Why do you blog?

Why do I ask this question today? Well, I was actually watching a show with my kids on Disney channel and it sparked a question in me. lol So I was watching and there was this blogger named "hater girl" who talked about everyone and everything she hated! It ended up hurting someone and what they were doing for their "career". I got to thinking about why do I blog? I don't want to hurt people through my blog. Maybe I want to in a way help someone who is looking for help. Maybe lead them to Christ by what I say. I want my hurts to help and uplift, not hurt and tear people down! I can say, that I am careful about what I write and that I don't want to hurt anyone through anything I write. I have held off on writing things because I didn't want someone to hurt or feel bad. I know that I wrote a few things being open and honest and transparent a few times, but it was my intention to write about what I have been through to show that others go through it too! I hope that what I say can be used to help someone, uplift someone, and help someone see that they are not alone! I hope that my words offer hope, healing, help, and love! I truly love people and want to help people. That is my main desire through my writing! I am not the best at writing. I read my husband's work and he is a writer! He can make everything sound good! He has a way with words that I wish I had, but honestly, if I can help one person through my words, I will feel like I made a difference! I pray that my words point to God and His love and His character! I may not have it all together, but hey, who does? But I just want you bloggers out there to ask yourself this question. Why do you blog? What do you want to accomplish through your blog? Do you want to help and uplift or at times do you hurt and discourage people? Be blessed today! 

have to run. dentist day for this family! lol

promises!

⁵ It is better to promise nothing than to promise something and not be able to do it. 
~Ecclesiastes 5:5


I think this is is true to every area of life! I have seen this in many different areas. One is in the family. No matter what the promise is, try and keep it! I try with my kids, because I have noticed, that they keep track of everything, especially this one! But its not just to your kids, but to your spouse as well. Keep the promises made to them because they notice too! (Sorry about last night hun! :(  ) take this into life in general. People notice the promises that you made and broke more than anything! We need to be good stewards of our time, money, and even our promises!  Are you a good steward of your promises?? 

Coconut flour and oil day!

Today is my crafty day. lol I guess not really crafts, but making my coconut flour , and decided instead of making coconut milk to make coconut oil. when coconuts are on sale, I love picking up a couple and making some yummy and very healthy flour! Plus baking with the coconut milk is good too! I am really hoping that my oil turns out as well. It takes a bit to boil out the water to get the oil, but I think it will work out great! I'll let you know how it comes out!

not too many... just blessed!

I have to admit, I have not always seen how my life was going as a blessing. What I mean..... Well,  we have a lot of kids. Not like, Dugger style a lot, but according to the average american who has 2.6 kids (where do they get .6?? WHO KNOWS LOL) I have a lot! lol Yesterday walking through the store shopping with my wonderful husband and with my beautiful bunch we received a lot of stares, a lot of shocked-wide eyed stares, and there were comments (as usual). I am getting used to the normal stares and the normal comments. Lately, I have been getting the weirdest and rudest comments. One weird question or statement was: you must be rich! Well I am richly blessed with my little ones love and with the love of a Great God who gives me the strength that I need from day to day! Then the rudest we received yesterday, and I am blessed that I heard it and that my husband was unsure of what this lady said. (LOL). She said to the person with her, "they have too many kids!" She said this very loudly though. I have to say that I am blessed with some of the best kids! They are so loving, and even though they are young and they ARE kids, they are SOO well behaved! They stay close to us in the store, they don't just throw things into the cart, a couple might yell every now and then (hey they are two....) but they don't really whine for things and just enjoy the outing for the most part! I get lots of comments but they are all wonderful kids! Later on in the store there was a lady with less than me who was looking for her kid, yelling up and down the isles. I might have many kids, but they are well behaved and wonderful! they might act up every now and then, but they are still young and learning, but whenever we are out, they are well behaved. We get a lot of great comments whenever we bring them out to eat on how well behaved they are and how people cant believe that we bring them all out to eat. Thinking about that comment yesterday..... I may have many kids, but its not too many! They will be productive, responsible, respectful adults godly adults. I know that they are many but I know that they are a good bunch and I am blessed everyday by something that each of them do! A hug, a kiss, an "I love you mommy", a good grade! I know I am a blessed mommy, I don't have too many, I have the amount that God wanted me to have! Each one of these kids have a place, and a God given purpose! They all have different personalities, and like different things! I love seeing new things develop in each one of them! Am I perfect? NO far from, but I try the best that I can with God's help, His wisdom and His strength!  At one time I did not think I was very blessed, but now I know that God has blessed me with these kids, and they ARE a blessing. They give me great joy! Yes, they give me a hard time some-days, but the good outweighs the tough times! They might not always be perfect, but they teach me so much and I have gained so much character because of them! They are my little blessings and I don't think I have too many, but the right amount! God's amount! Their love has gotten me through some tougher times. I am blessed to have a beautiful family, a healthy family, a wonderful, godly, and loving husband who our kids look up to, love, admire and respect. I am sure that our boys will want to be "just like daddy!" and I love hearing that! I pray that I can be the mom, wife, and woman that my girls look up to and want to be like as well!
I AM BLESSED!

