Only From Scratch

Come Visit the New Blog!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 12:22:00 +0000

Welcome! Only From Scratch has moved and changed names! Come, and visit us:

Lauren is still the author, and she'll be writing about the same kinds of things, so if you want to keep following along, visit us here.

My Thankful List

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 14:32:00 +0000

Our Pastor here read a verse from Psalm 33 a few weeks ago that has been running through my mind a lot: "Praise befits the upright." Praise, thankfulness, adoration, gratitude...all these words we use when we talk about praising and giving thanks to God. They are suited for us. Let's wear ourselves out with praise, not just because it's Thanksgiving, but because it is beautiful for the people of God to live lives of praise.

My friend Julie has been writing Monday Gratitude posts that I've really enjoyed. She always inspires and encourages me in my walk with the Lord, so I thought I would put feet to what she's taught me, and make my own Thankful List this week.

1. warm bedding
2. coffee with cream and sugar
3. electricity
4. healthy children
5. the ability to have children
6. a husband who "loves me more than babies love breast milk" (he just told me this)
7. a husband who keeps me laughing (see above)
8. in-laws who came to visit us and have watched my children, helped around the house and spent precious time with us this last week.
9. 10 hour date with my husband on Sunday
10. direction about our future
11. parents who celebrate 37 years of marriage today
12. siblings who love God
13. God's Word that I can open freely every day and read in my own language
14. the gospel
15. family who is hosting us for Christmas this year, since we will be in transition
16. Down syndrome
17. leaves that change color in Florida
18. neighborhood children that play in my backyard
19. a playground for my kids
20. the ability to walk and run
21. good books
22. steak and shrimp for Thanksgiving dinner
23. my education
24. people I've met on Instagram that point me to Jesus
25. technology
26. the conviction of the Holy Spirit
27. friends who live all over the world
28. sunsets
29. quiet early mornings
30. music
31. tickle fights between my husband and children
32. daughters who care for their brother
33. vanilla lattes
34. a gift card to purchase said vanilla lattes from my favorite coffee shop
35. a sister who's opening her home for my girls' birthday party this year
36. a new Advent book that looks incredible (order yours here in time for Advent which begins on Monday!)
37. Jesus--the greatest gift of all time
38. the love of a great God

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Home I've come to love

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 12:31:00 +0000

During the 8+ years we've been married, we've lived in seven different cities, purchased two homes, and rented various apartments. Each place has been unique in style, age, and function. All of them have been home.

This place that we've been in for the past four months in Florida didn't feel like home when we first moved in. We were without belongings for almost two weeks which stretched us, contributed to my closing the blinds and refusing to answer the doors, and we were frustrated living here for about two months. The carpet and fixtures are dingy. The rooms are smaller than we're used to. We don't have a beautiful yard like our home in Georgia.

But something changed. We began to feel at home here, not because the interior became more beautiful, but because our hearts accepted that this was the place God had for us right now. Our home, this town, this season of life. These months have been a gift, and our home has been a part of that gift.

Things are not centered on the walls. My children decorate their room in ways that I dislike, and they love it and get much delight out of creating their own space. Mason's bed is on the floor and doesn't look how I would want, but at least he's not falling out of it every night. Our front porch has a random assortment of items on it, including a dead mum and fishing poles. But these things are evidence to me of a fun hobby to enjoy, and not being overly worried about appearance (something I needed to work on). The living room is missing two lamps because my son finally broke them after pulling them onto the floor multiple times. You will see items where they 'don't belong', books placed haphazardly on bookshelves, and dead branches, pine cones, and seashells on the piano. The upstairs bathroom door stays off of the hinges at all times (unless we have company like we do right now) because it's almost impossible to bathe my children with the door on. And you'll notice a pillow behind the headboard in our master bedroom. (When your bedroom backs up to your neighbor's bedroom, you have thin walls, and your bed squeaks....well, you get the reason for the pillow...)

I miss my granite counters, deep bathtub, large windows, window treatments, and extra square footage. I look forward to the day when I have space to store papers and use my seasonal decor. I would love to have neatly made beds and clear surfaces at the end of every day. I like pretty things and beautifully decorated spaces. Some day I'd like to have those things again.

But do you know what I've come to learn? Those things are not necessary for me to feel at home.

Home is created when I cultivate an attitude of gratefulness and joy in my heart. When I accept God's plan, regardless of how different it is from my own. I can choose to be thankful for what He has given me because I don't deserve any of it. I can embrace the different places and circumstances He gives me because I trust that His purposes are good and best and He is at work in my life.

Today, I want to invite you into our home, the home I've come to love.

You won't find these pictures on Pinterest or in a magazine, but this is our life right now, and it is good.

May you have a blessed weekend!

Next Steps & New Blog Name

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 12:24:00 +0000

Living in Florida has resulted in a new hobby for Bradley. And, we found out yesterday that we'll be able to take this hobby with us! Virginia Beach, here we come!!

We're looking forward to being closer to family and still being able to live near the water. Now, we have a lot of decisions to make before the kids and I head out of here in just 6 weeks. I already started looking into housing and schools yesterday. This process can always be a bit overwhelming, so we'd appreciate your prayers as we strive to be wise in our choices. I couldn't get to sleep last night thinking through all of the things that I need to get done. I'm asking the Lord for calmness of spirit.

It's been over a month now since I shared that I'll be launching a new blog. Well, October was a full month for me writing every day, so I didn't have as much time to work on the finishing details of my new blog. But, things are underway now, and hopefully sometime within the next 2 weeks, I'll be ready to start writing on my new space!

In the meantime, I've had to request a change to my Facebook page, and because of that, I decided to share the name of my blog with you now. Here's my new name and logo:

I tossed around many ideas for a name, and finally landed on this one, and I love it. It summarizes exactly the things that I enjoy writing about, plus it gives me the freedom to truly be what's called a 'lifestyle blog'. That means I'm not limited to cooking or decorating, or even motherhood. I can write about my life--whatever is happening--and my desire is to share all of that in light of the truth of God's Word. Again, a more eloquently written description will be coming. :)

During the first few weeks of my blog launch, I'm planning to host some giveaways. I'm really excited about this next step for my blog and I want to celebrate it. For you, it's just a treat, because you'll have the opportunity to win some fun new things. This is where some of you come in!

If you own an Etsy shop, online store, sell a product that you think my readers would enjoy, or know someone who does, please contact me! I'm looking to highlight some great products during this celebration giveaway. You can email me at onlyfromscratch (at) gmail (dot) com.

Here's what I'm looking for:

1. A shop who would be willing to donate an item(s) to be given away.

2. Shops who would provide discounts for Life with Truth readers.

3. Shops whose products I LOVE that I can purchase from and highlight in a blog post/giveaway.

Happy Friday to all of you!

May you have a refreshing weekend!

What I Learned in October

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 15:38:00 +0000

It seems hard to believe that we're already into November!! I went to the mall on Saturday and was shocked to hear Christmas music playing. While I love the holiday season, I also really love November and I refuse to think about decorating and getting ready for Christmas right now.

Emily hosts these end of the month link-ups every month, and I love to think back through the different things I've learned. Some serious, some silly, but all lessons worth noting.

