i've been busy

HI friends, I haven't blogged in so long so I wanted to at least put a little note on here today.
Today I am so thankful for this beautiful fall weather - I actually have a sweatshirt on!
Today I am thankful that I feel full of the Holy Spirit, so I'm having a great morning of writing!
Today I am thankful that Zachary is home for fall break through next week, so we'll get some hangout time together.
Today I am thankful that my sweet husband Scott got to spend time with our friends the Wassers while he was in Colorado on a business trip. I think he's ready to move!

Okay, and the thing i'm really thankful for because it just makes me happy to watch - now don't laugh too hard - is the tv show Dancing with the Stars. I looooove that show. I am such a dancer wannabe. That first week when Emmett Smith did so well, I played the tape of that over and over. It just made me happy! So at this point with three weeks down, I'm still a fan of Emmett...

I'll write more later - melanie and by the way the clock on my computer will not stay on the right time so no, it's not 5 am!

Moses again

I've written about Moses before, but I just have to do it again as I revisted this Scripture and was just so moved.

Deuteronomy 32: 2, 3
The Song of Moses
“’Let my teaching drop as the rain,
My speech distill as dew,
As the droplets on the fresh grass
And as the showers on the herb,
For I proclaim the name of the Lord’
Ascribe greatness to our God!
The Rock! His work is perfect,
For all His ways are just;
A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
Righteous and upright is He.'”

The story of Moses is one I can relate to. Now you might have an image of Moses as some ancient man, wandering around the wilderness. How could this man be someone we can relate to?

Here’s the real story of Moses.
He was a man raised in the home of Egyptian royalty, never really fitting in because that was not his true identity. Then he discovers who he is, leaves the comfort of his Egyptian lifestyle to live with his people, the Hebrews. You have to remember that he probably didn’t even know their language. They were oppressed, slaves.
But that’s who Moses chose to be with.

And then he’s a shepherd, just an ordinary guy doing his job when the Lord speaks to Him in a burning bush.
Moses tries so hard to remind God that he is not qualified, just not qualified. He tells God his insecurities, just to make sure God knows, as if to look in God’s eyes and say are you sure Lord? Are you sure you remember how insecure I am?
God assures him. Yes, you’re the one and all I want is your willing heart. I got it from there. You say yes and just watch and see what I will do.


And then Deuteronomy 34 is a chapter which just makes me weep. Moses is about to die, but before that happens, God has something to show Moses. The Lord and Moses are standing on the top of Pisgah and the Lord shows Moses the promised land.
And the Lord says to moses, there it is but you will not go there.

Now in my simple heart I always have a hard time with Moses not being allowed to go into the promised land. One act of disobedience disqualified him. Number 20:12
But you know what. I think Moses was so completely satisified in something else. When he was younger I’m sure all he could think of was living in the Promised Land. Got to get there! And he was faithful…

But somewhere along the way, I believe Moses’ perspective began to change. He began to realize that the journey, this intimate walk with God was all that He needed. Moses spoke to God face to face (ex 33:11 Numbers 12:8)

This man Moses, who doubted himself so much, moved from an unexpected place to a sure place. In fact he found the surest place, the heart of God.

I want to be like Moses, so content to walk intimately with God, so content in the surest place of God's love.

Children of God

This weekend I was fortunate to attend this incredible conference at my church, called Grace Life. My dear friends Kelly and Phillip Vaughan put on the conference, and it was so exciting to hear God’s truth preached and to see with my heart the Spirit moving as people came to a new and deeper understanding of God’s love.

At one point in the conference there was a very familiar picture of Jesus, the one done in pen and ink, where Jesus the Shepherd is hugging tightly a little lamb. His face is partially buried in the lamb’s wool and you can tell He’s just hugging that lamb half to death.

That picture just spoke to the longing in my heart to be loved like that, to be hugged tighter than tight.

I’ve heard recently that at least 2/3’s of our understanding of God as our Father comes from the nature of our relationship with our parents. So this picture combined with this thought made me think about my boys.

