eXcellence

I love how the Lord has us all on our own journey. A pilgrimage that begins when we are born and extends until He calls us home. The Lord has a plan for what He's going to do in our lives. He's prepared us all for good works. It brings me great joy to watch my children begin their journey. From birth each has shown their unique personality. Watching that personality mature over the years is one of the biggest blessings for me as a mom! It keeps me in prayer for sure. Prayer for God's protection over them, and also for Him to use them according to His will, with the strengths and talents He's woven into each one. My oldest child, who is overflowing with passion each day upon rising (and since birth!) was in Cub Scouts one year. It was Derby race time! He and his daddy worked hard on that little block of wood to make it smooth, sleek and fast. Caleb was oozing with pride as he showed me the car and you could see victory written across his forehead. He was already thinking where he would put the trophy and practicing his smile. Did I mention this was our first time with this group? We didn't know what the track looked like, or if you got to practice beforehand. We didn't know any tricks. As the cars start racing, we see several things we could've done differently. When Caleb's is placed at the starting line, we soon realize, this may not end well. Caleb ended up placing 4th place out of 5. He is fighting back tears on the way out to the truck. On the way home he says, "Dad, I never even considered not winning!"

Poor guy, had a dose of reality! On the track of life, similar lessons are learned. Proverbs 19:2 says, "It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way." God has led me to that verse so many times, as I'm pretty sure I know where my passionate boy got some of his genes from. When I see something that I want to do, or needs to be done, I dive right in, regardless if I know how to swim or not! It's all or nothing. How this verse encourages me is that it's OK to have zeal, but knowledge is necessary too. Otherwise, I'm going to get off track. When I take the time to do the research or bum off someone else who LOVES to do research...take a day to pray before saying "Yes"...read the directions.... or the preface...I submit myself to God's plan and not my own.

In everything, there's balance. Extremes can always be dangerous. Recently God balanced that verse for me with Romans 12:11-12, "Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord." Sometimes situations ignite a fire in my heart and I have a passionate opinion about it. To which I wonder if I am just OVERBOARD and need to apologize! One night I had asked the Lord to show me if I was in the wrong about a certain viewpoint about which I was passionate about. I asked the Lord to thump me on the head if I was wrong. That's when He showed me this verse. It made me smile. When wrapped in Him, our passions bring Him Glory. Paul was passionate - against the Truth and then for the Truth. God showed me to be Passionate for Him - for there is no One greater!

Proverbs 21:31 sums up Caleb's experience and speaks to me as well:
"The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord."

What do you like?

The scene is classic. It has been in everyone's home. Mom prepares a splendid dinner, carefully planned and beautifully executed. Antique plates and matching saucers adorn the white linen-clothed table. The napkins are set, cutlery dispersed. All that is lacking are the people. As the family gathers and take their places, grace is said, and the food is served. As if a baseball had just crashed through the family room's window, the 4 year old cries, "Yuck, I hate this meal!!!" The whining escalates, "Mommy, I don't like this at all." The emotions continue to rise.... You can fill in the story from here.

No matter how you handle dinner time woes, we can't ignore the fact that we all definitely have our list of things we like and things we don't like. As a mom, I try to be gracious at the table and understand if someone's favorite isn't mashed potatoes. They don't have to be your favorite, but you can take a few bites without a grumpy face. I know that as their little taste buds are forming, preferences change and also you don't know if you truly love something until you've had it 5 or so times. But the fact still remains no matter... sometimes we just don't like tomatoes no matter how many times we've tried them.

That train of thought led me to thinking how the God who formed the Universe also created in me my likes and dislikes. He formed my personality, my strong will, my passion for things. When yielded to Him, our inclinations and even our distastes can be used by Him to direct our paths and even steer us from danger. Think of how in pregnancy our senses are heightened. Particularly the sense of smell and taste. If you are curious if the left overs have spoiled, just ask the mother-to-be!! In the same way, God can use our passions to show us His calling on our life. There was a time when I had an extreme dislike for how one area of our life was going. I didn't like how things were being handled and on and on the list went. Adam and I griped and griped about it for months. We didn't see anything bibically wrong, it was just our life situation and strong personal preference. So we decided that instead of continually griping about it (Mommy, I don't like this!!!) we would change that area of our life. Harmony soon  followed.... yeah! Not too long after, we watch something like a lead weight hit the area where we were, and had we stayed, we'd have been hit too. In our case, our strong inclinations and passions served to protect our family.

I think the best word here is Convictions. Follow those God-instilled convictions. It may even be over little details. Have you heard William Tyndale's story?  If he hadn't been passionately convicted to translate the Bible into English, no matter what the cost, we may still have to know Latin to read the scriptures. Tyndale gave his life for those translations, and I bet he was a passionate 4 yr old who had his moments at the dinner table!!

Voices

I was out having an enjoyable evening to myself and Adam was home in charge of the "minions". Tonight he would tuck them in bed and I would unlock the door and enter into a quiet house. I love bed time with the kids - reading together, praying and back scratching, then watching them disappear under the spread of covers. I also enjoy the rare occasion when someone ELSE gets that privilege! When I returned that evening, Adam gave me the run down on what all took place...who did what, funny highlights, etc. When he got to bedtime he stuck out his finger at me, changed his voice and face to imitate a child's and said ," And Zach made me promise that when you got home, you would give him a kiss he can FEEL!" Awww, a feelable kiss is better than a non-feelable one!

Again, I learn from my kids. I have asked God in my prayers similar questions. Lord, will you show me what to do here?! Lord, I pray you provide what we need right now. To me, those are like asking for a "kiss I can feel". Asking God to make an impression on my clay pot so that I know it's Him and not me. Isn't that what faith is all about? Believing what we do not see. Zach believed I would come give him a kiss. Do you think I did - YES! That very moment! So, when I ask God for strength under pressure, clarity amidst the murky, or help for the insurmountable, I'm asking in faith, as a child to my Heavenly Daddy who is always FAITHFUL. That is His name. He too will answer His child with His best in mind. My choice from there is to choose to believe it's His best for me instead of believing a lie that His's keeping something good from me. Just because life is bumpy and rocky with many twists and turns I don't understand, I don't have to. I can rest in His Sovereignty. Just as my kids have to do when they don't understand why I say "No" to certain things, or allow them to struggle with something, knowing it's for their best for them to figure out. Let James 1:2-4,12 speak to you as it did me.

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."

Zach still woke up that next morning and asked me if I gave him a kiss - to which I said "YES"! And I think so many times I wake up and say Lord, is this your answer? To which we both rest in the assurance given. He is FAITHFUL! Amen.