Happy Weekend from Dallas!
7.30.2010
7.28.2010
Reading The Bible: Giving Isaac Back To God
1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."
(If you are reading through the Bible with me, today is Genesis 28. We are doing one chapter a day until we finish Revelation. Do jump in with us! We are reading about Jacob, who was quite the schemer in his younger years. )
This is the first time I"ve read the story of Abraham being called to sacrifice Isaac since I became a mom.
I used to look at it as a nice story of how Abraham trusted God, but now it tears my heart out.
I pictured Dallas's sweet, trusting face as I read about Abraham cutting the wood for the offering, and setting out with Isaac and his servants.
It took three days to get to the place God told him about. I would have been hysterical the moment God suggested I sacrifice my child, but Abraham (it seems) calmly went about all of this with the utmost trust in God.
I pictured Dallas's little pouty lips as I read about how Abraham carried the knife and the fire himself. Isaac kept asking where the sacrifice was (do you think he may have been getting a little suspicious?), and Abraham assured him that God would provide the lamb for the offering.
As I read about how Abraham arranged the wood for the altar, tied up Isaac, and then raised the knife to kill him, I couldn't stop trembling. All I could picture was Dallas's chubby wrists, and the hands that cling to my neck, being tied up. I"m crying right now while I type this.
But.....
I love seeing the word "But" in Scripture! It seems to always mean that God is about to do something big.
But the angel of the Lord called out to Abraham to tell him to stop. Yay!
God knew at this point that Abraham would not withold anything from Him, even the son that was the promise of Abraham becoming a great nation. No Isaac, no nation. In the words of verse 12: Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."
Notice something familiar in that last verse? Check out John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
God DID sacrifice His Son, His Only Son. Even though Christ begged for Him to stop, that there might be another way, the cup did not pass.
I heard a pastor saying once (I can't remember who...I can remember random actors from 80s movies, but rarely the important stuff. Not that 80s movies are not important.) that we are not asked to sacrifice our precious babies because Christ Himself was the Sacrifice once for all, as we see in Hebrews 10: 11Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
What a beautiful thing God's plan is! When we read stories like this, with foreshadowing of Christ, you can't help but think that whoever wrote it (Moses, in this case, under the influence of the Holy Spirit) must have known the end from the beginning. And that also means that we can trust Him with our lives, since He has a unique plan for us, and has loved us since before time began. Pretty awesome, isn't it? :-)
7.26.2010
10 WAYS TO BLESS A NEW MOM
Maybe a friend has just welcomed a bouncing bundle of joy, and you are getting ready to go visit. You do not have kids, though, so you are not really sure if you should bring something or just show up and coo over how cute the new little one is. Or maybe you DO have kids, but it has been years since those crazy newborn days and they are kind of a blur at this point.
Well, those wonderful, terrifying, awesome, sleep-deprived, horrifying, beautiful early days are still VERY fresh in my mind. And truth be told, now that Dallas is eight months old as I write this, I am a little nostalgic for the days when he would sleep on my chest for hours. Or stay where I put him when it was time for a diaper change. Am I the only one that has had to change a diaper on a child that is standing?! Or trying to crawl away?! Anyone?!
Anyway, help is here. I give you...10 Ways To Bless A New Mom!!!
1. Bring or send food. Let me say that again. Bring food! A real meal (translation: not a power bar, bowl of cereal, or handful of potato chips) is a luxury in the early days (or what I like to call the endless night). Home-cooked or takeout, the new parents will probably wolf it down in about ten seconds.
2. Do not stay long. It can be tempting for a new mom to feel like she has to entertain friends and family that come over, but she should be resting and just enjoying the baby. And trying to get more than 15 seconds of sleep. Try to limit your visit to about 20 minutes.
3. Clean. Hey, how about washing a dish while you are visiting? Or tossing a load of laundry in? Or taking the trash out? People were always telling me to "let things go" and "sleep when the baby sleeps," but the truth is that someone has to keep the household running.
4. Hold the baby. Tell mom that you are going to hold the baby while she naps or takes a shower, and that you will get her immediately should there be an emergency. Barring that, she is to forget about the two of you and just relax for 30-60 minutes.
5. Pray. Pray for the parents and the baby, and pray with them while you are visiting. I remember that I got a call from a ministry that I had donated to when I was right in the throes of postpartum depression. They were randomly calling to see if there was anything they could pray for me about, and I ended up sobbing on the phone to this nice lady named Virginia as she prayed for me and for Baby Dallas's colic. It meant the world to me.
6. Do not keep calling or emailing if you are not getting a response. Some people will be texting and emailing from the moment the baby is born, and others will not get back to you until shortly after the baby's first birthday. Respect that.
7. Recommend a good babysitter or nanny, or offer to babysit yourself when the parents are ready to get out in a few weeks or months. It is the scariest thing in the world to leave the love of your life with anyone, so a trustworthy referral or an offer from a friend is worth its weight in gold.
8. Listen. Really listen. Do not just gush about how fabulous it is to be a new mommy and are you not so excited and is this not the GREATEST THING EVER if she seems a little out of sorts. People would say that to me, and I would plaster this maniacal-looking grin on my face and nod like, YES, IT'S THE GREATEST THING EVER, while silently screaming, SOMEONE HELP ME!!!! I DO NOT KNOW WHAT I AM DOING, AND APPARENTLY I AM THE ONLY ONE!!!
9. Bring something for Mom. A friend brought me some lavender bath salts right after Dallas was born. Yes, it took me five months to find time to use them, but AAAAAAHHHHHH when I finally did.
10. Did I mention that you should bring food? :-)
Well, those wonderful, terrifying, awesome, sleep-deprived, horrifying, beautiful early days are still VERY fresh in my mind. And truth be told, now that Dallas is eight months old as I write this, I am a little nostalgic for the days when he would sleep on my chest for hours. Or stay where I put him when it was time for a diaper change. Am I the only one that has had to change a diaper on a child that is standing?! Or trying to crawl away?! Anyone?!
Anyway, help is here. I give you...10 Ways To Bless A New Mom!!!
1. Bring or send food. Let me say that again. Bring food! A real meal (translation: not a power bar, bowl of cereal, or handful of potato chips) is a luxury in the early days (or what I like to call the endless night). Home-cooked or takeout, the new parents will probably wolf it down in about ten seconds.
2. Do not stay long. It can be tempting for a new mom to feel like she has to entertain friends and family that come over, but she should be resting and just enjoying the baby. And trying to get more than 15 seconds of sleep. Try to limit your visit to about 20 minutes.
3. Clean. Hey, how about washing a dish while you are visiting? Or tossing a load of laundry in? Or taking the trash out? People were always telling me to "let things go" and "sleep when the baby sleeps," but the truth is that someone has to keep the household running.
4. Hold the baby. Tell mom that you are going to hold the baby while she naps or takes a shower, and that you will get her immediately should there be an emergency. Barring that, she is to forget about the two of you and just relax for 30-60 minutes.
5. Pray. Pray for the parents and the baby, and pray with them while you are visiting. I remember that I got a call from a ministry that I had donated to when I was right in the throes of postpartum depression. They were randomly calling to see if there was anything they could pray for me about, and I ended up sobbing on the phone to this nice lady named Virginia as she prayed for me and for Baby Dallas's colic. It meant the world to me.
6. Do not keep calling or emailing if you are not getting a response. Some people will be texting and emailing from the moment the baby is born, and others will not get back to you until shortly after the baby's first birthday. Respect that.
