CMSA

It is absolutely amazing to me how much He loves me.

I just don't understand why He would even care about me let alone bless me in the way He does! Even little things that don't matter at all in the long run matter to Him.

Such is the case with the CMSA.


I first found out about the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association about 4 years ago. My mom brought home an old magazine she found somewhere and of course, I wanted to do it! Watching it would be nice too... I guess. :-)
The basic idea is to keep the days of the Old West alive. Each participant must wear 1800's period costume while competing. They ride their horse through a pattern of balloons, sort of like barrel racing, shooting the balloons with their black powder pistols.

There aren't many local groups that do this but there was one group up in Delaware that would have competitions during the summer. I had wanted to watch an actual competition so when we found out they were having one I really wanted to go. I was supposed to teach that day but my lesson ended up calling and canceling. Hooray! :-)

Our whole family went and yes, it is awesome to watch... and I am sure even more fun to do!

Encouragement

Any of you young ladies looking for encouragement I would highly recommend the website Young Ladies Christian Fellowship.
I have been so encouraged and convicted by some of the articles. God has definitely used it in my life.
My only word of warning, and this applies to any website, sermon, relationship you might have, it shouldn't replace your personal relationship with Him.
I have fallen in that trap many times without even knowing it. Yes, that person/article/sermon/ relationship/book may have been helpful, encouraging, inspiring, or even convicting but in thinking that would fill the void in my life it only set me up to be disappointed and frustrated.
Nothing, absolutely nothing can or should have that sort of influence on me except for Jesus.

When I'm lonely, I don't need a relationship, I need to spend more time with Jesus.
When I feel empty, I need to feed on His Word more.
When I am confused or frustrated I need to remember to focus on what He says about the situation I am in.
When I feel like everyone around me has something ( physically or spiritually) that I don't, I need to remember He is my Shepherd and I shall not want. If I don't have it yet then I must not really need it.

The only thing I need is Him. I don't really "need" anything else. Other things may help but if I start to lean on them He will take them way... just to show me who or what I am really leaning on.

Just for laughs...

David, our 9 yo, has been reading through the Bible for the past couple of months. Each morning after finishing his reading he will pick a verse, write it down and draw a picture of it. That's reading, handwriting, reading comprehension, and art all rolled into one.
Isn't homeschooling great?
He has been reading through Leviticus and after finishing his chapter, which happened to be on circumcision, said to Mom "I don't think that would make a very good picture, right mom?"
Needless to say we all got a good chuckle out of that.

And no, he didn't draw a picture.

It's all about.... me?

When will I ever grow up?
Lately the Lord has been revealing who I am... not who I want to be, not who He says I am but who I really am.
The Me that comes out when things don't go the way I planned them, the Me that comes out when I don't do my best, the Me that lashes out when frustrated or tired, the Me that comes out when I am ignored, or when someone says something that isn't true about me.... and... and... I don't like what I see.

They say that trials and hardships show who you really are and I'm not liking what I'm seeing.

I'm not seeing Jesus.

I see a selfish, irresponsible, prideful, ungrateful, little girl full of flesh who desperately needs a Savior.

Boy, did it hurt to say that.
But I don't want to stay this way. Normally when I see something that needs to change in my life I despair of ever becoming like Him. Shouldn't I already have these basic principles of love, joy, peace, etc down already? Have I really been missing it all this time? I believe the Lord has been telling me Yes and No. It's not that I haven't "gotten it" because frankly I don't think I ever will perfectly. I am not supposed to be a perfect little replica of Jesus but instead I am to reflect His life just as the moon reflects the light of the sun. On it's own the moon is nothing but a large rock in the sky (not very scientific I know) but because of it's inability to do any thing "on it's own" it because the brightest light in our night sky. Am I not the same way? On my own I am completely helpless but when I yield and allow myself to simply be a surface, a plain, boring, ordinary surface He can reflect His life through it.
My whole christian life I have been learning the lessons of unconditional love, of peace that passes all understanding and of joy that comes in the mourning. And the learning will never stop. I will never have it "down" so to say..   A dear friend told me that we are much like onions, each layer needing to be peeled away. There is always another "peel" in my life that needs to be torn off.

But it keeps me broken. And the more I think and dwell on it the more I realize that's what He wants.
He just wants me to know it's not about me it's about Him.... and to remember that, always.

So Lord,
Teach me the lessons You need to. I am listening and learning. I am open. I know You have purpose in it all. Help me to see each lesson and pass them for Your glory, not for my own edification but instead, so You can reflect through me. I know that even in Your chastening You are showing me that You love me. Thank you.