It was a horrifying sight, to be sure. The frightening creature stared at me through my window screen with its beady black eyes. I shuddered and quickly closed the window, not wanting to be anywhere nearby if and when it decided to spit its poison.
Okay, so I'm a little dramatic. The horrifying creature was nothing more than a praying mantis. But those things just really creep me out. And yes, I realize that they do not spit poison, but when I was little another kid in the neighborhood told me that they did, and I've been afraid of them ever since.
Silly? Yes. Irrational? To be sure. But it still sticks in my mind, so therefore I do not like praying mantises. My family teases me about it and thinks I'm a little off-kilter, but such is life.
So, now a really disturbing thought has occurred to me. I am afraid of praying mantises spitting poison, even though they do not. But who should be afraid of me, for the poison that so easily can spew from my tongue?
Ouch...think about that one for a minute. And ponder this as well, from James 3:5-7. "The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison."
I don't want people to feel the urge to back away when they see me coming. I don't want to see my children shrink away from angry or critical words spewing from my mouth like venom. I don't want my husband to dread hearing my complaints or whining, or friends to fear being the target of gossip or a judgemental attitude.
Rather than words that poison relationships and tear others down, I want to speak life-giving words of affirmation and encouragement, words that give hope and allow love to be heard above all else.
Those are the kinds of words that can only be spoken by someone living a life that is filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit. Matthew 12:34 tells us "out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks." And from Proverbs 16:23-24: "A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."
To live this kind of life and speak these kinds of words takes time on my knees with hands folded in prayer, the posture of a praying mantis without the "poison."
Monday, September 28, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Back to School!
What a wild ride the month of August has been! I can't believe my girls have now been back in school for over a week. So much excitement over the start of school since Kaelie was starting high school and Hannah middle school.
I'm so happy to report that it seems to have been a smooth transition for both. I keep thinking back to when they were small, and how exhausting it was to be a mother of a toddler and then a preschooler. It's no less exhausting now, I've decided. It's just a different kind of exhausting. It's also no less of a joy. It's so amazing to watch them grow and change and mature. What a privilege to get to be a part of their lives!
So far they are also both enjoying the sports they're participating in this fall. Hannah is a manager for the middle school volleyball team and seems to be loving it. She's also playing travel soccer, so we have those practices twice a week and then games on the weeekends. Kaelie decided to give cross country a try, and I've been amazed to see how hard she's working and throwing herself into it. Her goal is to train all year through cross country, then both indoor and outdoor track in order to be in extra-good shape by the time volleyball tryouts roll around next summer. So glad to see her setting a goal and working so hard to pursue it. Unforunately, the athletic trainer at the school seems to think Kaelie may have a stress fracture in her foot, so we'll be getting an x-ray on Tuesday. I really hope it's not...she doesn't need that kind of setback right now.
Praying that God will continue to watch after their goings and comings...
I'm so happy to report that it seems to have been a smooth transition for both. I keep thinking back to when they were small, and how exhausting it was to be a mother of a toddler and then a preschooler. It's no less exhausting now, I've decided. It's just a different kind of exhausting. It's also no less of a joy. It's so amazing to watch them grow and change and mature. What a privilege to get to be a part of their lives!
So far they are also both enjoying the sports they're participating in this fall. Hannah is a manager for the middle school volleyball team and seems to be loving it. She's also playing travel soccer, so we have those practices twice a week and then games on the weeekends. Kaelie decided to give cross country a try, and I've been amazed to see how hard she's working and throwing herself into it. Her goal is to train all year through cross country, then both indoor and outdoor track in order to be in extra-good shape by the time volleyball tryouts roll around next summer. So glad to see her setting a goal and working so hard to pursue it. Unforunately, the athletic trainer at the school seems to think Kaelie may have a stress fracture in her foot, so we'll be getting an x-ray on Tuesday. I really hope it's not...she doesn't need that kind of setback right now.
Praying that God will continue to watch after their goings and comings...
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Tryout Update
Well, here's the update as promised. I put it off as long as possible today because it is painful to write. Kaelie got cut from the J-V volleyball team.
