Genesis 39:10 - "And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her. . ."
I have read the "Joseph" story many times and have looked at this passage before. However, today when I read it I saw not only application possibilities but also felt conviction! I have a love hate relationship with "conviction." I hate to see the sin so clearly revealed in my heart, but I LOVE that my God loves me enough to show it to me so that I might be conformed to the likeness of my Savior!
You see -- I struggle with the fruit of the spirit called, "self-control." Not that I have all the others down -- this one just seems to be a root of many of the sin issues in my life!
When I read that Potiphar's wife spoke to Joseph "day after day," basically seducing him, it hit me that temptation is DAILY! Okay, not profound - I already know this. But he continually said, "no" to the temptation - day after day! That is what gets me -- the day after day!
When I plan to get to bed earlier to be my best in the morning for my family and my time with God, I often choose to do other things and stay up too late. The temptation of a good book, a movie, the computer (none of them bad things in and of themselves) comes along, and I stay up too late, causing me to not be the wife and mom that I believe God wants me to be.
OR
I determine that I need to eat more healthy -- for my heart, for my body, for God's glory! Then the daily temptation of a diet coke fountain drink ("They are half price during Sonic's happy hour!") comes my way. The cookies, candy, you name it say, "eat me!" And I do!
Now, I am not saying that I can never have a diet coke or dessert. I am just pointing out how quickly I cave to temptation. I do not do well saying, "no" as Joseph did day after day. One day - sure! A week - doable. But the consistency that is implied by day after day isn't found in my life. Gross!
I have a friend who told me about an older woman who mentored her. When my friend would tell her she was "struggling" with something, the lady would reply, "Let's just call it sin." Wow! To have a person love me enough to "call it sin." Not worrying if it hurt my feelings or offended me. (My husband will do this but can't really think of anyone else.)
Usually, I am wrestling with a self-control issue (let's call it sin!) and my friends say things like, "That is normal,""Don't be so hard on yourself," or "Nobody's perfect."
That is NOT what I need to hear. I need the truth of God's word challenging me "as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct" (1 Peter 1:15), or "do not be conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2) -- isn't that saying that as a child of God I am not to be "normal"? Jesus Himself states, "You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Mt. 5:48).
I am thankful for the truth in Romans 8:1 that "there is not condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." So although I am not condemned, and I am able to stand clothed in the righteousness of Christ (2 Cor 5:21), I do need to strive to live a life of self-control in all areas of my life.
Day After Day!!!!! That is the mark of self-control.
I need to purpose "day after day" to evaluate (by the power of the Holy Spirit) all that bombards me so that I may be able to discern the time stealers, money stealers, health stealers, or other temptations that will pull me away from my relationship with God and with those He has placed in my life.
10 December, 2008
28 October, 2008
Parenting is one of those things that causes you to see how fallen you really are! It challenges your core beliefs and reveals your inconsistencies. Calling you to wisdom, parenting displays your ignorance and may we even say foolishness.
Where does all this come from, you may ask?
Recently my children had picture day. My son brought his proofs home complaining that he looked too pale and wanted to get a retake. I thought he looked great - he is fair like his mom, but he didn't look too pale. My daughter got braces in March. She got them off last week. (I know that is sooo short - disgusting). She realized that the retakes would happen AFTER the braces came off, so she wanted a retake as well.
I chose to let them have a retake. At the time I thought, "they are being goofy," but let them do the retake thing.
Talking with my husband about this whole thing I came to the conclusion that I made a mistake. I should have let the original pictures stand. I should have taken the opportunity to let my children know that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. I should have used their discontent to speak the greatness of our God. I should have let them know that it isn't appearances that matter but what is in the heart. Instead, without realizing it, I fueled the belief that what is on the outside counts and that we should take every opportunity to make our outsides look better.
We live in a culture that tells us that we are not good enough, cute enough, smart enought, witty enough, fit enough, you name it -- we don't quite make the cut. So we have surgery to "fix" us. We spend hours in the gym to look a certain way. Our young children spend 10 hours a week practicing a sport in hopes that they will be good enough to play for their High School in 7 years.
Do we really want our children to think that if they aren't the best athlete that they aren't "good enough?"
Do we want them to think that if they don't make straight A's that they aren't "good enough?"
Do we want them to think that if they aren't the best looking child in their class then they aren't "good enough?"
GROSS!!!!!
How many adults are still fighting these lies? We probably all are in some way or another. Obviously, I am fighting the lie that there is some "perfect parent" list. :-)
So -- I give myself grace and purpose to move forward speaking truth into the lives and hearts of my precious children. I want them to know the truth of God and His word and be able to recognize the lies that the world is hurling at them.
Where does all this come from, you may ask?
Recently my children had picture day. My son brought his proofs home complaining that he looked too pale and wanted to get a retake. I thought he looked great - he is fair like his mom, but he didn't look too pale. My daughter got braces in March. She got them off last week. (I know that is sooo short - disgusting). She realized that the retakes would happen AFTER the braces came off, so she wanted a retake as well.
