Grace and The Law

     I just started reading Leviticus in the Bible in the last few days.   It is a book about the law for the Israelites.  God told Moses what sacrifices the people should make.  There were sacrifices for thanksgiving, repentance, festivals, atonement and they just keep going.  The people had to offer sacrifices because they did not have Jesus as their Savior yet. 
     It is hard to read Leviticus.  I keep thinking, "If I read about lobes and kidneys and fat of one more sacrifice..."  I am pushing through.  As I read though, the thing that I keep thinking about is how I am glad that I have Grace.  I don't have to atone for my sins because Jesus did it for me.  He was my Sacrifice.  He was your Sacrifice.  Once and for all.  We just have to ask Him to cover us and forgive our sins.  Then, we are forgiven and clean.  That's it.  We don't have to bring any lambs, or livestock, or birds.  We just bring us.  And He loves us.  I am so thankful for Grace as I read through Leviticus.  I pray that you know Jesus' Grace today.  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Trust

     There is a story in the Bible in 1 Kings 13 about two prophets, an old one and a young one.  The young one had been told by God not to eat or drink food on a journey that he was on.  A King offered him food and he told him that even if the King gave him half his Kingdom, he could not eat or drink with the King because God told him not to on the journey.  As he is headed home, an old prophet goes after the young prophet and tells him that God said to the old prophet the young prophet could eat and drink with the old prophet.  It was completely a lie.  But the young prophet didn't know that so he goes and eats with old prophet. 
     As they are eating and drinking, the old prophet gets an actual word from God telling the old prophet that the young one will be killed by a lion because he disobeyed what God had told him to do.  Wow!!  Doesn't that seem crazy?!?!  For eating and drinking, the prophet of God gets killed by a lion.  The point wasn't the eating and drinking, it was that he disobeyed what God had told him to do.
     He trusted the wrong person.  He knew the King was making evil choices, so he didn't trust him.  But the old prophet?  The young prophet trusted him because he was another prophet.  But, the young prophet KNEW what God had told him.  But he listened to someone else and not God.  He should have checked this new message with God.
     He trusted someone more than God.  The main take away that I get from the story is be careful who you let into your sphere of influence.  Be cautious to whom you give your trust.  I am not saying I shouldn't be friends and acquaintances with lots of people, but I need to watch who I let into my inner circle.  I want to make sure they are telling me things that line up with the Word of God.  That they are pushing toward God and not away from Him.  I want to use wisdom.  I want to seek God and check what others tell me against what God is telling me.  Who are you letting into your sphere of influence?  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Cereal For Dinner

     I admit it.  I let my kids eat cereal for dinner.  Not every night, but maybe once a week or so.  They love it.  I like it too actually.  Cereal is yummy and it reminds me of my father-in-law.  He would eat cereal for dinner too.  :-)  He was so amazing.  Really.  He was.  He was a fabulous husband for my mother-in-law, dad for his three kids and three kids-in-law, and friend to loads of people.  I loved being around him.  He loved Jesus with all his heart.  And I know that he is in Heaven with Jesus now worshipping until we all get to see him again.
     I wish that I would have gotten more time with him.  I know that everyone that knew him wanted more time too.  I wish he would have known my kids.  He never got to meet them.  I got pregnant a few months after he passed away.  My kids would have loved him.  Since they won't get to meet him this side of Heaven, my kiddos get to know about their Grandpa by learning things about him and hearing stories about him.  Things like that he liked to have cereal for dinner.  Or that he had birthday Pop-Tarts with his kids on their birthdays.  :-)  Or by listening to my husband tell stories from when he would play with his Dad. 
     So, I know that the nutritional value of cereal for dinner isn't awesome, but the emotional and relational value is soo worth it.  Do you have things that remind you of the people you love?  Go ahead, do them.  Don't worry that the things might seem funny to other people.  It's ok.  They are for you and the people around you.  Tell stories about those you love and loved.  Then live parts of those stories again.  Have fun!  Make memories.  Thanks for reading.  :-) 