It was a really tough afternoon, but I'm so proud of the way she has handled it. She said that she knows God has other things for her to do and that being on this team just isn't one of them. There were some tears, naturally, but overall she's been fine. One of her best friends, Kelsey, also was cut, so it has helped that they have been able to spend the day together, and Kelsey is here for a sleepover tonight.
One really cool thing is that Kaelie has recognized on her own how God used that mission trip she went on last week to prepare her for this disappointment. She sees a much bigger picture, and I am so very grateful to God for showing it to her!
It was a really tough afternoon, but I'm so proud of the way she has handled it. She said that she knows God has other things for her to do and that being on this team just isn't one of them. There were some tears, naturally, but overall she's been fine. One of her best friends, Kelsey, also was cut, so it has helped that they have been able to spend the day together, and Kelsey is here for a sleepover tonight.
One really cool thing is that Kaelie has recognized on her own how God used that mission trip she went on last week to prepare her for this disappointment. She sees a much bigger picture, and I am so very grateful to God for showing it to her!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Unshakable
Okay, so I just got Kaelie to bed and finished praying with her. Volleyball tryouts for the junior varsity team are tomorrow morning at 8:00. She's pretty nervous, but her attitude about the whole thing completely blew me away.
I told her that she just needs to go out there and work her rear end off so that whether she makes the team or not, at least she can leave the court knowing that she gave it her very best effort. "Hopefully that will be enough," I said. "But if it's not, it just means that God has other plans for you this year and it will be exciting to see what's in store."
She smiled, nodded her head in agreement and said the most amazing thing. "The way I'm looking at it is that all this is just earthly kingdom kind of stuff. I need to keep my focus on the unshakable kingdom that counts."
I couldn't hold back a couple of tears. Hearing those words from the mouth of my 14 year-old daughter was such an unbelieveable encouragement to me. I'm so grateful for the beautiful work that God is doing in her. She came back from her Jeremiah Project mission trip yesterday wearing a t-shirt with "unshakable" written on it. That was the theme for the entire week. Taken from the Message version of Hebrews 12:28-29, it obviously gave her just the preparation she needed to face this week.
"Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't quit until it's all cleansed. God himself is Fire!"
It's really cool to see my child on fire for the God of fire. No matter what happens tomorrow and Tuesday on the volleyball court, I know that with this kind of faith, she'll be just fine!
I told her that she just needs to go out there and work her rear end off so that whether she makes the team or not, at least she can leave the court knowing that she gave it her very best effort. "Hopefully that will be enough," I said. "But if it's not, it just means that God has other plans for you this year and it will be exciting to see what's in store."
She smiled, nodded her head in agreement and said the most amazing thing. "The way I'm looking at it is that all this is just earthly kingdom kind of stuff. I need to keep my focus on the unshakable kingdom that counts."
I couldn't hold back a couple of tears. Hearing those words from the mouth of my 14 year-old daughter was such an unbelieveable encouragement to me. I'm so grateful for the beautiful work that God is doing in her. She came back from her Jeremiah Project mission trip yesterday wearing a t-shirt with "unshakable" written on it. That was the theme for the entire week. Taken from the Message version of Hebrews 12:28-29, it obviously gave her just the preparation she needed to face this week.
"Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't quit until it's all cleansed. God himself is Fire!"
It's really cool to see my child on fire for the God of fire. No matter what happens tomorrow and Tuesday on the volleyball court, I know that with this kind of faith, she'll be just fine!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Priorities and Provision
It never ceases to amaze me how much I learn from children. I'm so proud of Kaelie, my 14 year-old daughter, for what she has taught me most recently. This week Kaelie is on a mission trip with a group of middle school youth from our church. After we had already registered her for two fairly expensive camps this summer, she begged to go on this trip. My husband and I debated and debated whether to let her go for two reasons. First, the money. The trip itself is kind of pricey. Second, the fact that she would be gone for a week, getting home exhausted on Saturday afternoon, and have to be ready for tryouts for the junior varsity volleyball team at the high school at 8:00 Monday morning.
