Wisdom Wednesday: According To Who

According to His Grace

As I collapsed in bed after a long day of  three kids, cleaning, managing bills, errands, etc etc etc   LIFE! I was drained physically but I couldn't stop myself from reviewing my day and realized I had not been the best Mommy nor did I even draw on the Lord for my daily strength. I felt that I utterly failed to really focus on the big picture and ended up making my "To Do" list the reason for working hard for the day. The funny thing is after completing my 'To Do" list I didn't have that satisfaction as I thought I would. That is where my personal dialog of negative inside chatter began.

"Will I ever get this right"

"It has been years and I still struggle with..."

"I am a horrible Christian"

"God, why can't I just do..."

"I can't stand my selfishness..."


The dialog went on and on until I had literally beat myself up! I couldn't be satisfied with just being physically exhausted I had to drain myself mentally and emotionally to justify my own failures. It was as if I needed to punish myself for my failures and shortfalls.  That I was not only setting my standard for the whole day with a check list to complete but then I sat myself down after the day and reviewed my failures to somehow make myself feel better.WHAT IN THE WORLD! Then the sweet words from the book of Ephesians chapter one came to my heart. This is not my story but HIS story...that I had done enough self loathing and condemnation over my day and had forgotten it was really His day. That I had literally been so absorbed in my day, my children, my household management, my definition of an effective day that I forgot that the Lord himself had given me this day!

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him…"                                                                            Ephesians 1:7-9

So I lay my head down tonight and remember according to HIS grace which HE lavished on me! Praise the Lord for His grace and mercy that He so generously lavishes on me during the times when I need it most but am too busy or prideful to notice. Therefore, I go to rest my mind and body knowing that His mercy is new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23) and I shall arise refreshed and renewed remembering that my day is not for me but it's for Him. I choose to rejoice with the Psalmist when he says: "This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)

Blessings & Good Night,

KtMaude

Driving Out Our Fear

6:24 am is when I was awakened from my sleep due to a bad dream. It was a "Mommy" dream that painted all the horrible things that could happen to my children, marriage, and future. It was a dream that was driven by fear and sadness. I rolled over immediately and asked my husband to pray for all of these things that happened in the dream and he listened closely to every word that I said. Thankfully, he prayed as I had requested and after closing the prayer he gently began speaking these words of scripture to me.

"6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness."       1 Timothy 6:6-11 (NIV)

I was comforted by his words and thankful for him to speak over me the Word of God. There was one thing that was said that really resounded within my heart as a mother and wife. Thankfulness is the force which drives out fear. It is my contentment in our good God that will sustain me through all my deepest fears and failures.

How will you walk in thankfulness today? I will remind myself that in 2 Timothy 1:7 the Amplified Bible  "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control." In this truth I will remind myself to walk in His strength and not my own.

Blessings,

KtMaude

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses the man of God.

1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place
   throughout all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born
   or you brought forth the whole world,
   from everlasting to everlasting you are God.


3 You turn people back to dust,
   saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”
4 A thousand years in your sight
   are like a day that has just gone by,
   or like a watch in the night.
5 Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—
   they are like the new grass of the morning:
6 In the morning it springs up new,
   but by evening it is dry and withered.


7 We are consumed by your anger
   and terrified by your indignation.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
   our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 All our days pass away under your wrath;
   we finish our years with a moan.
10 Our days may come to seventy years,
   or eighty, if our strength endures;
   yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
   for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
11 If only we knew the power of your anger!
   Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.
12 Teach us to number our days,
   that we may gain a heart of wisdom.


13 Relent, Lord! How long will it be?
   Have compassion on your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
   that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
   for as many years as we have seen trouble.
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
   your splendor to their children.


17 May the favor[a] of the Lord our God rest on us;
   establish the work of our hands for us—
   yes, establish the work of our hands.

Wisdom Wednesday: Beyond the small perimeter of me

My bread box is my daily reminder

Those Little Eyes

By Richard Netherland Cook

Little eyes are watching you 

Each and every day, 

And little ears are listening too 

Every word you say. 

Little hands are fast at work 

Doing what you do, 

And a little mind is dreaming 

To grow up just like you. 

To him you are the wisest 

He leans on your every word 

He believes in you with all his heart, 

And all from you he's heard. 

When he grows up he wants to be 

A man who's just like you 

So watch the all of what you say, 

And all the things you do.

A humbling thought that our lives have the power to impact so many people. I encourage you to never forget that everyday is an opportunity to use your life, gifts, talents and failures to better the life of someone else. This poem has been my daily reminder of how I must choose to live my life before my children. I have to make a choice everyday to live a honest and simple life that is for the betterment of others and for the glory of God. Our family has been serving in ministry for seven years and with this privilege comes great joy, challenges, and at times pain.  The great joy of ministry has always outweighed the painful moments and by God's grace our family has endured. Many of our hardest seasons as a family has been when ministry has demanded more than our family could give but with the help of wonderful mentors and prayer warriors for friends we have always ...but not easily... made the choice to keep our small family the main priority.  

In what way do you remind yourself to live a life beyond the small perimeter of "me"?  During the hard times  I must run to the Word of God and hide His Word in my heart...one my favorite hidden treasures is: "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."  In other words, everyday of my life, I must choose to live beyond myself- to use my daily opportunities to live as a good example before my little children. This life we live will not be perfect but our imperfect lives are God's masterpiece and that is what brings beauty to our current moment.

Seize the moment to live and love well today

KtMaude

Tending to my Heart's Garden

A new year...a new town...a new baby...a new beginning

I have sat down many of times over the past year to blog about my crafting, adventures, and my day dreams. Each and every time I became distracted or just couldn't find the words. I have often come back to read some of my old posts but I end up kicking myself for not blogging faithfully.



Photo By Ron Saari http://www.ronsaari.com/

Then I realized...its okay that I don't share my every thought and creative idea... as long as I am pouring into my family and teaching my sweet children the beauty of art, creativity and love. This is what is important...that I daily love my husband and express my appreciation towards him in as many ways as possible. What's most important? That I hug my children and take time for myself and the things that I love, which is the hardest thing for most young mothers, like myself. I'm challenged to look back and grab on to the things that grow my soul and my joy; namely, the things that make me...me.

The spring season is awakening the sleeping buds that are ready to bloom. As I have this creative stir growing within my heart, I ask myself what is it that I need to do in order to get started again? What must I do to tend to this fragile garden that is in need of such care? What must I do to allow these buds to grow and flowers to bloom in my life? Not just for my sake and sanity but for my family. This garden inside my heart must grow and bloom so I may be a better mother, wife, sister, mentor and believer.

Ideas... I look to God's magnificent creation and I see what the plants need... sunshine...water...fresh air. So, this is where I begin...fresh air. To take a walk everyday and think of the beauty surrounding me and allow it to fan my creative desires and blow away my failures. I am learning that as a mother and a wife there is always things that can be done better, words to regret and dirt to be swept. Yet in still, God extends His grace so that I may bask in the beauty of his gifts and all that He has given me.

Since moving to this historic town, Princeton, New Jersey, where some of the greatest young minds in the world are taught and shaped at Princeton University...I pray that I have the boldness to be shaped and taught...that I may learn who I am in the midst of this busy season of life. For spring is the busiest season of all...new life and growth...yet despite it's business, it does not cease from faithfully producing the breathtaking masterpieces that we all enjoy- year after year and season after season.

May this spring be the beginning of our masterpiece...so put down the broom...take a break from the computer...do the laundry another time... go for a walk and get some fresh air.