tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48118494257367107512024-02-19T02:42:27.198-05:00Extraordinary 2010Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-43432099121212130052011-06-19T20:15:00.001-04:002011-06-20T14:34:10.428-04:00Happy Father's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIs7LBfdXtGetS3HqRmajElhoVVfV7jADkf65JEH4sPUgE2ENNSrVmHHBcYszRmIOERGiPtn6l4YHH15o2cOrAOfv10ETjU-uJ0OTHeLcUPOWTq_Fwqs-dz2nhAFaqjnFMnILVgFQe45Vp/s1600/DadsDay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIs7LBfdXtGetS3HqRmajElhoVVfV7jADkf65JEH4sPUgE2ENNSrVmHHBcYszRmIOERGiPtn6l4YHH15o2cOrAOfv10ETjU-uJ0OTHeLcUPOWTq_Fwqs-dz2nhAFaqjnFMnILVgFQe45Vp/s320/DadsDay.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>Here are a few of the many special things about our Daddy. This was written by Mommy, but I know the girls are blessed by them, too. <br />
<br />
1. After a long day of work, Daddy always sits on the seat next to LittleBit's highchair so that he can feed her. He knows that Mommy had to feed her throughout the day, and she is ready to sit down and actually enjoy a warm meal.<br />
2. When Daddy sees either of his girls, his whole face lights up and enthusiastically shouts, "Hi, Beautiful!" like he's never seen anything so precious in his life. I love that they'll never have to doubt their worth and true beauty, because they've been told by their daddy how beautiful they are every single day of their lives.<br />
3. All of us love the fun Parry lingo Daddy started in our family, like "Tootie-kissie" and "Bear (ROAR) Hug" and "Noggin." <br />
4. Whenever possible, Daddy gets Peanut up and has breakfast with her. One of her favorite things to do is to "have cereal with Daddy." I love watching the two of them sit next to each other and throw cheesy smiles at each other as they eat their bowl of cereal.<br />
5. Daddy slowly drives away from the house in the morning, so Peanut can wave to him from the window.<br />
6. When we go to parties, Daddy always makes sure to keep the girls busy so that Mommy can get food and eat (hmm, this post has been very revealing about how much Mommy loves to eat).<br />
7. Whenever possible, Daddy lets the girls help him with his projects/tasks.<br />
8. Daddy loves to get on the floor and play with them! This does not come naturally for Mommy, so I'm thankful that they have such a fun Dad.<br />
9. Daddy ALWAYS has Mommy's back (especially when it comes to discipline). Daddy and Mommy are always on the same team.<br />
10. For all of these and more, we think our Daddy is the very best God chose for us, and we can't thank Him enough! Happy Father's Day!Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-32367227274398251972011-05-29T22:03:00.002-04:002011-05-31T14:34:11.286-04:00Reflection on 2010So it’s almost June of 2011 and I have not completed my wrap-up post for 2010. This shows how insanely crazy our 2011 has been so far. <br />
I do plan to create a new blog in the near future, but I wanted to have a proper closure for this blog with a final wrap up post. Thank you to everyone – anyone – who has read any part of this blog.<br />
<br />
This is the summary of my “Extraordinary 2010.” Very contradictory to my nature, I will keep each point short.<br />
<br />
<b>E</b> – Ever more so in love with Jesus. Just that. The longer I live, the more in love with Him I become.<br />
<b>X</b> – Xtra dose of inspiration. I was inspired by so many people and resources around me. Jeff and Dusty. Kristi and her family. Shine. The Chapman family. Riley and her family. Growing Kids God’s Way curriculum & conference.<br />
<b>T</b> – Temporary vs. Eternal. This was probably the biggest benefit to keeping a blog for 2010. It helped me to keep things in perspective…what’s really important and what’s not. What should take priority over other things. What really makes an eternal impact and what doesn’t.<br />
<b>R</b> – Rainy days. Like any other year, we had our share (see <a href="http://extraordinary2010.blogspot.com/2010/04/simple-trust-health-and-finance.html">Simple Trust, Health and Finance</a>). God showed Himself faithful, as always (see <a href="http://extraordinary2010.blogspot.com/2010/05/great-is-thy-faithfulness.html">Great is Thy Faithfulness</a>).<br />
<b>A</b> – Another baby. Hmm, yes, as cute as they are, and as easy-going of a baby Little Bit was, having two definitely has been no easy task. Allan and I are still not big fans of the newborn stage. <br />
<b>O</b> – Organizing and facilitating a parenting class. What an endeavor – we learned so much through the curriculum and through asking my mentor about the questions that would come up in class. Great times.<br />
<b>R</b> – Running. I started to run. There are so many principles I learn about my relationship with God through running. Maybe I’ll blog about that someday.<br />
<b>D</b> – Doing life together with family and friends. This is what us Parrys do best. Aside from loving God first, we love people! We love spending time with people. Just like any other year, 2010 was full of visitors – and we also took a trip to visit family in Boston.<br />
<b>I</b> – Increase and expansion of Allan’s business. With this blessing also came added stress. We had to reprioritize and reorganize our schedules and tasks.<br />
<b>N</b> – No longer in 30’s…for my husband, that is! We celebrated his big 4-0 (and our friend Paul’s) through a surprise party.<br />
<b>A</b> – Alisa (Peanut) is still a hoot! Two-year-old stage was even more challenging than the previous years. Potty training was a long process. She began preschool and had a blast from Day 1.<br />
<b>R</b> – Relaxing holidays. We really enjoyed a stress-free holiday season this year. Our schedules were not too crammed, and we kept shopping to a bare minimum. We just enjoyed and celebrated each other!<br />
<b>Y</b> – Year-End Celebration = LittleBit’s 1st birthday! And there was no better reason to celebrate. This baby girl brought so much JOY to us and Peanut during her first year. Since the day she learned to smile, she never stopped. Since the day she learned to giggle and laugh, she never stopped. Joy, joy, joy. We also LOVE watching the development of a lifelong bond between our two daughters. How blessed we are! <br />
<br />
<i>Thank you again, for peaking into a part of my life through this blog. At this rate, I don’t know when my new blog will be ready, so I will continue posting periodically on this blog for now – so please stop by again.</i>Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-81908699747630310302011-01-04T16:55:00.000-05:002011-01-04T16:55:52.516-05:00Choosing to SEEFor Christmas, my husband bought me the book <i>Choosing to SEE</i> by Mary Beth Chapman. I’ve been so inspired by this family since their tragic accident, and even more so this year when Allan and I had a chance to see them in concert a few months back. For those of you who may not know, Steven Curtis Chapman is a well-known Christian singer/songwriter. I’ve been listening to his music since I started attending a Christian school in seventh grade. I was always moved by Steven and his wife Mary Beth’s story of adoption. After they had three children, they decided to adopt three girls from China. On May of 2008, a tragic car accident took the life of their youngest adopted daughter, Maria. Their son Will was driving the SUV that hit Maria (You can watch a recent interview with the Chapman family on <i>Good Morning America</i> by clicking <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/FallConcert/video/steven-chapman-nominated-15th-grammy-award-12498934">here</a>). From the day of this terrible accident, this family has constantly poured out to others with their songs and stories of HOPE that they have gained through their darkest moments. Mary Beth published an autobiography that described the journey of her life, and how she had seen God’s hand every step of the way. No words would give justice to how inspired I was. I read it in three days (it would have been one day if I didn’t have two girls to take care of!). <br />
She was brutally honest and open in her book. She described her pain in such authentic and tangible ways. I cried a lot (sometimes uncontrollably), but her sense of humor also made me laugh out loud many times. Her message was clear: the pain is REAL. It hurts. Many times, it’s unbearable. But because she has God, she has true HOPE. She can choose to SEE this hope in midst of her pain. <br />
When Allan and I saw them in concert, Steven sang a very well-known hymn, “It Is Well with My Soul.” <br />
<br />
<i>When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, </i><br />
<i>When sorrows like sea billows roll; </i><br />
<i>Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,</i><br />
<i> It is well, it is well, with my soul.</i><br />
<br />
Steven also shared the history behind this hymn. The writer of this hymn, Horatio Gates Spafford, had received news that his four daughters were killed in a shipwreck. While sailing across the Atlantic to reunite with his wife (the only survivor in his family from the wreck), he was shown the place where his daughters had died. He then went into his cabin and penned the words above.<br />
It’s hard to believe that someone can truly say, “It is well with my soul,” after such tragedy. Yet after reading Mary Beth’s book, along with other stories of real hope I’ve encountered, and even reflecting on my own life, I know without a doubt that it was not a fake front that Spafford was trying to display. Even in midst of the most unthinkable pain, even when you don’t know if you can breathe, there is hope that can only come from God. It surpasses human logic. It surpasses all the painful emotions. It’s rooted in the deepest part of our being…that’s the part that he knew was going to be OK. Why? Because God dwells in that deepest place, along with all that comes with Him (His peace, His strength, and even His joy). It doesn’t mean it won't be difficult, but God provides the strength. It doesn’t mean it won’t be painful, but God provides the comfort. It doesn’t mean there won’t be despair, but God provides the HOPE. There’s a voice that’s louder than the pain that says, “You are mine. I am with you. You are going to be okay.” How do I know this? Because although I have not experienced pain to such depth, I too have heard this same voice many times…and it’s been more real to me than anything I’ve heard with my ears. <br />
