...take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. Phil 3:17
I love "taking note" of my friends that are walking with Jesus. I love watching how they interact with their children, express their creativity or serve selflessly. When I observe these small acts of righteousness it enlarges my capacity to do the same. It fills me with motivation and desire to up my game, concentrate my efforts or take a risk.
Recently we added a habit to our daily routines that I first saw lived out by some friends of mine. Louie and I gave the kids journals this new year and asked them to write at least one sentence in it every day. That sentence, however, has just one guideline. We asked them to write down what they think Jesus is saying to them. Ha! That's no small undertaking. Just write one sentence a day that the Creator of the universe is communicating to you. At first glance this request may seem extreme. But I have seen fruit in Chloe and Sam's lives of the Spirit living in them. We desire to give them practice in listening to Him. They spend time with Jesus. They have devotion books that they are going through but when we ask them about their "quiet times" they basically repeat whatever they read in their devotions. That isn't a bad thing, it's just that our desire is that they would realize that there is much more going on than "let me check off my list that I have read my devotion." Jesus wants to speak to them personally.
Jesus has promised to each of us who believe that He has given us His Spirit. He calls to us, "Listen, listen to me and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live." (Is 55) He is our greatest treasure and hearing His voice each day feeds my soul. I want that for my kiddos. I want that for all who know Him.
I'm so grateful for my friends who live according to the pattern of Jesus. They are an example that propels me to be more like Him. What about you? Have you added something to your life that you have seen in a friend? Share it with us!
Love from the islands,
Twyla:)
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Day Four: Cast of Characters
It occurs to me that I have entitled this blog, Team Castro and yet my first three blogs have nothing to do with my sweet family. I think I will introduce them to you. I love them a lot. I see why blogs always sound like people live idyllic lives. I want you to love them as much as I do. I'm perfectly comfortable writing about my weaknesses but I won't do that to Team Castro. I think we are amazing and I want you to know why.
That's not to say we are not a broken, flawed team. We are. Boy, I could tell you some stories...Haha! Just remember that as I wax eloquently about us, we are not perfect. Far from it, in fact. But we do live a pretty cool life out here in the islands and I want to tell you about it.
Louie is my latin man. He loves me so well and so much I feel everyday as if I won the lottery. I am an outgoing, speak before I think, talker. Louie is a stoic, deliberate, thinker. He is my Samwise Gamgee. Do you remember that part at the end of "Return of the King" where Sam is trying to encourage Frodo?That's how Louie is with me in regard to all my weaknesses but especially with my "weight weakness." Sam says, "Then let us be rid of it...once and for all! Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you...but I can carry you!" His sacrificial love for Team Castro is a sermon in itself. I actually call him something else, not my latin "man" but my latin, shhh, "lover." Is it too much information? But I don't mean it in the dumbed down way of today. I mean it truly as it is, he loves with all he is. But he is also easy on the eyes. :)
Chloe is my beautiful, shy girl. She is thirteen and just beginning to wear make-up. Yikes! She and I have always been very close. She is shy and quiet but she is her own person. She wants to be a nurse someday because she wants to go places where people don't have medical care and help. She's even talked of joining the Army or Navy so that she can be a nurse in combat. What? Mommy is praying about that one.
Sam is unique and funny. He loves hanging with friends (it's not called playing anymore), xbox and using his new pull up bar he got for Christmas. He makes me laugh every.single.day. He's a math savant and generally gets through his entire day of school in about 3 hours. He likes to get his work out of the way so he can focus on more important things like Halo. :)
That's us. Our story is filled with adventure, romance heartache and drama. But aren't all of our stories filled with such things? I'm just writing it all down. We all have a story. These are my main characters. I'll write more of our narrative in the coming days. But I wanted to introduce you to the cast first.
Love from the islands,
Twyla
That's not to say we are not a broken, flawed team. We are. Boy, I could tell you some stories...Haha! Just remember that as I wax eloquently about us, we are not perfect. Far from it, in fact. But we do live a pretty cool life out here in the islands and I want to tell you about it.
