Embracing Him

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
(Colossians 3:23-24)

Sweet Pea doesn’t like it when I wear my glasses. Nor does she like it when I comb my hair up and secure it with a Sarah Palin style clip. I recently discovered Sweet Pea’s pal Cutie Pie is not a fan of this look either. A few weeks ago after she and her mother Monica dropped by for a visit, Cutie Pie later asked her mother if I was okay. Why? Because I was sporting glasses and a hair clip.

When I asked Sweet Pea why she doesn’t like to see me in my glasses and hair clip, she responded, “You are not being a good Mommy if you don’t have your contacts on and your hair isn’t combed nice.” I explained that there were times I didn’t feel like fiddling with contacts and messing around with my hair and that sometimes Mommy will look like this.

I admit that hair that rivals a bird’s nest, thick glasses, and an uneven skin tone are not the style of first choice, but my appearance certainly does not detract from my ability to perform all of my Mommy duties. Whether I’m wearing glasses or contacts, I’ll still be able to prepare the girls’ meals, take them to their activities, read stories to them, and play with them. Furthermore, there’s no rule that says I have to look like a celebrity while doing it!

Though Sweet Pea’s innocent and seemingly childish comments made me laugh, I found an important lesson tucked inside them. She incorrectly thought I wouldn’t successfully accomplish my Mommy jobs because I didn’t look the part. How many times do we assume that same childish attitude and underestimate others because they do not look the part? Too often. We would do well to remember that the Bible is filled with the stories of men and women who didn’t look the part but were still used by God in a mighty manner!

Consider David. Not many would have guessed he would ascend to such great heights because he was labeled as  small and weak. I’m sure the jaws of many witnesses dropped in awe when little David defeated the giant Goliath with his boyish slingshot and that one smooth stone! As a child, not many would have expected the youngest of Jesse’s boys to assume the throne and reign as one of the greatest kings of Israel. There was a time when David did not look the part.

Consider Joseph. His brothers found him worthless and when they sold him into slavery, they were certain they’d never see him again. Wouldn’t it have been interesting to have seen his brothers’ faces when they arrived in Egypt and found their young brother sitting in authority! There was a time when Joseph did not look the part.

Consider Abraham and Sarah. When they looked at each other, they saw aging faces and weakened bodies. Most would have thought it impossible for them to become parents at such a mature age. God, however, saw otherwise, and blessed them with Issac, a beautiful baby boy. There was a time when Abraham and Sarah did not look the part.

What about Esther? One day while performing every day tasks at home, her world was amazingly transformed when she was brought before the king. Not many would have suspected that a common Jewish girl would  become such a brave and celebrated queen. There was a time when Esther did not look the part.

Others such as Paul, Mary, Deborah, and Moses prove that we don’t have to look the part in order to be a part of God’s dynamic plan. Instead, these heroes remind us that we must not succumb to discouragement and self doubt. When our insecurities rise up within us and cause us to question our ability to accomplish the things God has called us to do, we must trust that He will equip us to succeed.  We must brush aside the opinions of others and remember that God’s opinion is the only one that matters. No matter what we look like, God has an important role for each of us to play in His kingdom!

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank You for the Bible and all the inspirational words and people it contains. Thank You for providing us with such wonderful instructions for life. Forgive us for not paying enough attention to Your Holy Word and for not reading it as often as we should. Help us to internalize what we read and apply it our lives. Help us to remember that You are the one who will give us exactly what we need to accomplish the goals you have set for us. Be with us as we move forward and prevent us from falling victim to discouragement. Amen.

Food For Thought:

1. What has God recently called you to do?
2. As you approach this assignment from God, do you feel as if you look the part? Why or why not?
3. When you feel insecure how can you overcome these feelings?

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (John 15:12)

For weeks, the girls have been looking forward to Valentine’s Day. This is because they knew I was planning a day of full of fun and special surprises just for them. In the days leading up to Valentine’s Day, I dropped hints about the exciting events the day would bring. When Valentine’s Day finally arrived, Sweet Pea and Sugar Plum were thrilled and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the day.

When the girls came down for breakfast on Saturday morning, they found a bright and festive setting: a kitchen table adorned with a cheery red tablecloth and colorful confetti, shiny balloons floating from the chairs, and new heart-themed place settings. In addition, Sweet Pea and Sugar Plum were greeted by a few Valentine’s Day gifts: barrettes, socks, stuffed animals, and a new Veggie Tales DVD.

After a hearty Valentine’s Day breakfast (including lollipops…shame on us!) and a good toothbrushing, we loaded up the minivan and headed off to a show featuring the girls’ favorite cartoon character. Following the show, we enjoyed a mid-winter barbecue at Famous Dave’s, one of our favorite family restaurants.

