I'm the mom! What does that mean on most days? I'm the teacher, the nurse, the head cook, house administrator, etc. etc. What does that look like on most days? I'm the one that brings "reality" back to this "house of fun". I'm the one that says, "Write your spelling words; take this medicine; peal the potatoes; vacuum the hall" and so on. That is not to say that Matt is not ultimately in charge. He is a wonderful leader. I am just the COO getting it done, if you will, while he is away. That is also not to say that my kids do not work with joyful hearts. Some days it is a challenge, but overall we all serve together. What I am trying to share is that being the mom in a family is not just about kisses and hugs. Yes, those are needed and abundantly handed out. However, being "the mom", especially when children are young, usually equals requiring children to do things that do not seem fun or fair. Yep, sometimes being "the mom" makes you the "meanie". Hebrews 12:11 says, "All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to
those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of
righteousness." The word discipline does not always mean chastisement or punishment. Instead, it often means to instruct, educate, disciple, prepare and exercise. Proverbs 3:12 says, "For whom the LORD loves He reproves (corrects, disciplines), Even as a father corrects the son in whom
he delights." We don't often think of love as discipline, yet the Bible clearly tells us that if we love, we will be the trainers of our children. Love Suffers Long...
Grace has a planter's wart. We discovered it in September and treated it with an over the counter freeze formula. After a month, we realized that this had not taken care of the problem; so we saw our doctor who administered a "freezing procedure" in office. Unfortunately, this did not cure the problem. In fact, 2 additional warts have come to the surface. Now, 2-3 times a day, we are soaking her foot, scrapping it and applying a medicine that is basically a chemical burn. As you can imagine, this is a weary process for all involved. I truly hate watching Grace have to go through this; however, I love her too much to ignore the problem. I tell her this all the time. "Grace I love you and I don't want you to have a worse problem in the future." During a treatment the other day, she told me, "Mom, love hurts!" Yes, yes it does baby! However, thankfully, Isaiah 40:29-31 promises us that, "He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Love Suffers Long....
Matt's mother has Alzheimer's. Several years ago, when we first began discussing the topic as a family, Matt's father told us about a story he had read. In the story, a man's wife was in a nursing home to receive care for her disease. The husband faithfully visited her everyday. One day someone asked him, "Why do you come every day? She doesn't know you or even remember that you came." The man responded by saying, "Yes, but I know and remember her. I know who she is to me." God knows who we are to Him. He is faithful! "But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.'" (Isaiah 43:1) "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23) Love Suffers Long...
Justin Buzzard, the author of Date Your Wife and a the new book Why Cities Matter, was a guest speaker at a fellowship we attended in Dubai last Friday. He gave an amazing message on the last chapter of Jonah. I honestly have to say that I had never taken note that only 2 books in the Bible ended with a question: Lamentations and Jonah. Both of them question love. Buzzard challenged us with a question of his own at the end of the meeting: "How much larger would your life be if your self could become smaller in it?" In John 3:30 John the Baptist is quoted as saying "He must increase, but I must decrease." John was trying to teach his disciples that "our life/our ministry" is not what is important. Christ is all that matters. In our lives, how many things do we choose to do that we realize will not "give us any credit"; we know we will receive no recognition; there is no "glory" attached; it will likely cost us something personally; it will bring about hardship and pain; we will never be thanked, etc.? Not many, if any I would guess! Yet, this is Christ's example to us. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails...." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a Love Suffers Long... AT
Grace has a planter's wart. We discovered it in September and treated it with an over the counter freeze formula. After a month, we realized that this had not taken care of the problem; so we saw our doctor who administered a "freezing procedure" in office. Unfortunately, this did not cure the problem. In fact, 2 additional warts have come to the surface. Now, 2-3 times a day, we are soaking her foot, scrapping it and applying a medicine that is basically a chemical burn. As you can imagine, this is a weary process for all involved. I truly hate watching Grace have to go through this; however, I love her too much to ignore the problem. I tell her this all the time. "Grace I love you and I don't want you to have a worse problem in the future." During a treatment the other day, she told me, "Mom, love hurts!" Yes, yes it does baby! However, thankfully, Isaiah 40:29-31 promises us that, "He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Love Suffers Long....
Matt's mother has Alzheimer's. Several years ago, when we first began discussing the topic as a family, Matt's father told us about a story he had read. In the story, a man's wife was in a nursing home to receive care for her disease. The husband faithfully visited her everyday. One day someone asked him, "Why do you come every day? She doesn't know you or even remember that you came." The man responded by saying, "Yes, but I know and remember her. I know who she is to me." God knows who we are to Him. He is faithful! "But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.'" (Isaiah 43:1) "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23) Love Suffers Long...
Justin Buzzard, the author of Date Your Wife and a the new book Why Cities Matter, was a guest speaker at a fellowship we attended in Dubai last Friday. He gave an amazing message on the last chapter of Jonah. I honestly have to say that I had never taken note that only 2 books in the Bible ended with a question: Lamentations and Jonah. Both of them question love. Buzzard challenged us with a question of his own at the end of the meeting: "How much larger would your life be if your self could become smaller in it?" In John 3:30 John the Baptist is quoted as saying "He must increase, but I must decrease." John was trying to teach his disciples that "our life/our ministry" is not what is important. Christ is all that matters. In our lives, how many things do we choose to do that we realize will not "give us any credit"; we know we will receive no recognition; there is no "glory" attached; it will likely cost us something personally; it will bring about hardship and pain; we will never be thanked, etc.? Not many, if any I would guess! Yet, this is Christ's example to us. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails...." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a Love Suffers Long... AT
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