Where Do I Begin?

So we have a son. He's bright, energetic and full of potential. Now what? How do I take this boy with all of life ahead and help him, in the words of the Marines, 'be all that he can be'?

Here's my supply list:I've got a wonderful husband who is an exceptional father - a necessity and yet a bonus in this day and age. We've got a roof over our heads, food on the table, the right sports training, piano teacher, good school, church involvement. What am I missing?

To start growing a good boy into a godly man I believe the first step is to plant our knees firmly in the carpet and pray. Too often, prayer is our last resort. You've heard people say, "Well, I guess all we can do now is pray." Yikes! Prayer should be the first priority of every mother.

We, as moms, are quite amazing, if I do say so myself. However, even in all our greatness, we cannot do it alone. We need supernatural help. All too often we don't take prayer seriously. It's something we do at church, funerals, and hospitals. It's not something we often think of doing in any and all circumstances. Yet, it's the most effective and powerful thing we can do for our children. Do you agree?

Jesus says, "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matt. 18:18). That means we have been given authority by God to affect change. Through God's power we can be vessels through which His power comes to bear on our children. Make sense?

We don't have to be pastors or perfect people to pray. We have authority as the parents of our children to call upon God on their behalf. As we draw closer to God we will draw God's presence closer to our children. "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16).

A tool that has helped me pray as a mom has been Stormie Omartian's The Power of a Praying Parent. In this book, she has taken scripture and turned them into powerful prayers. Some of the topics she covers include: protection & healing, honoring parents & authority, feeling loved and accepted, loving God with all their heart, establishing healthy friendships, future spouse, purity & freedom from addictions, exercising humility. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

I've had this book for six years. I write the date next to each prayer and I hope that when they're grown and I'm gone, my kids will find this book and see how earnestly I prayed for them. When they look back on their childhood they can say their parents provided food, clothing, a loving home and various educational/social opportunities.

More than any of these, I want it to be obvious by observing their lives that they had a mom who prayed. For our sons to become truly great men, we must bring them before the throne of God each and every day. We must entrust them to a loving Savior who can do "exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine" (Eph. 3:20). I am convinced that's the greatest thing a mother can do.

Do you believe in the power of prayer? Have you seen this in your own life? What has helped you in praying for your kids? Share with us!

Raising Good Boys into Godly Men

I have the extreme privelege of being mother to a son. My son amazes me. He makes me proud. He gives great hugs. He tells funny jokes. He also has the occassional ability of making me want to pull my hair out. Building a man out of a boy can be challenging (understatement!).

One of the topics you'll frequently see me writing about is raising boys. Our world is lacking strong male leadership...godly leadership. Culture has turned against strong men in the past few decades and I believe many of them struggle with their role in today's society. Between a lack of positive male role models and an over abundance of sexually charged messages, what chance do our boys have of knowing what true manhood looks like?

I believe God has placed a passion in my heart to help moms & dads pick up the reigns of parenthood with confidence. We can't leave it up to chance or television or our kid's friends to direct our boys. Studies show that parents are the most influential voice in the decisions of their children. It's our responsibility before God to invest in the next generation of men.

Will you join me???

Some of the topics I'll be sharing include:
* Good communication with your son
* Get over it and talk to him about sex
* Letting go
* Disciplining boys
* Modeling womanhood so he'll know what to look for/stay away from
* When dad's not available
* Virtues of a real man
* For heaven's sake keep the TV and internet OUT of his room!
* Praying for your boy

So stay tuned cause I've got my soap box and I'm not afraid to use it! :-)

Coffee Toffee Ice Cream Tart

This is a summertime favorite! Make two if you're serving 10 or more people.

For crust & filling:
1 1/2 c. crushed chocolate wafers
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 c. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 c. crushed Heath bars (toffee bits)
1 1/2 pints coffee ice cream

For topping:
1/3 c. whipping cream
1 T. unsalted butter
6 oz. quality white chocolate
1 t. vanilla extract

Crust & filling:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9" tart pan with removable bottom. Mix cookie crumbs and cinnamon in medium bowl. Add melted butter and stir until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom and up sides of pan. Bake until crust is set - about 9 minutes. Cool completely. Sprinkle 2 T. toffee bits over cooled crust. Spread ice cream evenly in crust. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Topping:
Combine cream and butter in medium saucepan. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate; let stand 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Mix in vanilla. Let topping stand until cool and slightly thickened but still pourable, about 15 minutes. Pour topping over ice cream tart; freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Sprinkle remaining toffee over. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Cover tightly and keep frozen.)

Using small knife, carefully loosen crust from pan sides. Gently push up tart bottom to release tart and serve.

Quick to listen. Slow to speak.

Next time one of your kids says something that makes your head spin off your shoulders, you just might want to double check your hearing (or vision as the case may be). A couple of weeks ago, my first grader and her best friend were playing happily in our upstairs gameroom. About 45 minutes into this playdate, Ellie comes running down the stairs anxiously looking for her daddy. She hurridly pulled him by the arm up the stairs, hardly able to contain her excitement. "Daddy, come see what Malia and I did!", she said.

There at the top of the stairs glaring him in the face was the old white board Chris had given the kids to play with. He knew they always enjoyed writing or drawing on that old board. But now, what had been an innocent and cheap source of entertainment had instantly become a life lesson in the making. There in patriotic colors of red and blue were the unmistakable words, "Malia's & Ellie's Fart!!". And don't you love the TWO exclamation points at the end? It gives it just the right umph, don't you think?

