Living In a World of Make-Believe

There used to be a show on tv when I was younger called Great Pretenders. Teenagers would dance and lip sync to their favorite songs/artists, imitating them. They were great pretenders. Make-believe.

With each passing day as I look around me in this fallen world, I'm beginning to wonder how many of us are really just Great Pretenders.  It's hard to know what's real when we're seemingly living in a world of make-believe.

make-believe: imitating something real; pretend

When we were little girls, it was so fun to pretend. We would play dress-up, dream of being the princess in movies, have pretend weddings, play house, play school, etc. 

Unfortunately, the "fun" seems to continue. As a woman, I am almost convinced that social media is becoming the biggest arena for make-believe, and it gives Satan his strongest foothold against women. We post pictures, tweets,  and even blogs to share our world with others. We begin to compare every aspect of our lives with the picturesque, photo-shopped, spell-checked, and filtered posts we see on a screen. We size up our reality to the make-believe world around us, which of course will always fall short. Then, we leave the virtual world to enter the real world, and what do we do? We start comparing again. Sometimes, it's not even intentional.

Her hair. Her clothes. Her job. Her marriage. Her children. Her jewelry. Her confidence.
Was that a sincere gesture? A snarky smile? A hidden jab? Fake gratitude? 

Is it all REAL or simply MAKE-BELIEVE?

I'm just as guilty. As I went back to look at my own posts, here's what I found:

I posted: "Required reading for my next grad class ...can't complain. So refreshing to have a class that pushes me to grow spiritually."  Should Say: I struggle to set aside time for my devotions; I was proud of myself for doing so today that I just had to share.

I posted: "Exercise + a nice walk with the hubs on this beautiful day = wonderful day!" Should Say: Beautiful day. Loved getting to spend time outside having good talks with the hubs. I could've done without the walking part, but it was kind of romantic and I know I need the exercise. Then.... a bird poo'd on my head! Not cool.

  

As I reflected on the posts above, as well as many others, I also began to wonder what captions God would give to our life posts. As we carry our Bible to church with us, say a prayer at the table, or give of ourselves to serve others, I have to ask myself the same questions:

Is it sincere? 

Do these actions naturally overflow from my relationship with God? 

Or have we just gotten so used to being Great Pretenders?

I know that I truly love God, and I also know that I have many friends and family who love God. We are all doing our best, and I'm not saying we should be perfect. That's impossible until that glorious day when God completes us. I'm simply emphasizing: We've gotta get real with God.

After all, he's going to be pretty real with us when we stand before Him one day.

Maybe you've got it all figured out and this post doesn't apply to you, and maybe I'm just writing this directly to myself. Either way, I have to wonder whether God would caption these life snapshots of mine much differently than I do. Would he say "Well done" or something else, entirely.

Humbling thoughts.

I challenge myself and you to:

1. Be real with yourself. Take a true self-inventory. Continue to do the right and change the wrong. Don't beat yourself up about it, just deal with it.

2. Be real with God. Spend time with Him. Ask Him to reveal to you what areas of your life he is pleased with and where you are Greatly Pretending. It may even be with Him. Let's bring the beautiful, as well as the broken, pieces of our lives to Him. He's our Father. He can handle it. Remember: Even Jesus pleaded with Him.

3. Be real with others. Utilize the church as God intended to help build you up in times of weakness and support you in times of strengths. Don't fake it. Learn to rejoice with others, while also helping carry their burdens.  

(I learned this lesson the hard way, but thank goodness for these wonderful people below...
and many others...who genuinely help me see the beauty of real relationships.)

The Servants @ Heart Bible class at our spring retreat a few weeks ago.
If you are in the Huntsville area and want to find a group to get plugged into...well, come on!
We'd love to get to know you!!

A world of make-believe doesn't always have a happily ever after. A REAL life with Christ does!!

