At the moment my head and heart is full of thoughts, so bear with me as I unload here. This entry is for me to compile my thoughts on paper and get them out of my head. I share it here in case any of my rambling thoughts might lead to you God's perspective and truth.
When circumstances and people are not like they should be(according to me anyway), I begin to concoct a plan to "help them change into who or what they should be". That is the situation I find myself in at the moment. My mind is racing with ideas of how I can "fix" this particular person and get them to see things from my perspective, but then I hear God whisper that it is not my job to fix people. What joy and freedom can be found in that truth, if I can just get my head to receive it! If it is not my job to "fix" people and circumstances, what is my job? God quickly reminds me that my job is to love Him with ALL my heart, soul, mind and strength, followed by loving others as myself. Hmmm....that's it summed up in one word LOVE, but what if....really there is no "what if....'s" God's love is unconditional and He is sovereign. He is a God we can trust to work all things out for His glory and according to His purpose. What is even more amazing is that if I am loving Him and resting in Him, He will do the loving others through me. It doesn't even have to be me loving them, but just me willing to be a vessel of His love. Wow!!! OK head did you read that?
Here are a few more thoughts:
Manipulation is defined by Webster's 1828 dictionary as "work by hands", another dictionary defines it as "skillful handling of objects" and later it adds "skillful handling of persons" and another dictionary defines it as "shrewd or devious management, especially for one's advantage". The latter definition is what comes to my mind when I hear or use the word manipulation. Manipulation originally referred to the manipulation of objects and was a skillful art, but when it comes to people, manipulation becomes an ugly art, for we are trying to create them into our mold, we are trying to work them by our hands. This is God's job alone and He reminded me of the potter and the clay.
Isaiah 64:8
"But now, O LORD,
You are our Father;
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all we are the work of Your hand."
Jeremiah 18:1-11
"The Potter and the Clay
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying:
2 "Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear My words."
3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something at the wheel.
4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the LORD. "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!
7 "The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it,
8 "if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it.
9 "And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it,
10 "if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.
11 "Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good." ' "
Another word I studied this morning is control. The general defintion being to restrain, have power over, superiority over,... Two examples from Webster's 1828 really caught my attention.
"The course of events can not be controlled by human wisdom or power"
"I feel my virtue struggling within my soul:
But stronger passion does its power control." Dryden
A quick online search of the word control in the Bible produced the following results:
Out of 9 times the word control was used, 7 of these times were in reference to self-control. It became pretty apparent to me that the only effort to control that I should be making would be in self-control. Wow, I really need to work on that!
A summary of my thoughts is this. If I'm manipulating, then I am not trusting God, but rather trusting myself, which means I am worshipping myself and not God...IDOLATRY! I would really rather trust God than myself, He has a much better track record.
My Father, forgive me for trying to become you and do your job. Let me rest in you, cast all my cares upon you and not be entangled with a yoke of bondage. Your yoke is easy and burdens are light, let me not take on that which you intend to carry. Let me wait upon you, trusting in you to renew my strength and letting you teach me to soar and not grow weary. You are my sole source of strength and provision. Let me ever rest in you and leave the molding to you. Mold me into a vessel for you to pour your love into.
In Him,
Living Free
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
What kind of a book reader are you?
When you read a book do you keep it looking neat and new, while skimming the pages and gleaning what you can from it or do you devour the book, underlining, taking notes, and thoroughly digesting every word? Maybe you fall somewhere between the two?
I am a devour the book type reader, using a highlighter and pen for a page marker, breaking the binding in to stay open, and filling in every blank margin and page with thoughts and ponderings. To say that I love to books and reading would be an understatement. I enjoy reading of all sorts, cookbooks(yes, I actually read these from cover to cover, my favorite being Savannah Seasons), fiction, self-improvement, decorating magazines, parenting books, homeschooling, nutrition, health...by far my favorite type books are those that give me a glimpse into God's love and character and draw me closer to His father heart.
Understanding my passion for books you can comprehend what a treat it was for me last week when I got to escape with my two oldest sons to Half Price Books for the evening. I must admit that without a plan and focus Half Price Books can be over stimulating to a book junkie like me and without a little restraint and a budget I would spend way to much time and money in there. My plan of attack for Half Price Books is this, first we go to the children's section and quickly browse for any titles that I may have on my school list or any books that support what we are studying. Next stop is the teachers helps section where occassionaly I come upon a textbook that we need. After that I cross the store and go to the religious section, where I'm sure to find some wonderful titles and even a few on my wish list. My time is usually coming to an end at this point so I quickly browse through the clearance section and then tally up my total, weed out a few and head to the check out excited to go home and dive into my treasures.
What treasures did I find last week?
Columbus by D'Aulair
Singapore Math Textbook
Hints On Child Training -Trumball, this book has been on my wish list for years and I found it in the clearance section for $2.00, whoopee!
Open Heart, Open Home - Maines, another long awaited title from my wish list. I've already devoured half of this book so stay tuned for a detailed review. So far it is awesome.
