Today was baptism day for my sweet Jackson! It was glorious! These are the moments that make this mom proud...bring tears to my eyes...provide me with great joy...and make me miss Keith. Joy and pain...happiness and sorrow. That is the stuff life is made of. Praise God that we have ridden the roller coaster of this world with our hands up and our hearts open!
Jackson boldly stepped forward for Christ, and was baptized into Him by our sweet minister, Mike.
And therein lies my last segment of this story.
In our church, it is typical for the dads to baptize their children. It is a wonderful tradition, the passing of the baton of life with Christ in a blood family, and is very moving. For us, it presents a quandary.
But, like all quandaries, the solution can be a joyous opportunity.
My boys have the opportunity to choose who baptizes them. They do not take this lightly, but instead pray over whom they want to immerse them. And both Matthew and Jackson have chosen well.
Matthew chose my self-proclaimed "little brother" in the church, Dave. He is the uncle who wrestles with them, is ready to kick their behinds or have a talk with them if I need it done. This bond was already there with my boys, but has only grown stronger since baptizing Matthew. I guess the best thing I can liken it to what the godfather is intended to be in the life a child...Dave has invested himself in Matthew spiritually, and the dividends to both of them have been beautiful to see. Praise God for His provision!
Jackson knew he would have the same choice, and had been thinking and praying about it almost as long as he had been pondering the question of baptism in his heart. After careful consideration, he decided he wanted our minister, Mike, to baptize him. All my boys have been blessed to spend a lot of time with Mike and his wife Linda. Mike was present for the births of all but Alex, supporting us and reporting the joyous news to the congregation. Mike sat with me at the hospital when Keith had his heart catheterization eight months before he passed away. Ironically, that day we talked about baptism.
Since Keith's death, Mike has often watched the boys for me so that I could attend ladies' functions at church. He gamely played paper airplanes, Legos, Wii, and anything else the boys wanted. He has come to soccer and baseball games each season, often accompanied by Linda. Together, they love and support my boys, getting nearly as teary as I do as we watch them grow into men. And I know that the relationship will be there always. Provision again!
I am blessed beyond measure to have so many fine Christian men speaking into the lives of my boys. These men have taken on the task with the same gusto that they have used with their own children. I have no worries about my boys learning to be the men God intends them to be. They have many wonderful examples...the list is too long to mention.
Today, I was overcome by the beauty of the day, the beauty of friends who have constantly loved and supported us over the past five years. God's church as it is supposed to be! I cried, but not an inordinate amount. The boys were pretty proud of me for that.
In a few years, Tanner will face the same decisions...for Christ and for whom shall immerse him. That will be just as glorious a day as this. He might even choose his brother Alex. Just the thought of that makes me smile.
He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. - Titus 3:5b-7
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Treasuring in My Heart - Part 2
When Matthew was baptized about a year after Keith died, many people said to me, "I'm sure Keith is here watching today." I agree: if it is possible, he was.
But therein lies the issue. What can we really see from Heaven? What is the relationship between this place and that?
As you may imagine, I have speculated a lot on that.
I say speculated because I have no clear evidence of exactly how it all works. God did not give us a blueprint of Heaven in the Bible.
The Bible clearly tells us that angels are separate creatures from us (see Psalm 8), so I don't hold to the "guardian angel" belief (see also Psalm 91). The Bible also says there is no pain or sorrow in Heaven (Revelation 21:4), so I wonder how much of this place a new creature in Heaven could take seeing. Wouldn't he miss us? Wouldn't he long for life here with us? It boggles the mind to think about how that could work!
On the other hand, the Bible also tells us in Hebrews 11-12 that we have a great cloud of witnesses who watch us and cheer for us when we do well.
What does it all mean? How am I going to take something as complex as Heaven and put it into terms that I can understand? How can I explain it to my children? We are trying to understand something that is so much bigger and more complex than we are that we cannot hope to fully understand. Like an ant trying to describe the universe. Like a 2-dimensional creature trying to explain a 3-dimensional world. Can't be adequately done.
Bottom line is that I can only speak to what I think and feel. And...as long as it is not contrary to Scripture, I don't see that there is a problem with it. We are all speculating anyway.
