Official "Celebrating Mom's who said NO!" Day!

Just wanted to give a big shout out of congratulations, kudos, and "you go girl" to all the women out there who I admire most....

*The ones who say "No".

*The ones who see that what God has called them to in the home is "Enough".

*The ones who live for an audience of One. And march to the beat of an exhausting, often thankless drum.

*The ones who bypass the praise and the accolades of the latest accomplishment at work, in ministry, for pulling off the grand pubba that the rest of us had a blast just showing up to.

*The ones who don't get a pay raise, a corner office, a pension, or a promotion.

*The ones with the title of "mom", "mommy", "honey, can you..."

*The ones who don't have their name in the program, in the credits, or in the paper for community's greatest achievements

*They aren't asked to cut the red ribbon by the mayor, and they aren't offered the key to the city



I got an email the other day from one of my mentors whom I have thee greatest love and respect for. She was asking for my input on how to reach out to women who need hope, who need Jesus, who need mentorship.

I told her that these are women everywhere. The saved and unsaved. Even we as Christians, we are daily struggling to hear the still voice of our loving Saviour. We yearn to carve out moments in the stillness of His presence. We long for a brief escape from the loudness of life, while we are drowning in a sea of distraction. (It reminds me of the book by C.S. Lewis "Screwtape Letters"). When my day is cluttered with too much activity and overcommittment, I just want Jesus. When my ministry chores are overwhelming me, just give me Jesus. I love Ann Graham Lotz's study "Just give me Jesus". She talks about a whole list of struggles she had just come through. I love what she says. "I don't want to quit, I don't want to escape.... Just give me Jesus".

I can't say that I don't ever want to quit or escape, but her wisdom reminds me that Jesus is all that I need. I am truly desperate for Him. And I find that is a perfect place to be.

But, back to my message reply to my friend. I feel that most women long to make a difference. To leave their mark. To impact this world. To live a passionate and purposeful life. They want to count for something. But I know that, myself being included in this group, also have a very big fear. What if, at the end of it all... I missed it. What if I did all of the things that I thought I was supposed to and I missed the most important one of all. I feel like I am called in so many directions, but I can't do them all well, actually I end up failing miserably in most of them. How do I give my time, my love, my passion to so many different areas without sacrificing my very best effort. I want my love for God to shine through in all that I do, but often find that I am so tired at the end of it all, that loving is a far cry from what I actually am.

I am a wife. I am a mom. I am a daughter. I am a sister. I am a friend. I am an employee. I am a mentor. I am a disciple. I am a servant. I am one who needs help. I am in a bible study, a home team, a homeschool group, and a helper to the team mom.

My heart's desire and greatest calling is to be a keeper of my home, showing the love of Jesus (because I am being filled with it by Him moment to moment) to all I encounter in my home. Yet, I am never home. And I am most certainly not full. Even when I have just been filled, I don't have a slow leak, I seem to have an immediate release valve! Even when I am home, sometimes I am not even here. I am in "teacher mode". Or in "work mode". Or the ever present "chore mode".

I haven't always been so out of balance as I presently am. But it has always been a struggle. If I don't have music piped into my brain pushing out words of praise and worship, I am quickly distracted. If my day is too lazy or too agenda stacked ungodliness is quick to follow. I find that I often become selfish in my selflessness. When I serve, and don't rest by still waters, I am then weary. When I am weary and don't cast my burden to the One who can lighten my load, I get grumpy. When I get grumpy I am not much good at all.

So, in conclusion, I will continue to weigh out life's choices. Seeking my Jesus's face to decipher between the good things life has for me vs. His perfect will. Often having to ignore the urgent for now, to focus on the important. But through all the choices and decisions. The seeking and searching, when I am tired and spent, my heart still calls the same...

JUST GIVE ME JESUS!

(This is the part where you take a moment to comment to me YOUR thoughts on this topic. What do you think? Is your life like this? Do you see it different? Can't wait to hear about it!)
p.s. I love you all so much, and REALLY thank you for stopping by to share my heart!

2008... A time to Rebuild

Phew!! I am so glad that 2007 is behind us.
I know a lot of people that would give a big ol' shout "amen" to that one.

