Friday, September 30, 2011

Hey, Mom

I was blessed with 5 of my children when I married their dad.  I chose to become part of their family and love them like they were my own from birth.  I was blessed with my 6th child when a young man needed a safe environment in which to live and we welcomed him to be part of our family.  I also love him as if he were my own from birth. And then, there are my "children".
In church last week, one of the young men who refers to me as mom, greeted me with a "Hey Mom."  Someone standing nearby asked him if I was his mom and he explained that I was his second mom.  As I sat waiting for the service to start, another young man came and sat with my daughter and me.  He too greeted me with "Hey Mom" and gave me a big hug.  This week, another "son" got engaged and replied to a congratulatory Facebook post with a, "Thanks, Mom."  These young men have a special place in my heart and I love the dearly,  but in reality, I am not their mom. They call me mom, but I didn't play a big part in raising them.  They visited my house on occasion, fairly regularly years ago, but they didn't live here.  They ate my food,  but didn't benefit from my cooking on a regular basis.  There names aren't listed on any documents that would make them heirs to earthly treasures in the event that I should die.  Yet, they call me, "Mom".
I wonder how many times we act as if we belong to God when there is no real relationship.  We say the right words and may fool those around us,  but they are just words.  We go to His house and maybe dine on His food, but when it comes down to it, He doesn't play a role in the choices that we make.  Once we leave the doors of the church it's as if we've never been there.  We play the game of pretending to belong to Him, when we have purposely placed distance between ourselves and His will for our lives with blatant sin..  Those around us may be fooled into believing that we actually know Him, but He knows the truth and His heart breaks for us.  It's time to quit pretending.  If you know God and aren't acting like His child, make changes.  If you don't know God, and are just playing the game to fool people, ask Him to truly become Your Father.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Please Pass the Bread


In her book entitled "Understanding Poverty", Ruby Payne talks about the habits of people who are experiencing generational poverty.  Generational poverty is when family stays in poverty for successive generations.  The book doesn't attempt to fix the problem of poverty, but rather come to an understanding of why people who find themselves in generational poverty make the choices that they do.  One of things that Payne talks about is the fact that families who are in generational poverty are more likely to consume white bread.  Studies have even shown that when restaurants donate leftover bread to homeless shelters, individuals will bypass the breads that are whole grain and choose the white bread.  I wonder why that is. From the nutritional standpoint, everyone knows that whole grain breads are better for you.  From the flavor standpoint, whole grains provide more depth.    It's a better choice overall, but still people who find themselves in poverty continue to choose the less favorable product. It makes me wonder....and of course, it makes me think about God.
Without God, we are in spiritual poverty.  We settle for white bread when there is something so much better for us.  God has placed an abundance feast on the table for us and we are insistent on staying in the kitchen, trying to be in control, and settle for white bread.  I think part of the problem is that white bread isn't "bad".  While there are many studies that show the nutritional detriments of white bread, one can't truthfully say,"If you eat this piece of bread, you'll die".  A thought that has been repeated over and over in my heart and mind the past few weeks is that sometimes you have to give up the good in order to experience the great.  White bread is good.  Throw it in the toaster, add some butter and jam, and it can be somewhat satisfying.  But.....it's just good.  It's not great.  It won't give you the nutrients that your body needs.  Exchange that for a nutty whole grain product and your body will thank you. There are things in our lives that are "good".  They aren't those things that are obvious sins, but rather those things that we settle for instead of experiencing what God considers "great".  Think about your life.  Take a good look at the things that are white bread....the things that are good....the things that reveal spiritual poverty.  Go to God and trade in those things that are good for things that are great.  Dare to be spiritually rich.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Stupid Cow

I am spending the weekend with my son, Jeramy's family.  It's always great being with kids and grandkids. Jeramy has animals....a lot of birds, a few goats, some horses, rabbits, cats, dogs, and until recently, a heifer.  There is also a field of corn that grows nearby.  I don't know a lot about farm animals, but apparently cows and large amounts of corn aren't a good combination.  This particular cow saw the corn, broke through the boundaries that Jeramy had set up and decided to help herself to it  The results are a very bloated, very dead cow.  It's just a cow though, right?  No.  That cow represented food for Jeramy's family.  The cow was scheduled to go to the butcher only a few days after it met its demise.  The time, effort, and money that went into the animal is lost.
Stupid cow...right???  Are we any smarter?  God has placed boundaries for our lives.  The Bible is clear on many issues.  This doesn't just include the Top 10.  There are commands throughout the Bible.  Those boundaries serve a purpose.  They protect us and those around us from the hurt that results from sin and they help to make us a light that can show others the way to the cross. I don't exactly know how cows think, but I wonder if these thoughts went through its head.  "I'll only have a little bit.  It won't hurt me."  "I'll keep it a secret.  It's only wrong if I get caught, right?"  "I can do what I want.  Other cows ate corn and nothing happened."  Let's revisit the results.....the cow is dead and Jeramy's family suffers as a result.  This is what I see in this.  You may think that you aren't hurting anyone, but you don't know.  How many people are looking to you as an example of what a Christian is?  How many people are not being led to the cross because of your choices?  How is what you are doing affecting God's call on your life and what your future was supposed to be?
Mattea and I went for a walk yesterday.  We ended up near where the dead cow is.  Mattea asked me what was so stinky.  She then answered her own question.  "It's the rotten cow, grandma."  She was right.  The choices that the cow made were resulting in a fairly pungent and unpleasant odor.  Are the choices that you are making resulting in an "odor" that will draw people closer to God or is the "odor" making them see God as  something to be avoided?
What is the corn in your life?  What things are drawing you out of the boundaries that God has placed for your protection?  What choices are hurting you and those around you...even if you can't see it right now?  What choices are affecting other people for eternity?  If you're in the corn field, go back to God's boundaries and seek healing forgiveness.  You don't have to have the same future as a stupid cow.