God has been showing me a few things lately. One of those things is that our prayers, our ministries, our works, the things we do for HIM, make a difference. However, we may not see the results of these things in our lifetime. We just have to trust that obedience and faithfulness results in blessings.
In my study of Ruth this summer (Kelley Minter) we saw that Ruth's faithfulness and obedience had long-lasting results. Because of her duty to follow her mother-in-law and her husband's faith, she became the great, great grandmother of King David and eventually an ancestor of Jesus. But she wasn't around to know....
In my study of Jonah this fall (Moody Bible Institute) we see that Jonah was angry with God because he felt that Nineveh deserved God's judgement. And even though Jonah wasn't happy about it, he followed God's command and went to Nineveh to show them God's ways. (OK, first he went on a 3 day cruise in the belly of a big fish, but he was eventually faithful). Nineveh repented and God gave them a second chance. 100 years later Nineveh was destroyed because of their behavior. Jonah would have liked to have seen that, but he wasn't around any more....
I have prayed for the salvation of a friend's (now ex) husband for over 30 years. I've given up before, thinking that he is just one of those that will never bend to God. But God has recently brought him back to my mind and I am once again praying for salvation of a man I haven't seen for probably 15 years.
I just read my son's blog that he is not sure whether there is a God. He's 22. He's had some things in his life that has caused him to question. I have a friend that asks how I can deal with my son's questioning. I am not anxious about it. Why? Because I trust God. I know how my son has been raised. I know that I pray for him every day. I know that he was given to God early is his life. I know for a fact that this beautiful red-headed boy was a true gift from God to my husband and I. So.....I trust. Someday this boy (man, to most who see him) will accept Jesus as his Savior once more and know that the creator of heaven and earth is the one true God. But until then I pray and wait. And as God has recently shown me, this may not happen in my life time, but with obedience and faithfulness, we are blessed.
My God, the one true God is big enough for our questions. In fact, he created us to question. He knew we would question. He created my son with a very smart brain, to read, to explore and to question. God knows us and loves us for who we are. Thank you God that you are big enough.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Love, Life and Death
Yesterday we did something that I hope no one has to do. We attended the funeral of a 19 y.o. friend of our son's. Worst of all, this young, handsome, intelligent guy took his own life. It is gut-wrenching, and unexplainable.
I am a person that has been faced with death a lot in my life and I've learned to deal with death fairly well. In HS, I lost all 3 grandparents (I only had 3) in just over 1 year. My father died in a car accident when I was 26. I lost our first pregnancy to a miscarriage. I have been a nurse for 30 years this year. The first death I ever saw was when I was a nurse aid during college, when I was 19. I was a Hospice Nurse in the early 90s. I've dealt with death a lot.
Yesterday was hard. Not just because it was the death of a young man, not just because of the cause of his death, not because I had to hug a mother who just lost her son, but also because my own son was hurting.
Any parent knows they would do anything so their child does not have to hurt. But we cannot take the hurt out of our children's lives. However; pain, problems, trouble, hurt is what makes us grow and mature and find what is important in life.
I think of God and that HE has to watch us make mistakes and go through tremendous hurts in life, knowing that we are growing and learning and hopefully getting close to HIM,
As I have to watch my children grow and hurt, I pray that they are learning more about themselves and about God. I pray that with every hurt they go through, they grow closer to God and rely more on HIM.
I am a person that has been faced with death a lot in my life and I've learned to deal with death fairly well. In HS, I lost all 3 grandparents (I only had 3) in just over 1 year. My father died in a car accident when I was 26. I lost our first pregnancy to a miscarriage. I have been a nurse for 30 years this year. The first death I ever saw was when I was a nurse aid during college, when I was 19. I was a Hospice Nurse in the early 90s. I've dealt with death a lot.
Yesterday was hard. Not just because it was the death of a young man, not just because of the cause of his death, not because I had to hug a mother who just lost her son, but also because my own son was hurting.
Any parent knows they would do anything so their child does not have to hurt. But we cannot take the hurt out of our children's lives. However; pain, problems, trouble, hurt is what makes us grow and mature and find what is important in life.
