Do you see others as walking trees?

Posted on October 10, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

Our little ones are growing quicker than we care to realize. Monday through Friday, I teach them about the three R’s, writing, reading, and arithmetic, but I know that is not the purpose of life.

I regretfully admit I have not conquered looking past my own chaos daily, to see others that are suffering. However, God has begun to clear my vision. In Mark it says, Jesus took a blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

At times this is how I view others, as walking trees and not as peers struggling with soul-searching battles. I have allowed the busyness of life to fill my surrounds with pollution, so much that others become like mummies just roaming around me. Instead of viewing them as a life with importance, my actions demonstrate as though they are already dead. My desire is for God to remove the toxic “my-life”, so that I will be an effective tool for God to use and example to my children.

I don’t want to just tell my kids what is right…I want to live it before them. I don’t want to just tell our children how to love…I want to demonstrate it.

God clear my vision I pray. Eliminate all distractions; open my eyes to the big picture, your picture. Help me to see past my own mess, remove self, so I can be full of grace, mercy, encouragement, and most of all LOVE. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Fall Equals Baking…Banana Bread

Posted on October 7, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

Ingredients

Dry:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Wet:
1 stick of butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
4 to 5 mashed overripe bananas
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
1/2 cup crushed walnuts or pecans (optional)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Most Banana Bread recipes call for you to bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, I only bake mine for 30 to 35, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Also, most recipes call for you to let the bread cool in pan for 10 minutes. No way, I’m not that patient! I make sure the bread is free from all sides of the pan, then flip and savor!

Let’s Get Physical

Posted on October 6, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

Have you ever felt disconnected, separated, like you were living with a roommate instead of your spouse?

The roommate syndrome is very common. It can happen at any time during the marriage. For us, it occurred between the third and fourth child. I love my husband and took care of him, but the butterflies had flown away. To be totally honest, life got busy. If I wasn’t pregnant, I was breastfeeding, and if I wasn’t breastfeeding I was pregnant. I had four kids within six years. I worked and homeschooled during all my pregnancies. I allowed my children to consume me…I was depleted and exhausted…there was nothing left to give my husband.

I could feel the separation, actually it was more like the Great Wall of China. One thing I started noticing was the lack of flirting and where was his eyes, not on me, how about his hands? I had pushed him away so far that there was nothing left but a cold environment of two roommates coming in and out of a house. One bringing in the pay check to pay the bills, the other was a CEO of the house.

I never stopped loving my husband and vice versa, but the sparks and fireworks were snuffed out. If you feel like you are living this way now, let me encourage you to pray. Fight for your marriage, ask God to help you to be the best husband or wife you can be, to awaken the passion and to open your eyes to your spouse’s needs. Second, go to your husband/wife and ask them to forgive you. Don’t expect it in return, it’s about you and your part. Let God take care of your spouse in His timing. Then, you guessed it…the fun part…let’s get physical, physical…a hand on their leg as you watch tv, a back rub as you walk by them in the kitchen, or even eye contact in the midst of a party to let them know they are the only one you really care about. Roommates don’t touch, but newly married couples can’t keep their hands off each other! I don’t know about you, but I’ll take the a newlywed marriage over a roommate relationship any day.

Let me leave you with this; Even though the cloud has been cleared from your vision, it doesn’t mean it has for the love of your life. Be patient, avoid nagging, pressuring, or ingenuine affection. The Colosseum wasn’t built in a day. Continue to pray and even fast, then patiently wait for God’s most radiant pyrotechnics show!

A Heart’s Cry

Posted on October 2, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

“Turn back to me,” says God. I can think of no greater physical act that signals disinterest, disloyalty, or dislike more than to turn our back on someone who is standing right there in front of us.”

“All that matters is that we put our face to Him and our back to everything else, tell Him we are sorry , and mean it.”

These are just a few quotes from Lisa Whittle’s new book “I Want God.”

As I sit here, thinking of the chapters that filled my heart with hunger for God, my heart begins to ache. You see, I read “I Want God” over a month a go, I took notes, I prayed, and God changed me. Oh, but here I am feeling like I’m back at the beginning. I planned to spend time with God in the morning, after my workout, but failed…two days in a row. Does God want me to feel condemned, no, but like a daughter that misses her father when he’s away on a business trip, I miss spending quality time with my Heavenly Father and my attitude and actions reflect it.

A deep sigh came from my chest, as I walked up my soft carpeted stairs, I heard God’s gentle voice say, “Your trying to do it all on your own.” “Yes, I am,” I replied. The wonderful thing about God is, even when we don’t make the time to sit with him, he’s still with us. He is always patiently waiting for his turn. “We are most at risk when we are not in crisis.” I don’t want to be in a crisis to then call on His name. I want to be so full of God that when the crisis comes, I’m strong enough to stand because I already feel God’s presence with me.

If you’re questioning where your relationship with God stands, I recommend this book. If you need a revival in your life, I recommend this book. If you no longer just need God, but want Him, I recommend this book!

I leave you with this….

1. God is what I want most.

2. Other things will scream for my attention.

3. I will have to choose between them.

To get a copy Lisa’s book, I Want God, CLICK here.

*There’s also a chance to win a copy of “I Want God.” Head over to @fromthecommittedheart on Instagram to enter. The winner will be announced Tuesday morning!

