Mike and I have both started out the new year by diving into books. He is reading Radical by David Platt and I am reading Think by John Piper. I love that my husband said to me, "I realized that if I don't read, then I don't learn." I hope we never stop learning, together.
It's January 17, 2011 already and I am finally ready for the New Year to begin. Life has been absolutely crazy. On Dec. 31st we awoke at 3am EST to be ready in time to catch our 5:30 am plane back to California. And just to make life more interesting, Caeden decided to wake with a 101 degree fever. We were literally down and out for 2 whole weeks. All of us had Bronchitis at the same time and we all had antibiotics prescriptions for 10 days. Life came to a halt. Things are moving again, so I think I can finally say, Welcome 2011.
Since my previous post, I have been pondering on our lesson #9 of 2010 (Life is Hard). To be honest, this is something that I have never wanted to admit. It's easier for me to see life as a glass half full and then not address the difficult. Out of sight, out of mind I guess. However, the past 7 months have forced me to address a lot of things in my life that I would rather not. Sometimes, i want to go back to the comfortable, because living in the struggle is painful. But what is life, if not lived in the trenches only to be brought out by the grace and power of Almighty God? Just like reading to learn, we embrace the pain in order to live.
John Piper said, If you cannot embrace the pain of learning but must have instant gratification, you forfeit the greatest rewards of life.
Well said, so my "glass half full" view of life never brings me to my desperate need for a Savior and on my knees pouring my heart out to God; but rather brings me a false life of ease. A wonderful phrase was written into my Isaiah study, "Our gracious and powerful God is able to overturn easy lives in order to create Holy lives."
So the question lies in, what am I pursuing, Ease or Holiness?
The boys have been trying to learn a little rap song, that Mike made up in a high school play.
"Peter walked on water
when he kept his eyes on Jesus,
but when he took them off,
he was swimming with the fishes."
Hearing them rap/sing it always makes me smile and reminds me something I
read in the John Piper book.
They (the pharisees) wanted safety on the seas.
But they did not want to know Jesus for who he was...........
They loved their physical safety.
But they claimed to have too little evidence to know the Son of God.
He was too threatening to their desires.
God has purposefully brought us here in this season of life and my prayer is that we don't run from it because it may be hard.
But rather: Run to Jesus, be broken, be healed.
And let the healing transform us, renew us, and propel us into deeper
abandonment of self and a fuller life in Christ.
May the learning never stop!
1 comment:
Awesome post hon. I am sorry you started the year out sick as a bunch, I did too. Last year was full of reflecting, I think for many people. The only way I can think of it, is that God has some big things He wants for His people and we need to move into position to receive the blessings no matter how hard, how mundane, how exciting, how challenging. Over the last 5 years God has kept giving our family challenge after challenge, now I ask God "what do you want me to do with this?" with each new challenge. I think some are to show us who we are so we can pay more attention and be more vigilant in our daily walks. I think others are so that the world can see our struggles and hopefully change because they see the Father in us. The first time we adopted, God put this scripture in my heart as He knew the struggles we would face as a multi-race family, a family that represents the non-norm Psalm 40
1I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
3And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
4Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
So many times, we watch other's struggles, and we think "Wow"! I read your thoughts and I think "Wow". Thank you for remaining a beacon in the dark for those watching your family! It is soooo important!
Sarah k.
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