Sunday, April 28, 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Thankful Thursday................
Continued from last week.............
6. Fear and anxiety.
I have heard it said that a reality where fear and anxiety exist is a reality where a good God does not exist. Fear and anxiety are not just stealing your thankful heart. They, like comparison, are sinful acts. How many times does Jesus say, “Fear not?”. Remind yourself of the God of faithfulness and steadfast love that you serve, and fear not. Remind yourself of all the ways that God has been good to you.
7. Get rid of expectations.
The first way to get rid of expectations is to not live in slavery to the expectations of others. There are some who feel like a failure if they let down the expectation of people who matter to us. Pleasing everyone is impossible. You will fail. This will hinder your thankfulness to God.
The second way to live in the slavery of expectations is to constantly expect your way to be perfect. You live under the slavery of something you can never accomplish, and in order to make your stay steady and perfect you expect those closest to you to play their perfect parts too. This leads to a world of hurt and self focus. This leads to a heart that cannot be thankful.
8. Stay in the present.
I think the easiest way that we get distracted from how thankful we should be is by living in either the past or the future. Neither of these realities are real, therefore we cannot be thankful. God’s reality is now. We can only experience Him now. And it is only in Him that we can see why we are thankful.
9. See what Jesus has done.
The very One that I am the most thankful for is Jesus Christ. His love, sacrifice, and faithfulness to me is the ultimate reason for life and thankfulness. He is the reason that I live. He is the reason for thankfulness. And “every good and perfect gift comes from Him.” He is goodness. Preach the gospel to yourself every day. Do everything you do for the sake of the gospel. Share the gospel every chance you get. If you do this, you will be thankful.
10. Take off the weight that Another has carried for you.
So often we drag around stuff that has been carried by another- sin, pasts, worry, fears, hardship, condemnation, suffering…etc. Why do we carry that stuff around? We carry weight because we put our hope in things we think won’t change, but always do change. Maybe its your health, family, friends, financial security, spouse, job, talent…etc. you name it. You put all your hope in that thing you think will never change, but then it does change. Your faith, hope, and thankfulness gets challenged and a weight is placed on your shoulders. You were never meant to carry that weight. Jesus carried the weight of failure. Put your hope in the One that never changes. You will be so thankful you did.
God Bless you all!
6. Fear and anxiety.
I have heard it said that a reality where fear and anxiety exist is a reality where a good God does not exist. Fear and anxiety are not just stealing your thankful heart. They, like comparison, are sinful acts. How many times does Jesus say, “Fear not?”. Remind yourself of the God of faithfulness and steadfast love that you serve, and fear not. Remind yourself of all the ways that God has been good to you.
7. Get rid of expectations.
The first way to get rid of expectations is to not live in slavery to the expectations of others. There are some who feel like a failure if they let down the expectation of people who matter to us. Pleasing everyone is impossible. You will fail. This will hinder your thankfulness to God.
The second way to live in the slavery of expectations is to constantly expect your way to be perfect. You live under the slavery of something you can never accomplish, and in order to make your stay steady and perfect you expect those closest to you to play their perfect parts too. This leads to a world of hurt and self focus. This leads to a heart that cannot be thankful.
8. Stay in the present.
I think the easiest way that we get distracted from how thankful we should be is by living in either the past or the future. Neither of these realities are real, therefore we cannot be thankful. God’s reality is now. We can only experience Him now. And it is only in Him that we can see why we are thankful.
9. See what Jesus has done.
The very One that I am the most thankful for is Jesus Christ. His love, sacrifice, and faithfulness to me is the ultimate reason for life and thankfulness. He is the reason that I live. He is the reason for thankfulness. And “every good and perfect gift comes from Him.” He is goodness. Preach the gospel to yourself every day. Do everything you do for the sake of the gospel. Share the gospel every chance you get. If you do this, you will be thankful.
