7 Things

There are two schools of thought on Memes, (prounounced like dreams, with an M). One is that they are a waste of time and distracting to your readers and your brand. The other is that it gives your readers a glimpse of the real you and they are relationship building. Regardless of which you believe, my beautiful friend Bella Mella tagged me in a meme, so I am playing along. I hope you will enjoy getting to see a glimpse of me this way.

1. Not counting attending church, what is your favorite activity that you consistently do on Sundays?

The only activity I consisently do on Sundays (besides church) is writing my Monday blog. And I do enjoy it. But spending time with my family without having an "agenda" of things we have to do is my favorite thing.

2. At what age or season in your life do you feel you looked your best?

My sweet husband says I look better every year. And while I physically looked my best in my late 20's, I would say that I am a better package today. I have the confidence I lacked then, and I still am not too hard on the eyes. I wouldn't mind losing a few pounds, but then almost every woman would.

3. Would you rather win a personal makeover/shopping spree with an image consultant, a one room makeover/shopping spree with an interior designer, or a personal chef who would cater a fabulous meal for a party at your home?

I definintely would like the personal make over and shopping spree. While my home could use a spruce up (and I am challenged in decorating), and I would love to have a fancy catered meal with my friends, no way could I resist teh shopping spree. Really.

4. If a movie were made of your life, which actors would portray you and your husband?

Linda Carter (Wonder Woman) is who I've been told looks like me. But if I get to pick, I'd have to say Anne Hathoway. My husband? I've been told he looks like Jon Voight. But I think I would have him played by Simon Baker.

5. If you had the power to choose one of these, which would it be?
I would be taller * I would never go gray * I would always look younger than my age.

Who cares about height? I'd have to say always looking younger than my age.

6. Which of these positive first impressions would you prefer to make?
funny * friendly * confident

It's my hope that all three of these impressions always come through with me. But if I had to choose only one, I think it would be confident.

7. Pie or Cake?

Who's cooking? Pie...chocolate fudge pie.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

"Here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours."
Signed, Sealed, Delivered. Stevie Wonder, 1970

Signed: A signature is placed on a document, or your "mark" is put on a document to show approval or ownership. (Signing a mortgage, car lease or library card all show both agreement with the terms, and ownership of the item.)

Sealed: In the 16th-18th centuries, if you had an important document, you would "seal" it. That is pour wax on it and mark it with your seal, sometimes found in a signet ring. A seal was either a mark of authority or, more commonly, a mark of identification.

It's interesting that both signing and sealing are defined by putting our mark on something. Did you know that as Christians God has put his mark on us? 2 Corinthians 1:22 says, "He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." (emphasis mine).

We are marked by God, showing His authority and ownership over us. We're signed & sealed, but what about delivered? Oh, friends. That is the best thing that comes with being sealed by God is the deliverance that comes through Jesus Christ! It's exciting to be able to say to God, "Here I am. Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm Yours!"

Musical Musings:
1. Do you believe you are marked with the seal of God showing his ownership of you? If not, why not confess your faith and accept Jesus as your savior so you can know you are marked with His seal.
2. Consider buying a wax seal set. Every time you seal your letters to friends, remember that God has sealed you with His mark.
3. Sealing wax, after melting, quickly hardens forming a bond that is difficult to separate. Consider that that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Karaoke:
Dear Lord, I am so excited to bear your seal! Thank you God for loving me so much that you have marked me so that nothing can separate me from you. Fill me with the peace and joy of that deliverance. I'm Yours! In Jesus Name, Amen.

Rock On: 2 Timothy 2:19 says, "Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his." Revel in the fact that you are His today.

The Acorn

Have you ever considered the acorn? It's so small. It doesn't amount to much when you look at it. But consider this:

The acorn will grow into a large tree that will provide shade to the hot.
The acorn will grow into a large tree that will provide homes for squirrels, birds, and various bugs.
The acorn will grow into a large tree that absorb carbon dioxide that is dangerous for us to breath.
The acorn will grow into a large tree that will produce oxygen that we need to breath.
The small acorn will grow into a large and benefical tree.

What small thing are you not doing because you don't think you'll matter? Are you giving nothing because your dollar is too small? Are you doing nothing because your effort is too little? Do you think you are too small to matter?

Consider the acorn. It is small but makes a big difference. Why not do something small today...and let God make it Big.



Adapted from a sermon by Mike Langley at Fairmount Christian Church.

Blow Gently

I was blowing bubbles with my daughters the other night. As we took turns, I noticed that when I blew lots of bubbles would come out of the wand. Yet on their turns it seems only a few bubbles would come out, but lots of bubble juice would fly. Each time I heard their "Pffffft" as they blew with all their might to create bubbles. Then I let them in on a little secret. You get more bubbles if you blow gently, than if you blow hard.

It reminded me of a Biblical principal. To find out which one, meet me over at Titus 2 in Action, where I am a Featured Contributor every other Wednesday.

Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places

"I was looking for love in all the wrong places,
Looking for love in too many faces."
Looking for Love, Johnny Lee, 1980

The Bible tells us the true definition of love. God is love. "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10)

Unfortunately, too often we go looking for love in all the wrong places, looking for love in too many faces. We try to find love through our spouses, our children, our friends. We try to get our needs met and fulfilled by others. God has wired us to want to love and be loved. But perfect love only comes from God. We can't have that need met anywhere else, no matter how many faces we go to, looking for love.

Or maybe you aren't looking for love through people, but through accolades. Whether it's awards, compliments, accomplishments, or (in my case) publications, we look for things to value our worth and convince us that we are lovable.

You are not only lovable, but you are loved. God loves you so much. Don't be like the singer and go "Looking for love in all the wrong places." You only need to look to God to find true love. And then you'll discover another heart, looking for love.

Psalm 33:18 -- But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.

Musical Musings:
1. Are you looking for love from family and friends to meet your needs, rather than from God?
2. Are you looking for love from accomplishments, to fill your needs to be found of worth?
3. Do you believe that God sent Jesus to die FOR YOU because you are lovable, and he loves you?

Karaoke:
Dear Lord -You love us so much! Yet, I know that I have trouble believing it sometimes. Why would you love me? How could you love me? Thank you, Lord, that you find me to be worthy of your love, through Jesus. Help me to believe in that worth and to not go looking for love anywhere but to you. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Rock On:
Enjoy the song "How He Loves Us" by the David Crowder Band, by watching the video here on my blog, or click this link to the youtube video if you receive this post via email. Listen to the words, as you rejoice in "oh, how he loves us!"

What's in a Name?

What's in a name? Have you ever looked up the meaning of your name? If you're a parent, did you study name meanings when naming your child, or just pick a name that sounded nice?

In Biblical times, names carried huge significance. Often after an encounter with God, He would change your name to reflect it. When God came to Abram and made a covenant with him to make him the father of many nations through the birth of Isaac, he renamed him Abraham (the father of many) and renamed Abram's wife Sarai, Sarah (princess.)

When Jacob had a God encounter in Genesis 32, he was renamed Israel, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome." (v. 28)

My name is Kelly. Kelly is a name of Gaelic origins, which means warrior, war or strife. Truly, my life has been filled with strife at times, and battles to be overcome. I recently read this verse in the Bible:

To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. Revelations 2:17

This was written to the church of Pergamum in John's Revelation. But I can't help but wonder what new name I would receive. And the white stone, would it be like those "faith rocks" we see at the Christian stores? I have one, it's clear and smooth with a cross inside of it. It isn't a "good luck" charm or spiritual talisman, it's just a reminder to think about God. But I love the smooth feeling of the stone.

I imagine my own special white stone, smooth, my secret stone, with my new name on it. A name of peace and love. A special name given to me by my Savior, for overcoming. I don't know what that name will be or if I'll even get a stone. But it's something to consider.

I don't know if there's anything special about my name. But what I do know, is the Name above all Names. THAT is the name I'll focus on.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11

Glory of Love, Peter Cetera

"I am a man who will fight for your honor. I'll be the hero you're dreaming of.
We'll live forever knowing together that we did it all for the glory of love."
Glory of Love, Peter Cetera, 1986

Young girls often dream of the same thing. Prince Charming, or their knight in shining armor, riding in on a white horse to save the day. A hero! Someone to love us and fight for us and save us. The thing, real life isn't a fairy tale. And those fairy tales fill us with unrealistic expectations of what a relationship is.

Psalm 146:3 says "Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save you." We shouldn't be waiting for Prince Charming. He is a mere mortal man! He cannot save us. But there is a man who can, who will, and who did: Jesus.

Jesus came in all his glory, he came for the Glory of love! John 3:16 says, "for God so LOVED the world..." (emphasis mine). God loves us so much that he sent Jesus to die on the cross to pay the price for our sin. To be our hero. He did it all for love!

Instead of Peter Cetera, it would make more sense for Jesus to be the one singing, "I am a man who will fight for your honor. I'll be the hero you're dreaming of. We'll live forever knowing together that we did it all for the glory of love." Jesus died for our honor, so that we could be found honorable, holy and blemish free in the sight of God, so that we could live forever, knowing together, that HE did it all for the glory of love.

Musical Musings:

1. Do you look for other people to "save" you, or do you look to the One who can & did save you?
2. Do unrealistic expectations in your earthly relationships cause conflict, that could be avoided by putting your faith in God, not mankind?
3. Jesus died for your honor. Be honorable for His name sake. Love one another as God loves us.

Karaoke:
Dear Lord, thank you for coming to earth and becoming a man. A man who would die for my honor, to create righteousness for me in place of my sin. You did it for love, just because you loved me. I didn't deserve it, and I still don't, but I thank and praise your glorious name that you are the hero I've been dreaming of. Thank you for the gift of eternal life. In Jesus name, amen.

Rock on:
Read John 13:31-34 to read about the glory of love.