Day 21 of 40 Days to Passover and Resurrection Weekend... Disconnect!!!!

163 billion tweets since the dawn of Twitter.

The average Twitter user tweeted 307 times in 2013.

925,000 new users on Google+.

Google+ button used 5 million times per day.

Instagram has gained 50 million users since 2011.

The average Instagram user spent 257 minutes accessing photos via Instagram.

As of 2012, Facebook users have played 210,000 years of music, 62.6 million songs, about 22 billion times.

1.26 billion Facebook users as of 10/6/2013.

757 million Facebook daily active users.

97% of Pinterest users are women.

57% of Pinterest posts are food-related.

46 million monthly blog users on Blogger.

http://www.dazeinfo.com/2013/01/10/social-media-statistics-2013-facts-figures-facebook-twitter/

http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/by-the-numbers-17-amazing-facebook-stats/#.UzdmkBXD_IU

http://www.magnetsocialmedia.com/1/post/2013/02/15-blogger-statistics-2013.html

 First of all, the statics are staggering.  The number of people connected through social media is enough to make one pause and look at the costs and benefits of social media.  Please indulge me for a moment…

Social media reconnects old friends, provides a way for family living in different states to stay connected, provides a platform for people to share their interests and passions, creates a quasi-sense of community among users, and provides an avenue for businesses to promote their products and services.  While all of these are good, in moderation, social media also opens the door for negativity, self-comparison and a place for people to air their dirty laundry.

One thing the statistics, costs and benefits of social media have in common.  One rare commodity in society today is sucked up in social media.  One simple, yet precious, aspect of our lives that we miss once it is gone…

 

TIME.

It takes time to post a Facebook status, retweet a tweet, repin a pin, like a photo, and read (or write) a blog post.

It also takes time to build relationships with friends and family, rest our bodies and minds, and replenish our souls.

While social media is not entirely bad, we must decide what we want to invest our time in.  While it is good to stay connected to family and friends we seldom see in person, we must also make it priority to spend one on one time with those we live close to.  Maybe even send a handwritten note rather than a text of Facebook message.

So the challenge is this… take one day a week and commit to not engaging in social media.   The Sabbath is a great day to take the plunge.  Actually shabbat on the Sabbath… rest your body, mind and soul. 

And if you are convicted over the statistics, maybe reevaluate your daily time on social media and set a realistic limit for yourself. 

Day 17 of 40 Days to Passover and Resurrection Weekend... Share your story

There is nothing like a good story.  Especially when you’re young.  Curling up next to mom or dad and listening to them read your favorite book.  My favorite childhood book was The Pokey Little Puppy.  I am sure my mom had it memorized by the time I was five. 

Now the tables are turned and I get to experience the joy of reading to my daughters.    There are few things better in life than snuggling up with my sweet girls sharing a story.   Each girl has their favorite book, favorite place to read and favorite doll or blanket to snuggle with. 

Recently Madeline started asking me to tell her stories about her Great Granny Grace.  The two never met, as my Grandmother passed away several years before Madeline was born.  But her legacy lives on every time I tell a story about sweet Granny Grace.  I cherish these moments, knowing I am passing on generation stories to my daughters. 

But what else am I passing on to them?  What legacy am I leaving them?  What stories of my life are important enough to tell them?  What mistakes do I want to warn them to avoid based on my personal experience?  What moments of pure joy do I want to relive in front of them?  What are the most important moments in my life?

I have learned the more I tell them about my life, the more they want to know.   I believe this is because it makes my life more tangible for them.  They get to hear about my childhood and realize that I was once a little girl, just like them.  They can see that the close relationship I have with my family started very early in my life. 

Telling them the story of my salvation opened up so many more doors.  They see that I struggled with the same questions about God as they do.  How can I know God is real when I cannot see Him?  Why does He love me so much?  Will He really forgive me when I mess up? 

Having these conversations with my girls shows them that God is real.  It shows them that it is ok to struggle with faith and knowing God’s voice.  It builds trust and a foundation for future conversations about their own journey of faith.

Do your children know your salvation story?  Do your nieces and nephews?  Do you know your own parents’ salvation stories?  Grandparents? 

Is there a better time than now to tell your story, or learn the salvation stories of those before you? 

As we are preparing our hearts for Passover and Resurrection weekend, take a moment to share your story.  If you have already, tell it again.  It should be your favorite story to tell. 

Day 11 of 40 Days to Passover and Resurrection Weekend - Let my people go!!!!

