Archive for January, 2009

Acting a Fool

You guys on our Scripture memory team were ON IT yesterday and I am so proud of you! I tried to wait up last night until I’d brought in 2000 comments but I was about 45 short when I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. In fact, picture your Siesta Mama in bed, head propped up on a pillow, dozing off over and over again with her fingers on the key board of her laptop. (I’d have never gotten away with that if my man had been home but, alas, he was not.) I finally shut it down and gave way to my dreams. Those of you on our Scripture memory team who didn’t get a chance to sign in and record your verses, be sure to return to yesterday’s first post and do so.

As for the rest of us, I hope we will have a very interesting topic today. Most of you will remember that I did a survey on insecurity several months ago. You responded by the droves and brought insight no amount of book research (beyond the Word) could have rivaled. God has stayed on me about the topic and I have a pretty good idea that He’s got something up His holy sleeve but I don’t want to make forecasts. I just want to keep taking the next step with His lead. This is the next step. I told you at that time that I’d probably look to you for more insight on the topic down the road and we’re officially down the road. I’m pretty sure this won’t be the last you’ll hear on this blog about it either.

So here’s the premise followed by the question. I believe insecurity has the capacity to make a fool out of a woman like maybe nothing else on the planet (except the devil, of course). This is especially true in relationships but it also rears its head in our work lives and our serving lives. My bottom line is that we better deal with this issue or these are the kinds of things it makes us do. If insecurity has never made a fool of you, then please don’t comment on this post, but if it has, let us know in a paragraph exactly HOW. Some ground rules:

*Make all comments ANONYMOUS so that I can freely use the information and quote it. If you don’t want to take the chance of being quoted or your story being told (on video or in print or at a speaking engagement), please kindly refrain from commenting. Keep in mind that I am blatantly asking for your examples for the expressed purpose of sharing them to help others.

*Think back all the way to middle school or high school or college or maybe think back only to yesterday. The more varied the examples, the better.

*I’m hoping for everything from serious examples of how insecurity can make a fool of a person to hilarious ones so don’t feel like, if your best story is silly, that it doesn’t fit the post. You know me! I love silly!

Somewhere along the way I’m probably going to do a post for men only so we can get their insight on insecurity, so keep an eye out on that. I’ll need your help enlisting them at the time. We’ve done that before on a different topic and it was so intriguing. For now though, it’s women only on this topic.

OK, Siestas, fess up! Has insecurity ever made a fool of you?

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Nipping Something Quickly!

Hey, Sweet Ones! Would you mind helping me nip something really quickly please? We’ve got calls and emails hitting the ministry with concerns that I am supposedly having anxiety attacks. The rumor is an honest mistake. They’re just not reading the earlier post carefully. I was quoting someone else who left an anonymous comment on the mini-tutorial post about the power of Scripture memory. For those of you who misunderstood it, thank you so much for being concerned but it’s not your Siesta Mama. You know me. If it were me, I’d have told you so! Sorry I didn’t make it clearer. I sure do love you! We won’t bother opening this up for comments. Let’s stay focused on our Scripture memory post!

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Siesta Scripture Memory Team: Verse 2!

OK, my fellow Scripture-memory Siestas! It’s the 15th and you know what that means! It’s time to sign in (name and location) and record our second Scriptures. Remember, this process is a vital part of the accountability that leads to victory so I hope so much to see several thousand Scriptures come in over the next 36 hours. For those of you who are new to our accountability group, we welcome you! Jump in here with us and get some Scripture as your life-elixir. Here’s a little extra motivation! AN EXCERPT FROM AN ANONYMOUS COMMENT left on the mini-tutorial in reference to our first memory verse: 

“Last night I had THE WORST anxiety attack that I have EVER had in my life. My sweet husband prayed over me and as I climbed in under the covers just quivering with fear, my verse that I am memorizing just came to me and I started to say it over and over out loud and such a peace and calm washed over me. Never has an anxiety attack stopped dead in its tracks as this one did-I am just in awe that in this short time I am already learning my scripture and realizing just how powerful this thing it! This works! Satan has NO authority over MY MIND to cause that kind of fear! I will wield my sword his way!”

Doesn’t our sister’s testimony get your blood pumping? No, we don’t all have a husband who will pray over us at times of mental torment but, Girlfriend, every single one of us can do exactly what our Siesta did! Wield that Holy Thing!!

Now for a few reminders:
1. Choose a Scripture you yourself really need. If you don’t have one picked out and you feel like you could really use the one I’m memorizing, please feel free to join me and don’t feel lame. That’s what mentors in Christ are for.

