Shoes

Recently my daughter and I have done a lot of shoe shopping. We’ve shopped for shoes for Prom, shoes for graduation, flats to run around and be comfortable in, flip flops, wedges, heals, all sorts of shoes. I have come home to discover my son has purchased new shoes also one pair was a pair of Toms, these were much like slippers, very comfortable and casual, and the other were walking shoes made to help define the muscles in your legs and buttocks as you walk. We are a family, oh dare I say a society of shoe, ehhem connoisseurs. We LOVE our shoes! A pair for every occasion or every outfit! Men, don’t roll your eyes and point at the women! Men are becoming just as bad in today’s society, work shoes, flip flops, cowboy boots, workout shoes, church shoes, shoes to get dirty, shoes to go out. Come on you don’t fool me!

You know what shoes are teaching me? I know, that I’ve lost my mind! Haha

That as many different types of shoes as there are in my closet, yes, in MY CLOSET ALONE, that is probably how many different types of personalities I will have to deal with today! Yes TODAY!

So what does that have to do with anything? I don’t believe we were made to be best friends with every person we encounter or even have a relationship with. However, Jesus teaches us in John that we are to “love one another”. Loving one another and being friends are two completely different things. Love is a God-given characteristic and being a friend is a human quality. So I actually can love someone without being their friend, because it’s not me doing the loving but Christ loving them through me.

John 13:34

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.(ESV)

I think the variety of shoes/personalities can also be beneficial to us when we think about how we respond to each other. Look at what we can learn from each other. How we can mature one another. I love the idea that my fellow man can teach me God’s principles without even knowing it. It’s not always an easy lesson, but if God is teaching it, it is ALWAYS a quality one.

Proverbs 27:17

¹⁷Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.(ESV)

The next time you look at a pile of shoes yours, your child’s’, your husbands, oh excuse me men, your wives, whoever’s shoes, may it remind you of all the people you are about to come in contact with. How will you respond? Will you love them? Will you let God use them to “sharpen” you?

Living in Grace,

Angie

Blessings

As I have been thinking about what I would write this week, so many things have gone through my mind. Much of the time I find myself focusing on the negative things in life. So when I begin to write, my writing seems negative. As I thought about topics and read through devotions and the scriptures, I didn’t see anything jumping out at me, at least not anything obvious. Then I began to notice, God kept leading me to the first few verses of Philippians 1.

Philippians 1:1-6

¹Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: ²Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ³I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, ⁴always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, ⁵because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.(ESV)

So I began to think on these verses and ask God what He was trying to tell me. As time went on He began to remind me of all the wonderful things He has given to me. I know these verses are talking about people and yes God started out with people in my life.

Of course, I have to start with my family. I know I’ve mentioned them a time or two, hahaha ;), but how many times do we take our families for granted? I want to say one thing about each member of my immediate family otherwise we’ll be here ALL day and into next week. Cecil-my amazing husband of almost 26 years, he has been with me through some REALLY tough stuff but he has ALWAYS loved me and that love has NEVER waivered. I told someone this week that other than salvation, Cecil is the best gift God has ever given me and I mean it!!! I love you and I thank God for you! Hunter-my oldest child, you make me proud to be a mom. I admire your strength as person. I have seen you overcome great obstacles and preserve. You have become a strong man. Keep your eye on God and let Him guide you! I love you and thank God for you! Colton-my youngest son, you surprise me everyday. Sometimes I still think of you as my little boy then I look at you and realize you are a man. I know that you are going to get the degree you want and the career you want. Then you will see your dreams come true right before your eyes. I’m amazed at how God has worked in your life! I love you and thank God for you! Stephanie-my daughter, you are such a joy to me. You have been a wonderful friend and daughter. Watching you as you finish your Senior year and prepare to graduate is SO bittersweet. I just can’t wait to see what God has in store for you! I love you and thank God for you!

Ok now that I’ve finished my gooshy stuff, think about not only the people we have to be thankful for, our family and friends, but what about the things that God provides for us.

He really hit me over the head with this one. I worry way too much about things. What are we going to eat? What am I going to wear? How are we going to pay this bill or that bill? What if……………. ? or What if……………..? or even What if………………..? Remember what Jesus tells us in

Matthew 6:25&26

 ²⁵"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (ESV)

We have so much to be thankful for. Jesus says He will provide for us when we serve Him.

So let it go. Turn to Jesus. Fully rely on Him and He says He WILL provide for you!

