Where are your weaknesses? Where are your fears? I was reminded of this visual God gave me last week again tonight. Think of your weaknesses as those things that trip you up, those things that the enemy knows about it(those buttons so to speak). Where are they at? Are they still in your hands, where you are trying to do the best you can to fix them or overcome them? OR Are they in His hands, where He alone can take care of things?
Take that weakness or that fear, that you spend a lot of time thinking about (whether you mean to or not)(that if only.....). Now place it in His hands and as you walk away He takes it and wraps His hands around it like a fist. Now keep walking, but wait there comes a thought (Be it, if only I looked a certain way, if only I could do this, if only this person would, if only this would happen, (Get the picture?).....are you going to entertain the thought or keep reminding yourself, It's in His hands, it's in His hands?
There are some things that only God can fix. Some things that we can only overcome with His strength and His power, basically things we can only overcome with Him. So continuing to think about it is like prying open His hand and exposing that weakness to the enemy. Remember God said in His word, I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. If it's something that is a part of His plan(and you'll know it when it is), trust Him and leave it in His hands. Keep walking forward knowing that He's got it.
Now I would love to tell you that once He showed this picture, I was able to take it and make progress. Not always.....there have been some days with a couple of those weak areas that I've had to apologize when I've let flesh have its way and played on that weakness. So I have envisioned myself going back and wrapping His arm back around that "thing" ;-)
God knew our weaknesses when He made us. He didn't make a mistake. The weaknesses make you a part of you(just like your strengths do). Those weak spots are not to make you feel bad about yourself (or for you to let other people make you feel bad about yourself). You are a precious creation in God's sight. He loves you just the way you are and thinks you are BEAUTIFUL!!! (Side note: If God has told you to exercise more, eat better etc. then do it(yes I'm speaking to myself here, but do it not because you want to weigh a certain amount, but because you want to be healthy to do what God has planned for you(guess what pounds will come off when you get healthy). As the childhood song says, we are weak, but He is strong. Turn those weak spots over to God and keep walking forward. God's got it and can do more with them than you ever dreamed possible. When the thoughts come(and they will), just keep saying It's in His hands. After all, you really can't do anything about it anyway ;-)
Until next time
More to come soon ;-)
~Melissa
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Friday, June 8, 2012
I'm a part.....
I am a part of all I have met ~Alfred Lord Tennyson
I first heard this quote when I was in my 11th grade English class. I didn't know then that it would still be something that would resonate within me today. This time of the year is always a time for looking back, but with turning 30 I guess I've been doing memory lane more than usual. If you are on my FB, you may have picked up on that. I guess I've also realized that sometimes even the smallest things may make the biggest difference. What we see as a small gesture, a word in passing, or just being there may not be small to the other person. When you are doing what you are supposed to do, it's not small. It may seem small, it may feel small, but God can multiply what you do just like He did the loaves and fish. We all have pieces in our lives that make us who we are. Sometimes you may need to show the pieces that helped get you to where you are(especially for people you meet later on in life). People that have known you for awhile have seen the pieces come together.
You are a part of all you have meet, whether you realize it or not. As a teacher, I've realized that more each year. I was blessed to grow up with some amazing teachers. They demonstrated to me what it was like to not only teach, but to care. Their example is what I try to emulate each day. Some days you get bogged down with paperwork and what's expected, that I'll admit it's hard to see if all the time is worth it. It is, may not seem like it at the moment, but it is. Some God calls to run the race where they can hear the cheers along the road, some of us have a race where we not see/hear the cheers until we get closer to the finish line(Those are the moments when I hold fast to the verse about our rewards being in heaven). Watching some amazing young people graduate this year reminded me, the little things do make the difference. The teachers I had in school were in it to make a difference(I went to a private school so they had to be, because it wasn't for the money), they wanted to be there. They had learned it was about creating those ripples though. They knew that they were there to teach and impact our lives for the time that we were at Madison Academy and today they are reaping some of that harvest. They may not see it, but every student has grown up to do something and is reaching others.
