Blessed
Today's post is very simple. I am blessed. I am beyond thankful today as I reflect on the many blessings in my life. Without a doubt, I an grateful for an amazing husband, 4 beautiful children whom are compassionate and passionate and who serve the Lord in every aspect of their lives.
Of course I am grateful for an amazing, smart, handsome, funny, perfect grandson. ( I could go on, but I'll try to show some restraint)
I am grateful for an amazing family, who stands together through thick and thin.
I am grateful for a just, merciful and faithful God and I am grateful that I can have a personal relationship with Him.
I am grateful to live in a country that is FREE.
What are you grateful for today?
I know that life is challenging and I know that there are stresses around every corner. It is easy to get caught up in "what I don't have". When we compare ourselves to others, isn't it funny how we usually "compare up". We see what we don't have compared to others, we feel sorry for ourselves, or we feel angry at the situation, or we feel that life just is not fair.
Guess what? you are correct, life is not fair!!
Use this list to make your comparison......
If you have food in your fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of the world.
If you have money in the bank, your wallet, and some spare change you are among the top 8% of the wordl’s wealthy.
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness you are more blessed than the million people who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the agony of imprisonment or torture, or the horrible pangs of starvation vou are luckier than 500 million people alive and suffering.
If you can read this message you are more fortunate than 3 billion people in the world who cannot read it at all.
Now, readjust your mindset and spend today giving thanks, really giving thanks!!
You are Blessed!!
Happy Thanksgiving,
Shelly
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
LOAVES & FISHES
Aren't these the most beautiful loaves of bread and baskets of fish?
I know what you're thinking.......8 posts and she's already lost her mind. Well, that's not too far from the truth....I mean the part about losing my mind.
Seriously, to me these are loaves and fishes. They may look like backpacks and blankets but they are a true sign of God's faithfulness, same as that famous lunch of "bread and sushi"
Here's the story.......I have 7 family members who will be spending the Thanksgiving holiday in Guatemala. They are going as short-term missionaries, taking time to give of themselves to meet the needs of others. Well, as you know from previous posts... I am all about that.
So, I was sitting here in my humble abode and I was spending some alone time with God, and I felt compelled to do something for the people of Guatemala. I really felt a tug on my heart to give a monetary donation. We are not wealthy people, and it is not always easy to give, especially financially, especially this time of the year. Regardless, I dropped a note and a small check into a card and sent it off to my family who would be going on the trip.
I didn't give it much thought, until I received this photo as a text message. At first, I had no idea what it was. The message said "Call me" So guess what I did, I called my aunt. Turns out that this is a picture of 16 backpacks, 15 blankets, 20 cooking utensils ( while in Guatemala they are going to be installing stoves for some families), and 8 reusable shopping bags.
OK.....cool? Not sure why she was so excited until she told me. These items were what she had purchased with the check I had sent to her. She had decided to take the money and to buy the things that the people of this country would need. She wanted me to "see" what my gift was going to do for those people.
What I really saw, was how faithful our God is. He took the small gift that I had given and He multiplied it, over and over.
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Friday, November 9, 2012
Thankful???????
I am sure that this will not be my most popular blog. Let me apologize in advance.... actually, I will not apologize, the Lord has laid this on my heart so I am going to share it!! Here goes......
Let me begin by saying that I am a shopper. When I say shopper, I mean I LOVE to shop, I LOVE to find bargains and I love stuff!!! I am also a giver, I love to give to others, especially my children and my precious grandson!!!
So you are thinking, wow she is a giver, that's a good thing!!!!
Is it?
I find myself in the Holiday Mode. I am making lists and crunching numbers and trying to find a way to get everyone everything that they could ever want. In most cases, even things that they have no idea that they want. WHY? so that I can feel good about myself. I have to admit, it puffs me up a little bit to know that I was able to give my kids everything they could ever imagine. What a fabulous mom that makes me.
So basically, this giving is self-serving.....hmmmm.....
Don't get me wrong, my kids love what they receive and they are always grateful. However, if I were to ask them what was their favorite gift from last year, I'm not sure that they would remember. You know why, because it was just stuff.
