What Matters Most

I think for most of us, we would agree that what matters most to us is our family and our friends.  Those relationships in our lives are vital, and we put a great deal of effort into them every day.

Did you know that there is another relationship that is even MORE important?  One that should come above even your spouse and children?

Did you know that even though when you put this relationship above your family and friends, it doesn't take away from them, but it actually enhances and enriches all of your other relationships?

I am talking about a relationship with God, our Father in heaven.  If it were not for Him, we would not have all the others in our lives.

This year, I am committing to getting to know God better.  God the Father...God the Son...God the Holy Spirit.  Each works differently and yet they are mysteriously the same.  I think it is important to know all three parts of the Trinity in order to gain a full understanding.

The only way we get to know someone is by spending time with them.  Listening and learning.  Asking questions and receiving answers in return.  Learning about God and getting to know him looks different for everyone, but if you are just starting out - or like me returning to sit at the feet of our Lord - one of the best ways to understand Him is to study the Bible.

I am participating in a "Scripture Memory Team" that is sponsored by {Living Proof Ministries} with Beth Moore.  This plan is so simple and is a wonderful way to jumpstart keeping yourself immersed in the Word of God.  The directions for participation appear in this blog post {click here} and you can enter your first verse of the year {here}.

Like I said, it's really simple.  You are only committing to memorizing 2 verses a month (verses of YOUR OWN CHOOSING - this needs to be meaningful to YOU); only 24 for the entire year!  I will have a page on my blog dedicted just to this, and I would love to have you follow along with me.

May God bless you richly this year!

"You crown the year with Your good blessings, and You leave abundance in Your wake."

Psalm 65:11

The NET Bible

Lightening the Load

I have recently experienced some life changes that have left me feeling a little wobbly, hurt and broken. When a friend of mine suggested that I check out the 100 Hearts Challenge (http://www.presspause.org/100HeartsChallenge.en.html), I jumped at the chance to try something a little different to work toward healing. Each day a new challenge is presented, the ultimate goal being to help women to:

Regain control

Rebuild confidence

Create new visions for being healthy, happy and whole

Today’s challenge was to take our purses, dump them out on the bed, examine the contents and then…

Choose….carefully!

Choose only 3 things to carry in your purse that, for the next 2 days, will be the only things you carry.

Three.

That’s it. No mas.

You would think that the dilemma of choosing precisely what three items to carry would be difficult enough in itself, but immediately my mind went to this…

{{Wait….which purse should I carry? Should I carry the pretty purple one with lots of bling on it that I got for my birthday?}}

{{Or should I carry my practical, go-with-everything black purse?}}

And if I carry the purple one, which outfits and shoes should I choose? I mean, if I have to sacrifice the majority of the items in my purse (which represent a great deal of my life), I should be able to make up for it with other stuff, right?

I’m pretty sure I just missed the whole point of the exercise. The counselor leading this challenge is known for saying “stay out of your own way.” Uh – can you say FAIL?!

So, as I softly giggle at myself for being such a dork…I start over and try again.

Dump purse.  Examine contents.

Lots of quarters
   Wallet
     Makeup bag
       2 flash drives (why?)
         Sunglasses
           Phone
             Agenda
                Small Journal
                 Pen
                   Gum
                     Empty iPod case (again…why?)

Choose three.  Ok, I can do this.

THREE…really??? Is this even possible?

Ok, so I’m having a hard time…I begin to take things away one by one…process of elimination. The first thing to go is the empty iPod case. Next the quarters, then flash drives. Agenda, journal, pen and gum. Ugh…makeup bag!

That’s it…my 3 things to carry for the next 2 days in my purse are my phone, my sunglasses and my wallet.

I lift my purse, throwing it over my shoulder, nearly slinging it across the room because it’s so light. I feel like half of my life is missing!!

I’m not exactly sure what the point of the exercise is except maybe to make us more aware that we carry around a lot of unnecessary stuff – both literally and figuratively!

Now if I could just get rid of the "unnecessary stuff" that seems to have accumulated in my mid-section...

Commitment

Uh-oh…scary word, huh? The very utterance of it can cause people to get nervous. For some it brings visions of being trapped. It may mean they will have to follow through with what they say they will do, or pay the not-so-pleasant consequences.

The dictionary defines commitment as a pledge or an agreement, particularly in regard to something in the future. In addition, the word pledge is defined as a binding promise. Well, no wonder some people turn and run! But I have found that “commitment” doesn’t have to be seen in a negative light. Commitment is actually a very beautiful concept when it is present in the midst of love.

