Good Hurt, Bad Hurt - it all hurts

That hurts.

Physical, emotional, spiritual, mental…all can be hurt.

We use these phrases to comfort ourselves and others:

But it's a good hurt
It only hurts for a little while
This will only hurt a little bit
The hurt was worth it
God can heal the hurt

Truth? Hurt hurts when you're going through it. Period.

I don't care if it is a 'good hurt' that 'only lasts a short time' and was 'worth it in the end'. Hurt hurts. I don't need to shower this post with examples of how life hurts us. You all have your own stories, trials, and situations that are either personal hurt or something with a loved one that makes you hurt for them. The only common point - hurt hurts when you're in the middle of it.

The pain of fear, rejection, unworthiness, feeling unloved, punishment, betrayal, harsh words, harm, actions, poor choices, our past……….

But Christ. A turning point, our salvation, our refuge.

I hurt because of betrayal, but Christ says 'vengeance is mine'. (Romans 12:19)

I hurt because of the fighting, but Christ says 'The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.' (Exodus 14:14)

I hurt because of harsh words spoken against me, but Christ says 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.' (Matthew 5:44)

I just hurt Lord, but Christ says 'come to me, all who labor and are heavy lade, and I will give you rest…For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.' (Matthew 11:28,30)

I hurt alone, but Christ says 'when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me'. (Micah 7:8)

Hold fast to the promises Christ makes to us through His word. He is a God of justice and of love. He will hold those who hurt us accountable (and hold us accountable in how we react and respond).

Praising even in hurtful MOMents…
Rachel

Tuesdays at 10 am

I'm guessing most people know what happens at 10 am on the first Tuesday of each month. Especially those of us living in "tornado alley". Yep…since kindergarden, we are raised ready to assume the dreaded position in the school hallways. Looking back, I'm mortified that I put my head so close to the vomit and saw-dust laden linoleum floor and incredibly thankful I do not have some awful communicable disease. At the same time, I was required to put my hands behind my neck. As if a first grader's little hands can ward off flying debris from a category 5 tornado…but that's another post for a different day! 

So…the point. I'm heading to church this past Sunday (obviously not a Tuesday and not 10 am) and I see a tornado siren just standing there at attention, ready to warn. It's the only purpose that siren has, to be tested routinely and to fulfill his calling when the time is right! So many lessons…so little time. But let's unpack a couple I feel God is speaking. 

We must be ready. Must. 

Ready for what though? Well, let's dive into my favorite well-worn (but still sharp!) Sword of the Spirit and find the answers!

Ready for….

Jesus Christ to come back

• Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. -Matthew 24:44
• Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. -Matthew 25:13
• Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. -1 Corinthians 16:13

a Harvest or Giving a Reason for your Faith

• Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. -Proverbs 6:6-8
• (Pretty humbling to be told to act like an ant…guess I'll go marching one by one hoorah hoorah…)
• But in your hearts, honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.  -1 Peter 3:15

So…I guess my prayer should be that of a tornado siren. Being confident in where I am placed, that I can do the most good. That my location is strategic and well-planned by someone who knows much more than me. I can stand up against and weather storms. I can absolutely count on being tested routinely. And I want to be ready to act when needed, ready to share with others about what's to come. 

Ready and waiting for my MOMent…

Rachel

To Be Content

Contentment - achievable in this ever-changing world? A form of laziness? An excuse?

Take your pick…but I believe it's a high calling from our God. In my planned one-year Bible read-through (and yes…I'm behind, but still going!), I am currently in Philippians. As I read chapter 4, verse I found this:

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. 

~Philippians 4:11-13

Beautiful, inspiring words written by one of my favorites, Paul.  He had grand faith and little faith. He was strong and weak. He struggled…just like me. I just didn't do it in a Roman prison, he did. If he can be 'content' in chains, I can be content whatever my circumstance! 