Well. this morning on the news I heard that some major department stores are now opening on Thanksgiving day. Actually, 8pm on Thanksgiving. Why you ask, because that's what the customers want.
Honestly??????
On the one day of the year that is set aside merely as a day to give thanks for our abundant blessings, we would rather go get more stuff???
Now, I am guilty of being the crazy woman who is standing in line on Black Friday, waiting for the 4am opening. I am even a little ashamed to say that I find it exhilarating. This year I really feel differently about this.
It seems that we live in a country that believes that the more you have, the more you are. It's very easy to fall into this line of thinking. While I was having a little R&R in Chicago. My aunt and I drove around through her suburb and looked at the new homes. I am not even sure that home is the appropriate word. These residences were large enough to be a hotel. They were single family homes.
Colleen and I were talking and when you see these places, you wonder how family life is inside. These houses are large enough that every member of the family could have their own wing. Do they even speak to one another. Obviously, they are able to have everyTHING that they could want, but is it just about the things. This is not how life used to be.
My Mom was the oldest of 5 children and she grew up in a 3 bedroom home. That's how it was back then, you know something?? her and her siblings talk everyday , my aunts, uncles and cousins are like sisters and brothers to me. She certainly did not grow up with many things, but she grew up with love and family and a sense of security and belonging. For my grandparents. it was never about stuff.
The question is, does more stuff = better quality of life?
I think the overwhelming answer is NO. I think more stuff = the desire for more stuff,
the desire for more stuff becomes a consuming passion, that consuming passion leads us to greed. When who we are, is defined by what we have, we will never be satisfied because we will never have enough.
That is why the Lord tell us:
The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live...Proverbs 15:27
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs....I Timothy 6:10
Eventually. the love of stuff could become what you serve. Taking the place of God in your heart.
Let me tell you, you don't have to be rich for this word to apply to you. You don't have to be the one living in the "hotel size homes". If you are striving to acquire more stuff, striving to fit into a social status or striving to be perceived as successful because of what you have,this could be you. It has definitely been me.
I don't know about you, but I don't want anything to take the place of my faith.
This year, I really want to check myself. I don't want the holidays to be about stuff.
I want to start by making Thanksgiving, just that. a day to be thankful
That doesn't mean that I won't be out there on Friday, fighting the crowds with the best of them. But, I do know that I am going to be more aware when I give. I don't want my gifts to be given with a spirit of self-serving. I don't need to give a large pile of presents to feel adequate.
The greatest gift I can give is Thanks.
From a very thankful heart,
Shelly
I am sure that this will not be my most popular blog. Let me apologize in advance.... actually, I will not apologize, the Lord has laid this on my heart so I am going to share it!! Here goes......
Let me begin by saying that I am a shopper. When I say shopper, I mean I LOVE to shop, I LOVE to find bargains and I love stuff!!! I am also a giver, I love to give to others, especially my children and my precious grandson!!!
So you are thinking, wow she is a giver, that's a good thing!!!!
Is it?
I find myself in the Holiday Mode. I am making lists and crunching numbers and trying to find a way to get everyone everything that they could ever want. In most cases, even things that they have no idea that they want. WHY? so that I can feel good about myself. I have to admit, it puffs me up a little bit to know that I was able to give my kids everything they could ever imagine. What a fabulous mom that makes me.
So basically, this giving is self-serving.....hmmmm.....
Don't get me wrong, my kids love what they receive and they are always grateful. However, if I were to ask them what was their favorite gift from last year, I'm not sure that they would remember. You know why, because it was just stuff.
Well. this morning on the news I heard that some major department stores are now opening on Thanksgiving day. Actually, 8pm on Thanksgiving. Why you ask, because that's what the customers want.
Honestly??????
On the one day of the year that is set aside merely as a day to give thanks for our abundant blessings, we would rather go get more stuff???
Now, I am guilty of being the crazy woman who is standing in line on Black Friday, waiting for the 4am opening. I am even a little ashamed to say that I find it exhilarating. This year I really feel differently about this.
