I am mother.
I am a teacher.
I am a Christian.
My heart has broken over the Connecticut shooting.
I had the privilege of substitute teaching in a local elementary school yesterday and watching the response of teachers and administrators... Christian and non-Christian alike, reassure these children that they love them and would absolutely do anything, including risking their own life, to keep them safe.
Because I was a floater for meetings yesterday, I had a lot of free time and was able to spend some time in the teacher's lounge. I was able to hear special ed teachers discuss some of the heartbreaking cases of violent, handicapped, mentally ill children who could also be terribly sweet and the nightmare that their parents, GOOD parents had to go through.
It even brought back to mind a bright, adorable little kindergarten girl I had in class a few years ago that would fly into violent rages against me and her classmates and the sweet Christian principal who was doing all she could to help this child.
I also had the privilege yesterday of being invited into a conversation by a little 2nd grade girl about what I thought about Jesus that had absolutely nothing to do with Connecticut and was not spurred on at all by me. But, I had the chance, for 30 seconds, to let her know, that yes, I did, in fact, personally, love Jesus very much.
I've heard Mike Huckabee's thoughts and others that have similar, and for the most part, I do agree.
I think there is a ridiculous irony between banning prayer in school but it being our "go to" first in times of tragedy. I think as a society, and even as individuals, Christian or not, we all have a huge problem with "using God" when he's convenient. Kind of points to the depravity of all our souls.. not just one group or sect.
The part that I must disagree with, however, (and I've heard it everywhere on facebook) is that we have some kind of power to "escort God" out of any place.
It is only by God's choosing that He steps back and allows us to take prayer out of school.
It is only by God's choosing that He allows babies to be aborted.
It is only by God's choosing that He allowed the tragedy in Connecticut.
It is only by God's GRACE and choosing that an elementary school in Indiana and a high school in Oklahoma were not attacked as well.. I've read news reports that people were arrested for plotting attacks in these places on the same Friday...
Oh, boy is He in our schools, and oh boy, does He hold back a lot of evil.
Sin is everywhere. It is rampant, and man does have free will. I don't know why God chooses to stop it sometimes and other times, he doesn't. BUT, I can tell you this. NOTHING happens unless God allows it and unless a higher purpose, a deeper meaning, a light pointing back to Him, results.
I just have to ask this question. Could it be possible that prayer in school and a moralistic society back 50 to 100 years ago is what made so many carnal Christians? After all, moralism was all around us. Everyone went to church. Prayer was in school. If there was sin, it was often covered up, and not spoken about.
Could we entertain the thought, for just a moment, that it is part of God's divine plan that we Christians feel a little "uncomfortable", "pressured", "backed into a corner"? After all, in other countries, when Christ is "banned", a passion and a fervor fills the church, and people remember the truth of who Jesus is all over again.
I think, that in these times to come, the true Christian will stand out.
The true Christian will be the one offering help to the mother of the mentally ill boy in her daughter's class of whom all the other parents and children are afraid.
The true Christian will be offering the pregnant teen a place to stay as she wrestles with her future.
The true Christian will bring her husband/his wife alongside him/her and befriend the couple who is so desperately struggling in their marriage or maybe (gasp, dare I say it) the homosexual couple on their street.
The true Christian teacher will be ready with a response when a curious elementary student asks about who this Jesus guy really is.
This is just speculation.. but I just wonder 75 years ago.. how many of those real, raw vulnerable questions were being asked in classrooms? How many children just assumed Jesus because we were comfortable in our faith.
My heart, again, breaks for those parents and families in Connecticut. I, in my human mind, cannot rationalize a reason big enough for God's allowance of this. I can sympathize with parents' anger and bitterness and all the grief.
However, He knows why this happened, and His glory will shine. Mike Huckabee was dead on when he talked about Obama's speech and the hugs and love of the community. That's Jesus. He's showing up. As Christians (I ,being just as guilty as anyone), we need to as well.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
American Idol Worship - Not What You Think. :)
This past Wednesday night, after putting the kids to bed, my husband and I begrudgingly settled into the Presidential Debate, neither of us being huge fans of the political world at large. We don't have cable right now, so it was basically our only choice of T.V. viewing.
With my mind half in twitter/facebook land and half in the debate, I began to become intrigued by what I saw on the screen and disgusted by what I saw on my computer.
On my television, I saw 2 well-educated, cordial men in a spirited debate about policy.. something I'm pretty sure our country hasn't seen in awhile. They were courteous, yet firm with one another and I quite enjoyed it, even though I admittedly didn't understand half of what they were talking about. There's nothing quite like two men disagreeing like gentlemen. It's quite an art and I'm fond of it. Now, there was obviously a clear winner (cough*, Romney*), but both men conducted themselves well.
My computer screen was a different story; Friends, people I knew well, all ages, CHRISTIANS being anything but kind, courteous, and Christlike... and as usual, I became very irritated and have spent the last close to 24 hours trying to figure out why. (My poor husband.)
I finally found the answer, but it first needs a disclaimer. Some of you know that I get very passionate about what I write. And 99% of the time, what I write about is either a) What God is teaching or has taught me about any number of things or b) The Church's role in society. The bottom line is, however, that ultimately, I get passionate, because God is discipling me and teaching me. He's not going to give me a Word for others without giving me a "spiritual spanking" first.
Now, here it is:
Am I worshipping something or someone more than I worship God? Do I have an idol? If so, how is it not only effecting my relationship with my Jesus, but with others around me?
I have a confession. My idol is not politics. I'm more along the lines of husband, children, chocolate, and people pleasing.
However, the same theory applies and I'd like to speak to 2 things that I think we should remember during this election season as we go all crazy over our two "American Idol" presidential candidates.
1.) These two men are REAL,LIVE, FLESH-AND-BLOOD people. They need Jesus like the rest of us. He created them. I'm not sure that either has Him. As Christ-followers, our ultimate desire should be that these men repent and come to a greater knowledge of him, not for "the sake of our country", but for the sake of their souls and God's glory. How are we to marry praying for their souls with slinging mud at them?
Now, you may argue that when these men chose to run for president, this is what they signed up for. Of course. Disagreement with policy. Dissatisfaction with with the way things are being run.
Not personal attacks from people who claim Jesus Christ.
Sometimes we forget that Obama is a father and Romney a grandfather of impressionable children. I can't imagine being Michelle Obama and trying to shelter my children from the mean words hissed about their father by none other than those who call themselves Christians. The same goes in the opposite direction. As much as my babies love their Daddy, Papa, and Grandad, I think it would be mortifying for them to hear such harsh things. These men may have chosen their career paths, but the children didn't have a choice in it, and we need to keep that in mind... spoken like a true mom, right? ;)
2.) These men are JUST people. Amen? I love 1st and 2nd Kings because it reminds us that when the people ask for a king, some of them do what is right in there own eyes, some do what's right in God's eyes, but NONE of them can consistently, completely, wholeheartedly take care of the people the way a Sovereign King Jesus can. Yeah, I get chill bumps just thinking about it.
