Anywho let’s get with it Today because I can’t go back in time and I can’t go forward to the future i can only deal in the here and now.
I have a few thoughts and they will be brief since i feel queezy!
Last night in church there arose some discussion on the predictability of God…
Can God be Predictable?
My answer NO…We can know who God is. We can understand his Character, His personality traits through Scripture BUT We cannot know the who, what, where, when, why, or How of his plans. Only he does. However we can be CONFIDENT that his Character qualities will be evident as he works out those things which He has done, is doing, and will do! God IS consistent!
Psalm 3:3
But You, O Lord, are a shield 1for me,
My glory and cthe One who lifts up my head. The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982, S. Ps 3:3
This verse struck me a while ago and I have not been able to get it out of my head.
As parents when we scold our children for what they have done wrong and they put their heads down and they won’t look us in the eye, or as a kid when we were so saddened by the way we were picked on in school and our parents came into our rooms and tried their hardest what is the one thing they would do. Whether it is shame or sadness or some other emotion there are times when we don’t want to look others in the eyes.
However those who are closest to us mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings, Spouses or friends that come along side of us in very dark times and lift our head to look them in the eyes. That is the relationship God has with David. Your boss wouldn’t lift your head up if you were sad (ok maybe if you were great friends) but my point is that God’s relationship is so deep with David that they have that father son Relationship not dictator-subject relationship! And we can have that kind of relationship with God too! How amazing is that!!!!
I really like this definition of what a Pharisee is. It is so simple and plain and true!
As of the last few months I have struggled with being on the other end of being Pharisaical. Perhaps at times i have been a Pharisee myself but it has been 5 years of listening to others (a couple of friends) who judged everyone on their parenting skills including my s husband and myself. It came to a head a few months back and we have not spoken since but ever since that moment I have been constantly evaluating my parenting method through Scripture. I must say that the moments of hearing cutting words whether intended or not really took a toll on our friendship. I do not harbor hard feelings just sadness at a friendship lost.
I am my own worst critic when it comes to my kids behaviors that is why we dove deep into God’s Word and tried to understand what biblical discipline looked like! Here is what we found. You can check it out if you like!
Discipline Done Biblically!
We love our kids so much and there comes a point when if someone is coming down hard on you in front of your kids you must put an end to it lest you be looked down upon by your own children. We should not let that happen. I challenge you to see if that needs to happen in a circumstance in your own life
My Walk Monday!
I know I have missed a week or two but I have been super busy. the good news is that i have not been to busy for my devos. I have however been too busy to blog about them.
So Last Monday I started a 30 day challenge of daily devotions and journaling. It was a form I got with some free homeschooling stuff and I thought that I would give it a whirl. I like it mostly but this morning as I sat doing my reading and I Got to the first question which reads
“how is God’s Word speaking to you”
I paused for a moment and thought. it said nothing to me. How many times does that happen? how many times do i read God’s word and nothing profound happens. No lights click on, no nothing!
I immediately felt guilty because as believers we are programmed to believe that God’s Word ALWAYS has to speak to us…however as I thought about this I began to realize something. God was speaking to my heart and he was saying
Why do they call it devotions?
Well i can tell you it’s not because I want to get something out of it. It’s because I want to show God that I am DEVOTED to Him. That I take time out for Him and that I enjoy learning from His word He has given to me!
So No I do not always have to get something out of it and no God’s word doesn’t always have to speak to me!
That being said. This thirty day challenge has been great and I have been convicted of some things and I have also been shown some amazing pictures of who God is! Bu there is no reason why we should feel guilty if we don’t get anything from our devotions…After all it is we that are giving God the time and honor He deserves!
I have a confession to make…the last few weeks have been most frustrating for me. I must confess I haven’t wanted to go to church…or maybe it wasn’t that I didn’t like church. Needless to say I have had a real change of heart this past week where I have desired to be a church. I have been hungry. not for food of the flesh but spiritual food. Food that truly satisfies the deepest hunger.
What a journey the last few months have been. It has been tough and draining in ALL facets of a persons life. But now I am beyond those heartaches and I am ready to lace up my running shoes and jump back into the race. Not the rat race so many others run but the race to finish well..to fight the good fight for the high calling…to hear well done though good and faithful servant. I have a new passion and a new zeal. My heart id filled with joy again and I am ready and willing to take the focus off of myself and put it where it belongs..My Lord and Savior..For all the things He has done for me…I am ready to serve again!
i know it has been a few weeks but with anew schedule in place I have a new routine and hopefully will get to pre-publish the memes and carnivals I am committed to taking part in.
The last few weeks have been tough as we have started to home school our oldest son in Pre-K.
he is totally ready for the challenge but I was not! I was not sure what to expect from him. Would he rebel? would he completely hate it? Would I completely hate it? Would i be an effective teacher for him. I think My answer to that last question came this morning as we were leaving for yet another pulpit supply experience! We were approaching a blinking red light when from the back seat i heard Stop daddy. Red means stop. I must confess i beamed with Joy and pride. It was working he was learning!
My faith wavered this last week as I felt as though nothing I was teaching him was sinking in! How frustrating!!!
The verse that keeps coming to mind was
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Pjil 3:14
Though slightly out of context, i think that the general idea is this i am commanded to teach and train my children. No matter how hard it gets I still need to persevere and do what i am told and exhorted to do.. And with that said I will determine to keep on keeping on as the saying goes!
