FRIDAY FUNNIES...vacation in Jerusalem

A man and his ever-nagging wife went on vacation to Jerusalem. While they were there, the wife passed away. The undertaker told the husband,

"You can have her shipped home for $5,000.00, or you can bury her here, in the Holy Land, for just $150.00."

The man thought about it and told the undertaker that he would have her shipped home. The undertaker asked him,

"Why would you spend $5,000.00 to send her home, when it would be wonderful to be buried here, and it would only cost $150.00!"

The husband replied,

"Long ago, a man died here, and was buried here and three days later, he rose from the dead. I just can't take that chance!"


FRIDAY FUNNIES is hosted by KIM from HOMESTEADERS HEART. Click HERE to find more laughs today.

"A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when

the heart is sad, the spirit is broken." -Prov. 15:13

THANKFUL THURSDAY...teens for jeans

EPHESIANS 4:32 "Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

Isn't that a great scripture! It spurs me on to do to others what has been bestowed upon me. Forgiveness... it says that we are to forgive others just as God has forgiven us.

But wait, what about that first part of the scripture.... "Be ye kind one to another". You mean not only do I have to forgive but I HAVE TO be kind also??

Be kind to who?
~the unsaved?
~my neighbor?
~my enemies?
~those who are down and out?

I think it says to be kind to ALL. That means everyone that we come in contact with. Kindness can be shown in alot of different ways. It can be shown by the words we speak, the things we do openly and even in the things we do quietly.

One of things that I enjoy doing that expresses christian kindness is giving to those that are in need. Whether it be alittle extra cash or some clothes that I have far too many of.

I am thankful for the opportunity to give!

Last weekend, I was shopping with my teenage daughter. that's always an experience! And we heard about this great opportunity for "giving" that the popular AEROPOSTALE store is doing.

"TEENS FOR JEANS"

HAVE YOU HEARD OF THAT? Aeropostale is asking us to donate our jeans at any of their stores from January 26-February 22, 2009. They will give all of the donated jeans to homeless teens from all across the US and Canada.

• It is estimated that 150,000 teens are living on the streets in Canada.
• And 1 out of every 3 homeless people in the US is under the age of 18.

Isn't that staggering figures!

Together it is estimated that 1.7 million young people are homeless.

My 13 year old daughter has plenty of jeans to wear. And when she needs a new pair, we can usually find a good sale going on at Aeropostle. This past weekend she bought a pair of jeans for $10 on the clearance rack.

I am thankful that my teen has plenty of clothes, a full stomach and a warm place to call home!

If you want to share alittle love with a homeless teen - you could donate your old, holy, worn out jeans OR for $10-$20 go to Aeropostle ...buy a new pair or two or three ... and donate them to someone less fortunate than your teenager!

BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER!

For more information on TEEN FOR JEANS, visit http://www.teensforjeans.com/ . Last year, Aeropostle donated 125,000 pairs of jeans.

LORI of Laurel Wreaths Reflections is hosting THANKFUL THURSDAY this week. Join her and all of the grateful hearts this week. Find them HERE!

HAVE YOU VOTED IN MY POLL YET? This week's poll is located on the side bar. Your vote - your opinion really does matter!

WEDNESDAY WEEKLY WORD...teamwork

Some people like to work alone. Some of the greatest heroes have worked alone~ John Wayne. Daniel Boone. Kit Carson. Davy Crockett.

Even today, people seem to be set apart from their teammates. Look at sports. Certain players are recognized by first names and not so much their team name~Michael. Shaq. Peyton.

I have been studying the book of Colossians in the Bible, and as I finish up this study, I see that Paul was not alone in the things that he accomplished. He acknowledged his team. Paul recognized the importance of teamwork in the work of the ministry.

Paul put together a great team. Strong churches came out of the leadership of this team. Throughout Europe and Asia, including Pisidian Antioch, Lystra, Iconium, Derbe, Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Corinth, and Ephesus. Even the church of Colossae was started by one of Paul's team members. Because of the teamwork established, the gospel of Jesus Christ grew from a small movement to a widely spread religion throughout the Roman world.

In last week's YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, I polled the readers the following question: "What do you enjoy the most about being part of a great team?" The top 3 answers were:

1. 56% of those voting said they like to feel that they contributed and they felt needed.

2. 25% voted and said they like doing something that makes a difference.

