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June 29 Romans 12 - The ChecklistI put this blog up the other day and then quickly took it down because I felt like I was 5 in kindergarten and saying, "Marky, no, no!" I didn't want anyone to think I was telling anyone else what to do. But when I read the first verses of Romans 12, I felt impressed that they were the WHAT that we are to do - offer ourselves a living sacrifice, conform not to the world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. This is a beautiful thought, and I have always desired that transformation. I want to be fully mature in Christ. But that can be such a vague concept, and I think a lot of controversy comes out of trying to define what it means to be fully mature in Christ. For the first time while I was reading this chapter, I felt like it was describing the HOW - behaviors and character traits that would support or lead back to the goals of being a living sacrifice and transformed in my mind. It almost reads like a checklist ...
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you:
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.
June 24 BurdensI read a quote from C. H. Spurgeon this week. It was actually in the context of God's sovereign nature - He is in control anyway, why not release your burdens to Him?
"Oh ye agitated Christians, do not dishonor your religion by always wearing a brow of care; come, cast your burden upon the Lord. I see ye staggering beneath a weight which He would not feel." June 19 RomansI think my most-read portion of scripture is Romans 6, 7 and 8. I have poured over it so many times with a desire to get out of Romans 7 (oh wretched man that I am!) and get into Romans 8 (walking after the spirit). This morning Romans 6 was in my normal reading and I wanted to share what stands out to me the most. I have highlighted in my Bible all the action spoken about in Romans 6. We are to COUNT ourselves dead to sin, OFFER ourselves as an instrument of righteousness and YIELD ourselves to obedience. My favorite part is when it says (paraphrasing) "Don't you know that whoever you offer yourself to obey, that is your master. You're either a slave to sin which yields death, or a slave to obedience which yields righteousness." It makes me think of those scriptures of us not being children of the bondwoman, but of the free. I know we kind of "claim" that sometimes, but our actions and life really reveal who our spiritual "mother" is.
We are always making a choice to either submit and obey our carnal nature, or submit and obey the leading of the Spirit. And I had a sort of epiphany about my carnal nature this weekend. I was feeling kind of down because Aaron and I had a misunderstanding, the kids were going crazy and I was irritable with them, and I was just so tired. I was just feeling kind of yucky when I realized that this feeling was exactly what my carnal nature (sin-sick and dead) WANTS me to feel. My carnal nature is death to my soul. It's ultimate goal is to take me down and make me miserable. It is deceiving and enticing when it pulls me toward sin. It seems like I am just "taking care of myself" or indulging myself. I find myself thinking that yes, I should obey the Lord, but I am going to do what I want to do. But it is much more insidious than that. The ultimate goal is not to make me feel good or in charge of my life, but to steal peace from my marriage and joy from raising my kids and make my relationships so dysfunctional that I want to go hide in a cave by myself. What a taskmaster! I felt like I had a revelation about the "enemy" and at the same time the "Victor" of the war. I will never have enough strength to fight this enemy of my soul. We have a song on a CD that describes Jesus as "victorious warrior, and Lord of everything, my rock, my shelter, my very own, blessed redeemer, who reigns upon the throne ..." That image came to my mind as I thought about this enemy that wants my ruin. Jesus is the defeater of this enemy. Praise God! I'm not sure if any of this makes sense, but I needed to get it out so I can remember it the next time I am yielding the wrong direction. June 12 ClarityI'm reading The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson right now. (Thank you Gina for the recommendation!) I read something today that gave SO MUCH clarity to me about how to approach correction of poor character in kids and ourselves. The author says,
"I don't have any desire to make my children feel guilty for what they are naturally -- sinful and immature. But I do want to lead them away from their natural sinful tendencies, to show them how to use self-control and discipline their character, how to walk with God and let him develop in them a heart of compassion."
I've found myself "shocked" that my kids could act out in ways that are so bratty and selfish. But what else should I expect from another fallen human? I remember feeling guilty that I would even struggle with things when I was a teen-ager or younger. To this day I cannot stand the phrase, "Shame on you!" I think shame and repentance should come from within through a convicted heart, not something that is announced over a child. But on the other hand, I don't think that a child's behavior should just be excused because "kids will be kids". You can see how this is very confusing when you're trying to parent a child. But this line gave me clarity in that I am not trying to tie a burden of guilt on my kids that they are human, but I am trying to mold their character through instruction, discipline and example above all else. I was very encouraged by this.
P.S. I know many older moms will probably read this and think, "Oh brother, just spank the little brats!"  And maybe if you weren't reading so much you could discipline your kids! I am cracking myself up now! Have a blessed day.June 08 PoemWhat I Learned From My Mother
by Julia Kasdorf I learned from my mother how to love
the living, to have plenty of vases on hand in case you have to rush to the hospital with peonies cut from the lawn, black ants still stuck to the buds. I learned to save jars large enough to hold fruit salad for a whole grieving household, to cube home-canned pears and peaches, to slice through maroon grape skins and flick out the sexual seeds with a knife point. I learned to attend a viewing even if I didn't know the deceased, to press the moist hands of the living, to look in their eyes and offer sympathy, as though I understood loss even then. I learned that whatever we say means nothing, what anyone will remember is that we came. I learned to believe I had the power to ease awful pains materially like an angel. Like a doctor, I learned to create from another's suffering my own usefulness, and once you know how to do this, you can never refuse. To every house you enter, you must offer healing: a chocolate cake you baked yourself, the blessing of your voice, your chaste touch. I heard this poem a few weeks ago on A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor. (LOL I just let out mine and Aaron's secret of what we like to do on a Saturday night.) When I heard it I started crying because of the truth in it. When other people are hurting it is tempting to slink away and not get too close to their suffering because it is so uncomfortable. But what we all want and need is to know that someone will walk with us through our sorrow. I thought of this poem again this week with the loss the McNeese family is going through. Your presence is so powerful to someone who is hurting, and I know this from experience. I am so grateful for all my friends and family that have stuck with me when I couldn't see one foot in front of me. Makes me think of that Mars Hill song, "We have been blessed, now we want to be a blessing." Goodnight.
KidsThis morning I asked Lydia to play on the floor because I wanted her off the couch. She said, "But mom, the floor is so difficult, and it will make me smell like a donkey, then I'll have to take a bath in tomato juice!" Huh? BTW, my floor does NOT smell like a donkey. Interesting logic though.
Yesterday I was folding clothes and Emily was "helping" me, Elijah walks in the room, and Emily says, "Ijah (Elijah), shhhhh!" with her finger to her mouth. She is so bossy. I came in her room to her singing, "O E O E O" and when I came in she put her hand over her mouth and gave me the cutest little smile. Their personalities are so true to the day they were born, Elijah taking it easy and Emily raising heck for everyone around her. Small but mighty. June 02 ProverbI thought of this proverb last night when Bro. Steve was talking about is it our work or God's, do we present ourselves or does He? Scripture can seem contradicting, but it isn't.
Proverbs 21:31
The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD. |
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