ADORE:

(5 minute Friday)

Adore: honor - exalt- worship

The first thing that came to mind was a song I sang as a kid. I used to go outside on a warm summer night and look at the cloudless sky. I would be so overcome by the beauty of the stars in the black sky and the vast number of them. I would sing this song as a praise to my God.

Father, I adore You

Lay my life before You

How I love You

Spirit, I adore You

Lay my life before You

How I love You

Jesus, I adore You

Lay my life before You

How I love You

I think it is not an easy thing to truly adore God 

Not without visual help

When I see the depths of the ocean

When I see the majesty of the mountains

When I see the beauty of nature 

I am awe struck by what His hands have made

I automatically cry out in praise and adoration.

But when I see the storm

When the giants are all around me

When I start to give way to fear

My first thought isn't 'Father I adore You'

When unexpected blessings come

When someone sick is healed or made well

When I witness a miracle

I am quick to say 'Jesus, I adore You'

When I think of life itself

Sacrifice

Surrender

Pain 

Sorrow

even in all this I should be able to say 'Spirit I adore You'

It is because my vision is cloudy, that I do not see my God clearly in the everyday. My adoration is conditional. It is based on sight, emotion, and circumstances, not faith. I need to adore my King and my God because of who He is, and because He alone is worthy of all praise and worship. He deserves to be adored.

"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is Your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things." 1 Chronicles 29:11 (NLT)

Prepare:

(5 minute Friday)

This December my thoughts have been less focused on the season.
I feel a stirring in my soul.
All that is happening in the world around me, and the uncertainty of what 2015 will hold..
I want to use this last month of the year...
to prepare
I want to take time to catch up on my journals
to go through our "Blessings Jar" that is full of recorded blessings
to remember what God has done this last year
and in my mind.. prepare
I want to have my heart ready and full of memories to hold onto
Full of answered prayers to Praise God for
Full of goals accomplished and laughter shared
and in my heart... prepare
I want to take time to see what worked for my family
And, more importantly, what didn't.
What can we learn from those times that were hard?
I have no idea what next year will bring.
I need to prepare.
Year by year passes and then the start of a new one comes.
New goals, new ideas but very little time to reflect
I must prepare.
I want to start a new tradition in my family.
A tradition to cherish December as a time to ponder, a time to get my heart and mind ready for next year.
A time to prepare

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17
"If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to Him in prayer!" Job 11:13

Notice:

5 Minute Friday:

Open your eyes and notice
Open your heart and see
Notice the small things and whisper a prayer

Notice the mom with her hands full
Basket overflowing
Notice the kids making a fuss
But don't shake your head
Take time to whisper a prayer
For peace to fill her soul

Notice the man moving slowly
The wrinkle in his brow
As he tries to read the signs
Notice his confusion and doubt
But don't shake your fist
Whisper a prayer for a clear mind

Notice the birds in the trees
Singing their song of life
Notice their nest and the work that it took
But don't just see and walk on
Whisper a prayer of thanks
For ears to hear and eyes to see

Notice the sun as its rises
Notice the colors of the changing sky
Notice the sun as it sets
And brings on the night
Then whisper a prayer to say thank you.
Thank You God for another day of life

Notice the people around you
Notice those whom you love
A day brings many good and hard things
Take time to really notice them
Don't take them for granted
Whisper a prayer of help
So you will never forget to notice them
So you will have no regrets when they are gone

TEACH: Day 11

[Challenge: 5 minutes daily in October]

Teach

Teach me.. great Teacher
Teach me what matters most
Teach me to embrace truth
Teach me to identify the lie
Teach me to hold on to what is important
Teach me to let go of what is not good
Teach me to know the difference
Teach me what love is
Teach me how to do life so it matters
Teach me what I do not understand
    ...but think I do
Teach me the faith of a child,
   dependence and trust in You
Teach me the precious gift of a breath
Teach me the value of a moment
Teach met the joy of life
Teach me in the midst of the sorrows of life
I want to learn from You
The Almighty One who had no teacher
because
there was no need to be taught
You are wisdom, Creator, God
Teach me who You are.

"Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in You." Psalm 25:4-5

CARE: Day 10

{Challenge: 5 minutes daily in October}

Care

take care my child
where you walk
the path you choose to follow
it may seem fine
it may seem fun
but do you know what lies beyond
take care

take care my child
the words you say
may seem necessary
or easily forgotten
but words cans sting
and leave a mark
that never goes away
take care

take care my child
the friends you choose
can give and they can take
make friends
but do not think
it doesn't matter
they will impact your life
take care

take care my child
of dreams and goals
spread your wings be free
but do not use them
at the expense of others
to harm and hurt
is not worthy of who you are
take care

take care my child
of your time
it doesn't last you know
each moment is precious
each moment can be treasured
each moment can be wasted
take care

"But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over. My child, pay attention to what I say, listen carefully to my words. Don't lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart." Proverbs 4:19-21

JOIN: Day 9

[Challenge: 5 minutes daily in October]

Join
Join hands in prayer
through out our land
and cry out to God Almighty

Join hearts and minds
while we can
and pray for courage

When news is bleak
when answers we seek
join hands and hearts
in prayer

Take courage friend
in this hour
do not let confusion reign

Trust in God
who know and sees
join hearts and minds
in prayer

When days seem dark
trust in the light
for in His light we have hope
we must join together
lift up hearts of prayer
to calm us in our need

Do not fear
He is near
when we join hearts and minds
in prayer

"Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my plea! Answer me because You are faithful and righteous." Psalm 143:1

SAY: Day 8 (5 minutes daily in October)

What do I say with my words?
Do I choose them wisely?
Do I say things that encourage, build up, and give hope
When I'm not paying attention to my words
I can say a whole lot of hurt

Does what I say show my faith in God?
Does what I say cause other's to fear

What do I say with out my words
My eyes, my facial expressions
they can say much more to someone
than the words leaving my mouth

I want to say "your important to me"
I want to say "you matter"
but if I'm not careful
just a look away
a distraction
can actually say
I wish you would hurry because
your taking up my time

good listeners say so much with their eyes
people who care deeply say more than mere words
when they touch your hand or give you a hug
people who are frustrated, impatient, or angry
only need to look at you
and you know exactly what they saying without trying

what about
those eyes that never meet yours
or don't stay very long before looking down
they say i'm not ready to talk
or I don't want to be vulnerable
at least not until I know I can trust you

What do my eyes say?
Do they cancel out what I say with my mouth?

GO: Day 7 (5 minutes daily in October)

Go or stay
When we want to stay
sometimes
we need to go
When we want to go
sometimes
we need to be patient, wait, and stay

How do you know?

???

When my husband and I wanted to go somewhere else to live, somewhere that was more affordable, we couldn't wait to go.
But then, when it was finally time to go
it was hard
it was scary
We would go to a state and a city where we knew no one
We would go away from all our friends and family
But it was time
time to go
And we knew it was, even though to go
was very very hard

I wonder how many times we don't go because its hard.
I wonder how many times we go because it's just easier than dealing with
the stay

Just because something is hard should you go?
Just because something is easy or comfortable should you stay?

When do you go?
When is it right to go?
When is it right to stay?

KNOW: Day 6 (5 minutes daily in October)

My oldest child turned 13 today
I thought about this word..
know
Then I asked myself, "do I know him"?
Do I know my other two boys?
Do I really know what their dreams are?
Do I really know what their fears are?
When I was that age I didn't think my parents knew me.
But I didn't know myself either
I was always trying to be someone else
Trying to copy someone I wanted to be like
What I did know about me
I didn't really want them to know
It's hard to take time to really invest in my kids
Not because I don't want to
by the time homework is done, dinner made, practice is over..
it's time for bed and another day is gone
How much of that was knowing what they do
not knowing who they are
I want to know them better
I want them to know me
Not just as the mom
but as a person who wants to know them
I want them to be free to be themselves
and not pretend to be the person
they think I want them to be

STUCK: Day 5 (5 minutes daily in October)

At first all I could think of was negative things about being stuck.
Things like
stuck in a rut
stuck in the mud
stuck in a habit that you want to be unstuck from

Then I thought about things you want to stay stuck
Like pictures on the wall
crafts that are glued together
pictures stuck in albums

I'm thinking of scripture
If I had scripture stuck in my mind
I might not have to be stuck in negativity
Then I found this little verse
"I have stuck unto thy testimonies; O Lord, put me not to shame"
Psalm 119:31

stuck:
cling tightly
hold on
hold fast
cleave
adhered

If I had more scripture stuck to the walls of my heart and mind
I would be able to stick closer to them
they would leave little room for me to have anything else stuck to the walls of my mind.