10. Take off the weight that Another has carried for you.
So often we drag around stuff that has been carried by another- sin, pasts, worry, fears, hardship, condemnation, suffering…etc. Why do we carry that stuff around? We carry weight because we put our hope in things we think won’t change, but always do change. Maybe its your health, family, friends, financial security, spouse, job, talent…etc. you name it. You put all your hope in that thing you think will never change, but then it does change. Your faith, hope, and thankfulness gets challenged and a weight is placed on your shoulders. You were never meant to carry that weight. Jesus carried the weight of failure. Put your hope in the One that never changes. You will be so thankful you did.
God Bless you all!
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Trusting God.............
Have you ever struggled and fretted because your life wasn't going the way you wanted? Do you feel that way right now?
You have legitimate needs and desires. You know what would make you happy and you pray for it with all your might, asking God to help you get it. But if it doesn't come to pass, you may feel frustrated, disappointed, even bitter.
Sometimes you do get what you want, only to discover that it doesn't make you happy after all, just disillusioned.
Many Christians repeat this cycle their entire life, wondering what they're doing wrong. I should know. I was one of them.
The secret lies in putting this truth into practice, by making it such a powerful theme in your life that you view every event, every sorrow, every prayer with the unshakable conviction that God is totally, spotlessly trustworthy.
That's where we mess up. We want to trust in anything rather than the Lord. We'll trust in our own abilities, in our boss's judgment of us, in our money, our doctor, even in an airline pilot. But the Lord? Well…
It's easy to trust in things we can see. Sure, we believe in God, but to allow him to run our life? That's asking a little too much, we think.
Advertising and peer pressure tell us what's important: a high-paying career, a head-turning car, a drop-dead-gorgeous home, and a spouse or significant other who will make everyone else green with envy.
If we fall for the world's idea of what matters, we get trapped in a loop of "next time" The new car, relationship, promotion or whatever didn't bring you the happiness you expected, so you keep searching, thinking "Maybe next time." But it's a loop that's always the same, because you were created for something better, and deep down you know it.
When you finally reach the place where your head agrees with your heart, you're still hesitant. It's scary. Trusting in the Lord can require that you abandon everything you've ever believed about what brings happiness and fulfillment.
It requires that you accept the truth that God knows what's best for you. But how do you make that leap from knowing to doing? How do you trust in the Lord instead of the world or yourself?
Because the Holy Spirit knows you better than you know yourself, he'll give you exactly what you need to make this change. He's infinitely patient, so he'll let you test this secret—trusting in the Lord—in little baby steps. He'll catch you if you stumble. He'll rejoice with you when you succeed.
As someone who has gone through the deaths of loved ones, broken relationships, and family trials... I can tell you that trusting in the Lord is a lifelong challenge. You never finally "arrive." Each new crisis calls for recommitment. The good news is that the more often you see God's loving hand working in your life, the easier this trusting becomes.
When you trust in the Lord, you'll feel as if the weight of the world has been lifted off your shoulders. The pressure's off you now and on God, and he can handle it perfectly.
God will make something beautiful of your life, but he needs your trust in him to do it. Are you ready? The time to start is today, right now.
Hugs...Love & Blessings
.::Tam::.
You have legitimate needs and desires. You know what would make you happy and you pray for it with all your might, asking God to help you get it. But if it doesn't come to pass, you may feel frustrated, disappointed, even bitter.
Sometimes you do get what you want, only to discover that it doesn't make you happy after all, just disillusioned.
Many Christians repeat this cycle their entire life, wondering what they're doing wrong. I should know. I was one of them.
The Secret is in the 'Doing'
A spiritual secret exists that can free you from this cycle:Trusting God. Trusting in the Lord.
"What?" you're asking. "That's no secret. I've read that dozens of times in the Bible and heard lots of sermons on it. What does he mean, secret?"The secret lies in putting this truth into practice, by making it such a powerful theme in your life that you view every event, every sorrow, every prayer with the unshakable conviction that God is totally, spotlessly trustworthy.
