The Greatest of These Is Love...

We all have those times in our lives that we are feeling a little bit down. It could be due to circumstances, a broken relationship, our health or some other obstacle we face. As a busy mom, it is sometimes hard to look outside of that feeling because of the hurried and often frazzled life that I live (usually by my own doing of course).

When I begin to feel down, I try not to dwell on my problems, but take the opportunity to reach out and lift someone else up. There is no greater joy than helping another! A kind word, a small gesture, or an act of love can make all the difference in someone else's life. In turn, I am encouraged and God allows my heart to swell with His gratitude. The Word tells us in Galations 6:2:

"By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ."

With this in mind,I ran across this story not too long ago and it really spoke to me. Please enjoy the following story written by Nanette Thorsen-Snipes. It is truly touching. For me, this story helped open my eyes to see the big picture in less than perfect situations. I think tha the key to a lifestyle of gratitude is not just being aware of these situations, but relishing in being a part of them.

LOVE IS THE ANSWER

My day began on a sour note when I saw my six-year old wrestling with a limb of my azalea bush. By the time I got outside, he'd broken it.

"Can I take this to school today?" he asked.

With a wave of my hand I sent him on. I turned my back so he wouldn't see the tears. I touched the limb of my favorite bush as if to say, I'm sorry.

I wished I could have said that to my husband earlier, but I'd been angry. The washing machine had leaked on my lineoleum. If Jim had just taken the time to fix it the night before...I tossed my husband's dishes in the sudsy water. Later, I lugged wet clothes to the Laundromat. Thinking of how the love had gone out of my life, I stared at wall graffiti, feeling as wrung out as the clothes in a washer. I hung up shirts, then left for school to pick up my son.

I knocked on the classroom door and his teacher motioned for me to wait. She whispered something to Johnathan and gave him crayons.

"I want to talk to you about Johnathan,"she said when she walked over to me.

I steeled myself for the worst. I had had a fight with Jim, my son had broken a limb off my favorite bush, and now this.

"Did you know that Johnathan brought flowers to school today?"

I nodded, trying to keep tears in check. I glanced at my son coloring the picture. His hair flopped beneath his brow. He brushed it away and grinned at his handiwork.

"See that little girl?" the teacher asked.

Watching a bright-eyed child laugh out-loud I nodded.

"Yesterday she was hysterical. Her parents are going through a divorce. She said she wished she could die. I watched her bury her face in her hands and say,'Nobody loves me.' I did all I could to console her, but-"

"I thought you wanted to talk to me about Jonathan."

"I do." She touched my arm lightly. "Today your son walked over to that child, and handed her some pretty pink flowers. Then he whispered, 'I love you.' "

My heart swelled with pride for what Johnathan did.

I reached for his hand and said to his teacher,"You've made my day!"

Later that evening, I pulled weeds from around my lopsided azalea bush. My mind wandered back to the love Johnathan showed to the little girl and the biblical verse came to mind: "Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest is love." My son practiced love but all day I had only thought of how angry I was at Jim.

I heard the familiar squeak of Jim's truck breaks as he pulled into the drive, and I snapped a small limb bristling with hot pink azaleas. I felt the seed of love God had planted in my family begin to bloom once again in me.

My husband's eyes widened in surprise as I handed him the flowers. "I love you." I said.

A Little Maya for This Friday...

I'M A CHRISTIAN By Maya Angelou

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin."
I'm whispering "I was lost,"
Now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need CHRIST to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
and need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain,
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
who received God's good grace, somehow.

I knew it the moment I watched the first images of the crowds in front of the White House and in Times Square boisterously celebrating the death of Osama Bin Laden. The joy, the sheer joy on the faces of Americans. I knew it this morning when the news programs showed image after image of young men and women waving flags and singing songs on their city streets and campus squares. I knew it when I drove to work and listened to the talk show hosts discuss what they would have done to Bin Laden’s body had they been in charge. And I realized it when I started seeing the forwarded emails. From Christians...

I’ve known all day today that this is not how Christians behave. We do not celebrate the death of a human being made in the image of God and loved by our Father. Didn't our Lord create Osama Bin Laden in his mother's womb? Did he also know the number of hairs on his head. Our God who we love and serve created this man as He did us... a sobering thought. No matter how ruthless and vile Bin Laden may be, we love our enemies. NO MATTER WHAT. Our God DEMANDS it. We pray for our enemies and their families. NO MATTER WHAT. Our God DEMANDS it. We do good things for our enemies. NO MATTER WHAT. Our God DEMANDS it.

