Movies

I don’t get out much and we don’t have cable so our household DVD collection has grown by leaps and bounds. I have quite a few old and new movies. I cruise the $5 bins at Walmart or the Previously Viewed deals at Hollywood Video quite often. Plus, I like old black and white movies and you can find some pretty good ones at the $1 store. My 7yr old now loves Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Elvis. I found Fun in Acapulco and he watched it for a week straight all day. That was after a week stint of Road to Bali with Bob Hope.

Well, I had to priviledge of being home a couple of days with the kids (they were sick, or so they said that’s a whole ‘nother story)…so I killed 2 birds with one stone. I cleaned my room, which according to Britt looked like it had been hit by Katrina, and watched (listened to) movies. So today I thought I’d share with you my likes, dislikes, and wanna go sees from my 2 day movie binge plus a few I’ve watched recently…

1. Curious George (didn’t really like)
2. Charlotte’s Web (saw it in the theater, bought it, it’s a great movie)
3. Ghost Rider (OMG!!! This movie ROCKS!!)
4. Radio (seen it before, just bought it, now on my all time faves list)
5. Cinderella 3 (joined the Disney Movie Club, why IDK…but this was really cute)
6. Happily Never After (was hilarious)
7. Aladdin and Aladdin Return of Jafar (they are going back to the vault had to have them)
8. Ratatouille (bought it yesterday, it was really good)

Wanna Sees… Beowulf, First Sunday (Ice Cube’s Newest), American Gangster, This Christmas, and Martian Child.

The Mom Chronicles

Well, my last few posts have been the tell alls of Cice so….why disappoint.

I have been a quest of the Glory of God and to find it God has been showing me, ME. Some of what I’ve seen had been good others bad. Some were hard and others easy. There are a myriad of other words I could use to describe this experience, but you get the jest. Well, Sunday I learned something I didn’t really know and at the time didn’t understand.

It all started from a conversation with my youngest son about how proud I was of him and the turn around he has made at school (I have to remind him often to keep him encouraged). I told him that maybe he needed to have a conversation with his sister about how to act in school (got a call from her teacher Friday). He was excited and runs and tells her to get it together and listen to her teachers. I had to laugh because it was the cutest and funniest thing I had seen in a while.

At that moment the Lord tells me, “Now you appreciate being a mother.” I was shocked to tears because I didn’t know I hadn’t appreciated it before. He showed me that I was just rolling with the punches and doing a job I had to do. But, I love my kids… Loving them doesn’t mean you appreciate the role you have. Wait Lord what are you saying…

Just making sure they have the basic necessities in life doesn’t mean you appreciate it. But, Lord I do more than that… I am there when they are sick. I am at the games, school programs… You didn’t understand how important your job was (conditioning prevented it). How many times did you wanna quit, throw in the towel and walk away? How many times did you just get in your car and just drive trying the whole time to convince yourself to go back? You did what you did for them because you knew if you didn’t no one else would. You stuck in there because you felt you made this choice and they didn’t so you owed it to them to stick it out. Mom yes, appreciate no.

So I had to find out what appreciate meant. Webster’s defines appreciate as:

1 a: to grasp the nature, worth, quality, or significance of

b: to value or admire highly

c: to judge with heightened perception or understanding : be fully aware of

d: to recognize with gratitude

2 to increase the value of

And I realized that hadn’t grasped the nature, worth or significance of being a mom. I failed to realize that all the mothering in the world didn’t show I appreciated my role in it. It just means I did the job. But, if I appreciated it they would appreciate me. For months I have been trying to figure out why my son was so determined to move 600 miles away. Didn’t he care, didn’t he love his mom. I had been trying to figure out why it seems like I am talking gibberish because I have to repeat myself or act a fool to get them to do anything. The only knew me as mom but didn’t appreciate mom. With appreciation comes respect, comes value, comes gratitude.

Since learning this I have noticed a change. They do what they are supposed to without being asked. I get more love ya moms just for nothing. They are showing care and concern for each other. And my son wants to come home. He misses his mom. Everyday I am learning that the benefits of His Glory ROCK!!! Going after God has benefits…what’s out of order gets put in order.

Life’s Little Lessons

I saw a list today and I had to share a few plus add a few of my own…

Some people are working backstage, some are playing in the band, some are on-stage singing, some are in the audience as critics and some are there to applaud. Know who and where you are.

The five most essential words for a healthy, vital relationship: “I apologize” and “You are right”.

Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

When you make a mistake, make amends immediately. It’s easier to eat crow while it’s still warm.

I’ve learned to pick my battles; I ask myself, Will this matter one year from now? How about one month? One week? One day?

At hard times I ask myself, “How do I feel? What do I want?” I use it whenever I’m at loss for words or thoughts.

