Starving, but filling

I have heard it said that there are some sins that need to be starved to death. In other words, don't feed the temptation. A person that has a problem with drinking should not drive past the bar, for example. Someone that has problems with gossiping, should probably avoid prolonged gatherings with those that tend to gossip. Someone that has tendencies toward lustful thoughts should stay away from the gas stations with explicit magazines right by the checkout.

And yet, I have also heard it said that if you are cooperating with the Lord to weed out a particular sin in your life, there will be a void there and it needs to be filled with things of the Lord. So if you are having problems with anger or bitterness, starve the angry and bitter thoughts by these thoughts:

Phil 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

There are certain sins that are so difficult, and we try and try to pull ourselves off the ground by our bootstraps, trying in vain to change. ("I'm not going to get angry this time...No, I'm not going to get angry this time...I mean it, I'm not going to get angry this time!") God knows the struggle. He knows the purpose in the struggle. He has his perfect timing. Don't feed the sin, look to Jesus, feed on His Word. And as I read from Elisabeth Elliot recently...when you don't know what to do, do like Paul and Silas did when they were chained in prison...pray and sing! The chains just might break off...

Lessons I learned from a cactus

I have a cactus plant that was given to me when we lived on our farm. Yes, there is a variety of cactus that survives the Minnesota winters. It looks like it is completely dead in the winter and then in the spring, it starts to turn green again.

When I first got the plant, my oldest daughter was about 1 1/2 years old. I specifically told her not to touch the plant because it had "prickers". Later I noticed that she was walking around the yard with her arms away from her body and her fingers spread wide apart, like a scarecrow. She wasn't crying, but I knew right away what she had done. Thinking that I would find the remains or damage of the large needles, I came to find what seemed like thousands of small, thread-like needles all over her hands. They didn't hurt unless they were disturbed by fingers touching one another, so she had every appendage apart to avoid it. It took a long time to get all of them out. I later found the cactus had been pulled out and was laying on the lawn.

When we moved to our new location, I took the cactus with. It was in a pot as its temporary home, but it still burst with beautiful yellow flowers. Of course my daughter had to pick one and we had to deal with the small needles again.

This last weekend, I finally got it planted in it's new home. I had gloves on and thought I was quite protected, but alas, I had tiny "prickers" all over my dress that still got to my skin somehow whenever I moved my arms next to my body. Thankfully, the person that gave me this cactus also gave me a tweezers with a magnifying glass. I don't think that the gifts were given at the same time, but they are a combo all the same.

Sin is like this. You see something that appears beautiful and harmless. You decide to touch it, or pick the flowers.

You think that you can avoid, or deal with the pain of the obvious large "prickers",
-speeding ticket
-an overly tight budget that week for buying that 'one' thing that you've been wanting for so long without consulting your spouse

for the anticipation of the greater delight of the moment.
-getting the destination on time despite your lack of time management
-finally having that item.

The problem is, now you have to deal with the tiny needles that you never anticipated and are nearly impossible to get rid of and seem to keep coming back.
-guilt for knowing that you were not obeying the Lord by not obeying the laws of the land
-having a harder time controling impulses next time "you were able to do it last time, maybe you can do it again"
-possibly having to deal with the after effects of an accident or the fear of a near-accident
-the poor example that you were to your children
-having to apologize to your spouse for spending more than in the budget
-maybe having to return the item
-having to earn trust back from your spouse

Sin isn't worth it. It really isn't.

Clean Windows

I think that I am finally on the upswing of this cold. It has hit hard and taken it's toll, but it feels wonderful to have some energy again. The weather has been perfect too. So what did I do today? I washed windows. I didn't know that they were quite that dirty.

My grandma wrote some memories of her childhood during her college years and I recently was able to get a copy of them. One memory of hers was that her mother always wanted the dining room windows washed because it made her "feel better". I now totally understand. It made me feel better too.

I felt like I could touch the trees while standing inside. All of a sudden there was no barrier between my inside world and the outside. I just stood there...loving the clean, loving the light.

This weekend we had some friends over for a meal that we haven't had over for quite some time. I took the opportunity to ask for forgiveness for something that I did a long time ago and has recently been bothering me. She didn't even remember it, but forgave me anyway. :) Even so, I had a lightness in my step afterward. The window was clean again between my friend and I and between my Lord and I. Dirt, debris, cobwebs and bugs were wiped away. I felt closer to my Lord. My relationship with Him seemed cleaner and brighter.