The Bible we study reads "But I tell you love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” ~Matthew 5:43-45

God’s children do not dance and rejoice in the death of anyone. To join in the worldly celebration of the death of a man who did not know Christ is to deny our Savior and his Gospel. After all, our Lord died for us (Bin Laden included) while we were his enemies. That’s the part I’ve not been able to understand today: doesn’t the excitement and taking great joy and pleasure in the death of another human being deny just about everything Scripture teaches us about the nature and the will of our Father in heaven? Does it not oppose the clear commands from our Lord?

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” ~Luke 6:27-28

I know that this will probably offend some, but I believe strongly that God is expecting more out of the people he’s blessed with his good gifts and matchless grace. I pray for our Christ family that this can be a time when we can show the world matchless grace, compassion and humility.

Refurbished Souls

We just recently subscribed to NetFlix which we love by the way. I received a long awaited DVD in the mail a few days ago that I was really excited to watch. About 15 minutes into the film...jump, jump, freeze. Yep, thats right. I took it out of the player and cleaned it off. There were some deep stratches that were not mendable. To my disappoinment, it was labeled "damaged" and sent back to NetFlix.

I got to thinking about how we are a lot like DVDs and CDs. They are discs that hold beautiful music and pictures. We are designed to play beautiful music through the living of our lives. Sin and abuse grind into our souls and leave deep painful scratches during different seasons of our lives. Our lives can fall apart literally in moments.

The CD will not work as designed, music may start to skip, and will eventually be unable to play. I think some of us probably get used to the damage and the stratches and de-value ourselves. If we go to the Lord and confide in Him who makes us whole He has the power to "re-furbish" our soul and renew our minds. The scratches may still there but they are covered and healed through His sacrifice and we are again able to play the beautiful music we were designed to play.

I have been reminded daily in the recent weeks and months that the Lord desires to heal our hearts and our spirits. Sometimes the difficulties that we face are merely an avenue to bring us closer to Him. I see the pain so many others endure and I cannot help but think that is it partly a love cry from the Lord that He wants to be your source of healing, comfort and joy.

It is my prayer that no matter what you are facing, that you draw close to Him.

Being Real Amidst "Reality"

I'm sitting here, watching some reality television (The Real Housewives...please don't tell anyone!), thinking about the issue of being real. To be honest, this is the first time I've watched it (the Atlanta group anyway), so it is a bit confusing, since I don't know all the characters, and their back stories, etc. But because it is "reality" TV I can watch knowing that there will be some transparency, back-story filled in, strategic editing, so that I can get hooked into the "real drama" created by sticking a group of sassy ladies in a social circle with cameras following their every move.

I actually think that everyday life and real people are much more interesting than reality TV. But... in real life, people are so much harder to get to "know" since we don't always share our struggles along with our strengths. I think that we all have ways that we'd like to present ourselves. I know for me I would like people to see me as a cheerful, helpful person with a delightful litle family. Of course, the reality is that while I may truly be those things sometimes, I can obviously be cranky, unhelpful, and sometimes my little Julia is NOT much fun to be around.

I think that one of the hardest places to be real for many people is, unfortunately, in a Christian community. I think there is often the temptation to present an image of having it "all together" at church and with church friends. (I suspect that people even censor or edit their prayer requests!) But I think it's also somewhere that it really "pays off" to be real with other people, if it is truly a community of people who love Christ. If I can't be real about issues or struggles I have, especially within the church, then I don't want to be there. I want to be somewhere that it's safe to struggle, to need prayer, to need encouragement and support. And to actually be able to receive it.I believe that my closest friends are those who share my faith and they see me, all of me...the good, the bad, and the very ugly. The beauty of it is that they love me anyway.

I am so thankful to have this family that walks along side of us in our struggles as parents and husband and wife. There is trust, compassion and encouragement surrounding us. Receiving this love compells Tom and I to live this way as well. I can honestly say that my relationship with the Lord is strengthened and nurtured when I am in the presence of others who love Him. There is a connection with these folks in our lives...a connection that is deeper, I believe, than what our culture sees as "family" because it is rooted in the blood of Jesus. I am thankful to be a part of a "faith family" who desires to love, no matter what. I know that I can be unlovely at times and I am so very thankful that they love me, pray for me and encourage me every step of the way.

