Most mornings start the same way at my house. One of the girls jars me out of my sleep, I scowl at the clock, and then I wonder how long I can ignore my children before the 3-yr-old wants breakfast or the 18-month-old's sweet jibber-jabber turns into, "GET ME OUT OF THIS CRIB, WOMAN!" screams. Sometimes I can get away with lying lifeless in bed for as long as 10 minutes. So I use that time like most of you would - to feel the full weight of my bad mood. I soak in my grumpiness until my attitude hits rock bottom. I know I am fully marinated when I think to myself, "I do not want ANY PART OF THIS DAY!" Ding - I'm ready!
Ready for what, you ask?
Ready to bring my selfish outlook to the Lord. By this point, I usually have about 2 more minutes left before I HAVE to get up and go be the best mom ever for 14 hours straight (no pressure, right?). I know I can't do that while in such a stellar frame of mind, so I do the only thing I can do and tell God that truth. My confession usually goes something like this, "Lord, I do not have the energy to do today. I am sleepy and grumpy and 'servant-hearted' is the last phrase anyone would use to describe me right now. I cannot do this. If I am going to reflect you in any kind of way today, You are going to have to make it happen."
And you know what happens? I get out of my warm bed and stumble across the hall to my baby. And she never fails to greet me with a sweet smile, arms extended toward me, and, "Hi! Hold you!" And before I can even pick her up, 90% of my crap mood has faded. Don't get me wrong, I could go back to bed and not think twice about it. But that's not an option. So I take her downstairs, where her older sister is consumed with cartoons, and we begin our day together. And by the time I finish a cup of coffee, I am generally free of pessimistic thoughts.
I believe the only reason I can come to a place of enjoying my stay-at-home-mom routine, with all of its drudgery, is not because I have amazingly sweet, bright, and cute children (which I do, by the way), and not because I consume an average of 3 caffeinated beverages a day (which I do, by the way), and not because I have a wonderful husband who provides for us AND helps me with the domestic duties when he is home (which I do, by the way), and not because I sneak M&Ms all day while my children aren't looking (which I do...sigh). I know me too well, and ALL those great things combined are not enough to tame the twin lions of pessimism and selfishness within me.
No, I believe the ONLY reason a glass-half-empty kind of woman like myself can ever have a day where she brings the Lord honor in at least a few of her words and actions is because she ASKS HIM TO DO IT (Philippians 4:6; Hebrews 4:15-16).
Last year I studied Angela Thomas' A Beautiful Offering, and the main idea is we are broken people who are UNABLE to do good things for the Lord in our own strength. When we come before Him, acknowledging our downfalls, and offer ourselves JUST AS WE ARE to Him, He LOVES to swoop in and do grand things through us (See Romans 7:18-25). It is in this manner that He displays His power and love for all to see.
Even in the life of a stay-at-home mom.
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
2.16.2011
10.15.2009
Lexi's First Prayer
Lexi was sitting at the table, and before I got her down, she said, "Let me pray first. Dear God, please help Mommy to be a good girl. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen." Then she flashed me an aren't-you-so-proud-of-me? smile.
I wasn't sure if I should be ecstatic to hear my child talking to God or if I should feel convicted that even my two-year-old can tell I need Jesus in my life. Now I realize that both things are good things. A "perfect" mother is the mother who models for her children that she is totally dependent upon God to help her successfully navigate the challenges that each day brings. And I can't fully model that to my girls without letting them see me sin, confess my sin, and ask forgiveness in front of their little eyes. They have to see the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of me, and how I rectify the bad and the ugly if I want them to learn to depend on Christ, too.
I wanted to get to the real meaning behind Lexi's prayer. Did she think I had done something bad that day? Had I hurt her in some way? Was I a complete and utter failure in her eyes? So I asked Lexi, "Have I been a good girl today?" "Yup!" was her response. She had meant nothing by the prayer! She just wanted to show off that she COULD pray because she knew it would illicit praise from me. Two-year-old's are MASTER manipulators.
I wasn't sure if I should be ecstatic to hear my child talking to God or if I should feel convicted that even my two-year-old can tell I need Jesus in my life. Now I realize that both things are good things. A "perfect" mother is the mother who models for her children that she is totally dependent upon God to help her successfully navigate the challenges that each day brings. And I can't fully model that to my girls without letting them see me sin, confess my sin, and ask forgiveness in front of their little eyes. They have to see the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of me, and how I rectify the bad and the ugly if I want them to learn to depend on Christ, too.
