Family Ties

Families tie us up in knots sometimes! We are bound by our past mistakes or by the roles we play. Breaking those bonds takes time, patience, and consistency. Family ties can be knotted quickly, but so hard to release.

None of us enjoy being faced with the ties that hold us back from growing within our families. We want to be heard and known for who we are now, not the person we are imprisoned to be because of our past. The problem is that we cannot change someone else's mind. We can only be consistently different and hope they will see and hear enough to set us free.

On the other side of the coin I see myself imprisoning my family with judgements that span the years. I lock my loved ones up with titles of crazy, controlling, unforgiving, wild, baby, bossy, unfocused, etc. And then God said, "Do unto others as you would have them do to you." I must change if I am to be free. What would change for me if I looked for the good in others and set them free to be the best they can be? What would my walk with Christ look like if I opened up the prison doors and set my captive family free from my preconceived ideas of how they will react or think or believe?

Father, You are Freedom. You are the Open Door. You are Good. Change my heart and mind to reflect You. Work Your will in my family. You are the lifter of our heads!

Confession and Repentance

After my last post I had purposed to love my family out of love, not duty. As the saying goes, "Easier said, than done."

After dinner last night, I began to put away the leftovers and began fixing a lunch for my beloved, when he proceeded to tell me how he wanted his lunch fixed. Self rose up, and though I was doing as he asked I certainly was not doing it out of love. It became a chore, because I had already had most things wrapped up and/or put away. Extra steps for ME! Self looked very unloving and he finally arose and finished his own by adding the gravy.

This situation has opened my eyes to the lack of love in me. I cannot love on my own. I must have God-love in me. My love can be drained and poured away. God-love is never ending. The more of His love I offer, the more I have to give. (Maybe I need to really believe this before I can live it. This, too, is a revelation of my darkened heart. I need You, Lord! I need You always!)

I now submit and admit to You, God, that I did not serve out of love and certainly there was no humility in me. I offended You, my Savior. You have asked me to follow You, and I fell short of Your example. I was wrapped up in me. I was not willing to allow You, Holy Spirit, to move through me to minister love to my hardworking husband.

To you, my man, to whom I have vowed love and respect and honor, I ask you to forgive my lack of love for you. I do not want to serve you out of duty but to serve you through the love of Christ and the love I hold in my heart for you.

Family Forever

One of my greatest desires is to see all my family in heaven. I want them all to trust Jesus' work on the cross and not themselves as their redemption for sin. Jesus wanted that for His Mother and brothers as well. He told us that it is to those who believe that He will become family. (see Mt. 12:46-50)

With that goal in mind, the question is: how do I follow Jesus in leading my family to know Gods' saving love? Jesus' example was to first do the Fathers' will in every circumstance. He loved them by demanding the same requirements for them as He does for us all. He lived a life dedicated to God in servant hood to Him and those He was with.

Serving family can sometimes become a duty more than an act of love. Serving in love is a heart felt action. As I wash dishes, pick up dropped belongings or separate stinky laundry, I must allow my heart to participate. The participation of my heart in serving my family will be seen by them as a new attitude. They will see Jesus working through me and be drawn to Him. That is what i want.

Lord Jesus, You are the greatest among us because You became the servant of all. You are my source of servant love for my family. Reveal my heart. Cleanse my heart. Pour Your servant love into my heart so they may see Your love and be drawn to Your heart.

Fingerprints on the World

I am well aware of my smallness in the world. I have no delusions of influencing the entire world toward a personal purpose. There is little that I can do on my own or even with a following of like-minded friends that could push the ideologies of the world in a different direction. But inside of me there resides a Power that pushes and urges me on to leave my fingerprints on this place I call home.

Impressions of who I am when God works through me are deep and lasting. Without Him I can do nothing of worth. Jesus even said the same. He only did what He saw the Father do and thus left the impression that was eternal.

This first week of Lent has had me focused on dying to self. It may be time to impress my family with what God is doing in me. That is, not to impress them for myself but to lift Him up and glorify His work in and through me.

You, God, are the Father of all. You can love my family through me if I submit my life to You. Leave Your fingerprint of love on my dear ones. Let them know You through me.

Why Me?

Most of the time the question, "Why me?" is related to the tragedies that come upon us. We want to know why we, being good people, have to suffer. Come join me today as I ponder the opposite.

"Why me?" Why has God chosen me to recieve the benefits of His Sons' death and resurrection? Why would He allow His Spirit to dwell within this jar of clay? How could He possibly pick me for a task in His kingdom?

Me? I have nothing to offer in myself! All I have is my choice to let Him work in and through me. I am the glove. He is the hand. I am the shoe. He is the foot. I am the body. He is the life!

You are The Life that flows in and through me, Lord! You are the "Why" of my life! You are! I thank You and praise You because You are amazing! You are! You are purpose. You ARE!!!

Thoughts of God

I read a great quote this morning.

"When you attack the roots of sin, fix your thought more on the God you desire than on the sin you abhor." Walter Hilton

I do not know of Walter Hilton, but from this quote attributed to him I suspect he has/had a God-centered life. He is reminding me that I am not the center of the universe. God is the Redeemer. He is the Lamb of God, the Answer to my sin problem. The enemy would desire for me to keep my sin before me so that I would not be able to see the Salvation that is offered to me.

God, You are the Light in a dark world. You are Hope for the lost. You are Freedom from bondage. Nothing can stand before You! Do not let my thoughts be far from You!

Can You Hear Me Now?

There are times when I believe I can hear God shouting from heaven, "Do you hear me now?"

God is certainly willing to communicate with me through many ways, including but not limited to His word, other people, nature and the still small voice deep inside of my heart.

The biggest question is, "Am I listening for His voice?" Am I tuning my ear to hear Him even when there is static from the world or my inner thoughts and feelings, or do I let the connection with Him fade away without searching for that place where I can find good reception?

Today my prayer is that I would take time to listen. I want to hear His whisper. Lord quiet my inner static and draw me to You. I hear You now!