*I don't usually "name call" but there are a few people that have especially made an impact on me as a wife and mother. Mom, Jillian, Gretchen, Deborah and Christy---you have without a doubt encouraged me in ways you may never know. Thank you for being used by the Lord to encourage me and love me. Your tender words and sweet spirits have made unbearable moments bearable...even beautiful. I love you ladies and how you have made my life so sweet.

Godly Parenting

Sometimes I get discouraged in parenting little Miss. There are days when defiance is her mantra and there is no changing her mind. I have learned that I need to press on and keep focused on the goal. For Tom and I, the goal in parenting is to lead Julia in a way that will guide her to a strong relationship with the Lord and a passion for Him. With that in mind, confronting her attitude with mine does little to achieve that. :) With that said, i'd like to share a poem written by Lee Wise who is the author of Godly Parenting.

The Challenge of Godly Parenting

Knowing when to encourage
and when to exhort,

When to release
and when to restrict,

When to correct
and when to assist,

When to give hope
and when to warn,

And most of all...

Knowing never to stop loving,
being a friend and praying --
as if their lives depended on it.

Because... they do.


I encourage you as mothers, fathers, and friends to cling to these words. They are powerful. The greatest way that we can show love to our children is to pray for them and guide them to His saving grace. There is nothing more tender in this world than for me to hear Julia's sweet voice lifting the ones she loves in prayer. She prays fervently with all belief in God's healing and power. If we could all have the faith that is bottled up in her mere 2 1/2 years...

Tom and I have really been digging deep into our life together and what God intended for us as husband and wife. I think so many times it is easy take the advice of our culture and "do whatever is good for you." What Tom and I have realized is that when we seek to feed our own selfish ambitions and we do not stay within the guidelines that God created for us we fail miserably personally. When I willfully choose the world over the plan that our creator has for me I find myself filled with more discontent than I started with. So I hope to share with you what we've learned along the way. By no means am I saying that we have it all together or we never disagree. We disagree and it is not pretty, but we do have the same goal and that is to serve the Lord together, side by side.

The Bible teaches that at creation God assigned differing roles to both man and woman. Man was created to work and keep the garden. Woman was designed to help man in his tasks. They each had two very distinct and differing roles. However, they were both created in God’s image, and therefore, their roles were equal in value, but differing in function. These roles were assigned before sin entered the picture. After the fall of man, Adam continued to provide for his family and Eve would be the bearer and nurturer of the children. The punishments because of the sin did not change their roles; it simply complicated the already existing roles. When Adam and Eve hid in the garden, Adam was called upon first by God, even though Eve had committed the sin first. Why? Clearly God placed Adam as the leader, but Adam chose to be passive. Eve had the role of helper, but had violated it, taking leadership. The roles were reversed during the fall of man, when the first sin occured. I think that it is interesting to note that the "original" sin occured when Adam and Eve did not stay within the marital guidelines God had laid out for them.


In the New Testament, the roles of husband and wife are symbolic of Christ and His church. In Ephesians 5 it says Christian men are to lovingly lay down their lives for their wives. They still maintain leadership, but this must be servant leadership. Husbands are not to demand obedience, but by their humility, guide their family. In 1 Peter it says husbands are to honor their wives. The biblical roles for men continue through the Old Testament and into the New Testament: man is meant to lead and lovingly serve his wife.

In Proverbs 31 God exalts womanhood in the home, and places great value on it. Woman’s role from creation has not changed. In Titus 2, Paul commends women to love their husbands and children. Women are to follow their husband’s leadership with respect, choosing to submit to that leadership. 1 Peter states that when wives submit to their husband’s leadership, they are doing it as service to God. A woman can be a great blessing and help to her husband, just as Eve was to Adam at the beginning of creation. For me I have struggled with feelings of inadequacy because I am not cut out to stay home. I. Just. Can't. Do. It. Period. I have wrestled with this because biblically a woman's first priority is to her husband, family, and home life. However, I have realized that I can have a career and still fulfill my role as a wife and mother. I may just need a little more help in the time management department. :)

I found more joy and contentment in my life when I seriously began to model my life through God's design for me. I have learned that there is such freedom in not being in control and not WANTING to be in control. There is so much freedom in not trying to steer our family in the direction I think we should go. There is so much freedom in simply respecting my husband and nurturing my child. It is my hope that God is doing the same work in your lives. Mariiage is such a beautiful thing and I am so thankful for the blessing of my husband, my friend, my protector.