May

4

By Tammi

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Categories: Counting My Blessings, Encouragement, Health issues, Home, Parenting, Spiritual Growth

Now I’m the mother of two teenagers…

Thirteen years ago, our second son was born.  Brendon’s entrance into this world was quick and fairly easy, once real labor ensued.  I was pleased at this occurrence… and then he began two hours of squalling.  The first hour was triggered by general indignation at his new environment.  The second hour seemed to be a reaction to the lights, once he finally opened his eyes.

Thus, I unknowingly had a portent of the first several years of his life.  All during that time, I was attempting to deal with sleep deprivation, postpartum depression, pregnancy, two moves, and more postpartum depression.  Brendon was having tummy troubles and sleep quirks, while being chronically cranky the first few months… then later we dealt with some health problems for both of us, as well as resulting issues.  It didn’t help my attitude that he liked his Daddy more than he liked me, although it makes sense to me now that Kevin was a welcome relief to both me and Brendon when he came home from work.

Over time, we learned to understand Brendon’s needs and sensitivities and see unique traits that his Creator instilled in his personality.  After that rough start it became apparent that though raising this determined little person wouldn’t always be easy, it would always be interesting.  Kevin used to say of him, “He takes notions.”  But I must say, that no matter what else was happening, I couldn’t have put in a custom order for a sweeter boy with a gentler spirit.

Now I can look back and see lessons I needed to learn about letting the Holy Spirit parent through me, rather than sticking to what I “knew” I should be doing.  I remember moments of clarity, realizing God’s feelings for me, as I simultaneously experienced exasperation and the most overwhelming love and protective instinct I’ve ever felt for another human.  I realized that there is grace enough to cover my shortcomings, and that I really don’t want to be my idea of a “perfect parent.”  I want to be the parent God wants me to be for each child in every specific area; and if that means apologizing to a child and praying together, it can be one of the best moments of your relationship.  If that means following an urge and going against convention to do what is best for your child, then watching God’s plan unfold will be worth any frustration involved and His strength will be made perfect in moments of human weakness.

It seems that the “hard” part of Brendon’s childhood has been over for some time.  Though I could say many things about him, of prime significance are his resourcefulness, creativity and dependability.  He is an observant, responsible young man with a sharp sense of humor.  His conscience seems to function pretty well.  I see maturity and spiritual growth in his life.  He’s an excellent helper in Children’s Church, and I regularly get good reports on him from adults in several other areas at church, from other parents when he’s visiting them, etc.  And one of my favorite things — he’s a great companion.

Having said all that, words fail me when I try to say how much I love him.

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Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

Apr

30

By Tammi

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Categories: Counting My Blessings, Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth

Where we’re standing right now

In November, I posted this blog entry –

http://ktmossman.com/tryinglesstrustingmore/?p=59

Monday night, a week later, Kevin was conducting family devotions.  He asked us to consider what our answer would be if Jesus said we had two choices for 2010:

A. We could have any Christmas or birthday gifts we asked for; we’d have no arguments or unpleasantness with any friends or family; pretty much everything would go our way… but we wouldn’t get any closer to Him, we’d have no spiritual growth.

B. It might be a really tough year; trials and tribulations might abound, but no matter what happened, we were going to be much closer to Jesus at the end of it.

The next morning, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving week, Kevin lost his job.  My first thought was that God had already provided encouragement for me to strengthen my faith, when I found and posted that blog entry the previous week.

When we told the kids Kevin was unemployed, Brendon asked, “OK, who chose ‘B’ last night?!”  Everyone but him had chosen ‘B,’ and he never revealed his choice… I told him he might as well choose it, since he would have to come along on whatever ride the rest of us were taking.

In January we deduced that God wanted us to give a large percentage of any income, gifts, etc. that we received.  This amount is far beyond tithe, and more than we’ve ever consistently given before no matter our circumstances.  Finances/giving is the only area we see in Scripture where God dares us to try Him and see what He will do in return.

