Choosing to Plant Good Seeds

Seeds produce plants that will in turn produce the same kind of fruit. Not news worthy, I know, but certainly worth another reminder. What we planted in our vegetable garden, will bring forth fruit in the summer. We chose to plant peas, beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and squashes. If I expect to get anything other than these plants, I am crazy.

Yesterday morning as I read my devotional, I thought again of the importance of reaping and sowing. The character traits that we choose to instill in our lives, are going to be evident. If I choose to focus on being merciful with others, then when the time to give mercy comes along, I will choose to be merciful. Self-control is not easy, but controlling my own selfishness is possible. It is a choice. Loving others who aren't lovely is simply a matter of choosing to show love.

Being gentle in my words and actions can happen even in a time of hostility and confusion. Honesty and truthfulness are purposeful traits. Perseverence and determination come because in a moment of weakness, we must choose to stay strong and push through life's difficulties. Choosing humility over pride isn't ever an easy choice, but an essential one to true contentment.

Contrary to popular belief, it isn't a matter of praying for character qualities, it is a matter of purposefully choosing them. Every day, opportunities will always reveal themselves to evidence the fruit of what we have planted.

I ask myself today, "What Godly character qualities am I choosing to evidence in my life?"

Roses

In spite of our serious, one-sided, conversation a couple of days ago, my rose bush has decided to bloom. In a couple of weeks, I'm expecting my mom and sister to visit. In light of their love for roses, I wanted the rose bush to wait until they arrived.

Instead, I get to enjoy their beauty all by myself. It's okay, I'll share...

Such a Heavy Back Pack

Last weekend, my teen boys went to Acquire the Fire teen conference. They both came back all pumped up about living a more abundant life. I am always so excited to hear all that they learned, who they saw, and my favorite, how the powerful weekend has impacted their lives. My thirteen year old son has been reading this really awesome book ~ The Great Divide by Mike Guzzardo. I love for my boys to read meaningful books that will challenge them to live extraordinary lives. I got caught up in scanning the book, that I didn't want to put it down either... so... Today, we read aloud several pages from the first chapter in this powerful book. I want to share with you some of the most impacting ideas that I have dwelt on today. Following Christ into a deeper relationship with God is like climbing a mountain. However, we each show up to make this journey with a heavy backpack filled with a lifetime of fears, sins, insecurities, and other hindrances that we have accumulated. Sometimes, we have purposefully filled our pack ~ thinking the things we have added will aid our assent to a life of freedom and fulfillment of our God-given destiny. Unfortunately though, even these seemingly good things weigh us down and cause us to rely on our own judgment rather than on God's leading. As we are lead higher and higher in our journey, we are asked to remove the things that are weighing us down. At each steep path and close rocky way, we are given the choice of releasing some of our burdens. When we refuse to relinquish control, we are forced to make camp or try an easier route. Inevitably to climb higher up the mountain, we must go through the roughest ways. And as we do, we must begin to rely more and more on the Lord's guidance and wisdom. "When we cling to our heavy burdens, it's almost as if we set up camp on the mountain of spiritual progress... Yet all the while, far above our camp, the pinnacle still awaits ~ the abundant life and calling for which God set us apart at the beginning of time." Let's continue on this journey. Let's not stop to set up camp. Let's leave the heaviest burdens behind and press on unhindered to the mountaintops. We went around the circle and each child shared his heart about what God was revealing to them needed to be left behind on the trail. And this momma cried with joy.

Together We Have It All

My laundry is all over the dining room table. (And I have a dining room table that seats 10 people!) So, I mean it literally... stacks, piles, hangers on the chairs, mismatched socks, and baskets of unfolded stuff in the chairs.

The kids left pillows, shoes and socks on the living room floor before going to bed last night. And I didn't make them come back out and pick it up. I can still see a Knex roller coaster someone was putting together earlier, forgotten toys and cuddle blankets littering the bedroom floor from the open door down the hall.

My son just marched by with an orange rifle over his shoulder. Another shirtless son is lazily eating his oatmeal as still another son tries to take the magazine the older one is reading away from him. He wants to read what his older brother finds interesting.

My daughter's hair is falling into her eyes again and her fingernails need to be repainted. She just walked up to me and said, "Mom, do you want to know why you get to do a lot of laundry?" "Why?" I want to know... no, REALLY, I want to know. "Cuz you have too much kids!" She exclaims!

No, we don't have it all together. In fact, we live in this house 24/7.

I know your family isn't like mine. You live a perfect life and your perfect kids are always obedient and don't ever fight. They are never mean or hurtful or selfish. They don't say bad words or stuff dirty clothes in the toy box so the floor is clean. They always say their bedtime prayers and aren't ever grumpy or wake up with bad dreams. Your life is perfect, I know...

We don't have it all together, but together, we have it all!

We play board games... there's one still on the breakfast table. We read books... there's piles of them on the end table. We play outside... one bike is left in the middle of the yard. We listen to loud music... the CD's are stacked around the stereo, right where we all know where to find them. We play instruments... the guitar is leaned up against the couch where someone was just strumming it. We use our imagination to make up all kinds of plays, stories and games. We really do enjoy our not-so-perfect life!

I'm not excusing our "apparent" lack of concern. What I am saying is that someone walking into my house might just see the clutter and stuff. But I see our heart's desires. I see that our hearts are set on the most important things. We love, encourage, and desire to learn and grow more. We strive for excellence in matters of our hearts and mind. We love God with passion and pursue peace with others. When it comes to heart issues, we desire the best things. With God, we have it all together.