Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Exchanging Browns

I awoke to her moans on the monitor. She was an hour and half early. "She'll put herself back to sleep," I thought. Twenty minutes later she was fussing off and on. Only later did I discover the culprit of her early start to the day - a new tooth. But my body reluctantly led itself through the dark hallway to her room. "I just want to check on her," I reassured Matt. I crept into her room. After a minute she sensed my presence, immediately stood up and flung her arms at me. I picked her up. Who could have resisted? She motioned for blankey with a grunt. So Rachael, blankey, and I traveled back to the ever-so-desired reward of Mommy and Daddy's bed. After laying there a few minutes I opened my eyes to discover her browns studying my face. We exchanged browns for browns for a moment as she rubbed the sleep indicator part on her right ear. I thought in that instance, "What in the world makes me this privileged to be her Mother? What did I do to earn her complete comfort and trust?" I felt her inhales and exhales with ease. An unspeakable thankfulness flooded from my heart to my Maker. I flashed her a smile. I could see her smile lines twitch around her pacifier. And then she leaned in and rubbed her forehead on my face. And there she chose to remain until her forehead slipped to my lips and she nuzzled in closer.

What in the world did I do to deserve this unconditional love?

Nothing.

And yet still what a cherished moment...

I have been given.



- Thank You, thank You. -

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Transparent

Yesterday I walked into the room to discover the 5 y/o I watch in the afternoons was making a picture with puffy gel paint. She immediately looked guilty and hid the paint under the table. I was not angry with her, I had put out the paint for her to play with, allowing her the chance of responsibility, and did not require her to ask me before using the paint. But for some reason she believed that she could be in trouble and hid the paint. Only trouble, she was hiding the culprit under a glass table.

Isn’t that what we do with God sometimes? We think maybe if we don’t acknowledge our shortfalls and we don’t draw attention to the areas in our life where we’re not obeying then we can somehow hide it under the table from God. Only trouble, the table is glass.

God just kinda nailed me with that lesson yesterday.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Home-Improvement Bug Bites Again!

I have this home-improvement vibe about me again today. I'm sure it's the nesting hormonal prego fun. But today I just might get the opportunity to employ it properly - our house is a wreck. I look around this room and think of the others nearby and all these projects jump out and beg for attention. When was the last time the shelves were ever cleaned? (Ha!) Does that stained blanket really accent the fireplace well? How about those crusty windows? Or what about those cluttered shelves? Those things have been put off for a rainy day. And you know what? Rain's in the forecast for today. So, now my greatest challenge is not what to do or where to start, for I appear to have A LOT of choices, but my greatest challenge is how to convince my weekly five year old that washing the windows is fun.

Let's see how I can become creative enough to entertain while still producing good cleaning results. Let the challenge begin - well, as soon as I get showered and feed Rachael and Lexi - oh and then there's the dog, gotta pay attention to the dog... and... the......

=)


*** The proceeding two and a half days after this post I moved 2 bookshelves, 1 queen sized bed (needing Matt's help on the matress), one dresser, a file cabinet, a TV, a nightstand, some 200 books, revamped the shelving by the fireplace, cleaned out the file cabinet (shredding it's unneeded contents), cleaned out the fireplace, baby proofed/organized our new "office" space, organized 4 junk piles, and set up a play room. Oh, plus a greater contribution to laundry an dishes and the regular cleaning. I'd say that was a highly effective use of my home-improvement bug. =)

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

A Little With A Lot

Read 1 Peter 4 today. I had not initially intended to read 1 Peter 4, I was going for Acts, but my hands opened to 1 Peter 3 which we've been studying in church so I decided to give it a read-through. At it's conclusion I pressed on to 1 Peter 4 and God spoke quite loudly amid the silence of the moment.

Feel free to checkout 1 Peter 4: 1-11 on your own, but I wanted to include here what all He taught me though the passage.

1 Peter 4: 1-11
*NASB translation of God's word
*(my understanding of scripture)

Forward: Paul is writing to Christians.

Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh (hence the cross),
arm yourselves also with the same purpose (that suffering is not uncommon to Christ-followers),
because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin (think about the power of that statement in light of the cross - and yet he still had no sin, chose no sin),
so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. (So therefore, when we are in Christ we are to follow Christ's example in not living for the lusts of men, but for God. The power of that statement carries such a great weight - a lifestyle worthy of pursuit)
For the time already has past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. (AKA your past has held enough sin for a lifetime and you've had plenty of opportunity in the past for sinning)
In all this, they (mankind, and especially those not in Christ) are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation (Christ-followers are not - or should not be- indulging in the same sins of the past),
and they malign you; but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (Refocusing us on the end-picture that all will stand before God therefore we should seek no personal revenge or spend further time dwelling on the hurts from those who are not in Christ mocking those in Christ. That's just the world and all in the world will stand in judgement and receive a reward for their faithfulness or a retribution for their wrongs.)
For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead (the gospel has been preached to those not in Christ for this very purpose...),
that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God. (So through Christ all are given the opportunity to refute the flesh, despite being stuck for the time being in he flesh, and pursue God. We are already sinner by merely being in the flesh - who out there has not committed a sin? - yet we are given the chance to live in the spirit and rise above our fleshly lifestyles.)
The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgement and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. (Never thought of needing to be of sound judgement and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer, but it makes sense that if you spend less time asking God for forgiveness of your own actions then you are able to spend more time praying for others.)
Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. (When you view someone in love, regardless of where they stand in regards to the cross, you see their fallacy and it is easier for your heart to focus on their need for Christ instead of the disgust of sins.)
Be hospitable to one another without complaint. (Oh how many times I have been hospitable to another and later complained in my mind about their ungratefulness, how shallow and how totally missing the point of hospitality. Hospitality is not earned, it is merely a gift without an expectation.)
As each one has received a special gift (fruits of the spirit and talents given us from God),
employ it (your gift) in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (Don't be selfish in holding onto your gift, but use it to serve others - as was it's purpose.)
Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; (talk about a harness for the tongue. Could you imagine if we all spoke under such pretenses?)
whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; (how often I have served by the strength of my own hands only to reach exhaust and no longer be useful in furthering the gospel because I'm so focused on self when tired. )
so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. (What we put into our relationship in Christ speaks volumes about the authority and glory that should be given to Christ and Christ alone. For we are being watched constantly by those looking to make excuses for running from the faith. Oh that we might glorify God and keep it afresh on our minds to glorify God no matter what may come.)
Amen.



- Thank you, Lord, for your teaching this morning. Thank you that you still choose to use this broken vessel to share your Truth. I'm so not worthy, yet still you want me. Thank you, Lord.