So, the kids found a dead worm just laying there all gross, squished, and lifeless!!! Bella (my beautiful little 3 year old) gets a "deep thinking" look in her eyes and looks up at me and says, "Mama, did that worm die on the cross for my sins too?"
Trying not to laugh, I look at her very serious like maybe I'm in "deep thought mode" also, and say, "Ummm, well, no Honey, I think he was probably just smooshed by a foot or something."
She then thinks and thinks and says, "Ya, 'cause only Jesus died on the cross for my sins, right?"
"Yes Honey, that's right", I said.
"And, Jesus is alive now, He's not dead on the cross anymore!" She said with great authority.
"He is watching me in heaven. He always knows when I do bad stuff and then He get's mad at me when I do bad stuff." She then said with a teary eyed look.
I asked her, "Honey, what's wrong? Are you ok?"
She then finishes and says, "So, then I tell Him that I am so sorry, and then He forgives me and get's happy with me again!"
"Yes, Honey that's right", I said, kinda giggling a bit.
"YAY!!!" She squealed, her big beautiful chocolate brown eyes sparkling as ever!!!
She then danced a very silly little jig and even sang, "Uh-Huh, Oh ya, Woo-Hoo!"
How so sad she looked when she realized that God sees when she sins against Him. How sad she looked when she realized her "doing bad stuff" displeases Him. Oh, but how full of joy she was when she also realized that our amazingly loving God forgives her when she comes to Him!
How precious of a reminder this was for me this morning! God, my loving Father has and will continue to forgive me (and not think on it again, ever) when I come to Him and truly confess and repent of "doing bad stuff" (Acts 3:19 & Psalm 103:12). How amazing, how truly gracious, merciful and loving of a God we have! When we come to Him for forgiveness, in faith...We are washed clean, forgiven, and guilt free!
Thank you Dear Lord for your loving forgiveness!!!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Are you guys done yet?!
So, I hear these questions pretty stinkin' often...almost daily, actually..."So, are you guys done yet? Have you guys figured out what's causing that yet? Is one of you getting fixed? Have you decided enough is enough?" And, you know what? I think I'm pretty tired of hearing all of that, and then some.
Yep! I'm talking about children...
So, to answer all of you...We're not sure if we're done yet, we'll just leave that up to God. Yes, we're pretty sure what causes it. No, neither one of us is getting "fixed", I'm pretty sure we're not broken cause all of our parts seem to be working properly and the way that God has intended them to work. And, well sure enough is enough...I guess...but, what does "enough is enough" really mean anyway, and where did that saying come from in the first place (maybe I'll Google that)?
Why is it that there has to be a "correct" number of children that we as a society "approves" of a couple having? This is insane! I thought children were a blessing! People look at children like they are just an accessory...we take them out every once in a while to impress our friends. That's is really just sickening!
If God gives us more children then I praise Him for it! But, how will you afford it? God has and will continue to provide for our family and supply all of our needs. NEEDS...this is not the same thing as WANTS. See, these two words are always being confused with the other. We trust Him, simply put. Right after the birth of our little Joshy, I thought for sure we should not have anymore children. But, why? What was my reasoning? Honestly after doing a lot of true heart searching, when it all came right down to it, my reasons were because I didn't want to deal with other people's opinions! I didn't want to hear how we already have...(such & such amount), or that we won't be able to provide for them all, or that we won't be able to spend equal amounts of "love time" with them all, or even hear that we're just crazy! So, as of right now we are trusting in God! This is the way that it should be. Getting "fixed"...hahaha...WOW, what a term! Anyway, why get "fixed" when we're not broken? God has made us perfectly able to be blessed with children...why try to "fix" or rather, un-fix that?
