The Curse of Never Measuring Up

The curse of never measuring up...the first time I ever heard that phrase was in a sermon almost 15 years ago. It struck me then and I've never forgotten that phrase or the message given that day. The curse of never measuring up is the curse of the law. It is the opposite of grace. The sermon was from the book of Romans and laid out law vs. grace as I had never really heard it before. I've dealt through the years with situations that have reminded me often of that phrase...that conflict between law and grace, and I truly thought I had overcome that curse. I guess I had taken huge steps away from living under the curse, but I had never really become free as The Lord intends for me to be.

Well, The Lord has been faithful to teach me so much lately in this area of struggle, and my heart feels an urgency to share that with you! I am writing this today to say that I no longer choose to live under that curse! I've already been freed from it through the blood of the lamb but have been living like a captive to it!! No longer! Freedom!!! I will no longer live as one who has to please man...under the fear of man. I've believed IN it for years and made every attempt to live in freedom, but finally for the first time ever I am choosing by the power if the Holy Spirit that resides in me to live like I believe it! To walk it out by His strength. To submit to His Spirit, allowing Him to do a work in and through me in this area.  NO human being will ever have hold of me again under the grip of fear. I reject all such nonsense in the name of Jesus, and by His blood! I now BELIEVE. I receive the freedom already given to me through Jesus Christ to never again live under the curse of never measuring up. My audience is one and ONLY one! I live for HIM and Him alone! I'm done cowering around in my soul as a weak, fearful slave who is afraid of the whip about to crack down on her back from who knows where next. Done!!! I am no longer a slave. I am a free, much loved child of God! I am victorious through Him, not because I say so or any other man says so, but because HE says so! Not by MY might but by HIS power! I'm ready to start living passionately and freely again. No more of the devil's nonsense...he has NO authority over me or my family!! Break every chain, Lord!! No more wasting my energy and my life, as the enemy would have me do, on pleasing others and trying to gain favor. I so desire for everyone to understand me, to be at peace with each other, and for every motive of my heart to be understood. Those are not all bad traits, but can become absolutely consuming if the enemy takes advantage of them and cripples you through them.  It's an uphill, losing battle, and accomplishes nothing more than making you a weary warrior. I've wasted so much time and strength trying to fight battles the enemy loves seeing me fight, because he knows I will never win them, but they will make me worn out for the REAL battles that I need to be engaged in by the power of the Holy Spirit that DO produce fruit and bring victory for the sake of the kingdom. It is Finished! Freedom! I crush the head of the enemy by the authority given to me through Jesus Christ! No more! I don't expect to please every man. I know I will not, and as challenging as that is for me, I am not accountable to man...I am accountable to my Father in heaven who created me, loves me, and has never once given up on me...or you!

I know I am not alone in this. My challenge to you today is to allow the mighty power of the living God to break every chain in your life holding you back from moving forward and living freely in Him as He intended! He never intended for us to walk around with our heads hanging down, feeling empty and ashamed, feeling we will never be good enough or ever do good enough. He came to redeem and He will never, ever stop  being in the business of redeeming no matter what. Jesus Christ came that we might have life and have it to the fullest!!! Life that is truly life!!! No more hiding behind fear of man, the curse of never measuring up, or any of that nonsense. Life is too short for that. Jesus is the giver of life and the giver of freedom no matter what comes your way! Our Redeemer Lives! Now let's help one another live in the freedom He offers!

