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Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Thoughts on Tuesday

What a great weekend we had! We were able to celebrate one of our dearest friends 40th birthday with her and a large group of people at a fabulous Mexican restaraunt on Saturday evening.



Sunday @ Church we learned more on the "Toxic______ Series" This week was "Toxic Relationships" I am loving this Series! I just love getting in the car and hearing my kids and their thoughts! They are really connecting to the Word and this series. It is just sooo awesome! I am amazed at how Boundaries play such a HUGE role in sooo many areas of life. Having grown up with NO BOUNDARIES I am praising God that I learned them (even if it was in my late 30's!!) and taught them to my children....It is NEVER too late with God! Never ever!! He will always meet you RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE and begin teaching you, no matter what!




One line that spoke volumes to me in regards to boundaries and relationships was this:

"Jesus had 12 Disciples ....not 200!" Wow! I am a people pleaser ~ I want everyone happy but it just is impossible to please all the people all the time! As a believer it is our goal to be like Christ right!? Well, we must understand and recognize that Jesus did everything and I mean EVERYTHING in Love, even when HE set boundaries.

Toxic Relationships need to be recognized & discerned. Praying and Listening to the Lord is Vital. Only through HIM will you know if He can make the relationship work or if it is one that needs to be cut off.

Seeking the Lord for all of our relationships is so important. HE truly cares about each and every one of them. Those relationships in which we are just a light for HIM, planting seeds ~ maybe a co-worker, or the grocery clerk that we see each week....Ask HIM what it is that HE wants you to share or say during those encounters

For those Best Friend relationships are we lifting them up and being a godly influence? Or do we let our guard down and gossip? Are we controlling or manipulative? We always need to shine the Light within ourselves and not just point the finger elsewhere. So many times we call ourselves Christian yet we act just like the world does. Our relationships must reflect Christ. In prayer circles, in girls nights out, everywhere!

In our marriages are we edifying our spouse or berating them to others? In Proverbs 12 v. 3 this is what it says about wives:

A wife of noble character is her husband's crown,
but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones. ~ The Message versions says "A disgraceful wife is like cancer to his bones"

Yikes! I don't want to be like decaying anything or cancer either! AH YI YI!
I know in my relationship with my husband it is always important to ask questions: Like....
"What can I do better?" I have to be willing to hear the answer LOL and then work on it too! :)

Happy Tuesday everyone! Looking forward to sharing some JOY with Angel tomorrow :)

17 comments:

Denise

Enjoyed this post, thanks for sharing sis. I love you.

Unknown

Great post Loren..
And dont you just love Series at church.. we just finished one call "I (you and me) the Church"
Church is more than a building.. it is the People..
But responding to your post.. One thing i learnt about boundaries is :
NOT EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT OR THE PRIVILEGE TO SPEAK INTO YOUR LIFE! Everyone has options !
And although they may have the best of intentions at heart, do not allow just anyone to speak into your life or your families life..
God and you know what is best for your family..

we are starting a new series this week called the 7 deadly sins... Ill let you know how it goes..

Kim @ Homesteader's Heart

Yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you about our relationship. LOL! I'm so kidding. I love you girlie and this series does sound wonderful. I like the tidbits you give about it. Keep em' coming.
HUGS
Kim

Thena

Very good words and thoughts.

Steph T.

Um so yah...I got to see this sermon live...in person..haha!! It was so awesome! Great sermon series!! I have learned so much about relationships & myself & how I can be toxic to others and to recognize when they are toxic to me also. God has totally been working on me this year with this one as you know. I have been praying He works in all my relationships & I allow him to guide me in them and not be TOXIC to others. I appreciate you so much Loren!!

RCUBEs

Lots to chew from this post and thank you for this sister Loren! We truly need to be conscious all the time about those relationships that do matter. After all, they are His gift to us. God bless you and have a great week sister!

Angel

I loved Sunday's sermon, well actually we went on Saturday!! What a different life we have given our kids, Thank the Lord!!

Love you

Girly Muse

This sounds like such a great series! I'm loving what you're sharing about it. Boundaries are a hard thing for me, but something I KNOW is so vitally important. Have to keep learning and re-learning this one thing. :) Love that you pointed out that Jesus had 12 disciples, not 200...and that even He needed boundaries. Amen! Love you, girl.

Bernie

Great post my friend, thank heaven I got a 2011 calendar as I haven't even posted it yet. Hopefully sweetie I will get to the post office this week......:-)Hugs

Heart2Heart

Loren,

WOW what a great series to join. Sounds like you are all really getting a lot from it. I know like you, I am working on the boundaries issues. So many times I feel like an open door and inviting everyone in and then wondering why I feel so exhausted at the end of the day. Thanks for always keeping it real and giving me something to think about.

Love and Hugs ~ Kat

Deb Shucka

What a great piece. It's taken me years to understand the value of boundaries and then to feel okay having my own - and then to take ownership of maintaining them. Really thought-provoking - Jesus with only 12 disciples. Thank you for this post.

Saleslady371

I enjoyed your sharing from the sermon. It is wonderful that you discuss these things with your children. I bet they love it, too.

bp

Wow, this sounds like a fabulous study. I like that about Jesus having 12 disciples....hmmmm Good point.

Have a good week!
Bethany

A Busy Single Mom

So true! Great post!

Anonymous

Thank you for sharing this awesome series. Such wonderful words.

Anonymous

Oh my goodness, Loren, this post is perfect for me today. I have long learned ALL that you wrote here but boy do our stubborn hearts need to be reminded. Guess I haven't really learned it as much as I should. Thank you. I am taking that 12 disciple quote with me if you don't mind.

This blesses me very much.

I also wanted to thank you for stopping by recently and posting about all the things we have in common. The 17 year old daughter, and the firefighter in the family. God is so amazing. I love to see how He weaves His children even here online. He knows no barriers.

Have a lovely day and I so look forward to more visiting.

jayayceeblog

Very good stuff to reflect on ... thanks for sharing!

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