week #2 Challenge (Living and Active)

Matthew 6:34

English Standard Version (ESV)

³⁴ “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

New week, new goals.

Daily goals for daily living:

Luke 9:23 ~ Take up my cross daily (Not for a week or month at a time)

Matt. 6:11~ Give us this day our daily bread

Ex.  16:16~ Gather it daily

Ephesians 5:19-20

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁹ addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, ²⁰ giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Living and Active Challenge bookmark

WOW!!!! Wednesday

The past 3 day's I have been ruminating our Pastor's sermon from Sunday.

Ruminate: : to go over in the mind repeatedly and often casually or slowly

Romans 11:33-36

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been His counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to Him
that He might be repaid?”
For from Him and through him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen. ( ESV)




I do not understand what God is doing...why can't I get a job...what is God up to?


Do not be anxious
Matthew 6:25-34

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. ( ESV)



God you are in control of the universe.

You know what is going on here.

You will provide the job I need in Your perfect timing.

Romans 11:36

³⁶ For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.(New Living Translation)

Dear Lord,
Make me a Mom of Power. The power of salvation that you are working in me. When I am weak, You are strong. Someday I will know why my life and lives of those closest to me  seem "Topsy Turvy", filled with pain, uncertainty, anger, frustration...on that day I will say, "Wow!! God, I had no idea! This is amazing!"
You glory, my good. ~ Amen

Living and Active

Some days when asked, "How are you doing?"
I will respond, "I am here and I am alive".

Today my response is: "I am here and alive, saved by grace alone." 


I signed up for a 5 week "Spiritual Fitness Challenge" a couple of weeks ago. On that day I said to myself:

"Sound good, get the body, spirit, mind and strength into shape."

Matthew 22:37

New International Version (NIV)

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (Also Duet. 6:5)

 So, today I get the email that we start today. Who will be my accountability buddy? 

That is her beautiful Mom on the right

 (I don't know anyone else who could give me a good verbal "Kick in the Pants" with love live Bonnie)

The 5 weeks will end on October 17th, which is my 25 wedding anniversary. I can't think of a better way to start the next 25 years than with good habits of spiritual and physical. 

Shalom,

GISεїз

P.S. If you want to join us in the Challenge check out Living and Active. 

Parenting Teens

Most days I wrestle with the privileged of how to best "parent my teens". I'm not alone with that one, I guess, when you Google the phrase you can get About 116,000,000 results. Today I ran I got my daily devotion from "(In) courage". The author Kristen Strong incouraged me with a prayer on her website.

A Prayer for Teenage Kids and Their Mama, Too

Dear Fater in Heaven,

I flat out need You more today than ever. I know I've said this before. But something about

being in charge of teens - young men and women – feels mighty scary.

When a sense of urgency weighs heavy, help me remember You've helped me train my kids all along.

Help me not focus on what I haven't done, but relax in what I have. Help me parent

from Trut not fear, and may the eyes of my heart see Your perspective, promises, and patience.

Please help me remember they are becoming. Don't let a spirit of discouragement settle in

when I don't see progress. Though I want to be clear about boundaries, may my responses to their poor

choices be gracious. May my responses to their good choices be gracious.

If it ain't broke, don't let me fix it.

It seems so much of parenting older kids well is about being hands-off as much

as hands-on. Give me wisdom on when my voice is needed or simply my ears. When my presence

helps and when my presence hurts. Because sometimes parenting well means getting out of the way,

letting them test their wings. Fly or fall, help me remember both serve their purpose. Help me be their

loudest cheerleader when they succeed. Help me be their quiet haven when they fall.

Help me know when to make a big deal of something and when to chill out. Don't

let me turn molehills into mountains, but also give me courage to look real problems straight in the

eye.

Help me understand their fears and emotions and not blow them off. Help me take them

seriously because they seriously need me. And because they are always worth it.

May encouragement not criticism be my default. Now more than ever, unconstructive

criticism makes me an unsafe confidante.

May I give eye contact, hugs, and grace in abundance. May they know they can't outsin or

outrun Your love. May they see their worth in nothing but Christ.

Everyday, please show me something uniquely beautiful about my teens, and may I praise You for

it. For them.

May I always turn to You first for gratitude and guidance. Help me remember you see

all my children's days stretched before them as I see only this one. Thank you for always being for my

children and for filling all my parenting gaps.

In the mighty name of Jesus,

{and all the mamas of teens say}

Amen 

© Kristen Strong, Chasing Blue Skies 2012

A letter to my mom

1964 - Daddy (31), Mamma (29), Me (4), Cheri (9), Elaine (10)

My Mom is Right Front 1948 *age 15


Dear Mamma,

 I had my birthday a month ago. I was so busy being the mom I almost didn't notice. My kids are so  big now,
 it is amazing!

