Wednesday, June 20, 2012

tee ball and influence

My daughter plays tee ball. She's the only girl on the team. She tries her best, stands a head taller than all the boys, and runs a bit like a girl. She uses the coach's pink bat (with swirls) that he brings just for her. She loves playing first base because in tee ball, that's where all the action is.  She bats left handed (because that's what her Daddy taught her) and throws with her right.  She insists on wearing a ponytail because she can stick it through the back of her hat to keep it on when it's windy.  She tells me she's going to play tee ball until she's a grown-up.

You know why I think she likes tee ball so much? I think it's because she knows that baseball is her Daddy's favorite sport. He practices with her and works on her technique. He's patient with her and encourages her. Every once in a while she'll watch a couple innings of the Angels on TV with him (whenever we can get it) and cheers for his team because it's her favorite also.

This is such a good reminder to me of how we influence our children.  Our passions can very easily become their passions.

As I've reflected on this is the past, it's helped me try to pick wisely what I invest my time in.  My kiddos are watching me closely. Sometimes my sinful, selfish nature gets in the way and I have to try and shove it aside so I can set a good example for them. 

Above all else, my kids need to see God in my life. They need to see me reading the Bible. They need to hear me pray. They need to hear me offer Bible-based advice. They need to see me treat others as Christ would. They need to see me give to others, deny myself, exercise patience and self-discipline, and rely on God. They need to see my trying my best to exemplify Jesus in my life.

Looks like I've got a lot to work on.
KC

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

skyping: super fun!

I skyped today.  First time.  Pretty proud.  Pretty sure my niece (who only lives a couple miles away and skyped with me this evening) thinks I'm a big dork.  I'm okay with that.  Today, she helped open a whole new world to me!  I cannot WAIT to use this with dear friends who are far away.  I'm hoping my kids can have "Skype Pals" in the same way that I had a penpal!

Sometimes, I put off doing things that are unfamiliar to me.  Things that I have to try and figure out.  I usually ask myself later why I waited so long to figure these things out!  I waited forever to join MOMS Club (I have made some wonderful friendships because I finally joined at my sister-in-law's persistence).  I waited forever to figure out Pinterest (I can't even begin to tell you how much Pinterest has affected my life).  I waited forever to start meal-planning each week.  Life simplified by just taking about 15-20 minutes to plan out meals and make a shopping list each week.  Even making better meals - I was always afraid of making things like lasagna and meatloaf, things I figured would be automatic failures.  Nope!  Turned out great!  Exercise: okay, I'm still working on trying to make a habit of that one.  But I am trying and that's the first step.

So, to be quite honest, I have never read the entire Bible in a year.  I've tried starting in January and have failed... in January.  I put it on my "40 Before 40" list (a list of 40 things that I want to accomplish before I turn 40) with high hopes of completing it.  But if I never get started, I'll never finish.  And if I never get started, I'll never know what I'm missing.  Sometimes ignorance is bliss.  But in this situation, ignorance regarding the Word of God is just ignorance. 

So here goes!  Wish me luck.  Maybe you all can help keep me accountable.  (And maybe I'll try and find you on Skype too - it was SO much fun!) 

What new thing are you going to try today?

KC


Monday, June 18, 2012

blessed daily

This evening I was doing some reflecting and went to my husband to comment about how "lucky" we were.  Then I changed my wording to say how "fortunate" we were.  And then I realized, we are just plain blessed!  There is no luck, no fortune involved.  I need to work harder to get those words out of my vocabulary.  All good is from the Lord.  We are BLESSED!

It's quite easy to get caught up in what someone else has that we don't have.  Some people never seem to have to worry about money.  Others effortlessly maintain a beautiful house, car, children, and hair.  And still others seem to manage to avoid all trials and struggles that life often brings.  Not fair.  At least it feels that way.

