A Tasty Kind of Day

Mmmmmm...Today is a delicious day.  The kind of day you can taste as soon as you step out the door. 

In central Ohio it's going to be 50 degrees this afternoon.  As I walked out to my car this morning to take my oldest son to school, he took in a long, deep, savoring breath and said, 'It smells so fresh today!'.  It does, doesn't it?

I wish I'd have that attitude every day, not just after a rainstorm clears the air.  But today, as we near the end of January, it feels like spring.  This month has reinforced for me that anything is possible.

Today, this day, is fresh and new, and anything can happen!

What will happen to you today?

Yesterday was probably my most favorite Sunday.  My husband got up in front of our congregation and shared his story of coming to faith in Jesus.  Our pastor gave one of the most inspiring, and inspired, sermons I've ever heard.  And in the evening, while listening to the chaos of 10 kids playing upstairs, we talked about it, got excited about it, with some of the most lovely people I know.

It feels like yesterday was preparation for today, all clean and shiny and new.

What will happen to you today?

Or perhaps a better question.  What will you make happen today?

"If you can?" said Jesus.  "Anything is possible for him who believes."  Mark 9:23

I Love Your Guts

I love your guts!  That has been our theme for today.  Henry has been saying it to me for days now, and I love it.  I love your guts.  I love even the deep down dark places.  The icky things that little boys love to talk about, like guts.  I like to think that’s how Jesus feels about us.  He loves us no matter what, even our guts. 

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

That’s in Romans.  Go to chapter 8, and run your finger down the page until you come to verse 38.  Go ahead and read it, I’ll wait.

I especially like the part that says ‘nor anything else in all creation’.  That’s pretty big.  Nothing, I mean nothing, in all of creation can possibly separate us from the love of God.  Just let that sink in a minute.  Whoa, right?

I think this is something that little kids know instinctively.  We show them love from the minute they are born.  They whine and fuss, throw tantrums and cop attitudes.  We correct them, we hug them, and they know that no matter what, we love them.  People seem to forget this as they grow up.  We all seem to grow out of it or something.  We start thinking that we need to earn love.  We need to do all the right things to deserve it.  But that’s not how it works, is it?  We don't take our love away because someone messes up.  We don't wait to check off boxes while someone earns it.  Neither does He.  Love is a gift.  A free gift to anyone willing to accept it.  Love is God’s free gift to us.  All we have to do is say ‘Yes, please!  Thank you.  I love you too!’

I don’t do all the right things.  Just thinking about the idea of doing the 'right things' makes me laugh!  I mess up all the time.  Not just little stuff like, whoops!  Forgot the laundry.  But the kind of stuff you think about after everyone is asleep.  I lay in bed wondering if I’ve permanently damaged my kids today.  Did I yell too much?  Did I remember to ask for their forgiveness when I lost my mind?  Did I remember to show them just how much I love them?  Did I do enough?  Does He know just how much ick and crud and crap I’m full of?  How could anyone love my guts?  They're gross.

But of course He does.

I wrestle with my doubts.  I scream (mostly in my head) and throw a tantrum in front of God.  I want to know that I’m not in it alone, that we're all not alone.  I want to know that I’m not wading through this ick and crap and crud all by myself.  I want to know that even though the world tears itself apart on a daily basis, He's still there helping us through the sludge.  I want to know that I haven’t screwed up so big that the damage is irreversible.  I want to have my cry, my moment of frustration, or anger, or whatever is called for.  I want to curl up in His lap, and feel his arms hug me.  And I do, and He does.  Big sigh...He’s there, doing that, right now.  He’s there, telling us it’s okay.  We'll get through this. 

I forgive you.  I love your guts.

Isn't that awesome?

A New Year

A new year, a new blog.  Seems like a good plan!  I really hope to use this space to keep up with what's going on in our family.  More than anything, how Christ is growing our faith.  I don't know about you, but having a written account helps me to organize my thoughts and see things more clearly.

I'm not a writer, as you will soon see for yourself.  This won't be a blog filled with any kind of awe-inspiring prose (or verse, for that matter).  I'm just a mama, trying her best to follow Christ, raise a family, and hopefully reach a few people in the process.

I have a simple thought that's been running through my head all day.

      "Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth." (Psalm 100:1) 

It's been a happy day.  Despite sending the kids back to school, and my husband back to work, I feel joyful.  And carrying that simple joy around inside all day long is no small thing.  I want this joy to spill out into others.  It's contagious.  It’s supposed to be.  Hopefully it will carry itself into my grumpy second grader when he gets home today :-)  So despite our cares and woes look for the joy, the simple joy that Christ brings to our lives.

Welcome to Thompsonville!  I hope you've had a joyful day :-)