5th Grade Celebration

I attended Duncan Creeek's 5th grade Celebration this afternoon. I can't believe that my daughter is going to middle school in August. Why is it that mom's have so much trouble with their children growing up? I should be excited for Hannah, she is a wonderful and loving person. There are things about her that is still such a kid but other things that continue to prove that she is indeed growing up. I have started to see the mind and thoughts change, like the way that she thinks about clothes and what she will watch on TV, no more cartoons, and whether she will eat off a child's menu at a restaurant. She is also having the dreaded issues with girls her age. And why do girls have to be so mean? Why are we like that? And what do we really get for acting that way?

Back to Hannah's graduation, the principle mentioned to the kids that they needed to cut their moms some slack if they saw them depressed over the next few days because of them leaving elementary school. Hannah asked me if I had shed any tears this afternoon. I was able to tell her "no" but I did have to work too hard to have been able to say with a straight face that no I didn't shed any tears. There were a couple of moments when it was right there but I stopped it. Hannah always says to me, "Mom, growing up is what I'm supposed to do. That is how God made me." Yes I know that, but it is still hard to see the little girl grow into a young lady and not wish it to slow down just alittle. And if I knew how to post pictures on this blog I would show you a couple of her from 2 years old and some now so that you could see for yourselves.

Hannah is excited about middle school. She can't wait to go to school with her friends that she dances with and about more opportunities and she also thinks that the food will be better. She also wished that at some point during her middle school years she might be able to get a cell phone, like she is ever in a situation that she needs one at this stage in her life.

My prayer for her as she and I come to terms with growing up and going to middle school is that she continue with her walk with the Lord, that she always remembers who she belongs to, and it is not me, that she thinks before making choices so that she has a better chance to make a good one. I want her to stretch her mind to what she could accomplish in her life. I want God to use her in a mighty way for His kingdom and I want her to be open to that. And I want her to be happy. I love her with all me heart and I love the person that she is becoming. I enjoy spending time with her and everything that I do and every decision I make, I do for her.

Good luck my bubba. Your mom is very proud of you.

Mighty Warrior of God

I am doing the Esther Bible Study by Beth Moore and is it ever powerful. Yesterday I was reading in week 4, and I am getting ready to study the "for such a time as this" part that is by far the most famous quote from the book of Esther. I would like to quote somthing that was written because it hit me like a ton of bricks. It is from chapter 4 and is the conversation that Esther and Mordecai are having about what is going to be happening and that she needs to go before the king and ask for mercy for her people. Beth writes, "Esther's superficial life is about to be shattered, and a woman much deeper than her skin was about to be unearthed. If we're blessed, the same will happen to each of us. As painful as the process may be, that which shatters our superficialty also shatters the fetters of our fragility and frees us to walk with dignity and might to our destinies. We are not the fragile flowers we've considered ourselves to be. We, like Esther, are the warrior princesses of God."

This so impacted my day yesterday. God brings about things and situations in our life that really shape who we will become through Him. And most of those things are not easy to follow through with or deal with but they are for our good and will bring many blessings into our life as long as we do our part and praise and delight ourselves in the Lord.

It doesn't matter if the things that come into our life may be hard and unbearable, our Lord has allowed them and it is up to us to make the decision to rise up and praise him in the bad times as well as the good times because it is for our good. I've wrestled with that phrase "for our/my good" alot in the past and sometimes still do it but I've found that in time I can see my good in it. As a female, I think that I did have the mentalty that I was not strong and mighty and that I wasn't going to make it through some the the issues that I have had to survive in the past. But reading that quote yesterday really concreted in to me that I was a mighty warrior princess. I am strong because the Lord has made me that way. Doesn't it say in the Bible "when I am weak, I am strong"? Because it is where I go to find strength that makes me strong. I ran to the Lord and clung to him for dear life and He made me strong and able to take the next breath or the next step. I can now see that weak and strong go hand in hand and dignity walked right up beside me. Praise the Lord for all the trials that we are going to face, because they turn us into the Mighty Warrior Princess that the Lord has named us through His Son, Jesus.

Worship as a Way of Life

The search is on for aspiring to this lifestyle. Is it possible? What goes into this state of mind? Well, I think that the Lord is putting this idea in front of me pretty consistently these days. I have been reading books that just happen to cover this topic unknowingly to me when I picked it up, the worship music that I've been listening to talks about it all the time, though not that the music is new to me, it has been what I've listened to for years, but something about the way that I hear the music is new. I have also listened to sermons via DVD that have covered this topic.

