Nature vs. Nurture

I recently concluded a phone conversation with my mom. Her final remark to me was, "Well, you have not done a very good job with your children. They don't even know how to say, thank you." My thought...WOW... it all boils down to that!?! 

My "children" are 17 and 19 as I write this post. From what I remember of them as young children, they were very thoughtful with their words.  But now, they don't say thanks enough -- for her. They don't say thanks as much as I would - that's for sure. However, their dad doesn't verbally say thanks all that much either - come to think of it :)

So, how much of what we are is nature versus nurture? And, how much of NATURE is made new when we become a new creation in Christ. And, how much of the change is a process and not instantaneous?  In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we read, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” ‭NLT‬‬

Sometimes parenting (in the way you feel you should as a Christian parent) can be a huge pain -- with no reward in sight :) You can only do SO much. You can only show your values to your children through your consistent actions for SO long. AND, you can only hope they are watching, seeing the value of & adopting some of those values. Definitely at some point, they are going to do whatever they want to do. It might be a hard job to be a good, Godly parent. But, in my opinion, it's worth the work -- if for no other reason than to know that you did your best. 

As encouragement to all those parents out there who seem to be hitting their head against the wall with their children, here's some encouragement:

"Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..." Galatians 6:9-10 NLT

My comments: Be faithful & do the work. Let God be responsible for the results. Give HIM the glory for those results.

Oh and... THANK YOU for reading this - ha ha!

Opinionated Me :)

You know all those scriptures about God working through tough circumstances and bad things? Well, I have some opinions on that. I can't say it's exactly how GOD thinks about it but, it's my understanding & belief at this time. 

I look at God as a loving Father, one who cherishes His children. 

Matthew 7:11 "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" 

I look at Him as planning for the BEST for us in the future and in the long run - eternity. I take hope in those plans & trust in them. I try to so as the song says, I think I'll let God be God. 

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." 

Seeing down the road of life can get "foggy."
Trust the ONE who sees beyond the fog!

I believe He allows things to happen in our lives but, no matter what happens that He will work GOOD through it -- if we will allow Him to do that. There's just something about the "little girl heart" in me that doesn't feel like God PUTS bad things in my life. 

I love the story about Joseph -- you know, the one whose own brothers beat him & sold him into slavery. When Joseph was confronted by his brothers later asking for help from the brother whom they didn't then recognize, Joseph had some choices to make. He had every right to be upset with them & "give them what they deserved". 
Instead he said in Genesis 50:20, "As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me to the position I have today so I could save the lives of many people." 

I believe Satan is working overtime to persecute us & cause us to stumble. I think he wants to ravage our bodies... our minds... our spirits! 
John 10:10 "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."

Despite that, if we will allow God, He WILL turn into good what was meant for evil & we can be put in a position to save others -- sometimes by merely bringing glory to God regardless of our circumstances. Sometime it's harder to do that than other times. But, a day to day relationship with God gives strength to do what we need to do each day. A new beginning each morning in Christ allows forgiveness, healing, restoration, renewal and the ability to be used by God and for His kingdom!

(14Mar10)

A Thousand Things Are Happening in This One Thing

I have a friend whom I met through a former job, AU & North Anderson Church of God (now Madison Park). She's a wife, a mother, a friend... a singer and a song writer... a Christ follower! Her name is Christa Wells. One of her songs, that I totally LOVE, continues to speak to me as I face challenges and as others face challenges. In the past 3-4 years especially, I have cried myself to sleep on numerous occasions.  Perhaps it will speak to YOU in what you are experiencing now. The song is "A Thousand Things." You can access it through iTunes. You can also listen to it for free on her site if that doesn't work. It's also available to download through Amazon.com. There are a few lines that just knock me off my feet :) God is ALWAYS at work in EVERY situation. He can bring GOOD from any mess... and, my life has been & is currently a mess! Wrap yourself in His promises!

This was photo was taken by a dear friend, T. Getz.  His words... "I've just witnessed something for the first time in my life...a perfect rainbow, in some portions even double, completely reflected in the dark water of the river...a 360 degree rainbow! It was very difficult to shoot because it was changing constantly and my little lens couldn't capture it in one shot. This shot is stitched, albeit crudely, from about 6 separate images. That is why the rainbow is a bit pointed at the top.
The real version was much more stunning. What a covenant!" 

A THOUSAND THINGS 
You’re gonna cry yourself to sleep
You’re gonna soak the pillow for many weeks
You’re gonna cry Why? Why me?
But in spite of the ache that doesn’t go away
You’ll be sharing your story one rainy day
And at the next table somebody catches your words
He hears a truth that he’s never heard
He takes it back to the marriage he’d given up on
Hands it down to his daughter who writes it into song
You didn’t know

A thousand things are happening in this one thing
Like a thousand fields nourished by a single drop of rain
So honey, wrap yourself in promise while you wait the morning light
A thousand things are happening tonight


You’re gonna cry yourself to sleep
‘cause for the moment all that you can see
Is what you’ve lost, lost Why me?

But in the midst of the most exquisite pain
you’re drawn into a peace that you cannot explain
and the praises you sing of a sovereign God
reach the girl whose last hope is gone
she never thought there was purpose in anything here
now the seed has been planted and it’s taking root there
You didn’t know


A thousand things are happening in this one thing
Like a thousand fields nourished by a single drop of rain
So honey, wrap yourself in promise while you wait the morning light
A thousand things are happening tonight
A thousand things are happening tonight


You’re gonna cry yourself to sleep
A thousand miracles you’ll have to wait and see

Christa has written many other great songs. She won Gospel Music Awards 2006 "Songwriter of the Year" for "Held", which was sung by Natalie Grant. Some of the lyrics: "... this is how it feels when the sacred has been torn from your life and you survive... this is what it means to be held..." 

HELD


Two months is too little
They let him go
They had no sudden healing
To think that providence
Would take a child from his mother
While she prays, is appalling


Who told us we'd be rescued
What has changed and
Why should we be saved from nightmares
We're asking why this happens to us
Who have died to live, it's unfair


[Chorus]
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was when everything fell
We'd be held


This hand is bitterness
We want to taste it and
Let the hatred numb our sorrows
The wise hand opens slowly
To lilies of the valley and tomorrow

[Chorus]
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was when everything fell
We'd be held

[Bridge]


If hope is born of suffering
If this is only the beginning
Can we not wait, for one hour
Watching for our savior


[Chorus]


This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was when everything fell
We'd be held
We'd be held

This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was when everything fell
We'd be held

This is what it means to be held.....


I hope you enjoy these songs. They are so very reassuring of God's promises to us and His faithfulness to keep those promises!

Shared with the Ann Voskamp 1000 Gifts community on Sept 26, 2012