“Ok Lord. You got me.” …and Daily Bread…
16 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
in Daily Bread Tags: emotions, ministry, prayer, regret, shame
So I spent a good 30 minutes typing up a great blog post. It was all about how different ministry teams in our church have failed and how the leaders were whack and how frustrating it is to help with ministry and see things get messed up. I was proud of my post. I posted it and left it out there for any and everyone to see. And then….I began to read some of my favorite Christian blogs. And God thunked me on the head and said ”Enough.” So I deleted the post and I’m ashamed of myself.
I am not perfect. I’ve had some gnarly failures in my life. Sometimes I cuss. Sometimes I am mean. Sometimes I bark at my family members and don’t even apologize. I have messed up. I have totally blown it. And God, in his awesomeness, somehow manages to give me GRACE and lets me start new.
I was a mean gossip in my post. I wanted to point fingers and scowl. But everyone has a story, and I don’t know the whole story of these people. I don’t know that one day they may become my very best friend. I don’t know if they struggled with things so horrible that I could never imagine. And I know I sure haven’t stepped up to fill their shoes. I talk a mean game. But in this instance…I am ashamed of myself.
And today is a new day.
Father God. Please forgive me for being so judgemental. Forgive me for allowing my emotions rule my words. Lord, I ask that you would help me to grow in maturity and build me up in the areas that I need help. Lord, help me to RUN TO YOU when I begin to fall away and lean on my own very pathetic understanding.
Heal me. Help me to live a life that bears good fruit. I love you Lord. Thank you for my life. Amen.
Practice…
15 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
in Random Ramblings of a Striking Diva Tags: christian dating, courtship, dating, daughters, machete, prayer, relationship
A young couple has come to me and my husband for help with their relationship. They have fallen away from their Christian Walk and were confronted by the young woman’s father – the Pastor of our church. So we are going to attempt to be accountability partners to these young 20 somethings and really, it’s an honor and a privilege. Our pastor approached us this weekend after church and thanked us for loving his daughter and being there for her.
We have 2 daughters, age 13 and 14. They are going to start dating in the next few years and – OK, don’t laugh – we would like for our girls to have a “Courtship”. This means that their prospective boyfriend would have to ask US if he could court our daughter and then he would have to spend time with our family and never be alone with our daughter. It’s all about accountability, people. Hard to try to bust a move on my daughter when her dad is there – watching – sharpening his machete.
Anyway, spending time with this young couple has been really fun and interesting. We are planting seeds, giving them food for thought and ‘homework’ which requires them to think a little deeper about their choices and future plans. We’re lovingly guiding them without judging, which is what they need…and they are SOAKING IT UP!
The thing that is most troubling to me though is that this young man doesn’t know how to be a MAN. He knows how to be a GUY. He thinks he has all the answers. He says he wants to lead his girlfriend. But what he doesn’t understand is that leading his girlfriend entails a great deal of RESPONSIBILITY. It’s a big task to help someone in their Christian Walk. This kid talks a mean game…but when we press him a little further…there’s no action to back up his lofty words.
And one day, a young guy (yep, I said GUY) is going to walk through my door and tell me that he wants to date my daughter. God is preparing me for my reply.
OK Lord, you convinced me…
15 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
in My Striking Life, Random Ramblings of a Striking Diva Tags: blogging, christian, Do It Lord, slacker, Tommy Walker
So after months of not blogging I committed to doing more. And I did – for 3 posts. And then…exhaustion. So I slacked for a few. And today I check my email and what to my wondering eyes should appear???
A COMMENT ON MY BLOG!
A REAL one, not just one of those “Your blog is great….learn how to earn $50K a week by going to my site.” kind of comments.
So I guess someone out there read my blog and felt it was good enough to comment. That made my day…and I decided that I would continue with this blog and see where it goes. I was just singing a song to myself, Tommy Walker has a song called “Do It Lord” and it was running through my head all day – and maybe what God is telling me is to “Do It Miss Striking!” So here I go, sharing every step on my Christian walk…
God Moment
11 Sep 2010 2 Comments
in My Striking Life Tags: God, god moment, prayer
Tonight was really amazing. I am touched at how God prepared me for a surprise tonight. And it was so good.
Today is Friday and all day I was looking forward to a night at home…..ALONE. I was going to get into my jammies and make some hot wings and watch “Four Weddings” on TLC. Husband and daughter #2 are camping with the church Youth Group and daughter #1 is cheering at an away game. And I’d be getting the house ALLLLLL….TO…..MYYYYYYY….SELF! Yes, Lord, bring me some solitude!!!
This afternoon, after work I was heading home and I began to think “Someone is going to come to our house tonight and need help.” And then the thought came into my head that this person would be coming to see my husband. But I knew he wasn’t going to be home. So this scenario played in my mind for the drive home and I thought, “Even if they aren’t asking for me I will just let them in and try to help.” Surely I could pray for someone, right?
Seriously – this was a scenario that ran through my mind. I got home and kissed the husband and kiddo goodbye and put my chicken wings in the oven. Then I went up to my room to put comfy jammies on. As I changed I wondered “Should I wear this? Someone may be here and do I want them to see me in this tank top?” I kept shrugging it off…no way, no one is coming to my house. This is silly…go eat some hot wings, will ya??
So I settled in on the couch, ate around 700 chicken wings and was watching “Four Weddings” when I heard a knock.
Yep, you heard me. A knock on my front door. And I thought “Who could that be???” Seriously, I’m in my JAMMIES people! I decide to peep through the peephole and the sun was setting so all I got was an eyefull of sun, totally washing out whoever it was at the door.