If Momma Ain't Happy...ain't nobody happy - another excellent book that I've partially devoured, check back soon for a review.
If the Bathtub is Overflowing Then Why DO I Feel Drained
Amelia Bedelia Plays Ball - We just love the antics of Amelia and had to see how she played ball. A ROTFL book!!!
Last but not least....
Fields of the Fatherless(I've already finished devouring)
This wonderful book looks at God heart of compassion for the fatherless(orphans, widows, and strangers) and His command to us to care for them. The book is full of tips for meeting the needs of those in our community, as well as oversees. Time is also spent exploring the spirit of adoption and how God views us, His adopted children. I have many friends who have adopted and this book really ministered to me and gave me ways that I can support them in thier adoption journeys and minister to others in my community.
I hoped you enjoyed my journey to the book store and into one of my books.
In Him,
Living Free
I am a devour the book type reader, using a highlighter and pen for a page marker, breaking the binding in to stay open, and filling in every blank margin and page with thoughts and ponderings. To say that I love to books and reading would be an understatement. I enjoy reading of all sorts, cookbooks(yes, I actually read these from cover to cover, my favorite being Savannah Seasons), fiction, self-improvement, decorating magazines, parenting books, homeschooling, nutrition, health...by far my favorite type books are those that give me a glimpse into God's love and character and draw me closer to His father heart.
Understanding my passion for books you can comprehend what a treat it was for me last week when I got to escape with my two oldest sons to Half Price Books for the evening. I must admit that without a plan and focus Half Price Books can be over stimulating to a book junkie like me and without a little restraint and a budget I would spend way to much time and money in there. My plan of attack for Half Price Books is this, first we go to the children's section and quickly browse for any titles that I may have on my school list or any books that support what we are studying. Next stop is the teachers helps section where occassionaly I come upon a textbook that we need. After that I cross the store and go to the religious section, where I'm sure to find some wonderful titles and even a few on my wish list. My time is usually coming to an end at this point so I quickly browse through the clearance section and then tally up my total, weed out a few and head to the check out excited to go home and dive into my treasures.
What treasures did I find last week?
Columbus by D'Aulair
Singapore Math Textbook
Hints On Child Training -Trumball, this book has been on my wish list for years and I found it in the clearance section for $2.00, whoopee!
Open Heart, Open Home - Maines, another long awaited title from my wish list. I've already devoured half of this book so stay tuned for a detailed review. So far it is awesome.
If Momma Ain't Happy...ain't nobody happy - another excellent book that I've partially devoured, check back soon for a review.
If the Bathtub is Overflowing Then Why DO I Feel Drained
Amelia Bedelia Plays Ball - We just love the antics of Amelia and had to see how she played ball. A ROTFL book!!!
Last but not least....
Fields of the Fatherless(I've already finished devouring)
This wonderful book looks at God heart of compassion for the fatherless(orphans, widows, and strangers) and His command to us to care for them. The book is full of tips for meeting the needs of those in our community, as well as oversees. Time is also spent exploring the spirit of adoption and how God views us, His adopted children. I have many friends who have adopted and this book really ministered to me and gave me ways that I can support them in thier adoption journeys and minister to others in my community.
I hoped you enjoyed my journey to the book store and into one of my books.
In Him,
Living Free
Saturday, July 12, 2008
God can still use you and me
The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
Mary Magdalene was...
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer..AND
Lazarus was dead!
Now! No more excuses!
God can use you to your full potential.
Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.
(Taken from an email.)
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
Mary Magdalene was...
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer..AND
Lazarus was dead!
Now! No more excuses!
God can use you to your full potential.
Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.
(Taken from an email.)
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Creature Lessons
God in all of His infinite wisdom has placed nature and creatures here to teach and guide us to His character. Here are a couple creature lessons He has taught us recently:
Go To The Ant
One afternoon we discovered several ants carrying off a large green caterpillar. I was amazed by their teamwork, perseverance and diligence. Like the good homeschool mom that I am, always looking for teachable moments I gathered all the children around to observe.
"Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest." Proverbs 6:6-8
Flying Lessons
A family of Robins inhabit our side porch and they have provided numerous lessons to our family as we watched the robin parents protect and nurture their young. Last week we got first hand experience in flying lessons.
As I sat in the living room nursing my little one, I heard some of my other children on the side porch and noticed a stick waving in the air. Suspicious that my children were harassing the Robins I quickly went to investigate what all the commotion was about. I arrived on the scene to discover my son waving the stick in the air, in an attempt to ward off the protective Robin parents as they dived and swooped at my daughter who was picking up a baby robin off the ground, and climbing the porch rails to return it to its nest. No sooner did she get it in the nest, than another baby robin took that leap of faith from the nest and landed in the mulch below. My children began the process over again. Brother protecting sister as sister rescued the bird and returned it to the nest. For several minutes the scene reminded me of popcorn as bird came down, bird went up. Then we all got distracted by company arriving and when we returned to check on the robins, they had all taken that leap of faith and soared off.
