It was my (Jess) birthday on Thurs, July 29, and oh what a great day it was! I just love birthdays. I love the anticipation, that its my "special day" (I have yet to find someone that shares it with me), that people who love you remember its your day and want to celebrate it with you, the fun times I've had over past birthdays, presents... It's just fun. People are celebrating who God has made you to be and how long you've been here on earth - how cool!
And it's so great to think that God sent me to earth that very year, that very month, on that very day. He always knew that July 29 would be the day I would enter the world as a tiny baby girl, a month earlier than expected (even though it took 12 hours of labor - EEK!), the second daughter but third child to an expectant mother. My grandma says it was a beautiful, sunny day in July that I made my first appearance. It's crazy that we celebrate a day that we don't even remember happening (although it had to or we woulnd't be here!).
Well this past Thursday, my birthday, was a beautiful, warm (but not hot) sunny day, one just like the day I was born, or so my grandma says :). I woke up when the sun was coming up, grabbed some coffee, and spent time thanking the Lord for sending me here, and letting me walk with Him for much of my time here on this earth. I spent time reflecting on all that He's done in my lifetime, the wonderous ways He has worked, answered prayers, molded and shaped me, the people that have come, gone, or stayed around in my life. Tt was a special time with the Lord.
After that I had to go to work (sidenote : besides for working up at Camp Harvest for a couple of summers, i have never had to work or go to school on my birthday! so this was a first) but it was fun. The ladies of the office got doughnuts on behalf of my birthday; my boss brought me a carmel frapp and giftcard from starbucks; I had 2 visitors stop by work (a best friend and my mother-in-law); I recieved beautiful purple flowers; I was taken out to lunch by my father-in-law - sushi = YUM; I got birthday phone calls, cards, and facebook messages; Ben and I went kayaking down a river for about an hour and a half after work, just us; and then we met up with some great friends for ice cream at Coldstone (cake batter + brownie + cookie dough = amazing) it was truly a great day.
I am truly thankful and blessed for the people that God has allowed me to know and to love throughout my life so far. My birthday was definitely a day that brought many reminders of God's blessings, goodness, and grace to my life. And I am thankful for that!!
(i wish i had some pictures of my fun birthday, but sadly, i do not!)
![The Thackers [Est. 2009]](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-apqnHw3IbsY/UEdzIx5u69I/AAAAAAAAAIk/55xKOcuxhEQ/s758/IMG_1259.jpg)
Friday, July 30, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
the .d.r.e.a.m.s. in my heart
Sometimes I think we can become suffocated. People, even people that truly love us, tell us that: emotions are wrong; personality must be stifled; no dancing or singing loudly; you must establish your life by these sets of rules (even if they're man-made); you have to seize every opportunity you have even if you don't have any desire for it; your life should be full of things that keep you busybusybusy; resting or taking time for yourself is wrong; your life is all mapped out, don't screw it up by picking the wrong class/college/spouse; etc.
But that's not what God has for us. God created us each, individually and perfectly, to be in a relationship with Him and flourish as the people that He made us to be. He made us with our personality traits, He made us with the capacity to have emotions and express them (although they are not to control us); He gave us dreams and desires that our hidden in our hearts. He grants us freedom ; he doesn't hand us chains to be bogged down with. He loves us and cherishes us - Christ came to give us the abundant life and nothing less.
God has put dreams and desires into each and every one of our hearts. Maybe its to be a missionary, or an accountant, or a mom, or a salesman, or a dancer or even to move to this place or be a part of this activity, or whatever. He made us that way for a reason, for a purpose - to glorify Him with those dreams and desires and passions. In ALL that we do - to glorify Him! If God has allowed us these desires/passions/dreams, and if we continue to have them while we are in deep fellowship with Him and loving Him more and more, there is no reason at all not to pursue them.