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

LEARN: Day 4 (5 minutes daily in October)

Oh to learn the things that matter
to learn the things that make a difference
to learn the things that last

I want to learn
to pray
Not just when I need something or I'm in trouble
but to talk continually to the lover of my soul who lives within me
to pray as if it is the very breath within me

I want to learn
to trust God
To trust Him and not depend on my own understanding
To remember He is in control and not only in my life but in the lives of the ones I love

I want to learn
to listen
not with the intent to help or fix or correct
But to really listen
Not just to those I know and care about but those other people who cross my path

I want to learn
to love
to be free of judgement and love because that is what God wants me to do
To love without fear of being hurt or expectation to be loved back

I want to learn
to smile
because it affects me and it affects others
Not a plastic fake smile but a genuine smile from the hope that lies within me

I want to learn
to enjoy the now
to be present in the now and not in the later on or the next day
I miss so much because I'm hurrying to the next moment

Oh to learn the things that matter
To learn the things that make a difference
in the lives of others
in my own life
to learn the things that last

New: 5 Minute Friday

New: coming or occurring afresh
I wonder...
What would be different in my life
In yours
If we looked at everything as being new?
Okay, maybe not everything
But if we looked at each morning as a new start
If we looked at each hour as a new hour
What if we looked at our mistakes as a new learning experience?
What if we looked at the interruptions in our day as new opportunities?
What if we looked at the challenging day as a new adventure?
What if we remembered that we don't have to live on left over mercies from God?
What would be different?
What would change?
What if
we faced each moment
with new focus
new zeal
new hope?
"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for Him.'" Lamentations 3:21-24

VIEW: Day 2 (5 minutes daily in October)

How does your view of tomorrow look?
If you view it through the the news...
words like
scary
bleak
daunting
uncertain
might come to mind.
If you don't know the One who is in charge of tomorrow
then yes
your view of tomorrow can look this way.
But if you do know Him..
The creator of each tomorrow
Sovereign
Almighty God
who 
has a plan and a purpose, 
Your tomorrow's 
no matter how you view them today, 
have promise.

We need to put on Jesus glasses
So our view is clear and not clouded
With my Jesus glasses on 
I remember Psalm 139
"O LORD, You know
when I sit down and when I rise up
You scrutinize
(examine in detail with careful or critical attention)
my path and my lying down.
You are intimately acquainted 
with all my ways."

With Jesus glasses on
my view of tomorrow 
has hope
because I know my God is Mighty
and in His sovereignty
He does cause all things
to work together
for good 
to those who love Him and
are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)

With my Jesus glasses on
 my view of tomorrow is filled with light
"In Your light
we see light." (Psalm 36:9)

With my Jesus glasses on 
my view will be like Moses
a view of faith
"It was by faith
that Moses left the land of Egypt
He kept right on going
because
he kept his eyes on the one 
who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:27)

Lord, clear my vision
help me to view my tomorrow
my today
through You.

"But friends
You're not in the dark
so how could you be taken off guard 
by any of this?
Your sons of Light,
daughters of Day.
We live under wide open skies 
and know where we stand.
So lets not sleepwalk through life
like those others.
Lets keep our eyes open
and be smart." (Thessalonians 5:4-8)

MOVE: Day 1 (5 minutes daily in October)

To just move is not enough
What direction am I moving?
I don't want to move backwards
"Do not say, 'why is it that the former days were better than these? For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.'" Ecclesiastes 7:10 
It is true that I can learn from my past
But...those days are gone
To move back is to miss out on today
I don't want to move side to side either
I do find myself doing this often
It is the deception that I am accomplishing something
To move, just for the sake of moving...
this is wasted effort and energy
I must move forward
To move forward takes courage
  To move forward takes faith
    No one says it has to be giant steps
      Even a baby step forward 
        is more progress
         than a step to the side
It is time to move..
"I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal." Philippians 3:13-14


Join several of us who are planning to write for five minutes every day in the month of October. We’ll be linking up with The Nester’s 31 Day Challenge, to publish a blog post every day in October — 

Because: 5 Minute Friday

Because:
My first thought was of that old hymn we used to sing in the church where I grew up.
I don't remember any of the song except the chorus:
"Because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
All fear is gone
Because I know
He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives"

I can actually hear my Grandma Libby singing this in my mind.

