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Waiting

April 29, 2013 By 12 Comments

A lot of times I keep from posting my struggles on here because 1.)  It’s the World Wide Web and while I know that only of a fraction of a fraction stop by here, I also realize that not all of you really know me well, and that I really do try not to be a whiner.  2.)  I like to remember the good things that happen in our lives on this blog for posterity’s sake.  I’m no Pollyanna, but giving “space” to complaints just make them bigger than they are/were, so I try to avoid it.  And 3.)  There are people all over the place that would give anything to take my miniature-in-comparision “lot” over their monumental one.  I get that.

With that being said, I’m struggling.  I miss my husband.  He has only been gone for a little over a week, but it’s not been an easy one.  Aside from wee ones who have randomly decided to wake up for the last 2 nights every 2 hours, and other wee ones who do things like fall head first out of high-chairs, the main thing is that Mark is having a hard time finding a home for us to rent in Charleston.  We have been interested in several places, but they keep getting rented by someone who gets there just before us.  Also, times are just not meshing.  He obviously can really only look at prospective homes in the evenings or on the weekends, but these rental places work only weekdays from 9-5 and don’t seem able to meet when Mark takes a lunch, so it’s making it next to impossible for him -who is at a new job and can’t just take off- to view places.  Not only that, but we are only days from the end of the month at this rental.  We can probably stay here for another month, but the thought of being away from Mark and parenting alone for that long is really, really hard.

I remember, when I had 4 little ones at home a few years back, Mark had to be gone for 9 months to a job that was out of state.  It was hard, but we fell into a routine because we knew that he’d be home eventually and things remained pretty status quo apart from him being absent.  This time, it’s entirely different.  We’ve got everything all packed up and we are just waiting; ready for that “go” button to be pushed.  Books are packed, school is finished (and what isn’t will resume when we get there), activities are over and we’ve said several goodbyes.  Things feel mostly wrapped up here except that we are in a perpetual holding pattern, ready to get started in our new place.  It’s mentally draining, just like it is on an airplane when all you want to do is land.  I know that this may sound waaaaay dramatic, but when you consider that we’ve been in limbo with this move, and whether or not it was happening since February, I’m feeling a little over all the limbo.  Needless to say, I’m not a fan of it.  At all.

However, I know that I know that I know that God is using this.  I know that He has been teaching me patience and to trust completely in His timing and His goodness.  Mark and I had our “plans” for the way that this would all work out:  He would leave and during that first week, he would find us a house.  Then, in two weeks, which fell perfectly at the end of the month, he would come and get us and we’d all be together.  The End.  “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

I don’t know every single purpose that God has in telling us, His children, to wait, but I do know one thing, it is only for our good.  Completely and totally.  I am asking Him to help us rest in that.  Would you do the same for us?

In the meantime, I will tell you of a few things that have been fantastic over the last week.  Carah has been working on her “snoot” face and it has had us in absolute stitches:

On Saturday, it was just the big boys and the babies, so we took advantage of the beautiful day and went for a walk. Isa found all kinds of fun things to explore. She had a great time smelling {and trying to taste} several pretty flowers. She found a stick that was just her size.

And as it turns out, it was perfect for drawing:

Eventually, she abandoned the stick and simply enjoyed digging in the rocks.

Ty got ahead of us, so he popped a squat on the rocks to wait with my phone {technology in the woods seems like sacrilege to me, but I digress…}

His baby sisters think he hung the moon.

Jake was there, too, but informed me that I didn’t call his agent, so there’d be no pictures.   Oh well, that’s what the babies are for, I s’pose

Filed Under: Blog,, Moving,, What His Word Says,

Moving! Again!

April 5, 2013 By 7 Comments

I always get annoyed with myself when I don’t post important family updates here on the blog because this is only record of us, but I have finally realized that the reason is that I am so busy with actually living it out that I don’t have the time to sit down and put it all on here.  That’s a GOOD thing!  So, from now on, when there are big gaps between posts, I will try to look back and remind myself that those were the times that I was  completely hands-on instead of beating myself up for not recording it.

With that being said, we’ve had A LOT going on here in our home!!  First, we had the majority of my immediate family here for Easter weekend.  It was such a huge blessing.  The kids played hard, the babies were loved on continuously,  and we ate, ate, ate because that’s what my family enjoys most.. haha!  We love to have great big feasts while we laugh our heads off.  We are not a serious bunch AT. ALL., and haven’t been for countless generations.  I’m glad about that.  My family knows how to laugh, and laughing is fantastic for the soul.

