Get Real with God ~ What Will You Adore?

This is the song that is playing continually through my head!  It’s not about snow or Santa Clause; it’s not about elves or a little baby in a manger.  It’s a fairly simple song, yet it says so much!

This is the full grown Christ we worship and Adore, the Resurrected One, The Living One.

To adore means to worship with GREAT and ALL-Consuming Love!  Please don’t forget to send your adoration straight up to heaven this Christmas! I think it’s easy to get our adoration misplaced this time of year.  Of course we love the sights and sounds and smells of Christmas.  Of course we love giving our little ones gifts and seeing the joy on their faces.  Of course we love to read the Christmas Story and to watch those special once a year movies.  We love the snow, the peppermint mocha’s and seasonal music.  But the heart of Christmas is all about Adoration.  Adoring the One who came, who died, and who rose again! 

Let your hearts be filled with Love for our Risen King!  All Glory and Honor and Adoration belong to Him!

Merry, Merry CHRISTmas, from my family to yours!

 

Get Real with God ~ Perspective

I’ve been thinking a lot about perspective lately.  Maybe it’s because I’m approaching the middle of my life, maybe it’s because I have children at the end of the parenting spectrum and children at the beginning.

Some days the intensity that fills my life can be overwhelming, until I take a deep breath and cry out for some perspective.

“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I am known.” 1 Corinthians 13:11-12

When I ask the Lord for some perspective He is so gracious to give it to me, like the second part of this verse.  The part I see, the part I’m living, the daily grind of child-raising and husband loving and home keeping all seem so pertinent so all consuming, but these things are just a tiny little piece of this gift called life.  When I take a moment to step back and get the heart of God on a matter, my attitude instantly changes and I realize that someday I will look back on this time and wish for it to return.

I was encouraging someone with many little children once and used the word freedom in my exhortation.  She was like “huh?”  Since I’ve got older kids now, I can think back to the time when I only had little ones and it felt so much freer!  Now my life is under a microscope (teens notice EVERYTHING), I have to be diligent daily for their education and spiritual growth.  My actions have a greater consequence now then when I only had little children.  

And someday I imagine I’ll look back on this time too and feel the same way.  Until then, I will continue to ask the Lord for perspective, His perspective, and rest in the fact that each day has it’s own trouble and I don’t need to worry about it!

Get Real with God ~ Wisdom

My two most favorite books of the bible are Proverbs and James.  And not surprisingly both of these books deal practically and fervently with WISDOM.

As a teen I used wisdom to deal with difficult people at school, problems with my parents and how to spend my money.  Now as an adult I find I still need wisdom for the same things, just in a different context.

Now the difficult people at school are my own children!  I know that’s kind of funny, but it’s true isn’t it?  When you homeschool, sometimes your own children become so difficult that it’s all you can do to cry out for wisdom!  If you don’t homeschool, you still might deal with difficult teachers or other children that have a bad influence on your own.  You need just as much wisdom!

I don’t have problems with my parent’s anymore, but since I’m that parent now I need wisdom to help me deal with my own children at each level of their development.  The kind of wisdom I need in caring for my tot is a different than the kind of wisdom I need for caring for my teens. 

And money…wow…money is always money!  And these days it’s even more important to have wisdom.  Should I stock up on Peanut Butter before the prices go through the roof?

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

Liberally-adj. Given, used, or occurring in generous amounts.

Reproach-n. The expression of disapproval or disappointment.

Do you realize that this verse tells us that God does not grow tired of our asking Him for wisdom?  And He gives it to us in GENEROUS AMOUNTS! This is so amazing!  And what’s even more amazing is that in chapter 3 of James, we learn just exactly what wisdom looks like.

“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”  James 3:17

I love this because it’s a guideline to know that if I feel like the Lord has given me an idea to solve a problem it better line up with what He’s told me wisdom looks like!  It’s probably not wisdom to scream at my children, since that wouldn’t be gentle or full of mercy.  It’s probably not wisdom to throw away all my children’s toys when they leave them lying around because that wouldn’t be without hypocrisy…I leave my stuff lying around too.  You get the idea.

