mountain tops and stormy seas.
Yesterday was pretty ridiculous.
Let me go back...
The speech I was working on for last Sunday's church meeting came together perfectly. I know Heavenly Father helped me to say what He wanted me to say.
Let me go back even further...
I have a hard time even conveying the depth of my gratitude that we could be involved in the dance festival {I've mentioned it a few times}. I felt it confirmed time and time again that Heavenly Father was giving me the desires of my heart in His way and His time.
Let me go back again, way further...
When I was a child I loved to act and dance and sing. I always wanted to be an actress or a dancer or a movie star. I had a great amount of enthusiasm but a limited amount of talent. In time I realized that fame and fortune would not be my path and I let my heart move on.
There was one point during a dance festival practice when I was wearing a chord-less mic on my head, in front of a captive audience, making people laugh and smile. I started for a second and even said out-loud, "I feel like a rock-star right now!" That made people laugh more. I knew then that serving in this dance festival was the fulfillment of my childhood dream.
"Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Psalms 37:4
When I speak or teach in church, especially in front of large groups I feel totally in my element. I absolutely adore public speaking. I know I have been given a talent for it.
So, as I am sure you can tell if you've been around this blog very long, humility is a weakness of mine.
When I am being particularly prideful I think of myself as one of Heavenly Father's favorite children. I see him in every detail of my life and constantly assume He is working a plan in my favor. I fully recognize that we live a charmed existence. The Life of Riley.
Some days I wonder why other children of God are struggling so, when He loves them just as much. I know He loves them just as much because I am a mother of multiple children.
But I know, also because of the wisdom that I've gained from being a mother, that no two children are presented with or choose the same life paths, simply because of the nature of life and our ability to make our own choices. This world is dynamic and so are we.
A man from our congregation stood at the pulpit and spoke his heart yesterday. {Every first Sunday in our church there is basically an open forum for members of the congregation to come up and share their convictions and their love for Christ. Click here to find a Church-house and a meeting time near you.} So this man stood and he said {I'm paraphrasing...}
"All through my life I have felt that the Lord has reserved his choicest blessings for other people. When I was on my mission I heard stories about families being blessed for having children serve. My dad left my mom while I was gone. I wondered where my blessings were for serving. I have often felt forgotten."
As I heard him I felt so humbled. I wanted to disappear into the pew I was sitting on. I have never felt neglected by God for longer than a brief moment. It was like hearing one of my siblings say that our parents liked me best. His words pierced my heart.
The man went on to describe his later life. "I don't know when things changed," he said. "You'd have to ask my wife, when it happened. I guess I just started seeing life differently. I understood why I was here."
Our favorite song to sing together right now goes like this...
I think that right now we feel as if our family has been called to high mountains. We stumble along the way, but generally the view is pretty good.
That man had spent some time on the stormy sea.
And God loves and needs people in both places. I'd even say that those He calls to stormy seas and battle fronts are especially well-loved. His strongest fighters.
I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Proverbs 8:17
We never need doubt God's love when we love Him.
I thought of the worst-case scenario. I thought of my stormy sea. What might that look like?
Without hesitation I thought about losing Matthew. Truthfully I read the second-to-the-last-line line of that song as referring to Matt's hand. I imagine us walking together down those paths unknown.
I know of people who have lost their "Matt" or never really had one. I think those are battle-front callings.
So I do cherish the mountain-high life we have right now. I know it can't possibly last forever.
"He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Matthew 5:45
Yesterday I laughed when we got our car stuck on the side of the road miles and miles from home {although Matt didn't think it was funny}. We were all fine. Plus I'd brought strawberries. I felt like the Lord had provided a reason for a picnic. We knelt in prayer and a man drove up instantly to us and asked if he could tow us out {Thanks, random citizens Ron and Gary}. We felt both charmed and humbled if that makes any sense at all.
And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. john 8:29
Let me go back...
The speech I was working on for last Sunday's church meeting came together perfectly. I know Heavenly Father helped me to say what He wanted me to say.
Let me go back even further...
