You Are Beautiful

You Are Beautiful, and the best way to convince you of that, is to share a video with you, a Love Letter from the words of God.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GZSbeTLIIQ

                          
                

                         
  

Join me and many others for more encouraging words at holleygerth.com for  Coffee for Your Heart  or join me at asoftgentlevoice.blogspot.ca 

Love and Blessings, Bea

{ L O V E }

The Small Things That Don’t Matter

Last night, I had to run to Walmart, and you know how that goes. When I was ready to check out, so were about 1000 other customers. The entire right side of cashiers were closed, and there were a handful of cashiers open to the left. And of course, I choose the slowest line. There were two carts in front of me, and I did not realize that the first cart was fuller than the one in front of me.

Then the cashier next to me opened up, but by this time, I was boxed in! I could not move! I felt frustration creeping in the pit of my stomach as I looked around to see how I could move out of that line and into the other one before the line grew. Everyone around me were distracted with their cell phones no one even noticed that we all had a better opportunity on the other line!

Once I realized that the newly opened cashier was building a line of her own, and even though it was not fair that I had to continue to wait while others just walked up to pay (with no wait) I had to take a deep breath, just accept that there was no way out, and that I just had to make the best of it.

Before it was my turn to pay, I made a decision that I could be the customer that every cashier hates, or that I could make it easy on her and be on my way.

By the time I finally reached the cashier, I smiled and I said, “I guess it’s your lucky day! You get to take care of all of us!” She smiled back and said, “I was supposed to get off a little while ago, but then my line just grew.” Just then, I realize that if any of us had it bad, it was her, this sweet cashier! She was getting ready to leave, clock out, go home, but then all of a sudden, she had to stay to check us out…to check me out! And all I did as I stood in line was complain that there were not enough cashiers open.  So, I sympathetically said, “Oh, I’m so sorry! Hang in there, you’re almost done,” and with her continued smile, never giving me an attitude, never a hint of negativity in her tone, she replied, “I know,” as we carried on a pleasant conversation.

I thank God for that reminder, at Walmart, while waiting in line for at least 20 minutes. It is not always about me! Her time is just as precious as mine, her family matters just as much as mine does, getting off on time is valuable to her as it is to me. 

I am also grateful for God’s lesson. Imagine if I would have approached the cashier with thoughtless remarks. She might have responded with frustration in her tone, which I might have taken as being rude to the customer, which might have prompted me to speak to a supervisor, then I would have left angry at first, but then I would have felt awful …a lose-lose situation. My opportunity to show her Jesus would have been lost! But instead, I decided to show a smile, softness and sympathy in my tone, a loving and compassionate attitude. I poured out kindness and love, and it was returned. I felt joy in my heart.

Just a small, small way to show the world love.

How have you showed love today?

 Join me and many others for more encouraging words at holleygerth.com for  Coffee for Your Heart  or join me at asoftgentlevoice.blogspot.ca 

Love and Blessings, Bea

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

How wonderful it is that we have made it to another year.  However this year, I recognize that I will not be alone in my resolutions.  I know for a fact that I will be carried through this year as the Lord guides me and directs my every move, word, and breath.  I no longer have to depend on my own will power to eat healthier, to become motivated to exercise, or to be a better person.  I know that through prayer, meditation on the Word, time with God, adoration, worshiping, and praises, the Lord will provide what I need, when I need it according to His perfect will.  There is no stress in pushing to an unrealistic image of myself, or to become the super mom I always wanted to be, rather the peace of knowing that I will live my life for Jesus and to fulfill why I am here for; to worship Him, love, pray, and spread His Gospel.  Besides, I never met one single person who has stuck to their "New Year Resolution," 

have you?  The worst part is the feeling of disappointment when those pesky resolutions

