Rich!

"A faithful person will be richly blessed." (Proverbs 28:20)

We hear a lot of talk about wealth these days. Who has it? Who wants it? Who squanders it? It doesn't take more than a few moments of current events before someone is screaming about it. And while the world may not know it, I feel I must proclaim...

I'm Rich.

Not according to my bank account.
Not because of my social standing.
Not due to the neighborhood in which I dwell.
Not because of my car, my clothes, or anything I now possess.
In all the areas of wealth measured in society, my standing is quite ordinary.

But I will say it again...I am rich.

I am rich in love...
I have been married to my college sweetheart for over 18 years, and I still adore him. While time has changed us both, I still get butterflies when my honey walks through the door each night.

I am rich in laughter...
Three rambunctious and comical children fill the rooms of my home with games, giggling, jokes, and fun. There is never a day that we don't laugh together. NEVER.

I am rich in friendship...
My circle is small and strong. A handful of sensational, Godly women stand as my hedge when the world around me gets crazy. They accept me for who I am today, and encourage me to grow into who God created me to be. With love and support, these women fill my life with a sense of belonging.

I am rich in family...
Though I reside hundred of miles away from nearly all of my extended family, I have found they are never more than a phone call or text message away. Whether in celebration and triumph or grief and fear, my family is never far from my heart.

And most of all, I am rich in faith...
I have a relationship with my Heavenly Father that I treasure above all others in my life. He is my Hiding Place, my Redeemer, My Savior, my Comforter, my Rock, and my Friend. Over the years, I have learned to walk with Him through all of life's adventures. He quiets my fears, hears my prayers, speaks into my circumstances, and brings light into my darkness.

We are warned in Ecclesiastes, "Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income." (Ecclesiastes 5:10) In short, wealth will never be enough to satisfy our need for riches. To the contrary, true riches are not measured in dollar signs, real estate deals, or clothing labels. Indeed, real treasure is stored in the deepest places of the heart.

As my heart swells with gratitude for all that God has lavished on me in this life, I am reminded of this simple truth... I'm Rich. For I am richly blessed by the Lord.

Bread and Sparrows

Jack got the bread out of the pantry and quizzically asked, "Hey Mom. What's that thing called that Dad's pay when parents get divorced? You know the money that takes care of the kids? What is that called?"

It seemed an odd question for him to ask while he was packing his lunch on this busy Wednesday morning. And now, he had my full attention. "Child support, honey." I replied surprised. "Why do you ask?"

"My friend Derek (name has been changed to protect the innocent) doesn't eat lunch on the days we have Chess Club," Jack said sadly. "His parents are divorced and his Dad doesn't pay child support. His mom doesn't have money to buy extra stuff for their cupboards so Derek can't bring his lunch and he doesn't like to wait in line on Chess Club day...he'll miss too much. So, he just doesn't eat that day. So, I've been sharing my lunch with him."

"Son, why don't you pack an extra sandwich and an apple for Derek from now on for Chess Club day? We can make sure Derek has lunch AND plays Chess," I replied. "And," I continued, let's pray that God shows Derek how precious he is in God's sight.

It was a pain I know all too well. For, I too have a biological father who refused to pay child support. As a child, I remember hearing his animosity about having to "support" us. Feeling ashamed to be just one more inconvenient expense, I remember thinking how strange it was that my Dad could afford cigarettes. A new dog. Even a sailboat. But that my needs were insignificant. Not many years later, I became a forgotten obligation as his sporadic payments stopped completely and he dropped out of my life forever. I was the same age as my son today. Lucky for me, my mother married a man who stepped into those shoes and took on the responsibilities left behind by my father. I was grateful and we never wanted for anything. The man the world calls my stepfather, but whom I know as Dad, took care of all our needs.

Still, My father's indifference over the years had taught me a very powerful lesson in self-reliance. I was a good student. And, I learned it well.

In fact, I became a master of "do it yourself".

For many years.

No matter how desperate the need... emotional, financial, physical...I refused to ask anyone for help. Not even my parents. After all, I foolishly reasoned, I wasn't worth it.

I am not sure when I started to see the holes in the lie I had chosen to believe, but I praise God that he was able to turn my eyes upward, rather than inward. At some point, in brokenness and heartache, I learned that I just could not do life alone. And little by little, I reached out for help.

I started small...
("Can I get a ride to class?")

Then I grew a bit bolder...
("Can you babysit my kids?")

And then bolder still...
("Will you pray for my need? Listen to my heart? Care about my pain?")

