Help From My Friends, Beatles

Oh I get by with a little help from my friends...
Mmm, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends.
Help From My Friends, Beatles, 1967

I hate asking for favors! Just the thought of that I can't do it myself in my fragile mind evokes the feeling of weakness, or worse, failure. I am (after all) woman - hear me roar! I can do anything, I am strong, I am invincible, I am woman! Okay, it's a Musical Monday WITHIN a Musical Monday! Where was I? Oh yes, getting by with a little help from my friends. Helen Reddy will be back with I am Woman another day. Today, it's the Beatles.

Last week with the death of my mother-in-law, and subsequent travel of my husband, I was forced to ask for help. Because the truth is, I'm not invincible. Only God is. I am flawed and in need of help, especially when my helpmate (husband) is gone.

I am thankful for Christian friends who come along side me, and help with meals, carpool, childcare and emotional support. It's been a hard week, no doubt. But I got by with a little help from my friends. I still don't like asking for help, but I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends.

Proverbs 27:10
Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you— better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

Tears in Heaven, Eric Clapton

Would you know my name, if I saw you in Heaven?
Would it be the same, if I saw you in Heaven?
Tears in Heaven, Eric Clapton, 1992

It is never easy when a loved one dies, regardless of the situation. My mother-in-law, Mary, died yesterday. (Not to be confused with my sister with the same name.) My mother-in-law was more than ready to go. Her body had betrayed her in the last few years, first sending her to walker, and finally to a wheelchair. She had rheumatoid arthritis.

Last year she said she didn't know why God was making her stay on the earth, she was ready to go home. She and her husband, Joe, had to move to the nursing home. Her independent spirit didn't like her increasingly dependant situation. She'd had a long good life, she loved Jesus and she was ready, at the age of 86.

So, it isn't with sadness that she is now walking on her own two feet into the presence of Jesus. She is filled with joy. I can't help but think of the children's song, "He went walking and leaping and praising God, Walking and leaping and praising God, 'In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.'" Though she was never one seeking attention, I picture her walking and leaping and praising God. And it's a good thought.

But still we are sad. We will miss her. Having never had a loving mother figure of my own, she helped fill that void. She loved me, not because I was John's wife, but because I was Kelly. She encouraged me to be the strong woman I am.

She took in a scared 11 year old boy, who was my husband, and raised and loved him as her own. Her headstone, which she & her husband pre-arranged, is engraved with the words, "Parents of Richard and John." He was their son, regardless of birth.

I know there are no tears in heaven. But excuse me if I shed a few on earth. Still, I know I'll see Mary again and we'll be reunited...in heaven.

Charged Up

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness. 2 Peter 1:3

I HAVE A RECHARGABLE VACUUM that is great for quick cleanups around the house. I say quick cleanups because while it starts off strong, after a while the motor begins to slow down, and the vacuum requires a recharge. It has to be plugged in for its battery to get more power. After a recharge its power is increased, and it’s ready again.

Our faith is like that vacuum. To find out how, join me over at Titus 2 in Action where I am a guest contributor today.

She Speaks Entry

"Kelly is a top student, when she isn't talking."
"Does good work, but could cut down on talking."
"A pleasure to have in class. Talkative."
"Kelly is talkative!"

Those who know me well would not be surprised by these actual comments on my high school report cards. It seems I've always had a big mouth, and liked talking. And no surprise, my blog is called Chatty Kelly. It just fits.

But who could have imagined all those years ago in high school, that my "gift of gab" could actually be a gift from God? Not my teachers, certainly! Who could blame them?

Yet here I am! Just a chatty girl who loves Jesus! And who is using that "big mouth" to tell people about Him. And that's why I'd like to win the scholarship to attend the She Speaks Conference, Speakers track.

Three years ago, an older woman encouraged me that I should try to be published. She'd read my article in the Mothers of Preschoolers newsletter and saw something in me I had never seen in myself...potential. At first I thought she was just being nice, but after some more encouragement I sent off my first query letter to my favorite Christian women's magazine, P31 Woman. Imagine my surprise when they responded they liked my article...but it was too long!

Imagine that, "too wordy," they said. Me? Chatty Kelly? I cut the article by nearly 900 words, resubmitted it, and my first article was published, called "My Perfect Parent" in the November, 2008 issue. I've continued writing, but now hear the call to start my speaking ministry.

Proverbs 31 is very near and dear to my heart. I started blogging because I wanted to participate in Lysa TerKeurst's (P31's president) "swap and hop." I became a Lysa TerKeurst "groupie." My first article was published in P31 Woman magazine. And I attended She Speaks 2008 on the writer's track, where I learned the nuts and bolts of effective writing, which led to more publications, including a recent publication in Guideposts Extraordinary Answers to Prayer, Closer to God.

She Speaks sounds like the perfect place for me, because when people think of Chatty Kelly, they think "She speaks!" Seriously, I'd love to have the opportunity to fellowship with other Christian women who feel the same call in their life, and have a chance to learn from the gifted and talented P31 staff and their conference guest speakers.

I hope to be able to win the Cecil Murphey Scholarship this year. God gave me the gift of gab, and I want to use it for His glory.

If you'd like a chance to win this scholarship, visit Lysa TerKeurst's blog post. To learn more about the conference, visit She Speaks.

Rain or Shine?

