A year ago, or so, I had a dream. The Lord told me that I would have one more child and it would be a boy. I remembered this dream, but hoped for a girl.
Once we reached 20 weeks of pregnancy, and searched out the gender as well as health of our new little one, it was determined to be - a girl! How delighted, albeit a bit confused, I was! I wanted a girl. I had asked for a girl. In my wisdom, it was the next right sibling for our family. Yet, I remembered that God had said it would be a boy, but there it was on the ultrasound screen in black and white! A girl... we announced, celebrated, bought girl bedding and clothing, even almost completely determined 'her' name.
After the first ultrasound, my nurse-midwife called to say that my placenta was low and that I was to be put on pelvic rest for 6 weeks until a second ultrasound could determine if my placenta was moving up sufficiently. Six weeks later, ready to know the outcome of the placental placement, I went alone to my follow-up ultrasound.
"He looks good!" the Tech said, reassuringly. Look, there is his head, here is your placenta, we will have to do some translateral views to be sure it's not covering the cervix... "What, a he??" I asked, as even I saw what was decidedly not 'girl parts' flash across the monitor. It was all there in black and white. A boy.
I must have asked her to show me at least six times. Sure enough, there HE was. It was not the sweet little Charlotte I had named and bought bedding for, Easter dresses and blankets for, it was a he. A son. My son.
"You sure are taking this well" the Tech said. I prided myself in that statement, only to find in the grocery store, later, myself almost in tears... my little girl. Lord, you told me it would be a boy... why did you let me think it would be a girl?? I asked, in discouragement.
God Keeps His Promises. This was Dylan's memory verse for Bible Study last week. He's said it over and over this week.
When I knew it was a boy, during the ultrasound, I heard my heart whisper,"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths." (Pro 3:5-6) What a life lesson.
I trusted what I saw, not what God had whispered to me in my sleep. I believed what was visible, rather than question it because of God's prior promises. I could have saved myself a lot of effort and striving if only I had listened to my heart when it whispered those little boy names, or looked at the boy bedding. But I didn't.
Now, I am facing a larger, more arduous decision making process, an opportunity in faith. My husband feels led to purchase a new home, to move. But where, Lord? Which house? How will we know? When can I find it? I have spent hours online looking at houses, focusing on what I can see and comprehend.
Now, I find myself looking back on another promise the Lord gave me 3 years ago, before we even moved into our current home. That He would give me a specific house, one I had asked for, was what I had whispered to my heart. I had long ago dismissed it, because I could not comprehend it. He would give me a home like that home, but not that house.
Now, I sit back and remember. Lean not on your own understanding. Take hold of it in faith and receive what the Lord has promised you, even if you do not yet posses it, like your eternal body, eternal life in the presence of God the Father. Health and joy, true salvation. Freedom and redemption, complete forgiveness. I have come to see that while I agree that God has made these possible, I have not yet grasped these, received them, in faith. I am completely irrevocably, forgiven. I need not be distracted, and yet I am. Lord, give me eyes to see you and ears to hear you and a heart that follows only after, You. I receive You, in faith.
Lord, thank you for this child in my womb. Thank you that he is all that You have made him to be before the beginning of Creation. May I too develop and grow, mature and be born into this new life, fully, this true life of forgiveness and joy. Thank You, Jesus, for loving a worldly wretch like me. Thank You for displaying your laws as great Grace, guidance for me, along with the ability to follow You, through the power of Your Holy Spirit. Where else could I run??
May all Your promises be found Faithful, as You are faithful. May I grow in faithfulness, too.
Amen.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Hands of A Child Kit Pack Sale
In the Hands of a Child Kit Pack Sale Announcement
January 12, 2009
Dear Valued Customers,
Due to the new CPSIA law In the Hands of a Child, for the time being, is discounting our Kit Pack inventory in order to lessen our possible loss in the event that an exemption is not granted.
While we are still praying for this situation to work out for all small businesses we feel that it is in our best interest to lessen our possible loss. And what better way than to pass the savings on to you, our wonderful customers, who are praying with us through this difficult situation!!