I have a hard time even conveying the depth of my gratitude that we could be involved in the dance festival {I've mentioned it a few times}. I felt it confirmed time and time again that Heavenly Father was giving me the desires of my heart in His way and His time.
Let me go back again, way further...
When I was a child I loved to act and dance and sing. I always wanted to be an actress or a dancer or a movie star. I had a great amount of enthusiasm but a limited amount of talent. In time I realized that fame and fortune would not be my path and I let my heart move on.
There was one point during a dance festival practice when I was wearing a chord-less mic on my head, in front of a captive audience, making people laugh and smile. I started for a second and even said out-loud, "I feel like a rock-star right now!" That made people laugh more. I knew then that serving in this dance festival was the fulfillment of my childhood dream.
"Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Psalms 37:4
When I speak or teach in church, especially in front of large groups I feel totally in my element. I absolutely adore public speaking. I know I have been given a talent for it.
So, as I am sure you can tell if you've been around this blog very long, humility is a weakness of mine.
When I am being particularly prideful I think of myself as one of Heavenly Father's favorite children. I see him in every detail of my life and constantly assume He is working a plan in my favor. I fully recognize that we live a charmed existence. The Life of Riley.
Some days I wonder why other children of God are struggling so, when He loves them just as much. I know He loves them just as much because I am a mother of multiple children.
But I know, also because of the wisdom that I've gained from being a mother, that no two children are presented with or choose the same life paths, simply because of the nature of life and our ability to make our own choices. This world is dynamic and so are we.
A man from our congregation stood at the pulpit and spoke his heart yesterday. {Every first Sunday in our church there is basically an open forum for members of the congregation to come up and share their convictions and their love for Christ. Click here to find a Church-house and a meeting time near you.} So this man stood and he said {I'm paraphrasing...}
"All through my life I have felt that the Lord has reserved his choicest blessings for other people. When I was on my mission I heard stories about families being blessed for having children serve. My dad left my mom while I was gone. I wondered where my blessings were for serving. I have often felt forgotten."
As I heard him I felt so humbled. I wanted to disappear into the pew I was sitting on. I have never felt neglected by God for longer than a brief moment. It was like hearing one of my siblings say that our parents liked me best. His words pierced my heart.
The man went on to describe his later life. "I don't know when things changed," he said. "You'd have to ask my wife, when it happened. I guess I just started seeing life differently. I understood why I was here."
Our favorite song to sing together right now goes like this...
It may not be on the mountain height
Or over the stormy sea,
It may not be at the battle's front
My Lord will have need of me.
But if, by a still, small voice he calls
To paths that I do not know,
I'll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine:
I'll go where you want me to go.
I think that right now we feel as if our family has been called to high mountains. We stumble along the way, but generally the view is pretty good.
That man had spent some time on the stormy sea.
And God loves and needs people in both places. I'd even say that those He calls to stormy seas and battle fronts are especially well-loved. His strongest fighters.
I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Proverbs 8:17
We never need doubt God's love when we love Him.
I thought of the worst-case scenario. I thought of my stormy sea. What might that look like?
Without hesitation I thought about losing Matthew. Truthfully I read the second-to-the-last-line line of that song as referring to Matt's hand. I imagine us walking together down those paths unknown.
I know of people who have lost their "Matt" or never really had one. I think those are battle-front callings.
So I do cherish the mountain-high life we have right now. I know it can't possibly last forever.
"He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Matthew 5:45
Yesterday I laughed when we got our car stuck on the side of the road miles and miles from home {although Matt didn't think it was funny}. We were all fine. Plus I'd brought strawberries. I felt like the Lord had provided a reason for a picnic. We knelt in prayer and a man drove up instantly to us and asked if he could tow us out {Thanks, random citizens Ron and Gary}. We felt both charmed and humbled if that makes any sense at all.
And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. john 8:29
Comments
He also knows what is at the end of those paths we do not know, which is where my husband and I find ourselves at this point in our lives. The biggest trial is to make sure we're in tune to that still small voice and are holding His hand all the way. Sometimes like a rebellious toddler we pull our hand away thinking we know the way only to find ourselves lost and alone. He's always there when we call for Him though, the journey just takes longer than intended I think.