If You Like What You See...

I've had several ask me if they can "borrow" a blog, or quote me, or link to me, or take a graphic to use...

The answer to all of the above is "YES"...

I would appreciate a link back to me, if and whenever possible...

Although, when I'm famous and know the blogging world over...you'll owe me a quarter...

Be blessed!

Deena

P.S. This is on all of my blogs...so, no, it's not deja vu!!

A Special Treat: Tuesday's Top Three!

Top Three Reasons Why I Have The Best Husband In The World!

1) He thinks everything I do is cute or funny.

2) Even though I'm WAAAYY more woman now than I was when we met, he still thinks I'm the most beautiful of God's creations.

3) He can make the Bible come alive for me, and he is so very passionate about all things Godly.

Ha! Top that, ladies...LOL!! Seriously, why do you think your hubby is the bestest? Check out more answers by clicking here...

Deena

Momenator: Or, How I Got My Nickname...

Reading this chapter in our study, I had to duck my head and hide my eyes when I got to the part about "Do you want us to call down fire from heaven, Lord?" (See Luke 9:51-56) That is SO me!

My kids affectionately (or fearfully) call me "The Momenator"...a take on, well, you know...I can go from feminine to fiery in less than 10...nanoseconds.

Take for instance our little neighborhood bully seven years ago. I tolerated the little delinquent for some time...but the day she cornered my oldest daughter in the cul-de-sac and started pounding her...

I slapped on my sandals and stormed out the front door...feet pounding pavement and blood pounding in my ears. I spotted the little gang of vixens and zeroed in on the ring-leader. She took one look at me and let my daughter go...then stood toe to toe with me as I proceeded to describe to her what I would LOVE to do to her if I wasn't over 18 and what I WOULD do to her if she ever laid a hand on my kids again.

She never messed with them again...and her friends went the other way if they saw me coming...lot's of yelling and name-calling...but not a hand on any of them anymore.

Then there was the time I went shopping with my oldest sister this past Christmas. I got ready to snag a highly coveted parking space in a very crowded shopping mall, when another car made like to turn and swipe it from me. With steel in my jaw and a firm grip on the steering wheel, I showed him how NOT to barge in on my turf, and let him know with a cut of my eyes he'd better say "thank you" and move on down the road!

I was proud of those moments...until after the adrenaline washed away and the realization of how I must have appeared hit home. Until the Holy Spirit reminded me who's child I was and what mercy was supposed to feel like.

Oh, I know I would have been right there, calling down fire from heaven, just like in Old Testament Sodom and Gommorah..."How DARE they deny the Son of God a place to rest!!" ZZZAAAPPP!!

But Jesus shows me a better way. A way of peace and mercy, not wrath and anger. A way to salvation and redemption, not condemnation and judgment.

So, I've adopted this rule for me: How would I feel if this person came to visit my church? And then I try to act accordingly. It's kept me from snatching a lot of heads bald, let me tell you.

I'll still wear the Momenator badge proudly...one look and my kids fall in line. That's a power I won't deny. But I'll also exercise mercy and grace...and let Jesus fight my battles...

At least, I'll try to...

How about you??

Be blessed, and love the difficult ones...one of them might be me!!

Deena

A Confession, and a Prayer Request...

Last week, with our oldest daughter back home, did not go well. It did not go well at all.

Please continue to pray for our family.

I just don't know what is next for her.

I'm so confused, and so very tired.

Deena

And I'm Not Even Jealous!

I need a little pick-me-up today, and I thought you might as well. So I'm choosing to share from our study, "Having A Mary Spirit" by Joanna Weaver, the story she told about the young woman who claimed "I know God loves all of us, but I do believe He loves me more than y'all." (pg. 52)

She goes on to share about Grandma Nora (pg. 54)...the special memories she had of their relationship...and how, when Nora passed away, sitting around with her siblings, they each felt they were the "favorite" one.

Who do you have in your life that loves you like that? That loves others like that, so that they feel as if they are the favorite, when in reality they are just gifted with a special kind of love...

My mom had a way of making me feel as if I was "it", but I was jealous of her love for others. My sister-in-law, Brenda, however, has a knack for making me feel like I'm "the one"...and I watch her love on everybody else, and it's ok...I know she loves me more, so she can love you too...

