anything at all)- and the dehydrating feelings can be quenched - I know you can do all that. But it just makes me wonder. What I have wondered from the day this all started was how bad do your hormones have to be out a wack before things start happening or changing in your body for the worst - like something like this cyst.

I know I have heard that weight gain is one sure fire way to get your hormones out of wack. But is it like 15, 25, or more than 50 to get them messed up? I just have to ask myself if i could lose this extra 15 pounds would this cyst have been less likely. I know everyone will want to say it can happen to anyone and we are all so quick - myself included - to not ever blame some one's health situation based on anything they have done. BUT - for me, I have never, ever had any females situations. I have been late - but that was 5 pregnancies. Never a moment's trouble getting pregnant, had good pregnancies - except the one miscarriage, but that was at 7 or 8 weeks, and just pretty normal. But i have never carried this extra weight for this amount of time. Could it be effecting my health even though by most standards it is just "some" extra weight? I think so.

Boundaries - I love them. I love to know where I can go and what I can not do. I like to know where I stand and to what extent that could change. I have a tough time with freedom. Even as laid back as i am, i still like to know what is expected, etc. I think I could do well as a puppet! But Jesus you are reminding me that is not the way you have made me. You have allowed everything - even terrible sin - to be permissible in my life. Obviously not everything is beneficial. That beneficial is kind of interesting. It means to bring together for the benefit of another. Another - I thought we were talking about ME. I thought this verse was talking about what was good for me and not good for me................... Well it is, but is not too. Verse 24 says, "Nobody should seek his own good but the good of others."

So while I am thinking this is all about me - will i ever grow up, ha! - this verse is really concerned about the things I do that are are not beneficial or constructive to those around me. Now that is totally different perspective. That constructive is a bit different than beneficial. Constructive means to build up or build to edify, strengthen, encourage. In a spiritual sense, to build the Church - edify Christ, build up and encourage the Church - all its members.

Now I think I have got it - Everything is permissible for me individually, but not everything is good to bring together another for their benefit - it is not always good to drag someone in on your stuff. Everything is permissible for me individually, but not everything will edify the Church or build it up. Bottom line with all things I am involved in - it is not about me! I am to seek the good of others. Duh - of course I know that, but for some reason the Lord wanted to bring that to me!! Lord, as I go about my day, will you please bring this verse very specific to my life and changes you would like to see take place. The verse in 1 Cor. 6:12 is just a tad different... The last of it says "but I will not be mastered by anything" - there it is again............. idols!!!!

I love you Lord - I am hanging tight to you - I love your consistency. Lord, forgive my out of sorts feelings and struggling faith at times. Forgive my questioning spirit and impatience! Father - all i want is to love you deeper. To feel you in the very marrow of my bones. All i want is to know your Word more consistently and have it flow from my lips! All i want is to please the Father and know You can count on me. I want to be righteous and thankful! I want to be gracious and consistent!!! I want to be consumed by You and everything You are about. I want to surrender it all!!!!!!!! Show me where I am not!!! I love you, Lord - help me to love you more!!! Increase my faith, hope and love!!!!!!!