Things aren't always what they seem. Let's learn to see the beauty in every aspect of our REAL life, even in the crumbling, broken, quirky pieces. After all, some of the most beautiful stained glass images are made from a lot of broken pieces. 

Until next time...

Time to Get Out theHose

Comparison. We're surrounded by it! We are constantly checking (whether purposefully or inadvertently) how we measure up to those around us? The thief of comparison comes in all shapes and sizes and it truly will steal our joy.

Is my house as clean and decorated as theirs? 
Am I putting as much effort into my workout as this man killing it beside me at the gym? 
How do my students' test scores compare to those at other schools?
I forgot to pray this morning, so I'm probably not as spiritual as they are.
She is like the perfect wife/mom; I can't compare to that.

If I'm being honest, these are the things I find my mind pondering throughout the day. And, I'm probably not alone. As if human nature didn't lend itself to the doom of comparison enough, we now have the wonderful world of social media. 

Social Media - you don't have to look very hard to find someone obsessed with it. There are people in your church, workplace, family, the car next to you on the road, in front of you at the checkout counter, at the booth beside you at the restaurant, or maybe even YOU. They are all consumed with fake socializing - you know - the happy tweets, materialistic photos, funny snapchats, and bragging status updates. 

When I say "they", I'm not pointing fingers, though. I'm right in the middle of it. Granted, I'm not saying that every person who uses or enjoys social media does so specifically in a materialistic, showy way; however, there are usually pictures and statuses that pop up on our feed that cause us to compare our lives to this "picture-perfect" (pun-intended) world depicted on the screen.

But, you see, things are not always what they seem. Then, again, sometimes they are. The point is that we are comparing ourselves to the lives, things, and accomplishments of others, and we may have no idea what aspects of life joyfully or painfully came before or after. In light of this, I've decided that I'm thankful that the disciples didn't have an Instagram (or other social media), or we would never know the awesome story of sacrifice that Jesus gave for us. We would only know the happy stuff. It's not too often that people share their heartache and darkest hours for the world to see. It's time to get REAL with each other (and that's a topic for an entirely different blog post). 

Everybody is going through something - sometimes it's a valley and sometimes it's a mountaintop. Just because all you see are the picturesque views of their mountaintop does not mean it's time to start comparing life snapshots. I read a book recently that mentioned the following simple, yet wise notion:

The grass that looks greener is the one that is being watered. 

So, maybe it's just that you need to get out the hose!

...and in the event that the storms of your life are providing enough rain right now, take advantage of that soft, muddy dirt you are currently calling life, and use it plant some new seeds of faith, hope, and trust in our Father. It will take time and continued care, but those seeds WILL grow in time and the sun will shine again. 

So, take out that hose and start watering the areas of your life that you often find yourself unpleasantly comparing to those around you. Don't fret over the mess you can't help. As my grandfather used to help remind me:  

Even the most beautiful gardens often come as the result of a little manure.

Don't compare -- TAKE CARE of what you do have and what you are, and ENJOY it!! :)

In keeping with this blog post, Paul and I were recently invited to attend
the Inventor's Ball in Huntsville this past week. It was such an honor to
be invited; yet, initially I was so focused on comparing how I would match
up to such big named attendees from our city. That's partly where the idea
for this post came from. I finally realized to just enjoy this opportunity.
After all, we were some of the youngest in attendance by far. I could have
spent the night comparing their accomplishments, income, and lifestyles
to my own - however, I made the choice to enjoy the blessings and opportunities
that we had been given to enjoy such a lovely night and not worry about the rest.

By the end of the night, we had attended a very nice event TOGETHER, and that was what mattered.
In fact, my $3.99 dress, paired with my shoes that BROKE (yes, both of them),
simply made for a fun night that fit US and was just as PERFECT as could be.
I quit COMPARING and just TOOK CARE of what I had. I'm so glad I did!!

LOVE THE LIFE YOU LIVE & Thank God for it!

Until next time...

You've been CHALLENGED!!

