Keeping Focus

This past weekend we celebrated my daughter's birthday with an American Girl party. As one of the favors, I crafted flip flops for all the dolls. Because I am "craft challenged" I was proud of my hard work, and I tweeted and Facebooked a photo of the craft.

Soon enough I had several people asking me how to make the flip flops. Because I needed more than 120 characters (the tweet limit) for the description, I decided to write a blog post outlining the steps, and then tweet the link.  You can read that post here, http://www.chattykelly.com/2012/03/american-girl-flip-flops.html

Imagine my surprise, when I reviewed my blog statistics, to find that the Flip Flop post was the 2nd highest read post in the past 30 days.  Truthfully, I was frustrated. Maybe I should just write a craft blog?!?!

There are 2 problems with that thought.  The first, of course, is that I don't like crafting, so it would be a pretty short lived blog. The second problem, is that writing a craft blog isn't my calling.  Writing a devotional blog is.

The temptation is to follow the crowd, to be popular, to want the big numbers.  Jesus warned us of this philosophy when he said, "Enter through the narrow gate." (Matt 7:13).  He continued, "Wide is the gate, and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it."

Don't leave me comments telling me that crafting blogs are okay, because I know.  Whatever God is calling you to do, whatever your God given gift is, that is what you should be doing. And if crafting is it for you, keep focused!

But for me, I have to remain focused on writing for Him.  Jesus concluded his comments above by saying, "Small is the gate, and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Only a few may read my blog. But I pray that here, they find life. 

Have you ever been tempted to go through the wide gate to gain popularity or status?

Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com

Living a Life Changing Faith

Are you living a life changing faith? I remember nearly 20 years ago when I began working at a new job.  Another employee came and greeted me, welcoming me to the company, and offering her help if I needed anything.  Looking back in this company of thousands, I don't know why she offered her help that day. 

But she continued to come around and befriend me. Soon we were having lunch together regularly, and she shared with me her faith. Her faith was so different than mine.  I wanted to be like her.  I soon learned that while I knew of God, I didn't know God.  And that was the difference.

I continued to want to be like my frined, until one day I discovered it wasn't her I was seeing. It was Jesus in her! And that is who I wanted to be like. Not her, but Jesus. Her faith was life changing, not only in her life, but in mine because it helped me to come to know Jesus.

Are you living a life changing faith? I pray that I am! I want people to see Jesus in me, and to want what I have in that relationship. I want my life to look different from those who don't know Jesus. I want my life to be changed, but I want other's lives to be changed because of my faith.

Are you living a life changing faith, for yourself and for others?

Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com

*American Girl Flip Flops*

I recently made some party favors for my daughter's birthday, and due to the level of interest I received in them, I am showing how to make them on my blog.

You will need crafting foam, full size pony beads (the mini pictured did not work), elastic, ribbon, scissors and a glue gun. 

First trace a pattern on the foam, using an American Girl (or other) doll shoe.  You will need 2 pieces of foam per flip flop.

Score 2 small holes side by side in the toe of the "flip flop" foam. Push the ribbon down through one and up through the other, as I am doing below.

Pull both ends through evenly, and string the pony bead on.  The bead is a critical component. Because the dolls toes are fused together, the bead will enable the flip flop to stay on the doll.

Next score 2 holes, one on either side of the foam about 3/4 of the way down.  String the ribbon through those holes as well, creating what looks like a flip flop strap.

Next thread your elastic (about 2.5" long) through the same 2 holes.

This is the bottom of the piece of foam with the pieces threaded through.

Use a hot glue gun to glue the threaded ribbon and elastic flat to the shoe. Now cover the bottom of the foam with hot glue and add your second piece of foam to cover all the ribbon.

I used a different color to make it interesting. This is the side view of the completed flip flop.

Push the pony bead to the front of the shoe to slip it on the doll. Then gently pull the bead up her foot to allow the shoe to stay on.  Ta-da! You finished project! Enjoy!

Pin It

Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com

My Mother's Hands

When I look at my hands now, I see my mother's hands - the color, the texture, the feel - and it is an unsettling feeling. My mother's hands never harmed me. They loved me, they patted me, held my hands. Yet, those hands did hold pain.

They were the hands that drank the alcohol, and smoked cigarettes by the carton. The hands that took the overdose. The hands that slashed her own wrists. She never hurt me with her hands, it was her mouth that cut me to shreds. Yet those hands, her hands, "The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish woman tears hers down.*" She tore her house down with those hands.

And the pain is there, and I look at my hands and they look like hers. She must have been about my age now, as she tore down her house...our house...with her hands. It hurts. The memory hurts, as I look at my hands, but see hers.

But I am not her. I am building my house up with my hands. I am loving my husband and my children with my hands. I am praying to God with my hands. I raise these hands in praise to him. They are my hands, not hers. They may look the same, but oh, they are different. 

I am sitting at breakfast, and my husband takes my hand. "You have beautiful hands," he says. A gift of grace, from God through my husband. I have beautiful hands. 

I am thankful to God for this gift of grace, and for always holding me...in His hands.

Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com

*Proverbs 14:1

Random Acts of Kindness

A local radio station recently asked people to perform random acts of kindness, and then call into the station and tell them about it.  One woman called in, quite annoyed that she hadn't been thanked for her kindness.  That got me thinking.

