The Expectations Of Faith

"True faith is never found alone; it is always accompanied by expectation. The man who believes the promises of God expects to see them fulfilled. Where there is no expectation there is no faith."  -Tozer

I'm a coffee drinker... a serious coffee drinker. I wake up in faith expecting to get my coffee brewing.The other morning my coffee maker died- a sad ordeal for me.  All of us wake up with expectations. My little Evan and Aaron expect some snuggle time while the older children expect breakfast. We get up and dressed to start our day expecting to accomplish a slew of projects we've jotted down in our day planner. We jump into our vehicle turning the key expecting the motor to turn over and the engine to start purring...and off we go!  Basic 'life' stuff here!

There are expectations in relationships- honesty, unconditional love, respect and understanding to name a few. These hold true for our marriages, friendships and with our children. The expectations of parenting are so deeply rooted in faith. 'Wherein doth thou faith lie?' you ask. It lies in believing that what we have set out to do in love will reap something positive... we believe in faith that all the efforts we have put into raising these children will not be in vain. This is what motivates us to keep pressing on even when it seems like... like it's just going nowhere. We have faith that someday they will mature to the point of understanding parents are humans with limitations... we make mistakes... say things we regret... but despite all of this...we love them with every ounce of our being...

 Are my expectations realistic?  Do they fit in with the purpose that the Lord has for my life and my children's? Do I have the faith in Him to trust that He will care for me and them no matter what the storms of life deal us?

I hardly felt I had anything to add to this quote, yet my heart was flooded with this feeling that I knew it had to be shared here...  May you expect your faith to be fulfilled through your expectations of a faithful Father....

...my faith looks up to Thee,
Until next time,
Jean

   

Kindness Begets Kindness

""But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." 1 Peter 5:10
Evan and Aaron are my wee little boys and they for the most part get along famously. This morning Evan was snuggling on the couch with the kitties and Aaron wanted a piece of that action as well. So my little bundle of two-year-old-boy-joy started the trek up the side of the couch, over Evan's head and onto the peacefully resting kitties... Evan was not impressed- he hadn't had his morning cocoa yet, :-)  Anyway, the situation became one where 'mummy' had to intervene... As I picked up my little Aaron, he began to fervently give his side of the story... in his very jibber-jabber kind of way!  He was frustrated with the way things had gone, after all, he was only trying to get a cuddle with a kitty!  After some soft whispers in his ear and soothing words he calmed down. I explained to Evan that he ought to tell Aaron where to come up and where he should lay down to cuddle... "Oooohhhhh, OK mom!" And happy again were they cuddling sweetly with the kitties... for about two more minutes and down they went for a story from Kyle! ...sigh

This life we are living is filled with battles...we all experience both joys and sorrows, pains and pleasures. There may be situations where we need others to intervene as well... We may need friends and family to aid us where we feel to weak... alone we will never conquer.  We may wonder how or who... if we take the time to look up, He is ever faithful to our cries... He is there with outstretched arms just waiting to take us under the shelter of His wings... but first, we must reach out. 

"Our Creator never intended that we should shoulder a load of suffering ourselves. That's the whole purpose of spiritual community." Linda Bartlett

Until next time,
Jean
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The Irony of Death

This past week I experienced three deaths. The first being a stranger and the other two friends. I've had a really hard time pulling this together... When it came to me I was driving and I had the whole thing in my mind... I wish I had had a notebook. Often writings here are happy and jovial... maybe that's why this is so hard for me... I have something to say... but it's too close... the pain that is.

The first death was the one earlier in the week... it was an unexpected tragedy that this mans friends and family members were all of a sudden handed to deal with. Friday morning I got a message that a friend who had been battling cancer passed away the day before... then Saturday morning a message of yet another. The two latter were anticipated to some degree. Yes, hope was there for healing and for a time there was... but this monster defeated these two dear ladies in the end.  Although my friends loved ones were able to say good bye, there is still the pain that they are left to deal with. 

There is not just physical death though... there are deaths of relationships as well. I would venture to say that many of us have in one way or another experienced at least one.  These too can be sudden or long and drawn out...  and just as painful...

