This came into my head during my commute today. It is a poem about the same mindset that Jesus drove out of the temple.
Pied Piper
Pied Piper, You try to tickle my ears.
In my heart I hear truth. Your words are not real.
Your music is deceiving and played with such skill.
It sounds good for a season, but eventually kills.
Pied Piper, your flute sings a reasonable song.
The lyrics sound right, but your heart makes them wrong.
I see you entertaining. Your motives are clear.
You think people are puppets and you their grand puppeteer.
Pied Piper, you increase the volume skillfully loud.
It drowns out relationships to draw a big crowd.
You seem very talented, but you play only games.
You love your own life and lead others astray.
Pied Piper, you smile, but I see your tears.
You trust in your music because Truth makes you fear.
You march to your stanzas but desire to rest.
You entice the innocent to validate your quest.
Pied Piper, you kiss the instrument of death.
You are just like the victims you sing to impress.
Have faith and don't doubt. Cast your flute to the sea.
Decide this is useless and you have no needs.
Pied Piper, you are deaf. Can you not hear my song?
It comes from the one to whom you also belong.
My heart rings with life from a live symphony.
I dance WITH a lover to its Truth melodies.
Pied Piper your analysis of me is all wrong.
It's not a rejection if I don't dance to your song.
Tune in your real ears! How I wish you could see!
You're worth more than your music. You are loved and set free.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
Life With Boys Part 2
Life with Boys The Sequel.
The fun never ends...
- Boys have the best imaginations EVER. Once I watched
them work together to build a big bond fire in our living room.
Brown pillows were the logs, and red pillow shams with multicolored
thin stripes were placed on top for the fire.
- My rough and tumble boys still like soft things. Everybody
likes to sleep by me especially when I wear silky PJs. Jack used to
be sort of possessive over soft pretty pink things so I made him
pinky promise me when he was two that he would never kiss a girl
until he got married.
- Boys growl and roar.
- Boys have this "tough guy" tone I'm fascinated with
when they communicate about stereotypical-boy things like cars or
sports. They all do it as soon as they can talk.
- Boots and cape required. Underwear optional.
- Boys wrestle. Then they wrestle some more. And when
they greet each other, they wrestle. And when it is not
wrestling, it is playing "punch" or just a good hearty
tackle. They are even born knowing what to wear for this
bonding experience.....Pants (or underwear.) No Shirt. Socks
on their hands.
- Quote #539: "Don't clean up this pile, Mom.
It's special."
- How do boys under six know how to talk "army"?
- Boys greet other boys they love with punching or tackling. My
boys always punch their uncles when they first see them.
- I heart superhero underwear.
- Boys ALWAYS try to turn an ordinary task into a game. For
example, "Come and let me put on your shoes." Might turn
into a chase. They see how close they can get to you then run away
screaming to see if you'll chase them. After they see your not in
the mood to play, they'll comply.
- When boys approach you, they stop about three feet away from
you and then jump the remaining distance. All my boys do this.
Every. Single. Time.
- Beans = tackling fuel.
- What Mom says is considered. What Daddy says is law.
- Boys will obey for safety that is explained logically, but
they don't have a real sense of danger. They think that the
reason they busted their head on the ground was just a fluke, and
therefore will hang upside down in the swing immediately again with
their dirt-stained tear streaks still fresh on their faces.
- Boys love naked time.
- Boys wander. We are constantly reminding them to stay
close. After number three, Wayne said we went from man to man
to zone coverage.
- I'm not proud of this, but all my boys have at least one
chipped tooth, and my four-year-old is mithing two from
rough-housing.
- Boys thinks it's funny when their mama says bad
words.(Bungle. Dumb. Butt.---you know. The real badies.)
- Even boys like bubble baths and candles lit by the tub.
- Boys have a fascination with their special part that I do not
understand. That's all I'll say about that except that when
Ben-dudey was born, the doctor said, "Looks like another
machine gun!"
- Where there is a boy in your bed, there will also be sand.
- In a house of boys, it is inevitable to have feet on the
table.
- Oh it's not just an inner tube, it's a force field.
- Parents of boys say things like, "Well, we're just not
allowed to take weapons into Wal-mart. You'll have to leave
your quadruple-iron-headed spear here in the truck."
- Never, and I mean never look under the car seat. And the
worst is when you have to remove one to let someone ride with you.
- Embarrassing quote #757: "Is that a mole or a
nipple?"
- My boys have no concept that
people get sick and die. Six-year-old Luke had never even
heard of the word, "disease." Obviously the only
real explanation for death is that, "he must have eaten a
mushroom from the woods." The mushrooms from the store
are okay though.
- Even if they don't admit it, boys like girls. My baby
daddy had a, "girls aren't so bad" talk with them that
produced the top ten best girls list. Yep. Yours Truly
made number one and the rest of the gals on the list should feel mighty proud
too. It was well thought out.
- A mother who raised four boys recently made a comment that
brought freedom to my inner most being...."We didn't have
company for TEN YEARS!" ...Yes! I know why!!!!
- Nobody quite "gets" you like a family with boys. Love my friends who parent little little engines fueled by testosterone. I feel at rest with them because, "they know how it is."
- Manners are a privilege for boys to have, and it brings a
sense of honor to them when they use them. The best is when manners
are used inappropriately. Like parents may be in a serious
conversation with another adult. Boy passes gas that no one
would otherwise ever know about, then you hear, "Pardon Me!
I pooted." REALLY loud. We try to teach them to say pardon me only as loud as the gas itself. (That's handed down from Don Bohannon.) Or how about this classic...
Parent--- "Ben, come and help me pick up these toys please." Ben-- "No thank you." or maybe when one says "Yes, Sir" to a lady who looks like a sir.
- To quote the Coach from the Boys home at the Mustard Seed
Ranch, "If you have one boy, you have one boy working. If
you have two boys, you have half a boy working."
----Could not be more true. His math skills are impeccable.
- Daddys of boys FINALLY have somebody who will play with them.
- No matter what age...boys can EAT!
- Classic example of Blaylock Boy conversation: 'There are two
reason why a terror bird won't poop on our car. They can't fly
and they are dead."
- Boys are natural protectors.
- A ball is the most destructive force found in a house full of
boys. AND the only real toy a boy needs.
- Parents of boys say things like, "That was really
amazing, but don't ever do it again."
- Brothers love their brothers.
- When should you clip a boy's fingernails? When they are
long enough to stay dirty even after a hot soaking bath.
My personal favorite is when you clip the nail and the dirt stays on
as is so it has to be knocked off.
- Boys get REALLY excited to show their brothers something amazing.
A cool trick. An awesome toy. A pile of poo.
- Sleeping boys are the best snugglers.
- The crawl space under the register at the grocery store is The Bat Cave. Just F.Y.I.
- It's fun to have a house full of boys and even more fun to talk about it with other parents who live in a house full of boys.
- Parents of boys are exhausted....and happy.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Life With Boys Part 1
I think very often about my life and how it is probably different from at least half of the world. I have boys. Boy oh Boy! I was raised with two brothers. My dad is a great dad. I'm married to a grown-up boy. But now I see that being a mom to boys is a world I was not really prepared for, as if one could be prepared for any sort of parenting. I have come to realize that any household where the female species is outnumbered by at least two males is a much different environment to one where the genders are equal or there are more females. When my boys were smaller, it used to aggravate me that people would stop me and say things like, "Three boys? I bet you have your hands full." or "I raised three boys too. I feel for you, Mama." I heard a whole lot with a pat on the back: "There is a special place in heaven for a mom with three boys." Although I liked that last one, I would think they didn't really know what they were talking about. I knew my boys were good and just as active as any other kid, girl or boy. When I only had two of them, my mom gave me a quote to put on my wall that says, "Boys: n. A noise with dirt on it." I thought it was cute, but at the time when they were just little toddlers, it didn't really mean anything. Um.....now I know! All three of my boys are still preschool, but they can all walk and talk very well. I understand more of why others felt the need to pat me on the back. They are all three still really good, but they are bigger, heavier, more active, and sweat testosterone. The more boys you have, the more the boy-ness is compounded in the next boy and it becomes this strange snowball effect of testosterone. It is puzzling how this happens, but I can tell you I am experiencing an avalanche.
I. HAVE. BOYS! ...and I love it.
Aren't they cuties!
I do sometimes wonder if Father God thought it would be really funny to give me three little boys without a teenage girl first, but like I tell my boys, "You get what you get and don't throw a fit." Oh how I wish I had a teenage girl, even better would be one around nine or ten. It's okay though because I have good ones that I rent from time to time. Wayne is home with them now while I get to work and that is blessing for both of us. Life now is just what the doctor ordered. I can see how and why he set things in motion for our life in this moment. This switch-a-roo has been the best thing for our whole family. I am very thankful. I can already see a difference in all of us.
These are a few things I have learned so far about bringing up boys:
1. Boys really are dirty and loud. My boys even color loud. (Is that possible? I assure it is reality.)
2. Boys run and don't walk.
3. Boys are born with a natural ability for sound effects with their mouths that include but are not limited to all motors, guns, passing gas, and trains.
4. Oh, You are one of those moms who don't believe in buying your boys toy weapons? You can forget that, because they literally don't need them. There are plenty of regular household items that make guns, swords, and a plethora of other fun weapons. Guns are made from things like bananas, 3D alphabet letters("F" is a perfect gun if you hold it horizontally,) and really elaborate guns with multiple barrels are easily constructed from tinker toys. Swords? You name it. Umbrellas, curtain rods, and wooden spoons... Well of course you can't have a sword without a shield! No problem. Trash can and pot lids. Very often I go upstairs to the weapon arsenal A.K.A lower bunk bed stripped from all bedding and loaded with weapons of all shapes and sizes strategically placed. Gasp! Do you teach them this? ....nope. Boys are born with this.
5. Boys speak a unique language. We often get to use fun vocabulary words in everyday conversation such as, "Portal, vortex, secret-passage-way, booby trap, butt-ticks, and bungle." (Bungle is actually a bad word they made up that we think means, "bung hole.")