I chose to let them have a retake. At the time I thought, "they are being goofy," but let them do the retake thing.
Talking with my husband about this whole thing I came to the conclusion that I made a mistake. I should have let the original pictures stand. I should have taken the opportunity to let my children know that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. I should have used their discontent to speak the greatness of our God. I should have let them know that it isn't appearances that matter but what is in the heart. Instead, without realizing it, I fueled the belief that what is on the outside counts and that we should take every opportunity to make our outsides look better.
We live in a culture that tells us that we are not good enough, cute enough, smart enought, witty enough, fit enough, you name it -- we don't quite make the cut. So we have surgery to "fix" us. We spend hours in the gym to look a certain way. Our young children spend 10 hours a week practicing a sport in hopes that they will be good enough to play for their High School in 7 years.
Do we really want our children to think that if they aren't the best athlete that they aren't "good enough?"
Do we want them to think that if they don't make straight A's that they aren't "good enough?"
Do we want them to think that if they aren't the best looking child in their class then they aren't "good enough?"
GROSS!!!!!
How many adults are still fighting these lies? We probably all are in some way or another. Obviously, I am fighting the lie that there is some "perfect parent" list. :-)
So -- I give myself grace and purpose to move forward speaking truth into the lives and hearts of my precious children. I want them to know the truth of God and His word and be able to recognize the lies that the world is hurling at them.
14 June, 2008
29 August, 2007
I am a mom.
I pack my children's lunches on most mornings before we run off to school together.
Yesterday my daughter was getting a water bottle out of her lunch box before we even left for school. When she saw what I had packed she exclaimed happily, "Mom, thanks for buying us a Lunchable!"
A warm sensation filled my heart! I did not make lunch for the purpose of my children thanking me. I was almost surprised at how much it touched me the way she expressed herself with such gratitude. My children are in the habit of saying, "thanks" regularly, so I'm not really sure why it hit me so hard yesterday morning. Perhaps it was because making lunches is such a "daily" thing -- it is not a special event.
It made me contemplate how often I give God thanks in the "daily" things. Do I just take it for granted that I am going to wake up, that I am overall healthy, that I have a great family? I know that God does not need me to let Him know that He has given me a good gift. He has no insecurities about whether He is doing a good job being "God of the universe."
However, I DO need to remember that God is the giver of good and perfect gifts. I need to see His giving in the little details of the "daily." I need to cultivate a grateful heart in the ordinary.
I needed to learn from this "Lesson of the Lunchable" about paying attention to my life and giving thanks for all of the ordinary gifts God has given me each day!!!!
I pack my children's lunches on most mornings before we run off to school together.
Yesterday my daughter was getting a water bottle out of her lunch box before we even left for school. When she saw what I had packed she exclaimed happily, "Mom, thanks for buying us a Lunchable!"
A warm sensation filled my heart! I did not make lunch for the purpose of my children thanking me. I was almost surprised at how much it touched me the way she expressed herself with such gratitude. My children are in the habit of saying, "thanks" regularly, so I'm not really sure why it hit me so hard yesterday morning. Perhaps it was because making lunches is such a "daily" thing -- it is not a special event.
It made me contemplate how often I give God thanks in the "daily" things. Do I just take it for granted that I am going to wake up, that I am overall healthy, that I have a great family? I know that God does not need me to let Him know that He has given me a good gift. He has no insecurities about whether He is doing a good job being "God of the universe."
However, I DO need to remember that God is the giver of good and perfect gifts. I need to see His giving in the little details of the "daily." I need to cultivate a grateful heart in the ordinary.
I needed to learn from this "Lesson of the Lunchable" about paying attention to my life and giving thanks for all of the ordinary gifts God has given me each day!!!!
12 August, 2007
Summer is ending for me! On Tuesday I go back to work.
The last few weeks have been a great end to our families summer. I went to "Kid's Camp" with our church's children's group. It was fun to see 3rd through 6th graders worshiping God and learning how to stand firm in Him.
After that we left the following day to be a part of a mission trip in Chicagoland, USA. This was not my fist mission trip. I have spent spring break twice at Daytona Beach on a mission trip. I have also spent a summer at Daytona Beach. I have spent a couple of weeks in Russia three times. I have spent a couple of weeks in China. I spent a few weeks in East Germany (before it was rejoined with West Germany) and I have spent a summer in Czechoslovakia (before it was the Czech Republic) followed by a little over a year in Prague, CZ. So, I considered myself a mission trip veteran.
To be honest, our trip to Chicagoland was by far the toughest trip I have been on in regards to reception. In Eastern Europe and China, people enjoy visiting about spiritual things and don't seem to feel threatened by them at all even if the totally disagree with you. On the beach, college students who were much more interested partying would still take time to chat. In Chicago people seemed to have no interest at all in spiritual things. It was such a perfect illustration of what it says in 2 Corinthians 4:4:
"In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
One response we received when we invited their children to a Bible Club or their families to a Block Party was, "We know what you are doing, and we are not interested."
