Knowing About and Knowing Him

I cannot remember a time when I did not believe in God... I have always believed He existed... I have always believed that Jesus was His Son and that he died on the cross for my sins... I have always known this... I have not doubted it (at least not often)... But knowing about Jesus and knowing Him are not one and the same... Is it?

One thing I am struggling with is helping my kids to find and develop that working and loving relationship with Jesus... I want them to feel His love... I want to feel His love.. It is difficult to do at times... Especially when you are not into His Word... When you are not actively talking to Him... Having a relationship with Christ is much like any other relationship that is worth keeping.. It takes time... work... love... quiet.. communication... learning.. faith.. listening..consistency...

I have learned that going to Church when the doors are open.. Attending every Church event... Belonging to Bible studies - Having my kids go to a Christian school and Christian camp doesn't make me/us a follower of Christ ... Yes, corporate worship is good BUT we have to have that relationship with Christ... We have to live in His word and not just when the church doors are open.. It has to be a 24/7 kind of thing.... It has to be who we are... Not necessarily what we do.....

When I am in His word.. When I am living with Him in me... When I talk with Him... I feel peace... I feel love.. I feel joy... regardless of what my worldly circumstances are... When I am with Him - He comforts me... I need to stay in His Word... and my kids (and others) will see that reflection of His love from me and they just might want some of that......

God's word is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and spirit are joined, to the center of our joints and bones. And it judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts. Hebrews 4:12

The Bible is an invitation to connect with God in a personal way - and to learn more about yourself in the process.. *excerpt from 100 favorite Bible verses

The Ben Hooper Story - Who's Your Daddy?

I received this story in an email today... I loved it... Many times we will receive inspiring "true" stories only to learn that they were "inspired" by someone's imagination and not by true events... After I read this story - I checked on Snopes.... and it is true... Imagine that!

A seminary professor was vacationing with his wife in Gatlinburg , TN. One
morning, they were eating breakfast at a little restaurant, hoping to enjoy
a quiet, family meal. While they were waiting for their food, they noticed
a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table,
visiting with the guests. The professor leaned over and whispered to his
wife, 'I hope he doesn't come over here.' But sure enough, the man did come
over to their table.

'Where are you folks from?' he asked in a friendly voice.
' Oklahoma ,' they answered.
'Great to have you here in Tennessee ,' the stranger said.. 'What do you do
for a living?'
'I teach at a seminary,' he replied.

'Oh, so you teach preachers how to preach, do you? Well, I've got a really
great story for you.' And with that, the gentleman pulled up a chair and
sat down at the table with the couple.

The professor groaned and thought to himself, 'Great .. Just what I need ..
.another preacher story!'

The man started, 'See that mountain over there? (pointing out the
restaurant window). Not far from the base of that mountain, there was a boy
born to an unwed mother. He had a hard time growing up, because every place
he went, he was always asked the same question, 'Hey boy, Who's your daddy?
Whether he was at school, in the grocery store or drug store, people would
ask the same question, 'Who's your daddy?'

He would hide at recess and lunch time from other students. He would avoid
going in to stores because that question hurt him so bad. 'When he was
about 12 years old, a new preacher came to his church. He would always go
in late and slip out early to avoid hearing the question, 'Who's your
daddy?'
But one day, the new preacher said the benediction so fast that he got
caught and had to walk out with the crowd.

Just about the time he got to the back door, the new preacher, not knowing
anything about him, put his hand on his shoulder and asked him, 'Son, who's
your daddy?'

The whole church got deathly quiet. He could feel every eye in the church
looking at him Now everyone would finally know the answer to the question,
Who's your daddy?'

'This new preacher, though, sensed the situation around him and using
discernment that only the Holy Spirit could give, said the following to
that scared little boy.. 'Wait a minute! I know who you are! I see the
family resemblance now, You are a child of God.'
With that he patted the boy on his shoulder and said, 'Boy, you've got a
great inheritance. Go and claim it.'

'With that, the boy smiled for the first time in a long time and walked out
the door a changed person. He was never the same again. Whenever anybody
asked him, 'Who's your Daddy?' he'd just tell them , 'I'm a Child of God..'


The distinguished gentleman got up from the table and said, 'Isn't that a
great story?'
The professor responded that it really was a great story!

As the man turned to leave, he said, 'You know, if that new preacher hadn't
told me that I was one of God's children, I probably never would have
amounted to anything!' And he walked away..

The seminary professor and his wife were stunned. He called the waitress
over & asked her, 'Do you know who that man was -- the one who just left
that was sitting at our table?'

The waitress grinned and said, 'Of course. Everybody here knows him. That's
Ben Hooper. He's governor of Tennessee !'

* picture from Picture history
**thank you Aunt Rita for emailing to me today

A Quote From C. S. Lewis

Letting Go is something that challenges me.. I am a C.S. Lewis fan and found this quote today - I felt it was worth sharing...

The maternal instinct is a Gift-love, but one that needs to give; therefore needs to be needed. But the proper aim of giving is to put the recipient in a state where he no longer needs our gift. We feed children in order that they may soon be able to feed themselves; we teach them in order that they may soon not need our teaching. Thus a heavy task is laid upon this Gift-love. It must work towards its own abdication. We must aim at making ourselves superfluous. The hour when we say "They need me no longer" should be our reward. But the instinct, simply in its own nature, has no power to fulfill this law. The instinct desires the good of its object, but not simply; only the good it can itself give. A much higher love - a love which desires the good of the object as such, from whatever source that good comes - must step in and help or tame the instinct before it can make the abdication..

excerpt from The Four Loves

I've Become My Mother!: The Love Test....

I've Become My Mother!: The Love Test....

I've Become My Mother!: My Name Is Kelly And I Am A Control Freak!

I've Become My Mother!: My Name Is Kelly And I Am A Control Freak!

I've Been Married How LONG????

It's hard for me to believe that this picture is me on our wedding day Twenty-two years ago today... I remember feeling so fearful... Not knowing how my life would be.... Right before I walked down the aisle to my future husband - my dad said... "I have the car in front - we can make a getaway if you changed your mind.." Thinking back on that offer - I think my dad may have been half serious.. half kidding.. I was the baby..

Marriage has been tough... Most of the years it has been plain awful... And if I want to be honest... a lot of the pain and unhappiness would have to be laid at my feet... I did not know how to love... I did not know how to be a wife... and after 22 years - I am still trying...

Watching the movie Fireproof was a big turning point for me... I saw me in the characters - and I did not like it.. The book in the movie The Love Dare (English and English Edition) - has helped me on my journey... I started it a couple of years ago and if I practice the concepts.. things are great... It really is amazing.. but when I don't... well it's not so good... Today - I choose to love....

Love is a choice, not a feeling. It is an initiated action, not a knee-jerk reaction. Excerpt from The Love Dare...

You can give undeserved love to your spouse because God gave undeserved love to you...

I've Become My Mother!: Cancer Is Attacking My Mom!!!!!

I've Become My Mother!: Cancer Is Attacking My Mom!!!!!