These Boot Were Made For Walking.....

Last year in our women ministry we talked about and studied Kay Warren's book Dangerous Surrender - the premise of the book was to step out of your comfort zone and spread God's glory... His love... To reach the unreached... To spread His gospel... One of Kay's ministries is helping children in Africa who are suffering from AIDS.... This book will make you sit up and take notice... It will help put a fire in you that may have not been there.... I know my embers were not burning until I got a glimpse of what I believe God wants from me....

I am NOT an outgoing person... I am a homebody that prefers staying home curled up with a good book, a hot cup of tea, and my dog snoring on the ground next to me..... I DO NOT like talking in public.... I DO NOT like being noticed.... I am by nature a very lazy.... a very quiet person.... my close friends and family don't see that side of me - but it's there.... I have to really know someone before I expose myself.... before I let someone in..... I am very guarded....

So I am wondering why am I getting up in front of a bunch of women and talking... praying..... singing"these boots were made for walking" okay that's an another story.... But you see what I am saying.... this behavior is soooooo out of my comfort zone... I am a behind the scenes kind of gal... not the up close and personal kind...

A couple of weeks ago I hosted a ladies' bunco at my home.... We had 16 women laughing out loud.... sharing His love..... and of course we all enjoyed the Red Velvet Cake... yummm The theme of this bunco party was FEET.... Everyone bought a gift that had something to do with FEET.... Why? You may ask... Because it's our FEET that bring us to others... We are done just talking about serving Him.... We are walking.. running....to serve Him.... This Bunco theme was the kick off to our new Spring study... Crazy Love - We do Feet...

Check out these two books - I hope you are blessed as I was..... am...

I Blame Eve

One of my eldest daughter's favorite sayings is "I blame Eve" If she did not bite the apple - all of the pains of being a woman would be non-existent.. The monthly bill (cramps)..... Child birth... But I also believe that God - has given women a much larger role.... because He loves us... Because He knows that only a woman could handle what we do... Not to say that men are not great in their God given roles.... They are.... I know I would not have the life I live today if it were not for the success and diligence of my husband.

I believe that the husband is the head of our home.... I believe that final decisions are made by the husband.. That does not mean - I am a rug and whatever he says goes.. Just as Christ is not inferior to the Father, but is the second person in the trinity, so wives are equal to their own husband. Yet in a marriage relationship, a husband and wife have different roles to the Lord. A wife's voluntary submission arises out of her own submission to Christ.
Ephesians 5:22-24 Wives, submit to your own husband, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body..

I believe that the husband who loves his wife - will treat her with the utmost love and respect... When Paul was talking about the husband's authority - he did not emphasize his authority but he did call the husbands to love self-sacrificially. Husbands are to emulate Christ's love, the kind of love that is willing to lay down one's life for another person and serve hat person even if it means suffering..
Ephesians 5:25-26 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word.

Husband and wives have much different roles - I have "feelings"... He has "logic".... I can talk forever.... He can watch sports forever.. I can do several things at once... He can delegate several things at once.... I nurture... He provides a living..... I over think things and fester.... He says what he thinks.... and it's done...

But in some very odd way - these differences make us go together.. we compliment each other.. God's designs are always perfect....

Crazy Crazy Stressful Day

Do you ever have those days where - the day starts off slow.... and all of a sudden BAM - everyone needs you at the same time and everything is an emergency at the same time - you wish you had 20 clones who could help you out - knowing what you know.... The term "Running around like a chicken with my head cut off" comes to mind... crazy crazy stressful day.... and with that stress - comes the screechy voice - short temper - of the she devil of me.. Is that screeching I hear - really me???? scary stuff... and yes it was me.....

Now looking back on my day - it wasn't so bad..... I have my health.. my kids are doing great... my husband is super duper.... I have a home - plenty of food - friends... and the cause of my stress today - was three (3) new clients and six (6) new contracts - I should be jumping up and down at my added success but because I tend to be a perfectionist - I was stressed out trying to accomplish too many tasks and not delegating like I should.... that 's my control freak coming out.... I feel the need to do everything myself..... so today turned out not to be as good as it could have been...

Thankfully, I was able to meet with several of my friends tonight for dinner and conversation - we are planning different events for our women ministry - working tonight - gave me peace... Sharing my day.. my stress... their day.. their stress - takes the burden away.. There's something about women getting together that just helps to put things into perspective...

Jesus said, "Where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:20

The Golden Heart Award Goes To...

