Children are a blessing

I am the mother of one child. 
A son.
He grew and grew and grew until now that son is about to become a Dad.
He will have for himself a child.
A son.




I have not always been kind in my thoughts toward this child of mine.
I have not always been celebratory of his life and those choices that culminate into his today.
I confess that I have spoken things that should have been kept between myself and God.
I have at times looked over the fence of my life and peeked at other children, wishing mine were just as they appeared to be.
I have not always considered that this child of mine was a good and perfect gift from God.




For the last five years my son and I have seemed to be at opposite ends. 
Our views are different. 
Our lifestyle is different. 
The silence between us can fill up North America - it is that big. 
I wonder often where did my little boy go?  I don't recognize this man he has become. 
His behaviour to me is strange and is not the training I have given to him. 
So I have let myself be excused for saying things that were truth in my eyes but without the grace my God requires.




I say this not to air my dirty laundry nor to shame myself or my son. 
I say it because I want to show the mercy of God to a wretch undone as one such as myself.


This morning my mom told me of a woman who had struggles with her daughters.  They too had taken the path of destruction for their lives and she whispered in her heart "my children are a disappointment."  The Lord said to her, "No, your children are a blessing."




As soon as my mom said those words my spirit testified that these words were for me. 
My child was and is a blessing.  I felt a release of a long held burden of guilt removed from my person. 
My son is a blessing. 
God was telling me that this should frame my thoughts regardless of what my eyes see or my ears hear or whatever may cause my heart to leap. 
He is a blessing!




Psalm 127:3 says he is not only a blessing but a gift from God.  The miracle in this story is that while I was typing this up my son came into my room.  He kissed my cheek and began to speak.  The silence was broken and we spoke as we did when he was 16 for more than a few minutes. 
God moved upon our hearts and produced good from my obedience. 


So I say with confidence in the word of God, my son and your child are a blessing and a gift from God.

Love while you still can

My dad passed away some years ago.  To be honest, it has been more years than I even realized.  Over twenty years I believe.  He was a good man; as good as could be for a man.  He was a hard worker, kind and tender hearted, a friend to others and a cheerful giver.  His legacy to us is to be a person that takes care of family.   I can understand why my mom has refused to take off her wedding band and refuses to re-marry despite my many conversations that she should. 

Have you ever heard that hind sight is 20/20?  All those things that I wrote about my Dad I have come to realize after he was no longer with us.  I was able to see him clearly only when I reflected on the yesterdays I had already passed through.  What brought this on?  It was a surgery and many hours in a waiting room.

My sister was having surgery.  Coincidentally, this surgery would mirror one that my dad had so many years ago.  It made me think of him in a new light.  He had to have a bag at his side as his intestines were damaged.  The difference between my sissy and my Dad is this – he went back out to work soon after.  He didn’t have benefits that allowed him to stay home for as long as it took for him to recover.  His return to work was more than likely before he was ready.  His whole way of life had changed and he didn’t have the time to process it.  Why?  He was an independent owner operator of a truck and he had a family that depended on him to support them.  He was the sole provider in the household.  We depended on him to work.  He did not shirk his responsibilities but embraced them and valiantly did what he should as a husband and a Dad.

My regret is this, that I failed to see this when it mattered most.  We missed the remarkable effort it took and didn’t ascribe to him the appreciation and gratitude he deserved.  For me there are no more chances as he is long since gone.  However, the lesson can be applied to today.  Look around you my friends and see what you have denied to others in your life.  Give them the blessings, the roses, the praises and affirmation now – while they are alive and you still have a chance.  Don’t miss it.  So for those of you that are reading now, may I say this – I love you for taking the time.  I appreciate you.  I pray God’s blessing for you.