My encouragement to you this month is to remember that God has the answers and He’s ready and willing to help you, you just have to ask!  After you’ve asked, listen for His answer.  When you think you’ve heard something, see if it lines up with His word, then GO FOR IT!  If wisdom was good enough to help establish the foundations of the earth, it’s good enough to help us in our Tot-Raising!

Get Real with God ~ When God says No

Let’s face it, sometimes God says no.  He just does and He can, He’s God.  Recently I’ve had occasion to teach my children about this side of God.  We’ve been planning to go to the State Fair for months and months.  It’s a Taffy Family tradition.  I’ve been going since I was little girl when the state signified the end of the summer with my dad and a plane trip back out west to my mom.  We’ve been taking our children since they were little too.  We would always go on a thrifty day when the kidway tickets allowed for more rides and snow cones were discounted.  This year we were scheduled to volunteer at an exhibit, in exchange for volunteering they received a free ticket to get in.  Everybody from the 8 year old on up was going to be working.

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.”  Proverbs 16:9

Sadly, a couple days before we were scheduled to go to the fair, our oldest fell ill with a fever.  A high fever.  He was not better by fair date and then our second fell ill. 

 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” James 4: 13-15

The really hard part is that the 6 year old spent so much time praying and praying for her brother.  She believed that God heard her prayers  When she woke up in the morning and discovered that her other brother was sick, she was heart-broken, why hadn’t God answered her prayers, why did God make her other brother sick.  These were her sincere questions.  And my loving response back to her was just that-God said no.  But the awesome thing about God is, that even when He says no, He can still be trusted.  Even when carefully laid plans go awry He can still be trusted.  When we think we’ve done all that we could do to change His mind and He still says no, He can still be trusted.

“As for God, His way is perfect.  The word of the LORD is proven;  He is a shield to all who trust in Him.“For who is God, except the LORD?  And who is a rock, except our God?”  Samuel 22: 31-32

So how do we teach this to our children, this attribute of God that is sovereign, that knows the future, that we allow to direct our steps as we trust Him?  For us the answer is in proclaiming the Goodness of God regardless of what’s going on.  People love to dissect problems and scripture and beliefs, they dissect it all the way down until there’s nothing left but doubt.  My role is to make sure that when my children experience a No from God, that they still know that God is worthy to be praised and thanked.  Our faith is based on believing in that which we can not see, children believe naturally without much convincing, but when they question I share with them that I know, KNOW, KNOW of the goodness of God and my need to trust in HIM no. matter. what.  This is one of those lessons that is more “caught than taught.”  My behavior when I experience a NO from God is what is really going to make the biggest impact. 

Another thing we do is remind them of all the times God said Yes!  Which are far more than the NO’s!  The word is testify! 

“And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen”  John 21:25

Get Read with God ~ Mercy

Oh how I need His mercy! Maybe it’s just my age, but the older I get the more aware I become to what a gift mercy is. I am so undeserving, so unqualified. A wretch. But God in his infinite ability to love overwhelms me with his goodness, envelopes me in peace and washes me clean.

"The Steadfast Love of the Lord NEVER ceases, His Mercy NEVER comes to an end. They are NEW EVERY MORNING! Great is His Faithfulness!"

Lamentations 3:22-23

Just like when you put your children to bed after a long, hard day...seeing them sleeping sweetly, so peaceful, renewing your love for them, so is the Father to his children. Isn't it something to think that Lord may in fact love to see his children sleeping sweetly also-not fighting, not striving, not worrying? He sees our vulnerability, our need for Him and once again His LOVE towards us is renewed. Great is HIS faithfulness!

Basking in His Mercy,

Get Real with God ~ My Children, My Oxen

I know that is a strange title but I think it will make sense by the end!  Have you ever read this scripture?

“Where no oxen are, the trough is  clean; but much increase comes by the strength of an ox.”  Proverbs 14:4

Would you believe that I think about this scripture almost EVERY day?  Here’s why.

Because my kitchen looks like this at least three times a day. And because the rest of my house looks pretty much the same way on a daily basis.  My house wouldn’t look like this if it wasn’t for my children.  If not for my children I would hardly have any house work to do, but with out my children there would be NO increase.

Increase in me.

Through my children God can work out all kinds issues, you know the list:  patience, finding joy in all things, perseverance, selflessness, obedience and grace.

Increase in our family.

