Dirty dishes in the stove :)

Yesterday this thought crossed my mind, "We are competing against people who don't even know they're in a competition with us".  Is this true in your life??? I think if we are all honest in some ways it is true.  Take for instance, a blog post a friend shared on face book.  I don't know the person who wrote it, but what she said reminded me of this thought.  She was writing her "mom confession".  She told how she has a couple of kids who are hard to put to bed and how she sits in the floor between their rooms until they fall asleep.  She confessed that she feeds them boxed macaroni and cheese and doesn't buy organic apples.  I got the feeling she was comparing herself to others, who I suppose have children who are easy to put to bed, always make homemade food and buy organic???  I'm not criticizing her, far from it ... I am wondering WHY we women feel the need to compete??? I don't know where it is written that we MUST have a perfect "Southern Living" home, buy only organic food and have perfect children.  We all know that isn't happening anyway.  This is the real world.  Women, wives, mothers, young ladies ... stop competing against people who don't even know you're in a competition with them.  Be the best YOU, that you can be.  I think striving for a clean house, healthy meals and respectful children is a must, but don't beat yourself up about it.  Life is taken one day at a time.  Do the best you can today.  Tomorrow, do better.  Prayer is a major part of my life.  If I didn't have the Lord to talk to and His word to read, I'd be a basket case.  The absolute best thing you can do for your husband and children is to pray for them.  Listen to them.  Be there. Sometimes the dishwasher is full, the sink is full and the counter is full of dirty dishes ( that happened to me yesterday).  I was out all morning cleaning for a friend of mine and left my house to clean up later.  Well as soon as I got in I found out someone was coming by unexpected.  I panicked, I didn't want her to see my kitchen in that big mess. So, do you know what I did??? I moved the rack in my oven to the lowest level and I shoved all of my dirty dishes in there.  Shazam!! My kitchen looked great !!! True story.  Why did I do that?  Did I need to make this lady feel like I had it all together?? I guess so.  Funny thing is she didn't even come in to my kitchen. Laugh out loud now.  I did. 

My point is this;  magazines and movies are where things are "staged" to look "perfect".  Real life doesn't always look that way, BUT it doesn't make it any less special.  So enjoy your life right where you are.  Stop competing with  people who don't even know they're in a competition with you. Live the life you were given, then you and your family will truly win.  They will win a wife and mom who realizes what is truly important and that is time spent with family.  Make a mess in that kitchen ... who cares if you don't know how to roll out homemade dough for cookies; I don't either.  Buy a bag mix and make some memories.  Leave your Christmas wrap and bows all over the floor and teach your kids how to wrap gifts (let them in on the fun and experience) it's ok if the tape is to long or crooked or if the bow doesn't match. Life is short.  Time is fleeting.  Come on, live a little and stress less.

Jesus said, ""Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need."1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

"He who gives attention to the word will find good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD."
Proverbs 16:20

"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you are also being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit."
Ephesians 2:19-22


 Merry Christmas my friends :) Go be a blessing. 

Christmas, what does it mean to you?

     Christmas.  What is Christmas to you? What does it mean? Do we really celebrate Christmas or do we celebrate something else that we've created?  Tough questions.  Christmas to me is the birth of Jesus.  It means that God kept His word when He sent His only son to be born of Mary at the time and place told about in scripture. We celebrate Christmas to honor Jesus? to share His story? Hmmm, do we do that? Do I do that?  Oh sure I teach Sunday school and I tell little children all about the birth and love of Jesus.  We've made beautiful ornaments and will see a nativity play. We'll have a "Happy Birthday, Jesus" cake and we'll sing to Jesus and yes that is celebrating.  I pray I'm not just going through the motions.  I want to feel it, experience it, share it ...
  
   Then there is time with family. On December 25 we'll eat a meal together, catch up on the happenings in each others lives and then open gifts.  Where does Jesus fit into that?  Maybe He doesn't.  Maybe, we are so busy and caught up with food, family and gifts that we accidentally leave Jesus out of Christmas.  Say it isn't so? I pray that we will be purposeful in reading the account of Jesus' birth from the bible, so that we don't overlook the guest of honor.   I don't want to miss it? I don't want to do Christmas wrong. Years ago people celebrated Advent in the weeks leading up to Christmas, some folks still do.  I'm not an expert on Advent, but I suppose it gives people an opportunity to yearn for what's to come, to pray and to prepare.  I like to be prepared.  I like to do things the "right way". Am I messing up Christmas? I hope not.  As I ponder Christmas in writing this I am reminded that Christmas is more than one day on the calendar, Christmas is Jesus living in my heart.  Jesus is with me every day of the year, not just on December 25th.  I may or may not be doing Christmas right, but I'm seeking and searching scripture and the Lord knows my heart.  I want to share His love with others the best way I can.  I want you to know that I am a sinner, but Jesus loves me just as I am and He loves you just as you are.   I'm never going to be perfect until I stand before the Lord and He gives me a new, glorified body.  All I want to do is obey Him while I'm here and help others along my journey.

   So to sum up my thoughts ... Christmas is the birthday of the most important person in the world, Jesus Christ.  He came to live a sinless life, to die on the cross and be raised to life ( all of which He accomplished).  Now He prepares a place for all of us who will receive Him to come live with Him in heaven.  That's what Christmas is to me. He is the ultimate gift.  Do you know Jesus? If you don't know Jesus, call out to Him in prayer.  He is there and He loves you very much.  Won't you receive Him this Christmas? Don't miss out on the reason for the season. Don't miss out on the best gift of all, Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas with love.


Luke 2: 1-20

Christ Born of Mary

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife,^[a] who was with child. ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Glory in the Highest

⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold,^[b] an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”^[c]

¹⁵ So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ Now when they had seen Him, they made widely^[d] known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. ¹⁸ And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

 Go be a blessing . . .