I Blew It, But That's OK

It's the last day of February, and I've already blown it!  My One Word to live by for 2015.

I have vowed this year to do what it takes to be gentle in my words and actions, to respond instead of react. And I blew it.

I noticed a rough patch of partaking in yelling matches with tiny humans (my children).  I noticed I wasn't as kind to my students at school when I became frustrated with their behavior and attitudes.  And with adults, well, I wasn't very nice in my thoughts and attitudes about their irritating behaviors. I may have even stuck my foot in my mouth a couple of times.  What else? I probably experienced a little road rage. I never really thought about it until we were in drive thru at McDonald's and my 4 year old yells, "GO ON PEOPLE!"

Umm yea. He heard that from his mama.  Not a proud moment.

So what was it?  What caused me to lose my temper, to be harsh, to be someone I wasn't proud of?

I realized I had not been spending enough time with my best friend

my Jesus.

No reason is a good reason.  I can blame the fact that I'd just finished my one year Bible and was waiting the arrival of my new chronological Bible. I can blame the fact that I wanted to get caught up on War and Peace and didn't have time to spend in God's Word.  I can blame blogging, wanting to talk about Jesus instead of spend time with Him.  I can pick and choose a bunch of different reasons. Again, none of them are good reasons.

I wasn't spending time with God like I should have been. Plain and simple.

What I've noticed about myself is this.... The less time I spend with Christ, the less I am like Him.  The more time I spend away from Him, the more likely I am to ruin my witness. Basically, I mess up. I have behaviors and attitudes I don't like.

But here's what true:  When I mess up, it's OK if I realize I'm not right with God and I try to fix it. Now, I'm not saying, "Oh, it's alright. Go ahead and fail."  Not at all. To God, it's nothing new that I'm a sinner. He loves me anyway.  He asks that I repent of my sins, in this case, my lack of gentleness.  He is just and forgives me even though I don't deserve it.  He knows that there will be a day, sooner than I'd like to think, that I'll fail again.  He is, after all,  El-roi - God Who Sees Me. He knows my failure is coming. Yet, there He will be, with His outstretched hand, ready to lift me back up.

For that I am thankful.  I am thankful that He doesn't expect me to be perfect, He only expects me to be the best me I can be and reach for Him to make me more like Him.  He knows I can't do it on my own.

But what now?  Now that I have seen the patterns of behavior and attitudes that come with spending less time with Christ, what do I do?  I have to make Christ a priority....excuse me....the priority.  I have to find out what excuses I have for not spending time with Him and rid myself of those excuses. I have to live daily with this in mind:  No excuse is acceptable.

Five Minute Friday: Visit

Hello, Friends!  Welcome to my Five Minute Friday post.  I am so glad you are here! You may be wondering, "What is Five Minute Friday?"  Well.....On Fridays, a bunch of writers gather at katemotaung.com to get her weekly writing prompt, normally, just one word.  Then we set our timers for five minutes and write.  The rules are: no over thinking, no editing, no judging, just write. Let the words flow until time is up.

So, are you ready to get started?  Well, here we go!

Why do I do this blogging thing?  The one and only reason is for Christ.  (Just so you know, I will come back and add a link to my first blog post so that you can read it. You can click HERE to read it.)

When I started this blog, I wanted to bring honor and glory to Christ with my words. I wanted to make a difference in the lives of others in this little space called A Life Worth Living.

Because really, it is.  Life is worth living, especially when we live it for Him.  He is my all in all and when you visit here, I want you to be touched, moved, encouraged, challenged. I want you to see Christ in my writing and in my living.

I have visited blogs that I never wanted to visit again.  Then again, I have visited blogs that I can't get enough of.  These writers have encouraged me and helped me know Christ a little better. For that, I am grateful, and I hope that I can return the favor.

God gives us a story to write, and I use this little bit of web space to share my story.  I hope that when you visit here you are encouraged and want to come back to see how Christ is working in my life, how He helps me to grow and change and be the woman He wants me to be.