Now mind you, the list of those on whom I might depend is select and subject to change. But I have learned to rely on someone besides me. And more importantly, I know there is no shame in needing a hand up.

Yet, when it comes to my Heavenly Father, I think I only learned today, through the innocence of my son, what it means to be cared for by THE Father.

For the past couple of weeks, I have been struggling with an important decision, and I have been wrestling with God about our provision. As for many, finances are tight around the Arbuckle house, and we could use a little extra money. (Especially this time of year when marketers start to brainwash my children about Christmas goodies). And while I am content working part-time and being a full-time wife and mother, I was seduced for a moment by the idea of more financial security. So much so, that despite the warning in my heart, I recently interviewed for a full-time teaching job.

Filled with self-reliance, I chose to forget that it would leave me with little time for writing. And I ignored the fact that the demands of work and home would surely send me over the edge both physically and emotionally. Just like old times, I once again sought self-reliance.

So,I sent in my resume. Talked with peers. And interviewed for the position. It was the right thing to do, I reasoned. After all,I am supremely qualified and well connected. I thought long and hard and decided it made perfect sense to press on. So I did.

As I waited to hear back about the job, I ignored the siren going off in my heart. I disregarded the lump in my throat and the knots in my stomach. Instead, I kept my eyes on the worldly prize of self-sufficiency and tried to quiet my spirit with the words "I can do this."

Of course, it didn't occur to me that I was basically saying, "God, you are obviously quite busy ruling the world and all. Don't worry about me. I got this one." But, in essence, that's exactly what I was doing. Each step I took closer to accepting the position left me feeling more and more internally conflicted. That alone should have been my first clue that something was off. But, like I have said before, I am a slow learner.

So, God was forced to turn up the heat. He brought forth old insecurities that reminded me painfully of the self-reliant days of old. Truly, they were paths that nearly led to my destruction. And when I refused to acknowledge His voice, it grew louder. Finally, it was like a Father yelling to get his precious child's attention in a moment of emergency. As panic began to settle upon me, I stopped and decided I had done enough thinking. It was time to pray hard.

It was this morning when I became still and I listened to God's gentle voice as He began to speak through my God-reliant 12-year old son. It was quite clever actually, for there is no way I would ever disregard my child. And God knows that, just as He will never disregard me. In that small moment with Jack, I began to see my situation more clearly.

I thought about my son's friend. God saw Derek's need...lunch for Chess Club. And He provided. A need was seen. A need was met. And Derek didn't have to do a thing. From now on, when Derek shows up for Chess Club, lunch will be served. I saw God was personally at work for one of His own. Simultaneously, he was teaching me, his stubborn and beloved child, how to trust my Holy Father's provision.

Later in the morning, after carpool, I settled in for some quiet time with my Jesus. Devotional after devotional repeated the same simple truths. In fact, I was sent a flood of scripture to confirm God's faithfulness. All of it meant just for me on this day of reckoning.

It started with the same scripture I had seen just yesterday on a friend's Facebook status. (Another place God knew he had my undivided attention)

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:26)

I heard God whisper, "You are mine. I WILL take care of you but you must rest in me. You are my treasure. There is no need to strive."

Following that, I read another...

"My God will meet all of your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)

I heard his reassurance again. He sees me and knows me. His way is not "my needs, MY riches". But, "my needs, HIS riches". I sat and meditated on the words NEEDS and RICHES. The truth is, this is not a desperate situation. We are fortunate to have all that we NEED. Food. Clothing. Shelter. Check, check, check! We have seen Him PROVIDE. Over and over again, He faithfully cares for all our family's NEEDS. End of story. This is about our future, which remains unseen, but only by me. God has already walked before me. Rather than look to myself, God wants me to rely on Him...

Not my skills.
Not my reputation.
Not my finances.

He wants me to believe that He sees me.
Treasures me.
And cares for me.
And my eyes began to see as though a veil had been lifted.

After I spent the day meditating on His promises, the knots in my stomach are gone. The lump in my throat, gone. Inner conflict...GONE. The answer was right in front of me all along. I am not to strive, but to seek. With gratitude, I just said a prayer of thanks for all that God has done and all that He continues to do, both seen and unseen. Then, as an act of obedience to demonstrate my new found trust in God alone, I took my name out of the running for the job.

I took a deep breath and opened my Bible one last time to find one last truth before me. It's a doozy, so hang onto your hat cuz my Jesus likes to "show off".

..."Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread." (Psalm 37:25 NLT)

Enough said.