7. Recommend a good babysitter or nanny, or offer to babysit yourself when the parents are ready to get out in a few weeks or months. It is the scariest thing in the world to leave the love of your life with anyone, so a trustworthy referral or an offer from a friend is worth its weight in gold.
8. Listen. Really listen. Do not just gush about how fabulous it is to be a new mommy and are you not so excited and is this not the GREATEST THING EVER if she seems a little out of sorts. People would say that to me, and I would plaster this maniacal-looking grin on my face and nod like, YES, IT'S THE GREATEST THING EVER, while silently screaming, SOMEONE HELP ME!!!! I DO NOT KNOW WHAT I AM DOING, AND APPARENTLY I AM THE ONLY ONE!!!
9. Bring something for Mom. A friend brought me some lavender bath salts right after Dallas was born. Yes, it took me five months to find time to use them, but AAAAAAHHHHHH when I finally did.
10. Did I mention that you should bring food? :-)
7.23.2010
Preaching The Gospel With Our Lives
"Preach the Gospel always. If necessary, use words."
That's attributed to St. Francis, and truer now than ever before.
Most people today have heard the Good News. But they don't believe it. You cannot imagine how many people have revealed to me that they see no evidence of Christ, and that they are sick and tired of people who are "mean Christians." The ones who quoted Scripture at them as they screamed at them, or went to church every Sunday and then said horrible things about them during the week, or dated them and told them how sinful they were and not "up to their standards."
"Why would I go to church to be treated that way?" one lady told me. "I can get that anywhere, anytime. And usually the other people are nicer."
It is the way we love each other and care for each other that will convince people that Christ is real, and that there truly is Good News for them. When we look out for our neighbor (and by neighbor, I mean everyone besides us), and treat all people with kindness and respect. Then, people will be asking us why we are different.
My friend Alena preaches the Gospel with her life. She is one of the most amazing people I have ever met, and she radiates kindness and joy. In fact, she signs her emails to me with "Joy!" :-) When people find out that she has fostered over 160 special needs children, they gasp and go, "Why? HOW?"
This is her story.
My daughter was born with a medical condition that forced us to be in the hospital repeatedly for weeks at a time. During these stays we met a little girl, Latoya, that had been abandoned in the hospital since birth. She had a medical condition that required her to be hooked to a feeding machine 24 hours a day.
During one of our hospitalizations we were told that Latoya's condition had worsened and she was not going to survive. It was at that point God started speaking to me to take this little girl home with us. I knew God had mistaken me for someone else, as I already had three daughters myself (ages 1, 3, and 5).
I tried to convince God that it wasn't me He wanted and yet I continued to hear God telling me to take her home. After a while I couldn't even sleep at night, because all I could think about were reasons why I couldn't take her home.
Finally, I couldn't take it any more and I told God that if He really wanted me to do this He was going to have to make it very clear to me. At that point I did what I always do when I need answers--I picked up my Bible. But this time instead of following my normal Bible reading schedule, I dropped my Bible on the hospital bed and picked it back up and started reading the page it opened to.
I started reading the first chapter of James. I thought I was home safe until I got down to verse 27. "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress....".
I could no longer could run from His call. What I didn't know was that it was a call not only for this situation, but a call on my life. Within 2 months I had learned how to care for Latoya and had her home with us. Since that point I have fostered over 160 foster kids with special needs, and our family now is blessed with 15 kids through adoption. Their disabilities vary. Some are blind, some are deaf, some are autistic, some developmentally delayed, but all of them are a vital part of my family.
I have no special talents or abilities to be able to do this. Every bit of energy, strength, or wisdom it has required to take care of these special kids has been a gift from the Lord. I can say without any doubt that what God calls you to do, He enables you to do. With thousands of children waiting for permanent homes, I am sure God is calling others to this mission field. Maybe even you!
Alena Strickland
In Their Defense
"Defend the rights of the fatherless. Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves." Psalm 82:3, Prov.31:8
Alena, thank you for everything you do and everything you are.
Maybe you've thought about adopting or fostering? Or maybe you would like to find out how you could help support a family (buying an extra package of diapers, offering to babysit, etc.) that has made this commitment? You can email Alena at intheirdefense@gmail.com.
Have a wonderful weekend!
That's attributed to St. Francis, and truer now than ever before.
Most people today have heard the Good News. But they don't believe it. You cannot imagine how many people have revealed to me that they see no evidence of Christ, and that they are sick and tired of people who are "mean Christians." The ones who quoted Scripture at them as they screamed at them, or went to church every Sunday and then said horrible things about them during the week, or dated them and told them how sinful they were and not "up to their standards."
"Why would I go to church to be treated that way?" one lady told me. "I can get that anywhere, anytime. And usually the other people are nicer."
It is the way we love each other and care for each other that will convince people that Christ is real, and that there truly is Good News for them. When we look out for our neighbor (and by neighbor, I mean everyone besides us), and treat all people with kindness and respect. Then, people will be asking us why we are different.
My friend Alena preaches the Gospel with her life. She is one of the most amazing people I have ever met, and she radiates kindness and joy. In fact, she signs her emails to me with "Joy!" :-) When people find out that she has fostered over 160 special needs children, they gasp and go, "Why? HOW?"
This is her story.
My daughter was born with a medical condition that forced us to be in the hospital repeatedly for weeks at a time. During these stays we met a little girl, Latoya, that had been abandoned in the hospital since birth. She had a medical condition that required her to be hooked to a feeding machine 24 hours a day.
During one of our hospitalizations we were told that Latoya's condition had worsened and she was not going to survive. It was at that point God started speaking to me to take this little girl home with us. I knew God had mistaken me for someone else, as I already had three daughters myself (ages 1, 3, and 5).
I tried to convince God that it wasn't me He wanted and yet I continued to hear God telling me to take her home. After a while I couldn't even sleep at night, because all I could think about were reasons why I couldn't take her home.
Finally, I couldn't take it any more and I told God that if He really wanted me to do this He was going to have to make it very clear to me. At that point I did what I always do when I need answers--I picked up my Bible. But this time instead of following my normal Bible reading schedule, I dropped my Bible on the hospital bed and picked it back up and started reading the page it opened to.
I started reading the first chapter of James. I thought I was home safe until I got down to verse 27. "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress....".
I could no longer could run from His call. What I didn't know was that it was a call not only for this situation, but a call on my life. Within 2 months I had learned how to care for Latoya and had her home with us. Since that point I have fostered over 160 foster kids with special needs, and our family now is blessed with 15 kids through adoption. Their disabilities vary. Some are blind, some are deaf, some are autistic, some developmentally delayed, but all of them are a vital part of my family.
I have no special talents or abilities to be able to do this. Every bit of energy, strength, or wisdom it has required to take care of these special kids has been a gift from the Lord. I can say without any doubt that what God calls you to do, He enables you to do. With thousands of children waiting for permanent homes, I am sure God is calling others to this mission field. Maybe even you!
Alena Strickland
In Their Defense
"Defend the rights of the fatherless. Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves." Psalm 82:3, Prov.31:8
Alena, thank you for everything you do and everything you are.
Maybe you've thought about adopting or fostering? Or maybe you would like to find out how you could help support a family (buying an extra package of diapers, offering to babysit, etc.) that has made this commitment? You can email Alena at intheirdefense@gmail.com.
Have a wonderful weekend!
