Ever wonder....

Have you ever wondered what this world would be like if we were all positive? Why is it that it seems more normal to be negative than positive? For example, everyday our day starts off with thoughts - check it out and see if they are positive or negative. That will say a lot about who you are and how you see life. Crazy thought, huh? Or, what do you say to yourself when you look in the mirror? I know that for years, I would look in the mirror and say, "Why is your rear as wide as the mirror? That kind of rhymes. lol!! Oh, here's one, "What is happening to my neck, it's starting to sag and I'm only in my 30's!!" I now know why my grandma wore scarfs all the time in her later years...because the neck gives away your age more than your face does so when she would wear a pretty scarf, you were drawn to her gorgeous face. Even at the age of 88, when she went to be with Jesus, she was gorgeous!!

So, why must we tear ourselves down all the time? Not believe in ourselves and in our God potential? If we really say life is about choices, then if we choose to walk out life with a negative attitude, then it's because it's a choice that we have made. Think about this: If you were put in a cell for a week, all you had was a window with bars on it looking outside. Would you look through those bars and look at the dirty ground and wonder why life must be so miserable, why did this have to happen to you or would you look through the bars and look up and out and see the celebration of life, the sun shining in the day, the stars twinkling in the night around you?

Life is all about how you choose to live and SEE it. A question I get asked a lot is this: How do you stay so happy? Because I choose to live life this happy. I have had my 'cell-like' moments in life. Life hasn't always been fair to me, dreams I've had have fallen apart, my rear is still as wide as my mirror, I have been hurt by people I have loved deeply....but when I really 'see' my life, I see beauty, I see potential, I see new dreams yet to be lived, I see an AMAZING husband that loves me deeper than any love I've ever known, I see children that bring me overwhelming joy. If you have Christ, then no matter where you are in life, you HAVE LIFE - a life that is waiting to be lived with positive thoughts, words that will not tear you down, words that believe in your God potential, words that say "Today is a beautiful day, no matter what!"

"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies." Phil. 4:8 (MSG)

Change your world by the power of how you think!

Through Christ, there's NOTHING I cannot do,

Tracee

Up, Up, Up!

I have the song, 'Up' by Shania Twain going on in my head. It's been years since I've heard it but i think I'm going to find it and blare it on the sound system this week. The chorus, or what I can remember, goes, "Up, up, up, can only go up from here." After having a 103 fever last week for 3 days and feeling miserable, I figure - this week will definitely be better than last weeks! lol!

So, I started off today making a list of to-do's. My first thought was, "Well, I have to play catch-up from being sick last week." (yes, I do talk to myself...haha) But, I immediately kicked that thought out of my brain as I began to feel smoke bursting from my ears and the top of my head come open (I watched way too many cartoons as a child!) because if I even begin to think of the word 'catch-up' you can forget me ever really catching up on my to-do list EVER!! Just to name a few like weeding, cleaning out the garage, painting the back deck, organizing closets, and that's just to name a few household items on my list not to mention Girls Ministry, Youth, and Worship projects!! So, I will take on what I can today and whatever doesn't get done, well, that's what tomorrow is for, right? lol!! Another day to mark a few off the list, and yes, add a few that I forgot.

So, today - I will celebrate this beautiful life He's given me, I'm not going to put my make-up on, do my hair, I will hang around the house in my sweats and t-shirt, I will be thrilled to mark off a few items off my to-do list, I can't wait to breathe the air my kids are breathing, to hear about their day at school, I will fix a fantab meal of fajitas and watch my husband goo goo and gaga over my homemade tortillas, and I will end my day knowing that whatever didn't get done today will happily greet me in the morning without fail. lol!!

"Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in Him!.....Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down." Phil. 4 (parts of Ch. 4 in The Message)

Now go have some fun!!

Tracee

Where are your eyes focused?

There is one thing I promise to do in this joyblog and that is to always be real, honest and simply - me. The one thing that frustrates me in this life is how we can play the silly game of thinking, "Well, she never goes through any struggles or hard days, her life is perfect." That, my gorgeous friend, is a major lie of the enemy because each and every one of us, whether we are Lisa Bevere, Joyce Meyers, or just me, Tracee Davidson, have our good days, our bad days, our enemy warfare days and days that we are laughing our heads off. We are human - and yes, I'm so going to go there - we all sit on the same toilet, doing the same thing. lol!!

