Could it be you?

Christian Women Online, in conjunction with Art Bookbindery, is sponsoring the “Her Life Reflected,” writing contest. They are looking for essays that describe how your mother, or a mother that you know has reflected the heart of our Heavenly Father in her life. The winning essay will be one that is both written well, and of most importance, one that reflects God as being the central focus of one’s life.

 

Sponsored by Art Bookbindery

The contest is open to women aged 18 years and older, who reside in Canada or the United States. (Employees of Art Bookbindery or regular writers of Christian Women Online, are not eligible to enter.)

The judges will choose only one winner. That winner will receive $400.00 U.S. from Art Bookbindery, 2 copies of Darlene Schacht’s humorous book, The Mom Complex (one for you and one for mom!), 2 copies of Kathleen Carnali’s music CD, Dangerous Prayer, 2 Proverbs 31 mugs from Mugs of Truth (a design idea inspired by CWO friend, Iris of Sting my Heart), and an autographed photo of Candace Cameron Bure along with a DVD of her testimony. Now that’s a great package! The winner will be announced on Mother’s Day, May 11th, 2008, and the essay will be published at that time. Don’t forget to check Christian Women Online on Mother’s Day to find out who won! Could it be you?

 

He is Alive!

(as the angels lingered in prolonged, tormented waiting . . . their Lord engaged in battle with the spirit of death himself . . . )

 

The shaking ended. Light did not return. The Archangel Michael felt himself disappearing into the black, blank void.

In the darkness there arose a cry. Its words were indiscernible, but it was an unmistakable cry of triumph!

“But who is victor?” Michael called aloud.

The cry of triumph, born in the bowels of the earth, had billowed its way across the earth and was now ascending heavenward.

“Such a cry will, of itself, distroy all! It is a sound unlike anything I have ever heard before.”

At that moment the deafening cry reached heaven’s open portal.

“The voice — who speaks? The victor — who?”

Then . . . light! Brighter than angels’ eyes have ever seen nor dreamed.

“That light, I know it. That voice, I know it, too! It is the voice of the Carpenter!

“The cry is His!

” O Lord of all, Your thundering is so great I cannot understand Your words.”

Then it came, riping its way into the vaults of heaven.

 

“I AM VICTOR OVER DEATH!”

 

Blinded in light, deafened by a shout of ultimate victory, there was only one thing for Michael to do, one place for him to be. The tomb!

At a speed never before achieved by any angel, Michael joined an innumerable throng of angels who were encircling the tomb even as the cry of victory continued its triumphant proclamation across the universe.

What ensued was shouting so tumultuous that, in the ages that followed, it was rumored among angels that even the voice of the cherubim and seraphim could be heard joining in the exaltation. While a vacant heaven was bathed in the healing light of glory, on earth the citizens of heaven raised praises to their Lord in a bedlam of chaotic joy!

“Death is dead. That serpent Lucifer has lost his fiendish friend,” announced Gabriel. “Victory won within the bowels of the earth is about to be revealed within the tomb!”

[from The Triumph by Gene Edwards]

Are you up for it?

This week at Christian Women Online’s Internet Cafe’ we were blessed to have as a Guest Contributor, Alicia Britt Chole from Truth Portraits. She wrote a beautiful devotional and if you missed it on Tuesday (the 18th) you should check it out. After reading her devo, I knew I needed to read more of what she’d written. So, I poked around a little today and found a recording of a message she gave a few months ago to a group of Christian college students. It was a word directly from God to those students and - I believe - to anyone with ears to hear.

So . . .

1- If you are hungry to hear something from deep within the heart of God,

and

2- If you understand that, like any good parent, sometimes God must speak difficult things to His children - because He loves them,

and

3- If you are not afraid to let God be God,

Then I encourage you to find about 45 minutes to get alone and listen, with an open heart, to this message - given only once - by Alicia. You won’t soon forget it

I Know

In the great big scheme of things, I’m pretty sure that the list of things I don’t know, is far longer than the list of things that I do know. I don’t know, for instance, why guys need everything to be faster and louder - always. I don’t know anything about brain surgery (except that I don’t want to participate on any level - I know that). I don’t know how cell phone conversations float through the air and land in my phone. I don’t know how some birds make intricately woven nests - with . no . hands - and I can’t tie a non-embarrassing bow with two hands! I do not know how Google can give me 8 zillion answers to my question in 2 seconds. I don’t know why water heater hoses only burst at 3:15 a.m. I don’t know why, after 45 months of pregnancy, I still don’t have one kid who looks like me. (A couple of blue eyes! How hard is that?) I don’t know why the dog walking under my desk can make the internet go away.

I don’t know.

And, I don’t know why I worry about aging, because it’s only now, in my more “mature” years that I have actually figured out a thing or two that I actually DO know.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

To read the rest of this post, follow me to CWO’s Internet Cafe’

Moody?

#1 - If you’re in the mood to win 3 Max Lucado books, head on over to my friend Angies’s. She’s giving away one copy each of “Six Hours One Friday“, “And the Angels were Silent” and “No Wonder They Call Him Savior”. I’m pretty sure I’m gonna win, but it’ll be fun for you to pretend for a minute.

#2 - If you change moods and want to read something silly and inspiring, click on over to my daughter’s friend EVANGELINE’S blog. I promise you’ll get a big kick out of it and you may need tissue (cuz you’re gonna laugh until you cry, or you might just cry until you laugh). I promise, she’s one of a kind.

