This few days I spent at a spa with my mom, grandmothers, great grandmothers, and aunts and I wanted to share with you some bits of wisdom I picked up.
1. Never apologize for being you for being who God called you to be. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. So shrink for no one, hold your head high. Psalm 139:14
2. Don't be afraid. Fear manifest itself in many ways for some people they have to do everything under the sun because they are afraid of feeling inadequate, or they are afraid it won't get done if they don't do it themselves. Others may be so paralyzed by failure they don't try which limits their potential and the impact they could have on others. 2 Timothy 1:7
3. Perfection is being exactly who God has called you to be. There are no perfect circles in nature, there are no straight lines but everything fits. Nature exudes God's glory because every plant and creature is doing just what it was created to do. The only way we can reach perfection is to operated in the gifts and anointing that God has given us individually. 1 Kings 8:61
4. Worship is unique. Sure we worship together in church with music and hands raised. However, on your own, the way you communicate with God is unique to you. Some worship through the discovery of science, uncovering God's mysteries and sharing it with the world. Some worship through dance, moving freely to exalt The Creator. How you worship may look completely different than anyone else. God knows you and understands your worship completely. John 4:24
God,
Thank you for your revelation and the legacy you have given me. May this wisdom be passed down not only to and through my children but through the children of those who read this. I love you, I thank you.
Amen
Friday, March 18, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Canvas vs. Clay
I was talking to my mom the other day and she gave me a few words of wisdom. Too often we live our life as if we have a blank canvas, and we have to paint this beautiful picture to present to God. We work so hard to make sure we have the right colors and textures, to make sure we include depth and range. Often times forgetting that none of the above things is our responsibility; we are clay.
Clay does nothing but what the potter shapes and molds it to do. It does not move on its own, it does not create something to be presented to the potter. Rather the potter is creating something out of the clay. When I was a little girl I would watch my aunt at the potter’s wheel. I was amazed at the ease in which she shaped and molded vases and cups, something that was hard for my little hands to do. As I reminisce about the clay in her hands, I never once heard her curse the clay for being clay. She never disapproved of the clay or what it had to bring. I don’t even think she saw the clay as the big ugly block that it was. She would wet her hands, sit down and make the clay into what she envisioned it to be.
We are clay. I don’t think God looks down on us judging us for what we do or don’t do. Measuring us based on our accomplishments rather He sees us for who we will be; as mothers, fathers, sisters, brother, missionaries, pastors, teachers, doctors, lawyers, etc. The bible says in Isaiah 46:10 that God sees things from the end to the beginning. Isn’t it wonderful that He sees us not as the big ugly block of clay we are but the beautiful masterpiece He is making us to be. Isn’t it amazing that we are not judged on our accomplishments on blank canvases but rather our willingness to be shaped and molded by Him?
Even Jesus was clay. He submitted and was obedient when He got baptized. He had not yet performed any documented miracles yet God still said to Him, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”. Be encouraged today to submit to the process that is life, to be shaped and molded to what God has called you to be. Not looking at the other beautiful pieces of pottery around you trying to conform to them but realizing that you are being formed and fashioned for a specific purpose.
Father,
Please shower us with you love, affirm us, shape us mold us. Give us the wisdom not to compare ourselves to the ideas we have of others. Not to create something to present to you but rather to present to you ourselves to be fashioned by you. Thank you for your grace and mercy. For being faithful even when we aren’t. We love you.
Amen
Clay does nothing but what the potter shapes and molds it to do. It does not move on its own, it does not create something to be presented to the potter. Rather the potter is creating something out of the clay. When I was a little girl I would watch my aunt at the potter’s wheel. I was amazed at the ease in which she shaped and molded vases and cups, something that was hard for my little hands to do. As I reminisce about the clay in her hands, I never once heard her curse the clay for being clay. She never disapproved of the clay or what it had to bring. I don’t even think she saw the clay as the big ugly block that it was. She would wet her hands, sit down and make the clay into what she envisioned it to be.
We are clay. I don’t think God looks down on us judging us for what we do or don’t do. Measuring us based on our accomplishments rather He sees us for who we will be; as mothers, fathers, sisters, brother, missionaries, pastors, teachers, doctors, lawyers, etc. The bible says in Isaiah 46:10 that God sees things from the end to the beginning. Isn’t it wonderful that He sees us not as the big ugly block of clay we are but the beautiful masterpiece He is making us to be. Isn’t it amazing that we are not judged on our accomplishments on blank canvases but rather our willingness to be shaped and molded by Him?
