Blessings of Motherhood: The Mini-Miracles

Thank you Lord that…

The laundry I forgot in the washing machine hasn’t started molding.

I can cut a PB&J sandwich into a different shape and my kids now
                 think it’s now a cool meal.

Dishwashers are fancy boxes to hide dirty dishes.

You renew my strength and give me caffeine.

You made children to need more sleep than adults.

Spilled water cleans up spilled messes.

Baths can be fun when soap bubbles are added.

When desperation sets in, You seem to multiply goldfish crackers
                  too.

You made fruit so easy.

Dust is the ultimate dry erase board.

Everyday News

For those of you who haven't heard, Christian artist Jennifer Knapp has decided to come back to the music industry, but not within the same genre. With the release of her new album entitled Letting Go set to hit stores May 11th, she has also opened the personal pages of her life style revealing her choice to be a lesbian. Christianity Today: Jennifer Knapp Come Out

What does the everyday Christian do with that?

There will be some who pretend like Jennifer's career never existed, while others berate her, boycotting any store that sells her music. There are those who fear haveing to explain it to their children or new a believer in Christ. Situations like this are messy and uncomfortable, and for good reason: How do we handle a fallen hero of the faith?

There are several verses that come to mind:

The first is Luke 6:46, "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and don't do the things I say?" Homosexuality is very clear in the Bible as being against God. It is the choice of a sinful lifestyle. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says, "Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit God's kingdom? Do not be deceived: no sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, drunkards, revilers, or swindlers will inherit God's kingdom." But verse 11 is what we need to focus on, "Some of you were like this; but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

No, Ms. Knapp is not displaying the fruit of a disciple of Christ, but that does not mean she is doomed for eternity. Whether she was truly saved before, or has never been doesn't make a difference. We need to pray - in love - for her to repent, now. Remember, we have all been there. Perhaps not as homosexuals, but as lifestyle sinners. "...There is no one righteous, not even one...For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23, 10


So what is the message for us? Diligence. We are to focus on keeping ourselves pure and not be afraid to confront our brothers and sisters in love when we see them beginning to stray. We exercise endurance. "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24


As for children, new believers, and those who are searching, we tell them the truth. God hates sin, for it can not be in His presence, but the Good News is that Jesus Christ died to save each one of us from the sins we commit. We pray for their eyes to be open and their hearts softened. If we are completely devastated by a role model's failure, to the point where it causes one to stumble, then perhaps our eyes have been focused on the wrong Person, anyway. Idolatry comes in many forms. What a precious chance to repent ourselves!

Our God of More

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask of Him!
Matthew 7:11


The person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; the person who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
Matthew 10:37


And everyone who las left houses, brothers or sisters, father or mother, children, or fields because of My name ill receive 100 times more and will inherit eternal life.
Matthew 19:29


For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
Matthew 25:29


And to love Him with all you heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Mark 12:33


For life is more than food and the body more than clothing.
Luke 12:23


I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don't need repentance.
Luke 15:7


Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit.
John 15:2


The people here were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, since they welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if there things were so.
Acts 17:11


For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life!
Romans 5:10


No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.
Romans 8:37


But He  said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me.
2 Corinthians 12:9


Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.
Philippians 2:3


We must therefore pay more attention to what we have hears, so that we will not drift away.
Hebrews 2:1




How could God be any more?

Make Every Effort: Confirm Your Calling

Confirm Your Calling

2 Peter 1:10-11

 For His divine power has given us everything required 

for life and godliness, 

through the knowledge of Him who called us

 by His own glory and goodness.

   By these He has given us very great and precious promises, 

so that through them you may share in the divine nature,

escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires.

   

For this very reason,

 make every effort to supplement your 

faith with goodness, 

goodness with knowledge, 

   knowledge with self-control, 

self-control with endurance, 

endurance with godliness, 

   godliness with brotherly affection, 

and brotherly affection with love.

   For if these qualities are yours 

and are increasing, 

they will keep you from being 

useless or unfruitful 

in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

   The person who lacks these things 

is blind and shortsighted, 

and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins. 

   

Therefore, brothers, make every effort 

to confirm your calling and election, 

because if you do these things 

you will never stumble.

   For in this way, 

entry into the eternal kingdom of 

our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ 

will be richly supplied to you.

2 Peter 1:3-11

Being a details person, when I go on a trip I check and recheck my luggage and tickets. Kevin laughs at me when a plane is involved because I will look at the schedule for take off and landing at least a dozen times. I'm always concerned that I didn't look at the time right and that in my head it's completley wrong. Trust me, it's happened before.

