Enough

When I was in high school, I joked that I owned the world's largest collection of 2nd place ribbons.

(I was the runner-up in the region essay contest four times.)

I lived, it seemed, in the land of Not Quite Enough.

Sometimes it still feels that way.

Lately I've felt like I am almost a blogger. (Hello, is anyone out there?)

Almost a writer. (Which may explain the first one.  I am mocked by the blank page.)

Almost a speaker.( I wait for doors to open.  And wait.  And wait.)

Almost a good mother, wife, teacher.  (Pick a day , any day.)

This week I've begun to study 1 John and ventured deep in the word koinonia, fellowship, the communion of shared relationship.  According to one of my favorite commentaries:

"Those who have a fellowship one with another, are those who share the same resources, and are bound by the same responsibilities. The idea becomes almost overwhelming when it is thus applied to the relationship which believing souls bear to the Father, and to His Son Jesus Christ. . . . The Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and all believers have all things in common. All the resources of each in the wondrous relationship are at the disposal of the others. Such is the grace of our God, and of His Son." (Morgan)" {emphasis mine}

All the resources of the Trinity shared in relationship. Ponder that. 

 It goes on to say this:

"This idea of a shared life is essential. This doesn't mean that when Jesus comes into our life He helps us to do better what we did before. We don't add Jesus to our life. We enter into a relationship of a shared life with Jesus. We share our life with Him, and He shares His life with us."

The beautiful blog house of belonging, whose author has the tenderest heart for her Savior, has an Etsy shop with this t-shirt:

 

At first, I admit, I struggled with it.  After all, I am not enough.   All insecurities aside, that is true.  On my own, my failure runs past the  cellular level-body, spirit, soul.  Without Christ, I am nothing.

Yet with Him, in koinonia, I am enough because He is more than enough.

My not-enough shares in His more-than-enough, and five loaves and two fish become bread for thousands.

So my prayer is this, no matter what my heart or hormones (or blog) may tell me, that I will rest in and share in, and live in the One Who is Enough.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Heart on Your Heart

A musician friend and I used to joke that we could be the world's best worship team if we worked together; she understands melody and I love words.  Though I'm drawn to particular tunes, the words will ultimately capture my imagination.  

  I love Hillsong because they meld power and poetry in their worship songs.  The simple heart-cry of this song has kept it on my playlist (and prayer list) this week.  Though  fraught with insecurities and imperfections, I want to be a faithful follower.  I want Christ to change my heart and shape my vision so that He fills my thoughts and guides my words and actions. I want to live my life in response to my holy and righteous Creator.

Heart on Your heart and my eyes on Yours.

Hello, Monday

Hello, Monday, the only day of the week that I seem to manage a blog post lately.  What is it about late winter that sucks the deep thoughts into a deep pit?

Hello, winter.  We've met, haven't we?  You're killing me.  More accurately, you're killing my hydrangeas, and that will never do.

Hello, Easter songs.  You're a mix of old and new this year, and I am really looking forward to Sunday.

Hello, Zion album.  On repeat.

Hellooooo...spring break-next-week!  Can you hear me?  Hurry and get here quickly!

Making it to 100 today!

100.  My siesta scripture memory spiral

101.  Good times with Big Red

102.  An unexpected lunch date with friends and lots of laughs

103. Having my teen admit (kind of, sort of, and definitely reluctantly) that her mom was....right 

104. Hillsong

105. Heaters

106. Jeans week at school 

107. Some kids in my last period class that make the day better, every day.

108. Clean clothes

109. Clean clothes folded

110 Clean clothes folded by someone else

111. A super-sanitized refrigerator, courtesy of Big Red, who takes his cleaning seriously.

112. An hour-long massage--an much-appreciated birthday gift!

113. Hazelnut lattes

114. Blog friends    

What's on your Monday list?

Be blessed, 

Ginger

 Linking here.      

Can I Get a Amen, Sister?

Profound statement for today:

Parenting teens isn't for sissies.

Talk amongst yourselves.

Report back with any wisdom.

(Or sympathy. That will work, too.)

 

Be blessed,

Ginger

Hello Mulititude Monday: the Let's Pretend It's Spring Edition

Hello/goodbye weekend temps that had us fooled!  For a day or two, we could believe spring was coming.

Hello, cold. Again. 

Hello, same sweaters.  Every year I say I'm going to find some "springier" styles to help me through the March/April wardrobe blahs, but I never get around to it.  Now all the stores seem to think it's June.

Hello, $20 prom dress!  *Fist pump*  You're gorgeous enough without the phenomenal price tag, but I'm so thankful for it! (And so is my girl, who was pretty darn excited to find you.)

Hello, Easter mantel.  I'm showing you off later this week. (I need all the blog help I can get these days!)

Counting my blessings, one by one:

 88. Gifts from God that make little things joyful--like consignment store prom dresses!  I love that He shows up in the small.

89. Great worship services

90. The complexity and perfection of the Word--breathtaking

91. The veil was torn!  Hallelujah!

92. Birdsong

93. broccoli plants

94. enough carrots pulled from the garden to feed the Easter bunny and all his pals

95. hot chocolate with marshmallows

96. ...and whipped cream

97. a really good pen

98. a clean sheet of paper

99. birthday cards in the mail

Be blessed,

Ginger

Little Spots of Joy

Today is my birthday.

It's a simple pleasures day.

Big Red took me to breakfast, which is one of our favorite dates.

Today and tomorrow are staff-development days.  School days without students are *almost* like holidays.

My desk is clean(er), and I've got a rough plan for the days up until state testing.

At home, my girls had folded clothes and cooked supper, and DD#1 is making me peanut butter chocolate cupcakes with chocolate ganache. (About eleventy-million WW points.)

Big Red bought me a travel mug so I'd stop swiping his.

I bought wrinkle cream. *wink*

What are your simple pleasures?

Be blessed,

Ginger

Hello Monday: Back to Blessings and Blogging

Hello, Monday!

Hello, winter!  Isn't your time about up?

Hello, daylight savings time! I'll like you...eventually. Today, not so much.

Hello, dark-drive-to-school.  You're one reason I'm not a fan of this time transition.

Hello, library books.  I hadn't replaced you in a while (hello, huge library fine), but this weekend I went on a major reading marathon and immersed myself in fictional complications instead of real ones.

Hello, pastor search team.  Speaking of complicated things...

In the midst of this list lies another one, blessings all...

82. enough rain to replenish the earth

83. electricity!

84. a car that's paid for! and gets me to work each day

85. libraries

86. books...and more books

87. when God shows up and blows us away 

Be blessed,

Ginger

Vanishing Act

For my next trick, I decided to vanish from Blog Land...and reappear in a few weeks!
First there was Getting-Ready-for-Retreat Week.
Next came Retreat Weekend. (Fabulous.)
Then there was Post-Retreat-Recovery, still on-going.
I'm skipping small group tonight to try to get my game face on.  It's Wednesday, and I'm hanging by a thread.
And no snow day today, dang it.
(It poured snow as we arrived at school and melted before afternoon.  Rats.)
So...as I scramble around my house propping my eyelids up with toothpicks and cleaning the kitchen table, let's pretend we're at Starbucks (virtual calories = nothing nonfat or sugar-free, and throw in a scone or a brownie or a cranberry bliss bar if you like) and you're doing the talking.