The Great Prescription

These are the  thoughts that were running through my head this morning as I was running and it played in my brain like a prescription commercial.
  So you have to read this like you are listening or reading a prescription ad:

The Great Physician has given us the 

Great Prescription

or it is usually referred to as

 The Great Commission

This prescription is from

JESUS,

The Great Physician.


This prescription is for living:

“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matt. 4:19, 28:19-20

This is how the administer the prescription:

 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Matt. 12:30-31

There are certain risks that will occur:  

 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.  Luke 9:23

Side effects WILL occur:

 You may live a totally different liife.  You will feel joy and peace that will surpass all understanding. You will be different over time, and you will even look different.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinth. 3:18

If you experience any of the following please 
DO NOT
 consult the world and or your own flesh, they will tell you to
 STOP:

If you are young or old male or female tired energized rich poor awake asleep.if you have small children or older children or grand children or no children. if you know a child or have been a child. if you are black or white or brown or yellow.if you have gray brown blonde black or red hair.if you are tall short fat or skinny.if you are a mom or a dad or a child friend student employer or employee.if you are an extrovert or introvert.if you are happy or sad or hungry of full.  

Please consult with the  Great Physician, He will tell you to keep going if any or all of the  previous apply to you.

Overwhelmed by His Love

I am happy happy happy!!!!

  I have all my chicks but one in the nest right now and I will see that chick at the end of the week.

When Lashae comes....she brings her chicks...which are my grand chicks.  One is still cooking, but we still enjoy her very much.  Moo spends all her time with Lashae rubbing her belly.
 We also get to see many of Lashae's friends who come by to see her, and that just adds more fun and laughter.  

 These girls are such complete opposites and so much fun to watch together!!!

Who would have ever known that God had this plan.

I'm so glad He did.

I'm feeling overwhelmed by God's love and grace and provision and goodness this

 Spring Break.

Zephaniah 3:17

English Standard Version (ESV)

17 

The Lord your God is in your midst,

    a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness;

    he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing.

Isaiah 55:8-9

English Standard Version (ESV)

8 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

    neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

9 

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

    so are my ways higher than your ways

    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

There has been some things that have been such a mystery to me.  Things that I know were ONLY the work of the Lord. 

 Things he has brought us to.

  Things He has led us to do,

 and YET...they turn out totally different than we could have ever imagined. 

Some of it turned out better than we could have ever imagined but very different and sometimes much harder and even  felt disappointing.

I have to remind myself to just walk in obedience and not get in the way with my own ideas of how it should go or turn out or the timeline in which it should be done.

I think so many times we DO the thing that the Lord leads us to, and then we expect it to be this beautiful glorious ending.  I think more times than not...it's a struggle and hardship.  We don't get to see the end of the story until we are in GLORY.  We just have to live our lives fully submitted and TRUSTING in HIM who does know the ending.

I don't know what the Lord is preparing me for, but He has reminded me and shown me this truth again lately.

I am working on just trusting Him step by step and not trying to write the end of the story or my version of how it will go.

I think of marriage and raising children and adoption and church and ministry and it is never how we think going into it...it's always so much harder and always so much better than we could have ever imagined.  

APPARENTLY
it takes a lot of the
stuff I'm lacking right now to keep this train together and on track.

iron, sugar, and gluten

When I decided  to go junk free, I knew it would be hard...but I did not know the amount of

stress and anxiety I process through processed food.  

It's not just the "cravings", which have actually significantly lowered, but the nervous energy that doesn't know what to do if I'm  passing through the kitchen and I don't take a detour to the cookie jar.

  I didn't realize how many times I go stand in the kitchen, grab and cookie or a handful of something sugar to muster up the
 energy or the will
to go to the next thing.

 I have become quite aware of where I go and what I depend on for a moment of
peace and comfort.

In addition to the lack of junk,  my iron is lacking because I've often been a low in iron kinda girl...and since I'm in the

beautiful 40's,
things are "changing"...and I think I have hit an all time LOW in iron department.

God has provided a friend that is very in tune to my
 "changes"
and
SHE RULES WITH AN IRON ORDER!

She places orders (supplements)
 and then gives me orders ( instructions)
 on the order (how to best take it).

I really would be lost without her.
I'm pretty lost most of the time anyway...but when the iron is low...I get extra lost and confused....I need an IRON hammer.

 She keeps me on track as best she can, and everyone who knows me knows that is NOT an easy order.
Thanks Holly!  

