The Most Wonderful Rescue Mission

One day when I was young I was playing at a park with a fountain. There was a very young boy, not old enough to swim, trying desperately to get out of the fountain. The bottom of the fountain was too slick, he kept slipping and falling back under the water. As he coughed the water out of his lungs over and over again, I tried to stretch out my hand to him without slipping too deep in myself. Though I desperately wanted to save him, I was not big enough or strong enough to help; we could not reach each other. I kept edging a little closer but each time he reached out he would slip back under the water again. His mother finally noticed us and came swooping in to scoop him up. In that one swift motion of her capable arms the ordeal that sent my little heart racing was over! At the time I thought her angry words of warning toward him were mean, but as a mother myself now, I’m sure it was fear coming out in harsh tones.

Yesterday I read Psalm 49 verse 7. It says, “Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life.” Later it reads not even the rich can ransom themselves, “For when he dies he will carry nothing away;” (.17).  This seems like a rather depressing reflection for this joyful season. But to understand the wonder of the light, we have to acknowledge the darkness that makes it shine so brightly.

The darkness is our own desperate situation. Just as I could not help that little boy, the same is true of every person when we pass into the next life. We are all estranged to God from our own rebellion. Our rebellion in this life means a separation from God forever in the next. That separation will be much, much worse…with no comforts of any kind to distract us from our misery without Him, the source of every possible good thing we get to enjoy in this world. No love. No light. No water. No way out.

We are on the path to this hell unless someone can help us. That Someone did come. Just as that mother jumped in to save her son in the fountain that day, God entered this world to help. And it was a Father’s love to rescue us that compelled Him. Since no man could ransom us, God sent His Son to save us all through His own death (and resurrection) for our sins. The Message version explains the “why” behind the Christmas story this way, “That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served—and then to give away his life in exchange (ransom) for many who are held hostage.” (Mark 10:45)  This is what we celebrate this season. Not an obscure little story about a peasant baby born in a barn…but the most wonderful rescue mission of all eternity. The light coming into our darkness.

Advent - Light Arriving

Baby Jesus is born...light enters the world again. Perfection. Holiness. Clarity.  We can finally see what our hearts knew all along...we were dwelling in deep darkness.  Blinded by our own sin. Light pushes the darkness back making room to dwell with us, in us...Immanuel. 

In Him there is no darkness at all. (1 Jn 1:5)

Our souls long for this - we were made for this - we crave His goodness and Love. 
The darkness numbs our hunger but always leaves us wanting more. 
The light fills every crevice of our hearts, sneaking through the cracks, creeping in and satisfying.  The darkness cannot hold it back. With Christ's birth the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. (1 Jn 2:8)

Welcome Lord Jesus.

Baptism

On October 26th Thing 2 was baptized by his Dad.  What a special day for our whole family and a great memory for the two of them.

T2 chose 2 Corinthians 5:17 to be read at his baptism.  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  the old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
We know this is one step in T2's journey. There will be times when he feels close to God and times when he feels distant.  I pray he always remembers though that no matter how he feels, God is always near to him. This day marks an important declaration on his journey of becoming that new creation. We are proud of you, son!

Why I Can't Have a Fish on my Van (How I Lost my "Witness" at the Grocery Store)

Three different stores with three boys and a dog all in one morning...what was I thinking???

 At each stop the dog jumped out of the van and tried to get hit by a car.  Our final stop turned into the typical longer-than-expected trip to get groceries. Halfway through grabbing "just a few things" we had to make an emergency stop at the bathroom (why do they always wait until we are at the opposite end of the bathrooms to have to go RIGHT NOW?). Groceries bought and two penny pony rides later, we rush back out to the van where I hoped the dog hadn't done anything smelly.

As I lift the 100 lb cooler bag of groceries out of the cart the dog makes a break for it.  I drag the bag toward the dog and grab her by the collar with my free hand.  At THIS EXACT MOMENT (I'm about to lose my witness here...) a grumpy old man pulls up and stops behind my van.  He angrily lectures me on my bad parking skills (I readily admit I'm a terrible parker) informing me he could barely get out of his space next to mine.  I think to myself at this moment...are you kidding me? Can you see what I'm managing right now? Somewhat politely I say, "I'm sorry sir but I have other ISSUES to deal with right now."

I turn away and wrestle the dog with one hand back into the van. When I drag my 1000 lb grocery bag back to the van the grumpy old man is STILL parked there glaring at me.  My witness slips a bit more and I say, "What do you want me to do?" (clearly he was able to get out of his spot without incident).  He says something else I can't remember to which I reply, "Well I'll go to parking school, okay?!" He snaps, "Good, you should." I yell, "Great, you can pay for it!" He finally departs and I call him a jerk under my breath right in front of my kids.

