One of my favorite things about being a Mommy is cheek kisses. From the moment my son was born I couldn't keep from kissing those sweet little cheeks. I kissed all over that tiny face....
and he let me.
In two short years....things have changed. The other day, I picked my toddler up and kissed him on the face. And what did he do??? HE WIPED IT OFF. (gasp!) My kiss landed somewhere on the floor instead of resting sweetly on his cheek like it always has. I've been around children, and I know that wiping off kisses is a common practice among little people - but I didn't expect it to happen so soon.
I am his Mommy. I am the woman in his life and he WIPES OFF MY KISSES. I know. This is only the beginning. Pretty soon - in 12 or so years he might not even want me to hug him in public. (But I will anyway.)
And you know what else? He thinks it is hilarious. He cracks up every time he wipes off a kiss. I probably didn't help this matter any when I reacted like a drama queen the first time he did it.
Well I'm here to tell ya...I'm gonna keep kissing that cute little face, no matter how many times he wipes them off. He needs it.
And so do I.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Quotes That Speak To Me
I just wanted to share a few quotes with you - to brighten your day :)
Taking joy in life is a woman's best cosmetic. - Rosalind Russell
You are God's created beauty and the focus of His affection and delight. - Janet Weaver Smith
Today a new sun rises for me; everything lives, everything is animated, everything seems to speak to me of my passion, everything invites me to cherish it. - Anne De Lenclos
Blessed is the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime and too sleepy to worry at night. - Caroline Schroeder
Humility is the natural posture of anyone who grasps the greatness of God.....
This final quote is from the introduction of a Beth Moore study I just started called Stepping Up - A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent. As I go and grow through this study - I'd like to take you along for the journey. Every week I will post some insights about what God is teaching me through this study. If you have done this study before - please - post your own ponderings about Stepping Up. I'm only in the first week and I LOVE it. Keep checkin' back, kids :)
I hope you are having a lovely week :) Be encouraged :)
Taking joy in life is a woman's best cosmetic. - Rosalind Russell
You are God's created beauty and the focus of His affection and delight. - Janet Weaver Smith
Today a new sun rises for me; everything lives, everything is animated, everything seems to speak to me of my passion, everything invites me to cherish it. - Anne De Lenclos
Blessed is the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime and too sleepy to worry at night. - Caroline Schroeder
Humility is the natural posture of anyone who grasps the greatness of God.....
This final quote is from the introduction of a Beth Moore study I just started called Stepping Up - A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent. As I go and grow through this study - I'd like to take you along for the journey. Every week I will post some insights about what God is teaching me through this study. If you have done this study before - please - post your own ponderings about Stepping Up. I'm only in the first week and I LOVE it. Keep checkin' back, kids :)
I hope you are having a lovely week :) Be encouraged :)
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Just Say No
Mama and I were out shopping the other day and I ran across a T-shirt that said, "Just Say No". It resonated with me and brought back sweet memories of elementary school. Our district had a campaign (and yours might have,too) whose logo was "Just Say No". We had a "Just Say No" parade and everything. It was all about saying no to drugs and such. Obviously, it made somewhat of an impact - I remember it after all these years.
I liked the t-shirt. It brought back good memories. And "Just Say No" is a good message, right? Just say no to drugs. Just say no to impurity. Just say no to peer pressure. Just say no to temptation. And so on. But as I considered buying this cute little tee - I started thinking about all the things we shouldn't "Just Say No" to....
Things like giving, sharing, loving, obeying, caring, and sharing. Things like praying, believing, trusting, reaching out, and taking action. All things that we should say yes to - all the time.
I know. It's just a simple t-shirt and I shouldn't make it all profound. But it really did make me stop and think. .
There are temptations that from the get-go should just get the old "Just Say No."
But there are plenty of life's tests, where we should "Just Say Yes."
Sit and think about each one for a moment with me.
(P.S. I couldn't "Just Say No" to the cute little top. It is now hanging in my closet.)
I liked the t-shirt. It brought back good memories. And "Just Say No" is a good message, right? Just say no to drugs. Just say no to impurity. Just say no to peer pressure. Just say no to temptation. And so on. But as I considered buying this cute little tee - I started thinking about all the things we shouldn't "Just Say No" to....
Things like giving, sharing, loving, obeying, caring, and sharing. Things like praying, believing, trusting, reaching out, and taking action. All things that we should say yes to - all the time.