Chris was speechless. He thought, "Really? This is what she was so excited to show me?" Once he regained his wits, he asked Ellie what this was about. As a parent, Chris could not laugh (very loud). He had to take this teachable moment and make the most of it. That was his job as a parent, right? He calmly, and in his most fatherly tone, expressed his surprise at Ellie's graffiti. She looked at him with a rather confused look and continued with her excitement over this great accomplishment. Chris infused a little deeper tone in his voice and once more said how surprised he was that she would write this word. After all, Archinals do not use potty words. She should erase this right away.

Upon hearing this stern reproach Ellie was deflated. Using her ability to cry on cue she allowed a single tear to roll down those little puffy cheeks. "But Daddy, we made a "fawt" (did I mention Ellie struggles with her "R's"?)." Chris was now just downright frustrated with this obstinate child. He was just about to turn angry when he looked up and saw that the gameroom had been transformed into an elaborate FORT!

He laughed so hard he had to catch the stair railing to keep from falling down the stairs backwards. He apologized to Ellie and taught her how to spell the word correctly. We all had a great laugh and realized this may be what God meant when He said, "Everyone should be quick to listen (or READ in this case), slow to speak and slow to become angry". Too often I don't give my kids the benefit of the doubt. How grateful I am that in my moments of quick assumptions, my heavenly Father is so completely patient with me. We can be slow on the uptake but God can handle it. And what a great sense of humor He has!

Can you believe this?!

It's time to do something. Last year my seminary professor told me about an organization called Love 146. Maybe you've heard about it. They help rescue children from sex trafficking around the world. I had no idea this kind of thing even existed in this day and age. Living in Katy, TX this kind of stuff just doesn't seem real. I was touched by what my teacher was telling me so I checked out their website. Can you believe that it's already the second largest criminal industry in the world -- just behind illegal drugs? And it's growing fast. Trafficking generates around $32 billion (that's BILLION!) annually. As you can imagine, sexual exploitation and abuse have grave consequences on any person's well being, especially a child's.

Two children are sold every minute. Imagine your children when you think about that stat. Over 1.2 million (that's MILLION) children are trafficked annually. This sexual exploitation includes prostitution, pornography, trafficking and sex tourism. There are more slaves today than there have ever been. Over 100,000 U.S. children (that's right here in the good ol' US of A) are forcefully engaged in prostitution or pornography each year.

Can you believe this?! BUT, we can do something about it. One tennis shoe at a time...this summer, from May 1 to June 30, the miles you run, walk or swim can count towards a better life for survivors of child sex slavery. Just find some people to sponsor you; do your miles ANYWHERE (elliptical, in the pool, in your 'hood); and wear a Tread on Trafficking T-shirt.

As Bob the Builder says, "Can we fix it? Yes, we can"! Let's do it...register here and please help put a stop to slavery.

http://love146.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=346822

Top Ten Tips for Busy Moms

Hey Moms! This is my top ten list. Let me know what your favorite tips are for staying sane during these busy child-rearing years!


10. Prioritize

· Make a list the night before of the top five things you want to accomplish tomorrow

· Set reasonable goals

· Live by priorities not pressure

· Learn to let things go


9. Get rid of “black holes” that steal your time

· Keep track for one week of things that steal your time… email, facebook, phone, searching for car keys, etc.

· Keep a notepad by your bed

· Let the machine get your calls


8. Designate Days

· Plan your meals two weeks or a month at a time (www.myrecipes.com)

· Set aside specific blocks of time for housework, paperwork, errands

· Use a timer for yourself to get certain chores done – quit when the timer goes off

· Make dinner in the morning to ease the ‘witching hour’


7. Finish a task

· Housework: start and finish one task (ex: cleaning just one bathroom) - www.flylady.com

· Completing a task with make you feel really good since a mother’s job is never done


6. Practice self-care

· Schedule time for yourself everyday even if it’s just 20 or 30 minutes – SIT DOWN

· Use the restroom when you need to!

· Communicate your feelings to your husband, girlfriends, journal – stay connected to your support group

· Stick to strict bedtimes

· Find a good babysitter and GO ON A DATE!


5. Just say ‘NO’

· Supermom is dead! Today’s society would have you doing too many things and for what?

· Decide what you are living for and don’t back down from it.


4. Teach your child

· Teach your child how to put their plate in the sink, dress themselves, throw their diaper/pull up in the trash

· This helps your child learn independence and gain a sense of self-confidence

· Our family is a team – it takes all of us working together


3. Schedule like the marines

· Kids love routine and it helps you feel a sense of accomplishment when you have a schedule

· Make an Excel spreadsheet of your days and post it on your fridge

· Be flexible as God may reorder your day


2. Discipline/Consistency

· Hold up the standard for behavior and expect the best from your children

· It’s unfair to your children to be inconsistent

· Discipline makes children feel loved

· Remember you are training their heart and not just outward behavior



1. Pray for your family

· Ask God for wisdom (James 1:5-6)

· Pray scripture over your children (Is. 55:11)

· Thank God for His provision and faithfulness (Is. 65:23)

· Rest in Him (Psalm 62:1-4)

Waterford Crystal or Toilet Brush?

Recently I had a soar throat and decided a cup of hot tea with honey was just what the doctor ordered. I am not a big tea drinker but I keep a little on hand for just such occasions. So I dug through my pantry and located a box of “Throat Coat” tea. Oh yeah, this was going to feel good. Then I started searching in my cabinets for something in which to boil the water. I do not own a tea kettle so I thought I would just boil some water in a glass measuring cup in the microwave.

The problem was, I didn’t have a large enough glass pitcher. Most of them were plastic. Wasting precious time, my impatience and the pain in my throat were growing rapidly. I finally grabbed a large glass bowl and filled it with water so I could have more than one cup of tea. I stuck it in the microwave, boiled the water and then tried, most unsuccessfully, to pour the water into a cup. Now I not only had a soar throat but a burned hand as the boiling water went everywhere.