Nice. What happened to loving my neighbor? I even got up early and had a quiet time this morning! As I drive home I think to myself, This is why I can never put one of those fish on my van. 

But here is the amazing thing that I'm still trying to get my head around.  Something that I think is so very important for all of us who claim to love God to really grasp. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."  Jesus took on all my sin and in exchange He credited His righteousness to me. God doesn't look down on me in that parking lot frowning in disgust that I STILL don't get it right.  He looks down to see Christ's righteousness and my mistakes already paid for on the cross.  

It's that perfect love of the Father that motivates to do better next time, not out of guilt, only out of pleasure and delight in His perfect acceptance of me, just as I am. And if I ever do make it to "parking school" maybe I can finally put that fish on my bumper...or, maybe not! 

Intentional Living - Post Preschoolers

         Ten years ago after the arrival of my first son this season seemed so far off I couldn’t even   Now that I’ve sent my youngest off to K the quiet house screams at me, “This day has arrived!” The ObGyn tells you all about navigating postpartum, but I've yet to come across a manual on post-preschoolers.

imagine it.
 It has finally happened.

 So now what?          

           

            Prompted by Jean Flemming’s, Pursue the IntentionalLife, I ask myself a lot of soul searching questions.  Where should my contribution of these few hours go?  What will make me want to spring out of bed in the morning? What choices made today will help me live well (and end well) spiritually?

            This is a critical juncture.  I’m setting the pace and tone for the rest of my life.  My time apart from my kids is only going to increase as the months and years roll by.  Jean says, “Spring is the best time for planting if I want a good harvest in the fall.  Vision, values, character and disciplines developed in the springtime of life serve even into winter.  Whatever the age, it is not too soon to prepare for the rest of life.” (p.32).

            The years of parenting preschoolers has passed; it’s time to plant in new “fields” I couldn’t go to with little ones. Just like my children, I need to continue to grow and move on to the next thing….at least for a few hours…until my little treasures come back to my nest. Then it’s time to really make those hours with them count.

           

What about you? What life changes are you facing? I’d love to hear what has helped you successfully navigate a new role, season, etc.

Making Ripples

Whenever I hear a leadership message I immediately filter it through my mommy brain and ask, How can I translate these leadership principles into my mothering?  

This morning I heard a wise man speak on how to be an influencer of generations. I have to start with the generation that is under my care every day. Yet, right now I as I write I can hear one of them whining downstairs in protest of my instruction to go use the restroom. I hesitate applying what I just learned, If I can’t seem to influence them to potty in time, how can I train them in the eternal weighty things? The four principles the speaker listed seemed so straightforward this morning…and then I came home. :)

Still the charge God has given me is clear and the goal worth giving it my all. My job, as the speaker summed up (and I mommy-translated) is to be a faithful messenger of the love and grace God extends to my children. I’m to train them to live by His safe guidelines for their lives by pointing them continually to His life-giving Words. These are the Words that will make the biggest difference. As a result of routine training over the next 10 - 15 years, hopefully they will grow to be the kind of men that will influence others in these same principles.

As I reflected on the message I asked myself, Am I leading them to You daily? Both directly – through reading and memorizing the Bible together and prayer.  And indirectly – with my actions, attitudes and words?  There’s the rub.  It’s the day in and day out that gets me, where my sin shines the brightest in my impatient tone and begrudging routine service. 

It is an impossible task – to lead them perfectly every moment of every day.  I feel overwhelmed. I can’t do it. I can have a quiet time with them but I can’t hide my sin.  Why would they want to imitate my imperfect faith? But then He asks me, “What if you stopped hiding from your sin and modeled repentance?” It’s humbling, but affective, when I look in their little eyes and give them a full apology for my mistakes in parenting. That’s when I see Him working through my mistakes, turning them into living examples of grace for them to remember.

What if the right attitude and clear eternal goals in the heart of one mom radically changed everything in the lives of three little men? What if they grew up to be influencers in His Kingdom because of the choices I make today?  What if what I’m doing now in my little house within in my neighborhood nestled in my city someday impacts the world?

That is what the speaker on leadership tried to get us to see. That is what he meant when he talked about a ripple in a pond making a bigger impact than a single splash.  I’m here…cleaning dishes, scrubbing toilets, sometimes patiently talking through tantrums and squabbles…but I’m making ripples. If I do it with love and obedience to His Ways, then they will be ripples that imprint His Message on their hearts. Ripples that will go much farther than my two feet will ever travel.  Ripples that just might change the world.

"Quiet" times with Kids

 Before becoming a mom I had no idea how precious sitting quietly could be!  I certainly under appreciated the fact that any time I wanted to I could open my Bible, journal and pray uninterrupted (i.e., have a "Quiet Time"). For the past nine years it seems my sons without fail wake up at the "crack of the Bible" (so the saying goes).  It. REALLY. IS. UNCANNY. 