3. 18% of those polled, voted and said they like to get to know people better.

So what was it that made Paul's team such a good one?

1. MUTUAL ENCOURAGEMENT

Paul told the Colossians that he had sent Tychicus to them, "so that you may know how we are, and so that he may encourage your hearts." (Colossians 4:8) This was a common practice with Paul. When he could not go to a church where he had a relationship with the members, he sent someone else.

• (1 Thessolonians 3:1-5) Paul sent Timothy to Thessalonica
• (2 Corinthians 8:16-18) Paul sent Titus and an unnamed brother
• (Philippians 2:19-24) Paul sent Timothy
• (Ephesians 6:21,22) Paul sent Tychicus to Ephesus

And in return, churches sometimes sent people to encourage and assist Paul. In the difficult times that we live in today, we also need mutual encouragement.

2. PRAYER

Even when we cannot be a part of a work directly, we can always take part through prayer. But when you are on a team, praying for each others needs is very vital for the teams success.

vs. 12 "He is always contending for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assured in everything God wills."

The word "contending" is not praying lightly. It is serious prayer time. James reminds us that the "intense prayer of the righteous is very powerful." Being a united and successful team will take prayer!

3. HARD WORK

Having team work cannot end with prayer. We must also work hard.

vs. 13 "For I testify about him that he works hard for you, for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis."

The whole team had to work hard. Hard work is required for the church to thrive today. All kinds of people will try to sell churches easy answers ...if you get the right pastor, if you buy successful programs, if you read certain books, but in the end it is always the people who are willing to give of their time that makes a thriving church. If your team avoids putting in any time or work - it will not get very far.

4. FOCUS ON THE GOAL

A team must keep its eye on the goal. This week, we will see 2 football teams that have had one common goal for months ... to get to the Superbowl! In order to get to this place as a team ... the players had to remain focused on what their goal was.

Paul always kept his eye on his goal. "But one thing I do; forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13,14) Paul's focus is what drove him and he expected it from those he worked with.

I read a joke recently that went like this:

Jesus came back to earth and made a visit to a local church. When the church leaders found out of His visit, they went to the Sr. Pastor and asked, "What should we do?" The Sr. Pastor said, "I don't know, but look busy!"

Too many churches and ministries within do just that...look busy. What is their goal? Each ministry of the church should have a goal and a mission statement. And as a team, they should be striving to maintain the goal set before them.

WHAT TEAM ARE YOU A PART OF?

do you have a common goal or are you just looking busy?

I have been studying the book of Colossians. These are some reflections of what I have learned from Paul. It is my prayer that whatever team you are a part of: whether it be in ministry, your job or in your marriage - that you will take Paul's lead and be an encourager. God did not intend for you to go full steam ahead all alone to do all of the work. Being a part of a team can be very satisfying, and successful. Get to know your teammates...pray for them and encourage them. Above all - keep your eyes on the goal and God will reward you for your faithfulness and your endless labor.

This concludes my study of the book of Colossians, I encourage you to go back and read thru this book and find the hope that Paul speaks about.

NEW POLL: Please take time to vote in this week's poll. Your opinion really does matter to me! You can find it on the side bar.

A PIECE OF MY HEART... plugged in

IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE of the night, the room was filled with darkness. As I reached over to the lamp to shed some light in...I stubbed my toe on someones shoes left in the middle of the floor. aargh :(

I pulled on the light switch ~ no light! The light bulb was burnt out! rats!

As I go to the place where we keep our supply of light bulbs, you guessed it....none were to be found! oh brother!

MATTHEW 5:16 " Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven."

It is important, as Christians, that we do not let our light burn out or run out! Just as a lamp must be plugged into an electrical outlet in order to illuminate the darkness around us, so we also must stay plugged into God if we want our light to shine bright before others.

The only way to stay "charged" up and reflect His love is to pray, read His Word and experience fellowship with God. Staying plugged into His source will allow you to illuminate light wherever you may go.

EXODUS 34:29.30 "Jesus is the light of the world and He lights up those who come into relationship with Him. When Moses spent time in God's presence, his face became so bright that he wore a veil because people feared to come near him."

HOW BRIGHT IS YOUR LIGHT SHINING TODAY?

and that is a piece of my heart today;

TOTALLY MISUNDERSTOOD!

DO YOU EVER FIND YOURSELF MISUNDERSTOOD?