I think of God and that HE has to watch us make mistakes and go through tremendous hurts in life, knowing that we are growing and learning and hopefully getting close to HIM,
As I have to watch my children grow and hurt, I pray that they are learning more about themselves and about God. I pray that with every hurt they go through, they grow closer to God and rely more on HIM.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Bloom where you are planted
I have always loved the phrase "bloom where you are planted" from the first time I ever heard/saw it on a little sign in my friend Barb's house. Barb is a Methodist minister's wife. She was a minister's wife 10 years before my husband became a Methodist minister and taught me how to be a minister's wife ....but that's another blog.
Today on the way to work, I saw the coolest tree off to the side of the road. It was a dogwood on its side, blooming like crazy. I can only assume it blew over last May when we had a big wind burst of some kind blow through Salem during the day and downed over 100 trees. It came out of the blue; a beautiful day that turned into a sudden disaster and days and days of cutting up trees and making them into fire wood.
As I saw that tree on its side, roots half out of the ground, blooming beautifully, I thought...."I want to be like that." Even if I've been blown over by a wind that comes out of nowhere, I want to keep on blooming, even if my blooms are laying on the ground beside me.
Life is not near like I thought it would be....
I pictured myself in a little Missouri town, in a little neighborhood, with white pickets fences and 2.5 children. I pictured greeting my husband at the door everyday as he got off at 5pm. Yes, I really was that naive. I had a lot to learn about life.....
I still have a lot to learn, but one thing I think I have learned is that I cannot predict what life will be like. It is much better than I could have imagined. I wish I would have let go of my naive dreams and enjoyed each step more along the way, instead of wishing it was different and mourning what I wished it would have been. Oh, well....(that's one of the phrases I use a lot.)
That and "give up woulda, shoulda, couldas."
I'm still a dreamer and I'm still naive and I still love excitement and change, but I've also learned to enjoy monotonous, boring and normal....
So, no matter where life takes me I still want to bloom my naive head off, like that tree.
Today on the way to work, I saw the coolest tree off to the side of the road. It was a dogwood on its side, blooming like crazy. I can only assume it blew over last May when we had a big wind burst of some kind blow through Salem during the day and downed over 100 trees. It came out of the blue; a beautiful day that turned into a sudden disaster and days and days of cutting up trees and making them into fire wood.
As I saw that tree on its side, roots half out of the ground, blooming beautifully, I thought...."I want to be like that." Even if I've been blown over by a wind that comes out of nowhere, I want to keep on blooming, even if my blooms are laying on the ground beside me.
Life is not near like I thought it would be....
I pictured myself in a little Missouri town, in a little neighborhood, with white pickets fences and 2.5 children. I pictured greeting my husband at the door everyday as he got off at 5pm. Yes, I really was that naive. I had a lot to learn about life.....
I still have a lot to learn, but one thing I think I have learned is that I cannot predict what life will be like. It is much better than I could have imagined. I wish I would have let go of my naive dreams and enjoyed each step more along the way, instead of wishing it was different and mourning what I wished it would have been. Oh, well....(that's one of the phrases I use a lot.)
That and "give up woulda, shoulda, couldas."
I'm still a dreamer and I'm still naive and I still love excitement and change, but I've also learned to enjoy monotonous, boring and normal....
So, no matter where life takes me I still want to bloom my naive head off, like that tree.
Monday, April 5, 2010
The Easter Squall
I love Easter. It is a wonderful time of year..... Spring. It is a wonderful spiritual time of the year....resurrection. I love Easter Lilies, Easter dresses, Easter Cantatas, Easter food, Easter candy....I love it all.
But there is one thing I've noticed that I do not love.....the Easter Squall. I must admit here that I did not coin the phrase. I heard it from a dear friend who heard it from her mother-in-law. I think it describes things perfectly.
According to Webster, or whoever I googled, a squall is a sudden sharp increase in wind speed over a short period of time that can cause sudden rain, thunderstorms, snow storms....storms in general.
I have been in churches all my life. Church is great and I live for worshipping my Lord every Sunday in church. Churches gear up for Easter and Christmas, the 2 holidays when Christians celebrate our Lord. However, all that gearing up; music, practice, programs, flowers, extra services, costumes, etc, can cause the "squalls".
