Happy 2013 to my favorite three young adults in the whole wide world and to my future three other favorites,
So...nothing new from me since 2012, though I have thought of what I would write once I started again...Maybe just photos from the past year...Maybe a list of highlights (and there have been many!)...Maybe a summary of what Ali and I learned from our nutrition program (another blog, another time)...Maybe some deep spiritual lesson God has taught me recently (can't think of anything off hand, just, "Trust Me, love Me, abide in Me, be completely dependent on Me").
Well, here are my words of wisdom for 2013 so far:
Hug often. Hug long. Dad and I do this thing...We just hug, snuggled together as close as we can get, no talking, not even looking at each other...Just hugging...Letting our hearts beat together...Forgetting why we might be frustrated with each other...Not thinking about problems...Just hugging!
There you have it! Now go practice.
Love you all more than you'll ever know!
oxo-Mom
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Thursday, December 27, 2012
My Year of No Shopping
I did it! A whole year of not shopping! Well, almost. There were those few things that I knew I would be buying (bathing suit, walking shoes, long sleeved workout shirts, a few wedding gifts). And, the year isn't over for a few days (Can I resist the after Christmas sales?).
When the crazy idea kept popping in my head over a year ago, I thought, "That's stupid...Why do it?...By October I'll be going nuts, wanting to burn all of my clothes."
Funny thing...I loved it! Something happened in my thinking along the way...
Freedom!...
Wanting less...
Being content with what I already have...
Having no idea what's in style these days and not caring one little bit!...
Thanking God for all I do have instead of focusing on the things I don't have...
And, did I mention FREEDOM?!
Dad and I were sitting in our family room this morning, sharing what God has been teaching us. It came to me...I don't want to be remembered as that frugal woman who didn't shop for a year. Or, as that health nut who is always talking about what foods are healthy and what are not (need to work on this one...it's still all so new and exciting!) Or, even that lady with the fantastic kids. :-) What I'd like to be known for is my passion for Jesus Christ, my love of God! Yes! TRUE FREEDOM!
Thank you, you three, for your support this past year! For cheering me on! For being such good sports as I got creative with birthday and Christmas presents! Have I told you lately that I'm crazy about you three?!
oxo-Mom
ps~I'm seriously considering another year...with a few exceptions...mostly bras.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Thankful...
...that you, Gregory, were home for Thanksgiving! Possibly the last one for the next four years. (To whom do I write to say, "This mama wants her son home for every holiday! Does the army really need him at holiday time?" And, btw, I just learned that your great grandma actually wrote to the president of the United States to say that she needed her husband home from the war because she was going nuts with her seven kids. Urban legend? Who's to say.)
...for your, Ali, AMAZING culinary talents! And, all with a smile, a cute apron, great music playing! Delicious Thanksgiving dinner...every bite!
...that you, Nick, had the day off work! And, that you got to surf at 4:30 a.m. with your friends! And, surf again with your brother!
...for your dad...that he got to not work for a few days. That he works his (super sexy) butt off most of the time to take care of us!
...for dancing to Mumford and Sons in the kitchen before dinner! All five of us!
...that we all ate a super healthy, delicious dinner in two hours instead of five minutes! You all rock!
...for tasting delicious, special wines! For making ice cream for the first time!
...for lots and lots of laughing, for Dad's reading of that cool passage in Ephesians, for three kids that I am crazy about and love to be with!
...that Jesus Christ is the center of our home and of each of our individual lives! That He dwells within us! That we abide in Him and He in us! Yes...I'm thankful!
...for your, Ali, AMAZING culinary talents! And, all with a smile, a cute apron, great music playing! Delicious Thanksgiving dinner...every bite!
...that you, Nick, had the day off work! And, that you got to surf at 4:30 a.m. with your friends! And, surf again with your brother!
...for your dad...that he got to not work for a few days. That he works his (super sexy) butt off most of the time to take care of us!
...for dancing to Mumford and Sons in the kitchen before dinner! All five of us!
...that we all ate a super healthy, delicious dinner in two hours instead of five minutes! You all rock!
...for tasting delicious, special wines! For making ice cream for the first time!
...for lots and lots of laughing, for Dad's reading of that cool passage in Ephesians, for three kids that I am crazy about and love to be with!