I know. It's just a simple t-shirt and I shouldn't make it all profound. But it really did make me stop and think. .
There are temptations that from the get-go should just get the old "Just Say No."
But there are plenty of life's tests, where we should "Just Say Yes."
Sit and think about each one for a moment with me.
(P.S. I couldn't "Just Say No" to the cute little top. It is now hanging in my closet.)
Blogger's Block
I've been in a literary lull.
How weird. I usually don't find myself at a loss for words - but here lately I haven't had anything fun or insightful to say. I don't like it. I truly enjoy discovering new truths in everyday occurances. And I enjoy sharing those discoveries with y'all, here on this blog. I just haven't had "it" lately. Know what I mean?
I'm not in a lull because life has been dull. That isn't it. Life has actually been full and eventful as of late. My mom is visiting from Texas. I got great news from some tests I just had done. I've been reading some wonderful books. I've been through some humbling experiences. I have spent some time with good friends. And so on. I've just been restless in the writing department. I want to write and share - I just can't spit it out the way I want to.
Maybe it is because I have been reading some really awesome blogs lately - and I feel a little inferior. Maybe it is because I've been a tad tired. Maybe my mind has just been preoccupied. Or perhaps - God is just wanting me to shut-up long enough for Him to teach me a thing or two from HIS written word - and the writings of others. Hmm. That might be it. Or maybe I'm just reading into too much. I'm known for doing that.
I dunno. Either way - I'm ready to be back in action. Do y'all know that song by Aaron Shust, "Give Me Words"?......
Give me words to speak
Don't let my spirit sleep
Cause I can't think of anything worth saying
Every night, every day I find that I have nothing I can say
So I stand here in silence awaiting your guidance
I'm wanting only Your voice to be heard
Let them be Your words
Yep. Aaron said it just right.
(Go here to read Aaron's "song journal" for these lyrics. Pretty interesting.)
I want to feel all wordy again.
How weird. I usually don't find myself at a loss for words - but here lately I haven't had anything fun or insightful to say. I don't like it. I truly enjoy discovering new truths in everyday occurances. And I enjoy sharing those discoveries with y'all, here on this blog. I just haven't had "it" lately. Know what I mean?
I'm not in a lull because life has been dull. That isn't it. Life has actually been full and eventful as of late. My mom is visiting from Texas. I got great news from some tests I just had done. I've been reading some wonderful books. I've been through some humbling experiences. I have spent some time with good friends. And so on. I've just been restless in the writing department. I want to write and share - I just can't spit it out the way I want to.
Maybe it is because I have been reading some really awesome blogs lately - and I feel a little inferior. Maybe it is because I've been a tad tired. Maybe my mind has just been preoccupied. Or perhaps - God is just wanting me to shut-up long enough for Him to teach me a thing or two from HIS written word - and the writings of others. Hmm. That might be it. Or maybe I'm just reading into too much. I'm known for doing that.
I dunno. Either way - I'm ready to be back in action. Do y'all know that song by Aaron Shust, "Give Me Words"?......
Give me words to speak
Don't let my spirit sleep
Cause I can't think of anything worth saying
Every night, every day I find that I have nothing I can say
So I stand here in silence awaiting your guidance
I'm wanting only Your voice to be heard
Let them be Your words
Yep. Aaron said it just right.
(Go here to read Aaron's "song journal" for these lyrics. Pretty interesting.)
I want to feel all wordy again.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Fill me with Faith
As I have mentioned before, I deal with doubt.
Faith, for me, is constantly something I have to find. It doesn't just come to me like it does for others. If I don't seek - I will not find. If I don't ask Him to give me understanding - I won't have it. If I don't stay in The Word - I'm clueless. If I don't pray - I'm anxious. If I don't have fellowship - I'm distant. If I don't seek out belief - I live in unbelief. And yet, I watch other Christians who seem to just have it. Their faith in an unseen God is just there. Sure they have questions and they wonder about this or that - but their underlying faith in our Creator is constant.
That isn't the case for this wanderer. I wrestle with it. And sometimes all that wrestling can make a woman weary. I was having one of those mornings earlier today. So I did what one of my favorite preachers says to do : Ask God to speak to you about it.
I asked and He answered.
I sat down and cozied up to Ephesians 3...........Verses 16-19 quieted this mornings queries:
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should. how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Just breath that in with me. Whether you are a person who has the gift of faith or like myself, you are a person who finds faith - Either way - We can't do it apart from Him. And ya know, it's pretty hard to do it apart from one another,as well. (Trust me, I've tried.) So let's encourage one another on in this race we are running. I consider it a privilege to run along side you.
