Christmas Ugggh or Christmas Ahhhh?

If Christmas has ever overwhelmed you, stressed you out, made you feel like you don't measure up, revealed how completely inept your decorating abilities are, and left your house smelling like burnt slice and bake cookies- Read on sister!

If however, you are Martha Stewart, June Cleaver, or Betty Crocker- this post may stress you out and make you want to shake your finger at me while saying, "tiss, tiss, tiss."

But you'll be sad if you hit that little red X and close out of this site before reading today's post. Because the Give Away is the BEST YET!!! And yesterday's winner is announced below, so read on.

First, here's my recipe for Christmas Ahhhh instead of Christmas Urgggg!


Going into the attic.
What a mess. I’ll put cleaning it out on my resolutions list in January. But, even as I write it down I’ll know that I probably won’t ever get around to it… again.

Digging through the attic.
Opening up one of the many unmarked Christmas decorations boxes I discover that candles got stored in this one last Christmas. Too bad that there’s this season called summer that comes before Christmas rolls around again. Note to self: an attic that reaches temperatures upwards of 100 degrees is probably not the best place to store things made of wax.

Pulling down the fake tree.
Trees weren’t meant to be manufactured by man. It amazes me that God makes trees every day. I only have to assemble one a year and get totally overwhelmed trying to figure out where all the branches go. It would probably help to read the instruction manual but one would have to know where said manual is to actually read it. I’m sure I put it in safe place so that I’d be able to find it and read it in all my spare time. The problem is I have too many safe spaces in my home. Note to self: right after you clean out the attic in January, go buy a big…really big…plastic box, label it “safe place” and put things in it that you know you are otherwise going to lose.

Happy, happy, decorations time.
Each year I have Norman Rockwell visions of our family decorating the tree. But my need for balance and order just won’t let me leave the tree the way my kids decorate it. So, I find myself chastising my need for perfection the whole time I’m moving my favorite ornaments to front and center, straightening the angel, and hiding the ugly ornaments in the back of the tree. Of course the prettiest ornament will get broken, baby Jesus will go missing from the manger, and all my candle holders will be void of candles because of my attic fiasco mentioned earlier.

Menu Shemenus.
People who are organized Christmas people have these things called menus. They plan big parties with appetizers and nuts and homemade candies. I am more of a covered dish kind of girl. I don’t need a well planned menu to make my stomach happy at celebration time. I just need to invite people to my gatherings who like to cook and mask my laziness by calling it a covered dish dinner. This is one of the most fantastic ways to have people over for holiday meals as long as you invite people who like the same kind of food as you do. Note to self: Remember who brought that horrid pumpkin shrimp soup last year and cross them off the invite list. Oh but wait, I think that might have been me in some insane moment of feeling slightly gourmet. Second note to self: You are not allowed to watch the cooking channel during the holiday season so to avoid any such inspired disasters.

Trinkets, treasures and that perfect gift for grandma.
I have two words for my shopping list this year… gift certificates. Enough Said.

My attitude.
Am I having a bad attitude for Christmas this year? Well, no, actually all of the above things used to make me have a bad Christmas attitude but not this year. “It is what it is.” That’s my new Christmas motto. For me to write an article pretending that adding all this to my already overcrowded to-do list makes me happy, happy, happy, would be fake, fake, fake. So, it is what it is. Doing some of these things actually does make me happy. Some of them are truly annoying. But the most important part of it all is keeping the main thing the main thing. I love Jesus. I love my family. I love celebrating Jesus’ birthday even if my preparation for it will never be written up in the Who’s Who for Christmas Planners. It is what it is and that has helped me turn my Christmas Ugggh into a Christmas Ahhhhh!

What about you? Is there something you need to let go of or tone down with your Christmas preparations this year? Post a comment below how you'll turn your Urghhhh moments into Ahhhhhh moments and it will register you for this awesome (and very generous) giveaway by an amazing author and friend of mine- Susie Larson.

BUT FIRST YESTERDAY'S WINNER!!!!!
DRUM ROLL PLEASE--- BONITA! Congrats! You won a P31 Tote and my two marriage books, "Capture His Heart" and "Capture Her Heart." E-mail my asst. Holly at Lysa1@Proverbs31.org to give us your address and we'll send you your prize right away.

NowFOR TODAY'S GIVEAWAY... here's Susie-
Hi There, Friend,

I hope your soul is nourished and your day is blessed by the gift pack I’ve put together for you.

Here’s what you’ll be receiving in the mail from me:

· A vintage looking watch that wears like a bracelet. I have a wonderful boutique near my home and I love their watches! This watch is to remind you that your time is a gift. Cherish every moment! (Please let me know if you want the watch in gold or silver).

· Mint Foot Lotion for your blessed, but weary feet.

· A copy of my book, “Balance That Works When Life Doesn’t: Simple Steps to a Woman’s Physical & Spiritual Health" – Take your time reading this book. It’s loaded with encouragement and practical tips that will help you care for your physical and spiritual health.

· A copy of my book, “Alone in Marriage: Encouragement for the Times When it’s all up to You” - Even the strongest marriages go through one-sided seasons. Because life ebbs and flows, so does marriage. This book addresses the woman’s spiritual journey through a one-sided season. You’ll learn to wrap your arms around this time knowing that God has His arms around you.

· A copy of my CD message: “The Incredible Power of our Choices” Your choices matter because YOU matter; from the thoughts you entertain, to the things that you say and do; from the people you walk with to your walk with God. This CD will remind and challenge you to make your choices count.

· A Choxie Chocolate Bar - Just because…


Author Introduction:
Please allow me to introduce myself. I’m a wife of almost 23 years and have three almost grown, beautiful sons. I am an author, speaker, and a freelance writer for Focus on the Family. My husband and I have partnered with recording artist Sara Groves and her husband Troy to co-chair the annual fundraising banquet in Minnesota for the International Justice Mission. IJM is a powerful organization that among other things, rescues young girls from the horrific life of human trafficking. Twenty-five percent of the royalties from my “Alone” book will go directly to IJM. Please encourage your friends to pick up a copy!