Romans 12:10

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;

1 John 3:18

Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

Today is the day

Today is my son's birthday. Twenty-two years ago I held him in my arms and thought what a beautiful babe.  I had such dreams for him.  Do you know what I mean?  Can you understand a mothers' dream?  Well that was me and is still me.  He finished an album. The Libra Tape (content is explicit) he calls it and proud of it he is right now.  He said he will be a star.  I smile even now for his enthusiasm. 


I'm proud of the man I know he is on the inside.  You might think this is a strange comment to make and I would agree.  You see, he's made some choices that I don't agree with.  He is living a life style that was not in my plans for him.  Yet, my love for him doesn't waiver.  No, in fact I love him even more. 

I love him in the mess.  I love him while he is still going to and fro. I love him even as he is broken.  I love him even while I cry over his choices.  I love him even when my heart struggles to believe that God will save him.  I love him. I love him because God has given me the grace to do so.  In fact even as I say all of these things I feel that love over me.  I am loved and so are you by a God who is Himself love.  He sets his love upon us even when we go astray.  His love is like no other we will ever experience.  This gives me pause...


So I will celebrate today.  I will sing a song of praise.  I will shout a hallelujah to the Lord above. I will declare that today is a good day.  I will continue to declare that which my eyes don't yet see. God has preserved life when death demanded payment.  So as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Today is the day to be glad.

Let there be light

I go to a nursing home twice a month. We sing songs and speak on the bible for and with the residents. Yesterday was such a service. We walked into the room where the residents were already gathered. Immediately we began singing songs and were well into it when another team member came. She walked over to the switch and instantly light flooded the room.

Why was this worthy of retell?  Glad you asked. We had no idea we were sitting in darkness. We carried on, business as usual accepting the conditions as they were. We all knew where the switch was but none of us thought to do anything about it. We accepted the dimness as light. 

When she did it I thought this is like the world. They walk in darkness and are unaware. For them, this is life. They are ignorant to what they need...the light of the World. Jesus is that light. He pushes back the darkness. He enlightens our eyes to see the hope and the calling we have been given.  

Friends as Paul prayed for the Ephesians I pray likewise for you. May the eyed of your understanding be enlightened. May you increase in the knowledge of Him who has called you by name to be His witness. May you walk in the light of His Word and his unfailing truth. Let there be light loved ones , in you.

New Beginnings

I recently found out that I will become a grandmother.  It is hard for me to wrap my brain around this truth. I think to myself, I am way too young to be given such a title.  Yet, I sigh deeply here, I was a young mom myself.  The last thing I wanted was for my son to mimic my behaviour.  I would have hoped and I have prayed that this would not be the fate of yet another child in my family.  A child born to parents that are unmarried. A child living in two homes, split between mom and dad.  Worse yet, a child that was lacking a clear example of doing it God's way.

Yes.  I would have stayed with these recurring thoughts had it not been for my GOD.  "Renew your mind daily" He so wisely tells us in his word.  I really didn't consciously sit down and decide to renew my mind. I didn't do anything other than pray, read and listen. I continued to praise even when my heart wanted to say NO!!!! This is not my plan for my son. Well, it isn't but God certainly doesn't need me to give him any hints or help where RKR is concerned.  He already had a plan that will give him hope and a future.  That plan stands today and will continue to stand until it has been accomplished.

So I raise my hat to new beginnings, new seasons, new hope.  It is God who we must acquiesce to in all things.  God is still the One that gives us beauty for ashes. He is still the One that turns a mess into a message, a test into a testimony and all the other things that we so smartly coin to say each other. :-)  Remember, He is the One that forms  a baby in its mothers womb.  He puts together that baby so perfectly that David marvelled and said of himself, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made".  He is the God that even now stands at the end while we are still at the beginning.  He works all things for the good of those who love Him.  So you see, my mind has been renewed; reworked by promises that are true.  I say yes and AMEN to them all.  Hip Hip Hooray! There is a baby on the way!

