I'm Qualified

Recently I came to the realization that I would need a medical procedure. Nothing too complex or anything but still had to have a test or two, see a specialist and schedule the procedure. After speaking with the hospital staff for the first procedure I was told that my portion of the bill would be $600. While, not being pleased that I would need to find some money to pay for this I realized that my insurance was paying the bulk of the cost. Most of you know how common this is. Insurance pays 80% and we pay 20%. In life, I find that we have to be qualified for so many things. We have to get qualified for loans to buy houses or cars, complete pre-requisites to take certain classes in school, take examinations to sit for driver’s licenses or medical licenses, pay our copay in order to receive medical care the list goes on and on. But there is no qualification for the love of Jesus Christ. Isn’t that amazing? Come as you are. Be who you were and let him change you

The Key

I’d laid in the bed trying to make the decision on whether my child should go to camp today or not.  The weatherman has me worked up into a full frenzy about all the devastation that’s bound to happen with this storm.  I just didn’t sleep very well thinking about it. Is this camp equipped for emergencies?  What do they do if a tornado touches down. Will she remember my phone number if the teacher has to call and can’t find it?  So, when I finally dozed off the clock went off right after. I hit the snooze as usual. The next thing I know I’m just jumping up out of bed when I realized what time it was.  Hitting that snooze button has gotten me running late twice this week alone.  I don’t know why I just couldn’t get up this morning.  Now I’m rushing around making sure my baby’s lunch was made, her clothes laid out for dad to get her in and I grabbed my purse and headed straight for the garage. In scrubs, I had to check to be sure my sneakers were in the trunk (I never bring them in the house…germs you know) so I opened the trunk, jumped out of the car, found the sneakers, realized I hadn’t taken my medicine, went back in the house, took it and returned to the driver’s seat.  I checked for my cell phones -yes, unfortunately I have to carry 2 and went to grab the keys from my purse so I could leave.   No key.  Checked my pockets- no key. On the floor?  Nope, no key…. I just couldn’t understand.  I thought I had them.

Aggravated, I started to retrace my steps in my head…did I leave them in the kitchen with the lunch? Are they by the microwave?  Could I have left them in my jacket pocket from yesterday?  Nothing rang a bell…that is until I decided to open the car door to go inside…yep - you got it the keys were in the ignition.  Poom, poom, poom…. Good grief! Really Crista?

Just like a lot of people I let the stress of the day get the best of me.  I was worried about being late, worried about the impending storms and I was angry which certainly never helps the situation and didn’t realize that I’d put the key in the ignition so I wouldn’t lose it while I was looking for my phones.  And then I heard God’s voice say,” The key is in your hand”.  He didn’t’ mean the key to the car of course.  It was the key to everything…His word.  Use the key, use His word to guide you in every situation.  He is faithful to do exactly what he says he will do.  He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  Use what I’ve given you.  I’ve given you the key. 

It reminded me of the story of in 2 Kings 4:1-7.  The bible says a “certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha saying “your servant my husband is dead and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my 2 sons to be his slaves.”  Now that’s some pressure for you.  Her husband is dead and she’s about to lose her sons to a creditor.  Nothing punches a mother in the gut like the possibility of losing her children.  However, Elisha asks her what do you have in your house?  She states nothing but a little cruse of oil.  As you know he instructs her to borrow vessels from everywhere, close herself in the house and pour the oil in the vessels.  When she’s poured until all the vessels were full Elisha instructs her to sell the oil, pay the creditor and live off the rest. 

She had the key already.  She needed to use what she had.  She had more than enough.  More than enough to pay her debt and keep her son’s.  In my case, I didn’t use the faith that I already have to 1. Stop worrying 2. Walk in faith and know that God has already got you covered and 3. Relax in that faith so I could think clearly.

Have faith and use what you have.  The key is in your hands.

Just keeping it CristaClear

Every seed grows something!

While enjoying a movie with my 1st grader I decided to make popcorn.  Love the stuff-she does too but we get a special kick out of the half-popped seeds in the bottom of the bag. We love to crunch them- however this time I noticed that she was collecting hers.  I asked her what she was doing and she said she wanted to plant them.  I tried to explain that they probably wouldn’t grow what she was looking for. And she said back to me,” Mom, every seed grows something!” 

