Tuesday SHINE....
Today's Reading: Acts 25
Good morning, SHINE girls!
I hope you are getting comfy with the book of Acts and rolling around in the goodness found there. Paul inspires, doesn't he? Oh, man, I cannot wait to see him at the pearly gates one day. I have a lot to say to this fella. :)
My long, long, long, long time friend, Kim Jaynes, is posting today here on SHINE!
**applause!**
I love sweet Kim. She is a go-getter, a wife, a mother of 3, a teacher, and a wonderful friend. Kim is the kind of girl who can do anything she puts her sweet mind to. Did I mention she has a heart the size of Texas? Yep, she does.
She makes me feel lazy when I'm around her, because she is so high-energy. I LOVE this about her!
Kim shares a very timely story regarding contentment. Wherever you are in this season of life, contentment can be found. Get ready girls, some precious wisdom coming up. Grab your coffee and absorb the goodness.
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| For all my "visual" girls...here is Kim with her beautiful family! Don't ya like having a face with a name? :) |
Tuesday SHINE
by: Kim Jaynes
Summer is over and it is back to the school schedule!!
Back to work, homework, meetings, open house, soccer, football, dance, gymnastics, band, school supplies, paperwork, scheduling worries, emails, turning stuff in, housework, laundry, dinner---oh my, what’s for dinner?, bath time, bed time, and....and on and on!
If I gave you a Stress-o-meter to gauge your level of stress, what range would you be in right now? (scale of 1-10 with 10 being most stressed)
Be honest, you are the only one who will know your answer!
I am at a 10+ ---at least!
I am talking headaches, tight shoulders, and tired, grumpy, irritated stress! YEP!
Let me rewind to last week for a minute to just show you how cool God is (and I did not share all of this with the morning group)-
Last Thursday- I ordered the books, What Women Fear, for our Tuesday morning prayer breakfasts at school and had started planning for the breakfast. I had my list going--- Introduce our book, discuss our reading plan and such--it was ALL on my list (which I lost)!
Well, when Sunday rolled around and I had not received my email confirmation that the books had shipped ......the stress increased!
I started rationalizing all the reasons I just did not have time for doing this thing on Tuesday mornings at 7am this year!
Then, as if He was right in front of me, God sent me a clear message.....give it to me, I got this!
Ok….I will put something together, was my thought!
In the essence of time or lack thereof........I started asking God to lead to me to a verse or anything that would benefit the group for this morning.
As I sat in church Sunday evening with Cali asleep on my lap (after spending the night off and swimming all day), I laid my Bible next to me with one hand and I lost my spot from what the Pastor was discussing. Grrrrrr…now one handed I must find my spot……but wait…..the Bible flipped open to Philippians!
Back to work, homework, meetings, open house, soccer, football, dance, gymnastics, band, school supplies, paperwork, scheduling worries, emails, turning stuff in, housework, laundry, dinner---oh my, what’s for dinner?, bath time, bed time, and....and on and on!
If I gave you a Stress-o-meter to gauge your level of stress, what range would you be in right now? (scale of 1-10 with 10 being most stressed)
Be honest, you are the only one who will know your answer!
I am at a 10+ ---at least!
I am talking headaches, tight shoulders, and tired, grumpy, irritated stress! YEP!
Let me rewind to last week for a minute to just show you how cool God is (and I did not share all of this with the morning group)-
Last Thursday- I ordered the books, What Women Fear, for our Tuesday morning prayer breakfasts at school and had started planning for the breakfast. I had my list going--- Introduce our book, discuss our reading plan and such--it was ALL on my list (which I lost)!
Well, when Sunday rolled around and I had not received my email confirmation that the books had shipped ......the stress increased!
I started rationalizing all the reasons I just did not have time for doing this thing on Tuesday mornings at 7am this year!
Then, as if He was right in front of me, God sent me a clear message.....give it to me, I got this!
Ok….I will put something together, was my thought!
In the essence of time or lack thereof........I started asking God to lead to me to a verse or anything that would benefit the group for this morning.
As I sat in church Sunday evening with Cali asleep on my lap (after spending the night off and swimming all day), I laid my Bible next to me with one hand and I lost my spot from what the Pastor was discussing. Grrrrrr…now one handed I must find my spot……but wait…..the Bible flipped open to Philippians!
My eyes were drawn to a verse that had been highlighted at some point and some notes I had jotted down under the verse from a Priscilla Shrier simulcast. I read the verse and the notes and thought, thank you God....this is good!!
The weekend continued business as usual! Then, Monday came and the migraine that entered my brain about 2pm was relentless...........so planning that night for the next day did not work out!
Seriously, I needed to get it together for Tuesday morning...no time for a headache! I felt as if satan was doing all he could to keep me from doing anything productive for the breakfast!
Again, in my mind I had started worming my way out of facilitating the prayer breakfast! Thoughts went from- I am back full time, three kids involved in 482 activities, husband overloaded with his work, housework, grocery shopping and cooking, commitments here and there, blah blah blah……to..... I can let Jenny take over, she can do it (love ya JH).
As I rushed around that morning something kept telling me to get a book I had been reading! I went out to my car without the book and thought I am already late and not going back in! It is ok I got my verse and we will keep it short and sweet!
I hustled out of the house towards my car...UGH....Dylan had parked behind me! So back in I went! As I did.....the nudging to get the book returned! So I grabbed it!
Finally got to school realizing I had forgotten to remind Mrs. Madeline I was coming early so, door was locked! AM I EVER GOING TO MAKE IT IN?……was running through my mind!
The weekend continued business as usual! Then, Monday came and the migraine that entered my brain about 2pm was relentless...........so planning that night for the next day did not work out!