"You have taken off your old self with its practices and have put
on the new self." Colossians 3:9, 10

THE SKY POURED down a warm summer rain. My girls slipped on their boots and raincoats, and skipped out to play in the puddles. Soon their boots were filled and their clothes were covered in muddy water. I called them in, stripped off their muddy clothes, and put them straight into the bath. After they were washed, they put on clean, dry clothes. It would have been unthinkable to put back on their wet dirty clothes. It would have been like they’d never bathed.

As children of God, we too have been called in from worldly things. We have had the filthiness removed from our bodies, and put on our “new self.” Too often, however, we do the unthinkable. We put back on the filthiness. Lust, greed, anger and lying are some examples of our muddied past, our old self. Once we’re no longer clean, we have no incentive to stay out of the puddles of sin.

Accepting Christ means focusing on Him. No more mudslinging. We have to clean up our act. Instead of dressing ourselves in the muddy clothes of our past, we must instead clothe ourselves in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. This requires daily cleansing through confession, repentance and God’s forgiveness.

Then we’ll no longer be tempted by the puddles, but instead will bask in the Son.

Spend some time basking in the Son today, even if it’s raining.

This devotion by me originally appeared in Light from the Word. Check out their devotions on-line!



*Musical Monday is taking the day off. It will be back next week.*

The ME Project, Giveaway & Blog Tour

The Me Project is an exciting new book by Kathi Lipp. I'm proud to be part of her blog tour, and give you information about the book and about the giveway. Enjoy!



GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:
To enter, leave a comment by 9 pm EST March 3rd. A name will be randomly selected from my blog and sent to Kathy Carlton Willis Communications, where THEY will draw the prize winner and give away the prize. Your comment here enters you to win a CHANCE to be entered in their grandprize drawing.

Grand Prize Giveaway:
Deluxe Starbucks Coffee Gift Basket
Three 2.5-oz. bags of Starbucks coffee
(Sumatra, House Blend, and French Roast)
Tazo black tea
Starbucks marshmallow cocoa
Almond roca
Almond roca buttercrunch toffee cookies
White chocolate and raspberry cookies
2 Starbucks mugs
Keepsake black bamboo basket
$62 value

The BOOK: The ME Project








The Me Project - 21 Days to Living the Life You’ve Always Wanted
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
ISBN-10: 0736929665, ISBN-13: 978-0736929660
Release Date: February 1, 2011
Paperback: 224 pages, Retail: $12.99

Book Summary

(San Jose, CA) Has that rush to make (and break) New Year’s resolutions already waned? According to Daniel Pink, author of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, taking small steps every day will not only help you stay committed to your goal, but will also help you ultimately achieve that goal when obstacles come up. Author Kathi Lipp wants you and your friends to live out those dreams—and have some fun along the way.

As women, we forget the goals and dreams of our younger years. The busyness of everyday life gets in the way. To-do lists replace goals. The Me Project provides women with fun and creative ways to bring back the sense of purpose and vitality that comes with living out the plans and dreams God has planted in our hearts. Kathi Lipp’s warm tone and laugh-out-loud humor motivates women to take daily steps toward intentional goals. The end result? We get back our lives and enjoy living in the confidence of a purposeful life in spite of our chaotic schedules.

This handy guide coaches women to do one simple thing toward achieving our goals each day for three weeks. A woman experiencing the exhilaration of a rediscovered life offers more as a wife, mother, friend, volunteer, career woman.

Finding the balance between living day-to-day with purpose while pursuing the passions God has placed in our hearts is a delicate pursuit. In this refreshing, insightful book, Kathi lays out a doable plan that makes sense and helps make our God-given dreams a reality. Never stop dreaming, because women who dare to dream do make the world a better place.
—Jean Blackmer
author of MomSense: A Common Sense Guide to Confident Mothering
Publishing Manager, MOPS International www.MOPS.org

Author Bio


Kathi Lipp


Kathi Lipp is a busy conference and retreat speaker, currently speaking each year to thousands of women throughout the United States. She is the author of The Husband Project and The Marriage Project, serves as food writer for Nickelodeon, and has had articles published in several magazines, including Today’s Christian Woman and Discipleship Journal. Kathi and her husband, Roger, live in California and are the parents of four teenagers and young adults. For more information visit her website: www.kathilipp.com

You Can't Always Get What You Want

You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you might find
You get what you need.
You Can't Always Get What You Want, Rolling Stones, 1969

We've been studying prayer at church lately. Some of us treat God like a genie, or Santa Claus, presenting him with our lists of "I wants." God does want us to ask for our needs. We know this because Jesus said so when he taught the disciples how to pray. "Give us this day our daily bread," is part of the prayer Jesus used to show the disciples how to pray.

Daily bread. Bread for the day. Why should we only pray for DAILY bread? In Exodus 16, God rained down manna from heaven each day for the Israelites. And he caused it to mold if they tried to save it for more than 1 day. (The exception was they could save enough the day before the Sabbath to last through the Sabbath so they wouldn't have to work on that day.)

Why daily? So they would have to put their faith in him every day. They'd have to keep their eyes on him every day. God wants our attention daily, and our tendency is to look to God when we are hungry and turn away when we are full.

It's been said that God provides for our needs, but not our greeds. It's true that we can't always get what we want. But with God we always, always, always - get what we need.