This got me to thinking.  How does she know that?  What I didn’t realize is that she’s been studying plants in school this week.  Every child got to plant a bean seed in a cup.  I can remember doing the same thing in school.  You see the bean seed will sprout quickly so that the unit can be taught and the students can see the results of their labor in just a short time.  When she brought her plant home later that week she was so excited to show me. She was like a mother hen brooding over her egg. She wanted to water it over and over again so it would grow faster. She moved it to the windowsill so it could get more sunlight.  I can understand her enthusiasm and frustration but there’s a lesson in this cup.

Gardening is hard work.  Seriously hard work.  Just breaking up the ground is test of your will.  Of course they make tools now that aren’t so hard on your back but it is still hard work.  And the soil.  Making sure the soil’s pH is correct for what you are planning to grow there. Will the area get enough sun?  Is it too sunny for what you are planting?  All these questions have to be answered.  The bible has many references for planting seed in good ground. 

You see, my daughter wants to plant popcorn seeds.  She thinks that she’ll get popcorn when she plants them.  She wants popcorn.  But she won’t get popcorn.  She’ll get a rendition of corn if she gets anything at all but it will be completely inedible.  You see the popcorn that we eat is treated before it comes in that microwave bag.  On the outside, it looks like popcorn seeds but don’t be deceived. 

 We do the same things in life.  We speak those things that are not as though they are.  But we aren’t always consistent with the rest of our words.  We quickly fall back into a complaint mode when someone asks us a seemingly innocent question.  The question could be related to something totally different then the goal of our popcorn crop. I believe that if you want to grow corn you should plant corn.  If you want to grow beans you should plant beans etc etc.

Don’t say you want a husband but you are totally uncomfortable with submitting yourself. You are not good with sharing your space or your money but you want a husband…you make excuses why its ok for you to do the things that you do. Buying clothes and sneaking them into the house… Keeping the friends that you know completely adore being single and they want you to do all the things they do. Popcorn.  Now I know that there is no one perfect in this earth except Jesus but I do believe that we could make a better effort.  Let’s plant the right things in our lives.  Let’s plant joy and not pain.  Let’s plant peace and not war. Let’s plant strength and not weakness.  Let’s plant truth and not lies. Let’s brood over the things that are lovely and true and kind like in Phil 4:8. Also, let’s uproot the things that we shouldn’t be fostering growth for. Like impatience, anger and resentment. Pluck up the weeds in our lives as soon as we see them.  Don’t let them fester into something so big that we can’t get rid of it without help.

Hosea 10:12 puts it this way:  Sow with a view to righteousness (that righteousness, like seed, may germinate);Reap in accordance with mercy and lovingkindness.  Break up your uncultivated ground, For it is time to seek and search diligently for the Lord (and to long for his blessing) Until He comes to rain righteousness and His gift of salvation on you.

Just trying to keep it Cristaclear.   Find me on all socialmedia @cristaclearinspirations

I'm Completely Protected

He will cover you and completely protect you with His pinions, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and a wall. Psalms 91:4

I woke up this morning listening to the birds.  4:37 am birds are singing these beautiful songs over and over again. I really wasn’t ready to get of out bed. You see I’ve been fighting a cold this week. I took some cold medicine last night and as the directions stated,”4=6 hours of relief from symptoms….  I woke right up in that 4-6-hour window.  On a Saturday, too.  I have lots of friends and family members who can just sleep in for hours…. I can’t.  If I sleep till 7 am I’ve done great…just can’t help it. But I digress.  As I sat their coughing I got to thinking about the pretty songs those birds sing each day.  Why do they sing?  Why do they perch on my ledge and fluff their feathers? What is the point of all this activity so early in the morning?

Now I could go into the scientific reason for these things and I’m sure it’s true but I’m more interested in the spiritual reason.  I realize that the birds are communicating.  With other birds.  In fact, my understanding is that most of the time it is the male bird doing the singing.  He’s not only singing for mating purposes but also letting other birds know where his territory is.  The male bird does this. It is also said that occasionally the female bird joins him and they sing together- letting other birds know that this is their territory- stay away. Isn’t it interesting then when you compare the scripture with this scientific explanation?

