It’s All About Me

  

  Honest question…When I do what I do-Why do I do what I do?   Really, have you EVER spent a day asking yourself that simple question?  I think the Lord is fine tuning me once again which is good because finding contentment here on Earth is not something to strive for and the truth is I NEVER will find it here. I am feeling challenged to take note of my motives during each day.

  Time?  It really is something you can’t buy.  Not even Donald Trump has enough money to buy more time.  So the question I ask myself is, do I utilize my time to fulfill HIS bigger picture?  Am I showing my family, my friends and strangers around me the real Christ?  The one who washes dirty nasty feet, mingles with the lost, comforts the sick, encourages those in need, finds joy in all things, makes time to serve others including family members.  The key question is- do the things I do point back to me- or the Lord?  Leading to my next question, what are MY motives? 

  In the daily grind do I add building blocks into others lives or am I chipping away at what they have already built?  When I lay my head to rest at night do I hear,  “Good Job well and faithful servant!”  Or am I still trying to figure out how many people saw my latest FB post and liked it.  I fall into both categories!  I am far from perfect, some day’s listening well to the whispers from above and others falling prey to worldly commotion.  What are MY motives to the following questions:  Why am I speeding? Why am I checking my phone…again?  Why did I text and drive?  Why did I join a new Bible study?  Why did I drop a meal off to a friend?  Why am I short with my answers to the ones I love?  I am human, the answer to many of those questions are because I am impatient, selfish and seek praise from others BUT the answer to some are to honor Jesus and to serve with no recognition in return.  This is not a topic I want to be balanced in; I want the scale to be completely weighted in God’s favor.  In John 3:30 it says, “He must become greater, I must become less.”  The smaller I become the BIGGER He becomes, my motivation in ALL things becomes much less about ME but about GOD. 

 To be a bit transparent I can be selfish (Surprise-Surprise!) which by the dictionary’s terms is being concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure. Although, my achievements might look like success, they are certainly different tasks I have tackled ending in some sort of dusty trophy.  Ending in dust because the motives weren’t rooted in Christ and if the motives aren’t rooted in Christ then its NEVER going to last OR if it is lasting peace may be lacking. When I serve myself I will NEVER be serving my purpose!  In the looking glass of my past I see how I picked up photography with the right motives-learn to take professional pictures of my children-and save money while I am at it.  The motives were pure until I allowed the praise to determine my worth and the money clouded my judgment on time management. Although I found much joy as a photographer, it wasn’t the right time for me; it was not the place the Lord needed me to be clocking time! And so I caused our home life to be filled with unneeded hurdles.  Christ did not drive my motives in that season-I was listening to me!  Just because the Lord gives me talent and passion for something doesn’t always mean I have to act on it at that exact moment in time.  His timing is absolute.

  I wish I had a mirror like the Evil Queen had in Snow White, or maybe the same kind of mirror Belle carried in Beauty and the Beast but in this fairy tale it replayed images of me through out my day or week giving me pictures of REAL life encounters.  I would be able to see how I acted, reacted, my facial expression and I could watch my decision making process. I need to live life everyday like a football player on the field, knowing I had to go to the field house the next day to watch film over my each move. Yikes, would my motives start to tweak!

  Ultimately, I should do what I do because I serve an all-knowing God who has given me an AWESOME purpose.  If I stay in His word and in constant prayer he guides me every single day, my motives come from Him and not from myself. I become less while He becomes much more! Satan completely and utterly enjoys it when I get all wrapped up in myself, my own worries, anxious behaviors, worldly pursuits, debilitating me in so many ways that I can’t see past my own nose.  When my motives come from Christ it fills my cup with an overflow-love, wisdom, discernment, direction, purpose, focus, etc.  In Matthew 12:34 it talks about, “For out of the overflow the mouth speaks.” It continues in the following verse to explain where good is stored up good comes out and where evil is stored-evil comes out; therefore selfish motives will always be brought to light! I ask myself, where are my motives coming from-Me? Or Him? I need to let Him use me His way.

Lord, please give me the heart to do all things for you and not for myself.  Please give me the ability to change my ways when they are not. Amen

Be Careful Little Eyes What You See…Being Mindful of TV Choices

  

There is a children’s song that goes through some of the five senses telling kids to “be careful little hands what you do”…” be careful little mouth what you say”… “be careful little ears what you hear”… and “Be Careful Little Eyes What You See.”  Well, as I figure, in Gods eyes I am still his little child and in fact the song is speaking to me as well as my children.  He cares deeply about the things I see. What I see enters my heart.  King Solomon said in Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else guard your heart, for it is the well-spring of life.” We are all convicted about something! I am convinced my conviction is the Lord’s reminder for me to saddle up and get back on the path He has set before me.