Sometimes, I think people misunderstand me. I don't mean for that to happen. But it does.

I have a total OCD personality which means I over analyze when it comes to order, details and information. To some this sounds like a welcomed trait but to others, it comes across as being bossy, taking control, a total ms. "know it all".

I am totally misunderstood sometimes.

Recently, this happened to me. I said some things, with the greatest of intent in my heart to "help" alleviate possible messiness down the road.

But I was totally misunderstood.

Instead of helping, it appeared I made things worse. Being OCD isn't always what it is cracked up to be! I blame it on my former Executive Assistant days. When I was an assistant to a VP at my former job...it was a good thing that I was overly compulsive with details.

They actually paid me to organize details, look for detours around problems and predict what needed to be trouble-shooted. It is no wonder I have the tendency to try to fix a problem, predict outcomes and look for damage control ideas.

So what can a OCD gal like me do when I am misunderstood?

Well the first thing to remember if you are anything like me is this...You are how you are because God made you that way!

So if you are reading this and you have misunderstood me in any way ...I apologize. I don't apologize for how God made me but I apologize that something I did or something that I said caused a misunderstanding. Look beyond my actions, my words and see into my heart.

Jesus was also misunderstood.

Those around Him clearly did not look into His heart or else He would never have been misunderstood!

WHO JESUS WAS clearly was misunderstood....
"Are you the king of the Jews" (Mark 15:2) ~HE WAS!

HIS PURPOSE was clearly misunderstood...
"Therefore when they had come together, they asked Him, 'Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6) ~HE DID!

THE POWER of Jesus was misunderstood...
"But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, 'Why could we not cast it out?' " (Mark 9:27,28) ~BECAUSE HE FASTED AND PRAYED!

THE REASON FOR HIS PASSION was misunderstood...
"For He taught His disciples and said to them, 'The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.' But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him." (Mark 9:31,32) ~HE WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT WAS TO COME!

In the darkest hour, when Jesus took the sins of the world on Himself upon the cross, He was alone and He was misunderstood.

In fact, He is still misunderstood by millions today!

If you find yourself like me, misunderstood by some...remember that Jesus knows exactly what you are going thru, and you can turn to Him for help.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE MISUNDERSTOOD

1. Check your actions ~ seek Gods direction and make sure your actions and reactions are pure.

2. Hold your tongue ~ the first thing you will be tempted to do when misunderstood is to defend yourself. Hold your tongue until you have spent time in prayer and if at all possible do not phone or email someone while angry. Seek God and then follow His lead. Sometimes doing nothing is the best thing to do.

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT...

Glad I could get this misunderstanding cleared up!

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY...Jesus loves all of the children

WHO WILL LOVE THE CHILDREN? (click here)

You can argue all day long about the subject of abortion.

You can debate until you have no more breath about the reasons to support or oppose abortion.

But, in my opinion, there is one important reason to support LIFE...

~Because, JESUS LOVES ALL OF THE CHILDREN~

Now that is a power that outweighs

the power of our new President!

This has been a different kind of THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY this week, but my spirit aches for those unborn babies that God created and loved and have been ripped from not only a mother's womb but ripped from God's plan. AMY is the host of Then Sings My Soul Saturday, please join your worshipful hearts with hers. CLICK HERE!

HAVE YOU VOTED IN THIS WEEK'S POLL YET? take time to vote...find it on the side section of this blog. YOUR OPINION MATTERS!

EXPLAINING MARRIAGE

I hope that your Friday will be filled with alot of fun and laughter. KIM is hosting FRIDAY FUNNIES...jump over to HOMESTEADERS HEART to find more laughs!

Explaining Marriage

She was a typical four-year-old girl - cute, inquisitive, bright as a new penny.

When she expressed difficulty in grasping the concept of marriage, her father decided to pull out his wedding photo album, thinking visual images would help.

One page after another, he pointed out the bride arriving at the church, the entrance, the wedding ceremony, the recessional, the reception, etc.

"Now do you understand?" he asked.

"I think so," she said, "is that when mommy came to work for us?"

NOW, IF YOU CAN RELATE TO THAT ~

YOU NEED THIS ...

(keep reading!!)

AT THE WELL has been under construction and is getting a new facelift!!! You will LOVE the new, exciting changes that Chelsey has been busy developing for this awesome ministry!

