Out of Shape

Have you ever started working out after not working out for a long time? Like when I decided to walk 3.6 miles 5 months after having a baby, and (oh by the way) I haven't stepped foot in a gym since before Tucker was born 9 years ago. If you have experienced this, you know what I am talking about. You wake up the next day and you are barely able to walk, let alone sit down on the toilet. Muscles have to be worked to stay conditioned. Once a year (or a decade) isn't going to cut it.

On Sunday I was reminded of this. It has been a busy season of babies and serving and serving with babies. I have not been able to make it to church as often as I would have liked because I have been happily holding babies and whispering in their ears about Jesus in the nursery. This Sunday I was super excited to attend the church service.

As the praise worship washed over me and my hands started the ascent towards the ceiling, it felt as though I had just taken a breath of air after holding my breath for much too long. After a few songs with my hands raised in my favorite posture for worship, I felt the ache in my shoulders and arms. "I am out of shape." I thought briefly. And God whispered, "It's because you haven't been doing this very often." I used to get very defensive with God when He would say something like that to me. "But I...have been busy, have 4 kids, I do it in my heart but not always with my hands raised God, so that's why." But somewhere in the last year I just started being more real and straight up with Him. "Yep. You are so right. It's been too long."  The thought hasn't left me since then.

Anything that is worth anything takes focus, effort, and intention. It is certainly possible and often easy to forget to worship God. My former excuses above are just the beginning of the list I could give you, and I'm sure anyone reading this could help me add some more. But. But, what if we stopped making the excuses when we are gently reminded by God to worship Him? What if, instead, we immediately praise? What if we intentionally carve out space, whether it's an hour or five minutes or one song? The results would be life changing. This quote from my Bible study referring to (Revelation 7:9-12) hit the nail right on the head:
"Because man was made to worship and glorify God, how might this glimpse of worship reshape your thinking so you begin to realize that worship is connected to flourishing as a person?"
God made us to worship Him. We are not fulfilled in Him if we are not making that the center of our life. It is so easy to go about our days and go from a Sunday to a Sunday without spending time in focused worship. We are so quick to fill our days with things that will never be as significant as this.

This is not meant to condemn anyone, because if it was, I would be the first. But like God reminded me, don't let this be something to feel guilty about, let it be the spark to spur you closer to your Creator. I don't know about you, but I never feel more peace, love, joy, gentleness, and goodness as I do when I am worshiping the One who gave me life not once through my birth, but twice by sending down His son. This is a no lose situation people! I would love to be held accountable to daily worship. If you feel the same way, reach out to me and let's do it together.

What Do I Do With This Child?

Where do I even start... My 4 year old is insane. Ok... Probably not, but sometimes I really do wonder. She is prone to have wild tantrums that turn her into an animal like creature whose rage cycle can only be shutdown by isolation from people and until she fills her yelling/screaming/kicking quota. I wish I was kidding or exaggerating, but it happens. And I am frustrated. I think I am the most frustrated because after trying everything under the sun I thought I had found a solution. We worked on a goal of not having tantrums all day, and if she made it through the day she got a sticker on her "Happy Chart." For six days straight she made her goal everyday and I felt like we had finally found something that's works. But in the last 24 hours she has had two. And they have been worse then ever. It's like she saved up all her crazy juice and now spewed it all over us.

"God, what do I do with this child?"

Now I sit with my Bible, looking through passages that I have underlined before, searching for an answer. I turn to my trusty Fruit of the Spirit for comfort, but God draws me right below it.

"Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith." (Galatians 6:1-5, 9, 10 NLT) (underlines mine)

This. This is exactly what I needed. I'm sure Paul had adults in mind when he wrote this, but the way it relates to a parent and child is spot on. Boy, did I need this one,

"if another believer is overcome by some sin,"- When Ava is struggling with her emotions and self control, she is overcome (if you could witness how overcome she was, you wouldn't believe your eyes). And we as parents sometimes are overcome while they are overcome. We are overcome with anger at the behavior, resentment that you have to deal with situation again, and fear that they are always going to be like this. I pray everyday that this phase will pass. Quickly.

"should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path."-The out of control behavior caused by refusing to listen to someone who wants to help you is a sin I would like to help her learn to give to Jesus while she is a child making child size mistakes in my home rather then making adult size mistakes that have lasting consequences later. How can I help her with that? By matching her anger with more anger? Or "gently and humbly" helping her back to the path of peace. And sanity. For both of us.

What I have learned so far in my parenting journey is this: every tantrum, every sassy answer, every lie, every screaming no!, is an opportunity. It's an opportunity for me to show my kids Jesus' love, care, and forgiveness. He loves us when we sin against Him, even though we don't deserve it. He cares enough to gently help us back onto the right path through gentle correction and discipline. And He forgives us. Every. Single. Time. Every time. When we don't deserve it. Ever. But He does anyway. And that is my goal, to show my children Jesus through me. I will make mistakes, and I pray they will forgive me. But I will try. And because God knew we would get frustrated, just like I am today, He gave us this verse.