So, where on earth am I going today - raise your hand if you never get stressed out! Okay, I see that none of you did, so we have all been in the same exact boat. I am no expert at walking out crazy life circumstances and always walking on the water. Yes, I have sunk many many times and that is so not cool cuz it takes me a good 45 minutes just to blow dry my hair after it gets wet. That's a stress in itself. lol!! But, I want to share a few little thoughts that I'm doing in my own life at this very moment, actually - I've only broken my toe, had my laptop crash and lost everything, came down with an upper respiratory infection that lasted 5 weeks, then went back down with another illness with fever this week, had to cancel some events, and am trying to re-create everything that was on my laptop for the coming 2 months of calendar events on my agenda! Stressed, me? lol!!! Soooo, I want to pass a few things I do onto you as well cuz that's what friends are for - to walk through life together. (beware, this will not be a short blog...ha!)

1. Keep your eyes focused on.....(drum roll) GOD! That is the first and foremost important thing that will NEVER fail you. Focus, focus, focus. Man, that's not always easy to do because our problem is: we keep our eyes focused on the problem instead of the solution. God has the answer to the solution, so stay FOCUSED on Him. (As I am re-reading this I just had to laugh because I so have a problem with say, I'm cleaning the kitchen, so I head downstairs to grab some kitchen towels out of the dryer to dry the dishes and then next thing you know, I'm cleaning the laundry room.....lol!!!!)

2. Keep your eyes focused on.....HIS WORD! Back in the day, sounds like I should be talking 1800's dialogue here....but don't worry, I won't! lol! I can recall a MAJOR stressful time in my life when we came back from missions in 2002. I won't go into all the details of that story here but I had never experienced stress like I did then. I was to the point that had it not been for God's Word, I know I would've broken down with some panic attacks. Everytime I felt that anxiety rising up within me, and trust me, it's not like I invited 'it' to appear, I would immediately grab my Bible and begin to read His word. It NEVER failed, God always took over my anxiety with floods of peace. This wasn't like a 2 minute reading...it was more like 20-30 minutes, sometimes an hour. I had key scriptures or verses that were speaking loudly to me during that time so I would turn to them and read them over and over and over again until God would literally begin to flood my heart and calm my spirit...it was through that, that I would regain my focus - in our weakness HE is strong!! He really is!!

3. Surround yourself with close friends. If you are married, this will include your husband but also close girlfriends. God has truly blessed me these past 5 years with some of the closest friends I have ever had. The kind that you can 100% be yourself, hold each other up, be REAL together, and also speak things into each other. Knowing that you are not walking alone, but are surrounded in support, prayer and loads of love will get you through whatever your life brings your way. If you do not have this kind of friendship circle, ask the Lord for it. God is a God that will give you the desires of your heart. Never forget, the first gift of friendship is to be a friend yourself....it will flow from there.

So, I leave you with a verse that one of my inner circle friends sent me today because she know's that I have had a crazy last 5 weeks that has caused me to have moments of crying, pulling my hair out but also, I have had many God joy moments and found oppurtunities to laugh my head off....knowing that she loves me and is praying for me and surrounding me helps me to know, I will get through this - between God, my amazing husband, and my dynamic friends....this too shall pass.

Psalm 27 (MSG)

Light, space, zest— that's God! So, with him on my side I'm fearless, afraid of no one and nothing. When vandal hordes ride down ready to eat me alive, Those bullies and toughs fall flat on their faces. When besieged, I'm calm as a baby. When all hell breaks loose, I'm collected and cool. I'm asking God for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I'll contemplate his beauty; I'll study at his feet. That's the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world, The perfect getaway, far from the buzz of traffic. God holds me head and shoulders above all who try to pull me down. I'm headed for his place to offer anthems that will raise the roof! Already I'm singing God-songs; I'm making music to God. Listen, God, I'm calling at the top of my lungs: "Be good to me! Answer me!"
When my heart whispered, "Seek God," my whole being replied, "I'm seeking him!"
Don't hide from me now! You've always been right there for me; don't turn your back on me now. Don't throw me out, don't abandon me; you've always kept the door open.
My father and mother walked out and left me, but God took me in. Point me down your highway, God; direct me along a well-lighted street; show my enemies whose side you're on. Don't throw me to the dogs, those liars who are out to get me, filling the air with their threats. I'm sure now I'll see God's goodness in the exuberant earth. Stay with God! Take heart. Don't quit. I'll say it again: Stay with God.

