Wise Ol'...Turtle?

Some days I just want to be like the wise ol' turtle on Kung Fu Panda. I just want to be calm, never raise my voice, and quietly teach my children with wise statements. While I don't ever want to compare the Bible with a cartoon, I always think of this scenario when I read the book of Proverbs. 

When my children and I are whining about something new we want, I want to say:
"Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,
but righteousness delivers from death"(Proverbs 10:2 NIV)

When my children and I act like we are better than someone else, I want to say:
"When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom."(Proverbs 11:2 NIV)

When my children and I say something mean, I want to say:
"The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing." (Proverbs 12:18 NIV)

When my children and I are arguing or they are arguing with one another, I want to say:
"Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife." (Proverbs 17:1 NIV)

I simply and quietly want to recite the verse and let all of us ponder it for awhile, asking God to open our eyes to our foolish ways. Teaching my children without yelling, without lecturing, without grounding, without me getting worked up and frustrated. I desire to be a calm, caring mother who has a wise answer for everything that happens in life. Well, I don't...but I know who does!  God has that guidance and wise instruction for everything in our lives and He is the one who I want to be like!  My desire is really not to be a "Kung Fu Turtle"; but to be more like my creator, master, and sovereign Lord! 

~Lisa K.~   

Small Tasks Can Show Big Lessons

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

   Yesterday, my son found himself right in the middle of a learning experience, even if he didn't realize it.  This lesson, good for me too, was about not quitting.  I sent him to his room to tidy up and make his bed.  As he grumbled down the hallway, he tried for about ten minutes to put the fitted sheet on the bed.  Finally, he threw the sheet down and stormed out of his room. 
   As I am a rescuer by heart, I am quick to lead him back to the room and help while explaining (my kids call it lecturing) how he just needed to ask for help instead of getting angry.  I've spent a lot of time trying to help my children learn to control their anger and have recently realized I have pushed them toward a habit of quitting when something gets tough.  I failed to teach the difference between taking a break to calm yourself and quitting completely.  Like I said, I'm a rescuer...not just with my children...I really don't like to see anyone struggle.
   While making a bed doesn't even come close to comparing to what Jesus endured, this verse helps us remember that when following Christ gets tough, quitting is NOT an option.  Finding an easier way isn't even an option.  He calls us to specific things and we are to use His example of perseverance and endurance to keep us from sin and continue on in the direction He leads.  This was as much of a learning experience for me as it was for my son and you'll be happy to know he finished the bed making job...without any help from mom!
Thank you Lord for teaching us things even in the smallest of tasks!  
~Lisa K.~
    

Spiritual War Zones

A kindhearted woman gains honor,
but ruthless men gain only wealth. (Proverbs 11:16 NIV)

When you face a known spiritual war zone, it is easy to get caught up in the mess. How many times have we found ourselves regretting something we've said, wishing we were somewhere else, or dreading being in a certain place. I know of certain places where I am pulled toward worldly thoughts and it scares me. Partly because those places are areas I can't avoid. They are spiritual war zones that bring out the worst in me and before I realize, I am caught up in all the mess and competition around me. That mess then consumes every part of my mind and I have trouble focusing on anything else. Ultimately I end up feeling defeated.

This is sad. I have nothing to feel defeated about! In this verse, ruthless men (the ones you can spot a mile away and try to avoid because they will trample on anyone they see to get ahead) will "gain only wealth". That means there's something better! The verse almost seems to be scoff at the thought. Almost like its asking why they even try so hard, don't they know it's JUST wealth? The world can easily skew our view into thinking wealth is the most important, but actually eternal life with the one and only sovereign God is!

I pray God will keep our focus on Him in the midst of a war zone. That our hearts would be consumed with thoughts of Him and not the overgrowth of the world.

~Lisa K~
Aug 8, 2012

I CAN learn from my mistakes!

I think husbands have a tough job.  A job I am glad was not assigned to me.  When God instructs husbands to lead their families, I can only imagine what a huge responsibility that truly is.  I know I would be asking things like:  What if I mess up?  What if I lead them the wrong direction?  What if I just don’t want that much responsibility? 

“Tough! ”  That’s what I really want to say.  Tough love, right?  I often ask God to line out each person’s responsibilities in this family.  Please make me a checklist, God, so I can point to the ones my husband needs to accomplish…keeping in mind that my list will just stay in my back pocket, because I’m pretty sure I’m okay to continue slinging scripture at him.  It’s his fault if it doesn’t stick. 

