My Best

I am not athletic, but my husband is--at least was, and now is a spectator. And I am one of those wives who decided to enjoy the game with him than be without him. Before we married, I already enjoyed football, and now I am into baseball too. And I try to stay current so I can have an intelligent conversation about what is happening in the sports world. I love to get points for my man because I like sports. When we lived in Cleburne, we were in the adult choir and one practice we were playing a game. One of my questions was, “Who are the Texas Rangers baseball announcers?” When I responded, “On the radio or TV?” and knew all four, Eric got Wow! Where did you find her? looks! I have to be careful though. Two of the brothers let me in on a fantasy baseball game because they planned on three people and the other brother couldn’t do it. Shh…don’t say anything, but I beat them! All of that to say, this girl really enjoyed the inspiring football movie Facing the Giants and that is where this is coming from.
In the movie the football coach has a change of heart where he decides winning isn’t everything and he will give God his best and praise Him no matter the outcome. He gets this concept across to his defensive line leader by asking him to death crawl (crawl on his hands and feet while carrying another player on his back) blindfolded as far as he can down the field. The player thinks he can go 30 maybe 50 yards at the most, but the coach says, “You just do you best and leave it all on the field.” And he starts. The entire way the coach is encouraging him. And when he wants to give up and it hurts, the coach is crawling right beside him encouraging him, “Don’t quit! Your best! Don’t quit!” And when he finally stops, the player asks, “Did I make it to the 50? I had to have made it to the 50.” The coach takes the blindfold off and says, “Look. You made it to the end zone. Don’t tell me what you can’t do. All things are possible with God. Give Him your best.”
This year (2008), God has asked for my best and praise Him no matter the outcome. And when I am in His Word everyday, I can hear Him encouraging me right beside me every step of the way!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will
call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will
seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found
by you,” declares the Lord…Jeremiah 29:11-14a

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and
night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you
will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be
strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the
Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua1:8-9

Search for the Lord and for His strength, and keep on searching. Psalm
105:4

In Your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall….God arms
me with strength, and He makes my way perfect. Psalm 18:29; 32

He gives power to those who are tired and worn out, He offers strength to the
weak. Isaiah 40:29

You are their glorious strength. It pleases You to make us strong.
Psalm 89:17

As soon as I pray, You answer me; You encourage me by giving me strength.
Psalm 128:3

So do not throw away your confidence, because it has great reward. For you
need endurance in order to do God's will and to receive what is promised. (New
English Trans.) Hebrews 10:35-36

For nothing is impossible with God. Luke 1:37

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all
things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. Philippians
4:13

I want to live in a way that I can say as Paul did…

I [Paul] have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the
faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but
also to all who have longed for His appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8

And don’t forget…

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever.
Psalm 136:1

That death crawl scene in the movie was just a test to prove to the player that he had more than he thought he did. Then later in the movie when the championship game was on the line, depending on him to lead the defense to hold the opposing team inside the 5 yard-line from getting a touch down, he was tired and weak. The coach said, “Four more downs. You can do it! We just need four more.” He knew that he had more strength than he thought possible. If it is hard, ask Him for help and direction! He promises over and over that if we seek Him, we will find Him. He wants to be found. He wants you to be in His will. He will show you. Be in His Word consistently and look for the answers. When SweetBoy was a baby, I had no idea how to be a mom. So I asked Him to show me what a good mom looked like. He did. He continues to. I was looking for the answer and when I found part of it, I wrote it down. Have a system of writing down the answers He shows you. You will need it for game time! There may be a pattern or theme that you can see in the answers that you might miss if you just read it and say, “Oh that is good.” Write it down! There might be more!

Whatever I may be carrying—my children, relationships, a difficult situation, job, health concerns—give God my best and praise Him no matter the outcome. My best. Because with God all things are possible, and He is with me every step of the way—through the test and through the game!

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not
for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a
reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24

We are the Children of God!

A few weeks ago Mom called and said Steven Curtis Chapman is coming to town, do you want to come? Um...let me think about it...YES! He is one of those musicians who write songs that just speak to my life every time! From "Great Adventure" going to college, "I'll Be Here" duet with SweetHeart at our wedding, "Fingerprints of God" on the walls of SweetBoy's nursery, "Dive," "All Things New," "Believe," "One Little Heartbeat" lost in mommy-hood, to "We Are the Children of God." When we got his latest CD for Christmas, the kids loved "Children of God" and ask for it every time we get in the car. I told SweetDoll that we were going to the concert and she needed to practice and be ready to sing it with SCC. And boy was she ready! She doesn't typically sing very loud. But when Steven started playing the song, her eyes lit up! When our part came to sing, I could hear her, even with the band rockin' out! What a blessing to have a blast with my girl, and see her light up about being in God's family! What fun! Not to mention I cried, again--I do everytime, during "Cinderella." I thought of SweetHeart when Steven sang "I will be Here," and SweetBoy during "Fignerprints." SweetTate was in my arms as we sang "You are Loved." Oh, I want my kids to grow up knowing that the Father sings over them and loves them more than they can know!

