Shining Lights

I’m sitting on an airplane feeling air under the heavy metal wings that seems to miraculously pull me into the sky and home to my children. The sun is setting, leaving orange and yellow that somehow fades into pink across the sky. This is a beautiful planet we inhabit. The clouds below the plane look like little stepping stones that make me think of rock hopping up a creek bed. The view ain’t too shabby at all.

It makes me wonder...what does God see when he looks down?

In the entire universe, He chose this planet, this place in all of creation to form life. Did he look down from heaven and think “it’s perfect”...or could he have created this solar system knowing that this one swirling ball would inhabit life and the praises of his people? In the vastness of the universe; planets, orbits, suns, moons, black holes, and endless galaxies, how can He possibly see me, or why would he want to in light of all there is for him to look at?  I'd bet He can see this amazing sunset from where he sits at just about anytime at all. Somewhere in the billions of stars in the sky, there always has to be a planet turning from its sun.

The concept of an omnipresent God is beyond my ability for comprehension. He lives and dwells in me, walks beside me, filters life for me and desires to do so. He walks with my children and cares about every aspect of their lives. We are important to Him. He is enthralled with the beauty of those He created, ‎ (The King (God) is ENTHRALLED by your beauty; honor Him, for He is your Lord." -Psalm 45:11). To Him, we are each as beautiful as anything else He made (Eph. 1:4 for he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight).

In all of creation, He chooses you and me.  And then He asks us to shine for him on the earth.  I wonder what we look like to God. Isaiah 60:1 tells us to “"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you”. We should be shining for all to see. There is darkness all around us. We should look different, to the world and to God.

Lights from the plane.

Seeing the lights begin to show up in the dark as the sun finally sets makes me think of what we're supposed to look like when God.looks past the sunsets and clouds.  We are supposed to shine in this dark world.  The glory of God shining in each of us as believers should be noticeable.  It shouldn't dim as life gets difficult.  It shouldn't slowly burn out as faith gets old and comfortable.  It's a renewable source that we can choose to "arise and shine" in.

It's been such a hard few months for us as a family.  We have struggled with living apart, a new seizure disorder that feels like we're never going to get on top of, college applications for our oldest child, and countless other pressures.  There are moments in everyday when that light that is supposed to shine feels far away.  I feel alone and in the dark.  I can't see and don't really understand what is going on.  It doesn't feel like I'm walking in light.  That's when faith steps in and the promise of his words speak to my heart:  Ephesians 5:8  For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.

As a human, I desperately desire to see where I'm going.  The last three weeks filled with seizures and every precarious moment in between are not the vision I had in mind.  In those times, I may find that I'm looking out of the window of a plane and see the sun go down; I see lights turn on in homes that I pray are filled with light that man can't make and I suddenly feel noticed and cared for by the one who made it all.  I am blessed by Shining Lights. 



Believing Truth

Monday has rolled around again and I can't believe I haven't posted anything since last Monday. 

Time flies.  But so do praises.

This week I am praising God for truth.  The truth of His word that does not change, confuse, or falter.  A truth that breathes fresh in to my life every single time I make the choice to read it.  It never fails me. 

I am doing a bible study right now about spiritual armour of God.  The Belt of Truth is the subject of week one. As I studied this week I discovered that we believe a whole lot of lies about ourselves, people.  We really don't even need the enemy to plant them because we are more than willing to tell them to ourselves. 

I'm not good enough.  If only I was a better mom; a better housekeeper; more organized, then I could have time for God.  If I worked harder.  I don't know enough about the bible to ever mention it to another person.  I can't do it. I don't have any special gifts or talents.  I can only do what I'm doing.  I can't handle it.  Everyone is better at everything than me.  God can't see me.  He doesn't care. 

We believe it all.  At one point or another in our lives have all probably felt unworthy, unloved, and just plain old not good enough. 

Today is Praise Monday though, and we don't have to believe those lies.  Today, we praise the Lord because each one of us is fearfully and wonderfully made.  Because the Creator of the Universe turned His eyes to you and molded and shaped and LOVED you into existence.  Today there is a truth that wants to replace the lies in your life and mine. 

Ephesians 1:13-14
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

Did you know that you are marked with a seal?  God sees you and loves you.  He is still molding and shaping you everyday of your life.  When you hear His truth and let it settle on you, there is just no way to walk away unchanged. 

This truth is praise on my lips today. 

Life is really hard.  I fail often and fall far.  Sometimes I believe the lies of the world that turn my head and my heart away from my God.  I get scared and just stop.  Then I remember that I have an inheritance with the King of Kings.  I am sealed and redeemed.  
Every minute of every day we can look anywhere and find reasons to complain or reasons to praise God.  When we turn our eyes to the reason we should complain and see praise, we can say "it is well with my soul" and experience a new peace; truth in our lives.


P.S. My girls are doing well today and so for today I offer praise. Emily started on the third combination of seizure meds on Friday after the first two didn't work. I think she's doing better. It's wonderful to see her moving back towards being herself again.

Begin with Praise

1 Chronicles 16:36
Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Then all the people said "Amen" and "Praise the LORD."

Last week I decided I would try to organize my blog a little.  I thought that I would start every Monday with praise.  I want to make a conscious effort to start each new week with praise and gratefulness instead of the ugh...Moonnndaayyy I usually go with. 

 

This is the week that the Lord has made, I need to rejoice and be glad in it. 

