Of This World

Well hello again! Been a while since I wrote. I was torn with the use of "time" I could spend on this kind of thing. I was recently inspired by a woman who leads the Women's Ministry at our church and find myself encouraged by reading her daily blogs. So I thought I might give it a whirl, if I could encourage one person out there all the better.

What I have been challenged with as of late is the idea of being "of this world" as we have to live in this world. There are so many things that can take us away from Jesus and the person He wants us to be. So many things that people can idolize...new houses, new vehicles, "bigger and better" everything and I am torn by it at times. Jesus wants to be our only idol...He is Lord, He is Soverign and He is all Powerful.

A few months ago I found myself getting "caught up" in wanting to make cards again and spent too much time browsing through websites and catalogs with the excitment of how much I love to paper craft. Last year I gave all my stamping stuff to our oldest son's teacher because I really didn't have the time to do it, and I decided I needed to make a choice between stamping and scrapbooking because of the time constraints I face in our busy life...so there went the stamping stuff...simplify.... I remember my sister in law telling me I could pray about it and at first I thought it was kind of silly, pray about stamping? OK, so I tried it...I prayed that God would take that excitement out of me for stamping, I prayed over and over again and within a few days I let it go...I wasn't excited about looking at it...I didn't long to see the finished products. How easy was that? I will admit that I still absolutely love looking at a handmade card and appreciate every single minute of time someone put into it to create that little masterpiece. I decided that my love of scrapbooking will hold lifelong memories that I can pass on and I thought that was more important, so now that is my hobby...something I loooove doing when I make the time (which isn't nearly often enough.) This ties in so nicely with my love of photography and my attempts to capture "life" through a camera.

So, all in all...I know we all have battles...every single day as to how we don't have to be "of this world." No matter how big or small...how have you prayed against being "of this world?"

Note: So much more I want to say here but I smell a poopie bum and hear that our oldest son is out of bed so I have to run...never a dull moment in the house of 3 boys :) Bless your day!