Unexpected Laughter

Today I got a last minute phone call that asked if I could run up to my kids' school and help with the Kindergarten March birthday party. Well, I'm typically up there for every party, but March's birthdays was covered by the other room mom, today she had something that came up...so I threw on some make-up and brushed through my dirty hair and off I went in ragged jeans and a sweatshirt.

Little did I know that the Lord had a surprise waiting for me!  He had a blessing, a BIG smile, waiting for me through some unexpected friends. When will I ever learn that He hears His children, even when we continue to screw up, He continues to love us. Regardless. Isn't that amazing??

We have a Book Fair going on this week and several of us from the PTO board and a couple of the teachers ended up in the library. Now, you may think a library is a very quiet place, well not this one! Not this afternoon!  For some crazy reason we started taking pictures with my phone with a new app I had put on it. It distorts your face and head. Oh my goodness! We laughed until we cried!  My stomach hurt, but my heart overflowed!

I'm not sure if the creator of CamWow is a Christian or not, but God sure used him/her to bless my heart on a day that I really needed to laugh. I cannot tell you how long it has been since I laughed that hard!  Are we grownups? Yes. Are we responsible? Hmm...sure!  Were there kids looking at us like we had lost our ever-lovin' mind? Definitely! (which just made us laugh harder!)

I know I have enjoyed laughs like that before and never once thought about giving the Lord praise for a big smile in the middle of their day, but I wanted to be sure that I did not miss the opportunity today!  Thank you, God! Thank you for filling my heart with laughter...it truly was medicine for the soul!  And for you ladies that allowed me to snap a pic and post it for the world to see....thank you! Thank you for laughing with me and not killing me! (yet!)

And I'm thankful to God for placing each of you in my life as well!  Y'all are some amazing ladies!

Now.....yeah, I HAVE to post some of the pictures!!

        

        bahaha! Oh Lori!!!  
        

          yes! that is one of our great teachers!

   and that would be our hilarious librarian!      
                  

HANDS DOWN! BEST PIC!!! :)

AND, so they don't get mad at me, here's one of me too! :)

Oh Its Always Those Little Things!!

I've been thinking a lot lately of why I let little things frustrate me so.  I even made a list of the little things that frustrate me...here it is:


1. the feeling that you never do enough
2. when you send someone a long facebook message and you get like 3 words back
3. "k" as a text answer
4. when someone sends you a text and you can't text back because you're driving, so you call them immediately and yet they don't answer
5. negative tweets, status updates, etc
6. children who just "want"
7. complainers
8. those friends who always give you Sunday School answers
9. when you do something for someone and they show no gratitude
10. slow drivers!!


Okay, so I was thinking of these things and asking God why I get so frustrated over them and He started giving me answers. *note to self: if you don't really want to know, don't ask God!  He always answers!! :)
His answers to my heart:


1. "I am enough. Rest in that fact. You don't have to be."
2. "I gave you my Word, 66 books, what have you written back?"
3. "I'll give you answers, but you have to be still and listen."
4. "I always answer. Always."
5. "Don't worry about those things. Trust me. You answer to me for what you publish, not what others do."
6. "I know the feeling, my child. My children just 'want' from me all the time."
7. "Do all things without murmurs and complaining, again, My child, you answer for you."
8. "Sunday School answers are the core answers. Where you learn the truths from My Word. They might hurt sometimes, but there is healing in those Words."
9. "Oh my child, how well I know. What have you thanked Me for today? Yesterday?"
10. "hahaha. Slow down, my child. Take the time to notice My creation around you."


Perhaps I'm the only person on the planet that allows those little things to really frustrate me, sometimes I allow those things, as little as they are to totally ruin my day. Its those days, I am learning to give it to Him. I could have allowed the enemy to totally ruin my day today with a few of these little things, and trust me, for every one of them I posted there are hundreds more! Satan loves to use those little things, he knows that is what really gets to me. Those big things in life, we are much quicker to cling to the Lord, but its those little things, that really drive a wedge into our relationship with Him.
Today, I choose to be grateful. I choose to listen to my Friend, my Healer. I choose to believe and know in my heart He IS enough.  I choose His Words of life. 
"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (Psalm 73:26)  
I choose not to read negative tweets and to just keep my words glorifying to Him.  I choose to realize that I don't have the knowledge to really handle much of what goes on in this life, but rest in the fact that wisdom comes from Him and He holds us all in His hands.
Yesterday morning Bro. Bobby said this, "THIS is what He's done with what little bit I've given Him, why don't I surrender it ALL to Him?"  Oh, can we only imagine?!!  He has blessed beyond anything I could ever begin to dream and with just what little I've given Him control of. I am asking Him to give me the passion, the desire, to give up more of "my control" to Him. I want to give to Him until I am just blown away and that there is no other way to explain things other than "It was ALL God!"
1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."  Yes, living this way, you will stand out in the world, but that is what He wants. He desires for us to come out of the darkness into His marvelous light and SHINE!
So today, maybe you have little things that are really frustrating you. In the words of a young pastor I heard preach last night, "let it go".  Pointing to Him. Giving Him all glory!

