REJOICE! It's the start of a new day. How did you start your day this morning? Did you rejoice in everything you have? Do you even know what it means? Let's examine the word rejoice.
re*joice
-verb (used without object)
1. to be glad; take delight (often followed by in) to rejoice in another's happiness
-verb (used with object)
2. to make joyful; gladden: a song to rejoice the heart
Synonyms: revel, exalt, glory
So I ask you again, did you rejoice this morning? How different would our days be if we started each day with rejoicing in our hearts? No matter what is going on in your life you always have something to be thankful for. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." In ALL circumstances this means when your child hits a home run, and when your husband cuts his toe with a hatchet. Now I know you are thinking the home run I understand, but the toe cut with a hatchet? How can I rejoice in that? You can rejoice that your husband still has his toe!
What is the longest amount of time you were able to rejoice? Did you know that God once told Israel to rejoice for 7 days? Leviticus 23:20 says "On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days." And Deuteronomy 12:7 says "There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you." Because the Lord has what? Because the Lord has BLESSED you.
Have you ever rejoiced for 7 days? Have you ever rejoiced for 1 day? Have you ever rejoiced for an hour?
Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS, I will say it again: REJOICE!"
This is the day, this is the day,
that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made,
I will rejoice, I will rejoice,
and be glad in it, and be glad in it.
This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made.
Thank you God for this day, for everything you have made, for everything you have blessed us with.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Celebrate the Small Successes
We are NOT perfect. Yes, I said it! Sometimes we beat ourselves up over it and sometimes we deny it. God has promised to fill in our gaps and to help us make it through. While on our journey to clean up our characters we need to celebrate each of the small successes.
Change is never easy. I am trying to make changes in my home, both within myself and within my children. I have a quick temper, but I am begging God to give me a quiet and peaceful spirit. When in the heat of a struggle with your child that isn't always easy to grasp and cling to. Your sinful self wants to rail at the child and cruelly scare them into submission, but that isn't real submission anyway. To reign yourself in, speak to the child in a calm voice while being firm (which will go a long way towards helping your child understand how to deal with confrontation healthfully) is one of those small successes that I was talking about celebrating.
Here's an example:
You receive a gift of a beautiful vase. It sits in a place of honor for all to see. You have two beautiful, exuberant children who have forgotten once again that you have asked them not to throw balls in the house. The inevitable is about to happen. Crash! Your prized vase hits the floor and smashes into a million little pieces. Your spirit begins to boil, inside you are seething. Your children look at you with terror on their little faces. You have a choice right now; will you A). reach up to that shelf for that familiar old way of yelling at them and making them feel worth less than the broken article on the ground? Or will you B). say a quick prayer asking God to calm your spirit and help you let your children know what they did is wrong while still making sure they know they are valuable to you. When you choose B that is a success to be celebrated! You may still choose A once in a while but each time you REACH out for B, you are making the old familiar ways less familiar. More success!
If we don't celebrate each success, each small victory, we will continue to dwell on the voice that whispers to our spirits daily "you aren't good enough...you can't do this." These are lies spewed out by the Father of Lies. He doesn't want you to succeed, but Romans 8:31 says "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" And Jesus said in Luke 18:27 "What is impossible with man is possible with God." When we awake to the start of a new day our first thoughts should be of God and asking Him to go with us through the day. Our next step is to celebrate each small success throughout the day.
Thank God today with each little victory.
Change is never easy. I am trying to make changes in my home, both within myself and within my children. I have a quick temper, but I am begging God to give me a quiet and peaceful spirit. When in the heat of a struggle with your child that isn't always easy to grasp and cling to. Your sinful self wants to rail at the child and cruelly scare them into submission, but that isn't real submission anyway. To reign yourself in, speak to the child in a calm voice while being firm (which will go a long way towards helping your child understand how to deal with confrontation healthfully) is one of those small successes that I was talking about celebrating.
Here's an example:
You receive a gift of a beautiful vase. It sits in a place of honor for all to see. You have two beautiful, exuberant children who have forgotten once again that you have asked them not to throw balls in the house. The inevitable is about to happen. Crash! Your prized vase hits the floor and smashes into a million little pieces. Your spirit begins to boil, inside you are seething. Your children look at you with terror on their little faces. You have a choice right now; will you A). reach up to that shelf for that familiar old way of yelling at them and making them feel worth less than the broken article on the ground? Or will you B). say a quick prayer asking God to calm your spirit and help you let your children know what they did is wrong while still making sure they know they are valuable to you. When you choose B that is a success to be celebrated! You may still choose A once in a while but each time you REACH out for B, you are making the old familiar ways less familiar. More success!
