Meet Jesus Monday

Aaaaah Monday...

A fresh new day, a fresh new week…I like Mondays for this reason—yet some Mondays just get rolling out of control don't they?  I struggled to find the refreshment in last Monday as I spent the day prior sick and did not have time to prepare for the week.  Kids' lunches were not made and with my hubby just arriving back from a week long trip, his laundry and ironing sat calling my name. 

Yet even in the chaos, I heard Jesus whisper friend and I sensed His love and aid that day and the chaotic day passed.  I didn’t notice His presence painted everywhere in my day just like the colors of Fall are hidden in this desert; but I still found Him.  I still found my faithful friend named Jesus. 

He made me smile this morning with this lone red leaf on the ground—most around my walking path are green or scorched brown from the sun and heat.  Just like Him sprinkling my chaotic day with his love and friendship, the trees are sprinkled with glimpses of the changing season even in the desert.

I was drawn to John 15 throughout my reading about Jesus these past few days and when I read the word friends I seemed to also hear from my memory my son practicing his trumpet.  It was as if Jesus was saying with such grandeur,
"Introducing, my friend [I heard my name and I encourage you to insert your name here.]”

Do you know that Jesus calls you friend?  I encourage you to read John 15:13-17.

He layed down His life...He calls us friends...He chose us.

Can you soak in that He is calling your friend? 

As  women  we crave friendship don’t we?  I have been ever more aware of this as I have recently moved and am now out numbered with baby# 3.  I wish I had more time in my day and could rearrange another's day to match mine--just to sit with my dear friends. 

I rememberd a new neighbor I met who did not yet know my name and called me friend…rembering it now makes me smile. 

And as I remember this, I hear Jesus whisper, STOP, see me calling you friend!

I challenge you as I sensed God challenging me to just sit and be still hearing Jesus call you friend.

Note that it’s not about us being a good friend or not….he still calls us friends even when we have bad days.  That person who just annoys you…that co-worker, that family member, that weird person down the street—Jesus calls them friends too.  Notice who Jesus called friend:

To the man who betrayed him, Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for.”  (Matthew 26:50)

To the man needing healing, Jesus said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 5:20)

Last week in the text we read about His friend Lazarus who had died but Jesus brought back to life. (John 11:11)

Let us not doubt that Jesus wants to be our friend…for He has called us friends and He wants us to live our lives as a loved friend. 

What does it mean to you knowing that Jesus calls us friends?  

How will a friend who knows she is loved--react today?
How will a friend who knows that Jesus loves her--respond today?
How will a friend who knows she is loved--love today?

FUN FRIDAY

It's FUN FRIDAY again!  woOT  WOOT! 

Can't help but have this thumbs up is on my mind again!

Lots to celebrate in my heart this Friday as I listened to Girlfriendit Radio yesterday and was motivated to make a list of the things I am passionate about.  Read more here and click on the link to listen for yourself. 
The Girlfriendit radio show and movement is close to my heart because they remind me of the kind of woman God has created me to be, the kind of girlfriends that I want surrounding me in this life, and also the kind of girlfriend that I want to be.  One thing I am passionate about is encouraging others, and I do think that this passion was born out of the void I had as a young child who often lacked that encouraging word from those closest to me--especially my father.  I am now on a journey of continuned healing with my Heavenly Father and seeking to understand more everyday just how much Jesus loves me and I'm passionate about all of my girlfriends embracing this love too!  Look for more encouraging stuff coming from me--inspired by the love that I have found from knowing Jesus--it's gonna be FUN and no real tiaras are involved...but it's definitely all about walking down that princess path in this life! 

Don't forget to listen to this week's show...it will cheer you on in your pursuit of God's plan and purpose for your life.

I am trusting and just taking one baby step at a time right now...very similar to the tiny steps my 10 month old is taking--small but HUGE at the same time. 

I'm celebrating today because it's FUN FRIDAY, because I worked hard all week, because I'm choosing to embrace the joy in today.  My boys reminded me this week that it is all in the choosing.

Last night I enjoyed watching my nephew sing with his entire third grade class and the theme was embracing the show biz--or the FUN of life!  The chorus of kids singing or screaming at some points, jump started my thinking and reminded me that God is often reminding us to be present enough in our day and choose to have FUN!

My oldest son, chose to have FUN and actually ran in the FUN RUN at school this week. 

And then my middle son chose to have FUN and be a crazy cheesehead fan for his favorite football team. 

And then my youngest...well if you knew him, you would just know that he is all about FUN! This is his new wave...he extends his arm straight up in the air...looks like he is raising his hand to be excused from his seat so he can have some more FUN!