Eyes on Japan, Hearts on Him

"Dear Lord,
We're still hoping we'll wake up. We're still hoping we'll open a sleepy eye and think, What a horrible dream.
But we won't, will we, Father? What we saw was not a dream. Earthquakes did happen. Tsunami waves did wash away whole villages. People did perish. It was no dream and, dear Father, we are sad.
There is a rice farmer who will no longer plant and a doctor who will no longer heal. A church
has lost her priest, a classroom is minus a teacher. There was one that was captain of a fishing boat, another was a clerk at the local grocery store and yet another, dearest Father, another one that was just a baby stripped from her mother's arms as the flood waters rushed upon them.
We are sad, Father. For as the innocent are buried beneath water and debris, our innocence is buried as well. We thought we were safe. Perhaps we should have known better. But we didn't.
And so we come to you. We don't ask you for help; we beg you for it. We don't request it; we
implore it. We know what you can do. We've read the accounts. We've pondered the stories and
now we plead, Do it again, Lord. Do it again.
Remember Joseph? You rescued him from the pit. You can do the same for us. Do it again, Lord.
Remember the Hebrews in Egypt? You protected their children from the angel of death. We have
children, too, Lord. Do it again.
And Sarah? Remember her prayers? You heard them. Joshua? Remember his fears? You inspired
him. The women at the tomb? You resurrected their hope. The doubts of Thomas? You took
them away. Do it again, Lord. Do it again.
You changed Daniel from a captive into a king's counselor. You took Peter the fisherman and
made him Peter an apostle. Because of you, David went from leading sheep to leading armies.
Do it again, Lord, for we need counselors today, Lord. We need apostles. We need leaders. Do it
again, dear Lord.
Do It Again, Lord

Most of all, do again what you did at Calvary. What we saw here on that Thursday, you saw there
on that Friday.  Innocence destroyed. Goodness washed away. Mothers weeping. Evil rejoicing. Just
as the waters splashed over the tv screens we have been glued to, the darkness fell on your Son. Just as families and towns were shattered, the very Son of Eternity was pierced.
And by dusk, heaven's sweetest song was silent, buried behind a rock.
But you did not waver, O Lord. You did not waver. After three days in a dark hole, you rolled the
rock and rumbled the earth and turned the darkest Friday into the brightest Sunday. Do it again,
Lord. Grant us another Easter.
We thank you, dear Father, for these hours of unity. Disaster has done what discussion could
not. Doctrinal fences have fallen.Republicans are standing with Democrats. Skin colors have been
covered by mud and debris. We thank you for these hours of unity.
And we thank you for these hours of prayer. The Enemy seeks to bring us to our knees and he has succeeded. He has no idea, however, that we kneel before you. And he has no idea what You
can do.
Let your mercy be upon the country of Japan and those who still seek to find loved ones. Grant to those who
lead them wisdom beyond their years and experience. Have mercy upon the souls who have departed and the wounded who remain. Give us grace that we might help in some way and faith that we might believe.
And look kindly upon your church. For two thousand years you've used her to heal a hurting
world.
Do it again, Lord. Do it again.
Through Christ,
Amen."
(this was originally a prayer that Max Lucado wrote after 9/11, after I changed a few words, it is still very appropriate!)

None of us can get the images we are seeing out of our heads. We try, but once there, God will not let us. He wants us to remember. He wants us to be praying. He wants us to realize how short life is and just how fragile. None of us are promised tomorrow.
I'm praying for those who have yet to trust in Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. I'm praying that the church of God can be a light to this dark world. May He work through us to make a difference in the world that we are passing through. And let me tell you, life is more than the journey! Its the ultimate destination that we live for and that is to live in Heaven where we can praise our Lord 24/7 with folks from every tribe and every nation!  What a time that will be!
So today, as those images from Japan rush through your mind's eye once again, hug your loved ones, tell them you love them, and then go shine His light in this dark world! and if His light is not in you, ask Him to put it there, He will. He is always faithful, all we need to do is believe. And if His light is just a flicker in your life today, take some time and just spend it with Him, in His word and talking with Him and before you know it, that light will be brightly shining and glorifying His great name once again!  Do it again, Lord, do it again!