So here are a couple thoughts on the subject.
I feel like the glory of Heaven, the end of the story (or the beginning, depending on how you look at it) so far outweighs anything here that this place cannot possibly make a creature of Heaven sad...God or our loved ones.
My dad's favorite phrase to me when some teenage "calamity" hit my life that had me totally stressed out, was "Who will know in 20 years?" And, usually, within a few days, whatever I had considered something I would never get over, I had totally forgotten. Perhaps the scheme of time for eternity makes anything and everything we go through here fall into that category. Our loved ones can look at it the same way my dad did...as no big deal in the grand scheme of things.
So...as I ponder my sweet boy's baptism tomorrow, and the inevitable comments about Keith's being present, I can say a few things with certainty:
...there will be rejoicing in heaven;
...my wonderful friends and family in Christ will rejoice with me here on earth;
...I will be thinking of Keith, wishing he could be here to hold my hand and watch with me;
...and I will cry...tears of sorrow mingled with tears of great joy...the best kind of tears.
Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. - Nehemiah 8:10b
But therein lies the issue. What can we really see from Heaven? What is the relationship between this place and that?
As you may imagine, I have speculated a lot on that.
I say speculated because I have no clear evidence of exactly how it all works. God did not give us a blueprint of Heaven in the Bible.
The Bible clearly tells us that angels are separate creatures from us (see Psalm 8), so I don't hold to the "guardian angel" belief (see also Psalm 91). The Bible also says there is no pain or sorrow in Heaven (Revelation 21:4), so I wonder how much of this place a new creature in Heaven could take seeing. Wouldn't he miss us? Wouldn't he long for life here with us? It boggles the mind to think about how that could work!
On the other hand, the Bible also tells us in Hebrews 11-12 that we have a great cloud of witnesses who watch us and cheer for us when we do well.
What does it all mean? How am I going to take something as complex as Heaven and put it into terms that I can understand? How can I explain it to my children? We are trying to understand something that is so much bigger and more complex than we are that we cannot hope to fully understand. Like an ant trying to describe the universe. Like a 2-dimensional creature trying to explain a 3-dimensional world. Can't be adequately done.
Bottom line is that I can only speak to what I think and feel. And...as long as it is not contrary to Scripture, I don't see that there is a problem with it. We are all speculating anyway.
So here are a couple thoughts on the subject.
I feel like the glory of Heaven, the end of the story (or the beginning, depending on how you look at it) so far outweighs anything here that this place cannot possibly make a creature of Heaven sad...God or our loved ones.
My dad's favorite phrase to me when some teenage "calamity" hit my life that had me totally stressed out, was "Who will know in 20 years?" And, usually, within a few days, whatever I had considered something I would never get over, I had totally forgotten. Perhaps the scheme of time for eternity makes anything and everything we go through here fall into that category. Our loved ones can look at it the same way my dad did...as no big deal in the grand scheme of things.
So...as I ponder my sweet boy's baptism tomorrow, and the inevitable comments about Keith's being present, I can say a few things with certainty:
...there will be rejoicing in heaven;
...my wonderful friends and family in Christ will rejoice with me here on earth;
...I will be thinking of Keith, wishing he could be here to hold my hand and watch with me;
...and I will cry...tears of sorrow mingled with tears of great joy...the best kind of tears.
Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. - Nehemiah 8:10b
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Seeing Your Breath
When we leave home on a cold winter day, my little boys automatically look to see if you can see your breath. Each and every time. To them, it is the best indicator of how cold it is.
Often, I don't notice. Intent on getting into the car and wherever we are headed, I hurry them along. "Yes, yes, it is cold today. Let's hustle!"
The other day, however, I did notice.
My walks have been especially cold the last few days, below freezing when I step out the door. Nice brisk air in my face.
Even then, I can ignore the fact that I can see my breath...until I turn at the bottom of one particular street and all that breath blows back in my face, creating a haze for me to see through. I couldn't help but notice.
And, in that moment, I realize that sometimes I am like that with God.
Now, I don't try to forget Him in my daily walk. It just sometimes happens. I get stressed out by the problem of the day, the things on my agenda, the schedule I have created, and I forget that He is there, in everything, a strong indicator of where I am and an even stronger indicator of where I should be going.
