Even in the times when my faith seems too small for the needs of life... He is holding me and growing me.
When I think of Sarah and Abraham, and how in their old age they conceived not only a child, but the child who would lead to future generations of children, I am so encouraged.
The lesson:
If He did it for Abraham and Sarah, He will do it for me.
I heard David Jeremiah on this subject a few weeks ago, it was spot on.
Sarah laughed at the promise of God that she would have a child... until she did. All the while, God had chosen Sarah to perform His miracle. He built her faith as she went through life, years later, she delivered Isaac.
I see myself in this story.
When I would doubt and almost laugh at the future, as Sarah did, based on where she was, and on where I am... God says NO... I am still at work, and I have many promises yet to be fulfilled through your life.
Did Sarah deserve it?
Do I deserve it?
Did it ever depend on either Sarah or Sonja?
NO...
It's so amazing when God gives us a view into His heart.
God understands me when He sees that I desire more faith, deeper faith, and He sends a reminder to my heart of someone He carefully chose so long ago, Sarah.
As He chose Sarah, He has also chosen Sonja... and you.
Do you ever get encouraged by the fact that God chose (and chooses) ordinary WAY less than perfect people to fulfill His plans? I sure do. If they were all saints that never had a doubt or made a mistake, it would never make God as real to me as it does when their stories are just like mine.
It always goes back to who God is, not who I am,
He continues to do His thing in me... in spite of me.
This is the kind of typewriter my dad used all through his life. It was the kind that didn't accidentally print, you had to push hard all the way down on each key to print the letter. I can just see him there, in his office (the room my brother shared with him as his bedroom... dad's desk and bookshelves lined 2 walls, my brother's bed and stuff took up the other half.
We tried to 'modernize' dad when electric typewriters came along. He resisted. When computers began to be a normal part of life, he still persisted with that old Smith and Corona.
When I review all he accomplished with that old machine, it is pretty amazing. He did years of ministry on that typewriter. Every speaking engagement was done by snail mail, back and forth, to pastors, conferences, etc. He wrote his books and articles on that same old machine, day after day, for a lifetime, none of it with a secretary or a computer, just hunt and poke.
And the best part... Dad liked it! That typewriter was his friend, just like his books were. He didn't need a secretary, just his faithful typewriter.
I often find it difficult to sit down, and with full use of computer and software, put together more than a simple blog.
The ones that came before us were a hardy stock, they would say the same of their own parents. From horse and buggy to jet airplanes, from old typewriters to Apple, IPads and all the rest...
I wonder what life will look like 50 years from now or 100. One thing will never change...
"Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday today and forever."
My mother has been in heaven for more than 10 years, but her teacups continue to minister...
Here is the background on those cups. All through the years as we were growing up, my father traveled around the world preaching. In each country where he preached, he would buy a beautiful china teacup and bring it home to my mother. There were a LOT of teacups!
My mother used them constantly. They entertained all the time. She was known among the ministers and their wives for being a wonderful hostess, and they always knew they would get a good cup of her Norwegian coffee. The coffee was served in those cups all through her life. The teacups sat there on the coffee table as those ministers and their wives joined in laughter, prayer and fellowship.
Just for the sake of interest, many of those who were in our home were leaders in the Christian world that we have listened to, heard about, read their books or books about them. I call them my heroes of faith...
Those were sacred cups!
When my mom and dad both went to be with Jesus, I grieved so deeply and missed them so terribly. That first Christmas, I went into the garage and dug out some of her teacups. I made my sugared pecans, filled the cup with a bag of them, and wrote a note to each recipient about the journey of that teacup and why I had selected them for a special blessing.
I gave them away that Christmas, to my wonderful friend at the local bank, my sweet friend at the post office, one of my first friends when we moved to Dallas, and many others. It helped my healing process. It also continued the journey of those teacups... spiritual teacups is the way I think of them, with a ministry all their own, that has continued long after the initial gift of my dad to my mom.
I hope and pray that my hospitality will continue to bless others as my mother's did during her life. Each of us have different gifts, but even a simple teacup is a blessing when it is used to share His love.
The blessing that goes on and on...
I recently watched Gracie, my 1-1/2 year old granddaughter, and her puppy in a tug of war. The little cloth doll was the object that day, and both of them were trying to win. Every time snuggly got the doll, Gracie crawled with determination right over to snuggly and started pulling it out of her mouth. We sat and chuckled watching this.
Gracie didn't even care about the doll... until snuggly had it.
Do we ever do that? Get 'territorial' about things. It doesn't matter, unless it starts mattering to someone else, and then we quickly feel like jumping in to claim our rights.
Example:
Knowing you have done something well and then watching as someone else get the praise.
It's happened to me, and probably to you. The temptation is to want people to know that YOU did it. Of course, we are too 'humble' to say it out loud... but do you ever think it??
There have been times when a genuine effort and desire to unselfishly do something for someone has gone without notice, when hearing a simple thank you would have felt good.
My mom used to say..."God keeps the records." He is watching when no one else is, He doesn't miss any of it, good or bad.
I don't grab for the doll anymore, but I feel like hiding my smile when I see Gracie do it. I recognize that behaviour, that little bit of Eve... even in this adorable little cowgirl.
