TRUE JOY

Hello blogging friends! I am so excited for the JOY of the season. I am a big fan of Christmas. I grew up with a daddy that got into the spirit of Christmas and it has rubbed off onto me! I love to decorate, sing songs, exchange gifts, share the Love of Christ and make memories with friends and family! But most important get excited with everyone about a NEW YEAR!

With 2013 around the corner, I can only dream big at the greater opportunities God will be providing us all with.
I promise my blogs and inspirations will MOVE you in the direction of Gods goodness for your life! 
    
Will you join me in the journey?


Something was made so clear to me this past year...

If I have personally HEARD from God, been TOUCHED by Him in my life and SEEN Him with my own eyes working things for the good then my JOY should be FULL, no matter what life has dealt you that week.
THIS IS THE TRUE JOY OF THE SEASON!


I have seen the word JOY everywhere the past month with the Christmas season in the air.


We sing about being joyful and proclaim we have joy.


But the reality is...some live in a personal darkness that is stealing the Joy from their lives.

Christmas can become the most stressful season.

I heard on the news last year this time that Christmas Stress is causing CHRONIC PAIN in so many lives. Doctor visits and medication increases by 80% during the Holiday season.I will never forget that high lite. 


This makes my heart so sad....

Jesus Christ came to us Christmas morning to DECLARE LIFE and manifest himself to us is real ways. He wants to personally touch our lives and hurts. Christ came that our JOY would increase and be full.


CHRIST came to bring us CHRISTMAS.

I ponder the song that was sang in the Grinch movie called...Where are you Christmas?
the little girl goes on to say "Why can't I find you?" "Why have you gone away?", "Why can't I hear you?". Her world is changing and rearranging she wonders if that means Christmas changes.


Our life is always going to change and rearrange but "Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever!" Hebrews 13:8

In 1 John 1-4 it tells us that fellowship with
God expresses the most intimate kind of relationship.
Joy would increase and our lives would be touched if we only knew Him better. He wants to be included in every activity, every conversation, every problem, and every thought.


A very merry and joyful Christmas is built by sharing your life with God.
A Joyful Christmas does not just show up on Christmas morning wrapped in a package or a greatly decorated home.

God wants to show up and bring you Christmas all year round.
Today's reading declares that we can hear, see and be touched by Christ!

Don't allow the realities of this world to rob your JOY.
Sickness is real, divorce and separation is happening daily, finances are low and jobs are lost. This is a reality for families all around. I want to speak to those friends today...

PRESS into Christ this Christmas and He will make your Joy full.

You cannot be JOYFUL until He makes your JOY FULL!


Point to Ponder: God is real, no matter how I feel


Question to Consider: How can I press into Christ and focus on His presence this Christmas?


Verse: 1 John 1:4 "Truly our fellowship is  with the father and with His son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your JOY MAY BE FULL."


May your Joy be Full,

TAMING THE TONGUE AT THANKSGIVING

LAST NIGHT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE BEST MOPS GROUP AROUND!  NORTHRIDGE CHURCH MOTHERS OF PRESCHOOLERS!

Mops is a great break for moms to connect with other Moms. You’ll be refreshed and encouraged to carry on in this important stage of your families life.  Northridge group meets the 1st & 3rd Thursday of every month.

Check out a MOPS group in your area, they meet all over the US.

I remember taking my children to MOPS in my younger years! So refreshing it was listening to speakers care and encourage younger moms.

Last night I was blessed to speak into the lives of many moms with young children. Oh what a season that can be. So rewarding and yet exhausting all in the same breath.

The title I was asked to speak on was:
 TAMING THE TONGUE.

THE REALITY IS...THAT IS MY BIGGEST WEAKNESS. MY BIG MOUTH GETS ME IN TROUBLE MANY TIMES.

I AM GLAD TO SAY THAT JESUS IS MY BRIDGE TO MY PREFERRED TOMORROW AND HE HELPS ME TURN MY TONGUE INTO A BEASTLY BLESSING!

HOW DO I TRAIN MY TONGUE?

