With a new year brings time to reflect on the past year. Last year was a trying year. There was times I wanted to throw my hands up and say "Lord, I can't take any more!" and then the Holy Spirit would remind me that God will never give us more than we can bear and that we walk through the fire to be tried and tested and to come out on the other side more refined. Just like a precious metal is heated and molded, sometimes the trails of life are God molding us into His image.
So as I look back over 2012 and I see the things God has brought me through and is continuing to bring me through, I can't help but think what could I have done more for God. Sure, I could have read my Bible more, spent more time in prayer, and letting God's light shine through me. I look at my family and think did I teach my kids how to love God and show them that when things get tough you still stand for God. I know I am not perfect but I want to lead my kids by example and show them how to live a Godly life. Through out all the trails of last year, did I show my children that no matter what happens you still press through, leaning on God and give Him all the Glory! I hope I did.
As I look towards this year, I want to be a better mom to my kids, a better wife to my husband and to get closer to God. Yes, I know those are cliche things to say but I really do want those things. This year I want to become a better worshiper. Here I am a choir director at my church. I sometimes fill in on the "Praise Team" and I feel like my worship to God is so inadequate. When we give God praise, He delights in that. God inhabits the praises of His people. When you enter into worship, you can enter into the presence of God. There is nothing like being in the presence of God.
Sometimes music expresses my thoughts so much better than I can. It can express what I can't put into words to express. One of my favorite praise and worship groups is Christ for the Nations. I love so many of their songs because they do just that, they express what I want to say. One of those songs is called Alabaster Jar. I love this song! I think I am going to make it my motto for 2013.
Here are the lyrics to this awesome song.
Verse 1:
This alabaster jar
is all I have of worth
I break it at Your feet, Lord
It's less than You deserve
You're far more beautiful
More precious than the oil
The sum of my desires
and the fullness of my joy!
PreChorus:
Like You spilled Your blood,
I spill my heart as an offering
to my King.
Chorus:
Here I am, take me
As an offering
Here I am, giving every heartbeat
For Your glory take me.
Verse 2:
The time that I have left
is all I have of worth
I lay it at Your feet, Lord
It's less than You deserve
And though I've little strength
And though my days are few,
You gave Your life for me
So, I will live my life for You.
Bridge:
Worthy, Worthy
You are worthy
Worthy is the Lord.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Clarifying
I wrote my last post about Mother's Day the night before Mother's Day and later after the holiday had passed and my feelings had subsided, I came back and read it. I think people could misconstrue what I was saying. I thought I would write a follow up post to maybe help clear up my feelings.
Let me say, adoption is the most wonderful thing in the world. I love all 4 of my kids. They are my entire world. I am with them 24/7 and I wouldn't change that for anything. I love staying at home with them and homeschooling and being there with them. Sure, there are moments when I want to scream "Calgon take me away" but I think every mother has those moments.
Each of my children came to my husband and I under different circumstances. I will not go into those circumstances but I will say they were not all the best of situations. They were all removed from their birth homes for various reasons. We had a lot of ups and downs during the process of each of the adoptions. Each time when we stood before the judge to finalize one of the adoptions was one of the best days in my life. You will never ever hear me say these are my adopted kids when I introduce them to people. In fact, there are people who have known me, that had no idea they were adopted simply because I didn't talk about it. Why should I? They are mine! Just because I adopted them doesn't mean they are any less mine.
So all of this brings me back to Mother's Day. I love my kids so much Mother's Day is just a reminder to me that I couldn't protect them from every hurt and pain in life, especially a hurt when they were the most vulnerable, a baby. This is what grieves me. I would do anything if I could have carried them in my womb, keeping all genetics the same, just to protect them from the hurt they were going to experience so early in life. Yes, I know that isn't possible but it is what kills me inside and mother's day is just a reminder of my inadequacies. All the talk on Mother's Day of how mother's give you life and how mother's do this and that just is a consistent reminder on that day. This is not something I dwell on everyday. Sure occasionally I do think about it on other days but Mother's Day it seems it is thrown in my face all day long. What I do enjoy on that day is being with my kids and just loving them.
One of the best things this Mother's Day was spending part of the day with my two daughters and they put make up on me, fixed my hair, gave me a pedicure and manicure. Now that is priceless. Nothing could beat that!
I know that might not make much since to everyone but that is how I feel.
Let me say, adoption is the most wonderful thing in the world. I love all 4 of my kids. They are my entire world. I am with them 24/7 and I wouldn't change that for anything. I love staying at home with them and homeschooling and being there with them. Sure, there are moments when I want to scream "Calgon take me away" but I think every mother has those moments.