6. NEVER, and I mean NEVER, buy a new couch.
7. Invest stock in Magic Erasers. Use them to clean up the messes you can. Treasure the memories of the ones you can't. From personal experience I can tell you that these little cleaning devices even work on faces. Yes...I have used a magic eraser on a face. It was an emergency. When Luke was two-years-old, he decided he needed to use a permanent red marker to draw stripes on his face just before we were headed out for something important where permanent red on the face would be disastrous. It even went across his eye-lid. I tried all the gentle stuff first. Soap would not touch it. I even tried alcohol to no avail. So I pulled out the magic eraser. I rubbed it on my face first and it felt ok. It took the red right off, and he never complained once. I guess I wouldn't make a habit of it, but in emergencies, you got to do what you got to do.
8. Boys love their mamas, but they need their dads or a least some significant boy time with a grown up who understands how they think. My boys have a great dad, fantastic grandfathers, and really cool and fun uncles.
9. It's a good thing I read "Bringing Up Boys" by Dobson. I really didn't love that book, but I did learn some valuable things about being a boy mama. I'm sure Dr. James is a nice guy and has helped a whole lot of peep, but this book was a real Debbie Downer. I guess we all walk in the light that we have, but parts of this book literally made feel guilty for bringing a child into this world. That was unnecessary in my opinion. However, I did learn something very important. Boys go through two developmental stages whereas girls go through one. Girls and boys both go through puberty, but boys go through one between ages 18 months or so to five years (I think) where they make a mental separation that they are different from their moms and begin to identify more with the males they are around. All three of mine are in this age. What a blessing that their dad is willing to stay home with them during this time. There has been a huge difference in our little guys since the big guy took on the primary parent role.
10. Boys can only think about one thing at a time. If they are busy and do not respond to your voice, touch them and speak. They literally may not hear you. They are wired differently.
11. Don't try to tell two or more stories at one time. You just confuse and frustrate them. Their brains do not multitask like girl's brains. You'll just end up trying to explain yourself or repeat both the stories again separately. Just simplify stories the first time to save you all the trouble.
12. If it can be climbed on, it will be climbed on. If it is impossible to climb, it will also be climbed on.
13. Boys are confident to accessorize their outfits and costumes. Machine guns in their underwear. Capes and rain boots any time. Swords always, even when they have nothing on but a bath towel. One time we were about to eat spaghetti for supper and Jack insisted on putting on different clothes. I didn't want this because I knew whatever he wore would get sauce all over it. I thought he might as well wear the dirty one that he had on. But I allowed him to change. When he returned to the table, he was shirtless, sporting a sword tucked in his pants, a Spiderman web launcher on one wrist, shin guards, wrist guard, and elbow guards, 9 jelly bracelets, and a camouflage hat.
14. Everything and I mean everything is a train or can be converted easily to one. Sound effects, remember, are included in the boy.
15. "Punch" is quality time for the male species and must be done shirtless with socks on the hands. And you have to say, "ding, ding" before the first punch in thrown. It occurs on the king-sized mattress with all bedding piled into the floor around the bed.
16. Sometimes there literally are not words I can find to say and all that I can muster to come out is, "Aaaaaaaah!"
17. The dryer makes an excellent hiding spot.
18. Everything is a competition. When I say everything I mean everything. Even the day a person was born. According to my boys, Ben has a better birthday because he was born on July 22, and 22 is bigger than June 3 or October 12. ...I'm not kidding.
19. Apparently, boys never stop growing. If you are 60, you are "bigger" than someone who is 40. This is very important to four-year-olds in ways I cannot explain.
20. A king bed is not big enough.
21. Expect the unexpected like matchbox cars in your lab coat pocket. Name writing practice on nutritional assessments. Treasure map drawings on that bill you were fixing to mail. Toothpicks in the cracks of tables. Any small item you've misplaced for weeks will be under the seat of a riding toy. Or my personal favorite...Mr. Potato Head's arm in the electrical socket. Oh. My. Gosh!
22. Cranky. Noun. Messed up or imperfect. As in, "The creased paper is cranky." or "Jack made my bed cranky, and I already made it up."
23. Brothers LOVE. They are only an average of 18 months apart. They are very close. They might get mad at each other, but they love each other more than they love anything. Watching them is a sight to behold and lesson for sure.
24. Boys make up games that mamas do not find funny. Seriously, sometimes I just have to leave the room. Wayne taught them how to spray the wood floor with a little furniture polish and slide with sock feet. (I'm cuss-laughing under my breath.) "Oh it was safe before you got home. We slid into pillows and blankets."
25. Boys jump and swing on everything, but especially other people. It was cute and hardly noticeable when they were just little toddlers. Now that the combined weight is over a hundred pounds, I have to stay on my toes. If I bend down to pick up something off the floor, I can most likely expect at least one of them to pounce on my back. Never turn your back to a boy who is on a higher elevation than you are. Be ready if they are above you on the stairs coming down. Oh they'll get you when you least expect it.
26. Boys teach you how to let things go and just enjoy life. Just what I needed.
27. It doesn't matter how old the boy gets. Farts are ALWAYS funny. So funny in fact they will lose their breath laughing. In fact, the funniest thing on the planet is anything that has to do with bodily functions.
This precious laughy picture was made possible because Ben ripped a big loudy just as Jack laid his head down on his rear.
28. Nothing is sweeter than a little boy snuggle bug. One time I was woken up because Luke gave me a kiss as he was snuggling in our bed. I couldn't even tell who it was until I asked the next morning.
29. "More Powerful" is used to define rank. For example, Daddy is more powerful than Mama. Luke is more powerful than Ben. Jack is more powerful than the bug.
30. "A little bit fast" means slow.
"A little bit loud" means quiet.
31. Boys just know how to sword fight, upper cut, and be crass. Teaching is required to undo these things.
32. Boys know how to do things I don't understand how or why. Like, Why did Luke tell me that I needed to get gasoline to help me get the paint off counter?
33. "Superheros go to weddings."
34. Expect on-purpose tumbles and falls complete with sound effects and exaggerated movements like you might see in a animated cartoon. This is done for personal satisfaction of the boy, and an offering of entertainment for the observer. Kramer is an over sized five-year-old.
35. No matter where you are, they will find the race track. Running in circles through rooms and around furniture is just part of the daily routine and as natural as breathing.
36. Boys are worth it. They are my greatest teacher.
I. HAVE. BOYS! ...and I love it.
I do sometimes wonder if Father God thought it would be really funny to give me three little boys without a teenage girl first, but like I tell my boys, "You get what you get and don't throw a fit." Oh how I wish I had a teenage girl, even better would be one around nine or ten. It's okay though because I have good ones that I rent from time to time. Wayne is home with them now while I get to work and that is blessing for both of us. Life now is just what the doctor ordered. I can see how and why he set things in motion for our life in this moment. This switch-a-roo has been the best thing for our whole family. I am very thankful. I can already see a difference in all of us.
These are a few things I have learned so far about bringing up boys:
1. Boys really are dirty and loud. My boys even color loud. (Is that possible? I assure it is reality.)
2. Boys run and don't walk.
3. Boys are born with a natural ability for sound effects with their mouths that include but are not limited to all motors, guns, passing gas, and trains.
4. Oh, You are one of those moms who don't believe in buying your boys toy weapons? You can forget that, because they literally don't need them. There are plenty of regular household items that make guns, swords, and a plethora of other fun weapons. Guns are made from things like bananas, 3D alphabet letters("F" is a perfect gun if you hold it horizontally,) and really elaborate guns with multiple barrels are easily constructed from tinker toys. Swords? You name it. Umbrellas, curtain rods, and wooden spoons... Well of course you can't have a sword without a shield! No problem. Trash can and pot lids. Very often I go upstairs to the weapon arsenal A.K.A lower bunk bed stripped from all bedding and loaded with weapons of all shapes and sizes strategically placed. Gasp! Do you teach them this? ....nope. Boys are born with this.
5. Boys speak a unique language. We often get to use fun vocabulary words in everyday conversation such as, "Portal, vortex, secret-passage-way, booby trap, butt-ticks, and bungle." (Bungle is actually a bad word they made up that we think means, "bung hole.")
6. NEVER, and I mean NEVER, buy a new couch.
7. Invest stock in Magic Erasers. Use them to clean up the messes you can. Treasure the memories of the ones you can't. From personal experience I can tell you that these little cleaning devices even work on faces. Yes...I have used a magic eraser on a face. It was an emergency. When Luke was two-years-old, he decided he needed to use a permanent red marker to draw stripes on his face just before we were headed out for something important where permanent red on the face would be disastrous. It even went across his eye-lid. I tried all the gentle stuff first. Soap would not touch it. I even tried alcohol to no avail. So I pulled out the magic eraser. I rubbed it on my face first and it felt ok. It took the red right off, and he never complained once. I guess I wouldn't make a habit of it, but in emergencies, you got to do what you got to do.
8. Boys love their mamas, but they need their dads or a least some significant boy time with a grown up who understands how they think. My boys have a great dad, fantastic grandfathers, and really cool and fun uncles.
9. It's a good thing I read "Bringing Up Boys" by Dobson. I really didn't love that book, but I did learn some valuable things about being a boy mama. I'm sure Dr. James is a nice guy and has helped a whole lot of peep, but this book was a real Debbie Downer. I guess we all walk in the light that we have, but parts of this book literally made feel guilty for bringing a child into this world. That was unnecessary in my opinion. However, I did learn something very important. Boys go through two developmental stages whereas girls go through one. Girls and boys both go through puberty, but boys go through one between ages 18 months or so to five years (I think) where they make a mental separation that they are different from their moms and begin to identify more with the males they are around. All three of mine are in this age. What a blessing that their dad is willing to stay home with them during this time. There has been a huge difference in our little guys since the big guy took on the primary parent role.
10. Boys can only think about one thing at a time. If they are busy and do not respond to your voice, touch them and speak. They literally may not hear you. They are wired differently.
11. Don't try to tell two or more stories at one time. You just confuse and frustrate them. Their brains do not multitask like girl's brains. You'll just end up trying to explain yourself or repeat both the stories again separately. Just simplify stories the first time to save you all the trouble.