I can look back and see some amazing doors God has already opened. Some friendships that are God sent, some paths that crossed that only God could have crossed, and some moments that have shaped who I am. I saw this year that when you(your personality, who you are) is split in half, it's hard to stay focused. Last school year was a struggle for me in so many ways, but it taught me SO many lessons. Some of which you have read on the blog. I often felt like I was doggy paddling, struggling to get to shore, and wanting someone just to throw me a life raft so I could float to shore. The bumps in the road, the scrapes from the fall, and the exhaustion from running are all things that help shape us to be that person God made us to be...IF and only IF we will let them. We can be like a stubborn child intent to do it our way and follow our feelings, but it will only keep us frustrated. We can choose to do things His way, follow the rules, and trust Him to lay it all out. Sometimes His way may be the road less traveled, but it will make all of the difference. I've learned(more on another blog to come later), that God will take care of the reward, God is a God of order and not chaos, and God has a set of rules(game plan) for a reason. Sometimes our lovely flesh does not understand when others get away with things that are 1.) are either breaking the rules 2.) not following the rules 3.) not doing anything but getting all of the credit/accolades. God will help you understand when it's time and He will take care of the reward, all He asked you to do was to follow the rules, do what you know its right, and stay the course. The right road is never the wrong road even if it doesn't feel like it's the right road. Trust doesn't always mean you can see the next step, but you know who has the flashlight ;-)
I'm not perfect. I have several scrapes and bruises from along the journey. Some have left scars, but I've learned a lot in a short amount of time. Things that I thought mattered, don't really matter any more. The true test is not who wins the race, but who keeps getting back up when they miss the hurdle. God's not looking for someone to finish first, He's just calling us all to finish. God made you special. He didn't use a cookie cutter to make you. He made you one of a kind. Those pieces that have come together to take you to the point you are now, have helped make you who you are. Don't apologize for things that are a part of you, forgive yourself when you do fall down, and remember there are things that only you can do. Run your race smiling and knowing that you are making a difference doing what you do!
~Until next time
Melissa
I first heard this quote when I was in my 11th grade English class. I didn't know then that it would still be something that would resonate within me today. This time of the year is always a time for looking back, but with turning 30 I guess I've been doing memory lane more than usual. If you are on my FB, you may have picked up on that. I guess I've also realized that sometimes even the smallest things may make the biggest difference. What we see as a small gesture, a word in passing, or just being there may not be small to the other person. When you are doing what you are supposed to do, it's not small. It may seem small, it may feel small, but God can multiply what you do just like He did the loaves and fish. We all have pieces in our lives that make us who we are. Sometimes you may need to show the pieces that helped get you to where you are(especially for people you meet later on in life). People that have known you for awhile have seen the pieces come together.
You are a part of all you have meet, whether you realize it or not. As a teacher, I've realized that more each year. I was blessed to grow up with some amazing teachers. They demonstrated to me what it was like to not only teach, but to care. Their example is what I try to emulate each day. Some days you get bogged down with paperwork and what's expected, that I'll admit it's hard to see if all the time is worth it. It is, may not seem like it at the moment, but it is. Some God calls to run the race where they can hear the cheers along the road, some of us have a race where we not see/hear the cheers until we get closer to the finish line(Those are the moments when I hold fast to the verse about our rewards being in heaven). Watching some amazing young people graduate this year reminded me, the little things do make the difference. The teachers I had in school were in it to make a difference(I went to a private school so they had to be, because it wasn't for the money), they wanted to be there. They had learned it was about creating those ripples though. They knew that they were there to teach and impact our lives for the time that we were at Madison Academy and today they are reaping some of that harvest. They may not see it, but every student has grown up to do something and is reaching others.