2. Limit your comment to your Scripture (entirely written out even if you’re joining me with mine) and your name and city. Remember to add your translation abbreviation because many of your sisters may want to look up your verse and won’t know where to find it otherwise. I know it’s hard not to leave further comments but it’s so much cooler to read one Scripture after another as we go through the post. You did such a great job following this instruction last time. Truly it was one of the most powerful things I’ve ever seen on the blog.

3. Add your verse to your spiral index cards as your second Scripture then begin the same process of memorization/meditation that you did with the first one. Once you get a bit of a handle on the second one, you will then begin doing them BOTH over and over in succession. Don’t get intimidated by this! You can do it. In fact, you’re going to thrive on it! To me, this is when it really starts getting fun and POWERFUL. I love the process of saying a number of Scriptures in a row. You’ll find that the victory is not only won in the spiritual war around us. It’s also won in that very personal war raging within us. Even if you read your two Scriptures over and over and don’t memorize them word for word, remember the primary goal is still accomplished: You are getting the Truth in your brain and holding your thoughts captive to Christ!

A quick word of caution: I am a little concerned for some of you who chose long passages the first time around. You really might consider repeating a portion of it as your second set so you can retain what you’re memorizing. In fact, if you chose a chapter, I’d suggest doing it in as many as four or five segments. I just don’t want you to get discouraged and drop out. Unless you’re pretty experienced at memorization, it’s probably best to stick to shorter segments and see it all the way through to our goal: 24 verses in 12 months!

OK, here’s my 2nd Scripture. Like last time, it’s a verse I really love but have never put to memory. It won’t take you long to figure out what the theme of the Scripture is! And, yes, it’s one I really need for a challenge I’m going through personally. I love it in the NIV:

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV

Here are a few ways I will (“E”) EXAMINE it:
1. It’s 2nd person. (In other words, me saying it to you about God. As I pray it, on the other hand, I’ll say it like this, “You (God) are able to make all grace abound to me…”)

2. The theme is grace and the Scripture expresses that beautiful theme by repeating two key words: “all” (4X) and “abound” (2X). I can already tell that I’ll be emphasizing the word “ALL” as I repeat it aloud because clearly that was Paul’s inspired intention.

3. I notice that the word “every” is used at the very end of the verse instead of “all.” A little twist that I’ll want to keep in mind.

These are little clues that will help me memorize. I hope they help you see the process of “Examine” in our RENEW acrostic at work!

Incidentally, some of you who gave us the privilege to pray for you yesterday about financial needs might take a look at the verses that appear soon after the one I’ve chosen. If God has not led you otherwise, perhaps you might consider memorizing 2 Corinthians 9:10 or 11. When we have a pure and needy heart before God, these kinds of Scriptures are perfectly appropriate to pray, memorize and believe our faithful Father for. Philippians 4:19 is another terrific Scripture for this occasion.

OK, you sweet things! Get busy! Let me see some Scriptures!

I love you like crazy. May Christ Himself, the Living Logos, empower and inspire you!

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Anybody Feeling the Crunch?

Hey, My Darling Ones!

Thank you so much for praying for our Bible study launch last night. God brought us such a great group! Lots of new faces and lots of familiar ones, too. I love a marvelous blend of both! It was my first time to teach in our newly renovated sanctuary. It was so beautiful and the quality of sound was the difference between night and day. I am profoundly humbled and blessed this morning that God would allow me, such a former pit-dweller, to serve a plate of His Word to a hungry soul. The way I see it, I’m a waitress.

Let me also give you a quick reminder that tomorrow is the 15th and you that are part of our Siesta Scripture-memory Team will need to be ready to sign in and give your 2nd Scriptures on that (not this) post. If God hasn’t pointed out a specific verse, you are also very welcome to share mine. I’ll give it to you tomorrow. You’ll know if you should share mine by whether or not it resonates with you as something you personally (“N” in our RENEW acrostic) NEED. Also, Siestas, thank you so much for your encouragement over the mini-tutorial! It built up my spirit more than you could know. You made me laugh over your comments about liking the rough videos because you could see the professional ones any old time. It was refreshing. YOU are refreshing. One last thing about the mini-tutorial. It meant the world to me to see you give so many shout-outs to Sabrina. She and the rest of this happy band of women (and one-lone man) at LPM work so hard. Thank you for always recognizing them. They are family to me. I could not esteem them more highly.

