Five Minute Friday: See

            

See

What do we see when we see others? When we first meet them? Before we even bother to get to know them?

When we see someone dressed in a way that we don't like, what do we see? What about a homeless person? Or a guy with long hair? Or a girl with short hair...wearing pants? Or for you young people, a person in a suit, or a well-coiffed outfit? What do we see when we see a person who is different from us? The answer is important because the answer tells us exactly how we view the rest of the world.

If we look at another and pass judgement based solely on their outward appearance or, even oftentimes, their behavior, we have just turned our backs on them. We put up a barrier to "protect" ourselves from the unusual, the out-of-the-ordinary. For years Christians even judged others on the basis of skin color.

Having both participated in this act, and been at the receiving end of it, it seems to me to be the most pervasive and despicable practice in the church.

Where in Scripture do we find that we are to judge each other by our outward appearances? Where do we find that we are to judge each other by our mistakes and failures and imperfections and bad grammar?

Yes, there are evil people out there. Probably even people we should protect ourselves and our children from, but when we see everyone who is different from us as someone who falls into that category, do we not turn our backs and bar them from the Kingdom?

The End of the 21 Days of Prayer for Our Sons

Today was the last day of the 21 Days of Prayer challenge and, I must say, that this could have gone on longer and I'd not have been put out in the least. I look forward to the next challenge. Anyone have a date yet? ;)

Using specific Scripture passages, we've prayed for a variety of things for our boys. From heart change, to the "fruits of the Spirit," to Salvation, to forgiveness, I prayed each of these things for my boys, and have, myself, further changed in the process. I wrote a few months ago about the change one little prayer brought to our family, and I still see with eyes of amazement that God uses this "simple" medium to bring about such great change in His people.

One of my favorite movie quotes is from Shadowlands where CS Lewis is quoted as saying, "Prayer doesn't change God, prayer changes me." I have no idea if he is the one who actually said this. It sounds like something he'd say, though. And it is very true. Prayer changes us. If we are truly praying, we may never see a change in our outward circumstances. (I think here specifically of the millions upon millions of Christians who have suffered just the last 100 years under various dictatorships.) The thing that will change will be us. This holds true when we pray for our children.

The change is often profound and subtle at the same time. Sometimes I think it would be impossible for others to miss.  Other times I wonder if anyone can see anything at all. But I suppose that's my need for approval "shining" through...and an entirely different blog entry. ;D

On the third day of the challenge, it was the National Day of Prayer.  I went with the three oldest boys to church to participate in the activity (for lack of a better word) there. It just so happened that Day Three of the challenge was "Submission to Authority." What a day to pray for our leaders, you are probably thinking. But as I read through the verses in the chapter that day before leaving for church, I wasn't really thinking about the earthly authorities I should (in most cases) submit to, I was thinking about a Heavenly One that, it suddenly dawned on me, I hadn't. Oh, sure, I'm a Christian. And, oh, sure, I pray about things. But had I really taken every decision, every desire I had for my boys, myself, my family, before God and truly in my heart said, "Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done?" I could not answer, "yes," to that.

For the first time I saw that throughout my entire life I have held on a little to each prayer I presented to God. That part that I thought I could just do something about. Or, more likely, that part I just couldn't trust Him with. I do have trust issues...but I suppose that's a whole 'nother blog entry as well.

As I sat in the quiet chapel at church, I realized that this is probably the hardest thing to pray, ever, in the history of anything. It is just so tough to give, I mean truly give, every single last thing over to Him. We want to maintain some control over things and, oftentimes, we really don't want God to give us what we need, only what we want.

I'd love to report that I prayed that prayer and now it's just the easiest thing to keep praying it every time I pray and really mean it. It's not. In fact, I still feel the same strange feeling inside when I pray it, and even now as I am writing about it. I don't know what it is. Terrified anticipation? But I know the Lord is true to His Word, and that He who began a good work will be faithful to complete it.

I started praying for my boys, and ended up praying for myself as well. And, let's face it, I really needed it. :)

Our pastor read this on Sunday, thought it was appropriate:

I asked God to give me strength. 

He gave me difficulties to make me strong. 

I asked God to give me courage. 

He gave me dangers to overcome. 

I asked God to give me prosperity. 

He gave me brain, brawn to work. 

I asked God to give me knowledge. 

He gave me problems to solve. 

I asked God to give me love. 

He gave me troubled people to help. 

I received nothing I wanted. 

I received everything I needed.

Five Minute Friday: Perspective

On Fridays over here a group of people who love to throw caution to the wind and just write gather to share what five minutes buys them. Just five minutes. Unscripted. Unedited. Real.

Your words. This shared feast.

If you have five minutes, we double dog dare you to spend it writing here

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Please visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments.

.

