Consistency

Recently I’ve been struck by how hard it can be to be consistent.

I mean consistency, what does it really mean? The dictionary definition is:

• steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, form, etc.
• the condition of cohering or holding together and retaining form; solidity or firmness.
• agreement, harmony, or compatibility, esp. correspondence or uniformity among the parts of a complex thing.
• a degree of density, firmness, viscosity, etc.

So basically to be consistent we have to stand by what we say. When we tell our kids ‘don’t lie’ we can’t been seen to lie. That means when that person calls us on the phone that we don’t want to speak to, we don’t tell our spouse to tell them we’re not home. When we tell our kids its wrong to do drugs or to drink, we can’t been seen to go out and party.

Consistency makes right and wrong very clear. Consistency makes our life black and white – there is no gray.

How do we learn to be consistent? Well we’ve actually been given a guideline and map or manual as you will, we call it the Bible. God gave us very clear guidelines to live by. He made things easy for us. We’re the ones that make it difficult. We try to change the rules and make them for ourselves, unfortunately that doesn’t make them right.

Over the past few years it has become very evident to me that I need to live my life with consistency. I have to do what I say and say what I do. That’s not always easy, in fact sometimes its down right hard, but I’m trying. When I stumble, I pick myself up and I try again. I surround myself with people who love me enough to tell me when I’m being consistent. I keep pushing forward.

Two areas of my life that I struggle with consistency is with my kids and with being open about my faith. I’m at fault at telling my kids ‘no, you can’t’ and then giving in. I’m also at fault at grounding them and then letting them off because they finally did what was asked of them. Does this make me a bad parent? No, just means I need to work a little harder and think a little longer before speaking, before reacting, before giving my answers.

As a Christian do I always stick up for my faith, for my beliefs, for my God? I would love to stay ‘yes’, but unfortunately it’s a ‘no’ Why do I shy away from it, is it because of possible ridicule possibly fear. I’m not sure, but again I’m working on being able to have the right words to have in any situation. I want to be able to have the courage in whatever situation I’m in I’m going to be able to say ‘Hey I’m Christian & I’m proud of it’ I may not have the answers to their questions, but I’m sure they don’t have all the answer to my questions either.

As I walk through life shining my light for Jesus, may I be able to be proud in the fact that I’m being consistent. May I love the sinner and hate the sin. May I be the example I want my children be.

Pass the tissues.

“For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.” Eccesiastes 1:18

Knowledge = Grief, I don’t know if I like that. Does that mean I should just stop growing and learning? I’ve had my fair share of grief, so why would I want more? The answer to that one is easy, because it is my responsibility to learn.

As I grow and learn my eyes are opened to the injustices, to the pain, to the evil in the world. It grieves my heart to see this and I must do something. I must take a stand against the evil.

With my increased knowledge I’m faced with a choice. I can choose to ignore what I see, to turn away from it, to face the darkness or I can choose to shine a light on it and do something about it.

Darkness can’t exist when the light is shed on it. I have a responsibility to let my light shine & let it shine brightly. The closer I get to God the brighter my light & the more darkness I become aware of. The more I learn the more my heart grieves for the lost.

So pass my bible and pass the tissues. But I won’t sit back and just grieve I will fight. I will take a stand and I will make a difference – what about you? Are you sitting in your own little world and ignoring what you see? Are you closing your eyes to the fight? Make a difference. Stand tall. You have the weapons and you have an amazing coach on your side. Its now up to you to choose.

Ecclesiastical Encouragement for Exhausted Moms

This was sent to me by a friend and I just had to share:

"Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest" (Psalm 55:6).
"She took my toy!"
"Watch me write 'pickle' in cursive!"
"Guess how many marshmallows I can fit in my mouth?"
"What do you DO when you're in heaven?"
"Here's a note I forgot to give you last week. It's from my teacher asking you to make a costume for the school program. It's tonight."
"Why does God let those bad guys run around?"
Kids can bewilder parents with their demands for attention, time, energy, moral guidance, and information.
For example, as they grow up, their sense of spirituality begins to sharpen, prompting "out there" questions and a need for a perceptive mom's or dad's eyes and ears. Their emotional maturity on any given day can dramatically tumble from "even-tempered" to "volatile" or "well-adjusted" to "ultra-sensitive," requiring a delicately balanced mixture of tenderness, wisdom, firmness, humor—and an occasional batch of chocolate chip cookies. Their social lives begin to blossom, intruding into time that we used to call our own and often putting us behind the wheel more than we've ever been in our lives. That sparks the need for our flexibility, diplomacy, and tact. And as if that's not enough, the daily news unleashes a deluge of issues that we must decide if/when/how to discuss with our inquisitive young citizens. Questions about education, extracurricular activities, violence, safety, and budding independence make worries about other child-rearing issues like nursing, teething, and diaper rash seem like, well, child's play by comparison.
One morning when I was feeling particularly stressed over these kinds of problems, I grabbed a cup of hot tea and decided to delve into a chapter of the Bible I had never studied in-depth before. I turned to the book of Ecclesiastes, not knowing much about it other than its tranquil tone and the "to everything there is a season" passage. But once I started reading through the chapters, I just knew that God, in His foresight and grace, had designed them just for moms like me who sometimes feel overwhelmed.
Here are some things I learned as I read:
There is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9) How comforting to know that moms all the way back to Eve have gone through all the "stuff" we go through each day—both big and small. Kids throughout the ages have had runny noses, the chicken pox, and worse. They've always teethed, needed to be toilet trained, swallowed things they shouldn't, been rebellious, accidentally broken a neighbor's something-or-other, gotten in trouble at school.
I imagine Eve could give a heart-rending account of her firsthand experience with sibling rivalry and the loss of a child. Jochebed could describe feeling nearly paralyzed with fear for her son. And wouldn't it be grand to talk with Mary about both the worries and the wonders of pregnancy—an unexpected one, at that. So if you're feeling like you don't know how to handle whatever it is you're going through with your own kids, take comfort in the fact that you're not the first! There is nothing new under the sun.
It's not always about "good things." Martha Stewart's trademark comment "it's a good thing" has echoed through thousands of living rooms as many a mom has watched her to derive some domestic inspiration. Lots of times we try to order our world to create a "paradise" within the walls of our homes. We think that making our own jellies, decorating our own gift wrap, growing our own herbs, and throwing the perfect party can be our ticket to an appealing brand of paradise. While none of these actions, in and of themselves, are bad, Ecclesiastes 2 gently points out that nothing we can do can bring us peace. Only a day-by-day, minute-by-minute connection with our heavenly Designer can position us to grab our portion of peace on earth and secure our lavishly decorated room in the heavenly mansion He's lovingly preparing for us, even as we speak.
There's a time for everything. As moms, it's our "time" to do lots of things—and in a relatively short amount of time. So when you're feeling like you're floundering, and you just don't know how to order your "to-do" list as you try to juggle the kids, your marriage, the housework, the volunteer work, etc., here's a prescription for you: Read Ecclesiastes 2 as a medicinal meditation that will give you a sense of life's rhythm and help you maintain some balance as you juggle those priorities.
We have a heart full of eternity. "I'm having a bad day." We've all said that from time to time. To me, yucky days include things like sick kids, broken down cars, a low checking account balance, dismal weather, appliance malfunctions, or extra-ferocious sibling squabbling in the backseat of the car on an errand-packed day. Those are the days that it's easy to lose focus and wish away time by launching into countdowns. "When we get more money..." "When the kids get bigger..." "When baseball season is over..."
But then something usually happens to snap me back into reality. I'll hear Erin warbling "Alleluia" in her toddlerish tones; Lindsey will ask me to pray with her; or I'll catch Nick giving his sister the extra dollar she needs to buy the notebook she wants. Then I realize that I am so grateful for my home, and I'm grateful for the privilege of a minute-by-minute chance to tackle challenges that have eternal significance.
Solomon said that God has set eternity in our hearts—what big cargo for such a humble little boat as me. I have the privilege of not only being able to accept Christ in my own life so that I can tap into that eternity, but also of becoming the God-designed tugboat that He can use to draw my own precious little ones into the kingdom!
Two are better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). If you feel the only places you ever see are your home, the church, and the school, seek out a partner. Naturally husbands are pretty terrific partners in parenting. But it's still important to find another friend, better yet, more than one, who can help you negotiate the obstacle course of parenting. My closest friend has kids about the same ages as mine. I wouldn't take a room full of chocolate for the encouragement she's given me as I've whined to her about my busy calendar, my contrary offspring, my day-long morning sickness, my insecurities about new projects I've taken on. Begin praying today that God will lead you to someone who can fill that role and to whom you, in turn, can minister to as well.
These are the days! (Ecclesiastes 9:10) Mothering is a stressful job. There's just no way around that. It's physically demanding, and it takes us on a roller coaster ride of emotions. The kicker is that while we're doing it we're expected to carry out an endless number of additional roles: Wife, daughter, friend, church member, soccer coach, parent-teacher volunteer, informed citizen, cautious consumer...But when you're feeling overwhelmed, just take a few minutes and meditate on these verses. It's a love letter from God! It encourages us to seize life's opportunities and use them to the fullest in serving Him! Doesn't that help put things in perspective?