1. Southern food continues to be my favorite to eat and cook. I was sent a copy of the new Southern Living Community Cookbook to review, and let me just tell you it is hands down, the best cookbook I've ever used. I've made several recipes from it, each of them being a hit. Sweet Potato Biscuits, Butternut Squash Soup, Grillades and Grits, Sausage and Pinto Bean Dip, just to name a few that I've cooked so far. I look forward to trying out more recipes, including a Hummingbird Cake, which has been on my 'to-do' list for awhile.

2. Persimmons are a fruit that grows on trees. They look like oval oranges, but aren't supposed to be eaten on their own; usually you put them into jams or baked goods. We didn't taste any, so I can't comment on the flavor, but I had always been curious about these things.

3. Cotton fields are beautiful, particularly when the cotton is ready to be picked. It's like big snowballs growing in a row. We found this patch on a back road near an Alabama farm. I might have picked some to take home...

4. Losing weight in my 20's was way easier than losing weight in my 30's. In college, I could simply cut back on my calories. I've found now that doesn't work. Exercise and cutting back are necessary. But, when I combine them, it works. As of this morning I've lost 62 pounds since giving birth to Jennavieve 15 months ago. This is very exciting to me, and it's fun to finally wear some clothes that have been collecting dust in my closet for the past few years. My favorite pair of red pants will be worn this year, without fear of ripping the seams when I bend over. Ha!

5. Running is way better with a friend. I had a goal to try and do a 4-mile run by the end of October. My sweet friend Trish was in town for the weekend and she agreed to accompany me on Friday. With her help I did it! Having someone to talk with made it go by more quickly, and I didn't even want to give up. Now, my goal before Christmas is to try for a 6-mile run. I may need to find a running friend :).

6. Writing everyday on this blog is not realistic during this season of life. I thoroughly enjoyed the #write31days challenge, and had fun with my topic, Made to Pour, but it's been nice to take a break the past few days from writing.

7. Fall does come to Florida, it's just not full of cold weather, brightly colored leaves, and snuggling under blankets. There is beauty to be found, though, and the colors on these plants by the ocean are gorgeous. I have always loved wearing shorts and a long-sleeved shirt, so this weather is perfect for me. My sandaled feet are quite happy each day, and it's possible I'll still be wearing them come Thanksgiving. I'm very much okay with that.

What did you learn in October?

Day 31 :: Concluding Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 11:38:00 +0000

This month has been a fun challenge for me to try and write on the same topic every day. At the beginning, I wasn't sure if I would make it through the whole month, but here we are and I didn't miss a single day. I made a deal with myself that I would only keep going if it wasn't interfering with my family's needs. The other part of the deal was that I had to enjoy it. I'm thankful to say that I kept both ends of the deal with myself :)

But, here are some of my concluding thoughts on Made to Pour, Living a life of Blessing, and the #write31days challenge:

1. There is MUCH more about living a life of blessing than I have written in these blog posts. I crammed some of my thoughts into my posts, but many more are swirling in my head, and surely there are things that I'm still yet to learn. It's a process.

2. My family is teaching me how to be a blesser as I live with them every day.

I asked Mallory one day, "What makes you happy?" Her answer? "Eating doughnuts makes me happy." So, one of the ways I've learned to bless her is by doing fun things throughout the day. She often gets lost in the shuffle of Isabella's schooling and Mason's therapy. When I plan specific things for her to enjoy in the midst of running errands, she lights up. We get muffins or doughnuts from the coffee shop, throw coins in the fountain, she puts the groceries in the cart at the store, and she even enjoys helping me clean the house. I'm learning to understand each of my children and strive to minister to their hearts in special ways.

Mason--oh my, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to count the number of lessons I've learned from him. Recently, though, he's been teaching me that being a blesser is rejoicing with others. He finds great delight in others' happiness. He loves watching kids play on the park and wants to join right in with them. If we laugh, he laughs, and usually he has no idea what's so funny. Everyone we encounter is a friend to him and he eagerly waves and says "Hi" to each person we pass by. He doesn't hold back his joy, and I'm learning that in this freedom he feels, other people find delight in the things that make him happy.

Isabella thrives on playing with the kids in our neighborhood. It doesn't matter who is out there, she wants to have fun with each one and says, 'Goodbye! We'll play with you tomorrow!' a million times when we call her in for dinner each night. If her friends are thirsty, she runs inside, fills up cups with ice and water and brings them a drink. She gives without hesitation and her joy in giving inspires me. She loves her siblings well, and each of them adore her! There is clapping and exclaiming from all of them when we pick her up from school each day.

Jennavieve is our little firecracker right now. She can be full of delight one minute and cranky the next. But she loves her brother. Their relationship is precious and each day as I observe them I get to see firsthand what it means to love someone unconditionally. Yes, they steal each other's toys and get mad at one another, but they have a bond that won't be broken and I love it.

My husband (I mentioned him earlier this month as one of my amazing blessers) just keeps on. The sacrifices he makes for our family are wonderful and I couldn't be more thankful for a husband who fiercely loves each one of us.

3. I cannot continue to write a blog post every day. This was not a new realization to me, but having it confirmed was quite helpful. My new blog should be launched very soon (stay tuned for more info on that next week!!) and I've been thinking through how I'm going to make that transition. Knowing my limits is wonderful as I look toward making my new blog really be a place where I can write, and hopefully write well. Yes, challenging myself to write everyday certainly helped in some ways, but in this season of my life, it's just not realistic on a regular basis.

4. There might be a few more posts coming on this topic, specifically some stories that I'd like to share with you. The nice thing about writing on a blog is that you're not limited to a number of pages or confined by a publisher's deadlines and restrictions. I can write whatever I want, whenever, and I can keep writing about living a life of blessing as God teaches me more and more what that looks like.

Thanks for joining me on this journey this month. It's been fun for me, and I hope you've come away with some things to think on.

Happy Friday! Happy end of October!

And, stay tuned for more info on my new blog coming soon...

This is Day 31 of a series: Made to Pour, Living a life of Blessing

Day 30 :: Pouring comes from a deeply contented heart

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 11:29:00 +0000

When I am content with what the Lord has given, or taken away, or not yet revealed, I can bless Him.

A heart that is content can see the success and joy in others without becoming envious. Envy rots the bones and is a hindrance to blessing others. When I compare my life to someone else's it becomes very easy to withhold serving and blessing them because I begin to feel they are undeserving.

If I want to truly live a life of blessing, pouring out to the Lord and those around me, I must have a heart that is content.

"God carries his children through this world through a variety of conditions. Sometimes we lack, and at other times we abound. This allows our graces to be tested. We will find that God's love is stable, certain, and constant in a variety of conditions. God does not change, and his love is constant however our lives might change. We must learn not to quarrel with God's government. Let God do as he pleases as he brings us to heaven. It is no matter what the way is like, or how rugged it is, as long as he brings us there. God's grace is able to carry his children above all conditions."

Richard Sibbes, Voices from the Past, p 323

This is Day 30 of a series: Made to Pour, living a life of Blessing

Day 29 :: How to pour when I'm empty

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 14:00:00 +0000

Throughout this month as I've been thinking on my topic "Made to Pour" and learning what it looks like to live a life of blessing, there's been a nagging question in the back of my mind:

How can I pour when I'm empty?

Maybe some of you wonder the same thing. Life can be so busy and we go and go, give and give, and then we're spent. Good things can be so draining.