Not only the size of our family but the testimony that our size brings with us whether we want it to or not.

Increase in faith.

With the increase in our family size also comes the added need of material things.  We are blessed to have our faith challenged at times as we trust the Lord for His provision in our daily needs and our medical needs and the needs for our future.  He is an amazing Provider (Jehovah Jireh)!

So while I’d rather have my kitchen look like this all. day. long.  I would rather have a messy kitchen full of increase, then a clean kitchen and lack.

“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
         The fruit of the womb is a reward.”  Psalm 127:3

Enjoy your oxen!

Get Real with God ~ Go Wash Your Hands!

Do you find yourself saying this as much as I do? When my children come in from playing outside they always want to come talk to me right away. They want to tattle or they want to tell me a funny story or they want to complain about a “buzzing sound” or some swing set injustice. Whatever it is, I find myself telling them to go wash their hands-FIRST. It’s almost like I can’t even hear them without clean hands. They aren’t thinking about all the dirt or sand or mud they are leaving on my walls and railings, they just want to be able to instantly tell me what’s on their mind.

The more I’ve heard myself saying this, the more the Holy Spirit has reminded me of this scripture in Psalms:

“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his Salvation.”

Psalm 24: 3-5

How many times have I come to throne room, ready to tell the Lord what’s on my mind and I just walk in there and have at it. Blah Blah Blah Just like my children when they come in the house. But the Lord requires something more.

He is holy.

When we pray we are entering a Holy Place. We’ve got to wash the dirt of our day and of our minds off, before we start talking to Him.

For me this happens with confession. I am constantly aware of my shortcomings and my sins. Oh how I must disappoint the Lord sometimes. So I confess it all, and I repent. Then, before I make any requests, I praise Him. God is so good. He is so worthy to be praised! Praise pushes all of the “self” out of me, it cleans my heart and makes it pure.

Confession + Praise = Clean hands and pure heart

Now I’m ready to enter in. I’m ready to talk to the Lord, to tell Him what’s on my mind and in my heart and more importantly, He’s ready to hear me. And you know what happens, in the time it takes me to confess and pray, I usually forgot whatever the “urgent” thing was, because that urgent thing became so dim in the light of God’s presence in that throne room. Just like my children, who come in ready to tattle or complain, but the action of washing their hands makes them completely forget about it and instead they come to me smiling. Happy.

So next time you tell your children to go wash their hands, remember what scripture says:

“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart…”

Then take some time to get clean before you pray, the outcome will far out-weight the effort:

“He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his Salvation.”

Get Real with God ~ Comfort in the Word

During February we finished reading Amon’s Adventures. What a great book! Can I just say that the author did an amazing job on not being graphic with the details of Jesus death but instead focusing on who Jesus was and the awesomeness of His Resurrection! I really held it together pretty good through out the book. Granted, I did tear up most days reading it out loud, but I was able to get through it and still read with some semblance of a voice.

The very final chapter in the book speaks about Jesus Resurrection, about His reappearance to his disciples and others and to his Glorious Assent into heaven. Herein lies my favorite scripture.

“…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20b

Jesus says this after giving the Great Commission. It’s such a simple thing to say, but it touches a place so deep within me. This little scripture brings me gallons of comfort. I often deal with feeling lonely, always have. Probably a result of being alone so much as a child (latch-key) but also because I’ve often felt alienated throughout my life with the choices I’ve made. Choices that often brought me closer to the Lord, but further from people around me.

Seriously, I can’t read that scripture without tearing up. I’m so thankful to God for sending Jesus, and sending Him in a way that makes it easy for him to understand our sinful, selfish flesh, to understand the struggles and the loneliness and for Him to address that loneliness in His final farewell brings to me to a place of gratitude and humility every single time.

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.” James 5:7

Find Peace in His Resurrection! Find Joy in your Salvation! Find Comfort in the Word!

Get Real with God ~ Discipline=Love

Are you a pack rat? Do you love to keep things just because they have some meaning or memory attached to them but don’t give any tangible benefits?

