A Momma For Today

I used to worry.  Kind of like a pig stuck in the mud, I wallowed around in the muck of worry and anxiety.  I can say that.  I lived it.  It stunk.

Then something crazy amazing happened in my life.  Four precious princesses walked through the door of our home straight into my heart.  13, 5, 5 and almost 1 (tomorrow).  My life turned upside down, right side up.

As foster momma to these precious girls, I have no idea what tomorrow may hold.  "How long will they be with our family?"  People ask all the time, meaning well, and I have no answer.  Maybe another day, a few more months, a year, this momma heart has no way of knowing.

Straight up in the midst of a year of battling to know.  of dealing with the uncertainty of it all.  of worry trying to hold tight to my heart.  God washed it all away with this ...

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own."  - Matthew 6:34

In all honesty, I knew this verse, highlighted like a rainbow, knew this verse.  I could quote it. sing it.  talk about it.  But when I read it in the midst of our foster adventure this year, it took root and I began to live it.

My girls need a momma for today.

A momma for today, to change diapers, fold laundry, and scrub pots.

A momma for today, to hug them, sing with them, and tuck them in at night.

A momma for today, to wipe runny noses, kiss skinned knees, and give extra snuggles.

Tomorrow will come.  I'll be ready for that day.  But my home simply needs a momma for today.  And that I can do.

And as always, I would be crazy honored to have you link up with momma notes.  I jot some on Mondays, but you can link up any day of the week (I get the momma, filled to to the brim, schedules)   Just mom.  Sharing our notes.  Creating a melody.

Syllable by Syllable

Words ... they have such power.  Simple syllables strung together can break, heal, destroy and mend.

The world around us seems to have gone crazy with their words.  Have you heard some of the phrases dribbling out of mouths lately?  As a momma, how do I teach my lil' warriors to wield these weapons with grace and kindness? 

Honesty here, it's a battle I have fought as well.  Those sneaky syllables seem to slip out when I least expect it.   Discouraging remarks.  A raised frustrated tone.  Words ran rampant in our home, and not the best ones either.  

By no means am I an expert, but I am mom.  And we have been getting a tight grip on our words.  Wanna know how?  Happy you asked ...

Get creative.  March into battle.  Take it into our every day.

We call them building words, straight from Ephesians 4:29.  And yes, we sing that verse in our home as well.  As for now, think of a slew of kids and mom singing a bit off key to our own tune with catchy hand signals ...

"Do not let any unwholesome talk, come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up ..."  

To teach the power of our words, we grabbed our wooden building blocks.  Any blocks will do ... We all took turns saying kinds things about mom.  I even joined in the fun.  With each kind thing, our tower built up, block after block, word after word.  Then, with one quick word of unkindness out of my mouth about myself, I hit the tower sending blocks scrambling to the floor.  Eyes popped wide.  Hearts ready to listen.

Words build up.  Words tear down.  Really, there is no in between.  This led to lively discussions around our home.  My kids, blesstheirhearts, really dig deep.  Is everything I say either building someone up or tearing them down?  Can we really do this, ALL the time?  Would God give us this command if it was impossible?  And we dug together.

Its taken time and we're going strong.  As we grasp the power of our words, these kids and their momma might just change the world, syllable by syllable.


It's Tuesday.  Missed the Momma Monday by a day.  New momma here.  Baby slumbering in our home.  Grace.  Thanks.  But I couldn't miss your words.  I would be splashed happy to have you link up with momma notes.  Anything gloriously mom.  Our notes.  Creating a melody.

How To Really Fight Tragedy

Hearing the news, the ache of this world, I put up my fists, ready to fight.

The crazy ramblings of the world, clutched in sin's grasp. Violence. Tragedy strikes. We have all felt the sting of the insaneness, bow our heads, leak the tears, shake our fists. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. How do I fight such?  

Answer in simplicity.  Jesus.