Ah, to have sin forgiven and be wiped clean in renewed communion with Him! Much better than even having clean windows.

Overcomers

After a minor surgery in high school, I was given a Precious Moments figurine of a little boy on crutches. The Scripture written on it says, "Blessed are they that overcome." I had it out for awhile, then packed it away. A couple years ago, I took it out again. "Blessed are they that overcome." An overcomer? Overcoming what?

My mind went to Isaiah 40:31.

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

I have come to long for an overcoming spirit. I want to soar above earthly circumstances that try to weigh me down.

I am reminded of another picture I saw years ago of a lone eagle, at total peace, perched on a dead tree as a war wages all around. The war of souls is all around us. The war for our peace and effectiveness for God's kingdom is always near. The war to keep us from focusing our thoughts on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, things of good report, virtuous, or things worthy of praise is constant. (Philippians 4:8)

When I choose to live as a citizen of God's kingdom, and not this earthly one, God graciously gives me that inexpressible peace and joy that I long for and I do feel like that eagle who soars above or is able to be at peace on a dead branch as the war rages so close. It is at these times that I take hold of God's gift of an overcoming spirit to rise above the temptations of worry, fear, doubt, dispair and discouragement and "take captive every thought to the obedience of Christ".

This world is not my home...I'm just a passin' through...

Two Kingdoms

I am beginning to understand a Biblical concept that is new to me. There are two kingdoms. There is the earthly kingdom and the heavenly one. If years ago someone would have asked me if there were two kingdoms, I would have likely said "yes". But it wasn't until recently that I have considered the implications of this.

Those who have accepted the Lord, Jesus Christ as their Saviour through repentance and surrendering their lives to Him, are part of the Kingdom of God. When we are part of God's kingdom, we want to know more about our King. We are concerned with the welfare of other citizens of God's kingdom.

People have a united identity within a kingdom. People that are of the earthly kingdom are united in following their king, Satan, whether they will acknowledge it or not. People that are part of the Kingdom of God are united in following the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!!

To use David Bercot's illustration, if we as American citizens, go to another country, we will be aware of what is going on in the other country, but our main concern is for our own country. I was in Canada as a child and I remember watching the news in the motel room. The news media kept talking about Canadian news. I didn't as much care about what was happening in Canada as I did about what was happening in America. I wanted to hear about what was happening in my home country or how some news coming out of Canada had any effect on America.

That is how it is. I have some idea of what is going on in this earthly kingdom, but I am much more concerned about what is happening in the Kingdom of God and how things in the earthly kingdom are affecting the Kingdom of God.

Just as the hymnwriter wrote, this world is not my home.

This world is not my home, I'm just a passing thru.
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue;
The angels beckon me from heaven's open door,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

I need to look upward and be concerned about what my King thinks more than anyone else. How does my King see this issue? What would my King want me to be involved in? What activities allure me away from full devotion to Him? What He desires from me is of my utmost concern. What others say to me and about me are washed by what my King says.

Practically speaking, this may manifest itself in political involvement or lack thereof, how much (if any) news we listen to, or not participating in worldly amusements. Each person needs to ask the Lord if there are things that they are doing, or not doing, that is keeping them from a fuller devotion to Him. Does the activity have eternal value?

Honestly, this is why we don't own a television. Looking back, my husband and I are amazed at the lure and temptation of the earthly kingdom that so quickly flashed across the screen and we are now shocked when we are in a room where a television is on. Even though it was a process before we were ready to get it out of our home, we have never regretted it since.

The more we learn to focus on our citizenship of the Heavenly Kingdom, the less we care about what is happening in the earthly kingdom.

Refrain of "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus":

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow faintly dim
In the light of His mercy and grace.
Words and Music by Helen H. Lemmel1922

Matt 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Down but not out

We finally gave in to the "creeping crud", as my dad used to say. Three grumpy children with fevers, coughs and mattery eyes. Yesterday morning my daughter came into our bedroom and announced that her eyes were buckled together. Last night my wonderful husband slept on the couch with our hot baby on his chest so that I could sleep.

This too shall pass. But in the meantime, it is a good opportunity to let other things go and just cuddle.

Visit Carla

Carla at Joys in the Journey, http://joysinthejourney.blogspot.com/ , has a wonderful post that is similar to the one that I posted today. You will not be disappointed by going there to visit.

