Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Don’t you just love ‘em? Kids, I mean, and their amazingly funny quirks. One evening I’m reading Emily a bedtime story, or at least I was trying to. She’s got this thing where she kisses things. I’m finishing up the book and ready to kiss her goodnight, so I ask her for a kiss. Here’s what she does. She sits up, turns around, and lays a big one on (guess where?) THE WALL! Seriously? The nasty ole’ wall. I just finished reading her a bedtime story and lovingly singing her favorite song, “twinkle star” as she calls it, and she would rather smooch the wall. I was reminded of a similar situation not too long ago. One evening at bedtime I said I would lay down with her while she fell asleep, so we got comfy and I told her to scoot close and snuggle up and she sticks her stinky little butt on me and says, “snuggle my butt!” in that lovely little singsong voice that kids use. Aren’t they lovely?
You know I am amazed how much we are like that with God. He has done so many wonderful things for us, the most important being salvation through Jesus. And what do we do? We kiss up to the world instead. We give our affection to the world and the things of the world instead of the One who created, saved, and sustains us. Or when we do give Him affection, we wanna give Him our backsides instead of the best we have to offer. Instead of faithfully spending time in His house and serving him we use God’s time for everything else but being with Him. We waste more time joking and talking about frivolous things instead of talking about the things of God, sharing our burdens, or sharing in someone else’s burdens. We fill our lives and our kids’ lives with ridiculous amounts of extra-curricular activities in attempts of feeling accomplished in lieu of finding and taking advantage of daily opportunities to serve God and spend time with Him. Seriously, if it’s God’s house take care of it (you would take care of your own right?), if it’s God’s men (the leadership God has given your church) take care of them (do not expect them to live by the same faith you will not), if it’s God’s money give it to Him and trust what He wants to accomplish with it, if YOU are God’s then act like it by living above the influences of the world instead of just blending in. He has done so much for you, show Him some love! And not just your backside.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Protecting Your Borders
Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him; Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves. Deuteronomy 11: 18-23
Emily and I were working in the garden this week. It has taken a couple of weeks and a lot of hard work, but my garden looks pretty good now. As I was working I was thinking about putting wood posts around the garden. The spare little weeds here and there in the otherwise bare soil are easier to pluck out. What is harder to clear is the weeds and grass creeping in from the outside. This is because they are an extension of a larger bigger plant, mostly the rest of my yard. And they are well grounded and tougher to dig out. So I began to think that these posts would serve as my protection, as borders to protect my garden soil from outside intruders. As I was thinking about these posts I began to see my garden as me and you. And the rest of my yard as the rest of the world. As a child of God I have found out the hard way the damage that can be done, and the consequences to be paid when I have let my guard down and let the world in. And it doesn't just happen right away, it's bit by bit. Just like in my garden, one root at a time, a blade here and a leaf there and then BAM my garden has been taken over. That's how it happens with us too, in our hearts and minds. One thought at a time, one unforgiveness at a time, one inappropriate action or word at a time. It starts little by little and as sin takes hold, it becomes easier, and we become more and more calloused. Sometimes it may not seem like we are doing anything wrong, maybe you don't think you are outright sinning. Maybe it's an attitude you hold, or something you allow to take place in your home. Or maybe it's something you aren't taking a stand on that you should.
In Deuteronomy 11 God was speaking to the children of Israel before they went in to possess the land of Canaan. He commands them to keep His commandments, to love Him and serve Him with all their heart and soul. He reminds them of all the good things He will bless them with if they do, and the consequences if they don't. He tells them to lay up His words in their hearts, to bind them upon their hands and as a frontlet between their eyes. A frontlet was an "ornament or band worn on the forehead as a phylactery." A phylactery was a small leather box worn on the forehead and left arm containing small parchments with quotes from Hebrew scriptures and were "traditionally worn by Jewish men during morning worship, except on the Sabbath and holidays." (from www.thefreedictionary.com) He also told them to teach them to their children, to speak His words when at home, when they were out and about, when they went to bed, and when they got up. To write them upon the door posts of their homes and upon their gates. He has them surround themselves with His words to remind them of Him, to protect them from the influence of the world they were about to enter, the one He would conquer for them. God was giving them valuable advice as to how to "protect their borders." The bottom line to put it simple as God does in verse 22, we are to cleave to Him.
As I tended my garden, clearing the border, I was reminded not only of the necessity of protecting the borders of my mind and heart, but of those of my children. I am responsible for them, what they see and hear, what they do, where they go, and who they spend time with. I was reminded this week of something I should always be mindful of, how important it is "protecting the borders" for myself and my family.
