Press Through!

 Firstborn was sick with a stomach virus that left him lifeless for a few days.  On the third day of his virus, I encouraged him to get up and fight his illness. Also on that third day, Firstborn’s football coach called to check on him. While listening to his coach speak, I thought about athletes who play with broken bones, pain, and high fever.  Athlete or not, we all meet adversity and learning to press through our uncomfortable circumstances is the only way we move forward.  I boldly explained pressing through pain to Firstborn and the very next day, I was faced with my own test of pressing through. 

 I decided to cut the grass, so full of energy, I tackled the back yard and then moved to the front yard. Halfway through the front, I was exhausted and wanted to stop.  I immediately remembered my bold, encouraging words to Firstborn. Sigh… I knew I needed to practice what I preached.  Needless to say, I pressed through my fatigue and the heat and finished the yard.  

Grapes are pressed to get the sweet juices out of them.  We too, must be pressed to get the best out of us.  If grapes had a voice, I’m sure they’d scream from the pain of the press, but the press is necessary.  The same is true for us. In order for God to get the optimum performance out of us, we must endure painful press positions.  Firstborn’s coach had no idea his phone call would offer a life lesson on pressing through adversity, but that’s what a good coach does – gets the best out of his players.  The fourth day, Firstborn was still weak, but he went to practice and pressed through. When he got home, he asked who cut the yard. I smiled and said, “Your Mama pressed through and cut it.”

If you find yourself in an uncomfortable press position, pray to press through!

Celebrate You!

This is my birthday month and I’m turning 48 years old. Not 43 or 45, but 48. It seems like it happened overnight. The 40s fly by quicker than the 30s and I heard the 50s zoom by. Many women don’t care to share their age, but the older, wiser woman is absolutely captivating to me. Notice I said older and wiser because some women simply get older without an ounce of wisdom to impart. 

Now, for you younger women, please take note. Your beautiful body will always be beautiful although your breasts will begin to sag and unless you do 200 sit-ups a day, your mid section will become pillow-like. If you aren’t stretching and exercising daily, your muscles and joints will become tight and it’ll take you two minutes to stand from sitting position. Heaven help you if you aren’t drinking at least ten glasses of water a day and eating fruits and vegetables because the menopausal season will shake your body into shock. Men want to have sex regardless of their age, so we better stay in shape! Our aging bodies will treat us exactly how we’ve treated it over the years. Think about the amount of fast foods and sodas you’ve consumed. It’ll come back to haunt you if you don’t make changes now – it’s never too late and your body will thank you. 

The woman’s body is like a piece of art - the older it gets, the value and appreciation increases. Just like wine and cheese – we too, get better over time. Pray to embrace becoming the older, wiser woman. Why fight something inevitable? Don’t you want to meet the older, wiser you? You’ll embrace your gray hairs if you truly embrace YOU. You’ll embrace your sagging breasts if you truly embrace YOU. Embrace every season of your life you’re alive. Every day with breath in our body is a reason to celebrate. Celebrate life! Celebrate YOU! I am…all 48 years!

Sauce Stain

This weekend, my attention was captured by the book of Proverbs. One evening, I reached for my Bible, on the sofa, which was already opened to the Proverbs and I noticed something on the page. I immediately tore into hubby sitting close to my Bible. I threw several questions at him without waiting for his reply. “What is this? Are you crazy? I don’t believe you!” Hubby used my Bible to place his empty, dirty lasagna plate on.  Hubby didn’t say a word, but looked at me like I was crazy.

I wiped the sauce off, but of course it stained the page. The stain wasn’t on an actual Proverbs passage, but on a study note that read, “These short, wise sayings give us practical wisdom for daily living. We should study them diligently and integrate them into our life.” I hysterically laughed as my life lesson came through the sauce stain. I didn’t have to go off on hubby the way I did; my reaction could have been totally different. Reading the Proverbs is one thing, but integrating them into my daily life is another. Quoting scripture is one thing, but living the scriptures is another.  Going to church is one thing, but being the church is another. My lasagna was one thing, but my life lesson from the sauce stain was better. 

Life will be full of opportunities to integrate God’s Word. My reaction to my children, traffic, telephone calls, emails, unexpected situations, hubby, people, and every part of my life will offer opportunities to integrate the Word in my life. The stain on my Proverbs page is a reminder to allow God’s Word to stain my heart – to apply them to my life. My life lessons come from the strangest situations, but there is a lesson in everything – even sauce stains!

BBB

I spoke to a new mother who is realizing her bundle of joy has turned into a bundle of battles. Whether it’s a new marriage, new baby, new car, new position, new job, or a new business, our season of bliss will bring battles – it’s guaranteed. Blissful times often take our focus off God, but battles bring us back.  

Years ago, I would have prayed for this new mother to be delivered from her adversity, but now I know her storms are exactly what she needs to be strengthened. Every woman reading this can agree. From Bliss to Battles to being Blessed – that’s life.

We pray to be healed from sickness and delivered from difficult times, but can we trust God enough to let Him have His way? We don’t want to experience physical, spiritual, emotional, or even financial pain, yet pain empowers us! Storms teach us to fly like eagles – above the storm! Our battles will even empower others if we aren’t ashamed to share. We’ll say God brought us through, but we won’t say what He brought us through. This young mother needed to hear how God brought me through my past days of sleep deprivation, emotional muddle, and sometimes feeling like a single mother. I shared because I knew we both would be blessed. From Bliss to Battles to Blessed.

My prayer for this new mother is not for deliverance from her battles, but for peace and endurance to go through; she will definitely be blessed! We rarely learn anything in good times, but battles invite growth. From Bliss to Battles to Blessed.

I Dare You!