On Easter Sunday, we were so blessed to have Andrew and the babies baptized as covenant children.

What a special, special thing it was.  I have been studying the sacrament of baptism recently and the beauty of God’s promises.  I have just been blown away at how it all knits together (but that’s a whole new post)

We love our church family so much.  When we moved here 2.5 years ago, we came straight to this little church and were welcomed and loved right away.  We have been blessed as they have seen us through 2 pregnancies and babies in rapid succession and ministered to so beautifully.

This is why it is so hard to say goodbye.

About a month ago, Mark was approached by another company to fill a position in Charleston, SC.  After several interviews and mind-numbing limbo, Mark accepted the job.  We will be moving there in about a month.  The great news is that… well, it’s CHARLESTON.  I don’t know a single person who hasn’t commented on how absolutely beautiful it is there.  We are looking forward to the beach and the culture and the history and the TARGET… haha!!  Sorry, I think it should be sinful not to have a Target in a city.  ;)   Plus, we are an adventursome bunch so we are always up for something new and exciting.  The biggest plus is that we will be closer to lots of family.  Both mine and Mark’s brothers (and their families) will only be 2 hours away from us.  We haven’t been that close geographically for many, many years so we are all so excited to be able to be present in each others’ lives more.  My mom also moved near my brother from Alabama about a year ago, so it will be nice to be closer to her again, too.

However.  Goodbyes are awful.  I hate them so much.  When we had to do it back in our beloved Alabama, it was so tough, but I kept a stiff upper lip because I knew we’d be only 2-ish hours away.  Now, we’ve developed relationships here (and still in Alabama), but I know that there is a BIG difference between moving two hours away and moving ten.  I know from experience that chapters are closing and that is painful.  Plus, it’s hard to start all over with getting to know people and people getting to know us.  Friendships that we’ve invested in for years – people who know and love us despite our quirks – will not be as intertwined in our lives because of daily interaction anymore.  We will have to start over with new people and new situations, and while that’s got an element of excitement to it, it also feels wearying.  Can I be that honest?

I know that God will provide.  I know that we will be blessed.  I know that it will all work out for his glory and our benefit.  I know it and I trust it.  But this week, it’s stinging.  And I’m grateful for the sting because it means that there’s been love.  And that is exactly the way it should be.

Filed Under: Babies, Blog,, Children,, Moving,, What His Word Says,

Carrying Her Mat

September 18, 2012 By 14 Comments

I saw something right before bed last night that will haunt me for the rest of my days.  It is the reason I’m up at 3 o’clock in the morning blogging rather than getting the sleep that my body so desperately needs right now.  It was a punch in the stomach so swift and powerful that there’s no way  to just shake it off.  But before I go into it, I have to say this:   I can’t tell you close I came to making up my mind {again} that I wasn’t going to share a single detail of it with anyone apart from my very closest friends.  It’s a lot of exposure and frankly, I’ve been burned.

It goes something like this:  you share your heaviest of hearts  ~those deep hurts that are ugly and messy and nowhere near in line with the propriety that we Christians so often use as our facade~ then the one you’ve shared with looks at you like you’ve just rolled in garbage, perhaps gingerly pats your shoulder with the promise of prayer, and leaves you with the feeling that you will be the topic at their dinner table that night because you’re such a freak show, “bless your heart”.  Ever been there?  Ever done it?  I know I have on both counts, sadly, lest you think I’m hypocritally throwing off.

What a snare of the enemy.  If there is one thing I’ve learned in my 37 years, it is that LIFE IS MESSY.  It just is.  We are in a fallen world and no matter who you are or where you come from, you WILL experience ugly, hard, and hurtful things.  You just will, and I daresay that, for whatever reason, the instinctual thing to do with it for most of us is to quickly sweep it under the rug, or stuff it in the closet, or bury it in the backyard depending upon the size of the thing and then just wash our hands, tidy our hair, and promptly post on Facebook about recipes and roses like nothing ever happened.  Really?  It all stems from the fear of being hurt of judged and no one wants that, so we just silently act like all is well.  This is not working out for us, folks.

