So as a follow up to my last blog, I had a friend tell me to read Job. So this morning sitting in the parking lot of the pool, I read Job. I encourage all of you, ESPECIALLY if you are struggling in any way with tragedy, financial trouble or just about anything, read Job.
So to summarize Job, Job was a wealthy man with lots of kids, lots of land, lots of livestock, and alot of servants. Even God says about Job, he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. So basically, God and Satan were wagering a war over Job, Satan told God that if Job lost everything then surely he would curse God. So Satan destroyed all of Job's livestock, servants, and children. But Job did not react the way Satan said he would.
"At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart. [c]
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised."
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." Job 1:20-22
He lost everything yet did he complain? NO, he praised God
Why then are we so quickly to be discouraged and lose sight of our love for God and our faith that he will provide our daily bread.
Ok, that's all I have time for today, Ali just woke up. But please read job and then lets discuss I love this topic.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
If I was a rich girl...
"Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become so poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." -Proverbs 30:7-9
I have a little trouble with this verse, especially when thinking of friends and family who seem to have been financially struggling for a while. "only my daily bread"? What about a house to live in, and money to pay the bills. Now obviously I don't know their hearts, I don't know or understand God's plan but I want so badly to see the people I love taken care of.
And what about "become so poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of God." What about when people become so poor they lose faith that he will provide because they've been in their current situation for so long, isn't that dishonoring God? Is it just God teaching them trust? Is he teaching them perseverance, patience? And how do you constantly encourage someone in this position? They don't want to hear the same thing over and over.
Take my mom for example, from the moment we left my dad(I was 3), we have struggled. I watched as my mom walked to work at burger king and then to radio shack to provide for us kids. I witnessed the church both ridicule and love on us for being in our situation. But I also witnessed my mom cling to Jesus the entire time. When I was a teenager and wanted money for new clothes or to go to the movies with friends or to even go to Carl's Jr after youth group I resented her for not having the money to give to me. I started to even blame her prayer life, she was always praying that Jesus would make her more like him. As I read my bible, I thought wait! Jesus didn't even have a house, he had no income, he had to totally rely on God providing.
This was just the start of my lesson. I moved to Chicago with $300 in my bank account and no job waiting for me but a school bill ready to start up. Once I found a church, my friends would show up on my doorstep either to take me grocery shopping or bring me some groceries when I thought things were looking desolate. I ended up having a roommate with a good full time job who was kind when my waitressing was slow and I didn't have enough for rent. Every time I sat down with my bills and how much money I had coming I never had enough. One day, a friend of mine bluntly asked me, "Are you tithing?". I thought, God understands that I don't have enough to tithe, WRONG!
By the time I got married and moved back to Cali I thought, ok I have this trust thing down, I have been poor my entire life and God has proven to me time and time again that he will provide. But even now when we have a big tax bill or something it's easy to slip back in and be discouraged. I'm the kind of person who wants everyone to be happy and taken care of, but that is also why I'm not God. If hadn't of gone through all that I would not be the person I am today.
I would love to hear any thoughts you guys have on this verse.:)
I have a little trouble with this verse, especially when thinking of friends and family who seem to have been financially struggling for a while. "only my daily bread"? What about a house to live in, and money to pay the bills. Now obviously I don't know their hearts, I don't know or understand God's plan but I want so badly to see the people I love taken care of.
And what about "become so poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of God." What about when people become so poor they lose faith that he will provide because they've been in their current situation for so long, isn't that dishonoring God? Is it just God teaching them trust? Is he teaching them perseverance, patience? And how do you constantly encourage someone in this position? They don't want to hear the same thing over and over.
Take my mom for example, from the moment we left my dad(I was 3), we have struggled. I watched as my mom walked to work at burger king and then to radio shack to provide for us kids. I witnessed the church both ridicule and love on us for being in our situation. But I also witnessed my mom cling to Jesus the entire time. When I was a teenager and wanted money for new clothes or to go to the movies with friends or to even go to Carl's Jr after youth group I resented her for not having the money to give to me. I started to even blame her prayer life, she was always praying that Jesus would make her more like him. As I read my bible, I thought wait! Jesus didn't even have a house, he had no income, he had to totally rely on God providing.
This was just the start of my lesson. I moved to Chicago with $300 in my bank account and no job waiting for me but a school bill ready to start up. Once I found a church, my friends would show up on my doorstep either to take me grocery shopping or bring me some groceries when I thought things were looking desolate. I ended up having a roommate with a good full time job who was kind when my waitressing was slow and I didn't have enough for rent. Every time I sat down with my bills and how much money I had coming I never had enough. One day, a friend of mine bluntly asked me, "Are you tithing?". I thought, God understands that I don't have enough to tithe, WRONG!
