Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
{Matthew 11:28-30 ESV}
Blessings!
{Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Beall’s}
Tim Tebow has been in the news a lot recently and rightfully so. Here is a video clip that was made during the Broncos vs Bears game last weekend. Tim agreed to be miked up for the whole game. Here is a sneak peek into what goes on during an NFL game through Tebows eyes.
I came away from watching this as convicted and highly inspired. You can tell he truly loves the game of football but above that he loves his Lord and the people around him. He spends more time encouraging those around him than thinking about what he can do to win the game. His goal is clearly hearts, not touchdowns.
Would I be as loving and encouraging? Am I as loving and encouraging? I’m afraid of what I might hear at the replaying of a day being miked up. I think groans would outweigh encouragement. Frustration would take lead over love. I didn’t know this but apparently miking up NFL players is a common practice. And the results aren’t pretty. Lots of editing typically goes into those. Lots of beeping out and cutting out. So at first I thought, “well, of course he spoke well, he knew he was miked.” But no, most other players don’t care. Even if they did care, the truth always comes out. They show who they really are.
Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.
(Luke 12:2-3 ESV)
And it’s the fear of the truth that drives me to double check my thoughts. Triple check. And how can I change this attitude of mine?
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
{James 1:19-25 ESV}
Stay in His word. Daily.
Every.
Single.
Day.
And yes, listen. If you can listen to a sermon while doing laundry – great. If you can listen to the Bible on cd while cooking dinner – great. And, of course, act on what you hear. Let it sink in. Let it change you from the inside out. And pray for that change. I know I will be. Praying for a heart like His. Praying that my actions, my words, won’t make me cringe at the end of the day. Or make my children cringe. Or make the Lord cringe.
My heart breaks even writing that. {thankful, thankful, thankful for grace that is beyond my understanding}
Tim Tebow is a great football player. There’s no doubt about that. But he is an amazing man of God above football. And should be considered a great inspiration to us all.
Blessings!
Yesterday my daughters and I finally planted our spring bulbs. Something I should have done a month ago but I waited and thankfully there is still time here. Especially as I see our crocuses are coming up prematurely. But why do I always wait too long? Every year procrastinating to the point that I sometimes just leave them in the garage in their little shoebox.
There’s something about planting something dormant that is so…not exciting. Cause then you have to wait. And who wants to wait? And the amount I pay for something that I don’t even know is going to work…well…it’s scary. I want assurance. I want to know that on this date I will have this many color of flowers and they’ll be this high.
Yup, doesn’t work that way. We plant on faith.
We trust that the hard work that we’ve put into purchasing, preparing the soil and burrowing these small bulbs down deep within, that we’ll reap a reward. Maybe the heavenly scent of hyacinth. Maybe the large beauty of Alliums. But we push ourselves outdoors in the chill of autumn to remove the death of summer and to bury our hope. And the wait begins.
As we raise our little ones it can be exhausting. It can be so tiresome that you want to throw in the towel and say “they’ll be fine. I turned out fine. They don’t need me to read them a book right now” or “tuck them in at night” or “they don’t really need to help me make cookies, I’ll get them done quicker by myself.” So we leave them in the shoebox. We’ll tend to them later.
Take the time and tend to the garden God has given you. Prepare their hearts for spring. Give them hope and encouragement. For before we know it they will have blossomed and there will be no going back. This is your moment to weed and nourish. The winter is coming. Put in all the hard work now. And yes, there is that possibility that they won’t turn out ‘the way you had hoped.’ But this is where we trust. We don’t want to come to that time with regrets. Give your all. Wear yourself out loving those little ones. I don’t think any of us will regret missing that one tv show or not spending enough time on Facebook. Love the ones you have, right now, before they blossom. Teach them to love Him. After all, it is He who will be pruning them later.
Blessings!
After writing yesterdays post on worshipping and praying with your children I realized that I need a reminder. I could have the best of intentions but when it comes to it when I wake my first thought of the day is what needs to be accomplished. What’s on the calendar. What will I feed them for breakfast. And just like that God is pushed to the side before I even realize it.
So I’ve created something simple. Something to frame and hang on the wall or sit on the bed side table. Just a reminder of why worshipping the God of the heavens needs to be first. And why I need to do this with my children.
—Download Family Worship Subway Art {letter size} —
I hope this works? I’ve never shared anything on here so I’ll open the comments so you can let me know. It’s such a small gift but I hope it may encourage you to share prayers with our heavenly Father with your children. Live in a way that inspires your little ones. Serve and worship before their eyes. Remember, it’s all about Him. Live life like you believe.
Blessings!
Every so often I invite the little ones to pray with me before Him at the window. They never say no.
When my knees touch the floor I immediately become small. Imagining a camera zoom out from the picture window. Far out to the heavens. And I realize my problems really aren’t that big after all. That here I am, inside this box, looking out and praying to a God that is bigger than I will ever be able to fully grasp. Yet who knows and loves every hair on this tired mama’s head.
The prayers are not long and glorious. When praying with my children I feel comfortable. There’s no intimidation. Just childish, loving words that we all can understand. Heart felt words. Knees bent and hands raised. Smiles and tears. Praises and pleadings. This is how I want to start every morning. Gentle, loving and humble.
I desire strength and grace for my children. Strength to stand up for their faith. To not feel that heavy weight of the world watching and judging. To love their heavenly father with a heart abandoned. And grace for those who aren’t where they are. This walk of faith is a long journey. I pray they will have grace for those who aren’t quite ‘there’. Grace for us all.
I seek that grace. That we will consistently kneel before Him. Anxious for that special time together.
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
{Titus 2:11-14 ESV}
Blessings!
Sharing at Chatting at the Sky
