One of the realities that we face living in Detroit is that our world can be a dangerous place. I tend to underestimate the dangers around me. I think it is good to not live in fear, but it is also good to be aware of my surroundings and admit we have chosen to live in a rough place. There have been a couple Incidents lately in our neighborhood (which I won't mention because my dad reads my blog!) and it has caused me to rethink getting a dog. I have wanted a dog for a long time because I love animals and I think the boys would enjoy it too. However, dogs are a lot of work.
1. They shed- must get brushed, floors need vacuumed, must take note of allergic friends
2. They poop- must get potty trained and then we have to pick it up
3. They need exercise- I would have to walk it (which I would love) but in the rain, snow, and heat ??
Those three reasons are enough for anyone to reconsider the decision, but with 3 kids so young it makes me think it might be too much. The bests reason I have to want a dog is for safety. People in Detroit are scared of dogs and so are less likely to break in your house or do anything else if you have a dog- the only criteria being that it barks.
Often I struggle with knowing if those three obstacles are worth our safety.
So the other day I was reading Ezra 8 and I was so encouraged. To understand these verses you'll need a little context- basically Ezra was chosen to lead a group of exiles living in Babylon to their home in Jerusalem.
There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. 22 I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” 23 So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.
I am not suggesting that God will protect us because He protected His people during this time- but I am suggesting I should have the same faith as Ezra. This passage was such an encouragement that we don't need to trust in armies of people or in my case-dogs, but in the Living God. Now we can have things that we use as securities- dogs, alarm systems, locked doors- but we must not turn to those things for gratitude- we must be thankful to God.
Because it seems like such a commitment and responsibility to add another "needy" thing to my life right now I sense God reminding me that safety and protection come from Him and to burden myself with a sense of "security" would be sinful.
The Lord will protect us- be it from dangers of people or dangers of Satan's lies- that's not to say I won't ever experience harm- its just to say my trust needs to be in God and not in things.
It's so cool when God uses ancient scripture to remind me to trust in Him daily.
1.15.2012
1.13.2012
Christians- examine your life.
How many of you out there pluck your eye brows? Anyone? Bueller? Anyone?
Well I do- and I am convinced I am not alone.
David and I are getting ready to go on a nice little vacation to Arizona and so it is essential that I whip out the tweezers and magnifying mirror BEFORE getting on the airplane- because it is important to look your best when flying!
So first I had to find my tweezers and mirror. Then they proceeded to sit on my dresser for two days because I just couldn't find the time to pluck and when I did I didn't feel like inflicted pain on myself! Soo I waited until the last possible minute to accomplish the task.
While standing in a well lit bathroom I look into the tiny mirror and got ready to pull the first tiny hair when I say to myself, "WOW- this is WORSE than I thought!"
Through this experience I couldn't help but think of how examining my life is a lot like plucking my eye brows.
When I say "examine your life" what I mean is for us as Christians to sit down and accurately take a look at our walk with Christ. Like plucking, first you must find the materials- for me that is my Bible, journal, and quiet place.
To pluck your eye brows you need a good magnifying mirror so that you don't miss those tiny blonde hairs that like to hide! The same is true when examining our life- or our hearts rather- we must get out the mirror that looks into the depths of our hearts- we don't want to miss those things that deserve plucking from our deep, dark hearts.... in Christian talk we call those things- sin. In order to move from the place of sinning in an area of our life to not we have to identify it as in fact- sin. So often I sit down and pull out my heart magnifying mirror and I have the same experience as when plucking- WOW- this is WORSE than I thought!
It is really painful to pull out the tiny hairs from my skin and it is really painful to confess and walk away from sin. I often want to think that I am not so bad and I have it all together- but sometimes I am just as the hypocrites Jesus described in Matthew 15:8 when he said, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."
The other thing we must consider is the very act of plucking vs. shaving. When I was about 13 years old I decided it was time to begin getting rid of those tiny little facial hairs that can become the DREADED unibrow (oh the very word makes me cringe!) So I pulled out the shaver and proceeded to shave my eye brows! As soon as my mom discovered this she said, "Adrienne, you really shouldn't shave your eye brows because they will grow back darker and you will have more!"I think the same is true when we consider what it means to examine our hearts. If we choose the easy way out and shave over our sin spots - they may in fact come back deeper, darker, and more! We must pluck those things straight from our hearts! In the Beautitudes Jesus is talking about how our hearts are more important than just upholding laws- For example- Murder- it's not enough to avoid killing someone- but we must not even go to worship God if we are quarreling with someone- first we must go and resolve the issue! Adultery- it's not enough to avoid having sex outside of marriage- but to even look at someone lustfully is adultery of the heart!
He goes on to say, "If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell."
The act of plucking- or a genuine confession of sin and repenting- or turning away from what you just confessed is LIFE!
Socrates had it right when he said:
"An unexamined life is not worth living."
But John said it better when he wrote, 9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
In order to confess our sins we must examine our hearts to know what those sins are!