The lesson learned is two-fold. First, get a tea kettle! A large glass bowl is not good for pouring boiling water into a cup. Secondly, don’t try to use something for any other purpose than that for which it was created. Do you ever use what God has given you for purposes outside of God’s plan? Read 2 Tim. 2:20-21.

In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. 2 Tim. 2:20-21

These verses tell us to keep ourselves pure for God’s purposes. Our mouth and the rest of our body is created for God’s use and for His glory. When we use it for any reason that takes away from that purpose we are sinning against God and not using our lives in the fashion for which they were created.

When my children speak ugly to one another with name calling or when they use words that are simply inappropriate, I will often put their mouth in a talking time out. I tell them their mouth was created by God to give life, and not to criticize, tear down, or otherwise poison the environment. When they choose to use the mouth God gave them for life-giving purposes they are allowed to speak.

As an adult, I need to use the same discretion. God gave me a body that I need to fill with healthy food and use for healthy purposes. I need to bless my family and God in how I use my heart, my soul, my mind and my strength. If I am constantly run-down due to too many commitments, am I ready for God’s noble use? If I bad talk my neighbors or criticize my kid’s teachers, is that what God had in mind for my mouth?

Think of it this way, would you use a toilet scrubber to brush your teeth? Of course not! Why? Because our mouth wasn’t made for a toilet brush nor was a toilet brush made for the mouth. That’s not what the scrubber was made to do. It was made to clean toilets, not teeth. In the same way, would you fill a Waterford crystal pitcher with toilet water? Of course not! Why? Because a crystal pitcher was created to hold something worth drinking. In the same way, we need to keep ourselves pure and ready for God’s plans.

What are you putting into your vessel? What are you allowing to come out? Are you an instrument for noble purposes? How can you keep yourself pure and ready for God’s use? You need to know that God made you for a specific purpose. You are God’s treasure. Just as my Waterford crystal is a treasure to me. You are valuable and special to Him. He wants to use you for great things that bring Him glory.

Sometimes in life we make choices to do things that are not part of God’s purpose for us. When we do this we are no longer behaving like the fine crystal pitcher but the dirty toilet scrubber. This happens when we choose to say words that we know we shouldn’t, when we have a disrespectful attitude, when we demand our own way instead of being thoughtful of another persons feelings. We are allowing yucky, grimy sin to cheapen the purpose for which we were created.

In the immortal words of Hannah Montana, ‘everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those days’. We will all at some point make a poor choice. When this happens we can choose to immediately confess and repent to God. The very moment we turn away from our sin and ask God to forgive us – he does it! God can make us new again. I encourage you to meditate on these precious verses, perhaps over a nice hot cup of tea, and ask God to use you for His noble purposes. After all, you are a noble treasure fit for service to the King.

I Declare!

Our family traveled to London last summer as part of a vacation/work trip. On the plane we were given forms to fill out in preparation for our entry to the United Kingdom. The form asked if I had anything to declare. I found this quite humorous in my weird way. I thought to myself, ‘Why yes, actually, I do have something to declare! I declare that European food is not as good as Texas food. I declare that you can get a lot more real estate for your money in Houston. Last but not least, I declare that airline seats are too small and too close together!’

These are great declarations, don’t you agree? Of course, this is not what the form meant so I just skipped that part and went on. However, it made me wonder… what am I declaring when I enter the presence of God? Just like London is a foreign city to me and Katy is my home city, God’s Presence is foreign to me compared to the world I live in every day. When you enter a foreign country you tread carefully at first because it is not home. It is good to show reverence for their culture, abide by their way of doing things, and be respectful of their customs.

When I desire to come into the presence of God do I just march in, plop on the couch and throw my feet up? Do I immediately rattle off my list of wants and needs? Do I declare to God what needs to be done and how best to do it? Of course, God is our Father and He wants us to come to Him with all of our hopes, dreams, and heartaches. He wants us to call Him, “Abba Father.” However, sometimes I am concerned that we have lost sight of the Holiness of God. I fear there have been times I have treated God with too much familiarity and not enough reverence.

Next time you want to enter the presence of God consider how Jesus said we are to approach the Father in Matthew 6:9, "This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,’” Jesus says when we come to God we should first pause and consider to whom we are speaking. Put yourself on the back burner for just a minute! Recognize who you’re talking to. When you start to understand the greatness of God, you begin to understand your place a little better too.
Think about the environment in which God dwells. The scriptures tell us God sits on His holy throne and day and night the angels are bowing before Him, praising Him and saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.” Do you have something to declare as you enter this most holy of places? Yes! You should consider declaring God’s greatness.

Pastor Andy Stanley says praising God is not only appropriate but it gives us perspective. He is worthy, not me. He is great, not me. He is more powerful than my issues, my hang-ups, my problems, my abilities. This reminds us of the context in which we live. It takes discipline to pause and focus on someone else. We can rush right by it if we’re not careful. Try to remember we’ve been invited to come and worship Him.

Here is an example - anyone who knows me knows I am a huge fan of the band U2. I think that lead singer, Bono, is the greatest poet and song writer of our time. I have often dreamed of having the chance to meet him. Someday I hope to be invited to Bono’s home for tea so we can discuss his music. Imagine when that invitation comes and I make my way ‘across the pond’ to his home in Ireland. I walk up to his front door and he comes to greet me. Do you think when I meet Bono for the first time I will immediately ask him for his autograph? Would I, perhaps, ask him for some financial assistance? After all, he’s very wealthy. I have lots of friends who would love to get front row tickets to some of his concerts and all he has to do is make a call. My son, Jack, would really like an autographed guitar that’s been used by lead guitarist, The Edge. Would any of these be appropriate openings to our conversation? Of course not!

