The Gift - The Present

"Be ready at all times for the gifts of God, and always for new ones." Meister Eckhart

Gifts are surrounding us each and every day.

Christmas time is a great time to think about gifts! I love gift giving! It is one of my love languages that I have been blessed with and when it comes to gifts, I'm all over it! I love the excitement of picking up on little things and figuring out what to get someone. I love the surprise factor when I finally do give the gift and the other person wonders how I knew?!? I just love the whole process!

I know that bits and pieces of us are exactly how God is in the whole picture. We were made in His image and so I'm positive that all the love languages are His expertise. I'm can't imagine how God feels when He gives us a gift. He waits with anticipation for us to discover it - and when we finally do I can relate with His feelings of pure joy and genuine excitement. It is nothing for Him - all for us!

One of the biggest gifts we have received, and overlook it, is today - the present. Let us not forget to thank God for the now! He has promised us all things, let us rejoice in today!

Will Do

1. Thank God for the gifts he has given 
2. Accept the opportunities and limitations of life as gifts from God
3. Cultivate natural abilities
4. Serve others with love
5. Be grateful for the gifts each moment brings
6. Enjoy the gift of you - femininity or masculinity
7. Be open to accepting even the unattractive and difficult gifts

To Do

1. Do a topical Bible study on spiritual gifts
2. Give an extra 10% to God
3. Create a theme gift basket and give it to someone
4. List 25 things that God gave you today
5. Spend some time at a nursing home lending a listening ear
6. Take a class to develop a new skill or practice and old one

Bible Verses to Remember

1. 1 Corinthians 12:4
2. Matthew 7:11
3. Proverbs 17:8
4. James 2:17
5. Romans 12:6
6. Romans 11:29
7. John 4:10

"God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame."
            Elisabeth Barrett Browning 

Finding the Good

"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence." Helen Keller

In every circumstance there is a positive and negative side. You could probably pick apart every singe thing in life and find there to be a good and bad to it. Our job, as Christians, is to find the good and help others see it. Especially when they can't seem to find it, or know to even look for the positive.

Jesus promises us that He is working everything together for our good. He may see the end result as perfect when we only see the current situation as awful, terrible, despicable. It is up to us to have faith and know that everything is coming together and everything will be good and perfect. It is also up to us to help others remember that promise and to hold their hands and their heads high when they can't seem to do it on their own.

Look for the good in all situations. Find it - I promise it is there. You can always see the dim light and the more you look for it the brighter it becomes!

Will Do

1. Have faith in God
2. Expect God to bring good even in negative situations
3. See every stumbling block as a stepping-stone. 
4. Be optimistic about outcomes
5. Choose a positive attitude
6. Focus on the positive instead of the negative
7. Be open to new possibilities

To Do

1. Journal about an unexpected blessing that came at a difficult time in your life
2. Try replacing every negative word or comment with a positive one
3. Make a personal affirmation from a Bible verse and say it in the mornings
4. Develop a friendship with someone new
5. Write your worries in the sand at the beach
6. Plant a garden 
7. List 10 impossible things to try. Do one! 

Bible Verses to Remember

1. Proverbs 11:27
2. Psalm 118:24
3. Hebrews 12:1
4. Romans 5:1-2
5. Hebrews 10:35
6. Hebrews 10:23
7. Matthew 6:22

"As you travel on through life, whatever be your goal, keep your eye on the doughnut and now upon the hole."
            Author Unknown

Finding the Beauty

"Gratitude to God makes even a temporal blessing a taste of heaven." William Romaine

There is so much beauty in the things around us that we almost always look past. Many times there are several things, right in front of us, that we can stop and praise Jesus for but instead go on with our busy lives and forget to.

There are the more obvious things we should be thankful for, like our homes, our families, food, etc. These are all things that we probably are all thankful for but still don't praise God for them. Then there are the less obvious things, like the people who put thought and effort into making the house we are living in, the food we are eating, the clothes we are wearing. The fact that we can drive to work on roads that actually run well and the stop lights that turn red and green when they're supposed to. These are the things that we should always be praising God for. These are the things that make life easy - simple.