 

 A growing conviction for me is TV!  The world’s standards to what is acceptable to watch on TV are NOT the same as the Lord’s.  “Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to his word.” Psalm 119:37 In general the older I have gotten and as each child has entered our lives, my clocked TV time has diminished to about one show a week. I am okay with not watching much TV but that funny feeling inside still remained with the little I did watch.  You know where something feels off or not quite right?  It’s easy to dismiss and justify since I’m not watching anything else during the week.  It was “my” show, “my” one night to relax, and “my” escape from reality.  One night, after watching “MY” show until the credits rolled, I could feel the Holy Spirit suffocating “MY” so called need to watch trashy TV and replace it with a desire to be purposeful with the time He has given me. 

  The show I continued to faithfully tune into was without fail filled with sex, excessive drinking, drugs and did I mention sex?  Having a regular prime time spot during the week and just being renewed for a fourth season; the show has 5.16 MILLION viewers, most in the 18-49 year old range.   The TV had a sneaky way in desensitizing my standards.  To be frank, I was not the one who wrote the show, nor was I personally going to take part in any of the sinful actions so how could watching it be that bad?  “The eye is the lamp of the body, if your eyes are good your whole body will be full of light.”  Matthew 6:22 I honestly believe that what I watch goes straight to my heart, then to the brain to decode.  Unfortunately the icky pieces get left behind in my heart leaving me feeling anxious and uncertain.  Not to mention I can’t erase or undo what I have seen, therefore without fail images will pop into my brain without me even prompting the thought.  The realness of the guilty feelings over a FAKE television show is bizarre!  This got my wheels turning and I started to wonder WHY in the world do I continue to put myself through this week after week?  Is it really worth it? 

  No, it is not worth it!  “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  2 Corinthians 4:18.  Here are my thought processes continued on the topic, (me talking to myself in my head, which I may do a little too often!) “Would I be proud to tell my three girls I watch this stuff? Would I want my girls to EVER watch this kind of TV when they get older?  If I were extremely ill would I spend my time doing this?  What could I be doing instead during this time?  Would I watch this if my in-laws were in the room? Do I want to have conversations about this show with my friends?  Am I inspired or even encouraged by this show?”

  Something silly and downright sad about the whole thing is that I actually feel like I am giving something up.  My inner monologue once again strikes up and reminds me that a sacrifice is those serving in the armed forces fighting for my Freedoms, it’s a mother in Africa starving literally to death and giving her children all the food she can find leaving nothing for herself, it is someone living for Christ in a country that kills for such things or a woman who chooses not to abort her baby-to give birth-then give her baby up for adoption.  Really I am not sacrificing ANYTHING, I am adding one hour back into my week.  My desire is that one hour each week will allow Christ to move mountains, change lives, and encourage women through me.

  I don’t always replace that one extra hour with singing Kumbaya around the campfire or diving deep into the bible.  Sometimes I find myself walking around in circles trying to remember what in the world I was doing in the first place.  One thing I do accomplish by committing not to watch television shows like the one mentioned above is not filling my mind with worldly thoughts and behaviors.  Either way whether it is the content of the show or the amount of minutes/hours watching television, the Lord will nudge when either is off the mark or unbalanced, just listen!  The Lord has a way of getting my attention if only I will listen and respond.  When I do listen and respond, He changes me for the better. Here are some statistics listed below regarding television:

·      Sexual content has tripled in the last decade

·      95% of Americans watch TV a day

·      An average American watches 4 hours of TV a day- that equals 2 months a year-9 years of TV by the age of 65

·      66% of American’s watch TV at dinner (Dr. Mercola wrote, “TV may have killed the family dinner.”)

·      American Youth clock about 900 hours of school and 1500 hours of television

·      An average child watches 8,000 murders and one hundred thousand acts of violence before finishing elementary school/doubles by the age of 18

If those statistics aren’t alarming enough, the below statistics definitely remind me to keep my body in motion:

·      Late night sedentary TV watching usually leads to snacking, which leads to weight gain!  Less TV=increase in QUALITY of life

·      Obesity has doubled from 1990 to 2010

·      The average American is 24 lbs. heavier than in 1960 (number of homes with TVs increased from 0.4 percent in 1948 to 55.7 percent in 1954 and to 83.2 percent four years later)

·      Nearly 98% of food advertisements and products are unhealthy (In which these ads try to convince us and our children their products are “okay” for our bodies.)

 Television has a way of affecting my attitude (and definitely my children’s!), my emotions, thought process, sleep patterns, and my motivation to workout. 

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  Philippians 4:8.  Piece by piece television changes the way we view our reality, our behaviors change, and our perception comes from an unstable worldly viewpoint. Guard your hearts friends by careful choosing what you allow your eyes to see.  Don’t be an average statistic!

