Bloggers who make me think...

Ok...this felt a little like homework...but I did it anyway!

Here are my "5 Blogs that make me think!"

1. Tami at livingpalm. She introduced me to blogging and I wouldn't have become hooked if it weren't for her well written posts that come from deep thinking, honesty, and real gut-check writing. But don't worry, it isn't all 'heavy.' It's often humorous and informative. Hop on over and check it out!

2. My very dear friend, Kerry, shares her heart as she serves with her family in Malaysia at Rich & Kerry's Blog. I'm giving her the Thinking Blogger Award for her more recent posts where she has shared personal insights about her family's experiences while drawing strong parallels to her walk of faith. They have challenged me and really....well...made me think!

3. Zephaniah317 at God Is A Warrior is a new blogger-friend. I've appreciated his honesty. He shares what God is teaching him in a real what-you-read-is-what-you-get kind of way. His posts often get me thinking and digging into God's word.

The only reason I hesitate over the last two is because they have been given the award before and one gave the award to me! But, as I stated in my last post, I don't read very many blogs...maybe because the ones I do read are so good!

So...

4. Writer, Ann Kroeker who I know has been given the award before, makes me think in many different ways. We are both mothers with 4 kids and she has lots of good ideas for families our size. She has called her blog "zig-zaggy" and that is one of the reasons why I keep reading...something new all the time...and always very well written!

5. And last but not least - Karen Hossink at Surviving Motherhood. She has been so friendly and kindly introduced herself to me through our blogs not long ago. Her screen name is Irritable Mother. I knew right away - we are kindred spirits. I'm learning so much as she shares the ways God is making her more set-apart, more His through her mothering...and less irritable! And lest you think we are members of the Mutual Admiration Society I must say that regardless of who gave the award to me...I would still be giving this to Karen!

Award Recipients: You can go to this post at the thinking blog to read the exact origin and participation rules for the Thinking Blogger Award. If you wish, you can copy the award icon from there or from my site.

I'm excited to introduce my reader-friends to these great blogs...and great people!

Happy clicking!

Thinking Blogger Award!

Wow! I've never been nominated for anything before! Well, that isn't completely true. I think I was "nominated" to be president of an organization in college but it was more like the out-going leadership said, "uhh...there isn't anyone else who wants this position...you seem like the take-charge-sort...we nominate you." So, you guessed it, I was the reluctant leader for a year.

Ok...all that really has nothing to do with this. I guess I was just going for all-out honesty. And I can honestly say that I've not been blessed with anything such as this! Karen from Surviving Motherhood has graciously and kindly given me the Thinking Blogger Award. You can read more about that here.

There have been so many blessings that were unforeseen when I began this blog not so very long ago! I've been encouraged and stretched by much of what/who I've encountered. During the first month or so of my own blogging I was clueless about this whole mommy-blogger world that seems to be happily inhabited by so many interesting and funny women. I stumbled upon one...then clicked on another...which led to another. I've not been able to continue reading very many. For me, blogging and reading blogs needs to stay second...third...fourth...eleventh in our family of 6. So, I will do my best to fulfill my duty and nominate 5 other blogs that I've visited more than once, that make me think! But for now, I will just say thank you again, Karen. It was a huge bright spot in my week!

For those of you who may be new to my blog...(there may be a couple new faces due to Karen's recognition and then there was my friend, HipGranny, who had me announce my address in Sunday School this past week! All those in support of HipGranny beginning a blog too - say so in the comments! I know she is on the edge...she just needs a little shove!)

....It is a place for me to dump out, in a more public and interactive way, some of what God is teaching me and how He is changing me. His irrational love for me and His call for me to love others irrationally has been at the root of His teaching and pruning in my life over the last few years. Hence the name and the direction of my blog. However, I reserve the right to take a rabbit trail every once in a while and if you read back through my posts/archives, you'll find a few of those. Comments are very welcome and you can comment on old posts too because I'll get a little e-mail alert telling me to go look!

Thanks to my tens of readers for stopping by once again and to any fresh faces - please come walk along with me again as you are able!

pointing in the right direction

I've been struggling with some circumstances lately and in turn struggling with someone who is attached to those circumstances. It is nothing I would want to or could post about here. And, even if I did, I wouldn't be pointing in the right direction. I would be pointing to my circumstances rather than the One who is in control of them - the One I am to respond to with honor.

My new friend, Karen/irritable mother, from Surviving Motherhood left me an encouraging comment on the last post. Here was what she shared with me: Being Real

The whole post was helpful to me but the very last statement is what the Holy Spirit has been posting on the billboards in my head ever since I read it, "...I can be an encourager. I don’t need to point to my circumstance. I can point to Jesus!!!"

Then the topic in Sunday school this past week built on this for me. That is what I hope to share more about sooner rather than much later. The questions He keeps asking me are "How are you going to respond to Me - show others Me in you - how will My Name be glorified through all of this?"

"...All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

'God opposes the proud

but gives grace to the humble.'