Jesus knows our heartache. Utter tragedy.  Mindless violence.  Impacted His walk on earth.

We ache today with clenched fists. I lay down the gloves to pick up Him. His friend, his cousin, the prophet who knew Him best. Clad in simple clothes with honey and locust breath, John the Baptist knew Jesus. Their relationship ran deep. 

John sits in prison, innocent. Then a party with a girl that dances for the men. The leader brags and flaunts his power telling her 'anything, I'll give it to you.' She asks for the head of Jesus' friend, John. It's delivered to her on a tray, mocking the stupidity of the reason he died.

Jesus knows. I follow Him through the pages. How did he fight? Hearing the news, he went away to be alone. I have been there, we all have. Wanting to be by ourselves to sort it out, to cry, to mourn. He was the same, fully human like me.

The only difference, a group clamored, followed him to his quiet place. How did he react. He took up his gloves and fought. He didn't rebuke them. He didn't scream from the depths of his need to tell them to simply go away. He met them. He healed them. He led them because he knew they were sheep without a shepherd. He fought the real enemy.

The drunken party guests and the flamboyant dancer, they didn't kill John. The enemy came to steal, kill and destroy. Jesus knew the real enemy.

 He took aim, and fought.

 He healed, destroying the enemy's works. He loved, a weapon to destroy all tactics of the thief. He taught the kingdom of God and lives transformed.

To really fight, to wage war

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

we realize the true enemy and take aim.

Noisy Joy

Our home, embraced noisy joy.

On this momma quest to recapture all things joy and splatter them into my day ... music turned loud.

I used to be constantly singing, dancing, twirling, humming ... when the music stopped seeping from my me, joy dwindled.   And a little 4 year old brought it back.

Precious pink in our lives, has a gift for worship.  She can remember a song, heard only once.  Walk into a joy zapped room and change the atmosphere with her tune.

When a gloomy day looms, we hop into our van.  Driving along, her song fills the air and our hearts.

Creating  joy jams ... we gathered and put together some of our fave music that ushers us into pure joy as we belt, sing noisy, and dance wild.  Our house is getting a bit noisy.

And its about to get even more gloriously loud ... Any guesses on to what awaits our kids nestled under the Christmas tree?

Would you share your joy tips with me?  What favorite song of yours brings  smile to your heart and joy to your day?  I would love to listen and sing noisy with you.

More Than Just Go

Sitting at our little table, a family smack dab in the mission field, serving for years, I dared to ask?  Biting my lip, I held my Bible and read over and over again our family's heart cry.

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28:19-20

Go ... we had lived the word, from orphanages in Thailand, to the jungle huts of Panama.  Disciple, we served in a discipleship school, opening our home and lives to share with young people the joy of knowing God and making Him known.  Teach, we taught the Word, straight up.

But how to do it all ...  Baptize them in all names.  Then smack dab it hit me, I flipped through to find what happened at Jesus' baptism.

When Jesus made the plunge, God himself spoke telling His Son how much he loved him.  Baptize them in God's love.  Shout it loud.  Splash around if you have to, making sure people are saturated with His love.  Walk in it.  Know it.  Live it.  Share it.

Jesus himself, isn't He the Word.  Soak them in the Word of God.  Wash them.  It gets the junk out of lives, cleans off the dirt, sets people on the right path as it lights the way.

And the Holy Spirit, plum came and baptized people as well.  Power that changed men's lives.  Cowardly, afraid, in hiding the disciples waited.  When the Holy Spirit came, His power changed their lives, ruined them for the ordinary.  Once men shaking in their boots, these same men stood boldly in the streets and proclaimed the message of true joy.

Wrapped up in a verse, more words than just go.

Love   Truth   Power

May we love with abandon and lead people to God's love.  May we always walk in the truth of the Word, saturating our lives daily.  May we never give up, walking in the power to boldly proclaim the message of Jesus.