12. If it can be climbed on, it will be climbed on. If it is impossible to climb, it will also be climbed on.
13. Boys are confident to accessorize their outfits and costumes. Machine guns in their underwear. Capes and rain boots any time. Swords always, even when they have nothing on but a bath towel. One time we were about to eat spaghetti for supper and Jack insisted on putting on different clothes. I didn't want this because I knew whatever he wore would get sauce all over it. I thought he might as well wear the dirty one that he had on. But I allowed him to change. When he returned to the table, he was shirtless, sporting a sword tucked in his pants, a Spiderman web launcher on one wrist, shin guards, wrist guard, and elbow guards, 9 jelly bracelets, and a camouflage hat.
14. Everything and I mean everything is a train or can be converted easily to one. Sound effects, remember, are included in the boy.
15. "Punch" is quality time for the male species and must be done shirtless with socks on the hands. And you have to say, "ding, ding" before the first punch in thrown. It occurs on the king-sized mattress with all bedding piled into the floor around the bed.
16. Sometimes there literally are not words I can find to say and all that I can muster to come out is, "Aaaaaaaah!"
17. The dryer makes an excellent hiding spot.
18. Everything is a competition. When I say everything I mean everything. Even the day a person was born. According to my boys, Ben has a better birthday because he was born on July 22, and 22 is bigger than June 3 or October 12. ...I'm not kidding.
19. Apparently, boys never stop growing. If you are 60, you are "bigger" than someone who is 40. This is very important to four-year-olds in ways I cannot explain.
20. A king bed is not big enough.
21. Expect the unexpected like matchbox cars in your lab coat pocket. Name writing practice on nutritional assessments. Treasure map drawings on that bill you were fixing to mail. Toothpicks in the cracks of tables. Any small item you've misplaced for weeks will be under the seat of a riding toy. Or my personal favorite...Mr. Potato Head's arm in the electrical socket. Oh. My. Gosh!
22. Cranky. Noun. Messed up or imperfect. As in, "The creased paper is cranky." or "Jack made my bed cranky, and I already made it up."
23. Brothers LOVE. They are only an average of 18 months apart. They are very close. They might get mad at each other, but they love each other more than they love anything. Watching them is a sight to behold and lesson for sure.
24. Boys make up games that mamas do not find funny. Seriously, sometimes I just have to leave the room. Wayne taught them how to spray the wood floor with a little furniture polish and slide with sock feet. (I'm cuss-laughing under my breath.) "Oh it was safe before you got home. We slid into pillows and blankets."
25. Boys jump and swing on everything, but especially other people. It was cute and hardly noticeable when they were just little toddlers. Now that the combined weight is over a hundred pounds, I have to stay on my toes. If I bend down to pick up something off the floor, I can most likely expect at least one of them to pounce on my back. Never turn your back to a boy who is on a higher elevation than you are. Be ready if they are above you on the stairs coming down. Oh they'll get you when you least expect it.
26. Boys teach you how to let things go and just enjoy life. Just what I needed.
27. It doesn't matter how old the boy gets. Farts are ALWAYS funny. So funny in fact they will lose their breath laughing. In fact, the funniest thing on the planet is anything that has to do with bodily functions.
28. Nothing is sweeter than a little boy snuggle bug. One time I was woken up because Luke gave me a kiss as he was snuggling in our bed. I couldn't even tell who it was until I asked the next morning.
29. "More Powerful" is used to define rank. For example, Daddy is more powerful than Mama. Luke is more powerful than Ben. Jack is more powerful than the bug.
30. "A little bit fast" means slow.
"A little bit loud" means quiet.
31. Boys just know how to sword fight, upper cut, and be crass. Teaching is required to undo these things.
32. Boys know how to do things I don't understand how or why. Like, Why did Luke tell me that I needed to get gasoline to help me get the paint off counter?
33. "Superheros go to weddings."
34. Expect on-purpose tumbles and falls complete with sound effects and exaggerated movements like you might see in a animated cartoon. This is done for personal satisfaction of the boy, and an offering of entertainment for the observer. Kramer is an over sized five-year-old.
35. No matter where you are, they will find the race track. Running in circles through rooms and around furniture is just part of the daily routine and as natural as breathing.
36. Boys are worth it. They are my greatest teacher.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Prophecy Gift
I've had a stirring to jot down some things about prophecy for many, many months. I cannot claim to "know" anything, but I do have a passion for the prophetic. The more I learn about it, the more intrigued I become. I had a dream a few months ago like I have never had before. In it I was instructing others on prophecy and also giving words to four ladies. What is cool is that I really believe the four ladies represented me so I was really speaking to myself. (I love dreams. The stranger the better.) Other than the Bible and some dream-interpretation books, I have actually never read a book about prophecy, however recently I have purchased some I am excited to read.
I have had some Teachers that I admire in this area and want to share about them.
First, Mary Dorian. I cannot say enough good things about her. She is the real deal, and I am so honored to call her friend. She is the first person I ever saw minister to others with the prophetic gift. She is always kind and full of love. She is someone that Wayne and I trust to speak into our lives regularly. She is a safe place. Love her. Love her. Love her.
Second, Ryan Rufus. He is a great teacher and is the associate pastor for City Church Hong Kong. When I needed some spiritual advice, he responded. I was astounded at his accuracy and insight. He's got some great teachings on prophecy on their website: http://ccihk.com/
Third is Isi De Gersigny. She is a recent acquaintance, and I'm in total love with the God that shines through her. I could listen to her all day speak on the prophetic. She is kind and gentle and gorgeous. She pastors Jubilee International Church in Sydney Australia with her husband Fini. http://www.jubilee.org.au/ Pretty much every message she preaches has some sort of prophetic teaching.
Finally, Melissa Flores. I haven't ever had any personal contact with her, but I enjoy her blog called, "Defining Words." http://definingwords.com/ Most things are over my head, but some things have really changed my perspective in regard to the supernatural.
So here are some "things" I've learned...
1. There are no rules. People who teach their are rules about prophecy do not know what they are talking about in my experience. The way they describe their gift may be accurate for them, but not you. It is inappropriate to box God in.
2. Having said that, here is rule number one....A word from God will ALWAYS be lovely because he is love. If there is even a hint of judgmental, condemnation, accusatory crap, it is NOT from God PERIOD.
3. Having said that, it doesn't mean that every word from the Lord will be sunshine and rainbows. There have been a few and I mean like two or three words tops that I have ever gotten for other people that felt harsh. Really, I only judge them to be harsh out of my own personality. God knows what they need to hear. One in particular was a very strong warning about the person's behavior and where their life would end up if they continued. I just meditated on that word for over a month before I felt comfortable to tell the person just because I wanted to be extra sure that it was from God. I didn't want to even speak anything out like that unless I was sure. So I finally gave the person the word in private. Even though I thought the word had a negative slant to it, she felt so honored that God in heaven would warn her because he cared about her. She was truly touched and truly changed. It is the goodness of God that brings people to a place to change. She felt loved by him. God knew what he was doing even thought I didn't. Giving that word taught me loads about his love for people because apparently I don't know much.
4. The instruction on how to deliver it comes with the word. Sometimes you get a word and might feel like you can post it on facebook. Sometimes you tell in front of a small group. Sometimes you tell in front of large group. Sometimes you tell in private. Sometimes you tell in front of their parents. Sometimes you write it in a letter. Sometimes it doesn't matter how you deliver it. When in doubt, just wait. Sometimes all God wants you to do is pray about it for the person. Maybe they never need to know.
5. Prophecy looks like a lot of different things. Sometimes it is a verbal word. Sometimes a song. Sometimes a vision. Sometimes a painting. Sometimes a dream. Sometimes a dance. Sometimes a trance. Sometimes for yourself. Sometimes for a friend. Sometimes for the world. Maybe you see angels or hear them. Sometimes you just know what to pray. Maybe you smell a scent from heaven. Just as it is inappropriate to box in God, the same goes for prophecy.
6. The way I think of the prophetic is that you see or experience the supernatural. I believe that the Bible tells us to desire prophecy because we speak out Father's heart into the earth. Wow!
7. The difference between a gift of prophecy and a prophet. Um....I've heard teachings on this that I do not agree with. I have to go out on a limb here and say there is no difference. It's the same thing. This is my meager analogy. My sister is an expert cake baker. She has made wedding cakes, all my boys birthday cakes, etc. She makes cakes because she enjoys it. She has a passion for it. She does it for love. If you asked her what she does for a living, she would tell you that she is a high school teacher. But there are many wonderful cake decorators who actually have a full time job baking and selling cakes. Does that mean that because they get paid for what they do that their cakes look better and taste yummier? Nope. Both are just as wonderful.
This is why I think there is no difference. Any gift from the Lord is an act of love. A thirteen year old girl gave me a word from God once with tears streaking down her face that was five English words long. It has been a big source of hope for me and I still cling to it. Then you have these people who prophecy about major world events. Both are cool. Both are powerful. Both are demonstrations of love. One is not "harder" than the other because nothing is hard for God. If both are from God, and both are acts of love, how can we say one is greater? Do we really think we can categorize love? Love is love is love. Categorizing anything from God, in my opinion, sows lack into the people who God says lacks nothing. Don't do that. Don't sow lack. Sow love. Someone who hears an angel sing, or smells fragrance from heaven, or has a vivid dream is experiencing just as much God as someone who falls into a trance for forty days and wakes up with lots to tell. Love is love. There are no levels in love.
8. Interpreting prophecy.... Don't add to what God says. It's fine to not know the answer. I've heard before that "people shouldn't give a word if they don't have the interpretation." FALSE! God will tell you all you need to know. I like it when I see a vision and God gives me the interpretation because I also get to share in their word, but sometimes the interpretation is absolutely none of my business. Just share what you know. Many, many, many times I got a vision for someone without the interpretation. You know what? They know the interpretation. God knows what they need. One time I had a word for someone, but God told me the person who would interpret it. So I gave the gentleman the word, and told him who would interpret it. That's exactly what happened too, and the interpretation was amazing. Team work!
9. If someone keeps popping up into your mind, that is a big clue to slow down and either pray for them or see what the Lord wants you to do. The same with songs, or clips from movies, or scenes from your own past. Ask the Lord why you keep thinking on those things.