I’m weary of it.  So weary of it.  We NEED each other, Christians.  We need to bear one another’s burdens.  We need to show genuine care and concern when people are hurting {and most of us are}.  We need to invest in one another’s lives and take the time to truly listen.  That requires our TIME.  We can’t do that in 5 minutes or less.  We need to truly commit to pray.  We need to overlook little faults when we do get to know one another, because love covers a multitude of sins, and we need to simply ask Jesus to give us eyes to see our brothers and sisters the way that He does, which is with longsuffering and compassion.  We need to band together if we are ever going to stand a chance against the one who seeks to steal, kill and destroy.

On that note, I am going to tell you what happened tonight, and it’s something about my life that I don’t often share easily because it’s a very vulnerable place for me.  I’m doing this for 2 reasons.  1.  It’s my blog, and I’d be lying if I posted over it.  This thing is rocking my world right now and I don’t want to gloss over it like it’s not happening.  2.  I like to keep it real, and I’ve got a fresh resolve to do just that.

Someone I love very much in my extended family is broken.   She has fallen into a pit of sin and addiction that is so deep and wide that none of us can get her out.  God knows we’ve tried.  I haven’t seen or spoken to this beloved person in almost 2 years because she is so bound in her sin and sometimes you just have let them fall no matter how much it rips your heart out to let them feel the brunt of it.  {If you don’t understand that, then please, don’t judge.  It’s a horrible and pain-laden road and I pray that you’ll never have to make these decisions regarding someone that you love.}

Tonight, I saw her picture for the first time in a long while.  Ok… it was her mugshot.  I can’t believe I just had to say that about her. What was once a beautiful face is now gaunt and void of all color except for the dark circles around her sunken eyes.  She is nothing but skin and bones because all she cares about are the drugs.  She is literally killing herself.

To say that it took my breath away when I saw it would be a vast understatement.  It hurt so much -and even though I had conjured up in my mind the way I thought she’d look at this point- actually laying eyes on her true form was beyond difficult.  It drove me to my knees where I prayed and wept and struggled with feeling as helpless as I’ve ever felt.  “What can I DO, Lord?  Is there just NOTHING?  Am I to sit here and watch from a distance while she self destructs?  Are we to just let the enemy win?  I can’t bear it.”

And then, finally, in the wee hours:

“One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus” Luke 5: 17-19

I may not be able to meet any other need for this person that I treasure, but I can FIGHT for her.  I can pick up her mat with everything in me and drop her right at the feet of her only Hope.  She may lie there half dead and paralyzed in her sin, but I have all the might and power of my LORD.  She may be weaker than she’s ever been, but He is stronger than any of her chains.  I just have to be willing to get sweaty and dirty on her behalf.  I have to be willing to feel the pain of reality rather than shutting my eyes.  I have to be willing to weep at the thought of where she is so that I’m desperate enough to haul her dead weight.  I have to not get distracted by this world and love her enough to fight when she won’t.

Those aren’t easy things, but they are worthy.  And this is the reason that I am on this earth as a person whose shingles have been removed.  I’m not here for perfect comfort and a cushy existence void of all problems; that’s why I look forward to Heaven.

Maranatha…

P.S.  Please pray.  God knows her name.  And if there is anyone whose mat I can help YOU carry, let me know, and I will be happy to pray.  I mean it.

Filed Under: Blog,, Keepin' It Real,, My Meditations,, What His Word Says,

“Just a Vapor”

September 2, 2012 By 5 Comments

We’ve lived a lot of life despite being in the face of death over these last few days.  And frankly, I’m not even sure I have the wherewithal to make a coherent post, but I just have so much to put down so *I* can remember, that I will make the attempt.

First things first:  Hurricane Isaac finally hit our town in the form of a Tropical Storm after it hung out on the coast for awhile.  The rain was heavy and constant starting on Wednesday night and it lasted steady through Thursday afternoon.  We woke up to tornado warnings, which came one right after another for most of the morning.  There was at least one that touched down south of us, destroying someone’s home, but our town had only minor flooding and some downed trees with no real damage.  I’m so grateful for that, and our prayers are certainly with those who lost everything on the coast.  Those people will be picking up the pieces long after the news crews have gone home and moved on to the next big thing.  Mark’s mom lives in one of the hardest hit areas (about 2 hours south of here), and we were also so thankful that -other than losing power for a few days- their property and home were spared.

In God’s perfect timing, my own mother made the trip down here last Sunday to spend the week with us.  I don’t think she could have picked a more eventful one!  We celebrated Ty’s 16th birthday on Tuesday (more on that in a separate post), Hurricane Insanity on Wednesday & Thursday, and then on Friday, after nudging from the Holy Spirit, my mom and I made a day trip to visit with our very close friend over in Alabama who has been recently diagnosed with  ALS.