That might not seem like such a big deal, but it really is. Kaelie LOVES volleyball, has played for the middle school team as well as a club team, and really wants to continue in high school. The problem is that there are a total of eight girls moving up from the middle school, and they will be competing for only three or four open spots on J-V. I know Kaelie will be so disappointed if she doesn't make it.
For that reason even more so than the money, I tried to discourage her from going. But what it finally came down to for Joey and I was this: when our teenage daughter is begging to go and serve the Lord on a mission trip, how in good conscience can we put volleyball first and say no?
Obviously, we couldn't do that. That's why I am so proud of Kaelie for having her priorities on the matter straight even if we didn't. This week, I believe she is living out Matthew 6:33-34: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
These verses are really talking about not worrying about God's provision for essentials such as food, clothing, and shelter. But my prayer for Kaelie is that next week, God will reward her faithfulness and her service to him this week by providing a spot for her on that team. What a testimony that would be!
Check back Tuesday and I'll post an update with the tryout results! In the meantime, please pray for Kaelie!
That might not seem like such a big deal, but it really is. Kaelie LOVES volleyball, has played for the middle school team as well as a club team, and really wants to continue in high school. The problem is that there are a total of eight girls moving up from the middle school, and they will be competing for only three or four open spots on J-V. I know Kaelie will be so disappointed if she doesn't make it.
For that reason even more so than the money, I tried to discourage her from going. But what it finally came down to for Joey and I was this: when our teenage daughter is begging to go and serve the Lord on a mission trip, how in good conscience can we put volleyball first and say no?
Obviously, we couldn't do that. That's why I am so proud of Kaelie for having her priorities on the matter straight even if we didn't. This week, I believe she is living out Matthew 6:33-34: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
These verses are really talking about not worrying about God's provision for essentials such as food, clothing, and shelter. But my prayer for Kaelie is that next week, God will reward her faithfulness and her service to him this week by providing a spot for her on that team. What a testimony that would be!
Check back Tuesday and I'll post an update with the tryout results! In the meantime, please pray for Kaelie!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Life Lessons on the Commercial Break
I have to admit it was a bit uncomfortable, watching a tv show with my teenage daughter about a Christian teenager contemplating intimacy with her boyfriend. As the girl's friend attempted to dissaude her from moving ahead with her plans, the girl fired back with every argument in the book. Finally she ended the conversation saying that she had been praying about it and came to the conclusion that since God is love, that He would not have a problem with her expressing her love for her boyfriend physically.
Cut to commercial...thankfully.
I quickly muted the tv and asked my daughter what she thought about that last comment. She said that she completely disagreed with it because she believed that what the girl was about to do was a sin.
I was glad to hear that, but I decided I needed to take my daughter a little deeper. I wanted her to realize how easy it is to rationalize sin, any sin. We can creatively come up with just about any argument to support our decisions, and we must be aware that there is an enemy who desires nothing more than to prey on our human desires and weaknesses in order to lead us into sin. 1 Peter 5:8 says it best: "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Doesn't that just give you the creeps?
I asked my daughter this question: "If you have been praying about a decision you need to make, do you think God would give you an answer that would lead you to do something that goes against his Word?"
Her answer was no, and she was right. The problem is, too often we don't bother to find out what exactly his Word has to say about it. We come up with our rationalizations that sound perfectly logical, just like the girl's comment on tv. I told my daughter that's why it is so important if there is any question in your mind about whether or not something is right or wrong, then don't do it. Go first to the Bible and see how your thoughts and rationalizations stack up against God's Word. If they don't fall in line and you proceed with your plans anyway, then do so with the knowledge that you are acting in disobedience to God, and disobedience to God is nothing other than sin.
We all face temptation in one form or another every day. The good news is that we don't have to face it alone. According to 2 Corinthians 10:4, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds."
God is on our side, and He has graciously given us his Word as an aresenal against the enemy. We just have to be willing to put it to work.
Cut to commercial...thankfully.
I quickly muted the tv and asked my daughter what she thought about that last comment. She said that she completely disagreed with it because she believed that what the girl was about to do was a sin.
