Thankful--Day 4

Today (and everyday), I'm thankful for forgiveness. First, I'm thankful for Jesus, who sacrificed Himself so that my sins could be forgiven. And because of his forgiveness, I can (and must!) forgive others. It's obvious from observing my 4 year old, that from a very young age, we have a hard time forgiving and asking forgiveness. We don't like meeting the level of humility it takes to forgive or to ask forgiveness. It's not fun to admit we are wrong or to cast aside our anger at someone else. However, Jesus says that if we don't forgive others, He cannot forgive us.

I love this passage in Romans: "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.…" (5:6-8)

Jesus died for us--to forgive us--while we were still sinners! He gave Himself--all of Himself. After that kind of gift, how could we not die to ourselves to forgive others.

One time, Peter came up to Jesus and asked how many times we should forgive someone who sins against us. He said, "Should we forgive them seven times?" Sometimes, there are people in our lives who mistreat us, disrespect us, offend us, or hurt our feelings again and again and again. Jesus replied, "Not seven times, but seventy times seven" (which basically means infinity). Now, this doesn't mean we have to lay down and let someone abuse us, but it does mean that we don't carry a grudge around and grow bitter. I'm preaching to myself, people. I know forgiveness is tough!

So, I am thankful for God's forgiveness, which wipes my slate clean and gives me the strength to forgive other people. God casts our sins as far as the east is from the west; He never throws them in our face or says, "Well, I guess I can forgive you, but...." As soon as we repent, the sin is gone.

God, thank You for Your forgiveness. And help me to forgive as purely and completely as You.

Thankful--Day 3

Today (and everyday), I am thankful for my husband.

He's been my sidekick for 12 years and not many 28 year olds can say that. I knew he was the one from the beginning and I'm glad I've been able to grow up with him.

 

He spent our entire honeymoon holding my hair back from my face while I threw up and eating Subway outside in the car, so it wouldn't make me nauseous. I knew he was a keeper for sure, then.  He always takes care of me--and the boys. He works hard so that I can stay at home and he has never once made me feel like I should go back to work or that I am anything less because I don't have a "real" job.  He changes diapers and helps put the boys to sleep, makes THE best biscuits and gravy, and fixes everything around the house. He's also an awesome labor and birth coach. Every time I think I'm mad at him, he makes me laugh. He makes me laugh anyway!  He is patient, kind, and gentle. Oh, and he does a pretty mean cartwheel. ;)

 

I'm glad he's my first and my last. I'm glad he's all I know. You don't have to eat a bunch of rotten apples to get to the good one, girls (and guys). I'm so thankful God brought him to me.





Thankful--Day #2

Just so everyone knows, I'm not listing things I'm thankful for in order of importance. That would be almost impossible to do!

Today (and everyday), I'm thankful for Kade, my first born. He is 4 and some days are so rough right now, but nights like last night make it so worth it.

He got out his little guitar and said he had written a song. We asked him what song it was and he said it was called, "Why did Jesus die on the cross? He died on the cross for my sins." He made up a simple melody and was strumming his guitar and singing those words over and over--"Why did Jesus die on the cross? He died on the cross for my sins."

Well, that was enough to make my heart burst, but I decided to Facetime my parents and have him play his song for them. He played it and they were telling him how great it was and how true the words were and he said, "It's a Jesus song and a praise and worship song. One day, I want to be on the stage at church and sing it in the microphone."

Oh, my heart's prayer has always been that he has the heart of a worshipper, not just in song, but in the way he lives. I don't care if he ever plays his guitar from a stage, but I just love his childlike heart, that knows the truth of Jesus and wants to sing it to other people.

So, I am thankful for Kade, who teaches me patience, childlike faith, and the meaning of unconditional love. God works through him everyday, even though he doesn't know it yet.

Thankful-Day #1

So, I know that many people post something they're thankful for each day in November, as a kind of month-long celebration of Thanksgiving. I think that's awesome, but I'm not always good at planning ahead, so I didn't plan or do anything with my kiddos--yet (give me a break, though; it's just November 1).

I wanted to keep my own personal log of thankfulness, though, so I thought I'd write a quick blog tonight.

Today (and everyday), I am thankful for my parents and the legacy of faith they have given me. Because they helped to fill my heart with the Word of God before I could read or even understand what I was hearing, I am able to recognize His voice when I need to hear it.