In addition, hardship comes to all of us in different forms and these crises cause grief and pain that make us feel needy, not ready to give to others.

I've been there. I experienced months of soul-neediness and I learned that backing away from some of things that I typically did to serve others was okay.

Being a part of the worship team at church was a way that I used my gifts to bless our church family. But when I was working through the news that Mason had Down syndrome I couldn't play the piano without crying. It's kind of hard to hit the right notes when you can't read the music, and messing up the band wouldn't have blessed anyone. So, I backed off of this ministry for awhile.

When Jennavieve was born and I was juggling two babies and two preschoolers, I had a hard time planning out my grocery list. The thought of entertaining people in our home was way too overwhelming. It took forever for me to cook dinner for a few extra people and I would get distracted, usually ending up in tears at the thought of having to talk to people for a few hours. This was something we had always done, so giving it up for awhile was really hard. But we knew it was best for our family, so we put that form of 'blessing' on hold.

Did this mean I stopped being a blesser? I hope not. I think part of living a life of blessing is just being a follower of Christ. If we are seeking to walk in the Spirit, then whatever we do, will bless others because it will point people to Jesus.

I liked what one person said as a definition of being a blesser: it's bringing someone to a point of seeing God more clearly for who He truly is.

Maybe by knowing our limits and living within those, we're helping others to realize that our relationship with God and service to Him is not about how much we do. It's just being in Him. When I watch people depend on the Lord, I see God as a God who loves, comforts, and strengthens His people. This is a blessing.

Blessing others doesn't always have to be about serving others either. It blesses me when I hear people's honesty about their pain, and still acknowledge God's goodness in the midst of their suffering. So, even when you're backing away from doing, you can bless people by continuing to live a life of faith in God regardless of your circumstances.

Not only have the challenges of life left me feeling empty, they also make me feel like I'm a mess.

How do I bless the Lord when I'm a mess? I think it's pretty simple: I have to realize that my mess is where He met me in the first place. "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8) "Bless the Lord...who redeems your life from the pit" (Psalm 103:4) So, if I think that my mess--whether I made it or not--is a hindrance to blessing the Lord then I've failed to understand God. He is my Redeemer. And His love never fails. When I come to Him in the midst of my mess, His very presence becomes the most precious gift, and He continues to teach me that He is enough.

Blessing others when I'm a mess? Maybe a break from some forms of service are needed so we can heal.

But the truth is, we're all a mess, whether we realize it or not. There is nothing in any of us that is capable of blessing anyone apart from the grace and strength of the Lord. We are simply vessels.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us...For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh...So we do no lot lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day..." (portions of 2 Corinthians 4:7-16).

The acts we do of blessing others, pouring out, will probably look different from time to time, but we can live a life of blessing by allowing the power of God to shine through us so that others see Jesus, even when we feel empty and in the midst of our biggest messes.

This is Day 29 of a series: Made to Pour, Living a life of blessing

Day 28 :: On wondering how to bless

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 11:27:00 +0000

"What is the best way for us to encourage you?"

This was how my Mom started one of our evening conversations at the beach last month.

After we all joked that Starbucks gift cards, Chick-fil-a meals, or cash worked, we took turns sharing how we feel most encouraged. There were a variety of answers: written notes, a listening ear, words of praise, empathy, truth. In a group of just 8 people we differed in the ways we liked to receive encouragement.

So, I concluded that not everyone likes to be 'blessed' in the way that I do. And if I'm struggling to figure it out? Just ask.

People around us might be hurting, struggling, or going through a challenging time. And, yes, we can certainly depend on the Holy Spirit to guide us on how to minister to them. But, I think sometimes we feel at a loss as to how to help and so we just don't do anything.

Maybe we need to say, "How can I best serve you right now?"

I have always loved this verse. There is so much packed into those few words about how our speech can hold power to impact someone in a positive way. While it is a verse on speech, I think the principle can hold that any timely act of service or word of encouragement will bless someone.

Maybe we need to sit down with those close to us and have a 'how can I encourage you' conversation. It was really fun for our family to spend some time discussing this. We all came away learning a little bit about one another.

So, if you get a question from me about this, you'll know why :)

And, to the one who might be asked the question: Tell them. Be honest. If someone is wanting to bless you, allow them that opportunity. I'll be the first to admit that it's really hard for me to receive help from people. But I continue to learn that this whole 'living a life of blessing' isn't just for me. If we're all striving to bless those around us, then we need to be willing to be blessed. And just as giving blessing takes humility, receiving blessings also requires humility.

This is Day 28 of a series: Made to Pour, Living a life of Blessing

Day 27 :: The time I kept the blinds closed and refused to answer the door

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 14:20:00 +0000

Right before we moved to Florida this summer I had the privilege of attending a Missions Conference at my parents' church, the church I was raised in. It was so encouraging to be around missionaries from all over the world and hear the stories of relationships they were building with their neighbors, co-workers, random people they encountered. They had a theme song for the conference; the chorus went like this:

I wanna be your hands and feet, I wanna be your voice every time I speak.

I wanna run to the ones in need in the name of Jesus.

I wanna give my life away, all for Your kingdom's sake.

Shine a light in the darkest place, in the name of Jesus.

I left that week with a resolve to be intentional with relationship building once we got settled in Florida. I even wrote this post about friendship, sharing a little bit of what I had learned.

Well, do you know what I did the second day we were in our home? I closed all the blinds and refused to answer the door because I didn't want to talk to anyone.

Within five minutes of opening our front door I had been bombarded with people who were very different from me, heard some unsettling stories, and had children clamoring to come into my empty home asking to eat our food (we had none) and play upstairs with my kids (who had no toys).

I didn't want any of them in my life. They were disrupting my space and making me uncomfortable. I blamed it on the fact that we had no furniture for two weeks. But the truth was I was neglecting to simply be someone who lived to serve people in the name of Jesus.

I guess I was looking for something comfortable, hoping for people who were like me that were easy to get to know and be with. The reality was that might never happen. I could always be in a place where I looked different from other moms and had differing values. I needed to look beyond the apparent differences to peoples' hearts and love them the way Jesus does. Isn't that what I had been singing about just weeks before?

This is what happens sometimes with living a life of blessing. We look for opportunities, sometimes even wanting a big or new ministry. But, there are probably people already in our lives that we can serve. We might just not want to, or we might blind to the opportunities because we want something better, more interesting, or people who are easy to serve.

Lysa Terkeurst wrote a book recently called The Best Yes. In it she shares how to make wise decisions in our lives that are often too busy, sometimes with good things, and what it means in the midst of that to have a 'best yes'. I was convicted in a lot of ways as I read through her book, but what stood out to me this summer was this:

"We will see our Best Yes answers most clearly when we are present, paying attention, seeing what we need to see, and being willing to extend God's love in the moment."

I didn't need to find people like me to serve and bless. I just needed to pay attention and love the people around me.

When I started paying attention I realized that my next door neighbor was hungry to learn about God's Word. So we started doing a Bible study together. One of Bradley's co-workers was here without her husband and kids for six months and feeling lonely. So, I try to stay connected with her through the week, we try to include her in our family movie nights every now and then, and she is interested in learning about God, so she has come to Bible study too. The neighborhood kids can sometimes have a negative influence on my children, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't encourage relationships with them. The girls are learning how to serve, love, and be with people. Yes, we have many teaching moments as a result, but our prayer is that even our kids will learn how to be a light and extend God's love to those around them.