Christmas Encouragement:
When I speak at Christmas events, I often give the message titled, “Wishing You a ‘Selah’ Holiday Season. The word “Selah” means to pause…and take it in. After spending many months in bed battling a devastating disease, followed by caring for my husband who endured his own battle with cancer, we have come to understand the gift of time and the value of the moment. This season…slow down long enough to catch snowflakes on your tongue. When your children laugh, laugh with them. Sit by the tree and enjoy an instrumental CD. Sit across from a friend and be completely present in the conversation. Relish the fact that Jesus is crazy in love with you because He is.

I wish you a Selah Holiday Season!

Susie Larson
To visit Susie's website click here
To visit Susie's blog click here

The Best Gift for a Wife Ever!

Okay, grab some tissues for this one. Seriously, get up and go get a tissue because you will need it. Today's post is one for you to print off and give to your husband or boyfriend or stick it in your treasure chest for your one day husband. At any rate, this is the best writing I've ever read from a man explaining how to love a wife.

But First! Let me announce the winners of my past two contests---

Valerie won the Point of Grace Give Away. Congrats!

Cindy won the $10 Starbucks certificate.

Today, I'm giving away A Proverbs 31 Tote bag (It is so cool and hip and happening, you'll love it!) and inside will be my two marriage books, Capture His Heart and Capture Her Heart. These will fit perfectly with today's post.

Then this weekend I'll be posting three more give aways that you can't afford to miss! We're talking Walmart $25 Gift Certificates, more cool books signed by some of my author friends, and more Starbucks cards! So keep visiting and posting comments which registers you to win!

Now, for the Best Gift For a Wife Ever-
This blog post was written by Milton Dykes whose wife Kristy is battling brain cancer. I know they would appreciate your prayers for Kristy. If you would like to read more about their story, click here. This is posted with Milton's permission. I titled it the Best Gift for a Wife Ever because when husbands love their wives this way, no purchased gift could ever top any one of these suggestions. Here's Milton:

This last week as I have been home for a few moments at different times while Kristy has been in the hospital dealing with a deadly tumor, some things have been very different for me. I don't think I can explain but I'll try.

I walked through the house filled with visiting family, but oh, it was sooo empty:

a kitchen...but no cook

a family room...but no family

a bedroom...but no lover

a back porch...but no one to share it's view

a dining room...but no one to dine with....

I would return to the hospital to hold the hand of my dearest, most precious friend only to wonder if after the surgery would she, could she ever see me, hear me, touch me, talk with me, share life with me again? The pain and horror of those thoughts are haunting and more terrible than you could imagine.

So what does a man who has faced such possibilities have to say to other husbands?

Hold her while you can. Hold her tightly. Hold her hand. Listen to her heart. Look into her eyes. Look at her across the room with that longing, I love you look. Kiss her more often. Be completed by her wonderful differences. Capture the magic and share the thrill of it all. Let the little things go by the board--I promise they don't matter even as much as the largest hill of beans.

Put some Cologne on and smell good for her. Take her to her favorite place to dine more often. Give a hand written, card with sweet words in it. Find out her favorite movie and share it with her. Turn football off and turn HG TV on. Let her hold the remote.

Grow up and get rid of some of your insecure, male ego. Get smarter and learn from her. Cook her a meal. Make up your bed. Wash some dishes. Do a little vacuuming. Repair something broken in the home without her asking. Let her buy a new dress without griping. You buy her a new dress without her knowing it.

Surprise her with something good.

Be male enough, strong enough, determined enough, to find your tender side. Find a few new, nice words and say them to her. Say them often. Say them sweetly and with quiet, moving, passion.

Share the moment...it might not last long.

Read her the Bible and pray with her. Pray over her heart's desire in your private prayer moments.

Let God do something fresh in your lives together.

Thankfully, many of these things have been a part of our lives for some time...but some of these thoughts are in need of my attention. Some of them I have never done.

I could quote a ton of Scripture, but this is from a hurting, tendered heart.

No wife is perfect and there is a long list of things women need to know about men, but I can tell you from a fresh wound and hurt in my being that you don't want to live and build a pile of massive regrets.

We will continue our romance. It will be sweeter, more precious, and it will have new sparkle....I promise!!

What will you do?

Ladies Listen Up:
I am asking you to put this in the hand of your husband. Tell him a man with new insight about life told you to give it to him. Print this and give to a friend whose husband might need some help. Milton Dykes c. 2007

Lysa again: Isn't that the most beautifully expressed post by a man ever? I told you you'd need tissues. Now, for today's contest, post some way that you could love your husband (or wife if a man is reading this) today in one of the ways Milton suggested. Because I believe Milton's advice can go both ways, I have been personally challenged to get more intentional with loving Art after reading this.

Oh, and yes, I'm going to print it off for him and say, "Honey, this is what I want for Christmas. I want us to love each other this way. Let's work on that."

What about you?

So, post about this and you'll be entered to win today's One Cool Christmas Give Away! Thank you to Proverbs 31 Ministries for sponsoring today's give away.

How can I put information about the Cool Christmas Give Away on my blog?

To include this banner (150 by 245 pixels) in your post or sidebar, copy and paste this code:

<a href="http://lysaterkeurst.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h46/campclan/lysa/button.gif" border="0" alt="Cool Christmas GiveAway" /></a>

I am so excited that so many of you have asked about putting this button on your blog sites. Please feel free to do that. The more that know about this fun contest the better! I have so many COOL things to give away plus really sweet perspectives to keep our hearts where they need to be this Christmas. So, I want lots of women to be able to participate.