It seems that we live in a country that believes that the more you have, the more you are. It's very easy to fall into this line of thinking. While I was having a little R&R in Chicago. My aunt and I drove around through her suburb and looked at the new homes. I am not even sure that home is the appropriate word. These residences were large enough to be a hotel. They were single family homes.
Colleen and I were talking and when you see these places, you wonder how family life is inside. These houses are large enough that every member of the family could have their own wing. Do they even speak to one another. Obviously, they are able to have everyTHING that they could want, but is it just about the things. This is not how life used to be.
My Mom was the oldest of 5 children and she grew up in a 3 bedroom home. That's how it was back then, you know something?? her and her siblings talk everyday , my aunts, uncles and cousins are like sisters and brothers to me. She certainly did not grow up with many things, but she grew up with love and family and a sense of security and belonging. For my grandparents. it was never about stuff.
The question is, does more stuff = better quality of life?
I think the overwhelming answer is NO. I think more stuff = the desire for more stuff,
the desire for more stuff becomes a consuming passion, that consuming passion leads us to greed. When who we are, is defined by what we have, we will never be satisfied because we will never have enough.
That is why the Lord tell us:
The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live...Proverbs 15:27
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs....I Timothy 6:10
Eventually. the love of stuff could become what you serve. Taking the place of God in your heart.
Let me tell you, you don't have to be rich for this word to apply to you. You don't have to be the one living in the "hotel size homes". If you are striving to acquire more stuff, striving to fit into a social status or striving to be perceived as successful because of what you have,this could be you. It has definitely been me.
I don't know about you, but I don't want anything to take the place of my faith.
This year, I really want to check myself. I don't want the holidays to be about stuff.
I want to start by making Thanksgiving, just that. a day to be thankful
That doesn't mean that I won't be out there on Friday, fighting the crowds with the best of them. But, I do know that I am going to be more aware when I give. I don't want my gifts to be given with a spirit of self-serving. I don't need to give a large pile of presents to feel adequate.
The greatest gift I can give is Thanks.
From a very thankful heart,
Shelly
Friday, November 2, 2012
Stormy Weather
So, I am not a traveler. Seriously, the last time that I have been away, was August 2011 when we took Taylor 1300 miles away to school! I am a "stay-at-home" mom and I mean that literally!!
Well, a couple of weeks ago, my Aunt COLLEEN ( she's the same one who did the cookbook , there's your shout out) called and invited me to her home in Chicago for a weekend away. Really? A weekend just for me? Of course, I jumped at the chance.
I boarded the plane on Thursday and thought to myself, ' Ahh four days of R&R, no worries, no responsibilities, just FUN!!
Of course, prior to my leaving, I was like a madwoman. I had ironed all the clothes for my husband and my son. I hung them in the empty closet with notes hanging from them, telling them which clothes were for which day. I had made lunches and left them in the fridge, ready to go. On the coffee table were 3 pages of notes, very clearly explaining the morning and evening schedule, hour by hour.
Anyway, I boarded that plane and thought, NOW I can begin my vacation. not a person to worry about but me!!
Can you say SANDY.....
No sooner did I arrive in Chicago, when I realized that Sandy was on her way. The storm was expected to hit upstate NY. As a matter of fact, my area was listed on the map as "Very Likely" to lose power.
This was not the rest and relaxation I was expecting. Immediately, I started to worry. I called my husband to be sure he was preparing for the storm. I told him to be sure we had water, milk, bread, flashlights, etc... I was a little panicked. ( needless to say he was not panicked and to be honest, I don't know if he ever did get those items). I was 700 miles away and I was trying to orchestrate efforts at home. I was making myself crazy. Then out of nowhere I heard...
PEACE BE STILL
It's amazing the power those 3 words had on me. What choice did I really have? First of all,I had no control over the storm. Secondly, even if I did, I was 700 miles away! I was wasting my time fretting over something that I could do nothing about.
Have you ever been there?
Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm...Mark 4:39
I love this verse, it shows the awesome power of the Lord. He was asleep on the boat while everyone else was fretting about the storm. He woke up, said 3 words, and it was done, finished, the end!!!
