A few days ago I experienced the most amazing things! God placed me
in two situations within an hour where I was able to help total
strangers. There are no words I can use to describe to incredible feelings I had in my heart. It wasn't for what I had done, it was for what I had witnessed and experienced.
I've helped strangers in the past. Even though I was sure
God had a hand in it, I always chalked it up to "being in the right
place at the right time". This was different. I didn't physically hear
Him say "do this" but it was just as clear. I knew exactly what I was
supposed to do, and there was no hesitation and no doubt in my mind.
I'm
not looking for praise or anyone to comment on what I did, so I'm not
going to say exactly what happened. That's not the point of this. The
point is- small miracles took place, and I feel SO incredibly blessed to
be a part of it... and not just ANY part of it, God chose me to make it
happen. To be able to carry out a plan in His name, an act of love in
the name of God our Father is an AMAZING feeling!
Afterward
I felt like I was floating! I came home and told Jason (my husband)
what had happened, and at that point I couldn't contain my joy. I was so
overcome with emotion and the tears overflowed. Days later I am still
incredibly overwhelmed and wondering how those people are today.
Two days after the first experience, God called on me again. This time one of my
nine-year-olds was with me and she simply said, "we have to help them".
And so we did.
"I will praise You in this storm."
It
wasn't my storm this time, but often it has been. I am still learning
to praise God in my storms. I am thankful for the opportunity to be
available for others during their storms.
I hope
God will call on me again; small ways, big ways, any way He chooses. I
hope He calls, and I hope I am listening so I never miss an opportunity
to assist in His work.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Can I Be Sure?
How can we ever really be sure of anything? If you can't hold
it in your hand, see it, taste it, smell it... somehow physically prove
it... how do you ever really know?
Take for instance your spouse. Do you know what your spouse does when you're not with them? No, you don't.
What about the gas gauge in your car? Do you know for sure that it's accurate? Nope. Much like your spouse, you just trust that it's telling you the truth.
Now the biggie... what about God? How do we know He's really there? Can we prove it?
That question is actually going to be left for another day. This blog is about our kids. How do we know that we have done not just an adequate job, but a GOOD job of raising them before sending them off into the world? How do we know we've prepared them?
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
~Proverbs 22:6
Both my boys were baptized shortly after they were born. We promised before God and the church to raise them in Christian homes, teaching them about God and His Word. The same minister at my home church in Florida baptized them both. Since they are 7 years apart, much had changed since the eldest was born. Our minister, Fred, had just retired when we asked him to baptize our youngest son, and as a favor to our family he said "of course" he would!
When we lived in North Carolina we attended a wonderful church that baptized by submersion. We were at a point in our lives when our entire family was renewing our faith and becoming much closer to God. We spoke with our pastor and decided to be baptized again as a family. It was a wonderful experience! Our youngest, who was then a very intelligent 5 year old, fully understood that he was committing his life to the Lord and proclaimed his love for Jesus as he was dunked in the river. It brought tears to my eyes! Our oldest was 12, and all of him was baptized except his broken right arm which stayed above water in a cast and plastic bag.
Children make mistakes. It's very hard for me to reconcile the fact that my teenager has choices, and the choices he makes, good or bad, are his alone, and at this point do not reflect upon my parenting directly. He has been raised with values and morals, in a Christian home with a solid upbringing. I don't always agree with his choices, but I guess that's a given. At one point both of his ears were pierced and he was wearing his hair longer than I would have liked. In the past he has dated a few young ladies that I found rather questionable. Could I have kept him from piercing his ears? Sure! I was actually the one who took him to do it. Could I have cut his hair shorter? Absolutely! In the big picture, there are much more important things! He doesn't drink, he doesn't smoke, and he doesn't do drugs... and that is WAY more important than a couple of earrings and long hair.
Still, sometimes his decisions leave me scratching my head. Where did I go wrong? That's just it though, I didn't. This isn't about ME. This is about HIM, and HIS life... and the decisions that HE makes for HIS life. I have done what I was supposed to do. I taught him right from wrong, took him to church, he knows what God expects of him, he knows what we expect of him and he knows that he has a choice to make- it's up to him to choose right or wrong. What he does with that is completely up to him.
In eight (very short) months he could be off to college and making all of his own decisions. Most of the time he makes sound judgment calls... but how do I know that will be the case when he is not at home? Can I be sure he has what he needs to go out into the world and make it on his own?
It all falls back to FAITH. I have to have faith in the job we have done as his parents, faith in the Lord to keep a strong hand on him while he navigates his life, and faith that he will remember he can always turn to us if he needs help finding his way. FAITH.
Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates. ~Deuteronomy 11:18-20
Even when you can hold something in your hand you can be deceived. You can kiss the lips of a snake believing it's a prince. Poison may taste and smell sweet, but it's still a poison. A "friend" may not be a friend after all. The devil will try to beguile us, do not give him the pleasure! His methods are meant to make you doubt. Do not allow him into your head! We have to have faith in ourselves and in our God. He will see us through.
I feel that we have done our best as parents to instill morals and values in our children, to set good examples for them and try to set them on a good path. Have we made mistakes? Of course! Hopefully we've learned from them and used them as examples, so our children can use them as examples with their children. We only want each generation to be better and have more than the last.
