Identity Crisis

I have come to believe that knowing our true identity in Christ is essential for living a victorious Christian life. This compilation of identity statements is life-changing. Read them each day--and believe it!

I am Accepted . . .
I am God's child. Jn. 1:12
I am Christ's friend. Jn. 15:15
I have been justified Rom 5:1
I am united with the Lord. 1 Cor 6:17
I am bought with a price; I belong to God 1 Cor. 6:19-20
I am a member of Christ's Body. 1 Cor. 12:27
I am a saint. Eph. 1:1
I have been adopted as God's child. Eph 1:5
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit. Eph 2:18
I have been redeemed and forgiven. Col 1:14
I am complete in Christ. Col 2:10

I am Secure . . .
I am free forever from condemnation. Rom 8:1-2
I am assured all works together for good. Rom 8:28
I am free from any charge against me. Rom 8:31-34
I cannot be separated from the love of God. Rom 8:35-39
I am established, anointed, sealed by God. 2 Cor 1:21-22
I am hidden with Christ in God. Col 3:3
I am confident that the good work God has begun in me will be perfected. Phil 1:6
I am a citizen of heaven. Phil 3:20
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. 2 Tim 1:7
I can find grace and mercy in time of need. Heb 4:16
I am born of God; the evil one cannot touch me. 1 Jn 5:18

I am Significant . . .
I am the salt and light of the earth. Matt 5:13-14
I am a branch of the true vine, a channel of His life. Jn 15:1,5
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit. Jn 15:16
I am a personal witness of Christ's. Acts 1:8
I am God's temple. 1 Cor. 3:16
I am a minister of reconciliation for God. 2 Cor 5:17-21
I am God's co-worker. 2 Cor 6:1
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm. Eph 2:6
I am God's workmanship. Eph 2:10
I may approach God with freedom and confidence. Eph 3:12
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil 4:13

Amy's Humble Musings

Amy's blog is one of my favorite--definitely worth a bookmark. She has recently done a series of articles titled "How We Did It" that are worth reading.

Christmas Cards

While you're addressing your Christmas cards this year (you do still send Christmas cards, don't you?), add in an extra one or two for an American soldier and send here:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
PO Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

From the American Red Cross website:

Card Guidelines

Please follow these guidelines when mailing a card to ensure that your card will quickly reach service members, veterans and their families. Every card received will first be screened for hazardous materials by Pitney Bowes and then reviewed by Red Cross volunteers working in one of 16 sorting stations around the country.

• All cards must be postmarked no later than Wednesday, December 10, 2008. Cards sent after this date will be returned to sender.
• Participants are encouraged to limit the number of cards they submit to 25 from any one person or 50 from any one class or group. If you are mailing a larger quantity, please bundle the cards and place them in large mailing envelopes. Each card does not need its own envelope or postage.
• Please ensure that all cards are signed.
• Please use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.” Cards addressed to specific individuals can not be delivered through this program.
• Please send cards as opposed to long letters which delay a quick review process.
• Please do not include email or home addresses on the cards, as the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.
• Please do not include inserts of any kind, including photos, as these items will be removed during the reviewing process.
• All cards received may be used in program publicity efforts, including appearing in broadcast, print or online mediums.

You can also send gift cards or care packages, but not to the above address. Go here for more information.

Being the Mom My Kids Deserve

Dana at Are We There Yet? has made me think about the question: What kind of Mom do my kids deserve? If I were to put a want ad in the paper for a Mom for my kids, what would be the qualifications? I so often have a hard time keeping my focus during the day. I'm easily distracted and often have a one-track mind. I find myself occasionally wondering how the time has gone so quickly, and realizing that I have not made time for my kids. I guess that probably sounds like an odd thing to say from someone who spends nearly all her time at home, but being at home and being focused on my boys are two different things.

Wanted: Mom for Noah and Micah.
Ability to . . .
walk into a messy boy's room and not nag.
discern the heart behind the action, then respond in wisdom and patience.
pray scripture over each boy daily.
model self-control.
correct without cutting down.
encourage the character, not just the actions.
use a gentle answer to turn away wrath.
model forgiveness.
stop your busy-ness and look each boy in the eye as he's speaking.
know their love language and fill their tank daily.
be their best cheerleader.
let them know you're on their side.
be in the Word and prayer daily so you're prepared to guide and correct in Christ-likeness.
ask forgiveness when necessary.
take every opportunity to point them to God.
model love in speech and actions.
be honest in all things great and small.

I'm sure more things will come to mind. But one thing that strikes me is that nothing on this list has to do with how well I'm homeschooling, how clean my house is, or how many vegetables my kids have eaten each day. While all those things are important and needful, I need this reminder that how I do these things and how I'm relating to my children while living our lives together is what ultimately matters.

Why this is so hard to keep in mind, I do not know. Why I get so wrapped up in my own selfish pursuits day by day is a mystery. But one thing I do know, is that it is Christ in me that makes me able to do all things, so I will not beat myself up over the past, but ask Him to come front and center in my life today and help me to be the Mom He desires for Noah and Micah.

Cats

The cats have gained another life. I have been desperately wanting to find another home for these cats, but just as desperately don't want to break the hearts of two boys. One of my problems with these felines is the litter boxes. Because we do not have a utility room, the litter boxes were in each boy's room. Not only is odor a problem due to the fact that I have a bionic nose, but they were tracking litter onto the hardwood floors throughout the rest of the house. I guess I must walk with my eyes permanently scanning the floor, because not a speck escapes my attention, and it was driving me crazy.

My hubby installed the cat door on Sunday, the litter boxes and food were moved to the garage, and I now have litter-free floors!!

Getting this picture of Ginger in the garage was not easy. "Sit, stay" is not in a cat's vocabulary.

Works for Me Wednesday--Toys Worth Owning

Rocks In My Dryer is hosting a themed edition of Works for Me Wednesday--Toys Worth Owning--just in time for Christmas! So here's my list of family favorites:

K'nex
Legos
Kapla
Tinker Toys
Capsela
Thomas the Tank trains
Marble tracks (build your own)
Ride-on toys
Hoppers (that you sit on, hold the handle, and hop)
Kitchen and play food
Toy cars
Art supplies
Toy farm or house

I always tried to pick toys that used imagination and creativity and stayed clear of "program" toys or tv/character theme toys designed to do just one thing. As I look over this list, I am gratified to realize that my choices paid off: none of the electronics or "bells and whistles" toys made it to our Toys Worth Owning list.

And as my boys are now 9 and 14, we are reaching past the toys stage and need to be even more creative in what we ask for from grandparents. But for the four of us, we have decided that we each really have enough and have instead bought each other gifts from the Samaritan's Purse Christmas Gift catalog for the last several years. It helps keep our focus off the gimme's of Christmas, and also keeps us out of the return lines!

Need a Laugh?

We had the awesome privilege of seeing Tim Hawkins perform last night at College of the Ozarks. It was a solid hour of laughter! He is hil-ar-i-ous! I thought we could all use a bit of humor today, so even though I've posted this before, I thought it worth a rerun: