Friday, February 25, 2011

Oh Quiet, How I Love Thee...

Well, it's been an unusually quiet morning here at the Zoo. (translation: my littles are still asleep...wooohoo!) I've taken this time to color my hair, don't be schocked...it's not natural and that's ok :P...and get some much needed alone time with God.
I recently had the opportunity to hear some wonderful wisdom from a great group of people on the importance of "quiet". How we often neglect to just be still and listen. I've been purposing to be "quiet" more often (and for those who know me, you can imagine how hard that is!) and just listen to the voice of God. In a home full of noise and so many things needing to be done, it's really hard sometimes to do. In this group we were asked to spend 5 minutes of quiet time just praying and hearing from God. It was hard! After a while it seemed uncomfortable. And then, I purposed to stop all the thoughts running through my head and really focus on quiet. I felt peace. Quiet doesn't just pertain to what's going on around us or the noises coming out of our mouths, but also what's going on in our heads. We can have the appearance of quiet and our mind is still shouting at us! Quieting our minds is sooo very important for God to speak. Most often, when I think of being still before the Lord, a certain scripture comes to mind:

Psalm 46:10 - He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

This past week I've come across a few others that I like. They exhibit how when we are "still" before the Lord, He can work on our behalf!

Psalm 37:7 - "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes."

Exodus 14:14 - "The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

1 Samuel 12:16 - “Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes!"

Being "quiet" before the Lord allows us to hear from Him. We receive guidance and direction, peace and understanding, when we allow Him into the quiet to make His heart known to us.

I encourage you today, to MAKE time to be still before the Lord. Seek his heart and let Him guide your steps! And in the process He can work through your mess!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Boinga, boinga...

...Yes, that is me jumping. Jumping? Yes, jumping...onto this bandwagon of blogging Moms. Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I ALWAYS have something to say, so why not blog? Alrighty, I will.

In my blog I'll be sharing about the "messes" in my life...the ones that God has used mightily to either impact my own relationship with Him (and myself) or those that God has used to bring freedom to someone else confined in "Expectation Jail".

Sometimes we have such high expectations for those around us and we lock each person up into their own little cell. Pastors should act this way, spiritual leaders should act another, sinners should act appropriately and so should self professed perfectors. And when you hear that someone has stepped outside of their "Cell", well, there are two reactions...shock or freedom! Have you ever been talking to the woman who looks like she has it all together; beautiful hair, spotless kids, GQ husband and immaculate house, when all of a sudden she starts talking about the piles of laundry on her couch and how she has to clean for days before letting people come over?? You just want to start giggling with FREEDOM right there on the spot! She has just become REAL to you, not someone to be put on a pedestal. Her mess revealed squashed that little cell you had her in and she became human!

Now, there is the flip side, when good and proper expectations are shattered by bad decisions or innapropriate comments or actions. I'm not saying we don't have expectations that are there for a very good reason. But I'll be talking more about the ones that blow your socks off...in a good way!

I like to think that messes are God's way of keeping us grounded. They help us all work together to further HIS kingdom. When we rejoice in our messes, or trials; as the apostle Paul called them, we live out our faith by allowing God to be God and work all things together for His good! So, when put into God's perspective, our messes can bring blessings, not only into our lives, but to the lives around us that are watching how we handle that mess. I've been blessed more than you know by how others around me live out their faith!

So, tell me...What are you doing to bless others with YOUR mess?? And believe me...they ARE watching!