More Thoughts on Contagious Love...

Can you say? “I am loved!” “I am one who God loves.”

I am giggling a bit as I type this…picturing a little girl twirling about in her fancy dress proclaiming not only her beauty but how loved she is. Or in my house there are no little girls twirling in dresses; but little boys proclaiming their exquisiteness in their own unique ways.

Why do we sometimes shy away from proclaiming this? I’m guessing we either don’t feel loved and worthy or we don’t want people to think we are conceited and full of pride.

Where is the balance…the middle ground of proclaiming God’s gifts to us?

Can we all speak with such boldness and stoutheartedness like Mary when she said, “From now on all generations will call me blessed.” (Luke 1:48) I love that my NIV Bible commentary addresses this stating,

"When Mary said, "From now on all generations will call me blessed," was she being proud? No, she was recognizing and accepting the gift God had given her. If Mary had denied her incredible position, she would have been throwing God's blessing back at him. Pride is refusing to accept God's gifts or taking credit for what God has done; humility is accepting the gifts and using them to praise and serve God. Don't deny, belittle, or ignore your gifts. Thank God for them and use them to his glory."

I am also so tickled that one of the fisherman, Jesus’ friend calls himself, “The disciple whom Jesus loved.” (This is referenced 4 times in the book he wrote titled, John).
Do you know what it is to be loved? I thought I knew what love was…but it wasn’t until I met Jesus that I really knew what it meant to be loved.

Honestly, I sometimes think our culture is a bit twisted with the meaning of love…we can get so caught up in it…starved for it and even thinking that we don’t need it. All of these perspectives are unhealthy.

How does someone who knows and believes that he is loved act? If you are considered beloved, how do others describe you, but even more importantly, how do you describe yourself?
Acting out our belovedness (I know I just made up this word) is contagious!!! And this is the kind of fever I want to catch.

So to help catch this…I thought it would help to learn a bit more about John. I was recently reading what John, the beloved disciple had to say about Jesus and who He is to us and what His love really means. May you beloved, be blessed in what I found and reflected on:

John 6:35: He is the Bread of Life…say with me,

“My spiritual hunger is sustained with Jesus.”
John 8:12: He is the Light of the World…say with me,

“I will not walk in darkness with Jesus, for He makes any darkness I encounter full of light.”
John 10:7-9: He is the Gate for the sheep…say with me,

“I am safe and protected with Jesus.”
John 10:11-14: He is the Good Shepherd…say with me,

“I am known and loved by Jesus.”
John 11:25: He is the Resurrection and the Life…say with me,

“I will always LIVE with Jesus.”
John 14:6: He is the Way, the Truth and the Life…say with me,

“I have a secure path with Jesus.”
John 15:1: He is the TRUE Vine…say with me,

“I have a prosperous, fruitful life with Jesus.”

We will act what we believe and we will believe what we keep saying to ourselves.
Hoping you catch Jesus’ contagious love this Christmas.

And proclaim it…shout it out in your own way!

Contagious Love

My husband picked out some new shirts for baby Jacob while we were shopping the other day, this is one of them.

The other is now packed and ready for Jacob to wear home from the hospital because Daddy picked it out with his older brothers in mind.

After showing the boys the new shirts for their little brother I couldn’t help but join their contagious giggles; as my boy uttered, “It’s so tiny!”

Later I caught my oldest son cradling the shirt and pretending he was holding baby Jacob in his arms. His actions were contagious and my other son joined in, pretending to rock and cuddle baby Jacob too.

I took a snapshot of the moment in my mind as well as captured the whisper from my Heavenly Daddy which said, “Just as these boys will love and cradle and encourage Jacob, I have and will continue to love and cradle all of you!”

I wanted to just sit there and snuggle and freeze frame the moment; wishing the moment could last FOREVER!

Hmmm….these are contagious moments of love.

What are we doing in this life that is contagious? I’ve been reflecting a lot this week about all of the great things that God has done for me. Specifically, how God has erased the shame which was burned on my heart during the days of my youth and my dad’s abuse; and replaced the void with His love, joy, hope and peace…and so many other wonderful gifts. Most importantyly the gift we remember this month which He sent to all of us—baby Jesus.

Today is my eldest son’s 10th birthday…he was due on Christmas day 2000 but surprised us all by coming early. With his birth and now my third son due just a week before Christmas, I have thought a lot about the birth of our sweet savior Jesus in some unique ways. Even though they are not my words, I have easily taken Jesus’ mother’s words as my own. I’m not pregnant with a savior, but I am pregnant with a son…a boy loved and cherished by God.

