Crumbs of Wisdom

I always say "For all the cleaning I do in this house, something otta be CLEAN!"  But alas, it isn't.

I have 3 children and a husband to help make plenty of messes-not to mention the fact that I live here too!  (And I may or may not help contribute to our messiness...)

I told my husband just this week that we should move.  He said "Why?"  I told him, "So we can move away from all this stuff, and all this MESS!"  I have heard it said once, "To try to clean while there are children at home is like trying to shovel the snow before the blizzard is over."  I completely relate with that statement!  Never the less, I still try to clean up around here.

A while back when I was sweeping one afternoon, God showed me an amazing illustration.  To get the full effect, you have to know a little about where we live.  We have 4 large windows on the front of our house, and the house faces due West.  I have seen some of the most spectacular sunsets from our living room.  This day, instead of sitting comfortably and watching as the earth turned it's face away from the sun, I was sweeping our dining room in the next room over.

The gorgeous, bright orangey-purple rays were pouring into the room and reached to where I was sweeping.  As I was dragging another pile of yuck toward the dust pan, something caught my eye.  It was a little colony of crumbs that I had not yet swept up.  As the rays of sun hit those crumbs, I noticed the shadows cast by those tiny, little crumbs were tall, dark figures devoid of light, and they were so much larger than the crumbs.

It hit me that our sin can be just like that.  When we aren't looking at our sins in the light of the Word of God, they can seem so small and insignificant.  Until the light of the truth of the Bible exposes our sins to us, we might not even see them.  As I think of that fact, these verses come to mind:

John 3:19-21
19  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
20  For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
21  But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."

I am so glad that by the gospel I have seen the "crumbs" of sin in my life-though they are not merely crumbs to God.  My sin is what compelled God to send Jesus to die as a sacrifice for wicked people.  Apart from that, I would be an enemy of God and on my way to destruction.  In the light of His truth, God shows me the blackness of my sinful heart and exposes my evil deeds.

Now let's work backwards from the same passage in John, we can see what God offers to us by the death of Jesus:

John 3:16-18
16  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
18  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

We were ALL condemned in Adam.  Adam made a choice in the Garden to disobey God, and his choice corrupted the bloodline of humanity.  BUT the blood of Christ offers restoration to all.  Observe:

Romans 5:17-21
17  For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
18  Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.
19  For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.
20  Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
21  so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  


Our sins are great, but the work Jesus did is so much greater. It is great enough to obscure our wickedness from God's view, no-more than that-it removes our trespasses through marvelous ABOUNDING GRACE!! How wonderful is that?

Sin is "in the genes", so to speak. As I see my little ones grow up, it is very clear to me they have one person in mind most of the time. I'll bet you can guess who they think about most often. It is themselves. From birth, we do nothing but seek to please ourselves. The thought of pleasing someone else, let alone our Creator, can be so foreign to us. By seeking to do our own will, we can clearly see that our bent is not toward God Almighty. Our sinfulness reigns supreme in our hearts.

But as God shows us His will through His law (rules) for us, it becomes clear that we just can't keep it. Maybe we can get "some of it right some of the time", but as the saying goes, we definitely can't get "all of it right all of the time!" So, as we see the infinite number of sins we have in His sight, we can praise God in Jesus because He obeyed perfectly! The best part? Well, by faith we can claim the obedience of Jesus as our own! That is a reassuring thought for a completely imperfect and disobedient rebel, such as myself!!

Now-back to my initial complaint. (Yes, I was sort of complaining about cleaning...) So maybe, just maybe, I can thank God for the crumbs that are all over my floor. If crumbs can lead to big thoughts about God and His grace, then I suppose cleaning before the blizzard is over isn't so bad after all...




Written that the name of Jesus be praised,



Christy

"You're going to get sick from drinking that stagnant water!"

My youngest is our little guy Samuel.  He is a zany, smiley little fella and ALL boy! He does lots of great stuff that only boys think of.   One of those things is lapping up whatever may have spilled on the floor, just like a little puppy dog.  At times, it is really funny to watch because he is so cute and he just doesn't know any better.

