The Crippled Mama

Homekeeper's Journal - Long Suffering

This week, over at christianhomekeeper.org we are writing about long suffering.

In the Bible there are two words that are used in the New Testament which talk about Patience.
There is, of course, patience. And then there is Long-suffering. We don’t like that word much because our very nature seems to be repulsed by it… Long-suffering

.

Suffering … Long.

Suffering a lonnnnnnng time.

But it isn’t just any kind of suffering Long-suffering is talking about. Patience is what we seek when we have a trying situation to go through. Long-Suffering is what we need when we are dealing with people.

Long-suffering means that we have patience with people.

God expects that we will have difficult people in our lives and He knows that it will sometimes be painful. So He calls us to suffer a long time with people, be patient with them, while He is working out His plan in our lives and in their lives.

How can we refuse to be Long-suffering with others when we know how long God has suffered with our own foolishness?

This week’s Homekeeper’s Journal is all about Long-suffering ….

God has worked in my life regarding patience and long-suffering in these ways ………… God allowed me to be born with a disability. It's been a blessing, although I don't always see it as one. It has made me cultivate a deeper relationship with God. I don't even know if I'd be a Christian if I didn't have Cerebral Palsy. I've had opportunities through dealing with my disability to meet people and do things that I may not have gotten to do if I weren't. I think God has allowed me to have a different view on the world through my disability. I have patience and strength that I know can only come from God.

The hardest part of showing long-suffering is ………When others don't understand and may not be showing patience and/or expecting me to do or be something I can't. OR when people try to overdo or help. It is hard sometimes to let people help.

The most rewarding part of showing long-suffering is ………..Making connections with people and realizing that they are getting a glimpse of God working through you.

The one kind situation that I have the most trouble showing long-suffering in is ………Living with physical pain. That's sound a little contradictory to talk about pain and long suffering, but when I'm in more pain it's harder to be patience and it's harder to provide the love and care I need to. I don't want my problems to effect their lives, but, of course they do. Then I feel guilty and have angry, which usually stresses my body and causes more pain, and also causes stress within the relationship.

I see how kindness goes hand in hand with long-suffering because ………. When you see someone helping someone out in total peace and kindness. The don't make them feel stress or like they're a burden. They have a willing spirit and a joyful heart.

I want others to show long-suffering to me when ………I cannot repay their kindness. When I'm stressed to the max.

God shows long-suffering to me in these ways ………..He gives me grace and forgiveness. He loves me unconditionally and carries me when I can't go on any further.

Ephesians 4:1-4 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Ephesians 4

Unity and Diversity in the Body of Christ

 1 I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, (A) urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility (B) and gentleness, with patience, (C) accepting (D) [a] one another in love,(E) 3 diligently keeping the unity (F) of the Spirit (G) with the peace(H) that binds [us]. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, (I) just as you were called to one hope (J) [b] at your calling;

This week I will begin to ask God to ……….. to give me patience with others especially Barrett and the kids and to show me the thing that are really importaint in my life.

Gracious Acceptance

This is from chapter 2 of the "Becoming a Woman Simplicity" bible study:

1. Are you saved by anything good you have done or will ever do? No I am saved by grace alone. My salvation leads me to want to do good works, not in order to earn or keep salvation, but to honor and serve God who saved me.

2. What does Ephesians 2:10 tell us about good works? We are created by God in Christ to do good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them. We were created to bo the goods work of God.

3. Are you certain of God's acceptance of you? Why or why not? This is a tough one. I know what the bible says; so yes I am accepted by God and saved by His Grace. However, I too often forget and rely on my own "feelings". When life gets hectic and I'm trying to do a million things at once (and failing at all of the them) my first reaction is to think...if only I was a better wife, mother, etc."

4. How can taking Christs yoke enable you to do the good things God has planned for you? (Matthew 11:28-30)I It teaches me to be gentle and humble in heart and I'm able to begin to see things the way He sees things.

5. f you respond to Christ's call and His yoke, how will your life be different? I think my life would be more peaceful. I"d be able to concentrate more on people and the important things in my life, I'd quiet and listen to God more.

6. Is there any "good thing" that you are doing that is taking your concentration OFF of Jesus? Is there some area where you are worshiping your work? This is an interest question. Of course there are always thing that I'm trying to do apart from God: clean my house, be a good wife and mama. etc. Even before I started this bible study I felt like God had started me on this journey of simplifying and redirecting my life. Everything from this study, to what I heard on the radio, to what we learn in Sunday School and in church, to what I experience in day to day living is telling me to slow down and rely more on God. I think my biggest problem with this is that I feel like I'm so far behind of what a "normal" wife and mother, that I have to spend all my time trying to catch up.

