watch what you put in your mouth...

One afternoon last week I was outside on a beautiful spring day and I found a plastic egg that had been dropped by a child. Looking around, I saw this cute little curly haired blond blond playing beside her dad. I asked her dad if it was her egg before giving it back to her. I then handed her that plastic egg and "zoom", faster than her dad could object, she put it in straight into her mouth. All that got me to thinking.

Have you ever noticed that babies seem to put EVERYTHING into their mouths? It seems to be the way they check things out. Adults might look closely at something or sniff it, but for a baby, into the mouth it goes!

Since Matthew 18: 2-3 tells us to come as a child, "He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven,"  all that got me to thinking... how does this apply to my life today? What is it about children putting things in their mouth that I need to learn?

Little ones "test" things by how they feel in their mouth. Are they bitter? Sweet? Hard? Soft? Worthy of leaving in there or should they spit them out?

Maybe I should pay more attention to what I put in my mouth. No, this is not a post about diet...although the analogies to be made there are vast. This is more about the WORDS I put in my mouth. There's an old saying about "putting words in my mouth." Most people object to others putting words in their mouth, but I have to wonder if we all do that more often than we know.I wonder if we don't actually put other people's words in our mouth ourselves.

We repeat gossip or news that we have heard. We put the "words" we hear in the news or facebook. I have students who actually sing songs with no clue of the words they are saying! (When I asked them about the lyrics, they were shocked about the words of the song. They had never actually paid attention to the words of the songs they hummed and danced to.) I think we are all guilty of doing this when we think about it. We put everything into our mouth without giving it a second thought.

I have also been thinking a lot about my own personal need to spend more time with the Word of God. There was a time when I sang scripture, memorized it, chewed on it throughout my day. Then over time, I spent less and less time making sure I was putting God's Word in my mouth. Oh, there was still plenty I was putting in my mouth...most of it harmless enough, but occasionally something that tasted "bitter" or "hard" and that I knew had no business being in my mouth in the first place.

I know, there is also a scripture that talks about what we put into our mouth is not what defiles, but what comes out. The thing is, words simply don't seem to be content to stay inside our mouths. Words want to find their way out. Just like children repeat what they hear, we listen and before we know it the words we've heard are coming from our own lips. They become the words of OUR mouth as well.

Over time, children start to recognize what things are "okay" to put into their mouth. If their parents help them, they learn to recognize what will taste sweet and feel good when they swallow it. Without guidance, they will lean toward junk food and things that may taste sweet at the moment but eventually lead to poor health or even death. Makes me wonder if, as an adult, I can learn too. 

Yep, what we put in our mouth really does make a difference...especially when it comes to words.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

not my kids....

"Not my kids...." 

I have actually sat in meetings with parents where they have said those words. One parent went so far as to say her child does not lie. You can be proud of me. I successfully resisted the urge to go over and shake her hand and say I was so happy to finally meet the mother of Jesus....but I did think it! Yep, as a teacher, "not my kid" are words I really hate to hear come out of a parent's mouth, so rest assured, this blog will not take that direction.

Let me begin by saying I have loved being a parent.....well, most of the time. 

However, there is a period of time - usually around 16 or 17 - when parenting becomes NOT so pleasant. When your teens are convinced you are the stupidest parent on earth and everyone else has MUCH cooler parents and if you'd just step out of the way, their life would be SO much better. Needless to say, I am in the middle of those teen years. It is then that I am thankful I can say, "Not my kids." 

Since my children are adopted, you might take that phrase the wrong way. I am in no way saying these children aren't mine to love and, at times, endure. As a teacher, you already know I'm not living in denial that my children are somehow beyond reproach. Nope, this is a different way of looking at things....one that is helping me hold on to my sanity.

With both my daughter (who has now circled round to having some common sense again) and now with my son, I have had to fully give them over to God. I can remember distinctly where my foot fell during a run when I turned my daughter over to Him and basically said, "that's it. I can't do this. She is Yours." I could almost hear the response. "That's what I've been waiting on all along."