Ryan and I were discussing this morning how we desire a change in presidents because we are concerned about the huge deficit and how it will effect our children. But the bottom line is this. No matter what happens, the U.S. president is not the Author of Salvation, Lifegiver, or Wonderful Counselor. He is a president who will reign for 4-8 years and eventually return to the dust like the rest of us. Why turn my face to him? Why lean on him? Why tremble in fear and anger at the thought of him getting re-elected? I know the KING OF THE UNIVERSE! Obama and Romney have no desire to have a personal relationship with me; they just want my vote. On the flip side, the King of Kings desires an intimate walk with lil' ol' me. He wants me to sit at his feet and know all my thoughts, and he's not feeding me a line! My friend and Savior Jesus knows the end of the story, and know matter what comes to pass in the lives of me, my children, my grandchildren, and on down the line, He'll be there. That's all I need to know.
So, back to the point before I start (or maybe finish) preaching :). We really should enjoy our chocolate, our spouses, our children, our presidential debates, and our ball games. But, Church, let's keep things in perspective. Worshipping/Obsessing over these things not only leads to trying to fill a Jesus void with something earthly, but it also leads us to bitterness toward those enjoyable things he has placed in our lives because they will never live up to our heavenly cravings. It will cause us to say mean things, and let's face it, look pretty darn ugly to an already skeptical world.
With my mind half in twitter/facebook land and half in the debate, I began to become intrigued by what I saw on the screen and disgusted by what I saw on my computer.
On my television, I saw 2 well-educated, cordial men in a spirited debate about policy.. something I'm pretty sure our country hasn't seen in awhile. They were courteous, yet firm with one another and I quite enjoyed it, even though I admittedly didn't understand half of what they were talking about. There's nothing quite like two men disagreeing like gentlemen. It's quite an art and I'm fond of it. Now, there was obviously a clear winner (cough*, Romney*), but both men conducted themselves well.
My computer screen was a different story; Friends, people I knew well, all ages, CHRISTIANS being anything but kind, courteous, and Christlike... and as usual, I became very irritated and have spent the last close to 24 hours trying to figure out why. (My poor husband.)
I finally found the answer, but it first needs a disclaimer. Some of you know that I get very passionate about what I write. And 99% of the time, what I write about is either a) What God is teaching or has taught me about any number of things or b) The Church's role in society. The bottom line is, however, that ultimately, I get passionate, because God is discipling me and teaching me. He's not going to give me a Word for others without giving me a "spiritual spanking" first.
Now, here it is:
Am I worshipping something or someone more than I worship God? Do I have an idol? If so, how is it not only effecting my relationship with my Jesus, but with others around me?
I have a confession. My idol is not politics. I'm more along the lines of husband, children, chocolate, and people pleasing.
However, the same theory applies and I'd like to speak to 2 things that I think we should remember during this election season as we go all crazy over our two "American Idol" presidential candidates.
1.) These two men are REAL,LIVE, FLESH-AND-BLOOD people. They need Jesus like the rest of us. He created them. I'm not sure that either has Him. As Christ-followers, our ultimate desire should be that these men repent and come to a greater knowledge of him, not for "the sake of our country", but for the sake of their souls and God's glory. How are we to marry praying for their souls with slinging mud at them?
Now, you may argue that when these men chose to run for president, this is what they signed up for. Of course. Disagreement with policy. Dissatisfaction with with the way things are being run.
Not personal attacks from people who claim Jesus Christ.
Sometimes we forget that Obama is a father and Romney a grandfather of impressionable children. I can't imagine being Michelle Obama and trying to shelter my children from the mean words hissed about their father by none other than those who call themselves Christians. The same goes in the opposite direction. As much as my babies love their Daddy, Papa, and Grandad, I think it would be mortifying for them to hear such harsh things. These men may have chosen their career paths, but the children didn't have a choice in it, and we need to keep that in mind... spoken like a true mom, right? ;)
2.) These men are JUST people. Amen? I love 1st and 2nd Kings because it reminds us that when the people ask for a king, some of them do what is right in there own eyes, some do what's right in God's eyes, but NONE of them can consistently, completely, wholeheartedly take care of the people the way a Sovereign King Jesus can. Yeah, I get chill bumps just thinking about it.
Ryan and I were discussing this morning how we desire a change in presidents because we are concerned about the huge deficit and how it will effect our children. But the bottom line is this. No matter what happens, the U.S. president is not the Author of Salvation, Lifegiver, or Wonderful Counselor. He is a president who will reign for 4-8 years and eventually return to the dust like the rest of us. Why turn my face to him? Why lean on him? Why tremble in fear and anger at the thought of him getting re-elected? I know the KING OF THE UNIVERSE! Obama and Romney have no desire to have a personal relationship with me; they just want my vote. On the flip side, the King of Kings desires an intimate walk with lil' ol' me. He wants me to sit at his feet and know all my thoughts, and he's not feeding me a line! My friend and Savior Jesus knows the end of the story, and know matter what comes to pass in the lives of me, my children, my grandchildren, and on down the line, He'll be there. That's all I need to know.
So, back to the point before I start (or maybe finish) preaching :). We really should enjoy our chocolate, our spouses, our children, our presidential debates, and our ball games. But, Church, let's keep things in perspective. Worshipping/Obsessing over these things not only leads to trying to fill a Jesus void with something earthly, but it also leads us to bitterness toward those enjoyable things he has placed in our lives because they will never live up to our heavenly cravings. It will cause us to say mean things, and let's face it, look pretty darn ugly to an already skeptical world.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Gratitude
As I write this, we are driving back from Johnson University in Knoxville, TN (our alma mater). We took our Discipleship team from the Student Ministry at Gateway and had a blast! We got a tour of the facilities yesterday and I was in awe of all the changes that had taken place!
One thing that I was glad stayed the same, however, was the flag display. There is a building on campus that has an open staircase that displays all the flags of all the nations from where students come or where alumni are currently living and spreading the Gospel. It's really, really cool.
Later in the evening, we walked/drove around the old city, UT campus, and Market Square. We saw a lot of fun, "cultural" sights, but we also saw a lot of pain, brokeness, and sin on the streets. It took me back to my college days when God used us to minister to the homeless, broken, and lost of this beautiful city. I thought about how blessed I was to have been a part of that and how Christ used that to send me to places like Puerto Rico and Romania and witness the oppression and sin in those places and His redeeming grace and love for the nations.
I then started to think about all the changes in my life since I left JU, the good and the bad, and how blessed my husband and I have been in the last 6 months by our new home church, Gateway.
Just about a month or so ago I had the absolute privilege of participating in a clothing drive that took place in our sanctuary where the homeless and the downtrodden were able to come and grab what they needed for themselves and their families. One woman shared that she was not only looking for clothes for her 3 children, but for the 3 others she watched daily. I had to hold tears back as I watched young mommies not running to the shoes to find a cute pair for themselves, but filling up garbage bags filled with items for their babies.