We've all done or heard of various challenges, like the ALS ice bucket challenge, that help raise awareness for a good cause and/or help save lives.

What if I challenged you to do something that would contribute to an even greater cause, one that SAVES lives in an even more powerful way than those mentioned previously?

I'm talking about a BIBLE VERSE CHALLENGE. Some of you are thinking: "seriously? I already did this when I was a child in VBS." But hear me out. 

We all have our favorite verses that we cling to and can quote at the drop of a hat. When a friend loses a family member - we often remind them of the 23rd Psalm. When a co-worker goes through a hard time, we quickly quote Jeremiah 29:11; and then when we struggle, we immediately turn to the Philippians 4:13. 

I have my favorite verses, and I'm sure you do to -- and there is nothing wrong with that. However, if you are anything like me, I have found that most of the verses I have memorized are those encouraging/feel good/prosperity type verses. Yet, when a nonbeliever or even the questioning believer asks me what I believe, I can quickly tell them....but, when they ask me why or where it comes from in the Bible, I ashamedly admit that I am often at a loss for words. 

That's real good witness right there, huh? Now, I'm not saying you have to memorize the books of Bible in order or know the answers to everyone's concerns, but I do think that it is vital for us to truly hide God words in our heart and truly be able to give an account for the hope that we have. 

If we do not know the Word and cannot provide scriptural evidence to others, then we merely have an opinion. Opinions alone do not win court cases, and they sure are not going to win over nonbelievers, many of whom are very knowledgeable and have their rebuttal ready.

Therefore, I am challenging myself to memorize one Bible verse a week that helps tell the good news of Christ. These are verses that help lay the foundation for living abundantly in Christ. I've even made a template that you can print off and put on a note card ring to keep with you. It's time we memorize these verses, study their context, hide God's word in our hearts,  and have the resources readily available to tell others about Christ rather than just saying: "Well, trust me, it says it somewhere in there." Instead, we'll be able to say: "Let me show you." 

Imagine the difference it will make in our lives and in others when we allow God to do the talking through His word, instead of our jumbled, opinionated ramblings!

Click the link below to print/download your own copy!

Core BIBLE Verses - Challenge

If you stick with me and go through this challenge together, over the course of the next 75 weeks, we will learn 75+ verses. What a resources that will be to have! Won't you join me?! Even if you do not feel the need or find this to be a struggle, this is still a great resource to print out, keep on hand, or simply download to your device. Let's grow together and give God the glory! Enjoy!

Until next time...

more BLESSING and less STRESSING

We are now into a NEW year! There's just something about having things that are NEW, isn't there?!

Like many of you, I, too, made my new year's resolutions. I saw my social media sites filled with people declaring to become a NEW self. There's only one problem with that: Jesus is the only source by which people are made NEW, yet many make their resolutions for their NEW self without any mention or recognition of Christ's help. (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:22-24; Revelation 21:5) 

In year's past I made quite a lengthy list of goals for myself, but you see that was the problem. The goals were for myself, not God. There's an interesting little tidbit about my God - he is not willing to share His glory with anyone.   

"I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give [or share] to no other." -Isaiah 42:8

Therefore, when we make our goals about us and not him, we shouldn't be surprised when we once again bomb out and fail miserably. So, whatever your resolutions/goals are for 2015, make sure that ultimately those goals can be used to bring the glory to the Father. 

For me, there was only one way to do that: forget my checklist of goals. You see, I am a confessed perfectionist, and I love nothing more than to check off my to-do lists with satisfaction while that little voice inside of me says "booyah!" But you see, that checklist is only for my benefit, not others and definitely not for God. Then, when I don't check things off fast enough, I begin to get down on myself, frazzled, stressed out, anxious, and the list goes on. So, this year I came up with one resolution:

This will be a year of
more BLESSING  and less STRESSING.

