Another Month Down

Maybe you've wondered where all my blog posts about the month of May (possessions) have been. 

 Short answer:  there aren't many.  Actually, I just checked and there were 2 blog posts for May, only one of them about "7".

Long answer:  I want to make excuses.  Like "I'm super busy right now".  Which is true.  I've been working extra, there are a ton of end of school year activities, Larry's playing softball (I like to throw that one in there to make it sound like an extra activity but here's the truth:  I've been to exactly 0 of his games.  He takes some kids, I put a kid to bed and then I have a quiet evening all to myself.  I'm selfish, what can I say?), Kye has 2 baseball games a week and I've been to every one except for those nights that I was working (and last night.  Because it was gross out and I'm a fair weather fan.  I know, no Mother of the Year award for me.  I'm cool with that.), Cole has T-ball on Saturday mornings (I've made it to 1 for various reasons.   Probably no Mother of the Year award for me E.V.E.R), and it's spring so there's lots of yard work.  All this on top of all the regular stuff like laundry, cooking, cleaning.  So there is the excuse.  

But the deeper truth?

I've been spending little time with Jesus.  

That was a hard sentence to type.  I am super ashamed to have to admit that to you all.

Maybe you are wondering how my spending time with Jesus affects how much I blog.  Well, you see, when I spend little time with Jesus I am uninspired to write.  I've got nothing of substance to share with you.

But this morning I dragged it out of bed early.  I seem to go thru spells of amnesia where I forget how much better my day is if I get up when my alarm goes off.

Anyway, I poured myself a delicious cup of Toffee Caramel coffee from Ten Thousand Villages, parked myself in my red chair, and opened my Bible and a few devotionals.  Here's the first sentence I read in "Jesus Calling":  "Time with me cannot be rushed."

Crap and double crap.  Rush is what I do.  

Second sentence:  "When you are in a hurry, your mind flitters back and forth between Me and the tasks ahead of you."

You got me, Jesus.

Third sentence:  "Push back the demands pressing in on you; create a safe space around you, a haven in which you can rest with Me."

Easier said than done.  But it's what I want to do.

And then this verse went with the devo:  "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him."  ~ 2 Chronicles 16:9a

*Side note:  I went back and read 2 Chronicles 15 & 16.  Fascinating story of Asa king of Judah.  I want to dig a little deeper into it sometime soon!

 "Those whose hearts are fully committed to him."  Which leads right around to what I read in "7" this morning.  Don'tcha just love it when God ties everything together and smacks you upside the head?!

"Don't collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.  But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don't break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  ~Matt. 6:19-21

"There is no middle road... Grayed-down discipleship is an easier sell, but it created pretend Christians, obsessing over Scriptures we like while conspicuously ignoring the rest.  Until God asks for everything and we answer, "It's Yours," we don't yet have ears to hear or eyes to see.  We're still deaf to the truth, blind to freedom, deceived by the treasures of the world, imagining them to be the key when they are actually the lock."  ~ Jen Hatmaker

During the month of May I gave away a lot of stuff.  And it was so freeing!!  It was way easier to get rid of stuff because I knew I "had" to.   The hard part will be to keep myself from replacing it.  Jen says "Will I slowly refill the empty spaces?  Or will my family disconnect from the machine, creating a more courageous legacy than simply consuming?  I want to confront the big part that says "more" with the smaller part that says "enough."

Me too, sister!

On to month 4:  Media.  I'm still not entirely sure how this is going to play out.  I'll figure it out by Sunday and let you know!

Thanks for reading my ramblings, I pray that Jesus continues to change us all for His honor and glory.

Favorites

So, I got home tonight from Garden Spot's band concert and checked facebook while I enjoyed a snack of leftover cheeseburger pie (I know, I live the life!) and I saw in my notifications that "Rachel Horst nominated you...".  Immediately I thought I was nominated for the cold water challenge.  Let's talk about that for a minute.

I.WILL.NOT.DO.IT.

I am so over being cold for this year.  The end.