In a couple Sundays from now, after church, Gateway will be splitting up into teams and going to local public elementary schools to serve in various ways to bring a positive start to the new school year.
At the same time, Gateway pastors are not afraid to be very tough and honest with those in the church who already claim to have a relationship with Jesus, speaking with tough love on issues other churches would not touch. They are not afraid of who they might offend or who may not come back.
They just love Jesus and want to be obedient to Him.
Beautiful. Beautiful the Bride of Christ and grateful I am to stand with it as broken and pitiful as I can be.
Whether it be JU or Gateway or some of the other amazing places we've ministered or attended over the years, my heart overflows with gratitude toward those brothers and sisters who have amazing perspective and who demonstrate Christ's marvelous love.
These people are too busy loving their community for politics, legalism, or even free speech. As the media distracts and divides so many, there are multitudes that keep pushing the hype aside and chasing after their dashing Groom and the people for which His heart breaks.
Thank you, Church, for letting Jesus flow through your hearts like fine wine. Thank you for edifying, disciplining, and training your own and for simply loving those who are still of the world.
We are broken, but we are blessed.....,
And I am grateful.
One thing that I was glad stayed the same, however, was the flag display. There is a building on campus that has an open staircase that displays all the flags of all the nations from where students come or where alumni are currently living and spreading the Gospel. It's really, really cool.
Later in the evening, we walked/drove around the old city, UT campus, and Market Square. We saw a lot of fun, "cultural" sights, but we also saw a lot of pain, brokeness, and sin on the streets. It took me back to my college days when God used us to minister to the homeless, broken, and lost of this beautiful city. I thought about how blessed I was to have been a part of that and how Christ used that to send me to places like Puerto Rico and Romania and witness the oppression and sin in those places and His redeeming grace and love for the nations.
I then started to think about all the changes in my life since I left JU, the good and the bad, and how blessed my husband and I have been in the last 6 months by our new home church, Gateway.
Just about a month or so ago I had the absolute privilege of participating in a clothing drive that took place in our sanctuary where the homeless and the downtrodden were able to come and grab what they needed for themselves and their families. One woman shared that she was not only looking for clothes for her 3 children, but for the 3 others she watched daily. I had to hold tears back as I watched young mommies not running to the shoes to find a cute pair for themselves, but filling up garbage bags filled with items for their babies.
In a couple Sundays from now, after church, Gateway will be splitting up into teams and going to local public elementary schools to serve in various ways to bring a positive start to the new school year.
At the same time, Gateway pastors are not afraid to be very tough and honest with those in the church who already claim to have a relationship with Jesus, speaking with tough love on issues other churches would not touch. They are not afraid of who they might offend or who may not come back.
They just love Jesus and want to be obedient to Him.
Beautiful. Beautiful the Bride of Christ and grateful I am to stand with it as broken and pitiful as I can be.
Whether it be JU or Gateway or some of the other amazing places we've ministered or attended over the years, my heart overflows with gratitude toward those brothers and sisters who have amazing perspective and who demonstrate Christ's marvelous love.
These people are too busy loving their community for politics, legalism, or even free speech. As the media distracts and divides so many, there are multitudes that keep pushing the hype aside and chasing after their dashing Groom and the people for which His heart breaks.
Thank you, Church, for letting Jesus flow through your hearts like fine wine. Thank you for edifying, disciplining, and training your own and for simply loving those who are still of the world.
We are broken, but we are blessed.....,
And I am grateful.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
The "What If" game
So, many of you know, most of you do not, that after my miscarriage in 2007, I was specifically diagnosed with something loosely termed as "Medical O.C.D".
It's fairly new and is sort of like hypochondria, but it's been amped up due to the fact that medical information of all kinds is at the lay person's fingertips via the internet.
Exactly a month after I miscarried, I started to experience many physical symptoms of clinical depression... numb and tingling limbs, stiff joints, overall achiness, fatigue, etc. I would look up these symptoms and found a bunch of diseases that convinced me I was dying.
We finally found an amazing Christian counselor who walked me through the beginning of the healing process. It was no secret that I was already prone to anxiety and panic as these things had shown themselves in my life prior to this recent trigger. She did many amazing exercises with me, the greatest being prayer, and I still go back to her techniques frequently 5 years later.
There was one, however, that has stuck out in my mind these past few weeks in hearing about the Chick-Fil-A debate, the Colorado shootings, and listening to my husband and our senior pastor preach on how we deal with storms in our lives.
It was called... The "What If" game.
It would go something like this....
"OK, Crystal, what if that bruise on your leg came out of nowhere?"
"Then I might go to the doctor and find out I have cancer?"
"Ok.. what if you have cancer?"
"Then people will feel sorry for me and I might die."
"Ok... what if people feel sorry for you make you feel uncomfortable, and then you die?"
"Then I'll go to heaven and be with...oh."
"Let's change it up a bit. What if you live?"
"Then people will stop feeling sorry for me and rejoice that I am healed."
What a revelation.
Now.. let me say this. This was a time in my life where I was still very self focused and this game didn't mean a lot to me for any extended period of time.
By the time I wrapped things up with this counselor, I was 9 months pregnant with my son and still battled for the next 2 1/2 years as strongly as I had from day one. This is so sad because the reality is that I don't remember Cohen's first 2 years of life very well at all. The disease, the sin was rabid and Satan was winning. I was complacent, in denial, and selfish.
Then one day, as my husband's theology changed, God used him to lead me into the most brilliant, beautiful shalom (peace) I have ever experienced.
It's not about me. It's not about my plans. It's not about my life. It's not about my death. It's not about my money.
It's all about Him. To God be the glory.
All the pressure was gone. The book tells us... He wins. I don't need to conjure up that faith, He gives it to me as a gift.
So, let's play that "What if" game again, shall we??...
What if I get cancer?
He wins. To God be the glory.
What if my kids never accept Christ in my home?
He wins. To God be the glory.
What if we don't have money?
He wins. To God be the glory.
What if America becomes a communist country?
He wins. To God be the glory.
What if a man comes into a theater and shoots people?
He wins. To God be the glory.
What if I can no longer attend Church in the United States?
He still wins. To God be the glory.
Now, you know I'm not trying to trivialize any of this. Pain is pain and we would be in denial not to walk through it when it comes our way.
But... can I suggest that we spend a lot of time worrying and protesting and growing sick over things that haven't even happened yet?
The first two years of his life, I could've been enjoying my firstborn child, but I wasn't... I was worrying that his fontanelle was too big and that he was spitting up too much and that he was autistic..
Seriously, I was.
I am still selfish, I am still self-focused, I am still half-crazy, but I have stepped a couple inches further toward His grace.. and that has made all the difference.
