Friday 'Fess Up...With a Twist!

I originally posted this in January 2014. But it's so relevant for me today! I want to reignite the passion for my vision and my calling that I had when I first knew what it was I wanted to do and knew what God called me to do. Sometimes we have to look for opportunities to refresh that vision and go after it like we did in the beginning.

Enjoy this flashback!!

Ignite a Fire for Your Passion

(C) Captured Memories 365

I've been thinking lately about the surprises God has given us and those He has in store. Good surprises to propel us and our visions to their ultimate fruition. One of the things that excites me have been attending writer's conferences. I went to my first conference last year in Spokane: Inland Northwest Christian Writer's Conference. It was amazing and so very exciting! I had no idea whatsoever what to expect. I left feeling as though I had gotten all the keys to writing that I needed to start me on my journey. Conferences are like school for me, continuing education credits for my profession. They just excite me and surprise me all at the same time.
So what excites you? What lights a fire in you that you get really excited about doing? When God created you, he predestined you for a specific assignment and calling. And the goal of that assignment was winning the lost for the Kingdom.
Today, I want to hear from you about your passion. What is it that excites you that the Lord has called you to do?

Blessings!

Homeschool Hump Day Encouragement

Originally posted February 2014:

Leading Children to Jesus

Recently a friend told me that she was told by her child's public school teacher didn't think her child knew the difference between reality and imagination and pretending. The teacher had apparently asked the child what he wanted to be when he grew up. The child's response was that he wanted to be a Transformer! At this point, I think it is necessary to mention that the child...is 5 years old! The public school teacher dismissed his idea of a potential idea because it clearly did not fit her idea of a career when the child chose a career.
Now I remember when I was a young girl, I wanted to be Wonder Woman (I'm a 70s child!), my sister and I pretended to be Ponch and Jon (from the TV show CHiPs), I wanted to be a truck driver like BJ (BJ and the Bear), and I really had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. My point is, we all had unrealistic, non-reality based ideas of what we wanted to do as we grew older. Those child-like concepts are influenced by television shows often, but rarely has a child who wanted to be a super hero actually become one!
As we lead our children to the true "transformer," we can arrange for a real and meaningful knowledge of the Lord in their lives and introduce them to Jesus, our real super hero!
I wouldn't say feed the child's fascination necessarily, but definitely be more intentional with the transformer and saving grace of everyone and the Savior and super hero of us all--Jesus!

Blessings!

Lyn~

What's My Calling?

Originally posted September 2013:

Ways to Find Direction & Get the Vision God Has for Your Life

We've talked about getting the vision God has for you, but you may be wondering how to start identifying what your purpose is.  Prayer is a great place to start!  Ask the Lord to show you what He made you to do for Him in this world and in this life.  And then take an active role in seeking to close in on that purpose.

Here are some ideas to get started:

• Brainstorm things you enjoy doing.  Just write down anything and everything you like or think you would like to do.
• Write down hobbies you used to enjoy.
• Write down jobs that interest you.
• Write down what you would do if money were no object.
• Write down nations that come to mind.
• Write down people groups that move your heart.

Those are all great ways to identify what the Lord has placed in you, in your DNA, to do with your life!

So get to jotting down those thoughts and ideas!  May the Lord reveal your purpose as you meditate on those dreams.

Blessings!

Friday 'Fess Up

Today I intended on getting this post out early. I was obviously late in doing so, but I didn't allow myself to just brush that off and give up on writing today. I made a commitment to myself, to God and to you, my readers to be intentional about writing blog posts. So today's 'fess up is that I didn't quit or give up! That's what Satan wants us to do though. He wants to distract us and keep us from fulfilling the purpose God has for us. But you know what? We are overcomers! So don't quit and don't give in!!

What did you do today to keeping moving and not allow yourself to quit?

Blessings!

Homeschool Hump Day Encouragement: School Hacks

Originally posted August 2014...

Our friends at Organized Chaos Online, Patti and Tawsha, have so many clever life hacks for back-to-school! Here are just a few:

All photos (C) Organized Chaos Online

Do you have life hacks for back-to-school to share?

Blessings!

Creating Unique Ways of Keeping Your Vision in Front of You

Vision boards, Journals, Memory Jars and More

We've been talking a lot  about vision boards.  They are my passion and what keep me focused on the calling and assignment God has placed on me.  But creating a vision board isn't for everyone.  Some people like things more simplistic and others like things more private.  There is nothing wrong with either of these methods of keeping the vision in front of you!
I've been thinking about how we can keep our visions and dreams in front of us in unique and practical ways.  Do any of these sound fun?  Think you might use one for your vision, dream or goal?

• Write/type your vision on colorful paper
• Create a small poster of photos of things related to your vision
• Make a quilt to represent your vision
• Create an mp3 playlist of songs that reflect your vision
• Write in a journal
• Use a special memory jar and place notes that encourage you and relate to your vision
• If your vision requires making a purchase of some sort, say a motorcycle, make a savings bank for it 

Your vision board, journal, memory jar or whatever you choose to keep in front of you to remind you of your vision are just as unique as the visions themselves!  Dare to step out of the box and try something different.  The idea is to keep your vision in front of you and thinking on it often, however that works for you!

