Tuesday Tidbit

God Made Moms To Teach…What’s Being A Team Player

Last night my 13 yr. old took pleasure in reminding me that he needed me to get him to a track meet being held across town by 5:30 on today. If you knew the distance from my workplace to my home, and back to the school the track meet is being held you would know there is no way we can make this meet on time. And to make it even more interesting, my son hasn’t been to track practice in over two weeks. When asked a couple of weeks ago had he given up on track, he responded he hasn’t felt like practicing. Well while looking at my son, I’m thinking how do you open your mouth to ask me to take you on the other side of town to hangout as a team member but not participate. My thinking is you have not been to practice so why do you think you are running. How do you possibly think you have that type of pull? This morning, I announced that I could not make that sprint from one side of town to the other in an hour. I don’t know what he felt about my announcement because I didn’t ask. I do on the other hand plan on talking with him this evening about being a team player. Team players make practice whenever practice is held. Team players do what the coach or team leader expects of them. If you want to represent the team you have to be a team player. In short, this scenario reminds me of a the story where Jesus and his disciplines spent the night before his crucifixion in the garden praying. Well Jesus ended up being the only one praying. In the story Jesus asked the three disciplines to watch and pray but the those three disciplines kept falling asleep. Jesus was praying for strength to endure the task ahead of him and wanted the disciplines to pray that they didn’t fall into temptation. You may or may not see the correlation but I see it as being a team players, Jesus was the coach and the three disciplines were supposed to follow His example and his orders to pray for strength. The same with being on a track team you practice together to build the team. I start today on teaching my kids what being a team player is all about.

Be blessed and encouraged today, it’s a choice. ~Delphine

Mark 14:38 -- “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Matthew 26:36-56 -- “Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and to watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face rand prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Awesome Read For Us

Black and Married with Kids: Turn Off Your Auto-Pilot

Wednesday, April 20, 2011 | 6:00 AM
by Ronnie Tyler


Me: "Don't eat any food or drink anything until you have said your grace."

Daughter: "God is great and God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. Amen. Thank you, Jesus."

She said that as fast as she could and I think she was already chewing by the time she finished saying Jesus.

Me: "Say the entire thing and don't rush. You should say your grace like you mean it... like you are really thankful that God gave you this food to eat. It is not a time for playing or eating. It's a time for giving thanks."

And she slowed down and said it.

My daughter was going through the motions. She said her grace before every meal, without any thought to what it meant and probably not really being thankful for the meal. It was just a part of her routine.

This made me reflect on the many ways we can just go through the motions in our daily lives. For instance, how about at church? Are you just going to church just to say that you went to church on Sunday?

You were fussing and cussing before church. You arrived at church and turned on your praise and worship face as soon as you sat down. When service was over, you got back into your car and started fussing and cussing again. You were still in the parking lot and you were cussing folks out because they wanted to merge in front of you. Shooooooot it will take you an hour to get out of that parking lot if you start letting folks get in front of you.

Did you even hear the pastor's message today? Did hear him when he read: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (NIV, John 13:34-35)

The pastor taught about Loving Thy Neighbor this Sunday morning. Where were you?

How about in your marriage? Are you going through the motions? Are you on auto-pilot in your relationship? Wake-up, get dressed, kiss the spouse, go to work, come home, eat dinner, piddle around, and go to bed. The next thing you know...it's time to do it all again. And then you look up and the years have flown by and your relationship is in trouble.

One good thing that I can say about going through the motions is that it helps you to start a routine. Going through the motions can get you into church every Sunday, can get you to go to those marriage counseling sessions with your spouse, and can get you through the day. But if you want to take your situation to the next level of realization where you are actually making progress, making changes, receiving understanding, and seeing some real results and growth, then you have to:

1. Turn off the auto-pilot.

2. Learn to be Present. Be in the here and now. Don't think about yesterday or what's next. Be aware of your actions.

3. While you are being present, make a physical or emotional or psychological connection. Try to relate to the person or situation. Open your self up to receive and learn new things. And if you are not able to connect, then that's ok because you will know that it is time to switch up and do something different. If you are on autopilot, then you may not even realize that what you are doing is not benefiting you.

Going through the motions is how people can attend churches for years and never develop a personal relationship with God and never develop an understanding of God's word.

Going through the motions is how people that have been married for 28 years end up in divorce court because they "grew apart"...they looked up one day and discovered that they were not happy.

Essence Family - Have you ever been guilty of going through the motions? What did you do to resolve the situation?

Lamar and Ronnie Tyler are the creators of the award-winning blog BlackandMarriedWithKids.com. They also are behind the Amazon.com bestselling DVDs Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage, You Saved Me and the upcoming film "Men Ain't Boys" that will explore manhood in the African American community. The Tylers are also the proud parents of four children.





Read more: http://www.essence.com/lifestyle/hot_topics_3/black_and_married_with_kids_blog_turning_off_auto_pilot.php#ixzz1K54sWnUx

Tuesday Tidbit

God Made Moms To Teach...That The Redeemer Lives

Matthew 28:1-10
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." (NIV)

Be Blessed and encouraged today, it's a choice. ~Delphine

Good Read of The Month

We are like Eve. We have all experienced defeats and failures, trouble and turmoil. We have all experienced a selfish heart, a shrewish spirit, anger, envy and bitterness. And we ache to do things over, to have lives of harmony and peace. In Lies Women Believe, Nancy Leigh DeMoss exposes those areas of deception most commonly believed by Christian women:
Lies about themselves: I should not have to live with unfulfilled longings.
Lies about sin: I cannot walk in consistent victory over sin.
Lies about their marriage: If I submit to my husband, I will be miserable.
Lies about their emotions: I can't control my emotions.
Lies about their circumstances: I just can't take any more.
She sheds light on how we can be delivered from bondage and set free to walk in God's grace, forgiveness, and abundant life. Lies Women Believe offers the most effective weapon to counter and overcome Satan's deceptions---God's truth.

Tuesday Tidbit

God Made Moms to Teach Their Children…They Have A Voice

Never underestimate the power of your voice or the ability to voice your thoughts. Issues with the spouse, the parent, or your child just voicing it can change the issue. Having lunch with a few girls I work with got me to thinking about how we underestimate our voices. It’s okay to voice what you are feeling or thinking, especially when it can help the next man because in the mean while you could be helping yourself.

Be blessed and encouraged today, it’s a choice. ~ Delphine