God made you YOU

I am an extrovert, this is definitely one of my core traits. I have been trying over the years to learn not to be offensive to my introverted friends and family. I have been learning not to be too loud or make a scene in public by laughing at inappropriate times. One thing I can’t seem to get on board with is the world’s idea that people shouldn’t talk to strangers. You guys, I admit it. I go to Walmart, the gas station, or basically anywhere and I often come out knowing a new person by name. And, for some reason people occasionally trust me with their life stories. No joke, it’s like the Gift of Gab meets the Gift of Being a Good Listener. Or maybe people can sense that I just really care about and love people.

I spent years as a “pastor's wife” in rural churches where those gifts were utilized daily. I got to love on people every time the church doors were open and I called people throughout the week. Our roles have changed in the past four years. Paul is no longer serving in the role of pastor. So, I’ve been trying to figure out where I can serve and use my Gifts of Gab and Caring.

At church, we have a Hospitality Team under the leadership of a woman that I greatly admire. She is an industrious woman who accomplishes more before 6am than most people do by noon. Seriously, I want to be her when I grow up. But, I digress.

On the hospitality team I get to serve as a greeter. My job description now includes the idea of being a social butterfly and talking to people before the service begins. What? They have a volunteer position where I get to talk to people? Sweet. 

It’s been such a great outlet for me to use the Gift of Gab without appearing too socially unaware. So, armed and branded with a nametag and a church logo mask, I flit throughout the worship center and chat with people as they come in. 

I have introverts in my family that hear what I do at church and they groan. “Oh gosh, Mom, what a terrible job, I could never do that.” But, I have been learning over the years that when someone says to me “I could never do that,” it may be one of my spiritual gifts or talents.

Some of my God-given gifts and talents (beyond being a greeter) are that I am comfortable with: opening my home to guests, leading a choir, singing in front of a crowd, leading worship from the front, playing my flute in front of a crowd, playing accompaniment for the singing, visiting nursing homes, praying for friends and strangers, laying hands on the sick and praying boldly for healing, walking up to a stranger at a gas station and telling them that I think God has a message for them, and more.

Now, that last one I mentioned… you guys, don’t glamourize that gift or despise that gift. My charismatic friends tend to glamourize/romanticize this and my Reformed friends are more likely to discredit me for this. But, here is an example. I was standing in line at the gas station several years back and I started noticing the man in front of me. He had several tattoos (mostly images pertaining to sailing, weaponry and vikings). It was as though God started highlighting them to me, and I saw a story come to the surface. I had that feeling in my gut that I was supposed to say something to him. Not only was I supposed to talk to a stranger, but I thought I was supposed to tell him that I had a message from the Lord. What? Are you kidding me?

I felt that it was obedience to follow the man to his car and share what I felt in my heart. I complimented his tattoos and started calling out what I had “read” from them. The guy was nodding in agreement, I had called out the meaning of the story in the tattoos. He felt like a pirate and the captain of his own soul. The hard part was, I felt like God was saying that He wanted to be this man’s Captain and be the Anchor of his soul. It was not fun in the moment. I knew that what I was doing wasn’t at all normal in America. And, as much as I wish this story ended with a conversion experience right then, it did not.

I still pray for that gentleman every time I remember this encounter. I truly believe that since God sent me to him that God is going to keep working on his heart. And I hope that he is a believer now with a cool story about how God spoke to his pirate heart through a strange lady at the gas station. I won’t likely know on this side of Glory, but I pray.

I say none of this (the whole post) to bring glory to myself. I mean, yes, I want to be known. Desire to be known and loved is written in the DNA of everyone alive and it is not a sin. But, when I tell these “I serve a great big God” stories I want the focus to be on Him. God is the one who sends His obedient servants to speak to the hearts of pirates. In Acts 9, God sent Ananias to go find a well-known persecutor of the church and not just speak to him, but pray for him. You guys! What must Ananias have been thinking?! We see in Acts 9:13-14 that Ananias told God he was not eager to go meet Saul. Yet Ananias obeyed and as a result he was a part of the process in which Saul became Paul. (Acts 9:17-18, and following)

God is at work to heal and to save human hearts and He lets us be a part of that process.