10. Stay open for anything. I heard Isi give a powerful word once that the Lord showed her through street signs as she traveled down the road. He's just cool like that. He's a super fun God. He just wants to talk to us because he loves us. He'll use all kinds of fun methods.
11. Prophetic words will be confirmation. If it doesn't bear witness, simply disregard it. I almost always tell a person that what God says in them or shows them means more than what I say. If it doesn't confirm or bear witness, then just disregard it. I especially say that when I am helping someone with their dream.
I have personally gotten words that were good words, but I did not want to hear. (This was back in the days I thought it was appropriate to be judgmental.) Mary told me a word that I felt offensive about because in my mind, "that person doesn't deserve that." or whatever bull crapola I was thinking. (I'm so thankful I am not that person anymore. I actually thought I was free! DISGUST!) Anyway, I think she could feel my obstinacy to the word she spoke out. I've felt the same obstinacy from others before. But that word WAS from the Lord and it planted something in my heart that made my heart start softening up toward the person. It has come to pass. Wow! Thank God for his word.
12. Be faithful over what he shows you. It's not your word, it's the Lords. If they reject it, it is not you they are rejecting. Don't ever think you did something wrong if someone starts accusing you. If your heart has good intentions, God will cover you. It's impossible to fail with a pure heart.
13. If you don't know what to do, you are in a perfect place. It is actually really easy. You hear what he tells you or shows you, and then you do it. The hardest part for me was getting over myself.
14. Also, I once had a lot of pressure on me to "perform" using the gift. God told me not to. His instruction for me was to not do anything. He said that he was sowing into me like a dammed river lake. One day he would open the flood gates. It took away the pressure. I knew what my Father had said, so when the pressure from others came, I didn't care what they thought. I think I didn't give any words for about six months. Then one day Wayne and I were driving to minister somewhere and God told me that I would be ministering to them with the gift of prophecy. Whoa! It was so much fun. Best fun ever. The dam gates were opened and it just gushed out in an atmosphere of freedom. God works with us as individuals. There is no formula. Formula equals magic. God is love, not magic.
15. How do you know if you have the gift of prophecy? Then answer this question....Do you want it? Then you have that gift of prophecy. God's given us all of him. We lack nothing. Love people first. Everything else will fall into place. We love people because we know God loves us. That's it. Easy Greasy.
16. When I first started realizing I had this gift, I would get physical sensations. Like sometimes I would sort of ache in a part of my body and know that someone was hurting there and God wanted to heal them. Or often I felt like I wanted to throw up or just start shaking. I think this happened for training purposes. It was sort of an outward cue that I could associate with the voice of my Father to share the gift. Now that my confidence has grown in his voice, I don't have those symptoms any more. The more confident that we hear his voice and know him apart from ourselves, the easier and sweeter it becomes because we rest and trust him more and more. I do not doubt his voice any more, but I used to. Even in doubting, you can't go wrong with a message of loveliness and a pure heart. Jesus covers us. Love covers us.
17. Sharing the gift strengthens us and the receiver simultaneously. so cool. I love heavenly mathematics. The more you give away, the bigger it gets.
18. You don't need any person to teach you. You have the Holy Spirit who is our teacher. What you might need is a little encouraging that you do indeed hear your father's voice. It's your right to hear him as a child of God.
19. One very cool thing about prophecy is how it can wipe out a voice of accusation. Accusation, judgment, condemnation and guilt can keep a person smashed down in a pit of despair. One word and I mean only one, can jerk them up out of that pit and onto the mountain top. It's happened to me a lot. sometimes it could be as simple as a hug.
I have had some Teachers that I admire in this area and want to share about them.
First, Mary Dorian. I cannot say enough good things about her. She is the real deal, and I am so honored to call her friend. She is the first person I ever saw minister to others with the prophetic gift. She is always kind and full of love. She is someone that Wayne and I trust to speak into our lives regularly. She is a safe place. Love her. Love her. Love her.
Second, Ryan Rufus. He is a great teacher and is the associate pastor for City Church Hong Kong. When I needed some spiritual advice, he responded. I was astounded at his accuracy and insight. He's got some great teachings on prophecy on their website: http://ccihk.com/
Third is Isi De Gersigny. She is a recent acquaintance, and I'm in total love with the God that shines through her. I could listen to her all day speak on the prophetic. She is kind and gentle and gorgeous. She pastors Jubilee International Church in Sydney Australia with her husband Fini. http://www.jubilee.org.au/ Pretty much every message she preaches has some sort of prophetic teaching.
Finally, Melissa Flores. I haven't ever had any personal contact with her, but I enjoy her blog called, "Defining Words." http://definingwords.com/ Most things are over my head, but some things have really changed my perspective in regard to the supernatural.
So here are some "things" I've learned...
1. There are no rules. People who teach their are rules about prophecy do not know what they are talking about in my experience. The way they describe their gift may be accurate for them, but not you. It is inappropriate to box God in.
2. Having said that, here is rule number one....A word from God will ALWAYS be lovely because he is love. If there is even a hint of judgmental, condemnation, accusatory crap, it is NOT from God PERIOD.
3. Having said that, it doesn't mean that every word from the Lord will be sunshine and rainbows. There have been a few and I mean like two or three words tops that I have ever gotten for other people that felt harsh. Really, I only judge them to be harsh out of my own personality. God knows what they need to hear. One in particular was a very strong warning about the person's behavior and where their life would end up if they continued. I just meditated on that word for over a month before I felt comfortable to tell the person just because I wanted to be extra sure that it was from God. I didn't want to even speak anything out like that unless I was sure. So I finally gave the person the word in private. Even though I thought the word had a negative slant to it, she felt so honored that God in heaven would warn her because he cared about her. She was truly touched and truly changed. It is the goodness of God that brings people to a place to change. She felt loved by him. God knew what he was doing even thought I didn't. Giving that word taught me loads about his love for people because apparently I don't know much.
4. The instruction on how to deliver it comes with the word. Sometimes you get a word and might feel like you can post it on facebook. Sometimes you tell in front of a small group. Sometimes you tell in front of large group. Sometimes you tell in private. Sometimes you tell in front of their parents. Sometimes you write it in a letter. Sometimes it doesn't matter how you deliver it. When in doubt, just wait. Sometimes all God wants you to do is pray about it for the person. Maybe they never need to know.
5. Prophecy looks like a lot of different things. Sometimes it is a verbal word. Sometimes a song. Sometimes a vision. Sometimes a painting. Sometimes a dream. Sometimes a dance. Sometimes a trance. Sometimes for yourself. Sometimes for a friend. Sometimes for the world. Maybe you see angels or hear them. Sometimes you just know what to pray. Maybe you smell a scent from heaven. Just as it is inappropriate to box in God, the same goes for prophecy.
6. The way I think of the prophetic is that you see or experience the supernatural. I believe that the Bible tells us to desire prophecy because we speak out Father's heart into the earth. Wow!
7. The difference between a gift of prophecy and a prophet. Um....I've heard teachings on this that I do not agree with. I have to go out on a limb here and say there is no difference. It's the same thing. This is my meager analogy. My sister is an expert cake baker. She has made wedding cakes, all my boys birthday cakes, etc. She makes cakes because she enjoys it. She has a passion for it. She does it for love. If you asked her what she does for a living, she would tell you that she is a high school teacher. But there are many wonderful cake decorators who actually have a full time job baking and selling cakes. Does that mean that because they get paid for what they do that their cakes look better and taste yummier? Nope. Both are just as wonderful.
This is why I think there is no difference. Any gift from the Lord is an act of love. A thirteen year old girl gave me a word from God once with tears streaking down her face that was five English words long. It has been a big source of hope for me and I still cling to it. Then you have these people who prophecy about major world events. Both are cool. Both are powerful. Both are demonstrations of love. One is not "harder" than the other because nothing is hard for God. If both are from God, and both are acts of love, how can we say one is greater? Do we really think we can categorize love? Love is love is love. Categorizing anything from God, in my opinion, sows lack into the people who God says lacks nothing. Don't do that. Don't sow lack. Sow love. Someone who hears an angel sing, or smells fragrance from heaven, or has a vivid dream is experiencing just as much God as someone who falls into a trance for forty days and wakes up with lots to tell. Love is love. There are no levels in love.
8. Interpreting prophecy.... Don't add to what God says. It's fine to not know the answer. I've heard before that "people shouldn't give a word if they don't have the interpretation." FALSE! God will tell you all you need to know. I like it when I see a vision and God gives me the interpretation because I also get to share in their word, but sometimes the interpretation is absolutely none of my business. Just share what you know. Many, many, many times I got a vision for someone without the interpretation. You know what? They know the interpretation. God knows what they need. One time I had a word for someone, but God told me the person who would interpret it. So I gave the gentleman the word, and told him who would interpret it. That's exactly what happened too, and the interpretation was amazing. Team work!
9. If someone keeps popping up into your mind, that is a big clue to slow down and either pray for them or see what the Lord wants you to do. The same with songs, or clips from movies, or scenes from your own past. Ask the Lord why you keep thinking on those things.
10. Stay open for anything. I heard Isi give a powerful word once that the Lord showed her through street signs as she traveled down the road. He's just cool like that. He's a super fun God. He just wants to talk to us because he loves us. He'll use all kinds of fun methods.
11. Prophetic words will be confirmation. If it doesn't bear witness, simply disregard it. I almost always tell a person that what God says in them or shows them means more than what I say. If it doesn't confirm or bear witness, then just disregard it. I especially say that when I am helping someone with their dream.
I have personally gotten words that were good words, but I did not want to hear. (This was back in the days I thought it was appropriate to be judgmental.) Mary told me a word that I felt offensive about because in my mind, "that person doesn't deserve that." or whatever bull crapola I was thinking. (I'm so thankful I am not that person anymore. I actually thought I was free! DISGUST!) Anyway, I think she could feel my obstinacy to the word she spoke out. I've felt the same obstinacy from others before. But that word WAS from the Lord and it planted something in my heart that made my heart start softening up toward the person. It has come to pass. Wow! Thank God for his word.
12. Be faithful over what he shows you. It's not your word, it's the Lords. If they reject it, it is not you they are rejecting. Don't ever think you did something wrong if someone starts accusing you. If your heart has good intentions, God will cover you. It's impossible to fail with a pure heart.
