Author: Chrisy

Reminders

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This is a picture of my computer monitor at work.

Taped to it and just below it are some reminders.

  • My calling is sure. (A reminder to me when I start to feel discouraged. God has called me to pastoral ministry, and He will bring it about in His timing.)
  • He is not expecting me to be perfect – He is expecting me to be available. (From a Leading and Loving it online conference a couple of years ago. Helps with my perfectionism and over scheduling.)
  • Change me. (A prayer I am praying this year, because I want to be changed into the person that God wants me to be.)
  • Love is a deep desire to promote the well-being of others. Dan J. (My favorite definition of love.)
  • Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4-5 (A verse I pray often as I learn to follow Christ more and more.)
  • God-centered living is characterized by: Confidence in God; Dependence on God and His ability and provision; Life focused on God and His activity; Humbleness before God; Denying self; Seeking God’s perspective in every circumstance; Holy and Godly living. Henry Blackaby, Experiencing God. (Reminders to me of what it means to follow God wholeheartedly.)
  • 5 Statement Pledge of Faith: 1. God is who He says He is; 2. God can do what He says He can do; 3. I am who God says I am; 4. I can do all things through Christ; 5. God’s word is alive and active in me. I’M BELIEVING GOD! Beth Moore, Believing God (A reminder to me why I can and do choose to believe God.)

When I was growing up, I remember my mom having index cards in various places around the house with scripture on them. I guess this is my version of that. I think it is important to keep the important things in front of us, and for me, that means putting them down on paper and literally keeping it in front of me. I spend a huge portion of my day sitting at my desk looking at my computer screen. By putting these important reminders right there in front of me, it almost guarantees that I will see and read them at least once a day.

Are the notes pretty? Not necessarily. Three of them are ripped pieces of paper. Four of them are my scribbles. I have had to add tape to the back of the sticky-notes to keep them sticking to the monitor. But that isn’t the point. The point is to remind me of the things that the Lord has taught and continues to teach me.

These are the ones that are most important to my life right now. There have been others in the past and I am sure that there will be more in the future, but these are the reminders for now.

How do you keep the things you are learning in front of you?

 

Porch Time

When we moved into our house about 11 1/2 years ago, my dad told me to never enclose the porch.

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He wasn’t saying it because of how it would affect the value of the house. He was saying it because in this day and age we have lost our front porches.

The front porch is where you sit and have a glass of sweet tea with your neighbors.

The front porch is where you hang out with your family.

The front porch is a place of community.

And my dad is right, we have lost that.

Look around you, how many houses do you see being built today with big front porches? Not many. The front porch has been replaced with the deck in the back yard, and surrounded by a privacy fence.

It all leads back to the individualization of our society.

We don’t live in community anymore. We live our own lives, surrounded by our own stuff, and cut off from the rest of the human world.

We say we are more connected through social media, but we are not.

We have lost the art of face-to-face communication.

But that is where my front porch comes in.

I love to sit on my porch swing, read a book, crochet, and sip a cold (or warm) drink. But I love it even more when members of my family join me. I love it even more when my neighbors come outside and we chat for a bit. I love it even more when some of our friends and/or neighbors join us on the porch for conversation and a bowl of soup.

This is how you live in community – you make yourself available and you choose to interact face-to-face with the people around you.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy my iPhone, iPad, Facebook and Twitter as much as the next person, but it feels so much more real to sit on my swing, laugh, share stories, and share life with the people I love, the people I live near, and the people with whom I live.

And these are the memories that stay with me, these real-life moments with family and friends.

How are you instituting “porch time” in your life? How are you purposing to spend time with the people you love and get to know the people who live near you? I would love to hear your stories.

Half the Battle

Fridays are supposed to be all about food and fitness on my blog.

The problem comes when I am not feeling very motivated in either of those areas and feel like I am lacking in information to share.

I have been sick for six weeks.

I haven’t cooked “real” food in about that long.

I have exercised sporadically – trying to keep up with the Bikini Body Mommy Challenge in the midst of being sick.

I haven’t been to the grocery store, other than to grab things like milk and bread in at least that long.

But there is one thing that has saved me from eating terribly – my local produce co-op.

Even when I can’t get to the store – I can pick up my produce bag every other week that is full of healthy options.

There is always fruit for my kids to snack on. There are always veggies that we can grab.

And that means that we are still eating (somewhat) healthily in the midst of my blah-ness.

