A Lesson from my Little

Hello out there! I am so sorry that I have been sparse in checking in, but things have been a little nutty around here and I just haven't had the mental energy to try to put to words everything that the Lord is doing. But I am going to try today in spite of my fuzzy brain, so here goes. 

As far as everyday life goes, we are doing well.  We took a three week break from school because of friends coming in to visit and it was so nice to have that flexibility! 

( this was literally moments before it began to snow. And it's been snowing for a week off and on!)

We had sweet fellowship with our friends, a fun mellow Christmas, and then we all got sick. Like really very extra sick. In fact, Abigail got such a bad ear infection that her ear drum ruptured. That was a new one for me. I've never had to watch blood oozing out of my child's ear before but really it isn't that big of a deal. 

Christian was up in the mountains taking this picture and snowshoeing (new favorite-est thing ever) so Jesus helped me clear the four inches of snow and ice off of my car and we got her all taken care of at the doctors. She still can't hear us out of that ear but her fever is gone and she's feeling better enough to enjoy all of her Christmas gifts. (P.s. How awesome is this amazing score from Jesus?! I found this American girl sized camper that sells for $70 for $16.99 at the thrift store!!! Brand new and unopened! One smallish crack on the back that Christian fixed with super glue and ta-da! Awesome gift!)

Seth is doing awesome and kinda climbing the walls from cabin fever because we've been sick for so long. Yesterday I took him out in the snow for half an hour and he literally just rolled around in it. Haha poor kid!

Spiritually, well, yeah I am  still just getting wrecked. Every day it feel like I see more of my yuck. But I am also being blown away by His grace every single day and that's been amazing. 

I am so thankful for the prayer that an amazing lady prayed over me as a new believer!  She prayed that I would LOVE to read the word of God, that I would have a hunger for it. 

Wow, what a prayer to pray over someone!  Because through my walk with Jesus, through all of the ups and downs, His word has been my anchor. It has kept me grounded in Him and I know I would not know Him as sweetly without that time with Him.  That's one of huge things I love about the one Year Bible. I know it's not for everyone and I'm not guilt tripping anyone, but I love that it takes me by the hand and leads me through every nook and cranny of the word. By the end of it, not one part has been over looked. I just love that!  It doesn't matter really how you use it.  My daughter is reading the New Testament and the psalms portion this year and plans to next year read the Old Testament and the proverbs. So it will take her two years instead of one. Some people just read and pay no attention to the dates. That's cool too. And last year, Christian jumped off the bible bus and read chronologically. Whatever you do, just read the Bible! For reals. Two minutes a day, two verses a day, just be in it. Your hunger for it will grow. There are days when I feel too tired to get up or I sleep in and it would be so much easier to skip it. But there's this sad place in me that knows IM GOING TO MISS SOMETHING. It's not a guilt trip!  But have you ever had the choice to stay home and sleepily lay on the couch or pack up and spend some face time with the one you love on a beach listening to the sound of the waves and the declarations of love from your adorer? Who really picks lazily sitting on the couch? Not me! I love me some declarations of love!  And I'm not about to miss out on that, ya know?  Like really is that extra half an hour in bed going to charge up my batteries for the day and make me more productive and joyful? Uh yeah, from experience, I can say NOPE. But half an hour sitting with Jesus, reading His word, pausing to pray it in, praying for the people in my life, praying for the day and season ahead, yeah THATS what gets me going for the day. Better than any cup of coffee! Although a hot cup of coffee when it is -8 outside is helpful for my brain, not gonna lie. 

Well, I truly began this post without any mind to exhort anyone to read their bible this coming year, but I guess I've landed there anyway. So yeah read your bible and pray every single day haha. No really, do it. No guilt for the days missed, but beg for a hunger for it that will be satisfied no where else. I'm praying that we will both have a hunger for reading the word of God this new year!

This year I am reading the One Year Bible again just because it works for me and I love it.  There was so much good stuff today!!!

Genesis 4:6 was convicting! Examine why you're angry if you are and really break it down!

Matthew 2:14, 17, 23 was a wake up call for me. What if the things happening in my life, even the hard things, are happening so that Gods beautiful word can be fulfilled? Can I stop fighting against that and just TRUST?

Matthew 3:3 oh my! What is MY life crying out? Can anyone hear me? Do I cry out my woes and only whisper my praise?

But this morning I was mostly struck by genesis 4:16.  You see, everytime I come across this story, I am reminded that God can speak His truths to anyone. When Abigail was just two years old, almost three, we were reading the Bible together. I was reading a chunk and then we would talk about it and pray. It was sweet. I decided to start at the very beginning, cause that a good place to start (and now that I have strung that sentence together, I have a song in my head...Sound of Music anyone?) and we were making our way through the story of creation and then came chapter four. Lots of hard things to discuss with a two year old! So I came to this section and paused.  Murder. Should I really discuss murder with my two year old?  I prayed and felt the nudge to continue so I did. I read through and her face was priceless. She was hanging on every word and when I finished with verse 16, I closed the book and looked at her. 

And she broke into tears and hid her face on the floor and cried. Like giant huge wailing.  

I was thinking, great, well that really went well...why did I think she wouldn't be upset about murder again? So I set aside the bible and said, honey, why are you crying, expecting to hear her say cause that guy killed that guy. Cause that would upset ME. But no.

She looked up at me with tears still streaming down her face and haltingly said

"He....left...God!"

It turns out that she was so upset at the thought of someone purposefully leaving the presence of God. 

I sat there stunned. I had never thought about that before when I had read that. Yes, of course it's sad that someone leaves the presence of God, but CAIN. Yeah, I had never looked that closely before. He killed his brother and took off. That had always been the end of the story for me. 

So we sat there, my two year old and I, grieving for those that choose to walk away from the Lord instead of repent. 

And I learned not only more depth to a story I had thought I understood, but also that Jesus can use ANYone to speak truth. Jesus especially loves to speak truth to the littles, so I decided then and there to listen more to them. Sometimes, I still forget. But He is sweet to remind me. 

So in the middle of this terrible story of mans fall into sin and the effects it has had on all of mankind, there is this beautiful reminder to me to grieve over those who choose to walk away. And to listen for His truth from even the least of these. God values the littles! They are in fact some of His favorite people. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from chilly Colorado!