I Found God in WiFi...

This summer, we went on a cruise from Anchorage, Alaska to Vancouver, Canada. Both my husband and I are very "techie," and we noticed quickly, that our cell signals and WiFi connections vanished as soon as we set sail out into the deep, blue sea. Now I know most people can turn off their their cell phones on vacation, but David and I have iPhones and use ours to play games against each other -- games that require an internet connection. So when we sailed close to land, one of us would notice that the the "little bars" were back and jostle the other one so we could get quick access to Facebook, our email, and our latest game stats. Then we'd sigh as we saw our bars slowly disappear as we again sailed away from the nearest cell tower...

I was reminded of this when I passed the sign at this great little church down the street from my house; it read:

PRAYER Needs No Internet Connection

During our cruise, David and I would be holding up our cells to find even one bar of signal. Luckily, GOD doesn't need a nearby cell tower to receive our prayers! He doesn't require a Hot Spot, WiFi, Ethernet cable, or Dial-Up Modem. He doesn't even need you to speak OUT LOUD for He can hear your thoughts, desires, lamentations, and prayers from right within your heart and mind.

The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Psalms 145:18

Aren't we LUCKY that our God can get to us instantaneously?! We don't have to wait for a priest, a portal, a telephone, or a WiFi connection! We can talk, and laugh, and cry, and pray to the Lord of all directly. And God would not want us to wait until Sunday! He's available every day, every hour, every minute to each and every person on this Earth. I don't need to call the cable guy or satellite technician... God has time for me NOW and is EAGER to hear from me.

When was the last time you reached out to God...? With your thanks, your worries, your prayers? No need to wait for all 4 bars... God can hear you now.


Thinking of you today - and hoping you are enjoying the bountiful blessings God has gifted you,
:) Mags

Karoke Tuesday: Our God by Chris Tomlin

My oldest son started playing tackle football this year. They are an expansion team: everyone is brand new to the sport and are playing other teams who have been together for 2 or 3 years. Needless to say, we've lost every game so far... haven't even scored a touchdown yet. But we're hopeful! Hopeful that they'll continue to work and practice and learn the skills necessary to be competitive... or just make one goal. :)

Sometimes we feel like this just with life... Beaten down at every turn... Defeated in every game. We wish that we had that one secret weapon that would help give us the edge over whatever is battling us on a particular day.

That's why I like this song so much! Because Chris Tomlin's "Our God," reminds us that in our everyday life, we DO have a secret weapon to help us jump the hurtles! We have the most powerful and knowledgeable teammate of all... GOD! God is on our team! And this song reminds us that

...If Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?

There are a lot of fan videos on YouTube - I decided to post this one because this author matched up Bible verses with the lyrics of the song... a solid reminder that it is Biblical TRUTH, that God is on our team... every day, every hour, every minute.

Some days... are tough days. Some days are full of loneliness, or sorrow, or despair, or pain. It's on those days, especially, where you have to hold on to the FACT that God is FOR YOU. God is on YOUR TEAM. And if God is on your team... however can you lose?

Find the complete lyrics, and listen to a sample HERE.
Another great YouTube video that features the song lyrics is HERE.

:) Mags

PS - Your comments and feedback left on this blog are GREATLY appreciated!

I Found God in Laundry...

When I get to Heaven, one of the first people I'd like to have a word with is EVE. I mean, REALLY?! An apple?! You caved and sent all of humanity into sin for an APPLE?! Not a chocolate bar? Or a big steak? Or an "I'll be forever thin" pill?

An apple.

*sigh*
Eve really needed to get her priorities in order... *wink*

I thought of this today as I was wrangling the kids to put away their laundry. Again. Because I'm always doing laundry. And they keep having to put it away.

They keep wearing clothes.
And getting them dirty.
And hence I have to wash them.
And dry them.
And we put them away.
And the cycle continues.