Do you know that in the poorest countries families with many children are considered very blessed...but here, in one of the richest countries we look at children as "poverty starters"! Why? People base how "blessed" a family is on the size of their home, how many cars they have, the amount of $$$ they have in the bank, how many pairs of shoes they have, what kind of fancy electronics they have, etc...But, when did those "La-Dee-Da material" things become more of a blessing than our children? We, in this country will easily run up our credit card debt on cars, houses, fancy electronic toys, vacations and travel, and other grown-up desires, but won't even consider having "to many" children so as not to inconvenience our spending! Children are a burden, they just cost to much!
We "wait" to have children to not inconvenience our lives. We want to have our careers and youthful adventures before we settle down and become parents. Obviously, those with that kind of mentality really haven't truly thought about that decision...How long did you want to wait? How old did you want to be when you start having babies? Whew man! Let me tell you about parenting...it's truly an adventure! You're gonna want to be pretty youthful, I'll tell ya straight up! Hahaha...no joke! What a blessing it is to be a mom, and what fun! Is it easy to be a "mom of many"? No, we definitely have our days where someone is standing in the corner for lying, another is getting reprimanded for hitting someone, another is jumping on the kitchen table, another is coloring on the hardwood floor, another is taunting the one in the corner, and yet there is a ray of hope because there is another just sitting there all wonderful reading a book! :)
Here's a quote from a book that I have read...
"Moms, we need to be reminded of the awesome responsibility that God has given us. When we respond to the high calling of motherhood with a passion, the rewards are far greater than any we could ever gain outside of that calling. The joys of motherhood are rare and beautiful treasures that can be easily missed if we don't seize the opportunity to grab them."
~Don't Make Me Count To Three...by Ginger Plowman
WOW!!! I just love this! Rare treasures that can easily be missed if we don't seize the opportunity to grab them! This is such a true statement, so powerful!
I honestly thought after the birth of Bella that I was "fulfilled". We weren't trying for another baby at all, and Joshy surprised us. What a missed blessing that would have been if one us would have gotten "fixed".
Yep! I'm talking about children...
So, to answer all of you...We're not sure if we're done yet, we'll just leave that up to God. Yes, we're pretty sure what causes it. No, neither one of us is getting "fixed", I'm pretty sure we're not broken cause all of our parts seem to be working properly and the way that God has intended them to work. And, well sure enough is enough...I guess...but, what does "enough is enough" really mean anyway, and where did that saying come from in the first place (maybe I'll Google that)?
Why is it that there has to be a "correct" number of children that we as a society "approves" of a couple having? This is insane! I thought children were a blessing! People look at children like they are just an accessory...we take them out every once in a while to impress our friends. That's is really just sickening!
If God gives us more children then I praise Him for it! But, how will you afford it? God has and will continue to provide for our family and supply all of our needs. NEEDS...this is not the same thing as WANTS. See, these two words are always being confused with the other. We trust Him, simply put. Right after the birth of our little Joshy, I thought for sure we should not have anymore children. But, why? What was my reasoning? Honestly after doing a lot of true heart searching, when it all came right down to it, my reasons were because I didn't want to deal with other people's opinions! I didn't want to hear how we already have...(such & such amount), or that we won't be able to provide for them all, or that we won't be able to spend equal amounts of "love time" with them all, or even hear that we're just crazy! So, as of right now we are trusting in God! This is the way that it should be. Getting "fixed"...hahaha...WOW, what a term! Anyway, why get "fixed" when we're not broken? God has made us perfectly able to be blessed with children...why try to "fix" or rather, un-fix that?
Do you know that in the poorest countries families with many children are considered very blessed...but here, in one of the richest countries we look at children as "poverty starters"! Why? People base how "blessed" a family is on the size of their home, how many cars they have, the amount of $$$ they have in the bank, how many pairs of shoes they have, what kind of fancy electronics they have, etc...But, when did those "La-Dee-Da material" things become more of a blessing than our children? We, in this country will easily run up our credit card debt on cars, houses, fancy electronic toys, vacations and travel, and other grown-up desires, but won't even consider having "to many" children so as not to inconvenience our spending! Children are a burden, they just cost to much!
