Commitment

I have very obviously been on a bit of a blogging break, both here and on my own blogs.  I have missed it so much!

Last summer we were offered the possibility of moving to a new house.  We were excited – the house we had been renting was in pretty rough shape, and we had hopes of being in a better situation.   Then, it looked like the opportunity was going to be lost.  We were fine with that, trusting that it was in the Lord’s plan.  A couple of months later, the opportunity opened back up again!  The house would be available after all, and work was being done to ready it for our move.  We discussed a date, were told that date would be fine, and we began preparing for the move.

Three days before the actual move was to take place, however, we were told by the man doing the work that the house would not be ready for our move date.  I would be lying if I said we weren’t frustrated!  We were practically surrounded by boxes.  We had left out what we would need for the last few days, nothing more.  But, we determined that it would be okay.  The move was supposed to be on a Saturday.  Monday morning we were supposed to be leaving for a three-day convention, with the kids going to stay with their grandparents.  We wouldn’t even have to be in the house.  And, we were promised that the new house would be ready before we returned home on Wednesday.

It wasn’t.

When my husband went Thursday morning to check the progress, it was as if nothing had been done!  We had to move by that weekend – we had no choice.  But, even Friday evening we weren’t fully certain the move would take place the next day.

When all was said and done, we did get to finally move that Saturday, one week late, allowing some last-minute things to be finished after our move.

The whole situation has really been a learning experience for me, though.  I was so very frustrated with this man who continued to make promises that he did not keep.  Some delays were beyond his control.  Others were caused by decisions he made.  My frustration was less for myself, though, and more for my children.  You see, as he made commitments to us, we were making commitments to our children.  We were telling them to just hang on until thus and such a day, and we would surely move then.  After the third date change, they didn’t know what to believe and we didn’t know what to tell them.  How could we encourage them when we were so frustrated ourselves?

And through it all, I realized something about myself.  I loosely commit to so many things with my children.

“Let me finish this, and I’ll get you that snack.”

“Put that on my sewing table and I’ll be sure to fix it.”

“We’ll play that game tomorrow, okay?”

It might be big things or little, but I make commitments to them all the time.  And, to be honest, I’m not very reliable in keeping them.  Even if I am reliable, I’m not always prompt.  I chastise my children when they nag or stress me about something they want.  But, in truth, would they nag as much if I was truly trustworthy?

I have been convicted of the need to be a mother who does not make commitments lightly, and to be one who keeps those commitments I do make.  My children need to be able to trust me explicitly to be a woman of my word.  And, I need to be teaching them by example to be children of their word as well.

A trustworthy mother – yes, that is my goal.

Sunday Worship: How Deep

How Deep by Sovereign Grace

Let’s worship our Savior today!

More to Love

No, this isn’t a commentary on the Fox TV show “More to Love” (although, as a plus-size woman, you could really get me going about that show!).  And for those of you that have no idea what I am talking about:  Don’t worry about it!  You aren’t missing anything!

One of my favorite things to do as a blogger is to share with you fantastic and interesting things I have found on the web.  My interests are so varied, eclectic even, that you never know what I am going to introduce you to (although you can always be assured that it will be rated G)!  I hope that you find something of interest and perhaps even a new favorite!!

Global Response Network – This missions ministry is all about awakening people to living the “normal Christian life”.  I encourage you to listen to the video on the home page.

Secret Keeper Girl – An awesome site dedicated to encouraging girls in modesty, surrounding herself with wise friends and recognizing her Godly beauty.

Adventurous Living – Susan has started a new blog series on the names of God.

Bible Cafe for Women – They are getting ready to start a study of Beth Moore’s updated “Breaking Free”.  It ’s not too late to join before they get started!

Have a blessed weekend!

Help in Time of Need

Every single one of us needs encouragement.  We aren’t created to go it alone.  We need someone to come up alongside of us, take our hand, smile from their heart and either with words or the comfort of their presence, reassure us that we are not alone and that we will make it through whatever we are dealing with.

I can think of nothing better than Scripture to offer to a friend in need of encouragement.  If there is something, some action, that I can do to help, I do that as well.  But Scripture is there in the middle of the night when no one else is.