There was a time that I was afraid of having children, as much as I dreamed of having them, I thought the abuse from my past would ruin them and the skeletons buried in my generational closet would haunt them as much as they haunted me. I did not want to pass these horrors down to a precious child…

Since knowing God and His son Jesus, I have found healing and wholeness one piece at a time and I can claim Mary’s words as my own, for it is true….”From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me.” (Luke 1:48).

Do you know you can claim these same words? Do you know Jesus? His love is contagious. He has also done great things for you and He wants you to know both Him and these wonderful things. He is the reason for this beautiful season!

I have been thinking so much about Jesus and reflecting on both who He is and who He says I am.

You see Jesus too suffered great trials like abuse—first before His ministry even began Matthew Chapter 4 tells us how He was tempted and tried in the desert and after that He began to do some specific works and a few men began to follow Him. These average men, fishermen to be exact, were convinced that following Jesus would change their lives forever. Jesus did the work He was born to do…to teach and preach the good news; as well as help and heal. My heart just melts knowing that Jesus was there to teach and offer healing to those hurting and suffering.

Have you ever been sick? Has your heart ever been broken? Have you ever needed healing of some kind? I know I surely have and Jesus came to help us—to heal us—to love us.

Do you know how loved you are? Do you live like one who is loved?

I hope you have the opportunity to catch God’s contagious love this Christmas and then spread some around for those near you to catch as well.

Preparing To Open Gifts

I thought the third time was going to be the charm when I was up late into the early morning hours with contractions keeping me from a blissful sleep. Yet, it’s just another tedious night of consistent uncomfortable contractions, the third false alarm. The contractions are consistent but they have yet to be painful enough to signal my cry towards the hospital.

God is preparing my body and family for the big day. My due date is now 11 days away and my mind is cluttered with various details pertaining to baby, the holidays, birthdays (my oldest son’s 10th birthday is just days away), and schedules.

To pass the time, I’ve been checking items off of my list left and right and slowing down the pace of my heart, body and mind. Partially due to the physical limitations with this expanding belly and also my own sanity, I’ve been saying no to that request, finishing this job, and wrapping up that commitment…all to prepare my heart, mind and home for our precious new gift.

It’s nice to have something concrete to release myself from all sorts of expectations; and the fact that I know God has prepared all of this in advance for me to do (Eph 2:10) drives my heart to be like Mary was described in Luke 2:19 “…treasure up all these things and ponder them in her heart.”

Slowing down to embrace the God given treasures of your life is good practice even when you are not 9 months pregnant.

I don’t want to forget this…not this moment and not this truth! For God, surely gives us one gift after another. (John 1:16) Surely there is a gift waiting to come forth once these contractions take over with gusto and there will be another and another until the final gift with Him for eternity. (Just to clarify, I’m not talking about more children—but one blessing after another which God promises).

I don’t want to sit here and whine and complain about the discomfort I am feeling for this short time, or be distracted by any other discouraging thought…but take it all in with great anticipation.

You may not be pregnant anticipating the day of your newborns arrival, but there is a gift awaiting you in the horizon too. Let’s roll up our sleeves, put our minds in gear and be totally ready to receive the gift…whatever it may be. (1 Peter 1:13).

Maybe we can open them together!

Uncomfortable Seat Belts

I am feeling like a rookie juggler these days struggling with rhythm and balance. I'm pursuing my normal day to day duties as a mother and wife as well as working hard to use my God given gifts in this world to make a little extra money. As well as, preparing for my third son to come into this world in about 4 weeks.

Juggling along, I'm also noticing the seat belt I strap into each day is getting a bit snug and uncomfortable. I cannot deny it...my heart is overwhelmed and I ‘m struggling to not crumble as I want to utter the words, “What am I doing?” Stress.

Do you ever feel the same way? Does stress rise up in you as you seek to do your best each day?
Some days are just hard…some days are just so full of discouragement without even being able to pin point the exact source. Some days my head falls to the pillow in utter exhaustion at the end of the day and I am tempted to wonder what good I brought to the day. It’s these days I easily succumb to the lies and feelings of defeat, forgetting all the good God brought to me and all the ways He equipped me to succeed the hours prior to my slumber.

I’ve been struggling to keep the balance lately and have had some hard days…the days that I just want to cancel every appointment, every responsibility and hire it done while I take a long nap. I realize right there in my emotions my desire to give up and I know that this is not God’s desire for me.