Watch a toddler play…you'll learn about contentment. Buy him expensive toys that takes hours of labor to figure out which screw goes into "part A" and where the heck did "part B" go…and he'll play in the box it came in. Buy him the latest trendy shoes and name-brand fashion…and he'll remove the shoes and be content to run barefoot and roll around in the grass. (Maybe toddler girls are different?!? :) ).  Search Pinterest for the latest and greatest toddler activity until your mouse batteries run dead…but he'll still be content to watch a piece of round chalk roll down the driveway and disappear into a day lily. He's fine just being around the ones he loves…content. 

I recently heard as parents, we are given (God-willing) about 938 weeks until they turn 18 and leave home. That's not a lot of time to be worried about stuff that won't matter in 939 weeks. Instead, today, I choose to focus on the stuff that matters now and to be content with what I do have to offer and what I get to do with my kids. After all, I've already lost 113 of those with my Graham and 9 of those with my Emmett.  I'll find contentment in chalk drawings with purple leaves thanks to the help of a two year old or in tracing little feet praying they always walk in His way or reminding my son (for the 230974th time) that we use our two God-given ears to listen. 

Whether you turn to the right of to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, 

saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

~Isaiah 30:21

Contentment is now seen as a high calling that I can press on towards while claiming his promises:

I have His help to settle the unsettled places in my heart (Isaiah 26:3-4)
I am lead to and can rest besides quiet waters (Psalm 23)
I owe it all to Him (1 Timothy 6:6-7)

In a world of constant status updates, pinterest posts, and an overwhelming struggle to compare to others…I choose to be content in my MOMents I'm given….

Rachel

PS - I do love me a good Pinterest post!! :)

Bears & Diapers

Our family was just in the hills of Tennessee for some vacation. I use 'vacation' loosely since we were traveling with a 2 year old and a 6 week old, but our boys were troopers! We stayed in the mountains of Gatlinburg - meaning hairpin turns, steep grade slopes and driveways and bears! Yes, bears! One morning we looked outside the cabin to find a mama bear and her four cubs tearing into the garbage from last nights dinner. (and by looked outside - I mean this was taken from the front porch and back patio without a zoom lens!). 

After this, during my quiet time, I realized that this can be a picture of our faith walk. These bears are born knowing how to hunt for food, being focused on food, and fighting for their food. But, somewhere along the ways of modern civilization, these bears have settled for this. They have escaped the hunt, the fresh food and have settled for left overs. To completely illustrate this point, one unsuspecting bear cub proudly toted off one of my 2 year old's diapers (I doubt he was the most popular back in the den). 

I was hit squarely in the face with conviction after realizing this. God calls us to SEEK, to ASK, to KNOCK, PRESS ON, RUN, PERSEVERE - action words! Not just sit back and let faith come to you. 

"Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, 

knock and the door will be opened to you. 

Matthew 7:7"

"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the 

upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

Phil 3:14"

Like these bears settling for leftovers, taking chances on the quality of food, have I settled for other's leftover faith? Am I guilty of just letting others do their faith walk and then I take the remains of that walk? Don't get me wrong, one of these bears struck gold with left over steaks and bacon. And so, some others teaching is helpful and useful, but it shouldn't be the sole source of my relationship with God. I want my own steak - the steak off the table of the Lord, chosen by Him for me! His unique Word spoken from the mouth of God sent to develop and grow me! I don't want left overs…and I certainly don't want to tote off a diaper thinking I've hit spiritual pay-dirt (think of all the garbage 'spiritual' teachings out there that equate to a fully soaked and soiled Pampers size 5 diaper). 

And yes…watching His mighty creation without the boundaries of a zoo…awe inspiring! 

Longing for my own quiet MOMent with my Lord…

Rachel

No Sharing in the Kingdom

Do we ever really learn to 'share'? Or do we just learn to deal with the frustration that sharing is a part of life. If you ask my two year old about sharing, his response? "no like this". Well little buddy, truth be told, I doubt anyone really loves sharing if we are gut-level honest with ourselves. 

