Mary's Joy

As we've entered the Christmas season, I've thought more and more about Mary. The Mother of Jesus, that is. And that's because I'm a mom now. In the year 2012, my son was born, and was about 4 1/2 months old at Christmastime. And this year, he's 16 months old. I'm in full blown mommy-hood. I'm passed the waking up at night stage, however we are in teething, running around, climbing, screaming, throwing fit, disobedience, picky eating stages. And I wonder how Mary, the mother of the Son of God, did it. Granted... as a human, Jesus Christ never sinned, but he was tempted. And he was still a baby - waking up at night, needing constant attention and dependence upon his parents. He took first steps, went through the teething stage, learned to climb, and probably learned to throw things too. How did Mary do it?

She had to have been terrified that day when the Angel of the Lord came to her, informing her that she, a virgin, would be carrying and mothering the Son of God. But we also know that she trusted the Lord even in her fear. She had a husband, Joseph, who took her in, loved her, and baby Jesus, despite knowing that baby was not physically his. Together, they watched her belly grow and felt the JOY of baby Jesus kick from the inside out. Only Jesus knows what Mary's heart sounded like as she loved him before his day of birth.

That night when Jesus was born, I wonder if she feared for her physical health, knowing she was not indoors, and amidst animals. Yet, in that amazing moment, when she finally got to hold the baby that had been growing inside her for 9 months, as a new mom, I'm sure she was overcome with JOY despite her circumstances around her. The overwhelming feeling of knowing what unconditional love is - to hold it and have it, hold you.

Those sleepless nights... as a new mom I thought they'd never end! I'm sure Mary felt the same. Yet those moments when you hold your baby in your arms as they nurse in the wee hours of the morning. Sometimes you don't want to put them back down. Such JOY in those tired, sleepless, wonderful moments.

Mary had such a huge responsibility of growing, birthing, raising, and loving the baby, the child, the teenager, the man... Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And despite the fear, worry, doubt, and hard times... Mary was JOYFUL. And now I ask that Mary's Son, Jesus, fill me this Christmas season with HIS JOY that provides strength, perserverance, and fullness. Amen.

Rest in the Lord

Happy Friday girls of God's heart!

We are now about a week and a half away from Christmas... the birthday that we anticipate all year as believers in Christ.

This is my most favorite time of the year!  I however, will admit that it is a struggle for me to not become overly busy during this month.  Do you struggle with feelings of chaos and stress around the holidays?  Do you have the added emotional turmoil of dealing with difficult family or grieving the absence of a loved one?  I know that the holidays can bring many unwanted thoughts and feelings for some of us as well.

I recently read something that really impacted me.  It's a quote by a woman named Hannah Whitall Smith, who lived in the mid 1800's to early 1900's.  Read what she has to say and see if you can take something away from it to soothe your soul...

"Do you recollect the delicious sense of rest with which you have sometimes gone to 

bed at night, after a day of great exertion and weariness?  How delightful was the 

sensation of relaxing every muscle, and letting your body go in a perfect abandonment 

of ease and comfort.  The strain of the day had ceased for a few hours at least, and the work 

for the day had been thrown off.  You no longer had to hold up an aching head or a weary 

back.  You trusted yourself to the bed in an absolute confidence, and it held you up, without 

effort, or strain, or even thought on your part.  You rested.  Let this analogy teach you what

 it means to rest on the Lord.  Let your souls lie down upon His sweet will, as your bodies 

lie down in your beds at night,  Relax every strain and lay off every burden.  Let yourselves 

go in perfect abandonment of ease and comfort, sure that when He holds you up you are 

perfectly safe."

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DIY Handprint Ornaments

This is a fun DIY ornament that the kids can get involved with!

----Dough Ornaments----

4 cups of flour
1 cup salt
Large Mixing Bowl
water

rolling pin

drinking straw

cookie sheet
 ribbon
craft paint

elmers glue

glitter

wax paper

 Heat the oven to 200 degrees.

In a mixing bowl blend flour and salt together. Then slowly add in water to form a dough. You do not want it soupy. Just enough water to make a good solid dough.

Pull out a sheet of wax paper and roll your dough out onto it. Create the shape that you want. Kids can help!

*you can also spray a baking sheet with pam and roll it out on there.

Once you have the thick shape that you want. the take a straw and poke through it leaving a hole big enough for your ribbon to go through.

**Make sure your shape is thick enough to leave a good handprint in it.

Place your childs hand on the dough and press down on each finger and palm on the wax paper.

Lift up the wax paper and transfer directly to the oven on a cookie sheet.

* The kids also used cookie cutters with the dough.

Bake until dry...mine took a few hours.

Take out of the oven and make sure it cools off

paint with the craft paint of your choice. I used white

Place elmers glue where the hand is and use your paint brush to brush the hand completely with glue.

Sprinkle glitter over the handprint and then shake off.

add the ribbon of your choice so you can hang it.

This is what you get!

Remember to write your child's name, age and date on the back so you can treasure this forever!

Hang on your tree and enjoy every year.

via www.thefancyyanceys.blogspot.com

Fix me #2

It all started out with the Big Question.

And then I worked on 4 things last week - Me. God fix all my brokenness I may have. Fix my "moods" that each & every woman has, but let me be able to control those. Let the words that flow out of my mouth be pleasing to the Lord & everyone that I am speaking to. Rid my negativity.

Let me tell you.. The week was not easy. Co-workers made me more frustrated than before, kids were out of their norm & acting up... I was being tested. Tested to see if I'd fall. And I did, once or twice or three times. But as soon as I fell I knew I fell. Immediately I begged for forgiveness, whereas before I may think oh I shouldn't have said that or thought that & then moved on. This past week was different. And this will be a lifelong battle, not just a week battle & poof I am perfect. Only Jesus is perfect.

