I'm a bag lady.

It's been a week. I had a moment at the store the other day, my kids were playing in the play area when another parent comes up to and asks, "is this YOUR son?" That's never good. For some reason this week has been hard. We have been feeling emotional, tired, embarrassed, tense with eachother. I'm just d-o-n-e. Last night got a little ugly at our house...We went to bed tired, feeling defeated.

I got up early this morning, had some real quiet time with the Lord. As usual, things shifted right into perspective. "Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say REJOICE!" Phil. 4:4.

I have been reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan (GREAT book, BTW). In chapter two, Francis says, referring to Phil. 4:4, "You'll notice that it doesn't end with '...unless you're doing something extremely important.' No, it's a command for all of us, and it follows with the charge, ' Do not be anxious about anything' .(v. 6)"

I had noted this verse last week in my journal, and as soon as I cracked it open this morning, I knew I needed to revisit it. I needed it. Here it is:

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

I knew I need to give my stress, my anxiety, my embarrasment, over to Him, and fill my mind with the wonderful things he has done in my life. I made a "thankful" list. I gave my kids and husband, my menu plan, my budget, all back to him, where they belong. All day long, I've been chanting in my mind...Rejoice! Rejoice! God is good.

Francis goes on in chapter 2 of Crazy Love to say this: "When I am consumed by my problems--stressed out about my life, my family and my job--I actually convey the beliefe that I think the circumstances are more important than God's command to always rejoice. In other words, that I have a "right" to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilities.

Worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives.

Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, oru lack of grace toward others, or our own tight grip of control.

Basically, these two behaviors communicate that it's okay to sin and not trust God because the stuff in my life is somehow exceptional. Both worry and stress reek of arrogance.They declare our tendancy to forget that we've been forgiven, that our lives her are brief, that we are that we are headed to a place where we won't be lonely, afraid, or hurt ever again, and that in the context of God's strength, our problems are small, indeed."

Sheeee-yoot. Guilty of all of the above, right here!

Lord, forgive me for clinging to my worry and stress as if I had some control over the things in my world. Fill my heart and mind with the knowledge that you are the one with a grip on this planet, not me. Let me freely release my stuff...my bags full of crud that I carry around with me each day. The bag that says I'm a lousy mom, when my kid embarrasses me in the store with his shocking behavior. The bag that says we don't have enough money. The bag that says I am not good enough to raise respectable respectFUL kids. The one that says I need to do more. The one that says we need this or that...Lord, take them all. Replace them with your joy. With bags full of lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. Let me be full of thankfulness and peace. Let that flow into my kids lives and fill them up too. Amen.
for more info on this book click here www.crazylovebook.com

Praying Our Kids Through Life

As parents, there are often times we feel out of control, overwhelmed or crushed. We see these precious little people wandering around, and our hearts want to burst with the love we have for them. Yet we find ourselves tearing our hair out when they won't cooperate, listen, obey or be kind.
We have visions of their future where they will have to make choices about who to play with at recess, whether or not to laugh at the kid being picked on, where to hang out after school, what friends to have, what sports to play, whether or not to put on their seatbelt the first time they drive alone. They will have to decide how to behave in class, how to treat their friends and what to say the first time someone offers them a joint (yes, most likely, this will happen sometime in their life). And they will have to decide what to do with a man named Jesus.
Then our minds move on to what they don't have control of. What had the driver in front of them on the freeway been drinking? Will someone make them the kid on the playground being picked on? Will someone try to take advantage of them, lie to them, manipulate them or abuse them?
I don't say these things to try to scare anyone. Or even to try to persuade anyone. I am simply saying that, in light of all that is possible in the world, we are pretty small. We are pretty weak. We are pretty powerless. And yet, we have a very powerful God. A God that not only says we can trust him with our children, but with our worries, our fears and our very lives. He says, "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you." (Jeremiah 29:12) and "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) and "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6,7). As we lay down our worries, fears and anxieties about our childrens' lives, He not only answers those prayers but he lifts the worry from us as well.
We have been given these children by their Creator, and the best thing we can do for them is give them right back. Not relinquishing our responsibility, but joining with the One who made them and letting Him lead us on this journey He set before us.

Lord, Let us be parents who trust you for our childrens' lives. We give ourselves wholly over to you, knowing that we will fail in this endeavor without you. We are lost and hopeless people, but you are our light, our hope and our guide. Help us be parents who pray. Help us stand in the gap for our children. Prompt us to pray when we need to for the specific things that need to be brought before you. We pray, Lord, that our knees would be calloused and our children protected. When we worry, fear or feel anxious, remind us to bring those things to you immediatly and relieve us. We give ourselves to you, and ask that you would guide us in your wisdom as we raise your children. And when we fail, let our failures bring us right back to our knees before you. Help us not to follow the path of anger, bitterness, sarcasm, resentment, fear, or detachment. But lead us in your love, mercy, patience, peace, kindness, humility and grace. We need you, Father, to teach us how to be parents like you.