A Marked Life

Our vehicle, marked ... spray painted in bright pink for the world to see.  And I'm happy, delighted  really.  Yes my mind is still in tact.  And yes, every time I step into drive, the bright pinkly labeled tires bring a smile to my face.

Shouldn't we live like this, marked for the world to see.  An enormous can of spray paint, hold the button down long enough for me to turn and twist and cover myself.  Marked.

Marked by radical obedience.  Marked by lavish love.  Marked by exuberant joy.  Marked by crazy grace.  Marked, like the hands of a Son turned carpenter, nail pierced hands.  His disciples recognized His marks.  The world will someday as well.

Will they recognize mine today?

Our van, marked because we were living love out loud.  Being there for a friend, sitting in a hospital emergency room, hospitality in our home, no time to pick up the van before the spray paint hit it.  They only marked it to make sure we moved it before 24 hours.  We did.  No ticket.  Just a beautiful pink reminder to live my life marked.

My husband asked if I wanted him to spray paint over it in black.  Absolutely not.  I hope my tires stay marked forever.  My life as well.

Blur My Vision

I need to see like this. My eyesight blurred by Him. His grace and mercy the lens that filters the way I see the world. I sit here ache growing in my heart. An ache to live it loud. To live His love with absurd abandon.

Life only makes sense to me anymore through the lens of the Word. Soaking it in deep. To take all of what my Jesus commands and live it, breathe it, blur it into my world view.

My natural eyesight screams that I am foolish. How could I love someone that hurt me so? How could I give all that I am to share His love with one who might choose no? How could I trust Him to provide always? Do I dare to believe all of His promises are for me? To step out of this comfort bubble to obey His voice. Blur my vision. I only want yours.

I have lived a life of sharing Jesus, trash dumps, red light districts, indigenous huts of rainforest villages. Coming back to the United States, I see the same poverty. Wrapped in materialism, indifference, utter pain, a lack of Jesus, true poverty. To see this nation as you do Jesus. Blur my vision.

Wake us up. Wake us up to hear your heartbeat. To dare to come close enough to feel your breath on our spirits. To pick up the Word and realize it is truth and choose to live it. That when others look on me, my life blurs their vision.

Cantaloupe Flavored Life

The simple thought of cantaloupe, makes my mouth water, in the I think I might be sick sort of watering. Honestly, I cannot stand the flavor, the texture, the anything about this poignant fruit. Yet even this piece of the garden that my taste buds reject can teach.

The simple things. The small wonders. Eyes open wide, I learn.

A simple mixed fruit salad, tossed for us all to enjoy. Scoop up a slice of mango, a few red ripened strawberries, while maneuvering around the orange chunks of yuck. How many times have I done this, scooping only the favorites of life? Fork in hand to enjoy, the flavor startles ... darn cantaloupe, it tinges the whole salad.

As I sit with a bit of disappointment, a smile spreads across my face. Cantaloupe has a way of rubbing off on everything, flavoring an entire bowl with its fruity flavor. My life, can learn from the cantaloupe ways.

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." - 2 Corinthians 2:14-15

My life, fragranced by God. Needs to be a bit more like cantaloupe. To mix in the world, tinging the whole salad with the aroma of grace and the flavor of His goodness.

Call me cantaloupe. I might just have a new favorite fruit.

Of Sheep and Joyness

My boy spoke a new word, one that I grabbed and tucked into my own vocabulary. Joyness. A word to describe the type of day I choose. An emotion I choose to splash in each day.

First things first, setting the joyness for our day. As momma, my mood casts a shadow or rays of sunshine on the day ahead as sleepy boys tumble out of bed.

Flipping the pages of my battle plan, the victory for my day wrapped in God's Word of love and hope, I turn to well worn Psalm 100 and declare it in faith over our day ...

"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his, we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." - Psalm 100

A simple act. It sets my emotions on joyness. It sets my day on the right path. And sometimes, you can even hear some baaaaaa coming from our house throughout the day.

