Celebrating the Little Things

Podcast Version

I have found another #MomHack, at least for girls, and I gotta say, it's really quite brilliant. The menfolk are at a conference this weekend, and I have tapped into something absolutely wonderful for this girls weekend with my 10 year-old and 7 year-old.

You see, my daughters are really into little things. Whether it's colorful scraps of paper, teeny boxes, bits of ribbon, you name it--if it's small, they love it!

So when I found a collection of 100 tiny resin animals I knew I had discovered something special. Today, when I asked for help with a project and the girls responded cheerfully, I gave them each a couple of little trinket babies. Little farm animals, ladybugs, pink duckies, a couple of hedgehogs; just a hodgepodge assortment of random critters.

Oh, you should have seen their faces! They were SO excited, and immediately put them into the little cardboard house they had been creating for the four million other little critters they had somehow collected or crafted over the last several months. The little things are cute, sure, and cost me only pennies. Yet the value my girls put on these tiny darlings is akin to a priceless treasure.

Each time the girls were able to help with a project, or I noticed them being kind or looking out for each other I would hand them a trinket baby from the secret stash hidden away in my pockets. They are usually great at helping when I ask for it, but there was a new level of willingness, knowing that they might be awarded a trinket baby after their bit of service. Next thing you know, they are coming back, over and over, to ask my favorite question in the entire world: "How can I help?"

As I responded with joy and gifts to each of the ways they were responding kindly to each other, being helpful to me, or doing hard things with a cheerful heart, they were prompted even more so to continue in actions that were helpful and kind.

And then my heart was reminded of the many times I have been quick to correct, without noticing the opportunities to praise. So many moments I could have rejoiced in my children's kindness or care, yet I did not acknowledge it, simply because that's what they SHOULD be doing anyway. Yet how often do I, as wife and mama, wish someone would look into the things I am doing and tell me I'm doing a good job, or let me know they appreciate me?

So then, here is my resolution, and may Jesus bring this often to mind: I will celebrate the right and the good and the beautiful in my children, simply because it is right and good and beautiful, and I must remember to allow grace-filled correction to hold hands with acknowledged praise in the little things, just as in the great achievements.

If I am to represent Jesus to my children I must remember that our greatest praise is to hear our God say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." Oh, that I would remember to showcase Him often by noticing and celebrating my own children by saying, "Well done, my treasured, precious child."

I've put a few trinket babies in my apron pockets, so that I'll always have them available to remind me of how valuable the little things are, and how important it is to notice the little joys and triumphs. And I'll have them on hand to add that tangible touch to a comment of appreciation when I notice my girls walking in grace.

How do YOU treasure the little things, and remember to celebrate your children (or other loved ones in your life) when they uphold your family values and represent Jesus well?

God's Double Standard?

Podcast Version

Me: God says don’t kill the unborn. God: Old Testament wrath. Others: How does that even make sense?

I keep seeing similar questions posed by those who seem to be looking for a fight rather than pursuing truth. But in case there is someone who is genuinely interested in an answer, here you go.

Making Sense: God is the absolute Authority over all things, is totally sovereign, actively involved in every detail through time, and only acts/allows events within His goodness, wisdom, love, and perfect, eternal justice, resulting in the absolute best in every scenario on an eternal level. I, however, can not perceive beyond my own circumstances and timeline, and my attempt to pursue justice is limited by that which I understand, which is fallible. Thus God’s justice is always right and best, and mine must remain in the context of what God has commanded me to do.

God’s justice is always right and best, and mine must remain in the context of what God has commanded me to do.

Going Further: Only someone perfectly good, totally loving, absolutely wise, and completely powerful could work out perfect justice–even unto death. God in His eternal character is perfectly good, totally loving, absolutely wise, and completely powerful. I am not.

The other aspect is of right. I am not the highest authority over life. As a soul-based being (humankind) I am on the same plane as other humans, and therefore have no right to kill them. (As opposed to rocks and plants and animals, which were created to assist me in my service to God, and over which I am given stewardship.) God Himself, however, as creator of all things, including humankind, therefore has complete authority and claim over their purpose and end.

Only when we are convinced of God’s complete authority will we admit He has the right to do with us as He wills. And only when we are convinced that He is perfectly good, totally loving, absolutely wise, and completely powerful will we trust that His right to do all things is never separated from His character to do all things in perfect goodness, love, wisdom, and power, resulting in perfect justice.

So What Now? Now we work to defend those who can not defend themselves, steward the world wisely and well, pursue justice as much as it is up to us, and hinge our every action on the direction of the One who continues to lead us in perfect love, goodness, wisdom, and power. And for those who reject God's sovereignty and authority, we pray that the Holy Spirit would soften their heart to desire and know Truth, while continuing to love them and reflect Jesus to them in the way we live.

So what now? Now we work.

Post Script: Though my husband's first response to the screenshot above was to push against the strawman arguments with proper context and clarity in the original passages, I felt that, were the OP (original poster) seeking to be malicious (as is too often the case), they would have no desire to look at Scripture, much less its proper hermeneutics. I decided instead to state the two points which clarify my own stance, boiled down to God's sovereignty and claim. Without the Holy Spirit quickening the heart of those who attack Scripture when their worldview is threatened, there will be very little opportunity for conversation beyond the roots of what a Christian believes. And, my sweet friend, if given the opening to speak to the heart of an unbeliever, please remember grace. If we can not showcase the love of God while celebrating His justice, our status of ambassador for the Almighty is in need of some serious re-calibrating.