The first thing I would say to Bono would be something like, ‘Thank you for having me; it’s an honor to meet you; I’ve got all your music and I’ve read all your books; you’re terrific’! I would trip all over myself to declare to Bono just how great I think he is then if he chose to give me a parting gift upon my departure, I would be gracious and humbly receive it.

Do you see the comparison? How many times do we march into God’s throne room with our list of demands versus declaring how amazing and marvelous He is? Next time you sit down to approach God, consider how you enter and make an appropriate declaration to the Ruler of all kingdoms.

Courage

One of my favorite movies as a kid was The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, with Don Knotts. It’s about an ordinary even goofy guy who becomes a hero. He plays a typesetter at the small town newspaper who is looking for his big break to becoming a reporter. He takes a dare to spend the night in a spooky abandoned house and writes a thrilling story the next day about it being haunted. The whole town comes alive and labels him a hero for facing such danger even though he is the town’s most high-strung, fearful citizen.

I can relate to Mr. Chicken. I want to be brave. I want to think I’ll do the right thing at the right time. When people look at my life, what do they see? Do they see tales of heroism? Do they see someone who is bold in the face of adversity and courage under fire?

What makes a hero? Pastor Andy Stanley defines it as ‘someone who has clarity and the irresistible urge to act.’ I like this definition. Clarity meaning they can walk into any given situation and see clearly what needs to be done. It doesn’t mean they aren’t afraid but they did the courageous thing. They had an irresistible urge to act on what they clearly knew was right.

We as parents need courage. We can find God’s views on courage in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-2: “For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain, [why not?], but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition.” Paul’s life in Thessalonica had not been in vain because he’d had boldness in God and courage to share the gospel. Boldness to do the right thing at the right time makes our lives count. It keeps us from coming to the end and saying, “Nothing happened. There was no significance.”

Have you been to a funeral? At a funeral stories are shared of the person’s life. What stories do you want told about your life? “Well, things got tough at home between the husband and the kids and all the responsibilities so she left.” That’s a story. Or a story might be, “Things got tough at home and she stuck it out and made a difference in her marriage. She fought for her family and had an amazing impact on her kids.” That’s a story. Courage makes our lives effective and significant.

Paul says in Thessalonians we get our courage from God. He had suffered terribly in Philippi. He had been publicly dragged into the market of the city and charged with sedition because he cast a demon out of a girl. And then he spent the night in jail. Now in Thessalonica the mob was even more enraged and Paul barely escaped by night to Berea. That was the setting for his ministry. And in that setting he spoke the gospel courageously because he had boldness in his God.

His life was given up to God. His life was hidden in God (Col. 3:3). He trusted God (2 Cor. 1:9). He hoped in God (Rom. 15:13). The glory of God was more attractive to Paul than any earthly comfort: "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us" (Rom. 8:18). Perhaps the greatest obstacles to courage are the love of human acceptance and praise (even that of your children), and the love of the comforts and securities that money can buy. What has to happen inside for these powers to be broken?

Paul had clearly been set free from these hindrances: 1 Thess. 2:4b: "we speak, not as pleasing men but God, who examines our hearts." Verse 6: "nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others." Verse 5 again: "We never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed-- God is witness."

The way to courage is to get your acceptance from God and find your satisfaction in Him. There’s somebody in your life that is hoping you’ll be a hero for them; that you’ll have the courage to stand up and do the right thing. You won’t think you’re heroic but in their eyes you’ll be that person. Every child wants their parent to be the hero in the moment when it’s time for someone to do the right thing, to pay the price, to make the sacrifice. We want our kids to stand when it’s time to stand, to say ‘no’ to those temptations that come. Let’s show them what courage looks like and what God looks like through us when we gain our courage from Him.

(Resources for this article were taken from messages by Andy Stanley and John Piper.)

Leaving a Legacy

Legacy: something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past. Recently I celebrated the legacy of my grandmother’s life. She was born in 1908 and died at the very ripe age of 97 and one half years. We shared at the graveside various stories and memories of her life. She loved hymns, her family, cooking and playing the organ. She had a good sense of humor and a fear of storms. It was fun quoting “Nana-isms” as we called them.

As each person shared their piece of memory, her children and grandchildren smiled thinking of how her legacy was passed on to each of us in different ways. My mom learned how to make wonderful Thanksgiving dressing from her. My cousin learned the 23rd Psalm from her. I picked up a love of music from her and on it goes. The one thing we all learned from her was a love for family. Nana taught us through her words and actions that family always comes first and that love is unconditional.

It occurred to me that we all leave a legacy. I wondered what kind of legacy I would leave. How is a legacy made? It’s built moment by moment as we interact with the people placed in our lives. A legacy isn’t something we pass on at the last minute as though our dying words could be “Hmmm, I think I’ll leave a legacy of…” and pass on something we always meant be but never were.

It’s a daily, hourly, situation by situation process. We can leave all sorts of legacies. Some of us are building legacies of worry, doubt, or anger. Here’s the good news. Even if we’ve inherited unhealthy, life-draining habits we don’t have to pass those on. We can choose to pass on life generating habits by building a legacy of peace, faith, and forgiveness.

They say children of alcoholics are more likely to become alcoholics. They say children of smokers are more likely to smoke. But it works both ways. Children of Hope are more likely to be hopeful. Children of Love are more likely to be loving.

What are you building that will remain after you leave? What type of legacy are you constructing each day with your words and actions? What if each day we lived a life that was full of hope, love and joy? What if our words and actions were guided by grace? We have the power to leave a legacy that would surely be a blessing for years to come after we’ve gone.

