To all you Father's out there:
What Makes a Dad
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so,
He called it ... Dad
~~Author Unknown.~~
Let us all strive to Men and Women of God by pursuing "righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness," and by "fighting the good fight." 1 Timothy 6:11-12
We are currently deployed here on Earth fighting a spiritual war, but one day we will redeploy to Heaven and experience eternal reintegration with our loving, saving Father. ~Chaplain Marlowe.
Happy Father's Day!!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Remaining Steadfast
Have you ever felt emotionally or even spiritually "blah"? Like you aren't making an impact on people's lives? Like God isn't working in your life or at least you arem't seeing anyone benefit from your actions? You just seem to float through life. Life doesn't have to be routine or even boring to feel this way. It can be stressful and challenging and yet you still feel... blah!
This has been me for the past month. It is one of the reasons I haven't had much to write. I don't feel like God is working much in my life. It isn't that He isn't there. It's that I don't feel Him. I can see how He is providing for me (all the substitutes got a raise!), how He is caring for me (I have great friends to keep me company even when I feel alone) but I don't feel it. I certainly don't feel like I have learned anything new or made any great stride in my relationship with Him. No revelations here. Just plain old daily life, which in my world is not really all that plain.
I've been through times like this before. Everyone has cycles in their relationships. Times when everything is really great, times when things are not great at all, and then times when you are somewhere in the middle. Who knows whether the next step will be up or down? Usually, in my relationship with God, these "dry spells" are preparation for a great conviction in my life. Some unique learning experience or life changing moment. Oh how I looked forward to that day!
Tonight at the hospitality house I attend, we talked about Titus. Unfortunately, I wasn't paying very good attention to the speaker (sorry Brian). My mind was wondering here, there, and the next place, never quite settling on anything specific. Then something caught my attention. Brian talked of remaining steadfast. He was referring to Paul's instructions to Titus; for him to remain steadfast even though the Cretans were well known as liars, and it would be difficult to get through to them. The word steadfast is what really caught me. Steadfast: marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable. Usually, this word is used in hard times as a way to keep people strong. God used it in a different way in my mind. He reminded me that though I may feel like I am in a spiritual slump, it is all part of His perfect plan for me. He truly has something awesome planned for me, even if I can't see it just yet. I just need to remain steadfast so I can reach the next step, taking it one day at a time.
This has been me for the past month. It is one of the reasons I haven't had much to write. I don't feel like God is working much in my life. It isn't that He isn't there. It's that I don't feel Him. I can see how He is providing for me (all the substitutes got a raise!), how He is caring for me (I have great friends to keep me company even when I feel alone) but I don't feel it. I certainly don't feel like I have learned anything new or made any great stride in my relationship with Him. No revelations here. Just plain old daily life, which in my world is not really all that plain.
I've been through times like this before. Everyone has cycles in their relationships. Times when everything is really great, times when things are not great at all, and then times when you are somewhere in the middle. Who knows whether the next step will be up or down? Usually, in my relationship with God, these "dry spells" are preparation for a great conviction in my life. Some unique learning experience or life changing moment. Oh how I looked forward to that day!
Tonight at the hospitality house I attend, we talked about Titus. Unfortunately, I wasn't paying very good attention to the speaker (sorry Brian). My mind was wondering here, there, and the next place, never quite settling on anything specific. Then something caught my attention. Brian talked of remaining steadfast. He was referring to Paul's instructions to Titus; for him to remain steadfast even though the Cretans were well known as liars, and it would be difficult to get through to them. The word steadfast is what really caught me. Steadfast: marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable. Usually, this word is used in hard times as a way to keep people strong. God used it in a different way in my mind. He reminded me that though I may feel like I am in a spiritual slump, it is all part of His perfect plan for me. He truly has something awesome planned for me, even if I can't see it just yet. I just need to remain steadfast so I can reach the next step, taking it one day at a time.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
No Fear
It has been a while since I have had the opportunity to write. My best friend of 13 years was here for the past 2 weeks, and we have had quite an exciting time exploring Europe. We even have the sunburn to prove it! ( I know, hard to imagine finding sun in Europe at this time of year) During one of our many long car trips the topic of fear came up.
As a military wife, fear is at our doorstep on a daily basis, especially when our spouse is deployed. Our spouses have dangerous jobs, no one can deny that. Yet, I live each day knowing that I have no reason to fear. Many question how this is possible. How, when there are so many variables that are out of our control, can I say without a doubt that I am not fearful? My answer is always God. My trust in the Lord is the only reason I can live a life free of fear.
When my husband and I started dating, he asked that I read a book by Chuck Holton titled "Bulletproof." It was not until I read this book that I fully understood a fear free life. I highly recommend this book to anyone struggling with fear in their life. The basic idea of the book can be summed up in a quote from Jim Elliot, the missionary to the Auca Indians killed in 1956. He wrote, "You are immortal until your work is finished." Basically, you and I, my husband, your spouse, your family, we are all bulletproof, immortal, until the day God declares our job finished, our mission complete. This also means that our job, our mission is a lifelong task, not to be completed in an instant, but to last a lifetime, however long that life may be.