If you don't know how to get this button on your blog, post a comment below and I'll explain it in the comments section below your question.

And if you are putting the button on your site, post a comment below with a link to your site so we can all go check it out! Thanks for participating!

Fun Contest for December

During the month of December, we women can find ourselves giving, giving, giving. There is joy in giving but there can also be exhaustion and depletion if we don't find ways to get filled back up. The best way I get filled up is by intentionally making the choice to get up most mornings and meet with the Lord. So, I'll be sure to post some good, seasonal, early morning, meeting with Jesus posts during this month.

But another great way to get filled back up is to WIN SOMETHING! Hence, my "Fabulously Fun Get Filled Back Up Christmas Give Away!"

You will have the chance to win all kinds of really cool things from a trip to the beautiful Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove to books to CD's to cool fashion jewelry to Starbucks certificates to some random stuff I'm going to bag up from one of my favorite junk drawers (just kidding)! Sound good? Are you interested? Ready to Win?

There are two ways for you to participate:

First-
Each time you post a comment on any of my blog posts from now until Christmas, I will enter you in the next drawing. Sometimes these will be random drawings and sometimes they will based on your fantastically creative answers. Make sure to include either your e-mail address or your blog address in your posted comment so I can contact you! I'll be drawing out winners a couple of times a week all through the month of December.

The only exception to this will be the trip to the Cove give away. You'll be registering for that on my friend Nancy's website. More details about that to come soon!

Second-
If you have some kind of prize that you'd like to donate to all the fun, let me know by posting your e-mail address below and I'll contact you. If your prize will work for the contest, then I'll feature you, your prize, and your blog (if you have one) on my blog a few days before I give your prize away. If you're looking to drive some extra traffic to your blog, this will be a great way to do it. Or if you are simply feeling extra generous this Christmas season and just want to bless some worn out sisters, then that's great too!

Oh what fun we are sure to have!

Now--- are you ready for the first prize? Drum Roll please----

A $10 STARBUCKS CERTIFICATE! (Oh yes!)
And this prize will go to the person who can post the most interesting factoid about coffee, or Starbucks, or your friend who embarrasses the stink out of you in the way she orders her high maintenance special order coffee. (I'm smiling and so are those who know me well.)

So, post away, post away, post away all.

Living out the message

Hi Friends!
I hope you had an amazing Sunday. Maybe some of you spent the day in the car driving back from visiting family. Or maybe some of you spent the day laying on the couch after a freak accident like my friend Marybeth. I haven't talked to her today but as of last night she was trying to decide what to do after having her toe nail folded at a 90 degree angle on her big toe by her five year old slamming a door into it. Owie, owie, owie.

This happened to me once when I was very pregnant with our first daughter. I tripped over the vacuum cleaner and ripped off part of my big toe nail. With each pulse of my rapidly beating heart, red droplets were spurting out of my toe onto my white bedroom carpet.

I was moaning and crying. My valiant husband quickly made his way to my side. Oh sigh, my hero. In my most dramatic fashion (imagine that, me dramatic!) I cried, "pick me up and carry me to the bathroom for the pain is such that I can not move" (spoken like a true damsel in distress complete with a head tossed back and a slight swipe of the back of my hand across my forehead.)

And do you know what my prince replied?

"Pick you up? You weigh more than I do!"

Did I mention I was very pregnant? And in his defense, he was right. I weighed more at that point than he did. But this is one small fact he would have done well to keep to himself. He should have just strained his back while making it seem like I was light as a feather and helped a sister out.

So, I feel bad for Marybeth's toe and I imagine she spent her day with her toe propped up.

But maybe many of you weren't traveling, or propped up on your couch and got to attend church with your family today. Here are two questions I want to challenge you to ponder:

1. What was the message about?
2. How can you apply what you learned to your life this week?

I spoke at Southbrook today. My greatest joy after speaking does not come when people tell me I did a good job. What makes my heart filled with satisfaction is knowing that some that heard the message internalized it enough to not only remember what it was about, but also are looking for ways to apply it.

And I'm sure whoever spoke at your church today, be it your pastor or a guest speaker like me, would feel the same way.

So, if you have a moment post a comment below answering my questions above regarding your experience at church today. Or, if you are like Marybeth and have a bum toe situation, comment about that and we'll all laugh- I mean pray for you!

Have a great week!

A Great Christmas Resource

Now that the Christmas season is officially in full swing, I am making a renewed commitment this year. Sometimes I spend so much time preparing everything from my decorations, to menus, to parties, to how my Christmas card will look, that I overlook the most important preparation of all! My heart.

Though my heart is the most important part of my preparations, busyness during this season can easily crowd out getting my heart focused where it should be. So, this year I'm getting proactive. I'm putting a great new resource front and center during my holiday preparations! It's a great new e-book by Marybeth Whalen called, "A Recipe for Christmas Joy."

Let me tell you the fantastic things you'll find inside:
~ ways to keep your heart where it should be
~ beautifully written devotions around the various Christmas activities you'll find yourself doing
~ recipes, recipes, recipes! Marybeth cooks like a pro but only uses really easy recipes! I have used most of them and can atest they are great. And if I can easily follow them, anyone can!
~ ways to organize your to-do list this Christmas
~ the meanings behind some of the things we celebrate. This is great so I can finally answer some of my kid's Christmas questions intellegently!
~Decorating tips and much more!

I give this e-book my highest endorsement. Not only will it bless you but it will also help Marybeth out in three big ways!
1. It will encourage her to see your order come in. Seriously, she does a happy dance with every order!
2. It will show the Christian publishing world that Marybeth has a message worth sharing and maybe by next Christmas we can all see her book in bookstores~
3. It will help Marybeth buy a new washing machine! With 6 kids and LOTS of dirty clothes- a washing machine is a great thing to have.