"So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up."(Galatians 6:9 NLT)

He gives me what I need. Every single time I ask for it. And even when I don't.

Thank you Lord for never giving up on me, even when I deserve that. Please give me the same unrelenting love and commitment to my children, even when they don't deserve it. You are so good to us. Amen

 

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Discerning the Voice of God: All in His Timing

Time flies by. I should start keep tracking of how many times I have said that on this blog. But it does! Summer is almost here, my baby is almost finished with first grade, all of my babies are about to be another year older, and I feel like I just had them yesterday. So I must document everything so that I don't forget in the busyness of life.

With all that life brings and all the distractions pulling for my time, it is easy to get lost and not hear what the Lord is saying. Thankfully, God knows this about me. With three kids, an impending move, homeschooling, church, sports, cleaning (like that happens), and everything else, God knew I needed something to focus my attention on. Several weeks ago, He lead me to be involved in a morning Bible study at our church. The topic: Discerning the Voice of God. Which couldn't have been more perfect (go figure) with all the changes coming my way. I started this study excitedly anticipating what God had to show me, and true to His character, He has blown me away more then I could have ever hoped for. Every. Single. Day. Every word. They are gems. It's unbelievable how perfect the timing is with small and large events occurring in my life. It is interesting to me how I am still surprised when the Lord lines things up so perfectly. You'd think I would get it after He has revealed this to me so many wonderful times! But really, the synchronization of this study and our planning is perfect, just like Him. :-) God...why are you good to us?!

 

The thing that struck me so strongly today is His timing. So many times in my life I have heard the whisper in my ear, "Hurry. Hurry! If you wait the (house, job, car, insert-word-here) will be gone. Dont wait for confirmation, just do it. Now!" The pressure-sometimes internal, sometimes external. The feeling that nothing as good as this will come along. Well, if any of you have ever felt that feeling, get ready for some freedom my friend. Look at this...

"Discerning the Voice of God," Priscilla Shirer

That is the enemy, not the Lord! Yes, God will sometimes speak to you in urgency, but it will never be demeaning or negative. He will never rush you without confirmation and peace. He will lovingly lead you to the decision that best works for His plan for you, His plan for the world, and His plan to glorify Himself. How comforting, freeing, and awesome is that! You never again have to worry if you are making the right decision or if you need to hurry and decide. If He hasn't given you peace, it's not the time to make that decision. God is so good to us, to guide His people individually. If you have decisions coming up that you have not yet heard the Lord's voice in, keep this in mind. And it doesn't matter if they are big or small, He wants to guide you in all of them.

Thank you Lord! Please let us remember that each decision is in Your timing, not ours! You see our life spread out before us like only you can. You are coordinating all the events in your time, place, and circumstance. We thank you Lord for you attention to detail in our small, individual lives. We don't deserve that, yet You bless us with it. Thank you Gracious Lord!

"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven...a time to be silent and a time to speak." Ecclesiastes 3:1,7

 

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What It Brings

Wisdom. The word itself, to me, brings a settled peace. Wise people always seem to be calm, cool, and collected. It instantly allows my soul to relax, because I know wisdom knows all the answers. What is this wisdom? Where is it found? This is where our search begins, and it can only begin in one place. All of the Lord's wisdom has been gathered for us in one location. Everything God wants you to know is collected into one leather bound manual.  It is the beginning, the end, the everything. Since He cannot be here with us in person, He divinely spoke to each and every author of scripture to convey exactly what He wanted His children to hear. This is where all wisdom comes from. If any other book is offering you wisdom, it better be directly and honestly based on God's Biblical wisdom. If it's not, chuck it.

What is wisdom? It can be described so many ways. The first post of this series described it as pure, peace loving, gentle at all times, yielding, full of mercy, good deeds, impartial, sincere, and righteous. What does wisdom bring? Proverbs 3:12-18 gives us some insight.

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding,
for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.
She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.
More valuable then any belonging you will ever have, or even ever want to have. Bringing long life, honor, and riches (although these might not be the riches you may be thinking of.) Pleasant and peaceful paths that bring life and blessings. Is there really more you could ask for? Doesn't that sound like a beautiful life?!?! It does to me! The more I read about it, the more I want it. Like want it bad. When our focus is on taking into our minds the pure, real truth of God, a magnificent by-product of this is wanting more of it. That's how God designed us, to desire to know Him. To really know Him, like you know your best friend. And so much of God is His wisdom. I can't wait to learn more about His wisdom the next time I write. Until then, focus on these things...

Understanding*Precious*Long Life*Richness*Honor*Pleasantness*Peace*Blessings