Soulful Sunday: You Crown The Year

 You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance. (‭Psalms‬ ‭65‬:‭11‬ NLT)

Yesterday I was listening to Hillsong's Glorious Ruins. There is a song on there that really spoke to me in a new way called You Crown The Year (Psalm 65:11).  I looked up the verse and it spoke straight to the depths of my heart. Even though I may find myself in a difficult place, God has not forgotten me. As the verse says, the hard pathways will overflow with His abundance. I started to really meditate on this verse and I could look back on my life and see God's faithfulness and provision.  For example, my last year working in OKC Public schools was very hard. I had a child who was crying out for help but his parents thought the answer was to move him to another school. I had two students that destroyed my books and desks to be mean to the rest of the class. Not to mention all the testing pressure to get the class ready for third grade. It was definitely a hard pathway. But God provided. I was able to form relationships with those hard students and the parents. My class improved greatly in their math and reading skills. God kept me safe from any violence at the school. These are just a few of the blessings that come to mind.

Right now, I know so many people struggling. Life is on a hard pathway for so many I know. For me, my hard pathway is not letting my feelings dictate my situation. I know that by still praising God, still looking to Him, He will crown this hard time with blessing. It may not be to change the situation to what we want. Maybe it is to change our hearts. Maybe He will do something we didn't expect and it will be a bigger blessing than we thought. Maybe it is to take us deeper with Him.

Hold on right now. Give Him praise. Follow Him and watch Him work in your life.  I saw a great quote from a Christian pastor which went something like this:  "Even in your waiting, God is still working."  Keep your eyes fixed upon Him during your hard pathway.  Just because you cannot see it yet, does not mean that God has abandoned you.  Right now He is covering you with His abundant love and grace.  And hopefully, soon for you, the pathway will become smooth.

Thoughtful Thursday: Letters, Does Anyone Write Them Any More?

Letters.  No, not the kind on your keyboard.  Or the ones you memorized in kindergarten.  I'm talking about a good old-fashion piece of paper or card that you wrote down your thoughts on, tucked inside an envelope, and then placed a stamp on the corner to mail through what is affectionately now known as "Snail Mail."

I think because I've read through Paul's letters lately and then found a stack of letters and cards I've saved through the years for encouragement, I've thought a lot more about the impact of handwritten cards and letters.  In today's world where we tweet, wall post, text and e-mail, I think that we have lost something important in communication.  Sure, it is instant and super gratifying to communicate with people all over quickly.  But a piece of handwritten mail is something you can pull out and read over again.  Part of the sender is right there with you via their handwriting.  You can see and tell part of their personality when looking at what they wrote.  To me, it signifies an intimate and personal connection, instead of Times New Roman for everyone.  To open a card or a letter, it is like a little present.  You don't know what is inside nor what it is going to say.  And, since I've been online dating, I realize that it doesn't take much to think about what to say in an email back and forth.  But when you write a card or letter, you think very intentionally about what to write.

My challenge to you this week:  Go write one card or letter to someone.  It won't take long, probably as much time as looking at your Facebook newsfeed.  You can drop it in the mail for a price lower than one gallon of gas.  You will put a smile on someone's face and joy in their step!

What's Entertaining Me Wednesday: Stuff Christians Like by Jon Acuff

Today's What's Entertaining Me Wednesday is a book review.  And a website review.  And a Twitter review.  It is all going to be thrown together, stirred around, and hopefully by the time I'm done, you will not only have a smile on your face, but also be challenged to check out Jon Acuff.

Christians get a bad rap in the media.  We are known often for "rules" and "behaviors" that seem old fashion or ridiculous.  Christians get a bad rap among themselves too for the same oddities.  We all know they exist, sort of like that drawer or closet you don't want your guests to open up at your house.  (Yeah, THAT one.  Where all those "thoughtful" Christmas presents hang out and make friends with stuff you want to save from your childhood.)  Christians like to dance around these things, pretending, like we do with that closet, that it doesn't exist.

Not Jon Acuff.  I first ran across him several years ago when Twitter was a "newish" social media forum.  I crack up at almost every tweet.  The ones where he is pointing out the oddities of Christianity have stopped and made me think twice, and hopefully made me a more approachable Christian.  His POV on everything inside his book Stuff Christians Like has not only made me laugh but also reevaluate some things.  His section on quiet times is so humor filled yet honest.  It makes me feel ok that other people might struggle too...it is just that often in Christian circles we don't talk about it.  I don't know if it is fear from being judged.  Whatever it is, we definitely stay silent.  Thanks to his webpage, I now know what a "Jesus Juke" is.  You know, that thing where someone takes something and maneuvers it back to Jesus.  Which I've always had a problem with...I feel like that behavior along turns people off of Jesus faster than anything else.  See this picture Acuff had on his website as an example:

  

See?  Don't tell me that is not annoying.  Why I do believe that we are here on earth as Christians to share the Gospel, we live in a world that is so cynical that all this produces is mocking laughter. 

