I’ve taken pictures each Sunday, just to chronicle the experience and this chapter in my church’s life.

I’ve been amazed at the hard work this team of people has put in to pull off such a technology stunt, all the way to live-streaming, last Sunday! I know that so many have played a huge role in the success of this being a reality, and I have gotten to experience a lot of that first hand through my hubs.

So, this next portion is going to be dedicated outrightly to bragging, on Jeremy. I am so proud of him.

Today, in the hallways of PC3 Leland many came up to me to brag on Jeremy because of a few technology type things that happened in the early hours of Sunday, saying things like, “We love Jeremy,” and “Jeremy is a rock star” and “What would we do without Jeremy?”

and I agree, and know all of these things to be true,

every. single. day.

Jeremy does so many things well, and with ease. He is patient, loving, understanding. In public, at work, and at home. Always. I see many sides of his character, and I can vouch, he is a rock star, a rock star daddy to L, a rock-star husand to me, and a rock-star client helper (if I had a dime for every time I heard, click start, go to open, etc, etc, etc). And I, too, love him. And often wonder, what would I do without him. He is a true gift! I am so thankful for him.

Thanks PC3 Leland, for loving on Jeremy and in turn, loving on our family.

with this homemade sign…

maybe I will attempt my own. We’ll see.

I love her words on that blog, too. This is the gift, that is sharing your word. Immediate accountability.

Check out Brad’s facebook page for some awesome furniture, too. Like this dresser he painted, love that blue!

Can I get an Amen?

We’re studying the book of James in my couples small group. I’m so in love with this book, with the man James, that God wholly inspired to write what may have been the first book of the new testament (chronologically).

The truth that resonates from these pages. Don’t be deceived! Consider it joy! Truth gives life! (and we’re not even done with the first chapter yet).

In today’s study this was an excerpt from Beth Moore… that I just loved and had to share…

James gives loud caution to his readers never to be duped into believing that the flesh gives and heaven takes away. Deep inside the marrow of our belief system, we are prone to think of God as the gigantic minus in a life full of pluses. Only by the integrated revelation of the Holy Spirit do we comprehend the great reversal: God gives and the flesh takes away. God bestows. The flesh bereaves.

God’s gifts are given with goals. They’re perfect because they’re perfecting. They don’t just give today. They give toward every tomorrow.

After taking a moment to reflect on the good gifts of God from our past in quarters, Beth states this…

If it was good, then it was God. If it was perfect, then its goal was precise.

I’m hiding this truth in my heart, good ammo for a rainy day!

don’t let it.

i almost did, just this morning. how ridiculous.

truth invade my heart.

via elembee.

So, after a conversation, or two, and influence from my pastor (it’s not about a fancy word, it’s about life-change and what God wants to do in you) that I needed to rethink things…

I knew that Eucharisteo is the exact idea of what I wanted to go for, and what God wants to do in me but, it just wasn’t the right fit.

Then a word chose me, for the first time. I’ll attempt to explain.

Have you ever had those moments where God chases after you with a truth? And it’s everywhere you look? That’s pretty much what happened here.

I know this because for a few months I’ve been thinking about the person I was becoming. I thought about my critical nature (ugh!), my propensity to compare myself to others, my playing over a bad scenario in my head.

I thought, “what if this isn’t how I’m meant to live?” What if my friendships could be deeper & more meaningful. What if I was able to capture my thoughts, and find thankfulness in the small things, the transforming power of a heart enlarged to the simple, gratitude, thankfulness, yes, all those things. But how is it captured in just ONE word.

I started praying it over. The type of person I want to become is thankful, is joyful, pays attention, doesn’t get swept away with negative emotion, is quick to listen and slow to speak. Who is that person? How do I become her?

That’s when God started chasing after me with one three letter word….

• I started reading One Thousand Gifts. Which, is amazing. I truly love the book. I love Ann’s writing style. I love her candidness and her struggle at finding joy. Her quest is so real that it invaded me. I marveled at how her thankfulness found it’s way to more. She found joy in the smallness, the mundane, the difficult.

• Then, I went to church, and Jeff Winchester, Leland campus pastor of Port City Community Church said his one word is Enjoy! I loved that and it reminded me of a similarity of what my word might be..

