Treasures on earth

There is a verse in the bible that says in Matthew 6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal."

You know I was looking at a peice of artwork with an attached story that Kirsten wrote for school. It doesn't have a title but I would love to title it something like "Treasure on earth" or "Honor" or "Childhood Hero's". HA! I just love what is written from the prospective of my almost 10 year old little girl.

I guess I have been sentimental for a few weeks now. The end of the year for us is alot of celebration. We string our days together like garland on a Christmas tree. It goes from Caleb's birthday to Thanksgiving, my birthday, Steph's birthday, Kirsten's birthday, Christmas, New Year's and finally Chris' birthday. I always used to think that it was just my birthday that brought about so much reflection. The older I get, I realize that I see everyday reflections of myself in my children.

So for the next few weeks I may be writing about some of these reflections, inward and out.

Kirsten age 9 (12-22-98) writes-

My mom is miraculous. Here are some things about her. She has brownish blonde, bright and straight but curly on the bottom hair (poor kid doesn't know really, I change it often) Her eyes are blue like the snow on a snowy day. (All her siblings say they've heard of yellow snow but BLUE?) She has a gorgeous bright lit up smile.

She usually, like right when I walk in the door, says, " hi, how was your day? " When we are alone she says, " what do you want to do together?" When I act funny she says," I love you so much you know that?"

She babysits every day besides the weekends. She also lets us do lots of sports. When we are not at school she teaches us lots of new things still. :)

I love my mom to death. I think she is amazing and talented. NO, I know she is amazing and talented.

PS. I hope you like it.
By Kirsten W.

So this is one treasure on earth that I am saving. The picture she drew of us side by side standing between trees, is adorable. I love their art work and wish I could save it all. With five children it is nearly impossible. But as my eldest daughter Steph is quickly approaching womanhood, I see myself stopping to capture more moments. I have quite a collective memory of each one of my five children.

Enjoy them! They grow up way too fast.

Reckless Abandon

Reckless - 1 : marked by lack of proper caution : careless of consequences

Abandon -1 a: to give up to the control or influence of another person or agent b: to give up with the intent of never again claiming a right or interest in

I have been reading a book and I tell you that it wrecked havoc on my life, heart, emotions and very will. Some of you are thinking...the Bible. Honestly I wish I could say it was so. I have been reading the book by Craig Greoschel called IT. It is a must read for those of you who want IT, think you have IT or have lost IT. IT points straight to God and his words. IT is not a substitute for God's word (Bible). As I read it I was drawn in by the transparency of the author. I felt myself starting to let down my guard in the comfort of my living room and let God use what he had wrote to stir me. The stirring quickly moved to wrecking me. The holy spirit was etching away at the mortar of the walls I built to protect myself from vulnerability and hurt. What I knew deep in my heart was the very walls I built to protect myself were now holding me captive. I wanted to be free again but at what cost. I knew that Christ paid the ultimate price and I knew that where much is given, much would be required. I have had to face alot of things lately. HUGE things in my life, things that I had suppressed so that they would never hurt me again. I didn't realize that just like magic shell, I thought it was just a warm covering...it did seem to sooth the hurt but just like that I was shelled. I had so disconnected myself from the emotions that needed to be dealt with that now I couldn't shed tears. I could only feel anger and hurt start to swell. This is where I found myself when I started asking God to talk to me about me. As I read the pages of the book, I decided that a little chiseling was ok! I felt that I could be honest with myself but I never wanted to be that open with anyone else. (EVER) I mean I had to still be a pastor, a wife, mother, friend, daughter...so many count on me for strength. I started to feel that if I let even one tear trickle that I would not be able to stop them from flooding out. As I approached the end of IT, I couldn't stop the tears, my heart ached to be ruined by God, to be Stretched again and for God to heal me.
The cost for me is to say to the Lord I will go with you. I will run with Reckless abandon. I can tell you that the thought of reckless abandon of myself still has me shaken. I realized that through all of this to be vulnerable was my worst fear. I didn't want to be hurt. But I have told the Lord I will hurt for you, I will give of myself and become transparent. I have asked Him to break my heart for what breaks His. Lord I give up all rights of self and will never again claim them back. I am yours. Ruin me, stretch me, heal me and disturb me.
Just sharing my heart today with you. I have been scared to do that lately. Its all been surface for me. I love and pray for you all.
The Prayer of Sir Francis Drake
"Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely because we sailed too close to the shore.


Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst for the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
we have allowed our vision Of the new Heaven to dim.


Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back the horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future in strength, courage, hope, and love."



Currently reading : It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep ItBy Craig Groeschel

Transcend

I was writing earlier and a word just popped out in my mind. It was nagging and wouldn't go away so I did what I always do; I pulled out the dictionary. The word was transcend. The meaning is 1 a: to rise above or go beyond the limits of b: to triumph over the negative or restrictive aspects of : overcome c: to be prior to, beyond, and above (the universe or material existence)2: to outstrip or outdo in some attribute, quality, or power intransitive verb: to rise above or extend notably beyond ordinary limits
Wow what a powerful meaning the word transcend has. That word makes me think of the character of Christ. He did transcend. He went beyond limits set on him. He did triumph over death, the grave and hell. He overcame! He is, was and will always be. He was prior to the beginning of time. John chapter 1 verse one begins
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
He came to outstrip and outdo the power of satan. He came so that we through him would be able to rise above every life situation and go beyond ordinary limits. Through him is eternal life. I would say that makes it possible for us to go beyond ordinary limits. He has overcome the world and because he has so can we. Read the following verses.
Jeremiah 1:19 They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the Lord. Luke 10:19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the worldRomans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.1 John 4:4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 5:4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
I think one of my favorites is John 16:33 right in the middle of it, he says I have told you these things so that you may have peace...IN THIS WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE, BUT - BUT take heart, I HAVE OVERCOME the world.
I pray that you find peace and follow it.