I can look back and see some amazing doors God has already opened. Some friendships that are God sent, some paths that crossed that only God could have crossed, and some moments that have shaped who I am. I saw this year that when you(your personality, who you are) is split in half, it's hard to stay focused. Last school year was a struggle for me in so many ways, but it taught me SO many lessons. Some of which you have read on the blog. I often felt like I was doggy paddling, struggling to get to shore, and wanting someone just to throw me a life raft so I could float to shore. The bumps in the road, the scrapes from the fall, and the exhaustion from running are all things that help shape us to be that person God made us to be...IF and only IF we will let them. We can be like a stubborn child intent to do it our way and follow our feelings, but it will only keep us frustrated. We can choose to do things His way, follow the rules, and trust Him to lay it all out. Sometimes His way may be the road less traveled, but it will make all of the difference. I've learned(more on another blog to come later), that God will take care of the reward, God is a God of order and not chaos, and God has a set of rules(game plan) for a reason. Sometimes our lovely flesh does not understand when others get away with things that are 1.) are either breaking the rules 2.) not following the rules 3.) not doing anything but getting all of the credit/accolades. God will help you understand when it's time and He will take care of the reward, all He asked you to do was to follow the rules, do what you know its right, and stay the course. The right road is never the wrong road even if it doesn't feel like it's the right road. Trust doesn't always mean you can see the next step, but you know who has the flashlight ;-)
I'm not perfect. I have several scrapes and bruises from along the journey. Some have left scars, but I've learned a lot in a short amount of time. Things that I thought mattered, don't really matter any more. The true test is not who wins the race, but who keeps getting back up when they miss the hurdle. God's not looking for someone to finish first, He's just calling us all to finish. God made you special. He didn't use a cookie cutter to make you. He made you one of a kind. Those pieces that have come together to take you to the point you are now, have helped make you who you are. Don't apologize for things that are a part of you, forgive yourself when you do fall down, and remember there are things that only you can do. Run your race smiling and knowing that you are making a difference doing what you do!
~Until next time
Melissa
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Blog or Bust...
Wowie...apparently when you start this decent down the mountain, look out. The enemy is after you(of course if he wasn't scared of what you could do, he wouldn't care so much about what you do, do). I have learned that today in so many ways. Today has been a day. It's been hard to maintain focus and peace. To make matters worse, physically my head is about to explode, and mentally it has felt that way as well. It's life at times, I know that, but I did have a small meltdown this morning. The balance got messed up and the to-do list started to tip the WRONG way. I wanted to crawl in my turtle shell until I calmed down inside, but that's not how life goes. So life goes on, and for those who may have gotten the wrong end of me today, I apologize. My life is crazy times two right now and I'm doing the best I can.
Okay so blog to come soon is from a conversation God and I have been having. It was on trust. It went something like: Me: God I trust you, God: I know you do, now trust yourself.
Sometimes I feel like God has the light shinning on the next step, but I don't trust myself to step into it. We doubt ourselves so much, that we hinder some of the good things God has waiting. Trust yourself to do what He's told you to do, and then do it. The first step is the hardest, but it will get easier with time.
We all just want to know that what we spend our lives doing is making a difference some how. We want to know that our day hasn't been wasted. Here's a thought(and one I'm still chewing on for awhile), seeds grow in different seasons and at different rates. You may not be able to see the difference you are making, but if you are doing what God's told you to...then BELIEVE that you are. It's not easy, because we are our own worst critics, but guess what tell yourself you are making a difference and that God appreciates what you are doing and the heart you do it with(because He does). We pray and ask God to send us encouragement some days, but sometimes that is meant to come within.
God knows when your tired is tired, and He promises rest. Remember though, rest may come physically, mentally, or spiritually. That's a blog still to come because it's still being written.
I've seen what peace looks like and I REFUSE to go backwards. It's a fight some days to stay put and keep walking in it.
IEP's are waiting so I'll have to wrap this up....I'm sure there is more to come as they are being written on my heart now. They'll be typed soon. Thanks for reading! Share and follow if you get a chance....
Until next time,
~Melissa
Okay so blog to come soon is from a conversation God and I have been having. It was on trust. It went something like: Me: God I trust you, God: I know you do, now trust yourself.
Sometimes I feel like God has the light shinning on the next step, but I don't trust myself to step into it. We doubt ourselves so much, that we hinder some of the good things God has waiting. Trust yourself to do what He's told you to do, and then do it. The first step is the hardest, but it will get easier with time.
