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How I Abide in Him

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.  (KJV) John 15:5


For so long I knew that verse to mean I am nothing without Jesus.  While that is true on a certain level, there is so much more.  Meditate on that verse. Dig deeper.  Ponder it awhile...

He supplies me.  If He lives in me and I remain in Him, I am fruitful.  I am productive. I am successful. It is Christ that gives me what I need to accomplish the life before me.  He works in me.  He works through me.  Have you ever wondered how?  Have you ever felt like it wasn't working? Why?

It's that word "abide."  There's the key.  I must abide in Him.  From experience let me tell you that you cannot abide in Him with just a weekly Church service and a nightie-nite prayer.  Abide means to dwell, live, remain, endure.  It's a pretty weighty word.  Now it seems complicated- almost daunting.  Like any other relationship, it does take time.  There is just no way around it.  It doesn't; however, have to be complicated.  Trying to set aside a particular block of time was not working for me.  I ended up overwhelmed, discouraged, and feeling guilty because it was a task I couldn't accomplish.  That's just it, though.  Jesus is not a task.  He is a person.  One who wants you to actually ENJOY time with Him. If spending time with our Lord has been difficult for you, don't give up!  I de-mystified and simplified. Making small adjustments in my routine has made all the difference in the world for me.  Let me show you what I mean...

I do five very simple things every day to keep in touch with Jesus. These things don't take much time at all when I spread them throughout my day.

• Morning Devotion.  I use From Faith to Faith by Kenneth & Gloria Copeland.  You can purchase the book or view it for free online. They will even email it to you upon request. I have the link on my iPhone so I can view it anytime/ anywhere.
• Daily Scripture Meditation. The Wonderful Names of Our Wonderful Lord is an excellent one minute devotion by Charles Hurburt and T.C. Horton.  While it is available in paperback, I use the mobile version on my iPhone. 
• Scripture Confession.  I have compiled a notebook of scriptures that I recite out loud throughout the day.  I rotate them.  One day I'll say the ones on health, then one day on parenting, one day on finances.  You get the idea.
• I pray all day long.  Not the stop what you're doing, formal kind of prayers- hardly!  I say the "Good Morning Lord!  Help me face the day" kind of prayer.  You know: like,"O Lord, show me how to handle this."  "Son is jumping on my last nerve, what do You want me to do with him? "Thank you for putting the milk on sale!"  I talk to God all day long like I would to my husband, my friends, or anyone else.  I'm not disrespectful but I am familiar.
• Evening Bible Time.  Yes, yes, you know me well... I have an iPhone app for that too!  (Face it: its just FUN that way!) I like the Robert Roberts plan.  Two- Four chapters a night takes all of 15 minutes.   

Of course, if you can do more that's great.  If not, do what you can. Jesus knows and He understands. Keeping it simple, fun, and weaving it into my minute-by-minute daily routine has made it do-able for me.  My faith is no longer an ideal.  It is PRACTICAL.  It is real and IT WORKS.

What You May Not Know...One Lovely Blog Award

I would like to thank Tonya at http://www.redheadthoughts-tonya.blogspot.com/ for giving me the One Lovely Blog Award!  I feel so very special.  And happy.  And (shhhhh...whisper it) popular.  It's so encouraging to know that people actually look at my blog - and like it.  I'm thrilled!

The rules are as follows: You thank the person who nominated you, share eight things about yourself that others may not know, and pass the award on to another blogger whom you love.  
     
Did you know...?
1.  I could eat Mexican food for EVERY meal, EVERY day, FOREVER.  
2.  I also have red hair.  Auburn, really-with highlights to cover extremely premature gray. (OK, not THAT premature.)
3.  If you want to bribe me, I can be bought cheap with a Vanilla Dr. Pepper from Sonic (Happy Hour prices from 2pm-4pm if anyone is driving by and coming my way.  Just saying...)
4.  I'm a late bloomer.  Married at 35.  Miracle Son at 37.   Good things take time so don't be in such a rush.  
5.  Prior to this domestic bliss, I would have been the least likely person you would think would enjoy such a life.  Homemaking was the farthermost thing on my radar.  Who knew?
6.  Except for the indulgence of eating out (where nutrition rules are flung out the window once a week), we eat no refined sugar.  NONE.  NADA.  Not even corn syrup, dextrose, or anything that can not be easily spelled or pronounced.    
7.  I'm not a materialistic person.  Really, I'm not- but I am so totally into my iPhone.  How did I live without it?  There is an app for EVERYTHING.  It has my phone, my datebook, my music, my Bible, my recipes, my photos, AND I can surf the web.  How great is that?  My husband thinks I love it as much as I love him. I don't but almost.  OK, I do.  Not really, but sort of. 
8.  Speaking of iPhone: I am obsessed with Words With Friends.  


Now that you know ALL about me, go visit Suzie Q at http://imarriedamoronandsurvived.blogspot.com/.  I am passing this award to her.  She is AMAZING.  Her blog is sure to inform and inspire you.

                           

Chic Click Carnival

I am so excited about participating in the Chic Click Carnival hosted by Chic Chick Media. My site is all about saving money, living simply, and enjoying the Blessings of our Lord. If you've read some of my first posts about saving money, you know I LOVE coupons!   Sooooooo...