We "wait" to have children to not inconvenience our lives. We want to have our careers and youthful adventures before we settle down and become parents. Obviously, those with that kind of mentality really haven't truly thought about that decision...How long did you want to wait? How old did you want to be when you start having babies? Whew man! Let me tell you about parenting...it's truly an adventure! You're gonna want to be pretty youthful, I'll tell ya straight up! Hahaha...no joke! What a blessing it is to be a mom, and what fun! Is it easy to be a "mom of many"? No, we definitely have our days where someone is standing in the corner for lying, another is getting reprimanded for hitting someone, another is jumping on the kitchen table, another is coloring on the hardwood floor, another is taunting the one in the corner, and yet there is a ray of hope because there is another just sitting there all wonderful reading a book! :)
Here's a quote from a book that I have read...
"Moms, we need to be reminded of the awesome responsibility that God has given us. When we respond to the high calling of motherhood with a passion, the rewards are far greater than any we could ever gain outside of that calling. The joys of motherhood are rare and beautiful treasures that can be easily missed if we don't seize the opportunity to grab them."
~Don't Make Me Count To Three...by Ginger Plowman
WOW!!! I just love this! Rare treasures that can easily be missed if we don't seize the opportunity to grab them! This is such a true statement, so powerful!
I honestly thought after the birth of Bella that I was "fulfilled". We weren't trying for another baby at all, and Joshy surprised us. What a missed blessing that would have been if one us would have gotten "fixed".
Just Wanna SHOW You Love!
I was listening to the radio yesterday, and this older song came on that I have heard and even sung along with many times before. Something was different though...I actually listened to the words...
Please forgive me
If I come on too strong
I get a little anxious
When I talk about God's love
Hold me back now
Stop me if I start to preach
'Cause I don't want to be the one
To push you out of reach
The way to give love
Is how you live love
That is what I'll do
You cannot fight it
You can't deny it
Love will get to you
Chorus:
Don't wanna get up in your face
Don't wanna put the pressure on
Don't wanna make you run away
Just wanna show you love
Don't wanna beg you to believe
Don't wanna take you for a ride
Don't wanna sell you anything
Just wanna show you love
Show you love
Just wanna show you love
I won't convince you
With anything I say
But maybe you will see His love
In how it is portrayed
An act of kindness
A loving sacrifice
Simple little things that have
The power to change your life
There's no surprises
And no disguises
Just the blessed truth
No obligation
No complication
Just a gift for you.
Ok, well now what did you hear? A song all about how she wants to show you love, right? She doesn't want to get up in your face, she doesn't want to put the pressure on, she doesn't want to beg you to believe, she just wants to show you love!
Well, I DO want to put the pressure on! And, I DO want to beg you to believe! But, it's because I want to show you love!
Now, I understand that getting up in someone's face and preaching AT them, just isn't very cool...but loving someone without even sharing God or the Gospel with them just isn't very cool either!
I understand the desire to help those in need, and as Christians this should be a natural desire for us. I pray all of the time, seriously almost everyday that God would bring me to someone or someone to me that I may be able to serve for Him. I know the strong desire to help those that are without, those that are depressed, those that are just having a hard time in this world! But, is just loving someone (no matter how wonderfully strong your love is) enough for their eternal needs?
The "Love 'em like Jesus!" thing is so super-duper popular, but what does that even really mean? Did Jesus just hug and kiss people and love all over them like crazy? Did He just feed, clothe, and hold hands with the poor? No...so, I think when people say, "Love 'em like Jesus" what they are really saying is, "Just do nice things for people and don't ever talk about things that may offend them...things like, hell or sin, or repentance, or that Jesus is the only way kind of stuff". But, is this what Jesus did? Is this "loving 'em like Jesus"? Nope.
Jesus was VERY loving, I won't deny that...but, didn't He Himself preach about hell, sin, repentance and that He is the only way? (Matt 4:17, John 14:6) YES!!! And yes, He also preached about love. But, when He defeated death and rose from the dead He told His disciples to go out share the Gospel, that included sharing the need for repentance. This means today's Christians also, and it was a command...not a suggestion (Mark 16:14-16).
