Slow Down

Does this sound familiar? Do you recognize these thoughts deep down in your own heart, too?

losing my joy
missing out
not enjoying my life
consumed by my to-do list
multi-tasking
how do you do it all
Well SHE's a super-mom, what's wrong with me, why can't I do it all?

I heard a broadcast today that really caused me to listen, and to actually slow down and LISTEN in my heart.

I work full-time, and I also have my own home business making jewelry. Last year I was given the opportunity to do custom orders so I gave it a try. Things were going well and I was making a dent in some outstanding debt. Things got very busy as the type of jewelry I was making got very popular and orders were coming in very quickly.

These two Scriptures would come to mind as I was driving myself to keep doing more and more and more:

 "I can do all things through Christ." and "With Christ all things are possible."

What a big deception! This is taking these Scriptures so out of context! I was trying to accomplish these things, but it wasn't necessarily what God was asking of me.

Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." NIV

What this is talking about is that man cannot be saved because of anything he does, but because of what Christ has done for us. It is talking about being saved, not about doing things that seem impossible to man, but are possible with God.

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.NKJV

What this is talking about is being content in all situations, good and bad, because Christ gives you strength. It is not talking about being able to accomplish whatever you set out to.

I had set goals I couldn't possibly accomplish. All I accomplished was wearing myself out physically and I still did not complete all that I was trying to.

What DID I accomplish?

I was EXHAUSTED and I was not able to meet the goals I set for myself. On top of that I developed a health condition that required a lot of rest and medications and it took a long time to heal. I had to totally remove myself from the tasks I was trying to finish and just rest.

Now? My debt is still there. I am asking God for His direction and listening for it. I am so thankful for His mercy and grace and healing.

My advice? Slow down. Pray and ask for God's direction about YOUR to-do list and LISTEN for it. Spend time in prayer and stay close to Him. When you stay close to Him you don't get pulled away by a lot of distractions.

If you would like to listen to the broadcast too, here is the link:
http://radio.focusonthefamily.ca/broadcasts/overcoming-distractions-to-connect-with-your-family-part-1-of-2

P.S. I love this line from the broadcast: "My child can't kiss a moving target."

Provision

Matthew Henry comments, “Lack and poverty are a great temptation to discontent and unbelief, and the use of unlawful means for our relief, under the pretence that necessity has no law.” 

I was recently was at a meeting where the speaker made the comment that if she had to, she would steal to feed her kids. Then this person asked someone else in the room (who she knew to be a Christian) if she agreed with her..... She didn't ask me, though.

I do not agree. What comes to mind is Jesus teaching his disciples in Matthew 6:

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 ...your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Part of my "new journey" has consisted of learning not to worry about my finances. When I let go and trust Him, there is always enough to cover my bills at the end of the month. It is however, a growing process with the temptation to worry creeping up every so often.  If I let myself worry, though, my path gets blurry and I lose my direction.  I just need to keep trusting in Him.

Stay Focused

Matthew 14

28 "Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?

Peter desired to do what Jesus was doing. He desired something miraculous.
He didn't ask the universe to tell him to come out on the water. He asked Jesus.

Jesus told Peter to come and Peter DID do something miraculous. He DID walk on the water as Jesus was doing.

Then he started noticing the things that were going on around him and started to worry about them, instead of keeping focused on Jesus, and Peter started to sink.

He called out to Jesus and Jesus Immediately caught him. Then Jesus asked Peter why he doubted.

The universe didn't catch him and stop him from sinking. Jesus did. The universe didn't help him do something miraculous. Jesus did. What happened when he stopped focusing on Jesus and stopped believing? Peter started to sink. Peter started to focus on what was going on around him, the tempest and the troubles. He let Doubt creep in and he started to sink, but Jesus was right there to save him as soon as he called out.

Don't shift your focus to the troubles all around you. Don't let doubt creep in. It robs you of the miraculous that can happen in your life. Keep calling out to Jesus. Keep your focus on Him and let Him touch your life.

Weekend Smiles

Extra Cute Visitor

Last weekend we were blessed with company for the weekend, six people ranging in age from 60 something to 30 something to teenage and pre-teen (plus a cute toy pomeranian to boot).

While whipping up a super-fantastical breakfast this morning I had two young ladies graciously help me by licking the whip cream beaters and another lady graciously help me by making the toast.

Becca (on licking the beaters): Well I think I'm done. I can't find another drop!

Super Fantastical Breakfast

Here's a picture of them "visiting" this morning while I was making breakfast.

Regeneration

You must be born again. (John 3:7)

"Regeneration is a subject which lies at the very basis of salvation, and we should be very diligent to pay careful attention that we really are "born again," for there are many who think they are, but are not.

Be assured that the name of a Christian is not the nature of a Christian; and that being born in a Christian land, and being recognized as professing the Christian religion is of no avail whatsoever, unless there is something more added to it; being "born again" is a matter so mysterious, that human words cannot describe it. "The wind blows where it wants, and you hear the sound of it, but you can't tell where it comes from or where it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." 

Nevertheless, it is a change that is known and felt: known by works of holiness, and felt by a gracious experience. This great work is supernatural. It is not an operation that a man performs for himself: a new principle is infused, that works in the heart, renews the soul, and affects the his entire being.

It is not a change of my name, but a renewal of my nature, so that I am not the man I used to be, but a new man in Christ Jesus. To wash and dress a corpse is a far different thing from bringing it to life: man can do the one, only God can do the other. 

If you have then, been "born again," your acknowledgment will be, "O Lord Jesus, everlasting Father, you are my spiritual Parent; if your Spirit had not breathed into me the breath of a new, holy, and spiritual life, I would have been 'dead in trespasses and sins'  to this day. My heavenly life is wholly derived from you, it is attributed to you. My life is hidden with Christ in God. "It is no longer me who lives, but Christ who lives in me." May the Lord enable us to be well assured on this vital point, for to be unregenerated is to be unsaved, unpardoned, without God, and without hope."

~ Charles Spurgeon (paraphrased)

Trust in Him

I recently attended a session on Painting Words of Life". The scripture we were given was:

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

I selected colours I like, which are blues and purples and pinks.

As I started painting a thin layer for the background. I could see the texture of my canvas board because I had watered down my paint. I remembered, in the past, being told that good paintings don't have the canvas showing through.

In my mind I questioned, "Should I change it?"

The answer I got was, "No, just leave it. It's ok if your background and where you came from shows through. It greatly affects you, and shapes your life and who you become."

Next I started to draw a line with a magenta colour which became the trunk of a tree and a root. Next I started to paint purple leaves on the branches.

Now, remember, my colours were all blues and purples and pinks, so this was not looking like your normal tree. As I thought about this, I thought about how we don't have to be what everyone expects us to be. My tree doesn't have to be painted how people think is the "right" way. We are all unique. Who is to say that deep inside you aren't a purple tree with blue leaves?

As I painted flowers on the branches, each branch had different flowers. This is how we all are, diverse. I also added a small bush that looked very unique, with blue leaves.

My water jar was becoming this really pretty, light purple colour, so I mixed that colour and I painted a straight beam stretching from sky to ground and to sea, to the depths of the earth. This represents Jesus as purple signifies royalty and He is steadfast and sure, strong and unwavering. We can always trust He will be there for us to lean on, no matter where.

Then I added some new plants that are just starting to grow and are reaching toward Jesus as they grow. 

We are to trust in Him. Jesus is always there for us, no matter where we are. He is always strong for us to lean on.

A Little Reminder...

I am a Jewelry artist and I have been making and selling my jewelry for five years This past summer I organized a big celebration with lots of family and friends attending. 

Someone at the party made the comment, "I bet you see a lot of your jewelry here."

I took a look around the room and started recognizing my jewelry pieces on a lot of my guests.  I had forgotten a lot of those pieces and forgotten just how much jewelry I had already made.

Now thinking back and remembering this, warms my heart It pleases me to think that I was able to do something that brought happiness to that many people

Sometimes we all need just a little reminder of the pleasure we brought to someone else's  life.