Secondborn and I talked about his gifts and talents this weekend.  He sometimes doubts himself and lacks confidence in his God-given abilities. These doubts lead to discouragement. As his mother, I continually remind him of the supernatural power he possesses to excel. My teaching moment immediately turned into a life lesson for myself. The words I shared with Secondborn should be applied to my abilities – especially my writing.

I recently found the nerves to submit articles to various magazines and received my first acceptance – with pay. Why didn’t I do this a long time ago? Because I doubted my abilities, which is actually saying I doubted God. After all, it’s His gift; I’m just an instrument for words to flow through. We all have gifts, creative abilities, and unique talents. What are we doing with them? I dared Secondborn to let God have His way with his abilities and to watch what happens. I also dared myself. A dare will push us pass our carnal limitations. Fear blocks our optimum performance and doubt limits our faith. I dared myself to allow God to consume my writing. I dared myself to give my writing back to God. I dared myself to seek God for direction with my words. I dared myself to put God’s super on my natural each time I sit down to write.  

As women, we naturally overflow with God’s creative spirit. It seems our creativity travels in so many directions, but our lack of focus on Him also takes us in soooo many directions. We sometimes appear to be all over the place.  I’m good at many things, but one thing I know – writing is God’s special gift to me. You too, can make a list of things you’re good at, but what’s one thing you know is a special gift? I dare you to allow God to have His way with it! I dare you!

Have a marvelous Monday!

Motivate Me

Hubby is sent off to work with a hot breakfast, a hot hug, and words of encouragement. The last thing he hears from me each morning is to have a great day!

The boys are also sent off to school motivated and knowing having a good attitude will make a good day and I pray with them individually every morning. Keeping my family motivated and on the right track is a job in itself – especially Mondays.

Who motivates me? Well, if I don’t motivate myself, no one gets motivated. Some mornings are more difficult to motivate myself than others. The mornings I’m held captive by my covers are the hardest. Who wants to be motivated when you don’t even want to get out of bed?  The days I’m dealing with the horror of my hormones are extremely difficult - the word motivation sounds more like mutilation!

My only source of motivation is knowing my strength comes from above.  There is no morning cup of coffee, but a morning cup of Jesus. There is no music, but meditation. There is no self help book, but I speak words from The Book…I can do all things through Christ…the joy of the Lord is my strength…He will keep me in perfect peace…the Lord is the strength of my life…I will never leave you…with God all things are possible…abide in me…God is able…let not your heart be troubled…follow me…fear not…Repeating power-filled promises motivates me in the right spirit to begin my day. God’s words empower me and counteract the pessimistic and self defeating words I hear throughout the day from others and sometimes in my own head. I can’t sit and wait for someone to motivate me. I have to motivate myself! I have to encourage myself! If you haven’t been motivated today, speak a few of God’s power-filled promises and meditate on them. Your Monday and every other day will be okay!  He promised!

Have a marvelous Monday!

33 Cent Stamp

For days I contemplated whether to send my mother a Mother’s Day card or not. I personally don’t care for the cards, but decided to send her one anyway. I searched and searched until I found one saying something remotely close to what I would say.  I placed a stamp on the envelope and it was in the mailbox on Wednesday. Unfortunately, I realized a little late that the envelope had only one 33 cent stamp on it. Good grief! I called Mama to apologize for my scattered brain mistake. I then waited for the cards to return to me, so I could add the correct postage. Mother’s day came, but the cards didn’t make it back to me. I called Mama to say Happy Mother’s Day and she received her card! I didn’t try to figure it out, but I thanked the post office and thanked God! Mama said the post office probably knew it was a Mother’s Day card and felt sorry for me. Whatever the reason, I was grateful. My old 33 cent stamp also bought me a priceless Mother’s Day life lesson. As a wife and mother, when I come up short, God has my back – in everything.  When I’m low on energy, He fills me up. When I’m low on money, He is my sufficiency. When I’m low on giving, His giving Spirit steps in. When I’m low on love, His love covers me and comes through. When I’m low on serving, He serves me with an extra ounce of His grace and mercy. Thank you, Lord for being my sufficiency, my energy, my strength, my peace, my light, my joy, my comfort, my HELP, my everything! It’s another Monday morning and as I ask God to fill me with His Spirit to get through the day, I will also remember to ask Him for a refill when I begin to run low. Let’s have a marvelous Monday!

My Haitian Babies

 This weekend, my pastor and a few others from my church returned from a mission trip to Haiti. While they were away, they sent journal updates and pictures via Facebook. The pictures of the Haitian children tugged at my heart. I looked at those big brown eyes and innocent faces over and over again. I wanted so badly to take care of one. Knowing they couldn’t, I asked the mission group to bring one of those precious babies to me. Sunday, while driving home without my Haitian baby in my arms, the Lord let me know there were plenty of children all around me needing love. I’ve mentioned before how our house is the neighborhood gathering spot for children to play. Since the boys have been in public school, there are even more children around. We have more sand than grass in our yard because of the football, baseball, and endless games of hide and seek and tag going on. The children God wants me to love aren’t from Haiti, but they are from Him. I failed to recognize the work God has for me right in my front yard. I get tired of knocks at the front door, but these knocks are God’s knocks. I have children all around me, but noooo, I wanted a Haitian baby! I have two teenagers that need all the love and attention I’m capable of giving, but noooo, I wanted a Haitian baby! I have nieces and nephews that I need to be a loving aunt to, but noooo, I wanted a Haitian baby! There is a youth ministry in my church needing help, but noooo, I wanted a Haitian baby! The message is loud and clear. I don’t need to look for someone to love because the need is all around me and my first ministry is the homefront.

Have a marvelous Monday and if you’re looking for someone to help, check your homefront first!