I want to extend God's love to everyone I encounter. My husband, my kids, my neighbors, my friends, my extended family, a cashier at the grocery store, a homeless person on the side of the road, a parent sitting next to me during Mason's therapy sessions.

Living a life of blessing means I have to pay attention. To the Holy Spirit's prompting and to the people and situations around me. Practically this will look different for each of us, but it requires being involved in the small moments of our days, aware to what's happening around us.

This is Day 27 of a series: Made to Pour, Living a life of Blessing

In the midst of reading Lysa's book, my friend Julie also wrote a series on Hospitality. And although we aren't seeking to do a lot of entertaining in our home while we're here, the principles that Julie shared in her posts encouraged me that there were still ways that I could seek to be hospitable and open up my home in different ways. For those of you who are hesitant to open up your homes, her series is excellent! Please, go and read her 3 part series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

Day 26 :: A Sunday Hymn

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 26 Oct 2014 11:12:00 +0000

Living a life of blessing can only happen through the strength that God gives. And it is my prayer that as I seek to serve those around me, looking out for their needs before my own, that they will see Jesus, not me, through whatever it is that I do or say.

This hymn is one of my favorites and I think it summarizes beautifully this idea.

May you have a blessed Sunday.

May the mind of Christ, my Savior,

Live in me from day to day,

By His love and pow’r controlling

All I do and say.
May the Word of God dwell richly

In my heart from hour to hour,

So that all may see I triumph

Only through His pow’r.
May the peace of God my Father

Rule my life in everything,

That I may be calm to comfort

Sick and sorrowing.
May the love of Jesus fill me

As the waters fill the sea;

Him exalting, self abasing,

This is victory.
May I run the race before me,

Strong and brave to face the foe,

Looking only unto Jesus

As I onward go.
May His beauty rest upon me,

As I seek the lost to win,

And may they forget the channel,

Seeing only Him.

This is Day 26 of a series: Made to Pour, Living a life of blessing

Day 25 :: Blessing others should become a habit

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 18:41:00 +0000

Writing this month has been good for me in several ways, but mostly, it's been good because I'm learning. And, oh, how far I have to go to truly live a life of blessing.

Earlier this week I asked for your input on what a blesser is/does, and I received some great feedback that I wanted to share. Thank you for your input--it has really helped me! Here is what was said:

A blesser is one who, by the Holy Spirit's enablement, brings another to a point of seeing God more clearly for who He truly is, thus glorifying God.

A blesser is someone who is sensitive, tuned in to people around them, and obedient to the Holy Spirit's direction as to how to reach out to those people.

A blesser "shows up" as God's ambassador when there is a need in someone's life to be encouraged, prayed for/with, assisted, or just to let someone know that they are cared for in such a way that through their love, God is glorified and praised!

Blessers use their words to speak life and blessing into those around them. Blessers see others for their calling and destiny in Jesus instead of their immediate behavior.

And, in one email, I received the following that I thought was excellent:

Oh, how I struggle with these things! May God continue to teach us how to live as blessers!

This is Day 25 of a series: Made to Pour, Living a life of Blessing

Day 24 :: How a rainbow led to a conversation about hell

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 24 Oct 2014 11:58:00 +0000

Florida weather can change at any moment. This can make planning for outdoor activities challenging, but it also means we get to see some amazing aspects of God's creation. And when I'm paying attention, these glimpses of God in nature can bring about opportunities to teach my children.

As we drove to school one morning, it was starting to drizzle, but up ahead I could see blue skies. I was inwardly praying for no rain by the time Isabella had to walk into school, when I noticed a gorgeous rainbow in the sky. The girls saw it too, I snapped a picture, and we continued on our way.

On the way back home, 45 minutes later, Mallory, squealing with delight, pointed out the rainbow to me once again.

So, I talked with her about what I had been thinking of earlier when I saw the rainbow "You know, rainbows are a way of reminding us of God's promises. The first rainbow was in the sky right after Noah and his family got out of the ark."

Mallory: "Mommy, is Noah dead? What about Zaccheus? And Moses? How did they die?"

Me: "Well, the Bible doesn't tell us how Zaccheus died, but it does mention that Moses and Noah died when they were old."

Mallory: "I don't want to die."

Me: "We don't have to be afraid of dying if we believe in Jesus."

(Silence)

Mallory: "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Me: "What do you want me to say, honey?"

Mallory: "I want you to talk to me about dying."

These are the moments that I pray for. The questions that my children might ask, opening a door for the gospel. Often times I feel inadequate to answer the questions, and I sometimes fear misspeaking or not explaining things well enough for them to understand. When a door opens, though, I try to seize the opportunity and beg God for wisdom in that moment.

So, when Mallory said she wanted me to talk to her about dying, we talked about dying. I told her about Jesus, how He had died. And that He rose again, and then God took Him to heaven, where He lives forever with God. That was a good enough answer for her at the time, but then she asked me another question.

"What is Satan's place called?"

In this particular conversation she was working through the difference between heaven and hell. Nothing more. God is in heaven; Satan is in hell. When we die, we either go to be with God in heaven, or we go to Satan's place.

Later on that day as we were driving home from picking Isabella up from school, Mallory said to Isabella, "When you die, if you believe in God you go to heaven, and if you don't believe in God you go to--Mommy, what's Satan's place called?--hell."

Isabella's exasperated reply, "Mallory, you have to believe that God SAVES you."

Before an argument broke out, we talked about our sin that requires being saved, and yes, we do need to believe that God alone can save us from our sin.

This isn't the only conversation we've had with the girls lately. They have both been asking very good questions and wanting to understand salvation.

It's amazing to me how much they grasp. And, yet, at the same time, there is so much about the Bible they don't understand. "Faith like a child" has become something Bradley and I talk about more and more frequently. What is a necessary measure of knowledge for salvation? Specifically for our children?

Salvation came for me at the age of almost 5. I distinctly remember sitting on the middle cushion of our brown faded couch, reading family devotions one night, and understanding that I was a sinner, I needed Jesus to save me, and I trusted in Him that night for my salvation. It was pretty simple.

And from that point forward, the roots of Truth took hold in my heart and continued to grow, by the grace of God, in fertile soil. People from my church invested in my life through discipleship, teaching me how to read my Bible, share my faith, and live in the light of God's truth every day. My parents talked about the Bible with me, we discussed theological issues around the kitchen table late into the night. They asked me about my faith. They prayed for me. They pushed me to seek God in everything, from relationships to teachers that I disliked, to college, career choices, and marriage. Their counsel came from their own deeply rooted faith and by simply living it out and sharing it with me, I saw firsthand what it meant to follow Jesus.

This is what we want for our children. We want to constantly be talking with them about the things of the Lord, not in an awkward or forced way, but in a 'this is my life of faith in Jesus, come live it with me' kind of way.

source

And so, when I see a rainbow in the sky, I share with my children that it reminds me of God's promises. I didn't plan for that remark to bring about a conversation about hell, but it did. Mentioning God in the midst of our days, as we go about our tasks, these are the moments that will open up doors for the gospel with our children.