How To Choose A Path

Walking down a path ... a path of choice. Each day a choice to be led by the spirit or by my emotions. Step by step, learning the difference between the two, sharing what I'm learning along the journey.

No blame game. I cannot shift the focus and lash out. I must take responsibility for the paths I have walked down, the paths I have chosen to trod. I know it's not the norm. Blaming parents, God, circumstances seems so much easier. Ultimately the facade of ease and blame lulls me right back into the prison. A prison locked tight by uncontrolled emotions.

"When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed." -James 1:13-14

Straight up, there it is. Our own evil desires drag us away. When my uncontrolled emotions lead my choices, my behavior, they pull me away from the path my God has for me. No place to blame. No reason to blame. The path I'm on, I chose it. Good news though, if it's not the path I need to be on, I can choose another.

I determine which path my emotions take. Woohoo! Doing a little happy dance. Don't you see, I can choose. When I blow it and meet Mrs. Grump, I can stop right there, standing on the path. I can choose to hop to another one and skip along. I'm not bound by the thistles along the paths, the circumstances that line the day. I make the decision and determine the path of my emotions.

I can choose to

"Set my affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Colossians 3:2

And with each choice I make, choosing to set my emotions on Kingdom good stuff, the earthy icky fades away. I'm choosing a path that leads to a beautiful today and doesn't kick up dust on others around me.

How to Set A Table For Always

A table taught me. Tugged me. Challenged me. Tripped me up in a single tear trickling down your face good way.

A legacy table. Set with memories to honor life. All the day. All today. I remember this table and smile. Each item chosen, set before us to share a glimpse of a life full of true feasting.

Pictures of family, smiling wide. Love etched in the reflection of glass. Table cloth spread from a village, a gift most likely given to honor one who went to reach the lost. A freshly delivered pizza, sharing a bit of spunk and zest for life. In the center, a well worn Bible, worn from years of use, spine cracked, leather crinkled. A true legacy.

I pause today. I realize that each day I set my table. A table before my loved ones, my friends, my King. A legacy not with silverware and dishes, but in actions, in deeds, in faith lived out.

We set a table each and every day. My children, a gift to a generation that I will not see, sit next to me, drinking in and feasting at my table. So how, how, how do I set a table for always?

"Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." - Deut. 6:5 - 9

Love Him. Live it. Get it deep down. Share it. Don't keep quiet, speak up, shout it loud. Look for the moments in everyday to talk about the good stuff of God. (sitting at home, driving down the road, sitting at a table) Get your hands dirty doing something with it. Think about it, let it be your focus, like a tattoo smack dab in the middle of your forehead. Share it with your neighbors, that everyone who enters your home will know that life with God is real and good and something they want. Do a little doorframe or blog posting.

I'll be busy setting my table, and looking forward to feasting at yours.

When The Ball Goes Foul

A sign adorns a local church near our home, announcing a new sermon series. "When Life Throws You Curve Balls" Wanna know my first response .... Hit it out of the park.

Seriously, I've been digging into the ultimate playbook and no where can I find that we are supposed to accept defeat, dismay, striking out in life, or any such lot. Yes I know that sometimes the world pitches junk at us, but we have an umpire calling those nasty balls for what they really are. He knows the good stuff. He tells us how to live it, how to hit every ball out of the park, no matter what is pitched at us. And how to run the bases all the way home.

God already secured our victory, He sent His Son to step up to the plate for us. It looked like He struck out big time, nailing him to the wooden posts for all to see. Little did they know, He was playing the final game, the World Series, not simple backyard baseball. He won for all of us. Handing us the victory in ever situation, every game, every pitch we could encounter in life.

I've been learning some things, watching my little boys play baseball on a little league team for the first time. They rocked the baseball world. They believed they would. We can do the same if only we would believe that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.