"I'm not THAT sort of preacher's wife"

Do you have a picture of the epitome of the preacher's wife in your head?  That woman that had Proverbs 31 memorized and lived it. She was submissive in all aspects. She could bake and cook better than anyone. She was at every baby shower, every wedding shower, every wedding and every funeral. She always knew just what to do when someone was sick and enjoyed hospital visits. She had an amazing casserole ready at all times for whoever needed it.  She could quote scripture left and right and tell you where they were found and always had the most precious prayers ever. She was probably National Miss GMA in her day and a member of the WMA, if not the president! You never would see her get mad or hear her complain. Her children may have been brats, but she was the perfect mother. And of course she could play the piano, and the organ, and of course sing a special on a moment's notice....and could actually sing!

Well, yeah, that is the sort of preacher's wife I am not!  Sorry to disappoint! I can quote much of Proverbs 31, but I always feel so inadequate after I read those verses. I mean, really?? There is not a name given, that woman did not exist! I do understand that is just what we should strive for, to be the wife and mother that God has called us to be. 

Submissive. She was always submissive. Hmm.....can we skip this one? :)  Okay, I am for the most part, but in this day of feminine rights its not the coolest thing to do. I am thankful that I am married to an amazing man of God and submitting to him is pretty easy....most of the time. :)

Cooking and baking? Yeah, yeah, I can do those things, but honestly I just don't enjoy it very much. I have my spurts, mostly in the Fall of the year, so one season out of four, thats not that bad, is it?  It just seems I cook the same things over and over, no variety, and never the perfect meal with every food group that is suppose to be served. What are the food groups anyway???

Showers? Weddings? Funerals? Hospitals? Those are all a part of life. When friends rejoice, we rejoice with them and when they mourn, we have to be there for them then as well. No, its not easy, its way out of my comfort zone, but sometimes all one needs is a hug. Okay, and sometimes a casserole...can I give two hugs???

When it comes to the Word of God, I do find amazing treasures and promises there and while I can quote quite a few verses, I can't always tell you where they're found (their "address" as I call it). I absolutely love to hear precious women of God praying, just talking to Him about every day stuff....what makes us think praying is anymore than that..just talking to our Father...there's really no need for big, formal prayers is there? 

I didn't grow up in GMA's and I'm not a member of the WMA, but I have been to a few of their meetings and I'm friends with several former National Miss GMA's and the president of the WMA....does that count? :)

This may come as a shock to a few people, but I do get mad! I do complain! (and I doubt I shocked anyone!) There are times I just want to scream and shout. This morning was one of those mornings. I had a very difficult child this morning before school. I had a friend that didn't do as I thought she should. I read some tweets on Twitter I wish I hadn't. Basically, it was just one of "those" mornings where everything just made me mad or hurt my feelings. So, what do I do? I gripe. I complain. Then I heard that still small voice calling me to Him. Its amazing how time with Him can turn a day around, even one that started out quite disappointing. The joy in life is still found in Him. Always. Forever.

My children are perfect, so need to go on about this area! Riiiiiiight!!!  My children are far from perfect. I have a son that has a very short temper and believes that all children (especially including him!) should have an iPhone and anything else they might want. He also hits, kicks and taunts his sister on a daily basis. And the sister. Oh man. Can she be a handful!  Look up the word "strong will" in a dictionary, yes, that is her picture beside the word. I'm telling you SO strong willed she would have James Dobson (author of the Strong Willed Child) on his knees begging for mercy!  No, my children are far from perfect, but they are the children God has blessed me with and the ones I am responsible to raise to become a godly young man and young lady. There is nothing I desire for them more than to grow up and just love God and people. Its not wealth or fame that I pray for them, it is for a life of true joy that can only be found in God. I don't care if they're ever a member of a country club, but I want them to be very involved in a local New Testament church. I don't care if they play any sports, but I do want them to use the gifts God has blessed them with to further His kingdom. I don't care if they bring in a six digit income or more, but I do want them to always realize its all God's and we need to give to our church and to missions on a regular basis.  I don't care if they learn another language or not, but I do want them to always use language that is glorifying to God. I am not the perfect mother with my kids at all. There are times that I do yell and scream. There are times that I just have to send them to their rooms for my sanity sake, but one thing I never want them to doubt is that their mommy loves them a whole lot and prays for them daily.

