Post-It Note Tuesdays: God is self-sufficient

He is the One who contains all, who gives all that is given, but who Himself can receive nothing that He has not first given.

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For other posts in this series, click here.



I will not claim this idea as my own...Post-It Note Tuesdays comes from Supah Mommy and so I give her the credit for this great idea, though I am modifying it a bit. I've also heard of Flylady using Post-Its to help develop habits so I give her credit too.

Combining both of these influences in the soup-i-ness of my mind, I've decided to develop the habit of focusing more on God's character via Post-Its! Part of living grace-fully is being grounded in WHO God is and WHAT He has done for us. In the roller coaster of life, the stable and unchangeable character of God is what I rely on to remain calm and unwavering (well, at least I strive to respond to life's chaos in a calm way! haha).

If you'd like to do this also, here's what to do:

1. Each week I'll post an element of God's character to focus on for the week on a Post-It note. So check back each Tuesday - or, sign up to receive new posts via email.

2. You can copy and paste the HTML code in the box below my Post-It and place it on your blog or use the Facebook link down below to share on your profile page.

3. You can write it down on a REAL Post-It and put it somewhere in your house that you can be reminded of God's character each day throughout the week. It has to be somewhere you see each day. (Hints: by the toilet paper in the bathroom, on your steering wheel, in your checkbook, you get the idea)

Together we will be growing strong in the Lord...

feeling our roots go down into the fertile soil of His power and strength

so we "will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:8 NIV

My Post-Its Character of God series is based on information from The Navigators website Thirty Days of Praying the Names and Attributes of God and/or Ann Spangler's book Praying the Names of God: A Daily Guide

Gratitude?

I'm still on my way to listing 1000 Gifts with Ann at A Holy Experience.

Well I survived California and even had some fun while there.  My kids will NOT remember Mommy feeling super-sick while on our trip, thankfully.  I am, however, extremely behind in my blogging now because I have been gone and also so tired from being gone.  I have nothing scheduled ahead to post after tomorrow.  And this week brings a number of deadlines for different projects at the clinic, at church, and for me personally.  So if I disappear for a bit it's not because I don't love you.  xoxo

I titled this entry "Gratitude?" because I have been struggling with being thankful for my 'all-day-long' sickness in this first trimester.  It has worn me down enough that I have begun to grow very weary of it.  I did some figuring last night....I usually get work done after the kids go to bed.  So every night from 9:30 or so until 12:00 (sometimes later) I get things picked up around here, work on the computer, etc.  But lately I have had to get horizontal way earlier than that - like 10:00 or so - due to gagging so hard I am about barfing all over.  Two hours a night for five nights a week figures out to losing 10 hours of 'work time' a week.  Gee, no wonder I'm stressed out about all that has to get done by Friday AND I'm behind in my blogging AND the house is a mess.  Pray for me, dear ones, that this sickness stuff ends in a couple weeks (when I'm at 12 weeks).   
111.  For still being pregnant (again).  I have another good friend who announced her pregnancy but is concerned of a miscarriage.  She is four weeks behind me.

112.  For safe travels to and from California.

113.  For the wisdom to buy a seat for Little Man on the way home from Cali.  He is definitely NOT a lap child, despite only being 1.

114.  For Sugar Free Jolly Ranchers and little oyster/soup crackers.  Sometimes those are the only things that get me through a gaggy evening.

115.  For the opportunity to go to Legoland before my Lego-maniac had 'aged out' of most of the rides there.  I didn't realize how 'baby-ish' the rides would be. 

116.  For my mom and all her energy to have been along to Cali.  What great memories with Grandma.

117.  Being able to return to serving on worship team at our church after a couple months off because of that cabin.

118.  Friends who are honest with me.

119.  An opportunity to mentor someone and grow myself along the way.

120.  A beautiful fall here in SD.



You can also read my complete gratitude list here.

Post-It Note Tuesdays: God is transcendent

We must not think of God as highest in an order of beings. This would be to grant Him eminence, even pre-eminence, but this is not enough. He is transcendent—existing beyond the created universe.

<a href="http://gracefull-living.blogspot.com"><img src="http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy253/aodland/superstickies_godis12.jpg" border="0″" width="125" height="125" /></a>

For other posts in this series, click here.



I will not claim this idea as my own...Post-It Note Tuesdays comes from Supah Mommy and so I give her the credit for this great idea, though I am modifying it a bit. I've also heard of Flylady using Post-Its to help develop habits so I give her credit too.

Combining both of these influences in the soup-i-ness of my mind, I've decided to develop the habit of focusing more on God's character via Post-Its! Part of living grace-fully is being grounded in WHO God is and WHAT He has done for us. In the roller coaster of life, the stable and unchangeable character of God is what I rely on to remain calm and unwavering (well, at least I strive to respond to life's chaos in a calm way! haha).

If you'd like to do this also, here's what to do:

1. Each week I'll post an element of God's character to focus on for the week on a Post-It note. So check back each Tuesday - or, sign up to receive new posts via email.

2. You can copy and paste the HTML code in the box below my Post-It and place it on your blog or use the Facebook link down below to share on your profile page.

