Mom's Perfect Day

 
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,

 patience, kindness, goodness, 

faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; 

against such things there is no law. 

Galatians 5:22-23

Greetings Girlfriends! This is a very special weekend as we approach the celebration of motherhood!

The Contest

While exercising my motherly skills this morning, aka folding the kids' laundry, I heard the DJ on KLOVE read an entry aloud from their contest called "Mom's Perfect Day." A woman had written that her perfect day would include a visit to Scotland to research her family history for the three books she is writing. Mindlessly placing shirts on hangers as I listened, I marveled that a mother with children at home could write one, let alone three, books. I began to envision her trip to Scotland, with rolling green hills, highland dancers, and bagpipes. As I sorted socks, I wondered about my own "perfect day."  

In an instant, the laundry room faded, and I was relaxing on a private, white sandy beach with my husband in the middle of a clear blue ocean. Our fully furnished villa was stocked with fresh fruit and fine chocolates for me and Diet Mt Dew and pizza for him. No phones; no internet, just island music floating through the air, a serene backdrop to our light conversation, as we gazed lovingly into each other's eyes, reminiscing and laughing carelessly. 

Ding! Ding! A text message alert. Back to reality. I set aside my search for a missing green sock and picked up my phone. My daughter wrote: "I have to give a speech at graduation!" A smile spread across my face and excitement for her welled up inside my heart. All visions of sun, sand, and romance were washed away by the pride I felt for my third child, who four years ago would have passed out on the spot if she had been told she had to speak in front of a group of five people, let alone five hundred people! Suddenly I realized that I have already experienced "the perfect day"... more times than I can even remember. 

My Perfect Day(s)

Today's key verse from Galatians 5 reveals to us the fruit of the Spirit, which grows in a Christ-centered life. I can see the seeds of this fruit sprouting in my life because God chose perfect days to plant them in my heart.

Love. We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 

Perfect Day #1: The day I met my husband. Our marriage has led me to accept Christ's unconditional love and to grant that same unconditional love to my spouse. I cannot imagine my life without him. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:7

Joy. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. Psalm 16:11 NLT

Perfect Day #2: The day of the birth of each one of my children. Motherhood has unveiled the joy of Lord in every single moment.  I am honored to instill in my children the joy of knowing Christ as Savior and of living a life of love, seeking truth, granting mercy, respecting justice, and basking in His grace. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 John 1:4

Peace. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Perfect Day #3: The day I celebrate Easter, year after year after year. Standing at the foot of the cross, having meditated for days and weeks upon Christ's sacrifice and physical suffering--His forgiveness in the midst of torture--I am filled with peace because He has overcome. Christ conquered death and all sin, fear, restlessness, and disharmony. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 

Patience. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. Luke 8:15

Perfect Day #4: Each day I taught in a classroom, led a girl scout meeting, mentored student leaders in FCA, or coached a youth sports team. God has blessed me with multiple opportunities to model His patience, love, and provision to youth across this nation. In return, I have developed trust and endurance to calmly withstand the trials and tests of this life, including my daughter's serious injury last summer. But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:25 

Kindness. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Act 20:35b NKJV 

Perfect Day #5: The day a co-worker gave me a huge box of baby clothes for my first child because she knew how little I could afford; the days military spouses prepared us meals after coming home from the hospital; the days the mailman delivered cards and packages from our parents while we lived thousands of miles away; and the days friends came to my rescue while my husband was deployed or traveling. The Lord is truly rich in kindness, placing caring, compassionate, and giving people in my family's life. As the scripture says, He gives generously to the needy; his kindness lasts forever. 2 Corinthians 9:9 

Goodness. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6

Perfect Day #6: The day I was born. My parents have loved me and my sister out of the goodness of their hearts, showered us with good gifts, disciplined us with good intentions, demonstrated goodness by their actions toward others, and continue to uplift us and praise us for our goodness. God, our eternal Father, will one day call us all home, and I pray my family will dwell eternally together in His goodness. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Ephesians 6:1-3

Faithfulness. For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

Perfect Day #7: Moving Day, all twenty of them! From infancy to middle age, I have moved with faith in God's plan. In each new location God has shown His steadfast faithfulness, providing affordable housing, safe communities, access to quality education, opportunity for spiritual growth, and amazing lifetime friendships. For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good. Psalm 52:9 

Gentleness. To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. Titus 3:2

Perfect Day #8: The day I met my best girlfriend, Linda. On this earth, she is my role model. Her core ingredients are: humbleness, gentleness, kindness, goodness, giving, loving, sharing, believing, praying, trusting, and devotion to Jesus Christ. The frosting on top is that she is also fun, adventurous, talented, beautiful, a great mother, and most of all, willing to hang around people like me! Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

Self-Control.  But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:27 ESV

Perfect Day #9: The days I spend in peaceful meditation, surrounded by the beauty of God's creation. Sometimes this day is on a beach, or hiking a wooded-path, or admiring the brilliance of a sunrise or sunset from my back deck. Whether alone or in the company of others, God has impressed upon me the need to focus upon Jesus Christ as the center of my life, taking time to be still and know His power and presence. These times of refreshment and devotion strengthen me for the battle of the flesh and will that permeates all of my imperfect days! We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5

 My Prayer for You

Girlfriends, my prayer for you this weekend is that you will celebrate and honor motherhood--thanking God for the mother who birthed you. If you too are a mom, I pray your children will esteem and praise you for your sacrifices to them. May the fruit of spirit sweeten your soul as you watch it grow. Please, do not wait for a radio contest to recognize and enjoy God's perfection in your ordinary days. His will for you is good and holy!

