Stand

Have you ever tried to do something apart from God and His will? I have. Either I get antsy and run ahead of God or I get fearful and take matters into my own hands.

Just as God promised Abram that he would be the father of nations, God promised me that my children would be all right. I wasn't to worry about them.

God came to Abram and spoke. "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly." Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father to many nations (Gen. 17:1-4)."

God speaks to us through His word. One morning, before school ended last spring, God revealed this verse to me during my time in His Word: "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth (John 17:15-17)."

I heard that my children should not be taken out of the world, but that God would continue to protect them from the evil one. I should have started praying that God would sanctify my children by His truth. I should have started covering them in His Word.

Instead, like Abram, I took matters into my own hands. I figured I could protect them by bringing them home for school. Like Abram, I found that my plan wasn't better than God's plan for my children.

I have faced failure this past quarter of the school year. I have faced a pouting, whiny face every morning. I have faced the fact that I am not equipped to teach my seventh grader. The math he's doing is the math I failed at doing when I was in school. And I still don't get it. I have battled within myself as I've considered if my protection is preventing them from dealing with issues they will face into adulthood. And I've remembered God's promise to me through a prophet so many years ago, when my oldest was only a toddler: "Don't worry about your children. They will be fine."

In my desire to bootstrap, to stubbornly do it my way, I've avoided that Holy Ground. And I've lived frustrated in every minute of it. When I release my will and my need to be in control, I walk that holy ground, and I live free in the abundance of life Jesus promises His children.

Humbly, I am turning my children's protection back over to God. I will let Him do His job and I will fulfill my responsibility to trust Him with everything He owns, especially my children. They will return to a school building, where teachers will teach them math, history, language arts, and science. And I will provide that safe, secure place for them to come home to where they will be loved unconditionally, taught the Word of the Lord, and directed down the path God will take them as they journey through this thing called Life.

To purchase a copy of Mary DeMuth's latest release, Everything, please visit one of the following retailers:
amazon
Parable
Barnes and Noble

Cultivate Your Garden

I recently returned from a women's conference, where the theme was "Walking in the Garden in the Cool of the Day."

One thing I considered is what my garden looks like. I'd never thought of a garden as my place to get alone with God to pray. I'd always imagined going to a quiet place of solitude, like a closet (or a shower).

Another think I've been considering since returning is Isaiah 61:11. It jumped off the page when I read it the other night.

The garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth. When I am in my garden, praying, spending time with Jesus, I am sowing life with my prayers. I am rooting out all those pesky weeds of life and making room for new life to grow. I am planting those things I dream of, those things I know I'm called to do in life, those things I want to see in my husband's or my children's lives. God will cause His righteousness to spring forth in those things in the right season. And I will sing His praises to the nations.

What do you see in this verse? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments.

My Way for a Day

Some days I find myself bemoaning my to-do list, wishing I could shred it into a thousand pieces and watch it fall into the trash like fairy dust. Fairy dust that gives me the right to do as I please for one day. To have things my way. To have my husband and children serve me. To have the house to myself. To be left alone. Because sometimes being a wife and a mom is just plain exhausting.

Artwork Copyright Karla Dornacher

Alas, this is not the life I have chosen. Nor will it ever be. When I face those days, I must turn to the following verses:

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

Psalm 51:10-12

Lord, remove my will and replace it with Yours. May I love my husband and children the way that You do; may I see them with Your eyes. May I love them with Your heart.

Renew my strength to endure, Lord. Give me a fresh breath of life. Blow Your Spirit deep into my own. May I stand firm in my confession of Your goodness and mercy. Let me not grow weary in doing good.

Lord, draw me near to You. Hold me in Your embrace. Hide me under the shadow of Your mighty wing. Don't allow me to stray from Your path. Help me to hear Your still small voice amidst the winds, the fires, and the earthquakes of life.

Restore the joy of Your salvation. Let me never forget the moment I came to know my First Love. Let Your Word jump off the page at me just as it did in that first moment of purity in my life as a new woman. Blot out the world in my life and purify my heart. Bring Your refreshing. Uphold me in the generosity of Your Love. Fill my heart and mind with the joy of knowing You.

Tell me, dear reader, what words you would use to pray this verse in your life. How do you handle those days when you wish  you could have it all your way and not have to do anything for another, out of desire or desperation?

Please Note: For the next few months, as I post these devotion-type encouragements on Mondays, I will be featuring artwork and photographs and such that I've discovered around the web. I pray you find these inspiring, as well. I will link to the website of the artist/photographer/etc. underneath the photo. Watch below the posts for more information, such as where to purchase the designs if you wish. For example:

Today's artwork is by Karla Dornacher. She has a shop over at Etsy, where she sells copies of this print. While visiting, check out her other designs. They're so precious!
 



 

Mom Speak

Photo Courtesy of David Castillo Dominici

I spent hours scrubbing fingerprints off the ivory-colored walls of our rental home. I did hundreds of toe touches while picking Legos, Barbie shoes, Matchbox cars, and orange cushioning foam off the living room and bedroom floors. My hands pruned from the dishwater, and my back ached from moving heavy bins from one room to another as I packed for another move.

