and the answer is....... What was the question?

I loved teaching Sunday School....especially the younger kids.  We would sometimes start out by asking questions.  The kids got used to a lot of the answers being "Jesus".  Eventually as the year went on, we would barely get the question started and the kids would start raising their hands and whispering and I could see their mouths saying "Jesus".  Which is great except that wasn't the answer to the question we were asking.  ex.  Who was a little boy that wore a coat of many colors?  (Joseph)  JESUS  Always made me smile....still does.

Jesus is the answer to a lot of life's issues.  Sometimes we try every other answer we can think of first...and then turn to Jesus as a last resort.  Sometimes we'll try an answer along with Jesus and question which one really worked.  Sometimes we pray first, then act and we are sure the answer was Jesus.

I typed "Jesus answer" into Bible Gateway to find a verse or 2 to go along with this.  I was surprised how many verses came up that started with "Jesus answered".  In the NIV version, they are in the 4 gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Matthew 4  When the devil tempted Jesus after 40 days in the wilderness, Jesus answered by saying "it is written".   This is a good reminder to us that when things get tough, looking into God's word and reminding ourselves of the promises there can help us through the questions we have.

Sometimes Jesus answered a question with a question as the religious rulers at the time were trying to trap him. 

Matthew 21:23-24 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”  Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

Sometimes Jesus stayed silent even when asked a question.  Sometimes the best answer IS no answer.

Matthew 26:62-63  Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent.

Many times Jesus is the answer, but people in His days on Earth and even now will not acknowledge Jesus as the answer.

Luke 22:66-68 At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. “If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.”   Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer.

What are some of the questions you're facing right now?  Are you willing to seek out answers and accept the fact that in our lives the answer really is Jesus?

Dinged Up and Firey Darts

AAAARRRRRWWWWW!  Ok, now that the screaming is out of the way.....it's an internal scream....it is late at night/early in the AM and I have sleeping family members I don't want to scare!

This thought has been on my mind a lot lately.  There is SO much going on in the world right now.  Maybe there has always been a lot going on, but with almost instant access to any and every possible newsworthy (and some NOT so newsworthy) event it seems there is always something happening somewhere.

In my own little world things stay busy.  I've been trying to do better at not filling all the squares on my calendar with something I have to or choose to do.  Some days/weeks are better than others.  I'm trying to get back to scheduling at least one day my "catch up" day so I don't start to feel so overwhelmed.  However, there's a saying that we plan, God laughs.

Frequently that happens, at least the planning part.  On the days I actually make it to do a list of what should get done that day, someone will end up sick and change the direction of the day.  Or I get a call from school.  Or, or, or.  You get the picture.  I recently talked to my husband that the more we try to get closer to God the more the devil tries to get in the way.

Sometimes though, I get so busy with the doing that God uses (even if it was intended for bad) whatever He can to get my attention.  About a month ago, it was a car accident. That thing where insurance says a lot of accidents happen within 10 miles from home, yeah.  I didn't even get all the way out of my driveway.  I was in a hurry.  Thought I'd get stuck at the end of my driveway.  Looked before the tree, but not after.  I'm still not really sure how it all worked out.  However, another driver's car was damaged.  My back end passenger side got dinged up pretty good.

A part of me wants to fix the worst part of the van, but leave some sort of reminder of the dinging up.  More than likely, the main reason I had any issue is that I was in a hurry.  The car is just a physical version of the dinging up I do to myself and have watched others do to themselves mentally and spiritually.


The Bible refers to the armor of God in Ephesians 6 (below).  Honestly, I feel like my armor is getting dinged up, especially my shield and my helmet.  However, the dings remind me of the reason I need the armor in  the first place.  Darts fly frequently and we live in a world with a lot going on.

The Armor of God
Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Lost...and Found

Recently, our church started a study of Prodigal God.  Whenever I have thought of Prodigal...it was always the Prodigal Son from Luke 15 in the Bible.  I always thought it meant the youngest son took all his inheritance, left home, spent it unwisely and then returned home. I thought the Prodigal part was the boy returning home.  As we're preparing for the study, I was thinking how is God a Prodigal then? I figured it is God welcoming us home after we have messed up.  And it is.  But, it is also so much more.

Prodigal (www.webster.com) characterized by profuse or wasteful expenditure : lavish,  recklessly spendthrift,  yielding abundantly : luxuriant

Using the above definitions, I can see how we have a Prodigal God.  God is willing to lavishly and abundantly expend time and energy in finding us and helping us find our way back to Him.  I don't believe that He thinks it is wasteful because since we are made in His image, we are worth finding!

Luke 15 is about a lost animal, lost coin and a lost son. Luke 15 Bible Gateway
3 Parables (stories) The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin and the Lost Son
Jesus was talking to "tax collectors and sinners", but there were also religious people there.  Jesus talked about looking for the lost.  In both the lost sheep and lost coin, only 1 was lost.  The 99 sheep and the other 9 coins were accounted for.  However, in both stories, Jesus said there was much rejoicing over finding what was lost.  Many will find what God offers.  Some He searches after relentlessly waiting for them to be found and then there is much rejoicing.

