My Father

Becoming a mother has opened my eyes to a whole new level of God's love for me. I understand so much more of who He is, if only on a small and imperfect scale. But last night I was reminded of something about my heavenly Father that I cannot replicate, and that brought me comfort.
As I have said many times, my nights are VERY seldom uninterrupted. My children have bad dreams quite often, and I always pray with them and usually walk them back to bed; and that usually does the trick. Sometimes, if they persist, I will let them move to a couch in the living room and that works. But last night, Lily would not quit. I went in and sat with her and we talked (at 3am) for about thirty minutes and I finally had her calmed down and went to bed very tired. When I laid my head down the thought struck me...'I am so glad my Father does not sleep. or need sleep. He is never too tired to talk!'
I am so glad for this experience of motherhood and how much closer it has brought me to God, but I am also glad for the knowledge that my Father is SO MUCH bigger and better than I am!!!

'I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from whence shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will never slumber or sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your coming out and your coming in from this time forth and forever. Psalm 121

A Challange!

Last year, I took on the challenge to read through the Bible in 90 days. It was amazing. At the same time I was going through a study of Genesis with Community Bible Study. This too was incredible. But one thing (of many) that both struck me and convicted me at the same time in both of these studies was how often in Scripture, women are the tool that throws a kink in things! Eve should not have talked and debated with the serpent, and then she gave it to Adam once she decided to disobey. Sarah and her 'helping God out' with Hagar. Rachel, plotting and leading Jacob to trick Isaac. Rebekah, and her flippant behavior toward God's chosen man. These are just a few. I am not saying everything these women did was bad, as a matter of fact the New Testament remembers Sarah fondly, but I distinctly being struck in my study of Joseph that when He is being tempted by Potiphar's wife the passage does not say he ever even debated with her, in fact it says "he did not listen to her" (Gen.39:10) and of all of the patriarchs, there is nothing bad recorded about how he acted.

I have met several woman who are very independent, others who are 'in charge" in their homes, others who feel like they have lived long enough to have earned the right to say whatever they think to whomever they want. It is so unattractive. I so very much want to be a soft spoken (not wimpy or weak-just not loud and overbearing) woman who imparts grace to my hearers. I want to bless my children, my husband, my friends, strangers, and i do not want to leave any of these doubting who is in control of my tongue.

This is and always will be a struggle-this will be my challange. But, I pray that I never, 'give in' or 'give up' and that I will speak life and not death. Please pray for me in this.