Something to ponder

God is calling you

WHEN YOU'RE TIRED AND WEARY, AND DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN, WHEN YOUR HEART HAS BEEN BROKEN, AND YOUR LIFE IS UPSIDE DOWN, WHEN THE HOPES AND PLANS AND DREAMS YOU'VE HAD, HAVE ALL FADED INTO DUST, THEN WHO'S THE ONLY ONE THAT YOU CAN TRUST?

RUN TO ME WHEN YOU'RE LONELY, RUN TO ME WHEN YOU'RE DOWN, RUN TO ME, FIND THE COMFORT AND THE SHELTER FROM THE STORM, WHERE NO ENEMY CAN TOUCH YOU, AND THE ENEMY MUST FLEE, COME TO ME AND FIND THE PEACE THAT IS REAL.

IT'S IN MY ARMS OF LOVE THAT YOU CAN HIDE FROM THE TRIALS AND TESTS AND STORMS, IT'S IN MY ARMS OF TENDERNESS THAT YOUR PROBLEMS ARE ALL GONE, IT'S IN MY ARMS OF LIFE AND LOVE THAT YOU WILL REALLY KNOW, THAT I'M THE ONE WHO REALLY CARES FOR YOU.


WHEN THE WORLD SEEMS DARK AND CRUEL, AND PEOPLE DON'T SEEM TO CARE, RUN TO ME MY PEOPLE,
YOU'LL FIND THAT I AM THERE, WHEN THE TRIALS AND TESTS AND SUFFERING JUST SEEM TOO MUCH TO BEAR, THEN TURN TO ME YOUR SAVIOUR, I'LL ALWAYS BE THERE.


IT'S IN THE TIMES OF TESTS AND TRIALS WHEN YOU'RE FEELING SO ALONE, THAT YOU NEED TO RUN TO FIND MY COMFORT AT MY THRONE, IT'S IN THE TIMES OF TESTS AND TRIALS THAT I'M REFINING YOU AS GOLD, IN THE WINEPRESS OF SUFFERING MY TRUE SONS ARE FORMED.


IT'S IN THE TIMES OF DESPERATION AND TIMES WHEN PEOPLE DON'T CARE, WHEN YOU FEEL SO REJECTED, THAT YOU TURN AND I'LL BE THERE, FOR I'M THE GOD OF ALL THINGS, WHO KNOWS YOUR EVERY NEED, WHEN I LOOK AT YOU MY PEOPLE, MY HEART BEGINS TO BLEED, BECAUSE YOU LOOK TO MAN FOR COMFORT, YOU LOOK TO MAN FOR PRAISE, YOU LOOK TO ONE ANOTHER TO FEEL MY LOVE AND PRAISE,
BUT THE PLACE THAT YOU WILL FIND THESE THINGS, IS ONLY IN MY ARMS, I'M THE GOD OF LOVE AND COMFORT, RUN TO ME, I'LL BE YOUR BALM, WHEN YOUR WOUNDED HEART AND PRIDE AND HURT, NEED BINDING UP WITH LOVE, THEN COME TO ME, I'LL HEAL YOU WITH MY COMFORT AND MY LOVE,

WHEN I SHOW YOU THINGS THAT NEED TO DIE IN YOU, I'M THE ONE WHO'LL TRULY SEE YOU THROUGH. FOR IT'S ONLY IN MY PRESENCE THAT THESE THINGS CAN BE DONE, SO COME INTO MY CHAMBERS, I'LL MAKE YOU LIKE MY SON, DON'T DESPISE THE TESTS AND TRIALS AND OBSTACLES YOU FACE, IT'S ONLY IN THE TIMES OF PAIN THAT YOU CAN TRULY SEEK MY FACE, SO DRAW TO ME NOW, FEEL MY LOVE AND GRACE.

 Thanks for this Linda Brown, we all need this reminder. Sometimes the world doesn't offer what we need because it's not meant to. If you have a heart thats empty and broken. If your life just plainly stinks. Or you are happy but know there must be more. Take it to Jesus, He died on the cross for you and want's to be everything you need. If you have never invited Jesus into your life then why not now. Just do it where you are. He is waiting and want's to show you He loves you and would do anything for you. You just need to believe.