Relationships like healing take work, hard work.  They take the efforts of all involved...kindness, love, patience and long suffering need to be in place.  Sometimes those hurts have been buried for a long time, festering underneath causing disturbances along life's path. Having never been properly dealt with they seem to continually creep into our lives.  Then there are those sudden loses that leave you wondering what happened.  Either way, pain is involved.

As those deaths rise up in my life, whether physical or relational, I must keep my focus on a higher calling... a calling that when life ends I will hear those blessed words, 'Well done my faithful servant, enter thou into the joys of the Lord..."

Until next time,
Jean

   

"Dear Jesus..."

Poor little boys... stomach flu has struck. Last evening we started in with those terrible words that every mother hates to hear, "Mommy, my stomach hurts..."  Not much later things started to fly~ literally ... I didn't get much sleep last night and decided it would be wise to sleep with the night light on so if Aaron happened to have round two in bed... I didn't feel like changing the sheets again! Four thirty in the morning called for a change of clothes and diaper for the wee man... what a mess.  Such is the life of a mommy...

Earlier today Evan was lying on the couch and wanted me to sit with him because his tummy was starting to hurt again... so I snuggled in with him and the bucket. I was talking to one of the other children when I heard Evan muttering something. I turned to ask him what he said when I saw his sweet blue eyes closed and small little paddies folded... he was whispering a prayer. As I listened quietly, he was asking Jesus to make it so he didn't throw up again and to please make him feel better.  When he opened his eyes I was just smiling at him... he said he hoped Jesus would help him.  I told him to have faith and believe... "What's faith mommy?"  Oh my heart... this sweet little child...so I tried to answer as best as I could on such a complex question to a five year old... "Faith is believing that God can make you feel better and trusting that He will."  He looked at me with hope in his eyes... "Okay mommy..."

But right now all is well... Aaron is playing with his favorite toy... the electric hand mixer~ he loves to hear it go and Evan is cuddling with his kitty on the couch... I am working on supper... all is well and good.

Until next time,
Jean

I See The Moon and The Moon See's You

Last night little Aaron comes and takes my hand, pulling it and gesturing for me to come with him. So of course I drop everything I'm doing and go with my little sweetie.  He takes me upstairs to the big hall window and points out and says in his little language 'the moon'.... Oh how my heart just about leapt out of my chest... I love that little man so much.  You see, I have always told all my children that I love them all the way to the moon and the stars... and back again.  Even though Aaron is only two, he knows how much mamma loves him.  I grabbed him up and just hugged him and he hugged all the way back, giggling that he showed me our 'love moon'. 

"How much do you love me mommy?" Evan likes to ask... "Well don't you know?" I ask because this is what he wants to hear.... "Nope... tell me mommy..." "Oh my... I love you all the way to the stars and the moon and back again, that's how much I love you Evan!"  Eyes twinkle with delight and the little five year old arms get thrown around this mommies neck along with a bunch of kisses...

A mothers love knows no boundary... it's as vast as the wide, open ocean... as big as the endless sky... as free as the wind...

a poem... 
"Mother's Love"

"Her love is like an island
In life's ocean, vast and wide,
A peaceful, quiet shelter
From the wind, and rain, and tide.

'Tis bound on the north by Hope,
By Patience on the west,
By tender Counsel on the south,
And on the east by Rest.

Above it like a beacon light,
Shine faith, and truth, and prayer;
And through the changing scenes of life,
I find a haven there.
    - Author Unknown

Love is free to give... love is free to have...
Until next time...
Jean 

 

Tomorrow...

The other night when I was tucking Evan into bed he asked another one of his so sweet & innocent questions... "Mommy, is it tomorrow?"... I smile and put my hand on his cheek and tell him, "No Ev an, it's today, but when you wake up in the morning it will be tomorrow."  "Oh! Good, I can't wait then!"  And that was that and he snuggled in close and fell asleep. I just had to think, "I wonder if he'll ask me in the morning if it's tomorrow!"  At the ripe ole age of five, Evan has no concept that tomorrow will be today tomorrow and today will be yesterday tomorrow.

Isn't that the way it is though? Time ticks on day after day and where are we going? Evan had big plans for 'tomorrow' as he drifted off to sleep... dreams of setting up his play farm in his make believe pasture... dreams of building a snowman with big brother Kyle... dreams of spaghetti for lunch... We all have dreams and hopes... not only for ourselves but for our children. What are we doing to make those dreams come to fruition... hopes, dreams, inspirations... they are the well spring of our lives... they keep us looking into tomorrow with that continual 'hope'. That's what it really boils down to... hope which in turn needs faith...