And that's when it's time for me to take a step back.  My niece just got back from a mission trip to Guatemala.  My husband took a trip to Cambodia earlier in the year.  Trips like that open your eyes to conditions so much worse than the piddly little things we worry about here.  My children are healthy and happy (usually).  There is always food on the table.  We have 2 working vehicles.  Our air conditioning works.  We sleep in comfy beds.  We have automatic sprinklers.  There is no major disease happening in our family.  We have access to healthcare (not getting political here: compared to many, the fact that we have healthcare available to us should be considered a blessing).  Our water is clean.  We have family members that live nearby, that support us and that love us.  And so, so much more.

But most of all, my family has been saved.  By the grace of God, we have salvation.  Greatest gift ever.

Every once in a while, it's important to step back just to see how blessed we are.  No, not every once in a while.  I think it should be a daily thing.  Amidst the dissatisfaction that this world offers, we should daily be searching for our blessings. 

So what blessings have you acknowledged today?

KC


Sunday, June 17, 2012

judging lately

Lately my envelope has been pushed. I've never considered myself a terribly judgmental person. Here and there, yes; but no more than anybody else... That was my thinking, anyway. Turns out that God decided to pull back my eyelids a bit to show me a few areas where I have been (mentally) pointing out people's specks.

[It's funny how you can hear something, believe something, and even preach that thing, and God can still show you where you are falling short in that area.  (Hence the subject of judgmentalism).]

I used to be irritated and upset about issues that were clearly against God's word. And perhaps rightly so - but I realized something I was missing: mercy. I could get all riled up, yell and scream, judge and convict, but that's never going to win anyone over to Christ. (Can you imagine Christ yelling at Zacchaeus about his cheating sins as a tax collector?  No, he went into the "sinner's" house to be his guest and Zacchaeus was saved.  Luke 19:10 - "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.")   Instead my heart should be aching, desiring for them to see the truth, and most of all: praying.

Funny thing about Christians: we're all hypocrites. It's been quite difficult to keep up the whole "perfect person" attitude  when compared to Jesus!  Every time my daughter laments about how awful she feels for some stinky behavior, I tell her how I still make bad choices all the time (children are such good reminders of just how imperfect we are).

I know Jesus came to heal those who were broken.  He hung out with those who were dirty, "below" everyone else. Those of little or no value to the rest of the world.  So who does that translate to in my life today? I could tell you, but that would reveal too much of my judgmentalism. So the question is, who does this translate to in your life?

A song hit me today that brought this whole thought process around into a full circle for me. It's called, "Jesus, Friend of Sinners" by Casting Crowns. I copied these lyrics from the internet so forgive me if there is some mistakes (and no punctuation!):

Jesus Friend of sinners we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to
swing
Jesus friend of sinners the truth's become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me
Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

Oh Jesus friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks yours

Yeah,yeah,yeah

Jesus friend of sinners the one who's writing in the sand
Make the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands
Help us to remember we are all the least of thieves
Let the memory of Your mercy bring your people to their knees

Nobody knows what we're for only what we're against when we
judge the wounded
What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and love like
You did
Oh Jesus friend of sinners

Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks yours

You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast
For the leper and the lame; they're the reason that You came
Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast
But you died for sinners just like me a grateful leper at Your feet

'Cause You are good, You are good And Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
Oh Jesus friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks Yours

And I was the lost cause and I was the outcast
Yeah

You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

(If you'd like to hear/see this song, you can find it here).

And to finish it off for me (well, not really because God NEVER stops teaching me new stuff, even when I think I know it all), I was looking for the story of Zacchaeus and the first page I came to in Luke was this: Luke 6: 37-43. "Do not judge, and  you will not be judged.  Do not condemn and you will not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Give, and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."  (And there's more - it goes on to talk about the afore-mentioned speck and the plank).

So where to go from here?  Living a life being non-judgmental seems nearly impossible! But I'll tell you what: if you don't judge me for not keeping my truck washed or for not getting my daughter's hair brushed in the morning, I won't judge you for wearing socks with your sandals or for still wearing sweatpants when you drop your kids off at school in the morning.

K

(And just a little p.s. - my intention in discussing judgment is not to imply that we should not make judgments for ourselves and our children according to the Word of God.  It is simply to state that we should be displaying mercy to the sinners around us, who, in all actuality, are just like the rest of us sinners.)