She thinks I'm funny, she thinks I'm wise, and when I'm not, she helps me be wise, and never makes me feel ashamed. She hugs like there's no tomorrow, and can give you a 1.99 special from Wal-Mart and make it a festive party treat! She just has a way of making every person she meets feel as if her love is all theirs, and then has more to go around.

Beth Moore strikes me as that kind of woman as well. The way she roams throughout her audience, making eye contact, and talking right to each woman's heart like a dear, sweet friend...even in crowds of thousands...if you haven't yet, I encourage you to check out her Living Proof Ministries blog to get a taste of what I'm talking about.

And God loves us infinitely better than anyone we could ever think to name. And He loves us individually, custom made, never runs dry, never changes with a whim, and wraps us up in its warmth like nothing else can.

God loves me, and He loves you, too...and I'm not even jealous about it! Because I know my God has enough to go around, and then some.

So, who do you have in your life like that? Who do you love like that...so much that they think they are "it", but so does this person and that person, and this one and that one, too...

No more reading and lurking...you just gotta share on this one...I don't care how long or short it is...I need some encouragement here!!

Come on, bless me...lift me up with your testimonies on this one....

Deena

The Party's Over...

And what a party it was!

Over 900 blogs logged into Mr. Linky, and I visited at least 1/3 of them...I'm pooped! But I met some wonderful new blogging friends, and was blessed by what I saw and read this past week.

I met The Preacher's Wife, and found so much fun and wisdom in her posts! Her blog has just had a makeover, so be sure to stop by...

Our oldest daughter is on her journey back home, and it is not an easy road to travel. So it was the hand of God guiding me to Partners In Prayer for our Prodigals. Many Christian families have children who have wandered away from God, and we need to lean on Him and on one another. If you have a prodigal in your family, or know a family who needs support, I highly recommend stopping by here.

I visited Life Is Not A Cereal, and was so blessed...and I won a prize!! It's for my bookblog, but can't resist showing it off over here as well...

I've met so many more wonderful bloggers...too many to list in just one post. I plan on sharing them with all of my readers and friends in coming days. So feel free to click on a link and visit one of my new blogging buddies!

Be blessed...God's blessings are too numerous to count, so surely we can find one each day to be thankful for...we just have to look.

Deena

Question of the Week(s), March 3-9 & 10-16

I went to post this week's question from our study, "Having A Mary Spirit" and it dawned on me...

I never posted a question for last week! I am SO sorry...with Dave's ordination and Victoria moving back home for a week...well, the old gray matter just ain't what it used to be:-)

So, I'm posting TWO questions...one for last week (my bad!) and one for this week...answer both or pick one...or none...but please think about responding, k?

Question 1: As you were growing up, what irritated you most about your siblings (or a cousin or friend if you were an only child)?

I basically grew up as an only child...by the time I came along, my brother was 14 and he was the youngest of the other three kids. I felt left out because I was so much younger, and I still do. They have a lot of shared history with one another because they were born 1, 2, 3,...and then there was me. And there was a lot of sibling rivalry, because Mom and Dad were completely different people when I was born, so I got a different set of parents in a way, and it made me a different kind of person.


Question 2: What brings out your flesh woman?

Situations where I feel out of place will bring her out in force. I will either think too little of myself and withdraw, or I will try too hard and make an idiot of myself. A few years ago I was finally diagnosed with panic attacks...there's a more technical term that makes me feel better about it, but I can't remember it:-) So I have learned the signs of one coming on, and I'm learning how to cope in better ways. But sometimes feeling inadequate will bring her out.

Another time she shows herself is if I get a little too big for my britches...but God loves me so much that He always lets me go just too far enough to shake me up and to realize Who is really in control here. Never enough to totally humiliate myself, but just enough to get my attention off of me and back on Him.

How about you? It's Your Turn...........

Be blessed, and tell Flesh Woman to take a hike.....!! Then be a blessing to someone in Christ's name.

Deena

Ruts In The Road!

We live in a small Northern California town named Marysville. Actually, it's a suburb called Linda, but because we aren't incorporated, we still count as part of Marysville.

