Real Women. Real Life. Real Faith.
So, there are a few conversations that happen fairly regularly in my house, and here they are.
What?
Any other of you have a child that responds to you like that? This one usually happens when he is “busy” doing something else and doesn’t want to be distracted. How about Yes mom? Or how about this conversation…
Can you put your pants on?
[Read more…] about 3 Things Peter Teaches Me About Responding To GodConfession: I struggle with wanting to be enough. I always have. I want my life to matter. But I have a bigger desire than wanting to be enough, how I look to others, wanting my life to matter. I want my life to bring Him glory.
This past Fall I was smacked in the face with the hard truth. I was not good enough.
It is quite a humbling thing when this happens. Humbling, but really hard.
[Read more…] about 1 Reason Why We Should Take Off Our ShoesOn a scale of 1-10, how good do you feel you are at sharing your faith with others?
If I am honest, I feel like I fail at this more times than I win. As much as I want my faith to matter, I always feel like I am missing the mark.
I should have said this, I should have done this…, Is what I shared truth? What if they see my sin and are turned away?
[Read more…] about 3 Reasons Why You Need To Share Your FaithChristmas. ‘Tis the season for trees, lights, hot chocolate, gifts, ornaments, ribbons, bows, and shopping. It is also the season for Santa.
Truthfully, we have tried to avoid Santa in our house. At least the version of Santa that flies through the air on a sled with reindeer, but for some reason, my son still believes that Santa brings him presents, and comes down a chimney that we don’t have.
We have told him that Santa is not real, but in order to not completely crush him, he knows that the person at the mall is just a character, and we have taught him about a different person. He is the person that the idea of Santa Clause stemmed from.
[Read more…] about 9 Ways To Bring Christmas Joy To OthersThis year Olivia wanted to dress up as Anna from Frozen. I have always had a soft spot for Anna because, in the movie, Anna chooses sacrificial love for her sister instead of “true loves kiss,” you know the typical fairy tale ending. Her sister Elsa basically lived in fear, because she was afraid of her powers hurting others. But sacrificial love is what ultimately saved Anna’s life when she chose to save her sister’s life instead of her own.
Anyway, this year on Halloween, we went to an event at the mall, and a little girl a few months older than Olivia who was dressed as Elsa, spotted “Anna,” and yelled “Annnaaaaa,” and they were immediately friends. They had never met before…. but yet did.
[Read more…] about 3 Things I Have Learned From RuthKindness. It is a fruit of the Spirit. The word used for this “fruit” is chrestotes which translates to moral goodness, and integrity. Paul actually uses this word in Roman’s twice to describe God’s character.
But so many times we don’t come across kind people, and if we are honest, we don’t act in a way that is kind, or with actions that hold moral goodness, and integrity.
This week my daughter was sick. She woke up in a pool of vomit, and quickly spiked a high fever. I called the doctor who got us right in, but just my luck, she threw up all over herself on the way to the doctors.
[Read more…] about 3 Simple Ways To Spread KindnessI was at dinner a few weeks ago with some friends and we were talking about dresses and high heels. We were all saying that when we wear heels, we feel more confident. This is something that I have considered often and there have been times that I have purposefully worn heels to help me overcome fear.
Last week, I had to do something really hard. I realized I have not forgiven someone close to me who had hurt me deeply 20 years ago. I knew that I would be seeing her regularly soon, and every time I thought about it, my anxiety would rise. I knew it wouldn’t be healthy to continue like this, because anxiety would be an even more regular part of my life.
I needed to forgive. But how? And what would I do? Do I request to meet with her? Do I just suck it up, and continue to bury my feelings? What?
[Read more…] about 6 Ways To Be Fully Confident When Facing FearsIt was a beautiful summer day. Weather reports said there was a chance of a severe thunderstorm, but we took our chances and went on my parent’s boat with the kids. Like usual we went to the island so the kids could play in the sand, but when we got there, there were nasty looking clouds coming at us.
We watched to see if the storm was coming directly at us, and we began to see bolts of lightning light up the clouds. Plain and simple. We waited too long to leave the island.
[Read more…] about 3 Things To Remember In The StormAs long as I can remember I have had a fear of rejection and abandonment. I remember being very young and crying at the song “Puff the Magic Dragon.” Little Jackie Paper moved on from his friend Puff. Basically, as the song goes, Jackie had an imaginary friend Puff, who happened to be a dragon. They played together in an imaginary land, and Jackie is said to have loved his rascal Puff who had a mighty roar.
But as Jackie grew older, he didn’t come to play with Puff anymore, as he moved on to other toys. The song says that …
[Read more…] about Puff The Magic Dragon, Friendship Goals, & JesusI am not enough.
That is the truth that has been sinking in lately. I sat in the office with only half the amount of paperwork that I was supposed to have with me. My printer had run out of ink that morning (I could have gone to buy ink but then my daughter wouldn’t have had a nap… and that wasn’t an option), I forgot an important document, and I brought my passport because I lost my driver’s license.
Awww, it’s hard isn’t it?
That is what the lady in the office said to me. Further confirming that I felt. I was not enough.
That was the same morning I was trying to write an email but had to revise it five times. No matter how hard I tried, the truth kept hitting over and over. There is never enough of me to go around, and there is not enough time in the day to get everything done. I don’t have time for this or that. I am not pretty enough, or well-spoken enough. And sometimes my faith isn’t enough because it is shadowed by my fear.
[Read more…] about 4 Things To Do When You Know That You Are Not Enough
