We are the Transplants...

Yes, that is me and my family...  We have been plucked out of St. Louis, our home and the place we LOVE, and transplanted in Steamboat Springs, CO.  Steamboat, ah yes, such a beautiful place.  Has anyone ever told you - it is cold here.  Has anyone ever told you - they had like over 450 inches of snow last year.  Has anyone ever told you about their "champagne powder" snow.   It apparently is the most AMAZING, the most WONDERFUL, place to ski.  Well, we don't ski. LOL.  So, that is kinda crazy to move to a place where they do nothing but snowboard and snowski and you do NONE of it.  LOL! 

Transplants R US...  That is what we need to be called.  Because, apparently, when you are not native of Colorado - all of the natives can tell.  I have been told I stick out like a sore thumb.  Hmmm?  Is it because I am not a "tiny" person and most of all people here are like super athletic with running, biking, hiking, swimming, exercising, etc....  Or is it because I am nice?  Hmmm?  Maybe it is because I can actually park in a parking space at City Market or Walmart and I make it in between the lines??  That must be it!!!  No, I know...  It is because, I do NOT drive a Subaru.  I think every household here in Steamboat owns a Subaru - AWD!!!!  It is nuts!  I get the AWD - with the amount of snow around these here parts.  But I do NOT get why it has to be a Subaru.  Ugh, shoot me dead if I own a Subaru.  They are UGLY!!!!!  Oh, and don't forget those things on the tops of the Subaru's that hold skis and snow crap.  Ok, you got me...  THAT is why I stick out like a sore thumb...  I don't drive a Subaru with a thing on top for my snow crap!!!  LOL!

Transplants R US...  Gotta love us Midwesterners in the Mountains.

Interesting Info = Ecclesiastes...

Sooooo..... I was looking in my bible today and happened to come across some "good stuff" in Ecclesiastes. I know I have read this before, but you know how there are times when you just read something and don't get it??? And then, there are other times that you read something and you DO get it? Well, this was one of those moments for me....

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 (msg)

"After looking at the way things are on Earth here is what I have decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that's about it. That's the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what is given and delightting in the work. It's God's GIFT!!! God deals out joy in the present, the NOW... It's usless to brood over how long we might live."

I look at that verse and think to myself that I need to step it up.... "Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life".... So many days, lately, I question why we are here in Steamboat. I cannot get a job to save our lives, making friends has been daunting, Dave is working a lot, the kids are off to school daily and all the while I am stressed over NOT having a job. I am not enjoying Steamboat. I am not enjoying my family. I am not enjoying this time I have to finally - Take Care of MYSELF.. To have a GOOD time... and to make the most out of whatever job I have.... Intersting. So many times I forget my J.O.B. is being a mom and a wife... To love on my family during this time that we still have together. Soon, my kids will be grown and out of the house. That is really soon for Brandon. He is already 16 years old and a junior in High School. He will be gone in a little over a year and a half. That is NOT a long time.

What about the bounty and capacity part? "Make the most of whatever God gives - both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it!" Bounty means - and ABUNDANT SUPPLY!!! Capacity means - the maximum amount to receive or contain. That means if you read it again - that verse reads, "Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the ABUNDANT SUPPLY and the maximum amount to receive or contain that abundant supply - to ENJOY IT... TO ENJOY WHAT GOD GIVES US... People, that is good stuff!!!

What do you think, friends? Do you agree with this? Does this apply to you and your life? Think about it... We are who we are and who we are supposed to be. NOW...

Are we taking advantage of Gods goodness to it's fullest capacity??? Every part of God's goodness? Even the small stuff?

Bringing Honor Back

Honor = to treat something or someone as precious or valuable.

Dishonor = to treat something or someone as common or ordinary.

Mark 6:1-5 - Jesus left there and went to his hometown, along with his disciples. When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were amazed! ‘Where did this man get these things?’ they asked. ‘What’s this wisdom that has been given Him, that He even does miracles?’ ‘Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us??’ And they took offense at Him. Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among His relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor?” He could not do any miracles there….