Teaching a child to share…one of life's biggest lessons dealt at an early age. Add a sibling into the equation and the lesson gets real very quickly. My two boys have to share mom and dad and eventually will share their toys (Ha!) and will someday share friends, a bathroom, a car, space in our home. 

With this in mind, I'm thankful I serve a God who is enough for all. There is never not enough of God to go around, He is always our 'enough'. We don't have to wait for God to finish up with someone else, He's already working on us - constantly! 

Ephesians 3:20 - Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us (English Standard Version). 

*Abundantly More* - I love it. When I am less, He is more. Abundantly more. I'd love to be abundantly more for my sons, but since I can't be, I'll lead them to the One who is! I don't have to share my God (yes, share what He has done in and through me…but not my time with Him). There's no 'custody arrangement' with God…He is always ours and always ready, willing and available to meet us right where we are. 

Praising Him in every MOMent…
Rachel

Graham, 2 years

Emmett, 2 days here

Waterproof mascara, Water shoes & Wailing

Well...guess it's official. I've entered the blog world. I'm looking forward to allowing gigabytes to save my thoughts for me, rather than notebooks. :)

Today's initial post came after my sweet husband encouraged me to do so, my mother liking what I have written in the past, and the final inspiration came from my sister-in-law posting a blog! So, here goes...

I woke up this morning with my only plan consisting of staying home on a rainy day, nursing and snuggling my 4 week old, playing with my 2 year old, and attempting to put a small dent in the serious lack of sleep from the last month (last several months really...well lets be honest...YEARS!).  But like any solid plan, a curve ball came. Nothing to taxing on paper...we were down to only enough dog food for two meals for our chocolate lab. And for a dog that loves her food, this would end in a serious crisis.

So without a shower, a quick application of mascara and light bronzer (because even the petstore deserves mascara), my two sons and I headed out. I got both boys in the car, strapped on my moby wrap and headed out. When I had to turn on the wipers by the first stop light and happened to glance at the gas tank needle, I started to regret my decision to go. But we journeyed on... At the next stoplight I removed my moby wrap ( a very difficult task seated and strapped in by a seatbelt!) thinking I'd just take the carseat in with the rain.

We arrived at the pet store with full on central-Illinois-thunderstorm now (God bless the inventor of waterproof mascara!). I jumped out of the car and opened the door where my oldest sat in his carseat. I then realized I had not grabbed shoes for my independent toddler!! My heart sank, I felt like a major mommy-failure at that point. He had adorable shoes at home that matched his plaid shorts and coordinating top. At this point, I remembered I still had his water shoes in the car from the pool the day before. Found them and put them on, feeling a bit disappointed that now his shoes were a screaming neon blue and black with his red/light blue shorts and shirt. Ok…so we headed in.

Now take the second child…anyone who has been blessed with children knows that the first few months of life are spent in increments between feedings. I thought I had enough time from the last feed to get to the pet store and back home. I was wrong. Now my second child is wailing from what sounds like severe hunger pains and the pet owners are looking at me and my parade walking through.

We make it through the pet store…yes I brought the wrong bag of dog food up to the counter and had to go all the way back through the store to get the right stuff. But we made it. From complete embarrassment, I politely declined the offer of help to my car (I doubt she really wanted to help me anyways and was probably praying I declined).  So…off we went…back home. One with waterproof mascara, one with water shoes, and one wailing.

With all that said…that's how I'll approach this blog and much of life. I'll try to be prepared (buying waterproof mascara), be thankful for yesterday's water shoes (remembering some in the world don't have any shoes), remember it's okay to cry sometimes, and of course wait for the promise of a rainbow after a thunderstorm. I'll blog what I can…but won't panic if my words aren't great and don't mean much to anyone but me. I can laugh at myself :)

Until the next MOMent….
Rachel