We were finished with any severance $$ in February.  Now, at the end of April, there is still no job for Kevin.  But as of this date, every regular bill, car payment, rent, etc. is current — because God has provided.  I’ll admit to wondering what His plan might be about May’s rent, but in a calm, conversational way, not in a “Lord, do you remember we’re down here?!” way.

Sometimes the words to a Larnelle Harris song goes through my mind.  “Children, lift your voices!  The Father hath provided again!”

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Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

Mar

13

By Tammi

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Categories: Encouragement, Spiritual Growth

Quiet time, worship time, “being still” time…

If you needed cash, and there was a positive balance in your bank account, would you stand and stare at the ATM machine, reluctant to touch it?  Would you walk around it several times, hum and act like you had money in your pocket already and didn’t really need to be there?  Would you drive past, but think better of it, then go to the store… drive past, then go sit in the parking lot instead of getting your cash…

Of course not, unless you have some problems you don’t want to discuss!  But you could have a similar scenario in your spiritual life.  Sometimes I do… and while I’m thankful that it happens less often with maturity, I wish it didn’t happen at all.

Calm, comfort, joy, peace, quiet… are just outside my situation and vision, and all I have to do is access them.  But for whatever reason, I put it off.  I “handle” things awhile longer.  I smile on the outside, while my heart is full of anxiety and my brain is rapidly calculating various plans that will probably fail.

I know better — you probably do, as well.  But then, seemingly out of nowhere, it’s happening again… and we’re pretty sure we aren’t stupid.

Maybe this situation falls under the category of  “sin that so easily besets us.”

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Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

Feb

18

By Tammi

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Categories: Counting My Blessings, Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth

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Romance Realized

“New moon, true moon, trusty, tell me who my true love must be; the color of his eyes, the color of his hair, and the everyday clothes that he used to wear.”

Put a piece of wedding cake underneath your pillow, chant the above, then lay down to sleep… you’ll dream of the man you’re to marry.  That’s what my teenaged great-grandmother and her friends were told; and much excited, they tried it.

Martha dreamed she was walking along a dirt road and saw a man in a field with his horse and plow.  He was dressed a particular way… an outfit she recognized when she first saw him a few months later.  He had just moved into the area and begun to farm.  Soon after, he needed a housekeeper, and she was hired for the job.  It wasn’t long before they fancied one another and decided to set a wedding date.  The dream and the outcome was the most romantic real story I ever heard as a child.

Five children, fourteen grandchildren and scads of great-grandchildren were the result of their union.  Real life turned out to have little romance, however.  Alfred had a horrible temper, tales of which were still told thirty years after his death.  He and Martha grew estranged, and if she ever knew about the “other child” he fathered, she never mentioned it.  (Her children didn’t find out until they were very old, when their surprise half-brother came looking for a picture of his father.)

She outlived him by several decades, and had some time for a more peaceful life.  I don’t recall ever hearing loving words about him, only details of memorable incidents, including physical abuse.  No talk of missing him, no emphasis on positive, lasting traits passed down from his side; whereas, my main memory of her was seeing her big black Bible in her lap every morning, even when her fingers were so stiff she needed help to turn the pages.

I don’t know at what point she accepted Christ into her life.  Was she a Christian as a child, but only accepted Jesus as the lover of her soul through life’s disappointments?  Did she recognize the significance of His love for her right away, or did she learn to depend on it over time?  Whatever the details of her journey, she made her relationship with her True Love a priority, influencing lives down through her offspring, creating memories and lessons as pieces of a godly heritage.

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Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

Jan

30

By Tammi

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Categories: Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth

A Ponderment

During childhood, I was in some churches that talked about the Christian life like it was a vale of tears, a cross to bear for all of life.  We were constantly reminded that we were sinful.  I’ve since known some people who lived with that mindset, who were so “holy” and full of works, literally striving for righteousness through outward means, that they weren’t enjoying the blessings God had placed in their lives.

How is it beneficial to dwell on sin?  We’re supposed to count our blessings, not our shortcomings.  We’re to turn things over to the Lord, heed the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and let Him do the work in us while we joyfully follow the stepping-stones of growth He has set before us.

“Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it,” so what does it profit me to search myself constantly for weeds to pluck?  If God isn’t prompting their removal, they’ll probably grow right back.  (And next time, they might have thorns!)

I’m not saying we shouldn’t ever examine our hearts; merely, that it shouldn’t be our focus.  “Me” isn’t necessarily supposed to be the motivation for change.  Our eyes are to be fixed on Jesus, our ears attuned to the Holy Spirit, our hearts receiving words from the Father about our worth in His eyes.

We were born with a sin nature — but we have since been redeemed, bought with a great price.  I’m not a “lowly worm” of a person, I’m a Princess in an almighty kingdom.  You aren’t a mess of contradictions with so many problems you’ll never get them all sorted out, you’re a worthy work in progress.  Where God doesn’t see fit to change or remove something in you, the Holy Spirit will change your mindset about that area to acceptance, possibly even to gratitude.

You are His work, not your own project.  “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.”

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Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

Jan

11

By Tammi

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Categories: Children, Children's Ministry, Encouragement, Music, Spiritual Growth

Tags: ,

Of Such is the Kingdom of Heaven

Life-happenings, sick kids, extended family surprises/issues… stressful thoughts had my spirit in an uproar. Then I walked through the living room and heard Junior Asparagus singing “Your love was with me all throughout my day.” All other thoughts stopped, as I wondered what signs of God’s presence I’d missed that morning.

When the kids dispersed, I re-wound that part of the video so I could quietly listen again. I remembered other times VeggieTales has blessed me, besides the obvious benefits in my children’s lives.

Songs came to mind; of Annie, the scallion, singing “a thankful heart is a happy heart” to Madame Blueberry… of Junior playing an Israelite boy, reminding Joshua “we know that He will take care of us, if we will follow Him.” I thought of Jesus saying “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.”

Of the songs I love from the series, my favorites are sung by children, pointing to a principle, often reminding an adult about something important. It’s so easy to make lives, ministries and relationships more complicated than they need to be. But always there is a choice about attitude and approach — whether to be “wise in our own eyes” and do things in what we think is a mature fashion, or to become as little children in our Father’s eyes.

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Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

Jan

8

By Tammi

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Categories: Encouragement, Spiritual Growth

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I guess this makes me one of the 97%

Prologue: Pardon my sarcasm.  I took much of it out, and toned down the rest.

I’ve been seeing them in e-mails for years.  Now they’re popping up on Facebook — the entreaties to wave a flag for the fan club of Jesus.  I’m sure they make some people feel good, and they might even bring God to remembrance in the life of someone who needs Him.  But, could you delete the manipulative phrases before passing something along?  How about considering whether something could, in fact, be considered using the Lord’s name “in vain” from some perspectives?  How about being thoughtful, perhaps even original, in representing your beliefs?

“If you aren’t ashamed of Christ” then you must forward this email.  It’s certain to touch the heart of someone if they can read all the way through the garbled snippets of Scripture and personal opinions, and look past the broken image boxes to the glittery, flashing rainbow picture that finally shows at the bottom of the page.  (Yes, the run-on sentence was intentional!)

“Only 3% of the Christians on Facebook will repost this as their status.”   Where the heck did they come up with that number?  So this one begins with a statistical fabrication.  That’s NWJWD, Not What Jesus Would Do.

“If you truly love the Lord” then re-post this as your status update.  Somehow, it’s supposed to be sharing with people who do NOT love Him.  (Annoyance, now there’s a time-worn witnessing approach for you!)  And I’m sure it will warm the cockles of the Lord’s heart, especially if you haven’t yet spoken to Him in person today.