Ian is 16 and he look so much like Daddy. He walks like him and gives hugs like him too.

Johanna has your middle name and reminds me so much of you. I wish you could be here to talk to her, but
I will just pray and continue to rely on the Holy Spirit to give me wisdom to be a good mom. Johanna is beautiful
and has so many talents. How so much can be packaged in one almost 18 year old amazes me daily.


Abbie has a smile that lights up a room. She gets that from her Dad.

Mary breaks the rules of being feminine in a masculine occupation.  My diesel mechanic that relies on function, then fashion, always.

Then there's me. I finished my degree in Business Administration for you. I walked to get my diploma cover for me.
25 years of marriage this fall to the same man and 4 amazing children that you haven't met yet.

God had a reason for taking you so young. He always has the best plan and purpose for me.

Psalm 139:14

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁴ I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

                                           I love you Mamma.

Deena-Marie ♫ 

GISεїз



                                Virginia Lee (Harris) Orr
                            January 7, 1935 - June 21, 1986

First Week of School

Today is the first Wednesday of school for my children. I am connecting to a community link at:
A Holy Experience ~ Walk with Him Wednesday .

    I am so amazed at how God is working in our lives. As I am waiting on the Lord for a new job, actively applying, but trying not to do things on my own steam, I found myself alone in the house and it is only 3 days after school started.
    The past two days I spent helping a friend prepare for a trip to be with her son who has cancer in the mid-west. She had an injury 6 weeks ago and would be getting the okay to drive this afternoon, but after the two days of running errands with me we had decided the brace might be a good idea in the airports to attract assistance and to support the healing leg as well. Why are we so mule headed that we don't want to attract attention when we need help?
     I have been reading through the Gospels and it seems that the people in need were anxious to attract Jesus's attention to be healed. The Ten Lepers  " lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” They were people that were not fit to come into the company of the community, but they wanted Jesus to see them, hear them, and heal them. Why should I want Him to see me, hear me and solve the issues that are nearest to my heart?
     All four of my children are at school. My oldest daughter is now working at a school, while the two younger girls are Sophomores in College and my son is beginning his Junior year in Technology High School. I have spent 21 years guiding their lives to this point. Now I cry out, "Lord, see me, hear me, I will continue to be their mother, friend and guide, but it is time for me to step into the new role..." Yes, "..." I don't know what that new role is.
    My coffee cup is empty and my heart is singing the Wanda Jackson song, Fill My Cup Lord. Fill me more and more with the water that never will run dry. I want the focus of my next adventure to be sharing my overflow from a cup that never will run dry.
    Every morning I run through the latest of my favorite bloggers, mostly Proverbs 31 ladies and others associated with them. My heart cries out in me as I search , "What do you have for me Lord, I rest in You."

Great is Your Steadfast Love

Psalm 86 

Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me,

for I am poor and needy.

Preserve my life, for I am godly;

save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.

Be gracious to me, O Lord,

for to you do I cry all the day.

Gladden the soul of your servant,

for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,

abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;

listen to my plea for grace.

In the day of my trouble I call upon you,

for you answer me.

There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,

nor are there any works like yours.

All the nations you have made shall come

and worship before you, O Lord,

and shall glorify your name.

For you are great and do wondrous things;

you alone are God.

Teach me your way, O LORD,

that I may walk in your truth;

unite my heart to fear your name.

I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,

and I will glorify your name forever.

For great is your steadfast love toward me;

you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

O God, insolent men have risen up against me;

a band of ruthless men seeks my life,

and they do not set you before them.

But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

Turn to me and be gracious to me;

give your strength to your servant,

and save the son of your maidservant.

Show me a sign of your favor,

that those who hate me may see and be put to shame

because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

(Psalm 86 ESV)


~Shalom~
GISεїз

Five Minute Friday with Lisa-Jo and Friends

I haven't blogged for almost a month. Life has just been to crazy. My middle daughter was a camp counselor for June and July, so I have enjoy precious time with her and her two younger siblings. It is over 100 degrees most of July and August here in the Sacramento Valley and we seem to move very slow while the times moves very fast.
    I found a great deal on discount meat this week and we have been enjoying my 16 year old son's BBQ. Last night he made a fire just from the oak trees droppings. It was really fun for him to gather his sticks and build his fire, then cook our meat. It seemed poetic that the tree gave us the twigs and branch pieces and we were able to cook our food on the grill under the shade of the Giant Valley Oak.
Times up.
To see other "Five Minute Friday's" check out Lisa-Jo's Blog,