For Those Who Survived Yet Another Mother's Day

I've sat through many well-meaning Sunday services that celebrated motherhood on Mother's Day. As a child, I remember lining up with all the other children, being handed a rose to pass to my mom. I remember Proverbs 31 being pounded into us as if only those who met every example of a virtuous woman was worthy of being praised, even then feeling the weight of expectation. I remember the crafts we'd make and the songs we'd sing and the general focus on mothers who had a child in the congregation. I remember the special bouquets for the oldest mom and for the mom who had most recently birthed her first baby.

I was too young, however, to remember if the congregation seemed a little thinner those weeks. I was too young to remember the women who would excuse themselves to powder their noses when the service got sentimental. I was too young to remember the broken hearts that were inevitably aching.

Thirty years later, I have gathered pain of my own through waiting for a baby, the bitterness of miscarriage, and suffering through a child's sin. I have also held my friends' hearts as they lost their own mothers, grieve the crumbling of their dreams, and mourn aspects of motherhood that are real and deep.

Good things should continue to be celebrated, yes! God created the gift of motherhood for His glory, and that we might know Him more. The honor bestowed upon women to be life-formers and life-givers and life-shapers is a beautiful thing. Rejoicing in the goodness of God through that particular grace is a wonderful, worthy thing.

Yet we must be incredibly cautious that, if we celebrate the good thing of motherhood (most especially in the context of a church service), it can often celebrate the created over the Creator, bringing the attention to a woman and her joy rather than the Author of all joy, and can often result in the collateral damage of ignoring or wounding a woman experiencing deep-set grief.

And so, for those reasons (and an abundance of others) I am so very grateful for my local church body. Motherhood was not overlooked this week, and I had several sweet friends wish me a happy mother's day with a smile and a hug. But there was a pursuit of unity that reached beyond the visible mothers and reached into those who were there for a greater purpose than to be acknowledged for the fruit of their womb. For those who came to church to know God more, they saw Jesus. This is the daily goal of our congregation, and worship is the theme in every ministry, including the Sunday service.

Rather than a trite sermon on mothers of the Bible, or how a woman should be honored by her children, our precious pastor spoke on Ruth in the most beautiful way. As he started into this small book of the Bible he focused on the first chapter. The chapter where everything was hard. Where everything seemed hopeless. Where everything was bleak and unlovely. And in that first chapter of Ruth we see how anticipation was met with brokenness, and expectation was met with grief, and even 'coming home' was a sorrow.

But, oh, the HOPE!

My notes from Sunday's service, complete with coffee stain and poor spelling.

When grief is a result of disobedience, there is purpose in the pain, and the brokenness is built to make us become more like Christ.

And when our sorrow is simply an outcome of our sinful, broken world, there is beauty even there, as God is actively involved in every small detail. God is at work in EVERYTHING. Our pain is purposed for His glory, and when we respond in humility we will be changed.

Yet we must remember that our pain is not our own. It is uniquely bestowed on us, yes, but as it is handed to us by a good, loving God, we are called to steward it just as wisely and well as any other gift from Him. How we respond to our pain is a reflection of how we respond to God's heart and our trust in Him.

We are called to steward our pain just as wisely and well as any other gift from Him. How we respond to our pain is a reflection of how we respond to God's heart and our trust in Him.

Additionally, we must remember that our pain is often not just for our own refining, but for the encouragement of others. Jesus often chooses to bless us with pain so that others may see us reflect Him in our grief. Perhaps this heartache you are experiencing was built specifically so that the individual who wants nothing to do with Jesus will be inextricably drawn towards Him, because they see your trust in His heart and your insatiable joy amidst the very real pain.

I saw several posts on social media today, capturing the grief many have towards Mother's Day. Yet in that pain there was so much beauty. I saw women come together to hold each other's hearts. I saw them encourage each other through shared sorrow. I saw a connection that was not there before, that was brought about simply because of shared pain.

Oh, that we would see our pain as a platform for the glory of God, rather than a scourge. Because that pain is real. The grief is legitimate. The sorrow is often overwhelming.

BUT GOD. He is good, and wise, and all-powerful, and loving and eternal in His faithfulness and constant in His promises, and He DELIGHTS in working growth and glory in purposed pain. No woman but one who trusts the Lord can praise Him amidst her pain.

No woman but one who trusts the Lord can praise Him amidst her pain.

Our greatest calling is to showcase Christ. And what better place to do that than in our pain, where all others fear to tread?

If you have survived Mother's Day you are probably still hurting. And sister, I feel your heart.

In the midst of our pain and as we continue to grieve, let us hold hands with our sisters in Christ and live in the victorious promise that every pain is purposed, and that we CAN trust the heart of our Good, Giving God. As we weep, let us worship. And in that, others will see Jesus.

As we weep, let us worship.

Listen to Dr. Jon Stricklin's sermon HERE.