God Is Awesome and stuff

I was driving home from the gym today. I pulled up at the stop light behind a car from Georgia. The frame which held the license plate read, "God is Awesome". I have seen this frame before but it has been a while. I sat there and thought to myself, "Yes, God truly IS awesome!". I thanked God in my heart for reminding me of that today by this simple licens plate frame.

Tonight we have a big event. 4 of the kids' friends, (one of them being Ricky-Grace's friend-boy) are celebrating their 16th birthdays together. Their parents have planned a huge party with about 140 kids at a local country club. Mike is going to donate his dj service for the evening and I am the "door checker". I check kids in and don't let them re-enter if they leave.

Because Grace is the friend-girl of one of the birthday boys, we went ahead and got her a new outfit. I am so happy that my daughter can wear skinny jeans. I will forever live my thin leg fantasies through her and Jessie! Anyway, we don't get started until 8:00pm which is already too close to my bedtime, and we wrap up at 12:00. I tried to take a nap already today but I had too much coffee and I just couldn't relax. Oh, well.

This week Personal Training has picked up. I have 3 clients starting on Monday and a couple of more consultations this next week. I am very excited!!!

Out for now!

Religious or Relational?

What is your status with God? To be more specific...is it religious or relational? Our message at church and in Sunday school went hand in hand yesterday as they dealt with our status with God. Where do you stand?

I fall in both categories. I have a growing relationship with Jesus, but I find that I fall into religion quite often. You know, the "do's and don'ts" of being a Christian. I have mentioned before and I will mention again that I have a religious code. It's called "The Deanna Code" and it is my own rules and standards that I have created through the years that have been my guideline for living. What did I use to form these rules and guidelines. I don't know. Or maybe I do. Maybe it has been all the "How To" books that I have read through the years (How to: pray, be a good wife, mother, pastor's wife, leader, Bible study teacher, organizer, meal planner, blah, blah, blah). I have only wanted to do things the right way but somehow came up with an impossible standard to live up to. My intentions have always been that I wanted to be more pleasing to God and more effective as a wife and mother and everything else that I might be involved in. The "Code" has been my own personal standard and my worst critic.

But God has made it so clear to me this year that no matter what I do, I DO please Him. My behavior may not be stellar, but I am always loved and accepted by Him. I will be a disappointment, at times, to those I love and who love me. I will blow it, stick my foot in my mouth, sin, fall short, but my Jesus who died on the cross for me will never be disappointed in me. I am valuable to Him...period. His Word is the only standard that I need to live up to...period. Oh what freedom I feel as I write this!

I love that and I love Him for continuing the work He began in me 30 years ago.