So I am back! The other day was a bit blah, and I apologize. The kids have been sick and not letting me sleep much during the nights. Last night was the same. Late night shower for two little ones, and then an earache with another. I got through and got a bit of sleep, but the morning was good. Some days are just a weak day. You feel like everything is against you, and like you are fighting to get through. Well today isn't the best day in a long time (kids still sick,) but it is definitely better and know that there is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel. I always listen to Klove(need to!) and I love the morning show now! They have a great crew and they really offer inspiring words. Yesterday I heard just what I needed to hear and was encouraged! I love how God speaks even through a Christian radio station to get to us!

not so great day.....

I hate down days. Today hasn't been the best day, and its only 9 in the morning!
First off, I am fighting something and it needs to GO!
Secondly, my two year old, loves going outside. The down fall to this is, it is whenever HE wants to. He can open and unlock doors now, which is bad! I was grabbing my daughter so we could go and take kids to school today, and he ran outside! One of my other kids was watching at the door saying "I didn't let him out!"....
thirdly, when coming home after taking kids to school, I was bringing kids in and I fell! Kids are fine, but I hit my head and hurt my knees. So now my head hurts and my knees hurt.
Next, I am not sure if my daughter is still sick and don't want to take her out if she is, but if she isn't I want and need to do some running around today...
   We have our off days, and we have our good days. Something good about today: My amazingly talented and wonderful husband fixed our vehicle yesterday (I drove it somewhere and it died!) so today I can actually get our kids to school! Praying for a better afternoon! Today I need God's peace, love, guidance, patience, healing, and to be my guard!
Philippians 4:6-7  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.

living small

‎2 Corinthians 6:12, 13 MSG
"We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way. I'm speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!" 

I find this to be such an interesting verse. I have to say, I think most people live like this too! I think that we limit what we think we can do, or we limit what we think God can do through us! If we look in the Bible we see big, HUGE things being done for God. What if people said "I cant do that!" and never did! Some did say "I cant do that" but they went through and tried and God used them in a great way! The difference is this: we say we cant, and we DON'T! We leave it at I cant and don't even try! God says to do  something and we don't because we think that WE cannot do it! Well, without God you might not be able to, but with God all things are possible! Our lives are not meant to be small! God wants us to do great things for the kingdom of God! It says that the smallness comes from within US! It doesn't come from God, but we make ourselves believe we can only do small and that we can't do big. It says to "open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!" This life can be more that what meets the eye. It can be bigger than we imagined. We can do more than we thought. We can do this through Jesus Christ. God is the one who puts the hopes and dreams in us. It is HIM who puts the talents and abilities in us! We just need to be open to using them with all our might! 