There are also times when I realize what he is attempting to ingest, and it strikes mortification and horror in me, like the time after we had a pretty good rain...  My husband found Samuel slurping up a green tinted puddle of genuine cesspool.  YUCK!  I wasn't right there, but I heard him holler, "You're going to get sick from drinking that stagnant water!"  I ran to investigate and pull him off the puddle.  It was rather like pulling a dog off his dish-or to be Biblically correct, his vomit.  There was a struggle, and then Samuel expressed his fury with me by exhibiting a 'Class A' tantrum.

Of course, that got me to thinking...  "Why on earth would he drink such nastiness, and then protest so much when I am saving his LIFE??"

Samuel didn't see it that way at all.  In fact, he was angry I had stopped him from drinking his delightful puddle!

Is it just me, or do you see the Spiritual illustration screaming from this situation??

Isn't that just how we are?  A verse from Proverbs comes to mind that illustrates it well:

Pro 26:11  Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.

Often times, in our own ignorance, we will protest against someone pulling us off our cesspool.  Maybe yours is a particular sin, or maybe it is a doctrine or teaching not found in the Bible.

Ultimately, the result is this: we do what we like to do, and sometimes, we continue doing those things even when it can lead to our own demise.  We will fight tooth and nail to hang onto that thing that we want-just like Samuel with his puddle, or like the biblical analogy from Proverbs about the dog with his vomit!

But what if we could reason with Samuel or the dog?  What if we could tell them that what they are enjoying so much may make them sick, or even kill them?

2 Timothy 4:3-5

3  For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
4  and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
5  As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

God gave us a community of believers that we might "reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching" one another.  Being faithful to one another in this way is an act of love.  We should teach each other truths that will help us to know the "cesspools" when we see them.  This will equip us to avoid them at all costs, or it may even help us to get out of one!  Then, we can pass that truth and knowledge on to those around us.

Yet, there are so many things that will hold us back from leading each other in this way-or following such leading.


We worry about how people will react to us, that maybe that they won't be friends with us anymore, or ___________ (you fill in the blank).  But think of this-if I just let Samuel drink up that nasty water, what kind of mother would I be??  I know it could make him sick.  What if I just said to myself, "Yes, this could cause him to become deathly ill or worse, but he is enjoying it so very much, how could I interfere with that??"  And then, what if I do nothing to stop it?  Answer:  I would be a bad mother.  I would be selfish not to risk conflict in order to save my little boy from harm.

I also realize that as Samuel's mother, I am to train him up and teach him Biblical truth.  It doesn't stop there, though.

God gave us marching orders to share truth with all the people of the world.  We are to minister that truth to both those who belong to Christ, as well as to those who do not yet know Him.  Jesus said "Go into all the nations and preach the Gospel..."  If I don't share the gospel message with my friends and family, I am not truly loving them the way that Christ loved me.  I have been given such an awesome gift in Him; I want everyone to know the wonder of the cross.  I want them to know that apart from Christ, they are just eagerly lapping up a cesspool of death.

So, I don't mind snatching someone up by the nape of the neck (in love) to show them that they will die from the water they are drinking!  Since I have been given such amazing grace from God, I want others around me to experience and know that same grace!

 Now, next time you see someone enjoying a "Proverbial" cesspool cocktail, may you be compelled to minister grace in love.  


Written that the name of Jesus will be praised,

Christy

Jesus Christ Super-hero

My oldest daughter, Emily, is a work of God's goodness and grace unfolding before my eyes.

Is she perfect?  Well, of course she's not. No one is-especially not a 9 year old little girl, but I see in her a "perfecting" work of God.  He is transforming her into the image of Christ everyday.  If that is as close to perfect as we will ever get, then I will surely take it!!

Nothing ever did this Mommy's heart prouder than Emily's writing project this year.  The kids in her class were asked to write about their favorite heroes.  Kids chose to write about anything from a firefighter, a parent or even fictitious characters like Spider Man or Captain America.  Emily told us about the upcoming assignment when she was in the "subject picking" stage.  She asked us if she should write about her Daddy.  Then, she asked "Can I write about Jesus?"

The fact that she was even considering writing hers about Jesus was a great thing in my eyes.  After that, I didn't really hear anything more about the assignment.  She did the bulk of it as a classroom project, so we didn't see it until the day of the "student-led" teacher conferences.

