Just Because...

I was just talking about this skit the other day. It is still one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Watch how quickly Harvey Korman loses it...the funniest part is him cracking up!

I LOVED the Carol Burnett Show as a kid...just loved it! I remember sitting in my grandparents "Florida Room", as they called it, and watching it. It was truly LOL funny!

Harvey Korman died yesterday, at the age of 81.

Mr. Korman, thanks for the laughs, they do me good!

Excellence Will Look Different in Each Person.

True or false.

I don't remember where I read that title, but I wrote it on a Post-it. At the time it was very encouraging to me. It made me feel liberated from trying to keep up with the Mrs. Jones'. I thought, "My excellence may not be to have my house perfect, or my make up perfect, or my lawn perfectly landscaped. Yippee for me!"

But then I actually thought about that statement.

Excellence will look different in each person. Hmmmm.

I began thinking about what it did not say. It did not say:
Keeping a neat home will look different in each person.
Having a tidy appearance will look different in each person.
A successful home school will look different in each person.
A genuine relationship with God will look different in each person.

If it had said those things, I would have to agree. The outworking of our own personal lives and the facets of them will look different. My "clean" house will look different than anyone else's. My "barn" all painted will look different than anyone else, too.

But is that what excellence is all about...the end result of our efforts?

Excellence: noun
1. the quality of excelling; possessing good qualities in high degree
2. an outstanding feature; something in which something or someone excels

So, excellence will look different in each person...Hmmmm.

I spent some time not agreeing with this statement. I came to believe that excellence is excellence. There is only one way to be excellent in any given area. An excellent housekeeper is an excellent housekeeper, or landscaper, or homeschooler, or whatever. Anything shy of excellent (or possibly perfect) is not excellent. Period.

Needless to say, that brought me down a bit! My new found freedom to just be me was becoming a bondage to be excellent. I have always been somewhat of an over achiever; I'm given to perfectionism (remember Nazi Mom?). I also spent four years in a church that repeatedly taught us to have a Spirit of Excellence. But what does that mean?

Well, I think I've finally figured it out...for myself.

Excellence and Perfection are NOT the same thing.

Folks, there is nothing perfect in this world! Nothing! I don't care how much time, money, energy, and other resources you put into anything, it will not be perfect...ever! If you get it to the point of perfection, just walk away from it (whatever "it" is ) for one minute, and it will no longer be perfect. That's just life. Like it or not, that's just the way it is.

But excellence is a completely different thing! It is a quality, a character trait. Excellence is the spirit behind what you do, not necessarily the end result (although the end result often is excellent). The definition above is another clue to this mystery. Your excellence is something in which you, personally, excel.

I don't personally excel in gardening. I do however excel in other areas. Now, I could get all sad that I don't have beautiful flower beds like Mrs. Jones, or I can choose to one of a number of things: 1) go ask Mrs. Jones for gardening help; 2) study up myself at the library or online; 3) pay someone to beautify my yard; 4) do the best I can with what I have and forget about the rest.

Right now I am working on #4. I am not talking about my flower beds either! I am learning to be who I am with a Spirit of Excellence. And sometimes that means that I have to admit that I just plain can't do something, well or otherwise! Sometimes it means that I need to ask for help (oh, how difficult this is for me!). And sometimes I need to learn to do better.

So, I ask you. True or false. Excellence will look different in each person.

I am very interested in your take on this. Please share your thoughts!!

So, How Was Your Weekend?

Mine was busy, but fun.

We visited my in-law's from Friday to Monday. It felt like a vacation, just not long enough. My MIL said she loves for us to come because it's like one big party all weekend! Yes, I am a fun machine...actually I'm a baby machine which makes us one big circus!

Friday was Scarlet's third birthday!! We had to travel for 5 hours that day, so we didn't do much in the way of a party. Grandma and Pa-Pa had a gift and some cupcakes though. We will celebrate one night this week. Personally, I'm very thankful that she is three...that means she is no longer two...if you know what I mean ;-)

On Saturday, I was able to have lunch and then Starbucks with my bosom friend! That in and of itself was worth the ten hours of driving. I have always wanted a friend with whom I could be truly, truly myself...and at the age of thirty-something, I finally have one!

(She's the pretty one!)

It is amazing to be able to connect with another person in every area of my life (marriage, parenting, ministry, Spiritually, politically, morally...) and be on the same page. We don't do everything the same, but that is what is so great! I can see the areas where she is doing things better than I, and be encouraged to do better. She has the same opportunity with me. Lord, I praise you and thank you for my friend!!

Monday we spent the afternoon at RedDaddy's grandmother's house with the WHOLE family...40 of us in total! There are 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren (and one on the way). What a crew! They are such a great bunch of people. Every family has it's issues, and this one is no exception. However, it's the closest thing to a functional family out there!! I love them, and am so blessed to have been given a place with them all!

And just for the record, this is NOT a delicious shake!! It was, however, delicious!! YUM!!

Our trip home proved to be more monumental than we realized at first. We had gotten within and hour of home when we decided to make a fast food stop for the kiddo's. The girls went to the restroom while I ordered.

Before they could get my order ready, I felt VERY sick. I asked RedDaddy to wait for the food so I could go to the restroom, myself. As I am sitting in the stall, trying desperately not to either pass out or scream in pain, my children engage in what can only be described as WWIII! It got so loud that RedDaddy left the counter to come knock loudly on the Ladies' room door.

They got themselves together and out to the van, RedDaddy passed out the food, and 10 minutes later I managed to make it to the parking lot. I wasn't sure that I was ready to head on down the road, which was fine, because neither was our van. It wouldn't start...well, it started, but it would not stay running. After another 10 minutes of trying, my dear husband was able to get 'er going, and we were off.

Now, rewind the tape about an hour or so...RedDaddy and I were driving along discussing God's will for our lives...uh, huh! We decided to stop and get the girls some dinner, and then planned to continue our discussion for the last leg of the trip. The conversation was headed for the "How do we go about getting back on THE track for our lives?" part.

Yes, satan threw everything he could think of at us to try and distract us from having that conversation. Sickness. Disobedient children. Car trouble. But guess what we did? We sat in that parking lot, in the middle of that trial, and took authority over those things. We let the devil know that WE are in charge of our lives, our bodies, our children, our vehicle!