That's where we mess up. We want to trust in anything rather than the Lord. We'll trust in our own abilities, in our boss's judgment of us, in our money, our doctor, even in an airline pilot. But the Lord? Well…
It's easy to trust in things we can see. Sure, we believe in God, but to allow him to run our life? That's asking a little too much, we think.
Disagreeing Over What Really Matters
The bottom line is that our wants may not agree with God's wants for us. After all, it's our life, isn't it? Shouldn't we have the say over it? Shouldn't we be the one who calls the shots? God gave us free will, didn't he?Advertising and peer pressure tell us what's important: a high-paying career, a head-turning car, a drop-dead-gorgeous home, and a spouse or significant other who will make everyone else green with envy.
If we fall for the world's idea of what matters, we get trapped in a loop of "next time" The new car, relationship, promotion or whatever didn't bring you the happiness you expected, so you keep searching, thinking "Maybe next time." But it's a loop that's always the same, because you were created for something better, and deep down you know it.
When you finally reach the place where your head agrees with your heart, you're still hesitant. It's scary. Trusting in the Lord can require that you abandon everything you've ever believed about what brings happiness and fulfillment.
It requires that you accept the truth that God knows what's best for you. But how do you make that leap from knowing to doing? How do you trust in the Lord instead of the world or yourself?
The Secret Behind This Secret
The secret lives within you: the Holy Spirit. Not only will he convict you of the rightness of trusting in the Lord, he'll help you do it. It's just too tough to do on your own.Because the Holy Spirit knows you better than you know yourself, he'll give you exactly what you need to make this change. He's infinitely patient, so he'll let you test this secret—trusting in the Lord—in little baby steps. He'll catch you if you stumble. He'll rejoice with you when you succeed.
As someone who has gone through the deaths of loved ones, broken relationships, and family trials... I can tell you that trusting in the Lord is a lifelong challenge. You never finally "arrive." Each new crisis calls for recommitment. The good news is that the more often you see God's loving hand working in your life, the easier this trusting becomes.
When you trust in the Lord, you'll feel as if the weight of the world has been lifted off your shoulders. The pressure's off you now and on God, and he can handle it perfectly.
God will make something beautiful of your life, but he needs your trust in him to do it. Are you ready? The time to start is today, right now.
Hugs...Love & Blessings
.::Tam::.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Thankful Thursday................
Ever have those days... or weeks.. or months........etc that you just dont feel very thankful?
One of the first things we teach our children is to say, “Thank you”. But do we carry thankfulness into adulthood? I think adults are often the ones who need to be reminded to be thankful.
Philippians 4:4-9
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.(H) The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and(P) the God of peace will be with you.”
1. Forget your feelings.
Now obviously I’m not talking about all your feelings. I’m talking about the ups and downs that can take over our day (the Facebook status feelings). They are fleeting. And if you just wait it out for a minute, those feelings will change. Don’t put any weight on those. Let them come and go, but don’t let them determine how you truly feel about your day. Don’t wait to “feel” thankful, “be” thankful.
2. Say out loud…or write it out.
I was talking to my sweet friend Mary the other day about my need to be more thankful. She pulled a little notebook out of her purse and handed it to me. “Write down 1000 little reasons your thankful,” she said. It’s been great! When you aren’t feeling very thankful, write down the reasons you are or tell someone about all the things that make you thankful.
3. Leave the negative behind.
Don’t let yourself be negative. Even in bad situations, look for how God could be “working out the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” Choose to be and see the positive.
4. Fight the battle in your mind.
Thankfulness is a state of mind. So what state is your mind in? Are you purely reactionary to life? Are you a glass is half-empty kind of person? Don’t let yourself dwell on fear, worry, anxiety, and what you don’t have. You do not have to dwell on everything thought in your head. A good definition of the word “prudence” is “a humble awareness of God.” I love that. Look at all the promises of a prudent person in Proverbs. You will be amazed. Have a prudent state of mind.
5. Don’t compare.
Women deal with a lot of comparison, for a plethora of reason. We compare everything. There are so many things sinful about comparing yourself to another person. No matter what or why you compare, it will lead you to a heart without thankfulness. Ask yourself why you compare. Ask yourself what you compare. Ask yourself if you seek something more than you seek God. Be thankful for what and who the Lord has given you. Get rid of the sin of comparison.