Blessed "Between"

Ahhh! The brief respit between football and baseball seasons (with a little March Madness to hold us over). I have always enjoyed watching football, but nothing like living for it like SweetHeart does. And our TV was fuzzing out for the big game! Luckily we were able to go to family's house to watch the last quarter, and watch the big finish! Now baseball is just around the corner--the teams report to spring training this week! Growing up I remember especially my Papaw watching baseball games. And I would go find something else to do--watching baseball was so slow! I wish I had paid more attention! SweetHeart loves baseball! When we were dating, he took me to a game and I was hooked. Then he taught me how to score a game. Don't mention fantasy games--I can hold my own with the boys! Now we tease that we could be the commentator team calling the game! In recent years we have made it to Opening Day. This year our favorite team is away, so we will get there as soon as we can in April. But for now we will just relax and enjoy no "must see TV" at our house!

Loyalty

One of the things I wanted to blog about when I started was what God is teaching me lately. It seems like I get stuck on a word, and as I read my Bible or do a Bible study, that word just pops out. Right now it is loyal.

Last fall when all the TV shows started their new seasons, God used His Word to really get my attention that I didn't need to watch a particular show. The season before I would schedule to watch it, the kids had to be down a little early, and if I missed it, it was available to watch online--which I did. It was one of those that everybody was watching and talking about. And my Father wanted me to give it up.

The next day I read Psalm 51:10 in the New Living Translation. David is saying, "Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me." (empahsis mine)

Being a little different than I know it, the loyal stuck out to me. Loyal--God was asking me, not just to obey, but choose His side, follow His rules, be set apart, and be identified as His.

At first I thought it would be hard to avoid the show. I had no idea what I would do instead. You know, I felt like I had to do something "spiritual" or something! But God let me work on my scrapbook. Oh, I enjoyed it! I have been praying for Him to make me wise about time, and this is a project that I never set aside time to do. What I thought was going to be a punishment was really freedom! Then I read this verse in Philipians 2:13, "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him." He makes it easier too!

So now it is winter and the shows are starting their new episodes again. Isn't it just like the Father to give us a booster when we need it! I'm studying The Patriarchs by Beth Moore and she gave us a little word study on "covenant kindness" and "loyal love." She said,

Through the covenant relationship we've entered by the blood of Jesus
Christ, the God of all creation is loyal to us.

2 Timothy 2:13 says it this way, "if we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown
Himself."

Wow! I knew He loved me first, but He promises to be loyal to me, even when I'm not. I agree with Beth when she continued, "[God's loyalty] drives me with urgency to be faithful in return. He staked His Name on our relationship. Realizing that, how could we do anything but cleave to Him with our whole hearts?" Give up a TV show? Sure, look what Jesus gave up first for me! I'm looking for more ways to show my loyalty to Him.

What's in a number

For Christmas we got a wii, which I must say even for this non-gamer, it is very fun. The whole family gets into it. SweetTater hears the little ding at the beginning at comes running from wherever he is! SweetBoy is a "pro" at boxing already. SweetDoll gives us a run for our money too. SweetHeart, being the gamer of the family, is surprised by the challenge we are to play. No matter what we play, if I want SweetHeart to play again, I have to beat him. I don't win all the time, but I can hold my own. The other day he told me I could back off! All of that to say, it is fun!

So part of the game, you can take a fitness test. It gives you three exercises on the game to play, and then it gives you a wii age from 20-80. Of course, at first I was on the old side. Now I finally got it lower than my real age! There are days that it says 61, and I feel 61! But with a birthday coming up, it feels good to see something that says I'm younger!

A few of my favorite things 2008

Here is a list of my favorite things January 2008:

1. my house picked up and clean and the kids outside or away at grandparents!
2. finding a new treasure in God's Word
3. Panhandle sunsets
4. hike in the mountains
5. finishing a project
6. not having to cook and clean
7. cobbler or angel food cake--fruit and bread
8. crunchy chocolate or chocolate cake
9. my kids' laugh
10. the older two did it too, but right now it is Sweet Tater--when he sees me at the nursery, and runs from accross the room for me to pick him up.
11. sleeping babies in my arms
12. opening day at the baseball park--any game is fun, but it is just more exciting opening day, especially when our team wins!
13. reading a silly book with my kids--right now our favorites are Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! and Fix it Duck
14. visiting with friends or reading their blog that cracks me up!
15. signing a song and worshiping God
16. getting lost in the story of a good book

Thanks Jen for the prompt!

Happy New Year!

Whew! We made it through the holidays! I love vacations and time with family, but there is something to be said about getting back to "normal." The down side of normal though is I'm back to head chef and dishwasher!

Now it is time for fresh starts and new goals--like doing sit-ups! I'm realizing that I'm getting older and pudgier and stiffer, so I thought I would try to at least do some sits-ups, stretch and walk every da... now and then. :) This morning, I lie down on the floor to do my sit-ups and here comes Sweet Tater! He loves to wrestle and body slam anybody he can find on the floor! Can't you just here that rise in his voice as he gets his tickle fingers ready! So here is to distractions and interruptions of New Year's Resolutions! Hope yours are fun too--the goals or the distractions!