So, order your copy today. I promise you'll love this e-book!

To order, click here to get to Marybeth's blog and then click on the side bar "Joy" icon. You can also scroll down in her November posts to read what her husband says about this e-book.

Merry Christmas!

What did Daniel pray?

So, yesterday I was in a pit. But today, I am choosing to be thank-full instead of pity-full. With each thing I verbalize my thankfulness for, it is like a stepping stone out of the pit.

Interestingly enough, there is always a Bible character that you can read about who found themselves in the pit as well. I mean, God's people have a tendency to be pit dwellers. But, the beautiful thing about the Bible stories is God always shows the way out.

In Daniel 6:10, Daniel had just learned that if anyone was caught praying to anyone else besides King Darius, then they would be thrown into the Lion's Den. That's a serious pit! But Daniel's reaction is amazing.

He went home, threw his windows open, and prayed anyway. I'm not thinking he did this because he felt good. I'm imagining he felt like anyone would feel if their life was in danger. But he rose above his feelings to make a choice.

And do you know what he chose to pray?

"God, save me"? No.

"God, it's not fair"? No.

"God, this is too much"? No.

"God, help me face this with courage"? No.

"God, smite my enemies and wipe them out"? No.

What Daniel prayed is a powerful lesson for me.

Daniel prayed, "Thank you God." That's right the Bible said Danial prayed prayers of Thanksgiving just as he had done before.

What this teaches me is three things. First, that Daniel had a habit of being thankful therefore, God -who God is and what God provides- was front and center in Daniel's heart.

Secondly, being a thankful person helped Daniel combat fear and feelings of being overwhelmed. Never once does the story mention Daniel trying to hide. He threw his windows open and made sure people saw him praying! Daniel knew that if God saved him from the lions, he would be okay. Daniel also had peace that if God did not save him from the lions, he would be in heaven with God and therefore okay.

Lastly, Daniel's unwavering faith in God, made a lasting impression on others. At the end of Daniel's lion den experience, King Darius says in verse 26 that Daniel's God, our God, is the living God who endures forever!"

God, I know it is normal for us to sometimes find ourselves in a pit. But we don't have to stay there. Thank you for providing your timeless truths that prove to us over and over again, how powerfully capable You always are.

So, I'm off on the ten hour drive to my mom's with a new attitude. Prayers of Thanksgiving won't just be said over my turkey dinner this year. They will be prayed all throughout my journey!

May it be so for you as well. Have a Thank-FULL Thanksgiving! Comment below what you are most thankful for today.

And for those of you coming to Southbrook Church this weekend, I'll be there speaking all 4 services. Can't wait to see you!

Reporting LIVE...from the pit

I know I don't deserve any sympathy at all. After all, I just returned home from The Cruise. But all girlfriends know that on the other side of every mountain top experience is a pit just waiting to drag you down.

Most of the time, I step around or leap over the pit. But today I tripped right down in it. You see I am swaying from the after affects from the ship. I'm not kidding, it is the strangest thing but my sight is off balance and everything is rocking back and forth.

So, I am officially having one of "those" days. Oh how I wanted a happy, do-dah, yippee, skippy day. But alas my heart just drug through the mud as we drove up to discover everyone else at our little private school this morning was wearing jeans while my girls had their uniforms on. I missed the e-mail about casual dress day while on the cruise. (bad mommy award #1!)

Then when I picked them up, I was promptly told that because I did not turn in my Parent Cooperative Volunteer hour log, that my kids would be going home without their report cards! (bad mommy award #2!)

Then this afternoon my cell phone was ringing in the middle of me talking sternly to my son about why we should never pass gas in the small confines of a vehicle. I thought I had hit the silence button.

But just as I was getting to the part where I said for the fifth time that it smelled like something had crawled up inside of him and died, I hear a voice coming from the depths of my purse. "Hello?" "Hello?" It was a Hollywood producer on the phone. (I'll tell you that crazy story on another day. Right now, I just want to stay in my pity party for a little while longer.)

I had to take Mark to the doctor because he thought he had broken his ankle. The good news is that it's only torn ligaments. The bad news is torn ligaments will take longer to heal than if it were broken.

Finally, we are supposed to be driving to Florida to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. However, my mom has been diagnosed with Spinal Meningitis. She can't stand noise or light. Hmmmm...and I am bringing 5 kids to be combined with my sister, Angee's three kids. Oh and Angee has thrown her back out and can barely move at this present moment. That will leave me and my swaying back and forth self with my newly married (never made a Thanksgiving meal in her life) sister named Sarah to cook for the entire family...while in the dark and quiet I might add.

Do they serve turkey at McDonalds?

I know there will be rich and deep spiritual insights to be pulled from this whole thing. I'm just too dizzy to find them right now. If any of you can see them for me, please post a comment and help a sister out!

I will post more about the cruise and some great photos later this week. Oh, I'm extending the Point of Grace give away two more days! I thought it might be fun to announce the winner on Thanksgiving. POG gave me a signed photo and their greatest hits CD to give away. So, if you haven't registered--- go back to my post from last Friday and register!

Well, I'm off to feed my kids lunchables for dinner. Like I said- reporting LIVE from the pit.

When The Lights Go Down

Greetings from the Premiere Girl’s Getaway Cruise Again! If you think about it will you pray for me tonight? I’m doing the main stage which can be quite daunting especially when you know that all these music artists and speakers you’ve admired for years will be sitting in the audience.

I’ll also need major prayer this afternoon as well. Point of Grace asked me to be on their team for the speaker/ artist volley ball game. In a moment of temporary insanity, I said yes. I think they mistakenly think that I’m athletic. If only they knew that on a scale from one to ten, one being the worst, my hand-eye coordination wouldn’t even register on this scale. I’m serious, I have issues and now I’m supposed to play volley ball??? Oh dear. Thanks so much for the prayers!!!