We can't make them believe, only the Holy Spirit can do that work, but we can be faithful to pray for open doors for the gospel, share the truth and live it out before our children.

This is the best way to bless our kids.

This is Day 24 of a series: Made to Pour, Living a life of Blessing

Verse print can be found at Gracelaced. Ruth is an excellent artist who creates beautiful prints and custom pieces. She incorporates Scripture into her art and has a gorgeous collection of Christmas prints.

Day 23 :: 10 Ways to Bless Your Husband

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 19:50:00 +0000

The first person in my sphere of relationships is my husband. He comes before my children, my parents, my siblings and my friends. And often he gets the leftovers. I don't want this to be the case. So, I asked him the other day: "What do I do that blesses you?" The post you see here is a result of that conversation, just in my own words.

Trust him. I am constantly having to relinquish what I think is best in order to trust my husband. We do things differently. But when I push my way on him I only build a wall between us that causes frustration on both sides.

For the most part, I don't find it hard to trust my husband to provide for our family and be a hard worker. The areas in which I struggle to trust him are the day-to-day things. Like when when he tells the girls it's okay to cross the street together. Sometimes he feeds our kids chocolate cake for breakfast, and I have to stop myself from taking it away. If he wants to buy me a new laptop, I need to trust that he is aware of our finances and making a wise decision. Nagging him about every little decision that he makes that might be different from my way of doing things will only cause him to stop taking initiative.

I have to trust that my husband is seeking to do what he thinks is best and desiring to honor God in each area, just as I am. Trusting our husbands is one of the greatest ways to show respect and be the help-mate we were created to be.

Dream with him. I learned early on in my relationship with Bradley that he is a dreamer. It was fun when we were dating and I could get caught up in the romance of his ideas. As time went on, though, the dreaming continued and I just didn't get it. He would mention an idea that to me was ridiculous, and immediately I would tell him why it wouldn't work. Not too long into our marriage this became a source of tension. When we finally talked about it, he shared with me that even if I didn't think his ideas would work, he just wanted me to let him dream and join in the dreaming with him.

So now, when he mentions having a lobster farm, buying a yacht and sailing around the world, or purchasing land in Montana, I try to settle in for a long conversation. I ask him questions. I give ideas of how it might work. We research online together. What I once considered a waste of time or 'chasing fantasies', I have come to realize is a great way for us to connect and have fun together. And, as I dream with him, I find that his dreams sometimes become my dreams too.

Support his endeavors. Sometimes Bradley's dreams move to reality and it's my job to trust his decision to move forward and get behind what he's doing. This can be anything from career choices to hobbies to ministries that he wants to be involved with. I support him by cheerfully responding to extra responsibilities placed on him at work, asking him questions about the things that interest him, joyfully helping him to pursue career choices that might be hard on our family, speaking positively about him to others (including my family), and work hard to not nag him about the areas that I dislike.

I'll be honest that sometimes this is really hard for me. I've had to learn a balance of being a cheerleader versus being a coach. Supporting his endeavors will often be me on the sidelines cheering him on, and other times it's me helping him to figure out which endeavor to pursue. God has helped us to learn this over the years; it always requires communication, humility, and wisdom.

Allow him to serve you. My husband offers to do things for me all the time, but I spoil his desire to serve me by demanding my own way and things to be done on my terms. When he does the dishes, I want the dishwasher loaded just so, and the counters wiped off completely. If he watches the kids for a few hours I want him to play with them, not let them watch a movie, and if the kitchen isn't cleaned up when I come home, it spoils my time away.

I'm learning that putting terms on his service to me is not being a good receiver, and is in fact quite selfish. I should willingly accept his desire to help me, whatever that might be. When my husband serves me, he is doing it out of love and I should consider his intentions to be good toward me. Even if it's not what I would consider to be perfectly helpful, I need to allow him to serve me in the way that he can serve.

Take care of yourself. Showering, getting dressed, exercising and making an effort to be attractive for my husband goes a long way. No, appearance isn't everything, but I have learned that my husband likes it when I try to look good.

For the past few weeks I've been more disciplined with my health and exercise than I ever have been. And you know what? I feel good about myself. Taking care of my body helps to boost my self-esteem, confidence, and general well-being. My husband notices this change and it helps him because I start believing his compliments, I'm more inclined to physical intimacy, and my spirits are lifted.

Serve him. In our home, I'm the one who cooks, cleans, and manages the household. I don't work outside of the home, so taking on these responsibilities has suited us well. I find joy in cooking meals for him and making sure there is always food in the house. If the laundry piles up, he is forgiving, but I usually try to have his clothes clean, uniforms ready, and everything put away. Making sure the bills are paid, spending isn't extravagant, and the kids are cared for frees him to focus on his work.

Another way I have served my husband is by maintaining our social calendar. I know his desire to have people in our home and I try to make this happen. But, I also try to be flexible to allow for last minute guests that he decides to invite. (I'll talk more about hospitality as a form of blessing in another post).

Create a haven in your home. With a little bit of effort I can make home a pleasant place for my husband. I make our bed and try to keep our bedroom free of clutter. If toys are scattered all over the floor when he comes home at the end of the day (which does happen from time to time), he can't relax as easily. By taking a few minutes of my afternoon to straighten things up, sometimes light a candle, or have dinner cooking on the stove, I create an environment that my husband wants to be in.

Havens don't need to be magazine or Pinterest worthy. A haven is simply a peaceful, comfortable, and restful place.

Initiate Sex. When I asked Bradley how I bless him, his first answer was to chuckle and say, 'Well, nothing you can write about...' , which tells me that is exactly what I should write about. I'll never understand the male need for sex, but I can't ignore that it exists. Just like I want my husband to initiate conversation or time together, he wants me to make an effort to pursue him sexually. And not just halfheartedly. I often get it wrong in this regard, but he remembers (and often reminds me) of the times when I've made a creative and extra effort to initiate sex.

Ask him what he wants. In each of these areas I simply need to be willing to ask my husband for his input. How can I trust him better? What ways can I serve him? How can I make a haven for him in our home? Does he prefer a clean home, a dolled-up wife, or a good meal? Our husbands are all different. so what works for my marriage might not work for yours. By simply communicating with my husband about these areas I bless him by showing that I truly desire his good.

This is Day 23 of a series: Made to Pour, Living a life of Blessing

Day 22 :: Baked Goods are always a blessing (Best Brownie Recipe)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 10:54:00 +0000

One of the easiest ways to bless someone might be to simply bake some treats and take them to a friend, a neighbor, your co-workers. And not just during times of sickness or if there's been a birth in the family, although meals at those times are needed. What about the people who are always the ones to bring the meals to others? Maybe they could use a little sweet surprise in their day. Giving someone something 'just because' might be the thing they need to feel encouraged and loved. Again, it's going out of my way to think of others before myself and serve them in love.

Brownies and cookies are a wonderful treat to give, but breakfast baked goods are also a great treat to bring.

Pumpkin Bread at this time of year, especially, is a big hit. And this recipe is one I shared in my 31 Day series last year.

Whole Wheat Banana Bars are great for breakfast, but can also be a good snack.

source

This Cranberry Chocolate Coconut Granola (my sister's recipe) looks delicious and would be so pretty wrapped up in a bag with some twine or in a jar with a cute label.