Love to All!

P.S. If any of you do happen to win an exotic vacation and need some company, or are unable to go, well, hey, I am available for travel! A girl can still dream, can't she????

Make Music With The Heavens

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

Psalm 28:7 

"Sing, Sing, Sing, and make music with the heavens..."  (Sing, Sing, Sing. Chris Tomlin)

I LOVE music. I read somewhere* that the Bible contains over 1,150 references related to music, words such as melody, hymn, song, or specific instruments. Compare that number to the frequency of other biblical terms. Depending upon which translation is used, total occurrences vary. Here are a few:  Love (over 500), Fear Not (approximately 365), Honor (approximately 146), Forgiveness (approximately 110). The Bible tells us God is love, but I am guessing he is in love with music. I know the feeling. Sharing this passion with my Creator draws me even closer to Him.

Whether I am folding laundry, helping with homework, at the gym, working on a project, or even writing this blog, I am listening to music. I enjoy an array of musical genres, as long as the lyrics or the artists are not offensive. Classical. Alternative. Solo piano. Reggae. Jazz. Country.

For a variety of reasons, my absolute favorite is contemporary Christian. These songwriters often draw lyrics straight from God's Word, keeping me rooted in Christ all day long.

He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. Psalm 40:3 (Psalm 40,NewSong)

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles.They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40: 28-31 (Everlasting God, Lincoln Brewster)

Sometimes I just want to praise the Lord and honor Him; my heart and soul are moved to glorify our Father. At those times, you can find me standing in the middle of the kitchen or out on a run in the neighborhood, hands lifted high, eyes closed, and heart deep in worship of the only One to love me for exactly who I am, for who He created me to be. I know God does not care if I look silly or crazy, so why worry about what the neighbors or my kids think? I am just loving my Father and belting it out. (And here I add that I cannot carry a tune in a bucket, so thank you Lord for not plugging your holy ears!)

"How great is our God, sing with me, How Great is our God, all will sing, How great, How great is our God." (How Great Is Our God, Passion Worship Band )

"I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, and wonder how He could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean? Singing, How Marvelous. How Wonderful. And my song shall ever be. How Marvelous. How Wonderful, is my Savior's love for me."  (I Stand Amazed, Chris Tomlin)

Another point that draws me to Christian music is the story...God's story set to music, reminding me of His faithfulness to real people from Adam and Eve down to the apostles and early church leaders. Because our God is alive, His Word is also living and active in me today. These songs give me hope for the future.

"Blessed are you, as you weep on your knees, with perfume and tears washing over My feet. Blessed are you, beggar, hopeless and blind calling for mercy when I’m passing by. Blessed are you, shaking your head at two tiny fish and some bread. Blessed are you as you tremble and wait for the first stone thrown at your sinful disgrace. Tell me your story, show me your wounds and I’ll show you what Love sees when Love looks at you." (When Love Sees You, Mac Powell)

"Oh what I would do to have the kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant with just a sling and a stone, surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors shaking in their armor, wishing they'd have had the strength to stand." (Voice of Truth, Casting Crowns)

Sometimes songs are just songs until you hear the story behind them, either live in concert or in writing (often by the artist himself.) Or perhaps you see a video or a movie that gives a new meaning or purpose to the lyrics. I have a few of those selections as well. Most recently, I saw Jeremy Camp perform live. After the show, I bought his book I Still Believe. I will never hear his music in the same way now that I have a visual picture of his testimony and inspiration for writing.

"Well in brokenness I can see this was Your will for me, to help me to know that You are near, yea.  Cause I still believe in Your faithfulness, I still believe in Your truth, Cause I still believe in Your Holy Word, Cause even when I don't see, I still believe." (I Still Believe, Jeremy Camp)

"We were made to be courageous, and it starts with us tonight. The only way we'll ever stand is on our knees with lifted hands. Make us courageous, Lord make us courageous." (Courageous, from movie Courageous, Casting Crowns)

In some of my darkest, most painful moments, I have turned to music to carry me through the valley. God speaks to me through His Spirit and His gift of musical talent to believers who choose to share with all of us. I praise Him, and them, for the beauty they produce together. 

