On Joy

I've been catching up on my "Living Beyond Yourself" homework (Beth Moore) for Renew. I missed a bunch while I was sick, so now I'm trying to get a few lessons done each day.

JOY:
Today's study was about joy, specifically the joy that comes from knowing our names are written in Heaven. Wow. Beth Moore emphasizes that salvation belongs to God. I never really thought about the significance of that until today. "Salvation belongs to our God who sits upon the throne..." (Revelation 7:10). Why is it important that salvation belongs to God and not to us? Because it is His gift to us. If it didn't belong to Him, then He wouldn't be able to give it to us. "It is a gift of GRACE that we have the privilege to accept." (Beth Moore)

Beth also states that "recognizing that salvation belongs to Christ helps to get us out of ourselves." How often do I focus on me, me, me? It's not about me!

SALVATION:
Here's another other sobering thought from Beth based on 2 Peter 3:3 - 7: "A moment will come, at the ushering in of eternity, when every lost man and woman will be confronted with the staggering loss of his or her salvation... The lost will suffer a horrible threefold realization: they will realize that He is LORD, that they are LOST and that it's too LATE."

That certainly puts things into perspective. Why do I worry about "offending" people by sharing the gospel with them? This life is but a breath. Eternity is forever. Do I want the guilt on my conscience of knowing some of my friends and family could be facing an eternity without the Lord just because I'm afraid of offending them? The joy they could have of knowing their names are written in the Book of Life pales in comparison to my discomfort. Again, it's not about me!

Adam's First Spending Spree!

Adam received his first piggy bank for Christmas this year, and Grandpa King was more than happy to fill it up with coins for him! So Adam was very excited to go to the store with Daddy and spend some of his money.

I gave him two dollars in quarters to spend when he and Daddy went into the city. Ian was picking something up for me at Michaels, so Adam was very excited to be able to buy something crafty!

He found this balloon paper in the scrapbooking section, and he had to have it! It cost $0.99 ($1.05 with tax). He went up to the till, and the sales lady was very obliging! Adam said, "I have eight monies!" and plunked all of his quarters down on the counter. Well, he was so excited when the cashier gave him some of it back (and some dimes and nickels as his change too!).

He was so excited to come home and show me his purchase and to tell me that the cashier had given him some money back as well.

It is so wonderful to see him excited. I just can't believe the maternal happiness when my kids are happy. It thrills my soul. Is God this happy when I'm excited about something? If God loves me half as much as I love my kids and is half as excited for me when I'm excited about something, then that's a whole lot of love!

The Flu Strikes!

I've been sick for the past two weeks. It's amazing how being sick takes precedence over everything! The flu literally struck me down last Tuesday. I was fine in the morning, then by after lunch I was in bed with a fever sleeping the afternoon away. Ian had to take Wednesday off of work to look after the boys, and my mother-in-law took them on Thursday. I was too dizzy to stand up. I slept for almost four days straight.

By Friday, the fever had left, but I was still really sick. I had to miss the all-day scrapbooking at church on Saturday. I felt awful - I was supposed to be helping with the day, but I had to leave it with Heidi and Eva. They did a fabulous job, but I always feel guilty when I'm supposed to be helping and can't. I was also really bummed to have to miss the day. I look forward to it all year!

I was finally better by Tuesday, but still really tired and weak. I've been sleeping in the afternoons while the boys nap, then going to bed right after them in the evenings. I feel like I've lost two weeks.

The good news is that I lost seven pounds! I know I'll gain most of it back, but it's still the only good thing about being sick! LOL!

The bad part is that I haven't really been spending time with God, other than to pray that I will get better quickly and that my family won't get sick too! I'm really hoping to have my strength back soon so I can stay awake when the boys are asleep and get back into my routine.

I'm thankful to be feeling a bit better now. This one hit hard. Being sick really helps you prioritize what HAS to be done and what can wait! I guess that's something else to be thankful for.

On Daniel 4 - Remembering God at All Times

Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that is interpreted for him by Daniel. Basically, God is telling the king that if he doesn't acknowledge that everything he has is from God, then the king will become insane and live like an animal, eating grass and being soaked with dew until he gives glory to God. Daniel advises the king to renounce his sins and be kind to the oppressed so that this punishment will not fall upon him.

I find it so strange that after all Nebuchadnezzar has witnessed from God - Daniel's interpretations of his dream, Daniel's friends being spared in the fiery furnace - he still won't acknowledge that God is supreme and in control of everything.