We know what you are doing -- sounds like we were doing some illegal activity.
I am thankful that my two children - 9 and 10 - were able to see this attitude to the gospel. It opened up the conversation to talk about the fact that people need Jesus all over the world.
We are blessed to know people that God has called to serve Him all around the world. We are thankful for our friends who are serving Him in Batavia, IL!!!!!
The last few weeks have been a great end to our families summer. I went to "Kid's Camp" with our church's children's group. It was fun to see 3rd through 6th graders worshiping God and learning how to stand firm in Him.
After that we left the following day to be a part of a mission trip in Chicagoland, USA. This was not my fist mission trip. I have spent spring break twice at Daytona Beach on a mission trip. I have also spent a summer at Daytona Beach. I have spent a couple of weeks in Russia three times. I have spent a couple of weeks in China. I spent a few weeks in East Germany (before it was rejoined with West Germany) and I have spent a summer in Czechoslovakia (before it was the Czech Republic) followed by a little over a year in Prague, CZ. So, I considered myself a mission trip veteran.
To be honest, our trip to Chicagoland was by far the toughest trip I have been on in regards to reception. In Eastern Europe and China, people enjoy visiting about spiritual things and don't seem to feel threatened by them at all even if the totally disagree with you. On the beach, college students who were much more interested partying would still take time to chat. In Chicago people seemed to have no interest at all in spiritual things. It was such a perfect illustration of what it says in 2 Corinthians 4:4:
"In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
One response we received when we invited their children to a Bible Club or their families to a Block Party was, "We know what you are doing, and we are not interested."
We know what you are doing -- sounds like we were doing some illegal activity.
I am thankful that my two children - 9 and 10 - were able to see this attitude to the gospel. It opened up the conversation to talk about the fact that people need Jesus all over the world.
We are blessed to know people that God has called to serve Him all around the world. We are thankful for our friends who are serving Him in Batavia, IL!!!!!
24 May, 2007
My son wore a bow tie to his 4th grade graduation this afternoon.
Okay ----- do we really need a graduation from Lower School? A good friend reminded me when I asked this question that is important for us to help our children mark those milestone moments in their lives. I am good with that, yet I still wonder if this type event just feeds the whole "notice me" world that we live in. Are we encouraging our young people to believe that it is "all about them" rather than speaking the truth that it is ALL about the sovereign God of the universe? Better save this whole thought process for another blog and get off of this rabbit trail. :-)
Anyway -- my husband and I thought our son looked quite sharp. Khaki pants, blue oxford button down and a festive bow tie. Apparantly his fellow 4th graders did not share our opinion. He told me after the reception that many of the boys told him he looked "gay." What is that about? Where do these kids get that?
As sad as I was that he had gone through that experience, I was thrilled that the bow tie remained in its spot around his neck. He did not let them discourage him from being unique. It also allowed us to have a cool conversation about when people make fun of others it just shows that they are not happy with themselves. Now, whether he truly understands that truth remains to be seen.
I pray that experiences like these will teach him to be an encourager. I'm sure he will make the bad choice to "tease" someone else (other than his sister which we already know will happen), yet I pray we can continue to help him be the young man that God would have him be. I pray for God to provide him with true friends who like him for his character qualities. And I pray he will be a true friend to others.
Another day we will tackle the "all about me" syndrome that we are encouraging in our kids (and in ourselves).
Okay ----- do we really need a graduation from Lower School? A good friend reminded me when I asked this question that is important for us to help our children mark those milestone moments in their lives. I am good with that, yet I still wonder if this type event just feeds the whole "notice me" world that we live in. Are we encouraging our young people to believe that it is "all about them" rather than speaking the truth that it is ALL about the sovereign God of the universe? Better save this whole thought process for another blog and get off of this rabbit trail. :-)
Anyway -- my husband and I thought our son looked quite sharp. Khaki pants, blue oxford button down and a festive bow tie. Apparantly his fellow 4th graders did not share our opinion. He told me after the reception that many of the boys told him he looked "gay." What is that about? Where do these kids get that?
As sad as I was that he had gone through that experience, I was thrilled that the bow tie remained in its spot around his neck. He did not let them discourage him from being unique. It also allowed us to have a cool conversation about when people make fun of others it just shows that they are not happy with themselves. Now, whether he truly understands that truth remains to be seen.
I pray that experiences like these will teach him to be an encourager. I'm sure he will make the bad choice to "tease" someone else (other than his sister which we already know will happen), yet I pray we can continue to help him be the young man that God would have him be. I pray for God to provide him with true friends who like him for his character qualities. And I pray he will be a true friend to others.
Another day we will tackle the "all about me" syndrome that we are encouraging in our kids (and in ourselves).
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