In her book, Mary Beth constantly shared how she had to choose to SEE this truth, even in midst of darkness. The pain is not something she’ll ever get over, but she’ll get through it. She recently posted this in her <a href="http://marybethchapman.com/">blog</a>: “<i>My heart is broken, cracked and glued back together and the process hurts! Maria is my baby, and I’m temporarily living this Earthly life without her. On any given day, it still takes my breath away, and on any given day, I don’t want to get up. I’ve been mad, mean, angry and fist shaking still, and still, I have a patient Heavenly Father pursuing me and healing me bit by bit. That is what gives me the Hope to put one foot in front of the other, and walk towards heaven. I’m on my way Maria, I can’t wait to SEE you and all that slobber you took with you. The tears still come, and my heart still broke, but I am claiming the truth that I will SEE you again.</i>”<br />
This song that Steven wrote after their loss brings me to tears every time:<br />
“<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7z_3axDwI0">Just Have To Wait</a>” (words and music by Steven Curtis Chapman)<br />
<br />
<i>Well, I can't wait to SEE your smile again,<br />
The one when your eyes disappear along with all my troubles<br />
And I can't wait to hear you sing a song<br />
Maybe “Jesus Loves Me” or a song you learned up there<br />
<br />
I can't wait to hear your mama laugh<br />
The way that only you can make her laugh when you get silly<br />
And I can't wait to SEE you in her arms<br />
I know the wound so deep inside her heart is healed for good<br />
<br />
And I can't wait to dance with you again<br />
Knowing that this time we dance, we'll never have to end<br />
<br />
And I can't wait to SEE your sisters play<br />
The way they do when all of you are playing all together<br />
I can't wait to watch your brother's face<br />
When he can finally SEE with his own eyes<br />
Everything's okay<br />
<br />
But I, oh, I just have to wait<br />
'Cause I know that day is coming<br />
So I, oh, I just have to wait</i><br />
<br />
My prayer is that whoever is reading this…that you truly have this HOPE that goes beyond yourself and this world. Hope that you can cling on to, even in your darkest hours. This hope has a name…His name is Jesus.<br />
<br />
PS. I will be posting my final post for this blog soon. I plan to start another one in February (which will include the stories of <a href="http://extraordinary2010.blogspot.com/2010/09/faithhopelove-intro.html">FaithHopeLove</a> that I mentioned a few posts back).Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-79828611991703551442010-12-12T15:37:00.007-05:002010-12-16T16:03:00.948-05:00Loss of Focus<span xmlns=""><b>Ephesians 1:11 (The Message): It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.</b><br />
Well this last month showed how I can be when I don't rely on God to keep me in the right focus. I did exactly what I said we shouldn't do in my <a href="http://extraordinary2010.blogspot.com/2010/11/dreams-for-my-children.html">last post</a> (which I had actually written at beginning of November). Since then, I became consumed in the busyness of the holiday chaos and lost sight of what's really important. Things were going well until the Be Her Freedom Run. I had a great run, and I was determined to keep the right perspective as I entered the holiday season. I then went into a "vacation mode" when my hubby went away to deer camp and my best friend from college came to visit for a week. That was a fun week. After she left, my hubby returned, and life went back into the routine. Instead of regaining my focus though, I found myself getting overwhelmed in all my everyday affairs. I don't even know all of what took place; I blinked and now we're way into December.<br />
During this past month, I'm sad to say, I did not spend my daily time with God and His Word. I stopped going to the gym, which was usually time spent not only releasing my stress by exercising, but also gaining some valuable insights and wisdom through the podcasts I'd listen to. I basically became unplugged to the True Source (as the verse above says) of who I am and what I'm living for. And it showed. I knew something was seriously wrong when my husband humbly suggested that we should reexamine our daily tasks, because the stress is getting to me too much. I was very irritable and short with everyone around me. I became stressed way too quickly and easily. I had no peace. This is who I am when I'm unplugged from my Source, when my focus is off the eternal perspective and purpose.<br />
I became consumed with all the temporary things. I hated that our house is not as festively decorated as others. I felt so guilty that a year later, our youngest LittleBit's room was still not decorated. I felt that I needed more clothes for myself and nicer things for our house. All of a sudden, there were so many things "lacking." What a difference from when I wrote this post: <a href="http://extraordinary2010.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-wish-list.html">My Wish List</a>. I also began to take it out on my family. I grew up as an only child, always having control of my surroundings. I became angry every time I couldn't have complete control because one of my children did something unexpectedly.<br />
This is who I am without Jesus. I'm a mess. I'm an unhealthy perfectionist who also expects too much from others. I'm a spaz attack waiting to happen. I'm too tense and stressed out. I'm so thankful that my husband was honest enough to raise the red flag. It's never fun to have your faults be noticed (especially for a perfectionist), but it was much needed. We talked about it, we examined it, and we came up with some changes we need to make. I began to regain my focus. I opened up my Bible this morning, and these were the words that I read:<b> </b><br />
<b>Ephesians 1:15-19 (The Message): I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!</b><br />
How Great is my God. Thank You, Jesus, that You are always my source…of wisdom and strength and purpose. Even when I lose sight, You always bring me back to You. In You I always find who I am really meant to be.<br />
<br />
PS. In midst of all this, perhaps due to the stress, I've been having trouble keeping weight on. I know that many would consider this a good problem to have, but as most of you know, I don't have much weight I can afford to lose. We're trying to figure out a right diet for me to gain more calories. I'd appreciate your prayers.<br />
</span>Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-54119986839500926952010-11-29T20:41:00.000-05:002010-11-29T20:41:28.531-05:00Dreams for My ChildrenAs the holidays approach, it’s sometimes easy to get consumed in the “busyness” and lose sight of what’s really important. We spend so much time preparing costumes, decorating the house, preparing big feasts, etc. I’m not saying it’s wrong to focus on holiday traditions. In fact, family identity is often strengthened through traditions. However, as with all things, we must keep a balanced perspective of what’s temporal and what’s eternal. This year, more than ever before, God has pressed firmly on my heart that the “here and now” is not our eternal home. This life is only temporary. The costumes, the decorations, the gifts, and the feasts will all fade away. My child’s spirit will last forever. I know that holiday traditions do play a role in building security in my child’s spirit…they help her to know she has a family full of love and laughter. But does she also know about giving as much as receiving? Does she know about serving as much as being entertained?<br />
I do not throw the best birthday or holiday parties. I do not know how to sew, so I don’t even try to make my children’s costumes. My cooking skill is only so-so, and I do not know many nursery rhymes. I realized though that these things fall more into the “temporary” category. They are not bad things to focus on, but at the end of the day, I want to make sure I’ve spent more time and energy on eternal values. How did I help my child to experience God’s love today? How is she learning to demonstrate virtues such as self-control and kindness? How did I help her to cultivate healthy relationships? During the holiday seasons, I want our family traditions to look like this: we have fun going trick-or-treating, then the following weekend we always participate in the Be Her Freedom Run as a family. We enjoy a big feast with our extended families for Thanksgiving, and we visit the elderly people who do not have a family. For Christmas, the children choose one item they received to give away to a child who didn’t receive any gifts.<br />
My dream is that my children will become world-changers for God. My dream is that when they grow up, they will say, “My mother made our holidays fun, but more importantly, she paved a way for me to discover all that God has called me to be.” My dream is that they will impact their children’s lives for eternity. <br />
<i>Lord, help me to use every moment I have with them to make this dream into a reality.</i>Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-28455118511152629482010-10-28T14:38:00.003-04:002010-10-28T15:01:02.038-04:00My Wish ListI'm still in the process of posting my first FaithHopeLove story, but there are a couple of events happening next week that I wanted to call everyone's attention to. <br />
The main reason I'm writing today is to ask for your participation in either or both of the two upcoming events our family will be a part of. This year, more than ever before, God has pressed on my heart that my life is not about the "here and now" - it's not about getting what I want in my life, achieving the American dream, and living for the temporary things that will fade away. It's not even about having a happy family, good friends, and a successful career. Those goals are not bad, but God's purpose for my life goes way beyond that. It's about making a true, lasting difference for God with His love. Allan and I both feel strongly that this is the kind of perspective we desire to instill in our children: it's about giving, not receiving. It's about serving, not being served. It's about making eternal impact, not gaining temporary satisfaction.<br />
<div>Our girls will be right alongside us (in their double stroller) as we participate in these two events, which we believe God will use to make eternal impact in the lives of many.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Please read the description about each event and how you can help in either (or both). Your participation is greatly appreciated. </div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><b>Event #1: Light the Night Walk for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on November 4th</b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><b><a href="http://pages.lightthenight.org/ncfl/Jacksonv10/BraveWarriors">http://pages.lightthenight.org/ncfl/Jacksonv10/BraveWarriors</a> </b></span></span></div><div>Please visit our team's webpage and read about our friend from church, Dusty Williams. She has recently battled Leukemia and is now in remission. You can donate through our team's webpage.</div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><b>Event #2: Be Her Freedom Run on November 6th</b></span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://www.beherfreedomrun.com/">www.beherfreedomrun.com</a> </span></span></b></div><div>Slavery and human trafficking still exist in America and all around the world. Be Her Freedom Run was organized to raise awareness of this crime and to raise funds to rescue young girls who are victims of this crime. Please visit the Be Her Freedom Run website for more info. </div><div>If you live in the Jacksonville area, please consider participating in this run/walk (you can register through the website).</div><div>If you live out of town and would like to donate, please send your donation check to our church address below (please be sure to make a note on your check that it is for Be Her Freedom Run). You can also send a fax to the church with your credit card number.</div><div>Celebration Church</div><div>P.O. Box 551341 <br />
