Our own worst critic . . .

I spent some time the other day with someone, who like myself (and many of you),

has made some bad choices. I think she's inwardly beating herself up.

Remember that feeling? The days, weeks, months, or perhaps the years of kicking yourself in the tail?

Absolutely sure that you where the only single person to ever make that mistake?

And that every single person you know is aware of it?

I mean, they're all staring at you, right??

Ugh!! I hated that feeling.

But I'm a little wiser now.
Oh yeah. I definitely make my share of mistakes. But they don't have the same fall-out as they used too.
See? The wisest AND smartest decision I've ever, ever, ever made - was to become a follower of Jesus Christ. That's where the bulk of my self-acclaimed wisdom comes from.
Because God helps me to lay it down and trust Him to pick it up. 

Now that's not to say that he doesn't expect us to learn from our mistakes.

I firmly believe that our experiences shape us - the good ones, the bad ones and even the ugliest ones.

I shared with her what I thought life would be like had God created us as robots.
Walking around as if we were all on an assembly line.

All of us doing certain things at certain times in exactly the same stages of our lives.
BORING . . .

Instead, he allows us choices. Free will. Along with a brain. Feelings. And a whole gamut of emotions.

And he knew with all of that would come decisions, and unfortunately not always the right ones.  

I explained that there is absolutely nothing my children could ever do that would cause me to stop loving them. And that being a parent gives me just a minuscule glimpse at how great I know God's love is for me.

I am so far from being a scholar, but I am someone who cares.

I hope she understands that . . . because a wiser person once told me that

when we remove our masks and become real,it encourages others to do the same.

I hope I succeeded.

Seems like all I can see was the struggle
Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past
Bound up in shackles of all my failures
Wondering how long is this gonna last
Then You look at this prisoner and say to me

"Son, stop fighting a fight that's already been won"

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, now I'm not who I used to be
I am redeemed. I'm redeemed

All my life I have been called unworthy
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
But when I hear You whisper, "Child lift up your head"
I remember oh God, You're not done with me yet

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, now I'm not who I used to be

Because, I don't have to be the old man inside of me
Cause his day is long dead and gone
Because, I've got a new name, a new life I'm not the same
And a hope that will carry me home

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, cause I'm not who I used to be

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, now I'm not who I used to be

Oh God I'm not who I used to be

Jesus I'm not who I used to be

Cause I am redeemed

Thank God, redeemed.

I love you girl!!

Until later :)

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Whew! It's been a while!

But I'm really loving this Wednesday for several reasons, so I'm linking up with Jamie to tell you why.

It seems like life just has a way of taking over doesn't it?

Seems like we constantly have something to do, which more often than not

results in weeknight obligations and most weekends packed FULL!

A month or so ago I was cruisin' southwest.com and came upon - lo and behold - cheap flights to Daytona!

Soooo . . . real soon now :)

It's going to be a two-fold trip. A get-a-way with The Mister, plus plenty of time with my son. Can't wait! :)

Another reason I'm loving this Wednesday is because a sweet mom-to-be has experienced the

generosity and loving hearts of people who not only talk the talk, but walk the walk.

I am so blessed to be a part of a church family that never hesitates to answer the call to help others.

Another reason, is that tomorrow is my baby's birthday!

She'll be the ripe old age of - well maybe I shouldn't say :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POOH!

You have been nothing but a true blessing.

Until later :)

'I hear You whisper ...'

re·deemed

    1. To recover ownership of by paying a specified sum.

My #1 favorite song right now is Redeemed by Big Daddy Weave.

I love, love, LOVE this song. It plays on Pandora about the time I start working on this head of mine every morning before work. And then some days I'm lucky enough to catch it on WAY-FM a time or two at work. And oh my gosh - it melts my heart every single time.

It's had me thinking a lot lately about my life before and my life since coming to know Jesus Christ and forming a personal relationship with him. It still overwhelms me to think of where I was and where I am. It's sort of like the lyrics of another song I also love . . . if His grace is an ocean - we're all sinking. I don't know about you, but I hope to never come up for air.

Listen :)

Why I'm Not Reading ...

Be self-controlled and alert.

Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion

looking for someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:8

I'm doing a devotion right now by Gary Thomas called Devotions for a Sacred Marriage. He states that previous generations of Christians may have paid too much attention to the devil, but our age tends to pay him too little heed.

Allow me to paraphrase a portion of one of the devotions . . .

The severe truth is that Satan hates your marriage and makes its destruction a nearly daily aim. And while many today might snicker, our modern naïveté concerning spiritual realities is at least as pathetic. We must be careful not to open the door to spiritual beings who seek to destroy the holy family God has called us to create.

Jesus taught constant vigilance when he told his disciples how to pray. The Lord’s Prayer includes these words: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13). Notice, Jesus didn’t say, “deliver us from evil” but from “the evil one.” Jesus told his followers to regularly petition God so that they wouldn’t fall prey to the evil one’s schemes. A married couple’s relationship is the inner fortress in a cosmic spiritual battle. With so much at stake, can we afford to be lackadaisical? Dare we forget that a powerful, pernicious (lethal, malicious) being has made it his aim to wreck what God is trying to build? Even worse, are we cooperating with his agenda? By our actions, whether physical (flirting with an office mate, viewing pornography, having little or no time to work on our marriages) or spiritual (neglecting to build spiritual intimacy), are we foolishly and recklessly putting our marriages at risk?

Because Satan exists, we must remain vigilant over our souls and our relationships and refuse to provide any open doors that can invite Satan to work his wiles. Ask God to give you a loving and a pure heart. Keep moving toward your spouse. Ask God to close any doors you have foolishly left open. Guard what God has given you; give Satan no place to enter.

I'm going to allow a blog I follow, Warrior Wives, to (as she put it) wade into the Grey debate on my behalf with her post of All Fired Up About Fifty Shades of Grey. But I also thought you might find a husband's perspective interesting as well. Check out  Fifty Shades of Danger also.

And come on now. Before feathers get all ruffled, my intentions are not to judge or take a perch atop a high-horse here. Because trust me, there have been things I've read, heard and watched, even on prime time TV (!!), that I wish I could rewind and most definitely wipe from this photographic memory of mine. But I can't. What I can do however, is not allow this one in. So instead I'm just sharing these links to fellow bloggers who I feel did a far superior job than I could have of explaining exactly