Birth Control Pills or Not?

Tonight after church a teenage girl came up to me and said, "Mrs. Chase, will you pray for me?"
I said, "Sure!" (thinking it was probably about the TAKS test or her family)
"What can I pray for you?" I asked.
"Well...I need you to pray that I won't give in to the temptation to take birth control," she said. (I was a little surprised, but maintained my cool.)
"Okay, I'll pray for you, " I responded. "Where would you get birth control pills?" I asked.
"They're in my purse."
"If you want me to pray for you not to give in to the temptation, then you've got to get rid of the temptation," I told her.
She looked at me funny.
"Give me the pills and you won't be tempted," I explained.
She toyed with the idea. She didn't want to give them up.
I explained to her, "If you told me you had drugs in your pocket right now and you were thinking about taking them, do you think I would let you keep them?" She hesitated.
"Would you let me keep drugs in my purse if I was thinking about taking them?" I asked her.
"No!" she replied.
"Then why would I let you keep the birth control pills? If I really love you, I'll help you walk away from the temptation," I said.
She slowly opened her purse and gave me the pills.
We prayed together in the parking lot & I went home with a container of pills that I haven't had in a long time.

I thought 2 things when I left.

1. We never know what someone is going through.
People pass me everyday who are hurting, struggling, and being tempted.
I want to be the one to notice & offer a little TLC or a few words of wisdom to help them make it through another day.

2. Remove temptations & find friends who love me enough to help me walk away.
When tempted, THROW AWAY the temptation. (even if it's a tub of Rocky Road icecream?)
Don't put myself in situations to sin! (If I'm gonna lust over Matthew McConahee(sp?) all night, I guess that means turn off the movie???)

TELL IT

Have you ever had thoughts that you know are wrong?

What happened the more you thought about them?

Sometimes our thoughts can be negative. Maybe about our spouse, another child whose mean to ours, a teacher, a neighbor, or random person who looks at you funny when you are having a bad day.

Sometimes our thoughts can turn to worry. What about the economy? Will my husband loose his job? What about my child? Will he make the team? Is he going to make it to college? What about the weather? Are we all going to drown in this Houston rain?

Sometimes our thoughts are just plan bad. We think about things we know we shouldn't - maybe hateful or sexual thoughts.

Sometimes our thoughts are way to IMAGINATIVE! We think things are happening that really aren't. We think a friend was talking about us or a spouse said something rude...when neither really happened.

The more we think these thoughts...the worse it gets! They escalate in our minds until they are out of control & we act on them!

What do we do?

TAKE it ! MAKE it! TELL it!

Take it captive. Recognize the thought & tell it to STOP.

Second, make it match up with the truth of God's word. For example - when worried thoughts about the economy plague our minds, we say, "God is in control. He loves me & He'll provide."

Third, tell it to someone you trust!

THIS IS HUGE!!!!

When going on a vacation, part of the fun is anticipating what is to come. Thinking about it. Planning for it. Imagining the fun. Once you start on that 12 hour drive with kids in the back seat arguing, someone needing to go to the bathroom, and the realization that 1 suitcase was left behind...the fun fades!

Keeping negative, worried, or bad thoughts hidden in our minds, blows them out of proportion. Once we tell someone what we are thinking, it's like starting on vacation...the fun fades.

It's like a cat caught in the headlights of a car. What does he do? FREEZES & then runs! When we tell someone we trust about the negative thoughts , the thougths freeze & run!

"As a man thinketh, so is he." Proverbs 23:7

Trust His Heart

"God is always preparing us, even when we don't know it."

My Papa died in the Fall. I was taking a class in Women's Ministry at the time & a month before he died my professor had walked our class through the stages of life. My teacher very clearly explained the final months of life. It was so amazing because I could see what stage my grandfather was in & as he moved into the very last days of his life, I understood what was happening. My professor, unbeknownst to her, had prepared me for what was ahead.

Sometimes in life things happen & we have know idea why. Maybe our attitude towards something changes, we develop a new passion, we withdraw from a person, or we have new ideas. Maybe we loose a job, land a big account, wreck a car, or loose someone we love. Life is always changing. Even though we don't understand why, sometimes God is preparing us for what is ahead.

God is too wise to be mistaken.

God is too good to be unkind.

When we don't understand.

When we can't see His plan.

When we can't trace His hand.

Trust His heart!

(The other thing I learned when my grandfather died is that grief comes in waves. You'll be laughing & talking, and a thought, memory, or smell, will hit you, & the tears will fall. It's okay. Ride the waves.)

Remember & Notice

Thankfulness doesn't always come easy!

A friend told me tonight that her goal for the week was to remember all that God has done in her life. This was a habit for the Israelites in the Old Testament. They took time to remember leaving Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, the manna God sent from heaven to feed them, and so much more.
How about us? Do we have a list of things we have clearly seen God do in our lives?

Henry Blackaby says in Experiencing God that God is always at work around us. We just have to look where He is working & join Him.
My problem is I get so busy that I miss seeing Him. I pass by so quickly that I don't notice Him making the plants grow or the way my children were kind to each other. I ignore the nice breeze and the laughter of the people I love most. I am so enthralled with the computer or the TV, that I miss conversations with my family or helping a friend who was in need.

This week I'm joining my friend & setting a goal to remember & notice!

I'm making a list of all the things I remember God has done

&

noticing what He is doing today.

I can't help but think, sowing a small seed of remembering & noticing, will reap a garden of thankfulness.

Potentially Climbing

Would you agree or disagree with the following statements?

"There is no man living who isn't capable of doing more than he thinks he can do." Henry Ford.

"Our potential is probably our greatest untapped resource."

"We have nearly limitless potential, yet too few ever try to reach it."

"Our potential is God's gift to us, and what we do with it is our gift to him."