She has one of the most aggressive cases of it that they’ve seen and has deteriorated very quickly.  Just months ago, she was vibrant and active, and now she is wheel-chair bound, with a feeding tube and barely able to speak because of breathing difficulties.  It was hard to see her that way.  I am so grateful to God for orchestrating everything perfectly for us to go, right down to Mark being off so that he could stay with the kids, because the doctors have only given her a few months to live, and it’s very likely that we won’t see her again on this side of Heaven.  God is so gracious to give us the opportunity to love her in the flesh one more time, but I won’t lie, it was one of the toughest things I’ve ever had to do.  There were so many tears -even though we know we don’t grieve without hope- and so much to process in all that we saw and that she shared, that it was an extremely emotional day.

By the time Saturday rolled around, I was truly ready for a low-key day to just chill out and think.  I woke up with a lot on my mind about how the rubber really meets the road in terms of our purpose as Christians when faced with these situations.  Grief and sadness have a way of cutting off the futility, dross, and the comparably petty to shine the light on all the real and true things that ultimately matter.   I am firmly convinced that one of the enemy’s biggest traps is to get us so wrapped up in worthlessness that we become blinded to all the pain and/or need that’s all around us.  I know it grieves Him.  And He specifically asked us not to do that.  Real ministry isn’t about platitudes and programs, it’s about being willing to get our hands dirty and our hearts broken.  Those were my thoughts as I went about my day.  Little did I know, in a matter of hours, God would solidify this immensely.

I am going to back up a little bit here to tell you how God has been using Mark.  There is a young man who works alongside him that has struggled and struggled and struggled with drug addiction for years.  He (we’ll call him “B”) wanted DESPERATELY to be free.  Please listen to that last part.  There is nothing sadder than seeing someone bound in chains who just truly wants to be free.   “B” attached himself to Mark and genuinely loved him for the Truth that Mark wasn’t afraid to speak, but for the care and respect that he continued to give him.  ”B” had a bad accident at the beginning of the year that gave him a God-sized wake-up call, and in the last 6 months or so, he has been clean.  He works for his dad (Mark’s boss), and he had been showing up on time and really putting forth an effort to do well; all the while talking with Mark, and trying to get his life straight for the Lord.  He started attending church and making sure he was active in his sweet young daughter’s life.  On Friday, at work, he told Mark that he was hoping that we could get together for dinner so that we could meet his new girlfriend.

24 hours later, on Saturday evening, Mark and I get the call to get to the hospital right away because ”B” had been found unresponsive in his home.  While we won’t ever truly know all the details that surround what happened, we know that he had what appears to be a drug overdose and it caused there to be no oxygen available to his brain for an undetermined amount of time.  He was rushed to the hospital where they worked on him for hours, and while they were able to get a heartbeat, his brain never did regain activity.

We made it up there late in the evening (thankfully my Mom was here to stay with the kids because Mark had just taken NyQuil for a cold and didn’t need to be driving).  When we arrived, Mark was quickly taken back to the ICU where ”B” had been transferred.  Mark quietly stood over him and silently prayed through tears before we went back into the waiting room to sit with his parents (Mark works with, and is very close to both of them).  They were given no hope for “B’s” survival, so we all sat there with them to wait for his heart to stop beating on it’s own.

I have to say here that there is nothing… just NOTHING… in my experience more heartbreaking than sitting there next to a Mama and a Daddy who are waiting for their child’s body to give out.  For the second time that weekend, it was one of the toughest things I’ve ever had to do.  There are no words to speak that will bring comfort.  There are no actions to take that will make that pain of all pains stop.  All we could do is just sit there and ask God to meet their endless needs.

Finally, at about 2 p.m. today (Sunday), “B” left his shell, with his family around him and his friends (including Mark) nearby.  And I truly believe he went to straight to the arms of his Savior.  His last Facebook post, on Tuesday, read “I need you Lord…”.    I’m so glad that those are the exact words that Jesus prefers.  He doesn’t require our perfection.  He requires our brokenness and our NEED.  Nothing more.  Thank you, Jesus.

My eyes are wide open.  My prayer is that my heart be forever changed and that I would be as determined as I have been these last few days to continue to ignore the attempts of the enemy (and believe me, they’ve been there) to bring the dross front and center.  I want to live like I’m not promised my next breath… because I’m not… and really focus on redeeming the time with those that God puts in my path to love and minister to.   I want to be willing to get my hands dirty and my heart broken.

