Tag Archives: faith

Motivation. Encouragement. Give and take circle.

This weekend we watched a fantastic sermon by an Evangelical preacher, Nick Vujicic. If you’ve not heard of him, or his book Life without Limbs, do yourself a favor and check him out. We were introduced to him two-fold: 1)My son’s AMAZING 5th grade teacher gifted him with Nick’s book and 2) at a similar time my husband watched a video of a sermon of his. The message was simple and true: the “things” we think that will fill the hole in our lives to bring happiness will NEVER fill the “GOD-shaped” hole in our hearts. One of the many examples was Nick praying repeatedly in his life for arms and legs. “If I only had arms and legs, God, THEN I would be happy.” And then he asked the audience, “YOU have arms and legs. Are YOU happy?” The grass is always greener on the other side, isn’t it?

And so, we discussed with the kids the message. The examples. The Truth that Christ brings into our lives and the fulfillment we receive when we live out our lives stepping out in faith that the One who brought us out of the darkness WILL bring us to an everlasting joy. Our time here is fleeting and what awaits us is so far beyond our wildest hopes and dreams. While we are trekking through this life though, motivating each other to take one more step, encouraging each other on through hardships and difficulty, we spread Christ’s message through our actions, examples and words. It starts at home and we are to be content in what we are given and to use those gifts to their maximum. Life comes full circle. When we are in need, we receive and when we encounter misfortune we do what we can to provide comfort and aid. If the man with no arms and no legs can overcome depression and live his life for the glory of God, surfing, getting married and bringing 500,000 people to know Jesus, can we not look within and live our own lives maximizing the gifts we have been given?

For me, my own excuses the last few days in response to whatever tasks lie in front of me, have sounded hollow, empty and weak. Because, He has far more in mind for me than excuses.

Hebrews 3:13

But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

**all photos pulled from the web, from Nick’s website and general Google search!

Aw, shucks! Golly gosh! Thanks!!

5 Replies

Today, Off Duty Mom made my day. She nominated me for:

Versatile-definition via the free dictionary…am I? really? let’s see….

ver·sa·tile http://img.tfd.com/m/sound.swf (vûr

-t

l, -t

)

adj.

1. Capable of doing many things competently. I would say yes. I am a multi-tasker and can generally do it well….or fake it enough that you THINK I am competent. (though my friend at work and I have a running joke on our incompetence..)

2. Having varied uses or serving many functions: “The most versatile of vegetables is the tomato” (Craig Claiborne). Cook. Dishwasher. Personal shopper. Secretary. Volunteer. Laundress. Maid. Nurse. Taxi driver. Teacher. Wife. Friend. Mom. Photographer. Sorta-writer. Full-time worker bee. Personal Trainer. Holy cow, no wonder I’m perpetually exhausted!

3. Variable or inconstant; changeable: a versatile temperament. Yes. I’m completely inconstant. Versatile temperament, check! I’m sure my kids can attest to my head spinning abilities. Especially when they have a project due this a.m. and forgot to print it last night. And I can love up on them like no one’s business. My favorite is in Mass…my 14 year old hates it…

4. Biology Capable of moving freely in all directions, as the antenna of an insect, the toe of an owl, or the loosely attached anther of a flower. This is a fail. I’m not so loosey goosey. I taught aerobics, but I’m more of an “Elaine” dancer for you Seinfeld fans.

Now. Having never received any type of blogging award, I had to check it out and see what the heck this is. Never mind that someone not only commented on my blog (LOVE comments!), but liked it enough to give me a shout out; I was blown away.

In a nutshell…. it’s a nice way to recognize some of your favorite bloggers and to let them know in a VERY public manner that they ROCK! Wow. Thank you, Off Duty Mom! I enjoy your blog and look forward to your boy’s clothing store opening to broaden the fashion horizons of little dudes everywhere!!

There are some rules and such that go along with this award and I will just cut and paste from Off Duty Mom:

“if you find yourself nominated, you’ve been awarded The Versatile Blogger award. And then, you need to pay it forward” by

Thanking the person who gave you this recognition
Including a link to their blog
Selecting 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly
Nominating those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award — you might include a link to this site.
Telling seven things about yourself

Here are my top 15 blogs that I consider versatile in one manner or another:

And now for the 7 things about myself that I probably haven’t already blogged about…hmmmm:

I could eat cake and coffee for breakfast everyday. Apparently so could my grandmother. But I don’t. It’s usually oatmeal, a smoothie or eggs. Cake is more fun.
I love Downton Abbey. It’s our Friday night date on the couch. Only 2 episodes left until Season 2 is over. I’ll be in mourning. Boo hoo.
I am a morning person. But I like to be up at night when everyone is in bed. Peace. Quiet. AHhhhhhh.
I taught aerobics for several years (stopping with baby #4….ran out of time!) Loved it. Paid to work out. Those were the days.
I am easily overstimulated. And God blessed us with 4 children. He has a sense of humor, doesn’t He?
I procrastinate. Too much. I’m passing it onto my children. Thank you, Jesus for a Type-A Hubby to save them from this nasty habit!
I am able to help other people figure out a life plan and yet…..those glasses are fuzzy when it comes to my own life. WHAT?!?!?
I love to snuggle with my Hubby in the morning, unfortunately it’s always right when the alarm goes off and it’s time to get up. <sigh>
I ran a marathon. Once. 5 hours 40 minutes. No land speed records, but talk about your endurance. YOU try running that long. OK. I walked a little bit. Still…..
I am running late for work! Always! I’m always trying to do that one. more. thing.

Have a great day!!

Palm Sunday

2 Replies

Palm Sunday. Onset of lots of extra people in church. (JK, but true!) Beginning of Holy Week.

Jesus enters Jerusalem lauded and anticipated as the possible Messiah with welcoming adoration of “Hosanna”. Before the week’s end the same crowd will call for His death, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”. We are fickle people. Repeating the same steps, day in, day out. 2000 years later. Joyful anticipation of Easter, Resurrection Sunday. Deaf to how He calls us to live our life. To walk the Talk. Living out our faith beyond the pew. Accepting our differences. Forgiving our faults. Encouraging those mustard seeds to take root and offer rest and shade to all who are weary as that seed blooms to the giant tree. Before we celebrate the empty tomb, the Risen Lord, we must experience the betrayal, the condemnation, the pain and suffering and the Death of Jesus. On a Cross. Obedient unto death. So that we may live. So that we may receive the strength, courage, grace and hope to make it through this life with the hope of Heaven when these days are over. It’s a tough week. It’s a powerful ending.

Many blessings as we enter into this holiest of weeks. And, as the Pope said in his Palm Sunday message, “May Palm Sunday be a day of decision for you, the decision to say yes to the Lord and to follow him all the way, the decision to make his Passover, his death and resurrection, the very focus of your Christian lives. ”

When you thought no one was watching…

3 Replies

I sat in my car early that morning, relaxed in the crisp air as the sun made its way into the sky and watched as quiet, sleepy children and coffee toting parents made their way to the football fields that would be our “home” for much of the day. Our own son was warming up with his team and Hubby would be bringing the rest of the troops when the first game started at 9, and so I had a brief period of rare solitude. And then it shattered.

Before I saw you, I heard you

You dropped so many F-bombs in 60-second period I lost count

“you should have been a girl, because you are acting like one”

F’ing Unbelievable

A boy about 9 stands outside the truck, gearing up for a day of football

A child I cannot see receives the venomous diatribe

Coming around the corner of her truck, we lock eyes

I am embarrassed for her, humiliated for her son, I drop my eyes

It doesn’t stop

Clenched jaw, uncensored words

A door slammed

Shut up. I am not even talking to you. Shut the F up.

I am frozen to my seat.

My eyes tear.

Kids push buttons. Parents are stressed. Tempers flare. Who will be the grown up?

I’ve been here. Not the F-bomb. Not stupid. But clenched jaws. Unkind words. Unloving actions.

I’ve been here. I’ve been 9. You are a pig. You are a crybaby. My father walks away.

We can be so awful to each other.

A door opens. A sweaty head, tear-stained, furious boy of 9 stomps to the rear of the truck.

The silent brother hands him his equipment.

The mother continues to berate. They walk away.

I am still frozen. But my heart and my mind are praying.

Soften our hearts, Lord. Help us to heal. Open our eyes, Lord. Help us to see.

I look for them throughout the morning and come up empty.

My mind continues to spin. The devil taunts my cowardice. My heart aches.

Game 1 over, I leave with my daughters while husband and son watch Game 2.

Sitting in the car, I tear out paper from a notebook, I write a letter.

I do not judge. Parenting is hard. I do not know the circumstances.

I do know what is right and what is wrong. I do know what sears the soul.

I encourage forgiveness, healing. I pray. I bless. I leave the letter on the windshield.

I leave the rest to God.

Did I do the right thing? Will it make it worse? Will she apologize? Will he forgive?

I may never know.

God does.

He sees all.

The power of prayer: for Lauren

making the trek

Trekking through life: Faith, family, friends and a whole lot of coffee!