Would you like to know what we did last night? We set some firm boundaries for our children, from the oldest down to the youngest; RedDaddy washed the van and checked it out under the hood (it is still trouble-free); and we finished our "How do we go about getting back on THE track for our lives?" discussion!

Hey, devil...nanny, nanny, boo, boo!!

The answer to the how do we question is that we press in to God; we stand in faith on James 1:5-8

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.NKJV

God has promised to give us wisdom, and we have determined to receive it! We are not going to quit listening for it, we are not going to stop confessing that we have it, and His wisdom WILL be manifest in our hearts and lives!!

Would you add your faith to ours for that wisdom to be clear to us? Don't ask God to give us wisdom, He has already done that...pray that we will receive it. Thank you to all you faithful, and full of faith prayer warriors!

Going Down to Egypt, Part the Third.

**Our Story starts here.**

When last we met, our heroine was seeing things, and having visions! Oh, my!

Very soon after David heard Tallahassee in his heart, he enrolled in Bible School. Our church had started a Bible training school a few years before our arrival. The International School of Faith has a full Bible curriculum with a heavy emphasis on impartation. Often, David would come home, after three hours of classes, and tell me that they had never gotten past chapel...they had spent the entire night praying in the Spirit. Was I jealous!!

When David signed up for school, I asked him if I could go too. He answered, "I guess so." As I began to try to figure out what to do with our three girls, and just how to coordinate it all, I decided to ask God for help. Amazing idea, huh? Except that He told me, "No, I don't want you to go to Bible school."

What?! Surely I had heard Him wrong...I mean I know that he wants me to learn more about the Word, and I know He wants me to be equipped as a minister, and I know...listen, I don't know nothin'!!

Roughly one month after David turned in his application to school, we found out that we were expecting little girl number four! Clearly, while I don't know nothin', God knows a whole lot!! I am so glad that I did not go against that check in my spirit! There is no possible way that I could have kept up with my home, my kids, homeschooling, my marriage, and the rigorous nature of the ISOF...not while pregnant...no way, no how!

Classes were Tuesday and Thursday nights 7-10 PM, and Sunday 5-6 PM. Chapel started 30 mins. before classes. More often than not, David didn't get home until 11 or later on weeknights. His week looked like this:
Monday: work 9-6, homework
Tuesday: off work, homework, lawn work, wash cars, chapel at 6:30, home from class around 11:00 PM
Wednesday: work 6:30-6, shower, church at 7, homework
Thursday: work 9-6, shower, FLY to chapel at 6:30, home from class around 11:00 PM
Friday: work 9-6, family night
Saturday: work 9-5, date night
Sunday: leave for church at 9:30, home from lunch 3:00, nap until 4:00, leave for chapel at 4:15, home around 7:00 PM, homework


I am sure others have had it much tougher (like doctors and lawyers...in fairness, they get paid a whole lot more for their trouble ;), but for us it was a rough two years. Especially in light of these two facts:

1) During the summer between school years, our pastor asked us to take on the role of Youth Pastors (that made Wednesday night a get home at midnight evening, which wiped it out as a homework opportunity for David)

2) Memorial Day weekend before Year #2 began we got the good news of our fifth baby girl! This is probably where I should mention that I spent a good three months of each of these pregnancies on the couch green (the last two girls are only 15 months apart).


Ooooh, yeah! I told you God has a sense of humor...and adventure!!


See how He caused me to avoid an absolute train wreck by keeping me out of Bible School? His watchcare over me astounds me! He also kept me in the place of helping my husband through the toughest two years of his life!


I was, and am, so proud of David! I would watch him run (literally) out the door to class and think "I don't now how he is doing this!" To my recollection he only missed an absolute few days of school...like three or four in those two years (let's not forget, two of those were due to his wife giving birth!!). He wouldn't take the special grace offered him by his instructors after the births, or because of Youth Pastor status! He was determined to fulfil his commitment fully and without partiality (he was the favorite of most of his teachers!).

During this time our family mantra was born: "There's grace where there's commitment!"


We came to prove that out time and time again! God's grace would always, and does always, show up after we commit to something, not before! If you consider committing, you'll talk yourself out before the grace to fulfil it comes on the scene. However, if you commit, often before you feel able, the grace becomes available in abundance!

And that was the answer to the question, "How did we get through those two years?"...with the grace of God which He supplied in honor of our commitment to do His will!

Great is His faithfulness!!

My Heart...It Hurts.

I was going to give you a recipie today...

Until I read about Stephen Curtis Chapman's family tragedy. My heart is so heavy that I don't want to even move!

Oh God, I hate the devil!! And don't you allow yourself, for ONE minute, to think that GOD did this!!! Not MY Daddy! (I'm writing about this at Proverbs 4 Mom.)

Please pray for this family in the coming days, weeks, and months. The healing will be a lengthy process to be sure.

Will I Ever Stop Giving Birth?!

It's a girl! Of course, it's a girl. What is it?

The Land of Pink has a new baby sister. Although, I think she's more grown up than Pink. Her name is Proverbs 4 Mom, and she lives over at WordPress. She might not stay there, we'll see how the custody goes.

Remember when I told you that I almost wished I hadn't created the Land of Pink? That's not true! And, Pink, I'm sorry I said that, Honey! I am glad to have this blog for several reasons.

First of all, I have gotten my feet wet here. I had absolutely NO idea what I was doing in the beginning, and this has taught me bunches (I'm still a total lightweight!).

Secondly, I realize that I do need a fun outlet, and the Land of Pink was meant to be a fun place. I am looking forward to doing more fun stuff from here in the future!!

Lastly, these few weeks of blogging have helped me tremendously to find my voice. I do tend to be a cut-up in person, so the Land of Pink fulfills a necessary part of my personality. However, ministry is who I am. Proverbs 4 Mom will be my ministry voice on the internet.

I am so excited about this new venture. I have NO IDEA how I will manage two blogs...that's not exactly true, I think I may find to categorize my thoughts and sort them between the two easier than choosing a mood with each post.

Don't think for one minute that the Land of Pink is shutting down. I believe that quite the opposite will be true. I think it will be able to flourish out from under the shadow of it's sister!

