Monday Musings ~ Resume Deconstructing

Well, the last three weeks have been much more about a sweet baby than writing!  I have loved every minute that I was able to spend with precious baby Cooper, Heather and Cooper.  Perhaps my favorite moments were in the wee hours of the morning -- either talking with Heather during an early morning feeding or just holding that sweet baby as I was getting him back to sleep.  We had a lot of significant conversations!

You can tell he is already a deep thinker!  

So, can the Lord continue to speak to a very sleep deprived and deliriously joyful Mimi?

Why, yes, He can.

I have several things that I want to write about that the Lord has taught me over the past few weeks, but I thought I would tackle the topic of boasting today.

"But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world."

Galatians 6:14

I don't consider myself boastful, but this passage makes me take a second look at that.

What do you do?

Perhaps this is one of the most common questions asked here in the states.  What we do often defines who we are in our culture.  A conversation can easily lead to a sharing of resumes, so to speak, even with some "one upmanship" going on until someone has the final trump card.  

My sweet friend, Lynsay, posted about this last week.  She talked about how even in Christian circles we do this as we tell one another all the ministry type activities we do - our God resume listed out detail by detail.  

Perhaps both are evidence of a little insecurity, or maybe just a longing for connection.  Maybe even a crying out for that assurance that "I matter."  In any case, it is worth a bit of self evaluation.

One of the things that strikes Alan any time we go on a mission trip is that people in other countries never ask him what he does.  They ask him about his church, his family and his faith.  

According to this passage, those resume identifiers fade away as we grow to understand that everything belongs to the Lord - that all we do is directed by Him, empowered by Him and accomplished by Him -- all to bring Him glory.

If we boast - we boast in Him.

What would that look like?

Would conversations naturally gravitate toward the Lord?

I don't have a lot of answers here, but I sure have some questions.  

I want to allow the Lord to investigate 

my motivations, 

my conversations 

and my heart.

When it is all said and done, I don't anyone to doubt what my life was all about.  I want to live the crucified life that is all about Jesus.

I want to . . . but I know I struggle to do so.  

Will you join me in the struggle?

Will you examine your own heart and allow the Lord to gently lead you to a fuller, deeper life that is found in Him?

"But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord."

Fantastic Friday ~ The Good News About Failure

Before I delve into anything quite so serious, I need to show you why it is truly a fantastic Friday!

Oh yes, my grandson, Cooper!  I am spending my days with Heather and her husband, Cooper, and this cute new blessings, Baby Cooper.  A bit of heaven on earth!

Fantastic Friday, indeed.

I have been reading through the gospel of Mark this past month.  As I was reading chapter 14, it occurred to me that it is a picture of failure made up of numerous snapchats!  But these didn't disappear after 10 seconds!

In verses 32-42, Peter, James and John could not stay awake to support and keep watch for Jesus during his agonizing prayer time.  They fell asleep three times.

In verse 44, Judas gives the signal and betrays Jesus to the religious leaders.  Not only that, but he betrays him with a kiss.

In verse 50, all of Jesus' followers left Him and fled.  Every. Single. One.  They all ran in fear rather than stand with Jesus.

In verse 62, Jesus flat out tells the High Priest that He is the One - the Christ - Son of the blessed One - Son of Man - and yet he fails to believe Him and chooses to condemn Him.

In verse 65, there is the failure of the crowd to embrace Jesus, after hearing him speak with authority, heal the sick and perform countless miracles.

In verses 66-72, Peter denies Jesus three times after declaring to Him that he would stand by Him. Three times even to the point of declaring that He didn't know Him.

FAILURE

A series of ,"oh, boy, we blew it!"

Huge, staring you in the face mistakes

A PHD in failure, if you will.

So, if you are feeling like a failure, you are in some pretty good company.

a failure to believe

a failure to stake a stand

a failure to stay awake

a failure to be supportive

a failure to be a true friend

There is a lot of failure in the Bible . . . A LOT.

If you have ever thought that you are too much of a mess

 to belong to Jesus or have

 disappointed Him one too many times, worry no more.

He specializes in redeeming failure.

He takes our bleakest, darkest moments and uses them to transform us.

We move from scared, cowardly, denying and betraying Peter to the Peter who was the rock of the New Testament church.