Whatever God allows into my life - the good, the bad, and the ugly - I want to use it as a source of blessing to others rather than a stressing on myself and those around me. If I come across a rough situation, how can I bless others and glorify God through it all? Instead of stressing about my weight and fitness, how can I use those occasional gym times to help bless others instead of making it about me? When I receive those countless undeserved blessings from God, how can I make sure not to gloat but use those blessings to bless others?

 ___________________________________________________________

Just a side note: It really does work. I actually started on my resolution a few weeks ago, just to get a jumpstart. That's the perfectionist OCD part of me. However, I have been BLOWN away by just how much it works when we focus our attention on how God gets the glory instead of stressing about our details. Below are a few examples, and I am by no means trying to toot my own horn - I am praising God for it! 

This Christmas, we decided to not really focus on extravagant presents for each other and rather focus our attention on others in need. They will never know who we are, and I'd like to keep it that way. That's not important. However, I received more joy in allowing God's blessings to be used through us, and that was more of a blessing than any money or gift from each other could have bought.

Then, we were blessed time and time again with people delivering lovely homemade goodies to us at Christmas. While we both have a lot on our plate right now, I remembered this blessing and pushed off the stresses of my schedule to make homemade treats for those waiting on loved ones in the ICU waiting room. It was so enjoyable to just bless instead of stress.

Today, as I was gearing up to hit the gym (a place that hasn't seen me in awhile) after complaining all last year about how much weight I had gained or how my figure wasn't what I wanted, I decided to put my resolution to the test. How can I use my gym time/weight concerns as more of a blessing that a stressing? Instead of focusing on myself, the scale, and how my jeans fit, I'd rather get fit with the higher goal of helping others, whether it's through running for a cause or simply witnessing to people at the gym.

Finally, God has allowed so many doors and given abundant blessings to us in 2014, and to list them all here would be more than this blog is meant. However, I pray that we use them all for His glory and His glory alone. Just a couple huge examples: God blessed us with being able to make two major purchases at VERY good prices that we hope and pray He will use to help us reach out to others. We now have a new truck and 20+ acres of land that we acquired last year. More immediately, we hope we can use the truck to help those around us, whether it's helping people move, delivering items, etc. In the long run, we hope to be able to build on the land and host fellowship events for friends, church and community groups, and those less fortunate.

We have been blessed beyond measure, and I do not say all that to brag. I say it show just a few examples of what we can do when we choose to bless instead of stress. Of the examples I gave, among all the other undeserved blessings and opportunities God has afforded Paul and I, my prayer is simple: Let it always be about God. If these blessings ever become more about us than God, may he completely strip us of those things and humble us under His glory.

________________________________________________________

We've all heard the PAY IT FORWARD saying, right? When someone does something nice for us, go ahead and do something nice for someone else -- then, the cycle hopefully continues. We all love to be on the receiving end of one of those "pay-it-forward" times, don't we? Guess what, we already are. Jesus already PAID IT FORWARD nearly 2,000 years ago, and we could never give enough to make up for such a generous offer -- but, you better bet that we should be trying. We have no excuse not to be a blessing to others. So, let me ask you the question I asked myself:

Are you more of a blessing or a stressing to those around you?

Let's devote this year to doing less stressing and more blessing!

Remember, though, we sure won't make it without Christ's help.

Show God to the world in whatever you do. After all, He does not exist for us and to fit our plans, rather we exist for Him and to fit His plans. As Jennie Allen said in her book Restless, often "we love being great more than making God great." It's time we get over ourselves and get after God.

Here's to a year of less stressing and more blessing!!

photo credit: taken by London Lane Studios

Until next time...

Why "HAPPY HOLIDAYS" doesn't offend me....

Merry Christmas!   Happy Holidays!!    Merry CHRISTmas!  