May you be filled with a flourishing faith today :)
Faith, for me, is constantly something I have to find. It doesn't just come to me like it does for others. If I don't seek - I will not find. If I don't ask Him to give me understanding - I won't have it. If I don't stay in The Word - I'm clueless. If I don't pray - I'm anxious. If I don't have fellowship - I'm distant. If I don't seek out belief - I live in unbelief. And yet, I watch other Christians who seem to just have it. Their faith in an unseen God is just there. Sure they have questions and they wonder about this or that - but their underlying faith in our Creator is constant.
That isn't the case for this wanderer. I wrestle with it. And sometimes all that wrestling can make a woman weary. I was having one of those mornings earlier today. So I did what one of my favorite preachers says to do : Ask God to speak to you about it.
I asked and He answered.
I sat down and cozied up to Ephesians 3...........Verses 16-19 quieted this mornings queries:
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should. how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Just breath that in with me. Whether you are a person who has the gift of faith or like myself, you are a person who finds faith - Either way - We can't do it apart from Him. And ya know, it's pretty hard to do it apart from one another,as well. (Trust me, I've tried.) So let's encourage one another on in this race we are running. I consider it a privilege to run along side you.
May you be filled with a flourishing faith today :)
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Beautiful Blog Bits
This whole blog thing is pretty fabulous, isn't it?
A few days ago, Lysa Terkeurst let us link our blogs up to one of her posts. Too sweet of her. Ever since, I have been reading dozens of amazing blogs by some pretty incredible women. Wow. These gals know how to put pen to paper - or fingertips to keyboard.
Their talents are terrific. As I read through their thoughts - I almost feel like I'm nestled into a corner table of a coffee house - drink in hand - listening to each lady share her heart. I have been encouraged, brought to tears, motivated, enlightened, comforted, loved-on, connected, and so inspired.
There are some lovely ladies out there in bloggy world and I feel blessed that I am getting to know them.
Thanks to all you blog babes - you move me :)
A few days ago, Lysa Terkeurst let us link our blogs up to one of her posts. Too sweet of her. Ever since, I have been reading dozens of amazing blogs by some pretty incredible women. Wow. These gals know how to put pen to paper - or fingertips to keyboard.
Their talents are terrific. As I read through their thoughts - I almost feel like I'm nestled into a corner table of a coffee house - drink in hand - listening to each lady share her heart. I have been encouraged, brought to tears, motivated, enlightened, comforted, loved-on, connected, and so inspired.
There are some lovely ladies out there in bloggy world and I feel blessed that I am getting to know them.
Thanks to all you blog babes - you move me :)
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
A Jolt from Jesus
Matthew 25 : 31-46 hit me hard.
As I read this passage recently I actually heard Jesus speaking verse 45:
"Kate, I tell you the truth, when you refuse to help the least of these, you are refusing to help me."
Whoa.
Did- Jesus- just- directly- and- audibly- reprimand- me? You bet He did and after I picked my jaw up off the floor - I hit the ground running.
See, I came across this passage of scripture during a time when my heart was reluctant to reach out. A few needs had come to my attention and I was just sitting idle. I was aware that I could indeed help fill these needs - but my sinful heart wasn't on board.
Probably because I tend to hoard. My time. My money. My things. It is selfish and it is wrong.
So what did Jesus do? He clearly told me that when I refuse to help those that need it - I am directly refusing to help Him. And kids, that is serious.
Matthew 25:31-46 lit a red-hot fire under my butt. I wonder what it will do for you.
As I read this passage recently I actually heard Jesus speaking verse 45:
"Kate, I tell you the truth, when you refuse to help the least of these, you are refusing to help me."
Whoa.
Did- Jesus- just- directly- and- audibly- reprimand- me? You bet He did and after I picked my jaw up off the floor - I hit the ground running.
See, I came across this passage of scripture during a time when my heart was reluctant to reach out. A few needs had come to my attention and I was just sitting idle. I was aware that I could indeed help fill these needs - but my sinful heart wasn't on board.
Probably because I tend to hoard. My time. My money. My things. It is selfish and it is wrong.
So what did Jesus do? He clearly told me that when I refuse to help those that need it - I am directly refusing to help Him. And kids, that is serious.
Matthew 25:31-46 lit a red-hot fire under my butt. I wonder what it will do for you.
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