For me, that means I get to talk to people. I get to lean in and listen to their life story. At times I get to encourage and pray with strangers. 

What is your “I could never do that” gifting? Do you speak another language or work as an interpreter? Do you love babies and children and have a heart to teach them? Do you like to serve behind the scenes where your work is deeply appreciated, but rarely seen? Are you soft and people feel safe around you? Are you a good listener? Or a good public speaker? What has God uniquely made you to do? And, where can you do it? Home, church, walmart, gas station, your job, your best friend’s house? 

Whatever your gift is, I encourage you to use it. God made you “you” for a reason.

Taking an ax to the log in my eye

I wrote yesterday that God knows us well. He knows me well and sometimes answers my prayers in ways that get my attention in a big way. Today was another one of those days.

The news has been full of hatred, violence and racism. I pray for our nation. I pray that we would learn to love. I pray that we would be stretched to let our love and compassion cover the poor, the "ugly," the smelly, the ones who don't look like we do, the ones who don't drive cars like we do, the drug dealers, the meth addicts, the rich, etc. I've been praying for myself specifically that I would learn to love people like Jesus does. And, I have asked God to show me my own blind spots and weak points. (You know... that verse about ignoring the log in your own eye, while picking out the speck in someone else's eye?)

This afternoon, I had to get dog food and a few other items at Wal-Mart. I had just picked up my generic gallon-sized zipper bags when an older guy spoke to me. "You are a woman. What cleaner has ammonia in it?" He came off a bit brusque, to be sure. And, since he was wearing a mask, I had no idea what his countenance looked like. (Generally I read people by their countenance more than clothes or physical features. I rarely notice pimples or crooked teeth, but I do see desperation, sadness, depression, joy, laughter, etc.) He was a white-haired, white guy with blue eyes. But, you guys, fear triggered in my heart. I forced it down with a little laugh (another safety and defense mechanism) and chose to find humor in his opening remark.

Now, you guys know I love people. I'm an extrovert. I often talk to strangers in stores or anywhere else. I like to make the world feel warmer by smiling at strangers. But, the mask triggered me. (When you are healing from PTSD, you have to know your triggers. It's step one to overcoming them.) I answered him politely, "I believe Windex would be your best bet." And, part of me wanted to walk away, but another part of me said to take the time to give this guy a few moments of my attention. I asked, "What do you want ammonia for?" He answered to spray on trash cans to keep the raccoons away. He asked me to help read labels and help him find the best product. You guys, I admit it, my fear went up another notch. What are his motives? What does he really want from me? My purse is on my arm - check. I don't have valuables or a child in the cart - check. I can see other people nearby - check. Yes, I actually thought through that in a flashing second before I walked closer to him.

You guys, what we have in this world is a sin problem. I love "little old men." Ask my family. I really adore little old men. I used to have so much fun serving my retired customers at Hardees. I have only good memories of little old men. But, I have a distrusting traumatized heart. You know that checklist I ran through? There is nothing wrong with having a safety check in your mind. Especially if you have been a victim of abuse, rape or violence. There are legit dangers in the world! (Our family has become even more aware of this since Paul has become a corrections officer.) What I am saying is that the world is full of sin.  It doesn't matter if you are rich, poor, white, or a person of color. We are all full of sin.
That's why we need Jesus! 

There have been times when I needed to ignore problems outside of my home and focus on my own healing. Sometimes living in "survival mode" for years means that I have to shut out all problems but my own. (And, I think that you can do that for a season.) But, some days you wake up and think, "I can't hide my head in the sand anymore. I can't stay silent." I mean this in many areas of life, not just racism - which I mention today because it is the news feature that currently reflects our need for change.