3. You can write it down on a REAL Post-It and put it somewhere in your house that you can be reminded of God's character each day throughout the week. It has to be somewhere you see each day. (Hints: by the toilet paper in the bathroom, on your steering wheel, in your checkbook, you get the idea)

Together we will be growing strong in the Lord...

feeling our roots go down into the fertile soil of His power and strength

so we "will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:8 NIV

My Post-Its Character of God series is based on information from The Navigators website Thirty Days of Praying the Names and Attributes of God and/or Ann Spangler's book Praying the Names of God: A Daily Guide

Post-It Note Tuesdays: God is immutable

All that God is, He has always been. All that He has been and is, He will ever be. He cannot change because He is perfect and will remain perfect.

<a href="http://gracefull-living.blogspot.com"><img src="http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy253/aodland/superstickies_godis11.jpg" border="0″" width="125" height="125" /></a>

For other posts in this series, click here.







I will not claim this idea as my own...Post-It Note Tuesdays comes from Supah Mommy and so I give her the credit for this great idea, though I am modifying it a bit. I've also heard of Flylady using Post-Its to help develop habits so I give her credit too.

Combining both of these influences in the soup-i-ness of my mind, I've decided to develop the habit of focusing more on God's character via Post-Its! Part of living grace-fully is being grounded in WHO God is and WHAT He has done for us. In the roller coaster of life, the stable and unchangeable character of God is what I rely on to remain calm and unwavering (well, at least I strive to respond to life's chaos in a calm way! haha).

If you'd like to do this also, here's what to do:
1. Each week I'll post an element of God's character to focus on for the week on a Post-It note. So check back each Tuesday - or, sign up to receive new posts via email.

2. You can copy and paste the HTML code in the box below my Post-It and place it on your blog or use the Facebook link down below to share on your profile page.

3. You can write it down on a REAL Post-It and put it somewhere in your house that you can be reminded of God's character each day throughout the week. It has to be somewhere you see each day. (Hints: by the toilet paper in the bathroom, on your steering wheel, in your checkbook, you get the idea)

Together we will be growing strong in the Lord...

feeling our roots go down into the fertile soil of His power and strength

so we "will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:8 NIV

My Post-Its Character of God series is based on information from The Navigators website Thirty Days of Praying the Names and Attributes of God and/or Ann Spangler's book Praying the Names of God: A Daily Guide

On being humbled

This morning I was feeling sorry for myself. And I was having a grand time doing it. Mercy, to be a poor 'ol gal like me....it was just awful being me this morning.
I took stock of all the unexpected bills this past month.
Then I took stock of the pantry and fridge and the fact that I don't have grocery money again until next week. I put the last of my creamer in my coffee this morning. Not good. How did we run out of bananas that fast? How could we possibly have run out of this and this and this AT THE SAME TIME?! By the time my oldest son started a sentence "Mom, we're out of...." I decided to suck it up and talk to my husband.
I am in charge of groceries. We deal with cash only, so I have a certain amount of cash every week and most weeks I do really well. But, like I said, my family was particularly hungry this week and I was left with little to deal with for the rest of the week. So, with no money left, and knowing my husband was already probably under some pressure with other financial concerns he has with the expenses that have come up this month, I asked him if I could have an extra amount of money to run to the store.
He gave it to me and off we went.
My two oldest boys in tow, we hit the store and picked up the much needed creamer, bananas and a couple other things that I wasn't going to get by without before heading to the store again next week.
As I left the store, with all of our food in our van, we saw a man standing by the stop light with this sign: "Hungry. Anything would help."
Creamer. This morning creamer was a very big deal. I needed it. At the same time I was sweating over something I put in my coffee, this man may have been making his sign in hopes to have supper tonight. Humbling.
I looked at all the groceries I had in the seat behind me and did a U-Turn. I went back to the man, grabbed a couple things out of my bag and gave them to him.
Now, my husband is very gifted in this area. It comes naturally to him and I'm learning from him. If he sees anyone walking in the rain, he picks them up. He sees someone who looks hungry, he gets them a burger at Wendy's. I remember heading into the van at one point a couple years ago and seeing another woman's name and number scribbled down on a piece of paper laying on the dash. In the majority of cases, I'm sure this would have looked suspicious. Not to me. I figured it was a hitchhiker, a hungry person, or someone caught walking in the rain. Sure enough, when I talked with my husband, he told me about the young mom walking in the rain with her baby. Nate picked her up, buckled her baby into our back seat and talked to her about Jesus. She said she would maybe be willing to come to church with us some day (after numerous calls, she declined our offer to join us in the end).
All this is to say, that Nate has taught me a lot when it comes to things like this. He has taught me that when you give someone who is homeless food, it needs to be soft because a lot of times they have bad teeth. And, you want to give them something healthy at the same time. We don't give money, we give nourishment. Those are the rules.
So, I picked out some healthy, soft things (remember how I desperately needed all those bananas??), gave it to him and then off we went.
Goodness. Here I was sweating about creamer. About bananas. About unexpected bills that the Lord knows all about.
How silly of me.
I looked at the boys in the back seat and reminded them, as we usually do, "It's by the grace of God we don't have to do that to get food for our family." They agreed. We talked about how when we give "to the least of these" we are giving to Jesus.
And it was just this great discussion I was gifted with having with my sons this afternoon.
The Lord provides. Whether it's bananas to that gentleman or medical bills for us. He just does. He is faithful. We see it time and time again. How do I still doubt Him?

