"If God loves you and wants to shape you, he will send some difficult people your way. But take heart. you are the dificult person he is sending to shape somebody else!" Ortberg
This made me smile. I know that we all have difficult people in our lives. We all have a few people who tap, stomp, pull on that last nerve, and we smile through it, watch the clock, and just hope we can leave soon. I am an avoider, if I feel like someone is challenging me, confronting me, or doesn't like me....I run. I don't put any effort into that relationship because I would rather avoid the conversation and miss out on the growth God has intending for me through that relationship. I am learning that difficult people are placed in my life to increase my ability to love.
Ortberg says that between the time of calm to anger there is a quarter second. That quarter second is a God-send. It is available for us to pray and tap into the Holy Spirit and ask Him to intercede and help us with this difficult person or situation. If we choose not to pray or ask for help....WATCH out!! I can think of many moments in my life where I didn't take advantage of that quarter second...sorry mom.
My prayer is that I become the "shape" God is calling me to be. If that means I am the difficult person in your life, I am sorry. Know that I am a God-send...haha.
"God loves people who love him. He loves people who don't love him. God does it because love is the only way to life." -Ortberg
Thick skin and a thin heart...
Em
Friday, March 26, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Open
"When you can step into openness and stop pretending, you find yourself coming alive. Hiddenness and pretense are always the enemy of flourishing." Ortberg
This morning I read about the importance of having authentic realtionships...the kind that you can let your guard down and be real. The kind that you can confess and conquer fears, past, and failures. I loved the quote Ortberg wrote above. When you find a person whom you can stop pretending and become relevant with....you can flourish. Jesus is always aware...he is all knowing, always present and knows every thought and fear. From experience, when I sit down with someone and become real, there is something that happens inside of me....I feel free, I feel new, I don't feel so bad anymore. Someone has listened to me and they still love me. They don't see that ugly confession or struggle, they see growth they see the real me.
"I can only be loved to the extent that I am known. I cannot be fully loved unless I am fully known. To be fully known and fullyloved is the most healing gift one human being can give another." Ortberg
I am so blessed to have friends in my life (including a husband) who can hear me out and still love me. I am never going to be perfect, I am always going to sin....and I will turn around and confess that to my friends. I struggle, but it is so encouraging to know that I have people in my life that will listen to my imperfections and challenge me. They will cry with me, they won't judge me, they will LOVE me.
"Go ahead and stumble. Failure isn't falling down; failure is refusing to try. We ought to celebrate failure." Ortberg
This morning I read about the importance of having authentic realtionships...the kind that you can let your guard down and be real. The kind that you can confess and conquer fears, past, and failures. I loved the quote Ortberg wrote above. When you find a person whom you can stop pretending and become relevant with....you can flourish. Jesus is always aware...he is all knowing, always present and knows every thought and fear. From experience, when I sit down with someone and become real, there is something that happens inside of me....I feel free, I feel new, I don't feel so bad anymore. Someone has listened to me and they still love me. They don't see that ugly confession or struggle, they see growth they see the real me.
"I can only be loved to the extent that I am known. I cannot be fully loved unless I am fully known. To be fully known and fullyloved is the most healing gift one human being can give another." Ortberg
I am so blessed to have friends in my life (including a husband) who can hear me out and still love me. I am never going to be perfect, I am always going to sin....and I will turn around and confess that to my friends. I struggle, but it is so encouraging to know that I have people in my life that will listen to my imperfections and challenge me. They will cry with me, they won't judge me, they will LOVE me.
"Go ahead and stumble. Failure isn't falling down; failure is refusing to try. We ought to celebrate failure." Ortberg
Ecclesiastes 4:10 (New Living Translation)
10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.
10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Relationships
So now I know why God placed my friends on my heart last week. He wanted to talk to me in depth about how important they are in this life.
"Every day, everyone you know faces life with eternity on the line, and life has a way of beating people down. Every life needs a cheering section. Every life needs a shoulder to lean on once in a while. Every life needs a prayer to lift them up to God. Every life needs a hugger to wrap arms around them sometimes. Every life needes to hear a voice saying, "Don't give up."
-John Ortberg
I hope that I am this friend. I want to bring joy to others. I want to lift people up in prayer. I want to cheer people on. I want to encourage and love. Through these actions, I ultimately will be filled.
"If you can't do great things, do little things with great love. If you can't do them with great love, do them with little love. If you can' do them with little love, do them anyway."
