I love all the locks on the doors. I love the fact that every window has heavy iron bars. I love that our hacienda is closed with a giant iron gate and a heavy padlock. These are all things that help me sleep at night a little more peacefully.
These things are great, until you lose your keys and the doors are locked. This morning, I used the keys to unlock the back door so I could light the hot water heater. (There was wind in the night, so it was out.) I remember placing the keys on the table in the kitchen. Later, one of my children, who shall remain nameless, picked them up, and I told her to put them away. It was to be the last time I saw them.
They passed through her hands to the unpredictable hands of my son, who is not remaining nameless because I'm still holding it against the little twerp. Extensive questioning revealed that they went up and down the stairs in a pillowcase for a while, unlocked secret doors in the walls and the beds in the kids bedrooms, and then somehow evaporated.
I have an image in my mind of George Bailey shaking poor Uncle Billy by the collar and screaming at him, and for the first time, I relate to George. (Note, I did not do that to my son, I just related.) We were trapped in the house with no way out.
Hours later, with everything from the rooms having been gone through, every stone unturned, and church service coming up, we gave up and called a locksmith. He got them open after about 30 minutes of work, and had the locks replaced with new keys two hours after that.
Hey I've got an idea! Let's be real careful with these keys!
I had a Bible lesson to give tonight about being anxious for nothing...it's funny how the Lord gives me an object lesson on what I'm teaching. I'm pretty sure that lesson was more for me than for the kids.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Thursday, June 02, 2011
You encouraged me!
When I went to the Youth Conference at Lancaster Baptist Church, I had reached the point where I just wanted to do whatever God wanted me to do. He led me very directly, based on the doctrine, standards, and spirit of love for God; to go to West Coast Baptist College the next Autumn. It was a decision I have never doubted or regretted, even after things (bills, sickness, etc.) got tough.
I knew what God wanted me to do, and when I stepped forward to do it, He provided, and kept on leading me to the next step. Right now, I am still on that path, and He's just as faithful as ever. I've seen things and done things I could never have imagined. He's given me a life that is challenging at times, but so packed with amazing things, that the funny little ideas I had as a child of what my future would be look silly.
I get to see God do what He does! What does He do? He transforms lives. He takes impossible situations (a dozen are popping into my mind, just from this past year.) and turns them into glorious and unexpected blessings. He can crush hearts of stone, and save people everyone else has given up on. He humbles Himself to hear the voice of little children who are hurting, confused, or just want to learn how to know Him better. He humbles Himself to hear my cry!
And I wanted to be a veterinarian. I've got nothing against veterinarians, don't get me wrong. If that's what God made you for, go for it. I just can't now imagine myself doing anything other than what I'm doing now.
Which brings me to the title of my post. Some of my friends from my church made some decisions at the last Youth Conference. I remember, some years ago, sitting in the pew and listening to you sing, "But each one, can reach one, if we follow after Christ we all can lead one, we can lead one, to the Savior..." If you saw me you must have wondered what was wrong with me, because I was blubbering. I was thinking, "What if each one of these children did what God made them for?" And I was praying for you. If you start out on that path, you may or may not end up in Mexico like me, but I promise you, you will never ever regret it! Hearing that you made decisions for God is such an encouragement to me I can't find words to explain it. Stick with those decisions! Keep hold of the faith that God has given you now (we make those decisions by faith), and He will bless you for it. Do what He made you for!
You are taking a step away from your families to study, and to gain experience serving God. I know this can be nerve wracking, and sometimes you will feel homesick. If you start out with a bad attitude, it will be real tough. If you make some unwise decisions along the way, the devil will try to convince you that you are done for. He will also throw some roadblocks in front of you from time to time.
God knows all about each and every one of these things, and I've seen Him give victory to His own in each of these situations. So what I'm saying is, step in to finish! If you have a goal, finish it, and be open to God guiding your life from this point. Let the Lord have His way in your life, and don't let yourself get discouraged, as challenges come. Keep getting closer and closer to the Lord, letting Him use every thing you pass through to draw you more and more into His heart. If you are taking that step away from your family, and into the will of God, it's like stepping right into His arms. Don't worry about anything-He will take care of you!
I hope you don't think I'm nagging. This is just sisterly advice from someone whose gone that way before, and loves you, and can't keep her mouth shut. Know that I'm praying for you!
I knew what God wanted me to do, and when I stepped forward to do it, He provided, and kept on leading me to the next step. Right now, I am still on that path, and He's just as faithful as ever. I've seen things and done things I could never have imagined. He's given me a life that is challenging at times, but so packed with amazing things, that the funny little ideas I had as a child of what my future would be look silly.
I get to see God do what He does! What does He do? He transforms lives. He takes impossible situations (a dozen are popping into my mind, just from this past year.) and turns them into glorious and unexpected blessings. He can crush hearts of stone, and save people everyone else has given up on. He humbles Himself to hear the voice of little children who are hurting, confused, or just want to learn how to know Him better. He humbles Himself to hear my cry!
And I wanted to be a veterinarian. I've got nothing against veterinarians, don't get me wrong. If that's what God made you for, go for it. I just can't now imagine myself doing anything other than what I'm doing now.
Which brings me to the title of my post. Some of my friends from my church made some decisions at the last Youth Conference. I remember, some years ago, sitting in the pew and listening to you sing, "But each one, can reach one, if we follow after Christ we all can lead one, we can lead one, to the Savior..." If you saw me you must have wondered what was wrong with me, because I was blubbering. I was thinking, "What if each one of these children did what God made them for?" And I was praying for you. If you start out on that path, you may or may not end up in Mexico like me, but I promise you, you will never ever regret it! Hearing that you made decisions for God is such an encouragement to me I can't find words to explain it. Stick with those decisions! Keep hold of the faith that God has given you now (we make those decisions by faith), and He will bless you for it. Do what He made you for!
You are taking a step away from your families to study, and to gain experience serving God. I know this can be nerve wracking, and sometimes you will feel homesick. If you start out with a bad attitude, it will be real tough. If you make some unwise decisions along the way, the devil will try to convince you that you are done for. He will also throw some roadblocks in front of you from time to time.
God knows all about each and every one of these things, and I've seen Him give victory to His own in each of these situations. So what I'm saying is, step in to finish! If you have a goal, finish it, and be open to God guiding your life from this point. Let the Lord have His way in your life, and don't let yourself get discouraged, as challenges come. Keep getting closer and closer to the Lord, letting Him use every thing you pass through to draw you more and more into His heart. If you are taking that step away from your family, and into the will of God, it's like stepping right into His arms. Don't worry about anything-He will take care of you!
I hope you don't think I'm nagging. This is just sisterly advice from someone whose gone that way before, and loves you, and can't keep her mouth shut. Know that I'm praying for you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)