Post-It Note Tuesdays: God is Jehovah-rophe

This name means “Jehovah heals.” God alone has the remedy for the healing of mankind. The Gospel is concerned with the physical, moral, and spiritual healing of all people.

<a href="http://gracefull-living.blogspot.com"><img src="http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy253/aodland/superstickies_godis10.jpg" border="0″" width="125" height="125" /></a>

For other posts in this series, click here.







I will not claim this idea as my own...Post-It Note Tuesdays comes from Supah Mommy and so I give her the credit for this great idea, though I am modifying it a bit. I've also heard of Flylady using Post-Its to help develop habits so I give her credit too.

Combining both of these influences in the soup-i-ness of my mind, I've decided to develop the habit of focusing more on God's character via Post-Its! Part of living grace-fully is being grounded in WHO God is and WHAT He has done for us. In the roller coaster of life, the stable and unchangeable character of God is what I rely on to remain calm and unwavering (well, at least I strive to respond to life's chaos in a calm way! haha).

If you'd like to do this also, here's what to do:
1. Each week I'll post an element of God's character to focus on for the week on a Post-It note. So check back each Tuesday - or, sign up to receive new posts via email.

2. You can copy and paste the HTML code in the box below my Post-It and place it on your blog or use the Facebook link down below to share on your profile page.

3. You can write it down on a REAL Post-It and put it somewhere in your house that you can be reminded of God's character each day throughout the week. It has to be somewhere you see each day. (Hints: by the toilet paper in the bathroom, on your steering wheel, in your checkbook, you get the idea)

Together we will be growing strong in the Lord...

feeling our roots go down into the fertile soil of His power and strength

so we "will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:8 NIV

My Post-Its Character of God series is based on information from The Navigators website Thirty Days of Praying the Names and Attributes of God and/or Ann Spangler's book Praying the Names of God: A Daily Guide

Flaunt Your Gratitude

I'm still on my way to listing 1000 Gifts with Ann at A Holy Experience.

I will be missing the next two Mondays due to a trip.  Going to try to take my gaggy, draggy, and saggy behind to CA (along with some other people too).  It should definitely be a vacation to remember - unfortunately I think the thing that's going to be remembered is my feeling yucky the whole time we're there.  May God have mercy!!



101.  For still being pregnant.  A good friend who was going to be due only a couple days after me miscarried a couple weeks ago.

102.  For calmer weekends at home.

103.  Fall weather.

104.  A husband who really is trying to live this out, despite my moodiness, gagginess, and all-around fun-ness during this terribly hard first trimester (hardest out of all my 4 pregnancies).

105.  Naps.

106.  Zofran.

107.  Citrucel.  Miralax.  Carob.  You get the idea.

108.  My Dyson vacuum.  It really sucks.

109.  Good neighbors.

110.  A strong God I can lean on.





You can also read my complete gratitude list here.

The body of Christ coming together

My son Isaiah had a severe allergic reaction Wednesday. We figure it was a cross contamination in his food with a peanut. We gave him his Epi Pen and he got to spend a couple hours at the hospital. Then on Thursday, we had a follow-up appointment to see if we were clear to leave town, to visit my parents in Iowa so the boys and I could see my sister and her family and to give my husband a chance to work on our house, repairing the rain damage we got this summer.
We were okayed to leave with warnings that his body could somehow go into a flare up of sorts, starting to think it was being attacked again and would have symptoms of another allergic reaction.
That happened yesterday afternoon and so Isaiah and I were off to my hometown's ER where we got to spend some time and get his steroids upped to help combat his reaction. He didn't go into full anaphalactic shock again, so we are thankful we caught it in time.
So, that is the story of the last couple days. I'm tired. My son is tired. We're all a bit on edge and are almost a little paranoid now.
Now, let me tell you a blessing of all this.
The afternoon we were in the hospital initially, we sent word to a couple friends, our families and the resounding response was "What can we do?" and there was one quick thing that could be done for Isaiah that I asked someone for: a balloon bouquet. I know it may sound silly, but that thing made my son's day.
The next morning, a friend showed up with his favorite: chocolate chip cookies that she knew he would love and that are considered a luxury in our house.
Another friend came over with a book she checked out about some lingering questions I had on peanut allergies.
A grandma called several times and had a good conversation with her grandson this morning.
An aunt called today to tell Isaiah she was sending a super-duper package in the mail. Just for him.
And my mom has re-examined all recipes here at their house where I sit to write this.
My brother-in-law made a way for my sister and myself to go on a walk this morning.
And everyone in this house is showing my overactive little boy grace as he works his way through the steroids and is paying extra attention to his breathing. Uncle Nate had him sit out for a while until he caught his breath. He confided in Aunt Amanda this morning he wasn't breathing well.
I talked with a friend yesterday on the phone who cried with me as we talked about fears for Isaiah.
Here's the thing: we are seeing this body of Christ rally around this little boy and his family. Some want instructions, like to get a balloon bouquet. Some people just go and get the expensive cookies they know Isaiah loves but Mommy and Daddy hardly ever buy him.
It is just flowing.
The prayers are getting me through days with little sleep the night before.
I am reminded once again how the body of Christ, when it is working well and when it is fueled by love, just comes. It just comes around, surrounds us and engulfs us in a way that is hard to explain.
So, for those of you who have prayed for us, thank you. For those of you who have gone above and beyond, thank you.
We feel the love of Christ. Here even in Iowa, away from Nate and our closest friends.
We are being comforted.
I am just so blessed.
And so is that son of mine.