Creative Mess

Okay so by now you would have noticed I have not been doing my daily "real life' photos. I kinda gave up because no one else wanted to join in on the fun. It was quite interesting to see how other people are the same as any one else. We can all make things look good but keeping it up can become exhausting after a while.

During the past few days I have been reflecting on how much being a neat freak has cost me. Usually I don't mind if something is left out for a while as long as it's put away at the end of the day but I now see how it has stopped my creative juices from flowing.
I am creative and love to scrapbook. It is my way of relaxing, socializing and expressing who I am.
The thing is I have not done it for a very long time. It has been one of those things I just don't want to do because of the mess. It involves getting a lot of stuff out and taking up room on the dining table or setting up my fold out table. It involves me making time for myself too. That can sometimes be hard for me to do. Once I start I get engrossed and just create. Things around me don't seem to be as important and I can get lost in my craft.
I get excited!
I am happy!

I have fun!
Sometimes as mums we get lost in the things that we need to do. There hardly seems any time for things we enjoy unless we sacrifice something else. I was born to create. That is a quality God put in me. He want's me to use it the best way I know how. I wasn't created to keep a perfect house and never make a mess. I was created to find ways to express who I am, pull things out and sometimes leave it all out to use the next day or a week later!

“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” — Mary Lou Cook

I have so much scrap booking supplies to get through so I have decided that this is the time to get through it. I even went shopping the other day and got some more.
I also have an expensive craft robo that I have hardly used since I bought it. It's time I had a look at what it can do other than look good in a box!


Are you a creative person stuck in the same mindset I have been? I am about to let it go and just create the way I love to. If you are the same why not leave a comment and share what you love to do. Why not share what has been holding you back too. 
Lets just go be who we love being. Life will still carry on and perhaps we will be a little bit happier in it!

Real life Day 2

So todays "real life' picture is of my boys room. I have two boys, one is 11 and the youngest is almost 8.  They have to share a room much to the annoyance of the 11 year old. They don't have the biggest room in the house but it's big enough to sleep in.
Unfortunately since they started sharing, this is how their room looks a lot.

Each of them has their own space for toys and clothes, but for some reason the neat pile of folded washing I give them to put away hardly reaches the draw it's to go in. The draws are always left open and the new carpet we put in can hardly be seen!

When I took this picture I opened the curtain so it would be lighter and my youngest was there with me. His comment was "mum don't open the curtain. Do you want everyone to see our messy room!"  I just laughed and thought how funny for him to say that. He has heard me too many times!

We can train our children to be who we want them to be but in the end they will be who they were meant to be. The mess in their bedroom is no indication of my parenting skills or an indication of who my boys are. They may have a few of their things lying around but it's not filthy, it's not smelly or disgusting.
It doesn't always stay like this. They do have to clean it up and now and then I go in and give it a 'mum' clean.

The worst part is they don't have a door that can be closed to hide it. When we painted we decided not to put it back on until we get new doors. It's hard to see sometimes but mostly I am just glad in my heart that I have two of the most amazing boys in my life and if I had no mess in that room, it would probably mean I don't have them.

Don't focus on the mess, focus on the person who made it and love them anyway.

No one's perfect really.....

Okay this is the challenge put on facebook by a couple of my friends

I love how Facebook can trick the world into believing how perfect your life is...you know all the pics of us with friends, all done up, perfect parenting skills.. Blah blah blah... So I am sending out a 7 day challenge... It's called this is really how it is pics..You gotta post pics of a messy house house, screaming kids, no make up and messy hair, skid dies in the toilet get my drift??... So go on expose yourself for who you really are!! Lol...

 This show my ironing board that had been out since I last ironed a couple of days ago.

This is my overflowing washing basket that I am working on today.

I will post over the next few days and show you how I really live. It's quite freeing to show your true self. This Blog for me has become a way of showing the world who I am and I guess I have come to a time in my life where I am happy to reveal who I am and let go of some of the 'baggage' we carry around for no reason.

Now it's your turn. Just do it. You now you wanna!!

Relax and Release!!

Today is the start of something BIG! Big for me and big for some of you out there.

