Joyful Days and Nights- Part Two

    During this time of vacation (and the reason for my lack of blogging) I have had endless moments of joy and happiness. Sun, water, and family can hardly be beat in the fun and happiness category.  A beautiful lake, jet skis, a speed boat all add to a happy setting.  But my favorite moments were when I had a chance to just float in the water with my daughter and talk. 

    Now that I’m not on the lake, the happiness I felt has subsided.  But not my joy or the time floating, talking about nothing and everything, with my daughter.  A sunset can end but joyful times building a relationship has eternal value.

     The Bible says in Psalms 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.  My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.”  Family time builds me up because I can see the strength in our once one family, is now four families.

    My family is growing and I place my trust in God.  Joy is the result of a life trusting in Him instead of running from one “Happy” moment to another.  Joy comes through an abundance of time “floating on the water and talking”.

Joyful Days and Nights- Part One

Today my husband and I went fishing.  O.K. I mean my husband fished and I read a book.  It was a beautiful summer evening on the lake.  This is one of my favorite activities.  Sun, water, and family is a perfect equation for happiness.  My husband is happy because he is fishing and I am within arm’s reach.  I am happy because he is happy.  While he is fishing – I am reading.

    However, the happiness I enjoyed on the gently rocking boat ended when at sunset the mosquitoes chased us off the lake.   Happiness only lasts for a short time because it is a feeling based on circumstances. Because circumstances are constantly changing, happiness can come and go. But I’m fine with that because I have something even better. JOY.

    Joy is not a feeling.  It is an attribute of our spirit man and the Spirit of God.  It is a constant because it “springs” up out of our relationship with God and His nature.  The Bible says in Psalms 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.  My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.”

   Joy is an expression of God’s strength that is available for anyone who will trust in Him.  So even when I am walking through difficult times and I am not “feeling happy”, joy is always with me.  Joy fills my heart and my mouth with a song.  So if you hear me singing, you know why.

around the kitchen table: I did not see this coming

around the kitchen table: I did not see this coming: " When, a little over 23 years ago, I gave birth to my third daughter, I did not see this day coming. I may have seen a Cinderella d..."

I did not see this coming

    When, a little over 23 years ago, I gave birth to my third daughter, I did not see this day coming.
     I may have seen a Cinderella dress, amazing flowers, smiling guests, and a great cake. I saw a sweet flower girl, an adorable ring bearer and beautiful attendants.  I hoped the food would be good.  I also knew having daughters would probably come with a hefty bill.  
     I did not know, as a young mother, what the very best would be on the days my three daughters married.  I did not know I would now have SONS.
    The three young men who are the husbands of my daughters are now my sons.  Thankfully God knew and brought to our family just the sons I needed.  I needed men who loved God and then my daughter.  I needed ones who saw the girls for who they are, and for who they are not.  I needed men who would cry when they saw them walk down the isle, and yet would die to protect them.
    Some may feel that when their children marry it is a loss.  My family has only grown, been fruitful and is multiplying.  Just as the Bible says.  I know our family is very blessed. 
I love being a mother, a mother of sons and daughters. 

WHAT ARE YOU BREATHING?

    My dad was a dentist.  As you can imagine, good dental hygiene was a must.  Every night, before bed, we were sent to brush our teeth.  Our teeth were checked and my dad would actually smell our breath.  Only a clean “Crest Toothpaste” breath was acceptable.  If our teeth or breath didn’t pass, we were sent back upstairs for another try.  These habits from childhood have followed me my whole life. 

    As important as that habit was to pass on to my children, there was a new habit that was even more important- God breathed Scripture.  In the Bible, it says in 2 Tim 3:14-17  “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

    With our girls, my husband and I,worked hard to keep God first and family second.  Everything came after our first two priorities.  Daily we allowed God to breathe on us through His Word.  The Bible always has a fresh word on every area of life.  Still today, God is first and family is second.  Even more important than “Crest” breath is “God’s Word” breath.

I think I’m a clay pot?!

    More than once while needing a potato or onion for dinner I have found a stinky, useless mess.  Both the onions and potatoes had sprouted.  I knew the environment needs to be cool and dark for them to last.  But I was doing that and they still sprouted and became mushy.  It wasn’t until 28 years of marriage and having a Tupperware party that I learned the answer.  Potatoes and onions shouldn’t be stored together.  When they are, they cause each other to sprout.  They bring out the worst in each other.  The Bible says in  2 Tim 2:20-22  “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor.  Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.”

    As I look honestly at my life, there are things that need to be continually cleansed out of my life.  Like onions and potatoes there are things that don't go together.   A bad attitude, listening to recent gossip, a crabby mood, and worry can cause me to sprout what is not honoring to God.  They just don't go together with a life pleasing to  God. The Bible says we are to cleanse ourselves.  The thoughts, words, and actions we take to keep our pot cleansed makes us useful and prepares us for every good work.

    Even if I am a clay pot, God says that I can be a vessel of honor, set apart, useful to the Master, and prepared. God makes it clear that it isn’t what is on the outside of the pot that makes it a pot of honor.  A pot of honor keeps the junk out of the pot so that God can set us apart to be useful and be prepared.

I may be a clay pot, but I am beautiful to Him.

My name is Mom

    

Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, MOM< MOM< MOM< MOOOOOOOOOM I have longed for ear plugs on some days.  My ears and brain could get so tired.  Probably no name has been more repeated in every language since the creation of the world.  Yet, no name has been more longed for and loved.   For each of my girls I spent long hours smiling into their beautiful faces and repeated over and over Mama, Mama, Mama.  Recently when my grandson pointed at me and shouted NANA with a big smile on his face, my heart overflowed.  But I know there is a name that has no comparison-JESUS.  How beautiful is His Name!

    In the Bible there are two women, a mom and grandma, who talked and lived a life of sincere faith.  Timothy's faith was a reflection of the faith shown in Lois and Eunice.  They prepared him for the very difficult job of being a first century Pastor. In  2 Tim 1:5-6 it says " I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also".  Their words and actions convinced Paul of their sincere faith.

    My heart’s desire is that I am and will be a woman of sincere faith.  Every day when I hear “Mom” and “Nana” I pray that my faith speaks loudly, unashamed, powerfully, and full of God’s love. Sorry, I have to go- I hear my named being called-MOM!