His burden is easy and His yoke is light and He desire for me to not throw off my confidence and to find rest in Him.

My body is in need of rest and nourishment from Him continually, not just physical rest but spiritual rest and rejuvenation.

As I try to sort it out I hear and see things that I must only attribute to my Lord. He is beckoning my heart to cry out to Him….beckoning me to draw near to Him and ask for help…desiring for me to seek Him and rest.

I heard Him today as I stood in the grocery line watching another mother juggle her own tasks at hand with a little one in tote that was fighting to sit still in the grocery cart. The toddler sat buckled securely in the grocery cart and even though he was too young for words, he was communicating very clearly that he wanted out of his situation. He was tugging at the belt, looking with desperation at his mommy and then even pointing adamantly towards the strap of confinement.

I identified with the toddlers frustration and remembered what I pictured after reading in Genesis 37 and Psalm 105:18 about Joseph being shackled into slavery. Oh, how Joseph must have felt strapped in too and Joseph must have also struggled with emotions of wanting to give up.

I continued to watch this quiet spoken toddler fidget as the mother calmly put her hands on the child and snuggled and kissed him.

God must have done the same and comforted and snuggled Joseph when he was stuck in bondage and sold out by the very ones placed in his life to love him and care for him.
God must be doing the same for us!!!

Sometimes we are not ejected from our current uncomfortable situation as our desire for a remedy undoubtedly increases, causing us to fidget like this toddler. Just like this boy was not immediately taken out of the seatbelt, neither are we rescued instantaneously. Just like this toddler resolved to quietly sit through the moment, we too learn to sit still and endure.

During these times that we are learning to endure, may we see the loving hands of our Father reaching down to comfort us and give us the strength to keep going—to endure.

And when we can’t see or feel Him near, may we keep crying out and asking Him to reveal Himself and His love.

May we remember His miracles, and may this encourage us to keep living close to Him through whatever seatbelt in life may be confining us.

May we remember to “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” (Psalm 105:4)

Do you see Him reaching down to snuggle you close today or are your eyes fixated on an uncomfortable seat belt?

FREEDOM

I heard the stomping of his little feet come down the stairs just before I heard his little voice, “You forgot the medicine.” I was thankful my little guy reminded me and I just smiled. Taking medicine in our house is not something we have to do on a regular basis; but the medicine bottles have sure been cluttering the counter lately.



I was surprised at how willing and energetic my boys have been to take their prescribed medications; this week it is an antibiotic and last week it was ibuprofen for a bruised rib. When it tastes good, I understand—but showing such enthusiasm even when it’s just swallowing a pill, I was a bit perplexed.



Puzzled over the lack of struggle to give doses of medicine, I asked my son, “Why are you so eager to take your medicine?”



His answer was so simple and insightful. “Because the doctor said to take it.”



As the words left his mouth and my ears digested his wisdom, I heard the Lord whisper,


“It is that simple, I am here to help you.”



Then my boy, as if to make sure I understood what he said, added, “I want to feel better Mom, so I want to do what the doctor says.”



Do we do enough of what the “Doctor” of all doctors says?



I heard some other wise words while studying this week that anchored in my heart with Veteran’s Day approaching. I heard Beth Moore say something to the effect that we are all wired for a need to know that there is someone larger than us, someone that can SAVE US!



With Veteran’s Day this week, we are celebrating, remembering those who have exemplified such bravery and served and died for us. As we remember and say thank you, I’m also remembering another who has served and died for all of humanity to save us…his name is Jesus.



My thoughts have drifted more than once this week towards thankfulness and the freedoms we have not only in the USA, but in our hearts and lives for eternity when we choose to believe in Jesus.



As we say thank you to the men and women who have chosen to serve, may we also say thank you to our God and His Son Jesus who died for us.





It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. (Gal 5:1)



May we take our hearts of gratitude one step further and look intently into all that the Doctor ordered…Our God’s orders which gives freedom—not forgetting what we have heard, but doing it. (James 1:25).



Like my son said this week, may we desire to do what the Doctor says.
May we believe that it is that simple.


May we believe that He is here to help us.


May we believe that nothing is too hard for Him...Him who brings us FREEDOM!


Thank you Jesus.

And thank you to the men and women who have served and continue to serve in the spirit of freedom!



In memory of my grandfather, who served during WWII.

Still and Thriving...

I’m glancing out my window and not a thing is moving. The stillness has captivated my heart.

