I really believe my intensified, joyful expectation of Easter Sunday was mostly the result of reading so much about it in the days leading up to it. This was the day the Lord made and I totally rejoiced & was glad in it (as I used to recite to the children when they'd wake up in the morning- I need to get back to doing that, by the way). I have that verse (Psalm 118:24) on my window above my sink to remind me on the difficult days (which sometimes seem to outnumber the easy days)! Today could probably qualify as an "easy" day. :)
Conversation with Jason on our van ride to church group about what we had read this week in the Bible was *rich*. Worshiping with our church group (friends who really are my brothers and sisters,) was so powerful & moving to me; now more than ever, it makes me excited about Heaven! Time spent with Papaw & Nana searching for Easter eggs, eating way too much, even finding the younger ones trying to hide the fact that they'd unwrapped & ingested obscene amounts of those little chocolate eggs was still somehow relaxing and so enjoyable. Yet all those things aren't what prompted this post.
About 8 years ago when we moved here I felt very strongly that I must get to know our new neighbors and share Christ's love with them in any way possible. I felt convicted that though we lived in our old house nearly 5 years or so, I hardly knew a single neighbor. With all that Christ had done for me and the mandate in Matthew 28:19 to "go and make disciples", how could I not at the very least, share His love with those who lived closest to me? I often came up with the excuse to God "But I have young children! It's just not a season of life for me to reach outside of my home... I'm discipling my children!" but my heart was still unsettled. He impressed it strongly on my heart that I was not here, in this home, in this neighborhood, with these neighbors, by accident! Regardless of my insecurities about reaching out to people I didn't know, I knew He was asking me to get outside of my comfort zone and share His truth with these neighbors around me. Besides that, if I wanted to teach our children to live & love others like Jesus, it would be hypocritical of me not to live it myself (and not to mention, would likely turn our older young ones off from Christ when they get to the age of owning their faith).
One way we came up with to connect with those who live around us was to walk door to door to around to 20-25 of our neighbors at Easter and ask how we can pray for them, (8 kids in tow with some holding single stem tulips, some carrying cards with a message of Christ's love and some trying not to eat a bowl of fun size chocolates;). We almost didn't do it this time... Easter came quickly and I didn't get the flowers in advance as I usually do. The thought briefly occurred to me just to skip it this year but for some reason (God's prompting) I felt I shouldn't. So late last night Jason went out & bought the things we needed and Zeal and I stuffed the cards and put everything together in a basket.
We headed out at 7:30 this evening (the only time we had today to deliver the cards & such). Jason & the oldest 6 went to each door, in the sprinkling rain as I prayed from the idled dry van with our youngest 2. "Lord, please be with these neighbors... touch their hearts somehow with these small gifts... use Your Word to draw them closer to You." (All this as our 3yr old kicked one of our sick, 70-something neighbor lady's legs *SIGH!*). As I thought about how to discipline him, I saw the kids running to the next house, a beautiful 92yr old Christian woman's home that we always visit, my thoughts shifted, "Really, God... Is any of this worth it? Are we making a difference in anyone's lives?? Does our presence really matter to this woman?"
When she invited us inside (as she always does,) He answered me through the words of this sweet lady. "Oh, I'm SO glad you all came! I thought you weren't coming this time!! I was so sad today, missing my husband and thinking you wouldn't come... I listened to the radio for 2 hours and they talked about Jesus (which was wonderful,) but I was wishing I could just open my door and Jesus and His angels would be standing there... I really didn't think you'd come! I talked to people on the phone about you today... my daughter said maybe you were sick... several times I looked for you... I was sitting on my back porch... and then I heard the children!!"
We were all standing in her kitchen as the younger ones were running around. I heard things being moved around by our children in the other room. As she said the words, "I wish I could open the door and see Jesus and his angels." Jesus' voice, in the midst of all the noise the children were causing, quietly and thankfully whispered to me, "You let me answer her prayer to see me and my angels tonight."
Hearing the voice of God clearly share to my heart how much He can do with my pathetic attempts to stretch into the lives of a few, melted me as she repeated her gratitude. The surprise is that He actually wants to use us, these broken jars of clay to show Himself to a lonely widow who was looking for Him and us on Easter. Tears, Awe, and Brokenness.
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us." ~2 Corinthians 4:7
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Humbled by a Child
Earlier today Cael came running in the house from the backyard to tell me Noble was talking with strangers over the fence. Noble was called in & talked to about taking care in talking with strangers & allowed back out to play.
Very soon after Cael ran back in & confessed to talking with the same strangers over the fence. Immediately I chastised him for doing what his younger brother had just gotten in trouble for doing and told him he had to remain inside instead of going back out to play. What was he thinking? However God quietly prompted me to ask him what he talked to the boys over the fence about.
"What did you say to them Cael?" Cael, who was silent through my hasty reprimanding paused before speaking, "I asked them if they knew why we celebrated Easter." I felt instantly ashamed of myself as he continued, "They said it was because God died and I told them it was good that they knew that... I was thinking about what you said about how we needed to tell people about Jesus so I wanted to ask them. Can I go back out to play?"
Instantly humbled, I answered quietly, "Yes, of course you can Cael."
