Gauging Our Love

I've recently completed "40 Days of Love," the most recent 40 day Bible study by Rick Warren of Purpose Driven Life fame. Rick Warren talks about having a loving heart. We must have a loving heart physically, emotionally and spiritually. Each area has three habits to keep the heart loving in that area.

Physically: Rest, Balanced Diet, Regular Exercise
Emotionally: Solitude, Recreation, Laughter
Spiritually: Daily Quiet Time, Small Group, Worship

Rick Warren said we need to gauge each area and see how fulfilled or re-filled we are. This got me thinking about my daughter's webkinz. Webkinz is a website for kids. When you log into the site you see all of your characters gauges. They have one for happy, loved and hungry. You have to play games, feed it, etc., or else the webkinz will expire. You can read the gauges to see where the numbers are to know if you need to give it more food or playtime. (You can see in the illustration that "Dazzle" the raccoon isn't very happy. He needs to be played with).


Don't you wish we have gauges too? Wouldn't it be nice to say, "Honey, my solitude gauge is on low, will you watch the kids so I can have some quiet time?" He couldn't argue, one look at your gauge would show you were low. Or maybe when you were feeling "blue" (as we all do from time to time) you could easily read your own gauge to know if you needed more exercise or rest; solitude or fellowship.

Sometimes the things we fill ourselves up with are the opposite of what we need. Perhaps your body is needing exercise to get over the 3 p.m. slump, but instead you eat a donut. Maybe your body is craving spiritual fulfilment, and instead you take a nap. Ephesians 5:18 says "Do not get drunk on wine.... Instead, be filled with the Spirit." Spiritual emptiness can lead to filling yourself with the wrong things too! Could alcoholism actually be acute longing for God's Holy Spirit?

I urge you today to reflect on your life. Refill and refuel where your gauges are empty. Fill up with living water and quench your thirst today!

Romans 15:13 -- May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18 -- Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:20 -- you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Thankful Thursday - 4/2

Welcome to Thankful Thursday. This is the part of our show where Larry comes out and sings a silly song. Oops. I mean, this is the part of my blog where I write five things, big or small, that I am thankful for each week. This week:

1. I won a book! Linda (Mocha with Linda) randomly picked me to win, and it's always fun to win, isn't it? I love to read, so I'll be enjoying the book "If Tomorrow Never Comes."

2. For great teachers! I am so blessed with wonderful teachers for my kids. This is huge, especially when I hear stories from families who do not have loving, caring, Christian teachers for their children. THANK YOU TEACHERS!

3. My sister! (Both of them, but today I am being thankful especially for Mary in honor of her birthday yesterday).

4. My final edition in my 4 Part "THE POWER" series over at ithirst ezine. This was my first multi-part writing series with a monthly deadline, and I did it!

5. Spring break next week! I am SO TIRED, this week has been exhausting. So I'm thankful for the chance next week to sleep late, do fun day trips with my girls and maybe even do some Spring cleaning (and clothes sorting. You moms know you have to rotate the clothes every season as the kids grow, and it's time!)

That's my five things this week. How about you? Leave me a comment, or link up over at Truth 4 the Journey by clicking the button at the bottom of this post.

But since I mentioned silly songs...here is a silly song with Larry I'd never heard! And since it's about Monkeys and Monkeys are Funny, (or at least that's what I've heard) well I had to post it. Enjoy...or not. :-)

O Baby - Baby Picture Carnival

This has got to be the WORST baby picture ever. Look at me (the baby.) I look scared to death. But it was the perfect picture for today's baby picture carnival over at "In His Hands." Why? Becuase my big sister is holding me. And today is HER BIRTHDAY!

Here's another great picture of my with my BIG sister (My ADHD Me). (Don't blame us from the micro-mini skirts either. My mother still dressed us then.) It looks like my sister was always there to protect me right? Well, there was a time when she was actually the one I needed protection from (LOL! - Those teenage years!). But now, if anyone leaves me even the hint of a flaming comment, I can hear the cavalry music and in rides my sister ready to take on the world! All the bloggy friend say they can tell we're sisters just how we comment back and forth to each other.

But what makes us sisters comes from something you can't see -- the life moments we've shared, the triumphs we've celebrated, and the pains we've eased each other through; and from something else only we can feel - the invisible bond that comes from knowing we will always be there for each other. So happy birthday, sis! Everyone head over to My ADHD Me, and wish Mary a Happy Birthday!

Life Call

"Help! I've fallen and I can't get up." So was the tag line of the commercial for a product called Life Call. Marketed to senior citizens in the late 80's to 1990, this product was worn around the neck like a pendant, and if a senior fell, they could activate it so that emergency services would respond.

Sometimes I get overwhelmed in life. My desk is buried with my papers, my counter is covered with school papers, my car is buried in gold fish crumbs and snack wrappers. Even my wallet is buried in my purse in a mass of receipts and notes. I feel like I've fallen and I can't get up!

I don't need a Life Call to be heard. My call goes out to my Savior. In the words of Mandisa, "My deliverer has rescued me." I know where my help comes from. I just need to be sure that my Life Call is going to the right emergency service provider. My Provider hears my call and rescues me, every time I need it.

Psalm 31:2 -- Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.

Psalm 71:2 -- Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness; turn your ear to me and save me.

Psalm 144:2 -- He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.