I will make better mistakes tomorrow.*

You won't find box elder bugs in my house...
No way! 

Sometimes, it seriously pains me to think of myself as any less than perfect.  I mean, I'm the wife, so I'm always right, right? And I'm the mom, so I make the rules, capiche?  I'm always perfectly put together, polite, and I only play the right notes on the piano at choir practice.  My kids are always well behaved and clean.  You can be sure that they don't fight over who has the biggest cookie, not my kids. My house is free and clear of every speck of dust and there is not a cat hair or box elder bug in sight. There are no piles of  wrinkled laundry waiting to be put away.  I don't ever have stacks of mail and paperwork hidden in my pantry.  I answer every phone call.  I am always prepared, cook every meal from scratch, and I'm never ever tired and grumpy.  

Oh, yeah, and I'm not sarcastic, either.  

I can hear the laughter.  It's kind of deafening.  

I may like thinking of myself as a modern June Cleaver, but the reality is, I am far from it. [I don't vacuum, much less in heels.]  I make the same dumb mistakes over and over again. I'm too busy, too tired, and sometimes, my attitude is just too crummy.  My priorities easily get out of whack, misconstrued by Facebook updates, YouTube tutorials, and Pinterest boards.  I spend too much money on shoes, too much time drinking coffee, and way too much energy beating myself up over all of it. I want to be perfect, but I can't even live up to my own expectations.

The sad truth is, I mess up.  A lot.  Thankfully, I have a lot of gracious, patient, loving friends and family who put up with my not-so hidden imperfections.  Even better, I have a loving, grace-giving God who hasn't finished with me.  He patiently endures my mistakes, my attitude, and my willful ways.  He puts up with my faux-perfections and my forced smile.  He never runs out of forgiveness for an imperfect person like me.

I'm afraid that I still have a lot more mistakes to make today.  I can't get away from it.  I'm a person.  And I'll make some more the next day, and the next, and even the day after that.  I hope that, in the words of that oft-seen Tattoo Pin, "I will make better mistakes tomorrow."  That Jesus will keep on working on me, and I will become a little more like Him each day. I am far from perfect, but I can trust the One that is, to redeem me and all my mistakes.


I am confident that the Creator, who has begun such a great work among you, will not stop in mid-design but will keep perfecting you until the day Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King, returns to redeem the world. (Philippians 1:6, The Voice).


*This is a quote floating around Pinterest, especially on Tattoo boards.

Who are you like? Thoughts on talking vegetables and vocab.

Have you ever found yourself deep in conversation with a friend, only to realize that you are mimicking her body posture?  I find myself doing it a lot, actually, and sometimes I feel silly when I realize that, just like my friend across the table, I am sitting with my chin on my hand, or arms crossed, or even leaning to the left or the right.  But it is actually a good thing - it shows empathy and helps you connect with the person across from you.  I've also noticed that I pick up my friends' vocabulary.  You could probably tell who I've been hanging out with by the slang and cliches permeating my conversations and status updates.  Don't tell him I told you this, but I often hear my husband's words come out of my own mouth, even as he is saying the same thing. It just goes to show that we become like the people we spend time with. Hopefully, I'm spending time with people that rub off on me in a good way!

But seriously, there is One whom I hope to be the most like.  One Person that I hope is reflected in my speech, in my behavior, and in my responses to others.  The only way I'm going to be like Him is to spend a lot of time with Him, allowing the Spirit to work on my heart, and transform my thoughts, words, and actions.     I hate to admit this, but it is hard for me, with three small children, a small business of my own, and hours of grad school homework, to find even a few minutes of quiet time to spend with my Savior. Today, it seems, the most Bible time I've had is listening as the kids watch King George and the Ducky (the Veggie Tales version of David and Bathsheba).  At the risk of becoming more like a talking vegetable than the Savior, I know that I need to find a few minutes to visit my Savior, to sit across the table from Him, in order to make my actions look like His.

How do you find time in your schedule to read your Bible, to pray, and to know your Savior?

1 John 2:4-6, The Message

If someone claims, “I know him well!” but doesn’t keep his commandments, he’s obviously a liar. His life doesn’t match his words. But the one who keeps God’s word is the person in whom we see God’s mature love. This is the only way to be sure we’re in God. Anyone who claims to be intimate with God ought to live the same kind of life Jesus lived.

