Every Day I Choose...

I have been reading Max Lucado's devotional Grace for the Moment because it seems as though I need more grace than usual for every moment of the day here lately.  My favorite short piece from the book so far has been the very first one I read.  It has become something I read almost daily to remind me of how important the small choices are that I make each day.  Whether we are moms or wives or friends or employees...each of us are responsible for making the right choices each day, but it so wonderful to know that when we fail, God's grace will cover and give us strength to do better the next time.  

I CHOOSE LOVE...

No occasion justifies hatred;

no injustice warrants bitterness, I choose love.

Today I will love God and love what God loves.

I CHOOSE JOY...

I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance.

I will refuse the temptation to be cynical...

the tool of a lazy thinker.  I will refuse to see 

people as anything less than human beings, 

created by God.  I will refuse to see any problem as

anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I CHOOSE PEACE...

I will live forgiven.  I will forgive so that I may forgive.

I CHOOSE PATIENCE...

I will overlook the inconveniences of the world.

Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll

invite him to do so.  Rather than complaining that the

wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment

to pray.  Instead of clinching my fist at new 

assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I CHOOSE KINDNESS...

I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone.

Kind to the rich, for they are afraid.  And kind to

the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I CHOOSE GOODNESS...

I will go without a dollar

before I take a dishonest one.  I will be overlooked

before I will boast. I will confess before I will

accuse.  I choose goodness.

I CHOOSE FAITHFULNESS....

Today I will keep my promises.

My debtors will not regret their trust.  My associates

will not question my word.  My wife will not

question my love.  And my children will never fear

that their father will not come home.

I CHOOSE GENTLENESS...

Nothing is won by force.  I choose to e gentle.

If I raise my voice, may it only be in praise.

If I clench my fist, may it only be in prayer,

If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I CHOOSE SELF-CONTROL...

I am a spiritual being...

After this body is dead, my spirit will soar.

I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal.

I choose self-control.  I will be drunk only by joy.

I will be impassioned only by my faith.

I will be influenced only by God.

I will be taught only by Christ.

I choose self-control.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

To these I commit my days.

If I succeed, I will give thanks.

If I fail, I will seek his grace.

And then, when this day is done,

I will place my head on my pillow

and rest.

MAX LUCADO

Grace for the Moment

Wishing you a day full of blessings,

Christy

A Wednesday Funny!

I saw this in a local paper while waiting for our pizza yesterday.  I'm not sure who to give credit to, but it gave me a few good laughs, and so I thought I'd share!

25 Things My Mom Taught Me

1. My Mom taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My Mom taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My Mom taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My Mom taught me LOGIC.
"Because I said so, that's why."

5. My Mom taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My Mom taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My Mom taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My Mom taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My Mom taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My Mom taught me about PATIENCE.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My Mom taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My Mom taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My Mom taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My Mom taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My Mom taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My Mom taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My Mom taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My Mom taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, They are going to freeze that way."

19. My Mom taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My Mom taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My Mom taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My Mom taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My Mom taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My Mom taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite: My Mom taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!" 

I did and Mom was right, they did.
Maybe they should read this list too.

Did your mom tell you any of these?  Better yet, if you are a mom, do you find yourself saying them?  Enjoy your Wednsesday!

Wishing you a day full of blessings,

Christy

Nothing but God's Grace

In our homeschooling, we have been studying the life and poems of Robert Louis Stevenson.  I love his poetry!  In my own personal life, I have been doing a great amount of thinking and studying on God's grace.  Just today, I came across a quote by Robert Louis Stevenson about God's grace.  Isn't God just good that way?  :)  

There is nothing but God's grace.  We walk upon it; we breathe it; we live and die by it; it makes the nails and axles of the universe. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

How very true!  I am becoming more and more aware of God's grace every day!  It is an amazing thing!

Wishing you a day full of blessings,

Christy

Love Notes to God

God shapes the world by prayer. Prayers are deathless. The lips that uttered them may be closed in death, the heart that felt them may have ceased to beat, but the prayers live before God, and God’s heart is set on them and prayers outlive the lives of those who uttered them; outlive a generation, outlive an age, outlive a world.   ~ E.M.Bounds Purpose in Prayer

Have you ever thought about the fact that our prayers outlive our lives?  Won't it be wonderful when this earth is over, and God takes the time to show us each prayer we prayed and how and when it was answered? I believe that will happen.  I believe that will be part of our faith becoming sight.  I think that we will not fully realize until then how powerful a tool we possess with prayer.  God has been working on my heart all summer and now into fall about having a more consistent prayer life.  It is hard, and I still do not feel like I am anywhere close to where I should be in that area of my Christian walk.  This quote inspired me to continue my pursuit of a close prayer relationship with God.  I may never see some of my prayers answered, or my prayers may not be answered my way, but I do know that God hears my prayers, and He treasures them like I treasure the little notes from my sweet children.  One day my faith will become sight, and I will see what God did with all my love notes to Him.

 

The Beginning of Inspiring Quotes

I love that I can look back through my blog and read about the adventures that have happened in my life and remember the things God has been working in my heart about.  It has been a great way to keep a record of small things...and it's all in one place and fairly organized!  So, I think today I shall start a new topic on my blog entitled "Inspiring Quotes."  I know it's not an extraordinary title, but I'm soooo sleepy right now and cannot think of anything better.  So...."Inspiring Quotes" it is.  I have a bajillion (is that how you spell it?) quotes.  I keep some of them on a ring in my quiet time box so that anytime I become discouraged, I can flip through them and be reminded of the difference I can make in someone's life if I will just keep going a little farther and keep pushing a little harder.  I would encourage you to make one of these rings or even just keep a small notebook with a few favorite quotes in it.  Outside of God's Word, it is one of my greatest encouragements!

My first quote that I will share is one that I just found. Our family has been reading about the missionary Gladys Aylward (I must confess I had never heard of this amazing missionary until I received her biography in a set of history books I purchased from ebay!). She was a courageous little lady who went to China all by herself in the 1930's without even the backing of a mission board!  She encountered many adventures as a single white woman in the very remote Chinese villages, but she always met them undauntedly! I can no longer in good conscience complain about being tired after a long day with my five kiddos because she cared for TWO HUNDRED...yes TWO HUNDRED...orphans by herself!!!  Because of her sacrificial and unconditional service to the Chinese, she saw many, many saved, and everyone cared greatly for her.  The ruler of a Chinese village where she spent many years of her service invited her to a banquet.  Many other officials and upstanding citizens were there.  At the end of the banquet, the ruler stood and in front of everyone said this:

"I have seen all that you are and all that you do, and I would like to become a Christian like you."

It makes me cry just to write it!  It also makes me ask if I am living a life that would make someone say that to me!  I pray so.  This makes me want to serve more unselfishly, sacrifice more greatly, live more godly.  I don't know that I will ever be able to have the impact that Gladys Aylward had, but it is my prayer that at least one person will see Christ in me and want to be a Christian too!