Jacksonville, FL 32255 <br />
<b>Fax</b>: 904-737-4705 </div><div><br />
</div><div>We appreciate your support in any capacity. We understand that times are tough for many of us. Please also know that these two events happened to be occurring around the same time - I don't plan to make a habit of using my blog to ask for donations :)</div><div>For close families/friends - if you were kind enough to consider giving us a gift for Christmas or birthdays, please consider giving to either event instead and we'll accept them as your gift to us. Thank you!</div><div><br />
</div><div>God bless you all.</div>Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-38708072906457294092010-09-29T16:06:00.000-04:002010-09-29T16:06:33.439-04:00FaithHopeLove: Intro<b>1 Corinthians 13:13 (New Living Translation): Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love.</b><br />
So how do I live my life in a way that makes a difference for eternity? God’s Word says that three things will last forever: <i>faith, hope, </i>and<i> love</i>. I desire to display faith, hope, and love through every detail of how I live my life. I also desire to write stories of many others who live out their faith, hope, and love. <br />
Now at this point, I must set and explain the prerequisite for the stories of faith, hope, and love that I am planning to share on this blog. These faith, hope, and love that the Bible talks about – it’s not referring to <i>any</i> kind of faith, hope, and love. Bible is clear that Jesus, the Son of God, is the source of <i>true</i> faith, hope, and love. I know that I am making a very bold statement and may even have offended someone just now. Some may call me an elitist, or narrow-minded, or naïve, or simply wrong. However, if you’ve spent any time with me at all, I hope you know me to be a person who is well-grounded, sensible, and humble. I also hope that you see my life as one that displays faith, hope, and love on a regular basis. How can I be convinced that only Jesus is the true source of these things? First, as I already stated, God’s Word (the Bible) proclaims this truth; secondly, God’s Holy Spirit confirms this truth to me; and thirdly, what I’ve experienced in my life and what I’ve seen/heard others experience all reaffirm this truth. These God-written, real-life stories of faith, hope, and love – they are what I desire to write about from now on. I plan to include my own stories along the way.<br />
Whether you agree with me or not on Jesus being the true source, I do pray that you’ll take a moment to read my stories. I’ve walked with God for more than fourteen years now, and I’ve found this verse to be true time and time again: <b>“To You they cried out and were delivered; In You they trusted and were not disappointed (Psalm 22:5).”</b> When people’s faith, hope, and love are placed in God, they are never disappointed. Without a real, personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus, I do not believe the same level of faith, hope, and love is possible to experience. You will discover in my stories that these people who placed all of their eggs in one basket (Jesus) had peace and strength in midst of their darkest circumstances. It’s the kind of peace that does not make sense or is uncommon to rest the world. However, the common denominator of all these stories is Jesus. When we draw our faith, hope, and love from Him, we never run out…in fact, we receive added blessings such as peace and strength. <br />
Again, my truest intention is not to offend anyone. I desire, from the bottom of my heart, for everyone that reads my blog to experience this extraordinary faith, hope, and love. Ask yourself this in all honesty: <i>Do I have the kind of faith, hope, and love in my life that never disappoints me?</i> If you don’t, I ask that you open up your heart, and allow these stories to inspire you to seek the same kind of faith, hope, and love. If you do, I pray that your faith, hope, and love will be strengthened to even a greater level after you read these stories. <br />
<b>“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”</b> <i>–Jesus Christ</i>Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-43585557809099479302010-09-21T21:05:00.001-04:002010-09-21T21:08:27.129-04:00Turning Over a New LeafWell, here I am. 2010 is nearing its end in a few months, and this is only my 16th post (and three of them I kind of cheated…I cut and pasted what I wrote for our MOPS newsletter). I obviously was not able to blog as much as I wanted to, but truly, what an extraordinary year this has been for me. On the outside, it may look like any other year (besides having a new baby and all). But that’s why I really wanted to blog about what God has done on the inside – how radical this year was for me in my walk with God. <br />
I just reread what I wrote when I started this blog. In the description of my blog, I said this: In 2010, I want to be more strategic about creating "space" for God to move...and allow Him to make this year more extraordinary than ever before. In my <a href="http://extraordinary2010.blogspot.com/2010/02/beginning.html">first post</a>, I said I had two goals for this year: 1. I want to strategically concentrate more on my love relationship with Jesus and what He wants to do in my life (instead of always being consumed by the affairs of my family). 2. I believe God desires to increase boldness in me, which will lead this year to be more extraordinary than ever before.<br />
Looking back now, I don’t think I quite realized how God was going to make this year more “extraordinary.” When I read over my goals again, I realized that God had a much higher goal set for me than what I had set for myself. What He has shown me these past several months is this: He desires for my life to make a difference for eternity and bring Him much fame. This goes beyond the goals of just concentrating on my love relationship with Jesus or the affairs of my family. It goes beyond concentrating on a specific character trait such as boldness. Those are still important, and God did allow me to grow in those areas this year. In the process, He revealed to me even a bigger picture of what my life is about. God has me on a mission; I am called to show my world who God is and make an impact for eternity. My family is on the same mission. Our focus should not be on how comfortable and pleasant of a life we make for ourselves during this short time on earth. We have a much higher purpose than that. God is in the business of bringing people to Himself, showing them His salvation through His Son, and restoring (or transforming) their lives with His love. I desire to dedicate my life for this cause, and I want to do it with everything I’ve got.<br />
To put it in a nutshell (if I’m capable of such a thing), God gave me a greater passion for His people that are lost or hurting, who desperately need Him, than I’ve ever had previous to this year. Many events and inspiring stories have caused this passion inside of me to rise this year. All I know is that I can’t stay silent anymore. I desire to tell, to write, to do whatever I can to unleash this passion. <br />
One of the ways I desire to put this passion into action is through this blog. I want to write about God’s amazing, <i>real-</i><i>life </i>stories of faith, hope, and love. More on this to come shortly…<br />
<b>Psalm 105:1-2 (New Living Translation): Give thanks to the L<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">ord</span> and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.</b>Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-44890620555360690262010-08-14T15:47:00.000-04:002010-08-14T15:47:36.502-04:00Whispers of His Love<i>Here is another article I wrote for our MOPS newsletter. It was a crazy summer, and I wasn't able to blog as much as I wanted to. I'm hoping to spend more time blogging as we enter into a new routine for the fall. </i> <br />
<br />
<b>Isaiah 30:15 (New International Version): In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.</b> <br />
I had a classic stressed-out-mommy-moment the other day. I was on my way home with my girls after grocery shopping, and it was approaching their naptime. Some of the groceries needed to go in the fridge immediately, the baby needed to be fed, and the toddler needed to go down for a nap – fast. Did I also mention how hungry I was? They all required my attention simultaneously. Since I’m not so gifted in multi-tasking, I sort of panicked and felt lost on what to do first. As always, I turned to God. He gave me the right perspective: “Just breathe, do one thing at a time, and remember that in Me you have all the wisdom and strength you need.” God whispered His love to me as I prayed.<br />
A friend from church recently delivered her first baby. Shortly after this joyous occasion, she was told that she had cancer. She had to send her newborn baby home with other family members, while she stayed at the hospital to begin her battle with cancer. She is starting a blog about walking this journey with God’s strength and grace. Whether we are facing numerous mundane tasks or one giant trial, we all need God’s love to rescue us from our troubles.<br />
God does not shout His love at us. God asks us to be still (cease striving) and to be in tune to hearing His whispers of love. It may be in a song we hear. It may be in a smile we receive from our kids. It may be in a kiss from our husbands. It may be in an encouraging note from a friend. It may be in the comfort and peace we receive when we cry out to Him…literally. When was the last time you noticed God whispering His love to you? Remember these moments, and look for these moments next time you face any kind of trouble. Our loving Father longs to quiet us with His love (Zeph 3:17), just as we as moms long to quiet our little ones with our love.<br />