Take time this week after you have completed all the reading and answered the study questions for chapter 2, to get alone with God and allow Him to speak to you about how you serve Him and whether or not you have accepted His acceptance of you.

Home Keeper's Journal - DIFFICULTIES

This week’s Journal is about … difficulties ….. You’ll need a bible to complete this Journal entry.
You can find one online at  Blue Letter Bible.

You know what difficulties are … those things that make your life harder, more complicated. Perhaps your biggest difficulty is a person. Perhaps difficulties come in groups and threaten to overwhelm you. Lets talk about your difficulties……

Sometimes I feel a bit of resentment when I ……….. Can't put into words (physical words) how I feel or what I'm thinking.  My mind is constantly going, but making that transition to speak it can be frustrating.  People try to complete my sentences.  Also when people "misread" my body language or emotions; Because of the CP I can always control them. 

Why is it so difficult for me to ………..  Be satisfied with what I decide;  I keep 2nd guessing things, wondering is this right or good enough???

1 Chronicles 16:11 tells me to …… "Search for the Lord and for His strength; seek his face always."

1 Peter 5:8 warns me ……..  "Be sober!  Be alert!  Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour."

I am going to pray and ask for strength to ………….do everything:  Mainly to just be the best wife, mama and homemaker I can be.

The difficult thing that seems to constantly catch me off guard is ………I want to act before I think.

James 1:12 says ….."Blessed it a man who endures trails, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that He has promised to those who love Him.

I am determined to …….Follow the Lord and keep going.

Profound simplicity

I am going through the bible study "Becoming a Woman of Simplicity" by Cynthia Heald with an online group.  Hear are my thoughts from chapter 1.

I just got the Book yesterday.  It was funny because I was starting that I was going to get behind with the study, LOL!  And almost immediately, the  running theme of the book to was to stop comparing my self to others!  As a disabled women, I feel I spend the majority of my time trying not so much to compete with "normal" woman but to live up to the "standard" set by the society.  it seams like such a simple standard, yet one I constantly miss the mark because it's not the standard God has chosen for me.  I love the very first definition of simplicity in the book; "A life where time is considered to be a gift from a benevolent king and not a burden from a harsh taskmaster." (Preface)  My life is a gift from God, my husband and my children are a gift from God.  I did not earn them, nor do I have to work to keep these gifts.  I do have to love and care for them, but this shouldn't b e work for me.  It should be a joy.  God will give me what I need to provide for them.  Too often I feel guilty because I'm resting or spending time with Barrett when I should be doing something else.  Now, yes I do have an obligation to keep a reasonably clean house and such, but when  I let that over take my primary goal of loving God and caring for my family, then I have done it in vain and it will produce no fruit.

It's Fall Y'all

The start of school brings the hope of fall.  This is bittersweet for me.I'm ready for the kids to go back to school, but at the same time feel guilty and will miss them.  This is something I really struggle with, especially this year  I have to switch gears from being total full force mama to figuring out what God wants me to do with my days.  Fall brings football!!!  My husband is a radio announcer and he announcer a game every Friday night  He also hosts a Monday night sports show and a Saturday morning show.  Our kids stay with my father-in-law every night.  They leave after supper.  He takes them to school and picks them up for me.   So, I spend a lot of time alone.  Don't get me wrong and love my life; I'm able to stay home, my kids don't have to ride the bus to school and  I know they're a blessing to their grandfather, but sometime I feel lonely and like a poor mother.   Anyway.  enough rantings  These are a few of my thoughts on fall as prompted in the Home keeper's Journal.   http://christianhomekeeper.org/files/2010/06/homekeepers-journal1.jpg

Autumn in my kitchen means...I truly believe in most houses the kitchen is the heart of home.  Soups and stews.  Pre-holiday baking.

Autumn in my house brings...Football, fall cleaning

I bring autumn inside...by fall decorations and pumpkin spice/fall scents.

A favorite autumn family activity...our fall cookout/hay ride at church.

Favorite fall recipe...Papa's Cow Tail Soup!

This autumn I would to...have 2 other family over one Sunday.

