New Year - New Friends

A new school year! Exciting, yet scary. Can't wait one minute; nervous stomach next.

One of the great things I always looked forward to in a new school year was the chance to change things up a bit and meet some new friends. Different classes brought new opportunities to meet kids I had never hung out with before. Some times, though, those first few days can be weird. Trying to get a conversation started can be awkward. What if they think I'm weird? What if they already "have enough" friends and aren't looking for any new ones?

I know when I walk in a new place, I can feel uptight at first. But just think, if I feel that way, they probably do too! So how can we break the ice and find out if that new girl sitting next to me might just be my new best friend?

First prepare some great "ice breaker" questions. Everyone loves to talk about themselves, so asking questions is a great place to start. How long have you lived here? What activities are you thinking about participating in? What school did you go to last year? What do you think might be the best thing about this year? Once they answer that question, based on their answer you can ask another. (Be sure to comment back with your own answers to the questions, that way you are starting a conversation and not just asking questions!)

Next, really listen when she talks. So many people want to do all of the talking. If you are a real listener, you'll stand out as a great friend right from the start!

Lastly don't be afraid to do some inviting. Ask her to hang out at lunch, study for a test coming up or go to the first football game. Everyone wants to be wanted and asking her to hang out says just that!

As a final note: be sure to keep your eyes open for the kid who is new to your school. I recently read a startling statistic: kids who move more than three times have twice a likely chance to try to commit suicide. Moving is tough! Look for the girl who is twice as nervous as you and try to help her fit.

I'd love to hear how your first day of school goes! Stop back by and let me know.

Always His,
Lynn

Means Girls

“The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.” Nahum 1:7 NLT

“The words on FaceBook glared back at her. “You are so ugly! You are fat, annoying and I hate you!” Lindsay just sat there, starring at the screen. “What did I say? What did I do?”

Maybe this has happened to you or maybe you have never faced the type of flat out rejection that Lindsay did. I recently spotted a t-shirt at the mall that read “You’re no one until someone talks about you.” Growing up today in a world where “Mean Girls” and “Gossip Girl” are our movie and tv titles, it comes as no surprise that many of us have been there. These feelings of being unaccepted are definitely not new. In Song of Solomon 1:5, we are first introduced to a young girl who feels the same way “Don’t look down on me because I am dark…” The Message. She felt rejected. Those feelings are so opposite of what we want to feel. What we want to be accepted!

So what can we do when we feel out ? For me, it helps to find out where I am in. The Lord is very specific about how He feels about me. “My beloved is mine, and I am His…”Song of Solomon 2:16a (NKJV). “You're beautiful from head to toe, my dear love,
beautiful beyond compare, absolutely flawless.” Song of Solomon 4:7b The Message. “The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.” Psalm 45:11 (NIV). These are the types of verses I take and put them everywhere so that I can read them over and over and over again. When I feel rejected, these words remind me that I am accepted by Him!

Next time you feel left out, rejected, not "in"; remind yourself of the truth of how He sees you. Let these words go deep into your heart and watch how the Lord will turn what was made for evil into good!

Not Alone

I couldn't believe it. It felt just like I was back in high school. The name was "Jesus Freck". Now, the teasing looked a little bit different, but the intent to hurt was still the same. "Her biggest problem is that she probably gets up each morning and prays to be a perfect mom." Ouch! Nothing like getting punched in the stomach for wanting to run after the Lord will all your might.

This I was praying a passage that was first prayed thousands of years ago by David. "Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun." (Psalm 37:5-6 NLT)

"He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn..." Some days, when you are pursuing Jesus and your life reflects that, it is just flat out hard. Our lives, hopefully,are a sharp contrast to those around us.

Look at that sunrise. Isn't it magnificent? Your innocence, your heart to go after Him no matter what the cost, is that type of beauty. Unfortunately, we live around those who are still in the dark; the Son has not risen in their lives, so they don't even know what that kind of beauty looks like.

So what can help us to appreciate this innocent beauty? Being around others who value the Son rising in their own lives. Others who have purposed to get up, each and every day, out of the darkness to not only see the Son rise, but to be a part of that process taking place in their own lives.

Find another. Find another who not only pays the price to run hard after Him each and every day, but applauds it in your life as well.

Friend, I applaud the rising in you. We are not alone. Our King. Our Love - Jesus, is waiting each and every day before the dawn to see if you will come and anticipate the Son rising in your life; in your heart. Wake up and see! It is SO worth it!

Tuning Our Lives

If you are joining me here today because of my devo on RadRevolution, hi! Sometimes, our life gets out of tune and often it is because of decisions we make.

Have you had an experience in life where everything seemed to be going right, yet in the end it really wasn't? I have had too many to count: bad dating decisions, poor money decisions, spur-of-the-moment not-time-to pray decisions. They seemed right at the time...

This past weekend, I went shopping with my husband. My office is often a complete mess and it was time to get serious about organizing it. Now, this is not my best skill in life, to be sure, but I figured if I had the right furniture, cabinets, and gadgets I could definately make it better. So it was off to the stores...

