Psalm 139 :14      I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Ok ladies, so if God says we are wonderfully made, why is it we are always playing the comparison game?  Am I the only one guilty of that?  I don’t think so.  

I recently had the most amazing conversation with a lady who I admire and respect.  I love what she has to say to me because she truly is wise and she is so comfortable with who she is and how God created her.  She is about 20 years older than me which gives her a better perspective of where I am in my life stage because she has already been there and done that. I was telling her about a day I had recently and how all day long I just felt so inferior to the rest of the world.  She actually giggled and told me she wouldn’t make light of my feelings but she thought I was creating an issue that really didn’t exist. I was a bit annoyed by her comment but continued on.

I began my story by telling her how hard it was to keep up with the girls in the “boot camp” class I was taking.  She quickly told me that I probably won’t be able to keep up with the 20 somethings in the class and reminded me of how I was when I taught aerobics in college.  Next I shared with her how I felt inferior to one of the ” very prepared” moms at the baseball game – she had a perfectly packed tote bag, (Vera Bradley of course) stocked with drinks and snacks and a word puzzle for her little guy.  My ten year old daughter looked over at her and then back at me like Mom where is all of our stuff.  I had a long day at church that day so we stopped at the convenience store for our snacks and toted them to the field in a plastic bag that was tearing at the bottom.  I honestly was wishing the other lady was my mom at that point since it was 103 degrees.  I then told her how I had been on Facebook and how every post I read that day seemed to show me friends who had more things than me, less weight than me, kids who were higher achievers than mine,more time to make homemade dinners and homemade pies, all that amazing stuff you find out on Facebook.  STOP ! She said, ” Get over it” !  She then lovingly told me all the things she sees me do well and by the end of our conversation I felt just fine.  I was humbled by her kind words and felt back on track to conquer my little corner of the world the next day.

That night I was reading  a gardening magazine. I found an article talking about all the different kinds of apple trees that you could plant and how each tree, even though it was an apple tree, produced different kinds of apples.  There are tart apples, sweet apples, crunchy and juicy apples. There are apples just for making pies, green, gold and red apples.  As a matter of fact there are about 2500 different varieties grown in the US each distinct enough to be given its own name.

Do you get my point?  God loves variety and that’s why each of us is so different.  He created women to be similar in some ways and very different in others.  God made each of us in a unique and wonderful way.  I am not supposed to be like the other ladies I compare myself to.  God also calls us to bear fruit for him and we can only do that when we use our unique gifting and individuality to the full extent in which we were created.

My encouragement to you this week is to be YOU.  Don’t try to be like someone else you know because the world needs all of us !  

Blessings !

Sherri

The grass is green and the sun so bright

Life seems a dream – no worries in sight – Oh summertime !

Many poems and songs have been written about the beauty of summertime. Summertime to me is all about spending time outside, especially in my garden.  I enjoy digging in the dirt, smelling the roses, sipping on iced tea and lemonade.  I like that my skin turns from a snowy white to a nice bronze.  I enjoy the familiar sounds of lawn mowers, kids playing outside, and the ice cream truck with its merry music.  Nothing beats sitting on the porch swing with my hubby or one of the kiddos and just talking, taking in the sights and smells of summer.

I think most of us would agree that summer brings an enhanced enjoyment of life.  Most of us try to take a break from our routines and take some time off during the summer for either a formal vacation or just some relaxing time in our own backyards. Just this past weekend I enjoyed time away with my family in the Colorado Mountains.  Summertime in the Colorado Mountains is incredible.  The beauty of the blue skies with mountains who still have caps of snow at the top and wild flowers blooming profusely at the bottom is a sight to behold.  WOW is the best word to describe the surrounding beauty.  I find that it is good to get away from our routine in the suburbs and let God reveal his beauty and wonder to us.  Our senses become more in tune to the Lord in nature as we tune out the noise and busyness that usually encompasses our lives.

Now that school is out, a lot of programs at our church are closed too or at least dialed down for the summer.  It is important to give those who faithfully serve during the school year time to rest and prepare for the fall.  It is great to have a break from routine but we must not take a break from God and leave Him behind until September.

My encouragement to you is to find ways to enhance your relationship with the Lord this summer.  Being outside more naturally lends itself to recognizing the splendor God created for us.  Share that with your kids.  Lots of fun VBS and Sports Camps are available for our kiddos.  Enroll in a summer Bible Study for yourself or join friends for a relaxed study in your home. I personally will be going for long walks and spending time in prayer.

Now that our flip flops are flopping, sunscreen is applied, and vacation plans have been made, the opportunity to create memories with your family and friends is awaiting and remember to include God in your summertime too !

Blessings !

Sherri