Louie is my latin man. He loves me so well and so much I feel everyday as if I won the lottery. I am an outgoing, speak before I think, talker. Louie is a stoic, deliberate, thinker. He is my Samwise Gamgee. Do you remember that part at the end of "Return of the King" where Sam is trying to encourage Frodo?That's how Louie is with me in regard to all my weaknesses but especially with my "weight weakness." Sam says, "Then let us be rid of it...once and for all! Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you...but I can carry you!" His sacrificial love for Team Castro is a sermon in itself. I actually call him something else, not my latin "man" but my latin, shhh, "lover." Is it too much information? But I don't mean it in the dumbed down way of today. I mean it truly as it is, he loves with all he is. But he is also easy on the eyes. :)
Chloe is my beautiful, shy girl. She is thirteen and just beginning to wear make-up. Yikes! She and I have always been very close. She is shy and quiet but she is her own person. She wants to be a nurse someday because she wants to go places where people don't have medical care and help. She's even talked of joining the Army or Navy so that she can be a nurse in combat. What? Mommy is praying about that one.
Sam is unique and funny. He loves hanging with friends (it's not called playing anymore), xbox and using his new pull up bar he got for Christmas. He makes me laugh every.single.day. He's a math savant and generally gets through his entire day of school in about 3 hours. He likes to get his work out of the way so he can focus on more important things like Halo. :)
That's us. Our story is filled with adventure, romance heartache and drama. But aren't all of our stories filled with such things? I'm just writing it all down. We all have a story. These are my main characters. I'll write more of our narrative in the coming days. But I wanted to introduce you to the cast first.
Love from the islands,
Twyla
Friday, January 6, 2012
Day Three: Exactly One Year Ago Today
So, good news. I started my detox, healthy eating plan yesterday. For me that means eating lots more fruits, veggies, and protein and leaving out the sugary carbs like bread, tortillas and rice. The rice is the hardest part as we live in an Asian country. It's served with everything. I could actually write a whole blog about what I eat everyday, but that sounds kind of boring to me.
Instead I want to write about my "weight weakness." Surprised? Another weakness! Maybe this will be a weakness blog. Haha! Everyday I will write about one weakness or another. Hmmm...I'll need to think on that. ANYWAY, I have been overweight most of my life. There have been times here and there that I have worked out like crazy every day and eaten very little. I lose weight. Then I gain weight. It comes and it goes. I have yet to find a sustainable system for keeping it off. It has been a source of much angst and drama. I went through an entire season of guilt and hating myself. I have tried every diet (seriously, EVERY DIET known to man) and studied every food related Bible study I could get my hands on. I have single handedly given a life of luxury to the CEO of Thomas Nelson with all my purchases of diet/bible materials.
Those materials informed me that gluttony was a sin and that I was a sinner for overeating. They informed me that I could eat whatever I wanted, that all foods are good in God's sight. Just eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed and you will lose weight. They taught me that if you stay in God's Word and pray everyday you will have the strength to overcome. All of these are true. And yet... In my sinful nature I held onto things like, "You're a sinner, you glutton!" or my favorite, "Eat whatever you want, it's all good in God's sight." Haha! Notice I forgot about the until your satisfied not stuffed part. I would swing from legalism to freedom abuse. And the guilt mounted.
In my desperation, exactly one year ago today, I reached out to a ministry in our home fellowship in LA. It is a ministry of prayer. Their focus is on concentrated prayer for freedom. It was only prayer...only prayer...only talking to Jesus on my broken, desperate behalf. Prayer. Talking to Jesus. So simple and yet so wonderful.
Don't get me wrong. I had prayed a gazillion times before for freedom from my gluttony. It wasn't until that night, however, that Jesus began to open my eyes to how the evil one was turning truth into lies. The voice of criticism and disapproval I was listening to was not from Him. I was holding on to the condemnation so tightly that I couldn't hear the hope. He was not calling me, "Gutton!" He calls me, "Free!" Because He "calls things that are not as though they were." (Rom 4:17) Praise Him! You could also say, "He calls things that are (glutton) as though they were not (free)." Oh how I love Him. I am so thankful for the hope of truth.
Why were my eyes opened to the truth THAT night? I don't know. I know when two or more pray together Jesus promises He will be there with them. Corporate, biblical prayer is powerful.
Now, after a year of freedom am I skinny? Ha! No. But I am still free. I am free from being consumed with food. I am free from worrying about food. I am free from the hours of guilt ridden self-codemning prayer. What a waste of time. What I do have is the motivation to keep trying, to keep exercising and to start my detox eating plan. I am so grateful to my Jesus. He does transform us and make us more like him.
