How to Lose Your Joy and Your MInd...All at the Same Time!

My son, Ryan,  at 2 years old

1. Sweat the small stuff. And the big stuff. And the in-between stuff. Worry about your child not going to bed at 8:30. Worry about not cleaning out the refrigerator. Be anxious about your laundry still in the dryer getting wrinkled after four days. Worry about the birthday cards, sympathy cards, and thinking of you cards that you have not sent, but should have in the last six months. Worry about what Colton Dixon will do now that he is not a contender for American Idol anymore. WORRY ABOUT EVERYTHING!

2. Wonder what others think about you and your every move and decision. Do my clothes make me look heavier? Am I boring? Am I too over-the-top for some people? Did I say the right thing? Did I say the right thing? Did I sound needy when I asked for people to RT my tweet because I am 24 people away from 500?

3. Do not laugh...ever...even when something is funny. Turn your head to anything that might make you smile. Your colleagues who send 18 emails about what to wear for a photo session. The way Rick Savage over-exaggerates everything on American Savage. And whatever you do, please do not laugh at anything that your children do...especially the fart jokes, noises, and expressions that your 8 year old son enjoys making every day.

4. Yell. And sigh. And get frustrated about everything. The way your child takes a 45-minute shower. Or doesn’t want to get out of bed in the morning. The way the guy in front of you at the drive-through line takes 5 minutes to decide what he wants. The way no one seems to know that it is bedtime! The way your car is desperate for a cleaning because your sweet children have decided to use it as their personal trash can and closet.

5. Finally, whatever you do, do not spend time with the Lord and allow Him to speak to you. He has a way of bringing perspective to your problems and encouragement to your weary soul. So, don’t let Him! He will tell you not to be anxious for anything. He will tell you to LIVE FOR ONE... He is the only One that matters. He will tell you that laughter is good for you. He will show you what is most important and convict you when you yell and sigh out of frustration. He will change your heart.

 Lord, forgive us when we choose our own way. Forgive us when we miss out on the abundant life you have for us. "Restore to us the JOY of our salvation, of our relationship to you... and renew a RIGHT Spirit within us." Psalm 51:12

What about you? Losing your joy or your mind or both? Love to hear your comments. If you are reading by email, click here.

Living for ONE,

Kelli

Linking with Let's Hear It For the Boys

In Your __________, HE IS.

Hi Friends...
I invite you to watch my #2 Video Blog today. Especially if you are going through some tough times. Especially if you need to be reminded of Who God is.


It's four minutes, but I think you will find it worth skipping some boring commercials during your fave show.

Can't view the video in your email? Click here.


The highlights:

• Sometimes living for Jesus means surviving with Him by your side.
• Sometimes walking with Jesus means walking in "the unforced rhythms of His grace."
• In your _______, GOD IS.
• In our desperation, He is our Deliverer.
• In our exhaustion, He is our Energy.
• In our trials, He is our Trustworthy Savior.
• In our loneliness, He is the Lover of our Souls.
• In our emptiness, He is is Emmanuel, God with us.
• And in our weakness, He is our Strength.

His grace is sufficient, for in our weakness, His strength is made perfect.  2 Corinthians 12:9

Rest in these promises today, my friend. God loves you. He has a plan for your life. He will never leave you or forsake you. Would love your comments! If you are reading by email, click here.

Linking today with SDG friends at Finding Heaven...


and with 

Catch and Release

Many of you know that I home school my daughter who is in 7th grade. This is our first year of home schooling and though it has had its many challenges ( I can't do 7th grade math; she doesn't want to get up in the morning; and we like to play!), overall it has been an incredible experience. If you would like to read the story of her desiring to be home schooled and our decision to do this, click here. 

Thanks, Leslie Cardwell and Family Theatre

Rebekah (aka Bekah, Bekahboo) has morphed this year from a cute girl who never wanted to wear anything but jeans and t-shirts to a beautiful young woman that likes dresses, perfume, and brace yourself...flowers in her hair. It has been an exciting transformation to see God work on her from the inside out. She still doesn't care for bling (unlike her mom), but hey...one step at a time.


If you read the story about her wanting to be home schooled, you know that one of the reasons was she wanted to learn to be more bold and to be different...to be more comfortable in the skin that God had given her. This gives me chills! I have seen this happen this year. Not because of my teaching skills, but because she has allowed God to come in and replace her doubts and insecurities (which are completely normal for 7th graders) with promises and words from her Lord Jesus Christ.


One of the benefits of home schooling for her has been more freedom to be involved in things that she loves. This girl loves some drama. She has participated in many plays and this Friday night, she will have her first performance as Susan in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe at a local theatre. I am so excited for her. She has asked me not to sit in on any of the dress rehearsals, because she wanted her performance to be a surprise. I can't wait to see her do her thing...


The local theatre posted photos of the cast in dress. I saw these pictures of her in her role as Susan. I thought she looked beautiful, poised, and even valiant...just like a good Susan in Narnia. 


And then I focused in on this photo. My first honest thought as a mom was, "Oh, my, we must make sure that Queen thing doesn't go to her head." 


And then I felt the strong nudging of the Holy Spirit...

"She may be crowned as Queen Susan the Gentle in this play, but I am crowning her my Daughter, Daughter of the King. I am anointing her for something very special. Continue to speak words of encouragement and affirmation over her. Show her love and affection. Teach her what healthy ministry and family look like. Give her an example of what a love relationship with me looks like. I have an incredible plan for her life."