Emily's school does one student led conference per year.  Before the night of the conference, the students and teachers go over the agenda for the conference.  One of the items of work she was set to present that night was her "Hero" paper.  The papers of the whole class were all displayed on a section of the wall out in the hallway.  Emily was nervous to read her paper to us, because it had to be read out loud to us while the teacher listened on from afar.

I was so amazed that she actually decided to write the paper about Jesus.  By God's grace, His message is getting through to her.

One of the things that we try to teach our children is that the bible is God's book, "His-story" as some put it.  The problem is that we often see "HIS-story" told with the main character left out. God is the hero of every story in the Bible, and He is also the hero of this story called life.  God designed it to be that way from the beginning.

Take Noah, for example.  We can tell the story of the flood in this way, thus making Noah the hero:

God told Noah that He was going to send rain and flood the earth.  He told Noah to build an ark for all the people and animals to board in order to be saved from the flood.  Noah obeyed God.  Because Noah obeyed, people were saved.  Isn't Noah good?

OR we could tell it this way, where God is the hero:

God told Noah that He was going to send rain and flood the earth.  He told Noah to build an ark for all the people and animals to board in order to be saved from the flood.  Noah obeyed God.  God kept them safe on the ark, just as He had promised!  Because God kept His promise, people were saved.  Isn't God good?

I realize that it seems so subtle, but it really isn't!  As I have grown in knowledge of who God is and how He works, the more I know HE is the hero of this universe!  Let's look at some verses that talk about God: 

Romans 11:33-36
33  Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34  "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?"
35  "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?"
36  For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

So, WOW.  We can't even begin to fully understand Him!  The understanding we do gain about Him is by His grace alone!  "Who has been His counselor?"  Yeah, so I know for sure I will never tell God anything that He doesn't already know!!  Chew on that for a minute!

What about the phrase above that says "Or who has given a gift to Him that he might be repaid?"  Meditate on that thought!  And think, He lavished the greatest gift of Jesus upon sinful people that friendship with Him would be restored!

I am thankful that God, by the death of His Son, Jesus, chose to do I transforming work in this little heart of mine!  I am also thankful for the work I see Him doing in my 9 year old little girl.  I am so glad that she sees Jesus as her hero. The fact that Jesus would come to earth as a man, suffer and die for sinful people, for me, makes Him the HERO of my life!!


Now turn the question on yourself...Who is your hero??



Written that the name of Jesus might be praised,

Christy

Potty Humor-Who's Number 1 even when there's "Number 2"...

My daughter of 4 gets the most attention in our home right now.

Gracie is just in that stage that requires a LOT of exhausting times of teaching and working through explosions of the flesh.  I know it is normal and natural, but to be honest, I would LOVE to spend my time doing something else with her.

That is exactly how she feels about her potty.  She would LOVE to be doing something else.  So, she does.

At least now it doesn't ALL end up in her pants...  I mean, yes, we find her wet frequently throughout the day, but that is not the one that gets me the most.  It is the "other" one.  You know, the not "number 1" kind...  To put it another way, let's just say that Sigmund Freud would have a hay day over-analyzing her anal-retentive tendencies!  (Maybe that wasn't so delicate after all?) 

The funny thing about it all, is that I see a spiritual principle coming through.  As though it isn't enough that people use "potty humor", now what-a "potty" spiritual illustration?  Yep.  Here's a potty spiritual illustration comin' right at 'cha!

As I look at her bathroom habits, or lack there of, I think of things like how her poo (sorry) is like the sins we want to keep close to us.  We are so determined to do what we want to do that we will run and hide just so we can keep those sins in our lives.  It doesn't matter to us how bad they stink or how bad the mess is that we leave behind (pardon the pun) when we refuse to release them.

 I also have to turn the illustration on myself.  That's always fun.  Okay, I am totally being facetious, but we can at least agree that self examination is needed.  So here's how that side of things plays out in our home:

I always know what is going on when I see Grace dart to another room-and NOT the bathroom.  She runs off with the intention of squeezing her backside with all her might to prevent the waste from coming out.

When this happens, I am so very disgusted and ANGRY that she won't just retreat to the potty instead and get rid of the stuff!