And at moments like these, this analogy girl sees more clearly that I need that breath, His breath, that reminder in the cold. No matter where I am and what I am doing. For my whole life.
And praise Him, He will be there to remind me. That's a promise He gives me over and over in His Word. There is great comfort in that. Amen and amen.
Often, I don't notice. Intent on getting into the car and wherever we are headed, I hurry them along. "Yes, yes, it is cold today. Let's hustle!"
The other day, however, I did notice.
My walks have been especially cold the last few days, below freezing when I step out the door. Nice brisk air in my face.
Even then, I can ignore the fact that I can see my breath...until I turn at the bottom of one particular street and all that breath blows back in my face, creating a haze for me to see through. I couldn't help but notice.
And, in that moment, I realize that sometimes I am like that with God.
Now, I don't try to forget Him in my daily walk. It just sometimes happens. I get stressed out by the problem of the day, the things on my agenda, the schedule I have created, and I forget that He is there, in everything, a strong indicator of where I am and an even stronger indicator of where I should be going.
And at moments like these, this analogy girl sees more clearly that I need that breath, His breath, that reminder in the cold. No matter where I am and what I am doing. For my whole life.
And praise Him, He will be there to remind me. That's a promise He gives me over and over in His Word. There is great comfort in that. Amen and amen.
Breathe on Me Breath of God
Lyrics: Edwin Hatch; Music: Robert Jackson
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love,
And do what Thou wouldst do.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with Thee I will one will,
To do and to endure.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Blend all my soul with Thine,
Until this earthly part of me
Glows with Thy fire divine.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
So shall I never die,
But live with Thee the perfect life
Of Thine eternity.
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love,
And do what Thou wouldst do.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with Thee I will one will,
To do and to endure.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Blend all my soul with Thine,
Until this earthly part of me
Glows with Thy fire divine.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
So shall I never die,
But live with Thee the perfect life
Of Thine eternity.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Treasuring in My Heart - Part 1
Well, he's done it! This is a good "it!"
My seven year old has studied. He has pondered and asked questions. And now he's ready...to commit his life to Christ through baptism.
Praise God and hallelujah!
Now, in this mom brain, that has brought about a series of emotions and feelings, all in short order.
My first thought when he told me was a very human response, I think.
Well, I guess I'm doing OK raising these kids without Keith.
Again, praise God and hallelujah!
Not that I think I am going to mess them up; and not that I think it's really all up to me. I just water those seeds in that sweet little soul and pray...and pray...and pray for God to bring the increase. And He does.
And then my thoughts turn to Keith. I want to tell him...that I'm carrying on...that we are progressing as a family...that we are moving forward with our lives here on earth.
I want him to be proud of me and the job I'm doing. I would give anything to see that smile and the love in his eyes.
These are his kids, too. I want to raise them to be the men of God we dreamed they would be. That desire has only increased since Keith's death. I want my sons to be in the image of their earthly father, who had his eyes always on his Heavenly Father. That is the best legacy that I can give them.
I have a quote that hangs on my wall that says the following (I'm afraid I cannot find the source):
My seven year old has studied. He has pondered and asked questions. And now he's ready...to commit his life to Christ through baptism.
Praise God and hallelujah!
Now, in this mom brain, that has brought about a series of emotions and feelings, all in short order.
My first thought when he told me was a very human response, I think.
Well, I guess I'm doing OK raising these kids without Keith.
Again, praise God and hallelujah!
Not that I think I am going to mess them up; and not that I think it's really all up to me. I just water those seeds in that sweet little soul and pray...and pray...and pray for God to bring the increase. And He does.
And then my thoughts turn to Keith. I want to tell him...that I'm carrying on...that we are progressing as a family...that we are moving forward with our lives here on earth.
I want him to be proud of me and the job I'm doing. I would give anything to see that smile and the love in his eyes.
These are his kids, too. I want to raise them to be the men of God we dreamed they would be. That desire has only increased since Keith's death. I want my sons to be in the image of their earthly father, who had his eyes always on his Heavenly Father. That is the best legacy that I can give them.