Here We Go...Again

It is more frustrating to me than I can tell you that I haven't kept the blog going for most of this year.  I've taken lots of pictures (just ask my facebook friends!) and done plenty of writing, but for a number of reasons I haven't kept up with the blog this year. I've decided that rather than backtracking I'm just going to pick up from here and share as I have time and as I'm led.  As I wrote back when I started this a few years ago, I don't guess I really have one sole purpose for blogging.  Partly to share our own family journey through pictures and experiences, partly for sharing ways the Lord is moving in my own heart and what He is showing me to share with others, and, truthfully, partly for whatever other purposes He may have down the road that He wants me to share.  I don't really know.  Regardless, I'm back.  If you haven't been a follower of my blog before, I'd love to have you follow.  If you're an old friend, thanks for stopping by again.  I'll remind you that if you're looking for a blog by a wonderful, educated, grammatically correct writer, you probably want to stop reading now...I make no attempt to act like that's what I'm here for. (See...I just ended that sentence with a preposition  (:  ) I do a lot more writing in the flow of how I think, how my heart and mind process things.  I guess I honestly write here the same way I would write in my own journal...just free flowing and sometimes even a little random. 

I need to take time sometime soon to update my photos on my homepage, my info, etc.  For now though, here we go.

Thanks for reading. Glad to be back.

Our Little Reds

Just looked out on the deck after church one November Sunday afternoon while making lunch and saw this...

 

 Not sure any picture sums up these two more than this one right here!  Absolute LOVE!

 

 

 

 

I love my red headed babies!!!  We always say these two are either gonna' make us old quick or keep us young!!!  They make me smile! (:

It's Wrestling Time!

Wrestling Season officially began, and as I mentioned before, this was new to GCA...their first year adding wrestling into their winter sports. Super exciting!!  Here are some pictures from the first meet.  The guys did a great job, with four young men medaling that day from Grace!  We were so proud of Jake, because he won his very first "First Place" medal ever that day!  Jake ended up having a tremendous season overall, which I'll post more on later, but I love, love, love seeing that boy's hard work pay off.  Those who knew him when he started wrestling just a few years ago would tell you he had a LONG way to go back then.  Now, no one would work harder than he did, but he didn't win very many matches in that first year.  It's been gradually improving year after year, and he has put in tremendous hard work and determination toward getting better, and this year he was quite a force out there!  He absolutely loves this sport, and I think he, as well as several others, really grew in a huge way from this opportunity at Grace this season. So proud!!

 

 

I love all the guys by the mat rooting for their teammates!! (there's my man in the black helping coach a little during the match)

No, this isn't one of my fellas, but I can't leave him out!  Coltyn was the first wrestling win that day...the first win in GCA history!!! Way to go, Coltyn! (notice his proud Mama in the background!-Love it!)

Is that my little boy??!!

 

Jake on the mat, about to pin

 

 

 

Coach Ian congratulating Jake after his big win!

 

Awesome!!

I absolutely LOVE this picture! (:

Veteran's Day Chapel

So thankful for our Veterans and their sacrifice and service to our nation!  GCA's chapel was a sweet time honoring our military.  Caleb and a young lady at Grace sang the National Anthem.  They did a beautiful job...wish I had a picture to post!  Also, Jake was part of the group of young men who folded the flag for part of the ceremony. Proud of our young men, and incredibly grateful for the freedoms we have, and the individuals who have given of themselves so freely.

 

Home of the free, because of the brave!!

 

Jake is the second from the right, holding the folded flag

Elly's First Tooth

Well, if I'm being the "family historian" here, as one of my friends calls it, then I can't leave out this short but sweet post...

 

Elly officially lost her first tooth!!! (Actually this was while the Gilkesons were visiting!!) See what happens when you get behind in your posting?!  In case you're wondering, yes, she pulled it herself.  That's the way we roll in the Dallas house...decided way back with child #1 (who was 5 years old at the time, and already the oldest of 4) that this was gonna' be one busy household, and an awful lot of teeth were gonna' be needing pulled over the years...decided right then that if all they ever knew was "you pull your own teeth" that's just what they would do!  So far, so good!  We'll see!!

Either way, here's the lovely lady with the missing tooth! (:

 

A Little Wrestling Fun

Well, wrestling got started full speed, and after Elly's ballet lesson one afternoon, we went down to the wrestling room to meet Daddy...just a glimpse of life in the background as Mom and Dad are talking.  I love my family (: