As sportmoms we have observed many calls for “time out” during the games we’ve witnessed. Just as these re-calibrate the team efforts for more productive play, so we must take time in our lives to renew our focus landing in the new year with purpose and intention.
As we head toward the year of our Lord 2012, there will be a “30 second time out” this Friday as I prepare to launch SPORTMOM E-votionals into a another calendar year. Watch for the new WORD FOR THE YEAR on Tuesday.
Speaking of Word for the Year…let’s take a moment to reflect on our word for 2011…FLOURISH. Our scripture was…
So this is my prayer, that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well.” Philippians 1:9 The Message
Loving well brings about great gain…here is a peek into how God has FLOURISHED the Sportmom ministry this year:
· A new writer began issuing an “iPray” devotional inspired by this ministry
· The SPORTMOMS AND MORE website is up a running smoothly
· The BEHIND THE BENCH BLOG was initiated as an added feature
· E-votional postings show a 150% increase in viewing
· Schools in Arizona, Virginia and Hawaii were added to our direct send list of14 states
· Links to other ministry sites and athletic servicing websites are in place
The list could go on and so does the work of the Lord in your life and mine. It is my prayer that the year 2011 has been a flourishing one for you as it has for me in both unexpected and amazing ways.
Blessings…as you take a “time out” to consider how the flourishing love of Jesus has impacted your world because you have loved much!
©2011 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224
"...and a little child will lead them" Isaiah 11:6
Children have a way of bringing everything into perspective. The athletes we serve as moms, wives and coaches, speak to our hearts in various and profound ways. In the process they show us who they are and who we are too
Many years ago Coach adopted the phrase "whatever it takes!" for his team. This catchy reminder helped the team to remain focused and purposeful. While leaving the gym after a big win I congratulated a group of our team members. One of them responded with great pride, "However we can!" With a chuckle, I acknowledged his paraphrase of the motto...it wasn't what I had expected but it nevertheless made the point and driving home the intended affirmation in a different way than was expected.
This weekend we celebrate a history changing event that came to us in a different way than mankind expected - the coming of the promised Messiah. Instead of the expected leader to carry "the government on his shoulder" (Isaiah 9) as was predicted, they almost missed "the baby in swaddling clothes lying in a manger."
May the baby who stepped into human history and whose birth we celebrate, step into your heart in a new and meaningful way this Christmas!
CLICK on the BEHIND THE BENCH tab above for "ANOTHER WAY TO SAY IT..." a video you won't want to miss!
©2011 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224
Celebrating our Savior's birth, we send CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS from our family to yours. May the love that our God sent into this world bless your hearts this holy season.
To view CLICK on the link below.
http://smilebox.com/playBlog/4d6a677a4f5441344d7a4d3d0d0a&blogview=true
A FEW DAYS AGO…we had a delivery arrived on our doorstep - it was a loaf of homemade banana bread. What a welcome and yummy gift! It was unexpected so there was an element of pure surprise. It was freshly baked so it was pleasing to the senses. It was wrapped in plain clear cellophane. And it was hand carried to our front door with an e-mail arriving to confirm that it was meant for us.
A FEW MONTHS AGO…we were delivered a new set of players for my husband’s team. The team came with the unexpected surprise of a well-honed transfer. It also brought young and hopeful athletes to the program so our future is pleasing. They have delivered strong play each time they have taken to the basketball court. Like the hand-delivered banana bread, the plain and unassuming wrapping holds surprises that will be pleasing to our senses.
A FEW CENTURIES AGO…God sent His Son, Jesus, as a special delivery to us. Arriving on the doorstep of our world, the BREAD OF LIFE came as a fresh new baby…easy to adore and pleasing to the senses. A “G“-mail foretold His coming…
Then the glory of the Lord will be shown, and all people together will see it. Isaiah 40:5 NCV
Nestled in a manger and wrapped in a crude blanket…the BREAD OF LIFE was an unexpected surprise to His people who were looking for royalty as their Messiah.
And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:12 NLT
This surprise package brought God’s love to hungry hearts and followed with a hand-written message confirming that this BREAD OF LIFE is meant for us…
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life…everyone who…believes…shall have eternal life…” John 6: 35 & 40 NIV
Blessings…as you taste the sweet freshness of the BREAD OF LIFE this holy season!
CLICK at the BEHIND THE BENCH tab above for HEAVEN’S GIFT.
©2011 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224
Christmas lights are aglow! They light up our night skies turning otherwise darkened corners of our homes and streets into out-of-the-ordinary brightness. This dazzling display reminds me of the PERFECT LIGHT of our Savior whose birth we celebrate.
THE PERFECT LIGHT OF THE HEAVENLY HOST: Shepherds journeyed into the city of Bethlehem following the perfect light of the Heavenly Host’s visit.
An angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. Luke 2:8 NLT
THE PERFECT LIGHT OF THE STAR IN THE EAST: The three Wise Men, known as the Magi, were guided to Bethlehem by a perfect light…the star.
…And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. Matthew 2:9 NLT
THE PERFECT LIGHT OF OUR SAVIOR: Jesus referred to Himself as the light of the world challenging us to let His light show us the way to real living…
“I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12 NLT
THE PERFECT LIGHT WITHIN: As we follow the perfect light of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, it penetrates our being. Jesus, himself, tells us that when we have His light guiding us, we become extensions of His PERFECT LIGHT shining brightly to guide a lost world…
“You are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14
The light of the Heavenly Host led the frightened shepherds to Bethlehem’s manger where they worshipped the long-awaited light of life, the Messiah. The Star in the East led a far away yet persistent band of scholars to the promised King of the Jews where they bowed in reverence before Him. Today His perfect light within us radiates into our world. It shines through us lighting up the otherwise darkened corners of lives and leading the way to the same Christ child where they too can worship and adore Him.
