Enjoy TODAY!

Good Morning! Today's post is a bit significant! Why? This is my 400th blogpost/devotion! Wow! We've been through a lot on this blog….3 kids to be exact. I started this blog shortly after Tyler Jr was born…continued it with Trinity…. and now, 10 weeks into Timothy's life it is still going. :) So… a big THANK YOU to YOU for joining me and being on this ride together as we study the Word of God! :)

HAPPY READING on today's

400th BLOGPOST!

Eccl 3:1 - To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven.

Matthew 6:25a - Therefore I tell you, stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and worried) about your life... 

Do you ever get stressed about where you are at in life? How much you have or have not accomplished. Are you living a life of significance? Are you "Getting Things Done?" as the popular title of a bestseller rings in my head, "GTD - Getting Things Done by David Allen." 

I obviously cannot speak for you, but I know for me most days I like to feel like I am accomplishing things. So much so that most days I really have to STOP and remember to smell the roses along the way. With a newborn, I am reminded at how quickly this phase of parenting goes by. You know the phase of them snuggling up to you, falling asleep in your arms, breathing their "milk breath" on you as they fall asleep after being fed. Because once they are mobile, the snuggling without wiggling may be few and far between depending on the child. So…. now, knowing this, I have purposefully tried to slow down more with Timothy. Enjoying the moments. Taking those "snapshot pictures" with my eyes, when my camera is not around. Soaking in the moments when he is smiling or looking at me or simply sleeping peacefully.  There are also those occasions when I catch myself and am mentally reminded, "I need to stop and slow down to have fun with my kids." Put my list of "To-Do" things and projects aside, which can wait, and have a fun day with them (or even just 15 minutes of fun.) Go to the park. Jump on the trampoline. Chase them around. Focus solely on them without multi-tasking. It's funny, even 15 minutes of fun with mom or dad is a lot to a 4 year old! At breakfast and lunch, we have this habit of going around the table and asking, "What was your favorite part for today?" And wouldn't you know it, the days where I do spend 10-15 minutes jumping on the trampoline or playing outside, THAT 10 minutes of time, is Tyler Jr's "Favorite part for the day."

You have probably heard (maybe said) the phrase, "You know, time sure does fly." Or, "Before you know it, they will be grown up and out of the house." Or, "You better not blink, time will pass just like  THAT!" As the person snaps their fingers. 

Time does go by. I have been guilty almost of being scared of "missing it." Missing the time with my kids (even though I'm there for almost everything as a stay at home mom.) But I still catch myself being almost scared of them growing up. Not wanting them to grow up because I know that means one day this season will be over, they will be out of the house, married and having kids of their own.

Today's scriptures are a great reminder, To EVERYTHING there is a season. STOP begin uneasy, anxious and worried! Sure, my kids are going to grow up, but I can ENJOY each season as they are growing. Just this week, as I was getting Trinity up and ready she said, "Mommy, God wants to eat your hair." I obviously laughed and then I asked her, "Why?" She proceeded to say, "God loves you Mommy. God loves Mommy." Ok? Not sure where the logic comes from, but straight from the mouth of a 2 year old. :) Moments like that! Moments with a 2 year old.

As I am encouraged to just LIVE IN THE MOMENT, LIVE IN TODAY, I encourage you to do the same. Now sure, that doesn't take away from planning, preparing, accomplishing goals, living out your assignment and the calling on your life. That is a talk for a different time. But as you are moving through life, discovering and living out your purpose, ENJOY TODAY! Enjoy the silly moments, the sunshine, the opportunities to go to the park. I'm reminding myself not to be so tied up on "projects" that I miss those memory making moments.

Go make some memories today!

#233 - PREPARE for YOUR Victory!

Tailgating! - You can definitely see Trinity!! I'm about 38 weeks pregnant at this game. I ran some bleachers hoping that might help her come on! We're ready to meet her!

Good morning! :) We are excited to welcome Trinity Faith whenever she decides to arrive! Over 38 weeks pregnant, I am READY! Excited to move around without grunting and making noises. Can any of you mom's relate?? It is time! I did want to share a few prego pictures from this last weekend. Tyler & I enjoyed going to a Georgia game! They played Tyler's alma-mater, Coastal Carolina University! You notice Tyler came out supporting GA! The score was 59-0, Georgia! Quite a game! We had a great time and were joined by Tyler's sister & brother-in-law. A beautiful, blue-sky, Georgia day!

Well... let's get into the Word this morning. 

Proverbs 21:31 - The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance and victory are of the Lord.

Proverbs 31:25 - Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure; she rejoices over the future [the latter day or time to come, knowing that she and her family are in readiness for it]!

Are you in a stage of preparation? Have you been preparing for something big? For your battle? For your victory? This morning, as I got into the Word, the Holy Spirit spoke to me about "preparation." Have you felt like you have been preparing FOREVER? When is the battle going to come? When is YOUR VICTORY going to come? Will I ever get out of this stage of preparation?

Let me share with you some of the insights the Holy Spirit shared with me....

Enjoy the preparation. The period of preparation is longer than the battle. A boxer prepares for a long time, for a fight that lasts but minutes. There is satisfaction in being prepared. Confidence comes with being prepared. And, it is but a season. Can you last the season without give up before the true battle begins? Many quit the preparation period before even getting to "THEIR" battle. They aren't able to experience victory because they gave up too soon. 