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One of the keys to healthy eating is having healthy options available, and one of the best ways I have found to have these options available is to participate in the Community Helpings Co-Op  available in my area. I get a wonderful assortment of fruits and veggies every other week – and even get to try some new things that I might not have tried otherwise. The quality of the produce is amazing, and much of it will last the entire two weeks without going bad, which is much more than I can say for the produce I have purchased at grocery stores.

If you live in the St. Louis area, there is likely a co-op in your vicinity. Just check the link above for a list of communities that participate in the co-op.

If you aren’t in the St. Louis area, do some checking online and asking your friends. My sister in the Des Moines area has found Bountiful Baskets, which has locations a number of places around the country. My friend in Indianapolis has found Green Bean Delivery. There is likely something in your area that will help you get quality produce into your house for a reasonable price.

And having it available is half the battle.

The other half is just making the choice to eat it instead of processed, unhealthy foods. But that’s a blog post for another day.

Dream On

When I was in high school, my aunt, who had seen the movie Pretty Woman, told my parents that it was a perfectly acceptable movie to take me to watch. And then in a crowded theater, where we were all separated because there were no seats together, my aunt slid further and further down in her seat as she watched the movie through the eyes of a teenager and her parents. And in the meantime, I found one of my all-time favorite movies.

You know why? Because it was a story about dreams and fighting through to follow a dream.

If you have seen the movie, you probably remember at the very beginning there is a guy walking down the streets of Hollywood saying, “Welcome to Hollywood! Everybody has a dream! What’s your dream? What’s your dream? Hey mister – What’s your dream?”

We all have dreams. As children we dreamed of what we would be when we grew up. As adults we dream of what we will be when we grow up. Our dreams can keep us motivated and focused. Our dreams can keep us pushing through the tough stuff of life.

Over the years I have had many dreams:

  • To be a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader
  • To be a wife and mom
  • To be a singer
  • To be a lawyer
  • To be a speaker
  • To be a pastor

Some of these have come true and some haven’t.

  • I obviously didn’t make the Dallas Cowboys cheer team – but I got to cheer in college and coach college and now Jr. Comets cheer leading.
  • I am blessed to be a wife and mom.
  • I may not be a professional singer, but I have gotten to sing in many venues and, my favorite, lead worship in church.
  • Lawyer – still not off the table. 🙂
  • I have gotten to speak to various groups over the years, and get to preach regularly.
  • I am following the Lord towards ordination and pastoral ministry.

One thing I notice about most of my dreams is that the impetus behind them is to speak into the lives of others and offer hope. That is what I always want to happen when I sing. That is what I always want to happen when I speak. That is what I always want to happen as I walk with others through life. That is what I want to happen with my spouse and children as we live life together. That is one of the reasons that law school isn’t off the table. That is what I always want to be a part of the relationships I am building with my cheer girls.

So I guess that means that all these specific dreams could be boiled down into one main dream for my life:

  • To speak into the lives of others and offer hope, with the help of Christ

Have you ever made a list of your dreams? Have you ever looked at them to see what the “common thread” is that runs through them?

I think it is a good exercise – if for no other reason than to put down on paper what your dreams are.

Because sometimes we lose track. And often those dreams are things that the Lord has placed in our hearts, things that we desire because He desires them for us, and we need to be reminded.

Psalm 37: 4-5 says:

Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.

Our dreams are personal. Our dreams are ours. But they are also the Lord’s. So dream.

The closing lines of Pretty Woman are like the opening lines, “Welcome to Hollywood! What’s your dream? Everybody comes here; this is Hollywood, land of dreams. Some dreams come true, some don’t; but keep on dreamin’ – this is Hollywood. Always time to dream, so keep on dreamin’.”

Dream on.

Work Ethic

Sometimes I feel like as a society we have lost something critical.

A work ethic that says to work hard and finish well.

Too often I see people who have a “good enough” attitude about whatever they are doing. Or worse. One that says “who cares.”

I see it in adults and I see it being perpetuated into the younger generation.

And I hate it. Because there is much to be learned through hard work. And much to be gained.

I think that is why I resonate with this song so much. And I just saw Jason Aldean perform it on Friday night.

Enjoy!

