The Strength of God

The wind but over us passes, our place knows us no more.
“As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting
on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children,
to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.”
Psalm 103:15-18

Today I felt the power and presence of the Almighty Father in a big way. Like when he asked Peter to
come to Him and walk on water. Or when he literally calmed the storm with 3 words. Peace, be still. I was on a pond. Not the ocean. Not a big lake. A pond. It was windy and I had never kayaked before alone. I'm not a strong swimmer and wasn't wearing a life vest. However, I insisted that my 9 yr old son wore his as I wasn't a bit worried for my sake.

We had two kayaks and Grammys large metal canoe. Going across the lake, Savannah was in one kayak and Daulton and Patience were in another. Which left myself, Trinity, Jordan,Titus, Elijah and Dale in the canoe. The water was pretty choppy and the wind was going against us as we paddled towards the little island we were headed for across the lake, over a mile away. It took us about an hour. Dale said it should be easier and quicker going back as the wind would be against our backs giving us more speed. Little did he know the trouble that wind was going to cause us. I proceeded to get into the sturdier of the two kayaks along with Titus as I had never been in one alone before, I didn't want to risk being in one that might tip over more easily. Savannah took the same one she had and we began paddling back toward shore. Dale, Daulton, Jordan, Patience, Elijah and Trinity were in the canoe. As we got going I was excited and I was having fun. But the wind had picked up so much, I was really struggling to paddle and keep it on course.

Dale and I had both paddled in the canoe on the way across the lake and my arms were tired and I took several breaks within the hour. So as I was the only one paddling my arms got tired very quickly. I looked back to see where Savannah was wondering if she was having any trouble and right when I looked at her, her kayak rolled over and she was gone out of sight! One of the scariest moments of my life until I saw her little head pop back up out of the water. This is not a very deep Lake and it has lots of large rocks and she wasn't wearing a lifevest, let alone a helmet so I was thankful that she didn't bump her head.

From that point on it just got worse for me and Titus. The wind was strong and my arms are so weak,  twice our little kayak almost tipped over, and in those moments we took on quite a bit of water. Titus was very scared and began to cry. I of course comforted him and told him not to worry and assured him that it was God that controls the waters he would protect us. I'm not gonna lie I was scared. It took two people paddling an hour to get across so even one person paddling only half an hour was still going to be tiring for me.That was assuming that I could get back in half the time because the wind was at my back. But that wind was no help, twice it spun my kayak around in a circle and I let it. I could not fight the wind or strength of the waves. And when I felt like I couldn't lift my arms I just prayed out loud “God give me strength” over and over and Titus was scared and I told him to pray “Jesus give mommy strength”.

Really, He is my strength. He only gave me what I needed when I needed it, not before. It took us 45 minutes to reach land. And that land was still several hundred yards from the landing we were aiming for. But my arms were so tired and I was so worried, we just got to the shore and it didn't matter which part of the shore. Quite relieved, Titus and I both got out of our kayak and drug it up onto land. We looked out across the lake and saw that Dale had managed to help rescue Savannah and her kayak and they weren't too far behind us. Thankfully they made it to the proper landing. We all met up and embraced, glad everyone was alright and that God protected us all. A happy ending.

Recapping our adventure and thinking about what a wonderful God we serve that I can feel fear and security all in one moment. I had authentic fear. I knew there was no way I was making it to shore with my own strength. But with God all things are possible!

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
Psalm 28:7

I am helped! It may sound silly or small but to me it was big. My God saved me. When it was not within my control to fight the wind or the waves and the strength of my own muscles began to fail me, God stepped in. He stepped in between me and my weakness with his great strength. Hallelujah!❤️

Homecoming

Training Together

“Alas, if our children lose the crown of life, it will be but a small consolation that they have won the laurels of literature or art.”  

