Father not Forsaken

In your youth, did your father ever refuse you a night out with your friends? Did he deny you a slumber party or night at the movies or say no to summer camp because he wanted you to stay home for a change?

My parents weren’t like that, but I knew other parents who were. My mother and father both worked long hours to support our large family. As the youngest of eleven children and mostly unsupervised, I would often come and go as I pleased without asking permission or saying where I would be. In one regard, I loved the freedom, yet I yearned unknowingly for boundaries. In some small section of my soul, a lack of boundaries equated to a lack of love.

I recall as a young girl, one afternoon after school I phoned a friend to spend the night and she said she would call me back after asking her parents. When she returned my call, I remember vividly her response on the other end of the phone. She said, “I can’t come over, my dad wants me to stay home tonight.”

My heart sank and her words hit me in the gut. I wasn’t upset she could not come over; I was upset her parents wanted her to stay home and my parents never did - or so it seemed. Not knowing how it feels to be wanted, I walked outside pouting with my head hung low, kicked the gravel beneath my feet and grumbled to myself, “I wish my parents wanted me to stay home.”

As an adult with a different perspective, I know my parents loved me. They were a hard-working duo with a lot on their plate and doing their best to raise eleven children. However, as a young girl growing up, their lack of involvement in my life led me to habitual bad judgment with poor choices.

Today, as a mom myself, I know how fragile parenting can be. We are all imperfect parents relying on God and his wisdom daily to help our children eventually become healthy, responsible God-fearing men and women of God.

God’s Word says in Psalm 27:10, “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.” God is our Father and the only perfect parent. He will catch us when our parents fail and He will catch our children when we fail.

When was the last time you told your child you love them, gave them a big hug and let them know you are proud of them? When was the last time you had a meaningful conversation with your child? Do you know their friends or their friend’s parents? When was the last time you spent quality time having fun with your kids?

This week, I encourage you to become re-acquainted with your children. Tell them to stay home for a change because you want to spend time with them. They may not appreciate it today, next month, or the next time you tell them no. But, their heart will expand and your relationship will too.

God Bless,
Theresa

Moral Discovered

If you didn't have a chance to read my last post, please do. Because, I found my moral for my story: I am a pitiful excuse for a savior. I liberated the moth only to destroy it in the end. Any person who looks to me or anytime we look to another human for rescue, we will surely be disappointed. We are too imperfect and prone to sin; we need the One who is perfect to save us.

Jesus - He never fails us, but is Faithful. He never disappoints, but exceeds our every expectation. If you do not know Jesus, I invite you to meet the man of your dreams. I invite you to discover a love that is perfect and never failing.

2 Samuel 22:31-33
God's way is perfect.
All the Lord's promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
For who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is a solid rock?
God is my strong fortress,
and he makes my way perfect.

God Bless you!
Theresa

Rescue Gone Awry!

After telling every sordid detail of my story to my husband, he said, "That's funny, you need to use that story sometime."
I replied emphatically, "That is not funny; it's disheartening. Why did I go to all the trouble for nothing?"
Adding fuel to the fire, my husband continued, "That will teach you to steal a spider's dinner."

This is what happened: earlier in the afternoon this same day, I found a monarch moth caught in a spiderweb on a window in my garage. My rescue heart leaped to free the frantically flapping winged insect from the evil grips of a spider who already had too much to eat - obvious by the looks of his messy web littered with remnants from several previous meals.

I freed the moth from the sticky jaws of death and with amazing patience I often lack, held him between my fingers as I removed the remaining strings of silk from his fragile limbs.

With curiosity, my children watched over my shoulder as I performed this delicate procedure asking questions such as, "What are you doing, mommy?" and "Will it bite, mommy?"

I laid the newly liberated moth onto the sidewalk to recover from the shock of his experience and promptly forgot about him until sundown. Curious if he survived to fly away, I returned to the sidewalk and discovered the answer when I heard the 'crunch' sound under my shoe. EW! Ironically, my little buddy had met his demise by the foot of the one who saved him - ME!.

The moral of this story? I don't know, but I always like to have one. My husband would say, "Don't steal a spider's food." What do you say? Send your comments with your moral to my story.
Blessings to you and may your attempts of rescue be more successful than my own :)
Theresa

Mothers Poem

Someone emailed this poem to me and it relates so well to my last post, I couldn't resist sharing it with you. Enjoy!

Dear Lord, it's such a hectic day
With little time to stop and pray
For life's been anything but calm
Since You called on me to be a mom
Running errands, matching socks
Building dreams with building blocks
Cooking, cleaning, and finding shoes
And other stuff that children lose
Fitting lids on bottled bugs
Wiping tears and giving hugs
A stack of last weeks mail to read
So where's the quiet time I need?
Yet when I steal a minute, Lord
Just at the sink or ironing board
To ask the blessings of Your grace
I see then, in my small one's face
That you have blessed me
All the while
And I stop to kiss
That precious smile

To Mothers of Toddlers

Do you count it a good day when you are able to take a hot shower undisturbed or eat an adult breakfast, rather than share the same smashed bananas you are serving your child? Household chores are never-ending with increasing piles of dirty laundry and a sink eternally full of dirty dishes. When our days are focused on satisfying the needs of our family, we have little time devoted to God in prayer, reading the bible, or quiet time. Therefore, we need to be heavenly minded inviting God into every moment of our day.