As for Proverbs 4 Mom: bookmark it and read often, I know that God will speak to you there! Friends, pray for it (bosom friend, lay it down, girl!), pray that the anointing of God will rest heavily on that new venue. Pray that I will remain true to my calling, and to teach the uncompromised Word of the Almighty God! Above all, pray that lives, mothers, entire families will be changed by the power and grace of God!

It's a new season; it's a new day

A fresh anointing is flowing my way.

It's a season of power and prosperity.

It's a new season, and it's coming to me!

Pink (and not so pink) Stuff I Like

6/30/08

Square Foot Gardening.

I am so hot on this right now! With our tiny little yard, I am excited about the possibility of a real garden!! I have been asking around trying to figure out what to plant here and when...this book tells me all I need to know.

Little does RedDaddy know what his Saturday project will be ;-)

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6/23/08

Romance, by Ralph Lauren is my absolute favorite perfume...or parfum. It even comes in a pretty pink box! I just happen to currently be COMPLETELY out of it. Ooooo lookie, body powder!

I wish there was Smell-er-net so you could enjoy the wonderfullness!

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6/16/08

We were at Best Buy recently and I found...oh, my word, I'm so excited...Perry Mason on DVD! I screamed...seriously! My girls thought I'd gone over the edge. Perry Mason was my FAVORITE show as a kid, and probably still is today! Crazy, I know.

In trying to find a link for you to see, I found this! HOLY COW! Every. Single. Perry. Mason. Episode. And I didn't even know there was a color episode. I've GOT to have this!!

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6/4/08

I found these dishes by chance on the internet some time ago. Now, they are being advertised in my favorite magazines, Tea Time and Southern Lady. Wouldn't they make the most beautiful table?! And what a fantastic way to share your faith with your guests!

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5/28/08

If you have any idea how much I love my crock-pot, you can imagine how I feel about this one from Hamilton Beach!! Oh. My. Goodness.

Now, if they would just make this programmable one in that shade...

Well, let's just say that my kids would have to eat PB&J for a week to pay for Mommy's new toy! But then they could eat Roast Beef, and Taco Soup, and Sloppy Joe's , and Lemon-pepper Chicken, and...

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5/25/08

Yes, I have no ipod...no mp3 player of any kind...currently I do not even have a personal CD player. Poor, poor pitiful me!!

I'm sure you can guess what color of these I want ;-)

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Old Country Roses by Royal Albert

This china rocks my world! I plan to have 12 place settings so that when my five girls are all married we can have special family dinners on it.

This tea pot warmer, and this tea chest would be lovely additions to my tea collection.

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My love for Vera Bradley is new...with the introduction of this pattern!

I'll take these slippers in a size 8, this umbrella, this Bible cover, and this purse (the one I bought is too small for all the stuff Hubby puts in it anyway).

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Now, in the kitchen I've got issues...I'm willing to admit it! My love for kitchen gizmo's and gadgets almost rivals my love for office supplies...almost.

This coffee maker is at the TOP of my birthday list, in case you wondered. Oh, and my birthday is July 13, in case you were wondering about that.

I have a KitchenAid stand mixer, but alas, it is not pink. This one came out a few years after my sweet husband bought mine as a Christmas gift...I am sure he would have loved to put a LARGE pink appliance on our counter, in full view of our entire living area ;-).

My friends know of my disappointment in the PC stainless steel mixing bowls. A set similar to these would make my day.

I have had my eye on these measuring cups for some time now. They are just too cute for words!

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Going Down to Egypt, Part the Second.

** Our Story starts here.**

We left off with: "Now Lord, you and I both know that you did not just tell him that. So You are going to have to straighten him out!"


The very next Sunday our pastor was ministering after the sermon. If you are not from a Pentecostal background, by "ministering" I mean laying hands on people for different reasons (healing or other specific needs). He then said, "Some of you are about to step out in ministry, you need to step out, I'd like to pray for you."


Nobody moved.


He tried again, "If God is tugging at you to begin a new season of ministry, I want you to come on down here and let me lay my hands on you."


I think I may have squeezed my eyes even tighter shut!


A few moments passed and he said, "I'm about to come down there and get you..."


I don't know if he finished his sentence or not, because David had me by the hand and we were on our way to the altar! Of course, by the time we got there I was already crying and shaking. He prayed over us and then laid hands on us.


Now, if you are of a more conservative persuasion don't let this next part (or the last few sentences) ruin our friendship ;)!! I was raised Baptist and know that some of you are getting uncomfortable! I love you anyway, and I hope you'll love me too when this is all done :-)!


Pastor laid his hand on my head and the room was gone...I was gone! At that moment I had the closest thing to a vision I have ever had. I tend to be a visual person; I am definitely a visual learner. That may be why He chose to give me a "picture" that day. This is what I "saw":


I was sitting in a church...not any church I could recall having ever seen. There were people, lots of people standing in front of me, somewhat blocking my view. My view...of David...preaching! That picture was so real... almost like a memory, like something that I had experienced rather than something that I would experience!


The next thing I knew, I was on my face on the steps of the platform, crying out, "I see it now! I see it now!"


Recalling this I feel like Sarai; when she was given a promise from God regarding her husband, she laughed. I outright denied the possibility of the promise having ever been spoken! But, just like in Sarai's case, God did (or is in the process of) fulfill what He had spoken!!


I'm sure you'd like for me to end it there, but wait...there's more!


Ten days later, our Bible School Director (more on Bible School in future installments) was preaching the Wednesday evening service. He was preaching on using your gifts. He told how gifts are for others not oneself. It was a great message! Near the end he said, "A healing anointing has just come on me, would anyone like to receive healing?" Several people went forward and he ministered to them. What happened next is sure to shake some of you up...it sure shook me up!!


He came down the aisle and said, "David, the Lord has instructed me to impart this healing anointing to you." As he came to our row, I could literally feel the atmosphere change...the best way I can describe it is to say that it was electrified! He leaned in and took David's hands in his own hands and began to pray. I don't have any idea what he said, because, once again, I was gone!


I had the very same "picture" in my mind's eye, only this time it was as if a camera lens had zoomed out. I was able to see that the reason the people were blocking my view was that they were lined up at the front of the church waiting to be ministered to. They were at the altar waiting for David to lay his hands on them!!


