I'm a messy tree

I'm finding out lately that my roots are all over the place.  I'm a messy tree.  Have you heard these phrases: "Where are your roots?", "I don't want to grow my roots here."  God has been teaching me what my roots are plugged into.

They say that you can see what your idols are by looking at where you spend your time, thoughts, and money. I'm learning that my roots are often plugged into my idols rather than Truth.   What are your roots plugged into?  I've been catching myself saying, "I don't want to grow my roots here in Quakertown, or in PA, or in the USA! (insert adult temper tantrum picture here).  I want to grow my roots in Madagascar!"

So this week I've been looking at my roots and what they are plugged into, from the little to the large. Any time I find myself irritated because my expectations aren't met  I find a root planted in an earthly THING, whether it be time, money,
ice cream (ever get irritated when you can't have the thing to eat that you've been looking forward to all day or is it just me?).

My roots need to be planted in Truth, a firm foundation that will never die.  The only thing that will never fade away my friends is the WORD of God.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

1 Peter 1:24-25a  For, all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass.  The grass withers, and the flower falls off,  but the WORD of the Lord endures forever.'"

Matthew 24:35  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my WORD will never pass away.

And so it is that Jesus is teaching me another hard lesson.  My roots,  ALL OF THEM, from the largest to the smallest NEED to be planted IN Christ, NOT a thing, not a place, not a dream, for ALL those things will wither away and perish.

Colossians 2:6  So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives IN him, ROOTED and built up IN him, strengthened IN the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 "But blessed is the one who trusts IN the LORD, whose confidence is IN him.  He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its ROOTS by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit".

And so I was challenged by the Lord to take note of what my roots were plugged INto.  Yes, I do have roots plugged into God, but He is showing me that not ALL my roots are plugged IN Him.  Roots can wander when they are thirsty.....I need to plant them IN the Living water and not things that will fade away.

So, I challenge you today....make a list (for some reason I find this more compelling.   When you actually SEE  all the things your roots are planted in it's very humbling).  Maybe for you it's your favorite hobby (exercising, knitting, hunting, music), maybe it's your work, for some it might be their relationships (children, spouse/wanting a spouse, friends), maybe it's an addiction, maybe it's your "rights".   My list (though not complete for it would take up a LOT of space) is below, starting at the smallest going to the largest.....for even small roots grow large eventually, so they also need to be plucked and redirected back INto The Word so they get their thirst met by "LIVING WATER".  Let's start the process now.  Help us Jesus.

Hebrews 1:1-2a Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race  marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

1.   Turkey Hill mint chocolate chip ice cream
2.   alone time
3.   getting my expectations met (do it my way, do it now)
4.   friend time with no children
5.   dates with my husband
6.   Madagascar

Dealing with the obnoxious soccer mom

OH my word.  So I was at one of my boys soccer games the other week (randy and i take turns going since it's uth group night and we need to be at both places at once) and there was a totally obnoxious soccer mom there.  Now, for those of you who don't like reading negativity about others please keep reading......it's not what you think.

This woman was the epitome of "soccer moms".  You know the kind, tall, bleach blonde hair from a bottle, and oh yeah, NOT ONLY was she a soccer mom, she was a GOALIE soccer mom..... the kind who has the kid with the cool soccer gloves, mohawked hair.......  She was yelling all game long (thankfully it was all positive)  even jumping up and down when they were close to the goal.  It was so bad that I was embarrassed for her.  I actually took a picture to show you how bad it was.

Yup.....it was me.  I SWORE I would NEVER be a soccer mom.  And here I am.  Mini van, two boys with mohawks, one with goalie gloves, soccer chair, bleach hair (ok, well THAT changes like every few months to a new color!), loud voice.....UGGGGGG!  sigh, well, at least I'm not yelling obscenities just words of encouragement! Oh what we become for the love of our children!

Morning .... already? Getting out of bed

Getting out of bed is the hardest part of the day for me.  I lay there and dread the fact that I know I will let God down, I will let my husband down, I will let my children down, I will let my friends down, I will let down myself.  I will fail.  Sounds depressing right?  No wonder I have a hard time getting out of bed!

How can any body want  to be with me?  I can’t even stand to be with myself some times.  How could Jesus want to die for me in order to be with me?  ME. 

It’s hard to understand why God has allowed me to deal with depression, OCD, anxiety.  Why would He want me to suffer this way.  How can this,  this, be good for me, come from a “Good God”?  

I’ve been struggling with this, and I know I’m not the only one, as one of my friends said the same thing to me the other day.  In my heart of hearts I know/believe that God is good and therefore, that all He does is good.  I just don’t understand how.  How can He use me when I’m feeling like this?

Do you hear the focus of my first few paragraphs?  I’ve made it all about me and my feelings.  God can and will use me for His glory.  He also tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that “His plans are to prosper us, not to harm us.  To give us a hope and a future.”  Do I trust that?  Even when I can’t seem to get myself out of bed?

God gave me a new picture a few months ago about me and my feelings.  I am a bus.  The bus needs a driver.  I need to let that driver be God.  I need to be in the second seat, right behind Him, so I can hear Him as He guides me, teaches me.  But what I’m finding out is that  all to often it’s my feelings that are driving my bus.  Now, feelings are very real, but they are not truth.  Only God is truth and that is why He needs to drive my bus.  So, every morning I finally remember this and I tell my feelings to “get to the back of the bus.  God’s driving today”.  Then, I force myself out of bed, pray as I walk through the house for God’s strength, God’s focus, God’s joy and I chose to move forward in victory, whether I feel victorious or not.

OH MY WORD!!!  I just finished writing this and went on Face book.  Here is what I watched!  You’ve GOT to watch this!  It’s exactly what I was just writing about!  HA!  I love it when God does that!  Here's the link.

Scott Hamilton "I'm second"

Our pastor just preached about goodness as an attribute of God this past Sunday.  Please listen to it.  It spoke so deeply to my heart and I pray that it will speak just as deeply to yours.  
Pastor Jeff's sermon