Oh, Star of wonder, Star of night, Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading. Still proceeding - Guide us to thy PERFECT LIGHT.
(John H. Hopkins)
Blessings…as you shed His perfect light on your sportmom world!
CLICK ON THIS LINKon this link http://www.youtube.com/embed/CukWqUZdmQw for the song WE THREE KINGS by “BUILDING 429”
CLICK on the BEHIND THE BENCH tab above for A WARM GLOW...
©2011 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224
Earthly treasures are such a joy… an old letter from my father, a little Christmas ornament saved by my mother from our childhood Christmas tree, baby pictures of my children … all bring a smile because they remind me of someone I love. The most recent treasure bestowed upon me is displayed on my refrigerator - a skinny red Santa picture made by my 9-yr-old grandson! What counts isn't the material value of these things, but the relationship that these treasures represent ...it warms my heart.
There are treasures to be found in our sportmom world. The wins are great memories as well as the awesome blocks, amazing dunks or incredible passes. However we also find treasures hidden in the tough moments of a game. Sitting in the stands or bleachers biting our nails as we watch our precious treasure get jabbed, tripped, punched or elbowed is a known yet painful reality of the game. What we learn from those moments become treasures of the heart...recognizing how tough our child is, how controlled they have become, how resilient they are and how determined they remain. These are eternal treasures that count in the molding of their character and warms our hearts.
Coach John Wooden, of UCLA fame, gives us this bit of advice…
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.
Treasures that count are part of the Christmas Story too!
SHEPHERDS VISIT: The angel's surprise visit to these people of lowest esteem as they minded their sheep had brought fear and trembling. Soon, however, it changed into "good tidings of great joy". They immediatly left their sheep and traveled the short distance to Bethlehem where they found the Son of God and worshipped Him. They brought the treasure of overcoming fear with worship to the manger that holy night.
MARY RESPONDS: As the shepherds worshipped, Mary looked on in amazement treasuring each moment as she witnessed the greatness of her divine child. It was what she learned after the angel's visit foretelling her of God's plan that counted. As the shepherds recounted their experience and worshipped her baby, it became clear that she held the promised Son of God.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19 NIV
May we look on our children with this same amazement for they are treasures given to us by our Heavenly Father.
WISE MEN VISIT: Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:11 NIV
These three kings of great esteem came on a long, arduous journey from the east bearing treasures for the King of Kings. They knew what their mission was but it was what they learned along the way that brought great value to their bestowed treasures. May we bow before our Savior with the TREASURES OF OUR HEART giving them to Him as we learn more and more of who He is.
“…have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God's great mystery. All the richest treasures of wisdom and knowledge are embedded in that mystery and nowhere else. And we've been shown the mystery!” Colossians 2:3 TM
Blessings…as eternal treasures are discovered within your earthly treasures.
CLICK on the BEHIND THE BENCH BLOG tab above for MORE THAN AN HEIRLOOM.
©2011 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224
Have you ever had someone lavish you with love? When Coach and I were first getting acquainted it became very clear to both of us that we enjoyed making the other very happy. Eventually that friendship blossomed into unbridled love lavished upon one another.
As sportmoms, our love gets lavished upon our children and families. Even when the pocketbook is short on cash, the love is long on lavishing. Growing up in a family with 5 children we fell in the category of those barely making ends meet. Although we experienced few material extravagances, we were lavished with love and care.
“Love is the highest goal for which one can aspire.” Victor Frankel
God extravagantly poured out His love upon us. It came with no strings attached…a pure gift from His heart. Wrapped rather plainly, it came bundled in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger bed…
And this shall be a sign unto you; You will find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Luke 2:12
God lavished love upon us when He sent His Son to this earth to mend our relationship with Him. He desires for us to know Him and love Him back.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! I John 3:1a NIV
PRAYER: Transfix me, Father, on your lavished love for with it comes my future hope.
Blessings … as you experience God’s extravagant love lavished upon you!
CLICK on the BEHIND THE BENCH BLOG tab above for HIS LOVE...REACHING.
©2011 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224
IT’S HERE! We just entered the last calendar month of the year and the SEASON OF ADORNING has arrived. We decorate streets, buildings, offices, stores, schools, churches and even cars in ways that shout MERRY CHRISTMAS. With it also comes the opportunity to adorn our homes with the festive expression of an inward devotion to our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ whose birth we celebrate.
TO ADORN IS TO DECORATE IN HONOR OF SOMETHING WE ADORE
The word “adorn” comes from the root word “adore”. Webster’s defines the word “adore” this
way: To worship as divine...to love greatly!
Wise Men followed the star to Bethlehem to ADORN God’s Son with their gifts and to ADORE Him with their worship.
“We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Matthew 2:2 & 11 NIV
TRUE WORSHIP CHANGES ADMIRATION INTO ADORATION
As the Christmas carol rings in our ears, “Oh come let us adore Him…Christ the Lord!”, let us joyfully adorn the season because we adore the Son of God. May the decorations on the door of our home and those on the door of our heart shout adoration to Him.
“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.” I Chronicles 29:11 NLT
TO ADORN IS TO DECORATE WITH OUR LOVE
“…holy lives will mature and adorn the kingdom of their Father.” Matthew 13:43 TM
Blessings…as you adorn our Savior with your love this Christmas season.
CLICK on the BEHIND THE BENCH BLOG tab above for DECORATE YOUR HEART
and ADORE HIM by Kari Jobe.
©2011 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224
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