Nothing but the Truth

There are times when a normal event going on in your body suddenly alters and you are no longer in the normal range but things are slightly off. You don't realize it right away, it slowly sneaks up on your and then you realize that the changes have been occuring for a while, but you just figured that was normal. Then all of a sudden you realize that this sudden change that was slow for you to realize is possibly the sign of something more serious.

You simply begin to realize it could be more and then you put off investigating it. You may try to remember something about it, even write it down, but then you think it could be something serious or worse yet, you can make an appointment wiht your doctor to check on this only to be told that it is normal for someone your age and not to worry about it.

So you put it off for a bit more time. Then it becomes more noticable, annoying, in the way, inconvenient and so on. You decide to make an appointment. You go to the appointment only to realize that if you would have come in several months sooner it could have been taiken care of, no problem.

But here you are, still suffering with it and still inconvenienced by it and the process that is long and filled with hurry up and wait is still having you hurry up and wait. IT is something that is common in people your age, however, it doesn't need to continue for long lenghts of time.

This is much like our relationship with our God. We know there is something wrong, and instead of bringing it out in the open, it is kept hidden in your heart and it continues to cause you pain. It continues until you want ot scream out, "Just take it away God!" But God won't just take it away. Not until you bring it to God and hand it over, completely over to God. And like the medical process that often takes placed later in the process, it is a hurry up and wait. You have to hurry up and get rid of it for God to bring forth the resolution we hope for in our lives. We have to wait upon his time, we have to wait till he determines "it is time".

Even Jesus had to wait for God's plan unfold. He had no more control than we do in his situation. I am certain Jesus would have loved to say, "Ok God, I will die on the cross, but get it done quickly. The beatings, the walk with the cross on my shoulders is overrated. Just have them arrest me and then up I go on the cross. Quick as can be". But God's plans were different from our plans, they were different from Jesus's plans. Jesus said to God on the cross 'why have you forsaken me'. I am sure Jesus would have loved to pass on over the feeling of despair, guilt, sin, shame that our sins caused him. But without Jesus feeling what he felt, would the pure satisfaction of his becoming a risenSavior mean as much to us, to him, to his heavenly father.

Sometimes there is nothing better than having the truth. But the truth hurts. It hurts to know that we could have saved yourself months of pain, aggrevation and inconvenience if we would have just asked ourselves the right question about our medical issues. Just like we could have been saved years of pain if we would have asked what our real sin is we needed to repent of and ask for help for from God. If we would have been willing to share wiht God nothing but the truth.

Struggling to become a lady of Proverbs 31
Dannett

A Sick Child

Yesterday, my 14 year old came home from school and walked past me to lay on the sofa. "I am cold and my stomach hurts", was all he said. He is a naturally tanned child but yesterday he was white. He had a fever of 103 degrees. While every fever has its reasons and risks, you would have thought my child was dying. My concern was real and my son was definitely ill. He doesn't get sick often, but when he does; he gets very sick.

I know that my husband and I have been very blessed with healthy children. There are parents who have children with long term and critical illnesses who pray daily that the worst illness they dealt with is a short term virus. There are parents with children who have disabilities, life threatening crisis' and there are parents who are saying good bye to their children forever.

There is nothing more devastating then having your child suffer. To have a child ill to the point of dying is a traumatic event for the whole family. Can you ever recover from the death of a child or a child who has a lifelong devastating disability?

Yes, you can recover. By no means is it something that will be easy to do. Recover does not mean forget your child. It means you are able to see the future continuing even when your child is not there with you.

How can you see the future without your child? By knowing that the God who made us and takes us home with him can offer that same to you. You can live with the promise that God has given us, the promise of eternal life in heaven.

We need to also remember what God has been through. His only Son was sent to earth with real dangers to Him. Jesus was hunted by Kings, killing children two and under in the hopes of killing the young Savior. Jesus was hated by his own people. Jesus was beaten, whipped, and crucified. God gave his son as the savior of the people he created and his son was crucified. While Jesus was raised from the dead and seen by the people in as little as three days after he died, we can rest in the assurance that we too will be able to see our loved ones, our lost children in heaven.

Make sure your children know about the gift that God offers each and every one of us. Make sure as well that you are taking the lead on a real relationship with God. Whether you believe Jesus is your Savior, ask Jesus into your heart, or whatever the new catch phrase is; make sure the relationship with Jesus is there in your hearts and your children's hearts. Do it today if you haven't done so already.

Being a parent is a difficult job with lots of love for our children. Make sure you are ready for this responsibility in your heart as well.