Oh Church, Arise!

I love the Church in America. I'm not talking in particular about "my church" or "your church," but the Body of Christ as a whole. I love the idea of the family of God, of fellowship, of learning, worshipping, growing, you know - the Church - here, as we know it.

Sometimes I wonder, though, why certain things go on in the church. I wonder why there's so much time spent in "discussions."

 I understand that people are different, and that our understanding of Scripture can be different, but WHY do we waste time trying to convince someone else of our beliefs about the Bible when the world is LOST?

I think we've forgotten who we are and what the Church is supposed to be about.

You know the "discussions" I'm talking about. There's the pre-destined or not discussion, the post-tribulation or pre-tribulation discussion, the once saved always saved or lose your salvation discussion, the what to wear, what to listen to, and where not to go discussion, the follow the law or live under grace discussion.

I'm not implying that it's terrible to talk about these things and express opinions, but doing it in the name of God, and then splitting churches over it is a problem. And it happens all the time - friendships lost, pastors fired, churches split, Christians walking away from God out of frustration all because of disagreements about what the Bible "really" says.

And the widows are lonely, the orphans are fatherless, the poor are starving , and the world is dying lost.

Dying, lost.

I don't have a doctorate in theology, but I have been a Christian a long time, and the more I read the Scriptures, the more I realize I could defend most of the major disagreements Christians have from both sides.

To me, that means that those things aren't the most important things in the Bible.

What is then? 

May I be so bold as to suggest it's The Gospel. The pure, unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ.

That's what we're to be about, Church. We're to be about the Gospel. The beautiful Gospel of redemption  And we need to stop wasting time on the things that don't. really. matter.

Let's spend our time instead telling the world that there is hope, that Jesus Christ came to save them. That someone does care. Let's let the orphans know by our actions that someone is there for them, the widows that someone remembers them, the poor that they are not alone, and the lost that there is salvation!

Let's put it into action, Church! The whole Bible breathes the Gospel of Jesus, and He is longing for us to share it. To DO it. James 1:22 says, "But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." If we're just hearers (discussers) and not doers, we're going to be deceived. We're going to lose sight of what we're about and then Satan wins. He wins because we end up not. doing. anything.

Preach the gospel. If you're not a bold, John the Baptist type witnesser, that's okay. Find someone who is and help them. If you're not a ministry starter, that's okay. Find someone who already has started one and so desperately needs help and help them. If you don't think you are called to adopt, that's okay. Give someone who is called the support they need to do it. Visit a widow, pass out a tract, encourage your pastor, support a missionary, talk to your neighbor, donate food to the hungry, pray for the persecuted church, help the helpless.

Live the Gospel, Church.

We want to see a revival in this land?

The spreading of the Gospel is the revival. Let us not just pray for the revival, let us be the revival.

What Oxen and Kids Have in Common

Proverbs 14:4 says, "Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox."

I never would have thought that this particular verse would stand out to me so much. I don't have oxen and I don't have a crib. Truth be told, I don't want either.

But I love this verse. I love it because every time I read it, this is what I hear:

"Where no children are the house is clean, but much joy is by the increase of children."

I have children, and I have a house.

My house is a mess, mess, mess. I always thought I would be one of those immaculate house keepers. You know, in my mind. When I was younger. Much younger. Before kids.

And my house was clean before kids. I still even did a great job with just one kid. But with each additional child those ideals ran right out of my head, and my house. Most days I feel like I'm fighting to just get the basics done.

But, oh, the joy! I never thought I could be so happy. Beautiful little people running around, making all kinds of messes. Not cleaning them up.

Then I have choices. After schooling my children all morning, I have so much to do, yet my heart yearns to play with my kids, to read to them, to cook with them, to put on the music and dance with them.

And the house is a mess. And I'm stressed. And I'm trying to be THAT person in my mind so long ago.

I think, "What kind of person do I really want to be? What do I want my kids to remember about their childhood?  A crazy neurotic woman running around insisting everything be spotless, or a crazy fun mom that kept everything somewhat neat and had time to be with them."