I Am a Follower by Leonard Sweet

Leonard Sweet turns the world of discipleship and ministry upside-down in his book, I Am a Follower.  His premise is that grasping for leadership is contrary to the heart of God.  Jesus didn't call any of us to be leaders.  He called each and every one of us to be followers - His followers.  Using the example of apostle Paul, Sweet demonstrates this idea.  Paul didn't claim to be a leader; Paul asked others to join him as he follows Christ.  Those in leadership positions should not really think of themselves as leaders, rather, they should see themselves as first-followers: people who follow Christ first, and then point the way so that others can do the same. This counter-culture book is great for anyone wishing to delve deeper into the realm of discipleship and following Christ.

I've always had a respect for Leonard Sweet, for his creativity, for his writing style, for his ability to get to the heart of the matter and simply tell the truth.  I was a little surprised by the nature of this book.  I didn't expect Sweet to dash our leadership hopes on the shores of discipleship.  But he certainly has opened my eyes to a different way of doing discipleship and a different way of seeing the church.  As I work my way through seminary, I am seeing my future in a new way.  I don't have to strive for leadership, respect, or anything else.  My focus needs to be, first and foremost, on following Jesus Christ and inviting others to follow Him along side of me.

This is a great book for anyone heading into ministry, already in ministry, or anyone looking to delve deeper into discipleship and knowing the Lord Jesus Christ.  Sweet does a great job embracing this topic honestly and creatively.

Open publication - Free publishing - More allentown

Good morning, Beautiful People!

I am enjoying one of the last of the somewhat relaxing days my family has before the craziness of our fall schedule gets into full swing.  But that's not a complaint - I like my life full, filled to the brim and running over - just like my coffee cup!  It's also a reminder to keep the less important stuff under control so I can focus on the good stuff and keep my priorities a priority. in the meantime, here are a few ways to stay on trend without going overboard.  What ideas do you have?

Fall Fashion and Style Predictions.  Do you know what you'll be wearing when the fall weather hits?  Here are a few ideas for what's in store this season.  Does anything fit your personal style? (hint, its all about leather).

Create your own great manicures.  Don't have time (or funds) to make it to the nail salon?  That's ok, here are some ideas to give yourself a cool, trendy manicure.  Some are super easy, too!

Is coffee good for you skin?  I vote yes.  Read it and see if you agree!

Beauty Guru:  Feel stylish for fall with a modern pixie and messy black liner. 

Have a beautiful day!
Amanda

Great magazine!
Don't forget to read about how to transform your wardrobe from summer to fall! Enjoy!

Open publication - Free publishing - More allentown

Read about Shelly E. Johnson on Worship Leader Magazine! 

stuff

I love to shop.  It's kind of sad, really, the thrill I get from finding a great bargain, a super-trendy outfit, or an awesome pair of shoes.  Even better if I find a bargain on a super-trendy pair of shoes!  The problem with shopping, though, is that I find all kinds of things I never knew I needed.  $23 for a pair of absolutely ah-mazing purple, studded, $200 heels that I cannot walk three steps in without falling over.  $17 for a waffle maker that I just knew would make my life better-and I think my husband may have actually used it....once.  A pair of uber-trendy sandals for only a couple dollars, but they made my ankles look fat.  The bathing suit that was too big, and the jeans that were way too small.  I've been sorely feeling the errors of my impulse buying ways as I haul more than a few bags of extra stuff to the Good Will store. It's a good reminder to me, as I carry over-weighted bags to the car, that all that extra stuff is just a heavy burden.  It might be good stuff, but its not good stuff for me, because I just don't need it.  The reality is, though, that stuff takes time, money, and energy to buy, sort, organize, store, clean, and eventually, dispose of. So I am intentionally asking myself, what 'stuff' is it that I really need? Every time I walk through Target (my beloved arch-nemesis in the battle against too much stuff!) Honestly, not much.  If I am truly honest, I am embarrassed with all of my stuff.

I am working on decluttering my stuff and decluttering my life in the process, intentionally whittling away at the things that prevent me from doing and being what I really love. I am emptying closets, letting go, and giving my self permission to be free of the stuff.  It's very freeing, and I can't wait to get on to the next round of getting rid of stuff.

In the meantime, check out this book that helped me get started!