I hope you sense my sarcasm in the last paragraph.  Let me paint you a mental picture.  (Sorry, I’m about as good at art as I am at writing, so good luck!)

Last night, my husband and I had a fight…I mean a quiet little disagreement.  This doesn’t happen a lot, but it escalated to a point that neither of us are proud of.  We were arguing over the TV.  I had decided TV was just the devil inside a box that we choose to turn on and let corrupt our minds and he did not agree.  We spent the better part of an hour accusing each other of things and going nowhere with the conversation.  I was bitter by his stubbornness and he was frustrated from being told what to do.  I won’t go into any more details, but let’s just say while I was arguing about the benefits of letting go of the TV to focus more on God, my actions and words didn’t sound like I had focused on Him. 

So, what happens when we feel our husbands aren’t leading like they should?  Do we abandon hope to sit back and wait to see what he does next?  Do we pelt him with scripture until he gives in?  Do we forget about him and go hang out with people we deem more godly?  I thought his responsibility was hard, but how many times have you followed a leader you disagreed with?  That can be pretty hard too.  Even Christians will abandon the one and only sovereign God when they begin to disagree. 

Let’s take a look at the first lady.  Not the one married to the president; the real first lady, Eve.  When Eve sinned, her husband wasn’t around.  So it is very easy for me to stop there and point a finger at Adam for not being the perfect leader.  I’ve learned that leaders shouldn’t have to be there every moment of the day to actually be a good leader, but that is another discussion for another time.  And yes, Adam played a part in it all, but let’s move further in the story. 

Not only did Eve sin, she urged Adam to sin along with her.  My mind quickly goes back to any argument I have ever had with my husband.  Was I pushing him in the wrong direction?  Have my urgencies to change something kept him on God’s path or have I led him to something I just thought was better?   

Go back to our argument.  Even if I was pushing us all back to God, I didn’t talk to God about it first.  I didn’t pray before “laying down the law” (which is not what I intended, but was sure stating my case enough to sound like it).  I didn’t pray that God would open all of our eyes and hearts to His will so He could lead us instead of us playing tug-of-war with the issue.  If I had prayed first, God might have urged me to wait or would have given me the words needed so it didn’t turn into a fight.  So there was MY first mistake.  Shhh…we can keep all my mistakes quiet. 

Ok, back to Eve.  I read a book recently that talked about the guilt Eve must have felt after the incident.  One sin created the fall of man.  One sin that separated them from God.  Let me say it again…ONE…ONE sin!  What a burden to carry!  Knowing what you’ve lost and that you were the reason for losing it…for EVERYONE!  Not just her and Adam, but for mankind!  YIKES!  Here’s where Adam comes in.  He could have stopped it, but he trusted Eve like we ask our husbands to trust our opinions.  Well, crud.  That means she still played a HUGE role in his actions even though he had a choice. 

We plea for our husbands to trust us and value our opinions, but I’m not sure we realize what a HUGE responsibility that is!  I don’t think we even comprehend the gravity of that responsibility!  If we mentally thought our every move or decision might just result in the fall of our family, we might change the way we approach our marriage.  No more sling shots of scripture.  No more trampling on our husbands to get our voices heard.  No more moaning and complaining about oppression and liberation. 

Maybe there would be more praying for our family and before we speak.  More God-led decisions rather than emotional ones.  Maybe we would lift up our husbands to God more.  Maybe we wouldn’t buy into the feminist movements where we can “do it on our own” or “behind every great man is a great woman”.  Maybe we would not think of our husbands as puppets and think more of them as a miraculous creation by God for the specific purpose to lead us.  Maybe we would trust God more to change him if it’s needed rather than changing him with our convincing argument.    

Maybe the saying should be “behind every godly man is a praying woman”.     

~Lisa K. Winnett~

  August 4, 2012

Psalm 63 (NIV)

You, God, are my God,

earnestly I seek you;

I thirst for you,

my whole being longs for you,

in a dry and parched land

where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary

and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life,

my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live,

and in your name I will lift up my hands.

I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;

with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you;

I think of you through the watches of the night.

Because you are my help,

I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I cling to you;

your right hand upholds me.

Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;

they will go down to the depths of the earth.

They will be given over to the sword

and become food for jackals.