Moutain Top Whispers

“ I have had enough, Lord, take my life!”  Have you ever felt like this?  If so, you’re not alone.  In 1 Kings 19, the prophet Elijah was at the end of himself, fearful, exhausted and hopeless.  He prayed, “Take my life, I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay under a tree and fell asleep.   I can’t help but laugh because I’ve been in this place quite a few times myself.  Physical, emotional and spiritual exhaustion led me to believe that the best option for me at the time was for God to somehow take me to heaven immediately.

            We’ve all been in places in our lives where death seemed the best option.  Life can beat down on us, tempting us to give up.  This is one of Satan’s oldest tricks in the book.  If he can get us to fear, grow weary and tired--he's won! When we take life on alone, this is the result.  Elijah faced the same problem. He was afraid and exhausted and ran for his life or shall I say from his life.   How many times have you wanted to run from your circumstances and give up? For some of us—too many! Needless to say, God knows your limitations and doesn’t grow angry when you cry out in desperation for Him.  In fact, He loves coming to the rescue.  God met Elijah’s desperate cry that day, but not in the way of death, but rather with restoration and refreshment, sustaining him for the next leg of the trip.  I can only imagine that Elijah might have been disappointed to have to keep going, but God had a plan and it wasn’t all about Elijah.

            God sent an angel to Elijah; “Get up and eat for the journey is too much for you” (verse 7). God recognized that Elijah couldn’t do it without his help and he would need to be refreshed, renewed and re-focused.  Elijah recognized that he had been zealous in his ways by taking on his problems alone, but God  revealed to Elijah on a mountain His great power.  “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”  The words pass by in Hebrew means to extend, cross over, pass through, let pass over, or send over.  Elijah heard the whisper of God and became strengthened again. Instead of giving up, Elijah received God's grace and peace to keep him going.
                  Do you need a mountain top whisper today? If so, be reminded that greater is He that is in you than he that is in this world.  You can overcome today when you give up all your circumstances to God.  He will help give you strength for the journey ahead.... Happy Monday!:)

Forgive Me?

I have to apologize to everyone. This has been an awful week for me. I haven't been sleeping well--partially because of my kids and partially because of some weird restlessness. Now I'm struggling with exhaustion and the beginnings of a sinus infection. I don't have the presence of mind to come up with a post today. However, so not to be remiss, I thought I'd leave you with some beautiful pictures of my family! A way to get to know "me" a little better.

The kids and I goofing off at the hotel.



I took this just the other day when all 3 kids were playing nicely together. I had to explain that Connor could not be a princess.



Daddy and Alana on Alana's birthday.



The kids watching Daddy clean off the porch.

Peace in PJs

Our lives are hectics. If you've been over to my blog, Faith, Hope, and Suspense, you know we've been discussing schedules and creating peace that way. However, as the title suggests, I'm not here to talk about schedules. In fact, quite the opposite.

Sometimes, there's peace in PJs. That's right. Every now and then we need a PJ day--like I did this morning. I haven't been sleeping well, and last night my son filled his diaper and it soaked his outfit, the bed, and his blanket. After being changed he refused to go back to sleep until we finally gave him a bottle. Total time up? A little over an hour.

I woke up this morning to Mother Nature's visit, and felt awful. Tired, crampy, cranky...and I just wasn't having it. So, I declared today a PJ day. That's right. It's one in the afternoon here, and I'm still wearing my PJs! I spent the morning watching TV and reading books with the kids. I'm closing my eyes to the laundry and the dishes, and instead opening my arms for extra snuggles under the blanket on the couch. Here in a bit, we're putting in a movie and hunkering down with some popcorn.

While I don't have any Bible verses to back up this call for rest, I will say this. I have had health issues pretty much since the day I was born, and one thing that I learned long ago is that I am useless to God or anyone else if I am not ready to go. I can't be ready to go if my health is lacking. If I'm overly tired or stressed, I can't adequately do my job.

So, every now and then, I believe it's okay to have a "sick day" before you actually get sick. Rest and refreshment is sometimes needed on days other than Sunday, agreed?

Of course, you can also go the opposite direction. Don't think that I'm saying that for every day you don't feel like getting up and going to work, you should declare a PJ day. If that was so, we'd be living in our PJs more often than not!

A couple of tips and tricks for PJ days:

1. Know your limits! If you're reaching your breaking point, either because of lack of rest or too much stress, cut back. If you need a day to catch up, take it.

2. Don't go overboard. Honestly, if you lay around all day and do absolutely nothing, you'll likely feel worse than you did before. Instead, use the day to take it slow. Instead of rushing to be dressed to the nines before nine...stay in your PJs. But still take a minute to brush your teeth. :) In the same strand of thinking, let the dishes go for today, but also, use paper plates and plastic silverware (if you have them) to avoid creating more of a mess than necessary.

