CELEBRATE!!!

Yesterday I was thanking God for the body of believers that He has surrounded me and my family with. I feel so privileged to be connected with real people. I did not say real Christians(which they are), I said real people. I feel like everyday that I'm connected to them, I become more real.

Many places I had gone before always seemed to require me to be something that I couldn't. I never knew how to do it their way or forsake my way. I always seemed to be running after a new method. It was extremely hard for a person like me because I've never been good at faking anything. The person on the inside of me would not let me conform to this mold or form that was trying to shape me.

So, one day I was out walking around the bayou and I heard this still, small voice say "Did I ever tell you that you were not good enough for me?" I said, "No, my Lord. You have never ever said anything like that to me." That day started me on a whole new journey; a completely different path than I would have ever picked for myself. But God, my Father knows who I am and what I needed.

Now I'm at this place physically and spiritually that is allowing all of me to come forth in a whole new way. That doesn't mean I've reached perfecetion. Honestly, not everything that's coming forth is good; but I'm now at a safe place where my transparency won't be an offense, it will be a stepping stone. I am a work in progress, allowing the Master Potter to shape me into the great design He intended me to be from the beginning.

The people he has placed around me are the best people on earth. They make me feel free and safe when I make mistakes; they don't make me feel like a dunce. What a change!

So my advice today is celebrate who you are(weaknesses and strengths), celebrate who God the Father is to you, and celebrate those who celebrate you!

If you know someone who is in the same boat I was in, PASS THIS ON.

by jonSpotphotography.com

Time to Take a Good Look

I'm going to make this as quick as possible.

Calling all Christians to prayer...prayer for this nation, our President and other governing authorities. As Christians in the United States, we are in a crucial time. We are in the most danger we've ever been of losing all of our religious freedoms.

Think about this. We can now be thrown in jail for stating our beliefs. For goodness sake, pastors are being thrown in jail for speaking against sin in their own pulpit. A pastor in California was thrown in jail because he peacefully wore a sign that stated "God loves you and your baby. Let us help you", within 100 yds of an abortion clinic. This is a direct violation of his First Amendment rights. He never approached or harassed anyone, but today he is sitting behind bars.

As a sleeping giant, we must awaken. This is a pivotal season. If we don't pray and stand like never before, our generation and generations to come may suffer severe repercussions.

PLEASE VIEW THE VIDEO TOWARD THE BOTTOM OF THIS BLOG.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.


photo by yesukai

Keeping Christian Kids Christians

Many times over the past fifteen years I have been asked the question "how do yo keep your kids so balanced or how do you get them to behave so honorably?" My answer has always remained the same to parents. My husband and I set the standard and never let our kids pull it down. This actually works for Christians and non-Christians.

In our home, we have always let the Bible be our standard and we have made every adjustment needed to keep that standard. This is how you maintain a Christian environment in your home.

In my experience, I have mostly found that many parents and children are simply not willing to adjust their lifestyles and behavior to live as Christ; and that's how families find theirselves off balance. The Bible is filled with principles and values that keep our lives balanced but if these values are continually compromised then you really don't have a standard or value to live by. As a result, the family unit becomes more individually-focused. It becomes every man or woman for himself because each individual in the home now has their own way of living. At this point, most Christian children becomes extremely rebellious. They begin to turn to the world for guidance, support, and identity. Why? Because the world has a standard to live by.

Ever thought about that? Most Christians will tell you that the world has no standards, because of the lawlessness that is so prevalent in today's society. I beg to differ. I say that lawlessness is a standard. I say liberalism is a standard. I say rebellion is a standard because a standard is defined as a rule or principle that is used as a basis for comparison or judgment. Hollywood may seem immoral but there are plenty of standards in place; this leads me to my next thought.

The only other thing that seems to be worse than having no standard, is having more too many. That is confusing for any human being, especially children. They need to have consistent moral support and guidance which gives a strong sense of identity in Christ. The Bible is the only thing needed to produce strong morals for a family to soundly grow together.

photo by Akuman1

Good Seeds...Produce Good Produce

A while back, I was having a conversation with a teenage girl. She was expressing to me that when she would ask her mom for certain privileges, her mom would always give her a negative reaction. She went on to say that her mom never listens to her and is always yelling at her for no reason. I interjected by saying, "is there something you may be doing to bring this on?" She guiltlessly responded, "no." Well, I told her that I knew the truth, which was far from her side of the story. I knew about all the negative patterns of behavior she evoked inside the home as well. So I lovingly confronted her and said, "do you really expect good fruit from bad seeds?" After a little conviction set in, she responded "no, I guess not." She understood the point I was trying to make and thankfully, she is now on a much better path than she was back then. Not because of me; but because she has considered her ways.

