I have to admit to loving Joyce Meyer's writing. Her piece for today, October 10, was a wonderful reminder of what spending time with God is really all about.
"If you concentrate on loving God, then keeping His commandments will become a natural part of what you do. It is a promise He makes to you." Joyce Meyer, "Starting the Day Right," October 10
If reading the bible, studying God's word, or just spending time with God is drudgery, it's being looked at all wrong.
It's not about "having" to do it - it's not a law. Rather, if we truly love God, we want relationship with Him. Spending time with Him is how that relationship develops and grows. Just as time spent with family and friends is a means of growing and strengthening those relationships, so it is with our Father in heaven.
It's not a chore, it's a privilege. One which we can cherish and partake of, knowing the result will be a strong relationship.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
What to Do
I'm torn regarding this whole blog thing. I guess I just don't understand totally how it works yet. I think it's a great outlet for ideas/thoughts/whtever, but how do I know if anyone's reading it?
On the one hand, it's really not so much about others reading it as it is about putting my thoughts down. On the other, human nature is to desire affirmation (confirmation ?) that what we do is worth something to someone. I get grea satisfaction out of writing here, but it would still be nice to know that others are enjoying reading what I write.
Okay, pity party over. I guess I just need to delve into all the internal help and information on this site and figure it out. And since more often than not I don't have projects at work, I have amble time to do so.
Delving into something to figure it out paid off big for me just yesterday. I've been taking lots of pictures with my cell phone, and it was time to get them onto the computer. A seemingly simple task on the surface. Not so simple upon delving in.
Turns out the USB cable to use for transferring files took the pictures from my memory card, but not the pictures from my phone's memory. My techy high school senior wasn't interested in helping me, and my husband (who knows more about computers and how they work than I'll ever even forget) couldn't do it. Understand something -- patience may be a virtue, but it's still in the baby stages with me. Frustration was setting in, and it wasn't going to be pretty.
Then I had an epiphany -- when in doubt find some instructions. I got the phone manual out of the file drawer. It didn't tell me anything that I hadn't already figured out. So, I finally wrote an email to the phone manufacturer explaining what I was trying to do and what was actually happening.
I must admit to being surprised to have an answer back within hours. I sent the note from work, and the answer was in my Inbox when I got home. I followed what it told me to do, and lo and behold I now have a computer with lots of pictures and a phone ready to be cleared to start over.
How often do things in life frustrate us? We delve head-long into things that we don't have the instructions for. Or that we just flat out don't have a clue about. There is one place that we can always turn in situations like that. It's long been called the Instruction Manual for Life. It's actual title is The Bible. It may not have the directions for getting pictures from a phone to a computer, but it can sure cover how to handle frustration and lack of patience.
On the one hand, it's really not so much about others reading it as it is about putting my thoughts down. On the other, human nature is to desire affirmation (confirmation ?) that what we do is worth something to someone. I get grea satisfaction out of writing here, but it would still be nice to know that others are enjoying reading what I write.
Okay, pity party over. I guess I just need to delve into all the internal help and information on this site and figure it out. And since more often than not I don't have projects at work, I have amble time to do so.
Delving into something to figure it out paid off big for me just yesterday. I've been taking lots of pictures with my cell phone, and it was time to get them onto the computer. A seemingly simple task on the surface. Not so simple upon delving in.
Turns out the USB cable to use for transferring files took the pictures from my memory card, but not the pictures from my phone's memory. My techy high school senior wasn't interested in helping me, and my husband (who knows more about computers and how they work than I'll ever even forget) couldn't do it. Understand something -- patience may be a virtue, but it's still in the baby stages with me. Frustration was setting in, and it wasn't going to be pretty.
Then I had an epiphany -- when in doubt find some instructions. I got the phone manual out of the file drawer. It didn't tell me anything that I hadn't already figured out. So, I finally wrote an email to the phone manufacturer explaining what I was trying to do and what was actually happening.
I must admit to being surprised to have an answer back within hours. I sent the note from work, and the answer was in my Inbox when I got home. I followed what it told me to do, and lo and behold I now have a computer with lots of pictures and a phone ready to be cleared to start over.
How often do things in life frustrate us? We delve head-long into things that we don't have the instructions for. Or that we just flat out don't have a clue about. There is one place that we can always turn in situations like that. It's long been called the Instruction Manual for Life. It's actual title is The Bible. It may not have the directions for getting pictures from a phone to a computer, but it can sure cover how to handle frustration and lack of patience.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Random Thoughts
It's Memorial Day weekend, and after a normal Saturday of running hither and yon I'm already exhausted. The fact that the healthiest things I've eaten all day are a few grape tomatoes probably isn't helping. (Note I didn't say the only things, but rather the healthiest.)
Went to the mall to get Marisa's ears pierced this afternoon. What started as tiny butterflies turned into not-so-tiny ones by the time they were ready for us at Claires. I know it was in large part due to the 2 young (2 yo) girls there ahead of us.
Why do people insist on completing a process about which the recipient is clearly hysterical?! If you want your child's ears pierced there are (IMHO) 2 times to do it, and when they're 2yo isn't one of them. (For inquiring minds: those times are during infancy when they're clueless and when they're old enough to at least partially reason with.)