"Life is a highway on which the years go by, sometimes the road is level, sometimes the hills are high. But as we travel onward to a future that's unkonw, we can make each mile we travel a heavenly stepping stone!"  Helen Steiner Rice

Until next time,
Jean

Remember When...

"Dear child of God, if after great mercy you are laid very low, your case is not an unusual one. When David had mounted the throne of Israel, he said, “I am this day weak, though anointed king.” You must expect to feel weakest when you are enjoying your greatest triumph. If God has wrought for you great deliverance s in the past, your present difficulty is only like Samson’s thirst, and the Lord will not let you faint, nor suffer the daughter of the uncircumcised to triumph over you. The road of sorrow is the road to heaven, but there are wells of refreshing water all along the route. So, tried brother, cheer your heart with Samson’s words, and rest assured that God will deliver you ere long." Charles Spurgeon

Each one of us is able to recall times when the Lord has delivered us out of a time of sorrow, sickness or temptation. We who call ourselves Christians know that our Heavenly Father is there looking down and keeping us under His wings.  Yet at times we struggle with faith in the heat of the battle, shall I say... when the tempest is nigh we tend to grow faint and weary from the great war for our souls... The illustration that Spurgeon gives here of Samson is so true to our human nature whether we are young or old.  A victory of killing a thousand Philistines and then doubting God to provide him with a drink...  Oh the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak...

As I watch my children interact with one another, I see this conflict in their everyday life playing out in many ways.  Evan and Aaron can be playing beautifully one moment and then, BAM! "That's mine! Mom, Aaron took my truck!"  ...and so goes the life of a five and two year old.  So, as I take Aaron up into my lap and try to explain to him in a way he can understand, he needs to give Evan back the toy. Sometimes he is very willing and can be 'encouraged' to do so with the presentation of another toy, and then other times there is no way he is going to give it up.  Teaching these two little boys who are obviously at different levels of understanding to be kind and loving to one another is to say the least a challenge! They interact for almost all waking hours of the day and for the most part play beautifully together. 

Isn't that like us... we're going along pretty smoothly, not too many bumps in the road and then suddenly we hit a really big pot hole, and crash! There we are sitting on our rumps with this 'what happened' look on our face.  Questions like, "Why now? What is the reason for this? What am I supposed to learn out of this disaster?" pop up instantly... faith... where did it go? Didn't the Lord just answer that prayer two days ago? Didn't He just this morning provide us with the answer we were seeking after?  Faith... sudden challenges present themselves and what do we do with them?

We need to keep looking up... we need to trust that He does have a plan... we need to remember all the wonderful things He has done for us... remember when...

Until next time,
Jean


     

Relationships, Obedience and Faith...

"Faith lays hold upon the Lord Jesus with a firm and determined grasp. She knows his excellence and worth, and no temptation can induce her to repose her trust elsewhere; and Christ Jesus is so delighted with this heavenly grace, that he never ceases to strengthen and sustain her by the loving embrace and all-sufficient support of his eternal arms."  Charles Spurgeon
As I turn to the Lord for strength, He is always right there to lead me along the still waters of His truth and faithfulness.  As of late the Lord has been leading me and showing me my need to act in intercessory prayer... I believe so strongly in this... I know the Lord uses those that are willing to be used.  It is difficult sometimes... scary... but His grace is sufficient.  As I turn to Him, He is there waiting with that loving embrace, ready to support me through the trials I face... knowing He will never give me more than I can bear, I go in faith and trust... yet I fail... I fear sometimes... questioning and reasoning with myself... human I am...  But then He sends me a message from above through devotions... friends... As I put forth my full trust in Him, He is faithful, oh how faith grows when fed.