Being happy doesn’t mean every thing’s perfect, it just means you’ve decided to see beyond the imperfections.

A lesson is repeated until it is learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. Then you can go on to the next lesson.

The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past.

When one door closes another one opens, so stop staring at the closed one and turn around.

Never bite the hand that feed you, especially when you have no arms, you can’t possible feed yourself.

Live every moment like it’s your last, so dance like nobody’s watching.

Nobody gives a better beat down than God. If you stop fighting His battles maybe you’ll take fewer losses.

If you think you shouldn’t you probably shouldn’t.

 

 

Kids Say/Do the Darndest Things

I had to post this cuz I thought it was too funny….

My son and daughter were having a conversation and she said she knew more because she was almost 16. She is 11, unless there is some new math out there that is a big almost.

I was calling my son’s name and he wouldn’t answer. I knew he heard me but he just looked at me like I was talking gibberish. When I asked why he didn’t answer he said, “Remember mom I changed my name. ” I forgot, my bad… a few weeks ago he changed his name to Brandon (why I don’t know). So, I say ok Brandon could you go do… And then he says, “You know what I think Curtis sounds even better.” Who is this little boy?

My son has the driest skin I have ever seen on a kid. EVER. I could grease him down in Crisco and he would be ashy in 2 minutes. We are in Children’s Bible Study last night and I look down and to my horror. His arms and legs look like somebody dipped him in flour. So tell him we need to do something about that. Why, Lord why did that sweet special little boy lick his hand and start wiping his arms. When questioned about his method he says, “Hey it works, see mom no ash .”

Last one…

After bible study last night I had to drop off a couple kids. In the car one of my favorite CDs is playing and I am jamming. I mean I am singing like I am the only one in the car. A police car pulls up next to us and one of the kids (I Love ya Jasmine) looks over and says, “I wish this cop would pull us over and arrest you.” I asked why and she says, “Because it is child abuse to make us listen to you sing.” I hollered.

Kids you gotta love them…

What’s Good for the Goose…

…is not always good for the gander. Bet you thought I was going to say something else. My point exactly…

So, it is 2:22 am, I can’t go back to sleep and I sit here at this computer rambling but this is after I read this post. Tony Morgan I owe you an offering. What he was saying refers to people having their perspective of the right way to do church. And it made me chuckle because not only do people have their own perspective on doing church, but Tony they have their own perspective on doing everything. And I mean everything.

I whole heartily believe everyone has a been there done that story. Cool, you are entitled to that, but DANG if I choose not to do it your way DOESN’T mean I didn’t seek wise counsel (the Lord, not you but the Lord) before I made the decision. Maybe the Lord worked it out for you that way, have you ever thought that maybe just maybe… The circumstances for every situation are not the same. Therefore, the way it worked for you and the direction you got worked for you. And if I took the same steps the results may be disastrous for me but worked great for you. Ok, ok example… My car breaks down so I take the bus to work instead. Same scenario for you right, but you ride a bike. The difference, I only have one leg so riding a bike is not an option. I used different means but still got the same results I made it to work, you made it to work.

So, don’t immediately jump on the defense when something doesn’t go like you want or think it should. Your solution is not always the answer. Dang I already blogged about this, this week…ya’ll not reading…please refer back.

I am stealing this from Tony but… “Don’t condemn others because others are different than you. Don’t create division. Do what God tells YOU to do.”If God tells you right but told me left and we still got to the same destination don’t hate. My road block was in a different direction than yours. So, my directions were specific to MY situation. Just as yours were to yours.

Women In Ministry

The title of this post is Women in Ministry and I want to add this subtitle:

Mentoring: Iron Sharpens Iron…

I attended a seminar over the weekend and it was absolutely awesome. Thanks, Pastor Lyons!! It was great to be able to sit back and be poured into about something that most ministries don’t even recognize.

Mentors are so important in ministry. I don’t care how smart we think we are, or how mature we seem to be, we still need mentors to make the most of our leadership. The hard part about this is there aren’t many Pastors, teachers, etc who are willing to speak into our lives. How many are truly willing to pour out their wisdom and experience into someone who is eager to learn? I guess Word of Faith’s women are truly blessed to have Pastors that care enough to give their very best.

I am excited about the things that God is doing in our ministry. He is raising up a remnant of mighty women. I thank God that our Pastors recognize what’s on the horizon and are arming them. They have stepped out on the unction of God to reach out to those who have a desire to spread the gospel of Christ.

Thank you Pastors Lyons:

1. For choosing to be light to women who seek to follow the path that they too have been called.

2. For encouraging us to step into the calling God has on our lives.

3. For helping us to realize that each of us has been called for a specific time, place and purpose.

4. For instilling in us that we have an awesome opportunity to be used.

5. For showing us that women hold a lot of power. And we shouldn’t shrink back to please others.

Pastors keep pushing us, expecting nothing but excellence, and pour until it overflows. I love you guys. Thanks so much.