What's Simple?

http://christianhomekeeper.org/files/2010/06/homekeepers-journal1.jpg

What is simplicity?  Webster's says it's: 1. the state of being simple; 2. freedom from complexity; 3. plainness; 4. freedom from guilt, 5. lack of mental acuteness.  PEACE!!!  I think simplicity is a very individual thing.  What I may see as simple may not make sense to you.  The idea of a simple life may change from day to day to me.  Most days I think I do live a simple life.  We have a really nice home, I don't have to work, Barrett has a great job, our bellies our full...Life doesn't get much sweeter than this.  But there are other days where it may be all I can physically to get up and make breakfast. There are also where I would consider my life simple if I could just drive!  But, this isn’t my plot in life.   I know many, many people who would love to live out in the country on a farm.  This would be beautiful. I'm sure I'd love to come visit.  But to live this kind of life sounds anything but PEACEFUL to me.  It seams physical hard.  I know people are rolling their eyes saying; “So you’re afraid of little hard work???”   No, I’m just trying to be realistic.  I know my limitations.  If my life is not as simple as I want it to be ,  9 out of 10 times when I look back at it, it is I who have made my live complex.  I also think that one of the biggest keys to living a simple is to be content.  I love what Philippians 4:11-13 says; “...for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstance I am.  I know how to have a little and I know how to have a lot.  In any and all circumstances,  I have learned the secret of being content - whether well feed or hungry, weather in abundance or in need.   I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  It doesn’t matter what I have, if I’m not content with my Lord, my life is going to be chaos, which to me is the total opposite of simplicity.  That being said, I’m going to share a few simple thoughts as prompted by the Homekeeper’s Journal.

I could probably simplify my kitchen by ….We were fortunate about 2 years ago to be able to total redo our kitchen.  It’s much more accessible for me.  One thing I need to work one is keeping clutter out of the kitchen and cleaning as I go. 

My life needs simplifying in these areas ….I need to be more realistic with people, especially my kids.  I need to let them be kids and not expect them to be all grown up.  I truly want them to stay simple and innocent as long as possible,

I tend to go overboard with .. or, I can’t seem to find a balance with... I overreact to stuff and I sometimes put myself in a situation that has nothing to do me.  This not only conflicts my life but others.

My favorite simple dinner is …  Anything that Barrett cooks, LOL!  He can grill up some mean hot dog and veggies.

My spiritual life needs simplifying especially in this area ….I need to take advantage of my alone time with God and not be constantly looking at ways to fill my time up.

HOPE

Hope- what an awesome topic!  I've really struggled with this this week.  This was the first full week of school and I'm totally lost-  They've both been going to school for 4 years 0r longer, but ever year I have to readjust.  As I'm listening to you show today ( Midday Connection on Moody Radio) I realize it's the story of my life.  I've bee physically disable all my life ~ I'm  36.  It is a progressive (In my opinion) condition.  They're are so many things I want to do but can't.  I do believe that God can and may heal me, but I also believe my disability is a big part of my ministry.  I don't think God caused me to be disabled, but he allowed me to be disabled.  How I deal with it glorifies Him.  It is a daily choice.  Do I graciously accept the life I have and live it too the fullest or do I grumble and complained.  Growing up I actually knew of two adults with Cerebral Palsy.  One was a professor at Vanderbilt and the other had spent her entire life in a state nursing home!. What a contrast!  It was very scary.  I was very fortunate to be raised in a family that believed I could be and do anything.   I always knew I wanted to be a wife and mama.  My mama is totally awesome and I wanted to be just like her.    But her story is not my story.  But that's why God is so great.  We all have our own unique story and no one can fulfill my story but me.    Please God, continue to strengthen and grow me.

Where Does God want Me?

OK, so today's the 4th full day of school and I'm wondering what to do with myself.  There's so much stuff I want to and need to do, but I just feel lost and lazy with my kids.  I'm lonely.  I long for interaction with others.We serve this awesome God and I know He has a purpose for me... but am I ignoring it?  I get so caught up in the things that I physically can't do, that I don't concentrate and do what I can.  I know after 30 + years I should be able to accept my limitations.  But we live in such a fast pace society now days.  If you're not constantly on the move. you unproductive.  This is Satan trying to still my joy!  No one can pray for, love or serve Barrett and my kids better than I can..  I know if I continue to seek and serve Him, that God will use me in incredible ways. In fact, when I'm living in self and feel disheartened.  I can't truly glorify God, which is what he created me to do above anything else.  Lord, please help me to be the wife and mama you ordered me to be!!!

A New Start

Hey,  I've started many blogs before,  but hopefully this one will take.  The start of school is as my new year.  A fresh start.  It's a time to redicate my time and energies to my husband, my kids and my home.  This summer has flown by!  We've VBS, camp, vacation, swim lesson, another week of VBS, a week at grandma's, a week of video camp for Dalton plus Doctor and Dentist appointment.  At some point we have to go buy school close.  As the kids have been at Grandma's this week, I have been deep cleaning my house and trying to plan my fall.  I an currently listening to "Created to be His Helpmeet" by Debi Pearl on CD.  I'm learning so much about being a good wife and am also learning that I have a lot to learn!!!  I want to finish up by tomorrow when we pick up the kids.  I also want to set up the play/school room and starighten their rooms.  Will post more later/