We Aren't Really Losers

I am so excited to tell you that I have my first guest blog post at Planting Roots today.  You can read about my journey through reading the Bible in one year.  I am hoping you can relate.  Don't forget to leave a comment with your thoughts.

Head on over and check it out!

Five Minute Friday: Open

It's another SNOW DAY here in South Central Kentucky.  On top of that, it is time for Five Minute Friday.  Writers set the timer for five minutes and write about the prompt of the day. No over thinking, no editing. Just writing.

Here we go....






An open door policy.

I once worked for a company that had that.  Well, they said they had it, but it wasn't true.  You could go to them and be honest about how you felt, but then they made things harder on you.  Needless to say, I no longer work for them.

God has a real, true open door policy.

We can go to Him and He doesn't turn His back on us.  He loved us when we were still sinners, after all.  Why would He change His mind?

The wonderful thing is is that God doesn't change His mind.  He is the same today as He was yesterday.  And even better, He will be the same tomorrow.  I am a big ol' mess. I am so far from perfect it's pitiful, but God doesn't give up on me.  He desires to have a relationship with me. He loves working on me, molding me, and changing me.  When I wiggle and move and get uncomfortable about what he asks me to do, He doesn't give up on me.  He keeps that door open, holds me closer, and continues His good work in me.

I don't know about you, but I am so glad that God's door is always open.

Stop.

Would you like to join in with some Five Minute Friday writing of your own or just read some other FMF posts?  Well, head over to katemotaung.com and join in the fun.

Shh! Don't Tell the Kids

Walking through the grocery store, you spy your favorite treat.  Whether it is Entenmann's Chocolote Donuts, Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies, or Cherry RC, you wonder if it is worth the purchase.  After all, those little humans - your children - are sure to get the first and last bite (and all those in between).  But you take a chance.

You make the purchase and quickly put the groceries away when you get home.  You think you've done a great job of stashing away your guilty pleasure. You are sure Sherlock and Holmes couldn't even find it.

But those tiny detectives found it.  You don't know how, unless they have the keen sense of a wild animal, maybe like how a shark can sense a minuscule amount of blood in a sea of water. Whatever, they found it. Now it's all over.  You'll never get a bite!

Days later, you are cleaning up the kitchen and you notice an empty box on the counter. Before you toss it out, you feel a slight weight.....could it be?????? You dare to show any excitement at the possibility.....Yes!!!! Score!!!!! One more!!!!!

But Shhhhh!

Don't tell the kids.

There is no time to spare.

Quickly, quietly

you unwrap your treasure

and take that first bite.


Mmmmm!

Delicious!

But wait.

Were those tiny footsteps you heard??

Probably not. Spongebob is on.

Just to be safe though, you nonchalantly stare out the window, back turned to anyone who may enter the room, and secretly devour your treasure.

Shhh! Don't tell the kids!

You know I'm not the only one.  What is your favorite treat that you hide from your kids?  How does hiding work out for you?

An Inconvenience? I Think Not!

Snow Day #3

I haven’t left my house since church Sunday morning.  10 inches of snow later, I am resting in my house. Kids are playing and behaving(for the moment).  Just got the call: No school for the remainder of the week.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed everyone’s Facebook posts of snow pics: sledding, snow angels, snow cream.  I’ve cringed at the photos of car wrecks and people driving on snow covered roads. Well, I assume the road is under there somewhere. 

People are frustrated because they can’t get out of the house.  The grocery stores are out of milk and bread.  Kids are going stir crazy.  Parents are constructing escape routes and finding hideouts. What an inconvenience 10 inches of snow in South Central Kentucky can be!

Just like anything else, we can choose to look at this situation in two ways: an inconvenience or a blessing.