OK, I want this type of intervention during the storms of my life. I want the Lord to step in, say 3 words and BOOM!!, problem solved.
Well, after he spoke those words and calmed the seas , he asked this..
Wow, I don't know about you, but I never want God to ask me why I have no faith. However, I have to admit that there are times when I am in the eye of the storm, worrying and fretting and I call on Jesus and then I just keep "freaking out". That is not faith. That is not expecting God to show up. That's like sending him an invitation, but locking the door. I want to leave the door wide open, so that He may enter into my storms, speak 3 words and calm the seas.
I am thrilled to report that Sandy had very little impact on my hometown, but it had a huge impact on me, personally. It brought those 3 words to life for me.
When you are facing the storms in your life, remember that Jesus calmed the storm with a command of 3 short words. Don't leave him asking if you have faith in Him and his abilities. Take him at his word.
He will not only calm the storm, he will bring you through it and you will be stronger on the other side.
By the way, I ended up extending my little getaway by 3 days and you know something? My son and my husband did just fine without me. They didn't starve, they didn't go to school/work unclothed and when I returned home, my house was CLEAN!!!! I think that there is another lesson in there for me, but that's for another blog.
Peace to you,
Shelly
So, I am not a traveler. Seriously, the last time that I have been away, was August 2011 when we took Taylor 1300 miles away to school! I am a "stay-at-home" mom and I mean that literally!!
Well, a couple of weeks ago, my Aunt COLLEEN ( she's the same one who did the cookbook , there's your shout out) called and invited me to her home in Chicago for a weekend away. Really? A weekend just for me? Of course, I jumped at the chance.
I boarded the plane on Thursday and thought to myself, ' Ahh four days of R&R, no worries, no responsibilities, just FUN!!
Of course, prior to my leaving, I was like a madwoman. I had ironed all the clothes for my husband and my son. I hung them in the empty closet with notes hanging from them, telling them which clothes were for which day. I had made lunches and left them in the fridge, ready to go. On the coffee table were 3 pages of notes, very clearly explaining the morning and evening schedule, hour by hour.
Anyway, I boarded that plane and thought, NOW I can begin my vacation. not a person to worry about but me!!
Can you say SANDY.....
No sooner did I arrive in Chicago, when I realized that Sandy was on her way. The storm was expected to hit upstate NY. As a matter of fact, my area was listed on the map as "Very Likely" to lose power.
This was not the rest and relaxation I was expecting. Immediately, I started to worry. I called my husband to be sure he was preparing for the storm. I told him to be sure we had water, milk, bread, flashlights, etc... I was a little panicked. ( needless to say he was not panicked and to be honest, I don't know if he ever did get those items). I was 700 miles away and I was trying to orchestrate efforts at home. I was making myself crazy. Then out of nowhere I heard...
PEACE BE STILL
It's amazing the power those 3 words had on me. What choice did I really have? First of all,I had no control over the storm. Secondly, even if I did, I was 700 miles away! I was wasting my time fretting over something that I could do nothing about.
Have you ever been there?
Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm...Mark 4:39
I love this verse, it shows the awesome power of the Lord. He was asleep on the boat while everyone else was fretting about the storm. He woke up, said 3 words, and it was done, finished, the end!!!
OK, I want this type of intervention during the storms of my life. I want the Lord to step in, say 3 words and BOOM!!, problem solved.
Well, after he spoke those words and calmed the seas , he asked this..
But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”....Mark4:40
I am thrilled to report that Sandy had very little impact on my hometown, but it had a huge impact on me, personally. It brought those 3 words to life for me.
When you are facing the storms in your life, remember that Jesus calmed the storm with a command of 3 short words. Don't leave him asking if you have faith in Him and his abilities. Take him at his word.
He will not only calm the storm, he will bring you through it and you will be stronger on the other side.
By the way, I ended up extending my little getaway by 3 days and you know something? My son and my husband did just fine without me. They didn't starve, they didn't go to school/work unclothed and when I returned home, my house was CLEAN!!!! I think that there is another lesson in there for me, but that's for another blog.