PLEASE READ THE VERSE I SHARED WITH THE LADIES LAST NIGHT. THEN I WILL SHARE SOME EXERCISES I AM PUTTING INTO PRACTICE!
(PLEASE PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE HIGHLIGHTED WORDS)

JAMES 3:2-13
² For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. ³ If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. ⁴ Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, ⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰ From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? ¹² Can a tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

What a powerful word to chew on before the Holidays. The season can be stressful for some families ESPECIALLY when the tongue really gets going. If you know what I mean!

The rudder to the ship and the horses bit describes the power in our tongue. We can steer our entire lives, families and communities into death or life with the power of the tongue!

When the Holy Spirit helps us with our tongues that is the only way anything Good is going to come out of our mouths.
Allow the Holy Spirit to be our rudder steering our lives into destiny!

I needed this reminder, I have not been asking God to help me with my mouth lately. I have been critical to my oldest daughter, sharp with the tongue to my youngest and very irritated in tone with my oldest son, gossipy with friends and even swear words when stressed and the list goes on.

WOW, yes and I am a Godly fearing woman who is a 100 percent flesh!

My flesh is not an excuse for my SIN.

I have a responsibility to follow Christ and work out my stumbling with God.
I love the first part of the verse listed above... WE ALL STUMBLE IN MANY WAYS.

I shared a couple exercises that we can practice together now and even more so during the holiday season.

Remember that small tongue can get us in a lot of trouble...

How many times have you regretted saying something the instant you said it?
How many times have your words hurt a friend or a family member without you meaning to?
 How many times have you said "yes" when you really wanted to say "no"?

Why is controlling this small beast, our tongue, so hard!

Try this exercise over the holidays... It really helps!

 

 

 

I ALSO LIKE TO USE THE BAXTERS MEASURING

SCALE:

 

 NO SALSA = NO HARSH WORDS TODAY

MILD SALSA=SOMETIMES HARSH, NO HARMS

MEDIUM SALSA=OFTEN SPOKE HARSHLY BUT GOT OVER IT

HOT SALSA=EXPLODE  AND BROKE OTHERS SPIRITS TODAY

 

 

AS A FAMILY YOU CAN COMMUNICATE WHAT KIND OF SALSA IS BEING TASTED AROUND THE HOUSE.

 

THIS WORKS WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN BURNED BY OTHERS WORDS, EXPRESS TO THEM YOUR HURT.

 

I LIKE TO ASK MY KIDS TO LET ME KNOW MY TONE...I TEND TO FALL IN THE MEDIUM SALSA CATEGORY, I NEED TO PRACTICE BEING MORE GENTLE.

 

LASTLY FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO AFFIRM FAMILY MEMBERS OVER THE HOLIDAY.

 

SPEAK SOMETHING POSITIVE INTO SOMEONES LIFE. MAKE IT HAPPEN!

 

 

Always speak words...
*That build people up
*That are good and peaceful
*That teaches lessons
*That are the truths
*That glorify  Jesus Christ

 

 

MAY THIS ENCOURAGE YOUR HEART AND PREPARE YOU TO HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON!

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FRIENDS!

 

 

 

 

 

TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THAT OPPORTUNITY

Isaiah 57:11-12 (TODAY'S MAIN VERSE)

CLICK HERE FOR ALL OF TODAY'S DAILY READING
11 The LORD will guide you always;

he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

I believe God daily leads us to opportunities to help us repair and restore so we can line up with His overall purpose for our lives. If we do not SEIZE the OPPORTUNITIES we will miss our destiny.
Opportunities. Every one of us has them. Opportunities for greatness, success, to better ourselves, and to serve God in a greater capacity. I'm sure you've heard the phrase "seize the opportunity!"


Opportunity is defined as a combination of circumstances favorable for a purpose. To seize means to take possession of suddenly and by force, attack, or strike.


Why do you suppose it's important for you to take possession of it suddenly? Because opportunities do not wait around for the fainthearted nor the slow to move. They must be seized! Opportunities are being presented to you on a daily basis. You will either seize them or you will let them slip by.


Many times the reason we let them slip by is because we are insensitive to them.
It's work! Most people want accelerated results before dark. A lot of people want what has happened to others but they're not willing to do what others have done to get there.


Have you ever said, "I wish I would have thought of that?" That means you only recognize opportunity after you see someone else doing it first. We're going to have to become more sensitive to the opportunities and the open doors that God presents in our lives.

