New Beginnings....

I have been pondering a lot lately about new beginnings... I find over and over again that I am desperately in need of God's new mercy and grace each day.  I fall short so often.  I fail my family.  My friends.  My job.  My God.  I praise Him that the promise He made never fails: 

    

The Lord's loving kind

nesses indeed never cease,

      For His compassions never fail. 

   They are new every morning

  Great is Your faithfulness.

Lam 3:22, 23

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Each day finds me seeking God a fresh.  I am so thankful for the new beginnings He gives us! 

Along these lines, this blog will soon be getting a new beginning too... stay close for the great unveiling!

I have been humbled.

Lately I've been complaining that I will be sitting alone again this Valentines Day.  As frustrating as it is, I read this horrifically sad story and 

decided to start counting my blessings instead of lack.  How much worse to be sitting alone because of that.

My Valentines Day will come where I can light candles, cook a dinner, and get all dressed up for my man.  But until then, I choose to revel in the goodness of God today.

On Miracles...

If the miracle is the end, how frustrating would life be...

The end is Christ.

That is accomplished through brokenness.

Through suffering.

Through the miracle.

Through the amazement.

Either one is just a pipeline to get us to Him.

Waiting.

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40:31

"This is as true in everyday life as it is in battle: we are given one life and the decision is ours whether to wait for circumstances to make up our mind, or whether to act, and in acting, to live.”

Omar Bradley, 

- US General who commanded US ground forces in Normandy invasion in World War II -

A Higher Purpose

We have to form habits to express what God's grace has done in us.  It is not a question of being saved from hell, but of being saved in order to manifest the life of the Son of God in our mortal flesh, and it is the the disagreeable things which make us exhibit whether or not we are manifesting His life.

~ Oswald Chambers

Washers & Worship

Today has been a crazy day... starting at five-thirty this morning. I had to run Dad and Chris to work in Iowa City, forty-five minutes away from home, come back, cat-nap for an hour, load up the kids and about six gargantous loads of laundry (our washer broke), go back to Iowa City, do some birthday shopping for Tiff, eat at McDonalds for lunch (double cheeseburgers and cold fries!), head back towards home, but not without stopping to pick up something from a friend's house, a half hour meeting with my friendly tax man, a bank deposit and a stop at the laundromat to stuff the commercial washers, all the while fighting the torrential downpour our great state is experiencing!

Ok, I think I just broke the world record for the longest run-on sentence, but that's kinda how it's been today. Now I am experiencing a nice quiet moment in the library, tho' that was a typical 'Chmelar-moment' too... I forgot my library card somewhere. Thankfully they took my license so I could use a computer. (yes, I am a real person!) *smile*

Why am I telling you all this??? Not for your sympathies... well, a little of that never hurts! As I was running around the house this morning trying to get everything in order before we left, the line from a song popped into my head, "This is a moment made for worshipping..." It hit me, even as I stuff those commercial washers with our fermenting clothes, I can worship God. He's put me here, today, alive, to worship Him. He is always worthy of that, no matter our circumstances! And He is amazingly in control!

So, soon I'll head back to the laundromat to dry those clothes and we'll have one big laundry-folding-party, but I'm alive and well. And that calls for a thought, song, or smile of worship to my amazing God!!

His Way.

I was reading the other morning, the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew chapter one.  I know, not the most exciting, but I was really impressed with something.  As I'm sure you know, the majority of those mentioned are men; with the exception of Ruth, Bathsheeba, and Mary.  I got to thinking, why were these mothers mentioned and not the other forty-plus others?

I cannot begin to assume what God was thinking when He inspired Matthew to write that chapter, but I did wonder... could it be because God wanted us to learn something?!  To take an example from them?!  I thought about the lives of those three women... they broke the mold of what was typical in their day.  Ruth left her family and country to follow her mother-in-law, Bathsheeba's husband was murdered by the man she eventually married, and Mary gave birth to a child conceived of the Holy Spirit.

I began to think, can I live the life God is calling me to live?!  Even tho' I make mistakes.  Even tho' it may not be what I would have planned and the way doesn't make sense to me, can I live it to the fullest?!  For God?!  That's when and where true joy comes!

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Nichole Nordeman sings a song called 'Brave' ... the words from the chorus strike the same chord as what I shared above.  

 

No more status quo, I think I just let go

You make me wanna be brave.

The way it always was, is no longer good enough

You make me wanna be brave!

Today.

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, savor you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may for it will not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return.

- Mary Jean Irion -

Dark Glass...

"For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; but then shall I know, even as I am know."
1 Cor 13;12

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As we walk this earth today, your circumstances may seem like complete confusion... but remember that you are looking at everything from a horizontal view. Our Father can see from all angles. He knows. He understands. He feels our pain. And He's in control.
Someday, we will see it from a better view and then will only be able to smile, knowing again that He always knew best!

"A friend loves at all times"

What is the definition of a true friend?!  Webster defines a friend as "one attached to another by affection or esteem" and true as "steadfast and loyal".  Putting those together means that a true friend is some you have a relationship with who sticks with you despite differences, happy days and dry times.  

I had the opportunity to test the strength of one of these kind of friendships this week... and I am happy to report that the bands of friendship stood strong!

I am really blessed by God to not only have strong friendships with my family, but with a handful of friends too.  These are the people that you can be real with, the people who hear you when you are discouraged, the people who God places in your life 'for such a time as this'!  As I said, there are many names I could put here, of friends like this, but God gave me the opportunity to stop and appreciate one of them this week.

This is a girl who has experienced a lot of the same growing pains I have and we've had the chance to walk thro' them together, we enjoy many of the same things, have many same goals, and most importantly, we love the same God!  This girl is very talented,  cares for people, isn't afraid to share her mind, and is very thoughtful!  Not to mention very handy with a camera and is stunningly beautiful!  (We've known that for years!!) *grin*   Our memories together range from Bible studies and late-night talks with a police officer to surprise parties and music  sessions.  

Chels, thanks for all this.  Thanks for respecting my relationship with God and supporting me there.  Thanks for all the great times together.  I look back on all our times together with a smile and look forward to our times to come with anticipation.  I can totally see us together with our children running around and us laughing on days past!

Keep looking to our Head.  I know He has great plans for our lives!   

Happy trails!!  

PS.  Sorry for the severe lack of pics together... we need to fix that! *grin*

Happy Freedom Day!

What blessings we all experience living in the Great Land of the Free. The Home of the Brave. Our family's day started with The National Anthem being pounded out on the piano by Gracie, before I had even opened my eyes!
I was thinking today of freedom. (Go figure!) I am very grateful the typical freedoms thought of most on this day. Freedom of religion. Freedom of speech. Freedom to assemble ourselves together. Freedom to be who we are.
I also thought of the freedoms that Jesus gives us. Freedom from sin. Freedom from an eternity without Him. Freedom from fear and condemnation. Freedom from a life of sadness. We have been given the gift of love and acceptence!
I thought about my trip... something I've been doing a lot more of lately! And I was thinking of the the kids. The kind of life they are living right now, is one bondage to the idea that they are not wanted. That they don't matter. The ever haunting thought, Does anyone love me???
I hope and pray that I can give them a release from these chains. I want to them to have freedom in their little lives, knowing that they are loved. That they do matter!

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Thank you Jesus, for your love that lets us live a life

full of freedom and blessings when we follow you! I love you!