Rise up

For far too long we have sat around idly while the world goes on around us. What are we doing?

 

It’s time we throw off everything that hold us back and step in to the calling God has for us. What is that calling you ask? I wish I could answer that for you but that is something you and God have to wrestle about.

 

Some people have that calling that came at a young age that we just kind of let hang around but not really do anything with it. Some have yet to find their calling. Some are content to not know their calling, just let the world slip by and hope to make it through another day.

 

^Romans 12:3-9 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. ⁴ For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.⁶ Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; ⁷ if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; ⁸ the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

 

You see my calling is different than your calling. I think sometimes we want to make our calling look like someone else. We don’t feel like we are good enough or what gifts we are given are significant enough to matter so we simply ignore them. However, it takes everyone walking in their calling to make the body function as a whole. You wouldn’t bake a cake and leave out the flour because it wouldn’t come out right. So why do we just choose to be content to just survive the days and weeks and months?

 

I urge you to begin having dialogue with God and ask Him what He has for you. The Bible tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trepidation and sometimes it is just that, scary but being obedient to God is better than having your own personal “Jonah moment”.

 

Life as we know it

We are coming up on the 11 month mark since our family has been added to times 4. I would love to say it has been an easy journey but that would be a lie. While this is probably the hardest thing we have ever done I can say it is the best thing we have ever done. We have learned a lot about ourselves and how we handle the unknown. I wish I could say it has been all with grace but again that would be a lie. Navigating through the foster care system can be very trying ESPECIALLY if you are a recovering control freak like I am! However, just when I get to feeling overwhelmed God reassures me with His peace that only He can give.


Our life looks totally different now than it did 11 months ago. I've had people say "why, when your kids JUST got out of the house?". To that I say why NOT? This life I have isn't mine anyway, so why not give away the love that I have to someone that needs it? 


Do I wish I had "free time" like I did before? Yes, there are days when I get selfish and just want to go and do what I want, when I want but I don't have that option anymore and you know what most days I love that. The joy that these little souls have brought to us is unexplainable. I am sure if you ask my friends they might say they feel neglected by me because quite frankly I don't have time like before to be able to just go out to eat or to the movies or whatever. 


The future is unknown but I do know one thing, God has given us this lfe to give away. Don't try holding on to something that isn't yours anyway. Let go and hang on for the ride!

Instant gratification, entitlement & selfies

If you have social media or are anywhere near it I guarantee you will see at least 5 selfies in a day. I know, I know I am being modest in this estimate. Here's the thing, we have become so engrossed with ourselves that we hardly notice the people around us. I am just as guilty as the next person, our phones; ipads have become more important than actual face to face conversation. This is sad people. 


2 Timothy 3 English Standard Version (ESV) But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. 


YIKES! Did you read that. ACTUALLY READ IT? That passage describes what is going on in today's society accurately. We have raised kids to think about #1 to not be concerned with other people, to not respect those in authority over us. We have done this to the kids, We are to blame.


So, how do we turn it around? 


Explain to your children how you're helping others 

Encourage your children to choose a charity that resonates with them and help them raise money to donate. 

Before your child's birthday, work with them to gather toys they no longer play with to give to needy children. 

If a sports figure starts a charity and your children love that particular sport, share the news with them. 

Be gracious to waiters and salespeople when you're out with your children. 

Most importantly, if you catch yourself not being respectful to your children, apologize and ask them for a do-over so you can respond with more graciousness. You don't want to be practicing "do as I say, not as I do" parenting!

 Together we can help our kids be respectful and put others before themselves.