Smol tok nomo |
Smol tok nomo |
Tonight I find myself longing for a simpler time. A time of days gone by with lightening bugs and warm summer rains. A time when swinging on the porch swing laughing and watching the sun set was a way of life. Sure I am from the south so these things resound with me most, but why don’t we see this more often? We are all too busy fighting for our cause. Yes, there were causes worth fighting for in the good ole days but maybe we have lost some things that they had. Whatever our cause, “political”, “religious”, “philanthropic” has our fight outweighed our sight? As a Christian, my number one cause is the cause of Christ. I am sure there are many “old-timers” who also had their cause(es). The thing is, in the good ole days they started their days with prayer and sang songs like “I Can’t Even Walk Without You Holding My Hand.” They understood that they needed the Spirit leading them. Through prayer and time spent with God their pride was abolished and others - the very ones they were trying to reach - saw that heavenly glow that someone who walks with God often has. I fear that now days we are too busy fighting for what WE believe in. We are quick to give OUR opinions and what once began as a passion for Christ, a real and a live relationship with Christ, has turned into a fight about what WE believe. We fight for ourselves or our opinions. We no longer have sweet tea on the porch with our neighbors because they are not for our cause. As Christians we want to reach the world, our motive is conversion and we are willing to shout from the roof tops all our righteous opinions but are we willing to go to the prayer closet until we walk out humbly and gently? "if my people,(that's us not the world) who are called by my name (CHRIST - ians), will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 Yes I miss the good ole day. Days where many were perhaps not as educated as we are now, but they had wisdom, that hidden wisdom the Bible speaks about. They had wisdom to let the Holy Spirit reveal things to them about themselves and recognize when the fight was being fought in their own flesh and opinions, and wisdom to know when the Holy Spirit was leading them to speak up and when to shut up. They had little and knew the importance of depending on God for everything and every direction. It wasn’t about how many your church ran, or how charismatic you spoke or how you "had it all right and other Christians were going to split the pit.” No, I believe they were all too busy about the Father’s business. This was when the church thrived. We shake our heads at how out of whack the world has gotten, we all say we remember a time when people at least respected you for being a Christian and now they hate us. Yes, the Bible said these days would come and we scream louder and louder standing for OUR beliefs, but are we willing to return to our secret prayer closets with no one to try and convert to OUR way of thinking and await to hear HIS voice? Maybe if we weren’t so busy convincing the world of our cause the Spirit would lead us back to the porch with our neighbor, sharing sweet tea and our current living testimony of what God is doing in our life today. Maybe if we weren’t fighting so hard, we would hear Him say it is His fight and we are only called to listen and obey as He leads. It might be good for all of us to remember there is never a day, or a place we come to as Christians where we just take off on our own. You may have years of experience in ministry, you may be the best speaker around, but if you do not start each and every day truly being led of Christ, maybe it is time to go back. Go back to where you first began. Let it be pure, let it be real, the world will see that and maybe that will bring about the last day's revival. When we humble ourselves even if it means we have to go back and pick up a few things we lost along the way. These are the things God is dealing with me personally about. Revival is not brought about by debate, opinion, or swagger, but by two things 1. humility and 2. prayer. Maybe Grandpa was on to something??? Jennifer
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Juliet; meaning “youthful”. Adelle; meaning “sweet” or “noble”. I have always loved the name Jewel, I even have a great Aunt with that name, so when we found out our surprise was a girl we chose Juliet and shortened it to “Jules”. Later on big Sis added an “ie” to the end of it creating her very own nickname for this little person who had come on the scene. Although Jules was little in features and light as a feather from the beginning, her big personality and presence let me know right away she was not to be coddled - is there such a thing as an independent woman at the age of “2”? I cannot say a full week goes by that I don’t think about the things God spoke to my heart about Jules while she was still in my womb. Honestly, I wonder often if God didn’t impress such things on my heart simply to keep me from a life of panic. Our Jules is fearless, always has been. She leaps off of edges and while big Sis demanded to be held upon seeing the ocean Jules ran full force into the waves. I wonder if I had not grabbed her before her head went under if she might have just kept on running! She is so fragile and so strong at the same time. She is full of life and energy and she keeps Mom exasperated trying to run close behind to prevent injury from her daring spirit. God spoke that He had a specific call and purpose for her and I know He is grooming her now for His calling. I pray often that God will give me the grace and the wisdom to raise this strong willed child to be confident in Christ. To channel that will to be a resolve to serve Him no matter what. To use her strength and passion to stand up for what is right. To take that courage and face the world even when it is cruel and dark and show them the light. So to my sweet, funny and exceptionally smart Jules “Happy Birthday” from your Momma. While I love you and your Sister the same, I want you to know I see you for who you are. You are already an incredibly strong little person and I don’t have to be afraid for you because to know you is to love you. Someday other little girls may be jealous of you or not like you because they don’t understand you but don’t change. You are different and you have the potential to be extraordinary and I hope you never trade that for fitting in to something you are not. Stay brave, stay strong, and when insecure people try to crush you because they don’t understand you, be strong enough to love them anyways.