I'll never forget the day the girls & I went rock wall climbing! The girls challenged me to climb this HUGE rock wall. In my mind I knew there was NO WAY I could make it to the top. Being the good mom or scaredy cat that I am, I let the girls go first. Both of them made it to the top! I couldn't believe it! I was so proud, but at the same time, realized that I couldn't be outdone by these little pip-squeaks! I had to give it the old college try!

They put me in this thing that felt like a diaper and hooked me to a rope. I started to climb. At first it wasn't too hard, but the higher I got the more my thighs shook & burned! (Richard Simmons eat your heart out!) I was about a foot from the top & thought to myself, "I DID IT!" The girls protested, "No mom! You have to get to the very top & honk the horn." I said the words outloud, "I can't!" As the words came out of my mouth, I felt this tug on my "diaper." I looked down & the lady who was holding the rope, pulled on it again. Then she said, "Go ahead, you were meant to go to the top. You were meant to climb."

Those words felt like a two by four slamming against my forehead. "I was meant to do this."
I believed what she said. I pulled and pushed with every muscle in my body & what do you know...in a few minutes...I was honking the Hallelujah Chorus on that horn!
When we were driving home, all I could think was...what if she had never told me I was meant to climb? Would I have pushed myself? Would I have experienced the absolute THRILL of making it to the top?

At that moment, the good Lord whispered, "You were meant to climb! Stay focused, keep looking up, use everything within to reach for what I created you to be."
I apologized for all the times that I listened to those thoughts that say, "Stop. You can't. This is good enough. You don't need to reach for more."
I want to live every day climbing, reaching for what God intended me to be!

What We Might Become

God, you have given us so much

In our thoughts, our hearts, our dreams

But making perfect use of it

Is impossible it seems.

How Lord can we take the gifts

You've placed in each of us

And use it for your service

To share your gift of love?

We want to make a difference

In this world in which we live

We want to make our mark

And to our neighbors give.

But these thoughts inside our heads

Keep telling us no way

Those dreams are for some others

They are not yours for today.

We are too small, too weak, too poor

This isn't meant for you

To live and be and dream and try

All the things you want to do.

So Lord we listen to the words

Whispering in our ears.

We lay aside the goals and desires

And listen to our fears.

Then we miss the moment

The opportunity You placed there

For us to take a leap

And do the things we dare.

We sit in front of TVs

And watch others live their dreams

We watch the movies, read the books

And the impossible it seems.

Today Lord we won't let

Another day pass by

Without at least attempting

To give our dreams a try.

To use our gifts and talents

And be what we are meant to become.

So at the end of life we'll hear.

"Welcome home my child, well done."

"The only true measure of success is the ratio between what we might have been & what we have become." H.G. Wells

Reach for what God intends for you to be! You were meant to!

Could It Be Possible?

What job/profession would you do without pay?

Is there something you love to do so much that you would say, "Oh, I'll do it for free!"

Whatever that is, DO IT!

Find a way to make it your job!

Could it be possible that something was placed inside you at birth?
Could it be possible that something was placed in you for a purpose?
Could it be possible that something is what bring's you most joy?
Could it be possible, God is waiting on you to drag that something out & put it to work?
Could it be possible, you are afraid, uncertain, or worried about what other's think or what the outcome will be if you do?
Could it be possible, that something will make the greatest positive impact on those around you?

Could it be possible, TODAY is the DAY to answer every possibility?

Discover & do YOUR SOMETHING!

Scater or Spater?

Tonight I got the incredible opportunity to be with a wonderful group of women in Tomball! They were so alert, full of enthusiasm, and attentive! It was GREAT!
We talked about how to find peace in this crazy world. (Phil 4:6-7)
First...DO NOT! Just like the Bible says "Do not kill or steal"...it also says, Do not worry!
We would never think of killing or robbery, so why WORRY?
How do we not worry?
We SPAT!
Stop - When we start to worry, we tell ourselves to STOP! Then we TAKE & MAKE...take every thought captive & make it obedient to Christ. When a wrong thought comes to mind, throw it out of your thoughts & replace it with scripture. Like, "Trust in God with all your heart. Don't lean on what you know. Acknowledge Him in everything you do and He will straighten things out."

Pray - Tell God everything - our fears, pain, doubts, desires! He is big enough to handle it!

Add Thanksgiving - Count our blessings! Thank God for everything we can think of!
Practice being thankful at the grocery store, to our spouse or children, at work! Try to say "Thank You" 7 times each day!

The cool part about SPATing is the promise. God says when we SPAT, His peace will guard our heart and minds. Just like when someone says something bad about our children, we immediately go into protection mode. We will fight for our babies! (even if they're 15)
God's peace does the same for us. When we worry, His peace protects our hearts & minds!

Some of us are SCATers not SPATers! Instead of SPATTING, we STAC!

What's STAC?

Start - We start worrying the minute anything happens!
Talk - Instead of taking it to God, we take it to EVERYONE else.
Add Complaints - We gripe, complain & blame others for what is happening!

The goal is to...SPAT!

(In Matthew 6 Jesus says not to worry about our life, food, or clothes. He feeds the birds & clothes the flowers. He will do so much more for us! I was thinking about not worrying about my clothes, because I was trying to decide what to wear tonight. I decided on my black slacks because I had to clip the mic. pack on the back of my pants. The last time I wore an elastic waist skirt & had to wear a mic pack, my skirt slid down, and well...let's just say, the moon was bright that night! When I went to get my slacks out of the closet this evening, they were no where to be found! I decided not to worry. I tried a little SPATing & resolved to wear my black skirt & it does have an elastic waist. By God's mercy & grace, there was no full moon tonight & I learned a small lesson on God's provision when it comes to clothes & got a little SPAT practice in!)