I have a quote that hangs on my wall that says the following (I'm afraid I cannot find the source):
Motherhood
It will be overwhelming.
It will be difficult.
It will bring you to the end of yourself.
And at the end, you will find Him.
Mothering kids is hard...very hard. Single mothering can be an extreme challenge, one that I often feel absolutely unable to complete.
But the good news is that I do not do this alone, even with Keith on the other side of the divider between here and Heaven.
And God's grace is sufficient to cover me at my weakest, my most ineffective, my most sinful, my most foolish, my most selfish.
Praise God for His provision!
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. - 2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. - 2 Corinthians 12:9
Monday, January 21, 2013
Sunrise and Sunset
There is nothing like watching the sun rise or set over the ocean.
I have lived a large portion of my life on one coast or the other...but primarily on the East Coast. So, I probably have seen more sunrises on the water than sunsets, at least in my adult life, since I have been walking with God.
One of my favorite sunrises was shared with two friends when we were on a singles' retreat weekend on a Delaware beach many years ago. We got up early and headed out to the shore, huddling together in the cool morning air. As the sun broke through the blackness, we sang hymns to our Lord and enjoyed the beauty of His creation.
In my moments of stress, I often go back to the stillness of that morning beach, singing to my Lord. A day began, full of promise. Joy was in the air.
But I have learned there is joy to be found in the sunset as well.
My parents moved to Naples, Florida a few years ago. Gulf side. Sunsets.
At first it was a bit of an odd concept for me, after years of solitary sunrises full of quiet promise.
Sunset in Naples is an event. People come and set up chairs just before it occurs, cameras posed, to capture the beauty of display. There is stillness, but it is a shared stillness as all present pause to look in wonder at the beauty before us.
The end of something lovely; the icing on the cake.
What a picture for our lives! Joy in all the moments.
I love that we have a God who wants an intimate, personal relationship with me...one who will meet me in the sunrise, full of promise that He's got it, that He loves me, that we will always walk this walk together. Just the two of us, in quiet solitude.
I love, too, that we have a God who loves us in the sunsets, with others around for our journey, when the times are hard and the day needs to pause in order to be with Him and see Him. The human family to help transmit the love of God to me here on earth, to sharpen as iron my walk with Him, to share the joy and beauty of the days of my life.
I need both...the sunrises and the sunsets...the times with God alone and with God in groups of brothers and sisters in Christ.
And I praise Him that He gives me just what I need!
And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen. - Philippians 4:19-20
I have lived a large portion of my life on one coast or the other...but primarily on the East Coast. So, I probably have seen more sunrises on the water than sunsets, at least in my adult life, since I have been walking with God.
One of my favorite sunrises was shared with two friends when we were on a singles' retreat weekend on a Delaware beach many years ago. We got up early and headed out to the shore, huddling together in the cool morning air. As the sun broke through the blackness, we sang hymns to our Lord and enjoyed the beauty of His creation.
In my moments of stress, I often go back to the stillness of that morning beach, singing to my Lord. A day began, full of promise. Joy was in the air.
But I have learned there is joy to be found in the sunset as well.
My parents moved to Naples, Florida a few years ago. Gulf side. Sunsets.
At first it was a bit of an odd concept for me, after years of solitary sunrises full of quiet promise.
Sunset in Naples is an event. People come and set up chairs just before it occurs, cameras posed, to capture the beauty of display. There is stillness, but it is a shared stillness as all present pause to look in wonder at the beauty before us.
The end of something lovely; the icing on the cake.
What a picture for our lives! Joy in all the moments.
I love that we have a God who wants an intimate, personal relationship with me...one who will meet me in the sunrise, full of promise that He's got it, that He loves me, that we will always walk this walk together. Just the two of us, in quiet solitude.
I love, too, that we have a God who loves us in the sunsets, with others around for our journey, when the times are hard and the day needs to pause in order to be with Him and see Him. The human family to help transmit the love of God to me here on earth, to sharpen as iron my walk with Him, to share the joy and beauty of the days of my life.
I need both...the sunrises and the sunsets...the times with God alone and with God in groups of brothers and sisters in Christ.
And I praise Him that He gives me just what I need!