I cannot begin to tell you what this did for my faith! It stirred me up so. For the first time in my life, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God was concerned with MY life! He had me in the palm of His hand. He was showing me what He had ordained for my life before the foundations of the world! His presence was so sweet and so comforting that day and in the days to come.


Frequently I have had to go back to that picture, and remind myself of what He showed me. It was that "word" from Him that became a bedrock for us when our circumstances were so difficult!

**Read part three here.**

More on the Why's and Wherefore's.

I remembered a story that is somewhat the other side of the "teach your children why" coin. It's more of a lesson in knowing that you know what you think you know...you know?

A woman was preparing to cook a roast for Sunday Dinner. Her young daughter watched her as she cut the meat in half and placed it in the roasting pan.

"Mommy," the girl asked, "Why do you always cut the meat in half?"

The mother paused and replied, "I'm not sure. My mother always did it that way and I never thought to ask her why she cut it."

Once the roast was in the oven the mother went to the telephone and called her mother.

"Mom," she began, "Can you tell me why you cut a roast in half before putting it in the pan?"

The older woman thought for a moment and said, "Do you know, I have no idea. Your grandmother always does that and so I just followed suit. I'm going to call her and ask her right now, though!"

Sure enough, the woman got her mother on the line and asked her the question that was now on three generations of ladies' minds.

"Why do you cut a roast in half before you place it in the roasting pan?"

The elderly lady chuckled before solving the mystery.

"Well, that's easy," she said. "When your father and I got married I only had a small loaf pan, so I always had to cut the meat in half to make it fit in my little pan!"

Often we do what we do with no idea why we are doing it. Be it in the kitchen or in the church, we would do well to determine why we act or think the way we do. Many times, not only are our habits of no value, but they actually are harmful to ourselves and others.

Going Down to Egypt, Part the First

"Tallahassee."

"What about it?"

"That's where we're going."

"After church?"

"No. That's where we're going to pastor."

"Okaaaaay.?."

I could start the History of the Pink Family Ministry here...but this is definitely NOT the beginning. And Julie Andrews taught me that the very beginning is a very good place to start. Of course she also taught me that suitable play clothes can be made from bedroom curtains, so I'm not sure if her wisdom can be trusted.

I think for our purposes, somewhat shy of the very beginning will suffice...the very beginning being, oh, our wedding day. So here's a tad bit of history thrown in for your informational benefit.

RedDaddy recognized God's call on his life as a teenager, but was uncertain what to do with that knowledge. I knew God had plans for me as well, but I was bound up in tradition. We began ministering (officially) in 1998 as college and career leaders in our local church. That led us to becoming the youth pastors in that church. We then helped RedDaddy's uncle plant a church, again as youth pastors. During the next several years we struggled to find our spot in ministry (not unlike today...hmmm).

Fast forward to Spring of 2003. We had been led by the Holy Spirit..one of those can't-be-anything-other-than-God things...to attend a specific church. We were still unsure if this was to be our new church home, and had spent the better part of a Saturday evening discussing whether or not to attend the membership class the next morning. We opted to skip the class.

Just before the service, a man whom we barely knew came over to (I can't continue to call him RedDaddy in these serious posts :) David and asked him a very pointed question. Here's how the conversation went:

"Are you a preacher?"

"Well, you know we're all supposed to be preachers."

"Are you a preacher?"

"Um, not yet."

"Are you a preacher?"

"Yes, I am called to preach."

"You are in the right place. You need to hook up, and follow God's will for your life. You won't ever be fulfilled until you do!"

Needless to say,we signed up for the membership class the next Sunday! We met with our pastor, and David confided in him (very haltingly) that he felt called to full time ministry. After practically finishing David's sentence for him, he said, "It's okay to say 'called to the ministry' out loud." Then he told us that we would all just "walk it out"! That was the first time in our lives that a godly minister had validated our call! We were so excited...and more than a little apprehensive. But we set ourselves to do just that...walk it out.

It was only a few weeks later, during praise and worship, with my eyes closed and hands raised, that I heard David whisper in my ear the conversation that I opened with. I just kept my eyes closed and hands raised and, I kid you not, prayed this prayer, "Now Lord, you and I both know that you did not just tell him that. So You are going to have to straighten him out!"



Don't tell me God doesn't have a sense of humor...or adventure for that matter!

**Read part two here.**

Expect the Unexpected.

When we moved here...TWO YEARS AGO THIS WEEKEND (holy cow!)...some friends told us that we should start a journal of our journey...actually, I think they used the word adventure (little did they, or we, know!).

Well, we didn't. We had so much going on that we just plain didn't have time...I say we, RedDaddy is not what I'd call the journaling type. I was simply too busy in the beginning...and then as things began to get dicey, I didn't exactly want to put it down on paper!

Two years have passed since the move, and almost one since the demise of our...well, we will get to that later. I feel as though it is not only time to put it all down, but that I somehow need to do it.

I don't yet know how I will format it. For now, I am just going to type. I will probably put the whole thing in a draft and publish it a bit at a time. Believe me, none of us want to read it all at once :)

I am praying (and asking you to pray) that I will be able to get this out coherently, and that it will be a blessing for our family and for others. Those of you that know the story (or a portion of it really) also know that the story is not yet complete...Glory to God! We are just now embarking on His path for our ministry. These are very exciting days for me! Perhaps that is why I feel the unction to relive the details now (?).

So. Prepare yourselves for laughter, tears, excitement, disappointment, success, failure...and ultimately the utter faithfulness of God Almighty! That sounds like an upcoming major motion picture...all except for the faithfulness of God part ;)

To Him be all the glory, and honor, and praise, forevermore!!!

Spiritual GPS.

Where are you right now? Not what room are you in, or even what city, but spiritually where are you?

I can tell you that I'm not where I want to be...but I'm also not where I used to be!! Thank God!

For so long I have confused my "who" with my "do". I heard Joyce Meyer say that once and it really stuck with me!

Your "do" is obviously what you do: how you act, how you talk, what you do in your church, what you do to serve others, how you live in your home, and what you do when no one else is looking. (I bet you thought that what you do when no one else is looking was your "who"...nope, it's still your "do".)