Unfortunately, we did have a few shed tears, but not hysteria, and nothing that wasn't fixed with a small bottle of lotion from Bath & Body Works, and the promise of ice cream after dinner.
It's Memorial Weekend, a time to celebrate and honor those men and women to whom we owe our freedom. To that end, I'd like to share a thought a dear friend shared with me earlier today.
The context of the following was in relation to her cousin having let her know that each memorial Day she and her father visit the graves of family members who were veterans; my friend's father's grave happens to be one they go to. Beth compared veterans to "Jesus - who left His home (heaven) to go to a foreign place (earth) and fight a battle to free those who were oppressed."
She was given the thought while praying for someone ministering in Iraq. Definitely an "aha" moment for me when I read it. Or as she likes to call it a "Yea God" moment.
Went to the mall to get Marisa's ears pierced this afternoon. What started as tiny butterflies turned into not-so-tiny ones by the time they were ready for us at Claires. I know it was in large part due to the 2 young (2 yo) girls there ahead of us.
Why do people insist on completing a process about which the recipient is clearly hysterical?! If you want your child's ears pierced there are (IMHO) 2 times to do it, and when they're 2yo isn't one of them. (For inquiring minds: those times are during infancy when they're clueless and when they're old enough to at least partially reason with.)
Unfortunately, we did have a few shed tears, but not hysteria, and nothing that wasn't fixed with a small bottle of lotion from Bath & Body Works, and the promise of ice cream after dinner.
It's Memorial Weekend, a time to celebrate and honor those men and women to whom we owe our freedom. To that end, I'd like to share a thought a dear friend shared with me earlier today.
The context of the following was in relation to her cousin having let her know that each memorial Day she and her father visit the graves of family members who were veterans; my friend's father's grave happens to be one they go to. Beth compared veterans to "Jesus - who left His home (heaven) to go to a foreign place (earth) and fight a battle to free those who were oppressed."
She was given the thought while praying for someone ministering in Iraq. Definitely an "aha" moment for me when I read it. Or as she likes to call it a "Yea God" moment.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Listening
I've been wanting to write for 2 days now, but time was not cooperating. I need to come up with some structure to my weekdays so that I'm not so scattered.
I've had all sorts of ideas running around in my head, but can't manage to get any of them to come into focus. As a result, this may turn into a very random entry.
One thing that's been brewing is the idea of listening. I don't mean listening in a physical sense, though.
When we listen with our physical ears, it can be very difficult because there can be so many different things bombarding our sense of hearing. We have to tune out the extraneous sounds and focus on the one thing that we're trying to listen to at any given time. Somehow, though, it manages to get done on a regular enough basis so as to keep a household functioning, or to get work done at our jobs.
What can sometimes happen in this is the inadvertent tuning out of what we need to hear the most -- that still small voice that gives us guidance. This is the voice that isn't heard with our ears, but rather in our heart. It's the gentle leading to call a friend to whom we haven't spoken for a long time, or to drop everything and fall to our knees in prayer. It's the sound, if you will, that we put off listening to at the time, telling ourselves we'll take care of it later.
The problem is, later very rarely comes. And when it does, the sense of importance has been so diminished as to stir another voice. This is the voice that we use to tell ourselves it wasn't that important in the first place; that it doesn't matter and we'll do it the next time our heart tells us to.
Let me encourage you to listen to this heart-voice as closely as you listen to your child telling you about the butterfly they just saw. It's God's voice calling to you. When you listen, no matter how insignificant what you're hearing may seem, know that responding puts you in His arms and will bless you more than you can imagine.
Sort of like what I've just done here. When I began, I had no real focus, but I listened to my heart-voice. Not only has typing this been a blessing to me, I hope it's a blessing to all who read it. I know it's a blessing to God because I followed what he would have to do at this moment in time.
"My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands." Prov 2:1 (NLT)
I've had all sorts of ideas running around in my head, but can't manage to get any of them to come into focus. As a result, this may turn into a very random entry.
One thing that's been brewing is the idea of listening. I don't mean listening in a physical sense, though.
When we listen with our physical ears, it can be very difficult because there can be so many different things bombarding our sense of hearing. We have to tune out the extraneous sounds and focus on the one thing that we're trying to listen to at any given time. Somehow, though, it manages to get done on a regular enough basis so as to keep a household functioning, or to get work done at our jobs.
What can sometimes happen in this is the inadvertent tuning out of what we need to hear the most -- that still small voice that gives us guidance. This is the voice that isn't heard with our ears, but rather in our heart. It's the gentle leading to call a friend to whom we haven't spoken for a long time, or to drop everything and fall to our knees in prayer. It's the sound, if you will, that we put off listening to at the time, telling ourselves we'll take care of it later.
The problem is, later very rarely comes. And when it does, the sense of importance has been so diminished as to stir another voice. This is the voice that we use to tell ourselves it wasn't that important in the first place; that it doesn't matter and we'll do it the next time our heart tells us to.