Go check out Jon Acuff.  Not only will he make you laugh, but he will make you think about the norms of Christianity.  He probably will leave you feeling that it is definitely OK to be honest and not always have a faith facade on.  And to be aware of bear attacks.  That too.

The Young Living Oil Test: Lavender

This week's Young Living Oil that I am highlighting is LAVENDER.  Last December a friend of mine was having a special offer to try the YLO oils.  I was interested because I'm kind of a granola and yogurt eating hippie.  Plus, I've really struggled with allergies, headaches, and digestive issues lately, and I was looking for some relief.  I asked her where I should start and she recommended the lavender oil, calling it the Swiss Army Knife of oils.  And she wasn't kidding.  In the past seven months, I have used this oil for many different things and all of it has helped me greatly.  Here are some of the things I've done with the oil:

1. Sleep Better.  Young Living Oil recommends that for better sleep you take two drops, rub it on your hands and then your pillow for better sleep.  I like to rub it on the bottom of my feet as well.  It definitely has helped me calm my mind and fall asleep quickly.  Now when I go to bed, I have to smell lavender to sleep!
2. Clean Better.  I put 20 drops of lavender oil in a spray bottle with some water and used it to clean windows and also as alternative to Febreeze.  Everything smells so fresh!
3. Feel Better.  When I have a stress headache, you know, the kind that starts at your neck and works your way up to your head, I take some of the oil and massage it on my neck.  Within about 10-15 minutes, I feel the tension released and my head slowly stops hurting.  Also, I was having some bad PMS a few weeks ago and I put some Lavender in my water and drank it, which helped me to feel much more calm.  Now I'm trying it out with some lemon and peppermint to help my allergies.  I'm praying I can be free of my allergy medication and feel like a normal person!
4. Heal Better.  My dad is allergic to a brand name cut ointment.  Because of this, I've never put said ointment on my body.  However, I know cuts heal better with medicine.  I got a good cut this past weekend when catsitting for The Nurse.  I've rubbed the cut twice a day with the lavender and it is healing quite nicely.  It stings a little at first, much like when you rub peroxide on a cut, but it is looking much better and healing very quickly.  Also, I had a weird bruise on my thumb and in a day, after the lavender oil, said bruise is gone.

There you go! My review and experience with lavender oil.  I'm sure that this is only scratching the surface of all the uses.  One way I am looking forward to using this oil is when school starts, is diffusing it in my classroom.  I want to create a calm environment, so I am going to diffuse it in the afternoons, which seem to be a high energy time. According to several studies, it can boost brain power and concentration while lowering stress and anxiety in the workplace, so I'm sure it will be very helpful in the classroom, especially the first few weeks when kiddos are very nervous about school and have a hard time transitioning from summer break.  (And I'm sure it will be great for the adults in the room too!) I will report back!  If you are on the fence about trying the oils, start here...you won't regret it!

*If you want more information about Lavender and the basic uses for it, check out this PDF by www.got-oils.com.  Helpful and a great printout to keep handy!  (Of course, I'm a teacher, so I really like handouts.

Matchmaker Monday: When Singleness Is Hard

Being single is hard.  I'm not even going to try and sugar coat it.  It is hard when you are in high school and all of your friends except you had a prom date.  It is hard when you are in college and are constantly "friend-zoned."  (I've been there.  I'm the Emperoress of Friend-zone land.  Which kind of looks like Elsa's ice castle and I'm singing 'Let it Go' for a number of reasons.)  It is hard in your late twenties when EVERYONE is getting together with their special someone, whether through dating or marriage.  It is hard in your thirties when your friends are popping out babies faster than you can keep up.  (2014- A very fertile year for lots of people I know.) Being single is hard.

Why do I say that? Why am I pointing out how hard it is?  Well because sometimes I think that people don't acknowledge it.  Especially Christian people and friends.  I was reading Job out of the Message last week at a small group.  As we went through it, I noticed something about Job and his well meaning friends.  You see, Job was suffering great losses because of evil in the world.  Satan was trying to draw Job away from God by causing all kinds of loss.  In fact, it got to the point, Job just sat and mourned his state of life.  He didn't know that Satan was causing all the bad.  No, Job was clueless as to the part he was playing.  Job's friends heard about his suffering and came and silently mourned with him.  But after some time, they began to offer their advice, which sounds more like, "Hey Job, you must have done something to make God mad.  Figure out your sin, repent of it, and then you'll be restored."  Job kept listening to the advice and maintained he hadn't done anything wrong.  In fact, Job finally becomes frustrated and angry with God the more he listened to the council of his friends.