It was just a few days before Mother’s day and I wanted to post on social media a picture of me with each of the little munchkins that made me a Mommy. As I got to looking through several albums I was in shock. Did I really have to go that far back into my youngest baby's pictures to find even one picture of me with her? We live in a world of pictures, even some of the oldest people I know in this world proudly show you tucked away in some old book or frame a picture of their Mother. So it was right before Mother’s Day I had a "disappointed in my self moment" because the reason there was no pictures of my sweet little Juliet and me was none other than pride. If you are one of those Mommies who has worked hard and after each baby you have lost all of your weight, and you are a Mommy who manages to get rested and you still look as young and vivacious as your wedding day, “thank you for your shining example.” That is right ladies I said “thank you” no I am not jealous. I am happy for you! Don’t let other's jealousy make you feel one bit guilty, you no doubt worked hard and you deserve that healthy wonderful size 6 feeling. I will admit there have been times I have wondered in the depths of my honesty if maybe you had let some other area of life go to be able to accomplish such a feat but I rebuked that thought quickly. I realized it is just hard for me to imagine balancing husband, kids, spiritual life, career and looking like your fresh out of college, but many women do it and do it with style. So kudos to you healthy Mommy! You are in fact, a lot of what I want to be. I would also encourage all those more in my boat to love this Momma. Don’t be intimidated by her, but see if she may have some tips for you! She is a normal Mommy just like you and more than likely doesn’t think she is better than you and would be happy to encourage you along the way. However, if your one of those fresh faced Mommies who have the image thing down and feel disdain for those who “won’t get off of the couch” I have a few words for you too. It sort of reminds me of the small town lady who won “Best Cinnamon Roll” at her towns fair and automatically thought she was better than the runner up. You may be excelling in this area, but more than likely other ladies are excelling in areas you are not. We all have plenty of times we are humbled by an area we lack in - it is called being human. More than likely a lot of Moms (myself included) have not given up and are fighting the good fight to the best of their ability all while washing the dishes, teaching their kids about Jesus and working on reports for their husbands (using my life as an example). So please leave judgmental stares or remarks behind and be an encourager and be quick to see good in others. Trust me most people who struggle with these things are far more aware of it than you are. All of this just to say, “don’t wait until you are perfect again to get in front of that camera.” With each struggle to lose that pesky ten or even twenty pounds there is a new wrinkle on your forehead or circles darkening under your eyes. None of us can stop the clock or rewind the process you go through when you have children. I don’t say these things to discourage you, far from it! You can work hard and be in the best shape of your life, but if your waiting to look like you did when you were 20 to take another picture you are denying your children of having pictures of you someday when you are long gone simply because of pride. When they look at that picture with you they aren’t going to notice those bags under your eyes or the fact you are now 30 instead of 20, they are going to remember the way you smelt like Mommy- a safe place. They are going to remember the way your touch felt and made everything better. Don’t let your pride keep you out of the camera spotlight - instead be proud that you were there for your children in all of those special moments of their lives and you even have the picture to prove it. Oh by the way, I went ahead and took that picture on Mother's Day 2015! Jennifer |
AuthorWife, Mother, Missionary, Teacher, Friend ... just a few of the many titles I gladly wear. Never dreamed this is the journey God would take me on. Archives
July 2022
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