Well I grew up in one of them old farm towns
Where they hit it hard till the sun goes down
Nobody really seemed to care that we were living in the middle of nowhere
We just figured that’s how it was
And everyone else was just like us
Soaking in the rain baking in the sun
Don’t quit till the job gets done

That’s the only way I know
Don’t stop till everything’s gone
Straight ahead never turn round
Don’t back up, don’t back down
Full throttle wide open
You get tired, you don’t show it
Dig a little deeper when you think you can’t dig no more
That’s the only way I know

That old red dirt the first thing you learn
You don’t get nothing that you don’t earn
Humble pride that I grew up on
You find out just how bad you want it
Sun in our eyes backs to the fences
Didn’t know the odds were against us
Hit the wall smoking and spinning
Still wasn’t thinking ‘bout nothing but winning

That’s the only way I know
Don’t stop till everything’s gone
Straight ahead never turn round
Don’t back up, don’t back down
Full throttle wide open
You get tired, you don’t show it
Dig a little deeper when you think you can’t dig no more
That’s the only way I know

Maybe there’s another path that will get you there a little bit faster,
But I’m sticking with the one inside of me.

That’s the only way I know
Don’t stop till everything’s gone
Straight ahead never turn round
Don’t back up, don’t back down
Full throttle wide open
You get tired, you don’t show it
Dig a little deeper when you think you can’t dig no more
That’s the only way I know

What is Love?

I John 3:16-18, 4:7-12; 16-23

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

I am sure that you have heard that there are many types of love and that love means different things to different people. I took a very unscientific survey last week and asked my Facebook friends “When you hear the word, “love,” what other words come to your mind? What does “love” mean to you? “ here are some of the answers I got:

  •  “Love is the affirmation of being.”
  • Special
  • Unconditional
  • a choice, a sacrifice, tender,
  • God’s Grace & Family!
  • A choice…the perfect gift…always appropriate…God…healing…feels good.
  • Peace, acceptance, security, comfort
  • Someone/something special/meaningful in your heart
  • Action
  • Care, thoughtfulness, understanding. The look in Derek’s eyes when he looks at me.
  • romantic, forever, not fickle, self-sacrificing not self-serving, about others, not about “self,” more than a feeling.

In the above scripture we also learn that love is of God, a sign of knowing God, and it actually IS God.

But my favorite description of Christ like love comes from one of my college professors with whom I attend church now, who once told me that “Love is a deep desire to promote the well-being of others.” I liked that so much that I wrote it down on a piece of paper and have had it taped to the monitor of my computer for years.

This kind of love is like Christ’s love manifested on the cross. This is love that does something amazing for others.

Love isn’t just a feeling or an emotion, love is action. Something comes from it. It says that we will be known as God-followers as we show the love of God. And how do we show the love of God? Through our actions.

In the Bible, Jesus commands us to love God and love others, and if we are known as the children of God by obeying His commands, then our lives should be showing evidence of our love in action.

  • If you tell your spouse every day that you love them, but all you do is yell at them, or ignore them, you are not loving them.
  • If you tell your children before bed each night that you love them, but you never speak to them kindly, never listen to their stories, never choose to spend time with them, you are not loving them.
  • If you say that you love your friends, but you aren’t doing anything to help them find Jesus, you are not loving them.
  • If you say you love the orphans, widows, homeless, and hungry, but you stay in your warm home, eating your comfort food, holding on to your “stuff,” you are not loving them.

In other words, unless we are doing something active to show love, even to the point of laying down our lives for one another the way that Christ laid down His life for us, we are not loving one another in the way that we have been called to do.

This kind of love loves the unlovable, doesn’t expect anything in return, does self-sacrificing deeds that don’t make sense to the rest of the world.

So much of our culture tells us that if someone loves us we should get what we need from them, when in reality, if we are truly showing the love of Christ, we should be only concerned with what we are giving to those we love. And those we love should be all people of all faiths, of all classes, of all ethnicities, of all orientations. Everyone. Even those Christians that we don’t see eye to eye with.

You don’t have to agree with someone to love them. You don’t have to approve of their choices to love them. But you do have to love them. And show that you love them through your actions.

How evident is your love for Christ? Is it being shown in your actions? In your choices?

When people see you, is it like the song says, “And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, and they’ll know we are Christians by our love?”

When I ask these questions of myself, I truly hope that the answer is yes.

I hope that the cheerleaders that I spend hours upon hours coaching are learning something about cheerleading, but I pray that they are also feeling the love of Christ. A love that sacrifices a huge portion of my time between July and October.

I pray that each time our sponsor child has food to eat and goes to school he feels God’s love being shown to him.

I don’t say these things to brag on myself, but I share them as examples of ways that the Lord has shown me how I am effectively showing His love in action. But there are other ways that He shows me that I could be doing more.

I challenge you to ask the Lord today how you are doing in the area of active love and how you could be doing more. Really take the time to pray and listen to His leading.

