Monthly Archives: August 2010

August 9, 2010 · 5:00 am

It’s For Them, Too.

Jett looks like he is wondering what kind of family he’s been placed into. 

A fun one.

Seriously. 

We are all pretty hysterical.  Or, at least, that’s the world we choose to believe we live in.

I love these children.  “Well of course, you do.  You’re their mother!”  I worry about these children.  I question my parenting.  I get on my knees and seek God for their lives.  I remind myself that if I could meet their every need, they wouldn’t need a Savior. 

But, when I read scripture, I honestly forget about it applying to my children’s lives.  Is that crazy or what?

“I will never leave you or forsake you…”  (Heb. 13:5) That’s for my kids.

“I will supply your every need….” (Phil.4:19)  That’s for them, too.

“My help comes from the Lord…” (Psalm 121.2)  For them.

“You are my Portion….” (Psalm 119) Forrrrr them.

I could go on and on.  And on.  I can’t meet their every need.  But God can.  And, He wants to. 

But, I can teach them to seek first His Kingdom, so all of those things can be given to them.  I can teach them to put on the full of armor of God so they can stand up to anything.  I can teach them to chase after God’s will more than their own.  I can teach them to love God with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength.

It’s in HIM and through HIM that they will have EVERYTHING they need.  They will never lack.  Because, THEY serve the Creator of the universe.

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August 6, 2010 · 5:00 am

Conversations with Anna.

Let’s keep the next few Fridays a little light-hearted, shall we?  We shall, we shall.  With a Friday title such as “Conversations with Anna”, I don’t think we have a choice really.  I journaled many conversations and situations with the one and only Anna Takle while on my blogging hiatus.  I just hated for it not to be penned permanently.

We’ll call this conversation “Conversation Obama.”  Why do I feel like I’ve lost readers already?

Anyhoo.

We fly a lot. I am married to a pilot, after all.  I’ve pretty much mastered the art of occupying my children while in flight with books, games, activities and such.  Well, mastered up until Anna breaks out into…being Anna. 

Scene:  John Henry is drawing a picture of a man.

John Henry:  “It’s a president.  I’ll give you a hint.  He’s on the quarter.”

Anna:  “George Washington!”

John Henry:  “Yes!”

Anna:  “Wait.  But, George Washington has fluffy hair.  This man does not have fluffy hair.”

***INSERT MOM TRYING TO CAPITALIZE ON AN EDUCATIONAL MOMENT***

Me:  “Okay kids, who is on the penny?”

Anna:  “Obama!!!”

Yes, we still have a little way to go on learning our country’s presidents.  But, she did know that Lincoln was our sixteenth president.  And, well, that is something. 

Hail to the Chief.

And, Happy Birthday to my momma.  She’s never been a president.  But she loves me and keeps ALL of my youngins.  So, she wins.

Love you @bcgoss.

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August 5, 2010 · 5:00 am

Posers.

I spoke to a group of young people last night about posers.  We all have been a poser.  We all have pretended to be someone or something we are not.  I talked about the story of the disciple Peter.  You know the one.  Where he denied knowing Christ three times before some rooster crowed. 

I realized this story is not just about a man denying his knowledge of Christ.  It’s about a man denying who HE is.  How often we pose to please people.  We pose, because we don’t want to rock the proverbial boat.  We pose, because we fear rejection.  We pose, because we want to seem normal.

But, I’ve seen normal.

And, I really don’t think I like it.

It’s normal to gossip.  It’s normal to be selfish.  It’s normal to do the church thing on Sunday and then live a life that doesn’t please my Father.  There is a lot of “normal” that really isn’t good at all.  So, why pose? 

I know this is usually a struggle more for young people than adults….maybe.  But, we have all posed at some point in our life.  The issue at hand, however, is not the fact that we deny Christ in the process.  It’s the fact that we deny who WE are.

You are a child of the King.  The power that raised Christ from the dead is inside of you.  You aren’t who people say you are.  You are who God says you are. 

Don’t ever deny that.

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August 4, 2010 · 5:00 am

Bounce Your Thoughts.

I have this sweet, little scripture hanging in my home:

Whatever is noble, right, pure, lovely…think on these things.  Philippians 4:8

I say “sweet, little” because, well, it’s a nice goal.  Don’t ya think?  But, who really takes it to heart and executes it in his or her life? 

Not me.  Not always.

I can let my thought life take me down a road of perpetual worry.  I can let my thought life cause me to become resentful of not having more time for myself.  I can let my thought life lead me down a road of becoming irritated with my husband, because he fails to see his clothes on the floor.  I can let my thought life do a lot of damage in a day. 

It can rob me of time that I can’t ever get back.  It can rob me of trusting in Him, because I worry.  It can rob me of enjoying a smile from my baby boy’s sweet face, because I’m thinking how little time I have to myself in a day.  It can rob me of appreciating how hard my husband works for our family. 

I’ve always heard we should “bounce our eyes” when confronted with something visually unhealthy.  That’s important.  But, so is bouncing our thoughts.  The moment we let a thought that is not noble, right, pure or lovely surface, we need to bounce it immediately.

What if every one of our thoughts was truly noble, right, pure, and lovely?  How different would our life look?  How much more would I enjoy the gifts God has given me?  How much more would I trust in my Savior who has NEVER let me down? 

This is exactly what God is working in my life right at this moment.  He is teaching me how much I need to bounce my thoughts.  And, oh boy, will I need some reminders and accountability on this one.

How is your thought life?

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August 3, 2010 · 5:00 am

A Life of Worship

The storm knocked out our cable and wireless for a wonderful couple of hours.  I placed the iPod on the docking station, held baby boy, and listened to the big kids sing along to worship song after worship song.  I looked up and saw John Henry raising his hands and closing his eyes. 

“Mom, I’m worshipping God right now, since I wasn’t at church Sunday,” he told me.

“You can worship God any time you want,” I assured him.

And, we did just that.  Tears flooded my eyes as I worshipped the Creator with my children.  Then, we talked about worship. 

“What is worship, Anna?”

“It’s something we send to God,” she answered.

Something we send to Him.  It’s not something we just do on Sunday.  It’s a life lived.  A life lived that brings glory to Him.  A life that honors Him.

A life that gives.

That blesses.

That seeks His Kingdom first.

That chases after God.

Everybody worships something.  But, we were made to worship Him.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you.  Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable.  This is truly the way to worship him.  Romans 12:1

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August 2, 2010 · 5:00 am

I Need You.

I love YouVersion.  I love that I have access to the bible and dang near any translation at the sweep of my little finger.  And, when I read Galatians 6:4-5 in The Message translation, well, I was convicted.

Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others.  Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

Is this translation not the awesomest?  Yes.  Awesomest.  Look it up.  It’s a word.

I’m just kiddin’.  It’s not really.

I love this.  I love that it made me take my eyes off of other people and what they are doing, or not doing, for the Kingdom.  Puh-retty judgmental of me, don’t ya think?  Yeppers.  Grrr you, Dusty Takle.  There were times I would look at others and wonder why they weren’t as passionate about something as I was.  Never mind that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made….that we were each created for a unique purpose. 

I am responsible for my own life.  And, you are responsible for yours.  I know.  My life revelations are astounding, eh?  Eh?

Here’s the deal, in case you don’t know or may have forgotten:

God created you.

You are not an accident.

He has a plan for you. 

You have a purpose in life.

You matter.

And, we all need you.

Y’all come back tomorrow.  I’ll be here.

For real.

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