Seriously, I needed to get it together for Tuesday morning...no time for a headache! I felt as if satan was doing all he could to keep me from doing anything productive for the breakfast!
Again, in my mind I had started worming my way out of facilitating the prayer breakfast! Thoughts went from- I am back full time, three kids involved in 482 activities, husband overloaded with his work, housework, grocery shopping and cooking, commitments here and there, blah blah blah……to..... I can let Jenny take over, she can do it (love ya JH).
As I rushed around that morning something kept telling me to get a book I had been reading! I went out to my car without the book and thought I am already late and not going back in! It is ok I got my verse and we will keep it short and sweet!
I hustled out of the house towards my car...UGH....Dylan had parked behind me! So back in I went! As I did.....the nudging to get the book returned! So I grabbed it!
Finally got to school realizing I had forgotten to remind Mrs. Madeline I was coming early so, door was locked! AM I EVER GOING TO MAKE IT IN?……was running through my mind!
6:56am I get in my room! YES!!
I flipped open this book for some ideas that would add to the discussion for the morning and, I KID YOU NOT, the first page I turned to had the exact same verse as the one I had been drawn to at church on Sunday evening! In the book I had underlined the verse and placed a sticky note right beside it months ago!
I flipped open this book for some ideas that would add to the discussion for the morning and, I KID YOU NOT, the first page I turned to had the exact same verse as the one I had been drawn to at church on Sunday evening! In the book I had underlined the verse and placed a sticky note right beside it months ago!
OK, now if God wasn't telling me to focus on this verse, then I was officially losing it!
Here is the verse……….
10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Philippians 4:10-12
Contentment in every situation.....EVERY? I need to learn to be satisfied in any and every situation?
Here is the verse……….
10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Philippians 4:10-12
Contentment in every situation.....EVERY? I need to learn to be satisfied in any and every situation?
I am supposed to be content when nothing I had planned had gone right! When every obstacle in my path slowed me down and I was so unprepared for Tuesday morning!
YEP, that appears to be what is says!
But I don't wanna!!<(insert pitching of fit-haha)>
YEP, that appears to be what is says!
But I don't wanna!!<(insert pitching of fit-haha)>
The fact that Tuesday morning and my plan for the prayer breakfast had NOT fallen into place at all was because God had other plans!
Unfortunately for me, I had allowed quite a few outside forces and distractions to consume me the days leading up to Tuesday morning!
Seriously, I know we all have so much to do as moms, wives, daughters, and friends! So little time to achieve the tasks we are given much less the things we want to do! I also know that there are many people around us with so much going on in their lives that it makes my problems seem petty and insignificant!
Guess what?
God is not surprised by any of the things that come our way but he does charge us with the tasks of relying completely on Him. He has it all planned out! He has written the script for our life but we have to let him be the director! If our faith is strong, He will carry us through any season of life BUT in those seasons we must learn to be CONTENT, satisfied!
He also wants us to be grateful! And have an attitude of gratitude!!
Unfortunately, it seems I am pre-programmed to an automatic attitude of INgratitude when times get tough! I focus on the bad, not the good! I let the negative consume me! Anyone relate?
In the book (the one I grabbed that morning) One Thousand gifts, the author, Ann Voskamp, makes it her mission to find blessings in ALL seasons of life both the good and the bad! She uses the Greek work Eucharisteo which means to be grateful, feel thankful, to give thanks, thanksgiving. She has typed this word was right under that same Philippians verse in her book!
Seriously, I know we all have so much to do as moms, wives, daughters, and friends! So little time to achieve the tasks we are given much less the things we want to do! I also know that there are many people around us with so much going on in their lives that it makes my problems seem petty and insignificant!
Guess what?
God is not surprised by any of the things that come our way but he does charge us with the tasks of relying completely on Him. He has it all planned out! He has written the script for our life but we have to let him be the director! If our faith is strong, He will carry us through any season of life BUT in those seasons we must learn to be CONTENT, satisfied!
He also wants us to be grateful! And have an attitude of gratitude!!
Unfortunately, it seems I am pre-programmed to an automatic attitude of INgratitude when times get tough! I focus on the bad, not the good! I let the negative consume me! Anyone relate?
In the book (the one I grabbed that morning) One Thousand gifts, the author, Ann Voskamp, makes it her mission to find blessings in ALL seasons of life both the good and the bad! She uses the Greek work Eucharisteo which means to be grateful, feel thankful, to give thanks, thanksgiving. She has typed this word was right under that same Philippians verse in her book!
A spirit of thanksgiving!!
OK on top of being satisfied I am to also be grateful!?? Thankful for what I have, thankful for blessings even when I am in a state of chaos!
The Bible refers to giving thanks 37 times in the New Testament!
The Bible refers to giving thanks 37 times in the New Testament!
Guess that is a pretty important topic for God! ;o)
This is going to require some work on my part and some intentional focus on putting God first!
We are intentional in other areas of our lives so shouldn’t we work to be just as intentional with our relationship with God!? Think about it……we want to loose weight---we are intentional in diet and exercise, we want our day to run smoothly---we are intentional in our lesson planning, we intentional about nice clothes---so we spend money at the mall!
But, in the end, none of those provide true contentment…….. Do they???
So here is my challenge for you……………in all situations……be intentional on being CONTENT and GRATEFUL with what God has given! We are promised blessings and we are blessed! But, often times we miss out on or overlook the blessing(s) because our focus is off or we have an attitude of ingratitude!
I leave you with the words of Priscilla Shrier that I jotted down in my Bible under Philippians 4:10-12:
…in abundance or in need we must learn to be content. Through this contentment, “I can do all things through Christ”! Not because what I have is sufficient but because MY GOD IS SUFFICIENT!
You, too, can do all things through Christ!!
Love you all,
Kim
