stuckinindiana

15 May 2014

You're Not the Boss of Me!

I kept a journal when the kids were young - mainly at the suggestion of Chris - my accountability partner then and life-long BFF now! At the prompting of the Holy Spirit when I was praying back then, I asked her & another friend to meet with me weekly as accountability partners. My youngest was 3 years old. I'd share a "mommy story" each week. Chris would tell me that I needed to write them down in a journal. So, I did. Eighteen years later, I continue to thank her for suggesting that to me!!

Here's a favorite story from that journal...

When our son was 3 and our daughter was 5, they were sitting beside each other one morning at the kitchen pass-through counter eating breakfast. Our daughter made a "suggestion" about how our 3-year old son should do something, He immediately & emphatically replied:

"I don't have to! You are NOT the boss of me!"

Amused at his reply, I asked him who WAS the boss of him? His reply: "Well, of course, you are Mommy!"

I then asked who the boss of his sister was. His reply: "You are."

I decided to test my luck & asked "who's the boss of Daddy"? There was a pause, as he thought about the question. Then his reply: "You are! (pause) You are the boss of everyone -- except the Cates family! (our neighbors to the west).

Whenever I hear or say the words, "You're not the boss of me!" my mind goes back that day with my young children. The words of my adorable 3 year old boy replay in my head & a smile breaks forth on my face. And, I am reminded that... it's all a matter of perspective!

Screen shot of what I messaged to my sister
when she suggested that I
make lemonade out of the lemons
in my life right now :)

For me, if I could choose anyone or anything to BE THE BOSS OF ME, it would be God's Holy Spirit! I would surrender to the Holy Spirit's authority & thereby be set free to live an abundant life!

"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. Let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives." Galatians 5:16-17 & 25b

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today...

08 May 2014

PAIRINGS - I Am His Own

I continue to wake... 30 days after Easter... with the reminder that His resurrection is as real today as it was all those years ago. I want to live as one who walks among the "Resurrection People". Often as I watch the sunrise in the morning, the words and melody to an OLD song fill my mind.

For me, there's something sacred about watching the day begin. Many days it's played out, not only on the eastern sky but from east to west and from north to south. Some mornings are more spectacular that some. Others are more subtle. But, I've yet to see one that doesn't humbler my heart before the One who knows me most and loves me best!

The music & lyrics to one of my all-time favorite songs was written in 1912 -- over 100 years ago -- by C. Austin Miles:

I come to the garden alone

While the dew is still on the roses

And the voice I hear falling on my ear

The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me,

And He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,

Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,

And the melody that He gave to me

Within my heart is ringing.

And He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other has ever known.

I’d stay in the garden with Him

Though the night around me be falling,

But He bids me go; through the voice of woe

His voice to me is calling.

And He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other has ever known.

This morning, I am praying for God to show up in a POWERFUL way for a person who's working their way back to a close relationship with the Lord recently. My prayer comes straight from The Word:

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life." Psalm 143:8

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today...

01 May 2014

2014 April ONE THOUSAND GIFTS #JoyDare

APRIL 2014

One Thousand Gifts (by Ann Voskamp)

#1000Gifts #JoyDare

Buy book here...

Buy Kindle edition here...

I took the 1,000 Gifts Dare for the year of 2012...
I continued in 2013...
I'm now into 2014!
GOD IS FULL OF BLESSINGS!

Today I find JOY in...

4/1/14 Tues

2443. the power of LOVE

2444. gradually de-wintering the inside house decor

2445. rocking a sleeping baby while listening to great lyrics & music by Fernando Ortega

4/2/14 Wed

2446. Everybody just needs a little PEACE, LOVE & UNDERSTANDING
I love the hand-me-downs we have gotten for our little one!

2447. a husband who cooks dinner (quite often lately)

2448. chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven
and a glass of cold milk :)

4/3/14 Thurs

2449. reminders in music

Little is Much When God is In It

2450. comforting a baby who's teething...
and not napping :/

2451. my bed - I am worn out

4/4/14 Fri

2452. morning scriptures

Lamentations 3:23 - what a promise!

2453. loving deeply - even when it's not easy

2454. pizza party - reminders of when the kids were small :)

4/5/14 Sat

2455. the uplifting feeling of... anticipation of celebration

2456. the most incredible celebration of our daughter

2457. high heels at a great party

4/6/14 Sun

2458. time with family
2459. a long Sunday nap - a rarity these days too

2460. reminders that God has won ALL battles

This is one of my favorite shots... NO FILTER AT ALL...
God totally filtered the sunset like that through the haze of newly harvested soybean fields.

4/7/14 Mon

2461. big breakfasts :)

2462. green grass - it's starting to grow

2463. chillin' with the family & watching DWTS :)

4/8/14 Tues

2464. a morning nap which got rid of a 36-hour headache

2465. chicken salad with craisins & toasted pecans

2466. a dishwasher - so glad I don't have to do them ALL by hand!

4/9/14 Wed

2467. books all over the great room floor - 14-month olds love books!