Watching those birds jump down, only to be returned to their starting point made me think of how many times I take that leap of faith, crash and then find myself right back where I started from. God promises that if we wait on Him we will mount up with wings like an eagle, we will be able to soar above those on the ground that are waiting to put us back in our nest.
Here are a few scriptures about wings:
"Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,"
Psalm 17:8
"How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. " Psalm 36:7
"So I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest."
Psalm 55:6
"He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler. "
Psalm 91:4
"But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint."
Isaiah 40:31
My Father draw me nearer to You as I observe and explore this wonderful world you created to bring you glory.
In Him,
Living Free
Go To The Ant
One afternoon we discovered several ants carrying off a large green caterpillar. I was amazed by their teamwork, perseverance and diligence. Like the good homeschool mom that I am, always looking for teachable moments I gathered all the children around to observe.
"Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest." Proverbs 6:6-8
Flying Lessons
A family of Robins inhabit our side porch and they have provided numerous lessons to our family as we watched the robin parents protect and nurture their young. Last week we got first hand experience in flying lessons.
As I sat in the living room nursing my little one, I heard some of my other children on the side porch and noticed a stick waving in the air. Suspicious that my children were harassing the Robins I quickly went to investigate what all the commotion was about. I arrived on the scene to discover my son waving the stick in the air, in an attempt to ward off the protective Robin parents as they dived and swooped at my daughter who was picking up a baby robin off the ground, and climbing the porch rails to return it to its nest. No sooner did she get it in the nest, than another baby robin took that leap of faith from the nest and landed in the mulch below. My children began the process over again. Brother protecting sister as sister rescued the bird and returned it to the nest. For several minutes the scene reminded me of popcorn as bird came down, bird went up. Then we all got distracted by company arriving and when we returned to check on the robins, they had all taken that leap of faith and soared off.
Watching those birds jump down, only to be returned to their starting point made me think of how many times I take that leap of faith, crash and then find myself right back where I started from. God promises that if we wait on Him we will mount up with wings like an eagle, we will be able to soar above those on the ground that are waiting to put us back in our nest.
Here are a few scriptures about wings:
"Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,"
Psalm 17:8
"How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. " Psalm 36:7
"So I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest."
Psalm 55:6
"He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler. "
Psalm 91:4
"But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint."
Isaiah 40:31
My Father draw me nearer to You as I observe and explore this wonderful world you created to bring you glory.
In Him,
Living Free
Let Freedom Ring
We spent the 4th camping and enjoying the simpler things of life, like hotdogs roasting on an open fire, swimming in the lake, paddling a canoe, showering in the bath house, meeting new people...Oh how refreshing a weekend outdoors is to the senses and how easy it is to clean a tiny camper. It just tightened my resolve to simplify, simplify, simplify...meals, clothes, toys, books, activities...how much easier it is to identify and enjoy important things like people and relationships when your view is not blocked by stuff. I am so thankful God gave me a chance to get away and focus on my family and Him. When we focus on Him and through Him others we are FREE to live the life He has called us too.
In Him,
Living Free
In Him,
Living Free
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Simplicity
From one location to another, that is how I've been managing the stuff that has accumulated around our home. I shift things from one pile, shelf or basket to another. I've had enough!!! I no longer want to waste the precious time God has given me on maintaining stuff. I'm ready to be free from it all. I want to have time to enjoy my children before they are grown. I want to be able to invite others into my home and build relationships with them. I constantly am running up against the obstacle of too much stuff. I know God is directing me to PURGE.
Sunday's sermon was on simplicity, defined by our Pastor as a "Christ Centered unconcern for stuff". I'm definitely out of balance since the stuff around here is concerning me.
Father, forgive me for allowing my life to be consumed and controlled by things. Purge me from things and set me free to fulfill your purpose. Let me be consumed by Your love. Give me discernment as I begin to purge, show me what to keep and what to give away. Bring your order and joy into our home. I praise you for goodness and all that you have blessed me with. Teach me to use your blessing to bless others. Take my stuff and let it be consecrated to you. Do with it what you want and let me only depend upon you and not stuff.
How I long for a new level of freedom...
In Him,
I'm Living Free and longing to be more Free.
Sunday's sermon was on simplicity, defined by our Pastor as a "Christ Centered unconcern for stuff". I'm definitely out of balance since the stuff around here is concerning me.
Father, forgive me for allowing my life to be consumed and controlled by things. Purge me from things and set me free to fulfill your purpose. Let me be consumed by Your love. Give me discernment as I begin to purge, show me what to keep and what to give away. Bring your order and joy into our home. I praise you for goodness and all that you have blessed me with. Teach me to use your blessing to bless others. Take my stuff and let it be consecrated to you. Do with it what you want and let me only depend upon you and not stuff.
How I long for a new level of freedom...
In Him,
I'm Living Free and longing to be more Free.
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