So I offer this to you today, with love in Him.

Psalm 46:1-3, 7 NASB

¹God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
²Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
³Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.

⁷The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.

The Potter & The Clay

I hope that the image of Ron DiCianni’s painting The Clay that was posted yesterday stirred your heart as much as it has mine since the first time I saw it several years ago.  Since then, it has become the image in my mind when I think of submitting to the Father.

You turn things around!  Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay, That what is made would say to its maker, “He did not make me”; Or what is formed say to him who formed it, “He has no understanding”? – Isaiah 29:16 NASB

Can you say it with me?  OUCH!  These words spoken to the people of Israel through Isaiah can make you stop short (Grab your Bible and read Isaiah chapter 29 for context)!  In essence, God is saying, “You’ve got things wrong!  You, the created, are telling Me, the Creator that I do not understand you?  Or that you are equal with Me?”

On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? 21Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? – Romans 9:20-21 NASB

Paul is challenging the Romans in this passage about questioning God’s sovereignty.

It sounds so very foolish, doesn’t it?

Yet we do this so often, thinking we have the right to question God or to dismiss Him as some remote, uninvolved, dense deity that cannot possibly help us in our situation.  Not convinced?  Have you ever done or thought the following:

• God, You can’t possibly know what I am going through!
• There is no way this situation can turn around!
• I hate my (insert body part or personality trait here)!
• I’ll do what I please, thank you very much!
• What did I do to deserve this?
• God, You can’t possibly expect me to do ____________!  There is no way!
• Why was I even born?

Do any of those hit home?  Questioning God or demoting Him to water boy in our game of life is so backwards!  If you were to sew a quilt, would it have the right to question why you put this pattern next to that pattern?  Or question the weight of batting used to fill it?  Or question the use for which you made it?

Let me encourage you to resign from the position of the Potter and accept the position of the clay.

Neither you nor I are qualified in the slightest for that job.  And really, do we want that responsibility?  Do we really want to stand before God and present to Him what we have accomplished with ourselves or with the decisions we have made without consulting Him and expect Him to be pleased?

The One who created you knows best.  Let Him mold you into the vessel He desires.  Then you will stand before Him in the beauty of His grace with the marks of His hands on your life.

Wordless Wednesday – The Clay

The Clay by Ron DiCianni
© 2009.  Image used by Permission
www.TapestryProductions.com

Grace Notes from God

Women By Grace is honored to be part of Joan C. Webb’s Wonderful (Imperfect) Blog Tour. The tour celebrates the launch of her book of devotional readings for women who feel like they have to be perfect all the time.

Here’s a devotion chosen from the book just for our readers!

Grace Notes

Mark 11:25: If you hold anything against anyone, forgive him.

For years I put myself in an impossible position trying to be perfect all the time. I silently shamed myself; expected too much; crushed creativity; robbed myself of nourishment, fun, sleep, and relaxation; while trying to please others and do everything just right. I let anger turn to resentment, stuffed it down and became depressed. I wronged myself, others and God in the process.

One morning during my recovery from burnout I realized that the one person I most needed to forgive was myself. I wrote in my journal: I’ve harmed you, Joan. I’m sorry. I’ll try to be kinder and more forgiving now. It’s okay for you to nurture yourself and become the person God designed you to be. God wants us to have compassionate hearts toward all people, ourselves included.

Last night while editing these two above paragraphs, I thought: There’s something more here. I tried to find it. Browsing through books, commentaries, my notes, the Bible, it eluded me, so I went to bed. This morning I looked at the clock. 7:30 am. I did it again! For two weeks I’ve overslept until 7:00 or 7:30 am, when usually I’m up around 5:30. And all week I’ve been asking, What’s wrong with you, Joan?

This morning God whispered, “Grace!” Really? “Like musical ‘grace notes’[i], Joan. They’re the lovely extra sounds of an ordinary song. Nothing’s wrong. Just enjoy the added-on rest.”

Forgiving relief: the grace notes of God. Enjoy!

Lord, I’m just so grateful.

