LEGACY

So this week has basically started and its already been bittersweet so far. Within the last couple of days we have celebrated new life, mourned death, and in turn celebrated eternal life! Through all of these sweet bitter sweet events one word has really been echoing in my mind.

the word Legacy

This word comes to mind when I think about the passing of my husband's sweet grandfather and I think about what a tremendous legacy he left behind. The legacy of love, faithfulness, servant-hood and Christ for his family and friends. Legacy also comes to mind when I think about my girlfriends who recently gave birth this week to their precious newborns. These tiny little beings are just getting started in this big ole world and will one day leave their own little legacy's behind. (If they are anything like their mother I know they will leave such a sweet and beautiful mark on this world.)

Legacy

I have been thinking about my legacy this week. The mark I will leave behind for my children and grand-children, and my family and friends. Man, that's some deep stuff when you think about it.

Singer Nicole Nordeman has a beautiful song out called "Legacy" (It's not new, a few years old now). If you have never heard it please youtube, itune, icloud it...however you download media these days....just listen to it. Because it's beautiful. The chorus says this, "I want to leave a legacy, how will they remember me? Did I choose to love? Did I point to you enough to make a mark on things? I want to leave an offering. A child of mercy and grace, who blessed your name unapologetically, and leave that kind of legacy."

I don't know about you, but that's the kind of legacy I'd love to leave behind. To leave this kind of mark on my family, children and friends, neighbors and people who knew me. The mark that I choose to love. That I pointed them to Christ, and that I loved mercy and was gracious to others. That I blessed and glorified His name unashamed and without apologizing for it.

How beautiful!

I pray that in those moments where I choose not to love or to be gracious to others or moments where I struggled to find mercy that I will be reminded of the legacy that I want to leave behind...because I want it all to reflect Him.

What about you? What type of legacy do you want to leave behind?

Share and comment your thoughts.

~Mommy and Me~

For all the moms who went to bed tonight wondering if they did a good enough job at loving on and raising their little ones today any day...this one is for you. You are doing great mama! 

Keep up the great work!  

~Mommy and Me~

Burdened and weary is she, she drawls a bath for her little mini me.
As tiny hands splash in the rising suds, water turns to a cloudy mud.

She catches her reflection before the water drains. A sweet summer hope,
has turned to a wondering autumn rain.

With tear-filled eyes she towels him dry, and turns her cheek before he can see her cry.

She tucks him in tight, and turns out the light. Forgetting once
again to help him say his prayers this night.

She walks out of his room and softly closes the door and then looses it
and inches her way down towards the floor.

It was then that she heard his sweet little voice whisper and say...

God, I love you and thank you for this day today.

I had a fun time with mommy, but we always have fun.
Let me tell you all the fun things we have done.

First we stayed in our pajamas, most of the day,
but honestly I kind of like it that way.

We pretended we were inside, sick with the flu, and then we hopped on our
broom horses and galloped away to the land of Cock a doodle do.

Mommy told the best stories, and we both loved watching cartoons.
She even shared some of her chocolate candy before lunch this afternoon.

After our lunch of nothing, but pickles and cheese we went out side to climb a few trees.
We then played a couple rounds of hide and go seek, and I loved it when she
splashed with me in the creek.

Mommy is the best because she let me muddy up my pajamas outside, and
then we built a popsicle fort and made our very own slip n slide.

We came inside late and she made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner.
I finished my plate first, mommy said I was the winner!

She brought me upstairs after dinner for my bath,
and I had fun watching her giggle as I turned into a sea giraffe.

But, I noticed something was not quite right after the water begun to drain.
I saw a few tears fall from her cheeks and they left a little stain.

I am not sure what happened or why she is so sad,
because today God was seriously the best day I ever had!

So please hug my mom tight, and dry her cheeks for me
because tomorrow is another fun day, another fun day with just mommy and me!

So mommy, yes you mommy, whoever, wherever you are. I hope you read this poem 
and it touched your weary heart. Just know that our children don't expect much from us. 
They just want all of our unconditional love, our presence and our trust. <3

~ by: Corey Travaglini

For purpose...on purpose!