Matthew 6:27 says, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Psalm 139:16 says, "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." No amount of worrying will help our situation, because we do not know our future, but God does. Only God can see what will happen in an hour or a day or 5, 10, 20 years from now. Fear only restricts us. It ties us down, disabling us from the many amazing, inspiring things we can do to brighten someone elses day.
Fear shuts us down, locks the doors, closes the windows, and if we let it, puts us in a straight jacket keeping us from living a full life. Don't let fear get you down. Trust the Lord, and make every day count!
(Shout out to my husband, thank you for the happiest 2 years of my life. Happy Anniversary!)
As a military wife, fear is at our doorstep on a daily basis, especially when our spouse is deployed. Our spouses have dangerous jobs, no one can deny that. Yet, I live each day knowing that I have no reason to fear. Many question how this is possible. How, when there are so many variables that are out of our control, can I say without a doubt that I am not fearful? My answer is always God. My trust in the Lord is the only reason I can live a life free of fear.
When my husband and I started dating, he asked that I read a book by Chuck Holton titled "Bulletproof." It was not until I read this book that I fully understood a fear free life. I highly recommend this book to anyone struggling with fear in their life. The basic idea of the book can be summed up in a quote from Jim Elliot, the missionary to the Auca Indians killed in 1956. He wrote, "You are immortal until your work is finished." Basically, you and I, my husband, your spouse, your family, we are all bulletproof, immortal, until the day God declares our job finished, our mission complete. This also means that our job, our mission is a lifelong task, not to be completed in an instant, but to last a lifetime, however long that life may be.
Matthew 6:27 says, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Psalm 139:16 says, "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." No amount of worrying will help our situation, because we do not know our future, but God does. Only God can see what will happen in an hour or a day or 5, 10, 20 years from now. Fear only restricts us. It ties us down, disabling us from the many amazing, inspiring things we can do to brighten someone elses day.
Fear shuts us down, locks the doors, closes the windows, and if we let it, puts us in a straight jacket keeping us from living a full life. Don't let fear get you down. Trust the Lord, and make every day count!
(Shout out to my husband, thank you for the happiest 2 years of my life. Happy Anniversary!)
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Sometimes They Just Need a Hug & Communion: Unity of Believers
The past two days were a whirlwind of activity.
Saturday, I spent the day with my high school athletes at a track meet in Mannheim. It was a chilly, rainy day. On days like these its not common for an athlete to perform at their best. Many of my athletes, first-time track athletes at that, were easily frustrated at their inability to perform well. One athlete in particular was extremely hard on herself. As a Senior, she expects to always perform at a certain level, but this meet she couldn't even reach her performance from a year previous. My heart broke for her. As a former athlete, I have been in her shoes. She wants so badly to do well, and yet that day just wasn't her day. After her last event, I went to speak with her. I didn't push her to talk, but just waited to listen. After a minute or so she finally spilled. Everything, all her worries and fears, came rushing out in tears. I immediately gave her a hug. God gave me the exact words she needed to hear. Words of encouragement and reassurance. She started to perk up, and by the end of the meet was back to her normal self.
It gives me such joy to see joy in a child. I think this is the reason I enjoy working with these students so much. The moment that they learn something (especially when you have been teaching it over and over for weeks, anyone who is a teacher or a mother knows what i mean) that moment when it finally clicks, is worth every second it took to teach them. Even if they have some pain and trouble in the process, its worth it in the end. And lets all be honest, all of us have times when we just need a hug.
Today was Communion Sunday at the chapel service I attend. Our Chaplain discussed 1 Corinthians 11:17-29. One thing he said that I found especially interesting, was the definition of Communion: the act or instance of sharing. Our Chaplain described it not only as a time of remembrance, but as a time of sharing with fellow believers. The kind of sharing that unifies us and gives us fellowship. Communion is not only about getting right with God, its about fellowship with other believers on such a level that you feel like a stronger family because of it. Because you all know that you have a hope for the future, and that all of you have this one strengthening bond. The bond that says, " For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." (1 Corinthians 11: 26) He will return!
Saturday, I spent the day with my high school athletes at a track meet in Mannheim. It was a chilly, rainy day. On days like these its not common for an athlete to perform at their best. Many of my athletes, first-time track athletes at that, were easily frustrated at their inability to perform well. One athlete in particular was extremely hard on herself. As a Senior, she expects to always perform at a certain level, but this meet she couldn't even reach her performance from a year previous. My heart broke for her. As a former athlete, I have been in her shoes. She wants so badly to do well, and yet that day just wasn't her day. After her last event, I went to speak with her. I didn't push her to talk, but just waited to listen. After a minute or so she finally spilled. Everything, all her worries and fears, came rushing out in tears. I immediately gave her a hug. God gave me the exact words she needed to hear. Words of encouragement and reassurance. She started to perk up, and by the end of the meet was back to her normal self.