The pressure builds, company coming, the need for lots of food, family celebrations, travel, cute clothes, perfectly dressed children, white gloves, bonnets, smocked dresses, vests, suites for 2 year old boys, early services, Easter eggs, bunnies, hiding things.....argh! SQUALL - A sudden burst of wind and storms.
In my Christian walk, I didn't originally believe in an evil spirit, the devil, satan. However, as I grew in my faith and read the bible, I discovered there is a spirit always around us, wanting to draw us away from the Lord. My faith was really increased once I believed.
This is how I see the Easter squall. What better tool does evil have than to put us into such a holy frenzy over celebrating our Lord that it throws us off celebrating our Lord.
Let us be aware when we are so busy, so crazy, so frantic that is throws off the true meaning of anything that has to do with God.
20 years ago when my husband went into ministry our kids were 2, 4 and 6. Believe me, Easter was never a holy, quiet, spirit-filled holiday. My husband would get up, get ready and leave the house to go to the church to get ready for Sunrise service, leaving me with the kids, the house, the Easter bunny, the candy and usually a houseful of company to get to church by 0'dark:30, usually to sing with a group or solo. Boy are those fun memories!!
Really, they are fun memories now. I choose to remember the good things. And I chose to eat lots of jelly beans.
I still choose to eat lots of jelly beans and choose to have a house full of company. Fortunately, my kids all still come home, and they choose to go to church for Easter. Luckily, now they can dress themselves.
Lord, keep me aware of the "squall" and calm me to keep me focused on YOU!
But there is one thing I've noticed that I do not love.....the Easter Squall. I must admit here that I did not coin the phrase. I heard it from a dear friend who heard it from her mother-in-law. I think it describes things perfectly.
According to Webster, or whoever I googled, a squall is a sudden sharp increase in wind speed over a short period of time that can cause sudden rain, thunderstorms, snow storms....storms in general.
I have been in churches all my life. Church is great and I live for worshipping my Lord every Sunday in church. Churches gear up for Easter and Christmas, the 2 holidays when Christians celebrate our Lord. However, all that gearing up; music, practice, programs, flowers, extra services, costumes, etc, can cause the "squalls".
The pressure builds, company coming, the need for lots of food, family celebrations, travel, cute clothes, perfectly dressed children, white gloves, bonnets, smocked dresses, vests, suites for 2 year old boys, early services, Easter eggs, bunnies, hiding things.....argh! SQUALL - A sudden burst of wind and storms.
In my Christian walk, I didn't originally believe in an evil spirit, the devil, satan. However, as I grew in my faith and read the bible, I discovered there is a spirit always around us, wanting to draw us away from the Lord. My faith was really increased once I believed.
This is how I see the Easter squall. What better tool does evil have than to put us into such a holy frenzy over celebrating our Lord that it throws us off celebrating our Lord.
Let us be aware when we are so busy, so crazy, so frantic that is throws off the true meaning of anything that has to do with God.
20 years ago when my husband went into ministry our kids were 2, 4 and 6. Believe me, Easter was never a holy, quiet, spirit-filled holiday. My husband would get up, get ready and leave the house to go to the church to get ready for Sunrise service, leaving me with the kids, the house, the Easter bunny, the candy and usually a houseful of company to get to church by 0'dark:30, usually to sing with a group or solo. Boy are those fun memories!!
Really, they are fun memories now. I choose to remember the good things. And I chose to eat lots of jelly beans.
I still choose to eat lots of jelly beans and choose to have a house full of company. Fortunately, my kids all still come home, and they choose to go to church for Easter. Luckily, now they can dress themselves.
Lord, keep me aware of the "squall" and calm me to keep me focused on YOU!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Prayers for my daughters-in-law
I have 3 kids. They are wonderful, amazing adults that I am soooo proud of. One of my objectives of this blog is giving hope to young mothers in the midst of growing amazing kids into amazing adults.
I was thinking this morning about something I've done for years that I want to share.....praying for my kids' spouses.
I heard a long time ago when my kids were toddlers that we should start praying early for the people that our kids will marry. So I did. I can't say I prayed fervently every day but I have been praying for the people my kids will marry off and on for 22, 24 and 26 years.
