My week has been traced with sickness! Two kids down in one week, and of course as one is on the mend, the next one begins! Such is life, especially with more than one child in the house!! My mom was willing to come pick up my sick child and take her back to her house for a little R&R while we went on with our busyness. The next day, I dropped sickie number two off at mom-mom's as well.
My little sickie on Monday night
I see the hands and feet of Jesus, as well as His heart, displayed daily in the way my parents conduct themselves. They are never unable to help someone in need. I admit, there are times when it drives me crazy!! How in the world can you always say yes, you have to say no once in a while, don't you??? Well, no - you don't. When you walk in the footsteps of Jesus, not only do those footsteps lead you in the right direction, but they provide the restoration for your soul that you need when you live a life of servanthood. I appreciate that Godly example in my parents and it's one that I am working on setting for my children as well. To be flexible and be in God's will is exactly where we need to be at.all.times.!
We talked about God's will at youth group on Wednesday night - it was an awesome lesson to dive into. We are far too easily captivated with the things of this world and oftentimes we are just clueless to all that God's way has to offer us. If you think of the most perfect situation that you could find yourself in in this world, God's way trumps that......tenfold! To the untrained eye, God's way looks ridiculous.....how do your empty yourself and yet find yourself full? How do you put yourself at the back of the line and yet, find yourself being crowned as first? I admit, it doesn't make sense, until you take that step.
taking that step to follow him....prepping for teaching opportunities
Anyway, I sat here this morning, contemplating my day, *which has put me in the position of having two children at home and two at my parents. I did my devotionals, got my cuppa joe and hopped on the computer to read my favorite blogs and saw another example of God's hands and feet being displayed in a community. Sasha, of www.lemonademakinmama.com shared a frightening story of what this week offered her, her family and ultimately her neighborhood. I want to encourage you to jump over there and read today's post. It is a heart-wrenching and heart-warming story of how the body comes together to support a hurting member. It's a story of God's redemption, His love, grace & forgiveness.
It left me feeling so many different things, but the thing that I wanted to share here about this was not just her story, (which, by the way, is more than enough to stand on its own) but the story of social media & technology. These things, while they can definitely be a time waster and a distraction, also has the ability to join believers across the miles. It joins my heart with a sister that I've never met and it allows me to feel what she is feeling and join her in prayer and praise! It takes me to Uganda where I can share with a sister there, whom I have met, and it puts me in her daily happenings while she serves Jesus with her whole heart. It takes me over to Hungary, where I can join friends in praying for the people there as they pour themselves into the lives others.
the view on a county road, filled with His glory
It also keeps me right here, in my little county, where I can offer encouragement to friends and family, through the posts of others and my own words. To help support the body through social media is an extraordinary thing. I know alot of people scoff at the idea of blogging, I know that it crosses the lines of privacy and that it seems silly to talk about people that we've never met, like we know them personally. I get that and I struggle with that as well, but I have to tell you. I think it's a beautiful opportunity to catch a tiny glimpse of God's view from up there. He is Sovereign, He knows all, and sees all, all around the world. Social Media gives us that same opportunity, in a way, to get inside someone elses life, to share in their fears & hopes. To pray for people half a world away and feel like we are connected. Because, after all, we are the body, and the body IS connected, right?
we're all in this together
a little community of gingerbread people <3
So, today, take notice of how social media is being used for His glory and maybe take a step into that crazy world and see where He leads you!! (the key word being HE......I recognize that social media has some very dangerous paths, we must be alert and choose wisely)
finally found a home for my antique chalkboard <3
God bless you friends <3 Enjoy the season, prepare your heart for the Advent season, deck your halls and I'll see you back here next week!!
sing His praises <3
God Bless - Lorraine
*before I finalized and published this post, I ended up with one child at home!!! My how quickly life changes before you!!!
