So Valentine's Day is right around the corner and my girls needed cards for parties at school. Our preschooler had her party first and she brought home a bag full of cards from her friends. One of them was specialized with the child's picture in the middle. So when our 7 year old saw that she wanted a card like that except "Mom, I want my picture to be really BIG in the middle!" So we went on-line personalized some cards and printed them off. I picked them up last night and starting laughing at the hugeness of my child's picture in the great big heart in the middle. When I showed them to her...she loved them! So, that got me to thinking about how life is all about us sometimes. We make ourselves so big and we want to be the center of attention. However, that is certainly not the way Christ lived His life. He lead a life of servanthood and reminded us to the same. In James 6 it says "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." In Luke 14 Christ reminds us that "those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." And finally in James 4:10 it says "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." So God help me to not make life all about me today!!

Prayer Life

I feel like all I have accomplished today thus far is getting in and out of the car. .... one errand after another, one pick-up and drop-off after another. However, that means I have done a lot of praying today too. You see, a few years back I always made it a habit when I got in the car to take a moment (or two or three) to pray. Pray for the day, pray where we were going, pray for God's Hand and Will, .....to simply acknowledge His Presence and ask for His Blessing. It is such a ingrained habit that I pray before I drive. So....in all my errand running and taking care of my family and in and out of the car....I am thankful that I prayed.

Some Random Thoughts

Been enjoying the sun today....as it glistens on the white snow. Makes me think about how God's Son glistens me when I allow Him to. When I walk with Him, draw close to Him, His Light makes me glisten as He cleanses me white as snow. He gently shows the dirty spots, the "dirty snow", that has been run over by poor choices, distance from God, anger...just to name a few of the many sins that plaque everyday life. And then...as I, as we, allow the Son to shine on us, our dirty spots are made clean. We are made white as snow. Thank you God for that sweet reminder today.

Perspective

After reading a blog of a physician that I work with God has given me some perspective. Hearing about how there is 1 hospital for hundreds of thousands of people and of the poor medical care that sometimes they receive......it hit me. I live in a medium size community (less than 250,000 people) and we have 3 hospitals, 3 emergency rooms, and an abundance of good physicians, nurses, and excellent medical care.....all of which could easily be taken advantage of if you lose your perspective. How thankful I am that when my children were sick this week I could drive them to their pediatrician, be treated, then drive to the pharmacy and get their antibiotics filled. All with such ease and convenience. There are some parts of the world for convenience is null and void. So, today I say Thank you God for blessing us here and I will pray for the other parts of the world that so desperately need good medical care (and lots of other things I am sure.....)

Whatever is...

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praisworthy-think about such things." Phillippians 4:8

I woke up this morning and the first thing I do....reach for my phone. ....Checking email, Facebook, text messages....my eyes are barely open and I have my Blackberry in hand.

So, that got me to thinking. Do I do the same thing with my Sweet Savior? Before my eyes are barely open am I thinking on Him? Reaching for His Word? Praying to Him? Singing His Praises?

And sadly, these days, the answer is no. So, this morning, I asked for His forgiveness and for a passion for His Word, a desire to do His Will, and Grace to cover when I fail. When I opened His Word, I read the verse above. It encouraged me to think on God throughout the day. He is True! He is Noble! He is Right! He is Pure! He is Lovely! He is Excellent and Praiseworthy! Let us think about such things.....

For Today

Just spent an amazing and uplifting week with my dearest and bestest friend, Val. Being with her uplifts my soul and puts life in prespective. Why? Because she points me towards God, towards what He is doing in my life, towards what He might want to do in my future....ultimately toward a more intimate walk with Him. Friends like that are few and far between and I am so blessed to have one in my life.

So I have been doing some thinking this week about where I am at in life, where my walk with God is, where my heart is. I feel at times I am a far cry from where I would like to be and at times I feel I am right where God wants me to be. I suppose both can be true at the same time. God has us where He wants us and yet wants to stretch us further, draw us closer, and do more in our lives. So, I am saying to Him once again.....take me Lord. I am yours. Let my life be a pleasing fragrance to You. May I walk with you always and be in the center of Your Will.