At that moment, when all I want is for her to sit on the potty and do things right, God says to me "Now, Christy though you may not hold back your potty, you hold on to other things that I have asked YOU to let go of."

There's nothing that kills a power trip like humility.

Of course, I have to argue a little with Him:  "But God, it is soooo gross! I mean, have you smelled this stuff?? And the clean up is worse, and WHY ?? Why can't you just MAKE HER DO THIS??"

Again, He gently leads me by His Spirit with the words of life He has implanted in me.  (Even some verses that I didn't realize that I knew!!)  "That isn't how I work; you know that."  The Spirit calls up to my memory Proverbs 31:26, "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue."  Well, there you have it.  The greatest kindness ever shown to man is the fact that Jesus came and died for sinful people.  (Even little girls that hold their potty in and angry mommies who are react in ungodly ways...)  By the Spirit, I have the final word.  It is to teach her kindly and reflect Jesus even when my flesh is clawing within me to do otherwise.

I have to show Gracie Jesus as much as I tell her about Jesus for the gospel to become real to her.  It doesn't matter if I am up to my eyeballs in number 2 or not.  The most important things are still the most important things.  Jesus is still so valuable and amid my struggling, I want to reflect that even when she is at her worst...just as He did for me when I was (am) at MY worst.

Do I always get it right?

NOPE.

Do I desire for my little girl to love the Lord with all her heart, mind and strength?

Yes.

I am there to teach her and pray for her.  If I look at things the right way, I can even thank God for the potty issues that she has.  It is through each and every failing that we can reflect the strength of the cross, if we would just remember why and for whom Jesus came to save...

Even if it means coaching a little girl to do her potty business to the glory of God while reflecting Jesus as I wash her...errr, feet!!

Submitted that the name of Jesus be praised,

Christy

PART 2 of Everyone has a little (or a lot) of Veruca Salt in them

SURPRISE!!

So, yeah-I wasn't fully done with the thought from before...  In an effort to keep to short and sweet, I sort of left out the "sweet" part.  I hate to leave you without THE key to putting to death desires that would lead us to throwing a fit over not getting what we want.  (I'm talking to myself, too folks!) 

So let's pick up from where we left off...

I was just showing you that like the nasty Veruca Salt, we all have that bad streak in us.  (we are sinners)  I suggested that you try to see your self centered point of view as "God views it".

While it IS selfish to go around wanting what you want and to throw tantrums when you don't get what you want, that is not what is ultimately the cause of "me" focused living.

The heart that pursues "me" living is one that does not seek God, and is not content with Him.

Now, I don't want you to go away thinking "I have to be content with God" and pursue doing that instead.  The end could be equally as bad, but just "look" better from the outside.  (a.k.a. legalism-observing to do the law to earn favor with God)

Rom 3:20  For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

The result of trying to do all that God commands will simply reveal that apart from His grace, you can't do it.

So why/how should anyone find contentment in God?

Now, let's take a quick tangent and discus needs versus wants.  Things that I need are things I must have in order to live.  Things I want are things that if I don't have them I won't die.  Examples:  Air=Need, T.V.=Want, Water=Need, Flying first class=Want...and so on.

God describes our life as a vapor, and in all honesty, He doesn't place as much importance on the human, fleshly existence as He does the Spiritual existence.  In fact, from God's perspective, the only thing that we truly "need" is found in the saving work of Jesus Christ in the cross.  That said, God has already taken care of the greatest (only true) need we will ever have.

So, I have to "overhaul" my perspective when times arise that I don't get what I want.  I have to re-think my wants, and consider the WONDER that God has already given me all I will ever need in Christ!  "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Apart from Jesus, we are the ENEMIES of God.  Sorry, but in any language, that is NOT GOOD.  The wrath of God lives (abides) on our heads, except the fact that Jesus came as a spotless lamb to shed His own blood and restore our friendship with God!

Now let's stop and think for a moment...do you think it is either A. A want, or B. A Need to be counted a friend of the creator of the Universe, A.K.A. "God"?  You know, the Sole Owner of eternity and the provider of the very air and energy it takes for you to breathe in and out??

Definitely a need in my estimation!  Let's look at some scriptures to get us excited about what God has given to us in Christ!