Enjoy the life God gives you today. Yes, in a few years, homosexuals may be allowed to get married, and our freedom of speech as Christians may get stomped on, teen pregnancy may be on the rise, and the anti-Christ may reign supreme, BUT God will still be good.
The even better part... we don't have to fight against culture or even our own bodies to earn His love.. we can just accept it and then be it. We can spend our time kissing our babies, putting our arms around the brokenhearted and downtrodden, having loving conversations with people who completely disagree with everything we say and go to bed at night filled. with. joy.
His freedom can be found in any country and in any circumstance. Beautiful, huh?
It's fairly new and is sort of like hypochondria, but it's been amped up due to the fact that medical information of all kinds is at the lay person's fingertips via the internet.
Exactly a month after I miscarried, I started to experience many physical symptoms of clinical depression... numb and tingling limbs, stiff joints, overall achiness, fatigue, etc. I would look up these symptoms and found a bunch of diseases that convinced me I was dying.
We finally found an amazing Christian counselor who walked me through the beginning of the healing process. It was no secret that I was already prone to anxiety and panic as these things had shown themselves in my life prior to this recent trigger. She did many amazing exercises with me, the greatest being prayer, and I still go back to her techniques frequently 5 years later.
There was one, however, that has stuck out in my mind these past few weeks in hearing about the Chick-Fil-A debate, the Colorado shootings, and listening to my husband and our senior pastor preach on how we deal with storms in our lives.
It was called... The "What If" game.
It would go something like this....
"OK, Crystal, what if that bruise on your leg came out of nowhere?"
"Then I might go to the doctor and find out I have cancer?"
"Ok.. what if you have cancer?"
"Then people will feel sorry for me and I might die."
"Ok... what if people feel sorry for you make you feel uncomfortable, and then you die?"
"Then I'll go to heaven and be with...oh."
"Let's change it up a bit. What if you live?"
"Then people will stop feeling sorry for me and rejoice that I am healed."
What a revelation.
Now.. let me say this. This was a time in my life where I was still very self focused and this game didn't mean a lot to me for any extended period of time.
By the time I wrapped things up with this counselor, I was 9 months pregnant with my son and still battled for the next 2 1/2 years as strongly as I had from day one. This is so sad because the reality is that I don't remember Cohen's first 2 years of life very well at all. The disease, the sin was rabid and Satan was winning. I was complacent, in denial, and selfish.
Then one day, as my husband's theology changed, God used him to lead me into the most brilliant, beautiful shalom (peace) I have ever experienced.
It's not about me. It's not about my plans. It's not about my life. It's not about my death. It's not about my money.
It's all about Him. To God be the glory.
All the pressure was gone. The book tells us... He wins. I don't need to conjure up that faith, He gives it to me as a gift.
So, let's play that "What if" game again, shall we??...
What if I get cancer?
He wins. To God be the glory.
What if my kids never accept Christ in my home?
He wins. To God be the glory.
What if we don't have money?
He wins. To God be the glory.
What if America becomes a communist country?
He wins. To God be the glory.
What if a man comes into a theater and shoots people?
He wins. To God be the glory.
What if I can no longer attend Church in the United States?
He still wins. To God be the glory.
Now, you know I'm not trying to trivialize any of this. Pain is pain and we would be in denial not to walk through it when it comes our way.
But... can I suggest that we spend a lot of time worrying and protesting and growing sick over things that haven't even happened yet?
The first two years of his life, I could've been enjoying my firstborn child, but I wasn't... I was worrying that his fontanelle was too big and that he was spitting up too much and that he was autistic..
Seriously, I was.
I am still selfish, I am still self-focused, I am still half-crazy, but I have stepped a couple inches further toward His grace.. and that has made all the difference.
Enjoy the life God gives you today. Yes, in a few years, homosexuals may be allowed to get married, and our freedom of speech as Christians may get stomped on, teen pregnancy may be on the rise, and the anti-Christ may reign supreme, BUT God will still be good.
The even better part... we don't have to fight against culture or even our own bodies to earn His love.. we can just accept it and then be it. We can spend our time kissing our babies, putting our arms around the brokenhearted and downtrodden, having loving conversations with people who completely disagree with everything we say and go to bed at night filled. with. joy.
His freedom can be found in any country and in any circumstance. Beautiful, huh?
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Defining Attachment Parenting
So, this morning, after another rough night with my 7 month old, I was watching Good Morning America. They were doing a piece with Mayim Bialik (star of the 90's tv show, "Blossom"). She was discussing her implementation of "attachment parenting".
She talked about how she and her husband stayed home for each of her children's first 40 days of life and how she basically lived on the couch with the newborn for that time period. She said that she allowed each of her children to nurse until they were "done" (her 3 1/2 year old is just now finishing). She also discussed how she was a huge proponent of co-sleeping.
After the piece was done, this strange conflict of emotions came over me. Overall, however, I was left feeling like a bad mother.
I started to really weigh through my thoughts and feelings and came to the same conclusion that I have come to several times when it comes to the topic of parenting/mothering....
We are WAY to hard on ourselves... and each other.
I'll share a snippet of my story to better explain what I mean....
With both of my children, I had every intention of being the most loving, caring, close mother possible, even though I probably didn't have the full scope in my head of what that meant, especially with my first.
I nursed both my babies from the start, though my second was much easier. However, by the middle of the second month, once my milk started to even out, both children seemed to really struggle with nursing no matter what I did.( I feel that it might have a little to do with the unattached tongue they inherited from their father since Ella had a rough time with the bottle as well and neither of them took to a pacifier). Also, I am a task-oriented, "scheduled" personality and if I'm to be honest, struggled with the unpredictability of their feedings, especially when I went back to work.
Because of the fact that I wanted them to get the best start possible, I pumped for weeks after I stopped nursing. I can still remember, however, with both babies, the tearful moment that I gave in and decided I had to give them the bottle for everyone's sanity. My husband, on both occasions, lovingly consoled me and reminded me that I was a wonderful mother whether I nursed or stuck a bottle of FDA approved formula in their mouth.
Even now, I am terribly jealous of mothers who seem to just ease into nursing and whose babies take to it so well. I find myself (unnecessarily) feeling like a horrible mother because I couldn't continue to nurse... and it doesn't stop there....
Once he was put on the bottle around 6 weeks, my 3 year old became a DREAM baby. We let him cry it out a couple times around that same age in the night, and he took to it well. It wasn't long before we would lay him down in his crib and he would drift off.
I joke and tell people I didn't know what it was like to have an infant until Ella came along...
Seven months after her entrance into the world, she is still a mess; a lovable, cute one... but a mess, none the less. It bothers me to lay her down and let her cry, but I'm scared to death that I'm spoiling her when I rock her all the time. I hear different critical voices in my head no matter what decision I make, and I just keep trying to do what I think is best for her.
I am one that requires a certain amount of sleep, and there are many nights, when she is crying for no apparent reason at 1 a.m., that I cannot find any kind, motherly, compassionate emotion in my being.... I just find myself crying along with her....