I tried to point out that if our whole family stopped wearing clothes then we could stop having to put away laundry... but even my 9-year old and 6-year old found this idea to be problematic (i.e. "MOM...! They won't let us into the movies without clothes!!!").

And just think, if Eve hadn't succumbed to the lure of an APPLE, of all things, we'd all be happily running around nekkid and there would be no need for laundry!

But even as my arms protest at dragging up yet another heavy basket of clean clothes, I am THANKFUL.

• Thankful that I have clothes to launder.
• Thankful that I have a washing machine.
• And a DRYER (I'm still haunted by our conversation, my friend Carrie-- who lives in Scotland and doesn't use a dryer!).
• Thankful that I have healthy kids who dirty up their clothes playing outside.
• Thankful that I have capable kids who CAN put away their own laundry....
• ...And sort it into lights & darks in the first place.

(We're still working on they turning things right-side out, but hey, they've got the sorting thing down!)

Because God can take even the simplest things and use it for good.

And I can count my blessings... with each fold of a shirt or pair of shorts.

What have you been complaining about lately?
And what are the blessings you should be counting instead??

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)

I Found God in the Valedictorian...

Our local paper had a great article highlighting local valedictorians from the Class of 2000 and what they are doing now (10 years later). All of them had B I G aspirations: a surgeon, a researcher, a movie star, a psychiatrist. Many of them continued in the field they chose when they were just 18, but some found a different path altogether...

Consider the valedictorian of Ohio's New Richmond's Senior class of 2000, Ben Wilson: He started college aiming towards becoming an orthopedic surgeon... But mid-way through his freshman year, he discovered that God had a much different plan for him. Instead of leading him toward a fact-paced and high-paying profession, God put upon his heart the idea to become a minister. I can only imagine the comments he might have received from people - "You won't make any money doing that." ... "Can't you just help out your church on weekends and be a doctor during the week?" ... "You did all of that work in high school 'just' to be come a pastor?" Insulting comments...? Uncomprehending responses...? People who just didn't understand why he was forgoing a career as a D O C T O R where there was money and prestige and excitement...?

Regardless of whatever input he received from those around him, Ben became a Youth Pastor at a local church. His response to those who would question his decision not to become a doctor: "We could say that God kind of changed my life and was working there, but I discovered if I were to do this for the rest of my life, I would not be happy. Money wasn't going to make me happy."


The important thing about this story is that Ben LISTENED to God in his heart. He heard a message - radically different from his own life plan - and he LISTENED and OBEYED.

My friends Bess and Jason adopted a little girl from China a few years ago. It was nearly a 3-year adoption process. I love her testimony regarding the adoption: They already had twins and a younger son; their family could be complete. But God placed small "coincidences" all around them: Commercials about adoptions suddenly seemed louder. Their daughter brought home a book about a girl adopted from China from her school library (the kids had NO idea their parents were considering it). They met a couple at a conference who sat right behind them and shared their own adoption story... from China! The "coincidences" piled up, and Bess and Jason realized that God was audibly speaking to them - directing them to find their 4th child in China. The process was long and discouraging - China tightened up access to their orphans, and at least an extra year (and duplicate paperwork!) was tacked on to Bess & Jason's quest. But they were patient and stalwart... and God rewarded them. Their daughter, Josie, has completed their family. :)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

God has plans for each and every one of us - good plans... GREAT plans. Our job is to pay attention to His signs and obey. He "talks" to His children ALL of the time! It might be a small voice in the back of your head warning you "DON'T DO THAT!" or encouraging "YOU CAN DO THIS!" It might be in the form of specially-placed people in your life who open your eyes to a new path you hadn't considered. It could be a book, a show, a teacher - God's methods of reaching you are endless and creative. And while His ways might not make sense to you at the time, you can be sure He has your best interests at heart; you ARE one of his masterpieces, after all!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

Valedictorians should be filled with knowledge... They aced their classes, absorbed all of the facts/dates/right answers... They scored the highest... Their GPA lead the curve. You should be able to say THEY HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS... THEY HAVE "THE" WISDOM.

