The Special Bonds

Last night I had the privilege to spend an evening with five incredible women.... The kind of women whom I can depend upon to love me.... to lead by example... to give me encouragement.. and to make me laugh until my mascara is running down my face...

God blesses us with friendships... I believe that He loves us so much that he wants us laughing... being joyful.... and enjoying one another.... There is a special bond that occurs between women of faith... women who are mothers... There is an unspoken understanding.... I can't explain it -there just is....

Today, I am thankful... Thankful for being so richly blessed....

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: if they fall down, they can help each other up. But pity those who fall and have no one to help them up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

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

I Received A Note Today....

Today I received a note in the mail. It was a note from friend telling me that I am in her prayers this week.. This Friday marks the one year anniversary of my dad's death. When I read the card with her encouraging words - I had to pause and give thanks to God... Thanks to Him for blessing me with friends who are encouragers... friends that love me and bless me everyday...

It may surprise you that I am naturally an introvert - I have a very hard time talking to people in a public forum... sure I can write this blog and I can write from my heart... because I feel safe in this environment... but... Putting myself out there - out in the open is terrifying to me... But I know that God has called me to go out into the world... to get out of my comfort zone... make myself available to others.. Be a part of a group of women in ministry... He has called me to stop just talking about glorifying Him... but to put my words to actions.... Let my actions glorify Him... Let my obedience glorify Him... Let my "putting myself out there" glorify Him... and because I choose to be a follower of Christ - I am continually being blessed..... Today, it was a note from a friend...

With most of my correspondence over the world wide web - I had forgotten the joy of actually getting a letter in the mail.. When I saw the envelope among my advertisements and bills - it brought a spark of joy to my heart... It is amazing that one simple card can have that affect on me and I believe others feel the same way when they receive a card too. It says that someone took the time to put pen to paper for me... someone stopped and thought about me.... Today, I feel loved and special... the picture is the card - isn't it pretty?

1 Thessalonians 5:11,14 Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing... We urge you,... encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone....

Pride and Forgiveness

I have learned many lessons in my Forty three years of life.. Most of them over the past few years... I have learned that My Pride has not permitted me to fully forgive someone. I was right, she was wrong.... she was right, I was wrong.. I'm sure you have heard many a story like that... When I think about the hurtful words said to me out of anger and confusion... I start to make myself angry all over again... I know that she and I have our own memories and truths... and I think no matter how many times we drive our versions into the ground neither one of us is going to budge.... I know that the words and memories I said to her were not words of kindness and love...they were meant to make her feel as bad as she made me feel... an eye for an eye. a thought for a thought.. a stab for a stab... she felt that she was the original victim and I thought I was...so around and around we go.
What is truly sad to me...is that she was my best friend for the past twenty years... we have known each other forever but became close after I got married. She and I have been to hell and back.. We had always been each others support system..and always a friendly voice at the other end of the phone...and with a few words of anger.. it's all gone...Never to be found again.. Once that kind of trust is broken there are too many scars left behind to go back to the way it was... Will we have a real relationship again? I don't know... Do I want a real relationship again..I don't know... My heart says yes....but my mind and my pride say I just don't know....I'm hurting... A very dear friend of mine gave me these words of wisdom. "You can forgive someone even though you are torn a part inside.. You can forgive through your tears... It does not mean that you go back to the way things were.. It does not mean that the pain will go away quickly...what it does mean is that we trust God enough to Forgive someone as he forgave us.... I don't know why my pride hasn't let me let it go completely....
As Christians, God tells us to forgive one another. Col 3:13-15 'bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another: even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all things put on love, which is the bond of perfection and let the peace of God rule in your hearts...'
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control." [Proverbs 15:1-2] In other words, in this case, fully and uncontrollably expressing oneself while angry is seen as being not prudent, a sign of foolishness as opposed to a sinful action. Thus, in the Bible, anger is qualified based upon its context and consequence.
I have been a very foolish woman... I know that... and I know that with God's help I will get right on this... I need to completely forgive..not just "half forgive". God has forgiven everything I have ever done so if I want to follow Jesus and carry that cross... I need to forgive too....

Daughter Choose Your Friends Wisely

When my daughters were younger everything I said in their minds was a fact. I knew everything and I was always right.. They never questioned whether I was right or wrong... I was the final authority... or dad was... Those were the easy days...
Now my girls are older... not quite teenagers but close enough... and now I KNOW NOTHING!!! Whatever their twelve year old friends state as fact...must be true..... I'm considered old fashioned and out of touch with reality..... WOW... They have decided that they have the right to question what I say to be a fact or not....since I am so old......
What is really concerning me today is the friends my oldest daughter chooses... Remember both of my children go to Church every Sunday, go to a Christian school, and live in a Christian home....but somehow my #1 daughter likes to hang out with kids whose idea of fun is tohave a boyfriend, go on dates (just wondering how they get there..on their bikes?), make out, sneak behind their parents' backs, and having a baby sounds really cool...
Yesterday, my eldest told me her friends think that I shelter her too much..... SHE'S TWELVE YEARS OLD!!! Of course I am going to shelter her... There is no way....she's going on date.. there's no way she's going to go make out, and having a baby.....Lord help me. She is angry with me that I will not allow her to "hang out" with her friends at their homes..... I said she can invite her friends here.... but I will not open the door for my kid to sneak behind my back and possibly do things that she would regret later. I will not back down on this.. God gave me this very important responsibility to raise my kids right and I take my role as a mother very seriously.
What really angers me is the parents of these kids. Many are single parents whose priorities have switched from being a parent to taking care of their own wants and needs.... One friend in particular has a mom that is looking for a boyfriend and is never home leaving her daughter home by herself..... In the daughters loneliness, she started hanging out with a much older boys and her home has become the "party hangout".. She's TWELVE!!!! My daughter thinks it's cool.. I feel sorry for this little girl who is looking for attention and love in the wrong places..
I had a heart to heart with my beautiful and incredibly special daughter and this is what I said... I remember being twelve years old... I remember how it felt to want to fit it...I remember how important my friends were to me and how important their opinions were. Kids have not changed since I was your age...granted you dress better and have more toys but the emotions are basically the same. You are an incredible kid with so much going for you. I see the love you have for the Lord and I see your heart...it is a big one...But honey, you have to open the door for new friends to enter.. You have to put yourself out there to find a true friend...not someone who will tear you down...but someone who will lift you up.. You need people in your life that have good morals and things in common with you... like keeping good grades like you do, playing tennis, reading books, same taste in music, and they love God with all their hearts just like you... It is a fact that whatever we surround ourselves with, who ever we hang out with, and whatever we fill our minds with..is what we will become... I am not saying to be mean to the girls you have been hanging out with.. I am saying that you need to fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 (paraphrased).
I don't know if I got through to my loved one....But I do know that I am covering her in prayer and I will not, I repeat I will not lift up that shelter...