Love from the islands,
Twyla :)
P.S. I love you guys! Thanks for all the encouraging words. Please let me know your thoughts as this will be an ever changing blog.
Instead I want to write about my "weight weakness." Surprised? Another weakness! Maybe this will be a weakness blog. Haha! Everyday I will write about one weakness or another. Hmmm...I'll need to think on that. ANYWAY, I have been overweight most of my life. There have been times here and there that I have worked out like crazy every day and eaten very little. I lose weight. Then I gain weight. It comes and it goes. I have yet to find a sustainable system for keeping it off. It has been a source of much angst and drama. I went through an entire season of guilt and hating myself. I have tried every diet (seriously, EVERY DIET known to man) and studied every food related Bible study I could get my hands on. I have single handedly given a life of luxury to the CEO of Thomas Nelson with all my purchases of diet/bible materials.
Those materials informed me that gluttony was a sin and that I was a sinner for overeating. They informed me that I could eat whatever I wanted, that all foods are good in God's sight. Just eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed and you will lose weight. They taught me that if you stay in God's Word and pray everyday you will have the strength to overcome. All of these are true. And yet... In my sinful nature I held onto things like, "You're a sinner, you glutton!" or my favorite, "Eat whatever you want, it's all good in God's sight." Haha! Notice I forgot about the until your satisfied not stuffed part. I would swing from legalism to freedom abuse. And the guilt mounted.
In my desperation, exactly one year ago today, I reached out to a ministry in our home fellowship in LA. It is a ministry of prayer. Their focus is on concentrated prayer for freedom. It was only prayer...only prayer...only talking to Jesus on my broken, desperate behalf. Prayer. Talking to Jesus. So simple and yet so wonderful.
Don't get me wrong. I had prayed a gazillion times before for freedom from my gluttony. It wasn't until that night, however, that Jesus began to open my eyes to how the evil one was turning truth into lies. The voice of criticism and disapproval I was listening to was not from Him. I was holding on to the condemnation so tightly that I couldn't hear the hope. He was not calling me, "Gutton!" He calls me, "Free!" Because He "calls things that are not as though they were." (Rom 4:17) Praise Him! You could also say, "He calls things that are (glutton) as though they were not (free)." Oh how I love Him. I am so thankful for the hope of truth.
Why were my eyes opened to the truth THAT night? I don't know. I know when two or more pray together Jesus promises He will be there with them. Corporate, biblical prayer is powerful.
Now, after a year of freedom am I skinny? Ha! No. But I am still free. I am free from being consumed with food. I am free from worrying about food. I am free from the hours of guilt ridden self-codemning prayer. What a waste of time. What I do have is the motivation to keep trying, to keep exercising and to start my detox eating plan. I am so grateful to my Jesus. He does transform us and make us more like him.
Love from the islands,
Twyla :)
P.S. I love you guys! Thanks for all the encouraging words. Please let me know your thoughts as this will be an ever changing blog.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Day Two: Commitment Remorse
Ahhh...what have I gotten myself into? I couldn't sleep last night worrying over this crazy commitment. What am I going to write about? What kind of blog will this be? Will it be a food blog (my favorites)? A homeschool blog (scarey)? A "Proverbs 31 Woman" blog (yeah, right.)? I love blogs. They all sound so positive. People's lives sound fun. They make beautiful meals, take beautiful pictures and have perfect kids. They are organized and efficient...
Let's see. Should I write about our meltdown in math yesterday? How about my mediocre chicken pot pie last night? I actually took a picture of the pot pie thinking that's what you do when you write a blog. Haha! How about my need to detox from Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas...another "resolution" that has yet to be started? Or maybe I should go with the fact that I am still on Dec. 8 of my "Read through the Bible plan" from last year. How in the world can you get through Romans in four days?
I will probably write about all those subjects in the coming days. But I have a problem.
I have a desperate need to confess all my weaknesses. This characteristic comes out of a past (and present) of fighting pride in my life. Why would I want to write for 30 days straight when there is a compulsory need to confess all the time? (Insert hands shaking, upset stomach, etc.) This will be an experiment in humiliation.
But my Jesus reminds me, "My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why for Christ's sake I delight in weaknesses...for when I am weak then I am strong."
Sigh. I can do that. I can delight in weaknesses. I can rest in Him. I can walk through meltdowns with Him. I can laugh at my need to please you all with a picture of my pot pie. I CAN detox and eat healthy real foods because I want to please Him. I want to honor His temple, my body. And best of all I am free from dates on reading plans because I want to spend time with Him, soaking in His words to me.
