Enough.

Thanksgiving break. Lovely Friday morning. Lying in bed later than usual. Cozy warm covers envelop my body. My pup sleeps soundly on his back, paws in the air, tucked closely by my side. The gentle sound of his breathing is all I hear.  Sun shining through the window, illuminating the red, shiny bulbs on the Christmas tree outside my bedroom door. Empty space in the bed next to me. Thankfulness washes over me with thoughts of my hardworking husband, who arose before the sun and trudged to work, to support his crazy, gaggle of girls. I have no words to describe my beloved's work ethic.  It is greater than any human I have ever encountered.  Something I greatly admire about him.

Breakfast is Dunkin Donuts.  I mean, c'mon, don't we need to add some more fabulous food to the past few days.  Aubs and I hop in the mini van in our jammies, our hair in knots on the top of our heads, to retrieve the delicious goods.  Charlie, our pup, accompanies, head hanging out the window, eyes half open, ears flapping in the wind. Blueberry, chocolate glazed and cream filled donuts make my girlies smile and their eyes light up like the early morning sun lights up the earth. Fun to wake up to those expressions.

We sit at our familiar breakfast table discussing God, the difference between our feelings and emotions and choosing joy.  I explain, we can always choose joy despite our feeling because of who God is.  Sweet discussion with squirmy, chocolate faced little girls soaking up God's truth like a sponge. Fruit of the spirit.  We each take a turn reciting the list. Love, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness and Self Control (Galatians 5:22-23) The girls get hung up on remembering goodness and faithfulness.  We go around the table inserting each child's name before the trait. Aubrey is loving, Anna is peaceful, Caroline is patient, Brynn is Kind.  We can use this everyday to check our attitude and temperament.  In desiring to be like Christ, we should exhibit these traits.

Not to mislead you about the way our devotion time looks. A girl trying to write Ben loves Shannon on the inside of my Bible. A girl falling into the floor, off the bench. The littlest feeding the dog sugary goodness and one girl staring at the table top, tracing the lines with the tip of her finger. But His truth permeates like warm soup filling our bodies on a cold day.

I toss out a final thought of conversing with God throughout our day. No matter what is going on.

We leave the table to start our daily chores, dishwasher to unload, beds to make, a dog to feed.  A little music makes work so much better.  I press play on Pandora on our television and the sounds of Kids Bop blare over our speakers. I love kids Bop!  All of the latest tunes without any of the bad stuff. The song "Happy" immediately makes hips sway, girls jump and slide across the hardwood floor.  Mama smiles. Perfect.

And He is before all things, and in him all things hold together Colossians 1:17

I am grateful for this day. Trenches have plagued.  Without trenches would we recognize mountain top experiences? Often time mountain top experiences are everyday scenarios, if we have the right perspective.  Would we have the chance to choose joy?  God holds all things together.  It is because of HIM that I sit here listening to "Gangham Style" and "What Does the Fox Say" watching littles twirl across my floor.

"All about that Bass," is now blaring.  Very fitting considering our eating regimen this week. Aubs is standing next to me shaking her bass or lack there off.

I digress.

The Thanksgiving story that will not leave my consciousness, is the story of the loaves and the fishes. You remember.  All too familiar. Christ feeds the 5000.  And how does He do that?  A little boy brings all that he has, as small as it may seem, He is willing.  Five loaves and two fishes to feed 5000 people? The boy offers what he has to Christ, Christ takes it,  He looks to Heaven, gives thanks and breaks the bread.

They said they only had five loaves of bread and two fish then Jesus asked them to bring what they had to him. Jesus directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.

When we take what we have, give thanks for it and offer it to Christ, HE MAKES IT ENOUGH.

This story is recorded in all four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

We need to give thanks and offer up. Not only on Thanksgiving, but everyday. We give thanks to God not because of how we feel – but because of Who He is.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 2 Corinthians 9:8

Glory to God for holding us together. It is enough.  I give thanks.

All is grace.

 

 

 

 

 

Big vs.Small and Frozen

Wow.  This feels strange.  I haven't written on here in quite some time.  Honestly, I haven't felt led to blog, lately, until today. I wanted to take a break and really examine my motives for blogging.  I never want it to be about accolades or affirmation, only to share God's truth and what He is teaching me. Hopefully, it may help someone else. And okay, maybe to journal a little family hilarity along the way. My girls do and say some pretty funny stuff!

Here I am again, and it feels right.   I sit, with a clean kitchen, slumbering kiddos, listening to the clicking of the keys, as my mind rushes. Charlie, my pup, reclining on the ottoman beside me. So  much to share. So thankful to God for His infinite wisdom. I can hardly type fast enough.  Some things have been whirling around in my head lately, and y'all know me...I have to write about it.

