Off to Hawaii

As I hurriedly prepare for our departure tomorrow, I felt the need to take a moment and take a deep breath. Sure we are all excited about the trip! Christmas in Hawaii! We enjoy being together as a whole extended family. We enjoy adventure and traveling, exploring and trying new things. But I would really like this time to be purposeful in a spiritual sense.

I desire specifically to be an instrument of love, kindness and service to my family.
I pray that my children would die to self and WANT to serve others.
I pray that it would bring joy to their hearts to see others happy.
I pray that we would be a light to those living in darkness.
That we would each have the opportunity to share the gospel with someone we meet.
I pray that we would come back more aware of the goodness of our great God and Savior.

Banana Egg Rolls

My adorable husband took me on a date last night. We drove up to San Luis Obispo (the Farmer's Market was in full swing). We got some Thai food at a great little place (wonderful banana egg rolls!!) and took it to the corner where one of our favorite bands was playing. Incendio!! We set up our lawn chairs in the middle of the street and sat and ate, talked and kissed, met new friends and enjoyed great music!! We did a little walking a little shopping a little dreaming a little planning. It is so good to be with your best friend! I love doing things that Dave loves doing! It is still just as fun as it was 18 years ago, only now it is so much deeper and richer and fuller.

I don't ever want to take these simple pleasures for granted. The Lord has blessed me beyond measure! And it's like Christmas everyday, to take out these memories, hold them in my hands and marvel at God's great thought and care for me. What priceless gifts, every one.

Ephesians 5:1-2

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of Himself to us. Love like that.

Love, the comfortable home

The topic this week seems to be "love". My friend Scott has reflected on it much, as he grieves the loss of his beloved wife. My sister Kami was sharing some things concerning love and pride in her blog too. My husband commented on how I was a good example of godly love. Although I was touched by the sentiment, I know too well, the wickedness of my own heart. It shames me.

In my ladies bible study we are studing Ephesians. In the third chapter Paul is praying for the believers, that God would grant them the ability to comprehend the love of God. God's love is truly the key to godly living. Paul says that we need to be rooted and grounded in love...that we would KNOW the love of Christ which passes knowledge... and this is tied to being filled up with all the fullness of God.

I can't really imagine being filled up with all the fullness of God. That Paul even dares to mention it as a tangible and practical reality blows my mind!!

I guess the key is in Christ dwelling in our hearts. Yes, at salvation He enters and He promises to never leave us or forsake us, but this dwelling is distinct from His entering. It carries the thought of comfortably abiding, not just tolerating or being polite, while feeling uncomfortable. Feeling at home!! When I try to imagine Christ feeling at ease in my heart, in my thoughts, in my heart attitudes, all I feel is ashamed.

Have you ever hung out with a couple that you felt so uncomfortable with? You are starting to enjoying the evening when all of a sudden there is a random topic,guesture, comment, something that sets one of the two into attack mode. You sit there feeling so embarrassed for them!! If you could melt and slither away you would. They eventually move on, but the undercurrent is still there. You never really feel at ease with that couple, because you never know when or what will spark and embarrassing situation. That is purely a selfish example, but I can imagine Jesus' indwelling in my life a bit like that. I can picture Him never wanting to "take off His shoes and relax" in my heart, because of the monsters of pride and selfishness just waiting for some opportune moment to jump out and rear their ugly heads.

How does your heart become a place where Christ is truly comfortable in? Of course it has something to do with our abiding in Christ. Meditating on His Word, knowing Him. Cultivating gratitude. Realizing our nothingness and His exceeding greatness. His immeasureable worth and my complete worthlessness. I don't think that His work of housecleaning my heart will ever be finished this side of heaven.

Shade your eyes, the sun is shining!!

I just talked to Dave today. He is in Michigan. Where the landscape is...white. I am so thankful to be in sunny CA! Praise Jesus for the 75 degree sunshine day! It makes me want to bust out in a Brady Bunch song!!