Someone worth dying for

How is life going so fast?! I feel like I'm always posting how crazy, busy my life is.... but it's so true. I feel like I'm a hamster on a wheel spinning non-stop. The Lord has really been showing me how I need to slow down and start enjoying my life because I'll blink and it will be over. Last night we were watching a DVD from our Dave Ramsey FPU series that we're doing with community group. Dave talked about always wanting "happiness" and he said that if we're always chasing happiness, we'll miss being happy our whole life. He said we always say "If I had _____, I would be happy." He talked about how we're constantly thinking if we're "one stage ahead" or we have something certain then we will be happy. His example was that when we're in elementary school we can't wait to be in middle school because then we get to "change classes and be cool." Then when we're in middle school we can't wait to be in high school because then we can "drive and be cool." Then we once we're in high school we want to be in college because "you get to decide if you want to go to class or not and you're really an adult." Then once your in college, you're ready to be out and "have a job to make money and get married." Then the cycle just continues (when my kids are this many years old, or when we make this much money....) and he said we pass by happiness because we always think that the next "stage" will make us happy. It really hit home for me because I think I've been doing that so much in the last several months (well really my whole life)... but more recently lately. I keep thinking if Christmas would hurry up and get here then I could get more time with Alli. Or I cannot wait until next May and then we can reevaluate finances and see what I'm going to do next year. Why is it that I'm always wishing things away?? I want to start living more intentional. I want to look back and say that I had an amazing life and that even though our time on earth is short, I spent it serving the Lord and doing whatever it is that he called me to do. I want so badly to be able to volunteer at our church more and be involved in other ministries around the town. I want so badly to have more time with my family and friends. I want to be more intentional about being thankful for each day and living it to it's fullest. I know it's not an easy quest... not even close... but I think if I changed my focus and maybe made changes in my life in other ways I could be closer to it. One of the ways that I'm starting to change my focus is by doing Dave Ramsey's FPU. For the first time in 6 years (well really my whole life... but especially since we've been married) I've felt financial peace... and it's the best feeling in the whole world. My heart has been in doing more shoe boxes this year for Operation Christmas Child and getting awesome toys to put in it instead of "things from the dollar store because we were tight budgeted." FPU has helped us save a lot for it and I CANNOT wait to go to Target and take our envelope and spend everything in it getting awesome toys and gifts for our boxes!! Anyways, I know this is such a heavy, sentimental post, but I want so badly to live out what I'm feeling inside. I know God has a special plan for my life and I want so badly to know it and live it out. I'm tired of being exhausted, stressed, and simply frustrated most days. I'm giving up people pleasing because it's exhausting and all it does is stress me out. I want to do what's best for my family and what I feel God calling me to do no matter what others think/say. I want to serve others in an area that I feel called to do instead of living monotonous days working and not having time. I've been listening to the songs "Someone worth dying for" by Mike's Chair and "Trust in Jesus" by Third Day. If you haven't heard them, you can find them here and here on youtube. They speak so much to my heart and what I desire. I know life is not easy... it's not meant to be. Even though I haven't had big obstacles like loss of family members or major financial problems or the million of things we struggle with every day.... we have been so blessed.... but I want to start ENJOYING that blessing instead of constantly worrying and stressing. As the song "Trust in Jesus" says....

"One of these days we all will stand in judgment for
Every single word that we have spoken
One of these days we all will stand before the Lord
Give a reason for everything we've done
And what I've done is

Trust in Jesus
My great Deliverer
My strong Defender
The Son of God
I trust in Jesus
Blessed Redeemer
My Lord forever
The Holy One, the Holy One

What are you going to do when your time has come
And your life is done and there's nothing you can stand on
What will you have to say at the judgment throne
I already know the only thing that I can say I

There's nothing I can do on my own to find forgiveness
It's by His grace alone I trust in Jesus
Trust in Jesus"



Read Matthew 11:28-29 :)