I think that this is one portion that I needed to read! I live small. I don't think I have many gifts, abilities or talents. I need to see that God has something that He wants me to accomplish, that He has goals for me, that He sees me greater than I see me. I know that I have some sort of ability, I just need to find it, and then not discredit what God has placed inside me either. I think that we discredit what God places in us more times than not. We need to walk in the plans that God has for us. We need to run with it! We need to start seeing the BIG in life, and in our ministries! I know that my husband has big visions and at times we just don't know how it will all come. We cant discredit those big visions for our ministries, God placed them in us, and we need to do our part to see them come to pass. One of the ways to do that is to remember this verse! "your lives are't small, but your living them in a small way!" Don't live inside yourself, if you do you will probably be living smaller than God wants you to be living. Fix your eyes on HIM and His vision for your life and you will see great things happen. God wants to do big, we just have to stop living small, and stop living like God doesn't want to do anything anymore! 

Acceptable thoughts/words

    14      Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
          Be acceptable in Your sight,
          O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

This has been a prayer of mine. I think that it should be a prayer of every Christian. We should all strive for this. We should all want acceptable thoughts and words. A lot of times it can be the opposite. At times we beat up ourselves with bad thoughts and words, and at times we beat up others with bad thoughts and words. We need to pay attention to our thoughts and words and keep checking how they are affecting us. Today I needed this verse. At times I can beat myself up with my thoughts, and eventually I start beating myself up with my words. It is only when I realize what I am doing and ask God to change my thinking to the way HE looks and sees me. I know God sees me as His child but at times I don't see myself like that. We need to change our pessimistic thoughts to optimistic GOD thoughts! When we start asking God to help us control our thoughts and words, we start to see a difference in our attitude and how we see life and how we see ourselves. We are God's children, we are blessed by Him, He loves us, He forgives us, He wants us to live a life of freedom! Turn those thoughts and words into acceptable thoughts in GODS sight!!! He is our strength and our redeemer!!!

Choices.

Deuteronomy 30:19

New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

 ¹⁹ I'm calling for heaven and earth to give witness against you this very day. I'm offering you the choice of life or death. You can choose either blessings or curses. But I want you to choose life. Then you and your children will live.

Life is full of choices! Daily you are faced with choices! From the moment we wake up we are faced with some kind of choice. What will we wear? What will we eat? And so on. What do we do when we are faced with some really hard choices? How do we handle the hard things that come our way? When the hard choices of life come, I think that the verse above is one of the best things to remember. Is this choice a good one? Is it taking me closer or farther from God? Will it cause a life or death? Will it bring me a blessing or a curse?
I have to say, that we think that some of the little choices in life are not that big of a deal, but I think that we need to base all of our choices on this. Bad choices can cause emotional, spiritual or bodily destruction for us or others. I think that even when it comes down to what to wear or what to eat, some think its a little thing that wont affect anyone in anyway. I beg to differ. I think that if we choose to wear something more revealing opposed to something modest we could cause someone to fall. I think that when we choose a wrong thing to eat over a healthy option, it can cause bodily harm. We need to know that even small choices in life matter. Our choices affect us and others more than we think or know. We need to start thinking about our choices and the effect that it could have on us or others around us, myself included. I know that I love food and sweets are a huge downfall for me at times. I need to keep this verse in my head and think about what it could do to my body and how much healthier I could be if I had fruit instead. I need to know that if I keep choosing to fill my body (temple of God) with junk that my health will go down, and could potentially get to a place that is life threatening and that could effect my family. There are "bigger" choices as well that we make from time to time that could have an impact on our lives and we need to be able to choose the option of LIFE! Sometimes we need to make a hard choice to keep going towards life and the blessing that God has for us in life! The easy way out isn't always the best and we need to be able to do the hard work and find the blessing that God has for us in the end!! CHOOSE LIFE!!!

