Thursday, November 15, 2018

Perfection not required

My Good Good Father recently told me this...

“I do not require perfection. I just want you, just as you are. Just exactly as you are. Let my love wash over you. Allow my peace and security to rule in you. I am all you seek and all you need. I am. I can. & I will.”

Perfection is not required. Then why is it that I require it of myself? I do not tolerate mistakes well yet I make them regularly. 

Mistakes, especially those that affect others, knock me down and it is not easy to get back up. I am extremely hard on myself. 

The Lord is not pleased with this. He has been teaching me that I should give grace to myself as I would give it to another. 

This has been a long hard learning for me and one I have yet to grasp fully. 

The Lord is clear about forgiveness in His Word. I am familiar with forgiveness as I require much and I have had to give my fair share. However, when it comes to forgiving myself...let’s just say there is much work left to be done.

Grace is easier to give to someone else. 

Paul said in Philippians 3:13-14 “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭NIV‬‬

This is Paul formerly Saul writing. Saul who murdered, imprisoned & tortured people just because they followed The Way (Jesus)!! This is Paul saying yes I have been imperfect but I must press on and not get deterred. There is a race to win, there is a goal ahead. There is a purpose and a plan to fulfill. 

Press on. We must press on. We must do everything that we can to correct what we have done. We must pay the consequences. Then we must press on.

"God does NOT require perfection just obedience." ~ My Hubby

He wants us to NEVER quit or give up. Press on.

I am in such a hard season currently. One where I feel that the Lord is working in me to sanding off many rough edges. This is a painful process! Ultimately, I want to learn the things I need to learn now and quickly so that I can indeed press on and run the race that is set before me.

Isaiah 64:8 "Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand."

I want to be teachable and pliable in His hands. I want to remember that the Master is making a masterpiece. He is not finished with me yet! I need to remember that I am a work in PROGRESS and give myself and others much grace.

Doesn't He do the same. He give grace upon grace.

I will NOT be perfect, as much as I want to be, but I WILL NOT GIVE UP. I will walk through this season allowing the potter to mold me and sand off my rough edges.

Father, I lay myself at Your feet. I ask that you continue your work in me. I am looking forward to my harvest of righteousness and peace according to Hebrews 12:11. I pray for the strength and grace to press on. I pray for joy in this season. I ask for forgiveness and help to learn and grow and allow the sanding to occur. May I not stop the process because it is painful or uncomfortable. Lord, I need you. Every day, hour, minute and second I need you. Help me to lean into you and be more aware of your presence. I love you Lord and I trust You! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Life these days & other random thoughts

I have sat down so many times to write and have just hit wall after wall. I don't often experience this.

I cannot believe we are already 6 days into November! It is truly amazing how fast time seems to go.

October was a busy month for us but it was good. Hubby and I celebrated 9 years of marriage with a lunch alone. We enjoyed our time together while the boys enjoyed their time with their Boo. 

Our church held a beautiful Pastor Appreciation party for us. We love what we get to do so much and we love this family that we get to be a part of everyday. God has indeed blessed us with and incredible church family and we feel blessed everyday. It is an honor to get to do what we do and we feel that from our head to our toes! 

We had a wonderful Family Fall Festival a few Sundays ago. It was so much fun. The kids in children's church and I started a campaign against my hubs to get him dunked in the dunk tank repeatedly and IT WORKED! We had a blast dunking him and our youth pastor and several others!

Easton had his first dentist appointment. Poor fella has to have fillings this month. I was so disappointed even after we were told that it wasn't because we were not brushing well. I just hate it for the lil man. 

Both boys hit a growth spurt and nearly ate us out of house and home. I couldn't not seem to keep them satisfied. I am not a huge fan of growth spurts because I feel like I don't recognize them for what they are until they are almost over and my poor boys are miserable. 

Hubby put our outside Christmas lights up in October!! We are just so excited to have a house to decorate and could not wait any longer. They look awesome and we all love them so much!! Our trees will be going up just as soon as I can get the house cleaned and organized.

I have been sick for the last several days and have not gotten much done around the house. Both the boys have been a little under the weather too. 

Our days have been starting EARLY since the time change, E likes to get up with the sun. I am going to need to get him some black out curtains so we can sleep past 6am. 

I have noticed that the lighting in my wonderful house has changed with the season and I am loving it. I get more natural light in the kitchen and it just makes my heart so happy. 

The boys and I are a little frustrated with how long it takes for the back yard to dry out so we can go play. We spend most of our time on the front porch if it is not too cool and wet or inside. The boys are already going a bit stir crazy. It may be a long winter season for us. I am going to have to find some creative ways to help the cabin fever!

I am mostly ready for Christmas. We do the 5 gift rule. Something to wear, read, want, need & a santa gift. We have the Santa gift and read covered. I just need to get their wear and want gifts and one other for a family party we're attending. 

We love this time of year! Hubby is loving all of the football on tv and I am loving all the Hallmark movies. We love the cooler weather when we get it. And Christmas is just about to be in full swing! 

Here's to a wonderful month filled with inspiration and fun!

Father,
Thank you for your goodness. Thank you for your unconditional love. Father teach me, show me, change me. Help me to continue on the narrow path and pressing on toward the goal. Help me to forgive freely, love freely, hope freely and strive to be more of the woman that you created me to be. I pray that we would not just survive in this season or the next but that we would thrive and please you. In Jesus name. Amen.