by Angie Peters

Sacrafice

During the past 40 something days I've learnt a lot about sacrifice. For Lent I fasted from meat and Paul fasted from all solid food totally. Now I thought this was going to be easy since I don't eat too much meat, but I was in for a shock. You are bombarded with food all of the place. Watching television or listening to the radio is a consistent reminder of what you have chosen to abstain from. Now it was certainly easier for me than for Paul since I was eating some food.

During this time I watched my husband sit through 3 dinner celebration with grace and dignity. At no time did he say 'sorry I can't go there because I can't wait' He went to two restaurants and had soup. Now all he 'ate' was the broth, making sure not to eat any of the goodies in the soup. Our last dinner out was at IHOP and he just had a coffee and a milk shake & this was on Easter Saturday. What an amazing example he set for the children & to me. I never once heard him complain about not eating - he did do an amazing job and I'm very proud of him.

Since being on the fast I've had many, many opportunities to focus on sacrifices made. Not only did I look at the sacrifices I've made over the years as a friend, wife, mother and person, but I've been really thinking about the sacrifices made by my loving Lord and Savior. Jesus not only gave up his life for me. He gave up His power to be a human for me. He choose to give up His relationship with His Father, for me. He willing chose to be physically, emotionally and spiritually beaten. He willing shed His blood all for my freedom. Because of all His sacrifices I have been given forgiveness and redemption - what a gift!!!

As Christians we all know about these sacrifices, but what about the sacrifices made by the disciples. Think about what they gave up to follow Jesus and His teachings. Can you image the ridicule they would have faced, whilst Jesus was alive, but what about during the crucifixion and during those 3 days after He was buried. The fear and disappointment must have been unbelievable. No wonder they hide from the world. How many of us do that? Sometimes we find ourselves in the place where the disciples, we come to Christ, we believe in Christ and then suddenly its seems like He is no longer with us. We worry about what others will say because of our stance.

Mary didn't worry about what others would say, just as soon as she could she ran to the tomb to see her Teacher, her Savior. What did she find...nothing! Image her concern, her pain, her confusion. This on top of all the other things she was feeling! Just think how she felt when she realized Jesus had conquered death, just as He said He would. I don't know if there is anything that would have compared to the excitement, the relief, the joy that she and all the other disciples would have felt when they realized He was back.

We all have the opportunity to share in those feelings. If you don't know Jesus & you accept Him as your savior you'll be filled with such excitement & love. If you're a believer, but feel as if He has left you alone, you have the opportunity of feeling such relief when you realize He hasn't left you.

Sacrifices are so important. They open our eyes and our hearts to what is really important. They help us refocus our lives and energy to where it needs to be. Take a moment to sacrifice something small for awhile and when you feel you can't do without, remember what Jesus gave up for you, remember what is important & remember it isn't about you anymore.

Prayer from A-Z

I read this morning and just had to share it with everyone:

An elderly gentleman passed his granddaughter's room one night and listened in as she repeated the alphabet in an oddly reverent way. He peeked in and asked her, "What on earth are you up to?" She explained,"I'm saying my prayers, but I can't think of exactly the right words tonight, so I'm just saying all the letters. Jesus will put them together for me because he knows what I'm thinking"

Lights in the Fog

Compliments of Women's Devotional Bible

Have you ever been driving down a road at night when the fog rolled in so thick you couldn't see five feet in front of you? It can be pretty scary. However, if you have a car's taillights ahead of you to guide you, suddenly it is not so frightening.

