DON’T LET PERFECTIONISM RUIN YOUR HOLIDAY (OR ANYDAY)

With the holidays almost here, just a little encouragement to keep you from the trappings of perfectionism.  The definition of perfectionism is ‘refusal to accept any standard short of perfection”.   It can drive you mad!!  It is actually your own perception that drives how you view perfect.  It may come from upbringing, teaching, or your own ideas.  If we look at it, what drives it is ,I believe,  from the root of pride.  Or wanting to please or be perceived as perfect. Sometimes we don’t even see it at work in our lives and inner thoughts.  It can simply be ingrained in us by the world. 

It is a sad way to live because it is often in imperfections that something is made unique and beautiful.  We were never made to be cookie cutter humans.  Just look at our finger prints.  God gave us each one that is like no other.  Or like snowflakes or the grain of wood.  You get all that, so I will make another point.

Personally, it was my upbringing that imprinted this deep into my psyche .  It was sad as I watched my mother try to live up to her own self imposed image.  Perhaps it came from her upbringing too.  At any rate I promised myself I would try to live an authentic life and I am probably more vulnerable and open than most.  But I still have those lingering subconscious pressures I have to fight against.  

I have to work at it.  Catch myself tensing up and even more if  someone begins pointing things out.  I have to look within and regain my peace and commitment to be kind to myself and realistic about my limitations  Personally my health doesn’t permit me to do “all things”, maybe for you it is your job, energy level, finances.  These things are real and I think God wants us to have true mercy for ourselves.  A perfectionistic spirit is not realistic. It is subtly tormenting.  We can choose to be realistic and give ourselves a break.   

As a believer and follower of Christ, I also know that the enemy of our souls (the devil)  is an accuser and loves to get us to condemn ourselves.

Fortunately my family is mostly used to my imperfections and limitations.  My family is small though, yours may not be and you may have some pretty big criticizers in your midst this holiday.  I encourage you and remind you that God the Father knew we could not reach perfection or righteousness on our own so He sent His Son who was strong enough to never sin and destroyed sin on the cross for us!!  What a gift.  We are covered as we accept what He did and we try to walk in His ways – imperfectly.

So give yourself a break, determine now to reject any petty criticisms about your home, cooking, anything at all.  Protect your soul.  No criticisms allowed.  And know that you are okay and that this is a day to focus on more cherished things like….love, joy, peace, gentleness, kindness, patience/long suffering , faithfulness…  let these things be in your mind and heart.

Enjoy the many things about the holidays that are special to you.

You are loved. You are beautiful.  If someone else can’t see that…..it is their issue.  Let it fall off.  Protect your soul and know quietly inside that you are are a blessing.  Period.  

Much love and have a great day!

STUCK

When I was first saved, it was easy to worship God and bask in His forgiveness.  My life was such a contrast before and after being born again.  A transformation took place and I was very aware of my sins.  Then began the difficult but rewarding journey of sanctification as I began to resist and get rid of my sinful and worldly habits.  

I remember so distinctly the first time I “messed up”.  I had laid down smoking pot and alcohol, but when I traveled to my hometown and went to see my old friends – straight up – I fell.  I blew my witness and I was so angry at myself.  I knew Satan was laughing and mocking God as well.  

I drove to the parking lot of a church and sat there crying.  Beating myself up.  Others lives were at stake too.  My witness was important to God and the kingdom because many were watching me to see if this was real.  Nevertheless – I blew it.  I knew it.  I could not forgive myself.

It was raining and night time as I sat in the car.  Then I felt like the Lord was upset with me.  I had’t felt it before.  He was actually more upset that I was “flogging” myself than He was of the sin I had committed.  As I looked up through teary eyes – I saw what looked like three crosses.  I don’t know if it was a vision or glare from my tears – but then I heard the voice of the Lord inside my heart (John 10:27) – stern and a bit agitated at me.  He said, as I looked at the crosses, “I did this, so you don’t have to do that.”

I wanted to “beat” myself up for being so stupid and blowing my witness, but God only wanted me to repent, forgive myself and move forward.  I was only damaging myself with my “self hate”.   And He did not want that for me.

