Legacy

     I know I have gone a week without a blog.  Sorry, but I am here now.  :-)  Last week would have been my mother and father-in-laws' anniversary.  My father in law died in 2007.  Their anniversary day got me thinking about legacy.  Even though my mother in law is still with us, I feel like I can talk about some of the legacy that she and her fabulous husband left to the world.  Their legacy to their children was demonstrating a God centered marriage.  I am sure they, like all of us, had their off days.  But they always showed one another love and respect.  My husband and I lived with them for six months and they were some of the most fun six months ever.  We played cards with his parents multiple nights a week.  I loved watching my in laws interact.  Sometimes my father in law would get this gleam in his eye.  We would know that he was about to do something that would make my mother in law laugh or something that she would joking tell him he shouldn't do.  They had one of the best marriages I have ever seen in my life.  I am so glad that not only did I know them, but I am in their family.
     They have left a legacy of good marriage to their kids.  Because when their kids were growing us they saw what an awesome marriage looked like, they are more easily able to walk that out in their own lives.  I am blessed that I married one of their sons.  Because we can walk in a Godly marriage, I pray that our kids will be able to too and so on through the generations.  So the legacy from my father and mother in law will touch generations that are not even born yet.  People that they will never meet this side of Heaven will be positively impacted by them.
     They also showed what it was to love your kids.  This too will, I pray, be passed from generation to generation.  My kids get to know the love of the Grandpa they will never meet here on Earth through the love of their Daddy.  I am so excited I am able to already see some of the legacy from my father and mother in law.  What about you?  What is your legacy?  Our legacies are what is left behind after all the material stuff we had is gone.  Looking at your life now, will your great great grand kids be glad that you were who you were?  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Balance

     If you have been following my blog for a while, you may have noticed that in the last few weeks I have not been blogging everyday.  I have been learning more about blogging the last few months.  What I have discovers is many bloggers do not blog everyday.  I think one of the reasons is so people who are reading the blog, don't feel like they are behind if they miss a few days of reading.  So, I have been keeping a few days in between blogs.  I don't know if it's a good idea or not, but I am trying it.  So I will still be blogging regularly, at least three times a week, I will not be necessary blogging everyday.  I might blog for a few days in a row...or not.
      So, on to life.  I have been trying to spend some days at the house with my kids not having anything to do except be at home.  I realized a few weeks ago that almost everyday for the last nine months, the kids and I have been out of the house for part of the day.  A lot of that was going to the gym.  I am still going to the gym, just not almost everyday.  Balance. 
     I have been thinking about how the way that you spend your time tells people about you.  I want people to know that I want to be healthy and that working out is important to me.  But I want my kids to know that there are times I just want to be with them.  We don't have to do anything else, but be together.  So I am making some more margin in my life.  I want to continue to look at what I am doing with my time and ask what it is saying about me and my priorities.  What about you?  Would people know what you would SAY is important to you by looking at how you spend your time?  Thanks for reading. 

The Sweatshirt on the Floor

     At the retreat, the Saturday morning session was about Fear.  One of the Bible readings was when the men dug through the roof so their friend could be healed.  Can you imagine being there and watching a man being lowered through a roof?  That takes commitment.  Our speaker said, "We don't have to act like we have it all together.  When we act like we have it all together, we miss the healing."  If that guy or his friends had acted like the guy was alright, they wouldn't have taken him to Jesus to be healed. 
     It sounds so easy doesn't it?  Just be honest.  We all know that no one has it together, but it is so hard to really put yourself out there.  To really say, "Yep, I have had a rough day."  Or "I made a horrible choice."  Or "I have absolutely no clue what I am really doing in this situation."  The joy comes though, when we can say that to each other.  When we can really be our true selves to those around us.  But we don't open up.  Why?  Because we are afraid.  Fear has us.  We are afraid of what people think.  Or of ruining the image we have going. 
     The speaker talked about how the enemy wants us to be comfortable with fear- to be used to it, not notice it hanging around.  She compared fear to a sweatshirt that is laying on the floor.  You walk by it the first time and think, "Someone should pick that up."  And then you walk right past it.  (Which made us all crack up.)  Don't we do that do?  Walk by the sweatshirt once, twice, three times...an hour.  And we keep thinking that some one should do something about it.  By the third day, you stop thinking about how someone should do something and now the sweatshirt is just part of the floor.  :-)  How many things in life do we do this with?  I know that I do it with things around the house.  (When I got home from the retreat, I went around picking up a lot of things that had just started blending into the landscape.) 
     But, I know that I can do it with fear too.  I get so used to thinking that I can't do something, I stop trying.  I don't want to do that.  I don't want to "trade abundant life for a mundane one" as the speaker said.  I want to be all that God wants me to be, not just what I think I can be.  I want to be ready for God's best for me.  One of my favorite verses right now is Ephesians 3:20, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..."  God can do IMMEASURABLY MORE then WE can ASK or IMAGINE.  Isn't that great?!?!
     When that fear comes back, I want to tell it to go away.  I want to have the abundant life that God has for me.  Is there anywhere that fear has become part of the landscape of your life?  Are you walking in the abundant life that God has for you in every area of your life?  What can you do to team up with God to grab a hold of all He has for you?  Thanks for reading.  :-)

I've had it!

