Let us strip off anything that holds us back...

If you are real religious or easily offended don’t read this one. I warned you.
Ok- if you are still reading now, make sure you follow it through until the end… there is His point.
I have a confession. I went to a movie when we were in Greenville…one of my favorite female actresses was in it. I went to ECU with her- and she and I were in dance classes together, although I knew her as Sandy- and of course- she was just a normal college person, doing normal college things.
Anyhow… I knew there was a questionable scene- but in my mind I rationalized (always, always, always a mistake) because I knew the questionable moment was an “accident”…and I had checked with SEVERAL folks that had seen it and there were no sex scenes or even murmuring of pre-marital sex. Ok I thought… I’ll go see it. It’s not an R rated movie…
Long story- but it gets even worse- I took my mother and my kids. Now if you know what movie I am talking about…
Nobody told me that there was a STRIPPER in this movie. Remember, we only watch Reba and Sid the Science Kid…
The male stripper comes into the picture and I am completely shocked, sweating, melting into my seat and bending Selah’s head down so her eyes don’t see this. I AM FREAKING OUT AT THIS POINT and Selah yells, of course during a quiet part… and if you know Selah, she knows how to yell, “Mommy, you are breaking my neck at all the evil parts.”
Oh great, now I am going to be arrested for exposing my child to pornography AND causing her bodily harm.
So with a sore neck and unbelievable conviction in my spirit- we left. Selah- mommy made a big mistake(Psalm 101:3). It just wasn’t good….
Oh my. Can I pray the blood of Jesus over this? Can I ask for forgiveness? Yes, yes I can. I sure learned a lesson here.

But onto the real stripping lesson… the real point…

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

When I read that several years ago… this is what I heard the Lord say… Strip off everything that holds you back from My purpose.

So I put this verse in my kitchen in NC. I saw it every day for many years. I thought about it every day. I spoke it over my life every day.

God listened. Ok- He always listens…

Did I even know what I was praying???? Maybe not, but God did.

After the miracle of Selah Grace (we tried for nine years for our second miracle…another post all together), Gene, the leader of our family, shared that the Lord told him that I was going to stay at home now…This had been a dream of mine for years…

Strip- I didn’t know my desire would be painful. I left a job I loved, working daily with one of my best friends, teachers whom I had mentored, taught and truly cherished. And…the daily confirmation that I was worthy. Just being real…you don’t get that kind of feedback from a newborn and a soon to be tween at the time.

Lots more stripping there- no room in bank account for shopping sprees- big family vacations…

New job in Atlanta…strip…no longer comfortable, leaving my family, my friends, our amazing church, our dream home that we built and designed and moving into a house half the size…boy did we strip off some actual stuff just to fit into that house in Atlanta!

Whew- finally comfortable in Atlanta- wonderful church family- growing in Him- love the area- God knitted relationships with like-minded families. By now, I don’t even like shopping malls- but The Mall of GA is right in the neighborhood!

Position dissolved. Strip…Gas prices rise…strip…things are tight…this is not working…strip…this can only work if God steps in. BINGO.

Move to, where? New Jersey? Really? God, are You sure You know what You’re doing here- I mean- we are involved with a wonderful church- we are all growing in You…we’ve already been through this moving test thing. Skylar has a network here of God fearing cool kids… I don’t want to go, but I will choose to remember your faithfulness.

Literal shock. A two bedroom town home that rents for $400 more a month than our GA cottage, I mean house, payment. And we are living on a turnpike across from a toll station. People don’t smile around here and they don’t talk to you and I am freezing my tail off! We prayed about this Lord…we were seeking you Lord…where did we go wrong???

Strip, strip strip.

A few stripping lessons:

God is not interested in your comfort, he is interested in building your character. This sounds cliche- but I have lived it out.

The stuff in life is not important. At one point, this year, we almost moved into a camper(needed to get off the turnpike)- I am not exaggerating- my husband said- it has granite. I said honey, if I cared about granite, I wouldn’t be considering living in a camper!

God knows what He is doing and everything, everything is Father filtered. This life is but a moment…He has eternity in mind. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

God is everywhere, even in New Jersey, which by the way, is becoming home- now that is a manifested miracle- and, there are nice folks up here!

