5 Minute Friday...Remember

Today I am once again linking up with Gypsy Mama for 5 Minute Friday. Five minutes, one word, and no editing. Today's word is Remember. When you are done reading mine be sure to "remember" to head over to Gypsy Mama for more posts on the word remember.

When life seems crazy...Remember.

When you feel down....Remember.

When you feel overwhelmed...Remember.

When things don't go your way...Remember.

When sickness plagues you too often...Remember.

Remember that the LORD your God is with you.

Remember that He has plans for you.

Remember that He has always been there for you. 

Remember that you can do all things through Him who strengthens you.

Remember you plus God equals a majority.

Remember that God is always the same, He has never changed, He is faithful!

Remember what life was like before you knew Him.

Remember all the that He has save you from.

Remember to thank Him today!!!

So no matter what this day has in store for you....REMEMBER!

Obsessed...

Following is a poem written by my daughter Abby. Enjoy...


What if....
we became as consumed and obsessed with Christ as we are with so many other things?
we truly believed that Jesus is who He says He is and that He is sufficient?
we found all of our desires fulfilled in Christ?
we stopped compromising and started living set-apart?
we fell deeper in love with Jesus like never before?
hmm......what if??

Obsessed
Longing to be loved
Needing to belong
Feeling empty
Pretending to be strong
Makeup, hair, perfect date
Fashion, Clothes, perfect weight
Attention, Perfection
Security, Affection
Shows on TV
Quoting the latest movie
News feed,
Texts to read
The craving, the hunger,
The compromise I’m living under
Nothing can suppress:
I’ve become obsessed
Is there something more
That this life is meant for?


Unbelievably loved
Eternally I belong
Completely filled
I’m weak, but He’s strong
The cross was His weight
Our sins determined His fate
He bore the rejection
Godly perfection
Glorious resurrection
John chapter 3
Words it beautifully
“The Son of God died for me”
He’s satisfies the hunger
He despises the compromise I’m living under
Nothing can suppress:
I’ve become obsessed
Christ is the something more
He’s the one my heart has always longed for

*Colossians 3:1-4*
*Philippians 3:7-11*

Undermining God's creation...

Satan is crafty; from the very beginning he was deceiving and tricking man. As time has passed he has had to change strategies, but his goal is always the same; to move man away from God. He started out in the Garden by deceiving Eve, and he's been busy deceiving man ever since!

One of Satan's more recent approaches has been to attack the family. He gained some ground with this war, families are all so busy now, both parents are working, kids are in every activity imaginable, divorce is rampant, and now we have gay marriage. So in defense of that many Christians have gone on the offensive, fighting off his attacks before they began. Many organizations such as Focus on the Family and Family Life were created to give families some ammunition, to learn how to be a family, how to be a husband, how to be a wife. My own husband took a job as Family Life Pastor because we have a passion for families, that they would grow closer to God and as a result closer to each other.

Lately though, I've been noticing a new area of attack. It's This attack is a bold attempt to slap God in the face, a way to get man to question their very creation. A way to make us wonder if maybe God does make mistakes.  I read an article in the Des Moines Sunday Register that got my blood boiling. I was so mad as I read this article I had to call my husband just to vent. I was surprised this was happening at all, let alone in my state. There is a college in Iowa that has been promoting and encouraging gender-free living. Gone are the days where men and women had their own dorms. Now they not only share a dorm, they share a dorm room and a bathroom. This is not about a sexual relationship, its about gender. Here is a quote from the article: "Ideally, we would live in a gender-neutral world where your sex wouldn't define you. We wouldn't be defined by our physical bodies." In fact there are new pronouns to replace he and she (because these are too gender specific), if you are a female you would be called "ze" and if you are a male you are called "hir". This is about allowing a person to choose which gender they want to be, plumbing is no longer important.

I see this as a direct attack on Genesis 1:27: 

So God created man in his own image,
   in the image of God he created him;
   male and female he created them. 

God created us male and female. He knew what He was doing. When He was finished He declared His creation to be very good. Adam didn't complain to God that He made a mistake. He accepted that he was a man. God hasn't gotten lazy or sloppy lately, when He creates us He doesn't get DNA or body parts mixed up. He knows what He is doing. We are each created with a purpose and God has a plan for each of us. We cannot begin to allow Satan to have a foothold on this issue. God created us male and female, we don't get to choose this one. We need accept who we are and follow God's guidelines for what we were created to be.

As much as I complain about the pains of being a female, I would never trade who I am. God allowed me as a woman the joy of carrying and delivering three miracles into this world. He made me to be a mother to them.

I think our first response is to pray. We need to show Satan that He cannot attack God's creation like that. We need to pray for people to see that being male and female is special and how they were born is how they need to live!! Take some time and reacquaint yourself with Genesis. It is very clear in that book that God created us male and female, lets not allow Satan to win on this one!

5 Minute Friday...Beyond

Today I am linking up with Gypsy Mama to participate in 5 minute Friday. One word, five minutes, no editing, just writing what comes to mind. Please feel free to hop over to Gypsy Mama and check out what others have to say about the word of the week.

Today's Word: BEYOND

When I first saw today's word I was tempted to just skip participating today. Beyond makes me think of the future and what happens next August. That is when Brian and I will become official "empty nesters" I'm not afraid of that term, but it does make me a bit sentimental. After all, mom is my job, I've been doing it for almost 22 years. I've not only been mom, I've been their teacher, so next August, I will be a bit lost and that's ok. 

I may not know exactly what my life looks like beyond August 2012, but I know someone who does. God is the keeper of my future, he knows exactly what beyond looks like for me. So for now, that's enough for me! Instead of spending my emotional energy worrying about this thing called the empty nest, I am going to instead focus on now, and finishing strong. I will pray for Caleb and he decides between two amazing schools and just enjoy the time we have now, before "beyond" gets here.

God gave me my life verse for times like these, He knew I would need the encouragement for me and my son as he goes beyond the walls of this home to a college either 10 1/2 or 13 hours away!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Just had to share some senior pictures!

Pastor Appreciation...

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. 

 

 Since my husband is a pastor and I appreciate him, I always try to do something a little special for him. I tried hard to come up with something and everything I came up with has been done. 

I could get him a new tie?

 Oh wait...one year he got 31 new ties...he's good.

I could get him a new Bible?

 Wait...we own like 30 of them...

I could buy him an inspirational mug?

 

 No...did that more than once....

How about I use my blog and just tell everyone who happens to read it that I appreciate this man. I get to see his heart, what makes it beat, what breaks it, and how big it is. I get to see him at his worst (its not pretty ladies...but it makes him real) and at his best (that isn't pretty either...what man wants to be pretty..but it is pretty darn good looking!!). 

I have had the privilege of watching this man serve God as a pastor for the past 23 years...

he literally has done it all. He's been a youth pastor, a senior pastor and a family life pastor.

Each one with its own set of challenges, each one with its own set of blessings, and each one he gave 100%! 

My man does not take his calling lightly, he gives his all in everything he does. He is not only called to be a pastor; he is also called to be my husband and our children's dad. He does not take those roles lightly either. He has been my husband for 23 years and is as committed to me today as he was on our wedding day. In fact, he has shown that commitment over the years in many wonderful ways. The most amazing way is the day he nailed a pair of his shoes in a box. He showed our kids and said, I can't leave, as long as my shoes stay nailed here, I'm not going anywhere. He then took out our dictionary and grabbed some white out and erased the word divorce! We have our struggles, but his feet are firmly planted in this marriage and family!

Brian, I do not say this nearly enough, I APPRECIATE YOU!!!

 

His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!

Matthew 25:21a