Each of my children came to my husband and I under different circumstances. I will not go into those circumstances but I will say they were not all the best of situations. They were all removed from their birth homes for various reasons. We had a lot of ups and downs during the process of each of the adoptions. Each time when we stood before the judge to finalize one of the adoptions was one of the best days in my life. You will never ever hear me say these are my adopted kids when I introduce them to people. In fact, there are people who have known me, that had no idea they were adopted simply because I didn't talk about it. Why should I? They are mine! Just because I adopted them doesn't mean they are any less mine.
So all of this brings me back to Mother's Day. I love my kids so much Mother's Day is just a reminder to me that I couldn't protect them from every hurt and pain in life, especially a hurt when they were the most vulnerable, a baby. This is what grieves me. I would do anything if I could have carried them in my womb, keeping all genetics the same, just to protect them from the hurt they were going to experience so early in life. Yes, I know that isn't possible but it is what kills me inside and mother's day is just a reminder of my inadequacies. All the talk on Mother's Day of how mother's give you life and how mother's do this and that just is a consistent reminder on that day. This is not something I dwell on everyday. Sure occasionally I do think about it on other days but Mother's Day it seems it is thrown in my face all day long. What I do enjoy on that day is being with my kids and just loving them.
One of the best things this Mother's Day was spending part of the day with my two daughters and they put make up on me, fixed my hair, gave me a pedicure and manicure. Now that is priceless. Nothing could beat that!
I know that might not make much since to everyone but that is how I feel.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Mother's Day
I am a mother to four beautiful children whom I love more than life itself. I would give anything for them and would tackle you to the ground if you messed with them. But I can not stand Mother's Day. I honestly wished the day didn't exist. I love my mother and I love when my kids show me they love me but I cringe at mother's day.
I can't stand to have someone say to me Happy Mother's Day. I feel like I don't deserve it. When they say it I grin and bear it and say thank you but inside I am cringing. I hate (and I don't like using the word hate!) going to church on Mother's Day. They will have all the mother's stand up and talk about honoring your mother's and how your mother gave you life and so forth and so forth. It just makes me cringe inside and all I feel like doing is curling up into a ball and crying.
Why do I dislike Mother's day so much you ask? Because I grieve not being able to give birth to my children. I grieve that I have 4 beautiful children who I would give anything in the world to have given birth to but yet I couldn't. Unless you have experience infertility you may not understand. I grieve not being able to tell my kids the stories of how they grew in my tummy and how I got to feel them kick.
I know someone reading this will say but how can you be so ungrateful to your children's birth mothers. I am not ungrateful. I am very thankful that each of their birth mothers chose to give them life. But something you should understand is that each of my adorable, smart, talented children (no not biased at all!) came to me through very extreme circumstances. If I shared their stories, it would bring tears to your eyes, which is why I grieve not being able to have given birth to them myself to save them the pain they experienced so young in life. My children are my world!! Please do not take away from this blog that I do not love my children or that I wish I had my own biological children instead. That is so far from the truth, my children are mine in ever sense of the word. What I grieve is not being able to personally bring them into this world and save them the hurt they experienced so early in life. I know that genetically it wouldn't be possible to give birth to them and for them to still be who they are but in my twisted up mind, I can dream!
If you know someone who is trying to conceive or who has adopted, be sensitive to how they might be feeling on Mother's Day.
Why do I dislike Mother's day so much you ask? Because I grieve not being able to give birth to my children. I grieve that I have 4 beautiful children who I would give anything in the world to have given birth to but yet I couldn't. Unless you have experience infertility you may not understand. I grieve not being able to tell my kids the stories of how they grew in my tummy and how I got to feel them kick.
I know someone reading this will say but how can you be so ungrateful to your children's birth mothers. I am not ungrateful. I am very thankful that each of their birth mothers chose to give them life. But something you should understand is that each of my adorable, smart, talented children (no not biased at all!) came to me through very extreme circumstances. If I shared their stories, it would bring tears to your eyes, which is why I grieve not being able to have given birth to them myself to save them the pain they experienced so young in life. My children are my world!! Please do not take away from this blog that I do not love my children or that I wish I had my own biological children instead. That is so far from the truth, my children are mine in ever sense of the word. What I grieve is not being able to personally bring them into this world and save them the hurt they experienced so early in life. I know that genetically it wouldn't be possible to give birth to them and for them to still be who they are but in my twisted up mind, I can dream!