Emily and I were working in the garden this week. It has taken a couple of weeks and a lot of hard work, but my garden looks pretty good now. As I was working I was thinking about putting wood posts around the garden. The spare little weeds here and there in the otherwise bare soil are easier to pluck out. What is harder to clear is the weeds and grass creeping in from the outside. This is because they are an extension of a larger bigger plant, mostly the rest of my yard. And they are well grounded and tougher to dig out. So I began to think that these posts would serve as my protection, as borders to protect my garden soil from outside intruders. As I was thinking about these posts I began to see my garden as me and you. And the rest of my yard as the rest of the world. As a child of God I have found out the hard way the damage that can be done, and the consequences to be paid when I have let my guard down and let the world in. And it doesn't just happen right away, it's bit by bit. Just like in my garden, one root at a time, a blade here and a leaf there and then BAM my garden has been taken over. That's how it happens with us too, in our hearts and minds. One thought at a time, one unforgiveness at a time, one inappropriate action or word at a time. It starts little by little and as sin takes hold, it becomes easier, and we become more and more calloused. Sometimes it may not seem like we are doing anything wrong, maybe you don't think you are outright sinning. Maybe it's an attitude you hold, or something you allow to take place in your home. Or maybe it's something you aren't taking a stand on that you should.
In Deuteronomy 11 God was speaking to the children of Israel before they went in to possess the land of Canaan. He commands them to keep His commandments, to love Him and serve Him with all their heart and soul. He reminds them of all the good things He will bless them with if they do, and the consequences if they don't. He tells them to lay up His words in their hearts, to bind them upon their hands and as a frontlet between their eyes. A frontlet was an "ornament or band worn on the forehead as a phylactery." A phylactery was a small leather box worn on the forehead and left arm containing small parchments with quotes from Hebrew scriptures and were "traditionally worn by Jewish men during morning worship, except on the Sabbath and holidays." (from www.thefreedictionary.com) He also told them to teach them to their children, to speak His words when at home, when they were out and about, when they went to bed, and when they got up. To write them upon the door posts of their homes and upon their gates. He has them surround themselves with His words to remind them of Him, to protect them from the influence of the world they were about to enter, the one He would conquer for them. God was giving them valuable advice as to how to "protect their borders." The bottom line to put it simple as God does in verse 22, we are to cleave to Him.
As I tended my garden, clearing the border, I was reminded not only of the necessity of protecting the borders of my mind and heart, but of those of my children. I am responsible for them, what they see and hear, what they do, where they go, and who they spend time with. I was reminded this week of something I should always be mindful of, how important it is "protecting the borders" for myself and my family.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Freedom's Fortunes
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Our July 4th this year was fairly relaxed. I went grocery shopping, hubby grilled while the kids and I played in the pool. We took a nap. It was great. Nice and relaxing. That evening I was in the bedroom and I could just hear the kids out in the front room, playing around. It was the best sound. Four year old Emily and one year old Jsher were just laughing and giggling. And it went on for a good ten minutes or more. I love to hear that sound! Another thing I love, the freedom I have as a child of God. Freedom from sin's curse, and the resources God gives me to help me to live a better life, and to make my life better. Resources like His Word, and my church, brothers and sisters in Christ, parents and grandparents that faithfully attend AND serve in church (this is the best heritage I could ever hope to have), and good Christian music and radio stations to listen to. Freedom to love my kids with all I've got and to know that when I parent them His way we all will reap eternal rewards despite what the rest of the world tells me. I am thankful for the freedoms God has given me as a citizen of the United States of America. But I am even more thankful for my freedoms as a child of the King.
Our July 4th this year was fairly relaxed. I went grocery shopping, hubby grilled while the kids and I played in the pool. We took a nap. It was great. Nice and relaxing. That evening I was in the bedroom and I could just hear the kids out in the front room, playing around. It was the best sound. Four year old Emily and one year old Jsher were just laughing and giggling. And it went on for a good ten minutes or more. I love to hear that sound! Another thing I love, the freedom I have as a child of God. Freedom from sin's curse, and the resources God gives me to help me to live a better life, and to make my life better. Resources like His Word, and my church, brothers and sisters in Christ, parents and grandparents that faithfully attend AND serve in church (this is the best heritage I could ever hope to have), and good Christian music and radio stations to listen to. Freedom to love my kids with all I've got and to know that when I parent them His way we all will reap eternal rewards despite what the rest of the world tells me. I am thankful for the freedoms God has given me as a citizen of the United States of America. But I am even more thankful for my freedoms as a child of the King.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Cut it out!