Note: The seminar was awesome but I want to give a special shout out to Missy Platt. Girlfriend, you rock!!! Breakfast and lunch was great. Gone girl do yo thang, do yo thang, DON”T stop!!!

Ouch!!!

Pressing for the Glory hurts… Asking for more of God reveals the real you. It has to because you can’t take the “jacked up” you into the presence. It just can’t and won’t happen. So, right now the mirror of me hurts. God has been working on my compassion. Something I had little or none of (depending on the circumstances).

How many times do we get frustrated about how other folks are living? We see our friends, family, co-workers, etc going through what seems like the dumbest things. We have given what we think is advice (most times it’s just friendly criticism) and then out of desperation they make (what we feel are) dumb decisions. But what we fail to realize is there is a method to the madness. Just because the choice they made doesn’t line up with what we would have done doesn’t mean it’s a bad choice. They just didn’t do it our way. What works for you may not work for them.

We get mad and fuss but how often do we actually pray about those situations? Sometimes we just need to do three things:

1) Do a self check

2) Mind our business (as hard as that is)

3) Pray

The self check is to remind us that we haven’t always made the greatest choices. Then we need to practice some spiritual shut up. Just zip those lips and let them ride the wave of that decision whether good or bad. Just make sure you are there to encourage which ever way it turns out. The “I told you so” speech needs to die today. Plus, anything you would have to say won’t be readily received anyway. How do I know…because they didn’t take your advice to begin with so… The best thing we could possibly do in these situations is pray. Pray it works out for their good. Pray that they are strong enough to face any repercussions. And pray for understanding for you and them.

Keep It Simple

I am sitting here listening to Fred Hammond (my favorite artist) and the song made me want to run. The lyrics simply are…

I don’t really need to tell someone their future. I don’t really have to see the things that can’t be seen. I don’t need another hyped up church encounter. Or another clever New Years theme. I’m not looking for another goose bump sermon. Or a word that leaves me passed out on the floor. My basic needs are really very simple, to know You love me. You like me. And I am Yours. I am Yours.

My learning could go on throughout the ages. But I just need the plain and simple of what’s real. I could memorize and quote a million pages. But I’d rather just express the way I feel.

I’ve tried so hard to know the deepest revelation. So I could stand and tell the nations what it means. But I found the greatest gift wrapped in Your salvation. It’s really much more simple than it seems. So I relinquish all my witty observations. Leave my so called sacred knowledge at the door. When You died You answered every single question. You said You love me. You like me. And I am Yours. I am Yours.

My learning could go on throughout the ages. But I just need the plain and simple of what’s real. I could memorize and quote a million pages. But I’d rather just express the way I feel. All those complicated things have no appeal. So I’d rather keep it simple, keep it real. Yes I’m done with all the things that make it difficult to know…

You love me. You like me. And I am Yours.

I just want God ya’ll. I need Him to manifest in my life and be everything to me. Everything I have always wanted. Everything I need. Everything I could ever want. I just want God, plain and simple. Everything else is temporal, God is eternal. As I sit here and type this the tears flow… They flow because it’s so simple. So, simple. So why don’t we have Him? Why is He not our everything?

I was in bible study last night and the teacher said something so simple yet so profound. God created us because He loves us. And I began to think… He loves us so much that He wanted to share everything He is with us, so here we are. Here we sit. Yet we live like we don’t matter. We live like we have no worth. We live like we are nothing. But, we are everything to God. And in turn all we have to do is make Him our everything.

My prayer today is this…

Father, who is everything. Who is our today, tomorrow and yesterday. Who loved us enough to breathe life into this dust. I say, Thank You. Thank You for loving me, liking me, and making me Yours. Forgive us God for not doing the same. Forgive us for being ungrateful, because Your love is the greatest gift…

I Want Muscle!!

I heard a wise man say today that, “Faith is to the Spirit as muscle is to the body.  Muscle grows by pushing against resistance. The more resistance and the more often you push against the stronger the muscle becomes. Well, that’s how faith works. Faith grows as you push against resistance.” Ok don’t believe it doesn’t the Word say that faith without works is dead. So, if you aren’t working it, it’s dead right?

What kind of workout are you giving your faith? You have to exercise it every day to make it strong. Sometimes we say that we have faith in God. We say that we believe that He can do anything, but then we act as if everything depends on us. That isn’t a very strong faith, now is it?

How does one exercise faith? Try laying hold of the promises of God. I know what God promised Cicely!! What has God promised [insert your name here]? Faith can move mountains…Are you moving mountains or content with ant hills?