Birthday post

Tomorrow is my birthday! I am feeling especially thankful for LIFE on this birthday, thankful that God has kept me safe and whole for the last 34 years, and best of all, hasn't treated me as my sins deserve! Amen!

Here is the entry from Jesus Calling on my birthday:

August 2

Bring me the sacrifice of your time: a most precious commodity. In this action-addicted world, few of my children take time to sit quietly in my Presence. But for those who do, blessings flow like streams of living water. I, the One from whom all blessings flow, am also blessed by our time together. This is a deep mystery; do not try to fathom it. Instead, glorify me by delighting in me. Enjoy me now and forever!

I think this was written just for the task-oriented, event-oriented, go-go-go person that I am! I would love to make this a life goal; to sit with my daddy and enjoy Him. Doesn't that sound more pleasant than continually striving for more stuff, more perfection, more experiences, more, more, more? It seems more restful, more peaceful, more life-giving to me! If you pray for anything for me on my 34th birthday, let it be that. Thanks for being in my life.

Discipline of thankfulness

"Thankfulness opens the door to My presence...Thankfulness is built on a substructure of trust. When thankful words stick in your throat, you need to check up on your foundation of trust...See how many times you can thank me daily; this will awaken your awareness to a multitude of blessings. It will also cushion the impact of trials when they come against you. Practice my Presence by practicing the discipline of thankfulness." July 24, Jesus Calling

There's a lot to absorb in today's devotional on thankfulness. I shudder to think of the days that I choose to ignore the many gifts from God and instead focus on petty inconveniences or trials.

A prayer of contentment from Proverbs 30 (The Message):

And then he prayed, "God, I'm asking for two things
before I die; don't refuse me—
Banish lies from my lips
and liars from my presence.
Give me enough food to live on,
neither too much nor too little.
If I'm too full, I might get independent,
saying, 'God? Who needs him?'
If I'm poor, I might steal
and dishonor the name of my God."

We are oftentimes so FULL of food, stuff, busyness etc. that we don't perceive our need for Him. Let us remember our great need and turn to Him in thankfulness and trust today.

Pics & Service Project

I enjoyed a great time of talking, singing and praying with two young ladies on Thursday night. My friend Jordan is so gifted on the guitar and has a beautiful voice, but most of all, she is all about Jesus! Here's a quick picture I snuck of Jordan playing. I hope you don't mind Jordan!

Mark your calendars for a service project at the Andover Food Bank on Thursday July 19th, at 6:30. It's also a great way for kids to get involved in serving the community.

Then, a photo that I took of the sunrise with my phone while on a run last week. It made my heart happy.

Midsummer musings

Have you ever looked forward to something so much, enjoyed it, then felt kind of let down that it was over? For me, that happened this week with my sister's visit. It was everything we hoped it would be. Not that we did anything THAT exciting, but we simply enjoyed one another. We drank iced coffee on the porch while we watched the kids play, reveling in the fun they were having with their cousins.

Anyway, since they've left, I've felt exhausted, overcome by allergies, and have just overall tried to recuperate. Thankfully we've had a relaxing weekend, as relaxing as life CAN be with the three little munchkins that is!

It's time to regroup and reconnect with one another and most importantly with what Jesus is saying to us. We need one another, we need Him.

From today's reading: "Be prepared to be blessed bountifully by my Presence, for I am a God of unlimited abundance." When we are weak, spent, and barely hanging on, God wants to fill us up. Come, Father, and fill me up.

Open your hands and your heart to receive

Receive. This is not a word we often associate with our relationship with Jesus. Many times, we think in terms of what we can give to him.

What have you received from Christ today?

My kids have been out of school for a month, and we are reaching that point of the summer where there is a lot of togetherness. This can be good and healthy, but it can also be exhausting when it involves a 6, 4 and 2 year-old. Tempers flare, fights ensue, and there are not many opportunities to be alone to regroup.

I need to be in a position to receive from Christ. I need it desperately. I know many others who need it also. I need his guidance, peace and joy.

From today's entry of Jesus Calling:

"Open your hands and your heart to receive this day as a precious gift from Me. I begin each day with a sunrise, announcing my radiant Presence. By the time you rise from your bed, I have already prepared the way before you."

Do not miss the Joy of my Presence

I was reminded of a couple of things this week. First, a friend suggested that obedience to God might be more important than seeing where He is leading me and how He is working. Sure, we can see and be grateful for A LOT. However, there is much we don't see and don't understand. Our role as children of God is not to know all, but to trust fiercely.

Second, I was encouraged by a sweet new friend. She wrote me a card and just made my day with her kind words. Sometimes it seems like our actions are small, but we never know how we are impacting someone else.

I am having one of "those" weeks where I am just feeling more emotional than usual and losing my temper easily with my family. I love this from today's entry in Jesus Calling.

"Do not miss the joy of my Presence by carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Rather, take my yoke upon you and learn from Me. My yoke is comfortable and pleasant; my burden is light and easily borne."

Rest in Me, my child

I am seeing things with new eyes, are you? I am so thankful for this season of seeing things a *bit* more clearly, because I know that it is a gift.

One thing I have been doing is trying to pick one word to meditate on during the day from the reading in Jesus Calling. I might think about the word Presence or the word Peace. The effect of that is that I see my experiences through a different lens. I need this! What other ways can we apply the readings to our day?

Today's reading begins with the line, "Rest in me, my child." Do we even need to read on :)? Isn't that enough to meditate on for the rest of our lives?

As I went through the week I felt a new and welcome calm.