1 Peter 4:8-11: ⁸Most important of all, you must sincerely love each other, because love wipes away many sins.

    ⁹Welcome people into your home and don't grumble about it.

    ¹⁰Each of you has been blessed with one of God's many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well. ¹¹If you have the gift of speaking, preach God's message. If you have the gift of helping others, do it with the strength that God supplies. Everything should be done in a way that will bring honor to God because of Jesus Christ, who is glorious and powerful forever. Amen.

Apologize bye 33miles


It's been going on for so long
All the words we said wrong way back then
And I still hear them all in my head
It keeps playing over and over again
I can't run, I can't hide, it don't matter how hard I try
To move on, but...

I don't want to leave it, bury it and forget it
I've already wasted so much time
Can't wait another moment, am I all out of chances
For you to believe it's on my mind
I've gotta let go of my pride and apologize

I thought I would never let go
Never thought I could know what it's like
To wake up, holding what I gave up
After all this time still trying to find
What it is to forgive even when it isn't that easy
So please believe me, 'cause...

If I caused you pain, I will take the blame
You can put it on me
If I broke your heart, if I left a scar
Let me say I'm sorry

I've gotta let go of my pride
And apologize


I think that we all (christian and non) say that we have had a hard time forgiving someone of something. One thing I had to face was this idea of BIBLICAL apology. "What do you mean by that?" you ask... Well, in life we say, I have forgiven someone of something but then you bring it up in your head or you throw the wrong that someone did to you back in their face. I try not to do the latter, but i know that at times I have in my head brought it back up. I at times don't mean to, but it can be a struggle not to. I have faced the fact that we have forgiveness wrong. We do it when it is convenient to us and we bring it back up when it is convenient to us! 
Some of us have held on to hurts from others for way to long! Some of us cannot even remember why there was a fight to begin with. Most of the time it is a pride issue that gets in the way. "Well it was them that caused ME pain so why should I apologize??" When we take this stance, most times, it will never be resolved. Sometimes we need to be the bigger person and take the steps toward reconciliation and apologize for anything that We might have done wrong. We need to forgive also like God forgives! LET IT GO, LEAVE IT BEHIND (let the past stay in the past) and BURY IT! God puts our wrongs in the sea of forgetfulness! meaning HE LETS IT GO AND FORGETS THE WRONG! We need to be able do this for others but for ourselves and our walk with God! Being able to let go of our pride and say your sorry is a huge step in the right direction. Likewise, being able to accept that apology and forgive the way God does, is another huge thing! Be willing to let go and let God! Forgive and forget! Let go of pride and apologize! These thing will take your walk with God so much closer, and can also help the other person get closer to God as well! God wants unity among people! How can we have unity if we wont apologize? How can we have unity if we wont forgive the way God does? 

His strength

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ERV)

⁹ But the Lord said, “My grace is all you need. Only when you are weak can everything be done completely by my power.” So I will gladly boast about my weaknesses. Then Christ’s power can stay in me.

