THANKFUL THURSDAY...the power of clean up!

Today I am joining my friends over at THANKFUL THURSDAY. Iris is our host each week and I am so grateful to her for leading us in giving thanks. I hope that you will check out all of the other grateful blogger's that also participate each week.

HAVE YOU EVER GIVEN THANKS FOR CLEANING SUPPLIES?

For the past four years I have owned and operated my own cleaning business. Residential, Commercial, Real Estate cleaning. If its dirty...I'll clean it.

Two cleaning products that I would not catch myself without is CLOROX CLEAN UP and MR CLEAN ERASE PAD. I love both of these cleaning products because they leave such a fresh and clean look (and smell)!

On this THANKFUL THURSDAY, I am grateful for the power of CLEAN UP!

I am not only grateful for the great products such as the ones I mentioned above for they help me make a living but I am extremely grateful today for the CLEAN UP that God applies that enables me to live life better!

EPHESIANS 4:31

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you".

BITTERNESS...are you bitter about anything? towards anyone? Has it taken root and grown into other things?

ALLOW GOD TO APPLY HIS CLEANING POWER AND

LIVE A BETTER LIFE WITHOUT THIS BITTERNESS!

WRATH...what enrages you? crime? disobedience? gas prices? broken promises? Has your wrath caused you to say or do things that you regret?

ALLOW GOD TO APPLY HIS CLEANING POWER AND

LIVE A BETTER LIFE WITHOUT THIS WRATH!

ANGER...are you easily angered? with your family, your friends or your coworkers? Do you say things in anger that you have to later apologize for? Have you sent someone a text message or a email this week that oozed with fits of anger?

ALLOW GOD TO APPLY HIS CLEANING POWER AND

LIVE A BETTER LIFE WITHOUT THIS ANGER!

CLAMOR...do you publicly let your discontent be known? Are you a disgruntled employee? When the waitress gets your order wrong do you make a scene?

ALLOW GOD TO APPLY HIS CLEANING POWER AND

LIVE A BETTER LIFE WITHOUT THIS CLAMOR!

EVIL SPEAKING...does your speech reflect what is in your heart? do you encourage or tear down? do you find fault with your neighbor? do you talk about your co-worker behind their back?

ALLOW GOD TO APPLY HIS CLEANING POWER AND

LIVE A BETTER LIFE WITHOUT THIS EVIL SPEAKING!

Gods CLEANING POWER is much like the magic eraser product...His GRACE, LOVE and FORGIVENESS will wipe each stain of our heart clean.

WHY NOT SCHEDULE A CLEANING OF THE HEART TODAY!

Join me and Iris for other THANKFUL THURSDAY posts -

CLICK HERE!

A PIECE OF MY HEART..."I lead...you follow"

ARE YOU A LEADER?
What kind of a leader are you?

It doesn't matter if you sit on the platform on Sunday morning or if you teach a Sunday school class.

It doesn't matter if you sing in the choir or if you take up the offering.

It doesn't matter if you work in the nursery or if you mow the church yard.

It doesn't matter if you help fold the bulletins or if you visit the sick.

It doesn't matter the capacity of your role in your local church...

We are all CALLED to be leaders and we are leading others to Christ (or away from) by our acts of love and attitude of leadership. No matter our age, our race or our status - we are leading someone somewhere! People are watching, observing and copying our every move. When you lead...who is following you?

In the world, leadership is based upon power and authority. It is designed to benefit the leader and it places him above others. A godly leader should be doing all they can do to help other Christians reach their full potential in Christ.

Mark 10:43-45
“Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

These verses show that godly spiritual leaders do not have the attitudes of leaders in the world.

I ONCE HEARD A SPEAKER GIVE EXAMPLES

OF THREE STYLES OF LEADERSHIP

1. If we DRIVE people, we will DRIVE them until they can get out of our way.

2. If we LEAD people, we will be able to LEAD them as far as we have gone ourselves.

3. If we SERVE people, we will help each person develop their full God given potential and equip each person for the ministry that Christ has prepared for every Christian.

WHAT KIND OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER ARE YOU?
Do you DRIVE, LEAD or SERVE in your leadership style?

We are reminded today that as we lead, someone is following. I pray your influence on those around you are leading them to their full potential in Christ!

and that's a piece of my heart today;

AT THE WELL...marriage - building up your spouse

Today, I am joining my friends over AT THE WELL, as we pursue to be Titus 2 women. I hope you will also join in on the discussion over there. Today CINDY is our discussion leader. Cindy has led us in a great topic this week, "MARRIAGE - BUILDING UP YOUR SPOUSE".

FROM MY HEART TO YOURS AT THE WELL....