     I am taking a little break from the retreat sessions.  We will return, but I wanted to blog about something else, so I am.  :-)  On Tuesday night, as I was sitting eating chocolate chips, raisins, and teddy grahams, I realized I am eating this and I am not even hungry.  In the last week or so, I have eaten 2 1/2 bags of chips, a TON of cookies and cookie dough, just junk.  Some of the stuff I don't even really like that much, I just keep eating it.  I don't know what happened.  I did great with food while I was visiting my family.  Most of the time, I gain 5-10 pounds when I am visiting there.  This time, I was up like 1.5 pounds (some of which was water weight from flying) and I lost that in a few days.
     But, once I got home, I went nuts.  I do not know what all was going on; well, I think there were lots of things.  I was glad to be home.  Traveling had been stressful and I didn't want to have to think about my food once I got home.  The problem, though, is my "not thinking about it" means just eating all the junk I want.  Why do I do that?  It seems silly to me as I sit and eat stuff I know is going to make me feel yucky and bloated in 30 minutes and still hungry, that I keep eating it.  After doing that for almost two weeks, I was just feeling not great.  And I have gained over 6 pounds in the last two weeks. 
    My husband and I watched a movie and one of the people said that when we are trying to eat healthy, "We need to stop thinking, I WANT that but CAN'T have it.  And start thinking, I CAN have that, but I DON'T want it."  Wow...that seems so easy.  I was trying to do that, the problem is I do want a bunch of chocolate.  But what I realized Tuesday was that, yes, I do want to eat it, but I HATE how eating everything that I WANT makes me feel so bad.  So, Wednesday, I actually stopped eating the junk.  It has been a good few days.  I am feeling better.  I wish that it would keep being as easy- trying to remember how yucky I felt will help me I think.  I know that it usually does get harder, but I just want to remember that I don't want to feel gross.  How about you?  Is there a part of your life that you keep doing something that you know is silly?  What step(s) can you take today to change that just a little?  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Faith Walk: Station Five

     As we walk to the final station of our faith walk from the retreat speaker, we share about a time we felt alone.  The feelings that come up are so real, so raw. Then the group gets to the gazebo.

                                 I AM Here

Consider: God chose you before the beginning of time, relentlessly pursues you, calls you and woos you.  He promises to never leave you.  He is with you when life is great and on your darkest days. 

 Psalm 139:1-18 “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.  You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.  Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.  If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you.”

 

Challenge: Take turns slowly spinning in a circle.  As you spin, pause and read each sign.  I AM Here!

Reflect: Pause for a moment of silence and acknowledge God’s presence.

 

 

 

     When we felt alone, we weren't.  He was really there.  Even if it didn't seem like it.  Even if we didn't see where He was, He was there. 

     Which of the stations has been the best for you?  Why?  Which was the hardest?  I hope that these last five days have impacted you.  If you would like to share any stories, please feel free.  :-)  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Faith Walk: Station Four

     As we leave the beach and the fire, we walk back the way we came along the shore.  As we walk, we talk about, "Is it easy or hard for you to receive help from others?"  We continue walking until a HUGE tire swing comes into view.  The following is the section of the faith walk written by the retreat speaker.

                    You are part of God’s Family

 

Consider: The moment we believe and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become part of God’s family, His body in Christ.  We were created to be totally dependent upon God and one another.  We were never meant to do life alone, but in unity together. 

 

Ephesians 4:11-13, 15-16 “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ… speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

 

Romans 12:3-8,10, 13, 15,18 “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others (mutually dependent on one another). We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully…Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves…Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality…Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn…If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

 

Challenge: Push 2 ladies on the swing.  Each person has to participate and can only do 1 part.  (Example - 2 on swing, 2 lift and help down, 2 hold flashlights, 2 push, etc.). 

 

Reflect: Whether you realize it or not, God has surrounded you with women to encourage and help you and women you are to encourage and help in this journey of life and faith.  Take a moment to think through your answers to the following two questions: What area in life do you need help?  Are you willing to invest in relationship and help someone else?



     I love this!!!  We are not meant to be alone.  We are meant to be surrounded by community, by those who love us.  We are designed to grow closer and closer to each other.  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Faith Walk: Station Three

     We are leaving the sound of rushing water behind us.  We are walking on a gravel road toward a dirt path along the lake.  The sound of the lake over the shore is peaceful.  On the way there we talk about "What stops you from fully receiving God's love?"  (The following material is from the retreat speaker, not me.)

                               You are Loved by Jesus

Consider: Close your eyes and picture a man – perfect, tender, strong and head over heels in love with you.  He delights in all of you – He’s not appalled by anything you’ve done or will do, or scared of your deepest longings, in fact, He is able and longs to satisfy all your needs.  He’s the lover of your soul, captivated by your beauty.  He watches over you while you sleep, never leaving nor betraying you.  He defends and fights for you.  His sole desire is to be with you now and forever.  This perfect man, your beloved, is Jesus.  Is He enough for you?

 

Song of Songs 2:10, 7:10 “My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me…I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me.”

 

Romans 8:35, 37-39 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

Hebrews 13:5 ^“[God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]”

 

Challenge: Sing Jesus Loves Me, Father I adore You, I love you Lord.  Before leaving, put a log in the fire for the next group.

 

Reflect: Take a silent moment to receive God’s lavish love for you.    

 

 

 

    

 

     His love from us is perfect.  He will not let us down.  He knows what we need.  Ask Him to show you more and more of His love for you.  Thanks for reading.  :-)