Sunday Scripture

Act It Out

Actions speak louder than words. You must act out your faith. Faith without works is dead.

These are some of the sayings I have been seeing over and over in my devotional time lately. One reason for this may be the fact our ladies group at church is doing the James study on Sunday evenings. Maybe I’m more prone to pick up on these sayings when I see them becasue of the subject matter I’ve been studying. Or maybe, in His Providence, God is nudging me (again) to chew on these words.

I can talk about Jesus and church until I am blue in the face, but if I don’t back up my words with actions-what good is it? If I don’t show kindness to a stranger or care for those in need, what example of Jesus am I setting for the world? Am I just giving Him lip-service or am I putting it all out there and giving heart-service?

Don’t get me wrong, talking about our faith is important. Sharing Jesus with those who need to hear about His grace is life-changing. But that’s not all He had in mind for believer’s to do. Did Jesus just hang out with the ‘church crowd’ everywhere He went? NO! He went to the least of them, the down-trodden, the needy. If we are to be like Him, we must do the same. We must get out there and BE the church, not just be WITH the church.

I read this today: ”Saying ‘I Love You’ can put a smile on someone’s face. Showing you love them can change their life.” Enough said!

Thank You Jesus for your Word and how it speaks to us. Thanks for the gentle reminder that our faith is not just in our words, but in how we act it out. Help me to be Your hands and feet on this earth. Give me a desire to go where You send me and to be the follower You have in mind for me to be.

Monday Musings...

Have you ever had a mommy-moment when you wanted to go all Chuck Norris on someone else's kid?  When you want to grab them up and shake some sense in them? 
Be honest....sure you have.  It's the mama bear instinct in all of us to protect our cubs from harm, whether physical or verbal. 
I had one of those moments this weekend.  I don't even think it was a true scenario, but one made up in an over-tired mind.  Sweet Sam told me on the way home from church that 2 people in his class made fun of him.  <gasp>
This is our Sam who has Cerebral Palsy.  He fights everyday for a sense of normalcy he will never have this side of heaven.  How dare some 'normal' kid pick on my baby!!
After having the thoughts of how many ways can I hurt this child go through my mind, I ask him what they said.  He responds with, "Well, Kid A rubs my head and calls me Sam the Man."  OK-I think that's cute.  This kid see's Sam is different and is reaching out in a way they understand.  But "Kid B don't understand why I walk so crooked."  STOP MY HEART
What do you say to that?  It's unfair, I'm sorry, I'd cut my legs off if it would help yours, God made you special just the way you are, it stinks, but we're making the best of it...
I'm not sure where this came from...I don't think Kid B has said anything to Sam on purpose.  Maybe they asked the teacher or Sam himself why he walks the way he does.  Kids are curious.  When they see something they don't understand they usually ask-most of the time not in the best way!
Our school is very supportive of Sam in so many ways.  The kids are great, helpful, encouraging...this gives me hope for Sam as he grows up in a 'normal' world.
It's times like this I have to remind myself God is bigger than our circumstances.  He IS.  He could heal Sam if He wanted to.  He can also leave Sam just as He is in order to bring glory to Himself.  It's not my place to figure out His plan.  My job is to walk by faith the journey He has set before us... and that's what we'll do, one crooked step at a time.


It has taken 5 years, but Sam can do the playground
"all by myself"

Sunday Scripture

5 Minute Friday

The rules are simple:
1.  Write for 5 minutes flat, no editing, no scripting, just writing.
2.  Link up with the Gypsy Mama.
3.  Make sure you visit the post before and after you and leave an encouraging comment.

Today's prompt is race...Ready, set

GO.

Race, race hurry-go, go!  All the time.  Spinning in circles. 
Going nowhere, but everywhere at the same time.
Turn around, look back, look forward.  Race, race-hurry. 
Quicker, better, faster...farther, stretching, reaching....tired.
Slow down, look around, look up and down.  Rest awhile, hold His hand, let it all go...
Deeper, wider, stronger, longer is what you find
 when you stop the racing to enjoy His stillness.

STOP.

Into the Beautiful

 



Stepping Into the Beautiful today, this is what's on my mind.  The backs in the picture above are two of the loves of my life.  The one is big, strong, steady and sure.  The other is small, bent, somewhat broken, unsure...
There are times in each of our lives when we need to be carried along by someone else.  It may be a time of sickness, heartbreak, or just plain need.  We all need someone by our side to reach out a hand and pick us up, carry us along for awhile, until we catch our breath...steady ourselves.
That is how it goes around here...Daddy always takes the time, reaches out his hand, and carries our sweet Sam whenever he gets tired and weary.
Just like my Daddy in heaven does for me.  He holds out His hand, begs me to grab hold, and rest for awhile...

Linking up with...

Sunday Scripture

Photo courtesy of:  Decima's Delights Photography