You can never strike out with a foul ball. Keep hitting, over and over, getting just a piece of it. You get another shot at the ball. How many times have I given up. Stepped away from the batter box because I felt like I was defeated. No more. I'm swinging, getting a piece of it each time. Eventually I will hit it out of the park, and until then I'm will not be defeated and I will not quit.

How you practice is how you'll play the game. During the intense times, what is in you will come out. It's not the situation that made you oops. During the practice times, get filled up with the good stuff, get rid of the junk. And when the game is on the line, you'll be ready.

When a ball flies at your head, be sure you're wearing the right gear. Watching my 6 year old suit up, ugh. So thankful the gear protected him from thrown bats, missed pitches. Naive me goes about my day without suiting up and protecting myself from the fast balls of life, aimed right at me. Putting on my armor, dusting it off, using it, and sharpening my sword by knowing the Word, enables me to stand strong in this game of life.

No matter how young or inexperienced, play your game anyway. Some, walking with Jesus for quite a while, some just starting on the trek. It doesn't matter. We all have the same victory in our daily life as we do the Word. My oldest, began his first season. His team filled with seasoned boys (5 years experience). He played his game. Listened, watched, learned. He made the All Star Team this year, chosen as one of the best. Don't let your age, your years with God, anything hold you back from playing your game. God has great plans to prosper you and give you a good future.

So dust off home plate. Get in your batters stance. Swing for the fences ... I'll be cheering you on as you run the bases.

From Shadow to Light

A stone rolled away changes history and future.

Amidst the festivities, savory smells, cool whip smiles, chocolate kisses, 4 generations gathered under our roof. I pause. A thought draws me to the tomb. To look. To reflect. To see the empty.

For most of my life, as long as I can remember, I have known of Easter. Thankful to grow in His grace, learn from His Word, soak in His love. Yet in all honesty, the cross has held more significance.

Wrapped in religion, unworthiness, a sense of anguish. I would crawl to the cross. Looking up, feeling shame and condemnation for what my sins cost my Lord. Thankfulness tinged with guilt mingled in my heart. Unable to get past my mistakes. Stuck in sorrow. I lived in the shadow of the cross.

Many of us do. We understand what Jesus did nailed to beams of wood. We believe He suffered and died for us. We accept and bring our sins. Yet we never move on. We continue to walk in the same. Ritual of reliving the past. Struggling to break free of the chains that seem to bind us. Hiding in our spiritual lives. Ashamed to be truly seen. Living in the shadow of the cross.

Days pass. Years. In actuality, we only needed 3 days.

Light explodes from the tomb. Shadows dissolve. Think of the indescribable power that hurled a man from the depths of hell, back to breath. A force that conquered every form of evil, death, the grave, and won the ultimate victory. That same power, lives in me.

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11

Nothing can stand in the way of that kind of power. Chains gone. Sins forgiven and freedom received. Guilt washed away in blood red. Some serious rocks being shaken over here.

No longer living in the shadow of the cross, I have chosen to live in the light of the Resurrection.

Buffalo Dancin'

We starting singing tonight. Dancing around the house. My 8 year old, my 6 year old, my hubby and this happy lady. We're doing a water buffalo dance because, every body does have a water buffalo (including all of us here at Splashin' Glory) Sing with us tonight, splash around in joy for what God has done ....

To have a crazy dream. To share it with all of you. to watch as God gives His own Christmas presents once again. To imagine the face of a family this year in India, the poorest of the poor, who will receive the message of Him wrapped in a water buffalo. To do a little water buffalo dance. There is a WAY in the manger and this year a water buffalo will be chomping from it.

How can I contain it, the joy, all my Jesus continues to do. He blesses abundantly. He gives us the desires of our heart (even when it is as zany as a water buffalo). He brings us into fellowship, uniting His body for His glory. He wraps His gifts for us, all of them simply waiting for us to pull the bow and receive.

Celebrate His goodness. Share with us something, one thing or a thousand, that you can rejoice in today. Something a God full of goodness has wrapped for you. Here is mine wrapped for India.