Lord, please give me the discernment each time I turn the TV on.  Help me to honor you in all that my eyes may see.  Amen

http://tvseriesfinale.com

http://stateofobesity.org/obesity-rates-trends-overview/

TV Free America

Fitday.com

http://www.lib.niu.edu/1993/ihy930341.html

I Can’t Do It All-Neither Can You

 My midwife after baby number 2, sent me out the door nonchalantly saying, “Have little expectations of yourself, Kirsi.”  I didn’t know it then how much those 6 words would impact me for years to come.  Sometimes, well often, okay everyday (I am a first born-A Type-List Making Momma) I expect myself, to rise before my family, have breakfast made, lunches packed, get out the door on time, go grocery shopping, drop by the post office, run by the health food store, pit stop at the park for the kids, drop off a meal for a friend, have a warm homemade meal on the table by 5:30 PM for my family, do a craft, read some books, tidy up the house, straighten the kitchen, tend to the garden, play fetch with the dog (more like chase the dog), tuck the kids into bed, workout, spend time with The Mister, complete my bible study, write, and make time to create a Summer Bingo Board for the kids (see attached!)

  Friends, I can’t do it all-neither can you and it's okay!  Something has to give.  And sometimes I need to have “little expectations for myself.”  I spent much of my “extra” time (you know that 30 minute window give or take after all kids are in bed and before I crash! ) creating a Summer Bingo Board for my girls to use.  It may work great or it may be a complete and udder failure ending up in the trial and error section of life. We aren’t called to be amazing at every single thing we do; in fact the Lord is amazed at us even in our nothings!  I will relish in that fact.  As summer approaches I encourage you not to be discouraged when the long list grows longer.  Listen to God’s sweet elbow nudges (or maybe sharp nudge) on who, what, where, and how to spend your time.  Just like writing a good story, we get the opportunity each day to write our own.  Even better is when we invite the Spirit to help us write our daily stories. 

 The Lord had to knock on my door twice this week in regards to the verse He wanted me to share.   A dear friend texted me a bible verse that I had saved on my phone’s home screen two days prior. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM.”  II Corinthians 3:17 CRAZY!!! No, not really when Jesus is involved.  The verse obviously spoke to me the first time I read it but the way she actually applied it to my own life made the already living word come more alive. My dear friend sent this text praying out FREEDOM’S over me: “Freedom from Strep Throat (I was sick this week and to admit I was sick brings much guilt b/c I feel as though I can control all things healthy), Freedom from actually taking an antibiotic (makes me feel like I am kicked out of the “all” natural club), Freedom from the countless rules I make up for myself (and that list is way too long to share!)”  I continue to limit myself from purely dancing in the Spirit, missing out on a promised FREEDOM filled abundant LIFE!

 In order for me to find true FREEDOM in the Lord I will be working on not making rules for myself about everything. Period!  My goal making skills can easily turn into rigid rules that I put on myself (or my children) not allowing God to work in me and through me as often. I hope to experience peace in the things we do each day.  This goes for the BINGO boards as well.  I hope they are merely an encouragement to me and my girls.  I hope they allow the Lord to lead us each day to dance His FREEDOMS. I may be victorious in some categories BUT I also fall short in others.  Joel Osteen mentions in one of his sermons that those places we fall short in are also the places we grow in Jesus more.   

Living Biblical Advice:

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM.”  II Corinthians 3:17

Weekly Prayer: 

Holy Spirit, please give me discernment this SUMMER with the minutes in each day.  Please show me where I try to control things.  Help me find freedom in you.   Amen

Real Life Application Challenge:

 What are the things that bring peace and contentment into your life?  Focus on those things you are doing that speak to you, they are little pieces of the Holy Spirit guiding you to a place of  purpose.  Give the rest to God, find your FREEDOM.  

  Summer Break is here ya’ll, so while you are working on finding freedom from your “things” I will be also!  You are not alone, I promise.   I know the Lord will show me many things to write about and if I am lucky enough He will give me time to write them down and publish them.  I make no promises!  I whole-heartedly will be working on implementing II Corinthians 3:17 into my life.  When summer comes to an end, I want to look back with confidence knowing I gave it my all, inviting the Spirit of the Lord into my life every second of everyday in order to find the FREEDOM he has set for me and my family.  May your summer be Spirit filled!

Be Brave,

Kirsi

*Here is a link to the Summer Bingo Boards: Summer Jobs w/ Pictures(almost 4 year old,) Summer Jobs No Pictures(almost 8 Year old), Summer Bingo Board-Activities w/ Pictures (almost 4 year old), Summer Bingo Board-Activities w/out Pictures (almost 8 Year old). It will laminated front to back and the girls will use expo markers to mark off a task or activity when completed. Carnival tickets will be used for the reward system(still brain storming).  A completed board gets one ticket, therefore they have the opportunity to get two tickets per day. The tickets can be redeemed for certain things, like a trip to the $1 section at target, Movies, Water Park, Snow Cone, etc. The Contributions (not limited) section refers to a list of  jobs they can choose from that will contribute to the house in general.  The whole thing may need some tweaking as we get into the middle of it.   If all else fails I am sure Pinterest has an idea as to how I can use ALL those carnival tickets-we scratch the whole thing and start over!  The pictures are from clipart on Google.  Feel free to make changes and make it work for your family. The attached are all a work in progress.