Andrea O. Freeman

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:5 I haven't blogged in awhile, Spring Break. I jumped into my quiet time this morning and all day I have been going over in my head this scripture from the message our pastor gave at church yesterday. What does that mean? All? All my heart, all my soul, all my strength...can I even comprehend what that means for me as a human being or is it easier to grasp on a spiritual level? I think it means very simply choosing each day, very deliberately to be like Christ. He was not a predictable man, and he did not follow anyone's rules other than God the father. He came with a purpose, to seek and save the lost and Oh my gosh, how much He loved them! Every single person who came to him He was more than willing to help if they simply believed. I have always found it odd that He told many of those He healed to keep it to themselves. I don't understand that completely,...

"He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord's favor has come." Luke 4:18b-19 In my quiet time today I read about when Jesus returns to Nazareth, where he grew up, and spoke over the scrolls in the synagogue. I cannot imagine the mood in the room, the hush as he spoke, everyone listening so intently. Whether they realized who he was or not, his very presence must have left everyone with some sort of edge knowing there was something about him. He was the Word made flesh, God's Son come to save us. This Scripture is so inspiring, to know His purpose, to know that truly God is on our side. More than anything remembering what Jesus did for us on the cross, His death and resurrection gives us reason to celebrate our freedom in salvation, our joy and our greatest peace. There are those in the world who would love to prove it all myth, or jus...

I realize my blog yesterday may leave some wondering what my point was or worry I simply don't know who I am at this point in my life. Over the course of the past few months I have had a few conversations with several women I know either at work or at church, and strangely enough like myself they too are wondering what is next at this point in their lives. I listened to comments like, "I just don't know what I want out of life right now", or "I don't know what I want to do with my life", or "I am not sure where I am headed next". At some point in the conversation I agreed with them cause I am in a similar place. Ten years ago if you had asked me where I would be at this point in my life, it would not be here. I would not have expected to be starting over for one thing, particularly going back to work full time. I would have easily predicted having several kids cause that is something I have always dreamed of. I admit I would have expecte...

I am little tired and somwhat frazzled at the moment, but I am bound and determined to get in my blog today. Easter is approaching, and so I have been thinking since last Sunday how am I changed since I first came to know Christ. How am I changed? Who am I today that I was not before? Do I really know Him, trust Him, love Him? I find as I get older I am bombarded daily by so many expectations to be something I should be, but am I just being me? Am I finding my authenticity and living it, really and truly living it? If everything I have, everyone I know, all the stuff I have accumulated and accomplished in my life was stripped away Who would I really be? I don't have an answer. I guess I don't have it cause I don't want to have it. I feel like that would be saying I am done, content, uninterested in moving, changing, being renewed and refreshed daily. I do know I am God's, I am chosen, I am a holy vessel for Him to use, I am blessed, I am loved and I am a good...

We watched "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" last weekend and something he said has stuck with me. When he is explaining to Mahoney what matters most, he refers to Shakespeare's words in his writing, "He dies." I cannot recall which writing it is, but Mr. Magorium talks about how powerful those two little words are. The power is not in those words, or the sadness they carry, but the meaning of the life lived prior to those words. When you look at your life, do you feel sad? Disappointed? Wondering how you can go on or what is left worth living for? Mr. Magorium makes a great point. It is so important to be thankful for the life we live, every moment counts and hopefully it has been well lived. We cannot get bogged down by sadness, fear, worry, frustration, regret, doubt, anger, resentment...I could go on and on. The point is, life can be good if we live it and live it well! Jesus lived a life so brief on this earth, and although it was brief he mad...

"Today is a new day." --Chicken Little I love that line and for some reason it came to mind this morning. We should all have that outlook when we start each day. This movie is one of my son AJ's favorites, and Rylee and Bailey love it more for the songs. Chicken Little has it really tough in the story cause he yells that something terrible is about to happen, and when all the world is against him and he needs his Dad to support him, just believe in him--he doesn't. The story gets better and the dad eventually hears his son's hurt and disappointment and they resolve the situation, find closure as Abby Mallard (Chicken Little's friend) suggests. In the end his dad tells him he loves him, apologizes for not being there and show his support both verbally and by his actions. How many of us struggle to find that love and support we need and so desperately desire? In the beginning Chicken Little has made up his mind he will do something better, improve himself...