So, deep breath, I open the door. And there was a young couple there. And for a moment I thought “Wow, are they selling something?” Then the young man asked if my husband was home. And I said “No, he’s camping with the Youth Group tonight. Sorry.” And then…even thought I was in my jammies….I said “Do you want to come in?” And they came in. And they needed to talk. We talked for 2 hours! And we prayed. They’re coming back tomorrow when my husband is home.
God prepared me for that visit. I may have turned them away when they asked for my husband. But I didn’t. I let them in. And it was a true God moment.
He is so faithful. God is so awesome. I just want to be of service….
Nothing Like A Man Praising God…
10 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
in My Striking Life, Random Ramblings of a Striking Diva Tags: christian, christian husband, hunting, prayer
My husband is in the woods….literally. He is in the woods with his buddy and they are going to wake up at o’dark thirty to try and hunt down some elk. Husband works 4 days a week and gets Fridays off so when his friend said he would be at his hunting camp and invited him to come along…well…I was quiet at first and then said “Why don’t you go ahead and go and that way you won’t have to drive so far in the morning.”
Of course, I totally forgot that he won’t be home tomorrow night either. He will be helping with the Youth Group Camping Trip tomorrow. I will be enjoying a quiet night at home – by myself – fully in control of the remote. But still…I like having my hubby around and I miss him when he is gone.
Anyway, I pouted a little bit as my husband got ready to go. And before he left he came and sat next to me and said “Do you want to pray before I go?” He knows that I can’t pout when he’s being all Christian Hottie on me! He took my hands and we prayed together for his safe travels and me & the girls’ safe keeping. Lord have mercy, something about a man that loves the Lord – especially MY man – really touches me and I can’t feel bad when I see a man submit to the awesomeness of our Lord and Savior.
What? Did I just say that? Man submitting???? Yep, I said it. And I meant it. And the world will say that is the sign of a weak man. And I would challenge that thought by saying that God calls men to be the head of their households. And he calls them to honor their wives. If more men would just do those two things, I think that families in America would go through an incredible change! Marriages healed and strengthened, children having a strong man in their lives, wives able to trust and respect their husbands.
I know that some would say my views are old fashioned….I say it’s retro chic and it’s time to bring it back.
365 Blogger?
10 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
in My Striking Life Tags: 365 Blogger
So I blogged last night for the first time in a long time and I got to thinking – why don’t I do this more often? No one reads this thing anyway, why not just journal and share my junk and if nothing else – I’ll be able to look back and laugh. Or cry. Or whatever! Then I thought, what if I journaled every day – even just one or two lines on busy days? So….I’m gonna try. If I do good – then GREAT! If I don’t, that’s ok too because NO ONE READS THIS BLOG EXCEPT ME!
So today it begins, I think. Maybe I’ll be more like a 350 blogger or a 298 blogger. I’m not known for my stick-to-it-ive-ness, I easily get bored and fall off of things. But today’s a new day…
I Found Her!
09 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
in My Striking Life Tags: friend, God, prayer
This summer I went to Georgia for 3 weeks. It was another difficult visit, my mom was moody and my daughters were with me and had to endure the drama that is “My Family”. But one of the highlights of going to Georgia is going to church at Trinity Fellowship in Sharpsburg. I have been to many services there and that is where I became “STRIKING”. A woman ministered to me at that church while I was going through a very dark time in my life. Her name was Karen. I vowed to never forget her.
I have been back to that church 6-7 times since that day and every time I looked for Karen. A sweet blonde woman that had big beautiful eyes and a sweet kind smile. She had a son and a daughter. Her husband was in the military. I remembered these little details about her and wanted so much to talk to her again.
So, I went to church on a Sunday morning. I had the girls with me and we had just been through a hard week with my sister – she struggles with addiction and had not been on her best behavior. She had asked me to pray for her at church that morning and I said “I always do.” And that morning, at the altar call, I stepped forward and asked for prayer for my sister.
When I turned to go back to my seat I saw her. Karen. She was seated 3 rows behind me. I didn’t know she was there, I only saw her because I was coming back from praying for my sister. And my heart jumped…and my mind swirled with all that I would say.
How would I approach her? Of course she doesn’t remember me. What do I say? I don’t want to cry! But I feel like crying…
After the service I turned around and she was there. With her husband, daughter and son. She looked the same. And I was not going to let this moment pass me by.
I approached her and when she looked at me, I instantly began to cry. I didn’t want to cry!!! But I couldn’t stop.
I said to her “Are you Karen?” and she said yes, and looked at me puzzled. She said “Do I know you? Have we met? Do I know you?” and I said yes…laughing through my tears and embarrassment at the spectacle I was making!
Finally, I said to her, “Yes, we have met. It was a few years ago and you prayed for me.” She began to remember, she said “You aren’t from here, yes, I remember you. I prayed with you.”
Then I told her “I have wanted to find you, I have been here a few times and always looked for you. I wanted to tell you that I’m ok and that I reconciled my marriage. And the words you said to me changed my life.”
I proceeded to tell her about how my husband retired from the military and we moved to Wyoming. I told her that when we left Washington the pastor asked us to give our testimony and that SHE was part of it. I told her we were happy and that my husband was the head of our men’s ministry.
She cried with me. She kept saying “I didn’t do anything – GOD did it. He gave me the words to say to you. It wasn’t me. It was GOD. God healed me and gave me experiences that would help you.” Over and over she said how humbling it was to see me and to hear what I had to say. She was so gracious.
We exchanged numbers and addresses and I told her I would send her a Christmas Card and the next time we were in town we’d have to have dinner together.
I found her, my friend and the woman who told me that I was Striking. It was an amazing day. God is so good.