We all just want to know that what we spend our lives doing is making a difference some how. We want to know that our day hasn't been wasted. Here's a thought(and one I'm still chewing on for awhile), seeds grow in different seasons and at different rates. You may not be able to see the difference you are making, but if you are doing what God's told you to...then BELIEVE that you are. It's not easy, because we are our own worst critics, but guess what tell yourself you are making a difference and that God appreciates what you are doing and the heart you do it with(because He does). We pray and ask God to send us encouragement some days, but sometimes that is meant to come within.
God knows when your tired is tired, and He promises rest. Remember though, rest may come physically, mentally, or spiritually. That's a blog still to come because it's still being written.
I've seen what peace looks like and I REFUSE to go backwards. It's a fight some days to stay put and keep walking in it.
IEP's are waiting so I'll have to wrap this up....I'm sure there is more to come as they are being written on my heart now. They'll be typed soon. Thanks for reading! Share and follow if you get a chance....
Until next time,
~Melissa
Saturday, May 19, 2012
The "I don't care" syndrome
You know when you get to that point where the revelation starts to really take root? I'm talking about that point when you start to get it and you can see God smiling going, finally? Those moments can exhaust you, but when you wake up and realize the roots are starting to grow...ahh it's a good feeling.
So I've been plagued with the "I don't care" syndrome this year. The sad thing is it's been the wrong I don't care syndrome. I've gone through some changes at work and then there is that turning 30 thing which caused me to re-evaluate a few things. I cared more about what others thought of me, what others did, and what others said(or didn't say). In doing this, I've lost myself in the process. I quit caring some of what I did(hello I can count on two hands how many times I've been to the gym this school year...that's not me). I can fix me(okay so before anyone goes you can't do anything without God etc., yes I am fully aware its me +God to do anything(really it's just Him). I'm at the point though where He's told me what to do, it's just up to me to do it.) So at that point I can fix me by doing what He's already said to do. I digress....
I've learned what the old saying means about "leading a horse to water but you can't make him drink".You can lead the horse to the water, you can even dunk his head into the trough of water, but only the horse can make the decision to drink. I am responsible for me period. I am in charge of what I say, what I do, and what I think. That being said, why do we let what others say and do mean so much to us? God knows our heart, He knows why we do what we do....our motivation shouldn't be what others say, but what He will once say. I care(a little too much some days), but it's been on the wrong things. Caring about what others do(when its obvious they will not change and you can't help them) will only lead to frustration and stress. Do your thing, care about what's in your lane, your journey....those things on your God path and He will bring everything else into place. We can lose ourselves trying to put band-aids on things only God can heal(fix).
So as I said to someone yesterday...I don't care anymore about "it". In the last week and a half, I've turned 30 and had the flashlight yanked back on this journey. I went from seeing how the pieces would fit together on something to taking it one piece at a time. Talk about a stress filled cloud....(Just because there is a cloud hanging around, doesn't mean it will always rain...(but that's another blog). So this road on the journey as I look ahead for now, is to just be the best Melissa I can be. To love all I can, to give as much as I can(to myself and others), and to not lose sight of what really matters and what doesn't. To just enjoy the journey called life and to be happy ;-) Being happy is a choice by the way....
Change what you can, pray about the rest, and enjoy the day. God has a plan in all of it and one day He'll show you how the pieces fit together, until that time do what you can and just breathe. Everyone may not understand you(appreciate or like you) and it's okay! Be confident in who He has made you to be, who He has called you to be, and care about what He cares about.
Until next time
~Melissa
So I've been plagued with the "I don't care" syndrome this year. The sad thing is it's been the wrong I don't care syndrome. I've gone through some changes at work and then there is that turning 30 thing which caused me to re-evaluate a few things. I cared more about what others thought of me, what others did, and what others said(or didn't say). In doing this, I've lost myself in the process. I quit caring some of what I did(hello I can count on two hands how many times I've been to the gym this school year...that's not me). I can fix me(okay so before anyone goes you can't do anything without God etc., yes I am fully aware its me +God to do anything(really it's just Him). I'm at the point though where He's told me what to do, it's just up to me to do it.) So at that point I can fix me by doing what He's already said to do. I digress....