And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen. - Philippians 4:19-20
Friday, January 18, 2013
Black Ice
After a week of rainy, yucky weather when I have not been able to walk, I was excited to see a clear, but cold, sky this morning. I do so enjoy my morning walk!
I suited up and stepped out the door and started across the street...only to have to catch myself from falling on my can!
Black ice...little patches of it. Too small to affect cars and school buses, but doing a number on my balance. They were forcing me to mince along rather than take full strides. Since much of my walk is along sidewalk-less roads, I turned and headed home, not wanting to wrench a knee or hip with awkward muscle movements...or worse yet, slide under a car.
In short, I got a little scared. So I headed home to safety.
In this widow-walk that I know so well, there are moments like this, too.
I can be traveling along, taking life as it comes, trusting the Lord and moving forward, when all of a sudden...those unexpected moments come and I am slipping and sliding...in my walk and in my faith.
It is often something totally innocuous that sets me off...a song on the radio, a gesture from one of my kids that is so like their dad, a phrase heard in passing.
Then I have to slow down, take stock of what I do have, make the decision to either continue where I am and what I am doing, or take the high road and exit the situation.
Unlike this morning, I don't always have the freedom to turn around and walk home, giving up until another day. I need to press on. The bills must be paid; the decisions must be made; the children must be disciplined. But that doesn't mean I do it alone.
God is with me every step of the way, whether I am striding along or delicately, painstakingly picking my way. And He always will be.
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging. - Psalm 46:1-3
I suited up and stepped out the door and started across the street...only to have to catch myself from falling on my can!
Black ice...little patches of it. Too small to affect cars and school buses, but doing a number on my balance. They were forcing me to mince along rather than take full strides. Since much of my walk is along sidewalk-less roads, I turned and headed home, not wanting to wrench a knee or hip with awkward muscle movements...or worse yet, slide under a car.
In short, I got a little scared. So I headed home to safety.
In this widow-walk that I know so well, there are moments like this, too.
I can be traveling along, taking life as it comes, trusting the Lord and moving forward, when all of a sudden...those unexpected moments come and I am slipping and sliding...in my walk and in my faith.
It is often something totally innocuous that sets me off...a song on the radio, a gesture from one of my kids that is so like their dad, a phrase heard in passing.
Then I have to slow down, take stock of what I do have, make the decision to either continue where I am and what I am doing, or take the high road and exit the situation.
Unlike this morning, I don't always have the freedom to turn around and walk home, giving up until another day. I need to press on. The bills must be paid; the decisions must be made; the children must be disciplined. But that doesn't mean I do it alone.
God is with me every step of the way, whether I am striding along or delicately, painstakingly picking my way. And He always will be.
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging. - Psalm 46:1-3
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Follow-Through Faith
M-o-o-o-o-m, where's my _________?
In a houseful of boys, this is a cry that is heard far to often. Some days I am certain that a uterus must be a homing device. They don't have them; they can't find anything.
And it is often quite frustrating.
Oh, if they legitimately look for something, I don't get so hot under the collar; but if they take a cursory look at best and then start screaming for me to find something that they should know where it is, not I, I tend to get a little...peeved.
Any of you relate?
Then yesterday I read a verse that made me wonder if I do the same thing at times...with God.
It was one of those verses that I have probably read 100 times, and one that has always been kind of ancillary details to me...but something in it stood out to me this time. How cool that the active Word of God can do that!
Genesis 15:11: The birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.
To set the scene for this verse, God has just promised Abram a son. He makes a covenant with him, but God, who created all, has Abram go and get the birds for the sacrifice, and then has Abram keep away the vultures while He prepares to burn the sacrifice Himself.
Abram had to do his part! The God of the universe certainly could have told the birds of prey to take a hike and let Abram sit and watch the show. But instead He had him take part.
And God blessed him...then in words and later by the birth of the promised son.
But Abram had to get ready for his blessing, do his part in the preparation of it, not just sit and wait for it to happen before him. Huh.
As I look at some of the challenges I face this year, I need to keep this in mind. Instead of just doing cursory things to get it done, I need to keep looking for what God wants me to do as part of preparation for the blessing.
Financial issues? Have I done my part and been a wise steward, or am I just barely looking around for what is needed and crying to Daddy?