You guys, our world has a problem. Every day we see that people are full of hatred. Families dividing over politics. Friendships ending over gender-sexuality issues. Cities at war over racism.

There is fighting, division, and protest because there needs to be. 

All of us have safety checklists - and rightly so. If you are unsafe, you have to protect yourself, or flee, or have a protest to be heard. In our home, we continue to strive for love and acceptance of all types of people and situations. It's hard. But, I think having so many kids in my home will help with that. Kids see things from a different perspective - especially teens. Teens are constantly challenging all of the dogma and doctrine they have been hearing since infancy. Often they help us parents see where we have blind spots. We all have blind spots.

This post is not a quick "point out a problem and solution" type of post. We can't turn this ship around in one day. We can't fix racism or classism or any other ism in a day. But, we can pray for change. We can start with ourselves. We can hope for a better future for younger generations. And, we can long for heaven and pray "Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven." I get all goose-bumpy when I think of Heaven. When we will finally see other people for their hearts/souls and not their skin color, wealth, or whatever else. We will worship together at the feet of Jesus. "Every tongue, tribe, and nation." 

Let's start now.

Analogy - Turn this ship around

First, I have an observation about our family, then my analogy.

These past few years of major transitions in our family has been quite challenging (you can be sure that is an understatement). Some of our major changes were: a move in August 2018, putting three boys in school in August 2018, New Baby October 2018, two major surgeries in 2018, one major surgery in 2020, corona-trauma-schooling... to name a few. In all of that chaos, some of our family patterns and habits changed drastically.

Family worship became non-existent. Boys got out of chores and my oldest girl and I picked up a lot of slack. Kids became disrespectful as I became too overwhelmed to deal with it. Etc. You get the idea. I don't need to spell it out, because you guys have all been there too. When talking to a friend a few weeks ago, I told her that I feel like our family is a ship that has been slowly going off course. I know that changes need to be made and that we need to turn this ship around. We talked about which changes I most wanted to see. And, I walked away being encouraged that I could begin to make changes.

Now you guys know me. I am ridiculously authentic on this blog. I believe that honesty in relationship and/or mentoring is the only way to see real growth. So, knowing me- you are all thinking, "oh no, Bethany went home and wrote a dozen charts and intends to change her family overnight." Yep, the thought did cross my mind. But, y'all, God is changing me. He is growing me. And, HE KNOWS ME. So, He sent me a message.

A few weeks back I was returning home from a socially-distanced night out at a friend's home. I drove home through the country in the deep darkness (no moon). I know the roads, though I admit to being a bit afraid of the dark that night. Anyway, I went over a one-lane bridge that also turned the direction of the road a bit. I did not see what was ahead until I crossed the bridge into deeper darkness. It was black. My headlights were on, but it was blackness. The road disappeared. Water. A creek had flooded and my 12-passenger van was IN the water. The road had completely disappeared beneath me. I'm not embarrassed to say that I called Paul in hysterics. I was sobbing so hard that he couldn't even understand me. I didn't know how to turn around! There was no longer a visible road! Y'all, I'm covered in goosebumps just recalling it.

Paul spoke calmly to me. He said, "it doesn't matter if you make a 40-point turn about. Move only a few inches at a time." I did as he recommended. (The water wasn't moving, I was not in any danger of being swept away. I just couldn't see the road and I didn't want to get stuck there... in the blackness.) I must have made at least 25 wheel adjustments. Forward, reverse, forward, reverse, a few inches each time. With Paul's calming common sense and a lot of prayer, I was able to get back to that one-lane bridge without getting stuck.

A few days after I had recovered from the trauma of that, God started working on my heart. I was praying about the changes I was trying to implement in my home. And I felt God nudge my heart, "Turn this ship around." And the image of my being stuck in the blackness making a 40-point turnabout flashed in my head. I hear you, God, I get it. I want to turn this ship around, but I need to be patient and calm and make many small, sensible adjustments. 

