Monthly Archives: March 2008
I did it!
Anyone ever read A Hat for Ivan? It’s a children’s book by Max Lucado. It describes a village in which all the citizens wear hats. On their 12th birthday, they each receive their own customized hat, made just for them by the hatmaker. These hats tell them what they should do and what they should become. They draw attention to their strengths, their gifts and their greatest joys. The story tells of the hatmaker’s son, Ivan, who is about to turn 12. As he walks through town, several people give Ivan hats just like theirs. They presume to know what he should do. The baker wants him to be a baker; the music teacher thinks he would be better suited as a musician; the fireman has his own ideas, as well. None of the hats fit very well and they all weighed him down. Ivan was left in a heap trying to please everyone and never truly reaching his potential.
I’ve been an Ivan. Blame it on my middle-child syndrome. Or maybe I’ve just been convinced it’s the “right” thing to do. Regardless, I’ve been moping around for three weeks trying to convince myself to wear hats that don’t fit. I’ve been weighed down by what others think I should be doing. I’ve been crumped into a pile by the expectations placed upon me — none of which fulfill my purpose. I’ve listened to the wrong voices.
After posting this week and receiving all your words of encouragement, I did it. I made the calls I needed to make to get out from under the wrong hats. And you know what? Just like Ivan, I feel so much lighter! I feel happier and, best of all, I can now wear the hat made just for me. I’ve regained my desire to write. I’ve actually spent several hours today working on my book; a project that nearly fizzled has been revived. I’m so grateful!
So, THANK YOU for your prayers and encouragement. Thank you for your sound wisdom. And thank you for your patience with my compaining and dim-wittedness, two traits that seem to prevail often. *grin* I praise God He doesn’t give up on us, even when we’re not listening. I thank Him for His clear direction and quiet strength that allow us to heed His still, small voice.
March kid quotes
Thought I’d share a few of my favorite Ellie-isms and Zach Attacks from this month. Enjoy!
Ellie: “You know what? I’m going to have an idea now.”
Zach: (with finger extended toward the sky) “DING! I have an idea!”
Ellie: (shouted while running throughout the house on Easter Sunday) “Jesus is alive! Jesus is alive! Jesus is alive!!”
Zach: (after opening the Resurrection Egg which held the holy grail) “The Piston Cup!! I won the Piston Cup!”
Ellie: “I can’t wait to see my Father in Heaven. Won’t it be great, Mom?”
Zach: “Mom, (hiccup!) I want to love you, but I (hiccup!) can’t ’cause I have the kick-ups.”
Ellie: (spoken in quite the condescending voice about MY clothes) “Mom, those clothes are pretty, but I don’t think they’re nice enough for a tea party – are they?”
Ellie: “I need to put money in my piggy bank every day so I can get married.”
Me: “What’s the money for?”
Ellie: “I need money for my wedding. And I need to find a man to take my money and be my husband.”
I covet your prayers.
Hey, folks. I know I’ve been MIA lately. Even now I don’t have anything profound or meaningful to share with you. I’m just writing to let you know I’m still here and I covet your prayers. All is well, as it always is when God is sovereign, but the reasons to pray continue to multiply.
We’ve had much happen to and in our family recently. The kids seem to be growing at exponential rates, making our responsibility as their parents and spiritual guides all the more overwhelming. Top top it off, I’ve discovered I really don’t like doing children’s ministries and I don’t know how to get out of it.
Okay, that last one may need a little explanation. Hmmm … I don’t think I’ll give one. *grin* Scripture teaches about spiritual gifts. We all have them and we all need to use them to further the kingdom of God. We need to use them to edify the church and point the lost to Christ. Well, after 17 years of doing children’s ministries — VBS, puppets, music, drama, teaching Sunday School, street clubs and more — I don’t think my gifts lie there. Or maybe they do, but I spend all day using those gifts with my own kids. By the time I get to “ministry” time, I’m sick of kids and long to develop other gifts. Which leads me to my next prayer request …
I haven’t had the time nor the energy to write. Conference season quickly approaches and I’m not prepared. Furthermore, I’m unmotivated. I feel ill-equipped, tired and fraudulent. The rejection slips are piling up, causing me to doubt everything.
Prayer. I need to pray. Only by talking with God can all things be made right again. Only then can my perspective be corrected and my strength renewed.
What a week
It started with me being cursed out by a drunk nun. Neither my beautiful children nor the fact that I’m part Irish could stop the stream of expletives spewing from her mouth. I had to laugh. I mean who expects to encounter a vodka-filled nun? Of course, it was St. Patrick’s Day. Still … In other news, the kids are on their second week of nap-strike. I’m way behind on all my writing projects, haven’t been sleeping at night and completely messed up the fundraiser for my daughter’s school. What a week.