...that Jesus Christ is the center of our home and of each of our individual lives! That He dwells within us! That we abide in Him and He in us! Yes...I'm thankful!
Friday, November 2, 2012
Seek Him
My Three Favorite Young Adults in the Whole Wide World,
(BTW, will I ever get my other three favorite young adults in the whole world?)
Back on track here...
I love how Jesus came "to seek and to save that which was lost"! (Luke 19:10) That which was lost was me. That was you. But, now we are IN Christ! Even then, though, He doesn't force Himself on us. "I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20) Though He dwells within us, He allows us to decide if we will walk in Him or in the flesh. But, His desire is an intimate, abiding relationship with us!
I wanted to share with you three some of the practical ways He has shown me to nurture that intimacy.
* Before I get out of bed, I start thanking Him. I thank Him for the day, for you three, for my warm cozy bed, for your dad, for being Who He is. (Sometimes I don't. You can probably tell those mornings. I REALLY need to start my day like this. It's just better for everyone.)
* Before I read anything else, like that newspaper we get every day, I love to read my Bible. Usually I don't have a plan. I'm a little ADD that way...All over the place. The last few weeks I've been reading through Acts. Some cool stuff! I've also been going through verses I want to commit to memory in this 52 year old brain. (I know what you're thinking..."Good luck on that one, Mom!") I write them down in my journal. So, I just love digging in to my Bible and seeing what God wants to reveal to me!
* Your dad and I have read some amazing books and devotionals over the years! We love to share with each other what God is teaching us through these! Intimacy with Christ, by Jeanne Guyon, Abiding in Christ, by Andrew Murray, The Indwelling Life of Christ, by Ian Thomas, The Christian's Secret to a Happy Life, by Hannah Smith. All of these books point me to Jesus as my Life, my Everything! I love that! My new favorite is Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young! (I can tell I'm getting a bit too excited here. Too many exclamation points. I'll settle down.)
* A gift in my life is friends that are as Jesus freakish as me! A friend that will call me out on not trusting God in a certain situation or not surrendering to His will in areas of my life is a good friend! A friend who shares my passion for Jesus and not religion! You know those friends. You're more in love with Jesus after being around them. That's a good thing!
* Sitting quietly and just listening to His voice is a discipline that is hard for me. But, the times that I have allowed Him to speak into my life (without me interrupting), loving on me, filling me with a strong sense of His presence...these are precious times!
So, Greg, Ali and Nick, my prayer for you three continues to be that you each have your very own intimate, personal, abiding relationship with Jesus! That you open that door, dine with Him and He with you!
I'm crazy about you!
oxo-Mom
ps~You three have given me plenty of opportunities to really test whether I am abiding in, trusting in, completely dependent on Jesus or not. :-) Thanks!
(BTW, will I ever get my other three favorite young adults in the whole world?)
Back on track here...
I love how Jesus came "to seek and to save that which was lost"! (Luke 19:10) That which was lost was me. That was you. But, now we are IN Christ! Even then, though, He doesn't force Himself on us. "I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20) Though He dwells within us, He allows us to decide if we will walk in Him or in the flesh. But, His desire is an intimate, abiding relationship with us!
I wanted to share with you three some of the practical ways He has shown me to nurture that intimacy.
* Before I get out of bed, I start thanking Him. I thank Him for the day, for you three, for my warm cozy bed, for your dad, for being Who He is. (Sometimes I don't. You can probably tell those mornings. I REALLY need to start my day like this. It's just better for everyone.)
* Before I read anything else, like that newspaper we get every day, I love to read my Bible. Usually I don't have a plan. I'm a little ADD that way...All over the place. The last few weeks I've been reading through Acts. Some cool stuff! I've also been going through verses I want to commit to memory in this 52 year old brain. (I know what you're thinking..."Good luck on that one, Mom!") I write them down in my journal. So, I just love digging in to my Bible and seeing what God wants to reveal to me!
* Your dad and I have read some amazing books and devotionals over the years! We love to share with each other what God is teaching us through these! Intimacy with Christ, by Jeanne Guyon, Abiding in Christ, by Andrew Murray, The Indwelling Life of Christ, by Ian Thomas, The Christian's Secret to a Happy Life, by Hannah Smith. All of these books point me to Jesus as my Life, my Everything! I love that! My new favorite is Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young! (I can tell I'm getting a bit too excited here. Too many exclamation points. I'll settle down.)