If you know someone who is trying to conceive or who has adopted, be sensitive to how they might be feeling on Mother's Day.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Life Happens
I hate the phrase Life happens. Don't know why it bugs me so but it does. I can't stand to hear someone say this or that happen and then they end it with but oh well life happens. Sure we all know life happens but its what you do with what happens that makes a difference.
Here lately my life has seem to be turned upside down and inside out. I am not one to go and air out my problems to people. I just put on my fake smile and go. It's funny though how people who have no idea about things you are dealing with can say something to give you perspective. Last night, I was talking to a person about some new music I wanted to do and they asked me a question which triggered a whole conversation about something that I have been dealing with. They had no idea and as par for the course, I had my fake smile on through out the conversation and at the end of the conversation they still had no idea.
Call it by chance if you will but believe it was God inspired. Thank you God for caring enough about me to show me that one of my upsetting situations is in your hands and it will all work out!!
Monday, April 16, 2012
Sweetest offering
I started this blog a little over a year ago and thought I would use it share things about being a mom and all the things that come with it and I have shared some of that but other times I have shared some things that were heavy on my heart. I haven't posted in a long while for many reasons but the past few months I have felt compelled to post again. After church on Sunday, I thought I have to share this even if no one reads it, I have to put this down in writing.
Sunday at church, we had an awesome service! God really moved. I love services like that where the Holy Spirit comes in and begins to move on people and the whole church service just takes a different route. How awesome is that. Unless you have experienced that you have no idea what I am talking about.
This Sunday, I was standing on the stage with the choir and worship team and we were singing You are Holy by Micheal W. Smith. We got to the part that says You are Lord of Lords, You're the King of King, You're the Mighty God, Lord of Everything, You're Emmanuel, You're the Great I am, You're the Prince of Peace who is the Lamb. I was standing there, my eyes closed worshiping as I sang and I felt it coming, I felt it down in the pit of my stomach, my eyes began to water. I prayed in my head, "O God, have the worship leader sing this again, you are here to move!" Sure enough she felt it too and our worship leader sang that part again and like rain falling from the sky as soon as she started to sing that part of the song again, I felt the power of God hit. It swept from the stage all the way to the back of the sanctuary! The tears began streaming down my face. Most of the worship team standing with me where crying or on the knees worshiping. Our worship leader could hardly sing any more. It swept done to the congregation and people began to flood the altar area.
It was so special to me to have God move so mightily this Sunday. I had just prayed a few days earlier that I longed to see His Spirit move in one of our church services and how I desired to have a special touch from Him. Thank you God for answering my prayers.
I have been in many services where I have seen a mighty move of God. It is always such a wonderful thing. God has given me the ability to sense when He wants to move in a special way. Maybe its from all the years of serving on worship teams and being apart of worship ministries and having to be sensitive to when to end a song or to let it keep going. I love being able to see His Spirit flood over a congregation. Sometimes it moves like a fog engulfing everyone at once and other times it's like a flood gate that has burst open and the rushing water coming in until there is no dry spot left and then yet other times it's like a wave growing in the ocean and when it comes crashing down it spills up over the shore line and rolls back just to do it all over again.
There will be people who read this and say that is just a bunch of emotional people or that we are a bunch of fanatics. You know that's fine, I am a fanatic! A fanatic for God! To those people who think its just a bunch of emotions, I say, your right it is very emotional to be in God's presence. You will never understand what it is to feel the Spirit move unless you have experienced it your self. Words can not describe it, emotions can not describe how it feels, nothing can describe it! It is like nothing I have ever experience in my life.
I was listening to some songs on You tube from one of my new found favorites, Christ for the Nation, and I came upon this song called My Heart Sings Worthy. The chorus of the song really struck me cause that was how I was feeling during the church service. This move of God for me was more just me wanting to be in His presence and worship Him.
The words to the chorus:
And I will be the sweetest offering
And I will be the praise you heart desires
As my heart sings worthy
My heart sings worthy
I've found none other like you
Isn't that beautiful!! How I long to be the sweetest offering to God! To be the praise that His heart desires. WOW!! I could have stayed up on that stage singing praise to God all day long on Sunday just basking in His presence and being the sweetest offering of praise to Him. I challenge you to be the sweetest offering of praise to God today!
Sunday at church, we had an awesome service! God really moved. I love services like that where the Holy Spirit comes in and begins to move on people and the whole church service just takes a different route. How awesome is that. Unless you have experienced that you have no idea what I am talking about.
