Monday, July 21, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Loving Abigail
Right now at the ripe old age of 2 Abigail Elaine is already a very passionate little girl. I just love how she knows exactly what she wants. From very early on Ran and I could see that she was much wiser than anyone thought; and her sense of style....well anyone that has EVER come in contact with her knows she doesn't miss a chance to express herself through her clothing: ie. the time she cried all the way to town b/c she thought Emma's shoes were prettier than hers.
In so many ways she is the perfect "big sister" to Emma. She is great at finding things for them to get into, but she is even better at taking care of Emma. Anytime Emma can't do something Abigail is more than willing to help her out. Just like the other day, Emma came to me looking for a particular toy. She said she couldn't find it. Abigail just said, "I get it Emma!" And down the hall she went and return with the item. I know she will be the one to stand up for Emma, and maybe even get sent to the office some for it. On Father's day Uncle Brad was tickling Emma and "roughing her up" as we call it. It must have gone on longer than Emma wanted b/c she got upset and started crying. She came running to me and Abigail was right on her heels. After I told them to just tell Uncle Brad to please stop, they both took off. It wasn't long until I heard Abigail LOUD AND CLEAR telling Uncle Brad to leave her sister alone. I am not sure what all she said, and the truth be known that is probably best, b/c she may have gotten a spanking. I just thought that was the greatest thing.
My heart just tingles when I think of hearing her little voice saying "HON-EE".(that is what Ran and I say to each other). And when she puts on those sunglasses and "shakes her bootie" it simply cracks me up. She is definitely my little ray of sunshine. Anytime I think I am about to lose it, she comes up with some face, or word(like stinky nose) that just makes me forget everything else. I am so proud that God has given her such a strong sense of self, and a awesome sense of humor at such a young age. I pray that she will use it for his glory.
May God take you and make you into his little warrior. I can only imagine what an awesome person you will be when you grow up.
In so many ways she is the perfect "big sister" to Emma. She is great at finding things for them to get into, but she is even better at taking care of Emma. Anytime Emma can't do something Abigail is more than willing to help her out. Just like the other day, Emma came to me looking for a particular toy. She said she couldn't find it. Abigail just said, "I get it Emma!" And down the hall she went and return with the item. I know she will be the one to stand up for Emma, and maybe even get sent to the office some for it. On Father's day Uncle Brad was tickling Emma and "roughing her up" as we call it. It must have gone on longer than Emma wanted b/c she got upset and started crying. She came running to me and Abigail was right on her heels. After I told them to just tell Uncle Brad to please stop, they both took off. It wasn't long until I heard Abigail LOUD AND CLEAR telling Uncle Brad to leave her sister alone. I am not sure what all she said, and the truth be known that is probably best, b/c she may have gotten a spanking. I just thought that was the greatest thing.
My heart just tingles when I think of hearing her little voice saying "HON-EE".(that is what Ran and I say to each other). And when she puts on those sunglasses and "shakes her bootie" it simply cracks me up. She is definitely my little ray of sunshine. Anytime I think I am about to lose it, she comes up with some face, or word(like stinky nose) that just makes me forget everything else. I am so proud that God has given her such a strong sense of self, and a awesome sense of humor at such a young age. I pray that she will use it for his glory.
May God take you and make you into his little warrior. I can only imagine what an awesome person you will be when you grow up.
Putting the Shoe on the Other Foot
1Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5for each one should carry his own load.
For quiet some time, I have been wrestling with God with the above scripture. He wants me to surrender this major burden that I have carried my whole adult life and I just can't seem to let it go. You see, I have always looked to others for encouragement, accountability and especially leadership. These were people that I wanted to be like. People that "I thought" had the perfect life and walked so closely with God. Of course you know where this story is headed, one by one each person has stumbled. And the thing about it is, they have all done widely different things. These "stumbles" have always left such a burden on my heart for that person. I just couldn't understand why I would feel so heartbroken, so sad, disillusioned and confused and often questioning my own ability to discern "godly" people. Then God showed me these verses. He is revealing to me the oneness that we all have/should have in Christ. That as brothers and sisters we SHOULD hurt TOGETHER. When one of us struggles we should ALL struggle, we should all be holding each other up; not looking at each other to see where to set the next mark. Not discarding people just b/c they have made poor decisions or judging them as less than us.(James 4:11)
What a relief this has been. I have always felt a little crazy b/c these things were such a burden for me. I had decided that I had some type of obession disorder. Rather, I am just fufilling PART of what God created me to do. You see for as much as I have thought about these people and prayed for them, I very seldom directly reach out to them and tell them what God is putting on my heart. This is where I am falling off the wagon, so to speak. I am suppose to be reaching out to these people; instead I have been wallowing in self pitty b/c they weren't who I had made them out to be. And sometimes, embarassingly, holding back forgiveness.
I really began to understand that we are not created to model ourselves after others or even look to others: We are only to look to him(Leviticus 26:1-3) A close friend recently reminded me that you can't put your faith in any human b/c humans will eventually let you down; but God will never fail you or let you down. That is such a basic foundation of Christianity. As simplistic as it sounds, the day that she spoke those words to me, they took on a different meaning when I considered the above scripture. She is so right. Humans are going to fall and you shouldn't put your hope in them or use them as a measuring stick, but you should put your faith in them. We should be taking what God is putting in our hearts and using it to help those who are falling to the wayside, providing forgiveness and trusting that they will return the favor when the shoe is on our foot.
For quiet some time, I have been wrestling with God with the above scripture. He wants me to surrender this major burden that I have carried my whole adult life and I just can't seem to let it go. You see, I have always looked to others for encouragement, accountability and especially leadership. These were people that I wanted to be like. People that "I thought" had the perfect life and walked so closely with God. Of course you know where this story is headed, one by one each person has stumbled. And the thing about it is, they have all done widely different things. These "stumbles" have always left such a burden on my heart for that person. I just couldn't understand why I would feel so heartbroken, so sad, disillusioned and confused and often questioning my own ability to discern "godly" people. Then God showed me these verses. He is revealing to me the oneness that we all have/should have in Christ. That as brothers and sisters we SHOULD hurt TOGETHER. When one of us struggles we should ALL struggle, we should all be holding each other up; not looking at each other to see where to set the next mark. Not discarding people just b/c they have made poor decisions or judging them as less than us.(James 4:11)
What a relief this has been. I have always felt a little crazy b/c these things were such a burden for me. I had decided that I had some type of obession disorder. Rather, I am just fufilling PART of what God created me to do. You see for as much as I have thought about these people and prayed for them, I very seldom directly reach out to them and tell them what God is putting on my heart. This is where I am falling off the wagon, so to speak. I am suppose to be reaching out to these people; instead I have been wallowing in self pitty b/c they weren't who I had made them out to be. And sometimes, embarassingly, holding back forgiveness.
I really began to understand that we are not created to model ourselves after others or even look to others: We are only to look to him(Leviticus 26:1-3) A close friend recently reminded me that you can't put your faith in any human b/c humans will eventually let you down; but God will never fail you or let you down. That is such a basic foundation of Christianity. As simplistic as it sounds, the day that she spoke those words to me, they took on a different meaning when I considered the above scripture. She is so right. Humans are going to fall and you shouldn't put your hope in them or use them as a measuring stick, but you should put your faith in them. We should be taking what God is putting in our hearts and using it to help those who are falling to the wayside, providing forgiveness and trusting that they will return the favor when the shoe is on our foot.
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