Final Day of 2012...

So, final day of 2012, and I feel I should write something inspiring to everyone! So here I am :-) 

I wish I could say I was doing something memorable on my final day of 2012 - like flying or jumping out of a plane or climbing a mountain... But instead I'm doing what I love :-) Looking after my four kids at home. 

I won't pretend and fake that I love doing this everyday though! Anyone stuck in a house with cabin fever kids bouncing off the walls knows how quickly things can go from good to bad. Even more so if the weather is wet and the house is small (like I am blessed with) but for me today, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else :-) Just wish hubby was here too... but alas, work calls! 

And so life goes on and another year over and another on the way...

I love having the time to sit, pray and reflect on the past year. I feel I have grown so much closer to God in the past 12months and so despite the ugly and difficult times - I tick the year off as successful :-) I have a much stronger foundation in God and can feel myself changing not only in my thoughts, but my emotions too. I'm leaning on the Spirit a lot more heavily and it has been very freeing! We never stop growing... 

I make no new year resolutions though, as I fear failure. Terrible, I know, but I also see everyday as a new beginning - so why put so much pressure to sticking to something for a whole year?? Especially when Lamentations tell us that Gods mercies are new every morning. Every new day is another day to worship :-)

Like last year, I will continue to put God first.

Two years ago I heard a sermon from Craig Groeschel (here) called 'first'. It was one of the first sermons I had heard of his too, coincidentally :-) It encouraged me so much for the beginning of 2011 - and the promise Craig makes in there really stands true for me! If you have a spare 30minutes, I really recommend checking it out!

In 2013, I am however starting one of these -- 

..this picture has been floating around facebook for a few weeks now, so maybe you have seen it? 

Earlier in 2012, I read a book called 'One Thousand Gifts' by Ann Voskamp (Did a quick review here)  - and it has surely changed my view on life.

The book made it to #243 on Amazon Best sellers, and New York Times best seller too. I know that doesn't mean much to most Christians - but I get excited about a book where the author is clearly in love with God making it onto the worlds big seller lists like that. Praise God :-)

The book has taught me to be thankful for what I have, instead of disappointed or upset for what I don't. Very opposite to what the media pushes down our throats in magazines, commercials and other forms of advertising :-)

It has also, as a Christian, helped me to be more in communication with God. It's like He gives us all these beautiful gifts (such as a blooming tree of flowers, or smiles from a toothless son) and we forget to say thank you to Him for all the goods things in our life. As parents, we know it's not nice to have kids who aren't thankful for all we do for them (especially the little things they take for granted!) and in the same way, God has put all this beauty on Earth - yet we are too busy to notice or say thanks!

 

And so this jar, will be my families gratitude jar. From January 2013, when we comes across a memorable moment or good thing, we will write it on a piece of paper with the date and pop it in the jar. Easy :-) 

....and on December 31st, 2013, I hope it to be full of beautiful blessings for us to read out together.

Unfinished diaries and scrapbooks mock me from January's past, but I love the jar idea as we can pick up and put down as we remember. Skip days? No one will know or feel guilt. And if I feel motivated another time when time isn't so strapped - I can mix it with photos for a scrap book perhaps? 

And for hard days when beauty is hard to find, the jar with notes will remind me there are still good moments to be had and much to be thankful for... 

And if its empty, it will only be because I am not looking hard enough! A rainbow lorikeet and a vulture are both birds - but they both look for different things. One looks for something sweet and beautiful, one looks for something dead and ugly. And both find what their eyes are searching for :-) 

So, I pray 2013 will also be the year you find beauty. That you would look for God's hand in everything and count your blessings!

...and that by the end of the year, we all have full jars :-) and a full heart, knowing in truth even more how much He loves us!

Happy New Year!!!

x Kelly 

"Count your blessings - Instead of your curses

Count your gains - Instead of your loses

Count your joys - Instead of your woes

Count your friends - Instead of your foes

Count your courage - Instead of your fears

Count your laughs - Instead of your tears

Count the full years - Instead of the lean

Count your kind deeds - Instead of your mean

Count your health - Instead of your wealth

Count on God - Instead of yourself"

(S.Y Marshall)

Sexual Immorality Sucks... Big time

Wow, so, been nearly a month since I last wrote - my bad! But to say the last month has been crazy is an understatement.

In our family, we have been dealing with some pretty heavy mess - thanks to the sin of sexual immorality.

Not wanting to create gossip - but more an awareness - someone thought they could have a friendship with the opposite sex 'safely' without damaging the relationship with their wife.

But what harm could there be in a bit of fun flirting right? D and Ms? Bit of texting back n forth? Few helpful phone calls when they go through hard times? There is no harm in that right?? It's just showing Christian love isn't it?!?!?

Ephesians 5 tells us to not even have a HINT of sexual immorality in our life. It is dangerous... and now these people have crossed lines they can't erase. Spat in the face of God and His commands.

I know I know - this is bad / wrong / horrible / gutless etc - and I'm not denying that AT ALL! ...but for me, I have trouble judging this person.

There have been times also in my marriage where I have invested more into others instead of my husband. Entertaining ideas in my head, or 'what if' scenarios played out in my mind. Have you??

While I didn't PHYSICALLY act upon these things, according to Matthew 5, am I not just as equally guilty?  What is played out in the mind shows what is in our hearts right?

Regardless - I am now seeing the effect of continuing along the path of sexual immorality - and it has made things very messy, as this person continues to be unrepentant for what they have done. They seem to be more sorry for the effect it is having on others, and apologises often, but still not seeing their sin as the disgusting filth it is.

And it is truly heartbreaking for me to see this person loose so many of God's good gifts because of this. His reputation, respect from peers, his job, his home, his time with his children, his wife.... and the huge gap that is between him and God right now is oblivious to him, as he continues to run in the direction that leads to death. Continues to listen to lies that are not truth... 


"Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does" 1 Corinthians 6

I hope this post is a wake up call to those who also entertain these ideas, as I once also did. Who think a little bit of flirting is ok. To think it's alright to be investing in someone else besides their partner. Who enjoy a bit of attention from the opposite sex.

It surely has been a huge wake up for me...

In all this, in times of extreme heaviness, while we mourn and cry out to God for mercy on this mess, sometimes my husband and I can do no more then utter the words from Joshua 24

....But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord


May God continue to bless me and my family with His discipline and may we find His way out of temptation quickly.... May His voice continue to be loud and clear. 

"If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." 1 Corinthians 10

Open our eyes Lord. Thank you for your Grace and the forgiveness of my past sins.

Humbled

xKelly