Psalms 91:4 states He will cover us with his feathers and under His wings we will find refuge.  Did you know that when a bird fluffs up his feathers he is doing it to either keep warm in winter by creating air pockets to provide not only heat but a layer of protection from the cold and in summer they press their feathers in to eliminate that heat to stay cool?  My father is amazing!  He has designed us in such a way that we are always protected by Him.  His wings shall provide refuge.  He will,” Completely protect you with his feathers…”  I’m completely protected!  Praise God.  His faithfulness is a shield and a wall. 

Even at 4:37 in the morning when I’m usually asleep my father is covering me.  At my most vulnerable God is at work-covering me.  Singing over me and protecting me from the enemy.  Letting the enemy know that this territory is His! Stay away.   I’m so grateful for a father who is always caring for me, loving me and doing what’s best for me. I'm completely protected!

Isn’t that something to celebrate?  Let’s enter His courts with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.  Let’s sing his praises over and over again.  He is the great I am.  He is moving mountains on my behalf and I love  to see Him do it again and again.

Praise God.

Will He remember me?

Will they remember me?

I have a friend who has been fighting cancer most of his life.  He’s found ways to make me laugh and cry over the years.  He’s so precious. As precious as teenagers can be. In the last year, however he’s had to be home schooled due to his different procedures and surgeries etc.  Recently he was allowed to come back to school and see his friends.  He wondered and asked his mom,” do you think they’ll remember me?”  He’d been gone most of the school year.  However, when he entered the doors of his school he was greeted with the marching band, cheerleaders, friends lining the hallways all cheering and screaming his name.  They were so happy to see him.  It got me to thinking about something.

Many times, in life people stray away from Christ for different reasons.  We get involved in activities that just won’t go with a Christian lifestyle, we have trouble identifying with the true love Christ has offered us, we just let life get in the way—thinking that everything else is more important than He is.  But at some point in our crazy lives we feel the tug of Christ’s love for us. We know Jesus died for all the sins of the sons and daughters of this world but we still have trouble making a change.  Thinking that maybe we’ve done too much, God doesn’t love me anymore, I’ve committed too many sins, too many wrongs…you say you can’t be forgiven ..but that is totally opposite of God says.  Read your word and know that God loves us despite all our wrong doings.  He patiently waits for us to turn to him instead of looking to the world for affirmation. And when we make the best decision of our lives….He’s there waiting with open arms, angels singing and rejoicing at the mere thought that we have turned our mourning into dancing, our sadness into joy…we’ve exchanged our destination to that of heavenly places and not of the pits of hell.  With one yes to Jesus we’ve turned our lives completely around for the better and God, along with every Christ loving person on this planet rejoices with you. 

When I go to church, I look at all the people there and I know that they struggle just like I do. Everyday can be challenging to just get out of bed in the morning.  But as I live and grow older I know that God’s word is true. God won’t lead me to a place where he won’t sustain me.  He is unable to lie to me…unlike man. And above all else He loves me like no one can.  Not my mother, father, sister, brother or husband.  God doesn’t have to remember me.  He has never forgotten me in the first place.

If you are struggling coming back to the Father, don’t worry and don’t be afraid.  God is waiting for you with open arms and everyone here on earth will rejoice with you also.  He’ll never leave you or forsake you….

Just keeping it Cristaclear.  Look for me on Facebook and Instagram @ cristaclearinspirations

Let Go!