I’ve been organizing and sorting out our playroom, it’s like a drug for me, I can’t get enough of it! I honestly like it when clutter builds up so that I can spend time sorting it out! One of my daughters is deeply attached to everything she owns. Everything from McDonald’s Happy Meal toys to crafty paper projects that she’s put her heart into. So, needless to say, when I’m in the “ZONE” she’s not a happy girl. I have to be pretty sneaky and sometimes down right tough when it comes to her and her little treasures. While it bring me no delight to see my daughter sad, it is my joy to help her not be bound to things of this world: stuff. It’s just stuff.

My motto is: People are more important than stuff.

She can accept this answer somewhat because she does love people—VERY much. All this stuff is making it so the people living here are feeling crowded! Still, she gets fixated on something and her day is ruined because of the one tiny little thing (a my little pony comb)that has become the focus of all her attention and she’s forgotten about everything else she still has.

Isn’t that just like us? The Lord has blessed us with so much, more than we need, and yet we get fixated on the ONE thing that we don’t have or are about to lose so we sit in a puddle of despair.

Hebrews 12 says:

^“1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.⁴ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵ And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
⁶ because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! ¹⁰ They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

It’s painful to be disciplined, it’s painful to let go of things and people we love, it’s hard to resist sin in whatever form, but we can rejoice knowing that when God is working these things out of us, just like we work them out of our children, he’s doing it because he loves us. What an amazing gift!

So if you are going through a hard time and you feel like the Lord is taking away from you the things you love, remember this verse, remember that discipline is one of the elements of love, then you can be like our Tots, who after they’ve been disciplined run into our arms because it’s the safest and most wonderful place to be, and you too can run into the arms of the Father.

Get Real with God~Idleness

We’ve all read Proverbs 31, most of us have probably read it more than once and maybe we have even tried to master a few of the virtues this amazing woman accomplished seemingly daily.  There’s  one part that has been on my mind lately, it’s verse 27.

“She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.”

I’ve been thinking about what “bread of idleness'” means.  Since I make my own bread I figured I should be able to pull some deeper truth out of this statement.  We’ll see!

Idleness (as defined by the Noah Webster 1828 dictionary)-

1.  Abstinence from labor or employment; the state of a person who is unemployed in labor, or unoccupied in business; the state of doing nothing.

2.  Aversion to labor; reluctance to be employed, or to exertion either of body or mind; laziness, sloth; sluggishness.

3. Unimportance

4.Inefficacy

5. Barrenness

6. Emptiness

So how do we eat idleness exactly.  Such a strange word picture, because there is an amount of activity that goes into baking bread, even if I didn’t grind the wheat, I still have to get out the ingredients and mix them together and knead them.  I have to be vigilant to pay attention to the texture of the dough and the temperature of the oven.  I have to make sure that I don’t let the bread bake too long and I have to protect it from crazy cats and impatient fingers. 

I think eating the bread of idleness has to do with getting things set up in the proper way, and then letting it just disintegrate.  Procrastination.  If I go through all the trouble of making the bread, but then don’t clean up afterward or pack it away into the freezer so that it gets moldy, I’m eating the bread of idleness.  If I spend time making lists and preparing menus, but then call out for pizza, I’m eating the bread of idleness. 

As women we go through seasons where we can’t do most of the things she does, especially with a houseful of little people.  In that case eating the bread of idleness might mean not following through with a consequence of an established rule that has been broken.   It might be choosing to surf the internet instead of preparing for the next day or instead of going to bed at an appropriate time.  We all know when we’ve been idle.   I know I would rather blame my idleness on being 8 months pregnant, than the real truth of the matter—I just don’t feel like it! 

Already this Proverbs 31 woman makes me feel inadequate and lacking, but she also inspires me.  I think, if she could do it, I can too!  If this kind of woman brings glory to the Lord, then that’s the kind of woman I want to be!

So, as a matter of job security, I want to encourage you to take a deep breath and ignore the part of your mind that says, “I’ll just do it later.”  And instead tell yourself, “I’ll not eat the bread of idleness today, instead I will do the next thing and enjoy the rest that comes from the completion of a task.”

Father, help us to know the difference between eating the bread of idleness and doing too much.  Allow your Spirit to guide us in making good choices with our time all day long, focusing on the things that you would have us to do, rather than the things we want to do.  Thank you for the incredible example you have given us in Your word, help us not to intimated by her, but to be inspired by her!  Amen!