FEBRUARY 2nd is our official kickoff and to get us started on a HUGE running start - Chelsey is having an awesome giveaway.

...HERE IS WHAT YOU COULD WIN...

~A brand new blog facelift valued at over $50. donated by Doodlebug Designs

~A custom blog card (or mom card, if you don’t blog) design, valued at $30. You’ll receive a high quality .jpg, .png or .pdf file – you can do the printing yourself or have them printed online or locally – the options are endless. Print only as many as you need!The file is yours to keep. donated by Simply Amusing Designs

~"Fill 'Em Up!" ... a "cookbook" for parents to use with kids which includes a devotional/Bible study that goes along with each recipe. donated by Heavenly Homakers

~A signed copy of the book "The Devil in Your Garden". donated by Natalie Witcher from I AM (not)

~A digital scrapbook download package. donated by The Digital Scrapbook Place

~A $25 Starbucks gift certificate. donated by At the Well

So what are you waiting for?

CLICK HERE to get in on the fun!

Have a fabulous and fun-filled friday!

HAVE YOU VOTED IN THIS WEEK'S POLL YET? take time to vote...find it on the side section of this blog. YOUR OPINION MATTERS!

THANKFUL THURSDAY...a cup to drink from

Have you ever poured a glass of milk and started to drink it but only to discover that it was sour? It tastes so awful that you spit it out. No one wants to drink a glass of sour milk.

Now imagine a cup filled with, not sour milk, but with the hot, punishing anger of God against sin. Can you imagine the fury of God against everything evil (put into liquid form) and then poured into a cup.

Now imagine being asked to drink from that cup.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, this is exactly what Jesus faced on the night before His crucifixion. He did not want to drink from the cup.

He cried out to God not once, but three times, asking God to take the cup away, if at all possible. However, Jesus did end up drinking from that cup, every bit of it - so that we would not have to drink it.

He drank the cup of wrath so we could be offered the cup of salvation. The cup that is offered to us is filled with such love that it can never spoil, it can never run empty.

It is always full and overflowing.

Today, I stop and reflect on that cup, the one that is available to me because of the sacrifice of Jesus. I am so thankful for salvation!

WHICH CUP WILL YOU DRINK FROM?

The cup of sour milk (God's judgement)

or

The cup of salvation

PSALM 116:13 "I will lift up the cup of salvation and

praise the Lord's name for saving me."

LORI from Laurel Wreaths reflection is hosting THANKFUL THURSDAY this week. Please join her and all of the other grateful hearts today. You can find their posts HERE!

HAVE YOU VOTED IN THIS WEEK'S POLL YET? take time to vote...find it on the side section of this blog. YOUR OPINION MATTERS!

LACED WITH GRACE ...name calling

Today, I have a devotion posted over at ~

It is entitled "Name calling". I would love for you to jump over there and read it...

"Have you ever seen children engaged in name-calling? Perhaps when you were a child, you too called names or maybe you were the target of such painful words.

When names are called out that are mean and destructive, it can cause so much pain, heartache and scars.

However, not ALL name-calling is bad…"

CLICK HERE to read the rest of this devotion!

After you read todays devotion, come back and scroll down and read this week's WEDNESDAY WEEKLY WORD, as we dive into the study of Colossians.

WEDNESDAY WEEKLY WORD...behind closed doors

Finding an open door is a rare thing today. Mainly due to the crime-infested communities that we live in. We no longer feel safe behind closed doors.

When America was largely rural, people would keep their doors unlocked and in some cases they kept their doors standing wide open. Neighbors were encouraged to stop by without even calling ahead, and in some places, coming in without even knocking was common.

Today, however, doors are often double-locked and armed with security systems. Neighbors no longer "stop by", in fact often we don't even know who our neighbors are. Many apartment complexes are even secured, to get access in - you must know a access code or have someone "buzz" you in.

Modern America is quickly becoming "behind closed doors".

Building structures are not the only thing that we find being closed. Often times, because of fear, rejection or some other fatality - we close ourselves off to others. We don't let others see who we really are. We put alot of effort in protecting ourselves from one another which often times leaves us feeling isolated and alone.

When we finally do connect with others, it is usually done electronically. Seldom face to face.

We text each other.
We email each other.
We IM each other.
We facebook each other.

The advancement of technology is opening doors for new ways of communication, however, this kind of connection lacks the personal warmth of face-to-face encounters. It is closing the door for "real" relationships.