Please help us clear our shelves and enjoy a 35% savings on all Kit Packs!! Savings will be automatic! Spread the word and help us empty the shelves!!
This sale will continue until our Kit Pack inventory has been exhausted, so purchases will be on a first-come-first-served basis.
Once they are gone, they are gone!
In the event the law is modified, In the Hands of a Child reserves the right to bring back Kit Packs in the future at full price without any discount, implied or expressed, during this sale.
Cannot be combined with any other offer, special, discount, coupon or sale. Super Member discount DOES NOT apply to this sale.Tax and Shipping not included in calculating discount price. Not valid toward prior purchases. No rainchecks.
DO YOU HAVE A BLOG? YOU CAN RECEIVE A FREE KIT PACK!
Help us spread the word by posting the above notice on your blog. Then place an order for at least 1 Kit Pack, email us the link to your blog where the notice is posted along with your order number and your choice of Kit Pack and we’ll add it to your order. How easy is that?
**Please note customer is responsible for shipping costs for free Kit Pack, shipping will be combined with original order if email is received same day as order is placed notifying us of blog posting.
http://www.handsofachild.com/shop
January 12, 2009
Dear Valued Customers,
Due to the new CPSIA law In the Hands of a Child, for the time being, is discounting our Kit Pack inventory in order to lessen our possible loss in the event that an exemption is not granted.
While we are still praying for this situation to work out for all small businesses we feel that it is in our best interest to lessen our possible loss. And what better way than to pass the savings on to you, our wonderful customers, who are praying with us through this difficult situation!!
Please help us clear our shelves and enjoy a 35% savings on all Kit Packs!! Savings will be automatic! Spread the word and help us empty the shelves!!
This sale will continue until our Kit Pack inventory has been exhausted, so purchases will be on a first-come-first-served basis.
Once they are gone, they are gone!
In the event the law is modified, In the Hands of a Child reserves the right to bring back Kit Packs in the future at full price without any discount, implied or expressed, during this sale.
Cannot be combined with any other offer, special, discount, coupon or sale. Super Member discount DOES NOT apply to this sale.Tax and Shipping not included in calculating discount price. Not valid toward prior purchases. No rainchecks.
DO YOU HAVE A BLOG? YOU CAN RECEIVE A FREE KIT PACK!
Help us spread the word by posting the above notice on your blog. Then place an order for at least 1 Kit Pack, email us the link to your blog where the notice is posted along with your order number and your choice of Kit Pack and we’ll add it to your order. How easy is that?
**Please note customer is responsible for shipping costs for free Kit Pack, shipping will be combined with original order if email is received same day as order is placed notifying us of blog posting.
http://www.handsofachild.com/shop
Thursday, November 6, 2008
It's like Butta'
"Butter at the Ready"
1Pe 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
A recent prayer of my heart has been to learn how to witness for Christ in the very best way. I am learning so much about Him through studying His Word, learning that we are to share Him with everyone, that I desire to do this and do this well. But, how do I open up and just start talking about spiritual things in a physically focused world? I've tried several times and failed. I've kept my mouth shut and failed. I've prayed this in my heart for both those I am in contact with often and for those with whom I only have a single fleeting moment. Each one, each moment and person, orchestrated by God himself. There are no coincidences. All are divine appointments. So, how am I to handle what I know to be true about God?
This question was at the forefront of my heart and mind when my father came to visit us for the weekend. I had just pulled a steaming hot loaf of banana bread from the oven, a loaf I had made with him in mind. While I pulled out the dense loaf and set it on the cooling rack, my heart echoed this prayer, "How do I share you, Lord?" and the Lord brought something to mind, just for me, just for that time.
Knowing God, nothing is wasted, and it is eternally applicable to any believer's life, so I must share this little lesson that I myself so desperately needed to see. Let me give you a little background...