Get Real with God ~ Conspiracy’s

Have you ever been convicted of something or had a strong passion about something but never had the exact Biblical Proof to back up that conviction or passion? For example, when I was a teenager, I KNEW that I had to be a stay-at-home mom and have a houseful of children, but I didn’t know that the Bible spoke specifically to that until a few years later.

It’s happened again recently…I’m so excited to share with you the proof I found for another conviction I have!

“This is what the LORD says to me with his strong hand upon me, warning me not to follow the way of this people: “Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread. He will be a holy place;for both Israel and Judah he will be a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare. Many of them will stumble; they will fall and be broken, they will be snared and captured.”

Bind up this testimony of warning and seal up God’s instruction among my disciples. I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the descendants of Jacob. I will put my trust in him. Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.”

Isaiah 8: 11-19

I have often felt the Holy Spirit gently tell me not to worry about the cares of this world. More specifically: end times concerns and governmental concerns and safety concerns. People try to suck me into conversations about the government doing this and that, what they are putting in our food, our water. God’s told me to trust in HIM-alone. But never before have I seen it so clearly written out in scripture. Clearly, specifically, even in words I can relate to in this day and age-Conspiracy. I know you hear them too, the latest one I heard about is “them” micro-chipping babies. Ridiculous! I could get myself all worked up since I’m having a hospital birth in a few short months, but clearly God is the one I am to fear and dread, not “them.”

God is so good, so sweet, so ever-loving to be completely clear about these things. You can read farther in the verse and see that there were children there too, God even knows how we momma’s worry about our children.

My encouragement for you today is to trust in the Lord, When you feel anxiety rising up because of events around you, turn off the radio, put down the newspaper, close your laptop and turn your thoughts toward God. It’s safe there.

“Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”

Psalm 62: 1-2

Get Real with God ~ Yes or No, but "No BUTS!"

I’m sure you’ve heard it before too. You kindly ask your child to do something and they kindly reply, “but Mom…” This has been happening repeatedly at my house by a particular child. He is Momma’s boy so he’s pretty compliant, but lately, I can’t get him to say, “yes Mom” like I want him too and this is rubbing off on his little brother and sister. Hmmm…So I started making it a little more black and white for him. I’ve been asking him to say yes or no when I ask him to do something, after all God’s Word tell us that any other answer is from the devil! Ha! Now when I start hearing the beginnings of “buuuu” I quickly ask him, Yes or No? Because in my mind “but Mom” might as well be a no.

“But let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no,’ ‘no.’ For what is more than these is from the evil one.” Matthew 5:37

So then I started thinking about how we do this to the Lord. He, in His loving way, asks us to do something. Maybe it’s just a simple thing like spend less time on the computer, or more time in His word, maybe it’s to start cooking healthier or even something more time consuming and scary like homeschooling. Whatever it is, I’m sure God hears His share of, “but God…”

The Bible teaches us that obedience is better than sacrifice and if all the things we are doing in the “name of God” aren’t the things He’s asked us to do, it’s the same as saying No to God. Ouch!

“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice…”

1 Samuel 15:22

Our challenge, when we hear the quiet voice of God compelling and directing us to do something that we don’t want to do or that we are afraid to do, we need to ask ourselves, do we really want to say, “NO God?” At that basic level, it’s easy to see the right choice! Yes God! Yes God! Yes God!

Father, help us to be diligent to teach our children quick, joyful obedience by allowing them to see it in our own lives. Forgive us for saying, “But God.” We want to be your obedient children that bring you great joy!

Get Real with God ~ God's Formula for Peace

While reading through Philippians I discovered this nifty little formula. Maybe you’ve already discovered it but it seemed new to me this time reading through.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

See the formula? Prayer + Thanksgiving= Peace in our heart and mind

I think the reason this is so significant to me right now is because I have joined another blog in making an effort to create a peaceful home. Surely every time we try to make this kind of change all manner of unpeacefulness erupts!

We have loud days and quiet days, days when I’m yelling too much or not enough, days when I’ve let the cares of the world press in and effect me. But I struggle more with being peaceful on the inside. I’m not concerned about my salvation or walk with the Lord, but I do get bogged down with worry about my children and my husband. Wondering if I’m doing right by them: am I helping them, am I loving them, am I trying hard enough. This formula is a balm to my soul!

