A Plethora of Emotions

This sums up my weekend.  Lots of emotions...........

Saddened- Everytime I turn on the TV or pull up the internet I am so saddened by the  devastation of Japan.  My Sunday School class (all women) specifically prayed for the Japanese women who lost children, husbands, parents in a way I cannot comprehend.  We prayed that the God of all comfort would reveal Himself to them, would draw them to Himself.

Loved- Wayne took me to Carrabas then shopping for new running clothes as a early birthday celebration.  The girls went with us.  It was one of those family times that is rare and will be even more so in the next few months.

Worried- I am running my first half marathon next Sunday. I hope I can finish it. I felt very nauseous last time I ran 10 miles, and that's three less than the half.  I got nauseated when I ran today (of course I had just eaten) so I kept thinking , "there is no way I can do this next weekend" How's that for postive thinking?

Hopeful- Andy preached such an awesome message this morning. He's been going through Jude and today he encouraged us to stay in the fight.  God uses ordinary people to build His kingdom.  God really spoke to me through his message, and a conversation with a friend that when we are a "nobody" that's when He does His best work through us....to display his glory.

Happy- I talked to Jamie, one of my sweet, sweet friends that I never seem to find time to talk with.  She is a busy working mom like me, so she gets that it may be a while in between our convesation, but we can pick right up where we left off.  I hugged her so hard this morning and heard all about what God is doing in her life and every time I thought back to that sweet conversation today it made me smile.

Peaceful- I had a picnic lunch on perhaps the most beautiful day of the entire year.  We had chicken salad sandwiches (made from the SCA grilled chicken) and sat in the sunshine.  We ate and talked with friends, enjoyed their little boys running around, and mostly just soaked up the goodness of God to bless us with a gorgeous day.

All in all, a very good weekend. 

A baptist girl's take on Lent

I was raised as strict a baptist girl as you can get.  Lent was something that I vaguely knew happened in the Catholic church. It involved mysterious ashes, and I'm quite sure that there was some sort of whispered explanation about "Oh that's something for catholics, we don't do that."

So when my coworker, who is a nondenominational girl that is crazy about Jesus, asked me what I was giving up for Lent, I gave her a blank look and said, "Uh, I'm not catholic, I'm baptist." Then we both laughed and I thought, "Far be it from a baptist to give up anything, much less say no to food in any shape or form."

My inquisitive mind would not let it go, I began to research. Where did Lent come from?  Is there some doctrinal issue that would make it wrong for me to observe Lent?  Why would I want to give up something for 40 days?  Does it bring you closer to God to fast from something in your life?

I found some interesting things about Lent.  It is recognition and celebration of the crucifixtion and resurrection of Jesus.   Noel Piper, from Desiring God gives this great description of Ash Wednesday, and Lent.  Please go here to read it.

So, I decided that this baptist girl would see what happens when I purposefully lay aside something that would require a bit of a sacrifice on my part, so that I could have a daily reminder of the sacrifice that God gave me in His Son, Jesus. Oh, there's no comparison, but yet, there is a  daily reminder of the forty days Jesus spent battling Satan and sharing deep fellowship with the Father in the desert.  There is a somber reminder of the cost of disobedience as the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness.

By marking the forty days until I celebrate His life giving resurrection, I stop and think about His great sacrifice. By disciplining myself, I refocus on Christ.  By allowing myself to stop and ponder,"Why did Christ have to die?" I find the answer is worth pondering.

He became sin

Who knew no sin

That we might become

His righteousness.

I'm a tad excited.....

A Great American Hero

*picture from Ashley Mangus' Facebook*

Tonight we celebrate a great American hero, CPT. Geoff Mangus.  As I listened to these snippets of tonight, I realized that my friend, Geoff, is much more than a friend, a father, a husband, a cancer survivor.  He is a great American hero.  I thank you Geoff for your sacrifices, some which I will never fully know.   Here are things I heard and saw tonight as I celebrated his retirement with him, his friends and family:

"Always do right......"

"First to fight for the right"

"Integrity"

6th fold: our hearts with which we pledge allegience

Valorous Unit Citation

Red stripes, for soldiers blood

"So thankful for my wife, Ashley"

stars: in God we trust

Colossians 3:23

"Friends...through thick and thin"

12th fold of the flag: for the Father, Son and Holy Ghost

Operation Iraqi Freedom III

A little girl, dressed in red, bows in her hair, hugs her Daddy tight

"....best friend I could ever have."

Duty, Honor, Country

"Thank you Capt. Mangus"

and I echo that, "Thank you Capt. Mangus."



Best reads in 2011

We are almost through the first three months of 2011, and I have read some incredible books.

Hollie introduced me to this wonderful book. I have read it once, now I am going through the second time and letting it really soak down into my bones.  This book is about a woman's journey in finding God's gifts to us in our everyday life.  She explains that the life of joy, is a life of gratitude.  This is a MUST READ!

 I put off reading this book for a while. Not sure if I wanted to join the "sell everything you've got and give to the poor" bandwagon. After all, I really like my stuff.  Much more than that, this book puts a mirror in the face of the average American believer and asks , "What does your faith look like?"  It casues the reader to question the priorities in their life, to answer the question of, "exactly how much Jesus do you want?"  Wayne is doing a small group study with some guys in our church right now through this book.

John Piper is one of my favorite authors.  My friend Andy Hall intriduced me to Piper and I have been hooked ever since. Piper is a writer who demands you to think and meditate over his writings.  While this is no easy read, it is very enriching.  "Think" shows how reading and studying God's Word is connected to the way we process and think.  In a more practical way, he teaches the reader to engage his brain and actively process the Bible. 

So, what are you reading?

He speaks into us:

It never ceases to amaze me that God would speak into our lives.  Here is what He said, just this morning to some of my friends:


Ps. 28- do not be nice to people then talk about them behind their back.

Mercy, peace, love.....thanks Jude for the reminder.

Get up, (insert her name :))!!! ....oh and...that my prayers should always rooted in thanksgiving. Because I have him, in all things I can find rejoicing. I Thess.

IRONICALLY....as if I haven't heard enough (but he knows I'm hard headed) that I need to give Him out of sacrifice, not from my abundance....hence, Him 1st, other "stuff" after him. God is just amazing when He pounds in a point!

It seems that the thing God is drilling me about is the overall theme of what the devotion I'm reading said this morning, "Lovest thou me?" John 21:17 (Jesus talking to Peter) do I truly love Jesus, am I even His friend? Because if I truly loved Him I would keep His commands....I don't know and the thing is everything I'm looking at is pointing me back to this.  Ephesus, the loveless church, our SS and church services yesterday, and our next chapter in  Crazy Love is about....love.

Ps. 48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide unto death. Nice to remember who I can count on.

Hey I was reading in Job and he reminded me no matter what trials come he is still there.

The path God has chosen for us is uniquely our own.  We are not to compare it to anyone else's.  The lessons of trust we learn on this path are often wrapped in difficulties...but they are opportunities to grow...to trust Him more. Oh how He is teaching me this!

Reading in Mark this morning:  My love for god should make all other relationships, husband, children look like hate when compared to my love for Him. Wow! That is alot of love...I am so far from that, but that is where I want to be! God teach me to love you more than anything.

God showed me that by knowing Him I have the greatest possession I could have. Nothing compares to the greatness of knowing Jesus. Philippians 3:8

Psalms 48

Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised

In the the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness

Beautiful for situation

The joy of the whole earth,

Tis Mt. Zion on the sides of the north

The city of our great King!