2009 June 30

June 30, 2009 · by Penny · 1 Comment

Today’s tackle it Tuesday job is finally done. Every month for 16 and 1/2 years we have been sending out a ministry newsletter sharing about what God is doing in our lives. It is to encourage the body to get up and do whatever God has called them to do. Some folks are called to evangelize and shout it from the rooftops. Some folks are called to pray for the other ones who go out. Some folks are called to minister in churches, and some folks are called to be a witness in the grocery store. Some folks are blessed with finances and business wisdom and they are called to feed the ministers who work day and night. Ministers need to feed their families too . And fill their gas tank. And some are called to write. But everyone is called to do something. If you don’t know what it is, just worship Jesus and He will tell you. Don’t let someone else tell you, let it be what He puts in your heart. And worship is something we are all called to.

So anyway, This was the Tuesday I send out the newsletter. Writing it is easy, I always have more than enough words from Him to write. But it is the actual sending out that is a pain in the behind. I am challenged at every step. There are always conflicts between our internet and the sending service. There are always distractions. (today is was the nearly new washing machine deciding to quit mid-cycle). The printer always breaks and so on and so on. But I persevere because anything I do that bothers the enemies kingdom this much is worth repeating. And now as I am writing this I notice that even though I clicked the queue to send the email version of the newsletter over an hour ago it still has not done it’s thing. UUGH. Nobody ever said serving Jesus would be easy. But it is worth it. So, as my girls hand wring out laundry I will try sending again, then I will move onto the printed version. You can read it online here http://ruth2.com

Psalm 84:10 (New International Version)

  Better is one day in your courts
       than a thousand elsewhere;
       I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
       than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Enjoying the Seasons

I am blogging today over at Titus 2 at The Well, but I am also posting it here for you, feel free to join me there for the comment conversation as well as here. I also have lots more coming up here today.

Seems that here in the south it changes from one season to the next so quickly. One minute it is cold and we have the woodstove crackling and the next we are noticing everything blooming. I have seen the bare trees completely covered in leaves in a matter of a couple weeks, and I have seen them shed their leaves again just as quickly. God’s word tells us there is a season for everything.

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1)

There are things we can do in our homes to enjoy those seasons. Our favorite is to bring in fresh flowers. Not only do we pick wildflowers by the bunches and fill every room with vases full of them, but one of my daughters goes out and digs up her favorites to put in planters on the porches. However if we aren’t paying attention we can miss some, they come and go so quick. Day Lilies only bloom for a day. Most of the other flowers have quick seasons also.

Just like those flowers, our families have seasons. If we are too busy we can miss them. My 6 year old lost her 3rd tooth the other day. That was a big event to her. But like the Day Lily the excitement was gone the next day. I don’t want to miss any Day Lilies in my children’s lives. I want to enjoy each and every event like it were the only one. That takes effort. With a big family I have seen lots and lots of children losing teeth. So it wasn’t new for me. But it was very very new for Mercy.

Driving may seem old hat to you, but it is very new and exciting to your 15 year old. Cooking is just another thing for some of us, but it is a whole new world for a 7 year old. Potty training can be the most torturous thing or the biggest party ever for a 2 year old. And potty training to a 2 year old is every bit as important as driving is to a 16 year old. Motherhood is stretching to say the least. But if we don’t take time to enjoy ALL of God’s seasons we will be sorry.

Take time to smell the Roses in your family’s life. And the Day Lilies, and the Iris’s and the Daisy’s …..