The area we live in is fairly run down in some spots, but our stretch of neighborhood is nice. A quiet street, with some very nice homes, and some okay homes...gets a little rowdy now and then, but not bad, for the most part.

Except...

The streets are HORRIBLE!! Filled with ruts and potholes and dips...it's a wonder we only lost the entire transmission, instead of just the bolt that holds it secure...right after we bought our Kia...because of the condition of the roads...

Did I mention that they are TERRIBLE??

And because we are not in an incorporated area, we are the last to have any work done on our streets. Usually, it's just a quick blacktop bandaid that holds until the rain comes, or the diesel drives over it a half dozen times.

Then it's back to pothole city.

So, why am I sharing all of this loveliness with you today?

Because my life has felt a lot like the roads around here...full of ruts, pits, and dips (ok, that's funny, and it's not supposed to be:-)

Our oldest daughter has finally decided to let God turn her life around, and has asked to come back home so she can make the transition and get things in order. I was so afraid to let her back in, to try again. We've grown so used to the four of us that I feared becoming the five of us again would be too destructive.

Well, I wasn't TOTALLY right...

We've had a multitude of disagreements (the ruts), a series of misunderstandings (the pits), and a lot of attitudes that desperately need adjusting (the dips). My innards feel totally shaken, and my head hurts from all of the jolts and jerks along the way.

The final decision hasn't been made. She may or may not return home to live. Keep in mind, she's 20 and has lived a life totally opposite of ours, so foreign to me sometimes I look at her and wonder "Who is this person she keeps telling me about?"

Pain, disappointment, and anger rise to the surface at the worst of times. We all bear scars from the last months and years. We are all works in progress, and we all battle our sinful selves, wanting desperately for the Spirit to do a work, but too stubborn to get out of His way.

So, please, continue to pray for our battle scarred family. Pray for wisdom as we travel down this worn, too well travelled road. I have many companions...other moms who watch and wait for prodigals to return...other moms who suffer as their children suffer...other moms who wait for the miracle they beg for in the middle of the night.

I know I'm not alone. And we need you to pray...as we will pray for you.

Be blessed, and cling to the memory of past blessings...allow them to be the milestones that guide you back when you've lost your way...and tell your children of how the Lord has blessed you greatly!

Deena

New Blog Premier!!

Ok, I have to be too serious over here, and it's killin' me! (Ha! Me---serious---but really now...)

So, I've created a little playground for my mind called "Junk in the Trunk". The link is on this page under my other blogs, but here it is for those of you too tired to hunt it down:

http://trunk-junk.blogspot.com

Remember, this baby is brand, spankin' new, so don't expect much at first. But look for quizzes, jokes, cartoons, and the occasional hairbrained comment I'm known for the world over (or at least in MY world).

See you on the playground!

Deena

Defrag My Heart, Lord!

As a mom, a wife, an employee, a church member, a sister and a friend, I sometimes feel pulled in so many directions. It seems that someone somewhere always needs me for something, which is great, because it is wonderful to be needed, to have a sense of purpose.

But if I allow too much to pull on me, get too many things going at once...well, I can become like my computer hard drive.

We run a lot of programs, and sometimes we get so much going that our computer bogs down. As we run programs and pull up web pages, little pieces of everything we do gets left here and left there.

Eventually, it slows the system down and we begin getting error messages, the screen freezes up, or the computer just crashes. We found that it is very helpful and necessary to run our defragmenting program.

It swoops in and picks up the pieces, putting them back where they belong, or deleting them all together if they aren't necessary. But we hate running it, because for it to be most effective we have to let the computer set while it runs.

I've been pulled in so many directions lately, and had to do so much for so many people all at once...that I'm bogging down. I find my mind freezing up, and unable to process thoughts or remember things. And right now, I feel on the verge of crashing.

It's time to hold still and let God run His defragmenting program on me. To be reminded of His power in my life. To be reminded of the need for prayer, and not just in times of trouble. To be washed in His Word. To be still in His presence. To know He is God and I'm His child...not His mini-me...

But I don't want to do that. In order for God to clean me up, I must be still. I must be quiet. I must be patient in His presence...and there's just too much to do, too many demands, too much tugging at me.