Your "who" is the true you, the you that only God knows. It's the born-again you. It's the recreated you. It's the you that you cannot even comprehend. It's the you that is the very righteousness of God! (2 Cor. 5:21) It's the you that God loves just as much as He loves Jesus! (John 17:23)

Our who should dictate our do, but most of the time we allow our do to dictate our perception of our who! Notice it's only a perception...our who is still the righteousness of God, it's just that we find it hard to believe based on our do.

See the prodigal son was still the son...even in the pig pen! He never ceased to be the Master's son even though he wasn't acting like it!! That's good news for me! Sometimes I don't act much like the Master's child either...but nevertheless, I am!

I continue to posses all the rights of being His son. Although I may fail to enjoy the privileges of that position, they are still MINE!

You can take the Princess out of the castle, but you can't take the castle out of the Princess...or something like that ;-) !!

So, what is your perception of where you are today, spiritually speaking? Probably somewhere between the pig pen and the castle...maybe a little closer to one than the other. The good news is that where ever you "are" is only affected by your perception. The reality is still the reality...you ARE a true child of the King! You can climb out of the pig pen and return to the castle at any moment and you will be welcomed with open arms! In truth, once you were born-again He ceased to see you in your pig pen state...He only sees the blood of Jesus when He looks at you!!

What you do does not affect your who status!! Let that get down inside you today!! You are who you are... regardless of what you do!

Rom 8:38-39
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.KJV

Go on about your day in the knowledge that your position is secure...your true position is dependant on your Master's child status, not where you are in relation to that pig pen!!

**I am always amazed at how God changes the course of these posts as I am writing them! I was going to share with you what God is doing in my heart right now. Obviously somebody needed to read this today...take it, meditate on it, allow it to become reality for you!!**

Make Mine Strawberry.

Because I really have nothing to blog about today, I'll give you the diet update. And because I know you're on the edge of your seats in anticipation!

Today is official day 4 (unofficial day 7) and the current weight lost is...hang on while I go get on the scale...

YEA!! 3.6 pounds! (Of course, this is the middle of the day and I just finished my "delicious shake" for lunch *hee hee*.) That may not sound like much, but with my past track record, I'm thrilled...especially given my weekend...

Friday night we went out with friends to the Olive Garden and then to Baskin Robbins. I was sooooo proud of myself! I ordered Chicken Marsala...they brought me three chicken breasts and I only ate one. I also kept it to only one breadstick and one very small bowl of salad. I drank Diet Coke...this was HUGE for me, my love of Coca-Cola is epic in proportion! At Baskin Robbins RedDaddy and I each ordered a kids cup of ice-cream. It was truly one scoop, and no cone. I really do like ice-cream cones, but it was easy for me to do without!

Saturday was another tough day: a birthday party at lunchtime, and dinner out again with friends for dinner (this time at Sonny's BBQ). At the birthday party I skipped the homemade baked ziti AND the cake, and had fruit and carrots and broccoli with about a tablespoon of ranch dip (I had my "delicious shake" before we left home..."delicious shake" has become a big joke around here!). At Sonny's I didn't do great, but I certainly didn't stuff myself either.

Sunday after church we took our pastor and family to a Mexican place. Mexican is probably my favorite kind of food. I determined before we got to the restaurant that I was going to try to find something reasonable to order. Much to my surprise they had some lighter fare items (obviously I had never looked for them before). I had two of the best chicken tacos with black beans ever. I think the tacos were so tasty because they weren't swimming in sour cream and guacamole, so I was able to taste all the other flavors! For dinner the girls and RedDaddy had grilled cheese sandwiches, but I chose to have a..."delicious shake". Go me!!

I wanted to share my weekend food choices with you to show God's grace and His faithfulness! Even though there have been many, many opportunities for me to "cheat", He is making this almost easy for me. I made the switch to Diet soda (I only drink it out, not at home) without struggle. He has showed me options that I previously didn't know existed! And He has given me the strength to say "No" in situations where I know my strength would fail.

My heart is so full of gratitude to my Heavenly Father! His grace is enabling me to do what has been impossible without Him! All I can say is this:




I'm off to try out my new Pilates DVD ;-)

Take Two Groucho Marxes and Call Me in The Morning.

We had dinner last night with some friends. We have known them for less than a year and had never been out with them, so we spent time telling our "stories"... you know how you do with new friends.

We laughed...a LOT!!

As the evening was ending and we were saying our good-bye's, my friend thanked me for the grown-up conversation, and I thanked her for the laughter. She said, "Yes, it is good to laugh, isn't it?!" I replied, "Laughter does good like medicine."

That's in the Bible, in case you wondered:

Prov 17:22
A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.NKJV

Look at what else it has to say about having a merry heart:

Prov 15:13
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

Prov 15:15
All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. KJV

Having a merry heart is being "light-hearted", having fun, laughing, acting silly. It's not tied to our current feelings...it's a choice. Once we make the choice to do something fun we will feel fun. And then the benefits of a merry heart can be ours.

The people I most enjoy being around are the people who make me laugh. It's not that they are necessarily funny, as part of their personality; it's that they know how to have fun wherever they are, and whatever they are doing. Do you now people like that? Are you a person like that?I am endeavoring to become more fun-loving.

I find myself being so serious all the time...especially with my kids. I think I have gotten into the habit of being what I call "Nazi Mom". She's the mom who has a plan, an agenda, a schedule to keep, a house to clean, schoolwork to do, discipline to administer, a ministry to attend to, phone calls to make, email to answer, a blog to write (there, I said it), and a husband to keep happy. She's the mom who doesn't stop long enough to laugh, or even allow the kids to stop long enough to laugh..."Come on, people, we've got to leave!" "Let's go, it's time for school!" "You've got to get ready for bed, it's late!"

I don't like Nazi Mom. She's not welcome in my house! I told her "Lighten up, they're only kids once, and you only get one trip around this planet!"

She left with a bit of struggle. She was calling out, "Yeah, you say that now, but what about when the laundry starts to pile up, and there are toys on the stairs, and you don't have time to write that blog?!"

I told her to, "Shut up!" and slammed the door! If she shows up at your house, feel free to do the same; just send her packing, and go do one of these things:

Watch some funny TV like: I Love Lucy, or Dick VanDyke, or Tom and Jerry.

Rent a funny movie like: Support Your Local Sheriff, or The Apple Dumpling Gang, or others of you may enjoy something like Dumb and Dumber, or Napoleon Dynamite.