For a great door and effectual is open unto me and there are many adversaries.
(1 Cor. 16:9)

The Amplified says it this way, "For a wide door of opportunity for effectual service has opened to me there; one great and promising and many adversaries."


Notice Paul says that a wide door of opportunity has been opened unto him but with adversaries. It would be wonderful if he had left that part out. But he didn't. The devil is not going to sit down, roll over, and play dead and let us seize this opportunity without some kind of fight.


Every opportunity that God gives you demands a steadfast, persevering spirit. Ambition alone is not enough. You've got to be willing to take risks, lay it all on the line, and even be willing to lose it all in order to seize an opportunity.


Your attitude and perspective about the situation has everything to do with your outcome. When the armies of Israel saw Goliath, they said, "He's too big to kill!" When David saw Goliath, he said, "He's too big to miss!" Same problem, different perspective!


Someone once said that if all you see is obstacles, then you've taken your eyes off the goals. You're no longer focused on your vision. You're no longer focused on Jesus. If you hear someone talking about all their problems, that's a good indication that they've taken their eyes off of Jesus (The Answer)!


God never gives us opportunities without first giving us the ability to achieve them. So, quit making excuses.

In the last week this has happened to me:"For a wide door of opportunity for effectual service has opened to me there; one great and promising and many adversaries."

I will seize this opportunity friends!
 
Opportunities become realities to people of great passion.

When God gives a vision, you have to put your all into it!
Progress is never achieved by people who have no passion. Successful people become successful people because they don't know when to quit.


The fear of failure will keep you from seizing opportunities. All of us have failed at some time in our lives, but failing is not final. Setbacks are not permanent. We cannot allow ourselves to become stagnant and non-operative because of the fear of failure.

I have many weaknesses but my God will help me move forward in the calling He is preparing me for!

Friends I believe in your NEW opportunities for 2013~
Lets believe together!

 

WEEKLY RECIPE

GREEK CHICKEN LEMON RICE SOUP

Budget friendly, great for weekends and for after school snack before dinnner!

• 2 cupscooked chicken, chopped
• 2 mediumcarrots, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cuponion, chopped
• 1 teaspoonlemon zest
• 1/4 cupfresh lemon juice and keep adding to your liking! ( I used a whole bottle)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, pressed (or finely minced)
• 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can fat free low-sodium cream of chicken soup ( I used 3 large cans)
• 3 (14 1/2 ounce) cans fat-free chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2/3 cuplong-grain white rice, uncooked
• (I did 6 cups of rice and 3 large cans of soup add milk to get the thickness I desired)
• TOP WITH CHOPPED UP CILANTRO

Put everything in a crock pot! cook rice separately and then add to the pot!

MOM'S NO PEEK BEEF TIPS!

I JUST MADE THIS RECEIPE AND THE KIDS LOVED IT!

YOU MAY ALSO MAKE MASHED PATATOES INSTEAD OF THE WIDE NOODLES!

No Peek Beef Tips

Ingredients:
2 lb. - Beef tenderloin tips, Stew Meat, Chuck Roast or Chuck Eye, cubed
1 - 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 – packet brown gravy mix
1 - packet lipton dry onion soup mix
1 – 4 oz can mushrooms
1 - cup water or ginger ale soda

Directions:
Add cubed meat to a 9 x 13 inch pan. In a big bowl mix the remaining ingredients together and pour over the meat add mushrooms and stir to coat.

Cover with foil and bake at 300 degrees for 3 Hours do not remove foil until done. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes or noodles.

ENJOY!

Black Bean WrapServes 1

1 Black Bean Burger patty
2 swiss chard or butter lettuce leaves
1 small tomato
1/4 avocado
pinch of salt & pepper
Cook the Black Bean Burger patties. Wash and dry lettuce. Cut the tomato into slices. Remove 1/4 of the Avocado “meat” from skin. Place half of the Black Bean Burger patty and half of each ingredient into the lettuce leaves, creating two wraps. Sprinkle with just a pinch of salt & pepper to taste. Wrap the leaves into tight rolls and then slice in half. Enjoy right away or refrigerate and take to the beach for a light lunch!