Laughing All the Way: I Wana be a Ragamuffin, How About You?

Laughing All the Way: I Wana be a Ragamuffin, How About You?

I Wana be a Ragamuffin, How About You?

I just finished the Rich Mullins life story "Ragamuffin" (you can find it on Netflix).  Its an amazing journey of his walk with Christ and his music career. The Lord brought a man into Rich Mullins life that caused a change that brought much needed peace into his life.  Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel Ragamuffin Gospel Book was the preacher that explains our relationship with Jesus in a real and honest way.  

This movie was life changing for me! As I was watching my mind and heart became so full, it was like sitting in a room with multiple conversations going on and you want to listen to it all and understand and not forget what was talked about.  As I watched the moving I was pausing and typing my thoughts and quotes from the movie. I want to share them with you. I encourage you to watch the movie.  

The following are quotes from Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel 

What is a Ragamuffin Gospel:  "Unsung assembly of saved sinners, that are little in their own sight, and aware of their brokenness, their powerless before God. A Ragamuffin knows hes a beggar at the door of Gods Mercy".  

When we die and stand before the Lord and He ask:  Did you believe that I loved you? That I desired you? That I waited for you day after day, that I longed to hear the sound of your voice". What would you say?  I"ts so important to lay hold of this basic truth in our belief."

"You're only going to be as big as your own concept of God. We've made God in our own image, then He winds up being as fussy, rude narrow minded, judgmental, legalistic, unloving and unforgiving as we are". 
Jesus walks up to you sitting in the pew and says I have a word for you, "I know your whole life story, I know every skeleton in your closet  I know every moment of sin, shame and dishonesty and degraded love that has darkened your past. I know your shallow faith, your feeble prayer life and inconsistent discipleship... I dare you to trust that I love you, just as you are not as you should be. Because none of us are as we should be. 

"Once you come to know the love of Jesus Christ, nothing else in the world will seem as beautiful or desirable".

"You know that you're a Ragamuffin if you're not ashamed to be one. Much like having the simplicity of a child and the poverty of a child you come before your Abba Father and you rest in your identity as the beloved of God".  

Abba: I belong to you

Rich Mullins: "It always cracks me up how we try to impress God, When people try to impress God, because you don't have to impress God. He's already knocked out by you." 

 Rich Mullins: "I hope some day you encounter Him. If you do you better hold on for dear life, or better yet, let go for dear life."

Rich Mullins: "The church exist because we need each other, but why are we all walking around the church wearing these masks pretending to be perfect. Its so exhausting, why do we do it. I think our only hope is the Love of God." 

My thoughts....

In the movie when Brennan Manning said "when we die and stand before the Lord and he ask"... My immediate thought was "what have you done for me".  When Brennan said what is written above...I sat on the couch and cried.  The point is, the Lord wants us to know just how much he loves us. We say it with our words all the time, "He loved us so much that Jesus died for us". But, I ask myself...do I really really believe Jesus loves me. My truth: Yes, the good parts (ha-ha), not the sin or shortcomings. The REAL truth is yes he loves me, all of me! Even the ugly part that I hide, the lazy me, the judgmental me, the critical me. Even me typing the last sentence I'm overcome with traditional thinking. Oh...no by saying that it means I think Jesus loves and is OK with all the actions associated with the bad parts that I just listed. Oh my!...my traditions and doctrines I've been raised with
are so engraved in my heart and mind. I know its going to take a bit for me to really REALLY get it. Trust me, this is exactly what I plan to do.

Again, when I typed the above word from Jesus my traditional mind is overwhelmed with the need to justify that when it says "I dare you to trust that I love you, just as you are not as you should be". I felt like I should clarify that it doesn't mean that God love our actions and what we are doing. By getting stuck in this way of thinking it paralyzes us, instead of stepping out and getting to know the love of Christ, we feel like we need to clean up, do some good works and/or get the junk out of our lives first

I encourage you to accept the love of Jesus, that you allow Him to help you and love you just the way you are. Is He not powerful enough to clean you and take care of the big and little sins you struggle with? I say, He is more than enough! In John 3:16 He makes it clear that all we have to do is believe, trust, cling, and relies on Him. 

Psalm 23:6 Amplified
Surely only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place. 

John 3:16 Amplified 
For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten {unique} Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

Photo A Day

This is my Day 2 Picture...
I have wanted to re-do my living room wall for a long time, I finally did it using my very own pictures that I've taken over that last few years.  My husband and I love to travel and find places to take pictures.  
The one on the right is a picture of a church in New Mexico. The one on the top left hand side is of an old cross in a grave yard in Bodie Ca.  and the one under it is of a grave yard in Taos New Mexico a really neat Indian Reservation.

Happy New Year!

Well, it's the first day of a new year! I started this blog because I enjoy reading other blogs and have gotten so many great ideas and encouraging words from others! The only problem I've had is, I'm horrible at keeping up on any one thing for a long period of time! I have great plans, ideas and drive then I make a u-turn and start to focus on something else. Some other great idea or inspiration! The funny thing is I've married someone just like me, so at least I have someone that understands and can laugh with me!


