post-vacay blues & vine encouragement

Despite the happiness & relaxation of my last post, of the exuberance of getting a chance to spend some fun, stress-free time with my hubby & friends, I come home to find myself bummed out. This is actually pretty typical and I have been praying against this occurance, but nevertheless, it is here.

I find myself super annoyed by every task the girls need help with, by every little squabble between them, by every toy on the floor, every dish in the sink. These small issues on a non-post-vacay day would just be minor annoyances, but on a post-vacay day, they are the end of the world. I am having to force myself to remain thankful and grateful for my time away, as well as for my sweet, amazing babies who often do have minor issues.

I was so grumpy yesterday (and tired!) that I didn't even open up the Bible, when really that is the one thing I should have done other than prayer (which I also did not do). So here today, I turn to day 1&2 of the abiding fruit study on a new set of verses, John 15:1-11:

¹ “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He ^[a]prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already ^[b]clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit ^[c]of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. ⁵ I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. ⁷ If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so ^[d]prove to be My disciples. ⁹ Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. ¹¹ These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.


Who is writing? Why? Initial thoughts/questions?

John, the apostle, is writing his gospel, his account of Jesus' life. He is writing as a testimony to what Jesus did and what Jesus said. No doubt he included this passage as it was a strong teaching that Jesus gave. The context of this passage (if taken chronologically) is just after Jesus has washed the disciples feet, and has promised the Holy Spirit. He is speaking in the upper room to his disciples only. He is not speaking to non-believers. He is encouraging them because he knows that he soon will be absent.

Initially, I am struck by the fact that Jesus is talking to his disciples, to the ones that have followed Him the most. Is it then the natural sin nature, when the physical Jesus is no longer with you (as I have of course always experienced), to try to find other things to abide in and still produce fruit?? This warning and call to remain in Him is to those who were closest to Jesus while He was on earth, yet even they needed the reminder that it is when we "make our home in him" as the Message says, that we produce fruit.

This passage teaches me many things about God. It teaches me that the Father is extremely deep; he is not a simple character. He is very invested in the lives of His children as a gardener is in his garden. He takes action on non-producing parts and removes them so that they are not hindrances in His kingdom. He wants us to be the most fruitful that we can be. He remains in us!! He is the source of power and life. He is glorified by fruit in our lives. He LOVES; he takes JOY in us!!

About the author John: Just that this teaching must have been of such significance in his own life to include it. As for Jesus as the speaker, it shows his great love, care and compassion for those who follow Him.

About me: I will be pruned and cut so that I can bear fruit. I believe this means that life will not always appear "easy" for me, and that there is discipline and pruning for a variety of reasons in my life. What is important is to remember to remain in Him, even during these times of pruning, and then I will see more abundant fruit in my life. I can do NOTHING on my own. I am already clean because of Christ's sacrifice, stay in Him who healed me. I show glory to God by bearing fruit. I will have joy (and share in Christ's joy) when I remain in Him.

Getaway weekend with the hubby & friends

This weekend, we shipped the girls off to grandma & papas and ran away to Vegas!!

It was a little birthday present for my sweetie!! We stayed at the Trump International Hotel, which was fabulous & relaxing and very fancy.

We went with our amazing pals, Josh & Kellie, who we get to spend way too little time with due to the distance between our houses. It was a weekend full of kid-free fun, an awesome show by one of our favorite bands, "Bright Eyes", and just fun, stress-free time with the boy.

I am so thankful for these little moments that help Matt & I reconnect and remember what we were like (sorta) before the kids.

Vegas is actually a pretty horrible place, but just the chance to get away, have some fun & relax (and put on blinders so that I am not overwhelmed by porn!!) made it worth while.

Application day

Yesterday, my Hannah got the other girl's sickness.

She is so much like me when she is sick!! She cries a lot, she feels overwhelmed by the whole idea of sickness and throwing up and genuinely has a hard time coping with her body's response to this foreign invader!! Poor thing!! And to top it off, she threw up in Walgreens all over the floor, in front of a couple people, and she missed dad's birthday dinner (as I stayed home with her to help her while she was sick).

Today's Galatians prompt is to apply. What is the Lord leading me to DO as a result of Galatians 5:16-26???

I definitely need to walk by the Spirit. I need to spend time with Him each day. I need to be listening to Him when He is speaking to me and I need to come to Him with my heart and concerns. I appreciate the freedom that comes with this walk, and I ask Him that He would help me to live by His Spirit, even though my flesh is in contradiction with it.

The acts of the flesh are obvious in my life, and I ask God for forgiveness and a renewed assurance that it is my walking in Him, trusting in Him, spending time with Him that I will be freed from the power that this lifestyle holds over me.

Finally, I need to watch myself for being conceited and prideful. I need to keep this in check as it seems so very easy to switch from a lifestyle of the flesh to one of the Spirit (by His grace), and yet then start bragging and feeling puffed up about who I am.

I am excited about diving into each of these fruits in more detail as I definitely am wanting to have those be evident in my life. However, I think this week's lesson was a fantastic reminder that it is through walking in His Spirit, and nothing else, (not me willing good things up out of no where) that these fruits will genuinely blossom in my life.

Apply. What is the Lord leading me to DO as a result of Galatians 5:16-26?

Abiding Fruit & another birthday

Back-to-back birthdays in our house, this time it is my Matthew's 33rd.

He is such an amazing blessing to me; truly a gift from God. He is a man that longs to do the will of God and remains so confident in His plans for our lives. I cannot imagine going through this life without him and I thank God for him!!!

Today's prompt is to look at the commands in Galatians 5:16-26. What am I commanded to do or not to do?

While most of the commands in this passage are a bit subliminal, I will state them anyway...
-Walk by the Spirit
-Keep in step with the Spirit
-Do not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

It is interesting to find the 3rd command in with the first two. It is so easy to, when already walking by the Spirit, think of yourself more highly than you ought to.

Help me Father to live by these commands today!

Abiding Fruit

Today is my oldest daughter's 7th birthday!! I am amazed that seven years have gone by on one hand, that she has grown from such a teeny, tiny baby into a beautiful little girl, yet at the same time, it has seemed to go by in just a split second.

Is this how it will always be??

Thank you God for my sweet Abigail. Thank you for trusting us with her. Help me to be the mom that she needs, so that she may fully be the woman you have called her to be.

Today's Bible study prompt was to read Galatians 5:16-26 again and talk about the promises:

-Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Conditional Promise... if I walk by the Spirit.
-If I am led by the Spirit, I am not under the law.
Conditional Promise... if I am led by the Spirit.
-Those who live according the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Conditional Promise... if I live according the flesh.
-Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Unconditional Promise. I BELONG TO CHRIST.

I am just thinking this morning... what does it really mean to walk by the spirit or be led by the spirit. How different is that from living according to the flesh??

I am grateful for how my two Bible studies are working together. I feel like the Experiencing God study will help me be more in tune with what God is saying to me, so that I can be sure that I am walking according to where he is moving.

Abiding Fruit

Not so early morning today. 2/3 of my kids are sick throwing up (and I am hoping that Hannah & myself are not getting it!!)

Today's prompt is to look for truths in the passage. The note points out that if we allow lies to fill our head, then we will begin to doubt God's love and provision for us. I have done this!!

Here are the truths from this passage:

What does this passage teach about God?
-God (the Spirit) is in conflict with my what my flesh desires.
-God is above the law. (The Spirit, vs.18)

What does this passage teach about the author? (Paul)
-He has given this warning to the Galatians before; this is a reiteration of a point.
-He lived by the Spirit.

What does this passage teach about who I am in Christ?
-I am not under the law if I am led by the Spirit.
-Since I belong to Christ, I have crucified my flesh with its passions & desires

Abiding Fruit

Starting a new Bible study this morning & of course nothing went as planned: oldest is sick throwing up, youngest was taken to doctor to check on a broken foot (it is not broken), couldn't do playgroup roll out of Bible study b/c of sick babies, etc...

Nevertheless, here I go:

Week one, Day one.

Galatians 5: 16-26 ¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever^[a] you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Today's journal prompt: Who is writing? Why? Jot down your initial thoughts & questions.

Phew. I think that I fit so many of the descriptions of the acts of the flesh!! Ugh!! The fruits of the spirit are not really evident in my life unless I try to will them up. I need to walk and be led by the Spirit.

I think it is interesting how the lines after the fruits of the spirit warn against becoming conceited. How very easy it is to become conceited, even by something great God has blessed us with.

It also speaks against envying another's fruits. I do this WAY too much. I see something awesome in someone else's life and WANT IT. But instead of that motivating me toward God and following and walking by the Spirit, it just leads me to selfish pursuits.

As for the author, it was written by Paul to the church at Galatia to possibly correct them from misunderstandings in the Christian faith.

Father, help me this week to understand what you mean by the fruits of the spirit, to help me learn to walk by your spirit so these fruits may be evident in my life.