STICKS & STONES

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

Most of us remember this childhood saying as a rebuke against name-calling bullies. It seemed to work at that time, but in reality, the saying is wrong. Words can and do inflict more pain than the biggest stick or the heaviest stone could ever cause. Cursing, mocking, blaming, insulting…we all know that this simple method of just saying a few well chosen words can manipulate and hurt people in ways we can't even imagine, especially those closest to us.

Words do hurt us...what we say, how we say it, what we mean by it, it all affects us and other people. Words have energy and power. Words can heal or maim; comfort or kill.

So how can we make sure that our words spoken to our spouse are those of encouragement? lifting up? And not tearing down?

C o n t r o l

y o u r

t o n g u e!

There is a couple that my husband and I are friends with. I enjoy spending time with the wife; shopping, going out for lunch and hanging out. My husband likes spending time with the husband; meeting for lunch or coffee in the morning. When the four of us get together, it always seems to be a bit awkward. The conversation that goes on between these married friends is not always uplifting. It starts out in a joking matter, but the comments usually take a twist to the point that we are not sure where the joke ends and the hurt begins. The put downs. The "I told you so's". The comparison to someone else. Have you ever been in a situation where the words of discord and discontent makes you feel uncomfortable. No matter how much you try to encourage and lift up..you feel like you have failed miserably.

HOW CAN I SHOW MY FRIENDS THAT THEIR

WORDS ARE HURTING EACH OTHER?

One of the best things I can do for our friends is lead by example

I need to make sure the words I speak TO my husband are uplifting and encouraging. And even beyond what I speak to him, what do I say ABOUT him? When I am having lunch with my girlfriend, do I speak ill of my husband or do I compliment him.

From time to time we all need a "girlfriend" that we girls can confide in and share our inner feelings. But can I alert you to the dangers of destruction that our words can do to our spouse, even in his absence. The negative words that we leave with our "confidants" will long linger even after we have found forgiveness with our mate.

CONTROLLING OUR TONGUE takes practice! At a young age, we practiced forming sounds and syllables and with 'practice' we mastered this thing we call SPEECH. The control of our tongue is something we need to practice.

WHY NOT PRACTICE PRAISE AND

ENCOURAGEMENT THIS WEEK...

START WITH YOUR SPOUSE

Prov. 21:23

“Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles”

Eph. 4:29

“ Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

STICKS AND STONES MAY BREAK MY BONES,

BUT WORDS WILL DEFINITELY HURT ME (and MY MATE)

As I pursue to be more of a Titus 2 woman, I pray this prayer over the words I use when I speak to or speak of my mate...that every thing I say will be uplifting, encouraging and pleasing. That no corrupt word will come out of my mouth that would cause hurt and pain to him or anyone that may hear.

"Lord, help me to speak LIFE into my husband and not be one who

throws sticks and stones. Help me to give honor to the man You gave to me!"

Why not join me over AT THE WELL and see what the other ladies are saying about this subject. FIND MORE HERE!

Me, Me, and OH YEAH - ME! - August 17th weekly devotion

Thank you for joining us for this week's devotion. It is my prayer that God will speak to you thru my writing and most importantly thru His Word. May His Word challenge and change us today!

IN A STORY I read about King Solomon, it is told of how Solomon took a tiny ant into his hand and asked, "Is there anyone in the world greater than I?"

"Yes", replied the ant, "I am, since God sent you to carry me."

Pride is a vice that we all share, and yet we dislike pride when we see it in someone else. Humility, on the other hand, is admired by all, though misunderstood.

In last week's YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, I polled readers the following question, "What would benefit you from having humility?" The top answers were:

50% of those polled said that they would have a smoother life with God's blessings and the goodwill of others. Tied with the same amount of votes, voters said they also would be able to help some people that they cared about if they thought of themselves less.

30% of readers voted and said that with increased humility, they would make more friends and have deeper relationships.

If there is one area in our lives where we need change, it is in the area of humility. Some people's idea of humility is to feel negative about themselves.."I probably won't do well at this, but I'll try."

THIS IS NOT HUMILITY. Another false idea of humility is feigned modesty, for instance a person who is skilled musically but denys that they have any talent.

REAL HUMILITY is putting others before yourself and regarding yourself as less important than others.

WHEN I THINK OF HUMILITY, I THINK OF 2 PEOPLE

The first is a man who would give the shirt off of his back to a stranger. He would sacrifice everything he owned for someone who lacked. I have personally seen him walk into McDonalds with $3.00 in his pocket, order a kids meal and a coffee and turn around and give the meal to a homeless person standing outside and walk away drinking his coffee. This man, I recall, several years ago, worked with a woman whose husband had had a heartattack. She had exhausted all of her personal days and vacation days at work. Any time she needed to be off would now be unpaid. This man gave all of his unused vacation days to this woman he personally did not know.

Sacrifice. Humility is putting others before yourself, sacrificially.