Being obedient is not always easy, or welcomed by others, but Moses stepped out in faith and obedience.  What God accomplishes through him is incredible.  Please continue to story of Moses with Peggy Wright.... http://peggywright.wordpress.com/2014/03/21/let-my-people-go/

Day 11 of 40 Days to Passover and Resurrection Weekend - Read Exodus 1-6 with your family

Once upon a time…

Every good story has a very intentional opening line.  The writer knows the importance of grasping the reader’s attention immediately, or they risk losing the reader altogether.  

Madeline seems to get this concept, in sorts, though she depends more on the overdramatic use of her hands to get my attention.  Last night she wanted to desperately to tell me the story of either Ruth, Esther, Jacob or Joseph.  After much debate, she settled on Ruth.  While laying in her bed, she began using her hands to tell me that… “Once, there was a woman named Naomi who was married to a guy…”  While this may not be the opening line to a New York Best Seller, it had this mommy listening with every fiber of my being.

In the beginning.... 

These words, written in scarlet, are the opening lines to greatest story ever told.  From the first letter we see Christ woven through every story in scripture, tying them all together.

Jump forward to Moses.  God had led the Israelites to Egypt through Joseph.  I mean, they had to get there somehow in order to eventually become slaves and need salvation, right? 

Through a heart of stone molded by fear, Pharoah demanded all male children be killed.  But Moses had a strong, brave and incredibly faithful mother hat fought for the life of her child.  Ordinary by the world’s terms, but to a momma, and the God who created him Moses was so much more.

Unlike many of us today, we cannot see past the ordinary to the extraordinary in our own lives.  Moses had an unbelievable encounter with I AM.  He witnessed a burning bush that was not consumed by the fire the engulfed it, he heard the voice of God call him by name, and he was given a very specific task to accomplish for the Lord.  However, God did not call Moses to go it alone.  He didn’t tell Moses to “go and do” on is own.  He told Moses that He would be with him every step of the way.

Yet, as most of us do, he balked.  He was scared, but rather than admit it, he made excuses.

 “I don’t really know you all that well, I mean, I don’t even know your name!”

 “You really expect people to believe that you appeared to me, a nobody?”

 “I would love to, but, I ain’t so good at talking and such, and that Pharoah guy ain’t gonna listen to me.”

 Many of my excuses sound similar…

“I don’t know scripture as well as other people.”

“Who am I to tell others about you?”

“I know for a fact there are other people way more qualified than me!”

But God answers, possibly through slightly gritted teeth, with a loving voice that it’s not about us.  It was never about Moses.  God, I AM, the Creator, has chosen to select the ordinary to do extraordinary things.  People may balk, make fun of you, question your “authority,” or even flat out tell you that you are crazy, in so many words.  However, when God speaks to you, puts a burden on your heart, calls you out to DO something, don’t make excuses.  Don’t sit back in fear and trembling.  Borrow an overused advertising line from Nike and … JUST DO IT!  

How many people would have been impacted negatively if Moses had refused to go? 

How much longer would the Israelites have suffered in slavery before God found a replacement if Moses had decided to stay home with his family?   

How many people need you to say yes to God and run your race at full strength until your last breath on this earth?

You will never go it alone.  The great I AM is with you.  And he will send brothers and sisters to run alongside of you, cheering you on, offering encouragement, even calling you out when you begin to slip back into grip of fear, or even deflate your inflated ego if necessary. 

Our story began the day God spoke our names and began knitting us into being.  He continues to write our story even now.  Sit for a moment and let that sink in…

 

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." -Mother Tersea

Day 10 of 40 Days to Passover and Resurrection Weekend - Search me O Lord...

A beautifully written prayer, the cry of a humble woman, a woman who loves Jesus... don't miss this!

http://peggywright.wordpress.com/2014/03/

Day 9 of 40 Days to Passover and Resurrection Sunday - the Heart of Worship

Often times a simple, visual reminder is all we need to get our eyes back on Jesus.  Please read Peggy Wright's sweet reminder at http://peggywright.wordpress.com/2014/03/.

BLESSINGS!

Day 7 of 40 Days to Passover and Resurrection Weekend - Count Your Many Blessings

As I sit and write, one of my many blessings is cuddled up next to me.  An unexpected blessing.  She has long blonde hair, blue eyes like her Grandmother, and a smile that can melt any heart.   Another one of my blessings is sitting on the other end of the couch reading a book.  She recently cut her hair off, making her look much older than she is.  She has a tender heart, which she carries on her sleeve.  These lovely young ladies have brought more joy to my life than I could have ever imagined. 

There are days when life is tough.  We get bad news, we are exhausted, emotions run high and all we can think about his what we perceive as the negative.  In these moments it is hard to focus on our blessings, the positive things in life.