2468. all the family art in our home

2469. early to bed

4/10/14 Thurs

2470. fresh WARM air :)

2471. Dilly Bars
there should really be a confess-all post about these some day!

2472. stubbornly claiming that we will see good in a certain situation

4/11/14 Fri

2473. intensely dark chocolate

2474. the struggle within

... dichotomy...

2475. best Friday night in... oh... so... very... long!!!

4/12/14 Sat

2476. wounds that are healing

2477. a supportive LOML

2478. a CHECK in my spirit about my general ATTITUDE lately -
not fun at all... but, OH SO NECESSARY!

4/13/14 Sun

2479. the beginning of Holy Week & all the emotions... and gratitude

2480. a Catholic church on Palm Sunday afternoon

2481. pride of a MOMMA - our son's girlfriend playing one of his original compositions!

I don't understand this...
but, it was beautiful!

4/14/14 Mon

2482. a rainy day

2483. texting!
it really helps me stay in touch!!

2484. Dueling Divas :)

4/15/14 Tues

2485. snow on the ground... too cold for 4/15... still beautiful

2486. making it - despite my depression - to RefresHer Bible Study!

2487. confusing answers to prayer

4/16/14 Wed

2488. helping teach independence
(can be hard on the teacher & the student... but, it's necessary & noble)

2489. the ideas I come up with when talking with my older sister on the phone make me SMILE!!! For example, I thought of this...
"Working on a post for my StuckInIndiana blog today... "Jesus Loves the Simple Minded" Will publish when I get the perfect picture. Shouldn't be long!"

2490. dancing

4/17/14 Thurs

2491. a morning which felt peaceful & productive all at the same time :)

2492. my silly 3rd grade self

I have no idea what he did...
but, it MUST have been really bad
for me to deface his pic like that!!

2493. sticks & stones with little "A"

Here DeeDee... I have a stick for you

4/18/14 Fri

2494. counting

2495. moments which will be memories

2496. Good Friday observation
great service led by Alanna Story

4/19/14 Sat

2497. reflecting on SATURDAY

2498. Rustic beauty along my walk... never disappoints... always draws my mind to God. This is my Father's world! Spotted a crawdad today -- totally grossed out Jessica - ha ha!!

2499. a few hours alone in the house -- very rare

4/20/14 EASTER SUNDAY!!!

2500. celebration with my church family

2501. first Easter egg hunt w/baby A

2502. to die for... homemade almond, vanilla bean cheese cake w/FRESH raspberries

4/21/14 Mon

2503. waking up with the thought...

His Resurrection is as real this moment as it was that very day!!!

Our sunrise was a little bland but... my friend captured a great picture this morning.
It looked to me like an angel who is reminding us that
Christ's resurrection is as real this morning as it was the very morning it happened!

2504. putting pics on Facebook that I would rather not but, feel that I should
2505. Ann's post about being Resurrection People

4/22/14 Tues

2506. mirrors, make up & a crazy mind

2507. walk-about with Ruthann & Koko... and Ayla

2508. hot dogs from the grill - summer is getting closer :)

4/23/14 Wed

2509. earlier time for a walk-about
temps in the low 40's - but, beautifully sunny!

2510. some serious yard work accomplished

2511. peace, love & understanding... a little one in a PEACE shirt :)

4/24/14 Thurs

2512. hitting the "TO DO LIST" hard

2513. Christian sisters who share each other's burdens

2514. the weather turning a corner - finally!!!

4/25/14 Fri

2515. God's faithfulness - especially in the CRAZY times!

2516. lots of organizing & cleaning AND a little music

2517. safe trip home for T & K

4/26/14 Sat

2518.

2519. a boy, a baby & Bach

2520. the little things which bring family together

4/27/14 Sun

2521. Sunday afternoon nap for our little one for THREE HOURS!!!

2522. in-laws who are ethical, have GREAT values & love the Lord

2523. family movie night - happy to have our 2 UC-CCM kids here :)

Sitting on the laps of Uncle T & Aunt K
and watching FROZEN for the first time!

4/28/14 Mon

2524. centering my life & God's PERFECT ART

"Your love relationship with God \
prepares you to be involved in His work
by developing in you a God-centered life."
~ Experiencing God. Henry Blackaby

2525. the power of words - the power of truth

2526. hard, long day - glad that tomorrow is a new day :)

4/29/14 Tues

2527. being stuck by a train for over 30 minutes & actually reading my lesson before Bible study

reminded that I AM DRESSED TO KILL
by my Lord when it comes to satan!

2528. killer colors - which ONLY GOD can do!

2529. news of a 4.0 this semester for our son
this has been a LONG journey - since, in my opinion, his spirit was broken by a cruel 4th grade teacher!!

4/30/14 Wed

2530. a collapsible play pen which follows me around the house as I clean :)
complete with 15-month old baby girl :)

2531. news of a 4.0 this semester for our son's girlfriend

2532. NEWS OF OUR DAUGHTER BEING ACCEPTED INTO THE SUMMER PROGRAM AT VISUAL ARTS at CHAUTAUQUA INSTITUTE
oh... THAT journey!