So let's find those tweezers and magnifying mirrors and pluck all that keeps us from pursuing Christ while remembering that it will be painful (only for a moment), but the end result will be recognition of our sinful hearts and hopefully greater devotion to the One who makes us pure and clean.
Well I do- and I am convinced I am not alone.
David and I are getting ready to go on a nice little vacation to Arizona and so it is essential that I whip out the tweezers and magnifying mirror BEFORE getting on the airplane- because it is important to look your best when flying!
So first I had to find my tweezers and mirror. Then they proceeded to sit on my dresser for two days because I just couldn't find the time to pluck and when I did I didn't feel like inflicted pain on myself! Soo I waited until the last possible minute to accomplish the task.
While standing in a well lit bathroom I look into the tiny mirror and got ready to pull the first tiny hair when I say to myself, "WOW- this is WORSE than I thought!"
Through this experience I couldn't help but think of how examining my life is a lot like plucking my eye brows.
When I say "examine your life" what I mean is for us as Christians to sit down and accurately take a look at our walk with Christ. Like plucking, first you must find the materials- for me that is my Bible, journal, and quiet place.
To pluck your eye brows you need a good magnifying mirror so that you don't miss those tiny blonde hairs that like to hide! The same is true when examining our life- or our hearts rather- we must get out the mirror that looks into the depths of our hearts- we don't want to miss those things that deserve plucking from our deep, dark hearts.... in Christian talk we call those things- sin. In order to move from the place of sinning in an area of our life to not we have to identify it as in fact- sin. So often I sit down and pull out my heart magnifying mirror and I have the same experience as when plucking- WOW- this is WORSE than I thought!
It is really painful to pull out the tiny hairs from my skin and it is really painful to confess and walk away from sin. I often want to think that I am not so bad and I have it all together- but sometimes I am just as the hypocrites Jesus described in Matthew 15:8 when he said, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."
The other thing we must consider is the very act of plucking vs. shaving. When I was about 13 years old I decided it was time to begin getting rid of those tiny little facial hairs that can become the DREADED unibrow (oh the very word makes me cringe!) So I pulled out the shaver and proceeded to shave my eye brows! As soon as my mom discovered this she said, "Adrienne, you really shouldn't shave your eye brows because they will grow back darker and you will have more!"I think the same is true when we consider what it means to examine our hearts. If we choose the easy way out and shave over our sin spots - they may in fact come back deeper, darker, and more! We must pluck those things straight from our hearts! In the Beautitudes Jesus is talking about how our hearts are more important than just upholding laws- For example- Murder- it's not enough to avoid killing someone- but we must not even go to worship God if we are quarreling with someone- first we must go and resolve the issue! Adultery- it's not enough to avoid having sex outside of marriage- but to even look at someone lustfully is adultery of the heart!
He goes on to say, "If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell."
The act of plucking- or a genuine confession of sin and repenting- or turning away from what you just confessed is LIFE!
Socrates had it right when he said:
"An unexamined life is not worth living."
But John said it better when he wrote, 9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
In order to confess our sins we must examine our hearts to know what those sins are!
So let's find those tweezers and magnifying mirrors and pluck all that keeps us from pursuing Christ while remembering that it will be painful (only for a moment), but the end result will be recognition of our sinful hearts and hopefully greater devotion to the One who makes us pure and clean.
1.05.2012
Bentleyisms
When I go into the boys' room in the morning to get them up I have a specific way to do things to eliminate chaos. If Lily is awake I get her diaper changed and dressed first and lay her on the bed hoping she'll be content. Then I get Clayton up- changed and dressed. Finally, I get my menace up and do the same. By the time I get to Bentley Lily is usually ready to be held and a bit fussy. So was the story this morning... so I picked up crying Lily and laid her next to Bentley- head to head- and she nestled up to his face and he turned to her and kissed her on the head. She stopped crying and laid there next to him while I got him ready- totally content. It was so beautiful. :)
While Bentley has some adorable characteristics he also is a complete MENACE! So I took the boys to my friend Ann's house so I could go to my 6 week doctor's appointment. It was so gracious of her to take the boys- she just had a baby girl 3 weeks ago and has 4 other kids at home this week because of break. So she called me while I was driving home (knowing I was headed her way) and asked how close I was... "Close," I responded.... but WHY was she asking!
"Oh I will just leave him so you can see what he did." Oh no.
Well, Bentley turned on the bath water and got in the tub fully clothed.
the end.
While Bentley has some adorable characteristics he also is a complete MENACE! So I took the boys to my friend Ann's house so I could go to my 6 week doctor's appointment. It was so gracious of her to take the boys- she just had a baby girl 3 weeks ago and has 4 other kids at home this week because of break. So she called me while I was driving home (knowing I was headed her way) and asked how close I was... "Close," I responded.... but WHY was she asking!
"Oh I will just leave him so you can see what he did." Oh no.
Well, Bentley turned on the bath water and got in the tub fully clothed.
the end.
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