It's a choice.

Run the defrag program regularly, and operate more smoothly on line.

Let God defrag me regularly, and operate more smoothly through life.

I'm feeling pretty fragmented lately. I need some down time in His presence. I'll catch you later...and I'll be in top form, once the Father has His way with me.

Be blessed, and be defragged (that's a new word...be careful how you use it!) in Jesus' name!!

Deena

Come On, Baby, Let's Do The Twist!!

Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God...

I read that and thought, "Hey, I've got that Scripture nailed down!" Felt pretty good about it, too, until I realized that Paul wasn't saying do it for free...

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light...

Again, thinking, "Cool! I have this one down pat!"...til I realized that Peter didn't mean be an oddball for Jesus.....

So you can see how easy it is to get Scripture twisted a little. Of course, I'm being a little silly here (no, really!)...

We need to read it in context...what came before, what comes after, and what's the overall message of the text.

We need to really meditate on it...soak it up into our souls.

We need to discuss it with others, hear their thoughts, and share ours with them.

We need to be taught, through Bible study, Sunday school, and messages at church.

We need to pray and ask God what He wants us to understand about His Word.

For instance, I read this one day: "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise...the fruit of lips that confess His name," Hebrews 13:15.

I asked, "Lord, what is a sacrifice of praise? Do I offer them to You?"

And He showed me. When I'm tempted to focus on circumstances, on life's troubles, to host a pity-party...and I praise His name and give thanks for what He has done in my life and in the world around me...

That is a sacrifice of praise...praising God when I don't wanna.

And He's teaching me to offer these sacrifices to Him more and more and more...

So, let's NOT do the twist...there's enough manipulation of the Word...let's get back to being people of the Book...and get to know the Author better and better.

Any twists you'd like to share???

Be blessed, and be a blessing to others (now, by that I don't mean you're God's gift LOL!! "Hey, you'd better be thankful for me...I'm your blessing~~!!)!

Deena

Mom's Mondo-Mega Messiah Complex...

Is anybody out there like me?

Can I get a witness here?

Two of your kids are fighting...you have to step in, settle it, make them make nice, repent of all past transgressions, achieve world peace, and fix dinner by 6 pm.

Your teen and your husband are going at it over their laziness, lack of motivation, and lack of discipline (the teen's, not your husband's)...and you have to step into the ring, send them to their neutral corners, give each a pep talk/lecture, and ring the bell for the next round.

Your friend/co-worker/sister/ has a problem...and you have to quote the correct passage of Scripture, pray the right words to call down the power of Heaven, and give them the proper advice from a spiritual warrior.

Your budget is out of whack, so you have to chastise yourself for your excess spending, repent of your extravagant taste, and somehow balance out the finances...without letting anyone know you're struggling.

Maybe it's your weight, maybe it's your job, maybe it's your kids, maybe it's your marriage....there's an issue and you have to solve it, fix it, analyze it...and not let anyone know you have things in your life to deal with, because you have to be a pillar of strength and a tower of faith...

Am I the only one??

Please pray for me. I really, really struggle with this. It will destroy my health, hurt my relationships, and keep me from being fully effective for God. Plus, it's contagious...my kids are developing the same traits, and I don't want them battling this.

But I can't deliver them...God must do it. And I must get out of His way....

Be blessed, and just bless someone generously with your presence today...

Deena

It's Official...

My dear husband is an ordained Southern Baptist minister of the gospel and ordained pastor of Loma Rica Baptist Church...

It was a beautiful service, and I enjoyed it...once I calmed down enough to sit still and listen:-0

It means so much to him, and I do believe my favorite part of the entire day was watching just how much our church loves him. Feels good to know your church thinks you're way cool!

So, thanks, God, for a great day spent with You and Your people.

Deena

Takin' It Easy...

Had a big, hairy discussion with my youngest daughter last night...lot's of tears...little bit of yelling...

"Mom, I just want it to be easy for once. Everything's always so hard for me. But I know you never take the easy way out," she says.

Oh, no, Babygirl...yes, it's always hard for you...but Momma DOES take the easy way out...

Momma likes those instant potatoes you heat in the microwave and that boil in a bag pot roast...so she can pretend she really did cook you a meal when she is tired.

Momma likes flannel pajamas, so with one mighty wipe of her sleeve, the dust on the coffee table is gone! And company can finally come over and not know how bad a housekeeper she really is.

Momma likes blogging so she can share with people and not see them face to face, that way they can't see how messed up she really is.

Momma likes whining and complaining about how lazy her kids can be so she won't have to focus on how lazy she herself is.

Momma likes being busy, busy, busy...so she won't have to worry about not doing enough for God and feeling bad about her poor self.

So, yes, Babygirl, Momma knows what it's like to take the easy way...

But she also knows that Jesus didn't take the easy way when it came to her and loving her...no, He took the hard road all the way to Calvary.

And Momma knows that easy isn't always good for us...that difficulty builds strength in your faith and in your character, and that's what God wants for us.

So, even though it seems hard for you all the time...you have such depth and such strength...don't let the devil rob you of that by tempting you to take the easy route.

This life can be so very, very hard...but our God is infinitely good. And that makes the hard so much easier to bear...

Momma loves you, Babygirl. Don't you ever forget that. You are one of my heroes.

Be blessed, and hug your kids, your nieces, your nephews, your grandkids...hug yourself and pray for those who find life difficult right now...encourage them to hang on...to Jesus.

Struggling away in my little corner of the world...

Deena

Wide Eyed and Mystified...

Counting blessings...wanna watch?!?

Blessing #1:
We had 14 women at our monthly Bible study fellowship today...had to pull out extra chairs, and we'll have to add an extra table next month!! WooHoo...way to go, God!! *high fivin' everybody**

Blessing #2:
Not only did my daughter K go with me, my oldest daughter V went with me, and my sister LJ was there as well! Incredible, studying God's word with the women in my family....

Blessing #3:
God lets me teach such wonderful, wonderful women of God...I stay amazed that anything that comes out of my mouth is worth hearing, let alone learning from...but thank You, God, for using me...

Blessing #4:
Tomorrow, my husband will be ordained as a Southern Baptist Minister of the Gospel....Nervous, but thankful...

Blessing #5:
Our prodigal has finally come home......oh, Lord, I'm overwhelmed...

Blessing #6:
God is using this blog, this humble offering, to reach out and to minister to women all across the U.S., and even some in other parts of the world have visited.

I'm still counting...how about you??

Be blessed, and know, dear friend, that you bless me just by stopping by here. Feel free to say "Hi!"

Deena

All Guests Are Welcome!!

Hello, and welcome to my blog! I'm so glad you stopped by!

I'm Deena, and I'm a mom of 6 (3 step-children and 3 teenagers), a pastor's wife, women's fellowship leader, and all around wacky God-chick.

Wholly Devoted was created to build fellowship among the women who attend our monthly Bible study at Loma Rica Baptist Church in Northern California. God has used it to touch lives, to change me, and He's still moving through the blogs, the comments, and the hearts of those who hang out here.

Most of what you'll find at Wholly Devoted is (what I hope) inspiration to get you through your busy, hectic days, and to point you to the One who truly loves you, struggles and all.

I hope you enjoy what you find here. And I hope you slip your shoes off, put your feet up, and stay awhile.

Thanks again for stopping by!

Deena

Ultimate Blog Party!

There's a whole bloggy world out there, and I've made some new friends through blogging.

5 Minutes for Moms is hosting the Ultimate Blog Party...just click on the button and check it out...

You might find another blog to love...I know I did...but don't forget to bookmark "Wholly Devoted"....I'd miss you if you left!!

Deena

Hangers or Containers?

All too often I wear my faith as a list of do's and don't's. Christians do this, Christians don't do that. Christians believe this, Christians don't believe that. Christians stand for this, and against that.

I teach my kids, "We don't (talk like this, walk like this, dress like this, go here, go there) because we're Christians.

My faith hangs on me and clings to me and covers me up. Only problem is, when you wear your faith...what stops you from slipping out of it now and again? Pulling on those old comfy clothes of compromise, that suit of sinfulness, that party outfit that screams "ready and willing to ____"?

No, we aren't supposed to be faith hangers.

We're supposed to be faith containers.

