“In a sense we are all, in some ways, outcasts until we meet the Lord.  We are thirsty for people to love and accept us.  We drink from many wells to try to satisfy our longings, but eventually, we tire of always having to draw water to get our needs met.  Each of us asks,

Isn’t there someone who will give me water without manipulating me or requiring me to jump through hoops for it?  Isn’t there someone who will love me just for who I am?

Then Jesus appears at high noon.”

– Cynthia Heald, “A Woman’s Journey to the Heart of God” (as quoted in “Praying God’s Word” by Beth Moore)

Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach.  The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having studied?”

Jesus answered,

“My teaching is not my own.  It comes from him who sent me.  If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.  He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.  Has not Moses given you the law?  Yet not one of you keeps the law.  Why are you trying to kill me?”

“You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”

Jesus said to them,

“I did one miracle, and you are all astonished.  Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a child on the Sabbath.  Now if a child can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing the whole man on the Sabbath?  Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.”

– John 7:14-24

Oh my.

You wouldn’t believe what a hard worker my man is!  He’s been outside most of the day fixing some holes in the yard.  I’m so grateful for him.  He definitely complements my weaknesses with his strengths. 

The boys are so taken with Daddy.  We’re excited to celebrate him tomorrow.  Actually, we like to take celebrations maybe a little too far and this has been a Father’s Day Weekend.  Last night we got to swim in a pool of a dear friend of his.  The boys love the water, having Daddy toss them in the air and land either in water (big boy) or my arms (little boy). 

Today?  The only thing he wanted (well, besides to fix the lawn) was Chik-Fil-A for lunch.  Nothing too fancy for him!  But we enjoyed a picnic on the porch. 

Tonight we will celebrate a friend’s birthday as a family.  And tomorrow I’ll cook him up something he loves.  It’s my pleasure to serve him (especially on this kind of weekend) one of his love languages: food!

My heart is tender toward he and my father today.  One of the reasons I love things like Facebook is it connects me with other people and their stories.  I love looking through people’s pictures and stories honoring their fathers.   My Dad is no exception.  I’m grateful for all he has done and does do for us.  One of my favorite memories of us is when I was learning to run long distances in high school.  He would hop on his bike and ride alongside me (very slowly for him, which I’m sure was frustrating!) and time my miles with a stop watch.  We all show love in different ways.  He was always my biggest fan in sports.

Well, little one’s nap is running long and big one just finished making a video of himself with our camera, talking about some Lego creations he’s made.  Fun idea (not mine).  But we’re gonna either play a game here or something.  But before I do that, I wanted to make sure and write something down…

I’ve heard and seen a lot today something along these lines:  Everything is not about me.  I struggle with this.  Like the guy on the radio goes, “Isn’t it great that you can hear a song and it speaks to you just like it speaks to me, too?”  Or on Facebook: “I know this lovely breeze wasn’t just for me, but it feels like a gift.”

I wanted to take that as a Divine Hint.  To not post things on here as if the whole world revolves around me.  I hope that when the lyrics of a song are posted on here, you enjoy the words, too.  I hope when I share my stories and struggles, you think of your own.  I hope when God seems to be reaching down and giving me a big hug in the middle of my day, your eyes are open to how He breaks through your routine to be demonstrative with His love to you, too. 

If I hurt you somehow, please, please talk to me.  Email me or post a comment.  Or if I know you in real life (hi! love you!) pull me aside.  I can be a mess, I know.  But I’m usually willing to talk things out if you’ll give me the chance.  It is not likely I will only share things on here that are squeaky clean and smiley, though.  But do you know why? 

Because there is a world dying out there.  And they may see our hope, but they also need some sort of foothold for them to relate to us.  Somehow.  They have to know we’re not perfect.  That the lifestyle we preach is not out of their reach…but precisely that the Savior is within their reach. 

I will try to continue to share in a way that glorifies Him and not my plans.  His strength, not just my weaknesses. 

Thank You, Jesus, for the tremendous relief that it’s about You. 

It’s too big of a load any other way.

(No time to edit…we’re about to paint!!)

On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching.  Who can accept it?”

Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them,

“Does this offend you?  What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before!  The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing.  The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.  Yet there are some of you who do not believe.”

For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.  He went on to say,

“This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.”

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

“You do not want to leave too, do you?”  Jesus asked the Twelve.

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Then Jesus replied,

“Have I not chosen you, the Twelve?  Yet one of you is a devil!”

(He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

After this, Jesus went around Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life.  But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to him, “You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do.  No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret.  Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.”  For even his own brothers did not believe him.

Therefore, Jesus told them,

“The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right.  The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.  You go to the Feast.  I am not yet going up to the Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come.”

Having said this, he stayed in Galilee.

However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.  Now at the Feast the Jews were watching for him and asking, “Where is that man?”

Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him.  Some said, “He is a good man.”

Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.  But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews.”

John 6:60 – 7:13

Toddlers really are great.

I learn so much about myself watching and helping with them.

I read somewhere that their job is to figure out their boundaries.  They really need to know what those boundaries are, then know what (limited) freedom and choices they have within those boundaries.

I read a James Dobson book that compared kids’ need for boundaries with a nighttime security guard.  The guard walks through the closed building.  And, yes, he tries to open the doors.  But not because he wants them to open for him…but precisely because he doesn’t.

