I Found God In My Name...

I'm ashamed to admit it... but some days, I hate my name. Not the "Maggie" (although it's taken me a while to enjoy that moniker... especially when I've met more dogs than people with the same name), but the other name... The name I received when we had our first child:


"Mom."


I'm ashamed because I know there are hundreds of people who would LOVE to hear some little child call them "Mom." And because I know that God has blessed with the two perfect boys for us - and I love them dearly.


But the fact remains that having small children means that I hear

Mom....

Mom.....

Mom.....

M O M . . . .

about 100 times a day. Kids that yell M O M?!?!? from the basement (when I'm on the 2nd floor)...

or wail MOMMMMMMMMM when they are ready to tattle on the sibling...

or repeat "MAAAH-M!" just in case I didn't hear them the first 3 times.

It can get very tiring... quickly!! And it's tempting to say, "STOP CALLING MY NAME!" or some equivelent, for sure.... Because the whining/tattling/nagging, and such gets OLD swiftly. Sometimes, when I least expect it... when I'm on my last nerve... my little one will say, "MOM!" for what seems like the millionth time, and I'll probably either say?/sigh?/shout?/growl?/snarl? "W H A T!!" and in return, the little voice will smile, "I LOVE YOU....." :) And I'll be warmed by these words (and properly chagrinned by my snarky response), and I'll remember what a blessing my children are - even in their most trying of moments.

And, I am humbled when I think of how "childlike" I AM when I call God's name. I'm sure He would be ever so pleased to hear me call out, "God...! I love you!" on a regular basis. But, I'm equally as sure that he more often hears me sigh / shout / growl / snarl / scream,

"G-O-D !!!!!"

in that shrieky, whiney voice that I also possess. And the very thing that annoys me about my own kids is the very thing that I do to my own Father.

Fortunately, there is this verse from the Bible:

People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Luke 18:15-17 (NIV)

I know...! I know...! That's NOT what He meant!! :) He was talking about the honest and pure "childlike faith" - the children who come seeking Him with no hidden agenda. But often, that's what my kids are doing to me. They are looking to ME to be their caretaker, referree, savior, doctor, comforter... When they are hollering "Mom," it's because no one else can take MY place in their lives either. They need me - and I need to make sure that I can be counted on.

Because if one of our goals in life is to emmulate Jesus, to ask ourselves, "What WOULD Jesus Do?," then we need to answer the call. God is ALWAYS there when I call Him... Always. And I am so thankful that when I call unto Him, an angry, weary, snarky, tired voice DOES NOT shout back from the Heavens, "WHAT?!!!!"

My questions, laments, cries, or comments are welcomed.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14 (NIV)

How have YOU been calling out to God lately? Have you inserted a smiley, "I love you," lately? Because I'm sure He's love to hear it.

:)

I Found God In The "Lost and Found..."

At the end of the school year, the "Lost-n-Found" bin at school is just overflowed with items: Jackets from those days that started with chilly mornings but gave way to warm afternoons... Gloves and Hats that were discarded during recess... the latest "craze" toys (Bakugan, Pokemon, Pogs, etc.)... Notebooks and pens and keychains... Of course, the really "PRIZED," lost possessions never seem to show up in the Lost-n-Found. Things like lost iPods, money, homework never make their way to that Rubbermaid tub.

And often, these lonely, lost items are never reunited with their owners. Coats are outgrown, gloves and hats are long-forgotten (until next year's snowy day). The contents of the tub are donated to Good Will where they will find new homes.. and ironically, might end up in some other school's Lost-n-Found the following year.


Can you imagine if that Lost-n-Found bin was full of people? Lost people... not the directional-peanuts (like myself!!) who cannot even be easily guided by Google Maps... but the spiritually lost people who are ever searching for the one thing that will give their life meaning. The ones who, maybe, just go through the motions by saying all the "right" things or meeting all the "right" people. Perhaps these lost souls even go to church - but, again - like me for many, many years - never FEEL God or faith or comfort or His presence. For the lost, church is just a building filled with posers or pot-luck dinners.