I'd love to say things got better immediately, but they didn't. They did, however, get better. She is actually fun to be with now and on the eve of her moving out on her own, I find myself sad to see her go. I also feel confident that she will return for visits as not only my daughter, but my friend.

My son....well, let's just say I'm still in the teenage years with him!

The phrase "not my kids" actually refers to giving my children back to God. I dedicated both my children when they were babies, but as any parents know parenting is a continual process, sometimes a painful one.

The other day after a particularly stressful time with my son, I went for a run. (I have heard people say they run because punching people is frowned upon. Sometimes I feel like I run because I wouldn't look good in an orange jumpsuit!) Anyway, on this run I realized it was time once again to turn my child back over to God. That's when the phrase, "not my kid" came back to mind, only in a very different way. 

Now, when the enemy comes after my son, I am able to think about things more calmly. Not only is my child not mine, he is God's...and the enemy REALLY doesn't want to mess with God! God is not only able to keep my son, but He is more than able to squash anyone who comes after him. While the enemy might actually enjoy the idea of beating me up to get to my child, he's not quite as eager to take on God!

When God says, "not my kid..." it takes on a whole new meaning.  (Picture yourself hiding behind John Wayne or Clint Eastwood and they are staring at the bad guy and saying those words as in 'you better not mess with my kid'! And no doubt, God is MUCH tougher than both of them put together!)  

Nothing can separate my son from the love of Christ.

Parenting my son is still very difficult at times...but knowing that he's "not my kid" but belongs to God allows me to step back and trust that God is in control. He can handle it; I don't have to.

Why share this? Simply because somewhere out there, there is another parent who is raising a teenager and at their wits end. Or maybe they are looking at their own life and wondering how they'll make it through. We continue to pray and stand in the gap and then remember, they are "not mine."

We can look to our Father and know that He has got this. We are His and He is able....

Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV)

¹⁷ No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord.

1 Samuel 1:27-28 (NIV)

²⁷ I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. ²⁸ So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

Romans 8:28 (NIV)

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

 

 

Pick me! Please pick me!

The following is from a post I wrote 4 years ago...but the theme seems to be one that is running through my days lately, so I'm sharing it once again.
I was flipping channels last night, desperately looking for something worth watching and I came across one of those reality shows where they are doing challenges and playing strategies. By the end of the first episode, it was becoming quite evident who wasn't really "wanted" and would be the first to be voted off. I cringed. Visions of elementary school kick-ball came back to haunt me. There I was, standing and hoping that someone would pick me.....please. Don't make me be last to be chosen.
To be honest, I'm not sure I'd have picked me back then either. I was so convinced I couldn't really do anything that it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. I wasn't that athletic, and thanks to being the child of a teacher, I also wasn't Miss Popular. That's not fair.....I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been Miss Popular no matter what my mom did for a living. Like I said, I wasn't really a candidate to be picked for anything other than teacher's pet. I was a stickler for obeying the rules and being "good". I just wasn't really "good" at anything. If I was on one of those reality shows, I'd be a shoe-in to be voted off in the first episode.
That's why I am so overwhelmed that I was finally chosen. Someone actually picked ME! For a while, I was overwhelmed with excitement! I felt like I could take on the world because I was chosen!
Of course, reality has a way of deflating a person's happiness balloon.....sort of like those reality shows find a way to show your most embarrassing moments and highlight your inadequacies - right before voting you off the show. I battled the feeling that it was only a matter of time before I would be "found out" and voted off the team.....
Thankfully, this isn't a reality show..... it's reality. I was chosen - in spite of myself. I was chosen by the King! Eph. 1:4 (Amp.)"Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love."
There is a song by the David Crowder band that causes me to catch my breath every time I hear it. One verse says,"You make everything glorious and I am Yours. What does that make me?"

