Turning the "To Do List"...into the the "To Be List"...

I know that many times in my life I have made a "To Do List". If you all sit and think I am sure that each one of you would agree that sometime in your life you have made one too. When reading in God's Word he wants us to each create a "To Be List".

I know that there have been times in my life where I have written out my schedule and my day and had everything in my own plan and said to the Lord...okay this is all that I have to do today please be with me and help me with it Lord and bless me.

But instead of taking it from the the "To Do" perspective we need to apply the "To Be" one.

From the "To Be" perspective, we should have prayers that consist of things like the following:

Help me Lord to reflect your love today.

Help me Lord to manifest your peace.

Help me Lord to practice your patience.

Help me Lord to exhibit your joy.

Help me Lord to make known YOUR goodness.

Help me Lord to express your kindness.

Help me Lord to display your self-control.

Help me Lord to reveal your faithfulness.

Help me Lord to share your gentleness.

If we express these traits then it reflects the mark of God's presence in our lives. Everyday we should start out our "To Be" List by spending time in Prayer and Meditation in HIS Word.

The best way to express God's kindness is first receiving His Kindness in your own life. When you receive the Lord's kindness in your life it will reflect through everything that you do. You will be more app to spread it unknowingly. It will become a part of who you are and you will display it to those around you. We will then be able to share God's love and kindness through our daily behavior.

When we make our "To Be" list a top priority in our lives the things that we have "To Do" will become less of a burden in our daily routines. We must however, always remember to put HIM first and want to strive to be like Him.....then we can accomplish all that we need to in a much better attitude.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lust. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-25

New Recipe......Watermelon Salsa........

Since living here in Tampa the Lord has blessed us with fresh fruits thanks to God guiding great people to drop things off at the home. Sometimes things come in such bulk that we as staff get the opportunity to help our fridges and cupboards be not so bare. I had a co-worker back in NC when Taylor was little that gave me this recipe for Watermelon Salsa....don't knock it until you try....it is spicy and a tiny bit sweet all at the same time.

2 Cups watermelon; chopped

3/4 Cup sweet onion; diced

3/4 Cup black beans; rinsed and drained

1-2 jalapenos; chopped and seeded(more or less to liking)

1/4 Cup fresh cilantro; chopped

1 clove of garlic; minced

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate. Serve with chips or toasted pita bread.

I hope that you all take time to try it. It really is a sweet and healthy treat.

COOKS TIP:

If you ever get something to salty add a little vinegar and sugar. If it is a soup or sauce then just add a raw peeled potato to the pot.

Giving God All I have To Give.....in 2010

This Christmas season has been one that I will never forget. Not only was it one that was spent away from friends and family but it was time for us to reflect as a family on how God has truly blessed us.

God has blessed our family beyond believe. We are so amazed still....at the fact God has called us to such a journey. Now each day that passes only makes our hearts long for the people and the country that he has called us too minister too.

So for 2010 I plan on giving God all that I have to give. Our Pastor here in Tampa preached a sermon from Ecclesiastes 9: 1-10. The title of his sermon was "A Living Dog is better than a Dead Lion". It really made me stop to think about what I was doing for Christ here and now.

You see we may be little now and not very important but we can give all that we have to God and he can use it greatly. Or we can see ourselves in a comfort zone and always try to do everything on our terms and in our own time.... when we die it want matter anyway. The prophets of old did a great job at living for Christ while they were alive.....however, they are all past away and can do nothing from the grave. I want to know that while I am alive I am giving all that I can to the Lord. You see, we only have a short time to give, serve and share God with others. No man knows the day that he will take his last breath. So as for me, I want to make sure that I make each day count. I want to keep myself ready for God to use so, that I don't miss out on a blessing that he has for me. I also plan on memorizing at least 52 new passages of scripture. That is one a week. The best way to keep God close is to fill your heart and mind with HIS WORD. It will also help to defeat the devil when he throws those curve balls your way. I challenge you to memorize some scriptures and read Ecclesiastes 9:1-10 and see how God speaks to you in the new year.....

So, Happy New Year to all............and remember.....

"The Holy Spirit Fills Empty Vessels......are you willing to empty Yourself so that God can fill YOU UP?"

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I would like to wish all of my readers a very Merry Christmas, that is full of Christ. For with out the Heavenly Father sending "HIS" One and "ONLY Son, JESUS" to earth that night in Bethlehem we would all be on our way to spending eternity in HELL without hope for our future.

Our family spend the morning with gifts and a big breakfast and taking time to "THANK THE LORD" for what he has done for us this past year. Mark read the Christmas Story from Luke 2 as we celebrated and thanked the Lord for our salvation. We now pray that "Little Man" will grow up and trust Jesus as His personal Savior as he learns about God's love for us all.

Again, we wish all of you a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Looking for a Miracle this CHRISTMAS!

The Bible says :

"Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou has declared thy strength among the people." PSALMS 77:14

When we moved to Tampa in August we started attending Southside Baptist Church. This was a little scary for me, for I have so many friends and many close relationships with our church family back home in North Carolina. Hilltop is a church that "WELCOMES" you the minute you walk in. I have been in many churches and not yet found that same close feeeling. But the Lord gave me the same great feeling at Southside and to me it is a mini Hilltop. The people are loving and caring and the Pastor is truly a man of God preaching the word with no reservations just like Brother Jeff. It has become our new home.