Of course, Nebuchadnezzar does not humble himself, and God's punishment falls upon him. When the king finally raises his eyes to heaven and gives God the glory, his kingdom is restored to him. He writes a letter to all the people of all the nations declaring that God reigns supreme over all.

It is easy to judge Nebuchadnezzar for his lack of faith, but how many times do I forget that God is supreme. I go about my life until something bad happens, then I pray and ask God for help. He helps, I say thank you, then I move on and forget about Him until the next crisis. Lord, help me to remember always that You are in control. You are God. You reign supreme. You are the King of kings and Lord of lords. Help me not forget to praise you at all times.

Fingerprints of God

Adam received some fingerpaints in his stocking for Christmas, and he loves to use them! I just love to see the joy on his face when he's playing with them. The bottom photo reminds me of the Steven Curtis Chapman song "Fingerprints of God". It basically talks about how we are God's masterpieces. The chorus says, "I can see the fingerprints of God when I look at you." And that is so true. Looking at my boys, I can see God's masterpieces. They are fearfully and wonderfully made. I feel so blessed and thankful that God gave them to me to be their mother. They are such special boys. The joy they bring me is indescribable.

Held

This is just a song that reminds me of God's presence and strength in difficult times. The melody is lovely, and the words are so poignant.

"Held" by Natalie Grant

Two months is too little
They let him go
They had no sudden healing
To think that providence would
Take a child from his mother while she prays
Is appalling

Who told us we’d be rescued?
What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?
We’re asking why this happens
To us who have died to live?
It’s unfair

Chorus:
This is what it means to be held
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we’d be held

This hand is bitterness
We want to taste it, let the hatred NUMB our sorrow
The wise hands opens slowly to lilies of the valley and tomorrow

(Chorus) ...
This is what it means to be held
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we’d be held

Bridge:
If hope is born of suffering
If this is only the beginning
Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?

(Chorus)
This is what it means to be held
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we’d be held

On Daniel 3 - Paradox of Faith

"King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon... Then the herald loudly proclaimed, 'This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down adn worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.'" (vv. 1, 4, 5)

I find it so strange that after King Nebuchadnezzar had just hailed Daniel's God as supreme, he set up an image of someone else and ordered the people to worship it and declared that they would be thrown into a furnace if they refused. Had he forgotten God's dream and interpretation?

Nebuchadnezzar summons Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to him when he learns that they will not worship the statue. He offers them one more chance to do so before he throws them into the furnace. Now here's the funny part: He says, "'Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?'" (v. 15) What God indeed? Hadn't he told Daniel that his God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings? (2:37) I'm still incredulous that he had forgotten.

But it is another time that God revealed His sovereignty. The three men said, "'we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not... we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (vv. 17, 18) I love this. Look at their faith. They KNOW that God is capable of saving them. They also know that He may choose not to, but they still trust that if He doesn't, there is a reason for it, and they'll serve Him anyway.

WHAT FAITH! Oh, Lord, give me that kind of faith. I'm so afraid to go through the fire because I don't like suffering. Help me trust that You are working Your perfect will and plan for the good (not necessarily of myself, but for Your glory) in the midst of my trials. Help me be willing to sacrifice for Your glory. I think that's my biggest problem with allowing God to work. I know in my head that everything is going to be for good, but I'm not willing to be part of the sacrifice it may take. I already lost my dad because of that.

Way back before we had discovered that my dad had cancer, I prayed that God would do whatever it took for my parents to come to know Him - to remove what was preventing them from accepting His salvation and to give them whatever they needed to accept it. Well, He answered my prayer in a doozy of a way, and I never expected it. He took away my dad. My mom relied on my dad and my dad relied on himself. So God took that away. It was for the best in hindsight. My dad is now in Heaven, and I know that I'll see him again one day. But I still struggle to pray those really big faith prayers for fear of what I could lose. I still miss my dad terribly. I wouldn't trade his eternity in Heaven for more time with him here on earth, but I'm afraid of losing more people that I love if I pray those big prayers.

I don't know if that makes any sense, but I know that God is not going to work really big things in my life until I am willing to surrender everything to Him. I have to be willing to lose everything for His glory, and I'm not there yet. But I want to be.

I know in my head that being willing to surrender everything doesn't mean that God is going to take it away. I know He wants to bless me and have a fulfilling, beautiful life. I'm just so afraid that He's going to take more people away from me (even though I know that's not the kind of God He is.) It's such a struggle. Please help me, Lord. Increase my faith. Move my head knowledge into my heart.