~Charles Spurgeon

Her youngest girl has sideways curls. When we are together, our crew of eleven can shake the house. Mine are atrociously louder than hers and she pretends not to care. She's thankful for the hot cup of caffeine I pass her way. She smiles.  I can't help but wish we lived closer.  This gathering of faces together and presenting knowledge and ideas to be grasped and somehow retained by a mere High-school graduate (myself),and partially college studied mother, (herself) does more than make me panicky, at times it darn well scares me to death!!!! Yet, here we are waist deep in the muck of it all.

I never once thought I'd be a homeschooling mom when I was younger. I'm not the scholarly type. Nor do I enjoy teaching my children things I hardly know myself.  Somehow, I forget all that when we school our children side by side. Somehow I know all that matters is the task at hand and if she can do it, I can do it. It doesn't come easy. Some days I don't even want to try because of how badly and regularly I fail. But what is failure after all? Is looking back after you've completed a task, knowing you tried your best, failure? Even if things didn't turn out as you planned, is that failure? Or is failure only failure if you don't complete the task at all?  God knows what we're capable of, doesn't He? He promises not to give us more than we can bear, right? So just because I may not be able to teach my children as successfully as a mom with a college degree and a burning desire to educate, does that make me a failure or my children in some way less worthy? I think not. 

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 says;

"So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!  No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

Our Lord desires Godly offspring. (Malachi 2:15) He expects us to raise and train up these little ones in righteousness. Prov.22:6 Says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

Understandably, this way of teaching and training will look different to each of us Moms. However, as we press on toward the goal, we see our predecessors cheering us on to win! (The goal being true fellowship with God and to enjoy Him forever.)  “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord."  Eph. 6:4

Charles Spurgeon understood parenting to a great depth when he said, "The most careful and prayerful father cannot be held accountable for having wicked sons, if he has done his best to instruct them. The most anxious and tearful mother cannot be blamed if her daughter dishonors the family, provided her mother has done her best to train her up in the right way." 

The point here is to do our best according to His word, which is what God expects, and let Him do the rest.

Blessings. 

Beautiful Beginnings...

Daughters born in June, blossom too early. Plans made by Mothers aren’t always approved by Fathers, even heavenly ones. One warm summer day a child lay nursing at her Mother’s breast, then seemingly, one day, she’s taller than the woman that bore her. She blooms and grows, come what may, there’s no stopping her.

I am lacking coping skills. Coping with change and reverberation that is not invited, these little blessings called children, (rather sinful though they may be), are waking me up to a whole new world. I love my life. I love my God. Sometimes I love being a parent and sometimes I don’t. Just when I feel I’ve mastered the infant, baby, toddler, young child stages, HELLO TEENAGER!!!! I am so sorry for what I put my Mother through! The snide remarks and sideways glances, the sarcasm and mockery, the obnoxious behavior and lousy attitudes…my poor mother!!! Lazy, lackadaisical, sloth-driven cretin, also come to mind. Need I say more? Am I ranting? Why, yes, I do believe I am. Silly me. I began blogging to uplift spirits and encourage other mothers, what on earth was I thinking?

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ~Phil. 4:8

When she was 5 or 6 years old, she wrote songs for God. She even sang this one with her dad up front of the church one Sunday:

I Love the Lord, King of the World
Lord, I love you, I do, I do. I’m so glad you’re here with me today.

Lord Jesus my heart is full of joy, love and peace. I’m in your hands today. Jesus, Jesus, I love you right now.

Lord, I love you, I do, I do. I’m so glad you’re here with me today.

If I was scared, I would pray to Lord Jesus because I know you will protect me.

Lord, I love you, I do, I do. I’m so glad you’re here with me today.
                               

She’s gone for now, that little girl, but I have hope; she will return, for our God said: Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. ~Phil. 1:6

Also, His promise to me: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ~Jeremiah 29:11

My hope is in Him, always. Blessings.