3. Take advantage of the day off to focus on things you don't normally have time for. Like I mentioned earlier, the kids and I have enjoyed extra time together today with sweet treats and snuggles. We sang songs, told stories, and indulged in some extra TV shows. When the kids go down from rest time, I plan to take a nap as well! Maybe I'll read a little too. I don't get to do that as much as I'd like these days.

Sweet, simple, and enjoyable--that's what PJ days are in this house. They help to restore the soul and give me the extra energy I need at this moment. There are some months where I have a PJ day almost every week, there are some months where I don't have any. I just have to know my limits to get the most out of PJ day.

Do you have PJ days? What do you use them for?

Keeping Perspective

We've all had someone tell us, "It could be worse." When we're feeling down and out, that's the last thing that we want to hear. We want our pain to be important enough to acknowledge. We want time to sit and stew and vent, or whatever else we need. The sad truth is, most of the time--it could be worse.

This past weekend, a writing friend of mine had to give her daughter into God's hands. Her daughter is only 9 months old and she had a heart transplant Saturday night. Praise the Lord that she is doing fine. You can check out her journey at One Woman's Dream.

I have another friend whose daughter has been really ill for the past 2-3 weeks. She's only three. The doctor's don't know what's wrong, and my friend has to watch her daughter be poked and prodded, knowing there isn't anything she can do for her.

I have yet another friend who, like me, just moved to Hawaii. Only, she has a 4-yr-old daughter and is pregnant. Her husband deployed overseas this weekend.

These are just a few people I can look out on and know that, yeah, my life could be so much worse.

We live narrrow-viewed lives. Our perspective is skewed because we focus on ourselves. Little things, like running late or a child making a mess, can essentially ruin our mood, or even our day. We let petty things get under our skin and take away our peace.

Life is so much more than the everyday nuances. We need to remember to thank God for each little blessing, big or small. And we need to remember to thank Him for the bad as well because, well, it could be worse. We could not have Him at all.

Familiar Peace

Facebook has literally changed the way we communicate with people.  Long gone are the days of sending cards, letters and e-mails .  It is a fabulous resource for staying connected, especially for me –the military wife-- I appreciate it!  Saying goodbye is a way of life for me, and it doesn’t matter how many times I have to do it—it never gets any easier!  However,  Facebook has  helped close the gap, and I continue to enjoy  old friends I’ve met along the way. 

                While on Facebook a week ago, I found out that one of my old acquaintances  is moving to Leavenworth.  My heart rejoiced knowing that I would see her bright and smiling face again.  She is a joy to be around ,and I looked forward to reconnecting again.  What is it about knowing someone and them knowing you that brings  peace and joy?

                Some how  it reminds me of my Heavenly Father- my friend.  Psalm 139:3 says, “You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.”   I love that God knows me and is familiar with me daily: the good, the bad and even the ugly.   How is  it possible that He wants to remain knowing and loving me?  At times, familiarity can bring a form of peace, but God is  perfect peace that lasts!   We have a relationship that stays connected, even when I move. I don't have to find  Him on Facebook to reconnect.  Yet , I can call upon Him anytime, and that familiar love is rekindled instantly. I can move across the nation and it doesn’t change my relationship with Him--whatsoever!   He is a constant, familiar  friend whose love never fails or changes! I am grateful He is one friend I will never have to say farewell to.  

Today, in what ways do you  need to reconnect with God ?  Allow yourself to re-familiarize yourself with His love, grace and peace.  The great thing about God is that you don’t have to log onto a computer to see His latest status or reconnect. His status  remains the same, “I love you and will always be your friend!” 

  

Ch-ch-changes

Anytime you endeavor to begin a new project, inevitably your plans change. You think you’re on the right track, but come to the realization that you swerved just a little too much in the opposite direction. It happens to all of us more often than we care to admit. Whether its biting off more that we can chew when it comes to our schedules or starting a new Bible study that isn’t quite for us.

So, what do you do when it becomes obvious that change is needed?

CHANGE IT.

Life is action, people! Constant, fluid movement. Time marches on and there isn’t enough of it to be hurrying to be what you thought you were supposed to be.

It seems a bit ironic to be talking about this in the middle of our “peace” theme this month. Because change that is needed can get under your skin and fester causing nothing but unrest and undue torture.

After lots of thought and some discussion, Kimchi and I have decided to make some changes to how we post around here. I don’t have any details yet, but we do know that we want to come out with a message to encourage, empower, and extend our knowledge and advice to our readers. Lots of exciting things are just around the bend.

We hope to unveil the new EEE on or about the beginning of May. Eek!