I have struggled with that during my life.  I hate to miss the mark or sin against God in disobedience and I KNOW how much I deserve punishment.  I hate the flippant way people just trample on God’s grace and I don’t want to be that kind of a person.  Neither does God want us to be.  But sometimes we just can’t fix things and that is how it is.  I could not go and undo my actions.  All I could do was keep walking with God and pray that my old friends would still see that Jesus was in my life and that He would be glorified.  

It is important that we feel remorse.  If we don’t feel remorse for sin there is something wrong with our relationship with God.  He feels our sin.  It hurts and grieves Him, which is why we need to deal with it.  It is not good to let anything come between you and another person or the relationship can be lost.  Same with God – we can slowly become lukewarm when we blow off feeling bad for sins and repenting.

The easiest way to do so is to remember that God doesn’t want us to be stuck in the “feeling bad” place, though it’s important to make sure we still “feel”!  He wants us to give it to Him, ask Him to help us not do it again, and keep walking with Him.  Sometimes we have to have faith that God will fix what we did too.  I have often missed opportunities to witness to someone and had to ask God to bring another person across their path to take care of what I missed.  

May God help us to stay “sensitized” to His Holy Spirit.  Awake to a vibrant and good relationship with Him.  Knowing that He is “for us and not against us”  (Rom. 8:31)

Our life with God is meant to be rich and fruitful, full of adventure.  I pray we are not robbed of that by getting stuck in one place or another!   God bless you abundantly and have a great day.  

God LOVES Honesty – It’s as simple as that!

 

 

Capture A Moment Of Normal – Poetry

Capture a moment of normal
Don’t forget what’s important to see
Those ones very dear that surround you
The ones in your own family

With a world that is in so much turmoil
Easy to forget to believe
That there’s still a few moments of normal
Still a few moments to breathe

So grab that grandbaby and hold her
Bounce that toddler around on your knee
Call a truce with your sister
And treasure your own family

Time is a gift swiftly fleeing
So quickly it runs away
So capture a moment of normal
And by all means, ENJOY THE DAY!!!

by Jean Chamblee Thomas 2008

THE CANDLE OF MY LIFE

In a dark and lonely room
With a fire in my heart
I close my eyes and think of You

With unquenchable hunger
I call out to You
You are the union I crave

One taste of Your love
One drink of Your soul
My quest will last forever

Though clouded by flesh
Surrounded by worldliness
Like a flower buried beneath the snow

The enemy rages to rip us apart
Moments are stolen, some slip away
But light always returns
And melts away the baracade that tries to keep us apart

And that thing deep inside
First contact never dies
It twists and turns and cries out to survive

With conquering force
Breaks down all the lies
And sets free the heart , the love and the cries

The candle inside -the Love of my life
So much more than a Savior
His essence abides

Jesus, Jesus
Love of my life
May Your heart know how I hunger for You tonight

copyright 2009 Jean Chamblee

A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

I want to bring out a word of caution about this subject. I am seeing such an uptick in the amount of Christians that are turning on other Christians. Let it not be so among us! Be alert to this trick of Satan and do not partake!

Mark 13:12-13  “Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”

Ephesians 4:31  “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.”

Now I am not saying to ignore gross errors in doctrine or lawlessness and ungodly living. I’m not talking about that. But I am talking about picking on your brothers and sisters in Christ that believe a little different than you. Maybe you don’t eat meat…..others do. Is that a reason to break fellowship? NO!

One of the other things I see coming on the scene is a dangerous return to the law. Just because people have abused the grace of God, we must not be tempted to go back to the jewish laws. I have even heard some saying that if you call Jesus anything but Yeshua (His name in Hebrew) that He won’t listen. They also come with a spirit of superiority by flashing words in Hebrew to sound “knowledgable”. Knowledge is great, but without humility, it can turn into something ugly.

1 Corinthians 1-3 “….Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.  And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.  But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.”