So far, we have one in-law - our son-in-law. Our daughter married her wonderful husband 2 1/2 years ago. He is an amazing man of God. I couldn't have picked him better myself, but fortunately I didn't have to, I had the Lord working on it for years.
When I think about how he grew up, I am amazed. I'm so glad I had been praying for him all his life. He grew up in St. Louis (we are more rural MO folks). He grew up the baby of 7 kids in a blended family....yours, mine and ours. We have been married 30 years. He grew up in a family that didn't really go to church. My husband has been a pastor for 20 years, so our kids grew up literally IN the church. He went to a different college and out of the blue God had his path collide with our daughter's at just the perfect time. Isn't that just like God?
I'm so glad God brought him into our family. He loves the Lord and works to serve Him. He adores our daughter and is the perfect mate for her. They pray for God's guidance in their life and their marriage. They attend and are active in church and bible studies. Thank you God.
Now, neither of our sons has a mate. They're not ready and apparently neither is the woman God has for them. But I continue to pray for Godly women for them at the perfect time.
I pray that God is with these women, growing them, protecting them and making them the perfect women for my sons and our family.
My older son and I have a joke between us. He is very laid back, calm, easy-going and never worries about anything. We joke that his wife will be just the opposite.....in a not-so-easy=to-be-around way. But that is just a joke, because God has it all under control.
So, if you've never thought about it before, start praying now for the perfect Godly person for your children. It can happen!
I was thinking this morning about something I've done for years that I want to share.....praying for my kids' spouses.
I heard a long time ago when my kids were toddlers that we should start praying early for the people that our kids will marry. So I did. I can't say I prayed fervently every day but I have been praying for the people my kids will marry off and on for 22, 24 and 26 years.
So far, we have one in-law - our son-in-law. Our daughter married her wonderful husband 2 1/2 years ago. He is an amazing man of God. I couldn't have picked him better myself, but fortunately I didn't have to, I had the Lord working on it for years.
When I think about how he grew up, I am amazed. I'm so glad I had been praying for him all his life. He grew up in St. Louis (we are more rural MO folks). He grew up the baby of 7 kids in a blended family....yours, mine and ours. We have been married 30 years. He grew up in a family that didn't really go to church. My husband has been a pastor for 20 years, so our kids grew up literally IN the church. He went to a different college and out of the blue God had his path collide with our daughter's at just the perfect time. Isn't that just like God?
I'm so glad God brought him into our family. He loves the Lord and works to serve Him. He adores our daughter and is the perfect mate for her. They pray for God's guidance in their life and their marriage. They attend and are active in church and bible studies. Thank you God.
Now, neither of our sons has a mate. They're not ready and apparently neither is the woman God has for them. But I continue to pray for Godly women for them at the perfect time.
I pray that God is with these women, growing them, protecting them and making them the perfect women for my sons and our family.
My older son and I have a joke between us. He is very laid back, calm, easy-going and never worries about anything. We joke that his wife will be just the opposite.....in a not-so-easy=to-be-around way. But that is just a joke, because God has it all under control.
So, if you've never thought about it before, start praying now for the perfect Godly person for your children. It can happen!
Hope for the world
This week I have been following several things.....the Health Care Reform Bill, March Madness and my Beth Moore bible study on Daniel, to name a few things....
Sometimes I get pretty down looking at this world and the state it is in. I'm not a fan of this particular government leadership and state of affairs. However, I truly pray for our President and leaders daily. I believe in prayer and power of our Almighty God. But sometimes this world can overshadow my hope.
I occasionally start thinking that this world is turning so dark that there is no hope. I remind myself some of the scripture that supports this; John 15:18 and John 16:33. This world is not our home, and in this world, we will have TROUBLE! I start thinking that there is no hope for this world and that our only hope is in the Lord, in Heaven. I remind myself daily that as believing Christians, we have another world we are heading to that is wonderful and perfect and lovely, but we live in a God-forsaken world.
