To My Children- "Remember who you are."

My Dear Children,
How I wish that I could tell you that we live in a perfect world. How I wish that I could tell you that you won't experience pain. Unfortunately, we live in a world that can be cruel and unfair. People say things that are untrue, friends can be mean, sickness is real, circumstances take you by surprise and don't seem fair, there are times of war, people live in poverty, and children live without parents who love them. We sat daydreaming about things the other day when we were reading through Genesis. What would the world be like without sin? My son, and it was your words, "It would be magical- like a fairy tale."

The truth is, dear children, that we do have hope of that fairy tale, but it may not come in this life. The key is resting in that hope.

You see, I read it in a book. These words, "Remember who you are." And those words have spurred your mom to much thought over the past weeks. There are many things that could define who I am. I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend, a nurse, a homeschooler- to name a few. As much as I love you and your dad, and as much as all of this adds meaning to my life, these things are not going to get me my fairy tale. When we define ourselves by others and what we do, we are always left lacking and wanting something more.

BUT, and this is big, dear children, you were made in the image of God. Did you get that? Genesis 1:27 says, "God created man in His own image." It doesn't end there though. Yes, man sinned, and yes, sin and pain and hurt entered our fairy tale world. But God, yes! But God had a plan, a marvelous plan. You see, He loves us more than we can imagine, and He sent His son. His very own son to shed His blood to cover our sins and be the ultimate sacrifice so that we can have life. Yes, on this earth our lives may be speckled with pain and hurt, but we are promised life eternal when we are in Christ. Then there will be no more pain.

So, on this earth, little ones- when you experience pain or see others in pain, or when people talk and you don't have the right clothes or the right education or the right car or enough money or you do the unpopular but right thing- find your identity in Jesus Christ. Rest in His love because you are made in His image. He has a plan that sometimes doesn't make sense, but resting in His love and following Him brings meaning to your life. Your life really starts when you have a love relationship with Jesus Christ.

Lovingly,
Mom

Some Days Just Call for Thanks

Some days you wake up and this thing called life just seems to go rather smoothly. Other days- not so much. The kids have a day or days of constant arguing. Or, you realize that after you clean the bathroom and wash a load of laundry your water is orange again because your treatment system isn't working properly.  Or, it's a hundred degrees on a hot summer day and your car, yet again, decides you need the heater and not the A/C so it automatically starts blasting you with heat. And to top things off you spend 12 hours putting up over 300 ears of corn on a hot summer day, come home exhausted and ready to crash in the bed,  and realize when talking with you husband, you may have some pretty big decisions to make in the near future.

So after maybe pitching a fit over these inconveniences, you realize they are just that- inconveniences. Because so many around the world don't have water to drink or a car to get them from point A to point B, and life changes can be good.

And those days call for giving thanks in the midst of inconvenience and stress.

And singing hymns and praising God

And remembering God's promises

Because He is sovereign, and He knows what I have need of and what is best for me. "For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." Matt. 6:8

And it really isn't about me, it should all be about Him. 

And yes, it is hard, and I would rather pitch a fit and complain.

But, although seasons change, my God remains the same.

So with David in Psalm 69 verse 30, "I will praise the name of God with song, and shall magnify Him with THANKSGIVING."

Challenge

 Yesterday morning, as I opened my inbox, I was met with a challenge. The physical challenge- no problem. I have been trying to fit back into my summer clothes anyway, so the extra motivation to get out and exercise was nice. 1 mile jog, 50 squats, 30 push-ups, 20 sit-ups- check!

The spiritual challenge took a little more thought and soul searching. The challenge- "Today we are going to continue memorizing Hebrews 12:1-2. We are going to look more personally into the verse and identify and share a sin (or weight) which we have struggled with a long time and it easily entangles us. Something that if it were not in our lives we would be better women, more profitable in our daily walk with God and happier in general."

Hebrews 12:1-2 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

I quickly knew the sin/ weight that I struggle with- fear/ worry. For a new RN who got on an airplane at 20 years old to fly to another country and practice medicine with people she didn't know, struggling with fear may seem a bit odd. It's true though. I worry about many, many things: I'm really afraid of heights- like I mean can be strapped in a harness on a 1 story structure and have sweaty palms and heart racing and my kids out do me(working on that though), I worry that the tick on my child is carrying lyme disease, a snake may be in the yard where the kids are playing, about finances, my husbands safety while at work- you name it, I probably have worried about it. I drive my husband crazy with my fears. I constantly have to remind myself that I serve a sovereign God and to take my fears to Him. As I thought about my struggles with fear and worry, I was reminded of a quote from Ann Voskamp, "All worry dethrones God. All worrying says we need to be King because God is incompetent. When the King really rules your world, you don't need to worry." WOW! I remember reading that for the first time and being really convicted of how small my faith really is. As I thought about it, I was stuck with how great of a deal worry and fear are- they DETHRONE God. 

I strive to live a life that is glorifying to my Heavenly Father, but my worry and fear actually dethrone Him. Praise God for the blood of Jesus Christ that paid the price for my sins of worry, fear, and doubt. Yes, I constantly have to ask forgiveness, remind myself that God is sovereign, that He knows what is best, that He loves me more than I can imagine, and that He is capable of doing more than I can ask or think. So with the boy's father in Mark 9, I cry, "Lord I believe, help my unbelief."