Fish Fest

today is Fish Fest - the worship gals gave me this for my birthday gift - we are all going together - i know this is going to be an awesome day - i just pray it's not baking hot - but come on chris tomlin, mercy me, rob biagi, kutlas, third day - this is gonna be one worshipful day - i'm sure folks around us will be wondering why all the hand motions ....lol....who knows maybe we'll get up on stage with our hand motions - just kiddin' you know i'll send the girls but no way will you get me up there......my hubby comes home in a couple of hours from washington - that's the only bummer about going to fish fest today is that he is just gettin' home - i pray that him and aaron have a sweet day together - this morning i was doing my devotion on serving - one little thing that really ministered to my heart ok it convicted my heart who am i kiddin' - True serving is being selfless - i need to remember it's not about me it's about others. this is the example Jesus gave us always - often when serving it's so easy to see that the # is few who do the work and than we become frustrated or sometimes even mad - okay let' s be real here that is never serving that is complete pride and Jesus is not in it....Matthew 16:24 says ...if anyone wishes to come after Me ( Jesus ), let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. - Jesus is my example and what better way to give people Jesus than to serve with joy no matter what: so today i chose to serve with (J)JOY -(E) ETERNALLY MINDED - (S)SELFLESS - (U)UNSWERVING - (S)AND WITH SENSITIVITY -..........if serving leaves you joyless even when it's hard than you are probly not serving where our Lord would have you - do not act out of a sense of duty - it's ok to be exhausted after your serving but it should bring you joy and a sense of fullfullment - this was all very thought provoking for me this morning and sitting with these thoughts and allowing our Lord to expose my heart to me both encouraging and discouraging. - ......this just came to mind - that maybe when there is no joy in the serving it's because maybe we have not surrendered to the service - we still want to hold on to self - there's that selfless thing and picture of Matthew 16:24 again. - i wonder why this is all on my heart this morning - Lord what do you have for me today? - the picture above reminds me that everyday my Jesus has me wrapped in a gift box and i need to unwrap it and enjoy all that He has for me in this day - if you need to know that is my "super chica" friend donna and we were making hot air ballons - maybe someday i'll tell you that story.....lol......but today it remeinds me of the gift that today is and that i get to live out Matthew 16:24 with Joy ........