COMPLAINING....

Sometimes, I can be the QUEEN of complaining. I hear it all the time from my husband.

My husband will remind me to look at the positive side of things instead of the negative side. I have always been an optimistic kind of person. Yet, for some reason I have been dwelling on the negative side of things (making complaints about things).

I read Philippians 2:14-15 this morning..."Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life."

Am I shining like a star? NO! I took a step back and looked at why I might be complaining. I started to see that I have been complaining more because of the people I "hang" out with. I am making a goal starting today to surround myself with positive people instead of negative people. It will be hard, but I feel this will help my situation. I also plan to ask for God's help.

Jim Gallery says it best..."It's your choice: you can either count your blessings or recount your disappointments!"

I know I have been BLESSED tremendously! I think it is a lot more exciting to think of the blessings God has poured out then to look at all the disappointments in life.

****As Easter approaches, I hope we all take time to THANK our heavenly father for the blood he shed for all of us!****

Cheerful?

This morning I woke up grumpy. I actually have been grumpy the past few mornings. I am usually a morning person, but the last few days I have not been excited about waking up!

I found it odd that I read about cheerfulness this morning. Right now, I am complete opposite of being cheerful.

Proverbs 15:15, "...a cheerful heart has a continual feast."

My attitude = My personality

I can not always choose my situation, but I can always choose my attitude toward the situation. I believe the NIV Life Application Bible says it best....
(v.15:15) The secret to a cheerful heart is filling our minds with thoughts that are true, pure, and lovely, with thoughts that dwell on the good things in life.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things." Philippians 4:8

So, whatever is put into my mind or how I feel is how I can determine my actions.

The question in my devotion today left me feeling guilty. I was asked, "Are you a cheerful Christian?" I plan to ask God to help me be cheerful and overcome how I am feeling (grumpy)!

REEVALUATION!!!

This morning I took the time to reevaluate myself. I stumbled across Galatians 1:10.

"For am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

Am I trying to spend my life pleasing others? Or am I trying to please the Lord? I spent a lot of time thinking about my life this morning. There are many times in my past where I wanted to "fit in" and please others. Yet, God instructs us that we are to please HIM.

The ULTIMATE goal in life is to please GOD! How can I please God?
*Witness to others
*Serve in the community or at church
*Be more Christ-like
*Raise my child in a Christian home/environment
*Work as if I am working for the Lord
*Be joyful
*Praise God more often
*Live by the 10 commandments
...the list could go on!

Matthew 6:19-21
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

No matter what purse we have on our shoulder or clothes we wear....what car we drive...where we live...where we work...None of this matters to God! What matters is our WALK with God and how we can PLEASE God!!!

I am praying for you today! Katie-Thank you for your encouragement! I replied to your comment below. Thank you for helping me to stay STRONG while studying God's word.

Embarassed...

A teacher embarrassed me a couple of days ago in front of the class. I know my face turned several shades red, but it was my heart that ached the most. It was all I could do to hold my feelings back. I wanted to be ugly and mean, but something inside of me just helped me to let it go. Yet, I never let it go! I needed to vent and gossip about a person I truly thought a lot of...

This morning "hit home" for me! I read Ephesians 4:29 and I Thessalonians 4:9.

Eph 4:29, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
Paul warns us about anger, bad attitudes towards others, & bitterness. I know I am extremely BITTER and it is so hard to forgive this teacher. However, God instructs us to please him with our actions and attitudes.

I Thessalonians 4:9, "Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other."

God's command is to love one another as he has loved us. My challenge today is to forgive the teacher that hurt me and to move on. It will be incredibly hard for me, but I need to do what God is showing me in his word to do!

Continuing on God's Plan and Calling for My Life...

Sometimes I feel as if I am always searching for God's plan for my life. I am looking for what God wants me to do with my life. I feel like I am on the right track, but I am constantly praying for God to guide me in the right direction if I am heading in the wrong direction.
Yesterday, I wrote about finding the gift God has blessed me with (or the talent he has given me).
I read Ephesians 1: 18-19 this morning. "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength."

I know God wants us to use our spiritual gifts and talents for HIM. I need to find out what my specific talents are and start using them. If you recall the first couple of postings---I mentioned about our church having designated hours where members would volunteer service in the community and at church. It is already the middle of March and I have not participated in serving! I know I have a lot going on with a new house and working, but those are just excuses to God.
I pray this morning that God will open my eyes and show me where he wants me to be....and I pray I will SERVE HIM!

My Gift to God....

"What we are is God's gift to us; what we become is our gift to God."
~Eleanor Powell~

I read James 1:17-18 this morning. "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created."

I want to praise God for all the blessings he has given our family. I want to thank God instead of "asking" God this morning. I feel like I always have such a long prayer request list that I feel guilty. I feel like I do not give God enough praise. This morning I just want praise him for all he has done for me!

I also desire to learn how to use my talent or spiritual gift for God. I pray that I will find my gift and use it to glorify HIM.

Are You Excited When Reading God's Word in the Morning?

This morning I read an awesome quote. "Wasted time of which we are later ashamed, temptations we yield to, weaknesses, lethargy in our work, disorder and lack of discipline in our thoughts and in our interaction with others--all these frequently have their root in neglecting prayer in the morning." ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Isaiah 50:4-5
"He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God has opened My ear."

I pray today that I will desire to hear God's word each morning and look forward to reading his word.
Lately, I have not desired reading God's word. I have no idea why. I pray that God will wake me up in the mornings! I pray I will desire his word each day! This morning I tried something a little different to try and encourage me to be excited about reading God's word....it worked! I listened to a song by Chris Tomlin. I have attached the song from YouTube.com below.

Sing, Sing, Sing by Chris Tomlin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGPN2Z-bgS0