The Journey

The journey has a beginning point and a destination point. 
Where did we start. Where are we now.  Where are we going.
A quote was that the journey if a thousand miles begins with one step. Someone else has said the journey us within. And still another has said that it is not so much the outcome but the journey itself.  To be sure you cannot stand still on any journey. To get from start to finish requires movement. For some it may be tiny steps others it may be a Giant leap.  For some the pace may be slow and for others it is like a sprint to the finish.  The journey for some may be like a paved road for others it may be a like a path  not oft trod. In this journey I chose to believe that God is with me. I actually believe that he frames my beginning and my end. He was and is to come. In the middle of Him is me and Him. 
I have to believe that He fore knew the valleys and pits of my journey and I have a predestined end.  That He is walking with me like the footprints poet wrote. That He has not left me to do this alone.
My faith is made whole when I read the bible. God's word says:
 Genesis 1:1-2 GW

In the beginning God created heaven and earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep water. The Spirit of God was hovering over the water.
Before I was a thought, God existed.  He hovered over the waters of nothingness. He is the creator of all things that I see. He therefore has my journey mapped out. Lest we forget our steps are ordered by Him. He is the beginning of us. He who created us from the dust of the earth certainly can sustain our journey here in this same earth He created. He is the beginning. He is the Alpha. He is the A. He is the God who is everything. He is the I Am.

From the beginning God has a predestined end. To think otherwise is to be unwise.  It is in fact to be in denial of Hid word which we know is all truth.  God says that the end of our journey meets Him face to face. We may become desensitized to this truth thinking in the back of our minds that it has been over 2000 years. Yet here again we see in  God's word:
 Revelation 22:20-21 GW

The one who is testifying to these things says, “Yes, I’m coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! The good will  of the Lord Jesus be with all of you. Amen!

At the end we will all face Christ. Whether we believe in Him or not we will meet him at the end of this earthly journey. He will be the judge of us then. 
If our desire is to be where He is then  Our journey is Routed out in Christ. In Him we will arrive at this desired  destination. It means then that our hearts can be at rest.  The bible says thus
 John 14:1-3, 6 GW

“Don’t be troubled. Believe in God, and believe in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms. If that were not true, would I have told you that I’m going to prepare a place for you?  If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again. Then I will bring you into my presence so that you will be where I am.  Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me.

To Obey Is Better

On a hiking trip with my family this weekend I learnt something.  The trail that we walked on was beautiful and long.  It went winded itself along a creek that often times was hidden behind enormous trees.  It was a day worth walking and we went ahead with enthusiasm and gusto.  Unbeknown to me and others in the group, the walk had turned into a race to the finish line, where ever that ended as no one had yet completed the trail.

So the leaders of the pack set off and we left behind choked on their dust.  It became obvious that we would never catch them.  Curve after curve showed no signs of my two sprinting aunts.  We came upon a sign that said DO NOT ENTER/TRAIL CLOSED CONSTRUCTION.  We should have met upon them here but they were nowhere to be seen.  We stood pondering if they would have gone ahead despite the signs.  We waited for a bit until I decided to go after them.

While I called out for them by name and silence responded I thought to myself, this is just how we are as believers.  How many times do we see the signs and ignore them?  We have a bible that maps out the danger and still we find ourselves in them.  We close our eyes or we say as my aunt did, “but I saw other people coming from there!”  The road to sin and hell is wide and filled with people.  Or perhaps we reason to ourselves, there really isn’t any danger. My aunts said “oh there was no construction today…it is a Saturday.”  There is a way that seems right unto a man but the end is destruction.

 

While we had a good laugh over my two aunts who high fived each other at the end of the trail and told us they won, there really is no good outcome to the end of sin. The wages of sin is death.  The outcome reaching far into our eternity and too costly for either of us to pay. 

Beloved today we need to take heed to the word of God ad flee from sin and all things that of evil intent.  We cannot be glib (casual) about what we are told to do by God's spirit.  We must obey the signs that God has given us.  It is not there as a suggestion.  To believe we must obey; loved ones it is the better way.