CHRISTmas

CHRISTmas is fast approaching and I am doing the usual wait till the last minute shopping.  Really could it be so much fun planning ahead??  If you know me, then you know I might be a tad crazy and unusual and I’m okay with that. However, I think I’m not so out of the ordinary. Plenty of people think CHRISTmas and think, budget, money, running and shopping. You think those things until you are so stressed and all the fun of Christmas is over.  Well, STOP! It’s that simple. If it is stressing you out then simply don’t do the budget, money, running and shopping.  Some of you might say I’m the Grinch (You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch, you’re a ….la la la). I’m REALLY not trying to be. I just want like so many other CHRISTians for ALL to understand the TRUE meaning!  I honestly get bummed when I find out a family who doesn’t pray, doesn’t attend church (even sometimes), doesn’t be a CHRISTain all year and then wants to celebrate CHRISTmas.  I know I should be happy that they are “putting forth the effort” of CHRISTmas but, gifts, ARE NOT CHRISTmas. We all know the true meaning!  It is powerful to me!  POWERFUL! Jesus was born because I am a sinner!  He was born to save me!  Jesus was born to make all the awful things I do EACH day forgiven!  And guess what, Jesus saved YOU from your sins too!  Yes, YOU! I don’t know how anyone could have CHRISTmas in their home with JUST gifts!  PLEASE share the true meaning of CHRISTmas in your home; it’s a birthday party. Who doesn’t like a birthday party?  
Please open up your Bibles to: Isaiah 9:6
 

Me and a Tea Cup

When my parents got a divorce I was just nine years old, I had a hard time adjusting to the world.  At that time it wasn’t clear to me why we couldn’t all live together or why my father had left us.  I do remember though, what it did to me. It made me stronger. My mother became a single woman trying to raise 2 children on her own.  It was hard for her and we lost our home and much of our belongings.  We then moved into a small rundown duplex that somehow managed to be on a nicer end of town.  I had noticed at this large red brick house there was a girl about my age who would play outside quite often. So, one day I headed over that way.  She was a beautiful girl whose parents were still married.  For my nine-year-old brain, she was rich! And for her nine-year-old brain I, wasn’t so fortunate.  To us though, it really didn’t matter.  That day we imagined we were in far off lands fighting bad guys, marring prince charming and having tea too.  It was a great day and I still remember it to this day!  After that glorious day, I went over the very next day to ask if she could play.  Her mother answered the door and told me she wasn’t aloud to play with me.  Just like that too. She looked me straight in the eyes and said “Julie is NOT aloud to play with you.” I was shocked and went home and cried.  After the next couple days went by, Julie had found her way to MY doorstep. She gave me a teacup and said “We can have tea with our imaginations, but I have to go before my mom finds out.” So, I sipped tea looking out the window, watching her sit at a table with a few stuffed animals and an empty chair that was meant for me.”  After that day I didn’t see much of Julie anymore, but I was determined not to let my parents lives control mine.  I did not want to be the girl who wasn’t aloud to play with my neighbor because my mom drank too much and my father wasn’t there.

I want you to look at your own children.  Do you want to control who they are friends with based on their parents?  Do you know a child you can offer into your home and be a role model for?  You can change the way that child feels about his/her whole life if you just let them play!

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

Newborn Babies

Picture yourself holding a newborn baby.  You breath in the smell of him, watch him breath and quiver his lips. This makes you happy and feel at peace.  A baby can make any horrible day turn peaceful and calm in instants. Have you ever wondered why? Well, I have and I’m gonna tell you what I think about that!

I believe babies are a gift from God.  He created that little bundle of life for you to raise and to learn from you and you from him.  I think newborn babies have that closeness to God. They know and feel Him more than we do.  They trust Him and fully respect Him.  Babies have no worries, just full and total confidence in our Lord. 

Everybody LOVES a new baby.  There isn’t one thing not to like!  That is how we should feel with God.  You should want to hold Him, be next to Him and not want to give Him up.  I don’t know about you but I NEVER want to pass the baby back to the mother or another friend.  I could hold him all day long.  The baby has a fresh new feeling that I just can’t get enough of.  God has that too.  Everything we love about babies God can give us every day.  I think babies are a reminder from God that he isn’t far from reach.  He is with us, holding us and wants to give us miracles every day.   So, when you are holding that newborn baby you are a little closer to heaven, closer to the grace of God. I love the way I feel when I’m holding a baby and am ever so grateful to have the hands of Jesus on me every day!