I was tired from a day's work. So when my daughter headed for her clean bedroom with a bowl of chips and a cup of juice, I found myself saying for the hundredth time this week, "You cannot eat outside of the kitchen. Food and drinks aren't allowed in your bedroom."

It dawned on me. Am I the only one saying these words each day? Each hour? Each minute? It's always nice to know I'm not alone in this life. How many of you can relate to repeating the following until you're blue in the face, winded, or you've discovered a hole in your child's head that runs from one ear to the other?

Here are some "Mom Speak" phrases I find myself saying too frequently:

"If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
"Stop yelling at each other over the video game. It's supposed to fun, not war."
"Our floor is not the trash can."
"If you don't bring your clothes to the laundry, how do you expect to have clean jeans?"
"Two wrongs don't make it right."
"Stop banging on the...(fill in the blank)."
"This isn't the playground!"
"I'm not your maid. I'm your mom."
"You don't need to eat the entire bag of chips in one sitting. If you do, you won't have any in your lunch for the rest of the week."
"Quit yelling. He's sitting right next to you."
"Quiet down. I've got a headache."
"If you don't start taking care of your toys, you won't be getting any more."

Any parenting expert will tell you consistency is key. If you're going to threaten something, make sure you can follow through with it. Set boundaries and discuss the consequences of disobedience.

Do any of you feel like you've done all you've been told to do, yet you still find week-old apple cores rotting in the corners of the boys' bedrooms? Your kids still fight over who's killing who in the video game before they have a chance to re-spawn? Are you tired of repeating yourself a hundred times a day?

Me, too. I just want you to know you're not alone in this world of mothering.

I'm considering buying one of those recordable megaphones the kids play with and putting those things I repeat on it. At least I'll get a laugh from them out of it. Or maybe I'll use that voice recorder app on my phone...

I can just hear God now. "How many times do I have to tell them...? What do they need? Fire and brimstone to get My point?"

When I think of how often I repeat myself each day, I can't help but consider how many times God has to tell me, an adult, His plan and purpose for my minute, hour, or day before I "get it." Am I truly listening to Him, or do I let His word for my day slide in one ear and out the other? Do I, like my children, get so busy with what I'm doing that I forget what He's called me to for the day?

What do you think? I'd love for you to share your thoughts in the comments. Thanks for reading!

The Little Mommy That Could

I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

That little engine from my favorite childhood storybook had an important load to carry over the mountain. And it was a big mountain.

But the size of it didn't stop her. With the encouragement of the toys on board, the little blue engine chugged happily over the mountain, successfully delivering the load of toys and food to the boys and girls who waited on the other side.

My life feels a bit like that right now. I have the important load of managing my home and caring for my children, and some days I feel like I'm carrying that load alone.

But I'm not.

I've got Jesus on my side. And I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Here's a glimpse of life right now:

This morning, I awoke to the alarm. I thought I'd snooze another ten minutes, but my bladder had other ideas. So I rose out of my warm, snuggly bed and sauntered into the bathroom. After my morning routine of showering and getting ready for school, I went to wake my four sleeping children.

Only two were already stirring. My daughter sat at my desk, awaiting my instruction to get dressed, as she usually does. My oldest son lay half asleep on the couch.

The scent of fresh-brewed coffee drifted into the room, and my morning senses came to life. So did the urgency to get out the door. I had to substitute, and I wanted to be there at least fifteen minutes early to read over the lesson plans for the day and acquaint myself with the classroom I'd be in.

But my children had other plans for my morning. One couldn't find his sweatshirt, so he went to school in 30 degree weather in a t-shirt. Because he didn't want to wear his winter coat. And his long-sleeved shirts were becoming too short in the sleeve, so when he held his arms up in front of him, his sleeves pulled up above his wrists. So he would rather freeze.

And my oldest decided he needed to shower at ten minutes to seven. "You know I take a quick shower, Mom." Which he usually does. But this morning "quick" dragged out an extra ten minutes. So when I wanted to be at the school, he was pulling on his jeans. For thirty seconds, I considered leaving him behind, but that wouldn't prove my point. He never wants to go to school in the first place. It would only be cause for him to celebrate if I walked out and made it to school on time, without him. So I prodded. And he moved like a cow on its way to the slaughterhouse. Dragging his feet.

I walked into the classroom not two minutes before my class. Not how I like to start my day. I've discovered something. Substitute teaching is like babysitting. You are a substitute for the real thing, teacher or parent. And kids don't do well with a disruption to routine. And they like to "help." Only they usually are "helping" to their own benefit, not to aid the sub. Because they're kids. I still love it. Because I understand where they're at. I might be in my 30's, but I haven't forgotten what it was like to be 13 or 9 or even 7. But that's about as far back as my memory of childhood goes. And I hope to impact them in positive ways, encouraging them to do their absolute best. Encouraging them to remember that they are each special and unique. They have talents and dreams to pursue. And I want to help them discover those things through providing their education when their teacher can't be there.

It was a rough day. I had a lot of "help."

So I looked forward to the afternoon and some peace and quiet at home.