OK, now for how I’d like to hear from you today. I am very concerned about those of you who are suffering ramifications from our nation’s current financial crisis. Our unemployment rate is skyrocketing and the threat of further layoffs can be terrifying and demoralizing. I’ve already begun praying for servants of God who are suffering financial blows but my prayers feel more effective AND DIRECTED if I have some names and stories feeding them. If you are feeling the crunch and could use some powerful Siest-ercession (I just made that up. I made my own self laugh.), please post a comment so we can pray for you! Keep your comment limited to a reasonable one-paragraph length so we can read every single one of them and pray. It will really help if you’ll tell us your name and what part of the country (or world!) you are in, but if you prefer to remain anonymous, feel free! I know that we’ll all be tempted to write comments back to our Siestas who describe a need but it will be so much easier to use the comments to this post for prayer if we limit them only to the ones making specific requests. Thank you for your cooperation!

You are so loved and welcome here. You have become an extremely important branch of this ministry and all of us here at LPM are honored to be your servants. Keep fighting the good fight of faith, Sisters! Jesus is worthy!

PS. Girls, I’ve already been reading a number of your needs (over 200 at this point) and praying while nearly bawling. I have become so fond of you that your needs feel like my needs. The Apostle Paul told us that when one part of the body hurts, the whole body hurts. I guess you could consider me the nose on this body. And it is really stinging. And running. I was nearly overcome by the one who is having to lay off 7 people today and is almost physically ill over it. Take heart, all of you! God never prompts us to pray with no intention of responding. It’s just not His style. He initiates prayer to initiate action…often first on Earth so that He can view love and obedience at work…then in Heaven where wonders reside then powerfuly descend in Divine timing. He loves you so much. ABIDE in that love. (Which reminds me, I totally loved the comment from the mom that ended with what her three year-old daughter says at the conclusion of her prayers: “Jesus love me, Amen.” HE DOES.)

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The Inheritance

What an exciting day! We start our new Bible study – The Inheritance – tonight at Houston’s First Baptist Church. We would love for any of our Houston Siestas to join us. And needless to say, we covet your prayers as we kick off a new semester of Bible study. Please pray for God’s presence to be with us, for Beth to be anointed to teach, for the praise team to lead us before the throne, for our LPM staff and volunteers to serve in excellence and love, for our prayer team to be filled with the Spirit, for our attendees to arrive safely and park easily, and for God to be glorified all semester long. Our Bible study coordinator’s name is Jennifer Hamm in case you’d like to lift her up by name.

Those of you who attended the Siesta Fiesta in San Antonio might be interested to know that that weekend was the springboard for this semester’s study. Beth really wanted to expound on the theme of inheritance in Scripture. I know I’m going to be asked what kind of product might come out of this study and right now my only answer is that I have no idea! I’m confident that God will have His way though.

Here’s some info for anyone who would like to join us tonight.

Reminders about Bible Study…

-Homework is not available for this study.
-Please try to carpool in order to free up more parking spots for our sisters arriving late.
-Avoid traffic by coming early to eat dinner at the Garden Café on-site. The café opens at 4:45pm and serves everything from a boxed dinner, soup, or salad to a hot plate.
-Doors to the Worship Center open at 6 p.m. You may save two seats!
-The resource table is available in the main foyer before and after Bible study. Specialty coffee drinks are also available in the main foyer.
-Need to miss a week of Bible study? The previous week’s lesson is available to view in the chapel at 5 p.m. each Tuesday.
Click here for directions to Houston’s First Baptist Church and additional approved parking locations near the church. The on-site lots typically fill by 6:15pm. Plan to park at one of these garages if you are arriving after this time.

See you soon!

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Meanwhile…Melissa needs a Mentor

Happy 2009 my fellow blog sisters… I know this is probably an anticlimactic salutation since it is already January 7th and all of us are back in the hectic swing of life. I don’t know about you, but I love a new year and all of the hope that it represents. It’s sort of like a new binder or a new journal. I love blank pages. I even love the smell of blank pages. Well, on our drive from Houston to Atlanta I was full on in my dreamy state thinking of all the lofty things that I want to get right this year…like, I am going to pray WAY more often or I am going to call people rather than text them (already buried that one in the grave). And then it happened…GASP. Colin said to me, “Darling, we need to talk about the budget I have planned for us for 2009.” Budget? And then I opted for the semantic argument which I hoped would stop him dead in his tracks by saying, “What exactly do you mean by that word, budget? Can you exegete that for me?” He ignored my question entirely and later handed me twelve envelopes with labels for January- December 2009. Yep, folks, Mr. Fitzpatrick wants me to gather each of my receipts, no matter how mundane (like a pack of gum from the convenience store), and place them in the month-appropriate envelope. And he is going to review them. Can you imagine? I haven’t been this terrified since I took my SAT’s. Now, don’t get me wrong the two of us don’t spend heaps of money (we simply don’t have heaps of money) but Colin’s point is that we can do better. Apparently a new year is about living more skillfully, more wisely. And so, in light of me being the very submissive wife that I am, I have gotten my heart in gear and I am really trying to jump on my husband’s bandwagon. I even ran out of Nordstrom right after I met my friend for lunch at Nordstrom Café…I kid you not, I was like Joseph fleeing from Potiphar’s wife in Genesis 39. One more minute in Nordstrom and I would have been a very fashionable sheep fattened for the slaughter. Sigh. You really should have seen that jacket I passed up. It was oh so fine.