Within the last couple weeks God has really been showing me so much how He equips each of His people with differ gifts, desires and talents within His Church to function properly, and to carry out His will, work and purpose in the world. I stand amazed!

I mean seriously think about it.....

We have teachers, and preachers. Leaders, and entrepreneurs. Managers, business owners, organizers, and book keepers. Writers, and bankers. Care takers and hospitality workers. Prayer warriors, the mentors, bible scholars, artist and the musicians. We have entertainers, the comedians, the merciful and wise. The techie's, custodians,sub-contractors, and equipment handlers. There is always the encouragers, administrators, the humble and the healers. We have the discerners, and the givers. People who prophesize and people who evangelize. The protectors, the peace makers, the money handlers, the cookers, the homemakers, the bloggers, the crafters....

....I could go on for days.

Isn't it amazing all the different people in the Church that God uses?! 1 Corinthians tells us "we have different kinds of gifts but the same Spirit, and different kinds of service, but the same Lord." We all have something so different and unique to us to give to serve our one great God!

What gifts or talents or desires has God given you or equipped you with? Are you using those to help build up your local church? Your communities? This world? God has given you and gifted you with purpose....on purpose. You have something to give. You serve a purpose in this world. You have been given a gift(s), a talent(s), passions, desires and dreams.

Don't keep them to yourself.

If you are not sure what you have or God has given you.....pray about them! Ask God to reveal them to you and make them firm and known. Also, seek out the spiritual leaders, mentors and the prayer warriors in your church to pray over you and to help guide you in knowing what special and unique gifts, talents and passions God has given and equipped you with or what area of service He is calling you to serve Him in. Also, just volunteer somewhere! Anywhere in the church, and in your community. God will show you what you have a passion for if you just step out and serve Him somewhere.

Lastly, We need you! We need what God has given you to help build up the Church and to carry out His will. Don't ever think you have nothing to give....you have so much to give because God made you and created you for PURPOSE on purpose and He has given us so much through CHRIST!


So let Him use you. On purpose!

We all serve a purpose. We all have something to give.

1 Corinthians 12

Blessings!
<3

THE BIG 29! But, what will 30 look like?!?!

So I will be turning the big 29 next month! Yikes!!! It will be my last year of my twenties and I'll be stepping out into a new chapter of life. THIRTY! #getitgirl But what will that look like?!?!

The last few weeks  I have really been thinking so much about this new chapter in my life I will be stepping into next year. I have been reflecting and thinking so much about what the last 9 years in my twenties looked like and what I want  the next 10 years in my thirties to look like and ultimately be.

The last 10 years have been an incredibly journey for me. I have served my country in the military, I rededicated my life to Christ, I became a wife, we bought and built our first home, I became a mom....twice. I became a stay at home mom. I have cultivated some amazing friendships, rekindled ones from past, and most importantly I have grown so much deeper in my walk with Christ. Now, these are some of the ups of the last decade, of course there have been moments of heartache, pain, loss and downs to go with those ups, but to save space and tears, I'll refrain from posting those. 

Ultimately, I feel like I have accomplished some pretty great and neat things this last decade. God has been faithful and has blessed me beyond measure. I look back over these last 9 years and all I can say is, It' is totes a God thing and couldn't do any of it with out His grace and provision.  It has been a blessed ride.

But, I can't help but focus my attention on those people who have helped me along the way. Those people who poured into my life, and without them I don't think I would be the woman, wife and mom I am today. More than anything, I think about the women in my life who helped me grow in my relationship with Jesus. Those women, who modeled for me what a woman after God's heart truly looks like. Those mother's who took the time to pull me under their wing and show me the ropes of a Godly motherhood. Those wives who were open, honest and guided me into biblical wife-hood. Those women who were and still are my mentors. 

I feel like that is the next chapter for me.

I am entering into this chapter in life where I am going to be that mentor to that young woman. That young me. I am going to be that mom who takes the new mom under the wing. The wife who nurtures the new bride. The woman who mentors the younger women. So what does that mean? 