You guys, God is Good. And He knows us well. And, I believe that if we listen for His guidance and encouragement, He will send them. And, whatever the ship is in your life that needs turned around - God wants to help you with that. You can see change if you just keep making one small change at a time.   

Chronically Sick Homeschool Mama: Makes Breakfast

source - wikicommons; Public Domain

I want to write useful information on this blog… both spiritually and practically useful. So, I am going to write some specific posts about what it looks like to be a homeschool mama when you are sick… and I mean really sick. (Though, these lessons could be applied to times of morning sickness as well as the chronic illness that I have suffered from.) Beginning with - HOW to make/manage breakfast when you are a sick homeschool mama.

(The following post was originally written in November 2013. I was sick then, but I became far more disabled before my remission in Spring 2014).

Right now, I am in a season of watching my big girl (age 11) make breakfast for our tribe. But, for years I suffered the horrible daily task of facing a hungry mob of kids age 4 and under who really could not do much for themselves. And, my list excludes store bought cereal because my kids respond so violently to refined sugar and grains. But, if cereal works for your family – by all means, utilize every short cut you can!

(Regarding food sensitivities and childrens’ behavior. It certainly appears, from scholarly research and my own life experience, that some food sensitivities cause behavioral issues with some children. I encourage you to keep a food journal and write down the food you and the kiddoes eat and your reactions to them. In my home, we found that certain grains make one of my boys present with all the appearances of ADHD. Being a sick mama with sick kiddoes is a whole ‘nother blog post… But, suffice it to say, do what you can within reason to keep your kiddoes well as much as is in your power.)

-         Pray and ask the Lord to show you what to make your kids for breakfast. Seriously. God wants you to involve Him in your life. He will answer you if you take time to ask and listen.

-         Plain yogurt with drizzle of honey or healthy jelly. Add fresh fruit on the side.

-         Oatmeal is your best friend. You (or your husband) can pre-make it the night before in a baked oatmeal recipe. You can throw together oatmeal “slop” even on your worst morning. (By slop, I mean plain old boring oatmeal. Use two cups of water to every one cup of rolled oats. Add a pinch of salt to the mix and cook on low.) For mama and six kids I make 4 cups of oatmeal with 8 cups water. When there were only a few kiddoes and they were smaller, I got by with two cups of oats. Add raisins, nuts, seeds, real maple syrup, or all kinds of goodies to spruce it up.

-         Eggs are a good go-to breakfast as well. You can scramble them fairly easily. And, really, cooking up a quiche is not all that more intensive than scrambling eggs. In fact, I think I prefer the quiche. Whisk the eggs, dump ‘em in the pie plate and cook ‘em. I cannot always add veggies, because most days these past few years I cannot cut vegetables, because my hand/forearm muscles do not function well. Buy pre-shredded cheese and add 1-2 cups in with the eggs. Or, if you feel like you have the strength to clean up the mess, have your kids shred the cheese… but I do not exactly “recommend” this.

-         Smoothies. Buy bananas on sale and freeze them with the peels off in a freezer bag. Buy frozen fruit. You can use store bought yogurt, store bought kefir, or pure fruit juices to mix in with the frozen fruit to make a smoothie. (If you are a truly sick mama, this is not the season of your life to try to make your own yogurt or kefir. Sure it might be “easy.” But, do you really need one more iron in the fire right now? Will the benefits or making your own truly outweigh the cost to your body and mind to make yourself feel like you need to make your own?)

-         If you have a condition that goes into “remission,” or you have some good months, consider freezer cooking during your good months. Just don’t overdo it, Mama! I know the temptation… you have one good day and you overdo it so much that you are laid up for the next three days… don’t do it, Friend, unless you have several consecutive MONTHS of health and wellness. Muffins, breads, and waffles have been a great freezer breakfast for my family.

-         During times when I felt less sick, I would make “hash” with sausage, store bought “southern style” potatoes, and scrambled eggs. 

-     Take a walk through the freezer section at your local grocery store. Those pre-made sandwiches look scrumptious! I never bought any, because it was cost prohibitive. But, it might work for some incomes.