Romans 5:6-11
6  For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
7  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die--
8  but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9  Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
10  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
11  More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

So, when we are a bad egg as we see in Veruca Salt, or as bad as OURSELVES-verse 7 puts it-"ungodly" and sinful people in need of a Savior, Jesus came and lived a perfect life and died a perfect death to reconcile us to God!  The one that trusts what Jesus did is JUSTIFIED and SAVED from the WRATH of God!  In this, we have all we need to be content.  When those times come when we are angry or upset and want to pursue what we want, we can look at Jesus and know that no matter what, we have all we will ever need.  If we can really grasp the magnitude of this fact, then we can lay aside all the silly earthly wants that drive us and instead be driven by the cross of Christ!

This is something you can get excited about!

So, take me, for example.  I can get pretty nasty when I don't get what I want.  Shocking I know, but it shouldn't be.  I fall too.  I have to stop myself and think about what I am going so after so hard, and does it really matter?  To be right?  To get people to agree with me?  To_____?  You fill in the blank for you. 

If my thoughts are right, then here is how I respond in my mind:  "I cannot change people.  Only God does that.  I am not always right.  God IS, however, always right.  Look how he showed His love for me in His Son.  Even though it doesn't seem like I am going to end up getting things the way I want them; I know things will be what HE sees as best for me.  I praise Him for knowing what is best and I accept what He gives."  That is how I battle myself, and that is how God wins.

^{Phillipians 4:8-9
8} Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.



Ultimately, if we believe and meditate on what the bible says, if we trust in what Christ has done to save us, then we already have what we need to be content in God.  So, in those moments of tantrum, remember the cross of Christ and remind yourself that you have ALL you need if THE ONLY THING YOU EVER HAVE is Jesus. 00

Submitted that the name of Jesus be praised,

Christy

Everyone has a little (or a lot) of Veruca Salt them

If you have ever seen Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory then you have met the tenaciously abrasive Veruca Salt.  You know, the one that sings “Don’t care how, I want it now”?  Veruca has a stubborn will that could power a fleet of bullet trains, and she is definitely “worth her salt” when it comes to a self-centered existence.  

I have a 4 year old and she is very, very good at it.  (being a four year old, that is…)  We love her dearly and she is a precious gift from God.    Yet Gracie, like most little ones, is very passionate about her desires, and there are certainly times when she reminds me of Veruca.

Very much like Veruca, when Gracie determines what she wants; she goes for it.  She goes for it HARD even if it means pile driving her little brother OR even her big sister.  Gracie has decided that whining, yelling or as big sister puts it “screaming her head off” are all acceptable means to control people and situations with a single end purpose:  TO GET WHAT SHE WANTS.

Maybe you know lots of people like Gracie-and maybe they are not even 4 years old!  There are plenty of adults that employ the tactics Gracie uses to get what they want!  You know something I have learned?  They can’t help it. 

Did I just excuse them??  NO.  But what I am saying is that they are simply doing what comes naturally.

So yes, there have been times where I was the woman in Wal-Mart with the kid who is SCREAMING as loud as she can in order to get me to change my mind about buying that toy or candy she wanted.  (And no, in case you are wondering, she didn’t fall through the floor down to the garbage shoot like I may or may not have secretly wished would happen…) 

You see, just about the time that children discover they can communicate; they begin to assert their will.  Immediately you will find that children have one goal at heart.  They aim to please themselves.  They are self-centered little people without a concept that there is a whole big wide world out there that doesn’t even know they exist.  They just assume that everything and everyone exists for them and to give them what they want.  This is just the mentality that makes us “love to hate” Veruca in the movie.  Sadly, many of us are just like her in real life.

Some may think, “So what?  They are kids.  They will ‘get over it’ or ‘grow out of it.’” 

I am sorry to tell you, that no one ever “gets over” being selfish.  Even the most seemingly giving and selfless person has his or her own interests at heart.  Even ME.  Even YOU.  Adults are self centered “big kids”.  The only difference is that we are just older; and we have gotten good at figuring out ways to make it okay.

Let’s rewind for a second…do you remember how last time we observed that the bible says that God exists and He made everything and everyone (me and you) for HIMSELF?  Well, since God is the boss, He owns the sole right to make any and ALL rules.  In fact, He has made a few rules.  So, we have to look at selfishness from at HIS perspective.