Isaiah 55:1-5

The Message (MSG)

Buy Without Money

55 

1-5 “Hey there! All who are thirsty,

    come to the water!

Are you penniless?

    Come anyway—buy and eat!

Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk.

    Buy without money—everything’s free!

Why do you spend your money on junk food,

    your hard-earned cash on cotton candy?

Listen to me, listen well: Eat only the best,

    fill yourself with only the finest.

Pay attention, come close now,

    listen carefully to my life-giving, life-nourishing words.

I’m making a lasting covenant commitment with you,

    the same that I made with David: sure, solid, enduring love.

I set him up as a witness to the nations,

    made him a prince and leader of the nations,

And now I’m doing it to you:

    You’ll summon nations you’ve never heard of,

and nations who’ve never heard of you

    will come running to you

Because of me, your God,

    because The Holy of Israel has honored you.”

Spur One Another On

Hebrews 10:23-25

New International Version (NIV)

23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

"SPUR ONE ANOTHER ON" 

This subject has been on my heart for awhile...and as usual...God teaches me through my own experiences

 AKA

 failures, most of the time. 

 He puts something on my heart....usually something that frustrates me to no end, and then I personally experience it, and I get a new understanding. 

 With the new understanding, often comes me, wanting to shrink back and just disappear. 

  It makes me feel like an insecure failure,

which is a really nice way of saying, 

PRIDE sneaks in. 

 PRIDE,

 in the form of insecurity wants to make me sit and shut it because I realize I have so much to learn and I'm a work in progress, which can feel like SLOW progress.

  But, then the LORD calls me out to "share" my heart and experiences. 

Transparency and humility seem to take care of any pride issue.  

 He teaches me this stuff, so I can use it and so I can speak some truth from my experiences and let

 Him use me.

This is my prayer,

 "Lord use me",

 and I envision Him using me to do something 

beautiful and glorious and organized.

But this is the reality of how it typically works;

He uses me to show how HE can make something beautiful out of ashes, and mess and chaos! 

 I tend to forget it is all about

 HIS GLORY

 NOT MINE! 

 But, He is faithful and never forgets! ha

Many of the things that the Lord has placed on my heart to DO in my quiet moments alone with HIM, are often the exact things that are met with criticism or QUESTIONING from my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Not the kind of questioning that spurs me on to

 DO THE THING.

More like negative QUESTIONING:

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? WHY YOU?  WHY NOW? HOW IS THAT  EVER GOING TO WORK?

Silence can be a pretty loud statement as well.

  We  have all been taught, 

"If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all",

 and that is true, except in the social crazed world we live in, silence can be pretty loud and noticed at times. 

Questions and silence may all come from a place of "concern", but I have to remember that God is so big and so good and the best thing we can do for a sister we are "concerned" about is 

PRAY!!

 He can line out the  best and the worst of us!

 Even though I've been on the side of the 

criticized,

I've also been the critical one.

 I  have repented of this and I'm sure I will have to again and again, but for now, I'm going to praise Him for loving me enough to teach me and forgive me!

I'm praying for this new approach:

When I see someone doing something that seems impossible or a bit radical, 

PRAY

 for them. 

 Pray for them to have 

COURAGE TO DO

 whatever He is calling them to do, and PRAY that I can support them, since I have an

"eye"  or an "opinion"

on the situation.  

 I pray for the words and the heart to match up with the

 "Word of God and the heart of God".

I pray that  I may be an encouragement to the work He is doing in and through others.

Just for fun:

I wonder if the disciples were sitting in the boat as Peter stepped out of the boat to walk on water with Jesus and they expressed concern for him and gave him;

 the weather report,

a reminder that he did not have on a life vest,

told him he couldn't afford to get out of the boat,

 reminded him that he hadn't been equipped or trained for this activity,

reminded him that he was created to be a fisherman, not to walk on water,

I wonder if they told him his best chance of making it out of this storm alive was to stay in the boat with the rest of them.

If this was the conversation, I'm sure that's how they  would have thought they were 

supporting and loving

 him.

They should have been pushing him out of boat and cheering wildly and then jumping in

 HEART FIRST

 with him! 

 That's how I think we can 

"spur one another on"!

Let us jump in heart first and dance and cheer wildly for our brothers and sisters in Christ and be amazed at 

what and who 

He can use to bring 

GLORY TO HIS NAME!

Hebrews 10:23-25

The Message (MSG)

22-25 So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.