This Sunday, I was standing on the stage with the choir and worship team and we were singing You are Holy by Micheal W. Smith. We got to the part that says You are Lord of Lords, You're the King of King, You're the Mighty God, Lord of Everything, You're Emmanuel, You're the Great I am, You're the Prince of Peace who is the Lamb. I was standing there, my eyes closed worshiping as I sang and I felt it coming, I felt it down in the pit of my stomach, my eyes began to water. I prayed in my head, "O God, have the worship leader sing this again, you are here to move!" Sure enough she felt it too and our worship leader sang that part again and like rain falling from the sky as soon as she started to sing that part of the song again, I felt the power of God hit. It swept from the stage all the way to the back of the sanctuary! The tears began streaming down my face. Most of the worship team standing with me where crying or on the knees worshiping. Our worship leader could hardly sing any more. It swept done to the congregation and people began to flood the altar area.
It was so special to me to have God move so mightily this Sunday. I had just prayed a few days earlier that I longed to see His Spirit move in one of our church services and how I desired to have a special touch from Him. Thank you God for answering my prayers.
I have been in many services where I have seen a mighty move of God. It is always such a wonderful thing. God has given me the ability to sense when He wants to move in a special way. Maybe its from all the years of serving on worship teams and being apart of worship ministries and having to be sensitive to when to end a song or to let it keep going. I love being able to see His Spirit flood over a congregation. Sometimes it moves like a fog engulfing everyone at once and other times it's like a flood gate that has burst open and the rushing water coming in until there is no dry spot left and then yet other times it's like a wave growing in the ocean and when it comes crashing down it spills up over the shore line and rolls back just to do it all over again.
There will be people who read this and say that is just a bunch of emotional people or that we are a bunch of fanatics. You know that's fine, I am a fanatic! A fanatic for God! To those people who think its just a bunch of emotions, I say, your right it is very emotional to be in God's presence. You will never understand what it is to feel the Spirit move unless you have experienced it your self. Words can not describe it, emotions can not describe how it feels, nothing can describe it! It is like nothing I have ever experience in my life.
I was listening to some songs on You tube from one of my new found favorites, Christ for the Nation, and I came upon this song called My Heart Sings Worthy. The chorus of the song really struck me cause that was how I was feeling during the church service. This move of God for me was more just me wanting to be in His presence and worship Him.
The words to the chorus:
And I will be the sweetest offering
And I will be the praise you heart desires
As my heart sings worthy
My heart sings worthy
I've found none other like you
Isn't that beautiful!! How I long to be the sweetest offering to God! To be the praise that His heart desires. WOW!! I could have stayed up on that stage singing praise to God all day long on Sunday just basking in His presence and being the sweetest offering of praise to Him. I challenge you to be the sweetest offering of praise to God today!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Stomach virus
It's official, the stomach virus has hit my house. It started Easter morning with my youngest son. I thought he just ate something that didn't agree with him but by the end of the day, it was apparent that it was more than that. I tried my darnedest to keep him away from all the others but low and behold Monday night my youngest daughter began throwing up. Then this morning, the hubby awoke saying his stomach wasn't feeling to wonderful. The numbers are dwindling fast. Crossing my fingers this is just a 24 to 48 hour bug!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Hunger
I was listening to a radio broadcast from Chuck Swindoll and he said something that really struck a chord with me.
I have often prayed before, Lord give me a hunger for you. Give me a hunger for your word. Even though I try to read my Bible and have a consistent prayer life. I just always have this deep desire to be hungrier for Him that I am not as hungry as I should be that I should want more of Him.
Chuck Swindoll was talking about hunger for God. He said when we have a physical hunger we go and eat to satisfy the hunger. Once we are done eating the hunger is fulfilled and satisfied until what we have eaten has passed through us and our stomach is empty again. A hunger for God doesn't work in the same way a physical hunger works. We think that we will feel a hunger for God like we feel hunger for eating. Swindoll said a hunger for things of God is not satisfied, it will only grow the more we read His word and pray. The closer we get to God the more hungrier we become. We will never reach a full feeling that in fact the opposite is true, the more you pray and read His word the more you want to do those things. When he said that something just click in my spirit. Here I was looking for this physical hunger type pains but instead I am hungry for God because I keep wanting more and more of Him. When we are truly hungry for the things of God, we are always in search for more of Him, the hungrier pains never dim they should only grow.
I believe as a christian we should always be wanting a move of God in our lives. We should want to see God move in our churches and in our families. We should never be satisfied when we feel we have reached a certain level. So many, I think, come to know Jesus and never start the hunger process for more of Him. There prayer life and Bible reading is at a stand still and therefore their hunger pains feel satisfied cause they aren't seeking a closer walk with God. Let me tell you, the closer you are to God the sweeter it is!! I have such a hunger to see more of Him, to see Him do things in my life, to be so close to God to hear His whisper. I want Him to use me, to grow my ministries that I am involved in, to use my talents for God.