And then the big words...


"And let her go...release her to me."


These words came after I had the reality check that I may only have her 5 more years under my roof. 


"Let her go."


Lord, she is Yours. She always has been. But I now release fully into your plan and I am getting out of the way. Help me to be faithful as a mother and as a friend. More than anything, help me to trust You more.


Having a hard time letting go of something? Release it to the ONE who can do more than we could ever ask or imagine. Oh, and get out of the way. Reading by email and want to comment? Click here.


Living for ONE,


Kelli

Instant Makeovers, Southern Living, and Jesus

In a day of Pinterest and ideas at your fingertips, I still subscribe to a few magazines. One of my favorites is Southern Living. (yes, I am a Southern girl. If you are dying to hear a Southern accent, you can click here for my first vlog.) And so, this morning I picked up my March Southern Living and took a gander at the front cover. "Instant Spring Makeovers" caught my eye. Gazing at the table of contents, I realize that the "Instant Spring Makeovers" covers 37 pages. Wow! That's a lot of instant makeovers.

As I begin perusing those 37 pages, I honestly didn't see anything that was made over in an instant. Instead, I found articles with pages of beautiful homes, patios and gardens detailing actions like 

• How to replace your front door and shutters
• How to lay a stone pathway
• How to upgrade your fencing and gates
• Replace retaining walls with beautiful stone wall
• Planting a useful and beautiful herb garden
• Changing all the hardware surrounding your entryway

Now, I know I am not Martha Stewart, but I don't believe any of these things are instant. If they were, I would just wiggle my nose and snap, crackle, pop...they would appear. But that's not how it works. 

Friends, you want an instant makeover? Jesus will not disappoint. 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!                 2 Corinthians 5:17

God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)

Now, I know that the sanctification process of becoming more like Christ and living for Christ isn't instant...but our hearts are cleansed from sin the moment we confess our sins and our need for a Savior...now that is an instant makeover! (1 John 1:9)


And when you peruse God's Word you will find the Living Word of God with pages of beautiful stories of God detailing actions like

• How to replace your attitude and thoughts with thoughts of God (Philippians 4:8)
• How to lay stones for a tangible reminder of God's faithfulness  (Joshua 3 - 4)
• How to upgrade the fencing and gates of your mind (Philippians 4:7)
• Replacing broken walls by rebuilding and restoring what the enemy has torn down (Isaiah 58:12)
• Planting us by streams of Living Water to be useful and fruitful (Psalm 1:3)
• Changing the entryway of our mind and heart  (2 Corinthians 10:5)
• And so much more!

Lord, may you make us over today...instantly and gradually as we long to become more and more like You.

Need a makeover today? I know I could use a good mind makeover at times. Let God do His work in you today. And I would love to hear about it! Comment by clicking here.

I am Living for ONE!

Kelli

Linking with...

How To Live Even After You Die

photo credit

My husband's eighty-eight year old grandmother died last Friday. It has been a tough few days. But we have been blessed and even gratefully overwhelmed by the outpouring of love from so many people.


"Nanny" was a blessing. As I pondered her life and listened to multiple stories of her relationships with others, her life challenges me in many ways.

• Share the love of Jesus. Though Nanny was not an outright evangelist, it was evident in the way she lived and loved, that she loved Jesus. And she started her days with Him, reading her devotional and praying. 
• Love deeply and faithfully. She was married for 62 years, had four children, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. And none of them ever doubted her love for them. (We that married into the family never doubted her love, either!)
• Tell people you love them. Before she left you or hung up the phone, she would always tell you she loved you.
• Appreciate others. At Christmastime, she made pies and cakes for all her doctors, her postal carrier, her Avon lady, and many special friends. 
• Be hospitable. She was determined to have all twenty of us over to her house for Christmas Eve. Even as the family grew and the house seemed to shrink, she always wanted to host us in her home.
• Remember names and birthdays even if you have to write them down. It amazed me that she remembered people and special occasions far better than this much younger mind. She was always the first to call on your birthday. Always. Even at 7 am. :)
• Attend events that are important to those that are important to you. Honestly, with the exception of a few hot ballgames and some out-of-town events, she and Papa were always there. Even after her stroke several years ago, she went with cane in hand. 
• Invest in the lives of others. Whether through a note, a card, a word, or her attendance, she showed that she really cared for others. She knew how much I love to speak and teach, and so she would always book me for her senior adult luncheon at her church. Every year. And even though I got paid with fried chicken and homemade pie, it was one of my favorite speaking engagements. I knew she believed in me.
• Give your time and energy to serving the Lord and others. She served in many volunteer roles throughout the years. Even in the last few years as her health deteriorated, she served on the counting team and the senior adult leadership team at her church. In her late 80's! 

Nanny really lived a blessed life. But what is most remarkable to me is the way she continues to live even though she has died...because of her legacy. (And of course, she lives eternally because of her relationship with Jesus!) 
So the challenge for you and me: Live this life in such a way that even after you die, your life continues. Not because of any big accomplishment. But simply because you invested in the lives of others. 

So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. 2 Peter 1: 5 - 9 (The Message)

This post was written in loving memory of Freddye Jones McQuaig, 1923 - 2012.

Won't you join me in living a life that matters? Would love to hear from you today. If you are reading this by email, click here to comment.

Living for ONE,




Kelli


Linking with Jen at Finding Heaven Today...