This brownie recipe is so easy, and most of you probably already have the ingredients in your pantry. The point is not to wow someone with your baking skills, it's to simply bring a small gift of food to someone to let them know you were thinking of them.

The Best Brownies

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate (or 18 tablespoons cocoa powder and 6 tablespoons oil, melted)
1/4 cup butter
4 eggs
2 Tablespoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 375F. Butter and lightly flour a 9x13-inch pan. In a heavy bottomed saucepan melt the butter and chocolate over low heat, watching and stirring often. When melted, remove from the heat and cool.

In a mixing bowl, put the eggs, vanilla, salt, and sugar, and beat well using an electric mixer for 8-10 minutes. Stir in the chocolate mixture gently, then add the flour, stirring only until blended. Spread evenly in the pan and bake for 25 minutes. Remove and let cool. Let settles for a few hours, then slice.

source: Fanny Farmer Cookbook

This is Day 22 of a series: Made to Pour, Living a life of Blessing

Day 21 :: When you don't know who to bless

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 14:16:00 +0000

Thinking about 'being a blessing' can be pretty overwhelming. Does anyone remember that little song, "Make me a blessing"? It's really a prayer, asking God to help us be a blessing to someone who needs something. I googled this song to try and find the words, and I was surprised to find that there are many songs with this same title. The one I've pasted here was written by Fanny Crosby.

I like the fact that the desire here is to bless others out of the Spirit's leading. This is what I talked about last week in a blesser being someone who walks in the Spirit and displays the fruit of the Spirit's work in interactions with others.

What I fear is overwhelming to some of us, though, is the wondering. Who am I going to rub shoulders with today that I can bless? The prayer, 'Help me, Lord, not to miss out on someone who might need encouragement'. While looking for someone to bless is part of it I think we might be missing something.

The reality is that we have people in our lives everyday who need us to bless them. Searching for someone to bless is not the point of being a blesser. Being a blesser is about recognizing the people that are in our lives and living out the love of Christ to them on a daily basis.

We each live within a sphere of relationships: family, roommates, neighbors, co-workers, friends. It's within this sphere of daily relationships that I often find myself neglecting to bless.

Like my neighbors. When was the last time I went out of my way to serve them or to include them in my life? Friends from church or other social settings. Can I invite someone over to have a conversation, instead of just liking and commenting on their photos on Facebook? Or my family who live far away. In what ways can I continue to build those relationships and encourage, support, and love them when our lives only cross paths a few times a year? My husband and kids. This is where it really gets me. Yes, I take care of them--cook meals, make sure everyone has clean clothes--but am I actively finding specific ways to be a blesser to the people who are most precious to me?

Okay, so now that list was a little overwhelming at first glance. How in the world do I bless all of these people when I have so many other things to do?

It's a dying to self. This is why blessing others is so hard for me. I like myself. I like my time, my things, my comfort, my relaxation, my ideas, my whatever, you fill in the blank. Doing what is important to me is easy and if I'm not careful I can get so caught up with myself without even realizing it.

Everyday I have to put myself aside and allow God to fill me and honor others before myself.

It's what I tell my girls all the time when they aren't getting along, "Think of others before yourself", "Do unto others as you would have them do to you," "Serve each other in love."

This has to happen in my marriage, with my kids, my neighbors, my friends, the people at the store, the homeless man on the side of the road, the people who irritate me, my enemies if I have them.

Is it hard? Yes. Will I fail? All the time.

But I have the greatest example of one who blessed in this way.

Jesus, the servant of all, who in every way thought of others as more important than Himself. And by His humble service He blessed.

This is Day 21 of a series: Made to Pour, Living a life of Blessing

Day 20 :: The blog post that YOU are going to write

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 11:14:00 +0000

On Saturday I introduced you to some people who have been blessers in my life. By no means did that list contain all of the people that have blessed me throughout my life! In fact, as I continued to think about it, many more individuals came to mind. It's fun to look back and remember how God has used various people throughout my life to impact me in one way or another.

source

If you haven't taken a minute to think through the blessers in your life, I'd encourage you to! It's a great exercise and you'll come away from it with a thankful heart.

Before I press on in this series with who we are supposed to bless and how we do that, I thought today you should write my blog post! I need your help with my definition of a blesser. It certainly doesn't cover everything, and I'd love to have your input on how you feel blessed, or what you do to be a blessing.

Once again, here's the definition I made up:

We're focusing now on the second aspect of this definition--blessing other people.

In one word, or one sentence, I'd love to have you answer one of both of these questions today:

1.How would you define a blesser?

2.What does a blesser do?

Feel free to comment here (don't worry if it doesn't appear right away. I approve all comments so you'll have to check back later), or simply comment in the comment sections on Facebook.

Thanks for your help!

This is Day 20 of a series: Made to Pour, Living a life of blessing

Day 19 :: What is my great purpose?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 19 Oct 2014 12:37:00 +0000

Day 18 :: Meet some amazing blessers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 18 Oct 2014 14:01:00 +0000

In coming up with practical ways to bless others, I started thinking through the people who have blessed me. And when I thought about the practical things they did that blessed me, I had to ask myself: Why was that a blessing?

If I want my life to be a blessing to others I probably need to start blessing in the ways that I have been blessed.

These friends of ours...I can't even begin to tell you all the ways they have blessed us over the years. From monetary gifts, to a camera, to bags of goodies on my front door after having babies, taking our photos, talking through major life issues, watching my kids, driving out of their way to visit us, teaching me to be more relational...I could go on and on. Friends who give of themselves over and over again are a blessing.

Friends who empathize in life's most challenging circumstances. These kinds of relationships are rare, but so valuable. It's easy to find people who will listen, but people who let you hurt instead of trying to fix your problems--this is what my friend did for me, and she blessed me.

These relationships span over years of time. I married into these friendships (some aren't pictured here) and can I just tell you that they have loved me as if I was with them from the beginning? They call on our birthdays, they visit no matter where we live. When my brother died, they gave, called, texted, and drove hours just to attend the viewing so they could hug me. We laugh, cry, talk, and share a lot of life with these people and they bless me over and over again.

These friends represent those who have blessed me by the lives they live overseas. I spent six weeks with this couple and their family one summer, and they allowed me to participate in their cross-cultural lives. They challenged me, pushed me, and asked me hard questions. Just being an observer to how they lived was a blessing. Countless others through the years have been blessers by the ways they have poured into the people around them. Although I don't see you all often, some of you only every few years, please, know that by living in obedience to the Lord you bless me.

Oh, these ladies. The one on the left helped me to deliver Mason, and then just a little over a year later she held my hand, cried with me, and took extra special care of Jennavieve while she was in the NICU for two weeks. And, the nurse holding Jennavieve is the one who sat with me during my labor with Jenna. She was amazing. Not only did she offer quality medical care, she also took my camera later on that day and snapped hundreds of pictures for us. Nurses have become dearer and dearer to me as I've given birth to my babies and I'm so grateful for the way that they love on me and my kids.

Family blesses time and time again. I married into this one and I am so thankful. They love me, my husband (of course!) and my kids. We share joys, trials, and silly moments. I know that they pray for our family and that in itself is a blessing. My in-laws give and give, not just to us, but to countless others around the world. Their lives have impacted many and their faithfulness to the Lord impacts me often. Do you know what else blesses me about family? The fact that other people give to them. When I hear how someone invited my mother-in-law over when she's alone makes me thankful. Friends who give of their time and resources to support my sister-in-law and her family as they prepare to move overseas--those people bless me by their sacrifice for my family.