Some exhausted years I've responded less than lovingly to their interruption of my morning routine. But with more experience... and sleep... I've mellowed a bit.  Now I can without mommy-guilt pop in a video for the unexpected, and by unexpected I mean totally expected (sorry I hear a LOT of Phineas and Ferb in the background of my days), and sit down in another room to enjoy my time with Jesus. 

The other morning as I settled into the couch with my coffee a little boy appeared.  Thing 2 (7yrs) is my snuggler and it isn't enough for him to be near me on the couch, he was practically on top of me. I almost shooed him away while trying not to spill my coffee as I scooted halfway off the couch.  Then I remembered an awesome post from a great friend I'd read recently about teaching others to have quiet times.  If I don't disciple my own kids I have no business spending time discipling others.

So Thing 2 and I flipped over to Psalm 1 and read it together using her method.  It wasn't the first time I'd had a quiet time with him but it had been a long while! Too long.  I encouraged him to draw a picture of what we talked about and broke it down to a few key words I hope he will remember.  Follow God's plans/guidelines for you = have a fulfilling life. 

Here is his page from my journal:

I'm certain I won't forget that lesson for awhile.  I hope he won't either. 

The Greatest Joys of Mothering

               “I can’t stand it anymore,” my eldest son suddenly appeared by my side, “My tummy hurts and I’m homesick.”

                After some inquiry I gathered that he was nervous about our upcoming move. We snuggled on the couch while I shot up prayers for guidance.  I shared Philippians 4:6, 7 with him explaining that God doesn’t want him to be full of worry and instead wants to give him peace.   We prayed together and then something wonderful happened… my son suggested we get out his Bible and read.  This is the first time I’ve witnessed him turning to God’s words of love for us for comfort. 

                We have read the Bible to our kids since they were babies. Sometimes in spurts through the years when this happens every night.  Other seasons, like more recently with our temporary move in between houses, I’ve let the busyness and fatigue excuse the interruption in routine.  So when my son suggested we get out his Bible I couldn’t say, to my shame, that it is because it is what we do every night.  But even in my lapse of discipline God graciously showed me that He is at work.  Even where I fall short with my children He loves them more than I do and continues to work.

                Thing One and I sat down and opened up his little brothers’ Jesus Storybook Bible (which is the BEST children’s Bible out there in my humble opinion).  I had actually already read to the younger two earlier so I knew what story was coming.  I explained that even though we didn’t have his regular Bible handy , the story in this one was perfect.  It was the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus reminds us that He will take care of all our needs, our only job is to seek Him first.  Thing One and I both giggled over the illustration of the bird pushing a shopping cart.  I marveled once again at how often God speaks to me, and now my children, in our regular daily reading – just what we both needed to hear. I delighted watching God do for my son what He so often does for me in this manner.

                Thing One asked to show me something else in the Storybook Bible.  He flipped right over to Psalm 23, written in perfect kid language.  He told me about the first time Dad had read that to him years before and he realized that God is always with him.  Thing One asked to underline it and we took out a card for him to copy the verses on.  He folded it up and put it in his coat pocket so he would always have it with him.  He is so precious! J

                Later when I tucked him in he said to me, “Mom, you might not know this about me but I’m kind of shy.” I mostly hid the smile on my lips and replied, “Yeah, I kind of know that about you, buddy.”  He replied, “And when you read that verse about not worrying (Phil. 4:6, 7) it kind of made my heart cry.”  I explained that when God tells me just what I needed to hear it makes my heart cry a little too.  It is because I know He is real and loves me and is speaking right to me through His Words of love.

                 For years my husband and I have prayed for our sons, read scripture to them, poured over parenting books, failed to apply them perfectly, modeled repentance and forgiveness, explained the Gospel to them in many different ways, led them in prayers of surrendering their lives to the Lord, and, yes, read the Bible to them almost nightly. As parents you do what you think is best with God’s help and guidance all the while knowing so often your attempts fall short.  But still you  pray that one day your kids will get it, will really Know Him and understand” His wonderful,  Never stopping, Never Giving up,  Unbreaking, Always and Forever love” – DESPITE all the times you fail to model it perfectly for them. (Sally-Lloyd Jones, Storybook Bible).

                That quiet evening a few weeks ago in the living room of our temporary little lake home, God graciously revealed to me that He is answering all those prayers.  He is leading my son into a real relationship with Him.  He is helping him understand as much as a little man can, that He is real and His Words of love are for him.  This is truly one of my greatest joys in mothering.

  I don’t know why I get to do this, why I get to be anyone’s mom, or lead anyone to the Lord, or disciple any of their hearts in how to walk with Him.  But I delight in it and I am blessed by His gracious work in and through me.  All of it evidence of ”His wonderful,  Never stopping, Never Giving up,  Unbreaking, Always and Forever love”  for us all.