Clearly, the key isn’t just to pray though, it’s to pray with Thanksgiving! Sometimes it’s hard to find things to be thankful for isn’t it? Sometimes life just stinks. And I’ve realized that finding something to be thankful for, even if it’s just something silly, changes my focus from the things that are worrying me, onto the Lord who has covered and supplied ALL-MY-NEEDS! Which is why Paul goes on to say:

“Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:8

Oh Father, thank you for making your word so clear! Thank you for this simple formula that can transform a heart full of worry and care into a heart over-flowing with peace and contentment. You know how we are prone to worry, especially us mommy’s, you know how desperately we want to do right by you and our family’s. Help us to keep our souls full of thankfulness, our lips full of prayers, and in return you give us hearts and minds full of peace that we can’t even begin to understand or explain.

Get Real with God ~ STAND

Last week, as a family, we went through the book of Ephesians. What a great book of the Bible! During our fellowship time my husband had all the adults and children alike share what impacted them most in the book. It’s great to hear children talk about scripture, their interpretation is so pure. I’m going to share the part of Ephesians that impacted me the most and hope it encourages you too.

Remember a while ago when our family was going through a tremendously looooooonnnnngggg trail of joblessness. During that same time we came under persecution from our friends and leadership. It was an extremely hard time. I haven’t thought about it much since we’ve made it to the other side, but reading Ephesians and seeing all my underlining and circling, reminded me of that struggle and what the Lord spoke to me during that time.

Stand.

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities and against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore having girded your waist with truth…” Ephesians 6: 11-14

I think this is a timely word, because everywhere I look I see believers dropping, falling away. The trails of life are hard. Sometimes it feels like God isn’t listening or doesn’t care. Sometime there’s not enough energy to pray or hope or believe. So what do you do? You STAND! You stand and take the hit—making sure you have your armor on, you keep on STANDING.

During that hard time in our life, all we could do was stand. That was it. We didn’t have the ability to move forward, we couldn’t duck to get out of the way, we couldn’t pray harder or hope more. And this is what God reminded us: STAND.

So if you are going through a particularly hard time please remember that sometimes all you can do is STAND. And that’s okay. Because sometimes that’s enough. And if you can do that, you’re going to make to the other side.

“…that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3: 17b-19

Get Real with God ~ Fickle Apples

Every morning Laffy Taffy wakes up begging me for food. He wakes up before everyone else and is usually famished! So he’ll ask me for a yogurt or a string cheese. This morning he woke up asking for an apple. Cherishing the quiet of the morning and loathing the idea of him crying if I said no, I gave it to him.

That silly boy would NOT eat that apple. After a few bites he was trying to get up and leave the table. I must have told him to sit down and eat over a dozen times! He actually starting crying and pouting about eating the apple that he just BEGGED me for!

Then it dawned on me…How many times have I begged God for something, then after He graciously gave it to me, complained and whined about it?

Some examples of my guilt:

“Oh Lord please give my husband a job!”

“Oh Lord, why does my husband have to work late? He’s never home anymore…”

“Oh Lord, please give me a baby, nothing would make me happier!”

“This child is driving me crazy, I never get any sleep anymore….ahhh!”

“Please Lord, give us a nice home, big enough for our family with a mortgage we can afford.”

“Why is this house always a mess? Why do I have to clean the bathroom again? All I ever do is clean, clean, clean!”

I’m sure the list could on and on of all the times I’ve complained when God has answered my prayers. I’m fickle, like Jonah in the Bible! Read it, Jonah gets released from the belly of the whale, because of God’s mercy and he turns around and gets upset with God for having mercy on the Ninevites!

How awesome is our God?

“For I know that you are gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.” Jonah 4:2b

So this morning, instead of getting upset with Laffy for wasting food, I thanked God that he has an older sister who willingly and thankfully finished it for him! :o)

Father, help me to remember to be thankful, even when things are hard. Help me to hold my tongue when it’s easier to complain than be quiet. And most of all help to recognize when I’ve prayed for something and You’ve answered—this is reason to rejoice, not complain! And thank you for Jesus, who takes my sin and helps me clean up my mess, even though I KNOW I don’t deserve it! AMEN