* A gift in my life is friends that are as Jesus freakish as me! A friend that will call me out on not trusting God in a certain situation or not surrendering to His will in areas of my life is a good friend! A friend who shares my passion for Jesus and not religion! You know those friends. You're more in love with Jesus after being around them. That's a good thing!
* Sitting quietly and just listening to His voice is a discipline that is hard for me. But, the times that I have allowed Him to speak into my life (without me interrupting), loving on me, filling me with a strong sense of His presence...these are precious times!
So, Greg, Ali and Nick, my prayer for you three continues to be that you each have your very own intimate, personal, abiding relationship with Jesus! That you open that door, dine with Him and He with you!
I'm crazy about you!
oxo-Mom
ps~You three have given me plenty of opportunities to really test whether I am abiding in, trusting in, completely dependent on Jesus or not. :-) Thanks!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Just Stop Asking!
Instead of asking Jesus to be with you...
Thank Him that He is always with you, in you, under you and above you! (Matthew 28:20, Colossians 1:27, I Corinthians 3:11, Acts 2:33)
Instead of asking God to bless you and others...
Thank Him that He already has blessed you and others who are in Him!...With every spiritual blessing! (Ephesians 1:3)
Instead of praying to God for strength...
Thank Him that He is your strength! (Isaiah 12:2, I Peter 4:11, Ephesians 6:10)
Instead of asking God to forgive you your sins...
Confess and thank Him that He has forgiven you, every sin, once and for all! (Hebrews 7:27, 10:12, Colossians 2:13. Side note: When Jesus was sharing with His disciples a pattern for praying to our Father, He had not yet died for our sins.)
Instead of asking Jesus to give you His peace and joy...
Thank Him that He gave all of us who are in Him, His peace and joy! Yes, just accept and believe what He has already given you! (John 14:27, 15:11)
Instead of telling God that you want more patience, love, kindness, gentleness...
Thank Him that you are indwelt by His Holy Spirit! These characteristics are His fruit! We do not produce them; we bear them! Then continue to walk in His Spirit! (Galatians 5:16, 22, 23, 25)
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful." ~Colossians 3:15
I'm crazy about you three!
oxo-Mom
ps~Nick...Haiti?! So excited to see what God does!
Ali, no more stylish blue boots! Yay! You are a tough cookie!
Greg, in any more weddings? 27 Tuxes?! :-)
Thank Him that He is always with you, in you, under you and above you! (Matthew 28:20, Colossians 1:27, I Corinthians 3:11, Acts 2:33)
Instead of asking God to bless you and others...
Thank Him that He already has blessed you and others who are in Him!...With every spiritual blessing! (Ephesians 1:3)
Instead of praying to God for strength...
Thank Him that He is your strength! (Isaiah 12:2, I Peter 4:11, Ephesians 6:10)
Instead of asking God to forgive you your sins...
Confess and thank Him that He has forgiven you, every sin, once and for all! (Hebrews 7:27, 10:12, Colossians 2:13. Side note: When Jesus was sharing with His disciples a pattern for praying to our Father, He had not yet died for our sins.)
Instead of asking Jesus to give you His peace and joy...
Thank Him that He gave all of us who are in Him, His peace and joy! Yes, just accept and believe what He has already given you! (John 14:27, 15:11)
Instead of telling God that you want more patience, love, kindness, gentleness...
Thank Him that you are indwelt by His Holy Spirit! These characteristics are His fruit! We do not produce them; we bear them! Then continue to walk in His Spirit! (Galatians 5:16, 22, 23, 25)
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful." ~Colossians 3:15
I'm crazy about you three!
oxo-Mom
ps~Nick...Haiti?! So excited to see what God does!
Ali, no more stylish blue boots! Yay! You are a tough cookie!
Greg, in any more weddings? 27 Tuxes?! :-)
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Life Here & Now
A habit is developing...
Heading out on a trip tomorrow...
Lots of things to do, errands to run, bills to pay, clothes to pack...
Here I am at my computer, sensing an urgency to share with you three.
Sermon #5:
"always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." ~II Cor. 4:4
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." ~II Cor. 5:17
"Therefore, we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life." ~Rm. 6:4
So...what does Jesus being manifested in our bodies, this new creature, this newness of life look like?
