Want to be a Princess?

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I wonder if every little girl wants to be a princess at some point in her life?

 

I know I did.  I did not want to be an ordinary princess though.  I wanted to be a “tough as nails princess”  The kind that rode horses, participated in sword fights, and really didn’t need a prince to save her from anything.  I wanted to be the type of princess that was beautiful, yet didn’t really care if all her gowns sparkled.  I wanted to be that type of princess that people liked because she was kind and helpful, not just because she was a princess.

I think my vision of “princess-hood” came from my experiences as a child.  My parents divorced when I was young and I was the oldest, thus the “caretaker” of my brother and sister (or so I thought).  I had a tendency to protect and hover over those I loved….and no one, I mean no one could mess with me.  Not that I was mean….I just didn’t take any junk from anyone!

As I grew up I realized that I wasn’t a princess at all.  I feel like I fought for a lot in my life.  I am not complaining, it made me who I am today…but princess, naw….no need.  I was my own woman.  I did not need anyone, or so I thought.

Once I got married, I didn’t really act like I needed my husband either.  I did not have a good relationship with my dad, thus the tough exterior.  Well, that did not work so well.  I did not know who I was….nor how much God really loved me. Then I found out I was treasured…I was a princess.

James 1:12 “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

Isaiah 62:3 “You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.”

I needed to know that then, and I need to know that now.  I love God with all my heart, and He loves me. And I am still a princess!

Be blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

 

*google image, NIV Bible*

Dandilions! Every Year!

Christ's rest, Grace, Hope, Jesus Christ, Spiritual Encouragement, , , , , , , , , ,

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Dandilions!  Every Year!

 

As every spring begins, there is a lot of yard work to go along with it.  And with the long winter that has been hanging around, it is indeed a pleasure…even though every muscle in my body will be yelling at me tomorrow!

The goal this day:  Remove the dandelions from the back patio.  They grow in-between the division in the bricks every single year.  The task seems so daunting.  But, I will admit, the sea of yellow really is pretty!

Now yellow is one of my favorite colors, so the question runs through my mind every year.  Do I really want to pull them?  They really are just pretty little flowers.  Ah, my reasoning really doesn’t hold up, so seeing the patio does become a priority.  But there is not a year that is different.  Every year.

I lean down to pull out the first one.  That was easy enough.  Oops, the green leaves seem to remain. Strange.  And even more curious is that every year I go through the motions of pulling these things!  One more try…just the yellow flower head!!

I decide that whether I like it or not, I am going to have to resort to the way in which I end up doing it every year.  Pointed blade of one of my garden utensils…first dig deep to the right, then the left….then pull!  Aha!  The entire flower came out roots and all!  I go for another one….great, two…super, three…I am on a roll!  Four…ooops, what happened?  The root was only removed in part.  

At this point it hits me…every year….these pretty little flowers are…..weeds.  Now I know to some they have value, but to me their value is nothing when they are coming up on my brick patio. They do not belong there.  The battle continues…every year.

What does that sound like?  It sounds a little like sin to me.  Sin is “missing the mark” and the result of sin…sins…”the fruit”.  That cute little flower was missing the mark, it was in the wrong place.  These weeds would soon take over and cover my patio.  Sin is so deceiving.  It can appear pleasurable and beautiful and good.  Then you see the root of it.  The consequences overtake you, they are inevitable at some point.

The deception is the key.  It can appear good, even beautiful.  It is pleasurable for a moment…then…

Hebrews 8:12 is one of many scriptures that give us hope.  “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Do you have dandelions in your life?  I sure do.  I have to ask myself if I am pulling them by the root so that they have no more life?  Or because they are “cute”, do I leave them there to simply overtake my life?  The decision is mine…the decision is yours. Every year, every day.

The Father wants us to live our life abundantly.  He has His “best” for us because He loves us.  Once we discover that truly those dandelions aren’t the best for us…we can replace them with lovely day lilies…and it will happen every, single year.

Be Blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

 

 

*google image, NIV Bible*

Simple Dining

Christianity, Grace, Love one another, mom, motherhood, Parenting, Spiritual Encouragement, , , , , , , , ,

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SIMPLE DINING

 

After church I saw a person standing on the corner of an intersections asking for money.  I gave him some, because I knew that is what the Lord wanted me to do.  Honestly though, can’t these people get a job?  Last Wednesday night at Bible study that new gal told us she had messed up in the past with some “inappropriate behaviors”.  Really?  I told her that God loved her and would forgive her, but I know she will do it again!  Gees, I go to church every time the church doors are open…cannot say the same for my neighbors.

We go out and eat every Sunday after services.  I swear though, I told my husband and kids that I will never go back to that restaurant.  That waitress was simply awful!  I don’t know how many times I had to correct her and let her know she was doing a lousy job.  One of her co workers whispered to me that her husband and just left her and her two year old little boy.  Well, I felt bad for her, but she had a job to do and was getting paid.  I expected better service and I told her so before we left!

NOW, before you start throwing tomatoes….or stop reading…this is an exaggerated story!  I would hope that I never consciously said or acted this way!  I especially would not have wanted to act this way in front of my kids….but, it does sound vaguely familiar.  That isn’t good. Did I say things as I “do good Christian” things in front of my children when they were at home with me?  What message have I sent them?

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophesy and can fathom all the mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing…..Now we see but a poor reflection in the mirror, then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.  And now these three things remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.”

Our lifestyle and the good “Christian things” that we do to be  a “good Christian” keep us from loving.  This type of bondage enables us to do things which mean nothing to the kingdom.  They are done out of obligation and not out of love.  Agape love allow us to love without condition.  The highest form of love is when God infiltrates our hearts and we are able to allow Him to love through us…agape love.

Is this easy?  Not always, but it is completely attainable when we understand the love that GOD has for us.  When we abide in his love and surrender our will and life to him, we are able to love, and that love drives us.  It allows us to “want” to love and share.  We are personally convicted to do out of our hearts, and not out of obligation.  It is useless to do anything…without love.

Children are beyond honest.  I messed up…alot. They could tell you stories, I am sure.  These simple lessons of loving, without obligation….and through love are the lessons I hope my children remember.  And if they remember my mistakes( I am sure they do when I think of hearing them repeat my words as I yell at the driver in the next lane)….I pray that they do learn from them, and not repeat them.

Simple Lessons.

Be Blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*image-animationsA2Z, NIV Bible*