God's forgiveness, mercy and grace are BIGGER

Bigger than your mistakes

Bigger than your shame

Bigger than your despair

Bigger than your fear

Bigger than your depression

Bigger than your betrayals

Bigger than your insecurities

BIGGER THAN YOUR FAILURES.

Thankful Thursday ~ Cooper Wade Brenton II

Well, what kind of grandmother would I be if I didn't highlight the birth of my first grandson!  Wow - it is one of those times when words like

thankful

grateful

ecstatic

over the moon

just don't convey how you feel.  Being a grandmother is amazing as is seeing your daughter become a mother.  It was such a privilege to be here and to be at the hospital to see that sweet baby in the arms of his Dad straight out of the delivery room.  Heather ended up having a c-section and we are grateful that both she and Cooper are healthy!

Here is our first glimpse!

The happy family.

A few more pictures, you beg . . .

We are so excited to begin this new phase of our lives.  Wow - it has been such a great journey so far and now we get to be grandparents.  Pretty amazing!

May Cooper Wade Brenton II grow to love Jesus and touch many lives, as he has already touched ours.

Monday Musings ~ Sleeves

I have left the big city and am in Fort Worth, TX hanging out with my daughter, Ashley, waiting on the arrival of Heather's sweet baby boy ANY DAY NOW!!  I got to see Heather on Friday, so that helped! We can't wait to meet her precious son and our first grandson.  In the meantime, we got to celebrate some family birthdays yesterday and I'm having fun spending time with James and Ashley.

I've been going out on the porch in the mornings, spending some sweet time with the Lord.  I was reading Psalm 34.  It starts out ~

I will bless the Lord at all times.  

His praise shall continually be in my mouth.  

My soul will make its boast in the Lord.  

The humble will hear it and rejoice.  

O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name forever.

The rest of the Psalm lists many of the reasons that David has for praising His mighty God.  He has just narrowly escaped a great enemy, so His awareness of God's goodness was surely heightened.  Just look at this list!

the Lord answers prayer

He delivers us from all our fears

He never causes us shame

He saves us out of our troubles

He rescues us

He is our refuge

He meets our needs

His eyes are toward the righteous

His ears open to their cries

He is against evil doers

He hears and He delivers

He is near to the broken hearted

He saves those who are crushed in spirit

He delivers us from our afflictions

He redeems the soul of His servants

There is no condemnation in Him

I was watching a program a couple of months ago about different leaders and their spiritual advisers.  A Christian man was being interviewed that encourages, prays for and talks with one of our top government officials.  In his words, "He is a Christian - he just doesn't wear it on his sleeve."

YIKES!  I've been thinking about that ever since I heard it.  I'm not thinking about or judging the person who said it or the person it was said about.  Instead, I looked in the mirror and tried to evaluate how that statement could apply to me!

I can't find anything in scripture to support such a view.  We are actually told to put on the Lord Jesus Christ! (Romans 13:14)  We are to proclaim our salvation and be ready at any time to share it with others.

Faith isn't to be compartmentalized.  

It really should be the most obvious thing about us!

If we are going to wear anything on our sleeve 

-- it should be Jesus.

I want Jesus to be the first thing someone notices about me.  Actually, I want it to be the only thing, really.  That's why I am here!  Everything else about me should flow from that.

When did we start to think that we needed to be 

secret service followers of Jesus?

How did we get comfortable with the idea that our faith 

was just part of who we are rather than who we are?

This comment sparked in me a mini revival of sorts.

I would much rather someone say:

All she does is talk about Jesus!

No matter what I ask her, Jesus is somewhere in the answer!

It is so strange!  Seems like her faith is the 

only thing that truly matters.

She lives like she believes that stuff!

I never want to come across as being ashamed of the gospel.  I want to be a faithful servant and proclaimer of Jesus.  He has forever and eternally changed my life.  Why would I want to downplay that?  Am I embarrassed?  Am I fearful? 

I hope you will take some time to ponder that comment with me.  Let's take it before the Lord and ask Him to show us how we can live boldly for Him - no matter what the circumstances are and no matter who we are around.

Oh - may I wear my faith on my sleeve 

in big bold letters!