This first man I speak of is one of the most humble men I have ever met, and I pray I could be more like him. I have been married to him for the past 27 years, and he is my hero!

Another hero of mine, who is the perfect example of humility, is Jesus Christ. Perfect humility is pictured in Jesus coming as a helpless infant and dying for our sin. Paul discusses the humility that he would like to see the followers of Jesus to adopt in Philippians chapter 2.

PHILIPPIANS 2:3-5

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself: (4) do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interest of others. (5) Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus."

PAUL CALLS HUMILITY AN ATTITUDE OF THE MIND

Another word for pride is PRESUMPTION. Solomon paints a perfect picture of presumption and its results in Proverbs.

PROVERBS 25:6,7

"Do not claim honor in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men; (7) for it is better that it be said to you, 'come up here' than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen."

PRESUMPTION is assuming a higher place than you should. Presumption is asking for trouble.

Pride leads to a fall. If you walk on a high path, you may fall and be hurt.

However, the one who walks on a low road has less distance to fall.

In some ways, humility is the hardest trait to have, and in some ways, it is the easiest. Self-importance is a condition of our sinful nature. A me-first (me, me and OH YEAH - me!) attitude is NATURAL, but an others-first attitude is SPIRITUAL!

Humility is not as hard to obtain as people think. It is not deciding that you are no good at anything; in fact, it is not about you at all!! Humility is the habit and attitude of thinking about others and about caring for people's needs MORE than people's status. Humility is simply learning to take delight in others.

"The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor and life." PROV. 22:4

God is humble. He delights in others, even though He has the right to think only of Himself.

God REWARDS humilty...the rewards may not be financial. Money is just temporary, but the reward of His grace, love and peace will be eternal.

WHAT ARE SOME WAYS THAT YOU CAN PUT OTHERS FIRST THIS WEEK?

NEED MORE HUMLITY?

try this....

1. ASK God to help you to put others first

2.CHOOSE an event where you will determine to

not talk about yourself but find out about other people

3. WRITE out a list of anyone you may need to apologize to for not being the friend/spouse/relative that you should of been when it came to "serving" them

I have been studying the book of PROVERBS, for additional help with this area of humility, meditate and memorize Prov. 18:12. Thanks for joining me today for this study.

YOUR OPINION MATTERS....

Please vote in this weeks poll, "WHAT ACTS OF KINDNESS ARE HARD FOR YOU?" The poll is located on the side column of this blog. Your opinion really matters and come back next sunday for the results!!

THANKFUL THURSDAY...whom would you sacrificially die for?

Thank you for joining me on this THANKFUL THURSDAY. Iris over at Then stings my heart is our host each week and I appreciate her so much as she leads us all into a time of expressing thanks to our Lord and Savior.

This week I want to express thanks for SACRIFICIAL LOVE. Have you ever considered whom you would lay your life down for?

* your neighbor?

* the check out girl at wal-mart?

* your dentist?

* the mailman?

* the kid next door that is on drugs?

*Jesus Christ?

IS THERE ANYONE THAT YOU WOULD

SACRIFICIALLY GIVE YOUR LIFE FOR?

I have to be honest with you - there aren't too many people that I would give my life for - outside my family.

My friend Sherry sent me a recount of a story that tells of how we take sacrificial love for granted. I thought it was priceless and very moving, as I ponder this thought of whom I would sacrificially die for...

Luke AFB is southwest of Phoenix and is rapidly being surrounded by civilization that complains about the noise from the base and its planes, forgetting that it was there long before they were.

A certain lieutenant colonel at Luke AFB deserves a big pat on the back. Apparently, an individual who lives somewhere near Luke AFB wrote the local paper complaining about a group of F-16s that disturbed his/her day at the mall. When that individual read the response from a Luke AFB officer, it must have stung quite a bit.

THE COMPLAINT:

'Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base':

Whom do we thank for the morning air show? Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 a.m., a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our good fortune! Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns early bird special? Any response would be appreciated.

THE RESPONSE:

Regarding 'A wake-up call from Luke's jets' (Letters, Thursday):

On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship flyby of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt. Jeremy Fresques. Capt. Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day. At 9 a.m. on June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend.

Based on the letter writer's recount of the flyby, and because of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the President of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured. A four-ship flyby is a display of respect the Air Force pays to those who give their lives in defense of freedom.

We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects. The letter writer asks, 'Whom do we thank for the morning air show?' The 56th Fighter Wing will make the call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives.

Grant L. Rosensteel, Jr.

Only 2 defining forces have ever offered to die for you.....

JESUS CHRIST

AND THE AMERICAN SOLDIER

One died for your soul,

the other for your freedom

ETERNITY IS FOREVER

IT JUST HAPPENS TO BEGIN ON EARTH.

What are you grateful for today? Please join other grateful hearts over at THANKFUL THURSDAY and offer up praise with us! FIND US HERE!