The Bible says it this way in Matthew. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? A good tree can not bring forth bad fruit, nor can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

It doesn't matter if you're a teenager or a parent, I think we all tend to expect good things when we're sowing negative attitudes. So, let's take a quick test to see if we're reacting or responding wrongly because of bad seeds that may have been sown in us.

1. If we have a negative thought, there's a bad seed.
2. If we have a negative expectation, there's a bad seed lurking.
3. If we are prone to try to control things or people, there's a bad seed somewhere.

Honestly, it doesn't matter how many there are or how they got there; what matters most is that they be uprooted so strong, ripe fruit can come forth.

Concentrate on making your life the most beautiful garden it can possibly be with strong, healthy relationships.

I pray that you and your family will consider your seeds and grow together bountifully.

photo by Chris Inside

Transparent Reality

There is one thing, more than anything that has helped me establish healthy relationships. Not just with my kids, but with my family and friends as well. Want to know what it is? It's called transparent reality.

Transparent reality is putting yourself in a vulnerable spot of transparency so that others will connect with the person you really are at the core of your being, not the artificial person that you have grown more comfortable with people seeing on the surface. Years ago, this concept deeply changed me and my relationships.

See, I was one of those who was always striving after perfection and this made it very difficult for me to ever be seen less than flawless. I would go days and nights arguing about how other people were always wrong; after all, there was no way I could ever be wrong. In my mind, I was the standard. At that time, I was actually believing a lie which led me to living a lie. Everything I had ever known up to this point was very artificial.

Now let's fast forward a bit.

One day I went to my Christian women's group and the most life-changing lesson is being taught. I was introduced to the notion of being completely transparent so that I can live a life of complete freedom. This is exactly what Jesus did when He was on the earth. When He was hungry, He expressed it. When He needed help, He said so. He was the picture of Truth. Truth is transparent and it always brings more freedom to enjoy your life fully. I'm talking about freedom in every area of your life; freedom from people's opinions, freedom from self-hatred and condemnation, and freedom from all types of fear. What about this one? The most important of all...freedom to be exactly who God created you to be. I grabbed hold of this concept and I never let go.

We, as parents, have to be able to relate to our kids in this world. 9 out of 10 times their going through things we've already gone through. Well, guess what? We have to be willing to say so. We have to allow them to see the good, bad and the UGLY. Why? Because, this is the place where we become real people to them. They need real examples that they can look to and say, "they're not perfect, but they are still standing strong. So can I."

Parents should always exercise authority and set boundaries, but even more importantly, they should lead by example. Being a transparent example before your children will build strong healthy relationships. As you admit some things and apologize for some other things you will feel the weights falling off and your kids drawing closer.

This changed my life. Let it change yours.




photo by Michele Cantania

Surrender Wins the Battle

Hey people! Up for some real talk? Thought I'd share about some personal stuff. Lately, the Lord has really been dealing with me about more humility and obedience.

See, I'm at this place where I see the beautiful handiwork of God, but at the same time, I see counterfeits of the enemy that are planted in the same field. So if I'm not in a position of surrender and humility, I'll be deceived by one of the counterfeits. Scary, huh?

On top of that, there is a really intense battle...I mean "an all out war" from the devil and his gang waging against us to take everything that God is saying is ours. Our freedom, our prosperity, our redemption, our authority in high places, or our kids. So what are we supposed to do? I say, surrender.

I know you're saying... "did she just say what I think she said?"; well, I did. Surrender is the place of powerlessness and the place of power. I know it sounds strange. You don't have to tell me that: I already got that revelation on my own. The truth of the matter is when we surrender what we know, feel, or want then God gives us what we need to gain the wisdom to overcome.
Surrender is the place of gain. If you lose your life, you will gain it. If you let certain things die, certain things will come alive.

Surrender is also one of the best strategies of battle...whether it's with those you love or with those you "don't quite love". Surrender and transparency always strips the power of your adversary. For instance, if your kids are standing there pointing there finger saying what a horrible parent you are and your response is "you're right and everyday I'm asking God for more wisdom,", what do you think that is going to do to them? Think about it? That would completely mess up their arguement and take down the entire battle.