Teach Us a Lesson Garth

Do we live with the end in mind?

Remember the old Garth Brooks song...
If tomorrow never comes...will she know how much I loved her?
Did I try in every way to show her everday that she's my only one?

There are 2 questions to answer, if tomorrow never comes...
1. What will people know because of how I lived?
Will they know they are beautiful, loved, & created with a purpose?
Will they know God loves them & is the answer to all of life's questions?
Will they know laughter is the best medicine & it is more blessed to give than to receive?
Will they know the reward in failing at something you've always wanted to try?
Will they know where I am when I'm gone?

2. In the time I lived, did I fulfill my purpose?
People often say, "I don't know what my purpose is."
It's simple.
First, love God.
Second, love others.
When loving others, answer these 2 questions.
1. Where am I?
2. Who am I with?

Wherever you are & whoever you are with...that is your purpose!

If you are married, love your spouse.
If you are a parent, love your children.
If you are a coach, love your team.
If you are a professional, love your co-workers.
If you are a friend, love your friends.
If you are a son/daughter, love your parents.
If you are with a stranger, love him.

Trust that God has put you where you are to love Him & love them!

Wouldn't it be great if someone wrote about us what is written about King David in Acts 13:36?
(Put your name in the blank where David's name was orginally written.)

For when __________________ had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep.

If tomorrow never comes, let it be said of us, "They served God's purpose in this generation."

Callous Cure

Have you ever had a callous?

A callous has formed on the edge of my pointer finger. When I touch it, it feels rough. If I push on it, it hurts.

Last year I cut my finger on a board. A tiny splinter from the board lodged in my skin. I didn't want to pull it out because it HURT! So...I left it there. As a result, the skin began to heal. To cover up the painful invader, my finger slowly formed extra layers of skin. As each layer formed, one on top of the other, a hard callous developed. I want to go to the doctor & ask him to cut open my finger & remove the splinter. I know it's going to hurt & take time to heal, but it would be worth it.

Isn't this what happens when we get hurt in life? Some small pain gets lodged into our minds & hearts. Instead of immediately getting it out, we leave it there & try to cover it up. The more we try to cover it up, the more hard & callous we become. People brush up against us and we seem rough or maybe it hurts. We really want to get rid of it because we know it would be worth it. We just don't want to take the time or endure the pain.

Take time this week to visit the almighty healer. Let him remove the painful invader & help you begin to forgive the person who hurt you.

Forgiveness isn't a feeling. It isn't forgetting, nor excusing!

Forgiveness is releasing someone from liability or punishment for what was done wrong!

When we forgive, God can remove the splinter.

After forgiving the person, make these promises to God.
1. I won't dwell on what happened.
2. I will not bring it up & use it against the person who hurt me.
3. I won't talk to others about it.
4. I won't let it hinder my relationship w/ the person who hurt me.

"If you forgive others for their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." Matt. 6:14

Picture of Faith from Michael Chase

Today I saw a true picture of FAITH!

Michael and I went for a walk by the creek. At the end of the path it appeared someone was in the process of creating a bridge across the creek. A bulldozer had cleared a path leaving huge tire marks in the soft but firm mud. Dirt had been pushed from both sides of the creek towards the water. The piles of dirt from each side, however, did not meet in the middle. It left a considerable gap between the two.

Michael raced down the dirt to the edge of the pile. He looked at the gap. I watched as he studied carefully the distance between the two. He cleverly began to look for a way around the obvious problem. Rather quickly he discovered a way to get to the other side and avoided the jump all together.
After playing for a little while, he decided to cross back over. He walked up to the edge of the gap and peered down. His wheels were turning, though he said nothing. After a silent pause, he said, "I want to jump."
I asked, "Can you make it?"
"I think so," he replied.
"What will happen if you don't?" I prodded.
"I'll fall in the dirt and skin my knees."
"Could you handle that?"
"Yeah."
I watched as he scooted back as far as he could to get a running start. There wasn't much room, but he backed to the very edge. He started to go several times, and then said,
"I'm scared."
"How far was the jump over the creek at grandma's?" I asked.
"Not this far, " he muttered.
Then I heard those famous words, "I can do all things through Christ..."he whispered to himself,
and he ran and jumped.
The landing was perfect!
He wiped his hands and said, "Whew, I did it."

All I could think was...what a perfect picture of FAITH!
How many times do we stand on the edge of life, doubting the abilities God has given us or afraid of what the outcome might be?
When we stand on the edge of the gap, we must ask ourselves 2 questions...
1. Can I handle the pain if I fall?
2. What will I miss if I don't jump?

We can take the easy way around but we'll miss the thrill of the jump!

When standing on the edge of the gap...whisper the words you know are true...
"I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength" & ...JUMP!
What a perfect picture of faith it will be!

Create In Me A Shiny, White Tub

Why can’t the bathtub stay clean?

I don’t get it! I just scrubbed it last week. I used Ajax to get the gritty stuff off the bottom, Lysol to rinse away the ring, and some other junk that burned all the hair out of my nose to get rid of the mildew. And what do I have 4 days later? Grit on the bottom, ring around the tub, mildew around the edge, and dried up, hard Irish Spring melted tidbits on the soap holder.
As I sat on the toilet staring into the tub that used to be white & shiny, a small voice whispered in my head, “I know how you feel.”
“What?” I responded.
“It’s not much fun when you scrub and scour but the filth just keeps coming back,” he replied.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Each day I spend time cleaning the selfish thoughts, scrubbing the gritty pride, rinsing away the ring of lies and fear, burning away the doubt, but it just keeps coming back.”

