Just Rocks!

Last night Sam and I decided we would take this morning to go do something as a family in Nashville. We wanted to go see something that we haven't seen yet.. So we looked up area attractions and decided on the Parthenon. Didn't give it much thought, but figured that since it was in Centennial Park we couldn't go wrong. But I just have to tell you about the events of the day. Hoping I will never forget what our God wanted to teach us today.

When we got there and as soon as we walked in my mind thought..."What were we thinking?" Greek Mythology and of course all the paintings with all the people who haven't heard the modesty talks I have given to teenagers and my own daughter. And for all of you who want to tell me right now that it's just "art"...go ahead but I still didn't want Libby seeing it. So needless to say we skipped the art gallery part. Walked in that room and right back out!

So we headed upstairs and there is this huge statue of the goddess Athena. Again, I am just thinking I'm an idiot for bringing my 6 year old to see this, who we spend so much time teaching about the one true God! Of course this statue is over 42' tall and is painted with over 8lbs of gold. A sight to behold for anyone. On either side of the statue are smaller statues of many different Greek gods.

As we are walking around looking at the smaller statues Libby says "Look mom they all have cracks in them." My eyes shoot wide open and I say..."Yes baby, yes they do! They are falling apart!" Libby knew that these were false gods. They were foolish and wouldn't last. She wasn't at all amazed my these statues...she knew they were just rocks. And so the lesson began. Sam and I spent the rest of the time reinforcing the truth of God and making sure we took the opportunity to point our little girl to the God who makes a 42' statue look tiny.

My favorite part was after we left I couldn't get the Chris Tomlin song "Our God" out of my head. You will be so thankful that this is a blog and you can't hear me sing as I have all day long. But let me just say..."Our God is greater, Our God is stronger...God you are higher than any other..." Libby, Sam, and I sang that song all day today, not in key, but in worship. Libby claimed it as her new favorite song as well. What a picture our God painted for that little girl today...and this girl too.

That statue really was big...but she will crumble at the hand of MY GOD! Oh....what a HUGE God I serve! He was being worshipped back in the 5th century B.C. when this silly Greek goddess was being worshipped...but the difference is HE is still being worshipped today and still doing mighty works! He is everlasting. He will be worshipped forevermore.

I refused to take a picture of this statue and then regretted it after the fact. So I got this from the museum guide. Didn't turn out great but you can get the idea.

O LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in time of distress, to you the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, "Our fathers possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good. Jeremiah 16:19

How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame ? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods ? "Selah" Psalm 4:2

Moving from Mommy to Mom

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:11-14

I've been noticing a change in Libby this summer. One that at first I wasn't too happy with, but now realizing the meaning behind it. There is something about little girls and their mommies that is different. At least I think. And that is there will come a point when they no longer call you "mommy".

On several occasions this summer Libby has slipped up and called me "mom" instead of the usual "mommy". I corrected her the first few times but realized that maybe it was a good thing yesterday when it happened. She was brushing her hair at the time. I thought about how over time I have taught her the right way to brush her hair. Its been going on for years now as you can tell from the picture above when she was probably 2 years old. Then it was just practice, but Libby can handle the job all by herself now. I notice more about these things since I am caring for an infant again. Alice needs me to do practically everything for her, and so I'm very grateful that Libby no longer needs the same.

It would be so frustrating to me as Libby's "mom" now if I watched her brush her hair and she was brushing up instead of down, or only on one side instead of her whole head of extremely thick hair. I would probably say...in my "mom" voice of course... "Haven't we gone over this before?"

That made me think about the verses above. What is the milk? What is it that I, as a 10 year old now, should know. Well for me it's that God is good! He doesn't need to prove that to me anymore...but I'm sure He will. It's that God is faithful. Again, I really should know this by now and therefore move onto even bigger steps of faith. Also that I'm forgiven. Why do I sometimes think that there is a chance that I'm not? He's told me, He's promised, and He won't change His mind. So therefore I should live in the freedom that I now have! Am I still asking Him to teach me these things over and over and over again? I hope not. I want to Know...that I know...that I know I'm loved, adored, forgiven, and in good hands.

So I'm hoping today, in this season of life, that God is moving me on to some solid food. I know He won't let me forget the milk, but I'm hoping that I don't have to keep learning the same lessons over again. I wonder what Paul would have said to the "American Church" today. Are we still sipping on our milk bottle? I crave real, juicy, soul satisfying food now! I just hope I can handle it! I'm praying that in 10 years from now the milk will still be there...but so will some new things too.

All this to say that I am welcoming my new name "mom". Over the years I have added many titles when I talk to God. He is now my Father, my Lover, my Friend, my Mighty Fortress, my Consuming Fire, my Provider, my Teacher, my Savior, my Wonderful Counselor, and my Treasure! Along with many others. I embrace those names and realize with each one I am learning more, just like Libby. I like my new name...I think it will work for us.