13. If you don't know what to do, you are in a perfect place. It is actually really easy. You hear what he tells you or shows you, and then you do it. The hardest part for me was getting over myself.
14. Also, I once had a lot of pressure on me to "perform" using the gift. God told me not to. His instruction for me was to not do anything. He said that he was sowing into me like a dammed river lake. One day he would open the flood gates. It took away the pressure. I knew what my Father had said, so when the pressure from others came, I didn't care what they thought. I think I didn't give any words for about six months. Then one day Wayne and I were driving to minister somewhere and God told me that I would be ministering to them with the gift of prophecy. Whoa! It was so much fun. Best fun ever. The dam gates were opened and it just gushed out in an atmosphere of freedom. God works with us as individuals. There is no formula. Formula equals magic. God is love, not magic.
15. How do you know if you have the gift of prophecy? Then answer this question....Do you want it? Then you have that gift of prophecy. God's given us all of him. We lack nothing. Love people first. Everything else will fall into place. We love people because we know God loves us. That's it. Easy Greasy.
16. When I first started realizing I had this gift, I would get physical sensations. Like sometimes I would sort of ache in a part of my body and know that someone was hurting there and God wanted to heal them. Or often I felt like I wanted to throw up or just start shaking. I think this happened for training purposes. It was sort of an outward cue that I could associate with the voice of my Father to share the gift. Now that my confidence has grown in his voice, I don't have those symptoms any more. The more confident that we hear his voice and know him apart from ourselves, the easier and sweeter it becomes because we rest and trust him more and more. I do not doubt his voice any more, but I used to. Even in doubting, you can't go wrong with a message of loveliness and a pure heart. Jesus covers us. Love covers us.
17. Sharing the gift strengthens us and the receiver simultaneously. so cool. I love heavenly mathematics. The more you give away, the bigger it gets.
18. You don't need any person to teach you. You have the Holy Spirit who is our teacher. What you might need is a little encouraging that you do indeed hear your father's voice. It's your right to hear him as a child of God.
19. One very cool thing about prophecy is how it can wipe out a voice of accusation. Accusation, judgment, condemnation and guilt can keep a person smashed down in a pit of despair. One word and I mean only one, can jerk them up out of that pit and onto the mountain top. It's happened to me a lot. sometimes it could be as simple as a hug.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Tis The Season To Be Mary Part 2
I've been learning things, but not from any man. Father has been teaching me. What is extra cool is that Wayne is also separately getting one-on-one lessons, but they are the same revelations. Not only is it confirmation, but it is a true example of the tuning fork. I don't have to be tuned into any person, not even Wayne, as my source because I am tuned into Father. Wayne is also tuned into Father, and that means we are automatically in tune to each other. Probably the biggest lesson at the moment has to do with unlearning.
There is a call to us to return to childhood. God and Wayne had one of the most beautiful conversations I have ever heard between Father and a son. Someday I might share it, but for now I'm going to let Wayne soak in the revelation without me involved. I've also had some visions about God as my parent, but mostly he has been teaching me things in my dreams. I had no idea about somethings he has shown be about myself. After dreaming about this a few times, I finally seem to be getting the clue.
Mary hesitated...and so do I.
Mary was just a young, innocent girl. There were probably many traits about her that were childlike, and she is amazing. (I think when I get to heaven, I'll have me a sit down with her to jab about what it was like raising a bunch of boys.) I learned something about myself from dreams plus pondering on Mary's role in the Christmas story. When the angel came to Mary and told her that she would become pregnant. Mary questioned the word of the Lord. She said, "How can this be?" And the Angel gave her an answer. Then she said, "Be it done to me as you say." And she became pregnant with the seed of the Word. Wow! Gets me every single time! But I always skipped right over her question. Did you know that she could have believed what he said without any explanation and became pregnant? But she hesitated. Now I realize that "hesitate" is not exactly accurate, but for some reason it makes sense in my mind.
I think I can credit how I understand the word "hesitate" to the Movie "Men In Black." I love the part where the MIB are testing the potential agents and they all go in the shooting area and start blasting the alien props except Will Smith's character who doesn't shoot anything. Then all the shooting stops and Will shoots the girl prop in the head. The lights come back on and the MIB agent asks him what happened and he says, "hesitated." They end up choosing Will Smith and Zeb tells the other candidates, "Congratulations, gentlemen. You're everything we expected from years of government training." ----oh boy, that will preach!
What I love about Mary's story is that she questioned, and she still got her answer. God didn't "unchoose" her just because she questioned. He met her where she was, gave her the answer, then proceeded as planned. It was a simple little question. "How?" The Bible doesn't record any of the other billions of questions that I probably would have had. "Why me? How am I supposed to raise this kid? What will my parents think? What about Joseph? Will this baby need unique care? Will I be a single mother?" She didn't ask any of those types of questions which in my opinion are a lot more meaty. Her question indicated that she was willing. She just simply wanted to know, "How can this be because I've not been with a man."
(I just thought of something as I typed the question. She was willing, but she thought that the Word physically living in her would obviously have to come from a man. Whoa. Don't we get into that same sort of thinking? We place people in our lives to speak into us life when really we need to hear directly from the Father. He'll plant the seed in us. We don't need any person telling us what to think about God, what he looks like, or sounds like. We can hear his voice on our own. It is our right to hear our Father's voice as his children. And I would literally like to pop in the nose people who make other people discredit the voice of the almighty within them. I posted in May 2011 on this very thing in this blog that was a vision/word from the Lord, and its called, "Wake Up Call." I'm still learning things from that vision.)
Mary was very simple, but I do the exact same thing except on a much larger scale. I hesitate because of judgment. The first dream I had was a really cool dream, but in the dream the host of the fancy restaurant was a French man. (Red Flag #1 in my mind.) But I like him. I was drawn to him. He was taking me through the restaurant to see the manager to find my misplaced keys. We stopped at a patrons table, and he put some sort of weird-looking delicacy they were eating in their drink and had me drink it. I hesitated. I did NOT want to drink that. How terrible that he would interrupt their dining. And I felt like he knew it was going to be weird for me to drink and I would look silly. I didn't like that he put me in that position, but yet I was still captivated by him. After I drank he took me on to see the manger who had my keys. When I woke up I knew the French man was the Lord, but why would he put me in that uncomfortable, socially-unacceptable position to drink that strange concoction?
A while later I had another dream that may be my very favorite dream of all time. The dream had so much in it, that I think I will post it separately. I was in a geology class with a guest lecturer who worked for a geology company. I was captivated by him. He drew me with every word. Hearing him speak gave me life and empowered me to find my rocks. (stop laughing.) He made me question myself in my dream which I did not appreciate. And he told me twice that I need to put my rock collection in his care so he could preserve them. I refused letting him have my rocks because I assumed he was just telling me that because it was money for his business. When I woke up I knew the teacher was the Lord. So why did he make me question myself? And why did he want my rocks? I judged him with preconceived ideas. I assumed things. (I did find out later why he made me question myself and I'll post that with my dream. It's the coolest thing ever.)
It took two dreams plus Mary's story to make me realize that I do not trust Father as a child. I have preconceived ideas on how things should work or why things are a certain way. "A business man isn't out to help me. He wants my money." But then I had an inner knowing that drew me to him. I trusted what I've learned from living instead of trusting that knowing on the inside of me. Father showed me that I hesitate. Instead of resting and trusting in what he says, I think I have to know the answers. I think I HAVE the answers. Really all I have to know is the one who IS the answer. It's a backwards way of thinking from what I've learned. It is unlearning a whole bunch of self-help modules that I have subjected myself to for years and years. I'm afraid to fully trust because of all kinds of things I suppose. I'm afraid that trusting might make me embarrassed because of the thousands of naive comments and jokes played on me in the past. Or maybe that I have a belief that, "nobody could be that good." But the truth is that God really is that good. He only wants to love me. He doesn't have anything to take from me or teach me. There are no hidden agendas to improve me or get something out of me. He just loves me because he loves me and that's it. I can learn to trust him as a child would trust---like I used to trust. I can trust myself to trust because I know from the inside that he is good. I have an inner knowing of my who my Daddy is and I can trust him.
I've been "playing" in the glory a bit with some new acquaintances we recently met. It's really weird to me. The very first minute of the meeting God taught me that I hesitate. They had us stand up for worship, and I had some preconceived ideas of what that meant. Then Father gently revealed to me that I don't have to participate in anything I don't want to, but if I want to come and play, then he welcomes that. Who cares if everyone in the room happens to be playing for real or just pretending. I can enjoy time with my Dad without having any judgments on myself or others. It was literally the sweetest time of worship I have ever had, and definitely the most power-packed of revelation. I liken it to a play ground. A place where kids play. I didn't construct the swings and slides. I might not even know everything there is to know about the safety. I don't even know how it was built, but that doesn't mean I can't go and play. I can experience the playground just as any other child would without having answers. I can even have a perfectly wonderful time without having questions. I believe that is what God is revealing to me by helping me unlearn how I am "supposed" to be. I've been taught to hesitate. There is so much more rest in trust.
There is a call to us to return to childhood. God and Wayne had one of the most beautiful conversations I have ever heard between Father and a son. Someday I might share it, but for now I'm going to let Wayne soak in the revelation without me involved. I've also had some visions about God as my parent, but mostly he has been teaching me things in my dreams. I had no idea about somethings he has shown be about myself. After dreaming about this a few times, I finally seem to be getting the clue.
Mary hesitated...and so do I.
Mary was just a young, innocent girl. There were probably many traits about her that were childlike, and she is amazing. (I think when I get to heaven, I'll have me a sit down with her to jab about what it was like raising a bunch of boys.) I learned something about myself from dreams plus pondering on Mary's role in the Christmas story. When the angel came to Mary and told her that she would become pregnant. Mary questioned the word of the Lord. She said, "How can this be?" And the Angel gave her an answer. Then she said, "Be it done to me as you say." And she became pregnant with the seed of the Word. Wow! Gets me every single time! But I always skipped right over her question. Did you know that she could have believed what he said without any explanation and became pregnant? But she hesitated. Now I realize that "hesitate" is not exactly accurate, but for some reason it makes sense in my mind.