Picture It

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

- Margaret Mead

A world away ... India. They celebrate this season a bit differently. Poverty has no place for stockings and Christmas trees. Maybe it's not politically correct, but I believe in all of God's promises. Without a doubt I know that with God all things are possible. We can come together and make a difference in the life of a family this Christmas.

A crazy idea of all of us buying a water buffalo. An animal that will bring work, nourishment, hope and the message of Christmas to the poorest of the poor in India. Then again, I know of a man that turned the world upside down by being born in a manger.

I jumped in and began splashing. Getting drenched, I have been joined by others and I am overwhelmed by His goodness. Many have joined in via chip in and others are sending checks via the mail. Divine Mrs. D decided to host a contest entering everyone who donates to our water buffalo in a drawing for a $50 gift card of your choosing. (So make sure to head over to her site if you donate) Friends are posting it on their blog pages. And I even received this video in my email box ...

Imagine, we could be starting a tidal wave with our little splashes!

(I can almost smell the buffalo .... 59% woohoo! Let's keep going and see what this small group of people can do) Simply click on the chip-in button to donate as I will send all funds to Gospel for Asia and if you want to send a check, leave a comment and I will send you my address)

All I Want For .....

Been dreaming about these eyes for a long time. Honestly, I've wanted this handsome water buffalo for some years now. At breakfast, I plopped down at the table and announced "I want a water buffalo this year for Christmas" Without missing a beat, my love mentioned something about it not fitting in my stocking with a glint in his eye. He knows me well.

Buffalo fever has gotten to me. Maybe it's the Veggie Tales song "Everybody's got a water buffalo." Maybe it's our family's passion for the poor. Maybe it's because for years of giving presents to Jesus, the water buffalo has alluded my grasp.

Every year while serving on the mission field as a family (and continuing the tradition back in the US) we have chosen our King's gifts through Gospel for Asia. When we were given our family's first Christmas tree in the rain forest, with out a scrap of ornaments, we made our own. Each handcrafted picture strung with care with little one's writing of God's promises for India adorned our tree. There are flocks of chickens, goats, rabbits. A well stands in a village offering clean water and the hope of living water. Warm blankets, a library of Bibles, warm clothes for our fellow missionaries in the mountains, bio sand water filters, and more all wrapped from us to Jesus over the years. But alas, when our family votes come in, the water buffalo receives only one vote year after year.

This year, I got a crazy idea. I cannot do it on my own. But together we can. My little splash (and my 8 year old is contributing the first $10), your little splash, and others who stop by to splash with us .... We can splash all the way to India. And imagine the splashing that a water buffalo can do to a poor family in India this year.

As we're singing around here "All I want for Christmas is a water buffalo ..." won't you join us?

(Click on the chip in button for a secure way to give. I will deposit all funds directly into Gospel for Asia's gift program which uses 100% of our gift taking nothing out)

And as always, I would love to hear from you. What do you want for Christmas this year? And does anyone know what sound a water buffalo makes?

But Sarah

"But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God."

- 1 Samuel 30:6

But David.

Amidst all that David faced that day, the loss of his wives and children, a camp raided with the smell of smoke lingering, a weary army crying out all of their strength, his people discussing the art of stoning him .... He chose a different road.

But David.

He looked past the burning circumstances, dreams gone up in smoke. He chose to listen to God's voice over those clamoring to kill him. His heart beating with pain for his own loss, he turned to the Lord to find strength.

But David.

He sought the Lord. He heard His plan for their lives. He went out in the Lord's strength, overtook the enemy, gained the victory, took back what was stolen, and then some.

Will there be a But Sarah ...

The story of my life, written on the lives of those I have touched. A woman known for standing her ground refusing to budge from the promises of God. A mommy who relies on God's strength regardless of the circumstances around her. A wife who supports and encourages her husband to reach the dreams God has placed in him. A friend who loves lavishly with God's love that never fails.