Now I am onto this week & working on these things. Rid any judgmental thought that ever crosses my mind. Let me stay crazy in love with Jesus Christ. Don't let me fall away. Make 2013 the best year I've ever lived on this earth. Make me a better person God.

1.  Rid any judgmental thought that ever crosses my mind. Philippians 4:8 -- Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things.

2. Let me stay crazy in love with Jesus Christ, don't let me fall away. 1 John 2:17 -- The world & its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.


3. Make 2013 the best year I have ever lived on this earth. Lamentations 3:22-24 -- Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait on Him."


4. Make me a better person. Proverbs 16:3 -- Commit to the Lord whatever you do, & your plans will succeed. 


I encourage you to work on these 4 things this week. Prayers welcomed!!

Fix me

Last week I wrote about the BIG question - what I want for Christmas from the One & Only, God.

This week I am going to go off that, but with my personal Christmas list. Bare with me because I think this will be hard. I'll do half my list this week & the other half next week.

Me. God fix all my brokenness I may have. Fix my "moods" that each & every woman has, but let me be able to control those. Let the words that flow out of my mouth be pleasing to the Lord & everyone that I am speaking to. Rid my negativity. Rid any judgmental thought that ever crosses my mind. Let me stay crazy in love with Jesus Christ. Don't let me fall away. Make 2013 the best year I've ever lived on this earth. Make me a better person God.

I have 2 weeks left to fix all this. Impossible? No. Because through God ALL things are possible. Will it be hard? Absolutely. So hard I am scared, but Philippians 4:13 -- I can do EVERYTHING through Him who gives me strength. 

This week I commit myself to...

1. Fix any brokenness in my life - praying that anything that is holding me back from living my life the way God has it planned for me, revealing those things of brokenness that I am unaware of. Psalm 147:3 -- He heals the brokenhearted & binds up their wounds.


2. Fix my moods - woo. This is the one that I am scared of attempting. I am afraid I will fall off the wagon with this. What? I am only human after all, not to mention a woman. A woman of many different feelings = many different moods. Jesus felt EVERYTHING we have ever felt. He walked a shameless, a sinless walk here on Earth. If He fought off temptation God gives us the power to fight it off as well, if we let Him. Hebrews 4:15 -- For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are -- yet was without sin.


3. Let words of the Lord flow out of my mouth that is not only pleasing to Him but everyone else - this means biting my tongue, submitting, obeying.. Not just to humans but to GOD. Psalm 16:8-9 -- I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand & I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad & my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure.


4. Rid my negativity - I'd like to think I am a fairly positive person, but I do have a negative side. Philippians 4:8 -- Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things.

Please pray for me this week!! I strongly encourage you to jump on my list & try to improve yourself in these areas. I need some encouragement & I know that you will to. I am here for you!!

The BIG question

It's that time of year, you know, the holidays. Where everyone becomes crazy about shopping & making sure your kids have the perfect Christmas morning experience. Now that we have a 3 year old, I will admit it's been fun planning for Santa's big arrival. But I am also very quick to make sure Santa isn't what Christmas is all about.

So what is Christmas all about? Is it all about the presents? The family get togethers? The food? The decorations? Or is it about Christ?

This year I've really sat back & thought how do I want to portray Christmas to my kids. I've heard of one extreme to the other. Santa is the devil to Santa gets all the glory. And me personally, I am looking for the glory of God & the childhood memories of excitement.

I sat in Church this weekend & our service was about Christmas. How fitting? :)

Our Pastor asked the big ole question - what do you want for Christmas? Immediately my mind started turning... I want everything, as we all do. But realistically what do I want? I can think of a few.

But then there was a twist, as there should be... If you asked God for what you want for Christmas, what would that list look like? And oh boy did I get excited. I thought of more specific things to ask from Him than any material item I could possess on earth.

And really, isn't that why we are here? To glorify God. To seek Him. To tell Him what we want (in a non greedy manner).

My first one I thought in my head, Salvation. Salvation for all of course, but more specifically those near & dear to my heart because this list is my list, right?

And then I thought a perfect marriage. I am not talking all flowers & butterflies & happy faces, I am talking about trials & tribulations but being madly in love for the rest of my life & that blessing can only come from One.

And then I thought my kids. I want everything for them of course. But mostly for them to learn to love Jesus the way I do. For them to be saved.

And then I got real.. Me. God fix all my brokenness I may have. Fix my "moods" that each & every woman has, but let me be able to control those. Let the words that flow out of my mouth be pleasing to the Lord & everyone that I am speaking to. Rid my negativity. Rid any judgmental thought that ever crosses my mind. Let me stay crazy in love with Jesus Christ. Don't let me fall away. Make 2013 the best year I've ever lived on this earth. Make me a better person God.

Mark 10:51-52 -- "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight & followed Jesus along the road.

2 Chronicles 1:7 -- That night God appeared to Solomon & said to him, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."

John 15:7 -- "If you remain in me & my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, & it will be given you."

You may think it's obvious what you want, and God does know what you want. BUT do you tell Him what you want? Do you ask Him for things? It clearly is stated in the verses above & throughout the Bible, He demands to be told what we want. He asks us. He wants us to verbally go to Him & say God I am struggling with this, please help me with that.

For the next 2 weeks until Christmas, I encourage you to get out a piece of paper & make your Christmas List ready for the One that can save & can answer & can give & can provide.

You may have the best Christmas yet because I pray that for you all.

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