Libby and her "Mom"

My 7 month old!

Finding it hard to believe Alice is 7 months old. I'm a few days late on this, but just got around to loading the pictures today. She is so big and teaches me so much everyday. Mainly about patience! She loves me in a way that blows my mind! I am honestly her favorite person right now, and I am very aware that it won't last. So even though it is draining at times to be her favorite person, I'm trying to enjoy it the best I can. She really is so precious.

Last night she was in Sam's lap and I was standing next to them...and she held those little arms up. I about cried. It was the 1st time she reached up for me like that. What sweet moments. She seems to learn or discover something new everyday. I put her back in Sam's lap 3 times just to see her do it again. Hard to get enough of her reaching for me like that.

Oh how I pray for this little girl...that she would know the treasure of Christ and throw those arms up to Him one day. Until then I'm going to take the lesson and apply it to myself. I know the Father desires for His children to want Him the way Alice wants me. The amazing thing is that I can't drain God, He has so much to give... way more than I can give this little girl. So I am going to throw my arms up to the Father today!

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1

What's with the Title?

I thought I might take the time to explain the title of my blog. I hadn't thought of a title until "step 2" popped up and said "Name your blog". Oh dear...I have to be creative, and I'm not! So I quickly went to other blogs to see names and try to see if I could get the crative juices flowing....well that didn't happen either. Then I just thought about what my purpose was for the blog anyway. Its not because I think I'm a great writer and therefore others might want to read my thoughts. I am really doing this to organize and remind myself of what God is teaching me through this season of life.

A few weeks ago my sweet husband and I sat in a coffee shop and talked about what we want our lives to be about. He's 30...I'm 29, we thought maybe if we make a declaration of sorts then we won't end up in 30 years feeling like we have wasted these years. So we worked through some things and realized that ultimately there is a "treasure" and the "treasure" is worth living for. More than that, its worth dying for! So keeping our attention on , or being Captivated by the Treasure was the most important thing, because that would then give an outpouring of our lives in every other area. Death can't touch our treasure! Nothing can touch this treasure! So it seems worth living for right? I think so!

Our declaration has 3 parts to it, this is the 1st and what I believe the most essential. If my attention is not on the treasure, which is the cross of Jesus Christ, then the other 2 parts don't work. So with every blog I write I am praying it keeps my eyes on the Treasure!!!!

Captivate me Jesus... don't let me look away for a moment!

Working Hard so You Don't Have to!

Apparently I'm starting a blog today. Not sure what led to this, other than wanting to keep track of thoughts for myself and my girls as I walk through life. I know God teaches me things everyday but its hard to keep up at times. This is just one of those days I wanted to remember what HE taught me...so I started a blog.

The day started like most. I woke up thinking about what had to be done today. My job requires different things everyday so with each morning I have to make sure I know where or what I'm suppose to do that day. Somedays its grocery shopping and errand running, ( that one's not bad) other days its visits with friends, (those are my favorite days) and then there are days like today. HOUSE CLEANING DAY (my least favorite!). Not only was it house cleaning day....it was bathrooms HAVE to be done day! So I decided when Alice went to take a nap I was going to spend some time with the Father to prepare for the dreaded day. Guess what scripture was waiting for me in my study today. Well here, I will let you read it.

To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return." Gen. 3:17-19

Reminding me quickly that because of our sinfulness we now will not always enjoy our work. In fact our work will be tough...causing sweat, stress, anxiety, pain, and in my case disgust! Through the lesson though God reminded me that the original plan was that we would have enjoyed our work...and HE would have been shown as beautiful and glorious (which HE is) through it all! So that's the goal right? Make HIM look great in my work.

So I cleaned the sink, cleaned the tub/shower, and hoping that maybe just maybe Jesus would return first, I left the toilet until last. But Jesus didn't come...and the toilet had to be cleaned. So I sat there cleaning the toilet and wondered how in the world I could make God be seen as beautiful through this process! It stumped me! Then I sprayed my scrubbing bubbles all over it. Thinking about their slogan "Working hard so you don't have to". Funny right? I wish right? But I realized that my God never planned for me to do this...He never wanted me to have to deal with hating my work. He really planned to do the work so I wouldn't have to...and honestly He has! He has done so much for me...and ultimately provided the Son who died so I wouldn't have to. My punishment is paid in full! Guess what...I realized I was smiling while scrubbing my toilet! My God is beautiful... I don't make HIM that way... He is! I believe He can use anything and anywhere (even the dirty bathroom) to show His beauty to us! Now just hoping that maybe through my toilet cleaning my girls might see Him as beautiful too.