But true WISDOM comes from God:

Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God;
only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.
Proverbs 1:7 (Msg)

Learn about God. Listen to God.
Hear that little voice in the back of your head.
Open your mind to the "crazy" idea that might just be the best thing for you...

Because God's plans are far better and more "exciting" than anything you can imagine. ♥

Blog Award!!

Thanks so much to Amy over at Sensationallychic Boutique for this awesome award! What a great way to wake up this morning! It was especially exciting because I don't actually KNOW Amy so it means someone else (other than people-I-know-who-might-feel-obligated) are reading this blog!! :)

Terms of the award: List 10 things about yourself, thank the person who gave it to you and pass it onto 10 wonderful bloggers.

10 THINGS ABOUT ME

1. I am a former 1st grade teacher -turned- Stay At Home Mom of two boys.

2. I've been married for almost 15 years to a wonderful man, David. We met when we both worked at JCPenney's Dept. Store during the summers of college. You could say that "I picked him up in the Men's Department...!" :)

3. I am a Christian... with lots of faults... who's just trying to find God in normal, everyday places. (Hence this blog.)

4. I am a rabid Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fan... and Twilight... And Harry Potter.

5. I am a digital scrapbook designer. I have my own store at MagsGraphics.com and also a freebie companion blog. I also sell at two other digi-scrap stores, DigiscrapStation & MooTwoDesigns

6. I co-run a freezer cooking site as well with a group of friends.

7. I love to read.

8. My kids crack me up.

9. I'm a pretty good laser tag player.

10. I wish I had the superpower of going INTO my computer and surfing the .net live.

-----------------------------------

10 Wonderful Bloggers

1. Sharlotte's Web of Tangled Thoughts
2. Family of Lyons
3. Little Scraps of Heaven Designs
4. Just So Scrappy
5. Teri's Scrappin' Playtime
6. Flat Sharlotte
7. The Scrappin' Cop
8. The Grellas
9. Digifree Craft Crave
10. Stuff To Scrap

Please post the badge on your blog and list the 10 things about yourself and

then share the love and pass it onto 10 more people.

Thanks!
:) Mags

Come Awake!!

I LOVE IgniterMedia's videos - they are just amazing and touch your heart. Yesterday I watched their latest one, "Come Awake!" and I can't get this song out of my head:




Like the video says, "I don't know where you are.... But I know what you can become." Christ is here for each and every one of you - COME AWAKE - and let Him in. He will work miracles in your life.

Today at church, a man from our congregation stood up and gave his testimony. Included were his difficult struggles with alcohol and drugs and included more than one visit to prison. This man "looked" like you and me. And while our own demons may be different/easier/lighter/worse/deeper, everyone has times where sin gets the best of us. Everyone had times where they feel unworthy of love... or like no one can possibly understand what they are going through.... This video reminds us that there IS someone who understands. Someone who has LIVED through the human trials and tribulations, pain and suffering... Someone who not only died a painful death - but who CONQUERED death to rise from the grave.

COME AWAKE.
Let Him in.

He will work miracles in your life... and the potential is endless.


♥Mags

Karaoke Tuesday: How He Loves

I haven't done a "Karaoke Tuesday" in a while - but I've got a fantastic one for you today! I first heard this at church - the amazing Micah sang it solo with just his guitar during communion, and I ran right home and looked it up on iTunes. :) That's where most of the featured songs come from - our rock-n-roll church service. I am lucky to have found such an amazing church!! - But I digress... :)

Do you remember the "pinch-pot?" Seems like every kindergartner or first grader makes a pinch-pot in art. You start with a blob of clay and push your thumbs into the center of it - pinching your thumb outward to your fingers to shape a small bowl. We still have my husband's elementary school pinch-pot in a lighted display case in our living room. Now, alongside it, sits both Jack and Luke's pots. They are somewhat crude, sort-of misshapen, and not even close to symmetrical. They wouldn't fetch but 5 cents at a garage sale, but the meaning behind them and the effort to make them is priceless.