I've learned what the old saying means about "leading a horse to water but you can't make him drink".You can lead the horse to the water, you can even dunk his head into the trough of water, but only the horse can make the decision to drink. I am responsible for me period. I am in charge of what I say, what I do, and what I think. That being said, why do we let what others say and do mean so much to us? God knows our heart, He knows why we do what we do....our motivation shouldn't be what others say, but what He will once say. I care(a little too much some days), but it's been on the wrong things. Caring about what others do(when its obvious they will not change and you can't help them) will only lead to frustration and stress. Do your thing, care about what's in your lane, your journey....those things on your God path and He will bring everything else into place. We can lose ourselves trying to put band-aids on things only God can heal(fix).
So as I said to someone yesterday...I don't care anymore about "it". In the last week and a half, I've turned 30 and had the flashlight yanked back on this journey. I went from seeing how the pieces would fit together on something to taking it one piece at a time. Talk about a stress filled cloud....(Just because there is a cloud hanging around, doesn't mean it will always rain...(but that's another blog). So this road on the journey as I look ahead for now, is to just be the best Melissa I can be. To love all I can, to give as much as I can(to myself and others), and to not lose sight of what really matters and what doesn't. To just enjoy the journey called life and to be happy ;-) Being happy is a choice by the way....
Change what you can, pray about the rest, and enjoy the day. God has a plan in all of it and one day He'll show you how the pieces fit together, until that time do what you can and just breathe. Everyone may not understand you(appreciate or like you) and it's okay! Be confident in who He has made you to be, who He has called you to be, and care about what He cares about.
Until next time
~Melissa
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Who has your flashlight?
I've repeated this lesson more times than I care to admit. Sadly knowing myself as well as I do, I am probably not finished with it either. So who has your flashlight?
You're on this road that we call life. It's a journey we all have to travel and a road we all have to walk. Some parts are straight and easy(those yellow brick road days), others remind you of the forest where you don't know what's lurking in the trees(think back to Wizard of OZ and you'll get the picture).
So who's holding your flashlight? Are you missing the pot holes or do you keep falling down? Chances are if it's you holding the flashlight, you are not as focused as you need to be. You may be looking at what's all around you instead of focused on what lies ahead. Looking around you see all of those distractions and then oops, you find yourself flat on your face laying in the road. You missed that rock in the road and you tripped because you were looking around instead of looking ahead. Oops....
New scenario....God's got your flashlight walking right next to you. You are focused on what lies ahead, and you see the rocks in the road so you can walk around them. You don't seem so focused on what's around you, but on where you are going. As long as you follow where He shines the light, no scrapes, no bumps, no bruises.
Faith is not knowing what the next step is, but in knowing who is holding the flashlight. It takes faith to not be in control and to trust that He's not going to let you fall. Trust Him, He hasn't let you fall(or fail yet). Now should you take the flashlight back for a little while(and we all do one time or another...we are human and flesh), rest assured He will be there to help you back up after you fall, put a band-aid on your wounds, and gladly take the flashlight back when your ready. He wrote the story you are walking, so He knows how each chapter begins and ends. Just take each word at a time and enjoy the story, it's yours :-)
Until next time
~Melissa
You're on this road that we call life. It's a journey we all have to travel and a road we all have to walk. Some parts are straight and easy(those yellow brick road days), others remind you of the forest where you don't know what's lurking in the trees(think back to Wizard of OZ and you'll get the picture).
So who's holding your flashlight? Are you missing the pot holes or do you keep falling down? Chances are if it's you holding the flashlight, you are not as focused as you need to be. You may be looking at what's all around you instead of focused on what lies ahead. Looking around you see all of those distractions and then oops, you find yourself flat on your face laying in the road. You missed that rock in the road and you tripped because you were looking around instead of looking ahead. Oops....
New scenario....God's got your flashlight walking right next to you. You are focused on what lies ahead, and you see the rocks in the road so you can walk around them. You don't seem so focused on what's around you, but on where you are going. As long as you follow where He shines the light, no scrapes, no bumps, no bruises.
