So, yesterday was one of those blah days. I headed to bed at 8:30, took 2 Tylenol PM's, read my bible, and promptly fell asleep - before 9! While I can't say I jumped out of bed this morning, I definitely don't have that cloud hanging over me. Ironic, since it's overcast and rainy today! Oh well.
I called my sister to give her the update and mentioned that I had to get down the 9-12 month clothes for Ryan. Jeff had been commenting on the snug fit of all of Ryan's clothes. His feet are busting out of the feet of his jammies and the sleeves are always too short. This morning I grabbed a pair of jammies off the top of the pile I had put in his room, and they fit great! I pulled the tag up to see if was a 9-12 or just a 9 mo and lo and behold it was a month!!! Oh my gracious this boy is GROWING:) What a blessing he is and it is such a joy to see him so healthy and happy. I put one of his NICU pics on the mantle - to be a constant reminder of how far He has brought us. It's one where he is lying on his side, hands clasped together, tubes everywhere. He still does that with his hands and it always makes me smile. Right now he's blowing raspberries as he sits in his exersaucer:)
Last night in my reading of the end of 2Kings, I was again reminded of how long the Israelites went against God. So many kings and generations of people were led astray from His commands. During Jereboam's reign, the Lord finally swept all of the Israelites away to Assyria and the king of Assyria replaced the people of Israel with those from Babylon, Cuthah and others. but the Lord sent lions to kill some of these, so the Assyrian king sent back to Israel one of the exiled priests to teach the people how to worship the Lord. So they did worship the Lord, but "they continued to follow the religious customs of the nations from which they came...They follow their former practices instead of truly worshiping the Lord and obeying the laws, regulations, instructions, and commands he gave the descendent's of Jacob, whose name he changed to Israel." 2Kings 17:33-34
What struck me was that as a follower of Christ, how many times to I fall back to my "former practices." I was never a believer/follower of another "religion," but I did try to do things out of my own strength. And I find myself failing again and again when I fall back into that practice/habit. When we turn our hearts and lives over to Him, we are to do all things through Him, our filter is Him. Furthermore, how often am I reflecting my culture and contemporary surroundings, rather than His death for me? How often am I watching a movie, reading a book, speaking with language that does not show my nonconformity? I should stick out like a sore thumb in my culture. No longer are we bound to those laws and regulations, but the commandment to love one another stands strong in Him and it should in me.
4 comments:
Melanie,
I am glad to hear Ryan is doing so well! I am looking forward to spoiling him immensly!
I still don't have a real understanding of "relying on your own strength." I was raised with "God helps those who help themselves." "Do what you can and let the Lord do the rest." As a long-time Christian, I still struggle with that! AND with being in the world but not of it! Perhaps the Amish have it right! (not serious but it does make you think!!) love you!
LaLa,
I think that when we have given ourselves over to the One who saved us, we are meant to focus every aspect of our lives on the who and what of Jesus Christ. THe rather flippant WWJD can be deeply meaningful when applied from the heart. How would Christ respond to a child in the throes of a tantrum - can I in my humanness respond that way? Perhaps not fully, but I am at least living through Him, rather than on my own "strength/abilities/methods" The hope is that the more intimately we connect with God, the more this life becomes His and we no longer have to think before we respond.
Mel, What does that look like? " Given ourselves over to the One who saved us?" I understand that you are saying we should Filter everything we do/say/think from the persepctive of being a disciple of Christ. But can you 'document' how Jesus responded to a child in the throes of a tantrum? How do you KNOW HOW HE would have/would respond? Is there ONLY ONE acceptable WAY to respond as a disciple/Christian? I am, of course playing Devil's Advocate! Sorry, I seem to do that so well.
I'll see you soon! We'll "talk amongst ourselves."
Love you!
LaLa,
Sorry, I am terrible about checking on this thing! So, no, I have no tangible, biblical evidence on which I base that comment. And, no I do not believe there is only one right way of disciplining/discipling. I do believe that in those moments when I am yelling, angry, responding out of a feeling of someone not being under my "control" I am in no way responding in a Christ-like way. furthermore, if our greatest commandment is to love one another as we are loved, then I must love even when I don't "feel" like it. just sort of touching the surface of this and yes, we can talk more when we see you!!!
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