7.21.2010
Reading The Bible: It Only Takes A Glance
Genesis 19:24-26
24 Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the LORD out of the heavens. 25 Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land. 26 But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
I would love for you to join me in reading through the Bible! Today is Genesis 21, and we are doing a chapter a day. I wonder when we will finish? 2013? You know, I've read through the Bible in a year in the past, but even with a few chapters at a time I found myself rushing to just get it done and check it off my ginormous to-do list. This way, I've found I really look forward to my one chapter, and I"m able to really take my time and savor it.
But seriously, why is it SO HARD (at least for me) to focus on God's Word?! It's easy for me to focus on reality tv, or watching Dallas giggle when the fan blows his one tiny curl up in the air. Why is that? Is it because His Truth is only revealed to us when He knows we are serious about seeking him?
Jeremiah 29:13
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
God, we are seeking you and we want to know Your heart. Please reveal yourself to us through Your Word.
In the above passage, God destroys Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness. If you've read this chapter, you know it's a pretty sordid story. Lot was Abraham's nephew, and he had settled there and had a family (wife and two daughters). Lot was visited by two angels who told him that God was going to destroy the city, and they warned him to take his family and get outta there, like yesterday. When Lot told his sons-in-law, they thought he was joking. The family stayed put through the night (wouldn't you have been gone by then?), and even the next morning they were hesitant about leaving. In The Message translation, it says that the angels had to grab them by the hand and lead them out of the city! The instructions were to flee, to not stop, and to not look back.
Sometimes it only takes a glance, doesn't it?
I wonder if Lot's wife was looking back to see what God's destruction looked like.
Or was she looking back with longing at her familiar home?
Maybe she was sad that she had to give up the parties and her crazy lifestyle?
I had a lot of bad habits for many years. Time and time again, I tried to ease my way out of them by cutting back here and there. But there would always come that moment where I was invited to the party or the club and I would think, "I'm doing fine. I'm strong! I can go and not indulge in anything. Besides, I haven't seen my friends in forever."
Sometimes it only takes a glance, doesn't it?
I ignored God's instructions to flee, to not stop, and to not look back. And I was destroyed, yet again.
If you are trying to change your life, is there anything that you are looking back at with longing? What are you clinging to? Even though you know that it might ultimately be the end of you.
Maybe things would have been different for Lot's wife is she really knew what or Whom she was running TO. (Maybe she did and just ignored it--I wish I were a Bible scholar! If you know the answer to this, please email or post in the comments.)
Oswald Chambers writes: The reality of God's presence is not dependent on any place, but only dependent upon the determination to set the Lord always before us.
Setting the Lord before us is not based on how we feel, but upon making a decision...the determination...to do so.
When the old temptations come calling, in the form of a friend or a bottle or anything else, will you set the Lord before you?
When you are scared about moving forward from what's comfortable and familiar, but not good for you, will you set the Lord before you?
When you feel like you are missing out on fun and exciting and new things, will you determine to set the Lord before you?
For me, it took determining that there was no going back, EVER. And I got a glimpse of what life looked like with God. It looked and felt like peace and happiness and safety.
I pray that you will get a glimpse of that, too.
Sometimes it only takes a glance, doesn't it?
7.19.2010
Who AM I?
The last time I tried to sew, I was in eighth grade and it was home ec class.
The assignment was to sew a pocket onto a shirt.
I somehow not only sewed the pocket to the shirt, but the front of the shirt to the back.
During the cooking portion of the semester, I tried to take an apple pie out of the oven with my bare hands.
Suffice it to say that I got a C in that class. I"m still amazed I did that well. :-)
So, imagine my surprise recently when I found myself wanting to....SEW!
I want to make little outfits for Baby Dallas, sew curtains for his room, and turn his future artwork into a placemat. Maybe I could even create a vintage outfit for him with a pattern from the 50s! (Somebody stop me!)
Also, my husband has been saying for months that we (me) should make our own baby food. This weekend, we (me) made blueberries for Dallas, and he loved it.
I loved it, too. D got this look of delight when he tasted fresh blueberries, and then proceeded to smear them all over his mouth.
He looked like he was wearing lipstick, or (from a certain angle) like a crazy clown.
It was easy, too! He can't have cut up fruit yet (NEVER give a small child a whole blueberry!!!!! Choking Hazard!!!!), so I put 2 cups of blueberries and some water in a pan on the stove. You bring it to a boil, and then simmer for about 15 minutes or til the berries or tender. Blend that baby up and voila...dee-lish-ous mush!
Did YOU find that you suddenly wanted to be creative when you had a baby?
What are some fun projects you've done for or with your kids?
And are there any books or sites you could recommend in the Comments so that we can all start gathering twigs, fabric scraps, and items from the bulk bin to soak, sprout, and bake into yummy somethings? :-)
7.16.2010
:-)
What happens when things don't turn out the way you planned?
I've been accused of being a little controlling in my life.
But, seriously, just because I always need to know what's going to happen so I can make a plan, and just because I have lists directing me to which to-do lists I should look at first every day, it doesn't mean I have control issues.
:-)
The same way that Butterfly Kisses brought me to an ugly cry a few weeks ago, In My Arms by Plumb sent me into heaving sobs yesterday (the lyrics are at the end of this post).
I listened to this song probably every day during my pregnancy, but honestly, it's been hard for me to listen to any of that music from that time until recently. I remember how hopeful and excited I was, and then how devastated I was in my new role as a mom.
You see, when I was pregnant, I knew exactly how life would be once Baby Dallas arrived. I knew what time I would work, what Dallas would be doing while I was working, how we would all be sleeping through the night right away, and how easy it would be to breastfeed.
:-)
I"ve talked about the chaos of those early months in some earlier posts, but let me just say here that NOTHING went the way that I planned. A few words:
Depression. Colic. Crying. Breastfeeding problems. Travelling husband. Work/Computer problems. No sleep. No family nearby. No help from friends.
There was a commercial that ran between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when Dallas was brand-new, that I will try to reenact for you here:
(A new mom, with dewey skin and sparkly eyes and a clean nightgown, blissfully rocking a chubby six-month-old baby masquerading as a newborn. Dad appears and turns on the Christmas tree lights. The tree is huge and flawlessly decorated.)
Mom: What are you doing up? It's 2 a.m.!
Dad: I couldn't wait. It's her first Christmas.
(Dad whips out a box containing a piece of jewelry for mom. Closeup of Mom's extremely dewy skin and surprised expression that her husband has given her bling at 2 a.m.)
Dad, now holding the still-quiet "newborn": You think she'll remember her first Christmas?
Mom, gently resting a hand on Dad's shoulder and showing off her bling: I know I will.
Jingle: Every kiss begins with _______!
And scene!
This always ran during football, when I was planted in my spot on the couch (we have a permanent groove in our couch from the DAYS I spent there trying to calm Dallas) and covered in spit-up, when I was neither dewy nor sporting bling.
I would scream and throw a pillow at the tv, going "This is why new moms feel disappointed! Because we think we are having a baby with the qualities of a six-month-old...that can at least hold their head up....and that everything will be in soft-focus, our husband will get up with us to hold the baby and help us, and people will give us jewelry!!!!"
And scene.
Sometimes, it takes us losing control and losing everything we thought we could count on for God to become real to us. Maybe we don't realize that we need God until God is all we have. And ultimately, we will come through the valleys in our life stronger for being broken.
What is God doing in your life right now?
