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Love is a little child tucked inside an upside-down laundry hamper.

Flowers!

I am married to a sweet, sweet man, who is almost always available to hold the fort down at home so that I can go for a Ladies Night Out. That generally means that I wouldn't be putting our younger children to bed like I usually do.

The morning after my "night out", CA, my big little man came in our room at 6 o'clock in the morning, arms outstretched, with his hands clutching tiny purple flowers. He had literally just woken up and said in his still sleepy monotone voice, "Flowers. Flowers for Mommy." He then laid his gift on my shoulder and left the room.

So, for this post:

Love is tiny crushed purple flowers given to you by your thoughtful child at 6 o'clock in the morning.

Half our family was gone for a couple nights when JC took M & J out camping with other guys from our church. I was left with CL & CA.

CL really enjoys one-on-one time, and she asked if we could do a puzzle. "Sure!" I said. I like puzzles. :-) So, she excitedly went into our basement, and came back up with a 500 piece puzzle. Let me type that again. A 500 piece puzzle. So, for today's entry of "Love is...":

Love is doing a 500 piece puzzle with your daughter, even if it that puzzle takes over 6 hours to complete.

And, now I want ice cream. 

Love is...

So, my last post on here was two years ago. It's eerily similar to the way I used to journal. Every day, to every week, to once a month, to every day again, to-- two years later, here we are! :-)

What brought me back here was this idea I have. It occurred to me that this blog would be the best place to post it. It's borrowed from the comic strip "Love is..." Sadly, I don't have a better title for this idea. Maybe someone has already done this anyway. Perhaps if another title comes to mind, I'll change it. For now, here's the first entry of what I'm hoping is a lifetime of treasured memories from this God-given blessing called LIFE:

Love is LEGO creations taking up space on your file cabinet where your peace lilly used to be.

I am free

This statement is amazing and wonderful to me. Jesus is looking at a woman who has been shamed after being caught in the act of adultery.  She was going to be killed for it too. 

Imagine having done something you know is horridly wrong. The Savior looks at you. He his holy. He is perfect.  If anyone is to rightfully condemn you, He's that person.  But He doesn't. "Neither do I condemn you."

Oh, forgiveness! Oh grace that is extended in a way that blows my simple mind! 

His statement, however, doesn't stop there. "Go, and from now on sin no more." Repent! Be free! I do not condemn you, now stop being weighed down by sin. 

When I read this I hear Jesus saying, "I love you. I want what is best for you. Go, sin no more. Repent and be free!"

Get lost in His amazing love. 

Do a 180. Repent.

BE FREE.

Grow Group Lesson 2

We have heard about Jesus’ washing His disciples feet before.  We’ve even heard how it’s an encouragement and exhortation to us to serve others humbly, just as He did.  With that in mind, let’s take a look at WHY he served, HOW he served, and WHO he served.

In her book, The Uncommon Woman, Susie Larson gives her thoughts on the moments leading up to the washing of the feet:

"As the dinner hour approached in the upper room, I imagine the disciples glancing around, looking for the slave who would clean their feet in preparation for the feast.  Normally, if no slave was available to do the foot washing, it was customary for one of the guests to volunteer.  Since there was no one who seemed ready to subject himself to the task, I wonder if they considered pulling a young servant from the street to do the duty.  Perhaps they were murmuring among themselves, wondering out loud how long they would have to wait until dinner was served."

WHY He served:

Read John 13:1-3.  Verse 3 starts off with, "Jesus, knowing….." This is important.  Jesus KNEW who He was.   He KNEW what He had.  He KNEW that He had come from God.  The movie Lord of the Rings has the famous quote, “When you know who you are, you know what to do.”  There is something about being identified with Christ, and knowing who we are that frees us from the urge of trying to prove ourselves, and being exalted in the eyes of man.  When your identity is not resting on man’s perception of your performance in your ministry, job, service, etc., but you find your identity resting in Christ, you’ll find freedom. You’ll grab hold of truth.  And sometimes, you’ll actually do whatever is that you do better.

HOW He served:

Now take a look at John 13:4-5.  Susie Larson again gives some thoughts:

"Imagine the jolt they experienced as Jesus got up, tied the servant's towel around His waist, and reached for the basin.  Picture them swallowing hard as they awkwardly scooted back to give Him room.  As Jesus' hands were dirtied from the filth on their feet, their hearts must have melted and any potential pride had to have been swallowed up and replaced by utter humility."

It’s been said before, washing another person’s feet takes true humility.  It is the lowest, most awkward service one could give to another.  I won’t dwell on this question too much, but it is worth asking.  Is there a service or action that God is calling you to do, that you refuse to do, because you feel that you’re “above” that kind of work?  The Creator of the universe washed the feet of some pretty average human beings; we should never feel like we’re “above” ANY kind of work He has called us to.

WHO he served.

Larson continues, "Even while Jesus was washing their feet, He knew in His heart that every one of them would abandon Him at some time that very night." Think about it, He knew that they would all leave Him high and dry in the most agonizing moment of His earthly life!

"Judas abandoned and betrayed Jesus...  Jesus knew that these were the feet of the man who would set in motion the most excruciating, agonizing hours of His life.  Still, He served.  Still, He washed, He rubbed, and He lovingly held the feet of the guilty in His hands.'

Have you ever been/felt betrayed? How did you respond?

Now think of this. Have you ever betrayed Jesus? Left Him? Turned your back on Him?  Have you ever followed man instead of God, “Just this one time?”  How did He respond to you?

Read Jesus' admonition to us in John 13:15 after He washed the disciples feet.  When you think of that person who’s betrayed you, remember that you have most probably at one point or another done the same to God if not worse.  In light of God's wonderful love and response to us in the midst of failure, we are called to respond to our betrayer the way Jesus has responded to us.

"With all my heart I believe that it's not only possible to rise up out of the pain of betrayal and rejection, it's our call, our privilege, and our responsibility as ones who have been redeemed." (Susie Larson)

We will all at some point, if not already, face rejection and or betrayal.  Here are some steps that Larson encourages us to take when going through the "valley of rejection":

Step One: Regularly remind yourself who you are and whose you are in Christ, according to the Word of God (loved, called, accepted, chosen, cherished, and forgiven)!

Step Two:  Pray for your accusers.

Step Three: Forgive your accusers.  This will be like a "hot potato exercise."  You will forgive them today-maybe twenty times-then you'll show up tomorrow to forgive them nineteen times. Eventually the potato will stay up in the air, and you will be free to leave the outcome to the Lord.

Step Four: Thank God for everything good in your life.  During times of rejection you are at great risk of losing perspective and neglecting those who haven't abandoned or betrayed you.

Step Five: Pray for someone who has it tougher than you do.  Write her a note or buy her a gift.  Don't lose sight of the fact that even in tough times, God has called you to be a flow-through account of His blessings.

Step Six: Get some exercise. Working your muscles and forcing your blood to circulate will do great things for your body and mind.  Pray while you exercise.

Step Seven: Get proper rest and then wake up tomorrow morning and begin again with One.

*Much of the material for this lesson has come from Susie Larson's book, The Uncommon Woman.