You Know Me, But Do I Know You?

Yesterday we remembered. Memorial Day. We solemnly honor those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. They gave it all. 

On social media, I came across a precious woman's post yesterday. Her name is Glennon. In her post online, she asked people to share the names of their loved ones who paid that price - their heros. In return, she promised to write down each name and hold a ceremony in the evening with her family to honor each and every name, out loud, and with respect. Displayed on her dining room wall, below is the picture she posted yesterday evening as she dutifully honored each and every name. 

pic copied from Momastery Facebook page

The night passed and morning came. As I sat outside this morning reading a book given to me by a special friend (thanks again, Diana!), I came across the following quote by Jennifer Geralds:

"We live in a world of over six billion people. Can you imagine trying to keep track of all those faces, those names, those life stories? The magnitude of it all can be overwhelming. Your own significance comes into question. Can a single life, like a drop of water in the ocean, really matter? "

As I reflected on Glennon's picture this morning, my heart responded to that question with a resounding, screaming YES! It is obviously a no-brainer, but how often I forget. 

Then, I came across Isaiah 49:15-16. God tells us, "I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands."

God knows us. He knows you. He knows me. He loves us and knows us. It's not just a love that is carved into a tree trunk and scratched out years later. We are forever engraved and carved into the palms of His hands. It is an intimate, forever kind of love, and we matter to Him. 

No matter how busy my life gets or how often I forget to study His word and talk with Him -- he NEVER forgets. 

As I reflected on this simple but often overlooked truth, I remembered the graduate school honors medal that I just received from Liberty University. It came in the mail. A GOLD medal. It is given to Masters students who graduate with a 3.95 GPA or higher.  

I was so proud of this medal. I worked hard to graduate with a 4.0. Granted, we know that God asks us to give our best in all that we do (Colossians 3:23-24). So, I am not discrediting the merit of hard work. However, what I ashamedly realized was that I've spent so much of my time learning and gleaning from the world's knowledge, but I cannot say the same for God's. 

Yes, I've read the Bible through. Yes, I've completed Bible studies. Yes, I've seeked His face. But when this world passes away, and I face my Creator face to face. Would I even be worthy of a medal? Would I have to trade in my Summa Cum Laude status for a "Thank the Lord-y"? Or would it really be more like a desperate "Please, Lord".

What will my spiritual REPORT CARD look like? Pass or Fail - there are no do-overs.

I don't want to hear my Father say, "Depart - I never knew you."

I began this morning really digging back into the only study that really matters - His Word. I hope you'll join me. I excitedly look forward to that graduation day in the sky - CLASS OF ETERNITY. 

YOU KNOW ME, BUT DO I KNOW YOU? 

* Ask that question to God. Now, imagine God asking you. What would the answers be? 

Until next time...

BUSY, but Blessed

Busy but BEYOND BLESSED. 

This is a phrase I use often to describe my life, and I think it's pretty accurate. Many happenings have taken place since my last post - hence the reason for such a long absence from blogging. However, that should be changing soon, now that I will finally have some more down time!! Woo-hoo!! That thought just makes me happy. Before I jump full speed back into writing and blogging about various topics, I thought I would at least catch you up on the past several weeks.  

obligations. The past couple months have been full of many obligations that consumed most of our time. 

• We have now wrapped up our Tuesday night Inner City Bible Class for the year. We had a sweet group of kinderbabies this year and will definitely miss them over the summer. However, I cannot complain about the much needed break.
  
• Paul is also wrapping up the Wednesday afternoon tutoring for the year (I quit tutoring awhile back due to other obligations). We've sure enjoyed having a few of the girls join us on Wednesday nights for dinner and church!!
  
• I've been busy with cheerleading, as we kicked off our new season in April. The girls are busy preparing for next year; however, we will take a much needed break over the summer.
• We've also had several church friends who have/are getting married or have had new bundles of joy over the past two months! There have been many baby showers, bridal teas, and fellowship opportunities throughout these occasions that have kept our plates full, yet fun!

graduation. I am finally FINISHED with grad school!! I graduated Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA) from Liberty University with a Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling. I learned a lot throughout grad school and really enjoyed my experience; however, I am pretty pumped about not having to write any more lengthy term papers, take extensive finals, or live my life on crunched due dates for awhile. This will free up some time, and I am ready for the reprieve! -- Also, Paul has now finished all of his classes for his Ph.D. All he has left is his dissertation, and he plans to take his time on this and finish it within the next couple years. I am SO proud of him, but I will not be joining him, myself, in the venture for a doctorate. This girl is finished with school as a student!!! 