Yes, toddlers push the limits all the time.  Not (always) because they want to go beyond the limit, but mostly because they don’t.

Limits and boundaries make them feel safe.  They know where they stand and that someone is watching out for them.

Boundaries are good.

My man is good to me.  We had a chat about how if helping with Kids’ Kamp does not assist in my first priority to our family, then maybe it’s not the best match of gifting with service.  Wise words.

I would hate for anyone whose kids I helped with at Kamp to randomly read this and think I didn’t enjoy loving on their child for these 4 days.  Because that’s not my true heart.  He is so good and so kind.  His love in me is bigger than my sin.  And dying to myself and loving littles is a wonderful exercise in becoming more like Him.

I’d also hate for anyone who doesn’t know my true heart to think I don’t adore my family.  Some days are harder than others, but they are my heart.  My first priority.  I’m willing to give up anything I need (that God allows) to love them better and never regret these young years.  If I don’t get this right, anything else I would do is worthless. 

I’m glad it is He Who lives in me.  On my own, oh my word.  But because of Him, the Most High God, living inside of me, I have hope.

I hope you’re having a good day, too!

Good Morning!

I love how a little sleep can improve our perspective.

“Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’

Jesus answered,

‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’

So they asked him, ‘What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you?  What will you do?  Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written : ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’

Jesus said to them,

“I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.  For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives light to the world.’

‘Sir,’ they said, ‘from now on give us this bread.’

Then Jesus declared,

‘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…’

John 6:28-35 (emphasis mine)

I’ve thought about this post a lot recently.  So many ditches to avoid steering ourselves into, aren’t there?

Jesus, keep us focused on You, not ourselves or any good works we could do together.  You are the Bread of Life.  We join You.  It is about You. 

Oh, thank the good goodness!

I’m at the point today where if I’m not honest, I feel like I’m gonna explode.

Please don’t get me wrong.  Everything I said about helping with toddlers at Kids’ Kamp is true.  It is a joy.

But I’m really tired.

I do well until we get in the car to go home from KK, and I find myself (literally) covering my ears at the whining.  My brain physically hurts.  I feel like I can’t deal with one more need until I have just a few minutes of quiet. 

I wish that wasn’t true.  I wish I had an unlimited reservoir of patience with all kids. 

But I don’t.

I have to ask God, often under my breath (but definitely out loud), to be patience and love and kindness in me.  To hang on to me until I can catch my breath soon with a little alone time.  He always hangs on, but sometimes my sin wins out and I get snippy.

Does that ever happen to you?

If it’s all the same to you, here’s my prayer tonight:

Jesus, thank You for the gifts You’ve given me. 

I thank You for them even though they probably don’t include opening a daycare anytime soon. 

Thank You that so many people in my life do have gifts with little ones and regularly bless my family with those gifts.

Please, in turn, help me to bless them with the gifts You’ve given me.

We all need You and we all need each other. 

Thank You that Your grace is absolutely sufficient and that Your power shows up best in weak people.

I love you.

Amen.

You stood before creation

 Eternity within Your hand

 You spoke the earth into motion

 My soul now to stand

 You stood before my failure

 Carried the Cross for my shame

 My sin weighed upon Your shoulders

 My soul now to stand

 So what can I say?

What can I do?

 But offer this heart O God

 Completely to You?

So I’ll walk upon salvation

 Your Spirit alive in me

 This life to declare Your promise

 My soul now to stand

So I’ll stand

With arms high and heart abandoned

 In awe of the One who gave it all!

 So I’ll stand

 My soul Lord to You surrendered

 All I am is Yours!

Kristian Stanfield, “Stand” via www.azlyrics.com

When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. 

By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them.  A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough.

When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified.

But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 

Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. 

John 6:16-21

That was some boat ride.

Well, we’ve had breakfast, watered some flowers before it gets too hot, and Caleb looked at a Lego magazine.  (Big boy is still sleeping!  I guess Kids’ Kamp and T-ball does that to a kid!)

This song was just playing:


Jesus, Friend of Sinners

We have strayed so far away

We cut down people in Your Name

But the sword was never ours to swing

Jesus, Friend of Sinners

The truth’s become so hard to see

The world is on their way to You

But they’re tripping over me

Always looking around but never looking up

I’m so double minded

A plank eyed saint with dirty hands

And a heart divided

Oh Jesus, Friend of Sinners

Open our eyes to world

At the end of our pointing fingers

Let our hearts be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts

And open doors

Oh Jesus,  Friend of Sinners

Break our hearts for what breaks Yours

Jesus,  Friend of Sinners

The One Who’s writing in the sand

Make the righteous turn away

And the stones fall from their hands

Help us to remember

We are all the Least of These

Let the memory of Your mercy

Bring Your people to their knees

Nobody knows what we’re for only what we’re against

When we judge the wounded

What if we put down our signs crossed

Over the lines and loved like You did?

You love every Lost Cause

You reach for the Outcast

For the  Leper and the Lame

They’re the reason that You came

Lord, I was that Lost Cause and I was the Outcast

But you died for sinners just like me

A grateful leper at Your feet

‘Cause You are good, You are good

And Your love endures forever!

You are good, You are good

And Your love endures forever!

And I was the Lost Cause

And I was the Outcast, yeah

You died for sinners just like me

A grateful leper at Your feet

Casting Crowns, “Jesus Friend of Sinners” via www.elyrics.net