Old Fish and Law Stink--Grace is Refreshing!

Saturdays for me are usually spent cleaning, relaxing with the family and getting caught up on things that I didn’t get accomplished during the week.  One thing I love about Saturdays is that it also gives me a little extra time to linger over God’s truth because I don’t have homeschooling to deal with and Craig is at home to help me with the kids.  So, usually I take a cup of coffee and hide( yes, hide) in the office for awhile—secretly hoping the family won’t miss me.

Today, while on my little sabbatical I came across some exciting encouragement and I’m hoping it will speak to you as much as it did me.  In fact, the more I pondered it’s depth of richness, I had to get on here to share it with you.  If you haven’t figured it out  by now—I’m a communicator.  I’m a giver by nature and want to share all that God gives me.   It can be a de-fault but my intentions are not to drive you loony like I do most of my family and friends but to encourage you along your journey with Jesus.  

Recently, my eyes have been opened up to law and grace constantly being at work in the scriptures.  Duh, you might think, but honestly I guess I had never really taken a look at it in such detail of how much law is really at work in the Kingdom of God even today.  The more I read through God’s word the more I see law and grace battling head to toe with one another.  The good news is that Jesus fulfilled the law and we are not required to live under the law but under grace!  Can I get an, Amen! Truth will set you free, this is what this blog is about today!

In Mark 6: 30- 44, we see Jesus performing one of His greatest miracles with the feeding of the five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish. Who doesn’t love this story? I mean c’mon—it’s awesome!   I’ve read this scripture a dozen times over but have never seen it the way I did today.  This is why I love God’s word because it is active and living and speaks to me differently each season of my life!  Today, the whole law and grace thing came up again and I was amazed with what God was showing me.  Let me try and explain.  Bare with me, I’m not a woman of few words….-lol.  Basically, in this passage the law is speaking to us by telling us in verses 35, 36 and in 37.  What do I mean by this?  The disciples are giving out explanations, excuses and boundary lines to why they can’t feed these massive crowds.  This points to the law which says, “You can only do this because…” The law brings condemnation, saying you're not enough. Basically, the law wants us to feel confined, controlled and limited to our abilities in this world.  It steals all hope and joy from us. Law makes you shrink back and feel defeated. The law is out to kill us spiritually! It kills the anointing of God! It robs of us are freedom and paralyzes our gifts that God gave us to minister freely.

  However, grace speaks to the law and actually supersedes it, saying just the opposite—you DO have the power to overcome your own limitations--through Jesus! It speaks life and hope to us!  It encourages us in power and in truth. It frees us and positions us for the impossible-hello! Can I get an amen!   In this particular passage of scripture the grace being given is by Jesus when He says in verse 37, “You give them something to eat.” In other words, He is saying to them, “ I don’t care what the natural is presenting to you, I have the ability to supply you with grace and hope for much more than you could ever imagine!”

  I simply LOVE that about Jesus!!  He has them count their loaves and tries to have them reconsider their position.  In other words, take hold of their rightful positions by faith! Still,  they respond in verse 38, “ Five –two fish.”  Their weak answer says- it’s impossible, Jesus- this is all we  have!  However,  Jesus with  His grace and compassion kicks  in and immediately has them step by step act in faith showing them the way to His grace and provision. He points them past their law mindset and shows them grace in abundance and He multiplies their lack of supply with His supply of grace!

                Why am I excited about this? For many reasons.  First of all this passage points to God’s character of Provider! Secondly, it points to God’s character of compassion!  Thirdly, it points to God’s power and the grace that comes with that.  People, here me on this—we need to learn to tap into God’s grace that is available to us daily!!  Don’t look at your mere 5 loves and 2 fish, but look past what the law, world and your circumstances are telling you and tap into the grace provided to you by Jesus!

Just as Jesus told the disciples  that they  did have the ability to feed them—I’m reminding you today  and asking you to reconsider your position in Christ!   You too have what you need to overcome your limitations and circumstances!! Take hold of the grace in your life and put the law to death! Don’t look at the law or your circumstances and what Satan is telling you is impossible!! Instead-- choose grace and believe it is there for the taking! When you do, —you can tap into the miracles of God , too!   Am I the only one excited about this good news of grace and hope of Jesus Christ?  Law was put to death, Jesus overcame all natural law of death and was resurrected on the cross! You, too, have that same power residing in you today if you are a believer  but you have to rest on grace and choose grace not law.   For His grace is more than sufficient for you, for when you are weak He is strong!! How can you do this, apply the truth to your mindset and circumstances-believe the provision is there and wait for God to minister the grace to you daily.