Jerriann from "Salty" Sister from Salt Creek Ranch honored me with this award, Thank you. Visit Jerriann's inspiring blog - you'll be happy you did

I have met many incredible women in blog-town... I feel I have sisters in Christ all over the place and that is an awesome thing. When we become followers of Christ it is amazing how many more family members we attain by our mutual love... our mutual beliefs..... and one day our mutual home.....standing in the Son..... I can only Imagine.... can't you...?
One of the things about blogging is that it gives you an opportunity to open up and share your faults, your achievements, your sadness, and share whatever you feel like on any particular day.. It is awesome to know that there are so many women - just like me that mess up often... That know that they really don't know much at all.... and lean on God and each other to lift them up..
The Rules for being honored with the Golden Heart Award - you must share the love.... and that is what I am going to do. The ladies are am giving the Golden Heart Award to are each very individual in their own way.. They are not afraid to put themselves out there... They have made me laugh out loud.... (many have a warped sense of humor like me), they have made me cry, and they have made me wish they lived next door so we could share a cup of hot tea....

Judy at Benmakesten is a mother of ten who home schools her children and has great ideas to share with others. She shows her devotion to family, Christ, and all people who have met her on a daily basis.. I am honored to have met her in Blogger Land..

Leslie at Olive Shoot is a lady that I have to love... She was adopted like my two daughters were. There is something very special about adopted children.. They were wanted above all else and they are loved forever.... Leslie has an awesome heart for the Lord and I love to read her stories, thoughts, and ideas...

Muthering Heights is an incredible woman who is almost ready to have a new baby boy. Her blog is amazing and a fun read. She has a heart for her family and for Christ...

Jacki (Alaska woman) at Hunting, fishing, and other grounds for divorce is an incredible writer. She has made me laugh out loud... and cry out loud. Jacki is the sister I have not met yet. She lives in a small town in Alaska and her talent for the written word makes me jealous
(in a good way) If you want to meet a kind hearted woman - be sure to visit this blog.

Tiffany at Tea with Tiffany is in inspirer. She finds God in all that she does and sees. I find myself seeking out her blog for words of wisdom and thought.

Mommie from Mom's Peace and Bits is great at sharing her thoughts and opinions on my posts. She always has something encouraging to say and she has a terrific blog.. check it out.

Mari from 365 days - she has been a constant commenter on my posts. She always lets me know that she has dropped by.. I love her blog. The pictures she takes in her neighborhood is amazing. She has an enormous talent for taking pictures.. Check her out....

So there you go.... These women are amazing and can bless your life.. Be sure to visit.

Qualifcations for Ministry

I have recently been asked if I would be interested in being a part of my church's Women' s Ministry Core Group... This is something that I have been praying about... thinking about... I believe it to be a very big commitment... of heart, time, faith, energy, and love... I think of the women I look up to in the ministry and think I am so not on their level of spirituality... So I have been investigating on the Internet what are the qualifications of ministry... am I qualified or am I too young/immature in my walk? This is a very small "Cliff note" version of what I found...

Personal Qualifications for Ministry

• Person should show their lives to have a strong commitment to Christ
• Engage in regular Bible study and prayer
• Humbly acknowledge their own shortcomings, failures, and struggles
• Express their assurance in God's grace in the face of failures and God's strength in the face of struggles
• Should be self- controlled who leads a disciplined life
• Are faithful in carrying out the ministry conferred upon them by the church
• Finish what they start
• Are punctual in keeping appointments
• Keeps promises
• Engage in personal devotions regularly and participate in faithfully in corporate worship
• Listen and take seriously the viewpoints of others
• Accept group decisions and work to implement them
• Seek opportunities for Christian service
• Loving towards others
• Speak kindly and generously
• Concentrate on remembering names and facts about people they meet
• Are hospitable in their homes
  
• Show the same love, kindness, and attention to their families as they towards others
• Always be honest
• Leadership qualities
• Wisdom
• Emotional Health
• Accept their own limitations without negating their own self-worth
• Can laugh with those who laugh and cry with those who cry.

So I am reading this list and thinking I can't remember the names of my own kids so how will I remember other people's names... am I emotionally healthy.....I'm working on it.. Does that count? So God just gives you a nudge sometimes.. sometimes they are so obvious that you just think WOW.. I complied this list a while ago.... thinking about it.... not really praying about the list because I had already decided that there is no way I could have all those qualities....then I get a note regarding the ministry and the Post script said this...p.s. If you sincerely don't feel God is leading you, that's okay. But let it be just that. No one is ever qualified.

Think God is yelling loud enough? I'm thinking just maybe so....