Confessions of a Night Owl

Just do it, go to bed at a decent time every night! OK, if not every night at least 5-6 nights per week. I could certainly use some of the many health benefits from doing this oh so simple task:

• Weight loss, I need all the help I can get in this area
• Lower blood pressure, maybe get off my medication
• Increased patience, my son would love this one too
• Better memory, remember why I went upstairs
• Younger looking skin, no one could guess my age
• Les chance of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia
• No under eye circles, no need for make-up
• Better focus ability, not so easily distracted
• Just to name a few (without Google assistance).

Unfortunately, I’ve developed a BAD habit that is unbelievably hard to break. I’m hoping that with this confession, it’s the beginning of a new habit and a new bed time for me. Even though I’ve become a night owl, I still love the dawn best. The time just before daybreak is so peaceful and quiet, everything is still. I think that’s when I feel or sense God’s presence most.

Confession details: I needlessly stay up until 1 or 2 a.m. most nights.   On school days my alarm goes off at 6:30 a.m. Yes, I know that’s only 4-5 hours of sleep, 5 days per week. How can I expect to be all God has called me to be (faithful Christian, loving wife, patient mother) without appropriate rest? Even God rested on the 7^th day (Genesis 2:2-3), then He blessed the 7^th day and made it holy. I’m sure there’s a blessing for me when I obey and rest. Even Jesus slept on a boat (Matthew 8:24-26), in the middle of a storm. During the storm His disciples expressed their fear and Jesus said, “you of little faith, why are you so afraid?” So, who do I think I am that I don’t need adequate rest too? What am I afraid of?

I wonder how other moms do it. What do they tell themselves so they can just stop doing that “one last thing” and just go to bed? On one hand, I’m trying to finish everything, which I know intellectually is never going to happen. On the other hand, I’m trying to enjoy the peace and quiet and stillness in my house, I love that feeling.

Lord, help me truly see my need for rest, help me accept the fact that I can’t get it all done before I go to bed. Help me to obey and rest in you as I release my known and unknown fears to you. Help me embrace the fact that I can enjoy you with the peace and quiet and stillness of my house at dawn instead of at midnight, when I can barely keep my eyes open! Help me to let go and just go to bed! Night-nite ZZZzzz!

Halloween –redeemed!

Yay for Fall and the holiday season! It’s finally here! For me, as a mom, it has become a fun and exciting time to look forward to. We get to gather together and celebrate with family and friends. Fun traditions were almost non-existent for me growing up. I was born into a first generation Christian family and in an effort to distinguish between the lines of “Christianity” and “worldliness” my parents chose to forego many cultural traditions. God has brought me full circle and taught me that my Christian values can coexist with cultural celebrations and what’s more: I can redeem these occasions for the glory of God.

A fun American tradition I grew up not celebrating is Halloween. When my parents arrived to the U.S., Halloween seemed like a weird celebration of all that is evil. Witch craft, blood,
gore etc. The deeper they dug into the history and significance of Halloween the more they were convicted to reject the holiday. My parents felt so strongly about the Halloween that they kept my brother and I home from our school’s annual Halloween “Spirit Day” in which the teachers and student body wore their costumes, played coordinated games together and shared their candy. Trick or treating was most definitely out of the question as was giving out candy to trick or treaters.

I had never been trick or treating so missing out was just the norm. And I was pretty much OK with the proposition of staying home a day from school. My family would spend the day together. Then my parents would buy us candy to take to school the next day for trading with friends. And just like that…my parents had made a new tradition!

Now as a mom of 3 boys I’ve questioned how God wants me to approach Halloween and other holidays. I believe that Gods calling is to love him with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Luke 10:27 ESV) I don’t honestly believe that anyone is going to lose their salvation by celebrating Halloween the traditional way most Americans celebrate it. But I believe that God has set us apart to do his good work. Believe it or not, even during a holiday that many use to do what is opposed to God’s will we can hone it in for Him.

Every year I gather with family and friends and share the gospel through none other than good old fashion pumpkin carving. Here’s how:

• When we first cut the pumpkin we are reminded of opening our hearts for Jesus to come in and dwell in us. 
• When we scoop the sticky, slimy seeds out we remember Jesus is cleaning our hearts from sin.
• When we place a light inside the pumpkin we remember that we carry God’s light inside us. 

This has been a wonderful way to worship God together as believers as well as a valuable tool to share the gospel and love of God with those who don’t know and trust him yet. As believers in Christ we don’t have to fear cultural traditions. We can lead the way by reflecting Christ in all that we do.

How will you celebrate Halloween this year?     How can you own it for Christ?

The Husband Challenge

I used to work in the evenings until midnight when my husband and I were raising our young boys. On winter days when it was freezing cold, I would start my car and give it a few minutes to warm up. I would then drive home comfortably in a cozy car wishing I would drive inside the house with it. If only…

We are Messengers

 

What a fun new band.  🎧. My son and I sing this song together at the top of our lungs when it comes on in the car. 😊❤️.

When I see young men like the one in this video, my hopes rise for our sons.  I hope they are like this as grown men.  Guys who take their problems to the Lord, and want more of Him.

Enjoy!

 

If you are interested in getting more of their music,

 

Get We Are Messengers’ Self-Titled Debut Album Now!
http://hyperurl.co/WAMiTunes

 

What’s your Default Setting?

What’s your default setting?

On a computer, or smart phone, the default setting is what comes stock.  It’s what is in the basic make-up of the website or software, aka factory preset.

Our human default setting is our human nature, our preset ways of thinking and doing things based on our upbringing and just who we are.  You might not like hearing this, but  our preset way of thinking and acting is so NOT GOOD that God sent Jesus to earth to save us! He had to SAVE US from our default settings.

Jesus gave us His very own Spirit so that we could move away from our default settings into God’s purpose for our day.

My son, Mosely, came up to me to tell on Wally.

“Mom, Wally said I’m weird.”