Questioning

Do I base my opinion on what other people think?
Do I allow what they say into my heart to sink?

Is my merit based on work? Is my life based on fame?
If it is, wow, that would be such a shame.

Useless as a severed limb lying on the floor.
Doubting, seeking, asking what am I really here for?

Oh God instill in me a passion and a zest,
for this life you have given me, I truly am well blessed.

I think I have a listening ear.
Am I trusting you? Will I persevere?

Your plan I feel so strong one day
can nearly be swayed by one another day.

Yet here I am waiting for you please
confirm what I should do.

In that waiting let me wait
with patience, kindness, that is how I will pray it.

Where am I God? I can’t see where?
I look into the mirror and I stare.

Who are you there before me?
A woman waiting to be what I should be.

I long for solace in my heart,
Lord start today, please help me start.

To be motivated in all I do.
To work my guts out just for You.

On the roller coaster, its up and down.
Once a smile now a frown.

The fear that follows bind it up
Lord fill me up,please fill my cup.

My heart hurts and aches so.
Let your peace upon me flow.

Deepest water rushing in
cleansing me from hurt and sin.

Let your truth be evident
Let your peace be prevalent.

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What you say?

As I was reading…

Praying Scripture for the Kids

I was reading Psalm 119 this morning and I began to pray scripture for my family.

“Teach me good judgment for I believe in Your commandments.” Psalm 119:66

Lord, I fall short every day but I can’t live in my bed under the sheets weighed down with discouragement feeling like a failure. I would never leave me sweet solace also known as my bed if that were the case!!

Teach me good judgment when it comes to circumstances and people who I don’t know how to handle. Give me the knowledge that I need to process and deal with the things that come into my life. Give me the wisdom of Solomon as I train my children in Your ways.

Help me to guide them for You and into Your kingdom. My heart’s desire is for them to love You. My prayer for them is that they walk in Your path. I ask that when they rise on the wings of the dawn, if they settle on the seas. Even there Your hand will guide them. My hope is that Your right hand will hold them fast. (Psalm 139)

I pray that You would teach them O Lord the way of Your statutes, and give each of them and understanding so that they can keep your law and observe it with their whole heart. Father, please lead them in the path of Your commandments. May they truly delight in them. Incline their hearts to Your testimonies. You have done so much in their young lives, may they see and understand that. Help them not to do things for selfish gain. Lord, please turn their eyes from looking to worthless things that won’t fill them with lifelong peace and joy, but let them see Your abundance. Give them life in Your ways Sweet Jesus.(Psalm 119:33-37)

Bless my children with the fruit of the spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) With love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and especially self-control. That one God has been a challenge for all of us lately!

Father reign us all in to be aligned with Your will so that we can honor You. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

love the giver

the family nobody wanted. A must read book!

The Family Nobody Wanted

My cousin sent me this book as we have adopted 3 children. I didn’t read it right away because just the title alone is sad to me. As we have gone through each adoption, we have learned that nothing is EVER the same. 🙂 You are probably saying some smarty pants comment right now like “duh” or “seriously?” but you never know what to expect with adoption. Heartache and love go hand in hand.

Life changes so differently for each side of the family. This book made me laugh, cry, doubt, and lean more on God. He truly is the one who makes all things happen in His time.

I highly recommend this book to those whose hearts are blessed by adoption, to those considering adoption or those who work with foster care children. Rather, any person who loves should read this!

Have a wonderful day.

Tara

Fly Paper Mama

Are there times when in the distance, you hear someone calling your name? Are you actually listening?  Do you care?

Then you realize the person is right next to you, repeating your name and calling you. “MOM! MOM! MOM! Can you hear me? I am talking to you. MOM?!”. Is there a frustration that builds as they pull you from your own blissful world of silence?

Being a stay at home mom can be a challenge at times. There is a constant barrage of questions and answers that trickle in through the calm. Constant redirection and correction are your tools. Little rears, little noses and little hands that all need attention NOW!

Little lips are kissing my arm like one of those water pecking birds.

I am in the midst of doing some chore. The other two are speaking as they increase the decibel level by 10 so that they can be louder than the other to get my attention. The garden needs to be watered. Five piles of semi folded laundry are scattered in the living room. Dinner is in the oven and the dishwasher is in over drive.

Then someone announces, “The dog just rolled in horse poo mom and she wants to come in!”  

“NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! DON’T LET HER IN!!!”

“Hi Angel.” (In a very gushy talking to the dog voice. Those who have dogs, know what I am talking about!)

“OUT! OUT! OUT!”

“Mom, she wanted to say hi.”

“She can say hi from the door next time.”

(True story) 🙂

Do you feel like you just can’t listen anymore because you are so frustrated with life going on all around you?

Do you feel like Fly Paper?

Turn this situation around to yourself.  Imagine you are with a friend or a spouse having lunch or a coffee.  You are chatting away only to realize they did not hear a word you said.  Shock and dismay are pretty common reactions here. Feeling unimportant to them is another.