-         Who says breakfast has to be “breakfast” foods?! Give the kids (preservative free) lunch meat and cheese roll-ups with a can of fruit. Heat up rice and beans (or any leftovers!) from last night’s dinner.

-         Jesus ate fish for breakfast (at least on one occasion). Cook up some salmon in the skillet. (This is one of our regular breakfasts nowadays).

-         If you have the money, consider buying healthy granola bars. Or, if you know you feel better in the afternoon than in the morning, make your own bars to eat tomorrow morning.

-         Natural peanut butter or almond butter and healthy jelly on healthy bread/toast. There were months on end that I can remember giving the kids peanut butter on Nature’s Own whole wheat bagels. The children started making this for themselves as early as age 4. Add a banana or an apple and it seems like a well-balanced meal to me! There were a few years the children and I nearly lived on frozen waffles and peanut butter for breakfast. It wasn’t ideal… but I had to do what I had to do.

I think one of the most important starting points is get the preconceived notions about “what a good mom gives her kids for breakfast” out of your head! You know your limits. No one else knows how you feel. You need to feed your children as well as you can with the resources you have (both financial and physical!). Ask the Lord to show you what you can and cannot do in terms of physical strength. Trust me, I speak from experience, the Lord would rather you feed the kids store bought cereal every day than wear yourself out by making an elaborate feast that will leave you depleted and open to the temptation to yell, curse, criticize, make mountains out of molehills, or whatever your vice is.

Don’t let yourself be bullied into making meals beyond your ability because you feel like it is what you are “supposed to” do! Too many moms are trying to live up to these expectations – most of which are unrealistic lies from the Enemy sent to destroy us.

What does the Lord say?

Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it
Than a house full of feasting with strife. Prov 17:1 (NASB77)

If you are hearing thoughts of condemnation because you did not make a “complete, balanced” breakfast that compares to a magazine cover, that is NOT the voice/thoughts of God!

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (NASB77)

God’s primary concern is not what specific foods you give your children for breakfast, but rather your attitude while you serve them. Do you love your children? There are some mamas who put themselves under great strain trying to create the perfect diet for their kids, but in reality, doughnuts served with love and a smile would be healthier for your kids than eggs and turkey sausage served with a grimace and a side of discontentment and grumbling.

I hope you hear my heart on this. I can see times in the last ten years where I did very well. And, I see times where I was feasting with strife. I just want to caution and encourage other sick mamas from the trenches. I’ve been there. I am there now. But, fortunately, we made it through the days of having 4 kids age 5 and under. And, they all lived to tell about it. None of my kids lose sleep at night having nightmares about the days they used to eat frozen store bought waffles every morning for breakfast. Seriously. BUT, there have been seasons where my SuperMom gene was going strong and I tried to make elaborate whole food feasts that ended with kids and mama all screaming and/or crying. We do remember those days. Thank God that even those memories, when viewed through the proper lenses, do not bring condemnation. (Or, if they do, it is not from the Lord, and we can tell Condemnation to “take a hike.”) Your kids will remember that you served them as well as you can in your sickness. That is enough.

One last thought – your children are following your example, whether you want them to or not. Do you want your children to serve breakfast to their future families in the same manner that you do? There is time to change. Start today. Ask the Lord for wisdom and knowledge. He will hear you. He will answer you.

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:2-5 (NASB77)

God in the Dessert - A look back at 2013

We all daydream of mountain top experiences in our lives. Few of us like the moments in the valley or the dessert. But, I have been meditating on life in the wilderness for quite a while now.

For our family, 2013 was a year spent wandering in the wilderness. God ALWAYS provided for the things that we truly needed. Sometimes we had to wait until the eleventh hour. Sometimes God would not give us what we wanted, because He knew that we did not NEED it. But, God never left us.

