Weaned

On a cold and dreary winter night, my husband drove us to the hospital one last time to meet our youngest daughter. We waited through many hours of labor and into the next day before she was ready to meet us. Patience seemed a fitting name. Her skin was so supple and soft and wanting. Lips stretched and searching for years are now formed and decisive and full. What happened to my babies? She, my youngest, held on the longest. A two and a half year stretch of late nights and early mornings. Many a Sunday we arrived late to Church for the wanting of a babe and her milk. During her first days of life outside the womb, she and I were inseparable for hours at a time. She not only nursed for hours on end, but would sleep so snug against me afterwards, that I couldn’t bear t o move her. We took the longest naps together of any of my babies. I loved it. I cherished it. I knew she would be my last and I savored every moment. I loved watching her breathe. 

Patience Promise - Day 1

She so often has looked up at me and smiled and asked to nurse these past 2 weeks, and it truly is heart-wrenching. I did cave a time or two the first week, but it is official now. I am reminded of how our Lord teaches that there is a time for everything in Ecclesiastes 3:
 ¹There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

 ² a time to be born and a time to die,
   a time to plant and a time to uproot,
 ³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
   a time to tear down and a time to build,
 ⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
   a time to mourn and a time to dance,
 ⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
   a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
 ⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
   a time to keep and a time to throw away,
 ⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
   a time to be silent and a time to speak,
 ⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
   a time for war and a time for peace.

 ⁹ What do workers gain from their toil? ¹⁰ I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. ¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. ¹² I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. ¹³That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. ¹⁴ I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.

He has truly made ALL THINGS beautiful in their time. Marriage is BEAUTIFUL. Conception is BEAUTIFUL. Pregnancy is BEAUTIFUL. Labor is BEAUTIFUL. Delivery is BEAUTIFUL. Infancy is BEAUTIFUL. Toddlers and Teens are all BEAUTIFUL.  When we can begin to see this truth lived out, it is then we begin to live out truth ourselves. His truth, which is unfailing, unchanging, unforgettable and totally freeing when lived to the glory of God. His truth, meaning God’s word, is absolute. His infallible word gives life to the dead and hope to the lost and forlorn souls wandering this land still today. They seek answers, yet so many people are looking in the wrong places for relief from their grief and their troubled hearts. These poor folk have not yet weaned themselves from the wiles of this world. The weaning process isn’t easy and can’t be done over night. It takes time and special care. We as God’s people, are called to withdraw from the ways of the pagan.  Paul the apostle said:

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. Romans 7:15

I know as a Mother I feel this way all too often. Whether it’s because I yelled at a child or I procrastinated on a couple bible lessons, immediately my spirit writhes within me for the sin I committed; yet I daily repeat so many of them. Thankfully, Romans also offers this comfort:  
 ¹There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
 ²For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.  Rom.8:1-2

Matthew 26:41
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 

I have now weaned 7 babies from my breast. What once was my time for nursing has now passed. Even now as I write this it pains me bitterly, yet I know there is a time for everything under the sun. Although we Moms so frequently would love to freeze time or at least slow it down a notch, each new phase of life holds a new adventure. As I press on toward the next phase I cry out to my Heavenly Father for strength to let go and be weaned myself. Blessings.

Adorable!

My babies.
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Service With A Smile

Fresh cut yellow and purple irises adorned the tables spread with correlating June colors and arrayed their place settings. Warmly arranged on this beautiful canvas, sat gently burning candles and wine glasses ready to be filled. Momentarily, the aroma of the barbequing steaks and veggies filled the air. Good food. Good friends. Good fellowship. Behold: the body of Christ in action! Hosting and entertaining guests in your home is Christianity 101. These are the basics my friends. There are countless scriptures telling us to “consider others better than ourselves” and “do unto others as you would have others do unto you” or “love your neighbor as yourself” etc. They all apply and come back to this one main point, which is service, and not just lip service either. True humility begins in the heart. If you begrudgingly give anything to anyone, it is in vain and the Lord won’t bless the deed.
So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. James 4:17

I will refrain and not get into what I believe is a “non-argument” over this issue where people attempt to offer up reasons NOT to host/entertain others, such as “we just don’t have the room” or “we can’t afford it” . The only valid reason I can think of, is if you have an unbelieving husband who flat out says "no" to entertaining guests. Otherwise, although some feel uncomfortable or perhaps they just don’t want to fellowship, I believe we are called to bring others into our homes and serve them. Our Lord has given many examples by His own behavior, for example the infamous foot-washing. John 13:1-17 is the full account. Here are verses 12-17:

¹² When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place.“Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. ¹³ “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Mark 10:44-45 And whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Acts 20:35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

In these examples we see clearly how our Lord expects us to serve one another. I come from a family in which (and area of the country) where hospitality is key to most relationships, whether friend or family, we always opened our homes regularly to others, even when all we had to share was a box of macaroni and cheese. No kidding. When we see a need in the body, we are to seek to fill it as is possible.

James 2:14-17 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Philippians 2:1-11So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look NOT only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ...

We also find a certain satisfaction in knowing when we are serving others we are in fact serving Christ himself.  As in Matthew 25:40 which says: “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

I simply delighted in the way our friends served us last night. They truly went out of their way to serve us and treat us like royalty from the appetizers to the main course to the wine selection and of course my favorite; dessert! Not to mention the aroma of the home itself was oozing with tranquility as classical music filled the air. The warm and welcoming smiles on their faces were priceless. I would be willing to bet we have all heard the catch phrase, “Service with a smile.” However, when it comes wrapped up in the tidy little package of Christian brethren, there’s nothing like it! Praise be to God for these blessings! Amen.

Planting Season

Bright blue sky, light June breeze blowing through mounds of blonde hair, and she smiles at me, bursting with pride. Dirt packed fingernails and a sweaty brow, skin reddened with sunshine, she’s beaming and I smile right back. She explains to me, the one that carried her a full 9 months, just how many seeds go in each hole for the cucumbers and lettuce. The early summer terrain awaits its seed. It’s planting season here on our little piece of earth. Truth is, this is the first time in 20 years we’ve planted a garden that will be solely our own. My in-laws have always had a huge garden in which my husband and children took part in planting and harvesting as long as I can remember. Now, my eldest daughter has taken great interest in being the “Overseer” of the garden we will now call our own. Watching her has made me so proud and thankful to our Lord for the blessing of such a child. She has also blessed her Papa in a big way. He has been the backbone to the gardening and has always hoped one of his own boys would enjoy it as much as he does. Alas, it is his granddaughter that has inherited the green thumb in the family. Sowing seeds so small, one wonders how such a great and nourishing plant, good for food, will come to be. Then my heart is gently reminded what our Lord did say of such things: ³¹ He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. ³² Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” Matthew 13:31-32

In the same way, He gently shows us how to plant seeds in our children. Often we don’t see anything but weeds growing. Like when a child who fully knows better behavior, chooses to disobey his elder at a family BBQ or one who is usually so sweet and caring opts out of sharing with his cousin and causes a fuss. Perhaps we forget that though our Lord is the Eternal Gardener, we are His hands and feet and voice to our children. Therefore, we parents are responsible for weeding our own gardens. Regular weeding will allow our little ones to grow and thrive and  flourish so that come harvest time, we will gladly reap what has been sown. Good fruit comes from good trees.  ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 Sow the seeds of these good fruits and see what promises the Lord keeps in those that love Him. Blessings.