I bowed my head and offered my sincerest apologies. I realized most of the time when I hit the shower, I may be a little sweaty or have a little dirt on my toes, but nothing real noticeable. When I get under the water, though, and all the dirt washes off & it’s evident how filthy I was by what is left behind.

Sometimes we don’t notice a little dirt in our eyes or a touch of sweat in our ears, a little pride in our thoughts or jealousy in our words. It doesn’t seem that bad. Until we stand under the pure, perfection of our Father who washes us clean. What a mess we leave behind! But aren’t we thankful that we can go to the one who washes us clean and transforms us into a shiny, white tub? God, keep us pure in a world that is so tainted.

“Create in me a clean heart. Wash me and I will be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:10,7

Bring On The Pain

"Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways."

Proverbs

Have you ever experienced something extremely painful?

You ask yourself, "Why is this happening to me?"

One of my favorite Proverbs answers that very question. Sometimes it takes painful experiences to make us change!

When we find ourselves in hard times, maybe with a job, in a relationship, financially, with family, physically or emotionally, instead of asking, "Why?" - ask, "HOW?"

"How is God changing me into what He wants me to be?"

We could rephrase the quote, "No pain, no gain" to "No pain, no change!"

When pain comes, we can face it head on, knowing that no matter how severe the pain, God causes all things (even painful change) to work together for good.

The Brick

THE BRICK

anonymous

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.

The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, 'Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?'

The young boy was apologetic. 'Please, mister...please, I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do,' He pleaded. 'I threw the brick because no one else would stop...' With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed. 'It's my brother, 'he said 'He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up.'Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.'

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts... A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. 'Thank you and may God bless you,' the grateful child told the stranger.

Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: 'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!' God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not.

Embarrass Your Kids Day

How many times have your children totally emabarrassed you in public?

I remember one day after work I stopped by "K-mart." (Yes, this was back in the day.) I was directing a preschool & had to pick up something for the school that was on sale. This was also before grocery carts had the 2 plastic seats built in for children. Michael was 4 mo. & in a car seat. The car seat was sitting in the front basket of the cart. Nicole & Tori were 5 and 3. They were walking beside the cart.

We got the item I needed along with a basketful of other things, and headed for the checkout. Nicole picked up a piece of candy and was looking at it while we were checking out. Tori decided she wanted that 1 piece of candy. These 2 precious preschool girls proceeded to have a cage fight right there in line. They were screaming, pulling hair, pushing each other, yelling, scratching. Both started to cry. Michael, not to be left out of the mix, started screaming at the top of his lungs.

I tried every mother trick -the stare, the polite asking, the firm talk down on my knees, the threat, everything except beating them in public, which at the time was what I wanted to do! The lady at the checkout continued to punch keys (before the scanner too). She kept asking me questions. I couldn't hear her over the WWF going on at my feet. I tried to get money out of my wallet. It was no use.

EVERY person at EVERY check out line was now looking at the mother with the 3 children who in a matter of seconds had totally lost their minds!

What did I do? I decided to walk out. I apologized to the lady, left all of my items, & headed for the door in total embarrassment. One small problem, though, Tori refused to go. Nicole was clinging to my leg for life, crying. I was doing the Frankenstein walk trying to move with this kid on my leg. I was carrying a car seat that kept hitting Nicole in the head which made her cry louder & TORI was sitting in the middle of the floor screaming, "I'm not going." I just kept walking, praying that she would follow. I got outside the door and turned to look, knowing God would answer my prayer, and NOPE, no Tori. (What was He doing that was more important than this?)

I walked back into the store still beating 1 child on the head with a car seat, my elastic waist skirt falling off because of Nicole, & 1 child screaming in the car seat. I grabbed Tori by the arm and dragged her across the floor. Yes, the K-mart floor.

It wouldn't have been so bad, except we were checking out at the farthest counter from the door. We passed check out 10, 9, 8, ...she was kicking and screaming. I pressed on. I just kept pulling. Pass 7, 6,5...I was so close to the door. I dared not look up because all of the same people were still checking out. She was pulling against me with all she had, but I didn't let go. Her little fanny slid across that slick K-mart floor like Dorothy Hamil in the Olympics. Pass 4, 3, 2,...still dragging with all my might, Michael & Nicole still crying, and yes my skirt was now exposing 1/2 my rear. I didn't care though. I didn't care if I walked out of that store naked. I just wanted OUT! I had never been more embarrassed in my life.

We all somehow managed to get back in 3 carseats and 1 seatbelt. Once everyone was strapped to the car, I started laughing and couldn't stop. All I could think was, "One day, when you are teenagers, I am going to embarrass you like CRAZY."

So...at random times I get this sudden K-mart urge to embarrass my kids! For some reason, taking Nicole & her friends to school this morning, it hit me! I got that K-mart lovin' feeling!

The great part about teenagers is you really never have to "embarrass" them. You just start talking about it & they freak! As we pulled into the high school this morning, all I said was, "Wouldn't it be fun to honk the horn the whole time you & your friends get out of the car? I could just keep honking while ya'll walk to the front door of the school."

I saw it...that same K-mart look I had so many years ago. The red begins to color their skin. They start to lower in their seat. You know their stomach is starting to turn slowly with anticipation. They're thinking, "Will she really do it?"

I slowly placed my hand over the horn. They started to panic. "No, please, no! We'll do anything for you, just don't honk the horn. Please?????" They gently opened their doors, wondering what was going to happen. They eased out the door and began to walk away.

I didn't honk the horn, but for some twisted reason, I really enjoyed pretending that I was going to embarrass them. Maybe it's retaliation, resentment, or a long held grudge from that day at K-mart. Whatever the reason...if you haven't embarrassed your child lately, today would be a great day!

Forgive WHAT?

Forgiveness is a BIG word. It sounds so easy. It looks so easy. But is it?