It's such a freedom to know that we can't screw up God's plans, even in the midst of our desires/passions/dreams. God's will for us is simply this: that we become more like Christ. The little details (and even the seemingly big ones) aren't mapped out for us by God. He gives us complete freedom because no matter what we choose in life, this house or that one, this school or that one, He will work it out for our BEST, and our best is becoming like Christ.
If we are in a deep relationship with Him, our desires for ourself and for others will become His desires. "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart". It doesn't mean that we will get what we want, but that when we truly abide in Him our desires will conform to His.
Sometimes I think we get bogged down because our dreams and desires are to do this or that, but we're not sure if it's in "God's will"... But if we are loving Him more and more and there are opportunities for them to become real then why not?
God didn't send Christ so that we would be bogged down by expectations that people put on us, by rules that are made by "religious people"; He sent Christ so that we could live in freedom. So that we could lay our burdens down and dance on them. So that we could be free to dance and love and sing and be exactly who He created us to be before the foundations of the world. What a great God.
But that's not what God has for us. God created us each, individually and perfectly, to be in a relationship with Him and flourish as the people that He made us to be. He made us with our personality traits, He made us with the capacity to have emotions and express them (although they are not to control us); He gave us dreams and desires that our hidden in our hearts. He grants us freedom ; he doesn't hand us chains to be bogged down with. He loves us and cherishes us - Christ came to give us the abundant life and nothing less.
God has put dreams and desires into each and every one of our hearts. Maybe its to be a missionary, or an accountant, or a mom, or a salesman, or a dancer or even to move to this place or be a part of this activity, or whatever. He made us that way for a reason, for a purpose - to glorify Him with those dreams and desires and passions. In ALL that we do - to glorify Him! If God has allowed us these desires/passions/dreams, and if we continue to have them while we are in deep fellowship with Him and loving Him more and more, there is no reason at all not to pursue them.
It's such a freedom to know that we can't screw up God's plans, even in the midst of our desires/passions/dreams. God's will for us is simply this: that we become more like Christ. The little details (and even the seemingly big ones) aren't mapped out for us by God. He gives us complete freedom because no matter what we choose in life, this house or that one, this school or that one, He will work it out for our BEST, and our best is becoming like Christ.
If we are in a deep relationship with Him, our desires for ourself and for others will become His desires. "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart". It doesn't mean that we will get what we want, but that when we truly abide in Him our desires will conform to His.
Sometimes I think we get bogged down because our dreams and desires are to do this or that, but we're not sure if it's in "God's will"... But if we are loving Him more and more and there are opportunities for them to become real then why not?
God didn't send Christ so that we would be bogged down by expectations that people put on us, by rules that are made by "religious people"; He sent Christ so that we could live in freedom. So that we could lay our burdens down and dance on them. So that we could be free to dance and love and sing and be exactly who He created us to be before the foundations of the world. What a great God.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
this crazy thing called LIFE
According to the dictionary (dictionary.com), life is what separates the organisms from the inorganic objects and things that are no longer alive (dead). Life is a breath, a heart beat, a movement, growing... Sounds serene, doesn't it? Sounds simple, peaceful...
For the last while, our lives have been full of much more than that! June was a crazy month for us; full of mostly good things, fun things... and some things not so fun - either way, it was busy.
Sometimes the business is hard for me to swallow; mostly before it comes, and when I'm really tired. I mean - I really like being home. My home is my physical haven. I'm a home-body. And I like my home to be clean (I can honestly say right now if you walked into my house there are things out of place, there is dog hair on the floor, there are clothes scattered (clean and dirty)... And I am not a fan. And honestly - I really like sleep, and I like to sleep at home.
I like changing in to sweats the moment I get home from work or church, I like curling up on the couch or sitting on our back deck in a rocking chair, all on my time. I like my schedules - the time that I wake up, the time I spend with the Lord over coffee, my run, my meal plans for the month, when Ben will be home... All of which can get moved around or completely missed by other plans and being busy.
