Saturday, March 8, 2014

God Restores




God's grace is infinite. 

And I am still learning just how far his love for me reaches. It's out of this world. It's endless. It's all-consuming.

Five years ago, I was sharing a room with my mother and brother in a two-room studio. Some rough days, our cupboards would be empty and the only reason we ate was because a family friend would show up at our door with a box of food or leftovers. We spent many nights eating spam sandwiches for dinner. Though it was one of the most trying seasons of my life, I learned how to live on hope.

Today, God is doing a major work in me. The kind of work that is filled with lots of tears and forgiveness--mostly towards myself. The kind of work that forces me to re-evaluate the way I live my life. The kind of work that reminds me I will always be unworthy of the showers of blessings he pours down on me. The kind of work that reminds me where my home really is.

God answers prayers, my friend. He really does. He doesn't always answer them in our time, but he answers them. And when he does, you will most likely find me on my knees. Because I doubt him. I doubt his ability to hear me. I doubt his love for me. I doubt my worthiness.

God has restored everything I have ever lost in my life. Ten times over. My cupboards are overflowing with food. The roof over my head is much larger than it used to be. If you find yourself in a trying season, let God show you how to live on hope. Let this be a reminder that God always restores.

To read a story of hope and restoration, read the book of  Job.
"...the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before." (Job 42:10)

--Jessica



Friday, March 7, 2014

How To Break 'The Facebook Curse'



I'm just going to be honest: I LOVE Facebook. I love it so much in fact that I think I have a very unhealthy relationship with it. Because when I'm bored, you will most likely find me scrolling through my news feed.

Many moons ago--almost 7 years ago--my husband convinced me to get this new thing called a "Facebook." I remember thinking: "Nothing good ever came out of MySpace. Why would Facebook be any different?" But I conceded and joined.

For the first few years of my Facebook adventure, I used it to keep in contact with high school friends who were in college. I really loved being able to see what they were up to without disrupting their hectic schedules with strange phone calls:

"Hi, are you busy?"

"Yeah, I'm heading to work."

"O.K. Call me back when you get a free chance."

3 Hours Later...

"You've reached the voicemail of _______. Please leave a message after the *beep*."

You get the idea. It made keeping up with them simple and uncomplicated. And I liked that.

But then there seemed to be this shift where everyone was deleting everyone because so-and-so said something that may or may not have been directed at so-and-so. It just became this big mess where people used their Facebook to bash people, to tear each other down, and to criticize. And I knew that wasn't something I wanted to be a part of. I began referring to it as "the Facebook Curse".

Then, something miraculous happened. I decided to delete the people who posted foul language, attacks against my faith, attacks against other people, and started liking pages. And as I added more and more pages of positive people, my news feed exploded with great quotes, stories, news, encouragement, inspiration and blog posts. And so, my addiction to the positive side of Facebook truly began.

Too often, I believe that we use Facebook as a means to express our discontentment, to stir up drama, and to tear one another down. What we have failed to realize is that Facebook can be one of our greatest assets.

Facebook can be a tool we use to encourage each other. It can be a safe place to ask for help and advice--and even prayer. It can be a place where we share in each other's milestones. It can also be a place to share our failures and heartaches, within reason.

I never aim for perfection on Facebook. My life is far from perfect; I just aim to encourage and share. That's it. I'm not interested in commenting on your personal woes. I'm not interested in gossiping about you. I'm not interested in tearing down your ex. I just want to put a smile on your face.

The realization that I wanted to make people happy on Facebook led me to start having rules for myself. I've deemed these rules the "The Anti-Facebook Curse Guidelines". These rules are my attempt to make social media a positive experience for my friends and myself. And I want to share them with you in the hopes that we can break this Facebook curse. Let's aim to "encourage one another and build each other up," even on Facebook. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

How To Avoid the Facebook Curse:

1. Don't dwell on your friends' negative posts.
I'm pretty sure a few posts have been aimed at me from time-to-time. I've been told I come off a little too 'Christian.' I like to post a million pictures of my dogs. And, yes, I will post about the snow, the freezing temperatures and my dogs pulling a sled. I know my friends post about being in a warmer (or colder climate) and don't want to see my snow pictures, but I am a southern California girl living in OKLAHOMA! This is exciting news to me! I'm learning how to cope in negative temperatures and drive on ice. I'm sorry this puts a wrench in my friends' Facebook news feeds. Regardless of what they post, I'm going to respond to them with grace and respect always, but I'm not going to change what I post because of their negative comments. Instead, I'm just going to keep scrolling, say a little prayer for them, and let it go.

2. Don't retaliate. Ever.
People are always going to be opinionated on Facebook. They're always going to see their side of things instead of yours. They're human. But they still haven't figured out that Facebook isn't the place to debate religion or politics. It's not a place to compete with the Jones. And it's certainly not the place to publicly humiliate people. Depending on what my friends' post, I may scroll past, stop following them, or simply delete them. It really bothers me when I have to delete people. But I can't be a part of their mean games. And the best way to keep from retaliating is to get it off my news feed.

3. Stand up for your family and friends.
This rule is a two-parter. The first part is to un-friend anyone who publicly bashes someone. Aquaintances included. You do not have to stand for bullying of any kind on your news feed. The second part is to encourage people to work through their problems the old-fashioned way: sit down and talk through them. No one has a right to bash people simply because they are sitting behind the safety of their keyboard and screen. Your words--spoken and/or written--hold more power than you know. Encourage--don't bash! When you see someone bashing, call them, talk to them and then move on.

4. Be Positive. Like Positive. Encourage Positive.
The best way to break the Facebook Curse is to remain positive. I aim to post positive things. I like peoples' positive posts. And I encourage my family and friends to be positive. Sure, we have negative parts of life and we can share those in respectful way. If you've lost a family member or friend, please share their picture and a funny story about them. I want to see how much they meant to you. If you're going through a divorce and need prayer, please ask me. I want to pray for my friends and family. If you're struggling, it's O.K. to share that, too. Facebook can be a community of people coming together to lift each other up instead of tearing them down. Let's focus on the positive. Let's break the Facebook Curse for good!

If you have any rules for remaining a positive light on Facebook, share them in the comments. I'd love to see how you keep your Facebook a safe, positive place for family and friends.

--Jessica

Thursday, March 6, 2014

So, Your Dog Has Food Poisoning...


*Disclaimer: I am not a vet nor am I writing this on behalf of any vet. I am simply explaining the steps we took to take care of our dogs when they had food poisoning.

All three of our dogs have experienced the pains of food poisoning. And take it from the person who cleaned up after them: IT. WAS. HORRIBLE.

The huskies got food poisoning a few months ago and, last month, Boo got it, too. 

I called our trusty veterinarian and she, being the wonderful vet that she is, gave me some great tips for nursing your dog through food poisoning at home. That's right, at home. Without paying an expensive vet bill. And I thought I'd share her expertise with you. Because it really works!

How our dogs got food poisoning is still up for debate. They are on a home-cooked diet so something in their meals could have made them sick. They also go on lots of walks and sometimes pick up stray food. And, since we live on a corner lot, strange debris flies into our yard. The vet also explained that dogs who dig in the yard sometimes dig things up and eat them that can make them sick.

Symptoms of food poisoning:
  • Lethargic
  • Depressed
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
If there is blood in your dog's stool, seek immediate medical attention.

If not, you can use these tips to nurse your dog back to health:
  1. Stop feeding your dog food immediately 
  2. Give your dog 2 tsp of Pepto Bismol every 4 hours for the first 24 hours.
  3. After 24 hours, give your dog plain, nonfat yogurt--no artificial sweeteners. (We gave our dog 1/2 cup twice in a 12-hour period.)
  4. At 36 hours, we gave the dogs 1/2 cup rice, and 1/4 cup chicken. For the next three days after that, we gave the dogs the rice-chicken mix for breakfast and dinner. We also continued to give the dogs a 1/4 cup of yogurt with every meal. They were back to normal in 48 hours.
If the diarrhea continues after 24 hours, call your vet. 

After going through these steps with all three dogs, we know that it works for us. So, if your dog is exhibiting the signs of food poisoning, these are the steps I recommend (and have tested and proven) to help nurse your dog back to health.

--Jessica


Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Don't Lose Your Tenderness



I was standing in a bathroom stall in San Diego, trying to stop the tears as they poured out of my eyes. I had been wounded. The kind of hurt that, to this day, still brings a sharp pain to my chest.

The memory is vivid and all-consuming. I know that if I dwell on it for too long, I will spend the rest of my day in a foul mood. But, every now and then, it's important for me to reflect on the defining moments of my life.

And this moment was one of the most defining.

I placed my head against the dark blue stall and started to breathe deeply. I began repeating "You're O.K." to myself.

At the time, I didn't realize that I was slowly teaching myself how to turn off my feelings, how to hide them deep down inside. But that's exactly what I was doing. It was too hard to feel, so I just stopped feeling.

I was 12 years old.

In the years that followed, I lost any type of tenderness inside. I allowed the world to harden my heart. If I saw someone crying or feeling, I naturally assumed they were weak. I had been through the battlefield and back before I was 14. I was strong. I was a survivor.

Tenderness was reserved for the weak and frail

I felt that way for a long time. I took on the world's view of gentleness, tenderness, and kindness. You can't be of the world--that's full of murder, deceit. adultery, theft--and value the people who are gentle, tender, and kind.

As the years progressed, my heart continued to harden. And even though I was a Christian, I didn't act like one. I don't think I really believed that God loved me. I don't think I believed that I was worthy of his love. I think that's something we all have to work through.

We all fall short, but he loves us anyway. In spite of who we are. In spite of the things we do. God loves us. We are his. And there's nothing we can do to change that.

God loved me so much that he sent person after person to love on me. To break down my walls. To change me.

I watched my mother, who lost her husband and mother in a short period of time, cry and feel. She wept. She ached. But she never lost her tenderness. She never let herself turn bitter or cold. She took one day at a time and slowly moved forward. She was the greatest example of a true soldier of God--a Christian who loves and lives joyfully in spite of this life's hardships.

Please, don't ever lose your tenderness. Don't let the world steal that from you. It will steal everything you own, but it can never steal your joy, peace and tenderness. The world is full of cold, bitter people who see tenderness as a weakness. We need more people like my mother, who are tender and kind. Who, in spite of their circumstances, possess one of the strongest attributes in times of heartache.

Be tender. It's the farthest thing from a weakness.

There is great strength in falling tears. There is great strength in returning harshness for tenderness. And there will always be great strength in a heart that continually practices tenderness.

--Jessica

Monday, March 3, 2014

Preparing For Marriage: Waiting for Mr. Right


You probably daydream about him all the time.

You wonder what color his hair will be. What color his eyes will be. Will he be tall or short? Will he be funny and kind? Or noble and brave?

If you're anything like me, then I'm sure you wonder what his name will be most of all. And, more importantly, what your last name will one day be.

Believe it or not, I already knew the name of my husband by the time I started daydreaming about marriage. I just didn't know he would be the man who would one day stand at an altar and wait for me, his bride, to walk towards him in her puffy white dress surrounded by family in an Italian-themed chapel near the Vegas strip.

But there he was. And I, escorted by the first man who ever loved me, walked toward him with so much happiness and excitement. That day is--and probably will always be--my favorite day.

Because he was worth the wait. Mr. Right was worth the every second I longed for him.

I know what it's like to wait and pray for your future husband. At times, it's a piece of cake and patience comes easily. Other times, I went kind of crazy and was determined to find this poor guy because he was taking forever. My searches never ended well for me.

It was during those crazy times that I started writing letters to my future husband. Every time I had a free moment, I'd write down a thought or two just to let him know I was anxiously anticipating the moment he would slip a ring on my left hand and ask me to be his forever.

After we got married, I presented these letters to my husband and warned him that I hadn't read any since taping them up and slipping them inside an old shoe box. But he sat there on the floor, surrounded by a pile of letters, and read every single one of them smiling the whole time. And it melted my heart.

Right now, you're on the other side of marriage. You're waiting for the right person to come along. And they will in due time. Can I just take this moment to reassure you that they will be worth the wait? Don't settle for Mr. Right Now. Don't settle for less than God's best.

The single most important decision you will make in your life will not be where you live or what career path you choose; it will be the man you marry. You don't want to marry someone who isn't going to be the best husband for you. Patience isn't always easy; but in the end, it will be worth every hour you spent waiting.

So, what do you do in the meantime while you're waiting for Mr. Right?

Enjoy the solitude!

Don't take this the wrong way; I love being married. But you can't be selfish in a marriage. You can't put your wants and needs above someone else's if you want your marriage to have any chance of lasting.

So, be selfish now. Take the time you're waiting and do things for yourself. Go on lots of adventures and read classic literature. Volunteer. Write. Explore. Learn how to play the guitar. When you get married, you'll still be able to do all of those things--but your time will be limited. Appreciate your singleness. It won't be that way--thankfully!--forever.

When your solitude does come to an end, you'll be grateful for the time you had to work on yourself--to be alone. As you grow into your marriage, you tend to lose a part of your identity. There's nothing wrong with that; you and your husband are supposed to become "one flesh". But you'll be grateful for the free time you had to find yourself, to go on your own adventures, and to ready yourself for marriage.

Enjoy this season! It will pass quickly and, before you know it, you'll be riding off into the sunset with your Prince Charming.

--Jessica

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Encouragement For the Day: Psalm 139


Some days, I feel inadequate. I struggle to find my worth and value. But I know that I can always take comfort in this timeless truth: God chose me. Jesus died for me. And their love for me is endless.

Struggling to find your worth today? Meditate on Psalm 139. God created your inmost being. He knit you together in your mother's womb. You are so precious to him!

You have serached me, LORD,
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all of my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before, 
and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit? 
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I made my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me," 
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully
made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand--
when I awake, I am still with you.

If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.

Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
-Psalm 139

Saturday, March 1, 2014

New Blog: Tips For Computer Teachers!



I'm excited to announce that I have started a new blog for computer teachers! If you're read some of my previous posts, then you know I teach a variety of classes--Beginning and Advanced Computers, Facebook Marketing, QuickBooks, etc.

Over the last two years, I have learned so many wonderful techniques for helping my students learn how to use the computer and I've wanted to share them with other teachers. So, I've created a new blog to do so.

You can check out my welcome post and a very simple how to use a mouse post as well.

If you--or anyone you know--is in need of computer teacher tips, my new blog is the place to get simple tips for teaching basic computers!

--Jessica