All week I had been reading the Bible to the children around the table, (which was more like yelling over all the noise of the young ones,) talking about the Lord giving His life as a perfect sacrifice on the cross for our sins and the joy of His resurrection because we have hope for eternity with Him. We had talked about the parable of the 10 virgins and how 5 of them weren't ready when the Bridegroom came. I related how Jesus was returning soon and we needed to be ready: watching, praying, and sharing Christ's love with others until He came. Every day as we talked, though, there were frequent interruptions (as there are with young children) and I really wondered if the message was sinking in. It's so ironic how God uses our children to humble us and teach us when we think we're teaching them!
Cael, who tends to be one of our more challenging children at times, (frequently coming up with ideas of things he shouldn't be doing and rarely taking "no" for an answer,) put me to shame with his soft heart & words of wisdom and truth. How often have I prayed for him to grow into a young man like that?
*Sigh!* I'm so grateful that God is so patient with me in my frequent failures as a mother (and a wife), so full of grace and love, gently admonishing me (even sometimes through my children)! Lord help me to be a model of your love to my family! Help me to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and much slower to become angry! (James 1:19)
Very soon after Cael ran back in & confessed to talking with the same strangers over the fence. Immediately I chastised him for doing what his younger brother had just gotten in trouble for doing and told him he had to remain inside instead of going back out to play. What was he thinking? However God quietly prompted me to ask him what he talked to the boys over the fence about.
"What did you say to them Cael?" Cael, who was silent through my hasty reprimanding paused before speaking, "I asked them if they knew why we celebrated Easter." I felt instantly ashamed of myself as he continued, "They said it was because God died and I told them it was good that they knew that... I was thinking about what you said about how we needed to tell people about Jesus so I wanted to ask them. Can I go back out to play?"
Instantly humbled, I answered quietly, "Yes, of course you can Cael."
All week I had been reading the Bible to the children around the table, (which was more like yelling over all the noise of the young ones,) talking about the Lord giving His life as a perfect sacrifice on the cross for our sins and the joy of His resurrection because we have hope for eternity with Him. We had talked about the parable of the 10 virgins and how 5 of them weren't ready when the Bridegroom came. I related how Jesus was returning soon and we needed to be ready: watching, praying, and sharing Christ's love with others until He came. Every day as we talked, though, there were frequent interruptions (as there are with young children) and I really wondered if the message was sinking in. It's so ironic how God uses our children to humble us and teach us when we think we're teaching them!
Cael, who tends to be one of our more challenging children at times, (frequently coming up with ideas of things he shouldn't be doing and rarely taking "no" for an answer,) put me to shame with his soft heart & words of wisdom and truth. How often have I prayed for him to grow into a young man like that?
*Sigh!* I'm so grateful that God is so patient with me in my frequent failures as a mother (and a wife), so full of grace and love, gently admonishing me (even sometimes through my children)! Lord help me to be a model of your love to my family! Help me to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and much slower to become angry! (James 1:19)
Friday, March 29, 2013
A Reason for Writing
One of my sweet cousins (a new, young mother) suggested several years ago that I really should write a blog. I smiled to myself and thought "she means well, but there is NO way I have time for that- maybe someday when the children are older..." and I completely dismissed the idea.
Somewhere around the same time I got into facebook. It was a perfect way for me to stay connected with friends and (in particular) family that I no longer saw and it gave me a chance to encourage since I felt like I didn't have as broad an opportunity for outreach being a stay-at-home mama with very young ones like I did in my single years.
The ironic thing was, though I was positive I didn't have time for a silly blog, I justified (far too much) time spent on facebook. I don't quite remember when it was, but I had a light bulb moment when I realized, writing a few lines about what one of the kids said wasn't really an effective way to keep others up on what we were doing (and most of my immediate family isn't on facebook to read about it anyway). Also putting a short quote up as a post didn't really capture much of what God was putting on my heart either. It was when I began thinking about all the things I wanted to write down for our children (random thoughts of what I wish I had known or things I'm learning on this journey of life,) that I was convinced that I needed to start this.
So here it is- an outlet for me to write after the children are in bed (something I love to do but rarely take the time for these days), and I pray it will be a resource that will encourage & uplift any of you who take your precious time to read this (including, I hope, one day, our children).
Somewhere around the same time I got into facebook. It was a perfect way for me to stay connected with friends and (in particular) family that I no longer saw and it gave me a chance to encourage since I felt like I didn't have as broad an opportunity for outreach being a stay-at-home mama with very young ones like I did in my single years.
The ironic thing was, though I was positive I didn't have time for a silly blog, I justified (far too much) time spent on facebook. I don't quite remember when it was, but I had a light bulb moment when I realized, writing a few lines about what one of the kids said wasn't really an effective way to keep others up on what we were doing (and most of my immediate family isn't on facebook to read about it anyway). Also putting a short quote up as a post didn't really capture much of what God was putting on my heart either. It was when I began thinking about all the things I wanted to write down for our children (random thoughts of what I wish I had known or things I'm learning on this journey of life,) that I was convinced that I needed to start this.
So here it is- an outlet for me to write after the children are in bed (something I love to do but rarely take the time for these days), and I pray it will be a resource that will encourage & uplift any of you who take your precious time to read this (including, I hope, one day, our children).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)