Tamara Lowe at Christ Fellowship

This is really good!!

Been Thinking...

Not sure where to start but there have been several things that have happened lately that got me thinking...more than usual. 

I attended a celebration service for a 2 week old that touched so many lives.  It was a special but sad day.  A reminder of how short life is and that we need to not take anything for granted.  This young infants parents are a great testimony to their faith and the love and peace that God pours down on the broken hearted.  God knits us in our mothers womb.  He knows every hair on our heads.  He will never leave us nor forsake us.  This is a love that in beyond words.

I think about how much I love my children and I don't think there is anyone, even their dad, that loves them more than me but I know that God loves them infinitely more than I could even imagine.  WOW!!

One of my kids came to talk to me the other night.  He was not feeling well and we talked about that then ended up talking about his walk with God and where he is in that.  Made my heart sing just listening to him and how he has been growing in his faith and his walk.  I pray for them all daily and I let them know this but to see how God answers in ways that I don't even think about is just awesome to me.

I have felt a bit lazy lately and started thinking that maybe I am not "doing" enough in my walk with Christ.  I have worked the last 2 Sundays and think maybe not being in church has had a bit of an affect on me but not sure.  My husband reminds me that when I go and work that I am "doing" for God what a lot of people can't or won't do.  I am serving sick children, their families & the nurses I work with.  At least that is how I pray as I drive to work and how I feel when I am there.

So what is considered enough for God?  I believe that if our heart is right with God and we are walking in His will then that is enough.  Maybe I don't spend 2 hours in prayer, or read 2 chapters in the Bible everyday.  I do get up every morning and spend time doing a devotion with Bible reading and then have prayer time.  Sometimes this is shorter than others but I do feel it is necessary for me to cont. doing this even if at times I "feel" it is not enough.

I am keeping a positive attitude...most of the time.  I think that for now I am doing what I am suppose to be doing.  I am seeking God and His direction for my life.  I pray for His strength in all I do.  I commit each day to Him.  I do need a little more discipline in some areas in my life.  I am working on those areas.

So if you smell smoke that is just me thinking or over thinking about life, something I am very good at.

Lions & Tigers & Bears...OH MY!!

OK, so last week my husband and I took a mini vacation and went away for a couple days.  This was nice to get away and have fun just the 2 of us.  It was the first time since we had kids that we went to a zoo without kids.  We had a GREAT time.

So maybe I have seen the Wizard of Oz a few too many times. 

The day we went to the zoo we were told was the hottest day of the year with a heat index being at least 110.  The Imax was selling tickets for $3 (I think that was a lot cheaper, I didn't care to go so I didn't check the original price) because of the heat.  It was hot but I think the humidity was low or we were having so much fun that it didn't seem to be much of a bother.

The worse part was getting into our car in the afternoon--

OUCH that was HOT!!

I started thinking of all the zoo's we have been to since we have been married and here is the list I came up with (not in any order):

San Diego--to me not worth the money, one time thing, too big, too many people but glad to say I was there once.

Denver--that was many years ago and I was pregnant but it was fun from what I remember.

Kansas City--been there many times and it has been good and bad.  Haven't been there in years.

Houston--this also many years and I was pregnant (again).  It was big, but fun.  I do remember seeing a few baby animals but I know we ended up not seeing all of it.

St. Louis--this was in 1999 and I really don't remember much about it and I don't know why.  Maybe it really wasn't all that great or we were just busy seeing a lot of things on that trip.

Washington D.C.--it was free and good thing it was NOT good at all.  Hopefully things have changed since we were there.

Omaha (Henry Doorly)--this is where we went last week.  we took the kids there 15 yrs ago and it was great then and still one of our favorites.  As hot as it was we saw lots of animals and they were out and about moving.  It is not to big and very reasonable priced.

I would love to see more zoo's around the country and hopefully someday get to take my grandkids to them.

The day we came home we decided last minute to see The Squirrel Cage Jail which is closed and now a historic site.  I would recommend it.  While there someone said something about seeing a black squirrel--COOL!!  We only have the grey ones around here and LOTS of them.  We saw a white one in Washington D.C. and now a black one.

You are probably thinking "why is she telling us all this and what does this have to do with growing in truth".  Well, I LOVE animals and I see God's love and beauty in animals.  He created ALL of them and they have a purpose in this world.  I don't like to see little bunnies being eaten but I know that they are put here for food for other animals (and humans that eat them).  I look at the markings on the big cats and think how beautiful and awesome they are.  It just amazes me. 

Is this just not amazing and beautiful to see a perfectly designed butterfly. If God took the time to create this small creature that only lives a very short time just think of how He creates each one of us in HIS image to live for HIM as long as He gives us on this earth.  

I guess this is one of the ways I feel I can worship God. 

By admiring the amazing creatures He has created for us to enjoy. 

Sunrise

I just thought I would share a couple pictures I have taken over the last week.  It is one of the great things of getting up so early and leaving for work.  I leave for work around 6 a.m. and I would see the sunrise and just be in awe of the beauty.  I pulled over to take the pictures out my passenger window so they are not the best but not to bad either.  I LOVE to see the sunrise & sunsets.

Guarding Your Heart

I have been reading my 4:8 book (see previous post on this) and I have been reading on guarding my heart.  So I wanted to share a few things with you about what I am reading and thinking.  I like the NIV version which is to the right in the picture but I also really like the NLT version:

"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."  Proverbs 4:23

So what does it mean to "guard your heart".  I believe that it means we need to be intentional about what we put into our minds.  What we allow ourselves to be exposed to.  Of course not all things are under our control on this but most are.

Everything we read, watch on TV or in movies.  The music we listen to and even the people we hang out with.