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time." - I Peter 5:5b-6 NIV(click for multiple translations)


I want God fighting for me...not opposing me!

Oh, and...

Ann Kroeker's "zig-zaggy" blog offered this quirky & interesting post today.
(this post belongs at the end of the previous one...)

...busier than a one-armed paper-hanger

The last 8 days have been quite eventful for me. I won't even begin to go into detail...all that combined with my wordiness would be too much for me to inflict on anyone.

I *will* say that I spent a lot of time with my grandparents, a lot of time at the hospital with them, and not a lot of time sleeping. Everyone is doing much better now...my grandmother is still recovering but is at home and under my mom's care. We are getting 'caught-up' around the house now too...slowly.

One of my grandfather's common expressions when observing a very busy person is...."You must be busier than a one-armed paper-hanger!" I heard that often during my time with them recently. It always made me smile...especially when he would say it to a busy nurse or lab technician. They would slow for a second to re-think the comment then break into a big smile as they got it and usually agreed.

Anyway, that is how much of this week has felt. My brain has been doing some deep thinking. My heart has done some grieving and searching. But my body is weary and nothing really seems to be in the shape or form to pour out here yet. Even so, I've chuckled a few times at some other blogs this week. I'll pass them along for your enjoyment and as something to fill the screen until my brain, heart and fingers all begin working together again.

Fiddledeedee over at It Could'a Been Worse tells about finding A Tasty Treat

Shannon, from Rocks In My Dryer, ... can't seem to escape the potty humor.

Amanda Moore from The LPM Blog shared some kid's funny and/or profound statements posted by their readers. This one made me laugh-out-loud:
(you can read the rest by going here)

My daughter loves to sing...and loudly! The problem is that she doesn't always get the words right. I recall one particular Sunday morning during praise and worship time we were singing "He is Exalted". Sarah was 3 at the time, so everyone in front of us was listening to her, as most people do when young children are not afraid to "perform". She was listening closely for the right time to come in, and when that time came she belted out "He is a Sausage, the King is a Sausage..." Oh yeah, I wanted to crawl right under the pew! We all had a good laugh that morning!

With that, I will say goodnight to all you other one-armed paper-hangers out there.

...as He has loved me

Thanks so much for all the interaction concerning the last post! What a blessing to watch God connect us and maybe even ruffle our feathers a bit. I'll admit it is a bit scary but mostly exciting and challenging.

Clinton and I have been talking more about these things throughout this week. I was reminded of the following from Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz.

"I know a lot of people will not listen to the words of Christ because people like me, who know Him, carry our own agendas into the conversation rather than just relaying the message Christ wanted to get across."

But this really wasn't the point of the last post. I wrote a bit hastily, it was definitely 'beta'; unedited and mildly censored.

What I was really trying to communicate was how quickly and easily God exposed me in this area of loving others as He loves them. All it took was for me to hear the few sentences that encapsulated this issue between the church and the school. I heard and then reacted. My first response was not of love - it was anger, frustration, how-could-they and what-scripture-was-that-decision-based-on?!

But, it didn't take long for the Holy Spirit to speak to my heart and remind me that all I can do is walk closely with Him so that my response to anything can be more like His. To those who don't know Him, I am to reach out in a loving way that they can understand. To those who do know Him, I am to love as a brother or sister. And, we are only instructed to confront the sin of another believer, so that they can be restored in their relationship with God, not the unbeliever. In the case of the church ending support of the school...I'm assuming this would fall in the category of believers...but that is a whole other post!

Bottom line for me...Follow Christ's basic command to love others as He has loved me - let my obedience and belief in God change my life. every. single. day. And, He promises to take care of the rest. Only He has the power to change hearts.

Some of my earlier posts were used to sort out my understanding of God's irrational love for me. I had originally intended to go through a natural progression; God's love for me, my love for Him and in turn, my love for others. The topic of the last post sort of fast-forwarded my thinking a bit. So, I'll let the Holy Spirit decide where I go from here. All I know is, at least for me, there is so much more to discover as God continues to pour out His lavish love over me. Thanks for coming along on the journey.

irrational?...love?

Often when the idea of irrational love comes up among christians, the concept often is applied to loving people that we consider very "other." Yes, we need to love and reach out in love to anyone trapped in or running toward sin but what about those who, for the most part, look-like-talk-like-act-like-us?

I just heard through the grapevine that a church I once attended is pulling it's support of a Christian school in their area. Why? Because the school has a band...and they have been playing at some charismatic churches.

Once I was able to get through the initial wave of nausea and anger, I thought, "I'm called to love those people just as irrationally as anyone else." Sometimes, like in this case, that feels hard to do and I recognize a strong lack of desire even! Yet, I'm called to irrationally love these people who have made such an irrational and unloving decision. Maybe it feels harder to love because I'm a sister to these people and from the "world's" point of view we are all the same! And I want to scream, "But that isn't me!! And I don't believe that Christ would respond that way either!"

Just had to get that out....thanks!