DON'T NEED ANYONE TO TELL ME

     Each snowflake that falls to the ground is unique in its design -- that boggles my mind every winter!  Yet we don't look at individual snowflakes and think God made a mistake; we celebrate His creativity.  So, why are we so quick to look at others around us and make ourselves feel inadequate?

     I've learned I don't need anyone to tell me what I'm not good at!  It glares at me, sometimes all day long.  As moms, we're so good at reminding ourselves of what we DON'T do well, aren't we?

     Why is that?  How can we be exactly who God has created us to be and yet be so dissatisfied with our strengths and abilities we possess?

     Often skills that come easily don't seem to hold any true value in our minds.  And yet, the irony lies in the fact that it can be those same skills in us that will stare someone else in the face and make them feel so incapable.

     Are you tracking with me?

     YOU are talented.

     YOU are gifted.

     YOU are skilled.

     When you focus your discouraged eyes on the person who does well with that which you can't, you lose appreciation for what God's placed within you.

     DON'T beat yourself up about what you can't do!.  Stop!  Realize that what you do well is what God has gifted you to do.  What they do well is what God has gifted them to do.

     In I Corinthians, Paul shares the comparison of the physical body with gifts and abilities.  He asks how foolish it would be if all of us wanted to the eye, because then we wouldn't hear.  Or in the case of the ear, then we couldn't smell.  Likewise, we must recognize our value as we have been created.

     Some are created to make music, while some are created to make cookies; some are created to bring order, while some are created to bring excitement.

     None of us are irreplaceable -- not one!  Only the lies that pound on the back door of our hearts will whisper that message.  God has fashioned each of us with a specific plan and purpose; find out what that is for you and embrace it, celebrate it...but whatever you do, DON'T COMPARE IT!      

"God has placed the parts

in the body, EVERY one of them,

just as He wanted them to be.
If they were all one part,

where would the body be?"

I Corinthians 12:18&19

Adoring Eyes



     The baby-blue eyes glanced my way, waiting for a nod of approval.  I lifted two thumbs high in the air and threw him back a smile.  Then watched as his grin started on his lips and moved all the way up to his eyes.  His head cocked and I savoured what I have come to recognize as adoring eyes.

     My heart soared for a moment and then a shadow fell.  These may be the last of the adoring eyes I savour in my lifetime, I thought.  The realization came heavy and unwelcoming.  Parenting brings such extreme joy and such great challenge combined, but one of my favourite rewards has definitely been the opportunity to be loved so unreservedly.

     The short years we are given to be the heroine in a little one's eyes is an incredible gift -- and all too soon the sun sets on that stage of motherhood.

     Have I treasured it enough?

     Have I earned their respect?

     Have I used these days to establish the foundations required for the rest of the journey?

     I'll never cease being amazed that God entrusts little ones to us, even for a season, never.  The gift of a little heart that trusts you, little eyes that look at you so longingly with a smile that shines as big as a rainbow, will be embedded in my mind for my lifetime.

     But when the days get hard, we forget that the sun will ever set.  When the moments don't hold adoring eyes, we lose sight of the treasures we are standing beside.  This shouldn't be!

     One of my favourite classic films is Fiddler on the Roof, and as much as I square my shoulders and determine I will not cry at the wedding of their daughter, I always do.  The song shared by the mother and father moves my heart at the deepest levels, as they sing...

     Sunrise, sunset

     Sunrise, sunset

     Swiftly fly the years

     One season following another

     Laden with happiness and tears

     May we desire that, no matter the stage of mothering we find ourselves in, whether happiness or tears, that as the sun sets on one season and rises on another, we won't ever forget the richness of what God has entrusted to us!  He is the giver of good gifts and we are blessed to have beheld -- even for a moment -- those adoring eyes.

"Children are a gift 

from the Lord;

they are a reward from Him."

Psalm 127:3

Frustration to Blessing

     The creases furrowed across my youngest son's forehead.  They spoke silently of the mounting frustration inside his small frame.  His current desire was to create a car from his building blocks -- a worthy goal for a determined young four year old IF he had enough supplies.  But given the meager scatterings of blocks he attempted to work from, the task seemed infeasible.

     "Mommmm!"  The call came from the upstairs and seemed to boast of hopelessness.  "I CAN'T DO IT!"  