Because of her love for my grandfather, they had my dad
Because of his love for my mom, they had me
Because of God's sovereign plan, my days are all accounted for
Because of God's love for me, I can trust Him
Because of God's mercy, I am still alive today
Because of God's grace, I have a wonderful husband and three incredible boys
Because of second chances, I have a soft heart
Because of God being God, I can wake up smiling
Because God won't give up on me, I can keep on going
Because God has a home prepared for me, I can be at peace
Because heaven is real, I have hope
Because I believe..
no one
no thing
can take that away

Hold ~ Five Minute Friday

Hold that thought
Hold fast to God
Placed on hold
Hold accountable
What is holding me back?
So many things going on in my brain right now.
So many definitions
As I think about different things
These pictures come to mind
The thought of not holding onto anything else but Jesus
Both hands holding onto Him like a rope
Like my life depends on it
The thought of just walking beside Him
Holding His strong and capable hand
Walking in peace because I'm with Him
The other thought that makes me smile
Is my loving Savior holding me in His arms
Not because I need to be held
I do
Not because I ask to be held
I do
But simply He holds me in His arms just because
Because He wants to
Because He loves me
He holds me close to His heart
Simply because I am His
I'm am so glad that He has a hold on me
Even if I let go
And I have
He is bigger than that
I am His
He will never let go of me

Ready ~ 5 Minute Friday

Ready
What does that mean...
exactly?
"completely prepared or in fit condition for immediate action or use; duly equipped, completed, adjusted, or arranged, as for an occasion or a purpose"
Am I ever really ready?
It doesn't seem like it.
Words like "completely prepared"
never describe me.
My heater just went on.
I'm not ready for winter
not mentally
not physically
I'm not even ready for Fall.
Things always seem to come up
just when I think I might be getting close
to be being ready
Is being prepared and being ready the same?
According to the definition: properly expectant, organized, or equipped; ready
It is
I feel better saying I'm prepared
much better than saying I am ready
I am prepared for today
I'm not sure I am ready for it
I have prepared my heart to trust God
And He is always ready

Can I trust God?

Can I trust God? This is a title from day one of a devotional I'm doing by Jerry Bridges. My personal answer is absolutely! The reason I can be so bold is because I have seen Him do amazing things in my life and others around me. I know that He is indeed God.

I read a verse this weekend while up in the mountains. It was so powerful to me I decided to commit it to memory. Psalm 36:7 says, "How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings."

Therefore

It is because of His lovingkindness that I can put my trust in Him.

Today in my devotional I read another verse that I want to commit to memory. Heb 3:12 says, "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God."

take care, or take heed, watch out, be careful, beware

an unbelieving heart is evil and it leads you to fall away from God

leading you, takes you away, causes you to depart, abandon, turns you away, diverting, forsake

Bridges says, "Obeying God is worked out within well-defined boundaries of God's revealed will, while trusting God must be worked out in an arena with no boundaries, where we're always coping with the unknown."

"In order to trust God, we must always view our adverse circumstances through the eyes of faith, not of sense."

Reminds me of the lyrics in the song "Ocean"

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Savior

So, yes I trust God.

Today

But I need to always guard that trust, because as soon as I begin to doubt, my heart turns me away.

It is nothing new is it?

Not trusting God, not believing His lovingkindness, goes all the way back to the garden.

God can be trusted.

It is our own hearts that cannot

Whisper ~ 5 Minute Friday

Help me to hear Your whisper
Make it loud in my heart and mind
Drown out all the other noises
No replacement do I want to find

Help me to know Your whisper
May it be the only voice I hear
Whisper Your love in my heart
Whisper Your presence is near

Make Your whisper distinct
Make Your whisper clear
Whisper Your strength to my soul
Whisper "do not fear"

When my world crashes around me
When my world crashes within
Whisper that You will never leave me
Whisper courage when my faith is thin

Help me to hear Your whisper
I need You to guide my day
Whisper Your light all through me
Whisper through my mouth what to say

Getting Ready... RMC Women's Retreat

I have been waiting for tomorrow's Women's Retreat since the end of last year's. I have always enjoyed my time away, in the mountains of Buena Vista Colorado.