Who agrees with me, sometimes the preparation period seems to be a drag?! I know personally, I've found myself thinking, "Come on already! I'm ready to move on! I'm ready to be done with this stage. I'm ready to be done with this season! Can we move on already?!" Like the horse, the boxer, the basketball player, the business owner.... we have one job, preparing. Prepare, Proverbs 21:31 says. Once we are prepared, once that season is over, we can rely on the VICTORY being from the Lord. Once we are prepared, we have done our part. Then, it is GOD's job to step in and bring the victory to pass. What will the season of preparation be? One day? One week? One year? Ten years? Twenty? Whatever the season of preparation is, DON'T GIVE UP before your battle and your VICTORY!

We are called to PREPARE. We are called to get ready. Our season, our time will come when our battle, our fight, our race will be face to face with us. We will be in the midst of the fight and we will be ready! We will be confident because we are prepared!

Don't grow weary, friend, in well doing. Don't grow weary in preparing. Don't grow weary in this season. The preparation period is often longer than the fight. Enjoy this season of preparation. Take the time to soak enjoy the fall weather while you are preparing. Enjoy a roasted marshmallow while you prepare. Enjoy your fall sweatshirt and jeans while you prepare. Take a minute to drink in the changing of the leaves, the crunching under your feet. Enjoy this season of preparation because your VICTORY is coming! Just like the horse is PREPARED for battle, YOU may be preparing too! Get prepared! Anticipate the excitement of VICTORY coming! Not victory that you have manufactured, but a victory that is here to stay! A victory that is from the Lord! Your job is but to get prepared! Don't grow weary friend. Drink in this season. Drink in the smells, sounds, feelings, experiences. Enjoy this season because your victory is right around the corner!

At the UGA vs CCU game. 2nd row! :)

Tyler Jr wanted to say "Cheeeese" too! 

#175 - Divine Sense of Purpose

Good morning! Hope you are doing well. If you are feeling a bit down or out of sorts, the Word is there to encourage, lift up, and give you answers to whatever it is you may be going through. The Word truly does have the answers we are looking for! Let's get going.

Eccl. 3:1, 3b, 11a - TO EVERYTHING there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven: .... a time to break down and a time to build up... He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy]...

Where are you at in life right now? Are you happy? Are you sad? Are you experiencing frustrations and valleys? Or, are you on a mountain top of success & accomplishment? Debt? Or financial abundance?

Ecclesiastes begins with the Preacher talking about the great abundance of wisdom & material things in which he was living. He decides to apply himself to seeking out what appears to make others happy. In chapter 2, you'll see that he builds houses, vineyards, pools, brings on servants, gathers silver & gold, wine. He acquires great substance, and even remained wise is says in verse 9. Whatever he desired, he acquired. At the end of his pursuit for happiness, he concluded that it was all vanity and amounted to nothing.

A man of such great substance, but joy did not come from the acquiring. Joy did not fill the home filled with so many 'things.' Chapter 3 then dives into talking about the 'seasons.' There is a season for everything. Sowing, reaping, mourning, dancing, peace, war, etc. Seasons. Seasons do not last forever. Seasons pass. Praise the Lord! Are you tired of the cold winter? Spring & life are coming! Buds on trees, flowers in bloom! Summer is coming! Beaches, pools, sand, grilling out. Summer is coming.  Seasons last for a period and then the tide changes.

Have you been in your season for awhile? Are you ready for the change? Have you been in a time of 'breaking down' and you are just thinking, "When is it time to build up? When is it my time to win? When is it time for joy, abundance, fulfillment?" Your season is coming! Your season to win is upon you! Wait it out. Don't quit.

Make sure your motives are right. We see this preacher pursuing every material thing, yet it did not bring fulfillment. Eccl 3:11 answers a question, and brings clarity to what our focus should be, let's re-read it: "He also has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy]..." A divine sense of purpose has been placed in YOUR heart & mind! A DIVINE sense of purpose! Nothing but God can satisfy that yearning you have in your heart & mind. God Himself, has placed a divine sense of purpose on the inside of you. In the flesh, you may yearn for the house. You want to move from an apartment to a house, you want to upgrade your vehicle, you want bills and bill collectors not hanging over your head, you think that just to accomplish and move up in those areas, you will be happy. Only to arrive to that place and there be something else, something new.

A divinely implanted sense of purpose which only GOD can satisfy. Success in your business, will be futile. Success in your job, futile. Success in your finances, futile. Unless the underlying focus for ALL you and I pursue is to fulfill the purpose and calling that God has placed on our lives! To purge the underlying things that we "think" will make us happy, and pursue with fervor His purpose. Helping people. Changing lives. Drawing people to His Kingdom. Pursuing with excellence the calling He has placed on our life, the specific way He has called us to make a difference for the Kingdom. We were ALL put here as a piece to the puzzle of God. God's big master-plan, and WE have a part to play. We have a job that needs to be done.

An unhealthy focus on "acquiring things" can pervert our ability to pursue with purity of heart. In our purity of heart, in our pursuit of God, the other things will eventually follow. His desire is to bless His children! His desire is to provide. He is a good God! But we must not stray from our first love. We must not stray from the pursuit that only God alone can satisfy. Pressing in to Him. Pressing in to the One who makes all things possible, the One who gives us life, air to breathe, love.

A divinely implanted sense of purpose. What is yours? Are you pursuing it? Go make YOUR eternal difference in the world. God accomplish YOUR purpose! It is YOUR SEASON! The tide is changing for you! Take a deep breath. It's your season! It's your time!