Being Who God Made Me to Be - No Matter What

I haven't really posted much on here consistently and a lot of it has to do with so much happening in my heart and mind. I can't really nail it down and I feel like I am hanging on for the ride.

I have been contemplating my impact on all of you, my readers. I've been asking God to give me what I need to share.

I have been feeling a lot like this lately:


It actually makes me laugh at myself and keeps me headed in the right direction.

Today I hurt myself walking into the gym. Yep. I made it into the front door, checked the kids in, visited with a good friend, then walked into the workout area only to have my annoying slight twinge in my hip escalate into full on muscle spasm.

Sometimes I can work it out with exercise, so I tried the elliptical, that hurt more, so I headed for the pool, noticing there was a water aerobics class starting in a few minutes so I tried that, too much twisting my owie hip, so I got out during class (never really done that before) and went to the hot tub. I can only imagine how great I looked backing the right side of my booty into a jet at just the right angle... ugh. That helped for a bit. Long enough to get dressed and head back to get the kids, limping.

All that to say, our hope is not in what we can "DO" but in who God has made us to BE. Today I have been fighting the "why try" and "who cares" attitudes.

The still small Voice in my heart keeps reminding me that today is obviously a rest day for my body but everything else doesn't have to go down the drain.

Being honest, I did indulge in a few peanut butter filled pretzels and about 30 chocolate chips with a cup of hot tea, but I didn't eat the WHOLE bag of chocolate chips or 17 more pb filled pretzels. I will also count those calories. :)

I have several good friends whose lives are much more challenging than mine right now. Keeping perspective that yes, my life is hard today but other's need me to engage and encourage them more than I need to feel sorry for myself.

I copied this great mini-message from one of my favorite young pastors (Chris Lauri) off of his Facebook Status:

"Faith in Christ is not about becoming an island. Salvation is not a tropical getaway where we can retreat to focus on ourselves. Share the love and the grace you've been blessed with. "A man who isolates himself seeks his own desires." Proverbs 18:1"

My thoughts - even if your life isn't a tropical getaway, sharing the Love and Grace is essential to God's design in you!

So, aching hip, praying for my husband, snuggling with my boys, texting back and forth with a friend who needs encouragement, praying for another's new baby, praying for dear ones who just had to say good-bye to their wife & mom,  making wise choices in my eating and my parenting, responding to a mommy who wants to come to MOPS, listening to God's call to pray for businessmen in my community, are all the ways God is using me to BE His Love and Grace today. 

What are you "being" (not "doing") to someone today?