Store #1: Had a desk that would definately work. It was more than I wanted to spend, but I had done a little (emphasis on little) investigating and knew that it was pretty in line with what I had already seen. I was ready to buy and be done. My husband on the other hand said, "Lynn, I think you can do better." Buzz kill. Not what I wanted to hear. But I did listen.

Store #2: Had everything I wanted! The desk, the cabinets, the chair...even the cool waste can! AND I could get all the pieces I wanted for about the same amount of money as the ONE desk at the other store. I was so excited (I know you would be for me if you saw it...it is rather cool, I must say. Maybe I'll post a pic when I finally get it all assembled!).

Lesson learned: waiting and taking wise advice from others can be a VERY good thing for me. Sometimes what sounds or seems best is not, in fact. The only way to find that out is by slowly down long enough to hear.

What decisions are you contemplating? Is there a certain someone you would like to date, but don't know enough about his character? Is there a school you are thinking about attending, but haven't really sensed the green light from the Lord? What plans are you making for the summer...and have you asked the Lord what His plans are for you this summer? Slow down, pray, seek and then make those decisions wise decisions! !

Jeremiah 29:12 - 13 "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile." NIV

Pray, Pray, Pray

For those joining me today from the Proverbs 31 devo, welcome! I just remembered that this devotion was coming out today while I was swimming laps... and praying! The Word says to pray without ceasing, so I like to take it literary.

I would love to hear from you on what you do to remind yourself to pray through the day! Many of the ways I pray today I learned from others. Praying for the person whose laundry I am folding as I fold it. Pray for the hurting person as the fire truck or ambulance drives by. Pray for my children as I drive them to school. I also enjoy surrounding myself with sounds that remind me of Him: worship music, sermons that I downloaded or Christian talk radio shows. Sometimes, when all is quiet, I am reminded of Him; His incredible presence always with me.

One thing I have learned: praying has to be intentional. Our mind, through out the day, will naturally gravitate toward our busyness: kids to be taken care of, laundry to do, the next meal to prepare, or work that needs our attention. Martin Luther once said, "I have so much to do today, I need to spend the first three hours in prayer". What a perspective!
As you look at your to-do list today, purpose to steal away moments with Him. Moments of purposeful quiet and moments in the crazy chaos. "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. " James 5:16 (NIV)
Have a prayer-filled day...He can't wait to hear from you!

Lynn

Stay On The Trail!

Last night my family just returned from our spring break vacation to Washington. We had asked around to get some advice on what to do on our trip and were told snowmobiling was a must. I had never been, but I am always up for a new outdoor adventure! It ended up being the highlight of our trip! On the internet, I had found an outfitter that supplied everything we needed: machines, helmets, gloves, snowsuits, books - even a backpack filled with drinks!

As we made our hour and a half drive from the city to the mountains, it was hard to imagine that there was really going to be enough snow to snowmobile. I began to wonder just what I had gotton my family into!

When we arrived, the owner promised that where he was leading us ther would be more snow than we could possibly want. What an understatement! They took us to a spot in the Wentachee National Forest that was still closed due to snow. All I can say is it had to be some of God's best work! The beauty couldn't be captured, even with a camera!

Originally, we were to be on our own, but we ended up having four guides: the owner, his four-year old son who drove his own full sized snowmobile (!!),
and two seventeen-year old guys. My son loved having these guys along! They continually left the path, encouraging Zach and Greg to join them. The guys had a lot of fun, but leaving the path also had its consequences! The first time, Greg over estimated the ability of the snowmachine to turn and hit a tree! Fortunately, he had on a helmet, but his back and hands took a beating. After this, our family stuck to the trail, but tour guides didn't. Time and time again, they would get stuck. Greg and Zach would then have to get off of their machines and help dig these guys out. The guides didn't care how often they were derailed or whose time and energy they took up.


In II Timothy, Paul writes to Timothy, encouraging him to do just the opposite. "No one serving as a solider gets involved in civilian affairs - he wants to please his commanding officers." II Timothy 2:4. He uses his own life as an example to Timothy, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing." II Timothy 4:7 - 8

Like our guides, getting off the trail can be fun - for a time. But there is a price to pay when we do and it doesn't just affect us, it affects those around us. The reason the owner and the guys went out with us that day was because they were trying to rescue a snowmobile. A guy had gotten off of the path and dropped his machine nine feet down into a creek bed. It probably was not going to be able to be retrieved.

Follow Paul's advice; stay on the path! It is good and will result in many blessings. Keep your eyes on Jesus; He'll show you the way!

Jalapeno Poppers

Mommajet on Friday requested the jalapeno poppers recipe, so here it is:

Jalapeno Poppers

12 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved - lengthwise, stems, seeds and membranes removed
(be sure to wear gloves when you do this or you will have hot hands all day!)
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or less, to taste
1 pound of bacon

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, cream together the cream cheese, cheese, cumin and cayenne.

Take this mixture and put inside the halves of the jalapenos. Wrap in bacon. You can use a toothpick to secure.

Cook for 30 minutes or until bacon is cooked.
ENJOY!