I have a wonderful homeschooling friend, and more importantly, sister in Christ, who encourages me to bake yummy homemade offerings for my children and husband at least weekly if not, I'm sure she would say, daily. She is an avid baker and does so with ease and enjoyment. I on the other hand, am just newly accustomed to baking things that come out of a box, let alone things that I have to make from flour that comes from a bag! :-)
Along with her baking routine, came another peculiar habit that I was even more unfamiliar with. She keeps her butter on her counter at all times. Now, living in Southeast Florida, I admit that when I first became aware of this practice, I found it rather odd and a little 'old-country' for my tastes, although I admit that I could see the usefulness of having butter on the ready for spreading when one baked as often as she did. I on the other hand, was not in the habit of baking. After all I reasoned, all things baked are far too fattening to be made with regularity, or so I (wrongly) thought at the time. I must admit that as I grew into the wonderfully enjoyable habit of baking with some modest regularity (bi-weekly), it became an obvious benefit to leave my butter out on the counter. Butter left out on the counter in its special container is soft and supple, ready to befit anything that might be enhanced by even the slightest smear of butter. "Butter at the ready", I now call it.
Well, as I was doing my Bible Study for the week and learning about Jesus and how he approached people speaking truth to them with all kindness and gentleness, my attention was drawn to my 'butter at the ready'. Inside its container, the butter was soft and warm, pliable and yielding, ready to be smeared on whatever it might be fit to grace. It was not cold or hard or uninviting, nor were it's corners and edges sharp, but soft and curved with the recent swipes of a butter knife. I pondered my container of butter displayed on my counter and felt a familiarity, it was a picture of my heart. Like this butter, my heart was now yielding, warmed by learning of my Creator's love for me and for even the whole world. No longer was my heart cold and hard, tucked away and not ready for immediate use, unfriendly and unyielding. Now, as it were, it was out, warm, and simply ready, available for use. Its very presence inviting and suggesting of enjoyment. Why? All because of the warmth of Jesus' love.
This scenario didn't come together until my father took a thick piece of freshly baked banana bread in his hand and rather than taking a bite, paused and asked me where my butter was. "Oh man," he said, "This is going to be good! Where's your butter??" "What?" I replied, "That's freshly baked banana bread dad, it's practically cake! You don't need any butter on that." Clearly I jokingly took it as an insult at the time, but quietly, warmly, the Lord whispered, "Give him what he's asked for...". All things come from God. Nothing is wasted or irrelevant. I handed my father a butter knife and pointed to the soft butter in the container on the counter. For the first time, I was wonderfully grateful to have it 'at the ready'. "Oh man, this is perfect!" my dad said, as he spread the soft butter all over his sweet, warm bread. It was already melting into the bread as he finally took his first big bite. He enjoyed his bread immensely. More than he would have without the butter. And as I watched I remembered that the Lord said, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." Jhn 6:35. Jesus is the bread of life. I am to keep my heart as the butter 'at the ready'.
Deu 8:3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Jhn 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus was always gracious in his dealings with people. He always spoke spiritual truths, parables, parallel stories and examples of our physical world that exemplified spiritual truth. Some understood, but many did not. But this didn't stop Jesus from speaking the truth in love. God is spirit. His truth is spiritually discerned, but Jesus, in His witness of who God is and how great His love is for us, persisted in speaking the truth to us, even when we couldn't understand it. But what made it palatable? What made it desirable, drawing us in to learn more of Him? His grace and God's love. It is by grace that we are saved. We love Him because He first loved us. It is the love of our Savior that melts our hearts. It is His love that makes the truth delicious, a delicacy to be adored in one's heart. There is nothing sweeter than pure truth, the Word of God. But those who do not yet know God, nor understand His word must be drawn to Him, with love.
1Jo 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
We are to love people with truth. God's Word is truth. Only God's Word can change the lives of men. Therefore, it is His Word that we must share. His Word is not only truth, but full of grace. My heart is melted by His grace and truth, by the presence of the Holy Spirit within me. It is my warmed heart, soft and malleable, that responds to His promptings to live out His truth, to give Him all glory and honor and praise. It is our testimony, how we manifest and express what is in our hearts, that butters the truth, God's Bread of Life. How we live our lives should make others hunger to know where our joy comes from. Our personal story of His goodness in our lives, of the warmth and sweetness of His presence and gentle guiding, makes the truth of His new life more palatable, more desirable, more delicious.