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Hebrews 13: 8 When all hell is breaking lose around you, hold on to that.

If I hadn’t gone through major marriage problems…I wouldn’t know Him as the God of restoration.
If mom hadn’t gone through cancer and had a stroke…I wouldn’t know Him as healer.
If I hadn’t gone through secondary infertility for NINE years…I wouldn’t know Him as the God who heals me.
If we hadn’t moved…I wouldn’t know Him as the God who is with me, literally everywhere I go.
If I hadn’t gotten rid of my “stuff” mentality and Gene hadn’t lost his job, I wouldn’t know Him as my provider.
And finally, if God had not led us to make take a huge leap of faith, going from a two income family to a stay at home mom family, I would have never had the revelation of my position in Christ (Ephesians 2) and that my worth is all about Him (Galatians 1:10)... not to mention the daily blessings I am experiencing with my two princesses!

He really is all that and more. And if you hold on while things are breaking off…I promise, He offers living water, joy ... in the land of the living, and even better... into eternity!

I asked to be stripped…and when we, get down to nothin, He is still there…all powerful and mighty and He gets the glory cause there is no other explanation.

And living for His glory…I wouldn’t change a thing. That’s His point.

Psalm 27:13-14
13I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Bubbles, Play Dough & Pancakes...Out of a job?

This post is for busy moms and dads that want to make every minute matter. So many days I have felt like I was just going through the motions...and the day was going by, consumed by things that didn't matter (can you guess where that lie came from?).

I developed a little list that I try to accomplish everyday with my youngest princess (have goals for myself & Skylar too...I'll share later) I think this list would be very appropriate for most 2-5 year olds during the summer months and actually as I think about this- it is exactly what I did with Skylar as she continued into her 5-10yr stretch. If you are homeschooling- you could add a few things during your school time during the year. This keeps me in check- am I getting the big rocks in first? At the end of the day- I know that Kingdom seeds are being planted.

Everyday Fun:

• His Word (this might be Scripture memory, an activity or a Bible story)

• Art Activity (craft, coloring, painting, etc..)

• Books (old favorites and some new, soon to be favorites)

• Cooking (this can be helping me prepare one of the daily meals, making a snack or a special recipe)

• Helping (aka chores)

• Movement(we don't have a yard- most folks don't need to plan for this!)

Science, math and everything else in between gets covered over and over if I stick to these! Many times they overlap...a Scripture lesson might also be an art activity...And... Skylar, my teenager, joins in for most of these in between Algebra and Facebook!

As this goes to press... Selah and I made pancakes together this am. As she was stirring the dry ingredients together they "whoofed" all over the counter. Her little eyes looked up up and said..."Oh no- am I out of a job??????"
Oh my... another lesson, "No honey there is something called grace and you most definitely are not out of a job!"

We pushed it all back in the bowl(five second rule...yall know my counter was clean!) and had a great lesson about unintentional accidents verses doing something "on the purpose", aka sin on a mission!

Enjoy your kids today. Don't believe the enemies lies that the time we spend with our kids is insignificant. Ask Him to weave in Kingdom seeds in everything you do...from bubbles to pancakes!

The fashion diva in me just has to share that yes, Princess Selah picked out her outfit and although you can't see the bottom of this ruffle mania it does, in fact, spin.

Recipes:
I am convinced if you have bubbles and play dough kids can play for hours! Wanted to share a few recipes that we have really enjoyed over the years. The Bubble recipe is on the right hand side of blog under Bubble Fun.

Play Dough
1 c flour
1/4 c salt
2 T cream of tartar
1 c water
food coloring
1 T oil

Mix dry ingredients, add wet ingredients & heat over med (med low if you have flames), stirring the entire time.

It will look like a real mess but will quickly form a ball . Turn it out onto a floured surface- or I use wax paper(easy clean up). Store in a plastic container or bag. Lasts until green fuzzy mold starts growing...just kidding, toss after about a week.

The word "formed" appears 33x in the King James Bible. There are soooo many lessons you can incorporate with play dough! One of my personal favorites...

Isaiah 44:24 Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer,and He that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone, that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself.

Good Start Pancakes (click to follow link to my other blog)


Praising Him for His Majesty inside YOU!
And picking playdough creations out of my computer keyboard...
Love-jananne