Spring Updates

I'm just going to throw it all out there!

Current events...and my thoughts.

Both places can be a bit crazy....so read at your own risk, it can be scary in this head and life of mine.

Ya, you try to have a sane thought when this is going on all the time!

*************************************************************

 ************************************************************************

Claiborne is coming home tonight for Spring Break.

  YIPPEE!!!!! 

 I call him my son...and because I emphasis this so often to the other family members,

 Kole wrongly accuses me of acting like Claiborne is my

 only

child.

WELL....

THAT

is not true....I have Lashae too

 *because.she.has.maubry*

Seriously Kole...duh.  :)

****************************************************

******************************************************************

I'm giving up junk food,  and fast food until Easter. 

 I'm not saying "Lent" because I'm not Catholic and it can be a subject of conversation, on whether we are supposed to observe or not observe Lent and what the rules are????

So for me....I'm just saying that I'm sick of the junk in my life....so I'm not eating it until Easter...EXCEPT for on Sundays.
Sooooooooo if you happen to see me

 binge eating

 treats at the hospitality table at church...do not judge me!!! 

 I'm just doing my own thing (with Lashae) because I don't know all the rules, but I know that there can not be one bad thing about giving up junk in my life...whether it be food or otherwise.

THAT's MY PLAN. 

I landed on the whole "junk" food conclusion, because I love sugar and treats and fast food. 

 I crave bad food. 

 I wake up wanting a cookie witih my coffee! 

It is symbolic to me....

I want to crave only things that are good and life giving and healthy for me.

Jesus tells us He is the bread of life.

John 6:35

English Standard Version (ESV)

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

 He fills us up to overflowing, he is all satisfying, he is all we need.
We must crave Him and only Him and not all the other stuff that is fake filler.
We must spend time with him and not just be satisfied with fast fake food.

 I need to "crave" more of Him and His word and time with Him.

 It's time to do a little Spring cleaning and clear out the junk, and  learn to let Him be my only food source!

I'm sure I will return to some diet coke after Easter, but I hope to change my appetite, and my cravings, .
All the way around,

  I want to crave better things!

 I can't imagine any damage will be done to my faith or my thighs if I do a "lentish" sort of thing without knowing all the details and history of what goes into Lent.

The bottom line is, 

I just had a little talk with Jesus and this is what we came up with.
 It's really that simple. 

I also took Facebook off my phone.
Now I won't be scrolling  through it on my phone  while eating a cookie to avoid cleaning the kitchen or paying bills

I think this will be a blessing to everyone in the family.  :)


**************************************************************  

*******************************************************************

Lashae and Maubry
are coming to visit at the end of this month for Spring Break.
Eeeeeeeeek!

I am so excited I can't even stand myself.  I bought Moo and Maubry matching jammies for the occasion.
I miss these Bowen girls so much it literally HURTS in my chest sometimes.
 I need to rub Lashae's baby bump and introduce myself to baby #2.
Her and I have a lot in common already...I was baby girl #2 in my family as well.

Lashae is on the same lentish program I am....so we will have to find something else to do besides  going through every fast food drive-thru in town.
. This is one of the things we seriously enjoy together.
  Driving around with babies sleeping in the back of the suburban, and hitting all the favorites stops.
We start with yummy coffee and end on diet coke,
 in one trip to town.

 We might have to put an awesome salad together for us to enjoy. ugh.

 I sure hope the Lord does change my cravings by then, because that just sounds blah right now.  :)

*****************************************************************

*********************************************************************

At the very end of this month, Charlie, Kole, and I are going to Texas to attend the

 Verge Conference. 

 I am beyond excited and scared to death.
 It is a Christian conference with all my favorites.

*favorite worship music, favorite speakers, favorite state, favorite weather*

 favorite favorite favorite.

This conference is about how to live on mission for 

Jesus!
FAVORITE!!!

The part that scares me, is when we go to these things, we know our lives had better look different at the end of it. 

 Why would we go get all this information and valuable teaching and get all pumped up if we aren't going to make some changes and use it in our lives?
You know I'm married to Mr. "Go big or go home".

The last big conference we went to was about

 "adoption"

 and we all know how that turned out.  

 I'm excited about what the Lord has for us.

**********************************************************************

That's pretty much the update. 

NOW

I'm going to go eat a plain 'ole apple.  

ick.

Have I ever told you I do NOT like fruit.

Now if that little sweetie was in a pie...I would be all over it, but it's not.