MORE

Anything that I write about on this blog is something that's been on my mind, or that came to me as I read the Bible, or it's something that encourages me that I wish to share with you. In this day and age its so easy to look at others and feel inadequate, especially in blog land.  I hope no one reads my blog and feels inadequate because my goal is to encourage you by using Biblical timeless truths. I use to think life was black and white; I've come to realize that there's lots of grey and the only way to successfully navigate the grey areas is to rely on someone bigger and better than yourself.

As a Christian, every day presents a new opportunity to serve God and develop or Christian walk more.
And so MORE is my one word for this year - 2012. MORE means a greater amount or additional degree.


I want MORE of Christ and less of me.


I want to bear MORE fruit, to the point that I'm bearing much fruit.


I want a MORE abundant life - overflowing with God's goodness and grace. Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it MORE abundantly." John 10:10


God wants us to abound MORE and MORE. - 1 Thessalonians 4:10


I'm excited to see where this will take me in the new year.


If you had one word for 2012, what would it be?


This post was inspired by Melanie of Only A Breath

Musings on Being a Parent

As a parent you go through so many stages - getting to know them as babies, the love that develops, the intense dislike when they begin to test you, and the letting go as adults.  As a parent, I've experienced every emotion and know that every stage is fraught with challenges.

The vows you take when you get married say nothing about parenting, yet so much of our married lives are taken up by parenting and child-rearing. I think if we focus on our marriages, we are able to be better parents.

Sometimes, I don't want to know what my children are doing - especially as it relates to some of the choices they make, because maybe I'll be disappointed. I've learned that pray is the only thing that can soothe my troubled mind.

Parenting is hard - because every child is different and just when you think you have this figured out another child comes along or a new personality trait develops.

As a parent you have to be cognizant of how you treat each child in relation to his siblings. Jacob outwardly favored Joseph and that didn't go over well with his brothers. Then there's the child that's needy, difficult, different, who may ultimately require more attention than the others; you hope each sibling understands, but sometimes they don't.

I wish my parents said "I love you" more when I was growing up.  Now I say it so often it sometimes seem trite.

Seeing my parents as old, humbled me.  I had to hold my father's hand when walking and become really patient whenever we went some where.  It made me wonder if my children would do the same for me when I become old.

As a parent, you may have regrets.  My father often says "He did the best that he knew how to, at the time." Wrapped up in this statement is the unspoken - " Now that I know differently, I would have done some things differently."

Parenting is rewarding - the hugs, the love, becoming young adults that value what you value...priceless!

God is our Heavenly Father and his Heavenly attributes outweigh mine.  As a parent, I become impatient, I snap if I'm tired or hungry, I'm not always loving, I sometimes feel overwhelmed. But God is never like this - He's patient, loving, and kind all the time and as a parent this gives me something to aspire to.

my children

Are you a parent? Do you have any additional observations and insight? 

The Generations

I'm sitting here watching my parents in the kitchen baking "Sweet Bread" a coconut filled dessert from Barbados.
It's quite funny to watch as for all my life when I was at home my mom was the baker and made the best sweet bread.  Since my dad retired he's taken up a new hobby - baking and now he's the expert.  It's quite funny listening to the interactions between them in the kitchen.

Last night they made my dad's version, tonight my mom is doing hers.

My little one commented, "Grandpa really knows how to bake!"  I don't know how that went over with my mom, but she knows how to bake also.

In any event, we are the beneficiary of all of this wonderful baking and plan to enjoy it - I'll just work out harder!

If you're curious - here's a recipe.

I'm glad my parents got a chance to visit and spend time with us.

Do your parents have any special recipes that they share with you?

The Comforter

As a mother, some days my mornings are not as uneventful as I would like them to be. The last of the oldest children is travelling overseas, my husband is going through a stressful time at work and my parents are visiting.
This morning I read a passage of scripture that provided great comfort:

¹⁵If ye love me, keep my commandments.

 ¹⁶And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

 ¹⁷Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

 ¹⁸I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. John 14: 15-18

Do you know why we need comfort in this world? Because things happen; because our emotions can put  us in a tailspin; because our children grow up and we have to let them go; because we get the blahs; or we just get weighed down by all of our responsibilities.

If I listened to those who don't have this Comforter and what they do to be comforted, I'd come up short - there's not enough drinks, money, things, or food that can provide the comfort we need.

God is so good - He does not leave us comfortless. He was a man just like us when he walked this earth and had the same feelings many of us have. He knew we would need something supernatural and He provided it to us.

Thank you Lord for the gift of your Holy Spirit.

Do you have The Comforter?