It’s the right time of year for change too. Spring. The beginning of something new. What changes are you making this month?

And, hey, have you checked out our personal blogs? If not, stop on by and see what's going on in our lives and learn more about us!

Kimchi: Fab Life-Army Wife

Ralene: Faith, Hope, and Suspense

Hawaii or Bust!

The secret to finding peace is to bring your life into line with the will of God.

Sound too simple? It is and it isn’t. Let’s look at the definition of peace. Okay, technically there are about 10 other definitions of peace out there, but for the purpose of this blog post, this is the one we’re looking at.

Peace: noun -- freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession, etc.; tranquillity; serenity

Now, doesn’t that just sound nice? I picture myself sitting in the middle of a secluded meadow—white daisies dancing in the wind. The sweet smell of sunshine wafting in on the breeze as white puffy clouds slide across the sky. Yeah—my peace can look pretty hokey.

Back in September 2010, I was far from at peace. One night, out of the blue, my husband calls (he was on TDY) to let me know that we’re moving. To Hawaii. At the end of the year.

Now, as people heard about this, I started hearing all the “Wow! You’re lucky!” and “What are you going to do with all that sunshine?” and “Aren’t you excited?”

Excited? Are you kidding me? I’m going to move to a tiny island a few thousand miles away, cut off from my family and friends. I was going to be several hours behind everyone, so it wasn’t even like I could just jump on the phone to chat whenever I wanted. I had goals. I had plans. And with this change, they weren’t likely to happen. What about church? I was finally getting involved. I’d just made friends with a wonderful group of like-minded women and I was LEAVING?

I fretted and fretted, and then fretted some more. My husband knew I was upset and told me that if I didn’t want to go, then he could try to apply for an extension of his current station. I just didn’t know what I wanted to do.

I began to look up everything I could find about the military and Hawaii. I worried and stressed and put off everything else I had planned. Later that night, I was obsessing while researching on the computer (THERE’S NO SONIC! Or Olive Garden, or Kohl’s), when something inside gave me a little nudge. I still hadn’t done my Bible study for the evening. I ignored it, pushing it aside in favor of more reasons to hate Hawaii.

A small voice continued to push me. I needed to do my Bible study. Finally, I gave in. I turned off the computer, pulled out my Bible and the study, and sat down on the couch. With a group of women from PWOC, I was working my way through a study on knowing the will of God. Thus far, it had been quite interesting, but I hadn’t exactly had any epiphanies.

That was about to change.

Off the top of my head, I can’t remember the exact subject of the study that day, but I do remember the Bible story associated with it. The majority of Genesis 22 is the story of God telling Abraham to sacrifice his son to Him. Abraham takes Issac up on a mountain with full intention of following through, but then God provides him with a ram instead.

I don’t know exactly why, but that story hit close to home. I felt that the Holy Spirit was telling me—this is God’s plan. I had to give up all that stuff that I wanted, that I worried about, and give it over to God. I had to follow His plan, and in turn, He would show me great things. If I was willing to make the sacrifice, God would provide.

I bowed my head and prayed. Immediately, a sense of peace washed over me. I was going to Hawaii. More than that, I was EXCITED to go to Hawaii. Gone was the worry, the anxiety…the obsession. In its place was a peace that only God could provide.

“…and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

Can you name a time that you started out anxious and then felt that supernatural peace?

A Supernatural Peace

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

This morning was an unusual morning for me. Usually, the kids have the household bustling by 6:30—but the girls slept in this morning. I had time to wake up, to slowly start my day. Add in some prayer time and I am at peace this morning.

I looked around at my somewhat messy house and decided it was all okay. It would get done. I smiled at the kids vying for my attention and spent some much needed time with them. I nestled on the couch with the family and read a book while they watched cartoons. Life is good. My mind is at peace.

Last night, though, I spent time talking with a new friend of mine. Her precious daughter has been in the hospital for almost two days now. She has a high temperature, dehydration, and a rapid heart rate. The doctors believe it is some sort of infection, but they can’t find it. Amidst the terror and the waiting, my friend appeared to be keeping it all together, remaining optimistic—and I was in awe.

Now, I’m sure she’s had her share of tears over the last 36 hours. I’m sure she’s worried and wishes God would just touch her daughter with His healing hands. But she still has a sense of peace around her. She trusts God. She knows that her friends and family are praying for her little girl. In the middle of the storm, she trusts that God will calm the waves. And in return, God gives her the sense of peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7).

Peace comes in different forms for different people at different times. Notice the word “different”? This month on EEE, we’ll be exploring peace and how it applies to our everyday lives and our relationships. We’ll be sharing stories of peace, or lack thereof, as well as practical advice and Biblical principles.

When you think of peace, what comes to mind?