weekly gratitude

the first blossoms on my new apple trees have arrived!

In many ways, this week has been a hard one for me.
I have taken a few walks with God and wept with Him as I have quoted Scripture and allowed it's truth to penetrate my soul.
God is not thrown off by life's twists and turns the way I am...
He is faithful and completely in control--
that alone is cause for celebration!
And so, in the wake of the week I had, I will take a moment to say thanks...

~the first buds on my apple trees have come

~4 day weekends!!

~green grass (and the fact it looks even greener against the gray sky)

~another completed school year (as of Monday--Yay!!) 

~'Cars' bandaids

~like minded people

~friendship

~cosmetics

~rice bowls with cilantro lime rice

~unexpected words of encouragement

~the incredible friendships shared between my children

~three wonderful men I have in my life: 

brilliant husband

great dad

sweet son

Here's to a long weekend of rest and work, laughter and prayer. 

I wish you so much laughter your stomach hurts, 

abundant fellowship that fills your cup to overflowing,

and lots of exercise to make muscles you didn't know you had a bit sore. 

Happy weekend!

<><tce

an unforgettable announcement

"Greetings, O favored one,

the Lord is with you!

...

Do not be afraid, Mary for you have found favor with God."

~Angel Gabriel

Luke 1:28,30

Luke 1 is packed full of life changing truth that sits subtly in the pages of the New Testament, waiting to be claimed and held on to. 

We start out with Zechariah and Elizabeth--a righteous and upright couple that walked blamelessly. 

In spite of their righteousness however, God had yet to answer their desperate plea for a child. 

For Elizabeth, this plea was not only born of desire to be a mother, but there was much reproach on behalf of culture and society towards women that were barren. Bearing a child gave value, worth and purpose to women. Elizabeth, by all measures of society, had none of the above. 

Yet, she continued to live blamelessly. 

She refused to let anger, doubt or self pity swallow her. 

She continued to present her requests, her pain and her desires before the throne of a God she knew had a heart of compassion and love towards her. In God's perfect timing, He showed Himself faithful to a woman that continued to call Him such. 

God's timing couldn't have been more perfect. 

John the Baptist, the close relative of Christ and the son of Elizabeth and Zechariah was born just months before our blessed Savior Jesus Christ. As we continue to study the book of Luke, we will see how the lives of these two men were timed together for a very specific reason. 

God's timing is not our timing. 

God's timing is altogether, perfectly good. 

I had to smile as I read the angel's greeting to Mary.

Think about it--he first reminded her of her favor with God. Then he reminded her of God's ever abiding presence. Then, he encouraged her fearful heart by reminding her yet again of God's favor upon her. 

The angel Gabriel was about to make an unbelievable, life altering announcement and knew that Mary would replay this conversation in her head a bazillion times. She needed to hear that God's favor and presence were upon her. 

I don't know about you, but I feel like that. 

I will never forget the moment that the phone call came. 

The announcement was made. 

The bomb was dropped and life was forever different. 

In that moment, God's ever abiding presence was there and I remember it well. 

In spite of scrutiny, pain or unthinkable circumstances (all of which Mary knew well as a result of her announcement), God's favor still rests upon those that embrace Him as Lord of their lives and live to glorify Him regardless of what this earthly life brings our way. 

Her response? 

"Behold, I am the servant of the Lord;

let it be to me according to your word." (v.38)

It wasn't about Mary. 

It wasn't about what Mary could endure.

It was about the Lord she served and the Lord that would sustain her

in spite of the 'scandal' that was about to unfold,

the whispers and sneers of those that failed to believe the miracle

that was underway on their behalf and on the behalf of every sinner to come. 

With haste, Mary departed from her small village and went to the home of her dear relative Elizabeth. It was in the home of Elizabeth and Zechariah that Mary sought a respite from the controversy that surrounded the unborn child growing within her. 

It was in the presence of these blameless people that she found encouragement and the strength of fellowship and belief. 

Elizabeth affirmed Mary for believing that what God had said, Go would do. 

Undoubtedly, Mary replayed the angel's visit in her heart and mind many times over, wondering if she was crazy for believing such a declaration. 

After all, she was just a normal, quiet every day girl. 

The mother-to-be of the Promised Messiah? 

The much anticipated Redeemer coming as a dependent infant? 

So it is with us. 

It is easy to look at our life and try to reconcile the words of God with our perception of reality and the future. 