Kristin

Post-It Note Tuesdays: God is Holy

God’s holiness is not simply the best we know made infinitely better. God is absolutely untainted. His holiness stands apart—unique and incomprehensible.

<a href="http://gracefull-living.blogspot.com"><img src="http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy253/aodland/superstickies_godis9.jpg" border="0″" width="125" height="125" /></a>

For other posts in this series, click here.






I will not claim this idea as my own...Post-It Note Tuesdays comes from Supah Mommy and so I give her the credit for this great idea, though I am modifying it a bit. I've also heard of Flylady using Post-Its to help develop habits so I give her credit too.

Combining both of these influences in the soup-i-ness of my mind, I've decided to develop the habit of focusing more on God's character via Post-Its! Part of living grace-fully is being grounded in WHO God is and WHAT He has done for us. In the roller coaster of life, the stable and unchangeable character of God is what I rely on to remain calm and unwavering (well, at least I strive to respond to life's chaos in a calm way! haha).

If you'd like to do this also, here's what to do:
1. Each week I'll post an element of God's character to focus on for the week on a Post-It note. So check back each Tuesday - or, sign up to receive new posts via email.

2. You can copy and paste the HTML code in the box below my Post-It and place it on your blog or use the Facebook link down below to share on your profile page.

3. You can write it down on a REAL Post-It and put it somewhere in your house that you can be reminded of God's character each day throughout the week. It has to be somewhere you see each day. (Hints: by the toilet paper in the bathroom, on your steering wheel, in your checkbook, you get the idea)

Together we will be growing strong in the Lord...

feeling our roots go down into the fertile soil of His power and strength

so we "will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:8 NIV

My Post-Its Character of God series is based on information from The Navigators website Thirty Days of Praying the Names and Attributes of God and/or Ann Spangler's book Praying the Names of God: A Daily Guide

For other posts in this series, click here.

Soul-FULL Sundays: Things Undone, Things to Do

Do you have a list of things you need to do? 

Does it change every day? 

Are there things on there that have been there for awhile?

Are you a list-fanatic?  Meaning, do you write your list and check it every 5 minutes?

Or are you list-lethargic?  Are you too busy or lazy to write things down on a list?

Maybe you have a bucket list?  Or a list for packing for a vacation?  Or a grocery list?


Whatever kind of person you are when it comes to lists, I'm sure you have a list somewhere, either down on paper or in your head, of things that need to get accomplished.  Today.  This week.  This month. 

We all have things to do, goals to reach, accomplishments to tackle.  But if we focus on tasks our whole life, what will be said of us when we're gone? 

"Gee, she sure kept a good list."  or "He accomplished alot in his life."


Now, I'm not saying lists are bad per se.  Lists are an excellent tool for rememebering everything our pitiful brains can't hold. 

But what is most important to God?  That we get our To-Do list done each and every day?  I don't think so.

There are many scriptures that explain, in not so direct of words, how to 'love what God loves and hate what God hates'.  So the answer to the question 'What is most important to God?' would be to love what He loves. 

What does He love?

John 3:16...For God so loved the world...

Psalm 51:17...the sacrifices [act of pleasing worship] of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart

2 Corinthians 9:7....God loves a cheerful giver.

John 16:27...No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.


God loves people.  God loves people who love Him.  God loves people who love other people.
 
Any time that my tasks become more important to me than how I am treating other people, I do a major check on my heart.  I readjust my priorities.  I come humbly before Him for forgiveness.  I leave some of my 'things to do' as 'things undone'. 
 
What is on your list that needs to really be a 'thing undone'?
 
 
 
God, help me to love what You love and not get distracted by all there is to 'DO' here on earth.  Help me to keep Your kingdom in mind in all I do...in the way I talk to others, the way I serve others, and in the way I plan my to-do's.  Give my discernment to weed out things from my days that are stealing my time away from You and from the glorious purpose You have for me.  Give me strength to let go of addictions to things that don't glorify You or don't further Your kingdom.  Give me peace in a world filled with toil and tribulation.  Thank you, God, for loving me just as I am.  For meeting me where I'm at right now.  Here.  At this time.  Today.  Amen.

Ugly, Angry Prego Momma

Well, she's back. 

The Ugly, Angry, Prego Momma side of me. 

I hate that lady.

She's so whiney.  And crabby.  And angry. 

About the little things. 
About things she's had to say what seems like 1,000 times during the day. 
About stuff laying around.
About feeling crummy.

It's ugly.

I was really hoping to miss out on seeing this gal again for this last time of being pregnant. 