Thank you God for your continued teachings... patience and LOVE!
Have a very Thankful Day everyone!
God Bless
.::Tam::.
One of the first things we teach our children is to say, “Thank you”. But do we carry thankfulness into adulthood? I think adults are often the ones who need to be reminded to be thankful.
Philippians 4:4-9
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.(H) The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and(P) the God of peace will be with you.”
1. Forget your feelings.
Now obviously I’m not talking about all your feelings. I’m talking about the ups and downs that can take over our day (the Facebook status feelings). They are fleeting. And if you just wait it out for a minute, those feelings will change. Don’t put any weight on those. Let them come and go, but don’t let them determine how you truly feel about your day. Don’t wait to “feel” thankful, “be” thankful.
2. Say out loud…or write it out.
I was talking to my sweet friend Mary the other day about my need to be more thankful. She pulled a little notebook out of her purse and handed it to me. “Write down 1000 little reasons your thankful,” she said. It’s been great! When you aren’t feeling very thankful, write down the reasons you are or tell someone about all the things that make you thankful.
3. Leave the negative behind.
Don’t let yourself be negative. Even in bad situations, look for how God could be “working out the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” Choose to be and see the positive.
4. Fight the battle in your mind.
Thankfulness is a state of mind. So what state is your mind in? Are you purely reactionary to life? Are you a glass is half-empty kind of person? Don’t let yourself dwell on fear, worry, anxiety, and what you don’t have. You do not have to dwell on everything thought in your head. A good definition of the word “prudence” is “a humble awareness of God.” I love that. Look at all the promises of a prudent person in Proverbs. You will be amazed. Have a prudent state of mind.
5. Don’t compare.
Women deal with a lot of comparison, for a plethora of reason. We compare everything. There are so many things sinful about comparing yourself to another person. No matter what or why you compare, it will lead you to a heart without thankfulness. Ask yourself why you compare. Ask yourself what you compare. Ask yourself if you seek something more than you seek God. Be thankful for what and who the Lord has given you. Get rid of the sin of comparison.
Thank you God for your continued teachings... patience and LOVE!
Have a very Thankful Day everyone!
God Bless
.::Tam::.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Friday, April 12, 2013
Freebie Friday.......................
A handy idea I would like to share with you.........................
I think I just may make a few!
Happy Knitting & Crocheting!!!
God Bless
~ Tam ~
Tutorial can be found HERE on this blog
I think I just may make a few!
Happy Knitting & Crocheting!!!
God Bless
~ Tam ~
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Yummy Dinner tonight.................
Made this super easy ... super yummy Taco Ring Bake for dinner tonight.
No Leftovers...... :)
No Leftovers...... :)
God Bless
Have a great evening!!!
~.:: Tam ::.~
Monday, April 8, 2013
Sunday, April 7, 2013
*** Prom ***
Oh my goodness... my baby is growing up too fast!
His first Jr/Sr Prom..... *sigh* :(
Patrick and his lovely date.... K.
Patrick and K. at Prom.............
The two best dressed men at the Prom...... Patrick and his music teacher...Mr. Warren!
Made it home safe and sound..... had breakfast that dad and mom made them.......... and .... um.... fell over passed out tired..... heheheheee
His first Jr/Sr Prom..... *sigh* :(
Patrick and his lovely date.... K.
Me and my baby.......
Patrick and K. at Prom.............
The two best dressed men at the Prom...... Patrick and his music teacher...Mr. Warren!
Made it home safe and sound..... had breakfast that dad and mom made them.......... and .... um.... fell over passed out tired..... heheheheee
They said it was the best time EVER.... :)
I'm so glad they had fun!