When asked how often we should forgive, Jesus replied, "70 X 7 !"

Literally, that is 490 times. What if someone socked you in the stomach 490 times? Would you forgive them each time?

What if someone left dirty clothes on the floor everyday for 490 days? Would you forgive them each day?

What if someone said 490 hateful things about your child? Would you forgive all 490 cruel words?

490 times = 1 time per day for 16 months plus a few extra days. That's over a YEAR!

Jesus didn't mean we should forgive only 490 times, he meant we should forgive EVERY time!

Isn't he the perfect example of forgiveness? When he hung on the cross, beaten, bleeding, dying, he said, "Father forgive them, they don't know what they are doing?"

Forgiveness isn't easy, but it's powerful! It heals and it frees!

We can forgive the

...parent who made bad choices.

...driver who cuts us off.

...coach who isn't fair.

...spouse who doesn't do things our way.

...neighbor whose dog barks all night.

...boss who doesn't follow through.

...friend who lied.

...politician who promised.

We can forgive 490 plus because most of the time, they don't know what they are doing!

What's In Your Toolbox?

If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see everything as a nail!

What tools are you in your toolbelt?

If the only tool I have is LOVE, how will I see things?

If the only tool I have is KINDNESS, how will I see things?

If the only tool I have is IMPATIENCE, how will I see things?

If the only tool I have is JOY, how will I see things?

Take a little time to check your toolbox!

Are there some tools that need to be removed?

Could my toolbox use some new equipment?

The Resurrection Roast

Have you ever had GREAT Easter plans that went really bad?
Easter day at the Chase house was set! The Easter bunny was to come that morning. We would have a light family breakfast, celebrate at church, return for a SCRUMPTIOUS home-cooked, juicy, melt in your mouth roast with potatoes and carrots!

I have tried my whole married life to make a roast. My family just smiles sweetly when I say, "We are having yummy, yummy roast for dinner."
I know what they are thinking, "We have to gnaw on this dreadful meat for an hour. Our jaws go numb. We just smile between drinks trying to get any bit of moisture in our mouths and act like it is good."

I'm so hopeful, though. I just know one of these days it's going to turn out right.

And...Easter 2009 was going to be the day! This Easter my family would wake up to the smell of a juicy tender roast that would be ready right when we walked in the door from church. We would have the perfect Easter lunch!

Saturday night at 9pm, I put the plan in motion. I seasoned that roast. I made a packet of gravy and poured over it to ensure juiciness. I set the oven at 275 & allowed ALL NIGHT for cooking. There would be NO gnawing at the Chase house this Easter!

There was 1 small problem...I did not know a roast is done in 3-4 hours. I put the roast in at 9pm Sat. night, thinking "What a super, well-organized wife & mom I am."
I had no idea the roast would be ready before I even went to bed.

Well, the Easter plans went as scheduled. The Easter bunny came, the Chase family woke up, however, the aroma wasn't quiet what was expected.
One of the girls awoke and said, "Who burned the toast?"
I rushed to the oven. It was turned off.
I hollered, "Who turned off the oven? " thinking someone had ruined my delicious lunch.
My husband replied, "I did. Look at it."
I opened the door. After clearing the smoke, I saw the dreaded, unexpected, disappointing, pitiful black roast dried up & shriveled in a layer of hard black crusted gravy.
"What happened?" I said outloud but meaning to talk to myself.
"Do you really want me to answer that question?" came a reply from another room.
"NO!" I responded impatiently.

I was determined to make the roast work. All it needed was a little TLC. I came up with a new plan! I put the roast in the crock pot & filled it 1/2 way with water & turned it on low. If I let that roast soak in warm water long enough, surely, it would become moist. I left for church expecting a miracle when I returned.

To my amazement, the pastor preached on expectations. After Jesus was buried, his followers looked for him at the tomb, because that is where they expected him to be. The angels asked, "Why are you looking for him here?" Jesus was alive. He would not be with the dead.

The pastor challenged us to think about 1 area of our life where our expectations are low. 1 area where we have given up expecting Jesus to do great things - maybe our marriages, with our kids, at work...and all I could think about was THE ROAST!
Was it possible that Jesus could bring my roast back to life? It had suffered an awful death the night before, but on this day...the day of life, resurrection, and great expectations, could my roast be yummy, delicious, and melt-in-your mouth?
I listened to the pastor whole heartedly. "Christ can do all things through us," he quoted.
Could Jesus revive my roast through water & a crock pot? After all, he turned water into wine! The pastor asked us to seriously consider 1 thing that we needed to lay at God's feet & expect Him to do great things. I must confess...I laid that roast down at the Savior's feet. I left it there in my mind. I prayed for life. I asked for moisture. I begged for a resurrection roast!

My sweet hubby took us to Papacitos where we enjoyed some yummy, delicious, mouth-watering Mexican food. There were no potatoes & carrots on the side, but the rice & beans were to die for. No jaws were sore & all mouths were moistened. It was a GREAT Easter lunch!

What happened to the roast?
My husband opened the crockpot & pulled out a piece of meat and said, "Not bad! It's actually pretty good!"
WOW! God is able to do far more abundantly than we ask or think. His ways are so much higher than ours. If he can resurrect a roast on Easter 2009 at the Chase house, just imagine what he can do in each of our lives!

"To Him (be the glory) who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think"

Eph. 3:20

Wanna Piece of FAITH?

This morning I read the story of David and Goliath. The Israelite army stood face to face with a 9 foot tall man, Goliath, (eat your heart out, Yao Ming) for 40 days. Every morning & evening, the giant begged for 1 man to "bring it on." There were thousands of Israelite men who could have answered the call, but they didn't. What made a little shepherd boy fearless and brave enough to take on a giant?

The answer would have to be FAITH!

