Belly Laughing Happy and Messy Blessings

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Ps 27:13

I sat trying to read my magazine in the doctor’s office distracted by their continual laughter. Clearly smitten, the father seemed oblivious to my observation as he talked with her. His daughter’s words were indistinguishable to me, but he clearly understood everything she uttered. A normal occurrence, you might assume, a father delighting over his toddler. Yet this was no small child. She looked to be in her late teens. Unable to walk or talk normally, her round face glowed with a continual smile as she played with her toy, and he wiped the drool that ran down her face. She clearly required constant care and patience… yet, I don’t think I have ever seen a more genuinely happy pair. Years ago his heart must have broken as he heard the news that his little girl would never be normal, and his life would never be as well. I wondered how long it took him to accept it all. Had he blamed God? Did he blame himself? Did he fall apart or get mad? Where was his wife? Had she left in despair?

Yet there he sat--his eyes revealed no hint of bitterness but instead sparkled with delight while their laughter filled the room. Sometime, I don’t know when, he must have decided to accept the life he had been given. And, by the looks of things, he had done more than accept it….he had embraced it as blessing. He wasn’t putting on a show. He was belly-laughing-happy and as proud of the sweet angel who held his hand as if she had just been crowned Miss America.

I want to be like that daddy don’t you? I want to live life… all of it. I don’t want to focus on what I don’t have but what I do. I don’t want to live in what could have been but enjoy what is. I want to delight in the blessings God has given me even if they don’t look like someone else’s blessings. I want to stop worrying about tomorrow and enjoy this day. I’m not trying to be a Polly Anna. I know life is hard, but it is also good. All of us have something, and most of us have many things, to be thankful for. Sometimes we have to look a little harder to see them, but they are there. The problem is we are so busy trying to fix life we miss the blessing right in front of us….messy that it might be.

Prayer, Father, thank you for surrounding me with blessings. Help me to see them. Help me to enjoy them. Thank you for trusting me with some hard things and helping me to know you better because of them. Thank you for never leaving me. Thank you for being for me. Thank you for sending your Son to die for me so that I can be with you in Heaven but also so I can enjoy You in this life. Thank you Lord for allowing me to see how much you love me today. Amen.

Why do you do the things you do?

Hi-

Thank you for your continued prayers for this ministry. I want to call your attention to an interview Nancy Leigh DeMoss’ online magazine “Lies Young Women Believe” did recently with my teenage son, Will. This interview was about the effects of his father’s suicide on his faith. I know many of you know someone who has been touched by suicide. I think you will find incredible encouragement in this article that I have posted to my website. You can go directly to that page at http://www.morethanchocolate.org/id72.html What an amazing God we serve!

Here is this week’s Single Moment Devotional:

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
James 1:17

Are you weak and foolish? I know you have heard me say it before, but God’s Word comforts weak and foolish me. I particularly like 1 Cor 1:27 where God tells us He chooses the weak and the foolish. I am thoroughly convinced I qualify to be chosen! I find further peace in these words in a world where everyone wants to be smart, beautiful, rich, famous, an idol, a star…it seems that everyone wants to be known. Many of us aren’t trying out for the latest reality show, but we still have that tendency to want to be known. Even we mini-van moms decorate our vehicles with stickers showing five kids, two dogs, and “honor student on board”. I don’t think that is sin but just evidence we all have the tendency to want to be known for something, and, if we aren’t careful, we will be tempted to glory in that something.

Yet in all we want to glory in, the Bible tells us “let him who glories, glory in the Lord” (1 Cor 1:30). Perhaps, this is because God knows glorying in our own “accomplishments” will never really satisfy us. Yes, we may achieve things, and some good things, but the fulfillment that comes from our own success never really lasts very long. If we aren’t careful, we can become a slave to the praise of men--like a drug addict always craving that next accolade or complement. Believe me I know! Even ministry, and especially speaking, can be seductive; and, if I am not careful, I will speak and write for the praise of men rather than the praise of God. I Cor 1:29 says “no flesh can glory in His presence” and if my flesh is basking in my glory rather than in God – God is NOT in it.

This desire to glory in ourselves is the same desire that caused Lucifer to fall and can keep us from the presence of God. It can cause us to make stupid, sinful decisions to make ourselves look good or to please someone else rather than please God. So how do we combat this seductive, flesh desire to be known and to be praised by others, which has caused the downfall of many? We have to look at our lives and evaluate what we are doing and why. We have to take our thoughts captive and combat them with truth. Our security does (and will only ever) come from God. Every talent, ability, every good thing you have was given to you by HIM (I Cor 1:5). Furthermore, “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows”(James 1:17). The world will love you today and hate you tomorrow. God will not change! He loves you for who you are, not what you do, and His affection for you will not change like shifting shadows based on how you perform! There is real contentment there! God loves you so much – oh, glory in that! Ask yourself why you do the stuff you do and why you think the thoughts you think. Lay down that never-satisfying need to be known and praised by others. Follow Him with all you have and you will find freedom, joy and rest, for your souls.

Prayer: Oh Father, thank you for loving me even though I am weak and foolish. Thank you for giving me so many good things and loving me with anunending, perfect, love. Help me to evaluate my life and my motives. Help me to walk in the freedom that comes from living my life to please you rather than for the praise of men. You are so good to me. Thank you for helping me see things which are causing me pain. I love you Lord. Amen.