But no. 

She's reared her ugly head again.  And I'm sure I'll be seeing her again tomorrow night.  And the next night.  And the next. 

See, she usually shows up at night when I start feeling yucky.  And because hubby has grown accustomed to doing whatever he needs to (sometimes it feels like 'whatever he'd like to' but I know better) during the evening hours so I end up here wrestling with her all alone.  That angry wench.

Well, not quite all alone.

There's Someone else here to help me.

But she's strong.  She's nasty.  And she's A-N-G-R-Y!

But He is stronger.  And He is faithful.  He will help get me through.  And He will forgive me if/when I let her win.


Psalm 16
Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. 
I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." 
As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. 
The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips. 
LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. 
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. 
I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. 
I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 
because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 
You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Fleeting time.....

My middle son Phinehas threw up tonight.
I hate it when my kids throw up. I'm sure every mom hates it.
He's running a low fever and he's just not himself. We got him bathed, in a T-shirt and into bed tonight and I laid down beside him and scratched his back. I was struck, once again, how our time here in earth is fleeting. And how, for this moment, this evening, I was designed to be Phin's mom and take care of him.
My boys were given to me. Blessings: all three of them. And, when I am frustrated with one of them for one reason or another, I remember that I was designed partly to be their mother. There are so many other people out there in this world. But it's me. I'm the one who is Mommy to Isaiah, Phin and Simeon. I am struck by that so often.
And, about just as often, I remember that my time with them is indefinite.
We are taught, as Christians, that our time here on earth is fleeting. We are told and we read that our time here on earth is but a moment in eternity.

When I was pregnant with my first son Isaiah, we found out that one of Nate's sister's closest friends, and a friend of Nate's, had passed away. She was young. She was a young mother. She left behind a young son, about one or two years of age. I stood there at the funeral home, standing beside my husband, with my son still in me, looking at this young woman in a casket in front of me.
And I got it.
I've only got them for as long as He lets me. He chooses when I leave. It could be when I'm eighty. It could be later tonight.
He does what He does and He is always right.

So, tonight, I laid there in my son's bed, thinking about how tonight may look....those of us with kids realize that throwing up is usually never done just once.... and then I remembered that tonight, right now, I get to help him. It's my job. I'm the Mom.
What a responsibility.
But, really, truly, what a gift.
I get to have him tonight. And he gets to have me.
By the grace of God.


Kristin

Post-It Note Tuesdays: God is Just

God rules with absolute justice. Not fooled by appearances, God is fair, equitable, and impartial in all of His judgments.

<a href="http://gracefull-living.blogspot.com"><img src="http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy253/aodland/superstickies_godis8.jpg" border="0″" width="125" height="125" /></a>

For other posts in this series, click here.






I will not claim this idea as my own...Post-It Note Tuesdays comes from Supah Mommy and so I give her the credit for this great idea, though I am modifying it a bit. I've also heard of Flylady using Post-Its to help develop habits so I give her credit too.

Combining both of these influences in the soup-i-ness of my mind, I've decided to develop the habit of focusing more on God's character via Post-Its! Part of living grace-fully is being grounded in WHO God is and WHAT He has done for us. In the roller coaster of life, the stable and unchangeable character of God is what I rely on to remain calm and unwavering (well, at least I strive to respond to life's chaos in a calm way! haha).

If you'd like to do this also, here's what to do:
1. Each week I'll post an element of God's character to focus on for the week on a Post-It note. So check back each Tuesday - or, sign up to receive new posts via email.

2. You can copy and paste the HTML code in the box below my Post-It and place it on your blog or use the Facebook link down below to share on your profile page.

3. You can write it down on a REAL Post-It and put it somewhere in your house that you can be reminded of God's character each day throughout the week. It has to be somewhere you see each day. (Hints: by the toilet paper in the bathroom, on your steering wheel, in your checkbook, you get the idea)

Together we will be growing strong in the Lord...

feeling our roots go down into the fertile soil of His power and strength

so we "will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:8 NIV

My Post-Its Character of God series is based on information from The Navigators website Thirty Days of Praying the Names and Attributes of God and/or Ann Spangler's book Praying the Names of God: A Daily Guide

For other posts in this series, click here.

Gratitude Galor

Today I complete my first 100 items on my list!  That means if I stick with it and don't miss any Mondays, I should finish my 1000 on May 14, 2012.  Whew!

I'm still on my way to listing 1000 Gifts with Ann at A Holy Experience. 




91.  A quiet night and morning.

92.  Science experiments.

93.  Finally getting to share a secret (aka surprise).

94.  The opp to give to others out of my bounty.

95.  The internet.

96.  A kid who gets up EVERY morning without a problem and gets ready for school without any hassle.

97.  A hubby who fears the Lord.

98.  Rice Krispie bars

99.  Shoes without holes.

100.  Prayer journals.








You can also read my complete gratitude list here.

Interested in Guest Posting?

Hello!  I am cooking up an idea.  That's what I do....cook up ideas.  Unfortunately it seems that I usually end up with more things to put on the burners than I have burners to cook on!  So, here's my idea:

I'd like to start something on here for Fridays.  Something along the lines of Grace-Full Fridays.  I know there are alot of blog hops on Fridays and I'd like to have something meaningful for people to read when they stop by.  And, I know there are MANY writers out there.  (You know who you are)  AND, I think it would work great for some guest-posting opportunities as well. 