More Than Happiness

Posted on September 28, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

“What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?” -Gary Thomas

The truth is, marriage makes us confront our ugly that we may have ignored before. Just try to walk around the house with an attitude for a couple of days, or couple of hours in our house, it won’t last long without noticing. Our spouse challenges us in good and sometimes bad ways. Thankfully, we have God to lean on, in times of frustration, when the wrong buttons have been pushed.

We need to accept and remember from the moment we said “I do” you gave up “me” and replaced it with “us”. You quickly learn not everything you do is perfect and your opinions are not facts. Marriage is amusing, intriguing, and beautiful, but it’s design is greater than our happiness.

Marriage provides growth as an individual and as a Christian. It is a constant reminder of what commitment and covenant means. It also teaches us how to forgive time and time again, like our Heavenly Father forgives us.

Friend, the moment you think your marriage is all about “your” happiness, you’re in trouble.

Strawberry Girl

Posted on September 27, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

“It don’t matter what happens, if you’re only strong and have great courage.”-Strawberry Girl I started reading this book to the kids last summer, online! After a couple of chapters life got busy with the move to our new house…I didn’t pick it back up until this school year, when I bought it! Yesterday, we took advantage of the pouring rain and Alayna having strep again, everyone cuddled up on my bed and I read more than half the book to them. This morning I finished the last chapter. What a great lesson on neighborly love and forgiveness.

Eczema Relief

Posted on September 25, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

Our little Hummingbird has suffered from Eczema for over five years. The doctors encouraged us saying, most kids grow out of it.

In July, we went on a family vacation, Siesta Key, plenty of sunshine, and warm salty water…Kayla’s eczema went from manageable to out of control, with so much scratching and even bleeding. Again, the doctor explained that applying Cetaphil or Sarna was the best thing that we could do for the eczema. This Mama wasn’t satisfied with that answer, so I requested an allergy test. The results came back and showed that Kayla is allergic to dust and dust mites. Ha! Dust…are you kidding me? Dust is everywhere! I started researching and found some simple things to help decrease the exposure of dust mites. For one, getting a anti-dust mite cover for her bed and pillow. Kayla’s grandmother was able to pick up both at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Next, make sure all blankets are washed once a week and the house is vacuumed twice a week. All of these suggestions were great, but the damage had already been done! Kayla’s skin was bleeding and needed to be repaired. It was time to try something new. Kayla’s other grandmother came across Puremedy at our local Whole Foods Store. The sale associate went on and on about how incredible this product is, so we gave it a try. After four days of applying it morning and night, the results were unbelievable! Kayla stopped scratching, therefore stopped bleeding, and her skin was able to heal! Puremedy Intensive Skin Repair, is made of Echinacea Angustifolia, Wild Harvested Elderberry Bark, Organic Elder Flower, and Organic Calendula Flower.

Puremedy is:
• Anti-inflammatory
• Increases blood circulation – imperative for skin health and wound healing
• Regenerates and rebuilds skin tissue
• Aids in the growth of new skin
• Rebuilds tissue “from the bottom up” (like a natural collagen booster, but real)
• Makes skin soft and supple, rebuilds sub-dermal facial tissue
• Rich in Vitamin C, E, antioxidants and fatty acids

To read more about his product click here. If you or someone you know suffer from Atopic dermatitis, also known as atopic eczema, I would give Puremedy a try!

Mistakes in Parenting

Posted on September 25, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

Mistakes are inevitable in parenting and those mistakes do not categorize you as a bad parent. The representation of bad parenting is not asking your children’s forgiveness when you mess up.

Early this week, Victoria was explaining to Kayla what letters were vowels on her worksheet. Kayla began to disagree and raise her voice, which only fueled Victoria to raise her voice even louder than Kayla’s. Quickly, the loud speaking became screaming. At this point I turned around and blurted out the words, “that’s enough, shut up!” (Sigh) Yes, shut up, the two words that I don’t use in my vocabulary, somehow popped out. Victoria immediately started crying. I was in shock, I couldn’t believe I allowed such harsh words to come out of my mouth. I calmly walked over to Victoria and apologized. I told her I was very sorry and I should have not used those words. Victoria graciously accepted and her tears stopped.

Contrary to what many parents think, apologizing to your child won’t cause the them to disrespect you; it actually will bring you closer in the long run. I am not perfect and neither are you, so when we blow it, we must be quick to admit it. That’s the kind of role model our kids need.

Search ME!

Posted on September 23, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23

*Do you consider yourself brave? Well, are you brave enough to ask God to search your heart?

God is longing for a people who seek His word, people who are hungry for Him and for change.

My challenge today is to be brave….brave enough for God’s testing and brave enough to see the ugly that needs to stop….He already knows you, now be brave enough to surrender it to Him!

See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:24

She is Clothed with Strength

Posted on September 22, 2014 by fromthecommittedheart

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” Proverb 31:25

I love my new shirt from “She Is Clothing“…I wore it today to our second ladies small group meeting (From The Committed Heart). I shared, in today’s group, what it means to be committed to your spouse. Our culture relates submission and self-control as a weakness, but it is actually the opposite. Let me ask you, “does it take more strength for a woman to give a piece of her mind to her husband” or “does it take more strength for a woman to remain silent?”

No good can come out of a woman screaming and yelling at her husband when she doesn’t agree about something. Instead, I encourage you to pray, ask God to give you self-control and strength. Then allow God to take care of your spouse, but at least you kept your dignity, while honoring your husband and God.