Packing up Christmas

It's that time of year again. Time to pack up all those beautiful Christmas decorations. It's inevitable. It has to be done. Someone's got to do it and it's me. These are some of the thoughts that go through my head around January 1 each year. I am a Christmas freak. I decorate my house from head to toe. We celebrate with family traditions, parties, Christmas carols, and enough food to feed commuters on I-10!

But now it's over. Another wonderful Christmas has come and gone and I find myself with stacks of boxes waiting to be filled with my Christmas cheer and packed away for another year. It's a big job and I was feeling quite blue. I really dislike this time of year. The fun holidays are over. No more Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole on the radio, the Christmas movies aren't playing on TV, and the gatherings with friends have come to a screeching halt. Now is the time to stop spending money, stop eating sweets, get back to the gym and get better about that daily quiet time! I felt daunted by all the things I knew I needed to get back to and be better about. I was feeling sour about the month of January, I must say.

But as I wrapped the tissue paper over each festive decoration I was also thinking how grateful I was that my family got to be together for Christmas again this year. I was reflecting on Christmases gone by and how God has been so faithful to my family year after year after year. I felt my heart literally warming as I let my mind dwell on God's tangible love - the blessings of my children, the provision of my husband's job, the laughter of friends gathered around a meal together. I was so touched at God's mercy and thought about His presence with us day in and day out in 2008. My heart lightened as I was packing up Christmas.

When I got to my nativity, I thought about the very first Christmas. What was packed up after that first celebration? No, there were no ornaments or stockings to put away but Mary and Joseph had a lot to reflect on didn't they? Look at Luke 2 with me, "When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.' So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."

Mary had a lot to think about didn't she? What a whirlwind! We aren't sure how many shepherds saw the heavenly host and went to visit Jesus but we know that after they saw him they spread the word. Thank God they spread the word! When they got to Jesus they surely told Mary and Joseph about the angels. What was going through Mary's head? We can't be sure but we do know that she treasured much in her heart.

I encourage you (and me) this time of year, as you are packing up Christmas, to reflect on all God has shown you in 2008. What has He revealed to you? How has He ministered to you and through you? In what ways has He blessed your family? How do you love Him more this New Year? Take time to treasure all these things in your heart as you begin 2009 and look forward with great hope and expectation as to what God will do in the days ahead!

This Christmas...choose a gift that cannot be taken away.

On a typical day during the Christmas season, my thoughts go something like this..."address Christmas cards, get teacher gifts, finish shopping, make goodies for neighbors, do laundry, clean out Ellie's closet, drop off clothes at Katy Christian Ministries, wrap gifts, decide Christmas menu, blah, blah, blah..." My blood pressure is on the rise. My mind begins to spin. I am overwhelmed. Then, through no effort of my own, I will begin to hear another voice in my head interjecting thoughts like this..."be still...I can do all things through Christ...seek first the kingdom of God...cast all your cares upon Him..." In the hurriedness of life I sense the Holy Spirit drawing me back to what is true, to what matters most.

I could be a poster child for what I call the "Martha, Martha Syndrome". You know the story in John 10, about Jesus coming to Mary and Martha's house. Martha is taking care of all the preparations while Mary, selfishly, sits at Jesus' feet. Martha whines to Jesus to make Mary get up and help her. Jesus not only says her name once but twice! I would not want Jesus saying my name twice. He means business. He says a line that I will forever remember, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her." OUCH! Do you read this as personally as I do? It could easily read, "Lisa, Lisa".

Why would Jesus reprimand poor sweet Martha? She invited them in for a meal after all. These men have to eat, don't they? Is the food going to fix itself? Who will do it if she doesn't? How much can you ask of this selfless, giving woman? Here are some thoughts to ponder:

Could it be that Martha was more concerned about putting on a good party versus genuinely caring for her guests? Could it be that her busyness was driving her to distraction from engaging with Jesus? Was she possibly trying to earn Jesus' approval rather than just enjoying His presence? The scary, yet comforting thing about this story is that Jesus knows our hearts. He may be the only one who truly knows us. Jesus knew Martha's motives and loved her completely. If He corrected her then you can rest assured she needed correction. Jesus knew Martha her whole life even though He'd just met her face to face. He could see deeply into her soul, her thoughts, and her desires - and her needs.

He knew about Martha like he knows about me, that we need to work at what matters most or we'll miss the greatest gift of all. It's easy to stay busy. It's easy to flutter around doing good. (Sometimes, I think we are afraid of what might happen if we were to actually be still and fellowship with God. That is a topic for another time!) There are many good things that need doing. We, as Christians, are called to serve. This is all true. But Jesus brings us back in these verses to what matters most. If we are too busy to sit still in His presence then we are too busy and that is not what He had in mind when He called us to Christian service.

What about you? In a crazy season with so many responsibilitites, can you muster the self-discipline to sit still? I dare you (as I dare myself) to put at the top of your to do list: Be still in God's presence. Get alone somewhere in your home or car or bathroom stall at the mall! Talk to Him, listen to Him, praise Him.

At the end of the holiday there are lots of empty boxes, torn wrapping paper, more room in the fridge and less room in the stretchy pants. All of these things come and then go again. At the end of the day, will this be the full extent of your Christmas or will you have something more? Will you have chosen what is better and what cannot be taken away - a closer relationship with Jesus?

Control Freak

Jeremiah 29: 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

This is a really popular passage – particularly verse 11. We use it to give us encouragement that God is on our side. Rightfully so, we are fortunate to have a God that truly loves us. The problem I see is that we're getting off the train too soon.