Here's the plan....write a post about what 'living grace-fully' means to you.  What it means to you at this point in your life, what it meant to you in the past, what it means to you in the future.  When you're changing diapers.  When you're going to school.  When you're trying to concieve.  The specifics don't matter to me as much as you writing about what His grace has done (or is doing) for you does. 

Send your post as an email to me at aodland AT yahoo DOT com.  Use the subject Guest Post for Grace-Full Living and we will contact you about the possibility of using it in our series.

We are excited about encouraging one another on with stories of how His grace is working in us!  And, we'll eventually get our own stories up to share too. 

Blessings,
Amy, Kristin, & Sara

Post-It Note Tuesdays: God is Jehovah-shalom

This name means “the God of peace.” God could never give to others a peace that exceeds understanding if He Himself were not perfect, unfailing peace.

<a href="http://gracefull-living.blogspot.com"><img src="http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy253/aodland/superstickies_godis7.jpg" border="0″" width="125" height="125" /></a>

For other posts in this series, click here.






I will not claim this idea as my own...Post-It Note Tuesdays comes from Supah Mommy and so I give her the credit for this great idea, though I am modifying it a bit. I've also heard of Flylady using Post-Its to help develop habits so I give her credit too.

Combining both of these influences in the soup-i-ness of my mind, I've decided to develop the habit of focusing more on God's character via Post-Its! Part of living grace-fully is being grounded in WHO God is and WHAT He has done for us. In the roller coaster of life, the stable and unchangeable character of God is what I rely on to remain calm and unwavering (well, at least I strive to respond to life's chaos in a calm way! haha).

If you'd like to do this also, here's what to do:
1. Each week I'll post an element of God's character to focus on for the week on a Post-It note. So check back each Tuesday - or, sign up to receive new posts via email.

2. You can copy and paste the HTML code in the box below my Post-It and place it on your blog or use the Facebook link down below to share on your profile page.

3. You can write it down on a REAL Post-It and put it somewhere in your house that you can be reminded of God's character each day throughout the week. It has to be somewhere you see each day. (Hints: by the toilet paper in the bathroom, on your steering wheel, in your checkbook, you get the idea)

Together we will be growing strong in the Lord...

feeling our roots go down into the fertile soil of His power and strength

so we "will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:8 NIV

My Post-Its Character of God series is based on information from The Navigators website Thirty Days of Praying the Names and Attributes of God and/or Ann Spangler's book Praying the Names of God: A Daily Guide

Gratitude Altitude

I'm still on my way to listing 1000 Gifts with Ann at A Holy Experience. 

Have you ever thought of how your altitude affects your gratitude? By altitude, I don't mean your distance from sea level. Here in this part of South Dakota we are only 459 metres (which is 0.285 miles) above sea level. 

By altitude, I actually mean your place in your walk with God right now - on the mountaintop or in the valley. Sometimes it seems the hardest place to cultivate some gratitude is when you're right there in the middle of those two places. Neither at the highest point nor at the lowest. That mundane, ho-hum place where nothing is exciting and nothing is extremely hard.  Where are you right now in your walk?  And how are you doing on cultivating gratitude in your life?

I missed last week's gratitude post for a number of reasons. But the funny thing was I had plenty to add to my 100 Gifts list. I was overflowing with gratitude because I had been up on the mountaintop for a whole weekend. So today, I will do a doubly-long list, including some of the leftovers from my spiritual high a week ago.

71. A husband willing to serve.

72. Beautiful weather, sunshine and clear blue skies.

73. Strollers.

74. Kind-hearted famous people

75. Famous people who are kind to my daughter

76. Moments when you learn the world is smaller than you thought.

77. Clean water.

78. The cross.

79. A desire to learn new things.

80. Your peace when I feel overwhelmed.

81. A good, Christian school

82. Eyes wide open

83. 10 fingers to type with.

84. A glimpse of heaven.

85. Being a mom.

86. Blogs that I can read about a trip to Guatamala and feel as though I'm there. (by Ann, Shaun, Amanda, Lindsey)

87. Renewed joy.

88. Older women who don't belittle me and my problems, no matter how insignificant they are.

89. A husband who makes time to listen.

90. Knowing You are there when I feel alone.




You can also read my complete gratitude list here.

Soul-FULL Sundays: In the Storm

I heard something on the radio the other day when I was trying to draft this post in my head while running some errands. Yes, not necessarily the best time to be thinking about blogging. But sometimes when I'm out of the house (which doesn't seem to happen that often, or as often as I'd like) ideas come to me and I start molding and shaping them like a kid would play with Playdoh.

Anyway, I am not in the midst of a storm right now. I have in the past been in the middle of a blowing, raining, thundering hurricane. But not right now.

I do, however, have some people around me who are going through storms. Some are small, like a gently falling rain. Others are in a monsoon season, continually getting rained on every afternoon for weeks after weeks. Still others are getting worn down through the steady drone of rain and wind.