I think I can credit how I understand the word "hesitate" to the Movie "Men In Black." I love the part where the MIB are testing the potential agents and they all go in the shooting area and start blasting the alien props except Will Smith's character who doesn't shoot anything. Then all the shooting stops and Will shoots the girl prop in the head. The lights come back on and the MIB agent asks him what happened and he says, "hesitated." They end up choosing Will Smith and Zeb tells the other candidates, "Congratulations, gentlemen. You're everything we expected from years of government training." ----oh boy, that will preach!
What I love about Mary's story is that she questioned, and she still got her answer. God didn't "unchoose" her just because she questioned. He met her where she was, gave her the answer, then proceeded as planned. It was a simple little question. "How?" The Bible doesn't record any of the other billions of questions that I probably would have had. "Why me? How am I supposed to raise this kid? What will my parents think? What about Joseph? Will this baby need unique care? Will I be a single mother?" She didn't ask any of those types of questions which in my opinion are a lot more meaty. Her question indicated that she was willing. She just simply wanted to know, "How can this be because I've not been with a man."
(I just thought of something as I typed the question. She was willing, but she thought that the Word physically living in her would obviously have to come from a man. Whoa. Don't we get into that same sort of thinking? We place people in our lives to speak into us life when really we need to hear directly from the Father. He'll plant the seed in us. We don't need any person telling us what to think about God, what he looks like, or sounds like. We can hear his voice on our own. It is our right to hear our Father's voice as his children. And I would literally like to pop in the nose people who make other people discredit the voice of the almighty within them. I posted in May 2011 on this very thing in this blog that was a vision/word from the Lord, and its called, "Wake Up Call." I'm still learning things from that vision.)
Mary was very simple, but I do the exact same thing except on a much larger scale. I hesitate because of judgment. The first dream I had was a really cool dream, but in the dream the host of the fancy restaurant was a French man. (Red Flag #1 in my mind.) But I like him. I was drawn to him. He was taking me through the restaurant to see the manager to find my misplaced keys. We stopped at a patrons table, and he put some sort of weird-looking delicacy they were eating in their drink and had me drink it. I hesitated. I did NOT want to drink that. How terrible that he would interrupt their dining. And I felt like he knew it was going to be weird for me to drink and I would look silly. I didn't like that he put me in that position, but yet I was still captivated by him. After I drank he took me on to see the manger who had my keys. When I woke up I knew the French man was the Lord, but why would he put me in that uncomfortable, socially-unacceptable position to drink that strange concoction?
A while later I had another dream that may be my very favorite dream of all time. The dream had so much in it, that I think I will post it separately. I was in a geology class with a guest lecturer who worked for a geology company. I was captivated by him. He drew me with every word. Hearing him speak gave me life and empowered me to find my rocks. (stop laughing.) He made me question myself in my dream which I did not appreciate. And he told me twice that I need to put my rock collection in his care so he could preserve them. I refused letting him have my rocks because I assumed he was just telling me that because it was money for his business. When I woke up I knew the teacher was the Lord. So why did he make me question myself? And why did he want my rocks? I judged him with preconceived ideas. I assumed things. (I did find out later why he made me question myself and I'll post that with my dream. It's the coolest thing ever.)
It took two dreams plus Mary's story to make me realize that I do not trust Father as a child. I have preconceived ideas on how things should work or why things are a certain way. "A business man isn't out to help me. He wants my money." But then I had an inner knowing that drew me to him. I trusted what I've learned from living instead of trusting that knowing on the inside of me. Father showed me that I hesitate. Instead of resting and trusting in what he says, I think I have to know the answers. I think I HAVE the answers. Really all I have to know is the one who IS the answer. It's a backwards way of thinking from what I've learned. It is unlearning a whole bunch of self-help modules that I have subjected myself to for years and years. I'm afraid to fully trust because of all kinds of things I suppose. I'm afraid that trusting might make me embarrassed because of the thousands of naive comments and jokes played on me in the past. Or maybe that I have a belief that, "nobody could be that good." But the truth is that God really is that good. He only wants to love me. He doesn't have anything to take from me or teach me. There are no hidden agendas to improve me or get something out of me. He just loves me because he loves me and that's it. I can learn to trust him as a child would trust---like I used to trust. I can trust myself to trust because I know from the inside that he is good. I have an inner knowing of my who my Daddy is and I can trust him.
I've been "playing" in the glory a bit with some new acquaintances we recently met. It's really weird to me. The very first minute of the meeting God taught me that I hesitate. They had us stand up for worship, and I had some preconceived ideas of what that meant. Then Father gently revealed to me that I don't have to participate in anything I don't want to, but if I want to come and play, then he welcomes that. Who cares if everyone in the room happens to be playing for real or just pretending. I can enjoy time with my Dad without having any judgments on myself or others. It was literally the sweetest time of worship I have ever had, and definitely the most power-packed of revelation. I liken it to a play ground. A place where kids play. I didn't construct the swings and slides. I might not even know everything there is to know about the safety. I don't even know how it was built, but that doesn't mean I can't go and play. I can experience the playground just as any other child would without having answers. I can even have a perfectly wonderful time without having questions. I believe that is what God is revealing to me by helping me unlearn how I am "supposed" to be. I've been taught to hesitate. There is so much more rest in trust.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Tis The Season To Be Mary Part 1
I have been wanting to write about a little ponder I have had for over a month now. With the Christmas season upon us, how appropriate that God would use Mary to teach me about obedience.
"Obedience"....sigh
I had a belief, a judgment, about that four-syllable word that just seemed to prevent me from seeing some things. I could feel the box, but I didn't know exactly what it was. I have been well acquainted with people who abuse that word to either make themselves seem more "spiritual" than the rest of us, or use it to manipulate people into "doing." I just didn't quite understand what it meant. Something always felt yucky when people would use that term and "sacrifice" in the same conversation. I always felt like Jesus is the all-encompassing sacrifice and anything I "offered" was a form of self-righteousness, but then I hear people teaching about the other "side of the coin," and it made a lot of sense too.
I always thought of obedience as "an instruction that you follow." I KNOW that Father has asked me to do things that I wasn't real excited about doing. I even had to make some really tough decisions this year. I know I heard his voice and his instruction, but Gosh! The decisions were not easy. I did it because I knew that even if I didn't know why, I could trust he had my best interest in mind and it would work out for the good, the great, the fantastic. ...and it has and I can see why now, and I am very thankful that I "followed" that voice even though I didn't understand it all. Sometimes it is just the fear of the unknown that might make us hesitate to be "obedient." It made sense to me that Jesus never seemed to heal the same way twice because he was "following" instructions, but I just didn't quite understand why.
I heard Bertie (God love him) speak on grace, and he said something that went a little like, "obedience for people in grace is doing what they want to do." Now that is probably not a direct quote, but whatever he said, when he said it, it felt right. It felt liberating. The fragrance of freedom was in the air, and I grew hungry to taste it again. Once you've tasted true freedom it is difficult to dine on anything less. But it just seemed out of my reach because of the box I had built around my heart in this area. So I did what we all should do when we have questions like this. I asked my Father. The answer didn't come right away, but it came.
I was driving to one of my jobs listening to some good quality God-pong. There was not one thing mentioned about "obedience," but something she said opened up my box and Father dropped a load of revelation into my Spirit that has helped me to see a little more. She read the Christmas story.
I was thinking of "Obedience" all wrong.
This is an example of hearing instruction and following it when I didn't want to: (Boy, is it pertinent!) Sometimes God gives me words from him for people. I got one for a dear friend. There was a lot to it, but I kept hearing just one word over and over and over. That word was, "obedient." The Lord wanted me to tell my friend to be obedient. "Please, No Lord!" I said, because I knew my friend had been beaten, belittled, and abused by that word. I did NOT want to say that, but that is what the Lord said to do. Now I love to cook with a good wooden spoon, but I felt like I was giving a wooden spoon as a gift to someone who had been beaten by one as an innocent child. I hesitated badly, but then I finally, sheepishly told my friend. I wondered at that time if maybe "obedience" is when the hearts of other people were involved. But even that still didn't fit quite right. I was puzzled, and really I still have so much to awaken to.
According to Bertie, (and I agree with him 100%), if I didn't want to do it, there would be a law working in my life somewhere. I followed the instruction, so therefore in my mind, I was obedient. Right? I don't know. Hmmmmmm...
So I was driving down the road listening to a beautiful message on the Christmas story. She read about the Holy Spirit hovering over Mary. When the word of the Lord came, Mary believed it and said, "be it unto me according to your word." Then she became pregnant. Pregnant WITH THE WORD, himself. WOW. The more I meditate on that especially as a mom of three boys, the more bewildered and in awe of how all that went down. She was just a kid. An unmarried girl who was old enough to know how socially unacceptable being pregnant for her would be. I wonder if she thought of that before she received that word? She did hesitate. She questioned the Angel. "How can this be?" ----(more on that in Part 2.)
I love this analogy from Rob Rufus... If I had a tuning fork that I used to tune my piano and then gave the same tuning fork to you so you can tune your piano, our pianos would be in tune to each other even though they were never even around each other. Just like if I am listening to voice of God and you are listening to the voice of God, then we will be tuned to each other.
The Spirit of the Lord was hovering over Mary and she became in tune to it. There was an agreement that took place. Sometimes it is hard for me to interpret God's language of revelation into English, but for pathetic explanation purposes, The Lord was offering her a "possibility" and she agreed with it. The very cells in her body based on her belief system began to sing the same song that was being sung in the Spirit. She responded to the song, creative vibrations, of the Holy Spirit. And when they were in tune...BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM! The Word of God, Our Lord and Savior, The Innocent Lamb, The Great I AM, The Beginning and the End, The Truth, The Way, The Life started physically growing inside her. Merry Christmas and a Happy Happy Happy Brand NEW EVERYTHING!!!!!