Commitment is a promise to someone that you are there for them through thick and thin.

Commitment is accountability.

Commitment is devotion.

Commitment ensures that those you love know and understand that even when it’s uncomfortable, you will hold their hand and walk with them through the fire.

Commitment is unconditional love.

Commitment says “you are worth it”.

Commitment is making a stand for what you believe in.

Commitment is giving your best.

To whom or what are you committed? Why? Now stop…think about this…really think about it.

Why are you committed? Out of obligation? Out of fear of negative consequences? Out of love? If you are not committed out of pure love, what is the purpose of it other than selfish gain?

Phillippians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”

Such good words and perfect truth!

So, yes…commitment IS scary. Commitment means that we have to think and act beyond ourselves. It means we have to step outside our comfort zones and into the world of other people. It means getting in the trenches and the mud and the muck and wading through it TOGETHER.

For the long haul.

     Because we love them.

          Because the Father loves them.

               Because they are worth it.

You've Got Mail!

Yeah…how many of you remember the excitement of hearing that announcement when you received an e-mail waaaaaaaay back in the day! I thought it was the coolest thing and I usually only had ONE item waiting for me (unlike today where my inbox is filled with more things than what I really want)!

OK, so let’s go a little further back…

Do you remember when you first started getting your own mail? Maybe it was a party invitation from a classmate, or you might have received a letter from one of your cousins with pictures enclosed. Best of all, maybe a birthday card from your favorite Aunt (with money to boot – woo hoo!).


And in most cases, you would respond back with a return letter or a proper thank you note.


Now, stop a second and think….

When was the last time you received something personal via the good old US Postal Service? No, I’m not talking about your very own electric bill. I’m not even talking about your very own, personal “To Our Neighbor” ads.

Or when did YOU last send something to someone by mail?  You remember those blue mailboxes, right?

I’m talking about a REAL hand-written letter.

An invitation.

A postcard even?

Did you know that in the Victorian Era, part of good upbringing and education included learning how to write a proper letter? Good penmanship was a sign in society of “fine breeding”. Even the choice of paper and pen used was of utmost importance in making a good impression. Letters were written very carefully, they were very detailed, and were never sent out without re-reading the letter before sealing the envelope. In this time in history, even though typewriters were available, it was considered “vulgar” to send a type-written personal letter.


I wonder what they would think of our modern methods.

And how many times have you pushed “send” without taking even a second glance? Ooops….

Don’t get me wrong. I totally love technology, and even though I’m not very tech-savvy, it still excites and entertains me with thoughts of what things will be like when my kids get my age.

But along with the all our new-found knowledge, I think we’ve lost something.



The smooth feel of parchment paper…

The sound of a pen scratching as we write our thoughts…

The excitement of folding the letter, sealing the envelope, stamping it, placing it in the mail slot...

(The aggravation of realizing that we left something out of the envelope… just kidding!)


Then there is the anticipation of our letter being received, read, cherished, and tucked away to be read over and over again…and of waiting for something in return.

How would it make you feel to receive something by mail, personally hand-written just for you? How would it feel to open the mailbox once in a while and find among the bills a beautiful envelope with careful, elegant hand-writing – maybe it would even have been spritzed with a lovely perfume to remind you of the person who wrote it?

I think it would be grand…I think it would make me feel special…I think it would make me feel like someone took real time out of their day just for me.

I think I’ll go write some letters…

What Goes Around Comes Around

                                                   

Karma…

     Justice…

          Payback…

Whatever you want to call it – it sure can (and often does) ring true.

 That old “Golden Rule” whispers in your ear:


“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matthew 7:12).


I was talking to my dad on the phone recently, lamenting how I feel like I never really see my kids – like the time with them is always so short. He chuckled a little…I wasn’t sure why at the time. But then, I got to thinking about things like I always do…

Green-Eyed Monster

I have a confession…

I am envious. I have - *GASP* - Blogger’s Envy!

It sneaked up on me really. Being a new blogger, I never expected it – there was no warning ahead of time.

Beauty Is All Around Us

It snowed today.

To some that may be nothing to think about, muchless write about. I even know that some people were unimpressed and quite grumpy about it.

But, it did...it snowed today and it was beautiful. This area of the country doesn't get a lot of winter weather, so it was a special treat.