Then, the next morning, the guilt comes.. Why can't I be patient with her? Why can't I stop having anxious thoughts? Why can't i just appreciate her for who she is?
Then, that night, the cycle starts all over.
I love her so much and she's so precious, but she's a different animal from her brother, and she is as Dr. Sears has coined, a "high needs baby".
Ryan and I had to leave her at my parents' house the weekend we interviewed at Gateway, and I again felt guilty, not just for leaving her, but for feeling "free" from her. Wasn't I supposed to desire her every moment? Aren't I supposed to feel lost and disoriented without her? Isn't that how good mothers feel?
I may be wrong, but I don't think I'm alone in these feelings. I know that many mothers are more confident than I'll ever be and rarely care what others think or do, but I know that there are others of you who are with me.....
At the end of the day, however, I think of the term "attachment parenting" and how those who came up with the term defined it. Then, I simply think of those two words and why I believe our family fits the literal definition.
My children are loved. I stay at home with them now and they have been with me 24 hours a day (with few exceptions) since we started our houseparenting job when Cohen was 10 months old. I spend 85-90% of my day in communication with them. Whether we're in the car, at home, or in the grocery store, we are talking to each other and are in constant physical contact. When they fall and hurt themselves, they are always scooped up and loved on (although sometimes it is by daddy or nana or papa). I do encourage both of them to go to and love on others because I want them to be outgoing, bold, and to trust and love people, but I'm always there when they just need their mommy... .. same rings true with their daddy.
I am blessed to have a husband and to be able to stay at home. There are so many mothers who don't have the luxury of staying home with their sweet babies, and thousands more who don't even have a partner to support them. Even so, these mothers love their little ones more than words can say.
I know that in the "perfect" world, where I was rich, my husband and I had no pressing responsibilities, and we could hire other people to take care of our home, I could have dozens of children, nurse them, love on them, snuggle with them, 24/7.
The idea of attachment parenting, as touched on by Bialik, is that human beings learn to parent as all other mammals do. That's awesome in theory.... but human parents have homes, jobs, responsibilities other than their babies despite the fact that obviously, family comes first.
I completely agree with nursing, cuddling, even co-sleeping if one feels it's right for them, but you can only do what you can do. Period.
Mothers need to hear this. We HAVE to stop judging each other and being so hard on ourselves...
So many debates:
Breastfeeding v. bottle feeding, natural birth vs. hospital, immunizations: necessary or dangerous?, crib sleeping or co-sleeping, cuddle at every cry vs. CIO (cry-it-out), home school vs. private school vs. public school ...............
and you know what? NOT ONE OF THESE ARE A WRONG WAY TO DO IT!!!!!!!
Cohen came at a time in my life where I was slowly coming out of a depression. To my own sadness, he has seen me upset and stressed at different times. He has already moved a couple of times in his young life and spent around 10 nights with his grandparents without his mom and dad. Yet, he loves me and I love him. We laugh, snuggle, and enjoy each other's company on a daily basis.
Just remember, if you truly love your children, you're doing just fine.
Gotta go... baby's crying. ;)
She talked about how she and her husband stayed home for each of her children's first 40 days of life and how she basically lived on the couch with the newborn for that time period. She said that she allowed each of her children to nurse until they were "done" (her 3 1/2 year old is just now finishing). She also discussed how she was a huge proponent of co-sleeping.
After the piece was done, this strange conflict of emotions came over me. Overall, however, I was left feeling like a bad mother.
I started to really weigh through my thoughts and feelings and came to the same conclusion that I have come to several times when it comes to the topic of parenting/mothering....
We are WAY to hard on ourselves... and each other.
I'll share a snippet of my story to better explain what I mean....
With both of my children, I had every intention of being the most loving, caring, close mother possible, even though I probably didn't have the full scope in my head of what that meant, especially with my first.
I nursed both my babies from the start, though my second was much easier. However, by the middle of the second month, once my milk started to even out, both children seemed to really struggle with nursing no matter what I did.( I feel that it might have a little to do with the unattached tongue they inherited from their father since Ella had a rough time with the bottle as well and neither of them took to a pacifier). Also, I am a task-oriented, "scheduled" personality and if I'm to be honest, struggled with the unpredictability of their feedings, especially when I went back to work.
Because of the fact that I wanted them to get the best start possible, I pumped for weeks after I stopped nursing. I can still remember, however, with both babies, the tearful moment that I gave in and decided I had to give them the bottle for everyone's sanity. My husband, on both occasions, lovingly consoled me and reminded me that I was a wonderful mother whether I nursed or stuck a bottle of FDA approved formula in their mouth.
Even now, I am terribly jealous of mothers who seem to just ease into nursing and whose babies take to it so well. I find myself (unnecessarily) feeling like a horrible mother because I couldn't continue to nurse... and it doesn't stop there....
Once he was put on the bottle around 6 weeks, my 3 year old became a DREAM baby. We let him cry it out a couple times around that same age in the night, and he took to it well. It wasn't long before we would lay him down in his crib and he would drift off.
I joke and tell people I didn't know what it was like to have an infant until Ella came along...
Seven months after her entrance into the world, she is still a mess; a lovable, cute one... but a mess, none the less. It bothers me to lay her down and let her cry, but I'm scared to death that I'm spoiling her when I rock her all the time. I hear different critical voices in my head no matter what decision I make, and I just keep trying to do what I think is best for her.
I am one that requires a certain amount of sleep, and there are many nights, when she is crying for no apparent reason at 1 a.m., that I cannot find any kind, motherly, compassionate emotion in my being.... I just find myself crying along with her....
Then, the next morning, the guilt comes.. Why can't I be patient with her? Why can't I stop having anxious thoughts? Why can't i just appreciate her for who she is?
Then, that night, the cycle starts all over.
I love her so much and she's so precious, but she's a different animal from her brother, and she is as Dr. Sears has coined, a "high needs baby".
Ryan and I had to leave her at my parents' house the weekend we interviewed at Gateway, and I again felt guilty, not just for leaving her, but for feeling "free" from her. Wasn't I supposed to desire her every moment? Aren't I supposed to feel lost and disoriented without her? Isn't that how good mothers feel?
I may be wrong, but I don't think I'm alone in these feelings. I know that many mothers are more confident than I'll ever be and rarely care what others think or do, but I know that there are others of you who are with me.....
At the end of the day, however, I think of the term "attachment parenting" and how those who came up with the term defined it. Then, I simply think of those two words and why I believe our family fits the literal definition.
My children are loved. I stay at home with them now and they have been with me 24 hours a day (with few exceptions) since we started our houseparenting job when Cohen was 10 months old. I spend 85-90% of my day in communication with them. Whether we're in the car, at home, or in the grocery store, we are talking to each other and are in constant physical contact. When they fall and hurt themselves, they are always scooped up and loved on (although sometimes it is by daddy or nana or papa). I do encourage both of them to go to and love on others because I want them to be outgoing, bold, and to trust and love people, but I'm always there when they just need their mommy... .. same rings true with their daddy.
I am blessed to have a husband and to be able to stay at home. There are so many mothers who don't have the luxury of staying home with their sweet babies, and thousands more who don't even have a partner to support them. Even so, these mothers love their little ones more than words can say.
I know that in the "perfect" world, where I was rich, my husband and I had no pressing responsibilities, and we could hire other people to take care of our home, I could have dozens of children, nurse them, love on them, snuggle with them, 24/7.
The idea of attachment parenting, as touched on by Bialik, is that human beings learn to parent as all other mammals do. That's awesome in theory.... but human parents have homes, jobs, responsibilities other than their babies despite the fact that obviously, family comes first.
I completely agree with nursing, cuddling, even co-sleeping if one feels it's right for them, but you can only do what you can do. Period.
Mothers need to hear this. We HAVE to stop judging each other and being so hard on ourselves...
So many debates:
Breastfeeding v. bottle feeding, natural birth vs. hospital, immunizations: necessary or dangerous?, crib sleeping or co-sleeping, cuddle at every cry vs. CIO (cry-it-out), home school vs. private school vs. public school ...............
and you know what? NOT ONE OF THESE ARE A WRONG WAY TO DO IT!!!!!!!
Cohen came at a time in my life where I was slowly coming out of a depression. To my own sadness, he has seen me upset and stressed at different times. He has already moved a couple of times in his young life and spent around 10 nights with his grandparents without his mom and dad. Yet, he loves me and I love him. We laugh, snuggle, and enjoy each other's company on a daily basis.
Just remember, if you truly love your children, you're doing just fine.
Gotta go... baby's crying. ;)
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Mommy Lioness
Yesterday, our family of four went to a fast food restaurant just down the road for lunch.
We decided after we ate that we would let our boy play in the play place adjacent to the restaurant since socializing with kids his own age is a rarity for him....
See, Cohen's life has been pretty interesting and ironic up until now....
He just turned 3 and has never really had steady friends. As many of you know, we've moved around quite a bit (Hopefully, this next move in a couple weeks will be our last for A LONG TIME!). It was difficult for us to really connect with couples our age during our time as houseparents, and the sporadic times we have lived with my parents, they live out in the country with no "neighbor" children. He's been attending his class at church on Sundays semi-regularly, although we've kinda been hit and miss since the birth of his sister. He stays with us all the time throughout the week.
With all that seemingly against him, Cohen surprises us everyday with his remarkably social interactions. He has no problem treating adults and children whom he's just met like old friends. He's an encourager and just an all around sweet kid. Other than having to explain to him on a few separate occasions that it's really not funny to knock down someone else's Lego creation, he does a fabulous job with people of all ages.
... Well... back to the play place...
Ryan was sitting in the restaurant with Ella while I went into the play place to watch Cohen. I kept a careful eye on him because he was the next to smallest kid in there and definitely one of the youngest. I watched how he talked and interacted with all the children. My heart swelled as a proud mommy's does watching him be his charming, adorable self.
Then, from out of nowhere, I heard it.
I heard a little obnoxious voice say to MY SON....... "You have a really big head."
TIME OUT! Now, let me say this. We have lovingly and sweetly made fun of that child's head since the day he was born. It is quite big, and there is validity to the statement. It was, in fact, a correct observation.
However, for some strange reason, I did not like it that this BRAT (my thought at the time), this stranger, was the first one to ever make that statement directly to him .... my blood was boiling.
Literally, I had a flash vision of a lioness springing in to action to protect her cub. Every natural, animal instinct that lived deep inside of my being bubbled to the surface. Fortunately, I was able to quickly remind myself that I was a human being and resumed my careful watch.
Then, something happened.....
My son reminded me of Jesus.
Now, I don't believe for a second that Cohen comprehended the comment, which means it didn't bother him for a second. As best I could tell from where I was standing, Cohen silently ignored the comment and stayed right where he was. Eventually, the little boy (slowly losing his "brat' title) said to Cohen, "We're playing super heroes!!" Cohen said with a shrug, "I'm not a super hero. I'm just Cohen."
Quickly yet politely, Cohen ran off, finding another couple of new friends to spend his precious play time moments with and then proceeded a few moments later, without fail, to give his emotionally exhausted mommy quite a fit when told it was time to go.
Now, I would be lying if I said that the comment no longer bothered me afterwards. After all, it was the first time that I had felt that deep-seeded pain for my child, and the thought that it was only going to get worse as he got older and was exposed to more children gave me a little anxiety for the rest of the day.
My dad and I spent a few moments watching a scene from Steve Martin's movie, "Roxanne" where he comes up with 20 "better" jokes to tell about his own big nose. My husband and I figured of those 20, there were a few that could apply to Cohen's head, and 1 or 2 of those were clean enough for him to repeat. :)
My husband was encouraging by stating that Cohen could simply use the old "big heads equal exceptional intelligence" line and by reminding me that when he's in high school and is over 6 feet, it wouldn't be an issue anymore.
However, all that, though helpful, is kinda beside the point. For whatever reason, although my husband and I were both painfully shy as kids and pretty easy targets for bullying, God has given Cohen these amazing gifts of boldness, encouragement, and joy, and it is our job as parents to praise and nurture that as much as we possibly can.
.... I think he's going to be okay. :)
We decided after we ate that we would let our boy play in the play place adjacent to the restaurant since socializing with kids his own age is a rarity for him....
See, Cohen's life has been pretty interesting and ironic up until now....
He just turned 3 and has never really had steady friends. As many of you know, we've moved around quite a bit (Hopefully, this next move in a couple weeks will be our last for A LONG TIME!). It was difficult for us to really connect with couples our age during our time as houseparents, and the sporadic times we have lived with my parents, they live out in the country with no "neighbor" children. He's been attending his class at church on Sundays semi-regularly, although we've kinda been hit and miss since the birth of his sister. He stays with us all the time throughout the week.
With all that seemingly against him, Cohen surprises us everyday with his remarkably social interactions. He has no problem treating adults and children whom he's just met like old friends. He's an encourager and just an all around sweet kid. Other than having to explain to him on a few separate occasions that it's really not funny to knock down someone else's Lego creation, he does a fabulous job with people of all ages.
... Well... back to the play place...
Ryan was sitting in the restaurant with Ella while I went into the play place to watch Cohen. I kept a careful eye on him because he was the next to smallest kid in there and definitely one of the youngest. I watched how he talked and interacted with all the children. My heart swelled as a proud mommy's does watching him be his charming, adorable self.
Then, from out of nowhere, I heard it.
I heard a little obnoxious voice say to MY SON....... "You have a really big head."
TIME OUT! Now, let me say this. We have lovingly and sweetly made fun of that child's head since the day he was born. It is quite big, and there is validity to the statement. It was, in fact, a correct observation.