Blessings,

Laurie

A PIECE OF MY HEART...security clearance

Today as I share a piece of my heart with you, keep in mind that there is only ONE way to the Father...

Last week, my husband and I went with my son and his bride to the airport. It was somewhat of a sad day as we had to say goodbye to our son who was going overseas to serve our country in Korea for the next 13 months. Once he got checked in at the airport counter, we had a pleasant surprise... the airlines gave all of us security clearance and allowed us to go to his gate with him and wait there with him.

It was a wonderful gesture on the Delta airlines to give us more time with our son.

I have been thinking all week about that "security clearance" ticket that we received and I wonder how many people are living day to day without Christ and thinking that in the end that they will get a "security clearance" ticket to enter heaven.

DO YOU KNOW PEOPLE THAT ARE "good" PEOPLE BUT FAR FROM CHRIST?

I have been friends for the past 17 years with someone who is a very good person....

-She is kind.

-She is giving.

-She is loving.

-She obeys the law.

-She is an awesome Mom.

-She gives money to charity.

-She doesn't cuss.

-She doesn't drink.

-She is faithful to her husband.

Despite all the good that my friend does, there is one element missing in her life...she does not have a personal relationship with Christ.

Doing good does not make you any more of a Christ follower, than drinking tea makes you southern. You must know Him personally!! There will be no "passes" given out for good behavior at the pearly gates.

1 JOHN 4:15

"Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God."

JOHN 14:6

" Jesus said, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me."

HAVE YOU ASKED CHRIST IN YOUR HEART?

Don't wait...today is your day!

Dear Lord, I am a sinner. I am asking you to forgive me of my sins. I believe that You sent Your Son to die for me and I receive Your forgiveness today. Please wash me white as snow and help me to live a life that is pleasing to You. I ask You now to live in me and guide me to be all I can be with You. AMEN

It's that simple. If you have prayed this sinners prayer - you now possess your "security clearance" ticket to heaven. May you be empowered with His grace as you walk forward from this day on! See you there!!

AT THE WELL...preparing a homecoming for daddy

Today, I am joining my friends over AT THE WELL, as we pursue to be Titus 2 women. I hope you will also join in on the discussion over there. Today LISA from http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/carolinametzgers is our discussion leader. Lisa has led us in a great topic this week, "Preparing a homecoming for Daddy".

FROM MY HEART TO YOURS....

Lisa poses a question for us today over at the well..."how do we prepare our homes for Daddy's homecoming" I loved what she had to share with us about hospitality...

Hospitality is a “cordial and generous reception; an act or service of welcoming; hospitable treatment, reception, or disposition; hospitality constitutes a key ingredient of family life.” Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Hospitality [is] a little fire, a little food, and an immense quiet.”

Have you ever considered that your home should be a place for you to be hospitable to your husband?

In today's society, I am fully aware that in our homes, we are no June Cleavers! Many of us, as women, have many responsibilities upon our shoulders. Not only are we tending to the children, but we are running the kiddos to school and ball practice; we are grocery shopping; planning the menu; cooking; doing the laundry; and most of us are working outside of the home part time or full time. So if you think I am suggesting that we parade around in our high heels as we take out the pot roast from the oven just as our man walks in the door from work...Well, sort of, that is what I am suggesting.

BEING HOSPITABLE IS AN ACT OF SERVICE TO WELCOME SOMEONE.

What could you do that would make your man feel welcome when he walks in the front door after a long, hard day at the office?

*Greet him with high heels on? well, maybe not high heels...but have you combed your hair all day or brushed your teeth since lunch? Make an effort to greet your man with style and look pleasing for him.

*Pot roast in the oven? OK, maybe you had a long day at work also and you did not have time to cook a pot roast before he came home, but you can have a plan ready for dinner. Even if it is chicken salad. Don't wait until 5:00 pm to think about what's for dinner.

*Running late? Do the kids have you running? Ball practice at 6:00, band practice at 7:00, pick up school supplies at wal-mart at 8:00. Do you overbook yourself and find it hard to find time for you and hubby? Involve your sweetie in some of the running, so he won't feel left out or abandoned. Some of the best "talking" times is in the aisles of wal-mart.

Showing hospitality to others is easy for me. I will bake a cake for a sick friend, visit the elderly in the hospital, pick up my neighbors son from daycare, invite the new couple from church over for dinner...but somehow finding time to be hospitable to my husband is difficult.

"Be kindly affectioned one to another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.” Romans 12:10-13

As I pursue to be more of a Titus 2 woman, I pray this prayer over my relationship with my husband -that I will give him preference and honor; that I will be diligent in serving him and meeting his needs. "Lord, help me to be more hospitable to the man you gave to me!"

Why not join me over AT THE WELL and see what the other ladies are saying about this subject. FIND MORE HERE!