We tend to stick with verse 11 – “good plans”. We love good plans, don’t we? I love a good plan. I’m a planner and I really want to know the plan. Actually, it’s not enough to know that the plans are good. I want to know what the plan IS. What is the plan God? Is Chris’ job going to hold out? Will we be able to pay for college? Will my marriage make it? Will my kids turn out all right? Will my dreams come true? What is the plan?

Often times I behave like I love the plan more than I love God. I want to know the plan more than I want to know God – the author of the plan. Notice God doesn’t say, “Here’s the good plan” and follows that up with a detailed outline of what he’s going to do or what is going to happen to us. He just says, “I know the plans”. He doesn’t promise to reveal the plans to us at a certain time. He doesn’t say he’ll run the plans past us to see if we approve. He simply says, “I know the plans and they’re good”.

Why does he insist on making me crazy like this?! Why doesn’t he just tell me the plan? He doesn’t tell me the plan because He's so smart. We weren’t made for plans. We were made for relationship with God.

He doesn’t tell us the plan because of verses 12 and 13, “Then you’ll come to me and pray to me. You’ll talk and I’ll listen. You’ll seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Our problem is sometimes we want to know the plan so badly that we seek the plan with all our heart instead of God. This puts us on that terrible hamster wheel where we’re chasing a plan and getting nowhere. It’s only when we chase God that we live life the way it was meant to be lived. Life was not meant to be lived in pursuit of a plan but in pursuit of God.

Notice He says, "me" five times in verses 12 and 13. He's saying, "Hey, it's ME you need to know." He never says he'll reveal the plan to us when we seek him with all of our heart. He says he'll reveal Himself. His beautiful, awesome, amazing self! That's what we really need! I'm such a control freak but this verse brings things back into focus. I can put down my blackberry, my day planner, my five year forcast and simply come. He's the holder of the plan but more than that, He's the holder of my heart.

Fishers of Men

The Lord gave me a vision today as I was worshipping at A1. We were singing about how God is God of the city, nation, world. I recalled Jesus saying he would make us fishers of men. Of course, I always thought of myself and other believers as being the fisherman. However, today, I saw the body of Christ as the net that catches the fish. God casts the church across the city and world to reach people for Christ. The trick is, the cords of the net must all be linked together to be effective. There can’t be any holes in it or the fish will slip through the net and be lost. The holes in the net of the church represent division, judgementalism, unforgiveness, bitterness, jealousy and of course, pride. We must mend our nets. We must have a healthy body of Christ so that we can reach the world for Christ.

Heaviness vs. Heavenliness

Do you ever have one of those days where breathing in and out is about all you can manage? I’m having one of those days. Putting one foot in front of the other takes all my effort. Satan is sitting on my chest breathing hot humid smelly insults and accusations at me. My mind is reeling, like a car spinning out of control. I try to grab the wheel but it keeps slipping from my grasp. I must get control of my thoughts. I must focus on Truth.

The Truth has set me free. I am not under it’s control any more. The truth is, I am God’s daughter. I have an inheritance, a promise, a blessing from my father, the King. He has me safely in his hands. He is able, capable, competent, equipped. My God is King Daddy, Lord Almighty, Alpha and Omega, First and Last and everything in between. He is the Starter and the Finisher. He leaves nothing to chance. He’s the Author, the Planner, the Facilitator. His Word is sure, it’s good credit, it’s bankable, it’s 100%, guaranteed, insured, bonded and sealed.

THEREFORE, I will change my focus from heaviness to heavenliness. From darkness to light, from death to life, from sickness to health, from doubt to faith, from fear to facts – Jesus has got me. He’s got me and He’s never letting go. Satan knows God is about to deliver me. Satan is holding on with both claws but he’s losing his grip. He’s slipping up.

God has got me. My Father is healing me and dealing with me. I’m going to be free from fear. I’m going to run and soar and fly above the lies of this world. I’m being transformed, transplanted, redeemed, purchased, acquired, rescued, delivered. I belong to HIM. YHWH. Jesus saved me once and for all at the Cross. The beautiful, lovely, glorious, magnificent Cross. Jesus killed death. Nothing can happen to me in this life that can undo my eternity with Jesus.

Keep It Simple Silly

When Bill Clinton was running for President, his campaign crew had a catch phrase they used when strategizing, “Keep It Simple, Stupid” or KISS for short. The phrase implied that their campaign should stay basic in message to reach the most number of people. You start complicating the vision or muddying your speeches with too many messages and you’re going to lose voters.

As I was reading over my preschool bible study lesson for next week it was the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. It is written in the most simple message and it was like water to my dry bones. I was swept away by the simple thought that “Jesus can do anything” (the preschool theme for the month). How simply comforting, refreshing and empowering to know Jesus can do anything!

I see myself in that story. Jesus and the disciples are actually trying to get away in a boat and have some solitary time but people catch sight of them and chase after them like groupies around a rock star. It says in Mark 6:34, “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching…”

It was getting late in the day, the disciples mind was on food and what was this large crowd going to do when there were no concessions? They suggested dispersing the multitude but Jesus had another one of his crazy ideas. He suggested the disciples feed the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish. Jesus really had to be out of his mind with this one, right? He had the crowds divide up into smaller groups (hmmm… the first small groups?). Looking to heaven, Jesus gave thanks and broke the loaves. Verse 42 says, “they were all satisfied”.

I’ve heard this story my whole life. I’ve related to the disciples and the crowd but never have I related to the loaves and fish! That’s what I am in this story. I’m the measly loaf of bread offering myself to the multitudes of my community. Pour me out, Jesus. Break me. Use me to satisfy the appetites of people hungry for You. Draw the crowds to yourself like you did that day at the lake. Don’t send them away but have them sit in community and partake of your goodness and compassion.