After a really long week I’m ready to sit down somewhere.  Aren’t you? During the week, I’m constantly moving around doing things.  I’m carrying the load: dropping off for school, doing the grocery shopping, participating in my church ministry, working on my Master’s degree, helping my 1st grader with her homework, washing clothes, cleaning kitchens, taking out trash and paying bills.  It gets overwhelming.  All the rushing and moving around.  People depending on me for things and I don’t want to let them down. But I was told once that the most powerful word in the English language is,” No”.  We could always say no to some things but certainly not everything.  I could say,” No, I’m not paying the mortgage this month” but that comes with some severe penalties.  I could say no I’m not taking that medicine any longer –but I’m not interested in having a stroke so I will stay on course.  Now don’t get me wrong I believe in the healing power of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ but I also believe that God gives us wisdom too.  Please use wisdom.  The bible says,” in all your getting get understanding/wisdom” and in Proverbs 21:16 One who wanders from the way of good sense will rest in the assembly of the dead.”  Here’s the thing ladies…. we have to learn how to let go of some things.  There are some things I can let go of…like all the birthday party invitations, internet time, extra projects that are not my responsibility to take on or people who dump their responsibilities on me. Let go… 

Letting go is very freeing. I Peter 5:7 states: Casting all your cares (all your anxieties all your worries and all your concerns, once and for all) on Him, for He cares about you (with deepest affection and watches over you very carefully) I love the way God cares for us.  It seems impossible that someone could care that much about little ol me and you but He does.  He says that I’m the apple of His eye, he takes pleasure in his people, he adorns the humble with salvation…  He loves me more than anyone or anything can.  I’m positive that my husband loves me.  Absolutely positive.  But I’m also certain that my Father loves me more.  I’m also positive that my mother and father love me too but not more than my Father in heaven.  Who can know my every thought and desire?  Only the Father.  Who can heal me of sickness and affliction?  You know it…God the father.  Who can meet all my needs according to His riches in glory?  You know this answer too.  So why can’t we let go of things?  Why?

We need to love our selves just as much as we love our children or anything else that is important to us. I struggle with this too.  I over commit myself and my daughter too in activities.  We cannot satisfy everyone’s desires so we must set priorities.  I’m starting to unwind some the things that I’ve committed to but I admit it is not always easy to do.  The way I look at it is that I didn’t start this all at once and it may take a little time to undo what I’ve done. So, I’m starting slowly.  I ask you to do the same.  Make a list of all things you are required to do and the things that you are doing but not required to do. Find balance.  Set a schedule and stick to it.  Make sure you create down time.  No one is effective when they are tired.  Decide once you have the list in front of you that you will either eliminate 25% of the things on the list or create a rotation to incorporate all the things you have but not at the same time.  For instance, my daughter is a swimmer.  She loves it.  Her lesson is once a week but in the summer, she’ll be attending camp where she’ll swim 2-3 times per week.  That’s a lot of hair washing! So, I plan now to eliminate the lessons over the summer and pick it back up in the fall when school starts.  She still gets to swim and I don’t have to have the extra running over the summer.  In addition, I suggest that as you get your “balanced schedule together” that you don’t add anything without taking something away.  Otherwise you’ll be right back at square one. I’d like to end with this scripture that I believe ties it up quite nicely. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.  He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.  And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

Just keeping it Cristaclear. Find us @ CristaClearInspirations on Facebook and Instagram

www.cristaclearinspirations.com

God Bless!

Think Vertical

Think Vertical

Over the last 28 years I’ve worked in a hospital setting with a few breaks here and there to pursue similar things revolving around healthcare.  And over the years I’ve come used to answering the question,” How are you doing? With the words,” Doing great, everyday I’m vertical is a good day.”  I’ve become accustomed to seeing people going through some of the worst stages of their lives dealing with sickness and being unable to even sit up on their own.  In some cases, they can’t breathe on their own and I think about how good God has been to me. He truly is amazing.  But recently I was having a conversation with another sister of mine who I deeply admire.  I admire her walk with God and the struggles God has and still is bringing her through.  We got to talking about how most people are so in tuned with worrying about what others think of them that they don’t know what to truly think of themselves.  Having an identity crisis. I heard myself say,” if we would just be more concerned with the vertical ears instead of the horizontal ones we’d be so much better off.

Opinions.  I know everyone has one. But we must be careful as to what we are truly letting into our heads and hearts.  Not letting society or Facebook and Instagram tell us who we are but listening to what our heavenly Father has to say about who we are. He is our creator. And as our creator He knows us intimately.  Our insides and outsides-He knows!  You know, just like having a car that needs repair…you wouldn’t take your Range Rover to the Kia dealer for repairs, would you?  And when we, God’s children need repair we should go straight to our maker, our way maker, miracle working God.  He should be the only one whose opinions matter to you. We need to be more about God’s business and less about what others think. 