It is His love, the evidence of Him in our life, that we have to butter the Bread of Life as we offer it to others when they ask what it is that we have that is so delightful. "Here, may I offer you a piece of freshly baked bread? Would you like some butter with that?" It's delicious! :-) This should be our ready response. God is so good. We are to bring Him glory and share His goodness with others, in truth and love, just as Jesus did. There is no other source of genuine love or truth than God. God is love. He alone has love to give, true love. And He alone has truth to give. We are benefactors of knowing and melting in this love, of growing in this truth. It is our blessing to spread our thanksgiving and adoration upon God's truth as we share with others what He has done for us. It can't get more real, and it couldn't be more delicious. It's like butta'. My heart is butter for You, Lord. :-) Use me.
1Pe 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
Lord, thank you for using my life to teach me Your ways. May I appropriately share these little life lessons, that others may also learn and enjoy what You have shown me. May we all remember that You are the Bread of Life, Jesus, and recall that it is our gracious honor to be soft as butter for You, as we offer Your truth and grace to others that they might "taste and see that the Lord is good" - Psalm 34:8.
Jesus, may all glory and honor and power be yours, my Bread of Life. Amen.
1Pe 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
A recent prayer of my heart has been to learn how to witness for Christ in the very best way. I am learning so much about Him through studying His Word, learning that we are to share Him with everyone, that I desire to do this and do this well. But, how do I open up and just start talking about spiritual things in a physically focused world? I've tried several times and failed. I've kept my mouth shut and failed. I've prayed this in my heart for both those I am in contact with often and for those with whom I only have a single fleeting moment. Each one, each moment and person, orchestrated by God himself. There are no coincidences. All are divine appointments. So, how am I to handle what I know to be true about God?
This question was at the forefront of my heart and mind when my father came to visit us for the weekend. I had just pulled a steaming hot loaf of banana bread from the oven, a loaf I had made with him in mind. While I pulled out the dense loaf and set it on the cooling rack, my heart echoed this prayer, "How do I share you, Lord?" and the Lord brought something to mind, just for me, just for that time.
Knowing God, nothing is wasted, and it is eternally applicable to any believer's life, so I must share this little lesson that I myself so desperately needed to see. Let me give you a little background...
I have a wonderful homeschooling friend, and more importantly, sister in Christ, who encourages me to bake yummy homemade offerings for my children and husband at least weekly if not, I'm sure she would say, daily. She is an avid baker and does so with ease and enjoyment. I on the other hand, am just newly accustomed to baking things that come out of a box, let alone things that I have to make from flour that comes from a bag! :-)
Along with her baking routine, came another peculiar habit that I was even more unfamiliar with. She keeps her butter on her counter at all times. Now, living in Southeast Florida, I admit that when I first became aware of this practice, I found it rather odd and a little 'old-country' for my tastes, although I admit that I could see the usefulness of having butter on the ready for spreading when one baked as often as she did. I on the other hand, was not in the habit of baking. After all I reasoned, all things baked are far too fattening to be made with regularity, or so I (wrongly) thought at the time. I must admit that as I grew into the wonderfully enjoyable habit of baking with some modest regularity (bi-weekly), it became an obvious benefit to leave my butter out on the counter. Butter left out on the counter in its special container is soft and supple, ready to befit anything that might be enhanced by even the slightest smear of butter. "Butter at the ready", I now call it.
Well, as I was doing my Bible Study for the week and learning about Jesus and how he approached people speaking truth to them with all kindness and gentleness, my attention was drawn to my 'butter at the ready'. Inside its container, the butter was soft and warm, pliable and yielding, ready to be smeared on whatever it might be fit to grace. It was not cold or hard or uninviting, nor were it's corners and edges sharp, but soft and curved with the recent swipes of a butter knife. I pondered my container of butter displayed on my counter and felt a familiarity, it was a picture of my heart. Like this butter, my heart was now yielding, warmed by learning of my Creator's love for me and for even the whole world. No longer was my heart cold and hard, tucked away and not ready for immediate use, unfriendly and unyielding. Now, as it were, it was out, warm, and simply ready, available for use. Its very presence inviting and suggesting of enjoyment. Why? All because of the warmth of Jesus' love.