Am I ready to do what The Message says in Philippians 1:3-5 “break out in exclamations of thanks to God”?

Take time to thank God today for the people and things He has provided for you. I think I will!

Living in Grace,

Angie

Philippians 1:3-5

 ^3-6Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God's Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. (The Message)

Become As Little Children

Matthew 18:2 & 3 ²And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them ³and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

The last place I worked, an elementary school, has a mentoring program. This program allows community and business members to come into the school to work with students. These mentors may spend their time with a student or “mentee” doing class work, talking, playing games, doing crafts or whatever the teacher and mentor feels will enhance the relationship. Once a week I go to this school and spend 30 minutes with my mentee, a young girl. I’m amazed at the things I have learned from doing this. I think the biggest is that I am not so different from this little girl. I can be selfish, spoiled, irresponsible, bossy, impatient, and so many other negative things. Yet she and all other children are so special because they are still moldable, vulnerable, easily influenced, teachable, and accessible. That is why Jesus asks us to become like little children.

If I don’t exhibit those qualities of teachability, moldability, etc, how can I learn what God has to teach me? I must become as a little child.

There are so many things I feel I know a lot about. If you ask me, I’ll tell you. I mean, I taught computers for 10 years and repaired them during that time also. I think I’m pretty knowledgeable. I’ve raised 3 children; I’ve been married for 25 years. I even grew up in church, so I think I have a good amount of knowledge in those areas. You know what though, God ALWAYS has something new to teach me. The only way I’m going to learn though is to be like a child. Become teachable, moldable, and accessible and listen to what God has to say.

Am I ready to become like a child to hear what God has to say to me?

Living in Grace,

Angie

Don't forget! 

This is tomorrow in Claremore, OK. Just NorthEast of Tulsa. I know you will receive a blessing!

A Tribute to Mothers

So far, I really haven’t focused on what is going on in the world around us or what is on the calendar, but today God has impressed upon me that I need to spend time honoring our mothers. As you should know by now, this coming Sunday is Mother’s Day.

We all share the commonality of having a mother. Now I know that there are some who were not raised by your biological mother. That is ok. There is someone in your life who is/was your mother or mother figure. That is the person I want focus on.

One of the Ten Commandments tells us to honor our father and mother.

Exodus 20:12 Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. (ESV)

Then later in Leviticus God talks again about honoring or revering our parents while He is giving the law to the Israelites.

Leviticus 19:3 Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.

In the Ten Commandments, we find that when we honor our mother and father, our days will be long upon the earth. Then I find the verse in Leviticus so interesting because He tells us again to revere our mother and father then without taking a break, not even starting a new sentence He says keep my Sabbath. Then declares “I am the LORD your God.” That says to me, this is important you better pay attention! I’m thinking if God puts honoring, respecting, revering our parents up there with keeping the Sabbath, He wants us to take notice and listen! This must be pretty important to Him.

Am I honoring my mom the way God wants me to? What does that really mean? I don’t think it means buying her expensive gifts (sorry mom and Thelma). I believe it means 2 things:

1.    If you have a mom that is NOT a Christian-has not accepted Jesus as her personal Savior.

a.   You become Jesus to her-You live your life just exactly the way Jesus wants you to, so she sees Jesus in you.

b.   Every time God gives you the opportunity, you tell her how God is working in your life

2.   If you have a mom that IS a Christian-has accepted Jesus as her personal Savior.

a.   Live your life the way God wants you to.

b.   Raise your own children in church and teach them about Jesus.

As a mom myself, I don’t think I could be honored in ANY better way than to see my children following God!

To all you mothers, Have a wonderful Mother’s Day!

To all you children, Honor you Mom! If you can,take her to church, if not, let her know you love her. Either way let her know you love her!

For those whose mother’s are no longer with us, we can still thank God for them and their legacy!

Living in Grace

Angie

Since this is my blog, I get to do something special!

Me and My precious Mom!

To my mom: Thank you for taking me to church, teaching me about Jesus and the Bible and being with me when I was 6 and ready to ask Jesus into my heart! Thank you for being my friend now and sharing fun trips, concerts and your friends. I love and cherish you!!!

My and My Sweet Mother-in-Law, Thelma

To Thelma: Thank you for raising your son in Hudson Avenue and Edmond Road Baptist Churches. Thank you for following God through out Cecil’s life so that he and I could grow up together and be friends (and enemies, haha) all our lives! Thank you for the way that for the past 30 years (almost 26 of marriage) you have accepted me as your daughter. I love you!