I'm not saying that being completely obsessive/compulsive is the way to go, but I believe Scripture suggests we should practice it a little in our Spiritual life. This is one area where we really don't want to miss the plane because we got it wrong in our heads! The New Testament often shows us we are encouraged to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12), to "not give up" for "...our inner person is being renewed day by day." (2 Corinthians 4:16), and to train ourselves and strive for godliness (1 Timothy 4:6-10). It is the daily process by which we are being sanctified.

Now don't get me wrong, we were sanctified when we chose to sacrifice our lives for the sake of Christ, but we have not reached the ultimate goal yet. As my Pastor so aptly puts it, "We were sanctified, we are being sanctified, and one day we will be sanctified." We were washed by the blood, we are daily being washed by the blood (for the new sins we fall for), and one day we will get our final cleansing and be pure and holy forever at the resurrection. Until we reach that final day however, we must strive and work in order not to stumble.

To be richly supplied entry into the kingdom of heaven reminds me of my children:
We recently had basic cable run to our home for the first time in 8 years. We've had a television with DVD and VHS players, but never live TV. Thus, they had never experienced infomercials. Numerous times over the last month the children have run to me so excited about the amazing product they could get for only three easy payments of $60! They have no idea really what the product even is- but they want it!

That is how I feel about this section of Scripture. I really don't understand how a person can be richly supplied entrance into the kingdom of heaven instead of just gaining general admission, but I want it! Don't you? Well, He graciously has supplied the knowledge of how to obtain it:

We are to confirm our calling. 

Battleing Greatness

Do you realize that most Christians who have a close, fresh walk with Christ Jesus tend to battle their greatness? I'd say it's about 90%, which  means odds are... you do. Have you ever thought about it? The strange thing is that we usually go to Him and complain about it as well. It's funny that He blesses us with the strength for so much greatness and yet we fuss about it. Why? Our human nature wants to be least...

Then an argument started among them about who would be the greatest of them. But Jesus knowing the thoughts of their hearts, took a little child and had him stand next to Him. He told them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me. And whoever welcomes Me welcomes Him who sent Me. For whoever is least among you - this one is great." Emphasis mine
Luke 9:46-48
(See also Matthew 18:1-6)

A New Day

One of my favorite lines from the movie Chicken Little is often quoted by the sad little chicken himself. While trying to make something of himself in the height-impaired life he is living, Chicken Little often says, "Today is a new day!" This brave little chicken will not let his past mistakes, messed up relationships, and unfair situations overshadow the possibility of the brightness of today.

Why is it then, that we as Christians often live in the defeats and troubles of the past when we have been created new? (2 Corinthians 5:17) Was Jesus' saving blood just good for yesterday, or is it washing you anew today? We are to live victoriously through Christ. That does not mean, however, that we are to be snotty to those around us who have not come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We are to guide and shepherd them with love, not haughtiness.

Today is your new day. Live fully for Christ so that His radiance shines through you drawing others to ask what is up with you today. Take some time to mend a broken relationship, call that person you've been meaning to check on, take those old clothes to a ministry who can use them, or share a word of love and kindness with those who desperately need it.

After all, today can be their new day too. Don't you want to be the one blessed enough to share that with them?

...you took off your former way of life, the old man that is corrupted by deceitful desires; you are being renewed in the spirit of your minds; you but on the new man, the one created according to God's likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.
Ephesians 4:22-24

Prayer Request

Kevin and I think we have a miracle starting and could use your prayers for discernment, please. A few months ago we learned of a mission trip our church would be going on in October that we would love to be able to participate in, however there was just no way it could work out. First was the children. We have no family in the area and so have never been able to do anything like this. Also, Kevin has to sign up for his vacations in November for the entire next year. That makes planning activities like mission trips very difficult since they are usually not settled on that far in advance. Third was the difficulty of finances.

There were many obstacles to overcome.

A few weeks ago we saw the dates for the trip and they were so close to his vacation time! But, the trip was to be a Tuesday through Tuesday and Kevin's vacation was Friday through Friday. Laughingly we said that if God wanted us to go He'd have to change the date by a few days and then pay for it. We have seen God pay for so many of our needs that the date change would be our sign.

Well, this morning as we opened the worship guide we both did a double take and turned to each other with astonished eyes: The dates had been changed to the exact dates he has off. Then I remembered my mother doesn't work now and she'd be able to watch the children since they will be on fall break that week. OK God, check one and two, but what about check three? It's a BIG ole' check, too.

That's what I am asking you to pray for. If God wants us to go we will. No doubt. Right now we are trying to discern His will, because we want to go. That's not the issue. The issue is whether or not He wants us to go- and we need to know by the first of May when the deposit is due. Pray it will be made clear to us and that our own wishes and desires will not get in the way. I have to admit I really want to go for several reasons, but none so much as the fact Kevin and I have never been able to go on a mission trip together. He's done several things and I have as well, but we've never gone as a couple, and I long to serve beside him.

Thanks for your prayer - I covet them!