What's in your purse?

Our lovely mentor mom for MOPS and my personal accountability person had a great devotional time with us today at our last MOPS meeting of the year. What Jacque shared with us, I'm going to share here. I don't carry all of this in my purse literally but it makes you think.

"As I was thinking about my purse today I was reminded of that icebreaker game we ladies sometimes play at meetings or retreats.

What's in your purse? Several items are called out and the winner is the one who can find the most items called in their purses. It's kind of a fun game and I chuckled to myself just thinking about the times I've played that game with other Christian ladies over the years.

Then it struck me that I could be asked almost anything and I'd have it on hand in my purse.

Why do I put in all those things to carry around with me when I go somewhere? Some of them are just so unnecessary.

I think that I do that as a Christian too. I get up and pop in my bag a lot of unnecessary things that I don't need to be carrying around with me throughout the day.

Maybe I should just stick to the basics and take along in my purse just some necessities.

CELL PHONE.
The first thing I'd better put in my purse is my communication device, which is prayer of course. If I need something, all i need to do is pray and the Lord is there to hear me.

Having that open communication with Christ throughout the day gives me a sense of security.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 - Pray without ceasing.

KEYS
I'll need my keys to drive my car and to unlock the house door when I come home.

Faith is the key that unlocks doors so that's something I surely don't want to leave behind.

Have you ever locked yourself out of your car or out of your house? That is such a helpless feeling when you are left without your keys.

It's the same way when we leave faith out of our lives. We're stuck and helpless as Christians. Faith is imperative to our survival each day.

Hebrews 11:6 Without faith no one can please God. Anyone who comes to God must believe that He is real and that He rewards those who truly want to find.

DRIVERS LICENSE (In wallet)
Next I'd better pop in my identification. Having that card inn my wallet that has my picture on it and says I can drive is great because not only can I drive with it but it serves as identification for me too.

My identification with Christ gives me even greater benefits; I have eternal life through Him. If I remember my identification with the Lord it will make me think a little more about the way I act and react throughout my day.

I'm one of God's children.

Romans 8:16-17 The spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's chldren. Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

MONEY or DEBIT CARD (In wallet)
If I'm going out to run errands, I'm usually going to end up spending some money or having to use my debit card in case I need to make some purchases.

Instead of just investing in earthly things, I hope I find myself laying up some treasure in Heaven throughout my day.

Matthew 6:19-21 Do not gather for yourselves riches on earth. Moths and rats can destroy them. Thieves can break in and steal them. Instead, gather for yourselves riches in heaven. There, moths and rats do not destroy them. There, thieves do not break in and steal them. Your heart will be where your riches are.
SUNGLASSES
I'll want to keep a pair of sunglasses with me. I hope I can remember to look through my eyes throughout the day as Christ would. I need to see with eyes of love, compassion, and kindness.

Phil 2:1-4 Does your life in Christ give you strength? Does his love comfort you? Do we share together in the spirit? Do you have mercy and kindness? If so, make me very happy by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and having one mind and purpose. When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves. Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others.

PACKAGE OF TISSUES
Better throw a pack of tissues into my purse. I need to be reminded to shed a few tears for other souls. I trust I'll have a tender heart when it comes to the question of eternity for those I meet throughout my day.

Psalm 126:5 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
HAND LOTION.
I'll need to drop in a tube of hand lotion before I go. I need to be reminded to put a little softness into my day when I react to situations and to people that I come in contact with.

Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer will calm a person's anger, but an unkind answer will cause more anger.
LIPSTICK.
I might need a touch up so I'd better include a tube of lipstick in my purse. I need to be reminded to put some praise and singing on my lips everywhere I go throughout my day.

Psalm 34:1 I will praise the LORD at all times; His praise is always on my lips.

CONCLUSION:
It is so easy to get up in the morning and drop in some unnecessary things to take along with us as we go about our day.

Sometimes I take grumpiness or a bad attitude with me on my way. Those things really clutter up my life.

You may have some other thins that you carry with you all the time that are getting in your way of serving Christ on a daily basis.

I think sometimes we need to turn our lives upside down and dump everything out except for those things that honor Christ.

We need to be tidy with our Christian lives and just have those things at our fingertips that please the Lord.

SO WHAT'S IN YOUR PURSE??"


Wow....

The last few days I have struggled with feelings about some things. Yet to be reminded to praise God at ALL times, no matter how bad it is, that's hard. When things are bad or I'm in a bad mood, my first impulse is to listen to music that will only feed that. Yet listening to songs like Broken Hallelujah, Still and others like that do really uplift. Other times I listen to 3 Doors Down and sometimes other songs like Who's got my back by Creed or My Own Prison that feed the anger or sadness I feel. There are other songs on both sides that I listen to.

I'm going to be real for a minute here. This week I was betrayed by a friend, or at least was a target of a rant she did on Facebook about my 'disabled' kids and that I don't work so they can stay on Medicaid. Hubs works and he has insurance that covers all four of us. Medicaid is secondary for the kids...... She admitted it was about me when I confronted her about it and I pointed out that the pot can't call the kettle black here. I'm not 'over it' I admit and I ask for prayer about this that my heart will face this the way God would want me to face it instead of getting hard hearted.

The message that Jacque shared today was honestly one I needed to hear and one that I am glad I can share here as well.

I will end my post today with an awareness post I made a few days ago in light of this week.

"I sit amazed seeing my son sleep how big he is. Despite naysayers, he is thriving. He is not my daughter nor is my daughter him. What do I mean? They share one diagnosis. One. She has 14 total, he has three so far. Do I have my moments? Yes.... Everyone does! Even you! Yet does that make them worthless? Heck no! Burdens? No! Is money tight? Yes.... God provides thus far. God created them and has a plan. None of us choose genetics. Even if I knew at conception that my son would have issues I would have had him anyways. Same with my daughter, I would never abort and if I did, what message is that sharing? Disabled/medically issues aren't worth life? I also don't work because we would lose Medicaid and I would have to have time off often for appointments and surgeries. The money I would make wouldn't even budge the budget by the time it was all figured in, in fact we would be worse off. Hubs does that math often. I'm not a mooch. We take care of our kids. Medicaid and other programs were designed to help. Not all mooch and "earn" a living off of government. Besides, if you use ANY government aid yourself, you are the pot calling the kettle black. Think about it.

As I said recently, I would trade my children in for nothing. They are a blessing and gift from God. They were fearfully and wonderfully made by God the way God wanted them to be. God knew their story and who their parents would be before we did. God knit them in my womb knowing all that would come. Does God make mistakes? No!
Things are rough sometimes and I worry sometimes about how things will turn out for them and for us. Yet God has a plan for all of us. I don't see us having a quiver full but my children have a story and as many as my daughter has touched in 8 short years, I can imagine how many my son will touch. I wouldn't trade that, ever.
My children won't be raised to conform to this world but to teach this world. Special needs children aren't a burden, they are a blessing. I think God allowed "disabilities" so they can teach the world about God's truth, faith and HOPE.
Without hope, we have nothing.
People don't need to judge till they know the full story. My children amaze me and the people around them need to see it too. It's not all about the diagnosis and or disability.

Just sayin."


My storm: I get to hold my son down for blood draws next week. The following week he will start weekly injections and blood draws to prep for surgery.
My rainbow: I am blessed to have my children, "disabilities" or not. Children are indeed a gift from God.

Blessings!!
~ Special Momma ~