So what are you choosing to do for FUN today?  Please share some of your FUN ideas...your great ideas might spur another to have a great FUN idea-AND I would like to post some applicable FUN ideas for us to implement in our days each week.  What do you and your family/friend do for FUN?
And isn't it just so awesome that FUN FRIDAY precedes the weekend...have a great one girlfriends! 

Word Wednesday!

I've often felt like God has given me either a word or short phrase to focus on during a day or short season in my life.  Some days are so full and busy that I think He knows this is what will keep me focused on Him.  I will read some verses in the morning and a phrase might jump out at me and then get repeated by a girlfriend later that day, or it may be sung that day through a song I hear. 

Today it is the word...MAKE!

I've read: "...make straight paths for him." 
I've heard, "You make beautiful things."
I know God is going to make all things work out for His greater purposes...

No other great real thoughts--just gonna leave you with that and allow you to MAKE something of your own with it.

I will however leave you with this cool recipe to MAKE your own laundry soap.  Click here it is so easy and kind to your grocery budget.  A girlfriend shared it with me, so I just thought it might MAKE your day.

Please let me know if you have any other words to share this Wednesday--or recipes.

Monday's Meeting

It's not just any Mondy meeting, it is "Meet with Jesus Monday!"

Back in the days when I was working full time out of the home; Monday meetings were always a time to get on the same page with everyone involved in the projects for the week--touch base before the week's appointments and tasks.

Well, I've decided to focus my week--my Mondays from here on out with Jesus.  I have chosen to begin my days with Him, for it is His love that inspires and compels me to love.  I've decided it best to touch base with Him and blog about Him to start off the week.  I hope and pray that you will join me.  I love to have girlfriends around to share in the FUN and we can learn together!

We learn about Jesus by reading about Him in His Word.  Please don't just take my word for it, but read it for yourself.    I would love to read to you, but my hands are full with reading to my 10 month old--yes, I am already reading to him about how much Jesus loves him with a little devotional and this is also one of his favorites...."Animal Sounds."

He loves to hear me say the animal sounds and tickle his belly when the bee goes buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Okay--back to our Monday Meeting:
I recently read John 11 and underlined the words "Jesus wept." Oh, how I long to see my Jesus weep or at least get teary-eyed over some of my heartaches in this life.  Don't you just love it when a girlfriend feels your pain and she can't help but cry when you cry and hurt when you hurt.
 
The truth is--Jesus gets us and our pain, even better than any BFF!

So I read John 11:1-37 and like I said, verse 35 jumped off of the page,"Jesus wept."  Then the two verses following it spoke to my heart, for just as I can tell that my girlfriends love me when they cannot hold back their tears, the Jews saw and spoke out  loud, "See how he loved..." 

Then there were those who chose to focus on what Jesus did not do...and pointed out that He could have stopped this painful act of death and kept His friends from experiencing this pain.

Many times I know I have sat confused asking God why He did not stop the pain from suffocating my heart.  I did not feel love in those situations...I did not see that Jesus was weeping with me.

So often I want to ask God why?  Why did you allow this?
You could have stopped this--why did you allow this pain to hit my heart? 

Oh, I wish I could say I said more often, I see and feel Jesus weeping with me--He is sad that this is what is before me right now.  I meditated on these scriptures a while and I believe God showed me something back at the beginning of Chapter 11 in verse 4...

"This sickness--this trial--this struggle--this pain will not end in death--no  it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." 

I hope you can read this and take it as if Jesus is speaking to you too...
"[insert your name], this sickness--this trial--this struggle--this pain will not end in death--no it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."

All I can muster in my heart is a great big THANK YOU JESUS! 

I will not die--you sweet girlfriend will not die because of this--

because of the love Jesus has shown us--we will live!!

No matter what comes before us, may we choose to see Him weeping and see that He loves us!

Just as I type this I am at the park typing with my little guy and we are watching the ducks in the pond.  These are the first real ducks that my boy has seen.  Like I said, I have introduced them to him through the book, "Animal Sounds," which I read to him just about every day..."What do the ducks say?  Quack, quack, quack, quack!"  As he giggled seeing the ducks I sense God telling me in my soul that it is that easy...read about me in my Word and then look for me in your days.  He will bring life to our days--and not just on Mondays!

Join me girlfriends--let's dare to see Jesus at least get teary-eyed over our heartaches and say without a doubt, "Jesus loves us!"

FUN FRIDAY

It's Fun Friday again--but this time I missed the FUN girls from Girlfriendit Radio LIVE yesterday, so I am waiting for the podcast to be posted so I can listen to it.  Otherwise, I would be telling you all about it. 

You can read a bit more from one of the guests here and check the radio page here to listen to the podcast with me on this FUN FRIDAY!