The bible says to "pray continuously". Some of us have never really contemplated this order before. I've often wondered how someone can pray continuously. I thought that this would be a lot of work and effort and I wasn't quite sure how one would even attempt this. Then I began to realize that there is so much to talk to God about. There is so much to praise Him for. Praying throughout the day is a must, and praying continuously is easy when you have so much to praise Him for!

Will Do

1. Cultivate a childlike heart
2. Be aware of small blessings
3. See material things as small miracles from the hand of God
4. Be grateful for the blessings of daily life
5. Enjoy ordinary life more
6. Appreciate the work of all the people who contribute to the functioning of daily life
7. Look for signs of the kingdom of heaven in the mundane things of earth

To Do

1. Make a list of 100 ordinary things and praise God for each one 
2. Take a walk around your neighborhood
3. Go to a coffee shop and learn about all the different varieties and countries they came from
4. Pray for your plumber, sanitation worker, mail carrier, mechanic, grocery checkout clerk, and servers
5. Leave and extra tip for your server as an unseen thanks offering to God
6. Be barefoot and feel the earth between your toes

Bible Verses to Remember

1. Psalm 107:43
2. Psalm 111:4
3. Psalm 50:14
4. Ecclesiastes 7:25
5. Psalm 113:3
6. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
7. 2 Corinthians 9:15
8. Proverbs 13:7
9. Proverbs 13:25
10. Ecclesiastes 11:7
11. Psalm 16:9
12. James 5:13
13. Colossians 3:15
14. 1 Timothy 4:4

"In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich."

            Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Let Go and Let God

"God forces no one, for love cannot compel, and God's service, therefore, is a thing of perfect freedom."
Hans Denck

I know I've talked a lot about letting go and giving God complete control over my life. This is something that I struggle with - a lot. I like to be in control. I like to know what is coming and have it all figured out before it gets here. I like to be prepared for the best, and worst.

Today, more than ever, I read about a visual picture of how control can hurt us. My devotional presented a "word picture" about holding a rock in your hand. If you hold it tight and clench all your muscles around it, you probably won't be able to hold it for long. If you let go and let it sit in the palm of your hand, you'll probably be able to hold it for a lot longer. This is how life is. We must let go and let it be. We can enjoy it all the more and longer!

Will Do

1. Let go and let God
2. Allow God to surprise you
3. Have a teachable heart
4. Let go of unrealistic expectations
5. Be flexible, not rigid
6. Live in grace by faith
7. Embrace a new freedom

To Do

1. Reflect on Galatians 6:15 
2. Take a different route to work
3. Do a topical study on the Pharisees
4. Go to the library or buy a book on a subject you've never read about before
5. Try a new restaurant
6. Get together with a group of friends and brainstorm exciting new ideas
7. Plant a new kind of seed in your garden

Bible Verses to Remember

1. Romans 8:6
2. Galatians 1:15-16
3. Romans 1:1
4. Galatians 6:15
5. Isaiah 26:4
6. 1 Peter 5:7

"The spirit of God first imparts love; he next inspires hope, and then gives liberty; and that is about the last thing we have in many of our churches." 

            D. L. Moody

Praising Him

"Praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation...In commending us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him." C. S. Lewis

Praising God can happen at any time of day, anywhere, and about anything!

Today I am praising God that I was able to wake up early, have devotion, go to the gym, and blog! I tried out a new morning routine and I'm still deciding how I like it. I praise God that he woke me up feeling refreshed and energized and able to do the things I had planned.

I sit here now, sipping my coffee, so thankful for everything God has given to me and all that He has provided. There are so many things to praise God for. Sometimes we forget that we need to praise God for the little things - we only are reminded when something big and extravagant happens. Lets remember to praise him in everything! Little moments are what make up our lives so glorify God in all the little things and let the joy pour in to you life!