This can be a nearly impossible task at times as we survey the rampant wickedness, disease, unfairness and uncertainty of life. How in the world can God be seen and glorified through such things? 

It is in those times that we will find our strength and encouragement not only through the power of Scripture, but through the prayers and friendship of fellow believers in Christ. 

God did not call us to walk this road alone. 

We need to pray together, listen to one another and encourage one another with the truth of God's promised and eternal Word of Truth. 

God is faithful. 

God's timing is magnificent and perfectly good. 

God's presence and favor are ever abiding as we abide in Him. 

I pray that you would be encouraged through the words and presence of other God loving people today and that the response of your heart, regardless of the questions, pain or uncertainty would be similar to that of Mary....

"I am a servant of the Lord. 

Let it be according to your word..."

peace.

<><tce

a drink from the hose

I love this picture.
I know there are some mothers out there cringing as they see my son drinking from a hose and not a BPA Free cup...oh well. It's the essence of summer.
I drank from the hose and I turned out ok right?
Don't answer that.

Anyway, the whole purpose of this post is to say that summer has arrived at our house and truthfully, this is more exciting than Christmas morning around here.
Where we're from, sun is something we learn to appreciate and flip flops are not something we take for granted.
With that said, my blogging may be a bit inconsistent (as if it hasn't been already, but at least I am forewarning you this time...) as I enjoy my rapidly growing Littles, the sunshine and the warm days.
And an occasional drink from the hose.

Also, I am planning on leading a small group of servant hearted young people on a short term mission trip this summer. As part of this trip, we will be studying the book of Luke over the next 40 days. Because I am firm believer in finishing what has been started I will finish blogging through the first chapter of James, but will also be blogging through Luke. If you would like the reading schedule so you can study along with us, e-mail me at fetteredheart{dot}tce{at}gmail{dot}com. It would be a great blessing to have you study along with us and to hear your insight as well!

blessed summer days to you!
<><tce

don't be deceived

'Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

Every good and perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow due to change.

Of His own will he brought us forth by the word of truth,

that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.'

James 1: 16-18

I find this warning interesting. 

Often, when I think of warnings in the Bible I think of things like believing false doctrine or falling into adultery. 

Truthfully, the deception of forgetting-- or failing to believe altogether-- the Source of all things--material, spiritual, physical, mental--is a great and subtle trap that will take captive and destroy. It is when we forget Who the giver of all good things is, that we begin to walk a road of pride, self righteousness, doubt, insecurity and human effort. Not only is this road a slippery slope, but it will destroy us and the relationships of those around. Our lives become consumed with self and we forfeit the blessing that comes from acknowledging the Giver as well as living to glorify Him out of humility and gratitude. 

There is so much peace and rest packed into these 27 words. 

Recognizing that He is the Giver and I am merely the steward of His gifts, removes the pressure to earn or deserve that which He gives. 

I deserve nothing but hell. 

I have the potential to earn nothing but exhaustion and feverish toil. 

He gives because He is faithful and He delights in blessing His creation and glorifying Himself through it. 

Knowing, believing and remembering that God does not change is critical to my life as His daughter as I walk the dusty and temporary road of life. 

Everything around me is changing by the moment. Nothing is permanent. Nothing is guaranteed. 

The lives of my children. The health of my husband. The material things of earth. 

All is temporary and is under the curse of sin.

God transcends all of that. 

He is the only Being that is not under The Curse. 

He is not limited to the temporary and fleeting nature of this earth. 

As we journey through life, we are called to hold loosely that which we love and to hold tightly to the promise that God is eternal as is the soul that dwells within us. 

When health fails or life is snuffed out...God remains. 

When the job is eliminated or the rejection unbearable...God remains. 

The depravity of humanity, the hurt and hate of earth...God remains. 

He does not change. He remains. 

By His will He brought us forth. 

By His will, He spoke the lives of our children, spouses, family and friends into being. 

By His will, He called us and covered us by the sacred blood that was spilled on our behalf. 

He cherishes human life above the rest of His creation. 

We have been created in His image. This is to no credit of our own lest pride take root. For He is the giver of all good things. He is the Sustainer of all that is and all that will be.

Every talent, every capacity to understand, serve and do has been given by Him and ought to be used humbly for Him that we may draw others to Him. 

It is not about us, our prosperity, acknowledgement, favor or recognition. 

It is not about doing and receiving, earning and deserving. 

It is about God having favor and generosity for His human creation that does not deserve His goodness, but out of love He gives that we may glorify Him as a result. 

May God be glorified as you humbly acknowledge the Giver of all you have and the Sustainer of all you are. 

peace. 

<><tce

weekly gratitude

In spite of a few setbacks this week and a camera forgotten at my in-laws house 350 miles away,

I still have plenty to be thankful for,

including old favorite photos like this one that remind me how fast my babies are growing up. 

~my small town that is full of good people

~early morning runs while the world is still asleep

~push lawn mowers (productive exercise!) 

~grass stains (three cheers for green grass!)

~OxyClean that treats those grass stains with a vengeance

~an unexpected gift given 'From a Friend' just because

~frozen pizza and brownies

~a week off of academics to enjoy bike riding, yard work, the trampoline and the sunshine

~our graduating seniors

~little fingers on piano keys and the beauty that results

~flip flops

~days with no where to go except the park

~the dirt ring around my bathtub

~clean kids exhausted from a hard day's play

~free mulch
~phone calls bearing good news

~the sexy man I get to be married to

happy weekend to you!

<><tce

back to James

'Let no one say when he is tempted,

"I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil,

and He himself tempts no one. 

But each person is tempted with he is lured away and enticed by his own desire. Then desire, when it has conceived gives birth to sin,

and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.'

James 1:13-15

It has been an incredible walk through the book of James thus far and I am eager to finish well. 

In order to do that though I must walk through these verses...here it goes...

I am no theologian, but I must echo the words of King Solomon in Ecclesiastes, 'There is nothing new under the sun' when I read these verses. 

To me, these verses are shedding a spotlight on a sin that has been around since the dawn of mankind--blame. 

It is no different today than when James penned these words. Two married people 'fall in love' and call it destiny saying they 'can't help the way they feel' therefore it must be right. 

A radical Mormon believer kidnaps a young girl in broad daylight saying that 'God told him to do it...' 

Even so in our own lives through the 'little' sins to overspend, overindulge, overcompensate and fail to do what God has called us to do. We may not blame God directly, but we are directly sinning against God. 

God is completely holy and altogether good in everything He does. He does not tempt with evil simply because there is no evil in Him and He longs for His creation to walk in holiness just as He is holy. 

He does test though. 

We see this in the book of Job. 

'Behold, I go forward and He is not there,

and backward, but I do not find Him;

I look to the left and do not see Him at work;

He turns to the right but I catch to glimpse of Him.

But He knows the way I take;

and when He has tested me,

I shall come forth as gold.'

Job 23:8-10

Job references gold here and there are few pictures of the God that are more beautiful than that of a goldsmith. 

A goldsmith sees the potential beauty in a rough, blemished metal. 

A goldsmith works that metal, fires that metal, purifies that metal, 

until no spot or blemish remains. 

The more refined results in the more pure. 

The more pure is of more value. 

So it is with us. 

God will test us in order to refine us. 

He will test our motives so as to expose them for what they really are. 

He will test our love so as to cleanse it and make it more like His love. 

Testing is different than tempting in that tempting is an attempt to entice and destroy while testing is a holy effort of God's behalf to refine and make holy. 

Temptation is a result of our own sin birthed from unholy or unchecked desire. 

Temptation is often subtle and often takes the appearance as something good, something beneficial or something harmless. 

We have the desire to appear a certain way so we make others feel less so we can feel greater. 

We miss romance and pursuit, so we begin to flirt with the coworker giving a bit of extra attention disregarding the ring on our left hand and the person that put it there. 

We are sick of feeling like the poor person, the unstylish and the unaccepted, so we spend what we do not have in an attempt to a look a part that we are not.

Temptation that is common to the everyday man.

Temptation that has it's roots in sin and ultimately leads to death--

death of a marriage,

death of trust,

death of integrity,

death of a friendship.

When we are not walking intimately with God, we begin to let our guard down and our desires remain unchecked. Our feelings of inadequacy, entitlement, self pity, pride, rejection... will begin to take precedence over the Truth of God's Word, giving birth to sin, walking us down a slippery slope of temptation and destruction. 

When left to our devices, these things will lead to temptation, but when God takes these things, He will test them to show them for what they really are and will begin to refine us into a more holy and more pure follower of Him. 

One way leads to death, another leads to life. 

The choice is ours to make. 

Holy Refiner...

How I long for the Truth of your Word to penetrate deep into my soul. 

I long for Your Truth to test my perception and my acceptance of the world around me. 

Open my eyes that I may see the paths of destruction that I am walking and lead me down the path of righteousness that leads to life. 