Especially, at this stage of life when our children are younger, we need to diligently seek Him. God is our source of joy when mundane tasks of home and motherhood try to steal our joy and cause us to lose focus of our greatest task – to love God with every fiber of our being becoming a godly wife and mother. God is our source of wisdom when challenges arise with our children or spouse and He supplies divine solutions to conquer our problems. Therefore, we must embrace our season of life and pursue Him taking advantage of every moment expecting to see evidence of Him. Can you experience Jesus in the midst of your mundane? Can Jesus be found in your piles of laundry? Yes, I have seen Him there. He reminds me of His sacrifice on the cross which washed us clean of our sins yesterday, today and forever. Can Jesus be found while mopping the floor? Yes, He revealed himself transforming my chore into a chorus of praise. Can Jesus be found while changing a dirty diaper? I haven’t seen Him there yet, but I wait in expectation according to Psalm 5:3

If you are the mother of young children or a busy woman in any role – wife, sister, or daughter of aged parent – who finds God time difficult to acquire, God has a promise for you. Those of us who seek Him will find Him (Prov. 8:17, Matt. 7:7). He is not hiding; He is not bashful; He does not play hard-to-get. Search for Him with all your heart and anticipate His extraordinary arrival in your ordinary day. You will not be disappointed because He is faithful and true.
Now it’s your turn to tell me how our extraordinary God has revealed Himself in your ordinary day. Do Tell!
Happy Mother's Day

Peace is Priceless

A good friend called to share her anxieties about the current economic crisis personally affecting her family. I listened intently as she described the emotional and financial struggles they are encountering; listen is all I can do. I can not make her difficult situation disappear or help her in any tangible, dramatic way. Any words of advice or comfort I offer would be lacking also. Therefore, I listen. At the end of our conversation she said, “Just pray God will give me peace.” I responded, “Peace is priceless, isn’t it.”
She wasn’t asking me to intercede for God to deliver her family out from under their uncomfortable and painful situation. She requested something far more courageous and valuable; she desired peace.
Have you ever experienced the peace which exceeds understanding as described by Paul in Phillipians 4:6-8? In these verses, Paul tells us not to be anxious about anything as we present our prayers and petitions to God. Then, the peace which transcends all understanding will guard our hearts and minds as we live in Jesus.
I have witnessed God, in His Goodness, clothe people who are in the midst of crisis with unexplainable peace. I experienced this supernatural peace when my daughter, at two years old, became very ill. During the crisis, I acknowledged cause for concern considering her symptoms and blood tests, yet peace remained. I agreed there could be unhealthy future consequences following a persistent and long term high fever, yet peace remained. Well-meaning people offered the temptation to panic by focusing on and reminding me of the negative reports, yet peace remained. Peace ruled in our hearts and minds despite our circumstance.
Peace is also necessary every day in seemingly small matters, especially in relationships, where tempers or pride can flare. How do we acquire peace?
1. Peace is a gift offered by a right relationship with God through Jesus. In Psalm 23, David gives us a foreshadowing image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd who cares for our soul. Verse 2 of Psalm 23 says, “He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.” You must surrender your soul to Jesus as your Savior and trust in Him daily to receive peace.
2. We must also surrender our worries and burdens to Him leaving them in His hands. Often, we give a problem to Jesus then assume control of it all over again. Leave your burden with Him and trust He will work on your behalf.
3. We also must actively pursue peace. A rush of peace can come over us during troubled and painful times. However, on a daily basis we push towards peace and run away from temptations to become anxious. Replace thoughts of worry with the truth of God’s Word. Search His Word to find what God says about your situation.
I pray you will experience that peace which is priceless. If you do not know the One who gives the gift of peace, I pray you will hear and say yes when Jesus calls your name and eternally invites you into the Kingdom of God.
I encourage you this week to focus on actively pursuing peace using the 3 steps above. If you have stories of your own where God has graced you with peace in a crisis or during an ordinary day, please share those comments with us.
God bless you this week and peace be with you.

A GOOD WASHING

Don’t you love the look and feel of your vehicle after it has been freshly washed? I recently gave my van a good washing after several weeks of exposure to the outside elements had left it grimy and covered with pollen. The inside littered with forgotten or unwanted scraps of paper. The seats sprinkled with crumbs from snacks and the carpet covered with dirt from the bottom of shoes. It was long overdue for a thorough cleaning inside and out.
After being exposed to the elements of this world, do you ever feel like a good cleaning? Our souls and heart can become a trash dump from the environment which surrounds us. For instance, television shows can leave images in our mind and affect our thoughts. Songs we listen to and sing along with cause us to meditate upon questionable lyrics. Troubling conversations with others can affect our mood throughout the day.
Are you skeptical these situations affect you in a negative way? With the struggling economy, I have been watching the news more than usual. Reports can be contradicting depending on the channel you watch and tuning in consistently can become depressing. We need to be aware of the issues in our world without clinging to the gloom anchors and analysts forecast. God’s Word is the truth to which we should cling. Matthew 6:22 tells us the eye is the lamp to the body and if the eyes are good, the body is full of light. Therefore, let us fill our eyes and thoughts and words with goodness inspired by time spent with God, not inspired by societal influences.
This week, be aware of the outlets which influence you. How much time do you spend watching television with negative images and concepts? Do the songs you sing carry positive lyrics? Is your conversation wholesome and encouraging? While you become aware of the surrounding environment which influences you, I encourage you to spend time with God and His Word. Let your soul and mind receive a good washing in His presence and feel your spirits soar with a renewed hope and outlook as the grime from negative influences is washed away.
God Bless you this week!