When the Israelites were wandering in the dessert God provided their daily bread one day at a time. I have come to believe that this may be the single greatest sign that a person is truly in a spiritual dessert… because they literally have to pray “give us this day our daily bread.” (Daily bread could be literal food, physical strength, emotional stability, etc.) We humans don’t do well with one-day-at-a-time philosophies. I want to know that my financial future is secure. We want retirement plans, life insurance, secure jobs, etc. And, there is nothing wrong with good planning! God gave us our brains to plan for our future.

But, some times we experience situations completely outside of our control. In our case it was Paul’s herniated discs from January to March. Then, a few months of work. Then, another type of hernia from May to July. Back to work for a few weeks in August. Then, WHAM!, someone ran into Paul’s UPS truck and Paul was fired for being in a wreck that wasn’t his fault. Back to work in October and running strong till the end of the year resulted in a total of 32 weeks working and 20 weeks without work and without pay.

Talk about a dessert.

I hated it. I kicked against it. I refused to learn from it. I continually prayed against it. I wanted it over. I don’t ever want to go back.

But, yet…

In the dessert is where our faith is truly tested and refined. God loves our family so much that He wants us to be closer to Him. And, as I read the Old Testament (in particular) I see God saying to the Israelites that they will draw near to Him in the wilderness. They will cling to Him in the dessert. They will run to Him when under attack from the enemy. But, when they have plenty of food and money… then, they seem to allow distance to come between them and their Creator. (See Deut. 6)

We all do it.

I was crying the other day. Paul was with me while I was emoting… and he had some wise responses. He said, “What’s so great about the mountain? We learn in the dessert. We don’t learn on the mountain. On the mountain we say ‘Lord, should I build you three tents?’” (See Luke 9, especially verse 33) I see his point. Paul is right.

God loves to give us blessings. But, His blessings are not always in the form of more money and better health. There are times that He sees that we will grow from a period of sifting. Satan asks the Lord for permission to sift His people. He asked for permission to bring trouble to Job. These troubles are allowed by the Lord because blessings come in many forms.

Our family prays nightly that we will be the family God has meant us to be. It is quite possible that we need to go through some rough times to refine us and purify us. I cry out daily, “I want what You want for me life.” If you are going to pray that prayer…well, you need to be prepared for God to answer. And, it may not look like what you expect. Maybe God does want to give you riches and health. But, maybe He wants you to taste a bit of pain to be better acquainted with the sufferings of Jesus Christ. (see Phil 3:7-10)

Some of my dearest friends would view this line of thinking as heresy. But, Jesus tells us that in this world we will have troubles. He does not promise that we will be free from trouble! (see John 16:25-33) He promises that He will be with us when the trouble comes.

So, I write this on the edge of the dessert gazing towards the fertile crescent. It’s so close that I can smell the water and green grass. I acknowledge that I would rather be in the refreshing green pastures than in this arid climate, but I want to recollect (in case I lose sight of the Lord when we enter a time of abundance and plenty) that the time in the dessert was/is well-spent.

I don’t ask the Lord to take me back to the wilderness. But, if He sees that it is necessary for our family to spend more time there – I will try to praise Him in the midst of that situation, because God is still God. He is the One who gives us the daily manna in the dessert. He will never leave us or forsake us. And, I trust that the Lord will do what is necessary to fulfill His purposes for my life. (Psalm 57:2)

NOTE: I wrote this thinking that our time in the dessert was nearing an end. Paul was working full time at UPS (finally) and all would be well. So I thought. But, my fibromyalgia reached an all time low. In Feb-April of 2014, I could not take care of my own basic needs. Paul left his job at UPS to care for me and teach the children. At the time, it seemed like the only solution. The months that followed were far worse than the agonies we had experienced in 2013. So, perhaps, we needed more time in the wilderness to draw near to God. By American standards, we have not yet had a time of "abundance and plenty," but our table has food on it and we have vehicles that work. I am grateful!  

