Satisfaction

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied... Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." -Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5:6,8

The days that I go to bed with the greatest amount of satisfaction are the days that I spend being consumed by who God is, playing with Micah, preparing my home for my family, and seeking to love others. I believe that these things come from a heart that has pure motives, not a desire for selfish gain. But often times I lie in bed a night and realize that most of my day was spent wasting time with TV, the internet, being frustrated with Micah, and having contact with no one but Ryan. Although throughout they day I may be satisfied by these fleeting pleasures, I am left empty and as though the day was a waste. I read these verses today and realized that my soul is only truly satisfied when I hunger and thirst for the righteousness that can only come from seeing God. So, I will seek to have a pure heart (or motive) in all that I do.

Father, grant me a hunger and thirst for righteousness and a pure heart that would allow me to see you each day, leaving my soul satisfied. In Jesus name, Amen

Practical application of holiness...

'Holiness is not a mere abstraction: it is praying and loving and being consecrated, but also it is the doing [of] kind deeds, speaking friendly words, being in a crowd when we long to be alone.'Being spiritual, for her, was not some esoteric experience. It was being patient with a tired and grumpy child; serving the need of her husband when exhausted herself; listening patiently to the complaints of a discontented church member.

From Sharon James' biography of Elizabeth Prentiss 'More Love to Thee'

Often I forget that I stand holy and blameless before God because of the perfect sacrifice of Christ, but more than that, I forget to act out that standing of holiness. I am found blameless, yet I offer many reasons each day to those around me to find fault in my actions, thoughts, and attitudes. This quote from one of Elizabeth Prentiss' letters struck me when I read it. Holiness is not an individual experience, but the way in which we are called to exist. "...but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"(1 Peter 15-16)

So today, I pray that I may exude the holiness that is already credited to my account. "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, who you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Amazed...

My husband constantly amazes me. Although I knew he was gifted in so many areas when I met him, it wasn't until recently that he has gained much confidence in his title as "Mr. Fix-it." We moved into our house about eight months ago, so we have began to notice the few things that we want/need to fix around the yard and house. So, me, not really having the desire to do the down and dirty tasks, have relied heavily on Ryan to do some of these things. So first on his list were the toilets. Two of the three have been constantly running water so our water bill has basically tripled in the past two months. Determined that Ryan could fix them, we headed out to home depot and bought the parts. After much hard work, I am proud to announce that Ryan has fixed all of the toilets in our house so that they both flush correctly and no longer constantly leak. My husband is amazing.

Although I and our checking account our very appreciative for the repair work, I have to say that the neatest part of the whole deal is seeing the confidence and pride that Ryan has found from fixing the toilets. I have always known that he could do anything. He has a wonderfully intellectual mind and a work ethic like none other. I have watched him create unity among hundreds, and fellowship among few. He is loving and wise, sensitive yet strong, filled with emotions while still level headed, serious with the perfect amount of humor, understanding and forgiving yet fair, talented but humble, and always striving to be more like Christ. He is amazing, simply amazing...

I appreciate you husband. The man you are, the man you are continually discovering, and the man that you are to me. Thank you for your work and your encouragement. You are not taken for granted...

Learning some lessons from our children

A few weekends ago Ryan, Micah, and I went on a road trip to Tennessee for my brother-in-law's college graduation. This was the first long car trip that Micah had been on since he was four months old. I, trying to be the thought-of-everything-mom, packed every possible thing that he could need to be content: toys, snacks, blankets, spoons, pacifiers, something to drink, and his own little cup holder to hold his food of choice whenever he desired. So, by my standard, the trip should be flawless! We were planning on Micah sleeping a large part of the trip because he is still a normal two naps a day kid, but he decided that he only needed to sleep a total of forty minutes of the nine hour trip. Although this was different then his normal schedule, he maintained himself very well, until it was time for bed. We attempted to put him down about 11pm. After two hours of trying everything, we finally just looked at him and said with our parent voices, "time for bed Micah" and he went to sleep. The next day, the day of the graduation, Micah took no naps at all, decided that he wanted to eat almost nothing, drink almost nothing, and be happy about almost nothing. Despite our best efforts, Micah did not want to relax, until I took him in my arms and held him close and he closed his eyes, but minutes later he was up again. During the graduation, Micah and I spent most of our time out in the hall. Micah bounced between being perfectly content to unappeasable. Finally, after an exhausting two days, Micah slept, and he slept well. The next day was our trip home and Micah slept about five of the nine hours home. I think he had finally exhausted enough of his own recourses, that he was just willing to give into what we had always known would be best for him, sleep.

