Summer Schedule

It's Summer time! Well, actually the official start to summer is June 20, but with kids out of school at my house summer has begun. With summer comes a change of schedule, kids at home and less free time for mom. For me that means less blogging.

So while my school year schedule is to blog every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the summer schedule will be more relaxed. It's probably not the best way to build a platform. But it is definitely the best way to build a family, and spend time with my most precious gift...my girls.

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

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Today, I am inviting you to visit my guest post at the blog of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. I hope you will enjoy this trip with my dad and me, down Memory Lane.

http://www.lewisginter.org/blog/2012/06/09/lewis-ginter-botanical-garden-a-trip-down-memory-lane/

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

Pretty Little Liar versus Fashionable Faith

There are an estimated 7.5 million kids younger than 13 on Facebook today.  7.5 MILLION! What makes that figure even more staggering is that Facebook bans children younger than 13 to have a Facebook page. That means that 7.5 millions kids lied on their profile about their age. In many cases the parents themselves helped the the children skirt the rule and set up the profiles for them, lying about their age.*

It's just a little lie, isn't it? I mean it's just lying to Facebook, does it really matter? I believe it does, because of what the Bible says about lying.  Revelation 21:8 (NLT) says this:

 But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars - their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 

"All liars."  All.  The liars are classified with murderers and unbelievers. I think God is making it clear where he stands on the truth. "But it's just a little lie about their age?" I wonder if the same parents would approve of the child lying about their age to buy alcohol. Once we blur the line of truth, once we justify the lie, where do the justifications end?

I get the pressure from the parents' perspective. I am the parent of a 12 yr old who begged me so relentless to have a Facebook account, that I finally told her that every time she asked before her 13th birthday, I would add one day to the date she could get it. (We only had to go one day past her 13th birthday for her to realize I was serious). She is now waiting patiently for the day after her 13th birthday, even though "all of her friends" already have a Facebook account.

There are no little lies. We cannot expect to have children of integrity if we allow them, and help them, lie. Stand firm in the truth. Or as Eph 6:14 states, "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist." 

I want to be a mom of integrity, and I want to raise children of integrity. I want my daughter to buckle the belt of truth around her waist. It's an awesome accessory for every 12 year old. And for their mom.

Join me and let's set the new fashionable faith trend. Let's wear belt of truth buckled around our waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place. Better than new shoes, our feet will be fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Let's take up the shield of faith, with which we can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Eph 6:14-17, paraphrased)

It's one instance where I'm willing to risk having helmet hair. 

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

*According to the Associated Press, Richmond Times Dispatch 6/6/12

When Our Questionable Content is Exposed

John Doe just watched "Secret Dressing Room Camera Footage" on Social Cam.

If you're on Facebook, you've likely seen this type of message pop-up regarding one of your friends. Social Cam is an app that sometimes shows questionable videos, often with salacious titles. And it posts every video that you watch to your Facebook feed, so your friends see.

I often wonder if friends realize that it posted to their page for their friends to see. And I think, "What if every questionable thing we did posted to our Facebook page." Can you imagine?

"Kelly Combs just yelled at her children without cause."

"Kelly Combs is arguing with her husband."

"Kelly Combs just watched a television show with no redeeming moral value, and she didn't do her Bible study today."

What if our friends could see the questionable content in our lives? Would we change? The Bible talks about the light and darkness in our lives. When we do right through Jesus, we are a light to the world. But when we sin, we are in darkness. The evil we do, we try to hide and keep in the darkness. But Jesus is the Light of the World, and he sees all we do, in public and in secret.

I'm so glad that my sins don't automatically post on my Facebook page! But I'm more glad that though Jesus sees them, he is there to forgive me when I ask, and through the Holy Spirit guide me to better decisions.

Rely on our true Friend, Jesus, and HIS BOOK, to help us erase our questionable content, and be a light to the world.

Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God. 1 Corinthians 4:5

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

The Awards

With the end of the school year comes award ceremonies. I attended both of my girls' ceremonies.  The youngest received straight A honor roll, and perfect attendance. The oldest received straight A honor roll, class spelling bee winner (300 in her class), and school wide 2nd place spelling bee winner. I admit, I am a proud mom!

In my own life, I have often tried to be an award winner. I want to be a great writer, a great mom, a great friend, a great person! But what am I measuring my worth by? The actions of others? And what happens when I don't measure up?

Our earthly awards don't give us eternal worth. Yes, they feel really really good in the moment. But what about all the ones who didn't get awards. Does God love them any less?

You can't do anything to make God love you any more. And no one else can do anything to make God love you any less. So whether you are straight A's or straight F's -  God adores you! He sent his son to die for you, and wants you to come to him, and accept him as your heavenly Father, Lord and Savior.

There are awards that will make a difference in your life. Those are the ones you will receive when you put your faith, hope and trust in Jesus. A crown of righteousness for those who long for Him, a crown of life for those who love him, and the crown of glory for those who serve. 

Earthly rewards gather dust and lose their appeal over time. But our heavenly reward, to spend eternity with Jesus, will shine on forever.

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

Cr5:4own of righteousness - 2 Tim 4:8
Crown of life - James 1:12
Crown of glory - 1 Peter 

You're Wrong!

As Christians, it becomes easy for us to correct. After all the Bible tells us we are to correct and rebuke, providing careful instruction. It's too easy, however, to become the the instructor of the world! Suddenly we are correcting each other's every word. Well, wouldn't it be wrong to let some one's error go unchecked?

I don't think so. There is a place for grace, and a time to "be wrong with someone."  And that's what I'm blogging about Friday, as a guest on the blog of Michael Hyatt, Chairman of Thomas Nelson Publishing.

This is my 2nd opportunity to guest post, the first was in January entitled Leadership Starts at Home. I am thankful to Mr. Hyatt for sharing his platform of about 400,000 readers with me, a housewife with a devotional blog. 

Is there a benefit to being wrong with someone, and letting their error go uncorrected?  I hope you will visit my post at www.michaelhyatt.com on Friday, and see what I think. And please, come over and leave me a comment, and let me know what you think.  I'll meet you there. 

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

A Life Lesson from Salsa

Some like it hot, but I must admit I am rather a mild girl.  I am, of course, speaking about salsa! I love the salsa we get from a local Mexican restaurant with just a mild kick to it. I was recently searching in the deli case at the grocery story for something similar. I studied all the types of salsa they had; classic, home-style, and southwestern. I settled on the classic, and then continued looking...medium, medium, medium, mild! There is was. I picked up the mild salsa and put it in my cart, to finish my shopping and check out.

Imagine my surprise when I got home to discover I had gotten medium salsa! How could that have happened? I knew what I wanted, I searched for it, I found it, and I reached for it.But some where between the reaching and the picking up, I must have taken my "eyes off the prize." I was distracted, or thinking about the next item on my list, and the glance away was enough to make me pick up the wrong item, and my tongue burned as a result of the error.

This happens in my life too often. I know what I want to do, and I have every intention of doing the right thing, but then at the last moment I look away and end up doing the wrong thing. My distraction, or thinking about the next thing in my life makes me do the wrong thing, sin, and I could get burned (in hell!) as a result of that sin.

I'm so thankful that Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for my sins. When I mess up (and I do more than I'd like!) I know that I only need repent (turn away from) and confess my sins to God and he will forgive them.

At the same time, I need to be more vigilant. I need to follow through with the appropriate actions. I know what I need to do, but I must keep focused and alert to do them. The Apostle Paul summed up our mistakes and sins this way, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." (Romans 7:15). But he reassures us that nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Romans 8:39)

1 Peter reminds us to be self controlled and alert. The devil is waiting to devour us, but the Spirit of God in us can help us resist and stand firm in our faith.


Knowing the right thing to do is not enough, we must follow through and do it. I resolve to be more intentional with my follow through, and stop allowing the world to distract me. How about you?   

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