Peace to you,
Shelly
Saturday, October 20, 2012
THAT STINKIN PIT!!
Have you ever woke up with that stinkin pit in your stomach? You know the one that feels like it's the size of Texas!!! Well, welcome to my morning :(
This past week has been just glorious!! My daughter Taylor was home on Fall Break and we had a week of "doing nothing", which included cuddling in bed, a little shopping and our annual family trip to the Pumpkin Farm. The only problem, it went WAY too quickly!
Taylor is my "middle child". Growing up, Taylor loved to be home, she was never even a fan of sleepovers. Whatever I was doing, she wanted to do. As she grew up, she especially loved being in the kitchen with me. So, when Tay decided to go to Culinary School, I was thrilled. Although the plan was for her to go to school in Chicago (700 miles away), I knew this was perfect for her and I thought "OK God, I gave her to you, if you want her in Chicago, I'll deal" Oh yeah, did I mention that my sister and my aunt and uncle all live in the Chicago area. That made this concession a little easier, I must admit. Although I did have that little pit in my stomach, knowing that she would be so far away.
Shortly after Taylor's acceptance into Culinary School, ( at this point I was getting used to the idea that 700 miles wasn't THAT far from home), she decided she wanted to join our church on a short-term missions trip to Ecuador. Really? This girl never wanted to stay anywhere, Ecuador!! Needless to say, my good friend THE PIT, returned.
Again, I prayed and I informed God ( as if HE didn't already know), that I gave Taylor to Him and he had better protect her because I am one of those mom's that becomes , well let's just say, aggressive, when you mess with my kids. Of course. I was totally neglecting the fact that she was actually HIS child. Sometimes, denial is a very good place to live.
For Taylor, Ecuador was a life-changer. While I was telling God that He had better protect MY girl, HE was telling Taylor that he had a plan for her life, a plan that DID NOT include Culinary School.
Taylor was called to be a missionary, while serving in Ecuador.
Can you say BIG, MAMMOTH,HUGE,STINKIN PIT!!!!!
This was not my plan, at all. C'mon God, really? I conceded to her being in Chicago. Isn't that enough?
I wanted an answer....... I got one......
... For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope....Jeremiah 29:11
and then He gave me this verse ...
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners...Isaiah 61:1
Well, Obviously someone had to go out and spread the gospel, but I always thought it should be someone else's kid, not my own!! These words did not really encourage me, it just enlarged that PIT!!
It has been 2yrs since Taylor has received her calling to Missions and I'm doing some better with accepting this call ( maybe a teensy, tiny bit better, I'm working up to the some better level).
She is in her sophomore year at Oral Robert's University, in Tulsa OK. Remember when I was fretting about her being 700 miles from home, now she's a mere 1300 miles from home. She is a missions major and she has been to Panama and will be doing a 7week trip this next summer.
Taylor is not special ( of course to me she is exceptional) and God is no respecter of persons. If He had a plan for Taylor , I promise you that he has a plan for you. It includes a hope and a future. Be open to the Spirit of God and be open to the opportunities that he brings your way. Had Taylor not gone on that trip to Ecuador, she would have missed the true plan the Lord had for her.
Later today, I am putting Taylor on a plane to head back to school 1300 miles away and I, once again, have THAT STINKIN PIT in my stomach, and I know that she is exactly where she is supposed to be, to fulfill her purpose. My head knows, without a doubt, that all is good. My heart, however ,hurts because of the distance that separates us, and my stomach, well it is just one BIG STINKIN PIT!!!
Trusting Him, (even with my kids)
Shelly
Have you ever woke up with that stinkin pit in your stomach? You know the one that feels like it's the size of Texas!!! Well, welcome to my morning :(
This past week has been just glorious!! My daughter Taylor was home on Fall Break and we had a week of "doing nothing", which included cuddling in bed, a little shopping and our annual family trip to the Pumpkin Farm. The only problem, it went WAY too quickly!