We are a society of GO, GO, GO!  We race around chained to a schedule.  I know this better than anyone.  Last week, I barely spent any time with my family. There was homework, shopping, preparing for and attending a National Guard Conference, parent teacher conferences.  Something called my name every moment of everyday.

Now, here I sit, surrounded by books, remotes, a laptop, and coffee, wearing leggings and a long sleeve t-shirt, peeking out the window at a snow covered neighborhood.

It’s beautiful!

For me, it’s a blessing.

For one, I’ve been able to slow down.  Sleeping in. Taking naps. Playing Mario Baseball on the Wii.  Reading. Working on laundry. Cuddling.

My children have had so much fun in the snow.  Bundled up, they trudged from the back door to a snow-covered wonderland.  The air was filled with laughter as their daddy pulled their sleds behind the four-wheeler.  For three mornings now, their eyes widened in amazement of the pure whiteness that spread across our lawn. 

How can that be seen as an inconvenience? 

Sure it is cold. Sure it’s messy.  But what else would have allowed me to just stop and relax and laugh and make memories with my family.

 

Yes, I won’t be happy when we have to make up these days at the end of May, but my children will never forget the time they spent with their mama and daddy playing in the snow, cuddling on the couch, and just being together.

Things people will never understand

I usually hate reading comments on news articles, blog posts, and Facebook posts, especially those that contain controversial topics.I get frustrated with people, their lack of knowledge, class, and common sense.  

Two years ago, when my husband was in Afghanistan, he had arranged for Roscoe, one of the mascots of the Bowling Green Hot Rods minor league baseball team, to surprise me in my classroom on Valentine's Day.  I never thought that these pictures would cause controversy.

It had been a rough day.  One of the boys was sick, and I really wanted to stay home with him. With some coaxing from my  principal, I got some help from my mom and made my way to work.  Hours later, Roscoe showed up.  After he left, I walked to the hallway, found one of my teammates, and cried.  I missed my husband. I wanted him home.

Later, I came across these pictures on Facebook. I was appalled by the comments. They weren't negative toward me, but they caused some folks to gripe about Roscoe not being allowed to deliver to their children, so it shouldn't have been allowed for a teacher.  The Hot Rods explained that deliveries were determined by schools according to their school policies.

My husband had taken the time to contact my principal, who was excited to be part of the surprise.  The office staff kept it a secret until the moment Roscoe appeared in my room.  A world away, my husband brightened my day.

When the comments appeared, I wanted to scream, "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!  MY HUSBAND IS IN AFGHANISTAN!"

But, I kept my mouth closed.  They didn't understand. Did they really need to know my side of the story?  I knew my story.

My story was my husband was serving in Afghanistan, ministering to our Soldiers who were giving these people the right to express their opinion.

My story was that my husband, although a world away in a war zone, found a way to show his love on Valentine's Day.

My story was that I was living a life they would not understand.

Not just with me, but do we ever really understand what a person is going through?  Do we know what life another person is living?

No, we don't.

We can be judgmental and selfish and make comments on things we can never understand.  When we do that, it hurts others, even if we don't mean anything by it.

When Jesus was being crucified, He cried out, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."  We too must choose to forgive when people hurt us, whether out of spite or on accident.  For me, forgiveness is not an option.  Jesus chose to forgive me, wretched me.  If He can do that for me, I can do that for others.

So, this Valentine's Day, I would like for you to consider true love. Real. True. Love.  The love that only comes from Jesus.  Once we know that love, it is so much easier to share that love with others.  That's how we come to forgive and love those that will never understand our stories.

My Valentine

My Valentine

Does your Valentine give you chocolates and roses?

My Valentine gives me so much more than that.

My Valentine….

Accepts me for who I am.

He gives me unconditional love.

He gives me faith and strength when I need it.

He gives me hope, wisdom, and courage.

He pours His blessings upon me.

With my Valentine, I can share what is deep within my heart and soul.  After all, there is no keeping it from Him because He already knows my innermost thoughts.