So lessons I learned about God and myself from my son:
-God (like a mom attempts to be) is all knowing and has provided for our every need (Romas 11:33-36)
-I (like Micah) have no idea what I need and I am unwilling to give into what God (mom) knows I need
-God (like a mom) knows us, His children, intimately and has already ordained our paths (set a schedule) (Psalm 23:3)
-I (like Micah) think that I know what is best for me and I will whine, cry, and pout until I get it or realize finally that is not going to happen
-God (like a mom) has to sometimes be firm to get us to follow His instructions (Proverbs 3:11-12)
-I (like Micah) sometimes need a firm reminder of who I am and who my Father is
-God (like a mom should be, but I often fail in) is just, patient, loving, and slow to anger (Psalm 103:8)
-I (like Micah) take God (his mom) for granted
-God (like a mom) embraces his children and is always a place of rest (Matthew 11:28)
-I (like Micah) only allow those moments to last for such a brief time

So over the past few weeks I have watched Micah and I have realize how much I can learn from him. Sometimes we have our tough moments, but most of our time is spent in laughter and wonder. He is the most wonderful little guy and I see such a desire in him for encouragement and approval. In the littlest things that he does, he wishes to be seen. He wants to know that Ryan and I are proud and that who he is is good. How I am like that. But I wish that I could be as simple as Micah is. Often I don't just look for the approval of my heavenly Father, but rather I seek that from so many others. Micah right now knows no people greater then his mom and dad and I hope that one day we will be able to point that approval towards Christ. So, the next time that I find myself in mommy vs. Micah, after the situation is settled, I should reflect on what greater things I can learn about myself and my relationship with my higher authority, Christ.

Micah's growing up!

Micah has started to walk, so life at our house is a whole new ball game. I am so proud of the little guy each time he learns to do something new, but I am also saddened that he is growing so fast. I realize that each moment that I have with him comes and goes more quickly then I ever would have imagined. What a blessing it is to watch him grow, but what an intimidating task to be one of the people that will guide him as he matures into a man. That is one area where I need to seek God's grace each day. But for today, I rejoice that he is walking!! Good job kiddo!!

A Womans Image... Part 2

Isaiah 53:2 describes the coming of the incarnate Christ by saying, "...He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him." If Christ Himself, with God in the creation of beauty, did not see fit to render himself beautiful as a means to draw others to him, why then should I desire to have or create a beauty that will point others to myself and not Christ? "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matthew 23:12)." What a complex concept. As a woman I wish to be beautiful for my husband and to be desired. Where is that line that makes me pleasing to my husband, but not consumed by the images shaped by this world? As I wrestled with this question I ran across a verse that I’m sure I have read before, but this time was the first time that my eyes were opened. "But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their husbands (1 Peter 3:4-5)." There is something greater then the physical beauty that exists just in our physical likeness of Christ; it is the beauty of our inward or spiritual likeness of Christ. “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord…Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22,24).” Not that submission is the key to all beauty, but is a mighty tool that is constantly used by God to remind His children to be humbled and to keep a gentle and quiet spirit.

So what should our adorning be? Where is that line? The bible speaks of the Proverbs 31 woman saying, "Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at time to come… She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong (v. 25,17).” Perhaps this clothing carries a greater reward then the satisfaction of thinking I look beautiful.
The Reward: “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, he praises her: ‘Many woman have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” There is the line. Beauty is found in the ways that God has called us to walk as woman. Beauty is described by all of the things that are embodied in the Proverbs 31 woman. Let look at how this Proverbs ends, “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her words praise her in the gates.”

Amen and thanks be to God that he has created a beauty that is greater then that which is measured by this world. Be encouraged about yourself this day wife and mom!


"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you (Jeremiah 1:5)"

A Woman's Image... Part 1

Like everyone, for most of my life I have had insecurities about myself. Whether it was teenage (or adult) acne, crazy puffy frizzy hair (you can't imagine some of the pictures) or even some the clothes I wore, there has always been an area in which I have felt I could improve. In spite of all of those things, my physical body image (my shape or condition) was never really a source of attack. Now, perhaps it is because I was obsessed with my hair, which never looked right, but my body was just not an area of struggle, until recently. I had my son fourteen and half months ago and although I was back into my regular clothes about 10 days after his birth, nothing has ever been the same. Within the past few months this has really become an area of attack for me, so I thought I would devote a few days to searching out what God says about the physical image of a woman. Lets begin with this in mind from Proverbs 31 "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised (v30)." There is no doubt that what is inside of a woman is where much of her value lies; however, we would be blind to believe that the physical presence has no worth. It says of the Proverbs 31 woman that "...her clothing is fine linen and purple (v22b)." These materials are seen through out scripture as a representation of stature and beauty. But let us look first to the one who created us before we define both our outward and inward appearance.

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:2)." The word likeness, dmuwth in Hebrew, means likeness, resemblance, similitude; image, model, pattern, or shape. In other words, we were made to resemble and simulate the image, model, pattern, and shape of our Creator. So what does scripture say about our Creator: Psalm 19:1a says, "The heavens declare the glory of God." In Revelation 4:2-3"...a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of emerald." In Job 37:22b "God is clothed with awesome majesty." In 2 Peter 17 God is described as the Majestic glory. Majesty, the Hebrew word hadar, is translated as glory, beauty, and excellency. Just these few glances of God as the eyes of men have see him, give us the idea of God's majesty, beauty, glory, and grandeur. This is the image in which we were created. But let us conclude with this view, Hebrews 1:3 says "He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on High." We are created in the image of the Majesty on High and the one who is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. For today, let us take some solace in the fact that our image in liked to the one who is more majestic and glorious than we can even fathom. Everything about God is beauty, so if we are created in His likeness, we can only be but beautiful.

More to come...