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Tuesday, February 28, 2006

~ He Just Gets Bigger ~

While in my second year of homeschooling, I am finding that the Chronicles are Narnia are a big thing among homeschoolers - so, I thought I 'd be "like all the others" and, read through them with the kids ~ and, I am not sure who is being blessed more by these books, me or them!

C.S. Lewis has an amazing ability to take a world created with an imagination like a child, and, write words that touch the adult Christian in profound ways. In one sentence, Aslan, the lion that represents a character as Christ, can say more than many pastors can say in an entire sermon. And, as we read Prince Caspian yesterday, I read many of those "sermon in a sentence" phrases. Two touched me so deeply, that I got choked up and filled with His love and blessing. Here is one of them:

I won't explain the whole story - but, the child, Lucy sees Aslan, whom, she has not seen in awhile, excited to see him, she runs to Him. As she stands beside him, this conversation occurs:

"Aslan, you are bigger"
"That is because you are older, little one"
"Not because you are?"
"I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger"

Wow - isn't that true ~ the more we grow in Christ, we do find Him bigger?!!!

With each fiery furnace, parted sea, blessing of an offering, answer to prayer, peace to pass understanding, gift of mercy, and His boundless underserved grace I find my Savior's strong arms and nail-scarred hands to be more big and more powerful than I ever knew them to be before.

I pray that any reading this, can feel Him bigger today than He was yesterday ~ He is so universally sized majestic and powerful ~ and, I know I have only begun to grasp His true size! :)

PS - If you have not read the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis - do - you will be blessed and you will see Christ in a whole new way. In fact, start by going to see the movie ~ it will get you hooked and make you want to read the other 6 books!

Thursday, February 23, 2006

~ Still on the Throne ~

He is still on the throne
Sometimes I must remind myself that my Savior is still on His throne. He is the beginning and the end.
We must not let our fear, sin, doubt, selfishness, low self-esteem, guilt, friends, humankind, or our situation draw our mind from that one simple yet gigantic and eternal fact.
No matter what your story ~
No matter what your glory ~
No matter what your pain ~
No matter, no matter, no matter...
Through it all, He is still on the throne ~ be sure to see and leave Him there today.

Monday, February 20, 2006

~Through the Eyes of a 5 Year Old~

Yesterday I realized how different the world looks to a 5 year old! This is how a conversation went - Oh yes, first, I have been told that I must warn you when you need a kleenex - well, you may for this one, only because you may be crying with laughter!)

"Mommy, can I tell you something"

"Sure honey"

"It is a secret"

"Ok, come here and whisper it"

My 5 year old daughter crawled up beside me with this very, very serious look on her face ~ and, very quietly whispered ~

"There is this lady at .... that has a really fat butt ~ and, well, I don't want to tell her, but, maybe she needs to know" pause "And, she walks so fast that I can't catch her to tell her" pause "But, I shouldn't tell her because it will hurt her feelings"

Through a face strained with fighting from laughing out very loud, I replied,

"Oh honey, you are right that you should not tell her. That is a very wise choice because it would hurt her feelings"

"But she just walks so fast, and, her butt is so fat"

"I know, but, Jesus loves her too, and, He wants us not to hurt each other"

"Oh, ok"

And, just like that, the conversation was over - she had her answer, and, she was back to her Polly Pockets.

Now ~ the things that have run through my mind are:

1) Wow, we have not been in that location for 2 weeks so, this has been on her mind.

2) Although to us it is a very funny interaction, to her, it was so stressful whether she should tell her, and, that the woman just walked so fast.

3) The view of the world, for a much shorter 5 year old, is very different than mine. (I figure this woman's point of interest was just below my daughter's eye level - so, for her, it was right there!)

4) I must be more concious of what may be on her mind and running through her thoughts.

5) And, oh my, what in the world does my daughter think of my butt? (So, I got on the treadmill this morning, skipped the pop-tarts for breakfast, and drank orange juice instead!)

So, today, squat down to your child's size, look at how they see the world - you may see things in a whole new, and interesting perspective! :)

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

~ A Piercing Love ~

I got my children little Valentine's Day Bowls for today ~ and, as I was unwrapping them, thinking of the usual Valentine's Day mushy stuff, Jeremy Camp was singing Take You Back on the radio. And, one line stood out - perfect for the "day of love".

I can only speak with a grateful heart
As I'm pierced by this gift of your love

Do you let His gift of love pierce you?

~ His love has no limits

~ His love has no measure

~ His love is sacrificial, unconditional, and eternal.