As a professing Christian when you love on people without ever even mentioning Jesus, then that was just simply put, "a wasted evangelizing moment". You just wasted your time, the person in need's time, and more importantly God's time. So, do we have to yell and scream on some street corner telling people that they are all going to burn in hell? No, of course not...that would be pretty crazy! But, if you want to show them love, at least take the time to also share with them their need for a Savior. Savior from what? Savior from their sin. What sin? All of their "mistakes", "whoopsie-doos", "boo-boos", "bad choices", "past decisions your not proud of", "things you do in secret & hope no one ever finds out"...SINS that have been committed against a holy God. See, we have to share not only our love, but also God's love. God loved us even while were still sinners (Romans 5:8), He loved us so much that even though we didn't at all deserve it, He sent His only Son to save us (John 3:16). Those that we love, need to know this if they don't already! And, if you are a Christian then you must believe that without Christ, you will perish. If this is so, then wouldn't you want to tell as many people as you possibly could...especially those that you love?!
So, this train of thought..."Don't wanna get up in your face, Don't wanna put the pressure on, Don't wanna beg you to believe, Just wanna show you love"...shouldn't be in existent to a true, loving, and caring Christian. You should want to beg and plead with those that you love to believe...BECAUSE you love them!!!
Go ahead and clothe the naked, feed the hungry, give to the poor, show compassion for the hurting...but also show them love and share with them who the God of the Bible is! Without the truth of the Gospel your just taking care of their temporary physical needs, and completely ignoring their eternal/spiritual needs. Just showing them love is making the here and now a bit better, but what happens if they pass through this life without Christ?
People will be offended. The true Gospel is offensive and it convicts. But, that's ok...taking offense to something that is true isn't really a bad thing, it leads to conviction and guilt, which then leads to having faith, repenting and turning away from sin, which then leads to eternal salvation! The truth hurts sometimes, and that's ok. My son Jordan just this morning said,..."Well, Obviously Jesus offended people when He preached...He was crucified!" Now, I don't want to offend someone so deeply that I am murdered, but I can't tender-foot around things and make the Gospel all pretty and fluffy so to not offend. And, I need to pray that God will give me the courage to always stand firm for Him. Love them enough to share Him!
Another couple verses in the song..."The way to give love, Is how you live love" This is VERY true! The way you love God will affect how you give love! If you are living for Him, you will love like Him and live out that kind of love! If you can die of self and love God and others much more then yourself and your fears of rejection, you'll be able to share Him much more naturally! Believe me, I am scared to death to share Him, but I know that as a Christian I need to! So..."That is what I'll do!"
PLEASE Christian truly "Show Them Love"!
Please forgive me
If I come on too strong
I get a little anxious
When I talk about God's love
Hold me back now
Stop me if I start to preach
'Cause I don't want to be the one
To push you out of reach
The way to give love
Is how you live love
That is what I'll do
You cannot fight it
You can't deny it
Love will get to you
Chorus:
Don't wanna get up in your face
Don't wanna put the pressure on
Don't wanna make you run away
Just wanna show you love
Don't wanna beg you to believe
Don't wanna take you for a ride
Don't wanna sell you anything
Just wanna show you love
Show you love
Just wanna show you love
I won't convince you
With anything I say
But maybe you will see His love
In how it is portrayed
An act of kindness
A loving sacrifice
Simple little things that have
The power to change your life
There's no surprises
And no disguises
Just the blessed truth
No obligation
No complication
Just a gift for you.
Ok, well now what did you hear? A song all about how she wants to show you love, right? She doesn't want to get up in your face, she doesn't want to put the pressure on, she doesn't want to beg you to believe, she just wants to show you love!
Well, I DO want to put the pressure on! And, I DO want to beg you to believe! But, it's because I want to show you love!
