He Loves Us – Part 2

Exodus 3:10 [NIV] “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my peole the Israelites out of Egypt.11 But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ 12 And God said, ‘I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.’” [emphasis mine]

After carefully reading this, I see many modern day Moses’ around me. Too many people say, “Who am I? I can’t do that. I’m not qualified!” But, look at the promise the Lord makes to him. . . I will be with you. Not only with He be with us, but He will provide assurance that we are on the right path! Have you felt called to a certain career field? Volunteer ministry? Relationship? Dream? Instead of saying, “Who am I?”, receive the blessing that the Lord is preparing you for! You can do it! Until tomorrow. . .

He Loves Us – Part 1

What have you been called to do? What makes you feel so fulfilled that you can’t imagine anything else that could come close to what you are doing or want to do? Do you feel threatened by your dreams? Are you afraid of failure? Think about these things as I share with you what the Lord has been speaking to me.

Let me take you to Exodus 3. This is the passage where Moses hears from the Lord from a burning bush. The Word says that once the bush got Moses’ attention, [Exodus 3:4] “God called to him from within the bush. ‘Moses! Moses!’” First, seeing the bush and walking toward it required action from Moses. He would have missed an encounter with the Lord had he stayed where he was. Second, the Lord called his name. See, the Lord knows us and calls us by name. We just haven’t taken action – maybe haven’t been still enough, or listened in order to hear Him speak to us.

The Lord goes on to tell Moses that He has heard the cry of His people, is concerned about them, has come to rescue them, and will take them to a land flowing with milk and honey. This excites me every single time I read this because it says so much in that short little section. The Lord hears our cries, knows our hurts, desires, dreams, and is concerned about what is important to you! He also promises that He will come to our rescue and place us in a comfortable place-a place that we belong!

The next section talks about the specific call that God places on Moses. I’ll pick up here tomorrow!

Wal-mart Blooper

Ok, so I really enjoy laughing – and honestly not at the expense of others, it just seems like that because I’m always telling on others. Today, I’m telling a story about my parents. My mother used to weigh a lot more than she does now and given the fact that she is 5 feet tall, her weight was overwhelming to her small frame. She was headed into Wal-mart one day with my dad. It was pouring down rain, and she had on comfy clothes and ked-like slip-ons. On the way in to the building, she asked my dad to lend her his arm because her shoes may be slippery.

He, my dad, can be a little, uhm, how you say, difficult sometimes so he refused to help her as they walked into the store. As soon as the greeter said, “Hello”, my mother’s feet slipped , her weight shifted, and she completely wiped out in the front door of Wal-mart. Instead of reaching to help her up, my dad bolted to the back of the store – embarrassed at being seen with ‘the woman who was laying on the floor in the middle of the entry way at a high traffic Wal-mart’. As she was trying to get up, she realized everyone was stopping to stare at her. She quickly replied to their stares with, “You can move along now. I’m getting up!”

I giggle when I write this because I might be guilty of doing the same thing my dad did, but I realized that isn’t what loving is about. You see, I’ve come to realize that true love will be embarrassed with us! My natural instinct is to keep from being embarrassed or drawn to ‘embarrassing’ situations. Of course, my very unnatural nervous habit of laughter would have kicked in and I would not have been able to stop. I sure do need to brush up on my own ability to offer unconditional love – because that even comes with embarrassing situations! What do you do when faced with being embarrassed?

Random facts about me.

So I got tagged with this, so I’ll go along with it. Here were the instructions. BTW, I’m not tagging anyone to have to participate!

“Once you have been tagged you have to write a blog with 10 weird, random things, facts, habits, or goals about yourself. At the end choose 8 people to be tagged, listing their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment (tag, you’re it) to read your blog. You can’t tag the person who tagged you. Since you can’t tag me back, let me know when you’ve posted your blog so I can see your answers.”

1.) I don’t like to go barefoot. I call it ‘bare feet phobia’. Even in my own home, I’ll always have some sort of shoe on…just socks won’t do! BUT, after I went to Hawaii, where the tradition is to remove your shoes before entering a home, I am a little more at ease about this!

2.) Hysterical laughter is my nervous habit and has caused me trouble several occasions!

3.) I love Wake Forest University [Go Deacs!] but since they often lose at sporting events, I am a Duke fan! [Go Devils!]

4.) I have a thyroid disorder called Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. [It's fun to make fun of that name! In fact, I have to say it in an accent like Hiro Nakamura on Heroes when I refer to it! HA!]

5.) I’ve never done drugs – never even tried it. I’m a chicken – thank you Jesus!