"We often allow negative ideas and others' opinions to corrupt our potential for joy" quote from The 4:8 Principle

I know for me that sometimes I will see something on TV that I find later I feel very discontent with my marriage.  I start thinking "I wish my marriage was like that".  Well TV is not real (well most of it that is) and this has happened to me from watching a very clean, wholesome Hallmark movie.  It can sneak up on you.  Once this negative thought is in my mind it takes root in my heart and then I think negative thoughts about my marriage and my husband and before you know it I am not a very nice person and can bring him down very fast.  It is like a virus that infects without warning.

"How can you who are evil say anything good?  For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks."  Matthew 12:34

Once I have allowed something that is not productive and beneficial for me in and let it take root then at some point it is most likely going to come out of my mouth and it won't be good.  Not something I like about myself and working on changing.

JUNK IN=JUNK OUT!!

When we allow negative images or music into our minds it has then become part of our subconscious.  Once there it is pretty much there for good.  We have to work to overcome those and sometimes never will.  They will always be there it is just choosing to not allow them to change who we are and how we act.  The best way to do this is to NOT allow those negative things in our lives in the first place.

I will be the first to admit that I really like certain TV programs and I don't know if I am ready to give them up.  I do listen to mostly Christian music but sometimes like to "rebel" and listen to music that can and does bring back memories that maybe should not be brought back to the surface. 

It is very important to remember that if we choose to take away something we know is not good for us that we MUST replace it with something we know IS good for us, otherwise we will end up just putting another negative in its place and that is not what we want.

Quote from 4:8 book:  "You are the gatekeeper of your mind.  To experience a life full of joy, you must reject the negatives and protect the positives God has placed or has promised to place in your life.  Those who experience more joy don't necessarily have more to be joyful about; they just think differently.  This option is available to you as well."

I want the joy-filled life and am choosing to work towards that.  I am working on guarding my heart.  I am taking steps to protect my mind.  This is not always easy for me but I will work to continue to do this.

Just a couple ways to help and I have been putting one into practice for a while now and they are what Tommy Newberry talks about in his 4:8 book. 

One:  Start your day with JOY!  What can you do in the first 15 minutes of your day to set the tone for the day. 

Immediately upon waking I ask myself this question:

What am I grateful to God for this morning? 

Then I do a devotional, prayer & listen to worship music.  That is how I work to spend my first 15 min. of the day to set a positive tone for my day.  Of course not everyday does this work but I try.

Two:  Seal your day with JOY!  What can you do in the last 15 minutes of your day to get your mind relaxed and set on good, positive things.  I try to say prayers with my husband, maybe read a little but for the most part I am really bad about falling asleep to the TV.  I am working on this one.

One more quote and I will wrap up since I have rambled on pretty long this time.

"Realize that everything you watch, read, or listen to either brings you closer to God or nudges you further away."  from The 4:8 Principle

"As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man"  Proverbs 27:19

  I am choosing to Guard My Heart!!

Attitude Adjustment

I don't know why I have a great day then the next I have my to-do list ready and I wake feeling...well...blah.  Instead of choosing to change my attitude I just let the negative flow until I am just grumpy.  This is not fun for anyone and not who I want to be.

I want to blame it on something; the weather, stress, PMS, my husband, anything other than me.  Sure some of these things can affect ones attitude but blaming anything will only lead to being more grumpy and tends to make things worse than better.  So just say NO to blaming! 

When I get like this I start comparing myself to everyone.  I wish ________(fill in the blank).  There are so many things that can go into that blank.  I also get really down on myself.  It is like a spiral of negativity spinning out of control. 

I ask myself 'what am I doing wrong?' like there is some magical answer to that.  Truth is I know what I am doing and that is choosing to let the negative emotions and feelings take over instead of pushing them back and choosing to look at the positive side of life.

When I am at work I can look at someone that is being negative and smile and encourage them to think positive that things will turn out the way it is suppose to.  I can encourage others to look on the bright side and think positive about their situation and even help them see the positive.  They still have to choose to see the positive but it is easy for me to help them.

A few months back a started reading a book called
The 4:8 Principle by Tommy Newberry.

It is a small book filled with so much good information on how to live a joy-filled life.  I should be finished with it but I get lazy or busy and don't just sit and read.  The book is based on the verse Philippians 4:8.  He uses this verse plus many others to help guide us to change the way we think to a more positive, joy-filled way.  He also has a website http://www.the48principle.com/ which has some really good info in there and I think the first 2 chapters of the book.

Personally I have found this book very helpful when I am reading it which I have not been since I started my job.  So my plan is to get back into reading this book.  I would highly recommend it for anyone wanting to be more positive, joy-filled and learn how to think the way God wants us to think using Philippians 4:8.

So now I am going to CHOOSE to work on my attitude.  I want to have the attitude of Christ,

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" Philippians 2:5. 

I want to have a joy-filled, positive attitude.  I want my positive attitude to rub off on others.

I know that when I am grumpy it does affect others around me and that is NOT what I want or what God wants from me.

Lunch with friends

I just have to say that yesterday I had lunch (well dinner for me) with one of my very close friends and her mom, whom I also call my friend.  I love my friend & her mom very much.  They are both very special to me.  We have known each other for many, many years and have been through some ups and downs together.

I want to just say a little about my friends mom.  This lady is one of the most positive people I know.  She has health issues but never complains.  She smile's all the time and is such a joy to be around.

I asked her how she was and she said she was great, no complaints...WOW!!  OK, I have known her long enough that I knew I would get that answer but still today I can't stop thinking how having such a positive outlook on life affects others.  One can't help but smile as soon as you meet this wonderful lady.  She wants to know all about you and how you are doing.  She truly is a blessing to me and to others that know her.  She is a good example for me to follow as I work on being a more positive person (it is easy for me to complain).