Deuteronomy 11:18-19 says, " Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."  My parents did exactly that. They filled my heart and mind with God's Word while we drove in the car, in the mornings as we prayed, through encouraging notes and scriptures they put in my lunchbox, in TV shows and movies we watched, books they read to us and gave us to read, bedtime devotions, and many other ways.

When I was old enough, the choice was mine and I read the Bible on my own, listened to teaching at church, listened to music that lifted God up, went to youth group, surrounded myself with good friends--but only because of the foundation of faith my parents laid.

I am always amazed (though I shouldn't be) when God drops His Word into my spirit. It's easy to recognize God's voice when you know what He sounds like. Psalm 119:11 says, "I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You." It's much more difficult to sin when God's Word is written on your heart. It's harder to dismiss something as ok when you know exactly what God has to say on the matter.

The older I get, and the older my children get, the more I appreciate my parents and pray that I can give my sons the same gift my parents have given me. I love you, mom and dad!

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow...

It struck me that some of the time, I probably come across as though I have things figured out--like I'm trying to teach you (whoever "you" is) a lesson that I have down pat. Well, I have news for you people! Usually, I blog about something because God has just showed it to me and I can't keep it to myself. I don't have it all figured out and I probably never will.

Case in point: I am a worrier about money. I'm really pretty laid back about everything else, but I worry about money all.the.time. The kicker is--we have never been broke, never paid even one bill late, never had to go hungry. We've made sacrifices for me to be able to stay at home, but we've never had to go without anything necessary to our survival--and even many luxuries.

And still, I worry. Do you know what I worry about? This is my thought process--"What if so-and-so happens, we have to use our savings over a period of time, we have no more money, we can't pay our mortage, we have no house, and so on and so on?" So basically, I worry about months and even years far off in the future. It is so ridiculous when I type it out, but it is serious stuff when I am thinking about it.

It drives my husband absolutely NUTS. And it turns me into a miserable, impatient, sad....person. What lousy trust in God, right? I know what to do...and I don't do it.

I am so thankful at times like these that God's Word bubbles up in my heart and speaks straight to what I'm going through, right now. He says, "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough troubles of its own" (Matthew 6:34). Sheesh, ain't that the truth?! My brain and my heart can't handle the troubles of today and tomorrow, much less of today, tomorrow, the next day, and the next day, and the next day. In verse 33, though, Jesus says that if we seek His Kingdom and His righteousness first, all of the other things we need will be added to us. We don't have to desperately pursue them or covet them or worry; we just have to seek Him and serve Him and He'll take care of us.

Remember when Jesus taught His disciples to pray? Part of it was, "...and give us this day our daily bread". This day. Not because He won't provide for us tomorrow, but because we don't even have to wonder.  He will provide for us today. He will give us the strength to make it through today. He will give us joy for today. And because He can and will take care of us today, we can be sure He will do it tomorrow as well. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Unchanging. Faithful.

I know now why we're supposed to meditate on God's Word day and night (which means to ponder it and think about it, by the way). If we keep it in our hearts and minds 24/7, we never have room for doubt and worry to slip in.

"Don't worry, be happy" seems like a simple mantra. However, happiness is one thing and peace is quite another. Happiness is fleeting, but peace....God's peace can take us through the worst of times and the best of times. I'm still trying to get there--to the place where I relay only on God, and not the state of the government or the economy or the cost of groceries or health insurance. In the meantime, I am so thankful that time and time and time again, He proves Himself trustworthy, faithful, and good. So good.

God wants YOU!

We have had the rainiest summer I can remember this year and consequently, it is hard to keep the grass mowed. Every time Michael plans to mow, it rains or has just rained and is still too wet. Every time we have a dry day, we have other things that have to be done. We are just very busy right now and much of the time, it feels like we are being pulled in way too many directions.

Anyway, Michael had youth group tonight, so I decided to surprise him while he was gone and mow the yard. I have sneaked and mowed the yard before and he always does that whole manly, "Why did you do that? You shouldn't be out mowing the yard!" thing, but I know he appreciates it, so I like to try to surprise him. I mowed the small strip of grass we have on the left side of our driveway and started on the main front yard. I had finished one strip, when our neighbor (who I have known pretty much my whole life since we live in my childhood house) walked over and asked if he could mow the yard. I said, "Oh no, I'm just fine. My husband just hasn't had time with the rain, so I thought I'd help him out." He kept insisting and said that's what neighbors are for, so I finally let him do it (since he had a riding lawn mower that took much less time than my push mower).