This verse has been my verse for the day. I have heard it a few times on the radio, a few different posts on Facebook, and I know that God is speaking to me on this! Yesterday was a harder day. I felt so weak in body! I woke with one of the worst headaches of my life. I was hurting but as mom you still have a lot of things that you are responsible for during the day, especially the morning and getting kids ready for school. I couldn't get everything done that I wanted because of I was feeling Blah all day, and then it was a beautiful day and I had 3 who wanted to go outside and play. Also with 2 at the age of 2, you seem to chase after them cleaning up their messes. So it just wasn't a day that was ideal for getting everything done. By the end of the day, I felt done, and wanted to sit, but still had things I needed to do. I felt so bad that I couldn't get it done and that I didn't do a few things that evening. It really was eating at me. I was telling myself that I need a break and rest too, but we put a lot of strain on ourselves to get everything done and in. I know I am not perfect and I try so hard but still end up failing and falling short, it seems. I was definitely reminded of this verse today and know that yes, I am weak but God will show himself strong even when at my weakest! Yesterday wasn't my weakest day to date, but it reminded me that He got me through harder times and He can get me through this little thing. Being weak in body is never fun and makes everything harder when your a mom, but God gives us the strength to get through what we need to! I love  how this version says this verse! "Only when you are weak can everything be done completely by MY power!" It is OK to be weak because then God's strength and might and power can shine through even on the darkest, or hardest situations! God knows that we are human and that we get weak at times. That is why He wrote this verse! To let us know, "Hey I know that from time to time you get down, you get weak, but rely on MY power and MY strength! I will show you what I can do through it!" We serve and amazing God! He is truly a good God who loves us and shows us His love through His word. I am so happy that I don't serve a God who requires strength at all times, because I know that everyone gets down, and that everyone feels weak and like they just cant go on. It is during these times of weakness that we can fully rely on HIM and HIS strength! He will get the job done! We need to be willing to rely on HIM completely! Memorize this verse and keep it close to your heart! It will come in handy when you feel weak and like you can't go on! Say this verse to yourself when you are feeling at your lowest or weakest! He will give you the strength you need and show His might through it! His glory will shine through even during your weak times! 

trust HIM

Proverbs 3:5-6 
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight

Trust, what a word! The definition of this word is "Firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something". For some this is a hard thing to do! Some have put themselves out there and returned with nothing but hurt. Some have tried trusting many times and now are afraid to trust. Some don't trust just because they don't believe they can trust anyone! Its a sad thing, but many cannot trust or fear trusting. We need to know that there is someone who we can trust who is perfect, who will never leave us or forsake us, who will love us no matter what we do! HE is the one we can put our trust in! 

Once we get to a place of trusting, we need to trust God with ALL our heart! That can be a step of faith for most, But we need to know that trusting God will not come back void! The verse then goes on to say to NOT lean on our own understanding. Why is that? Our understanding is very limited! The God of the universe understands everything in the universe! There is NO ONE in this world right now who can say that! Our knowledge is limited! It will always be limited. That is why we need to trust in God who knows everything and who can lead us perfectly in the way we should go! If we rely on our own understanding, we wont get far, but when we start trusting God and leaning on HIS understanding, He will take us farther than we ever thought or imagined! 

The next part says to acknowledge HIM in all our ways! In everything we do we should be pointing to HIM! Another version says this: "Trust the LORD completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. ⁶ With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way."

With every step you take, think about what HE wants! Think about His will for your life, and if what you are doing is glorifying HIM! It is when we start thinking about what He wants that we see our life becoming more fulfilled, more purpose shining through, more things working together better! It says that "He will make your paths straight" or "He will help you go the right way!" When we put our focus on Him and what He wants us to do, there is no way He wont lead! He helps us go the right way when we start listening to what He wants from us! 

Be willing to trust God and lean on His understanding of life what He wants you to do and not your own! Trust that He has a good plan for your life! (Jeremiah 29:11). Know that when you follow Him, He will lead you to a place of purpose and fulfillment for your life! 

plans.

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11


I love this verse. It is one of those verses that I just remind myself of from time to time! Why? because it is a promise and when we feel like life is beating us down, we sometimes need to be reminded of the promises that are in God's word. God loves you and He will not let you down, He will not let you go, and He will not let you fall down and crumble under the pressures of life! He is there to pick us back up again and dust us off when we need it! We just need to be willing to reach out our hand to Him and let Him pick us up!
God has great plans for your life! Your not here by accident. He planned your life in the whole scheme of eternity! Trust in His plan for your life! Walk knowing that He has a great plan, and that when we walk in His plan for our life He blesses and fulfills that which He has promised! His plans are to prosper you and not harm! How amazing it is to hear this! God wants to remind His people that He doesn't want to harm us. HE LOVES US! He wants to see us prosper and give us a hope and a future! As we walk through life, remember God's amazing promise here. Sometimes we need to be reminded that He loves us, that He wants us to prosper and that He wants a good future and a hope for us! We need to walk in this promise, and walk in His will for our lives! We all have a purpose in life, find your God given purpose and lets never lose sight of what God has in store for us! It is GOOD!! Your future is BRIGHT!!! Your blessed!

what is YOUR worldview??