Now for the point of my post today- when the lights go down and whoever is bigger than life on stage heads back to their room, they are just like you and me. People. People with hurts and fears and insecurities and dreams and struggles and inadequacies.

I’ve been a speaker and a writer for a while now. But, I still get this excited feeling in my gut before I take the stage that says, “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Part of the feeling is a nervous energy. Part of the feeling is the amazement of the adventure God has had me on since making the commitment to say yes to Him everyday. But part of the feeling is also awe that God would use a simple, ordinary, very flawed woman like me.

Being on the cruise this week and getting to know some of the other speakers and music artists on a deeper level has been so good for me. I too have made the mistake of looking at them and thinking how perfect and charmed their lives must be. I would take my inside life and hold it up to their outside life and feel like I fell so short.

What a ploy this is by Satan to render us ineffective for the cause of Christ. To measure our inside knowledge of our own personal insecurities up to the outside appearance of someone else will always leave us feeling inadequate. The blessing for me this week has been getting to peak on the inside of other speakers and artists and getting to see how much we need to stop making assumptions.

Chonda Pierce shared so vulnerably the other night from the main stage about her struggle with extreme depression this past year. On New Year’s Eve of last year, her family committed her to the hospital for fear that she might hurt herself. God has met her tenderly and she is on the road to recovery. This woman who so many of us have viewed as larger than life, perfect in every way carries hurts and burdens just like the rest of us.

Lisa Welchel shared yesterday about God calling her to a 40 day fast from making any decisions in her marriage. She and Steve were in a hard place, a really hard place. During her decision fast God taught her many things she needed to differently to build her husband up. This woman who so many of us have viewed as larger than life, perfect in every way struggles with her relationships just like the rest of us.

And then last night, Leigh from Point of Grace, shared about a string of bad decisions she made while in college that led her to an abortion clinic. God has done a miraculous work of healing in her heart but the scar is still there. One of POG’s songs on their new album is about this. Leigh sings it so gracefully from a heart that has lived its message. This woman who so many of us have viewed as larger than life, perfect in every way carries scars just like the rest of us.

So, tonight it will be my turn. Please pray that I shatter the myth that I have it together in any way. I want the women in my audience to know how ordinary I really am. I pray the spotlight shifts off of me and only magnifies my sweet Jesus. The One who picked my heart up out of the pit of depression, darkness, shame, anger, and fear and tenderly whispered to me, “Lysa if you’ll hold on to me and follow my truth, I will take what Satan meant for evil and use for good.”

Leigh from Point of Grace Saved My Life today!

I’m not kidding. It was the perfect recipe for disaster. Take one man old enough to have been friends with Moses who felt compelled to drive over 80 mph. Now combine that with 25 mph gusts of winds that made our bus literally sway and swerve like we were on a boat in stormy seas. Then top it off with fast driven Moses friend telling us that he was so tired all he wanted was a beer! And my nerves felt like they were crawling through my skin!!!

Today is our first day on the Premiere Girl’s Getaway Cruise. We were so excited as we lugged our 18 zillion suitcases toward the cruise line shuttle bus. (Okay LeAnn, Sharon, and Marybeth only had one suitcase each. I won’t tell you how many Renee and I had because it’s just not important. Let’s just say we got some good exercise in dragging and lugging and kicking and pulling our stuff entourage.)

So we get our stuff to the bus when this cool, hip, country accent chick walks up and introduces herself as Leigh from Point of Grace. She actually acted excited to meet us gals from P31. We all played it off as if we meet famous singer people all the time but inside our hearts we were all like- aaaahhhhhhh we are ridin’ da’ bus with Point of Grace- oh yeah, oh yeah!

We all get on the bus and Moses dude just takes off like Nascar has been calling his name.

(We interrupt this blog post because Renee has just informed me that though we’ve eaten more food than is legal, she is hungry and we are going to the midnight buffet- great just what my cellulite collection needs, a few more lumps. Not to mention that I’m in my PJ’s, I’ve washed all the make-up off my face, and my five zits from last week that are still slightly visible have invited a friend the size of Mt.McKinney to join their blemish parade on my face. URRRGGGHHH!)

(We’re back. I had a slice of pizza with a cup of hot chocolate. Why hot chocolate? Because we are all about to get frost bite from our not so tropical, tropical cruise. Lord, can we have tomorrow served sunny side up?)

So, Nascar Moses dude takes off and never looks back. At first we just nervously chatted with him and politely asked if he could slow down a bit. But when he started in on the figure eight type swerving Leigh couldn’t take it any longer. “Give him some gum,” she encouraged us. “Gum?” we asked. “Yes, it will help him stay awake.”

But dude refused the gum. So, Leigh decided a more straight forward life saving technique would be required. “Dude, you have got to slow down, seriously, I mean SLLLLOOOWWW down!”

Renee, feeling empowered by Leigh’s boldness chimed in, “Yeah, we’re more like 60 mph kinda gals.”
By the time we reached the cruise ship miraculously still in tact, we had become friends with Leigh. She is just as real and down to earth as you would ever hope a friend to be. So, if there are any Point of Grace fans out there- post a comment below. I will draw a name this weekend from the comments posted and the winner will get a personal note from my new friend, Leigh!

Fear-LESS

Last week my sister called to tell me that she’d gotten an urgent call from the school nurse. The bad news- Her son had gotten choked on a piece of apple. The great news- the nurse was able to successfully do the Heimlich maneuver and he was going to be fine.

I must admit, instantly when I heard the word “choked” my heart seized and my pulse started to race. Even when I heard that my nephew was going to be fine, it still took my heart a while to calm down. You see, I know sometimes these stories don’t end with, “and he’s going to be fine.”

