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Guest Writer-Jennifer Horner

 Watch what you leave behind

Have you ever had one of those days where you work so hard to make your house look nice and tidy only to find it destroyed a mere minute after completion?   Well this just happens to be one of my biggest pet peeves. Oh yeah, mean momma comes out when my kids track in mud, grass burrs and throw clothes on the floor.  I love a sense of accomplishment and I have to be honest, house work does not do it for me!

So imagine my surprise when I was AMUSED the other day when I found these ashy footprints all over my hard wood floors.  Normally I would have been steaming, one for the mess my husband made by cleaning out the fireplace and two for the mischievous daughter who HAD to walk through it.

When I happened upon these little prints, it warmed my heart and I felt compelled to take pictures.  I wanted to remember these little feet for some reason.  I could see everywhere she had gone after stepping in the ashes, around the kitchen table, back into the ashes, then to her room.

This reminded me about the footprints we leave behind in life.  Everywhere we go, everything we do, we leave a part of ourselves behind for others to remember.

These prints can be as simple as remembering a face you have seen at Wal-Mart, or as significant as seeing a stranger give his life to save a child in the street.  They can be a positive reminder about how sweet life can be or a bitter memory that causes, hate, pain, and anger.

Some prints will blow away with the wind and be forgotten, while others will turn to stone, forever etched in our memory. 

One of my favorite poems is “Footprints in the Sand”.  It always gives me chills when the man asks Jesus why during the hard times of his life he only saw one set of footprints and Jesus’ reply was, “That is when I carried you!”

We cannot control how others will receive what we leave behind, like the man in the poem didn’t receive Jesus’ action for what it was, an act of love, but we can control whether our actions are positive or negative.

You see, we get to decide what our actions are going to be in life-

How we react to a grumpy bank clerk,

the quality time we spend with our kids,

 what we say we we’ve been hurt.

We have a choice to join in on the world’s sins

 or stand apart and stand for Christ.

 All our choices, all our actions will leave something behind.

What are you going to leave behind?

 

Jennifer Horner is my baby sister.  This is her second time to guest blog on God's Girlies.  (This could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.)   If you feel lead to share a story or your thoughts for a future Thursday send me an email.  If you don't feel lead, let me know and I'll try and talk you into writing something anyway.  There's something about  being open and vulnerable that forges friendships.

kristiburden@gmail.com

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What beats four-hundred of my best thought-out words?

This verse..........

well, any verse.

Whatever circumstances meet you on your way today, may you find yourself rejoicing.  And may your troubles be overcome as you have your talks with Jesus.

Come back tomorrow for "A Thursday for Your Thoughts".  Jennifer writes us a good reminder to "Watch what you leave behind".

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I know you're tired

even though you went to bed last night at 8:30

and it's only a Monday.

Thing is, the tired you're feeling isn't fixed with ten hours of sleep or a fresh cup of coffee -or whatever it is that "gets you going"

You're disheartened deep down

-because for all your effort, there still remains a mountain of laundry

and a world of problems you can't solve

You're discouraged.

The word discourage is made of two parts- dis and courage.  Sorry, here comes a definition.  It's my teacher coming out.

courage /ker-ij/ mental or moral strength to persevere, and withstand danger, fear or difficulty (Thanks Merriam)

dis- (as you know) is a prefix meaning "apart"

Through calamities our moral strength is ripped apart.

You haven't experienced a calamity lately?  Even the wear and tear caused by daily demands can cause you to become unraveled.

Dirty dishes.

Bills.

Bickering around you.

Practices and appointments.

Finding the toilet unflushed for the thousandth time....

Isaiah reminds us that even the young "grow tired and weary". We get tired and we need rest, yes.   But we need something more.  When rest leaves you with a tiredness of heart, and Monday finds you anything but refreshed - hold tight to these familiar words

...those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

The laundry pile will never permanently disappear. That someone in your house may never learn to flush. Some real calamity may even present itself in your life. We can expect these things.  But while we know life is full of these troubles, let us look expectantly to the one who helps us through.

What has you unraveled?

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We sold our house in Trinity yesterday.

And that is cause for some happy back-patting.

It's also cause for some remembering.

My mind rewinds to spring, 2011.  Though we were happy and settled in our home nestled in the Piney Woods, it was looking like a move was in the making.