By the time I got married and moved back to Cali I thought, ok I have this trust thing down, I have been poor my entire life and God has proven to me time and time again that he will provide. But even now when we have a big tax bill or something it's easy to slip back in and be discouraged. I'm the kind of person who wants everyone to be happy and taken care of, but that is also why I'm not God. If hadn't of gone through all that I would not be the person I am today.
I would love to hear any thoughts you guys have on this verse.:)
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Proverbs 31 devotional...Amazing!
http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/
Failing Forward
13 May 2009
Renee Swope
"The steps of a [woman] are established by the Lord, and He delights in [her] way. When [she] falls, [she] will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds [her] hand." Psalm 37:23-24 (NASB)
I admire, maybe even envy, people who aren't afraid to fail. You know, those people who see personal setbacks as another goal to conquer. People who don't even consider defeat when they blow it.
I wish I were that kind of person. But honestly, I am not always so courageous in the face of failure.
Failure is painful. It's embarrassing. And sometimes it makes me want to give up, mainly on myself.
God is teaching me a lot about failing. In fact, He is giving me a little push these days, to fail forward.
This week He's be en challenging me to determine in my heart and mind that I am a work in progress and move forward even when I have a setback. He is reminding me that I am a woman who is becoming all He created her to be.
A woman who is growing.
A woman who is getting better and better each day.
A woman who is not perfect - but who tries to surrender to God's perfect love and perfect power at work in her.
Failing forward...after I shoot harsh words across the room to "shoosh" my child when he announces that the yogurt in our near empty refrigerator has expired and there is nothing to eat! That is, after I'd just opened the large container of perfectly good yogurt, eaten some myself and served it to his brother for a snack.
Failing forward...after I criticize my husband and realize I failed to honor my man, again. Instead I've added to an already stressful day for the husband and father who just brought home groceries.
Faili ng forward...after I let myself be "too busy" to take the time to encourage, sit with, talk to, and listen to my always-giving-and-forgiving-mom who stopped by unexpectedly this afternoon.
Failing forward...after I tell God that a certain ministry assignment is too stinkin' hard so I can't do it because surely I don't have what it takes.
Every time I fail to be the woman God calls me to be, or the woman I expect myself to be, God reminds me of the progress we've made. Because, even though I may not be who I want to be, I am not who I used to be!
And I get that much closer to who I am meant to be every time I fail forward.
Dear Lord, I am so thankful that with Your help, I can fail forward!! I don't have to see my setbacks as a step back. In fact they can lead me forward if I let them. Today, I will take Your hand and trust Your heart as You pull me back up again and use my failures to help me become the woman You created m e to be. In Jesus' Name, amen.
Failing Forward
13 May 2009
Renee Swope
"The steps of a [woman] are established by the Lord, and He delights in [her] way. When [she] falls, [she] will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds [her] hand." Psalm 37:23-24 (NASB)
I admire, maybe even envy, people who aren't afraid to fail. You know, those people who see personal setbacks as another goal to conquer. People who don't even consider defeat when they blow it.
I wish I were that kind of person. But honestly, I am not always so courageous in the face of failure.
Failure is painful. It's embarrassing. And sometimes it makes me want to give up, mainly on myself.
God is teaching me a lot about failing. In fact, He is giving me a little push these days, to fail forward.
This week He's be en challenging me to determine in my heart and mind that I am a work in progress and move forward even when I have a setback. He is reminding me that I am a woman who is becoming all He created her to be.
A woman who is growing.
A woman who is getting better and better each day.
A woman who is not perfect - but who tries to surrender to God's perfect love and perfect power at work in her.
Failing forward...after I shoot harsh words across the room to "shoosh" my child when he announces that the yogurt in our near empty refrigerator has expired and there is nothing to eat! That is, after I'd just opened the large container of perfectly good yogurt, eaten some myself and served it to his brother for a snack.
Failing forward...after I criticize my husband and realize I failed to honor my man, again. Instead I've added to an already stressful day for the husband and father who just brought home groceries.
Faili ng forward...after I let myself be "too busy" to take the time to encourage, sit with, talk to, and listen to my always-giving-and-forgiving-mom who stopped by unexpectedly this afternoon.
Failing forward...after I tell God that a certain ministry assignment is too stinkin' hard so I can't do it because surely I don't have what it takes.
Every time I fail to be the woman God calls me to be, or the woman I expect myself to be, God reminds me of the progress we've made. Because, even though I may not be who I want to be, I am not who I used to be!
And I get that much closer to who I am meant to be every time I fail forward.
Dear Lord, I am so thankful that with Your help, I can fail forward!! I don't have to see my setbacks as a step back. In fact they can lead me forward if I let them. Today, I will take Your hand and trust Your heart as You pull me back up again and use my failures to help me become the woman You created m e to be. In Jesus' Name, amen.
Monday, May 11, 2009
feelings...nothing more than, feelings?
So last week was crazy, PMS mixed with being under attack. Our finances are under a lot of stress right now, I'm trying to lose weight and balance my social and my family life.