COLOSSIANS 4:2 "Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. (3) At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the message, to speak the mystery of the Messiah - for which I am in prison -"

When Paul sought out spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, he was interested in what would open the doors. He wanted to open doors so people could experience the life-transforming power of Jesus Christ. We can see in the book of Colossians, that Paul sought the Christians in Colossae to help him in opening doors.

WHAT DID PAUL LEARN ABOUT CLOSED DOORS?

1. PRAYER
Verse 2 in chapter 4 says, "devote yourselves to prayer", Paul believed in prayer. By the time Paul wrote the book of Colossians, he had already experienced the mighty power of prayer:

• Peter's miraculous escape from prison (Acts 12:1-17)
• The beginning of the mission to the Gentiles by Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:1-3)
• The open door for that mission into Europe (Acts 16:6-10)
• The deliverance of Paul and Silas from prison (Acts 16:16-40)

Paul and his followers learned to believe in the power of prayer! Prayer is an essential tool for us to open doors to ministering to those outside of the faith. People put up a variety of barriers to close the door to their spirit. Prayer helps to get past the barriers that others put up, and it draws on the power of the Holy Spirit to change human hearts.

2. WISDOM
Paul instructs to "walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the time." (4:5) A Christian can take a variety of approaches to witnessing to those outside of the faith, but sometimes how we handle ourselves can become a "hindering" witness. Wisdom is crucial when a door is open for Christians to share their faith with the unbeliever.

Having wisdom is knowing when to move closer to a person and show concern and when to pull back. Wisdom is knowing when to be different and when to point out how many ways we are all the same.

Jesus told His followers, "Look, I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and harmless as doves." (Matthew 10:16)

This was the approach Paul was seeking to open doors among nonbelievers. Wisdom is the key element when walking thru a door of opportunity to witness to others.

3. SPEAKING GRACIOUSLY
Verse 6 of chapter 4 says, "Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person."

In last week's YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, I polled the readers the following question, "What is most important for speech to be gracious?" The top 3 answers were:

1. 38% of those voting said that you should have a gentle tone.
2, 30% voted and said you should avoid negative or judgemental statements.
3. Another 30% polled said that being honest and sincere is important.

"Gracious" speech is speech that conveys God's grace, God's unmerited favor. If we want to open doors to nonbelievers, our speech should not be contentious, judgemental, negative or harsh. Rather, it should express God's grace, His mercy, and His love.

It should be "seasoned with salt." Salt was used in ancient times to both flavor and preserve food. Jesus is calling us to flavor the world with God's love and preserve valuable life from the snare of sin. When we speak positively into lives, the doors will open up!

WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU KNOCKED ON SOMEONE'S DOOR?

• maybe a neighbor to check on them.
• a co-worker to invite them to church.
• a sick relative that needs Gods healing.

REVELATION 3:20 "Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me."

I have been studying the book of Colossians and these are a few thoughts that I have learned this week. What a powerful thought that we have the opportunity to open a closed door just by the way we speak to others. Has your speech been gracious to a lost soul today? It is my prayer that you will join me today in seeking out someone who has closed the door to Jesus and tell them about His Grace!

YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL: please take time to go and vote in this week's poll. I am asking about being on team. You can find it on the side bar of this blog. Your opinion really does matter!!

PIECE OF MY HEART...Blogoversary

IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE, but today is my one year anniversary of penning this blog - WOMEN TAKING A STAND. This past year, as I have delved into this area of writing, and pouring my heart out on the blogging airwaves -I have found out some things...

1. I found out that I have a love for expressing myself through writing. Never in a million years would I have thought God would use me in such a way.

2. I found out that by being obedient in the small things (writing a blog) - God would use me in bigger things. Such as being asked to join the writing team of Laced with Grace and pursuing the writing of my first devotional book.

3. I found out that there are ALOT of Christian women across the nation connecting with other Christian women. It amazes me every time I look at the little ticker that tells me where all of the readers are from - they span from a good long distance.

4. I have learned that there is ministry in encouraging other believers. Don't box yourself in to thinking that you have influence with only those that you rub shoulders with - your influence goes much further. It is my desire and prayer that everything that I write, every comment I make will be uplifting, encouraging and pleasing to God!

5. I have learned that not just WOMEN read Women Taking a Stand, but several men also tune in each day. Thanks guys! (God's Word applies to them too ladies!)