I need you, Lord…

Filed Under: Blog,, My Meditations,, What His Word Says,

Full Weekends

October 9, 2011 By 2 Comments

Oops.  Did I say 31 “consecutive” days?   Well, this is me having to make a modification. :)  I definitely will do 31 days, but I may miss a day or two for which I will make up.  Life just took over from Thursday on through today, which caused us to be extremely busy, but with GOOD things.   We had out of town family here because we were celebrating my JuJu’s birthday (more on that on Wednesday), and we had several church functions to attend over the last few days because it was our Fall Bible Conference.

Today, after a great fellowship meal, and after our company left, we took a much-needed nap and then Mark and I went for a Sunday Drive.  Growing up, that was one of my favorite things to do with my Grandparents.  We would just set out with no real destination in mind and drive, drive, drive.  Fall is probably the very best time to do this because of all of the beauty, but it’s also nice when the winter cabin fever sets in just to get a change of scenery. 

We made a pit stop for some ice cream and then played “connect the roads”.  Since we are still relatively new here, it’s fun to figure out where all the roads lead and connect.  The kids weren’t really interested this time, so it was a date!  We drove and chatted for about an hour and then finally came home.  I was so grateful for this weekend and for the chance to celebrate our precious girl.  I am so thankful that we had a full schedule rather than being lonely (even if I do get tired easily nowadays!).  And I am extremely grateful to be able to break away to spend some uninterrupted time with my very best friend.  I love that man so much. 

Everywhere I look in Scripture now, it seems to point to giving thanks.  Isn’t it funny how God opens up our eyes to things that we may have looked at a thousand times before, but for the first time are really seeing?  I love that because it means that He is speaking!  And gratitude is extremely important to Him!

Today, for example, we had a guest speaker for the aforementioned Bible Conference for our Sunday sermon.  His text was Psalm 100, which reads as follows:

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

  Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 
Worship the LORD with gladness;
   come before him with joyful songs. 
Know that the LORD is God.
   It is he who made us, and we are his;
   we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

   Enter his gates with thanksgiving
   and his courts with praise
   give thanks to him and praise his name. 
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
   his faithfulness continues through all generations.

I hope to get a link to the sermon on this text put up here just as soon as it’s on the website.  It was so encouraging, and it even spoke of the importance of giving thanks even in the very, very hard places (because He is good!).  I will let you know as soon as I get it.  I pray that we all have a week with our eyes wide open to His daily gifts. 

Filed Under: 31 Days of Giving Thanks,, Blog,, Marriage,, What His Word Says,

A Few Great Finds

March 10, 2011 By 4 Comments

Recently, I found a GREAT gem that I’ve already posted about on Facebook, but I wanted to share here, too.  It’s called Bible.is and it’s basically just the Word being read aloud in a dramatic way.  There are distinctive voices for the “characters”, background noises and music, ect.  We L-O-V-E  listening to it around here.  It even has an app for any phone with a data capabilites so that  you can listen on your device, as well.  As I was driving home from Memphis very early on Sunday morning, I listened on my phone for a good part of the ride.  I also enjoy putting it on when I’m doing dishes or folding laundry because it gives me that extra time with His Word when I have to be working on something else.  Check it out (the picture is a clickable link)!

Another awesome find is this book:

It’s called Proverbs for Parenting and I think it’s another GREAT must-have for parents (or even personal use now that I think about it).  Its a tool that you can use to hide God’s word into your child’s heart when you are training, correcting or encouraging him rather than just regular language.  It’s so much better to say “The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall”  rather than “obey me because I said so”.    It has 7 ”Parts”:  Reverence for God, Wisdom and Instruction, Self Control, Control of the Mouth, Relationships, Wrong Doing, and Godly Characteristics.  Then, those parts are broken down into specific instances such as “faithfulness” which falls under “Godly Characteristics”.  For each sub-category there are at least 10 scriptures to choose from when training your children.  SOOO good!  And it would be perfect for copywork or dictation, too!

Two things:  1.  The picture is a link to Amazon, but the title is a link to a lady I bought it from at the Convention.  I hope that you’ll buy from her (she is actually almost a dollar cheaper) to support her family’s ministry.  I’m all about helping out the smaller businesses when able.  2.  The only thing I don’t just love about this book is that it’s in King James Version.  I don’t hate that version or anything (I did buy the book!), but I’d prefer it in the version that I use.   Amazon offers a  different version but I don’t know which one it is;  I’m assuming it’s NIV, though.  Are you thoroughly confused, yet?  :)

These are two resources that, while new to our home, are being used left and right.  I hope they’ll be useful to one of you, too!  By the way, no one is paying me or asked me to review these.  I just rilly like em!  ;)   Muchas Gracias!