Growing up I never considered myself to be a neat freak but I do remember every weekend as a teenager I would hardly go out and would spend a lot of time in my bedroom with a good book. 

If I wasn't reading, I was re-arranging and cleaning my room. This would be almost all of the time. Once I    moved out into my own home I loved keeping things nice and tidy. I had to live with a messy husband who wasn't like me and my tidy ways but I learnt to love him any way. Then three kids came along and my house became harder to keep tidy the way I wanted it. It became exhausting trying to keep up with everything. My kids are very close in age and I had to do almost everything on my own. It wares you down after a while and you sometimes just do what's important for the moment and get to the rest later.

As my kids got older it became easier to keep up with things. Everything seemed to have a place and once the kids went to school I loved being able to clean and have it stay that way for a few hours until they came home again.

After a while cleaning became a problem for me. The problem was cleaning became like a drug to me. I had to get my fix all the time. I placed my need for God onto a need to clean!

I would hardly sit and relax. Every bit of dust, crumbs or dirt became my enemy. Washing had to be always done, the vaccum or broom had to always be used. If there was anything out that needed to be put away it annoyed me until it was done. If anyone didn't tidy up they would get yelled at and resentment started to grow inside me. I hated that I was the one to always clean after them. Why was it so hard for them to just do it. They could see how important it was to me to keep it all tidy! By five in the afternoon the house had to look like no one had been playing. The kids had to have everything put away.

I became the yelling mum/wife. The mum/wife that shows less love and grace to her family than she should. The kind of mum/wife no one wants to be around.

I am still like this to a point especially when we are about to have company. I have noticed that it seems to be a big thing for most women when it comes to having people over. We like to show that we have things under control. I have always said to my husband that the state of your house is a reflection of who you are as a wife. A clean house shows you are good at running your home. The problem the Holy Spirit revealed to me was it was not MY home. It's OUR home. Everyone who lives in it belongs to it. More often than not we get a mixture of cleaners and non cleaners. It bothers some that its a mess but not others. God does that deliberately you know. He sends people into our lives who are opposite to us for a reason. 

I ended up married to my opposite so I could be shown how to relax and see that life continues on even when things are not done. He is so much more blaze than I am and at times it drives me crazy. I am thankful every day that he is who he is though because if he was a control freak like I can be at times we would be an awful pair to live with. 

The Holy Spirit also revealed to me I needed to let go of 'perfection'. It was okay for me to like a clean home but not at the expense of everyone around me. I had started yelling at my kids if they didn't clean the way I wanted it done. The words 'do it perfectly' 'thats not perfect enough' were common things out of my mouth. What kind of mum does that? I think its the kind of mum who has her own issues to deal with and has to lay them at God's feet not on the backs of her children.

My plan for this year was to learn to entertain with a house that wasn't so perfect. I don't have a lot of visitors but I know the ones that do come love me for who I am and not for my home. I show grace to my friends who are not so 'perfect' and I would love to know they do it for me.

In the end we are not in a perfect world we don't need to show clean we need to show love.

Wonderfully made

Have you ever wondered why you do the things you do?

Do you feel there is something different about you that you just can't put your finger on?

You were not designed to fit into a mould the same as the next person, you were created with the best by the best. God made you unique and one of a kind.
The bible says;
  
   For you created my inmost being; 
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  

   I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you
   when I was made in the secret place,
   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 

   Your eyes saw my unformed body; 

   all the days ordained for me were written in your book
   before one of them came to be                  Psalm 139:13-16 


   'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 
   'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, 
   plans to give you hope and a future.'           Jeremiah 29: 11


    Indeed, the very hairs on your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; 
   you are worth more than many sparrows.       Luke 12:7




Each of these scriptures show us how God made us exactly the way He wanted us. Every part of us,   including the individual hair on our head is important to Him!


You are not a mistake.
You are not unworthy.
You were made special.


You are a work in progress but God made you that way so you would lean on Him to get you through it and come out the other side telling the world about;


His patience.
His faithfulness. 
His love.


Most of all you will know that you were made to be you and not like any other person in this world.
Love who you are and ask God to show you what He made you unique for. He didn't just make you. There is a bigger picture and a perfect plan for your life. Ask for it and GO FOR IT!

