The world can seem like an unfriendly, threatening place, yet we all want safety, health, and happiness for ourselves and our loved ones. How can one ordinary person -- you or me -- make a positive difference in this world? One way is the practice "paying it forward." While the steps might be simple, the outcome could change the world.
Paying for someone behind you in line, offering lunch to the family on the corner, smiling to everyone, volunteering, making dinner for someone ... the list is endlist! What are your ideas? What are some of your gifts of generosity? NOW .. go do it!! let me know, k?
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
OVERDUE
Well ... Tosha is overdue with the baby. However, babies come when babies come! This is one day past due date!! and we wait!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
HONESTY .... confused even hurt?!
Papa God, (have you read "Papa Prayer by Larry Crabb?! Excellent book) Oh and BTW, I rarely recommend books on my blog
I'm so frustrated with people lately. How can people be so misleading toward someone? How can someone ask something of so many people, then not wait to hear the result? How can people use those around them who truly care? Why won't hurting people ask for help when you offer it to them DAILY? How can someone lie, continuously exaggerate just to get people to feel for them? God, I truly don't get it. I know we're all sinful beings, but these people are claiming to follow You. How will the world know what a true "Christian" should look like, if those of us who profess it, don't live it out, and live it out completely? It's no wonder we aren't able to be effect when it comes to reaching people for You.
God, I'm so frustrated right now. You know why, You understand. The same things I'm frustrated with, have frustrated You for hundreds of years. I know I have frustrated You in the same ways, and I'm SO sorry for that. I understand now, the feelings with in me, is the same feelings You had when I did it to You. Forgive me for the choices I made that frustrated You.
God, You know me inside and out. You know me better than my friends know me, better than I know myself. Only You can truly understand why this is getting to me right now. I can't even fully comprehend why I'm feeling this way. I pray that You reveal to me the reason behind these feelings. I pray You show me how to not cause You or anyone else this sort of frustration.
Continuously draw me back into Your embrace. Continue to give me a hunger and thirst for You that I've never had, but am loving. Lord, break my heart <3 for what breaks Yours! God, please continue to give me the discernment that I know only comes from You. God, give me a forgiving heart <3 that reflects Your forgiving heart. Enable me to extend to others even a portion the grace that You give to me daily.
Papa, You are ever faithful. You are honest. You don't deceive. You are who You say you are. You will never leave or abandon me. Your love will never fail me. Only You are perfect. You have my best interest at heart, even when it feels as though that is not true, You always allow me to see that it is. You love me just the way I am. You are forever & ever. You are the God of 2nd chances, of mercy!
God, help me to become a better friend. A better wife. A better sister. A better daughter. A better mother. A better MIL. Show me ways to be a grandmother (MaeMae). A better encourager. God, help me to become stronger in You, so that I will be strong enough to help those who are frustrating me right now, and not get bogged down so much.
Daddy, You know my heart <3 for You, as well as my heart <3 for the people You placed in my life. I pray that You will protect me, and those like me who are willing to bend over backwards for the ones they love, from being used. Daddy, we've been used so much already throughout our lifetimes. We should not be afraid to get involved in Your church because of fear of getting used, or getting sucked up into the drama of it all. That's not the way You meant it to be.
God, I bind Satan and ALL his attempts to break apart the Church You have set in place. He has no place within Your church. I bind all of his footholds that he has on some of Your people. God, show those who have allowed Satan's grasp to get ever so stronger. Make them wise to his schemes and give them the strength and courage to kick him out and kick him out FOR GOOD!
Daddy, I pray that the heaviness on my heart right now be taken away. You know what it is about. I pray you release me from any feelings for hurt, anger, disappointment, disbelief, bitterness, or anything else that hinders me from growing in You. I pray that you will give me the strength to walk through anything you put in front of me, and that You will continue to guide my steps in You. In Jesus' blessed, powerful & holy name I pray, Amen.
I'm so frustrated with people lately. How can people be so misleading toward someone? How can someone ask something of so many people, then not wait to hear the result? How can people use those around them who truly care? Why won't hurting people ask for help when you offer it to them DAILY? How can someone lie, continuously exaggerate just to get people to feel for them? God, I truly don't get it. I know we're all sinful beings, but these people are claiming to follow You. How will the world know what a true "Christian" should look like, if those of us who profess it, don't live it out, and live it out completely? It's no wonder we aren't able to be effect when it comes to reaching people for You.
