Bling It!

Today I encountered a mom who was exhausted, a mom in fear, and another filled with anxiety. Exhaustion, fear and anxiety over those God has chosen to place in our homes.  How am I to respond to these Moms?  

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I can relate to exhaustion.  How many hours of sleepless nights have I experienced under the titles of Mom, nurse or teacher? 

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I can relate to fear. Fearing the unknown.  Would I choose the right foods, would they choose the right friends, what kind of experiences would they encounter out of my presence?

I can relate to anxiety.  I’ve known anxiety for our children about developmental issues, financial limitations, and even future relational turmoil.

My friends weren’t looking for me to relate necessarily.  I don’t have the right solutions and often not even the right suggestions.  Truth is, I can’t even fully relate to their situations, because the variables compare to Mount Everest.

The best I could do for them is to “Bling It!” “Bling it” you ask?  Well yeah!  God’s Word is a treasure trove.  If I asked your children what is in a treasure chest they would say it was filled with beautiful shiny things.  Things of value like gold and silver, objects like jewelry and silver serving pieces. 

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My friends need the balm of God’s Word to help them sort through the days events.  I didn’t do a Google search as we spoke; I simply shared the most recent “bling” I had received through my personal study. The verses (or “blings”) didn’t need to be perfectly quoted or explained with a three-point outline.  They only needed to hear it.  His Spirit in them could reveal anything that might encourage, correct, comfort or direct their thinking or possible reactions.

Some of those “Blings” included:

Philippians 4: 8  "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.”

I Thessalonians 5: 23 – 24 “…He who calls you is faithful, and He will do it!”

Proverbs 3: 5 – 6 “Trust in the Lord…lean not on your own understanding…”

 Isaiah 54:17 "No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you."

I encourage you to share your “Bling!”  You don’t have to be bashful or ashamed. As God encourages you, just “Bling It!” to others.

I challenge you to care for your family and friends enough to “Bling It!” 

(Another definition of "Bling It!")

May I suggest another way to care for others is through prayer?   I heard Lenea Heitzig say this week about praying for our friends, “Who knows that my prayers might be the ‘game changer’ for another!”

ROAD TRIP CRAZY TURNED INTO COMFORT!

The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him. - 

Psalm 28:7 

It always happens. Never fails, every family trip we go on. Doesn't matter where we are or what we are doing, who we are with or how long we have been gone. It happens. A melt down. Yep. Everyone is exhausted and ready to get home. Parents are tired from driving and lack of normalcy and the kids are so off schedule that they are fighting or giving you a run for your money.

So we started a NEW family tradition last night as we sat at our Chick-fil-A table in Jacksonville scarfing down our meal.  We were trying to hurry so we could get kids in their pajamas and jump back on I-95.

SO WHAT IS IT??

We reminisced about our trip. Yep. We went around the fast food table and asked each other what our favorite part of our Thanksgiving weekend was. It was so refreshing. The kids shared the simple sweet things we had forgotten. This activity helped bring out smiles in us all and reminded us of the good times we had had, even though we were all mentally and emotionally at a place of exhaustion. I watched as the heaviness of our meal was lifted and we laughed and praised the Lord for all the blessings HE allowed us to experience as we visited family and friends in north Florida.

I told my husband this is one tradition we will continue because it made us each smile and give thanks for those great memories made. *NOTE* My husband and I also didn't eat and decided to get something for us after the kids were asleep in the car...this allowed for us to manage the kids better too! 

What do your family road trips typically look like?

What are some things you have learned help relieve stress when you are exhausted?

Feel free to share suggestions below!  

Help!

Luke 18: 40 – 42
Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

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A couple of weeks ago, on one of our super hot Florida days, I noticed a lady as I was coming in from my mom van.  An apparent runner was leaning against a neighbor’s tree and seemed exhausted. 

Thinking I could help, I grabbed a bottle of Gatorade and took it to her at the end of the driveway.  As I offered her the bottle she replied she was fine.  I told her I knew it was exceptionally hot and I had seen her leaning on the tree as if very hot.  She again refused my help, thanked me and walked on.

I was struck with the obvious.  She was hot and in need, yet she refused help. Could this be why Jesus asked the obvious question, “What do you want me to do for you?” Rather than offering sight to the blind man, maybe Jesus knew he needed to ask for help first.

Moms, it is so easy to be drowning in our everyday lives, our own pride, our own shame, our own fear, so we don’t ask for help.  No, our husbands or families or friends, can’t take all our problems and make them right, but they can help you shoulder the burden.

One of my Mommy friends texted me yesterday, with a simple plea for help, “I’m going to need a little extra prayer today.”  I was honored to pray for her and the circumstances of her life.  I was also very proud she was willing to ask for help.

It has been an on-going lesson to teach our children to ask for help, but I think it is a lesson we need to continue to remember too! Let’s not be too proud to ask for help.  Jesus is asking us, “What do you want me to do for you today?”