However, for some strange reason, I did not like it that this BRAT (my thought at the time), this stranger, was the first one to ever make that statement directly to him .... my blood was boiling.
Literally, I had a flash vision of a lioness springing in to action to protect her cub. Every natural, animal instinct that lived deep inside of my being bubbled to the surface. Fortunately, I was able to quickly remind myself that I was a human being and resumed my careful watch.
Then, something happened.....
My son reminded me of Jesus.
Now, I don't believe for a second that Cohen comprehended the comment, which means it didn't bother him for a second. As best I could tell from where I was standing, Cohen silently ignored the comment and stayed right where he was. Eventually, the little boy (slowly losing his "brat' title) said to Cohen, "We're playing super heroes!!" Cohen said with a shrug, "I'm not a super hero. I'm just Cohen."
Quickly yet politely, Cohen ran off, finding another couple of new friends to spend his precious play time moments with and then proceeded a few moments later, without fail, to give his emotionally exhausted mommy quite a fit when told it was time to go.
Now, I would be lying if I said that the comment no longer bothered me afterwards. After all, it was the first time that I had felt that deep-seeded pain for my child, and the thought that it was only going to get worse as he got older and was exposed to more children gave me a little anxiety for the rest of the day.
My dad and I spent a few moments watching a scene from Steve Martin's movie, "Roxanne" where he comes up with 20 "better" jokes to tell about his own big nose. My husband and I figured of those 20, there were a few that could apply to Cohen's head, and 1 or 2 of those were clean enough for him to repeat. :)
My husband was encouraging by stating that Cohen could simply use the old "big heads equal exceptional intelligence" line and by reminding me that when he's in high school and is over 6 feet, it wouldn't be an issue anymore.
However, all that, though helpful, is kinda beside the point. For whatever reason, although my husband and I were both painfully shy as kids and pretty easy targets for bullying, God has given Cohen these amazing gifts of boldness, encouragement, and joy, and it is our job as parents to praise and nurture that as much as we possibly can.
.... I think he's going to be okay. :)
My little lion cubs..
"Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” --- Jesus
Mark 10:15
Monday, February 27, 2012
The Atrocity of Greed - A Message Especially for our Youth
Most of my posts are a result of many different thoughts connecting in my head and heart.
Unfortunately, I sometimes fail to realize that other people see no connection at all. :)
So, just a disclaimer... this post is no different....
Today (2/26 - the day I started working on this post) is my firstborn's THIRD birthday, and for the life of me, I can't figure out where these three years have gone!!
We had a hard time conceiving Cohen, so his first birthday was HUGE!
Then, the next year, we were overwhelmed with our work at the boys' home and came to the realization that those residents were most definitely Cohen's closest confidants. So, we decided that as long as there was cake and a couple of presents, our 2 year old would have a great time! Chances were, he wouldn't hold it over our heads years down the road.
This year, since we once again find ourselves in a season of transition, we're doing just about the same thing. In a couple days, we are simply having a small family get-together with a "Cars 2" theme and cake. He's recieving presents from parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, and that's it.
While this may seem modest and maybe even borderline "sad" to some well-meaning Americans, I found myself sitting in my bedroom with his presents in front of me the other day, thinking, "He doesn't NEED any of this!"
I will say that his father and I (all 4 of his grandparents as well) do a pretty darn good job of buying him things that will help him developmentally. We don't like to buy junk. Every once in awhile, we'll throw in something cutsie and cheap (like a Mickey Mouse fishing game :)). But for the most part, his presents are books, clothes, and items that help him explore his imagination. Even still, compared to 90% of the world or more, he is absolutely, 100% spoiled ROTTEN!
Many times, as I go to grab one of my youngest, Ella's meals, I think 2 things:
1.) I really need to start making her baby food, because this is EXPENSIVE!!
2.) We are so blessed to live in a country where I can go to the grocery store and get Ella all the vitamins she needs in these little containers of food. So many mothers in other areas of the world struggle every day to make sure their 7 month old babies get all the nutrition they need each day, and it's a mindless chore for me.
These thoughts that cross my mind from time to time cause me to consider how we've simply lost perspective as Americans.
Now, I could make some very controversial points about how I don't buy into the idea that we ever were or are "a Christian nation", but I don't want to really want to get that argument started today. It's not a deal-breaker and it's not where I'm really going with this post.
I will say the following about this nation, however.....
We were founded on Christ-like morals and principles.
In God's sovereignty, despite the lives that have been, are, and continue to be lost, He has allowed the United States to become a powerhouse for the world.
We are tremendously fortunate in this country to practice ANY religion freely, especially Christianity, since it is forbidden in so many countries.
Our nation, and those from it, have done many good deeds for this world on a small and large scale.
Due to the security of our government and the preservation of our constitution, genocide, war, famine, etc. need not be on the forefront of our minds as citizens of this country.
However, we do suffer from one great atrocity......
GREED.
I've heard it said before that if the United States gave up something as simple as the producing and selling of ice cream for a year or just one year of Black Friday sales, the whole world would have clean water.
Sports stars make millions of dollars a year.
Politicians spend millions of dollars to beef up their campaigns.
People with, in my opinion, little to no talent, make ridiculous amounts of money just living their life in front of the camera and calling it a "reality show".
Our youth are being taught that money, fame, and this world's idea of success far outweigh humility and compassion.
Jesus is pretty hardcore when it comes to this greed/wealth issue:
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." Matthew 6:24
"Soldiers also asked him, 'And we, what shall we do?' And he said to them, 'Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.' Luke 3:14
"Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys." Luke 12:33
"For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:25
I could go on and on... but let's just say that Jesus does not shy away from this discussion at all.
Even when we look in the Old Testament, there are several references to what the love of riches will bring....
While many think God punished Sodom for it's homosexual practices, Ezekiel 16:49 tells a different story:
"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy".
Soo.... application???
It would be easy to throw our hands up and succumb to the comfort of this country. We could very easily come to the conclusion that what Jesus was asking is WAY TOO MUCH and that he couldn't expect us to live like that in 2012.
On the flip side, we could take the Bible and Jesus' words to the extreme, sell everything we own, and live amongst the homeless.
Now, don't hear me wrong. I definitely think Jesus clearly calls certain people to give up everything and go to the ends of the earth in His name. I also think that there are those to whom He gives much wealth in order to support those who are called out and to bless others richly in any number of ways.
I think he calls most of us, though, to live in the struggle....
When your spirit wrestles with AIDS in Africa, buying that new flat screen, starving children in South America, upgrading your iphone, and whether you would really give up EVERYTHING if He called you to do so, you know that you are living in the struggle and I really, really think that's where he wants us.
See, the more ( or less at times ) I look at Scripture, the more I realize that Christ rarely spoke in black and white, concrete statements. His desire was 1.) That we may know Him, and 2.) That we may open our eyes to the pain in this world and find the individual call He's placed on each of our lives to do something about it. He didn't come to give us rules and laws; He came to teach about His love and the best ways we can use the talents He gave us to express that.