Most importantly, the Bible is God’s love letter to us. We can always turn to it and read about how much He loves us. “The righteous person has many troubles, but the Lord rescues him from all of them” (Psalm 34:19). “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love which Christ Jesus our Lord shows us” (Romans 8:38). “For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 100:5). Bible is clear: God’s love is everlasting. God’s grace is sufficient. God is our ever-present help. God is our strong tower. God is love. <br />
<b>Isaiah 30:18, 19 (New International Version): Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you.</b>Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-2238681502216439552010-07-11T19:08:00.001-04:002010-07-11T19:39:52.231-04:00The Heart of Who I Am<i>This was another article I wrote for our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) newsletter this month.</i><br />
As women, we sometimes struggle with all the different hats we have to put on. We are moms, wives (or if you’re a single mom, you have to be a “dad” also), daughters, friends, employees, etc. For every person that we encounter, we seem to have to put on a different hat. We have to remember though, that these are “roles” that God has given us, and none of them alone defines who we are.<br />
Recently my husband and I had an opportunity to discuss our faith with family members who do not share the same faith. Just the thought of sharing my faith used to scare me. However, as I explained to the best of my ability who Jesus is to me and why the Bible is so important to me, something inside of me was “unleashed.” I believe it was my heart. The “heart” of who I am was revealed in what I said, and I believe God was smiling at me as if to say, “That’s it! I want you to show more of your heart to everyone around you.” The truth is, if God really <i>is</i> everything to me, if He’s at the center of who I am, then He <i>will</i> be revealed in my speech and actions, as I unveil more of my heart to everyone around me. God desires for each of us to be more intentional at doing this, despite whichever hat we’re wearing.<br />
Now we spend a lot of time wearing the “Mom” hat. I’ve been seeking guidance from God on how I can reveal more of my “heart” to my 2-year-old. One of the ways is that I always make sure I pray with her throughout the day when I need God’s help. I want her to know that God is my strength. I also try to explain my heart behind every discipline, even if she may not understand all of what I’m saying. I don’t want to simply focus on molding her outward behavior; I want her heart to connect with mine…and ultimately with God’s heart. I say to her, “It’s important to obey Mommy and Daddy, because it will help you to obey God. He loves you and has the best plan for you, and you will receive all the blessings He has for you as you learn to obey Him.” <br />
1 Samuel 16:7 says, “People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” People will naturally see first the “role” that we play. It will take more effort on our part to reveal the “heart” of who we are. But if Jesus is at the heart of who we are, too much is at stake to not reveal it.Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-50030616870094463902010-06-25T15:24:00.002-04:002010-06-25T21:09:09.009-04:00The Secret of Marriage<div style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Ephesians 5:31-33 (New Living Translation): As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.</b></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Today, my husband and I have been married for four years. To both of us, that number seems too small. We always say to each other, "It feels like we've been married forever...in a good way!" It really does...because it's hard to remember what the previous chapter of my life was like before I met Allan. We began dating only about five years ago, and I had lived 25 years of my life without him. Yet these last five years seem more "natural" and "right" to me than all my other years without him. When the Bible talks about "two are united into one," it makes total sense in my heart. Wherever we are, when I'm with Allan, that's when I'm "home." My life makes sense more when it's joined with his life. Not that my life was incomplete or didn't make sense before him; it's that my life is more complete, more abundant, more...extraordinary. I see it as two canvases that make up a whole picture. Each canvas viewed separately is beautiful and doesn't seem to be lacking anything, but when it's put together with the other canvas, viewers are amazed at how extraordinary this picture really was. That's the best way I can explain it.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Matthew 16:24 (New Living Translation): Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.”</b> </div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Now, as wonderful as marriage is for us, I want to also address the challenges we face in marriage. Our first year together (this was actually before we were married) was by far the most challenging time we faced together. We had to deal with tough issues from the very beginning. For me, these included learning to tear down the walls of fear and build trust, learning the differences between male and female (I've had very few relations with the male gender before I met him), learning how to communicate with someone from polar opposite background/personality, overcoming my unrealistic expectations, and so on, and so on. It was always about "me" for the first 25 years of my life...I was the leading character, and it was all about what I wanted. I sort of thought that he came as my knight in shining armor to fulfill the desires I couldn't fulfill by myself, but it was still "all about me." As I started learning more about the truth of marriage, it became less and less challenging. I'm not saying that we've learned everything we need to...or that we don't have times when we still aggravate each other. More often than I'd like, I find myself thinking, "I would not have said it like that, or used that kind of tone, or done it that way." I start pondering on how my way is not done, my every desire is not met, my feelings are bothered, my, my, my. But before I go down this path of "all about me," I turn to God, and I ask Him to help me renew my mind. If marriage is supposed to mirror Christ's relationship with the church, then it has to be all about commitment and sacrifice. I've found that marriage is the best opportunity God gives us to practice the above verse of "turning from our selfish ways."</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">I believe this is the secret of marriage. Pastor Kerri quoted this phrase from someone that said it perfectly: "Marriage is hard only if you want to be selfish." That's why there are hard times for 100% of marriages that exist...we all have a selfish nature. It's "natural" to think of ourselves first. Marriage is a great opportunity God gives us to practice how to be "unselfish," which is totally against our nature. But when both parties involved practice and build this character, their marriage does start to mirror Christ's relationship with the church, which of course is love like no other. </div><div style="font-family: inherit;">The last thing I want to say about marriage in this post is that we can't do it by ourselves. Because we have a selfish nature, we need a power source beyond our human nature to help us and teach us how to be unselfish. I remembered a quote from the movie <i>Runaway Bride</i>: "It takes three people to make our marriage work: him, me, and our therapist." I agree that it takes three people to make our marriage work: him, me, and the Creator of our lives and the Sustainer of our marriage - God. Allan and I are very much aware that daily we need God's help and guidance. As we walk together with God as our lead, we know that we can overcome any struggle and enjoy all the blessings He has for us. The main goal we have for our marriage, and for our family, is that we glorify God. How great our marriage is shows only a glimpse of how Great our God is!</div>Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-89270106848853079672010-05-31T12:58:00.000-04:002010-05-31T12:58:39.146-04:00Discover Your Child<i>This is an article I wrote for our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) newsletter this month.</i> <br />
As we just kicked off our summer semester with MOPS, I’m excited to see what this new season will bring to us individually and to our group as a whole. Summer can be a challenging season for some of us. If you have older children, they may be home more during summer, which means you will have to come up with more creative activities to occupy their time. If you are like me and love to stick with routines, summer season can often mess up our usual schedule, and we find ourselves needing to be more flexible. <br />
Whatever kind of summer we may be facing, I thought it wouldn’t hurt for us to have a simple goal in mind as we begin our summer season with our little ones: DISCOVER YOUR CHILD(REN). Those were the words God brought to my attention as I thought about my summer with my girls. I looked up the definition of “discover,” and among them were the following: find something or someone unexpectedly or in course of a search, become aware of a fact or situation, be the first to find or observe, <i>be the first to recognize the potential of</i>. Mothers, can we ask for any higher calling than this? How blessed are we, that we can be the first to recognize the potential of our children. <br />
<b>“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve <i>(or discover)</i> the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9-10, italics mine)</b>. I love the Amplified Bible version of this last verse: <b>“So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best].”</b> When I apply this principle to motherhood, I think of God entrusting us to discover the hidden treasures He placed in our children when He made them. Not only are we to discover them, but we are to prize or celebrate them.<br />
It’s easy to get busy in the chaos of summer and lose sight of this important task. But in midst of the chaos, let’s stop and watch: what kind of things really excites your child? What is he passionate about? What are her God-given qualities? What breaks your little one’s heart? Let us discover these things, and pray for guidance on how we as mothers can celebrate these hidden treasures and polish them for God’s glory.Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-34790472687603880282010-05-16T22:41:00.000-04:002010-05-16T22:41:35.335-04:00A Life Worthy of His Call<b>2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 (New Living Translation): So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.</b><br />