When I was 18 years old, my baby sister tragically died after having surgery. Before the surgery, everyone thought she would be fine. Even the doctors were shocked by what happened.

Do you ever fear something happening to one of your children? For most moms, this is their greatest fear. You see your teenage son drive away from your home and fear grabs your heart. You hear of another child getting diagnosed with cancer and you start asking the what if questions. You watch the news reports on a child that has been abducted and you hold yours just a little tighter that night. You know that children die every day from drowning, accidents, and choking and it can make you feel helpless and overly controlling all at the same time.

Having 5 children, I know these fears well. I know their paralyzing affects. I know how it can make you want to just tuck your kids under your wing and never let them leave your side. But I also know that this is not how God wants us to handle our fears. And I know it would not be healthy for my kids to never be able to spread their own wings and fly.

So, I pray. I read God’s truths. I verbalize my trust in Him. And I make the choice to walk in assurance.

The minute those fears start to creep in and haunt my heart, I repeat this cycle. Does it mean that nothing bad will ever happen to my children? No. Does it mean that my heart can finally find peace past the fears that could consume me. Yes.

The next time you find yourself being pulled into fear, try these steps:

Pray-
Pray honestly to God telling Him what you are afraid of and ask Him to help you not live in this fear. Ask Him for his protection over whatever you fear. But also ask God to fill your heart with the rich blessing of His perspectives so that no matter what, you will be reassured.

Read God’s Truths-
On the same day my nephew had that choking incident in school, I had read an amazing verse that I tucked in my heart. Who knew I would need it that very day? God did. Here’s the verse: "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven (Matthew 18:10).

Do my children really have guardian angels? I was always hesitant to think this because it seemed mystical and new age-ish. But here it is in God’s Word! Not only do my children have a guardian angel that has direct access to God but because I am a child of God, I must have one as well! Think about this for a minute. God has assigned an angel to guard over our children and us every minute of every day. And there is never a second where God does not know what is going on with us. Knowing this, we are ready for what we must do next.

Verbalize My Trust in Him-Isaiah 54:10 reminds us, “ ‘Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the LORD, who has compassion on you.”

God’s love is too consuming not to have our best interest in mind. Pause for a minute and let’s state that profound truth again. God’s love for me, my children, my husband, my family, and my friends is too consuming not to have our best interest in mind. If I really believed this with all my heart, I could completely trust God.

That’s how we can process the fact that bad things sometimes do happen and still trust. I think we struggle at not fully trusting God because we know the realities of this world. Parents trust God and children still go missing, choke, get cancer, and die in car accidents. This is hard to reconcile apart from understanding God’s love.

God’s love is complete and able to transcend the here and now. God sees an eternal picture that we’ll never understand on this side of eternity. God is all-knowing and fully compassionate. Therefore, we can trust that even when the outcome seems tragic to us, it is still in the best interest of the one He loves. I’m convinced He allows one thing, to save that person from that which is so much worse. Oh Lord, may I never forget that your love is too consuming not to have my best interest in mind.

Knowing this, I can say out loud, “God I trust You are bigger than my fears. And no matter what I will continue to trust You and your perfect plan. Therefore I make the choice to reject the paralyzing feeling of fear so I can walk confidently in the truth of Your assurance.

Walk in Assurance- Go ahead and face your greatest fears. Write them out and ask yourself the tough question of “what if this fear came true?” For my list, I faced the tragedy of each fearful situation and then made the choice to also see how God could bring good out of each and every one.

When I look back on the horrors that I faced in my childhood, I can now so easily trace God’s goodness through each one. And amazingly it is well with my soul. The abandonment, the sexual abuse, the loss of my sister, the shame and sting of rejection, the abortion--- it is all well with my soul. For whatever it took to bring me to the sweet intimacy I now have with Jesus, I would not want it to be different. Thought the circumstances of my childhood were rotten, God’s plan throughout my childhood was good and perfect. I see that now and my trust in Him grows stronger still.

I am now Thank-FULL which helps me live Fear-LESS.

Post a comment below about your fears and any verses that have been particularly helpful to you.

By the way--- Two things I want to let you all know about-
First- Thanksgiving weekend I will be speaking at all 4 services on the topic of Thank-FULL, Fear-LESS at my church, Southbrook Community Church. I'd love for you to come if you'll be in the Charlotte area. Click on my pastor's blog or my church's website for more information.

Second- I'm leaving today to speak on the Christian Women's Cruise! LeAnn Rice, Marybeth Whalen, Sharon Glasgow, Renee Swope and I will try to post pictures and commentary of our adventures. So, stay tuned!

New Post Coming Tonight!

Hi sweet blogging friends!
I have been on a whirlwind speaking tour and unable to blog this week. But, I've got a post that will be ready by tonight. The topic will be on fear. Imagine your life if you could wake up everyday and no matter what you face, you could handle it unafraid. Stay tuned...
Blessings!

This little sock went to the market and this one stayed home

How does this happen? I folded my laundry today. Each time I came across a sock with no match I laid it on the edge of this basket. Now I am assuming since there are no people living in my home with only one foot, that each was originally worn as a pair.

But my dirty clothes bin creates issues for sock couples. For by the time they get washed and dried they have broken up. So where do socks go when they suddenly find themselves single? They come to my house!!! That's right, take a look at this absolute mountain of single socks...look closely. Closer. Closer. Un hunh, I bet a few of these look familiar to you, don't they?



If you would like to claim one or more of these single socks, post a comment quickly. I'm thinking of selling the whole mountain as a package deal on e-bay. I'll throw in a loaf of my banana bread that is only missing one slice. Yes, I did much better today and no new blemish friends came out to play. Oh, and of course what would really entice my buyers would be to throw in my hotlips perma lipstick.

Then I'd have enough money to buy the zit remedies you all recommended on yesterday's post! Now your assignment today is to post your best advice on keeping your sock couples together- I can't wait to read your creative ideas.