But (and enter your name). What do you want to be known for in this life? Would you share with us friends. Let's splash each other with all of the potential God has placed in our lives. Dare to believe it. Dare to live it. Dare to trust that with God all things are possible.

She's Back!

Sweet friends, it's been a bit since I've splashed around here. Glad to be back. A time of focussing on the most importants in my life. A time of speaking to certain mountains and by faith believing that they are moved. A time of joy, washed in thankfulness for all that God has done and is doing in me. It's kinda like this ...

Sometimes you have to take time to move things out of the picture of your life.

"Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does." - James 1:23

And you gotta know when and where to stand.

"Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."

- 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

Then, you laugh when at times you realize you have no idea what you are doing.

"But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." - 2 Corinthians 12:9

Of course, there is always time for a bit more refinement.

"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do note lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves .." - Hebrews 12:5-6

A must to open your eyes

"Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly." - Mark 8:25

The final outcome ... worth the process.

"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

- 2 Cor 3:18

And friends, we have much to celebrate. When God looks at the picture of our lives, what a wonder that He sees us through the lens of Jesus.

Blur My Vision

I need to see like this. My eyesight blurred by Him. His grace and mercy the lens that filters the way I see the world. I sit here ache growing in my heart. An ache to live it loud. To live His love with absurd abandon.

Life only makes sense to me anymore through the lens of the Word. Soaking it in deep. To take all of what my Jesus commands and live it, breathe it, blur it into my world view.

My natural eyesight screams that I am foolish. How could I love someone that hurt me so? How could I give all that I am to share His love with one who might choose no? How could I trust Him to provide always? Do I dare to believe all of His promises are for me? To step out of this comfort bubble to obey His voice. Blur my vision. I only want yours.

I have lived a life of sharing Jesus, trash dumps, red light districts, indigenous huts of rainforest villages. Coming back to the United States, I see the same poverty. Wrapped in materialism, indifference, utter pain, a lack of Jesus, true poverty. To see this nation as you do Jesus. Blur my vision.

Wake us up. Wake us up to hear your heartbeat. To dare to come close enough to feel your breath on our spirits. To pick up the Word and realize it is truth and choose to live it. That when others look on me, my life blurs their vision.

Live it Loud

Seriously, it's talked about, oohed about, dreamed of, drooled over .... All of this over a word. LOVE. For good reason, of everything, all the mistakes, all the oops times, it's the one thing guaranteed as Corinthians 13:8 shouts "Love never fails."

Not the emotion love. Real love. Real love doesn't appear wrapped in emotion, but in action. To be motivated by love. To react the way love would react. To step with God because He is love. All I have to do is make the decision to be motivated by His love rather than my own human feelings. Discovering and learning to dance in His love has made all the difference in my family. And I'm still learning.

Learning that when I walk in the love of God, moved by compassion, a shield protects me. Keeping out all the fiery darts, I can walk as Jesus through the angry mob and not be harmed. To hold my shield in place, I must obey God's Word.

"But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him; Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did." (1 John 2:5-6)

No matter what my situation looks like. love cannot fail. God is love and God cannot fail. Step by step, taking God at His Word, trusting Him over anything else screaming to get my attention. Love is a powerful weapon.

In our home, an attack from an unlikely place. As things spiraled downward something deep down took a stance and chose to love. To continue to share my love, His love, provide, care for, listen, hug, as my response to the destruction being hurled at me. My life a testimony that His love never fails. Love guarded my heart from bitterness. Love protected me from accusations being flung at others. Love wrapped around me and did not fail. It cannot.

In my family, I'm putting this love thing to the test. Loving unconditionally by acting on God's Word, loving God by loving my children and husband, walking in love, perfecting the love walk and the pivotal step to our happy dance.

Love is the greatest thing that can happen to my family. Committing to, living the life of love, determining to obey the Word no matter what, watching God turn failure into success in my home again and again, proving it for myself, love never fails.