Now, I understand that getting up in someone's face and preaching AT them, just isn't very cool...but loving someone without even sharing God or the Gospel with them just isn't very cool either!
I understand the desire to help those in need, and as Christians this should be a natural desire for us. I pray all of the time, seriously almost everyday that God would bring me to someone or someone to me that I may be able to serve for Him. I know the strong desire to help those that are without, those that are depressed, those that are just having a hard time in this world! But, is just loving someone (no matter how wonderfully strong your love is) enough for their eternal needs?
The "Love 'em like Jesus!" thing is so super-duper popular, but what does that even really mean? Did Jesus just hug and kiss people and love all over them like crazy? Did He just feed, clothe, and hold hands with the poor? No...so, I think when people say, "Love 'em like Jesus" what they are really saying is, "Just do nice things for people and don't ever talk about things that may offend them...things like, hell or sin, or repentance, or that Jesus is the only way kind of stuff". But, is this what Jesus did? Is this "loving 'em like Jesus"? Nope.
Jesus was VERY loving, I won't deny that...but, didn't He Himself preach about hell, sin, repentance and that He is the only way? (Matt 4:17, John 14:6) YES!!! And yes, He also preached about love. But, when He defeated death and rose from the dead He told His disciples to go out share the Gospel, that included sharing the need for repentance. This means today's Christians also, and it was a command...not a suggestion (Mark 16:14-16).
As a professing Christian when you love on people without ever even mentioning Jesus, then that was just simply put, "a wasted evangelizing moment". You just wasted your time, the person in need's time, and more importantly God's time. So, do we have to yell and scream on some street corner telling people that they are all going to burn in hell? No, of course not...that would be pretty crazy! But, if you want to show them love, at least take the time to also share with them their need for a Savior. Savior from what? Savior from their sin. What sin? All of their "mistakes", "whoopsie-doos", "boo-boos", "bad choices", "past decisions your not proud of", "things you do in secret & hope no one ever finds out"...SINS that have been committed against a holy God. See, we have to share not only our love, but also God's love. God loved us even while were still sinners (Romans 5:8), He loved us so much that even though we didn't at all deserve it, He sent His only Son to save us (John 3:16). Those that we love, need to know this if they don't already! And, if you are a Christian then you must believe that without Christ, you will perish. If this is so, then wouldn't you want to tell as many people as you possibly could...especially those that you love?!
So, this train of thought..."Don't wanna get up in your face, Don't wanna put the pressure on, Don't wanna beg you to believe, Just wanna show you love"...shouldn't be in existent to a true, loving, and caring Christian. You should want to beg and plead with those that you love to believe...BECAUSE you love them!!!
Go ahead and clothe the naked, feed the hungry, give to the poor, show compassion for the hurting...but also show them love and share with them who the God of the Bible is! Without the truth of the Gospel your just taking care of their temporary physical needs, and completely ignoring their eternal/spiritual needs. Just showing them love is making the here and now a bit better, but what happens if they pass through this life without Christ?
People will be offended. The true Gospel is offensive and it convicts. But, that's ok...taking offense to something that is true isn't really a bad thing, it leads to conviction and guilt, which then leads to having faith, repenting and turning away from sin, which then leads to eternal salvation! The truth hurts sometimes, and that's ok. My son Jordan just this morning said,..."Well, Obviously Jesus offended people when He preached...He was crucified!" Now, I don't want to offend someone so deeply that I am murdered, but I can't tender-foot around things and make the Gospel all pretty and fluffy so to not offend. And, I need to pray that God will give me the courage to always stand firm for Him. Love them enough to share Him!
Another couple verses in the song..."The way to give love, Is how you live love" This is VERY true! The way you love God will affect how you give love! If you are living for Him, you will love like Him and live out that kind of love! If you can die of self and love God and others much more then yourself and your fears of rejection, you'll be able to share Him much more naturally! Believe me, I am scared to death to share Him, but I know that as a Christian I need to! So..."That is what I'll do!"
PLEASE Christian truly "Show Them Love"!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)