“If you’re willing to stand up and be counted for Jesus,” then this requires some visible action on your part, because people can’t see your heart.  Oh, yes they can, through your service prompted by love and obedience… when you give to their physical needs, when you carpool their kids to VBS or help them with a ride from school, when you stop what you’re doing to pray with someone, when you don’t know much about a person but the Holy Spirit tells you to hug them right now…

Even online, they can see.   Your choice of words, your choice of action vs. reaction, your words of encouragement visible on another person’s page — all show snippets of your character, your heart and your beliefs.  When you post a Scripture that touched you, when you type in public that you’re praying for someone, when a typed comment testifies to a grateful heart…

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Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

Jan

1

By Tammi

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Categories: Encouragement, Holidays, Spiritual Growth

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Happy New Year

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway.  ~ Mother Teresa

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Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

Nov

11

By Tammi

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Categories: Counting My Blessings, Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth

Reminiscing: November, 2003

From a Thankful Heart, 11/03

We’ve had tremendous reasons for counting our blessings during this past year.  For those who may not know, Kevin was unemployed for nine months, then had a temporary job for three months before finding a permanent position.  After that extended period, we finally had to declare bankruptcy, and gave up our house in the process.  Looking now at more of an overall picture, those events seem far less significant than we deemed them at the time.  For just one area of examples…

Financially, we were “making ends meet” far longer than we expected, due to some of Kevin’s decisions as his job was terminated – at one point, it didn’t seem to make sense, the order in which things happened, but we could see God’s plan and provision.  Kevin qualified for unemployment, and God guided my business endeavors, which resources took care of our basic necessities and most bills for a while longer.  However, our own planning and efforts could only go so far in our set of circumstances.

At different times, particularly when we were not doing well, financially or emotionally, God blessed us through benevolence from the church as a whole, then from individual members of the church family.  We received anonymous offerings, occasionally someone handed one of us an envelope with a hug, some thoughtful soul(s) mailed us Publix gift certificates during the holidays, and we frequently carried home bags and boxes of groceries from friends who shopped for our family as they provided for their own.  One family single-handedly kept us going with a huge donation that almost completely paid the utilities and car payment for two months.

Clothes for the kids, little extras that people generally take for granted, someone paying for a prescription I needed, gifts for the kids at Christmas… this doesn’t mean that every time we walked through the church doors, something happened to benefit our circumstances, but there was certainly a lot of provision!  I’m sure I’m forgetting something, because there was simply so much – but my heart will remember the love and concern long after details have faded away.

None of this should seem odd, it’s what Christians are supposed to do, how a caring church is supposed to act — except that after a life-time in church, neither Kevin nor I have ever experienced such a constancy of concern and generosity, such an outpouring long after the initial needs were generally known.  Thank you for all your prayers, hugs, notes of encouragement, inquiries for particular needs, donations of every kind, and for your ministry to us, responding in love at so many levels.

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Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

Nov

10

By Tammi

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Categories: Faith, Music, Spiritual Growth

Holy Lord God almighty, Who was, and is, and is to come

Make me holy as You are Holy,

set apart to worship You.

I come with reverence into Your Presence

seeking “the way of holiness.”

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Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

Nov

2

By Tammi

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Categories: Faith, Spiritual Growth

My Faith

I was assigned the essay topic of explaining the reasons for my faith in God. I was at first perplexed, then I stopped thinking in terms of “intellectual arguments,” and the assignment seemed fairly simple.

The reason for my hesitation was that I don’t remember a time when I didn’t believe in God. During my formative years, I was taught Scripture, and largely believed the things I was told about God by my parents and grandparents. However, Scripture and my own observations supported everything I was told at home and in Sunday school and my faith was strengthened accordingly.

I was well into adulthood before I learned the theological terms for God’s revelatory concepts. We are given special revelation in the Bible, while general revelation comes through the realm of physical creation where God reveals Himself to all persons in all places at all times. The Bible reveals the character and personality of God, and His love and plan for our lives. In a general way, creation reveals His handiwork, order, provision for our lives, and attention to detail. But, even as a child, I could see His revelation for myself.

One of my first memory verses when I was very small was Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” I looked around at a complex, diverse world that must have had a powerful designer. I had no trouble accepting that the world was formed by God, and reading various theories have never shaken that belief. It matters not to me whether He completed it in six literal days or not; however it happened, I believe He designed this wonderful world we live in.