It gives me such joy to see joy in a child. I think this is the reason I enjoy working with these students so much. The moment that they learn something (especially when you have been teaching it over and over for weeks, anyone who is a teacher or a mother knows what i mean) that moment when it finally clicks, is worth every second it took to teach them. Even if they have some pain and trouble in the process, its worth it in the end. And lets all be honest, all of us have times when we just need a hug.
Today was Communion Sunday at the chapel service I attend. Our Chaplain discussed 1 Corinthians 11:17-29. One thing he said that I found especially interesting, was the definition of Communion: the act or instance of sharing. Our Chaplain described it not only as a time of remembrance, but as a time of sharing with fellow believers. The kind of sharing that unifies us and gives us fellowship. Communion is not only about getting right with God, its about fellowship with other believers on such a level that you feel like a stronger family because of it. Because you all know that you have a hope for the future, and that all of you have this one strengthening bond. The bond that says, " For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." (1 Corinthians 11: 26) He will return!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Let God Do It
Today was an interesting day. Actually, the first week away really is always the hardest, at least for me. On the positive side, I was able to spend most of the day with my quilting ladies. They truly are such a joy to be with. Always fun and full of laughter! We literally quilted from 10am to 10pm (I know, call us crazy, but we love it!).
In that time I still had track practice with the high schoolers, and dinner at the hospitality house. After dinner we always have a time of worship and then someone either gets into The Word or gives a testimony. This week we heard the testimony of a man who went through a hard time looking for peace. There were so many things he wanted, but he continued to rely on himself to find it. What he finally realized was the only way to have true peace was to let God do for him all those things he needed. When he finally let go, God truly shined through.
Every military spouse knows, there is never enough time before your spouse leaves to finish all the things on "the list." In the last two days, my husband and I found out that his car won't pass inspection until a few things are fixed. Generally, this is a pretty simple solution, unless you know nothing about cars! Also, we will need to either sell or junk my car in the coming months because for us it isn't worth paying the insurance on it anymore. By themselves, these are simple problems with easy solutions, but with the stress of a recent deployment and the compounding of issues they begin to seem like bigger problems. Tonight, I realized (and broke into tears because of the revelation) that I have NOTHING to worry about. I just need to let God do it!
Letting go and letting God can be the hardest thing to do, but the freedom we have after is liberating!
In that time I still had track practice with the high schoolers, and dinner at the hospitality house. After dinner we always have a time of worship and then someone either gets into The Word or gives a testimony. This week we heard the testimony of a man who went through a hard time looking for peace. There were so many things he wanted, but he continued to rely on himself to find it. What he finally realized was the only way to have true peace was to let God do for him all those things he needed. When he finally let go, God truly shined through.
Every military spouse knows, there is never enough time before your spouse leaves to finish all the things on "the list." In the last two days, my husband and I found out that his car won't pass inspection until a few things are fixed. Generally, this is a pretty simple solution, unless you know nothing about cars! Also, we will need to either sell or junk my car in the coming months because for us it isn't worth paying the insurance on it anymore. By themselves, these are simple problems with easy solutions, but with the stress of a recent deployment and the compounding of issues they begin to seem like bigger problems. Tonight, I realized (and broke into tears because of the revelation) that I have NOTHING to worry about. I just need to let God do it!
Letting go and letting God can be the hardest thing to do, but the freedom we have after is liberating!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
The Beginning
Military spouses are an interesting breed. They live many days without their spouse, and yet remain strong. I am an Army Wife. Yes, just like that show on Lifetime, except REAL! I believe in God, and that belief keeps me strong in all the times of loneliness, because I am not really alone. God is always near. This is my life:
I've talked to quite a few who start a countdown for the day their spouse comes home. At the suggestion of a very strong Christian military wife, I want to approach this year in a different way. The title of my blog says it all. Don't count the days, make the days count. Instead of starting a countdown until his return, I will be blogging my attempt to make each day count for the Lord.
Living in Europe, it is easy to just go and travel while my husband is gone, but I want to do more. I want to make an impact and I want everyone I meet to know without asking that I am different, that I am a Christian. That means that I must live through my actions.
This may be a lofty goal for myself, but I have never shied away from a challenge.
I've talked to quite a few who start a countdown for the day their spouse comes home. At the suggestion of a very strong Christian military wife, I want to approach this year in a different way. The title of my blog says it all. Don't count the days, make the days count. Instead of starting a countdown until his return, I will be blogging my attempt to make each day count for the Lord.
Living in Europe, it is easy to just go and travel while my husband is gone, but I want to do more. I want to make an impact and I want everyone I meet to know without asking that I am different, that I am a Christian. That means that I must live through my actions.
This may be a lofty goal for myself, but I have never shied away from a challenge.
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