I really like to speak and be heard. I really like to listen. I have to remember though, that even though my children are little, they are still little people. They do need to be heard. I am training them by my actions and reactions how to be adult listeners.

Am I showing them that is ok not to listen while someone is speaking to them?

OR

Am I making them feel special, because I am taking time from my busy day to demonstrate the same love that I want to be showered with?

There is a great responsibility before us as we raise children to be good listeners.

Lend your ear today.  Listen to what the little people are saying. 🙂

 

Lord, let me be a good example to my children today. Guide me as I teach and instruct them in Your ways. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 ^{James 1:19-20 NIV “}My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”

You are the One

You are the One
By: Tara Young

You are my King and my Lord
Gracious forevermore.
You are the one
You are the one.

You the Savior, Son of the King
You are the One
You are the One

I lift my voice to You
You are all that’s good and true.
You are the One
You are the One

My heart cries out to you
You are deliverer too
You are the One
You are the One

Finding solace there
You’ve counted each and every hair
You are the One
You are the One

For every tear I’ve cried
for every lie I’ve lied.
You are the One
Yes, You are the One.

You are the beginning and the end
Alpha Omega without sin
You are the One
Oh, You are the One.

Lord You are the One
Yes, You are the One

Creator of everything
Life giving Holy God
You are the One
Yes, You are the One

Joy giving, heart healer
Mind blowing love revealer
You are the One
Yes You are the One

Jesus your mighty hand
Delivers me from sinking sand
You are the One
You are the One

Soiled and forgiven dove.
I am one You dearly love
You are the One
You are the One

God my heart you mend
When my clothes I have rend
You are the One
You are the One

Peace washes over me
Giving me hope in Your great mercy.
You are the One
Yes You are the One

Gladness unleashed
My life restored
You are the One
You are the One

You are my love
The One I adore
You are the One
You are the One

Love spilling out my heart is full
You’re so awesome. I am Your jewel.
You are the One
Yes, You are the One

Take a breath. Pray. Be a peacemaker.

Instead of yelling, I have prayed. Instead of letting my kids fight, we have prayed. Instead of letting frustrations get the best of us, we have prayed. Amazing what prayer can do! Amazing how many times we are praying instead of reacting too! “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.” Proverbs 15:1 NLT
“A prayer of one overwhelmed with trouble, pouring out problems before the L LORD, hear my prayer! Listen to my plea!”  Psalm 102:1 NLT
“He will listen to the prayers of the destitute. He will not reject their pleas.”  Psalm 102:17 nlt

In this tumultuous time of change, my temper has flared quite a lot.  My husband is so wise. He said, “Stop and pray before you react.”  I know this fact. I believe that the Lord answers prayer. Yet my sinful life overwhelms the truth.

I have to stop and pray so that I teach my children to do what is right instead of overreacting because of my circumstances.

Take a breath.  Pray.  Be a peacemaker.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”  Matthew 5:9

Takin’ me some supplements!

 

As I spent time reading my Bible today I laughed out loud. The kids were having a crazy time at the breakfast table and I had gotten up early to read my bible. I told myself that I was not getting up until I was done with my Bible study!

After a recent conversation with my 10-year-old where I had confessed to her that the “day” I was the nicest was the only day that I read my bible that week. She looked at me in all seriousness and said, “Bible study? Who knew?” Well that just solidified that my time without God had not gone unnoticed last week!

I spent time reading a couple of passages and really began to focus on one passage in particular.

Verse 5 struck me because as many of us have deficiencies in our diets, we are always told we need to take a supplement of some sort. Vitamin D, fish oil, and a really good multivitamin are a few I have been told to take.

Here was a biblical supplement list from 1 Peter 1:3-10 ESV

 

Take some faith with virtue.

Then you need some virtue with knowledge.

Add knowledge with self-control.

Self-control is paired with steadfastness.

On top of that, you need steadfastness with godliness.

For good measure you should also have godliness with brotherly affection.

The last important set is brotherly affection with love.

I am of course adding the humor here but it goes on to say that if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord.

So. What are we doing to supplement our spiritual walk?

Spending time in the Word anyone?

Be blessed friends and get your supplement daily!!!

 

 

Life lesson

Filling my stomach with food that I don’t need is like trying to do something only God can. Nothing fills like God. Nothing fixes like God. No person, no thing, no item can fill the emptiness. God is the only one that can fill a void that is left by sin being cleaned out. If you are empty, ask Him to fill you. If you are sad, ask for joy. If you are lonely, be a friend. If you are grouchy, ask God to make you laugh. If you are heartbroken, ask God to mend your heart. If you are fighting with someone over something dumb, stop fighting and ask God to make you a peacemaker. If you are a “functioning nagaholic” STOP and ask Gd to make you thankful for the blessings in your life rather than focusing on the negative and then harping on the people in YOUR path. Be thankful! Be kind! Be loving! Be gracious!~

Ok! so that was God’s lesson to me this morning.