What miracle do you need Jesus to perform today?  Do you only have five loves of bread and two fish staring back at you saying that you can’t do this?   No matter what your supply is or lack there-of—God can perform a miracle in you and provide all you need so that you too can feed five thousand in His name, meaning feed people with His truths and hope for something better.  Put to rest the law that condemns you and tells you there is no hope and you can only go this far in life.  Jesus came so that you can have life-ABUNDANTLY!    Open up your eyes and see grace at work—IT’S THE HIGHEST LAW out there!!  Walk in grace--it's the only way to do overcome all that God needs you to do for the Kingdom.  Read  God's truth and increase your faith. The result is  you too will have more supply then you ever hoped for but spiritually and physically.

Martha , Bridezilla or Mary

Life is busy! There is no getting around it at times.  To-do lists keep growing longer each day. If you're like me, I'm sure you ask yourself, "When will it all get done? "  Today, while reading the scriptures, I came across the infamous Martha in Luke 10:41," Martha, Martha, you are WORRIED and UPSET about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken from her." replied Jesus. Hmmmm, what is that one thing Mary chooses and why is  it better?

Martha was in the business of doing.  She was a bridezilla!  Her mind was set on doing, but not on being.  What do I mean by that? Simply BE STILL( stop striving).  It's so easy to fall into this trap because life does call us to do many admirable things like be a busy mother, or do well at your job or serve in the Kingdom of God, but we must be willing to first BE STILL before God if we want our "doing" to be worth anything.  Without God's love filling us we are useless and become meaningless in our efforts.  This is exactly what Jesus is saying to Martha, only ONE thing is needed and that is time with me.

How many times do you start your day without your fill of  Wheaties-Jesus? Time never seems to be on our side when we have kids at our feet, husbands beckoning us, and laundry piling up.  However, we have the power to choose.  Interesting that Jesus uses a form of this very word in this passage, "chosen".

  Today is Friday.  Naturally, most people look to Friday as an approach to a restful weekend ahead.  However, when we can choose to  have a "Friday" mentality  everyday.   Jesus told Martha that Mary had CHOSEN what is better. Again, there was a choice being presented to her, to do or to be? Reminds me of the passage that says, "I set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, CHOOSE life so that you and your descendants shall live" Again, choose life, which means choose to take time to be with Jesus like Mary did and nothing will be taken from you this day.

  Will you  choose what is better today and spend some much needed time away from your doing today to be with God? Without the filling up of God's love you are like a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal( 1 Corinthians 13: 1).  Don't be a bridezilla or a Martha today.  Choose to love on God today and your life will not be taken from you as Jesus stated to Martha.  Instead, LIFE will be given to you!

Have a great weekend! See you Monday:D!

Homeschool Mom Learns, Too And Perfectionism gets an F!

Homeschool has significantly more benefits than just educating your child.  In fact, I think I'm the one personally benefiting from the experience the most. Who knew?  God always has a way of humbling this foolish mother of four-the Lord knows, I need it!

  As  I graded my son's daily work today, I noticed small improvements.  My heart sung as I praised God for seeing some fruit of my labor begin to pay off-finally! I could almost hear the angels sing with me.  Although, the answers were not all correct, I noticed a great effort being put forth by him. This alone made me beam with joy.  It felt like a long time in waiting!

  So, as any stressed -craved  homeschool mom would do, I took my moment of victory in awhile  as I drank my coffee and celebrated by  shoving  down my second  piece of dark chocolate with delight--life was good! Maybe I wasn't such a bad teacher after all.

  Then, God began to speak to me.  He made me realize that I needed to celebrate the small victories more  often ( I wonder if that means more chocolate, too?).  He went on to say  that there were a ton more of those moments available to me if I looked for them.   Huh--what did HE mean?  He was telling me to change my perspective.  What? Who me, Lord?-lol!!
You see, I'm a perfectionist-guilty as charged!  Unfortunately, perfectionism is not something that rids itself over night. It's kinda like that fat bulge around my waisteline--it likes to stick to me like glue! But God has been faithful over the years to deliver me from this maddening state little by little.  In fact, it makes me wonder where I ever picked it up from to begin with.   Today, God impressed something on me that I guess at my old ripe age of 40(which btw is the new 21...just saying!) that I'm just now getting.  It's not about the end result, it's about the process that matters most--duh!! This is where the true victory lays!

  You see today, Justin did not do his work without mistakes, but rather I saw a significant improvement in his efforts and this is what I was thrilled with the mostt.  His own attitude towards working out his weaknesses were being improved.  I was able to celebrate that alone and before today, I had failed to.