If we don't celebrate each success, each small victory, we will continue to dwell on the voice that whispers to our spirits daily "you aren't good enough...you can't do this." These are lies spewed out by the Father of Lies. He doesn't want you to succeed, but Romans 8:31 says "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" And Jesus said in Luke 18:27 "What is impossible with man is possible with God." When we awake to the start of a new day our first thoughts should be of God and asking Him to go with us through the day. Our next step is to celebrate each small success throughout the day.
Thank God today with each little victory.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Sisters in Christ
I have a very dear friend who believes that God has given her a message to share, but she is scared to speak in public. I have always been terrified of speaking in public. But when we were speaking I said "Your prayer needs to be, don't let them see me, let them see You. He will speak through you and you will hide in Him. They will "see" you but they will See and Hear God." She replied, "But it is so hard!" My response was "Is God calling you to be His Moses? Because if He is He will give you the words to say." I continued to add "If He is calling you and you need and Aaron, then I am here sister, I will be your Aaron."
God has given us women the special task of sharing each others burdens. So many times women cause each other the greatest pain. I myself have been hurt by many women throughout my life and it isn't easy to trust again. But I must say that in my dear friend I have finally found my refuge, my quiet garden.
I have a wonderful husband who is my best friend. And I love him so very much. I believe that God intended for husband and wives to be best friends, but I believe that He wanted women to share special sisterly relationships too. I can say though that I have found a woman who is my Jonathan. David and Jonathan were the very best of friends, more like brothers, and this is what I have with her. She is my sister in Christ and also my best friend.
I am blessed to be able to encourage and help her be confident in the tasks God has given to her and to help her know how incredible and beautiful she is. I am in turn blessed to be encouraged by her and experience the rebirth of trust.
Too often women develop only causal relationships with many women and don't really get to know each other and vow to stand by each other no matter what.
I know that we can't all be best friends, but I believe that there is at least one very special female friend out there for everyone and I am so very blessed to have found mine. And she is teaching me so much which actually enhances my relationships with other women. But she knows she holds a very special place of honor in my life.
God please let me honor you always as my #1 best friend, for without you I would not have this special blessing of my friend and my sister.
God has given us women the special task of sharing each others burdens. So many times women cause each other the greatest pain. I myself have been hurt by many women throughout my life and it isn't easy to trust again. But I must say that in my dear friend I have finally found my refuge, my quiet garden.
I have a wonderful husband who is my best friend. And I love him so very much. I believe that God intended for husband and wives to be best friends, but I believe that He wanted women to share special sisterly relationships too. I can say though that I have found a woman who is my Jonathan. David and Jonathan were the very best of friends, more like brothers, and this is what I have with her. She is my sister in Christ and also my best friend.
I am blessed to be able to encourage and help her be confident in the tasks God has given to her and to help her know how incredible and beautiful she is. I am in turn blessed to be encouraged by her and experience the rebirth of trust.
Too often women develop only causal relationships with many women and don't really get to know each other and vow to stand by each other no matter what.
I know that we can't all be best friends, but I believe that there is at least one very special female friend out there for everyone and I am so very blessed to have found mine. And she is teaching me so much which actually enhances my relationships with other women. But she knows she holds a very special place of honor in my life.
God please let me honor you always as my #1 best friend, for without you I would not have this special blessing of my friend and my sister.
Light and Glory
So here it is almost time to start school again! We are a home-school family and when I was considering our options years ago I never even considered how much I would learn! Boy have I learned a LOT!
One of the books we started reading recently is The LIGHT and the GLORY For Children: Discovering God's Plan for America from Christopher Columbus to George Washington, by Peter Marshall & David Manuel.
I never knew what kind of person Columbus really was. And it is amazing that our country ever got off the ground with all the things we went through in the beginning! I highly recommend picking up a copy and reading it with your kids today! My 6 and 10 year old kids love it.
One of the books we started reading recently is The LIGHT and the GLORY For Children: Discovering God's Plan for America from Christopher Columbus to George Washington, by Peter Marshall & David Manuel.
I never knew what kind of person Columbus really was. And it is amazing that our country ever got off the ground with all the things we went through in the beginning! I highly recommend picking up a copy and reading it with your kids today! My 6 and 10 year old kids love it.
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