I realized that I have been viewing "obedience" totally wrong. I thought it was, "an instruction that we follow." But that is not it at all. Obedience is when we come into agreement with the Spirit of the Lord and his desires. Obedience IS grace. The more I awaken to grace, the more what I want IS what He wants because we are singing the same tune. We are the same person. It isn't me any more, it is Christ that lives. Looking back, I can see that the instructions I heard and followed were correct, but my heart wasn't awakened to grace fully in those areas and that is why it felt sacrificey. The more he reveals himself to me, and the more I discover my identity, the more what he wants is what I want. I do because I want to and that's it. It's WE instead of me. The more revelation of the pure grace of God I wake up to, the more taking all the carts back up to kroger as I walk in is an honor to me to bless others. The more going to work everyday is an overwhelming joy for the opportunity. The more getting to pick up my boys' toys and doing laundry is a blessing because we have things to clean up and home to clean them up in. Even listening to their whiny, tired cries is an honor because they feel comfortable enough around me to share their true feelings. Sometimes do I feel like these things are a sacrifice? Yep. You betcha! But I have no doubt in my mind that when I feel that way, somewhere deep down I am operating under law instead of resting in grace. I know the more I wake up to the revelation of his truth, the easier and even more enjoyable life will be. Does that mean that I feel condemned when I think I would rather jump off a cliff than pick up that same pile of mess again? Hope not. Condemnation itself is the chains that bind us to the law. Let's just rest, and be content knowing that we don't have all the answers and don't have to. I do think that is why God even gives us grace for the grace. Even Mary hesitated (for lack of a better word)and she was the chosen mom for God in the flesh. Pretty amazing that God became totally vulnerable and trusted Man completely. That is humbling love right there.
Back to the word I gave my friend... I called right away and told my friend what I now realize "obedience" is and why Father would use that term. It is nothing short of a case of turning ashes into beauty. What someone had meant to use to destroy, the Lord was using the same thing to build and strengthen. Wow! What a good Father our God is! He took the ugly stick----a symbol of worthlessness, and turned it into a symbol of the song that is sung over him by the only voice that matters. I learned so much from that experience and I am so thankful he allowed me to be the messenger of that word..."Obedience."
Doesn't knowing that give a new, wonderful perspective on the verse, "Obedience is better than sacrifice?" (1 Sam 15:22) Yes it does!(I wonder if Mary had felt it was sacrifice if she would have been impregnated? Guess that's another question to ask Dad.)
Big thanks to Mary for her obedience! Tis the season to be Mary!!!!!
"Obedience"....sigh
I had a belief, a judgment, about that four-syllable word that just seemed to prevent me from seeing some things. I could feel the box, but I didn't know exactly what it was. I have been well acquainted with people who abuse that word to either make themselves seem more "spiritual" than the rest of us, or use it to manipulate people into "doing." I just didn't quite understand what it meant. Something always felt yucky when people would use that term and "sacrifice" in the same conversation. I always felt like Jesus is the all-encompassing sacrifice and anything I "offered" was a form of self-righteousness, but then I hear people teaching about the other "side of the coin," and it made a lot of sense too.
I always thought of obedience as "an instruction that you follow." I KNOW that Father has asked me to do things that I wasn't real excited about doing. I even had to make some really tough decisions this year. I know I heard his voice and his instruction, but Gosh! The decisions were not easy. I did it because I knew that even if I didn't know why, I could trust he had my best interest in mind and it would work out for the good, the great, the fantastic. ...and it has and I can see why now, and I am very thankful that I "followed" that voice even though I didn't understand it all. Sometimes it is just the fear of the unknown that might make us hesitate to be "obedient." It made sense to me that Jesus never seemed to heal the same way twice because he was "following" instructions, but I just didn't quite understand why.
I heard Bertie (God love him) speak on grace, and he said something that went a little like, "obedience for people in grace is doing what they want to do." Now that is probably not a direct quote, but whatever he said, when he said it, it felt right. It felt liberating. The fragrance of freedom was in the air, and I grew hungry to taste it again. Once you've tasted true freedom it is difficult to dine on anything less. But it just seemed out of my reach because of the box I had built around my heart in this area. So I did what we all should do when we have questions like this. I asked my Father. The answer didn't come right away, but it came.
I was driving to one of my jobs listening to some good quality God-pong. There was not one thing mentioned about "obedience," but something she said opened up my box and Father dropped a load of revelation into my Spirit that has helped me to see a little more. She read the Christmas story.
I was thinking of "Obedience" all wrong.
This is an example of hearing instruction and following it when I didn't want to: (Boy, is it pertinent!) Sometimes God gives me words from him for people. I got one for a dear friend. There was a lot to it, but I kept hearing just one word over and over and over. That word was, "obedient." The Lord wanted me to tell my friend to be obedient. "Please, No Lord!" I said, because I knew my friend had been beaten, belittled, and abused by that word. I did NOT want to say that, but that is what the Lord said to do. Now I love to cook with a good wooden spoon, but I felt like I was giving a wooden spoon as a gift to someone who had been beaten by one as an innocent child. I hesitated badly, but then I finally, sheepishly told my friend. I wondered at that time if maybe "obedience" is when the hearts of other people were involved. But even that still didn't fit quite right. I was puzzled, and really I still have so much to awaken to.
According to Bertie, (and I agree with him 100%), if I didn't want to do it, there would be a law working in my life somewhere. I followed the instruction, so therefore in my mind, I was obedient. Right? I don't know. Hmmmmmm...
So I was driving down the road listening to a beautiful message on the Christmas story. She read about the Holy Spirit hovering over Mary. When the word of the Lord came, Mary believed it and said, "be it unto me according to your word." Then she became pregnant. Pregnant WITH THE WORD, himself. WOW. The more I meditate on that especially as a mom of three boys, the more bewildered and in awe of how all that went down. She was just a kid. An unmarried girl who was old enough to know how socially unacceptable being pregnant for her would be. I wonder if she thought of that before she received that word? She did hesitate. She questioned the Angel. "How can this be?" ----(more on that in Part 2.)
I love this analogy from Rob Rufus... If I had a tuning fork that I used to tune my piano and then gave the same tuning fork to you so you can tune your piano, our pianos would be in tune to each other even though they were never even around each other. Just like if I am listening to voice of God and you are listening to the voice of God, then we will be tuned to each other.
The Spirit of the Lord was hovering over Mary and she became in tune to it. There was an agreement that took place. Sometimes it is hard for me to interpret God's language of revelation into English, but for pathetic explanation purposes, The Lord was offering her a "possibility" and she agreed with it. The very cells in her body based on her belief system began to sing the same song that was being sung in the Spirit. She responded to the song, creative vibrations, of the Holy Spirit. And when they were in tune...BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM! The Word of God, Our Lord and Savior, The Innocent Lamb, The Great I AM, The Beginning and the End, The Truth, The Way, The Life started physically growing inside her. Merry Christmas and a Happy Happy Happy Brand NEW EVERYTHING!!!!!
I realized that I have been viewing "obedience" totally wrong. I thought it was, "an instruction that we follow." But that is not it at all. Obedience is when we come into agreement with the Spirit of the Lord and his desires. Obedience IS grace. The more I awaken to grace, the more what I want IS what He wants because we are singing the same tune. We are the same person. It isn't me any more, it is Christ that lives. Looking back, I can see that the instructions I heard and followed were correct, but my heart wasn't awakened to grace fully in those areas and that is why it felt sacrificey. The more he reveals himself to me, and the more I discover my identity, the more what he wants is what I want. I do because I want to and that's it. It's WE instead of me. The more revelation of the pure grace of God I wake up to, the more taking all the carts back up to kroger as I walk in is an honor to me to bless others. The more going to work everyday is an overwhelming joy for the opportunity. The more getting to pick up my boys' toys and doing laundry is a blessing because we have things to clean up and home to clean them up in. Even listening to their whiny, tired cries is an honor because they feel comfortable enough around me to share their true feelings. Sometimes do I feel like these things are a sacrifice? Yep. You betcha! But I have no doubt in my mind that when I feel that way, somewhere deep down I am operating under law instead of resting in grace. I know the more I wake up to the revelation of his truth, the easier and even more enjoyable life will be. Does that mean that I feel condemned when I think I would rather jump off a cliff than pick up that same pile of mess again? Hope not. Condemnation itself is the chains that bind us to the law. Let's just rest, and be content knowing that we don't have all the answers and don't have to. I do think that is why God even gives us grace for the grace. Even Mary hesitated (for lack of a better word)and she was the chosen mom for God in the flesh. Pretty amazing that God became totally vulnerable and trusted Man completely. That is humbling love right there.
Back to the word I gave my friend... I called right away and told my friend what I now realize "obedience" is and why Father would use that term. It is nothing short of a case of turning ashes into beauty. What someone had meant to use to destroy, the Lord was using the same thing to build and strengthen. Wow! What a good Father our God is! He took the ugly stick----a symbol of worthlessness, and turned it into a symbol of the song that is sung over him by the only voice that matters. I learned so much from that experience and I am so thankful he allowed me to be the messenger of that word..."Obedience."
Doesn't knowing that give a new, wonderful perspective on the verse, "Obedience is better than sacrifice?" (1 Sam 15:22) Yes it does!(I wonder if Mary had felt it was sacrifice if she would have been impregnated? Guess that's another question to ask Dad.)
Big thanks to Mary for her obedience! Tis the season to be Mary!!!!!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Wayne
This is my follow-up Thank-vember to elaborate on point #1....I am thankful for Wayne.
I almost don't even know where to start...
As I write this I am reminded of a time I forced myself to be thankful. (I'm laughing as I remember.) I was washing dishes. Wayne came home from a hard day at work to some really, really, really, really bad news. I did something uber stupid I had to tell him about. He said nothing. I knew he had to be upset, so I encouraged him to tell me what was wrong. (duh.) He still said nothing. I was thinking that if it was me, I would feel better to vent, so I nagged him and nagged him until he spoke. Um.....that was the SECOND dumb thing I did that day. He finally complied. Boy, did I ask for it! LOL! So he stepped out to get some fresh air to figure out how to fix what I had done. (I am so laughing!) And I stood at the sink fuming mad and feeling very stupid for doing that. After a minute or two, I came to the realization that I had a choice to make. I could stay offended or could recover my sight. I knew that if I could list things I was thankful for Wayne for,(because the Lord TOLD me to,) it would help me to get over my petty anger. Um...it took a minute for me to think of one. As I waited for one to pop up out of the mad-cloud, I was thinking, "I'm going to make a list so if I ever get mad again, I can just read my list instead of trying to think of something." But it didn't take long before one came, and then another, and another and another, until suddenly I forgot there had ever even been a fog of negativity. I was overcome with the value of this really great life-fixer I am married to forever. I'm pretty sure that is the last time I have been mad at him. That was about a year and a half or two years ago.