 I recently had the privilege and honor to connect with a young woman a couple weeks ago on this subject. She is entering into wife-hood soon. She will make one amazing Godly wife. She is so special, and God truly has His hand on her and it is such a joy to see her entering into this new chapter. So thankful to witness it! Recently she wrote a blog post about the type of woman she wants to become. Her words rocked the core of my heart. It touched me so much. She writes...

"As I prepare for and plan a wedding, apply for jobs, and prepare to be the Godly wife Jesus has called me to be, there is nothing sweeter than learning from these women who have been there and want the best for me. Watching the way they love their husbands, watching the things they've taught their children, watching the way they invest their time and energy... it's been one of the sweetest gifts. That's the kind of woman I want to become."

This is what being a mentor is.

 I think so deeply about her words when I read this. I think about how my actions are noticed. How I nurture and teach my children and how that is seen. How I love my husband and how that is shown. The type of woman I am for Him and in the world. Does His light shine enough? What type of example am I leading? Am I being what God has called me to be in these areas? 

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. ~ Titus 2:3-5 

I will be first to admit I fail in these areas...daily. But, I thank God for His grace, direction, guidance, His word and His Spirit that convicts and gently nudges when I am off track. I am thankful for the women and spiritual mentors in my life that have pointed me towards His word. That have turned me towards the cross when I wanted to turn towards the world. I pray I can be half the mentor that they were/are to me. I pray that I can honor God and bring Him glory in these ares of my life so that His light can shine and I can be the example, leader and mentor He has called me to be. Will you join me in prayer for this too?

So, I feel the call on my life is to be a mentor to the younger women and to women who are entering these stages of life. I am far from perfect but, I know the struggles, the fears, worries and challenges young women face. I know how it feels to ultimately need a woman's guidance and spiritual advice. How it feels to grasp at straws trying to be this picture perfect Proverbs 31 woman,  and fail. How you feel you are doing everything right, but all wrong at the same time in motherhood. Those days where you don't want to love your husband much less yourself, and how I am so thankful for those women who took time to pour His truth on those days into my life. 

So this next chapter in life for me among other things God has called me to be,  a wife and mom myself....will be to be a mentor to younger women and women who are entering into those next amazing stages of life; wife-hood and mother-hood.  To pour His truth into them and to help guide them in His will for them. I thank every single woman and spiritual leader who has been this for me this last almost decade, and please do not stop now. Keep pouring and loving and encouraging me and other women who are now being new mentors too. We need you still. Never stop mentoring us. 

So I'm turning the big 29 and 30 is looking amazing! I am pumped, eager and willing and ready for all that God has prepared and planned for me as a wife, a mom, a friend, God's child, and mentor. 

Lastly, I am excited or those ladies who are looking for a spiritual mentor/mother. I encourage you to pray that God will lead you to one. You need one.  Pray for her too because she needs you to pour into!

Just a little side note: please don't hold us up on a pedal-stool though. We want to lead by example, and be the Titus 2 woman God has called us to be. We want to honor and glorify Him with our lives, but we are human and we mess up too. We make mistakes and we are perfectly imperfect just like you are in Christ. We will be there to guide you in these new stages of life, and pour His truth into your lives, but we need guidance too at times. If there is something we are both stumped about....we can approach His Word, and soak in His truth together. <3

"I Thirst"

The words, "I thirst" have been echoing in my mind lately. Maybe because its getting hot out and I find myself more thirsty than in the cold months, or maybe its just because the Lord is impressing on my heart something He wants to tell me.The Spirit leads me to the latter. I know Jesus uttered those words on the cross right before he gave up His Spirit. I've read that so many times in scripture and never really gave it much thought. But, tonight I can't get it out of my head...and It is consuming my heart. I opened my Bible and read John 19:28. This is the scripture reference to Christs thirst on the cross. I also read the passages leading up to and surrounding it, and then dug deeper as I always tend to do. I stand in awe once again of His word tonight!