As I was thinking about the busyness of the past month today, and making some plans for July, I realized that it's probably not going to slow down for a while - at least as far as I can tell. Part of me wishes for a break, but all of me is trusting that this is where God has us right now - so I'll take it! There's no place that I would rather be.
I'm glad that we have friends and family that we want to see and spend time with, I'm thankful for the opportunities to embark on adventures as a married couple, I feel so blessed to have people in our lives and in our home regularly so that we might invest in their lives and learn to love Jesus more and more.
I am truly thankful for where we are right now. For all the craziness and people that are in our lives. For all the planned things, the things that pop up, the schedules, and the messed-up schedules. I am more thankful for a Saviour that walks with us, that doesn't give us more than we can handle; who takes our burdens so we can bear His light load; who loves us and only wants what's best for us; the God that lets us in on the work He is doing. I am thankful that God is teaching me to let go of my priorities (even cleaning :) ) for His; to let go of my schedules, my plans, so that I can embrace His; to be completely free.
He is teaching me that rest doesn't come from sleep, it doesn't come from laying in a lawn chair or swinging on a porch swing (although I thoroughly enjoy both); it comes from abiding in the Lord and resting in Him. Finding peace and comfort and joy and everything I need. His word is the bread of life - the very basic thing I need to survive - and more precious than gold. My relationship with Him is everything - all I need.
Busyness comes and goes. But I am refreshed by knowing that God is sovereign, that I am where He wants me to be, and I can be thankful for every circumstance and every season of life I'm in - no matter how crazy or simple it might be.
For the last while, our lives have been full of much more than that! June was a crazy month for us; full of mostly good things, fun things... and some things not so fun - either way, it was busy.
Sometimes the business is hard for me to swallow; mostly before it comes, and when I'm really tired. I mean - I really like being home. My home is my physical haven. I'm a home-body. And I like my home to be clean (I can honestly say right now if you walked into my house there are things out of place, there is dog hair on the floor, there are clothes scattered (clean and dirty)... And I am not a fan. And honestly - I really like sleep, and I like to sleep at home.
I like changing in to sweats the moment I get home from work or church, I like curling up on the couch or sitting on our back deck in a rocking chair, all on my time. I like my schedules - the time that I wake up, the time I spend with the Lord over coffee, my run, my meal plans for the month, when Ben will be home... All of which can get moved around or completely missed by other plans and being busy.
As I was thinking about the busyness of the past month today, and making some plans for July, I realized that it's probably not going to slow down for a while - at least as far as I can tell. Part of me wishes for a break, but all of me is trusting that this is where God has us right now - so I'll take it! There's no place that I would rather be.
I'm glad that we have friends and family that we want to see and spend time with, I'm thankful for the opportunities to embark on adventures as a married couple, I feel so blessed to have people in our lives and in our home regularly so that we might invest in their lives and learn to love Jesus more and more.
I am truly thankful for where we are right now. For all the craziness and people that are in our lives. For all the planned things, the things that pop up, the schedules, and the messed-up schedules. I am more thankful for a Saviour that walks with us, that doesn't give us more than we can handle; who takes our burdens so we can bear His light load; who loves us and only wants what's best for us; the God that lets us in on the work He is doing. I am thankful that God is teaching me to let go of my priorities (even cleaning :) ) for His; to let go of my schedules, my plans, so that I can embrace His; to be completely free.
He is teaching me that rest doesn't come from sleep, it doesn't come from laying in a lawn chair or swinging on a porch swing (although I thoroughly enjoy both); it comes from abiding in the Lord and resting in Him. Finding peace and comfort and joy and everything I need. His word is the bread of life - the very basic thing I need to survive - and more precious than gold. My relationship with Him is everything - all I need.
Busyness comes and goes. But I am refreshed by knowing that God is sovereign, that I am where He wants me to be, and I can be thankful for every circumstance and every season of life I'm in - no matter how crazy or simple it might be.
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