This scenario didn't come together until my father took a thick piece of freshly baked banana bread in his hand and rather than taking a bite, paused and asked me where my butter was. "Oh man," he said, "This is going to be good! Where's your butter??" "What?" I replied, "That's freshly baked banana bread dad, it's practically cake! You don't need any butter on that." Clearly I jokingly took it as an insult at the time, but quietly, warmly, the Lord whispered, "Give him what he's asked for...". All things come from God. Nothing is wasted or irrelevant. I handed my father a butter knife and pointed to the soft butter in the container on the counter. For the first time, I was wonderfully grateful to have it 'at the ready'. "Oh man, this is perfect!" my dad said, as he spread the soft butter all over his sweet, warm bread. It was already melting into the bread as he finally took his first big bite. He enjoyed his bread immensely. More than he would have without the butter. And as I watched I remembered that the Lord said, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." Jhn 6:35. Jesus is the bread of life. I am to keep my heart as the butter 'at the ready'.
Deu 8:3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Jhn 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
| So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. |
Jesus was always gracious in his dealings with people. He always spoke spiritual truths, parables, parallel stories and examples of our physical world that exemplified spiritual truth. Some understood, but many did not. But this didn't stop Jesus from speaking the truth in love. God is spirit. His truth is spiritually discerned, but Jesus, in His witness of who God is and how great His love is for us, persisted in speaking the truth to us, even when we couldn't understand it. But what made it palatable? What made it desirable, drawing us in to learn more of Him? His grace and God's love. It is by grace that we are saved. We love Him because He first loved us. It is the love of our Savior that melts our hearts. It is His love that makes the truth delicious, a delicacy to be adored in one's heart. There is nothing sweeter than pure truth, the Word of God. But those who do not yet know God, nor understand His word must be drawn to Him, with love.
1Jo 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
We are to love people with truth. God's Word is truth. Only God's Word can change the lives of men. Therefore, it is His Word that we must share. His Word is not only truth, but full of grace. My heart is melted by His grace and truth, by the presence of the Holy Spirit within me. It is my warmed heart, soft and malleable, that responds to His promptings to live out His truth, to give Him all glory and honor and praise. It is our testimony, how we manifest and express what is in our hearts, that butters the truth, God's Bread of Life. How we live our lives should make others hunger to know where our joy comes from. Our personal story of His goodness in our lives, of the warmth and sweetness of His presence and gentle guiding, makes the truth of His new life more palatable, more desirable, more delicious.
It is His love, the evidence of Him in our life, that we have to butter the Bread of Life as we offer it to others when they ask what it is that we have that is so delightful. "Here, may I offer you a piece of freshly baked bread? Would you like some butter with that?" It's delicious! :-) This should be our ready response. God is so good. We are to bring Him glory and share His goodness with others, in truth and love, just as Jesus did. There is no other source of genuine love or truth than God. God is love. He alone has love to give, true love. And He alone has truth to give. We are benefactors of knowing and melting in this love, of growing in this truth. It is our blessing to spread our thanksgiving and adoration upon God's truth as we share with others what He has done for us. It can't get more real, and it couldn't be more delicious. It's like butta'. My heart is butter for You, Lord. :-) Use me.
1Pe 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
Lord, thank you for using my life to teach me Your ways. May I appropriately share these little life lessons, that others may also learn and enjoy what You have shown me. May we all remember that You are the Bread of Life, Jesus, and recall that it is our gracious honor to be soft as butter for You, as we offer Your truth and grace to others that they might "taste and see that the Lord is good" - Psalm 34:8.
Jesus, may all glory and honor and power be yours, my Bread of Life. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)