For the Christmas Cantata Pastor Nance decided to preform a mini play with the choir singing throughout the scenes. The name of the play was "THE GREATEST GIFT". To my surprise the Pastor picked his cast and had Mark and I both in it. I was scared to death!!!! Now I know that I am a bubbly, friendly and out-going person and all......but I have never acted a day in my life......with the exception of teaching K5 and a tiny ladies meeting skit. However, I prayed and learned my lines and just asked God to help me not to stumble and use the words that come from my lips to give HIM GLORY. Praise the Lord the play was wonderful and we had three people walk the aisle. Two of those made a profession of faith.

My devotion tonight reminded me of the meaning behind the play and that God has given us the best gift of all, Himself. The title of my devotion was "FINDING A MIRACLE this SEASON". It made me really think about a dear friend that I have back home.

I have a dear friend by the name of Lanie. Many of you who know me know about Lalania. She has been battling cancer now for sometime. The day that she found out she had cancer, she didn't just found out about it she found out that it was already stage 4. I will never forget that day. My heart was hurting for her along with all her know her. See Lanie is probably the sweetest, kindest, loving, encouraging, and faithful women I know. I am not sure at all what was going through her mind that day but I am sure that her family was heavy on her heart. You see, she has 5 boys that range in age from 14 to 4.

Lanie as long as I have known her has always had an awesome testimony. She has been saved for sometime now, served her country in the Air Force and always been a caring and loving mother and wife. Now she is fighting the battle of her life, yet to see her she strives on and never lets you see her pain or discomfort. She never complains and always gives God the Glory for everything in her life. She jumps in the ring with her "boxing gloves" on and God as her manager. She truly has a wonderful spirit and testimony.

Honestly, I have to examine my own life and how I fail because I let the world creep in and take my eyes off of "HIM". God is perfectly capable of handling every situation. He has never made a mistake with any of us and never will. He has a plan and a purpose for everything in our lives. Why should we think for a moment that he can not stop or start any situation that occurs in our lives in the wink of an eye??

God has a habit of doing some miraculous things and I know that he can still do them today. This Christmas...."I am looking for a miracle." I am actually not just looking for one but for many. I am praying that God will heal my dear friends body and rid it of cancer. Lanie is a fighter and she has not given up and our family and friends will not give up on her either. I am also praying that God will mend my brothers family. This has been a tole on our entire family and without any more details I ask that you join me in prayer for God to give a miracle in these lives. I am not giving up on either of these situations but I am putting them solely in Gods hands. God has a way of sending us just what we need when we need it. I pray this season that you my readers not get caught up in the hussel and bussel of Christmas and don't stand in the way of GOD preforming a "MIRACLE " in your life or the life of someone you love.

"Only God can move mountains, but faith and prayer can move God"

E.M. Bounds

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

No Ordinary Zoo Trip...........

On Thursday of this week many of the children were treated to a trip to the Lowry Park Zoo here in Florida. What a treat for all the children this day proved to be. A small business association made it possible for the children in 6th grade and below to attend the zoo. They even took care of the staff that went along to oversee each group.

It was so amazing to see how the Lord provides for "HIS" people. Many of the children.....in fact almost all of the children here have never been to any type of zoo. This was such a treat for them.

The kids were able to do things that otherwise the would have not been able to do. Some of the things that the kids in my group were able to do included feeding a giraffe and stingray. This was so cool. The giraffe at one point had her nose on my camera. It was a treat for me as well. Then we moved on to search out some other neat looking animals and even rode a roller coaster and a sky lift. This was no ordinary trip to the zoo, in fact this may have been a once in a life time event for some of the children here. As they walked they took in every inch of their surroundings and had a wonderful day. The Lord even held off the rain and kept it warm but cool out so that all the animals were active. The group then treated us all to a wonderful catered lunch and then gave every child a stocking filled with goodies.

A BIG THANKS TO ALL WHO HELPED MAKE THIS DAY POSSIBLE!!!!!!

Offering a Little HOPE.........

You know the world tries to offer us hope, however it is imperfect and always fails us: as does man. You see no matter how much we search for worldly hope we always come up short. It is such a comfort for me to know that MY GOD offers me hope that is never ending, unchanging and even unshakable. If we are "saved" (this means that I put my faith and trust in Christ ALONE) we can have a hope for an eternal future.

It is so awesome to ponder on the thought that God does not keep track of our failures if we ask him to forgive us. As a ______(wife, parent you fill in the blank) we will all face disappointments and failures here in our life. But it is so sweet to know that if we put our hope in "HIM" we are secure and are promised peace,joy and eternal life.

Are we teaching and sharing with others the hope that we have in our lives? Do others see us as different because of who our lives belong too? If a stranger happens to come across our path will they see that we are different.....than the world?

Not long ago we were able to have a few kids in our home for Thanksgiving. The day after turkey day we always put our Christmas tree up and living in Florida was not going to stop that long family tradition. So, with new ornaments and lights myself along with all six children helped put up the tree. Some how putting up a Christmas tree with the twinkling lights and shining ornaments puts hope into a child's heart about the holiday season. This year I challenge you to put a little hope in someone elses life by extending them the "Good News of Salvation". Just like we were able to give the children hope that the best was yet to come, you to can give someone hope that their "BEST is YET TO COME". It will come the day they see Jesus in Heaven.

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

Psalm 31:24