Today I am featuring my favorite peep of the week: Valerie, TheCuteCouponer.  I found out about her blog over at BlogFrog.  Loving coupons, I had to go visit her site at http://www.thecutecouponer.blogspot.com. Look though her archives for some great ways to save when shopping.  While you're browsing, check out Visit Our Peeps.  Have Fun!

Thank You

I have been exploring the Blog World and social media sites this summer.  All I can say is, "WOW!"  No, that's not all I can say but it is a good summary.  There are all sorts of places to visit and people to meet.  For the most part, this has been SO MUCH FUN.  (I've seen some things I could live without... you take the good /dismiss the bad.) I had no idea what I was in for when I started blogging.  I guess I didn't know what to expect. What would people think?  I started so sheepishly and somewhat apprehensive about connecting with virtual strangers.

Since then, I've joined Google Friends, Twitter, Twitter Moms, and BlogFrog.  I have met so many wonderful people.  Through the Blogs and Communities I've read your stories: laughed, cried, admired, and learned so much.  Some of you have even "followed" me in some way or another.  I want to thank you for putting yourselves out there. Thank you for welcoming me when I did.  I have genuinely enjoyed getting to know you.  Thank you for sharing yourselves and your stories.

Sunshine Blog Award

Yippee!  Big Fat Mama at http://www.cookingupfaith.com has given me the Sunshine Blog Award.  Is that cool, or what?  You really have no idea how much that means to me!  Thank you so much!

                                                  
Winners are asked to select 12 other recipients to pass on their awards. Selecting only twelve is TOUGH!  Here are my selections- in no particular order:


     http://www.redheadthoughts-tonya.blogspot.com
     http://www.homemakerchronicles.com
     http://www.twinkiemommie.blogspot.com
     http://www.embracinghome.com
     http://www.bobjenjack.blogspot.com
     http://www.showmemama.blogspot.com
     http://www.incourage.me
     http://www.mamaondgo.blogspot.com
     http://www.thehomeschoolchick.com
     http://www.loveshinesforall.blogspot.com
     http://www.faithbarista.com
     http://www.bylittlehands.typepad.com


I encourage you to check out these amazing blogs.  Thanks again to Big Fat Mama! 


Winners may cut & paste then pass on to their twelve choices.

To Love One Another

The inspiration for today's post comes from Big Fat Mama over at http://www.cookingupfaith.com/.  For the past 21 days she has been focusing on and blogging about John 15.  Her posts for days 20 and 21 just spoke to my heart in such a profound way that I found myself thinking about it throughout the day. After the birth of her fourth child she started experiencing anxiety and sought the Lord about how to deal with it.  She writes:

Then I was able to take a little drive with just myself and God. I drove and saw hills in front of me with the sun setting and I had this thought -

What if I didn't try to control people?

What if I didn't try to control every situation in my life?

What if I didn't worry about if I was doing or being enough all the time?

What if I let go of my grudges?

What if all I did was love God and love others? What would that be like?

It would be pretty nice. And if all I did at the end of the day was love God and love others I would have done enough.

"I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Live within my love. When you obey me you are living in my love, just as I obey my Father and live in His love. I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your cup of joy will overflow! I demand that you love each other as much as I love you. And here is how to measure it - the greatest love is shown when a person lays down his life for his friends; and you are my friends if you obey me." John 15: 9-14

If we really grasped how much God loves us we would have no fear, no guilt, no loneliness, no self-serving attitude. Our joy would overflow! When we stop trying to fulfill ourselves with the worldlythings, and let God, the only one who can genuinely love us, then we can start being productive and He can use us for his glory.     Big Fat Mama

WOW!  I've probably read those scriptures countless times.  I know we are supposed to love God and love others.  I know that our obedience to Christ is a reflection of His love.  Its the JOY part that I've missed all this time.  You cannot be joyful and anxious at the same time.  Really, truly, deeply practicing this love results in obedience and JOY.  Receiving HIS love is JOY.  Showing HIS love is JOY.

Sometimes I get so caught up in my own head.  I complicate things. Not only in my daily routine but also in my devotional time.  Am I doing enough?  Am I doing it right?  What if I'm missing something?  What if while I'm doing this I should be doing that? It is hard to experience God's peace when we are constantly trying to measure up and wondering if we're falling short.  So often I feel like it is never enough, like I'm never enough. I never identified that feeling as anxiety or controlling but IT IS.  It is also self imposed condemnation.  Sure, our motives are good:  we are supposed to love and care for our families and their needs. That's okay.  In the striving to do it well, I find that I cross over to perfection- as though somehow if its not all perfect it means that I love them less. I know...its crazy.  At least I am sane enough to remind myself to lighten up. That nagging feeling persists, though - even if it is in the background.  

Her posts reeled me in, so to speak.  It is that simple: its about the love - that's all. Love - period.   When I focus on the love of Christ the details of my life will fall into place. Thank you, Big Fat Mama for sharing your journey. Sound revelation of God's love - of the JOY of God's love - erases all doubt.  God's love is enough.  My living out that love is enough.  His love makes me enough.

I encourage you to hop over to her site to read through her journey.  I'm sure you will be blessed by it.