Reconnecting

Yesterday was a fun day.

The weather was crazy and indecisive, but I got to spend time with a friend I have not seen in quite a while. I also got to meet her baby.

This little boy is a fountain of joy! He cannot stop laughing and giggling and clapping his hands.

What a blessing it was to spend part of my day with this precious baby and his gorgeous mommy!

Tulip World

Taming the Tongue

“Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Proverbs 12:18

Is this verse speaking to you today?

This verse captured my attention years ago, when I first found it in the bible. However, more recently I have been thinking about its meaning: words have power.

Being more of an extrovert who thrives among people, I am a person of many words. I said my first word when I was only 9 months old. Since I was a child, I have had something to say or an opinion to share.

But I am learning to hold my tongue when I have nothing nice to say.

Looking back at my adolescent years, I remember using my words as a weapon. I knew just what to say to leave my parents angry and even speechless. I knew which words to use to put my brother down. I knew what to say to make my sister cry. I knew that when I wanted to hurt someone, I could use words.

As I began to know God in a more intimate way, I was convicted of this sinful pattern. I prayed that God would teach me to control my tongue. I didn’t want to lash out hurtful words when I felt hurt. I didn’t want to say things that I meant at that moment but didn’t really mean in my heart.

God has been faithful and the Holy Spirit is a wonderful guide, but I am still learning.

This process has been slow and hard. For many years I felt like I moved forward five steps only to move backwards three steps again. There is a battle within me and I know that only with God’s help I can be victorious against my sinful nature.

When I get in an argument I am still tempted to say the first thing that comes to my head. I still catch myself thinking some nasty things about the other person. I still want to defend myself no matter what.

But I am learning to turn to God before speaking.

Getting married has pushed me in this area of life because I do not want my reckless words to pierce a giant hole in my marriage.

When John and I cannot agree about something and I notice that a conversation is turning into an argument I stop talking and simply pray. I pray that God would give me his wisdom, love, patience and grace. I pray that he would mold my heart and alter my thoughts. I pray that he would transform me from the inside out.

This is a slow learning process, but I want to keep learning.

My desire is to use my words to the glory of God. I want to speak out of love. I want to have wise words that bring healing. I want my words to be a fountain of encouragement.

Beautifully Made by God

A friend and I had a hard time making plans to get these pictures taken. The weather was VERY indecisive and we spent part of our time together sitting in the car, hoping the clouds would move away eventually.

God granted our wish and we had a blast!

Better Together

I have been thinking about how much my life has changed since I got married – almost 2 years ago.

Before getting married, I was a pretty independent person. I never really liked asking for help (something that can definitely be a weakness) so I got used to figuring things out on my own.

Two years later…parts of me have not changed much. I still don’t like to ask for help.
However, I depend on John more and more for little things and big things as well.

Here is a silly but true example:

After a weekend of fun with friends, it was time to do some cleaning around the house. I plugged the vacuum cleaner in the bedroom, on the same outlet as the heater – not paying attention that the heater was on. Five minutes later, the lights go out and the vacuum stops working. I went to the circuit breaker box to fix the circuit that had stopped working.

The task seemed simple, but I couldn’t do it.

The little knob was stuck half way between on and off…and I was afraid of forcing it…and breaking it.

So, I decided to email John at work to ask for advice. I couldn’t turn on the computer because the plugs were not working. I called him, but he didn’t answer the phone.

I plugged the vacuum in the kitchen and continued to clean in the semidarkness.

But I had an appointment and I needed to get ready soon – and I didn’t know how I was going to get ready in the dark bathroom.

I thought about using a flashlight if all things failed.

To my relief, John called me and told me to push the button harder so it would be off and then I could turn it back on – and that I would not break it. He was right. The lights came back on and everything was fine.

While this is a very minor example, it made me realize that I have learned to depend on John and that I need him.

Sometimes I need him to tell me that I am beautiful. Sometimes I just need a John hug. Sometimes I need to feel loved by him and sometimes I just need to hear his voice.

This is exciting to me.

It fills me with joy to recognize that we have become one in so many ways.

Although we would have been just fine if we had never married each other, that would not be true today. Today I need him to be my friend, my husband, my partner, my companion. And I wouldn’t want it any other way!

He is Risen!

The Resurrection

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' "

Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.

Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."

After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Mark 16

April Begins...

...with April fool’s day.

And I really dislike April fool’s jokes.

I know that some of you might think that I am a 'party pooper' with no sense of humor, and that may be true at times. However, when it comes to April fool’s jokes, that is not the case.

I don't dislike them because I don't think they are funny; some of them are hilarious. Instead, I don't like them because I never know which ones are jokes and which ones are truths.

Yesterday I opened my facebook to find ridiculous amounts of status updates and I couldn't figure out if people were being serious of if what they were saying was a joke. This causes me to be suspicious about everything. I just assume that everything is fake - and I should not give it any thought.

AND I really dislike wondering if people are being truthful or not. It is awful to assume that they are lying.

A friend announced that she is pregnant with twins.
What do I say about that?
Congrats!
Or
Good one!

Another friend announced that she is getting married.
My first thought was:
“No you’re not!”
Later I felt bad for assuming it wasn’t true.

Because of instances like these, I dislike April fool’s jokes…

But I get to celebrate my grandma’s birthday on that same day – and that is a good thing!