Joyce Meyer Ministries

This morning I watched the most moving Joyce Meyer broadcast and just had to share: Joyce Meyer Broadcast. It is WORTH the 30 min. of your time!

Awe-Summm!

As I mentioned yesterday, Melissa over at Home is where your story begins passed this Awe-Summm award onto me! I always knew I was a queen! Yes, I feel super special! After you finish getting your daily dose from me, you may want to head over to Melissa's blog, check her out and let her know you stopped by. Melissa and I found each other's blogs and connected through I Heart Faces and I just adore her sweet spirit. And, while your at it check out Carrie (cool name, I know) over at Martin Manor Happenings as well.

Now... I am to list 7 things that make me Awe-Summm and then pass the award on to 7 bloggers I love. Make sure to tag the recipients and let them know they have won! Also link back to the Queen that tagged me.



1. My five kids are not the sit-behind-the-tv or play-video-games-all-day kinda kids. They have energy, lots of it! The very last thing my kids need is sugar. So I try to keep my kiddos eating as health as I can. I pick up things like Honey-Nut Cheerios and Cinnamon Life cereals for breakfast. I'd love to make the move over to a multi-grain waffle. I buy tons, and I mean tons of fruit and they always eat it all up. My girls take salads to school for lunch much of the time. I prefer they snack on yogurt and string cheese. I'm not totally rotten though and I have a rampid sweet tooth of my own so I do buy a few 'delicacies' for their lunches. So I feel Awe-Summm when I come home from the grocery store and my kids overwhelm me with thanks and love and hugs and kisses because I bought Nilla Wafers and applesauce!



2. This is NOT easy! I don't know that there are too many things I can say I are so cool about me that I'm awesome or that I do that make me awesome. I don't want to be haughty. But, when Monday comes to a close and my laundry is done and my there is a full week of freshly pressed stuff in the closet for the hubs; I'm Awe-Summm!



3. Talking my daughter Karli into trying out for the Talent Show at school by herself instead of relying on a friend due to stage fright without her even knowing, I think that makes me Awe-Summm! Karli is super talented and such an entertainer. She's stuck dead middle in our family and I wanted her to have some light of her own. Auditions are today. She chose I Might Even be a Rockstar by Hannah Montana because, well, Karli is a rockstar!



4. Tyler has had a rough year finding his place at the new school and adjusting. He's pretty shy and doesn't have a very good self-esteem and got pretty weary about it. So being the Awe-Summm mom that I am, I gave him a fresh, super cool and stylish haircut so he's super handsome and updated his wardrobe with a few pieces from those designer shops that he thinks he "has to wear."



5. I do have four other kids to clothe though so we picked up the brands he wanted and saved a ton of money by hitting the clearance section at the perfect time and hit up a resale shop that carries those brands as well. Making a teenage boy feel more confident about himself while spending the same amount I would have at Target; that's Awe-Summ!



6. Paid off a car this week, uh yeah, that's Awe-Summm! Thank you to a Lord who supplies, my hard working hubs who is disciplined, and the IRS!



7. This final one isn't really about how Awe-Summm I am at all. It's about how Awe-Summm the hubs is to me and how Awe-Summm my bloggy friends who keep me going are!

I now pass this dazzling award on to:

Erica - Happy Anniversary girl!

Leslie - One of the loveliest ladies in blog land and wise beyond her years!

Tabbie - How she always knows just where I am!

Jen V - Check out her awesome photo blog! Jen is super dear to me!

Melissa - Who I hope is continuing on her road to restoration!

Cindy - Super sweet lady!

Becca - Love staying up-to-date with her family!

What are you so angry about?

I opened up my e-mail to find a super surprise from Melissa over at Home is where your story begins who donned my blog with a sweet award, more on that tomorrow...

I've been thinking a lot about anger and unforgiveness lately and what it does to the relationships around me. I read a quote yesterday, "the greatest power a person possesses is the power to choose." Each time our brain recognizes or produces a feeling we have a choice to make. In the case of an offense or anger we can choose to deny that feeling. Ephesians 4:26 Be angry and sin not. Do not let the sun go down on your anger. It's okay to get angry, it's okay to have our feelings hurt, it's what we do with those emotions that we need to be careful about. It's a tough thing to decide that when you get angry about something big or small that you'll go to the father with it first and foremost, he is the one we can vent to. Then allow the Holy Spirit to guide our next steps. Often times, we want to go straight to the source and let em' have it! But, the Lord on the other hand will request that we forgive immediately instead. It's acceptable and often times necessary to still discuss the issues you have with the other person but do so carefully and with love. Ask the Holy Spirit to intercede and guide your words and your conversation. Walking in love is not an easy thing to do. It isn't a natural part of our make-up, our character, it takes work. Just like we need to exercise our muscles and bodies, we need to exercise our reactions, forgiveness, and walking in love.

The sad part truly is the stronghold even a small thing can have on a relationship. Lack of communication causes strife and allows to much room for each person to make assumptions. Isn't it so easy for us to always assume the worst of another and make the problem so much larger in our own minds? Be angry and sin not. No matter how small and silly the matter may seem you must communicate with the person(s) involved to resolve issues. Small offenses gradually build on top and they become really super huge issues and graduate to a point where neither party can nor wants to relate to the other's point of view. If you let it go long enough, it becomes too late in some cases. If you let it go long enough, one party or the other might quite, just might get to a point where they can't imagine a peaceful solution and build walls around their heart. Where do you have anger and unforgiveness in your life today? Is it a dad who is angry with a son? A wife who feels taken for granted? A family member who has offended you too many times? A husband that feels neglected. Meditate on that for a while today. Ask the Lord to reveal to you any area of your life where you need to forgive, search your heart, and ask the Lord to reveal to you also who you may need to seek for forgiveness. Ouch! I know.

Acts 10:38 And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Jesus went about doing good because the Holy Spirit was with him. We are anointed with the same power and have access to the same Holy Spirit, go about today doing good to all today.