Have you lost the job that was your identity?
The home that you spent all of your money on?
Maybe you are facing a health challenge that has forced you to slow down?
Know that you are not alone.
I heard someone saying recently that God not only knows our name, but He will never forget it.
He knows what's happening, and He has allowed it because He truly does know better than we do. There is a divine plan at work that we aren't able to see, or at least we can't see all of it. But someday, we will know the whole story. And I think we will be grateful that we weren't the ones in control.
I can now see that if things had gone the way I wanted, and I had a quiet baby that was just content to sit there and smile, I would have left him there, sitting and smiling, while I got back to "normal" life. You know, checking email every five minutes, running around to different events, texting like a madwoman, and basically going 500 miles per hour every day.
Instead, I've basically been wearing Dallas for eight months, and we are now so incredibly close. I can truly say I have been BLESSED with a high-needs baby.
:-)
Whether you are juggling an insane amount of work and feeling out of control, or maybe you just had a baby and are feeling out of control, I want to encourage you to wait on the Lord, and to trust that He has something greater in store for you than anything you could imagine right now.
In My Arms by Plumb (grab a kleenex, paper towel, or beach towel to mop up the tears)
Your baby blues
So full of wonder
Your Curly Que's
Your contagious smile
And as I watch
You start to grow up
All I can do is hold you tight
Knowing
Clouds will rage in
Storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms
Story books
Are full of fairy-tales
Of kings and queens
And the bluest skies
My heart is torn just in knowing
You'll someday see
The truth for lies
Clouds will rage in
Storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms
Castles they might crumble
Dreams may not come true
Cause you are never all alone
Cause I will always
Always love you
Hey I
Hey I
Will love
I've been accused of being a little controlling in my life.
But, seriously, just because I always need to know what's going to happen so I can make a plan, and just because I have lists directing me to which to-do lists I should look at first every day, it doesn't mean I have control issues.
:-)
The same way that Butterfly Kisses brought me to an ugly cry a few weeks ago, In My Arms by Plumb sent me into heaving sobs yesterday (the lyrics are at the end of this post).
I listened to this song probably every day during my pregnancy, but honestly, it's been hard for me to listen to any of that music from that time until recently. I remember how hopeful and excited I was, and then how devastated I was in my new role as a mom.
You see, when I was pregnant, I knew exactly how life would be once Baby Dallas arrived. I knew what time I would work, what Dallas would be doing while I was working, how we would all be sleeping through the night right away, and how easy it would be to breastfeed.
:-)
I"ve talked about the chaos of those early months in some earlier posts, but let me just say here that NOTHING went the way that I planned. A few words:
Depression. Colic. Crying. Breastfeeding problems. Travelling husband. Work/Computer problems. No sleep. No family nearby. No help from friends.
There was a commercial that ran between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when Dallas was brand-new, that I will try to reenact for you here:
(A new mom, with dewey skin and sparkly eyes and a clean nightgown, blissfully rocking a chubby six-month-old baby masquerading as a newborn. Dad appears and turns on the Christmas tree lights. The tree is huge and flawlessly decorated.)
Mom: What are you doing up? It's 2 a.m.!
Dad: I couldn't wait. It's her first Christmas.
(Dad whips out a box containing a piece of jewelry for mom. Closeup of Mom's extremely dewy skin and surprised expression that her husband has given her bling at 2 a.m.)
Dad, now holding the still-quiet "newborn": You think she'll remember her first Christmas?
Mom, gently resting a hand on Dad's shoulder and showing off her bling: I know I will.
Jingle: Every kiss begins with _______!
And scene!
This always ran during football, when I was planted in my spot on the couch (we have a permanent groove in our couch from the DAYS I spent there trying to calm Dallas) and covered in spit-up, when I was neither dewy nor sporting bling.
I would scream and throw a pillow at the tv, going "This is why new moms feel disappointed! Because we think we are having a baby with the qualities of a six-month-old...that can at least hold their head up....and that everything will be in soft-focus, our husband will get up with us to hold the baby and help us, and people will give us jewelry!!!!"
And scene.
Sometimes, it takes us losing control and losing everything we thought we could count on for God to become real to us. Maybe we don't realize that we need God until God is all we have. And ultimately, we will come through the valleys in our life stronger for being broken.
What is God doing in your life right now?
Have you lost the job that was your identity?
The home that you spent all of your money on?
Maybe you are facing a health challenge that has forced you to slow down?
Know that you are not alone.
I heard someone saying recently that God not only knows our name, but He will never forget it.
He knows what's happening, and He has allowed it because He truly does know better than we do. There is a divine plan at work that we aren't able to see, or at least we can't see all of it. But someday, we will know the whole story. And I think we will be grateful that we weren't the ones in control.
I can now see that if things had gone the way I wanted, and I had a quiet baby that was just content to sit there and smile, I would have left him there, sitting and smiling, while I got back to "normal" life. You know, checking email every five minutes, running around to different events, texting like a madwoman, and basically going 500 miles per hour every day.
Instead, I've basically been wearing Dallas for eight months, and we are now so incredibly close. I can truly say I have been BLESSED with a high-needs baby.
:-)
Whether you are juggling an insane amount of work and feeling out of control, or maybe you just had a baby and are feeling out of control, I want to encourage you to wait on the Lord, and to trust that He has something greater in store for you than anything you could imagine right now.
In My Arms by Plumb (grab a kleenex, paper towel, or beach towel to mop up the tears)
Your baby blues
So full of wonder
Your Curly Que's
Your contagious smile
And as I watch
You start to grow up
All I can do is hold you tight
Knowing
Clouds will rage in
Storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms
Story books
Are full of fairy-tales
Of kings and queens
And the bluest skies
My heart is torn just in knowing
You'll someday see
The truth for lies
Clouds will rage in
Storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms
Castles they might crumble
Dreams may not come true
Cause you are never all alone
Cause I will always
Always love you
Hey I
Hey I
Will love
7.15.2010
7.14.2010
READING THE BIBLE: GOD HIMSELF WILL SHUT THE DOOR
Am I the only one that would like to know what skincare products Sarah (wife of Abraham) was using?
Here is a gal that I think is close to 90, and she is so hot that Abraham tells her she must pretend to be his sister so that he is not killed by the Egyptians. (Genesis 12)
If you are reading through Genesis with me (or have read the whole book before), are you finding that there is more drama and scandal than an episode of daytime tv?
And, oh yes--there are some truths sprinkled here and there, too. :-)
It is a beautiful thing how we are already seeing redemption, and how God meets our human failures, in this first book of the Bible.
I would love to hear what stands out for you in the comments section.
I am LOVING getting back into God's Word, and if you'd like to join us we are doing one chapter a day. Today is Genesis 14, tomorrow Genesis 15, etc.
This past week we were just introduced to Abraham (Abram at the beginning, before God changed his name), and we read all about Noah and the flood.
Did you see a glimpse of Christ in Noah's story?
In her book What The Bible Is All About, Henrietta Mears talks about how "Noah was saved from the flood by the ark (a perfect type or Old Testament picture example of Christ, our ark of safety). When he came out, the first thing he did was to erect an altar and worship God." (p. 30)
(As we talk about the Bible, you'll see me refer to this book a LOT! I am not a Bible scholar, but I want to share my impressions of what we are reading and will try my best to make sure I get my facts straight and interpret everything properly.)
Keeping this in mind about our ark of safety, I want to share a part of this story that terrifies me, a part that they seemed to have glossed over in Kids Church when we talked about Noah and sang songs about the rain coming down and animals marching two by two.
The civilization before the flood has been compared to that of Greece or Rome. In other words, they weren't just a bunch of savages, but had education and culture. They were also seriously wicked. In fact, if it weren't for Noah, you would not be reading this blog right now, nor would I have been around to write it. Noah was the ONE righteous man on earth, and he was the reason God didn't completely wipe out the human race.
God told Noah that he would send a flood, and for 120 years (!!!) as he built the ark Noah warned people about what would happen.
Even with all the nasty stuff that humanity was engaging in, they got another 120 years to turn from their wicked ways.
You know how many people survived the flood?
Eight.
God saved Noah, his wife, their sons, and their daughters-in-law.
Eight people on the entire planet.
I think it's easy (I am certainly guilty of this) to think that, if WE had lived back then, we would have totally listened to Noah and been right behind the hippos coming up the little walkway into the ark. I meah, DUH! How dumb could those people have been, right?
But would we really have believed God when He said what He was going to do? Remember, every other person on earth thought Noah was nuts.
The part that really makes my blood run cold is found in Genesis 7:
11-12 It was the six-hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month that it happened: all the underground springs erupted and all the windows of Heaven were thrown open. Rain poured for forty days and forty nights.
13-16 That's the day Noah and his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, accompanied by his wife and his sons' wives, boarded the ship. And with them every kind of wild and domestic animal, right down to all the kinds of creatures that crawl and all kinds of birds and anything that flies. They came to Noah and to the ship in pairs—everything and anything that had the breath of life in it, male and female of every creature came just as God had commanded Noah. Then God shut the door behind him. (The Message)
Then God shut the door behind him.
There is something so FINAL about that. Not just that a door closed, but that God himself shut it. There was no getting in or out at that point.
As the waters rose around a young mother, what was going through her mind?
When baby Dallas bonks his head, there is always that second between the bonk and the earsplitting scream and REAL TEARS that follow. And in that one second, everything I should have done and could have done to prevent this outcome flashes through my head, and I think, please, no! Please let him be okay. Please let me go back ten seconds.
But I can't go back.
God has told us in His word about the "flood" that is to come. Are we listening? Are we turning from our wicked ways, or continuing to party and thinking that there is plenty of time? Maybe we are not even openly defiant, but have just decided that all this talk about God is a nice story and has nothing to do with us.
One day, when the door to Christ, our ark of safety, is closed (either by our death or the rapture/His return) it will be too late for anyone who has refused to repent. And there will be an eternity to wish for being able to go back and make a different choice.
But the door will have been shut by God himself.
7.12.2010
AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!
One of my mom friends was telling me about her mommy group.
"All those women do is complain about their husbands not helping. I don't get it. I mean, my hubby unloads the dishwasher and makes the bed and takes the baby on the weekend so I can sleep in a few extra hours. When I talk about that at the group, all those women just look at me!"
I looked at her.
If you are a mom, do you struggle with not feeling appreciated?
Before I had Dallas, I used to wonder what the big deal was.
What do you want? I thought. A medal for taking care of a kid? How hard could it be?
I'm sure it's moments like that that make God smile, since He knows exactly what's coming.
I"ve gotten a lot of emails from moms who write anonymously, and pour out their pain of feeling like they are all alone and ready to drop from exhaustion, and that their husbands just don't get it.
My meltdown came one Friday morning while my hubby was getting ready to go away for the weekend to a party for a friend who was getting married. He was playing with Dallas (who was almost 3 months at the time), while I raced around to throw the laundry in, prepare for my show, and kind of get things started for the day before he left. As I was scooping the kitty litter, Dj told me to hurry up because he needed to leave. Mid-scoop, I just lost it and started to cry and scream about how he would never understand what it would ever be like to be a working mom and the primary caregiver for our baby, and how nice it must be to play with the baby before and after work and for a few hours on the weekend and just do whatever one pleased. Oh, and did he realize he had been stepping over a laundry basket for TWO DAYS without thinking of asking if he could carry it downstairs for me? And how about those socks stuffed into the corners of the couch? And .)WHY did he insist on throwing Dallas's dirty diapers on the FLOOR instead of in the diaper genie ("Because it makes him laugh?" Dj offered.)? But have FUN snowboarding with the guys this weekend and playing video games...I"ll just be here scooping the cat litter in the sweatsuit I slept in while the baby screams. Buh-bye!
Dj wisely removed the scooper from my hand (I think he was afraid I was going to throw it at his head), and seemed genuinely surprised at my outburst. He felt that he had changed his life dramatically since Dallas arrived, listing off how he turned down invitations to go hang out with the guys "a few times a week," and was only working out three days a week now instead of seven.
"AAARRRGGHHHHH!!!!!" I screamed. "I haven't worked out since NOVEMBER!!! You will never get it!"
I think we still act out some version of this, even five months later. Yes, we have learned to balance things a little better, and he has learned to ask how he can help me (although I still find socks dangling from faucets) more often.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this in the comments, but it seems to me that the parent who is primarily with the child will always feel that they are doing way too much, while the parent who is working will always feel like they are going above and beyond what they need to do to help you. But I think that is the difference right there--when Dj does something to take care of the baby, it almost feels like he is doing me a favor. On the flip side, taking care of the baby is my life. I can't make a move or a decision without considering how if affects Dallas. It is all-consuming and nonstop.
And please hear my heart on this! If my hubby got to work from home and be with Dallas all day, I would be so insanely jealous that THAT would not be a good scenario, either. I'm very grateful to have the set up that I do, it's just that I feel overwhelmed about 98% of the time. The other 2% of the time that I"m feeling confident is usually followed by a studio crash where the internet goes out or a message from my hubby that he will be going on the road again.
Maybe you're like me, and you don't want to let anyone down. Kids. Spouse. Work. Friends. And what about quiet time with God and church and volunteering? I am a classic Type A personality, and I am just now starting to realize that I can't do it all, even though I have a cool baby carrier that allows me to hold the baby and have my hands free. I remember that someone once said, "You CAN have it all. Just not at the same time." :-)
So, what has to go? That's what I will be deciding over the next few months. I talked about simplicity in an earlier post, and how much I crave it. Maybe you will join me in taking these next few months to pray and decide the most important things in your life, and to let the rest of it go, and never look back.
If I can give myself some breathing room (and you give yourself some, too), maybe it won't matter so much when the hubby goes snowboarding with the guys for the weekend.
I feel like I"m a little all over the place with this post, but I just want you to know that if you are struggling you are not alone. I know that I have felt like the only mom who doesn't know what she's doing (I asked a good friend whose baby was born the day after Dallas if she was scared and tired and confused, and she said, "No, this just all comes really naturally. Did I tell you that she's been sleeping through the night since the day we came home? This is a peaceful time."), so my promise to YOU is that I will always be honest about what a mess I am. :-) And if I somehow figure out some kind of secret for getting my act together, I will blog about it. :-)
I want to leave you with a sweet story my mom told me about my nephew, who is five and named Fox.
My sister works, and her husband stays home with Fox. They've been doing this since he was born, and it works really well for them. They are both wonderful parents, and Fox is just precious.
He just graduated from kindergarten, and at the graduation ceremony they were asking all the kids what they wanted to be when they grew up.
Most of the kids gave the usual answers: fireman, doctor, singing astronaut.
