God Is WAY TOO GOOD to Me!

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4: 10 – 11)

The Bible clearly states that every Christian is given spiritual gifts when they accept Jesus as Savior and the Holy Spirit takes up residence in their heart. When I hear people say that they do not have any gifts I cringe because I know that is not biblical. Yet, there are times when I, too, sometimes begin to wonder if I have any particular gift.

Once I went to a seminar and sat in on one breakout session that was on the Gifts of the Spirit. We took a test to see what our gifts might be. Probably the most eye-opening one for me was the score that indicated that I did not have the gift of hospitality. I was aghast until the speaker made it clear that sometimes the scores aren’t completely indicative of what we are gifted in. But, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it really isn’t my gift. I can’t honestly say that I just love to have people drop in on me, or that I love hosting large groups in my home. I do enjoy it, but I don’t LIVE TO DO IT! It is one of those gifts that I continually strive for and usually end up glad that I made the effort to be a good hostess. It’s not that I don’t love people. I do. It’s just that my “flighty” personality doesn’t allow me to be able to relax in this area of my life.

The point in bring this subject up is to remind any of you who feel that you don‘t have any gifts to remember that God says he has gifted all Christians and that we have to get out of our comfort zones sometimes to hone up on our gifts (or perceived lack of them.)  I know that there are gifts that I have and I try to use them the way that God wants me to, but I also know that he doesn’t want me to stop trying to cultivate new ones.

What do you think your gift is? What do you think is not your gift? Are you using the gifts that you know God has given you or trying to improve the things that you feel are not your gifts? (See 1 Corinthians 12 for a list of spiritual gifts or go to: www.mintools.com/spiritual-gifts-test.htm

…..now for a funny story: I wrote this blog several days ago.  On Friday of this past week I remembered that I was supposed to teach our Sunday School Class on Sunday (yes, in just two days!) I went to our Sunday School room to pick up a book because I didn’t even know what the lesson was going to be, let alone teach it! I prayed as I entered the room, “Lord, please let the lesson be from a scripture that I have taught before or at least am real familiar with. Please don’t let it be some off the wall Old Testament chapter!)


When I picked up the book and looked at the scripture passage, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was the scripture above from 1 Peter and the topic was “Use Your Gifts.” I almost cried in gratefulness because my very favorite lessons I have ever taught were centered around using the gifts the Holy Spirit gives to each of us! Now, don’t you agree with me that our God is soooooooooooooooooooooo AMAZING (not to mention merciful!)

Hope you have a wonderful week ahead and will try to discover your gifts and use them for His Glory!

I've Been Bugged!

Well I have to say the last 24 hours have been a real BUMMER! Yesterday afternoon I started feeling queasy and by this time last night it had developed into a full blown stomach virus! It’s been crappy (no pun intended!)


But I am happy to say that other than feeling a little washed out, I am feeling pretty much back to normal tonight.  I really hated to have to miss work because I was on vacation last week and I didn’t need to miss any days this week. One good thing was that I had done so much up ahead of time before I left that I am not as bad off as I could be. I will probably have to go for a few hours sometime before the week ends. But, I really need my Thursday and Friday at home too!

As I have sat around most of today I kept thinking to myself that I should get up and do something. It is so hard for me to sit still for very long. I like to be up getting something accomplished. Maybe a little “bug” is just what we need some times to make us slow down and also make us appreciate being well!

I hope you have escaped the dreaded “bug” and will have a blessed and enjoyable “rest” of the week enjoying your family, doing something to stay fit, growing in your faith and having lots of fun!

p.s. one good thing about being stuck inside is that I have beautiful scenery to look at out my den door:

A Sucessful Trip

Well my R&R trip to the beach is now history and I have to say......it was a huge success!  The R&R was much needed and much enjoyed.  Hope you enjoy some of my pictures:

I wish all five of us sisters could have gone, but it just didn't work out.  I missed the other two, but the three of us spent our days sunning (with 30 sunscreen, thus no tan for me!), shopping and swimming.  Our nights were all about finding a great place to eat and we managed to do just that!