Shovel, dig, swipe...this was the rhythmic beat I moved to for over an hour this morning. The shoveling and digging, that was me attacking the grass and weeds that I let overtake our garden. The swiping, that was for the sweat and dirt running down my face because it was hard work! Emily and I planted a garden earlier in the spring. We got a few squash and a couple of monster zucchinis out of it. In the beginning we tended the garden faithfully. Me more so then her, she would rather be playing in the dirt or the water, or both making mud. I would water and fertilize, and weed out those pesky intruders. Anything that wasn't producing a vegetable was tossed out. That garden was lovingly tended for the purpose of growing yummy veggies that we would and did enjoy later. Anything extra was a freeloader, stealing nutrients and preventing the plants from growing into maturity. The freeloaders, would hinder the growth and development of my plants, and beat them out altogether if I let them. A few months later, the intruders have almost taken over my garden. My fault entirely, I let my tending duties fall by the wayside. As I was digging up and ripping out the plants, I looked around regretting I hadn't been more faithful, thinking how much the state of my garden is like that my heart and the hearts of others in my church. It all started one little weed at a time, and when it wasn't promptly removed it fed off of the soil and nutrients intended for my plants, and it grew, and grew, and grew. And soon they were producing more intruders than my plants were fruit. And you know I didn't have to try and grow those weeds, they did it all by themselves. They grew without me doing anything, and without me doing anything they outgrew the good things in my garden. We are so much like that. See we are the gardens God has designed to produce good fruit so that we may win others to Him and so that we may be a blessing to each other. Tending to ourselves takes a lot of work, it's hard. When we don't tend faithfully, pulling out those weeds of discontent, jealousy, strife between one another, bad attitudes, or unfaithfulness in our service to Him, to name a few, we become overgrown and unproductive. And sometimes our weeds will spread to others, or sometimes we allow their weeds to overtake us. The easiest way to let the weeds in...when we take our eyes off of Him and begin to look around at others. God tells us to "Judge not, that ye be not judged," in Matthew not necessarily to spare the other person from our expectations, but to spare us. He knows that damage that can be done when we began to take on the job of inspector. Not only do we become critical of others allowing for weeds to take root, but we become victims of our own expectations. He reminds us that how we judge others and with what measure we "mete it shall be measured to you again." (Matthew 7:1-2) How we deal out things such as harsh words, criticism, and expectations or caring, forgiveness and understanding will be returned to us. Be mindful you can be the spreader of weeds, or you can prevent the spreading of weeds.
The point is plain and simple keep tending and when you think to look around at others, tend to yourself.
The point is plain and simple keep tending and when you think to look around at others, tend to yourself.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Just a Little Bit More
"I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." Philippians 4:12
"Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.” Proverbs 27:20
"Just a little bit more," is what John D. Rockefeller answered when asked how much money was enough. How enlightening those five little words are. I remember the first time I heard that story was several years ago while I was at college. Those words have stayed with me ever since and I am reminded of them occasionally when I begin to feel unappreciative of what I do have, because of the "better" things I don't have. I was once again reminded of this today at the pool with Emily and Joseph. She recently visited her Grammy and Poppy and came back as rotten as the kiwi fruit stinking up my kitchen. We could really tell on the way home from church on Sunday evening when she said she was hungry, to which I replied we would be home soon and would eat then. To which she replied, in a somewhat whiny voice, "No let's GO somewhere and GET something to eat." My husband and I looked at each other with knowing grins that said, "we know where that came from." So back to the pool. She has a few McDonald’s toys from her weekend with Grammy and Poppy that are her new favorites. Well, I took them away this morning as punishment because instead of eating her breakfast like I asked her to, about twenty times, she "dropped" about half of it on the floor beneath her chair. So I told her she was having a time out from her toys and that she would get them back later today. A couple of hours later we headed to the pool, usually we take toys to the pool, several times she started to ask me about the toys to which I replied that we weren't talking about that. She did pretty good at not asking a million more times (which has been her habit lately) so as a surprise I slipped them in the bag and off we went. I told her in the car that I had a surprise for her. When we got to the pool after patiently waiting as I put my sunscreen on, I told her to look in my bag and so she did and found her confiscated toys. So she looks at me and says not, "Thank You," but "Is there another surprise?!" And I'm just looking at her.... Seriously that's when you know she's got too many toys. And I know she's only four, thankfully it's not too late to turn that ship around. But I began to think of a time just a few weeks ago in my own life, where I think God may have been looking at me thinking "Seriously?" We still have some of the "originals" as we call them, the towels we got for our wedding shower 8 years ago, they are still holding out, but they're down for the count. We have added a few here and there over the years, but not