"Here, then, is established a living, sensible, and delightful union which casts forth streams of love, confidence, sympathy, complacency, and joy, whereof both the bride and bridegroom love to drink. When the soul can evidently perceive this oneness between itself and Christ, the pulse may be felt as beating for both, and the one blood as flowing through the veins of each. Then is the heart as near heaven as it can be on earth, and is prepared for the enjoyment of the most sublime and spiritual kind of fellowship." Charles Spurgeon

This fellowship, this union cannot be had by one... it takes both... more so on my own part. Christ is ever by my side... it is I that get busy and veer off the path. He never left, He never looked away... ever watching and guarding His child... Yes relationships take effort, not just the ones we have here in our daily life, but most importantly our relationship with Him. It is a continual building, striving, delighting oneself in His love...  His love can be compared to nothing we have here in this world... and the joys that will abound to those of us that are faithful in this life are unimaginable to the joys that we will have in Heaven...with Him...

Oh to grow in faith, love and peace... may that be our goal in this life...
Until next time,
Jean


     

The Love of a Mother...

Their smiles... their tears... watching them while they're sleeping...
I love to watch them when they have no idea... their care free spirits... their realness...

I wonder if they could ever imagine the love that overflows in my heart for each of them...
I wonder if they realize that their souls are intertwined with mine...
When they hurt I hurt...
When they laugh I laugh...
When they long I long...

Sometimes the frustrations we feel as mothers can be overwhelming... sometimes we just feel like giving up... then you look into their eyes and the heart pull is so strong.

Sometimes it seems useless and they just will never learn or understand...

I watched him this afternoon outside... he didn't know I was watching... his strong hands playing with the dog... his smile and jolly demeanor... his sensitive nature for all creatures...

I watched him today walking through the yard... looking around for his brothers... he is growing so fast and becoming a man...  in between little boy and big boy...

I watched him today as he strode up the stairs... manly and strong... so handsome... quiet natured and deep... I have always said that deep waters run silent... that is his soul...

I watched her today as she drove away... a young woman she is becoming... working her way in the world... trying to find herself and know herself... she is so tender hearted and warm, yet with a wild streak...

When I look at them and watch... my heart wants nothing more than to protect them from every harm in the world...  to just make them listen to me and trust what I tell them...
Then I remember myself when I was that age... experience

Prayer is a mothers weapon... it is our ever trust worthy weapon in this war fare for their souls...  We can never give up praying, trusting the Father... praying that hedge about them...

"Love is unselfish, understanding, and kind, for it sees with its heart and not with its mind.  Love gives and forgives; there is nothing too much for love to heal with its magic touch.  Love is the language that every heart speaks, for love is the one thing that every heart seeks.  And where there is love God, too,will abide and bless the family residing inside."  Helen Steiner Rice

Until next time,
Jean

Stumble and Pray

"They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing."  Psalm 34:10

When our children started taking their first steps they would stumble and fall and we would keep encouraging them on... "keep trying... good job... yup, do it again..." are things that we would say.  They would stumble often at first and then before we knew it they were running and we were saying, "Stop running in the house!"  We didn't want them to fall and hurt themselves, yet we knew that was all part of the process... we would be close enough to catch them so they didn't hurt themselves as we guided them along... hands outstretched behind them as they toddled forward.   How time flies and as we look back onto those happy days when they were little and learning we can see other times when they fell... learning to ride a bike and ice skating to name a couple.  Oh how our hearts ached when all of a sudden, THUD! But again... all part of the learning process.

As adults we too stumble and fall... we have days where we fail... days we wish we could erase from time and memories... but that isn't possible with humans... but it is with God. As we repent for our failings and look unto Him for forgiveness He is there... The Bible says that God loves a broken and contrite heart.  Each day is a new day and with that new day we have Christ by our side guiding our way.  How it aches our Heavenly Father when we go THUD! The key is prayer... stumble and pray... stumble and pray... He will lead the way... all part of the learning process.

Do we call out to the Lord when we stumble or do we sit there awhile and wallow in our failings?  The latter is not what the Lord would want from us... He desires us to look up to Him immediately, reaching up for His hand to pick us up.  But you say, there is no hand... Yes my friend there is... the hand is His Word... God's precious promises are all found there... but we must turn to it... feed on it. Then and only then can we have peace... only there can we find it. When we stumble and fall friends, get up! Reach for His word and seek His help.  Oh how precious it is when He presses upon your heart to go to a certain scripture and there is the answer or the hope you were longing for .... only in prayer... only in supplication can it be found...

