Peace ... Snow ... and Bananas!

Down here in the south today, we are preparing for snowmageddon!!

I went to the local Harris Teeter, prepared to be unable to find the normal "snow storm basics"  -  bread and milk ..... nope! The bread and milk were available.

 BUT NO BANANAS! ... Seriously?!? 

Unless all you Huntersville friends need to make your shakeology banana muffins (cough cough like I'd LIKE to, but can't!) why in the world were bananas flying off the shelf?!?

Although I'm 30 (Wow, still weird to type that one!) I still struggle with patience in a snow storm. I lose my patience with the traffic in the days ahead as we southerners frantically prepare. Apparently this storm, I lose patience with everyone who bought my bananas .... I lose patience with the weatherman for not making it snow sooner, and lose patience with my husband when he announces the end of our snowfall! (Another story for another time, but my husband takes on a second career as a weatherman during snow storms .... seriously we are both OBSESSED WITH SNOW!)

But, it got me thinking today .... what or who do you lose patience with?!

I've started a Bible Challenge with my neighborhood Bible Study ladies, and today we focused on 1 Corinthians 13:3 "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud."

As I prayerfully reflected on this verse - the Holy Spirit really laid a hard truth on my heart ....

I have ZERO patience with GOD!

I "blame" Him for dumb things like, not enough snow .... but I also blame Him when my prayers aren't answered the way I feel they should be, or in the timing that I feel they should be answered. 

I lose patience and grumble through my prayers like a two year old throwing a tantrum sometimes.

How do you patiently seek your Heavenly Father?

Well, it comes down to the fact that I really need to have patience with myself. I want a bright, vibrant, always connected relationship with Jesus. I'm really getting there .... but man, there are just some days! 

Today though, I've realized, 

I need to be patient in seeking.

I treat my Bible like a magical lamp sometimes. I feel as if, when opening the pages of this book, a genie should pop out, and give me the answers that I'm looking for instantly!

God isn't always loud. (On more than one occasion He's had to be a little loud with me ... oops!)

But His answers are often quiet, 

His peace is not of this world, 

so sometimes I don't recognize it.

BUT IT'S ALWAYS THERE!

Right before Jesus died, He was with His disciples and said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

I don't know about you, but I weigh God's answers and gifts on an earthly scale.  

I pray for peace over a situation. And when I get subtle peace that's immediately followed by stress from rush hour traffic, I tend to blame Him for not really being with me, for not helping me. 

But wait ..... Duh! I'm the one who blocked out the peace by screaming at poor cars  -  

His peace never left me, I chose not to feel it. 

God gives us peace, He answers our call, but He doesn't do so the way the world does. The peace and the understanding that comes from Him is not of this world - so many times we fail to see it, fail to understand. 

So what do we do about it? Well, next week I'm going to be discussing prayer. Tips and tricks that work for me, and also hope to share some of yours as well.

So for now, stay cozy and warm, safe from the winter storm, get out and play in it with friends! Toast this beautiful gift from God with your favorite glass of vino, and celebrate this beautiful, crazy life!

Love and Blessings!

Christine

Managing My Blessings

It's a New Year, and like many of you - I had resolutions to do better, be better in a million different ways.

 Life is so fast sometimes, I feel like I just can't slow down, can't cut my brain off and just enjoy it! 

Realizing I'm not alone in that, I thought I may share a little bit and hopefully encourage you. I've got a lot on my plate (don't we all) right now. I was literally a sobbing mess in our church office, where I work today.

 Ever feel like everything in your life just comes to a head all at once?!? 

 That has been me this week. - Perfect time to start a new writing "career" ;) But our precious and amazing secretary/elder/work bestie/amazing person came to me and asked if I just needed to let it all out. Boy do I bet she regrets making that offer ... because let it out I did.
I think I rambled on for a solid 30 minutes, jumping around my life to the things that were going on and I realized that I kept saying the same thing over and over. "I know that is such a great thing, such a blessing to have, but it stresses me out!!"

 And her precious self said, "You're just trying to manage your blessings, it's ok!" 

 And the relief that washed over me was indescribable. So....again, assuming you can be a wreck of a person like me sometimes .... I'm going to give you this amazing gift that I discovered today.

 Life is beautifully chaotic. We pray for miracles (children for instance) and get them, only to live each day stressed out by the work these miracles bring. We love our children, couldn't imagine life without them - but they are hard work!!

 I asked for a new workout routine and diet - and the food prep and "work" of sticking to what I know is healthy for me, instead of overindulging at Outback (oops ...) is "stressful." But I'm sure enjoying benefits! 

 We pray and ask for more responsibility at work, for a more challenging/exciting career - and then we stress, day in and day out, over the tiring workload.

*****Pause for a moment and think about the most stressful things in your life. 

- I guarantee you asked for them in some way, shape, or form, somewhere down the line. 

 Today, instead of viewing things as stressful - try to see them for what they are, blessings! 

 As you're folding the laundry, praise God for the people who wear those clothes. 

As you're doing the dishes praise God for the abundant food you have to eat. 

This won't be some life-altering revelation ... you'll still get stressed, but hopefully you'll be able to return to peace a little by remembering that so much in life is a gift we are blessed to have! 

 It's not stress, we're simply managing our blessings! 

 Love and Blessings, 

Christine

Here Goes Nothing ...

Have you ever had an idea just sit in the back of your mind? Have you ever felt called or pushed to do something - but the idea was about as clear as mud?! Well that's me, and has been me for some time. I've felt called to write. I've felt called to start "something," but have had no clue what. I can't really call it a business because I'm not selling anything (yet .... maybe?) I love people. I love helping people. I love listening to people, observing them (without sounding too creepy), and really helping them to see the potential that they have. I guess that's why I work in ministry. I've recently felt called to Seminary and am really enjoying that journey (so much so that I'll probably be there for several years! - Who has time for graduation right now?!) So that's me in a nut shell .... oh well and the fact that I am working full time as a Youth Director, am a wife to my best friend in the world, the mother to a wildly beautiful and energetic three year old little boy - and this crazy person with a dream that she has no idea what it is. I love reading devotional blogs, almost as much as I love writing them myself. But as I write, I always write with particular people in mind. I truly hear God whispering His truth in my heart that specific people in my life need to hear as I read scripture and write my interpretations. That's kind of where the idea came from. I follow authors, and groups who write for women, and I LOVE IT! But the thing is, God has really laid it on my heart .... that what is different about me, is LOVE. Now these other authors and companies who write God's truth for women certainly have love at the heart of their ministries .... I read them daily - totally not knocking them .... but I am a much more personable person. I want to have genuine relationships with my readers. I want to interact with them, hear what their stories are, guide them, love them, and pray WITH, not just for them. Told you I was crazy, huh!? So that's it, that's where this wild and crazy and completely unfinished, unpolished idea came from and is at the moment. I want to build a "business," a ministry more like, that meets the needs of my friends. I want to be the best friend, pastor, counselor on call for people. Today is my 30th Birthday ... I figured there was no time to pull the trigger like the present ... so here we are .... Love and Blessings! Christine