One of these days they won't be here anymore.

The house will be clean.

But, the joy will be gone. The silliness, the laughter, the childlike faith, gone. And somehow, I don't think the spotless house will mean so much then.

I'm trying to enjoy every moment in the now. Every moment. Even the messy, not so great moments.

Like Elijah's moment the other day.

We were at church, (of course) and he came walking down the hall playing with a little brown ball. He was rolling it around in his hands, when it dawned on me he didn't come from home with a little ball. "Elijah, what is that?" I asked. "Poop," was his quick, matter of fact reply. It was one of those moments I wanted to go crazy. Thoughts spinning around in my head, "Why at church? Where did he get it? Who's poop is it? Do I really want to know???!! WHERE IS THE HAND SANITIZER??!! I stayed calm and asked, "Where did it come from?" (I figured it was better to know up front.) "Out of my pants," he answered in a sweet voice, obviously not bothered at all by the fact that he was playing with a poop ball. (Did I just say poop ball??) "Elijah! Where do we poop?" I asked emphatically. "In the potty," he replied.  After all that's where he was headed with the ball in tow.....

Moments. Moments that make us laugh later. Memories. Memories that are cherished, but so easily forgotten. Children, the greatest gift God gives us as parents.

And I paraphrase,

"Where no children are the house is clean, but MUCH joy is by the increase of children." Proverbs 14:4

Enjoy every moment, and don't sweat the small stuff.

Hiding

My husband just tried to come into the bedroom to say hi to me after a long day. The door was locked, and I informed him I would not be coming out until the children were in bed. He asked if I didn't want to see him. I calmly told him it had nothing to do with him, and when the children were asleep I would come out of hiding.

Hiding. It seems like the most logical thing to do at the moment.

It's been one of those days...

You know those days....

At least I hope you do; I hope I'm not the only one.

So many crazy things going on at the same time in your life, and yet you look around and you still have little faces looking up at you. Little faces that have nothing to do when any of the craziness, yet there they are in the middle of it. And you're trying to keep sane.

Then it happens. In the midst of all the outside things going on in your life, one of those sweet faces informs you he is not doing his school work today. In fact he's going to do nothing, he tells you.

It happened today. I almost laughed at the absurdity of it. "Do nothing? You're not serious?" I said. I came back in 15 minutes to find that he was. There he was on the couch. Still doing nothing.

"All day, you're going to do nothing?" I asked. "Yes," he replied.

A little part of me wanted to freak out. (Maybe it was a big part of me....I'm not sure.) Not so much because of the sweet face (that didn't look so sweet at the moment) looking up at me, but because of everything else. You know the stuff we moms carry around in our brains that have nothing to do with the situation at hand.

I wanted to make a scene. I wanted to jump up and down and yell, "How am I supposed to get everything done that I need to get done if you won't do anything!!"

God's grace prevailed. I calmly said,  (without jumping) "You are right. You will not be doing anything today, anything that you WANT to do, that is. You will be doing your school, with some chores thrown in." 

He told me I was a very mean mom. I wanted to be.

It wasn't the end of it. It was a long battle today. I really wanted to give in. When the big yellow bus came by our house, I wanted to tell him to get on it.

Parenting is not for the weak.

It's so hard not to let the stresses in my life affect how I parent. Especially when they push me to the limits.

Then I remember -

I love that stubborn child more than anything. I think every day that if we can make it through these molding years, he is gong to be an amazing adult. If we both survive, I can't wait to see how God is going to use him and his unique quirks. It will happen. He will grow up. He will have his own kids, and he will remember these days. I mostly want him to remember though, that I love him. Even when he's unlovable.

Because sometimes I am unlovable too. Especially in weeks like this week. Weeks where my world affects my momminess. I don't like it, but it happens.

Just a bit ago he looked up at me with his sweet face with a look that reminded me how much he loves me too. And how sorry he is for the day. I reminded him that tomorrow is a new day.

But for right now, I'm still hiding...