Because don’t you want to be known as a truly loving Christian? One who follows Christ so closely and emulates Him so well that He is seen in all that you do? Don’t you want to be known as a person who truly shows that their love is a deep desire to promote the well-being of others, just like Christ’s love?

I know I do.

Focus, and the Lack Thereof

A number of years ago I took the Strengths Finder and was told that my top five strengths are:

  • Responsibility – People strong in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty.
  • Harmony – People strong in the Harmony theme look for consensus. They don’t enjoy conflict; rather, they seek areas of agreement.
  • Communication – People strong in the Communication theme generally find it easy to put their thoughts into words. They are good conversationalists and presenters.
  • Consistency – People strong in the Consistency theme (also called Fairness in the first StrengthsFinder assessment) are keenly aware of the need to treat people the same. They try to treat everyone in the world fairly by setting up clear rules and adhering to them.
  • Focus – People strong in the Focus theme can take a direction, follow through, and make the corrections necessary to stay on track. They prioritize, then act.

These strengths are pretty spot-on (and everyone that knows me would likely agree).

So what happens when you are sick for a few weeks and your head is so full of mucus that you can’t think and you can’t focus on anything when you can usually buckle down and focus fairly easily?

Nothing. Nothing happens. Because you can’t focus long enough to make something happen.

The house doesn’t get cleaned. Only the work that absolutely has to be done gets done. There’s no planning or forward thinking. There’s no follow-through on personal goals. Nothing.

And then you know what happens?

Even in the midst of being sick, and knowing that there is an underlying reason for my lack of focus, I start beating myself up for the lack of follow-through, the lack of focus.

Here is an example from the last week.

I was scheduled to preach on Sunday. I have known it for weeks and have been thinking and praying about what the Lord would have me share, but nothing was coming, partly because of my lack of focus, i surmised. When I finally had an idea, and started working on it, it wasn’t necessarily flowing. To add to the lack of focus and lack of flow, my sickness seemed to take another turn for the worse. Ugh! I attempted to work off and on for a few days and by Friday evening I had some things typed up but there wasn’t enough. I didn’t have the ideas that tied things together or the ending. In my fog I wrote down some more ideas early Saturday morning while sitting at my daughter’s tumbling lesson and after another day full of football and cheerleading, I opened the laptop at 9:00 Saturday night to try to work the ideas I wrote down into what I had typed up. When I finished and read through what I had, it was ok. It was not my best work, but it was something.

I cried out to the Lord. I always need His help, His guidance, and the work of His Spirit when I am working on a sermon and preaching, but I really felt like I needed Him more than ever on this one. I even felt like the sermon itself showed just how much focus I was lacking.

As I woke Sunday morning and read through it again, I was still not sure.

Even as we were singing leading up to the sermon, I was struggling with my focus in the moment.

And then God took over. I preached the sermon and it felt like it actually flowed, like the pieces connected together.

And the people responded. They heard the Lord’s words, not mine.

And I was reminded again, that God’s strength is made perfect in my weakness. Even when my weakness is normally one of my strengths.

Thank You, Lord!

I would love to hear your stories of a time when you felt particularly unfit for a task but the Lord brought you through.

Healthy Choices – For Life

I often get asked why I have chosen a plant-based, whole foods diet.

The answer for me is simple: for my life and health.

There is a history of heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes in my family.

Animal products contribute to things like heart disease and stroke. Eating more whole foods and vegetables are said to help with cancer prevention. Eating well and exercise help me to keep diabetes at bay.

But my real motivation is this: I want to be around to watch my grandchildren grow up.

I lost my paternal grandfather when I was two – cancer.

I lost my maternal grandmother when I was in eighth grade – an accident.

I lost my paternal grandmother when I was a senior in high school – cancer.

I lost my maternal grandfather when I was a freshman in college – cancer.

I have many friends whose grandparents are still living and an active part of their lives. I loved my grandparents and loved the time I had with them, but it wasn’t enough.

My kids have already lost one of their grandparents.

My theory about my health is that if there is something I can do to keep myself healthy and even potentially prevent disease, it is worth it so I can be around for my kids and their kids.

Yes, there are always things that could still happen – accidents, cancer, and more – but I can do the things that are in my power to do for my overall health and longevity.

Not to mention, my body is the temple of the Lord and I am called to care for it.

Not everyone shares my philosophy of health. Some say whatever is gonna happen is gonna happen and they can’t do anything to stop it. And maybe that is true.