We decided that it was time to take care of some small, long over-due renovations in order to sell.  My mind went straight to the kitchen. Some spiffing up was in order.  Top of the list? -Making up for the "stove situation".

 We had a top of the line Jen-Air stove top (Well, it was top of the line in the 70's).  On a whim, Jason had thrown away the burner pans not knowing that finding new ones that fit would be impossible.  I'm pretty sure our stove was discontinued.  Ill-fitting burner pans were installed causing cookware to be precariously perched atop, further compromising my already iffy cooking.

I also wanted to brighten up the kitchen; I knew the feeling of being swallowed up by its red hot-tamale painted walls and dark cabinets.

I'd also watched enough "Flip that House" episodes to know that we needed some serious improvement in the area of "curb appeal".

Jason and our contractor had different plans in mind.  In no time, the trim on our house received a fresh coat of the same-as-before boring paint and the porch and sun-room floor was stained in a"man-color".  Our workshop was given a facelift much to my chagrin (the kitchen?!)

The one improvement we agreed upon was the removal of an unsightly bidet in the master bath.  Glad we could agree on something.

I remember telling Jason, "A woman will never want to buy this house.  We better hope for a family with a man in charge".

It was twenty months ago when I mouthed those slightly bitter words;  I've thought them a few times since then.

We received a phone call less than two weeks ago with an offer on our house.  Even better, we made a mad dash to Huntsville yesterday to close the deal.  As we walked into the title company to meet and shake the hand of our rescuers, there wasn't a man with a weak-minded woman alongside as I suspected.

Nope.  There sat a single man.

I knew it.

Already happy that we were selling, I basked in the glory of being right.  I had known that it would be a man wanting the house.

We were all smiles as we got in the car.  As we pulled away Jason claimed the glory his own.  "We might not have sold the house if we hadn't fixed it up like we did".

Our glory was short-celebrated, but happiness ensued.  We sold our house; a financial burden has been removed.  And though momentarily taking credit for such a happy occasion, we know from whom this blessing flows.

We're thankful.

And we're giving credit where credit is due.

Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.  Psalm 115:1

We made a two-minute stop at the house yesterday to say our last goodbyes. We experienced much of God's love and faithfulness in that house and with our Trinity family.  So many good memories.  In my next post, I just might have to post some of our favorites.

 

 

 

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I see my children.

I saw our daughter Rylie standing rather suspiciously in the kitchen just the other day. The hand behind her back held an oatmeal cream pie with a bite missing.

Every morning I give my children a look-over. I check the boy, Hayden, for hair bumps that often arise when he lies on wet hair after his morning shower.

I see the eye makeup that our preteen Hallie is hoping I won't notice.
I am the Mom who sees.


Not only do I see my children in a gotcha sort of way,

I also see when one of them exits school with shoulders slumped slightly because it hasn't been the best day.
I watch, in adoration as Hayden and Hallie laugh in unison at a YouTube video-a beautiful sight.
I look.

I watch and I see.


Or so I'd like to think.  My kids have thrown me for a loop more than once in the past few days.
One rather long day this week I kissed my seven-year old, already in bed, goodnight, saving her bath for the morning. I noticed the next morning as she crawled out of bed that she slept in her school clothes (I probably shouldn't be telling that).
I found out another one of my children had a rough spell with a close friend months ago. How could I have missed that?


I took Rylie to the ophthalmologist this week to find out she needs glasses and an eyepatch-I was blind to her bad vision, Oh the irony. There were signs, for crying out loud.

Sometimes I blink and I miss things.

Other times there are blurry things; things foreign, unfamiliar.  

And if I'm really honest, I'd say there are times I see things which make me want to cover my eyes; things I wish I didn't have to see.

But I can rest assured in El Roi; the God who sees.

He's the God who saw Hagar in the desert when she was otherwise abandoned.

He is the one mentioned in Psalm:

3 You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways. Psalm 139:3

He sees.

Everything.

 Tears cried,

and that bad grade

 you didn't know about

that made its way to the garbage,

how your son held the door open

for the woman who could only move slowly,

 and your daughter's integrity

 in that difficult trial last week.

He knows what's under their bed.

There are no surprises.

No blinking or looking off.

He doesn't miss a thing.

He sees.