Okay so this is my specific question for you: How can I save money at the grocery store? Obviously I know how to avoid the Mall (though at times it appears to draw near to me) but I am downright lost as to how I can save serious bucks at the grocery store. What do YOU do to save money on groceries? How do you make your food last the longest? Do you have any tips or any secrets to offer me? If your resolution for 2009 was to mentor a fellow-sojourning woman this year, now is your chance. Mentor me. Please? I would have asked my Mom who is normally the ultimate mentor but as it is she avoids the grocery store at all costs.

Are we almost to 2010 yet? I’m exhausted.

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Scripture Memory Mini-tutorial

Sorry you guys! We had technical difficulty! Will post it tomorrow! In the mean time, don’t build up too much anticipation! It’s a rough one-shot cut but it’s with a ton of love. We’ll get it up here as soon as we can. I love you!

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Recent Blog FAQ’s

A) How do I join the blog?

There is no way to officially “join” the blog. If you’re a reader, you are a part! If you’d like to join in on the conversation by commenting, see the next question.

B) How do I leave a comment?

Step 1) Look at the bottom of whatever post you’d like to comment on. It will say something like this:
Posted by Amanda/Beth/Melissa at 7:00 p.m. 77 comments

Sometimes it will not say that. In that case, you’ll see all the comments from that one post listed beneath it. Scroll to the bottom and look for it to say this:
Post a comment

Step 2) Now click on the word “comment(s)” and it will take you to the comments page.

Step 3) Look for the text box on the right side of the page under the words “Leave your comment.” Type out your comment. (If it’s really long or contains a question, then please go to our contact page and send us an email.)

Step 4) Choose an identity. If you have an account with “Google/Blogger,” then click on that option. (“Blogger” is the free blogging service we use. Blogger.com is part of the “Google” network.) If you have an account with another blog service like Live Journal, WordPress, TypePad, or AIM, click on the “Open ID” option. If you want to type your name and a web site that is not in one of those categories, choose “Name/URL.” Just want to type your name and no web site? Simply leave the URL part blank. If you want to be “Anonymous,” choose that option.

*To set up a profile or your own blog with Blogger, go to www.blogger.com and follow the directions on their home page.

Step 5) Click “Publish your comment.” Or you can click “Preview” if you’d like to see what your comment will look like when it’s published. If you don’t like it, then you can click “Edit.” If you’re ready, click “Publish.”

Step 6) Wait for your comment to be moderated by me or Beth. Comment moderation protects us all from unwanted spam and other tacky comments. We do reserve the right not to read every single comment (for instance, when we have 500 of them waiting to be moderated at one time). Please be aware that anything you do send us could possibly be published in that case, even if you say “Please do not publish this comment.” We may not see it. If you have something to share that you do not want the public to read under any circumstance, please go to our contact page and send us an email.

Step 7) If you have a Blogger/Google account and you later decide you want to delete your comment, you will see a little trash can icon next to what you wrote. Click on the trash can and it will let you delete it. If you don’t have a Blogger/Google account, you won’t have that option. Please know that we are not able to edit your comments – only approve or delete them.

C) Why are all the comments from one of your blog posts being emailed to me?

Oops! When you were leaving a comment with your Google/Blogger account, you must have checked the box that said “Email follow up comments to ______” or clicked on “Subscribe to comments.” Please do yourself a favor and don’t ever click this box unless you are prepared to possibly receive a ton of emails. If you need to unsubscribe (and who would blame you?) click here for instructions.

D) Is it too late to sign up for the 1st and 15 Siesta Scripture Memory Team?

No way! Just go to this post and follow the directions given to sign up. Then go to this post to submit your first memory verse. The sooner you do it, the better, but there’s no cutoff date.

*If you’re reading this after January 15, 2009, you’ll want to submit your verse in the most recent Scripture memory post. Look at the archives for whatever month it currently is and go to the post on either the 1st or the 15th of the month.

