Today

I woke up with Monday on my lips, and my brain began to fall back into the wrote "poor me" for the new "work" week had started. But something from my heart sat up and shouted a resounding, "No!" For I knew that this was a blessed gift. One I didn't want to take for granted, but one I wanted to celebrate.

To turn water into wine, and what is common into what is holy,

is indeed the glory of Christianity.

Frederick William Robertson

This is what I want to do with this life that I have been given. I do not especially assume that anything I do will reach someone and inspire them to live for Christ. I do not expect to write words which sink to people's hearts and souls. I only ask that I live this life as if it were holy. With times cut out, breaths taken, choices made, all for the the glory of Christ. I fail. I fall. I do not keep this before me on a daily basis. But I long to take "what is common into what is holy." I long to do what is needed each day with the right attitude and heart.

I never undertake a hymn without first asking the good Lord

to be my inspiration in the work that I am about to do.

Fanny Crosby

How often I enter my days, my moments, my choices and do not carry my Lord with me. How often I forget that He is there waiting for me to look to Him and call on Him. He is my heart's desire, when I consider and think about it. Yes, the Lord has done great and amazing things in my life. He has loved me more than I can say. He has used me in ways unimaginable. And yet I forget. And I take steps without him. How silly and careless when such a resource and friend is by my side.

His own hand planted me here, and I will abide

till the great Master of the Vineyard think fit to transplant me.

Samuel Rutherford

In order to live for Him, I must remember I am living with Him. He is my Lord, my Father, my Savior, and each day is a gift. As I fill it with laundry, schooling, cooking, and cleaning I want to live where God placed me with all of my heart for Him. I want to do the best I can because He has asked me to do it.

If thou meanest to enlarge thy religion,

do it rather by enlarging thine ordinary devotions than thy extraordinary.

Robert Murray McCheyne

And so I am reminded time and time again, over and over by the "spiritual giants of the faith" that I am Esther, placed here for a purpose. I am Ruth, set to love those who are in my life. I am David, devoted to God through a heart of passion. I am Moses, finding the holy in unexpectedly common places. How can I ask for more?

*all quotes from 50 People Every Christian Should Know by Warren W. Wiersbe

Rock on Banana Berry

I made this for dessert last night, and it hit a spot I didn't know needed hitting. It was heavenly and delish, and oh my yummy! I could have divided the servings and had 8 instead of 4, but chose to splurge instead. So glad! We all loved it, we all finished it, and as one of the others said, "It rocks!"

1 package of banana cream pudding
1 package of strawberry jello
1 pint heavy whipping cream
3 cups frozen berries
vanilla flavoring
sugar
graham cracker crumbs

Crush the crumbs to smithereens and place in the bottom of four dishes. Make the banana cream pudding, and divide between the four containers. Chill until set.

Allow the berries to thaw, and then puree with a hand mixer or blender.

Pour half the whipping cream into a bowl, add some vanilla and a little sugar, then whip until peaks form. Do not over-whip.

Combine the jello mix with 1.5 cups of boiling water. Add the whipped cream to the jello.

Layer the berries and then the jello on top of the pudding layer.

Freeze for one hour, refrigerate for 2 hours.

Prepare the rest of the whipping cream in the same manner as you did the first half, and place a dollop on top of the dessert right before you serve.

a new day

With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.

Eleanor Roosevelt

I wake up to the kiss of a loved one, and the dim light he tries to keep out of my eyes. He loves me.

I wake up to the idea that it's a new morning, a new day, a new start. All fresh.

I wake up with coffee, and breakfast, thankful for the air I breath.

I wake up with the Word, refreshing and reminding. He loves me.

I struggled the past day. It seems I do nothing slowly. And yesterday I had a bit of a identity crisis. But only to where my online presence was concerned. I also had lunch with my sister and mother and laughed so hard my sides ached and I cried. I spent time with two boys who were genuinely caring of one another, and that was like a fresh breath of air itself. I lived life with Captain, had long talks with him, and worked through that crisis with him. And I am grateful for this life I live.

I seem to want to use fresh clean slates a lot. To wipe everything clear and start anew. My thought was to do so with this blog, again. But completely. Start a new blog with a quirky name, and a catchy look. Start writing in a new place where I could put the me I am without fear. But I chose to stay. And y'all can look back and see my crazy, and I assure you if you stay with me you will see it again. But the reason for this blog is not to present myself as an amazing miracle of awesomeness that you can admire. That would be impossible. My blog is like me. Full of different ideas, thoughts, plans, and acts. It's all part of the dance, the moving forward, the stepping back, and sometimes simply turning around.

Captain says that if this blog were to be more like the me he knows, then it needs to not change too much. But maybe not be so serious, introspective, and to stop working so hard to fix me. I'm not sure I know how to live that way! LOL But at the same time, I do. I simply need to share more, and while some of you see the 2-3 posts a day recently and wonder if you can keep up, please know that in sharing more I will actually be sharing less as well. It's all a weird jumble of life, right?

Thanks for bearing with me, saying a silent prayer, and not thinking I'm a true looney. And Captain, thank you. You are simply an amazing strength and support in my life, and I appreciate the love you give me.