Faith is not knowing what the next step is, but in knowing who is holding the flashlight. It takes faith to not be in control and to trust that He's not going to let you fall. Trust Him, He hasn't let you fall(or fail yet). Now should you take the flashlight back for a little while(and we all do one time or another...we are human and flesh), rest assured He will be there to help you back up after you fall, put a band-aid on your wounds, and gladly take the flashlight back when your ready. He wrote the story you are walking, so He knows how each chapter begins and ends. Just take each word at a time and enjoy the story, it's yours :-)
Until next time
~Melissa
My box vs. God's box
Finally slowing down long enough to listen so three our four blogs are in the work....This one is from this morning.
I don't know if it's just me or not, but I love it when God gets personal with me. Some days He steps all over my toes, some days He just reassures me like a Daddy would, and some days He poses that question that leaves me speechless. This morning was one of those mornings. I was driving to work(remember I have a 45 minute minimum drive) and was getting ready to for some of my typical prayers. (Okay before I go on...think about that for a second...how many times do we keep asking God for the same thing, over and over all because He answered in the way we asked so we don't see that He's answered. Hmm...) So I was asking God again why a certain prayer hadn't been answered, and He lovingly showed me a small box, then a larger box. What He said next left me speechless for awhile(cause I had to think about it ;-))......He asked me why do you keep asking me for your box, when I've given you mine(pointing to the much larger one). I thought about the verse Ephesians 3:20 which says God will do exceedingly above what we could imagine, and then I asked myself why do I?
Why have I been so set on a certain prayer within my box getting answered, when it was just a small "thing" compared to what God wanted to do? Hmm....sometimes we can't see Him working because we have our eyes focused on what we want. What I was asking God for was on a small level(and yes pride was involved)...what He worked out and the doors He has opened our on a much bigger level. God doesn't do things half way, when He moves, He moves. He opens doors others would think were impossible, and He moves mountains that others could only look at. God's the only one who could take a prayer for doing something small and answer it with some big.
Lesson in this: Don't limit God. When you ask Him for things, ask for His box, not yours. God's plans are so much bigger and so much better. Get your eyes off of what you thought you wanted and realize, His plans are for your good and to help you to move forward.
Until next time,
~Melissa
I don't know if it's just me or not, but I love it when God gets personal with me. Some days He steps all over my toes, some days He just reassures me like a Daddy would, and some days He poses that question that leaves me speechless. This morning was one of those mornings. I was driving to work(remember I have a 45 minute minimum drive) and was getting ready to for some of my typical prayers. (Okay before I go on...think about that for a second...how many times do we keep asking God for the same thing, over and over all because He answered in the way we asked so we don't see that He's answered. Hmm...) So I was asking God again why a certain prayer hadn't been answered, and He lovingly showed me a small box, then a larger box. What He said next left me speechless for awhile(cause I had to think about it ;-))......He asked me why do you keep asking me for your box, when I've given you mine(pointing to the much larger one). I thought about the verse Ephesians 3:20 which says God will do exceedingly above what we could imagine, and then I asked myself why do I?
Why have I been so set on a certain prayer within my box getting answered, when it was just a small "thing" compared to what God wanted to do? Hmm....sometimes we can't see Him working because we have our eyes focused on what we want. What I was asking God for was on a small level(and yes pride was involved)...what He worked out and the doors He has opened our on a much bigger level. God doesn't do things half way, when He moves, He moves. He opens doors others would think were impossible, and He moves mountains that others could only look at. God's the only one who could take a prayer for doing something small and answer it with some big.
Lesson in this: Don't limit God. When you ask Him for things, ask for His box, not yours. God's plans are so much bigger and so much better. Get your eyes off of what you thought you wanted and realize, His plans are for your good and to help you to move forward.
Until next time,
~Melissa
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Some days you just have to take the lid off of it....