When I see a phrasing that I am not 100% on what it is actually asking for I like to look it up and see what exactly is meant by a certain phrase! I was listening or read something online and I saw two phrases. The first was "worldview" the second was "Biblical worldview". I could tell you what was meant of these phrases. Your worldview being, how you view this world. A Biblical worldview, I hesitated a bit. I can gather, that basically looking at the world through a Biblical perspective, which I feel I do. I didn't want to stop there though. I looked this phrase "Biblical worldview" up. I found a very good article on it. I read it. I have to say, I have been more tainted by a secular world view than I really thought. I Believe the Bible word for word. I know it is truth! I know it is the only absolute truth out there! I guess that is where I leave it at times though. I read the article and it went on farther than just believing it. It talked about ACTING it too! If you know it is truth you should live it out through your life as it is right?? I think I do to a certain point. I know we are all human and we all make mistakes and we all fallen, but at times, I let the secular worldview cloud my Biblical worldview. I have compromised in a few areas. Now I am not saying like in a huge area.. but like in dress. The Bible talks about being modest. I know that for the most part, my dress is very modest! I don't like to show anything off, (unless at home with my hubby,) but I don't really go out showing off anything, I don't feel comfortable like that, and I think that does have to do with my Biblical worldview too. But every now and then I desire to look like those magazines. I desire to be able to dress like those models in the magazine. In that instance I think that my view has been tainted. Now, you might say, that is nothing! Why get all in a knot about that? Well, I for one am just throwing that out there as something that has been tainted in my own personal mind. I guess that for me if it is going against what I say I believe my worldview has been tainted. Also I mention something little because I personally  feel that when we make little compromises in our worldview, it opens us up to make bigger compromises. I really thought this was a good article and want to share it and hope others will enjoy it as well! What is your worldview? I guess I want to be real (I mess up so I am real and I will admit that to anyone) but I don't want to use that as a crutch! I don't want to use that as an excuse to mess up. Even though we are human and we do mess up, there is still the idea about holiness in the Bible that Jesus says "Be ye holy for I am holy". I want to try my hardest to keep my biblical worldview in belief and action, knowing that I might mess up along the way and for that there is grace!! I just don't want to ever use the phrase "I am human, I want to be real" as an excuse to do what I know I shouldn't do! But knowing that I am human and that from time to time I do need grace I want to learn from my mess ups but strive and go after a holy life that is pleasing to God! No one will ever be perfect, but we can be forgiven by the perfect one! I want God to be the center of my life. I want God to be my goal in life. I want what I do for eternity to be what I measure my success in life by. God and what we do for HIM is and should be our life!!!  What is your worldview???

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/christian_worldview/whats_a_christian_worldview.aspx

Blessed

I am sitting here this morning holding a sleeping little girl. I have a few kids who are sick today and not feeling well. I have been pulled in a few different directions this morning trying to console my youngest son who is sick and trying to feed the others. Nap time is here, and I have the 2 others who are home and sick to bed, and my oldest girl who just wants to be with mama. As a mother, you can feel pulled in many directions. but it is the little moments that speak in a loud way. Right now I am holding my little girl and just feeling so blessed, so loved. I feel the warm breath on my shoulder, I feel her cuddle up and get comfy against me, her perfume today is baby shampoo and chocolate cookies. It is the little moments that we take in where we know God is looking down and smiling. At times we can get so caught up in life and forget to just slow down and smell the kids around us. Sometimes we don't look past the trouble making (my two, two year olds get into a lot of trouble together at times lol) to see love in their eyes. I know at times I can get overwhelmed, and my attitude can show through as more upset than anything, but I try. I know that lately I have been overwhelmed with my two little ones and that feeling of being overwhelmed has shown a lot. I need to try and step back and remember the little moments like this one.
Psalm 127:3-5  Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

