Father's Day

"You WILL go to church."  These are the words that I heard my father speak to me 19 years ago.

As I thanked God for my father yesterday, many past memories resurfaced.  I grew up in a Christian home and was in church everytime the doors were opened.  I enjoyed church and was blessed with wonderful Sunday School teachers and youth workers.  However, one specific Sunday I had an out of town friend who was going to be coming through town during the church hour.  I begged my father to let me say home so that I did not miss his visit.  "You WILL go to church" was his final answer.  I did go with tears flowing down my face in fear of missing the visit.

Looking back, I thank him for showing me the importance of church.  A relationship with Christ far outweighs any relationship with a friend.  (Oh and my friend waited on me to return home from church.)

Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it."

Spankings...Ever receive these as a child??  I can only remember 2, but boy do I remember those!  

My father was a gentle man, but when really I messed up, he really let me know!  I thank God for a father who disciplined!

The "Silent Treatment"...get any of these?

One Friday night during my teenage years I was caught making poor choices.  The only thing my dad said to me was "I didn't raise you like that."  For several days he barely looked at me and didn't speak.  I had crushed him.  He had always been able to trust me and I had let him down.  Again, I thank God for my father and the wise way he disciplined.  This was much worse than any spanking could have felt.

Proverbs 13:24  "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly."

And last but not least, I remember the love and support he has always given me.  He never missed a beauty pagent, a football game where I cheered, a family vacation, or any other special event in my life.  He always saw my fullest potential.   A child desperately needs the love and support of a father and again I thank God for my father. 

Pointing in the direction of Christ, disciplining, loving and supporting...sounds like our heavenly Father also.  Maybe your children do not have a father who leads in this way, point them to Christ and He will be there Father in Heaven!

Psalm 68:5  "A father to the fatherless, a defender to the widows, is God in His holy dwelling place." 

A NOT-SO-GRATEFUL DAY

I tried to be grateful and full of smiles and laughs as I awoke this past mother's day.  However, my pregnancy hormones had control.  I held back tears as I tried to thank my husband and children for breakfast.  I don't have an answer to why I was so emotional, but I was.  As we left for church with my Bible, SS book, journal and purse in hand, I slipped on the top step and fell all the way down.  I'm sure my fall was not pretty.  Needless to say, I only sat through the first few minutes of church.  I tiptoed out before I made a scene with sobbing tears.  To make matters worse, on the way home from church, my husband informed me that he could not take the boys to school the next day.  He had to be at work early.  The problem was that I also had to be at work early.  After arriving home, I went into my bathroom (my quiet place) and prayed.

Lord, You are my strength and my fortress.  In You I trust.  I am giving You my burdens and asking You to lift them.  Give me peace and help me to see my blessings and Your provision in my life. Amen

Within an hour, the phone rang.  A coworker called to tell me that I was on heart and she wondered if she could do anything for me.  "PRAISE GOD" was my response!  "Yes, You can do my morning duty."

God put it on her heart to call me and she responded to the call.  I was overjoyed at how God had answered my prayer.  After thanking her and God, I began to wonder how many times I had missed His call.  How many times had I told Him no because I was to tired, too busy, too uncertain or too insecure for a divine appointment.  I lifted my heart to the Lord again...Lord, Please use me to bless others just as she blessed me.  Allow me to hear Your call and say yes.  Thank you for answering my prayers.

God's Little Miracles

As I have had the privilege of praying for my unborn child, my persistent prayer has been for God's perfect will.  This life being formed inside of me has been a constant reminder of God's miraculous hand.  Seeing that sweet baby boy on the ultrasound was an encounter with God.  At only 20 weeks we were able to count all 10 fingers and toes and to even watch him play with his toes. 

What a precious moment to witness Psalm 139: 13-16.
Vs. 13 "For you formed my inward parts; you covered me in my mother's womb."

God knows out children before we do and He has a plan for them. As mothers, we must remember our responsibility.  He has entrusted them to us to love, nourish and lead them in His direction.

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for the miracle of this new life.  I pray your blessing on our precious baby.  May our baby grow to be strong and healthy in mind, body, and spirit.  Help him to grow to love you with all of his heart.  Pour Your love and affection into us, and help us to provide that same care and nurture in our child's life.  We commit this child to you!  Amen