     My four year old spoke the words with echoes of discouragement.  My mother's heart wished I could wave a wand a make piles of blocks appear, but our budget disagreed with my longings.  Little did I know, something much better was about to transpire.

     Around the corner strolled my oldest son, bulking shoulders and height that caused me, for a moment, to catechize that he could really be mine.  His face, full of secrets and surprise, with sunlight sparkling from his eyes, seemed to contain an unveiled plan.  I doubt I will forget the words that followed next . . .

     "Hey buddy, since you and I are sharing a room now, I have an idea.  How about all MY blocks..." 

     My eyes filled with liquid faster than I imagined possible.  Was he really about to do what it sounded like he would?  The blocks that he had spent his lifetime collecting, guarding and saving for?  Then it happened,  the words poured out sweet and rich . . .

     ". . . become OUR blocks.  We can share them and play with it together, now that you are such a big guy."

     My heart overflowed with thankfulness for this young man that stood before me.  The arguments and squabbles faded out of my mind and all I could see was the gift.  In this moment in time, I saw a heart that God had access to, and the reward was great.  Life has brought enough experience to make me conscious of the fact that this is only a piece of the puzzle that holds both light and dark, good and bad -- but I am at rest with that.  I rejoiced in the gift of love shared between brothers -- years apart in age, but close in heart.

     Then, as if God whispered in my ear, I heard, "That is a picture of who I am.  Your God, who is MORE than enough." The truth resonated deep within, as I pondered these words.  Yes, I thought, I am the one with the meager scatterings that attempts to do things on my own, until You come with Your bountiful provision, far more than enough, for all that I need.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights." James 1:17



Unwrapping the Wrapping Paper of Life

It is definitely the time of year to think about giving gifts! I don't know about you, but as a parent, I get far more excitement out of giving my children gifts than I could ever experience in getting them.  I spend months in advance carefully listening for clues of what they might be hoping for, watching in stores for ideas of something they might like and then secretly tucking items away until that special morning.  In our family, we only give two gifts per child; one from mom and dad, and the other from the sibling who drew their name in a draw.  This has helped us keep the day balanced in remembering Jesus really is the true meaning of Christmas, while still savouring the joy of receiving and giving gifts - it also means we put great effort into choosing just the right gift.

I was reminded this week, as I wrapped presents and thought hopefully towards our children opening them, that God is the greatest giver.  In fact, when it comes to giving gifts - He refers to us as evil in comparison to how well He gives gifts.  Now before you take offense - think about that - He is trying to show how abundantly better He chooses and wraps up presents in life for you and me, than we ever could.  When it comes to unwrapping the wrapping paper of life, we are blessed by a God who loves to give!  Matthew 7:9-11 tries to paint a picture of this for us, when it says, "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!"

I know that some of us may be pre-programmed to think that this must be speaking to wealth and prosperity, but don't shut it down so fast.  This is God's Word and we need to read it for what it says -  God is our parent, and the Bible tells us over and over that He loves to give gifts; it also says that He gives good gifts when we ASK Him.  This puts the responsibility back on us, doesn't it?  When we open the wrapping paper of life, are we expecting nothing from God?  Something chintzy because we are not really thinking He is listening?  Or do we understand the magnitude of which our Father God loves and cares for us, and do we comprehend that He wants to do this for us?  If our children didn't think we cared, would they bother asking for anything?  Probably not - but when they know how much we love them and that we want to have presents under the tree for them, do you not find you hear more than a few suggestions of what they would really love to have?

Once we have asked, then it is Father God who makes the final decisions.  Do you remember in a previous post that I shared I needed to make a tough decision on a toy that my son wanted but I knew would not last him?  I had to choose to do something else, even though that is what he thought he wanted - I am absolutely sure he will love what has been done in place of that even more.  Similarily, I believe that is the way God chooses to work -  He may know of something even better for us than what we have asked for, but we can be assurred that it will be GOOD and it will be for our BEST!

Pour our your heart to God today, and each day - share with Him your longing and desires for what you need and want!  And most importantly, let it flow from your love for your Father God who loves you perfectly.  Trust Him - we are not submitting a wish list to a Santa in the sky; this is our Creator God, who knows us intimately, loves us completely and longs to give us what is best.  It flows out of a relationship with the one who loves us most!