Day 6: Consistency is Consistently Difficult

For three nights in a row, our daughter has decided that any reason that pops into her head is worth getting out of bed for- and getting punished for. I know that being consistent in setting boundaries and requiring obedience is what I'm supposed to do. And I also know that in doing so, I'm honoring God by being faithful to His charge of teaching my children.

But sometimes I just don't want to. At the end of the day, in a day that can often be filled with consistency in discipline, I'm not in the mood for the last battle.

But I know what is right. And I know what is good. And I know what is best. Because I love my daughter, I will require her obedience. If she understands and knows the love of her mother and father, then she can know the love of her Heavenly Father. And if she knows how to obey her parents; she will know what it is to obey her Maker.

So I am grateful that He will fill in that gap for me. Where I am not consistent or fail, He never will. And where He gives me the grace to discipline and disciple as I ought, He will bless.

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9

As for you, brothers,do not grow weary in doing good.

2 Thessalonians 3:13

*sigh* Deep breath, and go...



Day 5: Pleased Punch Rest

I worked overtime last week. This week I'm working nearly full time hours again, and next week is the same thing. My days off are like gold to me. Today was a day off. I relaxed for part of the day and the other part was filled with organizing and getting some chores done that have needed to get done.

I praise the Lord that today was a day of fulfilling rest, but also one where I was home and was able to get things done for the betterment of my home and family.

I praise the Lord that He created the concept of rest. I am so grateful that He established this principle as he created the world, resting on the seventh day, and establishing the sabbath.

Tomorrow is another day off, and I am pleasing as punch. How punch can be pleased, I do not know, but there it is.

Day 4: Nahor Married WHO?!

"Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them." Psalm 111:2

I guess you can say that Psalm 111 is a sort of credo that I have adopted this year. I intend to memorize it and study it. I think there is so much there. One of the first things that stood out to me in the psalm is the second verse. I've been thinking about this. How can I follow this? How can I apply this? The works of God are indeed great, and delighting in them should lead to studying them. At least that's how I see this verse being applicable. And I know that as God's word, where His works are revealed, is studied, I delight in Him more and in the mighty works of His hands.

It can be easy to let the words on the page of scripture grow dull and maybe even familiar, but I know that when I strive to dig in deeper and understand what the text is actually saying, it's very enriching. I'm thankful for that.

For instance, I was reading in Genesis the other day, and really paid attention to some of the details of Abram's family (later named Abraham, the father of the nation of Israel, through whom Jesus Christ came). My husband and I discussed some of these interesting details, and he looked briefly at some commentaries. And I got to thinking about how amazing it is that God chose to use Abram to bless all the world. His background and family ties aren't exactly pure. (You can look it up, and see if you catch the interesting marriages listed towards the end of Genesis 11.)

I think this is a great example of how you can just read through things (especially those genealogies!) and not really see all that's there. If I didn't dig in a little and pay attention, I wouldn't have known what kind of family Abram came from, nor would I now have an even deeper appreciation of the great work that God did in the life of this patriarch. I am so delighted that He chose such a man.

I am so delighted that He has chosen such a woman as me.

Day 3: An Embassy is a Terrible Thing to Waste

While I prepare to go to bed tonight, my sister is waking up in a hotel room in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with her newly adopted daughter. On January 3, 2011, baby Seble became part of our family in the eyes of the United States of America. And that was the best thing to wake up to this morning. I got to see pictures of my niece, and see her in full custody of my sister, brother-in-law and mom. That is a beautiful thing.

Anyone who knows me long enough or has enough conversations with me will learn that I am a huge fan of adoption. I am a pro-life, pro-adoption nut- well, not in a bomb-a-clinic sort of way, but passionate. And I will tell you why because I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for these reasons...

First, one of the defining things about myself is that I am adopted. I have a built-in definition of family that is not based on blood, but commitment and love. That is an amazing gift. And it is an honor that God chose to choose me for that. I am humbled at His supreme sovereignty and grace to place me in the family that I am in. Every adopted child has a story, and every story is special for it is written by God.

Second, adoption is very important in understanding the gospel. To understand what it means to be redeemed, and brought into the family of God through nothing that you have done on your own is an absolutely essential doctrine. Doctrine isn't all that popular sometimes, but knowing these things and understanding them is so so so important. On this truth, we must stand. If you are in Christ, you belong to Him. You are adopted. What a precious gift to be adopted twice!

Third, we need adoption. Our world is made better one adoption at a time. Many lives are saved through adoption. My niece Seble is no exception. She literally has been saved because she was taken into the right orphanage at the right time, and was referred to the right people to be part of a family. If all those things didn't fall into place, the little four-pound baby found behind the gate of a church would have died. Countless children adopted out of the foster care system are saved from a life without family. The number one cure for homelessness isn't money, but a family. Because there are childless parents, a woman can have the courage to choose life. We need adoption because adoption changes lives.

I could go on, but I won't. I have to go to bed, and frankly, I have a whole year to write about whatever I want and thank the Lord for adoption. Tonight I praise God the work of Christ on the cross. I am thankful that it is through his sacrifice that I am adopted as a child of the Most High. I am thankful that He worked in life to save me from a choice that birth mother could have made and I was given life. I was placed in a family that loves me and where I was able to hear the Good News. I am thankful that my family has grown one member bigger today through adoption.