Even Jesus was clay. He submitted and was obedient when He got baptized. He had not yet performed any documented miracles yet God still said to Him, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”. Be encouraged today to submit to the process that is life, to be shaped and molded to what God has called you to be. Not looking at the other beautiful pieces of pottery around you trying to conform to them but realizing that you are being formed and fashioned for a specific purpose.
Father,
Please shower us with you love, affirm us, shape us mold us. Give us the wisdom not to compare ourselves to the ideas we have of others. Not to create something to present to you but rather to present to you ourselves to be fashioned by you. Thank you for your grace and mercy. For being faithful even when we aren’t. We love you.
Amen
Thursday, March 3, 2011
The Hurt Feelings Switch
Love is not easily offended…. I have a hurt feelings switch. We all do per my mother and she knows almost everything. I have worked long and hard to make my switch heavy, it is very hard to turn on…so I thought. Before I go into that, let’s look at the verse above from 1 Corinthians 13 it says, “love it not easily offended.” Well what is easy? This of course is relative. Multiplication is easy to a mathematician but to a 5 year old it’s foreign. So we have to look at ourselves, our lives, and our personal growth the things that offended us 10 years ago, 5 years ago even last year should not offend us the same way. Let me define offense. When I am talking about offense here I am referring to one individual intentionally or unintentionally trying to hurt you emotionally.
Okay so back to the hurt feeling switch. Someone flipped my switch and can you believe that, that heavy switch now defies gravity! It seems I can’t force it down. Every time I think about that person and what they said it brings tears to my eyes, I don’t want to flip the switch down. The thing is I know how this person thinks; I know this person said what they said to hurt me because they wanted me to feel as bad as I unintentionally made them feel. I know this person knows they went over the line and I also know they probably won’t apologize but they defiantly don’t hate me. Knowing these things should have made the switch slightly heavier, but it didn’t.
God had to reveal to me the growth in this situation. The growth that He was requiring me to make. What! Me! Did you hear what they said?! Do you know what they did and you want ME to GROW?! Yes God wants us to grow. One day this situation will rise again maybe with a different person or circumstance, but the expectation is for me to not be so quick to flip that switch. To use my understanding not to justify that persons antics, but to maintain my personal discipline and emotional control. The truth of the matter is folks that when we stand before God and He asks us why we didn’t do what He said to do, using the excuse that someone flipped your hurt feelings switch will not be an sufficient answer.
Father,
Help us to be more like you. Continue to shape us and challenge us, show us how to show and receive true love with no strings attached. Make our hurt feelings switch heavier by the day and when we flip that switch father give us grace to bring it back down. We love you and we thank you for daily transformation.
Amen.
Okay so back to the hurt feeling switch. Someone flipped my switch and can you believe that, that heavy switch now defies gravity! It seems I can’t force it down. Every time I think about that person and what they said it brings tears to my eyes, I don’t want to flip the switch down. The thing is I know how this person thinks; I know this person said what they said to hurt me because they wanted me to feel as bad as I unintentionally made them feel. I know this person knows they went over the line and I also know they probably won’t apologize but they defiantly don’t hate me. Knowing these things should have made the switch slightly heavier, but it didn’t.
God had to reveal to me the growth in this situation. The growth that He was requiring me to make. What! Me! Did you hear what they said?! Do you know what they did and you want ME to GROW?! Yes God wants us to grow. One day this situation will rise again maybe with a different person or circumstance, but the expectation is for me to not be so quick to flip that switch. To use my understanding not to justify that persons antics, but to maintain my personal discipline and emotional control. The truth of the matter is folks that when we stand before God and He asks us why we didn’t do what He said to do, using the excuse that someone flipped your hurt feelings switch will not be an sufficient answer.
Father,
Help us to be more like you. Continue to shape us and challenge us, show us how to show and receive true love with no strings attached. Make our hurt feelings switch heavier by the day and when we flip that switch father give us grace to bring it back down. We love you and we thank you for daily transformation.
Amen.
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