Let me encourage you to listen to this heart-voice as closely as you listen to your child telling you about the butterfly they just saw. It's God's voice calling to you. When you listen, no matter how insignificant what you're hearing may seem, know that responding puts you in His arms and will bless you more than you can imagine.
Sort of like what I've just done here. When I began, I had no real focus, but I listened to my heart-voice. Not only has typing this been a blessing to me, I hope it's a blessing to all who read it. I know it's a blessing to God because I followed what he would have to do at this moment in time.
"My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands." Prov 2:1 (NLT)
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Where Does the Time Go??
In just under 2 weeks my second child will graduate from high school. To say that the calendar in this household is busy right now would be an understatement.
Between choir concerts and vocal festivals, field trips and AP exams, I don't always know where he's supposed to be or when. And then there are 2 other kids, a husband and myself to keep track of.
Tonight is the Senior Honors Convocation. Since we received a "formal invitation" I am assuming that our senior is being honored. I can't wait to see what honor(s) he receives. His GPA earned him an academic scholarship and he's in NHS. He's on the team that works on the school dictrict's website, and has gotten high praise from the faculty member in charge of that team. He's also part of the choir group that got invited to sing at Carnegie Hall in NYC next April under the direction of Eric Whitacre, a favorite composer of the choir director at the high school campus.
As I look and think back on his life so far, I can't help but be drawn to Psalm 139 and Jeremiah 29:11. We are so blessed to know that he is living his life for our Lord and Savior. Sure, there have been struggles, but with God's grace we've come through them all, and will continue to do so. When he heads off to college in the fall, he'll be double-majoring in Youth Ministry and Bible Studies, with a minor in Worship Arts. What better way to serve than to do what one is truly gifted to do. The fact that he also loves each part is an added bonus. Not many can make their passion their vocation.
We're so proud of him!
Between choir concerts and vocal festivals, field trips and AP exams, I don't always know where he's supposed to be or when. And then there are 2 other kids, a husband and myself to keep track of.
Tonight is the Senior Honors Convocation. Since we received a "formal invitation" I am assuming that our senior is being honored. I can't wait to see what honor(s) he receives. His GPA earned him an academic scholarship and he's in NHS. He's on the team that works on the school dictrict's website, and has gotten high praise from the faculty member in charge of that team. He's also part of the choir group that got invited to sing at Carnegie Hall in NYC next April under the direction of Eric Whitacre, a favorite composer of the choir director at the high school campus.
As I look and think back on his life so far, I can't help but be drawn to Psalm 139 and Jeremiah 29:11. We are so blessed to know that he is living his life for our Lord and Savior. Sure, there have been struggles, but with God's grace we've come through them all, and will continue to do so. When he heads off to college in the fall, he'll be double-majoring in Youth Ministry and Bible Studies, with a minor in Worship Arts. What better way to serve than to do what one is truly gifted to do. The fact that he also loves each part is an added bonus. Not many can make their passion their vocation.
We're so proud of him!
Monday, May 18, 2009
What's it All About?
From the title of this blog, one might expect its content to be preachy and super-spiritual. While I will admit that at times that may turn out to be true, I don't think it will always be so.
I guess I see this as a place to share a lot of things about a lot of things.
One day I may be on a rant about something, using this page as a place to blow off steam. Another day it may be a reaction to one of my devotionals. And on another it may just be a series of random thoughts that I don't want to keep to myself.
One goal that I will strive for, however, is to never do anything that is not edifying in some way. There is enough of that in the world, and I have no desire to contribute to it. Even my rants will be outlets for frustration, not slamming of people or organizations. I'll ask for accountability on this now because I can get quite passionate about things, and sometimes my words can get away from me.
"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17 (NIV)
I guess I see this as a place to share a lot of things about a lot of things.
One day I may be on a rant about something, using this page as a place to blow off steam. Another day it may be a reaction to one of my devotionals. And on another it may just be a series of random thoughts that I don't want to keep to myself.
One goal that I will strive for, however, is to never do anything that is not edifying in some way. There is enough of that in the world, and I have no desire to contribute to it. Even my rants will be outlets for frustration, not slamming of people or organizations. I'll ask for accountability on this now because I can get quite passionate about things, and sometimes my words can get away from me.
"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17 (NIV)
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Here Goes Nothing
A friend suggested I start a blog, so here I am.
I'm pleased that I've gotten this far without bothering my 17yo son for help. Not that he'd provide much as he's busy with homework projects. His standard reply to assistance requests is to figure it out myself, since that's how he had to learn how to do things.
I really don't know what this is going to look like over time, but I've got some ideas. I guess I'll have to see how the Spirit leads me to see which ones come to fruition.
I'm going to click the publish post button now. I have faith it will work. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
I'm pleased that I've gotten this far without bothering my 17yo son for help. Not that he'd provide much as he's busy with homework projects. His standard reply to assistance requests is to figure it out myself, since that's how he had to learn how to do things.
I really don't know what this is going to look like over time, but I've got some ideas. I guess I'll have to see how the Spirit leads me to see which ones come to fruition.
I'm going to click the publish post button now. I have faith it will work. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
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