Who am I to argue with the one who created the world and all that is in it? He picked me? He won't vote me off when He figures out my flaws? Can this really be true?

The longing of every woman's heart is to be chosen - picked....not left standing against the wall, hoping to be asked to dance....like at some bad Jr. High Sock Hop. Okay, now I'm re-living days I'd MUCH rather forget. 

I know I'm not the only one crying out in my heart, "Pick me!" We all want to be chosen....we want to take part in something greater than ourselves. We want to know that we are wanted. The good news is that He does want us...just the way we are.

My prayer is that each person reading this will hear the one who calls to your heart and says, "I have chosen you." He is calling....don't be afraid to say, "Here I am, please pick me."

Are you buckled up?

* The following is a repost from a few years back. My son doesn't ride to school with me much anymore, but when he does, at least he buckles up! 

It was our regular morning routine. Everyone piled into the car and headed to school. I looked back at my son and noticed he wasn't buckled. I wondered silently, "Why do I have to tell him every time? He's 13 - by now he should know this!" I remained calm and said, "Buddy, you need to be buckled." He nodded his head to show recognition. He'd heard me.

We got to the first stop sign and I looked back again. He still wasn't buckled. I was more direct this time. "Son, you need to buckle - now." He stopped munching on his breakfast and buckled his seat belt. With the click, my own thoughts started to roll.

How many times have I done this same thing? How many times have I silently acknowledged that I understood what God had said, and yet still didn't do it? My mind drifted to this verse from James (he always seems to speak directly to me...and I'm not always happy about it!) James 4:17 ~ "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." (NIV) Wait, maybe another version will be kinder to me...."So then, anyone who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it is committing a sin." (CJB) Okay, let me look at a different version. "As it is, you are full of your grandiose selves. All such vaunting self-importance is evil. In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don't do it, that, for you, is evil." (Message - vs. 16-17) This seems to be getting worse! In fact, the only translations that DIDN'T step on my toes were the ones written in other languages! (German) Wer nun weiß, Gutes zu tun, und tut es nicht, dem ist es Sünde. (Italian) Vi è adunque peccato a colui che sa fare il bene, e non lo fa. (Spanish?) A aquel, pues, que sabe hacer lo bueno y no lo hace, le es pecado.

Somehow, even in the languages I don't understand, I get the message. I am guilty of sin. No, I don't go out killing people, or committing adultery, and I don't make it a habit to lie or steal, or any of the sins we might think of as truly awful....but if I am honest with myself, I sin just the same. Just as my son sat in silent rebellion because he didn't want to make the effort that morning, I sit in rebellion when I do nothing. In school, we call it "defiance" when a student isn't doing anything particularly wrong, they just refuse to do what is right.

I really don't like the direction this blog is taking. I've gone from not obeying to sin to defiance. Actually, it's all the same, I guess I'm just finally recognizing it for what it is.....and to be honest, I don't like it.

How about you? What is it that God has shown you that He wants you to do and you sit there in the back seat silently nodding your affirmation all the while doing nothing? I heard it once said that if you didn't feel like God was speaking to you, perhaps it was because He is still waiting for you to do the last thing He told you to do. Is it possible that the deafening silence I hear is simply God waiting on my to obey what He's already shown me to do? Micah 6:8 " (NIV) "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."  (Message) "But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously— take God seriously."

The entire first part of Romans 12 gives further instructions. Then, of course, there is the kicker: 2 Chronicles 7:14 ~ "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." I've often recited this verse with emphasis on the humble and pray part - especially with the state our nation and economy seem to be in right now....but did you notice the second part, the "turn from their wicked ways" part? I've gone from disobeying, to defiance, to sin, to evil, to wicked - and it all started with a simple click.

I don't know what it is that God has shown you that you've nodded your head in affirmation to and then simply sat there, but I've got a few things on my own list. It's time to stop just sitting and nodding and "buckle up"....I have a feeling that when I do, it's going to be one exciting ride.