I was glad to hear that, but I decided I needed to take my daughter a little deeper. I wanted her to realize how easy it is to rationalize sin, any sin. We can creatively come up with just about any argument to support our decisions, and we must be aware that there is an enemy who desires nothing more than to prey on our human desires and weaknesses in order to lead us into sin. 1 Peter 5:8 says it best: "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Doesn't that just give you the creeps?
I asked my daughter this question: "If you have been praying about a decision you need to make, do you think God would give you an answer that would lead you to do something that goes against his Word?"
Her answer was no, and she was right. The problem is, too often we don't bother to find out what exactly his Word has to say about it. We come up with our rationalizations that sound perfectly logical, just like the girl's comment on tv. I told my daughter that's why it is so important if there is any question in your mind about whether or not something is right or wrong, then don't do it. Go first to the Bible and see how your thoughts and rationalizations stack up against God's Word. If they don't fall in line and you proceed with your plans anyway, then do so with the knowledge that you are acting in disobedience to God, and disobedience to God is nothing other than sin.
We all face temptation in one form or another every day. The good news is that we don't have to face it alone. According to 2 Corinthians 10:4, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds."
God is on our side, and He has graciously given us his Word as an aresenal against the enemy. We just have to be willing to put it to work.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Making Sense from a Senseless Tragedy
What can you say to someone who has lost a child? What words are there to comfort someone who is living through such a nightmare? I can't begin to fathom the heartache as a parent.
In the wee hours of Monday morning, a high school friend of my husband's received the devastating news that no parent wants to hear. His oldest daughter, a beautiful, blond-haired, 20 year-old girl named Mary-Kathryn was killed in a tragic accident. She and her boyfriend had apparently gathered with some others along the side of an interstate highway in Northern Virginia to watch a street race. One of the drivers lost control and hit a parked vehicle, ramming it into Mary-Kathryn and her boyfriend, killing them both.
Soon after we got the news that afternoon, my own two daughters were fighting with each other and treating each other so hatefully. It nearly made me sick to my stomach as I thought about Mary-Kathryn. Life is too short and fleeting to waste time and energy on ugliness and fighting. If only we could all remember to treat others in ways that build up, rather than tear down, to show respect and kindess and love rather than contempt and meanness. I would hate to suddenly depart this life tomorrow if anything I've said or done today has hurt or offended. There's no guarantee we'll get the time or opportunity to make apologies or amends.
Obviously, I have been praying for Mary-Kathryn's family as they cope with this tragedy and if you are reading this, I hope you will too. Let me also challenge you to join me in praying that we would all strive to make a positive difference or contribution of some sort each day for the Kingdom of God. Even if you never see the results of your efforts in this life, trust that the eternal rewards will all be worth it.
"He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."
(1 Thessalonians 5:10-11)
In the wee hours of Monday morning, a high school friend of my husband's received the devastating news that no parent wants to hear. His oldest daughter, a beautiful, blond-haired, 20 year-old girl named Mary-Kathryn was killed in a tragic accident. She and her boyfriend had apparently gathered with some others along the side of an interstate highway in Northern Virginia to watch a street race. One of the drivers lost control and hit a parked vehicle, ramming it into Mary-Kathryn and her boyfriend, killing them both.
Soon after we got the news that afternoon, my own two daughters were fighting with each other and treating each other so hatefully. It nearly made me sick to my stomach as I thought about Mary-Kathryn. Life is too short and fleeting to waste time and energy on ugliness and fighting. If only we could all remember to treat others in ways that build up, rather than tear down, to show respect and kindess and love rather than contempt and meanness. I would hate to suddenly depart this life tomorrow if anything I've said or done today has hurt or offended. There's no guarantee we'll get the time or opportunity to make apologies or amends.
Obviously, I have been praying for Mary-Kathryn's family as they cope with this tragedy and if you are reading this, I hope you will too. Let me also challenge you to join me in praying that we would all strive to make a positive difference or contribution of some sort each day for the Kingdom of God. Even if you never see the results of your efforts in this life, trust that the eternal rewards will all be worth it.
"He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."
(1 Thessalonians 5:10-11)
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