I couldn't find a very recent picture of my own family (we've added three children among us since this one), but the ways in which my parents and siblings bless me are boundless. Watching my parents handle challenging circumstances encourages me in my own walk. My sisters' interest in my life makes me feel loved and cherished; they remember the details. The love that they all pour on my kids is something I never could have imagined. And, again, it blesses me when I hear how people are serving them. Like the time a friend watched my sister's children so she could have a much needed morning to herself. Or the boss who showered my sister with a generous Christmas gift. The young families who bring meals to my parents "just because". Blessings extend beyond the immediate recipient.

My husband (I'm going to talk about him later on) but I can't let him go unnoticed here. I was completely in love with him when we got married, but that has only grown deeper over the years. He gives sacrificially every day. He pushes me to be a better person. He loves our children. And even in the face of great discouragement, he doesn't give up.

These pictures are just a few of the many who have blessed my life.

This list doesn't include the strangers that bless me with their smiles, their compliments on my children, their willingness to hold the door for me when my hands are full.

And the lady that I saw yesterday who was visiting her son. By the little bits I heard from their conversation as I ran past, it sounded like they hadn't seen each other in a while and they were just catching up on what was happening in each of their lives. It just made me smile to see a mother-son relationship in action.

I think there's a common thread here: serving.

The people who have blessed me throughout my life are people who have served me or someone I love out of the love and generosity of their heart. This takes humility, selflessness, sometimes sacrifice, and always love.

So, I ask you today: who has blessed you?

This is Day 18 of a series: Made to Pour, Living a life of blessing

Day 17 :: The key to being a blesser

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 19:55:00 +0000

I barely made it onto the girls' basketball team my senior year in high school. I'm pretty sure the only reason I got on the team was because I was a senior. I had switched schools that year, so I was the new girl, and what they didn't know was that I had been point guard on the team at my previous (very small) school. So, there I was a former MVP, sitting the bench and panting my way through every practice. I couldn't keep up with the suicide drills, I missed most of my lay-ups (which meant 10 push ups for every miss) and I could hardly walk by the end of each practice.

My coach was great, though. Every time I slowed down or wanted to give up, she pushed me harder. I remember one day she took me out of the gym and made me run the halls of the school. She ran beside me the whole time, screaming in my ear "Keep going! Breathe! If you can control your breathing you'll be fine!" Somehow I made it through those practices and at our end of season sports banquet, not only was I in the best shape I've ever been in, I was awarded "Most Improved".

While I was humbled in many ways during that basketball season, what still impacts me to this day when I run is what the coach said about my breathing. Steadily breathing in and breathing out--that was the key to running.

And so it is with living a life of blessing, this pouring out of myself to God and to others.

It's life in the Spirit--the indwelling, filling and empowering Spirit of God (Romans 8).

As I walk in the Spirit, alive in Him--breathing in--, the greater ability I have to pour--breathing out-- and so bless others.

Do you know what I have found, though? Sometimes I hold my breath. I might be reading my Bible, praying, growing in my walk with the Lord--all wonderful things. But I can get so caught up with myself, my family, and what's happening in our lives that I forget the other element of breathing: letting out air.

I long to be so driven by the Spirit at work in me that holding my breath isn't an option anymore. Whether it's pouring out on those closest to me or to strangers, I want to live my life in such a way that others are impacted for Christ.

Last weekend I shared a definition that I made up to fit in with this series, here it is again:

What does this look like? Practically, being a 'blesser' can take on a lot of different forms. And I'm going to touch on some of those in the next few weeks.

But being a blesser doesn't begin with doing stuff. It starts in my heart.

It's the fruit of the Spirit at work in my life, displaying itself in every encounter with the people around me.

Breathing in the Spirit and breathing out that which the Spirit has done in my heart. This is the key to being a blesser.

This is Day 17 of a series: Made to Pour, Living a life of Blessing

Day 16 :: Blessing the Lord is living a life of obedience

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 12:52:00 +0000

We're halfway through October, and so halfway through this series: Made to Pour, Living a life of blessing.

A little wrap-up:

Blessing the Lord is a kneeling of my soul to acknowledge God, fixing my soul on who He is as God, praising Him even when I don't feel like it, when life is hard, and when I'm waiting on Him for some kind of blessing.

To summarize: blessing the Lord with all that is within me is continually living a life of praise and worship to God out of my belief in Him and love for Him.

"Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name" (Hebrews 13:15).

But I think there's something else. I think blessing the Lord is not just my sacrifice of praise to Him, I think it's also me living a life of obedience to Him.

The greatest command given to God's people:

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).

That phrase, 'all your soul' is used again. Blessing and loving with all of my soul.

And what did Jesus say about loving Him?

"If you love me, you will keep my commandments," (John 14:15).

Love for God and obedience to God are inseparable.

I can bless God, or praise Him, in every circumstance, but if I'm not obeying Him I don't think my whole soul is really involved.

For me, this is the harder part. It's easy to praise God, speaking back to Him what I know is true, even when life gets hard. But to constantly and completely obey God in every way is much more challenging. And it becomes more difficult for me when I have to obey Him as it relates to my interactions with others.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37-39)

"Made to Pour" is what I titled this series. The first part was about pouring blessing on the Lord. For the remainder of this series I'm going to shift gears and talk about pouring blessing on others, or as Jesus labeled it: loving others.

One of the reasons I chose this topic is because it's something I'm currently learning. I fail all the time to truly love those around me, blessing them. But it's something I want to keep working on.

For the next 15 days I hope to flesh out some of the lessons God has been teaching me. I'll be honest, I have nothing written, just a lot of thoughts floating around in my head. I pray, though, that as I write out what I've been learning God will impress these things more and more in my heart and my life will truly be one that pours out to Him and to others.

This is Day 16 of a series: Made to Pour, Living a life of blessing

Day 15 :: Blessing can come in the waiting

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 11:12:00 +0000

Right now we're living in a townhouse that isn't my favorite. Most of my pretty things are packed away, the windows are bare, the bathroom door is off so that I have room to bathe my children. Our relationships are few; we rarely have plans on the weekends. We're living in a time of transition.

We knew in moving here that we’d be here for only 7 months, but we felt it best to come as a family. Bradley is in school, and once he graduates we'll be moving on to another place. And we don't know where we're going. Here we are less than three months from his graduation date and still no word on where they're sending us.

This kind of waiting drives me nuts. I like to anticipate things, plan for the next big life event, have my ‘ducks in a row’. With children I like those things even more, and when I think about choosing schools, therapists for Mason, a place to live, and all of the other issues that come with a move, I start to get impatient, and just a little bit irritable.

We are waiting for answers, direction, the next step. But all we have is silence.

Maybe you are waiting too? Waiting to see your dreams unfold. Waiting for a spouse. Waiting for healing. Waiting for a child. Waiting for….you fill in the blank. Perhaps you also feel silence.

But is it really silence that we experience? We might be waiting for what comes next, but what about what is right now? Does our desire to be in the next place, or have the next thing, hinder our involvement in the present?