It’s that time again

The hard working girls (yeah, we call ourselves ‘girls’) at Heart of the Matter magazine are at it again. They’re rolling out another issue tomorrow. They’ve made a few changes I think you’ll like. It’s full of great ideas and resources for anyone with school age kids. If you home school or even if you don’t, (but you like to keep an eye on those home schoolers - you know - cuz they’re strange . . .) it’s a great read! There’s even an article there by Yours Truly about Left Brain and Right Brain Learners. You might be amazed at what is going on in your kids’ brains while they pretend to study! Just check it out.

Hmmm . . .

“The reason why many fail in battle is because they wait until the

hour of the battle. The reason why others succeed is because

they have gained their victory on their knees - long before the

battle came . . . Anticipate your battles; fight them on your knees

BEFORE temptation comes, and you will always have victory.”

R. A. Torrey

 

Prayer isn’t preparation for the work. It IS the work.

 

 

 

The Shadow proves the Sunshine

A few years ago when Switchfoot sang a song called, “The Shadow Proves the Sunshine”, it instantly became a favorite of mine because, at the time, my life seemed filled with shadows of every sort. And, I was pretty desperate for any glimpse or hint of sunshine.

There were issues with my children, my parents, my marriage, my extended family, our finances and eventually with my faith. I know now that any seasoned, mature believer looking at my life - from the outside - would have recognized very clearly the hand of God at work. They would have seen the furnace being turned up 7 times hotter. They would have witnessed the shaking of everything that could be shaken - including, and especially, my faith in Jesus. And they’d have understood that what I was experiencing was no different than what all sold-out believers eventually experience - intense time on the potter’s wheel.

At the time, I simply could not comprehend a God who could love me and allow such brokenness. How could He claim to love me, then not “fix” things when I called out to Him? How could His word describe Him as possessing ‘everlasting’ love when I couldn’t find any evidence that He was even listening? It didn’t fit any description of love I knew.

Thankfully, there is hope for even the most immature among us! God’s patience knows no end. When He looks at us, He doesn’t see our self-created mess, He sees what He planned for us to be - before He even created us. He sees the gifts and callings that were placed in us long ago. And, He sees Jesus. Trouble is, all of that is hidden most of the time under layers of “life”. So, in His infinite wisdom, and deep abiding love for us, He places us on the potter’s wheel. He puts His hands on our lives and does what only He can do. Like a good parent, He ignores our selfish pleas and our begging for things that are not good for us. The wheel is not comfortable and at times - unbearable - but only He knows what the end result should look like.

Eventually, He removes His hands and we are left to choose. We can remain on the wheel and trust what we don’t understand, or jump off because it’s too difficult and we just don’t trust that the Potter knows what He’s really doing.

I’d never purposely choose to endure the potter’s wheel - the heartache, confusion or loss in life. But it seems that these are some of the tools that God uses to change our perspective from earthly to heavenly, from temporal to eternal, from ‘my way‘ to His ways.The Potter’s wheel changes how we “see” life.

What was once ‘dreary cold winter’ becomes a reminder of how much I love spring.
What was once sickness makes me so thankful for health.
What was once bondage is a reminder of the value of freedom.
Darkness sends me in search of light.
Arrows from the enemy send me running to my Father.
Weakness reminds me of His strength.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-

Today, I don’t mind the shadows so much. They help me locate the . . . . s u n s h i n e.

Also posted at CWO’s Internet Cafe’

Left or Right?

I’m working on an article for Heart of the Matter magazine (March 8th) about the differences in ‘left brain’ and ‘right brain’ learners. Check out the lists to decide which side of your brain works the hardest and which side is the slacker!

LEFT BRAINIACS

Seeks structure

Memorizes best by repetition

Likes to know the plan ahead of time

Works well independently

Likes to make lists and check them off

Thinks over much evidence before making decisions

Good at math AND loves it

Likes predictability

Is self disciplined and self paced

 

RIGHT BRAINIACS

Prefers spontaneous vs. planned events

Memorizes best using meaning, color and emotion

Does not plan ahead regularly

Prefers to work with someone rather than alone

Does not need to work sequentially - skips around

Figures things out with minimum evidence

Finds math repetitive and boring

 

I am 100% left brain - Hubby is 100% right brain. Son #1 just walked in to check his ‘brain orientation’. Seems he’s completely comfortable on either side of the fence. (I already knew that). Has his Mother’s organizational skills and self discipline, but is much more laid back (non-neurotic) about it - like his Dad. Oh Man, God is funny!

 

I’m out of control

So, Claire mentioned that she “spoke” with a friend this morning (instant msg.) in Beijing, China. Mandy is studying at Beijing University and will be there until August. Her goal is to become fluent in Chinese so that God could send her back later as a missionary. Go Mandy!!!

Anyway, I began to discuss with Claire about how amazing it is to me that when this country was being formed a couple of centuries ago, communicating with someone across the Atlantic meant “mailing” a letter and waiting for a response that could take upwards of 4-5 months! Now we just chat with buddies in Beijing everyday like ladies over the backyard fence.

Then it happened . . .

“Geeze, Mom! Do you have to be a teacher all of the time?!?”

Sorry Honey. I just can’t help it. I’m out of control, I tell ya!

(The answer, by the way . . . is No. I can quit anytime I want!)