are broken.  We are not meant to make resolutions that do not honor the Lord, especially those selfish ones.  Once upon a time, I used to do this year after year, and I finally realized the reason why I could not stick to any of my resolutions was because they were not Christ centered...they were "I" centered. I want to drop xx pounds, I want to be skinny, I want to get a raise, I want to make more money, I want to be noticed by xx.  Not that it is bad to want to be slimmer for health reasons, or wanting to be able to provide for the family with a raise, but what is not good are the reasons behind our resolutions. Do we want to be able to wear that two piece tiny bikini during the summer? Do we want to claw our way up the corporate ladder even if it means sacrificing time with the family? Do we want to be noticed for the wrong reasons (though I am not sure I can think of one single good reason to want to be noticed)? I have learned that behind every resolution, I have to ask, "Lord, is what I am doing honoring You? Is this something You approve of? Look into my heart and convict me, Holy Spirit, expose any unholy motive for my resolutions and make them pure."  When we live a Christ centered life, everything else falls into place.       

I have been a Christian since 2005, but I did not become an active Christian until just  recently.  In between, I recommitted my life to Christ several times, wondering if He would take me back time after time.  It turns out that He DID!  And the good promise is that we have an opportunity every single day, any hour, any minute, to go to the Lord of all, our Mighty Father who loves us deeply and who has a plan for us, Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." And do not get discouraged, as I often did in the past, because God will transform us from the inside out, Phillipians 1:6 "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.." Be patient, and like everything else we invest time in, together we will learn more and more who God is, His Sovereign Son, Jesus Christ, and the Power of the Holy Spirit. 

Resolution Time

Resolutions are a fun tradition, sometimes, but it is not a tradition that will make or brake you. Don't stress out for not making resolutions on time, because our Christian goal is to become more intimate with Jesus every single day of our lives, not just January 1st. Resolutions do not define who you will become the following year, nor will they be an indicator of what you will never become if you break them.  My resolutions this year will be resolutions that I know I can be successful in and if you would like to join me, here they are:

This year, I will resolve to grow deeper in the Word, in hopes that:
   a. The Holy Spirit moves in me and shows me the Truth and convicts me of my wrong doings and in everything glorify Jesus Christ.
   b. I want to be more intimate in my relationship with Jesus Christ, and which through Him God be magnified.
   c. Love and fear God with all my might, body, soul, heart, and everything else within me.

Give Your Heart Or Recommit

If you would like to start 2014 with the best resolution, gift, and promise of all times, or if you would like to recommit your life, the following is a simple prayer that can be said anywhere, anytime:

Sinners Prayer. 

Dear God,

God, I come to You as a sinner. I acknowledge that I need You and I cannot do it on my own. I repent of all of my sins and I ask for Your mercy and forgiveness.  I thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for my salvation.  I confess with my mouth, that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior of my life.  

Jesus, please come live in my heart; it is yours from now and forever, and by your promise, I am saved. Jesus, transform my heart, that I will put You first in every aspect of my life.  It belongs to You.

Thank You, Jesus, for Your loving mercy and for eternal life.

I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

This Months Verse 

Since this is a new year and we are resolving to commit our lives to Jesus, this next verse, one of my favorites (I have so many!), Jesus pretty much sums it up:

John 14:6 "...I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."

I'm linking up with Holley Gerth's  Coffee for Your Heart  link-up series on Wednesdays, or go to holleygerth.com  please join us! Click  HERE  or go to www.holleygerth.com for more encouraging words!

Comments are welcomed, and if you have a more personal question for me, please email me at vacationmommy@gmail.com

Love and blessings, Bea
  

Simply Christmas

Christmas Growing Up  

Growing up, my family always spent Christmas with other families; aunts, uncles, cousins, cousins cousins, etc.  Usually extended family of our extended family. On Christmas eve, the adults would indulge in their adult drinks, while the kids ran around and played. Dinner was not at a set time rather food was out for anyone to have at any time.  Then, at about 11:30 PM, all the parents would gather the kids and force them to bed, or else Santa would not stop at midnight if he saw any children awake.  We would all go to bed, and maybe some of the younger kids would fall asleep, but I remember plenty of times just pretending to be asleep until midnight.  There always seemed to be so many kids, and sometimes we were forced to share a twin bed with three to four kids.  Then the house would be silent, or as silent as our parents could be. We heard footsteps, and running around (very quietly) as things were shuffled around and whispering and giggling. Then, at midnight, the doors to our room would be swung open as our parents would yell out, "It's midnight! Santa made a stop!"  Then all the kids would jump out of bed, pushing and shoving to get out the door and into the living room. Once in the living room, we would all admire the Christmas tree with all the gifts around.  I remember being excited as we all took turns opening our gifts.  After that, we were sent to bed again so that the adults could continue their partying.  The next morning, Christmas day, was just as exciting for me because I got to play with my new gifts.

