GREAT DEAL ON UNIFORMS

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My kids are going to school this year for the first time (more on that later), so I have been looking for and purchasing uniforms. The best deal I have found is at Tuesday Morning online. I ordered six skirts and six shirts for $104, which I think is a great deal. The best thing about these uniforms in my opinion are 1) the length of the skirt (it is not a mini-skirt) and 2) the feel of the polos. Shipping is a little high, but if you get a lot of stuff it is worth it. To the best of my knowledge uniforms are not available in the Tuesday Morning stores, but contact your local store to be sure.

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD...

I shall not want.

We know the verse and know it well, many of us have it memorized, but do we KNOW it? I had a first hand experience in Psalm 23 a couple of weeks ago.

My four kids and I were leaving church. The older two were walking next to me and I was holding the 2 year old and the 4 year old was clinging to my leg because there was a stray dog pestering us. I knew the dog had knocked down a couple of kids earlier in the week and my little ones were obviously afraid. I kept telling the dog to go, but he kept coming back. A man from the church came over to where we were and got the dog away from us. I was amazed,it was as if the Lord was giving me a picture of what He wants to do for me - in every area of my life. He is my Shepherd and will keep the enemy away as I trust in Him. I didn't even have to ask the man to get the dog away from us. He took charge and took care of the situation. It was a first for me. Having always had to look out for myself, it was a beautiful example of how the Father wants to take care of me.

Isaiah 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

HOW MY BLOG GOT ITS NAME

This was my very first post almost three years ago (12/12/07). I recently stumbled upon it and it speaks to me now as much as it did then. I pray it blesses you:

Naming a blog is a big deal. It's kind of like naming a book, you want it to be catchy and unique. I don't know if this qualifies as either, but it spoke volumes to me above all the other names I considered.

During a time of great healing and rejoicing the enemy interjected a time of great stress and turmoil in relationships in my life, but before he had the opportunity to do that the Lord gave me these verses out of Psalm 18:16-19 to comfort me and prepare me for the battle. These verses continue to minister to me and bless me every time I recall or encounter them.

He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me OUT OF DEEP WATERS.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.
He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

The Message bible reads:
But me he caught—reached all the way
from sky to sea; he pulled me out
Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos,
the void in which I was drowning.
They hit me when I was down,
but God stuck by me.
He stood me up on a wide-open field;
I stood there saved—surprised to be loved!

For many years my motto was, "I'm just trying to keep my head above water" - hence, "out of deep waters." I remained there a long time not knowing there there was such an incredible life to be found in Christ.

Chaos was my enemy disguised as my friend, we went everywhere together. It took some getting used to peace, I had to confront the discomfort and press through to the other side. It truly was a great surprise to know how much I was loved by the one who created me and it makes me love Him all the more. I seek to know Him more everyday and the more I know the more I want to know. He continues to heal me, make me whole and minister to the deep recesses of my heart. My heart is completely His and I long to share His love, compassion and desire to heal with anyone who will listen.

HOW DO YOU HANDLE A COMPLIMENT?

In the last few months I’ve had many people encouraging me and exhorting me and a lot of it has come in the form of compliments. I remember the first time my friend said, “You are a great mom.” I could hear her, but I could also hear, “That’s because she doesn’t really know you. That’s because she didn’t see you yesterday…” Who do you think said that? My enemy, the thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy. I can be real with this friend, REALLY REAL, so I told her what was happening and that when she was going to compliment me she was going to have to speak to those things first and tell them to step aside because she had something to say to me. It continued to happen when her or others spoke words of praise to me.

As I mentioned in the last post God is teaching me about my identity and through that I am learning to love myself. Did you know the bible repeatedly says to love yourself? (Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 19:19, Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31, Luke 10:27, Romans 13:9, Galatians 5:14, James 2:8)

A couple of weeks ago during lunch with friends one of them said, “You are funny.” And I said, “I know.” Then I stopped midsentence and said, “Did you hear that? I’m learning to love myself.” It was definitely an A-HA moment! I think I could hear the angels singing.

It has been a process of me learning who I really am and agreeing with what God says about me and what others who love Him and me have to say about me. It has been really important to pay attention to the things I hear when others are encouraging me and exhorting me because that is where the breakdown starts. When I listen to the voice of my enemy and begin to give ear to his words instead of my Father’s I begin to accuse my Daddy of being a liar. Sounds harsh, but it is true.

So, how do you handle compliments?

AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE

The day we came to look at the house we are living in now I told the kids that we needed to pray and ask the Lord for clear direction. I told them that if the Lord gave them a verse or anything to tell me. About ten minutes down the road I hear from the backseat, "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord whether that is in the old house or the new house." Alrighty then!

The day we moved in I saw there was a framed print in one of the rooms "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord" Such great confirmation.

John Waller has a song called As For Me and My House and it is awesome. You can download it for free here by making a declaration that you are serving the Lord in your household.

In the song it says:

Idols raised, tear them down

For me it was a startling revelation that my husband had become an idol to me. During the Beth Moore Breaking Free study, she gives a testimony about her son-in-law. He puts his son to bed everynight and says something like "I'm proud to be your dad, I think you have what it takes to be a great man and I love you" and everynight the toddler looks up and says, "I want juice." The Lord used that story to show me how He has told me, "Mari I'm proud to be your dad, I think you have what it takes to be a great woman and I love you" and I would look up at Him and say, "I want Todd." I rejected God's love seeking the love of a man. Oh, that was a humbling revelation. I repented for idolatry and am now seeking the Lord in ALL areas of my life.

What or who are your idols? Are you ready to tear them down? Whose kingdom are you building?

WHO AM I, REALLY?

God has really been teaching me about my identity. Throughout my life I guess I could say I’ve never known who I really am. Recently I realized that my identity came from the various titles I’ve had over the course of my life. Over the last several months many of my titles have been stripped away. I’m no longer a business owner, I’m no longer a homeschool mom and I’m no longer a wife. I didn’t realize how much of my identity was in my “titles.” The truth is I am a DAUGHTER, not just a DAUGHTER, but the DAUGHTER OF THE MOST HIGH GOD and that is enough.

This is a brand new revelation and I’m learning how to just be a daughter (of course I’m still a mommy), but truly resting in the fact that being a daughter is enough. I’m accepted and loved based on that alone! That is still sinking in.

What does it look like to be a DAUGHTER OF THE MOST HIGH GOD? I’m not sure yet and honestly it still makes me squirm and twitch a bit. I’m learning to let people love me, just me, a girl who doesn’t have it all figured out.

I’m blessed to be a part of a church body where no one has “arrived” and we are given opportunities every service to share our struggles and our victories. It is through this that I have been able to grow and learn that being a daughter is a high and holy calling and that I AM GOING TO MESS UP AND IT’S OKAY. Did you catch that? It is okay to mess up! THAT REALLY MESSES ME UP!

Who are you? Where do you get your identity? Have you asked your Daddy who you are? If not, read His Word and He will reveal it to you.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: John 1:12