"Prayer is an indispensable part of our relationship with Jesus Christ." Laurel Oke Logan

Until next time,
Jean

Distractions

"Distractions may hinder, but once the heart is committed to Him, the attention will return again and rest upon Him like a wandering bird coming back to its window." Tozer

We are wanderers... we get side tracked with the everyday things in life and begin to wander... suddenly we find ourselves in a dark valley and wonder how we got there... we feel alone.  We begin looking around for some familiar thing, some comfortable thing that feels like home... but it just doesn't seem right....

When I was a child I was a wanderer.  When we went on school field trips none of the parent chaperones ever wanted me in their group because I was always the one that got lost. I remember getting lost at The Detroit Zoo, at The Henry Ford Museum and several other places.  It was a sickening feeling as a child... to suddenly look up and there be a sea of faces around and none that you know.  I would start to cry and of course someone that worked there would find me and bring me back to my group.  Now as a parent I have taken my children to these places and I am always so cautious of where they are.  I've told them all my horror stories of getting lost, so I think I have instilled a sacred fear in them.  As a parent it is a different kind of sickening feeling... the thought of losing a child...

When I say lose a child I don't only mean in the physical sense but also in the spiritual sense... they both give me that empty feeling... a feeling I hope and pray I will never know.  There are so many people lost out there today... lost and hopeless.  But they don't have to be... Jesus is there ever waiting with open arms to gather them into His fold... to protect and give meaning to one's life. 

Only He can fill the void that leaves one feeling empty and without meaning...
If you have wandered away... if you are lost and don't know where to turn... if you're struggling with the cares of life... Jesus has all the answers... He is your hope... call unto Him and He will answer... like the wandering bird coming back...

Until next time,
Jean


     

Attitude With Gratitude

"Simple gratitude helps us experience God at work in every moment of every day." Harriet Crosby

We have so much to be thankful for in our lives... most of us have very little that we 'want' for ... 
With an attitude of gratitude we can look on in faith and not allow the distractions in life to move us... We can remain grounded in Him and trust that each wave that wants to crash over the joy cannot move us because we stand on the Rock.  With the Lord carrying us through we can be thankful for not only the good days but be joy filled when trials come as well.

Today being a day that is set aside to give thanks, what do we think of? As I ponder on this I thought it would be enlightening to make a list...

I am thankful for...
My Lord and the salvation that He has provided for me through His shed blood on Calvary...
That salvation through grace was available to a wretch like me...
That no matter how many times I fail in my daily life, I can turn to Him with a repentant heart and know that He is there for me with open arms... 
That my God forgets...

I am thankful for my family...
For the smiles that greet me each morning...
For the cuddles and the hugs from the little ones...
For the 'thanks' and 'I love you too' from the older ones...
For the love and the laughter we share...
For shared dreams and desires... and the tears that are given me with shared inner fears...
For the "I prayed mom..." from those young tender hearts...

Oh that my life would be one that shows all those around me a thankful heart... A heart that is an out pouring of His perfect love in every situation... An example to my children that no matter what He is there for them...

"That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works." Psalm 26:7

Until next time,
Jean

Rocking my little boy...

"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord." Psalms 127:3

I was rocking Aaron this morning and just cuddling with him. He'd been whiny and just wanted to be held... so up in my arms with blankie we went to mamma's rocking chair... and of course all was well then.  He fell asleep in short order and I told Taylor I didn't think he was feeling very well, after all he had just had the stomach flu a few days before... Taylor laughed and told me I was just making excuses for him! "Well," I thought... "maybe I am."  

Aaron is just two and he is still so sweet and innocent... but he is also very manipulating, as most children are.  It doesn't take long for a new born child to realize that when he cries or screams he/she gets attention... whether it be food, a clean diaper or simply to be held and rocked, they know how to get what they want. As our children grow older into toddler-hood they are still in the process of being trained by parents or training their parents. Either way, some training is going on! Younger children definitely know how to hold onto a parents heart strings and woo with their sweet  smiles or sorrowful tears.

What happens when the child is in control though? I would say much frustration and exasperation are more often felt over the child then feelings of peaceful joy. Children are a job and one not to be taken lightly. We as Christian parents need to prayerfully seek the Lords leading and wisdom in this challenging role.  As many of you know our family you know we are in most stages of the 'parenting game', and challenged we are.  It is difficult to know when to scold and when to overlook... when to punish and when to understand... But God is with us when we seek Him and His wisdom.  We need to remember that these children are not really our own... they are His, loaned to us for a short time... a time to raise them for Him... to train them for His glory.