Sock it to me.

ps. A special hello to all my new blog readers who have told me you heard my interview that aired on Family Life Today. I will be their guest again tomorrow. If you'd like to listen click here to go to their website. I promise you'll find more spiritual depth in my interview then what is posted on my blog this week. Every girl just has to be a little silly every now and then.

The Tale of Five Zits

Once there was a woman who had five uninvited guests
Upon her cheek, chin, jaw and nose they did decide to rest.

You see that very week she put chocolate in her banana bread
Feeling all bakery like, the gooey treat went to her head.

It wasn’t enough to bake one batch or even two or three
This little baking sprite had to quadruple the recipe.

One bite for me, one for you, then two more bites for me
She danced about with her spatula singing so happily.

She ate and ate and then scooted to bed feeling very full
That’s when a zit and four of its friends thought her face looked too dull.

So they all moved in got under her skin and puffed right up
Now her complexion is bad and she’s down in the dumps.

So what would the moral of this silly little story be?
Throw your rotten bananas away to avoid this misery!

Now a note to the sweetest woman on the planet who called me gorgeous on the very day that I had reason to write this horrid poem:

To: Cindy from Still His Girl blog.

If I could sing, I’d write you a song.
If I could dance, I’d do a jig just for you.
If I could buy the moon, I’d put you in the spot light.
If I could bake you bread without eating too much myself, I’d send some your way.
But since I can’t do any of these things…

I’ll simply blog a heart felt thank you for your kind, kind words of encouragement!

Now, if any of you have any magic remedies for getting rid of blemishes (my mom would rather me call them this and since I’ve already broken the no red meat and no spray Pam rules this week, I better honor her wishes to call zits blemishes) please post your best ones in the comments below.

Me and My five unwanted face friends send you sweet smiles-

Feeling all bakery-like

Well, I've been unsuccessful in comendearing three rotten bananas today. Renee had just thrown hers away when I called this morning. Then I went into the Proverbs 31 office and asked LeAnn- would you believe she had just thrown hers away yesterday as well! I asked if I could come over to her house and dig them out of the trashcan but they were mixed in with a broken dish. Bummer! I'm desperate but not that desperate.

I did get one from my friend and faithful assistant, Holly. So, I'm still hunting down 2 more. A month ago I had rotten bananas galore but in a hissy fit of unorganized and overstuffed freezer frustration, I tossed all my hopes of turning blackened bananas into the treasure they were always meant to be, right into the trashcan. Hummff.

Okay- here's the recipe for those of you lucky enough to be the proud owners of rotten bananas.

3 Ripe Bananas
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
3/4 cup chocolate chips... or broken up pieces of some kind of chocolate

That's all the ingredients. I don't have any instructions on how to smush and mix and all that. I just stirred things in the bowl in the order of how they are listed on the ingredients list. And let me tell you it is YUMMY!
Oh, but wait, you do have to bake it at 325 degrees for one hour. And, I divided the batter into two Pam Sprayed pans---(yes, my mom has told me that stuff is bad too- but at this busy stage of life I just pray before I use red meat and Pam spray and all the other toxic things I feed my family everyday-sigh). Hey, at least this yummy treat meets all four food groups: fruits, protein (egg), grains (flour), and chocolate! You will love this and feel so healthy kind-of.

Now for the spiritual insight about this banana bread baking thing.

I am on a journey with learning how to put off my old self- that is my natural fleshly way of doing things. In my flesh I am all kinds of unpleasant things. I am lazy. I am full of excuses. I am all about me- not about making things like banana bread for others to enjoy. I am all about taking the easy out.


But God tells me in Ephesians 4:22-24, "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

So, it is a choice I make.

Instead of being lazy, I grab hold of God's strength in me and set my mind to accomplishing something. Then the accomplishment, no matter how small, breaks the curse of laziness.

Instead of being full of excuses, I grab hold of God's motivation in me and take the first step past my excuses. Then that step becomes my success which spurs me onward to bigger successes.

Instead of being all about me, I grab hold of God's character being birthed in me and see real joy comes in giving to others not in keeping to myself.

Instead of taking the easy way out, I grab hold of God's tenacity being developed in me and see that the harder way is the better way for my fleshly tendencies to be diminshed.

My fleshly tendencies are a lot like those rotten bananas. Worthless yet worthy all at the same time. For what appears to be bad, can become quite good with the right recipe. Mix in a little flour and sugar with rotten bananas baked at 325 and you'll get something quite good. Mix in a little prayer and perspective with a rotten attitude baked at Ephesians 4:22-25 and maybe there's hope for me yet.

And so it goes. Life. Life lessons from rotten bananas. One fantastic journey.

Ps: If you want a more proper recipe for Banana Bread hop over to my friend Marybeth's blog. She is a homemaker extraordinare who posts all kinds of meal plans, recipes, and honest life observations.

Going Bananas

I am so excited today I can hardly stand it! Last night I conquered something big in my life. No, it wasn't big in terms of spiritual growth, although it does have a great spiritual application. No, I didn't get through the day without getting frustrated at one of my kids. (Brooke's desire to put sponge curlers in her hair at 9:15pm messed that plan up.) No, I didn't make a gourmet meal for my family finally. (But my husband and kids did love the boxed Hamburger Helper meal that I painstakingly created!) No, I didn't finally listen to my Mom and stop feeding my family red meat. (She called yesterday and informed me of all the deadly reasons moms should never feed their kids red meat while I was staring at the box that clearly called for two pounds of it.)

No- My BIG news is that I DIDN'T THROW AWAY THE ROTTEN BANANAS! I didn't stick them in the freezer waiting for that day when I feel all bakery like. I didn't toss them out the back door calling for the wild animals to enjoy my contribution to nature! And finally I didn’t hide them in the bottom of the trashcan feeling that guilt wash over me that once again I am a no banana bread baking criminal! No, I peeled and smushed, and whipped, and stirred all the homemade ingredients together required for banana bread!