Will Do

1. Praise God with all your heart
2. Be alert to small blessings in the day
3. Have a thankful heart
4. Avoid complaining
5. Be aware of opportunities to praise God in the midst of the day
6. Joyfully sing songs of praise to God
7. Take delight in being God's child

To Do

1. Write your own personal prayer of praise to say to God
2. Memorize a Psalm of praise
3. Number a page from 1-100. Write down 100 things you praise God for in your life. (you can see my list tonight on my other blog for Thankful Thursday)
4. Join with other believers in praise and worship at church
5. Write a letter to someone you admire
6. Sing a song of praise to God when you're doing the dishes or another household chore
7. Do a topical Bible study on praise

Bible Verses to Remember

1. Psalm 135:1
2. Revelation 4:8
3. 2 Corinthians 3:18
4. Luke 1:46-47
5. Hebrews 13:15
6. Isaiah 65:18
7. Psalm 69:30

"You don't learn to praise in a day, especially since you may have been complaining for years! New habits take time to develop. But you can begin today, and practice tomorrow, and the next day, until it becomes a part of you."

            Erwin W. Lutzer 

I Think it Got Me

So, I slept in again. This time it wasn't due to lack of sleep (my hubby actually medicated himself with a much needed Benadryl) but because I think I'm coming down with it.

This is no fun! I have a pretty strong immune systems - working with little ones and all. My symptoms do seem to be less severe then my hubby's. He has plugged nose and really sore throat. I only have a mild sore throat so at least my body is fighting of the majority of this nasty thing.

*finger's crossed and knock on wood*

Prayers are much needed for my health and for my hubby's appointment today! He is getting his MRA results and his blood work back. Please pray that all is well and that I can kick this bug in the bud! 

An Unrestful Night

Bless my poor hubby's heart! He has been going through so much and now he is sick! This is the reason for my lame/late post this morning.

Last night I went to bed at my normal bedtime. Later on in the evening, as usual, my hubby came to bed. I am an extremely light sleeper and everything wakes me up! Well, last night was real hard for the both of us to sleep. He couldn't breathe out of his nose and I could tell that it was even hard to breathe through his mouth due to his sore throat. Well, every cough, snore, and stir woke me up! I was wide awake from about 2-3am this morning.

So, what did I do? I slept in! I wanted to get up on time and do my regular routine, but I was just too tired and couldn't get up. Pray for my strength today with these little ones! Hopefully I will get to go home early and get to bed early tonight!

Stay Calm and Slow Down

"Grant me the serenity to accept things I cannot change, the courage to change things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." Reinhold Niebhur

I have to be honest and say that I actually had to look up the word "serenity" this morning. My devotion this morning was all about serenity and I wasn't quite too sure what it meant exactly.

I'm not sure if this is because I don't have the best vocabulary or if it is because serenity is such a unique thing these days. Whatever the reason, I looked it up and got a better understanding of what it really means.

Serenity is calm. It is peaceful. It is being content in the moment and not needing anything else. Like I said - not too common of a thing these days.

Life these days is all about the rush of getting things done, climbing to the top, having the best things, fitting in. There is not too much time in a day to experience serenity. I long for the days that I hear about in books; the ones where families took things slow and steady. They ate dinner together, worked together, loved each other. I know that we still do those things, but it feels so rushed and it takes a whole lot of effort to do so.

In order to experience serenity, try some of these things...

Will Do

1. Offer yourself to God in faith
2. Believe that all things work together for the highest good
3. Look for ways to simplify your life
4. Keep focus on important priorities 
5. Do your best and trust God with the results
6. Trust in divine wisdom
7. Be faithful, not fearful

To Do

1. Set up appointments in your calendar for you and God
2. Turn 5 Bible promises into personal affirmations 
3. Keep a record of daily activities and asses them in light of your priorities
4. Organize your closets
5. Thoroughly clean your house
6. Practice saying "No" out loud 
7. Create a beautiful flower arrangement

Bible Verses to Remember

1. Isaiah 30:15
2. Luke 2:19
3. John 14:27
4. Romans 8:6
5. James 3:18
6. Matthew 5:8
7. Romans 8:28
8. Psalm 116:7

"Let nothing good or bad upset the balance of your life."

            Thomas A Kempis 

Finding the Good in Envy

"Envy comes from people's ignorance of, or lack of belief in, their own gifts." Jean Vanier

Envy is something I'm sure we have all experienced in our lives. It is something that we must learn how to control and hopefully learn how to make it go away.

