Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted ruby red slippers. Just like Dorothy. I also wanted Toto, but that is a whole different story... Anyway, I chased around a spunky, daring, little blonde wearing red sparkly shoes through the park yesterday. These slippers ran through mushy mud puddles, squealed to go higher on the swings, and even swung herself across the monkey bars (yeah, ok, so she had a LOT of help with that one...). The entire time I watched her tackle the scary "swinging" bridge, the super duper twisty slide, and go around the big sisters who kept telling her what to do, I thought about the hopes and dreams I had for her, really for each of her sisters, but she was the one wearing the shoes I envy, so...
Anyway, as a Mom, I find myself hoping and praying for blessings over my girls. I pray they know enough challenges to make them strong, and still lose enough battles they understand how to savor victory. I pray for good grades and college scholarships. I pray for love and adventure. But, most often, I find myself praying they know God better than I do. I long for them to know Him so well that they don't make silly mistakes like I have. I long for them to experience a life under His protection and His calling for them. Not walking in disobedience, but knowing how to have the abundance and prosperity that comes from living a life of obedience.
Anyway, as a Mom, I find myself hoping and praying for blessings over my girls. I pray they know enough challenges to make them strong, and still lose enough battles they understand how to savor victory. I pray for good grades and college scholarships. I pray for love and adventure. But, most often, I find myself praying they know God better than I do. I long for them to know Him so well that they don't make silly mistakes like I have. I long for them to experience a life under His protection and His calling for them. Not walking in disobedience, but knowing how to have the abundance and prosperity that comes from living a life of obedience.
I don't typically have spiritual moments at the park, but stranger things have definitely happened. As I was running after Jess yesterday, I realized how many hopes and dreams I have lost or changed. As crazy as it is, it really did all start with the silly shoes and how much I wanted shoes just like that when I was little. After many years, that dream sort of changed, and it helps to know that my kids have sparkly shoes. I kept thinking about how to best shield and protect her from the mean girl cliques at school, bullies who steal ice cream money, or best friends who will inevitably stab her in the back. I thought about all of the mistakes I have made, and the lessons I learned through them.
I kept thinking about the goals I have for her as a parent, those things I so desperately want to give to her. I kept thinking about the ways I cradle her, protect her, wipe away her tears. And then realized again (in a wow moment) just exactly how much God feels towards us. I know the Bible tells us in several different places that we as earthly parent give good gifts to our kids, and that God gives even greater things to those that really seek His heart. I began to really think about the things I do for the girls, and the love that goes into those things. Except, the reality part didn't hit me until later.
Pushing her on the swing, Jessie kept crying out, "Mommy, push me higher! I want to go higher!" And, seriously, I felt God just speak over me, "Cil, I want you to go higher." I realized as I was laughing at her adamant squeals, I wanted nothing more than to go to that next level with God. I want to be able to just know where I am with Him and exactly who I am with Him. The last few weeks, I have spent more time praying, praising and reading than I have in quite some time. My prayer life has grown, and I realize I just need to go a little higher, experience just a little more.
I feel such an urgency this morning to just fully depend on God for those promises I am waiting for. To just release my desires and dreams fully to His completely capable hands. As I was laying in bed last night, I just felt so close. I just felt that still small voice remind me His promises are never broken. Waiting has always felt like doing nothing. I hate that part of life. I like to know I am doing all that I can to complete a task. And, waiting feels like sitting around, doing nothing. But this morning, waiting feels like I am doing something. I am relying on Someone way bigger than myself to complete His promises to me. I am releasing control of my situation to the Creator of my days. And those two things most definitely do not feel I am doing nothing.
Throughout this season of my life, I have often looked back and allowed myself to be discouraged, frustrated, just wanting something or someone to let me I am important, that I have value, even when all evidence points to the contrary. For so many years, nothing I did could ever equal worth. Nothing I did earned respect or an uplifting word. As I read my devotion this morning, I got the most awesome reminder of who I am. I am Cil, the one who Jesus loves. I realized human words are just words. They can be spoken. They can be written. They can be thought or even implied. But, in all reality, people use them with such wreckless abandon that they often mean nothing to the person speaking them, but everything to the person receiving them. We allow our tongue to just move all the time, without thinking about the real meaning. But, when I think about what God says about me, I know they aren't just words. They are promises, they are true, they are meaningful. And, I am loved. I am a marvelously made masterpiece, you know, the one that Jesus loves. So, this morning, I sit back and complete the action of waiting. Depending. Relying. Knowing that God's promises are eternal. He won't take it back or change His mind. He's got this, so I don't have to worry. And, the awesome thing? You don't have to either, cause you, too, are the one Jesus loves.
Throughout this season of my life, I have often looked back and allowed myself to be discouraged, frustrated, just wanting something or someone to let me I am important, that I have value, even when all evidence points to the contrary. For so many years, nothing I did could ever equal worth. Nothing I did earned respect or an uplifting word. As I read my devotion this morning, I got the most awesome reminder of who I am. I am Cil, the one who Jesus loves. I realized human words are just words. They can be spoken. They can be written. They can be thought or even implied. But, in all reality, people use them with such wreckless abandon that they often mean nothing to the person speaking them, but everything to the person receiving them. We allow our tongue to just move all the time, without thinking about the real meaning. But, when I think about what God says about me, I know they aren't just words. They are promises, they are true, they are meaningful. And, I am loved. I am a marvelously made masterpiece, you know, the one that Jesus loves. So, this morning, I sit back and complete the action of waiting. Depending. Relying. Knowing that God's promises are eternal. He won't take it back or change His mind. He's got this, so I don't have to worry. And, the awesome thing? You don't have to either, cause you, too, are the one Jesus loves.
No comments:
Post a Comment