ONE THING...

     Have you ever noticed that one thing leads to another?  It seems to work with both the good and the bad.

     Think about a choice of a cookie for breakfast or a banana -- which one leads to a healthy lunch?  Usually the banana.

     What about speaking to our kids in a gentle voice or losing it -- which one leads to a calm response later in the day?  Usually the gentle voice.

     But when we're totally honest, it's hard!  There are "cookie days" when it's just easier to reach for a cookie than a banana.  There are "losing it" days when it's just easier to let it out than hold it in.

     Those are the days I see my desperate need for God and His grace and I'm filled with wonder and thankfulness for who He is because of who I'm not!

     Have you experienced God's grace pouring out in your life, Moms, or are you too busy dumping heaps of guilt over your head like buckets of icy, cold water?


     The enemy of our souls is thrilled when we berate ourselves for our weakness and failures, but God is NOT -- He sent Jesus to cover all the "cookie" days and the "losing it" days!  He loves us as much after the cookie package has been ripped into as He did before.  He loves us as much after we've let our voices reach loud levels, but we don't get it, do we?

     We live in a culture that tells us value and worth are based on our performances; whether we realize it or not, we are all holding a red pen in our back pockets getting ready to tick the "F's" on our own report cards.  Take out that red pen and snap it in half -- it's mocking the grace that God extends and wants to extend in our lives.

     Yes, when we are His, God continues to call us to holiness - to becoming more like Him - BUT He does not condemn us when we fail, He pours out grace like sweet smelling bubbles in a warm bath.  May we listen for His voice in our lives and not the voices of everything else that surrounds us.

     Sink into those bubbles and let Him heal your heart.  As we accept His grace, we'll become ready and wanting to reach out for His help -- then those days will slowly become fewer and further apart, and we'll discover new levels of grace and blessing.

"From HIS fullness we have

all received, grace upon grace."

John 1:16

 

GIVE YOURSELF A LITTLE GRACE

     Something unique happens in our lives when we become moms of little ones – we find ourselves in a season of dirty diapers, feedings, fussing, and being in constant demand. It’s a stage of life that we’ve most likely never been in before, and once those little ones grow up a bit, we’ll likely not be there ever again.

     Since the youngest of my five children has departed from the preschool years, I often find myself reflecting on what I've left behind.

     I LOVED my babies; the smell of sweet skin, the fuzz of their little heads, and the way only a baby can snuggle into the warmth of your arms. I miss that SO MUCH! But, I also remember the exhaustion, the feelings of being alone and overwhelmed, and wishing my family wasn't three borders away!

     Could it be that the "babies stage" is one of the most challenging seasons in our entire lives?

     In those moments of juggling babies, diapers and doctor's appointments; we do what most moms would -- we frantically search for wisdom!  We look for those who have gone before us and can make it easier, tell us how it should be done and offer us hope that this WILL get easier.  And that's good, BUT...

     When you read the words of the wise that have gone before you, please remember something…you need to give yourself a little grace. 

     My guess is 9 times out of 10 our sources of wisdom are further ahead in the journey than we are -- and God tells us to search them out (Job 12 tells us that wisdom is found among the aged and long life brings understanding)  -- they are wonderful places to learn from.  But remember, those same sources may sometimes forget the detail; the intensity of the tiredness, the extreme busyness of a toddler and reality of daily demands.  You need to combine grace with whatever you read / hear / see.

     God’s Word is our primary source of survival in every stage, and when our babes are in arms, that's where we'll find direction mixed beautifully with grace; everything else that comes to us by way of information, is secondary, if anything at all. Even as I type these words I am so aware that my memory fails me on the details of countless sleepless nights, although I know I will never forget them completely.


     Don’t neglect the words of the wise that come from so many sources, but if necessary, DO take them with a grain of salt.