A lot of times, probably all of the time, our envy has to do with coveting what someone else has. "Do not covet" is the very last commandment from God. It is hard to now want what other people have, especially in our world today. But when you really think about it, envy is just that - wanting what someone else has.

So what should we do about this envy? Why not use it for good? Why not really dig deep and try and understand just why you are envying that person. Figure out what it is you want or like about them and then do yourself a favor and start taking step to doing it!

You can always take it a step further for good too. Let the person know what you envy about them. You don't have to say "I envy you because..." but you can let them know that you love something about them. It is okay to give someone a compliment and it may just take away some "not-so-good" feelings you have toward them.

Don't let envy get the better of you - you get the better of envy! Start making yourself a better person today!

Will Do

1. Remember to use feelings of envy as a catalyst for spiritual growth
2. Be more compassionate and forgiving
3. Be willing to make small changes to become who you desire to be
4. Look beyond surface appearances
5. Choose to take positive actions instead of dwelling on negative feelings
6. Put yourself in other's shoes
7. Think the best of others

To Do

1. Pray and ask God to show you what you can learn from your feelings of envy
2. Do one small thing to cultivate a good quality in your life that you envy about someone else
3. Write a letter to God thanking Him for your blessings
4. Answer: "How do I get caught up in the envy game?"
5. Have a close friend tell you your greatest qualities and then you return the favor
6. Do a kindness for someone you envy

Bible Verses to Remember

1. James 3:16
2. 1 Corinthians 13:4
3. Proverbs 27:4
4. Colossians 3:12
5. Proverbs 22:4
6. Matthew 20:26-27
7. 1 Peter 2:1
8. Proverbs 14:30

"Envy takes the joy, happiness, and contentment out of living."

            Billy Graham 

A Heart Full of Love

"A loving heart is the truest wisdom." Charles Dickens

Love is something that has fascinated me all my life. Maybe it's because I am a girl. Maybe it's my personality. Whatever it is, I have always loved love.

As a little girl I would dream of prince charming coming to my reduce. Not that I needed rescuing but I would still dream it. I was lucky to find love at a young age. I met my hubby at the age of 6. Sounds funny, I know, but it is the truth. I didn't know at the time that he was my future husband but God had it all planned. We actually fell in love in high school and the rest is history.

Even though I found love at a young age, I still was fascinated with it through others. Romantic movies get me every time, even songs on the radio hit that spot and make me tear up.

Love is something that God wants us to understand. He wants us to get it and to realize that what we're feeling when we are experiencing love is just a taste of what He feels for us. It is amazing to me how much love God has in His heart. I know my heart is full to the max with love, but His is just bursting!

Will Do

1. Open your heart to the love of God
2. Risk vulnerability
3. Honor others and respect yourself
4. Empathize with others and share their joys and sorrows
5. Cultivate love in your life
6. Embrace love's possibilities 
7. Believe in the transformational power of God's love

To Do

1. Read about the life of Christ in the Gospel of John
2. Meditate on Corinthians 13 - the Love chapter 
3. Reach out and be a blessing to someone today
4. Write about a time when love touched you deeply in your life
5. Make  list of practical acts of kindness
6. Do one of those act of kindness anonymously
7. Let your family members know that you love them

Bible Verses to Remember

1. 1 Peter 1:22
2. 1 Timothy 1:5
3. 1 Corinthians 2:9
4. Isaiah 63:7
5. Romans 12:9-10
6. John 14:21
7. Deuteronomy 7:9
8. Leviticus 19:18
9. Romans 13:10
10. 1 John 14:21
11. 1 Corinthians 13:6
12. John 13:34-35

"Love has the power to give in a moment what took can scarcely reach in an age." 

            Goethe

Find Your Rest

"Sabbath is a way of being in time where we remember who we are, remember what we know, and taste the gifts of spirit and eternity." Wayne Muller

Rest is such a wonderful thing.

I love when I wake up in the morning and I'm happy to be up. I feel rested and I just feel good about my day.