Christmas was one big party and a reason for the adults in my family to get together and drink, and to over-indulge in excessive and expensive gifts, aiming to please or impress the family member.  Sadly, I grew up this way.  And up to a couple of years ago, my husband and I were bringing up our kids the same way...well, almost.  The drinking (though I do not drink anymore), the excessive gifts, the focus was all on us and catching up with the Jones'.

My Christmas Lesson 

In 2009, I met my Christian mentor, Lupe.  She invited my family and I to her home for Christmas Eve dinner.  That Christmas changed our traditions.  After a delicious dinner, we spent time knowing our families, played games, exchanged gifts, and then, and then... we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus, with cake and all!  How could I have missed this all my life? Never did I even say, "Thank You, dear God, for sending us the greatest gift of all!  For sending Your Son to become man for our sake.  Thank You Jesus, for allowing Yourself to be lowered and become man." 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!"  My gradual understanding of this powerful and inconceivable birth develops into something bigger each year. I humbly understand the magnitude of the birth of Christ, some 2013 years ago, how devine, how majestic, how important to our humanity.  I don't know of anyone who would send their child to be born in a barn, on hay, surrounded by animals.  The King of kings was born as the least of us.  I am finally understanding, that He alone, the Great I AM was born for yours and my eternal life.  Can you understand the urgency in my writing?  The importance of this event?

Christmas Now

With sacrifice, we gift our children gifts, but no longer those unecessary, excessive, expensive, extraordinary gifts that everyone thinks we should give. Instead, I look at their needs and gift appropriately, and even if the gift is expensive, I know that it is something they need.  For example, last year my daughter started high school and she hinted how an iPad would work great for note taking, assignments, communicating with teachers, etc.  And so, we got her an iPad last Christmas, which helped her keep orginized more than what I expected.  She uses it a great deal, and she even downloads some of her heavy textbooks from school.  Although it was an expensive gift, it is all she received last year, and she really uses it to its full capacity.  If it were any other year, she would have recieved that plus clothes, plus shoes, plus giftcards, plus, plus, plus...even if it put us back on our bills.  It is not necessary.  We buy our kids clothes throughout the year as they needs it, and their closets are not full of name brand or expensive clothes either.  We almost always did the same for relatives and friends.  I am not saying that gifting is bad, I am just saying that making a gift that is truly personal is what makes it special.  For years, we had been giving our bosses expensive gifts...not necessary.  I learned that if anything, they can afford most of the things we would get them, so we have opted to give them more personal gifts that suited them.  A recent year, we gave my husbands boss, who loves fashion accessories, a beautiful silk scarf, and I think she loved it more than any other gift we had been giving her over the years (heavy-white robe, expensive wall art, silly, silly, stuff).  You see, there should be purpose and sacrifice with every gift.  Another example would be to give a gift because it is on sale, or cheap, but the person has no use for it.  That would not be a very good gift either, not because it was inexpensive, but rather because it was thoughtless.  The purpose should not be to show everyone what a great gift-giver you are, or to show people how much money you are willing to spend on them, or giving because you are obligated, but rather the person is in your heart and your desire to show them that they are loved and thought of.  It should be personal, with the sacrifice of time in searching for it and the monitary sacrifice no matter the price tag.

Honoring God

And though Christmas is NOT about gift giving, HE is so worthy of a celebration that honors His birth on earth.  He is so worthy of us honoring Him by the sacrifice we make in our gift giving, and only when we make sure it will bring honor to His name. What a wonderful gift we have recieved in Him, and if we choose to pass the gift giving tradition in His honor, I believe it is the right thought to Christmas.  Because there is nothing in this world that we can do to show God how wonderful and holy He is, and there is nothing that He needs from us (Yup...He doesn't need our praises, prayers or anything we do for Him because He is self sufficient), but He sees the intentions of our hearts, and the reasons for gifting.  Loving a person is not suffiecient reason to give, but loving Him, the Creator, the Wonderful Counselor, is reason enough for the season.