Now I study Hebrew too and know quite a few words, I’ve also been to Israel and was blessed by it …..but that does not make me any better or elevate me above my brethren. NO! Ephesians 4:32 tells us how we should treat our brothers and sisters in Christ:

“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

Kind, tenderhearted and forgiving! Which is a far cry from what is out there. I understand there is a HUGE course correction needed in the body of Christ. There is a great number of lukewarm christians that will be spewed out of Jesus mouth. Revelation 3:16
“So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

So there is correction needed. But remember Paul said to speak the truth in love.

Ephesians 4:15 “…..but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

We, as true believers in Jesus Christ, are a Body! We must look with the others best interest at heart. With lots of love!! Everyone of us who are believers are going through hard times now. We need a lot more love!

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;  does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;  bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
LOVE NEVER FAILS.

I pray you have an awesome day and know that you are deeply loved by your Creator and you Savior Jesus Christ!

Judas Kiss…..betrayal is coming

2 Thessalonians 2:3 “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first…”

JUDAS KISS….BETRAYAL IS COMING

The kiss of Judas
Is at your feet
The time’s drawing near
This spirit will be released

I can hear the cries
Of days just ahead
When brother betrays brother
Many will end up dead

I can feel the tears
On wet stained cheeks
Hearts so tender
They could never believe

Believe the betrayal
That is coming their way
With a purpose so sinister
So large in this day

They’ve teamed up with Satan
To give it a go
To rise to the top
Illegally so

To take you all out
Out of the Light
Out of the living
And into the night

Don’t care about you
Their hearts are so cold
How could you see it
When you’ve loved them so

Run to your Maker
Give Him your tears
Don’t let the bitterness
Steal away your years

Moments in time
Don’t risk the hate
Run, run away from it
Let forgiveness have it’s way

Rise above it
Rise above it all
Love is the answer
They will soon hit the wall

Let God bring the justice
He promises to
For those unrepentant
He’s said what He will do

Keep your hands clean
Keep your heart pure
Don’t let temptation
Take you down in the dirt

Let love arise
It’s a conquering force
Take on this power
By making your choice

Choose to forgive
Let it go, set it free
The damage will be minimized
It will heal, you will see

Trust in Your Maker
Walk in His ways
It’s the only way, beloved
We can survive in these days

Evil can’t triumph
If we don’t let it in
Jesus forgave us
From all of OUR sins

So must we do
Let God make things right
Don’t let yourself
Sit in judgement tonight

Keep your hands clean
Walk with hearts upright
All things God has seen
It’s all in His sight

He will deal justly
In this we can trust
We don’t have to help Him
He’s faithful and just

Betrayal it is coming
For some it is here
Take heed with this warning
There’s no need to fear

This life is fleeting
Our soon coming King
Will remove all the pain
That this life did bring.

copyright Jean Chamblee 2011

“Why Does God Let This Keep Happening?”

Ever wonder why some things keep happening to you over and over?  Why you keep getting the same kind of boss?  Run into the same personality types or situations?   Could God have a purpose in them?  You may be surprised…..check it out!!

Anyone out there have a heart?

So I’ve tried to raise funds on my Facebook with friends and have been shocked that even with the ease of giving …..only two of us gave.  Seriously!  I pray you would consider a one time gift of $10  (or so)  just to help me show some solidarity with the good people of Uganda.  We have so much in America.  $10 actually goes a long way in Uganda.  I hope you will take a look at the beautiful pictures of the kids and the conditions.  It really moved me when I saw how little they have.  I have been changed since my friendship with this brave little Ugandan Pastor as he took pictures going up into the “forgotten” villages in Rwanda and the upcountry.  You will be enriched too.   PLEASE  …even if you can’t give…..take a look at the pictures and you will be enriched.  There truly is another world out there.  You will enjoy the little journey.  Thank you and I appreciate your time.

gofundme.com/2gtvv97j            If this doesn’t copy and paste for you.   You can go to GoFundMe.com    and look 1/3 of the way down the page and type   :  Jean Chamblee in the “search”  area and it will take you right to the page.    Thank you.

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Jean is a singer/songwriter, author, Bible teacher and poet with 36 years of living the Christian life and following Jesus.   Presented in a fresh honest and personal way.  Come learn with me!!