This week in my bible study of Daniel, Beth Moore, mentioned some things that gave me more hope, hope for this world. She mentioned that this world is NOT God-forsaken. That God LOVES this world and He is still in this world. In fact, that God so loves this world he sent Jesus Christ to us that we might have hope!! (John 3:16) I love it when God uses something to speak just to me....just to us, especially something that was recorded a couple of years ago.,.,..but He used it this week. That is a living God.
So even though I know this world is not my home, that I'm just passing through, that I have eternal hope in Christ in Heaven, I cannot forget that God LOVES this world - this dark world we live in.
There is hope. But let's keep praying for our world, our leaders, our communities and our families anyway!
And by the way, I'm still at 50% in my March Madness bracket!! Not bad for a football fan.
Sometimes I get pretty down looking at this world and the state it is in. I'm not a fan of this particular government leadership and state of affairs. However, I truly pray for our President and leaders daily. I believe in prayer and power of our Almighty God. But sometimes this world can overshadow my hope.
I occasionally start thinking that this world is turning so dark that there is no hope. I remind myself some of the scripture that supports this; John 15:18 and John 16:33. This world is not our home, and in this world, we will have TROUBLE! I start thinking that there is no hope for this world and that our only hope is in the Lord, in Heaven. I remind myself daily that as believing Christians, we have another world we are heading to that is wonderful and perfect and lovely, but we live in a God-forsaken world.
This week in my bible study of Daniel, Beth Moore, mentioned some things that gave me more hope, hope for this world. She mentioned that this world is NOT God-forsaken. That God LOVES this world and He is still in this world. In fact, that God so loves this world he sent Jesus Christ to us that we might have hope!! (John 3:16) I love it when God uses something to speak just to me....just to us, especially something that was recorded a couple of years ago.,.,..but He used it this week. That is a living God.
So even though I know this world is not my home, that I'm just passing through, that I have eternal hope in Christ in Heaven, I cannot forget that God LOVES this world - this dark world we live in.
There is hope. But let's keep praying for our world, our leaders, our communities and our families anyway!
And by the way, I'm still at 50% in my March Madness bracket!! Not bad for a football fan.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Insecurities
This is my second post, but I haven't told anyone I have a blog yet, so no one has read it. Why? Because I'm insecure about others reading what I'm writing. Why? I have no idea. Probably because I'm a recovering perfectionist. I think it is like any other addiction; you are never cured, just better and continually working on it.
Speaking of insecurities I'm reading a wonderful book that I think all women should read...."So Long Insecurities....You've Been a Bad Friend to Us." by Beth Moore. Beth Moore is a long-lost friend of mine that I haven't met yet. She knows my inner thoughts and my soul. I love her bible studies and her books. Thank you Beth for writing just what I need to hear.
As I had 3 children, I gave up trying to be the perfect super-mom...perfectly clean house, perfect meals on the table, perfectly dressed children (I gave up and let Peter wear his shorts and cowboy boots everywhere.) Perfection is one of the best things I ever gave up. And gave up, and gave up. I don't have to work on it as much any more. I credit that on being over 50.
If had one piece of advice to young mothers, young women, it is stop trying to make everything perfect and enjoy the imperfect moments. Also....laugh more.
So here I am, posting imperfect posts and writing imperfectly.
I hope some young woman/mom can learn from me.
Enjoy more, laugh more and perfect less.
Speaking of insecurities I'm reading a wonderful book that I think all women should read...."So Long Insecurities....You've Been a Bad Friend to Us." by Beth Moore. Beth Moore is a long-lost friend of mine that I haven't met yet. She knows my inner thoughts and my soul. I love her bible studies and her books. Thank you Beth for writing just what I need to hear.
As I had 3 children, I gave up trying to be the perfect super-mom...perfectly clean house, perfect meals on the table, perfectly dressed children (I gave up and let Peter wear his shorts and cowboy boots everywhere.) Perfection is one of the best things I ever gave up. And gave up, and gave up. I don't have to work on it as much any more. I credit that on being over 50.
If had one piece of advice to young mothers, young women, it is stop trying to make everything perfect and enjoy the imperfect moments. Also....laugh more.
So here I am, posting imperfect posts and writing imperfectly.
I hope some young woman/mom can learn from me.
Enjoy more, laugh more and perfect less.
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