And so, I would love to wish you all a Merry Christmas, full of Jesus, and a Happy New Year full of His blessings.

Celebrate Or Not

Here we are again, the end of October and the question to celebrate Halloween for Christians is always a big one.

When we first became Christians, I was not sure of what "the rule" was on celebrating Halloween (yeah people, I was a newbie).  I tried cutting us off from this celebration cold turkey, but when I did not have the answers when my children asked why, I felt a little silly and frankly I did not understand it well enough myself. So I modified my decorations and my selection of costumes. I threw out all the evil looking decorations and I replaced them with fall decorations that remain on my mantel until the Christmas decorations come out.  Then, I decided that if we dressed up as Dorothy and Scarecrow (from the Wizard of Oz), that would deter from the evil of Halloween.  It was not until recent years that I have really sat down and thought things through.  The following is what I came up with.

1. The origins of Halloween; do you know it?  (Please read up on this issue, I am going to be very brief).  In short, and I am paraphrasing from several sources, the Celtics, for as long as 2000 years ago, at the end of summer and at the end of the harvest season, the pagans would disguise themselves as evil spirits so that the head-honcho evil spirit would not take them.  Then in about 731 AD, the Catholic church came up with a day to honor saints, to sort of make up, or contradict the pagan holiday.  This was the first time the celebration was not to honor evil spirits, but to honor the dead, saints and martyrs through a church sanctioned "Halloween."  Through the centuries, this holiday has lost much of its power and grip from honoring evil spirits, which the Celtic pagans did, to the commercialized celebration it is today in the American culture.  Many people today, do not realize what a strong, powerful, and sacrificial this pagan holiday use to be centuries ago.  They do it all in fun and games.  Now, let's ponder the following.

2. Why would Christians not celebrate after knowing that it is not the intent today?  The simplest reason I will give to this question is this, but please read to the end.  We live in America, where we are free to choose to live our lives as we please.  Why must Christians who do not believe in celebrating Halloween be questioned, but yet people who choose not to celebrate Christmas are not?  After all, Christmas, the birth of our Lord and Savior is more than enough reason for anyone to celebrate, it is written, and yet there are people who choose not to.  There is nothing in Scripture that states Halloween  is a holiday.  Why is it that people can display evil and scary cemeteries on their front lawn and public places, but we are questioned when we want to display a Nativity scene?  As much right as anyone has to celebrate anything, it is part of the Christians right to celebrate, or not, when it comes to Halloween, or anything else for that matter.

3.  We Are Free.  Now that you have an idea of the origin of Halloween, and even the celebrations afterwards of the Roman Catholic Church, its pagan and sacrificial roots, we have the knowledge and should have the power to reject it, if we choose to.  On the other hand, we have to remember that the Lord Jesus Christ came to free us from everything, including a past with a history.  If a Christian decides to participate (not even celebrate, because, come on... Halloween a holiday, really?  Why don't we have it as a paid holiday?) in these events, we do so because the blood of Jesus Christ covers us, and it promises that we are free from fear, sadness, disease, attachment to the past...we are free to proclaim His greatness, His word, His gospel!  He knows our hearts.  He sees who is first and foremost in our lives.  And if you place Him first and foremost in your life, the Holy Spirit will convict you of making the wrong decision.  This time of year is no different from any other day for Christians.  It is no different if a Christian went to a gathering (not Halloween) got drunk, and acted ungodly on any other day.  Whether you have a costume on or not, your conduct should always reflect what your life is all about.  The Lord does not care what you wear on the outside, but it is your heart He is after.  Guide your thoughts and actions, for it is a reflection of your relationship with the Lord.

So, whether you are a Christian who participates in the fun just for the fun of it, or if you are a Christian who does not participate in any of it, do it in a manner that honors the Lord. We neither criticize nor we indulge in ungodly behavior.  We thank the Lord for making all things new, through Jesus Christ.