Tag Archives: raising children

Simple Clouds

Christianity, Grace, mom, motherhood, Spiritual Encouragement, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,

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Simple Clouds

One summer day we arrived at the amusement park.  It was very warm, one of those hot and sticky days.  The blacktop road had absorbed the heat from the previous day and just radiated.  Rain was forecasted, and we were none to happy about the forecast.

We rode a couple of rides with sweat rolling down our heads, backs and other areas!  We were miserable.  We are fans of the warm weather, but this was not good.  By the time we were on the fourth ride we noticed a markable difference.  What had happened?

The rain clouds had rolled in.  They lasted throughout the day and yet the rain seemed to stay away.  The rain clouds turned out to be an incredible covering for us.  The hovered over the park, keeping the temperatures almost pleasant.  They were indeed welcomed.

In the Old Testament, God dwelled among his people.  He chose the tabernacle and the Holy of Holies to be the place of His presence.  The cloud hovered over the ark. (Read Exodus 25-30).

Exodus 40 tells us of the tabernacle and how it was set up.  “Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.  Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.  In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not left from above the tabernacle, they would not set out until the day it lifted.” vs. 34-37

Cool huh?  Three things I noticed.  First, our precious Father has always wanted to dwell among his people.  Remember how He walked with Adam in the cool of the garden in Genesis? The sin took place.  God cannot look upon sin.  He is a Holy God.  And yet, He is again providing a way to dwell among his people.  Then I noticed the cloud.  How appropriate that the cloud would somehow represent the glory of the Lord!  Clouds protect, carry rain to nourish the land, are beautiful to behold.  Lastly, notice that the Israelites did not move until the cloud had lifted.  My if we could only move when God called us to!  Some many times I set out in my own timing and not His!

So many times we think of the clouds as a bad thing…..I wonder if those simple clouds can teach us more than we can ever begin to understand?  And next time we are at an amusement park on a hot, humid day….I hope the clouds show up!!

Be Blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE
Isaiah 55:8-9

*google image, NIV

Simple Dining

Christianity, Grace, Love one another, mom, motherhood, Parenting, Spiritual Encouragement, , , , , , , , ,

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SIMPLE DINING

 

After church I saw a person standing on the corner of an intersections asking for money.  I gave him some, because I knew that is what the Lord wanted me to do.  Honestly though, can’t these people get a job?  Last Wednesday night at Bible study that new gal told us she had messed up in the past with some “inappropriate behaviors”.  Really?  I told her that God loved her and would forgive her, but I know she will do it again!  Gees, I go to church every time the church doors are open…cannot say the same for my neighbors.

We go out and eat every Sunday after services.  I swear though, I told my husband and kids that I will never go back to that restaurant.  That waitress was simply awful!  I don’t know how many times I had to correct her and let her know she was doing a lousy job.  One of her co workers whispered to me that her husband and just left her and her two year old little boy.  Well, I felt bad for her, but she had a job to do and was getting paid.  I expected better service and I told her so before we left!

NOW, before you start throwing tomatoes….or stop reading…this is an exaggerated story!  I would hope that I never consciously said or acted this way!  I especially would not have wanted to act this way in front of my kids….but, it does sound vaguely familiar.  That isn’t good. Did I say things as I “do good Christian” things in front of my children when they were at home with me?  What message have I sent them?

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophesy and can fathom all the mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing…..Now we see but a poor reflection in the mirror, then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.  And now these three things remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.”

Our lifestyle and the good “Christian things” that we do to be  a “good Christian” keep us from loving.  This type of bondage enables us to do things which mean nothing to the kingdom.  They are done out of obligation and not out of love.  Agape love allow us to love without condition.  The highest form of love is when God infiltrates our hearts and we are able to allow Him to love through us…agape love.

Is this easy?  Not always, but it is completely attainable when we understand the love that GOD has for us.  When we abide in his love and surrender our will and life to him, we are able to love, and that love drives us.  It allows us to “want” to love and share.  We are personally convicted to do out of our hearts, and not out of obligation.  It is useless to do anything…without love.

