Dying to Self

      I've learned a lot over the years about dying to self daily. From little things, like reading to your siblings while making dinner, or big things, like, getting up early with your husband, so that he can have breakfast and coffee before he goes to work. However, I'm still learning... there are days, when, I just don't want to get up from bed and make breakfast. There are some days, when, sleepiness and laziness gets the better of me, and I don't want to do anything all day long, except sleep, and  relax. That's not life though. I have to constantly remind myself to put others before myself. We're reminded in Philippians 2:3-4, "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but  also for the interests of others."

     On the days that I feel like doing nothing, or sleeping in really late, I have to pray to God to ask Him to change my heart. To put my God and my husband first. To not be selfish.
     The other day, when my husbands alarm went off, I was so tired that I didn't want to get out of bed. I literally couldn't open up my eyes... so with my eyes half-way opened, I walked downstairs to make his breakfast. After I kissed my husband goodbye, and went back to bed; I realized that I hadn't been very joyful that morning. I sent him a quick text asking for forgiveness for my lack of joyfulness that morning. Josh called me a little while later and told me that he didn't think that I wasn't joyful but that he appreciated me asking for forgiveness. He's not a morning person either, and so he gave me encouragement to just be in prayer about it on a daily basis. He's an awesome husband! ;)
     Dying to Self daily can be so hard and tiring at times, but in the end, it's all worth it! :) And when you serve others, you serve Christ. :) In what ways do you feel like God's grown you in this area? What are some Bible verses that have helped you to serve Christ daily?

     "Then He said to them all, if anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and Follow Me..." ~ Luke 9:24
     "And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." ~ Galatians 5:24

Sleep Deprived-Thank you Mom!!!

How many people know what it's like to be sleep deprived?
I haven't, but my mom on the other hand, struggles with Sleep Insomnia.
For those that don't know what Insomnia is, here's the definition: 

Noun Habitual sleeplessness; inability to sleep.

Synonyms sleeplessness - wakefulness - vigilance

My mom has struggled with it for several years. Some days she gets only 2 hours of sleep, and other days she gets 5 hours of sleep.
This last week, all I could think about was, "If I had Insomnia, how would I handle it?" Everyone knows that when you don't get a lot of sleep, you're usually grumpy and irritable.
While yes, sometimes my mom is has her moments, she also forces herself to be joyful!
For that reason, I'd like to dedicate this blog post to my mom!
I don't struggle with sleep, and I still LOVE sleep! I can't imagine what life would be like without it.
I started thinking about all the days that my mom didn't get much sleep. My mom usually warns me ahead of time that she'll be edgy from lack of sleep. As I was thinking about it today, my mom has kept her cool so many different times! I don't know how I'd handle it, but for my mom, she's almost used to it.

It's her testimony now, that 2 years ago, when we were in the process of adopting, going through financial problems, her going through Sleep Insomnia, that she felt like she was going to die. She told my dad that she couldn't take it anymore. She prayed, and she sought God, but alas, nothing was happening. A friend from church bought her a book called, "A more Excellent Way", and it talked about Health. This was God's way of showing my mom just one little step toward her health problems. She had about 10 different things that were wrong with her body besides her Insomnia, and now because she changed her diet, and started eating healthy, she is now a happier mama! I am so thankful that throughout the years, my mom kept her cool! On those days that she felt like being grumpy, by God's grace, she turned it into joyfulness! So, I just want to take a minute and thank my mom for being loving, joyful, caring, and tender during those times that us kids were driving her crazy!!! Thank you mom for being you! I love you!!!