"Brighten your day and lighten your way and lessen your cares with daily prayers.  Quiet your mind and leave tension behind and find inspiration in hushed meditation."  Helen Steiner Rice.

Until next time,
Jean



   

Dragonflies and Garden Wrens...

"Faith is knowing there is an ocean because there is a brook." William Arthur Ward

My favorite insect is the Dragonfly and my favorite bird is a Garden Wren...  and God knows that.  I believe that He will let us know He is there with us by showing us Himself in things that might not mean anything to anyone else, yet speak clearly to each individual. I always say how faithful the Lord is and I mean it from the bottom of my heart...

I had mentioned several posts ago about the dragonflies I saw at market... the seven mating pairs... for several more Saturday's there were always several of them right behind our booth simply hovering about...well those were not the only sitings... All summer long where ever I was, in the backyard, the field, front garden or where ever, there was always a dragonfly flitting about...
Here are a few of the more special ones.
~ We took the children up to Houghton Lake over Fourth of July and as we were out on the pontoon one came right into the boat and landed on my lap... it stayed with us for some time, even climbing on mine and Ryan's fingers...
~Neil & I were on the freeway in Ohio stuck totally in a traffic jam and there all of sudden was this big, beautiful dragonfly just hovering over the center, grassy median right beside our car...

Well last week as I was on the phone with one of my dear friends, I was standing looking out the dining room window and all of a sudden a little Garden Wren landed right on the porch railing.  Now for you bird enthusiasts you know that wrens like wooded areas and don't really come about like that... Yes there are lots of woods across the road... about a quarter mile and behind us about half a mile... but not in my yard. You see the dragonflies are gone now with the cold weather... God knows that too...

I don't think God is in either the dragonfly or the wren, but I do believe they are His creatures that He created and He can have them do His will... I also believe that He will show me He is with me in little reminders like these... not common situations at all, but quite the contrary... He will show me He is with me in ways that I will know in my heart... He will show me He cares about me by bringing little things that bring a smile because He loves me... He reminds me of His presence in ways that I cannot mistake for anything else...

 

As I seek Him, He will find me...  As you seek Him, He will find you...
Until next time,
Jean
 
    

He Knows

“The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.”  - Psalm 33:13

This was one of my devotions this morning... as always the Lord is so faithful...
Enjoy a few moments with Charles Spurgeon's heart warming thoughts.

"Perhaps no figure of speech represents God in a more gracious light than when he is spoken of as stooping from his throne, and coming down from heaven to attend to the wants and to behold the woes of mankind. We love him, who, when Sodom and Gomorrah were full of iniquity, would not destroy those cities until he had made a personal visitation of them. We cannot help pouring out our heart in affection for our Lord who inclines his ear from the highest glory, and puts it to the lip of the dying sinner, whose failing heart longs after reconciliation. How can we but love him when we know that he numbers the very hairs of our heads, marks our path, and orders our ways? Specially is this great truth brought near to our heart, when we recollect how attentive he is, not merely to the temporal interests of his creatures, but to their spiritual concerns. Though leagues of distance lie between the finite creature and the infinite Creator, yet there are links uniting both. When a tear is wept by thee, think not that God doth not behold; for, “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.” Thy sigh is able to move the heart of Jehovah; thy whisper can incline his ear unto thee; thy prayer can stay his hand; thy faith can move his arm. Think not that God sits on high taking no account of thee. Remember that however poor and needy thou art, yet the Lord thinketh upon thee. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him." Charles Spurgeon

As I reflect on the last few sentences in this devotion, I can't help but feel wrapped within the Savior's arms, knowing that He care's for me and longs to comfort me...

Until next time,
Jean
     

More Is Caught Than Taught

"Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.  Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity."  Ecclesiastes 11:9- 10

The message in these two short verses say a great deal and should be heeded even more greatly.  It is true that youth tend to be a bit more on the 'daring' side I venture to say.  They seem to think they have the world by the horns and life will carry on forever... We parents, teachers, ministers and adults 'just don't understand'... 'we have never been through such things'... When we were young we would often hear our elders say that time seems to move by so much more quickly the older they get...  and we just couldn't understand such a statement... as we grow older we realize it is strangely true.  I once heard in a message that as soon as a child is born, it begins to die... the aging process begins immediately. As Solomon of old wrote often in Ecclesiastes, '...all is vanity.'

