lipsticky

Oh my.  She's a girly girl.  She's been asking for lipstick for a long time.  I always oblige, but it's usually with a clear chapstick.  This time she found the real thing herself and helped herself.  And I let her.  Isn't every kid supposed to do this kind of thing?  She's my first one to actually do it.

hunger

I just recently read The Hunger Games.  Read that as, I just finished book three about fifteen minutes ago.  I know, I am at least six months behind the rest of the world.  I'm ok with that.  I waited until school was out and until my mind was ready.  I started about 4:30 Friday and read the whole weekend away, almost.

What I'm left with is two main things. One, I have a talking point with anyone who has read them.  Something in common with a whole lot of people.  Although, probably not many are still talking about it.  And two, a realization about myself and hunger.  I rarely REALLY feel hunger to an extreme degree. When I do hunger, there's always something nearby to quell it.  Last night I was reading a devotional book to Meg.  It was about when God provided the manna for his people in the wilderness who were hungry.  God always provides what I need.  He never lets me go hungry.  He is SO good to me.  Why?  I don't deserve it.  But He never fails to feed me.  And what do I give Him for it?  A rehearsed grace before each meal?  Do I even think about the words as I'm thanking Him for my food?  But now I will.  I've been thinking about hunger and I'm thanking Him for not leaving me and my family hungry.

independence day

two peas

The more time they spend together, the more alike they become.

It's a little scary.

anxiety

The whole family mission trip has me a bit anxious.  I never have fared well with unknowns.  They make me crazy-anxious.  I think it would feel different if we were going along with a group, if someone else were "in charge", if we had an itinerary.  But we don't. 
Many times I have wondered if this is a waste.  Will we be wasting their time, their resources?  Ours?  Would it be better if we just sent our money to them?  Stayed out of their way?  Will we do any good?
But my husband isn't ever anxious.  These things don't concern him.  Good thing, we're matched well. 
The other day I was reading to the children from Jesus Calling.  The verse of the day was Ephesians 2:10.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
So I'm clinging to that truth.  This is God's plan an he's prepared all of this in advance for us to do.  We just have to do it.

who calls me beautiful? chapter one

I recently started reading throught the Bible study Who Calls Me Beautiful? by Regina Blackwell.
What woman doesn't struggle with her appearance?  I don't really know one woman who doesn't.  I certainly do.  I don't like what I see in the mirror.  Whether that is a result from culture, the women in my life who seem to have a constant concern about their figure and appearance, or Satan's lies, my perception of myself has been poor.  There have been few times in my life when I've been satisfied with what I see in the mirror.  (As a caveat, I'm not a self-esteem band-wagonner.  I don't desire to be delusional about how great I am.   I just want a Godly and God-centered view of myself.)  I know the truths of scripture.  I know that God looks at the heart, I know He approves of and desires in me the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, but I'm struggle with being content with my reflection.  I'm missing out on where the truth connects to living it out in this world as a woman in Christ. 

I'm hoping to learn a lot from this book.  To get my thinking back on track and to share a little along the way.  So here goes.

From chapter one, "Worldly Beauty".

1)"Skin products promise blemish-free skin when we're young and wrinkle-free skin when we're old. We are obsessed with self-dissatisfaction."

There's no end to the improvements a woman can make to herself, at least according to the beauty industry.  In fact, it's totally ridiculous to me, but a eyelash parlour just opened in League City.  Even something as small as an eyelash can be and should be improved.  Are we obsessed with self-dissatisfaction?  Or does the beauty industry just want us to be?  Because if we're always needing improvement, then we'll always be buying into and buying that next thing. 

And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Matthew 10:30

God has numbered your hairs...even your eyelashes, even if they are stumpy and short, or pale and thin.  They are important enough to be numbered by God.

2)Have you thought about what things in our culture shape your ideal self?
"..the entertainment industry sends contradictory messages.  While claiming to portray the average woman, it presents instead the culture's ideal of the perfect woman."

For me, I fall into the lie that beautiful people have it all together.  I mean, look at them, they have beautiful hair, beautiful skin, toned bodies, trendy clothes, cute shoes.  If they look like that, their lives must be in great shape also.  Why can't I get it all together too?
Well, here's reality, what are these people trading for their appearances?  Would I trade time with my husband?  Would I trade staying at home?  Would I trade teaching my children?  Would I trade my small group and the time it takes to prepare for them?  Would I trade my time in God's Word?   Would I trade time at church?  No.  Those things are too valuable to me.  That's just one way to think about that.

3) Who does beauty bring glory to?
"When we mold ourselves according to the world's image, we take what God has created to be a vessel of His glory and use it instead to glorify ourselves and satisfy our desire for admiration."

Can I just say "ouch" about that? 
What is the chief end of man?  To glorify God and enjoy Him forever. 
So I need to ask myself, and maybe you should too, am I seeking to bring glory to myself?  To be noticed?  To be praised?  Honestly, the answer is yes sometimes for me, to my shame.  Why should I be seeking glory when the One Beautiful Creator and Savior deserves all the glory.

So that's all for now.

protector provider pastor

Over the past ten years, it has been an immense blessing to see my husband grow as a father.  My husband does things for his children and me that I know he wouldn't do for anyone else.  For example, twice in the past two weeks, he's scraped vomit off the carpet in our home.  That's amazing.  I'm not sure the man I married almost 13 years ago would have done that.  But the man I'm married to now does it, and never complains.  He's a pure blessing.  He loves, he's patient, he protects, he's playful, he's funny, he's a hard worker, he's a God follower, he's a leader, he's faithful,
and handsome. 

What more could I ask for?

Happy Father's Day, Keith!