     Be patient with yourself – God is patient with you – and you WILL get to where you need to be, one “grace” day at a time.  (And if you are struggling with good 'ol Proverbs 31 mom -- we're going to talk about her next time)

"If any of you lacks wisdom,

you should ask God, who gives 

generously to all."

James 1:5

Lacking Perfection

Did you know God doesn't expect perfection in our lives? It is okay that we are lacking in that area - drastically.  Because He is God, He could have told us to be perfect, as He is perfect - but He didn't.  He called us to something far more beautiful, but attainable only through Him, and that is HOLINESSS.  I Peter 1:15&16 says, "Just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy'."  That can still feel a little overwhelming, though, can't it?  Holiness is a word with a lot of meaning behind it; it can feel that it may only apply to pastors or priests, but that is not the case.  Holiness applies to each one of us and it represents a journey towards becoming more and more Christ-like.

Perfection is not required in this life!  Hebrews 7:11 tells us that, "If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood...why was there still need for another priest to come?"  In other words, if all the laws could have been kept on our own, we wouldn't have needed Jesus - but the laws (perfection) can't be kept perfectly and we do need Jesus' fullness in our lives.  The more I grow in knowing and understanding who God is, the more rest comes in truly believing He loves me exactly where I am at and who I am at this moment.  I want you to know that assurance too - that is where grace comes in - once we have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of our lives, and the work He did on the cross and through His resurrection, grace basically gives us the freedom to sin.  Now before you get upset with me, remember that is not what God called us to - He has called us to holiness.  I just want to be sure that you understand how HUGE grace is, before I share anything more on holiness.  Remember, Paul asked us if we should go on sinning so grace would abound (because it would), to which he said, "By no means!"  That is not God's best for us, nor will it allow His blessings to flow in our lives because there are always consequences with sin, even if grace is present.

So, what are we to do with all this?  First, ask the Lord to show you what holiness needs to look like in your life.  What things would He like you to let go of, to move closer to all that He has for you?  Knowing that He is our Father who truly loves us and wants the best for us, will help us want to move in this direction because it is safe.  Second, recognize that sometimes the things that we are finding hardest in our daily lives, may be the very things that God is using to bring us further on the path of holiness.  I am amazed at what life can bring, during various stages and times; it can feel awful, exhausting, frightening and overwhelming; but once I am through the other side of those days / weeks / months, I can see God has taken me on a path of learning and growing towards Him and His holiness.  Sometimes understanding it makes those hard times easier.

I came across a beautiful poem that I want to share; it paints a picture of the journey God takes us on in moving towards holiness while also giving a glimpse of God's perfect love and care for us.  It comes from Mrs. Cowman's book, Streams in the Desert:

He sat by a fire of seven-fold heat, As He watched by the precious ore, And closer He bent with a searching gaze, As He heated it more and more.
He knew He had ore that could stand the test, And He wanted the finest gold To mould as a crown for the King to wear, Set with gems with a price untold.
So He laid our gold in the burning fire, Tho’ we fain would have said Him ‘Nay,’ And He watched the dross that we had not seen, And it melted and passed away.
And the gold grew brighter and yet more bright, But our eyes were so dim with tears, We saw but the fire-not the Master’s hand, And questioned with anxious fears.
Yet our gold shone out with a richer glow, As it mirrored a Form above, That bent o’er the fire, tho’ unseen by us, With a look of ineffable love.
Can we think that it pleases His loving heart To cause us a moment’s paint? Ah, no! but He saw through the present cross The bliss of eternal gain.
So He waited there with a watchful eye, With a love that is strong and sure, And His gold did not suffer a bit more heat, Than was needed to make it pure.

What a wonderful picture of what God does with us - He moves us closer to holiness by taking out the things in our lives that shouldn't be there, all the while watching carefully to see that it is not more than we can bear.  Remember, it is alright to be lacking in perfection, but don't ever become content to be lacking in holiness.  Let God work out those things in your life, so He can make you more and more like Him.