many. Just a few weeks ago my grandmother gave us a whole new set of towels. My husband and I were talking about this one evening and he mentioned how we didn't need any more towels, to which I may have nodded my head (note the "may have"), but inside I was thinking at a later date I'd like to purchase just a couple more. I surely didn't tell him that however. But God heard it. He's the one who, through my grandmother, provided us with the towels. (note here, as exemplified by my grandmother, one way to show God you appreciate what He has given you is to give to others in need) I wonder if He was thinking the same thing about me as I was about Emily. Something along the lines of "Look what I have given you, don't you appreciate that?" I have noticed this in my life. I'll buy a new outfit, and walk out really liking my new outfit, but still thinking about that shirt I'd like to go back and get. It seems there will always be something else out there to obtain, something we want but can't have so what do we do? We try and get what we want, but can't have. If you're not careful you can become consumed by it. On a smaller scale maybe we spend money we don't have or time that would better be spent for God than for ourselves. Hubby gets paid at the beginning of the month, and boy do I, feel rich. By the end of the month we're poor again. It's kind of a joke in the house that when we abound we really abound, and when we are abased, well.... We joke that if I didn't feel so rich at the beginning of the month we wouldn't feel so poor at the end of the month. We have learned some lessons along the way, and God who has always provided for us, continues to do so, though sometimes in very creative ways. Leave it to the Creator!
"Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.” Proverbs 27:20
"Just a little bit more," is what John D. Rockefeller answered when asked how much money was enough. How enlightening those five little words are. I remember the first time I heard that story was several years ago while I was at college. Those words have stayed with me ever since and I am reminded of them occasionally when I begin to feel unappreciative of what I do have, because of the "better" things I don't have. I was once again reminded of this today at the pool with Emily and Joseph. She recently visited her Grammy and Poppy and came back as rotten as the kiwi fruit stinking up my kitchen. We could really tell on the way home from church on Sunday evening when she said she was hungry, to which I replied we would be home soon and would eat then. To which she replied, in a somewhat whiny voice, "No let's GO somewhere and GET something to eat." My husband and I looked at each other with knowing grins that said, "we know where that came from." So back to the pool. She has a few McDonald’s toys from her weekend with Grammy and Poppy that are her new favorites. Well, I took them away this morning as punishment because instead of eating her breakfast like I asked her to, about twenty times, she "dropped" about half of it on the floor beneath her chair. So I told her she was having a time out from her toys and that she would get them back later today. A couple of hours later we headed to the pool, usually we take toys to the pool, several times she started to ask me about the toys to which I replied that we weren't talking about that. She did pretty good at not asking a million more times (which has been her habit lately) so as a surprise I slipped them in the bag and off we went. I told her in the car that I had a surprise for her. When we got to the pool after patiently waiting as I put my sunscreen on, I told her to look in my bag and so she did and found her confiscated toys. So she looks at me and says not, "Thank You," but "Is there another surprise?!" And I'm just looking at her.... Seriously that's when you know she's got too many toys. And I know she's only four, thankfully it's not too late to turn that ship around. But I began to think of a time just a few weeks ago in my own life, where I think God may have been looking at me thinking "Seriously?" We still have some of the "originals" as we call them, the towels we got for our wedding shower 8 years ago, they are still holding out, but they're down for the count. We have added a few here and there over the years, but not many. Just a few weeks ago my grandmother gave us a whole new set of towels. My husband and I were talking about this one evening and he mentioned how we didn't need any more towels, to which I may have nodded my head (note the "may have"), but inside I was thinking at a later date I'd like to purchase just a couple more. I surely didn't tell him that however. But God heard it. He's the one who, through my grandmother, provided us with the towels. (note here, as exemplified by my grandmother, one way to show God you appreciate what He has given you is to give to others in need) I wonder if He was thinking the same thing about me as I was about Emily. Something along the lines of "Look what I have given you, don't you appreciate that?" I have noticed this in my life. I'll buy a new outfit, and walk out really liking my new outfit, but still thinking about that shirt I'd like to go back and get. It seems there will always be something else out there to obtain, something we want but can't have so what do we do? We try and get what we want, but can't have. If you're not careful you can become consumed by it. On a smaller scale maybe we spend money we don't have or time that would better be spent for God than for ourselves. Hubby gets paid at the beginning of the month, and boy do I, feel rich. By the end of the month we're poor again. It's kind of a joke in the house that when we abound we really abound, and when we are abased, well.... We joke that if I didn't feel so rich at the beginning of the month we wouldn't feel so poor at the end of the month. We have learned some lessons along the way, and God who has always provided for us, continues to do so, though sometimes in very creative ways. Leave it to the Creator!
