Sunday, February 27, 2011

Restoration


Restoration: the action of returning something to a former condition
I have been thinking a lot about this word lately. I have been praying for certain things to be restored. Relationships, states of mind and even my house. Haha! It will take a while for my house. Not kidding.
I have been petitioning God about restoring . He has been very faithful in the past to restore certain things to me. I had to get on my knees an awful lot to get there but He was faithful to do so. In fact, he made what was restored better than it had been before. That is what He does. He will allow some things to be torn down in your life only to build them back up the way He wants them. He does not promise that it will not hurt because crushing and breaking does hurt. He does promise to hold you through all of it though. He is also a Master Restorer. He sands off all the old varnish and dirt, takes out all the old fixtures that are broken, scrapes away the peeling paint and puts a new finish on all of it. In the end it looks better than how it started. So I hope if you are praying for restoration that God does all that and more for you. I think it is best not to fight all the change but ask God what He is saying in the change. If you have been praying for God to restore, hang in there... He has a plan. He will work it out and He will restore. It is up to us to listen through the process.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Raising A Lion

How do I raise a man in this day and age? When men are constantly demeaned and made to look like they have nothing good to offer to a family other than comic relief? He is past my chin now. In church my chin would rest on his head as we worshiped, now my head tilts back. I will do this thing until I cannot do it any longer. I will rest my head on his and hold him close when his friends are not watching. He still lets me kiss his cheek and hug him in front of them though. He is strong enough to not care what they think. I hope we can always give him that. Strength. I was thinking the other day how do we teach him to be the spiritual leader of a home someday? I know he watches his dad and his dad is a great example for spiritual leadership but where do I, as his mom, fit into that? I have begun to give him a Scripture every day that he has to look up in the Bible by himself. I help, a little. He is then required to read that Scripture to his sisters at the breakfast table. This was the first week. Everyday I gave him Ephesians 6:10-19. Everyday he lead them in putting on the full armor of God. Everyday he lead. He was not made into the funny, dumb sidekick of his "much smarter sisters" he was made the leader. He was given dignity. I realized as he and his dad went out to shoot the crossbow together that I am raising a lion in a world where men have been made to be lambs. Don't get me wrong, I want him to be a kind and sensitive husband someday. I want him to be gentle toward his children and be able to hug them and tell them how much he loves them but I also want him not to be the doormat that I see often portrayed in the entertainment industry. That is not and never will be OK. It does not mean that we as women should not be strong and have an opinion but I want him to rise up someday and hold steadfastly to the leadership in his home. I want him to be confident as he claims responsibility for his family. I am raising my son to be a MAN.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Love


Love is getting up every morning and making breakfast . Love is running errands and taking the kids from you when you absolutely cannot handle another moment with someone else in your bubble. Love is when, on the verge of exhaustion, you go and work a little longer for your family because you absolutely need the money to pay that extra bill. Love is not choosing yourself when there is a choice. Love is writing a love note on the mirror in the middle of morning rush, telling the one you love that they are amazing ( with a bar of soap). Love is hearing about how everyone else does it so much better than you both do and texting sweet messages instead of bashing you over the head with that knowledge. Love is strong when you are weak. Love snuggles on Saturday mornings when there are so many other things that you should be doing. Love is being satisfied with a bad movie and the time with the one you love. Truly. Love says things at the right time even when it seems like the wrong time because you love the person so much that you do not want to see them go another minute in their discomfort. Love is keeping your mouth shut for the same reason. Love lets you go run when you should be washing dishes. Love does not comment on the condition of your dirty house when it comes through the door. Instead it gives you a smile and a hug and asks how your day was. Love tries when you tell it you are not happy. Love pushes itself to the brink. Love makes a date in the middle of chaos and takes you away from it for a few hours. Again, does not matter if it was a cruddy movie. It is the time. Love holds your hand in the car on the way to church. Love prays for and with you every day. Love races to be at your side when you have a medical scare and absolutely cannot face it alone. Love holds you through the pain of childhood remembrances. Love laughs with you at the silliness of your children. Love argues with you and then chooses to love in the face of imperfection. Love changes diapers. Does dishes. Cooks. Love says "thank you" instead of why couldn't you do more? Love hopes for better but will be with you through the "worse". Love says you look beautiful even when you have a little belly after the third one that never seems to go away. Love says the right thing at the very best time. Love bears all things believes all things hopes all things endures all things. Love never fails.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

SO Powerful!

This was just so powerful I had to share it with you! It made me cry. I only wish that I could get a loop of the whole thing and leave it on in my house all the time. Enjoy!