Romans may be my favorite book of the Bible. I favor different parts of Scripture at different times, but Romans is my constant. I can always find something there to encourage or challenge me. This week was no exception.
Chapter 8 holds a bucket of gems! “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (v. 1) “God causes all things to work together for them that love the Lord.” (v. 28) “Nothing can separate us from the love of God.” (v. 38-39) “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (v. 31) It talks about persecution, predestination and justification. It talks of deliverance, freedom and victory.
Sometimes when we read passages like this, we miss what’s in between. Significant verses are overlooked in the rush for needlepoint passages. Two of these popped out at me this week. I’d like to share them with you here.
Romans 8:26 — “The Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” The passage continues to say the Spirit searches our hearts and our minds and intercedes for us “according to the will of God.”
Romans 8:37 — “In all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”
We may have tough weeks. We may have tough months and years and lives, but it doesn’t matter much because the Spirit is groaning on our behalf. He is aching with us and when we haven’t the energy to pray, when we haven’t an inkling what we should pray for, He does and He does it for us.
What’s more: we can and will overwhelmingly conquer all we face. Today, tomorrow and the next day. This isn’t just survival, people. It’s an overwhelming victory! It’s something we’ll feel in our toes and the shouts of joy will explode from our being. This is what we’ve been promised. This is what God will do for those who love Him.
Photo and clips by SusieJack.
Manipulating God
Yesterday as we drove home from school Ellie said she heard something. “Someone is whispering to me, Mommy.”
Not one to squelch imagination or spiritual sensitivities, I asked her what it was saying. “It’s God. He says we should play soccer in the backyard today. I think He has a good idea!”
The girl is smart. She’s learned what I value and how to manipulate those resources to get what she wants.
It makes me wonder, how often do we use God to manipulate the truth? Do we credit Him with callings when really our own desires are what lead us to the game? It’s difficult to know when God is speaking to us and when our longings are just so strong within us. We need to be careful not to use God for our own purposes. We are His children and His servants. Let us not confuse the relationship by transposing the roles.
By the way, we did not play soccer yesterday. Apparently Ellie’s negotiation skills aren’t quite as effective on her brother who detests temperatures below sixty degrees. Ah, well … it was a good idea.
Photo by Shannon Pifko.
Love Languages
Something pretty amazing happened this week: I remembered. With momnesia running rampant through the corridors of my brain, this is worth celebrating. So, what did I remember? (Don’t tell me I’ve already forgotten it again!) I remembered Gary Chapman’s book The Five Love Languages.
Have you read this book? If you haven’t, you should. I know it’s pink and purple; you can handle it. Hide the cover behind your Wall Street Journal, if you need to. Just read it.
Rick and I read it together during our engagement. We loved the wisdom and practical tips it contains for strengthening relationships. I’ve recommended it, even given copies of it to friends and family throughout the years. But remembering that I benefited from the book doesn’t equal remembering what it said.
Here’s a quick run-down. There are five basic love languages: gifts, quality time, words of affirmation, acts of service and physical touch. Everyone has a primary love lanugage, a way in which they give and receive love most easily. If you want those whom you love to know that you love them, you need to speak their love language to tell them. In other words, you may be showering your spouse with thoughtful gifts to show them your love, but if they “speak” quality time, your efforts aren’t making their point.
I have been pouring my energy into quality time and words of affirmation. I’m constantly telling my kids and my husband how much I love them and appreciate them. I get specific about why I love them and which of their attributes I’m most thankful for. I spend hours playing and reading books, singing songs and planning activities we can do together. I know Rick likes the house clean, but I’ve been so busy spending time with him and the kids, I never get caught up on the laundry and the dishes usually pile high before they get done. I rationalize. Our place isn’t dirty; it’s just not straightened. Besides, a house only stays so clean with two preschoolers anyway. My work is undone in five minutes flat. He understands that – right?
I’ve spent the last couple weeks trying to re-gain focus, to re-learn what my priorities should be. I haven’t been on the computer much (Obviously! It’s been almost three weeks since my last post.) and I’ve been making a conscious effort to be a better wife and mother. Two days ago I spent half an hour of earnest time cleaning the house before Rick got home from work. His response was unbelievable! You would think I had gone to the moon and back for him. To me, it wasn’t a big deal. To him, it was huge. He felt relaxed, happy, loved. All because I took some time to serve him, to love him in the language he reads best. The payday rippled through the next morning. I couldn’t believe it. But I’ll tell you this much: I’m working hard to be consistent now that I know how much this means to him.
So, here’s my admonition for you. If you haven’t read the book, get it and read it. If you have read the book, remember what it says and what a difference it can make in your relationships. Figure out how best to show those in your life that you care for them. You won’t regret it.