The crowds couldn’t help but chase after Jesus. They saw what they had been searching for. They left their shopping, working, arguing, everything for the one thing they knew would satisfy. I think Jesus is thankful for our willingness to be broken for his sake, just like he gave thanks that day by the lake. That we get to be part of the nourishing process is unbelievable. Only Jesus could take a loaf and satisfy the masses. If he can use me, Jesus really can do anything!

Beware of Bumper Stickers

There is a custom in this country of slathering your life story and beliefs on the back of your car in the form of bumper stickers. This visual pollution, as I see it, makes for a fascinating sociological study. Why do people feel the need to reveal their children’s names and sports to the general public? Do passersby care that your child is on the honor roll? Is it necessary for other drivers to know who you support for president or that you long for World Peace? I am afraid I am not compelled to share my life story with strangers on the freeway. There is a silver double T logo and a Baylor trailer hitch on the back of my car. Neither was put there by me. I am a passionate person but choose to express my convictions in other ways than on the back of my motor vehicle. (I know this sounds harsh, but read on)

Bumper stickers can not only be a visual nuisance, they can also get you into trouble. See if you can relate to this scenario. My friend had a prescription to fill on her way home from work. She pulls up to the drive-thru pharmacy to see a car in each of the two drive up windows. She patiently waits centered between the two lanes for the first available window. About ten minutes later a few cars pull in and fall in line. The car immediately behind my friend shortly starts honking for her to move up. My friend moves up a bit thinking perhaps someone in the back of the line is trying to get off the street and into the lot. However, the driver continues to honk impatiently. My friend inches up just enough for the driver to suddenly squeeze by her into one of the window lanes. As fate would have it that lane moved up and the rude driver was waited on before my friend who’d been there some time.

My friend, not suffering from a case of shyness, rolled down her window to politely explain to the woman why she had been straddling the two lanes and that now she would have to wait even longer. The woman driving the car was as brash to my friend as her horn had been and quickly closed her window as if hanging up on a telemarketer during dinner. It was at this time my friend couldn’t help but notice not one, not two, but THREE Christian bumper stickers on the back of the brash lady’s car. One for her church, one promoting prayer and of course the famous fish. My friend thought of several very clever quips she would like to share with the woman, but feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit, unlike the car next to her, kept the thoughts to herself.

How many of us can relate to both characters in this story? One day we’re the righteous victim being treated so unfairly, the next day we’re the ones with the Christian labels telling the rest of the world what they can do with it!

Oh sure, we all believe Philippians 4:4-5, “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” As well as, “Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.” Christians know to “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”. Let’s not leave out, John 3:36, which says, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." Ouch!

Of course we say we believe these things and we do but it’s nearly impossible to live this all the time. It’s hard to always live what we believe. Here’s the other problem, aren’t we just walking bumper stickers? Aren’t us Christians wearing His name? God took a chance leaving us here after we accepted Him as Lord. Why take the risk?

The bible says it’s because, of good ol’ Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”. God prepared for us to do good works! That’s what we’re doing here, and Romans 1:6, “(For I am) confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” If you had been taken to heaven upon receiving Jesus, who would be here this Sunday to teach preschoolers or help in the parking lot or set up the stage for worship?

We’re all a work in progress. God planned to leave us here to be his ambassadors and to continually work on us. Our failures keep us on our knees in awe of his perfections. Our good works allow us to participate with him in the gospel. He’s got a good plan. We’re part of that plan in whatever stage of faith we may be.

My friend did the right thing that day, exercising her beliefs of being quick to listen (to the Spirit in this case) and slow to speak. Her sister in the Lord driving that car next to her didn’t exercise that day. I don’t know which role I’ll play later today when I get out in Houston traffic but I do know this, “I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”

Drive on brothers and sisters in the strength of the Lord but please, don’t ask your church to print any bumper stickers any time soon!

Pray today that all believers will be positive bumper stickers for His Name. Pray that his name and renown would be the desire of our hearts. Blessings to you!

My God is a Kung Fu Fighter…

Don’t you just love all the names of God? Jehovah Nissi, The Great I Am, Strong Deliverer. Isn’t there something about speaking His Name that brings great joy and excitement? Having been around Christian culture for more than twenty years, I have become saturated with various names for God. God is Omnipotent, Victorious One, Alpha and Omega. Jesus is our Prince of Peace, Lamb of God, Coming King. We each have our favorites that remind us of a particular experience we’ve had with God when he revealed himself to us in one of these ways. I’ll never forget the time I felt God leading me to participate in a long term mission project yet I did not have the finances to be able to commit. After much prayer, within a short period of time money began to pour in along with loving letters of support from unexpected sources. God revealed himself to me as Jehovah Jireh – God our Provider.

Today I have a new favorite name for God that I’d like to share. It’s a name I had never heard before. I propose to you that My God is a Kung Fu Fighter.

You see, a couple of months ago, my seven year old son, Jack, was in his Bible Study class. The bible story was about David and Goliath. The teachers were discussing with the children the difference between human power and God’s power. They were given a worksheet where on one side of the page they were to draw a picture of something they could do in their own power. Jack drew a picture of himself swinging across monkey bars. This represented something he could do in his own strength.

On the opposite page the children were instructed to draw something that, in their seven-year-old minds, represented God’s power to them. You probably guessed by now, Jack drew Jesus in a Kung Fu Fighter’s uniform doing a giant karate chop. Not only that, but the entire page was then filled with countless “a’s” coming from Jesus mouth as though he were chanting “Waaaaaaaa” as he flew through the air in Kung Fu mode! At the top of his picture he titled it, My God is a Kung Fu Fighter.