I think nearly every kid is proud of their pinch pot. The first time they likely worked with REAL clay (not playdough!). When Luke brought his home earlier this year, he ran down the street from the bus stop, craddling this pot-wrapped-in-newspapers in his two hands. THIS was a masterpiece, and he couldn't wait to show it to us. He was beaming when we put it into the glass case. HIS masterpiece... something he created all by himself... was placed on the hallowed case for all to see. When he's a Dad, he can show his kids his pinch-pot... and display it proudly next to the pots they, themselves, bring home one day. Masterpieces are always treasured... no matter the flaws that might exist-- That's part of what makes something a "MASTERPIECE."

We are masterpieces from God. He shaped us - just like my son's small hands worked his pinch-pot. He knows us inside and out - He knows our fears and our flaws - He knows our strengths and our character. And despite all of this, He loves each and everyone one of us.
He loves us.
He loves us!

That's the point of today's song... that God LOVES us SO much - it is hard to imagine just how much:

"He Loves Us"

VIEW LYRICS HERE

I'm so totally flawed, myself. I am "unfiltered" - which is just a clever way of saying that I don't often think before I speak and just word-vomit-out whatever is on my mind. It's a freeing thing, most of the time, but sometimes, even I cringe at what unfiltered sentence just fell out of my mouth. :) That's probably my biggest flaw... but then there's the part of me that's bossy... and the part that is selfish... Oh, and the part that has no willpower when it comes to Angel Food Cake with Pink Icing... or chocolate... or French fries... Yup, it's safe to say that I have flaws... and lots of them.

But while God wants me to work on my flaws, He loves me regardless and in spite of those shortcomings.

Because I, and you, are God's masterpiece.

And God doesn't make mistakes.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. -Ephesians 2:10

Enjoy today's song.

:) Mags

Want to give it a listen for yourself? Hear it HERE on Last.FM.

I Found God In My Head...

Today is a Praise Day... Yesterday I had my yearly MRI... scanning my brain to check that there were no signs of regrowth from the tumor that was removed in January 2002. I got another "ALL CLEAR" - No signs of tumor! And the hole that was left when the tumor was removed seems to finally be closing up (new brain? more brain? shifting brain?).

It is a good day.

My doctor expected me to be more (visibly?) excited when he delivered the news - I realized that a clear scan is what I've come to expect. Tumor was there. Doctors removed it. Tumor is gone. All is good.

Sometimes it's just too easy to take God's blessings for granted, isn't it?

My family watches the show IMPACT! Stories of Survival on Discovery Health. I know, I know... most of you gather around America's Funniest Videos, or American Idol, or sports... my family bonds over the stories and reinactments of huge crashes and accidents and how a person survived and was put back together. In most of the stories, the victims end up saying how "NOW that they have survived this horrific accident, NOW they will start appreciating life and stop taking it for granted..." Yet, I wonder if, eventually, their hard-earned recovery becomes less of a miracle and more of a "given" as time goes on.

Matthew 28 says, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." It's so easy to come to God when we are in trouble... when we need help. Unfortunately, sometimes, it's just as easy to forget to offer thanks when He has blessed us... protected us... sheltered us... healed us... Psalm 188:24 says, "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." THIS day... EACH day... EVERY day.

Today is a Praise Day. I am typing on my blog, designing new scrap layouts, chatting with friends, seeing my kids off to school on the bus. I am taking the dog for a vet appointment, running laundry, and unloading the dishwasher. I am sneaking in games of Bejewelled 2 when I want to feel mindless. I am listening to The Young & The Restless in the background. I am sipping my third cup of coffee. I am healthy. My family is awesome. My husband is the best.