That spells b-l-e-s-s-e-d   r-e-l-i-e-f to these eyes.

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(It's 3:27 a.m. and my fingers are sleepy, doing their best to keep up with the thoughts that are flooding my mind.  This kind of writing (the kind that wakes me up) is usually the writing that I know is for me.)

I don't deal well with rudeness.  Some people wouldn't know this about me because for years I only internalized my feelings.  I'm noticing though, with age, that my filter that decides what I say and what I keep internalized is growing thinner and maybe more holey.  (I hope I don't confuse you into thinking I mean holy, I mean full of holes).

It's been a particularly busy week in which I've dealt with a lot of people; a few that were snippy and unforgiving.  With my increasing tendency to be intolerant of this behavior I'm having to adjust my rude reactor.

Reaction to Rudeness Reminders

1. A good disposition that can be easily deposed isn't really a good disposition.

I feel I'm generally pretty pleasant.  If I am in need of assistance, say in a store or in the school office, I will wait my turn.  I will make my request in an undemanding manner making it known that I appreciate that person's time and assistance.  But all it takes is a sideways glance from that person, conveying "You're wasting my time" or "STUPID question!" and my sweet disposition has crumbled.  If a look, or a lack of response to my kindness ruins my mood, then my mood needs to grow some muscles.

  2.Reciprocal rudeness is still rude.

 Reciprocal rudeness-when someone is rude and you're rude back.  Wednesday I was about to pull into Dairy Queen.  A lady in front of me on the opposite side of the road had her left blinker on to turn in to DQ.  She assumed I was going to turn in before she got her chance; that I was getting ready to "cut" her in line.  I don't read lips that well, but she was definitely cursing me waving her arms about wildly.  So I felt the need to return the theatrics by making my eyes big and mouthing dramatically, "I SEE YOU"! ( In other words, settle down I'm waiting for you).  My words were unnecessary and unkind. Rudeness is rude if you start it or not.

3. A smile has more value when it's given to the seemingly undeserving.

...... I will forget my complaint, change my expression and smile. Job 9:27

It's easy to smile when things are going your way; when you're around pleasant people.  But there are some people who are just emotionally draining.  They're negative.  They can be unresponsive or over- reactive.  When your smile has been challenged with someone rude, smile anyway.  Make it not about you and how someone has made you feel.

4.People who are unmerciful are typically the ones who need to be shown mercy.

 I explained to one of my kids yesterday that I was sorry for being grumpy, but that I'd had a long hard week. The point? You don't know what the person with a snarky  attitude may have been through five minutes before you encountered them. That person that always seems snippy or combative for no apparent reason may be may be suffering in a way you couldn't imagine.

In the words of Jesus:

....bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Luke : 6: 28, 32, 36

5.  Have your "unhappy dialogue" with God.

There's always an unhappy dialogue when I've dealt with someone rude.  In my weakest moments I snip back at that person or act more cool, dropping the warm smile.  My encounters with rudeness are also usually shared with those I am close to.  This is where, still fuming, I share what "I should have said back to that person".  There is no one who is more worth sharing your "unhappy dialogue" with, than Jesus.  He is the diffuser of anger.  Time with him allows me to refuel on love; the kind of love that's unaffected by the thing we call "feelings".

How do you deal with rudeness?

Or is there another behavior that drives you bonkers?

 

 

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To be a kid

Undaunted by failure

Not a slave to the clock

Footloose and fancy-free

 Mind fresh with imagination

To a kid

Dirty hands are a sign of a good time

 and " mess" has no meaning

Weeds don't exist and flowers are for picking

 Stray animals and drawings are worth saving

A kid believes

that green beans might be the worst thing out there

And cookies and hugs make everything better

 Kids live in a world where

Every day is cloudless, even the rainy ones

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops"

 Where beauty is experienced,

 and not just admired or envied

Forgiveness comes without thought

and love is the only four-letter word

  I think I want to be a kid when I grow up.

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.    Psalm 139:13, 14

What is your favorite kid quality?

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Spoiler Alert: You see the words on movie reviews.  These words are cautionary.  Stop!  Don't read ahead unless you want the element of surprise ripped from your movie-watching experience.

These words don't scare me, rather they excite!

The spoiler alert usually provides me with needful information: Is the movie worth it?  If the main character dies in vain?......I'm not watching it.  If the star-crossed lovers don't get together in the end?......Why waste my time? I'm looking for the good ending.