A children's song admonishes, "Be careful little eyes what you see; be careful little ears what you hear; be careful little feet where you go..."  This concept needs to be diligently taught by parents and adults to our children, as well as lived out.  It is hard to teach something that you do not do yourself or tell your youth not to do something that you do... 'more is caught than taught' as the saying goes.  Our children will use us as their guild and for the most part when they are little keep to those things... they believe  and trust us.  As they grow into adolescence, things become a bit more tumultuous and as I wrote the other day, they are now stretching out their wings and testing the world around.  This time is so crucial in the relationship building and I feel so often I fail... It is hard for me to 'let go'... 'to trust'... But I believe that promise written by David in the book of Proverbs, "Train them up in the way they should go and when they are old, they will not depart from it." 

We all have this promise as we seek His wisdom... even when we fail, He is never failing... even when we lack trust, He is there to cover us... Praise God for His never failing attributes and ceaseless love for his ever failing children.

I cling to so many of these promises and I believe them... I am trusting my children to Him.
Until next time,
Jean

Wings and Roots...

 

"Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible." Corrie Ten Boom

 

I am sure most of you who know me think you know where this might be going by the title... well kinda.  The other day when my two CSA work share ladies were here we were chatting at the end of their day and one happened to mention how the other says we have to give our children 'wings and roots' both at the same time...  I thought that was very inspiring, especially when two of the things I love most have wings and roots.

Our children start out as helpless little creatures that need us to survive... food, warmth, nurturing, shelter and protection.  Without us they would simply and most assuredly die.  As parents or caregivers we attempt to give these things to our children with utmost care... we love them and want only the best for them.  When they are small we try to teach them things... first with physical movements such as rolling over to crawling and then finally to walking and running... speech comes into play next as well as the ability to feed themselves... but still they need us completely during these formative years.  During the younger years we are also teaching them about Jesus and our faith... this is the time when the roots are growing deeper and when fed the right things will grow healthy and strong... these are the roots in their life that will help them along in the years to come...  when we give them their wings...

As our children become young adolescents and young adults the roots we have given them as small children should hold them firm during the trials and adjustments they will face at this time.  Their wings will form and they like young fledglings coming out of the nest will want to try them and see how far they can fly safely... coming back regularly and each time going out a bit farther... Eventually they will settle into a state when they have their belief system and hopefully a deep faith of their own. This faith is a personal decision that must be made by each one individually... a time of choosing roads they will travel... a time of growing and maturing.  The roots we have helped grow will help them with the decisions they make now...  What are we feeding the roots is the question we as parents must all face and realize that one day we will be accountable for...

It takes faith to let go of them... to trust that they will make the right decisions... to look away when you want to grab hold... smile and trust when you want to cry and protect...
But He is bigger than anything... stronger than anything... and ever true...

           

 

"That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."
1 Corinthians 2:5

Until next time,
Jean


Great Faith

"If my faith, my belief, my confidence are in myself, then they cannot at the same time be resting in God!"  Tozer

What a statement by wise Tozer of old... what a statement to get a mind stimulated in thinking where our faith does rest... in my own imagined strength or in His perfect, unfailing strength...

The other day Taylor was going to get fuel in the truck... it was on fumes... but that is besides the point because I truly do believe that all things happen for a reason... both good and bad.  Well, she calls me to tell me that the truck started to sputter and she was still several miles from the closest gas station and so she prayed that God would just let her get to the gas station... suddenly the truck stopped sputtering and drove smoothly.  She made it to the station with no problems... on the wings of prayer. 

He always hears, especially those cries from His young children... the ones that He is trying to build that trust in... the babes that are still drinking milk... I was so blessed by this... another seed sprouted.

This feeling... when one of your children finds the faith... it's such a joy, an over whelming joy... It's in the keeping of it though... This is the building stage~ faith, trust and belief.  God want's it for each of us... He wants to show us that no matter what, He is there waiting with open arms to carry us through.  "Hold on," He says. "I will never leave nor forsake thee..."  What a precious promise that needs to be instilled in their young, tender hearts... How do we grow this precious seed in them when we fail so often and so hard sometimes?  That is my question in life... how?