More than anything I want my two sons to know God the Father as their Abba Daddy. I want them to know God not just in their minds but in their hearts. I want them to know that God the Father wants to hug them tighter than tight.

And I was thinking about how they’ll know that. They’ll know that, at least partially, in the way Scott and I love them.

So what can I be or do as a Mom really to be Jesus with flesh on, Jesus’s love. So many things…

One of the things I really want them to know in their hearts is that they don’t have to do a thing and I’ll love them. They don’t have to be good at basketball, they don’t have to bring home A’s on their report card, they don’t have to do all their chores, and I will love them.

The truth is that all the above things make me very happy and are important. I want them to work hard to reach a goal, I want them to be responsible members of our family… but I want them to know for sure their performance is separate from God’s love, or their parents’ love.

So how do I communicate this?

I tell them every single day I love them. I kiss and hug them all the time, even if they wipe off my kisses or squirm. I just do it more. I watch Zach shoot hoops in the driveway even when he doesn’t ask. I stop whatever I’m doing to snuggle with Tyler on the couch while he watches some silly kid show on tv.

I look deep in their eyes, I listen and nod my head. I smile with a smile that says you are the most precious treasure in my life.

Each time we as moms enjoy the “being” of our children, instead of the “doing,” we’re saying to our children, God loves you because you’re His child. You were in God’s heart before He formed you in your mother’s womb, He can number every hair on your head.
1 John 1:3 How great a love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God. And such we are…”

Happy 40th Birthday, Scott!

My sweet husband turns 40 tomorrow, so I'm just going to say happy bday to him on my blog today. I can't believe he's finally 40, as i've been in my 40's a while now:) Thank you, God, for this man who is my best friend. A man who loves You and follows You and is about Your purposes. Thank you for Scott who is one of the hardest working men I know, who walks in integrity, who is all about honesty and loyalty. Thank you for a husband who knows how to be an incredible father to two little boys. He knows when to be silly or when to just listen or when to give advice. Thank you for this man who has shaped me and molded me by his truly unconditional love. My life is better and I am a better person because of my life with him. I love you sweet husband.

Wise Words from Friends

I love the lyric in a song by Watermark which says, "You've spoken the truth into my life."

I'm blessed to have friends speak words of wisdom into my life. Here's a few words which have influenced me in such a positive way lately. Thank you, friends!

1. One friend told me "just love him and pray," when I was having a strife-filled day with my husband.

2. "The only place we will not feel the spiritual battle is when we're praising God. That's the only place to find true rest."

3. When I was striving and working hard on an idea that just would not come together: "put it aside; that's not God's agenda for you today."

4. "I want to have a purposeful life this fall. I don't want just to do things to do them. I want my activities to be what God wants me to be doing."

The Sidebar

Check out my sidebar! I finally have links! Thank you, Jenny, for stepping me through this computer stuff! Just the most basic computer things give me a run for my money! Let me explain these links a bit and I hope you will enjoy them the way I do!

Proverbs 31 Ministries - the ministry that has supported and encouraged me in my journey as a godly woman. I will soon be joining their speaker team!

Harvest House - my publisher, a link to my book

Christian Book Store - Amy's online Christian bookstore

Jenny's blog - a long distance friend who write beautifully and will soon be a missionary to Africa. She makes you think deeply!

Jenny's Princess study - Jenny's bible study

Bus Stop Mommies - Karen Rinehart, a very funny writer about every day life of a woman, and one of my best college buddies.

Amy's blog - amy is the sister of my husband Scott's college buddy, also a beautiful writer!

Mark's blog - Mark makes me want to cook - need I say more!

Marybeth's blog - a writer, P31 speaker and homeschool mom to 6. It's fun to have a glimpse into her very different world.

Leigh's blog - Leigh is a Christian speaker and writer who just shares her heart and gets right to the heart of the matter.

Enjoy!