Word Matters

Key Verse: "They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their words like deadly arrows" (Psalm 64:3 NIV)

My daughters behave like typical sisters spaced less than two years apart. One moment they are playing adorably. The next, they are arguing. The scene repeats often throughout the day. Yesterday was no exception. Exhausted from being up late the night before, my little girls were short on patience with one another. Harsh words dominated their conversations as conflict permeated their interactions. Being with them was emotionally exhausting, as I felt like I spent a majority of my day playing referee.

Today, after a good night's sleep, a sense of relative calm has been restored and I am beyond relieved to have the break in their verbal war. And as I sit here and reflect on yesterday, I am reminded how God must feel as He watches our interactions with one another from his throne on high. Now, I am not suggesting that I am without blame. Truth be told, I struggle as much as anyone with holding my tongue. However, I am saying that perhaps we should all consider our words with care. For in a world filled with constant chatter, it seems that many of us have forgotten the power of the spoken word.

The Bible clearly teaches us about words. In fact, God mentions the effects of our word over 400 times in the Bible. Certainly, the old saying about sticks and stones makes God shake his head in astonishing disapproval. For we are told, "reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing". (Proverbs 12:18 NiV)

Think about that for a moment...words are like a sword. They cut. They harm. They hurt. I know of few weapons as destructive as the sword. In order to use a sword most effectively, one must train and practice for years. The same is true for words. We are wise to hold our tongue when destructive emotion grips our heart. Truly, much harm can be done to another with a careless word. Therefore, we are warned, "a man of knowledge uses words with restraint." (Proverbs 17:27 NIV) Just as we would never consider taking a sword against another, nor should our words be used as a weapon.

Personally, I am most tempted to wage verbal warfare when I have been hurt by a personal attack. So what are we to do when our flesh is wounded by a harsh or foolish word? First, we must remember that in our pain, we must take those wounds to God. With wisdom, we must consider that in our arsenal of armor, we are given only one weapon... "the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:17 NIV) With assurance, God fully equips us with His word. As we take our pain to God and allow Him to speak into our hearts, He promises to "give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict". (Luke 21:15 NIV) Clearly, God knows the power of His spoken word.

Depending on their context, words have the power to hurt or heal. We must never forget that "by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:37 NIV). It should be sobering to learn that we are accountable for every word spoken in this life. Without exception, God desires our words to honor Him with praise, as we use them to bring others into a better understanding of our Heavenly Father. Yet, God reminds us that "blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!" (James 3:10 NLT) Too often, our words are filled with our own loathing rather than His great love.

Today, let us be mindful of our words. Better yet, let us embrace God's word with humility and reverence, for it will surely accomplish much as we speak truth with love into our circumstances. After all, sticks and stones will break bones, but words pierce like a sword. Words matter. Consider what God says about the power of words and then proceed with caution.

Heavenly Father,
Words are powerful. Your word speaks life and love into our hearts. We confess that we are many times careless with our spoken words. Let it not be so. Give us awareness of the power of our words. Help us to understand the eternal consequences of careless put downs and angry attacks. Give us words of love and truth that draw others closer to you.
-Amen

Reflection: Are you respecting the power of words?

Precious Rubies

Adorned in high heals, feather boas, and party dresses, my daughters feel beautiful and grown-up as they strut confidently around the living room. They are not inhibited by their dress size and they are not embarrassed about their hair style or color. Embracing their unique beauty, my daughters celebrate their individuality. May it always be so.

Watching them takes me back to another time. How I long to see myself with the eyes of a child. "When did I forget who I am?" I wonder silently as I watch them in awe. Somewhere along life's journey, I started to see myself with eyes of criticism and self-loathing. Relentlessly, the world bombards me with images, conceived by my enemy, and designed to erode my self-worth. My eyes deceive me. Commercials for weight loss plans, exercise regimens, and cosmetic procedures all point mercilessly at my many flaws and shatter my confidence. Some days, it is enough to send a girl straight to the candy aisle!

UNLESS...I choose to see myself with new eyes. God's eyes. Now is the time for me to lift the veil of lies designed to hide God's perspective on my identity. And my daughters will learn by my example. There is no time to waste. I must begin to see myself with new eyes. So, that is what I have been doing this week. During the quiet hours of the day, before the kids rush through the door and the afternoon crazies begin, I have been lifting the veil in search of my true identity. And this is what I have discovered.