However, when Fox got up there, he looked around at everyone and proudly announced that when he grew up, he was going to be a stay-at-home dad. :-)
"All those women do is complain about their husbands not helping. I don't get it. I mean, my hubby unloads the dishwasher and makes the bed and takes the baby on the weekend so I can sleep in a few extra hours. When I talk about that at the group, all those women just look at me!"
I looked at her.
If you are a mom, do you struggle with not feeling appreciated?
Before I had Dallas, I used to wonder what the big deal was.
What do you want? I thought. A medal for taking care of a kid? How hard could it be?
I'm sure it's moments like that that make God smile, since He knows exactly what's coming.
I"ve gotten a lot of emails from moms who write anonymously, and pour out their pain of feeling like they are all alone and ready to drop from exhaustion, and that their husbands just don't get it.
My meltdown came one Friday morning while my hubby was getting ready to go away for the weekend to a party for a friend who was getting married. He was playing with Dallas (who was almost 3 months at the time), while I raced around to throw the laundry in, prepare for my show, and kind of get things started for the day before he left. As I was scooping the kitty litter, Dj told me to hurry up because he needed to leave. Mid-scoop, I just lost it and started to cry and scream about how he would never understand what it would ever be like to be a working mom and the primary caregiver for our baby, and how nice it must be to play with the baby before and after work and for a few hours on the weekend and just do whatever one pleased. Oh, and did he realize he had been stepping over a laundry basket for TWO DAYS without thinking of asking if he could carry it downstairs for me? And how about those socks stuffed into the corners of the couch? And .)WHY did he insist on throwing Dallas's dirty diapers on the FLOOR instead of in the diaper genie ("Because it makes him laugh?" Dj offered.)? But have FUN snowboarding with the guys this weekend and playing video games...I"ll just be here scooping the cat litter in the sweatsuit I slept in while the baby screams. Buh-bye!
Dj wisely removed the scooper from my hand (I think he was afraid I was going to throw it at his head), and seemed genuinely surprised at my outburst. He felt that he had changed his life dramatically since Dallas arrived, listing off how he turned down invitations to go hang out with the guys "a few times a week," and was only working out three days a week now instead of seven.
"AAARRRGGHHHHH!!!!!" I screamed. "I haven't worked out since NOVEMBER!!! You will never get it!"
I think we still act out some version of this, even five months later. Yes, we have learned to balance things a little better, and he has learned to ask how he can help me (although I still find socks dangling from faucets) more often.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this in the comments, but it seems to me that the parent who is primarily with the child will always feel that they are doing way too much, while the parent who is working will always feel like they are going above and beyond what they need to do to help you. But I think that is the difference right there--when Dj does something to take care of the baby, it almost feels like he is doing me a favor. On the flip side, taking care of the baby is my life. I can't make a move or a decision without considering how if affects Dallas. It is all-consuming and nonstop.
And please hear my heart on this! If my hubby got to work from home and be with Dallas all day, I would be so insanely jealous that THAT would not be a good scenario, either. I'm very grateful to have the set up that I do, it's just that I feel overwhelmed about 98% of the time. The other 2% of the time that I"m feeling confident is usually followed by a studio crash where the internet goes out or a message from my hubby that he will be going on the road again.
Maybe you're like me, and you don't want to let anyone down. Kids. Spouse. Work. Friends. And what about quiet time with God and church and volunteering? I am a classic Type A personality, and I am just now starting to realize that I can't do it all, even though I have a cool baby carrier that allows me to hold the baby and have my hands free. I remember that someone once said, "You CAN have it all. Just not at the same time." :-)
So, what has to go? That's what I will be deciding over the next few months. I talked about simplicity in an earlier post, and how much I crave it. Maybe you will join me in taking these next few months to pray and decide the most important things in your life, and to let the rest of it go, and never look back.
If I can give myself some breathing room (and you give yourself some, too), maybe it won't matter so much when the hubby goes snowboarding with the guys for the weekend.
I feel like I"m a little all over the place with this post, but I just want you to know that if you are struggling you are not alone. I know that I have felt like the only mom who doesn't know what she's doing (I asked a good friend whose baby was born the day after Dallas if she was scared and tired and confused, and she said, "No, this just all comes really naturally. Did I tell you that she's been sleeping through the night since the day we came home? This is a peaceful time."), so my promise to YOU is that I will always be honest about what a mess I am. :-) And if I somehow figure out some kind of secret for getting my act together, I will blog about it. :-)
I want to leave you with a sweet story my mom told me about my nephew, who is five and named Fox.
My sister works, and her husband stays home with Fox. They've been doing this since he was born, and it works really well for them. They are both wonderful parents, and Fox is just precious.
He just graduated from kindergarten, and at the graduation ceremony they were asking all the kids what they wanted to be when they grew up.
Most of the kids gave the usual answers: fireman, doctor, singing astronaut.
However, when Fox got up there, he looked around at everyone and proudly announced that when he grew up, he was going to be a stay-at-home dad. :-)
7.09.2010
BISCUITS ON THE DASHBOARD
Are you ever haunted by missed opportunities to bless someone?
I may not have time to take a shower every day, but I make it a priority to get Baby Dallas out for some fresh air on a walk. He is usually out by the time we take the first corner.
A few days ago, we were strolling around our usual block when I noticed a little boy about Dallas's age, around 8 months. He was just precious, with sparkly eyes and curly black hair, standing up in the driver's seat and hanging on to the steering wheel of a car that was parked at the curb. His dad was in the passenger seat. "That's so cute," I thought. "Dad is letting him pretend to drive while they wait for mom in one of the shops up the road." I glanced over, and then back down to Dallas, who looks especially chubby when he is asleep--he's got the pouty lip and cheek thing going on, which I hope lasts forever. I know they warn us about walking and texting, which almost sent me right into a pole once, but walking while cooing at a sleeping baby can be hazardous, too.
Round the block we went, and as we came around the corner again a few minutes later, I saw the car again. This time, the little boy smiled and waved at me, and I smiled and waved back.
In those few seconds, I saw something that broke my heart.
That little boy was dressed in a worn-out onesie, like what kids wear to sleep in, and there was a plate of 2 biscuits on a paper plate on the dashboard.
The back of the car was stuffed with blankets and trash bags overflowing with clothes.
And Dad had stubble and the kind of sad expression as he smiled and watched his little son that tears came to my eyes.
I was glad I had sunglasses on so he couldn't see that.
I wish I could tell you that I went right up to the car and asked if they were okay, and told them about some safe shelters where families can sleep.
I wish I could tell you that I went home and grabbed some food and brought it back for them.
I wish I could tell you that I kept waving at the little boy, and then asked his dad if they needed any clothes, since our sons looked about the same size.
But I can't.
I kept walking.
Would a kind word or some baby jeans or oatmeal banana cereal from me have changed their lives?
Maybe not. But maybe yes.
I have gotten really great with rationalizing my way out of being available to be used by God.
I feel like, as I rush about my days, that there are no margins in my life. Maybe you have scheduled every second of your day like this. And it works as long as there is no traffic, no sick baby, no lost keys, no equipment meltdown, or anything else that would hold you up for more than ten seconds. But even when it's "working," you find yourself asking, "Is this really what it's all about? Why do I feel so tired all the time? And like I"m missing something?"