I'm having a really hard time summarizing what I experienced at <a href="http://www.shineinc.org/">Shine </a>(which is the annual women's conference hosted by <a href="http://www.celebration.org/">our church</a>).<b> </b>This year's experience was like no other, and it's been difficult to find words to describe it (although my husband may beg to differ; I've been talking about it to him non-stop). I wrote an entire post about it, but I ended up deleting it. It didn't "click" with what I really wanted to say. Then this morning as I was reading my Bible, I came across the passage above. It summarized for me perfectly the "treasure" I came out of the conference with: A treasure-chest full of challenge, motivation, confidence, and <i>courage</i>. When I first began this blog, I mentioned that God is calling me to increase my boldness. Courage was the main theme of this year's conference. I know that was not a coincidence.<br />
The speakers were amazing. They <i>challenged</i> us to wake up and open our eyes to what's going on around us. We are in midst of a broken and hurting world; God wants to use us to reach out and help. They <i>motivated</i> us to not stay within our comfortable lifestyle - that is not the ultimate destiny for our lives. We must trust and follow God...wherever He leads us. They imparted us with <i>confidence</i> that we can be all that God called us to be. This "calling" goes way beyond our temporal issues or our immediate surroundings. It's not about having a "local" Christianity: a nice home with 2.5 kids and going to church every week, talking the Christian talk and busying ourselves with church activities. They may be <i>good </i>things, but we are called for so much more than that. We are called to do <i>great</i> things for God. We are called to be a light in the darkness. We are called to make a difference in this world. Finally, they imparted us with <i>courage</i> that we can lead a life worthy of this calling.<br />
I came out of it ready to conquer the world! But wait...I'm still me, a wife and a stay-at-home mommy to two little girls. How can I apply what I learned practically in my everyday life? God still wants me to be diligent in the post He assigned me to: Seek God first daily, be the best wife and mom I can be, be a loyal friend, stay involved in the ministries of my church, and share Christ's love in the daily realms I encounter (such as in my classroom or with extended families/friends). But I've also been challenged to go beyond my usual realms. I want to do more to reach out to this broken world, starting with my city/community. A thought popped into my head that perhaps I can visit convalescent or retirement homes with the girls. What a blessing their presence will be to the people there, and what better way to introduce my girls to the cause of Christ we are committed to as a family.<br />
After Shine, there also was a shift in my attitude of what our future is "supposed" to be like. I no longer picture a comfortable, risk-free life that's all planned out. That used to be my dream. I figured, we have our two girls now, we'll adopt two more (a desire God placed in our hearts a few years ago), we'll eventually buy a bigger car & house, we'll continue to have a great marriage, our children will be well-behaved, and there...everyone is happy. While they are not bad things to hope for, I now know that God has so much more in store for my life. It's not about what I want. What I want is so limited, temporal, and predictable. What God has for me is limitless, eternal, and totally unpredictable. THAT's the extraordinary adventure I want!<br />
After we had our most recent baby, I began to scare my husband by saying I may want to birth another "baby" before we adopt. I then went to the Shine conference, and God confirmed my desire to adopt. I sent my hubby this text: "You can relax now, God gave me another confirmation that we're supposed to adopt." His reply: "I was never worried. God may give us confirmation to birth the next Billy Graham in 5 years. Who are we to question Him?" He already was on the same page, and he didn't even attend the conference! Who are we to know what the best plan for our lives is? Who are we to question what God brings our way? God's plans, unlike ours, are not based on emotions or temporal hypes or limited mindsets. At this point, we have no idea how many children God has in store for us (through my womb or someone else's). I don't know yet the details of how I will be able to make a difference in this world...this week, this month, this year, and beyond. Nevertheless, my response to God is same as that of Isaiah, "Here am I. Send me." Everyday, God, show me, prompt me, lead me, use me...wherever You can, in whatever capacity You choose. I want to live a life worthy of Your calling.Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-66986115758410464882010-05-08T09:01:00.001-04:002010-05-08T09:02:47.545-04:00Great is Thy Faithfulness<b>Lamentations 3:22-26 (New International Version): Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. </b><br />
I cannot believe it has been three weeks since my last post. My goal was to blog a post every week, but as always, I accomplish about half the things on my "To Do" list everyday. <b> </b>I'm finally forcing myself to take a moment to blog. I wanted to blog an update on the prayer requests I posted regarding <a href="http://extraordinary2010.blogspot.com/2010/04/simple-trust-health-and-finance.html">Health and Finances</a> (with a big THANK YOU to those who have been praying for our family).<br />
We've been free of any kind of sickness for a few weeks now (except for minor allergy issues...but that just comes with living in Florida). Peanut has not brought any bugs home lately; LittleBit had her four-month check-up and seemed to be in top condition. Praise God for a sick-free household!<br />
Things have turned around for the better in our finances as well. Thanks to the tax credit for new homebuyers that ended in April, Allan was super busy in real estate towards end of the month. Our home-based business is on the upswing as well. I was planning on not going back to my part-time job until the fall semester, because I didn't think there would be a class time for the summer that fits with my nursing schedule. However, as always, God surprised me by surpassing my expectations. Out of the blue, my dean called me and asked if I wanted to teach a class that could not have fit my schedule any better. It will just be one class, but right now we welcome any additional income God brings our way (not to mention it will be a nice two-hour getaway for me twice a week to play a different role than Mommy). <br />
God's faithfulness has never failed me. I knew this time would not be different, and God came through yet again. My appreciation and my awe of Him continue to grow, and grow, and grow. That's what I love about my relationship with Him. Because of how He had carried me through every trial in the past, I have strength, faith, and hope that allow me to endure every new trial. But at the end of the tunnel of my new trial, I find myself in even greater state of faith and thankfulness. No matter how much faith and appreciation I've built up to this point, there's always room for growth and expansion. It is truly an extraordinary adventure. I desire no other way to live.<br />
A famous hymn describes perfectly what's on my heart today.<br />
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Great is Thy Faithfulness (lyrics by Thomas Chisholm)<br />
<br />
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my father! <br />
There is no shadow of turning with Thee; <br />
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not: <br />
As thou hast been Thou forever wilt be. <br />
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Great is Thy faithfulness, Great is Thy faithfulness, <br />
Morning by morning new mercies I see: <br />
<b>All I have needed Thy hand hath provided</b> <br />
<b>Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me! </b><br />
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Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest, <br />
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above, <br />
Join with all nature in manifold witness <br />
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. <br />
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Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth. <br />
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide, <br />
<b>Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow <br />
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!</b>Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-16309668988642497202010-04-17T16:22:00.005-04:002010-05-08T09:03:57.452-04:00Sweet ConfirmationWell, just as I was the last one in the family to catch the stomach bug, it turned out that I was the last one in the family to catch this cold virus. As a mother I've learned that what's almost as difficult to experience as taking care of a sick child is myself being sick when I have children to feed and care for. The worst of the storm was yesterday for me, and thankfully, I'm feeling much better today.<br />
Needless to say, we are still in midst of the trials I mentioned in my last post. This week, as I continued to seek God through these trials, He gave me some sweet confirmations (or encouragement) to let me know that I was on the right track, that I was handling these current situations exactly the way He wants me to. <br />
On Wednesday, I attended our weekly Celebration Sisterhood gathering at church. Pastor Kerri spoke on the topic of <a href="http://www.celebration.org/resources/celebration_sisterhood/endurance/audio">endurance</a>. Every major point she challenged us with during the message was something I experienced this past week. The following is a summary of her message and how each point related to me personally (which are typed in italics): <br />
Endurance = not just the ability to bear the hard thing, but to turn it into glory. <i>Quote from my last post: "this season will prove to be another testimony of His faithfulness to me."</i><br />
<b>Hebrews 12:1 (New King James Version): let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.</b><br />
We must set ourselves to finish strong in this race.<br />
In order to finish strong, we should ask ourselves these five questions.<br />
Q1 - What am I thinking about? Am I filling my mind with doubt, fear, and worry, or am I filling my mind with what are listed in Philippians 4:8 (things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report)? <i>I've been making a conscious effort to focus on the goodness of God, with childlike faith, instead of letting worry take control of my mind.</i><br />
