~ Just a Little Grace ~

I learned a little more about grace on my son's birthday - but this time, it was as much about giving as it was receiving......

Last week on my son's 10th birthday I thought that even though it was his birthday, he should still do at least some math review - I think he had others thoughts :) And, so, the battle began over long division.

To make a few hours short, I will tell you that we learned less in those hours than we usually learn in minutes. I truly think that the part of his brain that does math computations did take the day off, leaving my child with a look of complete 'duh' that was only getting worse with every minute and story-problem. By the end of the time, I was frustrated, my boys were completely confused, and, we were all close to tears.

I remember looking at him thinking, "what in the world is wrong with you", "you know this stuff", and "how can you continue to do this wrong when you know better". Then, the Lord tapped on my shoulder causing me to see my 2 precious 10 years olds in a different way.....not as ones who needed to do 'get it right', but as ones that needed a little grace and understanding ~ the way I know He sees me every single day.

And, so, we started the day over - literally.....

I sent them back upstairs, grabbed another birthday doughnut, and quickly made myself a cup of relaxing chai tea :) Then, up the stairs my son, my daughter, and I went, doughnut in hand, singing Happy Birthday. As we rounded the corner and I yelled 'Good Morning, how did you sleep - can you believe today is your birthday!!" I saw the look on his face I know my Heavenly Father has seen on mine - the look of grace received, not deserved, yet, so appreciated and loved.

That night, as we laughed about the happenings - I found myself thanking God for His truly amazing grace and, for the opportunities He gives us to give as well as receive. Had He not opened my eyes and removed some of my stubborn streak that day, January 26th, 2006 would not be remembered in such a precious way.

Is there someone who needs a little grace received from you? I know we receive it daily in such abundant portions ~ giving it is the very least we can do!

~ I Found An Awesome Post! ~

Yesterday was my 2nd son's 10th birthday. Which means, for 3 weeks I have 2 - 10 year olds - yikes!!

Silly me thought we should still homeschool on a birthday - Well, I learned a lesson that I will tell you about in the next post - but, first, I wanted to put these wonderful words I found this morning through a homeschool email group - Here is the link (Spunky Homeschool) if you want to read more of the posts.

I thank the Lord for his messages of encouragement - He has wonderful timing, and, a sense of humor too :)

So, read her words, and remember, our children are testing and watching us......I just pray I don't fail!

*****************************

"A few months ago I took Jason (14) out to lunch. Actually, he suggested it and he was buying so off we went to Arby's for the 5 for $5 special. While I watched him eat his four sandwiches in the length of time it took me to eat one, we chatted about alot of different things.

When there was a lull in the conversation I switched the subject to a scripture that I had been meaning to ask him about. Proverbs 22:36 says "My son, give me thine heart and let thine eyes observe my ways." This seemed like the appropriate time to ask him if we still retained his heart even though he was in the middle of growing from a boy to a man.He grinned and said, "Mom, if you and dad didn't have my heart then do you think I'd be sitting here with you at Arby's right now?" Good point.

So I pressed him a little on why he thinks teens seem to stray away and what could a parent do to keep a child from rebelling against them and the Lord.He said, "Don't bend the wire." ....... "

Ha - now you have to go to her link to read the best part!!! :) Visit: Spunky Homeschool

~ Unbound and Unharmed ~

Have you ever felt like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego - in that fiery furnace,

Alone, you thought,

Onlookers piering through the door from their seemingly normal lives,

BUT - only to find that Jesus was right in the flames with you?

He is in that fire, maybe silent, maybe doing nothing more than holding you and gently guiding, but, He Is There, you need only trust and endure!

I have a favorite daily flip calender I have used for almost 20 years - though literally tattered and torn, it still reaches my heart - It is excerpts from Streams in the Desert, by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman. The book is amazing too - a must read if you ever feel you are in the desert or need encouragement for life's most challenging moments.

The excerpt from January 20th was awesome! ~

Unbound and unharmed...they came out of the fire.....The fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed.... Daniel 3:25b-27b

The men who were cast into the fiery furnace came out as they went in-except their bonds. That is the way Christians should come out of furnace trials - liberated from their bonds, but untouched by the flames."

I pray you feel His Presence in the fire and find yourself unharmed by the flames, but unbound from the ____ that gets in the way of His Glory and Works!

~ Anything and Everything ~

As I spoke with a dear friend a few nights ago, I listened to her stories of what she had done to give her children a better childhood and chance at life than she was given. Wow - her sacrifices and drive both amazed and humbled me! She loved her children so much and was willing to do anything and everything to save them from a life of inner-city sin and shame.

Since that conversation I have thought of her words many times ~ And yesterday, I was driven to my knees to the feet of my Savior.

With the release of The Passion of the Christ a couple of years ago, all Christians were reminded of His sacrifice. Those scenes of the abuse He quietly accepted were so horrible for me that I had to leave the theater. To see the One who loves me so much receive such treatment, on my behalf, brought me to a place of complete horror and heavy-heartedness that for weeks I had difficulty sleeping.

BUT, that was years ago - and, the scenes have been pushed to the back of my memory. His sacrifice has again become a part of my infrequently thought about, and rarely appreciated, memories.