 Jas 4:1  What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

Jas 4:2  You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.

Jas 4:3  You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

So, from reading this we can glean a few things.  I want stuff (passions, covet).  When I can’t get stuff, that wanting causes me to fight within myself as well as with others. 

Wow. 

It was almost like we read the “How to be an Effective Toddler” handbook.  Maybe Veruca had a copy all of her own!

Now, envision how Veruca and little Gracie behave when they don’t get what they want.  It isn’t pretty.  Take it a step further…how do YOU look when you don’t get what you want?  What comes out of you when your passions and desires are denied??  Anger?  Screaming?  Gossip?  Slander?  Physical harm to another?

This is why James says this in the next verses:

Jas 4:4  You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Jas 4:5  Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"?

Jas 4:6  But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

Our “friendship”, fondness or love of the world (the world or the stuff in it) should not be placed above our love toward God. 

Back to Veruca.  She is not real, but the selfish character she displays IS real.  It is in us.  We can’t help it.  We want what we want and we will do whatever it takes to get it.  We will disobey parents, bosses, authorities, and even God.  That is a serious “fondness” or love for our own way! 

As I think of my little Gracie, she is so unrelenting at times.  It feels absolutely impossible to convince her of any point of view other than her own.  Like mother, like daughter I guess...I am EXACTLY like that.  But guess what?  I HATE it. 

So what is the point? 

 

The big lesson that I was hoping to share today is this:

As you look at yourself, do you see a little (or a lot) of Veruca or Gracie in the way you are?  Do you hate it?

Don’t worry; I am pretty sure the floor isn’t going to collapse beneath your feet and deposit you into a garbage shoot...yet...

The ultimate goal I have is to help you think about your selfishness in the way that God thinks about it.  Look at those verses from James again, and ask God to help you and transform your thinking.  Read the whole chapter or book, it can be helpful to do that too!

Truth?

We should be as concerned with God’s desires as we are our own.  Actually, we should place them ABOVE our own desires. 

As we do that, He will kill off that little bit (or a lot) of Veruca Salt that we ALL have within us.

To be continued.....(see part two for the "rest of the story")  :)

Written that the name of Jesus would be praised,
Christy

photo/animated gif

SOURCE: janelleabean.tumblr.com

Important Stuff

What to share, there is so much…too much, so I suppose small, yet profound is the best way to do it...

Not too long ago I heard, for the first time, my husband tell his story about an occasion when he was so excited to tell his youth pastor something that impacted him.  A short story really, but deeply significant...


He tells it a little something like this: 

He walks into his youth pastor's office and braces him by saying "Mr. Taylor, what I am about to say to you will change your life forever!!"

Excited, Mr Taylor replied "Great!  Tell me, what is it??"  Now...brace YOUR self...my husband said these two little words to him:

"GOD EXISTS.”

Mr. Taylor didn't find it as profound as my husband did, replying "Yes, Jimmy.  I know.  God exists."

My husband describes himself ERUPTING with excitement in response, saying "NOOOOOO!!!  Don't you see!!??  If GOD EXISTS, then NOTHING ELSE MATTERS!"

How about you?  Have you found yourself reading this, echoing what the youth pastor said at first?  "Yes, of course God Exists.  Everyone knows that..."  (Well, not everyone...)  

Anyway, that is huge, people!!  HUGE, I tell you!  It is the very basis for...well, EVERYTHING!!  

Observe:

John 1:1-3  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

Gen 1:1  In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 

Col 1:16-17  For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
 
Conclusion?  God exists.  God created all things.  We exist because He created us, and we exist for Him.

So, suppose it is "hungry time", as my middle girl Gracie puts it, and you are home alone.  You go into the kitchen and prepare a meal.  You sit down to eat the meal you made for yourself.  Suppose the chicken leg on your plate stands up, and gives you a serious tongue lashing as to why it will not be used for the purpose you intended it for.  The chicken leg walks off your plate and out of your house to pursue its dream of...oh, whatever chicken legs dream about....

