Look out Jesus is in the Kitchen!

I always tell people it isn't the big things in life that take us out. It is the sum of all the little things added together that run us down. It is the loads of laundry that have to be folded ironed and hung up. The vacuuming and sweeping that at times seems as though it is never going to go away. The dishes that always need to be washed even when a load is already done. The homework to help kids with that you are thinking I am not qualified to be helping with these kind of things. Then there is the everyday work and just life....With all these things it is easy to say that being a woman in today's world is a lot of work!

If only it was as simple as the Leave it to Beaver shows made it seem in the "good ole days". Where each day was easy and all people were full of joy. Where the daily tasks got done with ease and everything is always in place!

Colassians 3:17

And whatever you do no matter what it is in word or deed do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in dependence upon His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him.

You see this says that everything we do we are to do in dependence upon Jesus. Why is it that we take this verse and never apply it to the dishes and the daily life? We think that it has to be some "holy" situation to use the word of God. I have news for you chiks. God wants to be a part of every area of your life.....from the scrubbing of the toilets, to pulling weeds, to cleaning out the refrigerator....Jesus desires to help you in everything.....The problem is we think we can try to do it on our own....

Question: How is that working for you?

I have found that when I try to do life out my own strength and ability it makes me always feel like I missed the mark and came up short. When I start looking to Jesus as the author and the finisher of everything I do then all of a sudden things get easier then what they are.

Psalm 34:1-2

I will bless the Lord at all times His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My LIFE makes its boast in the Lord....

In this is a scripture that we love to skip over that word is the smallest word yet the most powerful....ALL. This doesn't mean your praise Jesus comes on when you pull in a church parking lot or see your Pastor....No! This means in your everyday normal regular nothing spiritual about it life you are to be thanking Jesus praising Him for how good He is. When is the last time you did this?

It says here in the second verse that your LIFE will make it's boast in the Lord. You see when you live a life of praise you don't have to tell people about the goodness of God they will just see the goodness of God. When is the last time someone saw you and recognized the goodness of God? I am getting all personal with you aren't I?

Life wasn't made to trudge thru and barely get by! Life was made to enjoy and to be lived with our amazing Jesus! I have news for you chiks Jesus is in the kitchen and that my friends changes everything! That makes the normal boring life become exciting and full of joy. That is the kind of outlook that will change your life when you grab ahold of it!

Chapter two

Sometimes life gets hard. It is so easy to let your circumstances determine your joy or lack there of. The good news is that in Hebrews 13:8 God is the same yesterday today and forever. God is so faithful in our life. He is always there reaching out to us. He never gives up on us no matter what may come He is forever there with open arms. That is something that will forever change your life when you come to the full realization. God is ready to turn your circumstances into joy.

I preached a message out of Habakuk the other night at Unleashed....Listen to it......Today is time for your Chapter two.

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Where are the smiles these days?

I get more hits on this post on my blog than anyother one! I hope that this helps you in some way.....Please stay and look around my site and if you need prayer please e-mail me csparkles23@yahoo.com and be sure to leave a comment so I know you came by!

I just got back in from a girl trip to Oklahoma. One of the youth in Bryan and my youth group is going to be going to ORU this next year. We are so proud of her! We love you Bonnie! So myself and another youth leader went with her to get somethings lined out for her to attend there this fall......

This is Bonnie at summer camp :)

A smile says so much. I am a outgoing person. I feel like any trouble or obstacle can be conquered with a smile. I don't think I have really ever met a stranger for long. It doesn't ever take me too long to get to know someone. I truly believe that a smile can change some one's day.

Proverbs 17:22

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

I can't tell you how many times I have quoted this scripture to my children. It is amazing how just changing your countenance changes your attitude.....

So you are wondering why am I saying this right? Well it was the craziest thing. From the time that we left to Oklahoma we got nothing but sour people in our path. I don't know what the deal was but it was as though everyone we came in contact with was not a very happy person. It became a joke by the end of the trip. We were a little leery to ask people something for fear that they would be rude.

Psalm 68:3

But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.

We are called to be a light in the darkness. What kind of light are we to those around us if we are sad? I know that troubles will arise. I know there are hard days. But girls I just want to encourage you to find joy in everyday. I am so thankful for my life and how blessed I am. That doesn't mean that everything always goes my way. That hard days don't come my way. I always say you can't control what happens in a day, but I can control how I handle what happens.

Psalm 118:24

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

I looked up rejoice to see what the definition is...it is to be happy about another's happiness. WOW! So in other words if you can't find anything to be happy about get happy about someone else's happiness. That is so good.

There is something that happens when we decide that we are not going to let what is happening around us to determine our happiness. Happy comes from the word happening. Interesting huh? Happenings are always changing.....There is something that doesn't change

The Lord....

That is what the scripture that says "The JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH". Joy here is dependent upon the Lord. The word says He is the same yesterday today and forever.....HALLELUJAH! So if you are having a hard day, maybe even a tough season of life. I want to encourage you to get a deposit of the Lord's joy in your life! Let's be that smiling face to those around us that changes lives!

That means we don't have to live a yo yo life of happy sad happy sad. We can have a joy that is the same no matter what our happenings are! So smile the joy of the LORD the joy that doesn't change with the value of your home, what is in your bank account, how your kids are acting, what your husband is saying, or what your mind is telling you. You can lean on the Lord and His joy will overtake you. But it first starts with a prayer and a smile in faith that more are to come!