I’m not just talking about physical involvement, doing things. Sometimes my frustration in the waiting causes me to miss what God is doing in me. How He wants to take this season of waiting to change me.

Elisabeth Elliot said, “He makes us wait. He keeps us on purpose in the dark. He makes us walk when we want to run, sit still when we want to walk, for He has things to do in our souls that we are not interested in.”

Is it possible that by disliking the waiting I’m exhibiting a disinterest in God’s soul-work?

What if waiting is the blessing? We don’t know what God is doing. We can’t begin to put ourselves in His role. There may be work that He needs to do in us, work that we might not like, deep soul-cleansing that takes time, maybe even fire.

Yielding ourselves to God’s timing might yield a fruitful harvest in our souls, a blessing that God is working out.

“For it is God who works in you, both to work for His good pleasure,” Philippians 2:13.

As I’ve struggled to embrace this season of waiting on our next move, God is graciously bringing me to a place of acceptance. To enjoy right now. And you know what? I’m starting to love it.

I don’t mind the house anymore (for the most part). I love that our family has so much time together. God is opening my eyes to people that are in my life here, and is giving me avenues to build relationships that I hadn’t expected. But do you want to know the sweetest part? The Lord is uncovering things in my heart that I hadn’t seen before and it’s wonderful.

In her book, A Million Little Ways, Emily Freeman says, “...the waiting can also grow us, shape us from the inside out for sacred work. This is a kind of work that happens only in the secret place of abiding in the presence of Christ even in the midst of broken dreams and tired circumstances.” (p 147),

God wants us to be patient. Scripture is full of verses about waiting on the Lord. Not for Him to show up--He never left; not to be God--He never changes. We are to wait for His timing in all things, for His perfect working out of the story that He has been unfolding since the beginning of time. Our life is a part of that story, but He is writing it, not us.

And He wants us to rest in Him as we wait. To come near to Him and know Him deeper. We might wait for a long time, maybe the answer will come tomorrow. Either way, we can choose to trust in the Lord, and bless Him while we wait.

When we embrace the time of waiting as a time to embrace Jesus, He will work wonders in our hearts.

This is Day 15 of: Made to Pour, Living a life of Blessing

Day 14 :: How my skinny jeans, boots, & a black sweater taught me to bless God

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 11:46:00 +0000

Sometime between my first and third pregnancies skinny jeans became popular. It took awhile for me to appreciate this look, but eventually I liked it. However, I was pregnant for five Christmases in a row and there was no way I was going to try this trend with the extra pounds that came from all of my babies.

Last winter was my time. And I was ready to brave the new 'me'. My mom had given me some boots and a black sweater that actually made me feel not quite so post-partum. I bought some skinny jeans and was all set to make my debut to the annual ladies' event at church.

I put on the jeans and boots and was feeling pretty good. Then, the sweater. I could barely get my arms in the sleeves. While I had been sick in bed with a stomach bug my husband had graciously done the laundry, but he put my favorite sweater in the dryer and it shrunk. It was ruined.

And I came undone.

He found me upstairs, face down on the floor, crying hysterically.

I tried not to be angry at my husband, he was just being helpful. He didn't realize this sweater was supposed to hang dry.

As the tears fell and I hit the ground in my child-like temper tantrum, I began to realize I wasn't crying over the sweater. I was crying because nothing, not even something as simple as picking out a cute outfit could go smoothly.

And for the first time I cried to God what had been simmering in my soul for months: "Why are you making things so hard for me? Can't just ONE thing go right? Isn't it enough that Mason has Down Syndrome? Wasn't it enough that Jennavieve was in the hospital for two weeks? Isn't it enough that David died? I don't want anymore of this! Can't You just make ONE THING go the way I want!?"

The weeping continued, but a door had opened in my heart. I had finally expressed my deepest hurts to the One who could have made things different, but hadn't. And in those moments of desperate crying out to the Lord, He whispered into my heart, "Am I enough?"

I began to realize that my life wasn't going to get easier. Not now. Maybe not ever. And God didn't have to make it easier. He wasn't required to give me easy things. He wanted Himself to be enough.

Would I accept and believe that He was enough? Could I really enjoy Him? Not because He made things happen on my timetable, kept us all healthy and safe, caused all the details of life to remain as I picture and allowed my clothes to fit. But could I find joy in Jesus? Could I bless God just because He was God, not because He gave me what I thought were good things?

A work began in my heart. A work to believe, and feel, that Jesus is enough. Just knowing Him, expressing my heart to Him, being in His presence, depending on Him--this is enough.

Nancy Guthrie says, "When Jesus offers himself to us in the midst of our pain, most of us think, That's it? That's the best you can do? I was hoping for more. The truth is, we're often more interested in getting what God's got, not getting more of God. We've put in our order for a miracle of healing or relief, and the miracle of his presence to us seems like the consolation prize."

I'm learning that Jesus is the best prize and His very presence is healing, comforting, reassuring, life-giving, hope-filled and joyful.

I thought I knew what was best for me and my family. Doesn't it seem reasonable to want 'best case scenarios' in every circumstance of life? That's what I would choose. But for me, those things that I thought would be the perfect path for my life were becoming too precious to me. I was clinging to my desire for ease and comfort. Removing them was painful, but necessary.

A.W. Tozer, in The Pursuit of God, said this, "To rip through the dear and tender stuff of which life is made can never be anything but deeply painful. Yet that is what the cross did to Jesus and it is what the cross would do to every man to set him free."

There is great freedom in releasing that which we hold so dearly. And when we release those things, we are able to bless God for who He is. We can praise and worship Him even when nothing in life goes as we want, because we know that He is enough.

This is Day 14 of a series: Made to Pour, living a life of blessing

Linking up with:

Day 13 :: Blessing the Lord when I don't feel blessed

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 19:23:00 +0000

"Lord, cut, carve, wound;

Lord do anything to perfect your image in us

and make us fit for glory.

We need winnowing before we

enter the kingdom of God.

O what I owe to the file, hammer, and furnace!

Why should I be surprised at the plough

that makes such deep furrows in my soul?

Whatever direction the wind blows,

it will blow us to the Lord.

His hand will direct us safely

to the heavenly shore

to find the weight of eternal glory...

Whether God comes with a rod

or a crown,

he comes with himself."

-Thomas Watson, Voices from the Past-

There are times when the difficulties of my circumstances cause me to question God's goodness, almost as if I think He's withholding blessings from me because life is hard. But God doesn't withhold things from us. His purposes are always for our good.

I have found that in my greatest times of disappointment, struggle and heartache, the Lord has become more precious.

In the good and the bad, the hard and the easy, we have Jesus.

This is Day 13 of a series: Made to Pour, Living a life of Blessing

Day 12 :: A Song for your Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 12 Oct 2014 12:06:00 +0000

This song by Laura Story is not new, but I wanted to share it because it fits in with my series this month. If you've never heard Blessings, then you're in for a treat. If you do know it, maybe you've never heard the background behind the song.

I found a clip of Laura sharing the background behind the story, in addition to her singing the song, so I posted that here for you.

If you just want to listen just to the song, click on the second video.

May you be reminded today that God is the giver of all things, and they are all used for His good purpose in our lives.

This is Day 12 of: Made to Pour, living a life of Blessing