Friends, we need to realize how rich we are. In this country, we need not look past our own lives for wealth. If you eat 3 meals a day, have clothes to put on your back, and any kind of roof over your head, you are extremely wealthy. When we turn on the television and are bombarded by what the "elite" (i.e.: ridiculously stupid rich) are doing or what they possess, we lose sight completely of what's really important.
I'm sure Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson, as well as Mother Theresa, would tell us (if they could) that riches and fame don't matter when you're gone. They don't do anything for you when this life is over.
If you want to make a difference in this world so that others will know your name (although Colossians 3:17 speaks against this), at least do something for eternity; feed the homeless, house a single mother, help heal the sick who can't afford medical care. Be a Mother Theresa, not a Donald Trump.
Kick making money and fame out of your intentions and just MATTER; HAVE PURPOSE. You may or may not find yourself financially rich, but your spiritual wealth will exceed any expectations and will bring you so much joy.
We live in a greedy America. I challenge all of us to ask ourselves, "What's one thing I can do to fix my greed and to be grateful today?"
Unfortunately, I sometimes fail to realize that other people see no connection at all. :)
So, just a disclaimer... this post is no different....
Today (2/26 - the day I started working on this post) is my firstborn's THIRD birthday, and for the life of me, I can't figure out where these three years have gone!!
We had a hard time conceiving Cohen, so his first birthday was HUGE!
Then, the next year, we were overwhelmed with our work at the boys' home and came to the realization that those residents were most definitely Cohen's closest confidants. So, we decided that as long as there was cake and a couple of presents, our 2 year old would have a great time! Chances were, he wouldn't hold it over our heads years down the road.
This year, since we once again find ourselves in a season of transition, we're doing just about the same thing. In a couple days, we are simply having a small family get-together with a "Cars 2" theme and cake. He's recieving presents from parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, and that's it.
While this may seem modest and maybe even borderline "sad" to some well-meaning Americans, I found myself sitting in my bedroom with his presents in front of me the other day, thinking, "He doesn't NEED any of this!"
I will say that his father and I (all 4 of his grandparents as well) do a pretty darn good job of buying him things that will help him developmentally. We don't like to buy junk. Every once in awhile, we'll throw in something cutsie and cheap (like a Mickey Mouse fishing game :)). But for the most part, his presents are books, clothes, and items that help him explore his imagination. Even still, compared to 90% of the world or more, he is absolutely, 100% spoiled ROTTEN!
Many times, as I go to grab one of my youngest, Ella's meals, I think 2 things:
1.) I really need to start making her baby food, because this is EXPENSIVE!!
2.) We are so blessed to live in a country where I can go to the grocery store and get Ella all the vitamins she needs in these little containers of food. So many mothers in other areas of the world struggle every day to make sure their 7 month old babies get all the nutrition they need each day, and it's a mindless chore for me.
These thoughts that cross my mind from time to time cause me to consider how we've simply lost perspective as Americans.
Now, I could make some very controversial points about how I don't buy into the idea that we ever were or are "a Christian nation", but I don't want to really want to get that argument started today. It's not a deal-breaker and it's not where I'm really going with this post.
I will say the following about this nation, however.....
We were founded on Christ-like morals and principles.
In God's sovereignty, despite the lives that have been, are, and continue to be lost, He has allowed the United States to become a powerhouse for the world.
We are tremendously fortunate in this country to practice ANY religion freely, especially Christianity, since it is forbidden in so many countries.
Our nation, and those from it, have done many good deeds for this world on a small and large scale.
Due to the security of our government and the preservation of our constitution, genocide, war, famine, etc. need not be on the forefront of our minds as citizens of this country.
However, we do suffer from one great atrocity......
GREED.
I've heard it said before that if the United States gave up something as simple as the producing and selling of ice cream for a year or just one year of Black Friday sales, the whole world would have clean water.
Sports stars make millions of dollars a year.
Politicians spend millions of dollars to beef up their campaigns.
People with, in my opinion, little to no talent, make ridiculous amounts of money just living their life in front of the camera and calling it a "reality show".
Our youth are being taught that money, fame, and this world's idea of success far outweigh humility and compassion.
Jesus is pretty hardcore when it comes to this greed/wealth issue:
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." Matthew 6:24
"Soldiers also asked him, 'And we, what shall we do?' And he said to them, 'Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.' Luke 3:14
"Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys." Luke 12:33
"For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:25
I could go on and on... but let's just say that Jesus does not shy away from this discussion at all.
Even when we look in the Old Testament, there are several references to what the love of riches will bring....
While many think God punished Sodom for it's homosexual practices, Ezekiel 16:49 tells a different story:
"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy".
Soo.... application???
It would be easy to throw our hands up and succumb to the comfort of this country. We could very easily come to the conclusion that what Jesus was asking is WAY TOO MUCH and that he couldn't expect us to live like that in 2012.
On the flip side, we could take the Bible and Jesus' words to the extreme, sell everything we own, and live amongst the homeless.
Now, don't hear me wrong. I definitely think Jesus clearly calls certain people to give up everything and go to the ends of the earth in His name. I also think that there are those to whom He gives much wealth in order to support those who are called out and to bless others richly in any number of ways.
I think he calls most of us, though, to live in the struggle....
When your spirit wrestles with AIDS in Africa, buying that new flat screen, starving children in South America, upgrading your iphone, and whether you would really give up EVERYTHING if He called you to do so, you know that you are living in the struggle and I really, really think that's where he wants us.
See, the more ( or less at times ) I look at Scripture, the more I realize that Christ rarely spoke in black and white, concrete statements. His desire was 1.) That we may know Him, and 2.) That we may open our eyes to the pain in this world and find the individual call He's placed on each of our lives to do something about it. He didn't come to give us rules and laws; He came to teach about His love and the best ways we can use the talents He gave us to express that.
Friends, we need to realize how rich we are. In this country, we need not look past our own lives for wealth. If you eat 3 meals a day, have clothes to put on your back, and any kind of roof over your head, you are extremely wealthy. When we turn on the television and are bombarded by what the "elite" (i.e.: ridiculously stupid rich) are doing or what they possess, we lose sight completely of what's really important.
I'm sure Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson, as well as Mother Theresa, would tell us (if they could) that riches and fame don't matter when you're gone. They don't do anything for you when this life is over.
If you want to make a difference in this world so that others will know your name (although Colossians 3:17 speaks against this), at least do something for eternity; feed the homeless, house a single mother, help heal the sick who can't afford medical care. Be a Mother Theresa, not a Donald Trump.
Kick making money and fame out of your intentions and just MATTER; HAVE PURPOSE. You may or may not find yourself financially rich, but your spiritual wealth will exceed any expectations and will bring you so much joy.
We live in a greedy America. I challenge all of us to ask ourselves, "What's one thing I can do to fix my greed and to be grateful today?"
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