 

I'm thankful the Lord placed this on my heart before last week actually happened.  I haven't had an amazing week.  It's been hard, a little sad, and I'm kind of tired. 

 

THAT is exactly why there should be praise on my lips.  It does not matter what is going on in your life, there is always cause and expectation for praise. 

So, let the praise party begin!

One major praise of my family is that our oldest daughter Hannah was accepted into the college of her choice, Pfeiffer .  We are all so excited for her and look forward to what God has in store for this wonderful girl of ours. 

 

I am thankful the weather has cooled a bit here in Florida.  This is one HOT state.  Warm weather most of the year means that August is brutal.  A few 60 degree mornings just make me happy. 

 

I'm thankful for our home; a safe place for my children to grow and develop.  I am beyond grateful that God has allowed me to be home each day to watch that happen. 

I'm thankful for the people in my life; they bless and renew me with their love and prayers when I am struggling and concerned. 

I'm thankful that God hears my prayers and answers them, even when I can't understand His answers.

Right this very moment, I am thankful that there are no dishes in my sink.  I do not like Mondays with dishes to clean or a messy house from the crazy weekends. 

As I begin to focus on all of the things in my life that I have to praise God for, my heart fills with gratitude instead of the sadness I had been feeling.  Emily has been having lots of little seizures this week, too many to count.  It weighs heavily on my heart everyday.  She hasn't been able to make it through the any whole day of school feeling well.  There are a bazillion other things going on in life that I need to deal with. 

How easy it would be to write the post I wanted to write about how hard this is and how worried I am.  But today is begins a week that I choose to start with praise.  I choose to open my heart to God's love and provision, even in the midst of so much concern for a child. 

Are you ready to begin your week, whatever your week might bring, with a grateful heart?  Can you spend a little time meditating on what is good in your life instead of focusing on the problem?  Start your week, your day, and your life with praise in every circumstance.  We have each been given a gift unique to human beings; the ability to choose.  Today, join with me in choosing joy and praise. 

 

Simple acts of faith

There once lived a young man, the youngest of eight sons.  His older brother's fought wars and defended their land.  This young man tended sheep for his father.  He cared for and protected the animals from predators and was sort of the "errand boy" for his aging father.

One day he was asked to check on his brothers on the battlefield and bring them food.  He did as he was asked.  While there, he heard that there was a giant; a fierce warrior among the opposing army challenging and taunting their army of daily.  This young man found out that if this giant could be killed, they would win the war.  If they lost, they would become slaves. The entire army was greatly concerned about this, as they didn't believe anyone could defeat the giant; this battle was simply too much for one person to handle by themselves.

This young man wasn't an ordinary kid, though.  He trusted God with his life.  No matter how big the obstacle, he knew that God was in control.  So the tiny shepherd stepped up to fight, not with armor or swords, but with faith and a slingshot.  The giant laughed, thinking this unarmed kid was easy to defeat.  Our young man stepped up to a situation far bigger than he, and used the only tool he knew how to use.  He shot a single stone and knocked the big guy out.  The giant (Goliath) fell to the ground, where he was killed.  This frightened the opposing army and the men ran for their lives. 

Our young friend, David, loved God with his life and eventually became King of Israel himself as he proved himself to be a faithful servant of the Lord (1 and 2 Samuel). 

Is there a battle front in your life?  What do you have to face with your faith as your only weapon?  Is there a giant taunting you, telling you there's just NO way you can be victorious?

Seizures and fear of losing my daughter are that front line to me now.  This situation is a giant that I don't know how to defeat.  I feel like I am not properly armed or equipped.  It doesn't seem safe.  I am out of my league. 

The fate of Israel is not on my shoulders, but the life of my daughter weighs heavily.  Seemingly simple acts of faith are stretching me further than I'd like to go.  David didn't agonize over not being able to see how the battle would end.  He knew God was on his side, and he wasn't worried.  What David, Emily, you, and I have in common is that when God asks us to do something, anything HE asks us to do, we can do. 

David faced down a giant with a slingshot.  He trusted that God had equipped him.  I lay my child down at night feeling like any time she's not in my arms, I can't be sure a seizure won't pull her face into a pillow and stop her breathing.  I put her on a bus in the morning and send her to school not knowing if she is safe, if her life is changing, or if her brain is being attacked.  What was simple faith, the general belief that life will stay relatively unchanged from day to day, has become a "Goliath-sized faith".

I look up at this huge situation that has absolutely changed our lives in a single day, and my eyes could easily stop there.  I could easily stay focused on the giant.  I do focus on the giant in the room.  I am afraid of it.  I've devoted my entire life to keeping my girls healthy and alive.  Now there is something that we can't control changing and threatening her.  Today has been a good day for her, the first in a while.  I hope and pray that we have another one tomorrow.

Trusting God means that I have faith in his sovereignty over any place I find myself in.  Really trusting Him means that my need to control and fix, and in this case protect, lays down, steps aside and lets the same King who appointed and delivered a young David, walk in the center isle of my life. If I let my eyes continue to drift up, over the head of giant, I can see that there is so much more.  All of the heavens and earth, the Creator.  The one who can see it all. He watches my girls and gives me the strength I need to face whatever comes my way. 

I will probably never understand all of this.  I will always feel sadness and loss.  I grieve every moment of suffering my children endure.  Even as simple acts of faith become giant leaps, I will trust him.

Psalm 62:8
Trust in Him at all times, you people;Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.