FREE! "and you will know the Truth, and the Truth will make you free." ~John 8:35
LOVING! "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." ~John 13:35
SATISFIED! "Jesus said to them, 'I am the Bread of Life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.'" ~John 6:35
EXPERIENCING ABUNDANT LIFE! "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:10
PEACEFUL! "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." ~John 14:27
ABIDING IN CHRIST! "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me." ~John 15:4
FULL OF JOY! "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." ~John 15:11
A HEARER OF JESUS' VOICE! "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." ~John 10:27
NOT OF THIS WORLD! "...they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." ~John 17:14
So...this is the life that is available to all of us who are IN Christ! Not just a promise for our future life, but NOW! And...this just from John's gospel! I could go on and on! (But I won't.)
Closing hymn:
Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest and joy and peace!
oxo-Mom
ps~Ali, yay! Your feet are healing! You have been an amazing trooper! I thought I was going to die when I just had one foot, on one side operated on. My prayer is that you listen to your Guide (Ps. 73:24) as to your future plans. He knows best!
Nick, have so much fun celebrating precious Maryann's 21st birthday today! So excited for you if your trip to Haiti works out! I praying for God's will in that.
Greg, I love that you have been so intentional about spending time with us, knowing that for four years you will most likely be far away! My prayer for you is that you have your flesh under control during soccer games. :-) Just kidding...I pray that daily you are sensing the presence of God in your life!
Heading out on a trip tomorrow...
Lots of things to do, errands to run, bills to pay, clothes to pack...
Here I am at my computer, sensing an urgency to share with you three.
Sermon #5:
"always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." ~II Cor. 4:4
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." ~II Cor. 5:17
"Therefore, we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life." ~Rm. 6:4
So...what does Jesus being manifested in our bodies, this new creature, this newness of life look like?
FREE! "and you will know the Truth, and the Truth will make you free." ~John 8:35
LOVING! "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." ~John 13:35
SATISFIED! "Jesus said to them, 'I am the Bread of Life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.'" ~John 6:35
EXPERIENCING ABUNDANT LIFE! "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:10
PEACEFUL! "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." ~John 14:27
ABIDING IN CHRIST! "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me." ~John 15:4
FULL OF JOY! "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." ~John 15:11
A HEARER OF JESUS' VOICE! "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." ~John 10:27
NOT OF THIS WORLD! "...they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." ~John 17:14
So...this is the life that is available to all of us who are IN Christ! Not just a promise for our future life, but NOW! And...this just from John's gospel! I could go on and on! (But I won't.)
Closing hymn:
Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest and joy and peace!
oxo-Mom
ps~Ali, yay! Your feet are healing! You have been an amazing trooper! I thought I was going to die when I just had one foot, on one side operated on. My prayer is that you listen to your Guide (Ps. 73:24) as to your future plans. He knows best!
Nick, have so much fun celebrating precious Maryann's 21st birthday today! So excited for you if your trip to Haiti works out! I praying for God's will in that.
Greg, I love that you have been so intentional about spending time with us, knowing that for four years you will most likely be far away! My prayer for you is that you have your flesh under control during soccer games. :-) Just kidding...I pray that daily you are sensing the presence of God in your life!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Hau`oli Lā Hānau
Greg...26 today!
Right now, are you surfing, eating, dentisting? (Maybe watching soccer?)
Every year, on your birthday, I am reminded of God's goodness,
Grateful to Him for YOU! (One of my favorite people in the whole world.)
Wish we were together today.
Remember...party at the Wrights when you get home! (5 of us. Is that a party?)
I want you know (in case I haven't told you)
God gave us one of the best gifts ever on June 20, 1986...
He gave us you! (And, you have been a blessing every day since.)
Today, we celebrate YOU!
Happy birthday, Greg!
Love and miss you!
oxo~Mom
Right now, are you surfing, eating, dentisting? (Maybe watching soccer?)
Every year, on your birthday, I am reminded of God's goodness,
Grateful to Him for YOU! (One of my favorite people in the whole world.)
Wish we were together today.
Remember...party at the Wrights when you get home! (5 of us. Is that a party?)
I want you know (in case I haven't told you)
God gave us one of the best gifts ever on June 20, 1986...
He gave us you! (And, you have been a blessing every day since.)
Today, we celebrate YOU!
Happy birthday, Greg!
Love and miss you!
oxo~Mom
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