Cant believe how fast they grow up though! One minute Patrick is a toddler tumbling into a room ...popping up and saying .... TahDah! Next ... he's driving..... going to Prom... and looking at Colleges! *sigh*
(`'·.¸(`'·.¸ ¸.·'´) ¸.·'´)
«´¨`·.¸¸.*God Bless!*·¸¸ ..´¨`»
(¸.·'´(¸.·'´ `'·.¸)`'·.¸)
«´¨`·.¸¸.*God Bless!*·¸¸ ..´¨`»
(¸.·'´(¸.·'´ `'·.¸)`'·.¸)
Tam
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Scars.... inside and out
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. II Corinthians 1:3-5
I have a few scars from my clumsy childhood. And unfortunately a strained adulthood.
Besides these physical scars from my past, I also have emotional wounds that run deep. They are painful memories. It’s easy to cover our physical scars and hide them from the outside world. We can buy over-the-counter gel that is supposed to make our flesh scars disappear; and plastic surgery can remove the more dire scars. But what do we do with our emotional scars?
After years of pretending they didn’t exist and making a concerted effort to conceal them from others, I came across this verse today. Wow... got to thinking! The bumps and bruises I’ve experienced have become part of who I am. However ugly or painful they may be, they can be redeemed and even used by God. He doesn’t want me to ignore the scorched places in my heart and past. Nor does He want me to run from them. He wants to comfort me in the midst of them. Then, when I am able, He wants me to do the same for others.
It never ceases to amaze me how God constantly outsmarts Satan. While the enemy loves to trip us up and make us fall, God desires that we walk in a way that honors Him and makes His name known. Rather than letting the pains and wrong choices of our past defeat us, rendering us unfit for God’s service, God will make use of our mistakes and our less-than-perfect circumstances. He can take our willingness to open up about them, being real rather than plastic, to encourage a weary traveler along life’s journey. If we let Him, our forgiving and patient Lord will turn our ugly scars into beautiful stars!
Dear Lord, I admit that I have scars in my life. Rather than opting for a quick fix, I want desperately to let You heal my scars and cleanse my sin. Take my life and let it be something that is useful in Your kingdom. May others be warned by my mistakes and prompted to prayer by my decisions. Turn my scars to stars that will shine brightly for You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
I have a few scars from my clumsy childhood. And unfortunately a strained adulthood.
Besides these physical scars from my past, I also have emotional wounds that run deep. They are painful memories. It’s easy to cover our physical scars and hide them from the outside world. We can buy over-the-counter gel that is supposed to make our flesh scars disappear; and plastic surgery can remove the more dire scars. But what do we do with our emotional scars?
After years of pretending they didn’t exist and making a concerted effort to conceal them from others, I came across this verse today. Wow... got to thinking! The bumps and bruises I’ve experienced have become part of who I am. However ugly or painful they may be, they can be redeemed and even used by God. He doesn’t want me to ignore the scorched places in my heart and past. Nor does He want me to run from them. He wants to comfort me in the midst of them. Then, when I am able, He wants me to do the same for others.
It never ceases to amaze me how God constantly outsmarts Satan. While the enemy loves to trip us up and make us fall, God desires that we walk in a way that honors Him and makes His name known. Rather than letting the pains and wrong choices of our past defeat us, rendering us unfit for God’s service, God will make use of our mistakes and our less-than-perfect circumstances. He can take our willingness to open up about them, being real rather than plastic, to encourage a weary traveler along life’s journey. If we let Him, our forgiving and patient Lord will turn our ugly scars into beautiful stars!
Dear Lord, I admit that I have scars in my life. Rather than opting for a quick fix, I want desperately to let You heal my scars and cleanse my sin. Take my life and let it be something that is useful in Your kingdom. May others be warned by my mistakes and prompted to prayer by my decisions. Turn my scars to stars that will shine brightly for You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
hugs... love... & blessings...
.::Tam::.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Great day to be outside............
Just had to take a minute and share our beautiful weather..................
Oh..... baseball season is soooooo close!!!!
Yay for Spring!!!
Oh..... baseball season is soooooo close!!!!
hugs... love... & blessings...
.::Tam::.
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