Together, we will help each NOT pull our hair out!!

Tracee

Don't Forget - Wear the Right 'Clothing'

As hard as it is to imagine, it's back-to-school time around our household. I can't even get my head around the fact that my children's summer vacation is already over. I spent their first day of school living in my car, going here, there and everywhere, getting last minute supplies they need, or shorts for band, and lunch snacks and I am sure there will be even more trips this week for the 'oops, I forgot to tell you I need...." lol!!

So, I found myself having a hard time going to sleep last night and couldn't figure out why...and then I had that V8 moment and realized that I was taking on the stress of this new season which was causing me to not get the much rest I need so I can ensure I don't get more grey hairs on my head before they are really due. lol!!

So, that has led me to this verse - an inspiration to be careful what 'wardrobe' I choose to wear every day. I am determined that I be a mom that stays calm, doesn't get huffy, or react out of the craziness of a school year schedule including everything that is on my agenda with my music and other ministries I'm involved in.

I have always asked myself this question through the years, "Would I like having me for a mom?" I want my children to grow up and have amazing memories, looking back and seeing lots of laughter, joy and loads of love - cuz - WHEN MOMMMY IS HAPPY, EVERYBODY IS HAPPY. :)

Here's your inspiration for the day:

Colossians 3:12-14 (The Message)

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

Enjoy, take it one day at a time and breathe in EVERY single moment of mommyhood!!

Smiles,

Tracee

Don't Forget - To Trust

So, here it is 7:52a.m. I have been awake since around 6a.m. this morning and if you know me, I'm not a creature of the morning but more of a late night girl!! I like just went to bed at 2:15a.m. lol!! So, yes, a nap is definitely in my near future.

What woke me up was my brain. It wouldn't stop talking even though I kept trying to get it to be quiet, it just kept thinking and thinking...I so know I'm not the only one that does that....so, I got up and have been - you guessed it...'thinking.' lol!! What I wanted to share with you is a life scripture that I have leaned on over and over in my life, no matter where I am in life, what's going on, it just always seems to be the verse that settles everything in my brain and in my heart. It's literally that powerful!! I know you know it and if you don't, mark it down in your Bible and make it your life verse...living by this passage of scripture will totally revolutionize your life, how you see it, how you live it, how you respond to it....so, are you ready? Here it is!!

Proverbs 3:4-6 (The Message) - Trust God from the bottom of your heart. Don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He's the one who will keep you on track.

The version I have memorized goes like this - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.

One of my favorites things about this verse is this: You don't have to try and figure it all out!!! Not every question will be answered in this life....it's okay. Not every circumstance will work out the way you thought...it's okay. Not every day will go as you planned...it's okay. Just simply TRUST God with ALL your heart and HE will direct your path. It's soooo incredibly beautiful that I just had to pass this powerful verse to you and remind you - He's got it all figured out - just trust HIM. :)

Enjoy, live to the fullest, love and laugh a lot - :)

Tracee Lee

Mostaccioli Recipe :)