But really, YESTERDAY was a Praise Day too... And the day before that... And the day before that. Eight years ago, God guided the doctor's hands into my head and healed me. Because of His grace, I have had eight more years of normal, everyday life... Eight years of chatting with friends, playing on my computer, parenting my kids, going out with my husband, laughing with family, napping on the sofa with my dog... Eight more years of an already good life.

Sometimes it's just too easy to take God's blessings for granted... but I am thankful each and every day. I may forget to tell Him, but I feel it just the same. I am thankful for my blessings. Thank you, God.

Back in elementary school, when I went to Vacation Bible School, we sang this song:

This is the day. (This is the day).

That the Lord has made. (That the Lord has made.)

I will rejoice. (I will rejoice.)

And be glad in it. (And be glad in it.)

This is the day that the Lord has made,

I will rejoice and be glad in it.

This is the day. (This is the day.)

That the Lord had made.

:)

THIS day.

EACH day.

EVERY day.

Rejoice... Count your blessings... Then say thanks.

:) Mags

I Found God In A Rock...

Remember the movie, Forrest Gump? The love of Forrest's life was Jenny - a neighbor girl who drifted in and out of his life over the course of the movie. At one point, she returns to Alabama, and, on a walk with Forrest, stops by her childhood home. This is a home in which she suffered major abuse from her own father - and as all of those reminders bubble up in her mind, she starts grabbing rocks and throwing them over and over at the house... breaking windows, denting siding, etc. until she is physically exhausted.

Watching her, Forrest remarks, "Sometimes, there just aren't enough rocks."



Some people I have met have had trials in their lives that have "sucked beyond the telling of it..." (my favorite quote from Buffy...) Things in their past or present that have just made their life so hard that they are suffering from anxiety and depression, It would be SO nice to just be able to grab all the rocks they can, and T H R O W them as hard as they can to vanquish the demons that have plagued them.


But as in the movie, on your own, there just aren't enough rocks to take care of it.

My sister-in-law, Stephany is very wise. She and her husband lost their daughter, Julia, after just 6 days of life due to a chromosomal abnormality that was infused into each and every gene and chromosome in Julia's body. It has been over 3 years since Julia's death. Since then, they have struggled with infertility, employment issues, and numerous family issues. Any ONE of these elements could have turned either of them into a bitter or angry person. 3 years later, their circumstances have not changed... their daughter is still buried, economic hardships still linger from past employment struggles, family members and their neuroses still plague them.

HOWEVER... their attitudes HAVE changed...

They are not bitter... or angry... or holed up in the fetal position underneath Julia's crib. They live. They laugh. They have sad moments, sure - but they are not letting their circumstances ruin their lives. In fact, Stephany, herself, has said that they went from wailing "WHY ME, LORD?!!!" to wondering in awe, "Why ME, Lord?!" - not an angry cry for justice... but a query as to how in the world was God able to take such tragic events and enfuse them with the strength, wisdom, and fortitude to deal with everything?! God, alone, can grant you strength and peace - something that a whole wheelbarrow of rocks cannot do.


One of my kids' favorite Bible tales is the story of David and Goliath.

Goliath, a Philistine champion, is ENORMOUS - the biggest man the Israelite soldiers have ever seen. Standing nearly 9 feet tall can wearing 200 pounds of hearty chain link mail, he towers over any soldier who wishes a challenge.... especially over the young shepherd, David, who is armed only with a homemade slingshot and some rocks. David refuses to let his circumstances dictate his faith - he believes that God will empower him to best Goliath - and God does not let him down. In this case, only ONE rock was enough... ONE rock, powered by God was all that was needed.


The start of a new year is when people tend to make their New Year's Resolutions. Mark Twain once said, "New Year's is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual." Most of us manage to keep our resolution for a few days (hours?) at best -then we toss them away when we realize that we aren't quite ready to commit to that particular self-improvement. But what if your resolution is to stop trying to change the circumstances around you - and to alter your attitude from the inside-out. Stop trying to FIX other people and let God work WITHIN you to change your reactions, your perceptions, your heart.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight.