   In times past, all that mattered the most to me was the right answers. I was so fixated on that, that I failed to see so much more.  I was missing the point to homeschooling altogether or maybe  even life for that matter.  How sad, huh? I know what some of you may be thinking, "Get a life already, Kimchi, what's the big deal here?"   Had I just grown up all of s sudden in this one moment and become  "mommy" mature without realizing it? No, I doubt it. Maybe it was that second piece of dark chocolate that did it for me!-lol... This was huge for me as God continues to set me free from my wrong thinking . Am I like this all the time? No, but more times than I would like to admit:(  What's worse is that I think I preach  on this very thing all the time.  However, you know how that goes, sometimes you are the one eating your own words in the end.  Makes me cringe now just thinking about how I'm always trying to tell people how  the servant,Joshua, of the bible  did not conquer the promise land in one day but rather one victory at a time and that true possession is a daily thing- blah, blah, blah...Anyways, had I become a bridezilla?  Yes,  I was looking at the wrong things and not on God's abounding  grace and love.  Forgive me, Lord! God's grace is sufficient and homeschooling all of a sudden feels like a freer world. Thank you, Lord for the reminder today!!

  So, in the end, homeschool is not just about the child receiving the education, but rather everyone involved being processed with God's love and mercies daily.   It's not about the grades, but rather the relationships being formed and the life lessons being given out daily.   I don't have to look for perfection anymore or even  demand it,  much less talk about it.  Instead, I can enjoy the process, celebrate the small victories and look forward to the bigger ones ahead because God is in the process!!!   You must be willing to be processed.   I think I just received an A for hearing God on this lesson.  Maybe I'll celebrate with another one of those magic chocolates-lol! Or better yet,  I will just go give my son a hug and tell him what a great job he did and that his old mom just passed a pop quiz on grace!  Be encouraged homeschool moms, God's got this...

  Are you suffering from wrong thinking today?  Do you need to slow down and embrace the process of your own life? Does your perspective need to be shifted towards God's view on things? If so, no worries because God is in the business of processing you through without delaying your victories. You can trust Him right now because He sees your end from your beginning and He isn't in the business of handing out F's only A's on His grade book.  As one friend wrote today, "You are not defined by your parenting mistakes, only by God's truth!" So, be set free today and go get that A!

The Make-Over Bride...( 12 Charateristics To Obtaining Spiritual Beauty As Christ's Bride) --Week One

Who doesn't love looking at a beautiful bride?  There is something about the radiance she carries and the excitement in her heart that illuminates her every being. She spends possibly weeks, months and even years getting ready for her big day.  Every last detail has to be perfect and put into place because she wants her appearance before her groom to be absolutely  spotless and without blemish! Do you remember when you were once a bride-to- be?
As Christians, we are known to be the Bride of Christ, too(Ephesians 1:4).  For some of us, we really don't understand the spiritual significance behind this huge role we have as Christ's bride.  This past year or so, God has been burning in my heart a message about His bride.  He's been revealing to me that there are three different kinds of brides: a run-away bride, a bridezilla and then His true bride. The names speak for themselves, I think.  The run-away bride is the girl who doesn't understand her true calling. She lacks the faith to step completely into fulfilling her rightful position in the Body of Christ due to fear or a past that simply won't let her go.  The Bridezilla is the girl whose focus has been lost on life and things that simply don't matter.  Her groom( Christ) is no longer her first love.  Instead, she is caught up in the busyness of life.  She is so focused on herself that she begins to lose sight of why she fell in love in the first place. These things are  causing her to become wrinkled and blemished in many areas.  Sadly, she loses her innocent beauty and the romance for her groom fades away.  Lastly, there is the TRUE bride, the one who is sold out for her groom!  She is the one who takes the time to be with Him daily and dedicate her thoughts, her actions and surrenders her whole life to soley Him--no matter what He asks of her! She's the one that has been tested to be true.

Which one are you today?  Can you see yourself in possibly all three?  For me, I've been all three in seasons passed, but my desire is to be the True Bride consistently.  In the weeks ahead, I want to take this blog and invite you to a spiritual Bridal makeover just for you!  You will have the opportunity to wrap yourself with love and allow God's Word to remove some of that access pride you might have from years over-stuffing yourself with the world's lies and view points. Those things begin to clog your pores and cause pre-mature wrinkles.   Hopefully, you will immerse yourself into some soothing encouragement that will help heal some of those dry and scaly thoughts that keep you from being refreshed daily.  Lastly, I pray that you will emerge the radiant, gorgeous bride that God has called you to be.  It's really simple! No, you won't have to apply 8 different beauty creams for one problem area! Literally, one small dose of God's love and truth daily will transform you from the inside out! Over time you will begin to see yourself  emerging more timeless and  radiant than you ever imagined.  Get rid of all those old beauty products that the world told you would work and instead make a beauty appointment with the Holy Spirit today -via--my blog....


