Yes and Amen

An elephant never forgets.  At least, that's how the old expression goes.  I think that expression should be different.  I think it should really be, "A toddler/preschooler never forgets."  That's been my experience.  I'd say it's probably my experience most days.

As I try to parent our little three ring circus (one ring per kid!), I try to always follow through and do what I say I'm going to do.  I still remember how serious my dad was about this when we were growing up.  He never would promise to do something.  He always taught us, "Let your yes be yes, and your no, no."  He said he didn't have to promise, because if he said he was going to do something, he would do it.  We could take him at his word.  And, we still can to this day.  So, I try to do this with my kids as well.  But, sometimes I just get so busy or preoccupied that I forget something that I've told them I'd do.  Here's the thing though:  They NEVER forget.  It doesn't matter what it is.  It could be the tiniest thing that I've told them that I'd do or that we'd do together.  They won't forget it.  I always tell folks to be careful what they tell my kids they'll do, because they will NOT forget it!  And they won't let you forget it either!

This morning during Ben's nap we made a project with stars all over it and were talking about a verse we learned yesterday, "Praise Him, sun and moon, praise Him, all you shining stars."(Ps. 148:3)  I told Andy and Ava that we could make some cookies that looked like stars.  They were so excited until I heard Ben start crying over the monitor.  Naptime was over (way too soon I might add!).  I'm not the best at multitasking with things that are pretty involved like baking, so I told the kids we'd have to wait until later when their daddy was home from work.  Well, the day went on.  We had lunch, then naps.  After naps, I had my mind on everything we had to do to get ready for a party at church tonight.  Then Andy said, "When are we going to make the cookies?"  I had completely forgotten.  Didn't mean to, but I did.  Needless to say, we hurried and were able to make the cutest little star cookies with sprinkles.

As I was thinking about the fact that my kiddos never forget anything it seems, the Lord spoke to my heart.  They remember every promise I make to them.  The big ones.  The little ones.  All the ones in between.  They obviously make it a point to keep my promises on their minds.  They wait in eager expectation for me to be true to my word.  What if I were to have the same diligence in keeping my Father's promises before me?  What if they were always on my mind?  What if I waited in eager expectation every day for Him to do what He promises He'll do?  Second Corinthians 1:20 says, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ.  And so through him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God."  God is true to His promises simply because He is God.  But then all of God's promises are "Yes", they are confirmed in Christ.  So, God's promises are completely true, they are confirmed in Christ, and then through Christ we are enabled to say, "Let it be, Lord" to the glory of God the Father.  It is for His glory that He makes promises.  It is for His glory that He keeps them.  It is for His glory that those promises are confirmed in Christ.  And it is for His glory that we eagerly keep them before us, believe them, and say, "Amen. Let them be."

Renewal

This is my third attempt at blogging.  The first--I don't really know why I started it.  It seems like I was attempting to make it a sort of online journal, but let's just say that was as successful as my actual journals.  Two or three entries, then an empty book.  The second--I attempted a couponing blog.  I enjoyed it, but soon got bogged down in it because it took up so much time.  Both attempts failed because I couldn't meet my own expectations.

The Lord has been teaching me about my expectations lately.  I don't consider myself a perfectionist or Type A or anything like that.  I mean there are certain things that I have to have just-so (ask anyone who has ever tried to hang a picture on the wall for me--this usually involves levels, tape measures, weeping, gnashing of teeth, etc.).  But, the Lord has opened my eyes recently to my spiritual perfectionism.  In my journaling/blogging life in the past, if I missed a few days blogging or didn't write about something I felt I needed to, I just gave up.  What's the point?  It's messed up now.  Some of you know what I'm talking about.  You're on a diet.  You eat a cupcake.  What's the point?  Might as well give up now.  The Lord has graciously allowed me to see that I have done this over and over again in my walk with Him.  I miss a day or two days or a week spending time with Him.  What's the point?  I might as well not read my Bible today.  I haven't taken a moment to pray today.  What's the point?  I might as well not do it now.  Spiritual perfectionism.  If I can't do it perfect, I don't do it.  It really is ridiculous, isn't it?  Yet, I feel we all do it.  And what it says about what we believe is even more ridiculous.  It says that somehow we feel we earn God's approval by doing things perfectly.  That somehow we merit more favor because we do certain things at certain times.  Pastor Matt Chandler speaks of this as a type of spiritual schizophrenia--when we do things right we have these spiritual highs, and when we fail we have these lows of not wanting to approach God.  Don't get me wrong.  The Lord calls us to do certain things.  He calls us to be holy as He is holy.  But, we have to be careful of our motivation.  We do these things we are called to out of the grace poured out on us in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, not because we can one day check off all the boxes perfectly.  Second Corinthians 5:21 says, "He became sin who knew no sin that we might become the righteousness of God."  We have God's approval, merit His favor, and approach Him boldly because of the righteousness we have in Jesus Christ.  So, we can rest from our work, from our perfectionism knowing that the only perfection we have before God is through the blood of His Son.

This has been the strong theme the Lord has wisely chosen to speak into my life right now.  It's because of this that I have chosen to lay aside even other more trivial pursuits of perfection.  So, this blog may not be perfect.  Who knows?  I might not write every day, every week, or every month.  But, I have had so many moments lately where I've wanted to share quotes from books I've been reading, Scripture that has spoken to me, and lessons the Lord has taught me.  Hopefully, despite it's imperfections, this will be a place for that.

I pray that you will let go of the striving.  Let go of the working.  Let go of the expectations of yourself that even the Lord doesn't have for you.  Rest in the finished work of Christ.  I pray that the Lord will speak to your heart as I share what He is doing in mine.