I wanted to get to the real meaning behind Lexi's prayer. Did she think I had done something bad that day? Had I hurt her in some way? Was I a complete and utter failure in her eyes? So I asked Lexi, "Have I been a good girl today?" "Yup!" was her response. She had meant nothing by the prayer! She just wanted to show off that she COULD pray because she knew it would illicit praise from me. Two-year-old's are MASTER manipulators.
7.14.2009
38 Weeks
If you count today, I have 12 days until Allie is due. I think Lexi really understands there is a live baby in there, and that baby is going to come out (which shows she has more of a grip on reality than I do, at times). For Lexi's first birthday, my friend, Heather, made a photo book of Lexi's first year. Lexi LOVES looking at this book, and it has really helped her understand that she used to be in my belly, and then she came out to play and grow.
For the past couple of weeks, Lexi and I have been discussing my belly (and the baby within). I ask her everyday, "Do you think Allie is going to come out today?" My little eternal optimist always says yes. The other day our conversation went like this:
For the past couple of weeks, Lexi and I have been discussing my belly (and the baby within). I ask her everyday, "Do you think Allie is going to come out today?" My little eternal optimist always says yes. The other day our conversation went like this:
Me: Do you think Allie is going to come out today?
Lexi: Yes - I get her out for you.
Me: How are you going to do that?
Lexi: Like this! (She begins pulling on my protruding belly button and grunting as if she were rearranging furniture)
Me: I don't think that's going to work.
Lexi: Oh...You get Allie out.
Me: I can't - God decides when the baby is going to come out.
Lexi: (Wheels turning)
Me: We can ask God to make Allie come out.
Lexi: Where Dod?
Me: He's in Heaven, but we can talk to him - that's what we do when we pray.
Lexi: (Looks straight up at the ceiling, cups hands around her mouth) DOD! DOD! DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!
Me: What do you want to say to God?
Lexi: Make baby Allie come out!
11.05.2008
Paul's Political Message
I know a lot of Christians who are afraid of what may come in the next 4 years. They are afraid that Biblical morality will continue to disintegrate in this country. They are afraid that their religious freedoms will continue to be threatened, and maybe even expunged. While I think it is essential that we continue to protest the abandonment of God in America, I also think we need to remember a few truths.
Here's what Paul says:
And God is trustworthy.
We don't have to understand why God is choosing to use Obama to bring us 4-8 years closer to Christ's return; we just have to accept and respect that He is. We can then choose to either rest in Him or worry futilely.
I think it is also important for Christians to keep in mind that just because God is giving the most liberal senator He could find authority over the country, that doesn't mean Obama has a free pass to promote anti-Biblical agendas (of which he has a few). Hebrews 13:17 says, "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account." God will hold Obama personally responsible for every piece of legislation he signs.
Only the Lord and Barack know if he truly loves Jesus Christ. If he does, we can support our future president by praying for the Holy Spirit to guide him in his decision making and to raise red flags in his mind when he is in danger of using his authority for evil instead of good. If Barack doesn't have a personal relationship with Jesus, then he is in even more desperate need of our prayers for his salvation. There is infinitely more power in prayers like these than in worrying about the demise of the country.
Here's what Paul says:
Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Romans 13:1 (NASB)Note the complexity of that last sentence. Paul is making two points:
1) God is the source of all authority; it is all His.This verse tells me that God controls who gets to control us as a nation. We need to be perfectly clear that President Barack Obama is an authority that has been established by God. As much as we like to pride ourselves on our democratic process, when it comes down to it, God picks our leaders for His purposes (which go far beyond off-shore drilling and health care reform).
2) If anyone is in a position of authority, he is there because God put him there.
And God is trustworthy.
We don't have to understand why God is choosing to use Obama to bring us 4-8 years closer to Christ's return; we just have to accept and respect that He is. We can then choose to either rest in Him or worry futilely.
I think it is also important for Christians to keep in mind that just because God is giving the most liberal senator He could find authority over the country, that doesn't mean Obama has a free pass to promote anti-Biblical agendas (of which he has a few). Hebrews 13:17 says, "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account." God will hold Obama personally responsible for every piece of legislation he signs.
Only the Lord and Barack know if he truly loves Jesus Christ. If he does, we can support our future president by praying for the Holy Spirit to guide him in his decision making and to raise red flags in his mind when he is in danger of using his authority for evil instead of good. If Barack doesn't have a personal relationship with Jesus, then he is in even more desperate need of our prayers for his salvation. There is infinitely more power in prayers like these than in worrying about the demise of the country.
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