“She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain”

Louisa May Alcott

 

 

I came across this in one of my daily devotionals.  A friend once jokingly (I hope) told Aaron, "that's what is wrong with you and Janelle, you read too much!"    Probably true!

 

 

 

I've come across many good things regarding forgiveness the last few days.  I listened to Jason Upton for the first time, thanks to Ernie letting us borrow his CD .  I thought these lines from "It Ain't Easy" captured so well why it can be so hard to forgive people.  You don't want to feel like an idiot releasing someone that may not really be sorry.  But ultimately we need to forgive even if never apologized to, for our own peace.  Anyway, it says

 

 

 

Then yesterday I finished reading "The Shack" by William P. Young.  I can't really describe how amazing this book is.  It's near the end of the book and the Father (Papa) is helping Mack (the girl's father) to forgive the murderer.  It says,

 

 

It thought that was powerful in explaining what forgiveness really is.  It feels like you are letting someone off the hook, like what they did was okay.  But it's really about choosing to live well, and not in a destructive state.  I don't know if I'm getting it across, but that really impacted me.

 

Then this morning I opened my devotional by Beth Moore and the first line was this -

 

 

So I think I'm hearing something needful, hmmm?  We all have a Great Sadness as "The Shack" describes it.  Something that really shapes who we are.  But it doesn't have to DEFINE who we are.  Another thing I appreciated so much last night at church was to listen to everything with the bent toward hearing God's voice, no matter who might be speaking.  That can be hard because the messenger often comes with their own banners waving.  So not only might I have an opportunity to forgive, I can also hear something from the Lord that I really need.  I'm thankful and in awe of Him wanting to speak to me at all. 

The River (Brian Doerksen)

To the river I am going bringing sins I cannot bear
Come and cleanse me, come forgive me Lord I need to meet you there

In these waters, healing mercy flows with freedom from despair
I am going, to that river Lord I need to meet you there

Precious Jesus, I am ready to surrender every care
Take my hand now, lead me closer Lord I need to meet you there

Come and join us, in the river Come find life beyond compare
He is calling, He is waiting Jesus longs to meet you there
He is calling, He is waiting Jesus longs to meet you there

Precious Jesus, I am ready to surrender every care
Take my hand now, lead me closer Lord I need to meet you there
Take my hand now, lead me closer Lord I need to meet you there

 

Julie and Neal sang this back in March, and it came to me in a new way this morning.  The lines that say, "bringing sins I cannot bear" and "I am ready to surrender every care" have naturally always made me think of my own sins, my own shame, my need for justification and salvation.  But this morning I was thinking of bearing other people's sins by not forgiving.  I can't bear those sins either.   This morning I was impressed with the truth that The River is mighty enough to wash me of the many effects of sin, and not just my own.

 

I am reading "The Shack" right now.  So far, it is an amazing story.  A man's daughter is brutally murdered in a shack by a serial killer.  Three or four years later God invites him back to the shack.  The story is an allegory of the trinity, and although I don't believe in the trinity, it is still an intriguing story about the nature of God and His relationship with man.  In one chapter the man is talking to Wisdom and she tells him he must judge humanity and God.  He says no way, he can't.  Then she lists "easy" things to judge - murder, abuse, injustice, etc.  He starts vehemently shouting out judgements, and she leads him further and further back - the murderer of his child, the murderer's father, etc.  She asks him where to stop?  All the way back to Adam?  Who made Adam?  God.   So our judgement is ultimately against God for creating us at all.  Who are you going to make "pay" for the sin that infects us all?  She then asks him to chose which of his own five children should get to go to heaven, and which will spend eternity in hell.  He almost has a nervous break down refusing to send any of his children to hell, and begs to send himself.  She points out that God doesn't want any of His children to be lost, and that the One who didn't owe us anything "paid" for all the hurt.  Justice has been served. 

 

I know I've blogged about this before, but I often think of the scene in Forest Gump when Jenny goes back to the house she had been molested in as a child.  She starts throwing rocks at the house and ends up in a heap on the ground.  Then Forest says, "sometimes there just aren't enough rocks."  That's so true.  There aren't enough rocks in this world to take the sting of death away and bring healing and wholeness.    

 

Precious Jesus, I am ready to surrender every care
Take my hand now, lead me closer Lord I need to meet you there

Just a quick thought I can't shake since this weekend.  Why are we here?  Why follow Jesus?  Why restore the church?  Why bless those who curse us?  Why shout "NO" to "hide it under a bushel?"  Why serve others?  Why be a city set on a hill (not just for the city's sake)?  Why conform to the image of Christ?  Not to secure my salvation (that's honestly not something I think about), because Jesus did that. 

 

So why?  There's hundreds of things we can fill in the blank, but we have one purpose, to bring glory and honor to the Lord. 

 

 

I have been cleaning my house on Friday's since I quit working, and started doing it myself again.  "Quit working", that was funny.  Anyway, it started out Friday mornings, then after Lydia was born it would take me much longer.  Then after the twins, I was lucky to be in the shower by 4-5 in the afternoon.  Now, it doesn't take quite as long because I don't clean as well!    Oh, my husband is loving this.  No, I do clean, but as fast as I can.  But I still hate it, and procrastinate on Friday mornings before I start.  Hence the blog this morning, LOL.

 

Kids' Funnies

Elijah was walking around the bathroom this week with a bath towel over his head.  I asked him what he was doing and he said, "making a tent!"  So he WAS the tent.  Hmmm, how's that for creativity.  This Monday before I went to the grocery store I was making dinner from whatever I could find in my fridge.  Lydia asked what was for dinner and I told her "hodge podge".  She asked me, "have I ever had hodge podge?  Do I like it?"  Then Emily was turning in circles in the family room and I told her to come and get her diaper changed (I know, I know) and she acted disgusted and said, "But Mommy, I"m spinning!"  Well, excuse me!

 

Last night we had something really different for dinner.  I love Ellie Krieger from Food Network.  She has a show called "Healthy Appetites" on Saturdays at noon.  Last week I saw a recipe for a salad called Black-Eyed Pea and Spinach Salad (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_70264,00.html)  I made it with chick peas since that's what I had.  It was supposed to be a spin on Southern greens and black eyed peas, without the fat that gets cooked into greens.  It was really good, and VERY different from what we usually have as a salad.  Her recipes in her new cookbook are awesome!

 

Well, the kids are looking forlorn and asking for breakfast.  And this house isn't cleaning itself!

This really gave me some perspective -

 

Beth Moore