Tell goofy stories like "My most embarrassing moment".

Look at old photo albums. My high school yearbook is serious belly laugh material!!

Check out a kids joke book from the library.

Roll around on the floor with your kids. Don't have kids? Go to the park and listen to their laughter...I guarantee it's contagious!

-Or-

Link to one of my favorite pick-me up's: Anita Renfroe, Anjelah Johnson, or Chonda Pierce.

Oh, and by the way, Happy Mother's Day!! Consider yourself hugged!

On a Lighter Note...

**I wrote this post once and lost it...lost...as in can't find it anywhere! So I'm trusting the Holy Spirit to give it to me again...and shooting daggers out of my eyes at Internet Explorer!!**

RedDaddy and I have started a weight loss plan. Our plan is to lose weight...get it? Weight loss plan...plan to lose weight. Never mind.

We are starting the Slim-Fast plan. As a jumping-off point.

The Slim-Fast plan is very different from years ago. Not that years ago I studied it. Because, years ago I was...well, slim...and a little bit...oh, come on, you fell right into that one!

As I remember the commercials, the plan went like this: "A delicious shake for breakfast, another for lunch, and a sensible dinner." Right? Well, not anymore. Now they have snacks, meal plans, exercise plans, 4 or 5 different shake flavors, and you get to eat real food.

Here's a sample meal plan for one day: 1 Slim-Fast shake, 1/4 cantaloupe, 3/4 cup fat free yogurt with 1/4 cup Grapenuts cereal, 1 Slim-Fast shake, 1 nectarine, 1 Slim-Fast snack bar, 12oz. Quick Crab Quiche, 1 cup spinach and orange salad with pine nuts, 1 wheat roll with 1 tsp. margarine, 6 soda crackers with 1 1/2 Tbsp. light peanut butter, 8 oz. skim milk.

That's a lot of food...low calorie, low fat food...but real food. I can do this. I love food. I know that I overeat...mostly good for me food, even. For the past two years I have been the exact same weight (except for the two pound monthly flux). This tells me that I am not eating too much to maintain, just too much to actually lose.

My goal is to retrain myself to eat smaller quantities of food more often, and to begin to make better food choices. I was "indoctrinated" by a popular Christian weight-loss plan to believe that one food is not more healthy than any other. While I do not believe this wholeheartedly, I do see some merit in not getting caught up in calorie or fat gram counting and reading labels.

I spent a number of years trying to eat anything I wanted only in tiny amounts. This landed me about 40 lbs. heavier than I already was after 5 babies...Yikes! I'd say it's time for a change of thinking and behavior. I am looking for a balance between eating "healthy" and never having ice cream again; between enjoying pizza and gorging myself on it.

I think RedDaddy would like to lose about 20-25 lbs (I am guessing...Honey, don't hate me if it's less). Sadly, my number is...oh, about 3 times that. But I am going to do it! Pray for me...seriously! I have started and stopped so many times I know I need help! I need at least one prayer warrior on my side through this.

We "started" Slim-Fast on Tuesday. Not knowing the "new" plan, I just began by having a shake for breakfast, having a healthy snack-type lunch, and eating a small dinner. (That is already doing some good...Yea!) Today is grocery shopping day, so I will be purchasing foods from the meal plans.

Today is D-Day!! I officially begin the Slim-Fast Diet Plan today!

I am putting this "out there" to you...all four of you :-)...for accountability purposes. And I didn't want to! What if I don't stick with it? What if I don't lose any weight? What if someone asks me how it's going and I have quit trying?

EXACTLY!! Ask me those questions. Check in on me. I need you. I need your faith-filled, effectual, fervent prayers! I am weeping as I type this because I know that at least two of you (and you know who you are) will do that, and it blesses me to my core! I love you so much!!

The How-to for the What and the Why of the Why.

Since yesterday I gave you the what: motivating kids from the inside out, by teaching them why our actions are right or wrong;
and the why: it is the only way to make lasting behavioral changes that result in lifelong convictions,
I thought today I'd better give you the how.

How do we move our children from the fear of consequences to the freedom of righteousness?
How do we teach them to do what is right simply because it is right?
How do we get the horse (belief) back in front of the cart (action)?

It begins with giving our kids an understanding of the value of others. I guess, actually it begins with an understanding of Who God is. This will lead us to an understanding of the value of others, because God is love and he is always valuing His children's happiness above His own. Just think about that for a moment before you disagree (Matt. 26:39, Phil. 2:5-8). The truth is that God is happy when His children are happy...He values our happiness because He values us! (Ps. 27:4, Ps. 35:27)

Once our children realize that all of God's children are important to Him, it becomes a bit easier to teach them the why's. For instance, it's easy to explain that we should not steal, because they see the value of the other person involved. "Do not pick the flowers in the park" makes more sense when the value of the other people who visit the park is understood. "Do not hit your sister" means more when it put in the context of "Do not hit God's little girl."

Our oldest daughter had a clown that she cherished when she was very small (she still has it, in fact). His name is Uh-oh. She would drop him out of her crib and I would say, "Uh-oh, you dropped your clown!" Before she could talk she had named her clown. Well, Uh-oh was very precious to her. He went everywhere she did, slept with her, ate with her...I'm sure your kids have had similar friends.

We used Uh-oh to teach her how special people are to God. We asked her how she would feel if someone were to mistreat him, or hurt him in any way. We then told her that God loves us sooooo much more than she loved her clown, that He loves everyone sooooo much more!

I can still remember how big her eyes got as I told her that just like her heart hurt when someone threw her Uh-oh around, or left him in the car all night (don't judge me, it was an accident)...just like that pain in her heart, God felt pain in His heart when His children got "pushed around", or stolen from, or called names. She began to realize that other people were of value and she began to honor that value.

Now, she didn't fully understand all of that at three years of age, but she comprehended a good amount. She didn't want to hurt God's heart by not treating His children with kindness. We used that for many, many lessons from friendships to siblings, from public property to personal belongings, from table manners to tithing. Over the years we have used the phrase "the preciousness of others" to remind her of those lessons, and to teach the other girls down the line.

The message never gets old. It is well worth repeating. And it always works. Kind of reminds me of this:

1 Cor 13:4-8
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails.NKJV

So, how do you motivate your children to act from the inside out instead of from the outside in?