  Let's simply begin with the first step to your Bridal-Make Over right now. We'll call it your Bridal Make -Over- beauty consultation.   Answer the following questions honestly:

 1) What kind of spiritual blemishes and wrinkles might appear daily to keep you from radiating Christ's true beauty as His bride? ( Anger, complaining, unforgiveness, pride,disobedience, lack of faith, laziness, vision, etc.)
  2) What spiritual beauty routine do you usually use to help rid yourself of these things? How often do you  use it?
3)Figure out which one of the three brides you tend to be on a daily basis?

       Next week, Monday, we will meet back here and begin to  apply God's  special  beauty treatment designed just for you.  I will leave you with a sample beauty product now for you to take home and begin to use.   Hopefully the fragrance of this product will leave such a sweet and lasting aroma around you that you will continue to apply it daily to your regimen.  It is called, Truth Serum- John 15:16, "You did not choose ME, but I chose you and appointed you that you would go and bear much fruit."  When this serum is applied to your emotional and spiritual blemishes, you will begin to see a new emerging beauty begin to shine through. You will no longer doubt if you're loved, or feel rejected.  All that worrying and doubting has caused wrinkles and blemishes that God wants removed so your True beauty can shine forth.   Any bride spiritual in nature or not wants to feel and look her best, but without taking care of herself and giving herself the proper rest and  spiritual nutrients needed for her mind, body and spirit will lack in being all that God has called her to be.


Rest easy this week. Keep applying John 15:16 to your daily regimen and know that you are a bride being called by her groom to celebrate with HIM for all eternity....

See you next week and we will discuss your next Bridal Make-Over Regimen....:D

Greek Turkey Meatballs

 Food is one of my passions, but I've been trying to find a better relationship with it.  Healthy, nutritious and delicious are musts when I'm looking to satisfy my desire to eat.  I hope this recipe will be one you can add to your collection.  It would be perfect for Super Bowl Sunday! Enjoy....

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 4 meatballs • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 254.7 • Fat: 11.2 g • Protein: 26.8 g • Carb: 13.4 g • Fiber: 3.7 g    


Ingredients:

• 1.25 lbs 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 cup zucchini, grated and liquid squeezed out
• 2 sliced whole wheat bread (I used Weight Watchers)
• 1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 2-3 cloves garlic, grated
• 1/4 red onion, grated
• 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped (less if using dry)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh spearmint, chopped
• kosher salt and fresh pepper
• about 1 tsp worth of olive oil cooking spray (I use my Misto)

Directions:
Wet bread with water, squeezing excess out. Tear into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Combine with turkey, egg, zucchini, breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, mint, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper.


Using a 1/4 cup measure, form each meatball 1/4 cup in size. For best results, refrigerate before cooking to help hold their shape.  

In a pan: spray olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan and cook over low heat.  

On the grill: clean grill well before cooking and spray grate with oil. Cook on low until cooked through. Makes about 17 meatballs.

No Place Like Home? by Kimchi Blow

Well, it's been awhile since I've blogged! I had a short season of rest and now I feel God calling me back to encouraging you weekly  with some love again.  Recently, I've watched many of my friends begin to transition to new places.  In about 4 months, my family will be following along.  Deep Sigh...

Having to move all the time in the military can be daunting at times.  It can be stressful emotionally and physically.  It is especially hard for our young children or even for us when we have found great friends whom we love and don’t want to leave.  Sometimes, it is a sacrifice to give that all up when the next set of orders are staring back at us and telling us - Go!

            This morning in my family’s devotion time, we read from Matthew 8:18, “Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”  I stopped and pondered that for a moment and realized how true that was.  Jesus had the perspective that His true home was not in any physical dwelling but rather a spiritual one where he could rest daily.  He knew His mission in life was to travel to wherever His Father sent Him sharing the gift of salvation.  He kept things in perspective and knew that His places of rest were just a temporary physical ones and that one day His greater home would be with His Father in Heaven for eternity.

            So, I pray the next time you get frustrated or impatient with where this military sends you, my hope is that you will consider that even Jesus at times had no permanent place to rest His head.  He trusted God with the places He went and knew that God would continue to provide all He needed until He was home for good! Jesus had a Kingdom perspective.  Life is not always just about us but rather about how God chooses to use our circumstances to advance the Kingdom.  It’s ALWAYS about the Kingdom, people! So, take your eyes and minds off yourself and embrace how God is using you and where He is using you!  Allow God to build your home with Him in His presence daily and find your rest always trusting in Him as you sacrifice your life in the military. The good news is that I don't think we will have to deal with all those annoying moving stickers when we get to heaven!:D