Now, I can't even explain how much I appreciated the gesture. I didn't have to push the mower around the yard in the muggy heat and I know it took a lot of stress off of Michael when he saw that the grass was mowed.  We were both so thankful! You don't see neighbors doing things like that for each other much anymore. My neighbor is a nice guy and I know he knows the Lord, but I wonder if he knows that God used him tonight.

I was thinking, later, about how God uses people.

He can use us to do great things in people's lives. He can use us to change people's lives.  God used Jesus to change lives while He was here on this earth.. Think of all the miracles He did--He healed people, he fed a huge crowd with a little bit of food, he turned water into wine, provided the disciples with a large catch of fish....all very practical things. People realized that He cared about their needs, that He cared about the things they cared about. Those kinds of miracles are the kind that change lives, that bring lasting change.

Today, some people say that God is doing miracles in the form of sending gold dust raining down on certain churches, or people finding gold teeth in their mouths. Some people see "orbs" that they consider to be angels, or claim to see religious statues crying, and really all manner of wild sounding things.  I can pretty freely say that I don't consider those things to be signs of the one, true God. They also don't create lasting change in the people who supposedly see these things. Memorable, yes.  Hype inducing, yes. Life changing, no.

We can let God use us to change lives and to turn people to Him. Do you know what a person who is dying of thirst wants the most? They want a cup of water. What about a person who is hungry? Or sick? Or needs clothing and shelter? Or maybe someone who simply needs their yard mowed? God cares about even that seemingly small thing.

We can give people food, water, clothing, shelter. We can lay our hands on them and pray for them to be healed. We can give someone a shoulder when they need to cry.  We can pray for someone who really needed prayer right that minute. Those are lasting miracles--when God guides us to the right person just in the nick of time and uses us to take care of a need. Those are the kind of miracles that make people thankful and grateful to a God who cares enough to take care of us.  The kind that make people think, 'Hmm....if God cares about me that much, I want to get to know him.' Those are the kind of miracles God did through Jesus.

I want God to use me....to show me the need and help me to take care of it.  I want to be His hands and feet. I want to see Him change lives for forever!

Living under grace

It's another Monday! The first day of the work week after (hopefully) relaxing a little bit on the weekend. Or maybe working hard on all of those home improvement projects we couldn't do during the week. It's tempting to write Monday off and spend it recovering from Saturday and Sunday, instead of hitting the ground running. (As I write this, I am taking a break on the couch.)

I feel like we, as believers, sometimes treat our lives like a whole string of Mondays--except, instead of using the excuse that today is Monday, we use the excuse that we are "under grace". Any mistakes we make or anything we do that we know we probably shouldn't, we kind of pat ourselves on the back and say, "It's ok. We're under grace. God's got it covered." In doing that, we tend to cheapen grace. How, do you say? Well, think of it this way. Let's say you wanted a new computer, but you needed to save up the money first. So, you worked hard, maybe did some extra jobs, scrimped and saved--and finally you purchased that new computer. On the other hand, let's say you wanted a new computer and someone bought it for you as a gift. Which computer would you treat the best? Would you abuse the computer that was a gift--would you drop it and let your children pull all the keys off the keyboard and spill coffee all over it and say, "It's ok. It was a gift, so it doesn't matter" or would you treat it just as precious (or even more so) as the computer you worked hard to earn the money for.

Before Jesus came, we had to earn our salvation. We had to work hard and do every little thing just right. Then Jesus came and gave us this wonderful, free gift (if we accept it). So, the question is this--do we take his free gift and keep doing whatever we want and treat his sacrifice like it doesn't even matter, just because it was free? Or do we treat it with the respect and reverence it deserves? To do this, we have to live holy lives. We have to live purposefully. We can't just live mediocre, aimless lives and think that grace is going to cover it. We have to be intentional in every little thing that we do. We have to read His Word and know how He wants us to live.

So, after that pep talk to myself, I'm going to get back up and continue my Monday--serving Him and showing Him how thankful I am for His grace. Will I mess up? Probably. Inevitably. But I pledge to not use grace as an excuse for living my life the way I want to, instead of living it the way He wants me to. Who wants a life full of Mondays, anyway? ;)