Will you join me in the quest for a simpler life? Even though I kind of think I"ve been trying to do this since the baby was born, I have failed miserably, because I now find myself busier than ever with work, and appointments, and things on my to-do list. I panicked the other day when I accidentally deleted my to-do list on my phone (hmmm....maybe it wasn't an accident?), and frantically started a new one and tried to fill it with everything I could remember from the other one.
What needs to be on my to-do list, or better yet, seared on my heart, is to be sensitive to the people that God has put in my path.
Someone who, at that very moment, might be going, "God, if you're real, I need a sign. Please. Let me know you hear me."
"It's not safe," I told myself as I pushed the stroller home. "Anyone could park on the street with their kid, and be up to no good. I have to protect my child."
I kept seeing that little face grinning at me as he clung to the sides of the steering wheel.
"I'm a busy person! I've got a ton of email to get through, a show to prepare for, and a house to clean."
I thought about that movie The Pursuit of Happyness, where Will Smith and his son are sleeping in the public restroom, and someone is trying to get in.
"I'm sure I"ll see them again, and then I'll do something nice."
I thought about the little biscuits on that paper plate on the dashboard.
I haven't stopped thinking about those biscuits.
And I haven't seen them again.
I may not have time to take a shower every day, but I make it a priority to get Baby Dallas out for some fresh air on a walk. He is usually out by the time we take the first corner.
A few days ago, we were strolling around our usual block when I noticed a little boy about Dallas's age, around 8 months. He was just precious, with sparkly eyes and curly black hair, standing up in the driver's seat and hanging on to the steering wheel of a car that was parked at the curb. His dad was in the passenger seat. "That's so cute," I thought. "Dad is letting him pretend to drive while they wait for mom in one of the shops up the road." I glanced over, and then back down to Dallas, who looks especially chubby when he is asleep--he's got the pouty lip and cheek thing going on, which I hope lasts forever. I know they warn us about walking and texting, which almost sent me right into a pole once, but walking while cooing at a sleeping baby can be hazardous, too.
Round the block we went, and as we came around the corner again a few minutes later, I saw the car again. This time, the little boy smiled and waved at me, and I smiled and waved back.
In those few seconds, I saw something that broke my heart.
That little boy was dressed in a worn-out onesie, like what kids wear to sleep in, and there was a plate of 2 biscuits on a paper plate on the dashboard.
The back of the car was stuffed with blankets and trash bags overflowing with clothes.
And Dad had stubble and the kind of sad expression as he smiled and watched his little son that tears came to my eyes.
I was glad I had sunglasses on so he couldn't see that.
I wish I could tell you that I went right up to the car and asked if they were okay, and told them about some safe shelters where families can sleep.
I wish I could tell you that I went home and grabbed some food and brought it back for them.
I wish I could tell you that I kept waving at the little boy, and then asked his dad if they needed any clothes, since our sons looked about the same size.
But I can't.
I kept walking.
Would a kind word or some baby jeans or oatmeal banana cereal from me have changed their lives?
Maybe not. But maybe yes.
I have gotten really great with rationalizing my way out of being available to be used by God.
I feel like, as I rush about my days, that there are no margins in my life. Maybe you have scheduled every second of your day like this. And it works as long as there is no traffic, no sick baby, no lost keys, no equipment meltdown, or anything else that would hold you up for more than ten seconds. But even when it's "working," you find yourself asking, "Is this really what it's all about? Why do I feel so tired all the time? And like I"m missing something?"
Will you join me in the quest for a simpler life? Even though I kind of think I"ve been trying to do this since the baby was born, I have failed miserably, because I now find myself busier than ever with work, and appointments, and things on my to-do list. I panicked the other day when I accidentally deleted my to-do list on my phone (hmmm....maybe it wasn't an accident?), and frantically started a new one and tried to fill it with everything I could remember from the other one.
What needs to be on my to-do list, or better yet, seared on my heart, is to be sensitive to the people that God has put in my path.
Someone who, at that very moment, might be going, "God, if you're real, I need a sign. Please. Let me know you hear me."
"It's not safe," I told myself as I pushed the stroller home. "Anyone could park on the street with their kid, and be up to no good. I have to protect my child."
I kept seeing that little face grinning at me as he clung to the sides of the steering wheel.
"I'm a busy person! I've got a ton of email to get through, a show to prepare for, and a house to clean."
I thought about that movie The Pursuit of Happyness, where Will Smith and his son are sleeping in the public restroom, and someone is trying to get in.
"I'm sure I"ll see them again, and then I'll do something nice."
I thought about the little biscuits on that paper plate on the dashboard.
I haven't stopped thinking about those biscuits.
And I haven't seen them again.
7.07.2010
IN THE BEGINNING...
In an earlier post, I talked about how I fell into the habit of reading Bible commentaries and books about the Bible, rather than the Bible itself.
I know it's not New Year's, but my resolution is to commit to reading one chapter of the Bible a day until I am through it.
I"m already thinking about how I want to read the chronological Bible next, which sounds cool--the books are in the order of when the events in them actually happened.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. :-)
I"ve gone cold-turkey on books about the Bible, except for one, which is turning out to be fantastic: What The Bible Is All About by Henrietta Mears, which I believe was written in 1953.
The author was born in 1890! That's around the time my great-granny was born, and I think that was a generation where everyone had a deep love and knowledge of Scripture. Even as a little kid, I remember my great-granny praying and reading the Bible to me. A few years ago, my mom gave me granny's tattered old King James Bible, and I started crying as I thumbed through the well-worn pages and saw all her little notes in the margins.
She had also stuffed every note and drawing that I had given her into it, and many were in the pages of Isaiah, her favorite book.
I want a well-worn Bible. I want more of a love of Scripture. And I want to be able to call to mind verses that apply to any problem I am facing in life.
I hope that you do, too, and I hope that you are joining me in reading through the Bible!
We started on July 1st with Genesis 1, so there is still plenty o' time to catch up.
If you are reading Genesis now (or have in the past), what jumps out at you in the early chapters?
For me, it's how Jesus is all over Genesis! I never really got this before, but now I see it very clearly.
Let me share some specific places, as pointed out by Dr. Mears on page 26 of her book:
1. Seed of woman (3:15)
2. The entrance into the ark of safety (7:17)
3. The offering up of Isaac (22:1-24)
4. Jacob's ladder (28:12)
5. Judah's scepter (49:10)
6. Joseph lifted from pit to throne (37:28; 41:41-44)
Most of these will be coming up in our reading in the next few weeks, so I hope you are as excited as I am to read over some familiar stories with a fresh eye as we look for hints of Jesus. Yay!
Don't you love that Genesis is a book of beginnings? Moses, guided by the Holy Spirit, wrote a book containing truths that "all the future revelation of God to people is built." (Mears, p. 25)
Maybe you are looking for a new beginning. Know that I am praying for you (and for me!) as we read, that God would open our eyes and hearts and reveal Himself to us in the pages of His beautiful Word.
One thing I must confess, though: I am so easily distracted! A bird flying by the window...someone coughing in the distance...Dallas breathing....they can all make me lost my train of thought. And I also have questions about random things that I read.
For example: If Adam and Eve were the first man and woman, and Cain and Abel were their sons (Chapter 4), where did Cain's wife come from?
My friend Tracey Tiernan is really smart, loves God, and really knows Scripture, so I present her answer:
All humans are descendants of Adam and Eve. According to Genesis 5:4, " After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters."