Reading James

He reads surely and I listen. This, the spoken Word, reeling freely and fully around the room, verses lingering in mid-air, almost mid-breath. His dog, his pillow, and I recline too. My mind is sorting, stacking, and saving every sweet word-morsel for the mind’s library. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that gives to all men liberally…” James 1:5

Who doesn’t “lack wisdom”? I know I do. Therefore we must frequently ask for it. I am barely capable of swinging my feet out from under warm covers to plant them on the floor beside my bed without wisdom. He reads on…

“For the wrath of man does not bring about the righteousness of God.” James 1:20

“But be doers of the word and not hearers only…” (Verse 22) “What does it profit my brethren, though a man may say he has faith, and not have works? Can faith save him?” 2:14 “Even so, faith if it has not works, is dead, being alone.” 2:17

James goes on to say much more. God gives grace to the humble, but resists the proud. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up. Speak no evil of one another, etc. And here in chapter 3 we see provocation for my post today:

5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

It should not be! We should not use our tongues to hurt those we love the most. No man can tame the tongue. However, we must unceasingly try! Just as we parents are apt to lose our temper at the sin of our children, we are called not to cause them to sin. Therefore, we must tame our tongues before we discipline them. James helped me with my son today. The Word is strong, efficient, and piercing to the soul of every man, even the ones still stuck in 12 year old bodies. ~Blessings.

Today's Introspection

Wrinkled weary worn with time
Her heart shrank and shriveled not sublime

Lessened meanings their lessons learned
Whilst among the district burned

Living breathing his prelacy
Not withholding all democracy

Formed and fashioned from the Potter’s hands
Laden appendage with engraved gold bands

Smiles peer through amber eyes 

As memories emerge from chambered times

Gaping holes remain unquilted portions forsaken
Regretful remorseful for roads not taken

Sin breeds bitterly as sin can do
Harshly and cacophonous she judges true

Equidistant appearing from within
Revealing her manifested sin

Words that cut and dig and bury
Bring forth death without tarry

Repent says He, and lament says I
Relinquished mortal sin does satisfy

Holy Spirit renders true to me
That peace that comes from only He

Blessed Comforter that brings life
Fill and saturate, diminish strife

Vessel surrenders, a vessel is consecrate
Praise be to God, as we Him, do elevate

Written by yours truly, Leigh-Ann Brann

Men and women are different. Not exactly Venus and Mars different, but close. We are equally created in the image of our God. We both are required to worship our God and surrender fully to His authority. Man’s natural desire is to hate God and man, as stated in the Heidelberg Catechism Question 5. My tendency is to love and protect my children, even if that means protecting them from each other.

Snarling, growling, and word biting! What’s a mom to do? I’m female after all, I'm not equipped for these daily battles of word twisting and testosterone. All I can do is speak the truth in love, and separate a certain “son” from the rest of us when he can’t control his tongue.

Along with our mantra of biblical principles regularly cited to him over and over again, we also found a pearl of a book by Dale Carnegie entitled, How To Make Friends and Influence People. Within its pages are many attainable principles that can be used by anyone seeking to keep peace or just make any situation better. He’s listened to a regular sermon by SM Davis called, What To Expect From a 12 Year Old. He has read numerous books related to the integrity of a man and good work ethics etc. Yes, he’s a work in progress, I know this. What gets me is his unequivocal ability to tear down and mock a sibling, and melt my heart in the same 24 hour span. We have a book we read together, one I gave to my own mother when I was only 16. I have shared and enjoyed it with all my children, it is titled; Love You Forever, by Robert Munsch. Inside this little gem is a repetitive verse sung by a mother to her son throughout his life.

“I’ll love you forever,
I’ll like you for always,
As long as I’m living,
My baby you’ll be.”   
   
                                                                                                         (Then you get to the end where the last line changes from “baby” to “mommy”.) Hard to believe this little 30 page book is completely gut-wrenching! When I read it with him, I know he gets it. It makes sense. He loves me. He doesn’t hurt me intentionally. I struggle, as moms of boys do, to understand the “whys” of his actions. We moms always seem to need a reason or someone to blame. Well, that’s easy; me! I’m a sinner through and through. This boy of mine is no different. He was born in sin as are we. I will give credit where it’s due because he’s incredible on his own. He’s a hard worker, disciplined in his schoolwork, hilariously funny and cute to boot! He has some pretty big shoes to fill, and with much prayer and fasting, I am confident that “…he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

Blessings.