Pages

Monday, July 12, 2010

Gentleness

Well, as it gets too difficult to sit down for any longer amount of time to work on the computer, this will probably be my last post for a while. I've had this one typed up for a couple weeks now and just have forgotten to post it. Mayme is healing very well from her burn. We can already see it getting smaller and smaller each day. Praise the Lord. We are going to enjoy a restful week at home before the baby comes, but we'll manage to sneak in a Birthday party for Jude and Mayme at the end of the week. So, I leave you with some thoughts on gentleness...something that I need to think about again as I enter a new season called "lack of sleep" :) I really am excited for this new little baby to come and can't wait to share pictures with you all. 

Love, Heather

(Lucy at her birthday party when she turned 3???)

A month or so ago, I really felt like I was struggling with being gentle towards my children when I was upset with them or during stressful times. Our Life Group was studying Colossians and we were challenging each other to grow by putting off our earthly nature and putting on Christ's nature.
Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 
So, I prayerfully took some time to study gentleness a bit and the Lord led me to these verses (well I also looked up patience and kindness too )  :

Galatians 6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

1 Timothy 1:16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

2 Timothy 2:24-25 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth...
Romans 2:4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?
I wrote these verse out on index cards and spent many days just reading through them each morning. It was so neat how the Lord opened my eyes to the real reason gentleness and kindness are needed. They are not just good things that we should do to be good Christians; they are so much more than that!! They are necessary tools. Do you see the connection between the verses?

God's kindness towards us leads us to repentance. Our gentleness towards others, can help bring them back to a right relationship with the Lord. This was such an amazing realization! I shouldn't be a gentle mother/wife/friend because it is more pleasant and will make me a better person, but because that gentleness can have an eternal impact on the lives of those around me!
Lord, help me to walk in your victory by putting on your gentleness and kindness, with the hope that you would grant to those around me repentance that leads to a knowledge of your truth. 

Thursday, July 8, 2010

E.R.

Two weeks before the expected arrival of our fourth child and we had to make our FIRST E.R. visit for one of the kids. No, it wasn't for the new baby. We had a terrible accident today and Mayme got a second degree burn on her forehead. She got scalded with hot water.

Praise the LORD! It could have been so much worse than what it is. It didn't get into her eye or her ear, and it is only a small area that is burnt badly.  It already looks so much better than it first did. It was the most terrifying thing I've been through that I can think of at the moment...another reason to praise the Lord...that this is the worst thing I can remember going through.  

She is sleeping soundly in her little bed now. I'm praying she won't roll over and smoosh her burn into the pillow and make it worse. All those mother fears. :) I've been on edge all night watching her like a hawk, but she doesn't even seem to realize that she has the burn there as she rolls and flips around playing like her normal self. Another reason to praise the Lord. 

I'm ready for a good night's sleep as its been an exhausting day. 
God is still good. 

Thank you Lord that not even a sparrow falls apart from your will and that your grace IS sufficient to meet all our needs. 

We appreciate your prayers!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Multitude Monday...spilling over onto Tuesday

I have said to the Lord, "You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you."
Psalm 16:2

70. Rain
71. Long awaited blossoms on flowers
72. Pockets
73. Color
74. Bag of muddy clothes sent home from Grandma's house
75. Oversized t-shirts that hang off of little bodies unable to hide the fun they had
76. Abundance of fresh berries
77. Ice cream stained shirts
78. Tractor rides
79. Homemade pies
80. Baths at Grandma's house
81. Being able to freely give things away to bless others
82. Messes that mean "organization" and "progress" are taking place
83. Big shoes to play in 
84. Scones
85. "I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation." Psalm 118:21
86. Freedom
87. Sacrifice
88. "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." Psalm118:22
89. Day and Night
90. Cardboard boxes


"This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes."
-Psalm 118:23

"The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us...You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!"
-Psalm 118: 27a, 28-29





Join us in lifting a chorus of thanksgiving here