E) I forgot my username and password to my Google/Blogger account. Can you help me?

I’m sorry, but we don’t have access to that information. You’ll need to go through Blogger to recover your username and password. Next to the boxes where you enter that info, it says “Forgot?”. Click on it and follow the directions from there.

*You can find a ton of helpful info in Blogger’s Help Center.

*I’ve put a permanent link to this post on our left sidebar so it can be found easily in the future.

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AJ Checking In

Hi Siestas! I’ve spent the morning catching up on what’s been going on here in Siestaville and, I must say, y’all have been busy! What an exciting time for the LPM Blog. I have at least 50 emails in my inbox asking questions about how to operate the blog and/or sign up to memorize Scripture with the Siestas this year. I’m planning to write a separate post addressing those questions at some point today. Thank you so much for your patience while I was on vacation.

My little family left for Missouri the day after Christmas to spend a week with Curtis’ family. We had a great visit and enjoyed being there so much. We have a newborn nephew who was a particular delight to all of us. Being around him reminded me of so many things I have to look forward to in my near future. By the way, Baby Girl Jones is going to be here next month. Can you believe it? I’m already 34 weeks!

So, we’re only 5 days into the New Year and I’ve already totally blown it. The parts of me that I hate the most have come out in full force. Anyone else? I hope I’m the only one, but I know there are probably others who woke up on this first Monday of 2009 feeling defeated. Jackson slept gloriously late (thanks to some new dark curtains) and I was able to take my time with my Wisdom for Mothers Bible study (by Denise Glenn of Motherwise) and my prayer journal. Before Curtis walked out the door, I asked him to sit down and pray with me because I was feeling so rotten. His words encouraged me so much. He basically reminded me that the Lord’s mercies are not new every new year, but every morning. Thank You, God! I can already start over again today. I’m choosing to look at my failures as a very keen reminder that any victory in 2009 will come from complete dependence on the Holy Spirit and not from my own strength. In his sermon last night, Curtis said that God shows us our weaknesses to move us past a place of prideful comfort and into spiritual growth. Who is like our God, who even offers us a big ole serving of hope with our humble pie?

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:21-23, NIV)

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One Reason Why

Happy Lord’s Day, You Delightful Siestas! The only reason I’m getting to be on here at this hour on a Sunday morning is because Curtis is preaching at the 6:30 PM “Ascend” service at our church this evening so, needless to say, I’m going then. I’ve had you on my mind, praying for you and cheering for you so much over the last week. At this point, do you realize we have about 3000 of us memorizing Scripture together? Unbelievable. This morning while I was working out in my garage, I had on one of my Nicole C. Mullen CD’s. (You know, she and I are really tight. I’m her personal trainer. Which, of course, is a lie and some of you are too new to the blog to recognize when I’m making something up. Have you seen that woman’s arms? That’s why I pump iron.) Anyway, I was getting my praise on to her song “Brainwash” and as I listened to the lyrics, I thought how my Scripture-memorizing Siestas would be pumped up in their commitment by it. Here are the words but if you love her kind of music like I do, google it and listen to it. Here, Darling Things, is one great reason why we memorize Scripture. In a few days I’m planning to do a little mini-tutorial but this is perfect until then. Sure love you!

Chorus: I need a brainwash from my head to my soul ~
I need a brainwash, bring it down to my toes ~
I need a brainwash in and out ’cause you know ~
I need a B-R-A-I-N double wash*

Overwhelmed by the stuff on TV ~
Overloaded from the pressure fallin’ on me ~
light head! Oxygen! I’ve gotta breath *
Email, Myspace, backin’ up all the time ~
Voicemail, press one if you’re on the line ~
Transformer, can you renew my mind?

Smack dab in the front of my mind ~
All that I’ve done wrong ~ Re-play and rewind ~
How can I erase it forever this time *
Smack dab in the pit of my soul ~
This guilty feeling’s diggin’ a hole ~
And my thoughts are spinnin’ out of control

The world is straight typical to rock the traditional ~
Kinda keep it real life livin’ mind simple though ~
My past is in remission ~ Thrivin’ on my conditions ~
I need a turn around ~ A fresh way to get down ~
Comin’ straight from Jersey roamin’ in the land of the dirty south, free ~
Escapin’ misery ~ With a Christ mentality ~ The only way to have it ~
Living word habits ~ Feels nice dippin’ me twice ~
Yo, ah I need a Brainwash… (Chorus)

Be not conformed to this world ~ But be transformed by the renewing of your mind

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