Serious About Faith. Light-Hearted About Life.
My two-year-old daughter loves to play games. And unfortunately for this mama-with-places-to-be-at-a-certain-time, that game is not something calm, cooperative and peaceful.
My girl loves to be chased.
I blame her Daddy. Because yeah, it is super fun to play “Chase around the table in our pajamas” when we have nowhere to be on a Saturday morning. Her peals of laughter make it almost worth it.
Almost. [Read more…]
Welcome to another week of our Everyday Jesus link-up. Be sure to link-up below this post, comment on your neighbor’s blog and share with your friends… Because Jesus is everywhere, every day!
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Following Jesus seems to be a tangle of interesting paradoxes.
We have to intentionally work at resting.
Sometimes to move forward, we must wait.
And today, we explore the idea that true strength comes from our deepest weakness. [Read more…]
Welcome to Wilco Wednesday! If you are a new around these parts, “Wilco” is Army-speak for “Will Comply.” Think of it as saying “Roger, God. Got it. Will do.” So that is what Wednesday here at 7 Days Time is all about– exploring his decrees and seeking guidance for what complying with Him looks like in everyday life. The best part? He loves us for who we are, not what we do. Remember: He doesn’t want perfection, just obedience. Share. Enjoy. Interact. Welcome today’s guest blogger, my dear friend and our courageous PWOC president, Carriann Lane.
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“Why can’t you just let it go?!”
I saw exasperation and frustration on her face. I knew she was ready to blow – her raised voice was a fair indication. I understood what her emotion was, I just didn’t understand why talking was so aggravating. I was about 11 years old, and I knew I should let it go …but, of course, I did not. An answer was not what my mouth got me that day, but I was learning something.
“Why can’t you just let it go?!”
I saw anger and irritation on his face. He was about to flip his lid, thanks to my questioning.
I asked: “Where did you hear that? Are you sure that’s true?”
He heard: “You are lying.” “That’s dumb. You’re dumb.” “I don’t respect you.”
I was about 20 years old, and I understood how he was feeling, but again, why he felt it was a mystery.
A new question replaced the others: “Why can’t I just let it go?” Why does getting it right matter so much to me?
This week, I found myself asking this again. [Read more…]
My husband is an infantryman.
I believe he chose this MOS because of the opportunity to serve, the thrill factor and challenge that comes with boots-on-the-ground-kicking-in-doors-and-taking-names.
Plus, he loves the color blue.
Recently, however, I have learned another interesting piece of his genetic soldier make-up.
He loves the infantry because he secretly harbors a desire to be the next Bear Grylls– you know, that super-intense guy with the TV show “Man vs. Wild?” Yeah, I am married to a wannabe-that.
Which makes family camping tricks very frustrating interesting. [Read more…]
Welcome to another week of our Everyday Jesus link-up. Be sure to link-up below this post, comment on your neighbor’s blog and share with your friends… Because Jesus is everywhere, every day!
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My daughter, being the apparent (hereditary) overachiever that she is, hit the Terrible Twos early.
Several months before her second birthday, it was like a switch was flipped and she learned the power of a tantrum.
We went from moderately peaceful breakfasts to complete, total, utter meltdowns because she wanted a different color of cheese. (Like I am supposed to know THAT?)
In all honesty, her tantrums really aren’t terrible… But if you ever stop by during one of these meltdowns, you will probably witness me talking to the ceiling, sighing heavily, rolling my eyes and muttering something like, “Lord in heaven… Are you serious right now?” [Read more…]
Welcome to Wilco Wednesday! If you are a new around these parts, “Wilco” is Army-speak for “Will Comply.” Think of it as saying “Roger, God. Got it. Will do.” So that is what Wednesday here at 7 Days Time is all about– exploring his decrees and seeking guidance for what complying with Him looks like in everyday life. The best part? He loves us for who we are, not what we do. Remember: He doesn’t want perfection, just obedience. Share. Enjoy. Interact. Let’s welcome this strong, creative woman of God, Katharina as she shares her heart this week.
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I was on my weekly run when I was “writing” a mental to-do-list of all the projects and chores that I needed to accomplish this week. Unexpectedly, I had a small panic attack. My heart started to beat fast and I was not able to breathe. I tried to calm myself down by walking and taking deep breaths when I heard God’s voice saying, “Be still, my daughter, and know that I am God. Be still in me for I am walking beside you, holding your right hand in mine. I am always with you and I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be still in me.”
His words washed over me like a cool and gentle rain shower in the spring time. I was getting calmer and calmer with every step I took, until I was back home.
Today, I am thankful for this small panic attack. It showed me who is really in control in my life and I do not need to be involved in so many projects just to feel accepted and recognized. It is easier for me to stay busy than to be still and relax in God’s presence. “Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law.” ~Psalm 119:109
Be still, be still and know that I am God.
How well do you know your spouse, your children, your parents, your co-workers or your friends? How well do we know God? Psalm 103:3 says “Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.”
