Well, so much for every day, right?

Oh well.  What can you do?  

I just finished the Beth Moore study I've been working on for, well, ever.  I've mentioned it before and I highly recommend it.

To Live Is Christ, is definitely one of my favorites!  I loved learning more about Paul and following him along on all of his missionary travels.  If you've ever done a Beth Moore study, you know that she goes deep and digs up historical references that would be the envy of your local librarian.  One of the absolute best tid bits I've ever come across was included in the final study of Paul's life.  

She is talking about 2 Timothy 4:7-8

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸Now 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.

Apparently, his reason for using this analogy was one final jab at the Roman Emperor, Nero, who was responsible for his execution.  Beth mentions Nero "competing" in the Olympic games, and here's what I found when I googled it.  Gotta love google.... Oh, and Wikipedia, of course!

Nero was convinced to participate in the Olympic Games of 67 in order to improve relations with Greece and display Roman dominance.^[102] As a competitor, Nero raced a ten-horse chariot and nearly died after being thrown from it.^[103] He also performed as an actor and a singer.^[104] Though Nero faltered in his racing (in one case, dropping out entirely before the end) and acting competitions,^[103] he won these crowns nevertheless and paraded them when he returned to Rome.^[103] The victories are attributed to Nero bribing the judges and his status as emperor.^[105]

So then Paul says, I have finished the race!  Then makes reference to the crown that waits for him in Heaven.

I don't know about you, but I think that's awesome.  Sadly, his boldness, could have been the final nail in his coffin, but if I learned anything about Paul, it's that that boy did not dance around the truth. 

Regardless of the consequences.

Some Times It's Easier When It's Hard

Can you relate?  

I find myself running to my Savior more often, more passionately and more desperately when times are tough.

When I was teaching, not a day went by that I didn't spend at least part of my day with the Lord.  Sometimes it was Shane and Shane and Jesus and I on the way to school or on the way home.  Honestly, I don't think  many days went by when those boys weren't serenading me over that two year period.  Sometimes, it was Beth Moore and I studying together at lunch.  Many a time, when I had 5 sections of rowdy 7th grades IN A ROW, followed by a 6th hour conference hour, I would literally fall on my face and cry out to the Lord to rapture me the heck out of there....

I'm not even gonna pretty it up for ya, IT SUCKED.

But I was running hard after the Lord.

Fast forward to being what I want to be, where I want to be - a stay at home mom - at, well, home...  Don't get me wrong, it's hard as often as it's not, but I just don't have that "the devil's on my heels and I must get to Jesus" mentality that so quickly and consistently put me on my knees.

That's why I just love this quote from Hinds Feet on High Places...

It had been easier to accept the hard path and to be patient when the sea was grey and dull than now when the sun shone and everything else around looked bright and happy and satisfied. 

I love that book.  I've read it twice, and I couldn't recommend it any more highly than I do.  It's such a beautiful allegory.  If you haven't read it, you should.  If you have read it, you should do it again.

Either way - remember this:

You will seek me and find when you seek me with all of your heart.  Jeremiah 29:13

I have an idea...

I've been going through some of my favorite books, looking for inspiring quotes and nuggets of wisdom.  Whenever I read a book, I keep a pen handy, and underline things that:

• Speak to me.
• Inspire me.
• I want to implement in my life.
• I want to remember.
• I want to share with others.

You get the idea...  

I also always take notes at church or conferences, anywhere that I may have some wisdom imparted upon me...  When I was pregnant, I went through all of my church notes and journals, and typed out a list of things I wanted to remember while in labor.  

Have I ever mentioned that I had my daughter at home?  Since pain meds aren't an option here, smack dab in the Middle of Nowhere, MI - I wanted to have some truth to meditate on in the event I started cursing the day I ever hatched the plan to stay home to birth my baby.  That moment never came and I was much too busy pushing a stubborn little (if you can call a 9 lb. girl little...) girl out for FIVE HOURS to have time for reading or anything else.  But I'm happy to have gone back through the years of teaching, study and whathaveyou, nonetheless...  Plus it kept me occupied while I waited for a week past my due date for the little darling to make her grand entrance...

I digress.  

It occurred to me as I came across quote after quote that I want to remember, that it might be beneficial to select some of my favorites and share them with you.  Then I can seem all smart and wise when I then expound on it and add my own commentary.

Or not.

But at least I'll have something to write about.

I would really like to start writing every day, or at least most days, and I thought this might be a good way to get the juices flowing.

I'll start on Monday.  See you then!