Thankfulness

     Sorry for the super late post.  My baby girl has been part of a study since she was six months old.  She is in the control group for an autism study.  In the last eighteen months, we have gone to the University for visits multiple times, I have filled out loads of questionnaires, and she has had three MRIs.  Tonight was the third MRI.  They are trying to figure out when they can see a difference in the brains of babies with and without autism.  They have made some progress, so they are now going to start looking at babies who are three months old.  Since the kids don't medically need the MRIs, they do not use anesthesia.  So, we do them past her bedtime, hoping she falls asleep in my arms quickly.  This is an interesting process given that she NEVERS falls asleep in my arms except for these MRI nights.  Normally, she lays down in her bed awake and then falls asleep by herself.  Well, tonight it took her less than an hour and a half.  The best yet!!!  I love having her sleeping there in my arms.  Then,  I have to lay her down on the MRI machine which makes CRAZY loud noises. 
     Each time I see her like that, I am so thankful she doesn't actually NEED this.  I am reminded to pray for all of the kids there at the Children's Hospital.  I am so happy to be a part of the study.  Hopefully, they will be able to use this information to help kids with autism in the future.  And it reminds me to be thankful for the health of my fabulous kiddos.  That is something that I sometimes take for granted.  I want to remember to thank my Heavenly Father for all that He has blessed my family with each day.  What about you?  Are there things that you could be thanking God for that you forget about sometimes?  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Like My Mom

     You know how people say that you turn into your Mom as you get older?  Well, I really think there is truth to that, which is great because I think my Mom is great.  And tonight I was totally like her.  :-)  Before I can tell you about tonight, let me give you a little back story.  The elementary school version of me would come home and tell Mom, "Tomorrow is rubber ducky day (or insert some other random theme) at school."  Then Mom awesomely, cool Mom would make me a handmade outfit to go with the day.  She did this so many times, I can't even remember them all.  And I knew that she would come through for me.  There was no doubt.  Or I would tell her we are having a contest and I knew she would help me win it.  She had my back all the time.  I also didn't realize until I was older, she would stay up most of the night making my clothes for the next day, so I could have a shirt and/or accessory to go with the them.  As a side note, one time she made me a slap bracelet to go with a Christmas dress.  She is fabulous.  :-)
   Ok, back to present day.  My son's preschool teacher (who is so crazy good) tells us on Friday that Monday is hearts and hats day and that we are going to see who has the most hearts.  So, tonight I made him a heart necklace with 150 hearts.  It's not a homemade outfit, but I still felt like I was bonding with my Mom as I strung each of those beads.  There are some ways I am turning into my Mom and I am proud.  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Love and Whimsy

     I saw Bob Goff speak tonight.  He wrote the book Love Does, which I have talked about a few times.  One of the things I just keep coming back to, after finishing the book and hearing him speak tonight, is that I want to act out of love and not out of obligation.  Sometimes the results would be the same- the task gets done.  But when I am acting out of God's love, my attitude and motivation are different.  For example, I want to start serving in the nursery at church because I love kids and I love their moms and I know that Jesus loves them too.  I don't want to show up anymore because I have too.  The way I interact with people will be different if I am motivated by love. 
     This book is awesome!!  Please read it.  Each chapter only take about 10 minutes to read and they are fun, so it is easy to read in little chunks (important for a mom with two little kiddos).  It will change the way you look at life.  It kinda freaks me out a bit because he talks about "whimsy" often.  How love involves "whimsy."  I am not really a person of "whimsy."  But, I think that maybe I should, be a little; maybe more, we'll see.  :-)  I want to work in whimsy into my life.  I want to love like Jesus loved.  He didn't love out of obligation and He also didn't have a detailed 64 point plan.  He did things.  He fed the people who were following Him with what they had.  He didn't have the disciples bring enough food for everyone they expected to be there.  He didn't make everyone RSVP.  He just had some whimsy.  Weird, right?  I know that God "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (Eph 3:20)."  I have been trying to live out that verse the last couple of years.  I think this new insight from Bob is going to help me a ton.  So, now I am going to act from love and add a little whimsy in my life and see what God does with it.  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Just Do It

     Today I finally wrote a report that I needed to write.  I have known about it for over two weeks, but it was due today.  Honestly, I was freaking out about doing it.  It shouldn't have been a big deal.  But, as I kept putting it off, the idea of it kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger.  And more stressful.  So, I have been a little stressed off and on about this for over two weeks.  How long did it take me to do?  About half an hour.  I am sure that I spent more time thinking about how hard it was going to be, than actually doing it.  I should have just done it sooner.  :-) 
     I read a blog called, "Calm.Healthy.Sexy."  It is great!  She wrote a post last fall about a "Little Annoying Tasks" (LAT) list.  It is a good post.  You go read that.  Trust me.  I will still be here when you get back.  Here is the link: http://calmhealthysexy.com/live-calmer-use-a-little-annoying-tasks-list-to-get-things-done/  Seriously, if you didn't read it, you should.  :-)
     She is right on for me.  I have been trying to think about the things that I need to do, but don't, and try to actually do them.  This report reminded me that I just need to do the things that I need to get done.  I am not saying that you should never have things on your to-do list, just that I have had time that I could have done that report in the last few weeks and didn't.  It would have been better for me to do it sooner.  What about you?  Do you have a LAT list?  Thanks for reading.  :-)