But if there is even a small chance that I can do something to keep me healthy for longer, I am going to do it.

What do you think?

Shine!

Have you ever worried about the upcoming generation of girls and what life is and will be like for them as they continue to grow and mature?

I know I have.

That is part of the reason I spend an enormous amount of time coaching and loving on fifth through eighth grade girls through Jr. Comets Cheerleading. These young girls need to be taught what it means to embrace who they are created to be and love themselves. They need to be taught how to encourage and love one another in a way that runs counter to all the world tries to tell them every day. They need to be taught how to respect others, particularly other girls and women, even when they don’t see eye to eye with them. They need to be shown the love of Christ, and if that can happen through my arms, I am glad.

Recently, I have encountered and become part of another way to encourage and teach young girls. It is called the Shine Movement. This is the dream of Deedra Mager, with help from a friend of mine, Megan Hall. I am excited about this movement and what great things the Lord will do in the lives of the girls who participate.

The website has this to say about Shine Movement:

Every girl wants to shine. Little girls dream of singing, dancing, acting, or modeling. However, the world’s definition of shining can often lead to heartbreak, chaos, and broken lives. The stories of most Hollywood child stars demonstrate that.

The Shine Movement hopes to assist young girls with their dreams of shining by teaching them about inner beauty, purity, godliness, modesty, and confidence. The main avenue of teaching will be through a two-day conference.

Shine Movement is a fun and interactive event that merges dance training and performance with biblical teachings and activities that promote godliness and purity in this generation.

This two-day conference reaches out to tween girls (ages 10 to 14). Girls will learn choreography and have the opportunity to dance onstage alongside Christian artists and performers. Break-out sessions will challenge the girls to walk more closely with God as we study what it means to glorify Him with our talents and lives.

Older teenage girls (ages 15 to 18) are invited to attend as mentors for the younger girls. While the tweens are in the dance sessions, the mentors will train to assist in the break-out sessions, with the hopes that mentors will continue leading the younger generation in their own churches and hometowns.

While Shine Movement is kicking off its inaugural tour this summer, it has lived in the heart of founder Deedra Mager for several years. In the summer of 2013, the Lord arranged a set of circumstances that allowed Deedra to begin pursuing the dream of launching Shine Movement. She shared her vision with friend Megan Hall, and the two were ready to start an adventure and encourage girls to SHINE for God!

Everyone can get involved with helping the Shine Movement take off and become a reality. How? The first two-day conference is coming up November 8-9, 2013 at the Greenville Free Methodist Church. You can:

  • Visit the website, www.shinemovement.org, to find out more about the movement.
  • Help fund the first two-day conference by making a donation here.
  • Spread the word by sharing the Facebook page on your Facebook Timeline.
  • Invite any and all girls you know, ages 10-18, to attend the conference. They can register online now!
  • Pray for the movement – from the planning going on for this first conference to the conference itself and beyond.

This is just one of the ways that we can stop worrying and wondering about the next generation and do something to assist the Lord in raising up the next generation of women to love and serve Him.

Let’s help them Shine!

 

Putting the Pieces Together

Overall health doesn’t come because we make healthy choices in one area of our lives. We have to make choices that encompass all of life. The problem comes when we try to conquer all of those choices at the same time. When we do that, we get overwhelmed and then we either don’t do any of them well, or we quit altogether.

So what are those things that we need to do to be healthy?

  • Eat better. Fewer calories. Less processed food. More whole foods. Less sugar. Cut back on breads. Eat more fruits and veggies.
  • Exercise. Do something three times a week for at least 30-60 minutes. Be more active in your day in general.
  • Sleep. Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night.
  • Manage stress. Find a way that works for you.
  • Don’t quit. Finish what you start. Keep going even when it gets hard.
  • Find a friend. Talk to someone about what you are doing so you have some accountability.

This is a place to start. If you want to get healthy, pick one of these things and start there. When you feel like you are ready to conquer the next thing, add it in. You will be more likely to keep going when you don’t overwhelm yourself at the outset. There may be a couple of things that naturally go together that you could start with. For example, you might want to adjust your bedtime so that you can get 7-8 hours of sleep and feel rested so you can set that alarm to get up a little earlier and exercise.

But whatever you do, do something. Always be working on your health. It is worth it. You’ll feel better. You’ll feel better about yourself. You’ll be an example to others. And in this day and age where we are surrounded by unhealthy people and habits, it has to start somewhere.

Let’s put these pieces of health together in our lives and start a health epidemic!