• Then, I went to my mom’s group and we exchanged our thoughts about our words, several of the words that stand out a few days later are adore, joy, fullness. Yes, all of these things.

• Then, we started a study on James in my couples small group. Week 2, day 1 is all about JOY and verse 2 of James 1. Which, clearly, I’ve been mulling over anyway. And as Beth Moore says in this study,

The word consider calls us to a mental exercise. Not an emotion. James isn’t telling us to have a knee-slapper over all we’re going through. He’s telling us to think, to reflect, and to esteem the unalloyed joys available to us, “whenever [we] experience various trials.”

And wow, oh wow, JOY as James talked about it. To consider it joy, not just feel joy. That if not, trials will steal our joy.

• Then, I went over to one of my favorite blogs, and no lie, this was the current post: Comparison is the thief of Joy.

Talk about repetition. I think I get it.

How much I need JOY in my life.

JOY chose me. I’m so glad. One sweet three letter word.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything

Oh, 2012, you are my ode to

Have you picked your one word yet? What is it? I would love to know! If you’re not familiar with it, check out this page on how to choose your word!

This year has been a year of lists. So far. And we’re 6 days in.

These lists consist of what to read, what to make, goals to strive for, personal, financial, and beyond.

But the most compelling of lists is this one that was inspired by a book I just got for Christmas. The book, One Thousand Gifts, has captured my heart in every possible way. It was exactly what I needed to read at exactly this point in time. Isn’t it funny that the One who knows us so intimately, who created our every fiber, knows the exact number of hairs on my head, cares what I read, cares what I let my mind rest on during the day and in the night. 

Before I’ve shut my eyes into slumber in these first few days of twenty twelve, my mind has pondered eucharistio, a greek word that Ann Voskamp, the author, locks into early into the book’s pages. And, I, too have wondered, have pondered, what does it take to live a full life as Christ intended? Scripture makes it clear that it’s possible and attainable… but what must we do to seize this life? To take it all in and not get caught into the things that matter least, but rather be captivated by things that matter most.

I’ve decided, based on my own experiences, that it does take intentionality, that it takes DOING something. Not saying you are going to do it, and certainly not making a list declaring you will do it, you must actually DO it.

In fact, Ann cites a fantastic quote on the matter by Pierre de Caussade,

When one is thirsty one quenches one’s thirst by drinking, not be reading books which treat of this condition.

Ann goes on,

If we are dying of thirst, passively reading books about water quenches little; the only way to quench the parched mouth is to close the book and dip the hand into water and bring it to the lips. If we thirst, we’ll have to drink. I would have to do something.

Ann started this wonderful journey of writing down gifts, not to buy, not for someone else, but the gifts of God, a love list of sorts. She begins this list, of gifts, of one thousand of them, and realizes that she is changing. That she starts to see things differently.

I’m not so great at writing, no, not like Ann, but in reading this book, it was somehow my words, my thoughts, said 20 times more eloquently than I could ever dare.

So because of this, my one word this year, is also my list of one thousand. Eucharestio. Thanksgiving. Gratitude. Grace. Joy. Yes, in one profound greek word, that Ann explains, always precedes the miracle. Jesus gave thanks (even in not -enough), Daniel gave thanks, Paul gave thanks, yes… thanksgiving. So, for non-greek scholars, my word is Thank-full (yes with two l’s, to be FULL of thanks). For greek scholars, and readers of One Thousand Gifts, my one word is Eucharisteo.

It is also my challenge, to list 1000 things over the course of this year that I am thankful for. I believe that it will be a stretching experience, a lesson on gratitude, that I intend to fully inhale. I am up to twenty nine in my list currently. It is an exercise in gratitude.

I am only on chapter 5, of 1000 gifts and already feel my heart expanding. I am so thank-full! 

Reflecting on 2011 has just happened naturally as this week has flown by. We’ve cleaned, and going through our things, reminded me of being here for a year, of this past year, finding out I was pregnant, the entire pregnancy (with it’s ups and downs) and that sweet baby that arrived August 24th.