Teach them that others are precious to God. Teach them to honor God by honoring His children. Allow the "preciousness of others" to become the foundation for behavior...yours and theirs.

When you give an instruction, give an example of how it fits the "preciousness of others" mold. Make it a habit to tell them why something is right or wrong. Remember that in children, actions precede beliefs, but in time, their actions will follow their beliefs. So, be sure to affect what they believe!

Before you know it, your children will begin to be motivated by a moral code, they will begin to act according to the law of God written on their hearts!

It's What's on (or from) the Inside That Counts!

I recently had the opportunity to share some parenting advice and encouragement with a friend. I didn't, however, get the chance to share one very important facet of motivating kids. And, it just so happens, that it is the facet upon which all other facets rest...the foundational facet.

So you get to slip in to our conversation and hopefully reap the rewards. I'm just all generous like that :)

Children really can't be forced to do anything. No, it's true. Just try to make a child eat broccoli, for example...can't be done.

Oh, I thought I made my girls eat broccoli before. But truly, all I did was motivate them to eat their broccoli. Had they not chosen to eat it, there would still be broccoli on those plates, my friends.

By motivate I mean any one of many tools in my Mommy Bag of Tricks. I may have used bribery (if you eat your broccoli, you may have dessert), threats (if you don't eat your broccoli you may not have dessert), repetition (I've told you fifteen times EAT YOUR BROCCOLI!), a stand-off (you are not leaving this table until you have eaten your broccoli, I don't care if you sit here until morning), consequences (if that broccoli isn't gone in five minutes you will get a spanking, and you'll get spanked every five minutes thereafter until the broccoli is eaten), reason (broccoli is good for you, don't you want to grow up big and strong?), or every mother's favorite weapon...guilt (I cooked that broccoli just for you, please eat it, for Mommy).

Come on, now...I know you have used at least some of these, if not all, and possibly at the same meal.

Don't get caught up in the food fight, it's just an example. The issue could be cleaning the room, taking out the trash, doing homework, getting along with a sibling... the list goes on and on.

My point is that motivating children is what we, as parents, are called to do. Without our encouragement, our children would never be challenged to move beyond what comes natural. Of course, what comes natural is sin, and we don't want that. Not to mention that there would be an overgrowth of broccoli on the planet!

Each of those "motivators" listed above may work in any given situation...or not. As adults, we are often motivated by those things as well...or not.

The very best motivation in life comes from within. It comes from a deep belief that our actions are good for us, good for others, morally pure, and flat out right! When we "own" a belief, we become convicted that it is truth. It is out of our convictions that we act.

Think about it. Why do you do what you do? Why do you live your life the way you live it?

Because you are convinced that it is the right way to live. If you didn't believe that, you would live some other way!

For children the cart comes before the horse often. It must. They must be required to act out of our beliefs until they form their own beliefs.

This is why we need to be diligent to teach our cildren the why of the what and the how. Why do we need to eat broccoli? Why do we need to clean our rooms? Why should we be faithful to commitments?

Make teaching the why a priority and you will do less of the other kinds of motivating. And I can promise you that being a moral reason why parent will be much more effective (and affective)than being a threatening, repeating, bribing parent!

Deut 6:6-7 And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise upNKJV

It's Works for me Wednesday at Rocks in my Dryer. Today is what doesn't work for me. Being that threatening, repeating, bribing parent does NOT work for me! I'm committing myself to get back to doing more of the moral motivation, and to become the encouraging, heart motivating parent that God has called me to be!!

Tea Cups, Mirrors, and a Snoodle or Two.

We had a great weekend. Though, for us, the weekend is our busiest time of the week. We usually have something going on Saturday. And Sunday...well, I'm sure we're missing something in the Sabbath/day of rest thing!

This Saturday our church had a Ladies' Tea Party. It was absolutely lovely!! I'd love to show you pictures but, of course, I forgot my camera! And what a shame that is because RedDaddy was a server, and he was soooo cute! I told one of the ladies at my table that I was going to ask "that server if I can take him home with me." She said, "I think he's married." She then told RedDaddy what I had said, and he responded, "I'd love to go home with her!" I told him later that for a married man, he didn't put up much resistance!!

Okay, you're probably making the same faces my girls were making. So, back to the tea party...

The theme of the party was "Reflections". Our Pastor's wife did an incredible job of putting it all together!! The sanctuary was just beautiful, the food was glorious, and all the ladies were so lovely!

The best part of the day, however, was the Word from the Lord. Our denomination's District Women's Ministry Director (I kind of made up that title because I can't remember exactly what it was...call it creative licence) spoke a precious message. She had such a sweet spirit! She seemed to speak right to my heart about getting a vision of who God created me to be, instead of seeing merely what I see in the mirror. I heard her tell me to quit looking at my mistakes, faults, shortcomings, and to begin to see myself through the eyes of God's vision for my life.

I've been sharing with you all how this is my current struggle. I want so desperately to fulfill God's plan for my life; I am just not sure exactly what that looks like! I must confess that I do tend to look at my life with natural eyes instead of supernatural eyes.

Yesterday, I began to believe that the hopes and dreams in my heart might just be from God Himself...they may just be what He wants me to accomplish with my life. AND if those things were put in my heart by God, then He just might come on the scene and cause those things to come to pass in spite of ME!!

We came home after the tea party and decided to have some quiet time, so we put on a Veggie Tales video for the little girls. Which one did they choose? A Snoodle's Tale. If you have not seen this one, just go out right now and buy it! It is a fantastic message for your children! Oh, yeah, and for yourself.

It tells the story of a little creature who doesn't think he is worth much because everything he tries to do seems to end in failure (does that sound familiar to you, or just to me?). Every time the Snoodle tries to use the tools in his backpack someone makes fun of his attempt. He ends up with a pack full of pictures drawn by others to remind him of how they see him. The little Snoodle decides to run away and ends up finding his Creator (Hmmm...). His Creator takes all those pictures and throws them in the fire! He then gives the little Snoodle a picture of how the Creator sees him...in it he is big and courageous and can not only fly, but soar!!