There is something better than the element of surprise.

Anticipation!

I've watched Pride and Prejudice forty times (in fact I might watch it again today).  It doesn't bother me in the least that I know the last five minutes of the movie by heart:

Spoiler Alert:  Elizabeth is up, though it's barely dawn.  She's wrapped in a shawl, taking a walk (she's fond of walking).  It's clear now that her prejudice toward the wealthy and handsome Mr. Darcy was, in fact, wrong.  And she is uncomfortably aware of her feelings for him.  Mr. Darcy is also unable to sleep.  He hastens across the field to Elizabeth's side determined to declare his undying love once more.... This time his love is not refused.

 

Good endings make the painful parts bearable.

"This is my message to you:

Don't worry

 about a thing

cause every little thing

gonna be alright"...

(Apparently I know a Bob Marley song.  Oops. Oh well- seems appropriate)

Life is indeed a mystery.  There are twists and turns in which we find ourselves unprepared for.  In life we celebrate unexpected joys, and suffer miseries unimagined.  Life is more beautiful and worthwhile with the knowledge that its dips and climbs are commenced by an everlasting joy.

God's been good enough to give us a spoiler alert.  Dare to read ahead.

“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Revelation 21:3,4

We, in Christ, have an ending worth anticipating; pain-free and joy-full

 an un-ending, ending.

 

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I can't say enough how much I love that our High School girls invest their time in the lives of our God's Girlies crew.  I know that our girls love getting to hang out with them.  I think they're pretty cool myself.   Meet one of our mentors, Emily.

I accepted Christ when I was 10 years old after growing up in a Christian home my whole life.  It took me a couple of years to realize that my choice to follow Christ was one that needed to be made daily, not just once and I'm ready for Heaven.  After that epiphany, my spiritual life grew so much, especially when some quiet time between me and God started taking place.

When Emily was asked why she would want to mentor, she answered:

I've had a mentor who really helped me grow in my walk with God and I want to be able to do that for someone else.

Emily's favorite Bible verse:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Philippians 2:3-4

Each mentor was asked what they know now that they wish they would have known when they were preteens.  Emily answered:

I have learned that meeting the needs of others is more gratifying than meeting the wants of myself.  Also I now know that God's instruction isn't to keep us from having fun, but to protect us.  Living life and seeking God's will, fulfills me in a way nothing else can.

Good stuff!! I love this girl!  Look next month to hear from another GG's mentor.  In the meantime, pray for our mentors; that they will continue to grow in their love for the Lord.

If you have something to share; your testimony or a recipe,  a devotion idea or a meaningful verse or picture-send it on over to

 kristiburden@gmail.com

 

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We all face giants; they tower and taunt leaving us feeling hopeless and small.

Worry may be your giant. Though you know God is faithful, you may doubt.

Ironically, feeling inadequate is one of my giants.  Who knew feeling small could be a giant?

Getting out of my feelings, might I suggest that junk food is a giant I battle too? Giants come in different names and sizes. But I might mention that Goliath, the Philistine giant told about in 1 Samuel 17,  is in every way like the giants we face.

Giants press close.

v. 41 Meanwhile the Philistine, with his shield-bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David

v. 48 ..... the Philistine moved closer to attack him....

What better way to loom large?  Giants come close.  With no regard for safe space, giants inch-in to intimidate.  As they become intimate, they know your weak spot and that's where you get hit.

Giants are persistent.

v. 16 For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and every evening and took his stand.

v. 23 Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines  and shouted his usual defiance....

v. 25 "Do you see how this man keeps coming out"...

Those giants we face don't leave without a fight.  My giant, worry, meets me at every corner.  Some giants meet us every morning.  Giants aren't easily frightened or phased. Some giants temporarily defeated come back, again......and again. 

What seems to be a new giant is usually much like an old giant.  All giants can be fought in much the same way, as we're told by David:

 34  When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

The bad news is; we face the same type of "giant" over and over. 

The good news is:  We have the same mighty line of defense (God) for each giant and every battle.

 Maybe most comforting, we never face giants alone.

David's counterparts seemed to have forgotten.  Sometimes I seem to forget.  God won't allow a giant in your midst that he won't help you battle. 

Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9