So besides the fact that chicken legs don't have tongues to lash with, or an ability to walk and talk, (for which, I am truly thankful) let's consider the fact that you did prepare the chicken leg for a purpose.  Further more, you made it for YOU.   Of course, the illustration breaks down on many levels, but the point is this:  If God is GOD, then why can't He make things for Himself and UNTO Himself?  After all, He IS God.

Apart from Him, neither you nor I would even exist, let alone have the wherewithal to make decisions to flee His presence or bidding.  It just makes sense.  He didn't make this world for man to gobble up and consume.  He made it, and all within it, to the PRAISE and glory of Him!  He made it so that we would know Him!

I‘m not sure where you are with this concept; but I am okay with it.  Last time I checked, I found that I had no power to create myself.  I am only here because He designed it to be so.  I cannot even hold myself together, let alone an entire universe.  I cannot make the sun shine, nor can I make it rain.  I cannot cause things to grow.  I cannot cause my own heart to beat, nor can I change the hearts of men.  He made it all and sustains it all; therefore, HE gets to make the rules.  I think that is reasonable, don't you??

So, let's review...

GOD EXISTS.

And,
If GOD EXISTS, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.



Written that the name of Jesus would be praised,
Christy

photo credit to bigfoto.com

Beginnings

Faith like Dirty Diapers

Encouragement for anyone who has ever had a dirty diaper…

Welcome to my first attempt at writing to you, the public at large.  This blog has been born out of a love for talking about, meditating on and learning the truths of God.  Here’s how it all began:

Once upon a time, I was just a girl with no vision, purpose or goals in life but to pursue the classic American Dream.  You know, you gotta be happy.  And get lots of money…or enough to be happy… 

Anyway-there I was, and God showed me that He is Holy, and I am not.  He showed me that keeping a list of things that I think He wants me to do doesn’t earn me any status or favor with Him.  He showed me that nothing I could ever do would satisfy the sin debt I have before Him.  He saved me.  He has been doing a work in me ever since that moment. 

I promise-I am not perfect.  You don’t have to know me long to figure that out.  I am anything but perfect.  But I have a renewed vision, a purpose, a goal…  I want to know the Creator that made not just me, but the One who made this whole world possible!! 

I want to please Him, and though I fail, He is faithful.  He is there when everyone else goes home.  He is the One I will answer to.  Therefore, HE is the One to Whom I dedicate this blog, my children, my husband, and my life to. 

So, I realize that not everyone is a stay at home mommy of three children. 

Life takes a different shape for each person, but we all have something in common.  We have ALL made a dirty diaper (or two, or four, or a zillion) in our lives!  We all were once children-and truth be told we still are in many ways-we are just BIGGER now!

The title and idea for this blog came while changing my little guy’s stinkin’, nasty, putrid, AWFUL (you get the picture) diaper.  I opened it to get in there, do the job, and restore clean.  This time, he decided he would “help”…  Ugh!!!  NOOOO!  I don’t WANT your help, nor do I need it!  I do not accept this!!  STOP! 

You see, that is what God says to us, of sorts…  I don’t want your help, and I don’t need it.

Check out this passage from the book of Ezekiel:

Eze 36:25  I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.

Eze 36:26  And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Eze 36:27  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Eze 36:28  You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

That’s powerful.   I try to imagine doing any of that for myself, and I come to the conclusion-I CAN’T.  I have tried though.  I have kept a list of rules in hopes that I would gain God’s favor.  I have tried to be better over and over.  I can’t.  The answer is the same EVERY TIME.  In short, we need HIM.  He ALONE can make us clean. 

More on that later…

Now, let’s tell little Samuel that! Mommy ALONE can make you clean!  Yet, those sweet little hands still want to reach down to "help", but He is learning!

So, now you know what was behind the name. 

Here is a little more about why I decided to start writing.  I don’t have anything to say, really…at least-not any more or anything better than the next guy. 

What I want to share with you is what God says. 

I want to share how He speaks into my life EVERYDAY, and how I just can’t look at this life without seeing His hand teaching me, loving me, drawing me…

I invite you to learn with me.  I have been so blessed by what He says.  By His grace, I will get better at reflecting Him.  Maybe this will encourage you to do the same.

Written that the name of Jesus would be praised,

Christy