What about you? Do you feel a need to put your best foot forward all the time? My Jesus' kingdom is all upside down and backwards. The first will be last, love your enemies and boast in your weaknesses. Crazy. But I want to be near Him. I want to know Him and I have found that these crazy upside down ideas actually set me free to walk with Him more intimately.
Love from the islands,
Twyla
P.S. Do you like the new font? Much easier to read. :)
Let's see. Should I write about our meltdown in math yesterday? How about my mediocre chicken pot pie last night? I actually took a picture of the pot pie thinking that's what you do when you write a blog. Haha! How about my need to detox from Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas...another "resolution" that has yet to be started? Or maybe I should go with the fact that I am still on Dec. 8 of my "Read through the Bible plan" from last year. How in the world can you get through Romans in four days?
I will probably write about all those subjects in the coming days. But I have a problem.
I have a desperate need to confess all my weaknesses. This characteristic comes out of a past (and present) of fighting pride in my life. Why would I want to write for 30 days straight when there is a compulsory need to confess all the time? (Insert hands shaking, upset stomach, etc.) This will be an experiment in humiliation.
But my Jesus reminds me, "My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why for Christ's sake I delight in weaknesses...for when I am weak then I am strong."
Sigh. I can do that. I can delight in weaknesses. I can rest in Him. I can walk through meltdowns with Him. I can laugh at my need to please you all with a picture of my pot pie. I CAN detox and eat healthy real foods because I want to please Him. I want to honor His temple, my body. And best of all I am free from dates on reading plans because I want to spend time with Him, soaking in His words to me.
What about you? Do you feel a need to put your best foot forward all the time? My Jesus' kingdom is all upside down and backwards. The first will be last, love your enemies and boast in your weaknesses. Crazy. But I want to be near Him. I want to know Him and I have found that these crazy upside down ideas actually set me free to walk with Him more intimately.
Love from the islands,
Twyla
P.S. Do you like the new font? Much easier to read. :)
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Day One: A New Year A New Adventure
So this year I have resolved to keep a blog. What?
I have resisted.
I have toyed with the idea.
I even set up a template once only to chicken out.
My own cynicism and judgemental attitude have kept me from this literary outlet.
I love blogs.
I read blogs.
I judge blogs.
Ugh. I'm terrible. Because of said confession I am beginning this adventure with fear and trembling. Why would anyone want to know about my life? What is so special about my life that would prompt people to even read this. There is the rub. I am stinking scared of disappointing someone or saying something ridiculous.
My hands are actually shaking as I write this.
My stomach is turning.
I think I drank too much caffeine.
I am an outgoing verbal communicator who longs to express myself. I really want to do this.
I want to talk about my Jesus.
I want to brag on my kids and my latin man.
I want to tell you about my caffeine obsession.
So, today when a friend posted this link about doing something you have always wanted to do for 30 days, I took the bait.
http://t.co/e5zzxjWn
I'm going to blog for 30 straight days to see if I completely embarrass myself, my kids and my latin man.
I hope I inspire you.
I hope I make you laugh.
I hope you don't judge me. :)
Love from the islands,
Twyla
I have resisted.
I have toyed with the idea.
I even set up a template once only to chicken out.
My own cynicism and judgemental attitude have kept me from this literary outlet.
I love blogs.
I read blogs.
I judge blogs.
Ugh. I'm terrible. Because of said confession I am beginning this adventure with fear and trembling. Why would anyone want to know about my life? What is so special about my life that would prompt people to even read this. There is the rub. I am stinking scared of disappointing someone or saying something ridiculous.
My hands are actually shaking as I write this.
My stomach is turning.
I think I drank too much caffeine.
I am an outgoing verbal communicator who longs to express myself. I really want to do this.
I want to talk about my Jesus.
I want to brag on my kids and my latin man.
I want to tell you about my caffeine obsession.
So, today when a friend posted this link about doing something you have always wanted to do for 30 days, I took the bait.
http://t.co/e5zzxjWn
I'm going to blog for 30 straight days to see if I completely embarrass myself, my kids and my latin man.
I hope I inspire you.
I hope I make you laugh.
I hope you don't judge me. :)
Love from the islands,
Twyla
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)