I learned that...Christ thirsted for us! Yes medically speaking he was thirsty from laboring on the cross, from the immense amount of blood loss, from enduring horrible lashings and the brutality before, and just from carrying His wooden cross up the hill of Calvary, but why if His thirst was just based on a medical need that it was recorded before and prophesied in Psalms 69:21?!?! Everything in scripture should not be just looked over. It is placed in there for a soul purpose. I've learned tonight...that Christ truly thirsted for us. God thirsted for a relationship with humanity. The weight of our sin on the cross left Jesus' heart bone dry. He was broken bread and poured out wine for us. He emptied His cup dry. He was thirsty. He thirsted for us.

I am so thankful beyond words that our Christ thirsted for us. May we always thirst after Him! After His righteousness, goodness, mercy, love, His people, His word, His wisdom and His Son Jesus, and I am so grateful that when we come to His fountain thirsty and draw from His well, we can drink from it over and over and over...because it will NEVER be dry. 

~God thirsts that we may thirst for Him. If the last word, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” reveals the suffering of man without God, these words—“I thirst”—reveal the suffering of God without man. He thirsts for our sake.~ PC

For every Mom :)

Early this morning I received a text message from my mother on her break at work that said, "Happy MOTHER's day baby....I think you are a Wonderful Mother....I know you will do better than I did....Love you with ALL my Heart....and then some." There was something so special about receiving a text from my mom on my second mother's day ever, but at the same time I was saddened that she said the words, "I know you will do better than I did."

I saw a quote one time that read, 

“There's no way to be a perfect mother, but a million ways to be a good one.”

How true! There is NO PERFECT MOTHER! But there is a perfect God! 

This mother's day if you are finding yourself looking back at your motherhood journey whether it's been years or just a few months, and you're thinking there were things you know now that you wish you would've done, or not done, or opportunities you missed out on. Maybe things you should've said, but didn't, or things you said and shouldn't. Those times you should of been there. Tears you should of been the one to catch. Maybe there were those days when you felt like you were too hard, too stressed out, too emotional, too pushy, too overbearing, and too much of an annoyance to your kids. Or the times where you felt like you didn't pray over enough, laugh enough, talk enough, celebrate enough, or have fun enough with your kids. Maybe there were times you were late, and there were times you forgot. Or maybe you just flat out felt like you failed at being a mom miserably. Well...I have some good news!

THIS MOTHER'S DAY....give the best gift to yourself any mother can give......GRACE.

There is NO PERFECT MOM....there is only a perfect God. Rest in that! Rest in His love, perfection, grace and care. Forgive yourself...and give yourself Grace...and think about all the million of ways you  were  are a good mom!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

No to GMO!! My conversion.

What do I feed my toddler for breakfast this morning? I ask myself this question as I stand at our pantry door staring at shelves that have lied to me and my family. These shelves are filled with some of my favorite foods that I grew up on, that I sincerely enjoyed eating and couldn't wait to pass on the joy of these foods to my kids one day that my parent's fed me and my brother growing up. I am also mad that they have lied to my parents. I stare at nothing but tainted love. It's like that feeling you get when you find out that your best friend or someone you have trusted, and loved has been completely fake your whole friendship, and lying to you because of an agenda they were after. "Your sick, grossed out, mad, angry, frustrated, but still have tons of questions." This has been an almost 29 year fake friendship with food, even food I thought was healthy to me and my family. It has lied to me. I'm done!

Two days ago....

...I sat at my computer and saw a news feed pop up (I don't even think this person is on my friends list) asking families, "how much do they spend on groceries a week?" I was seriously appalled at the fact that people were commenting back they were spending $250-$300 a week. Some were even higher than that. Other's were saying they had no idea they just a lot $1000 a month for food. I kept reading through the comments about this all natural, organic, non gmo (genetically modified organism) lifestyle and I'm like seriously you guys...come on! It's just food. Eat right, make healthier food choices etc. After thinking that, and literally picking my jaw up off the floor at the same time I took to my fb page to ask,"what the deal is with all this all natural, organic, non-gmo lifestyle?" This lifestyle has people getting second jobs so they can afford to shop all natural, or sell their home and move to an area with a ton of land to do their own farming, or build a garden out in their backyard or do some radical sweep of their whole house and throw out everything that is deem to be "poison". That's cray, cray! I thought..."that's radical, extremist stuff!" People on my page we're commenting left and right, and I honestly loved what they had to say, I just was still not 100% sold. I kept thinking, it's just the latest trend, the newest fad to be "organic". It will all pass over in another year or two and then on to the next fad in dieting, or food craze. Ultimately, "ain't nobody got time for that!"