I have to admit, nothing in my life these days seems to be still. Whether it is Jacob kicking and jabbing away in my belly (I rejoice in his movements), or the ever flowing to do list that unravels every day, if I was prone to motion sickness—I would have it right now.

Really though, when have I ever not felt this way? Okay, maybe on vacation or when I am intentional about scheduling in some still moments, but a mother’s heart, a women’s heart is rarely still on its own.

When the hand of God is on us beckoning us to be still do we listen?

I admit this is hard for me, I am doer and more times than not I could be characterized as an overachiever.

In my overachieving, I am often not able to hear His voice whisper, “Be still.”(Psalm 46:10)

I’m thankful for the still trees outside my window sill reminding me to be still. The still branches draw me in further as I reflect on the prior week, I was not very still. Rather the opposite seemed to occur, tempted to be shaken to and fro with things seen, heard and felt.

When Justin glanced my way, indirectly communicating that he questioned my comment sent my heart in auto-protect and my mouth opened with a knee jerk reaction which I later regretted. I heard God whisper then, “Be still.”

When a customer's frustration got the best of him and he let out an outburst of profanity, the blood went rushing through my veins and jumping to respond my mouth opened.
I heard God whisper then, “Be still.”

When my adolescent boys cried out with whines of their childish desires, I was quick to put out their fire and again opened my mouth. I heard God whisper then, “Be Still.”

I’m know this to be true, but I am learning that being quiet and still ushers in God’s divine work. And His work is always best.

But what happens when the wind blows? What happens when life around us is not still? I see the leaves and palm branches outside my window move then too in response to the wind. I noticed myself asking my God…"What then?"

I pictured instantly how the trees when rooted deep within the ground do not fall over and God's Word says they bear much fruit (John 15:5-8). Then I remembered the dinner conversation earlier this week with my boys.

Justin chaperoned a field trip with my son’s class to the Biosphere2, part of the University of Arizona's research center where they study the Earth, the Earth's living systems and the Earth's place in the universe.









Our dinner conversation one night was full of all that they had learned and experienced seeing the ecosystems under glass. One thing that captured my attention was when they described that trees were initially not doing very well in the Biosphere. They explained that scientists realized they were weak and began to topple over because there was no wind or storms present in the ecosystem.



In order to make the trees stronger, the scientists turned on fans to imitate wind for the trees.

“There is purpose in me allowing the resistance and storms in your life. Your learning to respond is character building…I am making your stronger. Be still and sway with the wind.”

I sensed the wisdom of the Lord filling my heart.

Could it be that the storms of this life are helping us to thrive?

I may need to sway a bit this week in response to any storms that God allows to come my way, but my heart wants to work on being still and knowing that He is God. (Psalm 46:10)

Remembering & Practicing What I Learned

I’m eating a bite of my son’s Kit Kat bar (yes, I am one of those mom’s who raids the Halloween candy when no one is looking) and taking a break to remember.

I just learned how to load more than one photo to my blog. I feel like such a dork and know that I am revealing my naivety to this social media world. I’m hanging in there though…

These last few days and usually every weekend (sometimes my weekends are 3 and 4 days long) I try to take a break from the social media world and soak up the love in the physical world around me.

This past weekend called for my specific attention with Fall Festivities intermixed with 3 sick boys. Between batches of homemade soup, restful naps and doses of antibiotics we still managed to squeeze in some precious family time.

I can so easily succumb to confines of my laptop and get lost writing and networking abroad with other servants of the Lord that I admire yet barely know via Facebook and other mediums. I find time in the social media world so inspiring and great, yet I do know the importance of loving the little and big men right within the four walls of which I live…for God uses them to encourage and inspire me like no one else.

So, reaching outside the screen of my laptop I embraced these beautiful gifts these past few days. Before the illness began the boys helped me make pumpkin sugar cookies for their parties at school:

I love doing things like this with my boys!!!

They are still ALL BOY though…

The next day my son lost his tooth just in time for his costume ensemble.

Here my oldest is looking so serious…getting ready to carve the pumpkin after the boys sat around asking Dad what different weapons would do to a pumpkin. The conversation was so over my head and there was no way for me to add any of my girlie ways to the conversation…I just smiled and took in the way that God has wired my boys.

AAAaahh! Taking it all in, practicing what I learend and remembering it all. May we take time to do this more often and soak up the love.

"I will remember the deeds of the LORD;

yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago."

Psalm 77:11