I am...
precious (Isaiah 43:4),
beautiful (Song Solomon 1:15),
chosen (John 15:16),
redeemed (Psalm 71:23),
forgiven (Ephesians 1:7),
accepted(Romans 15:7),
equipped (2 Timothy 3:17),
protected (2 Thessalonians 3:3),
secure (Romans 8:38-39),
and loved. (Jeremiah 31:3)

Now, I see. I am His beloved, "worth far more than rubies." (Proverbs 31:10) My Heavenly Father looks on me in delight and thinks I am priceless. Because I am precious in His sight,God gave his only Son to die in my place before I was ever conceived. "You are worth it," God whispers. My heart soars as I remember where me worth lies. My value does not come from this world, but is rooted in the eternal glory of Christ. Do you know what you are worth? It might be time to look again.

Post on Stitches today

Hey everyone,
Today I am thrilled and excited to announce that my article is live today on the Stitches Blog. Here is a preview of the post with a link to the rest of the article. Have a blessed day and may God be glorified in your words and your deeds.


Speak. Praise. Love.

"I've been watching you for months. Sort of testing you. You know, trying to figure out if you really are who you SAY you are," my new friend shared openly. "You really do live for Christ. And it has helped me to wake up from my spiritual slumber." she said smiling.

Her words hung boldly in the air as their truth hit me between the eyes. While I rejoiced in her candid honesty, the words of my friend filled me with quiet trepidation. For while she saw the best in me, I was now keenly aware of my many human frailties.

You can read the rest of this article at
http://stitchingustogether.blogspot.com/2010/09/speak-praise-love.html

His Creation

Reading: Psalm 139

Today a friend of mine is waiting expectantly to meet her first born child. Throughout the day, I have stopped often to pray for her and her little one on this special day. As I fequently checked for updates on Facebook to keep informed of my friend's progress, I began to recall when I met each my own children.

It amazes me that my three children, as different as they are from one another, are each part of me and my husband. Truly, God imagined each of them and gave my children special gifts and talents to further His kingdom. And their unique personalities were presented even as God knit them together.

Jack, our oldest and only son, is somewhat reserved. Though he has a wonderful sense of humor and a heart full of compassion, Jack is a bit shy when you first meet him. Change is hard for him and Jack cannot be rushed. His delivery was much the same. For over two hours, I pushed to bring Jack into the world. Clearly, he was in no big hurry to embrace the change before him and our son arrived in his own good time.

Lily, our middle child, is fun-loving and poised. She loves clothes, shoes, and I am pretty sure she bleeds pink glitter. And she has been charming the socks off people since she was lying in the nursery. Even, our obstitrician, better known as Dr Grumpy, couldn't resist Lily's sweet ways. "How long has he been your doctor?" a nurse asked me puzzled. "I have never seen him visit a baby in the nursery, let alone smile." Lily has been spreading her special rays of sunshine ever since.

Our youngest, Sofie, is a complex mix of sweetness and independence. Athletic and active, Sofie does not stop moving until she unwillingly collapses in her bed at night. Her quick delivery says it all when it comes to our Sofie. It took no more than 3 hours for Sofie to make her way into the world. In fact, she came so fast, I almost didn't have time to get an epidural. That's our Sofie in a nutshell. She is fast. She is strong. And she is a force with which to be reckoned.

Three precious blessings from Heaven. Each of them "fearfully and wonderfully made". (Psalm 139: 14 NIV) And while the Lord has made plans for all of their days, I pray they will have eyes to see His love in their lives. I pray my children will embrace life and run after God. I pray they will seek His truth and believe His promises. I pray each of them will be led in the way that is everlasting. From their first day on Earth until the day they meet our Savior face to face, may they know they are His creation.

InCourage Guest Post...Look Up!

Today I am being featured as a guest writer for InCourage, part of the Dayspring website, which is a division of Hallmark. I hope you will read the teaser below and then click the link below and check out the rest of the site. Much love and BE ENCOURAGED today!!

Dinner was served. The kitchen was cleaned. Lullabies had been sung and monsters were now triumphantly vanquished from the closet. At long last, my three children were safely tucked in their beds. The day was done. Yet, despite my weary state, I still had to take my evening run. I was tired and it was later than usual. Still, I resolved to keep my wellness commitment and dutifully laced up my running shoes.

As I stepped out into the cool night air, I looked out and let out a massive sigh. A long day, filled with back to school appointments and demands, had left me emotionally and physically weary. Desperate to recharge, I turned on my I-Pod and set out to leave my responsibilities behind.

At first my steps were laborious and seemed to mercilessly beat the pavement. Meanwhile, my mind began to sift events from the day into categories of victory and defeat. “Lord, did I please you today?” my tired heart beckoned.


Here is the link for the rest of the article. Just copy and paste to read on...

http://www.incourage.me/2010/09/look-up-2.html