Filed Under: Blog,, Good Books,, Homeschooling,, Stuff I Like,, What His Word Says,

Yielding

January 26, 2011 By 6 Comments

Over the last 18 months, we have really seen God pour out His blessing on this family.  During this course of time, we have had to take steps of obedience and battle the fear of uncertainty, but He has been so faithful throughout all of it.  He always has been, but this last year and a half, I guess I’ve really had my eyes opened to it.  The “chips” have fallen so perfectly and well orchestrated that it could only have been God’s holy hand.

I’ve learned that there is nothing that He doesn’t want us to get His direction on.  Nothing.  He wants to be Lord of all of it, and why shouldn’t He?  He is God.  He knows all things, past, present and future, and not only that, but He loves us with an unfathomable love.  That means that He isn’t going to hurt us.  Even when things are really, really hard, He uses those things to mold us and shape us into the image of His beloved Son.  I want that.  I want that more than my own desires that are probably driven by sin anyway.

I want my time on this earth to be used for Him and the purposes that He has for my life.  Anything else is just striving and worthless.  I want to be focused on my treasures in Heaven. I want to live out my life as an offering poured out at His feet holding loosely to my own agenda. 

But I’m learning.  So today, when something I’ve prayed so hard for direction over received a very clear and succinct “no”, I’m having to tell myself all of those things over and over again.  My way was not the best way and I’m trying to let that sink in right now and not the fear and uncertainty that the enemy wants to riddle me with.

He is good.  He has something better.  And I will rest in that.

“Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”  Proverbs 3: 5-6

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”  Matthew 6:33

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”  Philippians 4:6-9

Filed Under: Blog,, My Meditations,, What His Word Says,

The Greatest of These

October 22, 2010 By 10 Comments

Lately, we have had some struggle with our attitudes toward each other here in the Westover home (just keepin’ it real, peeps).  I have noticed that we have all been very quick to criticize and complain about each other, but slow to regard one another as better than ourselves.  And after a few weeks of it, all of us are starting to be worn down.  Yes, it could easily be explained as being the result of each of our individual world’s having  just been changed, however, “easily explained” does not mean acceptable.

So yesterday, Mama had had enough of the bickering (it was approximately 9 a.m.) and I knew it was past time for a big, old “come to Jesus meeting” with the children.  We talked about love and how Paul called it “the greatest of these..”.  We talked about how we were not showing it to each other, even in a worldly sense, and we talked about how we give God’s enemies cause to blaspheme when we act in opposition to our calling as His children.

About that time, I was flipping through my Bible and I found something that I wrote a few months ago when I taught the beloved ladies at our church in Alabama.  I was teaching about the perils of self-focus and how it is the opposite of love.  It’s based off of 1 Corinthians 13, which is commonly known as “the love chapter”.  It is widely read during wedding ceremonies, and while it certainly applies to how we treat each other within our marriages, it was originally meant to train us how to treat each other within the body of Christ.  Sometimes, it’s easier to understand a concept more fully,though, when you view it’s contradiction.

Love Contrasts

*Love is patient – Self focus is anxious and unwilling to wait.
*Love is kind – Self focus is bitter, callous and sometimes cynical.
*Love does not envy – Self focus is covetous and greedy.
*Love does not boast – Self focus must exalt itself in order to feel secure.
*Love is not proud – Self focus is the epitome of pride.
*Love is not rude – Self focus is inconsiderate of others.. b/c we’re too busy focusing on ourselves!
*Love is not self-seeking – Self focus IS Self-seeking!
*Love is not easily angered – Self focus can get very cranky when one doesn’t get their own way.
*Love keeps no record of wrongs – Self focus stores up offenses.
*Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth – Self focus is utterly FUELED by lies of the enemy.
*Love protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. – Self focus injures, refuses to believe God, despairs, and drops out.

I needed this reminder probably more-so than the children did at that moment.  In fact, I might do well to tatoo it my arms or something.  God is so good, and He always manages to gently meet me right where I need to be met in His unfailing love.  I’m so glad.  I can’t imagine what a huge pig I’d be without Him.

Filed Under: Blog,, Children,, My Meditations,, What His Word Says,