This past Friday we had scheduled my oldest daughter’s birthday sleepover.  Unfortunately her younger sister brought the stomach bug home from school so we were forced to reschedule her party.  Needless to say, endless tears and a broken heart were the immediate response.  After getting the girls home and settled in, I went up to Emma’s room and crawled up in bed next to her.  I asked her to help me find the positive in this situation.  It took a few minutes before she truly started processing things, but she eventually came around.  And as she started thinking about how her sister not only felt bad physically, but also for being the reason we had to reschedule the sleepover; how all of friends would be in contact with Maddie and likely get sick; how hard it would be for Momma to take care of a sick baby and do facials on a group of little girl; and that we didn’t cancel, just pushed it back a week, the tears began to fade, her smile began to return, and her weighed down shoulders began to lift. 

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. 
Proverbs 17:22

There are days when the negative seems to overshadow the positive.  We find ourselves in a pit of gloom and despair.  We are in a funk that we just can’t shake. 

A few years ago our family made Thankful Journals.  We each decorated our own journal and began writing three to five daily blessings we were thankful for.  The girls were young, so their journals included lots of mommy, daddy, sissy, playing, and doll entries.  This was a good reminder for us to reflect on our day and intentionally focus on the blessings the Lord has given.

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24

The biggest blessing in my life is doing laundry while I write.  He has stood by my side as my husband for nineteen years.  We have been through ups and downs, good seasons and bad.  He is a balance to my emotional rollercoaster life and helps me find the positive when I am only seeing the negative.  He keeps me grounded, focused and pushes me when I need it. 

Being positive is a choice.  We often times have to make our minds set aside the negative to focus on the positive.  Our choice.  Sitting is a pool of negative, throwing our own pity party is also a choice.   We decide we would rather spend our energy throwing the biggest party ever, rather than focus on the reasons we should cancel the party.

Choose to be...

 

Today, before you lay your head down to sleep, focus on the positive.  Count your many blessings, name them one by one, count your many blessings, see what God has done.  Your smile will be brighter, your heart more full, and your dreams much sweeter.

Day 5 of 40 Days to Passover and Resurretion Weekend - For me

The suffering Savior....

 

He did it for me, He did it for love

It's your victory, Jesus you are enough!

 

Please continue on this journey with us. 

Today Peggy Wright reminds us of the love that motivated Christ's suffering.

 

http://peggywright.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/for-me/

40 Days to Passover and Resurrection Weekend

I am not sure why I have not done this already...  I am posting links to days 1-4 (excluding day 3) written by my sweet, Jesus loving Sister, Peggy Wright.  Her words move and encourage me.  I pray they do the same for you!  Join us on this journey to Passover and Resurrection weekend!!!!

http://peggywright.wordpress.com/2014/03/

Day 3 of 40 days to Passover and Resurrection Weekend - Giving up critical words

My Momma always said, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” 

My sweet husband has to remind me at times to “be nice.”

Society reminds me that once a word is spoken, it cannot be taken back.

With all of these reminders I would think it should be easy to speak kind words, yet more often than I care to admit, my words are critical, judgmental, hurtful… for those who hear those thoughtless words fall from my lips, those who are the recipient of my misplaced judgment, and for myself.

I dare to say that our critical words are rarely intentional.  We are not speaking them with the intent of tearing down the person we are talking about, hurting our witness to the one we are speaking to, or planting roots of bitterness in our hearts.  I dare to say that if we thought about our words before we spoke them, and the ramifications they have on so many, we would more carefully chose the words that we give a voice. 

Let’s not think of this as a challenge, but rather think of it as gift.   The gift of life.

The tongue has the power of life or death. 

Proverbs 18:21

Let us pause and think before we speak.  We don’t know the situations behind a person’s actions or words, so we must be careful to speak life, speak blessings.  Our words may be what they need to hear.  Our words may encourage them and turn their hearts from pain to Jesus.

Maybe she has gained a few pounds while worrying over a health problem or is dealing with a broken relationship.

Maybe the worn out pants he wears all the time are the nicest ones he has.

Maybe she doesn’t know how to reach out to her daughter, but is doing her best.

Maybe he isn’t as shallow as you think, he is putting up a front to hide a broken heart.

Maybe your heart needs to hear how beautiful you are, not another daily reminder of your “flaws.”

My prayer is that we will use our gifts of life beyond the next 7 days, or even the next 40 days, but that we would spend our lives intentionally speaking life. 

So I leave you with my prayers and a song…

 

 

SPEAK LIFE