I am at the moment crawling out from under the proverbial rock known as spring break...or should I say sleeping in for a week and now attempting to use my coffee cup as a floatation device. It is too bright out and too early to be talking much less typing. There are a few things still lingering from this last week. It seems that in the rush and craziness of life stopping and being still is very, very hard. It is almost as if we cannot survive without stress and craziness in our everyday lives. Now, I know some of us will immediately jump on our defensive, "Christian-eeze" horse and start quoting Scriptures about relying on God and He is our strength.. or too blessed to be stressed..but I say cut the crap we all fall victim to this and it really stinks.
I find that being in ministry we tend to fall victim to this even more. Why? I think it is because we assume our "job" is so "important" that it has to be full on stress and events and meetings and planning and... ugh! I for one am sick and tired of the church ministry hamster wheel of doom. The one where you run and run and seem to go nowhere but feel exhausted. Ugh! This last week has been such a sweet time of reflection and rest. It has been a time that God has shown me that my "ministry" is my life everyday and that if that "everyday life" includes stress and so much on my plate that the plate breaks then it is NOT good. I think that we all at one time or another fall victim to the "rat race".. I think it is time I am not a victim anymore. God is using all of us everyday. We should volunteer at our Church and be involved but not so much so that we lose our JOY and our FOCUS on Who and What is important.
I am trusting God today that He will continue to order my family's steps and keep us from ever being in a position of putting a "ministry" in front of GOD or our family.. yes, you CAN put "ministry" before GOD. Trust me.. I have and I am done with that.
God, You are my God and I will ever praise You!
sincerely,EX-"Christian Rat Racer"
Heather
Hosanna....
Friday, March 30, 2012
This weekend we celebrate Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The people "prepared the way" by laying down palm branches and shouting Hosanna. As we enter into services this weekend begin to "prepare the way" in your hearts for Jesus to come in and reign. Start "laying down" the things that are in the way of His rule in your life. Hosanna! We love you Jesus!
Read Mark 11:1-11
Reflect on the atmosphere of celebration. May our hearts be bursting with enthusiasm and celebration of Jesus' arrival.
Read Mark 11:1-11
Reflect on the atmosphere of celebration. May our hearts be bursting with enthusiasm and celebration of Jesus' arrival.
uncomfortable ....
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
I woke up this morning in my central AC/heating. Went to the kitchen and popped a K-cup in my Kurieg and sipped my coffee. Went to my pantry and picked from the overflow of groceries what I was going to pack in my children's lunches. I went over to my Mac notebook and checked all my social networking sites and emails. Laughed at clever status updates and lamented over sad ones. I then went and took a hot shower in my own bathroom in my rather large house. I then went to my walk in closet and picked out my clothes for the day. I check Pinterest to see what kind of outfit I want to create etc. I pick out a classic black blazer and white top and top it off with my MAC Russian red lipstick and use my Chi straightener to make my hair look "did". I then gather my children into their school uniforms to go to my new car. I start up my car and open the sunroof and tell the sync to play my morning playlist. I am cruising on a road with not a lot of traffic and I am in harmony with nature and Starbucks. It is a good day. I am feeling good. My kids are feeling good. My life is good.. no worries, no pain.. no.
I wonder. How much of God am I missing? How much of Him speaking to me am I muffling? It is a sobering thought. Today being Ash Wednesday I have been mulling over in my mind what I am to give up for the next 6 weeks and honestly a few of the things scare the crap out of me. The thought of giving them up has me in an all out panic attack. I am finding myself putting myself under the microscope, and I do not like what it shows me. A self centered, placid in suburbia soccer mom heaven in my ideal life in my ideal comfort zone. Comfort zone.. think about that phrase for a moment. Comfort-a state of ease and satisfaction of bodily wants, with freedom from pain and anxiety. Zone-any continuous tract or area that differs in some respect, or is distinguished for some purpose, from adjoining tracts or areas, or within which certain distinctive circumstances exist or are established.
So What I have done is created a continual tract of absolute self satisfaction and bow to any want I feel.
To say that this is not a picture of who I want to be is a gross understatement that is ridiculous to even type actually. Why do I create such comfort for myself? Why do I feel the need to have satisfaction surround me? What is it that I am placing in place of God? As I think about it I am convicted. No, I am disgusted. I sincerely am at a loss.
I am taking the next 6 weeks and giving up some "comfort" in my life. I know it is going to be tough. I know I am not going to like it... actually I probably will hate it and not be the nicest person to be around for the next few days, but I am praying that by denying myself some comfort I will put God back in the place He should be in my life. The place where I can literally have Him BE my comfort.
I am not telling you what you should do or how to do it, but I do know that this is a perfect opportunity during Lent to take 6 weeks and let go of some "comforts" in your life and let God be comfort for you.
In Christ,
Heather
I wonder. How much of God am I missing? How much of Him speaking to me am I muffling? It is a sobering thought. Today being Ash Wednesday I have been mulling over in my mind what I am to give up for the next 6 weeks and honestly a few of the things scare the crap out of me. The thought of giving them up has me in an all out panic attack. I am finding myself putting myself under the microscope, and I do not like what it shows me. A self centered, placid in suburbia soccer mom heaven in my ideal life in my ideal comfort zone. Comfort zone.. think about that phrase for a moment. Comfort-a state of ease and satisfaction of bodily wants, with freedom from pain and anxiety. Zone-any continuous tract or area that differs in some respect, or is distinguished for some purpose, from adjoining tracts or areas, or within which certain distinctive circumstances exist or are established.
So What I have done is created a continual tract of absolute self satisfaction and bow to any want I feel.
To say that this is not a picture of who I want to be is a gross understatement that is ridiculous to even type actually. Why do I create such comfort for myself? Why do I feel the need to have satisfaction surround me? What is it that I am placing in place of God? As I think about it I am convicted. No, I am disgusted. I sincerely am at a loss.
I am taking the next 6 weeks and giving up some "comfort" in my life. I know it is going to be tough. I know I am not going to like it... actually I probably will hate it and not be the nicest person to be around for the next few days, but I am praying that by denying myself some comfort I will put God back in the place He should be in my life. The place where I can literally have Him BE my comfort.
I am not telling you what you should do or how to do it, but I do know that this is a perfect opportunity during Lent to take 6 weeks and let go of some "comforts" in your life and let God be comfort for you.
In Christ,
Heather
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