Test me--test my motives, test my affections, test my friendships, test my love and commitment--that they may be purified and free of self and blemish. 

Thank you for not being a God of temptation, seeking to trick us and ultimately destroy us. 

Thank you for being a God that sees the beauty in spite of the blemish. Thank you for being a God that loves me the way I am but is refusing to leave me that way. 

Grant me grace that I may desire truth in the inner most recesses of my heart, soul and mind and that I may not only embrace it but long for your refinement in my life. 

I love you sweet Jesus...

<><tce

"Abide in Me..."

"Abide in Me, and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself,

unless it abides in the vine, neither can you,

unless you abide in Me.

I am the Vine; you are the branches.

Whoever abides in me and I in him, 

he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me

you can do nothing." 

~Jesus Christ

John 15:4,5

I have been busy.

Unfortunately, this is a word that all Americans know too well. 

It is easy to start running and before we know it, there is hardly enough time to sleep or have a real conversation with someone we love. 

Busyness often robs us of the joy that God has intended through life as we walk intimately with Him and others. 

It is when accomplishment becomes the central focus of our waking lives that we fail to abide. As a result, the fruitfulness of abiding with Jesus Christ becomes less and less as life becomes more and more about self. 

I had the great privilege of serving as a bridesmaid for a great life long friend who married over the weekend. What a holy celebration of life and love it was! 

I took off last Monday so I could be nearer than 350 miles to help with anything that needed doing before the actual wedding. While there, the kids and I enjoyed two different zoos, a science museum, horseback riding, numerous bike rides and great time with family. 

All of these things were great and I believe that God delights in us savoring the gift of family and dwelling in unity together. However, the busyness took my heart away from the quiet intimacy of my walk with God and quiet fellowship with Him in His Word and prayer. 

Spring time has set in and summer is quickly coming. With the joy of the sunshine and warm weather comes the pressure of lawn and garden, landscape and upkeep. Not only that, but inside we still have loads of work to do in regards to the massive home renovation project that we are still working on. From the moment we open our eyes in the morning, the 'TO DO' list is staring us in the face. Just hearing my neighbor's lawn mower stresses me out because mine is in desperate need of cutting as well. There are piles of sheetrock and remnants of what used to be walls and floor littering our yard from front to back. Christmas lights hang lifelessly and gravel from a winter's worth of plowing still litters our lawn. There is a garden plot waiting to be planted and a rose bush waiting to go into the ground. That's just the outside stuff...don't even get me started on the inside stuff. 

There is still a school year to finish and just the day to day household stuff from laundry to bills. 

Then there is the church stuff. Trips and events being planned, meetings to attend and calls to make. Lessons to teach and a devotional to write. 

There is the upcoming triathlon as well that requires training that hasn't been done. The miles I have intended to run, but failed to. The bike that I have intended to ride, but have neglected to. 

I could go on and on. 

God delights in us walking intentionally with Him. It is easy to spend time in God's Word as it suits us and fail to strive with great effort to be with Him. We pray at meal times and before bed. We listen to Christian radio and reference God in our conversation from time to time all the while failing to connect personally and intimately without the rush of the world whirling around us. 

Jesus Christ has invited us to abide in Him and He with us. 

It is only through abiding with Him that strivings will cease and He will begin to produce fruit within us that is far more beautiful than we can do through our own efforts. 

This is not to say that we will not be busy or that we will just sit and pray all day long. 

This does mean that our walk with Him will not be replaced with serving, doing, striving, or running. Rather, the first fruits of our time, energy, attention and affection are spent with Him and we move forward from there all the while remembering the words penned by King David in Psalm 127...

'Unless the Lord build the house,

he who labors, labors in vain...'

Remember, it is not about what you get done today,

it is about bearing eternal fruit that will edify those around you that really matters. 

Father, 

my heart is so anxious it is almost in a state of panic. 

There are so many things that I need to do that I find myself believing there is no time to sit with You and allow Your spirit to speak truth to mine. I am a Martha by nature, which I know of itself is not wrong for it is how you created me. But just as Martha was distracted from the one thing that was the most important, I am as well. Focus my heart today on Your face and remind me that it is only through abiding with You that my life will bear the fruit that I so badly desire. Remind me loving Lord, that unless You build the house--unless You inhabit the work of my hands and the strivings of my heart, it is all for nothing. 

Thank you for the sun that has risen and the birds that are singing. 

May my life be lived intentionally today with eternity in mind. 

I love you.

<><tce