I'm having one of those mornings today. I woke up excited to get my day started. It wasn't even a struggle getting out of bed. It may have been the heater that was on and it wasn't too cold to get out from underneath the covers, but it was easy getting up this morning!

God mentions rest in the Bible so many times. It is a different rest - a peaceful rest. He reminds us that we can find that rest in Him and it is much needed in our lives.

After my hubby and I moved down south when we got married it was hard finding a church that felt like "home". My idea of church is a community and somewhere to connect with other believers and worship - together. I have always loved my home church. The community, the worship, everything about it was "church" to me. When we moved, I lost that sense of community and togetherness worship. It was hard on me because I had never felt unmotivated to go to church before.

Now, weeks, sadly maybe months, have gone by and we still have not found a church that we love. I know church isn't for us and isn't about finding where "we" fit in, but in order for me to be fulfilled and rested I need that. I'm praying to God that He shows me where we belong. I'm praying that I found my church where I can rejuvenate and rest from the busy week. I know how important it is and I need it in my life.

Will Do

1. Acknowledge God's design for a regular rhythm of rest and work
2. Feel free to take time off to relax
3. Enjoy a departure from work and routine
4. Seek God in a quiet moment of rest
5. Let God run the universe 
6. Laugh more
7. Lighten up and have fun

To Do

1. Enjoy the Sabbath Day this week
2. Go for a long walk in a restful place
3. Spend a quiet afternoon reading a book or doing something relaxing
4. Dress up for church
5. Buy tickets and go to a concert (do something out of your routine)
6. Create a Sabbath ritual - family dinner, Sabbath walk, etc.
7. Spend some time playing with children

Bible Verses to Remember

1. Matthew 6:6
2. Mark 6:31
3. Colossians 2:2
4. Psalm 23:2
5. Exodus 20:8
6. Psalm 4:8

"Sabbath is like a stile between the fields of toil, where we can kneel and pray, sit and meditate."

            Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 

Be Still and Know

I took last week "off" from early mornings. I was resting my body...rejuvenating it. It feels good to be caught up on sleep and back on here blogging!

Ironically, my devotional this morning was about rest and being still. We all know the famous verse, "Be still and know that I am God". I love this verse - I love this song!

Never do you understand something so much as when you actually go through it. What I'm trying to say is that I've known this verse for years. I've sang the song so many times. But it wasn't until I really needed to understand "being still" and really "knowing" that He is God that it really sank in.

God is real! He is present and all-knowing. It is a powerful thing when you actually really understand that!

Be still today. Realize that He is God and He is in control. It is a powerful idea and an awesome truth!

Will Do

1. Draw close to God in moments of silence
2. Remember that God wants to speak to you
3. Look for times when you can add quiet and silence to life
4. Remember that silence can restore you - refresh you
5. Cultivate silence communion with God among chaos
6. Carry the inner stillness found in silence in your busy life.

To Do

1. Take 10 minutes every day this weeks to be in silence with God
2. Create a personal mini-retreat for an afternoon of quiet with God
3. Ask your family to join you in having a quiet hour in your home every day: no TV, radio, computers - just quiet!
4. Take a walk in a quiet place
5. Turn the radio off and drive in silence for awhile
6. Get up a little earlier to enjoy some quiet time with God. 

Bible Verses to Remember

1. Psalm 46:10
2. Zechariah 2:13
3. Matthew 11:28-29
4. Isaiah 30:15
5. Psalm 4:4
6. Psalm 131:2
7. Luke 10:38
8. Ecclesiastes 4:6
9. Psalm 23:2
10. Matthew 11:15
11. 1 Samuel 3:10
12. Isaiah 32:17-18

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

I'm Here...

I've been trying to catch up on my sleep since Sunday. I have gone to bed early every night since then and decided to sleep-in in the mornings. Unfortunately this means I can't do my morning blogs but it'll only be for this week. I'm not sure how many read both of my blogs, but if you are wondering why I'm so tired and need to catch up on sleep, refer to my other blog, "All You Need is Love". Last night's post explains it all. Click here for the post.

Again, I'm envying your prayers!