Now this was 2 days ago.

Today, I'm staring at my pantry and as I'm getting more and more mad at Monsanto (I'll explain who that is in a moment), and their "agenda" and the crap they are doing to Farmers, and my family table, and my kids I decided to grab the one box that I think might be the safest for my son to ingest which is, "Cheerios". That's sad.

Here I have been feeding my children items I think that are healthy because of portion sizes, or because it says No High Fructose Corn Syrup, or because it says natural ingredients, but I miss read the fine print that says, "with artificial flavors". We cut back a few month's ago on buying frozen Stouffer's dinners when my hubbies blood pressure shot up, and the amount of bloating on us both because of excessive sodium levels. I thought that was an awesome health food choice! Yay! When we heard about processed foods a while back and how unhealthy they are, we tried to limit them and switched to Lean Cuisines for a bit, and did cut out frozen pizzas, and I always encourage fresh veggies and fruit at every meal time. But, these veggies and fruit in our local super markets (unless its organic) is covered with pesticides, some with herbicides......straight up poison. Sickening! Some of the food ingredients we allow in our country are banned in other countries! Why?!?

A Lot of people have been asking me over last couple days, "what does GMO stand for?"

 "Genetically Modified Organism. These are plant or meat products that have had their DNA artificially altered by genes from other plants, animals, viruses, or bacteria, in order to produce foreign compounds in that food. These genetic alterations occur in a laboratory and are not found in nature. This technology is also called “gene technology,” “recombinant DNA technology,” or “genetic engineering.”

Basically, it's Fake food.

One of the replies I made on my fb post to a friend a couple days ago was, "maybe one day I'll come join you mom's on the other side of the "all natural" fence," as I kind of chuckled to myself.

This was just 2 days ago.

Today I feel like Saul Paul on the road to Damascus when he had his conversion. He was literally persecuting the Christians just before his divine encounter with the Lord. He was this huge sold out Pharisee, and a merciless persecutor of the Church. I feel like that is how I have been with all this "organic, all natural lifestyle" to my friends and family. I AM SORRY! I want to run not walk over to your side of the fence!

I stayed up majority of the night researching one of the companies, "Monsanto" that is the culprit of all this poison. They are evil, and they have an agenda and they are a powerhouse that seems they can not be overthrown. So it is up to us to take action of our pantries and refrigerators, where we shop, our food tables, what we ingest, and what we feed our families,  It is up to us to educate ourselves, read labels, know where specific ingredients come from...because they definitely will not do it for us.

It's crazy how all of this has came about just this past week that our Pastor preached on "Physical Transformation" from the study we are doing at church and in our lifegroups. Between that, the fb post, the older gentlemen I met at a volunteer drive last night, and I know prayers from friends, is just what I needed to get myself as well as my families physical health's on the right track, and be accountable to. Even when I thought I was doing just that this whole time.  I know this new conversion will take time to adjust, and to learn and to educate myself along the way. It will not be overnight that we completely change every single little eating habit that we have ever made. But, at least its a step in right direction.

If you like me, are interested, but skeptical and don't know where to start...start by watching this oscar winning documentary called Food Inc on Netflix. Hubby and I were up till 1am last night watching it. If you have not seen it I sincerely encourage you to do so! It explains so much, and will make you disgusted with so much, but grab some tissues.


I'm going to clean out my pantry now.


Thank you for the prayers and all the gmo, natural, organic info friends! 




*ps. This is a serious silent holocaust going on. The poison in these foods are slowly killing us all. We jokingly say all the time, "don't drink the koolaid", but we already are without knowing.