6.) I buy things in twos. . . two cans of this, two boxes of that…just has to be in twos.

7.) I prefer to drink water at room temperature.

8.) I hate taking polish off of my toenails so it either grows off [haha gross] or gets painted over.

9.) I’m a perfectionist. If I can’t do something perfectly, I won’t do it at all. (amen sister)

10.) I put my right leg in pants first always!

Blooper Laughs

I feel like it is time to take another try at writing about some bloopers I’ve encountered. I need some good whole-hearted belly laughs.

This one today, again “outs” someone, but rates right up there with some of the funniest moments I’ve ever experienced. Today, Granddaddy is getting outed. This story is about another funeral. [I swore I wasn't singing at another funeral, but somehow it just keeps happening.]

My family had been asked to sing at a funeral of one of the bike riders in my dad’s GWRRA chapter. It was a sudden death and completely unexpected. My heart was breaking for the family because this man really was the glue for them. Of course, my dad said that we would sing [without asking me or Granddaddy - so we both got roped into it].

So, we start to sing the song Amazing Grace. Now,I don’t know many people that don’t actually know that song – at least heard of it – or may not know all of the verses but does know the first verse right? It is a very familiar song and if you’ve been in church much, you’ve heard it many times. For the record, Granddaddy always sings the lead and Diddy and I sing harmony. We start out singing [Diddy and I are following along in harmony], and I hear something other than the correct words coming out. Now, I’ve said before that my nervous habit it hysterical, uncontrolled laughter. I was nervous. I was at a funeral. I didn’t want to sing because my heart hurts so much during those things right? Well, Granddaddy forgot the words to the first verse of Amazing Grace so I guess he thought he would just ‘go with the flow’. Ha! He started singing, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound. I forgo-oo-oo-t the words!” Uhm, yeah…I completely lost it! I might add that, the harder I try to stop laughing, the worse I get! Oh my, I was in complete hysterics.

Some time later, I found out from the family – after they heard what actually happened, that you could hear this whole mishap on the funeral recording. How’s that for being ‘caught’?

Til next time, enjoy laughing at my expense!

Telling Everything You Know

My kiddos make me proud when they talk about praying for others! I’m proud of them when they have academic successes. I love it when they make the right decisions to do the right things! But, there are times that they also tell everything they know – and then some! Of course, like all children, my girls can also embarrass the fool out of me! As I was listening to one of them tell me a story about what they told someone, and I was utterly mortified, I had this thought. My Father loves when I pray for others. He is proud of my successes. He loves for me to do the right thing at hard junctures. I can also embarrass Him by what I say and how I behave. OUCH!

It isn’t necessary to tell everything you know every time you speak to someone. Pray that today, the things that come to your mind and out of your mouth are pleasing to the Lord.

On a side note, gossip is just plain wrong. I once heard a pastor say that it is gossip if you are not part of the problem or solution. So, check the things you feel the urge to say. Especially if it may hurt another person.

Just a thought!

What makes you you?

There are things that stir you to action.

For me, music drives me from my very core. It lifts me from a down place at times. It soothes me. It is my security blanket.

What makes you proud?

My family and friends make me so proud – especially if they are following the will of the Lord. Also when they choose to do the right thing even if it is the hard thing!

What makes you stop short of nothing to achieve _______ ?

What runs through your blood?

What drives you?

What is in the center of you?

What are your goals? Your dreams?

One goal I have is to record an album from start to finish. I will do this one day!

I challenge you to write down these things and put them in a place to refer back to them when you’ve gained success in a goal. You may have to change this list from time to time, but what is it that YOU value? Where ARE you going in your life? What are the most important things in your life? If you’ve never sat down to do this, I urge you to take the time! It’s SO worth it! I’ve only given a few examples because I want these things to be your ideas and not mine. Sit down and think! Pray! Now, write! Watch your dreams come alive! Let me celebrate with you! Share some of your dreams and goals!

Choices

I have found myself in a very strange place today. I have a strange emotion running through. I have a choice to make. I want to make the right choice. My heart hurts and because of that, I get mad. I don’t understand. The Lord called me to do something very difficult this past weekend. I fought Him. I didn’t want to be obedient. In the end, I chose to obey and sit down and write a letter to someone. What was difficult about this situation is that He was dealing with MY heart on some things – things I didn’t even know were still there. When I finished, I can’t tell you the weight that was lifted. I have a new task now – to praise Him through it all – and lift a new family up to Him every day in prayer. It was my choice to be obedient or not. We all have those choices. What choices do you find before you? Will you stand strong and make the right choice – even if that choice isn’t your first choice?