I even added butterscotch chips (that I’ve had in my pantry for years just waiting for this homemaker moment to strike me---those things don’t go bad do they?) and dark chocolate pieces. I say pieces because the recipe actually called for chips which I had none of. So I raided my kids’ candy stash and pulled out all the dark chocolates I could find, broke them up, and with all the zest of Rachel Ray I tossed them in. I think even she would say, "FABULICIOUS!"

Suddenly, my home was filled with a rare smell of homemadeness that I loved! This morning my kids woke up and were literally fighting over my banana butterscotch kind-of like chocolate chips bread.

Okay- now here’s the challenge. What little task have you been avoiding that has pangs of guilt entangling your heart? Organizing that junk drawer…a phone call to say I’msorry-matching those zillions of mateless socks--- yes I have all that and more. But why not conquer one of those tasks today? It will make you feel so accomplished and free!

Now, I am on a quest for some more rotten bananas. I just called my friend Renee to ask if she has some she can donate to my cause. But alas she had just thrown hers away- sigh. But she then asked for my recipe!!! Victory. I haven't had someone ask me for a recipe in years. Major, major victory.

I’ll post my recipe and some spiritual insights about going bananas tomorrow.
Sweet Blessings!

Hot Lips

I am such a complete sucker for marketing ploys. At one point my husband banned me from infomercials… it always looks like the greatest stuff. And the people selling it sound so genuine. Even if it is the dumbest infomercial thing in the world I’ll get sucked in by their enthusiasm. I just have to support their little invention that is only available for a limited time and if you call in the next 30 minutes you get their dumb invention number two as a bonus. Then when you call that 1-800 number, there is this script reading girlfriend who needs to talk you into an upgrade so she’ll get a bonus… of course I have to help girlfriend out so I add dumb invention number three for only $9.99 more.

What started out as a $20 impulse buy turns into a plus handling, plus taxes, plus upgrade, plus shipping disaster that eventually winds up going to the Goodwill because it didn’t make me lose ten pounds in ten seconds or magically roll about my house cleaning every stain without me lifting a finger.

So, eventually I learned how to turn the channel the minute I start to hear the words, “You just have to have this latest and greatest…” I take the clicker and start repeating, just say no…just say no… just say NOOOOOOOOHHHH… just say no! (sung to the tune of Bob and Larry’s Where is My Hairbrush Song or something like that.)

While I have successfully conquered the evils of infomercials… I can still be snookered. So the other day I went to get my hair cut at a very thrifty little salon. Seriously, I don’t like spending a lot of money on beauty type stuff. But after I saved so much getting my hair cut, I allowed myself to meander in the products store. That when I spotted Magic Lips! Ohhhh, ohhh, ohhh the sign says it stays on for 18 hours. I asked the lady in the store if the sign was speaking truth… like she is going to say something contrary to what her boss just printed on the sales sign…hmmm.

But I just so desperately wanted to believe that there could be such a thing and to beat all it was on SALE…of course. But you can’t just buy magic lips… you have to buy the gloss to apply on top and you have have to buy this stuff called OOPS! Because if you apply magic lips while driving (that’s me always!) and you hit a bump that causes the color to run up into a nostril, well…. You can’t fix said mistake without this OOPS product. (note to self…this is sounding a whole lot like the plus upgrade, plus handling, plus a partridge in a pear tree situation that I’m supposed to be singing my Bob and Larry song to!)

With my heart beating fast and my face just waiting to become magical… I purchase LIPS and run to car. Visions of beauty are dancing about in my mind when I whip out magic lips and apply.

OH MY STARS!!!! Let me just say if I were to dip my lips in gasoline and strike a match… it would not even hold a candle (excuse the sorry pun) to the fire that just got lit on the only set of lips my face owns. Owie, Owie, Owie Owie! Then they got stuck together when I pursed them trying to ease the pain. Oh wait, quick, maybe the problem is that I need that gloss stuff.

Shoot, shoot, shoot, I accidently applied the OOPS stuff and all that pain was for nothing. I had to start all over. Finally, ten minutes, 2 long streams of tears, and three magic products later I had some fine looking lips!

I was so proud of my lip burning self that I had to share my pain… I mean beauty secret-with a friend. Enter Wendy Pope- the only sweet sister at the Proverbs 31 office kind enough (sucker enough) to try and see if it burned her lips as well.

It did.

I had a serious case of inappropriate laughter disorder as I watched her bounce about fanning her lips.

Later she e-mailed to say that only one stripe across her bottom lip remained for 18 hours. After realizing she had no OOPS product to fix her situation I had another case of inappropriate laughter disorder.

So, how is it working out for me? Well, I thought just fine. I mean I can deal with the skin pealing off my lips from being burned day after day for almost a week now. I love that the color really does stay. But this morning my husband (who never notices stuff like this at all!) asked me about my lipstick…hmmm.

Him- Is it new?
Me- Kinda
Him- It’s not good
Me- Define good
Him- Colorless gloss is better for your face
Me- What’s wrong with my face?
Him- Your lips

I guess it was a bad idea to apply 18 hour lips at 6pm last night. I think my magic lips scared him in the middle of the night. He wouldn’t admit to it but they did kinda scare me when I got up this morning.

So, I’m still smiling... but without perma lips today... he banned that mess from attending church with us.

But I still hear it calling my name… Lysa, Oh Lyyyysssssaaaa… beautiful lips, remember us…come on baby light your lips on fire.

Please make me feel better and post a response about the dumbest thing you’ve ever purchased.

Smiling---kinda.

Oh by the way... the winner to my contest is Cindy from Still His Girl blog. Congrats girl!...