Looking back at 2007, it was a year of ground shaking. It was dreams built of wood and straw being burned to dust. It was the awakening for me that days and things of this world are vapors. Here today, gone tomorrow. My theme song, "Lord Blessed be your name" (posted previously). He gives and takes away, but my heart will choose to say...

I feel like 2007 shook our very foundation. Nationwide. Tragedy and heartbreak were abundant. It stripped away all the thieves in our life. The time stealers. The joy robbers. The chasing after the wind (Book of Ecclesiastes). In the end we saw all that was meaningless. When the dust settled, we saw were our foundation was. And our house stood firm. (Mt 7:24-25). It wasn't a house built by man though (Mt 19:6), those things will not last. It was our foundation of faith in God (Mk 11:22) and our love for one another that was strong. It is this that we will rebuild from .

2008 is our time of rebuilding. It is a year of purpose, vision, and hope. We do not enter this year disillusioned that trials won't befall us, for we now know that it is these very trials that strip away what is weak and dangerous to the entire building. I don't want weak walls. I want God's perfect will. I want our lives to be the reflection of His glory. The house on a hill. The light of Christ that is not hidden from the world. Rather, I want to be the light that burns brightly in a dark and dying world. Our world is full of wounded and hurting people that are hungry for hope. They too have had the temporal stripped away and too have come to the conclusion that it was all, as Solomon says "meaningless".

1Peter 1:6-7 "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."

Our family desired to be spirit led this year. Not for personal gain, but for the Glory of God. I am excited about this year. The struggles and the victories (our as my blog title says "Mountains and Valleys"). I know that we, as a family, will continue to grow in our relationship with God. I know that He will continue to guide us in wisdom. And that we will continue in our charge to be Ambassadors of Hope. I am so thankful to be on the journey of life with people like you! Jeremiah 33:3 "Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." I so love that! Yes Lord. Show me!

Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.
(Is 49:23)

JESUS.... LORD at thy Birth!

When listening to the Silent Night, part of the lyrics struck me...

Jesus, Lord at thy Birth
Jesus, Lord at thy Birth

Wow! He was born a King! At his birth He was Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
They day He came he was perfected in his power.

I think of how most people in our world strive to become something significant. They strive for success, power, status. They want to be... more.

Yet, Jesus, was born with all that He'd ever be. He wasn't the coming King. He had arrived. He wasn't the Prince... coming soon. He wasn't the someday hopeful. He was Lord, at His birth! Then he spent the next 30 years on earth showing humility, patience, love, and kindness. He wasn't striving for power. He was on a mission to love. To save. To heal. He was Lord, at his birth.

Oh Come Let us adore Him!!! He is worthy!

My Puppy Dog Keeps Following Me...

So... we got a dog! I am already learning so much through him. He has been a very wonderful addition to our family. He is so sweet!


He follows me EVERYWHERE!!! I walk to the kitchen, he follows. I walk to the office, he follows. I walk into my room and sit, he follows and lays down. He pretends to be sleeping, but then, I get up and ..... he follows! It amuses me and surprises me. I am his master, his provider, his caregiver. He depends on me for everything. Without me he will no longer thrive. His greatest desire is to be near me. He seeks me for affection, his needs, and sometimes just wants to know that I am near. It is, to me, just how life with God is.

Now, I've noticed something else. Sometimes he goes into a different room. For food, water, to check it out- whatever. But when I call him, he usually comes quickly. Then I know that all is well once again.

But then there are times that I call him, and he doesn't come. He does delay. I call again, and again.... hmmm...."Adam,(in the garden of Eden) where are you?" It is when he doesn't respond to me that I know that mischief is near. I find him and my suspicions are confirmed. He lowers his head and looks away. For he knows that what he has done is wrong. That is why he wasn't near me. People say dogs aren't so smart. But they know when they've done wrong. What a basic instinct that God puts in His creation. We know, naturally, when we are far from our master and out of His will.

But just like me and my dog. I desire to train him to obey. I want him to trust me and for him to know that my love for him is not conditional. And when he is in sin that I accept him back and love him still. But I will continue to train him in the ways that I want him to go!

Hope you enjoyed my puppy notes!