Thursday, July 29, 2010

Crutching around.

 

   Last Sunday during our first Young Adults event at the water park I slipped and hurt my foot really bad. I was chasing after Ava and there was a huge puddle that I slipped in. My right foot went straight out and my left leg went under me and I landed on my foot. Ouchy! I brushed it off and waddled back teary eyed to our picnic tables. Once things wrapped up and people started leaving I realized just how badly I had hurt myself. I could barely make it to the car the pain was so bad. As soon as we started driving the tears started flowing. Looking back on it, i think the walk to the car just made it worse. When we got to the house I could barely make it up the stairs. Everything hurt. Even when I was sitting still it was shooting pain. After a while the pain was unbearable, so I had Daniel take me to the ER. After x-rays and painful stretching of my foot the Doc said it was just a pad sprain.
  I left feeling like such an Idiot. I couldn't believe I went to the ER for a sprain. It hurt so bad, that I was sure it had to be broken. I felt like I must have just over exaggerated the pain, and that made me feel like an even bigger Idiot. Over the next three days it still hurt so bad that I couldn't walk on it. So I was on crutches, (Which really suck!). I didn't want anyone to see me or know that I was on crutches, because I was embarrassed. I was embarrassed that it was only a sprain and I was on crutches. So i stopped using my crutches before I should have and may have hurt myself worse because I didn't let it heal how it needed too.
   But then I realized.... Here comes the Jesus tie in.... That the trials in our lives are all on different levels. Someone might stumble and sprain something and someone else might fall and break something. But who am I too judge them on how bad it truly hurts. Who I am to say that a break is worse then a sprain? God puts us all through totally different things that effect us all differently. So there are two points here. One- If it hurts, it hurts. Don't sell yourself short, and give it time to heal. Two- Don't judge anyone elses hurt. You have no idea how crippling It may be for them. Instead, help them when they are hurting.


Grace and Peace




Picture courtesy of: National-med.com

Friday, July 23, 2010

My [Trade Mark]

  This morning I was reading Philippians chapter 2 on BlueLetterBible.com and as I was reading there were small little symbols by some of the words. I instantly thought that they were the Trade Mark symbol [TM]. As I looked more closely I noticed that they were just symbols marking that there is a definition for the word later on. I thought it was pretty interesting that my first thought was that it was Trade Marked. I mean, it's the bible, I don't think Jesus spent a lot of time trade marking things. Culturally we see that symbol a lot and it lets us know that whatever were looking at is owned by some one else. I looked up the definition of a Trade mark and this is what I found: "A device (as a word) pointing distinctly to the origin or ownership of merchandise to which it is applied and legally reserved to the exclusive use of the owner as maker or seller."
  It got me thinking.... What if we Trade Marked a characteristics? What if we lived like Jesus so well that our [TM] was something like Compassion, or Love, Grace, or Humility. I know for me that isn't going to be easy. I have realized lately that I am not very sensitive to other peoples needs . I know that I need to work on Compassion and Grace. So that is the [TM] I am going for. Compassion and Grace. What is your [TM] going to be?


Grace and Peace




Photo Courtesy of: http://coromandal.wordpress.com

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

What I am Loving!

 

  I know, I totally fail. I haven't written anything in a while. Life has gotten away from me. We finally found a car though! Thank ya Jesus! Got a PT Cruiser. And I love it. Finally feeling like I am getting back into the swing of things. Ava hasn't been doing so well, she has a little tummy issue, praying God heals her quickly!
   I thought maybe I would be a little different this time and just write about things I am into right now.
 1. Love Love Love Fresh flowers! Makes my soul smile, and really brings me into the summer mood!
 2. Totally into my Hubs sermons lately. I mean, they're always great - But these last few on self Control have blown my mind!
 3. Really into finding what I want next for my sleeve. Thinking maybe a sunset above the tree to depict God coming in the clouds with fire. So sick.
 4. Wanting to sew my own clothes. I feel like, I would love my clothes even more if I sewed them myself.