You know your are getting older when the body hurts a little more than it used to. I have been getting myself back into shape the past couple months in hopes that this is the real deal. I want to make these changes for life, really consistent about what I put in my mouth and living a more active lifestyle. So far I have had a great start, but it is the long road ahead that counts most. It is a daily fight for me with my mind and my body, starting when the alarm goes off. I wish I could have just fifteen more minutes, then I'll be good to go. It is that first initial step out of bed that is the starting point for my day, and I am off! Life is non stop with three kids, a husband, a house to take care of, a job, church stuff, extracurricular stuff, appointments, errands, etc. Where does the time go that I should have to get it all done? Why do I always feel like there is not enough time in the day to do it all? It is a bit unnerving to think going back to work full time will...

Although some people really thrive on feeling sorry for themselves, I find it benefits nobody and it is extremely tiresome to deal with. I have had friends over the years who have come across this way, life just isn't fair most of the time, they have what seems to be greater struggles than the rest of us. Truly I believe this is a need for attention, somewhere along the way that person has either had an unhealthy example of love and self worth or they have been a victim of some form of abuse. What an opportunity to share Christ, show love in a way that blows any example they've ever had out of their minds? We should be aware of these needs immediately around us in our friendships, families, work places, churches, anywhere and everywhere we are encountering someone who desperately needs a fresh outlook on life. I read in my quiet time today as God gave the Israelites the opportunity to see the land He'd promised through scouts who were sent out. As they returned and re...

My head is whirling with information this morning. I had a great weekend, and my week started off great today with a great job interview this morning. Since I have started this weight loss challenge my physical and mental well being are more in balance I think. In my quiet time this morning I read the familiar passage in Psalm, "Create in me a clean heart, O Lord my God, and renew a right spirit within me." Then when I got an email from my mom-in-law and she needed encouragement, I thought of the scripture in Psalm that says, "Why so downcast, O my soul, put your hope in God!" And finally I was just thinking over our small group study last night about the passage when Jesus walks on the water and calls Peter to do the same. I know that daily I need to make a habit of going through a kind of metamorphosis: I see the weight of my circumstances and the worries of this world crashing around me like waves, and although my humanity is weak I know I can look to Jesus...

There are so many ways to describe the "loves" of my life. I have an incredible husband, Ryan, whom I have loved more every day we have had together in our marriage. I have a daughter Rylee, who is such a great combination of Ryan and I but truly a reflection of her Dad's sensitive spirit. My son Bailey, is feisty, outgoing and very passionate about life. He dives head first into any situation he is faced with, has no fear it would seem. My son AJ, is a typical third child, wishing most of the time he could do the same things his older siblings do. He is like his brother, no fear and approaches life without hesitation. He is the most stubborn of my three children, and very focused on whatever is occupying his time at the moment. I love my children fiercely, and I would do anything for them. It is hard to imagine a love that goes above all of them. This is the love we are called to in our relationship with Christ. Above everyone and anything in my life, I am ca...

I know it can't just be me, but does time go a lot faster than it used to? I remember feeling like summer lasted a whole lot longer when I was a kid. Now I look at the calendar for my kids and think, they don't really have a full three months off it seems. I am amazed how quickly the day gets away from me. By the time I get going, get everything done that I can and reach the afternoon when it is "my time" I can't believe how fast it has gone, how little time I have left. I think God wants us to do two things with our time on this earth. One, cherish every moment we have as if it is our last. Two, considering how fast the time goes, what could we be doing with that time to further the Kingdom? God doesn't want His Son, Jesus to return before everyone, every single person on this earth has the opportunity to know Christ and choose salvation. It truly puts everything in perspective. I have been struggling for a couple days with the financial burden we a...

It is a rainy Monday and we all seemed to drag out of bed more than usual. I got up to get to the Y for my first weigh in. We are starting a biggest loser challenge so a friend and I have teamed up. It is just what I need to get myself really going on a necessary health makeover. It is a lifelong work in progress I am afraid. I guess I should be proud of myself for continuing to work toward improving myself. I have had some set backs, and I realize that stress has played a big role in my health. I know I turn to food for comfort. Some people have substance addictions, I have a food addiction. My greatest focus will be evaluating my moods, reasons for reaching for food especially when I am not actually hungry. I know I do it out of boredom, for fun, to relieve stress, or just because it is there and I might as well treat myself. I know there is strength in abstinence or making an effort to reach for something healthier. I know I can lean on my partner, and I have the encoura...