"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation" 1 Peter 2:2 (NIV)

Dear William

Dear William,

            Today was your first day of kindergarten. You truly are a big boy now. You were at first a little nervous about meeting new friends and teacher, so I held your hand tight as we walked down the hall. I was so proud of you as we walked hand and hand. I wanted everyone to see this beautiful young man we had made. There were many smiling faces as we walked closer to your door. I looked down at you and you up at me. We both smiled for each other, trying to be brave. I could feel the tears wanting to come out, but I held them in. Truthfully, I didn’t want you to go. I know I made such a big deal about going to school and made you believe it was going to be the best place in the world, but I wasn’t ready yet. I wanted to pick you up, take you home and just sit and hold you.  As I held my tears in we came to the door of your classroom. Your teacher greeted us so happily and we found your desk with your very own name on it.  I looked at that desk, thinking about how much time you would be spending there; thinking about how much you will grow in this next year. Another teacher grabed your hand and found your book bag hook, and helped you hang it up. I stood there helpless and watched my little boy start his life.  You sat down at that desk and started playing with green blocks. I could tell you felt at home and you were going to be just fine. I on the other hand had a lot of empty feelings inside. I hugged and kissed you and said my goodbyes, and had to hurry out of the room, as I could no longer hold back the tears. They poured out.  Tears fell one by one as I thought about all the things I hoped. I hoped I did okay to this point with you. I hoped I taught you good manners. I hoped I read enough books to you. I hoped I spent enough time with you. I hoped I laughed enough with you. And the list just kept going on and on, over and over.  I cried throughout the day, missing you so much. Wondering what you had been doing at the moment I was thinking it.  It was so hard to just handing you over and hope!  So, when it was time to pick you up, I got so excited. I was there 15 minutes to early, but I waited. The teacher had said she was going to bring the class outside, so I just waited. I waited for my boy to come out.  It seemed like days before you finally came out and there you were. I wanted to run to you, but I decided a fast walk might be better, I didn’t want to embarrass you to much, after all I did just cry my eyes out dropping you off. As I walked up to you, I could tell you had a great day. You were talking to some friends and had a big smile on your face.  We hugged and I walked, proudly holding your hand again, just like I never left you!  You told me about your new friends and all the fun things you did that day all the way home.  That’s when I knew it was going to be just fine.

            I want to thank you, William. Thank you for teaching me to be the best mom I can be!  Not to take everyday moments for granted, because soon they will be gone.  I want to thank you for making me realize that I can never be to busy for the ones who will soon be too big to be by my side all the time! Thank you!

            I love you more than life itself,

            Your mother

When your battery is low…. Rev it up!