Q2 - Who am I listening to? I must abide in Jesus and His Word (John 8:31-32). <i>When I feel overwhelmed with our situation, instead of calling a trusted friend/family immediately, I first ran to Jesus and His Word. I've also stayed away from social networking this week, and except on the days I was sick, I've been spending time with God and His Word first thing in the morning, before anyone else in the house was awake. </i><br />
Q3 - What am I talking about? Am I speaking words of faith; am I confessing my hope in God (Heb 10:23)? <i>I've been using this blog as one of the primary ways to express God's faithfulness to me. </i><br />
Q4 - Where am I going? <i> </i>Am I planted in the house of God (Psalm 92:12-15)? <i>Even if I wasn't feeling 100%, I made sure to make it to both Celebration Sisterhood meetings this week.</i><br />
Q5 - What am I remembering? Instead of looking back, focus my eyes on where I'm headed (Philip 3:12-14). But if I am to remember something, remember these things: faithfulness of God, the day He rescued me (salvation), the current post (season) He has assigned me to, and the people God placed in my life. <i> The day before I heard this message, I had made a list of all the major events in my life when God proved Himself to be faithful. </i><br />
Please know this. I'm not blogging all this to brag or to say that I've got it all figured out. I don't. I fall short constantly, and there's still a lot for me to learn. My faith definitely still has plenty of room to grow. I just know that in these current trials I'm facing, I can say that I have been turning to God wholeheartedly. In turn, God has been sending me these sweet, specific confirmations to let me know that I'm doing this right. This is the way He desires for me to face my troubles, to lean not on my own strength and wisdom but on His. Our health and financial challenges are not resolved yet, but bringing every ounce of it to God and trusting Him to carry them has made all the difference in the world, both in my heart and in my home. In midst of bad news, our home is filled with peace, joy, and even laughter. I have confidence that God will carry us through. I have hope.<br />
On Thursday, I attended Celebration Sisterhood gathering at night (I know, I'm addicted). This was one of the worship songs we sang. If I can express the current condition of my heart through a song, this would definitely be it (from "The Desert Song" by Hillsong):<br />
<br />
This is my prayer in the desert<br />
When all that's within me feels dry<br />
This is my prayer in my hunger and need<br />
My God is the God who provides<br />
<br />
This is my prayer in the fire<br />
In weakness or trial or pain<br />
There is a faith proved<br />
Of more worth than gold<br />
So refine me Lord through the flame<br />
<br />
I will bring praise<br />
I will bring praise<br />
No weapon formed against me shall remain<br />
I will rejoice<br />
I will declare<br />
God is my victory and He is here <br />
<br />
This is my prayer in the battle<br />
When triumph is still on its way<br />
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ<br />
So firm on His promise I'll stand<br />
<br />
All of my life<br />
In every season<br />
You are still God<br />
I have a reason to sing<br />
I have a reason to worshipBoo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-36779973403755671702010-04-12T15:40:00.001-04:002010-04-12T15:49:04.974-04:00Simple Trust, Health, and FinanceWhen I decided to create this blog, one of the key ingredients I wanted this blog to have is authenticity. I wanted what I write to be straight from my heart, from the true current condition of my heart. Right now, in all honesty, things are not all that peachy for our family. There are two main areas that I'm lifting up in prayer a lot right now: my family's health and finance. Health: Whether it's headaches, stomach bugs, or cold viruses, it seems like no common illness has left our family alone these past several months. It's been the worst for Allan. Along with his occasional headaches and allergy problems, he had caught every illness that Peanut has gone through. The most recent cold virus seemed to affect even our baby, LittleBit. I am ready for our family to be free of any kind of sickness. Finance: Bottom line, we need a supernatural breakthrough from God in the area of our finance. Allan is working hard (without much break) in this difficult real estate market, and we are still chugging along in our home-based supplement business. Our income has not been steady these last few months, and we are quickly drying out our emergency fund. We have a few different financial situations caught in a "limbo" that we are seeking resolution on.<br />
In all of this, I know that God is faithful. He has never failed us, and I know that He will continue to take care of us. This is a season that we're going through; a season that will increase our faith and bring our family closer to God. Through my Bible readings, I've been coming across a lot of verses on "childlike faith."<br />
<b>Mark 10:15, 27 (The Message)</b><br />
<b>Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in. </b><br />
<b>Jesus was blunt: "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it."</b><br />
It made me think about the kind of trust a child has. My LittleBit is only three months old, and yet in her face I can see the sense of security she feels when she's held in my arms. No questions asked, no arguments, no doubts. She simply trusts me to take care of her, and I am human! I can easily fail her. Yet I sometimes have a hard time trusting God, who will never fail me, with the same kind of faith. I try to figure it out on my own, or I let worry overtake me.<br />
Well, I am using today's post as my declaration of childlike faith. My Father will take good care of us, and this season will prove to be another testimony of His faithfulness to me. I will not let the spirit of fear or worry influence my actions. I will not stop bringing my family to church and putting Peanut in the nursery (even if that's where she's more exposed to germs kids carry). We will not stop participating in tithes and offerings to the church we 100% believe in. A church that pours so tirelessly into leading people all over the world to experience God and get a taste of His goodness. We know without a doubt that these are eternal investments we are making, which will bring infinitely grander results than any earthly investments we can make.<br />
<b>Psalm 36:7-9 (New King James Version): How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their <i>trust</i> under the shadow of your wings. They are <i>abundantly satisfied</i> with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light (italics mine).</b><br />
This is God's promise. I choose to soak it up, and with simple faith, I accept its entirety as the absolute truth. It already <i>is</i> true in my life.<b> </b>I <i>am</i> abundantly satisfied with the fullness of life He gives me. Things aren't always easy, but I can always take refuge in the shadow of His wings.<br />
Lord, continue to build this <i>simple faith</i> in me. I desire to live under Your care and nowhere else. I know that Your desire is for me to live life to its fullest, life as You intended for me. I'm believing that our family will continue to drink from the abundance of Your house. I'm believing that You will not only meet our financial needs, but You will continue to <i>satisfy</i> us with Your provisions. The notes on my Bible referred to the "river of (His) pleasures" as river that gives life and <i>health</i> wherever they flow. Lord, I pray the flow of this river will take over any kind of health issue that is taking place in our physical bodies. In Jesus' name, I pray that You will remove any presence of illness and restore our family to full health. To God be all the glory and praise. Amen.Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-32103834682690024422010-03-29T15:47:00.000-04:002010-03-29T15:47:22.614-04:00It's Not About the SpecificsI read Romans 14 today, and it was on a topic that I'm passionate about. I liked the way the New Living Translation titled this chapter: "The Danger of Criticism." The passage talked about how we must be careful not to criticize one another as Christians, just because we differ on the specifics of what's right and what's wrong. Each of us is personally accountable to God (not to each other), and our job is to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us into a life of goodness, peace, and joy. The passage encourages us to stop looking down on or criticizing other Christians, and instead to promote harmony.<br />
I see this critical, fault-finding attitude appearing a lot among Christians, and it bothers me. It seems to me like they are causing divisions among the body of Christ rather than promoting unity and harmony. How much more would we be able to glorify God as a whole and bring people to Christ, if we can stop focusing so much on the small differences on matters that are supposed to be between God and each believer.<br />
<b>Romans 14:17-19 (New Living Translation): For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.</b><br />
I had to put my own attitude in check after reading this passage. Sometimes, I'm too critical towards people who I think are critical, if that makes sense :) I let these people bother me too much, when again, I answer to God alone and each of them answers to God alone. It's not for me to judge. I also thought about my personal walk with God, and how I tend to keep a checklist of what's right and what's wrong. I become too critical of every detail of my life or of our family's life as a whole, and I sometimes think one little detail in the "wrong side" will put me/us out of God's favor. But God does not operate like that...keeping a checklist of what we're doing or not doing right. It's more about our attitude and our lifestyle. Are we living day-to-day like we are citizens of God's kingdom, respecting His authority and His plan for our lives? Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us to live a life of goodness, peace, and joy? The passage above says that if we live for Christ with this attitude, we can't go wrong: we WILL please God. In addition, not that we should make this a top priority, but others will approve of us. <br />
Holy Spirit, lead me every day in keeping this attitude and living a life of goodness, peace, and joy. Help me not to worry so much about the specifics, but instead to always keep my attitude in check. Guide my every step; for me, there is no other way to live.Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-62141702856403689172010-03-21T13:54:00.000-04:002010-03-21T13:54:02.623-04:00FriendshipA few weeks ago two of my closest girlfriends came to visit me. I met them both during my first week in college, and my life has never been the same since. My God, my family, and my friends are what I cherish more than anything this world has to offer. I consider myself one of the richest people on the planet. Not financially by any means, but because of how incredibly blessed I am to call these women my friends. I grew up without a close companion, but things changed during my high school years. God blessed me with friends who became more like family to me. I realized for the first time that I was <i>built</i> for this. I am a very relational person, and I <i>need</i> close, valuable relationships to feel alive. In college, God blessed me with more lifelong friendships.<br />