6. My walk with the Lord has grown closer as I have studied more, read more and sought more for His leading for what He would have me to write about each day.

7. And lastly, I have found so many new friends thru blogging. Friends that have become closer than just receiving a comment like "good post today" - but friendships that have grown from a kindred spirit with each other, a kind of friendship that I feel comfortable to email you with a prayer need and you encourage me, pray for me and support me. And I do the same for you.

So many great things have come from blogging this past year...

• God has opened so many doors
• I have met so many neat ladies
• I have had so much fun

Kind of makes me wonder what the second year will bring?

Whatever God has planned...I hope it involves prayer, passion and pursuing of His Holy Spirit. And most definitely, I hope it involves all of my blogging friends, both old and new!

PROVERBS 17:17 " A friend loves at all times."

God bless!
and thank you for faithfully reading the writings of my heart!

MOLDABLE CLAY

We have discovered the most fun family activity.

From the youngest to the oldest... we thoroughly love going to a place called Seize the Clay. Maybe you have one of these types of artsy places in your community. Seize the Clay is a pottery place where you paint your own pottery.

I am not sure if the fun is in the picking out of an amazing piece of pottery,

(Clayton took on this big piece of pottery.

Can't you see the CREATIVE juices flowing?)

or ...
if the fun is in the selecting of the paints,

(Alyssa (Jordan's special girl) joined us and she proved to be VERY artsy!)

or ...
if the fun is in the creativity of painting a piece of pottery,

(Here I am trying to figure out the scheme of colors...it WAS a major ordeal!)

or ...

if the fun is in sitting around the table for a hour or two

chatting with my family members with no worries or cares.

(David and Anna discussing the fine colors of their art piece)

Whatever the reason for the fun - it is a unique experience for my family. We are always amazed at all of the different pieces of pottery to choose from. How amazing it would be to sit at a pottery wheel and create such pieces of art out of just a clump of clay.

(Some of the finished product...bowl is painted by Clayton,

set of coasters by Laurie)

In the Bible, God describes Himself as a potter who is shaping our lives into something He can pour His own glory into. We are in the hands of God right now, being shaped and formed, just as a potter shapes a clump of clay. We all have a choice on how we will respond to Gods shaping - we can resist the shaping and molding through our rebellion or resentment, which will make us hard and unbending. Or we can be soft and moldable, being open to whatever God wants to do in and through our lives.

Have you ever considered that God is making you and shaping you for His own unique purpose?

• He is not finished with you yet!
• You are still a work in progress!
• God is refining you even today!

God wants to smooth out certain parts of you and grow you in ways you may think are unimaginable. He wants to redesign your inner life, reorganize your priorities, redirect the tendencies of your tongue, and rewire your thinking pattern.

He is out to make something beautiful.

He is the potter.

We are the clay.

ISAIAH 45:9 "Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, 'Stop, you're doing it wrong!' Does the pot exclaim, 'How clumsy can you be?' "

HOW MOLDABLE IS YOUR CLAY?

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY... better is one day

CHRIS TOMLIN ....."BETTER IS ONE DAY"

There is no better place than to be in God's Presence.

CAN YOU THINK OF ANYTHING BETTER?

Join AMY over at Signs, Miracles and Wonders for this weeks THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY. Why not spend some time worshipping God today?

FRIDAY FUNNIES...is God left handed?

KIM hosts FRIDAY FUNNIES each week.

I find myself going here every Friday because

it does my heart good to laugh.

How about you? Have you laughed yet this week?

Have you ever wondered if God

was right handed or left handed?

Little Bobby gives us the answer....

IS GOD LEFT HANDED?
Little Bobby was spending the weekend with his grandmother. His grandmother decided to take him to the park on Saturday morning. It had been snowing all night and everything was beautiful.

His grandmother remarked...
"doesn't it look like an artist painted this scenery? Did you know God painted this just for you?"

Bobby said, "Yes, God did it and he did it left handed."

This confused his grandmother a bit, and she asked him,
"What makes you say God did this with his left hand?"

"Well," said Bobby, "we learned at Sunday School last week that Jesus sits on God's right hand!"

COLOSSIANS 3:1b "seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God."

CLICK HERE to find more Friday funnies!

YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL: Please take time to vote in this week's poll. It can be found on the side bar of this blog. Remember your opinion REALLY does matter!

