Tag Archives: Unconditional love

Simple Shirt

Christianity, Spiritual Encouragement, Uncategorized, Who we are in Christ, , , , ,

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Simple Shirt

“Mom, that shirt looks awful!” Sarah yelled as she ran through the room. “Can we put it in some dye and brighten the yellow?” Sarah’s shirt had faded, basically because she wouldn’t wear anything else! Multiple washings had taken it’s toll.

“I need the shirt for tomorrow” she told her mom. And as ALL good moms would say…”wear something else!” But Sarah already had a plan, and the yellow shirt was needed for the class play.

“I can do it, really I can. I have the yellow dye and the hot water is running. I promise I won’t bother you with it,” she said. And as ALL good moms would say…”ok”.

It didn’t work. The shirt turned out spotty and the yellow was basically a thing of the past. “Mom, what happened? What did I do wrong?” “Did you completely immerse the shirt in the dye solution? “No” came the reply with a sigh.

Sarah tried it again, this time she put it in and allowed the yellow dye water to completely swallow up the shirt. Ten minutes later Sarah was thrilled. “It worked Mom, it’s a brand new shirt, even the yellow is different!”

In scripture “baptize” means to “immerse or place into, to be put into, to be swallowed up.” Matthew tells us in the gospel that John baptized Jesus. We often believe that this was simple referring to water and nothing else.

But look: “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Matthew 3:11

Matthew then goes on in the next few verse about John baptizing Jesus.

We believe that Christ died for us, but do we believe that Christ lives in us? We were buried with him, we were immersed or swallowed up in Him. We get to live a brand new life! A never before lived life! A life that we can allow Christ to live through. Like that yellow shirt, we were completely and totally immersed. Completely covered! Made new!

How dingy is your yellow shirt? Go ahead, completely immerse it!

Be blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*google image, NIV Bible*

 

Simple Helicopters

Christianity, Grace, homeschooling, Love one another, mom, motherhood, Parenting, Spiritual Encouragement, Truth, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

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Simple Helicopters

Helicopters. Falling. From . Trees.

No, this isn’t a new science fiction story, it is about those “seed pods” that flutter down from the maple, or box elder tree. I was sitting out on the patio the other day, listening to the wind blow and watching them fall out of the trees. It was pretty cool actually.

These helicopters land in the gutters, cracks in the brick, corners, neighbor’s yards…just about everywhere. Once landing, if the seed pod is down, they take root. The circumstances needed for perfect implantation and growing aren’t always present. If they land in fertile, tilled soil they have the best assurance of growth.

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Every year we clean out the gutters and other areas in which they have fallen. It is funny to see little tree sprouts growing out of those pods. They certainly are fragile, with one little tug will easily remove them from any area. As I have removed more and more I am reminded of life and how fragile it can be. Life is a gift given by the creator Himself.

God created us each with a purpose, a plan and His pleasure. He enjoys His time with us. He loves us.

These tender little trees need some love, concern and truth. Pulling them out and giving them truth that they needed to be planted in solid soil was the only thing that could give them life. We have some trees in our yard as a result of that “truth”. They are various sizes and in different places. But the “truth” indeed set them free!

My sister in law currently has breast and bone cancer. And years ago a dear friend passed with this very disease. If you have ever tried to encourage someone in those circumstances?  It is hard. How do you possibly minister to them? Truth.

Have you ever had to tell your child that a good friend had an accident and passed away? What can you possibly say? Just truth…

Plain, simple truth. Truth is the word of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit. Nothing else. His word is truth, his word is love. His word can set the captors free.

John 8:32 “You will know the truth and it will set you free.”

Jesus said that he was the way and the truth and the life….simple helicopters.

Simply stay focused on truth….Jesus.

Be blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*google image, NIV*

Simple Math

Christianity, Grace, homeschooling, mom, motherhood, Parenting, Spiritual Encouragement, , , , , , , ,

 

Simple Math                  stock-photo-math-simple-equation-on-chalk-board-111802352

I am not talking about Common Core!  I am talking about the equation below:

RULES-RELATIONSHIP=REBELLION

We are surrounded by rules.  We see them posted, we tell them to our children.  The ten commandments are those that Christians consider rules….we all try to abide by them. The Pharisees had them during Jesus’ day, and they are still abounding in the church today.

Minus RELATIONSHIP…we can follow every rule, do all the right things and still not have a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Do we follow the rules because we Have to or we Get to?

Equals REBELLION…when we do not have that intimate relationship and try to follow the rules, we cannot keep them.  We will fail. We even have a tendency to do what we are not to do.  Paul said it.  And think about it…the sign says “don’t touch the glass”, what do we do?

If we have a intimate, real relationship with the Savior we can live a surrendered life.  We will want to do what is right.  And when we stumble, we go on.

His rules were not written to cause us pain and grief.  He knows the best for us…and the consequences to any mistakes we make.  We don’t live an abundant life by following rules…we live an abundant life by surrendering our heart to Jesus Christ!

I have found a better equation:

RULES+RELATIONSHIP=RELIANCE

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not be works, so that no one can boast.”  Ephesians 2:8-9

See..I told you it wasn’t Common Core!  It is far better…..

Be blessed

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

 

*google image, NIV*