Taylor is my "middle child". Growing up, Taylor loved to be home, she was never even a fan of sleepovers. Whatever I was doing, she wanted to do. As she grew up, she especially loved being in the kitchen with me. So, when Tay decided to go to Culinary School, I was thrilled. Although the plan was for her to go to school in Chicago (700 miles away), I knew this was perfect for her and I thought "OK God, I gave her to you, if you want her in Chicago, I'll deal" Oh yeah, did I mention that my sister and my aunt and uncle all live in the Chicago area. That made this concession a little easier, I must admit. Although I did have that little pit in my stomach, knowing that she would be so far away.
Shortly after Taylor's acceptance into Culinary School, ( at this point I was getting used to the idea that 700 miles wasn't THAT far from home), she decided she wanted to join our church on a short-term missions trip to Ecuador. Really? This girl never wanted to stay anywhere, Ecuador!! Needless to say, my good friend THE PIT, returned.
Again, I prayed and I informed God ( as if HE didn't already know), that I gave Taylor to Him and he had better protect her because I am one of those mom's that becomes , well let's just say, aggressive, when you mess with my kids. Of course. I was totally neglecting the fact that she was actually HIS child. Sometimes, denial is a very good place to live.
For Taylor, Ecuador was a life-changer. While I was telling God that He had better protect MY girl, HE was telling Taylor that he had a plan for her life, a plan that DID NOT include Culinary School.
Taylor was called to be a missionary, while serving in Ecuador.
Can you say BIG, MAMMOTH,HUGE,STINKIN PIT!!!!!
This was not my plan, at all. C'mon God, really? I conceded to her being in Chicago. Isn't that enough?
I wanted an answer....... I got one......
... For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope....Jeremiah 29:11
and then He gave me this verse ...
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners...Isaiah 61:1
Well, Obviously someone had to go out and spread the gospel, but I always thought it should be someone else's kid, not my own!! These words did not really encourage me, it just enlarged that PIT!!
It has been 2yrs since Taylor has received her calling to Missions and I'm doing some better with accepting this call ( maybe a teensy, tiny bit better, I'm working up to the some better level).
She is in her sophomore year at Oral Robert's University, in Tulsa OK. Remember when I was fretting about her being 700 miles from home, now she's a mere 1300 miles from home. She is a missions major and she has been to Panama and will be doing a 7week trip this next summer.
Taylor is not special ( of course to me she is exceptional) and God is no respecter of persons. If He had a plan for Taylor , I promise you that he has a plan for you. It includes a hope and a future. Be open to the Spirit of God and be open to the opportunities that he brings your way. Had Taylor not gone on that trip to Ecuador, she would have missed the true plan the Lord had for her.
Later today, I am putting Taylor on a plane to head back to school 1300 miles away and I, once again, have THAT STINKIN PIT in my stomach, and I know that she is exactly where she is supposed to be, to fulfill her purpose. My head knows, without a doubt, that all is good. My heart, however ,hurts because of the distance that separates us, and my stomach, well it is just one BIG STINKIN PIT!!!
Trusting Him, (even with my kids)
Shelly
Monday, October 15, 2012
DESIRE....
Now that I have your attention, let me first give you a disclaimer, this is not about Fifty Shades of Grey (which I am one of the 5 people who have not read this series).
I come from a very long line of cooks/bakers. My great-grandmother left recipes behind that we are still trying to decipher. Her "rusks" were the best rolls I have eaten to this day. We have attempted the recipe and we have even managed to make something close to the original, but we're not quite there yet. The recipe calls for a handful of this and a dash of that, not the exact measurements that we need to replicate that delicious perfection.
My grandmother would call me in the morning and by 9:00am she would have dinner made. with homemade bread/rolls and a dessert. When I say dinner, I mean 60 Holupki or 75 meatballs. I used to think, really? what's the rush? Now, I find myself waking up and getting my dinner started immediately. Apples don't fall far from the tree!
Well, a few years back, my aunt and my sister took on a huge challenge. They compiled all of our family recipes and put them into a cookbook for each of the women in our family. Now, when I say this was a huge challenge, I mean HUGE!!!. The cookbook ended up being a 4" three ring binder filled with our recipes. I use it everyday, it is one of my greatest treasures!!!