We did life together. We laughed all the time. We cried together, too. We were there for one another through homesickness, financial difficulties, disgusting cafeteria food, loss of a grandparent, roommate troubles, and much more. We also "attempted" to study together :) We grew up together. Most importantly, we encouraged one another with God's love and wisdom.<br />
<b>Proverbs 27:9 (The Message): Just as lotions and fragrance give sensual delight, a sweet friendship refreshes the soul. </b> How true this is for me. Spending time with my friends really refreshes my soul, especially when I'm weary. Even if I had not seen them in years, there's no "awkward" stage we have to pass through first. We can completely be ourselves, knowing that we are loved and accepted just the way we are. We don't have to explain everything, because some things are already understood without words. When we're with one another, we can relive our childhood and be as silly and goofy as we want. Simply said, there's so much <i>freedom</i>, safety, a room to breathe, and a warm feeling of being "home." <br />
In addition to the two who recently visited me, I have a few more "forever" friends in California, and God is also building some sweet new friendships for me here in Jacksonville. If you are one of them and are reading this, I want you to know how I thank God for you often. You truly have made my life so rich. I have been encouraged and challenged by you. I have learned so much from you. You have shown me how valued I am by God by the way you value me. Thank you for loving me and believing in me. Thank you for seeing the good in me, even when I couldn't see it for myself. Thank you for being there through all these years, sharing in both my joys and my sorrows. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life. I am excited to see how our friendship will continue to flourish and grow. <br />
No, I cannot imagine going through life without my friends. My prayer is that all of you, including my daughters, be blessed with this kind of friendship that refreshes your soul. If you have one, don't forget to thank God for them and to let them know how much they mean to you. Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-79711305743278741742010-03-09T22:48:00.001-05:002010-05-31T12:59:37.881-04:00The Art of Losing Control<b>Matthew 10:38-39 The Message: If you don't go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don't deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me.</b><br />
I grew up as an only child. I am an expert at looking after myself. I'm used to having control of my own life. A few nights ago, at 5 a.m., I became incredibly aware of how all of that is in the past now. Peanut was up at 3 a.m. that night, which was very unusual for her. She had always been a good sleeper at night. Lately, she's had a tiny bit of trouble going to sleep and staying asleep; it may have something to do with not having a pacifier anymore. LittleBit is still waking up at least once at random times in the middle of the night, and sometimes it's really hard for me to go back to sleep, even after she had gone back to sleep. My husband and I are learning how much work it takes to get on the same game plan in regards to disciplining Peanut. In addition, my body was adjusting to new birth control and we were about to start potty-training Peanut. With all these factors combined, I was absolutely overwhelmed that night. This was what I wrote on my journal: <i>Anxiety and frustration seem to be my best friends these days. I still want my life to go the way I want...easy. Right now, probably more than ever, I'm sensing the feeling of "not having control," and it's frustrating and even scaring me.</i><br />
Then the Holy Spirit led me to the story of Mary & Martha (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010:38-42&version=MSG">Luke 10:38-42</a>).<i> </i>Mary was hanging on every word Jesus said. Nothing else mattered to her, except to be completely engrossed in His presence. Martha was "fussing far too much and getting herself worked up over nothing." I was definitely being like Martha. I needed to be like Mary, and like the passage above, I needed to forget about all <i>my</i> concerns and simply look to Jesus. This was how I ended my journal entry that night: <i>If I just look at myself, I want to organize, solve, and control everything (and get frustrated that I can't). But if I look to Jesus, if He's the primary focus in what I'm going through, I find my answer, I find my peace, and I know I'll be OK. Lord, I do want to go all the way with You, through thick and thin. It's not about having an easy and cozy life. It's about the extraordinary. It takes sacrifice; it takes perseverance. Most of all, it takes hanging on Your every word. It takes simple trust; it takes surrendering my control over to You.</i><br />
Just because I readjusted my focus (yet again), it doesn't mean my anxiety and frustration automatically go away. We had a rough start to Peanut's potty-training, and I was ready to pull my hair out. However, what I gain by turning to Jesus instead of looking after myself is His peace. He calms me down, every time, with His love. He also shares with me a little bit more of His purpose and His perspective. I was reminded that my children are not hindrances to having an easy life for myself, but they are <i>pure gifts</i> that I've been entrusted with. Potty-training is going much better now, and I've thoroughly enjoyed the extra one-on-one time I've had with Peanut the last few days. I've been able to witness amazing capabilities in her that I hadn't noticed before. LittleBit is a <i>dream</i> baby, and a direct answer to my prayers. Most of my attention was given to Peanut for potty-training, and LittleBit had no trouble at all being left alone. She kept smiling away (amazing!). I have the most helpful husband, who is incredibly affectionate towards <i>all</i> of his girls :) They are all healthy. What more could I ask for? How indescribably blessed I am. How different my life looks through Mary's eyes than through Martha's. How <i>extraordinary</i> my life becomes once I learn the art of losing control.Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-78427721029867371392010-03-03T12:06:00.000-05:002010-03-03T12:06:40.521-05:00Fresh StrengthI am almost too tired to type this right now. When I decided to expect God for the extraordinary this year, I'm not sure if I considered all the ways He would be stretching me in order to make this happen. I am exhausted physically: I've had very little sleep these last few nights, and my body is definitely feeling the consequence. I am exhausted mentally: Peanut was sick over the weekend; as usual it was passed on to my husband and now he's sick. In addition, LittleBit's night time sleep is still unpredictable. I am exhausted emotionally: I've had a lot of highs having my girlfriends from college here this past weekend, but a big bomb of tragic news was dropped on our family as soon as they left, which brought me to the opposite end of the emotional spectrum. I am exhausted spiritually: I'm experiencing some major discouragement, and it's hard to see God's big picture and experience His joy and peace through this. All of this combined, I feel completely drained tonight, and I'm not sure if I can even think straight.<br />
In times like this, I need to cling to truths I <i>am</i> sure about. <br />
<b>Isaiah 40:27-31 The Message: He's Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired...</b><br />
<b>But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don't get tired, they walk and don't lag behind.</b><br />
I definitely do not <i>feel</i> like an eagle right now. I don't feel energized. But I know that my choice is always to wait on God. I <i>decide</i> to trust and follow Him everyday, and I <i>know</i> He will never fail me.<br />
<b>Matthew 11:28-30 The Message: Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.</b><br />
The answer is not to get buried in this exhaustion, but to come to Jesus, to walk with Him, to work with Him, and to learn from Him. I do not know how everything will play out. I don't understand everything right now. I'm feeling discouraged. I feel I don't have enough strength. However, God's promise is truer and more powerful than what I'm feeling or what I'm capable of understanding. He <i>is</i> the Creator of all things, and He <i>does</i> know everything...I don't. As long as I wait upon Him and make a conscious decision to trust Him in all this, He promises to give me <i>fresh strength</i>.<br />
Lord, I need You. I trust You. I wait expectantly for Your fresh strength. I know I will not be disappointed.<br />
<br />
Well I wrote the above post a few nights ago, and things got worse before they got better. That night, not only was my husband sick, but I also caught Peanut's stomach bug (and later found out one of the friends visiting caught it as well). We were both up all night, and somehow I nursed LittleBit in the middle of it all too. Wow, I don't know when was the last time I experienced such extreme physical condition...labor was <i>nothing</i> compared to what we went through that night! Having children also makes it harder to get the rest you need when you're sick. We sure went through some crash courses on what parenting brings this past week.<br />
However, I continued to wait on God for fresh strength. We did survive the night, and things slowly improved. Within a day or two, God completely turned around the tragic news I mentioned earlier. We are all healthy again (praise God!), and thanks to my husband cleaning, our house is not a big chaotic mess anymore. We are getting some normalcy back.<br />
I remember one time I heard from our pastor that "Too hard is good," because that's when we rely the most on God's strength. How true this was for me this past week.<br />