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

The change with worth the effort... I promise.

May your 2010 be filled with knowledge, peace, and contentment,

:) Mags

I Found God in My Husband...

Yesterday, marked the anniversary of 14 years of marriage for me and my "King Charming," David. I have been blessed with a husband who is a noble and honorable man... one who stands firm in his convictions, but who also yields when it is in the best interests of the family (or his sanity!). One who provides for our family and models the type of man I want my sons to emmulate. I am lucky, for sure, and I thought I'd share just a few of the lessons I've learned from him...

1. Don't Waver On Your Faith - When David and I got married, I was VERY resistent to going to church. But David was patient and steadfast - he quietly followed my initial "one week on - one week off" rule regarding our church attendance, but continued his own growth with men's classes on the side. He encouraged me to pick up more responsibility at our church - even joining me in helping in the nursery and such. When I came time to find a new church closer to our home, he valued my opinions and insight on the various places we visited. We've had some spirited discussion on many "hot" topics: homosexuality, abortion, etc. - and his point of view has always been backed by Biblical teachings. He has never let society and their "rules" interfere with what he knows to be True from the Bible. One's faith is critical - you have to know WHAT you belief... and more importantly, you have to know WHY you believe it so you can explain it to others. David knows his stuff ... and he can share it with others so that they can understand too. God loves the pure-hearted and well-spoken; good leaders also delight in their friendship. - Proverbs 22:11 (Msg)

2. Know when to bend. You know how we had to put our beloved dog, Clifton, down last month? "THE PLAN" was to wait a year (or at least across a summer) before getting a new one. I was on board with THE PLAN... when we had an infirm dog already and taking a break seemed like a good idea.... but about 12 hours after having "no dog," I realized that I hated not having a dog in our house...!! And 36 hours later, I had found a new dog on the Columbus Cocker Rescue site! Needless to say, David was flabbergasted - he was not on this "NEW PLAN" of mine - but he came to realize how important getting a new dog was to me. He put his own wants and needs aside for me - gave up his plan and accepted the new plan... for me... because he loves me, and in this instance, he could be the bigger person and B E N D.

3. Leave the baggage behind. Everyone has baggage in their life... sometime small bags that are easily discarded and forgotten... but sometimes BIG baggage that sits in the foyer of your lives forever - unable to be emptied, recycled, trashed, or wiped from memory. But one's circumstances or past does NOT have to dictate your whole life - The past may have shaped who you are TODAY... but it does NOT have to dictate who you will be tomorrow. David refuses to let old family stuff impact our kids or our family. He steps up and protects our core family from the baggage that could infect another generation. It's not easy - and I so admire him for that!

4. Have fun with your family. ... And on the 7th day, God rested... David takes time to play with the family... We see movies, he wrestles with the kids, he coaches their sports teams, he co-leads the Scouts. He shows our kids all the time that they are important to him and that they matter. Sure, he's got work... and lots of it! But he's not ALL about work - and the kids know that THEY are more valuable to him than work.

5. Love your spouse. Proverbs 6:17-20 (Msg) reminds us to "never take love for granted." David brings me flowers... not just on a birthday or anniversary... but "just because." He once went out a 9:45PM (10 minutes before Best Buy would close) to buy me a security cable for my laptop before we left on vacation because he knew I really wanted (needed?!) one for our trip. He takes care of our cars (you have to change the oil??) - our home (what's a furnace filter?) - and our money (with help from Dave Ramsey). He's endured more than one craft show, the nightmarish rubber stamp convention, the garrish Rennassance Festival, and the American Girl Doll Store (and we don't even have a daughter!). This man SHOWS me over and over... daily... that he loves me and our family.

Thanks, Sweetie... for your everyday life lessons... ♥