God, I'm so frustrated right now. You know why, You understand. The same things I'm frustrated with, have frustrated You for hundreds of years. I know I have frustrated You in the same ways, and I'm SO sorry for that. I understand now, the feelings with in me, is the same feelings You had when I did it to You. Forgive me for the choices I made that frustrated You.
God, You know me inside and out. You know me better than my friends know me, better than I know myself. Only You can truly understand why this is getting to me right now. I can't even fully comprehend why I'm feeling this way. I pray that You reveal to me the reason behind these feelings. I pray You show me how to not cause You or anyone else this sort of frustration.
Continuously draw me back into Your embrace. Continue to give me a hunger and thirst for You that I've never had, but am loving. Lord, break my heart <3 for what breaks Yours! God, please continue to give me the discernment that I know only comes from You. God, give me a forgiving heart <3 that reflects Your forgiving heart. Enable me to extend to others even a portion the grace that You give to me daily.
Papa, You are ever faithful. You are honest. You don't deceive. You are who You say you are. You will never leave or abandon me. Your love will never fail me. Only You are perfect. You have my best interest at heart, even when it feels as though that is not true, You always allow me to see that it is. You love me just the way I am. You are forever & ever. You are the God of 2nd chances, of mercy!
God, help me to become a better friend. A better wife. A better sister. A better daughter. A better mother. A better MIL. Show me ways to be a grandmother (MaeMae). A better encourager. God, help me to become stronger in You, so that I will be strong enough to help those who are frustrating me right now, and not get bogged down so much.
Daddy, You know my heart <3 for You, as well as my heart <3 for the people You placed in my life. I pray that You will protect me, and those like me who are willing to bend over backwards for the ones they love, from being used. Daddy, we've been used so much already throughout our lifetimes. We should not be afraid to get involved in Your church because of fear of getting used, or getting sucked up into the drama of it all. That's not the way You meant it to be.
God, I bind Satan and ALL his attempts to break apart the Church You have set in place. He has no place within Your church. I bind all of his footholds that he has on some of Your people. God, show those who have allowed Satan's grasp to get ever so stronger. Make them wise to his schemes and give them the strength and courage to kick him out and kick him out FOR GOOD!
Daddy, I pray that the heaviness on my heart right now be taken away. You know what it is about. I pray you release me from any feelings for hurt, anger, disappointment, disbelief, bitterness, or anything else that hinders me from growing in You. I pray that you will give me the strength to walk through anything you put in front of me, and that You will continue to guide my steps in You. In Jesus' blessed, powerful & holy name I pray, Amen.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
seeking Him
"God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us." - Acts 17:27 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse... Our seeking God longs to be sought! God placed his fingerprints all over the universe and then gave us places to find life and meaning. He had a purpose in this plan: he wanted us to seek the One behind it all. He is never far away from us, but He longs to be sought and found. When we seek after God, we are not only blessing Him, we're also living out our life's key task.
Thoughts on Today's Verse... Our seeking God longs to be sought! God placed his fingerprints all over the universe and then gave us places to find life and meaning. He had a purpose in this plan: he wanted us to seek the One behind it all. He is never far away from us, but He longs to be sought and found. When we seek after God, we are not only blessing Him, we're also living out our life's key task.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Trying hard ~ Good Girl Syndrome?!!
RECEIVE from Him rather than achieve (good girl syndrome!) for God .... GRACE
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
when there are NO words .....
what do you do when there are NO words? I tend to go to music! PLEASE take a second to turn off my blog music and LISTEN ... really LISTEN ~
Listen to this ~ Your Grace Still Amazes me by Steve Green. And then ...
what are you feeling? thinking? sensing? {deep sigh from me!}
All because of Christ, m
Listen to this ~ Your Grace Still Amazes me by Steve Green. And then ...
what are you feeling? thinking? sensing? {deep sigh from me!}
All because of Christ, m
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Noah's Ark ....
I am not afraid of tomorrow for I have seen yesterday and I love today.