I fight my own urges to do things MY way, but He has greater plans for me than that! This is one of those moments where I have to sit still and let God be God. I think it’s a test for me to see if I will stand His course – no matter what. This makes me think of a movie scenario…Facing the Giants is an incredible movie. In the middle of the movie, the wife of the coach is trying to have a baby. Coach asks, “will you praise Him anyway – even IF we can’t have a baby”? She didn’t answer. As she got news there would be no baby, she walked to her car, lifted her hands in surrender and says, “I WILL praise You anyway!” I choke every single time I watch that movie at that part!

So Lord, I will praise You though I face good times, bad times, and ugly times. I’m Yours. I have a vision, a purpose, and no man, woman, child, or devil can take me out of Your will. I am determined to stand fast and watch what You do in this situation and praise You for the miracles You have yet to do. Thank You for choosing me. It’s more than I deserve!

What kind of attitude is present when you face difficulties or choices to do something you aren’t sure you are ready to do? How do you handle those situations? Are you going to praise Him anyway?

How To Park (The Right Way)

So, I have a friend, that, uhm, has a parking problem. I am already giggling as I begin to write this post. She cannot park straight for anything. Her car is always either crooked, on the lines, or somehow “jacked up” in the parking space. She refuses to attempt to park in some places because they are “too hard” for her to get in to.

If I’m honest, I will admit to laughing hysterically at her when we go somewhere. In fact, I always want her to drive so that I can laugh about her parking, or lack thereof, style. Most of you reading this already know how to park – the right way – but I was doing my quiet time and the Lord spoke this into my heart, so I figured I’d share with you all.

1. The right spot - People always drive around looking for the right spot – you know, that perfect place to park you car. You know…the one you will drive around the lot so many times to get THE spot. Most everyone wants to find the park closest to their destination so that they can get in and out quicker. Let me ask you a question. Are you too busy looking for the perfect “park” that you miss all of the other opportunities the Lord has provided to you? Once you’ve chosen ‘your’ spot, its up to you to get your vehicle into the spot, correctly.

2. Get between the lines. Everyone hates those people that park on the lines making it near impossible to get into the park beside that one. The Lord showed me that, not only is it important to be in the right place, but I couldn’t just settle for parking in any old fashion. See, how you park, affects the places to either side of you. OUCH! That means that I couldn’t continue just throwing myself half-heartedly into doing what He has called me to.

3. Sometimes, it requires backing up and readjusting. I laugh at my husband every time HE tries to park [yes, he has parking troubles too haha!] because ten out of ten times, he HAS to back up to readjust himself. Shocked at what I heard, the Lord ever so gently whispered to me, “Sometimes it DOES require backing up, reassessing, and readjusting!” I always thought of that as failure, but as He spoke to me – readjustments simply mean I’m better aligning myself with His will.

Goals-What are yours?

GOAL is defined as:

1. The purpose toward which an endeavor is directed; an objective.

2. Sports
a. The finish line of a race.
b. A specified structure or zone into or over which players endeavor to advance a ball or puck.
c. The score awarded for such an act.

3. Linguistics
a. A noun or noun phrase referring to the place to which something moves.

What goals have you set for yourself? Have you ever wondered if your goal was a hit or a miss? I thought of goals as being something that I would work HARD for, and see great accomplishments. I worked, I thought, but didn’t really see much fruit in my labor. I wrongly decided  one day that I would never have a goal because I didn’t want to fail.

As I read the definition of GOAL, I get freaked out because the definition actually said, “the purpose to which an endeavor is directed”. OOOHhhh my toes, just got crunched. What is MY purpose for living this life? To “Go and make disciples of ALL men” – how am I going to do that if I can’t even get off my tail to complete one single goal. The finish line . . . mmmm, is this something that I have ever seen? I haven’t done EVERYTHING that I can to tell folks about how to grow.

Philippians 3: 14 says, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” How is that for understanding what I am supposed to do with goals – and the fact that I am supposed to have them? OUCHY!

All this boils down to this:  I haven’t really been pressing too hard if I choose not to even have a goal because I am too stinking afraid to fail at something?

So, today, I choose to make a goal and stick to it. *if I fail, if I succeed, at least I lived as I believed, no matter what they take from me, they can’t take away my dignity. . .* [ok, so I couldn't resist singing that song. . .]

If I fail, so what – that really just means that God has another plan for me. He will make that failure into something that glorifies Him and in the end, that is all I really want. Failure is all about the way that you look at it anyway! Will it stop you or will you learn from it?

So, what are your goals? Long term or short term, lets hear them – at least I can pray for you guys!