So I guess I am not "that" sort of preacher's wife. I do desire to be like "her" in many areas of life, but God is reminding me daily that He has called me to be me. That doesn't give me an excuse not to live a life glorifying to Him, but it does give me freedom to use the gifts and blessings He has given me in my own unique way. I've been a people pleaser my whole life, but He's teaching me now, its not about pleasing people, its about pleasing Him. Its not about always having the right words to say or the perfect casserole ready in the freezer, its much more about just showing love. That could come through a hug, a card, a wall post on Facebook, a text, a phone call, and perhaps, if its in the Fall of the year and I'm in a good mood, some soup or brownies. 

Antioch has been blessed with an amazing pastor, one I respect more than any other man on planet earth. And in return, this pastor and his family has been blessed with the most amazing and understanding church family ever!  

Oh and  I almost forgot! I practiced basketball more than piano growing up, so I can't play the piano or the organ, but I can buy, download, and make my own playlist on iTunes! And I can sing really well...in my own car with the radio turned up REALLY loud! 

Crack goes the windows....

I never thought I'd live anywhere that I actually would need an app on my iPhone to keep up with earthquakes! Whoa! Its been shaking around these parts for a while.

Of course, not enough to make the windows in this glass house that I live in to crack, who needs an earthquake for that?  I think my attitude on some days can crack those windows all by themselves. Today was one of those days. Do you ever just wake up on the wrong side of the bed??  Wow! I sure did today.  Its like you crawl out with all of these expectations for the day and Satan starts punching left and right before you've even had a chance to get the armor on! And who does he use? Those that you love the most.  "I don't want her to sit by me!" "Tell him not to look at me!" "My biscuit is too hard!" "My milk doesn't have enough chocolate in it!" "I don't want to wear that!" "I don't have time!" "I'm too tired!" "I don't want to!"

No doubt if there was an earthquake reported this morning, the epicenter was just beneath my stomping foot!  I would love to tell you that my heart has had a full turn around, but honestly, there are still some aftershocks occurring. Why is it when we really need to spend that time with the Lord, our attitude won't allow us? We just don't feel worthy to go into His presence.  I heard a song earlier today, and it really spoke to me....here's the info and lyrics:
God's Been Good To Me

Crystal Lewis
from the album Beauty For Ashes


I don't always say the right things

Boy I try

I don't always live my life the right way

But God is faithful to forgive me

When I fail or fall

I am unworthy of it all

Still he keeps on givin'



Chorus:
God's been good to me

Oh God's always been good
God's been good to me
Oh God's always been good

My God has given me

More than I ever dreamed

A precious family

And friends who care for me

Why should He love me so

Oh that I'll never know

I am unworthy of it all

Still He keeps on giving' to me



Chorus



It would take hours and days at a time

For me to sit down and write down

All the things He's done

Let me say this that it's nothing I've done

But it's the grace He gives freely to everyone

Tell everybody

Tell everybody 'bout it

Tell Everybody

Everybody ought to know
 
 
I mean, will I ever fully comprehend these facts? That He LOVES ME!! UNCONDITIONALLY!??!!  Even all those days, that I scream and shout or worry and pout? That I say the wrong thing, or I say nothing at all?  Those days I'm much more like the Wicked Witch than anywhere near that Proverbs 31 woman??  ALL of my days, He loves me!  Who else can you claim will do that? NO. ONE!  Simply because as humans, I don't think we can fully understand what that means. God doesn't just love. He IS love. Its not a characteristic of His, its who He is.
 
So in this glass house where a preacher, a preacher's wife, and two preacher's kids live along with two dogs and numerous dust bunnies, well I'm quite certain that earthquakes will still occur. Those times just come. Those shaky days will happen. The ground will shake from the stomping of a mad momma's foot, or the slamming of a door in a little sister's face, lots of different "little" things can shake our world, cause those tremors among us. And yes, in a glass house, it may cause some cracks when we're being transparent with those around us, but what a comfort to know that God still loves us, regardless. No matter if we're living where the earth is shaking beneath our feet, or where hurricanes and monsoons flood, or tornadoes race through. He is still there. Waiting. With open arms to love us. Unconditionally. He is always faithful and yes, that is definitely truths this shaking world needs to hear! Tell everybody!!