Yesterday, as I was pulling it out, yet again, to bake up a family favorite. An envelope caught my eye. Then I remembered, when my sister, Jami gave me this "Labor of Love", she included a letter to me. At the closing of the letter, she included a line that said "my verse for you"......
Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
This really hit me. I really do have the desires of my heart. God is so faithful.
For a long time, I have wanted to take my love of baking, and turn it into a business. I was scared and I had no idea how to do such a thing. It was just this desire I had hidden deep down inside of me.
Then Tara decided that I should take orders for baked goods to help fund Taylor's missions trip to Panama. Sure, I thought, I could make a few things. Well, it proved to be a huge blessing and I was able to provide 50% of Taylor's budget through my baking. Since that time, I have seen this business grow and develop, not at record pace, but slow and steady.
What an epiphany when I found this letter from my sister and I read that verse. He did give me the desires of my heart, and leave it to the Lord to not only give me that, but to orchestrate it in a way that glorifies Him and uses MY talents to further HIS kingdom. What an honor to serve the Lord in this way.
What are the dreams and desires that you have hidden away? They may be hidden from view, but God sees our innermost being. He knows they are there and in His perfect timing and in his perfect way, he will give you those things that you truly desire, just keep living in communion with him, and one day you will realize, He has given you all that you have desired and more!!!
Delighting in Him,
Shelly
Now that I have your attention, let me first give you a disclaimer, this is not about Fifty Shades of Grey (which I am one of the 5 people who have not read this series).
I come from a very long line of cooks/bakers. My great-grandmother left recipes behind that we are still trying to decipher. Her "rusks" were the best rolls I have eaten to this day. We have attempted the recipe and we have even managed to make something close to the original, but we're not quite there yet. The recipe calls for a handful of this and a dash of that, not the exact measurements that we need to replicate that delicious perfection.
My grandmother would call me in the morning and by 9:00am she would have dinner made. with homemade bread/rolls and a dessert. When I say dinner, I mean 60 Holupki or 75 meatballs. I used to think, really? what's the rush? Now, I find myself waking up and getting my dinner started immediately. Apples don't fall far from the tree!
Well, a few years back, my aunt and my sister took on a huge challenge. They compiled all of our family recipes and put them into a cookbook for each of the women in our family. Now, when I say this was a huge challenge, I mean HUGE!!!. The cookbook ended up being a 4" three ring binder filled with our recipes. I use it everyday, it is one of my greatest treasures!!!
Yesterday, as I was pulling it out, yet again, to bake up a family favorite. An envelope caught my eye. Then I remembered, when my sister, Jami gave me this "Labor of Love", she included a letter to me. At the closing of the letter, she included a line that said "my verse for you"......
Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
This really hit me. I really do have the desires of my heart. God is so faithful.
For a long time, I have wanted to take my love of baking, and turn it into a business. I was scared and I had no idea how to do such a thing. It was just this desire I had hidden deep down inside of me.
Then Tara decided that I should take orders for baked goods to help fund Taylor's missions trip to Panama. Sure, I thought, I could make a few things. Well, it proved to be a huge blessing and I was able to provide 50% of Taylor's budget through my baking. Since that time, I have seen this business grow and develop, not at record pace, but slow and steady.
What an epiphany when I found this letter from my sister and I read that verse. He did give me the desires of my heart, and leave it to the Lord to not only give me that, but to orchestrate it in a way that glorifies Him and uses MY talents to further HIS kingdom. What an honor to serve the Lord in this way.
What are the dreams and desires that you have hidden away? They may be hidden from view, but God sees our innermost being. He knows they are there and in His perfect timing and in his perfect way, he will give you those things that you truly desire, just keep living in communion with him, and one day you will realize, He has given you all that you have desired and more!!!
Delighting in Him,
Shelly
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Just Imagine....