I know most are probably tired of me quoting songs but I just can't help it. Music is in my blood! So many songs just speak what I am trying to say. Many minister to me so much that I can't help but share them. The chorus of this song says it all for me. I want to get so close to Him that on the day he calls me home its no big change. What does that mean? It means that I am so close to God that the transition to heaven seems like being here. That I have been so in tuned to God here on earth that being in His presence in heaven is no shock to my system.
One Day Jesus Will Call My Name
Verse 1
Some days drag and some days fly
And some days I think of the day I’ll die
Some days fill me and some days drain
And one day Jesus will call my name
Chorus
One day Jesus will call my name
As days go by, ‘hope I don’t stay the same.
I wanna get so close to Him that it’s no big change,
On that day that Jesus calls my name!
Verse 2
Most days I pray, but some days I curse.
A said number of days I put myself first.
But it’s not what I do, the cross made that plain.
And one day Jesus will call my name!
Chorus
One day Jesus will call my name
As days go by, ‘hope I don’t stay the same.
I wanna get so close to Him that it’s no big change,
On that day that Jesus calls my name!
One day Jesus will call my name
As days go by, ‘hope I don’t stay the same.
I wanna get so close to Him that it’s no big change,
On that day that Jesus calls my name!
One day Jesus will call my name
As days go by, ‘hope I don’t stay the same.
I wanna get so close to Him that it’s no big change,
On that day that Jesus calls my name!
I have often prayed before, Lord give me a hunger for you. Give me a hunger for your word. Even though I try to read my Bible and have a consistent prayer life. I just always have this deep desire to be hungrier for Him that I am not as hungry as I should be that I should want more of Him.
Chuck Swindoll was talking about hunger for God. He said when we have a physical hunger we go and eat to satisfy the hunger. Once we are done eating the hunger is fulfilled and satisfied until what we have eaten has passed through us and our stomach is empty again. A hunger for God doesn't work in the same way a physical hunger works. We think that we will feel a hunger for God like we feel hunger for eating. Swindoll said a hunger for things of God is not satisfied, it will only grow the more we read His word and pray. The closer we get to God the more hungrier we become. We will never reach a full feeling that in fact the opposite is true, the more you pray and read His word the more you want to do those things. When he said that something just click in my spirit. Here I was looking for this physical hunger type pains but instead I am hungry for God because I keep wanting more and more of Him. When we are truly hungry for the things of God, we are always in search for more of Him, the hungrier pains never dim they should only grow.
I believe as a christian we should always be wanting a move of God in our lives. We should want to see God move in our churches and in our families. We should never be satisfied when we feel we have reached a certain level. So many, I think, come to know Jesus and never start the hunger process for more of Him. There prayer life and Bible reading is at a stand still and therefore their hunger pains feel satisfied cause they aren't seeking a closer walk with God. Let me tell you, the closer you are to God the sweeter it is!! I have such a hunger to see more of Him, to see Him do things in my life, to be so close to God to hear His whisper. I want Him to use me, to grow my ministries that I am involved in, to use my talents for God.
I know most are probably tired of me quoting songs but I just can't help it. Music is in my blood! So many songs just speak what I am trying to say. Many minister to me so much that I can't help but share them. The chorus of this song says it all for me. I want to get so close to Him that on the day he calls me home its no big change. What does that mean? It means that I am so close to God that the transition to heaven seems like being here. That I have been so in tuned to God here on earth that being in His presence in heaven is no shock to my system.
One Day Jesus Will Call My Name
Verse 1
Some days drag and some days fly
And some days I think of the day I’ll die
Some days fill me and some days drain
And one day Jesus will call my name
Chorus
One day Jesus will call my name
As days go by, ‘hope I don’t stay the same.
I wanna get so close to Him that it’s no big change,
On that day that Jesus calls my name!
Verse 2
Most days I pray, but some days I curse.
A said number of days I put myself first.
But it’s not what I do, the cross made that plain.
And one day Jesus will call my name!
Chorus
One day Jesus will call my name
As days go by, ‘hope I don’t stay the same.
I wanna get so close to Him that it’s no big change,
On that day that Jesus calls my name!
One day Jesus will call my name
As days go by, ‘hope I don’t stay the same.
I wanna get so close to Him that it’s no big change,
On that day that Jesus calls my name!
One day Jesus will call my name
As days go by, ‘hope I don’t stay the same.
I wanna get so close to Him that it’s no big change,
On that day that Jesus calls my name!
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