(For those of you who are html wizards, please excuse the poor html formatting here. I just don't have time right now to make it look more presentable!)

Waiting in wonder

My three year old son amazes me. This past winter my children saw a deer out our window. J. promptly wanted to put on all of his winter garb. After the 10 minutes that it takes to bundle up a child for the snow, he went out and walked over to where the deer had been. He stood there for a good 15-20 minutes just looking and waiting, hardly moving. I kept checking on him to make sure that he wasn't getting overly cold or had walked out of site. He was always there, with no sign of getting cold. I was a bit in awe of his patience. I had never seen such behavior from him before.

Now again today, I spotted him through the window as he watched a gold finch on our bird feeder and VERY slowly and meticulously stepped toward it to get as close as he could before it inevitably flew away. His eyes showed wonder and amazement. I was again in awe.

But then, I think that he was in awe, too. He may not understand it all, but really he was in awe of God's creatures that are all around us, yet won't let us touch them. Though never taught, his spirit knew that these creatures are mysterious and precious and he wanted to get an upclose glimpse. The world God created is vast and he is just begining to see it.

Oh, to see things as a small child. That is what God desires.

"I made a stake"

I had just sent my daughter outside, pushing our youngest in the double stroller. L. does a pretty good job and I can watch them easily out our windows. I was anticipating that she would push the stroller on the driveway, down by the swings, or over some other even terrain. Moments after seeing them on their way, L. comes running in, "Mom! Come! Hurry! I made a stake! I made a stake!" I ran outside and around the house to find the stroller upside down in the weeds and my 7 month old screaming. I pulled the stroller out with my son safely in his five-point harness. No harm was done. There was no poison ivy either. He was frightened, but that was it, thankfully.

I then went on to explain how she should get to her destination with a stroller and avoid the slight embankment on the edge of the lawn. I also had to clarify with her that the word is "mistake".

Thinking about it afterwards, I was thankful that she immediately came to ask for help and didn't try to cover-up what had happened. She was comfortable enough with her relationship with me, and concerned enough with the safety of her brother to come running for help right away.

I would hope that my relationship with the Lord is the same way. I want to learn how to come running to my Father when I have made a "stake" and not try to cover it up or fix it myself.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Enthrawled

Our 7 month old is now the proud owner of two bottom teeth. It makes me want to cry. He's yet another step away from my little baby. Yet, I love this age. He screeches with delight when we play peek-a-boo and he loves to blow "raspberries". He has been known to get the biggest kick out of someone, for some unknown reason, and cracks up laughing. Of course then everyone else is cracking up laughing.

If we are at the table eating, he makes it very clear that he is to be there too. He is learning what it means to be a part of this family and we are very happy to accomodate.

Even though he's a big boy and is not fully crawling, he loves his walker. We have painted concrete floors that make it exceedingly easy for him to get around. He very purposefully manipulates his walker directly to the bookshelf and empties it with glee. He can just as purposefully come rolling when we call with open arms and he does so with exuberance.

His smile is infectious and when I pick him up, he lets out a special giggle as he curls his head down into my shoulder. Today we had a very engaging conversation of coos, screeches and of course, more "raspberries".

He is enthrawled with his mama and I am enthrawled with him.

The value of a name

My 3 and 4 year old are commonly found playing and calling each other different names. Sometimes it's names like Charlie and Annette. Other times it's Shnotling and Crosnal. What?? Many times they play that they are Mom and Dad, Mom and brother, or the like. Then one will call, "Mommy!" I say, "What?" They look at me with a puzzled expression and then smile as they say, "You're not mommy. You're grandma!" Oh.

Despite the vivid imaginations that my children have, they still love their names. I've made up short diddies in which their names can be easily inserted such as this one to the tune of "Oh Christmas Tree":

Oh (their name)
Oh (their name)
We love you very much.
(repeat)

We love you so
We love you so
We love you so
We love you so

(repeat top)

There was a time when my husband and I would wrap them up after their baths and cradle them while we sang this tune. They loved it and would ask us to sing it over and over and even sing it with us. The cutest was when our youngest was born and our older son started singing this tune to our newborn all on his own.

Now our youngest is 7 months old and is really responding to his name more than ever. He loves it when I sing his name into his ear and hold him close, knowing that he is loved and cherished.

If I sit still enough to hear my Father's voice, sometimes I can hear Him singing my name and His love for me. No wonder my children love these simple songs of how much we love them. I love it too.