One night last week I parked my van out in the driveway over night. I needed to move it because Levi wanted to ride his bike in the driveway the next afternoon.  As I turned the keys all I got was a clicking noise.  Ah man!!!! Russ had me turn on the lights, they worked, and so, he concluded it was not the battery.  Then he went on his way to work. HA! Well, the only mechanical skills I have I had just learned a few months back and that was how to change the rear break light (I was so proud of myself when I did that. If you need a lesson in that skill just give me a call.)  I learned how to do that on yahoo, so I went back to my “teacher”. My teacher told me that the clicking noise was the battery.  The one thing Russ said it wasn’t.  So, I called him up on the phone, kind of like I was the mechanic calling my client “Well, I think it’s the battery” I said to him.  “Oh yeah” he said back to me, “How did you find that out?” he asked “Well, that’s what my teacher said, Yahoo.” I told him, so sure and proud I found what was wrong. “That’s what Tom said too,” Russ said back. Tom is “the mechanic” Russ works with, you know, the kind of guy who can fix just about anything.  “I’ll be home to fix it” he assured me. Hhmmm. I thought.  This could get interesting.  When he arrived he didn’t let me know, but when I found him outside he had open his truck manual and was reading the roadside emergency section.  He had also brought the jumper cables from work because we do not own any. (By the way doesn’t everyone own a pair of these?) He said “Well, I’m gonna need your help. Do you see a metal piece that’s not hooked to the gas tank?”  I took a look under the hood of my van; lots of interesting thoughts were going through my head.  This was actually a time when I kept them all to myself (hard to believe I know) I just said. “No, are you sure you want to do this.” He ignored this question and kept looking.  Just when I thought he was going to forget the idea he called Tom. “Where’s the metal piece I attach the yellow one to?..... Oh, ya, you don’t have to, ah. Okay, are you sure….. Oh?  Oh, there. That’s okay to do? You’re sure.  Thanks.” He grabs the jumpers and holds them so far apart and says to me “stand back”. So I head to the garage. “No come back” he said “I need you to hold this end.” I was kind of scared, after all he did just tell me to stand back, but I held what he told me to.  Then he attached some more of the parts while reading the manual instructions.  “Now you can go in the garage,” he told me.  So I went back in as he started the truck.  It turned on without any thing blowing up!!! I was so glad! “Okay, good” he said with a smile on his face, now, go start the van.” So, I walked to the van saying a little prayer, got in and turned the key. IT WORKED! I was so happy I clapped, smiled and did a little jig! Russ said, “Well, I just saved us 60 bucks! Rev her up!” I pushed on the pedal to hear the roar of the van. My van was working again!  
My van brought me to the Women of Faith Conference the next day, where I too reved up my faith in God. I know it was always there; sometimes a girl just needs a boost! What does it take for you to get that boost?  Do you need someone to help jump-start, call a friend or join a group.  Do you need to dust off your manual and read it, open the Bible! God has great plans just for you, once you get excited about the plans He has for you, His work will begin in YOU! I encourage you to get excited!

A Host in Heaven

Being a hostess really is a good time.  I love having people at my home and playing hostess. I have learned through the past couple months that it is okay to host a gathering even when your house is a mess! Infact, I learned most recently that there really shouldn’t be any other way! Why was it before I’ve always thought Oh, no… people are coming over I’ve got to clean every corner of my house. Why? We all know after everyone leaves it is going to be even more a mess then it was when you started cleaning the day before. So, I gave that a try this past weekend. I just picked up some things here and there but for the most part didn’t do a lot of cleaning. I was a little more relaxed and didn’t care so much that little wet feet were running on the newly moped floor or that sand was getting EVERYWHERE. It was fine. It was great to see my own children enjoy sharing all their toys and greeting the guests too. Children get so excited when they know their friends are coming over to play! We counted down the day to our beach party every day that week.  They had such a wonderful time that day and are still talking about it two days later! I wondered what Ivan thought as he looked down at this fabulous time we were having.  He would have been two this July and I’m sure he would have been creating lots of messes of his own. Instead he gets to greet all the newcomers into Heaven and be a host himself! It is in honor of Ivan James Hrouda I celebrate the month of July! I looked forward to having a gathering with all of you in Heaven with my son Ivan! I bet I won’t even have to worry about cleaning!!!

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Clean out your purse!

I finally did it! I cleaned out my giant saddlebag purse. When did I found TONS of trash and junk that I had forgotten.  It was kind of fun looking at grocery lists clear back from October.  It reminded me of what I was doing at that time.  I filled an entire grocery bag full of things I didn’t need anymore!  I can’t believe I was carrying around all that JUNK! With three kids it really doesn’t take long to have an entire restaurant, pharmacy and clothing department all in one bag! So, as I cleared out these items I noticed some of my stock was missing.  I put in some more band aides and a different lotion, and then made sure it was all more organized in different pockets.  And that was that.  It really didn’t take long and I wondered to myself why I hadn’t found time to do it sooner. 

Later that day I was helping with some children and one of them had fallen and scraped their knee.  I was so proud to know exactly were I could find that band aide!  I then was sitting next to a lady who was going through her purse like mad and asked me if I had lotion. I smiled, and it only took me a second to hand it over!

“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)

You see I wasn’t just anywhere; I was helping our church with vacation Bible school!  I truly feel that God was letting me know I was in the right place at the right time!  He prepared me earlier in the day so that I could have that honor in helping others! It is something I enjoy doing and it makes me feel wonderful!

So, I challenge you to clean out your purse too!  What things can you get ride of and clean up in your life to help you on your path. The path God wants you on, because when you are there, you’ll know it!