Why do we do acts of service and kindness?  Is it for the thanks? If so, we need to rethink our motives. I am reminded of the story, found in Luke 17, of Jesus healing the 10 lepers.  Jesus healed 10 men, but only 1 man returned to thank Jesus.  Can you imagine? Jesus performed a miracle, healing these people from a disease that kept them from their family and community, and only one returned to thank him. 

If Jesus only received thanks from 10% of those healed, should we expect more for our random acts of kindness? We should not. Further more, if you read Matthew 6:3-4, it states, "But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret." If we are giving with the hope of being noticed and thanked, that is hardly acting in secret.

Receiving thanks makes us feel good, and that is okay. But if the thanks are what are propelling your good acts, that is where the problem is.  The Bible says that when people see our good works, it should glorify our Father in heaven...not us. Surely, it is God's goodness that causes us to act, when we act without wrong motives. 

You random of acts of kindness are not the things that give you worth. You have worth simply because you are a child of God.  You are worthy, because Jesus died for you. Jesus has done so much for us. Let's stop and thank him for his random, and not so random, acts of kindness.  He is the one that truly deserves our thanks and praise.

Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com

Why I'm Not Observing Lent

Wednesday was the first day of Lent. Lent is a Christian observerance from Ash Wednesday to Easter, in the liturgical church. I grew up in the Lutheran church and we always "gave up" something for Lent, whether it be red meat, or chocolate or something else. 

Lent can be a good thing, when done correctly. The Bible does call for us to fast and pray, and Lent provides a way for many people to do that. As you are making the sacrific of the item you are fasting from, you are supposed to pray every time you want that item, and focus on Jesus and what he gave up for you. (His life).

At the same time, Lent is not "Biblical." You will find no references to Lent in the Bible. Lent was created by the church, not by Jesus. It is a way to "pay penance" for our sins. That is the part that concerns me. While some definitions of penance refer to being repentant (sorry) for our sins, others refer to it as a punishment for our sins. 

We cannot pay the price for our own sins. The work of our salvation was finished on the cross. Jesus paid the price...in full. Nothing I do on earth can add to my salavation. Jesus said, "It is finished." It's done. He did it.

As a "works based" girl, this is hard for me to remember. I try to do more, or give up more, or be more so God will notice me and like me.  Truth is, I don't have to do more or give up anything, because He didn't just "notice" me, He MADE me, and He loves me, sending His son to die so I don't have to be more.

That's not to say there isn't work to be done on earth. God calls us to be living sacrifices, and to daily lift up our cross and follow Him.  That's why I'm not taking the 40 days of Lent to try and do works for Jesus. I pray my life is lived that way. Not because of what I have to earn. Not because of the price I need to pay. But simply because I love Him.  And because He loved me first.

Are you observing Lent this year? Why or why not?

Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com

Who is Your Expert?

That awkward moment. I was sitting in the pedicure chair reading a fashion magazine. Under the Do's and Don'ts section, the first DON'T the Fashion Expert said was, "Never, unless you are heading to or from the gym, never wear black yoga pants, a fleece jacket and white cross trainers in public."  I glanced down over my outfit. Other than the white cross trainers, that was exactly what I was wearing. The cross trainers, which I wasn't exactly wearing, were sitting in the floor next to me, as I had my toe nails painted.  Oh, the awkward moment.

That awkward moment. I was at a speaking seminar and the Marketing Expert was sharing the Do's and Don'ts of marketing your blog.  The first Don't, the Marketing Expert said, "Never pose in a photo with you hand beside your face. We don't want to see your knuckle." I cringed as I thought of my blog photo, the photo I used for all my publicity.  This is the photo. 

Oh the awkward moment!

Reading what the experts say, and getting it wrong can be, well, awkward!  But I had a light bulb moment the other day.  I receive several emails from writing experts, to help me work on my craft. I received an email that said, "Say 'no' often. If you said yes too much, you will become overwhelmed and if you don't meet deadlines you will ruin your reputation in the industry."  Sounded reasonable to me.

But then I received an email from another "expert."  His email said, "Say yes more than you think you should. This will challenge you to work harder and do more. You won't know what you're capable of if you don't push yourself."

Both comments from the so-called experts seemed legit, but they were in complete opposition to one another. Which one was correct?  I guess the one that works best for you.

There are plenty of experts out there in every field, all doling out advice at record pace. The thing is, however, while their ideas may be good, the aren't the gospel. Just read health magazines. One expert extols the virtues of a juice fast, while the next extols the dangers! What works for some, doesn't work for all. 

The only place I've found that has the correct advice all the time is, in fact, the Gospel, that is the good news of Jesus Christ.  The Bible.  Packed with the "Do's and Don'ts of Life," it shares consistently accurate information. Yes, there are some awkward moments when I realize I've been living in contradiction to God's will, but he is a forgiving God! And his lessons won't go out of style. They haven't in over 2,000 years. Can you say that for your skinny jeans? Or your marketing plan?

While I may not look my best in my yoga pants, I do feel pretty good in them. So I keep wearing them to the grocery or the salon. Because while it's fun to get advice from the experts, they don't know everything. The only Expert who does is Jesus. And His plan says not to worry about what we wear or how we look. It's what is inside that counts. 

Where are you getting your "expert" advice?

Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com