Noah's Ark : Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark .
ONE: Don't miss the boat.
TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat!
THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do
something really big.
FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be
done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the
cheetahs.
NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.
TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by
professionals.
ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a
rainbow waiting.
Most people walk in and out of your life, but FRIENDS leave footprints in your heart. <3
Noah's Ark : Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark .
ONE: Don't miss the boat.
TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat!
THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do
something really big.
FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be
done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the
cheetahs.
NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.
TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by
professionals.
ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a
rainbow waiting.
Most people walk in and out of your life, but FRIENDS leave footprints in your heart. <3
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
monogrammed beachball ....
LQQk ... tosha making a monogrammed beachball. this is the beachball we used at the baby shower as an icebreaker!!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
when you need peace …
So ends come, and beginnings too.
They always come together those two —like friends trusting each other.
The summer that was, it ends, slips behind us, and we’ll all begin yet another chapter of LIFE. New roles, titles and resposibilities for all of us. To love LIFE and all it brings for it truly is a gift from God. Do you know how much God loves you?? (psst. ~ sometimes I forget too!)
Something ends and something begins and I’m anticipating it soooo much! New blessings, new challenges, more things to pray with you about!! And I’m thankful for what’s behind, for I have never travelled this road that lies ahead of us.
But I keep pondering this, me on an axis of my own: Christ wins.
Roads can twist and what untwists me is just that: Christ wins.
I can fall and all hope can fall and the day can get extremely hard and in this is a startling fallen world — but what can negate peace when I know Christ wins?
This doesn’t mean I’m negligent and don’t commit – it just means I already know Who conquerors.
It means I know that the ultimate truth is, that no matter what is ultimately the problem, Christ ultimately wins.
It means I can risk and I can hold on and let go and I can say yes to God — Christ wins. All is grace because all can transfigure.
Christ wastes nothing and He repurposes pain for His purposes and He’ll use up all of creation for His glory.
We could and can laugh unafraid, you and I. Walk right out to the end of a limb. We could and can trust — us - believing. Do you know how much God loves you?
No, you and I have never been down this road before, this new one we’re just beginning — but maybe we know exactly where it leads? Are we really going to be grandma's? We can sit and blow bubbles and be the greatest grandma's there are!! k??
We have time to sing (and teach) and just be — Christ wins.
thinking of you dear friend, BB and your new arrival soon ~ blessings!!
So ends come, and beginnings too.
They always come together those two —like friends trusting each other.
The summer that was, it ends, slips behind us, and we’ll all begin yet another chapter of LIFE. New roles, titles and resposibilities for all of us. To love LIFE and all it brings for it truly is a gift from God. Do you know how much God loves you?? (psst. ~ sometimes I forget too!)
Something ends and something begins and I’m anticipating it soooo much! New blessings, new challenges, more things to pray with you about!! And I’m thankful for what’s behind, for I have never travelled this road that lies ahead of us.
But I keep pondering this, me on an axis of my own: Christ wins.
Roads can twist and what untwists me is just that: Christ wins.
I can fall and all hope can fall and the day can get extremely hard and in this is a startling fallen world — but what can negate peace when I know Christ wins?
This doesn’t mean I’m negligent and don’t commit – it just means I already know Who conquerors.
It means I know that the ultimate truth is, that no matter what is ultimately the problem, Christ ultimately wins.
It means I can risk and I can hold on and let go and I can say yes to God — Christ wins. All is grace because all can transfigure.
Christ wastes nothing and He repurposes pain for His purposes and He’ll use up all of creation for His glory.
We could and can laugh unafraid, you and I. Walk right out to the end of a limb. We could and can trust — us - believing. Do you know how much God loves you?
No, you and I have never been down this road before, this new one we’re just beginning — but maybe we know exactly where it leads? Are we really going to be grandma's? We can sit and blow bubbles and be the greatest grandma's there are!! k??
We have time to sing (and teach) and just be — Christ wins.
thinking of you dear friend, BB and your new arrival soon ~ blessings!!
get - away
incredibly darlin' D organized a get-away! so, we did!! how refreshing ... his childhood stomping ground. we drove and drove, used the GPS a few times. went sightseeing, watched the waves ... totally refreshing!!
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