Photo Credit

How can I help these people through their storms? I - meaning me, myself, and I - CAN'T help them. All I can do is point them to Someone who can. All I can do is help them lift their eyes to the Maker of heaven and earth. And hold their hand as they wait for Him to come and rescue them and give them life again.

I'm a problem-solver. My first reaction is to try to fix the problem. And as a mom, that's usually what I end up having to do. Fix the fighting. Fix the hurt feelings. Fix the disobedience. Unfortunately I carry that over into other relationships. Relationships that don't necessarily appreciate my attempts to 'fix' things.

Instead of going around fixing everything, I need to let go of my urge to fix and focus more on the loving act of listening. On holding hands. And on holding hearts. God is more interested in how I handle people than in how I handle problems.

If you are in the midst of a storm right now, I want to point you to an Awesome Father. Through the words of a man who as written way more on Him than I have - Ron Hutchcraft Ministries . This is what I was listening to on the radio the other day.  I want to hold your hand and show you what Ron has to say about lifting your eyes to a Father you can rely on.

And wait with you in the midst of the storm.

His mercies are new every morning....

I'm banking on it.
His mercies need to be new each morning.

And, as a mom, so do mine.

Last night, my husband and I crashed on our couch. Our child, our dear child, whom we love, was still wailing because of a consequence we handed him.
Frankly, we were all out of consequences. I mean, we were out. We were both stressed out, frustrated, angry and just wondering how on earth our child could be so naughty. In one day! I mean, he seemed to have crossed every bridge on the disobedience road. He crossed it with vengeance. We took away about every privilege we could. We threw away toys. I mean, it was like a new version of disobedience entered and would. not. leave.

My husband and I sat in silence for a while, waiting for the wailing to die down. We were both hoping the other person would be the one to climb the steps to deal with the crying child, but neither of us were moving. We were both upset. It was good to sit still for a while.

Then, finally, I got up. I hauled myself up the steps, up his ladder and into his top bunk. His crying had died down. He was still angry. So was I.

So I scratched his back. It was all I knew how to do anymore. I couldn't talk reason to him. I couldn't go back through what the day had been like. I couldn't even really address the situation that was making him cry so hard.

I just scratched.

Then I came downstairs again and I said to my husband "His mercies are new every morning...."
trying to reassure myself that His mercy towards me, when I lost my cool, when I got angry, when I was at my wit's end, would come again tomorrow morning. And that His mercies would reach my child as well.

Then my wise husband looked at me and reminded me: "Yours need to be new every morning too."

This morning I woke up and I was still frustrated. I was tired. I wanted to stay in bed.

But, I got up. And I went on a walk by myself. I was dreading the day, and I wrestled with the Lord a bit while I sweated my way back home.
"I have no control over him."
"If this is how he acts at this age, what is he going to be like later, in his teens?"
"What if I have to join one of those support groups when I'm older, those groups of Christian women who pray for their wayward children?"
"I don't know what to do!! I can't get him to obey me! I can't change his heart! I can't....."

And it hit me. That's just it.
I can't.

I can steer. I can inform. I can give consequences. I can give praise.
But I can't make him do what I want him to. What I hope he will do.
I can't be in control of all his actions.

I thought of my 1-year-old. I have a lot of control over that kiddo. I can pick him up and move him. I can put him in another room. There's not a whole lot of "heart issues" I have to work on with him.
It's a different story with my 3 and 5-year-olds.
I thought I had longer. But I don't. They want their own ways. Just like I do. And I watch them pursue their ways. By bullying their brothers. By being unkind. By lying. And it's painful.

So I need to pray. Pray for their hearts. Pray for their salvation. Pray for my own heart--that I would be forgiving. I would be merciful. I would be peaceful even when they are not.

Today there were still struggles, but not as many. Or, maybe there were as many, but the Lord graciously gave me a heaping helping of peace today.
Either way, I'm thankful for those mercies of His.

Kristin

Post-It Note Tuesdays: God is Jehovah-jirah

This name means “the God who provides.” Just as He provided yesterday, He will provide tomorrow. He grants deliverance from sin, the oil of joy for the ashes of sorrow, and eternal citizenship in His Kingdom.

<a href="http://gracefull-living.blogspot.com"><img src="http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy253/aodland/superstickies_godis6.jpg" border="0″" width="125" height="125" /></a>

For other posts in this series, click here.






I will not claim this idea as my own...Post-It Note Tuesdays comes from Supah Mommy and so I give her the credit for this great idea, though I am modifying it a bit. I've also heard of Flylady using Post-Its to help develop habits so I give her credit too.

Combining both of these influences in the soup-i-ness of my mind, I've decided to develop the habit of focusing more on God's character via Post-Its! Part of living grace-fully is being grounded in WHO God is and WHAT He has done for us. In the roller coaster of life, the stable and unchangeable character of God is what I rely on to remain calm and unwavering (well, at least I strive to respond to life's chaos in a calm way! haha).

If you'd like to do this also, here's what to do:
1. Each week I'll post an element of God's character to focus on for the week on a Post-It note. So check back each Tuesday - or, sign up to receive new posts via email.