Children are beyond honest.  I messed up…alot. They could tell you stories, I am sure.  These simple lessons of loving, without obligation….and through love are the lessons I hope my children remember.  And if they remember my mistakes( I am sure they do when I think of hearing them repeat my words as I yell at the driver in the next lane)….I pray that they do learn from them, and not repeat them.

Simple Lessons.

Be Blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*image-animationsA2Z, NIV Bible*

Simple Grace

Christianity, Grace, Love one another, Spiritual Encouragement, , , , ,

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Simple Grace

I must be on a “simple” kick. My last blog was about “simple lessons”. All day today I have thought of the simplicity of God’s grace and how I have complicated it many times in my life.

If someone asked you to explain your faith, could you? What is faith after all? What is grace? Oh, I know all the scriptures. I could send you to them or quote them for you. But if you don’t believe the Bible is the word of God, what good would it do?

My faith is simple. I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and have accepted Him as my Savior. My one and only Savior. I am dependent on Him. I believe in His existence in my life right now, and tomorrow.

I cannot argue in apologetics, I cannot prove He exists. I cannot do anything but tell you about my life and how I have felt Him and seen Him work over and over.

My parents argued over and over in ugly ways and then divorced. I seemed to be right in the middle of them protecting my mom. Even when I was 12 and dealing with those issues, I really felt that “someone” was watching out for me. God was.

I was not sure of my future, and others around me doubting my ability to become anything with the circumstances that I was in…but there were two teachers who believed in me, and guided me and encouraged me. HE used them to love on me at a crucial time in my life. I went on to school and became a teacher myself. He was there.

I married and although I could fill a volume of books on how God was faithful and how He extended his grace to me,  I will share only a few. After six years of marriage we had children. I had some issues the second time around and could have lost him. We did not. At one point one of them was not moving in the womb. We were close to delivery and I had to make a quick trip to the ER. It was a scary time, but the stubborn child finally moved and was born by c section days later. It was hard. But He was always there…

We lost 12 people to death in four years in the 90’s. I did not think I could survive through many of these deaths. HE was present. HE brought me peace. A supernatural peace that cannot be explained.

We raised our children. Many times while on my knees in prayer…He showed up. His presence was heavy, palatable, felt by me. I cannot explain it. But I know HE was there…

We personally went through the destruction of two homes in individual storms. In one, I felt that I should look at the window and step on the porch. That is when I saw the tornado. Inside, I would have not seen it and since our home was destroyed, we might have been also. The second storm I heard a voice, not audible mind you, but a feeling that I should get under the table. I did and seconds later a tree fell in on our table right where I had been sitting. It destroyed our home. He brought peace to me in a situation that I did not understand, we lost our home.  Again!

It hasn’t always turned out the way I thought it should. Sometimes I have been disappointed and even mad. I have plenty of questions. We have had many rough times in our lives through these last 35 years of marriage but, He never leaves me…even when He has every right to do so. I still trust Him.

I could go on and on. I cannot convince anyone that Jesus is real…anymore than anyone could convince me He isn’t. I am just afraid He has been given a bad rap. He simply has a gift to give. He wants us to have eternal life. He wants to be with us as we walk through this thing called life. He knows we are not perfect. He just wants the best for us. Sometimes we think that it is just a bunch of rules to follow. It is not. Moral codes maybe, but not rules. That is where the grace comes in.

I cannot get good enough, nor do I have to do so. His grace is for me, for us. “God’s riches at Christ’s expense” I have heard it said before. This is true.

I cannot prove He loves me, except for what I believe and what I have felt…..once you are in His presence, you know it is real. And you never want to be out of it. And I am in love with Him.

So that is it. Simple grace. His gift. I can accept it, or not. But I know it is real. It is that simple.

 

Be blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*google image*