Saturday, August 8, 2009

Grab him

Laryn said to me yesterday, "Why doesn't Uncle David believe in Jesus?" Hmmm...kind of a hard one to answer. We have had this conversation before. David is my best friend and the kids call him uncle. Laryn can't grasp someone not believing in Jesus. She can't grasp how anyone could be anything but madly in love with Jesus so our conversations on the subject of Uncle David never come to a conclusion that she can understand. She loves Jesus. She loves Uncle David. Jesus loves her. Uncle David loves her. Jesus loves Uncle David. Uncle David and the Jesus part are the only hold out. In her thinking...WHAT'S THE HOLD UP HERE?
I love that she is so concerned. It really shows her tender heart, however it is very hard to explain to a 5 year old that someone thinks that he is too smart to believe in Jesus. Yeah...her response is, "Mom! That's so stupid! I don't get it." Well, kid I don't get it either. Well, not totally, but I have had my moments where I have felt led to give my testimony and didn't because I thought, "How stupid would that person think I am if I just stood here and told them how God got face to face with me through my oldest daughter?" See somewhere we have accepted the world's view that smart people don't talk about, need, want God. They are smart enough to handle it ALL ON THEIR OWN. I thought that I wanted to be an in control, I can do it, never fear super mom is here kind of a person. I still get tangled up in that a lot. But I also know that #1 that ain't ME, #2 I'm not happy when I'm not ME, #3 I'm not happy when I'm trying to do God's job and not looking at the job He gave me. It's when I give it back to Him and say, "I can't do it. I'm not smart enough or strong enough or brave enough, or even just organized enough." That's when I'm suddenly Einstein on speed with a sword and shield. My library books might even make it back to the library.
I'm just saying that in the upside down world of this amazing relationship with Christ, we often get tangled up in thinking the way that the world thinks. Even the smartest person in the world won't make it to heaven with his brain...unless that brain engages his heart to fall in love with the Creator of the Universe. But, you know what? I have a 5 year old with only Pre-K education under her belt that knows more than Uncle David about love and about sharing. She also understands how to assault the throne of her Father (well both of them really, but I'm talking heavenly here) for the soul of an uncle that she dearly loves. This child prays for him all the time. She challenges God to show Uncle David how much He loves him and "grab" him. I thinks it's really cute that she uses the term "grab" because what she is referring to is when we play she will run away and say that she doesn't want to hug and kiss us. So we chase her and at that moment that she looks over her shoulder she starts to laugh and we "grab" her and hug her and kiss her and laugh with her. She wants God to "grab" Uncle David. So do I, Kid...so do I.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

The Seed

I'm not really going to write a devotion today. I am going to copy and paste an email that I got on Face Book a couple of days ago. I'm not doing this to toot my own horn. It just made me cry and it brought home to me just how important it is to constantly plant the seed even when you don't see any reason to.

Tracy says, "You may not remember me (Tracy Matthews) or probably do remember me as the girl who annoyed you from the back of the bus to high school! Well, I am very sorry for that. Wasn't always the nicest person back then! I remember you though as the girl when we first moved here that befriended me and my sister and invited us over and intoduced us to your friends unconditionally. I soon went on my way (the oppisite way) but I always remebered that you were a Christian and never stopped letting me know about Jesus. I even remember a photo of you guys at the beach with His face in the clouds. You showed it to me even though I was not interested. So along the way in my life I was born again in 2000. There are a handful of people that I would say planted that seed and you are one of them. As you know He does for anyone who receives Him, Jesus changed my life! So even if you dont except my friend invitation, I am just thrilled to be able to tell you that, I still talk about you in my testimony and try to live each day knowing what we do and say reflect our relationship with Christ and it does matter, and sometimes we never know if the seed hit fertile ground. Well yours did!Thank God and you for that! Lovely family you have!


SO SOW!!! I was just a high school student and this was back in 1982 or so. A VERY long time to wait to hear about a seed producing fruit, but OH SO worth it!
Lori