On Sunday, I gained confirmation by listening to my teacher that what I have been pondering and feeling is truth and needs to be postulated.  My teacher's voice eerily, echoed the precise culmination of my thoughts and feelings. Introspectively, my reflections passionately weighed on my mind and heart. I could barely sit in my seat. I wanted to jump up and scream "yes!"

Simply stated, things that seem small to us are BIG to God. We are walking by all the "small," seemingly insignificant ways to serve in our daily lives, in search of something bigger.  In our minds, something larger, a bigger ministry which must be more important to God. Right? Nope.We aren't being obedient in the little, everyday matters that God wants to use, to impact this world.

A question, Do we allow God to interrupt our daily life, for His purposes?

We already have it figured out. We're ready to check off our to do list.  We all hop out of bed with an agenda, things we need to accomplish, places to be, houses to clean, kids to transport.  How often, are we not open or obedient to God's agenda for our day...for our lives? Stacy and I always say, if Satan can't make us sin, he'll make us really busy.  Too busy to take a meal, write and encouraging note or even easier, a text.  Too busy to pick up a friend's child from school, to call someone while you are at the store and ask if they need anything. Too busy to pray for someone, to tell somebody you care and that you love them. Too busy to cut a neighbor's grass or babysit. Just for starters...

I used this analogy to explain these thoughts to my girls.  I can still picture their cheerful faces hanging on every word I said. All of them sitting side by side on the fluffy, pink bedspread. Here goes--- God loves us so much, that he cannot wait for us to awake in the morning.(picture the perplexed glances of four little girls) Do we choose to open our eyes and acknowledge God and give Him thanks for the gift of a new day a new opportunity? Do we pray about the people who will cross our path?  Do we spend time in His word?  Do we ask God to make it clear that if  His plans are different from ours, to interrupt our humanness. Are we open to being called to obedience in Christ's leading and purposes?

#preachingtomyself

It's like the scene from the movie Frozen, Anna is standing outside the door waiting for her sister, Elsa, to acknowledge her. Anna loves her so much, she can hardly wait for her sister to open the door and notice her, but she doesn't. I often wonder what God thinks when we  jump out of our beds and start our daily routines, often with no acknowledgement of Him at all.

 Guilty here.

His purposes for our day are to show God's love to everyone we come in contact with, through caring and serving others.  And don't misunderstand me, I am not referring to taking on another obligation at church, that we probably won't fulfill anyway.  Not just works, but love. Loving people.  (Even prickly people) We must not forget this life isn't about us. Now, when I ask my girls if they took time to acknowledge God first thing, they know what I am talking about. I whisper, God waits eagerly for you to open your eyes. He loves you so!

Sorry for the Frozen analogy, but I do have four girls.  We have watched the movie at least one hundred times. I happen to have had an Elsa walking around this Halloween.  I know you're shocked. I will spare you my rendition of Let it Go, but Aubrey's performance is amazing,  Hands on hips and all.

My Elsa even wore pink cowgirl boots. I apologize for the tangent. Aubrey tends to sidetrack me.

Please, please, stick your heart out there.  Be vulnerable. Be in tune to the people around you, in your everyday life.  How is God calling you to minister to them? Sometimes it may not be fun or easy, but it's worth it. People, we are missing the small opportunities because we are too busy looking for the bigger ones.  Be obedient in everyday life. Be obedient in the small things. Do life with people. You will make an eternal difference for the Kingdom of God.

We, need to stop placing God as an afterthought.  He should consume everything we do. Our thoughts. Our speech.  Our actions. First.

We are only here for a little while.  Let's not set up shop. Things that seem so important on our lists, really don't matter that much. May we make our lives about Christ, His Glory and His Purpose.  Do we even have a clue where to start?  Have we asked Him?

Not to scare you, but my sister and I joke. Sometimes, we ask to be God's instruments and so much falls in our lap we have to stop and send each other a text that says, "We must really love Jesus!" with 100 emoji's after it. But honestly, if you put the purposes of God first, the rest will get done, miraculously. Try it and see. The peace and joy you will experience from walking in obedience, will blow your mind.  Don't forget to look for His provisions throughout your day and thank Him for them. I guarantee you will see when you are obedient, His provisions are all around.  Like, the spaghetti sauce I forgot I had, and  need for the meal I am taking someone, tomorrow.  No trip to the store, with the kids in tow. Score! Thank you, Jesus.

Small may really be big.

O LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; For You have worked wonders, Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness. Isaiah 25:1

The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9

Opportunity knocked. My doorman threw him out.  Adrienne Gisoff 

Sheesh.  This was a long one.  Hope I didn't lose you.  My parents were just here and we had the most incredible visit.  My girls are blessed with such a fun family...