Dapper. As excited as I was to finish grad school and finally have some free time, I apparently do not know how to do so. I finished with grad school on a Monday and decided on Tuesday that I wanted a puppy. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision (as we were not planning on getting a dog for quite awhile), but it was one that would consume my thoughts for the next few days. Thus, on Friday of that week we went to pick up a sweet, 6-week old Golden Retriever puppy. We named him DAPPER, and a dapper boy he is!! He is just so cute, which helps him get away with a lot. We have missed quite a bit of sleep lately and our schedules have had to adjust quite a bit, but we are in love. Once I finish the school year out as a teacher, I will be at home with him, and it will help out a lot!

decorating. Now that I have a little it of extra time, I am now conquering the task of redecorating our living room, kitchen, and dining area. When Paul and I first married, I quickly placed some decorations to make the house more of a home and less of a bachelor pad, but now it's time for some better styling. I really enjoy decorating, so this has been a fun task! 

downtime. Most of all, I am looking forward to some downtime this summer! My school year as a teacher winds down in another week, and my summer will begin. Putting textbooks aside, my personal summer reading list keeps growing, and I could not be more excited. It's been awhile since I've had time to just read for pleasure. I will also have time to play with my sweet Dapper. Not to mention, I will finally be able to put forth the time I would like to my Bible studies. Then, if I have some time left over (because I do not know how to relax), then I plan to begin teaching myself Spanish so that I can converse with others more on things like mission trips. Speaking of trips, Paul and I have also been planning out ideas for summer getaways to enjoy some relaxing time together away from the hustle and bustle of our busy but beyond blessed life. 

Lots of various blog posts coming soon!! Stay in touch!

Until next time...

The Life Epiphany I Gained From My Students

It's not what you know but who you know.

This old cliché haunted me during the eight months that I was unemployed. I was a newlywed, a top graduate in my field, and beginning my new life as an "adult". There was just one problem though -- I apparently didn't know the right people. Interview after prayerful interview, it was just one more door closed. I hated that stupid cliché, as it was becoming so true in my life.

Granted, there is some truth to the saying. I may have had a lot of knowledge about my field, but it was not my accolades that landed me my job. It was definitely WHO I know - my faithful Savior that had a plan for me. So, after eight months of crying and pleading with God to show me what He wanted, I landed my current job as a middle school English teacher. 

Oh, I stumbled through my first full year -- actually, it probably resembled more of a drowning, flailing victim. There were MANY late nights, MANY tears, MANY headaches, and MANY times where I felt like I had chosen the wrong field. Thankfully, though, there was that blessed second year right around the corner. 

I was still no where near perfect that second year (as my students will quickly point out) and still have much to learn, but I'm happy to report that I've almost survived it!! What I do know, though, is that my students completely anihilated that cliché that haunted me during my job search.

If there was one thing that I learned VERY quickly it was this:

No amount of earthly knowledge or acquaintances would prepare me for my new title as TEACHER.

That little cliché wasn't ringing quite as true after I actually landed the job.  I've learned a new life lesson, for which I owe all credit to my students:

It's not about who you are but what you are.

Who am I? I'm an older sister and a valedictorian. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and over-achiever. I cheered for 9 years and am a sorority alum. I've made a lot of bad choices that I wish I could change. I'm a sinner, but I'm also saved by grace. I'm a newly married gal and a top graduate in my field. 

You want to know how much my students cared about all of that? NOT ONE SINGLE BIT.

What they did care about was what I was to them. 

• It's that student that thanks you with tears in her eyes for being the mother-figure that she doesn't have.
• It's the student that you've struggled to motivate all year that finally beams with a huge smile after making the highest grade in the class because you were that unfailing support that they finally quit resisting.
• It's that sweet cheerleader that you coached that really taught you more than you probably taught her.
• It's that straight-A student who suddenly starts flunking on tests, and after you pull them aside they immediately bring their performance back up because they can't stand to disappoint someone who cares so much about them.
• It's another student who says: "Remember when you told us there would come a time in the year when we wouldn't like you because the work would become increasingly more rigorous?....yep, today is that day." -- Then, they later come back and thank you for pushing them to the potential they didn't know they had.
• It's that student that thanks you time and time again for being understanding on that "really bad day" that they were having.
• It's that student that surprises you by telling you that you are their comic relief  and sense of peace throughout the day (we'll take that as a compliment).  haha
• It's the student that comes back to tell you they will pray for you because, after all, they'll never forget when you prayed them through.
  
• It's the student that comes to you when there's trouble because they see you as a source of hope and justice.

It's all this and more...I could go on for days. 

I may not be the best teacher or have the highest scores in the state. I may not have all the answers to their questions or be able to solve all their problems. I may be a short little teacher that looks more like a student than an adult. But, I've learned that who I am pales in comparison to what I am to them.

TEACHER -- It's not just who I am; it's what I do.


P.S. I challenge you to think about the same for you. All the success, fame, and fortune in the world doesn't define you. What you are to other people DOES.  Jesus was a carpenter, the Son of Mary, and man of 33. That's who He was...but I'm much more interested in WHAT He is to me --- My Savior!

P.S.S. On a less serious note, here's a teacher funny from today...

my student today: "Guys, guess what?! I was at the orthodontist yesterday and
saw Mrs. Lanza in a magazine. Our TEACHER is in a magazine!!"

The surprise of my students when they realize I actually have a life outside the classroom -- it never ceases to amaze me.

Until next time...

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...