Oops, I did it again!

I'm only referring to a Britney Spears song because I've been watching The Voice, but I did do it again....I burnt one of my favorite pots!  Like BAD!  Both times I've done this I was steaming veggies, and I didn't notice the water had run out.  But, eventually, I smelled that the water ran out and quickly figured out that my pot was ruined.  Or, so I thought.  The first time I did this I threw the pot away because I didn't know it was salvageable.

Thank God for the internet!  I came across an article that was a 'How to" for cleaning burnt pots just a few days before my incident and I knew it was a God thing.  The second time around, I decided to try it and IT WORKED!

To clean a burnt pot you need:

Vinegar
Baking Soda
Water
Scrub sponge

First fill the pot with a layer of water (enough to cover the bottom).  Add about a cup of vinegar.  Bring that to a boil.  As this boils you'll see the burnt spots begin to loosen.  Once it's a rolling boil, remove the pot from the heat.  Add about 2 Tbs. of baking soda to the pot.  It will cause an explosion!  It's awesome!  But, not too messy.  It's more of a contained explosion.  This step it what really breaks off the burnt spots.  Once all of that is done, dump it out and for the tough spots, scrub the pot with a sponge and some dish detergent.  

Miracle!  

Mother's Song

A couple of mornings ago, Emery was watching the Disney Channel while I was getting ready. In between blow drying my hair and refilling Cheerios, I caught the sweetest poem.  It's called "Mother's Song."  It's a lullaby written by the 19th century folklorist Sabine Baring-Gould.  It brought tears to my eyes and describes so perfectly how I feel about my sweet Emery Rose.

Mother's Song

a Traditional Lullaby

My heart is like a fountain true

That flows and flows with love to you.

As chirps the lark unto the tree

So chirps my pretty babe to me.

There's not a rose where'er I seek,

As comely as my baby's cheek.

There's not a comb of honey-bee,

So full of sweets as babe to me.

There's not a star that shines on high,

Is brighter than my baby's eye.

There's not a boat upon the sea,

Can dance as baby does to me.

No silk was ever spun so fine

As is the hair of baby mine.

My baby smells more sweet to me

Than smells in spring the elder tree.

A little fish swims in the well,

So in my heart does baby dwell.

A little flower blows on the tree,

My baby is the flower to me.

The Queen has sceptre, crown and ball,

You are my sceptre, crown and all.

For all her robes of royal silk,

More fair your skin, as white as milk.

Ten thousand parks where deer do run,

Ten thousand roses in the sun,

Ten thousand pearls beneath the sea,

My babe more precious is to me.

(Skip ahead to 0:35 to get to the poem)

Out with the Old, In with the New

I knew I was extra excited about the New Year worship service at church for some reason.  I went expecting and I received!  During Praise and Worship, the Lord gave me a song, just for me (the best kind).  Out with the Old and In with the New; Know who you are, I'll do it for you.  Rest in My love and walk in My grace; Everything else will fall into place.  It's my anthem for 2012.

I love a fresh start.  Love it!  The feeling I have about 2012 is so huge it's hard to pinpoint.  There are so many emotions I have about what this year will hold.  I feel that 2011 was the, "Out with the Old" year for me.  And, boy was it hard and painful at times.  It didn't feel good releasing what I wanted to be (and thought I was) in control over; only to find out I never was in control of any of it.  Apparently, I'm a control freak. :)  But, I'm learning!

2012 is my, "In with the New" year.  I feel it.  I have a living hope about it.  I know it.

This year I feel like God is wanting me to focus more on certain areas of my life that have not seemed as important in years past.  Probably the last 3 months of 2011, God started really dealing with my heart about areas that are/would be changing in my life.  He's been preparing me for 2012 all along.  It's so sweet of Him not to spring it on me, but to slowly deal with me.

• One of the biggest areas He's been teaching me about is friendships and their importance.  This year, I will be purposeful and intentional in my friendships.  I will make an effort to make more meaningful friendships and let my guard down.  I will ask 'friends' to do things with me even when I would sometimes rather do them by myself so I can be more vulnerable to them.  I will be comfortable being uncomfortable.
• This year I will study to show myself approved.  A sweet minister, Mary, gave Jeremiah and I a word about this a few months before we were married.  She told us to study and know the scripture.  I read and know a lot of scripture, but this year I'm ready to be obedient to study the word.  I've never been much on studying.  Even in school I would just read over things once or twice to 'know' them.  But, this year, I'm going to actually dig-in to God's word.
• Be loved and love back.
• I will simplify (me, too Michelle!) -- get rid of the junk, the clutter, the unnecessary crap in my home (and heart).
• I will pursue good health.  This is one God's really been dealing with me about.  He's been preparing my heart for this for a long time.  As this one comes in 2012 it will be effortless effort if that makes any sense (it does to me, and that's what matters ha!).  I'm excited about the outcome!
• Learning how to manage household and money affairs.  God's put us in exactly the right spot for this.  He's continually teaching us what to do.  We're going to listen better. :)

There are a few more near and dear to my heart that will remain there.  But, I will say....if I don't accomplish a single thing in 2012, I will not feel condemned or 'less than.'  I'm complete in Christ and no amount of goal accomplishing -- or lack of it -- will add to or take away from that.  

As I read Edie's blog, Life in Grace, (one of my favorites), my heart was saying 'YES!!!!"  That is exactly how I feel about the new year.  I was even just talking to God about the hopes and dreams He's placed in me and how even if they're never accomplished, just having them in my heart is enough.  