Monday, June 20, 2011
A Father's Fingerprints
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
James 1:17
When Daddy comes home it's an event. Our daughter, Emily will run to the door to greet him, or occasionally hide hoping her daddy will come and find her. Whenever they greet, it usually involves him picking her up, and tickles and kisses. Now daddy's work shirts have a pocket on the left side and while he is holding her, Emily often loves to dig her hands in his shirt pocket to see what is in there. Usually it's nails, or screws, or little things he has used during the day at work. One day while playing around the house with Emily, she noticed a handful of nuts and bolts that he had taken out of his shirt pocket and left on the piano. She pointed to them and said simply, and with excitement, "Daddy!" See she knew when she saw that handful of nuts and bolts that they belonged to her daddy. And it was like a ray of sunshine in her day, as evidence by the excitement in her voice when she pointed them out to me. It was if she was thinking "I know where those came from, they belong to my daddy!" And just thinking about him made her happy. As I began to think about this seemingly small event I began to think about my relationship with my Heavenly Father. There are times in my day when something will catch my attention and I know that it's evidence of Him in my life. Have there been times in your life when you can see God's fingerprints? Something He has left behind? An evidence of His involvement in you? Now first you must be able to claim a relationship with Him, you must be able to claim Him as your Heavenly Father, the adoption as His child through the salvation of Jesus Christ. I hope that if you can't you will chose to. And for those that do belong to Him, can you see evidence of Him in your life?
James 1:17
When Daddy comes home it's an event. Our daughter, Emily will run to the door to greet him, or occasionally hide hoping her daddy will come and find her. Whenever they greet, it usually involves him picking her up, and tickles and kisses. Now daddy's work shirts have a pocket on the left side and while he is holding her, Emily often loves to dig her hands in his shirt pocket to see what is in there. Usually it's nails, or screws, or little things he has used during the day at work. One day while playing around the house with Emily, she noticed a handful of nuts and bolts that he had taken out of his shirt pocket and left on the piano. She pointed to them and said simply, and with excitement, "Daddy!" See she knew when she saw that handful of nuts and bolts that they belonged to her daddy. And it was like a ray of sunshine in her day, as evidence by the excitement in her voice when she pointed them out to me. It was if she was thinking "I know where those came from, they belong to my daddy!" And just thinking about him made her happy. As I began to think about this seemingly small event I began to think about my relationship with my Heavenly Father. There are times in my day when something will catch my attention and I know that it's evidence of Him in my life. Have there been times in your life when you can see God's fingerprints? Something He has left behind? An evidence of His involvement in you? Now first you must be able to claim a relationship with Him, you must be able to claim Him as your Heavenly Father, the adoption as His child through the salvation of Jesus Christ. I hope that if you can't you will chose to. And for those that do belong to Him, can you see evidence of Him in your life?
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Resting in Him
Mat 11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
This verse took on a very real and practical meaning for me my last year in college. I was taking 19 hours the fall semester (I had to get special permission from the school because this was beyond the courseload limit) and 18 in the spring (which included my internship). I was married, pregnant, and working part time to pay for health insurance. Besides the long days at school I had homework, projects, and studying to do when I got home. Oh, and did I mention the housework? It was during this time I experienced God's rest in a very real physical way, not just in the spiritual sense. See I was so busy I was barely getting it all done. But I remained faithful in my church attendance. I thoroughly enjoyed those services, not just for their spiritual content, but for that time period I was in God's house, where I was supposed to be and all I had to do was sit and listen and rest. I didn't have the homework calling me or the housework begging to be done. It was truly a time of refreshment. And did you know that's what the word rest means in this verse? In the Greek language that word meant to repose, or to take ease, be refreshed. (from E-sword's Strong's references) And I was, I knew that there was nowhere more important to be and nothing more important to be doing, than to be resting in my Savior and Lord. Life is so busy today it's unreal, I've heard it said many times and it's so true, "if the devil can't make you bad, he'll make you busy." I don't know who said it but it is so true. Have your found rest in God today? This week? This month? Are you willing to take the time?
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