1. Honor elevates but dishonor deteriorates. - socially, economically, spiritually
2. Respect is earned but honor is given.

“Honor everyone!” 1 Peter 2:17

The son of God died for ME – and YOU! THAT is honor!! He gave honor before earning anything…

Honor our jobs, our teachers, our families, our spouses… and all of the people who serve us.

Marriages are better with honor… relationships are better…children are better…schools…communities…churches…businesses… - all of these are better with honor!

Everyone is trashing each other = back talking and just talking trash in general. Why not become CARRIERS & COMMUNICATORS of honor??

We need an Honor Revolution… When we give VALUE to something then it becomes VALUABLE. Just like when we give VALUE to PEOPLE…then they become valuable.

S T O P …. Criticizing – stop agreeing with the devil.

Do not wait for achievement in order to honor our kids or our spouses.

• GET RID OF PRIDE!
• Walk in humility!
• Walk like Jesus.
  

We are called to do the above 3 bullet points as a church! We are called to put these principals into action!

Honor destryos the works of criticism, arrogance and cynicism. BE HUMBLE! :-)

FREEDOM

F - Fight the Good Fight
R - Run your Race (keep your blinders on)
E - Embrace the Power of Praise
E - Eliminate the enemies weapons (our mind)
D - DO allow the Lord to Love you
O - Open the gifted side in you
M - Move onto the battlefield - move on from the past and into the future

Battles are ALWAYS going on in our hearts and in our minds. But He is always there with us. HE is God ... WE are NOT!

Isaiah 43:2 - When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Romans 8:38-39 - For I am convinced that neither death, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separeate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Fill your bucket with Jesus's love - nothing else!
See a need - meet the need...of someone else. The invisible God becomes visible when you meet the need of someone else. Be a HERO of the faith.

If we do not learn to walk in his confidence, then we will continue to fail. God is NOT looking for perfection - However, he is looking for a heart for HIM!

We cannot stay in a place of waiting. Our legacy of faith means so much more than what we wanted for us. Have faith! Prayers can change anything!!! ANY SITUATION!

Nehemiah - we need to be more like him. Every one of us holds a stone (bitterness, hatred, guilt, regret) But don't give up... Too many people give up. Keep the faith.

Fight...
Fight for your marriage.
Fight for your family.
Fight for your faith.

Jesus asks us - was HIS life enough for us to stand and keep our faith for him... and for us to stand on the ROCK?

Being WEIRD....in a "normal" world....

The pastor at the local church we have been attending is preaching on a series about being weird in a "normal" or not so "normal" world. What do you think about that? I know that we are not supposed to follow the norm as Christians. But do we always do that? I know that I do not always do that... and that bothers me.

The "normal" takes the road most often taken or the road most often traveled. This road is the wide road of open and endless possibilities. Which could also mean - things that the "normal" peeps are saying or doing. They are following what others are believing to be GREATEST or THE BEST THING EVER... They are wanting the NEWEST gadgets... They are wanting the TRENDIEST clothes/shoes/accessories... They are wanting the most AWESOME car/SUV... They are wanting the NICEST house...to throw LAVISH and Crazy fun parties... AND - the normal person will do it ... even at the expense of putting their family in D E B T. That word DEBT is a HORRIBLE word... But why do us "normal" people do that to ourselves? It just doesn't make sense.?!>?#?@??

To contrast the WEIRD versus the "normal" peeps, I will give you and example of what a WEIRD person might do when wanting the latest and greatest or the trendiest or the nicest... They wait. They DON'T impulsively buy just to be buying... THEY WAIT. They don't run out when the newest I-phone comes out and it is marked up 300%.. THEY WAIT.

Here is my challenge my friends.... Try this week to do something WEIRD instead of "NORMAL"... Can you do it?