Control Relinquished

We all find ourselves in situations where it's hard to look for the blessings. It's so easy to focus on the negative and fill our mouths with complaints. It's easy to fill our minds with wishes of different outcomes. I continue to read and journey through "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp and I am challenged to seek the blessings and gifts of everyday life. I love her quote on page 69: "Wherever you are, be all there. I have lived the runner, panting ahead in worry, pounding back in regrets, terrified to live in the present, because here-time asks me to do the hardest of all: just open wide and receive." Ann goes on to share how God challenged her to make a list of 1,000 gifts. Her journey of how the simple things in life brought her God-fulfilling joy again. Life is draining. What better way to refuel our lives, than to pick out the blessings in all circumstances and bask in thankfulness! As Ann continues in her book, she shares how an experien...

"My dream? My dream of what I wanted to be when I grew up? It was this. A stay-at-home mom. I am living my dream. So, why do I feel so unhappy?" "I can't get in front of it. No matter how much I give or how much I do, I'm just, I'm not enough." "Not enough, for whom?" "I don't know. I guess my husband, my kids, my friends, God." "For you. You're not enough for you. I don't know why all you women beat yourselves up so much! I doubt that the Good Lord made a mistake giving your kiddos the mom He did. It's beautiful to watch one of God's creations just doing what it was made to do." "My life needs to change for me to be happy. FALSE. My life hasn't changed at all--I have." These were my favorite quotes from the movie, "Moms' Night Out" that I saw this past weekend. This movie is a must-see! It's a stellar movie that will make you laugh until you cry, cry until y...

Eight years ago, I said, "I Do" to the love of my life. It was difficult for me to comprehend when people said they are more in love with their spouse after many years of marriage than they were on their wedding day. But, it's true. Even though I thought my heart would burst with love for my husband-to-be on the dawn of May 13, 2006, I now think my entire being could burst with love for my husband, just 8 wild, fulfilling, crazy-fast years later. We're not just talking about the heart-stopping, physical, passionate 'eros' love anymore...it has molded into the true, unconditional 'agape' love. Within the past year, our church has provided a wonderful opportunity for Sheldon & I to be involved in couple's lives through a marriage mentor ship program and pre-marital counseling. Although no ministry like this is easy, it has been a complete JOY to be used by God in this way! We've learned so much from our parents' marriages, thro...

I'm sure if you listen to Christian radio these days, you have heard Matthew West's song entitled "Do Something" that has become pretty popular. If not, here is a link to a powerful YouTube video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_RjndG0IX8 This song has become very meaningful to me. It's easy to become overwhelmed and depressed when we look at events in today's news. Sometimes it's hard to know where to look for God in the brokenness and evilness of mankind. The recent stories of the schoolgirls kidnapped by terrorists in Nigeria is just heart wrenching. School shootings and bombings have become too "common." And yet, this song reminds me that I am a part of God's plan to fix this crumbling nation and world. It's time to be the salt of the earth and the city on a hill. We won't change the world by just standing still. Recently my kids found a cattail. They dissected the poor plant, but to their delight they found thousands of...

It's been a week and a half since my last blog post and I feel as if my head may explode with things God has been teaching me! Our computer was out of commission for a few days due to a virus and then this week's storm knocked out our wireless connection. Whether we wanted to be or not, we were "unplugged"! But, the absence of electronics for a few days got me thinking... about idols. The dictionary defines idols as:  an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship;  a person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered.  I'm ashamed to admit that I felt a bit lost without technology constantly at my fingertips. Anything that consumes my mind or my time is an idol...do I really want to join the millions in allowing myself to become addicted to my electronics? Idols are still very common in certain cultures and religions. The first of the ten commandments was "You shall have no other gods before me." The Old Testament is fu...