I have always wanted to do Yoga on the beach, but this picture is just a pose (living out my dream) because the sand was way too soft and the beach to bumpy for yoga. 

 

So, my trip was wonder-ful but it is also great to be back and be with my family again.  I missed them all and wished they could have been with us too.  Today, I had a really good first day back home as Jerry and I got to accompany Aaron on his field trip to Salato Wildlife Center in Frankfort and tonight I get to see some of my favorite little ones play their sports.

Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...............

Life IS Good!

Remembering Mama on Mother's Day

On this Mother's Day, I want to pay tribute to my "Mama."

In the 2009 publication "The Women of Mercer County" I wrote these words about my precious, determined mother (who was raised in a home for girls:)

"She could have made herself miserable in her "orphan" home or wallowed in self pity when her first husband killed himself, but she chose to make the best of her situation many times.  She determined to love and be loyal to the people she lived with.  She determined to get an education and pursue a career.  She determined to pick herself up after any set back and become a stronger person.  She made up her mind to treat her customers with kindness and respect and therefore grew a sucessful business.  She determined that her girls would have a life that she didn't; one of a warm, safe, loving home where they didn't have to work hard to earn love and where they had clothes that she hand made in the wee hours of many mornings.  She was a wonderful cook and always saw to it that there were three great meals a day for her family.  She allowed us to romp and play and just be kids having lots of fun.  And our Christmases were magical each year because she saw to it that we always got lots of wonderful things even though we lived on meager means.  (Mama was determined to make it that way since her Christmases were far from magical.)  She also determined that her girls would grow up with respect for others and so she didn't spare the rod when any of us got out of hand. 

What makes a great woman?  For her it meant not giving up on life when the chips were down and putting others before herself, sacrificing much for her family.  She didn't leave behind any list of great civic accomplishments or was never famous.  What she did leave was a legacy of determination and what can be achieved when it is motivated by love.  As for me and my sisters, I believe we are better, more determined women because of the role model she was for all of us!"

I thank God over and over for my Mama who loved and sacrificed so much and I still miss her, even though she has been gone for 22 years.

Rest on the Way!

(Matt. 11: 28-29)
28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls


Yeah, that would be me He is calling out to. I am tired……worn out! I don’t know exactly why, but unlike myself, I am admitting that I am tired and worn out. Feeling old too.

For most of my “after middle age” years I have felt way younger than my chronological age. I have had energy and stamina that I felt was as good as any thirty year old. But since the first of the year, for some strange reason, my chronological age has caught up with my physical/psychological age. This is really playing havoc on my mental state as well. I am having a hard time accepting that I can’t do everything I have always been able to do. Or, I can do it but it wears me out and I don’t rebound as fast as I once did.

I have a good friend who thinks there is an obvious reason, other than age, for my state of mind and body. She says, and I quote, “you just can’t be all things to all people” anymore without it catching up with you. I have given much thought to what she said and I have come to agree with her. I am ready to admit that being a “control freak” has finally caught up with me and I have to make some adjustments.

I think it is time that I stop trying to take responsibility for everything and everyone around me and focus on my own health and well-being. I have to stop feeling guilty about not doing everything for everyone.   Just keep repeating this Frances:  my husband, my children, my grandchildren, my job, my classes can all function very well without me! This is not to say I can ever stop caring for those I love. It is just that I can’t keep trying to make good things happen for everyone!  Their destiny is not in my control!

This week I am taking a big step in that direction. I am going on a trip! Two of my sisters and I are leaving Thursday for a beach trip and will be gone about a week. I am promising myself to leave all my cares behind and try to completely RELAX! I also will, if history repeats itself, laugh a lot. My sisters and I always laugh a lot when we are together. So, I am asking you to pray that I can actually follow through with my resolutions and have a safe, fun and relaxing trip.

I pray you will have a safe and fun week too!!

By the way:  Go to http://www.cyndispivey.com/ for a chance to enter to win a beautiful and meaningful necklace!