THANKFUL THURSDAY..the mirror

WHAT DO YOU SEE WHEN

YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR?

Lately, when I look in the mirror I see a few extra pounds in places they shouldn't be and a few different colors of hair that didn't use to be there.

When you see your reflection, do you see someone who is changing or just simply staying the same? In the Bible, we read about Moses, whose face changed dramatically.

EXODUS 24:29 "When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn't aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the Lord."

Moses went up on Mount Sinai to be with God, and after he saw and experienced the glory of God on the mountain, the skin on his face literally glowed with God's glory. When he came down from the mountain, the glory began to fade with each passing day.

The glory does not have to fade for us, we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, changing us. The Spirit of God is at work, making us into mirrors so that we can reflect the radiance and the beauty of God's glory.

Some of us don't want to change. On the outside, that is. Spiritually, we should not want to stay the same - God desires to change us, making us a better reflection of Him.

WHAT DOES YOUR MIRROR LOOK LIKE?

I hope you are thankful for the spiritual mirror that God has given us. IRIS is our host of THANKFUL THURSDAY, please visit her and her friends as they share their grateful hearts today. FIND IT HERE!

YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL: Please take time to vote in this week's poll. It can be found on the side bar of this blog. Remember your opinion REALLY does matter!

WEDNESDAY WEEKLY WORD...service with a smile

Have you ever been greeted with an enthusiastic attitude of someone serving you? Possibly at your local Wal-mart or a hostess at your favorite restaurant. Sometimes service with a smile or enthusiasm is rare to find.

The word "enthusiasm" comes from the Greek words en theos, which means "in God". To have enthusiasm is to have the spirit of God within us. How different of a Christian could we be if we really lived out this definition.

WHY DON'T MORE CHRISTIANS FEEL ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THEIR FAITH?

• Winning sports teams generally get enthusiasm from their fans without even asking for it.


• Singing stars sometimes have to step back from the enthusiasm of some of their fans -like when the fans charge the stage.


• Political delegates have enthusiastic supporters who wave signs and applaud every move they make.

~When is the last time you saw Christians express enthusiasm for praise and worship without the worship leader in church prodding them to?

~Have you ever seen church members charge the sanctuary stage as your Pastor preached God's Word with more enthusiasm than they could contain?

~What banners or signs do you see being waved in the Sunday morning service at your local church?

Enthusiasm, according to a football coach is simply stated as, "Having a winning team, and having good cheerleaders!" How do we get this kind of enthusiasm in the church laboring for the Lord?

In last week's YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, the question was asked - "Of the things you do for the Lord, which one do you have the hardest time enthusiastically doing?" The top 3 answers were...

• 1. 50% of those voting said they have a hard time being enthusiastic serving on church committees.
• 2. 40% of those polled, voted and said that it is hard to be enthusiastic about sharing their faith with others.
• 3. 10% voted and said they struggle to be enthusiastic in some other form of serving God.

This poll reveals to me that when it comes to laboring for the Lord, some of us lack enthusiasm for it. Paul addresses this to the people in Colossae in the book of Colossians:

COLOSSIANS 3:23 "And whatever you do, do it heartily (or enthusiastically), as to the Lord and not to men"

Many times when we are doing work in the church, it is to please people. We want people to think that we are creative, or dedicated or even righteous. We look for satisfaction in pleasing people. And when we don't get it - we feel let down, discouraged or sometimes even disgruntled.

A well-known saying warns us -

"You can please all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time; but you cannot please all of the people all of the time."

Those who try to please everyone will soon grow discouraged, and when this happens how can we remain enthusiastic about what we are doing?

Seeking to please Christ, in all the things that we do, will keep us from being discouraged even in the midst of those who seem ungrateful or unappreciative for our acts of service. When we serve Christ and serve others, God always sees and He always appreciates. This is why He warns us in Matthew the following:

MATTHEW 6:1-4 "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in Heaven. (2) Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. (3) But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, (4) that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly."

Part of building enthusiasm in our service to the Lord is remembering what our true reward is. When we focus on people, we focus on earthly rewards. These type of rewards are often times disappointing. The rewards of the world often times do not come through for us.

• We can work for many years trying to earn a promotion, only to see that promotion given to someone else.


• We can build up our financial fortune, only to have it lost in a stock market crash or law suit.