-Mother Teresa
This waking up at 7 each morning, having a cup of coffee, turning on music, and reading/reflecting fills me up. This time gives me the ability to love more.
"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love so that we may sing for joy and be glad all your days." -Psalms
Right now I am reading through The Me I Want to Be, it continues to focus me on who Christ is, and who HE wants me to be. Who He created me to be.....Today I read about the importance or relationships. John Ortberg wrote about parenting and how God created parents. One quote that I loved was; "....(child) and then those little arms and hands will open and reach out and wrap around that neck, and it is going to feel to that grown up that for the first time now they understand why arms and hands were created." I see this two ways, of course my relationship with my sweet boy, but also my relationship with Christ. I was created to be wrapped in His arms, in his love. Each time I remember this, I know that my relationship with Christ is most important. If I focus on that...I can focus and love the other relationships I have been given.
Thank you God for friends, family, and a living relationship with you.
"Every day, everyone you know faces life with eternity on the line, and life has a way of beating people down. Every life needs a cheering section. Every life needs a shoulder to lean on once in a while. Every life needs a prayer to lift them up to God. Every life needs a hugger to wrap arms around them sometimes. Every life needes to hear a voice saying, "Don't give up."
-John Ortberg
I hope that I am this friend. I want to bring joy to others. I want to lift people up in prayer. I want to cheer people on. I want to encourage and love. Through these actions, I ultimately will be filled.
"If you can't do great things, do little things with great love. If you can't do them with great love, do them with little love. If you can' do them with little love, do them anyway."
-Mother Teresa
This waking up at 7 each morning, having a cup of coffee, turning on music, and reading/reflecting fills me up. This time gives me the ability to love more.
"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love so that we may sing for joy and be glad all your days." -Psalms
Right now I am reading through The Me I Want to Be, it continues to focus me on who Christ is, and who HE wants me to be. Who He created me to be.....Today I read about the importance or relationships. John Ortberg wrote about parenting and how God created parents. One quote that I loved was; "....(child) and then those little arms and hands will open and reach out and wrap around that neck, and it is going to feel to that grown up that for the first time now they understand why arms and hands were created." I see this two ways, of course my relationship with my sweet boy, but also my relationship with Christ. I was created to be wrapped in His arms, in his love. Each time I remember this, I know that my relationship with Christ is most important. If I focus on that...I can focus and love the other relationships I have been given.
Thank you God for friends, family, and a living relationship with you.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Friends...
I am so thankful for good friends. I have been blessed with some amazing people in my life. They bring me good belly laughs, smiles, tears, advice, encouragement, and prayers. Thank you God for good friends.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Prayer
"God is the constant gracious listener to our every thought, and prayer begins when we bring what we most naturally think before God."
Sometimes I forget that God is always present and listening. I feel bad if I don't have scripture to quote, friends to pray for, catastrophies, ect. I feel like what I think is mediocre. I fail to remember that HE already knows my thoughts, my fears, my hopes, my dreams. I just need to pray...anytime, anywhere. I have tried to start praying for friends when they come to my mind. I have one friend that I always pray for when I am drying my hair. Every morning, I think of her and take that as a prompt to lift her up.
As I was reading my book this morning, one of my favorite scriptures appeared again. The word EVERYTHING stood out. It means I need to pray through everything....if I am worried about finances, pray. If I am anxious, pray. If someone cuts me off, PRAY (that is tough). Pray through everything.
I am so thankful for the ability to pray. I am so thankful that God is always ready to listen. I am also grateful for the friends and husband He has placed in my life to pray WITH.
Philippians 4:6-7 (New International Version)
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Sometimes I forget that God is always present and listening. I feel bad if I don't have scripture to quote, friends to pray for, catastrophies, ect. I feel like what I think is mediocre. I fail to remember that HE already knows my thoughts, my fears, my hopes, my dreams. I just need to pray...anytime, anywhere. I have tried to start praying for friends when they come to my mind. I have one friend that I always pray for when I am drying my hair. Every morning, I think of her and take that as a prompt to lift her up.
As I was reading my book this morning, one of my favorite scriptures appeared again. The word EVERYTHING stood out. It means I need to pray through everything....if I am worried about finances, pray. If I am anxious, pray. If someone cuts me off, PRAY (that is tough). Pray through everything.
I am so thankful for the ability to pray. I am so thankful that God is always ready to listen. I am also grateful for the friends and husband He has placed in my life to pray WITH.
Philippians 4:6-7 (New International Version)
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Truth...