Getting off the bench

My whole life I have felt like I am in the shadows.

I am the one on the side bench, the one never 'dancing' or attracting too much attention.
When you are the one sitting back you are the one taking a lot in that others miss. My journey has at times been lonely and I have struggled. I learnt to depend on me, not expect much from others and just push through life the best I know how. I have always been the one people can rely on but I find it hard to ask that of others. If I don't know how to do it I don't bother doing it. If it's too hard I don't ask anyone to help me. If I do ask I don't feel it helps me the way I needed it to so just get on with it again.

Being the side lines kind of girl you learn to 'take what you can get'. I have learnt don't make too much fuss of things, move on and get over it! Anxiety and stress are big parts of my life that are slowly being dealt with over time by my God who is bigger than me and both of those things.

Depending on who I am around or the situation I am in, having a quieter personality I don't tend to say much. I have been perceived as 'snobby' because I don't join in everything or talk everyones ear off.

 I actually enjoy talking it's just never something I do for the sake of it. Being the observer I have seen a lot of that done by others and wonder if some things are actually said in the head before it comes out! 

God has shown me I was relying on myself and it had to stop. God wanted me to rely on HIM more than anything or anyone. He wanted to show me His love and support was all I really longed for and it was all I needed. I still rely on myself more than I should, but I know my God has my back and is carrying me during any tough times that come my way. He's walking along side me with every step I take and His love will get me through. He will never disappoint me or let me down.

A couple of years ago I felt God wanted me to start stepping off the bench and share things I have learnt along the way. He showed me I have got a lot of experience in things that people struggle with and He wants me to help. I don't have all the answers but I have a been through a tough journey so far and have come out better and stronger. And I have a God who knows what I don't.

My personality for a long time has been meek and mild but as I am growing and maturing in Christ I see the LIONESS emerging. The strong, bold, forthright person is emerging from somewhere within the depths of me. I am slowly talking more in some situations, I am putting my hand up to get involved in things I would have shied away from before. I know in my heart God has a big plan for my life, if I had never learnt to let God take the reigns His plan for bigger and better things for me would never come to pass because it involves stepping out, stepping up and letting go.

Changing who I have been has not been easy. Stepping out after being this way has been quite hard for me. I have had doors 'close' on me I thought would be opened wide and I have not had the support from people I needed but God has been encouraging me to keep pressing into Him and He has shown me it's all in His timing and to just take it one day at a time.

I know I am not the only person in this world who has struggled with all or some of these things. I am here to let you in on my deep secrets so you don't have to feel alone in this journey. God has made you for so much more than who you are right now. Who you were in the past, who you are right now are no indication of who God want's you to be in the future. This is why my title is Made For More
God is helping me get through it all and He wants to help and encourage you too.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Challenge yourself........

This is something I am quite challenged with at the moment. It is so easy to live day to day and focus on our own list if things we need to get done, and on things we want.
When we are so focused on ourselves and our own journey, we can sometimes miss what could be more important.
I recently had the opportunity to help out a friend. She is a single mum and we had caught up and during her visit she had mentioned she was wondering how she was going to feed her three kids. This was not a "please do something to help me" it was a general statement made by her.
I heard her but at the time didn't do anything. Over the next few days however God put her on my heart and I knew God wanted me to do a grocery shop for her. I took my boys along with me to the supermarket and we did a general shop for her and her family.
Before I went shopping I made sure my friend was going to be home. Once I was finished shopping I rocked up at her house and told her to come and collect something out of my boot! There was enough food in there to last her a while.

                                                  It was unexpected.
                                                It was overwhelming.
                                           It was just what she needed.

How may times do we go through life actually listening to and seeing the needs around us?
Do you really see the needs of the people you know and love or even a stranger?
Is it so hard to pause for a moment and ask God "who do you want me to serve today Lord?"

This is not a bragging post. It is merely a thought provoking one! I really want to challenge myself and others to find it in your heart to see that we are in a broken world. People all around us are doing it tough in some way. Not necessarily needing food, maybe you know someone who just needs your time.
Loving on someone is not about spending money on them or buying them things. It's about taking time out and saying to someone else you are important enough to me. 