Those that achieve success almost always will look around and ask themselves - was it worth it? When wealthy and famous John Rockefeller was asked how much money it took to satisfy a person, he responded, "Just a little more!"

We can be confident that the reward of God's kingdom will be worth it all! That is why Paul encourages us to work towards Gods promises with enthusiasm. Serve God with a smile!

HOW ENTHUSIASTIC ARE YOU ABOUT YOUR FAITH?

I have been studying the book of Colossians, and these are some thoughts of what I have learned from Paul this week. It is my prayer that you will have an attitude of servant hood that oozes with enthusiasm as you serve God with a smile!

YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL: Please take time to vote in this week's poll. It can be found on the side bar of this blog. Remember your opinion REALLY does matter!

A PIECE OF MY HEART...my own obituary

You can pick up the newspaper on any given day and turn to the announcement page - it is here that you will find birth announcements and obituaries.

Records of recent deaths and records of new births.

Can you imagine opening up your local newspaper and seeing your own obituary -the report of your own death?

In the Bible, Paul writes that if we have joined ourselves to Christ, we have died. Meaning, that our old self, the self that lived only to please ourselves, is crucified thru salvation.

GALATIANS 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

The moment that we put our faith in Jesus, we become united with Him.

His death became our death.

If we had a spiritual obituary - it would say that we died two thousand years ago on the day Christ died. But dying is not all that is represented by the death of Christ for us.

It is true that because of His redemptive love, we are no longer who we once were. The old "self" is now dead. But at the same time, we experience "birth".

• A new way of living.
• A new "you".
• A new birth.

His death became our birth.

We as believers are connected to Jesus, and He is changing us and making us new. And because we have already died, we will really never die again. Oh sure, one day our body will die - but the essence of who we are (our spiritual being) - will live forever in a resurrected body.

HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED

REBIRTH WITH CHRIST?

If not, why not make that commitment today? If you would like to know more about having a relationship with Jesus, feel free to email me at supermom4jc@yahoo.com or click on the following site that will tell you more about Jesus - http://www.findjesus.ag.org/ . Today is the day for your new beginning!

and that's a piece of my heart today!

FOCAL POINTS

"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus...who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross" - Hebrews 12:1,2

Prior to giving birth to my four kids, my husband and I attended a Lamaze class. One of the things that I remember being taught in this class is the technique of concentrating on a special object that I had brought to the delivery room. Focusing intently on this object during each labor contraction was suppose to help me shift my attention away from the pain of labor.

Many of you are familiar with what I am talking about.

You also brought something special to the hospital with you, maybe a stuffed animal or something that symbolized the joy of the new life that was about to come forth. Of course, this technique never brought complete relief from the pain, but trying to not think of the pain would help somewhat.

Persevering through the pain of labor would soon be worth it. Holding that new, beautiful life in our arms would soon prove John 16:21 to be true...

JOHN 16:21 "A woman, when she in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world."

How quickly the remembrance

of the pains of labor are forgotten.

When we as Christians are faced with trials and sufferings...God gives us two wonderful focal points to help us persevere...

1. God encourages us to fix our eyes upon Jesus...

• We can take our mind off of our own suffering by remembering what Christ suffered for us.
• We can meditate upon the teachings found in the Bible about living a godly life despite hardship and pain.
• We can focus on the example of humility of Christ. Focusing on how we can be humble before others, how to turn the other cheek and how to forgive those who have hurt you.

2. God invites us to do as Jesus did and fix our eyes on the promise of what is to come...

• The joy of heaven will get you through your ordeal just as it did Jesus.
• Moses and Paul both kept their eyes on their eternal home.
• Such examples remind me that joy of heaven will certainly wash away the memories of pain.

WHAT IS YOUR FOCAL POINT TODAY?

are you focused on your problem?

or the promises of God?

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY...enough

It is my prayer that in my spiritual walk with God that I will never get to the place where I feel like I have had enough of Him. May I desire more and more of Him each day.

• No matter what I may try to fill my life with...nothing compares to Him.
• If nobody loved me, accepted me, or forgave me...He would be enough! Because He is my breath of life.

Please watch this BARLOW GIRL video,

"ENOUGH"

"You are my supply ~ my breath of life ~ still more awesome than I know"

JESUS IS TRULY ENOUGH!

AMY of Signs, Miracles and Wonders is our host of

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY.

You can click HERE to join her in worship!