This year has been full of joy. I am so thankful for so much. And am so excited about this coming year! I’ve got some good goals on paper that I’ve been working on for this next year including things to make, books to read, business goals, blog goals, personal goals and overall goals. I will be sharing those soon (I’m currently working on my pinterest boards to go along with each goal category!)

Heres to twenty twelve, deeper friendships, sweet moments with my family, lots of photos, lots of creativity, success and inspiration.

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old days long gone ?

For old days long gone, my dear,
for old days long gone,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for old days long gone.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !
and surely I’ll buy mine !
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for old days long gone.

Also, currently working on my one word, too. If you haven’t heard of it, go here to find out more.

And just for fun… some of my favorite recent photos…

happy new year!

This morning I was reading out of Jesus Calling, a devotional book that Jeremy and I have decided to read through together. I’ve always had a hard time finding a devotional that would really leap off the page and dig deep into my heart. This morning though, that very thing was accomplished…. but I’m getting ahead of myself, back to marking moments… 

A year ago, I was feeling very needy…

In fact I had a few much needed conversations with friends at that point, letting them in on that very fact. I struggled, deeply, with the fact that “needy” was the best description of my emotions at that moment in time. I don’t know what it is, but that word, and that feeling, and knowing others that you would describe as such – is not an attractive feature. But, I’ve come to realize that spiritual neediness is exactly where the Lord wants us to be. He wants us to come to him broken. He wants our hearts, not our self-sufficiency. Realizing this fact has helped me to move on from it and embrace it.

Today’s devotion, almost a year later… (read this as if Jesus is speaking to your heart.)

Your needs and My Riches are a perfect fit. I never meant for you to be self-sufficient. Instead I designed you to need me not only for daily bread but also for fulfillment of deep yearning. I carefully crafted your longings and feelings of incompleteness, to point you to Me. Therefore, do not try to bury or deny these feelings. Beware also of trying to pacify these longings with lesser gods: people, possessions, power.

Come to Me in all your neediness, with defenses down and with desire to be blessed. As you spend time in My Presence, your deepest longings are fulfilled. Rejoice in your neediness, which enables you to find intimate completion in Me. 

-Jesus Calling, December 8th

and then these two references: Phil 4:19, Col 2:2-3, which both just encouraged my heart so deeply.

I hope you as well, will be encouraged and Rejoice in your neediness, what a wonderful sentiment and reminder! I’m so thankful that the Lord allowed me to mark this moment with him. I’m so thankful.

You, my friend, rejoice in your neediness today!

]]> http://www.kellycain.com/2011/12/marking-moments/feed/ 0 http://www.kellycain.com/2011/08/the-tablet-of-my-heart/ http://www.kellycain.com/2011/08/the-tablet-of-my-heart/#comments Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:07:22 +0000 kellycain http://www.kellycain.com/?p=1849 I’m reading through Proverbs 3:1-8 with my church, we’re even attempting to memorize it! The thing is, this whole tablet of my heart thing, in verse 3 strikes me every single time…

Proverbs 3:3-4
3 Do not let kindness and truth leave you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So that you will find favor and good repute
In the sight of God and man.

I think it’s amazing that the two qualities chosen by the Psalmist above are kindness and truth, in the NIV it’s love & faithfulness, in the KJV mercy & truth, in the NLT loyalty & kindness.

Okay, english fails us, obviously the Hebrew would be much more encompassing…

kindness, faithfulness, mercy, loyalty, truth – write these on the tablet of your heart.

It begs the question, if these aren’t written on the tablet of your heart, then what is? Worry, stress, financial strain, lust, greed, impatience, jealousy, anxiety – to name a few. What if we replaced those today? What if we replaced worry with truth, stress with kindness, impatience with mercy, lust with loyalty, greed with faithfulness…

I imagine the tablet of my heart, it’s rollercoaster-ness, and how much it could benefit from a rewrite. And bound around my neck, for the world to see, faithfulness, kindness, truth, love… oh what favor that I would be found in, in the sight of God and man. If, I could just rip off the binding of worry, of impatience, and replace them.

What refreshing words. What’s on the tablet of your heart? What’s bound around your neck? 

Follow along with us at pc3devos.