One day

This is my first post on something that some may feel is controversial, which is kind of scary, but just be reminded this blog is only my thoughts and opinions, and things that are on my heart.   So here goes….. I was watching a popular TV host (un-named) and they were discussing Iowa and their legalizing gay marriage.   They were saying how through the ages people have been discriminated against and not allowed to choose who they want to marry: different religions, different countries, different races, ect.   Their point was, isn’t it about time that marriage was about ‘love’ – we should be able to marry whom ever we choose!

This was very disturbing to me, basically due to the fact that I believe what God says in scripture regarding this subject – that it is clearly a sin! (if you’d like references, let me know)   But then again, doesn’t the Bible speak of lots of sins?   Many that I’m guilty of!

As I struggled with this, I read in Romans 14 where Paul says, “For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.  You, then, why do you judge your brothers?  Or why do you look down on your brother?   For we will all stand before God’s judgement seat.  It is written:  ‘As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’    So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” 

I guess that pretty much sums it up.  So this was the reason Christ died – for all sinners, myself included!     It reminds me of the song, “One day every tongue confess you are God, one day every knee will bow.  Still the greatest treasure remains for those who gladly choose you now”.

Lord, help me not to be judgemental.   For judgement is Yours, and one day your verdict will echo through the universe!    Help me to show Your love to others, and to stand up for what your Words says.  Amen!

My Mother

Megan and I were in the car today, and we were talking about Moms (hmmm, wonder why?).    I was telling Megan that I wanted to write some kind of tribute to my Mother, but didn’t know what to say.   “Thank you” seems so inadequate!    Megan said, why don’t you write what we were just talking about?   So here’s a little of our discussion….

 My Mother is one of the best bakers ever!   She makes the best homemade bread, and her pies are out-of-this-world yummy!   Plus she can put together a delicious meal in no time at all.   Unfortunately, she never taught me to bake/cook.   Instead she taught me something better.   She taught me to love God’s Word.   I’ve never seen anyone more excited to study the Bible than my Mother!    She taught me to let people be people – not to try and control them.   She taught me a beautiful saying that her Grandmother used to say, “In acceptance, lies peace”.    An important lesson that she taught me (by showing) was forgiveness!    There are many more – too many to list.   It makes me wonder, what am I teaching my own children?   What will they say about me someday?   Hmmm……

My Mom won’t always be with me, but I’m comforted knowing that years from now, I will turn around at unexpected moments, and in the mirror or in my daughter, I will catch a vivid glimpse of my Mother!    I love you, Mom!

Happy Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day to all my dear friends!   I know a few of you have had a tough week, and may be thinking, “What’s so grand about being a Mom?”.   True, there are days when I think, if someone says “Mommm!” one more time, I’m going to scream!!!    But Motherhood goes far beyond the day to day routine.  It’s more than nursing a sick child, running the kids to sports practices, and picking up toys off the floor for the umpteenth time (and those Lego pieces are everywhere!).

Dee Brestin said, “Motherhood is not just wiping noses and bottoms (for those with babies ), it’s about nurturing an eternal soul“.  When you put it that way, what could be more important then that???

So, here’s to all my friends out there, who are terrific Mothers!   May you have a wonderful weekend, and cherish each special moment with your little ones, as you guide them and show them God’s love!

Prayer

Tomorrow, May 7, marks the 58 annual observance of the National Day of Prayer.   Because of that, I’ve had prayer on my mind a little more this week.    How is my prayer life?    God has made a way to connect and talk with Him and that is through prayer!   I spend much of my day communicating with other people via, phone, computer, and even face-to-face, but how much time during the day do I take to really connect with God (not counting my “popcorn” prayers)?

Prayer is hard work – it takes time, but it is also a privilege, and Satan loves that we take the privilege of prayer and set it aside.   It reminds me of one of my favorite hymns (and I have many!), “What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer”.  

Col. 4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful”.    I’ve come to realize that prayer doesn’t happen unless I make it a priority.   It’s a discipline!   We have many things in our every day lives that we either choose to do or not to do – I choose prayer!  

“Oh what peace we often forfeit, Oh what needless pain we bear.  All because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer”!

Landon praying at our church on Day of Prayer back in March

Lost!

If any of you have ever lost something valuable, you’ll be able to relate to this.  This weekend our youngest son, Byron, lost his glasses.   We pumped him with questions, “Where were you when you last remember having them?”, “Where did you take them off?”,  “Stop and think!”………. to no avail.   He just couldn’t remember!