David had so much faith in God's protection, strength, and power that he was willing to take on a man who could destroy his life in 1 small blow.

How did David get FAITH like that? David spent years in the fields tending the sheep, but most importantly, tending his relationship with God. David spent hours playing the harp and singing praises to God. God and David fought lions and bears together. David & God had rescued sheep on many occasions. David knew God would deliver, because he and God had faced & concurred giants together.

I want FAITH like David's. I want to be the one who believes my God enough to stand up in the face of a giant & allow God to use me to display His awesome power. To have faith like that, though, I have to tend my relationship with God (daily, hourly, secondly...okay, every second) & fight a few lions and bears. Honestly, there haven't been too many lions or bears in my life. Am I willing to say, "God, with you, I'll face the lions & bears...because once we conquer the small things together, maybe Goliath won't seem so big?"

"If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain,

'Move from here to there,' and it will move; nothing will be impossible to you."

Matt. 17:20

Are You Climbing?

Over the years our girls have watched Barney, The Little Mermaid, Lizzie McGuire, Kim Possible, Raven, and now... Hannah Montanna. They have also moved through years of music beginning with nursery rhymes and pat-a-cake to Kidz Bop then Disney Mania next the Backstreet Boys & NSync & now ... Hannah Montanna. Although my husband and I are not super fans of the voice of Hannah or Miley, I heard one of her songs today that describes how many of us feel. It's called, "The Climb."

I can almost see it
That dream I'm dreaming
but there's a voice inside my head sayin, "You'll never reach it."
Every step I'm taking,
Every move I make feels lost with no direction
My faith is shaking but I got to keep trying
Got to keep my head held high

There's always going to be another mountain
I'm always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes you're going to have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb
The struggles I'm facing,
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes they knock me down but
No I'm not breaking
The pain I'm knowing
But these are the moments that I'm going to remember most
Just got to keep going
And I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on,
It's all about the climb Keep the faith Keep your faith

Most of us have a dream. It seems, though, there is always that voice inside our heads saying "It's impossible." Maybe it's a dream to find a mate or have a certain job. It could be living debt free or saving a relationship with a child. Others may dream of healing, peace in their home, or starting a business. Whatever the dream, there are always mountains that seem to knock us down. Sometimes we fail. Failing is when we learn the most. People, though, who live their dreams are the ones who keep climbing. They get back up and keep going strong. They don't care how long it may take to get there or the monetary rewards. They recognize that life is not about achieving the dream, but life is about every step that was taken to accomplish it. The joys and the pain. The ups and the downs. The memories. The climb.

Write your dream on a piece of paper, date it & post it where you can see it.

If you have a friend you trust, share it.

Commit to CLIMB (taking 1 small step daily) towards your dream no matter the cost,

enjoying and savoring every step of the way.

"I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but 1 thing I do: forget what lies behind and reach forward to what lies ahead." Phil. 3:13

Scatter No Matter

The Law of the Harvest

1. You reap what you sow.

2. You reap later than you sow.

3. You reap more than you sow.

When you smile at someone, you get a smile in return.
When you say "I'm sorry," you receive forgiveness.
When you lend someone a helping hand, you gain a sense of accomplishment.
When you give encouraging words, you recieve the joy in seeing someone else succeed.

What am I sowing?
Encouragement or Discouragement
Kindness or Rudeness
Helpfulness or Selfishness
Patience or Hurriedness
Love or Hate
Joy or Worry
Hard Work or Laziness
God's Word or What Oprah says

The Bible says that a certain man went out and scattered seed.
Some seed fell on rocky soil, some fell on thorns, some fell beside the road. Not much of it landed on good soil. Actually only 1/4 of it produced any crops.
The amazing thing is...the guy scattered EVERYWHERE & he didn't care where it landed or what happened to it! He just scattered.
Am I willing to SCATTER EVERYWHERE, no matter the results?

Will I encourage my kids even when they roll their eyes?
Will I say something kind even when someone responds with rudeness?
Will I let the jerk in front of me who pushed his way onto the exit ramp instead of waiting his turn?

I CAN SCATTER NO MATTER!

I want to be a SEED DUMPER who dumps seeds everywhere no matter the results.

"Whatever a man sows, this he will reap." Gal. 6:7

Ricardo & Rueben

While jogging yesterday, Lara & I saw 2 young men working at a house. The Holy Spirit gave us a little nudge to stop & ask them about eternity.
After a little "small talk," we asked, "If you died tomorrow, where do you think you would spend eternity?"
His answer..."Down there. Yeah, probably the bad place."
We talked to him about his other option, but in the end, his final answer was,
"I like my life & doing what I do. If I die tomorrow I guess I'll just go there."
Lara & I were stunned. He was okay knowing that he was going to spend an eternity in hell.

2 thoughts...
1. If you died tomorrow, where would you spend eternity?
2. Every day I pass by hundreds of people...waiting at red lights, in the store, at school, in my neighborhood, at church. How many of those will spend forever in heaven?
3. Do I really care?

Our pastor preached a sermon several weeks ago on "Passing By." Jesus was always "passing by" someone. Each time he stopped to listen, to share, to heal, to have compassion, to feed, to help one person or thousands!

Today, notice the people "passing by?"
Let's offer a smile, an encouraging word, a $, a helping hand, a listening ear, a patient temper, or the way to heaven!

For EVERY mom...What is the Point?

Okay ladies...this is for YOU!

Do you have those nights when you just need to have a HUGE pity party for yourself?

When you know not a single person in your family or the entire cosmic universe cares about you or anything interesting to you?

You'd know if they cared because they might listen to something you say, load the dishwasher voluntarily, not ask you to find something sitting right in front of their faces. They would make dinner and let you go take a long bubble bath without interrupting.