Happily, Rachel was NOT nominating me for the cold water challenge, she was nominating me to share my favorite Bible verse.

This should be a simple status update, right?

Wrong!  Do you not know me by now?  My brain is swirling, trying to get the words in the right order and my fingers are scrambling to try to keep up.

I have a hard time picking a favorite anything.

"Tara, what's your favorite food/cuisine?"

All of it.  Duh.

"Tara, what's your favorite color?"

I like everything except purple.  I don't know why.

*Side note:  I bought a purple running shirt yesterday.  It's my only piece of purple clothing.  It's comfy.

"Tara, what's your favorite book?"

Why is that even a question?

So, my favorite verse?  I don't even know.

Right now I've been meditating on these verses often:  "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." ~ Phillipians 4:8  There is so much junk out there fighting for brain space that I don't want to give up.

"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.  And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."  ~Romans 8:15  Fear is a very real battle but I will not be a slave to it, God is my Daddy!!

"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."  ~1 Peter 1:18-19  Ok, here's a favorite I can declare with authority:  'Redeemed' is my favorite word.  I tattooed it on my body for Pete's sake.

Psalm 121, the imagery!

Romans 8:35-39 gets a resounding "Hallelujah!!" 

So now I get to nominate 3 people to share their favorite verse (or verses!).   I choose:  Nell Leaman, Lori Stoltzfus,  and Gina Dissinger.

Too Long!!

I've got a quick 27 minutes to pound out some thoughts, please overlook any grammatical mistakes or mispelled words!  

I don't even know when my last blog post was.  Life is hectic right now:  all this end of school year crap stuff, getting everything lined up for our church's Big Backyard BBQ (come on out tomorrow!), working extra hours (don't feel bad, Mitch and Gina.  I'll always exhaust myself for you.  Enjoy the wedding!), and lots of softball, baseball, and t-ball for 3 out of my 4 favorite men.

I wanted to write a nice wrap up at the end of April for my month of 7 clothes.  But I didn't.  I did have some time to sit at the computer but I was lazy.  If I had a laptop and could have sat on the couch to write you can bet your bottom dollar you would have read a blog post before now.  Except we have a desktop and that's it.

Anyway, April is over and I couldn't be more delighted.  There was definitely cheating going on cuz that's just how I roll.  I am good at following rules when I want to.  But by the 3rd week in April I was over following the rules.  There is even photo documentation of me wearing clothes that I did not include in my 7:

Ok, this is not a really great example so I'll just tell you what I did "wrong".  I was wearing my 7 sanctioned jeans but that was it.  Different flip flops, different scarf, a cardigan, a tee-shirt, makeup (just mascara.  See how I like to justify?  I am rule-breaking justifier.  That is why I need Jesus.), and earrings.  I can't even tell you how happy I was to shove some metal thru my earlobes.  

This photo was taken at Sysco's food show.   The two beauties with me are Ashley (my wonderful co-worker) and Gina (my fantastic boss).  If you have never been to a food show I feel sorry for you.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I'm pretty sure Ashley and Gina were horrified by the amount of food I consumed.  And I don't care.  Breaking the rules of 7 and eating the food show made for my happiest day all month.

I am so pathetic.

Fast forward exactly 1 week.  It's now April 29.  After today there is only one day left for my clothes month.  Please enjoy the following text message conversation with my friend, Krista:

Krista: "Is 7 screwed for the month or are u still following it?"

Me:  "Ha, not totally screwed :)  we were at the cabin last weekend and i took 7 things but they weren't the 7 i was wearing for the month.  I'm wearing (small) earrings and a hat to work tonight.  I have to go out tomorrow in the torrential rain so I'll prob wear my rainboots.  So, 7 is slightly screwed :)"

K:  "Well at least ur earrings r small! :)  ur funny!!"

Me:  "What i am is ridiculous.  But it's the only way i know how to be :)"

K:  "At least ur honest!! ;)"

Biggest lesson learned in April:  I am way more vain than I thought I was or would like to admit.

But I am a work in progress.

Jesus, keep changing my heart.