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Monthly Archives: December 2015

Freedom From Blemishes

15 Tuesday Dec 2015

Posted by Nicole Schrader in Uncategorized

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I’m not really a very high maintenance girl. In fact sweatpants and a t-shirt are some of my favorite cloths; pair those with a hair tie and honey I’m down right happy.  There are however certain times that this look is not what I’m going for…

As I was getting ready for work one morning, I proceeded through my routine. I took my shower, got dressed, did my hair and headed off for the breakfast table where I would begin the process of getting my children into the car without losing every bit of my cool.

Everything was going off without a hitch. We loaded our kids into the cars, looked at the clock and realized we were early. A bit of pride took over and I did a little happy dance in my head, patting myself on the back for finally having it altogether.

It was at this point that I had reached the end of our road and decided to flip down the visor and check my makeup one last time.  What I saw was a very clean makeup free face and yes, I admit it, I panicked. Now there are many times that I don’t wear makeup, but heading off to work is not one of those times.

makeup

Judge me if you want, but I whipped that car around and headed for home.

As I passed my husband’s car, I rolled down the window and very sweetly said to him “Will you look at this face? How In the world did I get out of that house today with no make- up on without any of you telling me?”

My husband is not a stupid man. He knows a trap when he sees one, and to him this was a dangerous one. “Oh honey you don’t need make up, we can’t even tell you don’t have it on. You look beautiful.”

How many of you know that there is always a little voice of truth in every situation?

Mine chose this moment to speak up. My youngest son who was sitting in the seat beside me leaned forward and proclaimed to his father that “Dad you might not be able to tell from over there but wow, you should see her up close”.

Yes, he is still grounded and yes so is his father who found that quite funny.

As for me, I did manage to run home that day, put a little make-up on my face, and still get to work on time. But I realized something in all this, besides the fact that I should keep a bit of makeup stashed away for emergencies, I, like the world, have a few blemishes that I’m desperately trying to cover up. The closer I am to the world, the more I see them. They shout out at me from every corner.makeup2

Too often I look in the mirror and base my worth on what the world says I should be; thinner, prettier, younger, more successful… blemishes.

Yet the closer I am to God the more I am swept away by His grace.  When I look to Him I see perfection; perfect peace, perfect joy, and perfect hope. Perfect. The more I look to Him, the more the storms begin to calm and the blemishes begin to disappear.

 

Today, I’m choosing to look in a different mirror. I’m choosing to look at myself through Jesus. He has cleaned me up, removed those blemishes and set me on a better path.  2nd Corinthians chapter 5 says that because of Him, I’m a new creation.  I no longer have to worry about what the world says about me or even what I say about myself.

To the world, I will always fall short, but with Jesus I can break the hold that the mirror had on me.  With God I can rest assured that He is the one that created me and has now given me the ability to look in that same mirror and know that I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Do I still keep an emergency stash of make-up?  Yes, I admit it, I do.  BUT, there’s a difference now. You see, when I look in the mirror today, I see the improvements that God is making in me. I don’t need to cover the blemishes of the world, I just need to reach out for Him and let the things of the world pass away before me.

wordle 2

So how about it, are you ready for some freedom today?  Have you had enough of the pressures and the judgments of the world? If so- put that eyeliner down and reach for God. Tell Him how much you need Him and then let Him work in your life. Let’s have a few make-up free days together.

 

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Starting Over… Again

01 Tuesday Dec 2015

Posted by Nicole Schrader in Kids and Family

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bad day, Crazy life, crazy stupid life, family, God, help, hope, Jesus, love, need encouragement, starting over, There is hope

No milk for breakfast, that’s ok we’ll just have toast today. One son doesn’t want to go school, no problem encourager mom to the rescue. Another son’s interrupting every single conversation my husband and I are trying to have.  No big deal I just patiently tell him to brush his teeth.

What I’m really thinking is- “he won’t be able to talk with a toothbrush in his mouth”.

Then I realize we are also out of dog food, the sink is piled with dishes and there is a broken glass in the broken dishwasher that is now being used as a very expensive drying rack.  One son can’t find underwear, and another can’t find jeans. I now inform my precious  ones that they will either find said clothes or go to school naked, but either way they will be in that car on time.

Encourager mom has now left the building and the new mom who has taken her place has even the pets running in fear. frustrated-mom

At this point I’m beginning to unravel, one tiny thread at a time.  My plan of mother of the year will have to begin again tomorrow.

It’s amazing to me that even after determining in my heart to remain understanding, patient and kind, I can become defeated by 7am.

Now I realize I do have a choice in this. My reactions to the day’s events are all on me, and today my regret list is rapidly growing.

I started out good, I really did, and then inch by inch little things started adding up. None of which were life changing. None are that important. However, each has stolen a little piece of my patience, and I have turned a corner.

Philippians 4:6 says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Had I done this? The truth is I had gotten so caught up in all I had to do and all that was happening this morning that I didn’t take the time to go to God.  I skipped the only thing that could have helped me.

As I sit here typing I am thinking of Paul. In Acts chapter 16 we see a picture of him in jail.  He had been stripped, severely beaten, placed in the inner parts of the jail and had his feet placed in the stocks. His attitude in this situation sets me back a bit. The bible says that at midnight he sings, and not a halfhearted song, but a song of true heartfelt worship that actually shakes the shackles right off- literally.

You see, when we truly come to God in all our moments, with all our hearts; when we worship Him with everything we have even when it hurts, things in our lives change. The shackles that are holding us down and stealing our joy- they have to go.

great moms 4Let’s pause for a minute and reflect on my morning… Here I am losing my cool over a couple of half- naked kids and some dirty dishes.  As I step back and really begin to breathe, I realize my mistake. I put all of my peace in my routine. I wasn’t worshiping in the storm, I was worshiping the storm. I am choosing now to take a new breath, to yet again change course, and get things back on track. I am going to pray and bring all these things before God, and then I’m going to worship with my whole heart.

It’s now a bit after 7am and I’m starting over today. I have God, I’m still breathing, and I just noticed that my husband has dressed the kids.

See, things are already looking up.  I’m praying yours looks up too.

 

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Wife. Mom of three. Passionate lover of Jesus. Teacher. Writer. Speaker. Encourager. Believer in Hope.
I want to leave a legacy. I fail, I disappoint, but I hang on for dear life. My goal is to never, ever, not even for a second, give up. I hope this blog will inspire you to do the same.

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