Finding a man in my life? Have I prayed enough, determined what I need and want enough? Have I done all I can emotionally, physically, and spiritually to be in a position to accept that gift should it come to me? I know He has been honing off pieces of me...have I let Him?
So I guess that would be my new year's plan...not a resolution, per se, but a plan.
Do my part to be ready for God to do His.
He will be faithful, that's a given. I pray that I will be, as well.
I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. - Matthew 17:20
In a houseful of boys, this is a cry that is heard far to often. Some days I am certain that a uterus must be a homing device. They don't have them; they can't find anything.
And it is often quite frustrating.
Oh, if they legitimately look for something, I don't get so hot under the collar; but if they take a cursory look at best and then start screaming for me to find something that they should know where it is, not I, I tend to get a little...peeved.
Any of you relate?
Then yesterday I read a verse that made me wonder if I do the same thing at times...with God.
It was one of those verses that I have probably read 100 times, and one that has always been kind of ancillary details to me...but something in it stood out to me this time. How cool that the active Word of God can do that!
Genesis 15:11: The birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.
To set the scene for this verse, God has just promised Abram a son. He makes a covenant with him, but God, who created all, has Abram go and get the birds for the sacrifice, and then has Abram keep away the vultures while He prepares to burn the sacrifice Himself.
Abram had to do his part! The God of the universe certainly could have told the birds of prey to take a hike and let Abram sit and watch the show. But instead He had him take part.
And God blessed him...then in words and later by the birth of the promised son.
But Abram had to get ready for his blessing, do his part in the preparation of it, not just sit and wait for it to happen before him. Huh.
As I look at some of the challenges I face this year, I need to keep this in mind. Instead of just doing cursory things to get it done, I need to keep looking for what God wants me to do as part of preparation for the blessing.
Financial issues? Have I done my part and been a wise steward, or am I just barely looking around for what is needed and crying to Daddy?
Finding a man in my life? Have I prayed enough, determined what I need and want enough? Have I done all I can emotionally, physically, and spiritually to be in a position to accept that gift should it come to me? I know He has been honing off pieces of me...have I let Him?
So I guess that would be my new year's plan...not a resolution, per se, but a plan.
Do my part to be ready for God to do His.
He will be faithful, that's a given. I pray that I will be, as well.
I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. - Matthew 17:20
Saturday, January 12, 2013
The Complex Nature of Farming for God
I have the privilege of praying for dear friends who are a farming family. Never before have I paid so much attention to drought forecasts and tornado warning and snowstorm predictions in the Midwest.
I can't be there to be part of the work, but by her Facebook posts and watching the weather, I can pray...and pray...and pray. I hope I am praying effectively. Lord willing, one day I will walk their fields with them and see the fruits of their labor. If not, at least I can continue pray.
Shouldn't that be the way that we look at dealing with our unbelieving friends, associates, and...gulp...unbelieving family?
Family can know where all the chinks in the armor are. They can rile you quicker, and laugh harder than any others when you fail and fall.
I had a discussion with my dear friend Carol regarding witnessing to her unbelieving family. She had been lamenting to her husband and son about their demands on her for money-motivated demonstrations of her love. Her son had a response that stilled her.
Mom, it might not be for them that you are behaving as a Christian and providing for and putting up with them. It might be a witness to their neighbors.
Wise words. Not direct planting, but part of the process nonetheless. In turn, maybe another family member of that neighbor can be the ones to get through to Carol's family, bringing them to the Lord. For that we can definitely pray.
All in all, this is a complex process. We can only see our own little piece of it, and can be tempted to believe it is the most important piece. Truly, though, it takes all these pieces to make the "planting" successful. And it is not us who bring the increase. It is the Lord Himself.
So, when with others, I cannot be direct with them in the planting of gospel seeds...whether due to distance or resistance...I can still pray for hands that will be there to do that work. And I can realize that my prayers may be just what it takes to strengthen the other person for the work at hand.
Thanks be to God for giving us a part of the work, whatever part He may give us.
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. - 1 Corinthians 3:6-9
I can't be there to be part of the work, but by her Facebook posts and watching the weather, I can pray...and pray...and pray. I hope I am praying effectively. Lord willing, one day I will walk their fields with them and see the fruits of their labor. If not, at least I can continue pray.