Here are some things on my list....
Sometimes he makes up the bed just before bedtime just because he knows I love that. He could sleep on the raw mattress with a pile of covers wadded up on top of him.
He is a really, really, really, really, really x 100000000 great dad.
If he loves something more than me, I can't tell it.
He loves my family and goes to family events.
He insists I put my cold feet on him under the covers so they can warm up. ...Now THAT is a man!
He wrote me a song....and it's good.
Actually, he writes a lot of songs that are good. He is a true word-smith. I think I want to have a rustic-looking living room someday with the words of his first hit etched into the wood at the top of the wall. Yeah, that would be pretty awesome.
Our boys adore him. They respect him, but can't wait to play with him. They want to sit by him at the table. When he says something, it is law. When mom says something, they might think about it.
Even though I was a stay-at-home mom, he let me sleep in on his days off. And now that I am working, he lets me sleep in on my days off.
He has gotten out of bed on very cold nights because I decided I needed a shower at 2:00 am to fix the water under the house.
He is my laundry man and has been the majority of our marriage.
He ALWAYS goes over the limit we set on gifts for each other at Christmas. I totally don't think this is fair, but I am also not complaining. His gifts are fabulous and well thought out. They are usually creative with a theme.
I love it when he won't put up with drama.
When we take pictures of our boys, Wayne does the funniest stuff even causing himself bodily harm to get them to laugh. He definitely does the hard part, but I always get credit for the picture.
He makes a mean cinnamon toast, and he has certain technique I've noticed to gently tap out the Cinnamon/sugar mixture.
He is content to keep quiet, but when he speaks, a FLOOD of bold revelation accompanies his few gentle words.
He will take verbal abuse as long as he knows it is preventing someone else from getting it.
He hears from the Lord. Oh my gosh he does.
He really likes being a man, and his boys are getting a good example of what it means to be one.
He is a servant as evidenced by it is even coming out in his sons. Luke and I were the only ones left at the supper table. Luke asked to be excused, but before he left, he filled up my cup just because he noticed it was empty. That is the sort of thing he sees his dad do.
He is the most honorable person I know.
He has mastered the grill.
His heart is child-like, but he is very responsible.
He thinks about everything he does and therefore, everything he does is excellent. If he is going to do it, it will be done right.
He teaches me more about the God kind of life by his words and his example than anyone, and does it without thinking I need to be improved. ---That sounds like God to me.
Something pretty amazing happens when he sings.
He is REALLY smart and I'm really thankful our kids get to dip in that gene pool.
He likes to laugh.
He works really hard at whatever he does. He is willing to do whatever he would have to do to make sure our family is provided for. That is really comforting to know he's that way.
Wayne folds laundry during football to justify watching football. Ha Ha Ha!
I love to hear him read bedtime stories.
Our boys know he loves them.
When he prays, sickness goes away.
He thanks me when I take out the trash or pay our bills.
He can complete a days-worth of errands with three boys in about two hours. If you have ever had more than one little kid, you know why this is amazing.
He will watch Backyardigans even though the game is on.
Sometimes I come home late and he and the boys have fallen asleep on the pull-out couch watching a movie.
He never comes to my pity party no matter how strongly I invite him, which helps me to recover to the high road more quickly.
He cries with me especially when we think about how fast the boys are growing up.
He truly, genuinely, purely loves people and has a desire to help them learn to experience their Father's love and hear His voice.
Nothing is more HOT than a man who is not ashamed to worship.
Even though thinking on two things doesn't come easy for the male species, Wayne concentrates hard on what I am saying to the point that he will forget where he needs to turn when he is driving. I really, really love that.
He thinks often about people he wishes he could protect from potentially getting hurt, but honors their freedom to make choices and hear from God for themselves. I really appreciate that about him.
I can trust him to make the right decisions because I know his character and he is motivated by love.
He put up the Christmas tree and we all decorated it.
He is the nicest guy, but he is not easily fooled. He has wisdom beyond his years.
He makes our home pressure-free.
He plays with boys, but their toys are put up at the end of the day. I have no idea how that happens.
When I come home, he is faithful to meet me outside to see if there is anything he can carry in for me.
I've got more to say, but I think I'm going to go crawl next to him in our made-up bed. ....I am just really thankful for him who makes my life sweet and easy because he knows really well the author of the sweet and easy life.
I almost don't even know where to start...
As I write this I am reminded of a time I forced myself to be thankful. (I'm laughing as I remember.) I was washing dishes. Wayne came home from a hard day at work to some really, really, really, really bad news. I did something uber stupid I had to tell him about. He said nothing. I knew he had to be upset, so I encouraged him to tell me what was wrong. (duh.) He still said nothing. I was thinking that if it was me, I would feel better to vent, so I nagged him and nagged him until he spoke. Um.....that was the SECOND dumb thing I did that day. He finally complied. Boy, did I ask for it! LOL! So he stepped out to get some fresh air to figure out how to fix what I had done. (I am so laughing!) And I stood at the sink fuming mad and feeling very stupid for doing that. After a minute or two, I came to the realization that I had a choice to make. I could stay offended or could recover my sight. I knew that if I could list things I was thankful for Wayne for,(because the Lord TOLD me to,) it would help me to get over my petty anger. Um...it took a minute for me to think of one. As I waited for one to pop up out of the mad-cloud, I was thinking, "I'm going to make a list so if I ever get mad again, I can just read my list instead of trying to think of something." But it didn't take long before one came, and then another, and another and another, until suddenly I forgot there had ever even been a fog of negativity. I was overcome with the value of this really great life-fixer I am married to forever. I'm pretty sure that is the last time I have been mad at him. That was about a year and a half or two years ago.
Here are some things on my list....
Sometimes he makes up the bed just before bedtime just because he knows I love that. He could sleep on the raw mattress with a pile of covers wadded up on top of him.
He is a really, really, really, really, really x 100000000 great dad.
If he loves something more than me, I can't tell it.
He loves my family and goes to family events.
He insists I put my cold feet on him under the covers so they can warm up. ...Now THAT is a man!
He wrote me a song....and it's good.
Actually, he writes a lot of songs that are good. He is a true word-smith. I think I want to have a rustic-looking living room someday with the words of his first hit etched into the wood at the top of the wall. Yeah, that would be pretty awesome.
Our boys adore him. They respect him, but can't wait to play with him. They want to sit by him at the table. When he says something, it is law. When mom says something, they might think about it.
Even though I was a stay-at-home mom, he let me sleep in on his days off. And now that I am working, he lets me sleep in on my days off.
He has gotten out of bed on very cold nights because I decided I needed a shower at 2:00 am to fix the water under the house.
He is my laundry man and has been the majority of our marriage.
He ALWAYS goes over the limit we set on gifts for each other at Christmas. I totally don't think this is fair, but I am also not complaining. His gifts are fabulous and well thought out. They are usually creative with a theme.
I love it when he won't put up with drama.
When we take pictures of our boys, Wayne does the funniest stuff even causing himself bodily harm to get them to laugh. He definitely does the hard part, but I always get credit for the picture.
He makes a mean cinnamon toast, and he has certain technique I've noticed to gently tap out the Cinnamon/sugar mixture.
He is content to keep quiet, but when he speaks, a FLOOD of bold revelation accompanies his few gentle words.
He will take verbal abuse as long as he knows it is preventing someone else from getting it.
He hears from the Lord. Oh my gosh he does.
He really likes being a man, and his boys are getting a good example of what it means to be one.
He is a servant as evidenced by it is even coming out in his sons. Luke and I were the only ones left at the supper table. Luke asked to be excused, but before he left, he filled up my cup just because he noticed it was empty. That is the sort of thing he sees his dad do.
He is the most honorable person I know.
He has mastered the grill.
His heart is child-like, but he is very responsible.
He thinks about everything he does and therefore, everything he does is excellent. If he is going to do it, it will be done right.
He teaches me more about the God kind of life by his words and his example than anyone, and does it without thinking I need to be improved. ---That sounds like God to me.
Something pretty amazing happens when he sings.
He is REALLY smart and I'm really thankful our kids get to dip in that gene pool.
He likes to laugh.
He works really hard at whatever he does. He is willing to do whatever he would have to do to make sure our family is provided for. That is really comforting to know he's that way.
Wayne folds laundry during football to justify watching football. Ha Ha Ha!
I love to hear him read bedtime stories.
Our boys know he loves them.
When he prays, sickness goes away.
He thanks me when I take out the trash or pay our bills.
He can complete a days-worth of errands with three boys in about two hours. If you have ever had more than one little kid, you know why this is amazing.
He will watch Backyardigans even though the game is on.
Sometimes I come home late and he and the boys have fallen asleep on the pull-out couch watching a movie.
He never comes to my pity party no matter how strongly I invite him, which helps me to recover to the high road more quickly.
He cries with me especially when we think about how fast the boys are growing up.
He truly, genuinely, purely loves people and has a desire to help them learn to experience their Father's love and hear His voice.
Nothing is more HOT than a man who is not ashamed to worship.
Even though thinking on two things doesn't come easy for the male species, Wayne concentrates hard on what I am saying to the point that he will forget where he needs to turn when he is driving. I really, really love that.
He thinks often about people he wishes he could protect from potentially getting hurt, but honors their freedom to make choices and hear from God for themselves. I really appreciate that about him.
I can trust him to make the right decisions because I know his character and he is motivated by love.
He put up the Christmas tree and we all decorated it.
He is the nicest guy, but he is not easily fooled. He has wisdom beyond his years.
He makes our home pressure-free.
He plays with boys, but their toys are put up at the end of the day. I have no idea how that happens.
When I come home, he is faithful to meet me outside to see if there is anything he can carry in for me.
I've got more to say, but I think I'm going to go crawl next to him in our made-up bed. ....I am just really thankful for him who makes my life sweet and easy because he knows really well the author of the sweet and easy life.
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