Mostaccioli (Serves 6-8)
Ingredients:
1 Box Penne Pasta
1 lb. of hamburger (90/100)
1 Jar of Ragu Traditional Sauce
2-3 Cups of Mozarella Cheese
½ cup of Parmesan Cheese
Spices: Garlic Powder, Italian Seasoning, Basil, Fresh Italian Parsley – chopped with scissors (small bunch)
What to do:
Turn oven on @ 400 degrees
Fill up a large dutch oven with water (3/4 full), add a little bit of salt, put lid on it, bring to a boil on high. Once it comes to a boil, put pasta inside, drizzle a little bit of olive oil in it – keep lid off. Once your pasta is done – drain and put in a rectangle cake pan.
Cut up ¼ of the parsley bunch in a bowl and get the rest of your spices ready to add to your sauce when ready.
While the water is coming to a boil, place your hamburger in a skillet with a drizzle of olive oil and cook until brown. (water should be to a boil ready for your pasta to be added by the time you are done with this process)
Place the spaghetti sauce into the skillet with the cooked hamburger, add your fresh parsley and remaining spices and parmesan cheese into the sauce. (Cover the sauce well with the Italian Seasoning and Garlic Powder, and a little less generous with the basil.) You can also drizzle a little bit of olive oil into your sauce. (to make the sauce even better cut up ¼ green pepper and a ¼ cup of onion – sautee’ them together in a skillet with a little bit of olive oil on medium heat until they turn transparent – add to your sauce and, if you have it- ¼ cup of red wine, simmer for 4-8 hours on lo heat take it to another level!!)
Once you have mixed your sauce and seasonings, pour your sauce over your penne pasta in the pan and mix it up. Add 2 cups of cheese to the pasta and stir. Add remaining 1 cup of cheese to the top of your mostaccioli. Bake for 20 min on 400 degrees.


Homemade Garlic Bread
1 loaf of bread
2 sticks of REAL butter
3-4 tsp. of garlic powder or 5 cloves of garlic, crushed
Parsley – to your taste (fresh is best but dried will work as well)
Melt butter for about 1 min (cover with a paper towel) – add your crushed or powdered garlic and a little salt and your parsley. With a ‘paint brush’, brush your cut up bread that is placed on a piece of foil and generously cover all the bread with the butter. Cover with another piece of foil and bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Plunge in and eat!! 

Don't Forget - God is not a man that He should lie!!

When God speaks a promise over you - a dream given to you - He will do it!! He doesn't take back His words, He doesn't speak something and then walk away and not do it. He's 100% reliable and 100% faithful to keep His promises. His yes's are yes, and His no's are no.

Many of you just came back from the Dare to Dream Conference this past weekend in Nashville, TN and you were inspired to DARE to Dream the dreams God has given you - you are not alone in this journey because He's the one that gave you the dream in the first place. Trust Him, follow Him, listen to Him and YOUR DREAMS WILL COME ALIVE!!

I am God,
the only God there is, the one and only.
I promise in my own name:
Every word out of my mouth does what it says.
I never take back what I say.
Everyone is going to end up kneeling before me.
Everyone is going to end up saying of me,
'Yes! Salvation and strength are in God!'"
Taken from the MSG - Isaiah 45

Walk in His strength and His love - cover yourself with Him and watch it all appear in His perfect time.

Love and believe in you LOADS!!!

Tracee Lee Davidson

Don't Forget TO LOVE

It's kind of funny how we actually have to be reminded to actually Love. What I wouldn't do to have someone serve me a platter of post-it notes everyday of what I shouldn't forget and how much easier that would make my life!

I find Love is something that is so powerful because it is so easily swayed by what emotions we feel on a daily basis. As women, you know that can totally change from minute to minute. lol!!! You wake up and feel great, and then you take your first look in the mirror and see that you have planets that have appeared on your face overnight while you thought you were getting your beauty sleep! All of the sudden, that moment of glee you woke up with is suddently gone! The power of that emotion of disappointment can greatly affect your response to those you love! Wild, huh? I have soooo been there!!

The key is to learn to remain steady in LOVE at all times. I know - that is so not easy to learn but it's a beautiful emotion to experience that I find, the more I fight to hold onto Love God's way, the more amazing the outcome of Love radiates through my life.

What I want to challenge you with this week is to start a Love REVOLUTION with your family - Your family see's the good, the bad, the ugly, the orbits growing on your face, your reactions to how you feel when you're happy, sad, mad, and glad! They see it all!! Now - check out the verse below and begin to apply those key words of God's wisdom into your family life....Read on:

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end. I Cor. 13 (MSG)

It doesn't matter how many times I read that, it's so powerful!!