God Has always done a work in my heart while on retreat. He draws me nearer and deeper, and sometimes addresses some hard things that need to be dealt with.

I really don't have time to do this today... write.. but I wanted to just post some realness of the day before my time away. Pictures and 3 words (sometimes more) of what my day today looks like today.

Being real:

7th grade assignment

scarf needs pressing

clean.. must put away

What to pack?

should I redo?

Dinner... something Mexican

Walking from school

Little League Game

helping with homework

reading to the boys

Well..
Now it is time for bed.
It was a full day.
It was a good day.
I never did put the laundry away.
I am packed and my heart is content.
I talked with each of my boys today and know how their days went.
If I have time tomorrow I will redo my nails as I don't like them this way.
I go to sleep with a smile on my face.
Only 10 moments of my day were posted here.
Only 10 out of 100's
Yes...
It was a very good day.

Reach - 5 minute Friday

Reach ~
I just started reading a great book a friend of mine wrote. "Silver Threads - Weaving Godly Wisdom into the Lives of Younger Women" by Kate Megill. This book is about mentoring women.
Reach out to the younger women.
In this book Kate asks where all the older women are. She makes a point that many are too busy.
I can't reach out if I'm focused inward.
Reach
Stretching out toward something... someone
This is what comes to mind
Also that scene from "Hook".
The scene where Peter Panning was too gripped by fear to reach out and save his children.
All he had to do was reach out and touch them.
I don't want to stop reaching.
I don't want to be too busy to reach out to others.
I don't want to be too afraid to reach out.
But..
To reach takes effort.
To reach takes risk.
To reach takes stretching.
If I reach out I am more vulnerable.
No...
To reach means helping others.
To reach means growth.
To reach means exercising my heart and its ability to love.
To reach is what Jesus did.
Lord, open my eyes today.
Help me stretch out the love You have given me and reach out to others.

Change ~ 5 Minute Friday

Change-
Is hard
If it happens to you
you must adjust quickly or it can really set you back
If you need to make a change
...depending on your motivation
It can sometimes take forever
I don't do change well.
But if change happens to me
I can eventually get my head around it
Get my attitude in check and keep going
Not fighting it and trying to flow works best.
But there are things in my life that I have wanted to change
for years
decades
I always come up with a plan
then I get lazy, forget, or just lose motivation
why is is so hard for me to change?
Even those things I know I need to change
Those many things that I have countless ideas
formulas, books, plans...
I don't lack the knowledge
They aren't impossible
Many have made these changes
I just don't practice
I want to change

Tell -- 5 Minute Friday

The word is "Tell"
The first thing I thought of when I saw this word was tell people who God is.
Who He really is.
There is so much fear out there today,
A thick fear that I can feel in the air.
I can sense that believers... Christ followers... are letting fear overwhelm them.
God has not given us a spirit of fear.. but of sound mind.
So let me tell you who my God is:
My God is Master of the universe.
My God is completely wise.
My God is completely sovereign.
My God is good.
There is nothing that escapes Him.
His ways are not our ways.
He is a God of justice.
And His love is unending...
He says, "do not fear".

Fill - Five Minute Friday

So... I'm going to start something new. Something a little challenging for me. Five Minute Friday. It is supposed to be an unedited rough draft on a given topic. (If you’re interested in learning more check out, Kate Motaung’s site.)

Fill - that is the word.

I smile as I think, do I really need to "fill" my time with anything else.
Just this morning I was a bit overwhelmed as my calendar is quickly filling up with appointments, activities and work.
School hasn't even started yet.
What will my calendar look like when I get announcements from the classes of my three boys.
Baseball also starts soon and this season we will have three different teams again.
For some reason, I want this challenge.
Maybe because it is something for just me.
A way to express my thoughts.
I am not a writer.
I think of this word and imagine little holes in people.
Holes that are made by sorrow, frustration, discouragement, loneliness, or anger.
What joy if I could be used to fill even just a little hole by bringing encouragement to someone.
Just by listening
Or a smile