Today was one of those days!

I was on a mission to do 1 thing today- complete a 5 page paper.

I started by going to church, then to lunch with my daughter, off to pick up my other daughter from the grandparents, back home to change, out the door to mission trip planning, then back home to the peace & quiet. BOOM, no one was home...I got 3 pages written...and then back to the church to pick up 1 daughter.

Now all I had left to write was 2 pages. It should've been easy. The family knew that was all I needed to do.

I sat down at the computer, and...

"Mom, what's for dinner?" the oldest asked.

"Whatever you want. Help yourself." I replied.
"Can I make cookies?"

"Sure!"

"And have that for dinner?"

"Yes!"

Returned to type, when...

The boys came in from a baseball game.

Dad says, "Do you have a sec? I want to tell you about the game."

"Sure."

I listened for 15 minutes about this pitch, that catch, the other run, this idea, that plan. He left.

Returned to typing. Typed 3 words, and...

Son says, "Hey mom!" He rolls the computer chair around & sits in my lap.

Listened for 15 minutes about his version of this pitch, that catch, the other run, this idea and that plan. He left.

Typed 2 more words when...

"Hey mom! Wanna play something?"

"Sure! Give me just a sec."
Left computer & went to eat freshly baked cookies on front porch with son.

Came back & typed 5 words and...

Time to go get other daughter at Bible Study.

Got home. Sat down at computer when...

"Hey babe! Did I tell you about the ball game?"

Listened for another 5 minutes. (Tried to give the "Can we talk about this later look?" He got the hint & stopped at 5 minutes.)

Typed a whole sentence. I was excited about the progress when...

The Country Music Awards came on the TV. The music turned up to 20. I think it was Taylor Swift.

I gave up.

I went upstairs to disappear & have the biggest PITY PARTY in the world. All I wanted to do was write 2 more pages.

All of a sudden I heard the bath water come on. This meant no hot water for me.

I didn't care. I was too sad or mad or whatever.

I filled the tub & got in ice cold water.

I proceeded to cry and talk to the wall. The wall loved me! It listened! It cared about my paper!

All of a sudden I noticed my daughter looking at me. (She's never met the wall.)

"Mom, what's wrong?"she asked.

"Nothing babe. I'm okay. Just talking to the wall. I'll be fine."

"I was just wanting to borrow your tweezers," she said a little confused.

"Go ahead & close my door please."

Resumed tears and conversation with the wall.

The bathroom door opened again.

"Are you okay honey?" my husband asked cautiously.

For 5 minutes we had the "I'm fine" "No you're not." conversation.

I gave up and resigned to tell my husband everything I just told the wall.

He was wonderful. Told me he loved me & he would do better & all the things the wall couldn't say.

I felt better. He left. I eased back down in the tub. (growing accustomed to the frost bite on my toes)

The door opened again, "Mom, are you okay?"

By now I realized the rumor that mom was crying had spread through the whole family.

"I'm fine." I said feeling a little better.

"Tell me what's wrong," the young voice said.

I don't know why but I decided to turn it into a teaching moment.

"You know how daddy has work, coaching, & teaching Life Groups and we listen to him talk about it & encourage him & help him."
"Yeah."

"You know how you have school & baseball & drama & we talk about it & encourage you & help you."

"Yeah."

"Well mommy has school."

And the child said....

"So what's your point?"

What could I do? I just started laughing! I couldn't stop! The child was now in total bewilderment at the mother who had gone from sobbing uncontrollably, talking to a wall, and now laughing hysterically.

After I regained my composure, the hot water heater had kicked on and I topped off the cold bath with a little warm, I thought to myself..."What was the point?"

What was the point of the pity party?

What was the point of all the thoughts that no one cared about me and my interests?

The point is...

Jesus loves all the moms. All the moms of the world.

When they're up & when they're down. In the tub with only the wall around.

Jesus loves all the moms of the world!

There is someone who loves and cares about us.

He will never leave us or forsake us.

He is the one who created us & placed in us all of our dreams & interests.

He gave us our wonderful families who may not show it all the time, but deep in their hearts they love & care about us!

Don't Miss Out

A few weeks ago my daughter purchased a new shirt. It was not a shirt I would have chosen. She planned to wear it to church Sunday morning. After much discussion about whether the shirt was "appropriate", I left the decision up to her. I was so proud that she decided not to wear it that Sunday morning.

At church, I shared with a friend what happened. She suggested I take my daughter to get a new shirt to show her how proud I was of the decision she made. I mentally made plans for a suprise "blessing" for my daughter the following day!

That Sunday night my daughter had Bible Study. Guess what she chose to wear? THE SHIRT! I was a little disappointed, but wasn't going to re-hash the previous conversation. She was old enough to make this decision, and it was not a battle that needed to be fought.

The next week I saw my friend. She asked how the shopping went. I shared the story with her.

She said something profound, "She'll never know what a blessing she missed."

How many blessings have I missed because I chose to do what I wanted to do instead of what my Father asked?

1 Samuel 13 tells the story of King Saul going to battle. He was suppose to wait on Samuel. Samuel didn't arrive on time so Saul went ahead. Because of his choice, God said, "Your kingdom won't last." Had Saul chosen to obey, God would have established Saul's kingdom over Israel for ALL TIME. King Saul missed a HUGE blessing!

In 1 Samuel 2 Eli the priest had 2 sons who were having sex with women working at the temple and stealing the offerings. Eli, the dad, didn't stop them. Because of Eli's choice God said all the men in Eli's family would die in the prime of their lives. Also, Eli's 2 sons would die on the same day. Had Eli stopped his sons, God said, "You and your house would minister before me forever." Eli missed a HUGE blessing!

I dont' want to miss out on the blessings God has in store!