During my teen years, though I never questioned God’s existence, I did experience doubts in many areas. A combination of both special and general revelation solidified my faith. If I believed that God was my creator and I believed that Jesus was my Savior, then what else could the Bible reveal as truth for my life? As I learned more of His Word, I also looked at principles of gravity and genetics and was overwhelmed at how much thought and care went into every detail of creation. I read of God’s love for me and His desire for fellowship with me, and experienced peace and contentment and other “revelatory” confirmations that my belief was not misplaced.

I don’t think I can recall every instance of creation confirming Scripture and vice-versa, but I know they have occurred frequently in my life. And the one truth that Jesus has confirmed for me countless times is “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Perhaps the faith I hold dear is inexplicable to nonbelievers. Perhaps I can’t formulate the right words to persuade another to join me in my beliefs. I’m quite certain that I won’t remember every term and explanation that might sound “reasonable” to a highly educated or logical person. However, if someone asks and is willing to accept the premise of my belief in God’s Word as the basis of all else, then I’m willing to share my journey with them and let the Holy Spirit use my words as He will.

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Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

May

15

By Tammi

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Categories: Encouragement, Faith, Music, Spiritual Growth

Blog name

Sometimes life seems like words and music that can’t quite become a song.

So, we cry inside, and we try again, and wonder what could be wrong.

But when we turn to the Lord at the end of ourselves, like we’ve done a time or two before,

we find His truth is the same as it has always been, we’ll never need more.


Chorus:

It’s not in trying, but in trusting.
It’s not in running, but in resting,
Not in wondering, but in praying
that we find the strength of the Lord

He’s all we need for our every need, we never need be alone.

Still, He’ll let us go if we choose to, to live life on our own.

Then the only good that will ever be said of the pains we find ourselves in,

they are places to gain the wisdom to say “I’ll never leave Him again.”

Chorus

It’s not in wondering, but in praying
that we find the strength of the Lord.

(The Strength of the Lord, as recorded by Larnelle Harris)

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Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

Apr

18

By Tammi

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Categories: Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth

Light at the End of the Tunnel (I think I may be in the wrong tunnel)

I like making a plan and following it through, even if it needs tweaking along the way.  I hate seeing my friends in discouraging circumstances, whether physical or situational or emotional, and I feel the need to do something to help or encourage besides pray.  I try to think of any little way I can take care of my husband and meet needs when he’s burdened by a load of work stress.

This week, not one of my plans has come to fruition, despite much tweaking.

I have multiple friends I’d like to help somehow right now, but at the top of the list are several about whom I can do nothing but pray — one heartsick and facing tough decisions; one in the hospital awaiting the results of tests and possible life changes; and two in limbo after a cross-country move, knowing that they heard and obeyed God but wondering what His plan is for their next step.

Between moving and the amount of time he has spent on the phone about work, not sleeping while he works, and staying late at work, I haven’t seen my husband much for the last week.  In fact, it really feels like I’m the only adult around here until everything gets done that needs to happen in the next two weeks.  And I’m most certainly not easing his load, since when he’s home I’m at the other house, or to tired to talk.

And then there are my two sick kids and the boxes everywhere…

Thank you God, that Mason sent encouragement this morning:  “I am often reminded that God didn’t promise to make our lives easier, but that we would endure may difficult things. He loves us more than any other, and sits as a refiner of precious metals. He puts us into the fire just long enough to allow the impurities to rise to the surface and be skimmed away. He knows that too long and we will be damaged, too short and the impurities will remain. One day soon we will be before Him in our glorified bodies, having been prepared by the author and finisher of our faith. May that day come soon!”


Amen!  Today would be a great time.

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Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

Feb

15

By Tammi

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Categories: Home, Spiritual Growth

40 Day Fast

We’re about to start the annual 40 Day Fast at church, and I physically can’t go without food for a great length of time but feel the need to participate this year.

Me: Maybe I should “fast” chocolate.

Kevin: How about coffee?

Me: (frowning) Not if you want me to educate your children, I have to be awake for that… I’m not sure about no chocolate for 40 days, though.

Kevin: If you give up chocolate for 40 days, then that also counts as my fast since I have to live with you.

So I’ll go 20 days, and then pray and decide whether to go another 10 or 20.  In the meantime, please don’t tempt me!

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Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.