Oh, how I cried! God was speaking to me so plainly. He gave me the same message two times in the same day. He wants me (AND YOU) to know that what others see, and even what we see in our natural mirrors, is not the true picture. It may have an element of truth (as every lie does), but only God sees the complete picture of our value! He knows what he has planted in us, and He know how best to cultivate those seeds.

The true mirror is the Word of God. His word gives us the picture of how He sees us. And looking intently into it (James 1:25) actually transforms us into its image! WOW!! This was the theme verse from our tea party:

2 Cor 3:18And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more. NLT

I got up this morning ready to write this post and look at what Big Mama shared today!

Yep, I'd say God's trying to tell me something...how about you?

The Real ADD

Now, hear me. I do NOT want to get nasty comments or email because someone doesn't read the entirety of my thoughts...kay?

Cynthia Tobias wrote a great book The Way They Learn. In it she wrote, "They can't all be ADD!"

I totally agree. Or maybe not.

I'm not going to google ADD to get all the statistics on it (this is a BLOG, not a news article), but suffice to say that LOTS and LOTS of kids have been labeled ADD or ADHD in the past several years. LOTS of kids!

There was a time when I thought it was garbage. It annoyed me no end that doctors were medicating children who, during my tenure in school, would have been disciplined and required to sit still and pay attention, I felt that what these kids needed was a good spanking rather than another pill! It seemed to me that misbehaved kids, bored kids, and kids with true physical and emotional needs (and there are kids with real needs) were all lumped together in one big Ritalin-poppin' pile.

I'm still pretty sure that is the case, however I am now seeing a different facet to the scenario.

In the past two years I have been given a closer look at mental illness, depression, etc. The past few weeks have culminated in a confirmation in my heart of truth. Here it is:
ONLY God can truly heal a heart , a mind, a body, and a spirit!

His way are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts! He is the Creator of bodies, minds, emotions. He alone know the depths of the human soul.

In His infinite love for us, He has given us an instruction manual for our human souls. His Word gives us direction for how to go through this journey called life. He has given us the answer to every question, the healing for every hurt, and the method for receiving those things.

1 Cor 2:9-10
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Doing things God's way brings God's ways. Sounds simple, doesn't it? It is simple...not easy, but simple.

Walking in love, forgiveness, honesty, choosing to think on good things, forgetting what is past...all of these things are part of God's way. They produce God's kind of life. Doing the opposite brings the opposite. It's called the Law of Sowing and Reaping and it is as faithful to work as the Law of Gravity.

Back to ADD. God has given us a standard, if you will, for parenting. He has a way, and He has some thoughts on parenting. Here's a sample:

Deut 6:5-7
5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up

Teaching God's commands to our children...diligently...when we are at home, when we are going about life, when we go to bed and when we get up isn't easy. It requires much time. It requires patience, discipline (of ourselves before our children), tenderness, mercy, justice, and prayer...MUCH prayer!

It requires our ATTENTION!

What's the real ADD? The real Attention Deficit is with us as parents. Our children are not deficient in paying attention, they are deficient in receiving attention.

We are deficient in paying attention!

I know that when my kids are displaying signs of ADD (and they do each, at different times, show the classic symptoms of the disorder), 9 times out of 10, I have been deficient in giving them proper attention.

Do you know what this causes? Disorder.

I've got to go now, my kids need my attention :)

Under Attack or Taking Defensive Fire?

"Our finances are under attack!"

"The devil's attacking me!"

"Our family is being attacked!"


Sound familiar? Have you ever uttered those words? Recently?

Chin up! You're not alone. Actually, you are in good company. All through history, beginning in the Bible, men and women of God have not been satan's favorite people.

I'm sure you have noticed that we are at war. "We" being the Body of Christ, and the "war" being a spiritual one. If you have read your Bible at all, you know we are called to fight in this war. (2 Timothy 2:3-4) Let me explain why.

Adam was the king of the world when God created him (Gen. 1:26). Adam gave his dominion over to satan and he then became the king (or god) of this world (2 Cor. 4:4). But then came Jesus! He overturned satan's rule and returned dominion to mankind (Col. 2:15)! But...I hate it when there's a "but"...we must enforce our kingdom (Matt. 11:12 and Luke 19:13).

However, there is good news...LOTS of good news!! In fact here's some:

John 16:33
These things I [Jesus] have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

1 John 4:4
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

1 John 5:4-5
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

I told you there was good news. You are a world overcomer! And you know who the god of this world is, don't you? Yep, satan (aka: the devil). We could call him the king of the world's kingdom. When a kingdom is overtaken, what happens to the king? He gets overtaken, too!! Somebody better shout Hallelujah!

This war is actually about taking back what belongs to us in the first place! Our peace, our health, our financial well being, the health of our family, our freedom from bondage of any kind...it's all part of our Kingdom. It belongs to us, and we must defend it.

Often when our kingdom is out of order we blame it on an attack. And sometimes that is accurate. However, more often than not, we have been lazy about enforcing our kingdom dominion.

Gal 6:9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Now, there are times when we are not being lazy and we find ourselves in a battle of epic proportions. Times when it seems that every, single area of our life is "under attack", and no matter how hard we press in to the things of God, we do not seem to be able to find relief!

Is that where you are right now? 'Cause that's where we are right now as a family. Remember this? Well, I've got good news for all of us! I do so love good news, don't you?

Those "fiery darts of the devil" (Eph. 6:16) are coming at us not because the devil is attacking, but because we are advancing! Glory to God!! We are crossing the demilitarized zone of status quo complacency and entering the enemy's camp. We've got him on the run, and he no likey! Ha!

I've learned that just living my life with conviction sets satan on edge. He doesn't want me teach my children how to pray; he does not want me to live a life of service to others; he doesn't want me to give generously; he doesn't want me to submit to my husband. But he will generally only take random potshots at me...I think he has figured out that I'm committed to the standard I now live. But let me start to make NEW convictions, or step into a NEW level of consecration, or begin a NEW line of ministry...oh boy! See, then I'm taking new ground, ground that he does not want to give up, and it ticks him off. So, he starts shooting at me. Remember those fiery darts?

Eph 6:16
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

How many darts will we be able to quench? ALL of them!!

Be encouraged today! If you are under heavy fire, ask yourself , "Why?". Have you been weary in well doing, or are you taking NEW ground in your life? In either case, the answer is the same.

Look at this peice of good news:

James 4:7-10
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.