More than likely, the son had a good life with his father.  However, he thought he knew better and there was more fun to be had off the farm. He wanted to experience life in the big city.  He took what by custom would be his later and went on his merry way.  After some hard living, partying and spending all his money, he realized he had been treated better at home.  He makes the tough decision to leave his pride behind and go home.

Even when the son is far off, the father sees him and runs out to greet him.  The son returns begging to be even a hired hand, but the father returns him to full son status.  The older brother is none too happy and lets his dad know it.  The father shares why he welcomes his young son home:

Luke 15:31-32 (NIV) “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

How about you?  Do you feel lost and like life could be better elsewhere?  Maybe you've been living in the big city and you're reaching rock bottom and realizing you should go home but you're worried about how you'll be received.   God shows and tells us many ways in the Bible that He searches and longs for us to return to Him.  He wants us to be found.


Praying today that any questions that are standing in your way will be answered.  That you will know you are loved and have been searched for and bought at a great cost.
 

Bye, bye Bionicles......

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.   1 Corinthians 13:11

I knew the day would come, but I wasn't ready for it to be now.  I didn't know it would bother me so much.  I've heard other mothers recall how they moved toward this period of time in their own child's life.  I wasn't prepared to feel sad and happy all at the same time or for the same reason.  Our kids are growing up....and eventually moving on.

The sign that I've noticed most recently is toys they used to LOVE to play with are starting to be stored or sold or given away. As video games became more popular, the toys our kids played with stayed put away longer and longer.  Usually, however, their most favorite were left displayed somewhere in their room.  The Bionicles (Lego robot looking things) our son wanted so badly and collected when he was younger were recently removed from his shelf and put in a box.  I think what made me notice the most is he didn't seem sad about it....just another day.  I don't know if he realized how symbolic it is.

For me, it symbolized him putting away the toys from his childhood to make room for the things that make him seem so much more grown up.  Laptops, X-box, Wii, etc.  Maybe I should have been more surprised that it took him this long to want to make more room for the things he now likes to do.

I think part of what I miss is the creative play.  It seems the newest video games, TV shows, etc. don't encourage us to think on our own.  The solution is usually presented within the time limit.  It does not usually require our input.  It just resolves itself between the commercials and by the end?  The answer.  Bionicles required plans and putting the pieces together in the right way...or ignoring the directions, putting a whole bunch of kits together and seeing what emerged.  They were hands on like life should be.

I find it interesting that this verse is in the same chapter referred to as the "Love Chapter" and used in so many weddings.  It makes sense that references to growing up should follow.  Our son will continue to grow up whether I am ready for it or not.  Guess I should prepare myself because I know more of these moments are to come.  So for now, bye bye Bionicles.

As time continues to rocket forward at a speed I can no longer comprehend, I miss the little boy he was (and sometimes still is in my mind).  I admire the young man he is becoming.  I look forward to meeting the man he will be.

Say what you mean....ASK!

Feeling kind of bummed.  Watching a special on PBS - ADD and Loving It.  It is about Adult ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder).  While I understand it, I don't always like it.  I love people, don't get me wrong.  It can just be frustrating to figure out where ADD (ADHD) starts.....and ends.  My brain doesn't always (rarely) thinks outside the box.  My family frequently lives outside the box.  Our brains are different.  Not better, not worse....just different.  AND I've been dealing with it for so long that sometimes I forget to use what works. 

I have been recently reminded to remember to probe around a situation that starts to get sticky.  I need to remember to ask about the thought process....or end result.  There is usually more to the story.  Actually, this is not only good advice for ADD.  It is great for kids (and some adults, smile) in general.

I think one of the best examples I can think of involves wings.  Costume wings for Halloween to be exact.  More years ago than I care to admit, my daughter asked me to make wings for a costume.  She picked awesome shimmery material.  I bent coat hangers.  Hand stitched the material around the hangers.  They turned out pretty awesome....if I do say so myself.  She liked them very much.  Costume party date for school approaches.  I come to help for the party.  She will NOT put on the wings.

I do the typical parent things.  Put them on says I.  No says she.  Back and forth.  This is really dumb as I look back on it, but I start to worry about the other kids will be wearing their costumes and she'll be walking around in her regular clothes.  What will other parents think?  Her mom is AT the party and her daughter's not wearing a costume, what's up with that?  

Finally, we're in the bathroom where kids were changing.  I ask WHY she doesn't want to wear them. She tells me she doesn't want to wear them.....because it had been raining and they might get wrecked. 

She is very black and white.  I have numerous shades of gray.  This has caused many clashes in our family.
I need to start asking why or what the thoughts are BEFORE I think she is just being defiant.  I need to realize that the extra time spent finding out more about the thought process actually saves time from frustration when we are both working toward different goals.  Also there are many times I am more worried about what others will think than about how she feels.

Lots to work on, but even just writing this out helps me remember that the frustration passes.  Sometimes we will be working toward the same thing, but there will be many times we will not.  How I choose to handle is going to a big part of how she learns to deal with other people.  Work in progress.....always.  Keep learning.  Remembering that at all times, love covers many family issues.....even ADD.