So I turned 30 last week...( I know some of you are thinking I wish I could go back to 30 etc.). It wasn't the turning 30 that bothered me, but the fact that I had so many things on "my list" that I wanted to have finished by the time I turned 30. (lose weight, buy a house, get married, a kid or two etc.) Trouble was it was "my list" and not necessarily "His list". Do I think all of those things are a part of His list, yes but it's just not time. I truly believe He'll give you the desires of your heart and He hasn't changed my heart yet. I was reminded several times last week that your who and your do are two separate things. How I wish some days that what is on the inside could shine out, that others could see more of who I am(and not just what I can do/or not do)....sadly that's not how the world works at times. Get comfortable with who you are and not worry about what others do/say, and eventually your feelings(and others) will get in line. That has been the biggest lesson I've learned/am still learning this year. Be happy with who YOU are, who HE made YOU to be, and just live your life period. Not every day is going to go your way, not everything is going go as planned, it's life. Chances are if you look back over the day, there is something you can find that made you smile, something you were proud of, and hopefully something that made Him smile. That's what matters in the day...love others the best you can, but love yourself as well. Don't beat yourself up at someone else's expense. Love for others doesn't mean you lose who you are in the process. God gifts are not forced and will not reap condemnation, but everything falls into place. When it's a God gift, you forget about what you are doing, and you just do.
Speaking of gifts, every Christian has a gift(or gifts) inside of you. You'll never know what the gift is until you take the lid off of it. Then once you take the lid off of it, you have to try it on to see if it fits. When it's Christmas morning, you don't just leave the presents under the tree...when it's time you take the lid off and see what's inside. You don't go shopping and buy new clothes without trying them on at some point(okay yes at some stores I can buy without trying on, but....you know what I mean). Sometimes to find out how your gift fits, you have to the take the lid off and just try it. You'll know when it feels right regardless of how others think it may "look". You may need to work a little before the fit becomes just right and you may need to lose a few things you have become comfortable carrying, but in His time it will fit and the world will see what you saw when you first took the lid off.
When you ask God to give you His eyes to see some things through, be prepared for some tears. Often times when we look at it with His eyes, we get ourselves out of the way and it can break your heart. We all have that innate desire to know that what we do matters, but I've learned this year(well actually had it drilled into my head with repetitive practice), that you have to first know that what you do matters. As long as you believe what you are doing is making a difference, you may hear the splash but you may not always see all of the ripples that come. You may see the seeds being planted, but you may not get to see the bloom. There are no small parts because without the seed you would never have a beautiful rose ;-)
It's Mother's Day today....to all those who have ever loved a child with a Mother's love(be it your own, an angel you have waiting in heaven, or the children God places in your life right now that you help each day)...Happy Mother's Day! If it's not your time yet to be a "mom" in the traditional sense, keep trusting Him, but while you wait....love the kids He places in your path. You never know the difference you may make in their lives.
Until next time!
~Melissa
Speaking of gifts, every Christian has a gift(or gifts) inside of you. You'll never know what the gift is until you take the lid off of it. Then once you take the lid off of it, you have to try it on to see if it fits. When it's Christmas morning, you don't just leave the presents under the tree...when it's time you take the lid off and see what's inside. You don't go shopping and buy new clothes without trying them on at some point(okay yes at some stores I can buy without trying on, but....you know what I mean). Sometimes to find out how your gift fits, you have to the take the lid off and just try it. You'll know when it feels right regardless of how others think it may "look". You may need to work a little before the fit becomes just right and you may need to lose a few things you have become comfortable carrying, but in His time it will fit and the world will see what you saw when you first took the lid off.
When you ask God to give you His eyes to see some things through, be prepared for some tears. Often times when we look at it with His eyes, we get ourselves out of the way and it can break your heart. We all have that innate desire to know that what we do matters, but I've learned this year(well actually had it drilled into my head with repetitive practice), that you have to first know that what you do matters. As long as you believe what you are doing is making a difference, you may hear the splash but you may not always see all of the ripples that come. You may see the seeds being planted, but you may not get to see the bloom. There are no small parts because without the seed you would never have a beautiful rose ;-)
It's Mother's Day today....to all those who have ever loved a child with a Mother's love(be it your own, an angel you have waiting in heaven, or the children God places in your life right now that you help each day)...Happy Mother's Day! If it's not your time yet to be a "mom" in the traditional sense, keep trusting Him, but while you wait....love the kids He places in your path. You never know the difference you may make in their lives.
Until next time!
~Melissa
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