Welcome to the family, Seble. I'll see you soon, dear one. We have some bonding to do!

Day 2: The Lord's Day

This morning I struggled to get up. It was just one of those mornings. This last week I worked over forty hours, and I'll be honest- I just struggled a bit with having the wrong attitude. I had generally been a Negative Nelly, and that's just not the way I would like to roll. That's just not the way that I'm going to live a life that brings glory to my King every single day.

So of all days that I really needed to get out of bed, it was this day. The Lord's Day. (That's a term people don't use much anymore, and I don't really know why. Just so you know. I think it should be used more.) Praise the Lord for my husband, who could have taken pity on me and thought, "Oh let her sleep. I"ll take the kids to second service while Kelly goes to work and misses church." But no. He's better than that. In a gentle way that only my husband has, he weaseled me out of bed, and although we were late, we got there.

And that's what I'm thankful for today. I'm thankful that I was among God's people today. I was with my eternal family- at least a very small portion of it.

"And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of the sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day- and there will be no night there." Revelation 21:22-25 (emphasis added)

One of the pastors of our church returned just recently from an 18-day mission to South Africa. He shared with us all about being in a service worshipping our Lord God the Almighty, and in that service there were several people groups. But in Christ we are all one people, made of all nations. He read the above passage concerning the New Jerusalem, and highlighted the words that I did- that nations are in eternity.

I am thankful for that today. I am thankful that the gospel is for all nations and all peoples, and that one day there will be no separation. There will be no prejudice. The invisible lines between races and peoples will be gone, and together, with one voice, each from our own nation, we will give glory to God for all eternity.

That will be a good day.

Day 1

Psalm 111

Praise the LORD!

 I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,

in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

Great are the works of the LORD,

studied by all who delight in them.

Full of splendor and majesty is his work,

and his righteousness endures forever.

He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;

the LORD is gracious and merciful.

He provides food for those who fear him;

he remembers his covenant forever.

He has shown his people the power of his works,

in giving them the inheritance of the nations.

The works of his hands are faithful and just;

all his precepts are trustworthy;

they are established forever and ever,

to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.

He sent redemption to his people;

he has commanded his covenant forever.

Holy and awesome is his name!

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;

all those who practice it have a good understanding.

His praise endures forever!

I'm going to start on a journey today. I don't know what it's going to look like or whether I will be able to endure to the finish, but I have a goal. I'm going to live out Psalm 111 daily in 2011. I can guarantee that I will not do it perfectly, and I know that I will stumble along the way. No matter what comes my way each day, I'm going to make myself sit down and recount the great works of the Lord in my life each day. I am convinced that He is at work in my life daily, and that every single day that I am given breath on this earth is meant for His glory.

So that's what I'm going to do. I am going to find the everyday grace that the Lord gives, through my sinful discontentment or pouting or anger or grumpiness or impatience.

"I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation." (Psalm 111:1)

So here it goes. I'll begin my own quest to daily give thanks and honor my Maker publicly in the congregation, in the company of the upright, not for my own esteem or glory, but so that His name may be praised among the peoples... or whoever might stumble upon this dinky blog.

The Mountain

It seems about right that May was the last time that I would write anything.

I'm not where I want to be as look into the new year.

Though, I'm right where I need to be as I look into the new year.

I believe I'm right where I'm supposed to be, and the only thing holding me here is God's mighty grace.

I'm not home like I would like to be. I'm not a mother of three like I would like to be. I'm not in a different home. I'm not shuffling papers for home studies or notaries. I'm not cooking many dinners. I'm not leading any Bible studies or leading anything, really.

I'm just not what I thought I would be right now.

But that's not a bad thing. In fact, I believe that it's the best thing for me right now. I believe that if anything were better, that's where I would be.

I also believe that God's setting me up.

You ever get that feeling? It's like when you're driving over a hill, climbing up and up, and any moment you're going to get the view of the spectacular snow-covered mountain that's on the other side. It's like when I was just getting to know my husband, and I just knew that there was a very grand adventure before us, more deep and powerful than any other adventures in my life. I will tell you. I had no idea the glory that was before me as I stepped into a future with him.

Yeah. That's where I think I am.

There's something glorious ahead. It's more glorious than all the ideas I can have of what God may have ordained.

And it's there. Just over that hill. It's there. It's not what I'm expecting. It may not even be what I want or think I want.

This year so many things have happened the way that no one wanted. I didn't want to grieve the loss of baby Charlie. I didn't want my mother or dear family friend to battle cancer. I didn't want my niece's adoption to be delayed. I didn't want Maggie to face a brain tumor. I didn't want my husband to lose a job only to remain jobless.

So as I head into 2011, I keep on keeping on, up the hill. Up, up, up. When I'll see the glory, I don't know. It's coming though. Just like the grace given Charlie's parents to give glory to God in all trials. Just like the grace given in the patience to endure frightening cancer. Just like the grace bringing home Seble. Just like the grace in Maggie's humor and strength of character. Just like the grace that sustains Casey's spirit.

We'll all see that mountain.