I welcome you, 2012, with open arms and an open heart.  The best is coming!

Merry Christmas from the Miller's!

I hope you are enjoying your Christmas as much as we are!  This has already been one of the best ever.  Having children at Christmas is AWE to the SOME!  Love it!

Now that I have Emery, I keep thinking about Mary and what she must have gone through knowing she was giving birth to a son that really wasn't her's.  Wow.  Bless her.  I'm so thankful for the birth of Jesus; what a precious gift a loving God gave me.

This Point

I thank God that He's brought me to this point.  I can't thank Him enough.

I was praying the other night while rocking Emery (it's one of our favorite things to do).  She loves to chime in with her "Amen!"  As we were thanking God, I just could not thank Him enough for bringing me to this point in my life.  Thank you, God!

At this point in my life I know that:

I am loved.  I am seriously, unconditionally, and passionately loved by my Father.  And, I know nothing can separate me from that love.

My sin is not an issue to God.  It's over and done with to Him.  And, because of this I have the power to overcome it because I know it's not 'who I am.'

I have an awesome little and big family.  My husband is a really good man.  He gives up going to hockey games just so he can help me put Emery to bed.  He loves to cook supper.  And, he's really thoughtful.  I couldn't have asked for a better match for me.  Emery is such a big blessing in a little package.  God obviously knew what He was doing when he made me that little girl's momma.  I also love my 'bigger' family.  They love me and we stick by each other.  I don't care who doesn't like them (well, maybe a little because I don't understand how anyone cannot like them).  I don't care what other people think about them.  My family is called of God and we are fulfilling that calling the way we believe He wants us to.  I don't know anyone else who loves people more.

Jeremiah and I have great jobs.  We both get to help people all day, everyday.

My understanding of God's love and grace keeps growing and growing.  I know I'll never fully grasp it on this earth, but I'm glad He continues to give me more and more glimpses of it.

I have a beautiful home and more "things" than I could ever possibly need.  God cares about the little stuff I care about.

Even though this year has been probably the toughest of my adult life, I know God's always there for me.  And even when people choose to not have integrity, are really two-faced, and blatantly hurt others, I know God will take care of me.  My identity is in Him.

Grace vs. Law

Wow, God is so good and has been showing me so many things lately about His grace and the law.  There's a weird doctrine about law and grace that basically says, "If you feel like you "have to do" something, then don't do it, because that's not grace working in your life, it's legalism and dead works."  I really couldn't disagree more.  I almost let myself feel condemned for doing stuff I didn't want to always do.  I thought..."There's no way I could ever measure up to that!"  Then, my Father spoke to my heart.


My Father has been showing me that He gives grace for grace....that tells me we need a lot of it sometimes.  I don't feel like getting up out of bed every. single. morning. at 6:00 a.m., changing a poopy diaper, and doing all the things that the morning time requires to get ready.  I just don't want to do it sometimes.  Does that mean that if I go ahead and do it I'm under law?  Heavens no!  That's what His grace is for!  He encourages me to get up out of bed and do what needs to be done to get ready.  Why?  Well, I'd hate to have a baby with diaper rash, screaming, hungry, and crying in her crib while I lay in bed with bed head, not getting up and going to a job that God's provided for me so that we can have money, food on the table, a home, and electricity.  


Because I'm hidden in Christ, my identity is in Him, my righteousness is found in Him alone, none of the above actions can affect those truths.  If I get up every morning, get ready, take care of my house and family, go to work, etc., etc., it does not make me more righteous than I already am.  It also, does not mean I'm "under law" for doing those things.  I can rest in knowing that God's grace, HIS ABILITY, can work through me to do what needs to be done even when I don't want to.  That's restful living.  There would be no need for grace if we only did stuff we wanted to do.  Personal motivation would be enough in those situations.  His grace is there to get us through the stuff we don't want to do, face, deal with, and experience.  He'll never leave us nor forsake us.  


I sure would hate to see what kind of life I would have to live if Jesus decided that because He didn't want to die on the cross that He wasn't going to.  But, Jesus even said, "Not my will, but Yours."  GASP.  Jesus did something He didn't want to do!  I bet He even had to rely on God's grace to get Him through.  Grace for Grace (Grace IS Jesus personified). Thank GOD for his GRACE.  And, thank God He made it where our identity is based on Him and not our ability to have the right attitude, actions, and thoughts.  I'm so relieved that I can rest in knowing He'll freely give me His grace.  This scripture embodies what God's been teaching me...

Matthew 11:28-30

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

He'll show us how to walk with Him and work with Him.  There is walking and working involved, but as we let Him transform our hearts and thinking and give us grace to do the work (or live life), that's where we will find true rest. As we keep company with Him, living will become more free and light.  Getting up in the morning and doing won't be a big deal.  It's a process, life-long.  Sitting at His feet and walking and working with Him are not contradictory things.  They really can all happen at the same time.  Grace is really the differing factor.

Living the Sweet Life! Really!

Life really is sweet.  God designed it to be that way.  When my heart is broken by people, when issues come up,  when life gets overwhelming, when people have vain imaginations about what they think I think, say, or believe, when people assume they know, when I have vain imaginations I have to say, "I trust you, Lord."  I trust you, Lord.  It's not my place to worry about other people.  It's my place to love people.  It's my place to rest.  It's my place to be obedient to who He's made me.

It takes time and heart-change to get to a place of trust and rest.  It takes time and heart-change to really be obedient with only love being the motivation.  The journey of it all is life.  And, really, it is sweet.