THESE WORDS!

*Make no presuppositions about whether I was/am a "good girl" or not. LOL Simply go watch the video and pre-order the book if you are interested.*
*Don't you just love that disclaimer?? ROFL*

They were on another post, and I removed them. I was trying to be funny. Trying to be mysterious. Trying to make you wonder who I am, and in the process I got myself off balance.
 
I may be able to breathe now.

the day

You can become blind by seeing each day as a similar one. Each day is a different one, each day brings a miracle of its own. It's just a matter of paying attention to this miracle.

Paulo Coelho

I have felt scattered, and that is why I shared the quote from this morning. I need to find my regular paths which are designed for me. I also need to do this because that is how I will see the beauty in the day. If I am trying to be someone I'm not, whatever form that takes, it is a struggle. And while I may add different facets to my person, it still has to be my person. Otherwise what I see when I look at me wont look right. It will seem too similar to someone else. And I'm different, and I'm a miracle. And it's a matter of me paying attention to exactly what that should be.

Paths

As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.

Henry David Thoreau

Consideration

This was on my library's facebook status this morning:

Happy Birthday to Theodor Seuss Geisel - aka Dr. Seuss. An interesting tidbit regarding his name - a collaborator of his once wrote, "You're wrong as the deuce, And you shouldn't rejoice, If you're calling him Seuss. He pronounces it Soice." What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book?

When I read that this morning I smiled, because it seemed to represent so many things I have been thinking and considering lately. Just a little research led me to the fact that Seuss actually went with the Americanized version of his name (deuce) because it reminded others of Mother Goose, and it was how everyone was pronouncing it. It was HIS name, and yet rather than debate something, he simply went with the flow. Was it his name wasn't important, or was it that it didn't matter to his end goal?

So often we find ourselves arguing things which are debatable. Instead of trying to understand each others opinions or perspectives, we attack and go in with all our defenses up. Why do we do that? Are we that scared that what we believe might actually be wrong?

I have followed a variety of conversations in my past, who hasn't, and I have watched people listen and I have watched people build walls. I have done both as well. What I know now is that we are not going to get along if we continue to put up those walls and fight tooth and nail for something which, really?? In the scheme of things, they don't matter. Plus, let's be honest, if I am yelling and defensive and argumentative no one is going to listen to me. We either travel a two way street, or put up blockades going both ways.

I'm ready to be a little more like Dr. Seuss. I think it will all make us a little more humble and ready to listen, and isn't that a good thing? Instead of assuming, attacking, and defending, maybe it's time for all of us to ask questions, listen, and try to understand. Can we not allow one another to do something differently, or do we have to demand to have it our way? Who knows, the way someone else does, thinks, or sees something might be a little better than how we do it. Or it very well may not make a difference regarding our end goal.

Come September

I know, September seems eons away, but we are already in March! Before you know it autumn will be upon us. And I know, most of you are in the throws of Anne's book right now, but I wanted you to know because by September One Thousand Gift's will be a reference you return to often, and you may be looking for the next read. Emily at Chatting with the Sky will be releasing her book in September, and I am looking forward to it. I thought you might as well! It's called Grace for the Good Girl and if you follow the last link you can see her video about it.

the next day

With each step I take.
Each time I reach out.
The pain is evident, and courses through me.
My desire to walk across the room leaves me planted where I am.
Or facing the pain that it will entail.
Silly pain.
Frustrating pain.
Ugly pain.
Healing pain.
It seems it would be easier to sit still.
To do nothing.
To go back.
And to think this is after only one day?
My heart fails me, my mind freaks out, and I question how.
How can I move forward as I had planned to?
Because what I want to do is forget it all.
I don't care if this is simply healing in progress.
I don't believe I will get stronger.
I feel as if I am as strong as I am going to get.
For I am weak.
And I will fail.
But then it crosses my mind, God whispers into my ear...
as your body aches when it heals, so does your heart.
don't stop that process.
keep going and you'll get stronger.
And I exhale
and wonder how long I had been holding my breath.
And I am a little disgusted
at how hard this first step is for me.
And I am amazed once again
at God's grace in my life.

Love

If God is a God of love
unconditional, all accepting, waiting
If God is a God of love who meets us where we are
Then why do we feel the need to change people before we introduce them to Him?

If it doesn't matter what we do
because we are forgiven
If they will be forgiven too
then shouldn't we focus on loving
and let God and the Holy Spirit focus on convicting?

Accepting God's Grace into our life, means that it requires responsibility.
God is a God of love, and He is Holy.
He expects us to "Go and sin no more."

When do we stop being a group of judgemental, overbearing, follow my rules type of people?
When do we start being a group of forgiven, loved, working hard to follow Christ type of people?
Because when we are focused on changing them we are no longer focused on God changing us.

The Law is there to show us our need.
The need of inability.
For we can not save ourselves.
We have to rely on another.
On another who loves us unconditionally,
accepts us as we are,
and is waiting for us to turn to Him.
And then He changes us.
Not out of punishment, or anger
but out of love.

Because God is a Holy God of Love.