Now I'm not saying always agree with your adversary. That's not winning the war. That's kissing up to gain some kind of false peace or comfort. What I'm simply saying is surrender to the Lord. He is God. Only He can give us the wisdom and strength we need to avail in our relationships, careers, or spiritual journey through life.

photo by Forgiven

Beautiful Today

Ever think about what your children will walk away with after you've released them into the jungle of life by themselves? I do. I have thoughts that constantly confront me about my children going "solo". Thoughts like this: "have I really taught them how to clean or will they live like pigs"; or "have we done the best job we possibly could at showing them how important it is to manage money wisely." The one that really drives me is "have I stressed the importance of finding the right mate enough or will they settle for any Jill/Joe Blow that shows interest.

Normally after I've worked myself into a frenzy, I take a look at my kids and thank God for the "know how" to produce something beautiful in the world.

Let's face it. Nobody on the planet is perfect. Our kids may not ever have all the skills we think they need to be functional, but the fact that they are able to leave home everyday and return in one piece is something to be celebrated.

So my advice for today is this...

When looking toward the future seems overwhelming; look for "the beauty" in today and embrace it with every thing you've got. Who know's if he/she will be there tomorrow?

Parenting Advice - Build Upward

These days "parenting" is such a broad term. Who can really define it when today's culture is continuously trying to redefine it on a daily basis? Interestingly, if you look up the word parenting in any dictionary you will find words like rearing, raising, nurturing, or guiding to describe the action. Although it's a fascinating study, let's zone in on a common unseen perspective.

While all those words are pretty accurate concerning parenting, lately I've been thinking about a more common expression we often use which is "raising kids." What's really cool is while I was on my spirited excursion to gain more insight, I found some really extraordinary synonyms for the word parent like architect, creator, author and entrepreneur. Ever thought of it in that fashion? Tell me, what do all of these words have in common? They all have the ability to design and bring forth. They all are able to raise or erect. Kinda cool, huh?

So this led me to this far out concept of thinking what if children were actually raised and not just shuffled. I mean raised in the sense of taking time to bring forth someone beautiful, strong, and influential. Could that be more beneficial than having them be a part of every fleeting activity known to mankind just to have them babysat until they go off to college? Hmmm, interesting thought.

Being a parent of four, I must say that the most rewarding part is that I actually get to play a part in molding them into something beautiful for the world to see. The second most rewarding part is when I see that my kids enjoy me doing it. It's very clear to me that a lot of parents in today's society feel that they have to keep up with the Jones' to be a good parent. This is so far from the truth. Kids don't need clothes, video games, cell phones, or mp3 players to make them feel like they have a place in this world. Those things can give a temporal fascination, but they will never take the place of that deep groan inside a child's heart for their parent's love, support, time and affirmation. These are the factors that build radiant creations of purpose and destiny.

So my words to every parent that reads this blog are...build upward. Raise them up now and they'll thank you later.

Comfortable in Your Own Skin

Ever wondered why everybody is always striving to be somebody they're not? Me, too. So let's talk about it.

If you're a teenage boy, you have to have the latest haircut like the Jonas Brothers. If you're a teenage girl, you have to find out what's Miley's latest fashion trend? If you're a single woman trying to get a man, you have to watch the latest episode of Desperate Housewives, right?

Where does it end? Even more scary, how far will we go?

I think it's time for the identity crisis in American culture to be addressed. When pre-teens are getting everything from fake "boobs" to facelifts. I say that we have a widespread epidemic going on and no one wants to see it for what it really is because it's one of the biggest money-making industries in our country. After all, everybody gets what they want in the end, huh?

NOT!

We never hear about the people who went back to the plastic surgeon time and time again to have more work done because now there's some weird psychotic addiction with "improving" themselves. Or do we ever hear the suicidal stories where people just couldn't bear to live with the person they were born as? No, because that would mess with a whole lot of peoples' pockets.

I have only one question. What happened to "America the Beautiful", a community and country that supported who you are, not who you can be for a few bucks?

Hopefully with the dreadful conditions of the economy, as a community, we will step back and examine the things that are most important; and give guidance, support and nourishment to those things that really matter...our loved ones. We Can Do It!

photo by ANDIFOTO