Protect Your Wives

I remember sitting in my young adults small group when I was 25 and the married female leader said...yeah there are lots of guys who will "die for you" but I always ask mine "will you just do the dishes?".

We fall in love with men we feel close to, make us laugh and most of all have our backs. It doesn't matter if they are buff beef eaters or scrawny skinny jean fashionistas. We envision our husbands as our hero if push came to shove.

Truth be told though many of our men never have to really bare fists in a chivalrous pursuit for our sake. It just doesn't come to that. 

But there is an area that it does. In a spiritual sense it does all the time. Every day. 
Are the men we married barring fists against a devil that seeks to destroy everything he has, including his wife and loved ones?

Recently in the last few months I've pushed my husband on the topic of, if you really loved me you would keep me in prayer. That may seem a bit selfish or self absorbed. But seriously, he's my man! I pray for him all the time. I raise him up to God often. I only expect the same.

So he did.

I will confess that there is slightly nothing more sexy than a man who has said, when you've overcome some big obstacle... "yeah, I've been praying that you would get through that". 

My warrior! My guy who has my back like I have his. Talking to Father God when I am down and out. Seriously. That is love. 

So my encouragement to all men is to pray everyday for your woman. Get out there and be persistent and passionate in your prayers. And not just for her to have a good day. Perk up your ears to what is burning on her heart and what aches in her soul. 
Put up your fists against evil and reach out to your Father as God Almighty, knowing he'll move mountains.
Many Christian men may seem quiet and subtle. But truthfully a Christian man who has his ears perked to his wife and his head bowed to Jesus. Now that's a real man!

Who Dareth to Laugheth

Running late I grabbed a blueberry muffin and hot chocolate at the local Coffee Culture and headed over to the church for praise team practice. 

As I came in it was a pretty relaxed atmosphere and we all got ready to sing and play.

I set my muffin and coffee on the table at the front of the church.

Taking the muffin I popped the top (seinfeld).....and paused.....

And there is was. A moment that was either funny or sacrilegious...or a bit of both.....

"this is my body...broken and given for you...do this in remembrance of me..."

And I bit into my blueberry muffin....

Then Kegan came over for the hot chocolate part....

"and take this cup....."

"drink this in remembrance of me..."

Feed me something I like!

There was probably a point in my life when I really enjoyed grocery shopping. Like when I was single. And had just moved out. The time in my life when I thought it was reasonable to buy ice cream and frutopia at full price. I didn't even look for the word Sale!

Walking out of a grocery story hauling a nearly $250 shopping cart of food and household products though can be a bit devastating to the thrill of it all.

However all the price doesn't even daunt me these days. I have in my home little people with food allergies. Oh yes. That's right. Things we didn't barely bat an eye at when I was a kid. Now, its life or death (not literally) if I don't buy gluten free!

I walk into the grocery store like a unsaddled cowgirl ready for a fight. My sinister enemies are wheat, egg whites, oranges, sulphites, cows milk and all the food colouring. But that's only for my oldest son. I'm a no egg white and no milk kinda gal. While my other son is no milk and corn. But we don't even try for no corn. That's near impossible. So he's on his own surviving. And my dear husband has his own foods but he's decided he doesn't care and is going to eat whatever the heck he wants to eat! 

I go through the grocery store once over for my son with the long list. Its just easier that way. I then proceed back through the isles for everyone else and all the REaL FoOD! 

Today was a day in the store where I was just plain tired. It felt like I hadn't really fed my children in ages. I kept short cutting meals to peanut butter sandwiches  (GF bread) and cheese and craker meals. Little people always turn their nose up at finely prepared meals anyways.

So I just bought today. I just got what I needed and didn't wander about over the prices. 

Circling around for my second lap of the place I stood in the cereal isle. It occurred to me that in getting everyone else's likes and allergies I rarely shopped for what I wanted. Unless it was a quick junk food buy at the end. I know ... sad.

So there I was...me and the cereal isle.

oh the choices! the selection! the price! ouch!

on second thought. Personal food was so overrated. Knock off brand frosted flakes it is. Now lets blow this popsicle stand!!

Well grocery store. We'll always have those good single years. 

who are you if striped down to the base?

Lets peel back some layers of "YOU"

Who would you be if you were not measured by your job?
If you were not seen as a 'spouse' or found worth in having children?

Who would you be if the style you wore didn't define you and so it was torn off you till you stood naked?
And If your weight had no weight on who you were either....

Who would you be if you could erase a past of hurt that taught you to hurt.

Who would you be if you didn't struggle with that ailment, allergy, or handy cap?

Strip off the titles
...the fashion...
the insecurities...
...the pain...
and the physical hold backs....

and who are you?

Lost and no where to be found

Two weeks ago I took out a dvd for Crazy Love. A series my small group is studying. I put it in my playstation and discovering that it didn't play. Or I think that's what it was...its been another week or so and now I can't quite remember the events properly. I think i ended up setting it down ..or maybe not.

Anyways. Here I am. Scouring my house for it now. 

It amazing when you've lost something of value how you will search relentlessly for it. I have checked under every piece of furniture on the first floor, including the appliances! I have found toys that have been lost for quite a while but no dvd. 

I even gave way to the thought that maybe my kids had stuck it under the rug and pulled that up to check. Pulled stuff out of cuboards they have access to and as I look my house is slowly getting cleaner. 

So now I'm done this floor. With no idea where it could be. 

The last time I had dvd's missing they had actually still been in the player. My kids would pick up the player and turn it over and the dvd would fall inside of it. I found 3 veggie tales in there! But that player is long gone now.

Part of me worries...did they put it in the garbage? I hope not.

The bible talks about a woman who lost some money in her home so she looked all over with persistance until she found it. Another story tells of a man who found a gem in a field and went home and sold everything he had and then bought the field. 

It goes to show that when we lose something of value, to what great lengths we'll go to find it.

Made in Heaven. Sustained by God

I heard this song I think it was talking about how we are to do everything to God's glory. I've been learning more about what God's glory IS and just how that effects my life personally.

In my head giving glory to God represents recognizing both out loud and in our being that everything we have came from Him. He has made and sustains me. I am unable to live apart from Him. He alone makes my heart beat each day and my morning coffee brew to its fullest!. For all of that immenseness I am designed to turn to God and say....Thank you. That - is glory. Recognizing...its not me..its Him. (and letting others know that too...out loud...in our native tongue..)

So here I am. Frustrated at having two boys who are crawling on everything and drooling everywhere and we are unable to get out because their nap times are synchronized to be one after the other instead of together. I can't go to our home church because they cry  and wail and break my heart that they dislike it there. I don't dare do groceries anymore with both of them! And my home is a disaster zone. Company be advised!

So glory to God in the highest from a home of crazy mom and kids.?/......

In attempts of this I did two things only today. I washed my cuboards and railing of dust and ceiling fans of dust. Fed us all. Then sat down on the carpet and played with them.

Just played. Hows that for glory. Oh yeah. Thank you God for kids! now I'm going to actually ENJOY having my kids!! I'm going to zoom cars around and break up "mine" arguments. I will hug and kiss and cuddle and dance with and roll around with.

Because..Thank you. You sustain me God. And you sustain my relationship with my boys too.