Heavy Thoughts... or not

I don't know about you ladies, but life seems like it will never settle down. It seems like we are always on the go, with one thing after another happening and always there is something looming over the horizon, just ready to add to the mix, or mix up the momentary calm that we may be enjoying. How easy it is to say to myself "after we finish... we'll ... " (fill in the blanks for yourself). Perhaps it's just because I'm a woman, but it seems like I'm constantly planning things and processing information. Does "chicken with her head cut off" sound familiar?

So I am purposing to remind myself that this is all temporary. For example: the current "crisis" is getting our new house ready for us to move in by January 30th. Here's how this "reminding" sounds in my head. I am busily thinking, planning, coordinating EVERY potential project, hurdle and solution in my mind but then I stop. I think to myself, "Jesus could return tonight." Wow. Then I purposely stew on that for awhile. "If Jesus were to return tonight, I would get to see Him face to face. He would have a place for me prepared in Heaven and all of the planning, preparations, etc. here on earth (on my part) would now be at an end. He would take me, Ryan, my boys, my mom and all of us believers to be with Him. We would be with Jesus. That is VERY GOOD." Thinking on this calms me. It helps me to realize that I am given only today... right now, this moment.

I carry the weight of "my world" on my shoulders (or so it feels sometimes) but Jesus hasn't given me that load. It is a load that I fabricate in my own mind and chose to enslave myself to. Jesus has given me today to worship Him and to live by faith in Him. Jesus said that His burden is not heavy but rather His load is lite. What a relief to remember that because Jesus is my Lord, I am free from the heavy burden of sin, from the cares of this world/age, and free to live in the joy of loving Jesus and loving others for Jesus' sake. And when I start to pick up that load of care that I had previously laid at Jesus' feet, I am reminded to "cast all my cares upon Him for He cares for me..." Today is a gift from God given to show others how wonderful Jesus is. I can but pray that I will use the time radiantly... for His glory!

Adpoted!

C.J. Mahaney recently did an awesome 9 post blog series on Adoption. I HIGHLY recommend going to the links below and checking them out. We have amazing benefits as children of God that, unfortunately, we rarely utilize to their full extent. This series is an excellent reminder of our status as adopted sons and daughters of the Lord.

Adopted!

One Couple's Adoption Story

Enchanting Legalism

The Basis of Adoption

Justified or Adopted - Which is Greater?

Clashing Voices

Excessive Grace

The Greatest Sorrow

Certainty

Witty Wednesday

I found this over at the Fail blog and it made me laugh. I hope it does for you too! Happy Wednesday!

Aroma Therapy

Hello Ladies. I asked Kendal Barierre to write what she believes an attractive home should look like, and how she goes about cultivating a home that is the kind you want to be in. Thank you Kendal!

My desire for my home is that my husband and my children would to be able to come home and feel loved and comforted.

In order for my home to be an attractive home, there are at least three things that need to be done/considered.

First, my home needs to be clean. My husband likes the home to be neat and tidy and smelling good when he comes home from work. When it’s not, I can tell that it is not welcoming, and it just creates more stress than needed.

Second, my home needs to have love abounding within it. I need to tell and show my husband I love him. I need to love my child by caring for him and hugging him, and soon enough, disciplining him. But first, in order to effectively love them, I need to be in God’s word to know what love is. God is love. So I need to know God in order to love others.

Third, my home needs to be filled with Godliness. Our conversations need to be constantly considering God’s word. We need to be building up our faith, and home is where that needs to start. I am commanded to teach my children at home, and everywhere. My words and actions need to be reflective of Christ.

Once I have these above things considered, my home will be attractive not only to the people that reside there, but to family, friends, and neighbors as well. They will see that this home has organization and is not filled with chaos. Our home will be comfortable and encouraging for all that come in it.

By faith we see the hand of God
In the light of creation's grand design
In the lives of those who prove His faithfulness
Who walk by faith and not by sight

By faith our fathers roamed the earth
With the power of His promise in their hearts
Of a holy city built by God's own hand
A place where peace and justice reign

We will stand as children of the promise
We will fix our eyes on Him, our soul's reward
Till the race is finished and the work is done
We'll walk by faith and not by sight

By faith the prophets saw a day
When the longed for Messiah would appear
With the power to break the chains of sin and death
And rise triumphant from the grave

By faith the church was called to go
In the power of the Spirit to the lost
To deliver captives and to preach good news
In every corner of the earth

By faith this mountain shall be moved
And the power of the gospel shall prevail
For we know in Christ all things are possible
For all who call upon His name

Amen. AMEN! I envy (in a non-sinful way!) the poetic gifts of the Gettys and Stuart Townsend. There are times when my heart seems full to burst and the only outlet I can think of is a song. And the verses I compose are sad, pitiful things next to songs like these.

As Christians, we have a rich history as our forefathers lived out logic defying faith in God. We are truly children of the promise and our lives should be lived in such a way that, if the promises were to fail, we would be viewed as ones to be pitied. We should "fix our eyes on Him, our soul's reward" and press towards the goal that is eternity with God.

I have only lived for 23 years but those 23 years have taught me that there is nothing in this world worth living for. Everything is saturated with sin, layers after layers of sin. Around each bend there is something new waiting to hurt and disappoint. Without the knowledge of God and His Gospel, I can honestly say that I would probably not be alive today. I've often marveled at how unbelievers manage to get out of bed in the morning...for without my Savior I wouldn't bother. There would simply be no point.

Sisters, we are children of an ancient promise, renewed every day. We have a hope that most do not, and yet so often we live as we don't. Our mouths declare our faith in God while our actions and thoughts and heart attitudes declare our skepticism. We believe that He is our soul's reward and yet we need so much more to keep us happy now. We speak of living a life of faith rather than sight but then make grandiose plans for our lives and crumble when something goes 'wrong.'

Lord, you are my soul's reward, all that is necessary for my happiness. I confess multitudes of times when I despaired, when You saw fit to take something from me for my good and your glory, and I couldn't see how it would work out. I confess the times that I went searching for joy apart from You and Your being. I love you more than all else and I truly do not know how to exist apart from you. Keep me ever before the cross, Father. Bring me to my knees before your throne whenever I try to take control of my life. What a futile effort, to take control from you! Grow my knowledge of you, Father, until your presence is so big in my life that You fill every corner of my vision, 'til no matter where I turn, there you are. Come back soon, Lord Jesus, for I am weak. I long for the day when I can exist in your strength free from the blinders of sin. Come back soon. I love you.

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12"1-2