Have a great day - and buckle up my friend.

That is enough...

It has been a while since I've written. While I won't go into all the reasons, the main culprit is probably my feelings of failure.

I know that statement may shock some. I am loud, seemingly unafraid of anything (my students think I will charge Hades with a water-pistol), and according to many, kind of funny. Those characteristics shout confidence - or at least they seem to.

But lately, I have felt like a failure on almost every front. Oh, I know, Christians aren't supposed to battle these thoughts. We are children of the King! You can just google that phrase, "child of the King," and you'll get 572,000,000 results - in less than a second! It's a popular thought, but like most Americans I wonder if I get it. 

When you think of "child of the King" in our prosperous nation that immediately brings images of all the benefits that come from having a king for a father. Prosperity. Privilege. A life of ease without problems. But today in worship, I saw a very different image. 

I'm not really sure what we were singing, but all of a sudden it hit me. The King saw me and reached out and called me His child...and that is enough. Not some pretty little child....not a soft sweet newborn wrapped in a pink blanket with a look that begs to be loved...not even a talented precocious toddler that makes you laugh just to look at her. No, I saw myself as I truly felt - dirty, angry, striking out like some wild animal that feared touch, much less love. And in the midst of all of this, came the King. He saw me. He was not "put off" by my crazed appearance. He saw my need to feel loved...wanted. He reached out and called me. No, more than that. He reached out and held me. He gave me His name, made me His child, loved me and let me know I was wanted...and that is enough.

I may never do great things for the Kingdom. I think in hoping that I would I was trying to earn the love I had been given...was trying to prove that it wasn't a mistake to choose me. 
I have tried to live up to the image in my head of what a king's child should be, and I have failed miserably.

I will probably never be known for my wisdom, my talent, or my beautiful appearance. I do not fit into the "right" group. I am not rich. I am not influential. I'm not even really very smart. I could go on and on about all the things I "am not" and "will never be" that we associate with someone who would be the child of a King. That's not really important. Only one thing is. I am His. He adopted me and I belong to Him. I belong. Let that sink in. I belong. 

I don't have to "earn" it...I can stop striving to be noticed. He sees me. He called me His own, despite of myself. He loved me. Adopted me. Gave me His name so that I would belong....and that is enough. 

That is truly enough.

Ephesians 1:3-6 (Msg)

Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.


Galatians 4:5-7 (NIV) 
to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.^[a] Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,^[b] Father.”  So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child...

I think the groundhog lied.

I wrote this blog four years ago, but I needed to be reminded of the message in it again today. I'm sharing this in case others needed "reminding" as well.

 

I'm as much a fan of silly traditions as the next girl, but I'm beginning to think that groundhog was off his rocker when he predicted an early spring! All I have seen in the weather is cold, cold, and more cold! I am a Southern girl! We don't do this much ice unless it's in our sweet tea! Maybe the problem is that we are relying on a NORTHERN groundhog to tell us what the weather will be down here. Perhaps we should switch to something more akin to our area - like an armadillo or a opossum! If they are able to cross the road without getting squashed, spring will come early....and hurricanes will stay away!

Okay, so I'm having a bit of fun here at some poor rodent's expense. Still, it has me pondering how many things we cling to out of tradition instead of truth. We get into a rut in our way of working, living, even worshipping and before we know it we reach the end of our days never really living. What would happen if we started to ask God each day to open our eyes to what He has planned? What would our lives look like if instead of our to do list, we came to God with a blank sheet of paper and asked Him what was on His "to do" list for our day?

Today in a devotion from Proverbs 31 ministries, I came across this prayer: "Dear Lord, give me eyes to see the unseen today. Help me discern what is temporary and what is eternal, and handle both well. In Jesus' Name."


There are so many things in my day that are nothing more than a groundhog seeing his shadow - no real substance of truth to them - and yet I miss the things that are real, simply because I forget to open my eyes to what God has for me that day. I know, there are at least a hundred different things that we "have" to get done in each day...but what would happen if we first allowed God to direct us?


