What makes me TICK as you TOCK!

Weekly Verse: Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Sample Girls...QUESTION OF THE DAY: If you could pick something in your bedroom that would last forever, what would you choose? Why?  

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Today we begin to memorize a new verse & answer the question of the day... as we read through Matthew 26...  I can't help to be pulled to Peter and his weeping after he denied Jesus... 

I position myself in his shoes to sense what he was feeling and try to make comparisons in my life, how could he do that??? and why he wept bitterly after???

75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken:“Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. (click here for Peter Disowns Jesus)

With the responsibility of raising up the next generation - do I truly desire them to follow in my path?  I have made many wrong destructive decisions and many times in my life have been far from the heart of God.  My uncontrollable narcissistic ways felt undoubtedly right as I was unknowingly drowning myself.

In a 'me-centered' world we live ~ and yet we are called to live an 'others-centered' life.  Dang... it's so much easier to focus on what I want, what I need, what makes me happy....  rather then focus on what they want, what they need, what makes THEM...HAPPY...

Narcissism is natural & easy... 

I know what makes me TICK! 

My husband knows what makes him TICK! 

My girls know what make them TICK!

So why must we memorize this weeks verse???

Peter was a bold & confident man living a transformed life that loved and lived for Jesus.  Leaving everything for 'others' Peter followed.  Here we find him broken drowning in his tears clinging on the reality that he is human.  Sin, disappointment & mistakes make up who we are - but does not have to define who we become. 

Proverbs 11:2 reads - When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

I have lived a self-consumed life and continue the struggle of looking to my own interests.  It is clear that God has a plan and a perfect way... for my life... and for YOUR life. If we trust HIM we can boldly 'let-go' and 'look-away' from our selfish vanity to confidently invest in the interests of 'others'...

I am thankful that our girls see that just like Peter, I am human and not perfect in my ways- but I do know who to look to for the answers!  

Below lists my families answers to the 'Question of the Day' and a list of different ways I try to place others before myself.  I want not only to focus on what makes me TICK... but for 'others' to be my TOCK!!! :)

Blessings in the journey, 
Tiff Sample

So I will continue to:

- Read the Bible with them.

- Have Sample Family Fun Nights

- Schedule Mommy/Daughter Dates

- Pray with them & pray for them every day n' night.

- Be home when hubby is home...

- Cook for them...

- Clean for them...

- Cheer them on...

- Have dinner around the table as a family...

- Teach them Godly values...

- Be a Godly EXAMPLE...

- Develop character that honors God.

- Monitor electronics...

- Screen the world as it enters our home.
- Listen to them.

- BE A PART OF THEIR LIFE!

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Sample Crew's Question of the Day:
    Mommy: "My slippers!" (me centered...yet again...)
    Shelley: "My Memory-Box" (keepsake box w/ journals to God & family memories)
    Trista:  "My Bible w/ family picture"
    Maranda: "My Family Poster" (poster with family memory pics over the years)
    Daddy: "Mommy..." (really???...)

A New Season ~ Fall 2011

Two problems... and where is the balance? 

Read Luke 5 below & point out the 2 problems the disciples were facing. 

1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2 he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. 

Empty nets -or- Nets Breaking! 

I have three beautiful girls 5, 7, & 10 years old & a wonderful husband. The girls are growing up so fast and the days within our Sample home seem to vanish so quickly... I can't help but stop - and look at the day-2-day rush and wonder, if I am doing a good job? 

Is this what the days are suppose to be - moving from one task to the next - with not knowing what is to come & questioning if we have a vision for the future? 

How is your day-2-day moving along? Do you feel on task with the future of your home, your family, your marriage, your health, your finances, your spiritual journey? 

In the passage above the disciples had EMPTY NETS or BREAKING NETS - yet they did two things OBEYED & FOLLOWED JESUS! 

*Are your nets empty? Are you wondering when the blessings will come? What is the plan for the future? When is this time going to pass?

*Are your nets so full they are breaking?  Do you have so many wonderful commitments they have taken over the hours in your day? Do the good things overflow your nets - until they are breaking? Are the blessings feeling like burdens?

Within the madness of our day2day ~ no matter the season we are in ~ we must OBEY & FOLLOW JESUS! 

If the days seem too much and this season feels as tho' there is no end... do as the disciples did, they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

For HE knows the plans that He has for you:

Jeremiah 29  ¹¹ I know the plans I have in mind for you, declares the LORD; they are plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope. ¹² When you call me and come and pray to me, I will listen to you. ¹³ When you search for me, yes, search for me with all your heart, you will find me. ¹⁴ I will be present for you, declares the LORD, and I will end your captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have scattered you, and I will bring you home after your long exile,declares the LORD.

Mondays...

Monday is my 'so called' DAY OFF... :)

This is the day I take as my day of rest - and focus on HIM and re-prioritize my week ahead.

I am sitting outside my home recapping this past weekend, one moment @ a time... Trying not to be consumed by anything more then the sweet memories that were created over the past 3 days.


Yesterday - Sunday 7'eleven my 1st born was baptized. She said "I choose to be baptized today so everyone will know I love Jesus & will know that I want to live my life like a JESUS FREAK!"

Ohhhh.... how proud I am am to see my sweet Shelley Nichole testify out-loud how she desires to be a light to shine for HIM!

I know that after we choose to speak out for HIS name... and to do something GREAT ~ that He calls us to do --- is when Satan will try his hardest to get us to run ~ with the flesh.... So I pray for my Shelley & each of the courageous - who said "I am here to show the world my inward transformation!" I pray that they will continue to focus on Him & what He is on earth & in Heaven... God is there in the darkest hour & all they need in that time is HIM!

I pray that each of us in our Sample Crew will continue to be filled with strength and wisdom to be a witness for our awesome King of Kings... SHOWING OFF REVEALED GLORY!

LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD... WITH ALL YOUR HEART & SOUL & MIND & STRENGTH!

Walking With A Revealed Glory,
-T. Sample

BBQ YUM!

Remember When...

I remember when I use to ride as fast as I could on my Strawberry Shortcake Big Wheel? I remember how I would race my friend Vikki down the street... We'd push those petals as fast as our little legs could go!!!

***Good Times*** How life can move by so fast...

I now have 3 girls of my own ~ but I can remember, like it was yesterday when I would paint rocks & sell them @ the end of my drive-way & how vivid those Big Wheel Races are in my mind.

Why does God allow us to remember - so perfectly those sweet & innocent days???

These days were full of peace, joy, fun & freedom...

I feel our days as adults - need to be more like that..... When we rely on HIM to keep us safe & show us the way ~ moving us to have a child like faith, a child like trust and a child like laugh.

To know our fulfillment will come as we bend towards His will for our life & serve Him ~ where He calls us to serve....

This is where we will find again the life full of peace, joy, fun & freedom we so loved growing up...

Enjoy the BBQ!
*Tee