Love Tips:

1. Keep LOVE scriptures posted around your mirror and quote them every single day. Col. 3:2 - Set your mind on things above.
2. Remember that LOVE is something you have to do on purpose
3. LOVE is a verb which means you have to put it into action.
4. You must PUT LOVE on like getting dressed. Eph. 6:11-17
5. Stop catering to your flesh...LOVE is best shown by serving.

(These love tips were inspired by a teaching I heard from Joyce Meyer's this week)

So, Start in your home - revolutionize the love God has placed in your life to LOVE greater than you ever have. When your buttons get pushed, your day at work make you want to pull your hair out and then you have to head home, make dinner, do a soccer practice run, laundry, homework - DON'T FORGET to Love - Trust God Always...Love NEVER fails!!

Tracee

Don't Forget......TO LAUGH

Last week I was struck by a comment made by a speaker (who's name I can't remember...lol!) at a conference I was at....what he said was, "Don't forget...." After I heard that, I couldn't think of anything else the speaker said as my brain went on a shoe trail of thinking of all the 'don't forgets' I've done in my life and how if I really remembered those things I really don't need to forget, how much easier my life would be. Oh the joys of being human and having many many 'duh' moments this life brings. I'm one of those people that can make a shopping list and forget to leave my list at home. Now, I do have one good trait of actually being able to 'see' the list in my head and recall what I put on it...well, most everything I put on the list. lol!

So, I want to start a series of what I'm calling, Don't Forget. They'll be funny inspirations and spiritually challenging thoughts of the things we can't afford to forget as we walk closer and closer to our Master. It's the don't forgets that draw us closer to Him.....

Here we go.....

DON'T FORGET - TO LAUGH

Too many things in this life take away our laughter, our joy. When I read in the scriptures, I find a little secret that we must NEVER lose in order to succeed in this life that can be great, miserable, difficult, suffocating, fun, and crazy all in one. That key verse is: "Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10 Did you see that secret - the joy of the Lord IS your STRENGTH. The way we find God's joy is by hanging out with Him - breathing Him in, living every single minute of every single day wtih Him. As we do that, His joy overtakes us and consumes everything we do.

Just the other day I woke up and was literally just not having a good day. My kids were sick, I didn't have a good night sleep, I just felt heavy inside. Even after reading the Word and praying that morning, I still didn't get that lift I was looking for. About 3 hours later, I was driving down the road and talking to God....I asked him, "Why do I literally feel so blah today?" You know what He said, "You have a choice of how you want to respond to all that's going on and how you feel...let it sink you or rise above it." Well, you guessed exactly what I did - I made the choice to seek JOY and when I did, I experienced HIS strength. It was wild! You might be saying, "Yeah, right! How could it be that easy?" I have to say it actually was. I literally, in one moment, made the decision to choose joy over how I was feeling and instantly I felt the heaviness begin to lift off me. Just as you choose to feel and accept the heaviness you are feeling, is just the same as you can choose to experience God's full joy for your life.

So, don't forget - LAUGH, LAUGH, LAUGH!! It's God's gift to YOU that is contagious.

Tracee

Klaussen Pickles

Little did I know how powerful a pickle was until my son came up to me one day and said, "Mom, when I eat pickles (the Klaussen brand), they make me feel like I am invincible. Like I can do anything I want." I smiled a huge smile as I watched his facial expressions because as he was talking you could see such passion and love all for a pickle - a Klaussen one, that is. For some reason, outside of simply being one of those statements that your child says that you'll never forget, I couldn't help think of the power of that word - invincible. That's a pretty powerful pickle to make one feel that way. So, yes, I just have to twist this around and cause us to think about this in a God way. Oh yea - I think you are getting at what I am getting at!! We live for an invincible God - He is incapable of being overcome or defeated; unconquerable!! That completely puts a HUGE smile on my face with that revelation. No one can overcome, defeat or conquer God! He is the Ultimate!! As you go about your day - living out His dreams, His passions for your life don't EVER forget - no matter what obstacles you face in life through Christ we are invincible!

Think about this: Living your life for God, does it make you feel like you can do anything? Let me remind you of one powerful verse: I can do ALL things THROUGH Christ who gives me Strength! Phil. 4:13

Now go get your pickle and conquer your world!!

Off to Krogers to get my Klaussens,

Tracee