By example He says... by example through humility and confession of our wrongs and mistakes... by the seeking of forgiveness and always giving forgiveness, whether sought after or not... by loving unconditionally... to apply all these things in our daily life is a challenge, but it can be done...
In His strength...

Until next time,
Jean

     

Seeds Planted

"If my faith, my belief, my confidence are in myself, then they cannot at the same time be resting in God!"  Tozer

What a statement by wise Tozer of old... what a statement to get a mind stimulated in thinking where our faith does rest... in my own imagined strength or in His perfect, unfailing strength...

The other day Taylor was going to get fuel in the truck... it was on fumes... but that is besides the point because I truly do believe that all things happen for a reason... both good and bad.  Well, she calls me to tell me that the truck started to sputter and she was still several miles from the closest gas station and so she prayed that God would just let her get to the gas station... suddenly the truck stopped sputtering and drove smoothly.  She made it to the station with no problems... on the wings of prayer. 

He always hears, especially those cries from His young children... the ones that He is trying to build that trust in... the babes that are still drinking milk... I was so blessed by this... another seed sprouted.

This feeling... when one of your children finds the faith... it's such a joy, an over whelming joy... It's in the keeping of it though... This is the building stage~ faith, trust and belief.  God want's it for each of us... He wants to show us that no matter what, He is there waiting with open arms to carry us through.  "Hold on," He says. "I will never leave nor forsake thee..."  What a precious promise that needs to be instilled in their young, tender hearts... How do we grow this precious seed in them when we fail so often and so hard sometimes?  That is my question in life... how?

By example He says... by example through humility and confession of our wrongs and mistakes... by the seeking of forgiveness and always giving forgiveness, whether sought after or not... by loving unconditionally... to apply all these things in our daily life is a challenge, but it can be done...
In His strength...

Until next time,
Jean

     

Faith in Love

"Faith must be strong, or love will not be fervent; the root of the flower must be healthy, or we cannot expect the bloom to be sweet. Faith is the lily’s root, and love is the lily’s bloom. Now, reader, Jesus cannot be in your heart’s love except you have a firm hold of him by your heart’s faith; and, therefore, pray that you may always trust Christ in order that you may always love him. If love be cold, be sure that faith is drooping."  Charles Spurgeon

I often talk about the challenges we face in life as opportunities to glorify the Lord.  It's not always easy when your in the heat of it though... I think we would all agree on that one.  Saturday morning Kyle, Ryan & I were heading down to market... Kyle was driving and suddenly we heard this big bang and then scraping... so thankfully we had just pulled away from a red light and were able to pull off to the side of the road.  After some investigation we discovered our hitch had buckled... we could hardly believe it.  Well, I told Kyle to unhitch and we would have to turn around and go swap out a truck with someone.  So after a call, a good friend was on the way to meet us and trade trucks... at 5:45am... like I said... good friends!  As we headed back I was trying to stay calm considering the time we would be getting to market now and the set up that is required with our stuff... Suddenly Kyle says, "There must have been a really big accident up there mom."  I looked at him and wanted to cry... a seed planted had sprouted.  I always tell the children when stuff like happens... we are running late, stuck at a train, behind a slow moving vehicle or whatever that the Lord must be sparing us of some accident up ahead...  My heart was so blessed by my child...

I have to remain steadfast in my walk with the Lord to be able to maintain this attitude... I must continually rely on His guidance in my life to be able to love unconditionally.  I must keep my focus on Him and me... I cannot loose site of the goal!  The 'emotional' feelings that we have typically result in words and conduct that aren't always appropriate.  We cannot trust our emotions.  The way each person perceives or interprets a particular circumstance in which they are in will have a large impact on the emotional feelings they have.  Thereby resulting in our words and actions.  So long as we keep Christ on the Throne of hearts... so long as we keep our self off... and remain focused on the goal...

What is the goal in all this.... to trust in the Lord with all our heart, mind and soul... then and only then can we be steadfast.

"Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard after thee; thy right hand upholdeth me." Psalms 63:7-8

Until next time,
Jean