Perspective

3. a visible scene, especially one extending to a distance; vista

The perspective one gains from a mountaintop view is exhilarating. I know a bit about it as I grew up in the Rockies. To this day I have never tired of a panoramic scene from a mountain turn off or trail. It gives one perspective, they say. The same is true for a spiritual mountaintop. From here I gain a perpective more difficult to acquire while walking in the "valley of the shadow of death." Here it is to easy hear God's whisper, His still, small voice. But I cannot stay here, I live in the valley, both figuratively and literally. 

As  child, while I loved the scenery around me, I never "took advantage" of it. I was always busy with school and friends and TV and music. I never just sat back and really got all I could out of the beauty and peace that surrounded me. This carried over into my adulthood and my Christian walk. In times of spiritual peace, I was too busy to grow and, most importantly, prepare myself for my next trial.

I pray that I have finally realized my error and that this current time of peace will be used wisely to "seek the Lord while He may be found" because I know that it will not be long before I must return to the valley. And the growth I attain now will make the difference in my perspective of my trial....will I shake my fist at God or will I "fear no evil" because the perspective I gained from this mountaintop confirms in me that He is with me and His rod and His staff comforteth me?

Outta My Mind~~Or, How to Be a Proverbs 31 Woman

"Women around the world are IN THE WORD! Every Wednesday we will have a link-up. If you are a blogger we invite you to link-up any blog posts that you have written about your quiet time that week. We ask that you put our button in the post or on your sidebar so we can find each other. We do not have code for this link up button. Just right click and save as. Then link it to http://www.goodmorninggirls.org "

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

First, a little "mood music" to help understand the post a little more. And it's my third favorite song so I want to have an excuse to listen to it again. :D

What do you feel when you hear the term "Proverbs 31 Woman?" Let me tell you what I've felt through the years, hopefully it won't sound so accusatory. ;)

When I first learned of the "ideal" I was 19. It sounded wonderful to me because I wanted to be a perfect wife. If I could just learn to be exactly like this woman, I knew I would accomplish it. Later, when I was disillusioned, the term was like nails on a chalkboard (yeah, I'm dating myself). I hated it. In fact, I would just plain skip it when it came time to read it for reading through the bible or a devotional. Now that I've made peace with the poor woman I understand what really annoyed me the most about her. She's other focused.

When we read through the list of things she does we see that she is forever doing things for others. Nowhere do we see the line our world, and selfish pride, feeds us that we must put ourselves first. She truly puts the needs of others before her own. In this she is an image of Christ to us.

Christ gave all to save us from our sins. While we were yet sinners He died for us. He didn't wait until we had it all together. And before that, He fed the people. He healed them. He instructed them. In short, He tended to their needs.

We are to be like Christ in our lives. No, we cannot save people from their sins, but we can serve them. We can love them. We can point them to Christ by our Godly living, and our teaching. In this day and age, a person with a true servant's heart is so rare that if we acquire that (and let me assure you I am far from it) then we will stand out from the rest. We are to be a light, a city on a hill. Our light is to shine so that others will see our good works and glorify God in Heaven. When we put the needs of others first, when we serve them (she made portions even for her servant girls), then we are a true Proverbs 31 woman.

Mother's Day 2012

Dessert first...well, that's what got made first. :)

Williams-Sonoma now has a line of Gluten-Free mixes. The kids were dying to try the Red Velvet. 

Cupcakes take less clean up, you know?

Yes, it's true, I really need to get my regular camera fixed. :/

And this time, the camera really didn't do it justice.

This idea is based on something I found, surprisingly (haha), on Pinterest.

First we had to make up for not having Braniac's birthday (due to my bronchitis).

A giant coloring book. He thinks it's pretty perfect.

I have a long comment to make here...you can see Thing 2's hands are rather blurry. That's coz he gets more excited about other people opening gifts than he gets opening his own. I don't have to re-read Love Languages by Gary Chapman to know that "gifts" is his love language. Giving & receiving are his favorite things to do. :) Seeing how he wants to be a missionary I am going to have to instill in him an ability and desire to make homemade gifts. :D

So, I made out like a bandit. A nice picture frame to put the picture they took at church in. :) (ps the bad grammar is intentional...just to bug you.)

A nice pillow that Thing 2, of course, picked out. This thing is really comfy. Can sleep for hours on it. :D

Another pillow from Thing 2. He bought this with his AWANA bucks. He and Thing 1 always do that with their "church money."

I also got some nice crocheted kitchen towels (I love crocheted towels) which my mil made. And a nice check which I will use to pay off the rest of high school camp, the deposit for school, and send Thing 1 to summer camp. I used to say that with any money I got I'd buy book and if there was anything left I buy food and clothes. Now I say I get stuff for my kids and if there's anything left I get something for the house. :D