Detours in life

"Even the most optimistic person on the planet may find her courage tested by the inevitable disappointments and tragedies of life."  - Hugs Daily Inspirations for Moms

Have you ever been there?  Most of us have. You think life is going one way...then BAM, it veers into another direction.  Maybe it has taken a difficult, lonely or confusing turn.  Or...maybe it was not such a bad change after all and it actually led to something even more beautiful or more blessed than you could ever have imagined.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my thoughts higher than your thoughts." 

 Isaiah 55:8-9

While listening to my Daily Audio Bible the other day, the story of Joseph, in Genesis 37, was a profound reminder of God's sovereignty and grace in a situation gone bad.  His father's favorite son, Joseph was sold into slavery by his OWN brothers.  Can you imagine?!  That probably wasn't the route he thought his life would take.  As the story goes, Joseph ends up in a position of authority in Potiphar's house and after time is able to save his family's lives (the same family that betrayed him).

What a great story of redemption, forgiveness and love.  A bad situation turned good.

When the day or even the entire season of life you are in doesn't look so good...there's always something to be thankful for.  Something to be learned. There's personal growth that can occur.  Possibly most importantly... there's faith and/or trust to be gained.  God knows.  He knows our hearts. Our desires. Our sins and our shortcomings.  He sees the beginning from the end. He knew and was with Joseph when he was in the "pit"and in the "palace".

Whether we are suffering the consequences of a bad decision on our part or suffering the injustice of someone else, like Joseph's story, God knows. He can help put the pieces back together.

I would like to leave you with a song by a dear friend of ours entitled Stained Glass Windows, reminds us of how God picks up the pieces of those places in our lives that seem to have been shattered.  (Warning: it's a tear jerker).

(The story and inspiration behind this song is so precious.  It's about their adoption journey.  Check out a different version of it here.)

May this encourage you today whether you are "on top of the world" or whether you are feeling the effects of being shattered. 

Much love,

Tonia

This one thing

So, I have several blog posts prepared for the New Year....goals, lists, ideas, projects, etc.  I'm looking forward to sharing them with you.  However, I can't help but come back to the central theme at where I want to center myself this year -- every year.

I, like many people, get excited about a fresh start and new beginnings.  I realllllly like setting goals, dreaming and making lists in anticipation of moving forward.

In the depths of my soul, I know all of these things (my lists, dreams, goals) are in vain and, dare I say, foolish without acknowledging that I can't do them in my own strength.  That really hits home on the days that I find myself wishing for more hours in the day, additional hands or more energy, [ahem...less laundry or clutter].

In my own strength, I cannot even begin to fully be the wife and mother, home educator and friend, daughter and sister, citizen and helper of the poor/hurting, housekeeper and cook and so on.  It requires more than one can give.  It's exhausting just thinking about it!  When my focus is right, I can wake up and put my trust in the Lord knowing that He is my help.  My strength. Everything else falls in the shadow.

This passage in Psalm 27:4 says it all:

I'm asking God for one thing,

only one thing:

To live with him in his house

I'll contemplate his beauty;

I'll study at his feet.  (Message)

*or a more familiar version*

One thing I ask from the Lord, 

this only do I seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the 

my whole life long.

Lord

all the days of my life,

to gaze on the beauty of the Lord

and seek him in his temple. (NIV)

You know that I'm not saying all of my housework and the childrens' lessons will do themselves if I sit and pray all day.  Nor will dinner cook itself.  It just changes everything to truly know the reason why and how I do what I do.  Knowing that I CAN'T do it all. No one can.  Everything changes when my day rests in seeking that one thing.

Particularly for moms, I found this great resource to print out and post as a reminder of the heart behind what we do and where our true strength lies.  I hope this will refresh you and be a daily reminder of who you really are.

Click here to print Super Mom vs. Abiding Mom.

A roll of tape and crosses

This weekend, the girls were playing - with a roll of tape. They spent a long time decorating the windows. The two oldest realized that they were creating crosses all over the window. They were giddy and happy. It was an appropriate and beautiful display to remind us of such an important week.

Christians worldwide are reflecting, they are remembering the sacrifice. The greatest love.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

We are His friends. He laid his life down for us.

Oh how I want these little artists who made the crosses on the window to know that. To know Him. To understand the magnitude of this great love.

Stay focused

This weekend, our pastor gave an awesome message (as usual) about staying focused, which was entitled "This One Thing." It seemed to coincide with my recent post "the art of saying no and a resounding yes", so I got excited to share it with you.

The message revolved around the story of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem. Nehemiah had a purpose, a goal to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. He was faced with much ridicule and much opposition from the king and the his men. At one point, some of the king's men asked Nehemiah to take a break and come meet them in a nearby village - in which they made plans to harm him.

Nehemiah's response is what was so powerful. He said, "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?" Four times they sent me the same message and each time I gave them the same answer. (Nehemiah 6:3-4)

Wow, what focus! What priority! Nehemiah knew how to say no. Can you imagine if we all took our priorities so seriously? If we followed Christ relentlessly despite the ridicule and opposition? If we parents took raising our children so intentional? If we refused to get distracted by this and that and even the other "good" things out there.

What is your wall that you are rebuilding? Get focused and be intentional about it. Like Nehemiah, refuse to come down.

Taken from the book of Nehemiah, preached by Ben Lamb and inspired by Andy Stanley. [credit to whom credit is due : )].