Walking with JesusTeresa Ortiz (2,652)     Teresa Ortiz    In Season Ministries Outta My Way Martha Stewart, Here I ComePosted Wednesday, May 14, 2008 (3 days 5 hours ago.) Viewed 452 times. So my friend forwards me The question of the day; she had to or else her belly button would have unscrewed and her butt would have fallen off. It's hard to believe, but it's true--it said so right at the bottom of the e-mail!
The question?
"Are you a Martha or a Maxine?" Gee, I don't know let me read on and find out.
For those of you who haven't seen the e-mail, following are a few things on the list so that you know where I am coming from--or rather, where I'm headed.
Martha's Way:
Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips.
Maxine's Way:
Just suck the ice cream out of the bottom of the cone, for Pete's sake! You are probably laying on the couch with your feet up eating it anyway.
Martha's Way:
Brush some beaten egg whites over the pie crust before baking to yield a beautifully glossy finish.
Maxine's Way:
The Mrs. Smith frozen pie directions do not include brushing egg whites over the crust, so I don't.
And my personal favorite...
Martha's Way:
When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the outside of the cake.
Maxine's Way:
Go to the bakery! They'll even decorate it for you.
*********
Well, if this isn't offensive I don't know what is! I bake, thank you very much! Let me just tell you what an amazing baker I am.
A long time ago, I baked Banana Nut Bread. It looked so beautiful when I took it out of the oven. You would have just died for a piece--but then without warning, it sank. Flat as a board...so what if I forgot to add the four cups of flour--picky, picky!
Then there was the time I baked Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies. Yummy! So what if you had to use a hammer to break a piece off! I was always told, it is the thought that counts.
However, last night was the best! I was feeling a bit challenged by my dearest friend and little Miss Martha, so after dinner, I decided to bake a cake. I wonder if there is a box of cake mix and a can of frosting in the cabinet...yes there is!
"Hey guys, you want me to bake a cake?"
"No, it's okay."
"I don't mind"
"No, really...it's okay!"
"Fine I'll make it for myself."
I was humming away as I pulled out all the ingredients. So far so good. Then I searched for the mixer and the mixer thing-a-majiggers. Well, I don't know what I did, but as I was putting the mixer thing-a-majiggers into their appropriate slots, the mixer turned on and pretty soon my fingers were all tangled up! I let out a scream and my husband came running to make sure I was okay. He fought the laughter as long as he could and then simply said, "And you don't bake, why?"
Sigh. Oh well, I finished mixing the mix and went to grease the pan...what was it Martha said to do? Oh, never mind, Maxine said the boxes don't call for anything like that and I should really be going to the bakery..so I'm way ahead of the game.
I must say, 34 minutes later, we had the best cake ever. My husband and my son even had two pieces, so there.
My baking skills have improved dramatically over the years, and my mommy always says that practice makes perfect. So, outta my way Martha, here I come!
Alright, fine. I admit it. I am a Maxine, through and through and I'm okay with that.
Second to Patti, Marie Calendar is my best friend.
(C) Teresa Ortiz
Permalink Comments (14) Let's Not Forget Mary, The Mother of JesusPosted Saturday, May 10, 2008 (7 days 7 hours ago.) Viewed 125 times. Of all the wonderful mommies that have come and gone, I can't help but think about Mary, the mother of Jesus. What was so special about her? Why would God the Father choose her? And how can her mothering skills help me today?
These questions have been on my mind for the last few days. So much has been said about Mary and she has been made out to be someone whom the Father never intended her to be--nor is she. As a result, many, including myself have gone to the other extreme and have said she is no one special. God only needed one woman, and He just happened to pick her. In my opinion, neither position is a biblical one.
I decided to go back to the Scriptures to refresh my memory. What a blessing it is to be reminded of the reason God chose her and what a treasure I found in looking to her example.
Mary is only mentioned a handful of times in the Bible. What can we learn in a few examples? Quite a bit as it turns out--most of the lessons coming from a portion of her prayer as recorded in Luke 1:46-48. This she prayed after being told by the angel that she will give birth to the Messiah:
"And Mary said:
My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has
rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has
regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed."
Mary was a woman who had a relationship with God the Father. She understood that she was a sinner in need of a Savior and was a woman of worship. We also see that she was a humble woman and was blessed by the fact that God noticed her. Finally, we see that she recognized the amazing privilege that God had bestowed upon her and knew that she would go down in history as a blessed woman.
After the Child was born, Mary and Joseph acknowledged this Child as a gift and dedicated Him to the Father.
" Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the LORD." Luke 2:22
Mary knew when it was time to let Him be a man; The Man that she knew He was:
"And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, 'they have no wine.' Jesus said to her, 'Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.' His mother said to the servants, 'Whatever He says to you, do it" John 2:3-4
Jesus calls his mother "woman" on more than one occasion. The last reference to her is recorded in John 19:26-27:
"Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, 'Woman, behold your son!' Then He said to the disciple, 'Behold your mother!' And from that hour that disciple took her to his home."
I gotta tell you, if that was me, I would have said, so this is the thanks I get for being your mom? After all the diapers I changed, after all the boo-boos I kissed, and after chasing you all around Jerusalem, you are just going to give me to someone else? Thanks a lot sonny-boy! Okay, so now we know why I wasn't picked to be the Mother of Jesus. Although she was only human so maybe...
I just can't imagine what a gift it was to raise the Messiah, the Savior of the world!!
From Mary, I have learned to be humble, to offer my children to God and to know that there will come a day when they are adults and they will need to find their own calling in life. (I have also learned that at some point, my kids will throw me in a nursing home.)
However, the most valuable lesson comes from what Mary told the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it." As a mother who followed God, she led others to her Son. My desire is that I would do the same.
So while God makes it clear that we are not to worship her or glorify her (Isaiah 42:8), He does tell us to honor her. And so I do.
Happy Mother's Day to all the mommies in the whole wide world!
(C) Teresa Ortiz
Permalink Comments (12) Good Parent, Bad Parent - Good God, Bad GodPosted Friday, May 09, 2008 (8 days 19 hours ago.) Viewed 107 times. How would you rate yourself as a parent? Would you say you are a good one? What would be your qualifying reasons? What if one were to ask your teenaged child-would they agree with your assessment, or would they say you were mean, judgmental and narrow minded?
Getting back to the first question; if you rated yourself as good, what are the reasons? Following is a list of reasons given over the years:
1. I tell my children how much I love them. 2. I set boundaries for them and tell them the consequences that will follow if they cross the line. 3. I warn them not to touch a hot stove or not to play with fire because they will get burned. 4. I warn them to stay away from strangers and tell them that there are evil people in the world who are looking to harm them while pretending that they are friendly.
As a parent, you know that your teen's perspective on the short list above is a bit different from yours. Following is a list of responses I have heard over the years.
1. I love you too. 2. You're so strict, I never get to have any fun. I thought you said you loved me. 3. You're just trying to scare me into doing what you want me to do. It won't really burn. 4. You're just afraid that I might meet someone who is nice. Bobby's parents are great, they let him go anywhere he wants.
Obviously, this list is just the tip of the iceberg. Still, it makes a good point. So, once again I would ask; are you a good parent or a bad parent? I suppose it depends on whom you ask. As parents, we have experienced hardship and pain; we know what straying from the counsel of our parents did to us. Looking back to our teen years, we might remember a time or two when we thought our parents were mean, to strict and narrow minded. However, as we got older, we understood that it was love that compelled them. It was their knowledge that caused them to warn us of the consequences of straying.
Let's consider God in this same light. Is God a good God or a Bad God? Unfortunately, many "experienced" adults act like teenagers when asked this question. He is accused of being a narrow minded God who just lays out rules and regulations to be followed or else they will suffer the consequences. Why is it that many who take pride in the fact that they raised their children with guidelines and values that taught them to be good people are quick to say that they do not want to follow a God who does the same?
Perspective. However, is perspective the measure? God is love and He is the Creator of all things. Therefore, how much more experienced is He? It would seem that He is the one who is qualified to warn and set boundaries for His children. Wouldn't you agree that putting a little bit of fear in your children teaches them to respect and trust you? Why then is God accused of being a bad God for doing them same?
It would seem logical that if one considers God bad and narrow minded for setting boundaries, then one must consider themselves a bad parent for doing the same.
Would you pick and chose when you are going to be your parent's child? No, that is silly. You are either their child or not. Either you choose to accept them and honor them as your parent, or you divorce yourself from them, be your own parent and deal with the consequences.
The same applies to God. We can't call him Father when it is convenient and then say He is not our Father when he lays down the rules. You are either His child or not. Either you choose to honor Him as your God and Father or you divorce yourself and be your own God. It's simple logic. God is God 100% of the time or He is not.
"And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives." Hebrews 12:5-6
As a good parent forgives when a child disobeys and comes to his or her senses, God does the same. Be our own god or be a child; the choice is ours.
One last time; are you a good parent or bad parent? Is God a good God or bad God?
© Teresa Ortiz
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