Because this blog is important to me, I'm not giving up! I've come up with a few ideas that will hopefully help me be more faithful to blogging.


1. Photo a day: I love to take pictures so this will help me share my love!
2. Weekly word, I have written down 52 words and put them in a jar, I'll pick one word every week and blog on the word. What it means to me and what memories, ideas and feelings it brings up. 
3. Scripture Sunday... I will share a scripture that has meaning to me. 
4. Me Mondays: I asked Santa (my hubby) for a treadmill for Christmas, well I got one and I mean to use it and not for a clothes rack! I have to put me first so I can be around long enough to enjoy my family and feel good enough to do the things I want to do! 


I could make this list so long that it would be impossible for me to be successful and that is normally what I do...but not this time!!!   

Here is my first Picture for 2012.  This is my son Jacob and his little boy Kobe, my sweet little Grandson!
This little guy has brought so much joy into my life! He has the best personality and he loves his Mimi... and his Mimi loves him! 

Our New Adventure

Well my hubby and I have been big fans of Storage Wars and decided to give it a try.  First thing we did was have a yard sale to get rid of all our precious "junk" and earn a little bit of cash to use to purchase a storage locker.
Well we both took a couple of days off, prepared our list, gathered our required supplies and headed out for a fun filled day.  It was a filled day, fun?? Honestly it really was! The first unit up for bid had a small folding metal table and a large piece of glass oh and I can't forget the stack of magazines.  The bid started at $20 and went down to $10 then to $1 no one bid, then the auctioneer said he would give anyone a $1 to take the unit.  See the storage place doesn't want to mess with having to clean and haul out the stuff so this was the way to get around it.  then we moved on to a few other, then there was one that had quite a bit of nice furniture it went for $3000. I was shocked!! Others went for anywhere between $100 - $1000.  We didn't buy one, we bid on a few but we agreed on a max we would bid.  Will we do it again? Sure, who knows what can be found!
I know all the pros have attitudes toward us newbies.  They feel which is true, people watch the show and think it will be just like that, of course it isn't.  We're going in with our eyes wide open!! We have met a few ole' timers and they have been really nice and have given us some pointers.
Then we moved on to Antique and Collectible hunting by going to Estate Sales.  Now this has been very successful and fun.  We found some great items, the hard part is going to be letting them go!! This item is going to be the hardest, it is so cool and works great!

This is a 1920's Phonograph, you crank the handle and  listen to music from the past.

I'll be updating my blog as we continue the adventure!

Help for a Scrapbook Supply Adict

Just a few of my latest addiction fillers

I have to confess something and since I am NOT going to confess to my wonderful hubby (like he doesn't already know!) I will confess to you.  I have a problem! I'm addicted to scrapbook supplies.  I get so excited when I walk into a scrapbook store, Jo-Ann's, or Micheal's.  I love the patterned paper all the pretty colors and textures, oh my! I love all the embellishments...all the shiny bling, beautiful flowers, and the ribbon...oh my! I'm not even going to go into the punches...oh my my!
Last night on the way home I stopped at Jo-Ann's and they are having an awesome sale so I walked out with a two bags full of stuff that I really don't need.  As I was walking out I said, "YOU HAVE GOT TO STOP THIS"! So, I'm going to try and go one month and not buy any scrapbook supplies.  I'm committing to you that I will not buy one supply for the month of February!  I'm sure someone has caught on that I didn't say starting now...well, that's because I want to buy some stamps from THIS site.  (I've got it bad, uh?) But, really you should check out the site they have cute stamps.
I have to have the stamp that says:
 "It's late my love, he whispered "that's enough scrapbooking for one night... it's time for bed."
Itsn't that just the cutest saying!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE that saying...It reminds me of my husband telling me its time for bed when I'm elbow deep in ribbon, paper and glue dots.

Speaking of cute sayings..thats another thing I love! I have notebooks full of different sayings that I use when scraping or making cards.  Another cute stamp was:  "Dorthy was right, theres no place like home".

I think I'm going to go play with my stash!

Paralyzed Perfectionist

I want to make this wreath, its supper cute!

I love these jar lights are pretty and easy to make.

What a cute idea this is!

I'm going to make this, how cute and simple a great idea to keep me busy while watching TV.

If you like crocheting or knitting check this site out!

Now, I just wish I had more time in the day to make and do all of these wonderful ideas.  Now I must return to laundry.  I have made a challenge for myself to get ALL the laundry done.  The only problem is me, whenever I decide something like this I become a monster.  I'll start following everyone in my family and the minute they drop a piece of clothing I'll be grabbing it to get it into the laundry.  You see I've always labeled myself as a procrastinator when really I'm a paralyzed perfectionist. LOL I want everything to be so perfect that I freeze and put it off.  I feel like its too big to accomplish or I spend so much time thinking of ways to do it, I end up not doing anything.  Hmmmm...so what am I doing right now? Putting off laundry, cleaning and getting our neighbors gifts finished up so we can deliver them when my hubby gets off work.
Lord help me!!!!