This is a prayer that I have been praying each morning and it has helped me with my anxiety SO much. I know that God is with me and that since I have acknowledged my struggles, He can give me peace
Jesus,
You are my leader. When I wake in the morning, you lead and I will follow. Whatever I need to do in my relationships, body, health, finances, are in YOUR hands. I won't try to figure out the rest of my life. I won't try to solve everyday, JUST TODAY. You lead, I will follow.
To look at life one day at a time is less overwhelming, and I really do have peace. So thankful that God is available and with me....
Some scripture and quotes that I read every morning. (I have all of this in my journal and I am running out of room!!)
Phillipians 4:13
"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength"
Phillipians 2:4
"Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage."
Romans 12:3
"Do not think of yourself more highly then you ought, but with sober judgement"
"search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts." (this one makes me worry....kind of defeats the point...don't like "test")
"There is not fear in love. Perfect love casts out ALL fear"
"Peace doesn't come from finding a lake with not storms. IT comes from having Jesus in the boat." Ortberg
I hope that this prayer, scriptures, and quotes speak to you. If you have any...send them my way.
Em
Jesus,
You are my leader. When I wake in the morning, you lead and I will follow. Whatever I need to do in my relationships, body, health, finances, are in YOUR hands. I won't try to figure out the rest of my life. I won't try to solve everyday, JUST TODAY. You lead, I will follow.
To look at life one day at a time is less overwhelming, and I really do have peace. So thankful that God is available and with me....
Some scripture and quotes that I read every morning. (I have all of this in my journal and I am running out of room!!)
Phillipians 4:13
"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength"
Phillipians 2:4
"Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage."
Romans 12:3
"Do not think of yourself more highly then you ought, but with sober judgement"
"search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts." (this one makes me worry....kind of defeats the point...don't like "test")
"There is not fear in love. Perfect love casts out ALL fear"
"Peace doesn't come from finding a lake with not storms. IT comes from having Jesus in the boat." Ortberg
I hope that this prayer, scriptures, and quotes speak to you. If you have any...send them my way.
Em
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Random....
I have no idea what this post is going to look like. That is the issue these days...I don't know what to write. Life is incredible day to day with Camden, and we are busy, each day a little different then the one before, but I don't seem to want to write about it. I don't know why?!?! I guess, it will be fun to look back at these posts and see what we did each day and what Camden is doing. So....
We really don't have a set schedule. We base our day around when he wakes up...when that happens our day starts. Typically that happens between 7:30 and 8:30, rarely it is 9. I am trying to get myself up around 7. That gives me time to have some coffee (yes, please), read, listen to music and just wake up on the right side of the bed. Maybe I should blog then.....when I hear the little guy stirring I head upstairs with Sampson and we sneak in Cam's room. Camden is usually sitting up or at the end of his bed closest to the door peaking through the slats. As soon as he sees us, he is giving me that famous four tooth smile. He gets so excited. We sing a little song and change and head down for breakfast. He usually takes around 6oz, and some fruit (he LOVES blueberries), and we rotate oatmeal, eggs, and pancakes. After breakfast we play in the tupperware, his toys, go on a walk, or watch Yo Gabba Gabba. He is hilarious...I usually have some great conversations with him, although I don't know what he is telling me....trust me it is really important. He goes down for a nap 1.5 to 2 hrs after he wakes up.
After nap, we have lunch. (fruit, veggie, and meat, followed by a few vanilla wafers) and a bottle. Sometimes he is up around 11 and can watch Price is Right...he loves when it is time to spin the big wheel. After lunch we may run errands or go visit some friends. (love our friends). About 2 hours after he wakes up....you guessed it, he goes back down for another nap.
After that nap, we have a bottle. This is when I try to start dinner, and we just enjoy time together on the floor. We have tons of toys, but he gravitates towards old water bottles, spoons, and pulling up on anything and everything. I don't know why we buy toys. Daddy usually gets home right before dinner or as he is eating dinner. These days he eats whatever we are having, meatloaf, potatoes, chicken, etc. It is awesome!!! You should see how Camden lights up when he sees his daddy. Nobody can make Camden laugh like Colin. By that time I am in need of a little break and Colin is incredible. He gives Cam his bath every night, feeds him his bottle and right before bed we read and book and pray together as a family.
It is a busy day....I usually fall into bed around 8 and before you know it, it is 7 and my day starts all over.