After hearing Lysa Terkeurst speak at a women's event recently, I've been trying to start each day asking God to open my eyes to see what He sees....to open my heart to what He wants. Here's where I'm supposed to say it has been one miracle after another - but to tell you the truth it has been tough! I've been stretched and molded and moved in directions I never intended! It's almost as if the potter has said, okay - let's get to work making you into the vessel I had intended. Oh, and I can't forget to mention the fire! God has allowed me to meet some pretty "hot" challenges lately that have really revealed my areas of weakness. Yep, there's nothing like saying yes to God...and I wouldn't change a thing.


I'm not really upset at that poor little groundhog. I'd probably make a much worse prediction if someone pulled me out of my nice warm den on a morning when it was below freezing! But I don't want to live my life being afraid of coming out of that den either....not when it is God who is calling.


Happy Belated Groundhog's Day everyone....may the spring of your soul come early this year.


^{1 Peter 2:9}
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Ephesians 1:4-5
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

The day AFTER New Year's Day...

Welcome to Baby New Year!

I love New Year's. It is my favorite of all the holidays because it signals a chance to get a "Do-over" with so many things. New Year's Day is wrought with possibilities! This could be the year when I finally get it together. I could finally get it right.

Then comes the day AFTER New Year's Day and life returns to normal. What then? 

Today I awoke with a nagging pain in my knee from the 7+ miles I ran yesterday - part of my "resolve" to get back to running seriously. I ate a pop-tart for breakfast after sleeping late for the last time during this break from school. So much for  healthy eating and making every minute count! The kids came home from an exciting trip last night and the house looks a bit like a tornado ripped through it. Goodbye organization dreams. The cupboard is bare which means I have to go get some serious groceries - but I have no real idea what to cook that the "boy" will eat so toodle-lou to plans to keep the budget and eat healthy....plus I am seriously a lousy cook.

It's the day AFTER New Year's and all the glittery dreams seem to have lost their shine and been replaced with reality. I'm not a big fan of reality right now.

Reality says if I want to eat healthy I'm going to have to plan and purchase healthy food and PREPARE it myself. Reality says if I want to run I have to realize I'm not as young as I once was and I'll have to keep at it - slow and steady. Reality says that having children, while a joy, is messy and expensive. Reality is just so....REAL!

New Year's Day is filled with hopes and dreams and the day AFTER is the day when you realize that hopes and dreams take hard work!

It's not just the New Year's Day hopes that make a difference, it's the days AFTER that do. 

Come to think of it, New Year's is a lot like raising children. New Year's Day is always pictured as a baby. It is like the welcoming of a new child into the family. At first it's all joy, but the question is what will we do when the reality of child rearing shows itself? What will we do with that sparkly new "baby" new year once it starts soiling its diapers and screaming all hours into the night. When that "baby" starts talking back and telling us "NO!", what then? I'm guessing like any good parent, we hold our ground and remember the hope and precious moments that came with this baby. When our new year gets expensive with unexpected bills, will we take a deep breath and trust that God knew about this far before we did and has a plan? When our new year starts acting like a sullen teenager, will we do what is right - even if it's tough. When it comes with sleepless nights of worry because of "decisions" this new year has seem to have made, will we trust our Heavenly Father with that which we cannot control? When the reality of raising this child comes fully into view, how will we do?

We have been given the job of raising another year. There will be good times, bad times, and everything in between. Let's remember to enjoy every second of it because too soon it will be gone and our chance to "raise this child" will be done.

Happy day AFTER New Year's Day. Let's make it a great one.


Replace the word "child" with New Year and I'll think you'll see how these apply. The Proverbs 29 one is my favorite when applied to the New Year!
 
“I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.  So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there. (1 Samuel 1:27–28)

 Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.  (Proverbs 22:6)

 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire. (Proverbs 29:17)

 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.  (Luke 2:40)