So Cain married one of his sisters. Obviously, not something that's ok in our culture today, but there were no other options for them to be fruitful and multiply back in Adam and Eve's day. The issue of genetic defects wouldn't have been a problem because there weren't alot of generations yet for them to develop. People lived a lot longer and did a lot of mulitplying:)
Well, now.
Happy reading! I can't wait to hear your thoughts via email or the comments.
Btw, you can read the whole Bible in any translation at http://www.crosswalk.com/.
7.05.2010
THE ONE YOU LOVE
Angie Smith has written an incredible book on grief and joy called I Will Carry You. Please, please, please read this book.
Angie lost her baby daughter just a few hours after she was born.
She and her familiy prayed for healing from the moment baby Audrey was diagnosed in the womb with "conditions that made her incompatible with life."
Angie carried Audrey as long as she could, to 32 weeks, and then loved her a lifetime in just a few short hours.
She writes about how their prayers were answered, and Audrey was healed, just not on this earth.
And that even though she knows Audrey is with the Lord, that she has moments where she screams at God that she wants her daughter back.
Angie's faith is amazing, and reading this book made me want a closer relationship with Him. I don't want to pretend that, since I'm a Christian, I have all the answers, because the truth is that I will never understand why children die, or people get sick, or families end up on the street after working hard all their lives. I want to be able to pour out my pain and heartache and fury to Someone who can take it, and to find Him in the midst of all the craziness of life.
Even though I don't understand why things are the way they are most of the time, I do trust that God is good, and that He understands our pain better than anyone, and that somehow...some way...everything we have lost will be redeemed.
Angie also brought Scripture to life in a new way for me, and I want to share something with you that has changed the way I pray.
In a chapter called The One You Love (I named this post after it), she talks about the letter that Mary and Martha sent to Jesus that told Him their brother Lazarus was sick (you can read the story in John 11). The letter simply says, "Lord, the one you love is sick."
Angie points out that the Greek word translated Lord in this passage is kyrios and denotes sovereignty.
She also notes that they don't refer to Lazarus by name, and they don't ask Jesus to heal their brother.
They convey a need for help, but they don't ask Him to do anything specific.
Angie started to pray for her daughter in this way: Recognize who He is, tell Him the problem, and leave the rest to Him.
How hard this is to do when we are facing something where we want a specific outcome! We need to get the job, or we need the house to sell, or the diagnosis to be that we are healthy.
I cringe when I think of how easily I have tossed out Bible verses to friends that were suffering, hoping to make a painful event better by reminding them that all things work together for good, and then going on about my day and feeling like I had done my part.
From here on out, I will still be sharing verses, but I want my friends (and you, if you have shared a prayer request with me or listen to this station or read this blog, are my friend) to know that I rejoice with them, and I also grieve with them. And I don't want to try to rush anyone through what they are processing.
I want to invite you today to join me in presenting these requests to the Lord, and surrendering to Him. There aren't easy answers or quick fixes for any of these requests, so I ask you to simply stand with me before Him and wait and watch to see what He does. I have taken everyone's name out to protect their privacy, since most people ask me to share them but to take their name out. Thank you so much for praying, and for sharing your heart with me.
1. I was just listening to your show, and well, you said what can I pray for you... so here I'm, please pray for my son that find his way, he loves the Lord, he has epilepsy, doing better now, just going to church (which is good) but doing nothing else, it's like school does not make sense to him, afraid to look for a job, I wish he could see the immense possibilities that he has, even with his condition, I understand his lack of confidence but he need to improve his way of life, I know the medication is strong and make him tire, but he can try something little at the beginning and grow up one step at time. Thank you for your prayers.
2. I am 13 years old. My dad is battling a life threating disease hepititis c. In 2007 this disease almost took his life. Praise god in 2007 he got a liver transplant! But there is one issue. The disease has not gone away. He still struggles with the hepitiatis C and it has put alot of stress on our family. Because it is almost impossible for him to work my mom took on a second job. This is extremely stressful and alot of work for her. Please pray for our family especially my dad, who is struggling everyday.
3. Hi Lara...I am still looking to the Lord to meet our financial needs...it's scary but my hope and faith is resting on His promises...the light may be tiny at the end of my tunnel, but I am pressing forward with God's help.
FYI: just last Tuesday my daughter announced to us she is getting married...I know everything will work out fine..so many people are offering to help..almost everything is covered and free except for the reception stuff.....My father n law will marry them, her friend is buying the cake, my cousin will be the photographer-minimal fee, her friend is doing the video for free, a few of her friends want to give her cash to help out..praise God!! Flowers at cost and done by church friend, centerpieces made by my sis n law...whew...so much, huh??? Please keep us in prayer..
7.02.2010
My Freedom Cost Others Their Very Lives
Have you seen this beautiful 4th of July prayer? It was written by a woman named Mary Fairchild.
Dear Lord,
There is no greater feeling of liberation than to experience this freedom from sin and death that you have provided for me through Jesus Christ. Today my heart and my soul are free to praise you. For this I am very thankful.
On this Independence Day I am reminded of all those who have sacrificed for my freedom, following the example of your Son, Jesus Christ. Let me not take my freedom, both physical and spiritual, for granted. May I always remember that my freedom was purchased with a very high price. My freedom cost others their very lives.
Lord, today, bless those who have served and continue to give their lives for my freedom. With favor and bounty meet their needs and watch over their families.
Help me to live my life in a way that glorifies you, Lord. Give me the strength to be a blessing in someone else's life today, and grant me the opportunity to lead others into the freedom that can be found in knowing Christ.
Amen
WOW!
She really captures what's in my heart, but says it so much better than I ever could.
Baby Dallas has this awesome CD called Dance Baby Dance! It's nursery rhymes set to dance beats (think Stevie B, circa 1989) and funky grooves. For example, Pop Goes The Weasel features an electric guitar and a piano solo. D starts to smile now as soon as he hears the first note, as he knows a dance party is coming. Mama knows that she will soon be losing her breath, as jumping around while holding an almost 20 pound baby is one of the best workouts there is.
Yankee Doodle is on this CD, and it always brings tears to my eyes when I hear it. It's a strange picture, as the beat is thumping, Baby D is giggling, and I am holding back tears while doing a cross between the chicken dance and the electric slide. Did I mention that I am an AMAZING dancer? :-) This has always been a song that makes feel so patriotic and just burst with pride for my country.
It also makes me realize that I MUST do a better job praying for our troops and their families.
Will you join me in this?
Pray for our troops that are maybe enjoying a last weekend with their families before they leave.
Pray for safety for our brave men and women that are fighting now.
Pray for our soldiers that are in a military hospital, maybe feeling utterly alone and totally forgotten.
Pray for those who are returning from overseas, and transitioning back into life at home.
Pray for those who are missing a mom or dad or a son or a daughter that they won't see for another year.
Pray for the families that will never again see their loved ones around the BBQ, sharing hot dogs and hugs.
I heard someone say recently that the toughest job in the military is done by the families that are left behind. If you know a military family, what could you do to bless them this weekend? Maybe bring a dish over, or mow the grass, or babysit for a young mom that is handling everything on her own.
Is there anything we could ever do, though, to properly thank a family that has made the ultimate sacrifice?
My son can grow up to be anything he wants to be and enjoy all of the wonderful freedoms we have in this country because someone gave their life for him.
My son can grow up to find freedom in Christ and eternal life because Someone gave Their life for him.
John 15:13 (New International Version)
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
We are Praying you have a safe and happy 4th of July weekend surrounded by family and friends!
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