That is the message of Titus 2. Older women can serve as guiding lights for those coming after them. For many women, juggling all our roles - student, employee, boss, wife, mother - can be overwhelming, like walking through life in a fog. But God never intended for us to figure things out on our own - to simply muddle through. Just as he gave Ruth to Naomi and Mary to Elizabeth, God gives us each other to help, encourage and provide one another with companionship, to share ideas and wisdom and humor. When you live in community with others, you can see how other women raise and nurture their children. You can note how persistence someone is in cultivating and preserving her marriage and how it is serving her well. You can watch as women make their way in the marketplace with dignity and integrity.
It may be that the 'older' woman isn't chronologically older at all. Perhaps God has gifted a younger woman with particular knowledge and wisdom that you might be in need of. We should be open to different generations reaching out to each other and bridging the years with love and laughter. We have more in common than we have differences.

In our day it's easy to become isolated and withdrawn. We don't often get together as women did in the times gone by for quilting bees and church socials and over-the-fence visits. You may long for a woman to mentor you and advise you regarding how to handle your many roles and responsibilities. If so, ask God to send your someone who is wise and supportive. and keep your eyes open for such a woman so you can befriend her. She may need you as much as you need her. Perhaps God is nudging you to become a mentor to a younger woman. Pray that God will lead you to her and that you will have the courage to be a light in the fog.

I read this passage a couple of weeks ago and it really struck a cord with me. As women we need to share our ups and downs with someone who'll understand. We need to surround ourselves with others that love us for who we are and who offer us wisdom and advice when needed along with laughter, tissues and of course chocolate.

I've been blessed this year with the opportunity of having a mentor, who I respect greatly and love dearly. She is an amazing woman who is teaching me not only about myself but that I'm not that different from many women. She's showing me that just because I burn the dinner, don't always wash the dishes and occasionally shout at my husband and kids I'm not a failure as a mother and wife. She is showing and teaching me that just because I don't bring home a wage every week I have value as a person.

Probably one of the biggest things I'm learning is that I have a lot to share with other women and so I've entered into the mentoring program at our church called Transformation. I truly recommend finding yourself someone to relate to, someone to learn from and also someone to share your life knowledge with as well. We teach best what we need to learn, which could be anything from cooking that pot roast, sewing a dress, art of forgiveness or the discipline of a daily walk with the Lord.

One thing I know for sure. If you are given the opportunity to either mentor or be mentored do because your life will never be the same again.

Forgiveness

I recently finished reading the book "The Shack", if you haven't had a chance to read it I highly recommend it. What an amazing story and an amazing message. Anyway the book got me thinking about forgiveness. As Christians we are forgiven for our past, present and future sins. Our loving Father sent His son to redeem us, therefore we are forgiven and all is right, right? Wrong!

As humans we have a tendency to hang onto to our sins, guilt, feelings of isolation and negativity. It is almost like if we let go of them, then what we did was excused. Our sins are not excused, they are not forgotten, God just forgives them. There is a huge difference between forgotten and forgiven. We must never forget what we have done, but we do need to forgive ourselves so that our relationship with the Father and others can grow.

One of the hardest lessons I'm trying to learn is to see through our Father's eyes. I'm far too critical of myself and certainly too hard on myself. I forgive others, so why is it so hard to forgive myself when I've done something wrong. Why am I better or worse than everyone else? Why do I think that I'm being held to a higher standard than everyone else? Am I trying to say that I'm better than the next person? God loves us all the same. There is the same standard for everyone. All sins are the same, no matter how big or how small they break the relationship we have with God and therefore are of equal value. If He can forgive me, again why do I have such a hard time forgiving me?

When we forgive our sins we release the guilt that is associated with that action and we open ourselves to positive growth. We are given opportunities to use our past actions to help others, to guide our future decisions. Forgiven sins bring a new understanding of ourselves, of who we are and of who we want to become. It gives us a benchmark for future actions, if we are to grow.

With all that said do I still feel guilty about some of my actions and sins - yep. Do I still have difficulty in forgiving myself for my actions and sins, not all of them, but definitely some. Do I know better than God what is good for me? No, but I am human and with His grace I'm working on forgiving me just as He has forgiven me and as He has forgiven all of us.