Sadly, I do not know God as my Father as well enough as He knows me as His daughter. He created me in my mother’s womb. He wrote my whole life, every little moment, in the book of life, even the moment when I was running and thinking about all my projects. He knew about it as well as what I needed at that moment – to hear His sweet and gentle voice.
How can we develop a closer relationship with our heavenly Father and learn more about Him? Here are some suggestions:
First, study the bible and see what His word says about His character and who He is as our heavenly Father. Here are some examples of God’s name and His character:
Secondly, ask the Holy Spirit to help you highlight passages that describe God’s character and personality to you.
Lastly, how do you develop a relationship with your spouse, your friends, and your children? Perhaps your answers include things like spending quality time with each other, getting to know them, talking, having fun, etc. This is same way God your heavenly Father wants to spend time with you!
How can we learn to be still from the inside, even when our world spins? I am learning to be still and it is an everyday struggle. Sometimes, I even need to drop everything and go into my prayer closet to be still for just five minutes and to listen to His voice.
How do you find stillness in your life? Join the conversation and leave a comment below.
“The quieter you become, the more you can hear.” ~Ram Dass
Katharina is a military spouse and a stay at home mom of a 7year old and a 5year old. She homeschools her two children and she is a life coach with www.well-springs-lifecoaching.com. She coaches women in life balance, relationships, health and fitness, and personal goal setting.
In addition, Katharina volunteers her time with www.VetREST.org, an organization that is passionate about helping Veterans and their families experience peace from the inner battle with PTS. Furthermore, Katharina is being trained in inner healing prayer with Aurora Worldwide. In her free time, Katharina loves to run, bike, hike, and swim (anything outdoors). She loves to read and spend time with her family.
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Linking up today with my friend Kristin over at Three-word Wednesday and having a little Coffee for your Heart with Holley. Oh! And be sure to join our #EverydayJesus link-up community right here at 7 Days Time every Thursday!
I am not a fan of negotiation. It stresses me out, especially when it comes to exchanging money or goods. Sure, I can negotiate with my husband about our schedules of kid-watching so we can be grown-ups/eatwithtwohands/gotothebathroomalone with the best of ’em. And sometimes I get my Mama negotiation skills out with our tiny human, who, for someone so small, seems to be very well versed in this department.
But most of the time, trying to make a trade just makes me twitch. I either feel like a jerk for demanding too much or like I am about to get the short end of the stick because I will do almost anything to avoid major confrontation. [Read more…]
Welcome to another week of our Everyday Jesus link-up. Be sure to link-up below this post, comment on your neighbor’s blog and share with your friends… Because Jesus is everywhere, every day!
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I wouldn’t say that I am an overly needed person.
Yeah, I “need” basic things like food, water, shelter, clothing (because trust me– nobody wants to see otherwise) but for the most part, I am pretty simple.
Although, I have to admit– I need other things in life– not physical needs, but heart needs.
And fortunately, Jesus in my everyday supplies what I need. He delivers– physically, spiritually, emotionally, the whole shebang. [Read more…]
Welcome to Wilco Wednesday! If you are a new around these parts, “Wilco” is Army-speak for “Will Comply.” Think of it as saying “Roger, God. Got it. Will do.” So that is what Wednesday here at 7 Days Time is all about– exploring his decrees and seeking guidance for what complying with Him looks like in everyday life. The best part? He loves us for who we are, not what we do. Remember: He doesn’t want perfection, just obedience. Share. Enjoy. Interact. Welcome a very humble, wise woman, our Titus II advisor, Sharon Bridwell!
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What do we know about these believers at Colossae and what do they have to do with us? We think those at Colosse were mostly Gentiles that Epaphras reached with the Gospel. The “Big Issue” at Colossae was Gnosticism. Without getting too bogged down, Gnosticism cries out that Christ alone is NOT enough in one’s life, which sounds an awful lot like what we hear today, especially from those who don’t value Christ as you or I might.
Let’s focus on Colossians 1:3-6 and take a hard look at who we are in Christ and who Christ should be to us who claim to believe in Him. [Read more…]
High school was kind of a weird season of life for me.
I came from a teeny-tiny town (we are talking population 323, folks) and so our high school reflected our population. I graduated with a whopping 18 people in my class.
For the most part, I liked high school. I was involved in all things academic, a good student, did the leadership thing, and avoided anything related to sports since flying objects were mysteriously attracted to my face. (Seriously. I once split my lip open playing ping-pong. #TrueStory)
In general, I didn’t mind high school. Except for that one day a year.
I always knew it was coming. Once a year, I woke with a pit in my stomach coupled with a minuscule bulb of hope in my heart. [Read more…]
It's been awhile since we have posted a fresh Factor of 7 here at 7 Days Time. We've done a few small ones over the last several months, but we wanted to share one of most recent random acts of kindness with you. Because it was fun. And hey, who … Interested? Read on...
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