"There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing, He will meet you wherever you are. Cry out to Jesus." (Cry Out To Jesus, Third Day)

"My Life, has led me down the road that’s so uncertain, and now I am left alone and I am broken, trying to find my way, trying to find the faith that is gone...Give me a Revelation, Show me what to do, Cause I've been trying to find my way, I haven't got a clue." (Revelation, Third Day)

A few songs deserve the title of "favorites." Anything sung by Mac Powell goes into that category! His voice captivates me, and his songs strike a note deep inside my heart. Others sit at the top of my chart because they remind me of my abiding love for my Savior. 

"I believe that He who suffered, was crucified, buried, and dead. He descended into hell and, on the third day, He rose again. He ascended into Heaven where He sits at God's mighty right hand. And I believe that He's returning to judge the quick and the dead and the sons of man. Well I believe what I believe, that what makes me who I am. No I did not make it, but it is making me. It is the very truth of God and not the invention of any man." (The Apostles Creed-Live, Tribute to Rich Mullens, by Third Day)

"This is the body, and this is the blood, broken and poured out, for all of us. And in this Communion, we share in His love." (Commmunion, Third Day/Mac Powell)

Finally, Girlfriends, my ultimate reason for loving Christian music....joy in Jesus! Music made in His honor causes me to smile, dance, sing loudly, and praise God for every blessing--the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, the sad and the happy! So put on your dancing shoes, warm up your vocal cords, push back the furniture, and let's move! God rocks! and rolls! and harmonizes! And thankfully He directs all the choirs in heaven to which one day we will belong, singing eternal praises to Him, making beautiful music together!

"Whoa, whoa...Anytime you feel alone, put on your headphones. Love, love's coming through your headphones." (Headphones, Britt Nicole)

"Cause I'm a God girl, that's who I'll be, from the top of my head to the soles of my feet. No I can't deny it, wouldn't even try, I'm your girl, in a crazy world." (God Girl, Jamie Grace)

"They say it sounds insane, we say that we've been changed by the power of crazy love. This world, it looks at us like we're ridiculous, Baby, it's all because of crazy love." (Crazy Love, Hawk Nelson)

"I'm Awake, I'm Alive, Now I know what I believe inside, Now, it's my time, I'll do what I want, cause this is my life, Here, Right here. Now. Right now." (Awake and Alive, Skillet)

"I hear the birds singing, now my alarm's ringing, get up, get up. Hey. It's a good morning, wake up to a brand new day." (Good Morning, Mandisa)

I pray you will click on the many hyperlinks in this devotional and enjoy some amazing worship music. I also pray you will honor God and connect with Him through music, whether it is a choir of chirping birds or a jam session in your basement. Just sing, sing, sing, and make music with the heavens....

P.S. Comment below and tell me what are some of your favorite songs, of any genre. I’d love to hear.

*http://www.insearchoftruth.org/articles/music_references.html

Leap Day!

Looking at his disciples, he said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,

for yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are you who hunger now,

for you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you who weep now,

for you will laugh.

Blessed are you when men hate you,

when they exclude you and insult you

and reject your name as evil,

because of the Son of Man.

“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets. 

Luke 6:20-23

Leap for joy

Happy Leap Day, Girlfriends!

Praise to God for the warm weather here in Chicagoland--He gave us an extra day in February AND cranked up the temperature to boot!

I am going to step outside for a long walk today, reading a book and enjoying the breeze. How will you spend your extra day? Whatever you choose, I pray God's presence will be felt. 

Whether you are soaking in the sunshine or battling a personal time of darkness, my desire is that you LEAP for joy today. God is good, and His promises for a great reward in heaven stand. As Jesus states in the passage above from Luke, Blessed are you! How can our hearts not leap with joy when we consider His promises are for eternity, where days in a year do not matter?

Leap of faith

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1) 

The book I am reading while walking today is I Still Believe, the autobiography of Christian singer/songwriter Jeremy Camp. Jeremy wrote the song "Walk By Faith" after losing his young bride to cancer after only a year of marriage. The raw and revealing lyrics to his songs show the leaps of faith he has taken in his life. His book also details God's faithfulness through Jeremy's journey.

I Still Believe stirs my heart. Now girlfriends, we are women who cry over great love stories, but what leaps off the pages and into my soul is more than a tale of love, loss, and longing. The members of Jeremy's family traveled rocky roads, eventually reaching out for God's grace. Once under His wings, their concentration and commitment to Him during even more challenging circumstances amazes me. Suffering did not cease once they were saved, but hopelessness did. Because they walk by faith and because they still believe, Jeremy and his family know "There will be a day with no more tears, No more pain, and no more fears. There will be a day when the burdens of this place will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face." (There Will Be A Day, Camp)

Girlfriends, that is more than enough reason for me to leap with joy--won't you jump with me? Whether your vertical is zero or thirty inches, it matters not: Truly, God sees your bounce. Let's make this a record-breaking Leap Day.

Love you all!