What are you into this Summer? Love to hear what you're working on!!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Loud Trucks

   The past week or so has been quite exhausting. Both of our cars took a decline so we decided to sell them both and try to buy one better working car. Selling two cars at the same time gets confusing. We sold both cars and are now on the hunt for our new one, or should i say "newer" one. This morning while I was laying in bed, (And I know what you're thinking... You're thinking "Wow, a lot of what this lady talks about is things she thought of while in bed. And it's true, it's the only time I am able to have a complete thought throughout my day.) So back to what I was saying, While I was laying in bed I could hear loud trucks driving by. Right behind our house is the water reclemation building and there are tons of loud city trucks that drive right by my house all day. And as I was listening to those trucks all I could think about was if they were going to wake up Ava. Then it hit me...
   I realized that over the past few months Ava has built up a tolerance to the noise levels outside of her window. Well, for the most part at least. And while she was building a tolerance, I was building a sensitivity to the noise so I could be aware of what was going on outside my house. And the times she does wake up crying, I am ready to go in and hold her. What's the point of this, you ask? Well, the point is that we are like Ava. There are loud trucks (obstacles or hardships)  that pass by our window and we can either wake up every time we hear one or let them fade into the background and continue sleeping. So who is building up the sensitivity to the noise in your life? God. I'm sure you saw that coming. He is awake early in the morning listening for things that could come by and wake you up. Ready at any moment to run in and hold you. So rest well in the knowledge that He is awake worrying about you, you don't have to do it yourself.
  This all ties into my original story, I promise. I have been to stressed about our car situation and how it's going to plan out that I have been feeling ill. But this morning God showed me that He is doing all the worrying for me, so I don't have to. Tonight I am going to rest well and sleep through all the loud trucks going past my window.

Grace and Peace



*** Image Courtesy of: Canyontruck.com

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Tuck Myself Away

  Life has bit a bit chaotic for us the past few weeks. No need for details, but it's definitely been exhausting. And as I was laying in bed last night I remembered something from when I was a little girl. When I was younger I used to ask my parents if I could stay up late with them and watch TV. Usually the response was no, but every once in a while if i gave a good enough sad face to my Dad I could get away with it. This was back in the day before there was DVR and before everyone had huge flat screen TV's. I would crawl in my parents bed and lay in between them and snuggle as they watched some show on their 15" TV. Now, the specific memory I am talking about was when they would watch "X-Files". I was so scared of the show. (In their defense, they never let me watch TV, I was supposed to be sleeping but sometimes I would peek.) I can remember hearing the intro music and turning into my Dads arm and tucking my face under it to make sure I wouldn't see anything. Being there with my Daddy covering me, made me feel like no bad thing could ever harm me.
  So back to last night... I am laying in bed remembering all this, and thinking of all the things going on in our life that made me feel overwhelmed. So I rolled over and tucked my head under Daniels arm. And to my surprise, it felt just the same. I felt safe, secure, calm, loved, and protected. All the things I remember feeling when I was a little girl who was scared to watch an Alien show. As my mind started to slow down and I felt myself drift off to sleep I realized something. I am sure it is obvious to some of you, but it felt so good when I realized it. That no matter how I am feeling or what God is letting come my way, at the end of the night I can always tuck my head under his arm and rest. He will never leave me or forsake me.(Heb 13:5)
  I fell asleep last night feeling so calm. The worry and the stress had left my heart. Now I can't say that I felt the same way all day today, but what I can say is that remembering that I can tuck myself under Gods arm does help to calm my anxiety about life. So, thanks God for always letting my hide away from the "Aliens" in my life.

Grace and Peace




****Image Courtesy of: www.abductit.com

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Be Like My Veggies

   One of the awesome things about moving into this great little house is that I was able to plant a veggie garden. Now, I don't want to toot my own horn or anything....But... Toot Toot! I am growing stuff like crazy! Two Zucchini plants, Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Basil, Thyme, Rosemary, Chives, and Cilantro. I have eaten some of each herb and tomatoes thus far, the Zucchinis aren't quite ready. Yesterday morning as I was watering I realized something. That no matter how crazy our day is I will always find time to water my Veggies twice a day, but I can't say the same for watering my soul with The Living Water.
  I can go weeks without picking up my Bible and I will just blame it on the craziness of life. Why is the growth of my soul not as important to me as the growth of my Veggies? Seems a little off balance to me. I am searching for new ways to stay motivated. Praying that God will put in me a newness of who He is. An excitement about what He is going to show me.
   And as I pursue that newness from Him, I will water those Veggies of mine and look at them as a picture of my Spiritual growth to come. Can't wait. I pray that God would put in you a freshness and new desire to seek Him out.

Grace and Peace
Thanks for checking out my blog. The writings found on these pages are just sincere thoughts, questions, and feelings I have about life, God, and banana slugs.