A diligent search

From my Facebook Timeline (date as shown) -

I just read Psalm 77 because of a suggestion by my mother. And I love verse 6 that preceded the change from agony to rejoicing. The English Standard Version says that the writer made a diligent search of God's goodness (to get back his nighttime song of praise). A diligent search. Wow. Have you done a diligent search back over your life to see how God has blessed you and even your forefathers? God is good. If you want your song back - make a diligent search of His goodness in your life!

Pruning Analogy

From my Facebook Timeline (date as shown) -

I know enough about flowers and trees to recognize their growing cycles. Tonight I walked past a rose bush nearly falling over under the weight of its blooms. I immediately knew that that bush was cut way back last year, so that it would produce more blooms in the future. I thank God for speaking to my heart through that rose bush. But, even more than that, I thank God for His goodness in pruning me to produce more fruit later. The cry of my heart is to see the kingdom of heaven advance and grow. God knows my cries to be one who bears much fruit. God is good! This trial - in many more ways than I know right now- is an answer to my heart's cries. Praise You, Jesus! Thank you Father for finding me worthy of gentle pruning. I trust you, Master Gardener, to cut well...for my good and for your glory. Thank you, God.

Fog analogy

From my Facebook Timeline (date as shown) -

Friends, a spiritual analogy for your weekend - Is the fog obstructing your vision? Are you lost and you can't see where to turn? Look to the Lord, look to Jesus. As the SON gets higher, as He becomes greater and shines brighter, the fog will begin to dissipate. And, until you can see clearly, tread slowly through the murk and mire. You would not drive 70 miles per hour through fog (in the natural). Similarly, go slowly and wait upon the Lord to be the Lamp to your feet and the Light to your path.

Do not Compare yourself to men, Rather be conformed to Christ

Copied from Facebook, written this morning -

Homeschool Mamas, Have you ever read other peoples' blogs or FB posts and put yourself down for not being as "good" as someone else? I used to daily read a blog by a seemingly perfect mother of many, many children. But, this week I realized again that we just cannot compare ourselves to others. That mama of ten or so kids was a second-generation homeschooler who grew up with a huge family. For others of us, having several little ones and trying to homeschool is like finding our way through an underground cave with only a small match. Please do not (as I have done) compare yourself to anyone. Rather, endeavor to read the Bible and pray that God would conform you into the image of His Son. Jesus was sinless, but his yoke is easy, His burden is light! Trying to model yourself after some super mama hero might add to your burden and make your yoke heavy. I know this all too well. Keep pressing on, homeschool teaching mamas! Let God be your guide!

By the way, I do not read as many blogs as I used to. In fact, I only check two or three regularly.  Fill your life with whatever is positive and matches up with this admonition.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely , whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Phil 4:8-9 (NASB)

Seeds of Faith

Copied from Facebook, written the date that is shown here

There are moments when you have far-fetched ideas of what you could do with your life. What if some of these thoughts are seeds of great faith sown by a loving God who gives more than you can ask or imagine? What if, instead of shutting the valve of hope and creativity, you pray, "Lord, if this is from You bring it about in your timing." Then wait. God will bring it about in His way and His time. Or, He might lead you another direction. But, just because an idea seems impossible is not a reason to ignore it. Our God does the impossible!
It may be a broken relationship. It may be a new career. It may be a desire to reach the world for Jesus or save as many orphans that you can. If your idea is not against anything written in His Word, then keep praying. He hears you. The answer might not be what you expected. But God is better than our expectation. We see through a glass dimly. Keep hoping. Keep praying. Keep seeking. Keep listening. Don't give up on the seemingly outrageous ideas in your head.
One word of caution- Neither let these hopes become an idol. God does not generally operate in the box we try to place Him in. He is God. He is good. We worship Him for who He is and what He has done for us through Jesus. Withdrawing your intimacy from the Lord when He does not provide as you expected Him to could be a sign that you are seeking the gift over the giver. That would be idolatry.
Keep that seed of faith alive. Water it by reading the Bible and by praying. Do not underestimate the possible fruit that could come from one little seed of faith sown in well-prepared ground.