If you've done something unique like this with your vision, will you consider sharing it with us?

Have a blessed week!!

Highest Expectations

Originally posted on September 5, 2013:

Trusting God in Every Step of Your Life

Recently, I found myself meditating on the idea of trusting God in every aspect of my life.  Throughout various situations over the past several years, I would tell friends when my husband and I were adding another baby to our family, "I'm trusting God for the number of children we have."  Or I would say, "I'm trusting God for the right job for my husband."  The problem was, until recently, I'm not really sure how much I really did trust God in those situations. 

You see, there is a difference between trust and mental agreement.  Trust requires a level of respect, love, and devotion.  Mental agreement just means that you can justify agreeing with facts or reasoning, but requires no commitment or relationship.  So I began asking myself:

• Do I respect the Lord?
• Do I love my God with everything I am?
• Am I fully devoted to doing whatever He has for me and receiving all that He has planned?

Last year, our pastor challenged the congregation to write down three of our highest expectations of the Lord for the year.  That is my challenge to you, too.  What are three things that God would have to do, not that you could accomplish yourself, but that you have to fully trust God to see completed in your life?  

• A better paying job?
• Publishing a book?
• Clients for your business?
• Working at your dream job?

What would you include?

Friday 'Fess Up

I have a difficult time taking care of, well...ME! I make sure the kids have new shoes when needed, make sure they get mental breaks from school, or intervene in situations on their behalf as needed. I put them and my husband first very often while neglecting the refreshing and recharging that I need.

But this time, for the next several weeks, I'm going to be working on me and renewing that passion for ministering to women that God gave me. For the rest of the month, I'll be posting previous posts for the Monday blog posts, Homeschool Hump Day Encouragement, and Friday 'Fess Up so that I can focus on me and my family while we are on vacation. It's no fun being with your family while your mind is actually somewhere else.

So, my confession this week is that I'm going to take care of me!

If you struggle with making YOU a priority, I want to encourage you to pencil yourself in on your calendar. Give yourself several hours or even a full day just for taking care of you and recharging, refreshing, and renewing your relationship with the Lord. You'll come back more prepared for the things God has called you to, I guarantee it!


Have a blessed rest of September and I'll see you in October!!


Lyn~

Homeschool Hump Day Encouragement

One of the things I liked most about homeschooling was the ability to customize my children's schooling programs to fit their needs, not to fit that of a book or some random scope and sequence. I found that there are many things throughout our normal day, whether schooling or not, in which my children had an opportunity to learn. And isn't that what our end goal is...for our children to become independent, lifelong learners?

I began having my children find the best bargains when grocery shopping, follow recipes to make dinner, and do yard work. We planned a garden, worked to create a new backyard patio, and studied a variety of art media. Remember, school doesn't have to look like a brick-and-mortar building or like public school at all! Learning that is fun, child-led, and guided will produce confidence in children to investigate those things that interest them potentially directing them to the calling God has on their lives.

How do you deviate from a normal homeschooling day? What sorts of things do you and your children learn throughout the week?


Have a blessed week!

Lyn~

Friday 'Fess Up

This week, I made some choices. Choices that allowed me (or FORCED me in some instances!) to step out of my comfort zone! It's not easy to do. If you've ever done something that was simply a challenge for you, not a bad thing or against the law, nothing like that. Just something that challenged you, then you know what I'm talking about!

When I was finishing my journalism degree eight years ago, I took a Voice and Presentation class. I have no problem with voice, just ask any of my friends and family: I love to talk! But the presentation part meant going on camera as though I were a real television news anchor. I was 38 years old at the time. I chose to interview a good friend of mine, which made me more relaxed. But at the end of the show (I titled it"The Lyn Parker Show"!!), I voiced my insecurity to my professor who then told me that "some people are natural in front of the camera and some are not. You have a beautiful face for radio." I was crushed.

I knew I wasn't a slender beauty compared to me 18-20 years younger counterparts. But it was that moment, those words, that stopped me from ever doing anything on television or YouTube or video again. I stopped having my picture taken with my family turning to the role of photographer so I had an excuse to NOT be in the picture! I hid, just like Adam and Eve. Now I hadn't really committed any sin in not being on camera...had I?

Well, I realized the other day that perhaps my professor didn't see me as someone worthy of a place on TV News, but maybe my Father God did! A friend called me to interview me and talk about my books, "The Breakthrough" and "Damaged." This interview would be on YouTube for anyone and everyone to view! Those thoughts of inadequacy came rushing back into my mind, and then I heard myself tell my friend, "I'd love to do that!" WHAT?! Mouth, what have you said?! I had now made a commitment to my friend and had to stick with it.

I prayed that those fears would be banished from my mind as I sat and talked with my friend and the live studio audience. And God met me there. I didn't focus on the camera or how I looked or if I was sitting correctly. I simply talked to my friend about the books and of course, about Disney! God will produce good things in us, if we just take that step of faith and of trust in His will for our lives. Stepping out of our comfort zones is hard! But it can also be so very easy when we place our trust in the God-of-Angel-Armies!

Step out of your comfort zone this week!!

Lyn~