If you're like me, you've probably seen a variety of greetings appearing on cards in your mailbox throughout this festive season. Furthermore, you may have sent special cards of your own. For me, I've often questioned what type of greeting to put on my cards. If I put "Merry Christmas" or even the stronger "Merry CHRISTmas" it is possible that I will offend friends of mine who do not choose to celebrate Christmas; yet, if I put "Happy Holidays" other may be offended by my exclusion of mentioning Christ. Then the thought comes to mind - should I just put "Blessings" and leave it at that? 

Funny this is - I don't get offended by any of it, and here's why:

Should we remember Christ's birth and celebrate the most magnificent display of love that has ever been given? ABSOLUTELY! In fact, I think we should constantly Christmas story and find our place in this 2000 year old story that saves us from eternal damnation! 

** Check out another post: The Christmas Story: How do I fit into a story that's over 2000 years old?

 

So, hear me out when I say this: Is it wrong to say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas? NOPE! 

You see, Christmas is a day used to celebrate Jesus' birth as being December 25th. Furthermore, a study of the etymology of the word "Christmas" breaks down to "Christ"+"Mass" = "Christ sent." (Please do take into mind that the celebration of Christmas was not ordained in the Bible; rather, this Christmas celebration started as the pagan ritual of Saturnalia and was replaced with Christmas, providing a Christian twist to the traditional festival by the Roman Catholic Church). 

However, the etymological meaning of Christmas is quite interesting in that the time-frame around Christmas could have very well been when Christ was sent, in terms of immaculate conception. A closer look at Scripture, and the best historical/educational information we have available, best estimates the birth of Christ around the end of September/early October time-frame. 

** Don't believe me - check it out for yourself. For starters, grab your Bible and check out the information in this article: On What Day Was Jesus Born?

With a September-estimated date for the birth of Jesus, that could mean, then, that the immaculate conception took place in late December. Thus, validating why we now celebrate Christmas in late December as "Christ sent."  If all of this best estimated time-table is correct, it is intriguing to note that Christ was sent (the spiritual light of the world) into the world during the pagan Saturnalia - the darkest time of the year when the physical light of the world, the sun, is the farthest from the Holy Land.

Yet, the word "Holiday" also derives from the religious "Holy+Day". If Christ was indeed conceived around late December then that would definitely be what I would consider a very religious holy day.

Derived from the Roman Catholic Church, "Christmas" also means a mass for Christ or a communion/Lord's supper. So, whether you remember Christ's birth, death, and resurrection at a weekly communion, quarterly communion, or celebrate it during Christmas -- just please make sure you remember. :)

Thus, MERRY CHRISTMAS or HAPPY HOLIDAYS...

 Let us Remember the Reason for the Season!!  

Until next time...

CONTINUED: the Lanza tradition of lights

The Lanza tradition of lights continues...

Paul's grandparents, Joe and Iris Lanza, began the tradition in 1981 as they shared the joy of lights with others at their home on Horseshoe Trail.

Many have enjoyed the festive decorations for the past 32 years, and while that street will still be lit, the lights will not shine at their well-known home. Instead, the tradition continues at our home, along with our wonderful neighbors who carry the fun and lights along our street!!

This year stars a new band:

There's the Grinch on the keyboard,

Frosty on the drums,

An elf on the electric guitar keeping pace,

Rudolph leading the singing,

And Santa, who's all about that bass!

COME CHECK OUT THE FUN @:

Cove Valley Drive

Owens Cross Roads, AL

(We are near the Walmart in Hampton Cove -- there is also another house further down our street with over 80 inflatables, if that is more your thing.)

Click the links below to view the videos of the old and new tradition:

Our house:
Christmas Medley: http://youtu.be/s9_f9WisBGg

Paul's grandparent's house:
Lanza's Christmas - Horseshoe Trail: http://youtu.be/TMKpdu8E0a0

It's looking a lot like Christmas around here, and we are loving every minute of it!!

Until next time:

It's S'MORE fun when we're together!! --- (Winter Photo Session 2014)

 

Our first official picture on our land!

The view from our land! So blessed! Can't wait to be out here in quite a few years down the road.