To do this I believe we must tune up our vertical ears and listen. When I’m quiet I can hear everything that’s going on around me.  Right now, I can hear my noisy ceiling fan, a couple of kids outside my window playing ball, a car driving by and in the distance, I can hear my child laughing and playing in the other room.  But it took me to be completely quiet to hear it all. When I quiet myself down, turn off all the noises of the world and get my vertical ears listening to what’s really important—all is good in my world. I don’t do it every day but I do make a habit out of getting up early. I read my bible or listen to music.  Write poems or stories, read books and have that peaceful time to sort of get my ears ready for whatever God wants to tell me. I come expecting him to speak to me.  I have a notebook and pen and I’m ready to write. Occasionally it starts with a dream other times it starts in the middle of my work day but I always keep something handy to write things down.  I don’t want to miss anything God has to say to me. His words are more precious than Gold. Tune your vertical ears in guys and come expecting something BIG! Keep listening…God has something to say to us all.

Just keeping it Cristaclear.  Find me on the web and social media at cristaclearinspirations.com 

Press On

I’ve been a little down lately.  I know that everyone goes through things like this.  I really just haven’t been able to pinpoint exactly what’s wrong.  Just feeling like the weight of the world is on my shoulders.  No different than anyone else I suppose.  Kinda feeling like a mouse in a wheel.  Running and running and running and truly going nowhere. Got a report from my doctor that will send me to a specialist.  In fact, the whole doctor visit has me in a bad mood.  My regular doctor recently had a baby and is now out on maternity leave.  So, I saw the nurse practitioner.  She has a different nurse than I’m used to but it really shouldn’t matter, right? She calls my name and I enter.  Going through the usual steps we head for the dreaded scale.  Now normally I’m not willing to get on the scale with such enthusiasm but I’ve lost weight since the last appointment so I’m eager to show off this time..  I get on the scale as instructed and look down to see my weight.  For the last 3 months, I’ve been working like a slave to get just a few more pounds off.  You see I’m fighting type 2 diabetes.  I won’t receive it as mine but I’m treating it until God heals me.  Some miracles happen over time you know.  I’m waiting my turn.  I changed my diet after my January appointment because one of my numbers had really gone up.  Remind me to never go to the doctor in January again.  I truly enjoyed Christmas and Thanksgiving and it showed in my A1C.   Anyhow, since then I’d lost 12 pounds.  Yay for me!  I’d been sick over those months as well but I still pulled through.  Now I admit my 12-pound lost had dwindled a little but I’m still pressing on. I’d lose my focus and then get back to work however the scale tells me that I’ve only lost 3 pounds. 

I knew that wasn’t right.  I knew it wasn’t right.  I’d gotten on my scale at home that very morning and that is not what it said.  Not even close.  The nurse goes to write down my numbers.  I said,” no….no… no can we do it again?”  She allows me to step back on the scale. I turn around and look again… Same number…  I tell her,” Listen I know that is not what I weigh.”  Apparently, something in my eyes let her know that I was serious.  So, she agreed to try again.  Again, the same number.  This time I said, can we zero the scale first?  She agreed and when I stepped back up my number was right!  Yes! Praise God I’ve been vindicated! 

Sometimes in life we have to fight a little harder than we think we should to get what is truly ours.  Most of us believe that everything should be like fast food.  Just drive up and pick up.  Hot and ready!  Get it to go!  What if I’d accepted that number?  We don’t have to accept everything that comes our way.  I must and you must have the courage to say,” No, that’s not right…start again.  We must be willing to do what it takes to get it right.  Zero your scale and start over.  I’m reminded of the scripture Philippians 3:13-14 which state,” Brethern I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

No matter what it looks like, we have to press forward, think forward be encouraged, don’t stop believing and live in victory.  Believe in God.  He knows, he sees and he loves without ceasing.  We have the victory in Jesus.  Let’s act like it.