OUR CUP OVER FLOWS
As Mother's Day approaches this weekend. I am reminded of my mom and something she used to say to me as a mother to a mother.
She would say,
“Amy, remember to always count your blessings and not your worries!”
Psalm 23:5
"You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows."
In these days that we live in it can definitely be difficult sometimes recognize this fact. With all the stress of everyday living, broken homes, blended families, the economy issues, social issues with our children, unemployment, mothers working two jobs, being after school sports taxi and medic AND being wives and taking care of mom or dad....let's face it it's anything but easy to find those "blessings" that are supposedly "overflowing".....but surely as life goes on...day in and day out...they are there!
God has poured blessings out on each and every one of us. Bountifully poured them out!
I truly believe if we would each just take a moment to sit down and write them down, we would be amazed.
I just sat here for a minute or two before I started writing this blog and came up with -
My husband, my five awesome kids, my grandbabies, my home, my brothers and sisters in the Lord,
my incredible relationship with Yeshua. I could keep going on and if I kept going on,
I realize more and more blessings!
That's how it is.
The more I I think about my blessings, the more I realize my blessings.
That's the key. Realizing my cup is running over. Then, when I realize it is running over, that's when I can be a blessing to others and in turn the blessings will come back to me!
THEN I will be brimming with the Joy of the Lord and I will be full of His Strength!
😁
~so~
How can we get to a place where we can thank God for these blessings?
The ones we are having a hard time even seeing?
Well, as the body of Messiah; we praise and serve the Lord together.
We support fellow church leadership together; we encourage and lift each other up. We take care of our family, friends and neighbors on a daily basis.
Let’s face it…..we are tired.
How can we begin to thank God for our blessings when we are so very exausted?
The first thing we need to do is realize
that our cup does in fact over flow with “blessings”
from God.
That all those wonderful things in our life. i.e. things you listed on our sheet are in fact “blessings” and “gifts” from God, and not just obstacles in our day to keep us busy and get us frustrated.
Then we need to begin to Praise God for all that he has given us.
Acknowledging that all we have be given is for him.
“For it is God who works in you to will and act according to HIS good pleasure.” Phil. 2:13
The blessings we receive must overflow into the lives of others. It is our calling to be vessels that carry God’s love to as many people as possible. No matter where we are, what we are doing in life; whether we are called to be a stay home mom or a business executive, a railroad worker or a perhaps a student who isn’t quite sure where they are headed in life yet.
Rest assured there is always someone in our life who needs a touch from God; who needs a little love; and needs it from us.
I heard this example once and I thought it was cute and relevant.
The Christian Life is like a game of UNO – what you have in your hands at the end of the game counts against you.
Of course life isn’t a game, but Yeshua did speak to us in the Gospels by way of a parable about the Master and his servants (Matthew 25:15); how he left for a season and gave to each of them a certain amount of talents and expected them to make good use of them while he was away.
We as followers of Yeshuaq must learn to give excellently. Whether by serving fellow brothers and sisters in the Body of Messiah by lending a helping hand, or just taking time out of our busy schedules to encourage someone with kind words, a card; a phone call, perhaps a home visit. This doesn’t just extend to the Body of Messiah either; reaching out to the lost is so important.
A simple kind word or a smile can change a life.
* Yeshua said in
Matt 25 “What you have done unto the least of these you have done unto me.”
Giving of ourselves to others is worship to God and pleasing to him.
Gal. 6:2 tells us to carry one another’s burdens.
Isn’t that what Yeshua did for us?
In 2 Corinthians 1:3,4 it says that in the comfort that we have first received we should comfort others. I have found that there were many times I thought “I” needed to be comforted, but there was someone who needed it more than I and when I gave of myself to that sister I too found the comfort I needed. I think sometimes we forget that we are the living Body of Messiah. We need each other.
When one cup is running low we need to run to each other and help each other out.
God is glorified when we love and serve one another.
Because it is proof of our longing to be like Him.
We can love because He first loved us.
We can be a blessing because He first blessed us.
We can give our life to others because He first gave His life for us.
The more we give the more we receive.
Our cup truly overflows.
2 Corinthians 1 :2-7
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the LORD Yeshua Messiah.
The God of All Comfort
Praise be to the God and Father of our LORD Yeshua Messiah, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Messiah flow over into our lives, so also through Messiah our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
A special poem just for Mothers
Making Time
By: Amy Colleen
Copyright March 2002 all rights reserved
First thing in the morning; children running here and there,
The husband, needing your attention; a neighbor calls needing some care.
“It’s only seven in the morning,” with a sigh, you say out loud.
But your plea of exasperation is, drown-out by the noise of the crowd.
Before too long, it’s half past eight; you’ve just said your good-bye prayers.
The kids have all left for school. Your neighbor now knows you care.
With a sigh, you head for the kitchen. Put the water on for some tea.
Take a deep breath and think to yourself, “I could really use some time for me.”
With a tea cup in one hand, a good book in the other to read.
You find your favorite chair to sit down; and sure enough, someone calls with a need.
Before you know it, it’s three o’clock. The kids are home for the day.
Time for home-work, dinner; who knows what else. “No time for Mommy,” again you say.
So with a sigh, you resolve yourself; smiling, you open your arms wide.
Greet your children with a hug and kiss; and usher them all inside.
It’s now late in the evening; children running here and there.
The husband, needing your attention; a neighbor calls needing some care.
“It’s nine o’clock in the evening,” with a sigh, you say out loud.
But your plea of exasperation, is, drown-out by the noise of the crowd.
Before too long, it’s half past ten; you’ve just said your good-night prayers.
The kids have all gone to bed; your neighbor now knows you care.
With a sigh, you head for the kitchen; put the water on for some tea.
Take a deep breath and think to yourself, “I could really use some time for me.”
With a tea cup in one hand, a good book in the other to read;
You find your favorite chair to sit down; and much to your surprise you see ~
Someone already sitting there, having waited all day, patiently;
He greets you with these simple few words, “I thought you could use some time with me.”
“Oh LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”
Psalm 5:3
Be Blessed This Mother's Day
💗
As you take some "me time" to sit with the Lord and let Him dote on you!
Shalom,
AmyColleen
