Purely Blessed

"Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." Matthew 5

"Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god." Psalm 24

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, 

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is 

excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4

The purity of children is astounding. They have a level of innocence that demands protection - fighting to contain the excellence of their nature while sharpening their ability to discern every aspect of life.

I can only begin to imagine what they see when it comes to angels and heavenly things. Can they see the face of God? Could I at one point when I was their age?

These boys are a gift from God, and I am humbled and honored to serve them. That is what I am - a servant to Isaiah and Jeremiah. Every day it takes the grace of Jesus to recognize and see them through the eyes of their Creator and Maker. Calling forth their days ordained from the beginning of time - that is where my mind needs to remain - fixed upon the completion of the men God designed them to be. And a huge part of that is fiercely protecting their purity.

May God bless you all as you persevere in doing similarly.

Cookie Dough Lick!

The first cookie dough lick occurred yesterday, for Isaiah! And let me just say that he was more than pleased! If he would have had his way, no cookies would have been made from the dough - the dough would have never made it to the oven!

Seeing his face, as his taste buds experienced the cookie before it became a cookie, was fantastic! It was one of those moments you try to imprint in your memory so that you can go back as many times as you want - to revisit all of the wonderful details that made it the treasured moment that it was.

I love learning to see life and experience life the way the boys do. They literally live moment by moment - in the present - without worry and concern for what is coming. They are good at trusting and they don't even realize it! They trust me and my husband to have what they need when they need it. Hallelujah for another aspect of the boys being great instructors for how to do life well!

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6

The Way to Play

The way to play is different from one moment to the next! Each moment is alive and new to children - never a dull moment. For Isaiah, it can be picking up his drum sticks and laying out a stellar drum beat on some empty Huggies boxes! Jeremiah, on the other hand, is all about getting around on all fours - doing 360's and backing himself up into tight places! No matter what the choice of the hour is, they find great joy and pride in doing the best job possible at simply being.

What a lesson I gain from enjoying them simply being. They do it so well. And God is glorified as they grow and develop and explore.

May the LORD continue to give me grace to allow them to simply be Isaiah and Jeremiah. May He give me grace to simply be me...and simply be with Him, resting in His care as I boldly and courageously live for Him, through Him, and in Him. May He give me wisdom to know how to guide the boys. May He give me strength to keep up with them!

"With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thessalonians 1

Loud Declarations!

I listen to the rain coming down and recall how I was awe-struck at the colors and formations of the clouds as they prepared to release the rain upon the earth. There was a tint to each yellow, white, gray, and blue that made for it to look like a sky that I had never seen before. In my heart, I could hear the psalmist reciting, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day and night they poor forth speak" (Psalm 19).

Only moments before gazing at the sky, I was gazing at the boys. Isaiah was discovering the grooves he could make in the sand, volleyball court with his lawn mower. Jeremiah was looking around as he enjoyed every drop of his delicious milk. Earlier in the day, Isaiah was laying next to Jeremiah, as they played with some cars and trains on the living room floor. They would lovingly look at one another and then continue on with their creative explorations.

Thinking about each declaration, I boldly and gladly surrender to the multiple ways in which God displays His glory...we simply need to be willing to see through the eyes of our souls and in turn unlock each miracle that God puts on display, every moment we take in a new breath.

A Prayer for the Children

"Abba, Father, as I look at the boys, I am reminded of all the other children in the world. Thank You for Your amazing creation of babies and kid!. Thank you for ordaining praise out of their mouths - their innocence and purity glorifies Your name. Hallelujah. I praise You and declare You as Maker, Orchestrator, and Designer. You are perfect, LORD, at what You do! Over each child, I ask that You protect them from the schemes of the Enemy. Crush the plans of Satan over their lives. Provide people to rise up and stand up for them. Give them wisdom and discernment at a young age. Bless them with Your favor and love. Make Your face shine upon them and give them peace. Where there is pain and illness, bring healing. Where there is fear, bring courage and confidence. Where there is brokenness, bring mending and binding. Where there is bitterness, bring the softening rains of Your presence. Give them each a hug from Your Almighty arms. Let them know - truly know - that You are God and that You are always for them. Breakthrough with Truth and Light. Make Yourself known. Put a desire in their hearts to know You and spend time with You - an unquenchable hunger and thirst for Your Word. Let the praises rise up in their hearts - may singing and dancing always grace their mouths and feet. Reveal Yourself, Jesus, as their Refuge and Strength. Establish each child in Your Everlasting Love."

Family Dynamics

The dynamics of family are wonderful - and sometimes full of trials. Each person brings something to the mix. Some days, one of us may be feeling sick. Other days, one of us may be feeling excited. While other days, one of us may be feeling overwhelmed.

No matter what each of us is going through or what is happening around us, we must remain unified in righteousness - rooted and grounded in Love. The things that matter are often times the hardest to produce. Such as honesty - it roles off the tongue quite easy, however, it takes trust and courage to be honest. And when I say honest, I mean the humble and loving kind. Not the "I am right and everyone needs to be set right." 

Being quick to listen and slow to speak - that's another hard one. Love in a family means that we take an interest in hearing about how each of us is doing/feeling. We take the time to ask questions and truly listen - no matter what needs to be said. It also means that there is an understanding of how much time there is and the sharing of that time - properly distributing time is valuable - recognizing that some are verbal processors and others are internal processors. 