~ His love holds you up and holds on to you.

~ His love is the most powerful yet gentle love in the universe.

~ His love will carry you into and through any situation He knows to be best.

~ His love creates, molds, and, stretches us to be like Him

~ His love is in the world, on the cross, and, in our hearts

~ His Love is His piercing gift of Himself

So, whether you are blessed to have a Valentine right by your side, or, He has chosen Himself to be your Valentine ~ May you be pierced by the love of the One, True, First and Last, Ultimate and Unchanging Valentine!



Here is all the words to the song if you would like to read them

Jeremy Camp - Take You Back (Hear it)

The reason why I stand
The answer lies in you
You hung to make me strong
Tho my praise was few
When I fall I bring your name down
But I have found in you
A heart that bleeds
Forgiveness replacing all these thoughts of painful memories
And I know your response will always be

Chorus: I'll take you back always
Even when your fight is over now
I'll take you back
Even when the pain is coming through
I'll take you back

You satisfy this cry
of what I'm looking for
And I'll take all I can
and lay it down before
The throne of endless grace now
that radiates what's true
I'm in the only place that erases
all these faults that have overtaken me
and I know that your response will always be

(Chorus)

I can only speak with a grateful heart
As I'm pierced by this gift of your love
I will always bring an offering
I can never thank you enough

You take me back always
Even when my fight is over now
You take me back
Even when the pain is coming through
You take me back

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

~ Only Grace ~

I have a new song for the kids to turn up real loud and yell "Mommy, here's your song!" ~ Only Grace sung by Matthew West.

Grace - it has turned into one of my absolute favorite words - it has even passed Chai Tea and c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e!! Wow - now, that should say something!

Seriously, Grace - have you ever truly stopped for a minute and thought about His Grace? How many times do we mess up and yet, He still loves us and takes us back over and over and over again - as if we never strayed or disappointed him.

Time for a little peek into my little mind :)

I sit here typing as one who has wasted too many minutes of my life worrying, and lost way too much precious time with my children because my mind was on some other seemingly hopeless situation. I have spent so much energy worrying, fretting, or carrying loads that were not of my doing or for sure not within my power to change. And, I think, I have come to realize, that in my "thinking I can fix the world" burden - I have offended, or at least hurt, Him in failing to turn to Him and rest.

Do you try to fix it all? As a mother, do you think you should protect everyone or have perfect children? As a wife do you think you should bear it all and be all for him? What extra weight do you carry as a daughter - friend - sister - neighbor - employee? Yeah - I'm right there with you ~ I put too much on me too. And, don't you think satan rejoices when we loose sleep at night? Can't you just hear his chuckles in the corner as we feel unworthy to sit at our Savior's feet to pray feeling undeserving of His blessing? - That is exactly how satan works in our lives as women.

But, there is GRACE ~
And, at times, that is all we need

~ Grace for those times you were short with your children
~ Grace for the last 5 nights you have fallen asleep while trying to pray
~ Grace for that little white lie you told to your co-worker
~ Grace for wanting perfection from others
~ Grace for expecting perfection from yourself
~ Grace for the extra cookie you took, even though it was gluttony
~ Grace for the $10 bottle of nail polish you charged on your credit card just to "make you feel better"
~ Grace for the temper or lack of expressing your true feelings
~ Grace for that envy of your friend who seems to "have it all"
~ Grace for the words you said, words you watched or words you listened to
~ Grace for ~ wow - I could go on and on....

But, there IS Grace
And, that IS all we need

So, pick yourself back up, ask for His forgiveness, lay it all down, and leave it at His precious nail-scarred feet. He came to save you from your sin and burden as much as He came to save every other soul. Don't let satan keep you from another minute....no, not another second, from enjoying the life Christ has set before you.

Read these lyrics to Only Grace, download it if you can - it is only 0.88 - It is worth a million times that if you can wake up tomorrow with His grace covering you, a lighter burden on you and a deeper peace within you.

Only Grace
by
Matthew West and Kenny Greenberg

There is no guilt here
There is no shame
No pointing fingers
There is no blame
What happened yesterday has disappeared
The dirt has washed away
And now it's clear

Chorus
There's only grace
There's only love
There's only mercy
And believe me it's enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
There's nothing left now
There's only grace

You're starting over now
Under the sun
You're stepping forward now
A new life has begun
Your new life has begun

Chorus
There's only grace
There's only love
There's only mercy
And believe me it's enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
There's nothing left now
There's only grace

And if you should fall again
Get back up, get back up
Reach out and take my hand
Get back up, get back up
Get back up again