God's spirit dwells inside of us. He empowers us to walk in the light of His Word and to live out what we take in. We're to let His love and His light fill every dark place in our hearts, and to let it transform us from the inside out.

When we do this, our flaws won't be hidden anymore. We will be exposed, and vulnerable.

But the neat thing about being a container of our faith in Him is this: He leaks out through the flaws, the cracks, the nicks...the areas where we are weak is where He is best able to shine.

When it's inside us, flooding out of us, THEN we wear our faith like a second skin. It's not something we can take off at will, or when the whim to sin strikes us. It becomes permanent, a part of who we are.

Then it doesn't matter what we look like on the outside...the light of Jesus in us blinds others to our shortcomings, and we simply look more and more like Him. (I'm not talking about sin--that's an entirely different matter).

So ask yourself--am I a faith hanger, or a faith container? Do I wear it like a cloak of disguise, do I take it off and put it on as it suits me? Or am I allowing God to fill me with His spirit and His truth and His power, so full that it spills out and over and through the cracks in my being?

The choice is ours to make.

Praying I'm leaking Jesus all over the place, and praying the same for you!

Deena

The Balance Beam

Sometimes we treat lives like a balance beam.

We try our best to keep ourselves totally lined up with Scripture, thinking that a small bobble here or a toe off the beam will cost us a tenth of a point in eternity.

We do backflip after backflip to impress the judges of our lives...our kids, our parents, our boss, our spouse...remembering everything, going everywhere, and doing for everyone.

Occasionally we'll try to straddle the struggle of home and work, or home and church, trying to keep our footing and our balance as one weighs heavier than the other. Only it ends up feeling more like a teeter-totter rather than a balance beam.

Then we look to the big finish...and hope and pray we can stick the landing and look good enough to win the medal...the crown...the brownie points needed to please God or whomever will care enough to watch.

We fall, we get bruised, and we bear the scars of trying to walk such a narrow path...when if we'd just climb down onto the level, wide open floor of freedom to be real...

I've never been good at gymnastics...so why do I try to balance my life so narrowly...to jump through so many hoops?

Lord, put me back down on solid ground....teach me to serve, to work, to play...for an Audience of One...because You're really all that matters.

I'm hopping down...how about you?

Meet you on the big mat...let's just bounce around for awhile!!

Deena

Come Join the Carnival!!

Ever feel like your life is one big carnival, and you just want the show to close?

There's the emotional rollercoaster of hormones (either PMS or menopause, take your pick) that hits every month, sending us scrambling in the couch cushions for that M & M that we dropped a few days ago.

Then the Tilt-a-Whirl of raising kids...you spin at high speeds keeping up with their schedules, homework, friends, recreation...and then the bottom drops out when one goes astray into the wilderness of the world.

The merry-go-round of housework, meals, shopping, laundry....housework, meals, shopping, laundry....housework, meals, shopping, laundry......breakfast is over and you hear "Mom, what's for lunch..." "Didn't I JUST wash this shirt??!!" "What happened to all the clean towels??"

Ahhh, the bumper cars of church life, home life, kids' lives, husband's needs, personal needs, work issues...when they bump and nudge at one another...there's just nothing quite like it.

And don't forget the ferris wheel of love...you never know when you're going to get stuck on that thing and not move for hours...days...weeks...months.

Seriously, life gets complicated. We get busy. We get stressed, overcommitted, overtired, and we feel underappreciated.

What's the solution?

We must learn to rest in Him. To take time to pour our hearts out to the Father, and then to let Him pour His heart back into us.

It's time to climb out of the madhouse and get back in the funhouse...a little Godly perspective goes a long way.

Take this self check: 1) How's your Bible reading? 2) How's your prayer life? 3) When's the last time you consciously thanked God for your blessings? 4) When's the last time you just sat on the Father's lap and let Him lavish His love on you?

No...don't tell me you don't have time. You can't afford to miss this....This is our oasis of sanity amidst a world gone mad....

So step outside the carnival we call our lives, and sit on the bench...take in the sights and sounds of this creation....and soak in the Son.

You can't afford not to. And ya know ya wanna!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be blessed....and see you at the bumper cars@@!!

Deena