I'm praying that in each decision, big or small, I'll do what makes God smile!

Wonder what blessings are ready & waiting to be poured on us this week?

"Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who blesses us with every spiritual belssing." Eph.1:3

Food For a Week

Wouldn't it be fun to choose 1 healthy food to focus on for a week?

Whatever the food, eat it 3 times/week.

Notice how many times you hear something about that food for 1 week.

You might be thinking, "WHY?"

Maybe we'll ...

find a new food we like it.

try a new a recipe.

add years to our lives.

pass on good habits to our children.

prevent a serious disease.

change up our routine a little.

My food for the week is...BROCCOLI!

You might be thinking, "WHY?"

• Broccoli has as much calcium as a glass of milk.
• Contains more vitamin C than an orange.
• 1 cup of brocc has double the amount of vitamin C than in an orange.
• Reduces cataracts & heart disease.
• Reduces blood cholesterol levels.
• Helps GI tract. (Might help w/the gas! Your spouse might appreciate you trying it!)
• Inhibits growth of leading cause of stomach ulcers.
• Has 5 grams of fiber per cup.
• Fights cancer. (To test cancer fighting, scientists fed rats a healthy serving of brocc a few days. Afterwards, rats were exposed to stuff that triggers a certain type of breast cancer. The brocc eating rats were 1/2 as likely to develop tumors. The rats who developed tumors had smaller and fewer tumors.)

MY FAVORITE REASON TO EAT BROCCOLI

only 25 calories per cup raw

only 25 calories per 1/2 cup cooked

We could eat a whole broccoli tree & not add to the cheesy thighs!!!

CHALLENGE: Eat broccoli 3 times between now & next Friday!

Eat it raw, cooked, in salads, w/dips, on the side, in a dish.
You can eat it here or there. You can it eat anywhere.

(maybe next week, we'll try Oreos)

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you?

You are not your own; you were bought with a price.

Therefore, honor God with your body."

1 Cor. 6:19-20

Open Up

Readers are leaders & Leaders are readers!

The month of April got it's name from the Latin word, "aperio," which means "to open."

This month open up a good book!Here are 4 of my favorites:

The Dream Giver is the story of Ordinary. Ordinary leaves his land of familiar to pursue his big dream. Feel like you have no dearm or purpose?

Join Ordinary on an adventure that will awaken the dream God has placed inside of you. It's an easy read, but a life-changer.

These fictional novels are based on the lives of the kings who reigned during Old Testament times! Austin brings the Old Testament to life in a way that is exciting, fun, and addicting! Once you start, you'll be HOOKED!



This book changed my thinking! It helps you define personal success & move towards it. Some of my favorite quotes from the book...

"You need to identify & sail toward your destination."

"Unless you do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow."

"The greatest thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother."

"Your goal is to finish the race, to do the best you are capable of doing."

"You pay a price for getting stronger.

You pay a price for getting faster.

You pay a price for jumping higher.

But you also pay a price for staying the same."

This is the only book anyone will ever read that has the power to change a life. Open it up in April. Read the book of Luke. It has 24 chapters. Luke was a doctor who wanted to make sure an accurate account was written of Jesus' life. He used his skills in observation & analysis to investigate the stories about Jesus & put the truth in print! Read 1 chapter each day.

A Little Accident Last Night

Last night we had a little "accident." In order to protect the innocent & guilty, we'll leave some names to the imagination.

I was in the passenger seat while another member of the family was driving. We were on our way to meet Rick and Michael at Subway for dinner. The driver was doing AWESOME!!!!

Unfortunately there was construction work on the road in front of Subway. The driver passed large orange barrels, avoided heavy traffic, and pulled perfectly into the parking lot.

The driver chose a parking spot & pulled in. An ENORMOUS bulldozer was parked sideways at the end of the parking place. The bulldozer & our Suburban made a T!

At the moment the driver was suppose to press firmly on the brake & stop, the "accident" occurred. Her foot hit the accelerator - full throttle! We slammed into the huge bulldozer tire head on. Because it was a tire, we bounced off & hit it again. We didn't stop there. No, we bounced off and took another good hit! We were like a paddle and ball just pinging away.

Rick and Michael were sitting in Subway watching the whole thing. Rick said a man sitting next to him said, "What the _ _ _ _?" I'm sure it was an interesting sight. Rick said you could hear the tires squealing in the restaurant and we were just bouncing back and going for another round!

Finally, the brake was hit and we came to a stop. The driver was scared to death. Rick walked over and once again...my hero shined like a knight in armor! He didn't yell. He didn't get mad. He opened the door and helped pry the driver's hands free. After ensuring everyone's safety, we busted out laughing!

I learned 3 lessons from this accident!

1. Accidents are called accidents for a reason!

Rick told the driver that "Accidents are called accidents because they aren't done on purpose."

Everyone has accidents. That is part of life. The true test is how we respond when life throws us accidents. Rick was amazing! He was so patient, so sweet, and so forgiving. (even though it is going to cost him a little chunk of change) He was right, though, ACCIDENTS HAPPEN!

2. Laugh! Life is too short to spend angry or upset. Remember the saying, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade?" Another way to say it, might be, "When life gives you lemons, LAUGH!" We have laughed & laughed at the sight of us bouncing back and forth & the commentary of the gentleman in Subway!

3. Stop!

Sometimes in life we keep going again & again to the things that cause us pain - like hitting the bulldozer wheel.

How many times have I bought a bag of Oreos & eaten the whole bag? Shouldn't I stop buying Oreos? Like the truck last night, I just keep going back again & again! I had to ask myself, "What do I keep going back to that is causing pain in my life?" When I head towards those things, I've got to slam on the brakes and STOP!

Praise God everyone is safe & we all learned a good lesson & insurance covers "accidents!"