Now, I'm not equating singleness to the suffering of Job.  But I have encountered a lot of friends during my singleness that are like Job's friends.  They offer advice, which if you are single you've heard. "Well, be more content with Jesus.  Once you're satisfied in Him, your spouse will come into your life."  "Maybe if you went to another church where it was easier to meet people." "When I gave up and stopped looking, that is when it happened."  "Have you tried online dating?"  "What about set-ups?"  "Keep asking God, He will bless you with someone soon."  "Maybe God is trying to teach you something."  The list goes on.  You all could probably fill the comments section with well meaning but not the best advice.  Why do I say it isn't the best?  Because often times for singles, that advice can plant a seed where we can easily become frustrated and angry with God, just like Job.

Does that mean I want all my friends or family to leave me alone when it is hard?  No, probably the exact opposite.  I think what all single people desire when it gets hard is what Job's friends did first.  We just need you to sit and listen for a while.  Come over to our house and watch some TV with us.  Meet us for a run at the park.  Help us discover our favorite ice cream flavor.  And when it is really hard and we just need someone to cry with us for a moment, hand us a tissue.  Then, remind us, not of us, not of our situation, but instead, remind us of God's character.  Instead of advising our situation, remind us that we serve the Great I AM.  Remind us that God is a good and perfect father, giving us good and perfect gifts.  Remind us that God loved us so much that while we were still sinners God sent Jesus to die for us.  Remind us that God has a plan for us, one that will show the world of His Love. Remind us that while we may have trouble in this world, God will give us peace. The truth of WHO God is will carry us through the hard times.

So if you are single and it is hard right now, find someone or a few someones to sit with you in the hard time.  Point yourself back to the truth of God's character.  Spend sometime being honest with God.  It won't "magically" fix your situation, but it will fix your focus onto GREATER things.  And then you can walk forward into the hard times.

Soulful Sunday: In The Fire

It seems like I've been going through some emotionally stretching times.  Nothing major has happened, it is just that there has been an internal struggle for me about trusting God.  Today I wanted to post two incredible sermons that encouraged me and hopefully will encourage you.  The pastor is Carl Lentz, from Hillsong NYC.  There is definitely some real talk in these messages.  Listen and be encouraged!

Saturday's List: Changes Up Ahead!

Hello My Friends!

If you haven't noticed, or if you have, the blogs have become sparse the past four months.  Part of it is the season that I'm in right now with God.  It has been difficult and hard to process.  Before posting anything, I really wanted to wrap my head around it because if I blog out of feelings, I could say something I would regret.  Not only that, but I know God is asking me to become more public with some of my struggles, to help encourage others, and I've avoided it.  However, I feel like I'm in a good place to obey and move forward with some things.

If you personally know me, you know that I can be heavily interested in about, oh say, 40 different things at once.  Maybe I have ADD and I've never been formally diagnosed.  Maybe I want to live life to the fullest.  Whatever that may be, it is difficult for me to have a blog that focuses in only on one part of my life.  I'm making some changes in order to address all of my current interests and passions at the moment.  Some of the posts will stay familiar, while I am adding new topics for the week.  Hopefully this will be beneficial not only to myself, but to you my friends.  With that being said, here is how the blog is going to work:

Sunday- Soulful Sunday: A post about what is speaking to me in my relationship with God.  It may be a song, sermon, or something I read in the Bible.

Monday- Matchmaker Monday:  A post about how to be a Christian Single Woman and the unique journey I'm on to let God bring my husband in my life.

Tuesday- The Young Living Oil Test:  I've become hooked on YLO recently.  I've just become  a member, so one a week, I'm going to pick an oil, tell you what it is for and review it as well.

Wednesday- What is Entertaining Me Wednesday:  Just a short post on the book, movie, TV show, or music that is entertaining me this week.

Thursday- Thoughtful Thursday:  A post on something I'm contemplating for the week.  It could be how OKC needs a breakfast delivery service to an opinion about religious freedom.

Friday- Fresh Start Friday:  A blog dedicated to health and fitness.

Saturday- Saturday's List:  All the random stuff that doesn't fit anywhere else!

Cheers friends!  Hope you enjoy the reboot!

Ames