But consider the story of Zacchaeus the Tax Collector (Luke 19:1-9)

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Jesus is like the ultimate detective... diligently searching out those who are are lost. He doesn't give up on you. He has endless patience. He is always welcoming. And when you turn to Him, He will accept you with open arms.

...We had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again;

he was lost and is found. (Luke 15:32)

I Found God In Gym Shoes...

Wednesday night, our church had a Women's Event: If The Shoe Fits. It included a catered dinner, some fun entertainment, four testimonies of people who had walked unusual life paths, and a TON of unique and interesting shoes! I was the go-to gal for this event -working with the Women's Ministry team to plan out the evening, hustle up the shoes, the table hosts, etc.

If you google "women's ministry" and "shoes," you will get hundreds of websites from churches or groups who have worked with this theme before, so when I was trying to match different types of shoes with a Godly message, I didn't always have to reinvent the wheel! Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting the Shoe-spirations one step at a time - Some I wrote myself, others were re-vamped by my friend Kay, still others were borrowed from other sites who had so eloquently written a devotional already.* I hope it will cause you to look at your own Christian walk a little bit differently!

GOD AND GYM SHOES...

Luke 15:20-24 (The Message)
When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: 'Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again.' "But the father wasn't listening. He was calling to the servants, 'Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We're going to feast! We're going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!'

God wears running shoes. He is always eager & willing to RUN to his lost children. He has no pride in being “right” nor does He gloat over our failures or mistakes. He always rejoices and celebrates our return to His flock – no matter the circumstances.

*Most of the text for the gym shoe table was found HERE.

I Found God In UN-Fairness...

Our church is doing a sermon series on Six Things I Want My Children To Remember. This past Sunday, the discussion focused on Life Isn't Fair!

I thought it was very interesting that, apparently, nowhere in the bible, does God say that life will be fair for each of us... God tells us that He will be there for us, that He is with us, that we can turn to Him in times of trouble. He does not say that he will make life fair and square for each of us!

I remember that when I whined as a kid about something being unfair, my Mom would always say, "Life were fair, I'd look like Bo Derek!" Boy, she sounded like a broken record after awhile (and I didn't even know who Bo Derek was anyway), but that lesson was demonstrated to me throughout my life, over and over. I'm sure you can find many examples in your own lives when you felt that life wasn't treating you fairly - and life will continue to be that way. Learning to accept and move on with your life when unfair things happen to you is a critical skill to surviving this world!

During the Sunday sermon, my thoughts flitted to my LEAST favorite story of the Bible... the story of the prodigal son. I know and understand the main points to the story:

1. That God will take you back no matter how far you stray,
2. That forgiveness will be extended to you when you ask for it,
3. That if God can forgive even your greatest transgression, surely, you could forgive your own neighbor for a wrong-doing.

However, I always found this story frustrating... because in my life, I would consider myself to be "the other brother..."

"The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. The son said, 'Look how many years I've stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!"
Luke 15: 28-30 The Message

I've often felt like that "other brother" felt... anger and aggravation towards another who flaggrantly disregarded "the rules," did whatever he or she wanted, and then expected to be "saved" again and again when it didn't work out. I struggle with this story often because of those feelings. But this sermon on unfairness spoke to me... It wasn't "fair" that the prodigal son could squander away his inheritance and still be welcomed back with as much love as the son who stayed and toiled for his father.

BUT, perhaps forgiveness is more important (and more valuable) than fairness.

And if we're whining to God, the Father, about life not being "fair" - instead of my Mom's answer of "If life were fair, I'd look like Bo Derek," couldn't you imagine God frowning at us and saying (in a Godly-way, of course!):

"If life were fair, then my perfect, SINLESS Son would not have been
arrested,
stripped,
whipped,
and crucified
to ensure your eternal life!"

Kind of hard to argue with that logic, isn't it?! :)

BECAUSE life wasn't fair,
BECAUSE Jesus took our sins upon His shoulders,
BECAUSE He gave up His life for us...

WE are given the amazing gift of eternal life.
WE are forgiven.

THANK GOD that life isn't fair!