Making It Personal: This week look for God’s grace notes to you.

About Joan

Joan C. Webb, a recovering workaholic and perfectionist, communicates a message of freedom and renewal. As a personal life coach, lifeplan facilitator, and speaker/Bible communicator she longs to help others gain clarity and move past their obstacles. Joan, author or co-author of eleven books including The Intentional Woman, The Relief of Imperfection, and It’s a Wonderful (Imperfect) Life, wrote study notes for the Women of Faith Study Bible. Her husband, Richard, and she live in Chandler, Arizona, near their two married children and seven grandchildren. www.joancwebb.com

My Reaction

I have to admit that I am NOT struggling with a perfectionist attitude – in fact, I hate fussing with details!  I do sometimes expect others to be perfect – and I’ll be looking for God’s Grace Notes about other people

Enjoy the Rest of the Blog Tour!

You can find all of the stops on Joan’s Wonderful (Imperfect) Blog Tour here.

Is There Enough Mercy?

There is a song on a Selah CD that I reviewed several weeks ago titled “Depth of Mercy” which is a variation of the old hymn by Charles Wesley that has struck my heart over the last few days.  There are so many areas in my life that I fail in DAILY.  And I mourn those failures at the end of every day.

When I say “failures”, I should call them what they really are – “sins”.

We don’t hear this word very often today, even in churches.  This is something to mourn over in itself since the whole concept of the gospel is built on our need for a Savior because of our separation from God because of sin.  But the recognition of my daily sins continually renews my realization that I need a Savior, the only Savior, Jesus Christ.  And I am so thankful that His shed blood covers my sin. (Find out more about Jesus as Savior & the Gospel!)

How could there be enough?

⁴But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, ⁵He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, – Titus 3:4-6

Is there enough mercy for me?  Is there enough to cover the sins I have committed today?  The sins I will commit tomorrow and next year?  Or my entire life?  If you have read the book of Psalm, you continually see David cry out for mercy.  It wasn’t a one time cry.  My favorite passage about God’s mercy is from Psalm 51.  In this Psalm, David has finally looked his sin square in the face and taken ownership of it and cries out to God:

¹ Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.  ² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! ³ For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. - Psalm 51:1-3

God’s mercy is abundant!

Praise God for that!!  I’m sure I will use a good portion of it!  How about you?

Depth of Mercy by Selah

Depth of mercy can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God His wrath forbear,
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?

Heaven find me on my knees
Hear my soul’s impassioned plea
Depth of mercy can there be
Mercy still reserved for me

Now incline me to repent,
Let me now my sins lament,
Deeply my revolt deplore,
Weep, believe, and sin no more.

Heaven find me on my knees
Hear my soul’s impassioned plea
Depth of mercy can there be
Mercy still reserved for me

Favorite Gifts for a Friend (or Yourself!)

In case your head is still spinning from back-to-school and Halloween, here’s a little wake up call:  It’s only 52 DAYS until Christmas!!  But don’t panic!  Your trusty life coach (or personal shopper – take your pick!) is here to help you!

I highly recommend you check out Online Christmas List.  This is a resource that you, your friends and other family members can use to keep track of and share Christmas lists!  And you can access it while you are out shopping (if you have that capability on your cell phone of course) or you can print out the list(s).  It’s free so get on there and make your lists!

OK, now that you have the list dilemma conquered, here are some great ideas for gifts for your friends or even yourself (’tis the season to give – no rule saying you can’t give to yourself now and then!)  (Disclaimer:  No compensation is received for recommending these to you, nor if you purchase them! These are simply gifts I have come across online that I know I would love to receive or that I think my friends would love to get!)

By Grace Alone Necklace by Lisa Leonard

Redeemed Necklace by Lisa Leonard

Handpainted Porcelain Personalized Ornament

Autumn Breeze Artwork

Custom Canvas Photo Prints from ArtsCow

Chaos…Simplified Planner

Faith Handbag

Prayer Journal

I hope that this short list has given you some ideas of how to bless your friends this Christmas!  If you have a great gift idea to share, please post a comment!

Sunday Worship: Before the Throne of God Above