I am a blessed woman! I have my home filled with lots of little ones who all need me and need me to show them God's love through me! I love my little ones, They are a blessing and they don't know that at times I need them and their love! They have blessed me so much with all the hugs and kisses and "I love you's". I have also been blessed with an amazing man to share the life of our kids with! I pray that we can raise them in the ways of God in a way that they will not depart from HIM! 

beatitudes a bit different! (message!)

            3      “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
            4      “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
            5      “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.
            6      “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.
            7      “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.
            8      “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
            9      “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
            10      “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

I liked what I read here. I have read the "beattitudes" many many times! I read it, and said oh that is nice.... But Reading it differently can open your eyes to something new. Some people dont like the message, but I do because, I think that it can speak to you differently and open your eyes differently than when you memorize it in the KJV. It is a now -a- days' version and I like that at times. I think that God can speak through HIS word no matter what version it is. Read and take in what it says, and let GOD speak to you, even through the message version. 

life and our task!

Acts 20:24

New International Version (NIV)

²⁴ However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace

How wonderful it could be if this was our main focus in life: completing the task JESUS GAVE US! I think that the person who gets to this is amazing. I have still a ways to go, I wish I could say that I have obtained this, but the cares of the world do get to me and taunt me every now and again to the point that my eyes are shifted off of what I am doing for God to, "oh no, what am I going to do!" I do have to say that I have grown from where I used to be and I quickly get my focus back to "the race and completing the task the Lord Jesus gave me". I have yet fully obtained this mindset, but I am growing and I am getting closer! As I wrote in my last page, life can be a battle. One that we all want to win and be successful at! But i think that we need to redefine success in this world! I think that in this world, and especially in this country many think of success in how much we make, what nice car we drive and by the other things that WE OWN! I think we need to start looking at the above verse and seeing that our success is in completing our task: Testifying to the good news of God's grace! I think that we need to take our eyes off of material things and measuring success by what we have and start measuring by God's standards: did we accomplish the task GOD gave us? did we live a life that testified of God and His goodness? did we reach people for God? Instead of measuring by what WE own, did we allow God to be the owner of our life? In the end this life will pass, many who know you will pass, and then what you did on this earth will be gone, but what we did that had an ETERNAL value will live eternally! I am reminded of song lyrics, "this world has nothing else for me, I will trust in you!" This world cannot offer us what God can! When we chase after God with all our heart mind soul body strength.... HE provides, HE heals, HE mends brokenness, HE restores, HE fixes, HE HE HE! Meaning, WE cannot without HIM in our lives! I have tried to mend myself, I have tried to fix things, I have tried to do things on my own, and in the end failed miserably! It was only when I starting fixing my eyes on HIM and chasing after HIM and making HIM my focus and making HIM number one, that I found that HE CAN!!! HE made a way when it looked like there was no way! Our lives are nothing but with HIM it becomes more! HE becomes our life and our life has meaning, and purpose! HE is my meaning, HE is my purpose! My task: to follow hard after HIM! My task: To testify of HIS great love! My task: to live a life wholy devoted to HIM. My task: To show HIS love to all! Am I perfect? will I get this every time? Probably not, but we keep pushing forward and we keep trying with HIS help! With HIS guidance! All things are possible with GOD! NOTHING is impossible with God, and we just need to keep pushing on through the trials of life, never forgetting that HE is with us and HE can even when we cannot! What is your task in this life? do you think you have one? WE ALL DO! Find your calling that GOD has placed on your life! walk in it, and follow HARD after HIM!!! And when we do this HE lines everything else up in our lives! Life wont always be perfect, but when perfectly lead, HE works everything out for good!