My Valentine fills my heart with gladness.

He helps me to see the beauty in my world around me and to cherish every moment as if it were my last.

He has taught me to love.

He has taught me to be patient.

He has taught me to believe.

My Valentine…

I want to give Him all my love and praise because

There is no other like Him.

The most important thing my Valentine has done for me is to give His life for me.

He loves me so much that He paid the ultimate price that I may have everlasting life, and that I may spend all eternity with Him.

That gift is greater than chocolates and roses,

greater than diamonds and pearls.

What did I do to deserve such a Valentine?

Nothing.

The truth is I don’t deserve Him.

But He loves me so much that He is giving me all He has to offer.

What did I do to accept my Valentine?

I admitted that I’m a sinner.

I believed that Jesus is God’s son who came to Earth and died on the cross for me.

I confessed my faith in my Lord, Jesus Christ.

Now, He is mine forever!

I don’t want to keep my Valentine all to myself.

I want to share Him with you.

Allow Jesus to come into your heart so He will be your Valentine every day of your life.

written Feb. 2, 2007

Five Minute Friday: When

It's Friday!  We made it through another week.  This week has been quite busy around these parts.  But hey!   I can still make time for Five Minute Friday.  You know the drill.....a writing prompt,  a timer set to five minutes, ready, set, go write!



We are impatient people.  Did you know that?  We have high speed everything.....internet, instant cell phone service, drive thru restaurants, and airplanes that take us around the world......fast.

But it is never enough.

We are worse than children.

The question "When?"  is as much as part of our daily life as breathing.  Seriously.

When is my alarm going to go off?

When is my coffee going to be done?

When is the mail coming?  I am expecting that package today.

When will the doctor call?  I want my results now!

When will this deployment ever be over?  I miss my husband.

When will these children stop fighting? I am about to pull my hair out.

When will I get a raise?

When can I retire?

When are we going on that dream vacation, buying our dream home, getting that new car?


When??????


For the many "whens' in life,  one thing comes to mind.....

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

Those words remind me that no matter what I am waiting for, God is right there.  He is in control. He's got this.....whatever "this" may be at the moment.

So, when will I learn to let go and let God?




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Thank you so much for joining in. Loving Five Minute Friday?  Head on over to katemotaung.com and join in.  Submit your own post or just read what some amazing folks have to say.

Have a wonderful weekend!  Happy Valentine's Day!

Five Minute Friday (On Saturday): Keep

I guess it is better late than never..... Time for a little Five Minute Friday.  You know, when you get to spend five minutes writing....Ahhhh. Love it.  Ready?  Keep reading :)

Here we go.

Keep.

Its a word we use a lot.  Nowadays, there's a bunch of those Keep Calm..... quotes plastered everywhere. I admit, I have a Pinterest board dedicated to them.  Keep Calm and Hug a Soldier. Keep Calm and Eat a Cupcake. Keep Calm and Drink Coffee.  Keep Calm It's Almost Spring Break (for my fellow teachers). The list goes on.

Keep means to maintain, to continue.  And you know, I never really thought of the word as having a meaning, just a word that we use often.

But continue, maintain.

That's got something to it.

For me, I want to continue to grow in my faith, to maintain and build upon my relationship with Christ.  I want to continue to raise children who are obedient, trustworthy, kind, and compassionate.  I want to continue to offer my husband the support he deserves and needs from me.

I want to keep on trying to be the woman that God has created me to be.  That isn't always easy, you know.  But I am so very thankful that God keeps.  He keeps his promises to take care of me. Regardless of my mistakes, he maintains His faithfulness to me.

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Thank you for joining me on this Saturday evening for Five Minute Friday.  If you would like to join in or read more, head on over to katemotaung.com.  She'd love to have you!

Happy Weekend, Friend!

Take Control, Lord

I am so excited to be at Wives of Faith today.  Please stop by there and check out my blog post.