<b>2 Corinthians 12:9-10 The Message: I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.</b>Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-15681440358000544502010-02-24T22:12:00.001-05:002010-05-31T13:00:17.207-04:00Fear of the Unknown Part 2I had another encounter with the same fear; this time with my younger daughter LittleBit. I know that there are so many different approaches mothers use when dealing with a newborn baby, and different approaches work for different mothers. For me, especially after my first newborn experience, the <a href="http://ezzotruth.com/">Babywise methods</a> work best, and that's what I try to follow during the baby stage and beyond. I like structure, and I like following clear instructions. To the best of my ability, I followed the Babywise instructions for my first child, and she was sleeping through the night by 8 weeks. I was determined to reach the same goal with my second daughter. LittleBit is almost 8 weeks now, and although she's not doing badly at night, sometimes she still wakes up around 3 or 4 in the morning. Her night sleeping pattern seems to be more unpredictable than my first daughter. This past week, she slept through the night some nights and woke up during the wee hours on other nights. I tried to remember that every baby is different and also that she's not even 8 weeks yet. On the Babywise book it said most of the babies who follow their methods average about 7-8 hours at night by Week 8. This is where my perfectionist tendencies come into play. If groundwork is laid for how things are supposed to be, I <i>have</i> to hit that mark and nothing less. I was never able to settle for a "B" as my grade all throughout school. I believe it's not a bad thing to strive for excellence, but in my case it was more like a selfish obsession that was birthed out of my pride.<br />
Last night LittleBit woke up at 3 A.M. She was making little noises (not quite crying yet), so I walked towards her bassinet and turned the vibrating machine on to see if she would just fall back asleep. As I climbed back into bed, I was wide awake because I was so anxious. <i>Will she start crying? When will she start sleeping through the night regularly? </i>I couldn't go back to sleep. I sensed this strong urge that I needed to turn to my Bible. So at 3 A.M., I turned on the light and started reading the Bible. I first turned to one of my favorite passages in Philippians (4:6-7 The Message): <b>Don't fret or worry. <i>Instead of worrying, pray.</i> Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and <i>settle you down.</i> It's wonderful what happens when <i>Christ displaces worry at the center of your life</i> (italics mine).</b> I needed God to settle me down!<br />
I also turned to Matthews 6:30-33 (The Message): <b><i>What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax</i>, to not be so preoccupied with <i>getting</i>, so you can respond to God's <i>giving</i>. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but <i>you know both God and how he works</i>. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met (italics mine). </b>How true this was for me; I <i>do</i> know God and how He works. I was preoccupied with <i>getting</i> it right according to the books (not to mention <i>getting</i> more sleep for myself!). So what if she doesn't sleep through the night yet? God knows her needs as well as mine, and He knows I am trying my best with the resources I've been given. As long as I concentrate on His reality, His initiative, and His provisions, He will make sure that all my needs and concerns are met.<br />
What I needed more than anything last night was His peace. When I read those passages and prayed, as always, His peace came. I slept well the rest of the night, and you know what else? LittleBit slept until morning as well:) That was an extra blessing, but I know I will be OK if she wakes up in the middle of the night tonight. God knows best, not me. I think that's what this "fear of the unknown" is about; it comes from my desire to have my life controllable and predictable. But that's not the road that will take me through an extraordinary adventure. I need to daily surrender my control, and allow God to unfold His extraordinary miracles in my life.Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-54083685136145423092010-02-22T21:07:00.001-05:002010-05-31T13:00:29.331-04:00Fear of the Unknown<div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It’s comical the kind of things you become anxious about when you’re a mother. My daughter Peanut has been using a pacifier for nap time and bedtime since she was a newborn. We all know too well how fast time flies; she turned two last month. I thought to myself, “Should she still be using a pacifier? When do I take it away?” She never used it while she’s awake, so I was never too concerned about it. Recently I noticed that it was causing some rashes below her mouth when she would drool a lot. I figured it was time to take the pacifier away. I was dreading what kind of reaction this would produce from my Peanut; from what I could tell, she was pretty attached to it as a tool for falling asleep.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I began to have some anxious thoughts about this: Will she cry a lot, and if so, for how long (did I also mention she’s been a Drama Queen from Day 1?). Will she be able to fall asleep? Will she be waking up in the middle of the night? Why did I not take it away sooner? It’s crazy how your mind can run so fast when it’s fueled by anxiety. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Then we went to church last night and heard a <a href="http://www.celebration.org/resources/messages/losing_control/audio">message from Pastor Chris</a>. He talked about how to lose control of your own life and allow God to have control. He said we had to surrender our fears to God, and one of the fears he mentioned was “fear of the unknown.” That’s exactly what I had. He said we must commit to prayer and to obey God no matter what. Lastly, he said we must trust God for the outcome and don’t take it (our trust) back. I looked up the Bible passage he shared from one of my favorite translations, the Message Bible. Isaiah 26:3 says, <b>“People with their minds set on you, you keep completely whole, Steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don't quit. Depend on God and keep at it, because in the Lord God you have a sure thing.” </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I decided today was the day. I was still a little anxious before her nap, but when we put her in the crib, I prayed over her. I made a conscious effort to release my worry to God and to trust Him for the outcome. She asked once, “Bunky?” (that’s how she says “Binky”). I told her she was not a baby anymore and to have a nice nap. To my big surprise, she did not cry at all and fell asleep shortly (as I watched from her video monitor). We had just put her to bed for the night as I type this, and again she seemed to have no trouble. What a relief! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Today’s experience made me think of another passage from the Bible: <b>You're at least decent to your own children. So don't you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better? </b>(Matthew 7:11 The Message). If I’m having such a hard time taking away something she likes and potentially making her sad, how much more does God hate to see us sad? Yet, like I had to do today, God does what’s best for us, not always what we think we want or need. How much of a relief we can bring to God when we respond positively to the changes He brings our way, like Peanut did for me today.</span></div>Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811849425736710751.post-4057720727716833142010-02-21T15:39:00.000-05:002010-02-24T14:24:06.565-05:00The BeginningWell finally I am writing my first post. In December, my husband and I watched <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_%26_Julia">Julie & Julia</a></i> on DVD. After watching this film, I was inspired to start my own personal blog in addition to our <a href="http://www.parrysparadise.com/">family blog</a> that I already have. Somehow my husband decided to jump on board on this idea as well; not only that, he beat me to it by starting <a href="http://als2010.blogspot.com/">his blog</a> on New Year's Day. His blog is daily updated after reading a day's portion of the <a href="http://oneyearbibleonline.com/">One Year Bible</a>. I wasn't sure exactly what type of approach I was going to take for my blog, and I also knew I couldn't start mine on New Year's Day like he did, since I just delivered our new baby on New Year's Eve! Our church was approaching our annual season of <a href="http://www.awake21.org/">Prayer & Fasting</a>, and I decided to use this time to really seek God on how He wanted me to orchestrate my personal blog for 2010.<br />
After spending more intentional time with God and His Word during the fast, I came away with two main personal goals for 2010:<br />
1. In 2010, I want to strategically concentrate more on <i>my</i> love relationship with Jesus and what He wants to do in <i>my</i> life. I realized my mind is constantly <i>consumed</i> by the affairs of my family. I'm always wondering how my husband and children are doing physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. While that is not a bad thing to focus on, I realized I don't spend nearly as much time thinking about how <i>I'm</i> doing in all those areas. When I pray, I'm always praying for <i>our</i> family, <i>our</i> affairs, <i>our</i> needs, etc. I was reminded that my first priority should be "God and me" and discovering each chapter of this incredible, personal, unique life story God has written for no one else but me. That is why I wanted to be sure that this blog is separate from our family blog.<br />
2. In 2010, I believe God desires to increase <i>boldness</i> in me, which will lead this year to be more <i>extraordinary</i> than ever before. If you know me at all, you know that boldness is not a natural character trait that I possess. I'm all about peace, harmony, and avoiding confrontations at all cost. I'm always amazed by the natural boldness I see in my husband. However, in order for this year to be more extraordinary, I believe God desires for me to do my part by producing increased boldness. How this will unfold specifically I don't even know, but I'm willing to step up to the plate in order to discover all that God has for me this year (please stay up to date with my blog to find out :).<br />
The two main goals above were confirmed to me by the message our pastor delivered during the fast called "<a href="http://www.celebration.org/resources/messages/creating_space_for_god/audio">Creating Space for God</a>." It was about intentionally creating space for God to work His wonders in your life. Creating this space can come in many forms such as praying, fasting, and giving. I intend to use this blog as one way for me to create more space for God in my life. I don't have a specific theme or structure for this blog. I just want God to write His extraordinary story as it unfolds, and how exciting that I get to take part of it in this small way. I hope that you will join me on this journey!Boo Parryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088548134806850948noreply@blogger.com1