Here comes the cool part, after searching this house high and low, and looking every imaginable place, we were at our wits end!    I was beginning to see the dollar signs for new glasses.      So we sat down as a family and prayed the most simple prayer, “Jesus, you know where these glasses are, but we sure don’t!  Please help us to find them.  Amen”.    Maybe 15-20 seconds after that Byron said excitingly, “Oh, I remember now!”, and sure enough, he led us right to them.     They were outside, in the grass, beside the swing set.

I know that God always hears our prayers, and it’s so awesome when we see Him answer them immediately.   One of my favorite scriptures is, I Thes 5:16-18, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”     But I also know that God is sovereign, and there have been many prayers that he has answered, but not in the way that I’ve asked Him to.   In those times, it’s my hearts desire to say, “God is still good, and He knows best”.

Turned Photo Frames

No this is not another ‘April Fools’ joke.   This is a minor pet peeve of mine!   I have a 10 years old son who has a quirky sense of humor.   Landon loves to be silly!   He has this annoying trait of going around the house and turning a photo frame on it’s side, stacking the fruit weird, or anything else that says,”Helloooo, I was here”!    At first it was funny, but after a while it began to get on my nerves.    After all isn’t it every Mother’s dream to clean the house up – and have it stay that way?!?

After complaining to one of my good friends about this, she said, “Dawn, one day you’ll clean your house up and it will stay just the way you put it – because the kids will be gone”.    Wow, what a sobering thought!     I went to Landon and apologized for getting on to him, and told him to tweak anything he wanted to tweak around the house.    And I will love it, because it means I have little ones around to laugh with, to play with, and to love.   The day will come soon enough when the photos frames will go untouched!

Who’s the joke on now?

Happy April Fools Day!   I was preparing my pranks for the day, even got some good ideas from my fellow Face Bookers, and when I came down stairs this morning, the joke was on me!    I’m not sure who is responsible for what, because everyone was grinning and no one was talking, but the whole house was turned upside down – literally!   From lamp shades, candle sticks, fruit basket, to photos on the fridge, and on and on…… everything was turned upside down!    Even cereal bags, from the boxes, had traded places.   You think your going to get Cheerios and…. Whoops!     It took me most of the morning to put things back in order. 

Not to be outdone, I had a few tricks up my sleeve for the kids.   They went to school with worms in their lunch boxes (gummy of course), and a few other pranks are planned for when they get home.

It’s fun to have a day when you can fool people and pull pranks, but I was thinking how often do we fool people with our Christianity?   We can say the right things and do the right things, but our heart may not be clean.    We may fool others, but it’s impossible to fool God!   2 Timothy 2:19 says, ”The Lord knows those who are His”.   Who are we fooling?

Dining room chairs turned around

Fruit basket???

Lamp shade up side down!

Treasures in Heaven

The other day I came across this Bible verse, and due to the unstable economy of the times, this verse caught my attention.  I Timothy 6:17&18, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”  

Times might be tough and finances tight, but who of us can’t be ‘rich in good deeds’ and help someone?   It might be an offer to babysit, a phone call to encourage a friend, or a note to cheer an elderly person.  It doesn’t have to cost a penny.   It was a challenge for me to store my treasures in heaven, instead of focusing on accumulating material things on earth.   And for someone who loves to shop, this is at times a daily reminder!    What good deed can I do today?

Veggie Tales

Whoever said that Veggie Tale DVD’s can’t help you learn the Bible?   Our family was playing a game of Bible Trivia this weekend.   It was 9 year old Byron’s turn, and his question was, “Who had a dream about 7 skinny cows eating 7 fat cows?”   Byron had been feeling bad, because he didn’t know as many answers as his older brother and sister did, but he perked up when he heard this question.   “Oooooh”, he excitedly responded,  ”I know, I know, it was the Mayor of Dodge Ball City!!!”   Obviously someone had been watching “Little Joe”.   Oh, we got a good laugh at that!    Then we gently explained that the answer we were looking for was “Pharaoh of Egypt”.    Nonetheless, Byron got credit for the answer, and moved forward one space!  

Today, just take a moment to play a game with your children.   You get to interact, have fun together, and the best part – it’s free!

Valentines!

Our family has a little Valentine’s tradition.    Every year on Valentine’s Day, before Scott goes to work, he takes a pack of little Valentine cards and hides them all over the downstairs of our house.   When the kids get up, they are so excited to run around and find the cards – all 32 of them!   When the kids were younger, the hiding places were kind of obvious.   As they are getting older the hiding places get more tough.   Some of the cards, I’m sure they won’t find for a couple days (if not weeks).    It’s kind of fun, when weeks from now, you hear one of them call out, “I just found a Valentine!”. 

I John 3:16 tells us, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us”.    God sent us the ultimate Valentine!   Dear God, thank you for sending your Son, and showing us what love truly is!