Supporting each other is key. No one gets left out or left behind. We are a team, and in order to overcome and do well, we need each other. Only by God's grace will that be achieved.

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Romans 12

Teething

Teething is said to be one of the most painful things we go through in life. That said, how do we make it bearable for the little ones when it happens?

Ideas:
1. Refrigerated Teething rings
2. Orajel
3. Tylenol
4. Comforting hugs and the holding arms of a loved one
5. Sucking on an Icy (left in the package)
6. Distracting with something fun - a BIG one for my kids is playing in the water (tub time or the pool or water toys for the lawn) or simply being outside (they do not even have to be playing - just step out the door and their whole demeanor changes!)

 Hallelujah through the pain - Jeremiah has his first tooth! May this be just the beginning of his growth, not only in the physical sense, but also in the spiritual.

"In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5

Eyes to See

The human eye can see objects and colors and shapes and sizes. It sees facial expressions and body language. It observes the interactions of man. It scans landscapes, city life, and entertainment.

I often look at Isaiah and Jeremiah as they look through the eyes that God gave them. How are they seeing the same things that I am seeing? What parts of certain shapes and colors do they notice more than others? How are they interpreting the dynamics of conversation happening between me and Edy (my wonderful, amazing husband - their proud daddy)?

 I not only want them to be able to recognize what is easily recognizable, but I want them to see past things - to see beyond what lies before them - to see through things.

In essence, I want them to have discernment, wisdom, and understanding. To merely say what something is - that is only part of the process of seeing. To truly see, one must have those three, important pieces deeply rooted in the foundations of the mind and heart and spirit.
"By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew. My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck." Proverbs 3

Intricate Details

Oh the wonders of what God has made! From the tiny details of the branches on a tree... 

to the details on a child's face...

to the details of a captivated baby...

God has made all things well!

"O LORD, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all."Psalm 104

Universal Smile

It is true that the smile transcends any language! Being in Miami, we encounter many people who only speak Spanish, some who speak Spanish with a small amount of English, and others who speak something completely different. What I have noticed, though, is how the smile is understood by all.

In Minnesota, there is a term often used called "Minnesota Nice." Meaning, that no matter where you go or who you come across or who you pass by, you will always be greeted because it is the nice thing to do. It is very true. I have been greeted less down in Miami than I ever was in Minnesota. That does not mean that people are less pleasant or kind or gracious here; it simply means that, once again, the culture is different. And different is not bad, it is merely different.

So, bring on the smiles! We will continue bridging the language barriers with a smile.

"May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace." Numbers 6

When You Just Don't Know

There are days when you just don't know what to do about challenges and hardships. Today is one of those days for me.

Just as Isaiah laid down in the grass, I felt the same way in my heart. I was laying down inside of my mind, inside of my heart, and throwing in the towel.

The work is too hard, too long...I need a rest, a break.

I would much rather have it all figured out and ironed out; I would rather be past one specific problem than have to face it every day. "I can't do this. I can't do this, God." That was what I was saying, through tears, today.

As I took a walk with the boys, I sang the song "Change My Heart Oh God," because I know that part of the problem is mine. My heart and mind and spirit are in desperate need of the Living God - of the Holy Spirit to come and fill me up more and more. I need less of the selfishness and more of selflessness; I need less of pride and more of humility.

When I come up against my challenges, I want to be able to say - whole hearted - "Father forgive them they don't know what they are doing," "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," "I am pressed but not crushed, persecuted but not abandoned..." I want more of Christ in me - the Hope of Glory.
Have Your way, God - let that be my heart's cry as I endure through the rest of this day and the days to come.

"Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge." Psalm 62

Roots

ROOT: THE SOURCE OR ORIGIN OF A THING

Developing the 'source' of who Isaiah and Jeremiah are is a humbling and daunting task, when I think about it. How they will learn to think, what they will choose to think upon, what they will desire to do with their time, who they will speak, where they will go, who they will be around, how they will respond to evil when it comes their way, how they will speak when spoken to -these are all things at the 'root' of who they are. 

What exactly are those parts of who they are that need to be cultivated? I think upon the list of things that the Apostle Paul used when he referred to the Spirit of God: "But the fruit [root] of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering/patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5

How do I go about helping them refine those 'roots'? As simple as it may sound and as easy as it may sound, it happens moment by moment - often in the littlest moment or the passing moments. I find myself using my own refinement as an aid to help me help them. Such as - if I am praying something internally, I now practice doing it out-loud so that they can hear. If I am reading the Bible, I read it in their presence - they have a children's version that we read before their naps and before bedtime. When a time-out is given, we pray through it, asking Jesus for grace to obey. When it is time to worship and praise, all of the instruments come out, the music is turned up, and we all do it together.

Opportunities of instructing and training are constant throughout each day; opportunities to practice loving and being loved are constant throughout each day. Their growth is happening in leaps and bounds - much of it will still take repetition and patience to cultivate, but it will all eventually surface. And by God's grace and mercy, the fruit of the Spirit will rise up in and through them.

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers." Psalm 1