I didn't get it, though. My kids were arguing when they left the house this morning. And they were arguing the moment we stepped foot inside the house this afternoon. And they didn't stop.

Middle son slammed dear daughter into my air bed because she stepped backward onto his Lego structure as she tried to get away from her younger brother's punching motions that were aimed in her direction. While I'm on the phone with their father.

I had to hang up and deal with the situation. And it didn't stop there.

Middle son has decided he doesn't like being a part of our family, because he's different. He wants to play outside while everyone else wants to play inside. He wants to run around while everyone else wants to play video games. He wants to hang out while everyone else is in their own world. So he's now the oddball. He doesn't feel like one of us anymore. He feels "lost."

So he antagonizes his siblings for the next few hours and then screams and cries out when he gets spoken to and corrected.

My head is now pounding. I'm about to lose all control (if I truly have any left) of myself. My patience is as thin as the ice my son is skating on. I'm about to crack.

But I have to hold myself together. I have to suck it up and dig my heals in and keep keeping on. So I start to chant.

"I think I can. I think I can." Tears are welling in my eyes.

"I think I can. I think I can. I think I can." My nose is running. So are the tears. I've hidden in the bathroom now.

"I think I can. I think I can. No, I can't. I'm too tired. I'm too stressed. I feel so all alone." Okay. The dam has broken free.

"You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you." I give myself a pep talk.

Then I call Daddy for some reinforcement. He gives me all kinds of advice. And reminds me it's a blip in our lifetime. This season will pass sooner than I think it will right this minute.

"I think I can."

I hang up. I cry a little more.

"I think I can." 

"I know you can." It's a whisper to my heart.

"I think I can."

"I know you can." It's my Father's voice.

"I think I can."

"You can do all things. I give you the strength. I give you the authority. I give you the victory. You will endure. You will stand. You will make it through this tunnel and over this mountain. For you are mine."

"I know I can."

I'm quite certain I'm not alone in having days like today. I hope you can find encouragement to continue in your own struggle to overcome that mountain in your life today. Because we have Jesus Christ on our side, and even when we feel all alone in our "day," He will never leave us nor forsake us. And we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. When we are weak, He shows Himself strong. Lean on Jesus. I know you can...

The Importance of Imitation

Photo Copyright 2010 Alycia W. Morales

People always tell me my children look just like their dad. Occasionally, I'll hear that my daughter looks just like me. What amazes me is how much our children look just like us, with their own unique traits.

The similarities don't stop there. They continue deep into their DNA. They reflect our attitudes, our behaviors, and our vocal tones. Of course, they have their own versions of these, but it always amazes me when I hear something I've repeatedly said fly out of my child's mouth, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

1 Corinthians 11:1 says, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." 

I have to confess.  I don't always imitate Christ. Some days I lose my patience before I've had my first cup of coffee, and it only gets uglier from there. I yell. I scream. I've even been known to call one of my blessings a name in the midst of my frustration. I lose control. I try to demand respect, and yet I act like I've stooped to their childish levels. If I looked in the mirror, I'd see a ten-year-old me looking back, not a loving mother of four.

Last night, after a very long two days, I pulled out the Word of God and sat my children down in the living room.  My son had spent two days screaming in anger at anyone and everyone who got in his way, didn't give him his way, or took his privileges away. My daughter cried every time I brought correction, whether verbal or the threatened spoon. "I feel like you hate me." Because I told her to stop running in the house.

I've gone through the Proverbs and highlighted all that pertain to children in blue. It makes them quick to pull out when I've exhausted my last breath trying to persuade my children they need to behave and have respect for one another and me.

With them sitting quietly on the couches, I stood before them with the Word of God in my hand. I began to read to them from the Proverbs, reminding them of God's command to honor and obey their parents in order for them to have long life in abundance. I reminded them that foolish children ignore their father's commands and the law of their mother. I reminded them the the righteous will bring joy to their parents, particularly their mother. I reminded them that correction means I love them. If I didn't, I would never correct them. I would not want to see them grow in the things of the Lord and learn to have self-control. I reminded my daughter that God corrects the ones He loves, and He promises that using a rod will drive foolishness far from children, protecting them from further harm. And - added bonus - it won't kill them, but will provide the discipline necessary to enjoy a long, abundant life.

I will probably still have to repeat myself twenty times a day. I will most likely still have to bring correction on a quarter-hourly basis. I will have to remind them to say, "Yes Ma'am," so I know they've heard and understood my instruction. And, I may have to pull out the spoon as a reminder of my undying love for them. 

At the same time, God speaks to me, reminding me of my need to imitate Him. To walk in love when they refuse to follow God's command. To find the joy of the Lord in the midst of anger and strife. To bring peace to the chaos. To suffer long when I can't seem to find an ounce of patience left within me. To always have the law of kindness on my tongue. To offer goodness to my children when they walk in their badness. To remain faithful to God as an example to my children. To keep my word, not succumb to their whims. To be gentle, not the ugly green monster whose head rears up in stressful times. To maintain my own self-control when the kids can't seem to find theirs.

Because, after all, I, too am made in the image and likeness of my Father.