I have a rule, I don't make important decisions when I'm pmsing cause I feel like my emotions have full run and may not make the most logical choice. I know that God is faithful to provide for us ALL of our needs and we just have to keep trusting him. It is so easy to trust him when times are good but as soon as we see signs of hard times we panic. I want to praise him through this, I want to look at the positive. We have so much to be thankful for.
Thank you Jesus for being so gracious and loving. Thank you for all you have provided for us. You are such a glorious and magnificent God.
I have a rule, I don't make important decisions when I'm pmsing cause I feel like my emotions have full run and may not make the most logical choice. I know that God is faithful to provide for us ALL of our needs and we just have to keep trusting him. It is so easy to trust him when times are good but as soon as we see signs of hard times we panic. I want to praise him through this, I want to look at the positive. We have so much to be thankful for.
Thank you Jesus for being so gracious and loving. Thank you for all you have provided for us. You are such a glorious and magnificent God.
Friday, May 08, 2009
life as a young mother
I used to set my alarm clock to get up and get ready for work, now I rush to turn off the alarm clock so it doesn't wake the baby.
I have been a mom for about 14 months now and I feel I am still in transition. I love my daughter and I love spending my days teaching her, playing with her, and loving her. Yet I still find myself missing the ability to up and go to movie with some friends without calling 5 different people to find a last minute babysitter. Or to go out of town or on a road trip on a whim with the only things to worry about were getting your boss to let you have the time off.
Most people work 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, sometimes more if they have to. I work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the occasional break from a babysitter. Yet we still live in a society were women have embraced the work force so tightly that I am looked at by most as someone who just stays home and does nothing. It gets to me. A child (any age) is a lot of work, and if you don't take them to daycare or have a nanny then it is a full time job.
At my old job, there was a woman who worked there, she was head of her department and she had a 3 kids. After she came back from maternity leave with her last kid someone asked her why she just didn't stay home with her kids instead of working so hard to pay for their childcare. She replied to them, "Because dropping them off with someone else and coming here is easier than taking care of them myself all day."
This isn't a blog about why it's better to stay at home with your kids then to be a working mom, I understand some mom's HAVE to, they have no other choice. My mom was among those who were forced to work 3 jobs to support her 2 kids. I have been blessed by the ability to stay home and raise my daughter myself, yet I still find myself missing the independence of earning my own living, contributing to the household financially. But honestly even if I worked I would just be making enough to send Ali to daycare. I know that God has blessed us with a child and he has made me a mom for a reason and I just pray I always remember how important that job really is.
To all those mom's out there, Happy Mother's Day! I hope you realize how very special and important you are. You will impact the lives you have created and those around you more than you will ever know.
I have been a mom for about 14 months now and I feel I am still in transition. I love my daughter and I love spending my days teaching her, playing with her, and loving her. Yet I still find myself missing the ability to up and go to movie with some friends without calling 5 different people to find a last minute babysitter. Or to go out of town or on a road trip on a whim with the only things to worry about were getting your boss to let you have the time off.
Most people work 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, sometimes more if they have to. I work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the occasional break from a babysitter. Yet we still live in a society were women have embraced the work force so tightly that I am looked at by most as someone who just stays home and does nothing. It gets to me. A child (any age) is a lot of work, and if you don't take them to daycare or have a nanny then it is a full time job.
At my old job, there was a woman who worked there, she was head of her department and she had a 3 kids. After she came back from maternity leave with her last kid someone asked her why she just didn't stay home with her kids instead of working so hard to pay for their childcare. She replied to them, "Because dropping them off with someone else and coming here is easier than taking care of them myself all day."
This isn't a blog about why it's better to stay at home with your kids then to be a working mom, I understand some mom's HAVE to, they have no other choice. My mom was among those who were forced to work 3 jobs to support her 2 kids. I have been blessed by the ability to stay home and raise my daughter myself, yet I still find myself missing the independence of earning my own living, contributing to the household financially. But honestly even if I worked I would just be making enough to send Ali to daycare. I know that God has blessed us with a child and he has made me a mom for a reason and I just pray I always remember how important that job really is.
To all those mom's out there, Happy Mother's Day! I hope you realize how very special and important you are. You will impact the lives you have created and those around you more than you will ever know.
Monday, May 04, 2009
Not Me! Monday
Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.
I think this is so fun, I just have to write my own.
I did not forget baby wipes on my trip to Super Target and did not think it was a good idea to just go wet some toilet paper. And I did not carry my half naked poopy toddler over to the bathroom stall to grab the aforesaid toilet paper and did not use it to clean up her bottom. I did not drive to Disney Land with my toddler with just a few diapers and stop at Babies R Us in Valencia to find out I did not leave my debit card at home. I also did not try to use my expired credit card for the aforesaid purchase...
And let me just tell you, I did not leave my toddler in her high chair in front of Sesame Street so I could steal a few minutes with Daddy.
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