Waffles and Family Worship

I have changed up the blog a little bit. By no means am I abandoning the original intent of living out Titus 2, but rather just expanding it. I am realizing that the command to "learn what is good" is really a call to learn who God is and so live your life accordingly.

So, I have been looking at scripture with new eyes lately. At our women's bible study we have been going through James, a wonderful but challenging book, and I have been left with the question: If we are commanded to "count it all joy," how do we do that? The answer is Christ, but how do I find enjoyment in Christ in the midst of day to day life. I see how he reveals himself in big ways, but I have fallen short of finding my enjoyment in Christ in all of the small things. Most of which I often I see separate from God. Like waffles! Until this morning. For a while we have had the tradition of "Morning Family Worship" at breakfast time. Originally breakfast we intended to just keep the kids quiet at the table, but now I see it as a springboard for prayer and a practical example to our children of God's daily provision. So thank you God for declaring your goodness through waffles this morning, they were truly enjoyable.

"There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy...." Ecclesiastes 2:24-2

Things that are good...

Sometimes I take life to seriously... and I miss some of the really good things! Like:

A daddy who is willing to lead by example...






Getting to ride Daddy's Jeep with the whole family







Making a birthday cake with TWO digging trucks that a little boy has been asking for since June! And seeing the big smile on his face when he saw it!



"And God saw everything that he made, and behold, it was very good..." Genesis 1:31a

The battle of the no... I mean bow

Lydia's hair has started to grow and so I have been putting a bow in her hair lately so that she will be used to having something in her hair. I figure in all of my motherly wisdom (i.e. what I have gathered from other moms), that this will make it easier down the road when trying to fix her hair. Plus I just think they are pretty!






So here is the lovely Lydia in her beautiful bow!












Here is the lovely Lydia taking off her beautiful bow (which she does frequently) During which there is a lot of "NO LYDIA" and "DON'T TOUCH LYDIA" coming from mommy!










Here is Lydia proud of herself for removing her bow even though mommy said "NO"










Here is a not so happy Lydia when she was corrected for not obeying mommy and taking off her beautiful bow!











Here is a compliant, but not really happy about it Lydia... with a beautiful bow!






I'm thinking about just fighting the hair bow battle another day... but the battle of obedience will be fought our whole lives. It is amazing how the actions of my children cause me to search myself and disobedient ways. It was be a journey was I learn and instruct her in what it means to be obedient. "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 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 1:14-16

So as Lydia turns one tomorrow, we will continue instructing her in this commandment:
"Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." Ephesians 6:1 and loving her all the more as we learn what it is to "bring them [Lydia and Micah] up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4b


Happy 1st Birthday Little Girl! You have truly brought joy into my life and I am blessed to be your mommy!

It has already started and Lydi hasn't even turned One!

Commandments are not a burden

I was struck silent this afternoon when I read this verse. How quickly with one verse my sin nature was utterly exposed.

1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome (1 John 1:1-3).

I have been really wrestling lately with what it means to truly love the church. I don't mean the local building that you attend on a Sunday morning. I mean each individual born again believer that attends that church as well as the thousands of other churches that are spread across this world. In my life, up to this point, I have miserably failed to meet this commandment set forth by Christ,

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples. If you have love for one another (John 13:34-35)."

Lets unpack this verse for a second. First, we are commanded, not asked, commanded to love one another. Now, we would hope that this word love would be left up to each individuals interpretation, but Christ knowing our sinful flesh qualifies it by saying, "Just as I have loved you." This of course means that the way we are to love one another is the same as Christ's work in Gospel. Christ gave himself up for us (Galatians 2:20). So I am to love the children of God by constantly giving up myself for them. Scripture is filled with passage after passage on how to love one another: Be at peace with one another, be devoted, honor, be of same mind, have concern, serve, have compassion, be subject, stop passing judgment, accept, instruct, greet, wait, carry one another's burdens, be kind, forgiving, have humility, teach and admonish, comfort, offer hospitality, confess, encourage, exhort, rebuke, and the list continues. That's a lot and it's difficult and can feel, well, like a burden. And here is where the verse hit me "his commandments are not burdensome." Man, I don't think I have ever really read this verse.

So here's where the application comes in. If everyone that has been born again in Christ is called to love everyone else that has been born again in Christ (1John 1:1) then we are called to love the body of believers, the church. This means that I am to love each individual believer within my own church as well as each individual believer in the thousands of churches world wide, without treating it like a burden. Face it, it is much easier to serve some than others, especially if their theology is different than mine. That is the thought of my sinful flesh at it's best.

So how do I walk away from these sets of verses. I can walk away thinking, alright, I'm going to do better loving my fellow believers. I will be a little less selfish, more eager to lend a hand, I certainly won't judge as much, and most of all, I am going to do my absolute best to be somewhat intentional with every person I come in contact with. But if that is it, then I totally miss the point. Why? Because we are only able to love each other, the way Christ loved us, by falling on the grace upon grace which we have received from the fullness of Jesus Christ in the gospel (John 1:16-17). Through Jesus Christ we have the perfect example of love. To obtain this love I must fall on the mercies of God in prayer and plead for a renewed passion and delight in the people of God. So this begins with the church.

At this current season of life I have been blessed to be a part of an amazing body of believers. I have heard often the desire of the body to grow in community and true biblical fellowship with one another. But with this will come the need to set aside all selfish desires to have my ideas of what the church should be so that I may embrace each individual member, at their current walk with Christ. We must walk alongside each other as we both grow our devotion to Christ and to one another. Be encouraged church, "For everyone that has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith (1John 5:4)." Rejoice as you are partnered with the body of believers to which God has called you.

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
(Romans 15:5-7)

Take the time to listen...

Every action, thought, and word that we have on this earth is based on our perspective of who we are and who God is? Are our lives God-centered or self-centered? This message by Rachel Barkey it outstanding. It is 55 minutes long and well worth your time. "Rachel Barkey is a 37 year-old wife and mother of two who is dying of cancer. She only has weeks to live (DG blog)" and her perspective on life, death, and the glory of God was a jolt to my self-centered world.

Getting rid of Sickness

Why is it that when our physical bodies are sick, we will do anything possible to immediately rid ourselves of the discomfort and the ill affects of the nastiness that is plaguing us, but we are sluggish and complacent when ridding ourselves of the sickness that plagues our souls, sin. Is sin not the thing we want to banish from our bodies? Or is it the sickness that plagues only this momentary flesh...

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.
1 Peter 2:24

Just a thought as I so desire this cold to go away...

(Micah a few months ago)