2. You can copy and paste the HTML code in the box below my Post-It and place it on your blog or use the Facebook link down below to share on your profile page.

3. You can write it down on a REAL Post-It and put it somewhere in your house that you can be reminded of God's character each day throughout the week. It has to be somewhere you see each day. (Hints: by the toilet paper in the bathroom, on your steering wheel, in your checkbook, you get the idea)

Together we will be growing strong in the Lord...

feeling our roots go down into the fertile soil of His power and strength

so we "will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:8 NIV

My Post-Its Character of God series is based on information from The Navigators website Thirty Days of Praying the Names and Attributes of God and/or Ann Spangler's book Praying the Names of God: A Daily Guide

For other posts in this series, click here.

Holy Restraint at the Playground

Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah 43:18-19

I've been a weak-kneed, faint-hearted, scaredy cat of a believer this week. My former fortitude dissolved earlier this week, replaced by a daunting case of doubt. Or so I thought. Turns out, it was something much more insidious.

I've been driving Josiah -- our firstborn and thus our first kindergartener -- to school each morning. The first few days, parents were welcome -- encouraged even -- to come in with their kids, help them put their backpacks away, and accompany their kids to the playground before leaving for the day. But now it's week two, and it's time to get down to business. For a variety of safety and security reasons, drop-off is supposed to be quick and orderly, which I completely understand.

So last Monday, I explained all the way to school that I wasn't getting out of the car today. Just Josiah. The preferred procedure as prescribed by the school is for parents to drop their kids at the main doors where they are met by teaching assistants who walk the students to the playground behind the school.

Josiah agreed with that plan when we joined the line of mini-vans and SUVs snaking its way up to the school's main entrance. However, the closer we got to the front of the line, the more unsure he got. He finally said, "mommy, you'd better take me to the playground today."

No problem, buddy. I pulled out of line and parked across the street. We'd only walked about halfway to the playground when Josiah spotted Mr. Devitt, his teacher, who waved to us in greeting. Josiah took off to join Mr. Devitt and the knot of classmates that was gathered around him. He'd forgotten all about me, and I made my way back to the our vehicle grateful that Josiah was enjoying school so much.

And then came Tuesday. On the way to school, I'd been silently crying out to the Lord over His will for Josiah, asking for the umpteenth time if He was sure about all this. There's a tinge of mourning in my life right now -- it's been a mighty struggle for me to walk faithfully into this new phase of kindergarten, of having Josiah out of my care for so much of the day, of releasing a phase of our life that, while I entered it with kicking and screaming, I emerge from it wishing desperately to make it last. I wish for a different answer -- I don't know just what --, but perhaps one more like those my friends have received for their children. But every time I ask, God assures me -- in no uncertain terms -- that He's sure.

On Tuesday, while I was laying my fears before the Lord on the drive to school, He pointed something out to me. "All you're really after is the easy way out," He'd spoken to my heart.

He was right. I spoke of wisdom. I spoke of glorifying Him. I spoke of trusting Him with all that I have. But what I was really after was ease. Painless, guiltless ease. I don't want to lay my Isaac down. I want God to form us both into His likeness without doing the work. I want a shortcut, not a guide for the journey.

God proved His point moments later. We'd worked our way to the head of the line again and again Josiah asked if I would take him to the playground instead of the teacher's assistant. I agreed and parked the car in the same place as the day before.

Josiah and I ambled down to the playground, and I soon realized that Mr. Devitt wasn't in his usual place. It dawned on me that Josiah was going to have to locate his buddies on his own. In a mass of 625 kids. It reminded myself to keep breathing. "Okay, Josiah, it's time for mom to go," I said evenly.

"Okay," he said, unflapped. I kissed him good-bye and let go of his hand. He gripped the straps of his backpack and walked into the exuberant throng of kids. He never looked back at me as he peered into first one and then another group of kids, looking for his classmates. I, on the other hand, couldn't stop looking back at him as I inched my way back to the car. He looked so small among all of those kids. It took every ounce of restraint in Heaven to keep me from scooping him up and taking him home with me.

But that would have been the easy way. It made me wonder what it must be like for God to watch us, His children, learn to spread our wings. The incredible effort it took for me to leave Josiah there -- where God has said he belongs for now -- left me in awe at the restraint our God demonstrates each day in allowing us to be stretched, knowing He could make it easy for us in a heartbeat. But in His wisdom, He refines us by fire, all the while rooting for us to suceed. Much like I do for Josiah.

I'm no longer praying for the easy way out. It's a foolish waste of time. I trust my God to know better than I ever will, after all, nothing in His kingdom is ever without purpose. Now I'm asking that all of these stretching experiences will amount to a man who loves the Lord with all of his heart, soul, and mind. And a mom who does, too.

Soul-FULL Sundays: Recharge

What recharges you?

Fills up your soul so you can face another day...

Are you an Introvert who needs some time alone to recharge?

Or an Extrovert who is energized by being around people?

Do you like to listen to music? 

Or have silence echoing around you?

What about going outside to explore the wonderful creation of the Creator?

Or staying inside to REST

RELAX

RECHARGE?

The great Re-charger, our Redeemer, is waiting for you.
It's time to plug in and recharge.