This picture really struck me. As Christian leaders we face a conflict – leading in worldly wisdom or prolific power. Paul explains what this means in 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.” Paul had the pedigree for worldly wisdom. Like many of us, he had the experience and the power to persuade people to see things his way. Why did he choose God’s prolific power over his worldly wisdom? Why should we? As it says in verse five, so that those we are leading will have faith that rests on God – not man.

We’ve seen what happens eventually when Christian leadership rests on worldly wisdom. People follow a certain teaching or a certain figure head instead of following after God alone. Over time, theories and teachers will fail but God’s power will remain. We must make sure those who follow us are being led straight to the Lord’s throne versus our own agendas.

How do we do this? We’ve got to “Get our Kung Fu up”! We’ve got to: HONE OUR SKILLS and SURRENDER OUR WILLS. We’ve got to do both of these together. If we only hone our skills, that leads to worldly wisdom. We must also surrender our wills to God. What does this look like? We must: Get on our knees, Get in the Word and Get on the phone.

To Get on Our Knees means we embrace the gifts God has given us yet we surrender them back to him daily. Our gifts and abilities are for his glory, not our own. To Get in the Word means we read and study God’s Word daily and ask the Holy Spirit to use it to transform our lives into the likeness of Jesus. To Get on the Phone means we surround ourselves with a small group of same-gender friends who will hold our feet to the fire (accountability) and commit to pray for us.

The only way to stay clear of worldly wisdom and stay plugged in to God’s prolific power is to “Get our kung fu up” – hone our skills and surrender our wills. As we nurture and use the gifts God has given us and as we surrender to God’s power and authority in our lives, we will see the power of God at work. Remember, we don’t want to settle for worldly wisdom. We want to see God do amazing things in his prolific power. This is a God to gives sight to the blind and sets captives free! He is no weak, feeble, lifeless god. He is Omnipotent and Mighty, because after all…our God is a Kung Fu Fighter.

I’d Be Such A Good Mom If It Weren’t For My Kids!

“I’d be such a good mom if it weren’t for my kids!” This is what I was thinking this afternoon when I was trying to respond to a friend’s email. My friend’s father-in-law had gone to the ER and was in need of prayer. I only needed to look up one scripture of encouragement but my kids were screaming at each other. One asking for help with homework they should have known how to do, and another was crying from the bathroom that they needed more toilet paper. Ugh! One simple email. How hard could this be?! Here I was trying to minister to a friend in need but I was distracted by my rambunctious attention-seeking children.

Unable to finish the email, I found myself responding to my children in a voice which was not very ministerial. I was not answering my children in that pastoral, prayerful, godly woman way that I know to be right; in the voice that is easy to use when they’re acting like precious cherubs. No, I answered them in a quite different voice; my stressed out, had-it-up-to-here voice. I’m pretty sure my neighbor was in his front yard at the time as well so he got to experience the voice too. Just icing on the cake!

I wonder, what is it about parenting that turns me into a person I do not want to be? In my mind I have these wonderful dreams of how I want to raise my children. I love them with all of my heart and I don’t know what I would do without them. I know the kind of people I want them to become. I have such godly ideas of how to raise them. I want to teach them to trust in God’s Word, to believe in God’s Son, to serve Him with all their heart.

Yet sometimes when they are not acting like the precious cherubs they are, I lose those ideals. I suddenly become a completely different person when I hear one of them say for the 43rd time, “But, mommy, why can’t I have the cookie for breakfast?” In those moments I am not thinking of how I can build their character. I am thinking, “How can I get to the airport and on a flight to Jamaica before anyone misses me?”

Can anyone relate to me? I have dozens of wonderful parenting books that I’ve actually read. Children’s scripture cards and a thousand family devotional books line my bookshelves while chore charts and stickers stand at the ready on my countertop. And I’ve got the jar full of fuzzy balls for good behavior. But what I don’t have, at 9 a.m. on the first day of summer vacation while listening to their third argument of the day, is perspective.

When the strife passes and the dust settles I sense God revealing three important lessons to me:

First, God reminds me not only am I raising my children but in a sense they are raising me. My children are having a refining effect on me. I am not the same person I was ten years ago before my first child was born. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still selfish, but less selfish. I still have a temper, but I am slower to lose it. I’m still impatient, but more patient than I was. God is using my kids to help make me a great mom. All of the struggles, the stress, and strain of raising children serve a wonderful purpose in my life by helping me become more like Christ.

Second, as my email reply sits on my computer screen waiting to be sent, I am also reminded that my children are my primary ministry. When I became a mom I went into full time vocational ministry. I may not get paid for it or go to seminary to get a master’s degree in it, but it is full time ministry nonetheless. In a world that largely overlooks the great achievements of mothers, it’s easy to overlook my primary calling. I am reminded there is no mission more important than training the heart of a child.

Finally, I’m reminded that the enemy can use even a precious child of God to distract and discourage me. Once I respond to my children in the wrong way, the enemy immediately hones in on my guilt and the condemnation begins. Not only that, but he can use my misspoken words to discourage my children as well. As mothers, we must really learn to live out 1 Thessalonians 5:17, to pray continually. We must fall on the grace of Christ daily, sometimes moment by moment. God’s grace is always there to meet us in our time of need. By the power of the Holy Spirit we can overcome anger, discouragement, and even the terrible two’s!

I’m thankful for these lessons today. I’m thankful that God has a sense of humor and is so clever to teach me through a simple email. I’m grateful that my Heavenly Parent hasn’t taken an escape flight to Jamaica when I act like a disobedient toot. I’m grateful that He sustains me on those long summer days when the kids have had enough of each other and I’ve had enough of them. In the end the email got sent, the prayer for the father-in-law took place, and most importantly, the kid in the bathroom got his toilet paper from a mother who was happy to help.