Consequently, and sadly, I was more impressed with and caught up in my friend's sacrifices, and had not stopped once to be impressed with His Ultimate Sacrifice. He loved us so much and was willing to do anything and everything to save us from a life of earthly sin and shame!

As the new year continues, I pray you, and I, and make it a habit to daily focus on His Sacrifice. Thank Him before you get out of bed. Write down John 3:16 (For God SO loved the world, that He gave His one and only son. That whosoever will believe in Him will not perish, but have eternal life) on a notecard and hang it on your mirror. Pick a church you drive by each day as a reminder that because He died, that church stands. Find something, anything, that can help you daily remember and thank Him for His love for you.

It only takes a few weeks to make a habit - but, this habit will give you a lifetime of lifting out of the earth's inner-city sin and shame to His Heavenly Home of forgiveness, power, and love!

~ Joy in the Journey ~

More Michael Card lyrics that I just love!

There is such joy in this journey and a
wonder and wildness to life!

There is a joy in the journey
There's a light we can love on the way
There is a wonder and wildness to life
And freedom for those who obey

May you find Joy in your Journey and appreciate the wonder and wildness in 2006!

***
Joy In The Journey
by Michael Card
Album: Joy In The Journey (1994)

There is a joy in the journey
There's a light we can love on the way
There is a wonder and wildness to life
And freedom for those who obey

And all those who seek it shall find it
A pardon for all who believe
Hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind

To all who've been born in the Spirit
And who share incarnation with Him
Who belong to eternity stranded in time
And weary of struggling with sin

Forget not the hope that's before you
And never stop counting the cost
Remember the hopelessness when you were lost

There is a joy in the journey
There's a light we can love on the way
There is a wonder and wildness to life
And freedom for those who obey
And freedom for those who obey...

~ There's No Place Like Home ~

~ There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home. ~

How many times have we wished we could simply click our heals and, presto, return to or visit someplace else? In the middle of a horrible day full of sick children, barking dogs and ringing phones ~ oh, if only we could click and “there’s no place like home” ourselves to a bubble bath surrounded by candles and sounds of tranquil waterfalls. Or, while a co-worker gives us a piece of their, seemingly very little, mind, or we receive that dreaded news from the doctor, ~ if only with a click and “there’s no place like home” we are back in a less turbulent more stable period of our lives. The Lord gives us feet with power to go and be what we could never be with our own power......Just like the girl with the red sparkly shoes on the Wizard of Oz who had an undiscovered great power within her to return home.

Dorothy had beautiful, red, priceless, sparkling shoes. Maybe it was the new victory over a tiny sin I had been wrestling with, but, I felt compelled to look at my feet….and have a humble tear of complete awe for His grace, mercy and love. My Jesus gives me my own “Dorothy Shoes”. I have been washed by His beautiful, perfect, red blood. Once I crushed that sin, He gave me beautiful feet again. Look at your feet? Do you have “Dorothy shoes”? Are they sparkling? Do you utilize the power within your shoes?

Dorothy Shoes – My daughter has had 3 pairs and has worn them anywhere from church to the grocery store, from the swimming pool to her brother’s baseball games. She loves them, and wears them with such pride that I think she stands taller and shines a little brighter when she has them on. And, people notice her. These shoes draw attention – they bring comments of “those are beautiful”, “oh, can I have a pair”, and “where did you get those”. I wonder if my Shoes sparkle enough for others to notice their beauty and desire a pair of their own.

Do I wear my Dorothy Shoes everywhere I go? Are they on when I am disciplining my independent 5 year old? Are they on as I do my daily errands and come into contact with a world that can be selfish and unkind? I wonder if I am sure to leave them on as I let my hair down and relax with my friends? I need to wear these precious shoes everywhere I go too.

Just as my daughter stands with pride when her shoes are on – When we are wearing our blood washed feet, we also walk a little taller and lighter. We have been released from the guilt and weight of sin and can walk in His light and love. When we are serving Him and there is nothing blocking complete communion with Him we have the confidence to be who He created us to be.

And, oh, if only I can draw attention to my Savior as my daughter’s shoes grab the attention of anyone who is around her. Do others look at my life and say “that is beautiful”, “can I have my own life like that”, or, “where did you get such peace and joy”? I want a presence that sparkles and draws attention to the One who gives true life.......

In those beautiful shoes is the power to have compassion for others, conquer our witches of sin, bravely persevere to the end, and eventually return to a loving home. The shoes have been bought with a price of His eternal love and are ours with the decision to simply ask Him to put the shoes on our feet as we invite Him into our heart and our lives.

So, as you continue through your journey through your own land of Earth, I urge you to be sure you have asked Him to give you the beautiful, blood red, sparkling shoes of forgiveness and redemption. You will draw others to comment “where can I get peace and joy like that”. Then, be sure you wear those powerful shoes everywhere you go ~ because, there truly is no place like our Father’s Home, there is no place like our Father’s Home, there is no place like our Father’s Home.

Excerpt from the He Keeps Us Faithbooking Devotional ~ There's No Place Like Home available at Scrapbookers Bubble Bath.