I have found that in the searching for this lifestyle it has lead me to needing more; more time in studying the Word, more conversations with Jesus throughout the day, more from church, and more of that driving force that leads me to the throne. It has lead me to study new concepts of worship, like fasting. It has drawn me to seeking more power from the Holy Spirit within me and what that power is capable of doing in me, through me, and for me. It has me trying very hard to see God's hand at work around me all throughout the day. This lifestyle has lead to reaching for a state of mind that is totally focused on God throughout the day and really concentrating on the goodness of what God has really done in the universe. I have discovered that in the big scheme of things, I am really small, and yet in the very bigness of God, I am important and so dearly loved.

What are the ways of worship that lead to this lifestyle? I allow Jesus to sing over me which leads me to sing to Him. Jesus reminds me throughout the day that he loves me by bringing to mind Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is with you, I am mighty to save. I am taking great delight in you, I am going to quiet you with my love, I am rejoicing over you with singing." I have changed the pronouns to first person, cause that is the way I hear it. And it brings me to sing back to him all those praise and worship songs that I love, like: We Fall Down, Beautiful One, Majesty and so on. It seems lately, that no matter what time I happen to be awakened during the night a song of worship is going on inside my head until I fall back to sleep or when I awaken up in the morning, I am still singing that song.

Another way of worship that leads to this lifestyle has been studing the Word and Prayer time, it has gotten bumped up a notch and I can't seem to get enough of it. I also talk to Jesus all the time because he is in the room. We have conversations together. I hear his voice on a very regular basis.

I also notice that I crave seeing him work in everyone's life. I want to hear what he's doing, what you're working through, what your needs are, how you enjoy being with Him throughout the day.

And the last thing, we worship with trembling hands raised high, voices singing and praising the name of Jesus, head bowed, knees that hit the floor or even laying flat on the floor because we can't look into the face because we are not worthy and also by dancing before the Lord. We worship him by talking to our children about him and when we talk to others about him. Then there are times when I can't even express what I'm feeling with a praise and worship song or bible verse because the word just doesn't exsist yet and I get so overwhelmed that I'm just beside myself.

Worship as a way of life can exsist but it does take some effort and a want to. But if you want to the rewards will by far over ride the negatives. So go for it, you won't be sorry.

Getting ready for Hannah's Birthday

Spent some time today getting ready for Hannah's 11 birthday. It will be on Tuesday the 24th but family day is Sunday. She wants fancy finger foods. I think that it is so funny. When I asked her specifically what she wanted to eat she descibed foods that you would have at a tea party. She may be turning 11 but she still thinks that she is the princess she thought she was at 4. I love that she thinks that way. The menu, peanut butter and jelly and turkey and provolone cheese sandwiches cut into triangles and with the crusts cut off, petite quiches, pigs in the blanket, veggies and dip, a Publix cake, and Potato Salad that I have asked my mother to bring because I don't make potato salad. And one other thing that I am adding to the menu as a surprise, chocolate fondue with fruit and marshmellows. It does sound like a tea party, right? I keep looking at Hannah to see if I can tell that she is going to be 11. She doesn't look like it most days, and yet some days, I think that she is much older than that. What really hurts is there are times when I look into her eyes and I see so much, there is no longer the tender eyes of a small child looking to me for all the answers of life, she is trying so hard to figure out so much on her own. I didn't think that would happen until so much later in life, or at least a little closer to the teen years.

I look forward to the next year with Hannah to see what new things that she discovers, what the Lord will offer her, how she will grow up to be the lovely Princess of the King of Kings.

I love you, Hannah!! You truly are just as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside.

Are you really Jesus' Disciple?

John 8:21-32

Jesus said in verse 31-32 "if you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

In the passage, Jesus is talking to the Jews, that they do not know him or they would be able to recognize him as the Son. How do you recognize the Son? Foremost, you stay in his Word, have relationship with him by reading his Word. Jesus says that he doesn't do anything of his own authority but speaks only what the Father has taught him. So to know the Father and the Son, you have to be immersed in the Word. Inside the Word you will find encouragement for your day, your situation, and your life. Inside the Word you will also find hope; hope for things to come, hope for healing, or hope for a new beginning. Inside the Word you will find peace, a peace that you cannot explain. By remaining in the Word, Jesus will teach you the truth and you can be set free from those things that are wearing you down. Reach into the Word, find truth, freedom and really be Jesus' disciple.

Another Year

Can you believe it, 2009? How much time has gone by since I last wrote? I can't believe it. I am trying for new year new challenge with writing. I plan to write on this blog much more frequently. Hopefully it will be fruitful. Making plans for some posts soon.