We pray for their future, we hope we've done enough to prepare them, and live with the faith that the Lord will guide them and the certainty that He will ALWAYS be with them. God gave them as precious gifts to us, and we raise them to glory and honor Him. As children we taught them the song "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so...". Jesus DOES love us, and would do anything for us, even die for us. We can always be sure of that.
Take for instance your spouse. Do you know what your spouse does when you're not with them? No, you don't.
What about the gas gauge in your car? Do you know for sure that it's accurate? Nope. Much like your spouse, you just trust that it's telling you the truth.
Now the biggie... what about God? How do we know He's really there? Can we prove it?
That question is actually going to be left for another day. This blog is about our kids. How do we know that we have done not just an adequate job, but a GOOD job of raising them before sending them off into the world? How do we know we've prepared them?
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
~Proverbs 22:6
Both my boys were baptized shortly after they were born. We promised before God and the church to raise them in Christian homes, teaching them about God and His Word. The same minister at my home church in Florida baptized them both. Since they are 7 years apart, much had changed since the eldest was born. Our minister, Fred, had just retired when we asked him to baptize our youngest son, and as a favor to our family he said "of course" he would!
When we lived in North Carolina we attended a wonderful church that baptized by submersion. We were at a point in our lives when our entire family was renewing our faith and becoming much closer to God. We spoke with our pastor and decided to be baptized again as a family. It was a wonderful experience! Our youngest, who was then a very intelligent 5 year old, fully understood that he was committing his life to the Lord and proclaimed his love for Jesus as he was dunked in the river. It brought tears to my eyes! Our oldest was 12, and all of him was baptized except his broken right arm which stayed above water in a cast and plastic bag.
Children make mistakes. It's very hard for me to reconcile the fact that my teenager has choices, and the choices he makes, good or bad, are his alone, and at this point do not reflect upon my parenting directly. He has been raised with values and morals, in a Christian home with a solid upbringing. I don't always agree with his choices, but I guess that's a given. At one point both of his ears were pierced and he was wearing his hair longer than I would have liked. In the past he has dated a few young ladies that I found rather questionable. Could I have kept him from piercing his ears? Sure! I was actually the one who took him to do it. Could I have cut his hair shorter? Absolutely! In the big picture, there are much more important things! He doesn't drink, he doesn't smoke, and he doesn't do drugs... and that is WAY more important than a couple of earrings and long hair.
Still, sometimes his decisions leave me scratching my head. Where did I go wrong? That's just it though, I didn't. This isn't about ME. This is about HIM, and HIS life... and the decisions that HE makes for HIS life. I have done what I was supposed to do. I taught him right from wrong, took him to church, he knows what God expects of him, he knows what we expect of him and he knows that he has a choice to make- it's up to him to choose right or wrong. What he does with that is completely up to him.
In eight (very short) months he could be off to college and making all of his own decisions. Most of the time he makes sound judgment calls... but how do I know that will be the case when he is not at home? Can I be sure he has what he needs to go out into the world and make it on his own?
It all falls back to FAITH. I have to have faith in the job we have done as his parents, faith in the Lord to keep a strong hand on him while he navigates his life, and faith that he will remember he can always turn to us if he needs help finding his way. FAITH.
Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates. ~Deuteronomy 11:18-20
Even when you can hold something in your hand you can be deceived. You can kiss the lips of a snake believing it's a prince. Poison may taste and smell sweet, but it's still a poison. A "friend" may not be a friend after all. The devil will try to beguile us, do not give him the pleasure! His methods are meant to make you doubt. Do not allow him into your head! We have to have faith in ourselves and in our God. He will see us through.
I feel that we have done our best as parents to instill morals and values in our children, to set good examples for them and try to set them on a good path. Have we made mistakes? Of course! Hopefully we've learned from them and used them as examples, so our children can use them as examples with their children. We only want each generation to be better and have more than the last.
We pray for their future, we hope we've done enough to prepare them, and live with the faith that the Lord will guide them and the certainty that He will ALWAYS be with them. God gave them as precious gifts to us, and we raise them to glory and honor Him. As children we taught them the song "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so...". Jesus DOES love us, and would do anything for us, even die for us. We can always be sure of that.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Chaos As Usual...
The bags under my eyes should have "Samsonite" stamped on them because they have packed and ready for a vacation for a while now! My lists have lists. I put the milk on top of the fridge and then later asked Jason if he'd finished it because I couldn't find it.
A long time has passed since I last blogged. Most of you know what's been going on with us. Our family has increased by two children, and that has been one of our biggest changes! We are enjoying our larger family and all the challenges it brings.All the kids are adjusting beautifully, and I couldn't be more proud of them.
Our oldest will be graduating by the end of the year. He's looking into colleges and my heart is already breaking into a million tiny pieces at the thought of him leaving home. We are together every day and have become so close. I can't imagine what it will be like without him here. The other kids are not excited about him leaving either. They've all grown very close.
Photography is kicking back up and that makes me very happy! I've had several shoots lately and one next weekend! My full-time job is also keeping me busy and we will be preparing to sell the business soon in preparation for transfer next year. Every time I think about it, it makes me cry because I absolutely LOVE my job and all that comes with it!! Being the "boss" is amazing and exhausting, but working with the children is the best!
Obviously the blog is back in business and I will be doing my best to try to keep up! Stick with me! I'll try to keep you entertained. ;o) In the meantime, catch up on all the old ones you missed. LOL
{{{HUGS!}}}
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