Shouldn't that be the way that we look at dealing with our unbelieving friends, associates, and...gulp...unbelieving family?
Family can know where all the chinks in the armor are. They can rile you quicker, and laugh harder than any others when you fail and fall.
I had a discussion with my dear friend Carol regarding witnessing to her unbelieving family. She had been lamenting to her husband and son about their demands on her for money-motivated demonstrations of her love. Her son had a response that stilled her.
Mom, it might not be for them that you are behaving as a Christian and providing for and putting up with them. It might be a witness to their neighbors.
Wise words. Not direct planting, but part of the process nonetheless. In turn, maybe another family member of that neighbor can be the ones to get through to Carol's family, bringing them to the Lord. For that we can definitely pray.
All in all, this is a complex process. We can only see our own little piece of it, and can be tempted to believe it is the most important piece. Truly, though, it takes all these pieces to make the "planting" successful. And it is not us who bring the increase. It is the Lord Himself.
So, when with others, I cannot be direct with them in the planting of gospel seeds...whether due to distance or resistance...I can still pray for hands that will be there to do that work. And I can realize that my prayers may be just what it takes to strengthen the other person for the work at hand.
Thanks be to God for giving us a part of the work, whatever part He may give us.
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. - 1 Corinthians 3:6-9
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Remembering Hope
A couple years ago we met a new family at soccer. As we were talking about our common love for Christ, our common activities, and our common friends, I shared that I am a widow.
I don't always share my widow status with others. Never wanting to garner pity, I prayerfully consider before sharing this fact. Is sharing this part of my testimony going to be beneficial to them or to me...or would it simply be some sort of stumbling block, causing a sense of difference between me and them.
This day I was rewarded for my sharing with a picture that has stayed with me since then.
That dad, a big, strapping guy, military reservist, currently in law enforcement, was nearly undone at the thought that my little boys did not have a daddy here on earth. He looked at me, not with pity, but with a compassion that stirred my soul and still gives me a warm feeling when I remember on it, coming close to tears as he reflected on boys growing up without their dad. And right then I knew what kind of father he was.
And, as usual, it got me to thinking.
Jackson is currently reading Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes. In it, one of the characters, Mrs. Lapham, continuously talks about her "poor, fatherless girls" as a pity play.
Now, I could go there. I could pity myself. I could bemoan my state in life, the lack of a dad here for the boys. I could see this even with our friend and just one more example of how much we are missing.
I choose instead to see hope.
I see in this friend the fact that good men do exist. Strong fathers exist. Men care about others.
It may not be in God's plan to give us another man in our lives. But it may be. Only He knows at this point.
Regardless, He's got it covered...my life, and that of my boys...and He will give us what we need.
Of that I am absolutely certain.
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. - Luke 12:6-7
I don't always share my widow status with others. Never wanting to garner pity, I prayerfully consider before sharing this fact. Is sharing this part of my testimony going to be beneficial to them or to me...or would it simply be some sort of stumbling block, causing a sense of difference between me and them.
This day I was rewarded for my sharing with a picture that has stayed with me since then.
That dad, a big, strapping guy, military reservist, currently in law enforcement, was nearly undone at the thought that my little boys did not have a daddy here on earth. He looked at me, not with pity, but with a compassion that stirred my soul and still gives me a warm feeling when I remember on it, coming close to tears as he reflected on boys growing up without their dad. And right then I knew what kind of father he was.
And, as usual, it got me to thinking.
Jackson is currently reading Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes. In it, one of the characters, Mrs. Lapham, continuously talks about her "poor, fatherless girls" as a pity play.
Now, I could go there. I could pity myself. I could bemoan my state in life, the lack of a dad here for the boys. I could see this even with our friend and just one more example of how much we are missing.
I choose instead to see hope.
I see in this friend the fact that good men do exist. Strong fathers exist. Men care about others.
It may not be in God's plan to give us another man in our lives. But it may be. Only He knows at this point.
Regardless, He's got it covered...my life, and that of my boys...and He will give us what we need.
Of that I am absolutely certain.
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. - Luke 12:6-7
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