And while you're at it, just in case they are having some technical difficulties...this is a great place to listen to some other great stuff Beth Moore...she is one of my favorite Bible teachers--and her study on Eat, Pray, Love is the BOMB--she is such a hoot!!

And then sticking with this FUN FRIDAY theme (I'm cracking myself up)...

Are you looking for something fun to do with your kids this FUN FRIDAY? 

Go BOO someone...check out this website here.  My boys and I had a blast making some treats and then had even more FUN being tricky with delivering them...it was FUN and a great time to talk about loving and not letting the right hand know what the left hand is doing (Matthew 6). We love often because we want something in return--but when we walk and love as God's princess we love for FUN....just like BOOing this Fall season--because He first loved us...right?!  FUN!

Picture found here

Speaking of love and FUN...come back for some great things on Monday!  Until then...go throw some confetti or something...
IT'S FUN FRIDAY!!!

Puzzle Pieces

Last week I enjoyed some extra quiet moments with my boys and we stayed up some late nights putting together a puzzle.  So many things were shared as we sat quiet staring at the various pieces of the puzzle, first focusing on the border.  The outer things are the easiest to recognize and place aren't they?

It took time--hours to decipher the rest of the puzzle.  More quiet moments and lots of studying of the pieces.

When the time was done--when it was finished we realized that there was something missing.  How frustrating, how disappointing to recognize the piece to the puzzle was missing and after looking around the table and under the table, the missing piece was no where to be found.

Oh, the void--the emptiness!

Makes me think of the times I was like this puzzle piece, lost and hidden--the times when someone did not recognize where I fit in--but more importantly the times when I did not see the place God had for me.  Every time that I have felt sad and left out God had a different place for me and I just needed to keep going and see just where God had wanted to place me.  I'm still constantly trying to figure this out and just trusting Him and taking steps with each moment of my day. 

Do you ever feel left out? 

Do you know where you fit in? 

Could you be the exact piece for this void in this picture? 

And maybe you see someone else that would fit right here, do you have the courage to speak up and point them there? 

How do we figure it out?.

Our hearts are hopelessly dark and deceitful, like a puzzle that no one can figure out. (Jer 17:9). 

May our hearts be like this puzzle piece--once missing and hidden pushed unnoticed under the closet door only to be found when looking intently by the hands of one putting the puzzle together. 

Oh, there is One who is putting this puzzle of our lives together isn't there. 

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.  He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. (Jer 17:7&8).

Are you looking to Him to place you in the puzzle of your life?  How has God been putting the pieces of your life puzzle together? 

AWESOMENESS

"I am AWESOME!" My boy emphatically stated after I asked him how it felt after he scored 20 points and won his flag football game.  He is eight and hearing him state this made me both smile and cringe. 

The truth is...I want him to be confident and know he is awesome.  Sometimes I need a bit more of this myself not having a healthy relationship with my Daddy growing up and missing the dynamics of a solid healthy understanding of God-fidence.  Yet, we are really not all that awesome are we?  I know my life is messy and I am so imperfect even though my attempts at perfection are endless. 

I enjoyed hearing my pastor speak yesterday and descibe that we are like sheep (Psalm 100 and 23)--we can be so skittish, fearful, stupid, fragile--scrambling in life to experience some sort of significance. 

One week we are walking high and mighty because the favor we are finding in others and the bank account is full--and the next we can't get out of bed because the weight of the world is crashing down on us and our pocketbook. 

We've seen it and read about it...one day the king is praised in the streets and the next he is being kicked out of his palace.  One day our loved one is there for us and filling our love tanks to the brim and the next day they have absolutely nothing to give and leave us empty and dry.  There are days to celebrate the positive pregnancy test and other days to mourn the loss.

There are good days and bad days...days we love to talk about and other days we would rather forget...days full of things to build our dreams on and others that tempt to bring the dreams crumbling to the ground. 

What are we to do? 

Whether we are having a good day or a bad day we need to remember where our 'awesomeness' comes from...for we are made in His image and whatever we do, we should do it all for the glory of God.  (1Cor 10:31)

When we see someone do something great, or we ourselves are enabled to do something great--may we speak of the greatness giving the glory to Him..."WOW, God sure showed up there enabling you to ROCK IT!"  And then even in the bad days, speak it to yourself if you have to, "I am His and even though ________, I will not fear, for You, God are with me and You will protect me and comfort me."  (Psalm 23)

Often times it is the reminder of who we belong to that brings AWESOMENESS to our hearts!

My prayer is that those near and dear to me see this awesomeness from Him on both my good and bad days.  Today is a good day and I am also prepared for the next bad day...thank you Lord!