I bet you were expecting a big purple dinosaur. Anytime I hear "Just Imagine" I think of Barney. Barney and my daughter, Taylor. When Tay was a little 4 yr old in dance class, she hated that song, and I do mean HATED!!! We would play a cassette ( yes we had cassettes back then) of her dance songs and everytime that song came on, she would yell "change it". For whatever reason that song struck a nerve in her.
Seriously though, when you look back, did you imagine that where you are right now, is where you would be?
Did you imagine a life better than the one you are currently living? Did life surpass your expectations?
As I was watching Veggietales with my grandson, they were teaching about our plans vs God's plans for us, and it really got me thinking.
Let me tell you, the life I have now, is not even close to the one that I had imagined for myself. WHen I was a teenager, I had decided that I would graduate High School, move to a big city, and perhaps work in a glamorous industry like fashion, or modeling, I would travel and go to fancy parties and be SOOO happy.
Well, this was God's plan... I fell in love at 16 and found myself pregnant at 17 and gave birth to my daughter, Tara, just 4 months after turning 18. I know what you may be thinking, God didn't plan on you being an unwed mother. Well, I think He did. You see, God used that to save me from myself. From my self-centered, self-indulgent dreams. I never even considered motherhood. That didn't fit into my glamorous life.MY plan was far more exciting than this plan of God's.
Here's what they say " You want to hear God laugh? Tell HIM YOUR plans"
To make a long story short, God used a beautiful, tiny baby girl to show me HE was in control. This young girl that had no interest in children, held that baby girl and I felt my heart fill with love in a way that I had never known. At that very moment, my dreams changed, they were no longer my dreams. they were dreams for my Tara.
I know, without a doubt that I was created to be a Mom, and I know that if it were up to me, I would have missed out on the greatest blessings, my children. I would have been a self-centered. egotistical human being. But, lucky for us, God does more for us than we could ever imagine
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, Ephesians3:20
I thank God everyday that His plans for me were way bigger than my biggest dreams.
Don't limit yourself and don't put limits on God, the life He has created you for will far surpass anything you can think or....Just Imagine.
Keep Believing,
Shelly
I bet you were expecting a big purple dinosaur. Anytime I hear "Just Imagine" I think of Barney. Barney and my daughter, Taylor. When Tay was a little 4 yr old in dance class, she hated that song, and I do mean HATED!!! We would play a cassette ( yes we had cassettes back then) of her dance songs and everytime that song came on, she would yell "change it". For whatever reason that song struck a nerve in her.
Seriously though, when you look back, did you imagine that where you are right now, is where you would be?
Did you imagine a life better than the one you are currently living? Did life surpass your expectations?
As I was watching Veggietales with my grandson, they were teaching about our plans vs God's plans for us, and it really got me thinking.
Let me tell you, the life I have now, is not even close to the one that I had imagined for myself. WHen I was a teenager, I had decided that I would graduate High School, move to a big city, and perhaps work in a glamorous industry like fashion, or modeling, I would travel and go to fancy parties and be SOOO happy.
Well, this was God's plan... I fell in love at 16 and found myself pregnant at 17 and gave birth to my daughter, Tara, just 4 months after turning 18. I know what you may be thinking, God didn't plan on you being an unwed mother. Well, I think He did. You see, God used that to save me from myself. From my self-centered, self-indulgent dreams. I never even considered motherhood. That didn't fit into my glamorous life.MY plan was far more exciting than this plan of God's.
Here's what they say " You want to hear God laugh? Tell HIM YOUR plans"
To make a long story short, God used a beautiful, tiny baby girl to show me HE was in control. This young girl that had no interest in children, held that baby girl and I felt my heart fill with love in a way that I had never known. At that very moment, my dreams changed, they were no longer my dreams. they were dreams for my Tara.
I know, without a doubt that I was created to be a Mom, and I know that if it were up to me, I would have missed out on the greatest blessings, my children. I would have been a self-centered. egotistical human being. But, lucky for us, God does more for us than we could ever imagine
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, Ephesians3:20
I thank God everyday that His plans for me were way bigger than my biggest dreams.
Don't limit yourself and don't put limits on God, the life He has created you for will far surpass anything you can think or....Just Imagine.
Keep Believing,
Shelly
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