Look at Your Map - an anaolgy

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We were driving down an unfamiliar road today and ran into a dead end. WE all do this in our Christian lives. We don't take time to look at The Map (Bible) and just go down whatever road looks good or feels right. Then, before you know it, you are on a dead end road that turns into a driveway with a forbidden house and a terrible dog (Satan). God will take you back the right way. Just look at The Map. Ask for directions (prayer). God will get you back on track.

For Fathers

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Dads, you are making a difference. Your unrelenting love for your wife and children will pay off! Some days you may feel hopeless, but God has a plan. Yours can sometimes be a "thankless job," but Jesus can relate to that. He died for some who still have not yet accepted his love. You are making sacrifices too that some of your children can't understand right now. One day those same children will appreciate you and thank you. You are making a difference!

Cleaning the yard - analogy

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We were cleaning our yard today and MUCH grieved by all the garbage that is now visible after the spring rains. Similarly, when we submit ourselves to God, His refreshing rains fall on us. Sometimes it reveals a lot of garbage that was formerly hiding beneath the surface. The good news us that when the garbage is visible we can throw it away once and for all. Friend, Jesus died so that you can be saved (first of all) and cleaned up. For the glory of God!

 

Sunshine - an analogy

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I was going to write, "the sunshine is back," when I realized the sun never left. Likewise, we cannot say God is good only when we are well and wealthy. God is good every moment of every day, whether we acknowledge it or not. It's just that sometimes we let clouds of sin and unbelief block the radiance of His Goodness.

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God says - Stop obsessing over what you don't have and be grateful for what you do have. I have given you so much! I gave you my son. I gave you freedom from death, sin, and bondage. I gave you my Holy Spirit to comfort you, lead you, and guide you. I give you more than you can see with your eyes. I spare you from more than you will know this side of Heaven. Stop grumbling and complaining. Be grateful. Praise me at all times. Rejoice always. Sing. Bring me a sacrifice of praise. Keep moving forward. Don't get tangled up in these worries. I give you all you need. Be grateful.

Faith VS. Fear

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Hard question- Are you operating out of fear or faith? Fear will hold you back, but faith will send you forward.

Using your gifts

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Using the gifts God has given you blesses others and builds them up and brings you joy! That's what I call a win-win situation!

A Good Father

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While Paul was cutting up potatoes for breakfast, Jeremiah stood reaching up crying. Jeremiah could not understood why Daddy did not share. How many times are we like that with the Lord. Holding our hands out towards what it is that we want, it looks so good to us. But, The Father is saying, "No, Dear One, it is not the time yet." Paul did not scold Jeremiah for asking for food or for crying about it. Likewise, your father knows you have needs too. You may keep asking, and when the time is right, He will hand you what you need.

Walking in the Dark

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Last night when I went to bed I couldn't see in my room. It was just black. Without thinking, I closed my eyes and walked where I needed to go without bumping anything. I even plugged in my phone to charge. The spiritual analogy is this- when you are paralyzed with fear, because your next steps are so dark, stop trying to see it with your eyes. Just like my feet and hands knew the way in the dark, the Spirit within us can keep moving forward. You can walk in faith. Your hands can do the jobs God has for them. When it is dark, stop trying to make sense of the future, just let God lead you forward in the right path.

Progress, Not Perfection

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Let's say that you have a friend who spent her whole life in the suburbs, but when she grew up she decided to be a farmer and grow all her own food. Do you expect her to move to a farm that year and fill her freezer and root cellar with goodies that first year? Of course not. Well, how many of us expect to do this very thing in our Christian lives? The analogy is far from perfect, but I wanted to get your attention. We can no more become sinless creatures overnight than we can become farmers. There are bitter roots that need removed from our fields, we need to plow the soil and remove weeds. We have much to learn and it can't be accomplished in one day, one year, or one decade. Sanctification is a process. It takes a lifetime. Don't expect perfection from yourself or your friends. The work in you will be completed, just not in one day.

"And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Phil 1:6