We really don't have a set schedule. We base our day around when he wakes up...when that happens our day starts. Typically that happens between 7:30 and 8:30, rarely it is 9. I am trying to get myself up around 7. That gives me time to have some coffee (yes, please), read, listen to music and just wake up on the right side of the bed. Maybe I should blog then.....when I hear the little guy stirring I head upstairs with Sampson and we sneak in Cam's room. Camden is usually sitting up or at the end of his bed closest to the door peaking through the slats. As soon as he sees us, he is giving me that famous four tooth smile. He gets so excited. We sing a little song and change and head down for breakfast. He usually takes around 6oz, and some fruit (he LOVES blueberries), and we rotate oatmeal, eggs, and pancakes. After breakfast we play in the tupperware, his toys, go on a walk, or watch Yo Gabba Gabba. He is hilarious...I usually have some great conversations with him, although I don't know what he is telling me....trust me it is really important. He goes down for a nap 1.5 to 2 hrs after he wakes up.
After nap, we have lunch. (fruit, veggie, and meat, followed by a few vanilla wafers) and a bottle. Sometimes he is up around 11 and can watch Price is Right...he loves when it is time to spin the big wheel. After lunch we may run errands or go visit some friends. (love our friends). About 2 hours after he wakes up....you guessed it, he goes back down for another nap.
After that nap, we have a bottle. This is when I try to start dinner, and we just enjoy time together on the floor. We have tons of toys, but he gravitates towards old water bottles, spoons, and pulling up on anything and everything. I don't know why we buy toys. Daddy usually gets home right before dinner or as he is eating dinner. These days he eats whatever we are having, meatloaf, potatoes, chicken, etc. It is awesome!!! You should see how Camden lights up when he sees his daddy. Nobody can make Camden laugh like Colin. By that time I am in need of a little break and Colin is incredible. He gives Cam his bath every night, feeds him his bottle and right before bed we read and book and pray together as a family.
It is a busy day....I usually fall into bed around 8 and before you know it, it is 7 and my day starts all over.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Pictures...
Why buy toys??
Buddies...both ready for spring (Camden has been pulling up more and more on his knees all week and last night....he pulled up all the way to standing!!)
Mommy got a night out with some great friends
Camden loves his new chair!
Jaci and her babies...
Camden and Ains...baby kissesMonday, March 1, 2010
me
Are you the you you want to be? I am not the me I want to be. I have been reading John Ortberg's newest book The Me I Want to Be over the past few weeks. It has been such an inspiring read for me. I STRUGGLE comparing my life to others ALL the time. If I am not wearing, doing, saying, looking, acting, ect like I feel like I should, which is usually a little piece of other people, I must not be right. If I don't wake up early and have my quiet time, journal, ect I must not be a good person. I am learning that God has a plan for me....He says that "I am his masterpiece, He has created me anew in Christ Jesus, so that I can do the good things he has planned for me long ago." (Ephesians 2:10).
Ortberg says, "because you have been created by God as a unique person, his plan to grow ou will not look the same as his plan to grow anyone else." That has given me such a sense of freedom. I may not be the early bird, the journaler or the worship leader, BUT God has existed from eternity-and he desires a RELATIONSHIP with me, and he has never had a realtionship with me before. It is unique....it is comforting to know that He wants to know me. This HUGE GOD that knows my name, every hair on my head....just want to know me. The things that make me happy, sad, anxious, worried, mad....He just wants to know me.
Over the last week I have been praying more sparatically throughout the day. When someone comes to mind, I think it is His prompting. I have been listening to more worship music and reading more scripture. I want to put as much into this as He does (probably impossible). What it comes down to is I want to go to Heaven, but until then I want to KNOW GOD, I want to do His will, I want to see and love others like He does. I don't want to miss one opportunity He places in front of me.
Ortberg says, "because you have been created by God as a unique person, his plan to grow ou will not look the same as his plan to grow anyone else." That has given me such a sense of freedom. I may not be the early bird, the journaler or the worship leader, BUT God has existed from eternity-and he desires a RELATIONSHIP with me, and he has never had a realtionship with me before. It is unique....it is comforting to know that He wants to know me. This HUGE GOD that knows my name, every hair on my head....just want to know me. The things that make me happy, sad, anxious, worried, mad....He just wants to know me.
Over the last week I have been praying more sparatically throughout the day. When someone comes to mind, I think it is His prompting. I have been listening to more worship music and reading more scripture. I want to put as much into this as He does (probably impossible). What it comes down to is I want to go to Heaven, but until then I want to KNOW GOD, I want to do His will, I want to see and love others like He does. I don't want to miss one opportunity He places in front of me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