Help them see God has seen their need and He has sent them you.

Taking my boys along with me allowed them to be a part of something bigger than them. It instills in them  a sense of giving and of being self-less. I feel strongly as a mum it is a big part of who I want them to become. If we start them young to focus on others and their needs we end up with amazing, caring adults to send out into this world, full of people that are crying out for someone to notice them.

Love on someone today.
I guarantee it will make some ones day and you will also feel better for it.

Journaling

Some time ago I started keeping a journal. Not a dear diary, just a few snippets here and there of thoughts and words I get from the Lord.
I am a thinker and sometimes my brain doesn't shut off. Keeping a journal helps me get things out of my head to make room for more things to think about!


Sometimes I will be in bed awake with too many thoughts and I need to get it onto paper before I can sleep. I keep a journal right beside the bed for these occasions.
I also like to read a lot and sometimes a word can be given to me from my current book or even from my bible. I also take my journal to church and write little snippets there too. There is always something to write about! I have even been given a word while I was doing the dishes......


It is so nice to scroll through the pages and see how far I have come over time and see how much God is doing in me.
A journal allows the things of my heart to be expressed in ways that may not be for now. It plays a part in; who I was, who I am now and who I am yet to become.

Expressing things on paper puts it into perspective and also brings the truth to life;
You can let go of frustration and hurt, hopes and dreams can be shared and things you speak over your life or others can be shown.

 Its nice to see when things are fulfilled. So much better when you see the dreams you had turned into something bigger and better than you expected!

I find I get a sentence or just a scripture and then other times I get pages worth of things to write about.

Everyones journey is different and this is just one way that has helped me to grow, and develop the character I need to fulfill my destiny.

Do you journal like me or have you got a different way of releasing things?

Have you seen how much God has changed you and can you see how much He has helped you through?

I pray, however you express yourself you find total peace and know how much God loves you and want's to be involved in everything you do.

Happy journaling...........

The Life I Planned.........

 Just a little something I found recently. Very fitting for me at the moment.

  Hope you like it!

                      Has someone seen the life I planned?  It seems it's been 
                      misplaced

                      I've looked in every corner. It's lost without a trace.

                      I've found one I don't recognize. Things missing that were dear

                      Promises I'd hoped to keep and dreams I'd dreamed aren't here.

                      Faces I had planned to see. Hands I planned to hold

                      Now absent in the pictures. Not the way I told.

                      Has someone seen the life I planned? Did it get thrown away?

                      God took my hand from searching. Then I heard him say,

                      "Child, your eyes have never seen

                       Eternal plans I have for you

                       Are more than you could dream."

                       "You long to walk by sight

                       But I'm teaching eyes to see.

                       I know what I am doing

                      'Till then, you must believe."

                     He's done so much, I felt ashamed.  To know He heard my moans

                     To think I'd trade in all He's done. For plans made on my own.                                                                                                                                 

                     I wept wept over His faithfulness and now He'd proved Himself                                                      

                     He'd gone beyond my dreams and said to Him myself,                    

                    "No , my ears have never heard, my eyes have never seen

                     Eternal plans you have for me are more than I could dream                                                                                                                          

                    "Yes, I long to walk by sight but You are teaching eyes to see

                     You know what You are doing 'till then I must believe."

                    

                     I felt His great compassion, mercy unrestrained

                     He let me mourn my losses and showed me my gains.

                     I offered Him my my future and released to Him my past.

                     I traded in my dreams for a plan He said would last.

                     I get no glimpse ahead, no certainties at all.

                     Except the presence of the One who will not let me fall.

                     Are you also searching for a life you planned yourself?

                     Have you looked in every corner? Have you checked every shelf?

                     Child your ears have never heard, your eyes have never seen.

                     Eternal plans He has for you are more than you could dream.

                     Perhaps you long to walk by faith but He's teaching eyes to see.

                     He knows what He is doing child, step out and believe.   

             

                   "No Eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what 

                    God has prepared for those who love Him."   1 Corinthians 2:9

                   'Things Pondered' by Beth Moore