Some might wonder why I would put so much effort into creating such a special day for little girls who might not remember the day years from now. Last night as I was reading Passionate Housewives Desperate for God, I was reminded of the answer. Author Jennie Chancey notes that it is the job of wives and mothers to transform the home from “a small kingdom [into] a picture of God’s greater kingdom…a kingdom where beauty shines in every word and deed…” and cautions that “when homes do not have creative, happy, intelligent [women] keeping them, their occupants go elsewhere…”

I always want my girls to have fond memories of the times they spent at home. I never want them to seek satisfaction in other places and in other people because their home lacked love, creativity, and fun. When they look back on their childhood, I want the girls’ senses to be flooded with fond memories of the sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and touches of a warm, safe, welcoming, and creative home.

Though this Valentine’s Day was full of extras, I’m not striving to create a home where every holiday brings gifts and ordinary days always feature extravagant outings. Instead, I’m working to create the loving home environment my children will want to remain part of even as they grow older. I want our small home kingdom to be a little bit of Heaven right here on Earth because of my words, thoughts, and deeds.

Whether you’re a woman works in an office or a woman working from within the home, we can all be the “creative, happy, intelligent mothers” and wives God had called us to be. If we take John 15:12 to heart and allow God’s command to love one another to spur us on, we’ll definitely find new and innovative ways to show love to those in our household. In addition, the love we have for those in our household will make us want to put those ideas into practice. After all, it’s true; actions do speak louder than words.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank You for the homes You have given us. But more importantly, we thank You for the family members you’ve placed inside of our homes.  Help us to treat them with the love You’ve modeled for us. Inspire us to show our love in new ways and always with great zeal! Forgive us for the times we take our family members for granted and remind us that each day with them is a tremendous blessing! Amen.

Food For Thought:

1. Do you have fond memories as a child at home? Why or why not?
2. Why has God given women the task of making the home “a kingdom where beauty shines…”?
3. Today, what can you do to turn your home into a “picture of God’s greater kingdom” without spending any money?

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)

I do. Many others I know do too. Among the believers was my Cousin Joan.

On Saturday morning, I received a phone call from my mother telling me that Cousin Joan had just passed. For the past few years, Cousin Joan had waged a valiant war against breast cancer, but her personal battle ended yesterday when the Lord called her home.

Even as she fought cancer, Cousin Joan continued to shed a positive light on life. During the Christmas season a couple of years ago, though she was feeling particularly weak, Cousin Joan insisted upon coming to visit my family along with her mother Ruby and her daughter Jennifer. During this visit, I gave her one of my favorite angels to encourage her and asked how she gathered the strength to endure the discouraging days. Her answer was a simple one, “I just trust God even though I’m scared sometimes.”

What an amazing statement to utter in the midst of life’s uncertainty! When asked if we trust God, it is easy for us to say that we do. However, the true question is When times get tough do our lives actually reflect our trust in God? Unfortunately for me, the answer is sometimes no.

Failure to place trust in God can be attributed to several factors. First, some feel that God doesn’t move fast enough. Though we may initially give our issues to the Lord, if He does not resolve the matters in time frame we deem appropriate, we quickly snatch them back. In addition, our own control issues sometimes surface. We think that unless we’re orchestrating the outcome, there will not be harmony in our lives. Finally, fear prevents us from trusting God. We’re afraid that God may address an issue in a manner we not expect or like.

If we do walk in faith and trust God, what can we expect? When we no longer have to wrack our brains over the outcome of life’s challenges, we can enjoy true peace of mind. Next, we can expect to develop patience as we learn to wait on God. Finally, we can expect to see growth in our lives as we give free our hands of our problems and instead reach for the Son.

I believe deciding to trust God in the midst of a life threatening illness was probably frightening for Cousin Joan. However, her willingness to overcome her fears by leaving her burdens with God was pleasing to Him. Little did she know, her ability to trust in God was an inspiration to many.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank You for the gift of life and for the people, places, and things You’ve given us to enhance our lives. Though these things make our lives better, help us to remember that we can only experience a full life when we make You the center of our lives. Forgive us for trying to take care of situations without direction from You.Help us to turn to you as we face worry, fear, and a variety of emotions. Draw us closer to you and give us the strength we need to embrace and trust You.  Amen.

Food For Thought:

1. How do you approach the struggles in your life?
2. What prevents you from placing complete trust in God?
3. Why is it essential for us to trust God with every detail of our lives?

Photo: Courtesy of Photoprincess2006 (Flickr)